A Review of Strategic Management of Water Resources

Access to improved water has been considered as the most important condition for human sustainability, sustainable development as well as ecosystems maintenance. Water is a critical component of cultural, spiritual, economic and social well-being for any society hence, the need for portable water supply. This work examines the application of knowledge of fluid mechanics in strategic water management. Water pollutants such as refuse and sewage, oil spills agricultural and industrial waste were identified as causes of shortage improved water supply; sources of improved and unimproved water supply were also identified. The knowledge of fluid mechanics were prescribed for water sustainability and in solving challenges relating to type of flow and the determination of parameters like pressure, speed, density, volume and other flow parameters that will ensure safe flow rate of water to prevent spills while ensuring even distribution of improved water

Prediction of Vapour-Liquid Equilibrium Data Using Neural Network for Hydrocarbon Ternary System (ETHANE-PROPANE-N-BUTANE)

The prediction of vapour- liquid equilibrium is useful in process simulation and control as well making process engineering design decisions. Prediction of vapour-liquid equilibrium data was carried out using MATLAB software. Pre-existing data of hydrocarbon ternary system (ethane-propane-n-butane) in terms of phase composition, temperature and pressure was trained by iteratively adjusting networks, initializing weights and biases to minimize the network performance function net. MATLAB a software package containing artificial neural network was employed to predict the point where there is no change in composition of both liquid and vapour formed when liquid mixtures of ethane-propane-n-butane vapourises. Predicted values show reasonable and good correlation results when compared to the experimental data thus indicating that the network is an efficient and a good prediction tool for vapour-liquid equilibrium ternary systems

Hybrid effect of an in situ multilayer Zn–ZnO–Cr2O3 electrodeposited nanocomposite coatings for extended application

Multifunctional composite coatings of Z

Predictors of late presentation for obstetric fistula repair in Abakaliki, South-East Nigeria

Late presentation is a challenge to reducing the backlog of obstetric fistulas. We aimed to identify characteristics of women presenting late for repair in order to improve patient recruitment. It was a cross-sectional comparative study. Data was collected from the women and the hospital notes using proforma and analysed using SPSS. Associations between categorical variables were determined using Chi-square. Predictors of late presentation were determined using logistic regression. A P-value of <0.05 was statistically significant. The mean time of presentation was 42.3 months. Late presentation was significantly associated with age >35 years, parity < 3, not having a spouse, and trauma. On logistic regression, women aged 35 years and above were five times more likely to present late compared with younger ones (AOR= 5.192, 95%CI 1.839-14.660, P=0.002), while women with parity >3 were five times less likely to present late compared with those <3 (AOR= 0.208, 95%CI 0.073-0.587, P=0.003). In conclusion, most patients presented late. Although age, parity, having a spouse, and aetiology were associated with time of presentation, age >35 years and parity < 3 were the significant predictors of late presentation. Recruitment for early repair should be a priority area of the national policy for the elimination of obstetric fistula.   La présentation tardive est un défi pour réduire l'arriéré des fistules obstétricales. Nous avons cherché à identifier caractéristiques des femmes se présentant tardivement pour réparation afin d'améliorer le recrutement des patientes. Il s'agissait d'une étude comparative transversale. Les données ont été recueillies auprès des femmes et des notes d'hôpital à l'aide de formulaires proforma. et analysés à l'aide de SPSS. Les associations entre les variables catégorielles ont été déterminées à l'aide du Chi carré. Les prédicteurs de présentation tardive ont été déterminés à l'aide de la régression logistique. Une valeur p de <0,05 était statistiquement significatif. Le délai moyen de présentation était de 42,3 mois. La présentation tardive était significativement associé à l'âge > 35 ans, la parité < 3, l'absence de conjoint et un traumatisme. En régression logistique, les femmes âgés de 35 ans et plus étaient cinq fois plus susceptibles de se présenter tardivement que les plus jeunes (AOR = 5,192, IC à 95 % 1,839-14,660, P=0,002), tandis que les femmes avec une parité >3 étaient cinq fois moins susceptibles de présenter en retard par rapport à ceux <3 (AOR = 0,208, IC à 95 % 0,073-0,587, P = 0,003). En conclusion, la plupart des patients présenté tardivement. Bien que l'âge, la parité, le fait d'avoir un conjoint et l'étiologie soient associés au temps de la présentation, l'âge > 35 ans et la parité < 3 étaient les prédicteurs significatifs de la présentation tardive. Recrutement la réparation précoce devrait être un domaine prioritaire de la politique nationale d'élimination de la fistule obstétricale

The Effect of Mobile Banking on the Performance of Commercial Banks in Nigeria

Today, commercial banks are confronted with challenges that range from debt crises to the tight competition in the market. Customers\u27 impatience has increased considerably as they are more knowledgeable than before. Thus, the introduction of mobile services in the banking industry has added to the challenges facing commercial banks as they have to embrace the new technology or lose business. Mobile banking in Nigeria has completely transformed the banking industry and any commercial bank operating in Nigeria can only ignore that fact at its own risk. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the mobile banking effects on Commercial Banks financial performance in Nigeria. Simple random techniques were employed in this study in selecting 22 commercial banks. To facilitate the obtaining of relevant data that was used for analysis in this study, a structured questionnaire was used. Descriptive statistics involving simple graphical charts was applied in the presentation and analysis of data. The study, therefore, concludes that mobile banking positively and significantly affects the financial performance of commercial banks in Nigeria. The study recommends that commercial banks should keep adopting and using mobile banking in their operations because the number of people with access to a mobile handset is increasing every day

Data on the effect of current density relationship on the super-alloy composite coating by electrolytic route

In thiswork,adetaileffectofnanoparticleloadingandimproved process parameteronthesynthesisofmodified Zn-TiO2 electrocodeposited nanocompositecoatingwaspresented.Thecoatings wereperformedatconstanttimeof20minuteatastirringrateof 400rpmattemperatureof70 °C. Theeffectofparticleloadingand inputcurrentonthepropertiesoftheelectrocodepositedNano- composite wasstudied.Theco-depositionwascarriedoutata current intervalbetween1.0and1.5Aforthecoatingperiod.The basis ofbathformulationasitquantitativelyandqualitatively affects thecoatingsystemwasputintoconsideration.Hence,the electrocodeposition dataforthecoatingpropertiesandcoatingper unit areawereattained.Also,theeffectofannealingheattreatment on thehardnesspropertiesofthenanocompositecoatingswas carried out.Theannealingtemperatureusedwas250 °C soasto ascertain thethermalstabilityofthecoatingsandtoachieve homogenisation ofthecoatingsystem.Theweightgainedunder difference coatingconditionwereattainedandcouldbeapplied using modified Zn-TiO2 electrocodepositednanocompositecoat- ings asaneffectiveandsafealternativecoatingtochromiumand other harmfulcoatings

Design of a Processor for the Production of 30,000 Tons of Caustic Potash per Anum from Cocoa Pod Husk

A caustic potash processor capable of processing 30, 000 tons of caustic potash per anum from cocoa pod husk was designed. It essentially consist of storage tank, fluidized bed dryer, rotary dryer operating at a temperature of 110 0 C for drying the feed, roll crusher which reduces the husks into smaller sizes and a furnace operated an elevated temperature to ensure proper ashing. The processor also consists of a reactor where leaching: the major process involved in the production of caustic potash from cocoa pod husk takes place. The reactor is lagged and heated internally after which an evaporator fired by a boiler is employed to concentrate the KOH solution. The water vapour leaving the evaporator condenses in the condenser and is recycled to the boiler. A detailed energy and material balance as well as analysis of process control system and instrumentation was also carried out to keep process variable within known safe operating limits in order to achieve the designed production rate and maintain the caustic potash within the desired specification at an optimal production cost

Correlation of Vapour-Liquid Equilibrium Data Using Neural Network for Hydrocarbon Ternary System (Ethane-n-Pentane-n-Hexane)

Abstract Correlation of vapour-liquid equilibrium data for hydrocarbon ternary system (ethane-n-pentane-n-heptane) is very useful in the design decision of separation process equipment such as separation columns, extractors etc. The tool used for the correlation is MATLAB: a very reliable software with adequate neural network conditions such as multi-layer feed forward, back propagation etc. A comprehensive Artificial Neural Network (A N N) training and simulation model and list of pre-existing vapour-liquid equilibrium data for ethane-n-pentane-nheptane system was employed for this work. Neural network was trained in MATLAB 7.10.0 environment.Several iterations were carried out on the ternary system until the performance goal was met. From the analysis of the output result, regression and iteration graphs when compared with experimental data, artificial neural network offered very small deviation from the target. This confirms conclusively that artificial neural network is a consistent and reliable tool for predicting the vapour-liquid phase equilibrium for binary, ternary and quaternary system. The knowledge of correlation also establishes the basic background required for the understanding of the vapour-liquid phase behaviour of ternary systems which forms the basis of calculations of distillation, extraction and absorption processes etc. __________________________________________________________________________________________ Keywords: artificial neural network, back propagation, correlation, matlab, simulation model ternary system. INTRODUCTION The composition of vapour and liquid equilibrium phases is very important for calculations involving distillation, extraction and absorption processes which find useful application in the chemical process industry, petroleum and refining industries. Complete vapour-liquid equilibrium data for ternary systems are rare in the literature and quaternary data are practically non-existent. When designers need such information, they frequently attempt to predict the ternary or quaternary system from binary data by means of thermodynamics equation. Artificial Neural Network: a machine learning algorithm offers a more reliable and consistent means of correlating vapourliquid equilibrium data for both ternary and quaternary systems. This is however done by training neural network using pre-existing vapourliquid equilibrium, correlating and predicting the vapour-liquid equilibrium, comparing correlated and predicted values with pre-existing data and carrying out validity test to check for network efficiency

Anthropometry as ergonomic consideration for hospital bed design in Nigeria

The aim of this research is to study selected health care workstations to establish the current practices with reference to the use of anthropometry. Also to re-design the work station, if necessary, in order to improve productivity, health safety and comfort of the patients and staffs using the work stations. Anthropometric dimensions of the patients in the examined health care system were used to design intensive care unit bed (ICU) and medical/surgical bed which can accommodate 5% - 95% of patients male and female. The work stations were examined and analyzed under the combination of different anthropometric parameters. The analysis of the results indicates some deficiencies in the design of the workstations based on the design parameters and standard values from the literatures. Based on the analysis of these results the patients and their care givers may likely be exposed to back pain, fatigue, poor blood circulation and other related diseases. For demonstration of the application of the extreme design approach, a hospital bed work station (health care system) has been re-designed as a real case. It is hope that the new design will contribute to improvement in productivity, health safety and comfort of the patients and staffs using the workstations. In the proposed extreme design approach, I suggest to every health care organization operating, before any decision on making or buying equipment, industrial engineers are to be consulted depending on the design factor, for proper guidance. Anthropometric dimensions of the workers should also be considered for any category of hospital bed design