Effects of Some Selected Macro-Economic Indicators on Exchange Rates (1986-2019)

Background: The foreign exchange market plays a significant role in the development of a country and the stability of her currency in recent years. Objectives: This article reports the effect of macro-economic indicators on foreign exchange parallel markets for a period between 1986 – 2019. Methods: The macro-economic indicators used were inflation rate, demand for money, the supply of money, OPEC crude oil and the real GDP growth with the dependency of the foreign exchange market. The data for this project was extracted from the publication of the Statistics Unit of the Central Bank of Nigeria in recent years. Multiple Linear Regression was used with special attention on Multicollinearity, Serial Correlation and Heteroscedasticity. The coefficient of determination value of 0.740 shows that the demand for money, the supply of money, OPEC crude oil and the real GDP growth accounted for over 74 percent of the variation in the exchange rate in Nigeria between the years 1986 and 2019. Results: It was discovered from the findings that, money supply into the circulation determines the foreign exchange rate. And it was also discovered that the money supply has a high dependency ratio on the exchange rate among other macro-economic indicators. Thus, the reduced model is a result of the insignificancy of other variables while only variable two (supply of money) is significant. Conclusions: The use of a flexible exchange rate had eliminated the over-valuation of the naira. The parallel market premium has also been narrowed from 600 percent in 1986 to about 11.0 percent in 2018. These were attributed to the weak and import-dependent production structure of the economy. The suggested solution was articulated towards increasing foreign exchange inflows, reducing demand, as well as reforming the foreign exchange market to evolve a more realistic exchange rate for the naira.  Keywords: Multiple Linear Regression, Macro-Economic Indicators, Exchange Rate, Multicollinearity, Serial Correlation and Heteroscedasticit

Production of Ogi from germinated sorghum supplemented with soybeans

Three varieties of sorghum grains were germinated before fermentation to Ogi. The protein and ash contents of Sorghum vulgare, Sorghum guineensis and Sorghum bicolor increased by 7.20 and 40.20%; 5.44 and 29.20%; and 4.00 and 42.18% respectively. Fermentation of the germinated grains however caused decreases in the protein, ash, fibre and fat contents. Supplementation of oven-dried (60%) powder with treated 30% (w/w) soyabeans flour yielded products of higher protein contents which ranges from 284% for Ogi made from S. vulgare, 270% for Ogi made from S. guineensis and 271% for Ogi made from S. bicolor. Similarly, supplementation of Ogi with 30% (w/w) soya-flour generally resulted in increase in fat contents (approx. 130%), ash (approx. 54.9%) and fibre (approx. 217%). A panel of evaluators showed greatest preference for soya- supplemented Ogi porridge made from S. vulgare, while soya-supplemented Ogi porridge from S. guineensis was the least acceptable. The soyasupplemented Ogi flour (moisture content 10%) kept well and retained their original flow- properties after twenty-one days of storage.Key words: Sorghum, germination, fermentation, soya-supplementation

Body Size Perceptions and Weight Status of Adults in a Nigerian Rural Community

Background: Overweight and obesity are now recognized worldwide as increasing public health problems throughout the life course and wrong perception of one’s body size may reduce the motivation for an overweight person to lose weight. Aim: This study was conducted to investigate how Nigerian rural dwellers perceive their body size and how their perception agrees with their body mass index (BMI). Subjects and Methods: A cross‑sectional sample of 183 adults living in a rural community, South‑West Nigeria was randomly recruited into the study. Their verbal and visual body size perceptions were assessed through structured questions and body images. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: Thirty‑five percent (64/183) of participants were classified as either overweight or obese by BMI. More than half of the participants perceived themselves as normal weight. More women perceived themselves to be obese than men in both verbal and visual perceptions. Based on BMI classification, 43% (79/183) and 54% (98/183) of participants misperceived themselves in verbal and visual perception, respectively. Underestimation of body size was higher in men (38.3%, 36/94) while overestimation was higher in women (9.0%, 8/89). Men had consistently higher values of kappa coefficient which indicate greater agreement than women in both types of perception. Conclusion: We found considerable gender differences in body weight perception of adults in the Nigerian rural community. A large proportion of these rural dwellers could not appropriately classify their weight status; and over 30% (64/183) and nearly 50% (92/183) of them underestimated their own body weight in verbal and visual perceptions respectively.Keywords: Body perception, Overweight, Rural community, Weight statu

Effect of lactic acid bacteria starter culture fermentation of cassava on chemical and sensory characteristics of fufu flour

The effects of lactic acid fermentation of cassava on the chemical and sensory characteristic of fufu flour were investigated. Two strains of Lactobacillus plantarum were used as starter cultures for thefermentation of cassava to fufu for 96 h. The resultant wet fufu samples were dried at 65oC in a cabinet dryer for 48 h and analyzed for chemical and sensory characteristics. Fermentation caused a high reduction in the protein content of cassava, which ranges between 1.26 ± 0.02% for cassava with starter culture SL 14, and 1.14 ± 0.04% for cassava with starter culture SL 19. However, the unfermented cassava fufu flour has the highest protein content; this shows the influence of fermentation in reducing the proximate composition of cassava. The values of the sugar, starch and amylose contents show similar trends. The sugar contents ranges between 5.21 ± 0.04 to 4.41 ± 0.0%, with the unfermented sample having the highest value. When subjected to sensory evaluation, the traditional and starterculture fermented cassava fufu flour were not significantly different in terms of color, odor, and texture, but the cassava fufu flour produced using starter culture SL19 had the highest overall acceptability (

Effect Of Dietary Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) supplementation On Performance And Hysiological Response In Cockerels

Concentrated HCl of 11.6 molar concentrations was supplemented in cockrel feed at 0.0 (control) 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00m1/kg feed in a 28 day experiment. The chicks were slaughtered on day 30, performance characteristic and physiological indices were investigated. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between control and HCl treatment for feed intake, crude protein intake and feed: gain ratio. Significant difference (

Prevalence of Low Back Pain among Adolescent Students in a Nigerian Urban Community

This school-based survey was aimed at determining the prevalence of low-back pain (LBP) among adolescent students of selected secondary schools in Ibadan, Nigeria. Nine hundred secondary schools students, comprising 415 boys and 485 girls, with age range 12-17 years were surveyed. They were required to complete a self-developed, three-part items questionnaire which collected information on socio-demographic characteristics, history and intensity of low back pain, factors predisposingto low back pain, and activity limitations suffered because of low back pain.The 12-month and point prevalence of LBP among participants were 40.7% and 12.9% respectively. For boys the 12-month prevalence of LBP was 41.7% and for girls it was 39.8%. The point prevalence of LBP was14.2% for girls and 11.3% for boys. Most of the participants had their first LBP experience at 10-15 years, with a peak at 12-14 years. The LBP experienced by most participants was of short duration and only a few episodes, suggesting non-chronicity. Over 50% of the participants were involved in activities that make them frequently bend at the waist.The findings of this survey suggest that LBP is fairly prevalent among Nigerian adolescents. Health education on LBP prevention will help reduce its incidence in this population.KEYWORDS: low back pain, prevalence, adolescent students, Nigeri

Fungal enrichment of cassava peels proteins

About 60% of the cassava produced all over the world is used for human consumption. These peels waste were found to contain 42.6% carbohydrate, 1.6% protein, 12.1% ether extract, 5.0% total ash and 22.5% crude fibre. With the advent of biotechnology approaches, there are opportunities for economic utilization of agro industrial residues such as cassava peels waste. The Microorganisms isolated from the fermenting cassava waste were Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, and A. fumigatus. These and Trichoderma sp. from soil were studied for their ability to increase the protein content of cassava peels waste.Keywords: Cassava peels, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatu

Results of Operative Fixation of Fractures of the Ankle at a Tertiary Hospital in a Developing Country

Background: Operative fixation of ankle fractures is becoming popular in developing countries. The concern however is the outcome of care. The objective was to evaluate the results of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of fractures of the ankle in our hospital.Methods: All cases ORIF of fractures of the ankle at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan between March 2010 and December 2012 were recruited into the study. The indications for surgery, techniques of fixation, time interval between injury and presentation as well as outcome  measures like time to union, complications and functional outcomes were evaluated.Results: Seventy patients who had ORIF of ankle fractures were studied. Twenty-one (30%) were open fractures while forty-nine (70%) were closed. Sixty (85.7%) patients presented within the first week of injury, 4 (5.7%) after 4 weeks, 4 (5.7%) after 6 weeks and 2 (2.9%) after 52 weeks. Time to union averaged 12.6±4.1weeks. Complications included wound infection 14.3%, wound dehiscence with exposed implants 2.9%, malunion 8.6% and non union 5.7%. Good to excellent functional outcomes were achieved in 77.1% of the patients.Conclusion: ORIF is a viable option in the treatment of ankle fractures

Management of inputs resources in small-scale catfish farming in Oyo State, Nigeria

This study examined management of pre-stocking, stocking and harvest activities of small-scale catfish farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaires were used to collect the needed information and descriptive statistics was use to analyze the collected data. The results show that earthen and concrete pond are the two major ponds utilized by catfish farmers. The cost of pond construction varied with size, location, soil type and the cost of materials; so most farmers rented their ponds. The dimension of earthen pond varies between 53.51m2 and 891.87m2 with a mean of 197.34±2.48m2. The dimension of concrete pond varied between 13.94m2 and 83.61m2, with a mean of 45.89 ± 8.04m2. Many (41.5%) catfish farmers financed their business with their personal savings. Most fish farms are located close to streams for steady supply of water. Most (68.5%) farmers stocked juvenile while 31.5% stocked fingerlings. Farmers fed their fish with respect to their weight, satiation or availability of feed; but majority fed twice per day. Most farmers harvest catfish twice per year. Farmers should therefore know that proper and efficient management of input variables are prerequisite for profitability in catfish production. Keywords: Earthen pond; juvenile; fingerlings; feed; Water; Profitabilit