Analysis of Market Participation by Rice Farmers in Southern Nigeria.

The study analyzed the factors affecting market participation by smallholder rice farmers in the study area. A random sampling procedure was employed in selecting the respondents. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and the probit regression model. The results showed the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the small holder rice farmers varied greatly. The probit regression result showed that the level of crop produced, total land size, use of improved seeds, group participation, market information and contractual agreement has positive and significant impact on the ability of household to participate in output market. Lack of timely market information, transport and restricted access to extension agents are some of the problems associated with smallholder farmers in the study area. Based on the findings of the study some policy implications are discussed. KEYWORDS:Market participation, Small holder rice farmers, Market information, Output marke

Effect of Dietary Pumpkin Stem Waste on Haematological Indices, Meat and Serum Lipid Profiles of Rabbits

This study evaluated the effect of different supplementary dietary levels of pumpkin stem waste (PSW) on the haematological indices, meat and serum lipid profile of rabbits. Three experimental feed regime:D1 (control), basal feed+ 0% PSW; D2,basal feed + 5% PSW and D3, basal feed + 10% PSW were randomly assigned to the three treatment groups in a 3x2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design experiment. The PSW percentage were offered on rabbit weight basis. Thirty six (18 males and 18 females) crossbred (California x New Zealand white) weaned rabbits aged 6 and 7 weeks were divided into three treatment groups of 12 rabbits each with 4 rabbits per replicate (2 females and 2 males) and randomly allotted to the three dietary treatments. At the end of 12 weeks feeding trial( prior to slaughtering), blood samples were collected from 6 rabbits (3 males and 3 females) per treatment totalling 18 rabbits and used to determine the serum lipid profile and haematological blood indices. Similarly, breast meat sample was used to determined lipid profile. Results obtained showed that while red blood cell (RBC),haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV),Mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) and mean cell haemoglobin concentration MCHC increased (P<0.05) with increasing dietary PSW. White blood cell (WBC) and MCHC however showed no significant difference (P>0.05) among the treatments groups. Lipid profile of both serum and meat indicated that HDL increased significantly (P<0.05) with increase in PSW while total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), triglyceride (TG) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) decreased significantly (P<0.05). Diet by sex interaction showed that male rabbits recorded significantly different (P<0.05) values from their female counterparts in all the blood and meat lipid parameters assessed. These results suggest that pumpkin stem waste is hypolipidaemic therefore could lower rabbits’ meat cholesterol and improve blood constituents

A framework for semantic driven electronic examination system for subjective questions

In this paper, a theoretical framework that incorporates a semantic dictionary (WordNet) into the current eexamination system to support subjective question is proposed. The WordNet serves as a medium of enhancing the current e-examination system in which machines can process, interpret, and evaluate information for enhance knowledge retrieval. The approach adopted is hypothesized to solve the semantic mismatch issues in subjective e examination. An algorithm that explores the synset structure of WordNet databas e and which gives meaning of any term based on the available synonyms is proposed. The framework is implemented using Java programming language and a prototype of the proposed system is tested and compared with the existing system. Results show that words that are synonymous to any given correct answer are equally recognize as correct option. Hence, the e - examination system reliability, performance and assessment of depth of knowledge of students have been greatly increased. Keywords: E - examination, subjective question, WordNet, semanti

Opportunistic Immunization With In- Patient Programme: Eliminating a Missed Opportunity in Calabar, Nigeria

Background: Immunization is the most cost-effective tool for disease prevention. Several factors militate against completing immunization. Missed opportunities to vaccinate are one of the barriers to immunization. Methods: The immunization cards of all the children aged 5 years and below admitted into the paediatric wards of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria, were compared with the history. Results: Immunization status of 919 patients was ascertained. Only 560(60.9%) were fully immunized for age, 244(26.6%) partially immunized and 115(12.5%) had no form of immunization. The prevalence of missed opportunity was 39.1%. Most (64.9%)of these patients were in the lower socio- economic groups .The commonest reason for missing immunization was illness of the child at time of immunization. Immunization was given to 124(34.5%) before discharge, 71(19.8%) at follow-ups, 31(8.6%) loss to follow-up and 15(4.2%) rejected immunization. Conclusion: Immunization coverage is still low and many children on admissions have not completed immunization. We can reduce missed opportunity to immunize if medical personnel crosscheck immunization history with immunization cards at each visit to a health facility and appropriate immunization offered. In-patient immunization programmes should be incorporated into the paediatric practice in our country.Introduction: Immunisation est un utile le plus rentable pour la pr\ue9vention de la maladie. Des facteurs divers militent contre le fait de completer l'immunisation. Des opportunit\ue9s manqu\ue9es pour faire la vaccination sont l'une des obstacles pour l'immunisation. M\ue9thodes: Les cartes d'immunisation de tous les enfants \ue2g\ue9s de moins de 5 ans admins dans la salle paediatrique de centre hospitalier universitaire du Calabar, Nig\ue9ria, ont \ue9t\ue9 compar\ue9s avec l'histoire. R\ue9sultats: Statut de l'immunisation de 919 patients \ue9tait confirm\ue9. Seulement 560 soit 60,9% \ue9taient compl\ue8tement immunis\ue9 pour l'\ue2ge, 244 soit 26,6% partiellemnt immunis\ue9 et 115 soit 12,5% n'avaient aucune forme de l'immunisation. La fr\ue9quence de l'opportunit\ue9 manqu\ue9e \ue9tait 39,1%. La grande partie (64,9%) de ces patients \ue9taient dans le groupe socio-\ue9conomique bas. La raison la plus ordinaire pour manguer l'immunisation \ue9tait, la maladie d'enfant pendant l'immunisation. L'immunisation \ue9tait donn\ue9e au 124 soit 34,5% avant d'\ueatre renvoy\ue9, 71 soit 19,8% pendant des soins post-hospitalier et 15 soit 4,2% ont refus\ue9 l'immunisation. Conclusion: La couverture de l'immunisation n'est pas encore encourageante et beaucoup d'enfants dans l'h\uf4pital n'ont pas encore complet\ue9 l'immunisation. Nous pouvons r\ue9duire l'opportunit\ue9 manqu\ue9e pour faire l'immunisation si les docteurs v\ue9rifient le dossier d'immunisation avec les cartes pendant chaque visite \ue0 l'h\uf4pital et donnent l'immunisation ad\ue9quate. Les programmes pour l'immunisation des patients internes devrait \ueatre incorpor\ue9e dans la pratique paediatries dans notre pays

Building Bridges with Boats: Preserving Community History through Intra- and Inter-Institutional Collaboration

This chapter discusses Launching through the Surf: The Dory Fleet of Pacific City, a project which documents the historical and contemporary role of dory fishers in the life of the coastal village of Pacific City, Oregon, U.S. Linfield College’s Department of Theatre and Communication Arts, its Jereld R. Nicholson Library, the Pacific City Arts Association, the Pacific City Dorymen\u27s Association, and the Linfield Center for the Northwest joined forces to engage in a collaborative college and community venture to preserve this important facet of Oregon’s history. Using ethnography as a theoretical grounding and oral history as a method, the project utilized artifacts from the dory fleet to augment interview data, and faculty/student teams created a searchable digital archive available via open access. The chapter draws on the authors’ experiences to identify a philosophy of strategic collaboration. Topics include project development and management, assessment, and the role of serendipity. In an era of value-added services where libraries need to continue to prove their worth, partnering with internal and external entities to create content is one way for academic libraries to remain relevant to agencies that do not have direct connections to higher education. This project not only developed a positive “town and gown” relationship with a regional community, it also benefited partner organizations as they sought to fulfill their missions. The project also serves as a potential model for intra- and inter-agency collaboration for all types of libraries

Prescription Pattern of Anti-Hypertensive Drugs in a Tertiary Health Institution in Nigeria

Objective: This study examined the pattern of physicians\u2019 prescription of antihypertensive drugs and its possible effects on blood pressure control as well as physicians\u2019 compliance with recommended guidelines. Methods: Records of 145 patients aged 17-91 (mean: 52.6\ub114.6) years, with male to female ratio of 1:1.2 were randomly selected. Information on antihypertensive prescriptions was recorded. Blood pressure control was defined as systolic and diastolic blood pressure less than 140 mm Hg and 90mmHg, respectively. Results: Of the 145 patients studied, 20% (29) were on monotherapy and 80% (116) on combination therapy. Of the patients on combination therapy, 61.2% (71), 33.6% (39) and 5.2% (6) were on 2, 3 and 4 drugs, respectively. Diuretic was the most frequently prescribed drug either as a single agent (44.8%) or as combination therapy (88.8%). Mean reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were more in patients on calcium channel blocker than those on diuretic monotherapy (t=2.5 and 3.6 for reductions in systolic and diastolic BP, respectively; P<.05 for both), and, in patients on combination therapy than those on monotherapy (t=3.64 and 3.27 for reductions in systolic and diastolic BP, respectively; P<.01 for both). Blood pressure control rate was 30.5%. Conclusion: Our results are consistent with the previously observed benefits of antihypertensive combination therapy, and demonstrate an apparent higher efficacy of calcium channel blocker monotherapy than diuretic monotherapy in blood pressure lowering in the study population. Major limitations of this work include its retrospective nature and the inability to determine the actual patients\u2019 adherence to therapy.Objectif: Cette \ue9tude a examin\ue9 le sch\ue9ma de l\u2019ordonance m\ue9dicale (prescription m\ue9dicamenteuse) des antihypertenseurs et son effet possible dans le contr\uf4le de l\u2019hypertension art\ue9rielle ainsi que sa comformit\ue9 aux indications recommend\ue9es. Methode: Les donn\ue9es de 145 patients \ue2g\ue9s de 17 \ue0 91 ans, (moyenne: 52, 6+ 14, 6) avec un rapport d\u2019un homme pour 1, 2 femmes, ont \ue9t\ue9 recueillis au hazard. Des informations sur les ordonnances des antihypertenseurs ont \ue9t\ue9 enregistr\ue9es. Moins de 140mm/hg pour systolique et 90mm/hg pour diastolique ont \ue9t\ue9 retenus comme le contr\uf4le. Resultats: De 145 partients \ue9tudes, 20% soit patients \ue9taient sur le r\ue9gime monoth\ue9rapie (combin\ue9e). Pour les patient en r\ue9gime multith\ue9rapie, 61, 2% soit 71, 33, 6% soit 39 et 5, 2% soit 6 \ue9taient sur 2, 3, et 4 m\ue9dicaments respectivement. Les diur\ue9tiques \ue9taient plus fr\ue9quemment prescript, soit seuls (44, 8%) ou en combinaison avec d\u2019autres agents antihypertenseurs. La r\ue9duction moyenne dans les deux cas de systolique et diastolique \ue9tait plus \ue9lev\ue9e chez les patients prenant les diur\ue9tiques tout court. (= 2.5 et, 3.6 pour la r\ue9duction en systolique et diastolique respectirement; p<0.05 pour les deux cas), et chez les patients en th\ue9rapie combin\ue9e que chez ceux en monoth\ue9rapie (t = 3,64 et 3, 27 pour la r\ue9duction en systolique et diastolique respectivement; p< 0.01) pour les deux cas_. Le taux de contr\uf4le \ue9tait 30, 5%. Conclusion: Nos r\ue9sultats correspondent aux b\ue9n\ue9fices d\ue9j\ue0 observ\ue9s dans le r\ue9gime de la th\ue9rapie antihypertensive combin\ue9e, et montre une efficacit\ue9 clairement \ue9lev\ue9e de beta-bloquants de calcium (la chaine de bloquants de calcium) utilis\ue9s en monoth\ue9rapie que les diur\ue9tiques utilis\ue9s en monoth\ue9rapie dans l\u2019abaissement de la tension art\ue9rielle au sein de l\u2019\ue9chantillon de l\u2019\ue9tude

The role of the entrepreneurial university in building an entrepreneurial ecosystem in a post conflict economy: an exploratory study of Rwanda

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of the entrepreneurial university in supporting the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in a post conflict, transitional economy. We developed a cross case analysis to identify common themes and patterns in the data. Our findings demonstrate that in a post conflict, transitional economy entrepreneurial universities entrepreneurial ecosystem development is constrained by a number of institutional factors including, structures, systems, leadership, strategies, and culture. We further identify that, when an entrepreneurial ecosystem system has been destroyed during conflict, these constraints present significant challenges to the evolution of the entrepreneurial ecosystem post conflict. Second, in a departure from other studies, our findings also outline the role of the entrepreneurial university in the unique evolution of the post conflict entrepreneurial ecosystem in Rwanda. We identify that the entrepreneurial ecosystem evolves through a number of stages including, embryonic, destruction, formation, and capacity building stages

Knowledge of HIV/AIDS Among Secondary School Adolescents in Calabar -Nigeria

Background:Awareness about HIV/AIDS has been created through the media, workshops, and peer education and printed materials. The aim of this study was to establish the impact of these awareness programmes on student. Method:An observational study using structured questionnaire among secondary school students. Results:About 181 (31.2%) of the adolescents did not know the aetiological agents of HIV/AIDS. Majority, 522 (90%) knew HIV/AIDS was transmitted through sexual intercourse. This level of knowledge was related to sex and class of study. Only 78 (13.4%) of them knew that HIV carriers might look normal. Majority, 519 (89.5%) did not know the features of AIDS. Only a few, 281 (48.4%) of the adolescents knew that avoidance of sex, keeping one sexual partner, 15 (2.6%), use of condom 101 (17.4%) and screening blood before transfusion, 31 (5.3%) could prevent HIV/AIDS transmission. Mass media was the main source of information on HIV/AIDS to these adolescents. About 191, (32.9%) of them believed HIV/AIDS cannot be prevented; 228 (39.3%) felt HIV/AIDS is common among the uneducated; 127 (21.9%) thought it is not common in Nigeria and 143 (24.7%) believed it is not common among the youths. Conclusion:Although awareness on HIV/AIDS is high among Secondary School adolescents in Calabar, the knowledge of the disease is still poor. Mass media as a source of information does not allow in-depth knowledge of the disease. Parents, teachers, as well as Health workers should be more involved in educating the youth on this dreaded disease.Fond: la Conscience de VIH/SIDA a \ue9t\ue9 cr\ue9e par la presse, les ateliers, l'\ue9ducation de pair et les mat\ue9riels imprim\ue9s. Le but de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait d'\ue9tablir l'impact de ces programmes de conscience sur l'\ue9tudiant. M\ue9thode: une \ue9tude d'observation en utilisant le questionnaire structur\ue9 parmi les \ue9tudiants d'\ue9cole secondaire. R\ue9sultats: \ue1 peu pr\ue8s 181 (31,2 %) des adolescents n'ont pas connu les agents a\ue9tiologiques de VIH/SIDA. La majorit\ue9, 522 (90%) a connu que VIH/SIDA a \ue9t\ue9 transmis par les relations sexuelles. Ce niveau de connaissance a \ue9t\ue9 attribu\ue9 au sexe et \ue1 la classe d'\ue9tude. Seulement 78 (13,4 %) d'eux ont connu que les porteurs de VIH peuvent para\ueetre normaux. La majorit\ue9, 519 (89,5 %) n'ont pas connu les caract\ue9ristiques de SIDA. Seulement quelques-uns, 281 (48,4 %) des adolescents ont connu que l'abstinence, gardant un partenaire sexuel, 15 (2,6%), l'usage de pr\ue9servatif 101 (17,4 %) le criblage de sang avant la transfusion, 31 (5,3 %) pourrait emp\ueacher la transmission de VIH/SIDA. Les m\ue9dias \ue9taient la source principale d'information sur VIH/SIDA \ue1 ces adolescents. Environ 191, (32,9 %) d'eux ont cru que VIH/SIDA ne peut pas \ueatre prevenu; 228 (39,3 %) ont pens\ue9 que VIH/SIDA est commun parmi les incultes; 127 (21,9 %) ont pens\ue9 qu'il n'est pas commun au Nig\ue9ria et 143 (24,7 %) ont cru qu'il n'est pas commun parmi les jeunes. Conclusion: bien Que la conscience sur VIH/SIDA est haute parmi les adolescents d'\ue9cole secondaires \ue1 Calabar, la connaissance de la maladie est toujours inad\ue9quate. Les m\ue9dias comme une source d'information ne permet pas la connaissance approfondie de la maladie. Les parents, les enseignants, de m\ueame que les ouvriers de sant\ue9 devrait \ueatre plus impliqu\ue9s dans l'\ue9ducation des jeunes sur cette maladie redout\ue9e

Heavy Metal Concentration in Fish Species Clarias gariepinus (Catfish) and Oreochromis niloticus (Nile Tilapia) from Anambra River, Nigeria

Studies have emphasized that the presence of heavy metals in freshwater fish represents a global public health issue. Nigeria, being a developing nation with less emphasis on the quality of seafood consumed by the residents, ranks this study very vital. The policy implication of this study is the advancement of a healthy population in contemporary Nigeria. Hence, this study assessed heavy metal concentration in two fish species, Clarias gariepinus (Catfish) and Oreochromis niloticus (Nile Tilapia), in the Anambra River. The sample included twenty fishes, of which eighteen were collected from the three sampling locations (the fish ports of Anambra River), namely Otu-nsugbe, Otuocha, and Ikemivite) while two control samples were collected from a pond about 200 m away from the river. The levels of heavy metals were determined using Varian AA 240 atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results showed that the concentrations of heavy metals (cadmium and arsenic) in the sampled fishes from Anambra River exceeded the joint World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO/WHO) standard for fish and fish product consumption, while the concentration of chromium, mercury, and lead are within the permissible limit. The study also showed the distribution of the heavy metals in the fish organ varies among fish species. Heavy metals occur higher in Clarias garepinus than in Oreochromis niloticus, while tissue preference for heavy metal accumulation is in the order of gill > liver > muscle. It was recorded from this study that the heavy metal concentration in the fish from the pond is generally higher than the fish from the river for some metals. The high level of heavy metals in the sampled fish was attributed to heavy metals contamination of the river as a result of various anthropogenic activities such as mining, burning of fossil fuel and emission from the exhaust of boats/vehicles, overuse of fertilizers and pesticides, discharge of effluent, sewage, and hospital waste. This study concluded that long-term consumption of fish from the river may pose health risks to the consumers due to the possible bioaccumulation of heavy metals, especially cadmium and arsenic. It was recommended that continuous monitoring of heavy metal levels in the fish and water, public awareness, and appropriate legislative provisions should be put in place to ensure that harvested fish and fish products may be safe for human consumption