Analysis of high resolution satellite digital data for land use studies in the derived savanna ecosystem of Nigeria

High-resolution satellite data can give vital information about land cover, which can lead to better interpretation and classification of land resources. This study examined the relationship between Systeme Probatoire d'Observation de la Terre (SPOT) digital data and land use types in the derived savanna ecosystem of Nigeria. The digital data of arable land, tree crops, burnt surface, riparian and settlements were analysed to establish relationships and potential of SPOT for resource discrimination and mapping. The results show that SPOT digital data are significantly different for the different land use types identified, spectral behaviour bears strong relationships with land features, and digital data are not significantly different (P < 0.01) within the ecosystem. Hence, the spectral behaviour from one area can be used to characterize the other within this and similar ecosystems.Les données de satellite de haute résolution pourraient donner d'information vitale au sujet de la couverture de la terre, qui pourraient mener à une meilleure interprétation et classification des resources de la terre. Cette recherche était conduite pour étudier le rapport entre les données numériques du Système Probatoire d'Observation de la Terre (SPOT) et les types d'emploi de terre dans la savane dérivée de l'écosystème du Nigéria. Les données numériques de terre arable, de cultures d'arbres, de surface brûlée, de riveraine et de habitations étaient analysées pour établir les rapports et le potentiel de SPOT pour la distinction de resource et le mappage. Les résultats montrent que les données numériques de SPOT sont considérablement différentes pour les différents types d'emploi de terre identifiés, le comportement spectral a un rapport solide avec les caractéristiques de la terre et les données numériques ne sont pas considérablement différentes (

Biocidal Activities of Some Tropical Moss Extracts Against Maize Stem Borers

Solutions of four moss powders, namely: Calymperes afzelii Sw., Thuidium gratum (P. Beauv.) Jaeg., Bryum coronatum Schwaegr. and Barbula lambarenensis (Hook) Spreng., were evaluated for insecticidal activity against maize stem borers. The aqueous solutions were smeared periodically on mature maize plants in the field. All mosses tested showed some toxic activity against the established maize stem borers, deterrence regarding further infestation and some influence on the distribution of the borers. C. afzelii and B. coronatum showed encouraging toxic activities, deterrent activities and promptness that were better or just as good as with Tricel, the control inorganic insecticide. The order of activity of the moss solutions was C. afzelii\u3e B. coronatum \u3eT. gratum= B. lambarenensis. The incidence of stem borer in the most preferred internode, i.e. III, was reduced significantly by C. afzelii, T. gratum and B. coronatum treatments, while B. lambarenensis like, Tricel, restricted the incidence of borer holes to internodes III and IV. The advantages proffered by the window of utilizing mosses as pesticide, namely: availability, safety, low cost, ease of application, as well as, the disadvantages, i.e. laborious serial repetitions, was highlighted

Beyond Covid-19: The Future of Festivals in Calabarzon, Philippines

Purpose: This study aims to determine or forecast the willingness of regular participants of festivals to attend or join events festivals in the post-COVID-19 scenario. Specifically, it aimed to 1.) identify the perceived future of festivals in the post-pandemic scenario and if people are still willing to participate in or join in any of the festival's events, and 2.) discuss the role of festivals in the post-pandemic scenario.   Theoretical framework: The researchers employed the stakeholder theory technique to predict the future of the festival's events. A stakeholder is "any group or person who may impact or is affected by the attainment of the institution's objective," Freeman (1984). Freeman contends that a person or group is a stakeholder if it has a sincere interest in a particular component of the institution's operations and, as a result, either can influence the company's performance or has a stake in that performance. Particularly, in this study, the stakeholders are the participants, the businessmen, and the organizers of the festivals. Ultimately, the perception of the stakeholders may be used by festival organizers as a basis for holding festivals in the post-pandemic scenario.   Design/methodology/approach: This study used a qualitative design using phenomenological approach based on the lived experiences of the participants with the festivals they have attended. Snowball sampling was used to choose 32 participants, commencing with the tourist local government official that had control over the festival events. The researchers utilized key informant interviews and focus group discussions on obtaining data, guided by a semi-structured questionnaire to allow the researchers to adjust questions according to the participant's willingness and manner of answering. For data clustering and theme identification, the researchers utilized a qualitative research tool (NVIVO) with license key: (N-L-Z-7-7) and used the analytical framework by Moustakas (1994), as covered by Creswell (2007). The researchers began by outlining the subject's or participant’s encounters concerning the festivals being examined. Next, they created collection of noteworthy remarks and organized these into more substantial units of information (i.e., units or themes).   Findings: As a result, every participant is eager to engage, be present, or take part in their respective festivals again, once the COVID-19 restrictions are removed, but some have a few reservations.   Implications for research, everyday life, and society: In the Philippines, the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in 2023. This is also a time for the local economy to recover. The series of lockdowns heavily hampered the local economy due to the pandemic. The local governments may use festivals to help small, medium, and microenterprises recover from the losses they took during the pandemic, and festivals. can kick start the local economy. Festival organizers may utilize the findings of this research as a foundation.   Originality/value: All the data gathered in this research was at the peak of lockdowns and cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines. This made it very difficult for the researchers to collect data, thus resulting in an integration of in-person interactions, key informant interviews and online focus group discussions. It was a time when mass gatherings were hard to imagine, let alone the celebration of festivals uncertain. Nevertheless, the result was surprising since all the participants were still willing to join or attend festivals

PROCJENA DEGRADACIJE TLA RAZLIČITO KORIŠTENA: DJELOVANJE NA PROIZVODNOST TLA I SIGURNOST HRANE

Land use type is one of the critical factors affecting land degradation and soil productivity. The extent to which it influences land degradation and productivity has not been fully ascertained. This has been necessary for this study with the aim of assessing the extent to which land use influences crop productivity. Soil degradation levels were assessed using direct observation. The land use types studied were arable cropping (land use 1), oil palm (land use 2), and building sites (land use 3). Rank ordered correlation was used for the data analyses. Direct observation showed that physical and biological degradations were more severe than chemical degradation in all the land uses. Degradation processes were more prominent in land uses 1 and 3 than 2. Land use was found to be significantly (P< 0.01) correlated with land degradation (r = 0.47) at all sites. The degradation level ranked from moderate to high due to inappropriate land uses and soil types. However, since degradation processes were very high in all land uses, there must be careful choice of appropriate use of land in order to reduce degradation and enhance soil productivity.Način korištenja tla jedan je od kritičnih faktora što djeluje na degradaciju i proizvodnost tla. Razmjeri na koji oni utječu na degradaciju i proizvodnost tla nisu u potpunosti ustanovljeni. To nas je potaklo za procjenjivanje razmjera u kojem korištenje tla utječe na proizvodnost usjeva. Razine degradacije tla procijenjene su izravnim motrenjem. Promatrani načini korištenja tla bili su: obradivo tlo za usjeve (korištenje tla 1), uljana palma (korištenje tla 2) i gradilišta (korištenje tla 3). Za analizu podataka primijenjena je korelacija za određivanje namjene (rank order correlation). Izravno motrenje je pokazalo da su fizička i biološka degradacija bile jače od kemijske, kod svih korištenja tla. Procesi degradacije bili su jače izraženi kod korištenja tla 1 i 3 nego kod 2. Prema nalazu korištenje tla bilo je značajno (P<0.01) povezano s degradacijom tla (r=9.47) na svim položajima. Razina degradacije kretala se od umjerene do velike zbog neodgovarajućeg korištenja zemljišta i tipova tla. Međutim, budući da su procesi degradacije bili vrlo izraženi kod svih korištenja zemljišta potrebno je pažljivo izabrati odgovarajuće korištenje kako bi se smanjila degradacija i potakla produktivnost tla

Adsorption Kinetics of Pb(II) and Zn(II) Ions unto Carbonized Groundnut Shells and Maize Cobs

Maize cobs and groundnut shell adsorbents from agricultural by-products were carbonized and investigated for adsorption of two selected metals, Lead (Pb II) and Zinc (Zn II) from aqueous solutions of these metals. Kinetic studies of the adsorption processes were investigated employing Elovich and the intraparticle diffussion models. The results showed that, the adsorption capacities of these comparatively cheaper adsorbents and their efficiency for the removal of Pb(II) and Zn(II) ions from aqueous solution present them suitable for use in place of the costly commercial activated carbons

Thyroid autoimmunity and early pregnancy loss in Jos, Nigeria

Background: Early pregnancy loss is a challenging experience for both the patient and the physician; it is unfortunately a common complication of human gestation. Early pregnancy loss is defined as the termination of pregnancy before 20 weeks of gestation or with a fetal weight of &lt;500 g. Immunological disorders have been attributed to early pregnancy loss in addition to chromosomal abnormalities. Thyroid autoimmunity is one of the immunological causes of early pregnancy loss that has been poorly studied in sub‑Saharan Africa.Objective: This study was aimed at determining the relationship between early pregnancy loss and thyroid autoimmunity in Jos, North‑Central Nigeria.Patients and Methods: This was a case‑control study involving 44 women with a current history of miscarriage at an average gestational age of 11.57 ± 4.3 weeks (cases) and 44 pregnant women with previous history of delivery with no history of miscarriage(s) at a mean gestational age of 17.9 ± 4.9 weeks (controls). Serum thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) were assayed by Electro‑chemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) using Cobas e411 auto analyzer (by Roche). The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0.Results: TgAb was neither present in the cases nor in the control group. The prevalence for TPOAb was 11.4% for the cases and 4.5% for the controls. The difference in proportion was not statistically significant (P = 0.434).Conclusion: There was no statistically significant relationship between thyroid autoimmunity and early pregnancy loss.Keywords: Autoimmunity; pregnancy loss; thyroi