Art, Race, and the Carceral System: Perceptions of Criminality in Artful Expression

Prior research suggests that rap music is viewed as more “criminal” than other musical genres. Furthermore, juries are likely to attribute criminal stereotypes to rappers, in part due to assumptions of guilt and innocence based on race (Smiley, 2017; Smiley & Fakunle, 2016). Recently courts have used rap lyrics as a form of confessionary evidence against rappers in the courtroom (e.g., McKinley Phipps v. Tim Wilkinson, 2001), but this practice does not extend to other art forms, such as stand-up comedy. This interdisciplinary paper utilizes a mixed-methods approach to research, using both content analysis and experimental methods to develop an understanding of themes presented within creative endeavors such as music and comedy and assess how an audience interprets those themes. Using content analysis, Study 1 analyzed themes of criminality and deviance presented in rap and rock lyrics in the years with the highest and lowest crime rates. Results for Study 1 showed that the themes of “emotional vulnerability” and “emotional invincibility” offer some insight into opposing perceptions of rap and rock. Study 2 explored differences in the public’s perceptions of criminality in rap and compared it to perceptions of another creative endeavor, comedy. This experiment also examined the effects of performer race, art form, and crime stereotypicality on attributions and perceptions of guilt and innocence. Results showed that when compared to comedy, rap is viewed more negatively. The results of this study will be used to interrogate the rising trend in using rap lyrics as evidence of criminality and to question the relationship between this practice and First Amendment protections in the justice system

Book Review: Food And Agricultural Law: Readings on Sustainable Agriculture and the Law in Nigeria

Edited by Rhuks T. Ako and Damilola S. Olawuyi(Publisher: Afe Babalola University Press, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria; June 2015; 320 pages., Paper Back; c £70.00 / US$100, ISBN 978-1-926832-27-2

The Efficiency of Entrepreneurship Indicators and Policy Implications in West Africa

This study investigated the efficiency of entrepreneurship at macro level in anglophone and francophone West African, using selected indicators across countries. The study made use of data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach to evaluate the performance. From the efficiency analysis on the Anglophone countries, there was an improvement in scale efficiency which implies that the countries within embraced technology and as well improved on their managerial allocative efficiency, and therefore optimizing their DMUs (countries) economies of scale.  All the DMUs were constant under pure technical efficiency change (PECH) and scale efficiency change (SECH) except in Sierra Leone. While the efficiency analysis on the Francophone countries revealed a sharp decrease on average productivity but Mali, Benin and Burkina Faso experienced increase in productivity except in Ivory Coast where the productivity and technical efficiency was regressed. However, the general inefficiency/short-fall in all the countries examined was from their technical inefficiency in terms of managerial skills deficit required to optimally increase the return on outputs from the given set of inputs. Cumulatively, the findings revealed that PECH is less than SECH across the West African countries. It was however recommended that public policies should be more focused on engendering technical efficiencies of entrepreneurship pursuit in the Region. Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Efficiency, Anglophone, Francophone, West Africa DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/9-8-02 Publication date: August 31st 201

The Hypolipidemic Activities of The Tea Extracts of St. John’s Wort Tea, Chamomile Tea and Their Blend at Different Concentrations, Orally Induced on Adult Male Wistar Rats

St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) and Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) are parts of well-documented medicinal plants in the world due to their many beneficial effects of which their possible anti-obesity effects were investigated by studying their influence on lipid profile.  Albino Wistar rats were fed with aqueous extracts of St. John’s Wort, Chamomile and their blend teas (10, 30 and 50 mg/kg.BW/ml). The teas were found to lower the serum cholesterol, triacylglyceride, VLDL, LDL, and atherogenic index at their higher concentration, but were found to slightly increase the HDL as compared to the corresponding normal healthy rats fed with clean water (control). The phytochemicals screening of the teas aqueous extract were also investigated, the chemicals (tannins, saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids and glycosides) which were known to exhibit cholesterol lowering effect by inhibiting its absorption and simultaneous increase its excretion, were found to be present in the teas extract. Thus, the study demonstrates and validates that St. John’s Wort, Chamomile and their blend possess anti-obesity effect at higher concentration. Keyword: St. John’s Wort , Chamomile, Phytochemicals, VLDL, HDL, LDL, seru

Phenolics Comparison between Twinning and Celestial Peppermint Teas using HPLC-DAD

Twinings and Celestial pure peppermint herbal tea is made from 100% select peppermint leaves and is naturally caffeine and gluten-free and parts of their differences lie in the packaging. The HPLC profile of Twinning peppermint and celestial peppermint teas showed that both the teas samples contain caffeic acid, ellagic acid, p-coumaric acid, rosmarinic acid and rutin while celestial peppermint tea had an extra phenolic compound called quercetin. Quercetin was known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, and these properties could be found in celestial peppermint tea compared to the twinning counterpart. Keywords: Twinning, Celestial, Peppermint, Tea, Phenoli

Water and feed consumption in broiler birds during a typical hot weather condition in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

This study investigates the variability in feed and water consumption in broiler birds during a typical hot weather condition in Akure, Nigeria. Feed and water consumption as well as air temperature and relative humidity were monitored and the relationship between them was analyzed. The results showed that the daily water and feeds consumption of the birds are very closely related and increase over the course of the grow out. Water and feed consumption were also observed to be a linear function of broiler’s age; the birds were drinking 0.731 times of their age in kg of water and were eating 0.031 times their age of feed at any point in time. The result showed that under the prevailing environmental conditions, birds were consuming no less than 2.3 times more water than feed. The ratio of feed to water consumption is fairly constant over the life of the flocks. For this particular grow out the ratio of kilogram of water to kilogram of feed was 2.32 kg of water per kg of feed consumed. So whether a bird was a week old or seven weeks old, for every kilogram of feed eaten 2.32 kilogram of water was consumed. Ambient temperature was shown to have strongly influence the pattern of feed and water consumption indicated, high temperatures decreasing feed consumption and increasing water consumption.Keywords: Bird age, temperature, humidity, variability, consumption level

Influence of Weather Elements on Phenological Stages and Yield Components of Tomato Varieties in Rainforest Ecological Zone, Nigeria

Production of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is severely affected during the peak of rainy seasons in South- western Nigeria leading to a decline in yield and fluctuation of prices. To study and identify the impacts of climate variability on phenological stages and yield components of tomato, tomato was cultivated in two separate peak rainy seasons (August to October, 2009 and May to July, 2010) in the Federal University of Technology Research Farm, Akure, Ondo State, South-west Nigeria. Climatic variables including rainfall (RR), relative humidity(R/H), maximum temperature (T_max), minimum temperature(T_min) were evaluated on four different tomato varieties (Roma VFN, Ibadan Local, Beske, UTC) with respect to tomato growth stages and quality of its yield components. The results showed that Ibadan local and Beske varieties started flowering exactly 6 Week After Transplanting (WAT) earlier than other varieties as well as varied in yield components. As seen from both planting seasons, Ibadan local (Ib.local) and Beske varieties produced significantly higher number of fruits/plant and fresh weight of fruits/plant than other varieties under the prevailing climate condition. The results show positive effects of rainfall during vegetative growth and negative effects during reproductive growth. Also, strong negative associations were observed between the yields and relative humidity. The correlations between rainfall and mean temperature with a yield of different tomato varieties were not consistent in both sign and magnitude. Fruit weight of the varieties was negatively correlated with RR, R/H and T_min with exception of Beske variety that was positively correlated with rainfall in the second planting season. In general, at significant level (? ? 0.05), second planting (May-July) is more favourable by prevailing climatic condition compared to first planting (August- October) with respect to yield quantity and quality obtained. Key word: phenological development, climatic variables and tomato varieties

Influence of Oral Administration of Peppermint Tea on Biochemical and Histological Markers of the Liver of Wistar Rats

Reports have linked the consumption of peppermint tea to improve liver cell functioning and the consumption of peppermint tea has been on the increase. The aim of this experiment was to assess the influence of the oral administration of peppermint tea on the liver of Wistar rats using biochemical and histological findings. 20 male Wistar albino rats were grouped into 4, consisting of 5 rats in each group. They were given 10mg/kg b.wt, 30mg/kg b.wt and 50mg/kg b.wt concentration of peppermint tea in tap water for 4 weeks. The first group was on normal diet and received tap water instead of tea. Their blood samples were analyzed for alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total protein, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase,albumin, glucose and lactate dehydrogenase. The liver tissues were also processed for histological examination. The liver tissues were essentially normal and similar to the control tissues. The biochemical parameters studied were also normal and similar to the results obtained from the control animals. The consumption of peppermint tea days has no effect on the liver biomarkers and the histology of the liver of Wistar rats which confirmed the safety in the consumption of the studied. Keywords: Peppermint, Tea, Wistar rats, Live

Phytochemical Evaluation of Dry, Wet and Oil of Leaf of Annona muricata for Medicinal Activities

Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses were carried out on the dry, wet and oil of the leaves of Annona muricata using standard methods. The phytochemicals detected in the aqueous extracts of dry, wet and oil of the leaf were flavonoids, cardiac glycoside, tannins, saponin, terpenoids and steroids. The result of the quantitative analyses showed that oil extract had the highest total phenolics content (TPC: 3.09 mg GEA/g), total flavonoids content (TFC: 16.67 mg QE/g), total saponins content (TSC: 16.86 mg DE/100g) and Total tannins content (TTC: 1.13 mg GAE/g) followed by dry leaf extract (TPC: 1.66 mg GEA/g; TFC: 7.067 mg QE/g; TSC: 14.55 mg DE/100g; and TTC: 0.78 mg GAE/g) and the least was recorded for the wet leaf extract (TPC: 0.83 mg GEA/g; TFC: 3.92 mg QE/g; TSC: 12.07 mg DE/100g; and TTC: 0.44 mg GAE/g). The findings indicate that an Annona muricata leaf is a potential source of phytomedicine with the oil rich in phytochemicals, than dry and wet leaf extracts and any other biochemical analyses should be done using the oil. Keywords: Phytochemicals, leaf, Annona muricata, dry, wet, oi

Challenges of soil- transmitted Helminthiasis in some communities in Ondo state, Nigeria

Soil- transmitted helminthiasis is a common public health challenge of developing countries. It has largely contributed in undermining the health status of people and hence jeopardized the economic development of countries concerned. This study aimed at investigating the burden of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in some selected rural communities in Ondo State Nigeria. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of human soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Stool samples were collected and processed using stool concentration - formalin-ether sedimentation method. Out of the 928 samples collected from volunteers, 149 (16.05%) were infected. The following parasites were isolated: Ascaris lumbricoides, 103(53.7%) 64(33.3%), Trichuris trichiura 17(8.9%) and Strongyloides stercoralis 8(4.17%). Among the risk factors, toilet and water resource facilities were the major sources of transmission. The result obtained justifies the current state of the poor hygiene level in relation to the high occurrence rate of Soil-transmitted helminths among people living in rural settings