Performance and economic consideration of broiler chickens fed enzyme supplemented cassava fibre meal

The search for alternative energy source to substitute for the expensive conventional energy feed resources in broiler chicken diet is the driving force of this study. Thus, the study assessed the performance and economics of the production of broiler chickens fed enzyme supplemented cassava fibre meal (CFM) in a 56-day feeding trial. A batch of three hundred and sixty (360) day-old Arbor acre broiler-chicks was allotted to twelve (12) diets replicated five (5) times of six (6) birds in a complete randomization. Cassava fibre was sun dried for 5 days with constant turning to prevent fermentation, reduce the moisture content and possibly reduce the cyanide content. Proximate composition, phytochemical components and cyanide contents were determined using appropriate standard methods. Cassava fibre meal was substituted for maize at 0, 20, 40, and 60% levels and Roxazyme® G2 supplementation was at 0, 100 and 200 mg/kg. Data collected on feed intake and weight gain were analysed using the General Linear Model (GLM), and differences in means where observed were separated using Duncan option of the SPSS 2006 version 15.0. The Economics of broiler chicken production was determined using economic tools such as gross margin and economic efficiency analyses. Results showed that CFM contained appreciable levels of nutrients that could promote broiler growth when substituted at optimum level as an energy source in broiler chicken diet. Substitution of CFM at 40 and 60% levels for maize led to a decrease (p<0.05) in weight gain and feed conversion of broiler chickens. Feed intake and weight gain were not influenced by dietary substitution of CFM for maize in the broiler starter and broiler finisher stages of growth. The effect of enzyme supplementation was not significant in the birds’ physiological growth at both starter and finisher stages. The effect of interaction was not significant (p>0.05) indicating that birds’ performance were not dependent on the two factors under investigation. Economics of broiler chicken production revealed that total cost was lower in birds fed CFM with or without enzyme supplementation compared with those fed the maizebased diets. Net revenue, economic efficiency and profitability ratio analysis showed better economic viability and profitability in birds fed CFM with or without enzyme supplementation compared with those fed maize-based diets

Structural behaviour of metakaolin infused concrete structure

This work researched into the use of metakaolin as a partial substitute for cement in concrete, metakaolin was obtained by the calcination of kaolin clay to about 700 0C Cement was replaced with the metakaolin at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35% at water cement ratio of 0.5. Tests such as chemical analysis, compressive strength, flexural or modulus of rupture and bond strength were carried out on the concrete samples. Chemical analysis results showed that the metakaolin is a class “N” pozzolan, while the mechanical test showed that the strength of concrete increased from 5% to 20% replacement, and the strength peaked at 20%, but decreased above this value; concrete made with metakaolin performed better than the control sample at all the percentage replacements used in this work.Keywords: Metakaolin, Calcination, Pozzolan, Chemical test, Mechanical tes

Association between unmet dental needs and school absenteeism because of illness or injury among U.S. school children and adolescents aged 6-17 years, 2011-2012

BACKGROUND : We assessed the prevalence of dental disease among U.S. children and adolescents aged 6–17 years, as well as the impact of unmet dental needs on school absenteeism because of illness/injury within the past 12 months. METHODS : Data were from the 2011/2012 National Survey of Children's Health (n = 65,680). Unmet dental need was defined as lack of access to appropriate and timely preventive or therapeutic dental healthcare when needed within the past 12 months. The impact of unmet dental needs on school absenteeism was measured using a multivariate generalized linear model with Poisson probability distribution (p b 0.05). RESULTS : Within the past 12 months, 21.8% (10.8 million) of all U.S. children and adolescents aged 6–17 years had “a toothache, decayed teeth, or unfilled cavities.” Of all U.S. children and adolescents aged 6–17 years, 15.8% (7.8 million) reported any unmet dental need (i.e., preventive and/or therapeutic dental need)within the past 12 months. The mean number of days of school absence because of illness/injury was higher among students with an unmet therapeutic dental need in the presence of a dental condition compared to those reporting no unmet dental need (β=0.25; p b 0.001). CONCLUSIONS : Enhanced and sustained efforts are needed to increase access to dental services among underserved U.S. children and adolescents.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ypmed2016-03-31hb201

Knowledge And Belief Of Nursing Mothers On Nutritional Management Of Acute Diarrhoea In Infants, Ibadan, Nigeria

Malnutrition continues to be a major public health problem in Nigeria, and this contributes substantially to childhood mortality. Culturally related food restriction and reduction in feeding frequency during common childhood illnesses such as diarrhoeal diseases further contributes to the burden of malnutrition and thus to childhood morbidity and mortality. This study was designed to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices of nursing mothers with respect to food restriction during acute diarrhoea in Ibadan, South West Nigeria. This single round cross-sectional study adopted a purposive sampling procedure to select 250 nursing mothers aged between 17 and 45 years from the sick-baby and immunization clinics of two health facilities in Ibadan, between November 2003 and February 2004. Information on nutritional management of acute diarrhoea was collected with a structured intervieweradministered questionnaire and two focus group discussions exploring food withdrawal practices during acute diarrhoea. Data analysis was done using SPSS 11.0. Descriptive and inferential statistics were generated to test for associations. About half (46.8%) of the respondents had secondary education. Only 6.0% had knowledge of nutritional management of diarrhoea while 54.8% had knowledge of oral rehydration therapy. Seventy-one percent of respondents reported food withdrawal during acute diarrhoea in infants, 44% also reported reduction in breastfeeding frequency during acute diarrhoea and more than two-thirds of these (71.2%) cited cultural reasons for withholding breastfeeding. Mothers’ educational level had no significant effect on their knowledge of nutritional management of acute diarrhoea in infants (p = 0.610). Mothers’ knowledge of nutritional management of acute diarrhoea had a significant effect on their attitude (p = 0.03) but not on their practice (p = 0.257). Relatives and health care providers were the sources of advice on food restriction/withdrawal during acute diarrhoea. Appropriate nutritional management during acute illness is important, and this has been found to be deficient among caregivers in the family setting. Targeting appropriate health and nutrition education to caregivers particularly mother would reduce morbidity and mortality commonly associated with childhood diarrhoea

Synthesis and Characterization of Pyridino(1,4-Η-cyclohexa-1,3-diene)Derivatives of Iron Tricarbonyl Complexes

In this synthesis, we have been able to show that, the addition of x- substituted pyridines, (X = H, 2- Me, 3- Me 4- Me, 4-NH2 and 4-N(CH3)2 to the dienyl ring of the organometallic cation, [(Fe(CO)3 (1-5- η-2-Me0C3H6)]BF4 and [(Fe(CO)3(1-5-η-C6H7)]BF4 gives ionic substituted diene products, (X C5H4-C6H6Y (Fe(CO)3] BF4,Y=H or 2-MeO. The reaction takes place at ordinary room temperature. The resulting products were isolated and characterized

Amylolytic lactic acid bacteria fermentation of maize-cowpea ogi

The effect of starter cultures Lactobacillus plantarum (A6), Lactobacillus fermentum (OgiE-1) and natural inoculum (NI) on some physicochemical properties of cofermented maize-cowpea (CMCO) was investigated. Crude protein, lipid, ash, crude fiber, carbohydrate energy and utilizable energy because of protein contents of CMCO fermented with A6 (A6MC), OgiE-1 (OGMC) and NI (NIMC) are 12.46-13.74%, 3.58-4.96%, 1.06-1.85%, 3.06-4.62% and 66.81-68.30%, 355.26-363.2 kcal/100 g and 7.43-9.14%, respectively. Mineral contents were significantly higher in A6MC and OGMC. [K/Na], [Ca/P] and [Ca/Mg] ratios range between 9.51 and 22.22, 0.02 and 0.12 and 0.16 and 1.02, respectively. Oligosaccharides reduced significantly in A6MC and OGMC. The pH values of A6MC, OGMC and NIMC range between 6.4 and 4.5, 6.4 and 5.5 and 6.4 and 5.2, respectively. Titratable acidity and total phenol increased, while phytates decrease. Viscosity increased with flour concentration up to 9% in OGMC, and A6MC increased in NIMC. A6MC gave the best overall results

RUNX3 polymorphism present in human oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is characterized by high incidence, mortality, post-management recurrence and metastatic rates as well as poor prognosis. This study was designed to identify molecular diagnostic and predictive signatures of OSCC in Nigerian cases. It was a retrospective-prospective case-control study spanning a 12 year period using 74 OSCC tissue blocks as well as benign epithelial lesions which served as control from which DNA was extracted and profiled for rs7528484 and rs760805 in RUNX3 gene by restriction fragment length polymorphism-PCR. Demography of the tissue blocks was recorded. Computed data were presented as frequencies/percentages. Association between RUNX3 polymorphism and patient's gender, age, tumor location, histology was assessed by Pearson's χ2 test at α0.05, Monte-Carlo exact test and Odds Ratios (OR) at Confidence Interval (CI) of 95%. Only rs7528484 was successfully genotyped with a distribution of 52.7% homozygote normal (CC), 28.4% heterozygote mutant (CT) and 18.9% homozygote mutant (TT). Gender and histology was generally significantly associated with genotypes/alleles. Genotypes CT and TT as well as the mutant allele T, showed odds of predicting OSCC. It appears that rs7528484 in RUNX3 might be common in patients suffering from OSCC. Individuals carrying the mutant allele could also be more susceptible to OSCC development