Does Multilateralism Crowd Out Intra-Group Trade? Evidence From Some Developing Regions

The literature is ambiguous on the nature of the relationship between multilateral trade negotiations and growth of intra-group trade. However, both the WTO and proponents ofliberalization maintain that the relationship is positive and that the WTO supports regional bodies and intra-group trade. But does evidence support this? It is possible that the WTO supports regional bonding, while its existence discourages growth of actual trade and development of institutions within regions. Our findings seem to support this view, particularly for southern countries as shown by trends in intra-group trade captured in this work

Segmentation in Agriculture and Farmers’ Productivity: Evidence from Survey of Poultry Farms

The World Bank intervened in Nigeria agriculture in 2009 to increase productivity in 5 farm areas, namely-poultry, rice, maize, cashew and pineapple farming through the value chain strategy. Agricultural activity was segmented and farmers were encouraged to go into one farm operation only. Proponents of the segmentation argue that it holds the key to solving the low agricultural productivity in developing counties because farmers will only specialize in one farm area. That is, specialization will enable the farmer to innovates better ways of tackling problems, time the market and planting period to mitigate climate change. The aim of the research is to examine the effects of the segmentation practice on the productivity of Poultry farmers in Nigeria, using a survey data. Result from the survey using regression analysis did not support encouraging segmentation in poultry farming. This is because poultry farmers who engaged in more than one poultry practice had more yield of egg per bird. The lesson for agricultural policy is that farmers should be encouraged to engage in multiple farming practice

Monotherapy with amlodipine or hydrochlorothiazide in patients with mild to moderate hypertension: Comparison of their efficacy and effects on electrolytes

Background: Amlodipine and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) are commonly prescribed in Nigeria either as a monotherapy or in combination with other drugs. The present study was designed to investigate the antihypertensive efficacy of monotherapy with amlodipine or HCTZ and their effects on electrolyte profile in patients with mild to moderate hypertension.Methods: A single-blind randomized clinical study was used; fifty patients newly diagnosed with mild to moderate hypertension (aged 33 to 60 years) were recruited and divided into two groups: amlodipine or hydrochlorothiazide each comprising of 25 subjects. The subjects received 5mg of amlodipine or 25mg of hydrochlorothiazide in their respective group once daily for 4 weeks. Blood pressure, serum and urine electrolytes were measured at baseline and weekly throughout the experiment.Results: At the end of follow up, amlodipine reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure significantly more (p<0.001) than HCTZ. At the end of follow up, blood pressure was reduced to normal in 80% of the subjects in amlodipine group compared to 50% in HCTZ. Amlodipine had no significant effect on electrolyte profile of subjects unlike HCTZ which significantly changed both their serum and urine electrolytes.Conclusions: Monotherapy with amlodipine was more effective than HCTZ in black patients with mild to moderate hypertension and in addition maintained electrolyte balance

Maximizing alcohol yields from wheat and maize and their co-products for distilling or bioethanol production

The key to optimizing alcohol production from cereals is a full understanding of the physiology and processing characteristics of different cereals. This study examined the maximum alcohol yields that can be obtained from wheat and maize using different processing technologies. Lower processing temperatures (85°C) resulted in high alcohol yields from wheat (a temperate crop), whereas higher processing temperatures (142°C) gave maximum alcohol yields from maize (a tropical crop). Similar trends were also observed when the spent grains from these cereals were processed using commercial enzymes. Mill settings were additional factors in influencing alcohol production. Wheat has the potential to produce higher alcohol yields when compared with maize, when residual biomass (i.e. spent grains) saccharification using selected commercial enzymes is taken into account. While this approach is not applicable for the Scotch whisky industry owing to strict legislation forbidding the use of exogenous enzymes, this is pertinent for bioethanol production to increase the alcohol yield obtained from both starch and lignocellulosic components of whole cereal grains. Wheat and maize processing temperatures and the use of processing aids are of potential economic benefit to bioethanol producers and to beverage alcohol producers seeking to understand the factors influencing the processing properties of different cereals

Hydrocarbon Biodegradation Potential of Cyanobacteria in Oil Polluted Soil

Petroleum hydrocarbon is one of the most common environmental pollutants in Nigeria and other countries. Its debilitating effects on arable lands and water bodies have far reaching consequences to agriculture and aquatic life. Several bioremediation strategies have been developed over the years in a bid to manage this type of pollution. Cyanobacteria are a group of microorganisms possessing the potential to be harnessed as bioremediation alternatives. This study sought to conduct bioremediation of crude oil polluted oil usung cyanobacteria. Organisms were isolated from crude oil polluted soil and were identified using molecular typing. A 200 ml portion of broth cultures of organisms was used singly and in consortium in different set ups to bio-remedaite the polluted soil samples. Gas chromatography was used to monitor the residual total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) in each set up for a period of thirty days. Microcystisholsatica, Chlorella kessleriand Anabaena cicadae were identified from polluted soil samples. Chlorella kessleri gave a 94.10% TPH loss, while Anabaena cicadae gave 91.10% and their co-culture set up gave a 95% TPH loss and the control experiment had 2.10% TPH loss. Temperature of the reacting systems was mesophilic and the pH was at weak acid range. This study thus has shown that cyanoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon pollution of soil is possible and efficient and should be adopted more often

Monoculture Solid Phase Degradative Potential of Congo red by Aspergillus Niger and Aspergillus Flavus

Mycoremediation is a great technology and can be exploited for the bioremediation of dyes contaminated soil and also to reclaim wastewater. Fungal strain isolated from local Tie and Dye factory in Awka was examined for their dye-degrading potentialsand it was found to be capable of degrading Congo red under its optimized medium and growth conditions using solid (agar) phase biodegradation analysis, it is an employable approach for textile effluent degradation to less toxic components. The effect of independent variables such as time, temperature, and pH on decolorization efficiency was constant and put into perspectives. The biodegradation of Congo Red was demonstrated by decolorization of solid state dye-minimal culture medium, the extent of degradation was measured to be directly proportional to fungal growth which was determined by monitoring the growth of the 2 fungal isolates(Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus) diameterin of this dye-minimal containing various concentration (0.1%, 0.01%, and 0.001%) of dyes formulation. The biodegradation of the dye was related to its decolorization during growth of fungi and Apergillus niger showed a degradation potential of about 81% while Aspegillus flavus showed a potential of 62%. There was increase in decolorization diameter along with increase in incubation time. While performing the process optimization studies for the decolorization of the dye-maximum decolorization was observed at room temperature and under static conditions. It was found that the isolated fungal strain was considered to be well adapted, resistant and highly acclimatized to dye contaminated soils showing the decolorization of Congo red dye

Bioremediation of Glyphosate Polluted Soil using Fungal Species

Glyphosate is an organophosphate compound used as herbicide in agricultural farms. It partly contributes to xenobiotic contamination of soil samples. Issues of toxicity and persistence have given rise to the need for its control in soils. The present study sought to bio-remediate glyphosate soil contamination using fungal cultures. Fungal isolates were obtained from glyphosate polluted soil and were screened for glyphosate utilization capacity. Isolates were identified using microscopy and molecular typing of the sequenced ITS-region. The best two degraders were made choice isolates used for the bioremediation study. They were used singly and in consortium for the bioremediation process monitored over a four-week period. Isolates obtained from the polluted soil sample are Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus tamari, Fusarium oxysporium and Aspergillus flavus. Aspergillus terreus and Fusarium oxysporium were the best glyphosate degraders and gave residual glyphosate values of 21.17 ug/ml and 17.22 ug/ml respectively. Their bi-culture degradation gave a residual glyphosate value of 8.87 ug/ml with 91.41 % degradation. This study thus shows that glyphosate soil pollution can be controlled with fungal cultures and can thus be said to be amenable to bioremediation process