Cutting load capacity of end mills with complex geometry

Cutting load capacity of cemented carbide end mills with high length-to-diameter ratios is determined from critical geometric and loading parameters, including a stress concentration factor (SCF) to account for serrated edges, which is determined by finite element analysis. Tensile strengths are characterised using a statistical Weibull analysis from 4-point bend tests of cemented carbide blanks of two different diameters. The approach is used to predict probability of survival for cutters under different loading conditions. Results are compared to measured failure cutting loads under service conditions as well as to those measured in static three point bend tests

Innovation in the economic performance of a power station through monetised carbon dioxide credits

It is proposed to generate part of the future base load power requirements of South Africa using nat-ural gas as a substitute for coal. By this substitution, combined-cycle gas turbine power stations will be built instead of pulverised fuel coal-fired power sta-tions to generate base load power. This substitution will lead to abatement in the emission of green-house gases, especially carbon dioxide. In this paper, an innovative mode of amortizing capex is applied to reduce the payback time of a bank loan through the combined use of proceeds from the sale of electricity and monetised carbon dioxide credits. This innovation stems from the reduction in emission of carbon dioxide due to the proposal to generate part of the future base load power requirements using natural gas as a substitute for coal. The carbon credits emanate from undertaking projects resulting in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Development Mechan-ism of the Kyoto Protocol. This is possible because South Africa is regarded as a developing country. This additional revenue results in reducing the loan payments by 2.1 years, saving 19% in interest pay-ments. Furthermore, this innovation would allow scarce finance available for project funding to be extended to other projects to the advantage of national economic development

The use of children in cocoa production in sekyere south district in ashanti region, ghana: is this child labour or an apprenticeship training?

Concerns have been growing in Ghana about the employment of children, aged between 5-17 years, in cocoa production activities. This concern is echoed by the International Labour Organisation in its attempt to eliminate Worst Form of Child Labour. The objectives of the study were as to: investigate whether the labour of the children are paid for; determine the extent of children’s involvement; and investigate the risks they are exposed to. Using Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), participant groups made up of women, men, children and opinion leaders were purposely selected from 10 cocoa producing communities from the study area. Structured questionnaires were also administered to 50 cocoa farmers through face-to-face interviews. The study revealed that harvesting is the stage in the cocoa production process that children are directly and actively involved. The study concludes by indicating that child labour and cocoa production are inseparable in the cocoa producing areas in the study site.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 8 (1): 38-43, June, 201

Identifying Chamaecrista rotundifolia accessions and Centrosema species for bridging seasonal feed gaps in smallholder mixed farms in the West African derived savanna

Information is scanty on seasonal changes in the yield and quality of forage legumes adapted to the West African savannas. Two experiments were conducted from 1992-1994 in the derived savanna zone of West Africa to determine the dry matter (DM) yield and 48-h in sacco DM digestibility of 17 accessions of Chamaecrista rotundifolia (Experiment 1), and 22 accessions of 8 Centrosema species (Experiment 2) in the main-wet (April-August), minor-wet (September-November), and dry (December-March) seasons. Accessions varied significantly in DM yield and in Sacco DM digestibility in both experiments. Based on the digestible DM yield, accessions were identified with the potential ot provide greater quantities of high quality forage. These included: Ch. rotundifolia ILCA 14165; Ce. acutifolium ILCA 12182 and 12184; Ce. macrocarpum ILCA 15594; Ce. pascuorum ILCA 9; Ce. schottii ILCA 122 and 12401; and Ce. plumieri ILCA 200; for the wet season. Promising accessions for the dry season included: Ch. rotundifolia ILCA 14172 and 14174; Ce. acutifolium ILCA 15591; Ce. arenarium ILCA 12451; Ce. brasilianum ILCA 155; Ce. macrocarpum ILCA 15594; Ce. plumieri ILCA 194; and Ce. schottii ILCA 122. Of the Ce. virginianum accessions evaluated, ILCA 509 was the best in all seasons. The potential of the promising accessions to reduce seasonal deficiencies of high quality feed, especially during the dry season, and their multiple use of soil fertility maintenance, weed control, and pest management in mixed farming systems warrant further research

Dietary diversity is not associated with haematological status of pregnant women resident in rural areas of northern Ghana

Open Access JournalInformation regarding how dietary diversity is related to haematological status of the pregnant women in rural areas of Northern Ghana is limited. This study therefore evaluated maternal dietary intake and how it relates to the nutritional status of pregnant women belonging to different socioeconomic conditions in Northern Ghana. Methods. This study was cross-sectional in design involving 400 pregnant women. Midupper arm circumference (MUAC) and anaemia status were used to assess the nutritional status of pregnant women. Results. The mean dietary diversity score (DDS) of the study population from ten food groups was (95% CI: 4.08 to 4.37). Of the 400 women, 46.1% (95% CI: 40.0 to 52.2) met the new minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W). The mean haemoglobin concentration among the pregnant women studied was 10.1 g/dl ± 1.40 (95% CI: 9.8 to 10.3). The independent predictors of haemoglobin concentration were maternal educational attainment, gestational age, frequency of antenatal care (ANC) attendance, number of under-five children in the household, size of MUAC, and maternal height. Conclusions. Irrespective of the socioeconomic status, women minimum dietary diversity (MDD-W) was not associated with anaemia among pregnant women resident in the rural areas of Northern Ghana

Pentecostal Mission and Global Christianity

The book is organized by themes that the editors concluded to be the most important and critical themes for Pentecostal mission, past and future.https://scholar.csl.edu/edinburghcentenary/1019/thumbnail.jp

Forage from cropping systems as dry season supplements for sheep

Information on the utilisation of legume hays from an intercropping system as a feed supplement is limited. Three forage legume hays (Stylosanthes guianensis, Lablab purpureus and Aeschynomene histrix) were compared by feeding them as supplements for yearling West African Dwarf rams (LWt 18.0±2.2 kg) fed a basal diet of mature guinea grass (Panicum maximum). The performance of the rams was evaluated in a 60-day growth trial, using a completely randomised design with 6 rams per treatment. Organic matter digestibility and nitrogen retention were assessed in a separate trial using the same design; but with 4 animals per treatment. In the growth trial, rams supplemented with S. guianensis and A. histrix gained more weight (P<0.05) than those on the L. purpureus supplemented diet. Average total weight gains were 33.3, 13.2 and 31.2 g/d for S. guianensis-, L. purpureus- and A. histrix-supplemented diets, respectively. Organic matter digestibility was 643, 568 and 523 g/kg for S. guianensis-, A. histrix- and L. purpureus-supplemented groups, respectively. All treatments resulted in positive nitrogen balance. We concluded that feeding forage legumes from cereal-based cropping systems as a supplement can maintain liveweight in sheep and even achieve modest weight gains during the critical dry period when feed quality is poor

Enhancing Livelihoods of Poor Livestock Keepers through Increased Use of Fodder: Programme completion report

A report submitted to IFAD on the completion of the Fodder Adoption Project (FAP), (TAG 853-ILRI) programme

Metal Sorption Capabilities of Two Common Plants in Tropical Wetlands - Bambusa vulgaris and Raffia bambusa

In most developing countries, careless disposal of waste dry cell batteries and Ni-Cd batteries from mobile phones and rechargeable lamps has led to an increase in some metal contaminants including copper, lead, nickel and cadmium in soils and water bodies. These metals have the potential to cause serious, and sometimes, irreversible health effects if they are consumed. Unfortunately, in most cases, either the water bodies are not treated prior to consumption or the water treatment methods do not target the removal of these metals. This study therefore sought to mimic the bio-filtering effect of wetlands by assessing the capabilities of two common plants in tropical wetlands; Raffia bambusa and Bambusa vulgaris to remove Cu2+, Pb2+, Ni2+ and Cd2+ from wastewater. Spectroscopic characterisation indicated that some of the functional groups on the biomass were the OH, C=O and COOH, and R. bambusa appeared to have more pronounced groups than B. vulgaris. The results show maximum sorption of 95% Cu and Pb by biomass derived from roots of these plants. Sorption of Cd and Ni were lower at about 40%. By using a 3-stage sorption system of live plants, sorption of Cd and Ni increased up to 80%. Keywords: Heavy Metals, Sorption, Biomass, Bambusa vulgaris, Raffia bambus

Promoting Partnership with Traditional Authorities in Development Projects: A Model for Community Infrastructure Project Delivery in Ghana

Promoting partnership with traditional Authority Project (PPTAP) was designed to translate into reality the vision of having our traditional leaders play pivotal roles in community devel­opment. The project was to test the role that chiefs, queen mothers and other opinion leaders could play in the decentralization of community development. In spite of the presence of some challenges with respect to project implementation such as slow pace in the payment of coun­terpart fund contribution, this novelty achieved spectacular successes. This paper discusses the results of a questionnaire survey that looked at the role played by traditional authorities and community involvement in infrastructure development for 40 selected communities in Ashanti region under the PPTAP, with support from the International Development Agency (IDA) of the World Bank and the Government of Ghana. The paper concludes that the inclusion of tradi­tional authorities in beneficiary communities helped in an accurate identification of community needs, minimization of cost incurred and high-quality workmanship as well as strengthened ownership. For community based development, the paper recommends a Tripartite Partnership (TTP), where Traditional Authorities work in tandem with the Public and Private Sector to ensure sustainable national development. PPTAP presents an excellent framework for such TPP arrangements. Keywords: Traditional Authorities, Community Based Project, Infrastructure, Developmen