Allocative Efficiency among Fadama Fluted Pumkin Farmers in Imo State, Nigeria

The study investigated the allocative efficiency among Fadama Fluted pumpkin farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. It specifically sought to analyze the Farmers’ socio-economic profile; estimate their allocative efficiency as well as its determinants. A multistage random sample of 120 Fadama Fluted Pumpkin farmers drawn from the three agricultural zones of the state was employed. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio-economic characteristics and other relevant variables. Allocative efficiency was deduced from the quotient between economic efficiency and technical efficiency scores and regressed against farm specific factors. The t-test statistic was employed in testing determinants of allocative efficiency. The descriptive statistical results showed that majority of the farmers are active small holders and literate with many years of farming experience. The enterprise was female dominated while household was large. The maximum likelihood estimation of the translog model revealed that allocative efficiency was influenced by education, farming experience, extension contact, credit access and household size. Given the mean allocative efficiency of 0.62, about 51.67% of the respondents are frontier farmers. Also, the average Fadama Fluted pumpkin farmer would require a cost savings of 37.37% in order to attain the status of the most allocative efficient producer. As more opportunities exist for improvement of allocative efficiency by the Fadama Farmers, the need to intensify the current family planning programme in Nigeria as well as eliminate extended bureaucratic processes associated with credit access cannot be over emphasized.Fadama, Fluted Pumpkin, Allocative Efficiency

Economic Efficiency Of Fadama Telfairia Production In Imo State Nigeria: A Translog Profit Function Approach

The study delved into economic efficiency analysis of Fadama Telfairia farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. Specifically, it identified the production systems; estimated the economic efficiency and their determinants. A multistage random sampling technique was adopted in the selection of 40 Fadama Telfairia farmers from each of the three agricultural zones of the State. A well-structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio - economic characteristics and other relevant variables. Descriptive statistics, which subsume frequencies, means and percentages, were used in the analysis of data on socio – economic characteristics cum production systems. Economic efficiency was analyzed using Translog stochastic profit function. The Maximum Likelihood Estimation Technique was employed in estimating the function while t-test statistic was employed in testing their determinants. With respect to production systems, majority (63.33%) of Fadama Telfairia farmers practised mixed vegetable production while 36.67% adopted sole Fadama Telfairia cropping system. The profit level was influenced by fertilizer price, wage rate and farm size while efficiency was found to be influenced by age, farming experience, membership of cooperative societies, farm and household sizes. The mean economic efficiency was 0.57 and as such, the average Fadama Telfairia would require a cost saving of 42% in order to attain the profit status of the most economically efficient farmer in the sample. Given the fact that ample opportunity exists for improvement in their efficiency, introduction of birth control policies and reviews of Land Use Act of 1990 are among policy options suggested by the study.economic efficiency, Fadama, stochastic frontier, translog

Meaning and Identity Creation in the Culture of Hollandaise Textile Use Among the Igbo of Southeastern Nigeria

This paper analyses the names given to vlisco hollandaise fabric designs imported from Helmond, Netherlands by the Igbo suppliers in Nigeria. These names are used to convey social and cultural meanings which could appeal to the sensibilities of prospective buyers who are predominantly women in Igbo society. Data for the study were gathered through interviews of selected suppliers and buyers in south eastern Nigeria. Applying Cognitive Semantic framework, the study examines the naming patterns of the fabrics and their social and cultural meanings. The study shows that the names reflect natural phenomena that are peculiar to the Igbo experiences. They help both the suppliers and the end users to create various identities that enable the suppliers to maximise sales and the women to express themselves socially. These identities align with the different design even when there is no correlation in some cases between the names and the designs. Keywords: Hollandaise, Fabrics, Culture, Name, Igbo women, Identity DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/11-16-05 Publication date:August 31st 2021

Frequency Of Isolation Of Salmonella From Commercial Poultry Feeds And Their Anti-Microbial Resistance Profiles, Imo State, Nigeria

This study was conducted to determine the frequency of isolation of salmonella and their microbial resistance profiles across different commercial poultry feeds sold in Imo State, Nigeria. Thirty-six bulk feed samples were colleted from 154 bag across different feed types and brands which included Guinea (GF), Top (TF), Vital (VF), Extra (EF), Animal care (AF) and livestock (LF) feeds. The salmonella isolated were tested against 14 anti-microbial drugs using the disc diffusion method. Bacterial load enumeration of the samples indicated a range of <30 colony forming unit (CFU) to overgrowth at 104 serial dilutions. Eight feed samples (22.2%) which cuts across the entire feed brands expect EF were positive for salmonella. The highest prevalence of 28.8% and 25.0% were recorded for LF and TF respectively, while VF, GF and AF had 11.1 and 10.0% respectively. Salmonella isolates showed high rates of resistance (51-100%) against nitrofurantoin, ampicillin, tetracycline and ceftriazole, while moderate rates (31-50%) were recorded for chloramphenicol, oxfloxacin and cotrimoxazole. Low resistance rates (1-30%) were on the other hand recorded against ciprofloxacin and amoxycillin clavulanate (Augumentine), whereas zero resistance was demonstrated against pefloxacin, gentamycin, streptomycin and nalidixic. Commercial feeds form important channels for the dissemination of multi-drug resistant salmonella in Imo State, Nigeria

AN EVALUATION OF JOHN LOCKE’S CONCEPT OF TABULA RASA IN THE LIGHT OF PLATO’S THEORY OF FORMS AND ITS RELEVANCE FOR POST-CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHY

The study aims at evaluating John Locke’s concept of tabula rasa in the light of Plato’s theory of Forms and find out how it contributes to post-contemporary philosophy. &nbsp;Plato’s theory of Forms is the fulcrum upon which his entire epistemological theory revolves. Locke’s concept of tabula rasa is the launch pad of his epistemic exploits. It is Plato’s position that the Forms of the good, beauty, justice, are eternal essences or immutable patterns from where the particular visible instances derive their limited measures of these essences. These Forms, in Plato’s understanding, can be known through the abstractive process of the mind. Locke did not subscribe to the idea of the Forms. He argues that knowledge is derived through sensation and reflection. For Locke, there is nothing in the intellect that was not originally in the senses. Rejecting the idea of innatism with his concept of tabula rasa, Locke argues against Plato’s view that the human mind knows. It is Locke’s position that all ideas derive from sense experience. For him, there are no innate ideas and ideal world is simply a figment of imagination worth casting into flames. At birth, there is no idea in the human mind, and only experience writes ideas on the mind, argues Locke. Plato holds that the human mind knows and only recollects which he technically describes as reminiscence. The counter positions of scholars to the positions of their predecessors just as Locke did to the Forms and innate ideas espoused by Plato is what this paper construes as epistemic resourcefulness and epistemic creativity, which is for the advancement of post-contemporary philosophy. Research methods adopted in this work include: analytic, conceptual, contextual, textual and historical

The Place of Skepticism in the 21st Century Gnoseological Debate: Selecting Logical Positivism and Postmodernism

This study is centered on The Place of Skepticism in the 21st Century Gnoseological Debate: Selecting Logical Positivism and Postmodernism. Within the context of Western philosophy, skepticism, which arguably began in the ancient times with the likes of Gorgias neither ends with the Contra Academicos of St. Augustine nor with Kant’s noumena as some scholars argued. Skepticism is an indispensable part of epistemic discourse that cuts across diverse ages of philosophical discipline ranging from the ancient, medieval, modern, and contemporary; and also permeates all the branches of philosophy. The philosophical postulates of the logical positivists who unequivocally argued that any proposition that cannot be subjected to their verification principle is meaningless, was occasioned by skepticism. The postmodernist philosophers’ argument against objective knowledge, grand totalizing, and their downplaying of foundationalism, was orchestrated by skepticism. It is the position of this study that skepticism is not only a continuum, but most importantly, the episteme-vitae (the life-wire of epistemology). As a necessary evil in the philosophical discipline skepticism is an inevitable driving force in the 21st century gnoseological debate, and instrumentum laboris (instrument of labour) in the hands of philosophers. The research methods employed in this work include: analytic, contextual, historical, and textual

A SYNTHESIS OF THE RATIONALIST IDEAS OF PLATO, DESCARTES, SPINOZA, AND LEIBNIZ AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR 21ST CENTURY PHILOSOPHICAL DISCOURSE

In synthesizing the rationalist postulates of Plato, Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz, this study seeks to make evident those features that are common to these rationalist philosophers as well as their peculiarities and diversities as independent thinkers. The paper also tries to show the implications of these rationalist ideas for 21st century philosophical discourse. Rationalist epistemology, which came into prominence with the arrival of Rene Descartes to the epistemological rostrum, has been there right from the classical era. Though Plato is not a continental rationalist, he is construed in this research as a ‘charter member’ of the rationalist school of thought. Some of the fundamental features of the rationalists which include the preeminence of reason over and above sense experience, the idea of innatism, intuition, and the indispensable role of the human mind in acquisition of knowledge are all identified in Plato’s epistemic exploits. It is striking that though the rationalists have some features common to them, there also exist areas of epistemic divergence and peculiarities in the manner they conducted their independent debates. This has been construed as a problem by some scholars; however, this work conceives it as epistemic advancement and consolidation. Critical analysis is chiefly the research method employed in this study

Analgesic and Hepatoprotective Activity of Methanolic Leaf Extract of Ocimum gratissimum (L.).

The methanolic extract of Ocimum gratissimum (L.) leaves was screened for analgesic and hepatoprotective activity in albino rats, respectively. The use of the hot-plate method to study central analgesic activity of the leaves extract in albino rats indicated that the extract possesses the ability to significantly reduce pain threshold and also increase the response latency period to thermal stimuli in albino rats, similar to the reference drug acetylsalicylic acid. After treatment reaction time of albino rats was significantly increased to 10.92 sec with 40 mg kg-1 of leaves extract, whereas acetylsalicylic acid also increased reaction time to 12.53 sec with 25 mL kg-1. A decline in the reaction time beyond 1.61 sec was observed by the reference drug and leaves extract. Albino rats whose livers were damaged with a hepatotoxin-Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) 0.5 mL kg-1 i.p. were used to test for hepatoprotective properties of the plant leaves extract. It reduced significantly (p&lt;0.05) liver enzyme levels for animals treated with CCL4 (0.5 mL kg-1) and the methanolic plant leaf extract (40 mg kg-1) concurrently compared to animals treated with CCL4 only. Many histopathological changes in the liver such as marked dilation of the central vein, blood vessel congestion and inflammatory leucocytic infiltrations which were observed in the CCl4 treated animals were not observed in the CCl4 + plant extract treated animals. No apparent disruptions of the normal liver structure by histological and enzyme activities assessment were observed. The results show that the methanolic leaf extract is a potent analgesic and antihepatotoxic agent

Experimental Study of the Possible use of Locally Derived Plantain Peelings and Rice Husk as Additives for Oil Based Mud at High Temperature - High Pressure Conditions

Drilling in HT/HP wells has adverse effects on drilling fluids. At high temperatures and pressures, the chemical additives used in drilling fluid formulations experience thermal degradation above 107°C (225°F) leading to strong variations (reduction) in rheological and filtration characteristics. Locally derived Rice-Husk and grounded Plantain peels were used to improve the rheology and filtration properties of back-loaded oil based mud at HT/HP behavior, and the results were compared to industrial additives like Sodium Carbooxymethylcellulosics (CMC), Polyanionic Cellulosics (PAC), and Sodium Polyacrylates (SPA). This research was centered on the use of three oil-based mud samples from a particular field in the Niger Delta basin. The samples included; a reconditioned mud, a freshly prepared mud (both with standard industry additives), and a back-loaded mud respectively. Seven [7] different mud property tests were carried out on the samples to determine their current state. After that, the back-loaded mud was upgraded with the locally derived additives and it's rheological and filtration properties were observed and compared to the results of the first two samples. The effects of high temperature and high pressure on the stability of the locally-derived additives were also observed. This was paramount because the chemical additives underwent thermal degradation at these conditions. The most significant finding is that the locally derived additives worked at the same level or probably better than the industrial additives. The novelty of this research was to evaluate the potential of locally derived additives for improvement of mud rheology and filtration in comparison with industrial additives. Also, a reduction in the cost of purchasing foreign viscosifiers and filtration control additives by patronizing locally derived additives hence reducing the overall cost of a mud program. Lastly to make sure that wastes like rice husks and plantain peelings are recycled by usage in drilling mud formulations so as to prevent environmental problems such as heaping of refuse on the streets

Bioassay-guided optimization of lipid-based erythromycin microparticles

Purpose: To optimize erythromycin microparticles by in vitro bioassay methods based on its antibacterial activity. Methods: The microparticles were produced by high shear homogenization. The effects of different lipid-to-surfactant ratios were studied. The hydrodynamic size of the different batches was evaluated using dynamic light scattering while bioactive drug load per batch was assessed in agar using bioassay methods. The antimicrobial activities of selected batches were tested ex vivo by determination of reduction in bacteraemia following administration of the microparticles to infected animals. Results: All batches had particles with hydrodynamic sizes &lt; 8.5 microns. Batch 7 with a 2: 5: 2.5 (drug: surfactant: stearic acid) ratio, represents the optimized batch with a hydrodynamic size of 2281 nm, a bioactive drug loading capacity (BLC) of 4.67 ± 0.70 % and bioactive drug entrapment&nbsp; efficiency (BEE) of 10.51 %. The “microparticle MIC” against Staphylococcus aureus was 1.74 x 10-3 μg/ml. Despite containing lower amounts of erythromycin than the pure sample, the microparticles achieved comparable reduction in bacteraemia, with the optimized batch exhibiting lower variation in bacteraemia than the pure drug. Conclusion: Erythromycin microparticles have been successfully optimized with the aid of bioassay methods which has the advantage that only the bioactive drug concentration is factored in. This method eliminates problems posed by inadequate or non-discriminating chemical assay methods. Keywords: Microparticles, Erythromycin, Gastrointestinal, Bioavailability Antimicrobial, Bioactivity, Encapsulatio