Design and Development of Beans (Phaseolus Vulgaris) Shelling Machine

The design and construction of a beans shelling machine, using locally available materials is presented. A detailed design of the various machine components was done, and the appropriate engineering materials were selected for various parts of the machine. A working drawing, detailing the machine components was done for the shop floor fabrication of the machine. The results of the performance evaluation carried out, showed that a shelling efficiency of 81.3% was obtained. The machine has a capacity of 100kg/hr of unshelled beans and a production cost of forty-one thousand, one hundred and fifty naira (N41,150). Keywords: Beans, Shelling Machine, Efficiency, Vibration

Essays in Health Economics

This dissertation is motivated by changes in health and labor policies of the United States that have occurred over the last two decades. It examines how these policies as well as public programs affect behavior and outcomes. These programs and policies have the potential to impact behavior directly at the individual level and could also have indirect effects at the household level. In addition, the effects on healthcare use and health status are also examined. This dissertation consists of three chapters. The first chapter looks at the effect of changes in Medicaid policy on legal immigrant parents in the United States. During the 1990s and early 2000s many states expanded Medicaid eligibility for parents particularly after the 1996 welfare reform. At the same time, welfare reform also put in place policies that limited the eligibility of recent legal immigrants for public programs including Medicaid. In this chapter the effects of these changes in Medicaid eligibility policy on the private and public health insurance coverage of immigrants as well as the overall insurance rate. It also looks at the effect on health care use and measures of health status. The findings indicate a significant increase in Medicaid coverage and an increase in the proportion insured overall with negligible crowd-out of private insurance. There is also an increase in the use of health care services and improved health status particularly for foreign born citizens. In the case of longer tenure permanent residents, there is a diminished response to Medicaid eligibility changes possibly due to a \u27\u27chilling effect. The second chapter evaluates the impact of the Healthy Start program on infant mortality outcomes at the county level. Prior studies have found that various policy changes and programs affected the US infant mortality rate over time. This chapter examines the effect of the Healthy Start program in parts of the United States on infant mortality rates. Using data from the CDC WONDER database as well as other sources the program is evaluated using synthetic control methods. The findings show that Healthy Start has been able to reduce infant mortality rate in certain areas, while it has been less effective in other sites. This could be due to each program site being separately run, although all programs have the same funding source. The third chapter examines the effect of changes in the minimum wage on adults and households with education levels. It exploits variation in the minimum wage to examine its impact on health and health care use. A large proportion of previous research on the minimum wage examines its employment effects. This chapter looks at a different dimension. Using data from the Survey for Income and Program Participation (SIPP) from 1996-2005 and 2010-2011, it estimates the effect of minimum wage variation on general health and health care use for adults with less than a high school education and also those of college educated adults, as well as their dependents. The results show an increase in the use of healthcare services for adults with less than a high school education as well as their dependents. There is no significant effect on those in the higher education group

Assembly Line Balancing using Artificial Neural Network: A Case Study of Tricycle Assembly Line

This study reports the use of Artificial Neural Network in balancing an existing single-model assembly line of Boulous Enterprises Limited. A multilayer perceptron, with the help of online training was utilized, due to its ability to accommodate large dataset. The results obtained showed that standard cycle time of 576 seconds in the existing line was reduced to 526 seconds. Also, the average idle time was reduced from 105 seconds to 56 seconds, and the output of tricycles produced per day was increased from 50 to 55. The results clearly showed that a better balanced line was obtained with the use of Artificial Neural Network. Keywords: Line Balancing, bottlenecks, Idle Time, Efficienc

Technical Note: Assessment of Impact Damage to Apple Fruits

An impact damage assessment of fresh apple fruits was carried out to ascertain the effects of height and surfaces on bruise area and impact energy. Five different impact surfaces namely: Cardboard (E), wood (F), metal (G), plastic (H) and foam (I) were used for the experiment. The weighed fruits were dropped from different heights onto the different surfaces and the impact bruised diameter and impact energy were determined. The results showed that impact damage measured in terms of bruise diameter is highly influenced by the drop height. Fruits dropped from H1 (1400mm) absorbed the greatest impact energies of 2.647KJ for wood, metal, plastic, foam and cardboard respectively which indicate that they suffered the most impact damage while the damaged area increased from 1,018.01mm2, 951.27mm2, 660.61mm2, 460.02mm2 and 227.00mm2 for wooden, metallic , plastic, cardboard and foam surfaces respectively at a height of 1400mm. The results obtained can be useful to food process engineers in designing fruits packages to reduce mechanical damage.Keywords: impact damage, apple fruits, packaging, heigh

Characterisation of silicon nanoparticles produced by mechanical attrition using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.The establishment of printing technologies, using nanoparticle based inks, promises inexpensive manufacture of electronic devices. However, to produce working devices, nanoparticles have to meet requirements on size, shape, and composition. In the application of silicon nanoparticles in electronics, it is important that a network of interconnecting particles is formed through which charge transport can take place. Of further importance is that there is an absence of surface oxide in order to maintain a direct silicon-silicon connection within the network. In this work, cheap and scalable production of silicon nanoparticles is achieved efficiently with a top-down process of mechanical attrition by high energy milling

Obstetric morbidity and mortality: Exploration of the use of Maternal Early Warning Scores (M‑EWS) for recognition and escalated timely interventions in acute obstetric emergencies in Nigeria

Severe Obstetric Emergencies: Use of Maternal Early Warning Scores (M-EWS) in Nigeria. Maternal Early Warning Scores (M‑EWS) is a patient illness severity scoring system that aids tracking and timely escalation of acutely deteriorating obstetric patients. M‑EWS has been demonstrated to reduce substandard care, obstetric complications, and maternal mortality in the United Kingdom and a number of other countries.Background: Successes in the prevention of maternal mortality attributed to this tool in the United Kingdom where it is in established use coupled with high potential for its usefulness in other countries prompted the inclusion of the M‑EWS in the post 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for the 193 member nations.Aims: We set out to explore the availability of M‑EWS for the recognition and escalated timely interventions in obstetric emergencies in Nigeria and a desire for its application.Methods: A combination of SurveyMonkey (online) and paper‑based questionnaires distributed to clinicians of all teams and grades involved in obstetric care was used.Results: In all, 76 responses (17 online and 59 paper‑based questionnaire) were received out of 30 e‑mails and 70 paper‑based questionnaires. Nineteen (25%) clinicians reported use of a physician-specific calling system but none had the M‑EWS in use. Three respondents (4%) were not certain whether M‑EWS would be welcomed in their service, but 73 (96%) welcomed the introduction of the M‑EWS.Conclusion: This survey shows the lack of M‑EWS in obstetric practice in Nigeria and strong desire for its introduction. Consequently, some collaborative work aimed at refining this tool for the Nigerian obstetric environment has commenced.Keywords: Emergency obstetric care; Maternal Early Warning Scores; maternal mortality; patient safety in Nigeri

Understanding the Factors Contributing to the Adoption of Sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa - A Scoping Study Review

Sustainability in the built environment is a key topic of discussion due to the adverse impact buildings have on the environment. This has propelled many countries to put in place sustainable development measures. This has however, been met with challenges in developing countries, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). SSA has a history of endemic energy crisis, despite its abundance of renewable energy resources. Reflecting this is the heavy reliance on fossil fuels for power generation in SSA countries. The findings reported in this paper form part of a wider study on the perceived barriers to sustainability by built environment professionals in SSA, with specific focus on use of renewable energy source (RES) for power generation in buildings. This paper focuses on the identification of a suitable methodology, which takes into consideration the distinctive characteristics of the SSA context for enquiry through the adoption of a scoping study review. The study addresses the concerns of methodology selection and application by reviewing strategies and methods adopted by past and current enquiry in SSA, which have primarily been aligned with theories, frameworks and research in developed countries. This is of importance due to the impact contextual, subjective and other factors can have on the outcome of enquiry as evidenced by previous research in literature. The purpose of this scoping study review was to provide a comprehensive overview of the available relevant research on barriers to sustainability in SSA, which focused on study designs with empirical evidence, which would aid in informing the selection of a methodology suited for studies specific to the context of SSA. The scoping review is underpinned by the five-stage framework of Arksey and O’Malley (2005). The results indicate that there is a need to view SSA as a distinctive case based on its context and other characteristics, which will influences its research outcomes. Based on the review, it is suggested that grounded theory method is a suitable approach because it will take into consideration the wider context

Irrigation potential of Inuakpa in Odukpani local government of Cross river using Kostiakov model

Infiltration measurements were carried out using cylindrical infiltrometer with height and diameter of 15cm and 5cm respectively. Sixteen infiltration runs were carried out in a composite grid (30m x 30m) in Inuakpa, Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State to test the efficiency of Kostiakov’s model, measure infiltration rate and relate same to some soil physical properties. Mean infiltration rate of 9.01 cmhr-1 was obtained at the end of the runs. The soil textural class was loamy sand with particle size distribution indicating mean values of 82.4, 7.2 and 10.4 % for sand, silt and clay respectively. The bulk density, particle density and total porosity had mean values of 1.35 Mgm-3, 2.48 Mgm-3 and 44.86 % while their coefficients of correlation with infiltration rate where 0.58, 0.48 and 0.69 respectively. There were also linear and positive relationships between infiltration rate and sand and silt contents with coefficients of correlation of 0.92** and 0.55* (p ≤ 0.05) respectively while clay content was not specifically linear or positive. Kostiakov infiltration model fitted well in evaluating infiltration parameters for sustained agricultural production. The soil infiltration rate, physical and chemical properties studied placed the soil in class 2 - irrigable. Mulching with plant residues, cover cropping, the use of restorative crops and zero tillage should be practiced in the area as soil management strategies

Renewable Energy Sources and Technologies in Commercial Buildings - Understanding the Nigerian Experience

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions and experiences of building practitioners in the adoption of renewable energy (RE) in commercial buildings in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative methodology was used guided by the principles of the Grounded Theory Method (GTM). Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of five industry practitioners. Findings Five distinct factors emerged, namely, being compliant, change in mindset, normalising, being autonomous and identity. The research revealed the significance of contextual (cultural) peculiarities and the role identity plays in informing RE adoption. The findings substantiate the significance of RE adoption in the future practice of building practitioners and in ensuring environmental stability within the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) context. Research limitations/implications The study focuses on commercial office buildings and attempts to provide contextual grounding to inform theory generation as part of a wider study. Originality/value This research contributes methodologically and empirically by providing grounded insight into the adoption of RE in commercial buildings. Thereby, enabling a much greater understanding of the issues associated with enhanced promotion and adoption by professionals and stakeholders, which can inform policy interventions. Furthermore, it will benefit further research within the SSA context and provide valuable lessons associated with adopting GTM in construction research

Transfusion syndromes in monochorionic multiplets: An overview

The west Africa sub‑region, notably Nigeria, records the highest twin and triplet birth rates globally. Therefore, the time has come for attention to be focused on an area of gemellology, feto‑fetal transfusion syndromes in multiplets, in order to attend to what the authors consider a yet‑to‑be‑explored major significant contributor to the overall unacceptably high fetal, perinatal and neonatal losses in the region. This review examines the genetics, embryology and pathophysiology of twinning in general to provide the background to the spectrum of clinical presentations of feto‑fetal transfusion syndromes. Twin‑to‑twin transfusion syndromes (TTTS) are unique prenatal complications of monochorionic multiplets and manifest as twin oligohydramnios polyhydramnios sequence (TOPS), twin anaemia polyhydramnios sequence (TAPS) and twin reversed arterial perfusion syndrome (TRAPS). These grave complications are associated with fetal malformations and early miscarriages as well as fetal weight and haemoglobin discordances, discordant haemodynamic changes in addition to intrauterine deaths, perinatal asphyxia, cerebral palsy and brain damage. Most importantly, the management of TTTS requires highly skilled interventions, expensive equipment, rare expertise and costly treatment options that are currently not available in Nigeria and other developing countries. Moreover, these management options are unavailable in Nigeria because considerable attention of the health system is directed at the burden of high levels of maternal, perinatal, and childhood morbidity and mortality. Regardless of these overwhelming obstetric and paediatric challenges, there is still urgent need to develop feto‑maternal medicine units in the country to focus attention on the management of TTTS because of high twinning rate and attending fetal, perinatal and neonatal wastages. Furthermore, Nigeria is now witnessing an increased incidence of twin births from the rapidly developing assisted reproductive therapy centres in the country. All these provide justification for devoting attention to this unique area of perinatal care that will, on balance, be robustly cost effective. Hence, this review of transfusion syndromes in monochorionic multiplets aims to sensitize health workers and researchers in Nigeria, particularly perinatologists and feto‑maternal physicians, neonatal paediatricians, as well as policy makers and other stakeholders, on the need to focus attention on the problem.Keywords: Feto‑fetal; monochorionic multiplets; transfusion syndrom