The distributional properties of the family of logistic distributions

The distributional properties of half logistic distribution and Type I generalized logistic distribution were studied, bringing out the L-moments (up to order four) of each of these. Skewness and Kurtosis were obtained

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF DESIGN STUDIO JURY IN SCHOOLS OF ARCHITECTURE IN NIGERIA

An examination is a formal test of a person's knowledge or proficiency in a particular subject or skill. An often time, the approach of an examination is accompanied by examination phobia on students, which suggests that the examination period is not always a pleasant one. Architectural jury for design studio works is the equivalent of examination for written courses; hence, students perceive it with mixed feelings. Apart from being an examination, the jury also presents an opportunity for students to learn in an atmosphere that can either be jocular, antagonistic or reassuring. Despite the age long tradition of the jury evaluation system, there are few literatures that have assessed the perception of students towards its use and suitability as a means of performance measurement. The purpose of this study is to investigate students’ perception of the jury system as an integral pedagogical process of evaluating design studio works. Data was collected through a survey of two purposively selected schools using a structured questionnaire as instrument of data collection. The respondents were students across the 3rd to 4th and 5th to 6th year of undergraduate and postgraduate study respectively. Data obtained was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings from the study would be useful in the development of national academic policies for Nigerian Schools of Architecture towards improving students’ acceptance of the jury process as a tool for learning and assessment on one hand, and also to improve their performance in the jury on the other hand

A comparative study of EEG abnormalities among subjects with inter-ictal psychosis and those with schizophrenia

Background: Electrophysiological investigation is an integral part in the management of neuropsychiatric disorders; but this is rare in developing countries including Nigeria.Objectives: The study aims to determine EEG abnormalities among subjects with inter-ictal psychosis in comparison to those with schizophrenia.Methods: A cross-sectional study of subjects with inter-ictal psychosis and those with schizophrenia. Each of the subjects that met the inclusion criteria had an awake EEG recording that lasted 45 minutes.Results: For PWEIP, the mean age was 23.9 (±13.8) years; and made up of 53 (53.0%) males; and for PWS, the mean age was 24.2 (±13.5) years; and there were 51 (51.0%) males. The EEG was normal in 53 (53.0%) of PWEIP and in 83 (83.0%) of PWS. EEG was abnormal in 47 (47.0%) of PWEIP, and 17 (17.0%) in those with PWS, and these were all ‘epileptiform’ activities, and the difference was statistically significant with X2 =20.7 (Fisher’s exact test), df=1 and p=0.00**. Conclusion: A number of subjects in our sample with inter-ictal psychosis and PWS had EEG epileptiform activities reflecting cerebral insults in early life. Thus, preventive measures such as good antenatal care are advocated to minimize the occurrence of these neuro-psychiatric disorders.Keywords: EEG abnormalities, inter-ictal psychosis, schizophreni

Antioxidant and DPPH-Scavenging Activities of Compounds and Ethanolic Extract of the Leaf and Twigs of Caesalpinia bonduc L. Roxb.

Antioxidant effects of ethanolic extract of Caesalpinia bonduc and its isolated bioactive compounds were evaluated in vitro. The compounds included two new cassanediterpenes, 1α,7α-diacetoxy-5α,6β-dihydroxyl-cass-14(15)-epoxy-16,12-olide (1)and 12α-ethoxyl-1α,14β-diacetoxy-2α,5α-dihydroxyl cass-13(15)-en-16,12-olide(2); and others, bonducellin (3), 7,4’-dihydroxy-3,11-dehydrohomoisoflavanone (4), daucosterol (5), luteolin (6), quercetin-3-methyl ether (7) and kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1Ç2)-β-D-xylopyranoside (8). The antioxidant properties of the extract and compounds were assessed by the measurement of the total phenolic content, ascorbic acid content, total antioxidant capacity and 1-1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide radicals scavenging activities.Compounds 3, 6, 7 and ethanolic extract had DPPH scavenging activities with IC50 values of 186, 75, 17 and 102 μg/ml respectively when compared to vitamin C with 15 μg/ml. On the other hand, no significant results were obtained for hydrogen peroxide radical. In addition, compound 7 has the highest phenolic content of 0.81±0.01 mg/ml of gallic acid equivalent while compound 8 showed the highest total antioxidant capacity with 254.31±3.54 and 199.82±2.78 μg/ml gallic and ascorbic acid equivalent respectively. Compound 4 and ethanolic extract showed a high ascorbic acid content of 2.26±0.01 and 6.78±0.03 mg/ml respectively.The results obtained showed the antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extract of C. bonduc and deduced that this activity was mediated by its isolated bioactive compounds

TURNOVER INTENTION FACTORS AND ITS EFFECT ON EXTENSION OFFICERS JOB PERFORMANCE IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

This study examines the turnover intention factors and its effect on extension officers’ job performance in Ondo State, Nigeria. The study used stratified sampling technique to select 80 extension officers of the Agricultural Development Project in the 4 zones of Ondo State. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analysis. The results show that extension officers rated level of job performance, emotional intelligence and organizational commitment as high while job satisfaction and leadership member exchange as low. Significant and positive correlation (p<0.01) existed between each variable and work performance. Regression analysis results showed that emotional intelligence, job satisfaction, and leadership member exchange were significant turnover intention factors that affect job performance. The R2 value of 0.731 indicates that the three (3) factors gave 73.1% explanation of the variance in extension officers’ job performance. The results also suggested that emotional intelligence (?=0.734) was the most important turnover intention factor that have effect on job performance, followed by job satisfaction and leadership member exchange. Hence, emotional intelligence, job satisfaction and leadership member exchange should be taken into consideration as turnover intention factors that affect job performance among the extension officers. This study contributes to a better understanding of the relationship of turnover intention factors to job performance and will add to existing body of knowledge in the domain of managing extension officers’ in the agricultural industry, thereby increasing job performance and productivity in the agricultural sector.        Keywords: Extension Officers, Intention, Job Performance, Turnover

EFFECT OF MECHANICAL AND PHYSICALPROPERTIES ON BRAKE PADS PRODUCED FROM BAGASSE, BANANA PEELS AND PERIWINKLE SHELL

The study examined the effect of some mechanical and physical properties on brake pads produced from bagasse, banana peels and periwinkle shell in order to determine the materials suitability to develop new asbestos-free brake pads.These materials were sourced locally at Ede, Osun state.Samples were produced from different mix ratios of constituents using two sieve grades of 180 and 250 μm particle sizes. The percentage weights (wt%) of bagasse, banana peels and periwinkle shells were varied while those of crystalline silica, lead sulphide and epoxy resin were constant for both sieve grades. The density of each sample decreases from 2298 - 1199 Kg/m3 as the sieve grade increases. Also, the oil and water absorption rates increase from 0.007 - 0.022% and 0.012 - 0.037% respectively with an increase in sieve grade. Thehardness values of the brake pads produced range from 79.7 to 89.4 HRB and 77.1 to 84.8 HRB for both sieve grades, respectively. Likewise, the values of impact strength for the sieve grades ranged from 18.89 to 27.10J/mm and 17.97 to 24.85 J/mm, respectively.The samples B and C consisting of 15 wt% bagasse, 15 wt% banana peels, 30 wt% periwinkle shell, 10 wt% crystalline silica, 10 wt% lead sulphide, 20 wt% resin and 15 wt% bagasse, 30 wt% banana peels, 15 wt% periwinkle shell, 10 wt% crystalline silica, 10 wt% lead sulphide and 20 wt% resin for sieve grade of 180 μm, respectively, were regarded as the best among others because they gave the greatest properties. Therefore, the study concluded that the use of bagasse, banana peels and periwinkle shells as reinforced materials have properties suitable for the production of brake pads

EpiCass and CassavaNet4Dev advanced bioinformatics workshop

Open Access ArticleEpiCass and CassavaNet4Dev are collaborative projects funded by the Swedish Research Council between the Swedish University of Agriculture (SLU) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). The projects aim to investigate the influence of epigenetic changes on agricultural traits such as yield and virus resistance while also providing African students and researchers with advanced bioinformatics training and opportunities to participate in big data analysis events. The first advanced bioinformatics training workshop took place from May 16th to May 18th, 2022, followed by an online mini-symposium titled "Epigenetics and crop improvement" on May 19th. The symposium featured international speakers covering a wide range of topics related to plant epigenetics, cassava viral diseases, and cassava breeding strategies. A new online and on-site teaching concept was developed for the three-day workshop to ensure maximum student participation across Western, Eastern, and Southern Africa. Initially planned in Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Zambia, the workshop ultimately focused on Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia due to a lack of qualified candidates in the other countries. Each classroom hosted 20 to 25 students, with at least one bioinformatician present for support. The classrooms were connected via video conferencing, whereas teachers located in different places in Africa and Europe joined the video stream to conduct teaching sessions. The workshop was divided into theoretical classes and hands-on sessions, where participants could run data analysis with support from online teachers and local bioinformaticians. To enable participants to run guided, CPU and RAM-intensive data analysis workflows and overcome local computing and internet access restrictions, a system of virtual machines (VMs) hosted in the cloud was developed. The teaching platform provided teaching and exercise materials to support the use of the VMs. Although some students could not run heavy data analysis workflows due to unforeseen restrictions in the cloud, these issues were solved. All participants had the opportunity to run the analysis steps independently in the cloud using the protocols hosted on the teaching platform

Community perception of school-based mass drug administration program for soil-transmitted helminths and Schistosomiasis in Ogun State, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Neglected tropical diseases, such as soil-transmitted helminths and Schistosomiasis, are prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Ogun State, Nigeria. School-based mass drug administration program is the primary control intervention, but the coverage and uptake of this intervention have been inadequate. This study aimed to investigate community perceptions of school-based mass drug administration programs for these infections in Ogun State, Nigeria, and identify the barriers to their uptake and coverage. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The study used a qualitative research approach involving focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with community members and stakeholders engaged in neglected tropical disease control programs in Ogun State, Nigeria. A semi-structured questionnaire guided the exploration of ideas, and the data were analyzed using the QRS Nvivo 12 software package. The study found several barriers, such as the influence of parents, lack of sufficient knowledge, and side effects. The study recommended strategies such as improving community sensitization and engagement, drug distribution and performance, and enhancing partner collaboration and coordination to improve the school-based mass drug administration programs. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The study revealed correct perceptions of transmission but some misconceptions about disease causation, transmission, and drug safety. Participants expressed a desire for better sensitization campaigns and more assurances of their safety. The study recommends strengthening health education messages and increasing the visibility of on-site medical personnel. The findings have implications for improving the performance of these programs and reducing the burden of intestinal parasitic infections in the community. The study highlights the need for community engagement and education, health system support, and partner collaboration to successfully implement mass drug administration programs

Evaluating the heterogeneous impacts of adoption of climate-smart agricultural technologies on rural households' welfare in Mali

Open Access Journal; Published online: 04 Nov 2022Climate change is negatively affecting agricultural production in the Sahel region. Climate-Smart Agricultural Technologies (CSATs) are disseminated to reduce these negative effects, and particularly those on resource-poor farm households. This article investigates the distributional impacts of the adoption of CSAT on-farm households’ welfare using a dataset that covers four regions, 32 communes, 320 villages, and 2240 households in Mali. Using an instrumental variable quantile treatment effects model, the paper addresses the potential endogeneity arising from the selection bias and the heterogeneity of the effect across the quantiles of the outcome variables’ distribution. The results show that the adoption of CSAT is positively associated with improved households’ welfare. The farmers’ decision to adopt any CSAT is influenced by access to credit, contact with extension agents, participation in training, access to information through the television, and being a member of any organization such as a cooperative society. Moreover, the effect of the adoption of CSAT on household welfare varies across the different households. In particular, the results show that the impact of the adoption of CSAT on households’ welfare is generally higher for the poorest (farmers located at the bottom tail of the distribution) end of the welfare distribution. The findings, therefore, highlight the pro-poor impact of the adoption of CSAT in the rural Malian context, as well as the need to tailor the CSAT interventions toward specific socio-economic segments of the rural population in Mali

Chemical, antioxidant and sensory properties of pasta from fractionated whole wheat and Bambara groundnut flour

Pasta from whole-grain wheat is highly nutritious but has poor sensory properties. Hence, this study prepared pasta from fractionated whole-grain wheat flour enriched with 20% Bambara groundnut. The chemical, antioxidant and sensory properties of the pasta were assessed using standard methods. The fat, protein, ash contents, lightness and antioxidant properties value of the flour and pasta increased, while carbohydrate and fibre contents decreased with a reduction in particle size from 500 μm to 112 μm. Potassium (246.50–249.00 mg/kg), calcium (223.50–254.00 mg/kg) and magnesium (184.50–192.00 mg/kg) were the major mineral element in the pasta samples, while zinc (1.00–2.00 mg/kg) and iron (3.50–13.00 mg/kg) are present in small quantities. The optimum cooking time of pasta (average 6.55 min) from the fractionated flours was shorter compared to the control pasta (pasta made from unfractionated wheat flour), but the cooking loss was not significantly affected. Pasta from flour with particle sizes of 300 and 112 μm were very similar in their sensory attributes and showed the highest ratings in overall acceptability. Fractionation of whole-grain wheat flour seems very promising in producing pasta with fairly good antioxidant potentials and high level of protein and fibre to improve the health of pasta-loving individuals.The Faculty of Science-University Research Committee Fellowship of the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/lwthj2022Consumer ScienceFood Scienc