Risk management and determinants of farm output among small scale poultry farmers in Ekiti State, Nigeria

The study was carried out to investigate risk management and determinants of farm output among small scale poultry farmers in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Cross sectional data were collected from randomly sampled 120 poultry farmers with the use of a well-structured questionnaire. The data collected were analysed usingfrequency, percentage, mean, chart and ordinary least square (OLS) multiple regression analysis. The results of the study showed that production, financial, marketing, technological and human risks are the major sources of risks encountered by the poultry farmers. Disease outbreak, high cost of medication and vaccines, insufficient fund, lack of quality feed and fragility of poultry products are some of the risk situations in poultry farming in the study area. Risk management practices among the farmers are enterprise diversification, marketing and production strategies. The result of the multiple regression model (R2 = 0.96) revealed that age, household size, stock size, capital input, farming experience, location, cost of medication and cost of labour (p<0.01) are the major determinant of farm output among poultry farmers. This shows that better risk management determines higher farm output. Based on the above findings, the study recommends that there should be adequate institutional supports in form of credits facilities, sales of day old chicks, quality feed, vaccines and drugs in government stores to poultry farmers for improved productivity.Keywords: food security, risk management, poultry farming, small scale farmers, Ekiti Stat

Aquifer Vulnerability Assessment at Ipinsa-Okeodu Area, Near Akure, Southwestern Nigeria, using GODT

Aquifer vulnerability assessment has been undertaken at Ipinsa and Oke-Odu area, southwestern Nigeria using geoelectrically derived GODT model. One hundred and two (102) vertical electrical soundings (VES) data utilizing Schlumberger array were carried out at half-current electrode separation (AB/2) varied between 1-150 m. Qualitative interpretation of the VES data using partial curve matching and computer-aided inversion techniques yielded geo-electric parameters (layer resistivity and thickness) that were used in delineating the aquifers in the area and evaluating their vulnerability to pollutants. The geoelectric sections revealed that the area is underlain by three to four geo-electric layers namely the topsoil, weathered layer, partly weathered/fractured basement and fresh basement. The weathered layer and partly weathered/fractured basement constitute the major aquifers in the area. The GODT vulnerability model depicts that the area is characterized by four vulnerability zones which are very low, low, moderate and high vulnerable zones. According to the model, about 10% of the area is highly vulnerable while about 35% is of moderate rating. The low and very low ratings constitute 40% and 15% of the area respectively. Keywords: Aquifer vulnerability, GODT model, vertical electrical sounding and geoelectric parameters

Genetic linkage map of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) using SNP markers

Genetic linkage maps provide a genomic framework for quantitative trait loci identification applied in marker assisted selection breeding in crops with limited resources. It serves as a powerful tool to breeders for analysing the mode of inheritance of genes of interest and monitoring of the transmission of target genes from parents to progeny. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers have a great influence on mapping research studies: for faster development of new varieties of crops due to its abundance and high number of polymorphism. Thus, this research work aimed at constructing genetic linkage map of cowpea using SNP markers. This will facilitate development of new varieties of cowpea. Single seed descent method of breeding was used to generate mapping population between IT-95K-193- 12 and Ife-Brown. Fresh leaves from both parental lines and F1 hybrids were genotyped with 135 SNP markers. Data from125 polymorphic SNP markers were used to construct linkage map. Results revealed 12 linkage maps with an average of 10 markers to a chromosome and average marker distance of 3.02 cM between the markers. Constructed map provides basic information that could assist in genetic improvement of cowpea, most especially in developing brown blotch resistant cowpea varieties through detection of quantitative trait loci (QTL) responsible for brown blotch resistance in cowpea when utilizing marker assisted selection method.Key words: Cowpea, genetic linkage map, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, brown blotch resistance

Shifts in age pattern, timing of childbearing and trend in fertility level across six regions of Nigeria: Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys from 2003-2018.

Nigeria's population is projected to increase from 200 million in 2019 to 450 million in 2050 if the fertility level remains at the current level. Thus, we examined the shifts in the age pattern of fertility, timing of childbearing and trend in fertility levels from 2003 and 2018 across six regions of Nigeria. This study utilised the 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey datasets. Each survey was a cross-sectional population-based design, and a two-stage cluster sampling technique was used to select women aged 15-49 years. The changes in the timing of childbearing were examined by calculating the corresponding mean ages at the birth of different birth orders for each birth order separately to adjust the Quantum effect for births. The Gompertz Relational Model was used to examine the age pattern of fertility and refined fertility level. In Nigeria, it was observed that there was a minimal decline in mean children ever born (CEB) between 2003 and 2018 across all maternal age groups except aged 20-24 years. The pattern of mean CEB by the age of mothers was the same across the Nigeria regions except in North West. Nigeria's mean number of CEB to women aged 40-49 in 2003, 2008, 2013 and 2018 surveys was 6.7, 6.6, 6.3 and 6.1, respectively. The mean age (years) at first birth marginally increased from 21.3 in 2003 to 22.5 in 2018. In 2003, the mean age at first birth was highest in South East (24.3) and lowest in North East (19.4); while South West had the highest (24.4) and both North East and North West had the lowest (20.2) in 2018. Similar age patterns of fertility existed between 2003 and 2018 across the regions. Nigeria's estimated total fertility level for 2003, 2008, 2013 and 2018 was 6.1, 6.1, 5.9 and 5.7, respectively. The findings showed a reducing but slow fertility declines in Nigeria. The decline varied substantially across the regions. For a downward change in the level of fertility, policies that will constrict the spread of fertility distribution across the region in Nigeria must urgently be put in place. [Abstract copyright: Copyright: © 2023 Olowolafe et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Assessing Impacts of the School Clinic on Academic Performance in Selected Secondary Schools in Oyo State

Background%253A School Clinic is a health care facility within school intended to provide basic health care for students and refer them to the specialist or primary health center, these appreciate efforts and consideration to protect the health of children and other children with whom they may come in contact. This study was to assessing the impacts of the school clinic on academic performance on selected secondary schools in Oyo state. Methods%253A The target populations of the study comprised only Senior Secondary School one to three (SSS 1-3) students within Ibadan metropolis, Oyo State. The study adopted non-experimental survey using quantitative approach. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the sample. Assessing the Impacts of the School Clinic on Academic Performance on Selected Secondary Schools Questionnaire (AISCAPQ) was used to collect data for the study. Frequency and percentage scores of descriptive statistics were used to analyse research questions. Results%253A The findings showed that school clinic is very supportive to teaching and learning outcome of the students through ability to have access to a good source for health information (59%25), able to identify their health needs (57%25), stayed in good physical health (59%25) and mental health environments (41%25). More also, the students have access to obtain test (23%25), good medical treatment (28%25) and also have access to specialist (23%25). The study further showed that the impact of school clinic practices manifested in student academic performances through quick accessibility to drugs for immediate treatment which keeps them healthy for learning (71%25) and provisions of treated bed nets in the school hostel that prevented malaria parasites and also protected the students learning activities (64%25). The result further showed that there was a great relationship between the use of school clinic and student academic performance in the selected secondary schools which have manifested in reduction of students absenteeism (30%25), drop-outs (31%25) and also improved school performance (38%25). Conclusion%253A The study concluded that school clinic was very supportive to teaching and learning, has good impact and also contributed to the students academic performance. The study recommended that each school should have school clinic and psychological care should part of services deliver by health care personnel in the clinic. Government should ensure establishment of school clinic in all government school both in rural and urban area and government should ensure regulation standard of school clinic

Microalgae as a biocathode and feedstock in anode chamber for a self-sustainable microbial fuel cell technology: A review

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has been investigated for over a decade now and it has been deemed as a preferred technique for energy generation since it is environmentally benign and does not produce toxic by/end products. However, this technology is characterized by low power outputs, poor microbial diversity detection, and the presence of methanogenic microorganisms, poor electrochemically active microorganisms’ enrichment techniques, and the type of electrode that is used, amongst others. Furthermore, this technology has relied mostly on refined chemicals for energy production and this practice is not sustainable for long-term application of this technology. This paper reviews the use of a microalgae-assisted MFC for a self-sustainable microbial fuel cell where a microalgae-assisted cathode is established to facilitate the oxidation/reduction reactions (ORR) while recycling the generated algal biomass to the anode compartment as a feedstock for improved energy generation. Furthermore, this review proposes for the utilization of cell disruption techniques to maximize nutrient availability for maximal power generation while also making use of molecular diagnostic tools such as metagenomics and metatranscriptomics to monitor the microbial community structure and function

Comparative Analysis of Nurses’ Knowledge in the 2018 Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Programme(MCPDP) in Ogun State

Theupdate of professional knowledge is important in clinical practice. The aim of the study is to compare nurses’ knowledge in the 2018 MCPDP. A descriptive prospective of pre and post one shot designed was used for the study in Ogun state, Nigeria. The population for the study were841 participants(nurses). The instrument was pre and post tests records. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Kendall’s Tau correlation coefficient was used to state the strength of the relationship in the participants’ knowledge. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ogun State Ministry of Health Committee on MCPDP. The result revealed a significant difference between the entry knowledge and exit knowledge of the participants (P (0.00) <0.05; r=0.463). More than half of the respondents (53.5%) had good grade at the Pretest, while majority had Excellent grade at the post test. Mental health/Psychiatric nursing module had the highest knowledge based with 61.5% at the Pre-test and 90.7% at the Post test. However, Medical-surgical nursing recorded 100% lowest knowledge based in both Pre and Post tests. The study suggest exploration of other teaching methods and motivation for learnersin Medical surgical nursing module

Perceived quality of life and life style modification of cancer patients undergoing varied treatments in a tertiary health institution, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Introduction:&nbsp;cancer is viewed in the African context as a death sentence. Its effect can be overwhelming to both the patient and their support system. The objective of the study was to assess the perceived quality of life of cancer patients undergoing varied cancer treatments in a tertiary health institution in Ekiti State and to determine the life style modification of cancer patients undergoing varied treatments in the same health facility. Methods:&nbsp;the study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. A consecutive sampling approach was utilized to select 80 respondents among the cancer patients who attended the cancer registry within the study time frame. Data was collected from these cancer patients by using structured and validated questionnaire. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics with level of significance set at p &lt; 0.05. Results:&nbsp;respondent´s ages ranged from 20 - 61 years with a mean age of 50 ± 18.3 years. Only 7.8% are not dependent on medications to function in their daily life. Most of the participants reported that their sex life has been affected (61.1%) and 77% of the respondents reported fatigue. About 76% of respondents need varying measure of medical treatment to function in their daily life. Overall, 44.8% have poor quality of life, while 55.1% had good quality of life in this current study. Moreover, a significant relationship was found between quality of life and self-assessment of patient´s health (p &lt; 0.001). Multivariate analysis predicting factors affecting quality of life of respondents revealed that self-assessment of respondents (AOR: 3.389; 95% CI: 1.897-6.054) remained a significant and more likely predictor of quality of life while respondent´s age (AOR: 0.244; 95% CI: 0.068-0.876) and level of education (AOR: 0.054; 95% CI: 0.005-0.546) were less likely predictors. Conclusion:&nbsp;one quarter of the participants have poor quality of life and majority of the participants need varying measure of medical treatment to function in their day to day life. Management of cancer patients should be geared towards improving/ameliorating symptoms and improving quality of life of cancer patients