Incentive Structure and Work Attitude among Junior Staff in Cross River State Civil Service

This study investigates whether incentive structure plays a significant role in the work attitude of junior civil servants in Nigeria. Five different incentive items were tested by data collected. These include monetary, job security, promotion, good work environment, and social/official recognition. These five sub-variables were ranked in their order of importance. Frequency distribution, descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient and T-test statistical techniques were used to analyze data obtained. It was found that junior civil servants considered monetary incentives highest on their ranking, and that incentive structure as a whole significantly affected work attitude among junior staff in the Civil Service

The Nature and Weighting of Major Determinants of Women Participation in Policy Process in Nigeria: Evidence from Akwa Ibom State

This study investigates the factors responsible for the very low number of women participating in policy process in Akwa-Ibom, Nigeria. Stratified random sampling was used in this study for the purpose of separating the respondents into educated (HND/B.Sc. and above) and less educated. Responses from educated respondents were used in this study. Data were collected by distributing and retrieving 900 questionnaires across the three senatorial districts of the state (300 in each senatorial district). The various factors tested were economic, cultural, physical, mental, psychological, religion and ideology. Frequency distribution statistics is used to analyze data obtained. It was found that 66% of respondents considered economic factor as most responsible for the low number of women participating in policy processes in Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria

The Effect of Fermentation of \u3cem\u3eCalliandra calothyrsus\u3c/em\u3e,\u3cem\u3e Gliricidia sepium\u3c/em\u3e,\u3cem\u3e Leucaena leucocephala\u3c/em\u3e and Maize Forage on Rumen Degradation and Microbial Protein Synthesis

Ensiling as a means of storing green fodder by acidification has a profound effect on the chemical composition of the resultant silage. Ensiling could therefore, ameliorate the effects of anti-nutritional factors associated with browses. The objective of the experiment was to determine fermentation characteristics and rumen degradation (D) of ensiled Calliandra calothyrsus (C), Gliricidia sepium (G), Leucaena leucocephala (L) and maize forage

The recognition of HIV-1 consensus group M Gag and Nef peptide reagents in mono- and multi-clade epidemics: implications for HIV vaccine design

The high level of genetic diversity of HIV-1 poses a major challenge for global vaccine development. Vaccines based on centralized sequences would minimize genetic distances to multiple clades and potentially maximize cross-reactivity. Whether reactivity of these centralized peptide reagents differs in mono- and multi-clade epidemic is unknown

Status of Animal Feed Resources in Rwanda

Animal feed resources remain a major constraint for livestock development in tropical Africa. In Rwanda, grazing lands are shrinking sharply because crop cultivation is progressively encroaching on grazing areas with increasing human pressure (Mutimura and Everson 2011). Therefore, over 60% of households cultivating less than 0.7 ha, and owning livestock, practise zero-grazing, where farmers cut-and-carry forage and crop residues to feed animals that are kept exclusively under sheds (MINAGRI 2009). In general, the main feed for dairy cattle under a zero-grazing system is Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum). For more than a decade, efforts to improve the feed resource base and feeding management have been based on the introduction, characterisation and evaluation of exotic forage species, including grasses and legumes. The main aim of this study was to identify and document the status of improved forages as animal feed resources and for use in environmental protection in Rwanda

Isolation of a pentacyclic triterpenoid from the antiplasmodial bioactive fraction of Nauclea latifolia (Sm) roots

Purpose: To research the antiplasmodial property of aqueous extract, fractions, and residue of Nauclea latifolia roots and to isolate the components responsible for the antiplasmodial activity.Methods: Roots of N. latifolia were macerated with distilled water; the extract was obtained, successively partitioned with ethyl acetate and butanol. The extract, fractions, and the residue obtained were evaluated for their in vivo antiplasmodial activity and compared with amodiaquine and artesunate. The residue (which exhibited the best therapeutic index) was subjected to column and thin layer chromatography to isolate its components. Purification led to the isolation of betulinic acid, which was characterized with the aid of spectroscopic techniques (1H, 13C NMR, and EI-MS).Results: The residue significantly inhibited parasite growth from 42.8 % (D2) to 77.6 % (D5). Therefore, residue exhibited the highest therapeutic index against Plasmodium berghei in the three in vivo antiplasmodial (prophylactic, suppressive, and curative) models and it compared favourably with amodiaquine (80.5 %) and artesunate (85.9 %). The major component of the residue was betulinic acid.Conclusion: The results validate the antiplasmodial claims of the roots of N. latifolia in folkloric medicine, and demonstrated that the isolate has a high therapeutic index in this regard. Further investigations, however, are required to determine the clinical efficacy and safety of the compound/isolate

Technological options that respond to demands and market opportunities with focus on crops and livestock

Technology development is a core area of agricultural research, and the increasing global focus on client-demand and market oppourtunities is intended to increase its releance and effectiveness. This theme focuses on the achievements of and lessons learnt from technological optipns developed for crop and livestock systems including breeding, management practices and processing and appropriate technolgies, knowledge, information and methods that enhance productivity, value addition and the competitiveness of the products in both national and international markets. A number of research providers as well as public sector bodies such as national agricultural systems and universities, non-governmental organisations which have links to broad farmer networks have become increasingly involved in research activities. Consequently, agricultural researchers have and are continually developing a broad range of technological options to secure the production of safe food and non food cash crops and to achieve the most efficient and ecologically sound use of natural resources; soil, water and energy. It is however apparent that farmers prefer packages of information not just pest management strategies alone but a total package including other aspects such as soil and weed management options