Performance of No-Filter Smooth Drain Pipe on Clayey Loam

The performance of smooth drainage pipes fitted with no-filter material as against those with nylon, rice husks and cowpea chaffs were investigated. The study was conducted on a clayey loam during the 2005, 2006 and 2007 rainy seasons.  The experimental design was completely randomized design replicated three times.  The treatments applied include drains installed with cowpea chaff, rice husks, no-filter and nylon drainage filter materials.  The filter materials were compressed using locally available materials and installed manually to a soil depth of 25 cm using ASABE Standards (2006). The drainage area was about 180 m2 (0.432 ha) with a buffer zone of 1m allowed in between the plots.  The slope along the length was 3.90 % and across the length was 1.63 %.  The soil physical characteristics like the texture, moisture content, field capacity and bulk density were determined.  Properties such as load at peak, strain at peak, energy at peak, load at yield and energy at yield were highest for sand samples collected from no-filter treated pipes with recorded average values of 958.5 N, 36.53 Nm, 22.45 %, 195.63 N, and 0.93 Nm respectively.  Nylon filter pipes gave the highest strain at yield recording an average value of 8.54 mm.  Rice filter samples recorded the highest deformation at yield value of 9.29 mm. Results of the drainage yield showed that during the 2005 rainy season, plots treated with no-filter material gave the highest discharge of 56.3 l/day, while plots with rice husk gave a discharge of 44.8 l/day. For the 2006 rainy season, plots treated with no-filter material gave the highest discharge of 500.4 l/day, while plots with bean chaff gave the lowest discharge of 60 l/day.  For the 2007 rainy season, for first 11 days plots treated with no-filter recorded the highest amount of discharge recording the highest value of 110.8 l/day while plots treated with rice husk gave the highest drainage yield for the remaining 19 days recording the highest amount of 120.9l/day. The results showed that for the same rainfall amount and pattern, plot with rice husk gave the highest drainage yield of 148.9l/day, while plot with control (no-envelope) gave the lowest drainage yield of 99.4 l/day. The plots treated with nylon-synthetic material produced the best water quality because it was free of debris, smell and the discharge was clear, while that of the others were loaded with debris and discharge has a foul smell.  The study shows that drainpipes can be installed successfully in the area under study without using filter material because of the high drainage discharge and also because there is no decay of material with time

Relative Effectiveness of Water Hyacinth, Bacteria and Fungi in Purifying Sewage

The relative effectiveness of water hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes) (phytoremedian), bacteria and fungi (bioremedians) used for the purification of domestic sewage was carried out using Completely Randomised Design (CRD) replicated three times. Treatments imposed include: no treatment (control), 1kg and 2kg water hyacinth, bacteria and fungi cultures. Physical, bacteriological and chemical properties of domestic sewage were investigated before and after purification. The results show that for suspended solids, cultured tanks treated with 2kg water hyacinth reduced the sewage concentration from 73mg/l to 37.5mg/l, dissolved solids was reduced from 312mg/l to 266mg/l, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) was reduced from 11.2mg/l to 4.37mg/l, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) was reduced from 7.6mg/l to 2.7mg/l. Dissolved Oxygen increased from 6.8mg/l to 7.17mg/l for 2kg hyacinth treatment due to photosynthesis but reduced to 3.7 for fungi. The cultured tanks treated with bacteria performed best in reducing turbidity and bacteriological properties of sewage. Turbidity was reduced from 5.8NTU to 1.2NTU for tanks cultured with bacteria. During the first three weeks, the hyacinth's growth was very rapid. It effectively depleted the nutrients present in the sewage, by the 4th week, gradual wilting of water hyacinth was noticed and by the end of the 5th week, serious wilting occurred due to deficiency in essential nutrients. The 2kg water hyacinth tanks wilted permanently due to total consumption of sewage. The results show that purification potential of water hyacinth is related to plants population with the 2kg hyacinth's tanks purifying better than the 1kg hyacinth density and also that bacteria purifies sewage better than fungi. Generally the 2kg water hyacinth was best in reducing the physio-chemical properties of the sewage better than the other treatments applied while the tanks treated with bacteria performed best in reducing bacteriological properties of sewage. Keywords:-Purification, sewage, phytoremediation, water hyacinth, bioremediation, bacteria and fungi.

A Comparison of the Effects of Mentorship and Self-efficacy on the Career Advancement of Nurses Educated Internationally and in the United States

Introduction: Excellence, professional and personal fulfillment of nurses underscores the need for all registered nurses (RNs) to keep their skills and competencies current through professional development and career advancement opportunities. Professional development is the process by which healthcare professionals keep their skills and competencies current to meet the healthcare needs of their patients. Career advancement serves as a tool that supports nursing excellence. However, emerging evidence suggests that internationally educated nurses (IENs) progress relatively slowly through the career ladder and participate less in professional development opportunities compared to their indigenous counterparts, such as nurses educated in the U.S.(UENs). It is important to understand the factors that influence professional development and career advancement of all nurses, and particularly IENs. Mentorship and self-efficacy are major determinants of career advancement, but the influence of these two variables on professional development, and career advancement of nurses is yet to be explored. This study seeks to understand how mentorship and self-efficacy have influenced nurses’ participation in professional development and career advancement activities. Methods: This study used a descriptive-correlational survey design and content analysis of open-ended questions to examine differences in levels of mentoring functions and self-efficacy of IENs compared to nurses UENs. It also explores the association among mentorship, self-efficacy, professional development and career advancement of both groups of nurses. A web-designed questionnaire was used to reach potential participants through an online survey. Results: Results showed that the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents closely matched the U.S. nursing workforce reported in other studies. Only the role model subscale score of mentorship was significantly different between the groups. Self-efficacy was similar in both groups. While there were similarities in some professional development and career advancement measures, significant disparities were noted in others. Analysis of the open-ended questions revealed that a healthy work environment is critical for nurses’ engagement in professional development and career advancement opportunities. Both groups of nurses face similar professional development challenges; however, some of the factors leading to the challenges differ between UENs and IENs. Conclusion Mentorship is essential for nurses’ professional development. The socio-demographic characteristics of mentors are equally important, as nurses look up to their mentors as role models. Nurse leaders are challenged to create a healthy work environment and implement a standardized career advancement structure that will promote professional growth and development in nursing. This is essential for nurses to remain vital and leading members of the interdisciplinary care team. Each nurse has the responsibility to engage in self-leadership for personal and professional fulfillment. In comparison to UENs, IENs are only somewhat successful in the U.S. nursing workforce. Considerable work is needed to bridge the gaps in professional development and career advancement between UENs and IENs. This study identifies some of the areas where the differences exist, as well as some of the factors that contribute to these differences. Further research is necessary to validate these findings and understand the mechanisms that underlie these disparities.Dr.N.P., Nursing -- Drexel University, 201

CD4 and CD8 counts of Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccinated neonates in parts of Edo and Delta States, Nigeria

This study examines the cellular immune factors responsible for combating infections by assessing CD4 and CD8 counts of neonates (pre and post BCG vaccination). A total of 373 blood samples were collected from neonates that visited the immunization clinics at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Irrua and Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, Nigeria. CD4 and CD8 easy count kit (Partec, Germany) was used for the determination of CD4 and CD8  count respectively, while the samples were analysed using SL-blue Cyflow. At ISTH Irrua, 191 samples were analyzed (130:60; pre and post vaccination), while at Asaba, 182 samples were analysed (120:62; pre and post vaccination). The results showed that CD4 count was significantly higher for Pre vaccination than Post vaccination at both locations. At FMC Asaba, the CD4 count for females was significantly higher than in males (pre-BCG vaccination), while CD4 count was not significantly affected by gender at Irrua, ISTH. CD8 increases in both locations but was not significantly affected by gender. The findings of this study therefore suggests that there is a cell mediated immune response to BCG vaccine by both the male and female neonates and this is associated with a decrease in CD4 count (post vaccination).Keywords: Edo, Delta, Male, Female, Neonates, BCG, CD4, CD

Factors influencing business intelligence and analytics usage extent in South African organisations

Through extensive use of business intelligence and analytics, organisations are better positioned to support fact-based decision making, ultimately leading to improved organisational performance. However, while some organisations recognise and exploit the benefits of business intelligence and analytics use, others fail to capitalise on its potential. It is pertinent therefore to examine factors influencing Business Intelligence and Analytics use within organisations. The three contexts of the Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework was used as the foundational framework. It is hoped that the findings presented will contribute to a greater understanding of factors influencing business intelligence and analytics usage extent to researchers and practitioners alike. Organisations seeking to promote fact-based decision making through greater business intelligence and analytics use will apply and be better equipped to drive such endeavours

Integrated Marketing Communications and Customer Loyalty in Nigeria’s Telecommunications Industry

This study focused on integrated marketing communications and customer loyalty in the telecommunications industry in Nigeria. Lagos State, Nigeria constitutes the scope of the study being that it is the commercial hub of Nigeria and there resides a huge population of telecoms subscribers. Survey design was adopted for the study. Cross-sectional data were collected across the twenty local government areas in Lagos State with the aid of a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire administered on 600 telecommunications subscribers yielded 82.3% response rate. Using descriptive statistics, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy and Bartlett’s test of sphericity, the data collected were analyzed. The findings reveal that integrated marketing communications (IMC) has a significant positive effect on customer loyalty. The result further shows that each of the proxies of IMC studied influenced customer loyalty at varying degrees, ranging from high to weak extent. It can therefore be inferred that implementation of IMC in the telecommunications industry in Nigeria enhances customer loyalty. Some recommendations were made and the managerial implications highlighted.

Influence of Land Use Types on Physical and Chemical Properties in Oba Hill Forest Reserve, Iwo, South-western Nigeria

Ecosystems have been affected by series of activities that occurred on lands. The effects of land use change on the physical and chemical properties of the soil in Oba Hill Forest Reserve have been studied using standard instrumentation techniques. Results obtained showed that the texture of the soils ranged from loam to sandy loam while the pH of the soils from the four land use types ranged from 4.92 (acidic) to 7.80 (alkaline).The bulk densities in soils from the four land use types are natural forest (1.01 g/m3), teak plantation (1.21 g/m3), farmland (1.55 g/cm3) and residential (1.66 g/m3). Concentration of Mn in soils are higher than Zn, Cu and Fe from the all the studied land use types. Higher mean concentration values of Mn is recorded in soils from natural land (98.12±0.99 mg/kg) followed by plantation land with mean value of 74.32±0.52 while soils from residential land had lowest mean value of 19.59±0.13mg/kg. Soils from the natural land also have the highest mean concentrations value of Fe (69.04±0.26 mg/kg), Zn (21.48±0.11mg/kg) and Cu (15.43±0.04 mg/kg) while least mean concentration values of Fe (25.46±0.03 mg/kg), Zn (8.59±0.01mg/kg) and Cu (3.55±0.01mg/kg) are recorded in residential land. The results revealed that changing in land use types from natural forest to residential land decrease the organic matter, available nitrogen, soil moisture, porosity exchangeable cations, micronutrients and increased the bulk density in the soils. This study has shown that land use types can affect soil properties and existence of essential nutrients in the soils. &nbsp

Purification, characterization and toxicity of a mannose-binding lectin from the seeds of Treculia africana plant

In this study, a mannose-specific, homodimeric lectin from the seeds of Treculia africana was purified, characterized and its adverse effects were investigated in mice. The purification protocol involved anionic exchange chromatography on DEAE-Cellulose followed by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The hemagglutinating activity of lectin towards human erythrocytes was sensitive to inhibition by D-mannose. Treatment of the protein with EDTA exerted no inhibitory effect; however, analysis of metal content by atomic absorption spectroscopy revealed the presence of Cu2+, Fe3+, and Mg2+. The results obtained showed that the lectin possesses maximum hemagglutinating activity towards human erythrocytes activity over the pH range 3–7.2 and is relatively thermostable up to 50°C. Periodic acid Schiff's (PAS) reagent staining showed that the protein was non-glycosylated while its amino acid composition analysis revealed that the protein contained 155 residues per subunit. The subunit had a minimal molecular weight of 22,139 Daltons, while the native molecular weight was estimated to be 41,000 Daltons. The lectin was found to be moderately toxic to mice with an LD50 of 47.21 µg g−1 body weight while, histopathological analysis showed no treatment related effects in any of the organs examined

Communication on plant health risks:Social science research, audience segmentation, and communication strategy for an EU awareness‐raising campaign

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) carried out preparatory work to inform an EU awareness-raising communication campaign on plant health risks. In a first phase, this included social science research and audience segmentation to inform appropriate choices regarding targeting and topics to be covered. Mixed methods research was carried out – including analysis of survey data, literature review and in-depth interviews –, to identify plant health awareness, knowledge, risk perception, preferred information sources and trust in different actors. Four “personas” were developed based on the results, representing four potential audience segments: “curious traveller” (P1), “home gardener and hobby farmer” (P2), “conscious young parent” (P3), and “adventurous and green foodie” (P4). The research also included an additional focus on stakeholders involved in plant health, agriculture, and related sectors since they can support the objectives and reach of a campaign. Then, in a second phase, the communication strategy for the 3-year campaign was designed, building on the social research as well as on situational analysis and a stakeholder mapping. The proposed strategy for the campaign foresees targeting of P1, P2 and P3, and entails using a progressive model aimed at raising target audiences’ awareness (Year 1), triggering critical thinking (Y2), and activating and creating advocacy (Y3). A crucial role will also be played by plant sector operators, who will be involved in dedicated activities and act as touchpoints and amplifiers for the campaign. The strategy provides a common framework allowing Member States (MSs) to fully localise the national implementation and to join the campaign throughout its 3-year course. The report outlines the objectives and topics defined for the different years of the campaign per target audience, as well as the tactics and the evaluation methodology. EFSA plans to launch the campaign in summer 2023 in collaboration with participating MSs

Incidence of Bladder Cancer in Sri Lanka: Analysis of the Cancer Registry Data and Review of the Incidence of Bladder Cancer in the South Asian Population

PurposeTo investigate the incidence of bladder cancer (BC) in Sri Lanka and to compare risk factors and outcomes with those of other South Asian nations and South Asian migrants to the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US).Materials and MethodsThe incidence of BC in Sri Lanka was examined by using two separate cancer registry databases over a 5-year period. Smoking rates were compiled by using a population-based survey from 2001 to 2009 and the relative risk was calculated by using published data.ResultsA total of 637 new cases of BC were diagnosed over the 5-year period. Sri Lankan BC incidence increased from 1985 but remained low (1.36 and 0.3 per 100,000 in males and females) and was similar to the incidence in other South Asian countries. The incidence was lower, however, than in migrant populations in the US and the UK. In densely populated districts of Sri Lanka, these rates almost doubled. Urothelial carcinoma accounted for 72%. The prevalence of male smokers in Sri Lanka was 39%, whereas Pakistan had higher smoking rates with a 6-fold increase in BC.ConclusionsSri Lankan BC incidence was low, similar to other South Asian countries (apart from Pakistan), but the actual incidence is likely higher than the cancer registry rates. Smoking is likely to be the main risk factor for BC. Possible under-reporting in rural areas could account for the low rates of BC in Sri Lanka. Any genetic or environmental protective effects of BC in South Asians seem to be lost on migration to the UK or the US and with higher levels of smoking, as seen in Pakistan