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A review: Intelligent controllers for tropical food storage system
Get PDFFood security can be assured by improving on post harvest storage methods. Food stored under improper storage conditions are prone to increased respiration and transpiration processes which often result in depletion and weight loss of edible material. Storage temperature and relative humidity are major factors that ultimately determine product quality and quantity. This paper presents a survey on methods of post harvest storage systems. The indigenous methods of tropical food storage common to the West African region are discussed. The attendant problems associated with these methods are highlighted. Intelligent control methods are also discussed. A novel intelligent controller is proposed to sustain product quality and quantity by optimizing the storage process
Evaluation of Impact of Information Technology Skill on Hotel Services and Productivity_ A Case Study of Sheraton Hotel and Showers
No full textThe study was designed to evaluate the random sampling technique method. She Nocioned to evaluate the impact of information technology skil on hotel services and productivity. Through purposive Jine technique method, Sheraton hotel and Towers was selecied for the study. Questionnaires were used 10 obtain ially on professional status of staff, and knowledge of information technology skill by the management staff. The is that 53.33% were skilled among the managers, 70% were i.T skil ed. The results of the study showed thar hotel operation during quality services makes hotel operations easier and more effectie, acquire and analyze information easily and control products 4-2 ution by software monitoring and reduce labour cosi by automation. Eventually, it leads to higher productivity
Retina fundus image mask generation using pseudo parametric modeling technique
Get PDFABSTRACT (abstract): The use of vascular intersection as one of the symptoms for monitoring and diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy from Fundus images have been widely reported in literatures. In this work, a new hybrid approach that makes use of three different methods of vascular intersection detection namely Modified Cross-Point Number (MCN), Combine Cross-Points Number (CCN) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) technique is hereby proposed. Result obtained from the application of this technique to both simulated and experimental shows a very high accuracy and precision value in detecting both bifurcation and cross over points. Thus an improvement in bifurcation and vascular point detection and a good tool in the monitoring and diagnosis of diabetic retinopath
Risk mitigation strategies and policy implications for carbon dioxide (CO 2) emission in organically-amended soils in Nigeria
Get PDFGlobal food security has been a challenge, especially in Africa. This has attracted the adoption of strategies to improve soil productivity and crop yield. One of such strategies is the use of solid wastes as soil organic matter amendments. An investigation of the effects of soil amendment using poultry manure, sawdust and their mixtures on carbon dioxide (CO 2) emission, maize (Zea mays L.) growth and dry matter yield were assessed under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Top soil obtained from unfertilized plots at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching and Research farm, Ile-Ife, Nigeria was used for the experiments. The organic amendments were added at the rate of 10 g/kg, treatments were in triplicates and treatment means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at 95% level of significance. Results obtained revealed that CO 2 emission decreased while maize heights and dry matter yields significantly (P> 0.05) increased with increasing ratios of poultry manure in the poultry manure-sawdust mixtures. The CO 2 emission from poultry manure amended soil was about 61% that from sawdust amended soil while the mean height and dry matter yield in sawdust-amended soils were 84% and 52% respectively those obtained in poultry manure amended soil. This paper concludes that it is essential to design and implement policies that will guide and encourage the use of organic amendments at ratios that can enhance crop yield and mitigate CO 2 emission to the environment
Early Newspapers in the History of Journalism in Nigeria: Iwe Irohin (1859-1867)
No full textAlthough, printing started as early as 1846 in Nigeria with the setting up of a printing press in Calabar by the Presbyterian mission, the first newspaper did not emerge until 1859 when an Anglican Missionary, Reverend Henry Townsend of the Christian Missionary Society (CMS) established what is now generally agreed to be the first newspaper known as Iwe Iroyin Fun Awon Am Egba Ati Yoruba which literally translated means information newspaper for the Egba-speaking people and the Yorubas. Reverend Townsend had earlier established a printing press/school atAbeokuta in 1854. This was exactly five years before the inauguration of Iwe Iroyin. The printing press and school eventually served as an avenue for the training of qualified printers and subsequently journalists. The paper being the first newspaper has come to be referred to as the Pace Setter; Pioneer, Light, Pathfinder; Harbinger and so on. Before the arrival of the newspaper and others after it, there was a wide scale of illiteracy among the natives which was a great handicap to the missionaries in their bid to spread the gospel of christianity. One of the ways this problem was tackled was by the establishment of newspapers, and Iwe Iroyin was one of them
Standardization and Proximate Composition of some Indigenous Food food the Elderly in Ondo State, Nigeria
No full textMany studies confirmed that modernization has led to the current quest for easy to prepare fast foods with a progressive loss of important components of our food and indigenous condiments and spices. The elderly are not quick in adapting to the modern cuisine, hence many suffered inadequate diets which may progress to malnutrition due to unavailability of familiar food stuffs in local markets and farms. Five indigenous dishes were selected from Ondo state and standardized, they were; "eeru" with pounded yam, (b) "oshikiri” with "agidi" (c) "obe isapa elegusi" with pounded yam (d) "marugbo” with "pupuru" and (e) "obe ogolonfo" and pounded cocoyam. The dishes were chemically evaluated using standard methods. The dishes appeared to be good sources of protein, carbohydrate, iron and zinc. "Obe iru" with pounded cocoyam had the highest protein value; (24.85g/100g) (44.4%RDA). “Morugbo" with “pupuru" had the highest carbohydrate and zinc values, (41.19g/100g) (31.7&RDA) (31.0mg/100g) (77.5%RDA) respectively. These indigenous dishes valuable food nutrient potentials could alleviate food insecurity and poverty among the elderly
Post-impact studies of an inland oilfield in South-Western Nigeria: a bacteriological perspective.
No full textThe study was designed to determine the post-impact effect of operation of Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC) in Afiesere oilfields for both rainy and dry season using bacteriological indices. Soil samples from transects, villages and water (surface and underground) from Rivers and boreholes, as well as sediments from Rivers were cultured using appropriate media for heterotrophic and hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria, respectively. The hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria consistently isola ted from samples were Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Aeromonas, Chromobacterium, Corynebacterium, Flavobacterium, Citrobacter, Micrococcus and Alcaligenes species. In general, heterotrophic counts were more than hydrocarbonoclasts. Hydrocarbonoclasts were preponderant in rainy than dry seasons along transects. The percentage hydrocarbonoclasts were lower than 1.0% except in T3, T5 and T6 with values of 1.06, 1.06 and 3.2 respectively. Lower counts were obtained for water and sediments analyzed. Pseudomonas, Aeromonas and Chromobacterium used crude oil better with optical density of 0.105 after 10 days of fermentation. Analysis with SPSS Version 17 shows there is no significant seasonal difference in the distribution of hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria in Afiesere oilfield (P<0.05) except for transect 5. We conclude that Afiesere oilfield has not suffered from petroleum crude oil pollution and that the indigenous hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria genera in the oilfield can respond appropriately in the event of a spill. More information may be needed from chemical analysis to validate this finding. The oilfield consists of numerous bacteria that can be cultured and used as inocula for bioremediation of petroleum crude impacted soils and water
Photochemical Production and Consumption Mechanisms of Nitric Oxide in Seawater
Get PDFNitric oxide (NO•) is an active odd-nitrogen species that plays a critical role in determining the levels of ozone (O3) and other nitrogen species in the troposphere. Here, we provide experimental evidence for photochemical formation of NO• in seawater. Photoproduction rates and overall scavenging rate constants were measured by irradiation of surface seawater samples collected from the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. Photoproduction rates of NO• ranged from 8.7 × 10−12 M s−1 to 38.8 × 10−12 M s−1 and scavenging rate constants were 0.05−0.33 s−1. The steady state concentrations of NO• in seawater, which were calculated from the photoproduction rates and scavenging rate constants were in the range 2.4−32 × 10−11 M. Estimation from the scavenging rate constant showed that the NO• lifetime in seawater was a few seconds. Our results indicate that nitrite photolysis plays a crucial role in the formation of NO•, even though we cannot exclude minor contributions from other sources. Analysis of filtered and unfiltered seawater samples showed no significant difference in NO• photoformation rates, which suggests a negligible contribution of NO• produced by photobiological processes. Using an estimated value of the Henry’s law constant (kH ≈ 0.0019 M atm−1), a supersaturation of surface seawater of 2 to 3 orders of magnitude was estimated. On the basis of the average values of the surface seawater concentration and the atmospheric NO• concentration, a sea-to-air NO• flux was estimated
Strategic issues in jatropha biofuel enterprise development in Nigeria
Get PDFIn Nigeria today, fossil fuels constitute the major source of energy for the economy with consumption costs in excess of N 654 billion for petrol, N 303.2 billion for diesel and N 194 billion for Kerosene. The global debate on Climate Change/CO 2 emissions and domestic concerns on economic, environmental and energy security implications have necessitated alterative energy options and created opportunities for sustainable biofuel enterprise in Nigeria. Jatropha curcas (known as Lapalapa in Yoruba-speaking parts of Nigeria) is an uncultivated non-food wild-species plant with great potential for bioenergy development in the country. The seeds are resistant to a high degree of aridity and contain 27-40% oil that can be processed to produce a high-quality biodiesel fuel, usable in a standard diesel engine. With estimated diesel demands in Nigeria being 3600-4200 thousand metric tonnes by 2020, there is an expansive opportunity for jatropha biofuel enterprise in the country. This study examines the strategic issues (technological, economic, environmental, and socio-cultural) governing its development and proposes policy recommendations for its successful exploitation
Nutritional Evaluation and Sensory Qualities of Sekete Beverage Flavoured with Ginger and Sweet Potatoes
No full textThe study was designed to evaluate the nutritional composition of "sekete” beverage and also assessed people's responses to "sekete "flavoured with ginger and sweet potato, and the second sample, flavoured with table sugar only. The raw materials used consist of guinea corn 85%, ginger 5% and sweet potato 10%. The control sample had guinea corn 85% sugar 15%. They were processed by adopting the local methods. The beverage "sekete” was nutritionally and organoleptically evaluated using standard methods. The "sekete" beverage flavoured with ginger and sweet potato appeared to have higher nutrient value, than the "sekete" flavoured with sugar only. The recorded values were energy (320.15kcal/100g), protein (18.10g/100g), carbohydrate (78.15g/100g), fat (1.32g/100g). They also contained fair levels of minerals. The sensory evaluation scores of the two samples indicated that flavoured "sekete" with ginger and sweet potatoes were most favoured by elderly panelists while majority of the youths among the panelists preferred the “sekete” flavoured with sugar. Generally, "sekete” beverage flavoured with ginger and sweet potato had higher overall acceptability