Bacteriological assessment of pipe-borne, borehole, and well water sources available to students in Nasarawa State University Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

The provision of clean water, microorganisms-free water is crucial in preventing the transmission of waterborne diseases. This study was conducted with the objective of evaluating the bacteriological quality of water sources accessible to students within Nasarawa State University Keffi. Sixteen samples, comprising ten from piped source, three from boreholes, and three from wells, were subjected to bacteriological quality assessment. The total bacterial count was analyzed using the pour plate technique, while the total coliform count and bacteriological index were assessed through the most probable number technique. Among the various water sources examine, pipe-borne water exhibited the lower bacterial contamination with a mean of 0.6×106 CFU/100 mL in contrast to borehole and well water sources, which recorded mean of 1.6×106 and 3.2×106 CFU/100 mL, respectively. Additionally, pipe-borne water demonstrated the lowest mean total coliform count, registering 22 MPN/100 mL. Notably, Notably, the water samples were found to harbor bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterobacter aerogens, and Citrobacter sp.  Alarming findings from this study highlight the unsuitability of most water samples for human consumption, as they fail to meet the quality standards established by the World Health Organization. Consequently, it is necessary to implement measures aimed at safeguarding water sources from contamination and curbing the proliferation of diseases. Furthermore, it is pertinent to prioritize adequate treatment of domestic water sources prior to consumption to ensure public health and well-being.

POLITICAL REGIME TYPE, LIBERALIZATION AND FISCAL DEFICITS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: EVIDENCE FROM NIGERIA

Chronic and persistent incidence of public deficits has been one of the debated issues in the past four decades. Many analysts have attempted to associate the poor fiscal outcome with military rule, thereby wrongly exonerating the democratic regime of not accumulating deficits. This study examines the relationship between government-type and fiscal deficits in Nigeria using time series data for the periods 1970-2010. The study applied econometric technique of ordinary least square method (OLS) and found that government-type does matter for fiscal operations in Nigeria. Specifically, the study found that democratic regimes in Nigeria do accumulate fiscal deficits contrary to earlier expectation. In addition, the findings show that there was strong inclination for fiscal deficits to decrease with financial liberalization, while liberalization of foreign trade leads to the increase in fiscal deficits. It is recommended that government should sustain the financial sector reforms in Nigeria, encourage productive spending on infrastructure for economic growth and development under a democratic atmosphere. Appropriate mechanisms should be put in place for efficiency in public financial management. The principle of value for money should be imbibed in execution of public project to ensure accountability and transparency in the democratic government

Mismatch between Anthropometry Characteristics of Nigerian Occupational Bus Drivers and the In-Vehicle Measurement

The characterization of interfacing elements of in-vehicle and driver’s anthropometric variables of a randomly selected operators with sample size of 161 subjects of commercial buses in the study area were considered in this work. Participatory ergonomic intervention approach was employed in data mining, opinion gathering and subsequent analysis. Related variables between the two systems were compared to establish fitness as well as the level to which human operator were accommodated in the vehicle dimension. A few cases of misfit were recorded based on drivers’ opinion and the measurements taken. Work related musculoskeletal disorder experienced by the users under study were traceable to inappropriate design variable of the in-vehicle elements.    

An Examination of Public Expenditure, private investment and Agricultural Sector Growth

Abstract This article estimated the relationship between public expenditure, private investment and agricultural output growth in Nigeria over the perio

Financial Sector Development and Industrial Production in Nigeria (1970-2009): An ARDL Cointegration Approach,

Abstract Literature abound justifying that industrialization is a pathway to economic development and growth. Whereas linkage between financial development and economic growth has long been a subject of intense scrutiny, not much has been done to examine the link between financial development and industrial growth. Using an aggregate production framework and autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) cointegration technique for Nigerian time series data covering the period 1970 to 2009, the paper finds a cointegration relationship between financial sector development and industrial production. Both the long run and short run dynamic coefficients of financial sector development variables have negative and statistically significant impact on industrial production. Based on these research outcomes the following policy implications can be drawn: the most important task for government of Nigeria is to introduce further financial sector reforms to improve the efficiency of the domestic financial sector which is a pre-requisite for the achievement of industrial development. The inefficiency of the financial sector is responsible for the adverse impact on industrial production. Appropriate measures should be taken to eliminate the constraints and challenges facing small and medium scale enterprise (SME) funding schemes, as these enterprises form the bedrock of the Nigerian industrial sector. Furthermore, industrializatio

Small business awareness and adoption of state-of-the-art technologies in emerging and developing markets, and lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic

Many challenges continue to hinder digital technologies\u27 adoption by small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in developing economies. Comparatively, there are more success stories by SMEs in emerging markets. However, most SMEs operating in the informal sector in the emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) face similar challenges that inhibit the adoption of advanced technologies and innovations needed to improve business operations and re-engineer processes. This article evaluates the implementation and use of state-of-the-art technologies by SMEs in EMDEs to improve operations performance and create sustainable competitive advantages. Further, the papers in this Special Issue identify FinTech and analytical algorithms as some of the current technologies employed by SMEs in EMDEs to improve operations and processes in the manufacturing and service industries. The recognized technologies and technical innovations that seem novel in EMDEs have long existed in the advanced economies. Most state-of-the-art technologies, including cloud computing, \u27big data\u27, and predictive analytics that can improve operations and strategic decisions, are yet to make inroads in most EMDEs. Also, disruptive computing technologies, data analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT) required to engineer new business models, reduce overheads, enhance competitive advantages, and digitize SMEs\u27 business operations remain untapped. The absence and non-adoption of digital technologies in EMDEs explain why business activities in most EMDEs remain shut during the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 and the community lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategies to survive the \u27new normal\u27 imposed by COVID-19 and fierce global competition includes a successful adoption of advanced technologies.</p

Urine Cytology as Seen in Uyo, Nigeria: How Relevant Is It to Medical Practice?

Aim:&nbsp;The aim of this study is to know the pattern of urine cytology (UC) requests seen in Uyo and how relevant they were to the management of the patients.&nbsp;Materials and Methods:&nbsp;This retrospective study was carried out in the Department of Pathology, University of Uyo Teaching Hospital. The extracted data from the cytology registers were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 17.&nbsp;Results:&nbsp;A total of 46 patients did UC during the period. The patients were aged between 21 years and 90 years, with a mean age of 56.89 ± 14.65. Thirty (67.4%) were male. The age group of 60–69 years accounted for most cases (37.8%). Suspicion of bladder cancer was the most common indication as it was seen in 28.9% (n&nbsp;= 13) of cases. Thirty-eight cases (84.4%) were referred from urology clinic, 2 each (4.4%) from general outpatient clinic, general surgery clinic, and from gynecology clinic. In 44.4% (n&nbsp;= 20) of cases, the cytological diagnosis was inflammatory smear, while the UC was normal in 24.4% (n&nbsp;= 11) cases. Malignant cells were seen in 11.1% of (n&nbsp;= 5) cases. Of the 13 cases that the indication was suspected bladder cancer, only four were positive for malignant cells and one was suspicious on UC. No malignant cell or suspicious cell was seen in any of the UC specimens from patients that had prostate cancer, lower urinary tract outlet obstruction with hematuria due to prostatic enlargement.&nbsp;Conclusion:&nbsp;UC should not be requested for in prostatic diseases since the reports are always negative or at most inflammatory. The department should start using The Paris System of UC reporting to assist the managing physician/surgeon to take the best decision

Mismatch between Anthropometry Characteristics of Nigerian Occupational Bus Drivers and the In-Vehicle Measurement

The characterization of interfacing elements of in-vehicle and driver’s anthropometric variables of a randomly selected operators with sample size of 161 subjects of commercial buses in the study area were considered in this work. Participatory ergonomic intervention approach was employed in data mining, opinion gathering and subsequent analysis. Related variables between the two systems were compared to establish fitness as well as the level to which human operator were accommodated in the vehicle dimension. A few cases of misfit were recorded based on drivers’ opinion and the measurements taken. Work related musculoskeletal disorder experienced by the users under study were traceable to inappropriate design variable of the in-vehicle elements.    Â

Bioinformatics Designing and Molecular Modelling of a Universal mRNA Vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 Infection

At this present stage of COVID-19 re-emergence, designing an effective candidate vaccine for different variants of SARS-CoV-2 is a study worthy of consideration. This research used bioinformatics tools to design an mRNA vaccine that captures all the circulating variants and lineages of the virus in its construct. Sequences of these viruses were retrieved across the six continents and analyzed using different tools to screen for the preferable CD8+ T lymphocytes (CTL), CD4+ T lymphocytes (HTL), and B-cell epitopes. These epitopes were used to design the vaccine. In addition, several other co-translational residues were added to the construct of an mRNA vaccine whose molecular weight is 285.29686 kDa with an estimated pI of 9.2 and has no cross affinity with the human genome with an estimated over 68% to cover the world population. It is relatively stable, with minimal deformability in its interaction with the human innate immune receptor, which includes TLR 3 and TLR 9. The overall result has proven that the designed candidate vaccine is capable of modulating cell-mediated immune responses by activating the actions of CD4+ T cells, natural killer cells, and macrophages, and displayed an increased memory T cell and B cell activities, which may further be validated via in vivo and in vitro techniques