University's catalytic effect in engendering local development drives: insight into the instrumentality of community-based service learning

The context of this paper is Africa, where communities have historically looked up to universities within their locality to maximize their intellectual capital and knowledge creation to foster regional development. How well these universities are actively responding to the demands of economic and social development require attention. This paper reports an instrumental case study involving in-depth interviews and focus groups within a bounded locality in Cameroon to address what universities can do to enhance their contribution to local development. Findings suggest that whilst a university’s community-based service learning (CBSL) scheme can be ascertained as an instrument that can engender local development, this requires the fostering of relevant education for informed participation of different stakeholders in the framing but also firming up of CBSL objectives and processes. Furthermore, in order to optimize the prospect for local development instigated by CBSL activities, relevant stakeholders should go beyond short-term planning and adopt futuristic sustainable strategies. There is need to promote deeper dissemination, as well as follow-up on field findings for sustained implementation and outcomes

Modelling Heat Transfer of Carbon Nanotubes

Modelling heat transfer of carbon nanotubes is important for the thermal management of nanotube-based composites and nanoelectronic device. By using a finite element method for three-dimensional anisotropic heat transfer, we have simulated the heat conduction and temperature variations of a single nanotube, a nanotube array and a part of nanotube-based composite surface with heat generation. The thermal conductivity used is obtained from the upscaled value from the molecular simulations or experiments. Simulations show that nanotube arrays have unique cooling characteristics due to its anisotropic thermal conductivity.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

Analytical technique for simplification of the encoder-decoder circuit for a perfect five-qubit error correction

Simpler encoding and decoding networks are necessary for more reliable quantum error correcting codes (QECCs). The simplification of the encoder-decoder circuit for a perfect five-qubit QECC can be derived analytically if the QECC is converted from its equivalent one-way entanglement purification protocol (1-EPP). In this work, the analytical method to simplify the encoder-decoder circuit is introduced and a circuit that is as simple as the existent simplest circuits is presented as an example. The encoder-decoder circuit presented here involves nine single- and two-qubit unitary operations, only six of which are controlled-NOT (CNOT) gates

A General SU(2) Formulation for Quantum Searching with Certainty

A general quantum search algorithm with arbitrary unitary transformations and an arbitrary initial state is considered in this work. To serach a marked state with certainty, we have derived, using an SU(2) representation: (1) the matching condition relating the phase rotations in the algorithm, (2) a concise formula for evaluating the required number of iterations for the search, and (3) the final state after the search, with a phase angle in its amplitude of unity modulus. Moreover, the optimal choices and modifications of the phase angles in the Grover kernel is also studied.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure

Nitrate in Groundwater and its Associated Health Risk: A Cross-Sectional Study in Mukim Salor, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia

Background: Mukim Salor is an agricultural area in the district of Kota Bharu, Kelantan state, Malaysia. Farmers there use nitrogen-based fertilizers for paddy and vegetable planting. The use of these types of fertilizers may lead to contamination of nitrate in groundwater by the process of leaching into the soil. Kota Bharu is one of the areas in this country where the population still rely on groundwater as their main source of potable water. Daily use of water contaminated with nitrate may give rise to problems including “methe­moglobaenamia” or blue baby syndrome and shortness of breath. At the moment, there are no data available on nitrate levels or hazard index associated with nitrate exposure in groundwater in Mukim Salor. This study aimed to determine nitrate levels in groundwater and to perform health risk assessment from nitrate exposure among residents in Mukim Salor, a subdistrict in the district of Kota Bharu, Kelantan, an east coast state in Peninsular Malaysia. Subjects and Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted among residents from Mukim Salor, Kelantan, Malaysia. Fifty (50) respondents were chosen based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and they were initially interviewed in order to obtain demographic data and groundwater usage information. Groundwater samples were taken from each of the respondent’s house who used groundwater exclusively for drinking and cooking. The samples were then analyzed using a HACH brand DR 1900 direct reading spectro­photometer. Risk assessment on exposure to nitrate was also calculated. Results: Nitrate levels ranged from 0.1 to 2.8 mg/L, with a mean of 1.08 + SD 0.64 mg/L. Nitrate levels in the area of study did not exceed the standard set by the health authorities (<10 mg/L) and there was no significant risk of nitrate contamination in ground water (where HI<1). Conclusion: Residents in Mukim Salor, Kelantan, Malaysia, were exposed to low levels of nitrate in groundwater. Keywords: Agriculture, nitrate, groundwater, methemoglobinaemia, health risk assessment, Mukim Salor

A General Phase Matching Condition for Quantum Searching Algorithm

A general consideration on the phase rotations in quantum searching algorithm is taken in this work. As four phase rotations on the initial state, the marked states, and the states orthogonal to them are taken account, we deduce a phase matching condition for a successful search. The optimal options for these phase are obtained consequently.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figure

Evidence for s-wave pairing from measurement on lower critical field in MgCNi3MgCNi_3

Magnetization measurements in the low field region have been carefully performed on a well-shaped cylindrical and an ellipsoidal sample of superconductor $MgCNi_3$. Data from both samples show almost the same results. The lower critical field $H_{c1}$ and the London penetration depth $\lambda$ are thus derived. It is found that the result of normalized superfluid density $\lambda^2(0)/\lambda^2(T)$ of $MgCNi_3$ can be well described by BCS prediction with the expectation for an isotropic s-wave superconductivity.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev.

High Throughput Studies of Cell Migration in 3D Microtissues Fabricated by a Droplet Microfluidic Chip

Arrayed three-dimensional (3D) micro-sized tissues with encapsulated cells (microtissues) have been fabricated by a droplet microfluidic chip. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a polymerized collagen network. One or multiple breast cancer cells were embedded within the microtissues, which were stored in arrayed microchambers on the same chip without ECM droplet shrinkage over 48 h. The migration trajectory of the cells was recorded by optical microscopy. The migration speed was calculated in the range of 3–6 µm/h. Interestingly, cells in devices filled with a continuous collagen network migrated faster than those where only droplets were arrayed in the chambers. This is likely due to differences in the length scales of the ECM network, as cells embedded in thin collagen slabs also migrate slower than those in thick collagen slabs. In addition to migration, this technical platform can be potentially used to study cancer cell-stromal cell interactions and ECM remodeling in 3D tumor-mimicking environments