Insights and Characterization of l1-norm Based Sparsity Learning of a Lexicographically Encoded Capacity Vector for the Choquet Integral

This thesis aims to simultaneously minimize function error and model complexity for data fusion via the Choquet integral (CI). The CI is a generator function, i.e., it is parametric and yields a wealth of aggregation operators based on the specifics of the underlying fuzzy measure. It is often the case that we desire to learn a fusion from data and the goal is to have the smallest possible sum of squared error between the trained model and a set of labels. However, we also desire to learn as “simple’’ of solutions as possible. Herein, L1-norm regularization of a lexicographically encoded capacity vector relative to the CI is explored. The impact of regularization is explored in terms of what capacities and aggregation operators it induces under different common and extreme scenarios. Synthetic experiments are provided in order to illustrate the propositions and concepts put forth

Storage, Preservation and Processing of Farm Produce

Food preservation is the process of treating and handling food to stop or greatly slow down spoilage (loss of quality, edibility or nutritive value) caused or accelerated by micro-organisms. Some methods, however, use benign bacteria, yeasts or fungi to add specific qualities and to preserve food. Maintaining or creating nutritional value, texture and flavor is important in preserving its value as food. This is culturally dependent, as what qualifies as food fit for humans in one culture may not qualify in  another culture. Preservation usually involves preventing the growth of bacterial, fungi and other micro-organisms as well as retarding the oxidation of fats which causes rancidity. It also includes process to inhibit natural ageing and discolouration that can occur during food preparation such as the enzymatic browning reaction in apples which causes browning when apples are cut. Some preservation methods require the food to be sealed after treatment to prevent recontamination with microbes; others such as drying, allow food to be stored without any special containment for long periods. Food preservation refers to any one of a number of techniques used to prevent food from spoiling. All food begin to spoil as soon as they are harvested or slaughtered, some spoiling is caused by such micro-organisms as bacterial and mold. Other spoilage results from chemical changes within the food itself due to natural process such as enzyme action or oxidation. For thousands of years humans have used methods of preserving food, so that they can store food to eat later. The simplest methods of preserving food, such as drying strips of fish or meat in the hot sun have been used for thousands of years and they are still used in the 2000s by indigenous people

Utilization of Legumes in the Tropics

In order to address protein malnutrition and food security issues in developing countries, there is need to emphasize the utilization of legumes as a low-cost dietary vegetable protein source. This exactly what this paper is all about. Legumes can be introduced into human diet in various forms. These include cooked beans, Bean soup, Bean cake and pudding, Soymilk, Soy cheese, Dawadawa, Vegetable oils, Boiled and roasted groundnut, Peanut butter, African Locust Bean, etc. The proteins of legumes are adequate in essential amino acid and they are also good sources of different minerals such as calcium and phosphorus.   It is hereby recommended that there is need to explore the processing of underutilized legumes, there is need for value addition through proper packaging, there is need for improved appropriate processing facilities, and there is need for improved product quality and safety, it is also recommended that Improved nutritional quality can be achieved by combining legumes with cereals Processing and Utilization

Age and Sex Distribution of Intestinal Parasitic Infection Among HIV Infected Subjects in Abeokuta, Nigeria

Intestinal parasitic infection has been a major source of disease in tropical countries especially among HIV patients. The distribution of intestinal parasite among two hundred and fifteen (215) subjects with mean age of 32 years, comprising of 35 HIV-seropositive and 180 HIV seronegative patients was carried out using microscopic method to examine their stool specimens for presence of trophozoites, ova, cysts, larvae and oocysts of intestinal parasites. Overall parasitic infection rate was 28.4%. Infection rate among HIV seropositve subjects (42.9%) was statistically higher than that among HIV seronegative subjects (25.6%) (P<0.05). Although helminths infection rate (31.4%) was higher than that of protozoa (20%) among HIV-seropositive subject, the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the parasitic infection between HIV-seropositive males and females and among the various age groups (P>0.05). Adequate treatment, proper health education and good hygiene will help in reducing intestinal parasitic infectio

Missed vaccination opportunities at a secondary health facility in Ilorin, Nigeria

Background: Immunization remains a key strategy in the control of childhood diseases, with a child expected to have five visits according to the current National Programme on Immunization. The study aimed to identify missed vaccination visits and the associated factors in children presenting at the general out-patient clinic of a secondary health facility in Ilorin, Nigeria.Method: Through a descriptive cross-sectional study, the vaccination data of all children seen at the out-patient clinic were critically reviewed over a period of one month. Socio-demographic and immunization details were obtained and reasons for missed vaccination documented. Those that had missed vaccination were commenced on the needed vaccine(s) after counselling of their parent(s), and adequate follow-up was instituted.Results: Eighty-two (5.1%) children out of 1603 seen had missed at least one vaccine visit. The mean (SD) age of the children was 20.1(14.9) months. The male to female ratio was 1.1:1. Thirty-nine (47.2%) children had missed one visit while 43(52.7%) had missed two or more visits; 16(19.5%) had missed all five visits. Major reasons for missed visits were ill child(26.8%), ignorance about routine vaccine but received vaccine during the National Immunization Days(NID) (19.5%), mother travelled (14.6%), forgot(9.8%), and reaction to previous vaccine(6.1%).Conclusion: The missed opportunity for immunization is high therefore health care providers should enquire about the vaccination status of children at all contact. There is a need to increase awareness on illnesses that are not contra-indications to vaccination, and routine vaccine status should be checked during NID.Keywords: Missed, Opportunity, Vaccination, Children, Routine, Immunizatio

Prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis Infection among Pregnant Women in Abeokuta, Nigeria

Trichomoniasis caused by Trichomonas vaginalis has emerged as one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. The infection may lead to an important complication in pregnancy, as it has been related with prematurity and low birth weight. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of T. vaginalis among Nigerian women attending ante natal clinic at the State Hospital, Abeokuta. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among two hundred (200) pregnant women attending ante-natal at Ogun State Hospital, Abeokuta. High vaginal swabs (HVS) and urine samples were collected from consenting pregnant women and examined for the presence of T. vaginalis under the microscope. Out of 200 women, a total of 40 (20%) were found to be infected with T. vaginalis. The women between the age group 20-30 had the highest prevalence of 21.3% while age group >20 years had the lowest of 12.5% but the difference was not statistically significant. Women in second trimester had the highest prevalence of 25% while those of first trimester were the lowest with 18%. Results obtained from comparing HVS and urine microscopy in this study showed that HVS had a prevalence of 40% compared to urine microscopy (5.5%) and the difference in their detection was statistically significant p=0.0041. These results may be useful for health authorities, especially for ante-natal care and protection against STDs. The higher recovery rate obtained by using HVS microscopy confirms its advantage over urine microscopy

Plasmodium falciparium parasitemia in pregnancy in relation to maternal anaemia

This study was aimed at examining existing relationship between peripheral parasitaemia of Plasmodium falciparum and anemia among pregnant women in a secondary hospital and a tertiary hospital in Osogbo, South-Western, Nigeria. Two hundred and twenty five (225) patients were enrolled into this study, one hundred and fifty (150) from Asubiaro General Hospital, Osogbo and seventy five (75) from LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo. A total of 30 (13.3%) women carrying the first pregnancy (primigravida), and 195 (86.6%) multiparous women (2-5) were enrolled. Mean age of recruited women was 31.511± SD 1.03, mean gestational age was 2.4267 ± SD 0.72 and mean packed cell volume was also 26.889 ± SD 0.43. Overall prevalence of malaria parasitemia was 63.6% while mean malaria parasite density was 461.33 among women infected with malaria parasite. Prevalence of malaria in pregnancy was highest amongst women with first pregnancy and in the age bracket 26 – 30 years (26.7%) and least among women greater than 40 years. Parasitemia decreased as parity increased, as women acquire immunity to malaria progressively with multiple pregnancies. Mild to moderate anaemia was also found to be prevalent among primigravida (11.6%) and this was associated with malaria parasitemia among these women .No correlated relationship was established between malaria parasitemia and age, gravidity, trimester of pregnancy, and Packed cell volume. Malaria chemoprophylaxis and other methods of malaria control should be sustained and advocacy for inclusion of malaria treatment in safe motherhood should be continued because of its beneficial potentials. Key words: Malaria, Pregnancy, anaemia

Detection of Molecular Markers of Antimalarial Drug Resistance in Plasmodium Falciparum from South-Western Nigeria

The widespread of drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum has led to a rise in malaria-associated mortality most especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Falciparum malaria was confirmed by microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood samples of patients who presented with fever in selected State Hospitals in Ogun State, Southwestern Nigeria. Molecular methods were employed to detect the markers of resistance of P. falciparum to Chloroquine, sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine,and artesunate in Ogun State, Southwestern Nigeria. DNA was extracted from patient blood using the QiaAmp DNA Blood Minikit extraction method. Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction followed by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (PCR/RFLP) were used for the detection of P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (Pfcrt), P. falciparum multidrug resistance 1 (pfmdr1), P. falciparum dihydrofolate reductase (Pfdhfr), P. falciparum dihydropteroate synthase (Pfdhps) and P. falciparum sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium-dependent ATPase (SERCA) PfATPase6 genes. Pfcrt (K76T ) Pfmdr1 (mdr 1 ) Pfdhfr (S108N), and Pfdhps (K540E) resistant genes were detected among the isolates whileresistant SERCAPfATPase6 gene which codes for artemisinin resistance was not detected in the population.Keywords: Plasmodium, resistance, molecular markers, genes, detectio

Prevalence of Malaria and Predisposing Factors to Antimalarial Drug Resistance in Southwestern Nigeria

High transmission rate and drug resistance have been implicated in the spread and re-emergence of malaria in areas where the disease had been eradicated. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of falciparum malaria and pre-disposing factors to malaria among patients presenting with fever in selected State Hospitals in Ogun State, Southwestern Nigeria. Four thousand and sixty six patients were recruited into this study. Scientific and Ethical clearance was obtained for this study. Blood samples were collected for malaria screening from the subjects. Structured questionnaires were administered to patients and parents of infants to determine the factors that could lead to the development of drug resistance by the parasite in the study population. Out of 4066 subjects screened during the study period, 61.1% were positive for falciparum malaria. Highest prevalence of 70.8% was recorded in children 1-5 years, also the group with highest parasitemia (1080). The study showed that 24.6% of the patient visited hospitals for treatment, 12% use local healers while 25.0% bought antimalarial drugs without prescription. Moreover, some subjects use more than one method in their management of malaria. Those who combined antimalarial drugs with traditional medicine from local healers were 17.4%. Only 18% of the sample population used insecticide treated mosquito nets, 42.3% used window and door nets, while 13% did not employ any mosquito preventive method. Uncontrolled use of drugs and exposure of parasites to the drugs should be monitored in areas where the parasite is still sensitive to the drug

Intestinal Helminthiasis among School Children in Ilie, Osun State, Southwest, Nigeria

A cross sectional study of intestinal helminthiasis among school pupils was undertaken in three primary schools in Ilie in Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun state in order to determine the prevalence and intensity of helminthic infections. The relationship between intestinal helminths and anthropometric indices and the factors that could favour the infection were also studied. Faecal samples from three hundred and four (304) randomly selected out of the four hundred and seven (407) school children in the study area were collected and analysed with the semi-quantitative Kato Katz technique and concentrated method. The intensity of infection was classified into light, moderate or high according to World Health Organisation (WHO) thresholds. The overall prevalence rate was 52.0% while five species of intestinal helminths were identified. Ascaris lumbricoides (36.2%) was the most common, followed by Hookworm (10.5%), Schistosoma mansoni (4%), Strongyloides stercoralis (0.7%) and Hymenolepis nana (0.7%). Multiple helminthic infection were recorded with Ascaris –Hookworm (6.58%) having the highest prevalence among the children. Female (56.6%) were more infected than male (46.4%) and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.0019). Seventeen percent (17%) of the children were below the third percentile for weight (wasted) while fourteen percent (14%) were below the third percentile for height (stunted). There was a relationship between intensity of infection and wasting since there were fewer underweight pupils (13%) with normal stool than those moderately infected (35%) (