On Strong Small Loop Transfer Spaces Relative to Subgroups of Fundamental Groups

Let $H$ be a subgroup of the fundamental group $\pi_{1}(X,x_{0})$. By extending the concept of strong SLT space to a relative version with respect to $H$, strong $H$-SLT space, first, we investigate the existence of a covering map for strong $H$-SLT spaces. Moreover, we show that a semicovering map is a covering map in the presence of strong $H$-SLT property. Second, we present conditions under which the whisker topology agrees with the lasso topology on $\widetilde{X}_{H}$. Also, we study the relationship between open subsets of $\pi_{1}^{wh}(X,x_{0})$ and $\pi_{1}^{l}(X,x_{0})$. Finally, we give some examples to justify the definition and study of strong $H$-SLT spaces.Comment: 16 page

Evaluation of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Surface and Ground Water Collected from River Challawa, Kumbotso Tannery Dumpsite and their Vicinity, Kano State, Nigeria.

A study was conducted to determine the concentration of heavy metals in surface and ground water collected from river Challawa and Kumbotso tannery dumpsite. The samples were analyzed for the levels of Co, Ni, Pb, Cr, Cu, Cd, Zn, and Fe using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). The result showed that all the metals exceeded the standard limit in the water. The estimated metal levels in the water were compared with the safe limits laid down by the World Health Organization (WHO).Keywords: AAS, Challawa Industrial Area Effluents, Heavy Metals, Tanner

Determinants of participation of rural farm households in non-farm activities in Kwara state, Nigeria: a paradigm of poverty alleviation

This paper attempt to examine the factors that determine non-farm occupations among rural farming households and to what extent has livelihood strategies improved the wellbeing of their households. Primary data were generated through random sampling of 200 respondents from four (4) Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kwara State, Nigeria through field surveys. Descriptive statistics, double hurdle models and Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) index were employed in the analysis. The result confirmed the assertion that economic factors are often the most important determinants of searching for non-farm job. The proceeds from non-farm activities were used mainly either for consumption (34.5%) to minimize the income fluctuation or, to supplement the working capital (26.5%) for their primary occupation through purchase of farm inputs. The results also indicated that the factors that influence the rural farming household decision to participate in non-farm activities showed slight variation from those influencing level of decision (livelihood strategies) taken to engage in non-farm activities and where it does, not by the same magnitude and direction. For instance, distance travelled and adjusted household size was found to significantly influence the farmer's decision. In contrary, education, poverty status and per capita income did influence the level of participation significantly. Of the sampled 200 respondents, 49.5% live on less than US$1 a day which portends extreme poverty and about 87$1.5 a day. Concerted effort by stakeholders must encourage continuous farming throughout the year through irrigation to avoid part-time farming which may become the dominant farm model.Key Words: Extreme poverty, rural households, service sector, Nigeri

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF IRISH POTATO (Solanum tuberasum) PRODUCTION UNDER IRRIGATION SYS- TEM IN KATSINA METROPOLIS, KATSINA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KATSINA STATE

A survey on economics analysis of Irish Potato (Solanum tuberasum) Production under irrigation sys- tem in Katsina Metropolis Katsina Local Government Area was carried out. Six communities were purposively selected due to the production of Irish potato. The communities were Kofar Sauri, Kofar Durbi, Kofar Marusa, Filin Samji, Rafukka and Yammawa. A simple random sampling was employed in selecting the farmers were by ten (10) farmers were randomly selected from each community which gave a total of sixty respondents. The data were obtained using structured questionnaire and sub- jected to descriptive statistics, gross margin and net farm income analysis. The research describes the socio economic characteristic of the respondents in which the respondents were within the mean age of 41 years. The result also showed hundred percent of the respondents were male, 66.6% were mar- ried, 30%, 31.6%, 33.3% and 5% had qur«¤??anic, primary, secondary and tertiary education respectively. The result also showed that 90% of the respondents«¤?? source their initial income for production of Irish potato from personal saving and 48.3% source information from mass media. The research also de- scribed the production characteristic of the respondents were majority (51.6%) cultivate 0.2-0.4ha, 81.6% acquired their land by inheritance, 88.3% practice sole cropping and 48.3% used family labor. Net Farm Income analysis revealed that Irish potato production in the study area is profitable with Net Farm Income of N5798.83, «¤?¢Ã21555.35 and «¤?¢Ã65399.48 for 0.2-0.4ha, 0.5-0.7ha and 0.8-1ha. The result further reveals that manure and fuel contributed toward the output for 0.2-0.4ha, manure, fuel, water and labour contributed for 0.5-0.7ha and manure, water and labour for 0.8-1ha. The result also identified some constraints to Irish potato production such as inadequate fertilizer, poor storage facili- ties, pest and diseases, inadequate extension advice, poor canal maintenance, inadequate capital, poor cooperation, adulteration of farm input, and marketing problem. Conclusively, net farm income result shows that Irish potato production is profitable in the study area. It is recommended that re- search into way of improving the method of storage should be promoted

Nanotechnology: Review on Emerging Techniques in Remediating Water and Soil Pollutions

Environmental Pollution is becoming a global challenge in both developing and the developed countries, pollutants discharge from oil and gas industries and or agricultural practices continue effecting the health of human and other animal in an ecosystem in one way or the other. This necessitated the development of a techniques to clean up of the polluted environment. Remediation of pollutants relies mainly on using varioustechniques like physical, chemical and or biological methods for the removal of contaminants from different environmental media be it soil, water, and or air. These techniques have their own limitations as the toxicity of the degrading agents, time consuming and the fate of the environment after remediation matters a lot. Therefore, nanotechnology is gaining interest in remediating pollutions as nanoparticles are relatively cost effective, sensitive and selective and can be used as sensors to monitor toxins, organic contaminants and heavy metals in land, water and or air. The enhanced properties and effectiveness of nanotechnology-based materials makes them suitable for nano remediation. This review provides an overview of the nanomaterials: Organic based nanomaterials (Dendrimers), inorganic (TiO2, nZVI), carbon-based (Carbon nanotubes, (CNTs)), and composite-based materials) used in environmental remediation. These nanomaterials were reported to remediate different contaminants in theenvironment such as heavy metals, pathogens, pesticides, dyes, chlorinated organic compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Keywords: Nanotechnology, nanoparticles, Nano remediation, pollutions and environments

Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites of baboon (Papio anubis), warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) and waterbuck (Kubus deffasa) in Yankari game reserve, Bauchi state Nigeria

A total of ninety four (94) fresh faecal samples of baboons (Papio anubis), Warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) and Waterbucks (Kubus deffasa) were collected from different strategic locations within Yankari Game Reserve in August, 2008. Samples were collected in sterilized specimen bottles containing 4% formalin and analyzed by simple floatation, sedimentation and concentration Mc master techniques. The sixty (63) fecal samples of baboons examined; 7(11.11%) had intestinal parasites, comprises of 260 (54.1%) metastrongylus eggs, 180 (37.50%) eggs of mites and 40 (8.33) of adult mites. A total of Seven 7 (28%) of the twenty five (25) fecal samples of warthogs had parasites which comprised of 4960 (98.0%) eggs of hyostrongylus eggs and 100 (2.0%) of monizia eggs. Only 2(33.3%) of the six (6) fecal samples of waterbucks had Hystrongylus eggs 180(1.1%).The infection rate was significantly higher (p<0.05) among Warthogs (98%) fallowed by Baboons (54.1%) and the least Waterbucks (1.1%). Exposure to posture may be the predisposing factor responsible for the prevalence rate recorded in the study area. This may posed a potential danger to visitors in Yankari Game Reserve and other wild animals. Implementation of control policy of helminthes parasites in the Reserve will reducethe prevalence of helminthes diseases.Key words: Baboon, Intestinal parasites, Waterbuck, Warthog, Yankari Game Reserv

Magnetic Exploration of the Upper and Lower Benue Trough for Metallic Deposits and Hydrocarbons using 2D/3D

Digital Aeromagnetic data for Lower Benue Trough (Afikpo and Nkalagu) have been analyzed to locate specific basement targets for investigation using seismic methods in deep hydrocarbon exploration. This is motivated by the call of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to re-investigate all the basins in the country for hydrocarbon accumulation. In the Lower Benue Trough depths of the intrusive range from 3.2km to 3.9km while depths of deep structures range from 8.7km to 19.2km. The susceptibilities of the intrusive suggest that they are composed of granite, basalt, dolerite and rhyolite. Depths of deep structures in the Lower Benue Trough show thick sedimentary deposits that have potential for hydrocarbon exploration. Keywords: Cretaceous age, megastructure, forward and inverse modeling, geometrical shape

Antioxidant and Antipyretic Activities of Adansonia Digitata (African Baobab) Fruit, Leaf And Bark Extracts

The   study   was   conducted   to   evaluate the   antioxidant   and antipyretic activity of Adansonia digitata (African Baobab) fruit, leaf and bark extracts.  Antioxidant activity of plant part extracts were determined by free radical   Diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay   while   the   antipyretic activity was assessed using experimental animals. Antioxidant activity of leaf extract showed a value of 13.40±0.77, bark extract 29.23±1.69 while fruit extract gave a value of 39.21±2.26. For the Antipyretic activity results, the average temperature of Albino Wister rats was   21.65±0.96 oC   before   fever   inducement   and 30.64±1.37 oC   after inducement. Following the administration of the leaf extract (400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg), bark   extract (400 mg/kg   and   800 mg/kg) and   fruit   extract (400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg), the body temperature of the albino rats fell to25.96±1.16 oC vs.   25.28±1.13 oC, 26.06±1.17 oC vs. 25.02±1.12 oC, and 25.78±1.15 oC vs. 24.30±1.09 oC respectively. The   results   showed   that   the   fruit   extract   has   a   higher antioxidant and antipyretic activity than bark and leaf extracts

Mechanical Properties of Self-Compacting Concrete Subjected to Elevated Temperature

Self-compacting concrete flows and fills reinforcement gaps and corners of formworks without the need for vibration during the pouring process. The problem associated with the production of self-compacting concreteis the use of a high dosage of cement which necessitates the addition of supplementary cementitious materials to curtail this effect. As a result, the impact of a ternary blended pozzolanic materials on the mechanical properties of SCC exposed to extreme temperatures was investigated. A quantitative research approach was employed and an experimental design method was adopted. The materials used were cement, rice husk ash, metakaolin, and pulverized burnt bricks. Laboratory tests conducted at the hardened stage were compressive strength, weight loss, and ultrasonic pulse velocity of self-compacting concretesubjected to 200°C, 400°C, 600°C, and 800°C elevated temperatures. At 800°C elevated temperature, the result of residual compressive strength shows that SCC produced withaddition of the ternary blend at 10% had a higher value of residual compressive strength of 27.3% over the control specimens. Control specimens were found to have the least values of weight loss in comparisonto the self-compacting concreteproduced with the addition of the ternary blend. The result of residual UPV shows that self-compacting concrete produced withaddition of the ternary blend at 10% had a higher value of 8.6%over the control specimens. When self-compacting concreteis to be produced with a ternary blend of rice husk ash, metakaolin, and pulverized burnt bricksand subjected to an elevated temperature of up to 800°C, 10wt.% is the optimum cement replacementleve