Sustaining Academic Progress Through Objective Evaluation Of Research In Nigeria

There has been serious disagreement regarding how best to objectively evaluate the research competence of university teachers to determine their suitability for promotion from one level to another. Different approaches are adopted by Nigerian Universities to ensure comparability of output of different people being considered for advancement. Doubt has been raised among teachers regarding the adequacy and objectivity of the criteria adopted in the evaluation process. A system of assigning points to every aspect of job output including research has been designed in the University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria and it is being tested for adoption in evaluating employees’ output. Issues and questions have been raised about the adequacy of the system for evaluation purpose. This paper presents the point system of evaluation and clarifies some issues that have been raised about the system

PREVALENCE OF BULLYING AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

The study investigated the prevalence of bullying among secondary school students in Ondo State, Nigeria. The sample consisted of 600 students selected through multistage sampling technique from six secondary schools in the State. A structured questionnaire that sought information on the subjects involvement in bullying. Validity and reliability of the instrument were ensured through content validity and test-retest reliability techniques respectively. The results of data analysis on the experience and manifestation of bullying showed that less than half of the sample (28%) had experienced bullying while 42% had bullied other students. It also revealed that emotional form of bullying was most experienced and that boys had experienced and manifested bullying more than their female counterparts. The results point to the need for violence prevention programmes in schools

Ochratoxins’ Effects on the Functional Properties and Nutritional Compositions of Grains

This study assessed the effects of total ochratoxins on the nutritional composition and functional properties of grain flours. The grains cowpea, sorghum, maize, groundnut, rice, millet, and acha were milled. The proximate composition, functional properties, as well as Total Ochratoxin levels, were determined. The effects of the Ochratoxins on the nutritional and functional properties of the grains were evaluated. Ochratoxin levels in grain flours ranged from 0.09 to 54.41 μg/kg and not seen in some rice samples. Most Total Ochratoxin levels found in the grains were beyond the WHO/EU/FAO permissible limit, 5.00 µg/kg. Groundnut and Cowpea have a significant high content of protein and fiber. Groundnut had the highest average fat content, 41.84 %. The ash content of the grains ranged from 0.73 to 3.61%. The presence of ochratoxins had a significant impact on the grain's carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. Their presence had moderate effects on crude fiber, ash, and functional properties and negligible effect on grain moisture

Fabrication and Characterization of Bio-epoxy Eggshell Composites

Low cost fillers such as mineral limestone (LS) are added to polymers in an effort to improve their properties. Waste eggshells (ES), a by-product of the egg breaking plant industry, contain high content of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) but are generally discarded to landfills at a cost to the company. The use of waste ES as an alternative to mineral LS filler added to bio-epoxy resin was investigated in this study. Untreated and stearic acid (SA) treated ES and LS fillers (5, 10 and 20 wt. %) were used in fabricating bio-epoxy composite materials via a solution mixing method. Chemical analysis of the filler materials, microstructural examination, physical and mechanical properties of the fabricated composites were evaluated. The particle density of ES was found to be smaller than that of LS particles. The average particle size was 21.2 ± 2.0 µm, 11.5 ± 1.0 µm, 25.1 ± 2.2 µm and 12.8 ± 2.2 µm for ES, SA treated ES, LS and SA treated LS, respectively. SEM images showed untreated ES and LS particles varied in shape possibly due to grinding during processing. Both untreated and SA treated fillers had rhombohedral-like morphology. Pores were observed in ES due to its characteristic structure compared to the LS particles, which had no visible pores. Fractured surfaces of the composites showed flat and cleavage features for unfilled bio-epoxy composites compared to filled composites which showed jagged surfaces. The density of the composites increased with increase in filler loading for all filler types. Similarly, the void content and water absorption increased with increase in filler loading with 20 wt. % ES composites having the highest values. XRD analysis indicated the presence of calcite, while ICP-MS showed 88 wt. % ± 0.7 CaCO3 in ES, slightly less than the mineral LS as a result of the residual organic membranes still attached. The tensile strength, flexural strength and Charpy impact toughness of the composites reduced with increase in filler loading. However, the flexural modulus improved with increasing filler loading and was maximum at a filler content of 20 wt. % for all filler types. The Charpy impact energy of unfilled bio-epoxy at – 40 °C dropped appreciably to about 58 % of its room temperature value. Economic analysis showed that ~ 18,117,000 kg of CaCO3 can be recovered from waste ES annually in Canada for various applications and can serve as potential replacement of about 1.00 % of mined mineral LS. This research presents promising results for the use of ES as an alternative to LS in bio-epoxy composites for selected applications such as laminating surfboards and skateboards

Thermal Treatment Effects on the Calcium Oxalate and Mineral Contents of Xanthosoma Atrovirens (ede ocha): a Cocoyam Species

The extent to which the irritant in cocoyam can be destroyed and removed during thermal treatment and the resultant effect of the treatment on the mineral content and influence of tuber thickness are investigated in this study. Wholesome tubers of cocoyam (Xanthosoma atrovirens) were selected and subsequently cleaned, peeled, washed and size reduced into various dimensions (1cm, 3cm and 5cm thickness). The various dimensions were subjected to boiling and samples were withdrawn at intervals of 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min. The boiled samples were further sliced into smaller sizes; dried in an air- oven at a temperature of 55°C to a constant weight, milled into flour and packed in polythene material and stored in dry condition. The design of the study fitted into 3 (dimension) x 5 (boiling duration) factors. The flours generated were subjected to calcium oxalate and mineral loss or gain analyses. Significant reduction in calcium oxalate occurred at p< 0.05 as the boiling time interval increased. The highest removal of calcium oxalate occurred for the 1.0 cm thickness in which the acrid taste was found to disappear after boiling for 60 min. However the oxalate in the 3.0 cm and 5.0cm thickness were found to disappear after boiling for 120 min. Similarly, mineral losses were significant at intervals of boiling time used for the study. The 1.0 cm thickness showed the highest loss of potassium from the initial value of 1099.27mg/100g flour at 0.0 min to 586.77mg/100g after 120 min. The 3.0 cm, with the initial potassium value 1100.30 mg/100g was reduced to a value of 598.20 mg/100g after 120 min boiling, while the 5.0 cm thickness had potassium value reduced to 607.97 mg/100g at 120 min boiling from the initial potassium value of and 1101.77mg/100g. Also, reductions in minerals were observed for magnesium, phosphorus and calcium. Tuber thickness and boiling duration are the controlling factors in calcium oxalate and mineral loss. It might be recommended that cocoyam be cut to size thickness of 1.0cm since it gave reduced time of cooking of 60 min which resulted to the disappearance of calcium oxalate in the cooked material and energy saving.. Keywords: Xanthosoma Atrovirens; tuber thickness; boiling time; calcium oxalate; mineral loss

Phytochemicals from Selected Tropical Spices and Agro-Food Wastes. Utilization and Applications in Health Sectors: A Review

This review analyzes how modern activities in several food sectors, including agriculture, industry, and residences, are producing more byproducts as a result. These food wastes, which are derived from fruits, vegetables, cereals, and food processing operations, have been demonstrated in studies to hold promise as sources of bioactive compounds and nutraceuticals that may be useful in treating a range of ailments. Researchers have effectively extracted secondary metabolites, minerals, proteins, enzymes, vitamins, phytochemicals and bioactive compounds from these food waste items using various extraction techniques. The article provides a comprehensive overview of different extraction strategies, highlighting successful study efforts, and emphasizes their effective applications in nutraceutical manufacture, health benefits, bioprocess development, and the added value of food waste resources. These technologies offer an interesting way to enhance the production of particular compounds, which can be utilized as nutraceuticals or incorporated into functional beverages in the future

Who Wants to Farm? Youth Aspirations, Opportunities and Rising Food Prices

Who wants to farm? In an era of land grabs and environmental uncertainty, improving smallholder productivity has become a higher priority on the poverty and food security agenda in development, focusing attention on the next generation of farmers. Yet emerging evidence about the material realities and social norms and desires of young people in developing countries indicates a reasonably widespread withdrawal from work on the land as an emerging norm. While de-agrarianisation is not new, policymakers are correct to be concerned about a withdrawal from the sector: smallholder productivity growth, and agricultural transformation more broadly, depend in part on the extent to which capable, skilled young people can be retained or attracted to farming, and on policies that support that retention. So who wants to farm, and under what conditions? Where are economic, environmental and social conditions favourable to active recruitment by educated young people into farming? What policy and programmatic conditions are creating attractive opportunities in farming or agro-food industry livelihoods? This paper explores these conditions in a context of food price volatility, and in particular rising food prices since 2007. To do so, it analyses primary qualitative research on the attitudes of young people and their families to farming in 2012, a time when food prices had been high and volatile for half a decade. In theory, assuming higher prices benefit small farmers, food farming should be more attractive since food prices started to rise in 2007. But this simple causal assumption overlooks both that in many developing countries, it takes considerable economic power - ownership or access to cultivable land and affordable credit for inputs - to turn a profit in farming. It also fails to take into account more sociological explanations governing work and occupational choice - status aspiration and merit on the one hand, and perceived risk on the other. These two explanations help to explain why young people from relatively low income families, particularly those most likely to innovate and raise productivity levels, do not perceive farming as a realistically desirable occupational choice. Based on analysis of interviews, focus group discussion and household case studies with almost 1500 people in 23 rural, urban and peri-urban communities in low and middle income Asian, African and Latin American countries in 2012, this research digs deeper into some of the established explanations as to why youth in developing countries appear reluctant to enter farming, and identifies conditions under which capable and enterprising youth are being attracted to farming, and entry-points for youth participation in policymaking around agriculture and food security

Potentials of 3D extrusion‐based printing in resolving food processing challenges: A perspective review

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has promising application potentials in improving food product manufacturing, increasingly helping in simplifying the supply chain, as well as expanding the utilization of food materials. To further understand the current situation of 3D food printing in providing food engineering solutions with customized design, the authors checked recently conducted reviews and considered the extrusion-based type to deserve additional literature synthesis. In this perspective review, therefore, we scoped the potentials of 3D extrusion-based printing in resolving food processing challenges. The evolving trends of 3D food printing technologies, fundamentals of extrusion processes, food printer, and printing enhancement, (extrusion) food systems, algorithm development, and associated food rheological properties were discussed. The (extrusion) mechanism in 3D food printing involving some essentials for material flow and configuration, its uniqueness, suitability, and printability to food materials, (food material) types in the extrusion-based (3D food printing), together with essential food properties and their dynamics were also discussed. Additionally, some bottlenecks/concerns still applicable to extrusion-based 3D food printing were brainstormed. Developing enhanced calibrating techniques for 3D printing materials, and designing better methods of integrating data will help improve the algorithmic representations of printed foods. Rheological complexities associated with the extrusion-based 3D food printing require both industry and researchers to work together so as to tackle the (rheological) shifts that make (food) materials unsuitable.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Eclectic approach to anxiety disorders among rural children Abordagem ecletica a transtornos de ansiedade em criancas de zona rural

Introduction: Anxiety disorders in primary school-aged children negatively affect their mental health and psychological development. Available non-medical treatments for these conditions are time-consuming and expensive. In this context, eclectic therapy is a therapeutic approach that incorporates some therapeutic techniques and philosophies to create the ideal treatment. In this study, eclectic therapy consisted of art therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy designed for children suffering from high level of anxiety in their middle childhood years. The therapy also included group guidance sessions for their mothers. The effectiveness of this intervention was examined in the study. Methods: 61 students aged 9-12 years with high levels of anxiety participated in the study. Intervention A (n = 20) consisted of 9-hour eclectic therapy for children with 3-hour group guidance sessions for their mothers. Intervention B (n = 20) consisted of 9-hour eclectic therapy for children. There was also a control group (n = 21). Results: Teacher ratings of children’s mental health difficulties and self-report ratings of anxiety disorders indicated a significant difference from pretest to posttest, revealing a large effect size between the two interventions. Higher levels of pretest scores significantly predicted higher posttest scores for all domains of anxiety and mental health difficulties. Furthermore, age, gender, mothers working a 15-hour day, mother’s educational level, parental divorce rates, parental death, and family monthly income predicted therapy outcomes. Conclusion: Results provide support for the effectiveness of eclectic art and CBT to improve children’s mental health and reduce anxiety through changing thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and behaviors that may cause fear and anxiety