Selection of efficient hanging ratios of gillnet on fish catch in Lake Kainji, as means of alleviating poverty among artisanal fishermen in Nigeria

Five experimental gillnet each measuring 50mx 3m nylon multi filament netting of 3" by210/2 mesh size were constructed using 40%, 45%, 50%, 55% and 60% hanging percentages, the report was carried out at Yunawa fishing village on the eastern bank of Lake Kainji. The nets were set over night (6 hours approximately). Between April-July 2004, the fish caught by the five nets were recorded taking into consideration the three mode of capture i.e. enmeshing entanglement and wedging Weight number and percentage mean weight and number based on species at five different hanging ratios were analyzed in general 50% hanging ratio was found to be the best followed by 40% among others. There was significant difference (P<0.05) in the mode of capture for both hanging ratios. Most of the fish were caught by entanglement i.e. about 83% of the catch was by entanglement while 505 hanging ratio was the best considered after the report. The occurrence of species of the five hanging ratios has significant difference (P<0.05) in terms of catch by weight and numbe

An efficacy of Zobe dam for hydroelectricity generation in Katsina State, Nigeria

The quest for other alternative and sustainable energy prompted the feasibility assessment of Zobe dam meant for irrigation to&nbsp; produce electricity; In this write-up the scheme is designed to operate with two turbines; turbine T1 to operate all year round to take account of the irrigation need downstream, The second turbine T2 will operate on a spill discharge, and to be available for four months with a generation capacity of 0.969 MW. T1 is expected to discharge 55,500,000m3 within six months to cater for irrigation need with an average discharge rate of 3.6m3 /s. it was found that, the dam has the potential to generate a minimum 0.671MW all year round and a maximum of 1.5MW of power during Peak discharge period. The scheme was designed with minimum modification of the existing infrastructure at site which translate to minimum cost implication in construction, system operation and maintenance. Keywords: Economic transformation, Energy, hydropower, Irrigation farming, Zobe dam

Development and Evaluation of Maize Husks (Asbestos-Free) Based Brake Pad

The development and evaluation of maize husks as asbestos-free friction material for the production of automotive brake pad was carried out in this work. Asbestos friction material that has been used for over 80 years was found to be carcinogenic in nature and has prompted several research efforts for its replacement from brake pads. Three sets of composite compositions were made using maize husks as filler material to impart friction properties with varied epoxy resin contents as the matrix that bonded the particles in the mix.  Brake pad specimens were made out of the composites and subjected to mechanical, physical and tribological analyses to ascertain their possible performance in service using standard test procedures, materials and equipment. The particulate size of the MH filler material was 300µm and epoxy resin was in slurry. The result showed that specimen composite 3 with 30% MH filler content having coefficient of friction, abrasion resistance, water absorption, oil absorption, density, hardness, tensile strength, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity of 0.37, 4.470E-6g/m, 0.725%, 0.660%, 0.852g/cm3, 99.34mPa, 14.407mPa, 6.779mPa and 0.330W/mk respectively was optimum in performance. It was observed that reducing the filler content increased hardness, wear rate, tensile strength, compressive strength and thermal conductivity of the composite brake pad, while density, coefficient of friction water and oil absorption got increased with increased MH filler content. The result when compared with those of conventional brake pad made of asbestos and other friction materials of past researches showed that MH particles are an effective replacement for asbestos in automotive brake pad manufacture. Unlike asbestos based brake pad, the composite brake pads are eco-friendly and do not have the health hazards like cancer aggravation, asbestosis, mesothelioma, lung and other ailments associated with use of asbestos bearing components. Keywords: Brake pad; asbestos; maize husks, tribological properties

Prevalence of postdural puncture headache among caesarean section patients in North Central Nigeria

Spinal anaesthesia is now a popular choice for Caesarean sections in Africa but one of the draw-back is the development of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) and it could be quite distressing to a mother. Identifying risk factors and reducing the prevalence is pertinent. This study sought to determine the prevalence of PDPH among patients who underwent Caesarean sections in a tertiary hospital in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria and some of its possible associated factors. Method: It was a prospective study of all Caesarean sections done under spinal anaesthesia between November 2016 and June 2017. Spinal anaesthesia was performed on 236 parturients using Quincke-type needles sizes 23-26G. In the postoperative period, all the patients were followed-up to determine the incidence, onset, and severity of post-dural puncture headache. Epi-info version 7 was used for data analysis. Results: The prevalence of PDPH was 22.03%. Most of the parturients who developed PDPH in our study were of mild to moderate intensity using the numeric rating scale. Twenty six (11%) had mild, while 11 (4.7%) had moderate intensity of headache and which was resolved with treatment. Conclusion: The prevalence of PDPH is high in the obstetric population especially with the use of traumatic Quincke-type needles. Deliberate efforts must be made to reduce its occurrence by acquiring of small calibre pencil-point needles and training staff on how to use it

Colorectal Cancer, Socioeconomic Distribution and Behavior: A Comparative Analysis of Urban and Rural Counties in the USA

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks second for all cancer related deaths among men and women together and third for either sex when considered separately. Disparities exist in CRC incidence and mortality between rural and urban counties in the USA. This study sought to explore socioeconomic and behavioral factors that may partly explain these observed differences. Methods: Using educational and income levels as measures of socioeconomic status (SES), and average alcohol consumption and smoking frequency as behavioral factors, data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program for analysis were coupled. Results: Results showed statistically significant inequalities for CRC incidence (t&nbsp;= 2.678,&nbsp;p&nbsp;= 0.010) and mortality (t&nbsp;= 2.567,&nbsp;p&nbsp;= 0.013), as well as socioeconomic (i.e., poverty;&nbsp;t&nbsp;= 5.644,&nbsp;p&nbsp;&lt; 0.001) and behavioral (i.e., smoking;&nbsp;t&nbsp;= 2.885,&nbsp;p&nbsp;= 0.006) factors between selected rural and urban counties. Regression analysis for colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates at the rural, urban, and national levels yielded relative impacts of smoking frequency, alcohol consumption, and educational level. Conclusions: Health policies aimed at reducing disparities between rural and urban populations in the USA must therefore adequately address SES and behavioral factors. Key words: colorectal cancer, rural health, social determinants of health, health behavio

The Effect of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy on Work-irrational Beliefs Among Electrical and Electronic Educators in Nigeria

 This study delved into a critical concern in academic and professional settings: the impact of irrational work-related beliefs among individuals within the Electrical/Electronic Technology Education domain in Nigeria. The prevalence of detrimental work-related beliefs and their potential adverse effects on performance, mental health, and overall well-being necessitated an investigation into effective therapeutic interventions to mitigate these beliefs. The research adopted a quasi-experimental design spanning eight weeks and involving 16 sessions to examine the effects of Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT) on these work-related irrational beliefs. The study encompassed a cohort of 330 participants, comprising Electrical/Electronic Technology Education technologists and instructors within Nigerian universities. To ensure a robust study design, the participants were randomly allocated to the REBT group (165 participants) or the control group (165 participants). The study uncovered notable findings using an intervention package and structured psycho-educational strategies for data collection. The analysis revealed a significant mean difference between the experimental (REBT) group and the control group, demonstrating the efficacy of REBT in significantly reducing work-related belief scores among Electrical and Electronic Technologists compared to those not exposed to the therapy. Furthermore, the study explored potential variations based on gender in response to the treatment, finding that the interaction effect of therapies and gender was not statistically significant. This suggests that the benefits of REBT in alleviating work-related irrational beliefs were consistent across genders. These findings underscore the potential of REBT as an effective intervention to address work-related irrational beliefs. The study recommends the integration of REBT into the academic curriculum, emphasising its value in mitigating detrimental work-related beliefs among educational staff and students in the field of Electrical/Electronic Technology Education

Structure and conduct of risk returns-characteristics of residential property investment in Kaduna metropolis, Nigeria

Residential property investment is one of the most subscribed investments in the world. However, its risk-return characteristics is least understood especially in the Nigeria context. Though past studies have critically established the performance of mostly isolated&nbsp; residential and commercial properties in southern regions of Nigeria. Disentangling and identifying empirically risk-return characteristic of residential property in Kaduna metropolis Northwest Nigeria is an unresolved challenge. This paper presents an empirical analysis of the performance of residential properties to gain a better understanding of the property market dynamics in Nigeria, survey research approach was employed to collect quantitative data required for the study. To determine residential property returns and asset risk, descriptive (weighted means, standard deviation and percentages) and inferential statistics were utilised. The outcome demonstrated that residential properties have diverse total returns and riskreturn characteristic. Furthermore, this study&nbsp; established that total returns from residential properties ranged between 7.93% to 12.68 % and the risk features ranged from 2.37% to6.81% among the classes of properties. The result demonstrates a direct positive relationship between total returns and risk profile. Hence, recommends that Malali market is the most desirable location for risk-averse investors. Keywords: Risk- return analysis, residential investment, total return, portfolio, propert

Reconsidering Policy Implementation of Vocational Technical Education using 6-3-3-4 System of Education in Curbing Societal Problems

Vocational and Technical education as preserved in the Nigerian national policy on education, is connected with producing adequate and qualitative technological human resources directed towards a producing of trained, experienced and self-reliant craftsmen, technologists and technicians in the field of technical and vocational education for the general development of the country and its citizenry. However, the training of technical personnel has witnessed many hindrances and challenges originating from unrealistic policies, unclear curriculum that has little correlation with the needs of the society. In addition, misappropriation of fund meant for education development purposes, lack of qualified teachers, inadequate funding and cases of bribery and corruption are all connected to the poor implementation of the policy. This paper is aimed at providing a rethink in the implementation of 6334 system of education by examining the issues, challenges and the way forward in curbing out societal problems through Vocational and Technical Education

Suitable Models for Describing Sulphate Desorption Kinetics in Selected Bauchi North Soils of Varying Parent Materials in the Nigerian Sudan Savanna

The modelling of sulphate desorption data is critical for a proper S diagnosis and fertilizer formulation to ensure profitable crop production. Five (5) models such as first-order, second-order, Elovich, fractional power, and parabolic diffusion were used to test the best model describing sulphate desorption kinetics in some soils from Bauchi-north, Sudan Savanna, Nigeria. To achieve this, soil samples were collected from three different parent materials namely Basement complex rock and two sedimentary rocks (Kerri-Kerri Formation and Chad Formation). The study showed that the parabolic diffusion and first-order models were found to describe S desorption data satisfactorily, characterized by relatively high R2 values and lowest S.E values by soil parent materials, respectively. While, the second-order, Elovich and Fractional power equations failed to describe the kinetics desorption of sulphate in all the studied soils, as judged by their high SE values. Therefore, the better fit of S desorption data to the first-order equation is an indication of probable ligand exchange of sulphate ion during the desorption process, and to parabolic diffusion equation suggests that diffusion-controlled phenomena are rate-limiting steps. Based on the findings, we concluded that the rate of sulphate desorption kinetics in these soils is mainly controlled by diffusion-controlled phenomena, which is critical for sulphate-based fertilizer formulations and applications

Evaluation of the Wood and Plastic Formworks in Building Construction Industry for Sustainable Development

This research work assessed wood and plastic in building construction. The study was a descriptive survey design and as such made use of questionnaire with 42 items. The Population of the study was 110 respondents which include 40 building professional and 70 non-building professional. The data were analysed using mean and standard deviation. The finding of the study shows that plastic work form can be used for casting slab, concrete wall among others. The finding also revealed some factors that determines the selection of form work such as climatic condition, labour efficiency and that plastic formwork saves cost as a result of long reuse period. It is therefore recommended that; plastic and wooden formwork should be integrated often in the casting of slabs, beam and columns without discrimination, proper adherence to standards and specifications for use of any type of formwork, there should be large scale production of plastic formwork to conserve forest and wood, factors to be considered in the selection of formwork should not be ignored, there should be proper weighing of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of formwork relating to the scale of construction before the choice of any formwork