Annual report RUAF - Cities farming for the future, South and South East Asia Region, 2008

Urban agriculture / Training / Development projects / India / Sri Lanka

Kajian Sistem USAhatani Buah Kesemek (Diosphyros Kaki L.f) dan Permasalahannya di Kabupaten Garut – Jawa Barat

The research was conducted at Barusuda and Giriawas Villages (Cikajang District), and Cisurupan Village(Cisurupan District), Garut Regency, West Java Province from September to October 2002. Data collection wascarried through a survey using semi-structure questionnaires from 50 respondents (producing-farmer, persimmonhome industry owners, intermediate sellers, local community, and agricultural officers). The research aimed toidentify the persimmon agribusiness system. Persimmon farming was carried out in a simple manner characteristizedby: (1) minimum maintenance (without fertilizer and plant protection effort), (2) manual harvest, and (3) diversifiedplants spacing, cultivars and ages of the tress. Yileds of persimmon varied from 25 –200 kg/tree, and yeild of Kapascultivar was higher than that of Reundeu. Average farmer's tree ownership was 101 trees/farmer. Post-harvestactivities were carried by local intermediate sellers. Benefits of the producing-farmers were 1/43 of thoseagroindustries'owners (Rp 2,283,300.00/year vs. Rp 98,942,500.00/year), and 1/34 times benefit of the localintermediatae-sellers (Rp 2,283,300.00/year vs. Rp 77,931,00.00/year). The producing-farmers were lack of extensionin plants practice. The intermediate sellers and owners of persimmon home industry were lack of knowledges onharvest and post-harvest processes, and processed-fruit products diversification.Key word : Diospyros kaki, farming system, post-harvest, home industry, GarutPenelitian ini di laksanakan di Desa Barusuda dan Desa Giriawas (Kecamatan Cikajang), serta DesaCisurupan (Kecamatan Cisurupan), Kabupaten Garut, Jawa Barat dari Bulan September sampai dengan Oktober 2002,dengan metode survai menggunakan kuesioner semi terstruktur pada 50 responden : (petani-produsen; pengrajinindustri pengolahan kesemek; pedagang-pengumpul; tokoh masyarakat; dan petugas pertanian) untuk dua kecamatan.Teknik pengambilan data dilakukan melalui wawancara; pengamatan langsung, dan pengukuran. Tujuanmengidentifikasi sistem budidaya pada tingkat petani dan sistem pemasarannya, serta permasalahan dan upayapenanggulangannya. Hasil penelitian menunjukan, bahwa budidaya kesemek di tingkat petani masih dilakukan secarasederhana, dengan karakteristik : (1) pemeliharaan minimum (tanpa pupuk dan upaya proteksi tanaman); (2)pemanenan dengan cara manual (dipetik), serta (3) jarak tanam, kultivar dan umur tanaman beragam. Hasil kesemek25-200 kg/ph, kultivar Kapas lebih tinggi dibandingkan kultivar Reundeu. Pemilikan pohon petani rata-rata 101,3ph/org, Penanganan fungsi pascapanen sudah ada, namun dilakukan oleh pedagang-pegumpul (Bandar Lokal) danpengrajin industri pengolahan bukan oleh petani-produsen. Keuntungan petani-produsen setara dengan 1/43keuntungan pengrajin industri pengolahan sale (Rp 2.283.300,00/th-B/C rasio 3,40 vs Rp 98.942.500,00/th-B/C rasio2,14), dan 1/34 dari keuntungan pedagang-pengumpul desa/kecamatan (Bandar Lokal) (Rp 2.283.300,00/th-B/C rasio3,40 vs Rp 77.931.000,00/th-B/C rasio 0,94). Permasalahan pada petani-produsen adalah kurangnya upaya pembinaanpetugas dalam teknik budidaya, terutama dalam rangka peningkatan kuantitas hasil panen dan produksi. Sedangkanpada pedagang-pengumpul dan pengrajin industri pengolahan umumnya mengharapkan bimbingan dan introduksiteknologi alat dan proses pada aspek panen dan pascapanen, serta diversifikasi produk olahan kesemek. Upayapelatihan tentang berbagai aspek dari sistem produksi kesemek juga diperlukan bagi petugas lingkup pertaniansetempat

Outer rotor wound field flux switching machine for In-wheel direct drive application

Nowadays the flux switching machines offer pivotal role in high speed applications. The flux sources (field excitation coil and armature winding or permanent magnet) are confined to the stator leaving rotor completely passive, and thus making the flux switching machine (FSM) more suitable for industrial applications. This paper emphasizes salient rotor pole and non-overlapping windings embedded in electrical machine design possess some pertinent features such as reduced copper losses, low-cost, and usage in high speed applications. The proposed design is analyzed for coil test analysis and flux linkage and torque. On the basis of the analysis performed, it is clear that 12-slot/13-pole has low cogging torque, high flux linkage, and maximum torque, compared with other topologies of outer rotor field excitation FSM. A deterministic optimization technique is adopted to enhance the performance of 12-slot/13-pole design. Further, finite element analysis (FEA) results are verified through Global Reluctance Network (GRN) methodology, which show close resemblance with error less than 1.2%. Hence, it validates the proposed design for outer rotor field excitation FSM direct drive application. The proposed design for hybrid electric vehicle torque characteristic is compared with existing interior permanent magnet synchronous machine (IPMSM) and 6-slot/7-pole wound field flux switching machine (WFFSM)

Assessment of Infiltration Rates and Index Properties of Soil in a Flood Prone Community, Kogi State, North Central Nigeria

The characteristics of Soil is one of the major factors that affect flooding. This study therefore was carried out to assess the infiltration rates and index properties of soil within a flood-prone community of Oforachi in Kogi State, Nigeria using appropriate standard methods. Data obtained showed that the average soil infiltration rate ranges from 1.89 – 3.24 cm/hr and the maximum infiltration rate range between 6.00 – 9.00 cm/hr, while the soil antecedent moisture content was between 15.00 – 42.48 %. Soil infiltration properties classification based on hydraulic conductivity and sieve analysis show that soils within the study area combine silt and clay characteristics which has strong relationship with the persistent flood experienced in the area

Polymer/Fullerene Nanocomposite for Optoelectronics—Moving toward Green Technology

Optoelectronic devices have been developed using the polymer/fullerene nanocomposite, as focused in this review. The polymer/fullerene nanocomposite shows significant structural, electronics, optical, and useful physical properties in optoelectronics. Non-conducting and conducting polymeric nanocomposites have been applied in optoelectronics, such as light-emitting diodes, solar cells, and sensors. Inclusion of fullerene has further broadened the methodological application of the polymer/fullerene nanocomposite. The polymeric matrices and fullerene may have covalent or physical interactions for charge or electron transportation and superior optical features. Green systems have also been explored in optoelectronic devices; however, due to limited efforts, further design innovations are desirable in green optoelectronics. Nevertheless, the advantages and challenges of the green polymer/fullerene nanocomposite in optoelectronic devices yet need to be explored

Morphological and radiometrical study of the human intervertebral foramina of the cervical spine

Background: Degenerative changes of the cervical spine are an inevitable response to certain occupational status and aging processes. Compression of cervical nerve roots may result from disc degeneration, disc herniation or intervertebral foraminal stenosis. The precise and detailed anatomical knowledge of the intervertebral foramen of the cervical spine is essential for the diagnosis and management of cervical radiculopathy. The significance of the observations and findings of the present study was to elucidate the correlation between the morphology and disorders of the cervical intervertebral foramina in normal and pathological conditions especially at the level of C3-C4 to C6-C7 on both sides and in both sexes. Moreover, it will help greatly in the planning of both surgical and conservative strategies. Materials and Methods: In the present study, 5 formalin-fixed adult cadavers and radiological specimens of the cervical region of the vertebral column of 28 normal and 209 subjects suffering from cervical disorder from both sexes and different age groups. They subjected for morphological and radiometrical analysis. Results: All measurements of the present study of the cervical disorders in females were found to be 6% less than in males in all age groups, which is statistically significant (p < 0.01) as compared with the control group (2%). The mean intervertebral foraminal areas in the control group of C5-C6 and C6-C7 are significantly greater than those of C3-C4 and C4-C5. Conclusions: The mean intervertebral foraminal area was greater in the lower cervical region than the upper in normal adult individuals. In pathological condition the affection of C3-C4 and C4-C5 intervertebral foramina was more due to narrower surface area. The pathology of cervical spine affecting the intervertebral foramina of female which complaint earlier than male due to narrower foramina

Green-Synthesized Graphene for Supercapacitors—Modern Perspectives

Graphene is a unique nanocarbon nanostructure, which has been frequently used to form nanocomposites. Green-synthesized graphene has been focused due to environmentally friendly requirements in recent technological sectors. A very important application of green-synthesized graphene-based nanocomposite has been observed in energy storage devices. This state-of-the-art review highlights design, features, and advanced functions of polymer/green-synthesized graphene nanocomposites and their utility in supercapacitor components. Green graphene-derived nanocomposites brought about numerous revolutions in high-performance supercapacitors. The structural diversity of conjugated polymer and green graphene-based nanocomposites has facilitated the charge transportation/storage capacity, specific capacitance, capacitance retention, cyclability, and durability of supercapacitor electrodes. Moreover, the green method, graphene functionality, dispersion, and matrix–nanofiller interactions have affected supercapacitance properties and performance. Future research on innovative polymer and green graphene-derived nanocomposites may overcome design/performance-related challenging factors for technical usages

Feasibility trial of the newly introduced optical enhancement technology in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease

BACKGROUND: Optical Enhancement technology (OE) combines bandwidth-limited light and image enhancement processing technology to enhance subtle mucosal and vascular details. This is the first study assessing the new technology for the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients with GERD and controls were prospectively included. The distal esophagus was examined in all quadrants with high definition white-light endoscopy (HD-WLE) followed by OE and biopsies for histopathological analysis. Features observed only by OE were compared between controls and patients with GERD. RESULTS: A total of 100 areas were evaluated. About 56% of patients had a diagnosis of GERD. The mean age of patients was 53 years (range 27-89 years), 60% were female. Compared to controls, patients with diagnosis of GERD showed significantly more often tortuosity (p = 0.042), dilation (p = 0.0003), and increased number (p = 0.001) of intrapapillary capillary loops (IPCLs). In addition, increased vascularity and mucosal breaks were significantly more often found in patients with GERD as compared to controls (p < 0.05). On multivariate analysis, increased number and dilation of IPCL were the best predictors of GERD. CONCLUSIONS: The newly introduced OE technology significantly improves the diagnosis of GERD compared to HD-WLE. The results should be confirmed in a multicenter trial

Performance Evaluation of Waste Stabilization Pond for Treatment of Wastewater from a Tertiary Institution Campus Located in Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria

Appropriate treatment of wastewater before disposal into the environment or reuse is very important in the quest to protect the environment and safeguard public health. This paper investigated the performance evaluation of a waste stabilization pond (WSP) for treatment of wastewater from a tertiary institution campus located in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State in North Central Nigeria. The waste stabilization pond of the tertiary institution campus was designed for a wastewater flow rate of 12,945 m3/day. In order to evaluate the performance of the WSP, a model was developed following the Froude’s number dimensional analysis technique. The model was evaulated based on a wastewater flow of 0.4 m3/day. The final effluent from the maturation pond had 80 mg/L BOD, 195 mg/L COD, 75 CFU/100ml Total Coliforms, 610 mg/L Total solids, 19 mg/L Total Nitrogen, 210 mg/L Chloride, 28 mg/L Phosphate, 1.3 mg/L Ammonia and 7.0 pH. The WSP was able to achieve an overall efficiency of 77.78% reducing all quality parameters to recommended limited with exception of total nitrogen and phosphate. The implementation of this design will go along way to aid the treatment of wastewater from the campus of the university