Occupational Stress among Academic Staff in Private University: Empirical Evidence from Covenant University, Nigeria.

The study examined occupational stress among Academic Staff in Private University in Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to ascertain whether work overload has impact on the quality of graduates produced by private University, to examine the relationship between university policy and the loyalty of academic staff of a private University, to justify the extent to which resource inadequacy affects the quality of research and publications produced by the academic staff of a private University and to highlight the effect of job dissatisfaction on the academic excellence of academic staff in a private University. The simple random sampling technique was used in this study to determine occupational stress among academic staff in a private University. A sample of 150 academic staff of Covenant University, Ota, was drawn for this study with response rate of 92%. The data were analyzed using simple frequency tables; regression and Pearson's product moment correlation were used for the four hypotheses proposed for this study. The results of the hypotheses showed that a negative relationship exists between university policy and the loyalty of academic staff, that resource inadequacy to a large extent affects the quality of research and publications produced by academic staff of a private University, that job dissatisfaction affects the academic excellence of academic staff in a private University and that there is a negative relationship between workload and quality of graduate produced by a private university. Research indicates that academics are experiencing higher level of strain compared to other occupational group and that occupational stress affects employees in several ways and is a major source of employee's turnover in many institutions. With this study, the general agreement is that occupational stress will have a negative effect on the academic staff of a private University. Therefore, an institution that emphasizes quality, performance and accountability must work towards reducing and managing occupational stress among its staff

Audit of Oral Histopathology Service at a Nigerian Tertiary Institution over a 24-Year Period

No AbstractKEYWORDS: Oral, Biopsy, Histopathology Service, Nigeria

Antifungal Potential of Four Aloe Species

Increase in the use of biologically based fungicides for controlling plant and human pathogens in the recent years have led to this research to determine the efficacy of solvent type, to determine the best species of aloe for breeding new variety with more potent biocides for controlling these fungal pathogens under reducing the use of synthetic fungicides which have long term adverse effect on the environment, plant and the end users. The biocides of the leaves and the roots of four species of aloe (Aloe keayi, Aloe macrocarpa var. major, Aloe schwenfurthii and Aloe vera) were extracted with four different solvents (i.e. acetone, ethanol, methanol and hot water) while their fungicidal properties were investigated against three fungal pathogens of crops (Sclerotium rolfsii, Trichoderma rubrum and Colletotrichum lindemuthiamum). The result shows that A. macrocarpa var. major and A. schwenfurthii are the most suitable parental genotypes for the breeding of an aloe with more potent biocides

Clinico-pathological profile of head and neck malignancies at University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>This retrospective study analysed head and neck malignancies seen over a 19-year period at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.</p> <p>Methodology</p> <p>One thousand, one hundred and ninety two patients with head and neck malignancies were analysed according to age, gender, topography and histology.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was an annual hospital frequency of 62 cases per year. The overall mean age for these malignancies was 43.9 (SD ± 19.3) years. The lesions from the respiratory tract were the most frequent (43.2%) of all cases. The palate was the most frequent intra-oral site (13.8%). Epithelial malignancies constituted 73.4% of all cases with a male: female ratio of 2:1, a mean age of 48.1 (SD ± 17.5) years and were mostly located in the larynx (19.7%). Lymphomas constituted 17.5% of all head and neck cancers with a male: female ratio of 1.6:1, a mean age of 35.1 (SD ± 20.6) years and nodal involvement (39.7%) was most common. Sarcomas constituted 8.9% of all malignancies with a male: female ratio of 1.5:1, mean age of 27.1 (SD ± 16.7) years and the maxillofacial bones (42.5%) were most commonly involved. Neuroendocrine malignancies accounted for 0.2% of head and neck malignancies with a male: female ratio of 1:1, a mean age of 28.5 (SD ± 6.4) years and both cases involved the nose.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study has further confirmed that carcinomas remain the most frequent cancers of the head and neck region in south-western Nigeria.</p

Functional and pasting characteristics of pupuru and pupuru analogues from cassava (Manihot esculenta) and breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) blends

Pupuru and pupuru analogues are fermented, smoked food products usually produced from cassava or cassava substituted with a varying ratio of breadfruit. This study aims at determining and comparing the functional and pasting characteristics of pupuru and pupuru analogues with a view to expanding the utilization of breadfruit as pupuru analogue. The functional properties (water absorption capacity (%), swelling power (g/g), solubility (%)) and pasting characteristics were determined using standard methods. The results showed that the yield of the products ranged between 24.66 and 29.65%, and it was not affected by the amount of breadfruit substituted. The water absorption capacities of the pupuru and pupuru analogues ranged between 216.0 and 449.0%; this parameter increased with temperature increase. Both swelling power and solubility had a rapid increase from 80 °C to 90 °C. Pasting temperature ranged between 73.15 and 83.66 °C, with peak time between 4.58 and 5.33 min. The final viscosity ranged between 94.08 and 391.83 RVU, and it decreased with increase in breadfruit substitution. The study concluded that adding breadfruit to cassava in pupuru analogue production improved some of the functional and pasting properties of the product

Physico-chemical and sensory properties of pupuru and pupuru analogues from co-fermented cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) blends

The physico-chemical and sensory qualities of pupuru analogues produced from co-fermented cassava and breadfruit blends were investigated. Cassava and breadfruit were processed separately and cofermented at different proportions to produce pupuru and pupuru analogues. Seven different samples were produced with the ratios of 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 50:50, 20:80, 10:90, and 0:100 cassava:breadfruit respectively. The proximate composition, bulk density, hydrogen cyanide, pH, TTA, and sensory properties of the sample were determined using standard methods. The results showed that the protein (2.86–6.41%), fat (0.43–2.05%), ash (0.36–1.17%), crude fibre (0.68–2.83%), and energy values (393.84 to 399.38 kcal/100 g) increased together with breadfruit substitution. The bulk density, pH, total titratable acidity, and hydrogen cyanide content of the sample was in the ranges of 0.47–0.60 g/ml, 4.30–5.30, 0.18–0.31%, and 0.56–1.68 mg/100 g respectively. The pupuru analogues had lower hydrogen cyanide content than pupuru. The pupuru analogues up to 50% breadfruit substitutions had acceptable sensory attributes, comparable to pupuru. The study concluded that pupuru analogues of acceptable quality can be produced from co-fermented cassava and breadfruit; this entails increasing the utilization of breadfruit

Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activities of heteroleptic metal chelates of isoniazid and 2,2’-bipyridine

The Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes of isoniazid (L1) mixed with 2,2-bipyridine (L2) were synthesized and characterized by solubility studies, percentage metal analysis, UV-Vis spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, conductivity measurements and magnetic moment measurements. The IR spectra revealed that the isoniazid coordinated as a bidentate ligand. In Co(II) and Ni(II) complex it coordinated&nbsp; via the carbonyl oxygen (C=O) and the amide nitrogen, while in the Cu(II), Mn(II) and Zn(II) complexes it coordinated using the amide and carbonyl oxygen via enolization. Bipyridine also bonded to the metals as a bidentate ligand through the pyridinic nitrogen atoms. The magnetic data showed that all the complexes were paramagnetic with values ranging from 1.70 to 5.0 B.M., except [Zn(Is)(Bipy)(H2O)Cl2] which was diamagnetic. The conductivity results revealed that the Cu(II), Mn(II), Zn(II) complexes were 1:1 electrolytes while Co(II) was 1:2 electrolyte and [Ni(Is)(Bipy)Cl2] was non-electrolytic in nature. The antibacterial activities of the ligands and the complexes as evaluated via the agar diffusion method showed that the complexes displayed moderately high antimicrobial activity in comparison with the free ligands when tested against ten strains of bacteria. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; KEY WORDS: Isoniazid, Electronic structure, Geometry, Antimicrobial activity, Electrolytic nature, Magnetic moment &nbsp; Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2020, 34(3), 471-478. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v34i3.

Synthesis and Characterization of Pyridino(1,4-Η-cyclohexa-1,3-diene)Derivatives of Iron Tricarbonyl Complexes

In this synthesis, we have been able to show that, the addition of x- substituted pyridines, (X = H, 2- Me, 3- Me 4- Me, 4-NH2 and 4-N(CH3)2 to the dienyl ring of the organometallic cation, [(Fe(CO)3 (1-5- η-2-Me0C3H6)]BF4 and [(Fe(CO)3(1-5-η-C6H7)]BF4 gives ionic substituted diene products, (X C5H4-C6H6Y (Fe(CO)3] BF4,Y=H or 2-MeO. The reaction takes place at ordinary room temperature. The resulting products were isolated and characterized