Using a weightless neural network to forecast stock prices: A case study of Nigerian stock exchange

This research work, proposes forecasting stock prices in the stock market industry in Nigeria using a Weightless Neural Network (WNN). A neural network application used to demonstrate the application of the WNN in the forecasting of stock prices in the market is designed and implemented in Visual Foxpro 6.0. The proposed network is tested with stock data obtained from the Nigeria Stock Exchange. This system is compared with Single Exponential Smoothing (SES) model. The WNN error value is found to be 0.39 while that of SES is 9.78, based on these values, forecasting with the WNN is observed to be more accurate and closer to the real data than those using the SES model

Path Coefficient Analysis of Growth and Yield Traits of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) at Bokolori, Talata Mafara, Sudan Savanna Ecological Zone, Nigeria

In order to determine the direct and indirect effects of yield and yield components of rice, a field experiment was conducted in each of the wet seasons of 2016 and 2017 at Irrigation Research Stations of the Institute for Agricultural Research, Bokolori, Talata Mafara, in the Sudan Savanna ecological zone of Nigeria (12° 34’ N; 06° 04’E). The treatment consisted of four (4) weed management practice (Oxadiazon at 1.0 kg a.i ha-1 [pre-emergence], Orizo-plus [proponil 360 g/l + 2,4-D 200 g/l] at 2.8 kg a.i ha-1[post emergence at 3 WAS], manual weeding [at 3 and 6 WAS] and weedy check [control]); three (3) each of seeding method (Drilling, Dibbling and Broadcast) and seed rate (40 kg ha-1; 70 kg ha-1; 100 kg ha-1). The experiment was laid in a split plot design replicated three times. Weed management practice was assigned to the main plots while the combination of seeding method and seed rate to the subplots. Data were collected on plant height, leaf area, crop dry matter, tillering ability, crop growth rate, harvest index (HI), panicle length, number of grains per panicle, 1000-grain weight and paddy yield. The result indicated that, the highest individual contribution of 25.04% to paddy yield was made by dry matter followed by 1000-grain weight (8.74%), tillering ability (8.46%), leaf area (3.13%), number of grains per panicle (1.03%) and the least was from panicle length (0.83%). The contribution of these growth and yield attributes to yield suggests that, priority be given to these traits when making selection for improvement

Influence of weed control methods on the yield and yield components of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) varieties in Sokoto, Nigeria

Field trial was carried out during the 2017 wet season (July to October) at the Dryland Teaching and Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto to determine the effect of weed control methods on the yield and yield components of three (3) cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) varieties sourced from Sokoto Agricultural Development Project (SADP). Treatments consisted of factorial combination of four (4) weed control methods [Control (no weeding), Chemical weeding (Pendimethalin), Chemical + Hoe and Hoe weeding] and three (3) cowpea varieties [Dan Gidan Yunfa (Local), IT-288 and IT-277-2)]. Treatments were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) replicated three (3) times. Data were collected on pod yield, grain yield, and haulm yield, total dry weight shelling percentage, 100-grain weight and weed dry weight. Dan Gidan Yunfa recorded higher pod and grain yield than the other varieties. Weed control had significant effect on weed dry matter, the control plot where no weeding was done throughout recorded the highest (103.50 kg ha-1, 114.32 kg ha-1, 139.45 kg ha-1) weed dry matter at 4, 8 and 12 WAS, respectively. Therefore, it could be concluded that Dan Gidan Yunfa performed better than other varieties in the study area. The pod and grain yield of the crop in the weeding treatments were not different from the control (no weeding)

Determinants of Fisher’s Choice of Fishing Activity along the Volta Lake in Yeji, Ghana

The study examined factors that influence people’s decision to engage in the fishery-related activities in Yeji, a major inland fishing town in Ghana. A total of 304 respondents were randomly selected and interviewed using semi-structured questionnaire. The analysis was done using the Ordered Probit Model and descriptive statistics. The study revealed that fishers in Yeji depend on the small-scale fisheries as their source of livelihood. The Ordered Probit regression analysis showed that the likelihood to engage in the fishery-related activities was significantly influenced by factors such as fishers’ level of education, average daily catch, gear ownership (boat), credit access, fishing experience, income and household size. The study revealed that lack of credit access as affirmed by majority (82%) of the respondents as the major challenge faced in the study areas. It is concluded that the fisheries sub-sector has the potential to boost economic growth, reduce poverty and ensure household food security in Yeji. It is therefore recommended that Ghana government through the Fisheries Commission should put in place sustainable measures and strategies that would ensure availability of fishing nets and boats for rural poor fishers.Key words: Volta Lake, Determinants, Fishing Experience, Likelihood, Ordered Probit Mode

Protective effect of co-administration of vitamins C and E on reserpine-induced oxidative stress in mice

Background: Several studies have shown potential benefits of antioxidants in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD) but none have combined vitamins C and E targeting the oxidative stress (OS).Aim: To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of co-administration of vitamins C + E or single vitamin, on parameters of reserpine-induced OS in mice.Methods: Twenty-five mice were randomly assigned into 5 groups.: Group I received only distilled water (control); other groups received reserpine 0.1 mg/kg intraperitoneally on alternate days. In addition, Group III received vitamin E 200 mg/kg/day orally; group IV, had vitamin C 250 mg/kg/day orally and group V, had both vitamins orally. All drugs were given concurrently for 28 days. The mice were humanely acrificed and brain homogenate made to assess for biomarkers of OS. Data were expressed as mean ± SEM and values at p < 0.05 were considered significant.Results: The significant increase in malondialdehyde concentrations observed in the Res group (42.2±0.28 Umol/L) compared to control (37.54±1.27 Umol/L), was ameliorated in all the vitamin-treated groups with significance in the Res+Vit C group (35.0±1.69 Umol/L) compared to the Res group (p=0.002). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased significantly (p=0.003) across the vitamin-treated groups (24.9±2.11 Umol/mg, 24.0±1.78 Umol/mg and 22.4±1.50 Umol/mg in the Res+Vit E, Res+Vit C and co-administered groups respectively) compared to control (14.3±1.65 Umol/mg), with non-significant increase in the Res group (20.6±1.42 Umol/mg); catalase activity increased significantly in the Res+Vit C (28.0±3.70 Umol/mg) and co-administered (30.2±2.22 Umol/mg) groups compared to controls (14.3±1.65 Umol/mg) and Res (20.6±1.42 Umol/mg) groups (p=0.000), with non-significant increase in the Res+Vit E group (17.6±0.68 Umol/mg). The highest GSH level was seen in the Res group (45.2±2.65 Umol/mgpr) and the lowest level seen in the Res+Vit E group (38.58 ± 1.78 Umol/mgpr) with no significant difference across all the groups (p=0.104).Conclusion: The co-administration of vitamins C and E fails to confer significant superior neuroprotection against reserpine-induced OS compared to single vitamin administration.Keywords: Co-administration, neuroprotective, oxidative, reserpine-induced, stres

Weed Control Efficiency of Management Practices of Lowland Paddy Production in Sudan Savanna Ecology

Two concurrent experiments were conducted during the wet season of 2012 and 2013 at research farms of the Irrigation Research Stations of Institute for Agricultural Research (I.A.R), Ahmadu Bello University, Talata Mafara (12o 34’ N; 06o 04’E) and Kadawa (11o39`N; 08o02’E ) in the Sudan Savanna ecological zone of Nigeria to assess the efficiency of rice production practices in controlling weeds in rice. The treatment consisted of four (4) weed management practice (Oxadiazon at 1.0 kg a.i ha-1 [pre-emergence], orizo-plus [propanil 360 g/l + 2,4-D 200 g/l] at 2.8 kg a.i ha-1 [post emergence at 3 WAS], manual weeding [at 3 and 6 WAS] and weedy check [control]); three (3) each of seeding method (Drilling, Dibbling and Broadcast) and seed rate (40 kg ha-1; 70 kg ha-1; 100 kg ha-1). The experiment was laid in a split plot design replicated three times. Weed management practice was assigned to the main plots while the combination of seeding method and seed rate to the subplots. The result indicated that weedy check was consistent in recording the highest weed growth in terms of weed dry weight and weed cover score. Manual weeding at 3 and 6 WAS was significantly more efficient in controlling the weeds followed by oxadiazon at 1.0 kg a.i ha-1 then orizoplus at 2.8 kg a.i ha-1. Broadcast method of seeding recorded significantly lower values for weed control efficiency and weed growth when compared with drilling and dibbling seeding methods at both locations and years of study. A higher than 40 kg ha-1seed  rate increased weed suppression by decreasing weed dry weight indicating better weed suppression. Keywords: Weed control efficiency, weed dry weight, lowland padd

Epidemiology and control of soil transmitted helminthiasis and giardiasis in Nigeria- a review

Background: Nigeria is the country with the largest population in Africa. Helminthiasis and giardiasis are endemic in Nigeria, due to poor environmental sanitation, pollution, and contamination of water and soil. However, parasitic infections in Nigeria are not only due to the large number of its population, but also due to its geographic nature which is apt for easy parasitic development and individuals infected are children and they attributed this to the fact that children are very careless of the risk associated with playing in contaminated environments and eating indiscriminately with unwashed hands. Objective: To review the epidemiology of soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and giardiasis in Nigeria and feasible control measures. Methodology: A wide-ranging search of electronic bibliographic databases was performed on the epidemiology and control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis and giardiasis in Nigeria. Twenty three full-length articles were studied comprehensively in order to gather up the information on epidemiology of giardiasis and STHs in Nigeria. Result: the occurrence of STH due to the triad of Ascaris lumbricoides, Hookworm and Trichuris trichiura was observed. The paper also showed that the highest and lowest prevalences of helminthiasis are 89.66% and 9.1% while that of giardiasis are 41.45% and 3.10% respectively. Conclusion: This suggests that soil-transmitted helminthiasis and giardiasis are still endemic in Nigeria and majority of those affected are children younger than 10 years living in rural areas and urban slums

Enhancing Computer Science Students’ Retention through Video, Animation and Audio Voice Thread Modes in Colleges of Education in North-Central Nigeria

Achievement in a subject is more meaningful when a learner is able to retain the knowledge gained for a longer period of time. This study therefore focused on the need to enhance college of education students’ retention through video, animation and audio voice thread modes in North-central Nigeria. Three research questions raised were answered and three null hypotheses were also tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a quazi-experimental design in which intact classes of students in participating schools were used. A multi-stage sampling technique was used and a total of 210 students constituted sample size of the study. Intact classes of students were randomly assigned to experimental group I (voice thread video mode), experimental group II (voice thread animation mode), and the control group (voice thread audio mode). Voice thread modes were used as treatment instrument while computer science achievement test which was administered at posttest and retention test was used for data collection. The instrument was satisfactorily subjected to validation and reliability checks. Data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and Analysis of Covariance statistics. Findings that emanated from the study revealed that the retention ability of both male and female students were enhanced by video and animation voice thread modes better than the audio mode. It was recommended that these two modes should be integrated in teaching and learning in colleges of education for improved retention of students in computer science

Hypolipidemic and Antioxidant Activity of Camel Milk on Poloxamer-Induced Hyperlipidemia in Rats

Background: Hyperlipidemia has been implicated as the major risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. The current hypothesis suggests oxidative stress as an underlying mechanism through which hyperlipidemia provoke degenerative diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the ameliorative and antioxidant effect of camel milk on poloxamer 407 (P407) induced hyperlipidemia in albino rats. Methods: Thirty male wistar rats were subdivided into six groups (Group 1-6) with each containing five animals (n=5). Group 1 served as normal control, while Groups 2-6 were induced with Poloxamer 407 intra peritoneally twice a week for three weeks. Group 2 served as hyperlipidemic untreated, group 3 was co-administered with atorvastatin tablet 20mg/kg orally and groups 4, 5 and 6 were co-administered with camel milk at a dose of 250mg/kg, 500mg/kg and 1000mg/kg respectively via oral route. After three weeks, blood samples determination of Total cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride(TG), High Density Lipoprotein (LDL), Low Density Lipoprotein(LDL), Malondialdhyde (MDA), Catalase(CAT) Superoxide Dismutase(SOD) and Gluthatione Peroxidase(GPx) were carried out. Results: Total cholesterol was significantly (p< 0.05) decreased in group treated with camel milk at 1000mg/kg (174.68 ±46.92 mg/dl), treatment with camel milk doses 250mg/kg(63.57±6.34mg/dl), 500mg/kg (45.07±3.13mg/dl), 1000mg/kg (91.38±5.52mg/dl) significantly (p<0.05) reduced high triglyceride level induced by P407. Camel milk treated group at dose 250mg/kg showed significant increase in HDL (208.72±7.88 mg/dl), while camel milk treated groups 250mg/kg and 1000mg/kg showed significant decrease in LDL; (214.15±21.72mg/dl) and (114.75±42.83mg/dl) respectively. Camel milk significantly (p<0.05) increase in the level of SOD at 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg (9.25±0.51 U/ml and 11.04± 1.14 U/ml) respectively, however, there was no significant (p>0.05) effect on CAT. There was also no significant difference in MDA between all camel milk treated groups and the normal control group. Conclusion: These findings highlight the ameliorative potentials of camel milk in P407 induced hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress of albino rats