Analysis of the Problems and Prospects in the Use of Local Building Materials: Review of Literature

One of the strong considerations for the use of Local Building Material (LBMs) in housing delivery is that it could reduce cost and enhance foreign exchange earnings.  This paper examines the type of LBMs, problems envisaged in the use of LBMs, its prospects among other issues. This paper is essentially a review of literature from which inferences are drawn. Recommendations towards the use and acceptability of the LBMs include; (i) that various government agencies should engage in the use of LBMs rather than mere campaigning to developers (ii) that every state should establish cottage building industries to improve the supply, and that more researches should be engaged on for more discovery of LBMs

Utilizing Creeks for Integrated Rural Coastal Development of Ilaje Area of Nigeria.

Rural communities in the country are blessed with resources which need to be exploited to achieve rural development. This study examines the Utilization of Creeks for Integrated Coastal Development of Ilaje Area of Nigeria. The primary goal of the study is to carry out inventory on creek resources and how best it could be utilized for Integrated Coastal Development of the study area. Questionnaires which include close and open ended questions were administered to elicit information from household heads in the study area. Stratified-random sampling technique was employed in the administration of questionnaires, and 5% sample was adopted for this study. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis method. Information gathered from the administration of questionnaires include: socio-economic characteristics of respondents, major uses of creeks, existing condition of the coastal area and infrastructural facilities in the study area among others. The study reveals the present level of creek utilization, poor fishing techniques, poor sources of water and navigation routes, and manual dredging among others. Based on the findings, it is recommended that government should employ the services of dredging companies to selected locations in the study area for dredging; this would increase the amount of sand turn over, thereby increasing revenue generated for local economic development. Periodic clearing of water weeds will also be of necessity, dredging and expansion of the creeks for navigation for modern boats and development of tourist and recreation centres will also enhance development of the area.Keywords: Coastal development, creeks, Ilaji, navigation and rural communities

Managing the Unwanted Materials: The Agony of Solid Waste

Abstrac

Influence of palm ash on properties of light weight self-compacting concrete

The huge amount and non-utilization of oil palm biomass has created a major disposal problem. The use of lightweight concrete improves structural efficiency, as well as constructability for ease of repair and renovation works. Self-compacting concrete (SCC) reduces voids without vibration. This experimental work examined the effect of influence of Palm ash (PA) on lightweight self-compacting concrete (LWSCC). Palm ash was used to replace cement in the production of lightweight self-compacting concrete in order of 10, 20, 30, 40 & 50% respectively; slump flow, T50, V-funnel and L-box test were carried out for the workability and passing ability test on fresh concrete. The control mix was without PA. While Compressive, flexural and split tensile strength tests were carried out on the hardened concrete. The result showed 20% palm ash replacement as the optimum replacement within which the standard strength requirement for hardened concrete remained satisfied. The result of this study can be applicable to effective concrete mixtures suitable for repairing existing structures and element in rural areas

Optimizing the rheological properties of silica nano-modified bentonite mud using overlaid contour plot and estimation of maximum or upper shear stress limit.

An optimization based statistical (response surface) approach was used to evaluate the rheological properties of bentonite mud treated with silica nanoparticles. The overlaid contour plot established the feasible region for the various factor settings from multiple regression equations. The steepest method was used to further determine the optimal factor settings for minimum rheological properties and this was established at 6.3 wt.% bentonite content and 0.94 wt.% silica nanoparticles. The rheological properties of the bentonite mud containing and without silica nanoparticles was evaluated using a Hyperbolic (new) model and related with other oil industry based models: Herschel Bulkley, Sisko, Casson. The hyperbolic rheological model estimated the rheological behaviour of the nano-modified mud satisfactorily while also predicting a shear stress limit for the nano-modified mud. The maximum shear stress limit values for 6.3, 13 and 15 wt.% mud were 14.59, 61.74 and 107.4 Pa respectively. Upper shear stress values obtained from a 1.5 wt.% silica nanoparticle modified 6.3, 13 and 15 wt.% bentonite mud were 22.27, 72.62 and 171.3 Pa respectively, which represents an increment of 34.5 to 37.4% in the upper limit of shear stress. The effect of silica nanoparticles on the upper shear stress limit was quantified using a response surface design

Development and feasibility testing of an animated cartoon-based self-care application for low-back pain – a pilot study

Objectives: The use of animated cartoons for pain management is an emerging area, however, in no study has it been explored as a digital platform for the rehabilitation of low-back pain (LBP). This study was aimed to develop and evaluate the feasibility of an animated cartoon-based self-care (ACBSC) app for LBP, and to examine the correlation between the app rating parameters and patients’ pain. Methods: This 2-phase study comprised development and feasibility testing components. Development of the ACBSC app was based on Mckenzie’s Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) extension protocol plus back hygiene following standard it-eration and prototyping process. Twenty-eight consecutive patients with chronic non-specific LBP with ‘direction Preference’ for extension based on the MDT screening algorithm participated in the feasibility phase. The participants utilised the car-toon-based app thrice weekly for 2 weeks. Outcomes were assessed in terms of usability, satisfaction and user experience ap-plying the system usability and mobile application rating scales. The Quadruple Visual Analogue Scale (QVAS) was used to assess the participants’ pain intensity. Results: On a unified scale up to 20, functionality (15.4 ± 2.41) and aesthetics 14 ± 2.00 had highest and least objective quality rating on the app parameters. Total objective and subjective quality rating of the app was 16.9 ± 1.97 and 15.6 ± 2.42, respectively. The total impact and usability scores were 24.1 ± 3.39 (out of 30) and 27.8 ± 3.09 (out of 50). Participants re-ported that the cartoon app for back care mostly affected mindfulness/meditation/relaxation (42.9%), increasing happiness/ well-being (46.4%), leading to behavioural changes (60.7%), while targeting physical health (100%). There was no significant correlation between participants’ pain characteristics and app rating parameters (p>0.05). Conclusion: The animated cartoon-based self-care LBP app has moderate to high usability, functionality, aesthetics and quality rating, and may serve as an effective mobile-app for self-management of long-term LBP

Risk factors for peripartum hysterectomy among women with postpartum haemorrhage: analysis of data from the WOMAN trial.

BACKGROUND: Peripartum hysterectomy can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Most studies of peripartum hysterectomy are from high income countries. This cohort study examined risk factors for peripartum hysterectomy using data from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. METHODS: We used data from the World Maternal Antifibrinolytic (WOMAN) trial carried out in 193 hospitals in 21 countries. Peripartum hysterectomy was defined as hysterectomy within 6 weeks of delivery as a complication of postpartum haemorrhage. Univariable and multivariable random effects logistic regression models were used to analyse risk factors. A hierarchical conceptual framework guided our multivariable analysis. RESULTS: Five percent of women had a hysterectomy (1020/20,017). Haemorrhage from placenta praevia/accreta carried a higher risk of hysterectomy (17%) than surgical trauma/tears (5%) and uterine atony (3%). The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for hysterectomy in women with placenta praevia/accreta was 3.2 (95% CI: 2.7-3.8), compared to uterine atony. The risk of hysterectomy increased with maternal age. Caesarean section was associated with fourfold higher odds of hysterectomy than vaginal delivery (AOR 4.3, 95% CI: 3.6-5.0). Mothers in Asia had a higher hysterectomy incidence (7%) than mothers in Africa (5%) (AOR: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.9-1.7). CONCLUSIONS: Placenta praevia/accreta is associated with a higher risk of peripartum hysterectomy. Other risk factors for hysterectomy are advanced maternal age, caesarean section and giving birth in Asia