Comparative Phytochemical Investigation of the Various Parts of Vitellaria Paradoxa

Percentage yield of leaf, bark and root of Vitellaria paradoxa was determined after extraction with different solvents (methanol, omidun, sterile omidun and water). Quantity of phytochemical constituents in each solvent extract was also determined. The yield range was found highest in methanol extract, followed by omidun extract, sterile omidun and water extracts also in bark extracts (9.33 to 28.80%) followed by root extracts (18.13 to 20.80%) and lowest in leaf extracts (12.00 to 15.46%). Phytochemical results revealed the presence of ten phytochemical constituents at varying quantities but with no significant difference (p< 0.05) among all the solvent extracts. Methanol extracts yielded slightly higher amount of phytochemicals followed by sterile omidun, omidun and sterile distilled water extracts respectively. Oxalate was found present in large amount; other classes were present in moderate quantities: tannin, saponin, flavonoid and anthraquinine. While alkaloid, steroid, terpene, phlobatannin and cardiac glycoside were present in small quantities. Though, methanol is a better solvent for extraction, the use of omidun as extraction solvent was neither a bad choice of solvent. Key words: Vitellaria paradoxa, percentage yield, sterile, yield

Business Strategies and Competitive Advantage: Evidence from Flour Mill Companies in Lagos State, Nigeria

The authors argued from business strategies perspective to understand competitive advantage among homogenous producers. The population consisted of top and functional managers of flour mill companies in Lagos State, Nigeria. Cross sectional survey research design was adopted and primary data were collated and used. The research instrument was an adapted questionnaire. Its validity and reliability were statistically determined. Six hundred and twenty copies of the questionnaire were administered and 605 retrieved. Econometric equation was formulated and multiple regression analysis was employed for data analysis. Business strategies were found to have significantly affected competitive advantage. The study recommended product differentiation and portfolio diversification in order to achieve competitive advantage

Experimental Investigation of Lard and Tallow Oils Suitability in Turning Operation of Hypo-Eutectoid Steels

This research is aimed at evaluating the performance suitability of lard and tallow based cutting fluids as potential cutting fluids in turning of hypo-eutectoid steels using carbide cutting tool steels. This was achieved via investigation of the effect of those selected fluids on certain parameters like tool temperature, tool life, spindle power consumption, Work-piece under roughness and chip formations etc., as compared to the conventional mineral oil-based MCFs.Cooling and lubrication in machining are important in reducing the severity of the contact processes at the cutting tool-workpiece interface. Currently, there are wide scale evaluations of the use of metal working fluids (MWFs) in machining, so as to reduce the amount of lubricants in metal removing operations. The increasing awareness of the general public on the environment and health impact of mineral oil-based metal cutting fluids (MCFs) is forcing machine workshop operators to reduce their use as cutting fluids and in search for more environmental friendly animal oil-based cutting fluids. Based on this, commercially available animal oils are currently been exploited as potential oils for formulation of animal oil-based cutting fluids. It is therefore necessary to conduct machining trials to determine the suitability of these oils in metal cutting operations such as turning, drilling and milling etc. This study investigates the effect of the selected cutting fluids on certain machining parameters in turning operations of hypo-eutectoid steels using carbide cutting tool. The selected oils purchased from a local market in Ibadan, Nigeria were sieved to remove any foreign particles or dirt. The solution (water, additives, and base-oil) were mixed at an elevated temperature of 55oC in a proportion 5:1:2.The essence of the emulsifier (additive) was to prevent separation of water from oil. The steel samples obtained from a steel company in Nigeria after spectrochemical analysis, were machined on a variable speed center lathe under different machining parameters. Experimental results clearly showed that Conventional cutting fluid might be replaced with Non-conventional one like LOCFs and TOCFs as they give better performances. With slight modifications and deliberate but careful alterations in some of the components of such oils, better performing cutting fluids could be obtainedSelf-Sponsore

Mineral balance, nutrient intake and digestibility of West African dwarf (Wad) goats fed urea-mixed milled maize stover diets

Twelve (12) male West African dwarf (WAD)goats with an average weight of 8.5 kg were monitored in a completely randomized design, to determine the nutrient intake, digestibility and mineral balance when fed urea-mixed milled maize stover (UMMS) diets in the dry season. Four dietsD1, D2, D3 and D4 containing 0, 3, 4.5 and 6% inclusion levels of urea respectively and 60% maize stovers each were fed to the goats during 14 weeks feeding experiment, for digestibility trials, weighed feed was fed each day for 7 days after an initial 14 day adaptation period, urine, faecal and diet samples were collected and analysed. Results showed that crude protein (CP) content of diets increased as the inclusion level of urea increases while voluntary dry matter intake (DMI) of all nutrients by bucks, decreased significantly (P<0.05) with the increase in dietary urea. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in the apparent digestibility of crude fibre (CF) and nitrogen free extract (NFE) of diets but all other nutrients showed no significant variation (P>0.05) in digestibility. Mineral intake by bucks decreased significantly (P<0.05) with increasing level of dietary urea inclusion. The highest value of mineral retention was recorded for goats on diet D1. The inadequacy of some minerals in experimental diets may require supplementation when a urea-mixed milled maize stover (UMMS) diet is fed to goats during the dry season. &nbsp

Exposure to Fluoxetine induced Gonado-toxicity in female rats: Modulating role of Hybanthus enneaspermus

Several scientific evidence supports the use of Hybanthus enneaspermus leaves in the management of female sexual inadequacies. Additionally, fluoxetine is a reproductive toxicant that induces sexual dysfunction. To determine the modulating role of aqueous extract of Hybanthus enneaspermus leaves on fluoxetine-induced gonado-toxicity, sixty healthy, sexually-responsive female rats (157.21 ± 6.89) were divided into six groups (A–F) comprising of 10 rats each. Group A (control group) were administered distilled water only, Group B-F received orally 15 mg/kg body weight (b.w) of fluoxetine prepared daily for 14 days for the induction of anti-oestrogenicity and subsequently received 0.5ml of distilled water, 20 mg/kg b.w of a reference drug (Tadalafil) and 0.5 mL equivalent to 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg b.w of the extract respectively, orally, once daily (08:00-08:45h) for 7 days. Fluoxetine reduced serum oestrogen concentrations by 54.79% and significantly reduced (p<0.05) ovarian and uterine total protein, glycogen, cholesterol, the activities of alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase. The reductions were by (22.91%, 25.57%, 22.82 %, 15.09 % and 43.17 %) in the ovaries and (21.25 %, 26.9%, 7.20%, 16.82% and 29.85%) in the uteri of the animals respectively. In contrast, these reductions were overturned by the extract towards the control group. The extract at 1000 mg/kg b.w ameliorated the reductions of these oestrogenic indices. Hybanthus enneaspermus attenuated the deleterious effects of fluoxetine on the ovaries and uteri, restored sexual competence and promoted oogenesis. These may further lend backing to its widespread use in handling some sterility/infertility problems in women

Performance of West African Dwarf nursing does and kids fed graded levels of palm kernel cake as replacement for formulated concentrates

A sixteen-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the replacement value of formulated concentrate (FC) supplemented with palm kernel cake (PKC) using Pennisetum purpureum as a basal diet for nursing West African Dwarf (WAD) goats. Parameters assessed were dry matter intake, average initial live weight, average live weight change of the does and suckled kids. Fifteen lactating WAD goats and suckling kids were randomly allocated to five concentrate supplement groups of FC: PKC ratio, namely, diet 1 (100:0), diet 2 (75:25), diet 3 (50:50), diet 4 (25:75), and diet 5 (0:100) respectively in a completely randomized design (CRD). Each treatment had three replicates of one nursing doe and a suckling kid. The replacement of FC supplemented with PKC had a significant (P 0.05) effect was observed in their total DM intake. The levels of replacement of FC by PKC indicated a significant (P<0.05) effect on the average feed intake, average live weight of nursing does and suckled kids. The results concluded that 50% fraction replacement of FC by PKC perfectly enhanced better performance

Economic Analysis of Sawnwood Marketing in Isokan Local Government area Osun State, Nigeria

Sawnwood is wood that has been produced either by sawing lengthways or by a profile-chipping process and is greater than 6 millimetres. The study evaluates the economic analysis of sawnwood marketing in Isokan Local Government area of Osun state Nigeria using appropriate standard methods. The results showed that 67.5% of the respondents were males while 28.3% were females. Most of the respondents (50%) are in their active ages, a large percentage (51.2%) of the respondents got into the business of planks marketing by training and started its runs through bank loans. Eight (8) major wood species: Albizia zygia, Blighia sapida, Ccordia milleni, Gmelina arborea, Milicia excelsa, Nuclea diderrichii, Termilania superba, and Triplochiton scleroxylon were sold in the study area. The constraints faced by the plank market business are unavailability means of transportation, government tariffs, price fluctuation in purchase, scarcity of timber and bad roads. There is significant relationship between the socio economic characteristics and the constraints facing sawnwood marketing in the study area. Results showed that for every $0.0022 invested into the sawn wood business,$0.0055 is returned, this implies that timber marketing business is a worthwhile business. It is thus recommended that there is a need for sawn wood marketers to organize themselves into cooperative groups in order to secure loan and credit facilities from funding agency so as to ease the constraints faced by them to boost their returns

CARCASS INDICES AND MEAT QUALITY OF BROILER CHICKENS FED DIETS CONTAINING FORTIFIED FERMENTED CASSAVA STUMP

A 56-day study was conducted to evaluate carcass and meat quality of broiler chickens fed diets containing fortified fermented cassava stump (FFCS) as a replacement for maize. Cassava stumps and leaves were fermented in the solid state at room temperature, using Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404 for 192 and 96 hours, respectively, and then mixed at a ratio of 19:1 to obtain the FFCS. The birds were allotted into four treatments with three replicates (n= 30). The treatments consistzzed of different inclusion levels of FFCS: Diet 1 containing 0% FFCS (control treatment); Diet 2 containing 20% FFCS; Diet 3 containing 40% FFCS; and Diet 4 containing 60% FFCS. Dressing and eviscerated percentages were higher (p 0.05) by the inclusion of FFCS, but values obtained were higher with up to 40%. Meat quality was significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by the FFCS. In addition, the degree of meat peroxidation decreased with increased FFCS levels. Diets with up to 40% FFCS inclusion resulted in improved carcass traits, oxidative stability, and meat quality. Therefore, the addition of fortified cassava stump in broiler chickens' diets could produce meat of better quality, with low peroxidation, high oxidative stability, and longer shelf-life.z

Systematic review of climate change impact research in Nigeria: implication for sustainable development

There is evidence that Nigeria is already experiencing environmental challenges attributed to climate change (CC) and its impacts. This has clearly highlighted the need for knowledge-based strategies to help plan adequate mitigation and adaptation measures for the country. One of the basic requirements to ensure such strategies is the development of a database of national CC research. This will aid in the assessment of past and present scientific publications from which directions for future study can be mapped. The present study used standard, systematic, and bibliographic literature reviews to analyse the trend, focus, spatial variability, and effectiveness of published research on CC impacts in Nigeria. Four thematic areas of CC impact research were defined: Agriculture, Environment, Human and Multi-disciplinary study. A total of 701 articles were found to be relevant and the review shows that CC impacts and adaptations in the literature vary across research categories and locations. The period between 2011 (68 studies) and 2015 (80 studies) showed a tremendous rise in CC impact research with a peak in 2014 (84 studies). Studies in the agriculture category had the highest publications in 23 States of Nigeria. The review revealed three research gaps: (1) lack of research that investigated the magnitude of present and potential future impacts in the aquatic environment (2) little attention on CC impacts and adaptation in the Northern regions of Nigeria (3) absence of study investigating the effects of multiple variables of CC at the same time. The findings suggest that it would be useful to advance CC research in Nigeria beyond perceptive approaches to more quantitative ones. This is particularly important for highly vulnerable animals, crops, locations, and for better planning of adaptation strategies