Optical Transmission-Based Water Turbidity Measurement System

Turbidity is one of the important parameter for the determination of water quality. The current existing method of measuring turbidity of water could come in bulky size or small portable turbidity meter. The ability to handle many samples and implementation of on-line monitoring is limited for such devices while some do not support this feature. Taking measurements would be laborious and time consuming especially when the sources of samples are located in remote places which are difficult to be accessed by human. In this research, an alternative turbidity measurement system called the “Optical Transmission-Based Water Turbidity Measurement System” is designed and its performance is analysed and compared to the measurement from a standard turbidity meter. The concept of the proposed measurement system is to make the turbidity measurement remote, easy to handle and more flexible. The use of fibre optic as the element of carrying light enables measurement taken at the source of sample but could be remotely controlled from other place by the user. The design for the fibre optic set-up, transmitter circuit, receiver circuit and signal conditioning circuit were covered. The assembly program for Peripheral Interface Controller (PIC) was also created

East African coastal forest under pressure

The Arabuko Sokoke dryland coastal forest along the East African coastline provides a unique habitat for many endangered endemic animal and plant species. High demographic pressure with subsequent land-splitting, soil depletion in combination with erratic rainfalls and the collapse of the tourism industry are negatively affecting food security and human livelihood quality in this region. Food crops were originally produced by subsistence farming, but have now to be purchased at local-and super-markets, constituting a major financial burden for the local people. In consequence, overexploitation of natural resources from Arabuko Sokoke forest (illegal logging, charcoal burning, poaching of wild animals) increased during the past years. In this commentary we document ecosystem heterogeneity leading to high species richness. We discuss direct and indirect drivers of habitat degradation of the Arabuko Sokoke forest, and critically reflect current and future solutions. Key drivers of habitat destruction and biodiversity loss are (i) illegal timber logging and removal of woody biomass, (ii) poaching of bush-meat, (iii) exceeding of the carrying capacity by the local elephant population, restricted to Arabuko Sokoke by an electric fence, and (iv) weak governance structures and institutional confusion exacerbating illegal exploitation of natural resources. Potential solutions might be: Provisioning of additional income sources; reforestation of the surrounding areas in the framework of REDD+ activities to create a buffer around the remaining primary forest; improving governance structures that formulates clear guidelines on future usage and protection of natural resources within the Arabuko Sokoke forest; and family planning to counteract human demographic pressure and the exploitation of natural resources

Your Tracks are Showing: Understanding the Experiences of Black Girls in a Middle School with Racialized Tracking

Despite overwhelming research about the negative effects of tracking on minority students, tracking is used to group students in more than 80% of middle schools in the United States. In racially diverse schools, school officials disproportionately place students of color in lower tracks and place an unjustifiable number of White students in the higher tracks, resulting in segregated classrooms. Using tracking to create segregated classes within racially diverse schools is called racialized tracking (Tyson, 2011). In this qualitative study, I explored the educational experiences of six Black girls who attended a middle school with racialized tracking. This study was grounded in Black Feminist Thought (Collins, 2015) to acknowledge the distinct social positioning of Black girls and the importance of their lived experiences. I drew upon Critical Race Theory (Delgado & Stefancic, 2017) to understand how racialized tracking preserved educational inequalities in the girls’ school. I analyzed the data using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2013), using the conceptual framework of intersectionality (Collins & Bilge, 2016) to understand how girls’ experiences were shaped by domains of power. Findings showed that all six girls 1) viewed tracking as an unfair hierarchy, 2) experienced othering and marginalization, 3) valued safe spaces and community, and 4) shaped their identities in resistance to negative stereotypes. The implications of this study call for schools and school districts to end tracking systems and create spaces that promote community and belonging for Black girls. Additionally, this study indicates the need for more diverse, inclusive, and comprehensive instruction of Black history and culture in middle schools. An important implication for all stakeholders is the need for antiracist training to adequately address the systemic and individual racism that Black girls face in school

Seroprevalence, knowledge, and practices of Dengue and Chikungunya in Dar es salaam and Zanzibar: selected hospital-based cross-sectional study

A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master's in Life Sciences of the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and TechnologyThe potential shift of significant causes of febrile illnesses from malaria to non-malarial febrile illnesses, including arboviral diseases such as Chikungunya and Dengue, is of great concern. Two cross sectional studies were conducted at Mnazi mmoja in Zanzibar and Temeke hospital in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. The first study assessed the prevalence, knowledge, and practices regarding Chikungunya and Dengue, among individuals attending outpatient departments at Mnazi mmoja in Zanzibar and Temeke hospital in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. The second study involved serological testing of blood samples from the blood bank at Temeke Referral Hospital in Dar es Salaam and the National Blood Bank Unit in Zanzibar was conducted. Seropositive IgM samples from Temeke hospital in Dar es Salaam were 3/101 (2.97%) for Chikungunya and 1/101 (0.9%) for Dengue, while samples from Zanzibar were all IgM negative for both viruses. Chikungunya IgG seropositivity was significantly higher (p≤0.05) in Temeke hospital in Dar es Salaam 21/101 (21.2%) than Zanzibar 22/180 (12.2%). There was no significant difference in Dengue IgG seropositivity between Temeke hospital in Dar es Salaam 44/101 (43.5%) and Zanzibar 68/180 (37.8%). A total of 332 patients were recruited through a systematic random sampling technique from Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam hospitals. Participants from Dar-es-Salaam had demonstrated lower preventive practices as compared to those from Zanzibar. Only 10.2% of all participants had high knowledge of Dengue and Chikungunya, while only 4.5% were aware of preventive practices. Our results show continuing exposure of Dengue and Chikungunya virus in Tanzania, it associates with low awareness and poor preventive practices. If steps are not taken, may act as a template for big outbreaks when an appropriate condition occurs. Therefore the inclusion of Dengue and Chikungunya in active surveillance program is proposed

Assessment of Factors Influencing Food Security in Wenje Division, Tana River County – Kenya

Access to food is recognized as a right as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). However, food security is still not universally treated as a basic human right. Despite the various progressive measures adopted by the Government of Kenya and Non-governmental organizations, the status of food security in Tana River County is appalling. This study was designed to assess the factors influencing food security in Wenje Division in Tana River County. The main purpose of the study was to assess the extent to which, climate change, governance, access to markets and land use affected food security. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Stratified random sampling was employed to select 390 (10%) out of a total population of 3,908 households. Data was collected using a questionnaire and Focus Group Discussions. Descriptive statistics and regression modeling were used to analyze quantitative data. Qualitative data was presented in narrative form. The key results from the study show that climate change (p=0.001) and land use (p=0.001) had a significant effect on food security. These factors were also found to have a negative influence on food security in the area. Further, statistical findings show a significant relationship between access to markets and food security, while governance was not found to have a significant influence on food security perhaps due to the solitary nature of the farming households. The study concluded that climate change, market access and land use have a significant influence on food security in Wenje Division, while governance was found not to have a significant influence on food security in the area. The study recommended that the government in partnership with other stakeholders should develop strategies to reduce reliance on rain fed agriculture to mitigate the effects of climate change on food security. The study also recommended land use training and planning to empower farmers with skills in the area to enhance food production. Finally, deliberate efforts should be made by the government and other development actors to enhance market access as this was also found to significantly influence food security in the area