Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) Journal
Not a member yet
141 research outputs found
Sort by
Evaluation of Point-of-care Glucometers for Blood Glucose Determination in Layer Chickens
No full textThis study evaluated two point-of-care glucometers for blood glucose determination in layer chickens and compared the values obtained to those from conventional laboratory methods. Blood samples were obtained from 40 healthy Rhode Island Red layers and used for rapid blood glucose determination using Accu-chek active® and TysonBio Evolve® glucometers and for glucose determination in serum and plasma using the GOD POD method. The values obtained by the different methods were compared using analysis of variance. Results showed significant (p<0.05) differences in mean glucose concentration with all measurement methods. Whereas values obtained by Accu-chek active® and conventional laboratory methods were within the reference values for layer chickens, that from TysonBio Evolve® overestimated blood glucose level in the birds. Accu-chek active® glucometer could hence be used for rapid blood glucose determination in layer chickens
Heavy Metal and Mineral Contents of Centrosema pubescens and Pueraria phaseoloides used as Phytoremediators in Crude Oil Polluted Soil.
No full textThe effect of crude oil polluted soil on the heavy metal content and mineral composition of Centrosema pubescens and Pueraria phaseoloides was investigated the experiment was a factorial (2x4) arrangement in a completely randomized design (CRD). Factors and levels were the two legumes (C. pubescens, P. phaseoloides) and crude oil concentration (volume/weight) in the soil (0%, 1%, 3% and 4%).Generally, heavy metal presence was significantly high (at P< 0.05) in the treated soil, roots and leaves of the studied plants parts as the level of pollution increased. Copper had the highest increase in concentration at the beginning of the experiment (from 0.13-0.98mg/g) while cadmium had the least (from 0.06-0.41mg/g). Copper concentration in the soil had about 59% reduction at 4%v/w level of pollution in P. phaseoloides grown soil 14Weeks After Planting (WAP). Cadmium was the least reduced (20%) at 4% level of pollution in C. pubescens grown soil. The roots of the studied plants accumulated more heavy metals than the leaves. Lead concentration in P. phaseoloides and C. pubescens roots were 0.28mg/g and 0.31mg/g respectively and 0.20mg and 0.17mg/g in their respective leaves. The observed heavy metal alterations in the plants and soil suggest that they could be used in phytomonitoring and phytoremediation. The Ca, Mg and Na contents in the polluted soil at the beginning (week 0 ) of the experiment increased, and reduced 14 weeks after planting (WAP) while P, K and N reduced as the pollution increased at the beginning of the experiment but increased in soil content at the end of the experiment. This study has demonstrated that crude oil contamination of soil had high significant effect by altering the mineral component of the studied plants. The result will serve as possible information necessary in agricultural decisions
Human Security and Global Stability: The Role of Purposeful Leadership
No full textThis paper examines the nexus between securing the human or individual and maintenance of international peace and stability. Over the years the issues of national or physical security have been given much concern with the subject of human security non-existent in some cases thereby putting global peace at risk. This work argues on the management of international peace through the lens of human security by weighing three major risks or threats towards peace. The paper concludes that human security in our contemporary world has become a key strategy to avoiding global risks and international security management and therefore, recommends the purposeful participation of leadership in integrating human society at all levels but, particularly at the national levels, to achieve sustainable peace and human security development. This would translate to global peace and stability. Data for this paper is qualitative in nature and as such relies on secondary sources and extensive literature review
Analysis of Yam Yield Data: A Comparison of One –Way Anova and Kruskal -Wallis Test
No full textThis paper applied the Analysis of Variance Test Statistic on yam data set, to examine the hypothesis that the five plots of yam have identical distributions. It also, examined if any of the basic assumptions of the Analysis of Variance are violated. Secondary data were collected from Otobi Benue State substation of the National Root Crop Research Institute Umudike in Abia State, Nigeria. SPSS software showed that both non-normality and equal variances assumptions were present when Analysis of Variance test statistic was applied. The result from one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows that The Fcal = 2.489 < Ftab= 2.76 and the significance of 0.069 is greater than 0.05. The mean= 47.33, standard deviation =19.824 and N = 30, showing that the assumption for normality had been violated in the five plots of yam. This led to the use of Kruskal-Wallis test statistic on the data sets. The Kruskal Wallis result showed that , = ; since .Both test statistics results showed that the five plots of yam have identical distributions. Therefore, the paper concludes that the application of either ANOVA or Kruskal Wallis test when a sample has assumption of ANOVA with homogenous variance but normality is violated leads to the same result
Estimation of Population Mean in Two-Stage Sampling with Systematic Sampling in the Second Stage Sampling
No full textThis paper aims at proposing the estimator of the population mean in two-stage sampling when systematic sampling method in the second stage sampling is used instead of the usual simple random sampling method. Its Bias and Mean Square Error (MSE) are derived and its efficiency compared with the usual estimator when simple random sampling is applied at both stages. The theoretical results are validated numerically using the weights and ages of patients in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Centres across Umuahia North Local Government Area and it is established that the proposed estimator has a greater efficiency than the existing classical estimator
Changes in the Nutritional Quality of Dessert Banana (Musa spp) Ripened with Different Ripenning Agents
No full textDifferent artificial ripening agents are used in the ripening of climacteric fruits in South-Eastern Nigeria and other locations as well. Nutritional effect of artificial ripening of dessert bananas was investigated. Calcium carbide, torch batteries, wood ash and avocado pear were employed as ripening agents. Changes in nutritional composition were determined comparing artificially ripened with naturally ripened and unripe banana fruits. Fruits ripened using calcium carbide (ARB1) ripened by day 2, while fruits ripened with torch batteries (ARB2) and wood ashes (ARB3) took 4 days to ripen. Avocado pear (ARB4) and naturally ripened bananas (NRB) ripened by day 3 and day 7 respectively. Selected minerals, proximate and vitamin content of these fruit pulp were analyzed. Ash and moisture content of banana pulps increased during ripening in the range 1.0-1.9% and 69.00-74.10% respectively while carbohydrate content reduced (26.52-20.57%). Protein content increased from 1.6-1.8% while fibre content reduced from 1.6-1.05%. Mineral contents as Magnesium, Zinc and Potassium were highest in unripe (7.60mg/100g), naturally ripened (7.80mg/100g) and wood ash ripened (38.43mg/100g) fruits respectively. Vitamins analyzed were high in naturally ripened fruits with B2 at 2.40mg/100g and C at 35.30mg/100g while B6 was higher in avocado pear ripened fruits at 2.60mg/100g. Findings suggest that these artificial ripening agents investigated reduced nutritional quality of bananas.
 
Comparative Analysis of the Quantities of Gas Flared by the Joint Venture Companies in Nigeria
No full textIn this study, we compared quantities of gas flared by the Joint Venture Companies in Nigeria. The ultimate objectives of the study were to ascertain the patterns in quantities of gas flared by the individual companies, to determine if there was a reduction in gas flaring in Nigeria and to verify whether the reduction, if any, is uniform among the Joint Venture Companies. Data on quantities of gas flared and quantities of oil produced in cubic meters (m3) by the Joint Venture Companies were collected from 2015 Annual Statistical Bulletin of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) through the website:www.nnpcgroup.com. The time plot of the data showed a general reduction in the quantities of gas flared by the companies over the period under review. However, the reduction was found not to be uniform across the Joint Venture Companies. This disparity in the patterns of quantities of gas flared was confirmed by virtue of Analysis of Covariate Residual (ANCOVRE
Prevalence of Plasmid and Antimicrobial resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated from surgical wound infections in Nigeria
No full textThe study was conducted to determine the antimicrobial resistance and plasmid DNA profile of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from patients with clinically diagnosed post- operative surgical wound infections. The research was carried out in university of Benin teaching hospital (UBTH) and Nnamdi Azikiwe university teaching hospital (NAUTH). The work adopted a cross- sectional survey and the sample were obtained using the randomized sampling method. Samples were cultured on MacConkey and blood agar media and incubated anaerobically and aerobically for 24hours. Phenotypic characterization of bacterial isolates was confirmed biochemically. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out by disc diffusion method on Mueller- Hinton agar. There were high prevalence (78% and 85%) of multi drug resistant isolates in UBTH and NAUTH respectively. Cefixime had the highest resistance at 94.0% from both locations followed by augmentin and cefuroxime which resistance ranged from 68.0% to 94.0% and 68.0% to 79.0% respectively. The least resistance were observed in erythromycin and oxacillin with a range of 0.0% to 17.0%. There was high multidrug resistance to isolates obtained from both locations. Plasmid DNA profiling was carried out on all multi drug resistant isolates on agarose gel and photographed using ultraviolet transilluminator. The isolates were positive for plasmid DNA suggesting that plasmids were established in drug resistant P. aeruginosa associated with surgical infections in the study are
The Distribution of Hypertension and Possible Association With Abo Blood Grouping in Selected Sub- Urban and Rural Communities in Abia State, South Eastern Nigeria
No full textScreening study of hypertension in association of ABO Blood grouping was carried out in Amaoba in Ikwuano and AmantaAmabaUgwuekeAbia State. Blood pressure monitor and anti-sera were used for the study. Out of 209 subjects from both urban and rural areas, males 102 (48.8%) and females 107 (51.2%) were used for the study. ABO blood grouping in association of hypertension was significant in male 0+ (37.0%), A+ (31.4%) in female 0+ (68.4%), A+ (26.3%) in urban area and also in rural female A+ (35%), B+ (30%) when compared to other blood groups (p<0.05). Similarly, there is non-significant association of ABO blood group of O-, A-, AB-, B- to hypertension. Body Mass Index (BMI) indicates that subjects that were overweight in male (65.38%) and female (45.45%) in both urban and rural areas were more hypertensive than those with normal weight. Questionnaire analysis shows that the causes of hypertension in the urban area were identified to be obesity 86 (39.2%) followed by stress 74 (33.7%), then hereditary 33(15.0%) and the least is no idea 11(5.0%). In the rural areas most 40(75.4%) do not have idea of cause of hypertension, 12(22.6%) attributed hypertension to witchcraft while the least number of respondent 1(1.8%) believes much consumption of salt is the cause. The management of hypertension in the urban area was identified to include maintaining of normal weight 91(33.5%), routine check of blood pressure 73(26.9%) then adhering to medication 51(18.8%) while the least(13(4.7%) has no idea of the cause of hypertension. In the rural area majority do not have idea of the management of hypertension, some agreed to adhering to medication 35(35%) and maintaining of normal weight 5(5%). Findings from this study suggests that O+, A+, and B+ were more susceptible to hypertension indicating that there is genetic association between ABO and hypertension though some blood groups are more susceptible than others. Also overweight individuals are more prone to hypertension than those with normal weight. There is therefore need for proper health education in the communities for regular screening test and management practices of hypertension to minimize or avert the risk of resultant complication