Bioassay-guided optimization of lipid-based erythromycin microparticles

Purpose: To optimize erythromycin microparticles by in vitro bioassay methods based on its antibacterial activity. Methods: The microparticles were produced by high shear homogenization. The effects of different lipid-to-surfactant ratios were studied. The hydrodynamic size of the different batches was evaluated using dynamic light scattering while bioactive drug load per batch was assessed in agar using bioassay methods. The antimicrobial activities of selected batches were tested ex vivo by determination of reduction in bacteraemia following administration of the microparticles to infected animals. Results: All batches had particles with hydrodynamic sizes < 8.5 microns. Batch 7 with a 2: 5: 2.5 (drug: surfactant: stearic acid) ratio, represents the optimized batch with a hydrodynamic size of 2281 nm, a bioactive drug loading capacity (BLC) of 4.67 ± 0.70 % and bioactive drug entrapment  efficiency (BEE) of 10.51 %. The “microparticle MIC” against Staphylococcus aureus was 1.74 x 10-3 μg/ml. Despite containing lower amounts of erythromycin than the pure sample, the microparticles achieved comparable reduction in bacteraemia, with the optimized batch exhibiting lower variation in bacteraemia than the pure drug. Conclusion: Erythromycin microparticles have been successfully optimized with the aid of bioassay methods which has the advantage that only the bioactive drug concentration is factored in. This method eliminates problems posed by inadequate or non-discriminating chemical assay methods. Keywords: Microparticles, Erythromycin, Gastrointestinal, Bioavailability Antimicrobial, Bioactivity, Encapsulatio

Prevalence and seasonality of parasites of fish in Agulu Lake, Southeast, Nigeria

A study was undertaken to assess the prevalence, mean intensity, abundance and seasonality of parasites of fish in a natural, freshwater, tropical lake, southeast Nigeria. A total of 1191 fish specimen belonging to four families (Cichlidae, Bagridae, Hepsetidae and Channidae), seven genera and nine species were collected from the lake and examined for parasites. Eleven (11) species of parasites comprising metacercariae of three digenetic trematodes, one cestode, five nematodes and two acanthocephalans were isolated. Clinostomoides sp. showed the highest range of sites of infection, and the operculum carried significantly more worm burden (F = 196.843, d.f. = 5, p = 0.000) than other sites infected by this parasite. Prevalence ranged from 0.7% in Clinostomum tilapiae infection of T. zillii to 71.7% in Neochinorhynchus sp.2 infection of Hepsetidae fasciatus with an overall prevalence of 59.5%. Mean intensity ranged from 1.0 ± 0.0 in Clinostomoides sp. and Proteocephalus sp. infection of P. obscura and Anemone occidentalis, respectively, to 76.5 ± 29.7 in Neoechinorhynchus sp. 2 infection of H. fasciatus. Neoechinorhynchus sp. 2 infection also had the highest mean abundance (54.90 ± 2.74) while the lowest was recorded in the Clinostomoides sp. infection of H. fasciatus. Patterns of infection were significantly different in the prevalence and abundance of Clinostomoides sp; Camallanus sp.3 and Neoechinorhynchus sp.1 while mean intensity was comparable in all cases.Keywords: Natural lake, freshwater, fish parasites, worm burdenAfrican Journal of Biotechnology, Vol. 13(3), pp. 502-508, 15 January, 201

Examining Economic Growth Drivers in Nigeria

Enhanced and sustainable growth has remained a major economic objective of most national economies, including Nigeria. To this end, economic managers manipulate a mix fiscal and monetary policy tools to facilitate the growth process. The imperative for rapid economic growth has not only been of great concern to global institutions and agencies but dominates discussions at major economic meets at different national and international platforms. The depth of academic research in this area of knowledge is also an indication of its relevance in the life of a nation. To enhance the body of knowledge in this area of study, this research examined the drivers of economic growth in Nigeria based on annual data on selected performance indicators between 1981 and 2017. On account of theoretical justification, the study analyzed how dynamics in exchange rate, gross fixed capital, inflation rate, crude oil price and financial development support the output growth. Analysis of the time series properties of the data showed stationary trend for all the variables at their first difference. The ordinary least squares (OLS)-based estimation showed that movements in exchange rate and gross fixed capital catalyze growth while financial development (proxied as credit to the private sector in relation to gross domestic product) retards capacity for growth. The result further showed weak negative effect of inflation as well as weak positive effect of crude oil price on Nigeria economic growth. Based on the above outcome, it is advised that policies on exchange rate and capital formation be reinforced to consolidate growth while policy reform is advocated to enhance credit delivery to the private sector and limit the growth-impeding effect of inflation

TECHNOLOGY-BASED FINANCIAL SERVICES DELIVERY AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: A STUDY OF THE NIGERIAN BANKING SECTOR

This study was designed to identify the extent to which technology has impacted customer satisfaction in the Nigerian banking sector. Data analysis was based on responses obtained from 120 customers of three Deposit Money Banks within Ogun and Lagos States of Nigeria. Features of bank service evaluated in the study are time saving, convenience, crime reduction, reliability, risk reduction, and ease of use. The result showed significant positive impact of all the above service features on customer satisfaction, an indication that electronic-based banking has enhanced customer satisfaction in Nigeria. It is recommended that more service points and user-friendly customer-oriented financial products be provided to support this initiative

Financial Literacy as an Intrument of Poverty Alleviation

The study examined the nexus between financial literacy and poverty reduction using the survey research method with data generated from five hundred and twenty-five households randomly selected from three densely populated sub-urban areas across three geographical regions in Nigeria. The Likert-type research instrument was used to elicit the opinion of respondents on a number of research statements and data generated from the survey was analyzed and evaluated based on the method of means. The result indicates that financial literacy affects the quality if financial decisions made by households and that poverty results from poor financial decisions. Based on the findings, the study concludes that financial literacy is a potential instrument of poverty alleviation. It is therefore recommended that financial literacy should be promoted in all its ramifications through the introduction of financial education as a part of core curriculum at all levels of the school system and as part of informal education propagated at home and other educational media. Also, it is one thing to gather knowledge but it is another to engage it productively. It is advised that wisdom be applied in household financial management to achieve prudence in the procurement and deployment of financial resources

Persistence of fiscal deficits in Nigeria: examining the issues

Due to a huge financing gap in many developing nations, governments use budget deficit to facilitate growth and development. However, deficit financing deepens the economic woes of these economies, leaving them in a vicious cycle of deficits. In Nigeria, for instance, fiscal deficits cause country’s bad performance and ranking both in global growth and development indicators. Thus, the use of fiscal deficit to enhance economic performance has proved to be futile and also has left bad economic consequences. Based on the econometric method of Autoregressive Distributed Lag, this study examines how selected macroeconomic indicators influence fiscal deficits in the budgetary policy of Nigeria. Historical data between 1981 and 2017 were used for the study. The study shows a significant positive effect of inflation, oil revenue, and lagged exchange rate on fiscal deficits. There is also evidence that external debt and current exchange rate decrease the level of fiscal deficits. However, the research did not prove robust evidence of fiscal deficit persistence. Government policy should target low level of inflation and exchange rate appreciation as well as the productive investment of oil revenues and economic diversification as the panacea for persistent use of fiscal deficits

IMPERATIVES FOR DEEPENING CUSTOMER SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE NIGERIAN BANKING SECTOR THROUGH ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY-BASED CHANNELS

The study was designed to identify basic factors required to deepen adoption of internet banking in the delivery of banking services to a rapidly growing market characterized by complexities in service requirements. Analysis of data collected from selected customers of 5 DMBs in Lagos, Ogun and Ebonyi States of Nigeria showed that alternative service channels offered by technology-based applications enhanced the delivery of banking services to bank customers. Specifically, the result showed significant impact of ease of access, cost, reliability, and security/integrity of technology-driven service delivery channels on the adoption of engineering technology-based applications in Nigeria's banking industry

Environmental Factors Affecting Students’ Academic Performance in Public Senior Secondary Schools in Anambra State, Nigeria

Declining academic performance among students has remained a recurring irritant in Nigeria’s educational system, in spite of all efforts of government and major stakeholders to change the narrative in the education sector. Since all teaching and learning activities take place within an environment, it is expected that the outcome of the education process correlates significantly with the teaching-learning environment. Following the method of survey design, this research identifies environmental factors that influence learning outcomes based on a sample of 624 respondents from public secondary schools in Anambra State. Multi-stage sampling technique is used in the sample selection, first to choose two senior secondary schools from each of three senatorial zones of the state. A second sample made up of 522 students and 102 academic instructors was drawn on proportionate basis from the previously selected sample of six senior secondary schools. The study presents robust evidence that students’ family background, proximity of home to school, level of training/professionalism attained by teachers, as well as school structure greatly determine how students perform in these institutions and thereby concludes that environmental factors play significant roles in the promotion of high educational achievement among students at the senior secondary level

Economic Determinants of Deficit Financing in Nigeria

Over the years fiscal operations in Nigeria have been characterized by massive deficits alongside massive infrastructural deficiency and weak economic fundamentals. This has not only weakened the conventional argument that governments engage expansionary fiscal policy to enhance economic growth and development but has extended the debate on whether deficit financing is the cause or result of weak economic fundamentals. In this study, the impact of selected economic indicators on fiscal deficits is examined. The study covers the period 1981-2016 and model estimation is based on the method of fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS). The result shows strong negative impact of external debt and money supply on fiscal deficits. It also shows that exchange rate depreciation and inflation exert strong positive influence on fiscal deficits in Nigeria. However, there is no evidence from the study that lending rate and output (GDP) growth rate significantly determine deficit financing in Nigeria. The study recommends that inflation and exchange rate targeting should be a major concern to the monetary authorities in the formulation and implementation of monetary policy. We suggest that future research in the area should incorporate institutional and political factors to ascertain whether or not they significantly determine the use of deficit financing in Nigeria