Analysis of Maize Value Addition among Entrepreneurs in Taraba State, Nigeria

This study analyzed maize value addition among maize entrepreneurs in Taraba State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to collect primary data from two hundred and twelve respondents (212), using structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Value addition model, ANOVA, multinomial logistic regression, log likelihood test ratio and factor analysis. The result of the study revealed that most (62.3%) respondents were males. 61.3% were within the productive age of 21-40 years. Majority (71.1%) were married with household sizes of 6-10. The total of (32.8%) respondents of them had secondary school education, (46.6%) had processing experience of between 6-10 years in processing as their major occupation. proportionate (49.2%) of total respondents had non-farm income of N150,001 per annum. Results of the value addition analysis showed that maize processed as boiled maize is more profitable with a mean of N130, 900 per annum. The result from the multinomial logistic regression on choice of maize processing enterprises revealed that sex had negative coefficient, which implied that male respondents preferred grain production enterprise rather than processing into akamu, corn flour, massa and boiled maize. Also age had negative coefficient, implying that age increase tends to favour grain production than processing. In relation to processing constraints, the maize processing value chain was hampered by the following: inadequate processing facilities, inadequate credit/funds, high cost of transport and inadequate access to inputs. The study concluded that maize value addition is a profitable enterprise and entrepreneurs should be encouraged to venture into it. Also the Agricultural Development Project Programme should send extension agents to processors to encourage processing diversification especially into poultry feeds

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Weak localization in disordered systems at the ballistic limit

The weak localization (WL) contribution to the two-level correlation function is calculated for two-dimensional disordered conductors. Our analysis extends to the nondiffusive (ballistic) regime, where the elastic mean path is of order of the size of the system. In this regime the structure factor (the Fourier transform of the two-point correlator) exhibits a singular behavior consisting of dips superimposed on a smooth positive background. The strongest dips appear at periods of the periodic orbits of the underlying clean system. Somewhat weaker singularities appear at times which are sums of periods of two such orbits. The results elucidate various aspects of the weak localization physics of ballistic chaotic systems.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figure

Phase II TPDCV protocol for pediatric low-grade hypothalamic/chiasmatic gliomas: 15-year update

To report long-term results for children with low-grade hypothalamic/chiasmatic gliomas treated on a phase II chemotherapy protocol. Between 1984 and 1992, 33 children with hypothalamic/chiasmatic LGGs received TPDCV chemotherapy on a phase II prospective trial. Median age was 3.0 years (range 0.3–16.2). Twelve patients (36%) underwent STRs, 14 (42%) biopsy only, and seven (21%) no surgery. Twenty patients (61%) had pathologic JPAs, nine (27%) grade II gliomas, and four (12%) no surgical sampling. Median f/u for surviving patients was 15.2 years (range 5.3–20.7); 20 of the 23 surviving patients had 14 or more years of follow-up. Fifteen-year PFS and OS were 23.4 and 71.2%, respectively. Twenty-five patients progressed, of whom 13 are NED, two are AWD, and 10 have died. All children who died were diagnosed and first treated at age three or younger. Age at diagnosis was significantly associated with relapse and survival (P = 0.004 for PFS and P = 0.037 for OS). No PFS or OS benefit was seen with STR versus biopsy/no sampling (P = 0.58 for PFS, P = 0.59 for OS). For patients with JPAs and WHO grade II tumors, the 15-year PFS was 18.8 and 22.2% (P = 0.95) and 15-year OS was 73.7 and 55.6% (P = 0.17), respectively. Upfront TPDCV for children with hypothalamic/chiasmatic LGGs resulted in 15-year OS of 71.2% and 15-year PFS of 23.4%. No survival benefit is demonstrated for greater extent of resection. Age is a significant prognostic factor for progression and survival

Unshrouding Effects on Demand for a Costly Add-On: Evidence from Bank Overdrafts in Turkey

Models of shrouding predict that firms lack incentives to compete on add-on prices. Working with a large Turkish bank to test SMS direct marketing promotions to 108,000 existing checking account holders, we find that messages promoting a large discount on the overdraft interest rate reduce overdraft usage. In contrast, messages that mention overdraft availability without mentioning price increase usage. Neither change persists long after messages stop, suggesting that induced overdrafting is not habit-forming. Our results are consistent with a model of limited memory and attention

Empowering women groups in Kenya through ICT, education and alternative livelihood

Paper presented at ICT conference of 2008. Theme : ICT's Role towards a Knowledge Economy.Paper presented at ICT conference of 2008. Theme : ICT's Role towards a Knowledge Economy

Arable weeds as a case study in plant-human relationships beyond domestication

Arable weeds are plants that invade habitats created by people for the cultivation of other species. Though they are not the target of human cultivation, their growth in arable habitats means that they, like crops, are under human selection. Genetic studies of weedy crop relatives have documented traits (shattering/dehiscence, asynchronous flowering, seed dormancy etc.) that allow weeds to escape detection and eradication by farmers, and give them a competitive advantage over crops (Thurber et al. 2010, 2011; Qi et al. 2015). Selection of these traits in weedy crop relatives thus constitutes a (partial) reversal of the domestication syndrome (Hammer 1984), sometimes called ‘de-domestication’ (Ellstrand et al. 2010). But weeds can also adapt by taking on domestic traits (Hammer 1984); Harlan (1992: 66, 94) reports non-shattering populations of the weed Bromus secalinus and of weedy oats, for example. Moreover, genetic study of wild crop relatives and their domesticated counterparts has confirmed the importance of allele introgression from proximate wild populations (Song et al. 2014; Gutaker et al. 2017). The history of crops and weeds is thus deeply intertwined, the selection of traits in one shaping (directly and indirectly) the evolution of the other, in a particularly clear instance of mutual evolution through niche construction