Assessment and Modeling of Drawbar Power Necessities of Disc Plough in Sandy-clay Soil in South-East Nigeria

The incongruities between agro-ecological soil states demand statistical records of the performance of tillage equipment under various soil classifications for proper choice of implements to minimize charge, curtail energy wastage, and upsurge agricultural output. This research was carried out to assess and model the drawbar power requirements of disc plough on sandy-clay soil in South – East Nigeria that will help farmers predict the power requirements and detect the optimum value of power demand of the plough in orderto select apposite plough subject to the soil type for proficient and bravura productions. Results showed that the highest drawbar power of 5.42kW was achieved when the plough was engaged at full working width of 180 cm, at tillage depth of 15 cm and least operational speed of 6km/hr. The statistical analyses revealed that tillage depth and operational speed have a significant effect (p˂ 0.05) on the drawbar power of the disc plough compared to the effective working width of the plough.The quadratic model was statistically significant for the response (P ˂ 0.05). Results also pointed out that the coefficient of determination; R2 was 0.9759 for drawbar power, which indicated high correlations amid the factors. The adequacy Precision of 19.912 obtained indicated decorous indicator and that the models could navigate the design space. The optimum drawbar power of 4.95kW was achieved with the desirability of 1.000 at optimal effective working width of 119.06 cm, ploughing depth of 13.71 cm and operational speed of 7.74kmh-1. Farmers can henceforth, appraise and select the disc plough implements with the developed model equation

PREVALENCE OF DIARRHOEA AGENTS AND THE IN-VITRO EFFECTS OF THREE PLANT EXTRACTS ON THE GROWTH OF THE ISOLATES

ABSTRACT Isolation of bacteria associated with diarrhoea in young children below the age of five years and the antibacterial efficacy of Dioscorea dumetorum, Oscimum suave, and Ancistracarpus densispinosus were investigated. Leaves of these plants were dried and powdered before being soaked in 70% ethanol for 3 days. The stools were cultured and isolates were identified according to standard bacteriological methods . Agar diffusion method was employed in determining the inhibitory effects of the extracts on growth of the bacterial isolates. Out of 100 samples collected, 97% showed growth of different bacterial species. These include Escherichia coli (28%), Salmonella (21%), Klebsiella (16%), Shigella (15%), Proteus mirabilis (1%), and Staphylococcus aureus (7%). Klebsiella, Proteus and Escherichia coli were susceptible to the inhibitory effect of the three extracts at varying concentrations except for Proteus mirabilis which did not respond at all to Ancistracarpus densispinosus. Statistically, Dioscorea dumetorum proved to be more effective than Oscimum suave (p<o.o5). . Hence, Dioscorea dumetorum and Ocimum suave could serves as an alternative to orthodox drugs in the treatment of diseases due to Klebsiella, Escherichia coli, and Proteus mirabilis

EFFLUX MEDIATED MULTIDRUG RESISTANT PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA ISOLATED FROM DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL SOURCES

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic pathogen and one of the leading causes of multi-drug resistant nosocomial infections. This study was therefore carried out to determine the resistance nature, and the role of efflux pump in multidrug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from different environmental sources using the efflux pump inhibitor, Carbonyl Cyanide 3-Chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP). A total of 220 environmental samples were collected and processed following standard techniques. Susceptibility to antibiotics was performed using disc diffusion methods as described by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Activity of the efflux pump system was carried out using the efflux pump inhibitor, CCCP. Results obtained identified 100 (45.5%) Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 72 (32.7%) other strains of Pseudomonas spp. The susceptibility testing revealed that all the identified strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that were subjected to susceptibility test were significantly resistant to ampicillin and cefotaxime, But the  resistance profile of isolates to tetracycline, chloramphenicol, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime and perfloxacin were 93%, 72.1%, 79.1%, 58.1% and 51.2% respectively. However, imipenem was the most sensitive (100%), followed by cefepime (65%) and gentamicin (44%). Carbonyl Cyanide 3-Chlorophenylhydrazone decreased the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the isolates by 2 folds. Results obtained have shown the ubiquitous presence of multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa from the environmental samples examined. Furthermore, it indicated the role of efflux pump in antibiotics resistance in P. aeruginosa isolates which indicate that P. aeruginosa strains from environmental sources could resist antibiotics by the efflux mechanism.     &nbsp

Towards personalised management of atherosclerosis via computational models in vascular clinics: technology based on patient-specific simulation approach

The development of a new technology based on patient-specific modelling for personalised healthcare in the case of atherosclerosis is presented. Atherosclerosis is the main cause of death in the world and it has become a burden on clinical services as it manifests itself in many diverse forms, such as coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease/stroke and peripheral arterial disease. It is also a multifactorial, chronic and systemic process that lasts for a lifetime, putting enormous financial and clinical pressure on national health systems. In this Letter, the postulate is that the development of new technologies for healthcare using computer simulations can, in the future, be developed as in-silico management and support systems. These new technologies will be based on predictive models (including the integration of observations, theories and predictions across a range of temporal and spatial scales, scientific disciplines, key risk factors and anatomical sub-systems) combined with digital patient data and visualisation tools. Although the problem is extremely complex, a simulation workflow and an exemplar application of this type of technology for clinical use is presented, which is currently being developed by a multidisciplinary team following the requirements and constraints of the Vascular Service Unit at the University College Hospital, London

Maximizing alcohol yields from wheat and maize and their co-products for distilling or bioethanol production

The key to optimizing alcohol production from cereals is a full understanding of the physiology and processing characteristics of different cereals. This study examined the maximum alcohol yields that can be obtained from wheat and maize using different processing technologies. Lower processing temperatures (85°C) resulted in high alcohol yields from wheat (a temperate crop), whereas higher processing temperatures (142°C) gave maximum alcohol yields from maize (a tropical crop). Similar trends were also observed when the spent grains from these cereals were processed using commercial enzymes. Mill settings were additional factors in influencing alcohol production. Wheat has the potential to produce higher alcohol yields when compared with maize, when residual biomass (i.e. spent grains) saccharification using selected commercial enzymes is taken into account. While this approach is not applicable for the Scotch whisky industry owing to strict legislation forbidding the use of exogenous enzymes, this is pertinent for bioethanol production to increase the alcohol yield obtained from both starch and lignocellulosic components of whole cereal grains. Wheat and maize processing temperatures and the use of processing aids are of potential economic benefit to bioethanol producers and to beverage alcohol producers seeking to understand the factors influencing the processing properties of different cereals

Effect of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) on the External Adnexia of the Rabbit Eye

SLS is an anionic surfactant used in the production of personal hygiene products such as tooth pastes, soaps, shampoos, shaving foam and other consumable related products. This study evaluated the effect of SLS on the tissues of the external adnexia of rabbit eye Varying doses of SLS (5mg/ml and 10mg/ml) was instilled on the eyes of New Zealand rabbits and the ocular status was observed for five days using a 20X magnification lens. It was observed that SLS was toxic to the external adnexia of the eye and caused some morphological changes. There was swelling of the eyelid, hyperemia in conjunctiva, tearing, discharge, photophobia and edema which were visible from up to day five with optimal changes on day three. The effect was dose dependent and more significant in animals instilled with 10mg/ml of SLS solution. The results suggest that SLS was toxic to the rabbit eye and increased dose could increase toxic effect on the eye. This study has exposed the effect of SLS to the eye and recommends minimal concentration in cosmetics and household hygienic detergents that can get direct contact with the eye

Presence Of Keratinophilic Fungi In Schools Playing Grounds In Sagamu

Abstract: A total of 80 soil samples was examined from 10 school playinggrounds in Sagamu city for the isolation and identification of keratinophilicfungi using hair baiting technique. Results from this study revealed sixspecies of of organisms belonging to three different genera viz; Aspergillus, Penicillium and Trichophyton. The prevalence rate of these organisms were Aspergillus niger 45 (15.56%), Aspergillus flavus 45(35.56%), Aspergillusfumigatus 45(15.56%), Pencillium species 45(15.56%),Trichophtyonrubum 45(11.11%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes 45(6.65%). This studytherefore confirmed the biodynamism of the isolated organisms in theschools playing ground studied

Bioremediation of Glyphosate Polluted Soil using Fungal Species

Glyphosate is an organophosphate compound used as herbicide in agricultural farms. It partly contributes to xenobiotic contamination of soil samples. Issues of toxicity and persistence have given rise to the need for its control in soils. The present study sought to bio-remediate glyphosate soil contamination using fungal cultures. Fungal isolates were obtained from glyphosate polluted soil and were screened for glyphosate utilization capacity. Isolates were identified using microscopy and molecular typing of the sequenced ITS-region. The best two degraders were made choice isolates used for the bioremediation study. They were used singly and in consortium for the bioremediation process monitored over a four-week period. Isolates obtained from the polluted soil sample are Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus tamari, Fusarium oxysporium and Aspergillus flavus. Aspergillus terreus and Fusarium oxysporium were the best glyphosate degraders and gave residual glyphosate values of 21.17 ug/ml and 17.22 ug/ml respectively. Their bi-culture degradation gave a residual glyphosate value of 8.87 ug/ml with 91.41 % degradation. This study thus shows that glyphosate soil pollution can be controlled with fungal cultures and can thus be said to be amenable to bioremediation process

Sustainability of Climate Change Adaptation Measures in South-South, Nigeria

The rampaging effects of climate change on Nigeria agriculture cannot be totally undermined, hence, the sustainability of climate change adaptation measures in South-South, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 142 farmers who were interviewed to elicit information bordering on climate change in the area. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ordinary least square multiple regression technique and the scaling model. Results showed that the socio-economic factors investigated influenced the decisiveness of the farmers in embracing adaptive strategies to checkmate the overindulgence of climatic variations in the area. Age of the farmers, educational level, household size, farming experience, farm size, extension contacts were all positive and significant factors. Result also shows that there is increasing rate of temperature, rainfall volume, sunshine hours and number of rainy days and decreasing rate of light intensity and wind. The adaptation techniques of the farmers were classified into highly sustainable adaptation strategies which include; use of pest and disease resistant varieties, use of organic fertilizers, tree planting, early information seeking on climate change etc and slightly sustainable; planting of different crop varieties, mulching, mixed cropping, etc. All the farmers in the area perceived inadequate capital as a major constraint in coping with climate change effects. Hence, this study recommends government all levels to sensitize the crop farmers on the devastating effects of climate change on agriculture as well as provide supports where necessary to cushion its negative impacts