Impact of feeding diets containing Luffa cylindrica seedmeal on the variable cost of production of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822)

This study investigates the use of Luffa cylindrica seed meal as soybean replacer in the diet of Clarias gariepinus. Five isonitrogenous diets containing soybean meal which was replaced by Luffa cylindrica at a rate of 0, 15,30,45 and 60% were made. The diets without Luffa cylindrical seed meal served as the control. Experimental diets were assigned randomly to the tanks and each group of fish was fed 5% body weight in equal proportion per day. The fish fed diet 1 had the highest incidence of cost, while the fish fed diet 4 had the lowest incidence of cost. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the incidence of cost of producing 1kg fish with the different dietary treatments. The fish fed at diet 4 had the highest profit, while the fish fed at diet 1 had the lowest profit. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the profit margin of producing 1kg fish with the different dietary treatments. The incidence of cost showed that it was cheaper to produce 1kg of fish with Luffa cylindrical seed meal because feeding the fish with the diet (control and tests diets) left some profit margin

Nonlinear Vibration Analysis of Thermo-Magneto-Mechanical Piezoelectric Nanobeam Embedded in Multi-Layer Elastic Media based on Nonlocal Elasticity Theory

The present article focuses on the investigations of electromechanical thermo-magnetic coupled effects on the nonlinear vibration of single-walled carbon nanobeam embedded in Winkler, Pasternak, quadratic and cubic nonlinear elastic media for simply supported and clamped boundary conditions are investigated. From the parametric studies, it is shown that the frequency of the nanobeam increases at low temperature but decreases at the high temperatures. The nonlocal parameter decreases the frequencies of the piezoelectric nanobeam. An increase in the quadratic nonlinear elastic medium stiffness causes a decrease in the first mode of the nanobeam with clamped-clamped supports and an increase in all modes of the simply supported nanobeam at both low and high temperature. When the magnetic force, cubic nonlinear elastic medium stiffness, and amplitude increase, there is an increase in all mode frequency of the nanobeam. A decrease in Winkler and Pasternak elastic media constants and increase in the nonlinear parameters of elastic medium results in an increase in the frequency ratio. The frequency ratio increases as the values of the dimensionless nonlocal, quadratic and cubic elastic medium stiffness parameters increase. However, the frequency ratio decreases as the values of the temperature change, magnetic force, Winkler and Pasternak layer stiffness parameters increase. An increase in the temperature change at high temperature reduces the frequency ratio but at low or room temperature, increase in temperature change, increases the frequency ratio of the structure nanotube. This work will greatly benefit in the design and applications of nanobeams in thermal and magnetic environments

Nonlinear Vibration Analysis of Thermo-Magneto-Mechanical Piezoelectric Nanobeam Embedded in Multi-Layer Elastic Media based on Nonlocal Elasticity Theory

The present article focuses on the investigations of electromechanical thermo-magnetic coupled effects on the nonlinear vibration of single-walled carbon nanobeam embedded in Winkler, Pasternak, quadratic and cubic nonlinear elastic media for simply supported and clamped boundary conditions are investigated. From the parametric studies, it is shown that the frequency of the nanobeam increases at low temperature but decreases at the high temperatures. The nonlocal parameter decreases the frequencies of the piezoelectric nanobeam. An increase in the quadratic nonlinear elastic medium stiffness causes a decrease in the first mode of the nanobeam with clamped-clamped supports and an increase in all modes of the simply supported nanobeam at both low and high temperature. When the magnetic force, cubic nonlinear elastic medium stiffness, and amplitude increase, there is an increase in all mode frequency of the nanobeam. A decrease in Winkler and Pasternak elastic media constants and increase in the nonlinear parameters of elastic medium results in an increase in the frequency ratio. The frequency ratio increases as the values of the dimensionless nonlocal, quadratic and cubic elastic medium stiffness parameters increase. However, the frequency ratio decreases as the values of the temperature change, magnetic force, Winkler and Pasternak layer stiffness parameters increase. An increase in the temperature change at high temperature reduces the frequency ratio but at low or room temperature, increase in temperature change, increases the frequency ratio of the structure nanotube. This work will greatly benefit in the design and applications of nanobeams in thermal and magnetic environments

Effects of supplemental Vitamins E and C on growth performance and physiological responses of broiler chicken under environmental heat stress

Growth and physiological responses of broiler chicken fed supplemental Vitamins E and C in feeds under heat stress was evaluated. One hundred and twenty Arbor acre broiler chickens were used for the experiment. At day-old, the birds were acclimatized for 7 days, after which the birds were randomly allotted into 4 treatment groups which was replicated three times with 10 birds per replicate in a Completely Randomized Design. Four experimental diets were formulated in which the first treatment (T1) served as the control without vitamin, second treatment (T2) had 100mg of vitamin C per kg of feed, third treatment (T3) had 200mg of vitamin E per kg of feed, and fourth treatment (T4) had combination of 100mg vitamins C and 200mg Vitamin E per kg of feed. Data were collected on feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, environmental temperature, relative humidity, rectal temperature, pulse rate and respiratory rates of the chicken. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and Analysis of Variance using SAS (9.13). There were no significant effects on growth performance parameters monitored. Physiological indices showed mean values of 40.08 ± 5.85 0C, 67.41 ± 7.22 beats/min and 60.34 ± 5.84 breathes/min for rectal temperature, pulse rate and respiratory rate of the broiler chicken, respectively. There were low and positive correlations between rectal temperature and pulse rate of the chickens (r = 0.23); rectal temperature and respiratory rate (r = 0.15); pulse rate and respiratory rate (r = 0.32). There were significant (p<0.05) effects of Vitamins C and E on rectal temperature, respiratory rate and pulse rate of the chickens. Based on the findings of this study, it was concluded that Vitamin C supplement was most effective than Vitamin E and their combination in suppressing thermo-physiological responses of the broiler chicken. Keywords: Humidity, response, temperature, physiology, supplemen

Assessment of Radionuclide Concentration in Surface Soil and Human Health Risk Associated with Exposure in Two Higher Institutions of Esan land, Edo State, Nigeria

The aim of this study is to assess the activity concentration of radionuclides and the possible health risk associated with exposure to radiation from the soil samples collected from two higher institutions in Esan land of Edo State, Nigeria. The gamma spectrometry system was used to determine the activity concentrations of radionuclides 238U, 232Th and 40K in the surface soil samples. The activity concentration of radionuclides ranged from 7.16 ± 0.63 to 102.37 ± 2.37 BqKg-1for 40K, from 0.75 ± 0.05 to 3.13 ± 0.11 BqKg-1 for 238U and from 2.25 ± 0.20 to 9.02 ± 0.40 BqKg-1for 232Th. The measured mean activity concentration of radionuclides for 40K, 238U and 232Th from the examined topsoil of Samuel Adegboyega University were 57.80 ± 1.7 BqKg-1; 2.07 ± 0.09 BqKg-1 and 6.89 ± 0.34 BqKg-1 respectively. At the neighbouring higher institution; College of Education, Igueben, the mean activity concentration of 40K, 238U and 232Th in its surface soil were 30.19 ± 1.22 BqKg-1, 1.41 ± 0.07 BqKg-1 and 4.85 ± 0.28 BqKg-1 respectively. The total mean values for radiation dose estimation for Radium Equivalent Activity, Absorbed Dose, Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk, Outdoor and Indoor Annual Effective Dose Equivalent are 13.20 BqKg-1, 6.03 nGy/ℎ, 0.026, 7.40 µSτ/γ and 29.60 µSτ/γ respectively. These values were found to be lower than the global average values. Hence, there is no radiation induced health threat to the students and members of staff in the study area.Keywords: Soil, exposure, health risk, activity concentrations

Organisational Support, Knowledge Sharing and Utilisation as Correlates of Social Capital of Insurance Managers in Lagos Metropolis

Managers in insurance companies in Nigeria went through a difficult period after the recapitalization which was aimed at achieving a consolidation that will produce companies capable of meeting claims obligations, compete at the continental and global levels, increase the industry’s low retention capacity which had stunted its growth among others. This study therefore examined the organisational support, knowledge sharing and utilisation as correlates of social capital of insurance managers in Lagos metropolis. This research adopted the correlation type of descriptive survey design to determine the direction and degree of the relationship or association between variables. Total enumeration technique called census coupled with a self-developed questionnaire was used to collect data on a population size of 280 managers in 23 insurance companies in Lagos metropolis, out of which 211 responded giving a response rate of 75.4 percent.The study found out that organisational support, knowledge sharing and utilisation had significant multiple effect on social capital of the respondent (R = 0.656, p < 0.05). In addition, each of the independent variables, namely, organisational support, knowledge sharing and utilisation significantly predicts the social capital of the respondents respectively.The study recommends among others that knowledge utilisation and information literacy education should be inculcated in the training of managers since they are the critical decision makers in the firm. This may improve the managers’ ability to exploit the sum of the actual and potential resources embedded within, available through, and derived from the their network of relationships. This may also encourage the managers to freely exchange ideas, insight, information and knowledge.. Keywords: Organisational support, knowledge sharing, knowledge utilisation, Insurance companies, Nigeria

Assessment of fishing gear and crafts utilized by fishermen in Eleyele Lake, Ibadan, Oyo State

The study was conducted to assess the evolution of fishing gears and crafts utilized by fishermen in Eleyele lake reservoir in lbadan Nigeria. Data were collected from thirty fishermen using a structured questionnaire. The data obtained were analyzed using counts and chi-square. Majority (56.7%) of the respondents were married, more of respondents were male (56.7%). Fish and fishing gear construction activities in the study area is dominated by youth. More of the respondents were Christians and few were Muslims (36.7%). There was significant relationship between the type of fishing gear use (modern and traditionl) and the time spent to catch fish as well as the quantity of fish caught. The result also revealed that traditional fishing gears such as bamboo trap, hook and line and cast net were been used by the fisher folks but were later changed to modern fishing gear. However, the effectiveness and efficiency of the modern fishing gear is being hampered by aquatic weed covering the surface of the water

Exchange rate policy regimes, private investment behaviour and economic growth in Nigeria (1960 -2020)

To improve economic growth acceleration, the Nigerian government should continue to formulate and implement several policies including exchange rate policy regimes. Exchange rate policy regime of any government could be a fixed exchange rate regime when the price of a country’s currency in terms of another country’s currency is fixed to a value by the monetary authority; it could be a floating regime when the price of a country’s currency in terms of another country’s currency is left to be determined by the forces of demand and supply, while a managed-floating regime is undertaken when there is an element of both fixed and floating regimes. Following the Barro (1990) theoretical framework, this study attempted to assess the effects each exchange rate regime has on the economy through the mechanism of private investment spending. The researcher carefully selected macroeconomic variables that have been considered in the econometric models for empirical analysis of the research study in this dissertation through statistical estimation techniques as guided by Barro (1990) and international studies, specifically that of Sahoo et al., (2012), in this area of study. These variables include GDP as an indicator for economic growth, Private capital, private sector credit, real exchange rate, interest rate, government capital expenditure, trade openness, exchange rate regimes dummies, total employment, and spending on health and education. Specifically, the study set out to empirically quantify the impact of both fixed and floating regimes on private investment spending and in turn, on economic growth in Nigeria.Through this study, the key determinants of private investment spending and economic growth in Nigeria. To achieve the study’s objectives and address the respective research questions, preliminary examinations of the data were conducted through the use of visual and unit root tests and some of the variables were found to be stationary at levels (i.e., (0)) while some are stationary in their first differences (i.e., (1)). The study proceeded to estimate both private investment and economic growth models simultaneously using Two-Stage Least Squares (TSLS) method

Effect of Currency Fluctuations on the Economic Growth Potential of Nigeria

The exchange rate is one of the most important determinants of a country's relative level of economic health. This study examines the effect of currency fluctuations on the economic growth potential of Nigeria using the World Bank Development Indicators data from 1970-2012. The study through the Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF)/ unit root test found that the variables used in the model are integrated of the order one while export and interest rate are integrated of the order zero. Using the Johansen co integration tests shows the presence of long run relationship between variables. The Error Correction Model (ECM) results suggest that exchange rate has a negative significant impact on GDP in the short run and long run. The study therefore recommends that the competitiveness and stability of the exchange rate should be given due consideration as this will increase economic growth through increased investment. Keywords: Exchange rate, Economic growth, ADF, ECM, Nigeri

Morphological and biochemical characterization of strains of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vignicola isolated from cowpea grown in three agroecological zones in Nigeria

Cowpea bacterial blight (Xanthomonas axonopodis pv vignicola) is a devastating disease of cowpea in Nigeria. Accurate identification is the first step for an effective management option. Thus, X. axonopodis pv. vignicola isolated from cowpea (Vigna unguinculata (L.) Walp) grown in different Agro-ecological zones in Nigeria were characterized using morphological characteristics, biochemical and antibiotic sensitivity tests. Pot experiments were conducted on two susceptible lines of cowpea (IT90k – 76) and (IT84s – 2246 – 4) in the screen house. In vivo infectivity studies were carried out to determine the effect of each of theX. axonopodis pv. vignicola isolate groups on the cowpea. All isolates from each of the agroecological zones were classified into Group 1 (light yellow) and Group 2 (brownish yellow) based on their morphological presentation on nutrient agar medium. Results from four of the biochemical test showed differences between the two morphologically different groups. Group 2 isolates showed a large zone of inhibition to a Lincomycin hydrochloride while isolates from Group 1 were not affected by the action of the same antibiotic. Blight symptom was only observed when the two types of isolates were combined and inoculated simultaneously. This study showed that there are two morpho-types of X. axonopodis pv. vignicola and their synergetic infectivity results in blight symptoms expression in cowpea