Effects of Pig Dung and Poultry Manure With Plant Residues on the Production of Some Fruit Vegetables

The field experiment was carried out during the raining season at Organic Agricultural Farm of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Nigeria. Compost was prepared using pig dung and poultry manure with plant residue. It was applied at the rate of 0 and 10t ha-1 replicated three times. The observation on growth parameter showed that at 5 WAP okra with composted poultry manure was low although there was increase at 7 and 9 WAP. The observation on growth parameter showed that at 5 WAP okra with composted poultry manure was low than composted pig manure and no amendment but later showed increase in height at 7  and 9 WAP while pepper with poultry manure was higher than composted pig manure and no amendment which later increase in highest. Observation on yield parameter revealed that okra with composted pig manure had the highest number of fruits than pepper with composted pig manure. The soil micro biological parameters after adding compost showed that pepper with no amendment had the highest viable counts than pepper composted pig dung and poultry manure than okra with composted pig manure and no amendment. Fungal counts were high in un-amended soil planted with pepper than all other treatments. Microbial biomass carbon was high in soil amended with composted poultry manure planted with okra than all other treatment. Microbial biomass phosphorus was high in soil amended with poultry manure planted with okra than other treatments and microbial biomass nitrogen was high in soil amended with poultry manure planted with pepper and that of okra with pig manure. The soil microbiological parameters were affected by treatments

Mineral Prospecting Potentials Of Osun State.

It has been discovered that Nigeria is endowed with a lot of mineral resources widely distributed in virtually all the states in the country. In Osun State almost all the local governments has more than one mineral resource that can be obtained from them. Despite the occurrence of mineral resources in the state, not all are of economic quantity and this is the main problem this study seeks to solve. In this study, minerals that are of economic quantity are separated from the minerals that are not of economic quantity through the use of scientific method. The mineral resources that are found in Osun State were hypothesized, the estimated reserve of each mineral resources that are of economic quantity were also analyzed. The findings at end of this study proved that only the following minerals are of economic quantity in Osun Slate: Gold, Talc, Granite, Tinstone, Feldspar, Kaolin, Columbite, and Clay. Keywords: Mineral Prospecting   Potentials Resources Economic quantit

An audit of the quality of surgical operation notes in a Nigerian teaching hospital

Background: Operation note records are important tools for ensuring patients’ continuity of care, for research purposes and medico-legal reasons. They can effectively serve these purposes only if well documented. The main objective of this study was to assess the practice of recording the operation notes among surgical trainees in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital.Methods: Operation notes completed by doctors in the Surgery Department over a 2-month period were audited for completeness, legibility and conformity to the standards of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.Results: There were 100 operation notes reviewed, two-thirds of these were written by Senior Registrars, majority of which were for elective operations (63%). Only 37 of the operation notes were appropriately completed with about two-thirds either incomplete or wrongly filled. The cadre of the surgical trainee did not significantly influence the completeness of the operation notes.  Legibility of the operation notes was associated significantly with completeness (p<0.04).  Conclusion: Standards of operation note writing in our practice needs to be improved upon. The challenges of legibility and completeness of documentation can be overcome by the use of an aide-memoire as well as computerized operation notes

Effects of Kaolin Particle Size and Annealing Temperature on the Resistivity of Zinc- Kaolin Composite Resistors

The effects of kaolin particle sizes on the resistivity of zinc-kaolin composite resistors have been investigated. The composite resistors have been produced from kaolin particle sizes ranging from 0.063 mm to 0.5 mm. The resistors were produced in a mould to a dimension of 65 mm x 6.5 mm x 3.2 mm with dry zinc and kaolin powders to which a drop or two of sodium silicate have been added as a binder. The resistors were annealed at temperatures ranging from 300\ub0C to 1000\ub0C in steps of 100\ub0C for composites of 0%, 5%, 40% and 60%(vol.) zinc content. Results showed that composite resistivity at all the zinc concentrations considered and at all annealing temperatures increased exponentially with increasing kaolin particle size. The effect of annealing showed that composite resistance is highest for composites annealed at 1000\ub0C and lowest for cermets annealed between 500 oC and 600\ub0C. Composite resistance increased with increasing kaolin particle size due to the large contact area presented by the insulating kaolin particles resulting in reduction of the number of zinc particle-particle contact. The results from this study will help in the development of conducting ceramics which could find use in chemical industries as electrodes in environments not conducive for metallic electrodes

Antimicrobial activity and stability of Andrographis paniculata cream containing shea butter

Background: Creams are semi-solid topical products which are intended to be applied to the skin or mucous membrane. Herbal medicated creams are used for various therapeutic purposes. The antimicrobial properties of Andrographis paniculata leaves have been studied by various researchers.Objectives: The objective of this study is to formulate and evaluate the effect of shea butter (unrefined and refined) on the antimicrobial activity of Andrographis paniculata cream and also to investigate the physical stability of the cream under different storage temperature.Methods: Different cream formulations containing 5, 10 and 20% Andrographis paniculata extract and shea butter were produced, physical properties of the cream were evaluated and susceptibility of the cream to Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aureginosa, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans was determined from zones of inhibition produced on an agar plate. Physical stability was done by subjecting the creams to different storage temperatures.Results: All the cream formulations were homogenous in appearance, soft, smooth, non-greasy and were oil-in-water type emulsion. Viscosity of the creams increased with incorporation of shea butter. The incorporation of shea butter in formulations containing aqueous or methanolic extracts enhanced the antimicrobial activity of the formulations. There was no significant difference between the antimicrobial activities of both extract against all the test organism except for Aspergillus niger in which methanolic extract showed a higher activity which was significantly different (p<0.05). The physical stability of the cream formulations was maintained within 30 days, no changes in colour, texture, and homogeneity.Conclusion: Inclusion of shea butter synergized the antimicrobial activity of Andrographis paniculata cream.Keywords: Cream, shea butter, Andrographis paniculata, aqueous extract, methanolic extrac

Spray Pyrolysed Nanostructured Gold-Doped Tin Oxide (Auto) Thin Films

Nanostructured SnO2 thin films were grown by the chemical spray pyrolysis (CSP) method. Homemade spray pyrolysis technique is employed to prepare thin films. SnO2 is wide band gap semiconductor material whose film is deposited on glass substrate. A gold nanoparticle-doped tin oxide thin film (AuTO) was also prepared. UV-VIS (ultraviolet visible) spectroscopy and four-point probe analysis are done for optical and electrical analysis. UV-Visible absorption spectra show that the band gap of SnO2 thin film is 3.78 eV and 3.82 eV for AuTO. Band gap of SnO2 thin film can be tuned that it can be used in optical devices. The films have transmittance increases (to about 60%) and the absorbance decreases in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The electrical conductivity of the Tin Oxide is enhanced by functionalizing with the Gold nanoparticles. It is higher than that of the Tin oxide only; 0.77 x 10-2 (Ohm cm)-1 and 3.55 x 10-2 (Ohm cm)-1 for SnO2 and AuTO respectively. These properties reveal that Tin Oxide doped with gold can actually be a good material for a transparent conducting oxide to be used in photovoltaic fabrication and in electronics

The roles of biochar and arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation on selected soil biological properties and tomato performance

Field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of biochar application and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculation on selected soil biological characteristics, shoot P and fruit yield of two tomato genotypes. Result indicated that mycorrhizal inoculation significantly (p< 0.05) increased shoot P (0.72 g P kg-1) and number of AM spores (47.90 spores / 25 g soil) compared to non-mycorrhizal plants, but no significant difference was observed in tomato fruit yield, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN). Application of 20 t ha-1 of biochar significantly (p< 0.05) increased tomato fruit yields and number of AM spores when compared with the control. However, 10 and 15 t ha-1 of biochar rates gave comparable performance as 20 t ha-1 of biochar in most cases. No significant differences were observed in shoot P, MBC and MBN among biochar rates. Thus, AM inoculation enhanced P nutrition while biochar improved AM spores abundance as well as tomato fruit yields. The 20 t ha-1 of biochar could be used to improve AM spores abundance as well as tomato fruit yields.Keywords: Biochar; AM Fungi; Biological Properties; Tomato Performanc

Comparative Analysis of Zeolite Y From Nigerian Clay and Standard Grade

Zeolite Y catalyst with silica/alumina mola•· ntio of 4.70 was synthesized from Elefun (Nigel"ia) clay unde•· hydwthe•·mal tJ·eatment of calcined kaolin with aqueous NaOH at atmosphel"ic p•·essm·e. This pape•· descl"ibed the p•·epantion of zeolite Y catalyst fmm metakaolin of quality Elefun kaolin by ageing at 34oC fo•· 7days, and then n·ystallized at lOOoC fm· 24 hom·s. The synthesized zeolite NaY was modified by exchanging with NH4Cl to obtain its hydwgen fo•·m with silica/alumina ntio of 3.18. Both developed and standa1·d zeolite Y catalyst we1·e then chanctel"ized by a val"iety of physicochemical methods, including XRD, XRF spectwscope. The mm·phologies we1·e examined using SEM. Similar results we1·e obtained, thus confi•·ming the synthesis of zeolite Y

Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research: Workshop Report

The Center for Population and Reproductive Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria , with support from its NIH Planning Grant organized a two Day workshop on “Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research” at the University of Ibadan Centre for Sustainable Development (CESDEV). There were 8 facilitators and 78 participants. The workshop concluded that responsible conduct of research (RCR) is the practice of scientific investigation or research with integrity involving but not limited to the awareness and application of established professional norms and ethical principles in the performance of all activities related to scientific research