Bench Blasting Design for Optimum Recovery of Blocks in Dimension Stone Quarries: A Case Study of Crushed Rock Industry, Supare-Nigeria

Dimension stone quarry is believed to be type of mining operation that always result to low recovery since what is expected from the extracting operation is a cubical block with no fracture. It is noticed that majority of the damage in the natural blocks are always from poor extraction method. In aggregate quarry, series of work have been done on powder factor that gives economical blasting. In this research work, breaking factor is used in place of powder factor since breaking is required not powder. The aim of this research work is to establish a standard breaking factor for bench blasting in dimension quarries that will improve recovery.Two cases were considered. In case 1, gun powder is used for basal cutting. Of the seven patterns considered, pattern3 gives highest recovery (70%) with breaking factor of 23.15g/m3 (i.e. 5kg of Gun powder for (6 by 6 by 6) m bench design). In the case 2, dynacord is used for basal cutting. Of the four patterns considered, pattern 2 gives highest recovery (55%) with breaking factor of 15g/m3 ( i.e. 3.24kg of explosive for (6 by 6 by 6) m bench design.Keywords: Extracting, powder factor, aggregate, recovery, breaking facto

Preliminary Survey of Ectoparasites Infesting Chickens (Gallus domesticus) in Four Areas of Sokoto Metropolis

A faunistical study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of ectoparasites of chickens in four areas of Sokoto metropolis, Nigeria, on 160 chickens raised under free-range system. Both the skin and plucked feathers were thoroughly searched for the presence of ectoparasites between July and December 2009. The results indicate that all the chickens (100%) harboured ectoparasites. Five lice, two mites, two tick and one flea species were identified with the following prevalences: the shaft louse, Menopon gallinae (8.1%), the chicken body louse, Menacanthus stramineus (6.9%), then the wing louse, Lipeurus caponis (5.0%), the body and feather louse, Gonoides gigas (4.4%) and finally the fluff louse Gonoicotes gallinae (3.1%). The two tick species were Argas persicus (8.8%) and Ixodid larvae (5.6%). The two mite species were Cnemidocoptes mutans (9.4%) and Cnemidocoptes gallinae (8.1%). The sticktight flea Echidnophaga gallinacea was the only flea species found (10.6%). No association was found between ectoparasitism and sex, breed and fur colour (P > 0.05), however a strong positive association was observed with fur texture (P < 0.05). This study has shown that ectoparasites are highly prevalent on traditionally managed chickens in the study areas. Further detailed study with particular reference to ectoparasitism and assessment of their impact is recommended.Keywords: Ectoparasites, Free range, Chickens, Prevalence, Infestation, SokotoNigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Science (2011), 19 (2): 173-18

A Comparative Analysis of Nutrients and Mineral Elements Content of Andropogon gayanus Kunth and Pennisetum pedicellatum Trin

Comparative studies on the nutrients and mineral elements content of the two grass species was conducted at Gangam Rangeland, Shagari L.G.A., Sokoto state. Sokoto lies on latitude 12.000 and 13.600N and longitude 4.800 and 6.500E and altitude 350m above sea level. The result show that P. pedicellatum had high crude protein (Cp) ad crude fibre (Cf) content than A. gayanus. The high Cp content was attributed to its leafy nature (having abundant leaves) as Cp is more concentrated in leaves, whereas the high Cf content was possibly due to its stemmy nature particularly at the end of the growing period. However, in terms of Ether extract (Ee) andAsh content, A. gayanus had more. The high Ash content was probably as a result of high mineral elements content of the grass species. On the other hand, A. gayanus had high Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn) content, while P. pedicellatum has high Calcium (Ca) and Sodium (Na) content. The high mineral elements content of A. gayanus made the grass more useful for grazing and feeding of livestock. The high Ca content of P. pedicellatum may account for its high Cf content as Ca forms structural components of cell walls and membranes.Keywords: Nutrients content, Andropogon gayanus, Pennisetum pedicellatum, Shagari LGA

Severe ectoparasitism and parasitic gastroenteritis in a two month old Sokoto red kid: A case report

A two month old red Sokoto kid that weighed 3kg from Usmanu Danfodiyo University Farm, Dabagi, was presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, with the complaints of debility and recumbency. Physical examination revealed severe infestation with ticks of both sexes identified as Hyalomma dromedarii, Hyalomma rufipes, Amblyomma variegatum and the louse Linognathus stenopsis. Examination of the blood suggested anaemia and revealed mild infection with Anaplasma ovis. After management for a day, the animal died. At post-mortem, Haemonchus spp. and Oesophagostomum spp. were found infesting the abomasum and caecum respectively. This paper discusses the implication of the condition to the animal production and how best to control it in established farms like the University farm

Lifestyle, Fitness and Health Promotion Initiative of the University of Ilorin, Nigeria: An Educational Media Intervention

This study examined the health promotion initiative introduced by the Management of the University of Ilorin, Ngeria. In an attempt to ensure stress free academic society that would boost staff productivity and longevity, the university invested heavily on a number of lifestyle, fitness and health promotion initiatives. Descriptive research design of the survey type was adopted for this study. Staff and registered students of the University for 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 academic sessions were sampled. A total of one thousand randomly selected academic, non- academic staff and students from the twelve faculties with the exception of postgraduate students of the university participated in the study. A structured questionnaire validated and pilot tested with reliability co-efficient of 63r was used for data collection. The data collected were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics of chi-square and Analysis of variance at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The two postulated hypotheses for the study were rejected. The result indicated a significant hyperthy and underutilization of multi-million naira fitness equipment procured for staff and students; it also revealed low turn-out at the monthly Unilorin walk a-fitness programme for staff and students of the university. The monthly health talk organized by the health education group on causes, signs and symptoms of hypertension, diabetes and other diseases also suffered from the same low turn-out of staff and students of the university among others. The authors suggested a conducive academic environment that will enable the staff to have time to take care of their health, Unilorin walk should be organized on faculty/departmental basis as a university-wide programme will not bring the desire result. More publicity should be carried out so as to boost staff and students attendance at the monthly health talk.Key words: Lifestyle; Health Promotion; Physical Fitness; Hypo-kinetics Diseases; Physical inactivit

Prenatal skull radiography and calvaria histogenesis in Uda and Yankasa breeds of sheep

The anterior fontanelle was opened and radiolucent in the second trimester; at the third trimester, the fontanelle began to shrink and finally closed at birth and became radiopaque. The borders of the orbit and the teeth were both radiolucent and undifferentiated at the second trimester and at the third trimester, and these regions became radiopaque at the second and third trimester, respectively. The histomorphology of the calvarium in the first-trimester foetus had three layers consisting of the mesenchymal and osteoblast cells; as the foetus ages within the second trimester, the mesenchymal cells were transformed into osteoblast, colonies, primitive bone spicules, matured bone spicules, and primitive trabeculae respective, in the third trimester, the primitive trabeculae developed into a matured trabeculae, in the day old, the matured trabeculae transforms into a primitive spongy bone. However, this process occurs earlier in Yankasa than in Uda. The histomorphology of the calvarium during foetal life is similar in the Uda and Yankasa. However, the stages of calvarium development occur earlier and faster in Yankasa than Uda of the same ages. This implies that foetal development and time of parturition could occur earlier in the Yankasa compared to the Uda breeds

Pattern of childhood malignant tumours in two tertiary teaching hospitals in Nigeria: Comparative study

Background: Cancer is a public health problem worldwide affecting all categories of persons. It is the second common cause of death in developed countries and among the three leading causes of death in developing countries.Objective: To compare the patterns of malignant childhood tumours intwo tertiary hospitals in the north- Western and South western Nigeria.Methods: Retrospective studies of childhood malignancies diagnosedat Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano and Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC) (Ife Hospital Unit, Ile-Ife and Wesley Guild Hospital Unit, Ilesa, Osun state) were undertaken from January, 2001 to December, 2010. The patterns of childhood cancers inthese hospitals were compared.Results: Four hundred and ten children aged 7 months to 15 years were admitted at AKTH with malignancies of which 236 were males and 174 females with male to female ratio of 1.4:1. At OAUTHC, 568 children aged two months to 15 years were admitted with malignancies over the ten year period. There were 401 males and 167 females, with male to female ratio of 2.4:1. Lymphomas were the commonest type of malignancy in both centers, which accounted for 47.3% and 59.7% at AKTH and OAUTHCrespectively. Retinoblastoma was the second commonest tumour atAKTH constituting 14.9% of all malignancies followed by nephroblastomaand acute leukemias. In contrast, acute leukemias were the second commonest malignancy at OAUTHC accounting for 12.7% of all malignancies followed by retinoblastoma and nephroblastoma. Tumoursof central nervous system were observed to be commoner at AKTH, while bone tumours were commoner at OAUTHC.Conclusion: The pattern of childhood cancer varies rather little betweendifferent regions in Nigeria, with malignant lymphomas being the most common as is the case in most developing countries. However, the findings in this study suggest that there is variation in prevalence of leukemia, CNS and bone tumours in northern and southern Nigeria.Key words: Childhood, malignant tumours, pattern, teaching hospitals,Nigeri

Search for direct pair production of the top squark in all-hadronic final states in proton-proton collisions at s√=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The results of a search for direct pair production of the scalar partner to the top quark using an integrated luminosity of 20.1fb−1 of proton–proton collision data at √s = 8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC are reported. The top squark is assumed to decay via t˜→tχ˜01 or t˜→ bχ˜±1 →bW(∗)χ˜01 , where χ˜01 (χ˜±1 ) denotes the lightest neutralino (chargino) in supersymmetric models. The search targets a fully-hadronic final state in events with four or more jets and large missing transverse momentum. No significant excess over the Standard Model background prediction is observed, and exclusion limits are reported in terms of the top squark and neutralino masses and as a function of the branching fraction of t˜ → tχ˜01 . For a branching fraction of 100%, top squark masses in the range 270–645 GeV are excluded for χ˜01 masses below 30 GeV. For a branching fraction of 50% to either t˜ → tχ˜01 or t˜ → bχ˜±1 , and assuming the χ˜±1 mass to be twice the χ˜01 mass, top squark masses in the range 250–550 GeV are excluded for χ˜01 masses below 60 GeV

Search for pair-produced long-lived neutral particles decaying to jets in the ATLAS hadronic calorimeter in ppcollisions at √s=8TeV

The ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN is used to search for the decay of a scalar boson to a pair of long-lived particles, neutral under the Standard Model gauge group, in 20.3fb−1of data collected in proton–proton collisions at √s=8TeV. This search is sensitive to long-lived particles that decay to Standard Model particles producing jets at the outer edge of the ATLAS electromagnetic calorimeter or inside the hadronic calorimeter. No significant excess of events is observed. Limits are reported on the product of the scalar boson production cross section times branching ratio into long-lived neutral particles as a function of the proper lifetime of the particles. Limits are reported for boson masses from 100 GeVto 900 GeV, and a long-lived neutral particle mass from 10 GeVto 150 GeV

Lablab purpureus—A Crop Lost for Africa?

In recent years, so-called ‘lost crops’ have been appraised in a number of reviews, among them Lablab purpureus in the context of African vegetable species. This crop cannot truly be considered ‘lost’ because worldwide more than 150 common names are applied to it. Based on a comprehensive literature review, this paper aims to put forward four theses, (i) Lablab is one of the most diverse domesticated legume species and has multiple uses. Although its largest agro-morphological diversity occurs in South Asia, its origin appears to be Africa. (ii) Crop improvement in South Asia is based on limited genetic diversity. (iii) The restricted research and development performed in Africa focuses either on improving forage or soil properties mostly through one popular cultivar, Rongai, while the available diversity of lablab in Africa might be under threat of genetic erosion. (iv) Lablab is better adapted to drought than common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) or cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), both of which have been preferred to lablab in African agricultural production systems. Lablab might offer comparable opportunities for African agriculture in the view of global change. Its wide potential for adaptation throughout eastern and southern Africa is shown with a GIS (geographic information systems) approach