SURVEY OF INTESTINAL SCHISTOSOMIASIS AND SOIL-TRANSMITTED HELMINTHIASIS AMONG PUPILS IN IFELODUN, KWARA STATENIGERIA

Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminths (STHs) are among the mainly prevalent suffering of human who live in areas of poverty in the developing world. The diseases caused by STHs and Schistosoma mansoniare most commonly associated with poor hygiene practice and improper excreta disposal. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of infections with STHs, Schistosoma mansoniand the associated risk factors among school children in Ifelodun, Kwara State. It was a cross sectional study that recruited school children from 3 randomly selected primary schools in the Local Government Area aged from 3 to 18 years. A well structured questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographic data and possible associated risk factors. A single stool sample was processed using Kato Katz thick smear technique and examined for eggs of geohelminths and S. mansoniinfections.The only prevalent helminth seen wasAscaris lumbricoides6.3% (n=160). In all, female pupils had more infestation with prevalence of 4.4%(7/160) than their male counterpart 1.9% (3/160). Eighty percent of the infected pupils had heavy infection while 20% had light infection (P< 0.05). Thus, none of the infected pupils had moderateinfection. The study confirmed absence of Intestinal Schistosomiasis among pupils in the study are

Stock Market Volatility Spillover in West Africa: Regional and Global Perspectives

This study examines volatility spillover between stock markets in the West African region, and with the United States of America (US) and United Kingdom (UK) stock markets using the Exponential Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedastic (E-GARCH). Daily stock market index returns from 2008-2016 were analysed considering two sub-sample periods representing periods of turbulence and tranquil. Findings from the study reveal that there is the presence of significant volatility spillover effects between stock markets in the West African region and also with major global markets of US and UK. Significant changes are also observed in the direction, magnitude and sign of impact during the period of crises and in the post crises period. The results of this study is important to local, regional and international investors, market participants and regulatory bodies as it implicates on portfolio diversification strategies, capital controls policies and efforts towards regional stock market integration

Modeling and optimization of processing parameters of strips produced from blends of cassava and cowpea flour

Most Nigerian traditional foods have a low nutritional value, inconsistent sensory attributes, and short shelf life. Thus, upgrading becomes necessary for the technologies used in the processing, distributing, and storing of indigenous snack foods to improve the products' nutritional, sensory, and storage properties. A Box-Behnken (three-factor) response surface methodology was used to optimize the process. The effect of frying temperature (160 - 180°C), frying time (8 - 12 min) and percent cowpea flour (10 - 30%) on some attributes (moisture, fat, protein contents, texture, and color change) of cassava-cowpea strips fried snack. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and regression analysis. The moisture content ranged between 1.00% and 4.26%, fat content (8.41–11.94%), protein content (30.83–36.42%), texture (5.06–13.14 N) and color change (26.967–40.479). Frying temperature, frying time and % cowpea flour had a significant (P &lt; 0.05) effect on moisture, fat, protein contents, texture and color change of cassava-cowpea strips. The processing conditions affected moisture, fat, protein, texture, and color change. Coefficients of determination, R2 were 0.87, 0.86, 0.79, 0.88 and 0.71, respectively. The best conditions for processing cassava-cowpea strips were 12 min frying time, 166.65 °C frying temperature, and 24.36% cowpea flour content. The desirability of optimization was 0.65. Therefore, composite flour from cassava and cowpea can be adopted or used to produce strips to prevent protein-energy malnutrition in the community