182 research outputs found
Resource Use Efficiency In Poultry Egg Production In Maiduguri And Environs Of Borno State, Nigeria
Poultry enterprise is significant to Borno State and the Nigerian economy as whole because it provides a good source of animal protein in form of meat and eggs. The study estimated resources use efficiency in poultry egg production in Maiduguri and Environs of Borno State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: examine the socio-economic characteristic of poultry farmers; examine the poultry egg production system practiced by farmers; and estimate the efficiency of resource used in poultry egg production. Purposive sampling technique was employed for the study. Ten (10) wards were purposively selected out of the existing fifteen (15) wards in the area. These are areas where poultry egg producers are predominantly found. From each of the ten (10) wards, five (5) poultry egg producers were randomly selected, giving a total sample size of fifty (50) respondents for the study. Data were obtained with the aid of structured questionnaire administered to fifty (50) poultry egg producers. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression model were used as analytical technique. The finding shows that majority (82%) of the respondents were male, 68% were married, 62% were within the age group of 31-35 years, while 42% had between 11-20 persons in their households in the study area. The result also indicates that 46% of the respondents had secondary education, 58% of the respondent had between N51, 000- N100, 000, while 52% of the respondents had flock sizes ranging from 101-200. The finding shows that 26% of the respondent practised free range system, about 40% practised battery cage system while, 34% practised deep litter system of poultry production in the study area. The total sum of the elasticties of poultry egg production of the resources was 1.748. The finding also reveals that the ratios of the MVP to the MFC were less than unity (1) for all the inputs. It was recommended among others that: poultry egg producers should reduce the quantities of farm inputs such as family labour, hired labour, flock size, feed, depreciating cost of equipment and operating expenses to ensure increase in poultry egg production; and extension agents in the state should be properly trained and provided with all necessary technological packages required to teach and guide farmers on improved poultry egg production. Keywords: Resource Use, Efficiency, Poultry Egg, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeri
Relationship of Cassava Growth Parameters with Yield, Yield Related Components and Harvest Time in Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria
The relationship of major growth parameters with yield at various times of harvesting of cassava was investigated during 2007 and 2010 in a tropical Alfisol in Ibadan, Nigeria. Cassava (TMS 30572 and TMS 92/0326) was planted at 1m x 1m (10,000 plants per hectare) and fertilizer (NPK 15-15-15 and organomineral fertilizers) applied at planting using a split-plot arrangement in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. Parameters assessed include plant height, number of leaves, leaf area index (LAI) up to 6 Months After Planting (MAP), fresh and dry root yield, shoot yield, number of roots and harvest index at harvest at 9, 12, 15 and 18 MAP. The LAI at 2-6 MAP in 2007 and 4-6 in 2008 contributed significantly to the root yield while plant height at 1 MAP exhibited a negative relationship with fresh root yield of cassava within the same period (r=0.47(n=37)p= ≤ 0.05). Root dry yield was positively correlated with fresh root yield (r=0.46(n=37) p= ≤ 0.05, in 2009) Plant growth parameters at 4-6 MAP all contributed to increased fresh root yield at 12 MAP harvest. Growth parameters at various stages had negative relationship with root yield at 18 MAP harvest. This delay made extra demand for assimilates partitioned in favour of the cassava shoot growth. Cassava should be harvested between 12-15 MAP; delaying harvest beyond this age did not result in significant addition to the root yield, instead, promoted bacterial rot especially in TMS 92/0326 cassava variety. Keywords: Growth parameters, Yield, Correlation coefficient, Months after planting
Purification characterization and inhibition studies on Phospholipase C from Opisthacanthus capensis (Black Scorpion) venom
Phospholipase C from Opisthacanthus capensis venom was partially purified and characterized. The enzyme was purified 105.2 fold with an overall yield of 13% using various purification steps involving ammonium sulphate precipitation, protamine sulphate treatment, sephadex G-75 fractionation and DE-52 anion exchange chromatography. The purified enzyme was homogeneous with a molecular weight of 29 kDa. The phospholipase C has pH and temperature optima of 7.2 and 600C, respectively with activation energy of 25KJ/mol and t1/2 of 1.50 hr. Initial velocity studies on O. capensis venom phospholipase C revealed a KM of 0.02 mM and Vmax of 0.015 μmol/min. Studies on the effect of pH on KM and Vmax gave PKa1 of 6.9 and PKa2 of 7.4 with enthalpy of ionization of 20 KJ/mol suggesting histidine in the active site. The enzyme was positively modulated by Mg2+, Zn2+ and Ca2+ and negatively by Fe2+. While Hg2+ produced complete inhibition. Various concentrations of leaf aqueous extract of Momordica charantia also inhibited the activity of O. capensis venom phospholipase C in vitro with a competitive pattern. This study revealed the presence of phospholipase C in O. capensis venom and gave some scientific basis for the use of theplant in the treatment of scorpion envenomation.Keywords: Phospholipase C; Opisthacanthus capensis; Momordica charantia; Veno
EFFECTS OF COOKING CONDITIONS ON THE TEXTURE PROFILE, SENSORY AND PROXIMATE QUALITIES OF PRESSURE COOKED BAMBARA NUTS
This study evaluated the effects of pressure cooking on the textural attributes of Bambara nuts using Response Surface Methodology (RSM).The study optimized cooking condition {Weight of Bambara (250 – 1000g), cooking time (20 -90 min) and post cooking resident time (2-12 min)} for the pressure boiling on the textural and qualities of Bambara. Five out of the eleven optimised solutions (Desirability Index range of 0.919 to 0.936) were compared with samples from conventionally boiled Bambara for proximate and sensory (colour, texture, aroma and Overall acceptance) qualities. Data were analysed using RSM, analysis of variance and PPMC. Models for hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, fracturability and sensory texture with adjusted R2 values of 83.41%, 80.99%, 67.37% , 93,75% and 88.96% respectively adequately explained the textural and sensory qualities of boiled bambara. The range of values for moisture, fat, ash, crude protein and carbohydrate were 47.88, 2.24, 1.98, 24.30, 20.91 % to 50.58, 2.58, 2.19, 25.49, 21.87% respectively. Boiled Bambara produced at verified optimisation solutions (527.62g, 82.55, 10.43 min and 591.69g, 82.96, 9.52 minutes) were not significantly different (p >0.05) from that produced by conventional method (weight and Cooking time: 500g and 125 min.) in spite of the relatively longer cooking time of the later.
 
The effect of processing parameters on the functional and pasting properties of breadfruit (Artocarpus Altilis) “elubo” flour
Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) elubo was produced using various processing parameters. A second order Box-Benhken Response Surface Design was adopted in designing the experiment which generated 17 runs on selected process parameters, including parboiling temperature (30, 50 and 60 °C), parboiling time (90, 120 and 150 min), and steeping time (6, 12 and 18 hrs) on the functional and pasting properties (bulk density, water absorption capacity, swelling power, solubility, dispersibility, and pasting characteristics) of the elubo. At high parboiling temperature and time there was an increase in bulk density, water absorption, and swelling power of the BE, while the increase in parboiling temperature and steeping time led to a decrease in peak and final viscosity. The generated models were adequately explained as their adjusted regression coefficients (Adjusted R2) were between 0.56 and 0.99, this revealed that R2 gave a good (5075%) explanation of the model. BE can be produced at an optimum condition of 60 °C, 133 min, and 10 hrs for parboiling temperature, time and steeping time, respectively, based on the desirability concept of 0.80
Magnetic field measurements and wind-line variability of OB-type stars
Context. The first magnetic fields in O- and B-type stars that do not belong
to the Bp-star class, have been discovered. The cyclic UV wind-line
variability, which has been observed in a significant fraction of early-type
stars, is likely to be related to such magnetic fields. Aims. We attempt to
improve our understanding of massive-star magnetic fields, and observe
twenty-five carefully-selected, OB-type stars. Methods. Of these stars we
obtain 136 magnetic field strength measurements. We present the UV wind-line
variability of all selected targets and summarise spectropolarimetric
observations acquired using the MUSICOS spectropolarimeter, mounted at the TBL,
Pic du Midi, between December 1998 and November 2004. From the average Stokes I
and V line profiles, derived using the LSD method, we measure the magnetic
field strengths, radial velocities, and first moment of the line profiles.
Results. No significant magnetic field is detected in any OB-type star that we
observed. Typical 1{\sigma} errors are between 15 and 200 G. A possible
magnetic-field detection for the O9V star 10 Lac remains uncertain, because the
field measurements depend critically on the fringe- effect correction in the
Stokes V spectra. We find excess emission in UV-wind lines, centred about the
rest wavelength, to be a new indirect indicator of the presence of a magnetic
field in early B-type stars. The most promising candidates to host magnetic
fields are the B-type stars {\delta} Cet and 6 Cep, and a number of O stars.
Conclusions. Although some O and B stars have strong dipolar field, which cause
periodic variability in the UV wind-lines, such strong fields are not
widespread. If the variability observed in the UV wind-lines of OB stars is
generally caused by surface magnetic fields, these fields are either weak
(<~few hundred G) or localised.Comment: A&A publishe
Multisite spectroscopic seismic study of the beta Cep star V2052 Oph: inhibition of mixing by its magnetic field
We used extensive ground-based multisite and archival spectroscopy to derive
observational constraints for a seismic modelling of the magnetic beta Cep star
V2052 Ophiuchi. The line-profile variability is dominated by a radial mode
(f_1=7.14846 d^{-1}) and by rotational modulation (P_rot=3.638833 d). Two
non-radial low-amplitude modes (f_2=7.75603 d^{-1} and f_3=6.82308 d^{-1}) are
also detected. The four periodicities that we found are the same as the ones
discovered from a companion multisite photometric campaign (Handler et al.
2012) and known in the literature. Using the photometric constraints on the
degrees l of the pulsation modes, we show that both f_2 and f_3 are prograde
modes with (l,m)=(4,2) or (4,3). These results allowed us to deduce ranges for
the mass (M \in [8.2,9.6] M_o) and central hydrogen abundance (X_c \in
[0.25,0.32]) of V2052 Oph, to identify the radial orders n_1=1, n_2=-3 and
n_3=-2, and to derive an equatorial rotation velocity v_eq \in [71,75] km
s^{-1}. The model parameters are in full agreement with the effective
temperature and surface gravity deduced from spectroscopy. Only models with no
or mild core overshooting (alpha_ov \in [0,0.15] local pressure scale heights)
can account for the observed properties. Such a low overshooting is opposite to
our previous modelling results for the non-magnetic beta Cep star theta Oph
having very similar parameters, except for a slower surface rotation rate. We
discuss whether this result can be explained by the presence of a magnetic
field in V2052 Oph that inhibits mixing in its interior.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures and 5 tables; accepted for publication in MNRAS
on 2012 August 1
Discovery of the magnetic field in the pulsating B star beta Cephei
Although the star itself is not He enriched, the periodicity and the
variability in the UV wind lines of the pulsating B1 IV star beta Cep are
similar to what is observed in magnetic He-peculiar B stars, suggesting that
beta Cep is magnetic. We searched for a magnetic field using
spectropolarimetry. From UV spectroscopy, we analysed the wind variability and
investigated the correlation with the magnetic data. Using 130 time-resolved
circular polarisation spectra, obtained with the MuSiCoS spectropolarimeter at
the 2m TBL from 1998 until 2005, we applied the least-squares deconvolution
method on the Stokes V spectra and derived the longitudinal component of the
integrated magnetic field over the visible hemisphere of the star. We performed
a period analysis on the magnetic data and on EW measurements of UV wind lines
obtained over 17 years. We also analysed the short- and long-term radial
velocity variations, which are due to the pulsations and the 90-year binary
motion. beta Cep hosts a sinusoidally varying magnetic field with an amplitude
97(4) G and an average value -6(3) G. From the UV wind line variability, we
derive a period of 12.00075(11) days, which is the rotation period of the star,
and is compatible with the observed magnetic modulation. Phases of maximum and
minimum field match those of maximum emission in the UV wind lines, strongly
supporting an oblique magnetic-rotator model. We discuss the magnetic behaviour
as a function of pulsation behaviour and UV line variability. This paper
presents the analysis of the first confirmed detection of a dipolar magnetic
field in an upper main-sequence pulsating star. Maximum wind absorption
originates in the magnetic equatorial plane. Maximum emission occurs when the
magnetic north pole points to the Earth. Radial velocities agree with the ~90-y
orbit around its Be-star binary companion.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, 5 table
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