Studies on the use of fermented fish silage in diets for juvenile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Fermented silage was prepared from a mixture of minced tiiapias (Oreochromis spp. ), different carbohydrate substrates (molasses, corn flour, tapioca flour) and Lactobacillus plantarum as inoculum, incubated anaerobically for 30 days at 5°-35°C. The pH and protein solubilization were temperature-dependent, and the source of carbohydrate substrate did not affect non-protein nitrogen (NPN) content or proximate composition of tilapla silage. During storage at 30°C for 180 days, NPN content increased and there was 8-11% loss of tryptophan. Moist diets containing tilapla silage (stored up to 60 days) were fed to Clarias gariepinus and differences in growth and protein utilization were demonstrated, but there were no effects on body composition. Partial replacement of fish meal with co-dried tilapla silage and soybean flour blend (FSS: BF) in dry diets supported growth and protein utilization similar to the control treatment. Fish growth and protein utilization were reduced with total replacement of fish meal. Apparent protein digestibility decreased with Increasing dietary level of co-dried FSS: BF. Carcass composition was not affected and morphological defects were not observed. Co-dried tilapla silage blended with soybean meal, poultry by-product meal, hydrolysed feather meal or meat and bone meal (FSS: BM, FSP: BM, FSH: FM, FSM: BM) (providing 50% of the dietary protein) In dry diets fed to Oreochromis niloticus and Clarias gariepinus gave differences In growth, protein utilization and digestibility, and apparent energy digestibility. Carcass composition was not affected by silage blend and histological examination of exocrine pancreas, liver and Intestine tissues did not show any lesions suggestive of nutritional imbalance. Haematocrit, haemoglobin content and mean cell haemoglobin concentration values showed no differences among the treatments. The results indicated that fermented tilapla silage is a suitable protein supplement in moist or dry diets for Oreochromis niloticus and Clarias gariepinus, without affecting feed efficiency, fish growth or health

Antiprotease and membrane stabilizing activities of extracts of Fagara zanthoxyloides, Olax subscorpioides and Tetrapleura tetraptera

The saline and alkaline extracts of Fagara zanthoxyloides, Olax subscorpioides and Tetrapleura tetraptera were investigated for antiprotease and membrane stabilizing activities by spectroscopic procedures. Saline extracts of these plants stabilized human red blood cell membrane subjected to hypotonic- and heat-induced lyses. The results revealed that the degree of membrane stabilization was 84% for F. zanthoxyloides while T. tetraptera and O. subscorpioides exhibited 70% and63.2%, respectively. Also, sodium hydroxide extracts of the three plants exhibited antiprotease activity. A 1:5 dilution of F. zanthoxyloides gave 80% inhibition while undiluted extracts of O. subscorpioides and T. tetraptera showed 96% and 73% inhibitions, respectively

Effects of social media use on the reading habits of selected high school students in Nigeria

The study investigates the effect of social media use on the reading habits of high school students: a case study of Obafemi Awolowo University International School, Ile-Ife, Osun State and International School, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Out of a total of 200 copies of questionnaire administered, 196 copies were duly filled, representing 98% response ratio, while the drop ratio was 2%. The findings of the study revealed that 113 (57.7%) of the respondents were male while 83 (42.9%) of the respondents were female counterparts. Majority of the respondents (99%) were between ages 13 to 20 and only 1% of the respondents is above 20 years of age. Furthermore, majority of the respondents, 154 (78.6%) were Day students, while 42 (21.4%) were Boarders. The study found that high school students spent more time on the use of social media especially with the affordability of smart phones, thereby causing an uncultured lifestyle of reading. The study concluded that, indisputably, it is obvious that the use of social media has constituted a great havoc on the reading culture of high school students. Thus, stakeholders such as the school teachers, parents, educationist and policymakers should ensure they sensitize students on the profitability of reading and also organise seminars and symposia on how to use the social media to promote and enhance good reading habits.Keywords: Effect, Use, Social Media, Reading Habits, High School Student

Probabilité de la distance minimale pour un système MIMO précode

International audienceThis paper deals with precoded MIMO systems using channel state information. Such systems are now included in recent wireless norms. However, theoretical evaluations of performance are more complex. We propose a method based on the statistics of the minimal distance in order to evaluate the capcity or bit error rate (BER) in an uncorrelated Rayleigh fadding channel

Influence of Self-Concept on Undergraduates’ Computer Literacy Skills in Selected Federal Universities in Southwestern Nigeria

Computer literacy skills are indispensable to all undergraduates irrespective of their disciplines. Computer technologies influence all facets of human life ranging from education, leisure, and work related activities. Studies have found that the computer literacy skills of the Nigerian undergraduates is inadequate. The study investigated the influence of self-concept on computer literacy skills of undergraduates in federal universities in southwestern Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted for the selection of 300L undergraduates, faculties and departments for the study. Twenty-seven (27) departments were involved in the study. A mixed method was employed for the study which involved quantitative and qualitative methods. Questionnaire and focus group discussions were the instruments used to elicit information from 1,318 respondents. Out of the 1,318 copies of questionnaire administered, 1,169 were duly completed and analysed giving a response rate of 88.7%. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 21. Focus group discussions were analysed based on the major themes identified in the study. The study found that the level of computer literacy skills of the respondents was relatively high. Focus group discussions substantiated the findings of the quantitative aspect of the study by affirming that the level of computer literacy skills was relatively high. The study showed a significant relationship between undergraduates’ self-concept and computer literacy skills. It was concluded that a positive self-concept influences acquisition of computer literacy skills by undergraduates. The study recommended that universities should not relent efforts in sustaining the high level of undergraduates’ computer literacy skills and self-concept respectively

A Survey of the Use of Electronic Resources in Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

The paper discussed the impact of electronic information resources as an enabler of research activities in Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used to survey the opinions of the researchers who are the regular users of the library under study. The study showed various electronic information resources available and the degree of its utilization by the researchers and postgraduate students. There is a significant influence of level of availability of electronic information resources on utilization [F(3,79) = 10,337, P\u3c0.05]. The study also revealed that only 6.0% of respondents use e-resources frequently thus, the usage of e-resources is still very low in the university community. Consequently, it was recommended that the library should organize teaching of information literacy skills through user education programmes

Phytochemicals and in vitro antioxidant potentials of defatted methanolic extract ofHolarrhena floribunda leaves

Plant-based dietary components and additives are known to protect cells from deleterious effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Proximate, phytochemical and antioxidant potentials of methanolic extract of defatted Holarrhena floribunda (G.Don) leaves were assessed using in vitro systems such as, 1,1 diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, hydroxyl radical, nitric oxide radical scavenging and inhibition of lipid peroxidation. Total antioxidant activity was measured using phosphomolybdenummethod. Total phenol content and the reductive potential of the extract were also evaluated. The results of the proximate analysis revealed that the leaf contained 0.23% moisture, 12.8% ash, 9.62% crude fat, 23.3% crude fibre, 21.17% protein and 32.68% carbohydrate while the phytochemical constituents included alkaloid, saponin, tannin and cardiac glycosides. The leaf extract of H. floribunda (G. Don) exhibited scavenging activity with IC50 of 12.63, 1,377.00 and 244.00 ìg/ml for DPPH, hydroxyl radical and nitric oxide radical respectively. The extract conferred 50% protection at the concentration of 73.80 ìg/ml on lipid peroxidation induced by FeSO4 in egg yolk. Total antioxidant capacity equivalent of gallicacid and vitamin C were 195.57 and 519.28 g/mg of extract respectively and total phenol content equivalent of gallic acid was 1427.87 ìg/mg. The reductive potential increased with increasing concentration of extract. The results obtained from this study reveal that the extract is rich inantioxidant components with several mechanisms of eliciting antioxidant actions which provide scientific basis for its use in folk medicine

Teaching protocol exchanges over cellular air interface

International audienceThe evolutionary path taken by cellular standards to the current and future standards is incomplete without fully understanding the older standards. The comprehension of the GSM standard, specifically the procedures for protocols exchange over the air interface will help students understand radio resource allocation procedures in GPRS and UMTS, and will ultimately assist future communication engineers to be able to design and solve problems related to these cellular standards. In this paper we describe the novel architecture of our teaching software, developed and programmed in Java. We present all the user interfaces and show how it can be used to assist in teaching, by presenting how the Mobile station and the GSM/GPRS network exchange data frames over the air interface with their associated protocols. Finally the uniqueness of this teaching tool was proved from the stand point of our modular architecture

LAND SUITABILITY FOR RICE CROP FARMING IN KWARA STATE USING GIS-BASED MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS

This study employs GIS-based multi-criteria decision approach to identify suitable areas for cultivating rice crop in Kwara State, Nigeria, using essential climatic, soil, terrain and environmental variables selected based on FAO framework for land evaluation. Weights indicating the relative importance of each variable was determined using Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP). The criteria, their weights and constraints were integrated in GIS environment to produce suitability map, classified into five levels of suitability (Very highly suitable, highly suitable, moderately suitable, low suitable and not suitable) using weighted overlay operation. The result indicates that 9.7% (343803.75 ha) of the total land area is unsuitable for cultivating rice while 14.6% (516169.46 ha) is classified as low suitable area. The moderately suitable, highly suitable and very highly suitable classes occupy 30.8% (1091145.20 ha), 40.56% (1436504.55 ha) and 4.4% (154408.94 ha), respectively. Quantitative assessment of the work yields overall accuracy (area under the ROC curve) of 0.97 (97%). Based on the findings of this study, we recommend that the state land use planning agency review zoning mechanism, incorporates grassroot participatory land use planning policy and evaluate suitable land for other essential crops by incorporating GIS in order to sufficiently allocate lands for optimal utilization

Effect of stem - bark ofErythrophleum suaveolens (Guill. & Perri.) saponin on fresh water snail (Lanistes lybicus) tissues

The study investigated the activity of saponin from ethanolic extract of Erythrophleum suaveolens stem bark against freshwater snail, Lanistes lybicus. The crude saponin (4 g) was separated by silica gel using gradient elution with dichloromethane in methanol (100:0 to 0:100) followed by thin layer chromatography using precoated silica gel 60 F254. Fractionated saponins (90:10, 80:20 and 70:30) were employed for snail toxicity using fresh water snails, L. lybicus. The biochemical changes were evaluated in haemolymph, muscle, intestine and hepatopancreas of fresh water snails exposed to sublethal dose of fractionated saponins. Elevation of activities of acid and alkaline phosphatase in the intestine and hepatopancreas, haemolymph and total protein level were observed. The activity ofacetylcholinesterase was inhibited in the haemolymph, muscle, hepatopancreas and intestine of the snails. The activity of saponin was observed to be dose dependent as mortality increased with relativeincrease in the saponin concentrations. The study provides considerable scope in exploiting local indigenous plant resources for control of fresh water snails and monitor water pollution.Key words: Erythrophleum suaveolens, saponin, molluscicidal activity, Lanistes lybicus, pollution, hepatopancreas