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DEVELOPMENT OF A SOLAR BOX FOR COOKING AND WATER HEATING
Get PDFSolar cooking is the utilisation of direct insolation harnessed from the sun as energy source in cooking and water heating. In this study, a device for solar collection and direct utilisation for cooking and water heating was developed. The device consisted of two boxes a smaller box 600 mm × 600 mm × 460 mm insulated with coconut coir of thermal conductivity 0.295Wm-1) -1 placed within a larger box 700 mm × 700 mm ×500 mm. The direct solar insolation (Is), stagnation temperature of the device (Ts), ambient temperature (Ta) andthe wind velocity (V) were measured in accordance with ASHRAE standards. The regression procedure of Mini Tab (v.16) was used to relate the cooker temperature (Tc) with Is, Ts, Ta, and V. The presence of the heat storage unit made it possible to cook beyond 15:00 hours up until 18:00 hours local time while the hot water from the dispensing unit attained temperature of about 650c for most days of testing at about 13:00 ± 0:40 hours and gradually dropped to about 50℃ ± 5℃ by 19:00 hours local tim
PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND THE ETHNOBOTANICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE LEAVES OF WILD SAGE (Lantana camara L.)
Get PDFLeaf extract of Lantana camara was screened for active bioactive phytochemical compounds. The leaves were extracted using different solvent (distilled water, ethylacetate and methanol). Phytochemical analysis of the extracts were performed using thin layer chromatography (TLC). The extracts were loaded on TLC plates and developed in two solvent systems that is Hexane: Ethylacetate and Ethylacetate: Methanol at ratios 1:4 and 1:9 respectively. The phytochemical screening result indicated presence of alkaloids, tannins,saponins, carbohydrates and sterols and the absence of flavonoids and glycosides in the distilled water extract; presence of flavonoids, tannins, saponins, carbohydrates, terpenoids and steroids and absence of glycosides and alkaloids in Ethylacetate extract; presence of flavonoids, alkaloid, tannins, carbohydrates, steroids and saponins and absence of terpenoids and glycosides
INSECTICIDAL EFFECTS OF THE ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF PSEUDOCEDRELA KOTSCHYI AGAINST DERMESTES MACULATUS (COLEOPTERA: DERMESTIDAE) ON TREATED DRIED CATFISH (CLARIAS GARIEPINUS)
Get PDFThis research work was carried out to assess the insecticidal properties of the ethanol extract of Pseudocedrela kotschyi in the control of Dermestes maculatus infesting dried fish (Clarias gariepinus) in storage. Ethanol extract of P.kotschyi was administered in different concentrations to dried fish infested with larvae and adult stages of D.maculatus. 96 gram of dried fish sample was divided into 12 groups of 8 g each and each group was subdivided into three (3) replicates of 2.7g of dried fish in each treatment. For the bioassay test, groups 1-6 were infested with 10 larvae of D. maculatus each and treated with 0.1, 0.5, 1.5, 3.0, 6.0, and 9.0g of plant extract respectively. Groups 7 and 8 were infested with 10 adult D.maculatus and treated with 3.0 and 9.0g of plant extract respectively. Groups 9 and 10 were infested with 10 larvae and adult D.maculatus respectively and treated with 9.0g of standard insecticide each. Groups 11 and 12 were infested with 10 larvae and adult D. maculatus respectively but not treated with either the plant extract or pestox (standard insecticide) but as controls. The set-up was monitored daily for seven days. In the groups treated with the plant extract, the highest mortality rate was observed in smoked fish treated with 0.1g (2.23%) plant extract while the mortality rate of 1.1 % each was recorded in smoked fish treated with 1.5g and 9.0g plant extracts, compared 4.44 % recorded in the untreated (control). The extract had no significant (P>0.05) effect on the mortality of the insects. The groups treated with 9 g pestox (standard insecticide)recorded the highest mortality 25 (27. 78 %) compared to the groups treated with the plant extract. The ethanol stem bark extract of P.kotschyi reduced the activities of D.maculatus larvae and adults
Occurrence and Antifungal Susceptibility of Candida Species Isolated from Pregnant Women in a Tertiary Hospital
Get PDFCandida is the leading cause of infection among pregnant women. This study was aimed to determine the occurrence and antifungal susceptibility of Candida species isolated from apparently healthy pregnant women receiving antenatal care at Bingham University Teaching Hospital. High vaginal swab was inoculated onto Sabouraud Dextrose Agar and Gram staining was carried out. Candida isolates were sub- cultured on Himedia CHROM Candida differential agar and identified according to their color, morphology, and appearance. Disc antifungal susceptibility test was carried out using standard protocols. The occurrence rate of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) in this study was 42.5%. In this study, Candia albicans was the most predominant Candida species (51.2%) isolated. Pregnant women within the age range of 20-24 years had the highest infection occurrence of 100% while the lowest occurrence of the infection (25%) was observed among women within the age range of 40-44 years. There was a significant relationship between age and VVC infection (P>0.05). In relation to trimester, pregnant women in the second trimester had a high infection rate of 87.5% while women in the third trimester had the least occurrence rate of 10.9%. There was a significant relationship between vulvovaginal candidiasis infection and trimester (P>0.05). All Candida species were resistant to the antifungal drugs tested except for Candida kefyr which was susceptible to fluconazole and voriconazole. Therefore, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment among pregnant women receiving antenatal care can reduce the infection and prevent complications during childbirt
ANALYSIS OF WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION IN MANGU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA
Get PDFThis study examined women participation in livestock Production in Mangu local government area of Plateau State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling was used to select 90 women livestock farmers. Descriptive statistics and Participation Index were used to analyze the data. The grand participation index (2.0) implies that women rarely participated in livestock production. Women always participated in the watering (2.97) feeding of animals (2.88) and cleaning of pen (2.72). Poultry, Swine and Goat were the major types of Livestock kept by Women. The result also revealed that there was positive and significant relationship between women involvement in livestock production and extension contact and age. Extension contact was significant (p<0.01) and positive which means that the more the women have access to extension contact the more tendency for them to participate in livestock production. The major constraints faced by women in livestock production were high cost of feed and medication, inadequate capital, pest and diseases. The study recommends that the women should be linked with micro finance banks so as to have access to capital which can be used to boost their level of participation in livestock production. Also various capacity building activities in-terms of training need of women in livestock production should be identified and periodically provided. Also subsidy should place on vaccine and drugs so as to reduce the high cost of medication this will encourage women participate in livestock production 
PHENOTYPIC VARIABILITY OF FALSE SESAME (CERATOTHECA SESAMOIDES ENDL.) TREATED WITH SODIUM AZIDE
Get PDFThe mutagenic efficiency and effectiveness of sodium azide to induce genetic variability in false sesame (Ceratotheca sesamoides) was evaluated with the aim of obtaining beneficial mutants. The seeds of false sesame were subjected to four concentrations (0.5mM, 1.0mM, 1.5mM and 2.0mM) of sodium azide. Treated and untreated seeds were sown on the field. Harvested M1 false sesame seeds were sown to raise the M2 seedlings. The sodium azide concentration of 1.0mM significantly (p<0.05) induced benefitial variabilities on the agronomic traitsevaluated at M1 and M2 generation of false sesame. The mutagenic effectiveness, efficiency and mutation frequency of sodium azide were not obtained due to the absence of chlorophyll-deficient mutants. Lethality due to mutagen was observed not to be dose dependent. Broad sense heritability estimates for the agronomic traits evaluated ranged from 2.14% to 92.01%. High heritability values recorded for and days to flowering (92.10%), thousand seed weight (75.00%), height at maturity (63.84%) and leaf area (60.35%) broadens the scope for improving false sesame via selection. Results are further discussed to validate the potential of this mutagenic treatment on false sesame breeding and selectio
A MORPHOMETRIC STUDY OF FIVE SELECTED DRAINAGE BASINS IN CENTRAL NIGERIA
Get PDFThe physical parameters of a watershed has been shown to influence the hydrological response of the watersheds to storm events. They are useful in geo-hydrological, flood risk mapping, neo-tectonic and landform studies most especially in the many ungauged basins across the world. In the developed parts of the world, there are usually gauged basins nearby which can be used in ungauged basin predictions. In the less developed parts of the world, gauged basins are few and far between while accurate and reliabletopographical maps of many basins are scarce. This makes flow predictions using basin morphometry an important subject in these areas. A morphometric study of five selected basins in central Nigeria was carried out. The results show that all the basins have elongated shape, are not compact and have low drainage density indicating moderate runoff potentials. Low stream density and high constant of channel maintenance affirm that the basins have a high permeability. The hypsometric curves show that a large part of the basins are at a low relief which is typical of the Guinea savannah found in central Nigeri
ANALYSIS OF BROILER PRODUCTION IN THE SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL ZONE OF NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA
Get PDFThe study analyzed broiler production in the Southern Agricultural Zone of Nasarawa State. The study adopted a multi-stage sampling technique to select 60 broiler farmers, primary data on items such as age, gender, level of education, cost of production were collected with the aid of well structured questionnaire and interviewingmetho
DETERMINATION OF BROWSE INTAKE AND NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY OF GRAZING WEST AFRICAN DWARF (WAD) GOATS FED VARYING LEVELS OF Gmelina arborea LEAVES AS SUPPLEMENTS IN DELTA STATE NIGERIA
Get PDFThe Research was carried out to assess the browse intake and nutrient digestibility of grazing West African Dwarf (WAD) goats fed varying levels of Gmelina arborea leaves as supplement. Which produces appreciable amount of forage even at the peak of the dry season in the tropics, thereby ensuring all year round supply of foliage and fodder. Thirty growing West Africa Dwarf (WAD) goats were used to determine the level of browse intake and nutrient digestibility by goats fed varying levels Gmelina arborea leaves as supplementThe goats were randomly divided into five groups of six animal per group. Goats in Treatment A were fedcommercial growers mash, at 0.50 kg, Treatment B were fed 0.25 kg of Gmelina arborea leaves, Treatment Cwere fed 0.50 kg of Gmelina arborea leaves, Treatment D 0.75 kg and Treatment E 1.00 kg of Gmelina arborealeave
EFFECTS OF ACCESS TO PASTURE AND INTEGRATION WITH RABBITS ON PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER CHICKEN
Get PDFThe study was conducted during rainy season (June-August) to determine the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chicken raised on partial free range and integration with rabbits using 180 unsexed Anak broiler chicks