NATURAL DIETS OF SYNODONTIS MEMBRANACEUS FROM IKERE GORGE IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Natural dietary items in the stomach of Synodontis membranaceus from Ikere Gorge in Oyo State, Nigeria were investigated between the months of October to December 2004 and June to August 2005. Fish species were obtained from fishermen every fortnight using gill net and cast net. Specimens were chilled with iced blocks at the point of collection and transported to the laboratory. 642 fish specimens were examined and their stomach contents analysed. Frequency of occurrence and numerical methods were employed in the study. The result of the analysis showed that the food items found covered a wide spectrum, ranging from various types of planktons to invertebrates and plants. A seasonal variation was also noted in the stomach contents of S. membranaceus over the period of study. The predominant food items found in the stomach were Polycytis spp, Closterium spp, Oedogonium spp., plant tissues, insect parts, paramecium sp., unidentified algae and detritus. This suggests that S. membranaceus is an omnivore

RECRUITMENT PATTERN, PROBABILITY OF CAPTURE AND PREDICTED YIELDS OF TILAPIA ZILLII IN OGUN ESTUARY, NIGERIA

A study was carried out on the stock parameters, recruitment pattern, and probability of capture of T. zillii in Ogun estuary, Ogun State, Nigeria using length-frequency and catch-at-length data. The fish stock was assessed using the methods of ELEFAN 0- III of the FiSAT II software. Results showed that the stock has a continuous recruitment pattern. L25, L50 and L75 were 13.82cm, 15.50cm and 17.19cm respectively. Fish population decreased with increase length class. Average mortality rate was 1.16/year, and exploitation rates were lower in length class 11-12cm to 26-27cm and large size, 34-35cm, and equal or greater than optimum in others. Steady biomass also increased with length class until 24-25cm. The fishery would attain MSY if the present effort level is raised by 1.6.Â

PARASITES OF THE CICHLID FISHES IN WATER RESERVOIR OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA

A survey of parasites of Tilapia species (Family; Cichlidae) was carried out at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta Reservoir. A total of 150 specimens belonging to four genera and species were examined for parasites. Of the total number examined 16.0% were infected with various types of parasites. Parasites encountered during the study included flagellate protozoan, Ichtyobodonecatrix (96.0%), species of annelid, Piscicola sp.(1.6%), species of nematode, Cucullanus sp.(1.6%), and species of cestode, Caryophyllaeidessp (0.8%). This result showed low prevalence of infection as well as low parasites diversity. The prevalence of infection was highest in Oreochromis niloticus (29.0%) and followed in descending order by Hemichromis fasciatus (16.7%), Sarotherodon galilaeus (14.3%)and Tilapia zillii (10.5%). The skin (60.7%), gills (36.9%), stomach (1.6%) and intestine (0.8%) were the locations infected and the skin supported the highest burden. The result also revealed that there were no significant differences between the size/age (X2=0.44; p>0.05)and sex (X2=1.38; p>0.05) and the degree of parasitic infection in this group of fishes. The economic and public health implications of these results in relation to fish-man interactions were discussed. &nbsp

WATER QUALITY, FISH DIVERSITY AND CATCH ASSESSMENT OF IKERE GORGE OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Study of the physico-chemical parameters of Ikere gorge is one of the recently constructed man-made lake in Oyo state, Nigeria. The need to assess the fish diversity, water quality and catch assessment of this new water body was necessary. Data on fish species were collected on monthly basis using multi-stage gillnet sampling techniques for eighteen months. Four sampling stations were randomly selected from the entire gorge. In each sampling station (fishing villages) were randomly selected for the investigation of the fish composition and abundance. A variety of sampling methods were used at each site in order to reach every fish species. At the river channel and the floodplain sites, traps, cast nets (2.55cm mesh), seine nets (25.5x2m, cm mesh), monofilament nylon gillnets (15.55 cm mesh), and hook and line were employed. Effort were made in order to catch fish species in large abundance. Some sampled fish (dead) were collected and placed in cool boxes and examined within 18h of capture, others were preserved in 15% formalin and stored for later examination. Samples of catches from the commercial fishermen was in addition examined and assessed. A total of 5,736 fish specimens were caught during the study period. These were identified and classified into 34 species belonging to 13 families, and arranged according to Greenwood et al (1966). The percentage species composition of the harvest by numbers and weight for all fish species that contributed more than 1% in all the stations combine were computed. Data fish composition and abundance were collected. From field and Laboratory evaluation, Bagridae (25.1%), Cichlidae (37.1%) and Mormyridae (14.5%) were most abundant families contributing 76.7% by number and 75% by weight of the total catch followed by Characidae (9.6%), Cyprinidae (7%) and Centropomidae (3%) constituting (19.6%) by number and 8.7% by weight. Others; Schilbedae (1.1%) Clarridae (0.8%), Hepsetidae (0.7%0, Mochokidae (0.6%), Channidae (0.5%), Icthyoboridae (0.2%) and Malapteruridae (0.1%) were least represented (4% by number and 16.5% by weight of total catch). Study of the physico-chemical parameters such as dissolved oxygen ranged from 2.2 to 9.1mg/l; temperature, 24.2 to 300C; alkalinity, 94 to 118ppm; conductivity, 81 to 86.7ohms/cm; pH, 6.04-8.62; transparency 50cm to 3.9m; nitrate, 258.15-532.6mg/l; total dissolved solids, 0.142-782mg/l; depth, 25-33.60m; pH and water temperature serve as variables since the fluctuation of one affects the values of others. The water quality parameters were favourable for fish production. The gillnet fisheries indicated that different mesh sizes of experimental gillnets were sensitive to different fish species. 78.4mm, 112mm, 67.2mm mesh sizes were efficient in catching C. nigrodigitatus L. niloticus and the cichlids respectively. Other gears used were cast net, traps, bamboo stems, spears and gura net. The study has shown that station iv was the most suitable habitat for fish in Ikere gorge. Water level and temperature were observed to guarantee high fish yield in the gorge.      &nbsp

Biological assessment of Oreochromis niloticus (Pisces: Cichlidae; Linne, 1958) in a tropical floodplain river

Biological assessment o

Trophic ecology of commercially important fishes

ABSTRACT Diet composition, Food Richness, Diet Breadth and Gut Repletion Index of 47 fish species belonging to 28 genera and 16 families consisting of 14,837 individuals in the inland wetlands of Cross River, Nigeria, were studied monthly between January 2006 and December 2007. There was variation in the composition of food objects in the different species despite the similarity in the rank-order (r s = 0.996, p > 0.004). Major food item in the diet of the 46 species consist of detritus (79.9%), fish and fish fry (41.3%), insect and insect larva (41.3%), phytoplankton (26.1%), crustaceans (23.9%), mollusk (13%), macrophytes parts (13 %), seeds (10.9%), worms (0.04%), arachnids (0.02%) and amphibians (0.02%). Food Richness (N) varied between 5 and 20, Diet Breadth (D) from 0.22 to 0.88 and Gut Repletion Index (GRI) between 34% and 100%. This implies that most of the fish species in Cross River are detritivores with high feeding intensity and trophic flexibility, hence are capable of changing diet according to availability

FOOD AND FEEDING HABITS OF SOME FISH SPECIES IN OGUN STATE COASTAL ESTUARY, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

The food and feeding habits of eight (8) fish species Elops lacerta, Chrysichthys auratus, Schilbe mys-tus, Sardinella maderensis, Synodontis schall, Hepsetus odoe, Tilapia zillii and Mugil cephalus in Ogun estuary, Ogun State, Nigeria were studied and estimated for six months, between February and July, 2014. A total of 470 fishes were randomly collected from the commercial fishermen during the study. Results from the stomach contents analysed using frequency of occurrence and numerical methods showed that S. mystus, E. lacerta, S. maderensis, H. odoe, S. schall, T. zillii, M. cephalus and C. auratus were predators, piscivores, herbivores, piscivores, omnivores, herbivores, herbivores and omnivores respectively while H. odoe and S.mystus partly fed on E. lacerta and T. zillii respec-tively. The Diet Breadth (D) ranged from 0.76 to 0.88 and the percentage Gut Repletion Index (GRI), a reflection of frequency of feeding, ranged between 60-100%

Incidence and pattern of injuries among residents of a rural area in South-Western Nigeria: a community-based study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite the high incidence of infectious diseases in developing countries, injuries still contribute significantly to the health burden. There are few reports of rural, community-based injury surveys in Nigeria. This study describes the incidence and pattern of injuries among the residents of a rural area in South-Western Nigeria.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>It was a community based cross-sectional study. Two of six census areas were randomly selected and all households in the two areas visited. Information on the sociodemographic characteristics, individual injury events and outcomes was obtained with a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 11.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Information was obtained on the 1,766 persons in 395 households. Fifty-nine injuries were recorded by 54 people, giving an injury incidence of 100 per 1,000 per year (95% CI = 91.4–106.9). Injury incidence among <30 years was 81.6 per 1,000 per year (95% CI = 62.3–83.1); and 126 per 1,000 per year (95% CI = 98.2–137.4) for those ≥ 30 years (p = 0.013). Injury incidence for females was 46 per 1,000 per year; and 159 per 1,000 per year (p = 0.000) for males. A significantly higher proportion of males (5%) sustained injury compared to females (2%) (p = 0.043). Falls and traffic injures, 15 (25%) each, were the leading causes of injury; followed by cuts/stabs 12 (21%), and blunt injuries, 9 (15%). Traffic injuries were the leading cause of injuries in all age groups except among the 5–14 years where falls were the leading cause of injury. In thirty-four (58%) of those injuries, treatment was at a hospital/health centre; while in two (3%), treatment was by untrained traditional practitioners. Thirty-nine (66%) of the injuries were fully recovered from, and 19 (32%) resulted in disability. There were 2 fatalities in the 5-year period, one (2%) within the study period.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Injuries were common in Igbo-Ora, though resultant disability and fatality were low. Males and those aged ≥ 30 years had significantly higher proportions of the injured. Falls and traffic injuries were the most commonly reported injuries. Appropriate interventions to reduce the occurrences of injuries should be instituted by the local authorities. There is also need to educate the community members on how to prevent injuries.</p

An Overview of TIG Welding of Ti6Al4V : Recent Developments

Abstract: Titanium is a commonly used non-ferrous metal in the aerospace, chemical and nuclear industry, due to its unique structural and mechanical properties. Selection of suitable welding techniques and understanding of the effects of parameters corroboration to achieve a quality joint necessitated this article. The article presents recent researches in process parameters optimization done on Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding of Ti6Al4V alloy. Furthermore, it discusses the effects of the parameters used in TIG welding technique on the weld quality, mechanical properties, and microstructure of joined plates. Pulsed TIG welding was found to be the most suitable type of welding for Ti6Al4V alloys based on its ease of use and reduced heat input compared to the conventional TIG welding

A comparative evaluation of fermentable sugars production from oxidative, alkaline, alkaline peroxide oxidation, dilute acid, and molten hydrate salt pretreatments of corn cob biomass

Production of high value-added products from lignocelluloses is an economically sustainable alternative to decreasing dependence on fossil fuels and making the chemical processes environmentally friendly. In this study, different methodologies of alkaline (Ca(OH)2 and NaOH), dilute acid (10%w/w H2SO4), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), alkaline peroxide oxidation (H2O2/Ca(OH)2 and H2O2/NaOH), and molten hydrated salt (MHS) mediated (ZnCl2.4H2O) pretreatments were employed in the hydrolysis of corncob amenable to enzymatic hydrolysis. Optimal enzyme hydrolysis temperature (considering 45 and 50 ℃) and time (2, 24, 72, and 96 h) were investigated for each pretreatment procedure to ascertain the concentrations of glucose, xylose, and total sugar present in the corncob. At 45 ℃ and 96 h, NaOH alkaline pretreatment achieved the best optimum total sugar production of 75.54 mg/mL (about 54% and 88% increments compared to dilute acid pretreatment (35.06 mg/mL total sugars) and MHS (9.32 mg/mL total sugar) pretreatment respectively). In this study, total sugars production increased appreciably at 45 ℃ and longer hydrolysis period (96 h) compared to hydrolysis at 50 ℃ (with maximum total sugars production of 18.00 mg/mL at 96 h). Scanning electron microscopic imaging of the untreated and treated samples displayed cell wall distortion and surface disruptions.Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria.http://www.aimspress.com/journal/energypm2021Chemical Engineerin