Isolation and Physicochemical Characterization of Lignin from Chromolaena Odorata and Tithonia Diversifolia

This study dealt with isolation of lignin from soft woods namely; Chromolaena odorata (Siam Weed) and Tithonia diversifolia (Mexican Sunflower) using alkali pretreatment method. The raw samples were characterized by some physico-chemical parameters before extraction. Chromolaena odorata gave higher lignin yield and lesser ash content of 15.12 % and 4.22 % respectively compared to Tithonia diversifolia with 7.40 % and 9.56 % respectively. The isolated lignins were characterized by some physico-chemical parameters and spectroscopy methods like Futran Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Lignin from Chromolaena odorata was found to be more pure than the one from Tithonia diversifolia as evident from the values of ash content (4.22%) and klason lignin (33.65 %) for Chromolaena odorata while ash content (9.56 %) and klason lignin (21.96 %) were obtained from Tithonia diversifolia. The FT-IR spectra of both lignins revealed the presence of syringyl and guaiacyl units.Keywords: Chromolaena odorata, Tithonia diversifolia, Lignin, FT-IR, Physico chemical parameter

Performance of In Vitro Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) Plantlets Weaned with Locally Sourced Substrates

The performance of in vitro cassava plantlets weaned on different locally sourced substrates was evaluated. Nodal cuttings were excised from healthy six weeks old OG 001cassava variety in the culture room of tissue culture laboratory of National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria. The explants were washed, sterilized and cultured in vitro. The resulting plantlets were weaned on the following substrates - top soil (TS), river sand (RS), saw dust (SD), rice hull waste (RH), 2:1 top soil plus river sand (TS +RS), 2:1 river sand plus saw dust (RS + SD), 2:1 river sand plus rice husk (RS + RH), 2:1 top soil plus saw dust (TP + SD), 2:1 top soil plus rice husk (TP + RH), 2:1 saw dust plus rice husk (SD + RH) and 2:1 peat pellet plus vermiculite (PP + VE), which served as the control. Completely randomized design was used with ten replications. Results showed that plantlets weaned on PP + VE performed better than the other treatments at the end of the weaning period with significantly (P 0.05) highest survival rate (98%), plant vigour (2.6), number of leaves (5) and number of nodes (8). This was closely followed by RS with survival rate, plant vigour, number of leaves and nodes of 63%, 1.4, 1.7 and 3.5, respectively. Plantlets weaned on the other substrates performed poorly. Although plantlets weaned on peat pellet + vermiculite mixture out-performed the other substrates, river sand if properly handled could be a potential substitute for the conventional substrate in weaning cassava plantlets

International Remittance Inflows and Household Welfare: Empirical Evidence from Nigeria

The contribution of remittances income in mitigating poverty and income inequality in Nigeria has attracted very little attention in general. Very few studies have looked at the quantitative relationship between remittance inflows, poverty and income inequality in Nigeria even though it is now believed that total remittance inflows into Nigeria; exceed Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and Overseas Development Assistant (ODA). Using poverty and Gini decomposable techniques, the study finds that household poverty declines across all the geopolitical zones, by sex and locality as a result of remittance inflows. For example, with remittances, household poverty falls from 0.35 to 0.30 in the South-South region, 0.27 to 0.22 in the South-East region and 0.43 to 0.36 in the South-West region. Poverty also declines from 0.67 to 0.60 in the North-Central region, 0.72 to 0.66 in the North-East and from 0.71 to 0.66 in the North-West regions. Similarly, in the Gini decomposition; the study finds that increase in remittances reduce income inequality more in urban areas (0.1) than in rural areas (0.02). For example, a 10% increase in remittances other things being equal, is associated with declines in the Gini coefficients of total income inequality of 0.02% in rural area and 0.1% in the urban area

Design, Construction and Characterization of a Sliding- Plate- Evaporator Freezer (Spef)

This work embodied the design, construction and characterization of a sliding plate evaporator freezer, a modified version of the conventional freezer. The presence of a sliding plate evaporator reduces the freezing area, to increase the freezing rate and with a reduced freezing time. The freezer is intended to freeze agro and allied products in a record time. This is achieved by incorporating sliding plate evaporators to a conventional freezer to have two or more freezing sources, thereby, also giving the freezer with the option of a deferring freezing area to increase freezing rate. The results obtained are not exactly matched with the designed objectives because of construction flaws; and modifications can be made to improve the Coefficient of performance. The Coefficient of performance of the SPFE is obtained   to be 7.26. The SPEF is recommended for use in household and agro based industries for faster and effective freezing. Keyword: Freezer, Sliding Plate, Evaporator, and Refrigerator, Freezer chamber, Compressor power, Condenser power and Co-efficient of performance

PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF Indigofera zollingeriana SEED OIL

The objective of this present study was to examine the physico-chemical properties of Indigofera zollingeriana seed oil. Physico-chemical parameters of oils are important in the determination of edibility and other industrial applications. All the laboratory analysis were carried out using standard procedures according to AOAC (2000). The acid value, peroxide value, iodine value, saponfication value, refractive index and free fatty acids of cold pressed Indigofera zollingeriana seed oil was found to be 17.11 mg NaOH/g, 23.04 meq/kg, 180.4 gI2/100g, 118.7 mg/KOH/g and 14.10 %. The refractive index (20oC) and specific gravity (25oC) was 2.01 and 1.02 respectively. The extracted oil was Indigo in colour at liquid state. It was concluded the oil has a high acid value, peroxide value and free fatty acid which favours the use of the oil for industrial use such as soap production and cosmetics

Funding Arrangements for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria: An Assessment

Small and Medium Scale Enterprises have been fully recognized by governments and development experts as the main engine of economic growth and a major factor in promoting development. They not only contribute significantly to improved living standards, employment generation and poverty reduction but also bring about substantial domestic or local capital formation and achievement of high levels of productivity and capability. A major gap in Nigeria’s industrial development process in the past years has been the absence of a strong and virile SME sub-sector. This study seeks to generally appraise and analyze the operating environment and circumstances of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Nigeria with a view to actually identifying why SMEs are not playing major roles in the Nigerian economy as in other economies. The random sampling method was employed and responses to the questionnaire were complemented with personal interviews of key operators. Analysis was undertaken using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings revealed that SMEs have performed below expectation in the development of Nigeria economy due to a combination of factors. Thus, the paper recommends that the realization of these require a paradigm shift from paying lip service to a practical radical forward approach to issues and focus on this all-important sector of the economy and realistically addressing the identified problems by the key operators

Assessment of remediation Potentials of maize (Zea mays) on sites co-contaminated with Pb and antracene

Phytoremediation is a promising technology for the remediation of sites co-contaminated with inorganic and organic pollutants. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the remediation potential of Z.mays in soil co- contaminated with Pb and antracene. Pristine sandy loam soils were polluted with Pb chloride salt and antracene at three different levels (50mg/kg of Pb, 100mg/kg of Pb, and 100mg/kg of Pb+100mg/kg of antracene) and laid out in completely randomized design with 3 replicates. Shoot dry matter weight was significantly reduced (p≤0.05) when compared with control treatments by 40% when exposed to100mg kg-1 of Pb. There was a 48% inhibition of shoot dry matter of Z.mays relative to control treatments when 100 mg Pb kg-1 was mixed with 100 mgkg-1 antracene. Root and shoot metal concentration in Zea mays increased with increasing concentration of Pb. The average Translocation Factor (TF < 1 (0.69) obtained suggests that Zea mays predominantly retains Pb in the root portion of the plant. There was a 5% increase in shoot Pb concentration when soil was contaminated with Pb and antracene. The extractable antracene decreased significantly (p≤0.05) in soil planted with Z.mays as well as in pots without maize plant. This accounted for 65 and 72% of antracene dissipation in planted soil and 40-46% dissipation in unplanted soil. This result suggested that Zeamays is a promising candidate for uptake Pb and dissipation of antracene in co-contaminated soils

International remittance inflows and household welfare : empirical evidence from Nigeria

This paper reports on findings that show household poverty declines across all the geopolitical zones as a result of remittance inflows. Few studies have tried to evaluate the impacts of remittances and the remittance environment in Nigeria, or looked at the quantitative relationship between remittance inflows, poverty and income inequality, even though it is now believed that total remittance inflows into Nigeria exceed Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and Overseas Development Assistance (ODA). The study finds remittance income to be more income equalizing in urban areas, and has more impact the higher the education level of the head of household

Assessment of measures of adiposity that correlate with blood pressure among hypertensive Africans

Background: Studies differ on which anthropometric measure of adiposity shows good correlation with cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we evaluated the effects of common epidemiological measures of adiposity as a correlate of elevated blood pressure in an African population.Methodology: The study was carried out between June 2009 and December 2011 at the medical out-patient department of a tertiary healthcare center in Nigeria. Correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between blood pressure and body mass index (BMI), waist to height ratio (WHtR), and waist circumference (WC).Results: A total of 1,416 Hypertensives comprising 1090 (77%) adult females recruited over two and half years. Women were significantly older (49.2±8.1 vs. 48.0±10.0 years, p=0.039) and shorter (1.6±6.3 vs 1.7±6.8 meters, p&lt;0.0001) when compared with men. Blood pressure parameters were comparable between women and men. Approximately 1 out of 5 participants had good blood pressure control with no gender difference. Anthropometric measurements showed that 446(32%) were overweight, 404(29%) obese and 40(3%) were morbidly obese. Compared with their male counterparts, females were significantly more likely to be obese (P&lt;0.0001). Similarly, 51.6% of the subjects had abdominal obesity, with female preponderance (P&lt;0.0001). Likewise, a greater proportion of women had substantially higher measured waist circumference risk. Compared with other measures of adiposity, body mass index correlated best with diastolic blood pressure in both gender (P&lt; 0.05).Conclusion: This study adds to the evidence that obesity is a major cardiovascular risk factor. BMI, as a measure of adiposity, was found to correlate best with blood pressure. These findings support other observations in other populations that BMI rather than waist to height ratio (WHtR), and waist circumference (WC) is a better correlate of hypertension