Antimicrobial activity of leaf extracts of Ocimum gratissimum on selected diarrhoea causing bacteria in southwestern Nigeria

The antibacterial activity of different extracts from the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Salmonella typhimurium, pathogenic bacteria that cause diarrhea. These extracts evaluated include cold water extract (CWE), hot water extract (HWE) and steam distillation extract (SDE). Only SDE has inhibitory effects on the selected bacteria and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranged from 0.1% for S. aureus to 0.01% for E. coli and S. typhimurium, and 0.001% for S. typhi.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (7), pp. 682-684, 200

IMPACT OF FOREIGN AIDS ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN NIGERIA

The aim of the study is to examine the impact of foreign aid on poverty alleviation in Nigeria over the period of 1990 to 2017. Data were collected from UNCTAD World Bank database and CBN Statistical Bulletin. Consequently, Cointegration, DOLS and Granger Causality techniques were utilized to address the objective of the study. The major findings are summarized as follow: Foreign aid has not led to poverty alleviation in Nigeria. Similarly, FDI has a negative impact on household consumption per capita and not significant at 10% level of significance. This implies that FDI does not reduce poverty in Nigeria. In addition, there is an existence of insignificant positive relationship between inflation rate and household consumption per capita in Nigeria. Furthermore, there is a unidirectional causality which runs from foreign aid to household consumption per capita. However, there is no feedback relationship between foreign aid and FDI, likewise FDI and household consumption per capita. Also, there is a unidirectional causal relationship flowing from inflation rate to household consumption per capita. Finally, due to the findings it is recommended that since foreign aid has no reducing impact on poverty in Nigeria, the policy makers should not depend on foreign aid as the only means of combating poverty in Nigeria. Therefore, a holistic approach for tackling the challenge of poverty in Nigeria is suggested and should be embraced

The Exchange Rate Risk and Financial Sector Performance: Evidence from Nigeria

This article looked at the connection between exchange rate risk and financial sector performance in Nigeria using time series data from 2008Q1 to 20017Q4. The study employed Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (ARCH), and Granger Causality tests as estimation techniques. Financial intermediation index was used as the dependent variable while risk from exchange rate, risk from consumer price index and risk from interest rate were used as the independent variables. The findings from the study showed that exchange rate risk (EXR) coefficient value was -0.276230 with p-value of 0.0000, implying that EXR was negative and significant to influence FII. The risk from financial intermediation index reveals a coefficient value of -5.213590 and the p-value of 0.000 implying that when financial intermediation index increases, volatility or risk reduces which means that financial intermediation index was not a risky variable which was significant during the study period. However, the study concluded that the shock from exchange rate moves at a negative and significant direction to financial intermediation index of the economy. It is also concluded that exchange rate and financial intermediation index does not have uni or bi-directional relationships between each other. It is recommended that the Government and the Apex Bank of Nigeria are encouraged to increase the stabilization measurement for exchange rate to cushion its risk and by so doing; this could improve financial sector performance

Analysis of Cumulative Distribution Function of 2-year Rainfall Measurements in Ogbomoso, Nigeria

Abstract: The conversion of most available hourly rainfall data to 1-minute integration time rain rate statistic is imperative for accurate estimation of attenuation due to rain employed in the design of both terrestrial and earth-to-space microwave systems. 2-year rainfall data collected at Ogbomoso, South-west region of Nigeria, between the periods of 2009 and 2010 was used in the analysis. Result shows that a power law relationship exists between the equiprobable rain rates of two different integration times. The regression coefficients a and b obtained are slightly different from the ITU-R recommendation. The conversion factor obtained at Ogbomoso is lower compared to Ile-Ife, in the South-west region of the country. The disagreement is attributed to the effect of global warming hitting the whole universe most especially the tropical regions. This study also reveals that different conversion factors are required for different locations even within the same climatic region

Unravelling the photoprotective mechanisms of nature-inspired ultraviolet filters using ultrafast spectroscopy

There are several drawbacks with the current commercially available ultraviolet (UV) filters used in sunscreen formulations, namely deleterious human and ecotoxic effects. As a result of the drawbacks, a current research interest is in identifying and designing new UV filters. One approach that has been explored in recent years is to use nature as inspiration, which is the focus of this review. Both plants and microorganisms have adapted to synthesize their own photoprotective molecules to guard their DNA from potentially harmful UV radiation. The relaxation mechanism of a molecule after it has been photoexcited can be unravelled by several techniques, the ones of most interest for this review being ultrafast spectroscopy and computational methods. Within the literature, both techniques have been implemented on plant-, and microbial-inspired UV filters to better understand their photoprotective roles in nature. This review aims to explore these findings for both families of nature-inspired UV filters in the hope of guiding the future design of sunscreens

EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION AND PUBLIC SECTOR FRAUD: EVIDENCE FROM KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

This study examines the relationship between fraud and employee motivation in the Kwara State public sector with a view to ascertain what will happen to fraud occurrence if good salary, allowances and perquisites, effective working hours, conducive environment, timely promotion are put in place. Multistage sampling technique was used in obtaining the primary data used from 870 respondents selected from 7 local governments in the state and were analysed using Ordinary Least Square Regression and Friedman ANOVA test but interpreted using R2, adjusted R2, Durbin Watson Statistics, F statistics and t statistics. The results show that employee motivational factors (salary, perquisites and regular promotion) can reduce fraud activities among the state employees; this is in consonance with theoretical expectations (Douglas McGregor’s theory Y, Abraham Maslow’s needs theory and Fredric Herzberg’s two-factor theory). Contrarily, allowances, conducive environment and training show a positive relationship with fraud and this is at variance with a-priori expectations. The study recommends that government should improve the working conditions of its employee including the provision of improved salary structure, prompt payment of entitlements and regular promotions as well as provided adequate training to motivate employees towards efficiency, commitment and inhibit fraud inclinations. If all these are in place and erring officials are made to face the full wrath of the law without bias, the state economy in particular and Nigeria economy in general will be better for it.Â

The impact of spirituality and resilience on mental distress among inmates in a northern state, Nigeria

The burden of mental illness of inmates in low and middle income countries (LMICs) prisons was higher than in the developed ones. Positive interventions common in reversing the increasing prevalence of inmates’ mental distress in developed countries are rare in Nigeria, a LMICs. This study contributed to initiate mental health promotion in Nigerian prisons through studying mediating effect of positive interventions, specifically spirituality and resilience on inmates’ mental wellbeing. Mental distress of 63 male inmates of Bida prison, North-centre Nigeria was assessed with GHQ-12. The impact of resilience and spirituality on mental distress was measured by Resilience Scale and brief Spirituality Involvement and Beliefs Scale respectively. The mean age of participants was 27.27years (SD = 1.43years) and 70% of them had mental distress. Variables with statistically significant experience of mental distress were being single and having high mean resilience score. The study demonstrated the impact of marital status, resilience and spirituality on the mental wellness of the participants. This will aid mental health promotion of inmates in Nigeria prisons

Health seeking behaviour in management of erectile dysfunction among men in an urban African population

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is consistent inability to achieve/maintain penile erection sufficiently enough for satisfactory sexual intercourse. It is a major sexual disorder causing significant distress in men with associated poor quality of life. Despite it being a common sexual disorder, many of the affected people do not seek medical care. The study sought to investigate health seeking behaviour in management of ED among urban dwelling African men.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey method was adopted. The study population comprised of men drawn from an urban setting in Nigeria using a multi-stage sampling technique. Three hypotheses were formulated which were cultural beliefs, financial status and medical access/perception on quality of care will not significantly influence health seeking behaviour for management of ED. Researchers’ designed questionnaire validated by three experts drawn from the relevant fields with reliability co-efficient of 0.77 obtained through split half method by Pearson product moment correlation was used for data collection. The three postulated hypotheses were tested using Person product moment correlation.Results: All the three hypotheses were rejected at 0.05 alpha level of significance because their calculated r-values were greater than their critical values.Conclusions: It was concluded that cultural beliefs, financial status and access to medical facilities/perception of quality of care from such medical facilities influence the health seeking behaviour of men in the management of ED.

COMPARISON OF AGRICULTURE WITH OIL ENHANCEMENT: SURVIVING STRATEGY FOR ECONOMIC MELTDOWN IN NIGERIA

This paper compares the place of Agriculture and Oil in repositioning Nigerian economy towards a path of steady economic growth with a view to establishing which strategy (agriculture or oil enhancement) that  is appropriate to checkmate the associated pains of ongoing global economic, financial and food crisis in the country. The secondary data used in this study are those relating to the contributions of Agriculture and Oil to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Principal variables) while Manufacturing and Service Sectors serve as control variables. These were obtained from Central Bank of Nigeria Annual Reports and Accounts and were analysed using Ordinary Least Square after conducting Augmented Dickey Fuller Unit Roots (ADF), Granger Causality Test as well as Johanson Co-integration Test while Actual Fitted and Residual plot was generated to test the presence of auto or serial correlation in the data. The study reveals that although Oil contributes more to export earnings in Nigeria, it has little contribution to GDP due to its associated vices of communal classes, uneven development, its limited life and crowd out of other sectors of the economy. This is in comparison with Agriculture that has more impact on GDP, generates more employment opportunities, reduces world food crisis and has no identifiable vices. It is recommended that Nigerian economic base should be diversified from oil dependence to agricultural advancement with a view to generating employment opportunities, raising the standard of living and improving economic growth.Â