Compaction and consolidation characteristics of lateritic soil of a selected site in Ikole Ekiti, southwest Nigeria

The compaction and consolidation characteristics of lateritic soils in Ikole area of Ekiti State were investigated. The investigation was carried out through laboratory tests on disturbed and undisturbed soil samples obtained from three borings (BH1, BH2, and BH3) of Holy Apostolic Nursery/Primary School, Ootunja, Ikole Local Government Area (L.G.A.) of Ekiti State Southwest, Nigeria. The soils are all lateritic and mostly fine-grained. Compaction tests indicate maximum dry densities of 2.05Mgm-3, 1.78Mgm-3, and 1.69Mgm-3 at optimum moisture contents of 14.3%, 20.7% and 19.6% for soil samples obtained from BH1, BH2 and BH3 respectively. Compression indices (Cc) obtained from oedometer tests are 0.04816, 0.03820 and 0.04318 while the calculated coefficients of volume compressibility (mv), are 1.308*10-4, 1.065*10-4 and 1.093*10-4 m2kN-1 for samples in BH1, BH2 and BH3 respectively. The unsoaked California Bearing Ratio (CBR) value at 2.5 mm penetration ranges from 42.10% to 92.40% and CBR value at 5.0 mm penetration ranges from 52.70 to 89.10% indicative of good materials for road subgrade, sub-base and base courses.Keywords: Compaction, Consolidation, CBR, Southwest Nigeria

EVALUATION OF TWO ANIMAL PROTEIN SOURCES IN SINGLE PHASE FEEDING OF BROILER CHICKENS

A study was carried out to compare the use of blood meal and fish meal as protein sources in single phase feeding of broiler chickens.  Three isonitrogenious and isocaloric diets containing between 20.5 to 21.1 % CP and 3440 to 3454 kcal/kg ME were formulated. The control diet contained none of the animal protein sources while the other two diets contained blood meal and fish meal at 6%, respectively. After six weeks of straight feeding, data were collected on feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio was calculated. Carcass characteristics and cost benefit were also calculated. The results indicated that birds fed fish meal based diet  consumed more feed (p< 0.05) than those on control diet,  while intake of those on blood meal based diet  was an interphase between the control and fish meal based diet groups. The birds fed fish meal based diet also recorded higher (p< 0.05) daily weight gain than those on control and blood meal based diets. Feed conversion ratio was better in the group fed fish meal based diet than those fed the control diet, but similar (p> 0.05) to the group fed the blood meal based diet. The dressing percentage of the birds was similar (p>0.05) in the control and blood meal based diet groups, but they were higher (p<0.05) than the fish meal based diet group. The neck, back, drumstick and head were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the control group than in the groups containing animal protein. Cost benefit analysis showed that feed cost and cost per kg weight gain were higher (p< 0.05) in fish meal based diet group than in control and blood meal based diet groups. Revenue per bird and gross margin were higher (p< 0.05) in the blood meal based diet group than in the control diet and fish meal based diet groups. In conclusion, fast growing broiler chickens for eatery houses can be better reared with a single diet of 21 % CP and 3440 kcal/kg ME using blood meal as a protein source.   Keywords: , , , , , , &nbsp

Development of A Fingerprint Biometric Authentication System For Secure Electronic Voting Machines

            Democratic government in the world today rely on electronic voting as the foremost means of providing credible, transparent and fair elections for the electorate. There is a need for developed electronic voting systems to be security enhanced to ensure the authenticity of the developed system. Traditional paper balloting systems suffer from vote tampering, multiple voting and illegal voting by unregistered voters. They are also, susceptible to under aged voting due to the difficulty in authenticating the identity of prospective voters. Manual collation and publication of vote results also leads to slow response times and inaccuracies in published results. This research paper proposes a system to combat the current challenges through the development of a fingerprint biometric authentication system for secure electronic voting machines. It uses a fingerprint biometric sensor, integrated via Python to verify users of the system. The inclusion of biometrics improves the security features of the system. The secure voting system is built using PHP and easy to use Graphical User Interface was designed using HTML and CSS. Users are required to interact with the machine via a 7” touchscreen interface. From the results, it shows that the developed machine has a minimum response time of 0.6 seconds for specific operation, an FAR of 2%, FRR of 10% and overall system accuracy of 94%. The developed machine is able to combat the challenges of authentication of users, thereby guaranteeing the transparency, credibility, integrity and vote authenticity of the elections

What makes advocacy work? Stakeholders’ voices and insights from prioritisation of maternal and child health programme in Nigeria

Background The Nigerian government introduced and implemented a health programme to improve maternal and child health (MCH) called Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment programme for MCH (SURE-P/MCH). It ran from 2012 and ended abruptly in 2015 and was followed by increased advocacy for sustaining the MCH (antenatal, delivery, postnatal and immunization) services as a policy priority. Advocacy is important in allowing social voice, facilitating prioritization, and bringing different forces/actors together. Therefore, the study set out to understand how advocacy works - through understanding what effective advocacy implementation processes comprise and what mechanisms are triggered by which contexts to produce the intended outcomes. Methods The study used a Realist Evaluation design through a mixed quantitative and qualitative methods case study approach. The programme theory (PT) was developed from three substantive social theories (power politics, media influence communication theory, and the three-streams theory of agenda-setting), data and programme design documentation, and subsequently tested. We report information from 22 key informant interviews including national and State policy and law makers, policy implementers, CSOs, Development partners, NGOs, health professional groups, and media practitioners and review of relevant documents on advocacy events post-SURE-P. Results Key advocacy organizations and individuals including health professional groups, the media, civil society organizations, powerful individuals, and policymakers were involved in advocacy activities. The nature of their engagement included organizing workshops, symposiums, town hall meetings, individual meetings, press conferences, demonstrations, and engagements with media. Effective advocacy mechanism involved alliance brokering to increase influence, the media supporting and engaging in advocacy, and the use of champions, influencers, and spouses (Leadership and Elite Gendered Power Dynamics). The key contextual influences which determined the effectiveness of advocacy measures for MCH included the political cycle, availability of evidence on the issue, networking with powerful and interested champions, and alliance building in advocacy. All these enhanced the entrenchment of MCH on the political and financial agenda at the State and Federal levels. Conclusions Our result suggest that advocacy can be a useful tool to bring together different forces by allowing expression of voices and ensuring accountability of different actors including policymakers. In the context of poor health outcomes, interest from policymakers and politicians in MCH, combined with advocacy from key policy actors armed with evidence, can improve prioritization and sustained implementation of MCH services

Study of the Effects of Thermal Annealing on the Optical Band Gap of Nanocrystalline CoO Thin Films Prepared by Chemical Bath Deposition.

Nanocrystalline films of cobalt oxide have been prepared on glass slides by chemical bath deposition process. For deposition of CoO thin films, cobaltous chloride [CoCl2.6H2O] was used as cationic and ammonia [NH3] as anionic precursor in aqueous medium. In this process NaOH was used as complexing agent. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopic [SEM] analysis have been used to study the films’ crystal structures, optical and solid state properties. We hereby present the effects of thermal annealing on the optical band gap of CoO thin films. The optical transition in the films is direct one. For the as- deposited film, the band gap is 2.1eV. This later decreased to 2.08eV, so that increased thermal annealing reduces the optical band gap of CoO. However,the energy gap cannot be said to be dependent on the annealing temperatures. These films could be used as  photovoltaic cells, sensors light emitting diodes and also in biomedical imaging. Key Words: Nanocrystalline CoO, Chemical Bath Deposition, Band Gap and                               Thermal Annealing

Exploring mechanisms that explain how coalition groups are formed and how they work to sustain political priority for maternal and child health in Nigeria using the advocacy coalition framework

Background: The unacceptably high rate of maternal and child mortality in Nigeria prompted the government to introduce a free maternal and child health (MCH) programme, which was stopped abruptly following a change in government. This triggered increased advocacy for sustaining MCH as a political priority in the country and led to the formation of advocacy coalitions. This study set out to explain the process involved in the formation of advocacy coalition groups and how they work to bring about sustained political prioritization for MCH in Nigeria. It will contribute to the understanding of the Nigerian MCH sector subsystem and will be beneficial to health policy advocates and public health researchers in Nigeria. Methods: This study employed a qualitative case study approach. Data were collected using a pretested interview guide to conduct 22 in-depth interviews, while advocacy events were reviewed pro forma. The document review was analysed using the manual content analysis method, while qualitative data audiotapes were transcribed verbatim, anonymized, double-coded in MS Word using colour-coded highlights and analysed using manual thematic and framework analysis guided by the advocacy coalition framework (ACF). The ACF was used to identify the policy subsystem including the actors, their belief, coordination and resources, as well as the effects of advocacy groups on policy change. Ethics and consent approval were obtained for the study. Results: The policy subsystem identified the actors and characterized the coalitions, and described their group formation processes and resources/strategies for engagement. The perceived deep core belief driving the MCH agenda is the right of an individual to health. The effects of advocacy groups on policy change were identified, along with the factors that enabled effectiveness, as well as constraints to coalition formation. External factors and triggers of coalition formation were identified to include high maternal mortality and withdrawal of the free MCH programme, while the contextual issues were the health system issues and the socioeconomic factors affecting the country. Conclusion: Our findings add to an increasing body of evidence that the use of ACF is beneficial in exploring how advocacy coalitions are formed and in identifying the effects of advocacy groups on policy change

Thread embedded into penile tissue over time as an unusual hair thread tourniquet injury to the penis: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Hair thread tourniquet syndrome has been recognized since the 1960s. Since then, sporadic reports have appeared in the literature describing different degrees of strangulation and/or amputation of the penis caused by a hair thread being inadvertently tied around the penis.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 9-year-old boy presented with a 3-year history of hair thread tourniquet injury to his penis. Instead of the usual strangulation or amputation, the tourniquet had become embedded into the penile tissue, manifesting with exuberant granulation tissue and a tight urethral stricture. At surgery, the intact tourniquet was still in place, embedded in dense fibrous tissue and associated with a dense urethral fibrosis which measured about 2 cm long. The tourniquet was divided and removed, the fibrotic urethra excised and a distal penile pedicled skin flap used to perform a single-stage substitution urethroplasty. The patient has been voiding well for 28 months.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This case is unusual and is the first report of its kind. It is also the first report of a hair thread tourniquet as the cause of pediatric penile injury in Nigeria.</p

"Practical Knowledge" and Perceptions of Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance Among Drugsellers in Tanzanian Private Drugstores.

Studies indicate that antibiotics are sold against regulation and without prescription in private drugstores in rural Tanzania. The objective of the study was to explore and describe antibiotics sale and dispensing practices and link it to drugseller knowledge and perceptions of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. Exit customers of private drugstores in eight districts were interviewed about the drugstore encounter and drugs bought. Drugsellers filled in a questionnaire with closed- and open-ended questions about antibiotics and resistance. Data were analyzed using mixed quantitative and qualitative methods. Of 350 interviewed exit customers, 24% had bought antibiotics. Thirty percent had seen a health worker before coming and almost all of these had a prescription. Antibiotics were dispensed mainly for cough, stomachache, genital complaints and diarrhea but not for malaria or headache. Dispensed drugs were assessed as relevant for the symptoms or disease presented in 83% of all cases and 51% for antibiotics specifically. Non-prescribed drugs were assessed as more relevant than the prescribed. The knowledge level of the drugseller was ranked as high or very high by 75% of the respondents. Seventy-five drugsellers from three districts participated. Seventy-nine percent stated that diseases caused by bacteria can be treated with antibiotics but 24% of these also said that antibiotics can be used for treating viral disease. Most (85%) said that STI can be treated with antibiotics while 1% said the same about headache, 4% general weakness and 3% 'all diseases'. Seventy-two percent had heard of antibiotic resistance. When describing what an antibiotic is, the respondents used six different kinds of keywords. Descriptions of what antibiotic resistance is and how it occurs were quite rational from a biomedical point of view with some exceptions. They gave rise to five categories and one theme: Perceiving antibiotic resistance based on practical experience. The drugsellers have considerable "practical knowledge" of antibiotics and a perception of antibiotic resistance based on practical experience. In the process of upgrading private drugstores and formalizing the sale of antibiotics from these outlets in resource-constrained settings, their "practical knowledge" as well as their perceptions must be taken into account in order to attain rational dispensing practices