Comparative Analysis of the Properties of Mortar Produced with Palm Kernel Oil Cake (PKOC)

The study explores and compares the properties of mortar produced with palm kernel oil cake (PKOC) as partial replacement of sand to traditional cement/sand mortar. Having reviewed some relevant literature on the topic, samples of materials required were collected and batched by volume to a mix proportion of (1:3). The PKOC replacement varies from 0%, 12.5%, 25% and 37.5% with water to 0.3. A total of 16 cubes was molded, cured for 21 days, subjected to various tests at each percentage replacement. The weight and density of the PKOC samples are found to be lighter than the control sample. It was observed that the compressive strength decreases from 12.5% upwards of PKOC aggregate replacement. Also, the water absorption decreases as the PKOC aggregate replacement increases. And it was finally recommended that before one can use PKOC as a partial replacement in traditional cement/sand mortar, its content should not exceed 12.5%. Keywords: Palm kernel, palm kernel oil cake, mortar, properties of mortar DOI: 10.7176/CER/12-6-06 Publication date:June 30th 202

The Characteristics and Management Practices of Public Toilets in Wa, Ghana

Public toilets are an important sanitation option that responds to the sanitary needs of the urban poor and transient populace. This research, therefore seeks to explore the characteristics and, the operation and maintenance practices of public toilets in Wa Township. All the public toilet facilities in Wa were purposively selected and considered under this study. The use of qquestionnaires, survey and key informant interviews were employed to solicit the required data that were analysed to generate the desired outcomes. The results indicate that sanitary conditions of most public toilet facilities were in a sorry state and need urgent improvement. The findings of the study further suggested that poor supervision, lack of regular and adequate on-site water supply, lack of training on toilet management and maintenance has contributed to the sorry state of most toilet facilities. In line with the findings, the study recommends the resourcing and tooling of Environmental Health Officers of the Municipal Assembly for effective and intensive monitoring of the public toilet facilities to ensure operators comply with the guidelines for the provision, operation, and maintenance of public toilets The study further recommends the establishment of a sludge treatment plant or a dedicated and regulated site for the dumping of faecal sludge. Key words Public Toilet, Faecal, Sludge, Management DOI: 10.7176/CER/12-6-08 Publication date:June 30th 202

Age grading \u3cem\u3eAn. gambiae\u3c/em\u3e and \u3cem\u3eAn. arabiensis\u3c/em\u3e using near infrared spectra and artificial neural networks

Background Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is currently complementing techniques to age-grade mosquitoes. NIRS classifies lab-reared and semi-field raised mosquitoes into \u3c or ≥ 7 days old with an average accuracy of 80%, achieved by training a regression model using partial least squares (PLS) and interpreted as a binary classifier. Methods and findings We explore whether using an artificial neural network (ANN) analysis instead of PLS regression improves the current accuracy of NIRS models for age-grading malaria transmitting mosquitoes. We also explore if directly training a binary classifier instead of training a regression model and interpreting it as a binary classifier improves the accuracy. A total of 786 and 870 NIR spectra collected from laboratory reared An. gambiae and An. arabiensis, respectively, were used and pre-processed according to previously published protocols. The ANN regression model scored root mean squared error (RMSE) of 1.6 ± 0.2 for An. gambiae and 2.8 ± 0.2 for An. arabiensis; whereas the PLS regression model scored RMSE of 3.7 ± 0.2 for An. gambiae, and 4.5 ± 0.1 for An. arabiensis. When we interpreted regression models as binary classifiers, the accuracy of the ANN regression model was 93.7 ± 1.0% for An. gambiae, and 90.2 ± 1.7% for An. arabiensis; while PLS regression model scored the accuracy of 83.9 ± 2.3% for An. gambiae, and 80.3 ± 2.1% for An. arabiensis. We also find that a directly trained binary classifier yields higher age estimation accuracy than a regression model interpreted as a binary classifier. A directly trained ANN binary classifier scored an accuracy of 99.4 ± 1.0 for An. gambiae and 99.0 ± 0.6% for An. arabiensis; while a directly trained PLS binary classifier scored 93.6 ± 1.2% for An. gambiae and 88.7 ± 1.1% for An. arabiensis. We further tested the reproducibility of these results on different independent mosquito datasets. ANNs scored higher estimation accuracies than when the same age models are trained using PLS. Regardless of the model architecture, directly trained binary classifiers scored higher accuracies on classifying age of mosquitoes than regression models translated as binary classifiers. Conclusion We recommend training models to estimate age of An. arabiensis and An. gambiae using ANN model architectures (especially for datasets with at least 70 mosquitoes per age group) and direct training of binary classifier instead of training a regression model and interpreting it as a binary classifier

Treatment outcome of gartland type III supracondylar fracture humerus in children with closed reduction and percutaneous pinning

Background: Treatment of Gartland’s type III supracondylar fracture of humerus in children is one of the most challenging one. Conservative management usually results in deformity. On the other hand open reduction and internal fixation is a more invasive surgical method with a long recovery period. Thus, this study presents cases treated by closed reduction and percutaneous pinning and discussed its anatomical results, functional results and lastly its complications.Methods: Twenty five cases were treated with closed reduction and percutaneous pinning at Pushpagiri Medical College.Results: Out of the 25 patients studied, 24 (96%) had satisfactory results according to Modified Flynn’s criteria and there was only one case of superficial pin tract infection with no cases of cubitus varus deformity.Conclusions: This study presents that closed reduction and percutaneous pinning is a very good modality of treatment of Gartland type III fractures of humerus in children with very few complications

INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE IN THE CONTEXT OF KNOWLEDGE SOCIETIES AS A TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

A society properly rooted in indigenous knowledge system can easily pave way for sustainable development. Indigenous knowledge is a local knowledge that is peculiar to a particular society. It is referred to as folk knowledge, people\u27s knowledge, traditional science or traditional wisdom. Over time, indigenous knowledge is usually generated and transmitted by communities, in an attempt to solve their own societal challenges such as ecological and socio-economic problems. Indigenous knowledge is passed from generation to generation, usually by word of mouth and cultural rituals, and has been the basis for agriculture, food preparation and conservation, health care, education, and the wide range of other activities that sustain a society and its environment in different parts of the world for many centuries. This realization that true development cannot take place without member of the society being able to have equal access to knowledge gave birth to the idea of the knowledge society for a sustainable development. Sustainable development emphasized the development in all aspects of human life affecting sustenance. It means resolving the conflict between the various competing goals and the simultaneous pursuit of economic prosperity, environmental quality and social equity with progress as the major objective. The paper also identified the challenges of indigenous knowledge to include funding, time requirement, labour requirement, ICTs etc. Finally, the paper highlighted the strategies to mitigate these challenges; Nigeria libraries should make effort to persuade traditional institutions and elderly who are resource persons in local communities to share their indigenous knowledge with librarians for proper documentation, preservation and accessibility; Libraries should as a matter of urgency repackage the documented indigenous knowledge in different languages for easy access

INFORMATION NEEDS AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES OF POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITIES IN BENUE STATE

The study investigated the information needs and research activities of postgraduates in universities in Benue State. Two specific objectives with corresponding research questions guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population for the study was 3821 postgraduate students in the three universities in Benue State (Benue State University, University of Agriculture, Makurdi and University of Mkar, Mkar). The sample size of 362 postgraduates from the three universities under study was selected using proportionate stratified and convenience sampling techniques. Data collected was analyzed using Frequency Counts, Percentages, Means and Standard Deviation. Findings of the study revealed the research activities of postgraduate students in universities in Benue State to include: academic information, employment information, entertainment information, jobs update and global information, information for personal development and political information among others. The findings also revealed the methods used by library staff in meeting the information needs of postgraduate students in university libraries in Benue State. The methods used are: internet; conference; library; Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI); Current Awareness Services (CAS). It was concluded that Library information resources are vital ingredients in academic libraries for meeting the information needs of postgraduate students. The study recommended that the University management should ensure adequate funding of university libraries to enhance the availability of information resources; University libraries should provide programmes that could train their students in up-to-date 21st century skills of information retrieval; University Library management should ensure that its staff develop positive attitudes towards users for effective dissemination of information on new trends in the library

Spatial Regression of the Gross County Product of Kenya on Induced Latent Variables

Because of a very shallow study carried out to measure regional economic progress in Kenya, we were prompted to investigate on the role of geographical analysis in economic development. The induction of the Gross County Product (GCP) in 2013 had brought about a new viewpoint of assessing the economic growth pattern of Kenya from a single value of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to a disaggregate measure that was inclusive of the contributive efforts from each county. Investigating the spatial dependence of this GCP on latent variables solved the error of model misspecification and proved the spill-over effect of the Kenyan economy at the county levels. The Local Indicator of Spatial Association (LISA) (Moran I test) revealed spatial clustering and the Lagrange Multiplier (LM) Test together with the spatial Hausman test suggested an error model fit. Meanwhile, the likelihood ratio test considered a restricted spatial model more suitable than the nested model. Not only was the economic pattern monitored but also a correct version of the 6 economic blocs of Kenya was developed by use of thematic maps where the counties were geographically classified according to the spatial implication

DNA Breathing Dynamics in the Presence of a Terahertz Field

We consider the influence of a terahertz field on the breathing dynamics of double-stranded DNA. We model the spontaneous formation of spatially localized openings of a damped and driven DNA chain, and find that linear instabilities lead to dynamic dimerization, while true local strand separations require a threshold amplitude mechanism. Based on our results we argue that a specific terahertz radiation exposure may significantly affect the natural dynamics of DNA, and thereby influence intricate molecular processes involved in gene expression and DNA replication