Balanced dynamics for three dimensional curved flows

Spring 1993.Includes bibliographical references.Sponsored by the National Science Foundation ATM-9115485

Back casting the Abuja City Vision

Most Nigerian cities are faced with the problem of sustainability and there is a need for these cities to re-define their future. This paper aimed at studying why city visions and planning continuously fail in Nigeria despite all efforts by government and city planners to addressing the challenges. With the view of proposing a framework for visioning of a desirable future for Abuja, Nigeria, this study employed the method of using existing literature and related documents in reviewing and examining development efforts of Nigerian cities with Abuja as a case study. Findings from the study show that Nigerian city visions including Abuja consistently fail because of continuous top-bottom and exclusionary approach in executing the visions resulting in a shortfall of a bottom-up participatory approach resulting to several socio-economic and environmental issues. It was recommended that participatory backcasting approach is applied to achieve the desired future vision for Abuja. Backcasting for sustainable city visions entails thought and mental pattern that relates to a prioritised way of pursuing desirable futures envisioned through some distinct steps. It also involved generating a desired future and looking back from that future to the present to strategise and plan to achieve. This study projected a participatory framework for dealing with an all-inclusive re-visioning of Abuja city.</jats:p

Bark removal for medicinal use predisposes indigenous forest trees to wood degradation in Zambia

Bark harvesting for medicinal purposes has become widespread in Zambia, mainly due to the high levels of poverty among the population. The injury caused to trees leads to wood deterioration as a result of insect damage and fungal infection. This study aimed to ascertain the effects of different bark harvesting practices on the quality of wood of selected indigenous tree species often used as medicinal plants. The bark of these trees, which included Julbernardia paniculata, Isoberlinia angolensis, Brachystegia longifolia, Albizia adianthifolia and Parinari curatellifolia, was removed by (1) stripping bark on the side of the tree facing the sun, (2) on the shaded side of the tree, (3) covering the wound with mud immediately after harvesting, (4) stripping at night and (5) no wounding as control. Wood of J. paniculata and I. angolensis was severely deteriorated, displaying extensive tissue discolouration, increased insect infestation and profuse gum exudation, especially when the wound was not covered with mud. Covering the wound site with mud considerably protected the trees from wood deterioration and insect damage and this constitutes the best and most sustainable bark harvesting prescription for biodiversity conservation. Keywords: Africa, Albizia adianthifolia, bark harvesting, Brachystegia longifolia, Isoberlinia angolensis, Julbernardia paniculata, Parinari curatellifolia, tree wounds, wood deteriorationSouthern Hemisphere Forestry Journal 2007, 69(3): 157–16

Tsotsies are disturbing the normal way of life

A morality song about the tsotsies accompanied by guitar

Because of Castle beer, people go naked

A morality song about people spending money on beer accompanied by guitar

Questing activity of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (Acari: Ixodidae) nymphs: a random process?

In Zambia, an experiment under quasi-natural conditions indicated that Rhipicephalus appendiculatus nymphs react to prevailing climatic conditions. Higher temperatures and higher vapour pressure deficits lead to decreased activity. The majority of nymphs (>75%) were recorded at ground level. Simulations showed that larval phenology and temperature during the nymphal premoulting period largely explain the seasonal abundance patterns of nymphs, as observed on cattle, given the absence of a behavioural diapause. Consequently, the effect of climate, as observed in our studies, is masked. However, the results of the present study indicate that daily climatic conditions probably have a much larger effect on the transmission dynamics of Theileria parva. The vertical distribution of questing instars is a function of temperature and humidity. In years of unfavourable conditions, nymphs might feed mainly on hosts other than cattle, and this could govern the infection prevalence in the adult population. This suggestion is supported by previous epidemiological studies

Characteristics of children screened through facility-based activities and contact tracing activities.

Characteristics of children screened through facility-based activities and contact tracing activities.</p