Development of a Boolean logic simulator based on Quine McClusky algorithm

This paper presents the development of an educational simulation tool for solving Boolean logic equations using Quine McCluskey’s algorithm. Unity3D development environment was used to provide an interface for the design of the software front end. A custom built version of Javascript was used to write the back end code that drives the algorithm. Based on the output parameters decided on by the user for either sum of product (SOP) or product of sum (POS) approaches, the software provides an interactive user interface displaying: (i) the truth table with a maximum of six inputs (ii) the Karnaugh Map as well as the generated corresponding simplified logic equation and (iii) the generated logic circuit diagram. The results of the simplified Boolean expressions and logic circuits generated by the developed tool were compared with manually calculated solutions and available html and console based implementations and were found to be accurate.Keywords: Boolean Logic Simulator, Logic Circuit, Quine McClusky Algorithm, Karnaugh Map, Digital Electronics

Incidence of Candida Albicans in Pregnent Women: A Case Study of Ekpoma, Nigeria

This study examines the incidence of Candida albicans among pregnant women of varied age range/occupation, within any of the three trimesters, and attending antenatal clinic in Ekpoma and its environs. A total of 100 high vagina swab- samples were collected from women and then transported to the Medical Laboratory at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo, Nigeria, for analysis. The samples were inoculated on CHROMagar Candida medium and incubated at 370C for 48hours to isolate and presumptively identify the Candida species. The  results  revealed that 40% of the samples tested positive for Candida species (Candida albicans (75.0%), Candida krusei (2.5%), Candida novergensis (7.5%), Candida parapsilosis (5.0%), Candida dublinensis (2.5%) and mixed Candida species  (7.5%). The colonization of the vagina by Candida species was found to be statistically  significant  (P< 0.05)  in  the  third trimester (21%) when compared to the second (16%) and first (3%) trimesters. On the other hand, Candida species colonization was statistically insignificant (P> 0.05) when compared with the occupation of the women. These findings therefore, indicate that Candida albicans is more predominant in pregnant women than the other non-albicans species and tends to increase as gestation period progresses.Keywords: Pregnancy, Candida species, Candida albican, Ekpoma

Antibiogram profile of pathogens isolated from processed cow meat from Ekpoma and Irrua metropolis, Edo state, Nigeria.

This study determined the extent of bacterial contamination of cow meat processed and sold in Ekpoma and Irrua abattoirs in Edo State, Nigeria, and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns. One hundred and twenty (120) samples comprising 40 samples each, from blood, table surfaces and processed row meat, were collected from the sampled abattoirs and analyzed using standard bacteriological procedures. The results showed that 60 samples, representing 50% prevalence, were positive for different bacteria species, but the table surface samples were the most contaminated. The comparative difference in rates of contamination, were observed to be statistically significant (p<0.05). Of note, is the fact that the bacteria specie - Bacillus cereus (31; 51.7%), accounted for most of the bacteria isolate, while the antibiotic resistance tests revealed varied, but interesting susceptibility patterns. Our findings does highlight the fact that there exist obvious vehicles for pathogenic bacteria proliferation within our abattoirs, and hence, the need for caution.Key words: Abattoirs, Bos taurus, Pathogenic bacteria, Antibiotics, Resistanc