Frequency Of Isolation Of Salmonella From Commercial Poultry Feeds And Their Anti-Microbial Resistance Profiles, Imo State, Nigeria

This study was conducted to determine the frequency of isolation of salmonella and their microbial resistance profiles across different commercial poultry feeds sold in Imo State, Nigeria. Thirty-six bulk feed samples were colleted from 154 bag across different feed types and brands which included Guinea (GF), Top (TF), Vital (VF), Extra (EF), Animal care (AF) and livestock (LF) feeds. The salmonella isolated were tested against 14 anti-microbial drugs using the disc diffusion method. Bacterial load enumeration of the samples indicated a range of <30 colony forming unit (CFU) to overgrowth at 104 serial dilutions. Eight feed samples (22.2%) which cuts across the entire feed brands expect EF were positive for salmonella. The highest prevalence of 28.8% and 25.0% were recorded for LF and TF respectively, while VF, GF and AF had 11.1 and 10.0% respectively. Salmonella isolates showed high rates of resistance (51-100%) against nitrofurantoin, ampicillin, tetracycline and ceftriazole, while moderate rates (31-50%) were recorded for chloramphenicol, oxfloxacin and cotrimoxazole. Low resistance rates (1-30%) were on the other hand recorded against ciprofloxacin and amoxycillin clavulanate (Augumentine), whereas zero resistance was demonstrated against pefloxacin, gentamycin, streptomycin and nalidixic. Commercial feeds form important channels for the dissemination of multi-drug resistant salmonella in Imo State, Nigeria

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

ANTIOXIDANT AND HEPATOPROTECTIVE POTENTIALS OF STEMONOCOLEUS MICRANTHUS HARMS (FABACEAE) STEM BARK EXTRACT

Objective: This study evaluated the antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of the methanol-dichloromethane (1:1) extract of Stemonocoleus micranthus Harms (Fabaceae) stem bark (SME).Methods: In vitro ferric reducing power, hydrogen peroxide and α, α-diphenyl–β–dipicryl–hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assays, were used to determine the antioxidant activity of SME (25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 µg/ml). Also the effects of SME (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) on liver enzymes alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-inducedhepaticoxidative damage were studied in rats.Results: The results showed that SME (25-400 µg/ml) significantly (P&lt;0.01) reduced iron III (Fe3+) to iron II (Fe2+) with 400 µg/ml eliciting 135.4% reducing power. The SME demonstrated significant (P&lt;0.01) hydrogen peroxide scavenging with 400 µg/ml eliciting 20.37% activity, comparable to ascorbic acid (20.32%). The SME (25-400 µg/ml) also elicited 77-81% DPPH free radical scavenging, lower than ascorbic acid (25-400 µg/ml) with 83-88% activity. The in vivo study showed that SME protected the rats from liver damage as shown by the reduction of liver enzymes in serum. The SME (400 mg/kg) elicited 7.7, 33.8 and 7.2% inhibition of ALP, ALT and AST respectively. The acute toxicity test revealed that SME has high margin of safety, with oral lethal dose (LD50)&gt;5 g/kg. Phytochemical analyses on the extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, proteins, reducing sugars, saponins, resins, steroids, tannins, terpenoids, fats, and oils.Conclusion: The findings suggest that the methanol-dichloromethane extract of S. micranthus stem bark possess antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects.Keywords: Stemonocoleus micranthus, Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective, Albino rats, Ascorbic aci

Criticality of Computer Aided Design Packages in Engineering Education & Professionalism for the Developing Countries

Engineers all over the world are known for their creativity, innovations and ingenuity in harnessing the resources and forces of nature for the benefit of mankind. No doubt, engineers in some parts of the world have done so well in view of their giant and mind throbbing technological breakthroughs, while some other parts of the world are at the receiving end of the products of engineering technology. This paper underscores the importance of Computer Aided Design (CAD) in Engineering while calling for a wake-up and real-time embracement of CAD technology by the developing countries. The objective is to re-echo the indisputable fact that CAD represents the most critical part of modern engineering training curricula and by extension, the most important aspect of engineering professionalism. The need to step-up academic training of CAD systems users to better align and measure-up with continuing evolutions in modern day CAD driven engineering is summarily emphasized

The integration of social concerns into electricity power planning : a combined delphi and AHP approach

The increasing acceptance of the principle of sustainable development has been a major driving force towards new approaches to energy planning. This is a complex process involving multiple and conflicting objectives, in which many agents were able to influence decisions. The integration of environmental, social and economic issues in decision making, although fundamental, is not an easy task, and tradeoffsmust be made. The increasing importance of social aspects adds additional complexity to the traditional models that must now deal with variables recognizably difficult to measure in a quantitative scale. This study explores the issue of the social impact, as a fundamental aspect of the electricity planning process, aiming to give a measurable interpretation of the expected social impact of future electricity scenarios. A structured methodology, based on a combination of the Analytic Hierarchy Process and Delphi process, is proposed. The methodology is applied for the social evaluation of future electricity scenarios in Portugal, resulting in the elicitation and assignment of average social impact values for these scenarios. The proposed tool offers guidance to decision makers and presents a clear path to explicitl

Disinfection of water with new chitosan-modified hybrid clay composite adsorbent

Hybrid clay composites were prepared from Kaolinite clay and Carica papaya seeds via modification with chitosan, Alum, NaOH, and ZnCl2 in different ratios, using solvothermal and surface modification techniques. Several composite adsorbents were prepared, and the most efficient of them for the removal of gram negative enteric bacteria was the hybrid clay composite that was surface-modified with chitosan, Ch-nHYCA1:5 (Chitosan: nHYCA = 1:5). This composite adsorbent had a maximum adsorption removal value of 4.07 × 106 cfu/mL for V. cholerae after 120 min, 1.95 × 106 cfu/mL for E. coli after ∼180 min and 3.25 × 106 cfu/mL for S. typhi after 270 min. The Brouers-Sotolongo model was found to better predict the maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of Ch-nHYCA1:5 composite adsorbent for the removal of E. coli with a qmax of 103.07 mg/g (7.93 × 107 cfu/mL) and V. cholerae with a qmax of 154.18 mg/g (1.19 × 108 cfu/mL) while the Sips model best described S. typhi adsorption by Ch-nHYCA1:5 composite with an estimated qmax of 83.65 mg/g (6.43 × 107 cfu/mL). These efficiencies do far exceed the alert/action levels of ca. 500 cfu/mL in drinking water for these bacteria. The simplicity of the composite preparation process and the availability of raw materials used for its preparation underscore the potential of this low-cost chitosan-modified composite adsorbent (Ch-nHYCA1:5) for water treatment

The Art of Research: A Divergent/Convergent Framework and Opportunities for Science-Based Approaches

Applying science to the current art of producing engineering and research knowledge has proven difficult, in large part because of its seeming complexity. We posit that the microscopic processes underlying research are not so complex, but instead are iterative and interacting cycles of divergent (generation of ideas) and convergent (testing and selecting of ideas) thinking processes. This reductionist framework coherently organizes a wide range of previously disparate microscopic mechanisms which inhibit these processes. We give examples of such inhibitory mechanisms and discuss how deeper scientific understanding of these mechanisms might lead to dis-inhibitory interventions for individuals, networks and institutional levels

Developing agreement on never events in primary care dentistry:an international eDelphi study

Introduction: Never events (NEs) are a subset of serious patient safety incidents that should not occur if appropriate preventive measures are implemented. Although there is a consensus in medicine, there is no agreement on NEs in dentistry. Aim: To identify NEs in primary care dentistry. Method: We undertook an electronic Delphi exercise to develop an international agreement on NEs for primary care dentistry. Results: We initially identified candidate NEs through a scoping review of the literature and then analysed dentistry-related reports in a national incident reporting system. Next, we invited an international panel of 41 experts to complete two rounds of questionnaires; 32 agreed to participate (78%) and completed the first round and 29/41 (71%) members completed the second round. We provided anonymised controlled feedback between rounds and used a cut-off of 80% agreement to define consensus. Consensus was achieved for 23 out of 42 candidate NEs. These related to routine assessment, and pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative stages of dental procedures. Discussion and conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first international expert consensus-based approach that has identified NEs for primary care dentistry. We suggest that dental regulators consider these to support quality assessment and governance activities