Haematology and Serum Biochemistry Evaluations of Broiler Chickens Inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis and Treated with Phyllanthus amarus Leaf extract

A 21-day experiment was conducted to study the effects on haematology and serum biochemistry of broiler chickens inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) and treated with methanol extract of Phyllanthus amarus leaf (PALM). A total of 60 Abor-Acre unsexed 5 week old broiler chickens were randomly allotted to four treatments including T1 = Ordinary water (control), T2 = SE inoculated (107 CFU, PO), T3 = SE inoculated + PALM (150 mg/kg) and T4 = SE inoculated + Enrofloxacin (10 mg/kg). Each treatment was replicated thrice (n = 5) and the birds allotted to treatments in a completely randomized design. SE was inoculated at 5 weeks of age to T2 – T4. One hour prior to inoculation, T3 and T4 received PALM and enrofloxacin respectively which continued for another 4 days (ie 5 days in all). At the end of 3 weeks, one bird/replicate from T1 – T4 was randomly selected and 4 mL of blood aseptically drawn for haematological and biochemical analyses. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and means compared with Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. The haematological and biochemical values were not affected (p<0.05) except the monocytes where T1 and T2 were different (p>0.05) from T3 and T4 and ALP that significantly differed (p>0.05) from others. Meanwhile, PALM stabilized the parameters, particularly the liver enzymes in the event of negative effects due to SE inoculation.  It can therefore be concluded that PALM can be used to stabilize haematological and biochemical values in the event of negative alteration in quantities mainly due to microbial assault in broiler chickens

Strength Variation of OPC-Saw Dust Ash Composites with Percentage Saw Dust Ash

This work investigated the variation of OPC-Saw Dust Ash (SDA) composites strength with percentage SDA. 231 concrete cubes, 231 sandcrete cubes, and 231 soilcrete cubes of 150mm x 150mm x 150mm were produced at percentage OPC replacement with SDA of 0% (control), 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, and 50% and crushed to obtain their compressive strengths at 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 50, and 90 days of curing. For concrete, the 90-day strength values decreased from 28.00N/mm2 at 5% SDA to 25.60N/mm2 at 15% SDA to 20.50N/mm2 at 35% SDA to 15.80N/mm2 at 50% SDA, while the control value was 27.00N/mm2. The 90-day strength values also decreased from 11.50N/mm2 at 5% SDA to 5.40N/mm2 at 50% SDA for sandcrete while the control value was 11.10N/mm2. Soilcrete strength values decreased from 9.70N/mm2 at 5% SDA to 4.50N/mm2 at 50% SDA while the control value was 9.50N/mm2. The results suggest that, with good quality control of the concreting process, 5% to 25% OPC replacement with SDA could be suitable for general reinforced concrete works, 25% to 40% for minor works in concrete, and 45% to 50% for plain concrete works. Also, 5% to 20% OPC replacement with SDA could be used for light load-bearing sandcrete and soilcrete works, while 25% to 50% could still be suitable for non-load-bearing works. Keywords: Blended cement, Composites, Compressive strength, Concrete, Sandcrete, Saw dust ash, Soilcrete

Tensile Strengths of Concrete Containing Sawdust Ash from Different Calcination Methods

This work investigated the tensile strengths of concrete containing sawdust ash from different calcination methods. SawDust Ash (SDA) was produced using three different calcination methods namely: Open Air Calcination (OAC), Stove Calcination (SC), and Furnace Calcination (FC). OPC was partially replaced with SDA from each of the three calcination methods at 5%, 10%, and 15%. Nine concrete cylinders of 150mm x 300mm were produced for each of the three percentage replacement levels of OPC with SDA and for each of the three calcination methods, making a total of eighty one concrete cylinders with OPC-SDA binary blended cement for the three different calcination methods. Nine control concrete cylinders, with same dimensions of 150mm x 300mm, were also produced using 100% OPC. This gives a grand total of 90 concrete cylinders. A mix ratio of 1: 2: 3.5 (blended cement: sand: local stone) was used for the concrete. Batching was by weight and a constant water/cement ratio of 0.6 was used. All the concrete cylinders were cured in water by immersion. Three concrete cylinders from each of the three SDA calcination methods and for each of the three percentage replacement levels of OPC with pozzolan, as well as three control concrete cylinders were tested for saturated surface dry bulk density and crushed to obtain their split tensile strengths at 28, 90, and 150 days of curing. Excel Spreadsheet Regression Analysis was used to develop empirical models for predicting the split tensile strengths of OPC-SDA concrete for each of the three calcination methods. It was found that Split tensile strength values for FC were much greater than those for OAC and SC for all the days of curing and all percentages of replacement of OPC with SDA. The control split tensile strength value rose to 1.34N/mm2 at 90 days and 1.61N/mm2 at 150 days whereas the greatest 90 and 150-day values were 1.10N/mm2 and 1.51N/mm2 respectively for OAC and 1.29N/mm2 and 1.70N/mm2 respectively for SC. The 28-day values for FC were comparable to the control values for 5% and 10% replacement and increased rapidly to exceed the control values at 90 and 150 days. Therefore, OPC-SDA blended cement concrete with SDA obtained from FC could be used for all civil engineering works at 5-10% OPC replacement while OPC-SDA blended cement concrete with SDA obtained from FC at 15% OPC replacement and with SDA obtained from OAC and SC at 5-10% OPC replacement could be used for low strength civil engineering works where early loading of the structural members are not required. The models developed for FC, OAC, and SC methods were tested using t-test analysis and found to be adequate for predicting the split tensile strength values of OPC- SDA binary blended cement concrete at 28-150 days of curing and for 5-15% replacement of OPC with SDA, using SDA obtained from any of the three calcination methods

Effects of Climate Change on Fluted Pumpkin Production and Adaptaton Measures Used Among Farmers in Rivers State

The importance of fluted pumpkin crop in rural household economy cannot be over emphasized. Farmers in the South South Nigeria depend greatly on fluted pumpkin for its many uses. The production however is beset with a myriad of constraints of which climate change is one of the most outstanding. The study assessed the effects of climate change and adaptation measures used by fluted pumpkin farmers in Ikwerre Local Government Area(LGA) of Rivers State, Southsouth Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select respondents for the study. Out of the twelve communities that make up Ikwerre LGA, six communities were randomly chosen from which one hundred and eighty fluted pumpkin farmers were proportionately selected. Interview schedule and focus group discussion were used to elicit in depth information from respondents. Data were analyzed using percentage, frequency count and mean. Tables and charts were used in presentation of data. The result of the study showed that 51 percent of the respondents were female, majority were married (77 percent) and were full time farmers (79 percent). Relatively large proportion had no formal education (42 percent) and indicated both consumption and sale (79 percent) as the major aim of production. The respondents perceived that unpredictable climate condition, changes in rainfall pattern, changes in rainfall distribution, reduced yield of fluted pumpkin and reduction of family income were the major effects of climate change on fluted pumpkin production. A combination of fluted pumpkin production with other income generating activities was shown to be the most widely used adaptation strategy by respondents. Based on the results of the study it was recommended that improved extension services that can provide the needed farming inputs (fluted pumpkin seedlings, fertilizers e.t.c) as well as useful and relevant information on climate change and adaptation strategies should be made available to the people

Effects of Climate Change on Fluted Pumpkin Production and Adaptaton Measures Used Among Farmers in Rivers State

The importance of fluted pumpkin crop in rural household economy cannot be over emphasized. Farmers in the South South Nigeria depend greatly on fluted pumpkin for its many uses. The production however is beset with a myriad of constraints of which climate change is one of the most outstanding. The study assessed the effects of climate change and adaptation measures used by fluted pumpkin farmers in Ikwerre Local Government Area(LGA) of Rivers State, Southsouth Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select respondents for the study. Out of the twelve communities that make up Ikwerre LGA, six communities were randomly chosen from which one hundred and eighty fluted pumpkin farmers were proportionately selected. Interview schedule and focus group discussion were used to elicit in depth information from respondents. Data were analyzed using percentage, frequency count and mean. Tables and charts were used in presentation of data. The result of the study showed that 51 percent of the respondents were female, majority were married (77 percent) and were full time farmers (79 percent). Relatively large proportion had no formal education (42 percent) and indicated both consumption and sale (79 percent) as the major aim of production. The respondents perceived that unpredictable climate condition, changes in rainfall pattern, changes in rainfall distribution, reduced yield of fluted pumpkin and reduction of family income were the major effects of climate change on fluted pumpkin production. A combination of fluted pumpkin production with other income generating activities was shown to be the most widely used adaptation strategy by respondents. Based on the results of the study it was recommended that improved extension services that can provide the needed farming inputs (fluted pumpkin seedlings, fertilizers e.t.c) as well as useful and relevant information on climate change and adaptation strategies should be made available to the people

Preparation and use of maize tassels’ activated carbon for the adsorption of phenolic compounds in environmental waste water samples

The determination and remediation of three phenolic compounds bisphenol A (BPA), ortho-nitrophenol (o-NTP), parachlorophenol (PCP) in wastewater is reported. The analysis of these molecules in wastewater was done using gas chromatography (GC) × GC time-of-flight mass spectrometry while activated carbon derived from maize tassel was used as an adsorbent. During the experimental procedures, the effect of various parameters such as initial concentration, pH of sample solution, eluent volume, and sample volume on the removal efficiency with respect to the three phenolic compounds was studied. The results showed that maize tassel produced activated carbon (MTAC) cartridge packed solid-phase extraction (SPE) system was able to remove the phenolic compounds effectively (90.84–98.49 %, 80.75–97.11 %, and 78.27–97.08 % for BPA, o-NTP, and PCP, respectively) . The MTAC cartridge packed SPE sorbent performance was compared to commercially produced C18 SPE cartridges and found to be comparable. All the parameters investigated were found to have a notable influence on the adsorption efficiency of the phenolic compounds from wastewaters at different magnitudes

An Efficient Technique in the Minimization of Unnecessary Handover for Macro-Femto Cells in LTE Network

This paper presents an efficient technique in the reduction of frequent handover for macro-femto cells in Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks. A key design feature for handover decision algorithms is to guarantee seamless handover process between wireless access technologies without degrading the Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) of the users. There are unwanted scenarios in vertical handover schemes where due to poor handover process, frequent handovers occur resulting in wastage of network resources, handover failures, and subsequent dissatisfaction of the users. Despite a number of efforts made to mitigate this problem of poor handover, network users still experience significant degradation in call quality owing to the dissimilarities in access technologies available and the changing speed of the user. A handover decision algorithm, which is based on the user’s changing speed and network connection time, was proposed in this work and it involves the incorporation of a dwell time into a proximity model prediction technique in order to make the handover decision better. Results obtained using MATLAB R2015b version showed that the proposed algorithm attained a 77.46% reduction in the number of unnecessary handover