Modeling the Total Man in Traditional Farming Practice: A Spartial-Dramatic Analysis of Folkloric Farming Songs

There are numerous forms of education in Africa societies with many deeply rooted in traditional vocations. A reassessment of the dramatic elements of some inspirational music in traditional farming practice reveals a continuous and emphatic value added technique in occupational farming. One of the least documented to date is nofiofio; employed as a stress free, work-play group farming technique known for speed and efficiency. This rejuvenated ancient guide employs dramatic techniques driven by instructive moral folk music. Findings reveal that nofiofio encourages occupational discipline, family cohesion and social bond toward occupational engagements. Although such folk music is no longer used in cotemporary farming practice but newer forms of youth music have. A reflection on their uses in the past has risen in recent times. Nofiofio in particular encouraged moral and strong character building among the youth population involved in traditional farming. This paper analyses the dramatic content of this popular farming music in Edo State of Nigeria for planting and harvesting. The study shows a structured and efficient matrix for time management, motivation and increased output. Keywords: Education, Africa, Oral Tradition, Nofiofio, and Folk music

Synthesis, characterization and antibacterial studies of metal complexes of sulfadiazine with N-alkyl-N-phenyldithiocarbamate

Co(II), Cu(II), Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes of 4-amino-N-(2-pyrimidinyl)benzene sulfonamide (sulfadiazine) with some N-alkyl-N-phenyl dithiocarbamate have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, conductivity measurements, UV-Vis and FTIR spectroscopy. The complexes are formulated as four coordinate MN2S2 species in which the metal ions are coordinated to one molecule of sulfadiazine through the pyrimidinyl and sulfulnamido nitrogen atoms and one molecule of dithiocarbamate through two sulfur atoms with both molecules acting as bidentate chelating ligands. The in vitro antibacterial activities of the complexes and sulfadiazine were evaluated against eight bacteria strains using the agar well diffusion method. The metal complexes showed varied antibacterial properties and their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and maximum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined. KEY WORDS: Sulfadiane, Dithiocarbamate, Metal complexes, Antibacterial, Drug resistance Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2013, 27(1), 77-84.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v27i1.

Synthesis, characterization and antibacterial screening of 2,4-diaminopyrimidine pyrimethamine and trimethoprim silver complexes

Air stable silver Ag(I) complexes of pyrimethamine and trimethoprim drugs have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, and conductivity measurement. The metal complexes formed a three and four coordinate geometry with the ligands acting as a monodentate molecule bonding to the silver ion in each case through the pyrimidine N (1) nitrogen. The complexes have non-electrolyte behaviour in dimethylformamide (DMF) solution with its low conductivity values. Silver complexes, their free ligands alongside the corresponding silver salts were screened against selected bacterial isolates. All the silver complexes showed enhanced antibacterial activities compared to their free ligands and potential antibacterial agents have been identified.Key words: Pyrimethamine, trimethoprim, silver complexes, antibacterial screening, minimum inhibitory concentration

Nutrients, phytochemicals, fungal flora and aflatoxin in fresh and salted Vernonia amygdalina leaves

In this study, the effect of salting on the pH, phytochemicals, fungal flora and nutrient composition of Vernonia amygdalina leaves was investigated. There was a decrease in pH from 5.88 for the fresh, to 5.80, 5.73, 5.24, and 5.02 for the light brined, light salted, heavy salted and light brine + vinegar treated leaves, respectively. Leaves treated with water alone had a pH of 6.63. Compared with the fresh leaves, there was a decrease in all the nutrients investigated, except for sodium and calcium which increased significantly. The fresh sample showed the highest concentration of total phenolic compounds (TPC). Compared with the fresh, the highest loss of TPC was for the light brine + vinegar preserved leaves (51.69%) and the lowest loss was for the water treated (27.28%). The heavy salted and light salted leaves lost about a third (36.05 and 33.42%, respectively) and the light brined 45.93% of their TPC. In terms of organoleptic properties, reduction in fungal count and genera, and loss of moisture, heavy salting appears to be the most effective preservation treatment. These, coupled with only moderate loss of nutrients and phytochemicals is recommended as an effective technique for the preservation of V. amygdalina leaves. Screening of the fresh and treated produce indicated the presence of aflatoxin.Keywords: Vernonia amygdalina leaves, salting, nutrients, phytochemicals, fungal flora, aflatoxinAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(38), pp. 5655-566

Lead Acetate-induced Changes in Haematological Indices and Bone Marrow of Adult Wistar Rats: Protective Role of α-Tocopherol (Vitamin E)

Lead exposure has been associated with several adverse health effects involving multiple body systems and organ failure. Hence, the objective of this paper was to the effects of α-Tocopherol (Vitamin E) on haematological indices and bone marrow of lead acetate (LA)-exposed adult Wistar rats. Twenty (20) adult Wistar rats (n=5) were randomly assigned as follows: Control group (A) received 1ml of distilled water; Group B received 100 mg/kg body weight (BW) of LA; Group C received 50 mg/kg BW of α-Tocopherol and 100 mg/kg BW of LA; Group D received 50 mg/kg BW α-Tocopherol only. All administrations, via an oral gavage, lasted for twenty-eight days. Following the sacrifice of experimental rats, blood samples were collected in Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid bottles for hematological analysis and the femur of rats were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin for histological evaluation. Results showed that the haematological indices in group B rats were significantly different (P0.05) in the parameters investigated when compared to control. Conclusively, results from this study showed that α-Tocopherol can mitigate the toxic effects of lead on the haematological system, and further studies are needed to corroborate these findings and investigate the mechanisms of action

A Proposed Model

Rocha-Penedo, R., Cruz-Jesus, F., & Oliveira, T. (2021). Opposite Outcomes of Social Media Use: A Proposed Model. In S. K. Sharma, Y. K. Dwivedi, B. Metri, & N. P. Rana (Eds.), Re-imagining Diffusion and Adoption of Information Technology and Systems: A Continuing Conversation - IFIP WG 8.6 International Conference on Transfer and Diffusion of IT, TDIT 2020, Proceedings (pp. 524-537). (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology; Vol. 618). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64861-9_46Social media are probably one of the most influential and disruptive technology of the present times. It is ubiquitous and has the capability to influence virtually every aspect of one’s life while, at the same time, also influence the way firms and public organizations operate and communicate with individuals. Although there is a plethora of studies in the IS literature focused on SM adoption and outcomes, studies hypothesizing positive and negative outcomes together are scarce. We propose a comprehensive research model to shed light on SM positive and negative outcomes, and how these affect one’s happiness. We also explore how personality traits can influence these relationships.authorsversionpublishe

Innovative Business Approaches for the Reduction of Extreme Poverty and Marginality?

Extreme poverty is an immense political and market failure, wasting the potential of hundreds of millions of people. Investing in the creation of markets that include the extreme poor and marginalized should thus not only be considered as a charitable activity, but promises high returns on investments - in financial and humanitarian terms. However, while the potential of innovative business approaches to target the poor that live close to the poverty line is increasingly being recognised, the question remains how far these approaches can push the margin to also include those that are extremely poor. And how can those that are marginalized from development opportunities be brought into and benefit from market-based systems to improve the quality of their lives? The impressive rise of business approaches to combating poverty stems from a long history of debates on the role of businesses in society. From an initial focus on social objectives as an external add-on, leading business thinkers have increasingly been stressing the benefits for companies of integrating social considerations into their core business strategies, for instance by targeting lowincome consumers (or 'bottom of the pyramid' markets) or strengthening supply and distribution chains through the involvement of local communities as part of inclusive business strategies. Others - most notably Muhammed Yunus along with other social entrepreneurs - are taking this argument one step further, advocating the use of business strategies primarily to address social goals rather than for financial gains. Thus, in discussions on the role of business in society, profit maximisation as the primary objective of business operations is increasingly making way for business initiatives that are guided by social objectives. This trend is also being supported by growing interest among investors in financing enterprises that promote social or environmental objectives, either as their primary aim or in parallel with seeking to generate financial returns. How suitable these different approaches are to engage the poorest and marginalized depends in part on the extent to which they are able to involve the extreme poor themselves, their flexibility to direct business objectives towards the reduction of extreme poverty and marginality, and their ability to successfully operate with non-business public and civil society partners and in sectors of particular interest to the extreme poor. Further research and action is needed to identify outcome-focused indicators and measurement tools for social value creation, examine possible government measures to support business activities for the poorest, and consider complementarities between the different business approaches. While we recognise that it is unrealistic to expect businesses to be able to reach all of the extreme poor, we believe that the boundaries of innovative business operations can be pushed much further to include a far larger number of the poorest and marginalized

Sustaining cultural tourism through higher female participation in Nigeria: the role of corporate social responsibility in oil host communities

This paper adds to the gender discourse in sustainable African tourism development from the corporate social responsibility (CSR) perspective. Specifically, we examine the impact of CSR on the development of rural women in cultural tourism. A total of 600 rural women were sampled across the Niger Delta. Results from the use of a logit model indicate a significant relationship between CSR and cultural tourism development in oil host communities in Nigeria. This implies that CSR of a multinational oil company (MOC) is a critical factor for sustaining cultural tourism. The findings suggest increased female participation in General Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) interventions of MOC and the need to pay close attention to which extent the participation of rural women in the GMoU projects may be limited by cultural and traditional obstacles

Towards the Development of an Empirical Model for Islamic Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from the Middle East

Academic research suggests that variances in contextual dynamics, and more specifically religion, may lead to disparate perceptions and practices of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Driven by the increased geopolitical and economic importance of the Middle East and identified gaps in knowledge, the study aims to examine if indeed there is a divergent form of CSR exercised in the region. The study identifies unique CSR dimensions and constructs presented through an empirical framework in order to outline the practice and perception of CSR in a context with strong Islamic beliefs. The framework goes beyond the platform of mere Islamic philanthropy and is based on CSR-stakeholder management practices. Following an exploratory research design and collecting interview data from representatives of 63 organisations from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, the study offers a snapshot of the CSR reality from the perspective of those living the phenomenon. The results suggest that the practice and perception of CSR in the examined context are largely grounded in the areas of social and altruistic actions but they cannot be examined in isolation from the religious context of CSR operation. This focus is mainly attributed to the dominant role of Islam in the examined sample, which leads to forms of non-structured or semi-structured approaches to CSR. Apart from the theoretical advancements offered to the CSR literature, the study also provides contributions for practitioners and policy makers.</p