Development of an efficient future energy storage system incorporating fluidized bed of micro-particles:English

This project focuses on the development of efficient energy storage systems by addressing problems commonly encountered in zinc bromide flow batteries. For example, the kinetics of charge, a discharge onto plane electrodes, can be slow, affecting the ability of such a cell to restitute energy quickly to an external load; zinc deposition is also prone to the formation of dendrites, which can become detached from the electrode substrate and reduce the storage capacity of the battery, while those dendrites can also be responsible for damage to the membrane, separating the anolyte and the catholyte. The project also incorporates both theoretical modelling and simulation two using different software packages (ANSYS and COMSOL). In this project, we design a novel fluidized bed electrode for the zinc-bromine (ZnBr2) flow battery, particularly concentrating on its anode. This is achieved by 1. Simulating electrolyte flow to identify reactor shapes and flow parameters that allow large electrolyte volumes to be processed and to support the fluidization of particles. 2. Fabricating an experimental rig from the identified geometry. 3. Carrying out extensive electrochemical testing (cyclic voltammetry, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, chronopotentiometry) to validate the model. The key component of the design is its use of a fluidized bed electrode where particles support the transfer of electron within the cell and provide a locus for electrodeposition of the zinc, improving the kinetics of electron transfer during the charging and discharging cycle. The particles used in the fluidized bed reactor possess intrinsic chemical resistance to the solution components and abrasion

Cotyledon persistence and seedling growth in fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook. F.)

Photosynthetic activity of exposed cotyledons of Telfairia occidentalis during seed germination and the growth of seedlings with removed or attached cotyledons were investigated. The experiment  investigated how early cotyledon removal affects seedling growth. Seedlings from seeds germinated in light and those  germinated in the dark were compared four weeks after germination. The effects of removal of cotyledons on seedling growth were also investigated with  cotyledons removed at different times and from different seed sizes in order to assess the effect of time of removal and seed sizes on seedling growth. Biomass accumulation of the different plant parts, number of leaves and root/shoot ratio were used to assess the relative importance of cotyledon photosynthesis and  cotyledon storage reserves to seedling growth. The cotyledons which are predominantly for storage were found to have a minimal photosynthetic function. Telfairia seedling biomass was significantly reduced (P<0.05) by removal of the cotyledon. Seed size and morphotype influenced the effect of cotyledon removal on seedling growth. The time of cotyledon removal affected all growth parameters negatively with greatest effect on removal at the first week of growth. Cotyledon reserves  support seedling growth of Telfairia occidentalis, and ability to cope with loss of cotyledon is affected by factors such as seed size, morphotype and time of  removal.Keywords: Storage reserves, cotyledon removal, hypogeal, morphotype, Telfairia occidentalis

Risks Associated with the Use of Insecticides in Cowpea Conservation

The use of insecticides by actors in the cowpea value chain highlights the problem of the supposed or real risks of these products with respect to man and his environment. To assess the health and environmental risks generated by these insecticides, we conducted surveys of 100 cowpea producers, 100 insecticide traders, 100 cowpea traders and 100 consumers. According to the results of the surveys, 13 chemicals including 7 pyrethroids, 4 organophosphates and 2 organochlorines are used by cowpea producers and traders in the conservation of cowpea in the central region. Among these insecticides only 2 are approved and the 11 others come from neighboring countries of Burkina Faso, namely Ghana and Togo, despite the control of plant protection and packaging services. The majority of actors surveyed are illiterate (95%). The lack of training and ignorance of the regulations in force on pesticides by insecticide traders, the misuse of chemicals before and after use are factors of environmental pollution. The lack of appropriate protective equipment, ignorance of the existence of approved products and poor food storage conditions create food poisoning among consumers and serious health risks for farmers and traders

Knowledge, risk level and prevalence of Hepatitis B and C among Commercial Mini-bus Drivers in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Antecedentes: Las hepatitis B y C son infecciones hepáticas potencialmente mortales y un importante desafío para la salud pública que afecta a 350 millones de personas con aproximadamente 1,4 millones de muertes anuales. Objetivo: Determinar el conocimiento e investigar la prevalencia de HBV y HCV entre conductores de minibuses comerciales en Ado-Ekiti, estado de Ekiti, Nigeria. Metodología: Diseño descriptivo transversal con estrategia cuantitativa. Se utilizó la técnica de muestreo de etapas múltiples para reclutar a 110 encuestados. Se utilizó un cuestionario adaptado de dos estudios previos para las características sociodemográficas de los participantes, el nivel de conocimiento de la hepatitis B y C, los factores de riesgo y la indecisión ante la vacunación, mientras que las investigaciones de laboratorio se utilizaron para la prevalencia del VHB y el VHC. Para el análisis de los datos se utilizó estadística descriptiva e inferencial. Resultados: Los hallazgos revelaron que un tercio (32,7%) de los encuestados tenían entre 39 y 48 años. La mayoría (73,6%) estaba casada y el 39,1% tenía al menos dos parejas sexuales. La mayoría (80%) ha oído hablar del VHB, mientras que el 75% nunca ha oído hablar del VHC, el 43,6 % y el 59,1% tienen un bajo nivel de conocimiento de la hepatitis B y C. La prevalencia del VHB y anti-VHC entre los encuestados fue del 7,3% y el 1%, respectivamente. Los principales factores de riesgo identificados fueron los tatuajes, las múltiples parejas sexuales y las relaciones sexuales sin protección. Hubo una relación significativa entre el conocimiento de los encuestados sobre la hepatitis B y la edad (X2 = 21,39, p = 0,006) y el número de parejas sexuales (X2 = 21,25, p = 0,002), mientras que solo el nivel educativo (X2 = 13,58, p = 0,035) se asoció significativamente con el nivel de conocimiento de la hepatitis C. Conclusión: Por lo tanto, las enfermeras, otros profesionales de la salud y todas las demás partes interesadas deben realizar esfuerzos decididos sobre los programas de prevención y sensibilización para el VHB y el VHCBackground: Hepatitis B and C are potentially life-threatening liver infections and major public health challenge affecting 350 million people with approximately annual deaths of 1.4 million. Objective: Determine the knowledge and investigate the prevalence of HBV and HCV among commercial mini-bus drivers in Ado- Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. Methodology: Descriptive, cross-sectional design using quantitative strategy. Multistage sampling technique was used to recruit 110 respondents. An adapted questionnaire from two previous studies was used for participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge level of Hepatitis B and C, risk factors and vaccination hesitancy while laboratory investigations were used for HBV and HCV prevalence. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Results: Findings revealed that one-third (32.7%) of the respondents were between 39-48 years. Majority (73.6%) were married with 39.1% having at least two sexual partners. Majority (80%) have heard of HBV while 75% have never heard of HCV, 43.6% and 59.1% have poor knowledge level of hepatitis B and C. The prevalence of HBV and anti-HCV among the respondents were 7.3% and 1% respectively. Major risk factors identified were tattooing, multiple sexual partners, and unprotected sex. There was a significant relationship between respondents’ knowledge of hepatitis B and age (X2 =21.39, p=0.006) and number of sexual partners (X2=21.25, p= 0.002) while only educational background (X2=13.58, p= 0.035) was significantly associated with the knowledge level of hepatitis C. Conclusion: Hence, purposeful efforts on awareness and prevention programs for HBV and HCV should be made by nurses, other healthcare professionals and all other stakeholders

Zoning Formula and the Party Politics in Nigerian Democracy: a Crossroad for PDP in 2015 Presidential Election

The phenomena of zoning and political parties are high stake politics in Nigeria’s democracy. This is because zoning is seen as a mechanism of uniting various diverse people while political parties are the vehicle for realising democracy in Nigeria. Making use of the secondary data, the study examines the issue of zoning/power shift in connection with the party politics with reference to the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigerian body politic. It is observed that the emergence of President Jonathan in 2011 presidential election is a dilemma because the 2015 election has to settle the contentious zoning formula of PDP to satisfy every zone, particularly the South East, to avoid an imploding consequence

Impact of Prepaid Energy Metering System on the Electricity Consumption in Ogbomoso South Local Government Area of Oyo State

Electricity is one of the basic requirements for people and they are widely used for domestic, industrial and agricultural purposes. Every meter is a device that measures the amount of electrical energy consumed by a residence, business or an electrically powered device. This paper presents the impact of prepaid energy metering system on electricity consumption in Ogbomoso South Local Government Area of Oyo state. The results of the paper revealed that about 95% of the pre-paid meter users in the local government area are conscious of electricity management, about 74% of the post-paid meter users were just wasting the energy. The introduction of the pre-paid metering system has increased the revenue collection and hence, reduced the revenue generation of the local government area because of the reliability nature of the metering system. The pre-paid metering system has created a positive impact on the electricity consumption as well as the increment in the price tariff of the electricity. Keywords: Energy metering system, Electricity consumption, Post-paid metering system, Pre-paid metering system, Solid state electronic meters (SSEM)

Studies on Dog Population in Makurdi, Nigeria (I): Demography and Survey of Pet Owners' Beliefs and Attitudes

A survey of dog population in some residential areas of Makurdi, Nigeria, was investigated using household census and street observation methods, while residents' dog-related attitudes and beliefs were investigated using a structured questionnaire. The average number of dogs per household was 1.43. Dog-human ratio in the study location was 1 dog to every 4 persons, in Wurukum residential area this was however less with the ratio of 1 dog to every 3 persons. There was no significant (X2 = 1.42, df = 1, P > 0.05) difference in the distribution of sexes of dogs. The difference between free roaming dogs and those restricted within residential compounds was also not statistically significant (X2 = 1.08, P > 0.05). A total of 198 (98.0%) respondents who owned dogs kept them as house guards and/or security alert; only 18.8% of dog owners kept them as pets. The variation in reasons for keeping dogs was significant (X2 = 12.1, P < 0.05). The majority of respondents who do not own dog (91.7%) said it was to avoid dog bites. A significant proportion of respondents (48.0%) who kept dog could not mention any dog disease or disease transmitted by dogs. The implications of these findings are very critical in the control of rabies and other dog-borne disease and mobilization of residents for more responsible dog ownership in Nigeria

Studies on Dog Population in Makurdi, Nigeria (II): A Survey of Ectoparasite Infestation and its Public Health Implications

This study investigated the current status of dog infestation by ectoparasites, compared infestation between stray and restricted dogs and investigated some beliefs and practices by dog owners in Makurdi. Ectoparasites were collected using the body brushing and hand-picking methods and identified by standard methods. Dog owners' attitude and perceptions were investigated using structured questionnaires. The prevalence of infestation with ectoparasites among male dogs was 31.5%, though this rate was higher when compared with female dogs that had infestation rate of 23.5%. The difference was not statistically significant (X2 = 11.4, df = 1, P > 0.05). Male dogs accounted for 57.8% of the total ectoparasites collected during this study. Stray dogs accounted for 56% of total dogs examined during this study and 58.3% of the ectoparasites were recovered from them. The infestation rates between stray and restricted dogs was statistically significant (X2 = 14, df =1, P<0.05). The relative abundance of Rhipicephalus species (53.5%) was statistically highest. Other species of ticks encountered were Boophilus (31.4%) and Amblyomma (8.4%). Lice and fleas recovered from the dogs during this study belong to Linognathus and Ctenocephalis species respectively. Of the dog-borne disease listed, rabies was the most frequently mentioned by 56% of respondents while only 5.2% mentioned tick infestation as potential health risk to dogs and humans. Bathing dogs with brush, soap and detergents (59.6%) was the most popular method of cleaning dogs in Makurdi. This study demonstrated that several dog owners in Makurdi do not have the adequate dog-care information that will protect the health of their pets and safe-guard human health

Assessment of Financial Risk and Its Impact on an Informal Finance Institutions Profitability

This study examined the connection between financial risk and the profitability of informal financial institutions in Ondo state, Nigeria. Theory assumes risk to have a negative relationship with profitability; however, some studies have proved otherwise. This study used Anuoluwapo cooperative society located in Akure, over a quarterly 5-year period spanning 2015Q1 to 2020Q4. To assess the relationship between financial risk & profitability, the study employed the Pearson correlation to analyse the level of correlation. In assessing the relationship between financial risk & profitability, a data regression model was also used. The correlation coefficients for the variables were positive (+1) & negative (-1). The significance showing a clear indication that there is a strong correlation between financial risk & profitability in Anuoluwapo Cooperative Society. The data regression model shows that P value (0.00) is greater than 0.05; there is an insignificant but positive relationship between the profitability & the financial risk of Anuoluwapo Cooperative Society. This implies that the test considered the random effect model as the most appropriate estimator. The study found out that a unit increase in financial risk would lead to an increase in profitability. From the finding, the study concludes that financial risk positively affects profitability of Anuoluwapo Cooperative Society. The study suggests that since a high level of risk, yield high returns, the process of dealing with risk should be continuous & developing with time

Impact of Embedded Generation on Power Distribution System Voltage Collapse

The term “embedded generation”(EG) refers to electricity generation connected at distribution level rather than transmission level. E.G. can reduce the effect of losses while providing reactive power and contingency reserves to the network. It can also reduce the need for new transmission and distribution facilities consequently reducing overall costs. A distribution system is the system of an overall power system which links the bulk system to the individual customers. Voltage stability is an important performance index which defines the quality of supply. This paper presents the impact of embedded generation (EG) on power distribution system voltage collapse. ABUAD is considered as a case study in the research paper. The voltage stability indices (VSI) are calculated and assessed. The distribution network is reconfigured and the new values of VSI were computed to analyze the optimum configuration. The result of the paper showed that after thee reconfiguration of the system network the maximum KW, KVAR and KVA connected loads on the four selected transformers have increased by 9.11%, 9.04% and 8.44% respectively. The VSI for transformer T1 has increased from 0.0035 to 0.00362 while the VSI for transform T2 also decreased from 0.003845 to 0.0037 after the network reconfiguration. The VSI for transformer T3 and T4 remained constant even after the system network has been modified. The distribution system can be optimized for improved performance indices of which voltage stability is significant. Keywords: Embedded Generation, Voltages Collapse, Stability Index, Distribution Networks, Reconfiguration, Improved Performance, Transformers