Rumen Fermentation, Blood Metabolites, and Performance of Sheep Fed Tropical Browse Plants

The in vitro study was designed to evaluate total gas production, dry matter degradability (DMD), and VFA profile; while in vivo study was designed to evaluate nutrient intakes, blood metabolites, and performance of sheep fed native grass mixed with Calliandra calothyrrus (CC), Leucaena leucochepala (LL), Moringa oleifera (MO), Gliricidea sepium (GS), and Artocarpus heterophyllus (AH). The best three from the in vitro results were used to formulate diets in in vivo study. Sixteen male growing sheep (average BW 20 kg) were fed 100% native grass (NG) as control; 70% NG + 30% GS; 70% NG + 30% MO; and 70% NG + 30% AH. Nutrient consumptions, DMD, blood metabolites, and sheep performances were analyzed by using Completely Randomized Design. The in vitro results showed that the total gas production and DMD of CC and LL were the lowest (P<0.05) while the highest was found in GS, MO, and AH treatments (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the in vivo results showed that nutrient intakes (DM, CP, and CF) of GS and AH rations were the highest. The ADG, concentration of albumin, and globulin in all treatments were similar, while total serum protein, triglycerides, and glucose concentration in MO and AH rations were higher than others. Serum cholesterol concentration in MO ration was the lowest, meanwhile the concentration of IgG was the highest (P<0.05). Supplementation of 30% MO was the best choice for optimum rumen fermentation and maintaining health status of local sheep

Determination of Some Essential Metals in Selected Medicinal Plants

Medicinal plants are sources of different essential metals that have different biological activities including those useful in the treatment of human diseases. Among the indigenous medicinal plants used as phytomedicines for the treatment of many diseases in Kano State are Annona squamosa, Psidium guajava, Anacardium occidentale, Ficussycomorus and Pomegranate. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of essential metals present in the herb tissues (leaf and stem) samples obtained from Kwarin Gogau garden, airport road, Kano State. The plant samples were collected, pretreated and digested by wet digestion method and analyzed using Micro Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrophotometer (MPAES). The results obtained in this study showed that extracts of the medicinal herbs investigated contained essential metals. The mean concentrations range for essential metals were: Zn (0.109-0.658mg/kg), Cu (0.026-0.079 mg/kg), K (1.846 -11.669 mg/kg), Mn (0.039-1.269 mg/kg), Fe (0.019-0.107mg/kg), Ni (0.054-0.144 mg/kg). Comparing the results obtained with the permissible limits set by WHO for consumed medicinal herbs, it was concluded that the essential metals present in the herbs were below permissible limits. Also, there was no statistically significant difference between the plant tissues samples analyzed for Zn, Cu, K, Mn, Fe, and Ni (P>0.05). &nbsp

pH Dependence of Absorption and Emission Spectra of Ru(phen)2(phenOH)2+(PF6)2 Complex

A ruthenium complex of the 4-hydroxy- 1,10-phenanthroline ligand was synthesized, and the variation of its absorption and emission intensity and litetime with pH characterized. Excited state lifetime, luminescence intensity, and emission properties were determined.  The complex exhibits a maximum at 460nm, and a small red shift at higher pH. The spectra show a well defined isobestic point. Luminescence intensity exhibited a sigmoidal relationship with pH, a behaviour that is similar to those of other ruthenium complexes carrying protonable functional groups. This characteristic is suggestive of the suitability of this complex for pH sensor design for medical practices as well as industrial processes. pH dependence is more evident in the emission than the absorption spectra, a behaviour characteristic of higher pH dependence on the excited than the ground state of the complex. Emission lifetimes of 165.4ns and 3.08ns for the protonated and deprotonated states respectively, were determined and the pK*a value calculated as 3.68

Estimation of land surface temperature of Kaduna metropolis, Nigeria using landsat images

Understanding the spatial variation of Land Surface Temperature (LST), will be helpful in urban micro climate studies. This study estimates the land surface temperature of Kaduna metropolis, Nigeria. For the present study Landsat ETM+ images of 2001, 2006, 2009 and OLI 2015 was obtained from USGS of the study area. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) image was developed. The digital number of thermal infrared band is converted in to spectral radiance using the equation supplied by the Landsat user’s hand book. The effective at-sensor brightness temperature is obtained from the spectral radiance using Plank’s inverse function. The surface emissivity based on NDVI is used to retrieve the final LST. It was noted that 2006 has the highest maximum value with the highest mean value of 0.177 and standard deviation of 0.0903 while 2001 has the minimum value of NDVI. So also 2001 has the maximum value with highest mean value of 0.999 and standard deviation of 0.00161 while 2015 has the minimum value of surface emissivity. The coefficient determinant R2 (0.837) show a strong positive correlation between mean of surface emissivity with date and season which shows downward trend in average over the study period. 2015 has the highest mean value of 39.42 with standard deviation of 1.92 of LST and coefficient determinant R2 (0.46) show a positive correlation between mean of LST with date and season, with an upward trend in average LST over the study period. Lastly, NDVI is found to have negative correlation with LST. The Coefficient of determination (R2) (0.66) of surface temperature with NDVI and surface emissivity show a better prediction power of land surface temperature.Keywords: LST, NDVI, Surface Emissivity, Landsat images, Temperatur

An Analysis of the Determinants of business growth in Ghana: A study of Wa Municipal in the Upper West Region

Sources of firm growth and development have received much attention in the field of research. These studies vary in content and perspective. Changes in the size of firms are therefore extremely important events in a firm’s demography. The growth of firms has consequences for employment and consequently economic growth. The objectives of this study are to explore the factors that affect business growth and the determinants of the size of business. The techniques used for data collection included questionnaires and interviews. Purposive sampling was employed to identify the sample. For robustness, both parametric and nonparametric methods were combined for the analysis. Further, simple regression analysis was used to ascertain the factors that affect the size of businesses. Correlation analysis was employed to examine the nature of the relationship between firm size and other variables. Furthermore, Pearson’s chi-square test of independence was also used in the study. The correlation analysis showed that business age had a positive and statistically significant association with business size. The regression analysis revealed that business age and record keeping had significant impacts on business size. For policy, business start-ups should be encouraged supported to survive over time. Keywords: Business size, Business age, Ghana JEL Classification: C21, D22, L25, M2

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Sympathetic Crystallization of Molecular Ions

It is shown that the translational degrees of freedom of a large variety of molecules, from light diatomic to heavy organic ones, can be cooled sympathetically and brought to rest (crystallized) in a linear Paul trap. The method relies on endowing the molecules with an appropriate positive charge, storage in a linear radiofrequency trap, and sympathetic cooling. Two well--known atomic coolant species, ${}^9{\hbox{Be}}^+$ and ${}^{137}{\hbox{Ba}}^+$, are sufficient for cooling the molecular mass range from 2 to 20,000 amu. The large molecular charge required for simultaneous trapping of heavy molecules and of the coolant ions can easily be produced using electrospray ionization. Crystallized molecular ions offer vast opportunities for novel studies.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Adsorption of cadmium (II) from simulated wastewater using Albizia saman pod activated carbon in fixed bed columns

The possibility of using Albizia saman pod activated carbon (ASPAC) as an adsorbent in fixed down flow adsorption columns to remove Cd (II) from wastewater was investigated for the purpose of converting the waste to a valuable product. The effects of impregnation ratio, particle size, carbon height, pressure head and initial cadmium Cd (II) concentration on the adsorption of Cd (II) from wastewater were investigated. The obtained adsorption data from the experiment was then fitted into the Hutchin’s bed depth service time (BDST) model to study the columns performance at 15% and 90% breakthrough concentrations. The BDST model constants were determined. An optimal pressure head of 5 cm, impregnation ratio of 1:6, packing height of 3.5 cm, particle size of 75 μm and initial Cd (II) concentration of 0.029 mg/L were found to be the most effective combination, which removed 100 % of the Cd (II) within a service time of 14 hrs. There was a gradual decrease in the percentage of adsorbed Cd (II) with time; the percentage adsorbed became zero at 44, 56 and 86 hours respectively for 2.5 cm, 3 cm and 3.5 cm carbon heights. The breakthrough curves for Cd (II) adsorption maintained the characteristic S-curve for most dynamic studies. Chi-squared test performed on the developed BDST models revealed the goodness of fit of the models for the prediction of the columns performance at all breakthrough concentrations investigated. The use of ASPAC as adsorbent for the removal of Cd (II) from wastewater in adsorption columns is therefore recommended.Key words: Activated carbon, cadmium (II), fixed bed columns, Albizia saman pod, wastewater