Effect of gas flaring on soil microbial spectrum in parts

Effects of gas-flaring on soil bacterial spectrum in parts of Niger-Delta area of Southern Nigeria was investigated using culture techniques and some ecological factors. While temperature decreased away from the flare points (60 oC to 28oC), pH values, changed from acidic (4.0 – 4.2) to near neutral (6.4 – 6.6) away from the flare point. Moisture content also increased away from the flare. Bacterial load of Total Heterotrophic bacterial count (THBC), Petroleum degrading bacterial count (PDBC) and Total coliform count (TCC) also increased away from the flare points. The  most affected by the Gas flaring was the coliforms. Bacterial species were also affected as only three Pseudomonas, and Bacillus species were found 10m away from the flare. The number increased to seven with the addition of E. coli, Enterobater, Flavobacterium and Micrococcus species at 100m away and finally 10, at 200m away with Citrobacter, Staphylococcus and Lactobacillus species. The same trend was observed in all the flaring sites examined. The results indicated adverse ecological and bacterial spectrum modifica-tions by the Gas flaring

Interrogating the Adoption of Quality Assurance Parameters in the Management of Private Basic Schools in Six Local Government Areas, Kano

This paper interrogates the adoption of quality assurance in private basic schools in Kano state. To achieve this task, six (6) local government areas, selected from the three (3) senatorial zones of Kano Central, Kano North and Kano South were used. On completion of the fieldwork which lasted from June to September, four (4) months, through the survey design approach, data was analysed by the use of descriptive statistical analysis. In this case percentage score was considered appropriate because the responses were structured following a strongly agree, agree, disagree and strongly disagree considered version of Likerts Scale. The findings from fieldwork showed that first there was a uneven distribution of private schools across the three Senatorial zones as Gwale has the highest number of 118 (44.02%), Fagge 97 (36.19%), Gezawa 22 (8.20%), Dawaki 14(5.22%), Wudil 4(1.49%) and Rogo 13 (4.85%). The differential was accounted for by population growth and immigrants settlement. Secondly, most private actors in the education sector were drawn into the industry with the urge to maximize returns on investment. It also showed that the environment under which most of they operates are not conducive for teaching and learning. The research also found out that supervision of these private schools are not adequate as emphasis was on collecting all manner of levies and gratification. The paper recommended that a data bank for all the private schools operating in Nigeria which this present research initiated should be done in other parts of the federation. Also multiple supervisory agencies should be trimmed to one for improved efficiency with offices established in all the local government areas. Extant laws on quality standard should not be compromised henceforth and schools found wanting must be closed down permanently. The paper also recommended that the Ministry of Education and a taskforce should clamp down on private schools established very close to Hotels and brothels. This would help to vestor sanity in the education system. Finally, government should intervene in the area of instructional materials to these schools and control the fees they should collect. On the balance sheet, the paper concludes without reservation that private basic schools in Kano have abandoned their complimentary function of providing quality education to the Nigerian children. Keywords: Interrogating, Adoption, Quality Assurance, Parameters, Management. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-3-1

Fungal contamination of eye lenses and frames of patients attending optometry clinic at Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria.

Fungal contamination of eye lenses of eye patients attending the Optometry Clinic in Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria, was investigated using culture technique. Of the four hundred and fiftypatients’ lenses screened between March 2003 – February 2004, sixty-eight (15.11%) had fungal contamination. Aspergillus species (41.1%) was the most prevalent, followed by Penicillium species(30.9%) while Microsporium species was the least (14.7%). Candida and Trichophyton species prevalence were 26.4 and 19.1%, respectively. Lenses used by the males were slightly, though notstatistically significant (P < 0.05), more contaminated (16.04%) than those from their female counterparts (13.02%). Age significantly affected the level of eye lenses contamination, as individualsbetween 21 - 30 years had the highest level of lenses contamination (30.97%), followed by those of 31 -40 years (15.47%), 41 - 50 years (15.68%), and above 50 years had (11.0%). Individuals of 0 - 10 and 11 -20 years had only 2 and 5.0% contamination, respectively. The presence of these fungal species could be significant, as some of them are well-known dermatophyes. Occupational influences showed thatindividuals in contact with soil have the most contaminated lenses

Persistence and Biofilm Assessment of Campylobacter Jujeni in Poultry Abattoir

ABSTRACTPersistence of Campylobacter sp and its biofilm forming ability was assessed in two poultry abattoirs at two weeks intervals. Average prevalence (63.75%) of Campylobacter spp. was observed on assessing a total of 160 samples collected from the surfaces of packaging table (80%), dressing table (75%), floor source (70%) and washing table (30%). Biofilm assessment formed by Campylobacter jejuni within 5-days at 37°C were in decreasing order of washing table>packaging table>dressing table>floor. An average rate (19.6%) of isolates to develop biofilm observed in both sites was considered relatively low. Absorbance value (Optical Density-OD590nm) of formed biofilms ranged from 0.483 – 0.952. Wastewater from the facilities showed higher TDS (643 – 820 mgl−1), TSS (1200 – 1775 mgl−1), COD (152 – 141 mgl−1) and BOD (30.3 – 32.5mgl−1) than the WHO standards of 500 mgl−1, 100 mgl−1, 10 mgl−1 and 6 mgl−1 respectively. This is a clear indication of heavy microbial presence in the wastewater. Total bacterial count (TBC) was slightly higher in site A (4.4 × 105 CFU/ml) than site B (3.5×105CFU/ml). Efficiency index ratio (≈/>1) observed in all tested drugs suggests their effectiveness in campylobacteriosis management. Decreasing drug sensitivity pedigree was observed with streptomycin>erythromycin & gentamincin>tetracycline & neomycin>penicillin>riphapicin & ampicillin>norflaxicin & cephalexin. These results of frequency and biofilm forming tendencies of Campylobacter spp. observed in this study can be of value in checkmating campybacteriosis outbreak from poultry abattoir facility

Evaluation of the Effects of Okigwe Cattle Market Wastes on the Surrounding Agricultural Soil Parameters

Soil enzyme activities and bioloads of various organisms as influenced by Cattle Market activities were evaluated in Okigwe, Imo State. All the bacterial groups estimated have their highest values in the soil in which the slaughter house wastes were disposed while the control was the least. Lipolytic bacterial counts ranged from 1.7 x 103 – 2.1 x 104 cfu/g; proteolytic bacteria 2.1 x 103 – 1.7 x 105 cfu/g and total coliforms were 2.3 x 104 – 2.7 x 105 cfu/g. The total heterotrophic bacterial count ranged from 3.7 x 106 to 3.7 x 108 and nitrifying bacteria 2.1 – 104 – 3.7 x 105cfu/g. The soil pH changed towards slight alkalinity (6,4-7.6) while the change in temperature was not significant (28.2 – 30.4oC). The total organic carbon, nitrate and phosphate were in the order of control slaughter house waste soil > Control while lipase and urease had slaughter house waste soil > Cattle Market soil > Control. Cellulase activity was also higher in cattle market soil than slaughter house waste and control. The activities caused increase in both bacterial loads and enzyme activities. Keywords: Physiochemical parameters, Soil enzymes, Cattle waste, BacteriaBio-Research Vol. 6 (2) 2008: pp. 367-37

Soil bacterial flora and enzymatic activities in zinc and lead contaminated soil

Soil bacterial flora and enzymatic activities in lead and zinc contaminated soil of Ishiagu, Nigeria were investigated. The physicochemical properties measured showed that the miningpit had acidic pH (5.6) which gradually increased till 7.5 in the control. Organic matter was only 2.57mg/g in the pit but gradually reached 7.41mg/g in control. Pb concentration was higher at pit 360.52mg/g, 305.46mg/g at 5m away and lowest at control 36.16mg/g. Zn was217.47mg/g at the pit, 176.32mg/g at 5m, 106.18mg/g at 10m and only 40.67mg/g at control. This showed a gradual fall away from the pit. Major organisms at the pit were Pseudomonas and Bacillus species (30% each) and Mocrococcus and Chromobacter species (20% each) E. coli, Salmonella and Lactobacillus species, which occurred in the control soil, were absent in the pit soil but occurred at various rates in other soil samples. Bacterial prevalence, diversity, and bioload were all high in the control, followed by 100m away while values decreasedsignificantly towards the pit. Soil enzymatic activities correlated negatively with heavy metal concentration. This showed that the higher the heavy metal concentration the lower the enzymatic activities. Urease, dehydrogenase activity, hydrogen peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase were adversely affected but alkaline phosphatase did not show any significant effect

Abuse and Bestiality in Women Discourses: A Systemic Functional Grammar Approach

One of the concerns that many writers have buttressed as constituting a barrier to harmonious living among humans is abuse. This has been addressed from various angles such as physical, psychological, domestic, mental, religious, financial, drug and many more. In literature, the issue of abuse has been linked so much to inter-relationships between men and women in general, and adults and children, with results that show women and children as the major victims of abuse in all cases while men and adults are on the minor. This paper carried out a grammatical analysis, of the verbal relationship in intra-female gender discourses, using systemic functional grammar approach, to underscore verbal abuse and the resultant bestial activities of women against their fellow women. The study made use of excerpts from a Nigerian home video titled The Prince and the Maid and some excerpts from the Metro page of The Punch newspaper. The findings of this study show that the maids go through all form of verbal and non-verbal abuses in the hands of their fellow women in the homes where they serve. The marginalized, dominated, subjugated and bestially dehumanized treatments from the other female folks in the home, show the level of power relations between maids and them. In other words, women exercise undue power relations over their fellow women especially, the maids.  The study recommends a fair treatment of the maids especially, putting into consideration their economic values in the homes they serve. The use of abusive language and treatment on maids should stop, instead, language use that can boast their self-esteem and bring about positive encouragement should be imbibed by women folks in general

Soil bacterial flora and enzymatic activities in zinc and lead contaminated soil

Soil bacterial flora and enzymatic activities in lead and zinc contaminated soil of Ishiagu, Nigeria were investigated. The physicochemical properties measured showed that the mining pit had acidic pH (5.6) which gradually increased till 7.5 in the control. Organic matter was only 2.57mg/g in the pit but gradually reached 7.41mg/g in control. Pb concentration was higher at pit 360.52mg/g, 305.46mg/g at 5m away and lowest at control 36.16mg/g. Zn was 217.47mg/g at the pit, 176.32mg/g at 5m, 106.18mg/g at 10m and only 40.67mg/g at control. This showed a gradual fall away from the pit. Major organisms at the pit were Pseudomonas and Bacillus species (30% each) and Mocrococcus and Chromobacter species (20% each) E. coli, Salmonella and Lactobacillus species, which occurred in the control soil, were absent in the pit soil but occurred at various rates in other soil samples. Bacterial prevalence, diversity, and bioload were all high in the control, followed by 100m away while values decreased significantly towards the pit. Soil enzymatic activities correlated negatively with heavy metal concentration. This showed that the higher the heavy metal concentration the lower the enzymatic activities. Urease, dehydrogenase activity, hydrogen peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase were adversely affected but alkaline phosphatase did not show any significant effect

Language and Power: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Wole Soyinka’s The Lion and the Jewel

The play, The Lion and the Jewel by Soyinka has been projected variously as a triumph of African culture over the Western culture. This is because it is a post-colonial write-up that came almost after the end of the struggles that got Nigeria its independence. There have been different approaches to the study of this text with respect to the struggles between the two traditions as represented by Lakunle (the Western tradition) and Baroka (the African tradition). However, this paper takes a different dimension. Its concern is to investigate, using Fairclough’s tools of Critical Discourse Analysis, some of the ideologies and power relations embedded in some discourses in the text which reveal, in the same context, that Yoruba (African) traditional marriage ideology of bride price oppresses and marginalizes women whereas Western marriage ideology empowers and helps women to discover their self-worth. In addition too, the play reveals that chauvinism in African man cannot be completely eroded no matter the level of Western education acquired. In other words, there were still other levels of imperialism within the so called “independent world” of the traditional Yoruba and at large, Africa

Prevalence of Pityriasis versicoloramong secondary school students in Okigwe, Imo state

No Abstract