Design of a Wireless Communication Drip Irrigation System using nRF24L01 Technology

In the application of traditional irrigation methods, water saving is not considered. Due to the fact that the water is irrigated directly on the land, crops sometimes undergo increased stress from disparities in the soil moisture, consequently crop performance and output is reduced. This paper discusses an automated drip irrigation system designed to operate based on soil moisture content as detected by soil moisture sensors. The data from the sensors are analyzed and acted upon based on the software (code) loaded onto the microcontrollers. In this system, a microcontroller is assigned each row of crops. Each microcontroller obtains the mean soil moisture from an array of moisture sensors spread across the row. The resultant reading is wirelessly transmitted to and receiver by another microcontroller with the aid of nRF24L01 transceivers. A water reservoir tank of capacity 1000 liters elevated on a stanchion of height 2 meters above the ground is used to store and supply water at the required pressure via gravity to the drip irrigation system when required. The components, design, programming, working, and performance of the circuit are described in this articl

Solar Powered Microcontroller-based Automated Irrigation System with Moisture Sensors

In traditional irrigation approach where water is irrigated on the land without adequate control measures, crops sometimes undergo increased stress with disparities in the soil moisture which consequently reduce the crop performance and output. In this paper, we come up with a prototype to increase crop yield while considering adequate agricultural water management and labour reduction, by adequate control measures in the irrigation process. An automatic irrigation system is designed and developed by integrating several hardware and software features. The system is designed to determine when exactly the soil of crops need water and deliver a controlled amount of water to the root zone of the crops based on the soil moisture state. With the microcontroller, the data obtained from the soil at the roots of the crops will determined how much water for irrigation is needed at a point in time, and supplies it, thereby incorporating good water management practice. The system is designed to run 24/7 on renewable solar energy.

Application of Mechatronics in Agriculture: A review

Mechatronics has found quite a number of useful applications in agriculture. Agriculture as one of the oldest industries, dating as far back as the nomadic age originally depended solely on human effort, then apprehended animal labour, and then came mechanical advances such as diesel/steam-engine tractors and mechanical tools with hydrostatic power which needed control. The answer to unresolved problems relies on more advances that necessitate the replacement of human intellect to meet the requirements for superior autonomy in more indefinite and unstructured environments. Promising disciplines in this framework include Mechatronics, Large-scale optimization and Complex system automation, and our focus is on the advancement of irrigation system. Some of the applications of mechatronics in agriculture and their processes are discussed to gain insight on the state of the art, advantages and weaknesses of several methods employed

Resistance to Cotrimoxazole and Other Antimicrobials among Isolates from HIV/AIDS and Non-HIV/AIDS Patients at Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania

Bacterial resistance has increased in the AIDS era and is attributed to the widespread use of cotrimoxazole prophylaxis against opportunistic infections in HIV/AIDS patients. In Tanzania, cotrimoxazole prophylaxis has been used for more than ten years. Little is known, however, about its impact on the spread of antibiotic resistance in HIV positive patients. This cross-sectional study was done to compare magnitude of bacterial resistance to cotrimoxazole and other antimicrobials among isolates from HIV infected patients on cotrimoxazole prophylaxis and those not on prophylaxis and non-HIV patients attending Bugando Medical Centre (BMC). Susceptibility testing on obtained urine and swab specimens followed Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute, 2010, Guidelines. Of 945 samples collected, 155 had positive bacterial growth after 24 hours of incubation. Of the positive samples (72), 46.4% were from HIV positive patients. The common isolates were E. coli 41.3% (64/155), Klebsiella pneumoniae 17.5% (27/155), and Staphylococcus aureus 16.1% (25/155). Overall, bacterial resistance to cotrimoxazole was 118 (76.1%); among isolates from HIV patients bacterial resistance was 54 (75%), and for isolates from HIV patients on prophylaxis bacterial resistance was 36 (81.3%). HIV seropositivity and cotrimoxazole prophylaxis are not associated with antibiotic resistance observed in bacteria infecting patients attending BMC, Mwanza, Tanzania

Pharmacy students' perceptions of assessment and its impact on learning

Introduction: Outcomes-based education requires active student learning with assessment strategies that foster deep approaches to learning, which are often influenced by students' perceptions of assessment. We aimed to investigate the perceptions of pharmacy students at an Australian university about their experiences of assessment and its impact on their learning. Methods: A mixed-methods study was conducted involving a self-administered questionnaire and semi-structured focus groups. Descriptive statistics were used to rate the perceived value of different assessment tools and confirmed by themes arising from the focus groups. Examination results over a five-year period were also collated to assess congruence between perceptions and academic performance. Results: From the 123 questionnaire and nine focus group participants, short-answer questions were the most positively-received form of assessment due to students being able to demonstrate and receive marks for partial knowledge. Multiple-choice questions received mixed response as they were cited as being useful in assessing student knowledge but potentially difficult to interpret/answer correctly. Reflective pieces received the lowest ratings and were considered the least beneficial. Key identified themes were ensuring quality assurance of assessment processes, use of authentic assessment, timely feedback, and appropriate match between workload and assessment weightings. Overall, there was congruence between students' exam scores and their perceptions of the different assessment types. Conclusions: Strategic planning and delivery of correctly-weighted authentic assessments with the provision of constructive feedback are key elements for active engagement of students and achievement of life-long learning outcomes. © 2019 Elsevier Inc