EFFECT OF VALUE ADDITION ON FARM INCOME OF SWEET POTATO BASED FARMERS IN KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract The study examined the effect of value addition on farm income of sweet potato-based farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. A three-stage sampling technique was employed to select 145 respondents. Structured questionnaire coupled with interview schedule were used to collect primary data. Multiple regression was used to analyze the effect of different value addition activities on income received from sweet potatoes. Also, marginal effects were obtained to analyze the effect of each independent variable separately on income. Findings revealed that farmers who engages in value adding activities had higher income than those that sell at farm gate. In addition, farmer marketing groups had a stronger bargaining power in the market compared to farmers selling individually. The study concluded that the major factors influencing farm income of sweet potato based farmers are; access to trainings, family size, farm size and the stages of value addition. It was recommended that the ministry of agriculture through the ADPs should work more closely with the research and training institutes in the country to sensitize farmers on the need to form more farmer groups or join the different developmental programmes of government. Through these groups, useful information about trainings on new vine varieties, value addition, prices and limitless market opportunities are disseminated. Keywords: Value addition, Income, Sweet potato, Marginal effect, Trainin

EFFECT OF VALUE ADDITION ON FARM INCOME OF SWEET POTATO BASED FARMERS IN KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract The study examined the effect of value addition on farm income of sweet potato-based farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. A three-stage sampling technique was employed to select 145 respondents. Structured questionnaire coupled with interview schedule were used to collect primary data. Multiple regression was used to analyze the effect of different value addition activities on income received from sweet potatoes. Also, marginal effects were obtained to analyze the effect of each independent variable separately on income. Findings revealed that farmers who engages in value adding activities had higher income than those that sell at farm gate. In addition, farmer marketing groups had a stronger bargaining power in the market compared to farmers selling individually. The study concluded that the major factors influencing farm income of sweet potato based farmers are; access to trainings, family size, farm size and the stages of value addition. It was recommended that the ministry of agriculture through the ADPs should work more closely with the research and training institutes in the country to sensitize farmers on the need to form more farmer groups or join the different developmental programmes of government. Through these groups, useful information about trainings on new vine varieties, value addition, prices and limitless market opportunities are disseminated. Keywords: Value addition, Income, Sweet potato, Marginal effect, Trainin

APOE E4 is associated with impaired self-declared cognition but not disease risk or age of onset in Nigerians with Parkinson's disease

The relationship between APOE polymorphisms and Parkinson's disease (PD) in black Africans has not been previously investigated. We evaluated the association between APOE polymorphic variability and self-declared cognition in 1100 Nigerians with PD and 1097 age-matched healthy controls. Cognition in PD was assessed using the single item cognition question (item 1.1) of the MDS-UPDRS. APOE genotype and allele frequencies did not differ between PD and controls (p > 0.05). No allelic or genotypic association was observed between APOE and age at onset of PD. In PD, APOE ε4/ε4 conferred a two-fold risk of cognitive impairment compared to one or no ε4 (HR: 2.09 (95% CI: 1.13-3.89; p = 0.02)), while APOE ε2 was associated with modest protection against cognitive impairment (HR: 0.41 (95% CI 0.19-0.99, p = 0.02)). Of 773 PD with motor phenotype and APOE characterized, tremor-dominant (TD) phenotype predominated significantly in ε2 carriers (87/135, 64.4%) compared to 22.2% in persons with postural instability/gait difficulty (PIGD) (30/135) and 13.3% in indeterminate (ID) (18/135, 13.3%) (p = 0.037). Although the frequency of the TD phenotype was highest in homozygous ε2 carriers (85.7%), the distribution of motor phenotypes across the six genotypes did not differ significantly (p = 0.18). Altogether, our findings support previous studies in other ethnicities, implying a role for APOE ε4 and ε2 as risk and protective factors, respectively, for cognitive impairment in PD

The Significance of Sponsorship as a Marketing Tool in Sport Events

Sports sponsorship is a marketing tool that is frequently used by companies to reach a wide audience on a global basis so as to be placed higher than their competitors and to create awareness as well as make a higher profit margin. Through this platform, specific target audience alongside potential customers are reached as it able to penetrate through quite effectively in the promotional mix and as such, is a significant method being used by many organisations. The aim of this thesis was to gain a deeper understanding of how companies use sponsorship in sport events as a strategic tool in their marketing program. In order to achieve this purpose, the thesis describes and explains companies objectives with sport sponsorship, the threats being encountered by its usage and the reasons why companies decide to sponsor. The theory of the thesis was collected from various sponsorship literatures that included both books and article journals. Additional information was obtained from marketing and branding literature. The empirical study was conducted by interviews. A company’s personnel, the city of Helsinki event office. Interview questions were based on the theory used in the project and the interviews provided information on the reasons why companies decide to go into sponsorship agreement with a sport event. The findings showed that companies are not too keen on taking risks unnecessarily and are willing to sponsor various target segments because of the good image and a wider audience range. The conclusions were based on the answers given during the interviews and the companies prefer to go into sponsorship that can convey their brand image effectively

Sexual and Contraceptive Practices among Female Undergraduates in a Nigerian Tertiary Institution

BACKGROUND:The reproductive health of adolescents and young women is integral to the wellbeing of a society. This study was carried out to determine current sexual practices and contraceptive usage among female undergraduate students in a Southwest Nigerian tertiary institution.METHODS:It was a cross-sectional questionnaire based survey of female university undergraduates. Pre-tested questionnaire was used to elicit information on socio-demographic variables and sexual and contraceptive practices. Frequency tables were generated and univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to determine factors that influenced sexual and contraceptive practices. SPSS software version 16.0 was used for analysis.RESULTS:Of 350 students sampled, 306 completed the questionnaire. One hundred and eighty six (60.8%) students were currently sexually active. The mean age of sexual debut was 19.11 years. Sixty-six (35.5%) had more than one sexual partners. Contraceptive knowledge was 100%, but consistent use was 34.4%. A third of the respondents had sex for material rewards and/or under the influence of alcohol and recreational drugs. Students who were less than 20 years old (Adjusted OR: 3.52; 95%CI=2.10-6.82) were more likely to be sexually active while those from polygamous/separated families (Adjusted OR: 0.32; 95% CI=0.18-0.58) were less likely to be sexually active.CONCLUSION:There is a high level of sexual activity and low contraceptive use among female undergraduate students in Southwest Nigeria. More reproductive health education and promotion is necessary to safeguard their sexual health

Identification of genetic risk loci and causal insights associated with Parkinson’s disease in African and African admixed populations: a genome-wide association study

An understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying diseases in ancestrally diverse populations is an important step towards development of targeted treatments. Research in African and African admixed populations can enable mapping of complex traits, because of their genetic diversity, extensive population substructure, and distinct linkage disequilibrium patterns. We aimed to do a comprehensive genome-wide assessment in African and African admixed individuals to better understand the genetic architecture of Parkinson\u27s disease in these underserved populations. Methods: We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in people of African and African admixed ancestry with and without Parkinson\u27s disease. Individuals were included from several cohorts that were available as a part of the Global Parkinson\u27s Genetics Program, the International Parkinson\u27s Disease Genomics Consortium Africa, and 23andMe. A diagnosis of Parkinson\u27s disease was confirmed clinically by a movement disorder specialist for every individual in each cohort, except for 23andMe, in which it was self-reported based on clinical diagnosis. We characterised ancestry-specific risk, differential haplotype structure and admixture, coding and structural genetic variation, and enzymatic activity. Findings: We included 197 918 individuals (1488 cases and 196 430 controls) in our genome-wide analysis. We identified a novel common risk factor for Parkinson\u27s disease (overall meta-analysis odds ratio for risk of Parkinson\u27s disease 1·58 [95% CI 1·37–1·80], p=2·397 × 10−14) and age at onset at the GBA1 locus, rs3115534-G (age at onset β=–2·00 [SE=0·57], p=0·0005, for African ancestry; and β=–4·15 [0·58], p=0·015, for African admixed ancestry), which was rare in non-African or non-African admixed populations. Downstream short-read and long-read whole-genome sequencing analyses did not reveal any coding or structural variant underlying the GWAS signal. The identified signal seems to be associated with decreased glucocerebrosidase activity. Interpretation Our study identified a novel genetic risk factor in GBA1 in people of African ancestry, which has not been seen in European populations, and it could be a major mechanistic basis of Parkinson\u27s disease in African populations. This population-specific variant exerts substantial risk on Parkinson\u27s disease as compared with common variation identified through GWAS and it was found to be present in 39% of the cases assessed in this study. This finding highlights the importance of understanding ancestry-specific genetic risk in complex diseases, a particularly crucial point as the Parkinson\u27s disease field moves towards targeted treatments in clinical trials. The distinctive genetics of African populations highlights the need for equitable inclusion of ancestrally diverse groups in future trials, which will be a valuable step towards gaining insights into novel genetic determinants underlying the causes of Parkinson\u27s disease. This finding opens new avenues towards RNA-based and other therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing lifetime risk of Parkinson\u27s disease. Funding: The Global Parkinson\u27s Genetics Program, which is funded by the Aligning Science Across Parkinson\u27s initiative, and The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson\u27s Research

Research Paper - A SURVEY OF TREATMENT PRACTICES FOR FEBRILE ILLNESSES AMONG TRADITIONAL HEALERS IN THE NIGERIAN MIDDLE BELT ZONE

This survey was conducted to investigate the pattern of treatment practices for febrile illnesses among one hundred and eighty five traditional healers from the Nigerian Middle belt zone ethnomedicine. Data collection was through use of the semi structure questionnaire administered by trained interviewers recruited from the study sites - Gboko and Katsina Ala Local Government Areas. A total of 176 (95.1%) reportedly diagnosed through the presenting complaints and symptoms and 3 (1.6%) made diagnoses through divination. All the respondents indicated their referral practices, with 100 (54.1%) of the respondents reported that they had once referred clients. Respondents listed 164 plants used in the preparation of the various treatment modalities. Institution of treatment follows this diagnostic practice. Treatment of different febrile illnesses involve the use of liquid herbs, powdered herbs, medicinal scarifications, incantations and sacrifices which suggests the confidence this group has in the efficacy of their herbs for treating febrile illnesses. An appreciable level of referral 54.1% practice was also found among the traditional healers. The findings of this study strengthen the need to recognize the traditional health practitioners in the treatment of health problems especially febrile illnesses, and to establish quality control mechanism in partnership with them to improve their treatment practices

A survey of treatment practices for febrile illnesses among Traditional Healers in the Nigerian Middle Belt Zone

This survey was conducted to investigate the pattern of treatment practices for febrile illnesses among one hundred and eighty five traditional healers from the Nigerian Middle belt zone ethnomedicine. Data collection was through use of the semi structure questionnaire administered by trained interviewers recruited from the study sites - Gboko and Katsina Ala Local Government Areas. A total of 176 (95.1%) reportedly diagnosed through the presenting complaints and symptoms and 3 (1.6%) made diagnoses through divination. All the respondents indicated their referral practices, with 100 (54.1%) of the respondents reported that they had once referred clients. Respondents listed 164 plants used in the preparation of the various treatment modalities. Institution of treatment follows this diagnostic practice. Treatment of different febrile illnesses involve the use of liquid herbs, powdered herbs, medicinal scarifications, incantations and sacrifices which suggests the confidence this group has in the efficacy of their herbs for treating febrile illnesses. An appreciable level of referral 54.1% practice was also found among the traditional healers. The findings of this study strengthen the need to recognize the traditional health practitioners in the treatment of health problems especially febrile illnesses, and to establish quality control mechanism in partnership with them to improve their treatment practices. Key words: fever, traditional, treatment practices, Nigeria, middle belt Afr. J. Trad. Comp. Alt. Med. Vol.2(3) 2005: 337 - 34

MAPT allele and haplotype frequencies in Nigerian Africans: Population distribution and association with Parkinson's disease risk and age at onset

INTRODUCTION: The association between MAPT and PD risk may be subject to ethnic variability even within populations of similar geographical origin. Data on MAPT haplotype frequencies, and its association with PD risk in black Africans are lacking. We aimed to determine the frequencies of MAPT haplotypes and their role as risk factors for PD and age at onset in Nigerians. METHODS: The haplotype and genotype frequencies of MAPT rs1052553 were analysed in 907 individuals with PD and 1022 age-matched healthy controls from the Nigeria Parkinson's Disease Research network cohort. Clinical data related to PD included age at study, age at onset (AAO), and disease duration. RESULTS: The frequency of the H1 haplotype was 98.7% in PD, and 99.1% in controls (p = 0.19). The H2 haplotype was present in - 1.3% of PD and 0.9% of controls (p = 0.24). The most frequent MAPT genotype was H1H1 (PD - 97.5%, controls - 98.2%). The H1 haplotype was not associated with PD risk after accounting for gender and AAO (Odds ratio for H1/H1 vs H1/H2 and H2/H2: 0.68 (95% CI:0.39-1.28); p = 0.23). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support previous studies that report a low frequency of the MAPT H2 haplotype in black ancestry Africans but document its occurrence in Nigerians. The MAPT H1 haplotype was not associated with an increased risk or age at onset of PD in this cohort