The effects of brood stock size on the economy of catfish (Clarias anguillaris) fry production using the hormone induced natural breeding technique

89 ripe female brooders of the catfish, Clarias anguillaris (Body wt. Range 150g-1, 200g) were induced to spawn by hormone (Ovaprim) induced natural spawning technique over a period of 10 weeks. Matching ripe males were used for pairing the females at the ratio of two males to a female. Six ranges of brood stock body weights were considered as follows; 1000g and the number of fry produced by each female brooder was scored/recorded against the corresponding body weight range. The number of fry per unit quantity of hormone and the cost of production a fry based on the current price of Ovaprim (hormon) were determined so as to ascertain most economic size range. The best and most economic size range was between 400g-599g body weight with about 20,000 fry per ml of hormone and N0.028 per fry, while the females above 1000g gave the poorest results of 9,519 fry per ml of hormone and N0.059 per fry. For optimum production of Clarias anguillaris fry and maximum return on investment female brooders of body weights ranging between 400g-599g are recommended for hormone induced natural breeding exercise

Teacher Competency Testing and Teaching Performance

Non

Analysis of Gender-Related Differential Item Functioning In Mathematics Multiple Choice Items Administered By West African Examination Council (WAEC)

The purpose of the study was to investigate which items show differential item functioning (DIF) for male and female students in mathematics examination conducted by West African Examination Council (WAEC) in 2011 in Nigeria. The study was carried out in Nsukka Local Government Area using the responses of secondary school students who sat for June/July 2009 examination in Mathematics conducted by WAEC. Data were obtained from responses of 1671 students in 50 multiple-choice test items. The students (examinees) were obtained from 12 senior secondary schools randomly sampled from 20 coeducation schools. DIF was investigated using Scheuneuman Modified Chi-square Statistics (SS?2). The results of the analysis indicated that male and female examinees function differential in 39 items and no difference in ii items. On the basis of the analysis, it becomes necessary that the examining bodies such as WAEC should set and administer items that are fair so that quality education in terms of certification is assured. Key words: Differential Item Functioning, bias, focal group, reference group    Scheuneuman modified chi square statistics

Using Transformed Item Difficulty Procedure to Assess Gender –Related Differential Item Functioning Of Multiple-Choice Mathematics Items Administered In Nigeria

This study investigated gender-related differential items functioning in multiple-choice mathematics items administered by National Examination Council (NECO) in 2011 in Nigeria. The method employed was Transformed Items Difficulty (TID). The samples used for the study were drawn from data set containing responses of 1600 examinees from 15 secondary schools randomly drawn from 20 co- educational senior secondary schools in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu state, Nigeria. The sample was made up of 774 males and 826 females. The study provides evidence that there are gender differences in performance in multiple-choice test items in mathematics that vary according to contents area even when the content is closely related to curriculum. However, very few items (8 out of 50 items) were in favour of males while non was in favour of females. The implication of this is that most of the items neither favour males nor females when subjected to analysis using TID. However, test items may carry with them demands other than those associated with gender. The significance of this study is that the results show an incorrect picture of the quality of education for different groups and this may likely lead to the resources for education being distributed in an unfair manner.  From these results it is therefore recommended that test developers need to balance some aspects of content to reduce form-to-form variation in the effects of item properties on the performance of male and female examinees. Keywords: Transformed item Difficulty, Differential Item functioning, Perpendicular distance, item difficulty, Delta value, Mathematics

Development of Gocing Storage Method for Cocoyam

Lack of good storage reduces the shelf life of harvested cocoyam (Colocasia spp and Xanthosoma spp) corms and cormels. This is a major challenge facing cocoyam farmers, processors, and marketers in Nigeria. The National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Nigeria, which has a national mandate to research into root and tubers crops of economic importance, has developed the ‘Gocing Storage’ for improved storage of cocoyam. The paper highlights this improved method of storing cocoyam as an advancement in cocoyam research, to reduce loss of cocoyam in storage, and make highly quality cocoyam available to consumers, processors and marketers throughout the year.Gocing Storage; Cocoyam; NRCRI and Nigeria

Prevalence and associations of symptomatic renal papillary necrosis in sickle cell anemia patients in South‑Eastern Nigeria

Aim: To assess the prevalence and associations of symptomatic renal papillary necrosis (RPN) in sickle cell anemia patients.Patients and Methods: The case notes of homozygous hemoglobin (Hb) S patients diagnosed with RPN were retrospectively assessed. Diagnosis was based on microscopic hematuria and positive ultrasound findings. Their steady state diastolic blood pressure, Hb, leukocyte count, platelet count, serum direct bilirubin, and aspartate transaminase, were obtained by automated analyzers. These were evaluated for any relationship with the occurrence of RPN.Results: Two hundred and twenty patients were assessed aged 6–55 years with a median age of 24 years. The prevalence of symptomatic RPN was found to be 2.3%. RPN was positively associated with the female gender (Chi‑square P value 0.001), but not with any other clinical or laboratory variable. However, other predictors of disease severity were positively associated with RPN such as age, diastolic blood pressure 0.180 (P = 0.016), serum aspartate transaminase, serum bilirubin 0.145 (0.027), Hb, and leukocyte count − 0.155 (P = 0.003).Conclusion: The prevalence of symptomatic RPN is low in this group of homozygous S patients and occurs more commonly in females. Improvement in care for these patients will reduce these chronic complications.Keywords: Female gender, microscopic hematuria, renal papillary necrosis, sickle cell anemi

Agricultural Information, Indigenous Knowledge and Development Communication Strategies among Women in Ijaye Community

This study examines the impact a_{ indigenous development communication strategies on the utilization o.f Agricultural information among women for rural development. fjaye community o.f Akinyele local government area ofOyo State was used as case study. It also investigated the channels of communication adopted by development workers 1\'ith reference to indiJ:tenous knovvledge. The datafor the study ·were collected through the questionnaire;f(Jcus ·group discussion, oral interviews and existing cornparati1·e literature. It Y1'as revealed in this study that indigenous channels and local strategies have received the desired attention in the development communication process. From the study. findings reveal that the strategies adopted in a communication encounter. significantly affects the understanding and utilization of the message. The more familiar the strategy/channels. the more result yielding. Some of the indigenous strategies and. channels like, local associations, local festivals, songs, folktales etc can be success fitly adopted in communicating exogenous information, new idea and practice.\· to the people. If this exogenous information is therefore packaged in format rooted in the culture of the audience, they will have a better chance of yielding the desired result among the rural recipients. Due to this, the extension worker cannot afford to overlook the media, which are familiar to the people. The study recommends continuous communication between the rural people and development agents, using appropriate media and strategies so that there will be appropriate flow o_(knowledge which will benefit both parties

Women Involvement in Large-Scale Agricultural Production and Information Utilization

The aim of this study is to identify the place of women in the use of information in large scale agricultural development process in ljaye community of Akinyele Local Government Area of Qvo State. This is with a view to providing valuable data for government. NGOs and other Policy making bodies, to guide in developing the agricultural development programmes. Two hundred am/forty copies of a questionnaire were administered t(! respondents. which include women farmers and extension workers. Also data were collected through the focus group discussion oral interview and existing comparative literature. It was revealed that only a very small percentage of women farmer were involved in fairly large-scale agriculture. Factors responsible for this include non-allocation of land to women, lack of relevant information on agriculture and lack of funds. Nevertheless the very few that were engaged in farming utilize the information at their disposal maximally

Seismic Explosive Energy Sources and the Possible Impact on Groundwater Quality in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria

The possible impact of the use of seismic explosive energy sources on groundwater quality in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria was investigated. A 3-Dimensional seismic survey was carried in OML X in the Niger Delta area using dynamite as the energy source. A total of 116,349.2 kg of dynamite was detonated in 60,398 source points in an area of 771.26 square kilometres, an equivalent of explosive densification of 150.85 kg/km2. Each shot point was loaded with a charge of 2kg of dynamite and a piece of electrical detonator. The possible impact of these dynamite shots on the groundwater was monitored using 7 boreholes evenly distributed in the area. The average coefficient of permeability of the soil of the area collected from the depths of 25m and 50m were 0.019cm/s and 0.55cm/s respectively. Water samples from the boreholes were analysed using standard methods. Control samples were taken from the borehole stations a day before detonation of dynamite. Another sampling was carried out 10 days after dynamites detonation. During the study there was regular rainfall and 10 days was considered sufficient for any pollutant resulting from the detonation of the explosives to travelled to the commonly exploited aquifers in the area considering the permeability of the soil. A comparison of the analyses results showed that the detonation of dynamite did not have any noticeable impact on the groundwater quality of the area.Keywords: seismic, explosive, groundwater contamination, Niger Delt