Preliminary evaluation of sensitivity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae LC 269108 to thermal and ethanol stresses in fermentation of agro-wastes for bioethanol production

The effect of two temperature regimes and ethanol accretion on the ethanolegenic characteristic of Saccharomyces cerevisiae LC 269108 was investigated in shaker flask experiments using flour processed from dried yam peels as feedstock. The flour was initially liquefied in boiling water before enzymatic pretreatment using amyloglucosidase, cellulase and pectinase. To 20% (w/v) of the gelatinized syrup was added 0.5 ml of nitrogen base and 1 ml of standardized overnight suspension of the culture. Fermentation was carried out for 60 h at 120 rpm, pH of 5.5 and temperature of 30 and 40 °C. A 5% (v/v) ethanol was included in a separate batch and fermented as described. Results show that ethanol concentration increased at both temperature conditions as well as in the batch supplemented with ethanol. Glucose decreased from initial concentration of 9.63 ± 0.34% until it was completely exhausted from the system. At 30 °C, peak concentration of ethanol (5.30 ± 0.2%) was achieved after 24 h. However, at 40 °C the highest ethanol content (5.61 ± 0.57%) was reached after 48 h. No difference (p < 0.05) was found between the concentration of ethanol produced at the two temperature states. In the batch augmented with ethanol (5%), peak production (4.41 ± 0.20%) was reached after 24 h at both 30 and 40 °C. Subsequently, ethanol concentration maintained plateau at 30 °C but in the batch incubated at 40 °C, it dropped steadily after 24 h until reaching final concentration of 3.93 ± 0.25% after 60 h. The yeast displayed promising attributes which can be harnessed for future developments in high temperature ethanol fermentation.Keywords: Temperature, Ethanol, Ethanologenic, Amyloglucosidase, Cellulase, Pectinas

The relevance of technology in the organisation of work in a third world workplace: A case study of the Port Harcourt refinery, Nigeria

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.The organisation of work is seen here as concerning the ways in which various elements in work such as skills, tasks and structures of relationship are planned and managed. The technological artefact used in work is recognized as a relevant resource in the work organisation phenomenon. This is particularly so in a developing country like Nigeria where technology is looked upon as a harbinger of modernization along western lines. Hence, the study rejects the relegation of technology and the corresponding elevation of social factors to a determinist height by Gallie, Bijker and Pinch, and others. It agrees that technology is a social construct but argues that when a technological artefact becomes existent, it is capable of influencing its environment. Its construction or design would have been unnecessary if this was not the case. On the other hand, deviating from Ellul and post - industrial society theorists generally, the study argues that technological relevance does not mean its determinacy. It recognizes that it would be wrong to discount the social origins of technology as well as the import of social choice. Therefore, the study draws on the interactive model posited by Hughes, Law, Latour and others which rejects any form of determinism, whether 'social' or 'technological'. However, unlike some proponents of the model (for example, Latour) the study presumes the possibility of assessing the influence of these 'actants'. Hence, it sees a crude oil refining plant as distinctly able to turn out refined petroleum products, not textiles; and able to influence certain aspects of work organisation. Overall, the study is congruent with the interactive model in arguing that the social and the technological are in %alliance', neither being the sole determinant of the way work is organised. This remains the order of things even in *developing' Nigeria where imported technology is yearned for and revered

Historical analysis of the practice of the ancient Eyaal-Abua New Yam Festival of Abua People in Rivers State

This paper analyzed the practice of the ancient Eyaal-Abua New Yam Festival of Abua people in Abua/Odua Government Local Areas of Rivers State, Nigeria and how foreign religions formed the basis of changes that effected regular its practices in Abua land. This is because; in time immemorial, Abua people are known as a people who conserve the spectacular Eyaal-Abua as one of their cultural contents that linked between the living and the dead or ancestral spirits. Owing to the advert of civilization, many communities in Abua are no longer practicing the annual Eyaal-Abua festival; they classify the festival as primitive outside modernity, which other tribes queue in with. By these trends, this study analyzed the attributes that involved in the changes and continuity in the practice of Eyaal-Abua New Yam Festival. The study considers the types of costumes, dance-style and cultural performances if they transform or affect the people when celebrating Eyaal-Abua. Finally, this study recommends among others that, the supreme council of Abua traditional rulers should ensure that they reform and regulate the modus of operandi of Eyaal-Abua in all Abua communities as to suit modernity and avoid primitive performance and harmful practices in the land. Lastly, the old members should organize training of Eyaal-Abua compulsorily among the youth and new members against extinction

In-Vitro Evaluation of Stem Bark Extracts of Daniellia oliveri (Hutch and Dalz) for Antimicrobial Activity

A comparative study of the antimicrobial properties of ethanol, methanol, acetone, cold and hot water extracts of Daniellia oliveri was carried out. The extracts were assayed by the minimum inhibitory concentration broth microdilution and minimum bactericidal concentration methods before they were submitted to phytochemical screening. Three Gram positive, three Gram negative bacteria and yeast were used in the assay. All the extracts showed varied activity levels against the test microorganisms. Ethanol, methanol and acetone extract had better antimicrobial activity than the aqueous extracts within the concentration range of 6.25 – 100 mg/ml assayed. The activity was more pronounced against the Gram positive and fungal organisms than the Gram negative bacteria. This study shows that ethanol is the best solvent for extracting pharmacologically active compounds from plant materials. Its extract had the lowest bactericidal concentration of 6.25-25 mg/ml on organisms challenged. Results suggest that the D. oliveri has potential for use as pharmaceutical as well as in ethnomedicinal treatment of infections and diseases.Keywords: Daniellia oliveri, Inhibitory concentration, Bactericidal concentration, Antimicrobial activit

In-Vitro antibacterial activity of bioactive plant extracts against methicillin-resistant strains of staphylococcus aureus

Methanol extract of leaves of five different Nigerian plants were tested for activity against three drug resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus by the agar well diffusion and broth microdilution techniques. The S. aureus strains were composed of two clinical isolates and one reference strain. Promising antimicrobial activity was displayed by three of the five plants tested. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extracts ranged from 25 mg/ml to 100 mg/ml. The clinical isolates had comparable level of sensitivity to the three most active extracts. Both were also more susceptible to the extracts than the reference strain. Phytochemical analyses showed that secondary plant constituents were present in varied concentrations in all the extracts

Corporate Philanthropy as Firms’ Survival Strategic Behaviour in South-South Nigeria

The environment of the business enterprise has become increasingly turbulent and less predictable. This is amidst the element of violence, particularly in the Niger Delta, South-South Nigeria. The paper identify the survival strategic behavior of the firm in the context of the volatile environment created by political dynamics and government inability to provide the basic social amenities necessary for existence. The proximity of most of firms to host communities has almost put such firms at the frontline of host community demands and violence. Thus, corporate strategic philanthropy has become firms’ survival strategy, as the firms become de facto government. Keywords: Corporate Philanthropy, Strategic Philanthropy, Corporate Social Responsibility, Firm’s Survival Behaviour, Quasi-Philanthropy, Bottom-Line Mentality, Strategic Altruism

Career Planning and Development: The Realities in Nigerian Organizations

Abstract: Employees are veritable sources of competitive advantage and planning and developing their careers is beneficial to both the organization and the employees. This study focuses on whether organizations in Nigeria give premium to career planning and development activities; the programmes engaged in and the perceived effectiveness of programmes generally. The investigation, which adopted a cross sectional survey and utilized structured questionnaire and interviews, centred on 10 firms in Rivers State, Nigeria. Data generated were analysed using descriptive statistics, specifically percentages and means, and simple regression. The results indicate that organizations recognize the need to invest in people and do embark on career planning and development programmes but employees do not perceive programmes as overly effective. Also, although firms recognize employees as important assets for organization success, they do not give as much attention to personal needs of employees as they do corporate needs. This is potentially counterproductive. Thus, we recommend the full incorporation of employees needs in career development activities so as to address the issues of employability of employees and long term competitiveness of organizations. Key words: Career planning resources; Career development programmes; Investing in people; Personal needs of employees; Employability; Perceived effectiveness; Nigeria organizatio

Technology and the Influence of Corporate Culture on Organizational Effectiveness. A study of the Banking Industry in Nigeria

The study examined the effect of technology on the influence of corporate culture on organizational effectiveness in the Nigerian banking industry. A total of 388 managers were randomly drawn from a population of 13,339 managers of all the 24 banks in Nigeria. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaire and oral interview. A total of 320 copies of the questionnaire were retrieved and analyzed. Spearman’s Rank Correlation Statistical tool was used to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that organizational technology is significantly related to the influence of corporate culture on organizational effectiveness. Based on these findings we concluded that organizational technology has significant effect on the influence corporate culture on organizational effectiveness. The study therefore recommends technology should be managed effectively to empower workers and improve the competitiveness of organizations. Key Words: organizational technology, corporate culture, organizational effectiveness

Result Oriented Target Setting and Leading High Performance Teams

Result oriented target setting and effective leadership of teams has become a tool for organizational effectiveness in the 21st century.  Result oriented target setting and effective leadership of teams is said to have benefited many organizations if managed and nurtured properly. In this era of globalization there is need for result oriented target setting and effective leadership of teams in order to enable organizations respond quickly to changes in the environment. The paper reviews literature on result oriented target setting and effective leadership of teams. The paper concludes that the success of organizations to a very large extent depends on  the type of targets organizations set and how well they are able to lead teams to achieve the set targets. The paper recommends that managers should put in place result oriented goals and encourage the involvement of employees working as a team as this could enhance their responsiveness and commitment to the achievement of the organizational goals.  The paper also recommends that the managers should share the mission of the organization with employees as it could increase their involvement. Finally the paper recommends that the values of the organization be shared as well to serve as an informal control measure that can be very effective. Key words: Result, Target, Leadership, Performanc

Talent Development Techniques and the Survival of Banks in Nigeria

This study using descriptive and inferential statistical tools, examined the association between talent development techniques and the survival of banks in Nigeria. Data for the study was generated from a sample of 97 top management staff from all 21 licensed banks in Rivers State. The cross sectional survey design was adopted for the study as the main instrument for data generation was the structured questionnaire. A total of two null hypotheses were postulated which assessed the association between the dimensions of talent development techniques namely – on-the-job training technique and off-the-job training technique; and the criterion variable - survival of banks in Nigeria.  The analysis revealed that in both instances, there was a significant association between on-the-job training techniques and the survival of banks in Nigeria; as well as off-the-job training techniques and the survival of banks in Nigeria. The evidence of the results thus emphasizes the need for training as a panacea for corporate survival and sustained performance. Keywords: Talent development techniques, on-the-job training techniques, off-the-job training techniques, survival of banks