Heavy metals pollution potentials in the National Iron Ore Mining Company, Itakpe

Heavy metals pollution potential in National Iron Ore Mining Company, Itakpe was investigated. Two mining sites located at the east mining pits such as M3O, which is 370 m above sea level and M2O, which is 350 m above sea level were studied.  Sequential extraction techniques was utilised to examine the distribution effect of the heavy metals pollution potential on the environment. Twelve representative (six-soil, two-sediment, two-plant and two-water) samples were collected, pre-treated and prepared for this study. The atomic absorption spectrometer was used to analyse the concentration of the metals after the sequential and single-stage extractions were determined. Results showed that Chromium, Arsenic, Cadmium and Copper are more bioavailable in the study area than Lead and Iron. This findings indicate that human, animals and plants are exposed to toxic elements (metals and metalloids)

Policy Issues in the Structure, Conduct and Performance of Banana Market in Anambra State, Nigeria

This study described the structure, conduct and performance of banana market in Anambra State of Nigeria. The specific objectives are to describe the structure of the banana market; analyze the conduct of the banana market; determine banana market performance; and examine the major problems of banana marketing in the area. One hundred and twenty respondents spread in six major urban centers in the State and their concomitant major markets were randomly selected for interview. Descriptive statistics, Gini coefficient measure and the price spread analysis were used to analyse data. The study revealed that the activities of the banana market structure is almost optimum with a good conduct and performance as farmer’s share of the consumer spending is 56%. The study also shows that lack of storage facilities and capital were the most pressing problems of the middlemen while the farmers were constrained from increased production by lack of capital, high yielding and disease resistant banana varieties.  Policy recommendation to this effect was suggested

Spheroidal graphite iron production of furnace roof hangers

The wire rod mill of the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited produces coils, wire rods and re-bars of different sizes. Without the furnace hangers, it will be difficult for the mill to continue to operate. This paper describes the production of furnace roof hangers that are required for re-heating furnace using the spheroidal graphite iron (SGI), highlighting the sand-casting process, charge calculation, and the chemical compositions. The facilities within the foundry shop of the steel company are used to produce furnace roof hangers. The available materials used for the casting of the hangers are the pig iron, scrap ends, foundry returns and magnesium. The process of production was performed through the reheating furnace for the heating of 120 m x 120 m x 120 m billets. One ton induction furnace of low frequency was used as the melting vessel. Also, 6 kg of magnesium was introduced in the ladle before the liquid metal was teemed into it. A Spectro analytical instrument was used to determine the chemical compositions of the materials before and after the casting processes. The analysis of the chemical compositions of produced sample of SGI are presented and discussed

Policy Issues in the Structure, Conduct and Performance of Banana Market in Anambra State, Nigeria

This study described the structure, conduct and performance of banana market in Anambra State of Nigeria. The specific objectives are to describe the structure of the banana market; analyze the conduct of the banana market; determine banana market performance; and examine the major problems of banana marketing in the area. One hundred and twenty respondents spread in six major urban centers in the State and their concomitant major markets were randomly selected for interview. Descriptive statistics, Gini coefficient measure and the price spread analysis were used to analyse data. The study revealed that the activities of the banana market structure is almost optimum with a good conduct and performance as farmer’s share of the consumer spending is 56%. The study also shows that lack of storage facilities and capital were the most pressing problems of the middlemen while the farmers were constrained from increased production by lack of capital, high yielding and disease resistant banana varieties.  Policy recommendation to this effect was suggested

Balancing Detection and Eradication for Control of Epidemics: Sudden Oak Death in Mixed-Species Stands

Culling of infected individuals is a widely used measure for the control of several plant and animal pathogens but culling first requires detection of often cryptically-infected hosts. In this paper, we address the problem of how to allocate resources between detection and culling when the budget for disease management is limited. The results are generic but we motivate the problem for the control of a botanical epidemic in a natural ecosystem: sudden oak death in mixed evergreen forests in coastal California, in which species composition is generally dominated by a spreader species (bay laurel) and a second host species (coast live oak) that is an epidemiological dead-end in that it does not transmit infection but which is frequently a target for preservation. Using a combination of an epidemiological model for two host species with a common pathogen together with optimal control theory we address the problem of how to balance the allocation of resources for detection and epidemic control in order to preserve both host species in the ecosystem. Contrary to simple expectations our results show that an intermediate level of detection is optimal. Low levels of detection, characteristic of low effort expended on searching and detection of diseased trees, and high detection levels, exemplified by the deployment of large amounts of resources to identify diseased trees, fail to bring the epidemic under control. Importantly, we show that a slight change in the balance between the resources allocated to detection and those allocated to control may lead to drastic inefficiencies in control strategies. The results hold when quarantine is introduced to reduce the ingress of infected material into the region of interest

Effects of Livelihood Sustenance Activities on Off-Farm Income of Poultry Farmers in IMO State, Nigeria

The study analysed the off farm income and its effect on livelihood sustenance of poultry farmers in Imo state.Multistage sampling technique was used to select 120 respondents. Data for the study were obtained with the aid of structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics and ordinary least square bivariate regression model. Results showed that: the mean off-farm income of poultry farmers was N410223 per annum. Livelihood sustenance activities of poultry farmers positively and significantly affected their off-farm income. It is recommend that government should come up policies that will center on establishment of more livelihood sustenance activities for poultry farmers that will generate increased off-farm income and promote agricultural development simultaneously

Impacts of climate change on plant diseases – opinions and trends

There has been a remarkable scientific output on the topic of how climate change is likely to affect plant diseases in the coming decades. This review addresses the need for review of this burgeoning literature by summarizing opinions of previous reviews and trends in recent studies on the impacts of climate change on plant health. Sudden Oak Death is used as an introductory case study: Californian forests could become even more susceptible to this emerging plant disease, if spring precipitations will be accompanied by warmer temperatures, although climate shifts may also affect the current synchronicity between host cambium activity and pathogen colonization rate. A summary of observed and predicted climate changes, as well as of direct effects of climate change on pathosystems, is provided. Prediction and management of climate change effects on plant health are complicated by indirect effects and the interactions with global change drivers. Uncertainty in models of plant disease development under climate change calls for a diversity of management strategies, from more participatory approaches to interdisciplinary science. Involvement of stakeholders and scientists from outside plant pathology shows the importance of trade-offs, for example in the land-sharing vs. sparing debate. Further research is needed on climate change and plant health in mountain, boreal, Mediterranean and tropical regions, with multiple climate change factors and scenarios (including our responses to it, e.g. the assisted migration of plants), in relation to endophytes, viruses and mycorrhiza, using long-term and large-scale datasets and considering various plant disease control methods

Quantitative analyses and modelling to support achievement of the 2020 goals for nine neglected tropical diseases

Quantitative analysis and mathematical models are useful tools in informing strategies to control or eliminate disease. Currently, there is an urgent need to develop these tools to inform policy to achieve the 2020 goals for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). In this paper we give an overview of a collection of novel model-based analyses which aim to address key questions on the dynamics of transmission and control of nine NTDs: Chagas disease, visceral leishmaniasis, human African trypanosomiasis, leprosy, soil-transmitted helminths, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis and trachoma. Several common themes resonate throughout these analyses, including: the importance of epidemiological setting on the success of interventions; targeting groups who are at highest risk of infection or re-infection; and reaching populations who are not accessing interventions and may act as a reservoir for infection,. The results also highlight the challenge of maintaining elimination ‘as a public health problem’ when true elimination is not reached. The models elucidate the factors that may be contributing most to persistence of disease and discuss the requirements for eventually achieving true elimination, if that is possible. Overall this collection presents new analyses to inform current control initiatives. These papers form a base from which further development of the models and more rigorous validation against a variety of datasets can help to give more detailed advice. At the moment, the models’ predictions are being considered as the world prepares for a final push towards control or elimination of neglected tropical diseases by 2020