ANALYSIS OF BROILER PRODUCTION IN THE SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL ZONE OF NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

The study analyzed broiler production in the Southern Agricultural Zone of Nasarawa State. The study adopted a multi-stage sampling technique to select 60 broiler farmers, primary data on items such as age, gender, level of education, cost of production were collected with the aid of well structured questionnaire and interviewingmetho

Absorbance response of graphene oxide coated on tapered multimode optical fiber towards liquid ethanol

The investigation of graphene oxide (GO) for sensing applications is attractive due to its nanoscale structure and its sensing properties has yet to be fully understood. In this paper, optical response of GO coated optical fiber sensor towards ethanol is described. GO was coated onto a multimode tapered optical fiber by drop-casting technique. The coated fiber was exposed to 5–40% of ethanol in water. The films were characterized with field emission scanning electron microscope, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The sensing is based on changes following the absorbance of the GO coated optical fiber upon exposure to ethanol. The developed sensor shows fast response and recovery with duration of 22 and 20 s, respectively. The sensor also displays high repeatability and reversibility

Absorbance response of graphene oxide coated on tapered multimode optical fiber towards liquid ethanol

The investigation of graphene oxide (GO) for sensing applications is attractive due to its nanoscale structure and its sensing properties has yet to be fully understood. In this paper, optical response of GO coated optical fiber sensor towards ethanol is described. GO was coated onto a multimode tapered optical fiber by drop-casting technique. The coated fiber was exposed to 5–40% of ethanol in water. The films were characterized with field emission scanning electron microscope, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The sensing is based on changes following the absorbance of the GO coated optical fiber upon exposure to ethanol. The developed sensor shows fast response and recovery with duration of 22 and 20 s, respectively. The sensor also displays high repeatability and reversibility

Effect of Farmers – Herdsmen Crisis on Yam Production in Southern Agricultural Zone of Nasarawa State, Nigeria

The study analyzed effect of crisis on yam production in Southern Agricultural Zone, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to; determine the effect of socio-economic variables on yam production, determine the factors affecting yam production, and to compare the gross margin of yam production before and after crisis in the study area. A multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted for this study and a total of sixty (60) respondents were sampled for this study. Data were collected through the use of structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics which involves use frequency, percentages and the gross margin analysis. The study revealed that before the conflict the total variable cost was 233,288.4 while after the conflict, the total variable cost was 172310. The study conclude that price of fertilizer was doubled after conflict thereby reducing production. The result shows that 17.6% of the respondent’s stopped producing yam because of the fear of conflict. And also, there was a reduction in food production between the period of the conflicts and peaceful disposition. The study therefore recommend that government should develop policies and strategies to curtail future occurrence of crisis among farmers and herdsmen, and focus more on giving incentives to farmers and subsidy on farm inputs such as fertilizer, improved varieties, chemicals among others to boost food crop production, farmers income level and to ensure maximum security on lives and properties of prospective citizens and farmers

HemoTypeSC, a low-cost point-of-care testing device for sickle cell disease: promises and challenges

Background Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a neglected burden of growing importance. >312,000 births are affected annually by sickle cell anaemia (SCA). Early interventions such as newborn screening, penicillin prophylaxis and hydroxyurea can substantially reduce the mortality and morbidity associated with SCD. Nevertheless, their implementation in African countries has been mostly limited to pilot projects. Recent development of low-cost point-of-care testing (POCT) devices for sickle haemoglobin (HbS) could greatly facilitate the diagnosis of those affected. Methods We conducted the first multi-centre, real-world assessment of a low-cost POCT device, HemoTypeSC, in a low-income country. Between September and November 2017, we screened 1121 babies using both HemoTypeSC and HPLC and confirmed discordant samples by molecular diagnosis. Findings We found that, in optimal field conditions, the sensitivity and specificity of the test for SCA were 93.4% and 99.9%, respectively. All 14 carriers of haemoglobin C were successfully identified. Our study reveals an overall accuracy of 99.1%, but also highlights the importance of rigorous data collection, staff training and accurate confirmatory testing. It suggests that HPLC results might not be as reliable in a resource-poor setting as usually considered. Interpretation The use of such a POCT device can be scaled up and routinely used across multiple healthcare centres in sub-Saharan Africa, which would offer great potential for the identification and management of vast numbers of individuals affected by SCD who are currently undiagnosed