Synthesis, Characterization and Adsorption Properties of Protonated Cross-linked Chitosan for the Removal of Basic Blue 3 Dye from Wastewater

Dye wastewater remediation is important for water treatment and adsorption is an effective treatment process. A modified protonated crosslinked chitosan (PCCH) was synthesized and compared with pure chitosan for a cationic basic blue 3 dye removal from an aqueous solution. Adsorbent were characterized using techniques such as SEM/EDX, FTIR, and BET analysis. Batch experiments were conducted under optimized pH, adsorbentdosage and initial concentration at room temperature within a range of one hour. The highest adsorption efficiency was 91.93% and 58.97%, adsorption capacity 6.19 mg/g and 3.83 mg/g for PCCH and pure chitosan respectively. Result however fitted well with Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics models(R2>0.99). Keywords: Adsorbent, Adsorption, Basic Blue 3, Chitosan, Crosslinking, Wastewate

ANALYSIS OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DISTANCE LEARNING MODE IN THE PREPARATION OF TEACHERS IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION, NIGERIA

Distance learning education has been considered as a viable tool which not only helps in solving the problem of shortage of teachers but also the high attrition rates that is often associated with study leave. It was believed that distance education has the capacity to prepare qualified teachers just as the face-to-face education mode. However, there seem to be gaps between the objectives establishing distance education and their realization. The obvious indicators to this fact are the unqualified teachers who cannot express themselves in the classroom. The study explored the factors affecting the effectiveness of distance learning mode in the preparation of teachers in Colleges of Education, Nigeria. The researcher constructed 30 questionnaire items from the literature relevant to the study.  The questionnaire yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.83. A total of 151 questionnaires were administered on 38 and 113 lecturers and students of College of Education, Minna and Mokwa study centers.  All the questionnaires were completed and retrieved. The study revealed that all the constructs constituted factors affecting the effectiveness of the distance learning mode of education in the preparation of teachers in Colleges of Education in Nigeria.  It was concluded that the nation will continue to be in dire need of adequate qualified teachers if the factors affecting the effectiveness of the program are not eliminated. It was recommended among others that institutions establishing distance learning programs should ensure that the needed facilities for the effective running of the program are properly put in place. Facilities such as; technologies that will create an interactive learning environment even at a distance

Granunolocytic responses to Parasitaemia of Plasmodium Falciparum Species in children (6-59 months) attending bulumktu comprehensive health center, Maiduguri, Borno State – Nigeria

This study was conducted to assess the influence of Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia on eosinophil and neutrophil in children (6-59months), at BulumkutuComprehensive Health Centre, Maiduguri, Bono State, between August to December 2018. A total of 210 children were enrolled in the study which consisted of 88 (41.90%) patients with positive P. falciparum malaria and 122 (58.10%) negative malaria. Hematological parameters were analyzed using sysmexhaematology auto-analyzer (2011), while the Giemsa stained slides thick and thin blood films were prepared from the stock solution, and tested for Plasmodium falciparum malaria and count of malaria parasite density. This study indicated that there was a positive correlation between parasite densities and granulocytes (neutrophil and eosinophil) of the malaria-infected subjects, as well as malaria infected males and females subjects respectively. (r2 = 0.63 5, p = 0.005), (r2 = 0.5 10, p = 0.005), (r2 = 0.602, p = 0.005), (r2 = 0.504, p 0.005), and (r2 = 0.890, p = 0.001), (r2 = 0.623, p = 0.005)

Synthesis, Characterization and Optimization of Magnetite Molecularly Imprinted Polymer for Application in the Removal of Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS)

Diclofenac (DCF) remains one of the most extensively used sold anti-inflammatory and analgesics that have been in use for an extended period. It has been widely detected in aquatic environments at concentrations that are indicative of detrimental environmental effects in addition to its inclusion on the EU's first watch list therefore, its removal from the environment is crucial. In this study, a selective Molecularly Imprinted Polymer(MIP) was synthesized via a bulk polymerization strategy with methacrylic acid (MAA) as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the cross-linker, Azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator and Diclofenac sodium (DCF) as the template molecule. The structure of the prepared MIP/ NIP was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Several parameters influencing the adsorption efficiency of the MIP were optimized via the batch adsorption experiment. The results revealed that the maximum removal efficiency of the MIP (79%) was achieved at the optimized conditions of pH 2, 10 mL of 10 mg/L of adsorbate solution at 60 min contact time which was higher than its corresponding non molecularly imprinted polymer (NIP) whichwas (57%). The result of the reusability study showed that the adsorbent can be reused up to five cycles, hence it is efficient and promising for the removal of diclofenac from aqueous media. Keywords: NSAIDs, optimization, removal, reusability, selectivit

Does Institutional Quality Matter for International Migrants in Their Home and Host Country? A Case of Russian Federation

Poor institutions have been identified to hinder economic growth and development, with negative social and economic effects such as skilled human resource emigration. In a resource-rich economy, a poor institutional framework has been stated to be a key cause of resource curse. The current study used the CIS and other bordering countries to investigate the impact of both home and destination country institutional quality on migration flows to the Russian Federation. Is the Quality of Institutions (Origin and Host Countries) Important in Migration? The study demonstrated that institutional quality matters for migration from surrounding countries using a gravity-based model estimated using the Poisson Pseudo Maximum Likelihood (PPML). Population, unemployment, and GDP per capita were identified as push factors. In addition, the study discovered a correlation between the institutional quality of the host country and the inward migration flow. Therefore, the study recommends enhancing the institutional quality of the host country to increase the positive effects of inward migration flow. © Valei A., Mamman S.O., 2022.Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, MinobrnaukaUral Federal University, UrFUKeyword: migration, Institutional quality, economic growth, Panel model, Augmented Mean Group technique, Income, regulatory quality, rule of law, corruption, CIS countries, Russia Acknowledgements. The research funding from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (Ural Federal University project within the Priority-2030 Program) is gratefully acknowledged

Removal of bisphenol A from aqueous media using a highly selective adsorbent of hybridization cyclodextrin with magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer

In this study, a unique magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (MMIP) adsorbent towards bisphenol A (BPA) as a template molecule was developed by bulk polymerization using β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as a co-monomer with methacrylic acid (MAA) to form MMIP MAA–βCD as a new adsorbent. β-CD was hybridized with MAA to obtain water-compactible imprinting sites for the effective removal of BPA from aqueous samples. Benzoyl peroxide and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate were used as the initiator and cross-linker, respectively. The adsorbents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electronic microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and X-ray diffraction. 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to characterize the MAA–βCD and BPA–MAA–βCD complex. Several parameters influencing the adsorption efficiency of BPA such as adsorbent dosage, pH of sample solution, contact time, initial concentrations and temperature as well as selectivity and reusability study have been evaluated. MMIP MAA–βC

In vitro trypanocidal effect of methanolic extract of some Nigerian savannah plants

Methanol extracts from twenty three plants harvested from the Savannah vegetation belt of Nigeria were analyzed in vitro for trypanocidal activity against Trypanosoma brucei brucei and Trypanosoma congolense at concentrations of 4 mg/ml, 0.4 mg/ml and 0.04 mg/ml. Extracts of Khaya senegalensis, Piliostigma reticulatum, Securidaca longepedunculata and Terminalia avicennoides were strongly trypanocidal to both organisms while extracts of Anchomanes difformis, Cassytha spp, Lannea kerstingii, Parkia clappertioniana, Striga spp, Adansonia digitata and Prosopis africana were trypanocidal to either T. brucei brucei or T. congolense. These findings provide evidence of the effects of some plants in the traditional management of trypanosomiasis. Key words: Savannah, medicinal plants, trypanocidal effects, trypanosomiasis, trypanosome, in vitro model. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.2(9) 2003: 317-32

Performance Enhancement Counter with Minimal Clock Period

A synchronous binary counter is a fundamental component in VLSI design which are used commonly. synchronous binary counter is fast and are used in many applications as it supports wide bit-width. Due to large fan-outs and long carry chains many previous counters have low counting rate when the size of the counters is large. A new fast structure has been suggested for synchronous binary counter with a very low delay for counter with size ranging from 8 to 128 bits. To reduce the complexity of hardware a 1-bit Johnson counter has been used and then duplicate it to minimise propagation delay induced by large fan-outs. The suggested design is realised with a small number of flip-flops, using a back carry propagation counter and a counter based on state look ahead logic, which reduces power and delay

Инклюзивный рост и структурная трансформация: роль распространения инноваций и цифровизации

Структурная трансформация - важный показатель экономического прогресса, отражающий перераспределение активности от менее к более продуктивным секторам под влиянием новых технологий и цифровизации. Способствуя экономическому росту, структурные преобразования также могут привести к увеличению неравенства доходов. Учитывая ключевую роль цифровизации в развитии Африки, авторы исследуют закономерности и влияние структурных трансформаций на инклюзивный рост в странах континента. Для этого были использованы как абсолютные (бедность), так и относительные (неравенство доходов) показатели роста во всех африканских странах в интересах бедных слоев населения. Использование квантилей в панельной модели, построенной с помощью метода моментов, показало, что структурный переход от сельского хозяйства к сфере услуг приводит к снижению уровня бедности (крайняя бедность) при одновременном увеличении неравенства (коэффициент Джини). С другой стороны, отсутствие существенного влияния производства на бедность свидетельствует о медленных темпах индустриализации в регионе. Анализ доли доходов подтвердил существование неравенства как между секторами, так и внутри них, особенно в сфере услуг. Наконец, проведенное исследование показало, что распространение технологий и цифровизации значительно снизило масштабы крайней бедности и неравенства. Согласно полученным результатам, странам Африки необходимо использовать сравнительные преимущества в сельском хозяйстве и создать инвестиционные и производственные зоны для поддержки промышленности. Кроме того, достижению успехов в производственном секторе может способствовать разработка совместных мер по усилению индустриализации.Structural transformation is a compelling measure of economic progress as it shifts from less productive to more productive sectors, spurred by technological improvement and digitalisation. Despite the benefits of structural transformation in fostering economic growth, it has been contended that it will exacerbate income inequality. Given the critical role of digitalisation over the years in Africa, the current study investigates the pattern and impact of structural transformation on inclusive growth. To accomplish this, we utilised both absolute (poverty) and relative (income inequality) measures of pro-poor growth for all African countries. Using quantiles via moments panel model, we showed that the structural transformation from agriculture to services reduced the incidence of poverty (extreme poverty) while increasing inequality (Gini coefficient). On the other hand, manufacturing had no significant effect on poverty or inequality, indicating the region's slow pace of industrialisation. Using income share measures, we found evidence of inequality across and within sectors, particularly in the services sector. Finally, we observed that digitalisation and technological processes significantly reduced the incidence of extreme poverty and inequality. Hence, the study recommends that Africa capitalise on its comparative advantage in the agricultural sector by establishing investment and manufacturing zones to develop the industrial sector. Furthermore, gains in the manufacturing sector could be realised through a concerted effort to improve the industrialisation process.Исследование выполнено при финансовой поддержке Министерства науки и высшего образования Российской Федерации в рамках Программы развития Уральского федерального университета имени первого Президента России Б. Н. Ельцина в соответствии с программой стратегического академического лидерства «Приоритет-2030».The article has been prepared with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (Ural Federal University Program of Development within the Priority-2030 Program)