Recent Articles

  • Ancient whole grain gluten-free quinoa, high protein, vegetable flatbreads

    The objective was to evaluate four kinds of ancient whole grain gluten-free Quinoa, high protein, vegetable, nutritious, tasty, health promoting flatbreads. The flatbreads were Quinoa Peanut Meal Kale (QPK), QPK-Onions, QPK-Garlic and QPK-Cilantro. Quinoa contains all the essential amino acids. Peanut Meal was utilized to formulate higher protein flatbreads and to add value to this low value farm byproduct. Fresh green leafy vegetable kale was used with health promoting potential as it binds bile acids. Onions, garlic and cilantro contain healthful phytonutrients. The level of fresh onions, garlic and cilantro were determined by consensus of the laboratory personnel. Flatbread dough was prepared using 50-67 ml water per 100g as is ingredients. The ingredients were Quinoa flour and Peanut Meal (39.4%) and fresh Kale (19.7%) as is basis. Onions, Garlic and Cilantro flatbreads contained 28%, 7% and 28% of the respective ingredients. 50g flatbread dough was pressed between parchment paper in tortilla flatbread press to about 17 cm circle. Flatbreads were cooked in flatbread cooker for 2-minutes at (165-195 oC). Seventy-one in-house volunteers evaluated Color/Appearance of the QPK, QPK-Onions and QPK-Garlic to be similar and significantly (P ≤ 0.05) preferred than QPK-Cilantro flatbreads. Odor/Aroma of QPK-Onions and QPK-Garlic flatbreads was similar and significantly higher than QPK and QPK-Cilantro. Texture/Mouth Feel of the QPK-Garlic flatbreads was judged significantly higher than QPK and QPK-Cilantro. Taste/Flavor and Acceptance of QPK-Onions flatbreads was significantly better than QPK and QPK-Cilantro. The acceptance of the flatbreads tested was QPK-Onions 92%, QPK-Garlic 89%, QPK 77% and QPK-Cilantro 72%. These flat breads used only 3-4 ingredients and could be made in any house kitchen or commercial production. These whole gain, high protein, gluten-free, vegetable, flatbreads offer tasty, nutritious and healthy choice to all and those sensitive to gluten.

  • Effect of Pasteurisation on the Proximate Composition, Mineral and Sensory Properties of Fresh and Dry Tiger Nuts, and Their Milk Extracts

    The proximate, mineral and sensory properties of pasteurised and unpasteurised fresh and dry yellow tiger nuts and their milk extract were evaluated. Milk from samples of fresh and dry tiger nuts were extracted separately by wet milling and expression before pasteurisation. The moisture, protein, fat, ash, crude fibre, carbohydrate and energy content of the tiger nuts varied from 14.36 – 47.98%, 5.54 – 6.85%, 1.31 – 1.97%, 5.28 – 4.60%, 26.09 – 24.60%, and 296.72 – 434.00 KJ/g respectively. The total sugar content was 9.82 – 11.85% for pasteurised tiger nuts and 10.09 – 12.64% for unpasteurised nuts while reducing sugar ranged from 3.06 – 4.82 and 3.67 – 5.01% respectively, for pasteurised and unpasteurised tiger nuts. Cu, Fe, Zn, Ca, Mg and K content ranged from 0.09 – 0.13, 11.00 – 13.74, 0.05 – 0.06, 1692.94 – 1921.99, 265.12 – 794.57 and 1048.34 – 1181.67 mg/100g respectively. The moisture, protein, fat, ash, crude fibre, carbohydrate and energy values of the milk extract varied from 76.93 – 81.92%, 9.84 – 11.41%, 3.09 – 5.01%, 0.01 – 0.03%, 0.01 – 0.11%, 2.74 – 7.16% and 373.22 – 488.68 KJ/g respectively. Total sugar content was 9.63 – 11.64 and 10.81– 12.23% respectively, for the pasteurized and unpasteurized milk while the reducing sugar ranged from 3.42 – 4.13 and 4.14 – 4.49 %. Cu, Fe, Zn, Ca, Mg and K content varied from 0.02 – 0.03, 3.67 – 4.34, 0.02 – 0.03, 606.98 – 669.32, 86.88 – 289.71 and 349.45 – 393.89 mg/100g respectively. Dry tiger nut and its milk had significantly (P≤0.05) higher proximate, sugar and mineral contents. Pasteurization significantly (P

  • Evaluation of Compost Integrated with Chemical Fertilizer for better production of Maize in Shashemene District of West Arsi Zone, Oromia

    The effect of integrated use of compost and urea on yield of and yield component was assessed in a field experiment in Shashemene district during 2016-2018. In this experiment, compost was replaced UREA at different rate depending on its quality. Compost quality was analyzed mainly for Total nitrogen to compute its equivalency with UREA. Accordingly, It was identified that average total nitrogen in compost was 1%.Therefore, 100kg UREA (46kg N) is equivalent to 4600kg compost (4.6ton). The treatments were control (100kg DAP+100kg UREA), 100%compost (4.6ton) +100kg DAP, 75% compost (3.45ton)+25%UREA+ 100kg DAP, 50% compost (2.3ton) +50%UREA+100kg DAP, 25%compost (1.15ton) +75%UREA +100kg DAP. Maize (variety: Shano)) was planted in rows. Data on grain yield and yield components were analyzed. Soil samples were also collected to evaluate the residual effect of compost on soil properties. The results indicated that maximum grain yield (93kunt ha-1) of maize was obtained in treatment (2) that received sole compost plus 100kg DAP ha-1. The next higher yield was obtained in treatment 3 and 4 that received both compost and UREA with the ratio of 75:25 and 50:50 respectively. Comparing with sole chemical fertilizer treatment, the crop yield was significantly higher and different (p≤0.05) in all treatments. The residual soil fertility after maize harvest was proportional to the level of compost used. Except for total nitrogen, available potassium and phosphorous in sole chemical fertilizer application is smaller and highly significantly different (p≤0.05) from the rest of the treatments indicating that all total nitrogen in compost is available for crop in the first year of application while potassium and phosphorous availability for the crop is partially delayed. Based on the result, it was economically and environmentally recommended to use ISFM for sustainable maize production in the area.

  • THE PRACTICE OF LADDIC ACTIVITIES AS NURSING CARE FOR ELDERLY RESIDENTS IN A LONG-STAY INSTITUTION

    Introduction: Aging is increasing in the world population and this phase of life requires special care, but there are a number of elements that interfere in the elderly’s stay with their relatives. With this, these elderly people are inserted in institutions of long stay. And in many moments, far from their family members, the elderly people who live there present pictures of solitude. In this scenario, practices of play activities are an excellent strategy to promote change in the lifestyle of the institutionalized elderly, as they are related to the viability of moments of physical, mental and interpersonal well-being, significantly improving the quality of life of these subjects, in addition to strengthening autonomy and self-esteem. Objective: To report the experience of nursing students in nursing care and to practice playful activities with them. Methodology: This is an experience report that emerged from practical classes held at the Maria Julia Miranda Long-Term Institution, located in the Gruta neighborhood of Maceió, Alagoas, during September 2017, by nursing Faculty Estácio de Alagoas. Results: The care provided was understood based on the individual needs of each elderly woman, divided into two moments. In the first one, the nursing history was performed, which enabled us to identify diseases and risks of injuries. the construction of the care plan. The second moment was composed of playful moments where the old women sang, danced, told their stories, besides solving puzzles, hunting words and painting booklets. Studies show that these activities can contribute in a promising way to an effective work with institutionalized elders, play, simply for the pleasure of play, without commitment or formal rules, gives the elderly a new look about their moment, awakening spontaneity and creativity, improving their quality of life. life. It was also noticed a greater interaction between the elderly residents and their…

  • Use of natural products for weed management in high-value crops: An Overview

    Over the last five decades, weed management systems have relied primarily on synthetic herbicides. Due to the concerns over the potential impact of chemicals on human health and the environment, efforts are being made to reduce the heavy reliance on synthetic herbicides. To reduce synthetic herbicides, use of natural products such as essential oils, plant extracts, allelochemicals, agricultural by-products, and some microbes are gaining attention because they are safe due to their short environmental half-life and low toxicity. These natural product bioherbicides are a good alternative to synthetic herbicides especially in organic agriculture since they focus on environmental protection, practical viability, compatibility for integrated programs, and ecological stability. Most of the commercially available natural herbicides are non-selective and require careful application in order to preserve the crop of interest. Although many studies in this direction have been undertaken, the use of these natural products is still not common because of the difficulties in their synthesis due to their complex structure, cost effectiveness, poor results in field trials, and rapid degradation. No single above mentioned natural product has the potential to comprehensively replace chemical weed management; however, an integrated approach may provide better results. Thus, the role of bioherbicides in modern weed management is complementary rather than exclusive.

  • Contribution of Cover Crops and Reduced Tillage Systems for Weed Management in Organic Vegetable Production

    In recent years, organic vegetable production systems have become an increasingly important segment of agriculture; and weed control is a principal concern for organic vegetable growers. In the absence of herbicides, tillage and cultivation are the most commonly used tools by vegetable growers for managing weeds in organic systems; however, intensive tillage may have adverse effects on soil and environmental health. In recent times, to reduce intensive soil tillage and achieve successful weed management, integration of cover crops with conservation tillage (reduced or no-tillage) is emerging as an innovative alternative production practice in organic farming. Research over the globe has shown that cover crops can be used to control weeds in vegetable fields, and also play an important role in improving productivity of subsequent crops by improving soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. In agronomic crops, the benefits of cover crops in conjugation with reduced tillage on weed management are well documented but, such information is scarcely available for vegetables grown in organic production systems. This review focuses on different types of cover crop species and conservation tillage systems for weed management in organic vegetable production.

  • Prevalence of Plasmodium Falciparum Malaria and the Antenatal Health Care Utilization for Prevention Among Pregnant Women in a Secondary Health Facility in Enugu State, Nigeria

    Pregnant women in endemic areas are highly susceptible to malaria, and both the frequency and severity of the disease are higher in pregnant women than non- pregnant women.[1] In pregnancy, there is a transient depression of cell mediated immunity that allows foetal allograft retention but also interferes with resistance to various infectious diseases. Malaria infection during pregnancy is a major public health problem in the tropics and subtropics. It affects approximately 24 million pregnant women.[2] In the area of Africa with stable malaria transmission, plasmodium falciparum infection during pregnancy is estimated to cause as many as 10,000 maternal death each year, 8-14% of all low birth weight babies and 75,000-200,000 of all infant death.[3] In Nigeria, there is an estimated 25-30% of mortality in children under the age of five and 300,000 death each year due to malaria.[3] Studies have shown that 40% of pregnant African women start attending antenatal clinics in the first and second trimester of their pregnancy. [3] In addition, pregnant women are at immense risk of malaria due to natural immune depression in pregnancy. [4] The symptoms and complications of malaria during pregnancy differ with the intensity of malaria transmission and thus with the level of immunity the pregnant woman acquired. [5] Malaria cases and death have been increasing in the country mainly due to injudicious use of anti-malaria drugs, delayed health seeking and reliance on clinical judgment without laboratory confirmation in most of the peripheral health facilities. [6] There have been considerable numbers of reports about knowledge, attitude and practices relating to malaria and its control from different parts of Africa. Misconceptions concerning malaria still exist and the practices for the control of malaria have been unsatisfactory. [7] The promising news is that during the past decade, potentially more effective strategies for control of malaria…

  • Assessing the quality of the Acute Flaccid Paralysis surveillance system in Edo state, Nigeria 2017

    This paper accesses the quality of the Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance system in Edo state using the May/June 2017 Rapid Surveillance Assessment tool for reviewing existing surveillance systems. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study involving the Disease surveillance and notification officers (DSNOs), and their assistants (ADSNOs) in all 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs). All the surveillance officers were 100% knowledgeable on the AFP case definition. About, 94% of the ADSNOs knew how the AFP stool specimens were transported. Only 75% and 50% of the DSNOs and ADSNOs respectively could mention all seven AFP differential diagnosis stated in the AFP surveillance guidelines. Active surveillance was conducted by 89% of the DSNOs in their respective LGAs within the last six months prior to this study. Only 22% of the ADSNOs were actively involved in surveillance activities. Records of documentation of AFP surveillance activities dating as far back as three years were readily available at the offices of 90% of the DSNOs and with the state epidemiologist. Edo state has shown attributes of a quality surveillance system in terms of knowledge, AFP surveillance and documentation. We however encourage a surveillance system that is more inclusive with active participation from the ADSNOs.

  • Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation of fireworks destruction safety based on AHP method

    Aiming at a large number of problems such as complexity, ambiguity and uncertainty existing in the destruction of fireworks, ahp-comprehensive evaluation method was applied to the safety evaluation of the destruction of fireworks. Taking A safe destruction operation in guizhou province as an example, combined with the actual situation on site and expert advice, A two-level structure comprehensive evaluation model of four main factors and 17 sub-factors was established, A judgment matrix was constructed, A weight vector was established, and A fuzzy matrix B was established with membership degree to obtain A comprehensive evaluation matrix D. The evaluation results show that the safety of the destruction of fireworks is good, and the evaluation results are consistent with the actual field effect. The applicability and accuracy of AHP- comprehensive evaluation method in the destruction of fireworks were verified.