THE DETERMINANTS OF FOOD SECURITY STATUS AMONG PERI-URBAN FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Peri-urban agriculture increases the availability of fresh, healthy and affordable food for a large number of other urban, peri-urban and rural consumers, as much of the food produced by peri-urban farmers is bartered or sold locally. The study therefore examines the determinants of food security status among peri-urban farming households in Ondo State, Nigeria. Descriptive statistics, food security index, logistic regression model and the coping strategy use index (CSUI) were the tools utilized for data analysis. Empirical result show that 54.4% of the households were food insecure while 45.6% were food secure. The food insecurity gap/surplus index result showed that food secure households exceeded the calorie requirement by 48% while the food insecure households fell short of the calorie requirement by 62%. The logistic regression estimates revealed that household income had a significantly positive effect on household’s food security status while household size had a negative effect on food security. The CSUI indicated that withdrawal of children from school was the most widely used of all the coping strategies in the study area while the least was purchasing of food items on credit. It is recommended that awareness creation on family planning and provision of credit facilities will help in dwindling food insecurity in the study area.

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MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION AND HEAVY METAL RESISTANCE PATTERN OF BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM SOIL SAMPLE

Abstract

The pollution of the environment with toxic heavy metals is spreading throughout the world along with industrial progress. Heavy metals even in trace amount are toxic to the environment and human health. Microbes related technologies may provide an alternative or addition to conventional method of metal removal or metal recovery. The present paper deals with the molecular characterization of heavy metal tolerant bacteria from contaminated soil and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values were determined. The molecular analysis revealed that heavy metals tolerance bacteria were Bacillus cereus strain S2-8 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA1 with  maximum homology 82% and 99% similarity respectively. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration values for Bacillus cereus, for Mercury salt (HgNO3), Lead (PbNO3), Chromium salt (K2Cr2O7) and Zinc (ZnCl2) were 10 mg/ml, 10mg/ml, 1mg/ml and 100 mg/ml respectively. While the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration values for Pseudomonas aeruginosa  PA1, for Mercury salt (HgNO3), Lead (PbNO3), Chromium salt (K2Cr2O7) and Zinc (ZnCl2) were 10 mg/ml, 100 mg/ml,10mg/ml and 100 mg/ml respectively. Bacillus cereus strain S2-8 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA1 have potential use for bioremediation of  heavy metals in  contaminated sites due to its ability to resist heavy metals.

Keywords:
Heavy metal, MIC, soil sample, bioremediation

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CYSTIC FIBROSIS: AN OVERVIEW WITH THE IMPACT OF GENE TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

Cystic Fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disorder with no cure. It is one of the most common life-shortening genetic diseases in the Caucasian population, affecting more than 75000 individuals worldwide. This inherited multi-organ disease is associated with chronic lung infection, malabsorption, salt loss syndrome, infertility and numerous other comorbidities. Understanding the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene mutation and function of CFTR protein has offered personalized treatment strategies to help those with CF. From in-vitro and in-vivo studies to pre-clinical and clinical trials, therapeutic drugs are finally having an impact, yet there are many more specific treatments under clinical investigation. This article summarizes the ongoing advances and technology in understanding the treatment of CF from more than two decades.

Keywords:

Cystic fibrosis (CF), CFTR gene, lung disease, GENE therapy, vectors.    

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KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS VACCINE AMONG STUDENTS OF OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Knowledge and attitude of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccines is an important determinant of vaccine acceptance. As a result of high prevalence of cervical cancer in women, current vaccination programs and information focuses mainly on women but the vaccination of women alone may not be effective against cervical cancer and other HPV infection without vaccinating men. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudinal level of male and female student of Obafemi Awolowo university, Ile-Ife, Nigeria towards HPV vaccine. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was adopted and a sample size of 400 students were used. This study showed poor knowledge and negative attitude among the male respondents towards HPV vaccination. A comparison showed that 56% of male respondents compared with 46% of female respondents has poor knowledge of HPV vaccine. Similarly, 59.5% of male respondents compared with 41% of female respondents had negative attitude towards HPV vaccination. Men are important vectors in HPV transmission, in order to reduce incidences of cervical cancer and other HPV related diseases in women, it is pertinent that more men should be vaccinated. Therefore, sustained sensitization and education is required to increase the acceptability of HPV vaccines especially among males.

Keywords:

Human papilloma virus, vaccine, gender

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MANAGING FUNCTIONAL NORMADIC EDUCATION FOR VALUES RE-ORIENTATION AND SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Equality of educational opportunities has been an enduring concern of all post-colonial governments in Africa particularly Nigeria since independence in 1960. Huge investments have been made in education in order to reduce inequality of accessing education among different societies and ethnic groups in the country. It is against this background that the government is determined to bring education to every Nigerian child including pastoral nomads and migrant fishermen's children in order to mainstream them into the national affair. This paper therefore examined managing functional nomadic education for values re-orientation and sustainable national development with specific reference to Fulani herdsmen-community crisis. The paper looks at the following areas: the concept of nomads, nomadism, nomadic education, pastoralism, pastoralists, management of nomadic education, National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE), functions, objectives and achievements of NCNE, values re-orientation and sustainable national development;. The paper concluded that functional nomadic education is the only veritable tool to achieve values re-orientation among Fulani herdsmen and sustainable national development in Nigeria. It was recommended that nomadic educational programmes such as seminars, conferences, symposium and workshop should be organized for pastoralist teachers as well as Fulani herdsmen on values re-orientation and sustainable national development in order to guarantee peace in the entirety of Nigeria.

Keywords:

Nomad, nomadism, nomadic education, management, values, values’ re-orientation, development, sustainable national development

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LIFELONG LEARNING AND CONVIVIALITY AMONG OLDER MEN IN URBAN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN PORT HARCOURT NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examines the various convivial meeting places of elderly men in urban indigenous communities through which men can foster lifelong learning for sustainable lifestyle in the third stage of their life. The study examines learning experiences of the elderly men in these places, the benefits of these learning experiences to the individual and to the community and the challenges of elderly men learning in these sites. The data for this study were drawn from four urban indigenous communities in Port Harcourt Nigeria through a survey of elderly men and FDGs with some elderly men in their convivial meeting places. The study shows multiple sites of informal learning such as medical/health centre, games centre, recreational centre and town hall. Each of these sites fosters diverse learning experiences such as improve social skill, meeting new friends and sharing experiences, sustained literacies, increase community capacity to handle problem, and good community governance. It is concluded that such learning for elderly men is essentially ontological, about being, rather than cognitive, or about knowing and that learning in these sites fosters social capital and creates lifelong learning for sustainable lifestyle among men in later life.

Keywords:

Lifelong learning, older adults, conviviality, pedagogy, shedagogy

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THE DETERMINANTS OF REAL EXCHANGE RATES FLUCTUATIONS FOR GHANA

Abstract

The study examined the main determinants of real exchange rates fluctuations in Ghana using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach [bound testing approach] and vector error correction model with annual time series data covering the period of 1970 to 2014. The findings from the study revealed that whereas increase in inflation rate, trade openness and government consumption expenditure cause the cedi to depreciate against the US dollar, an increase in real GDP growth was found to appreciate the cedi against the US dollar. Based on these findings, the study suggested these recommendations to enhance the performance of the cedi against the US dollar. First, the Bank of Ghana, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Food and Agriculture should adopt policies that will reduce inflation and increase real GDP growth. These policies include increase in food production, reduction of interest rates and corporate tax and increase privatisation. Again, the Ministry of Trade and Industry should encourage exports and discourage importation of basic consumer goods such as rice, tin tomatoes, chocolate etc. so as to prevent trade openness from depreciating the cedi. Finally, government consumption expenditure should target areas that will enhance productivity. For instance, the government can increase its spending on power generation, education and health.

Keywords:

Real exchange rate, inflation, trade openness, cedi, bounds testing approach

ON EXCHANGE RATE FLEXIBILITY AND MACROECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

The global financial great recession has had its toll on the global economy for over a decade with signs of recovery emerging recently. The paper examines the effects of external and domestic fluctuations on the growth and inflationary effects in a sample of 18 developing countries and 27 advanced countries. In addition, the analysis considers accompanying fluctuations in the exchange rate to evaluate the relevance of these fluctuations to the real and inflationary effects with respect to major domestic and external shifts. The empirical model accounts for anticipated and unanticipated changes and differentiate between the effects of the exchange rate movements on the demand and supply sides of the economy. Through these channels, exchange rate flexibility may differentiate the real and inflationary effects of domestic and external shifts. The evidence highlights channels where exchange rate flexibility differentiates economic performance, which varies across countries based on the degree of openness, uncertainty, and dependency on imports. These differences appear to differentiate the exchange rate pass-through between developing and advanced countries. The evidence warrants careful evaluation by central banks regarding channels of the transmission of exchange rate flexibility to the macro economy as they continue to assess the appropriateness of a given exchange rate policy and its implications.

Keywords:

Real growth, price inflation, exchange rate movements, co-movements

UNDERWRITER REPUTATION AND IPOs PERFORMANCE

Abstract

In this paper ,the efforts have been made to explain how  the IPOs are affected by the underwriter's reputation. What happens to IPOs which are backed by reputed underwriter and what happens to those which are not backed by reputed underwriter .Evaluation of the IPOs short run and long run performance? The relation between IPOs and underwriter is highlighted. Comparison between some of the international returns and Pakistani returns has been made. Also, the effort has been made to determine the relationship between the investor and the underwriter and how it affects the value of IPOs in the market both in the short and long term.

Keywords:

Underwriter, underwriter reputation, IPO’s, IPO’s performance. 

NEVANLINNA'S FIVE-VALUE THEOREM FOR DERIVATIVE'S OF MEROMORPHIC FUNCTIONS PARTIALLY SHARING VALUES ON ANNULI

Abstracts

In this paper, we first obtain Xiong Inequality of meromorphic function on annuli. Next by using this inequality, we generalise Nevanlinnas five-value theorem for derivatives of meromorphic functions by considering weaker assumptions of sharing five-values to partially sharing k(≥ 5) values. As a particular case of our results, we deduce several results.

Keywords : Nevanlinna theory; the annuli.

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OPTIMIZATION OF EXTRACTION OF DNA FROM Brassica oleracea var. botrytis (Cauliflower) USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY

Abstracts

In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) was undertaken to optimize and model the DNA extraction from Brassica oleracea var. botrytis (Cauliflower). The design variables were the volume of the lysis buffer; the volume of chloroform and the ratio between the volume of NaCl / ethanol (v/v) and the volume of the aqueous phase recovered after purification while response variables were DNA concentration and purity.

The results of this study estimated the effects of the three parameters on the specified responses, as well as the regression coefficients of the developed linear mathematical models. On the other hand, the experimental values of responses agreed with those predicted by the two models employed. The optimal values ​​of the three parameters studied were also determined.

Keywords : Cauliflower; DNA; extraction; modeling; optimization; response surface methodology.

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DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW-COST WASHING MACHINE SUITABLE FOR POLYTHENE MATERIALS

Abstracts

Recycling of plastic wastes is the best approach to addressing both the environmental and economic problems associated with its disposal. Washing of the plastic material is an integral part of the recycling process. This paper reports the development of a machine from locally available materials suitable for washing polythene materials. The primary motivation of the work is to save time and labor and wash efficiently. In a bid to achieving these objectives, we chose the front loading condition because of its advantages over top loading. Materials for the washing machine were carefully selected based on their application area, the distributed stress and load acting on them respectively. The device coupling followed a careful design of the inner and outer tubes, belt, shaft and frame support. The washing rate and quality of wash were used to evaluate the constructed washing machine. The wash time and mass of polythene sachets washed are 0.02 kg in 3 minutes, 0.04 kg in 4 minutes and 0.06 kg in 5 minutes respectively. The washing machine was found to be effective.

Keywords : Washing machine; low cost; polythene; recycling; efficiency; effectiveness.

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AN INCOMPLETE BILATERAL MANDIBULAR LATERAL INCISOR CANINE TRANSPOSITION TREATED WITH LOOP MECHANICS- CASE REPORT

Abstracts

Transposition in mandibular arch is rare and completely based on diagnosis for treatment protocol. Retraction of canine in its correct position has benefits of achieving a proper functional occlusion with canine guidance. The present report is of an incomplete bilateral mandibular lateral incisor canine transposition treated with non-extraction approach considering soft tissue profile of the patient. The case is treated with frictionless mechanics for control over the moment to force ratio and axial inclination during distalization. The result obtained was a functional class I canine and molar occlusion. 

Keywords : Transposition; mandibular canine; loop mechanics; mandibular lateral incisor and canine transposition (Mn.I2.C).

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