Properties of Concrete Produced with Waste Bottle Caps (WBC) as a Partial Replacement of Coarse Aggregate and Orange Leaves Powder as Plasticizer

Green building is an increasingly important global concern and a critical way to conserve natural resources and reduce the amount of materials going to our landfills. Large quantities of metal waste are generated from empty metal cans and bottle caps of juices and soft drinks. This is an environmental issue as metal waste is difficult to biodegrade and involves processes either to recycle or reuse. Today the construction industry is in need of finding effective materials for increasing the strength of concrete structures with low cost, and with less environmental damage. This research is aimed at addressing such issues by investigating the possibility of using waste bottle caps (WBC) to partially substitute for coarse aggregate and using orange leaves powder as plasticizer in concrete production. The slump, demoulded density, split tensile strength, compressive strength, flexural strength properties at different percentages replacement of coarse aggregate with waste bottle caps were investigated in the laboratory. The work shows that compressive strengths of 83.88%, 76.25% and 63.17% of the control (0%) can be achieved at the 28-day by replacing coarse aggregate with 5%, 10% and 15% of the waste bottle caps respectively. The research also indicates that optimum result in terms of compressive strength is between 5% and 15% of gravel replacement given a value of 35.85N/mm2 and 27N/mm2 respectively. Keywords: Landfills, Green building, Compressive strength, Flexural strength, Waste Bottle Caps, Construction industry and Biodegrad

Anti-reproductive efficacy of Adansonia digitata Powder against Dinoderus porcellus Associated with Yam Chips Spoilage in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria

This study assessed the reproduction inhibition effects of Adansonai digitata plant part powders against D. porcellus affecting yam chips. Reproduction of adults D. porcellus were monitored with various doses of Adansonai digitata plant part powders and untreated yam chips as negative control (0 g). The finding of the research indicated that all treatments exhibited anti-reproduction potential and strong inhibition of D. porcellus emergence. The result of analysis of variance showed significant difference between the treated samples and the control (untreated) after 37 days. Adansonai digitata stem bark powders (10 g) was able to achieve no reproduction(0.00) after 37 days exposure. Based on this results, combining yam chips with 10 g of Adansonai digitata stem bark powders could ensure adequate management of D. porcellus destroying yam chips and yam tubers as a whole. Keywords: Adansonai digitata, D. porcellus, yam chips, Stem bark powder, Leaf powde

Insecticidal Effect Of Adansonia digitata Stem Bark And Leaf Powders On Dinoderus porcellus

This study evaluated insecticidal activity of different doses of Adansonia digitata stem bark and leaf powders on yam beetles dinoderus porcellus. Obtained plant parts from Federal colloge of Forestry, Jos were pulverized into powders. Phytochemical constituents of the plant were extracted by Soxhlet extraction and identified using standard procedure. Mortality testing was done by exposing dinoderus porcellus to yam chips mixed with various doses of Adansonia digitata stem bark and leaf powders. Yam chips without treatment served as the control. The experiments were laid out in randomized complete design with three replications. Data obtained were analysed using analysis of variance (P≤ 0.05). The result of the phytochemical examination of ethanolic extract of A. digitata revealed the presence of saponins, phenols, tannins and alkaloids flavonoids. The finding revealed the superiority of yam chips mixed stem bark and leaf powders over the untreated. The effect of plant extracts on percentage mortality showed significant difference (p<0.05) among the treated and control. The sample treated with 15g of A. digitata stem-bark powder gave the highest mortality. The research hence recommends the use of 15 g of A. digitata stem-bark powder in elimination of Dinoderus porcellus infecting yam chips. Keywords: A. digitata, Insecticida, Mortality, flavonoid, Dinoderus porcellu

Effects of Gmelina arborea Powdered Parts on Mortality of Dinoderus porcellus in Yam Chips

The study aims at evaluating the efficacy of different doses of powdered stem and leaf parts of Gmelina arborea on Dinoderus porcellus infesting yam chips in Jos metropolis. The experiment was conducted at the Entomology Laboratory of the Federal College of Forestry, Jos. Samples of infested yam chips and Gmelina arborea were collected in Jos metropolis. Newly emerged adult Dinoderus porcellus were exposed to the yam chips which were mixed with different levels of Gmelina arborea parts powder (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 g). The setup was monitored for 120 hours and mortality recorded. The study was carried out in a randomized complete design with treatments replicated thrice. Data was analysed using analysis of variance at 1 and 5 percent confidence level and Duncan test was used to separate the means. The results obtained reveal significant differences at p value=0.05 and 0.01. The results reveal that in all the doses, an increase in the amount of the powder resulted in increased incidence of D. porcellus mortality. After 120 hours of exposure, 100 % mortality was recorded from either 15 or 20 g stem bark + leaf powder treatment. From the results obtained, the use of 15 g stem bark+leaf powder of Gmelina arborea could be effective in yam chips preservation which could in turn strengthen food security. Keywords: Yam chips; Dioscorea spp; Stem bark; Botanical; Leaf powde

Comparative study on composition of insect in close and open nursery of Federal College of Forestry Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

Nursery being an area where young plants are raised before sowing or transplanting in gardens or field contains rich insect assemblages whose composition and abundance is under researched even in research institutes. Thus, the comparative study on the composition of insect in close and open nursery of Federal College of Forestry Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria was carried out in May 2015 in relation to the abundance and diversity of insect using pitfall trap and hand-picking sampling techniques. A total of 2,052 individuals distributed into 13 orders, 39 families, 50 genera and 55 species were collected. 1,557 (75.9%) individuals were collected from the open nursery (with: 13 orders, 39 families, 41 genera and 46 species) while, 495 (24.1%) individuals were found in the close nursery (with: 11 orders, 27 families, 38 genera and 47 species). Five individuals could not be identified beyond class and order levels. The distribution of insect taxa in descending order showed that Hymenoptera (62.8%), Coleoptera (11.1%) and Orthoptera (10.1%) are the most dominant, with Hymenoptera occurring the most in both sites. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the pooled abundance of insect from both sampling techniques between the two nursery types. Although, insect abundance from pitfall trap collection between the two nursery types showed a significant difference (t= -2.494, df = 8, P = 0.03729) while, no significant difference (t= 1.0263, df = 8, P= 0.3348) for hand-picked insect between the two nursery types. To this end, this study shows that the nursery of Federal College of Forestry Jos is healthy due to the abundant and diverse insect species recorded in which the phytophagus individuals are the most dominant group, but are kept under check by the predaceous ones. The pitfall trap was a more efficient collection technique and should be used by insect collectors.Keywords: Close and open nursery, insect, pitfall trap, hand-pickin

Modelling thermophysical effects of heat and mass transfer in unsteady magnetohydrodynamics viscoelastic fluid flow in inclined porous media

Paper presented at the 5th Strathmore International Mathematics Conference (SIMC 2019), 12 - 16 August 2019, Strathmore University, Nairobi, KenyaThis research presents the study of thermophysical effects of heat and mass transfer in unsteady Magnetohydrodynamics viscoelastic fluid flow in inclined porous media. The modelled results in form of nonlinear and coupled form of partial differential equations were transformed into Ordinary Differential Equations and were solved by using embedded fourthorder Runge-Kutta integration scheme with Newton-Raphson shooting method. Numerical computations were carried out for the non-dimensional to study the effect of different physical parameters. Physical parameters such as viscos-elasticity, permeability of the porous media, magnetic field, Grashof number, Schmidt number, heat source parameter and chemical reaction parameter on the flow, heat and mass transfer characteristics were discussed.Federal University Wukari, Wukari, Nigeria. University of florin, florin, Nigeria

The Association between Corporate Governance and Auditor Switching Decision

The purpose of this study is to examine the association between corporate governance and the propensity of auditor switching. In particular, the study seeks to investigate whether board independence and Chairman-CEO duality, influence the auditor-client realignment exercise. Understanding the reasons why companies switch auditor is very important as auditor switching could inhibit the flow of capital in the securities markets, and subsequently, increase the capital costs. Based on the analysis of 712 non-financial companies listed on Bursa Malaysia during the period from 31st December, 2009 to 2011, the results suggest that the companies with higher non-executive directors than the sample median tend to switch auditor. The Chairman-CEO duality, however, has no effect on the decision. The results also suggest that the provision of non-audit service, changes in key management, company size and Big 4 are significant determinants of auditor switch decision. The outcome of the study indicates the importance of sound governance on auditor switch decision and might provide insightful knowledge which helps shareholders to realize the importance of having balance BODs. Keywords: Auditor Switch, Audit Market, Auditor Change, Corporate Governance, Malaysia JEL Classifications: M41, M43, M49

Learning Objects: Are They Serving Practitioners Working with VLES?

The purpose of this paper is to present a high-level discussion based on ongoing research with the aim of providing support to educational practitioners based on real shareability and reuse of learning objects. Consequently, the discussion is centred around the need for a data-base driven architecture for VLEs that supports real reuse and sharing of learning materials within the same VLE, and not only interoperability between different products. The authors argue for the need to rethink the concept of learning object so that a real object oriented data model may be derived. Following this line of reasoning the paper then presents a model for a Learning Object Database-Driven Architecture based on behavioural and structural semantics of educational practice

Comparative assessment of seller’s staining test (SST) and direct fluorescent antibody test for rapid and accurate laboratory diagnosis of rabies

Background: Rabies causes 55, 000 annual human deaths globally and about 10,000 people are exposed annually in Nigeria. Diagnosis of animal rabies in most African countries has been by direct microscopic examination. In Nigeria, the Seller’s stain test (SST) was employed until 2009. Before then, both SST and dFAT were used concurrently until the dFAT became the only standard method.Objective: This study was designed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the SST in relation to the ‘gold standard’ dFAT in diagnosis of rabies in Nigeria.Methods: A total of 88 animal specimens submitted to the Rabies National Reference Laboratory, Nigeria were routinely tested for rabies by SST and dFAT.Results: Overall, 65.9% of the specimens were positive for rabies by SST, while 81.8% were positive by dFAT. The sensitivity of SST in relation to the gold standard dFAT was 81.0% (95% CIs; 69.7% - 88.6%), while the specificity was 100% (95% CIs; 76% - 100%).Conclusion: The relatively low sensitivity of the SST observed in this study calls for its replacement with the dFAT for accurate diagnosis of rabies and timely decisions on administration of PEP to prevent untimely deaths of exposed humans.Keywords: Seller’s Staining Test, direct fluorescent antibody test, rabies, diagnosis, Nigeri

Anti-reproductive efficacy of Adansonia digitata Powder against Dinoderus porcellus Associated with Yam Chips Spoilage in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria

This study assessed the reproduction inhibition effects of Adansonai digitata plant part powders against D. porcellus affecting yam chips. Reproduction of adults D. porcellus were monitored with various doses of Adansonai digitata plant part powders and untreated yam chips as negative control (0 g). The finding of the research indicated that all treatments exhibited anti-reproduction potential and strong inhibition of D. porcellus emergence. The result of analysis of variance showed significant difference between the treated samples and the control (untreated) after 37 days. Adansonai digitata stem bark powders (10 g) was able to achieve no reproduction (0.00) after 37 days exposure. Based on this results, combining yam chips with 10 g of Adansonai digitata stem bark powders could ensure adequate management of D. porcellus destroying yam chips and yam tubers as a whole