Performance of lateritic concrete under environmental harsh condition

This is an investigation of weathering characteristics of Laterized concrete with laterite-fine aggregate ratio as a factor. It was done with a view of ascertaining the suitability of laterite as aggregate substitutes at 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% of fine aggregate used in the construction industry. The weathering characteristics were examined by conditioning laterized concrete cubes to varying temperatures, chemical and alternate wetting and drying, which all represent the operating weather conditions (wet and dry seasons) in tropics, including Nigeria. The mix proportion used was 1: 2: 4, the curing age of the laterized concrete was based on 28days curing age, while the compressive strength of the treated laterized concrete cubes was determined. The result of this research showed that the compressive strength of laterized concrete with laterite-fine aggregate ratio variation decreases when subjected to alternate wetting and drying and increases when subjected to magnesium sulphate (Mg2SO4). It was also discovered that a laterized concrete with a laterite-fine aggregate ratio of 20% conditioned to a temperature range of 100oC attained optimum compressive strength of 12.90 Nmm-

Comparative Analysis Of Portland Cements In Nigeria

Portland cement remains the most common type generally in use throughout the world as a basic ingredient of concrete. Five brands of Portland cement commonly available in Nigeria were investigated through series of tests conducted to determine their strength characteristics, setting time, soundness, workability and fineness among others and examined if they meet the minimum standard as stipulated by the British Standard Institute. Five brands of cement considered were Dangote, Elephant, Burham, Diamond and Purechem. The results show that all the brands examined meet the British Standard requirements on all the tests subjected to. Burham cement was fastest with initial setting time of 100 minutes ahead of other, while Dangote cement was the least with initial setting time of 180 minutes. The strengths characteristics of the five brands are similar with slight difference recorded. Dangote cement had the highest strength at 28th day curing period of 474 KN as the crushing load while the least strength was of Purechem at 370.6 KN as the rushing load

Markov Chain Epidemic Models and Parameter Estimation

Over the years, various parts of the world have experienced disease outbreaks. Mathematical models are used to describe these outbreaks. We study the transmission of disease in simple cases of disease outbreaks by using compartmental models with Markov chains. First, we explore the formulation of compartmental SIS (Susceptible-Infectious-Susceptible) and SIR (Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered) disease models. These models are the basic building blocks of other compartmental disease models. Second, we build SIS and SIR disease models using both discrete and continuous time Markov chains. In discrete time models, transmission occurs at fixed time steps, and in continuous time models, transmission may occur at any time. Third, we simulate examples of SIS and SIR disease models in discrete time and in continuous time to see how the number of infected individuals changes over time. Fourth, we estimate the transmission and recovery rates from simulated data using the method of maximum likelihood. The parameter estimates in discrete time are obtained using computer algorithms and those in continuous time are obtained using both computer algorithms and theoretical formulas. Finally, we compute the bias and mean squared error of the estimators

“Emi lokan, Yoruba lokan”: expression of ideologies in Bola Tinubu’s political speech

Beyond the traditional import of language which is for communicative purpose and information sharing, its usefulness cuts across other strands such as for expression of one ideology or others, representation and identification of self and other social groups among others, especially within the political context. Previous linguistic studies on political discourse with emphasis on (intra party) electioneering campaign speeches have invested on the nexus between language and politics. Such studies, however, have not exteriorised expressions of ideologies in Emi lokan, Yoruba lokan campaign slogan of Bola Tinubu in the build-up to 2023 Nigeria’s presidential election. This study, consequently, studies the differing ideologies expressed in the Emi lokan, Yoruba lokan speech made by the All Progressive Congress’ presidential aspirant in the build-to the party’s 2023 presidential primary election. The data for the study is audio-visual of the speech obtained from the YouTube platform, which was rendered in the mixture of English and Yoruba languages, given the nature of the audience where the speech was made. The translated video was transcribed into MS Word. The selected excerpts were subjected to Critical Discourse Analysis, borrowing insight from van Dijk’s (2006) socio-cognitive model. The findings reveal that supremacist, collectivist, welfarist and ethnocentric ideologies are embedded in Bola Tinubu’s emi lokan slogan/speech which are indexed through certain discursive moves

Whoever Controls Access to the Tap Collects Rent On It: How Nigeria’s Function as a Gatekeeper State Fostered Environmental Degradation by Transnational Corporations

Every year, for the past 50 years, Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta has suffered the same magnitude of oil spill in its rivers and swamps than was spilled in the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill. The damage has devastated the way of life of the Ogoni people who live in the area. They have consistently suffered environmental injustice as a result of Shell’s oil exploration, and the Nigerian government has ignored their cries for help and restitution. In fact, movements to garner support for environmental justice and fare share of oil profits and ownership from Shell and the state have been brutally shut down by the Nigerian government. Could it be that the reason that the state is willing to allow such a grave level of environmental degradation to persist is not only because it is corrupt, but also because the Nigerian government functions as a gatekeeper state guarding its precious oil resources? Following independence, many oil-producing countries turned to spigot economies that allowed whoever controlled access to the tap to collect rent on it. Thus, as a gatekeeper state, it is not in the best interest of the Nigerian government to give up its rent-seeking behaviors with Shell to appease its citizens because it may disrupt its relationship with the outside corporations. As a result, many of the cries for environmental justice by the Ogoni people have been met with resistance from the state since their function has evolved to collect taxes on exports and imports—not to maintain the trust of its citizens

Hydro-Geotechnical Assessment of an Open Waste Disposal Site in Ilorin, Nigeria

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Relationship Between Body Weight and Growth Traits of Crossbred Fulani Ecotype Chicken in Derived Savannah Zone of Nigeria.

This study was conducted to determine the genetic relationship between body weight and growth trait of crossbred Fulani ecotype chicken at different ages. The data used in this study were obtained from hybrid of a cross between Harco Black (Cock) and Fulani ecotype chicken (Hen) raised for twelve weeks. Growth traits measured were body weight (BW), shank length (SL), wing length (WL), body length (BL), beak length (BKL), keel length (KL), neck length (NL) and body girth (BG). The correlation procedure of SAS was used to generate Pearson’s correlation coefficient between body weight and other measured traits. Genetic correlation between body weight and linear body measurement were generally positive and significant (P<0.05) at all ages. The values ranged from 0.13 - 0.99 at week 2, 0.27 - 0.98 at week 4, 0.3 - 0.98 at week 6, 0.23 - 0.98 at week 8, 0.3 - 0.98 at week 10 and 0.24 - 0.99 at week 12. Highly significant correlation coefficients were obtained between BW and BG, BW and BL, BW and WL, BW and KL, BW and BKL at all ages. In conclusion, meaningful improvements can be made through selection of pair of traits that were positive and significant.Keywords: Correlations, body weight, Body measurement, chicken

RHETORIC AND THE FEMININE CHARACTER: CICERO’S PORTRAYAL OF SASSIA , CLODIA AND FULVIA

The role of women in the ancient world has been extensively debated and a significant amount of work has been done in this area. Included in the texts that have received attention are Cicero’s speeches which refer to women. All the women who feature in Cicero’s speeches were those who have been acknowledged to have made their presence felt in the Roman public domain. Although Roman society regulated its socio-political activities around masculine values, it is nevertheless difficult to explain why so few women appear in such a voluminous corpus like Cicero’s.1 What is certain is that Ciceronian rhetoric is characterised by the use of invective and vituperation.2 In this article, I shall argue that the women who were negatively portrayed in Cicero’s speeches were victims of an already standardised form of communication within the hegemonic male order that dominated the Roman public domain in first century BC