A Study of Stambeli in Digital Media

This research paper explores stambeli, a traditional spiritual music in Tunisia, by understanding its musical and spiritual components then identifying ways it is presented in digital media. Stambeli is shaped by pre-Islamic West African animist beliefs, spiritual healing and trances. The genre arrived in Tunisia when sub-Saharan Africans arrived in the north through slavery, migration or trade from present-day countries like Mauritania, Mali and Chad. Today, it is a geographic and cultural intersection of sub-Saharan, North and West African influences

Spider Diversity Pattern and Community Composition in the South Eastern Nigeria: An Analysis of Habitat Differences

Spider diversity plays an important role in the balance of nature. Thus, a study on the diversity of spiders was carried out in Awka, Anambra State in the South Eastern Nigeria from January, 2018 to June, 2018. Spiders were collected from three habitats which include: residential areas, farmlands and forest regions in the study area using handpicking and vegetative beating methods. A total of one hundred and twenty-five (125) spiders belonging to ten (10) families and comprising of thirteen (13) species were identified. Ninety-three (93) spiders were collected from residential areas, twenty-one (21) from farmlands and eleven (11) from forest regions. Results of the relative abundance of spider species in different habitat showed that Physocyclus globosus has the highest abundance of species having 71.2% with composition of eighty-nine (89) spiders. Residential areas recorded the highest abundance of spiders having 74.4% and species composition of ninety-three (93) spiders. Forest regions recorded the highest species diversity index (H) of 1.7202. The study revealed that spider diversity is influenced by the type of habitat, vegetation and environmental disturbances.Key words: Diversity; Habitat; Relative Abundance; Spide

Ecological Survey of Earwigs (Hemimerus talpoides) as Ectoparasites of Wild African Giant Rat (Cricetomys gambianus) in Awka, Nigeria

This study was carried out for a period of two months to access earwigs as ectoparaiste of the African giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus) in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Three hundred and forty eight (348) trap-night efforts were made with the aid of 8 mammal traps during the study and a total of 12 giant rats comprising of 7 males and 5 females were trapped and examined for ectoprarsites. Six of the males were infested (85.7%) and 3 of the females were also infested (60%). Giant rat are parasitized by many ectoparasites like lice and mites but during the study one particular species of earwig (Hemimerus talpoides) was observed and was found mainly on the abdomen and dorsal region. The infestation of the giant rat in the different sites shows no statistical difference (P > 0.05) with reference to the sex of the giant rat and also the location. Keywords: Cricetomys gambianus, Earwig, ectoparasites, Hemimerus talpoides

EFFECTS OF ANIMATION AND CONCEPT MAP VISUALIZATION ELEMENTS ON ACHIEVEMENT, RETENTION AND INTEREST IN GEOGRAPHY AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN WUSE, ABUJA

This study investigated the effects of animation and concept map visualization elements on achievement, retention, and interest in geography among Secondary School Students in Wuse, Abuja, Nigeria. It also examined the influence of gender on students’ achievement, retention, and interest. The research used a pre‐test post‐test experimental and control group design. 120 secondary school students were drawn from three secondary schools within the Abuja metropolis. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 120 students (53 males and 67 females). Nine research questions and hypotheses guided the study, Weather Interest Questionnaire and Weather Achievement Test (WAT) were used as instruments for data collection while animation and concept map visualization was used as the treatment instruments. The treatment instruments, questionnaire, and achievement test were validated by educational technology experts and Geography Education experts respectively. Pilot tests were carried out and a Reliability coefficient of 0.87 was obtained using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) for WAT and 0.75 was obtained using Cronbach alpha for the questionnaire. WAT was administered to students as pre‐test and post‐test. The students’ pretest and post‐test scores and the questionnaire were analyzed using ANCOVA (F = 8.839, p = 0.004) and t‐test statistics (t (52) = 0.179, p = 0.947) respectively. The results indicated that the students taught weather using animation and concept map visualization performed significantly better in the posttest and retention test than their counterparts taught weather using the lecture method respectively. However, there was no significant difference reported in the post‐test achievement scores of male and female students taught weather using animation and concept map visualization respectively (t= 1.916, p = 0.059). These findings indicated that weather concepts in geography could be taught and learned meaningfully through the use of animation and concept map visualization. Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that Government and school administrators should make provision of infrastructure that support the learners through the use of technology, this will encourage and enable learners to communicate with each other and give them the opportunity to share and access different teaching materials that can aid their learning

Guidance and Counseling Services in Secondary School as Coping Strategy for Improved Academic Performance of Students in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

This study focused on Guidance and Counselling services among secondary school adolescents as coping strategy for improved academic performance. The population comprised of all SS3 students in public secondary schools in Uyo municipality, Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. A sample size of 252 students responded to the instruments. Three null hypotheses were raised and tested for the study. Data were collected using researchers designed structured questionnaire tagged “Guidance and Counselling services and school academic performance questionnaire’ (GCSAPA), and using the respondents SS2 promotion result which was a standardized state wide examination, to get their academic performance. The data were analyzed at 0.05 alpha level using t-test. After computation, the result revealed that students who utilized the counselling services performed better than those who did not. It was recommended that all schools should be provided with professional counsellors to help the students. Keywords: Guidance, Counselling, coping strategy, academic performance

EFFECTS OF GAS FLOW RATE AND CATALYST LOADING ON POLYMER ELECTROLYTE MEMBRANE (PEM) FUEL CELL PERFORMANCE AND DEGRADATION

ABSTRACT In this paper, the effects of gas flow rates, and catalyst loading on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) performance was investigated using a 50cm² active area fuel cell fixture with serpentine flow field channels machined into poco graphite blocks. Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEAs) with catalyst and gas flow rates at two levels each (0.5mg/cm², 1mg/cm²; 0.3L/min, 0.5L/min respectively) were tested at 60°C without humidification. The cell performance was analyzed by taking AC Impedance, TAFEL plot, open circuit voltage, and area specific resistance measurements. It was observed that MEAs with lower gas flow rate had lesser cell resistance compared to MEAs with a higher gas flow rate. TAFEL plot shows the highest exchange current density value of -2.05 mAcm² for MEA with 0.5mg/cm² catalyst loading operated at reactant gas flow rate of 0.3L/min signifying it had the least activation loss and fastest reaction rate. Open circuit voltage curve shows a higher output voltage and lesser voltage decay rate for MEAs tested at higher gas flow rates

Effect of Prosopis africana ethanolic leaf extracts on packed cell volume of Rattus norvegicus

This research sort to find out if Prosopis africana ethanolic leaf extract can help in fighting against anaemia in animals which is among the major causes of death in animals in developing countries. Seventy-five albino rats of 90 days old and approximately 200g were used. The rats were randomly selected and placed into five cages representing five different treatments. The extract of Prosopis africana was given to the rats in solution as daily water. Group A rats (cage A) received 0 ml of the extract per 100 ml of distilled water and served as control group. Group B rats (cage B) received 1 ml of extract in 100 ml of distilled water, group C rats (cage C) received 2 ml of extract in 100 ml of distilled water, and group D rats (cage D) received 3 ml of extract in 100ml of distilled water, while group E rats (cage E) received 4ml of the extract in 100 ml of distilled water. Blood samples were collected weekly for eight weeks using capillary tubes and centrifuged with haematocrit centrifuge at 10,000 rpm for 5 minutes. At the end of the experiment, it was discovered that rats in cage E had the highest level of PCV (45.70%), followed by rats in cage D (42.93%) and those in cage C (41.97%). Rats in cage B had the lowest PCV among the treated groups, while rats in cage A had the lowest PCV among the treated and untreated groups.Keywords: Prosopis africana, Rattus norvegicus, Packed cell volume, AnaemiaAnimal Research International (2012) 9(1): 1537 – 153

Wet season insect population of an arable land at Ifite-ogwari campus of Nnamdi Azikiwe, University, Awka, Nigeria

A study on insect fauna in a fallow plot at Ifite-Ogwari was carried out in rainy season between April and June 2018 using the sweep net. On each sampling occasion thirty sweeps were made across the vegetation of the 39920 m2 plot to monitor the insects on the foliage. A total of 63 insect species and their larvae comprising 12 families and 16 species were recorded during the sampling period. There was a preponderance of Camponotus acvapimensis followed by Pheidole sp., Orthetrum icteromelas, Attractomorpha acutipennis,Heteropternis thoracica and Sphenoptera sp., with the singletons including Phaneropterat nana, Cardiochiles and . There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the environmental factors between the three months. The relationships between sweep net catches were not significant (p>0.05). Pheidole and species of Odonata served as faunal indicators. Factors that influence the sweep net catches included types of the plant species in the habitat, anthropogenic activities, management practices, locomotor activities and reproductive cycles of insect species. Other factors affecting sweep net catches were also discussed.Keywords: Insect population, Ifite-Ogwari, Arable land, Singletons, Sweep ne

Effects of Vegetated and Synthetic (Impervious) Surfaces on the Microclimate of Urban Area

The present paper shows the considerable impacts of both vegetated and synthetic surfaces on the microclimate of urban area. Vegetation of a particular place affects the microclimate through reduced solar radiation and lower air temperature due to shading and evapotranspiration. Lower air temperatures are essential both to improve thermal comfort conditions of residents and to limit energy use for cooling. The growth and spread of synthetic (impervious) surfaces within urbanizing areas pose significant threats to the quality of natural and built environments. These threats include increased stormwater runoff, reduced water quality, higher maximum summer temperatures, degraded, and destroyed aquatic and terrestrial habitats, and the diminished aesthetic appeal of streams and landscapes. This paper provides a basic introduction to microclimate, vegetated and impervious surfaces and an overview of the effects of increased imperviousness and vegetation on the microclimate of urban areas. Although urban and suburban growth is inevitable, many of the environmental impacts of impervious surfaces are avoidable or controllable. Working together, local governments and citizens can reduce the amount of land rendered impervious, and can reduce its adverse impacts, promoting a healthier environment through sound landuse planning and improved land management