Analysis of Skill Acquisition Programmes (SAP) on Employment Opportunities in Rural Rivers State

The study analyzed skill acquisition programmes (SAP) on employment opportunities among rural people in Rivers State. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from 100 respondents. Multistage sampling technique was employed. Four institutions involved in SAP were purposively selected while 80 beneficiaries and 20 managerial/administrative staff of the institutions were randomly selected. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study revealed that the four institutions carried out activities/skills in carpentry, computer training, fashion design, welding, GSM repairs, barbing /hair saloon, hat making, soap making and tie and dye. All(100%)the persons that enrolled with RSSDA and NDDC graduated at the end of the programme while Elf (95%) and NAOC(90%) graduated at the end of the programme. Furthermore, the study revealed that 23% of the beneficiaries areself-employed, 19% were employed by government, 14% were employed by private sector and 45% still see their selves as unemployed. The factors militating against SAP were beneficiaries went into SAP because they needed money ( =3.10), lack of interest in the skills ( =2.90), lack of electricity to continue the skill ( =2.80), beneficiaries sell their starter packs ( =3.10), lack of store/place to start the business ( =2.90) and government not admitting the right individuals into the programme ( =3.10). It was therefore recommended thatleaders in the study area should allow the programme to be independent. They should allow the coordinators or organizationsto recruit the candidates themselves. Keywords: Skill Acquisition Programmes, Employment Opportunities, Rura

Future trends in mechatronics

Presently, the move towards a more complex and multidisciplinary system development is increasingly important in order to understand and strengthen engineering approaches for the systems in the engineering field. This will lead to the effective and successful management of these systems. The scientific developments in computer engineering, simulation and modeling, electromechanical motion tools, power electronics, computers and informatics, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), microprocessors, and distributed system platforms (DSPs) have brought new challenges to industry and academia. Important aspects of designing advanced mechatronic products include modeling, simulation, analysis, virtual prototyping, and visualization. Competition on a global market includes the adaptation of new technology to produce better, cheaper, and smarter, scalable, multifunctional goods. Since the application area for developing such systems is very broad, including, for example, automotive, aeronautics, robotics or consumer products, and much more, there is also the need for flexible and adaptable methods to develop such systems. These dynamic interdisciplinary systems are called mechatronic systems, which refer to a system that possess synergistic integration of Software, electronic, and mechanical systems. To approach the complexity inherent in the aspects of the discipline, different methods and techniques of development and integration are coming from the disciplines involved. This paper will provide a brief review of the history, current developments and the future trends of mechatronics in general vie

Reduced Satellite Cell Numbers and Myogenic Capacity in Aging Can Be Alleviated by Endurance Exercise

Background: Muscle regeneration depends on satellite cells, myogenic stem cells that reside on the myofiber surface. Reduced numbers and/or decreased myogenic aptitude of these cells may impede proper maintenance and contribute to the age-associated decline in muscle mass and repair capacity. Endurance exercise was shown to improve muscle performance; however, the direct impact on satellite cells in aging was not yet thoroughly determined. Here, we focused on characterizing the effect of moderate-intensity endurance exercise on satellite cell, as possible means to attenuate adverse effects of aging. Young and old rats of both genders underwent 13 weeks of treadmill-running or remained sedentary. Methodology: Gastrocnemius muscles were assessed for the effect of age, gender and exercise on satellite-cell numbers and myogenic capacity. Satellite cells were identified in freshly isolated myofibers based on Pax7 immunostaining (i.e., exvivo). The capacity of individual myofiber-associated cells to produce myogenic progeny was determined in clonal assays (in-vitro). We show an age-associated decrease in satellite-cell numbers and in the percent of myogenic clones in old sedentary rats. Upon exercise, there was an increase in myofibers that contain higher numbers of satellite cells in both young and old rats, and an increase in the percent of myogenic clones derived from old rats. Changes at the satellite cell level in old rats were accompanied with positive effects on the lean-to-fat Gast muscle composition and on spontaneous locomotion levels. The significance of these data is that they suggest that the endurance exercise-mediated boost in bot

Thermal Analysis of Solar Box Cooker in Omu-Aran Metropolis

Just like other solar cookers, the solar box cooker needs energy gotten from the sun to operate without producing emissions. In this research, a solar box is fabricated to reduce over-dependence on fossil fuel for energy generation. This reduces the environmental degradation caused by the use of other sources of energy. The ASHRAE empirical model was used to obtain the solar irradiance present in Omu-Aran metropolis. Thereafter, the no-load and load test was conducted to determine the cooker’s thermal performance. The tests were conducted between January 2018 and January 2019 in Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria with geographical coordinates 8° 8' 0" North, 5° 6' 0" East. The average energy and exergy efficiency of the cooker were 32oC and 28oC respectively. A decrease in the efficiency of the cooker was observed. This was because the reflector, which is made from aluminium foil, was degrading. As a result of this degradation caused the sun rays (radiation) to be reflected poorly into the absorber and also caused a myth of overcast sky. Meanwhile, the variation in solar radiation during the sensible heating test resulted in the fluctuation inefficiency. The ratio of water to absorber temperature which was above 0.80 during the pre-boiling heating process indicates that the cooker can be recommended for sterilization