CONSUMPTION ANALYSIS OF PROTEINOUS FOODS IN REMO DIVISION, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

This study examined the consumption of proteinous food in Remo division of Ogun State, Nigeria. Primary data were obtained in a cross-section survey of 120 randomly selected households drawn by a combination of a multi-stage random sampling and stratified random sampling techniques. Descriptive statistics and ordinary least square (OLS) regression techniques were employed for data analysis. The descriptive statistics of the socio-economic characteristics of proteinous food consumers show that majority (56.7%) of the household heads are about 40 years old, most (73%) of the households’ heads are males, of which about 68% are married. A high percentage of the households heads are well educated with mean household size of 4 and mean monthly income of N15, 000.00. The per capita expenditures on the two classes of proteinous source of foods indicate that the mean per capita expenditure (N 1266.11) on animal protein source food (APSF) is greater than the per capita expenditures (N239.12) on plant protein source food (PPSF). The results show that animal protein and plant protein consumption accounted for N5, 064.43 and N956.48 of the household monthly disposable income respectively, representing 41% and 7.8% of household monthly disposable income of the household. With respect to the determinants of plant protein source food (APSF) and plant protein food consumption, the linear regression model was chosen as the lead equations on the basis of high R2, the conformity of the signs of the coefficients with apriori expectations. The R2 for animal protein source food (APSF) consumption is 0.80 indicating that 80% of the variations in APSF consumption is due to the influence of the explanatory variables while that plant protein source food consumption is rather low (29%). Household income, household size and years of schooling are the variables that significantly and positively influence APSF consumption while plant protein source food (PPSF) consumption was only influenced by household disposable income. KEYWORDS: Consumption, animal, plant, protein, foo

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Obra ressenyada: Richard ALLSOPP, Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996

The Development of an Analyses-Intensive Software for Improved Cams System Design

The computer-aided software developed in this research work is used in designing cam systems by generating various follower motions and cam profiles. It is highly suited for extensive dynamics, kinematics and geometric design analysis based on some inherent features that are unique. The plate cam with either flat-face or roller followers can be designed. Most of the standard and acceptable cam functions are included such as double harmonic, modified trapezoidal, cycloid, 4-5-6 polynomial and others. Various prime circle radii and follower face widths are calculated for flat-face follower design option for any user selected cam angle, follower profile and cam function. Other parameters such as minimum and maximum values of radii of curvature, pressure angle, are also calculated for roller follower design option. In every design the follower motion and cam profiles are calculated and coordinate files can be exported in Cartesian format and automatically imported into a spreadsheet package thereby using all its features for better analysis of results. All dynamic, kinematics and geometric parameters can be plotted and all data may be printed to the screen, to a printer, or to a file. Keywords: Cams; Design; software; simulations; validation Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 28 (1) 2008 pp. 103-11

The Effect of Polymer Blends on the Formulation of Sustained Release Ciprofloxacin Matrix Tablets

Background: The application of polymers to sustain drug release is increasingly becoming popular and the use of polymer blends provides an alternative method to developing new pharmaceutical raw materials.Objective: This work aims to study the effect of polymer blends of xanthan gum (X), hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) and Chrysophyllum albidum gum (CAG) on the mechanical properties and release rate of ciprofloxacin tablet.Method: Ciprofloxacin tablets prepared by direct compression was evaluated for weight uniformity, friability and hardness. The time taken for 50 % (T50) and 75 % (T75) drug release were obtained and the in vitro release data were fitted into drug kinetics models to determine the mechanism of drug release.Result: The tablets showed satisfactory mechanical strength. The rank order of tablet strength for the various blends is CAG-HPMC > CAG-X-HPMC > CAG-X. All the formulations with polymer blends had higher values of T50 and T75 than formulations containing single polymers. An increase in the proportion of CAG in formulation containing CAG-X (in ratio 2:1) resulted in almost a two- fold sustained drug release with T50 and T75 values of 4.4 and 7.1 hrs respectively. Generally, a blend of the three polymers resulted in a slower drug release. The proportion of polymers in the blend had no significant (p>0.05) effect on drug release rate in formulations containing the three polymers. Higuchi model was the most prominent model while the mechanism for drug release was super case II transport.Conclusion: This study highlights the potentials of polymer blends in the design and formulation of sustained release ciprofloxacin matrix tablets.Keywords: Polymer blend, Sustained release, Ciprofloxacin, Xanthan gum, Chrysophyllum albidum gu

Enterprise Combinations in Cassava Based Food Crop Farming System in Nigeria: Evidence from Ogun State

This study examines the enterprise combination in cassava based food crop farming system in Ogun state. Three stage sampling technique was used to select 120 cassava farmers from the study area. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, economic land equivalent ratio (ELER), linear programming and stochastic production frontier to actualize all the objectives. Descriptive statistics was employed for the description of socio-economic characteristics while economic land equivalent ratio (ELER) and linear programming were used for cost-return structure and optimal combination of crops in cassava based farm enterprises respectively. Descriptive statistics shows that most of the farmers are in their late forty with the mean age of the farmers being 48.2 years with 6years of formal education and wealth of farming experience of about 19 years. The farmers cultivated area of land that varies between 0.5ha and 5 hectare with a mean of 2 hectare. All enterprise combinations are profitable; however, cassava/maize/vegetable production enterprise is the most profitable with net farm income of N36649.90 per hectare closely followed by cassava /maize with N36462.67 per hectare. The optimal cassava based combination was actualized by linear programming model which shows that cassava/maize and cassava/maize/vegetable are the optimal combination because only the two combinations contributed to the gross margin and also added zero opportunity cost to the total cost of production. The result also shows that land and capital are the limiting resources whereas labour is not which means that for optimal cassava based production land and capital investment should be increased. In lieu of these findings, farmers in Ogun state farmers should intercrop cassava, maize and vegetables or intercrop cassava and maize, this will not only increase their net farm income per hectare, it will also ensure flow of income during on and off seasons. Farmers should also increase the utilization of the limiting resources, that is capital base and hectrage of land cultivated

Genotoxicity, haematological and growth performance of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus fingerlings fed walnut Tetracarpidium conophorum leaves to substitute for rice bran

A plant has become a preferred source of protein for fish species in aquaculture. A twelve-week feeding trial was carried out in order to assess the effect of feeding walnut leaves on haematological and biochemical parameters as well as the genotoxicity level on Clarias gariepinus fingerlings as a bio-indicator of their health status and overall response of the fish towards the experimental diets. One hundred and fifty fingerlings of Clarias gariepinus of mean weight 6.90±0.2g were stocked randomly as ten fish per tank (52.5 X 33.5 X 21 cm3) in triplicate. Fish were fed to satiation and the water changed every day to maintain good water quality. Five experimental diets with 40% crude protein each were formulated; the control, without the test ingredient and the other four diets (test diets1, 2, 3 and 4) contained 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% inclusion respectively. The Control diet had the highest mean weight gain (P < 0.05) (118.8±17.3) among the entire group. A similar pattern was observed in specific growth rate. The least significant (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio was recorded by the Control diet(0.68±0.03), the diet also recorded the best protein efficiency ratio (3.53±0.23).The genotoxicity test shows that some Micronucleus of the test diets were normal, lobed and binucleated nucleus compared to the Control diet. The fish fed with T. conophorum showed a significant difference in haematological values when compared to the values of fish fed the control diet. The fish fed with T. conophorum showed a significant difference in biochemical value when compared with control diet. There was a reduction in the biochemical values of the fish fed T. Conophorum with Cholesterol (2.20±0.05) Albumin (8.35±0.21) and Triglyceride (0.98±0.13) compared with the values of fish fed with the control diet with cholesterol (3.81±0.07) Albumin (12.35±2.33) and Triglyceride (7.29±7.02). It was concluded that using T. Conophorum leaves as feed for Clarias gariepinus enhances the growth of the fish. Therefore, partial replacement of feed T. Conophorum should be encouraged

Profit Efficiency in Poultry Production in Peri-Urban Lagos, Nigeria

The study was conducted to determine the profit efficiency of poultry production in four peri-urban Local Government Areas in Lagos state. A total of ninety-six poultry farms involved in the survey were selected using a two-stage sampling technique. An average farmer in the sample was 40 years old; 85% were males and 84% had tertiary education. Most poultry farm in the sample had flock size that range between 500 and 2500. Prices of all the variable inputs significantly influence the profit of poultry farms while that of fixed inputs have no significant effect. The result indicates that the poultry farmers are not fully profit efficient. The mean efficiency estimated was 72 percent indicating that there was a 23 percent allowance to improve efficiency. Furthermore, the result shows that gender, family farm, finance, number of broilers and fulltime employment are the determinants of profit (technical and allocative) efficiency.Key Words: Poultry, Production, Profit, Efficiency, Nigeri

The emulsifying Properties of Terminalia randii baker F. Gum in castor oil and liquid paraffin emulsions

Background: Emulsifying agents are added to preparations to facilitate the process of emulsification during manufacture and also to assure the stability of emulsion during the shelf life of the product. Natural gums have been used as emulsifying agents because they are readily available, non-toxic and cheap.Objectives: In this study, the emulsifying properties of Terminalia randii gum were assessed and compared with a standard emulsifier (Tragacanth gum) using castor oil and liquid paraffin .Method: Different concentrations (1-10% w/v) of the mucilages of Terminalia randii gum and Tragacanth were prepared. Using wet gum method, castor oil (fixed oil) was mixed with the mucilage and methyl paraben was added. Distilled water was used to make up to volume. The procedure was repeated for liquid paraffin (mineral oil). The emulsions were assessed using creaming rate, globule size and viscosity.Results: Castor oil and liquid paraffin emulsions containing Terminalia gum did not show any form of creaming at high concentration (10% w/v). At low concentration (1-2% w/v), the emulsions cracked within 24 hours of preparation. There was no significance (p&gt;0.05) difference in the globule sizes of emulsions containing Terminalia or tragacanth gum. The viscosity of emulsions containing Terminalia gum increased with increase in concentration of emulsifier and time. It was observed that after one week (168 hours) the viscosity of emulsions containing tragacanth started decreasing and this coincided with the time the emulsions started to cream or eventually cracked.Conclusion: Terminalia randii gum produced more stable emulsions and thus could be used as alternative emulsifying agent.Keywords: Terminalia randii gum, Emulsifying agent, Castor oil, Liquid Paraffin, Emulsion

Psychosocial Factors and Physical Health in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients

The research problem identified was poor physical health in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The problem is important because poor physical health yields unsuccessful aging. The current research aimed to identify psychosocial factors that improve self-evaluated physical health in the study population as a proxy to overall health; the research questions helped identify these factors. The first research question assessed the association between health locus of control and self-evaluated physical health. The second research question evaluated the association between family support and self-evaluated physical health. A final research question assessed the association between health locus of control, family support, and self-evaluated physical health. All three research questions were assessed while controlling for race and gender. The theory used was the socioeconomic model, with health locus of control at the intrapersonal level and family support at the interpersonal level. A quantitative study with secondary data analysis was used with the 177 eligible subjects; the inclusion criteria included older adults with COPD, English speakers, and those who completed all stages of the instrument used in collecting the primary data. Using SPSS version 25, an ordinal logistic regression was the statistical model used in determining the outcomes of the variables. The results showed that health locus of control is a predictor of self-evaluated physical health, while family support is not a predictor of self-evaluated physical health, when controlling for race and gender. The positive social change implication of identifying this relationship is in returning older adults with COPD to successful aging, hoping that they continue to be productive members of our society