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Purpose: This study examines the impact of Industry 4.0 and the role of law in enhancing women's involvement in Nigeria's construction sector. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study adopted a systematic review of relevant literature from Scopus, IEEE Xplore, Science Direct, EBSCO, Emerald Insight, and Proquest Central between 2011 to 2023 on the various issues addressed in the research. A thematic analysis was adopted to discuss the findings from the reviewed articles in line with the study's objective. Findings: Industry 4.0 technologies enhance women's involvement in the construction industry by automating risky tasks, ensuring safety, and reducing working hours for family responsibilities. Limiting women's participation in construction results in unconstitutional gender-based discrimination and the law has not been fully explored in ensuring gender equality in the construction industry. Research Limitation/Implications: The study's reliance on a systematic literature review may limit capturing real-time industry dynamics. Practical Implication: Implementation of industry 4.0 technologies in the construction industry has the potential to create a safer, inclusive work environment by automating hazardous tasks and reducing working hours. Social Implication: Construction 4.0, if embraced, has the potential to challenge traditional gender norms, fostering a more equitable industry. Originality/Value: The study offers a novel approach that assesses the collective impact of technology and the law on enhancing women's participation and capacity-building initiatives, thereby contributing to gender equality and empowerment in the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein malnutrition is widespread among the rural poor in developing countries and legumes serve as a major source of dietary protein where animal protein is very expensive. Pigeon pea is an important legume with high amount of protein, but its consumption is limited due to its hardness and time-consuming process of cooking. This study was carried out to determine effect of cooking methods on time and nutrient retention of pigeon pea as a means of promoting dietary diversity. Pigeon pea seeds were purchased from Oja Oba market in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria, cleaned, sorted, and divided into five portions. One portion was labelled as raw sample. The second portion was washed and cooked with distilled water on an electric cooker at 300°C for 2 hours and labelled as Sample 2. The third portion was washed and cooked at 3000C for two hours, with decanting and replenishing the water, and labelled as sample 3. The fourth portion was washed and pressure-cooked with distilled water at 300°C for 1hour and labelled as Sample 4; while the fifth portion was pressure-cooked at 300°C for 45 minutes, decanting and replenishing the water, cooked for 15 minutes, then labelled as sample 5. The five samples were analysed in triplicates for proximate, minerals and selected vitamins composition using standard methods of AOAC. Raw pigeon pea contained 11.9g moisture, 22.1g crude protein, 3.4g fat, 3.4g ash, 59.0g carbohydrates, 47.76mg sodium, 1025.63mg potassium, 100.25mg calcium, 377.87mg phosphorus, 13.01mg iron, 11.95mg zinc, and yielded 315.8kcal energy/100g sample. Boiling, and decanting the boiling water, and pressure cooking led to significant reduction in all macronutrients (p<0.05), the reduction being most pronounced in samples with cooking water decanted. Pressure-cooked samples retained more macronutrients with highest retention recorded in pressure-cooked sample without decanting the water (p<0.05). Boiling without decanting the water had highest retention of minerals, followed by pressure-cooked sample without decanting the water, while boiled sample with decanted water retained least minerals. Pressure cooking the pigeon pea significantly reduced cooking time (p<0.05), thereby reducing cost of electricity. Pigeon pea is a good source of protein, energy, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and zinc, and can contribute significantly to meeting nutrient needs of consumers; hence, its consumption should be encouraged as a means of dietary diversity among the populace where it is available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A proper understanding of the freight flow in terms of their production and distribution is crucial to spatial development and planning of an area. This study therefore, attempts to develop a model for estimating the distribution of rural freight generated in rural markets of South Western Nigeria. A questionnaire survey of commodities loaded and transported as well as rural freight operators in some rural market locations using systematic random sampling of 1 out of every 10 freight vehicles was carried out to determine their types, volume, origin and destinations of rural goods. Based on the data collected, a rural freight distribution model is developed using regression model. A logarithm method used for the data analyzed shows that out of three variables used, only two of them that is; the Cost of Transportation (CP) and Population of Destination of Goods (POP) are significant at 1% and 5% level respectively in explaining the variation in the rural freight distribution in the study area, while the Proximity of the Attracting State (PS) is not found to be significant. The three variables however accounted for 65% of the explanation of variation in the rural freight distribution in the South Western Nigeria. Based on these findings, it was recommended that deliberate policy measures should be put in place by the government to reduce the cost of rural goods transportation by improving rural road condition, enhancing rural market accessibility and rural goods operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of titania (TiO2) and silicon carbide (SiC) on phase development and physico-mechanical properties of mullite-carbon were investigated. Powdered clay, kaolinite and graphite of predetermined compositions were blended with additives using ball mill for 3 h at 60 rev/min. Samples were produced by uniaxial compression and sintered between 1400°C and 1600°C for 1 h. They were characterized for various properties, phases developed and microstructural features. The addition of TiO2 and SiC in the sample lead to the formation of TiC in the sample at 1400°C and 1600°C. This takes place through high-temperature solid-state reaction (reaction sintering) of TiO2 and SiC. This also contributes to the reduction in the apparent porosity of the sample with increased sintering temperature. The presence of titania in the sample does not favour the stability of anorthite beyond 1400°C. The formation of 50.6% mullite in the sample at 1500°C made it have the highest cold crushing strength and absorbed energy. Young's modulus of the sample increased with increased sintering temperature. The sample sintered at 1500°C is considered optimum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed rural youth involvement in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in agriculture in Osun State, Nigeria. Specifically, it examined awareness and analysed attitude of rural youths in the use of ICTs to disseminate agricultural information. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select one hundred and twenty respondents for the study. The data were collected using structured interview schedule and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The mean age of respondents was 18.0 years. Also, 71.7 percent of the respondents scored high in ICTs awareness in relation to agriculture. Telephone (56.0%) was commonly used as a mean of passing agricultural information among the youths and the level of computer/literacy was slightly above average (58.3). Result of the correlation analysis shows that there was a positive and significant relationship (r =0.481; p> 0.05) between the awareness of the usage of ICTs in agriculture and their attitude toward the use of ICTs. The study therefore concluded among others, that rigorous awareness on the inportance of ICTs in farming should be created among youths in Osun State in order enhance and bring about positive solutions to agricultural development stakeholders efforts in combating food insecurity in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adequate nutrition is important during infancy and childhood where a short period of malnutrition has long lasting effects on growth, development and health in the adult life. The period from six months to two years constitutes a critical window of opportunity for promoting optimal growth, health and development, while insufficient quantity and quality of complementary foods (CFs), poor feeding practice and high rate of infection have a detrimental impact on growth in these important years. This study was designed to evaluate the nutrient composition and suitability of four commonly used complementary foods in two Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional survey involving women with children aged 6-24 months old was carried out in two randomly selected LGAs to identify the commonly used CFs. A total of 300 consenting mothers (150/LGA) aged 18 to 60 years presenting their children for immunisation in the two LGAs were respondents. A pretested, semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge on breastfeeding, complementary feeding practice, and types of CFs used from the respondents. Standardised samples of the four most commonly used CFs were prepared and analysed for nutrient and anti-nutrient composition using standard AOAC methods of analyses. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi square test, with level of significance set at p = 0.05. Two types of unripe banana porridge, one mashed bean porridge, and mixed cereal pap with crayfish and 'turn brown' (soybean flour, groundnut and crayfish) were the four most commonly used CFs. One hundred grams portion of the CFs contained between 2.52 - 6.70 g crude protein, 1.26 - 7.23 g crude lipid, 8.16 - 13.97 g carbohydrates and yielded up to 415.57 kcal of energy. The mineral content ranged between 31.58 - 230.40 mg potassium, 46.78 - 184.68 mg calcium, 55.23 - 120.93 mg phosphorus, 10.37 - 23.26 mg iron, 7.53 - 18.53 mg of zinc / 100g portion. The four complementary foods were nutritionally adequate and were low in anti-nutrients (oxalates, phytates, trypsin inhibitors, saponins and tannins), hence there is little risk of malabsorption of available nutrients. Utilization of unripe banana and mixed cereals with turn brown for infants provides cheap CFs with adequate energy and nutrients, and promotes biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a global drive for promotion of indigenous foods and feedstuffs as a means of dietary diversification in meeting dietary needs of the people living the traditional lifestyle. Cassava diets constitute a staple source of energy for most Nigerians. However, there is little or no documentation on the nutrient composition, effect of processing methods on nutrient retention and contribution of these diets to nutrient intake of consumers. Nutrition information on contribution of a particular food or diet to nutrient intake of consumers is of paramount importance in food labeling and consumer acceptability. This study, therefore, aimed at providing information on nutrient composition and effect of processing methods on nutrient retention and contribution of some diets prepared from cassava. Fresh cassava roots were obtained from a farm in Alegongo area, Akobo, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Proximate and mineral composition of prepared samples was determined alongside the market samples using standard methods of Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) and atomic absorption spectrophotometry, respectively. The crude protein, lipid, fibre and ash contents of fresh cassava roots were low (0.9, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.4g/100g, respectively). Its mineral profile was: potassium 166.6, sodium 222.1, calcium 25.0, magnesium12.5, phosphorus 57.3, iron 1.7, and zinc 2.1 mg/100g sample. Processing cassava roots into various products improved availability of nutrients such as protein (1.3g in gari to 2.6g in fufu and amala), ash (0.5g in abacha to 2.6g in eba), potassium (234.5mg in three days fermented garri to 473.2mg in two days fermented lafun), calcium (22.7mg in eba to 67.3mg in two days fermented lafun), iron (1.0 - 4.3mg), zinc (2.5 - 6.7mg), as well as their calories (p<0.05). A 100g portion of raw and processed cassava into amala, eba, fufu and abacha yielded 140.5, 289, 284, 312, and 358 kilocalories of energy, respectively. Soaking fresh cassava for more than two days resulted in significant reduction in mineral content of prepared diets due to leaching. 100g portion of various diets can contribute between 12.3 to 16.1% energy, 6 to 14% iron, and up to 28% zinc to % RDAs of consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the changes in the traditional care given by youth to the elderly in South Western Nigeria. The findings of the study reveals the perception of caring for the elderly as a burden due to massive unemployment, high rate of inflation and unstable government policies. The economic problems has led to the neglect of the elderly which seeks alms for survival.