Building information modeling (BIM) in Malaysian construction industry : benefits and future challenges

Building Information Modeling is an innovative technology coupled with process and human interactions. BIM has been used by the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry in developed and developing countries including Malaysia. The reason for having BIM in practice triggered by the Director of Public Works Department (PWD) in 2009; who urged construction companies to adopt ICT to enhance productivity and efficiency. This paper aims to explore the BIM implementation in Malaysian Construction Industry. A literature review was carried out to explore on existing BIM implementation that includes definitions, BIM applications, BIM benefits and BIM future challenges. The data collected from various sources such as books, journal articles, conference papers and material available on the Internet, which related to BIM. The review highlights on several BIM benefits regarding financial, better information, communication and coordination, respond to complexity, improved visual, improved sustainability, improved safety and also create service’s or business’s opportunities. Nevertheless, implementing BIM is not without challenges although it gains attention from many countries. Some issues regarding culture, technology, process and policy for the construction stakeholders, organizations and policymaker have been raised to take up the challenges for effective BIM implementation

Determinants of Referral Practices of Clients by Traditional Birth Attendants in Ilorin, Nigeria

A sizeable number of deliveries still take place with the assistance of Traditional Birth Attendants in Nigeria. This study aims to determine the factors that determine the referral practices of the TBAs in Ilorin of high risk and complicated pregnancies. This descriptive study was conducted among all the 162 registered TBAs in Ilorin that were traceable using pre-tested semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. About 90%, whose source of skill acquisition was by inheritance did not refer their clients appropriately compared with 48% of those whose source of skill acquisition was through formal training (p<0.05). The more the numbers of trainings, the more appropriate the referral (p<0.05). Having supervisory visit by qualified personnel is associated with appropriate referral practices (p<0.05). Regular training and re-training of TBAs with routine monitoring and supportive supervision will promote prompt referral of high risk and complicated pregnancies and deliveries (Afr. J. Reprod. Health 2010; 14[2]:77-84)

INFORMETRICS ANALYSIS OF AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA INSTITUTIONAL DIGITAL REPOSITORY (IDR)

Employing Informetric analysis, the study investigated the features, types of documents, subjects spread and challenges affecting the growth and development of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Institutional Digital Repositories (ABU-IDR). The findings of the study indicated that the IDR has diverse features, deploying DSpace, Dublin core metadata elements and Open Archive Initiative – Metadata Harvesting Protocol (OAI-PMH) to make the repository robust and interoperable. As reported by earlier studies, ABU-IDR is also found to be dominated by theses and dissertations with 9,857(95.82) documents. Finding on subjects spread of theses and dissertations illustrated that Faculties of Sciences and Education have the largest subject coverage with 1979 (20.1%) and 1702 (17.3%) respectively. With diverse features and deploying DSpace, OAI-PMH and its interoperability, the study concluded that ABU-IDR has gained considerable traction in recent years. However, the IDR can be made more effective and efficient by creating institutional repository policy that will take care of copyright, deposition right, diversification of contents and advocacy which are the major challenges hampering the growth and development of the IDR

Indexing and Abstracting Techniques for Provision of Easy Accessibility of Materials in Bayero University Library Kano, Nigeria.

Abstract Indexing and Abstracting Techniques for Provision of Easy Accessibility of Materials in Bayero University Library Kano, Nigeria.The study uses qualitative research method and survey design was also adopted. The study was guided by five (5) research questions, what type of indexing and abstracting techniques are available in Bayero University Library, Kano? What types of materials are being indexed in Bayero University Library, Kano? Who are the patrons of the indexing and abstracting techniques in Bayero University Library, Kano? What are the challenges facing the provision of indexing and abstracting techniques in Bayero University Library, Kano? The populations of the study consist of academic and non-academic librarian of Bayero University Library, Kano. Structured questionnaires were used as an instrument of data collection, 130 copies out of 156 copies the questionnaires was successfully retrieved. Frequency table and percentage was used in analyzing the data collected. The finding of the study revealed that All types of abstracting techniques are available in Bayero University Library, Kano and the most used are informative abstract with 23% response rate followed by subject abstract, author abstract and critical abstract all with 15.4% response rate each. The only type of materials index and abstract in Bayero University Library, Kano are books and newspapers each with 38.5% response rate and also journals which has 23% response rate while magazine has 0% response rate. The most highest user of the indexing and abstracting in Bayero University Library, Kano are academic staff with 46.1% response rate followed by student with the 30.8% response rate and also administrative staff with 23% response rate. Lack of knowledge of indexing and abstract by the staff is the most constraint of indexing and abstract in Bayero University Library, Kano with the 46.1% response rate followed by inadequate facilities with 30.8% response rate while inadequate fund constitute 15.4% response rate so also all of the above has 7.7% response rate. Among the recommendations: The management of Bayero University Library, Kano should provide more of indexing and abstracting services such as chain index and specific index. The library should improve/ promote more of the service of review and descriptive abstract. The library should extend their indexing and abstracting services to the difference type of materials such as magazine etc. The library management should provide an awareness of the importance of indexing and abstracting so as to have a full number of administrative staff accessing indexing and abstracting techniques. The library management should send their staff for training and retraining and also provide the necessary facilities for executing indexing and abstracting services

Community awareness of bird flu and the practice of backyard poultry in a North-Central State of Nigeria

Introduction. The practice of backyard poultry is a very common practice in many homes in Nigeria. Birds raised at home are usually free ranged, which increases close contact between man and birds, thus increasing the risk of transmission of avian influenza virus to man. This study investigated the awareness of bird flu infection and identifies risk factors associated with the practice of backyard/free ranged poultry among the residents of a state in Northern Nigeria. Methods. This cross-sectional study was carried out in Kwara State using 130 wards selected through cluster sampling technique. Households in each ward were sampled through systematic random sampling technique using the primary health care house numbering register. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to generate relevant information through interview and 650 participants consented and were used for the study. Results. Most of the respondents 604 (92.9%) kept birds in their homes and one-third 204 (33.8%) of this group knew that infection from birds can be transmitted to man. However, less than a third186 (30.8%) of those who keep birds were aware of avian influenza (AI) infection. Out of the 186 respondents, 78 (41.9%) had experienced massive bird deaths in the preceding year prior to the interview. Less than half 81 (43.5%) were willing to report AI or massive deaths occurring in flocks of their birds to designated officers / authority. During outbreaks with massive deaths in birds some of the respondents sold infected live birds 45 (57.7%), few slaughtered and dressed the birds before sale 11 (14.1%), while some slaughtered and consumed the birds in their families 19 (24.4%). Conclusion. The practice of backyard poultry is very high with little knowledge and awareness of mechanism and risk of infection associated with it. This was also reflected in their attitude towards reporting of outbreaks in birds. Public awareness campaign and home visit by environmental and veterinary officers are important strategies that can prevent AI infection transmission among domestic birds and man

SECURING DIGITIZED LIBRARY CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

Despite the potential benefits of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in library automation, library operations in most developing countries are yet to migrate from traditional method of routine operations to automated systems. Current model of operation carries along with it challenges of insecurity of library books, errors in task execution, laborious routines with over dependency of human involvement in Library operations. In this paper, circulatory operations of the library were digitized and secured using a 125- KHz Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology with a blend of 192-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) private key encryption technique. This ensured the confidentiality of patron’s information and provided an auto-notification service. The results of testing and evaluation of the developed system showed that the surface area and position of the tag from RFID reader affects the response of the RFID system for improved library circulatory service delivery. The widespread application of the developed system on smart library circulation unit would improve the management of the library circulatory operations, give patrons better library circulatory experiences and enhance the productivity of library administrators. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njt.v35i3.1

الضوابط والتدابير الشرعية في مكافحة الإغراق الاقتصادي: (دراسة فقهية مقارنة بالقانون) Legal controls and measures in the fight against economic dumping (Jurisprudence in compared to the local legislations)

ملخص هدفت الدراسة إلى ضبط حدود الإغراق في صورته المحظورة، وبيان ضوابطه وشروطه، التي تميزه عن غيره من أنواع الإغراق المشروعة من الناحيتين القانونية والشرعية، ومن ثم وضع الحلول والتدابير لمكافحته. وقد تضمنت الدراسة مقدمة وثلاثة مباحث وخاتمة، تناول المبحث الأول: تعريف الإغراق وحكمه الشرعي، وتناول المبحث الثاني: بيان الضوابط والشروط لتجريم الإغراق وتدابير مكافحته من الناحية القانونية، وتناول المبحث الثالث: بيان الضوابط والشروط الشرعية لتجريم الإغراق وتدابير مكافحته في ضوء التشريع الإسلامي، ومقارنة فقهية قانونية لتلك الضوابط والتدابير. وقد خلصت الدراسة إلى أنه لا بد أن تتوافر شروط وضوابط معينة في الإغراق؛ لكي يتوجه إليه المنع والتجريم، منها: تماثل الجودة، والبيع بأقل من السعر الغالب المعتاد، والتسبب بضرر فاحش بطريق قطعي أو بظن غالب، كما قامت الدراسة بحصر وتأصيل التدابير الممكنة لمكافحته والتخفيف من آثاره، منها: الإلزام بسعر السوق، والإخراج منه، والتسعير، والتعويض، وفرض رسوم الإغراق، ودعم المتضررين، والتعزير بالضرب أو الحبس. الكلمات المفتاحية: إغراق، البيع بأقل من سعر السوق، تسعير، سعر السوق، اقتصاد، معاملات مالية معاصرة. Legal controls and measures in the fight against economic dumping (Jurisprudence in compared to the local legislations) Abstract The study aimed at controlling the limits of dumping in its prohibited form, and to clarify its controls and conditions that distinguish it from other types of legitimate dumping in both legal and Sharia terms. It then tried to develop solutions and measures to combat dumbing. The study included an introduction, three topics and a conclusion. The first section dealt with a statement of the origin of dumping and its legal ruling and the second section dealt with a statement of the controls and conditions for criminal dumping and measures to combat it from the legal point of view. The third section dealt with the clarification of the legal controls and conditions for the criminalization of dumping and the measures to combat it in light of Islamic legislation, and a legal jurisprudential for those controls and measures. The study revealed, the prohibition of dumping must be subject to specific conditions and features to be dealt with as illegal or criminal act. From these features: similar quality and sale below the usual prevailing price, causing gross harm in a categorical way or a dominant belief of so. The study also limited and established possible measures to combat and mitigate its effects, including: compulsion at the market price, removal, pricing, compensation, imposition of dumping duties, support for those affected, and the promotion of beatings or imprisonment. Key words: Dumping, selling below market rate, pricing, market value, economy, contemporary financial transactions

Effective Rheology of Bubbles Moving in a Capillary Tube

We calculate the average volumetric flux versus pressure drop of bubbles moving in a single capillary tube with varying diameter, finding a square-root relation from mapping the flow equations onto that of a driven overdamped pendulum. The calculation is based on a derivation of the equation of motion of a bubble train from considering the capillary forces and the entropy production associated with the viscous flow. We also calculate the configurational probability of the positions of the bubbles.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Vaccine Storage and Handling Practices among routine immunization service providers in a metropolitan city of North-Central Nigeria

Background: The efficacy of vaccines can be compromised by faulty transport, storage, and handling. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practice of vaccine storage and handling among Primary Health Care Workers (PHCWs) offering routine immunization (RI) services in static health facilities in Ilorin metropolis, North-central Nigeria.Methodology: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among 457 Primary Health Care Workers (PHCWs) in 2 Local Government Authorities in Kwara State, north central Nigeria, using multi stage sampling technique. The research instruments were pretested self-administered questionnaire and observational checklist. The data generated were analyzed using EPI-INFO version 3.5.1 software package. Level of significance was predetermined at p-value of less than 0.05 at 95% confidence interval.Results: About half of the respondents (52.1%) knew the optimal vaccine storage temperature, 35.4% knew that freezing is harmful to certain vaccines. Although, 67.8% were aware of the 'shake test', only 48.4% of them knew how to conduct it. Up to 367 (80.3%) acknowledged that heat is harmful to vaccines. Even though, 267 (58.4%) knew the vaccine vial monitor (VVM) stages, only 248 (45.3%) could interpret the VVM correctly. About 30% of the health facilities (HFs) had adequate vaccine storage equipments while less than one third (28.6%) refrigerators were used exclusively for vaccine storage. However, functioning thermometers were present in all the refrigerators devoted to vaccine storage.Conclusions: Vaccine storage and handling practices among PHCWs providing routine immunization (RI) services in the study area was still sub-optimal. There is need for periodic on the job training and supportive supervision of health workers by middle cadre immunization officers in the local government to improve on the vaccine storage and handling practices of RI service providers.Keywords: Routine immunization, knowledge, vaccine handling, Nigeria, practice

Dealing with stigma and its impact on Lassa-fever survivors in Ondo state

Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by a rodent-borne arenavirus that is endemic in West Africa. Globally, people living with diseases like Leprosy, Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Lassa fever have been stigmatized. Although awareness is being created and treatment provided there are societal factors that drive stigma. Treatment of Lassa fever is mainly supportive and societal attributes contribute to stigmatization of the disease as well as the spread of the disease. Unfortunately, effective strategies to create awareness, educate people and reduce levels of stigma associated with Lassa fever in the community have not been fully utilized. Thus, the study examined the effect of stigma among the Lassa fever survivors in Ondo state.   The study utilized the qualitative survey method. Six interviews were conducted to examine the effect of stigma among 6 Lassa fever survivors. The respondents consisted of 5 males and 1 female between the ages of 36-57 years old; who had attained a level of formal education and were employed in public and private sectors. They resided in semi-urban areas. Thematic analysis was used to determine the factors that caused stigma among the survivors.   A total of 6 persons (5 males and 1 female) were interviewed. They all (6) reported that they had experienced some form of stigma while they were suspects to being treated for Lassa fever. Four had little knowledge of Lassa fever while 5 were not aware of the symptoms. All (6) of the respondents were scared of contracting Lassa fever and were alienated at one point in time or the other by significant others, health workers and members of their immediate community. Lassa Fever survivors had experienced stigma and struggled to cope with their diagnosis, treatment and care. Stigma had a negative impact on the survivors as they had experienced some initial alienation from members in their communities. Findings highlight the need to educate people and engage the community to create care, treatment and support programs to reduce the stigma associated with Lassa fever as well as provide psychosocial counseling to survivors, their significant others, treatment partners and relatives