Implementation of a Modified Counterpropagation Neural Network Model in Online Handwritten Character Recognition System

Artificial neural networks are one of the widely used automated techniques. Though they yield high accuracy, most of the neural networks are computationally heavy due to their iterative nature. Hence, there is a significant requirement for a neural classifier which is computationally efficient and highly accurate. To this effect, a modified Counter Propagation Neural Network (CPN) is employed in this work which proves to be faster than the conventional CPN. In the modified CPN model, there was no need of training parameters because it is not an iterative method like backpropagation architecture which took a long time for learning. This paper implemented a modified Counterpropagation neural network for recognition of online uppercase (A-Z), lowercase (a-z) English alphabets and digits (0-9). The system is tested for different handwritten character samples and better recognition accuracies of 65% to 96% were obtained compared to related work in literature.   Keywords: Artificial Neural Network, Counterpropagation Neural Network, Character Recognition, Feature Extraction

Comparison of glycaemic indices of some local beans (Vigna unguiculata [Linn] Walp varieties) in Nigerians

Background: Beans are recommended for their richness and for their salutary effect  on blood glucose. Inter-species differences impact on blood glucose. What appeared unknown is whether varieties of beans of the same species (Vigna unguiculata [Linn] Walp) have differential effects on blood glucose when equal amounts are consumed.Objective: To perform proximate analysis and compare the glycaemic indices on  consumption of Vigna unguiculata (Linn) Walp species.Setting and subjects: This was an experimental study and subjects consisted of 12 healthy consenting participants at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in Lagos, Nigeria.Outcome measure: Fibre contents and the glycaemic indices of Vigna unguiculata (Linn) Walp varieties ‘oloyin’, ‘drum’ and ‘Sokoto’ white.Results: The mean (±SD) crude fibre content of Vigna unguiculata (Linn) Walp varieties ‘oloyin’, ‘drum’ and ‘Sokoto white’ are 2.75% (± 0.00), 2.64% (± 0.14) and 2.94% (± 0.17) respectively. The median (95% CI) glycaemic index (GI) of Vigna unguiculata (Linn) Walp variety ‘oloyin’ was 12.10% (6.0–16.31), variety ‘drum’ 17.64% (9.22–48.93) and variety ‘Sokoto white’ 12.04% (5.54–28.94) respectively. The GI of the bean meals differed significantly (Friedman’s test, χ2 (2) = 6.500, p = 0.039).Conclusion: The fibre content of intra-species beans, together with their GI, differs. ‘Drum’ bean meal has the lowest fibre content and highest glycaemic response.  ‘Oloyin’ and ‘Sokoto white’ bean meals are recommended for persons with DM as some beans are more diabetic friendly than others.Keywords: beans (Vigna unguiculata [Linn] Walp), diabetes mellitus, fibre, glycaemic index, Nigeria

Combining ability of tropical maize germplasm in West Africa II. Troppical vs temperate x tropical origins

Grain yield of maize (Zea mays L.) in the tropics are generally low and information on combining ability among tropical maize inbred lines has not been reported for West Africa. This study was conducted to estimate combining abilities of maize inbred lines developed for West Africa. Crosses obtained from ten inbreds including five of tropical origin (A) and five of temperate x tropical origin (B) were evaluated in three environments of forest-first and -second seasons, and the savanna. For the forest ecology yield of A x A crosses were significantly better than those of A x B which in turn were significantly higher than those of B x B. In the savanna, A x B crosses tended to be better than A x A which in turn seems better than B x B although these differences were not significant. Average grain yields of all 45 crosses in the three environments were 3.30 t ha 1 for the forest first season, 3.6] t ha 1 for the forest-second season and 8.05 t ha -1 for the savanna, showing the greatest yield in the savanna ecology. General combining ability (GCA) effect was significant in all environments whereas specific ability (SCA) effect was significantly only in the savanna. Furthermore, all the five A type inbreds had positive GCA effects for grain yield in the two forest environment while three A and two B inbreds had positive effects in the savanna. SCA effects appear to be the major factor for the high yield potential in the savanna. Data obtained from this study show clearly the environmental advantage of maize cultivation in the savanna belt of West Africa and the efficacy of the US Corn Belt germplasm after introduction of tropical adaptation and biotic resistance for the tropics

A class of distributive quasigroup and its parastrophs

Given a quasigroup (Q ;), there exist five other associated quasigroups which are called its parastrophs. In this paper, the parastrophic invariance of a left-right sided quasigroup (Q ;) is investigated. Some examples are constructed to illustrate this investigation

Physiological and morphological changes associated with recurrent selection for low nitrogen tolerance in maize

Published online: 17 June 2017Increase in maize grain yield in West Africa can be achieved by developing maize varieties tolerant to low soil nitrogen (N) and improving soil fertility. Six maize populations were evaluated in two locations in Nigeria under low-N (45 kg N ha−1) and high-N (90 kg N ha−1) conditions to identify morphological and physiological traits that changed in genotypes that had undergone recurrent selection for tolerance to low soil N and to determine the relationship between physiological and yield traits in both nitrogen environments. Results revealed that improved cycles of three populations displayed longer leaf area duration, larger leaf area ratio, larger leaf area index and higher crop growth rate (CGR) at silking than their earlier versions at 45 and 90 kg N ha−1. Net assimilation rate increased significantly in response to selection in three out of six populations at 45 kg N ha−1. Significant yield changes were observed in response to selection in three populations at 45 kg N ha−1 and four populations at 90 kg N ha−1, accompanied by increments in 100 kernel weight in three populations and number of kernels per row in one population. Grain yield and 100 kernel weight reduced by 31 and 5% respectively in response to N-stress. Among physiological traits, only CGR and SPAD chlorophyll readings had significant positive relationship with grain yield under low and high N conditions. Hence, CGR and SPAD chlorophyll values can be utilized in selecting for tolerance to low-N in maize for West Africa region

Heterotic Effects and Association of Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) Resistance Parameters with Mature Plant Traits in some Maize Populations

Stem borer resistance and grain yield are known to be quantitatively inherited, but it is not known whether the heterotic levels observed for resistance are translated directly to grain yield production. Results of correlations between vigour associated with resistance and that of mature plant traits suggest that, although most of the crosses had lower damage levels and increased grain yield, the vigour associated with resistance traits may not actually predict the amount of grain yield gain obtained in the set of maize genotypes studied

Comparison of predicted responses to three types of recurrent selection procedures for the improvement of a maize (Zea mays L.) population

A maize population was subjected to three different selection procedures to determine the best methodfor its improvement in a study conducted at Ibadan, Nigeria. Considerable genetic variability existedwithin the population for effective selection for each of the traits considered, using any of theprocedures namely full-sib, half-sib and S1 family selection. Heritability estimates were from moderateto large for most traits. Direct selection for grain yield is expected to result in favourable increases inother traits except that the selected materials will flower earlier. Since increases in plant height due toselection for grain yield is undesirable, it was concluded that the best selection method for yieldimprovement that will increase height, the least would be full-sib family selection

Participatory selection of a maize (Zea mays L.) variety for the control of stem borers in a southeastern Nigeria location

Participatory varietal selection is premised on the basis that only a small percentage of varieties developed by breeders are eventually utilizedbecause farmers are left out of the selection process. Consequently a total of 275 farmers were engaged in the promotion of stem borer resistantmaize varieties in the stem borer endemic maize growing ecologies of southeastern Nigeria over a three-year period. Results obtained revealed thesuperiority of the two tested stem borer resistant varieties over the local check with one of them, Ama-TZBR-W, being more preferred by farmers.The preferred variety had better overall appeal, increased number of ears harvested and almost a four-fold increase in the number of marketablecobs when compared with the local check under the predominantly intercropping pattern practiced in the region, especially in the late croppingseason, a season with high incidence of borer infestation. Furthermore, cost-benefit analysis of the introduced technology showed a return of N35for every Naira invested by the farmer on cultivation of resistant maize variety in the study area. Nonetheless, an acceptable maize variety forcultivation in the area should in addition to having borer resistance to ensure yield stability, must also have well filled cobs and good storability,two essential attributes for food securit