Effect of Hours of Priming in Coconut Water and Seed Weight on the Juvenile Growth Phase of Soursop (Annona Muricata) in the Nursery

Priming in coconut water and seed weight are important nursery techniques for seedling emergence and vigorous juvenile growth phase in the nursery. Two hundred and ten (210) observational stands of soursop seedlings were gotten  from five (5) seeds of 0.6 - 0.8 g and 0.3 - 0.5 g weights which were primed in coconut water at 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72 hours and replicated three times. Findings showed that heavy seed had higher percentage emergence (92.90 %) than light seed (78.60 %). Priming in coconut water at 60 hours (83.30 %) increased percentage emergence while unprimed seed had low percentage emergence (75.00 %). Juvenile growth phase showed a linear increase as hours of priming in coconut water increased, peaked at 60 hours of priming and dropped at 72 hours of priming. Dry matter content of heavy seed primed at 60 hours (4.20 g) was higher than dry matter content of light seed primed at 72 hours (1.55 g). Dry matter content correlates positively (p < 0.05) with growth parameters measured. These results showed that hours of priming in coconut water and seed weight played crucial roles in juvenile growth phase of soursop in the nursery

Anti Microbial Resistance Profile of E. coli isolates From Tropical Free Range Chickens

Normal intestinal flora of humans and animals constitute enormous reservoir of resistance genes for potentially pathogenic bacteria and may serve as major indictors of selection pressure exerted by anti-microbial use in a given population. A study was conducted in September 2003 at 3 purposively selected peri-urban sites spread across 3 senatorial zones of Imo state, Nigeria to determines the anti-microbial resistance profile of commensal E. coli isolated from free range chickens. The isolates were screened for anti-microbial resistance profile against 10 antibiotics using the disc diffusion method. E. coli strains from local fowls, recorded 100 and 78.9% resistances against ampicillin and cotrimoxazole respectively, while resistance rates against ciprofloxacin, gentamycin and norfloxacin were 0.0, 5.3 and 5.3% respectively. Isolates from free-range cockerels recorded 100% resistance against norfloxacin, cotrimoxazole and ampicillin and 83.3% against nitrofurantoin. Similarly, isolates from old layers, recorded 100% resistance against nitrofurantoin, cotrimoxazole, tetracycline, chloramphenicol and ampicillin and 80% against nalidixic acid. Similar resistance trends were observed in E. coli isolates from free-range turkeys and broiler roosters against the inexpensive broad-spectrum first line antibiotics (ampicillin, nalidixic acid, cotrimoxazole, nitrofurantoin and chloramphenicol), although values varied slightly across poultry types. Resistances against gentamycin were consistently low in isolates from the different types of poultry. Twenty-nine resistance patterns were observed in the E. coli isolates with predominant patterns being distributed widely across poultry types indicating a striking diversity of resistance patterns in the areas

PERCEIVED EFFECTIVENESS OF WORK-BASED LEARNING AS A STRATEGY FOR STUDENTS TRAINING FOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE IN BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA

The study determined work-based learning as a strategy considered effective for training students for improved performance in business organizations in South East, Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population of the study was 144 business educators in tertiary institutions in the South East, Nigeria. One research question guided the study and one hypothesis was tested. An 8 item validated structured questionnaire was used for data collection and the reliability of the instrument established at 0.86 alpha. The data generated from the study were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation and Analysis of Variance. The mean ratings were used to answer the research question while standard deviation was used to determine the closeness of the respondents’ means. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used in testing the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that the respondents considered engaging students in work-based learning as an effective strategy for training students for improved performance in business organizations. Furthermore, the findings revealed that years of experience of the respondents did not significantly influence their mean ratings on the effectiveness of engaging students in work based learning as a strategy for training students for improved performance in business organizations. It was recommended among others, that administrators of business education programme should go into partnership with private organization so as to work out a work-based learning arrangement that will improve students’ work skills. It was also recommended that work-based learning programme should be integrated into business education programmes as a full course by the administrators of business education programme in tertiary institutions.  Article visualizations

The Internet and National Security in Nigeria: A Threat-Import Discourse

The internet has been an important feature of modernization. Paradoxically, it has also been a veritable threat to security of nations. The implication of the internet as a security threat has been amply demonstrated in the rising incidence of cyber criminality across the world. The apparent virtual un-governability of the cyber space in Nigeria has provided a platform for the perpetration of cyber crimes, such as advanced fee fraud, terrorist recruiting and financing, hate speech, and ideo-religious radicalization, etc. Adopting a threat-import approach, predicated on secondary sources, this paper posits that poor governance of Nigeria’s cyber space has presented an opportunity for high incidence and prevalence of cyber malaise in the country. The paper submits that the prospect of mitigating the challenge rests with the entrenchment of a multi-stakeholder vigilant and resilient cyber security regimen capable of countering the activities of cyber criminals in a pro-active and co-ordinated manner

Creating Rich and Representative Personas by Discovering Affordances

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from IEEE via the DOI in this recordIEEE During the last decade, information system designers have used the persona technique to put user needs and preferences at the center of all development decisions. Persona development teams draw on qualitative data, quantitative data or a combination of both to develop personas that are representative of the target users. Despite the benefits of both approaches, qualitative methods are limited by the cognitive capabilities of the experts, whereas quantitative methods lack contextual richness. To gain the advantages of both approaches, this article suggests a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach to create user personas based on the patterns of the affordances they actualize rather than merely the actions they take. It enriches personas by referring to the purposes fulfilled through affordance actualizations, and it grounds personas in readily available objective log data. This study illustrates the practical value of the proposed methodology by empirically creating personas based on real user data. Furthermore, it demonstrates its value by having practitioners compare the suggested method to that of qualitative-only and quantitative-only methods.Concordia Universit

Modeling the Effects of Steel Catenary Riser (SCR) Wall Thickness on Its Structural and Fatigue Performances for Wave-Induced Load

The Steel Catenary Riser (SCR) exhibits significant bending and oscillation owing to undue vessel (which the riser is attached to) movements. The prevalent hydrodynamic loads (wave, current, hydrostatic pressure) are the leading causes of this structural behavior. These initiate a motion - related fatigue phenomenon. This study evaluates the feasibility of increasing the SCR Wall Thickness (WT) for better fatigue performance and structural responses when subjected to the dominant wave spectrum (Ochi Hubble) in deep water West Africa. Relevant data were acquired from an offshore facility in the study area and managed empirically through the use of marine structural analysis software- ORCAFLEX®. Following Det Norske Veritas (DNV, 2010) methodology, 4 SCRs of uniform Internal Diameters (ID) were designated (SCR1, SCR2, SCR3, SCR4), modeled with different WTs (0.0626ft, 0.1876ft, 0.3126ft, 0.4376ft) and analyzed under eight wave load cases. Before the fatigue assessments, the systems were analyzed for static and dynamic responses. Results showed that increasing the WT increases the Fatigue Life (FL) only along each riser arc length - from top to bottom. It was also observed from the systems’ structural response analyses that the effective tension at the Hang off Point (HOP) increases with increase in WT and a compromise in the capacity of the SCRs to flex alongside the hydrodynamic loads due to cumulative rise in the weight of the system. This eventually lowered the FL at the HOP below the DNV’s minimum FL for design purposes – 200 years.Keywords: Steel Catenary Riser, Wall thickness, Fatigue Performance, Ochi-Hubble, Structural response.DOI: 10.7176/ISDE/10-6-03Publication date:July 31st 201

Phytochemical Analysis of Medicinal Plants Used for the Management of Hypertension by Esan people of Edo State, Nigeria

Hypertension is one of the principal health problems in the society and a leading cause of cardio-vascular deaths in various communities worldwide. Over 33 plants and their products have been reported in Nigeria and other West African countries to offer remedies for the management of hypertension. In Esanland of Edo State, Nigeria, 14 endemic plant species distributed in 12 taxonomic families have been identified by various traditional health practitioners as being effective and commonly used to manage hypertension (Psidium guajava, Piper guineense, Loranthus spectobulus, Talinum triangulare, Senna occidentalis, Rauwolfia vomitoria, Allium sativum, Allium cepa, Carica papaya, Euphorbia hirta, Ocimum gratissimum, Persea americana, Peperomia pellucida, and Vernonia amygdalina). Qualitative phytochemical analyses of the plant parts have revealed the presence of various components of medical importance including tannins, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, alkaloids, saponin and inulins. Cardiac glycosides were present in all the species studied while alkaloids were present in all except A. sativum, A. cepa, O. gratissimum and P. americana. Saponnins were present in all except the seeds of negro coffee (S. accidentalis), while tannins were present in all except bulbs of garlic (A. sativum). This preliminary study draws attention to the need for further studies of the active principles identified in the reported species for the treatment of hypertension in Esanland in order to understand their mode of action in controlling hypertension

The Neglected Continent of IS Research: A Research Agenda for Sub-Saharan Africa

Research with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a major region within the world’s second largest continent, is almost non-existent in mainstream information systems research. Although infrastructures for information and communication technology (ICT) are well established in the more developed and industrialized parts of the world, the same is not true for developing countries. Research on developing countries has been rare in mainstream IS and, even where existent, has often overlooked the particular situation of SSA, home to 33 of the world’s 48 least-developed countries. Ironically, it is such parts of the world that can stand to gain the most from the promise of ICT with applications that would help the socioeconomic development of this region. In this study, we present the need for focused research on the ICT development and application for SSA. The information systems research community has a unique and valuable perspective to bring to the challenges this region faces in developing its ICT infrastructure, hence extending research and practice in ICT diffusion and policy. We present here a research agenda for studying the adoption, development, and application of ICT in SSA. In particular, teledensity, telemedicine, online education, and e-commerce present important areas for research, with implications for research, practice, and teaching

Responses of selected inflammatory, kidney and liver function markers in Serum of Nigerian Children with Severe Falciparum Malaria to treatment with artesunate/artemether-lumefantrine combination therapy

Malaria tolerance is a defence strategy that limits the damage caused by Plasmodium species irrespective of pathogen burden. The mechanisms responsible for this, responses of these mechanisms and their impact on organs to treatment have not been extensively studied. Thus, in this study, serum levels of selected pro- and anti-inflammatory markers, liver and kidney function indices with leucocytes indices in 100 children (1-10 years) with severe falciparum malaria were determined before treatment, at 48 hours during treatment and 48 hours after treatment with WHO recommended dosage of artesunate/artemether-lumefantrine combination therapy using standard methods. Data were analysed using SPSS, differences were considered significant at p<0.05. The results revealed that the serum levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12), interleukin-4 (IL-4), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), C-reactive protein (CRP), nitric oxide (NO), creatinine, albumin, total protein and conjugated bilirubin were not significantly changed at higher parasite densities before treatment. Only serum IL-4, CRP, total bilirubin, urea and creatinine levels and alanine aminotransferase activity were significantly reduced below the ranges of those with severe malaria. The results suggest a self-protective feed-back control, indicating tolerance, which reduced the adverse effects of the disease on kidney and liver functions at higher parasite densities. The results also suggest serum IL-12, IL-4, TNF-α, IFN-γ, CRP and NO levels as immune-protective markers for tolerance and serum IL-4 level as an effective marker for disease severity and recovery from the disease in children with severe malariaKeywords: Immunity, falciparum malaria, inflammatory markers, childrenAfr. J. Biomed. Res. Vol. 22 (May, 2019); 165-17

ADSORPTIVE REMOVAL OF DYES FROM SYNTHETIC WASTEWATER USING ACTIVATED CARBON FROM TAMARIND SEED

Activated carbon prepared from seed (Tamarindus indica) was utilized for the removal of orange G and safranin O dyes from aqueous solution. Chemical activation using orthophosphoric acid (H3PO4) was employed for the preparation of activated carbon. The effect of various factors namely; particle size, pH, adsorbent dosage, ion concentration, and contact time was studied to identify the adsorption capacity of the tamarind seed. The percentage of dye adsorbed was found to be dependent on these factors. The Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherm models are fitted into the graphs, but the Freundlich isotherm model is best-fitted into the experimental data. The pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich, and Bhattacharya-Venkobachor kinetic models were also fitted into the graphs, but pseudo-second order is best fitted into the experimental data. The thermodynamic parameters such as enthalpy, entropy, and free energy were evaluated using the Van’t Hoff equations. The negative free energy (∆G) and negative enthalpy (∆H) indicate the feasibility and exothermic nature of the adsorption process. The positive entropy (∆S) shows the increased randomness of the solid/solution interface during the adsorption process. The chemical functional groups, crystalline nature, and the surface morphology of the carbon adsorbents were studied by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Characteristics of the activated carbons were determined using standard methods