Due to increase in demand for energy as a result of human population explosion, industrialization and environmental hazards posed by fossil fuels, there is a need to source for alternative energy sources that are cheaper and environmental friendly. Three different lignocellulosic biomasses were studied for their suitability for bioethanol production. Fungi and yeasts were isolated using serial dilution and spread plate methods. Identification of both fungi and yeasts was done using their cultural and microscopy characteristics. Saccharification of the pre-treated biomass was done with both crude cellulase and mycelia inoculant. Bioethanol was produced using batch culture fermentation. Ethanol produced was detected using spectrometric method and quantified using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The effects of substrate concentration, pH and temperature on ethanol yield were optimized. Fifty fungal isolates were obtained from soil collected. Six yeasts, all Kluyveromyces species fermented three sugars to ethanol with isolate Kluyveromyces sp.Y2 having the shortest time. It was selected for fermentation. Aspergillus niger S48 had highest cellulase activity measured in a zone of hydrolysis of 26.0 mm. It had the highest glucanase activity, endoglucanase (0.462 U/mL) and exoglucanase (0.431 U/mL). The outcome of this study indicated that crude cellulase produced by Aspergillus niger S48 hydrolyzed the pre-treated rice chaff with 1.07 mg/mL of fermentable sugars higher than 0.87 mg/mL when the mycelia of the fungus was inoculated to pretreated rice chaff for hydrolysis. Ethanol was optimally produced at 12 % substrate concentration using rice chaff, at a temperature of 35 °C and pH 5.0.

This article assessed the technical and allocative efficiencies of cotton farmers in Nagpur district, Maharashtra, India. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in selecting one hundred and twenty farmers. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, stochastic frontier production function and inefficiency model were employed for data analysis. Results from the review of socioeconomic characteristics reveal that cotton production in the study area was dominated by small and marginal farmers (96.7%). Majority of the cotton producers (84.2%) had small family size (2-6 persons) with low literacy rate. The results obtained from the stochastic frontier production function reveal that farm size and labour were the major determinants of cotton production in the study area. The mean technical efficiency estimate was 78%, implying that farmers are highly efficient although cotton output can still be raised by 22% through better resource allocation without incurring additional cost. Estimates of Allocative efficiency indicated that agrochemical was underutilized while fertilizer and labour were over utilized. Results from the inefficiency model indicate that educational status of the farmers was the major source of inefficiency in cotton production. The study therefore suggests intensive awareness campaign and regular extension visits by concerned authorities in order to facilitate better usage of improved technology packages aimed at enhancing yield and farm income.

In this study, seventy five (75) soil samples were collected from farmlands, riverbanks and dumpsites and screened for the presence of Escherichia coli via inoculation on EMB, Gram’s staining and some biochemical tests. Overall, 15 E. coli isolates were identified. Dumpsite has the highest number of isolates with 9(60%), followed by farmland with four 4(26.7%) isolates, and lastly riverbank with two 2(13.3%) isolates. Subculture on Sorbitol-MacConkey agar revealed that 2 isolates from dumpsite were EHEC O157:H7. Most of the isolates were resistant to Amoxicillin and Augmentin (66.7% and 73.3% respectively). One of the EHEC strains was found to be resistant to Pefloxacin. Multidrug resistant isolates later became susceptible to previously resisted antibiotics after plasmid curing using 10% sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). The outcome of this study suggests that EHEC O157:H7 is not common in the soil environment in comparison with other E. coli strains and it is found to be associated with dumpsites. Resistance to some of the antibiotics was plasmid-borne; therefore, indiscriminate use of antibiotics should be avoided to minimize rapid development of resistant bacterial strains. Dumping of refuse close to households should also be avoided so as to minimize the risk of infection with EHEC O157:H7.

The study focused on the profitability analysis of marketing of cereals by-products used as livestock feed in Kano State. Multistage sampling technique was used for the study and data was collected using structured questionnaire supplemented with key informant interview. A total of one hundred and seventy-eight (178) cereals by-product marketers were sampled. The analytical tools employed included descriptive statistics, net marketing margin analysis and marketing efficiency. The result of the socio economic characteristics showed that 12% of the cereals by-products marketers were adult belonging to the age group of 43-52 years, 51% of them had household size of 1-6 members, 43.8% of the cereals by-products marketers had 14-22 years of marketing experience, 94.9% married with 88.6% males, the result of educational background of legumes by-products marketers in the study area shows that 44.9% had Qur'anic education. The result of the profitability analysis revealed that cereals by-products marketing were profitable as the marketing margin for sorghum bran and maize bran were N323.34 and N470 respectively. The total revenue realized for the marketing were N1796.67 and N2083.33 for sorghum bran and maize bran respectively. The result further revealed Gross Margin (GR) of 0.01 and 0.01 for sorghum bran and maize bran traded in the study area while return per naira invested was found to be 1.09 and 1.16 accrued from every N1.00 invested for legumes by-products marketing. The result also revealed that marketing of legumes by-products was efficient with 254.17% and 306.16% for sorghum bran and maize bran respectively indicating that marketing of these by-products was profitable and efficient in the study area. The study recommended that since cereals by-product marketing is a profitable enterprise more youth should be encouraged to venture into the enterprises this will go a long way in reducing unemployment in the study area.

Bacterial infection of wound plays an important role in the development of chronicity and delayed healing. In this study, a total of 50 wound swabs were aseptically collected from patients attending specialist hospital Jimeta Yola, Adamawa State and were screened for bacteria. The isolates were identified using Gram-staining and biochemical tests. Eight different bacterial species were identified with Staphylococcus aureus having the highest occurrence with 11(26.19%), followed by Escherichia coli 8(19.05%), Klebsiella pneumoniae 6(14.29%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis 5(11.9%), Proteus vulgaris, Streptococcus pyogenes 3(7.14%) and lastly, Bacillus subtilis with 1(2.38%). Antibiotic susceptibility test using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method revealed that most of the Gram-positive isolates significantly resisted oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin. Most Gram negatives significantly resisted septrin, chloramphenicol, amoxicillin, augmentin and pefloxacin. Ciprofloxacin was 100% effective against both Gram positive and Gram-negative isolates. Plasmid curing of resistant isolates using 10% sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) revealed that resistance to penicillin, oxacillin, amoxicillin, augmentin and pefloxacin were plasmid borne whereas chloramphenicol and septrin (trimethoprim) were not. Bacteria associated with wound infections encompass both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria in nearly equal proportions with high rate of resistance among the isolates.