Hand washing practices and the occurrence of enteropathogenic bacteria among residents of a Nigerian University

Hand washing is known to be an important preventive strategy and a major step in infection control. However, compliance is low in most communities. The present work investigated the relationship between the levels of compliance to hand washing and related this to the occurrence of infectious bacteria in the test population. A questionnaire which contained information on bio-demographic characteristics and hand hygiene practices was applied to 100 individuals in the study population. Microbiological samples were obtained, Total Colony Counts was done and the isolates were identified using standard bacteriological methods. The results showed that 46% of the respondents wash their hands before eating food; 40% of the test population washes their hands after using the toilet; while none of the respondents wash their hands after handling money. The highest bacterial load was found in the 0-15 years age group. The most highly occurring isolate was Salmonella enterica (23.7%). These results confirm the low level of compliance to hand hygiene in the test population and underscores the need to effectively break the fecal–oral transmission route via hands through effective interventions such as hand washing with soap and water.Keywords: enteropathogenic bacteria, hand washing, complianc

Face Recognition Using Line Edge Mapping Approach

The research is based on developmeni of an authentication system. Similar to these is the fucial features authentication method which is a very new and unpopular method of authentication. The method is very unique with its operation as it doesn't require contact between the individual and the authentication device. The palm and retinal scanners have motivated the invention of the authentication system Retinal scanners are contactless authentication methods which scans the venation in the retinal of the individual which is of course unique to human beings. The technology employed in this work uses picture fuomes from videos, detects fucial features, and or matches the fuce to the respective individual's face features in the database. Authentication systems are used to identifY or verifY an individual as well as to distinguish the individual so far identified. This work develops an authentication system that operates with similar accuracy and speed of the bnman identification

Improving The Thermoplastic Extrusion Process In Cable Manufacturing

Cable manufacturing in a developing country like Nigeria today is faced with a number of problems that affect the quality of cables produced from extrusion to insulation of conductors. The main cause of the problems is the low and variable output rate from extruder causing non-uniform conductor diameter which results in insulation surface appearance defects. These defects manifest in form of pimples, dimples, cracking, air cavity, voids and porosity within the plastics which are insulation. The conductor insulation normally used is the Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) which is normally sourced locally or imported. The locally produced PVC is cheaper in cost than the imported one but at the expense of quality due to inconsistency in the percentage combination of plasticizers, fillers, stabilizers, lubricants, and other additives required for producing quality PVC resin for cable applications. If the local manufacturers of PVC are not patronized, it will lead to employees losing their jobs and most likely their family income with other attending societal ills. The work in this paper takes a close to look at what should be done to improve the quality of locally produced PVC at little or no increase in cost. It has been discussed while working with one of the manufacturers that the required additives to produce an acceptable level of quality PVC resins for cable application are not optimally combined proportionately. In order to improve the quality oflocal plastics, optimum proportion of the required additives for quality cable insulation were experimentally determined at a comparable cost and better additive material consumption. The ratio of weight per charge (Kg/charge) of additives especially plasticizer and chalk gave a good output comparable in quality to the imported ones. The test results obtained from the analysis of the local plastics with optimum proportion of additives are comparable to the imported one. The analysis is based on insulation test, cost savings, material consumption/wastages, viscosity, melt temperature, flows and pressure requirements associated with extrusion process of thermoplastic

Prevalence of Antibiotic-Resistant Strains of Escherichia coli in Drinking Water Samples from Mowe Metropolis, Ogun State, Nigeria

A measured Escherichia coli level in drinking water is perhaps the most popular means of determining human health risks globally. Water samples from wells, boreholes and sachet water, the 3 predominant sources of drinking water in the study area were evaluated for the presence of bacteria, particularly E coli. Bacteria isolation was done using standard microbiological procedures while identification of isolates was done using cultural, morphological and biochemical characteristics. Enumeration of standard plate count was done by spread plate method on serially diluted water samples. The prevalence of E coli in the water samples and the activities of cefoxitin, fusidic acid, meticillin, penicillin and vancomycin against the E coli isolates and the susceptibility testing data were obtained using Kirby Bauer method. A total of six bacteria species Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes were isolated from water samples obtained from borehole, well and sachet water samples in the study area. The mean bacteria counts ranged between 3.74 x 104 to 1.65 x 102 CFU/ml for well and borehole water and 0.81 to 5.1 x 102 CFU/ml for sachet water samples. Out of the 6 E coli strains representing 27.2% of the isolated bacteria species; two, representing 33.3% of the strainsshowed moderate to high resistance against meticillin. These findings are expected to motivate public health stakeholders in the study location to attempt reducing the growing resistance of pathogenic bacteria in the environment, and their ecotoxic effects.Key words: antibiotic resistance, meticillin, water quality, E. coli Un niveau d'Escherichia coli mesurées dans l'eau potable est peut-être le moyen le plus populaire de la détermination des risques pour la santé humaine à l'échelle mondiale. Des échantillons d'eau de puits, de forages et de l'eau de sachet, les trois principales sources d’eau potable dans la zone d'étude ont été évalués pour la présence de bactéries, en particulier E. coli. L'isolement de bactéries a été effectué en utilisant des procédures microbiologiques standard tandis que l'identification des isolats a été effectuée à l'aide des caractéristiques culturelles, morphologiques et biochimiques. Énumération de nombre de plaque standard a été effectuée par la méthode de la plaque de propagation sur des échantillons d'eau dilués en série. La prévalence de E. coli dans les échantillons d'eau et les activités de la céfoxitine, l'acide fusidique, la méticilline, la pénicilline etde la vancomycine contre les isolats de E. coli et les données de tests de sensibilité ont été obtenus en utilisant la méthode de Kirby Bauer. Un total de six espèces de bactéries :Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus,  Enterobacter aerogenes ont été isolés à partir d'échantillons d'eau provenant de puits, de forage et des échantillons d'eau de sachet dans la zone d'étude. Les bactéries, les valeurs moyennes se situaient entre 3,74 x 104 à 1,65 x 102 UFC / ml pour le bien et l'eau de forage et de 0,81 à 5,1 x 102 UFC / ml pour les échantillons d'eau de sachet. Sur les 6 souches d'E.coli représentant 27,2% des espèces de bactéries isolées ; deux (33,3 %) des souches ont montré une résistance modéré à haute à la pénicilline. Ces résultats devraient inciter les intervenants en santé publique dans le lieu de l'étude de tenter de réduire la résistance croissante des bactéries  pathogènes dans l'environnement et leurs effets écotoxiques.Mots clés: Résistance aux antibiotiques, pénicilline, qualité l’eau, E. coli

Transmission Network Enhancement with Renewable Energy

Wind and solar energy play an important role in the de - carbonization of electricity generation. However, high shares of these Variable Renewable Energies (VREs) challenge the power system considerably due to their temporal fluctuations and geographical dispersion. This paper systematically reviews and analyzes transmission grid extensions as an integration measure for VREs. Effects of grid extensions for fundamental properties of the power system as a function of the penetration and mix of wind coupled with solar energy were revealed in the study. The paper also provides an overview of the system implication of wind and solar PV energy and investigates a way to partly overcome transmission grid extension

Smart Grid Technology Potentials in Nigeria: an Overview

In recent time electricity system in Nigeria has suffered lots of difficulties that have led to the epileptic electricity supply without any solution improvement. The poor power system has affected the economic development of the nation. Despite all the different strategies of reform embarked on by the Nigeria government, the energy sector is still not efficient or reliable. This poor power system is as a result of the inadequate and inefficient power generation, poor transmission and distribution facilities, and out worn metering system used by electricity consumers. This paper strives to present the way forward for the Nigerian epileptic electricity by reviewing the power sector as a whole and smart grid potential.This paper compare the traditional grid with the smart grid, looking at the smart potentials that the Nigeria grid can achieve reliability and efficiency. Several benefits can be achieved by the power supplied to the Nigeria masses to have a good quality and reliable supply if the smart grid potentials are considered. Smart grid is an emerging technology that can lead to the modernization of the electrical power system, comprising of communication systems with different storage technology, distributed generation and loads. The content of this paper is to manage energy use more efficiently, save money on electricity, and provide technology and processes that are integrated into the appliances and devices consumers use in their everyday lives, all without causing significant disruptio

Design And Development Of A Microcontroller Based Wireless Security Access System

Security can simply be protecting your equipment and files from unauthorized access, but there is much more. Computer security helps ensure that your computers, networks, and peripherals work as expected all the time, and that your dsta is safe in the event of hard disk crash or a power failure resulting from an electrical storm. Security makes sure no dsmage is done to your dsta and that no one is able to read it unless you want them to. This work focuses on security from the dimension of remote wireless access using password credential. In various industries, companies and even homes of today, the use of this means of security is very popular and various evolution over the years have been made to the first model that came out in the late 1800's. The main activities involved in this work are the research done on how the automatic gate works and the transfer of frequency modulated signals using the transmitter and receiver module

Unusually High Prevalence of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria among Male University Students on Redemption Camp, Ogun State, Nigeria

Differences are known to occur in prevalence rates in urinary tract infections (UTI) between men and women due to the difference between the urinary tracts of the sexes. Moreover, different organisms are known to infect and cause bacteriuria in men. When urine samples from 55 apparently healthy male students of Redeemer’s University were examined, nine bacteria species including Micrococcus luteus, Viellonella parvula, Micrococcus varians, Streptococcus downei, Streptococcus pneumonia, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus pyrogenes, Staphylococcus saprophyticus,and Enterococcus aquimarinus were isolated from the samples. The two most prevalent organisms reported in this study were Micrococcus luteus (40%) and Micrococcus varians (27.3%). The implication of the high prevalence rates (54.5%) of asymptomatic bacteriuria obtained in this population is discussed.Key words: Asymptomatic UTI, bacteriuria, Micrococcus luteu

Effect of natural spices on the progression of microbial food spoilage in the steamed beans pudding, moin-moin

Using a completely randomized block design, the progression of microbial food spoilage and the microbiological and sensory qualities of steamed cowpea paste (moin-moin) seasoned with onion, garlic, nutmeg and cinnamon was investigated. The total plate count was enumerated at approximately four hour intervals using Mueller-Hinton and Sabroaud dextrose agar for bacteria and fungal spoilage organisms respectively. Sensory evaluation was carried out using a 9-point hedonic scale. Results revealed no statistically significant difference in the progression of microbial spoilage. Eight bacterial species were isolated from the treatment samples as follows: Bacillus nealsoni, B. megaterium, B. pumilus, B marinus, Salimicrobium halophilum and Micrococcus varians. While 7 (seven) isolated fungi from the treatment samples are Gonatobotrys spp, Alternaria spp, Gymnoascus spp, Acremonium spp, Geotrichum spp, Oidiodendrum spp and Cladosporium spp. Untreated control and samples treated with nutmeg were preserved for the longest period of 23 hours. The present results show that moin-moin would spoil within 24 hours if kept at ambient temperature. The widely accepted reports of in-vitro anti-microbial effect of the spices was not observed in-vivo. Furtherwork is needed on increasing the shelf-life of moin-moin and other similar foods.Keywords: Antimicrobial activity, in-vivo, flow diagram

Synchronous Generator Excitation Chatter-Free Sliding Mode Controller

A chatter-free sliding mode controller (SMC) for synchronous generator excitation is presented in this paper. A linearized model of a single machine connected to an infinite bus is employed to design a variable-structure controller which not only stabilizes the system, but also ensures that this is maintained in the face of system parameter variations. Validating the robustness feature of an SMC, simulation results that show the dynamic performance of the system under both constant excitation and SMC-controlled excitation are presented