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We developed a simple method for identifying resonance frequency by focusing on the spectral peak of the low-frequency (LF) component of heart rate variability (HRV) and examined the hypothesis that paced breathing at an accurate resonance frequency increases HRV and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). We assessed a peak frequency of the LF component of the resting HRV by using power spectral analysis under respiratory control at 0.25 Hz, and a resonance frequency, which was evaluated by using the standard breathing maneuver (Lehrer 2007). We examined the effects of paced breathing at the peak frequency of the LF component (Spectral condition) and paced breathing at the resonance frequency as determined by the standard breathing maneuver (Standard condition) on HRV and BRS in 28 healthy college students and young adults. Electrocardiogram, respiration, and noninvasive continuous blood pressure was recorded during a 5-min baseline, followed by a 5-min paced breathing session. Results indicated that the BRS increased during the breathing session under both conditions, but the increase in BRS under the Spectral condition was higher than the Standard condition (p

he study assessed s soil conservation and water – resources management techniques among small- scale rice farmers in Ebonyi State. A sample of 130 respondents generated via multi- stage, purposive and simple random methods were used. Data were generated through questionnaire and interview schedule and analysed using percentage and mean. Results, showed the indigenous methods for soil and water- resources management used by the rice farmers to include: construction of basin and flow walls ( x̄= 92.3%), construction of dikes (x̄ = 84.6%), ration- harvesting (x̄ = 73%), and compost- manuring ( x̄= 69%).Other indigenous methods used include: use of IPM ( = 65.4%), shifting cultivation and planting of trees ( x̄= 61.5%), crop rotation(x̄ = 57.7%) and Mixed cropping ( = 50.0%). Results on level of use of the Agronomical Best Environmental Management Practices (ABEMPs) through physical measures indicated that construction of bund- lines ( x̄= 3.23) and farm- drainage ( x̄= 3.00) were at high level of use, while levelling (x̄ = 2.96), dikes (x̄ = 2.77), stone- lines (x̄ = 2.39), terracing ( x̄= 2.15) were at moderate level of use and plastic mulching (x̄ = 1.85) was at low level of use. Equally, for biological measures mixed- cropping ( = 3.08) was at high level of use, while crop- rotation (x̄ = 2.80), planting of trees (x̄ = 2.62) and fallowcover (x̄ = 2.23) were at moderate level of use and incorporation of residues (x̄ = 1.92) was at low level of use. On the Best Agronomic Practice measures, results showed conservation tillage and liming (x̄ = 3.00) were respectively at high level of use, while mount- making / ridging (x̄ = 2.92), application of compost manure (x̄ = 2.62), use of IPM (2.62) and application of cow dung and poultry droppings (x̄ = 2.50) were at moderate level of use, while irrigation ( x̄= 1.77) and zero tillage (x̄ = 1.23) were at low level of use respectively. The indigenous and ABEMPs methods are geared towards stable renewable resource use through sustainable (soil and water- resources) management techniques. There should be enhanced farmer–scientist research collaboration to develop soil and water- resource management techniques for more sustainable for rice production in the study area.Key Words: Indigenous ABEMPs, soil and water- resources, rice farmers.

Chemical modification of silk materials is a powerful method for tailoring the desired physical properties for possible application in various fields. In this work, we modified silk fibroin with poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,5-phenylene ether) (PPE) in order to imbue the silks with hydrophobicity so as to resist the absorption of humidity. This modification was achieved by chemoenzymatic polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol (DMP) using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as a catalyst in the presence of silk fibroin obtained from Bombyx mori. The PPE chain content in the modified silk was tuned by varying the feed concentration of DMP. Wide-angle X-ray scattering measurements revealed that β-sheet crystalline structures were formed in the PPE-modified silk, even after the introduction of bulky PPE chains. The PPE-modified silk showed glass transitions derived from the PPE domains, which enabled the formation of self-standing films upon thermal processing. Films of the PPE-modified silk exhibited higher static contact angles of water droplets compared to the native silk films, indicating that the film surface of silk fibroin became more hydrophobic due to the introduction of PPE. These improved physical properties were achieved without sacrificing the inherent secondary structure of silk fibroin, namely, the β-sheet structure that is largely responsible for the mechanical properties of silk materials.

The perception of Brazilian non-bovine dairy processors (goat, sheep and buffalo, n = 32) located in eight states of Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, Parana, Goias, Bahia, Rio Grande do Sul, and Ceara), regarding the implementation of traceability was investigated. A questionnaire consisting of 16 statements using a 5-point Likert Scale was applied and the data were evaluated by descriptive statistics and factor analysis. It was agreed that the implementation of a traceability system allows a quick recall of products, and reduces the negative impact, the number of consumer complaints and the loss of products. In addition, it can result in increased supplier control and process safety, protecting consumer's health and increasing their confidence. However, the relationship between the traceability system and the cost savings in the process and/or price of the final product was not a consensus. Although dairy companies agreed that traceability is highly relevant to the company, many are unwilling to invest in implementation of the system. Therefore, non-bovine milk-producing units in Brazil are aware of the impact of implementing traceability, but still have doubts about the costs involved, which restrict investments in the system.

The study assessed the extent of use of the orthodox and traditional treatment preventive measures against malaria among rural dwellers in Abia State. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaire from 180 respondents via multi- stage procedure. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics analysis. About 78% and 95.6% of the respondents were married and literates respectively. A mean age of 46 years, a mean monthly income of about ₦24,227.78 and a mean household size of about 5 persons respectively were recorded by the respondents. The result further revealed that the respondents employed different types of malaria treatment practices (100% of the respondents employed orthodox practices and 11.78% employed traditional practices).The extent of adoption of malaria preventive measures was low ( X= 2.2) and only about 45.4% of the respondents had a good knowledge level in the use of orthodox malaria treatment practices . The result equally revealed low (X= 1.78) attitudinal level by the respondents towards the use of orthodox malaria treatment practices. It equally, revealed a low (X= 1.98) practice level and gave the Relative Credibility Index (RCI) of the respondents over the use of traditional methods of controlling malaria as (RCI = 2.9). The study concludes that the respondents in the study area had a low Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) level over the use of orthodox malaria treatment practices. Therefore, the study recommends more awareness campaign by the health workers mostly in the rural areas in order to increase the KAP level of the rural dwellers in the use of orthodox malaria treatment practices as this will enormously reduce the devastating effects of malaria sickness in Nigeria and mostly in the study area,Keywords: Malaria Treatments, Orthodox, Traditional and Abia State

The study assessed the contributions of rural women entrepreneurs in non–farm and off–farm enterprises to household poverty reduction in Abia State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: examine the socio- economic characteristics of the respondents, identify the non- farm and off- farm activities, ascertain the extent of contribution, and determine the contribution of income from non- farm and off- farm activities to poverty reduction respectively. A sample size of 180 respondents selected via multi stage sampling technique was used. Data generated via the use of questionnaire and were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics respectively. Results showed a mean age of 46 years, 66.7 % were married, 93.8 % were literates with a mean monthly income of ₦23,444.00 and a mean household size of 5 persons respectively. Farm –gate trading (38.9 %), agro- processing (16.7 %), general merchandise (11.1%), restaurants/ bars (16.7 %), civil servants (4.4 %), and others (5.6 %) were identified as non- farm and off- farm enterprises. Income from non- farm and off- farm enterprises contributed to a very high extent and high extent (X =4.7, and4.5) and (X =4.4, 3.8 and 3.7) in household health care and feeding respectively and improved housing, children’s education and clothing respectively. It further contributed moderately (X= 3.3), (X=2.7), (X= 2.6) and (X= 3.0) in personal savings, social obligations, extended family responsibility and investment into agriculture respectively. Restaurant/bar(₦708.00/day), general merchandise (₦618.00/ day), agro-processing (₦596.00/day), civil servants (₦557.00/day), and, teaching/pasturing (₦535.00/day), among others contributed to poverty reduction in the study area. The Tobit result showed that age (X 1 =9.07***), household size (X 4 = 4.064***) education (X 3 = 7.029***) and income (X 6 = 5.202***) respectively, significantly influenced contribution to household welfare. Business experience (X 5 =2.02**) significantly influenced contribution to household welfare. The study recommends that Extension Agents should encourage rural women to form co-operatives which will enable them obtain loans from financial firms, this will increase their investment abilities into non- farm and off- farm ventures which supplement income from farming thereby reducing poverty mostly in the study area. Keywords: women entrepreneurs, poverty reduction, non- farm and off- farm enterprises

In the present study, an artificial spider silk gene, 6mer, derived from the consensus sequence of Nephila clavipes dragline silk gene, was fused with different silica-binding peptides (SiBPs), A1, A3 and R5, to study the impact of the fusion protein sequence chemistry on silica formation and the ability to generate a silk–silica composite in two different bioinspired silicification systems: solution–solution and solution– solid. Condensed silica nanoscale particles (600–800 nm) were formed in the presence of the recombinant silk and chimeras, which were smaller than those formed by 15mer-SiBP chimeras [1], revealing that the molecular weight of the silk domain correlated to the sizes of the condensed silica particles in the solution system. In addition, the chimeras (6mer-A1/A3/R5) produced smaller condensed silica particles than the control (6mer), revealing that the silica particle size formed in the solution system is controlled by the size of protein assemblies in solution. In the solution–solid interface system, silicification reactions were performed on the surface of films fabricated from the recombinant silk proteins and chimeras and then treated to induce β-sheet formation. A higher density of condensed silica formed on the films containing the lowest β-sheet content while the films with the highest β-sheet content precipitated the lowest density of silica, revealing an inverse correlation between the β-sheet secondary structure and the silica content formed on the films. Intriguingly, the 6mer-A3 showed the highest rate of silica condensation but the lowest density of silica deposition on the films, compared with 6mer-A1 and -R5, revealing antagonistic crosstalk between the silk and the SiBP domains in terms of protein assembly. These findings offer a path forward in the tailoring of biopolymer–silica composites for biomaterial related needs.

The study examined the influence of primary Health Care delivery services on the health status of rural dwellers in Abia State Nigeria. A sample size of 120 respondents selected via multi-stage random sampling technique was used. in selecting .Primary data generated using structured questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, means, pooled means, and KAP analysis respectively. Result showed a mean age of 25 years, 58.3% were male, and 75% were married. About 61.0% had secondary education, 58.3% were farmers/traders, and earned mean monthly income of N48, 250.00 and had a mean household size of 4 persons respectively. Majority (50.0%) owed water system toilets, and 58.3% sourced their drinking water from boreholes, 75.0% fed 32 meals/day and 83.3% were not registered with NHIS. Result further showed high (X = 3.03) level of awareness on seven out of eight PHC delivery service packages in the study area. There was also high level of utilization on immunization (X= 3.00) and moderate level of utilization on treatment for malaria, prevention/ treatment of communicable diseases, family planning/ HIV and AIDS, maternal / child health care, public health education and environmental health education respectively. The KAP analysis showed the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Levels of the respondents towards these PHC activities and interventions influenced their health status positively in the study area. The study concluded that PHC delivery services influenced the health status of the rural dwellers positively. It recommends that the Ministries of Health at the three tier levels of government should provide the needed support for enhancing and sustaining the PHC as well as encouraging participation among the rural dwellers mostly in the study area.

The study which was conducted in Umuahia Agricultural Zone of Abia State, Nigeria made use of the EAs in the Zone in identifying the contact – farmers. A simple random method was used to select 20 % of the contact farmers which gave a sample size of 144 respondents that was used. Structured questionnaire was used in the generation of the primary data. Descriptive statistics were used in the analysis of the data. Results showed 69.4 % of the respondents were males, and 30.6 % females. About 83.3 % were married with a mean age of 43 years and 93.1 % had formal education with a mean household of 6 persons, and 13.5 years, of mean years of farming experience with a mean farm- size of 0.9 hectares and mean monthly income of ₦33,569.44 respectively. A high level (X = 2.68) of participation in ADP – capacity building programmes was recorded. The respondents, were within the categories of early adopters (X = 3.68) in the adoption of ADP recommended innovations. About (X = 69.4 %) of the respondents indicated that, the ADP trainings did not address their felt needs, (X = 62.5 %) sessions were held at the wrong time, (X = 58.3%) training centres not centralized and (X= 51.4%) felt that training sessions were too long & boring. The study recommends that the ADP should strengthen the feedback mechanism as to ensure that their trainings address the felt needs of farmers. Also, a performance evaluation of the contact farmers by the ADP should be a regular exercise as to ensure that it is only the performing ones that are retained as contact farmers, mostly in the study area.

The study measured the variables : socio- economic characteristics of the respondents, their non-farm preferred enterprises, perceived training needs, and challenges encountered by the respondents in the study area. The sample size was 120 respondents generated via multi–stage sampling procedure. Data were generated using questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, ranks, pooled mean and standard deviation. Results showed 30 years as the mean age of the respondents, 83.3 % were literates, 70.8 % were married and earned a mean monthly income of ₦27,250.00. Eateries ( x = 3.17), farm– gate trading ( x = 3.08), hired labour workers ( x =3.04) and general merchandise ( x = 3.00) were identified as non-farm enterprises in the study area. Record – keeping ( x = 4.17), access to capital ( x =4.08), self – confidence ( x = 3.83), decision – making ( x = 3.75), resource allocation ( x = 3.71)and market information ( x = 3.50), were identified as preferred training needs by the respondents. High social barrier (100%), lack of start-up fund (95.83 %), lack of credit facilities ( 91.67 %), limited access to business training (79.17 %) were identified as challenges confronting rural women entrepreneurs. The study concludes that the rural women entrepreneurs training needs include record keeping and how to access capital, therefore government and other stakeholders should encourage and empower the respondents by mounting entrepreneurial training in the areas of identified training needs. Keywords: Training needs, rural women entrepreneurs, non-farm enterprise

The present study was designed to examine the effect of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback on the cardiorespiratory resting function during sleep in daily life. Forty-five healthy young adults were randomly assigned to one of three groups: HRV biofeedback, Autogenic Training (AT), and no-treatment control. Participants in the HRV biofeedback were instructed to use a handheld HRV biofeedback device before their habitual bedtime, those in the AT were asked to listen to an audiotaped instruction before bedtime, and those in the control were asked to engage in their habitual activity before bedtime. Pulse wave signal during sleep at their own residences was measured continuously with a wristwatch-type transdermal photoelectric sensor for three time points. Baseline data were collected on the first night of measurements, followed by two successive nights for HRV biofeedback, AT, or control. Cardiorespiratory resting function was assessed quantitatively as the amplitude of high-frequency (HF) component of pulse rate variability, a surrogate measure of respiratory sinus arrhythmia. HF component increased during sleep in the HRV biofeedback group, although it remained unchanged in the AT and control groups. These results suggest that HRV biofeedback before sleep may improve cardiorespiratory resting function during sleep.

The potential of radio to inform, educate and entertain its audience, its capacity to break illiteracy barriers as well as its power to penetrate into the remote areas of our rural communities with clear signal is well recognised. What is not known is how often rural people listen to radio and the type of programmes they show interest in; this study investigates radio listening habit of rural women and aimed at finding out how often they listen to radio, the kind of programmes that interest rural women and the gratifications they derive from listening to radio. Anchored on the uses and gratifications theory of the media, the study adopted survey research method and used questionnaire as an instrument of data collection. A total of 740 women drawn from Idemili South Local Government Area formed the sample of the study. Findings of the study show that a good number of rural women listen to radio and that programmes that interest them most are health related and agricultural programmes. The study recommends the utilisation of radio by government and its agencies for disseminating messages intended for rural people.