Weathering and Iron Oxide Mineralogy of Hong Kong Granite

This thesis describes the research work done on the mineralogy and properties of iron oxides in a weathered granite from Hong Kong Island. In general, after the initial introductory chapters, subsequent chapters present studies made using different techniques with one chapter discussing one technique. Chapter 1 gives the Introduction to the research and presents a basis for the study as well as the aim of the research. The methodology used in accomplishing the aims is presented. Chapter 2 reviews the past literature relating to the investigation. The structure of the different iron oxides as proposed by past workers as well as the occurence, properties and characteristics of iron oxides in the soil environment are reviewed. In Chapter 3 descriptions of the soil materials are given in order to provide a framework of reference for the main part of the work. The sampling methods and both the field and laboratory descriptions of the soils used in the study are provided together with a brief geology of the sampling site. The initial sample preparation done prior to testing the soils has been outlined and results of preliminary tests such as particle size analysis and scanning electron microscopy presented. Chapter 4 presents the aspect of the investigation where wet chemistry was used to provide additional information which helped in explaining some of the observation of the main techniques used. The chemical tests perfomed included concentration methods for the iron oxides using the 5 M boiling NaOH and HF methods, selective dissolution using dithionite citrate bicarbonate and acid ammonium oxalate methods, and determination of the chemical contents of the untreated soils and residues obtained from the different treatments. pH and organic content determination of the soils were also performed. Chapter 5 presents the electron microscopy study on the different fractions of the soils. The method has the advantage of allowing direct observation of the particles being studied. The theories explaining the acquisition of images in the transmission electron microscope are included. The experimental methods used for transmission and scanning electron microscopy are also presented. Complementary results of scanning electron microscopy are also given. The clay minerals and iron oxide minerals were identified on the basis of data provided by electron diffraction and lattice images, and the morphology of the different minerals is described. Chapter 6 presents X--- ray diffraction analysis on the samples. The technique complements electron microscopy in the identification of the mineralogy of the various soil components. Furthermore X-ray diffraction made it possible to estimate Al substitution for Fe in the iron oxide structure, a property that helped in explaining the formation and occurence of the iron oxides in the soils. The experimental technique and testing procedures are given and the results presented and discussed. Chapter 7 gives the details of the infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetery study of the soils. Both methods allowed a study of the mineralogy of the clays and iron oxides in the soils, thereby complementing the work done using electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Some additional information on particle size of some of the clay minerals was also obtained. The characteristics of the infrared vibrations and DSC traces of the iron oxides have been explained on the basis of some peculiar properties of the oxides. Chapter 8 presents a general discussion on the basis of the collective results obtained from using the different analytical techniques. The chapter also serves as a summary for some of the results presented earlier in the different chapters. Important conclusions drawn from these results are presented and discussed

Effectiveness of social media platforms for product marketing in southwestern Nigeria: a firm-level analysis

The development of social media has provided a paradigm shift in the way firms communicate with their customers, suppliers, competitors and other external sources. Much more as it relates to getting inputs, recommendations and feedbacks on their products. Despite these windows of benefits provided by social media, little is known about its effective use among SMEs, especially in the context of firms in developing countries like Nigeria. This paper thus examined firm-level analysis of the effectiveness of social media platforms in Southwestern Nigeria. The study focused on firms that are into servicing and sales of consumer technology and clothing. Data were collected through the administration of structured questionnaire with a sample of 400 respondents. The findings showed that there were positive and significant correlation between average total sales and increased revenue (r = 0.226, ρ<0.05), sales increase (r = 0.291, ρ<0.05), increases customers (r = 0.200, ρ <0.05) and product feedbacks (r = 0.121, ρ<0.01). Based on the result, firm’s deployment of social media platforms for product marketing activities had positive impact on sales performance. The result further showed that educational background of the CEO/manager is key as it impacts the extent to which manager’s use the social media technology to promote firms presence online as well as to market their products. The research also found that customer loyalty could gain via the social web platforms. This was as revealed by the average followership received by the businesses online. It is therefore imperative for business aspiring to grow their market share on their products to leverage on the available social media tool, especially Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for competitiveness within the business space.Keywords: Social media platforms, Firms, Product marketing, Effectiveness, Total sale

A case report of early diagnosis of asymptomatic hairy cell leukemia using flow cytometry

Hairy Cell Leukemia is an infrequent leukemia that can be recognized both microscopically and flow cytometrically once the patient develops symptoms. We present a case where early diagnosis was achieved using flow cytometry long before the patient became symptomatic. This was achieved by focusing on a small percentage (0.9%) of total leukocytes that exhibited a higher side scatter and brighter CD19/CD20 than the remaining lymphocytes. A bone marrow aspirate three weeks later confirmed the presence of malignant B-cells. Shortly after, the patient presented splenomegaly and complained of fatigue

Pattern of Computer and Internet Use among Teachers in Higher Institutions in Nigeria

This research borders on assessing teachers’ competences in the use of ICT tools in teaching and research in Nigeria. Two common ICTs: the computer and the internet were selected, and the skills and attitudes of teachers in 7 Nigerian higher Institutions were assessed. About 760 questionnaires were distributed to 7 higher institutions comprising 4 Universities, 2 Polytechnics & one College of Education; a response rate of 67% was achieved. Our result showed that about 96.7% of the teachers have access to a PC and 84.9% have self-owned PCs. Access to Internet stood at 88.6% and the point of access was traced mostly to cyber cafés (49.8%), although slightly over half of all respondents (54.4%) claimed to have access point in their offices, and one out of every 5 have Internet connections at home. Encouragingly, 40.8% and 37.5% have more than 5yrs experience using both computer and the internet respectively and a paltry 8.5% have used both the computer and the internet for less than one year across the institutions. About 53% of these teachers were found to be frequent with the use of the computer out of which 45% spend up to 5hrs on a weekly basis. On the overall, time spent online per teacher is calculated at about 5hrs per week. A good number of the teachers were found to be proficient with varied computer applications and several Internet services (mean=3.51, S.D 1.08). To foster improved access and use of both Computer and the Internet, a number of useful policy directions are advanced. This tends to increase Teacher's productivity in all higher school of Learning

Readability, stability, and internal consistency of a new psychometric inventory on evidence-based practice in physiotherapy

Evidence-based practice (EBP) has, in the last decade, gained global prominence in health care professions because it provides the framework for lifelong and self-directed learning. These traits are crucial for the continued provision of quality health care. This study sets out to develop a culturally appropriate instrument to measure physiotherapists' knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors relative to the use of EBP and establish the instruments' psychometric properties. A 53-item EBP inventory that consisted of seven parts sociodemographic, EBP competence and behaviors, perceived knowledge of EBP, perceived skills and resources, attitudes about EBP, and barriers related to the use of EBP was created. Theinstrument was administered to 25 physiotherapists within a two-week interval on two occasions. The Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid scores for the instrument were 49.5 and 8.3, respectively. Its Cronbach alpha range from "fair" (0.333, p<.001) to "almost perfect" (0.837, p<.001). The test-retest (stability) scores for the instrument parts were significantly (?2 = 4.738, p<.038) different for only one (competence on EBP) of the seven factors. The overall findings revealed the instrument is relatively easy to comprehend, highly stable, and internally consistent. The availability of this instrument will promote further studies of EBP in physiotherapy

The Cassava Genome: Current Progress, Future Directions

The starchy swollen roots of cassava provide an essential food source for nearly a billion people, as well as possibilities for bioenergy, yet improvements to nutritional content and resistance to threatening diseases are currently impeded. A 454-based whole genome shotgun sequence has been assembled, which covers 69% of the predicted genome size and 96% of protein-coding gene space, with genome finishing underway. The predicted 30,666 genes and 3,485 alternate splice forms are supported by 1.4 M expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Maps based on simple sequence repeat (SSR)-, and EST-derived single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) already exist. Thanks to the genome sequence, a high-density linkage map is currently being developed from a cross between two diverse cassava cultivars: one susceptible to cassava brown streak disease; the other resistant. An efficient genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach is being developed to catalog SNPs both within the mapping population and among diverse African farmer-preferred varieties of cassava. These resources will accelerate marker-assisted breeding programs, allowing improvements in disease-resistance and nutrition, and will help us understand the genetic basis for disease resistance

High genetic diversity among and within bitter manioc varieties cultivated in different soil types in Central Amazonia

Although manioc is well adapted to nutrient-poor Oxisols of Amazonia, ethnobotanical observations show that bitter manioc is also frequently cultivated in the highly fertile soils of the floodplains and Amazonian dark earths (ADE) along the middle Madeira River. Because different sets of varieties are grown in each soil type, and there are agronomic similarities between ADE and floodplain varieties, it was hypothesized that varieties grown in ADE and floodplain were more closely related to each other than either is to varieties grown in Oxisols. We tested this hypothesis evaluating the intra-varietal genetic diversity and the genetic relationships among manioc varieties commonly cultivated in Oxisols, ADE and floodplain soils. Genetic results did not agree with ethnobotanical expectation, since the relationships between varieties were variable and most individuals of varieties with the same vernacular name, but grown in ADE and floodplain, were distinct. Although the same vernacular name could not always be associated with genetic similarities, there is still a great amount of variation among the varieties. Many ecological and genetic processes may explain the high genetic diversity and differentiation found for bitter manioc varieties, but all contribute to the maintenance and amplification of genetic diversity within the manioc in Central Amazonia. © 2017, Sociedade Brasileira de Genética