Discovering Patterns in Textual Data Using SAS Visual Analytic

Today's generation are more tech savvy than previous generations. They tend to complete their everyday tasks from making their daily schedule to purchasing their daily necessities on the internet. Due to the boom in this culture, e-commerce retail stores have increased their retail sales. According to the United States of America’s Census Bureau, the retail online sales in the year 2012 has peaked at $45.6 billion from the year 2001. This is an increase of 26.9%. This proves that the digital economy is growing and will continue to grow further. In e-commerce platforms there will definitely be a large requirement for logistics which develop a cross organisational support between supply chain management and retail sales. Using text analysis an in depth review of understanding customer satisfaction towards logistical issues to further enhance product delivery and logistical improvements in terms of logistics operations. Mainly using sentiment analysis. Challenges to product delivery are discussed and viable solutions to overcome current or existing logistical issues are presented in this paper

An econometric investigation of impacts of sustainable land management practices on soil carbon and yield risk: A potential for climate change mitigation

We investigate the impacts of sustainable land management practices on soil carbon stocks and also impacts of soil carbon on the mean and variance of crop production using econometric tools. Using a cross-sectional plot-level dataset collected from three agroecological zones of Uganda with soil carbon measured at a depth of 0 to 15 centimeters, our results have robustly shown that irrigation, fertilizers, improved fallow, crop residues, mulching, and trash lines are positively and significantly associated with higher soil carbon, corroborating results from agronomic experiments. However, we found crop rotation associated with lower soil carbon, which has also been observed in some agronomic experiments. Soil carbon has shown a significant nonlinear effect on crop production with the threshold occurring at 29.96 milligrams of carbon per hectare, above which farmers start to see significant positive effects on crop production. Furthermore, we found soil carbon to be associated with lower variance of crop production; hence, soil carbon is an indicator of crop yield loss risk (soil carbon has a risk-reducing effect). These empirical results have demonstrated strong evidence for developing countries of the potential of sustainable land management practices to enhance carbon sequestration and also the potential of soil carbon to reduce production risk. The results have implications for the role that soil carbon can play in adaptation to climate change and provision of ecosystem services.Land management, Climate change, soil carbon, Production risk, Carbon sequestration, Just and Pope stochastic production function,

Estimation of the aboveground biomass in the trans-boundary River Sio Sub-catchment in Uganda

The enormous land cover in Uganda is rapidly being depleted or encroached. To examine this, the study aimed at estimating the above-ground biomass in River Sio sub-catchment in Uganda. The study utilized an ortho-rectified Landsat TM/ETM image of 2004 which was classified using NDVI classification system for the aboveground biomass assessment in ILWIS 3.3 software. A total of 42 homogenous sampling sites were identified for biomass estimation along six laid transects measuring 500m long. The seven randomly selected sampling plots measured 50m X 50 m. The classification showed that Bushlands (0.17), wetlands (0.03) and small scale farming (- 0.29-0.03) had relatively more medium and low biomass ranges compared to grasslands (-0.41/-0.29) which mainly comprised of bare land. The above ground biomass was relatively higher in bushlands (4.9 tons) and wetlands (4.7 tons) compared to non-uniform small scale farming (farmlands) with 3.9 tons and grasslands with 1.6 tons. The variation in biomass shows that the sub-catchment requires an urgent need for land use/cover planning and management to prevent further degradation of land cover

Evaluating Students Information System Success Using DeLone and McLean’s Model: Student’s Perspective

System success is considered to be an important element in accomplishing the goals of the organization; therefore evaluation of system success needs to be done in order to ensure that investment in Information System is successful. Most of Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) in Tanzania have adopted the use of IS in providing service to their customers. Nevertheless, there is less evidence that system success evaluation has been done in order to identify the desired characteristics which could make IS more effective. Due to that, this study evaluates the effectiveness of Student Information System (SIS) used at the Institute of Finance Management using DeLone and McLean’s Model. Convenience sampling technique was employed to select respondents from the Institute of Finance Management. A total of 391 complete and valid questionnaires were employed in data analysis. IBM SPSS software was used to analyze the hypothesized relationships between the variables. The findings show that system quality, information quality, service quality, system use and user satisfaction were the key desired characteristics in making SIS success. The study has provided implications to researchers and practitioners on how to improve the effectiveness of the IS used in Higher Learning Institutions based on the desired characteristic

Proteomic potential of East African Highland Bananas (EAHBs) for banana juice extraction: comparison between juice-producing and cooking cultivars

This study investigated the proteomic difference between juice-producing and cooking EAHBs to clarify the role of protein in the production of banana juice. A comparative study was carried out to determine protein content, molecular weight distributions, and amino acid profile of the pulps of ten different (five juice-producing and five cooking) banana cultivars. There was low variability in crude protein content of banana cultivars, the level fell within the range of 0.80 g/100 g to 1.02 g/100 g. SDS-PAGE results visualised that the cultivars had similar molecular weights, ranging between 10 kDa and 76 kDa. The HPLC analysis showed that the relative compositions of amino acids differed significantly (p <= .05) within and between juice-producing and cooking cultivars. Both banana cultivars had a significantly higher amount of glutamic and aspartic acids, but significantly lower concentrations of tyrosine, methionine. The results suggest that protein content, molecular weight, and amino acid composition of banana cultivars are not the major factors in determining a banana\u27s ability to release juice

Gender Differences Among Academic Staff and Students Offering STEM in National Universities in Uganda: The Case of Kyambogo University

Female University students and academic staff continue to be underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. This study examined the status of female academic staff and students offering STEM at Kyambogo University (KyU), Uganda. The status and trend of female to male ratio of academic staff and students were determined. Practical strategies and policies for narrowing the gender gap for students offering STEM were identified. The status and trend of female to male ratio of students was determined by analyzing Student’s Academic Registrar’s   and graduation records   for the academic year 2014-2018. For academic staff, a gender analysis of Human Resources records was conducted based on the number of male or female academic staff teaching at the University in both STEM and non-STEM disciplines. There was an increase over time in student’s graduation from the Non-STEM fields with R2=0.3254 for the undergraduate programmes (P<0.05). The number of students in STEM fields declined gradually overtime, R2= 0.91; P<0.05). Male dominance among students and leadership position among academic staff in STEM and Non-STEM fields was evident. Difference between career pathways are causes for low female students and academic staff enrolment and teaching in STEM fields. The University needs to implement gender responsive programmes that enhance entry, retention, and participation in leadership positions for both female staff and students in STEM fields. Keywords: Status, Female Academic Staff and Students, STEM, Kyambogo University DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-24-09 Publication date:August 31st 202

Correlation between sunshine hours and climatic parameters at four locations in Uganda

One of the most important factors in solar energy production is related to the predictability of sunshine hours. The objective of this study is to assess the correlation between sunshine hours and relative humidity, cloud cover, maximum and minimum temperature, for the purpose of identifying the most appropriate parameter(s) for the prediction of sunshine hours in Uganda. Climatic data for the meteorological stations of Entebbe, Mbarara, Tororo and Makerere, extending over a period of 15 years (1990-2005) was collected from the Department of Meteorology, Kampala. The data set included maximum temperature, minimum temperature, relative humidity at 6 am and at 12 noon, Cloud cover at 6 am and at 12 noon and Sunshine hours. A multiple regression technique was used to assess the correlation between sunshine hours and maximum and minimum temperatures, cloud cover at 6 am and at 12 noon and relative humidity at 6 am and at 12 noon. Results have shown that the availability of sunshine hours can be predicted by the use of maximum and minimum temperatures, relative humidity at 6 am and 12 noon and cloud cover at 6 am and at 12 noon in Uganda, but, principal components and factoraAnalysis have indicated that two parameters, especially relative humidity at noon or 6 am and Maximum temperature are enough to capture the variability of sunshine hours in Uganda

Effet des flux d’eau sur la capacité de rétention des marais Ciranga et Kabamba, Lac Kivu, République Démocratique du Congo

Cette étude a été conduite en vue d’examiner l’effet des flux d’eau sur l’apport des nutriments charriés par les rivières Lwiro et Cirhanyobwa et déterminer ainsi son impact sur l’efficacité de rétention des polluants par les marais Ciranga et Kabamba. Les échantillons d’eaux récoltés dans les rivières et dans les marais ont été analysés pour l’ammonium, les nitrates, les phosphates, l’azote total et le phosphore total suivant les méthodes spectroscopiques standard. Il est ressorti que les variations de l’efficacité de rétention étaient fonction des rivières, des types de nutriments et de la période d’échantillonnage. Dans la rivière Lwiro traversant le marais Ciranga, il a été ainsi observé une variation de la concentration en phosphore total entre 0.45 - 1.1 μmol/L et de 9.36 - 10.58 μmol/L de l’azote total. Par ailleurs, dans la rivière Cirhanyobwa traversant le marais Kabamba, la concentration en phosphore total a varié entre 0.46 - 0.5 μmol/L contre 10.17 - 23.72 μmol/L d’azote total. Une variation du potentiel de rétention des nutriments (phosphore et azote) en fonction du flux d’eau dans les marais de Ciranga et de Kabamba a été observée. Lors du flux élevé (débit élevé), une réduction significative en concentration des nutriments a été observée dans le marais de Ciranga non anthropogénisé que dans le marais de Kabamba (-66.82 μmol/L en phosphore total et -40.97 μmol/L en azote total contre -44.321 μmol/L en Phosphore et un gain de 21.885 μmol/L d’azote total). Des mesures de restauration des marais seraient d’une grande importance pour la stabilité du Lac Kivu et d’autres écosystèmes importants de la région.Mots-clés: flux, rétention, nutriment, marais, lac Kivu. Effect of water discharge on pollutant retention efficiency in Ciranga and Kabamba wetlands, Lake Kivu, Democratic Republic of CongoThis study was conducted to examine the effect of water discharge on nutrients transported by Lwiro and Cirhanyobwa rivers and to determine its impact of the retention efficiency of pollutants by the Ciranga and Kabamba wetlands. Ammonium, nitrate, total nitrogen, phosphate and total phosphorus were analyzed using standards spectroscopic method. Results show that variations of the pollutant retention efficiency were function of rivers, nutrients types and the sampling period. In the river Lwiro crossing Ciranga wetland, total phosphorus concentration ranged between 0.45 and 1.1 μmol/L and between 9.36 and 10.58 μmole/L of total nitrogen. Moreover, in the river Cirhanyobwa crossing the Kabamba wetland, the total phosphorus concentration varied between 0.46 to 0.5 μmol/L against 10.17 to 23.72 μmol/L of total nitrogen. Pollutant retention efficiency varied with water discharge. During the high flux (high discharge flux), significant reduction of nutrients concentration was observed in Ciranga, a no intensively used for anthropogenic activities than in Kabamba wetland which is intensively used for anthropogenic activities (-66.82 μmol/L for total phosphorus and -40.97 μmol/L for total nitrogen for Ciranga against -44.321 μmol/L of total phosphorus and a increased of 21.885 μmole/L of total nitrogen for Kabamba). In order to stabilize Lake Kivu and other important ecosystems of the region, there is need some restoration measures of wetlands.Keywords : fluxes, retention, nutrient, wetlands, lake Kivu

The Effect of Land use/cover change on Biomass Stock in Dryland Areas of Eastern Uganda. A case study of Olio Sub-county in Soroti District

Drylands occupy 44% of Uganda’s land surface and provide livelihood to a cross-section of both rural and urban folks. However in the face of population pressure, drylands are increasingly in the path of conversion and degradation. This study therefore, performed an assessment of the effect of land use/cover change on biomass stock in olio sub-county from 1973 to 2001. A series of systematically corrected Orthorectified Landsat imageries of 1973, 1986 and 2001 obtained from the Landsat website were used. The images were analysed using  unsupervised approach in Integrated Land and Water Information System version 3.3 and validated using field observations and historic memories of village elders. Findings indicate that land use/cover change is driven by small-scale farming. Between 1973-1986 significant declines were identified among small-scale farming (23.2%), grasslands (8.7%) and large scale-farming (9.9%). Further, declines were also registered between 1986-2001 in Bushland (12.1%), woodlands (13.9%) and wetlands (8.2%) while dramatic gains were registered in small-scale farming by 19.4%. These declines led to losses in the available biomass stock by 2001 within bushlands, wetlands and woodlands loosing 29.1 million tons, 669.1 metric tons and 87.3 million tons respectively. We conclude that small-scale farming by resource poor farmers is rapidly transforming the vegetation landscape. Therefore, there is need for increased use of remote sensing and GIS to quantify change patterns at local scales for essential monitoring and assessment of land use and or/cover change effects and human interference on the landscape. @JASEMJ. Appl. Sci. Environ. Manage. December, 2010, Vol. 14 (4) 101 - 10

Tour Company’s Service Quality and Tourists’ Revisit Intention in Arusha Region Tourist Destinations

This study investigated the effect of tour companies’ service quality on tourists’ intention to revisit tourism destinations in the Arusha region. The general objective of this study is to examine the effect of tour companies’ service quality on tourists’ revisit intentions in Arusha tourist destinations. This study used a cross-sectional research design and employed a survey as the data-collection method. Respondents were selected using simple random sampling; 384 respondents were included in this study. Questionnaires were used to collect data from respondents at Arusha tourist destinations. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression model. The findings revealed that tangibles, responsiveness, and assurance had positive indices, implying that tourists were delighted by the service provided. The study establishes a positive relationship between tangibles, responsiveness, and assurance dimensions and tourists' revisit intentions, with a specific emphasis on the statistically significant connections of tangibles and responsiveness at p < 0.05, emphasizing the need to enhance these aspects to promote repeat visits to Arusha tourist destinations. However, assurance was found to have an insignificant relationship with tourists’ intentions to revisit. Therefore, tour companies, government entities, and tourism authorities should focus on improving tangibles and responsiveness dimensions to enhance tourists' intention to revisit