Impacts of agricultural mechanization adoption on floodplain sugar-cane (Saccharrum officinarum L.) farmers’ income in Mubi, N.E. Nigeria

I. J. Tekwa1, G. M. Bunu1, M. S. Abubakar2(1. Department of Agricultural Technology, Federal Polytechnic, P.M.B 35, Mubi;2. Department of Agricultural Engineering Technology, Federal Polytechnic, P.M.B 35 Mubi)Abstract: A survey was conducted in order to assess the effectiveness of agricultural mechanization adoption on floodplain sugar-cane farmers’ income in four locations, namely: Bahuli, Muchalla, Mijulu and Kirya, all within Mubi area.  The survey was conducted during growing season between September, 2006 and May, 2007.  Information related to the subject was sourced from target farmers (80) through purposively administered questionnaires.  Information sought centered on inventory of practiced technologies, levels of adoption and its economic returns.  Data generated during the study were statistically validated using the test-re-test method of reliability test and correlated positively (r=0.80).  The data were analyzed and compared using simple bar charts, percentages, chi–square and Likert scaling test types.  It was indicated that there was a higher concentration of traditional technologies among the farmers prior to the adoption of modern agricultural mechanization as judged numerically.  However, despite the awareness by the extension workers, there were about 5% of farmers who were adamant of the modern technological changes.  Also, about 95% of the farmer population experienced drastic rise in farm output and sales income from their sugar-cane produce after the adoption process. Sugar-cane farmers’ perception analysis further attested to positive effectiveness of both the modern agricultural mechanization and farm incomes during the study period.  The challenge for better prospective outputs further depends on the extent of extension awareness among practicing farmers in the study area.Keywords: adoption rate, farm input, farmers’ perception, traditional technology, modern technology, NigeriaCitation: Tekwa, I. J., G. M. Bunu, and M. S. Abubakar.  Impacts of agricultural mechanization adoption on floodplain sugar-cane (Saccharrum officinarum L.) farmers’ income in Mubi, N.E. Nigeria.  Agric Eng Int: CIGR Journal, 2010, 12(2): 42-48.&nbsp

The Comparative Study of Biaxial Bending Analysis of Steel Sections Using AISC and Eurocode Approaches

ABSTRACT This study investigates the capacity of the steel section using both AISC and Eurocode approaches by Robot Structure Analysis software. Three types of steel sections were subject to biaxial bending by applying loads to both main axes and examined by both approaches. The concept of Fisher was also adopted as an approach. The findings suggested that the Eurocode approach is more conservative in the design of steel sections subject to biaxial bending as it takes into account the level at which the load is applied, the type of the section whether rolled or welded and its height-to-width ratio (lateral buckling effect), the effects which are not considered in AISC approach. The AISC approach considers the shear center of the section as the level at which the loads are applied. The conservatism of the results was more pronounced when the section is close to H-section. Fisher`s concept of structural design of biaxial bending of structural steel is more conservative than both AISC and Eurocode approaches of analysis

Suitability of viscosity measurement methods for liquid food variety and applicability in food industry - A review.

Although there are several approaches to measure viscosity of liquid foods in the literature, the successful selected technique depends on the specific product and the functional characteristics that need to be analyzed. Accordingly, it is not an easy task for food technologists to determine the suitable approach to be used. Therefore briefing the existing methods, working principles, advantages, limitations and their successful applications for well known published articles, may enable the researchers to choose the optimum approach. The intensive review revealed that the most commonly used viscosity measurement devices are capillary flow viscometers, orifice type viscometers, falling ball viscometers, and rotational viscometers. Glass capillary viscometers are widely used for measuring low to medium viscosity of Newtonian fluids. In order to measure the viscosity of difficult fluids like those having large particles non-conventional geometries such as mixer viscometry method is used. Tube viscometer method which might be considered as a wide-bore capillary viscometer with a special capability to handle suspensions is currently used to determine rheological behaviour of a product after a thermal treatment. Scraped surface heat exchangers (SSHE) are widely used in food industry for thermal treatment of very viscous food products. Mass detecting capillary viscometer is a new technique to measure the viscosity of milk and soymilk products. In order to measure the viscosity of food stabilizers coaxial viscometers are recommended. Also, possibly the best known of the orifice viscometers in the food industry is the dipping-type Zahn viscometer. Finally, it could be inferred that the viscosity ought to be independent on the instrument, so different instruments will yield the same results, but this is a theoretical concept and different instruments rarely yield identical results

Fuzzy soft separation axioms in fuzzy soft topological spaces.

Fuzzy soft separation axioms was introduced by Mahanta and Das ([5]) using the definitions of a `fuzzy soft point' and `the complement of a fuzzy soft point is a fuzzy soft point', and `distinct of fuzzy soft points' in there sense.  In this paper we, introduce fuzzy soft separation axioms in terms of the modified definitions of a `fuzzy soft point', the complement of a fuzzy soft point is a fuzzy soft set' and `distinct of fuzzy soft points'([7]). Also, we study some of their properties. Finally, we discuss fuzzy soft topological property for such spaces.                                                          &nbsp

Detour Polynomials of Generalized Vertex Identified of Graphs

تعد مسافة الالتفاف من أهم أنواع المسافات التي لها تطبيقات حديثة في الكيمياء وشبكات الكمبيوتر، لذلك حصلنا في هذا البحث على متعددات حدود الالتفاف وأدلتها لـ  nمن البيانات المنفصلة عن بعضها البعض بالنسبة للرؤوس ، n≥3. أيضًا وجدنا متعددات حدود الالتفاف وأدلتها لبعض البيانات الخاصة والتي لها تطبيقات مهمة في الكيمياء.The Detour distance is one of the most common distance types used in chemistry and computer networks today. Therefore, in this paper, the detour polynomials and detour indices of vertices identified of n-graphs which are connected to themselves and separated from each other with respect to the vertices for n≥3 will be obtained. Also, polynomials detour and detour indices will be found for another graphs which have important applications in Chemistry.

Protective effect of camel milk as anti-diabetic supplement: biochemical, molecular and immunohistochemical study

Background: Diabetes is a serious disease affects human health. Diabetes in advanced stages is accompanied by general weakness and alteration in fats and carbohydrates metabolism. Recently there are some scientific trends about the usage of camel milk (CM) in the treatment of diabetes and its associated alterations. CM contains vital active particles with insulin like action that cure diabetes and its complications but how these effects occur, still unclear.Materials and Methods: Seventy-five adult male rats of the albino type divided into five equal groups. Group 1 served as a negative control (C). Group 2 was supplemented with camel milk (CM). Diabetes was induced in the remaining groups (3, 4 and 5). Group 3 served as positive diabetic control (D). Group 4 served as diabetic and administered metformin (D+MET). Group 5 served as diabetes and supplemented with camel milk (D+CM). Camel milk was supplemented for two consecutive months. Serum glucose, leptin, insulin, liver, kidney, antioxidants, MDA and lipid profiles were assayed. Tissues from liver and adipose tissues were examined using RT-PCR analysis for the changes in mRNA expression of genes of carbohydrates and lipid metabolism. Pancreas and liver were used for immunohistochemical examination using specific antibodies.Results: Camel milk supplementation ameliorated serum biochemical measurements that altered after diabetes induction. CM supplementation up-regulated mRNA expression of IRS-2, PK, and FASN genes, while down-regulated the expression of CPT-1 to control mRNA expression level. CM did not affect the expression of PEPCK gene. On the other hand, metformin failed to reduce the expression of CPT-1 compared to camel milk administered rats. Immunohistochemical findings revealed that CM administration restored the immunostaining reactivity of insulin and GLUT-4 in the pancreas of diabetic rats.Conclusion: CM administration is of medical importance and helps physicians in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.Keywords: Camel milk, Diabetes, Gene expression, Immunohistochemistr

Parental Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Towards Paediatric Ear Infections in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A quantitative study

ABSTRACT: Objectives: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and care-seeking practices of parents towards childhood ear infections in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between April and June 2018. An online survey was sent to a random selection of parents who were ≥18 years old with children of ≤10 years old. Associations between parental knowledge, attitude, care-seeking practices, socioeconomic status, level of education and age were assessed using the chi square test and logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 782 subjects participated in this study (response rate: 78.2%). Most respondents were knowledgeable (76.2%), had a positive attitude (78.9%) and had positive care-seeking practices (89.5%). There was a statistically significant difference on both bivariate and multivariate analyses (P <0.05) between parental care seeking practice and knowledge. Parents who sought modern approaches to treatment were found to be almost nine times more likely to have a good attitude towards ear infections than those who did not seek treatment (odds ratio = 8.907, 95% confidence interval = 2.655–34.928; P <0.001). A statistically significant relationship was found between good care-seeking practice and age, as well as socioeconomic status (P <0.05 each). Conclusion: This study showed that knowledge, attitude and practice regarding paediatric ear infections were positive in the majority of parents in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Future studies should assess other factors that enhance the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding ear infections.Keywords: Otitis Media; Infection; Knowledge; Attitude; Pediatrics; Parents; Saudi Arabia

SYNTHESIS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SOME (2-AMINO-5-THIOL-1, 3, 4-THIADIAZOLE DERIVATIVES

Five derivatives of thiadiazole were prepared with aldehydes and alkyl halides, compoundA: 2-amino-5-thiol-1,3,4- thiadiazole, compound B :2-(o-hydroxybenzylidine)amino-5-thiol-1,3,4-thiadiazole, compoundC: 2(2-butan-lidine)amino-5-thiol-1,3,4-thiadiazole, compound E: 2- amino-5-(2-Propanylthio)-1,3,4-thiadiazol) and compound F:2(o-chlorobenzylamino)-5-(2-propanyl thio)-1,3,4 thiadiazol. All prepared compounds were diagnosed by (IR) and (UV) Spectroscopy. All of those compounds were screened for their anti-microbial activity in vitro. The results show that most of the compounds A, B, C exhibited moderate to good activity against Gram-positive bacteria and the same compound exhibit low to moderate activity on most gram-negative bacteria under study. Finally, compound E and F had little or no effect organism

PARAMETRIC STUDY OF LAMINAR FREE CONVECTION IN HORIZONTAL ANNULUS WITH AND WITHOUT FINS ON THE INNER CYLINDER

An experimental and numerical study has been carried out to investigate the heat transfer by natural convection in air-filled annulus between two horizontal isothermal concentric cylinders with and without annular fins under steady state conditions; the inner cylinder surface is maintained at a higher temperature and the outer cylinder surface at a lower one. In the experimental study, the annulus inner surface is maintained at high temperature by applying uniform heat flux to the inner cylinder while the annulus outer surface is subjected to ambient temperature and maintained at low temperature. The experiments were curried out at a range of Rayleigh number (1.81×103 – 4.03×104) for case without fins and (1.08×103 – 2.94×104) for case with fins, at different diameter ratios (η = 2.0, 2.6 and 3.0). The results showed that: (1) increasing the diameter ratio(η) strongly increases the heat transfer rate, (2) increasing Rayleigh number increases the heat transfer rate for any η and (3) attaching annular fins to the inner cylinder surface of (No. of fins/cm) of 1.25 and (fin height/gap width) of 0.143, 0.186 and 0.286 reduced the mean Nusselt number ( Nu) within (16.3 - 29.7) percent of that for the case without fins at the same Rayleigh number. In the numerical study, only the case without fins was investigated. The buoyancy driven fluid flow resulting from the temperature difference between the cylinders, is assumed to be steady, laminar, two dimensional and symmetric about the vertical center-line. Only half of the domain needs to be modeled from symmetry considerations. Navier-Stokes and energy equations are expressed in vorticity-stream function form and discretized via finite difference method. The Rayleigh number (based on gap width) varied from l02 to l05 with the influence of diameter ratio obtained near a Rayleigh number of 104. Results for the local and mean Nusselt number, the contour maps of the streamlines and isotherms are presented, to show some of the flow and heat transfer characteristics. The results numerically obtained showed a good agreement with the present experimental data

Ionization-induced asymmetric self-phase modulation and universal modulational instability in gas-filled hollow-core photonic crystal fibers

We study theoretically the propagation of relatively long pulses with ionizing intensities in a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber filled with a Raman-inactive gas. Due to photoionization, previously unknown types of asymmetric self-phase modulation and `universal' modulational instabilities existing in both normal and anomalous dispersion regions appear. We also show that it is possible to spontaneously generate a plasma-induced continuum of blueshifting solitons, opening up new possibilities for pushing supercontinuum generation towards shorter and shorter wavelengths.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure