Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

https://thekeep.eiu.edu/humanitiescenter_meaningfulwork0910/1002/thumbnail.jp

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

https://thekeep.eiu.edu/humanitiescenter_meaningfulwork0910/1002/thumbnail.jp

A Comparison of Cardanol and its Derivatives as Reactive Diluents in Alkyd Coatings

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) have aroused concern in many parts of the world especially in large cities due to their negative impact to the environment. In the presence of sunlight, VOC react with NOx gases to produce tropospheric ozone, a powerful oxidant and pollutant to the atmosphere. Although most of the VOC’s originate from petroleum products and internal engine exhausts, and plants, a significant amount is derived from solvent based coatings. Cardanyl methyl ether, cardanol acetate synthesized from cardanol and neat cardanol, which was isolated from cashew nut shell liquid, recovered from cashew nut shell and neat cardanol were studied for their characteristics and evaluated for their suitability as reactive diluents in alkyd coatings. These products were found to be compatible with long alkyd coatings. The reactive diluents helped to lower volatile organic compounds (VOC), drying time and application viscosity of alkyd based coatings.  Coatings formed had excellent adhesion, better drying time, and pencil hardness and are cheaper since CNSL is a renewable raw material. VOC reduction to the extent of about 39 % compared to conventional commercial products was realized. Use of the reactive diluents developed  would not only reduce direct pollution through VOC’s from coatings, but also pollution generated from burning cashew nut shells, which is currently widely  practiced  among cashew nut processors. Keywords: Cardanyl methyl ether, Cardanol acetate, cardanol, reactive diluent, Alkyd Coating

Portrayal of Women in Selected Songs of Kenyan Male Artistes

Abstract This article analyses how Kenyan male artistes portray and appear to view women as evidenced in their songs about women. An application of social realism, Judith Butler’s theory of performativity, Derrida’s approach of alterity, and Lakoff’s theory of metaphor informs the analysis. Songs mark almost all spheres of life in Kenya. It is therefore, necessary to examine how the male artistes in the Kenyan society construct women in their songs. This can provide a window through which a better examination and understanding of the self and the other can be achieved by examining the gender discourse that prevails in the unconscious expressions of the artiste. This is because songs can be viewed as honest confessions of what usually remains concealed in the self, about the other. It is hereby observed that male artistes are always engaged in an internal dialogue that attempts to define women from masculine precincts. These masculine dialogues manifest themselves in songs where the subsumed addressee is a plurality of the self (the male artiste) and the other (the women subject). The song is therefore, an interchange of a gendering process that voices its inner tensions, arguments, fears, hopes, dilemmas and ambitions through the song. Key Words: Men, Women, Songs, Viewership, Metapho

Synthesis and Characterisation of Cardanol Acetate and Cardanol Ether as Reactive Diluents for Alkyd Coatings

Alkyd resins are viscous, tacky materials that are difficult to handle. Most often, these handling problems are overcome by dissolving the resins in organic solvents, which evaporate into the atmosphere as volatile organic compound (VOC), giving rise to regulations. A reactive diluent is a compound that acts as a solvent in the liquid paint, lowering the viscosity, and chemically reacts into the final film during the curing process to give a more environmentally friendly coating and the amount of traditional solvent can be decreased. Cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) is not currently utilized in Kenya and the objective of this work was to develop reactive diluents from chemically modified CNSL products and evaluate their compatibility with alkyd coatings. A standard reactive diluent should have low viscosity, increase drying time of less than 50 %, and be nontoxic. Cardanol was isolated using methanol and ammonia solution as the solvents in a ratio of 8:5 respectively. The percentage yield of cardanol obtained was 63.94 %. The yield of cardanol acetate obtained was 58.94 %. The cardanol acetate was also characterized by FT-IR and it showed the presence of the C=O stretch functional group characteristic of the ester and the absence of the OH group that was present in cardanol. The cardanol acetate synthesised showed a low viscosity (45 Cps) and a reduced drying time of about 25–35% compared to conventionally prepared formulations. Keywords: Cashew nut shell liquid, Cardanol, Reactive diluent, Cardanol acetate

Immobilized Candida antarctica Lipase Catalyzed Transesterification of Croton megalocarpus Seed Oil for Biodiesel Production

Methanolic transesterification of Croton megalocarpus seed oil to produce biodiesel was investigated using Immobilized Candida antarctica lipase as a catalyst. The reactions were optimized by varying the temperature, amount of methanol and the weight of lipase. The transesterification process yielded 98.71 % biodiesel conversion at optimal conditions of 30 % enzyme (m/m), 50 0C reaction temperature and oil to alcohol molar ratio of 1:4. Biodiesel from this process had a remarkably high acid value. All the other fuel properties measured were within the range stipulated in the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and International Standards Organization (ISO) standards.   Keywords: Biodiesel, Croton megalocarpus, Transesterification, lipas

Cerebrospinal fluid ascites. a case report and literature review

Cerebrospinal fluid ascites is one complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery. This case reports a 7year old child with abdominal distention five years after ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion for hydrocephalus secondary to aqueductal stenosis. The child had a history of multiple shunt revisions. Liver, cardiac and renal causes of ascites were diagnostically ruled out. Cerebrospinal fluid biochemistry was normal but ascitic fluid biochemistry and electrophoresis of the ascitic fluid were deranged. The ascites resolved gradually within two weeks of endoscopic third ventriculostomy. Cases recorded in literature are reviewed in the discussion

Prevalence of Os Acromiale in an Indigenous East African Population: A Computerized Tomography Scan-based Study

Background: Failure of fusion to any of the acromion physes at maturity may lead to an os acromiale. A radiological review into the prevalence of os acromiale in an indigenous East African population was performed using computer tomography (CT) imaging. The study aimed to demonstrate a lower prevalence of os acromiale in an urban population compared with cadaveric studies. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with consecutive sampling. CT scans of both shoulders obtained for non-shoulder pathology were used for the analysis. CT scanning was performed at a tertiary referral hospital from January 2019 to July 2020. Results: Nine hundred eighty-two CT studies were eligible for the review. There were 148 os acromiale identified that were either pre-acromiale or mesoacromiale. The study found a 15% prevalence of os acromiale among an ethnic East African population, of which almost 40% were meso-acromiale and 60% were pre-acromiale, with no meta-acromiale. Conclusion: The prevalence of os acromiale found in this study is similar to that observed in earlier cadaveric studies

Passiflora edulis seed oil methyl ester as a potential source of biodiesel

In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of literature on biodiesel as a feasible source of renewable energy. Compared to fossil energy, biodiesel is environmentally friendlier which makes it a viable option. This study set out with the aim of assessing the use of Passiflora edulis seed oil (purple passion fruit) obtained from an industrial fruit juice processing waste. The oil was evaluated as a good potential feedstock for production of biodiesel. In this study Passiflora edulis seed oil was transesterified using methanol and potassium hydroxide. A biodiesel yield of 80 % was obtained. The methyl ester had a viscosity of 4.60 mm2/s, acid value 0.45 mgKOH/g, density 0.89 g/ml, colour 1.60, water content 0.04 %, copper strip corrosion-No tarnish, and flash point > 150 0C. The fuel parameters measured were within range according to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and International Standards Organization (ISO) standards. The current findings add substantially to our understanding of biodiesel and it sources. Keywords: Transesterification, Passiflora edulis seed oil, Methanol, Biodiesel, Methyl este

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ADOPTION OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PRACTICES IN SECURITY COMPANIES IN KENYA

Employees are the most important asset in an organization. Their health and safety is therefore paramount if the employee is to perform his/ her duties at optimal level. Legal responsibility is therefore placed upon the employer to ensure employees safety and health at the workplace. Employees also have the right and responsibility to ensure their own safety and health and that of their colleagues at their workplace. The importance of occupational health and safety (OHS) is to ensure workers health and wellbeing is maintained at the workplace is important. The study set to analyze the factors that influence the adoption of occupational health and safety practices in security companies in Kenya. The objectives were to: establish the role of OHS policy, determine the influence of leadership on OHS, examine the culture of OHS and establish the effect of training on training on OHS at the G4S Kenya Limited. The study was guide by Social Cognitive Theory. The study used descriptive research design. The sample size for the study was 200 with a response rate of 89%. Questionnaires were used to collect data. The study found that G4S has a policy on OHS that was relevant but was not well communicated to the employees and was not well implemented; the management of G4S closely monitored employees work, there was a channel for reporting safety issues and that the management adhered to safety standards; the employees had received training that was comprehensive but still were unable to handle emergency issues at their workplace; the management and employees of G4S had a good culture towards occupational health and safety though more was expected. The study recommends continuous revision of OHS policy to conform to current standards and practices; collaboration between the management and employees on their safety and wellbeing; relevant and adequate training of all employees on occupational health and safety practices