Heavy metals concentration and histopathological profile of some commercial fish species at Makoko Slum Neighbourhood Environment, Lagos, Nigeria

Potentially harmful substances such as pesticides, heavy metals, and hydro chemicals are often released into the aquatic environment. The objective of the present study was to assess the concentration of lead, copper, cadmium, chromium, and nickel in water samples from two different points (Mid-stream and downstream), also determine the levelsof Lead, Zinc, Manganese and copper in four commercially important fish species, Pseudotolithus senegalensis (croaker fish) and Ethmalosa fimbriata (bonga), Oreochromis mossambicus (Tilapia fish) and Bagrus bayad (silver catfish) from Makoko water body, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. Histopathological profile of the fish species selected was also examined. The results were compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) acceptable limit.The concentrations of the heavy metals were analyzed using Perkin Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Pseudotholithus senegalensishad 3.01±0.02, 2.41±0.02, 3.48±0.01, 1.04±0.10 mg kg-1as the mean concentration of lead, zinc, manganese, and copper respectively, while E. fimbriatahad 1.06±0.02, 2.41±0.02, 4.14±0.01, 1.04±0.10 mg kg-1,O. mossambicushad 2.09±0.02, 3.11±0.04, 2.48±0.02, 0.62±0.01 mg kg-1and B. bayadhad 1.53±0.12, 3.61±0.05, 2.44±0.03, 0.66±0.01 mg kg-1 as the mean concentration of these metals in the tissues of these fishes. The concentrations of heavy metals were higher in the gills compared to other organs. The mean concentration of each heavy metal were varied significantly (p0.05) depending on the species of fish. In the histological analysis of the tissues, there was vacuolation of hepatocytes, inflammation, and necrosis. In the muscle, there was a mild lesion, necrosis, inflammation, and cellular degenerations. But the level of tissue and organ degeneration is more severe in the gills. The study showed that some levels of these metals were within the permissible recommended allowed limit for human consumption. It is concluded that Makoko Lagoon water body and fishes are heavily contaminated with heavy metals

Continuous Interpolation of Solution Sets of Lipschitzian Quantum Stochastic Differential Inclusions

Given any finite set of trajectories of a Lipschitzian quantum stochastic differential inclusion (QSDI), there exists a continuous selection from the complex-valued multifunction associated with the solution set of the inclusion, interpolating the matrix elements of the given trajectories. Furthermore, the difference of any two of such solutions is bounded in the seminorm of the locally convex space of solutions

Growth, yield and NPK uptake by maize with complementary organic and inorganic fertilizers.

High and sustainable crop yields in the tropics have been reported to be only possible with judicious combination of mineral fertilizers and organic amendments. Fertilizing croppings to achieve this has usually been a difficult task to achieve. The growth and yield of maize cultivated with a complementary application of organic and inorganic fertilizers was assessed compared with sole organic and sole inorganic fertilizers between April and July 2003 and 2004 at Ibadan, Nigeria, in the degraded tropical rain forest zone. There was a no-fertilizer treatment as the control. The organic fertilizer was an equal mixture of composted domestic waste and stale cow dung, applied at 10 tonnes ha-1. Urea and Single super phosphate were applied as the inorganic fertilizer to supply 70 kg N and 13 kg P2O5 ha-1 respectively. The mixture of organic and inorganic fertilizer treatment consisted of half the rates used for sole organic and sole inorganic fertilizer treatments: 5 tonnes organic mixture was applied, with 35 kg N and 6.5 kg P2O5. Maize plant height at 8 weeks after planting was highest with inorganic fertilizer application while the leaf area was highest with organic fertilizer application. Stover yield and cob yields were also highest with inorganic fertilizer. Complementary application of organic and inorganic fertilizers however had similar plant heights; stover yield as well as cob yields with inorganic fertilizer. Nitrogen appeared chelated with organic fertilizer application. Plant ear – leaf Nitrogen was highest (1.68%) with inorganic fertilizer while the control plots had a Nitrogen content of 1.12% which was higher than 0.84% and 0.98% N from sole organic and a complementary application of organic and inorganic fertilizers, respectively. Plant P content was increased by 136% and 15% with organic and inorganic fertilizers, respectively, but was reduced by 15% with complementary application of organic and inorganic fertilizers. The K content was highest with inorganic fertilizer (1.91%). Complementary application of organic and inorganic fertilizers had a K content of 1.70% while the organic – fertilized leaves had 1.53%. Stover nutrient uptake was highest for N and K with inorganic fertilizer while the P was highest with organic fertilizer application. Cultivating maize with complementary organic and inorganic fertilizers gives a comparable cob yield as inorganic fertilizer and has nutrients higher than from sole organic fertilizer application

The Impact of Company Accounts on Accounting Information Generation for Decision Making of Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria

Small and medium scale enterprises are gaining widespread acceptance as viable drivers of economic growth. However, several of these enterprises demise without fulfilling expectations due to poor management arising from weak accounting structure and information, and the studies of the impact of company accounts on accounting information generation are very few and not fully explored in the literature especially in Nigeria. This study therefore, examines the impact of company account on the generation of accounting information for decision making of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. A survey research design approach was adopted through the administration of questionnaire to obtain primary data from respondents. The sample size of 151 respon-dents was drawn from 15 selected SMEs in Osun State. A stratified sampling technique was used to draw the sample. The data collected was analyzed using Linear Multiple Regression mode. From the results obtained, there is strong relationship between the company accounts and accounting information as indicated by the correlation coefficient of 0.955, 0.958, 0.962 and the p-value is less than 1% significant level (0.00<0.01), therefore null hypotheses are rejected. That means company accounts play significant role in generating accounting information for decision making of business organizations in Nigeria. This study finds that some SMEs operators in Osun State hired unskilled accounting personnel which make their accounting information unreliable and inadequate for effective decision making and very difficult to measure the performances of their business. This study recommends that government should promulgate new additional company law that will extend mandatory annual statutory preparation, disclosure and publication of annual accounts and reports of limited liability companies to other uncovered small and medium enterprises in Nigeria. Keywords: Accounting information, Company accounts, Small and Medium Enterprises. DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/11-11-04 Publication date:June 30th 202

Effects of the walnut Plukenetia conophora shell in the diet on the growth performance and genotoxicity of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus

Aquaculture industry is facing challenges of the high cost of fish feed, and therefore it is very crucial to explore the alternative raw materials for feed formulation at the lowest cost. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Plukenetia conophora shells on the growth, haematological and biochemical parameters, and its genotoxicity on African catfish Clarias gariepinus juveniles. Five experimental diets were formulated having three replicates at 0% (0WS), 25% (25WS), 50% (50WS), 75% (75WS) and 100% (100WS) inclusion of walnut shell respectively. The fishes were fed on experimental diet two time a day for 12 weeks. The results showed that the fish in tank 25WS had the best weight gain with the mean of 33.5±5.8 g and the least was recorded in tank 100WS. The specific growth rate was highest in-tank 75WS with the mean value of 0.46±0.05 g was recorded. The highest feed intake was found in fish fed with 25% inclusion of P. conophora.  The fish fed with P. conophorashowed increased values of haemoglobin, (12.05±1.63g/dL), Red blood cell, (2.785±0.28µL) and White blood cell, (11.25±4.59µL) compared with control diet values of fish fed of  Red blood cell, (1.81±1.54µL) and White blood cell, (5.15±6.57µL). There was a reduction in the haematological value of the fish fed with control feed having Haemoglobin, (10.75±8.13g/dL). The genotoxicity test that was carried out showed that the highest counts of micronucleus were in tank 75WS. The Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) shows a significant difference (p0.05) in the growth performance of the fish. It is concluded that inclusion of 50% P. conophora shells in the feed of C. gariepinus gave no negative impact on the health status  and growth performance of the fish.  Keywords: Toxicity test, Growth indices, Plukenetia conophora, Clarias gariepinus 

Electricity Consumption, Institutions and Economic Growth in Nigeria: What Does Evidence Say So Far?

This study applies bound test approach to VAR to investigate the long-run and short run relationship between institutional quality, electricity consumption and economic growth in Nigeria based on annual data for the period 1980-2011. In the first step, we examine the degree of integration between all the variables and find that the variables are mixture of order of integration. In the second step, we investigate the long-run relationship between institutions, electricity consumption and economic growth; the results based on the bounds testing procedure reveal that there exists co integration among the variables used in the model. In the third step, we estimate the long run and short run relationship and test for causality using ARDL and Wald test approach and find a positive direct relationship between institutions, electricity consumption and economic growth. The result of granger non causality test support the existence of both short run and long-run bidirectional relationship between GDP and electricity consumption and a unidirectional causality running from institutions to economic growth. Further, our analyses reveal that causation runs from institutions to electricity consumption and vice versa in both period. Implying policy makers should adopt policies that can ensure total overhauling of our institutions capable of  driving  investment in infrastructures as well as  reorientation of the individuals in term of altitudes, trust, respect for rule of law and accountability, thereby encourage long-term contract, lower risk of doing business and improve human capital that is necessary for growth. Key words: Institutions, Electricity consumption, Co integration, Growth, Granger causalit