Microbiological Assessment of Commercial Yogurt Sold in Ota Metropolis, Ogun State, Nigeria

Ten authorized Yogurt products purchased within Ota metropolis, Ogun State of Nigeria were subjected to pH, Total Bacterial Count (TBC) and Total Fungal Count (TFC) analysis. pH values were in the range of 4.05 to 5.50, the TBC and TFC values ranged between 1.0 x 103 - 5.0 x 105 cfu/ml and 1.0 x 103- 5.0 x 105 cfu/ml respectively. Eleven bacterial isolates were detected in the yogurt samples. Lactobacillus spp. and Bacillus spp. constituted 16% of the total microbial load, Corynebacterium spp., Klebsiela spp., Staphylococcus spp., and Pseudomonas spp. constituted 8% while Proteus spp., Micrococcus spp., Shigella spp., Listeria spp., and Streptococcus spp. constituted 4%. Fungal isolates obtained were Mucor spp. (22%), Geotrichum spp. (17%), Montospora spp. (11%), while Aspergillus spp., Rhizopus spp., and Fusanrium spp. constituted 6%.The antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that the isolates exhibited susceptible to Ciprofloxacin and Ofloxacin and resisted Nitrofurantoin, Augumentin, Cefixime, Ceufuroxime, Gentamicin and Ceftazidime. The isolates were plasmid encoded, with size range of 20,000- 40,000 Kilo base pairs. Result show no significant difference within the bacteria isolates (P> 0.05), while the fungi isolates showed significant difference (P<0.05). Significant difference also occurred between the bacteria and the fungi isolate (P< 0.05)

Socio-economic characteristics and perceptions of cattle keepers and constraints to cattle production in western Kenya

A cross-sectional survey was done in two Districts in Western Kenya to determine the socio-economic characteristics and perceptions of the cattle types kept. This involved socio-economic profiles of households, herd structure, reasons for keeping specific types of cattle and production and marketing constraints together with desired policy interventions to address the constraints. A total of 210 farmers randomly selected were interviewed. The data was analysed using Statistical Analysis System program. The majority of farmers (84%) were males. The households surveyed had an average family size of 8 (± 4.7) members. The mean land holding was 7.8 acres, with 98% of them owning the land. Most of the farmers (64%) in the two districts were literate and were involved in farming (95%) as the primary livelihood. The majority (80%) of the households preferred keeping indigenous zebu cattle over the exotic cattle. The first three reasons for keeping zebu cattle were, in that order, work, especially ploughing (91%), milk (74%) and as a repository for wealth (32%), which accounted for about 62% of the respondents. Diseases (86%), inadequate and low quality feed (12%) and high cost of drugs (2%) were the major constraints to livestock productivity. The farmers also identified lack of market (48%), poor infrastructure (39%) and misuse by the middlemen traders (12%) as main marketing constraints. The survey showed that there is need for the effective implementation of policies on adequate financial aid and regulation of farm input prices to the farmers as well as improved livestock extension services to enhance the production of ruminant livestock

Effects of Different Processing Methods on Proximate Composition of Mucuna Pruriens

The effects of different processing methods on proximate composition of Mucuna pruriens seeds was investigated. The Mucuna seeds were sorted, cleaned and processed into raw, boiled, fermented and toasted. Processed Mucuna seed was dried and ground with Kenwood food blender, the powdered sample was kept in a refrigerator at –40C prior to use. The powdered sample were analyzed for proximate composition using standard analytical methods. All data obtained were carried out in triplicates and subjected to analysis of variance and Duncan Multiple Range Test was used to separate the means. The proximate composition of the samples showed that the Mucuna pruriens seeds had a range of moisture, 8.62-13.01%, ash content, 4.15-6.47%, crude fibre, 2.24-3.92%, crude protein, 29.19-32.28%, crude fat, 2.74-4.87% and carbohydrate, 42.06-53.47% respectively. , the raw seeds had the highest values of moisture content, ash contents, crude fat and carbonhydrate (13.01±0.14, 6.47±0.24, 4.87±0.56 and 53.47±1.48 respectively). Different processed technique significantly (p˂0.05) increased the crude protein content of the Mucuna seeds samples from 29.19±0.14 to 32.28±0.24 for raw seed and Boiled seed. There was no significant (p˃0.05) difference between raw mucuna seed and fermented mucuna seed. Considering the crude fibre the raw seed had the highest value 3.92% while the fermented had the least (2.83%), in term of crude fat, the boiled seed had the highest, (4.87%) while the fermented had the least (2.74%). The study recommends that the seeds, when properly processed, have high nutritional values that can be exploited and considered as an alternative source of nutrients to reduce malnutrition among economically weaker categories of people in the developing countries

Ionospheric response to the storm-time disturbance of 29 May, 2010

The Ionospheric F2-layer peak parameters response to a magnetic storm had been investigated over Ilorin, Nigeria (Lat. 8:53�N, Long. 4.5�E, dip angle, �2.96�), Jicamarca, Peru (11.95�S, 76.87�W, dip angle, 0.8�) and Hermanus, South Africa (34.42�S, 19.22�E, dip angle, �60.77�), using percentage enhancement/depletion values. Our results showed an enhancement in NmF2 at all of these stations. Averagely, pre-noon and post-noon peaks are highest at Ilorin during quiet time. The similar pattern observed for quiet condition between Ilorin and Jicamarca was due to their latitudinal positions. For disturbed NmF2 condition, Jicamarca and Ilorin recorded higher peaks at nighttime than during the daytime for the storms main phase, and the reverse over Hermanus. The nighttime and daytime increases were observed respectively at Ilorin and Hermanus during the recovery period. The hmF2 variation recorded higher enhancement at Jicamarca during the daytime and at Hermanus at nighttime during the main phase. During the recovery phase, the highest enhancement was recorded during the daytime at Jicamarca, and over Hermanus at nighttime. These observations find their explanation in the magnetospheric current, solar wind and E � B drift

Risk factors for rotavirus infection in pigs in Busia and Teso subcounties, Western Kenya

We analysed data that were previously collected for molecular characterisation of rotavirus (RV) groups A and C in pigs from Teso and Busia subcounties in Kenya to determine risk factors for its infection. The data included records from 239 randomly selected piglets aged between 1 and 6 months raised in free range and backyard production systems. RV infection was confirmed by screening of fresh faecal samples by using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR); selected positive samples were subsequently sequenced and used for phylogenetic analysis. In this analysis, RV infection status was used as outcome variable, while the metadata collected at the time of sampling were used as predictors. A Bayesian hierarchical model which used integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA) method was then fitted to the data. The model accounted for the spatial effect by using stochastic partial differential equations (SPDEs). Of the 239 samples screened, 206 were available for the analysis. Descriptive analyses showed that 27.7 % (57/206) of the samples were positive for rotaviruses groups A and C, 18.5 % were positive for group A rotaviruses, 5.3 % were positive for group C rotaviruses, while 3.9 % had co-infections from both groups of rotaviruses. The spatial effect was insignificant, and a simple (non-spatial) model showed that piglets (≤4 months) and those pigs kept in free range systems had higher risk of exposure to rotavirus infection as compared to older pigs (>4 months) and those tethered or housed, respectively. Intervention measures that will target these high-risk groups of pigs will be beneficial to farmers

The response of the ionosphere over Ilorin to some geomagnetic storms

The effects of some geomagnetic storms on the F2 layer peak parameters over Ilorin, Nigeria (Lat. 8:53�N, Long. 4.5�E, dip angle, �2.96�) have been investigated. Our results showed that the highest intensity of the noon bite-out occurred during the March equinox and lowest during the June Solstice on quiet days. Quiet day NmF2 disturbances which appeared as a pre-storm enhancement, but not related to the magnetic storm event that followed were observed at this station. These enhancements were attributed to the modification of the equatorial electric field as a result of injection of the Auroral electric field to the low and equatorial ionosphere. For disturbed conditions, the morphology of the NmF2 on quiet days is altered. Daytime and nighttime NmF2 and hmF2 enhancements were recorded at this station. Decreases in NmF2 were also observed during the recovery periods, most of which appeared during the post-noon period,except the storm event of May 28–29. On the average, enhancements in NmF2 (i.e. Positive phases) are the prominent features of this station. Observations from this study also indicate that Dst, Ap and Kp which have been the most widely used indices in academic research in describing the behavior of geomagnetic storms, are not sufficient for storm time analysis in the equatorial and low latitude ionosphere

Acceptability and Constraint of Snail Meat as Source of Animal Protein among Inhabitants of Lafia Metropolis, Nassarawa State Nigeria

This study examined the acceptability of snail as source of protein among inhabitants of Lafia metropolis of Nasarawa state, Nigeria. One hundred and twenty questionnaire were administer to the respondents and the data was analyze through descriptive statistics. The socio demographic characteristics of respondent’s shows that males had the highest percentage (74.2%) while 25.8% were female and age group 28-37 recorded the highest (40.8%). Majority (54.2%) of the respondents are unmarried while 45.8% are married with majority of them having an tertiary qualification The major occupation of the respondents shows that majority (32.5%) are civil servants, followed by 26.7% which are students and the least are hunter with 4.2%. Majority (55.8%) of the respondents are Muslim while 44.2% were Christian. The finding revealed that majority of the respondents are willing to buy and eat snail meat with mean value 3.99. The constraints associated with consumption of Snail meats showed that cost (Price) of snail meat scores the highest mean value of 4.12 and I do not eat Snails because my people do not eat it is the least with a mean value of 3.98. The Preference of Snails meat compared to meat from other animal sources revealed that beef recorded the highest (1.63 mean value), followed by Fish with mean value of 1.57 and Snail meat is the least with mean value of 1.26. This study recommend that awareness creation on the nutritional benefits of Snail meat consumption is necessary to enlist more consumer

GPS-TEC Variations over the African Low-latitude Ionosphere during March 2013 and 2015 Geomagnetic Storms

Intense geomagnetic storms o�er opportunity to understand ionospheric response to space weather events. Using Total Electron Content (TEC) data from stations along the east African sector, the two most intense storms during the 24th solar cycle, with similarly occurrence season and time were studied. We observe that ionospheric effect during the main phase is not a function of the severity of the storm, whereas the more intense storm shows greater influence on the African ionosphere during the recovery phase. Plasma movement within the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) was evident particularly during the recovery phase, especially during the 2015 event. For both storms, the nighttime/early morning ionospheric effect is more pronounced than the daytime effects across all stations