Perception of forest dwellers on threats to sustainable forest management in South Western Nigeria

This study examined the perception of forest dwellers on the factors influencing forest sustainability in South Western Nigeria, such as logging, failure to plant, overgrazing, and bush burning among others. Also the perception about whether forest population that is, resources, actually increasing, decreasing or remain constant was also investigated among forest dweller households. Of the 450 household heads proposed for the study, 430 were valid and used for the research analysis (from Ogun (272), Ondo (89) and Osun (69) states were randomly selected). The descriptive statistics was employed to show degree in percentage of perception to forest threats in the study area. The average age of household was 47.6 ± 11.6 years and household size was 7.0± 4.0 persons. Majority of the household heads were male (92.1%), married (89.5%) with 2.4 ± 5.0 years of education and 19.9 ± 14.9 years of residency in the forest area. The empirical research showed that logging (48.60%) and failures to replace trees (48.14) with other threats (78.8%) such as urbanization, agriculture, fetching of fuel wood, charcoal production and poaching were serious threats affecting sustainable forest management. About 76.74% of the respondents were of the opinion that forest resources was increasing, about 57.21% of the respondents perceived and observed that forest resources were declining while 42.79% observed that forest resources are not declining while 70.7% were of the opinion that forest resources remain constant. It is therefore recommended that government should embark on programs that will sustainably conserve the forest and prevent indiscriminate exploitation of forest resources. The study recommends also that sustainable forest management practices should be enforced to keep forest and its resources for posterity. Key words: Sustainable forest management, Forest population, Forest dwellers, Perceptio

AN APPROACH TO CREATING A SIMPLE DIGITAL TWIN FOR OPTIMIZING A SMALL ELECTRIC CONCEPT VEHICLE DRIVETRAIN

Since modeling and simulation are integral tools in engineering, the question is not if they should be used in a design process, but rather how they should be used to deliver the best solutions. The objective of this pa-per is to outline an approach to creating a simple Digi-tal Twin for a small electric vehicle drivetrain utilizing only parametric 3D CAD models, widely used simu-lation tools and some programming libraries. First, the concept of the Digital Twin, its benefits, then the possibilities of using Generative Design are briefly in-troduced, afterwards electric vehicles’ advantages are reviewed. In an example project the properties and opportunities of the 3D CAD- and simulation models are demonstrated. Finally, future improvements and automated optimization opportunities are discussed.Da Modellierung und Simulation integrale Werkzeuge im Ingenieurwesen sind, stellt sich nicht die Frage, ob sie in einem Entwurfsprozess eingesetzt werden sollten, sondern vielmehr, wie sie verwendet werden sollten, um die besten Lösungen zu liefern. Ziel dieses Artikels ist es, einen Ansatz zur Erstellung eines einfachen Digi-tal Twin für den Antriebsstrang eines kleinen Elektrofahrzeugs zu skizzieren, bei dem nur parametrische 3D-CAD-Modelle, weit verbreitete Simulationswerkzeuge und einige Programmierbibliotheken verwendet werden. Zuerst wird das Konzept des Digitalen Zwillings, seine benefits, dann die Möglichkeiten der Nutzung des Generativen Designs briefly vorgestellt, danach werden die Vorteile von Elektrofahrzeugen überprüft. In einem Beispielprojekt werden die Eigenschaften und Möglichkeiten der 3D-CAD- und Simulationsmodelle demonstriert. Abschließend werden zukünftige Verbesserungen und automatisierte Optimierungsmöglichkeiten diskutiert

Upper Bounds for Cyclotomic Numbers

Let $q$ be a power of a prime $p$, let $k$ be a nontrivial divisor of $q-1$ and write $e=(q-1)/k$. We study upper bounds for cyclotomic numbers $(a,b)$ of order $e$ over the finite field $\mathbb{F}_q$. A general result of our study is that $(a,b)\leq 3$ for all $a,b \in \mathbb{Z}$ if $p> (\sqrt{14})^{k/ord_k(p)}$. More conclusive results will be obtained through separate investigation of the five types of cyclotomic numbers: $(0,0), (0,a), (a,0), (a,a)$ and $(a,b)$, where $a\neq b$ and $a,b \in \{1,\dots,e-1\}$. The main idea we use is to transform equations over $\mathbb{F}_q$ into equations over the field of complex numbers on which we have more information. A major tool for the improvements we obtain over known results is new upper bounds on the norm of cyclotomic integers

Generic Invertibility of Multidimensional FIR Filter Banks and MIMO Systems

We study the invertibility of M-variate Laurent polynomial N × P matrices. Such matrices represent multidimensional systems in various settings such as filter banks, multiple-input multiple-output systems, and multirate systems. Given an N × P Laurent polynomial matrix H(z1,..., zM) of degree at most k, we want to find a P × N Laurent polynomial left inverse matrix G(z) of H(z) such that G(z)H(z) = I. We provide computable conditions to test the invertibility and propose algorithms to find a particular inverse. The main result of this paper is to prove that H(z) is generically invertible when N −P ≥ M; whereas when N −P < M, then H(z) is generically noninvertible. As a result, we propose an algorithm to find a particular inverse of a Laurent polynomial matrix that is faster than current algorithms known to us

Peranan Babo dalam Pengembangan Pendidikan Islam di Thailand (Studi Kasus di Ma’had Attarkiah Islamiah)

Hasil dari penelitian ini bahwa Eksistensi Babo meliputi; Profil Babo yaitu dari segi pendidikan, akhlak dan perilaku, prestasi atau penghargaan, dan jabatan yang dimilikinya sangat sesuai dengan kinerjanya. Bentuk peran Babo meliputi; peran Babo sebagai pendidik (mencakupi pendekatan, strategi, metode, teknik, dan taktik pembelajaran), peran Babo sebagai orangtua, dan peran Babo sebagai pemimpin. Faktor penghambat peran Babo yaitu adab peserta didik yang masih labil dan fitnah atau iri hati dari pihak yang tidak senang melihat keberhasilan Ma’had Attarkiah Islamiah. Sedangkan faktor pendukung peran Babo adalah fasilitas atau sarana dan prasarana Ma’had yang memadai, sistem keamanan yang ketat, dan hubungan kerjasama (afiliasi ) dengan pemerintah yang harmonis

Reactive Localised Inflammatory Hyperplasia Of The Oral Mucosa

Objective: To document the histopathological pattern and distribution of reactive localised inflammatory hyperplastic lesions of the oral mucosa diagnosed at the University of Nairobi Dental Hospital over a 14 year period.Design: A retrospective, cross-sectional descriptive study.Setting: Division of Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine, histopathology laboratory, School of Dental Sciences, University of Nairobi.Subjects: A total of 3135 oral biopsies were accessioned in the oral diagnostic histopathological Laboratory registry over a period of 14 years from March 1991 to December 2005.Results: Three hundred and thirty three cases were histopathologically diagnosed as reactive inflammatory hyperplasias of the oral mucosa. This constituted 10.6% of the total oral biopsy specimens analysed during this period. Fibrous epulis was the most common histological sub-type with 129 cases (38.7%) followed by pyogenic granuloma with 94 (28.3%) cases. Six (1.8%) caseswere peripheral giant cell granuloma and threecases(0.9%) were those of denture irritation hyperplasia. The age distribution ranged from 2 to 78 years( mean=30.5 years) with a peak at 20-29 years. Gender distribution showed that 107 (32%) cases occurred in males and 226 (68%) cases females. Similar trends were observed in most of the histological sub-types. Fibrous epulis occurred in41 male (31.8%) cases and in 88 (68.2%) females with an age range of 2 to 78 years ( mean = 30.5 years). As for the pyogenic granuloma, 26 (27.7%) lesions occurred in males and 68 ( 72.3%) in females with an age range of 2 to 75 years ( mean = 30.1 years). Among all the histopathological sub-types it was shown that 223 (67.0%) cases were fibrous, 104 (31.2%) vascular and six (1.8%) peripheral giant cell granuloma. Gingival lesions were the most common with 257 (77.2%) cases followed by 28 (8.4%) in the tongue, 16(4.8%) lips, 15 (4.5%) cheek, six (1.8%) palate and the rest on the floor of the mouthand other mucosal sites. The duration of these lesions was recorded in 182 (54.7%) cases and ranged from 1 week to 16 years (mean=1.8 years).Only 15 (4.5%) cases were reported to have recurred and all of them were gingival lesions.Conclusion: The present study has shown that the prevalence of reactive localised inflamatory hyperplasia (RLIHs) of the oral mucosa was 10.6% with fibrous epulis and pyogenic granuloma having been the most common histopathological sub-types predominantly affecting females. Although RLIHs are distinguished on clinical or histopatholocal grounds, it is important to appreciate that they are variations of the same basic process

Ising-like antiferromagnetism on the octahedral sublattice of a cobalt-containing garnet and the potential for quantum criticality

In this contribution, we report that CaY2Co2Ge3O12 exhibits an unusual anisotropic and chainlike antiferromagnetic arrangement of spins despite crystallizing in the highly symmetric garnet structure. Using low-temperature powder neutron diffraction and symmetry analysis, we identify a magnetic structure consisting of chainlike motifs oriented along the body diagonals of the cubic unit cell with moments pointing parallel to the chain direction due to the strong Ising character of the Co ions. Antiferromagnetic order sets in below 6 K and exhibits both temperature- and field-induced magnetic transitions at high fields. Combining the results, we present a magnetic phase diagram that suggests CaY2Co2Ge3O12 undergoes a quantum phase transition at low temperatures and moderate fields

Effect of Cyclooxygenase(COX)-1 and COX-2 inhibition on furosemide-induced renal responses and isoform immunolocalization in the healthy cat kidney

BACKGROUND: The role of cyclooxygenase(COX)-1 and COX-2 in the saluretic and renin-angiotensin responses to loop diuretics in the cat is unknown. We propose in vivo characterisation of isoform roles in a furosemide model by administering non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with differing selectivity profiles: robenacoxib (COX-2 selective) and ketoprofen (COX-1 selective). RESULTS: In this four period crossover study, we compared the effect of four treatments: placebo, robenacoxib once or twice daily and ketoprofen once daily concomitantly with furosemide in seven healthy cats. For each period, urine and blood samples were collected at baseline and within 48 h of treatment starting. Plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma and urinary aldosterone concentrations, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and 24 h urinary volumes, electrolytes and eicosanoids (PGE(2), 6-keto-PGF1(α,) TxB(2)), renal injury biomarker excretions [N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and Gamma-Glutamyltransferase] were measured. Urine volume (24 h) and urinary sodium, chloride and calcium excretions increased from baseline with all treatments. Plasma creatinine increased with all treatments except placebo, whereas GFR was significantly decreased from baseline only with ketoprofen. PRA increased significantly with placebo and once daily robenacoxib and the increase was significantly higher with placebo compared to ketoprofen (10.5 ± 4.4 vs 4.9 ± 5.0 ng ml(−1) h(−1)). Urinary aldosterone excretion increased with all treatments but this increase was inhibited by 75 % with ketoprofen and 65 % with once daily robenacoxib compared to placebo. Urinary PGE(2) excretion decreased with all treatments and excretion was significantly lower with ketoprofen compared to placebo. Urinary TxB(2) excretion was significantly increased from baseline only with placebo. NAG increased from baseline with all treatments. Immunohistochemistry on post-mortem renal specimens, obtained from a different group of cats that died naturally of non-renal causes, suggested constitutive COX-1 and COX-2 co-localization in many renal structures including the macula densa (MD). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that both COX-1 and COX-2 could generate the signal from the MD to the renin secreting cells in cats exposed to furosemide. Co-localization of COX isoenzymes in MD cells supports the functional data reported here. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12917-015-0598-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users