Sexual Violence Against Female Students in Polytechnics in South-West Nigeria

Sexual violence against women is a social vice that affects females in diverse forms across clime, race and religion. This manifests through sexual assault, rape, sexual harassment, incest, sexual exploitation, stalking and cyber stalking. Out of all these, sexual assault, rape and sexual harassment of female students by male lecturers are common in the tertiary institutions. There is no doubt that sexual violence is indeed a global problem, but it becomes worrisome when lecturers now demand sex  from their female students   in return for good grades in their courses. This educational epidemic erodes academic integrity and dignity, thus making certification an exercise in falsehood. This study investigated the causes of sexual violence against female students by male lecturers in polytechnics, the consequences of the act on the victims as well as the polytechnic system; and how the horrid act can be controlled in South–West Nigeria. The six states that make up this axis are: Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Lagos and Ekiti. The sampled population comprised 1800 female students and 900 adults-both male and female, selected from 17 Federal, State and Private Polytechnics in the six states. The purposive sampling technique was used to select the female students, the adults as well as the polytechnics that participated in the study. The responses were collated and analysed using simple frequencies and percentages because the study was a descriptive survey research. The study revealed that sexual violence against female students was a reality in polytechnics in South-West Nigeria. The male lecturers who indulged in the act did so mainly, to exercise their power and authority over the female students. To control the callous act, some punitive and preventive measures were recommended. These will enable all members of the various academic communities to perceive sexual violence as an inhuman act which every sane person should avoid. Keywords: Violence, Sexual violence, Female students, Consequences and Control

Urinary Pathogens and Their Antimicrobial Susceptibility in Patients with Indwelling Urinary Catheter

The indwelling urinary catheter (IUC) is the most significant risk factor for developing nosocomial urinary tract infections (UTIs). In order to determine the spectrum of bacterial etiology and antibiotic resistance pattern of uropathogens causing catheter associated UTI, a convenient sample size of ninety-two (92) patients on urethral catheter was investigated. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the OAUTHC research and ethical committee. Catheter stream urine samples were obtained from all patients and cultured on appropriate culture media. Suspected isolates were identified by a combination of standard tests and using MICROBACT GNA12A/B/E. Susceptibility of the isolates against thirteen (13) antibiotics was performed by the disc diffusion method. Significant bacteriuria was observed in 60.9% (56) catheter specimen urine (CSU) received, while 39.1% (36) were culture negative. Of the 56 positive culture, the predominant organisms were Klebsiella oxytoca, 28.6 %( 16), Proteus vulgaris, 23.2% (13) and Staphylococcus aureus, 12.5% (7). Overall, the antimicrobial susceptibility results showed that all the isolates were highly resistant to the antibiotics tested. Over 50% resistance was recorded for trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, gentamicin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. More than 25% of the isolates were resistant to nitrofurantoin. This study indicates that catheter stream UTI caused by multiply resistant bacteria are common in our hospital. There is a need to establish standard guidelines on the care of catheter for all units in the hospital with a view to preventing nosocomial infections associated with the use of the catheter in patients. We also advocated prudent use of antibiotics. Key words: Antibiotic resistance, Urinary catheter, Uropathogens, Urinary tract infectio

Soil weight determination for optimal growth and yield performances of pot-grown maize

Root restriction, reduced growth and poor yield due to an insufficient quantity of soil are the major limitations of pot-grown maize (Zea mays L.). Hence, to determine the actual quantity of soil required for optimal growth and yield performances of pot-grown maize, two maize varieties; BR9943 DMR-SR (yellow) and BR9928 DMR-SR (white), were evaluated in pots of 5, 10, 20, 30 and 40 kg of topsoil in a 2 x 4 factorial (r = 4) using complete randomised design at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan, Nigeria. Data were collected on plant height (PHT), leaf area (LA), cob length (CBT), number of kernels per row (K/R), number of rows per cob (R/C), number of kernels per cob (K/C) and total grain weight (TGW). The results obtained showed that all the evaluated parameters were significantly different at P < 0.05 across the soil weights. Maize planted in 30 kg of soil had the highest LA (774.25 cm2), R/C (15.25), K/C (405.62) and TGW (73.84 g), compared with maize planted in 5 kg and 10 kg soils. Plant height and CBT were highest when 40 kg of soil was used. The maize varieties BR9928 DMR-SR (yellow) and BR9943 DMR-SR (white) were not significantly different across the growth and yield parameters except for LA, where the yellow maize (651.91 cm2) had a substantially higher LA than the white maize variety (588.19 cm2). Based on the results of this study, 30 kg of topsoil is recommended for optimum growth and yield performances of pot grown maize

Chemical, antioxidant and sensory properties of pasta from fractionated whole wheat and Bambara groundnut flour

Pasta from whole-grain wheat is highly nutritious but has poor sensory properties. Hence, this study prepared pasta from fractionated whole-grain wheat flour enriched with 20% Bambara groundnut. The chemical, antioxidant and sensory properties of the pasta were assessed using standard methods. The fat, protein, ash contents, lightness and antioxidant properties value of the flour and pasta increased, while carbohydrate and fibre contents decreased with a reduction in particle size from 500 μm to 112 μm. Potassium (246.50–249.00 mg/kg), calcium (223.50–254.00 mg/kg) and magnesium (184.50–192.00 mg/kg) were the major mineral element in the pasta samples, while zinc (1.00–2.00 mg/kg) and iron (3.50–13.00 mg/kg) are present in small quantities. The optimum cooking time of pasta (average 6.55 min) from the fractionated flours was shorter compared to the control pasta (pasta made from unfractionated wheat flour), but the cooking loss was not significantly affected. Pasta from flour with particle sizes of 300 and 112 μm were very similar in their sensory attributes and showed the highest ratings in overall acceptability. Fractionation of whole-grain wheat flour seems very promising in producing pasta with fairly good antioxidant potentials and high level of protein and fibre to improve the health of pasta-loving individuals.The Faculty of Science-University Research Committee Fellowship of the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/lwthj2022Consumer ScienceFood Scienc

Associated risk factors of STIs and multiple sexual relationships among youths in Malawi

Having unprotected sex with multiple sexual partners (MSP) is the greatest risk factor for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among youths. Young people with MSPs are less likely to use a condom and the greater the risk for STIs. This study examines the associated risk factors of STIs and multiple sexual partnerships among youths aged 15–24 years. The Malawi Demographic Health Survey 2010 data was used. Out of a sample of 2,987 males and 9,559 females aged 15–24 years, 2,026 males and 6,470 females were considered in the study. Chi square test and logistic regression techniques were performed. Analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.Article writing fellowships were received from the Research Development Office, University of the Western Cape, 7535 Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa.Web of Scienc

Methanogens, sulphate and heavy metals: a complex system

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a well-established technology used for the treatment of wastes and wastewaters with high organic content. During AD organic matter is converted stepwise to methane-containing biogasa renewable energy carrier. Methane production occurs in the last AD step and relies on methanogens, which are rather sensitive to some contaminants commonly found in wastewaters (e.g. heavy metals), or easily outcompeted by other groups of microorganisms (e.g. sulphate reducing bacteria, SRB). This review gives an overview of previous research and pilot-scale studies that shed some light on the effects of sulphate and heavy metals on methanogenesis. Despite the numerous studies on this subject, comparison is not always possible due to differences in the experimental conditions used and parameters explained. An overview of the possible benefits of methanogens and SRB co-habitation is also covered. Small amounts of sulphide produced by SRB can precipitate with metals, neutralising the negative effects of sulphide accumulation and free heavy metals on methanogenesis. Knowledge on how to untangle and balance sulphate reduction and methanogenesis is crucial to take advantage of the potential for the utilisation of biogenic sulphide as a metal detoxification agent with minimal loss in methane production in anaerobic digesters.The research was financially supported by the People Program (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 under REA agreement 289193

Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

Contains fulltext : 172380.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Co-contamination of water with chlorinated hydrocarbons and heavy metals: challenges and current bioremediation strategies

Chlorinated hydrocarbons can cause serious environmental and human health problems as a result of their bioaccumulation, persistence and toxicity. Improper disposal practices or accidental spills of these compounds have made them common contaminants of soil and groundwater. Bioremediation is a promising technology for remediation of sites contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons. However, sites co-contaminated with heavy metal pollutants can be a problem since heavy metals can adversely affect potentially important biodegradation processes of the microorganisms. These effects include extended acclimation periods, reduced biodegradation rates, and failure of target compound biodegradation. Remediation of sites co-contaminated with chlorinated organic compounds and toxic metals is challenging, as the two components often must be treated differently. Recent approaches to increasing biodegradation of organic compounds in the presence of heavy metals include the use of dual bioaugmentation; involving the utilization of heavy metal-resistant bacteria in conjunction with an organic-degrading bacterium. The use of zero-valent irons as a novel reductant, cyclodextrin as a complexing agent, renewable agricultural biosorbents as adsorbents, biosurfactants that act as chelators of the co-contaminants and phytoremediation approaches that utilize plants for the remediation of organic and inorganic compounds have also been reported. This review provides an overview of the problems associated with co-contamination of sites with chlorinated organics and heavy metals, the current strategies being employed to remediate such sites and the challenges involved