Hydrochemical Evaluation of Water Resources of the Ohaozara Areas of Ebonyi State, Southeastern Nigeria.

Hydrochemical investigation of Okposi and Uburu Areas of Ohaozara and Environs of Ebonyi State has been carried out. The study area lies within the Imo – Cross River Basin province of southeastern Nigeria. The Asu River Group and the Ezeaku Shale, (Albian and Turonian respectively) underlie the area. Results of hydrochemical analysis revealed that Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe2+, Na+ and SO42-, NO3-, HCO3-  are the major geochemical constituents while Al3+, MO2+, Ba2+, Ag+, Mn2+   I- and No2- are the minor constituents. Concentration of Cl- and Mn2+ ranges between 0.62 – 927 mg/l and 0.060 – 40.85mg/l respectively and are above the recommended standard for drinking water in most places. Implications of these high concentrations and the consumption of water of poor quality by the inhabitants of these areas may lead to poor health conditions. The variations in chemical constituents are attributed to non-uniform mineralization and ion exchange. There is variation in dissolved chemical constituents between the salt lake areas and other areas. Keywords: Hydrochemical, Chemical constituents, Ion exchange, Mineralization

Police Officers\u27 Perceptions of Body-Worn Camera Technology

In the past several years, police-community relations have received enormous scrutiny based on several high-profile incidents involving the use of deadly force. Politicians, civil societies, and victims\u27 families have called for law enforcement agencies to equip local officers with body-worn cameras to increase transparency and accountability. The purpose of the study was to investigate how law enforcement officers in a Sheriff\u27s office in the Southern United States perceived ease of use and usefulness of body-worn camera technology and to identify if gender and years of service related to police officers\u27 acceptance of body-worn cameras as a component of their regular uniform. The theoretical foundation for this study was based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) developed by Davis in 1989. Paper survey using TAM instrument was used to collect data from officers at the training center. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine which independent variables predicted the frequency of use of body-worn cameras. Analysis of data collected from 88 officers found that their perceptions of the ease of use of body-worn cameras were moderately and positively correlated with their perceptions of the cameras\u27 usefulness and their attitudes toward the camera. The relationship between usefulness and years of service was negative, indicating that as officers\u27 length of service increased, their perceptions of body-worn cameras usefulness decreased. However, officers\u27 attitudes toward using body-worn cameras were a predictor of their reported frequency of use. Findings from the study could contribute to positive social change by providing policymakers with new tools to craft training policies to enhance police-community relations

Geoelectrical Subsurface Characterization for Foundation Purposes in the College of Agricultural Sciences (CAS) Campus, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Southeastern Nigeria

The study area is underlain by shales and volcanoclastics with subordinate lenses of sandstones and sandy limestone (Abakaliki Formation) of the Albian Asu River Group, southeastern Nigeria. Geophysical investigation was carried out at the College of Agricultural Sciences (CAS) Campus, Ebonyi State University (EBSU) to determine the structural competence of the subsurface geological strata for building construction and other foundation purposes, using vertical electrical sounding (VES) survey technique of the electrical resistivity method. From the result of the survey, two major zones have been established within the study area for building construction purposes. Zone A comprises of areas around the catholic church building, EBSU primary school up to the school of post graduate studies, while zone B  is made up of areas around the EBSU secondary school, proposed student centre up to the main entrance gate which led to the Ogoja road. Zone A has been recommended for bungalows and other forms of low rising buildings, while zone B has been recommended for storey buildings and other heavy engineering structures. Overburden thickness for the two zones ranges from 1.3 m to 2.7 m, and 0.6 m to 2.7 m for zones A and B respectively. The cracks on walls of the buildings within the campus have been attributed to either the inability of the engineers to dig the foundation to the required depth or the construction of heavier structures on very weak subsurface layers which triggered off movement. Keywords: Geoelectrical, Characterization, Foundation, Ebonyi State University, Nigeria

Determination of Hydraulic conductivity of Sandstones of Ajali Formation in Uturu Area (Southeasthern Nigeria) Using Grain Size Analysis.

The determination of hydraulic conductivity of sandstones of Ajali Sandstone Formation in Uturu area (southeasthern Nigeria) was carried out using grain size analysis. The Ajali Sandstone Formation consists of whitish to reddish friable, poorly sorted cross bedded sandstone. A total of twelve (12) samples were randomly collected and subjected to laboratory analysis such as porosity test and sieve analysis.  Results indicates that the Ajali Sandstone has porosity values that ranged between 20% and 26% and the hydraulic conductivity values range  from  136.9m/day to 916.837m/day. These values of porosity and hydraulic conductivity are indications of high specific yield for the sandstone which is reasonable for economic water supply. The unconfined aquifer of Ajali Sandstone is the basic characteristic aquifer unit of the area. Keyword: Hydraulic conductivity, Aquifer, Ajali Formation, Grain size analysis

MICRONUTRIENT DYNAMICS IN RELATION TO SOIL PROPERTIES IN ARABLE SOILS OF RIGACHIKUN-KADUNA, NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNAH, NIGERIA

The research was conducted within January 2020 – January 2021 at the arable soils of Rigachikun-Kaduna, Northern Guinea Savanna and intended to study the micronutrient dynamics and relationships with some studied soil properties. Previously harvested maize, cowpea and rice soils (designated as Locations A, B and C respectively) were delineated, and three profile pits dug in each along the line of transect of about 100 m apart. A total of nine profile pits were dug in the three delineations and samples collected from each pit according to their horizonations. The use of Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was employed to study the terrain characteristics of the location. Major micronutrients investigated were Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn. Virtually all micronutrients decreased down the profile in all studied locations with Cu and Zn displaying an irregular trend in all pedons of rice harvested soils in location C. Also Fe rather increased in pedon 1 of location C as well. Cu had positive and non-significant correlation with other micronutrients (Fe and Zn), it however had a significant relationship with Mn. With respect to other soil properties investigated, Cu maintained a negative non-significant correlations. Fe had a positive and highly significant correlation with Mn and Zn. Also, Fe had a significant and negative correlation with organic matter but positive with available phosphorus. Fe was positively but non-significantly correlated with other soil properties such as clay, Ca, Mg, and total exchangeable bases (TEB). There was however, a non-significant and negative correlations of Fe with soil pH, K, Na as well as total exchangeable acidity (TEA). Mn only had significant and positive correlations with all other micronutrients (Cu, Fe and Zn) but non-significantly correlated with other soil properties. Micronutrients were all low to a deficiency level considering their critical limits in the tropical soils. Low organic matter content of soils of Rigachikun may have contributed to low micronutrient reserve of the soils. Activities that will conserve organic matter such as accumulation of litter from harvested crops and alternative means of cattle rearing such ranching rather than freelance grazing should be employed, as efforts to replenish micronutrients through fertilization has not yielded the desired results

Influence of Rotor Pole Number on the Output of Double Stator Flux-Switching Machine

Influence of rotor pole numbers on the output performance of a double stator flux-switching permanent magnet machine is investigated and compared in this study. A description of the analyzed machine is first given. Maxwell-2D time-stepping finite element analysis is adopted in estimating the results. The no-load and load characteristics of the investigated machine is considered and quantitatively compared amongst four different rotor pole configurations. The compared machine categories are designated as: 6S/10P, 6S/11P, 6S/13P and 6S/14P, where P stands for rotor pole and S stands for stator slot. It is revealed that the compared 6S/11P machine topology has a lot of good qualities amongst all the compared machine types, since it exhibits the largest electromotive force (EMF), power, torque and greatest overload sustainability feature, etc. Though, the 6S/14P has excellent flux-weakening capability. Moreover, the 6S/13P machine configuration would produce the largest torque if all the compared machines are equipped with same amount of permanent magnet volume/material. The compared machine topologies have reasonably good anti-demagnetization potentials; particularly, the 6S/13P topology

Influence of Rotor Pole Number on the Output of Double Stator Flux-Switching Machine

Influence of rotor pole numbers on the output performance of a double stator flux-switching permanent magnet machine is investigated and compared in this study. A description of the analyzed machine is first given. Maxwell-2D time-stepping finite element analysis is adopted in estimating the results. The no-load and load characteristics of the investigated machine is considered and quantitatively compared amongst four different rotor pole configurations. The compared machine categories are designated as: 6S/10P, 6S/11P, 6S/13P and 6S/14P, where P stands for rotor pole and S stands for stator slot. It is revealed that the compared 6S/11P machine topology has a lot of good qualities amongst all the compared machine types, since it exhibits the largest electromotive force (EMF), power, torque and greatest overload sustainability feature, etc. Though, the 6S/14P has excellent flux-weakening capability. Moreover, the 6S/13P machine configuration would produce the largest torque if all the compared machines are equipped with same amount of permanent magnet volume/material. The compared machine topologies have reasonably good anti-demagnetization potentials; particularly, the 6S/13P topology

BREAKING OF DORMANCY AND SPROUTING OF SOME POTATO (Solanum Tuberosum l.) VARIETIES UNDER DIFFERENT STORAGE CONDITIONS AND DURATIONS IN JOS, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

A study was carried out at the National Root Crops Research Institute, Potato program (NRCRI) Kuru, Jos Plateau State, Nigeria (Longitude 08OE 47I, Latitude 09O N 44I and 1,239 meters above sea level (msl) during the 2010-2011, 2011-2012 and 2012- 2013 seasons to investigate “The Breaking of Dormancy and sprouting of some Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) varieties under Different Storage Conditions and Durations in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria”. Five potato varieties: Nicola, Bertita, Diamant, BR63-18 and Roslin Ruaka were stored for three periods: 12, 24 and 32 weeks in three types of stores, the Room temperature Store, Diffused light store (DLS) and Air conditioned store. The experimental design used was completely randomized design in factorial combination of 5 potato varieties, 3 storage conditions and 3 storage durations. There were 45 treatment combinations replicated 3 times. Weekly temperatures and Relative humidity were recorded in each type of store. The result showed that the number of days to breaking of Dormancy tubers varied with variety. In all the seasons, Nicola took the longest number of days to break dormancy (102.67, 121.33 and 119.00 days in seasons 1, 2and 3 respectively) while, BR63-18 was the earliest to break dormancy except in season 3 where Diamant was the first to break dormancy. Storage under Air condition took the longest number of days to break dormancy in all the seasons (85.67, 97.07 and 102.20 days in seasons 1, 2 and 3 respectively) while the Room temperature store was the earliest to break dormancy (67.66, 85.40 and 78.87 days in seasons 1, 2 and 3 respectively). The number of sprouted tubers varied with variety. Nicola resulted in the highest number of sprouted tubers in seasons 1 and 3 (35.56 and 33.85 respectively) while BR63-18 was highest in season 2. Storage under air condition resulted in highest number of sprouted tubers in seasons 1 and 3 (33.44 and 35.80 respectively). The number of sprouted tubers increased from 12 to 24 weeks and declined at 32 weeks in seasons 1 and 3. Seed tuber storage for 32 weeks resulted in significantly lower number of sprouted tubers in all the seasons. There was significant interaction of variety X store type, variety X storage duration and store type X storage duration with respect to number of sprouted tubers. The interaction may be attributed to genetic composition of the varieties and environmental conditions of the storage

Epidemiology of Injuries in the Radiology Department of a Teaching Hospital

Background: Injury has become a public health problem all over the world, and it is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Objective: This paper focuses on determining the epidemiology of injuries in the Radiology Department of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi. Method: A retrospective research design was adopted for this study. Request forms of patients were collected from the register in the department. Five hundred and twenty (520) request forms were collected but twenty one (21) were excluded because they did not contain sufficient information needed for the study. The picture and archives communication system (PACS) was also utilized to ensure that information obtained from the register corresponds with the patients who took part within the period of the study. Data was analyzed descriptively using SPSS version 20. Results were presented in frequency tables and percentages. Results: The injuries involved 376 (75.2%) males and 123 (24.8%) females. Road traffic accident accounted for 67.5%, and it was the most occurring injury. Injuries due to fighting accounted for 2 (0.4%), which was the least occurring. Most injuries (18.8%) occurred within the age range of 21-30years, which was closely followed by the age range of 31-40 years (18.2%). Majority of the injuries involved the whole spine (18.5%), which is also followed by chest injuries (18.2%). Conclusion: The injuries recorded involved many body parts and more males than females were affected. Road traffic accident was the major cause of the injuries

Where to for Sexual Health Education for Adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Rachel Jewkes discusses disappointing results from a school-based sexual health intervention study in Tanzania and their implications for future health education programs