Archives-February 2015

The research was conducted to identify types of aquatic macrophytes that grow in and around reservoirs, their uses, and the impacts of the macrophytes on fishing communities at Bontanga, Golinga, and Libga reservoirs, the Buipela dam, and the Black Volta at Buipe in the Northern Region of Ghana. The principal methods were ocular observation, photography and semi-structured interviews using questionnaires. The predominant macrophytes identified and their uses were: Vossia cuspidata, Elodea canadensis, and Echinochloa stagnina used as fodder for livestock; shoots of Ipomea aquatica, Panicum hemitomon, and Phragmites karka were used as roofing material, and for making hats, mats and necklaces; Nymphoid indica, Nympheae lotus, Elodea canadensis, Alternanthera sessilis, Pistia stratiotes and Hydrocharitaceae spp were being used to treat stomach ulcer, rheumatism, malaria, flu and boils; Ludwgia stolonifera and Ludwigia peploids were used as feed and as food for human consumption. Eichhornia natan and Triglochin dubia were identified without any known uses. It was also observed that the macrophytes impeded fishing operation at the study areas by entangling the fishing net of the fishermen. Exploding masses of macrophytes such as Ludwgia stolonifera were observed to redirect paddling, making fishing operation tedious. Nevertheless, some of the macrophytes were being used as bait to catch fish and as soap (Ludwigia peploid) to wash fishing gears. Sustainable use of the reservoirs require active mechanical, chemical, biological, or integrated control methods and the commercial exploitation of the macrophytes for production of useful products in local industries.

The stages of gonad maturity, reproductive aspect, length-weight relationship, and condition factor of labeo senegalensis from the White Volta at Yapei, Northern Region of Ghana were investigated during the dry season of 2013. One hundred and fifty (150) specimens caught by gill nets were examined. Out of the 150 specimen, Eighty- nine were females and sixty- one were males. The sex ratio of males to females was thus 1:1.5. Eleven (11) out of the eighty –nine (89) females of thelabeo senegalensis were found to contain gonads. The stages of gonad maturity ranged from stage I (Immature stage) to stage IV (Maturity stage). The total eggs found in the eleven female labeo senegalensis was 2,385 with a mean value of 217 eggs per gravid female. The gonado- somatic index (GSI) ranged from 1.29 to 3.28 with a mean and standard deviation of 2.0 and ± 0.57 respectively. The total length of labeo senegalensis ranged from 9.5 cm- 24.6 cm with a mean and standard deviation of 16.0 cm and ± 2.86 cm respectively. The standard length ranged from 6.2 cm - 20.7 cm with a mean and standard deviation of 13.0 cm and ± 2.27 cm respectively. The body weight of labeo senegalensis ranged from 20 grams - 212 grams with a mean and standard deviation of 121.34 grams and ± 93.89 grams respectively. The LWR of species was highly significant (P<0.001) with determination coefficients (r2) of 0.907. The fitted length –weight relationship of the labeo senegalensis was W = 0.180 x TL 2.66. The slope b of labeo senegalensis length- weight power regression (both male and females) which was 2.6 indicated a negative allometric growth pattern (b<3) of the species. The Condition factor (K) ranged from0.93 to 2.90 and with a mean and a standard deviation of 1.926 and ± 0.61 respectively. The general wellbeing of the labeo senegalensiswas suitable during the study period.

In the realm of language teaching, corrective feedback and how to treat errors has a long and contentious history. On account of the controversial nature of this issue, whether and how to correct errors have given rise to numerous studies in this area in the domains of second language acquisition. Therefore, lots of researches have probed its role in language classrooms. This paper sheds light on various types of corrective feedbacks, reviews the main differential effects of various types of feedback, and the conditions determining the efficacy of them.

Alagankulam region covering Tamilnadu in Southern India has numerous cultural heritages due to its witness to various social movements of different civilizations in ancient times. Archaeological excavations carried out at different depths of the trench revealed the most significant findings of pot shred, roulette ware and amphorae jar pieces and pieces of red ware etc. These relics are dated back to 3rd - 4th century. In this study, pot shred of grey ware unearthed from Alagankulam site were investigated by FT-IR spectrometry. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were used as complementary techniques in order to expose chemical and mineralogical phase contents respectively. Obtained results showed that these potteries have been produced with non-calcareous clays and include moderate amounts of MgO, K2O, Na2O and Fe2O3 in this context. Additionally, high temperature phases have also been detected with XRD analyses in some samples.

The problem of HIV/AIDS is not only a medical issue, but it is also a psychosocial issue. Infection as well as stigma presents the victim with a broad range of personal psychological experiences to negotiate. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of psychological counseling on social acceptance of PLWHA. The target population of this study was 1000 (690 counseled and 310 not counseled) PLWHA. Out of the 1000 PLWHA a 30% was obtained and a total of 300 (208 counseled and 92 not counseled) PLWHA was selected through stratified sampling and simple random sampling. A total of 35 psychological counselors were identified using purposive sampling. The research instruments used were questionnaire and interviews. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS (14.0) by use of means and One-way ANOVA. Qualitative data was analyzed using selective coding, percentages and chi-square. The study established that psychological counseling has significant effect social acceptance of PLWHA. The findings may be useful in sensitizing the infected and affected persons on the significance of psychological counseling in enhancing psychosocial wellbeing of PLWHA. The results can be used to mobilize the Ministry of Health, NGOs, CBOs to employ psychological counselors to help in psychological counseling PLWHA.

The second order slip boundary condition influence on diffusion of chemically reactive species of non-Newtonian fluid over a vertical permeable linearly stretching or shrinking sheet with surface mass transfer is considered using a second order slip flow model. Casson fluid model is used to characterize the non-Newtonian fluid behavior. The first order chemical reaction is considered. Choosing appropriate similarity variables, the partial differential equations are transformed into a set of non-linear self-similar ordinary differential equations, which are then solved numerically using the function bvp4c from Matlab for different values of the governing parameters. The results clearly show that the second order slip flow model is necessary to predict the flow characteristics accurately. A comprehensive numerical computation is carried out for various values of the parameters that describe the flow characteristics.

Diverticulum of the man urethra (DMU) is a rare clinical entity. It is characterized by a separate saccular dilatation that communicates with the urethra, the origin is essentially gained. The authors report a clinical case of diverticulum of the man urethra acquired after endoscopic internal urethrotomy for urethral strictures. The suspected diagnosis was confirmed by retrograde and voiding urethrocystography as well as urethrocystoscopy. The treatment consisted of excision of the diverticulum with reduction urethroplasty. Epidemiological, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects are reviewed.

Tetrapleura tetraptera is a medicinal plant of the mimosaceae family. The fruits have drawn much research attention and to the neglect of the seeds. Therefore, this study was focused on the comparative study of the chemical compositions of the seed and fruit of Tetrapleura tetraptera. The results revealed very reasonable values of all the nutrients in both the fruit and seed. However, the seed had higher values of crude fat (9.72 ± 11.1%), ash (8.61 ± 0.81%), carbohydrate (62.95 ± 1.15%) and energy (383.92 ± 6.84g/cal) than the fruit and lower, but comparable, value of crude protein (11.16 ± 0.3%). The seed had higher values of calcium, sodium, potassium and all the trace mineral elements than the fruit. However, magnesium and phosphorus were not detected in the seed. The seed and the fruit were found to be very rich in the B-group vitamins but poor in vitamin C. The seed had higher values of riboflavin (21.2 ± 0.05mg/kg) and niacin (3.4 ± 0.01mg/kg) while the fruit had higher values of ascorbic acid (5.5 ± 1.5mg/100g), thiamine (10.8 ± 0.05mg/kg) and vitamin A (115.50IU/100g). High values of alkaloids, tannins and flavonoids were also revealed in both the seed and fruit. However, the fruit had higher values of alkaloids (4.4 ± 0.02%), flavonoids (8.66 ± 0.08%) and oxalates (0.56 ±0.01%) while the seed had higher values of tannins (2.28 ± 0.05%), Saponins (1.44 ± 0.2%) and HCN (0.22 ± 0.01mg/kg). The varied biological and pharmacological properties of the fruit have been attributed to the presence of such principles as tannins, phenolic compounds, saponins, alkaloids, steroids and flavonoids. Therefore, the presence of all these principles in the seed, as well, suggests that the seed can equally serve some medicinal as well as food purposes.

This study investigated the fatty acid and amino acid compositions of one of the under-exploited tropical African seeds- Artocarpus heterphyllus (Jackfruit) seed. The seed oil was found to be composed of five fatty acids-palmitic (14.66%), palmitoleic (6.60%), stearic (50.59%), oleic (7.68%), linoleic (20.40%). The oil was composed of more of saturated fatty acids with a total value of 65.25%. The seed oil was composed more of short chain fatty acids and less of unsaturated fatty acids and expressed in the saponification number (132.81) and iodine value (42.5).The result showed a reasonable value of linoleic acid (20.40% ) and deficiency in linolenic acid. Seventeen amino acids,excluding tryptophan, were determined in Artocarpus heterophyllus seed protein and with aspartic (7.23 g/100g protein ) and glutamic (8.64g/100g protein) acids as the predominant amino acids and methionine (0.81g/100g protein) as the most deficient amino acid. The total essential amino acid composition of Artocarpus heterophyllus seed (25.64g/100g protein) represents 45.73% of the total amino acid composition of the seed protein. The values of the essential amino acids were found to be lower than their respective FAO/WHO/UNU(1991) reference standard values. However, the total essential amino acid composition of Artocarpus heterophyllus seed, just like other common members of the family, for example Treculia africana, was very low.

The nutrient compositions of some of the most common cereal grains consumed in Eastern Nigeria were determined. The cereal grains used were white corn, yellow corn, popcorn and sorghum. The cereal grains had very reasonable values of carbohydrate. The carbohydrate values ranged from 66.30% in sorghum to 76.19% in popcorn. The protein values were low, ranging from 7.82% in popcorn to 14.99% in sorghum. They had very low values of crude fat, ranging from 3.03% in Sorghum to 5.01% in yellow corn. Sorghum had a better source of potassium (350.27±0.23mg/100g) and calcium (22.71±2.30mg/100g). Phosphorus was comparatively higher in white corn (279.45±1.24 mg/100g), yellow corn (288.85±0.26 mg/100g) and popcorn (289.78±0.83 mg/100g) than in sorghum. White corn, yellow corn and popcorn had very low values of copper and manganese while these minerals were not detected in sorghum. Popcorn (131.2±1.39 mg/100g) and yellow corn (126.4±1.39 mg/100g) had high values of magnesium while sorghum had the least value (4.00±1.39 mg/100g).The cereal grains had Na/K ratios less than one implying that their consumption would probably reduce blood pressure disease. The cereal grains had very low values of Vitamin C. Vitamin E was found in trace amounts in white corn, yellow corn and popcorn but vitamins A and E were not detected in Sorghum. Thiamin and riboflavin were present in the cereal grain samples in small amounts. However, yellow corn had the highest value of niacin (3.45±0.01 mg/100g). The anti-nutritional principles in the various cereal grains were very low. The very low values of these principles imply that their consumption will have no adverse health implications. Generally, blending of the various cereal grains in food processing will be of great benefit to human nutrition and health.