Evaluation Of Palm Oil Potentiality As A Liquid Dielectric Fluid In High Voltage Applications

Electrical insulating and dielectrical materials can be broadly divided into; gaseous, liquids, vacuum and solids. These materials are widely used in electrical components like, circuit breakers, transformers, cables and capacitors. Liquids dielectrics in particular are preferred because of their ability to have self-cure to situations leading to partial or total discharges. Petroleum and mineral based fluids have, for almost half a centuary, been used for cooling and insulation purposes. Their popularity stems out of their availability and cheapness. However recent evidence has shown deficiencies with these fluids. They have low properties especially flash and fire points and most importantly low dielectric break down voltage. The most serious of these shortcomings is the inability to meet up with health and environmental laws. This is because they are not organic and hence not biodegradable; their spillage takes very long time to decompose. These developments have led to seeking alternatives in vegetable based fluids. The fluids that have been tested and to be used as dielectric fluids include Castor oil, Coconut oil, Soya bean oil, and Rapeseed oil. The present work has measured the properties of palm oil against the IEEE C637 and ASTM D section for possible use as a dielectric fluid. The results show that refined palm oil has break down voltage of 75 KV/mm, flash point (>220), fire point (>220) and moisture content (0.08%). Hence these have shown the potential of palm oil as a dielectric fluid. However future work should focus on further investigation before field application. Malaysia as country stands a lot of gains in this type of research, since it is the world leader in the palm oil production

Simultaneous Distribution Network Reconfiguration and Optimal Placement of Distributed Generation

A reliable, eco- and nature-friendly operation has been the major concern of modern power system (PS). To improve the PS reliability and reduce the adverse environmental effect of conventional thermal generation facilities, renewable energy based distributed generation (RDG) are being enormously integrated to low and medium voltage distribution networks (DN). However, if these systems are not properly deployed, the reliability and stability of the PS will be endangered and its quality can be dreadfully jeopardized. Among the measures taken to avoid such is optimizing the location and size of each RDG unit in the DNs. These networks are generally operated in a radial configuration, though they can be reconfigured to other topologies to achieve certain objectives. Both RDG placement/sizing and DN reconfiguration are highly non-linear, multi-objective, constrained and combinatorial optimization problems. In this study, a hybrid of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and real-coded Genetic Algorithm (GA) techniques is employed for DN reconfiguration and optimal allocation (size and location) of multiple RDG units in primary DNs simultaneously. The objectives of the proposed technique are active power loss reduction, voltage profile (VP) and feeder load balancing (LB) improvement. It is carried out subject to some technical constraints, with the search space being the set of DN branches, DG sizes and potential locations.  To ascertain the effectiveness of the technique, it is implemented on standard IEEE 16-bus, 33-bus and 69-bus test DNs. The proposed algorithm is implemented in MATLAB and MATPOWER environments. It is observed the power loss, voltage deviation and LB are found to be reduced by 32.84%, 12.33% and 24.03% of their respective inherent values in the biggest system when the system is reconfigured only. With the optimized RDGs placed in the reconfigured systems, a further reductions of 46.27%, 25.92% and 36.65% are observed respectively. &nbsp

Prevalence of Mosquitoes in Gidan Yunfa Community of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria

Different species of mosquito serves as a vector for transmitting malaria. Malaria is still a serious public health problem in Nigeria. Knowledge of the mosquito species, their diversity, and their composition would help immensely toward proper implementation of the different control strategies. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of mosquitoes and feeding or biting period in Gidan Yunfa community of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria. The Larvae and Pupae were collected from breeding sites. Adult mosquitoes were sampled using CDC light traps (situated indoor and outdoor) and Pyrethrum Spray Catch methods. Mosquitoes were identified morphologically. A total of 6,410 adult mosquitoes with 2,142 (33.42 %) obtained from CDC light traps and 4,268 (66.58%) from the larval collections were identified belonging to 3 genera Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex. A maximum number of mosquitoes were caught with CDC traps. The abundance of the different genera varied significantly (P<0.05) with Anopheles having the highest occurrence (54.75%) followed by Culex mosquitoes with 40.42%. Aedes has the least abundance with 8.05%. The indoor and outdoor feeding habits of the different species varied significantly (P<0.05). Nature of the houses and tethering of animal in residential houses and abundance of breeding places may explain the reason behind the higher prevalence of the mosquito in this community

Investigation of some expired antibiotic drugs: Effect on the corrosion inhibition of mild steel in 0.1 M HCl medium via experimental and molecular dynamics simulation

Three expired antibiotic drugs namely, ampiclox, ciprofloxacin, and ampicillin were studied at low concentrations on the corrosion inhibition of mild steel (MS) in 0.1 M HCl medium using weight loss and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Subsequently, the molecular structures of the antibiotic inhibitors were subjected to molecular dynamic (MD) simulation using Material Studio 8.0 software to have insight into their dynamic binding energy onto the Fe (110) surface in an acidic medium. The results showed that the weight loss and corrosion rate decrease with an increase in the inhibitor concentration, while the inhibition efficiency (%) and surface coverage increase with the increase in the inhibitor concentration respectively. The maximum inhibition efficiency of 97.72 % was attained at 0.009M concentration for ciprofloxacin followed by ampiclox and ampicillin. The SEM analysis of the MS with the expired ciprofloxacin (0.009 M) revealed a soother surface through the formation of a protective film that prevented the corrosion attack which confirms the highest inhibition efficiency. The MD simulation showed that the ciprofloxacin has the highest binding energy of -474.582 kcal/mol, followed by -248.448 kcal/mol for ampicillin and -234.955 kcal/mol for ampiclox respectively. Hence, the ciprofloxacin with the more negative magnitude of the binding energy was predicted to exhibit stronger chemisorption interaction onto the Fe (110) metal surface when compared with ampicillin and ampiclox. The findings in this research reveal good agreement between the experimental and theoretical results in studying the corrosion inhibition of the studied antibiotic drugs

Occurrence and antibiogram of bacteria isolated from some sachet drinking water brands sold in Gombe metropolis, Gombe State, Nigeria

Background:&nbsp;Diseases contracted through consuming contaminated water present health challenges globally, hence this study aimed to assess occurrence and antibiogram of bacteria isolated from various brands of sachet drinking water sold in Gombe metropolis.&nbsp;Methods:&nbsp;Twenty brands of samples were collected randomly, serially diluted, and cultured on nutrient agar (NA). Isolates were identified morphologically and biochemically, with antibiogram determined using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines.&nbsp;Results:&nbsp;All the 20 samples produced positive bacterial growths with counts ranging from 1.0x103&nbsp;to 9.8x103&nbsp;CFU/ml with identified colonies of&nbsp;Escherichia coli (E. coli),&nbsp;Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus),&nbsp;Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa),&nbsp;and&nbsp;Klebsiella pneumoniae&nbsp;(K. pneumoniae).&nbsp;Antibiogram revealed the isolates were all resistant to augmentin, cefixime, cefuroxime and ceftazidime, but&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;and&nbsp;S. aureus&nbsp;were also resistant to gentamicin.&nbsp;Conclusion:&nbsp;The samples were contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria that were resistant to some antibiotics. Hence there is need for enforcement of drinking water standards to avoid consequences of unsafe drinking water, thus improving the health of the population

SWOT analysis of land area-based and value-based property rating

The property rating can be on Value-based rating Assessment (VbRA) or Area-based Rating Assessment (AbRA). This study examined the suitable assessment of Bauchi metropolis, Nigeria. The materials used were published books and journal articles, and SWOT technique was applied to analyse the identified variables, then the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats were sorted out. The facts from the SWOT matrix were assimilated into existing local scenario to strategically decide the appropriate assessment procedure for raising the local revenue for financing the provision and maintenance of municipal infrastructure and facilities. The study found Area-based Rating Assessment (AbRA) as the most appropriate rating assessment procedure for the study area

Premium arrangement in the contemporary real estate transaction in Bauchi

The premium arrangement in the real estate enables lessors to receive a lump sum of money and forfeit a part of rental income, while the lessee enjoys some profit rents. This transaction was not operational in the study area. This study investigated the position of the lessor on the awareness and practice of premium arrangement on the real estate transaction in Bauchi metropolis, using multiple regression and structural equation modelling with AMOS graphics. The analyses (both) multiple regression and structural equation modelling with AMOS revealed that the awareness and practice of premium arrangement in Bauchi metropolis have been a factor that can significantly influence the real estate transactions with corresponding benefits to both lessors and lessees in the study area. It was therefore recommended that the parties’ privy in the premium transaction to acknowledge the benefits to the lessor appeared to out-weigh the benefits to the lessee, thus the parties should be enjoined to comply with the existing rules and covenants of their leas

Model Predictive Control of Blood Pressure and Urine Production Rate for a Physiological Patient Model

The research proposes the design of a model predictive control (MPC) for automatic drug dosing to regulate high blood pressure and urine production rate in an elderly patient. Combining hydrochlorothiazide and oxybutynin is commonly used for regulation of blood pressure in elderly patients. The patient’s model tries to captures the responses to the drugs as the blood pressure and urine production rates attains their various set-points. Hence, this research aims at improving the control scheme which ensured that these two physiological variables are regulated. Simulation was done in MATLAB/Simulink environment with the use of MPC Toolbox, and the controlled variables were constrained to operate at 80mmHg for blood pressure and between 24-49 ml/kg/hr for urine production rate respectively while the manipulated variables remained unconstrained. From the simulation results, the MPC controller achieved good set-point tracking and disturbance rejection, which is an indication of a healthy level of regulation within acceptable tolerances

Shielding Adequacy of Conventional X-ray Facilities in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria using RadShield Software

Over time x-ray department gains more patient throughput compared to when it was established, this may lead to changes in room usage, workload and occupancy factor. Therefore, it becomes imperative to re-evaluate the shielding adequacy of the facilities to ensure the appropriate shielding design goal is accomplished. The study was aimed at assessing the shielding adequacy of conventional x-ray rooms in ten radio diagnostic centres in Kano Metropolis using RADSHIELD software. This was a prospective, cross-sectional study. RadShield software version 1.1 was used in the study, parameters such as distances of each wall from a radiation source (D), the average number of patients per week (N), occupancy factor (T), and use factor (U) were inserted into the software together with the shielding design goal (P). Once the result was generated, the design and shielding variables were saved in .xml format. The data were analyzed using Excel 2016. Ten facilities were studied involving 14 x-ray rooms. Room III had the largest room size of 49.2 m2 while room X had the least room size of 12.8 m2. Room II had the longest source image distance (SOD) of 180cm while room IV had the shortest (120cm). The design barrier thickness was thickest (47 cm) in room II and thinnest (1.5 cm) in barrier 5 of room III. All the x-ray rooms had the ideal room size except facilities G and H. The design barrier thickness in the radiology department of all the conventional x-ray rooms involved in the study was adequate

Knowledge of health effects and determinants of psychoactive substance use among secondary school students in Sokoto Metropolis, Nigeria

Introduction:&nbsp;psychoactive substance use (PSU) is a patterned use of a drug in which the user consumes the substance in amounts or methods which are harmful to themselves or others. Psychoactive substance use takes a considerable toll on financial status, academic achievement and health status of addicts. In Nigeria, PSU is on the increase, one of the most disturbing health-related problems and a leading cause of premature death among school aged population worldwide. We therefore, determined the knowledge of health effects and determinants of psychoactive substance use among secondary school students in Sokoto Metropolis, Nigeria. Methods:&nbsp;we conducted a cross-sectional study among 430 secondary school students that were selected using multistage sampling in Sokoto, Northwestern, Nigeria from April to May 2019. We collected data using a semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. We calculated proportions and adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) in a binary logistic regression model. Results:&nbsp;knowledge of health effects of PSU was good in 38.1% of the respondents with a mean score of 19.6 ± 10.0. The overall prevalence of PSU was high among current users (16.3%), male participants (78.6%) and those aged 17-years or more (68.6%). Independent predictors of current use of psychoactive substances were poor knowledge of health effects (aOR: 4.1, 95% CI: 1.7-10.0) and father´s use of psychoactive substances (aOR: 10.3, 95% CI= 1.9-57.1). Conclusion:&nbsp;knowledge of health effects of psychoactive substances was generally poor among the participants with an associated high prevalence among current users. Poor knowledge of its health effects determines the use of psychoactive substances. We conducted awareness campaigns and health talk on health effects of PSU to secondary school students in the state. The Federal Ministry of Education should ensure that PSU-related topics are incorporated in the secondary school curriculum