Economic Analysis of Beekeeping in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria

The study was carried out to analyze the economics of beekeeping in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria. Data were obtained using structured questionnaire. Three (3) wards (extension blocks) were purposely selected out of the eleven (11) wards to reflect areas where beekeeping is predominantly found. A total of 100 respondents were randomly and proportionately selected from the three (3) wards and used for the study. Descriptive statistics, budgetary technique and multiple regression were used as analytical tools. The result indicates that majority (90%) were male, most of them (56%) had between 20 – 40 colonies, 44% had primary education and 40% had between 16 – 20 years beekeeping experience in the study area. The results of multiple regression analysis indicate that the coefficients of age, number of colony owned and gender were positive and significant at 5% and 10%, respectively. Costs and returns analysis indicates that gross revenue, total cost and net farm income were N14,234.17, N5,260.65 and N8,973.74 per colony, respectively. Inadequate credit, theft, bush burning, absconding of bees and inadequate improved technologies were some of the major problems militating against beekeeping in the study area. It was recommended that extension agents in the state should be property trained and provided with all the necessary technological packages required to teach and guide farmers on improved beekeeping to reduce cost of production, farmers engaged in beekeeping should form cooperative groups that will enable them obtain credit from government and financial institutions and non-governmental organisations in collaboration with farmers cooperative groups should provide improved beekeeping technologies at subsidized rate to the farmers.Keywords: Beekeeping, Economic analysis, Borno StateNigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Science (2011), 19(2): 285-29

Analysis of Factors Influencing Labour Supplied to Non-Farm Sub-Sector by Households in Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria

The study was carried out on the socio-economic factors influencing labour supplied to the non-farm sub-sector by households in Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Data were obtained using structured questionnaire. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select the respondents. A total of 100 households were randomly and proportionately selected from the wards for the analysis. Descriptive statistics and regression model were used as analytical tools. The results indicate that about 38% of the farming household members were between the age group of 36-45 years, majority (72%) were male while, 28% were female. Most 52% had less than 20 years experience in farming. The findings also reveal that most 54% of the farming household members attended tertiary education. Majority (60%) cultivated less than 1 hectare of land. The results of the regression analysis reveal that educational level had negative coefficient, while occupation had positive coefficient and are all significant at 1% level respectively. Also farming experience and gender have positive coefficients, while marital status had negative coefficient and are all significant at 5% level respectively. It was recommended that government should come up with a law to guide, protect and manage the non-farm sub-sector to ensure sustainable source of income to farming households, agricultural extension agents should educate farmers on the role of the non-farm sub-sector as a means of rising financial capital and employment; and policy makers should design policies and pragrammes that will address issues on non-farm activities as a means of creating favourable conditions to reduce poverty among farming households. Keywords: Factors, Labour, Non-farm Sub-sector, Households, Adamawa State, Nigeria

Resource Use Efficiency in Rice Production in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria

The study was carried-out on resource use efficiency in rice production in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria. Data were obtained using structured questionnaire. Five (5) wards were purposely selected out of the twelve (12) wards to reflect areas where rice is mainly grown. A total of 100 respondents were proportionately selected from the five (5) wards for the analysis. Descriptive statistics and production function were used as analytical tools. The result indicates that majority (87%) were male, most (54%) had farm size less than 2 hectares. Also, majority (60%) indicated their major occupation as farming, most (51%) had no formal education while, (37%) had between 11–30 years of farming experience. The results of resource use efficiency in rice production showed that resources such as fertilizer, hired labour and rented land were under-utilized. The sum of elasticities of production indicates that there is increasing return to scale. It was recommended that farmers should be advised to increase use of rented land, improved rice seed, of fertilizer, hired and mechanized labours and chemicals. Farmers should also be encouraged to actively participate in adult education extension programme to acquire knowledge on how to use their farm resources efficiently in rice production. Keywords: Resource, Efficiency, Rice, Borno State, Nigeria

Anti-emetic activity of Grewia lasiodiscus root extract and fractions

Preparation of Grewia lasiodiscus (K Schum) root is used in African traditional medicine to treat fever, pains and emesis. A 70% aqueous methanolic extract of G. lasiodiscus root (Extract) was obtained andfractionated on column chromatography using solvents of increasing polarities to yield three fractions designated F1 to F3. The effect of the extract on pentobarbitone-induced hypnosis was evaluated inmice while the anti-emetic activities of extract and its fractions were studied on anhydrous copper sulphate-induced emesis in one-day-old chicks. The oral median lethal dose (LD50) of extract wasstudied and estimated to be 774 mg/kg. Extract at 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg produced a significant (

Poly[di-μ2-acetato-κ4O:O′-μ3-thiourea-κ3S:S:S-lead(II)]: a redetermination

The structure of the title polymeric lead(II) thiourea complex, [Pb(CH3O)2{SC(NH2)2}]n, has been redetermined at significantly higher precision using diffractometer data at 100 K. The previous determination used data obtained from multiple-film integrated Weissenberg photographs [Nardelli et al. (1960). Acta Cryst. 13, 898–904]. The main difference between the two models is in the precision of the bond lengths, angles and cell parameters. In the crystal, the eight-coordinate PbII atom is chelated by two carboxylate groups and bridged by three S atoms from thiourea ligands. The coordination sphere is completed by an O atom from a third carboxylate group, the second O atom of which binds to a neighbouring PbII atom, forming a polymeric chain that runs the a axis. Two of these chains are related by centres of symmetry. Intermolecular hydrogen bonds connect neighbouring chains to one another, generating a three-dimensional network

Pattern and Outcome of Cases Seen at the Adult Accident and Emergency Department of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos

Background: The accident and emergency department constitutes one of the vital entry points of patients into the healthcare facility of the hospital the world over. It responds to and manages variety of cases in all the clinical areas and thus provides an insight to the quality of care available in the health institution.Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the pattern of cases seen as well as the causes of deaths at the adult accident and emergency department of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos.Methods: Retrospective review of records of all patients attended to at the adult accident and emergency department of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital in 2009 and 2010 was carried out. Data spread sheet was used to collect data on demographic indices, diagnosis, outcome, date admitted, date discharged and amount paid from casualty attendance register and Nurses' report books. Data was collated and analysed using Epi-Info version 3.4.1 statistical software package.Results: Out of the 5,427 available patients' records reviewed, 4,761(87.7%) were recorded as “discharged alive”, 546(10.1%) were recorded as “died”, while 120(2.2%) were recorded as “brought in dead”. Of those discharged alive, male attendance was 2,376 (49.10%) while that of the female was 2,385 (50.10%). Majority of these patients were aged 20-39 years and the mean age of the patients was 39.96 ± 18.22 yrs. Majority of cases seen were medical in origin (53.7%) and highest medical case seen was cerebrovascular accident, Commonest cause of death was from medical cases[69.2%] (cerebrovascular accident 22.0%). Male mortality was 55.3% while female mortality was 44.7% , mean age was 46.86 ± 17.61.Most affected age group was 40 – 59 years (35.4%) and highest number of death was seen in December.Conclusion: The commonest case seen as well as commonest cause of death was cerebrovascular accident. A high number of heart failure, head injuries, road traffic accidents, upper gastrointestinal bleeding and post partum haemorrhage were also seen as common causes of death.The emergency physician must be well trained in skills required for the immediate management of patients with these cases.Keywords: Accident, emergency, cases, deaths, cerebrovascular