Mechanical and Microstructural Characterization of Alkali-Activated Coconut Shell Ash Mortar

In this paper, potential of alkaline activation of coconut shell ash (CSA) as binder in mortar was investigated. Coconut shells were collected and calcined at temperature ranges between 500 and 900°C at interval of 100 for 30, 60 and 90 minutes to determine optimum burning condition that produces ash of higher silica content. Chemical composition of the ashes was then determined using X-ray Florescence (XRF) technique. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) of different concentrations of 10, 12, 14 and 16 Molar (M) was used as alkaline activator, while mortar of mix ratio 1:3 was produced, while ratio of the alkali to CSA was of 0.5.  Mortar prisms of size 40 mm  40 mm  160 mm were cast and cured in an oven at a temperature of 80  for 7, 28, 56, 90 and 120 days. Thereafter, flexural and compressive strengths were determined at the end of each curing ages, following standard procedures. Scanning Electron micrographs of the hydrated mortar at 120 days were obtained using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) The results showed the oxide composition did not follow any pattern with increase in temperature but CSA produced at 800 for 1h gave the highest combined silica, alumina and ferric oxides above 70%, which is accepted as minimum value for pozzolanic materials.  Both compressive and flexural strengths of the activated mortar samples were found to increase with increase in activator concentration up to 14M and decline thereafter. At 120 days, the compressive strength was 13.9 N/mm2 while the flexural strength was 6.88 N/mm2. These values were higher than the strengths recommended by Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) for load bearing blocks. It was concluded that activation of CSA with NaOH could be used as binder for non-structural use. The SEM results indicated that mortar made from 14 M had structure that was densely packed compared to other mortar samples produced from other concentrations

Acoustic Events in the Solar Atmosphere from Hinode/SOT NFI observations

We investigate the properties of acoustic events (AEs), defined as spatially concentrated and short duration energy flux, in the quiet sun using observations of a 2D field of view (FOV) with high spatial and temporal resolution provided by the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) onboard \textit{Hinode}. Line profiles of Fe \textsc{i} 557.6 nm were recorded by the Narrow band Filter Imager (NFI) on a $82" \times 82"$ FOV during 75 min with a time step of 28.75 s and 0.08$"$ pixel size. Vertical velocities were computed at three atmospheric levels (80, 130 and 180 km) using the bisector technique allowing the determination of energy flux in the range 3-10 mHz using two complementary methods (Hilbert transform and Fourier power spectra). Horizontal velocities were computed using local correlation tracking (LCT) of continuum intensities providing divergences. The net energy flux is upward. In the range 3-10 mHz, a full FOV space and time averaged flux of 2700 W m$^{-2}$ (lower layer 80-130 km) and 2000 W m$^{-2}$ (upper layer 130-180 km) is concentrated in less than 1% of the solar surface in the form of narrow (0.3$"$) AE. Their total duration (including rise and decay) is of the order of $10^{3}$ s. Inside each AE, the mean flux is $1.6 10^{5}$ W m$^{-2}$ (lower layer) and $1.2 10^{5}$ W m$^{-2}$ (upper). Each event carries an average energy (flux integrated over space and time) of $2.5 10^{19}$ J (lower layer) to $1.9 10^{19}$ J (upper). More than $10^{6}$ events could exist permanently on the Sun, with a birth and decay rate of 3500 s$^{-1}$. Most events occur in intergranular lanes, downward velocity regions, and areas of converging motions.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figure

Implantation of 3D-Printed Patient-Specific Aneurysm Models into Cadaveric Specimens: A New Training Paradigm to Allow for Improvements in Cerebrovascular Surgery and Research.

AimTo evaluate the feasibility of implanting 3D-printed brain aneurysm model in human cadavers and to assess their utility in neurosurgical research, complex case management/planning, and operative training.MethodsTwo 3D-printed aneurysm models, basilar apex and middle cerebral artery, were generated and implanted in four cadaveric specimens. The aneurysms were implanted at the same anatomical region as the modeled patient. Pterional and orbitozygomatic approaches were done on each specimen. The aneurysm implant, manipulation capabilities, and surgical clipping were evaluated.ResultsThe 3D aneurysm models were successfully implanted to the cadaveric specimens' arterial circulation in all cases. The features of the neck in terms of flexibility and its relationship with other arterial branches allowed for the practice of surgical maneuvering characteristic to aneurysm clipping. Furthermore, the relationship of the aneurysm dome with the surrounding structures allowed for better understanding of the aneurysmal local mass effect. Noticeably, all of these observations were done in a realistic environment provided by our customized embalming model for neurosurgical simulation.Conclusion3D aneurysms models implanted in cadaveric specimens may represent an untapped training method for replicating clip technique; for practicing certain approaches to aneurysms specific to a particular patient; and for improving neurosurgical research

Evaluation of Soil Samples in Abeokuta-South Local Government Area of Ogun State, Southwestern Nigeria

This paper presents result of a laboratory investigation on soil samples from Abeokuta South Local Government, Southwestern Nigeria. Three comparative efforts namely standard Proctor (SP), West African Standard (WAS) and modified Proctor (MP), were employed.  The results obtained showed that the compaction characteristics and unconfined compressive strength of the soil samples were found to increase with comparative effort. The unconfined compressive strength (UCS) values increased with compactive effort and decreased with increase in degree of saturation of the soil samples. All the samples did not meet the minimum specified requirements except for A1, A6 and A8. Upon stabilized with cement, samples A2 and A7 did not also meet the minimum CBR value of 180% as specified by the Nigerian General Specification for roads and bridgeworks (1997) or stabilized soil using standard Proctor compactive effort at 4% cement content. However, all the soil samples met the requirement using WAS compactive effort at 4% cement content. The samples met the conventional UCS values of (1500-3000 kN/m2) for base course of lightly trafficked roads while only sample A4 compacted at 10% cement content using WAS compactive effort met  the minimum (3000- 6000 kN/m2) for base course of highly trafficked road.  It is thus recommended that 4% cement should be used as an optimal content to stabilize the soils, if they are to be used as road construction materials

On Some Properties of a Class of Analytic Functions Defined by Salagean Differential Operator

In this work,the upper bounds for Fekete-Szego functional and Second Hankel Determinant are obtained for a class of analytic functions definedby Salagean Differential Operator.The estimates obtained are sharp. &nbsp

GLOBAL SHOCKS AND THEIR IMPACT ON NIGERIA: LESSONS FROM GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS

Developed a-five variable VAR model of the Nigeria economy for period 1970 – 2010, the study tested the general wisdom, ―Global financial crisis does not impact on Nigeria economy‖. Data were mainly sourced from both the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the publication of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) and Philips-Perron (PP) tests were used in testing the null hypothesis that there is a unit root in the time series of interest. The variables considered were (1) log of GDP (2) log of FDI (3) log of REM (4) EXR and (5) CPI. Impulse-response functions were employed to examine the recovery from shocks makes full use of the within-country variation. We introduced the constant term and two lagged values of each variable in each equation and found that the impact of financial crisis on Nigeria was possible through financial links, trade links, remittances and other capital flows.This implies that the common believe about the Nigeria economy that global shocks through financial crisis does not have any impact is not quite accurate, for initially the global shocks made unstable the Nigerian economy through the macroeconomic variables understudied although after the initial instability resulting from the global shocks, the Nigeria economy then dependent less on fluctuations in the global economic crisis. We on that premise opined that the crisis presented an opportunity for Nigeria to unbalance the Nigeria economy by concentrate on leading sectors like power, education, agriculture so that the development of these sector can bring about a locomotive growth and results in balanced sector in the long run