Land Surface Temperature Analysis over Akure

The city of Akure has experienced massive growth in population over the past 30 years. The increased population has brought about modification in the land use and land cover leading to expansion in the urban area. This expansion has implications on the local climate of the area. This paper evaluates the urban expansion and its impact on Land Surface Temperature (LST) in the city of Akure from 1984 to 2014, using remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) approach. Land use-land cover and change detection analysis were carried out for the period 1984 to 2014. Results showed that the urban settlement increased by 9709.62 hectares while the forested area decreased by 7347.2. The implication of the urban expansion on LST reveals an increase in the mean LST of the area (from 24.96 oC to 26.47 oC) with the highest LST value occurring at the city center due to limited vegetative surfaces within the area. The LST also increased across the different land uses and cover over the thirty years of study. In examining the relation between LST and vegetation, the NDVI and LST revealed a strong negative correlation (value of 0.94 and 0.924) between the two for each study period respectively. It is therefore imperative that with the increase in population and the corresponding increase in urban settlement, policies preserving vegetative surfaces (forested areas) should be implemented at every level. Keywords: Land Surface Temperature, Population, Urban expansio

Effect of enrichment with turmeric and ginger on some quality characteristics of fermented maize Ogi

Ogi is a fermented maize product which is commonly used as weaning food for children and as breakfast for adults. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of enrichment with turmeric and ginger on some quality parameters of ogi flour. Turmeric and ginger slurries were prepared and added to the ogi slurry at different percentages as follows: 0CC (100% ogi), GN1 (95% ogi + 5% ginger), GN2 (90% ogi + 10% ginger), GN3 (85% ogi + 15% ginger), TM1 (95% ogi + 5% turmeric), TM2 (90% ogi + 10% turmeric) and TM3 (85% ogi + 15% turmeric). The samples were fermented for 48 h, dried at 55 °C for 24 h to flour and then packaged. Microbial, pH and total titratable acidity (TTA) evaluations were carried out on the samples during fermentation. Nutritional and anti-nutritional contents were also determined. Results showed that the pH of the spiced ogi slurry decreased as total titratable acidity increased during fermentation. The proximate composition showed significant differences (p≤0.05) and increased with the addition of ginger and turmeric, respectively. Considering the ash, crude fat and crude protein contents, the sample TM1 had the highest value of 1.21, 5.92, and 11.89%, while the sample 0CC had the lowest value of 0.64, 3.64, and 5.58%, respectively. The vitamin determinations showed that the sample TM3 had the highest values of vitamin B2, B6 and D. The highest value was recorded in Vitamin C for the sample GN3 (85% ogi + 15% ginger), while the lowest value was recorded in the sample TM1 (95% ogi + 5% turmeric). Tannin, phytate and trypsin inhibitor showed the highest values in the sample TM3. The sensory evaluation showed that the sample GN1 was the most preferred sample. The study established that the enrichment of ogi with turmeric and ginger slurries will improve the nutritional status of major consumers of ogi

Descriptive literature review of human resource information systems (HRIS) adoption issues in the health sector, South Africa

No organisation is ever static. For several reasons, each organisation reviews its aims and objectives from time to time. These reasons may be internally or externally driven. They could also be politically, economically and or socially motivated. Research has established that most of the attempts at bringing about change are based on the needs of employees and customers. Essentially, for the purposes of better management of employees and customers, human resource information systems (HRIS) are touted as the panacea for effective and efficient health sector service delivery. Focusing on South Africa, this paper used the descriptive literature review method to determine HRIS adoption issues within the health sector of South Africa. As an important sector in any growing economy, the health sector in our view benefits from a constant review of its mission. Within the context of South Africa, substantial emphasis is yet to be placed on health sector effectiveness. Elsewhere, in other regions and continents, research on HRIS adoption within the health sector suggests that its adoption is problematic but useful. The South African health sector is yet to fully embrace this technology and as a result is suffering from employee dissatisfaction, brain drain, and general maladministration. Investment in HRIS research is therefore instructive especially within the context of South Africa. What we have found through this review is that investing in HRIS is crucial; however, it requires thorough consideration for its funding, infrastructural support, and skilled manpower among others

Growth and Yield Response of Upland Rice (Oryza sativa L.) to Different Nitrogen Fertilization and Weeding Levels

Weed interference and poor soil fertility are important factors resulting in the poor yield of rice in Nigeria. A 2-year field study was therefore conducted to evaluate the effect of different nitrogen fertilization and weeding levels on growth and yield of upland rice in a forest savannah transition zone of Nigeria. A split-plot design in three replicates was used with three nitrogen fertilization levels (0, 60 and 90 kg ha-1) as the main plot treatments, and four weeding levels (zero weeding, one hoe-weeding, two hoe-weedings and weed-free check) as the subplot treatments. Nitrogen fertilization levels had no significant effect on weed density, biomass and weed control efficacy. However, rice vigour, plant height, number of tillers and leaf area index increased significantly with increasing nitrogen fertilization levels up to 60 kg ha-1 and grain yield up to 90 kg ha-1. Two hoe-weedings increased weed control efficacy similar to the weed-free check better than one hoe-weeding. Rice vigour, tiller number, leaf area index and grain yield increased as number of hoe-weeding also increased. Weed-free check that included four hoe-weedings was not better than two hoe-weedings carried out 3 and 6 weeks after sowing (WAS). The result of this study showed that nitrogen fertilization application at 90 kg ha-1 and two hoe-weedings at 3 and 6 WAS would improve weed control and productivity of upland rice

Growth and Yield Response of Upland Rice (Oryza sativa L.) to Different Nitrogen Fertilization and Weeding Levels

Weed interference and poor soil fertility are important factors resulting in the poor yield of rice in Nigeria. A 2-year field study was therefore conducted to evaluate the effect of different nitrogen fertilization and weeding levels on growth and yield of upland rice in a forest savannah transition zone of Nigeria. A split-plot design in three replicates was used with three nitrogen fertilization levels (0, 60 and 90 kg ha-1) as the main plot treatments, and four weeding levels (zero weeding, one hoe-weeding, two hoe-weedings and weed-free check) as the subplot treatments. Nitrogen fertilization levels had no significant effect on weed density, biomass and weed control efficacy. However, rice vigour, plant height, number of tillers and leaf area index increased significantly with increasing nitrogen fertilization levels up to 60 kg ha-1 and grain yield up to 90 kg ha-1. Two hoe-weedings increased weed control efficacy similar to the weed-free check better than one hoe-weeding. Rice vigour, tiller number, leaf area index and grain yield increased as number of hoe-weeding also increased. Weed-free check that included four hoe-weedings was not better than two hoe-weedings carried out 3 and 6 weeks after sowing (WAS). The result of this study showed that nitrogen fertilization application at 90 kg ha-1 and two hoe-weedings at 3 and 6 WAS would improve weed control and productivity of upland rice

Potentials of Exogenous Melatonin Administration on Growth and Performance of West African Dwarf bucks

The effect of exogenous melatonin (EM) on growth, physiological and haematological parameters of West African dwarf (WAD) bucks was evaluated in the experiment. Intact selected sixteen WAD bucks were distributed into 4 treatment groups of 0, 3, 6 and 9 mg EM. Bucks were orally dozed with EM 3 times per week for 16 weeks. Blood samples were collected at 0th week, 8th week and 16th week of experiment for evaluation of haematological parameters. Analysis of Variance was carried out and significant means were separated using SAS. Results showed bucks given 6 mg EM had higher average daily weight gain of 31.3 g compared with others. Feed and water intake were similar across treatments, but feed conversion ratio was significantly lower in bucks given 6 mg EM. Values recorded in the morning of data collection days showed pulse and respiratory rates to be significantly different, with bucks given 6 mg of EM having lowest values.  6 mg group was also different for packed cell volume (32.57%), haemoglobin (10.72g/dl), red blood cell (11.38 1012 /L), neutrophil (35.50%) and lymphocyte (64.30%). Therefore, dose of 6 mg/animal EM influences growth performance, physiological and haematological parameters of WAD bucks positively and is therefore recommended for WAD bucks for optimal performance

Grain refinement of Al–Zn–Mg alloy during equal channel angular pressing (ECAP)

Locally produced Al–Zn–Mg alloy was subjected to severe plastic deformation through Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) technique at temperatures of 150 °C and 200 °C. Rectangular thick-walled medium carbon steel die (σc = 450Mpa, σy = 176Mpa) with an L-shaped channel of uniform configuration to provide the pressing chamber was used. Four ECAP passes were imposed consecutively on set of samples for 150 °C and 200 °C temperatures, and characterized with optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The phases were identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) using monochromatic Cu Kα radiation, while vickers’ microhardness and tensile tests were performed for mechanical properties examination. Optical micrographs showed no tangible precipitation in the as cast samples with reduced grain width and deformation bands but at high temperatures of 150 °C and 200 °C, precipitation was promoted as a result of slipping systems activation. SEM images of the as-cast alloy exhibits dendrites of 250 ± 20 μm in size with η′ phase (MgZn2) precipitates in the inter-dendritic regions. For 150 °C ECAP temperature, a significant refinement was achieved as the passes increased with sub-grain development within the boundary and the precipitate observed has a grain size of 35 ± 15 μm, 25 ± 10 μm, 15 ± 8 μm and 8 ± 6 μm for first, second, third and fourth passes respectively. However, grain sizes of 85 ± 15 μm, 50 ± 10 μm, 30 ± 8 μm and 10 ± 5 μm for first, second, third and fourth passes were observed for 200 °C ECAP temperature. XRD results showed peaks for aluminum and other phases in as-cast condition with precipitates growth in the alloy after the first pass, identified as metastable η′ phase. As the number of ECAP passes increases, η′ peaks moved towards the equilibrium η phase confirming the transformation of η′ phase to stable η phase. The microhardness, Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and the yield strength of Al–Zn–Mg alloy in different conditions of 150 °C and 200 °C respectively also increased with increase in the number of ECAP passes. This is due to increase in dislocation density, work hardening and grain refinement during ECAP process

Machine learning algorithms for predicting determinants of COVID-19 mortality in South Africa

BackgroundCOVID-19 has strained healthcare resources, necessitating efficient prognostication to triage patients effectively. This study quantified COVID-19 risk factors and predicted COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) mortality in South Africa based on machine learning algorithms.MethodsData for this study were obtained from 392 COVID-19 ICU patients enrolled between 26 March 2020 and 10 February 2021. We used an artificial neural network (ANN) and random forest (RF) to predict mortality among ICU patients and a semi-parametric logistic regression with nine covariates, including a grouping variable based on K-means clustering. Further evaluation of the algorithms was performed using sensitivity, accuracy, specificity, and Cohen's K statistics.ResultsFrom the semi-parametric logistic regression and ANN variable importance, age, gender, cluster, presence of severe symptoms, being on the ventilator, and comorbidities of asthma significantly contributed to ICU death. In particular, the odds of mortality were six times higher among asthmatic patients than non-asthmatic patients. In univariable and multivariate regression, advanced age, PF1 and 2, FiO2, severe symptoms, asthma, oxygen saturation, and cluster 4 were strongly predictive of mortality. The RF model revealed that intubation status, age, cluster, diabetes, and hypertension were the top five significant predictors of mortality. The ANN performed well with an accuracy of 71%, a precision of 83%, an F1 score of 100%, Matthew's correlation coefficient (MCC) score of 100%, and a recall of 88%. In addition, Cohen's k-value of 0.75 verified the most extreme discriminative power of the ANN. In comparison, the RF model provided a 76% recall, an 87% precision, and a 65% MCC.ConclusionBased on the findings, we can conclude that both ANN and RF can predict COVID-19 mortality in the ICU with accuracy. The proposed models accurately predict the prognosis of COVID-19 patients after diagnosis. The models can be used to prioritize COVID-19 patients with a high mortality risk in resource-constrained ICUs

Geospatial analysis of environmental noise levels in a residential area in Lagos, Nigeria

Noise is an inevitable part of daily life and has been identified as a cause of several health deficiencies across the world. It has increasingly become a significant concern on the health and well-being of people. Studies are required to advance knowledge on the sources and impacts of noise in residential neighbourhoods of Lagos State, Nigeria. Therefore, this study assesses the spatial variation of noise levels within a section of the Festac residential area in Lagos in line with noise limits specified by the World Bank Group International Finance Corporation (IFC) Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Guidelines and the Nigerian National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) Noise Standards and Control guidelines for community noise. Data for this research come from a field study comprising measurements of noise levels from 6 observation stations and questionnaire survey with 200 respondents. The criteria for siting the stations was based on factors such as proximity to the roadside, land use and population density, while the questionnaire was administered at random to assess the peoples’ level of awareness on the sources and effects of noise. A digital sound level meter was used to measure noise level variations over a period of 3 weeks for morning, afternoon and evening periods. The measured noise levels were analysed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistics and the Kriging Geostatistical interpolation technique. Also, logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between the respondents’ perceptions to noise and noise levels. The results indicated that the mean noise levels were within the approximate range of 53.5 – 94.0dBA over the entire period. The highest mean noise levels occurred in the north-western part of the study area where a bus park is present. In general, the noise levels in the area surpass the recommended noise limit of 55dBA, and the logistic regression showed that morning, afternoon and evening mean noise levels were significant predictors of noise variation as perceived by the dwellers. Proper legislation to regulate human activities with respect to noise generation is highly recommended to the local, state and national legislators

A systematic literature review of Human Resource Information System (HRIS) usage in the health system of South Africa

This systematic literature review is aimed at determining the predominance of existing studies conducted in HRIS as it relates to HRM, HRH, workforce management and the use of Information Systems (IS) and technology within the health sector. The main findings of the study demonstrate that HRIS benefits are the most researched at 11.8% with a) impact: implementation and IS in healthcare:10.5%; b) effectiveness: motivation, competence, workforce IS and adoption: 9.2%; c) workforce retention and migration: 7.9% d) HRIS and EHRM for decisions 5.3%, e) HRIS in HRM and digital records 2.6%; f) IT in the healthcare setting standing at 1.3%