A probabilistic high cycle fatigue model applied to cast Al-Si alloys

In this work, the high cycle fatigue behavior of cast hypo-eutectic Al-Si alloys is investigated. It is observed that two different coexisting fatigue initiation mechanisms can occur in these materials depending on the presence of different microstructural heterogeneities (i.e. micro-shrinkage pores, Si particles, Fe-rich inter-metallics, DAS of the Al-matrix, etc).Firstly, an experimental study is presented, highlighting the coexistence of these two fatigue damage mechanisms and their dependence on the presence of different micro-structural heterogeneities. A probabilistic high cycle fatigue model, which has the capacity to describe these two mechanisms, is then presented. The model contains the same principal ingredients as the one developed by [1]. It uses a probabilistic framework to link the two different fatigue damage mechanisms, and can take into account the mean stress and the effect of a biaxial stress state.This work was undertaken in partnership with PSA Peugeot Citrooën and was financially supported by the French region, Pays de la Loire

A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF CONTRIBUTIONS OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES TO THE EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA SINCE 1999 TILL DATE

This study is a historical appraisal of the contributions of private universities to the educational development in Nigeria since 1999. This is based on the purpose, nature of emergence, the ownership structure types, it also examines the policies, motivation behind their establishment vis-à-vis their implementations. The major concern is an evaluation of the processes in relation to the policies that brought about private universities. The causality and evaluative approaches were adopted as the methodology in this research. Data from two major sources (primary and secondary) were collected. They were classified, analyzed ordered and synthesized. Processes of development of education were criticized, pointing out the weak and strong points. The study arrived at some findings. That, out of 34 approved private universities, twenty-six (76% were sited in the south while only eight (23.5%) were sited in the North. That the labour market in Nigeria favours graduates of management sciences as opposed to Art/Science oriented discipline. Thirdly, human material resources remained inadequate in quality and quantity. Due to politicization of education, the goals of the universities (teaching, research and community services) have been submerged and eroded. That there are less specialized universities in the country as against the existence of conventional ones. The establishment of private universities is a welcome form of innovation to the country’s higher education.  Article visualizations

A HISTORICAL ATTEMPT AT THE EXPANSION OF ACCESS THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES IN NIGERIA, 1999-2010

The Federal government licenced the first three universities in 1999, today the number has increased from 41 to 61. However for the purpose of this work, some of the private universities will be focused on. These universities run undergraduate programmes excluding Pan African University and African University of Science and Technology. It is disheartening to know that 39 private universities can only accommodate 49,884 students or 4.0% of total student enrolment. With this situation, it has become clear that the expansion policy in Nigeria university system has failed. It is a myriad for many candidates who want to enter university outside public universities, and could not be addressed adequately even with the private universities already in existence. This is a total failure of public policy. It then means that something is fundamentally wrong with the private universities in Nigeria. Based on this findings, few suggestions are made that private universities should aggressively embark on expansion of infrastructural facilities, more academic programmes and national university commission should ensure that old private universities that have existed since 2005 should accommodate minimum students of at least 10,000 – 15,000 or be closed.  Article visualizations

EFEKTIFITAS PROSES MIXING AKTIVATOR (EM 4) DAN BIO HS DENGAN METODE DUAL TRAY PADA PROSES KOMPOSTING

Trash is one of problems needed to get the serious attention. One of efforts to tackle the trash problem in large city is by making emphasize on the composting process. Composting is a processing technique of solid waste containing biodegradable organic matter. In addition to be the organic fertilizer, compost may also capable to repair the structure of land, increase land capability in absorp water and retain water and other utritional substances. In general, the composting process commomly takes place within the quite long time, thus the Purpose of this Research was intended to accelerate the composting time and to obtain the good compost chemical quality with the activator use concentration as efficient as possible. In this research the Composting Process was conducted in the lab scale using the mixture between the EM4 activator and Bio Hs by the dual tray (staged) method with the proportion of activator use 1 : 1 in which the activator use volumes variable were as much as 60 ml, 70 ml, 90 ml, 100 ml and the times variable researched were 5, 10, 15, and 20 days with the aerobic process. Of the analysis results obtained the activation use concentration of 100 ml was effective to lower the C/N RATIO (compost maturity level) from the initial C/N RATIO concentration of 58 dropped to 10 in the composting time length of 10 days with the contents of organic C (37.11), N value (3.42), K value (1.17) abd P value (9.2). This case indicated that the obtained results were good enough. Due to it has already entered in the SNI standard 19-7030-2004. Key words: Compost, EM4 and Bio Hs combination, dua tray (staged), aerobi

Sales Target and Ethical Behaviour of Marketing Executives in the Nigerian Banking Industry

This study examined sales target for marketing executives in Nigerian banksits influence on marketing executives’ ethical dilemma. To achieve thispurpose, research questions were raised, and a review of literature wasmade. To gather the necessary data for this study, a set of questionnaire wasadministered on one hundred and nineteen (119) marketing executives frombanks operating in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital and the datagenerated from the study were analysed with the simple percentages. Ourfindings revealed that sales targets for marketing executives in the Nigerianbanks are usually established by executive opinion and such targets arerealistically unattainable. In a bid to achieve the high sales target marketingexecutives’ exhibit one form of unethical behaviour or the other such asindecent dress mode and industrial espionage. It was therefore recommended that sales targets should not be established through executive opinion but territorial sales potentials and certain legislations should be enacted and enforced to prevent marketing executives from unethical practices. Those that fall prey of the law should be prosecuted

Households food consumption pattern in Edo State, Nigeria: Application of alternative demand model

The concern of food demand analyst is not to model food demand only but to obtain accurate estimates of price and income elasticities for  predicting household behaviour. To satisfy that, the study estimated a complete food demand system and estimated the price and conditional income elasticites of food demand on micro-data obtained from 252 household in Edo State using the Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (QUAIDS) model. The results show that households, in Edo state, spend more than half (57%) of their conditional food expenditure on starchy staple foods. The remaining 43% of household food expenditure is spent on other common food commodities with beans, meat and fish accounting for 11%, 16% and 12% respectively. The budget share for plantain, fufu, garri and yam respectively declines with rising conditional food expenditure while the budget share for rice, potatoes, bean and meat increases with increase in conditional food expenditure. The results show no strong complementarity and substitutability among majority of the food commodities in the State. Potatoes (1.101), and meat (1.156) are luxury food commodities in Edo state. Keyword: food, household, budget-share, price- elasticity, income- elasticit