Prediction of sedimentation and bank erosion due to the construction of Kahang Dam

River impoundments continue to cause changes to the hydrological regimes of its host river. Thus, assessment and development of tools for better understanding of the sediment dynamics and riverbank erosion downstream the dam will be of great benefit to researchers and policymakers. The present research employs the use of field techniques and estimation models to improve the (i) prediction of suspended sediment concentration, (ii) monitoring riverbank erosion, and (iii) development of Riverbank Erosion Index (RbEI) for downstream Kahang Dam. This research used the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and ANN with Autoregressive (AR) (NNETAR) in predicting suspended sediment concentration using sediment concentration, discharge and water level as inputs. Similarly, erosion pins were installed on four transects to monitor the riverbank for thirteen months. The results obtained for sediment concentration prediction clearly show that the R2 for NNETAR (0.885) have better value compared to ANN (0.695) even though the relationship between discharge and sediment concentration was weak, it outperforms the ANN. While based on the sediment rating curve (SRC) results, the same pattern was exhibited where the R2 for NNETAR show a greater value than ANN and SRC with R2 values of 0.695 and 0.451, respectively. Based on the observed results of quantified riverbank erosion, the most active transect eroded 1.747 mm/yr- while 0.657 mm/yr- is the least eroded. furthermore, the result reveals the maximum and minimum sediment contribution to the fluvial system from riverbank eroded to be 0.00743 tonnes/yr and 0.00148 tonnes/yr respectively. Lastly, by using discharge and percentage soil composition (sand and clay), a RbEI was developed by the adopted Equation 4.7 to estimate the status of riverbank erosion of River Kahang. Moreover, five classifications of erosion status were proposed, which can be used to describe the status and severity of the riverbank erosion. In conclusion, the estimates by the RbEI is expected to serve as basis for analysing and adopting river stabilisation and restoration design, which will be of importance to dam operators in making informed decisions regarding early warnings on the riverbank stability. Also, reliable sediment concentration estimation will assist in the development of catchment sediment budget which will give an insight into the effect of situating a dam on a river in terms of sediment supply and riverbank erosio

Guidance on the scientific requirements for health claims related to muscle function and physical performance (Revision 1)

EFSA has asked the Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) to update the guidance on the scientific requirements for health claims related to physical performance published in 2012. The update takes into account the experience gained by the NDA Panel with the evaluation of additional health claim applications, changes introduced to the general scientific guidance for stakeholders for health claims applications and information collected from a grant launched in 2014 which aimed at gathering information in relation to claimed effects, outcome variables and methods of measurement in the context of the scientific substantiation of health claims. The guidance is intended to assist applicants in preparing applications for the authorisation of health claims related to muscle function and physical performance. The draft guidance was subject to public consultation from 16 July to 2 September 2018. This document supersedes the guidance on the scientific requirements for health claims related to physical performance published in 2012. It is intended that the guidance will be further updated as appropriate in the light of experience gained from the evaluation of health claims

Big Data Management in Education Sector: an Overview

The advancement in technological innovation has given rise to a new trend known as Big Data today. Given the soaring popularity of big data technology, organisations are profoundly attracted to and interested in it to transform their organisation by improving their businesses. Big data is enabling organisations to outpace their competitors and save cost. Similarly, the application of Big Data management in Universities is an essential aspect to institutions that have Big Data to manage; as the use of Big Data in the higher education sector is increasing day by day. Many studies have been carried out on big data and analytics with little interest in its management. Big Data management is a reality that represents a set of challenges involving Big Data modeling, storage, and retrieval, analysis, and visualization for several areas in organizations. This paper introduces and contributes to the conceptual and theoretical understanding of Big Data management within higher education as it outlines its relevance to higher education institutions. It describes the opportunities this growing research area brings to higher education as well as major challenges associated with it

Big Data Management in Education Sector: an Overview

The advancement in technological innovation has given rise to a new trend known as Big Data today. Given the soaring popularity of big data technology, organisations are profoundly attracted to and interested in it to transform their organisation by improving their businesses. Big data is enabling organisations to outpace their competitors and save cost. Similarly, the application of Big Data management in Universities is an essential aspect to institutions that have Big Data to manage; as the use of Big Data in the higher education sector is increasing day by day. Many studies have been carried out on big data and analytics with little interest in its management. Big Data management is a reality that represents a set of challenges involving Big Data modeling, storage, and retrieval, analysis, and visualization for several areas in organizations. This paper introduces and contributes to the conceptual and theoretical understanding of Big Data management within higher education as it outlines its relevance to higher education institutions. It describes the opportunities this growing research area brings to higher education as well as major challenges associated with it

The practice of social security in black Africa; a shadow of the real concept: The Cameroonian transcript

Social security is a corner stone for the socio-economic and even political development of many countries in the world today. Developed countries like Germany, Britain and many western countries have developed and made use of theories propounded by founders of the concept of social security like Otto von Bismarck and Lord Beveridge to develop their societies. But the unfortunate thing is that all along their stay in Africa, these colonial powers did not border to institute and impregnate Africans with the concept, thus, living Africans completely ignorant of the concept of social security. Studies have proven that the application of this concept in Africa, especially south of the Sahara is still a nightmare. Africans are unable to put into place a veritable social security scheme, yet most of them aspire to emerge by 2035. With the example of Cameroon, the causes of this failure are attributed to the colonial masters and poor governance in post-colonial Africa. As a remedy to this situation, results of this research demand that African governments must show prove of good governance and elaborate an inclusive social protection scheme. Besides, specialize United Nations agencies like the International Labour organization (ILO) and the Human Rights Commission must stand by these countries with their technical knowhow to help develop a meaningful social protection scheme in Africa. As an alert to those countries warming up for emergence, it is an illusion if the welfare of these people is not put at the center of every development action

The Problem of Africa is Africans

Of the six continents of the world, the African continent, second largest after Asia has been a school boy to the rest of the other five. Europeans, Asians and many other members of the white race are all claiming to have lessons to teach Africans. Considering Africans barbaric and uncivilized, the civilized and superior race as per say has decided to do and undo with the Africans as it pleases them. Africans are treated as objects or better still as second class citizens from whom nothing fruitful can ever come out. To that effect, this continent has been relegated to the background and forced to shoulder all global burdens and ills. But reading through the history of slave trade and slavery, colonialism and neo-colonialism today, we can affirm with conviction that Africans are responsible for the mischiefs that befalls this continent. This is as a result of the complicity of Africans with the west, the inability of Africans to stand up against western injustice and the egocentric and the inhuman nature of most African leaders. Therefore, it is as a matter of fact for us in this write-up to elucidate on some of the cases where Africans failed to embrace their destiny, but gave their concern to dubious acts of western powers. Keywords; African challenges, African leaders, slave trade, colonialism, neo-colonialism, corruption. DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/67-05 Publication date:August 31st 202

Communicating climate change in Africa through the theatre for development process

The reality of climate change has started dawning on various parts of the world. The depletion of the ozone layer through over-heating of the atmosphere, actions and inactions of humans, has resulted in the thawing of the ice at the polar regions, which has caused the overflow of oceanicwaters leading to massive floods in hitherto dry places and causing destruction of lives of persons and animals, infrastructure and the disruption of services essential for human existence and continuity. Such has been the effect of climate change that global and local measures needto be enunciated, agreed upon and implemented, in the bid to save the planet earth. These measures can only succeed if the humans are made to appreciate the gravity of the situation. The understanding is that humans need to be sensitized and people mobilized in a mass effort toreverse the trend. And the theatre for development methodology is recommended as a most dependable model of communication and mass mobilization process. And as the least of the continents in the technology drive, Africa presents itself as the most vulnerable in the event of aglobal disaster. This paper examines this issue and proposes how the theatre for development model of communication could be utilized in sensitizing the populace on the danger it portends. The enunciations shall also be influenced by the outcome of a practical theatre for developmentactivity embarked upon by these researchers as lecturers in theatre arts and environmental planning

Safety of synthetic N-acetyl-d-neuraminic acid as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 258/97

Non peer reviewe