Effect of Number of Beaters on the Performance of Household Hammer Mill

A hammer mill with three different hammers having 2, 4 and 6 beaters was developed and evaluated. Maize and guinea corn were crushed at 3 different angular speeds of the hammer rotations (2600 rpm, 3000 rpm and 3400 rpm). Each beater was fixed on the shaft at a time and machine was started. As soon as the machine reached the required speed, 500g of sample was fed into the crushing chamber through the feed hopper. The final product was collected, weighed. Fuel consumed during the operation and the time taken were recorded. The process was replicated 3 times for both maize and guinea corn using the 3 hammers. The result obtained during the evaluation revealed that the average milling efficiency and specific fuel consumption (sfc) for 6 beaters, 4 beaters and 2 beaters were 83.5 % and 3.8 l/h, 72.47 % and 2.07 l/h and 60.19 % and 0.94 l/h respectively. The average milling efficiency and sfc for maize and guinea corn were 72.18 % and 2.45 l/h and 71.93 %, 2.09 l/h respectively. Number of beaters and angular speed of beaters and their interactions significantly affected the milling efficiency at 5 % level. Number of beaters, angular speed of beaters, sample type and their interactions significantly affected the sfc at 5 % level

A Preliminary Survey on the Parasites of Free Range Chicken in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

A preliminary study was carried out to assess the parasitic burden of domesticated and free range chicken in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. A total of twenty birds where purchased from five popular markets in Abeokuta namely, Itoku, Kuto, Lafenwa and Osiele and examined for presence of parasites. The skin and feathers of the birds were also combed to check for ectoparasites. Afterward, the birds were slaughtered and the intact gastro-intestinal tract were then separated and opened to check for endoparasites. All parasites found were collected into petri-dishes and examined under microscope for identification. Two species of ectoparasites Menacanthus stramineus with a prevalence of 90.0% and Lipeurus caponis with a prevalence of 60.0% were recovered. Three species of endoparasites found consisted of two nematodes (Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinarum) and one cestode (Raillietina echinobothridia). Ascaridia galli and Raillietina echinobothridia were seen in the small intestine and Heterakis gallinarum in the caecum.  Raillietina echinobothridia had the highest prevalence of 80.0% followed by Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinarum each with 60.0% prevalence. The results show that free-range chickens in Abeokuta carry high parasitic burden which could be a big constraint to their productivity and commercial value

PREVALENCE AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH URINARY SCHISTOSOMIASIS AMONG INFANTS AND PRESCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN IN SETTLEMENTS AROUND OYAN RESERVOIR IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

The need for more information on the risk factors for schistosomiasis among infants and preschool-aged children as become important for the development of health education programme since this age group is currently excluded in preventive chemotherapy programmes.  Therefore, the prevalence and intensity of, and risk factors for, infant and preschool-aged children infection with Schistosoma haematobium were explored in two endemic settlements around Oyan Reservior in Ogun State, Nigeria. Mothers and caregivers’ knowledge of the disease, water contact activities of their preschooler, age at first exposure and control measures were recorded using a structured questionnaire. Of the 86 preschooler screened from the two settlements 46 (53.5%) were infected, with an overall geometric mean intensity of 0.36 eggs/10 ml urine. The prevalence of egg-patent S. haematobium infection was 27.8% in Ibaro and 72.0% in Imala-Odo respectively. There were significant differences in prevalence (P=0.0005) and intensity (P=0.0006) of infection between the two communities, however, these did not increase significantly with age in both communities.  Interviews revealed that preschoolers were exposed to infected reservoir water as early as after birth, while older preschoolers frequently visited water bodies on their own to play, bath and wash cloth. There was significant reduction in prevalence of schistosomiasis among preschool-aged children in Ibaro community compared to Imala-Odo community; this could be attributed to awareness about the disease, and its mode of transmission.  Intensive health education still remains the alternative for reducing transmission in preschoolers in the absence of standardized treatment dosage for them.Â

Preliminary study on temporal variations in biting activity of Simulium damnosum s.l. in Abeokuta North LGA, Ogun State Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Simulum damnosum </it>Theobald <it>sensu lato </it>(<it>s.l</it>.) is the vector of the parasitic filarial worm <it>Onchocerca volvulus </it>Leuckart which causes onchocerciasis. In order to understand the vector population dynamics, a preliminary 12 months entomological evaluation was carried out at Abeokuta, the Southwest Zone of Nigeria, an onchocerciasis endemic area, where vector control has not been previously initiated. <it>S.damnosum s.l</it>. flies were caught on human attractants between 700 to1800 hours each day, for 4 days each month, from August 2007 to July 2008. The flies caught were classified as either forest-dwelling or savanna-dwelling groups based on the colour of certain morphological characters. Climatic data such as rainfall, humidity and temperature were also collected monthly during the period of survey.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 1,139 flies were caught, 596 (52.33%) were forest-dwelling group while 543 (47.67%) were savanna-dwelling group of <it>S. damnosum s.l</it>. The highest percentage of forest-dwelling group was caught in the month of August 2007 (78.06%) and the least percentage of forest-dwelling groups was caught in November 2007 (8.14%). The highest percentage of savannah-dwelling group was caught in the month of November 2007 (91.86%) and the least percentage of savannah-dwelling group was caught in August 2007 (21.94%). There was no significant difference between the population of forest and savannah-dwelling groups of the fly when the means of the fly population were compared (<it>P </it>= 0.830). Spearman correlation analysis showed a significant relationship between monthly fly population with monthly average rainfall (<it>r </it>= 0.550, n = 12, <it>P </it>= 0.033), but no significant relationship with monthly average temperature (<it>r </it>= 0.291, <it>n </it>= 12, <it>P </it>= 0.179). There was also a significant relationship between monthly fly population and monthly average relative humidity (<it>r </it>= 0.783, <it>n </it>= 12 <it>P </it>= 0.001). There was no significant correlation between the population of forest-dwelling group of <it>S. damnosum s.l</it>. and monthly average rainfall (<it>r </it>= 0.466, <it>n </it>= 12, <it>P </it>= 0.064) and monthly average temperature (<it>r </it>= 0.375, n = 12, <it>P </it>= 0.115) but there was significant correlation with monthly average relative humidity (<it>r </it>= 0.69, <it>n </it>= 12, <it>P </it>= 0.006). There was significant correlation between savannah-dwelling group and monthly average rainfall (<it>r </it>= 0.547, <it>n </it>= 12, <it>P </it>= 0.033), and monthly average relative humidity (<it>r </it>= 0.504, <it>n </it>= 12, <it>P </it>= 0.047) but there was no significant correlation with monthly average temperature (<it>r </it>= 0.142, <it>n </it>= 12, <it>P </it>= 0.329)</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results from this study showed that both the forest and the savannah dwelling groups of <it>S. damnosum s.l</it>. were caught biting in the study area. This could have implications on the transmission and epidemiology of human onchocerciasis if not monitored.</p

Urinary schistosomiasis among preschool children in a rural community near Abeokuta, Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The control of schistosomiasis in Nigeria is mainly by mass treatment with praziquantel through the school system, with an absence of any provision for pre-school children. We therefore determined the prevalence and intensity of urinary schistosomiasis in pre-school children between the ages of 1-6 years in Ilewo-Orile a rural and endemic community, near Abeokuta, Nigeria as part of providing information on the neglected tropical diseases among this age group. Two urine samples were collected from each pre-school child. The samples were tested for microhaematuria using reagent strips and then processed and examined with a microscope for <it>Schistosoma haematobium </it>ova.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 167 children examined 97 (58.1%) had infection, with no significant difference (P = 0.809) in infection rates between boys (57.1%) and girls (59.2%). Both prevalence and intensity of infection did not increase significantly with age (P = 0.732). The overall geometric mean egg count was 1.17 eggs/10 ml urine. There was no significant association (<it>P </it>= 0.387) between intensity in boys (1.16 eggs/10 ml urine) and girls (1.19 eggs/10 ml urine). 47.4% of the children had microhaematuria which did not increase significantly with age (P = 0.526). Focus group discussions with guardians and caregivers revealed that infection of pre-school children early in life was due to exposures through bathing in the stream by their mothers, while the older children would visit the stream for washing, fetching of water, bathing and swimming.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Community participatory health education is needed in this community as a first step in reducing infection and transmission of the disease, while the rehabilitation and repair of the existing water borehole system in the community should be effected. The results of this study have shown that pre-school children also harbour infection and are a source of transmission of schistosomiasis in endemic communities. Planning and provision for their treatment should be considered in control programmes.</p

A Model for Determining the Effect of Irregular Power Supply on Machining Foundry Products in a Developing Economy

In this paper, profit is maximized (or production cost is minimized) by developing an Integer programming (IP) model to determine, at a given respective unit cost, optimal numbers of outputs obtainable per production cycle (time) using public electricity generated from national grids and alternate electricity from generators subject to production output capacity or demand constraint. The results obtained showed that production cycle time has a great impact on the determination of optimal outputs for the respective conditions. Also, increase in cost of public electricity per unit product has an upper limit beyond which it has negative effect on the profitability. The results served as determinant factors for production industry in establishing the level of outputs that sustained the profitability by providing optimal cost of public electricity to operate without having any effect on the profit, at a given cycle time. Keywords— Constraint, cycle time, integer programming, optimal number, mode

Postgraduate writing groups as spaces of agency development

AbstractAcademic writing is a peculiar phenomenon – it varies greatly from discipline to discipline and its requirements are rarely made overt. Taking on the writing practices of the academy has implications for identity and it is thus unsurprising that it is seen to be a risky endeavour. This article analyses the experiences of postgraduate scholars who have participated in writing groups that meet weekly to read each other’s work and provide supportive critique. Thirty-two people provided detailed, anonymous evaluations of their writing groups and these were analysed using a discourse analysis. Three main findings are discussed here. Firstly, writing circles allowed for academic writing development to be engaged with as a social practice, where the disciplinary norms could be made more explicit through peer deliberation, and where they could also be challenged. Secondly, the lack of hierarchical power in the writing groups was key to making safe spaces for agency development, and also for providing positive peer pressure whereby participants were spurred on to work on their writing. Thirdly, the fact that the groups were interdisciplinary, within cognate disciplinary families, provided an interesting challenge in that the students had to consider what these non-specialist readers would or would not understand. This process assisted students in clarifying their writing. Participants’ evaluation of the writing groups revealed an overall sense that these contributed to postgraduate student wellbeing and were places of significant agential development