Design and Hybrid Simulation of a Larceny Deterrent Energy Evaluation System

The unreliability of the energy system to provide a proper account of energy utilized by consumers has been a huge burden on the distribution system network. Different metering methods and designs to detect and prevent fraud, employed in the past have proven fruitless, thus signalling the need for a much smarter energy metering system. The most frequent problem is electricity larceny, this has incurred a major economic loss in the energy distribution system. To this end, this paper presents the distinctive design and hybrid simulation of a larceny deterrent energy evaluation system, capable of detecting different methods of energy theft within power consumer premises. The method employed comprises of deep understudy of previous work in this field, a model is proposed and is simulated under good working conditions and several theft situations using MATLAB while the hardware is simulated using Proteus 8.1 and Arduino software. In conclusion, the efficiency of the proposed system is evaluated by employing different electric theft algorithms, with the results indicating significant energy cost savings in the distribution network

Inhibition of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz) Sac. causal organism of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) leaf spot using plant extracts

In vitro and in vivo antifungal evaluations were carried out on twenty-one plants selected from fourteen families on a folial pathogen of para rubber, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz). Sac. Extracts ofOcimum basilicum L. and Allium sativum L. exhibited total inhibitory effects on the mycelial growth of C. Gloeosporioides. An evaluation of concentration effects was carried out using four concentrations offive selected plants: A. sativum, Jatropha curcas, O. Basilicum, Vernonia amygdalina and Ageratum conyzoides. A. sativum and O. basilicum totally inhibited conidial germination 24 h after inoculation, and conidial germination in liquid amended media was recorded only in the A. conyzoides amended liquid media. An in vivo evaluation showed that treatment with 100% O. basilicum resulted in disease index (D.I) of 31.7% which was significantly lower than the control 65% D.I at 5% level of probability

Antibacterial properties and preliminary phytochemical analysis of methanolic extract of mistletoe (Tapinanthus bangwensis

Tapinanthus bangwensis (Mistletoe) is a parasitic plant grown on citrus plant and a variety of other plants, used by most communities in Nigeria for the treatment and management of ailments such as diabetics, blood pressure, asthma, epilepsy, cancer of the ovary and breast and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The study was aimed at investigating the antibacterial properties and the phytochemical constituents of the leaves extract. Crude extract of Tapinanthus bangwensis leaves were screened for its antibacterial and phytochemical properties on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella pneumonia. The results showed that the extract at varying concentrations has antibacterial activity on the test organisms. The extract inhibited the growth of the bacterial isolates in a concentration dependent manner with MICs (minimum inhibitory concentration) ranging from 10 – 50mg/ml. Partial purification (Thin Layer Chromatography) of the crude extract revealed five (5) components. Characteristics of these components were viewed by Infrared and UV/VIS spectrophotometer showing the presence of alkaloid, saponin, tannin, steroid and flavonoid. The observed antibacterial activity was believed to be due to the presence of the phytochemical constituents. Keywords: Herbalism, Loranthanceae, Phytochemicals, Test organism

ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE OF MEDIA CAMPAIGNS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN SOUTH-SOUTH ZONE

This article examines public awareness and knowledge of media campaigns on environmental issues in south-south states Nigeria. It argues that media campaigns are strong instrument in public awareness on environmental issues. However the remarkable progress made by media in providing environmental information in Nigeria, there are still substantial constraints to the effective management and development of the environment. The mismanagement of environment in South-South geo-political zones has literally contributed to the problem of erosion and deforestation which has lead to deterioration of the environs. The study was anchored on two media theories- attitude change theory and social responsibility theory. Data were carefully collected through the instrumentality of questionnaire and were analyzed using tables, bar and pie charts. Findings revealed that South-south populaces were aware of sensitization campaigns about environmental management issues. It also revealed that they have a good knowledge and that their attitude in regards to environmental management has changed positively as a result of the media campaigns. Based on the findings, useful recommendations were made such as the media should not down play the issue of environmental hazards. They should play the agenda function by emphasizing on the effects of environmental degradation

Combination Therapy Is Superior to Sequential Monotherapy for the Initial Treatment of Hypertension:A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Guidelines for hypertension vary in their preference for initial combination therapy or initial monotherapy, stratified by patient profile; therefore, we compared the efficacy and tolerability of these approaches. Methods and Results: We performed a 1‐year, double‐blind, randomized controlled trial in 605 untreated patients aged 18 to 79 years with systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥150 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥95 mm Hg. In phase 1 (weeks 0–16), patients were randomly assigned to initial monotherapy (losartan 50–100 mg or hydrochlorothiazide 12.5–25 mg crossing over at 8 weeks), or initial combination (losartan 50–100 mg plus hydrochlorothiazide 12.5–25 mg). In phase 2 (weeks 17–32), all patients received losartan 100 mg and hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 to 25 mg. In phase 3 (weeks 33–52), amlodipine with or without doxazosin could be added to achieve target BP. Hierarchical primary outcomes were the difference from baseline in home systolic BP, averaged over phases 1 and 2 and, if significant, at 32 weeks. Secondary outcomes included adverse events, and difference in home systolic BP responses between tertiles of plasma renin. Home systolic BP after initial monotherapy fell 4.9 mm Hg (range: 3.7–6.0 mm Hg) less over 32 weeks (P<0.001) than after initial combination but caught up at 32 weeks (difference 1.2 mm Hg [range: −0.4 to 2.8 mm Hg], P=0.13). In phase 1, home systolic BP response to each monotherapy differed substantially between renin tertiles, whereas response to combination therapy was uniform and at least 5 mm Hg more than to monotherapy. There were no differences in withdrawals due to adverse events. Conclusions: Initial combination therapy can be recommended for patients with BP >150/95 mm Hg. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00994617