Dynamic Response of an Inclined Railway Bridge Supported by Winkler Foundation Under a Moving Railway Vehicle

An investigation into the dynamical behaviour of an inclined railway bridge traversed by uniform partially distributed moving railway vehicle, and supported by an elastic foundation is carried out. The effects of shear deformation and rotatory inertia are taken into consideration. The resulting coupled partially differential equations are solved using finite difference method. It was found that the foundation moduli and angle of inclination of the bridge have significant effect on the deflection of the bridge

Pyrolysis of waste tyre for high-quality fuel products: A review

Pyrolysis is a thermal conversion of materials at high temperatures in an inert atmosphere. Pyrolysis can be obtained through thermal or catalytic pathways. Thermal pyrolysis is known for its high operating temperature, reaction time, and low oil quality. To subdue these challenges associated with thermal pyrolysis, catalytic pyrolysis of the waste tyre has materialized with the use of a catalyst. Catalytic pyrolysis can convert 60–80% of the waste tyre into pyro-oil having close similarities with diesel fuel. Thus the produced pyro-oil is of better quality and could yield useful chemicals as feedstock in chemical processes and energy-related applications such as electricity generation, transport fuel, and heating source. Therefore, this review reports the advancement and limitations of catalytic pyrolysis of the waste tyre and its future perception when compared to thermal pyrolysis. Factors affecting pyrolysis, cons, and limitations of thermal pyrolysis were discussed. These limitations led to the discussion of catalytic pyrolysis, the effects of catalysts on the product yield, composition, and physical properties. Although the catalytic pyrolysis has advantages over thermal pyrolysis, it has few shortcomings which were presented. Some recommendations to address these shortcomings were also stated

Socio-Economic Benefits of Microgravity Research

Microgravity researches are conducted in low gravity environments. These low gravity environments can be achieved in a number of ways including parabolic aircraft flights, sounding rockets, drop towers, clinostat.  Gravity dominates everything on Earth, from the way life has developed to the way materials interact. The reduction of gravity causes significant changes in the chosen sample which could be cells, plants, micro-organisms and small samples from material sciences. The changes that occur as a result of the effect of microgravity have led to discoveries that have been found to be of socio-economic benefits. Socio-economic benefits involve benefits in wealth, health, economic, environment. Sustainable development in an economy includes economic growth, environmental protection and social equality. Space technology applications such as in microgravity stimulate economic growth and improve the quality of life of people, in this way, it is beneficial to mankind.  Overall, products manufactured in microgravity environments have key properties usually surpassing the best terrestrial counterparts. Commercially, these products have attractive features that facilitate marketing. This review considers the various benefits of microgravity research in life-sciences such as in microbiology, pharmacy, and medicine

Quality of sleep and psychological morbidity among paramedical and medical students in Southwest Nigeria

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the quality of sleep and psychological morbidity between medical students and paramedical students.Methods: A cross sectional survey of one hundred and eighty-six students of the College of Medicine, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, Nigeria, were surveyed using socio-demographic questionnaires, Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire and General Health questionnaire.Results: The mean ages among paramedical students was 20.63±1.6 and medical students was 22.80±2.93 respectively. Medical Students had a higher percentage of those who had poor sleep quality (86.7% ,≥ 5, n=85) than the paramedical students (38.6%, n=34) and higher mean scores on General Health Questionnaire, M(SD) = 8.75(5.01) than the Paramedical group, M(SD) = 6.53(2.97) respectively.Conclusion: The findings in our study showed that medical students had poorer sleep quality and higher psychological morbidity in comparison to paramedical students, efforts should be made to reduce academic stress and improving sleep quality.Keywords: Sleep, Psychological Morbidity, Medical Students, Paramedical Students, Medical Educatio

Does farmers’ entrepreneurial competencies explain their household poverty status? Evidence from rural areas of Kwara State, Nigeria

Ending poverty in all its forms and in all places by 2030 is number one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, in less than a decade to the time set for actualizing this goal, poverty is still pervasive in Nigeria and more endemic among farmers in rural areas. Entrepreneurship is seen as a veritable tool to alleviate poverty and stimulate economic growth in some developing countries including Nigeria. Howbeit, little is known about the relationship between farmers’ entrepreneurial competencies and poverty. Thus, this study examined the effects of farmers’ entrepreneurial competencies on household poverty status in rural areas of Kwara State, Nigeria. A three-stage sampling procedure was employed in selecting 272 farm households, with at least a member who was engaged in at least one other means of livelihood (enterprise). Data were collected between February and March 2019 and analysed with descriptive statistics, factor analysis, Foster, Greer, and Thorbecke (FGT) weighted poverty indices and probit regression at p = 0.05. At a daily poverty line of $1.90 (₦684.00) per capita, 55.15% of the households were poor. The findings indicate that poverty among farm households varied with their level of entrepreneurial competencies. Perseverance competence significantly increased household poverty, while social competence reduced it. The findings suggest poverty reduction strategies that come directly from farmers’ own initiative and their resilience which is rural focused regardless of other challenges that may exist

Elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (eMTCT) in Western Nigeria: how far have we gone?

Background: HIV pandemic has continued to be a huge challenge in Nigeria, with the problem of stigmatization reducing the chances of early determination of the HIV status of pregnant women, which may increase the chances of transmission to the child from the mother. Hypotheses tested were the influence of maternal antiretroviral therapy (ART) use and infant’s feeding option on baby’s final early infant diagnosis (EID) outcome. The study was aimed at determining the trend as well as diagnosis of HIV infection in exposed infants. It will also determine among infants the factors associated with the transmission of the infection from their mothers.Methods: This study was a prospective cohort study of HIV-exposed infants conducted in Ekiti State, South Western Nigeria, between June 2015 and June 2017. Dried Blood Spots (DBS) were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction technique. All data were statistically analyzed, using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) and statistical test of significance was performed with Chi-Square test.Results: A total of 200 infants were included in the study, 91 (45.5%) female and 109 (54.5%) male. Three (1.5%) babies were confirmed positive after cessation of all exposures. Maternal antiretroviral therapy (ART) use has significant effect on baby early infant diagnosis (EID) outcome (χ² = 65.40, df = 2, P = 0.001). Infant feeding option has significant effect on baby early infant diagnosis (EID) outcome (χ² = 132.67, df = 2, P = 0.001). Baby’s mode of delivery have higher association with the final EID outcome of the baby (OR: 1.018, 95% CI: 0.998 – 1.038).Conclusion: ART administration to both HIV-infected mothers and their babies has demonstrated an effective mechanism in the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (eMTCT), as this is evident in the very low positivity outcome. However, the degree to which Cuba, Armenia, Belarus, and Thailand have eliminated HIV transmission from mother-to-baby is achievable in Nigeria through provision of universal access to health care.Key words: infant, mother, dried blood spot, polymerase chain reactio

Influence of membership of cooperative society on farmers’ income in rural areas of Kwara State

: Smallholder farmers with small farm sizes, low input utilization, and poor access to effective post-harvest technology are known for low income. These challenges led to the emergence of special programs and social organizations, the most common of which is cooperative society. Yet, little is known about the effect of membership of cooperative society on farmers’ income. Hence, this study examined the influence of membership of cooperative society on farmers’ income in Kwara State, Nigeria. Primary data collected between February and March, 2015 from 191 household heads were used for this study and were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results revealed that the mean income of farmers who were members of cooperative society, non-members of cooperative society and control group were ₦15,090±₦3,828, ₦17,686±₦18,306 and ₦11,020±₦2,378 respectively. The results of Kruskal Wallis statistic and the asymptotic significant probability, JonckeereTerpstra test for significance of the mean incomes for the various categories of farmers were significant at 1% level. The results of ANOVA test also indicated the existence of significant difference between the means of the income levels of the three categories of farmers at the 1% level. The results of the Post Hoc test for differences/equality among the various categories revealed that the average income of the control category differs greatly from those of the non-cooperative and cooperative groups but there is no significant difference between the mean income of the cooperative farmers and that of the non�cooperative farmers. Thus, membership of cooperative society had positive effect on farmers’ income in the study area. Based on this, increasing awareness and information about cooperative societies among farmers in the study area becomes imperativ

Volume-Level Calibrations for Partially-filled Liquid Process and Storage Vessels: Metering for Complex Geometries

Process vessels utilized for liquids and liquid-phase processes are important in the chemical process industries as they are employed for a number of purposes which include use as reservoirs, surge tanks, transportation tankers and as reactors. It is therefore often desired to have real-time data about the liquid volume and level especially for partially-filled vessels. While obtaining volume-level data for filled tanks for common geometries are simple tasks, this is not so for partially-filled vessels with complex geometries. This paper therefore sets out to develop a useful theoretical tool which can assist process engineers with the task of calibrating process tanks for these complex yet widely-used geometries. The paper presents a mathematical analysis of these geometries and develops equations and charts which could be used to estimate tank volumes from given depth of liquid for any geometry of partially-filled process vessel. The paper also develops a useful methodology which can assist in the design and sizing of process vessels using the developed charts. The paper is unique in that it utilized a normalization technique in the mathematical analyses of the partially-filled process vessels. Fractional volume and fractional depth were introduced as key variables in addition to dimensionless geometric parameters

Econometric analysis of profit efficiency of broiler farms in Ondo state, Nigeria

Researchers have recently focused their attention on the chicken producers' inability to produce in sufficient quantities and quality, which contributes to the high price of locally produced chickens. The study investigated the profit efficiency of broiler farms in Ondo state, Nigeria. In order to collect cross-sectional data from sixty owners of broiler poultry farms in the study area between October 2021 and January 2022 for the 2021 production year, a multistage survey technique was used. The data were an-alyzed using descriptive statistics, gross margin and Cobb-Douglas stochastic profit frontier model. Average stock size and mortality rate of farmers were 1826 birds and 3.3% respectively while Ross strain of birds was most preferred birds. The result indicated that broiler farming is a lucrative busi-ness with a profitability index of 45.5 %. The results reveal that the cost of feed, cost of labour used and day-old chicks were the variables that significantly explained the profit efficiency of broiler poul-try farms while household size, years of experience and other income source were the profit inefficien-cy variables. The study recommends government supports to broiler farms in form of input subsidies to enhance efficienc

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF GENOTYPING AND CULTURE-BASED TECHNIQUES FOR FUNGAL KERATITIS DETECTION

The study aims to compare the direct polymerase chain reaction with microbial culture for the detection and fungal pathogens in infectious keratitis.  A total of 81 corneal ulcers were culture and analyzed prospectively. PCR was performed with all corneal scrapping with fungal and bacteria specific primers. PCR products were analysed and compared with the culture results using standard methods. Of the 81 samples, 80 were positive by PCR, 51 for fungi and 29 for bacteria. Out of 51 PCR positive samples, 22 samples were culture positive and 29 were culture negative. The majority of PCR genotyped samples matched the positive culture results. The positive detection rate of 80/81 (98.8%) with high suspicion of fungal keratitis and positive detection rate of direct PCR 50/51(98.0%) were observed. The sensitivities for the diagnosis of fungal keratitis with direct PCR and culture were 98.0% (50/51) and 43.1% (22/51) (p< 0.001) whereas the specificities were 100.0% (2/2) and 100.0% (1/1) respectively. The time required to complete the direct PCR was only 3 hours. The direct PCR assay is a rapid diagnostic technique with high sensitivity and specificity for infectious keratitis and it is expected to have impact on the diagnosis and treatment of infectious keratitis. &nbsp