A simulation of 450mhz amplifier with distributed output using bipolar junction transistor from Ni-circuit design

A study of the frequency response of a single stage common emitter amplifier, emitter –coupled amplifier and multistage distributed amplifier is carried out. In this work, a single stage common emitter amplifier is designed. Two such amplifiers were connected in a differential pair and designed. In this second design, the coupling between the stages is provided by the emitter resistor which carries the combined currents of the pair. From the previous stages, the multistage distributed amplifier was also designed. Such an arrangement employs two transmission lines, one for the input and the other for the output. Results obtained from simulation exercise indicate significant improvement in the gain, bandwidth and gain bandwidth product of the distributed amplifier. Keywords: Simulation, Amplifier, Bipola, Transmitter, Circuit Desig

Effectiveness of public – private mix of tuberculosis programme in Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Background: In an effort to increase tuberculosis (TB) case detection, the Kaduna State TB program in Nigeria started Public-Private Mix (PPM DOTS) in 2002. This study assessed and compared the TB case management practices and treatment outcomes of the public and private health facilities involved in the TB program.Methods: A comparative cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in 5 private and 10 public health facilities providing TB services for at least two years in the four Local Governments Areas in Kaduna State where both public and private health facilities are involved in the TB program. The heads of the health facilities were interviewed and case notes of all the 492 TB patients registered in these facilities between January 2003 and December 2004 reviewed.Results: Except for the lower use of sputum microscopy for diagnosis, adherence to national TB treatment guidelines was high in both private and public health facilities. The private health facilities significantly saw more TB patients, an average of 51 patients per health facility compared to 23 patients in the public health facilities. There was better completion of records in the public health facilities while patient contact screening was very low in both public and private health facilities, 13.1% and 12.2%respectively. The treatment success rate was higher among patients managed in the private health facilities (83.7%) compared to 78.6% in the public health facilities.Conclusion: Private health facilities adhere to national guidelines had higher TB patient case load and better treatment outcome than public health facilities in Kaduna State. PPM-DOTS should be scaled-up and consolidated

The Effect of the Shape of Atomic Potential on the Diffraction Pattern of one Dimensional Quasicrystal Material

We have simulated the diffraction patterns of both periodic and quasiperiodic monatomic chains using the code Laue (written by Silsbee and Drager) and investigated the effects of the shape of the atomic potential. Three fundamental differences between the diffraction patterns of periodic and quasiperiodic monatomic chain were observed. The width and modulated shape of the diffraction pattern formed by the quasiperiodic chain was found to depend on the shape of the atomic potential. For guassian and exponential atomic shapes, the width decreases as the lattice constant is increased. It also decreases as the size of the atom is increased. For a pseudoatomic shape, the width varies with lattice constant and size of atom in an un-orderly manner.Keywords: Quasicrystal, Pseudo, Gaussian and Exponential Atomic Potential

Tuberculosis Case Management and Treatment Outcome: Assessment of the Effectiveness of Public \u2013 Private Mix of Tuberculosis Programme in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Background: In an effort to increase tuberculosis (TB) case detection, the Kaduna State TB program in Nigeria started Public-Private Mix (PPM DOTS) in 2002. This study assessed and compared the TB case management practices and treatment outcomes of the public and private health facilities involved in the TB program. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in 5 private and 10 public health facilities providing TB services for at least two years in the four Local Governments Areas in Kaduna State where both public and private health facilities are involved in the TB program. The heads of the health facilities were interviewed and case notes of all the 492 TB patients registered in these facilities between January 2003 and December 2004 reviewed. Results: Except for the lower use of sputum microscopy for diagnosis, adherence to national TB treatment guidelines was high in both private and public health facilities. The private health facilities significantly saw more TB patients, an average of 51 patients per health facility compared to 23 patients in the public health facilities. There was better completion of records in the public health facilities while patient contact screening was very low in both public and private health facilities, 13.1% and 12.2% respectively. The treatment success rate was higher among patients managed in the private health facilities (83.7%) compared to 78.6% in the public health facilities. Conclusion: Private health facilities adhere to national guidelines had higher TB patient case load and better treatment outcome than public health facilities in Kaduna State. PPM-DOTS should be scaled-up and consolidated.Fond: Dans un effort d'augmenter la d\ue9tection de cas de la tuberculose (TB), le programme de l'\ue9tat TB de Kaduna au Nig\ue9ria a commenc\ue9 le m\ue9lange Public-Priv\ue9 (POINTS de page par minute) en 2002. Cette \ue9tude \ue9valu\ue9 et compar\ue9 les proc\ue9dures de gestion de cas de TB et les r\ue9sultats de traitement du public et des \ue9quipements priv\ue9s de sant\ue9 impliqu\ue9s dans le programme de TB. M\ue9thodes: A l'\ue9tude descriptive en coupe comparative a \ue9t\ue9 effectu\ue9e dans 5 \ue9quipements de sant\ue9 priv\ue9e et 10 publique fournissant des services de TB pendant au moins deux ann\ue9es dans les quatre r\ue9gions de gouvernements locaux dans l'\ue9tat de Kaduna o\uf9 des \ue9quipements publics et priv\ue9s de sant\ue9 sont impliqu\ue9s dans le programme de TB. Les t\ueates des \ue9quipements de sant\ue9 ont \ue9t\ue9 interview\ue9es et des notes de cas de tous 492 patients de TB enregistr\ue9s dans ces \ue9quipements entre les janvier 2003 et d\ue9cembre 2004 pass\ue9s en revue. R\ue9sultats: Ele xcept pour l'usage inf\ue9rieur de la microscopie de crachat pour le diagnostic, adh\ue9rence aux directives nationales de traitement de TB \ue9tait haut dans des \ue9quipements de sant\ue9 priv\ue9e et publique. Les \ue9quipements priv\ue9s de sant\ue9 ont vu de mani\ue8re significative plus de patients de TB, une moyenne de 51 patients par service de sant\ue9 compar\ue9 \ue0 23 patients dans les \ue9quipements de sant\ue9 publique. Il y avait d'un meilleur accomplissement des disques dans les \ue9quipements de sant\ue9 publique tandis que le criblage patient de contact \ue9tait tr\ue8s bas dans les \ue9quipements publics et priv\ue9s de sant\ue9, 13.1% et 12.2% respectivement. Le taux de succ\ue8s de traitement \ue9tait plus haut parmi des patients contr\uf4l\ue9s dans les \ue9quipements priv\ue9s de sant\ue9 (83.7%) compar\ue9s \ue0 78.6% dans les \ue9quipements de sant\ue9 publique. Conclusion: \uc9quipements priv\ue9s de sant\ue9 adh\ue9rez aux directives nationales a eu une charge de cas patiente plus \ue9lev\ue9e de TB et am\ue9liorez les r\ue9sultats de traitement que des \ue9quipements de sant\ue9 publique dans l'\ue9tat de Kaduna. PPM-DOTS devrait \ueatre mesur\ue9-vers le haut et consolid\ue9

Making rangelands more secure in Cameroon: Lessons learned and recommendations for policy makers, development actors and pastoralists

In Cameroon, rangelands occupy about 20 % of surface area; provide critical habitat to many animal and plant species; offer many vital goods and services to society and are home to pastoralists, agropastoralists, crop farmers, fishermen and hunter-gatherers, who for centuries co-existed peacefully. In recent years this harmony is being threatened by changing land use patterns, poor land use planning and poor recognition of ownership rights. Despite efforts by state and non-state actors to improve pastoral tenure security little has been achieved because of poor coordination among actors and a complete absence of opportunities to document and or showcase these good initiatives. This study, supported by the ILC Rangelands Initiative, sought to identify, review and analyse the different initiatives that are contributing/have contributed in making rangelands more secure. A case study approach was used to document initiatives using primary and secondary sources and with choice predicated on the prominence, variety and indicated successes of the initiatives. Ten initiatives were showcased under five thematic areas ranging from: governance/decision making processes; resolving conflicts; land use planning; empowering communities; protecting pastoral resources. The results of this study will contribute to a more targeted development of future initiatives that build on past good practices

Leprosy Elimination: Progress and Challenges in Nigeria; Kaduna State TB and Leprosy Control Programme as a Case Study

The study aims at describing the achievements and challenges of Leprosy control in Kaduna State using appropriate indicators. The study was a five year (2004-2008) retrospective review of the Leprosy records and annual reports of all the twenty three LGAs in Kaduna State. Various Leprosy indicators were calculated and presented in different graphic presentations. Focus group discussions were organised with the aim of identifying current challenges of Leprosy control in the State. There was a decline in the new Leprosy cases detected annually from 226 cases in 2004 to 140 cases in 2008. The prevalence rate ranged between 0.3-0.4 per 10,000 population within the five year period. The proportion of children among new cases dropped from 12% in 2004 to 5% in 2007 and increased to 9% in 2008. Grade 2 disability among new cases was very high (between 21%-27%) within the same period. Leprosy elimination target has been achieved in Kaduna State, but new cases with high proportion of children and WHO grade 2 disability were still been reported. Keywords: Leprosy; Elimination; Leprosy indicator

The effect of aqueous extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa (Sorrel) calyces on heamatological profile and organ pathological changes in Trypanasoma congolense – infected rat

The effects of aqueous extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces on haematology and pathological changes in some selected organs during experimental Trypanosoma congolense infection of rats were investigated. Three groups of rats were intraperitoneally infected with T. congolense (Karu stock). One group was administered with the aqueous extract and another given a solution of vitamin C in drinking water; the remaining infected group was left untreated. Data from these groups were compared with those of two groups of healthy rats, one of which was similarly treated with the aqueous extract. The experiment was terminated three weeks, post-infection (pi). The uninfected and infected rats administered the extract consumed the equivalent of 9.94 mg – and 9.61 mg ascorbic acid / 100g / day during the experiment. Consumption of the extract significantly (

Review of Advances in the Measurement of Skin Hydration Based on Sensing of Optical and Electrical Tissue Properties

The presence of water in the skin is crucial for maintaining the properties and functions of the skin, in particular its outermost layer, known as the stratum corneum, which consists of a lipid barrier. External exposures can affect the skin’s hydration levels and in turn, alter its mechanical and physical properties. Monitoring these alterations in the skin’s water content can be applicable in clinical, cosmetic, athletic and personal settings. Many techniques measuring this parameter have been investigated, with electrical-based methods currently being widely used in commercial devices. Furthermore, the exploration of optical techniques to measure hydration is growing due to the outcomes observed through the penetration of light at differing levels. This paper comprehensively reviews such measurement techniques, focusing on recent experimental studies and state-of-the-art devices