Facilities improvement for sustainability of existing public office buildings in Nigeria

The study examined the building design features of a cosmopolitan public office building in Abuja. The features were classified into Spatial Plan, Structure and Facilities, to determine which of the 3 variables requires urgent sustainable improvement from end-users' perspective in existing public office buildings in developing countries. A quantitative approach was adopted while the research strategy involved survey and direct observation. Post-Occupancy Evaluation was used to collect the survey data on a massive public office building in Nigeria, which reflected the quota system and federal character of the nation, as study area. A total of 339 useable questionnaires were retrieved from the respondents, and the analysis conducted revealed that facilities requires the most urgent improvement for sustainability. It was therefore recommended that facilities should be given priority for successful sustainable improvement of public office buildings above other design features.Keywords: Existing buildings, Facilities, Performance indicators, Sustainable improvement, Users' requiremen

Dental anxiety among patients visiting a University Dental Centre

Objective: Fearful individuals often avoid care despite extensive dental needs and anxious patients feel more pain and of longer duration than less anxious patients. This study was designed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with dental anxiety among patients visiting a University Dental Centre in Nigeria. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous structured questionnaire randomly administered to patients attending the University College Hospital Dental Centre, Ibadan. The questionnaire requested for socio-demographic data, dental visit behaviour, history of traumatic dental treatment and level of apprehension when anticipating a visit to the dentist and physician. The level of dental anxiety was determined using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). An MDAS score of 19 and above indicated high dental anxiety. Upon examination, DMFT of each patient was determined. Result: A total of 471 respondents of which 262 (55.6%) were females participated in the study. Only 7.43% of the participants had MDAS score ≥19. About 10% of the females had high dental anxiety compared with 4.94% recorded for the males (p=0.01). Dental anxiety was more common among the younger age group, irregular oral health care seekers and among those with history of traumatic dental treatment. The respondents were more relaxed when anticipating a visit to a physician. Only gender could be used to predict high dental anxiety. Female gender significantly displayed high dental anxiety (odd ratio=3.05 and p=0.04) . The mean DMFT score for the patients was 2.48±3.30. Conclusion: The prevalence of dental anxiety among the respondents in this study was 7.43% and only gender could be used to predict dental anxiety

Impact assessment of wastewater discharge from a textile industry in Lagos, Nigeria

The quality of effluent from a wool and synthetic textile manufacturing company in Nigeria was examined by obtaining triplicate samples per week over a 6-week period. This was done to measure the waste-load and volume from the textile industry. Obtained samples were analyzed for 18 physicochemical parameters such as pH, color, turbidity, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids (TSS), conductivity, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), chloride, nitrates, phosphates, some heavy metals and odor. Heavy metals, phosphate, and color were analyzed using spectrophotometer while dissolved oxygen and BOD were analyzed using azide modification method. The effluents were found to pass the national standard for the effluent limit for 13 parameters but exceeded specified limits for pH in one sample and, COD, TSS, color, turbidity and odor in all samples. Turbidity was found to exceed national limits by 100 to 300%; COD exceeded limits by 20% to 500%; TSS exceeded limits by 10% to 110% in 5 out of 6 samples analyzed. All obtained samples were dark colored and exceeded prescribed limits by 2,000 to 3,000% in all samples. Likewise, all six samples had an offensive odor. It was recommended that strict compliance with stipulated standards was necessary for the protection of public health and the environmen

Evaluation of Morphogenesis and Yield of Three \u3ci\u3ePennisetum purpureum\u3c/i\u3e Varieties in South-West, Nigeria

This experiment, conducted at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria evaluated the morphogenesis of three varieties of Pennisetum purpureum used in this study, which were the local, purple, and FI variety at different stages of growth. The plants were established through vegetative plant parts (stems) sourced from a previously established plot and planted using 1 m × 1 m spacing on plots measuring 4 m × 5 m. The plants were fertilized with split doses of poultry manure at 4 t/ha (equivalent to 120 kg N/ha). The experiment was laid out as a Randomized Complete Block Design. Data on the morphogenic traits and dry matter yield were collected at bi-weekly from the 4th week for a period of twelve weeks. Results showed that the morphogenic plant traits differed significantly (p\u3c 0.05) between the varieties, except the tiller appearance rate (p\u3e 0.05) which was not significantly (p\u3e 0.05) different when the varieties were compared. The purple variety had the least plant elongation and leaf appearance rate values, however, for both traits, the F1 hybrid and local variety had similar trait values. The F1 variety had the least (p\u3c 0.05) leaf elongation rate value and the highest leaf (p\u3c 0.05) expansion rate value. On the other hand, the local and purple variety had comparably higher leaf elongation rate and leaf expansion rate values. The purple variety had higher (p\u3c 0.05) dry matter yield at the 6th and 8th week, but at the 10th and 12th week, the local variety produced the highest dry matter yield. In conclusion, the varieties had distinct morphogenic traits. Also, while the purple variety produced higher dry matter yield at the early stages of growth, dry matter production was higher for the local variety at more advanced stages of growth (10 and 12 weeks)

Performance Evaluation of Sand-based Surface flow Constructed wetland in Domestic Wastewater Treatment using Typha Orientalis as Macrophyte

A laboratory-scale free water surface-flow constructed wetland was set up at the Department of Civil Engineering; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, Nigeria in May 2013 to demonstrate the performance of sand- based constructed wetland, using Typha Orientalis as a viable low-cost efficient treatment option for domestic wastewater from kitchen. The nutrient removal and performance evaluation of the constructed wetland in treatment of kitchen wastewater against retention period of ten days was investigated. During the 10-day retention period, the sand- based constructed wetland set up with Typha Orientalis had improved the wastewater quality significantly as it had reduced 94.9% of Turbidity, BOD5 by 79.0%, NO-3 by 66.7%, 87.9% of SO-4 , 70.24% of Cl-, Conductivity by 70.8% and Magnesium by 80.62%. The pH value and Dissolve Oxygen increased by 28.3% and 64.01% respectively and the initial offensive odour of the raw water was no more noticeable. The final effluent was found to be suitable for non-drinking purposes like crop irrigation and keeping aquatic animals. However, it was noted that a 7- day detention time was optimal for the treatment of domestic wastewater from kitchen. The treatment system was found to be economical, as the cost of construction only was involved and maintenance cost very minimal. It was environmentally friendly as it was free from offensive odour and insect invasion. The prototype scale is recommended for in-situ use, especially for wastewater from kitchen. Keywords: Constructed wetland, Domestic wastewater, Nutrient removal, Retention period, Typha Orientalis

Finite Element Analysis to Predict Temperature and Velocity Distribution in Radiator Tubes

Automobile radiators are heat exchangers that are used to transfer thermal energy from automobile engine to the surrounding atmosphere for the purpose of cooling the engine. Over 33% of heat energy generated by the engine through combustion is loss as heat dissipated in the atmosphere. The method of solution employed in this project work to solve the governing equations is the Galerkin-integral weighted-residual method, which is achieved following the steps of transforming the governing equations into Galerkin-integral weighted residual weak form, determination of interpolations functions, determination of element properties, assemblage of elements equations into domain equations and imposition of boundary conditions and solving of the assembled domain equations.          The results showed that for temperature and velocity distributions in the radiator tubes and inlet hose to radiator as the number of elements is increased the more the finite element solution approximates the analytical solutions. Temperature values are observed to decrease, with increase in length, from 150oC to 80oC in the radiator tubes for finite element analysis, analytical, and ANSYS software used; and the finite element solutions exactly approximate analytical solutions at the nodes and agree with the ANSYS result. For velocity distribution in the radiator tube diameter, at the tube walls the no-slip boundary conditions are satisfied with velocity increasing from the wall at velocity of 0 to the midsection at velocity of 50.195m/s; while for the inlet hose diameter, velocity increases from wall at velocity 0 to the maximum at the midsection velocity 669.269m/s. Finally, the finite element analysis method can be used to determine how temperature will be distributed during radiator design stage in order to improve on its efficiency

EFFECTS OF ASCORBIC ACID SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE PERFORMANCE INDICES OF STARTER PULLETS IN A HOT - HUMID ENVIRONMENT

Two studies were conducted to evaluate the nutritional effects of supplementary ascorbic acid (AA) at levels of 0, 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg in the diets of starter pullets reared at different seasons (harmattan season and rainy season) in a hot humid environment. Two hundred and forty day-old Harco pullet chicks were used in each trial, they were randomly assigned to each of the four dietary treatments in three replications of twenty chicks per replicate. Each trial lasted 8 weeks during which data were collected and a 2 X 4 factorial arrangement was employed in the analysis of data collected.  Results showed significant (p<0.05) effect of treatments on feed conversion ratio of birds fed dietary treatments. Season of presentation of ascorbic acid significantly affected (p<0.05) feed intake with higher value obtained in the rainy season compared to the dry season (41.89g vs. 39.59). &nbsp

Estimation of aquifer hydraulic parameters from surficial geophysical methods: a case study of Ota, Southwestern Nigeria

Geoelectrical resistivity surveys have been carried out using Schlumberger configuration within the Iyana Iyesi area of Ota, Ogun state. The aim of this research was to experimentally estimate the hydrogeophysical parameters of an aquifer (porosity, transmissivity, hydraulic conductivity and permeability) which have been completed successfully. Since drilling of boreholes specifically to compute the hydraulic parameters is relatively expensive, estimation of the parameters from vertical electrical soundings is considered a reliable alternative. The results showed that the study area has majorly low value of overburden materials serving as the protective capacity to the aquifers that are characteristically high in porosities and transmissivities. This low protective capacity denote the high vulnerability of the aquifer system to the influx of surface-based contaminants. The aquifer systems within the study area possess significantly high storativity property based on their high porosity and transmissivit

Agricultural Exports and Economic Growth in Nigeria (1980 – 2010)

This paper seeks to determine if a significant long-run relationship exists between agricultural exports and economic growth in the present-day Nigeria. It would also access the long run impact of agricultural exports on growth performance in Nigeria. The study covers the periods between 1980 and 2010. The underlying models are the Export- Led Growth Hypothesis and the Neo-classical Growth Model. In the formulated model, Real Gross Domestic Product was used as the proxy for economic growth. The explanatory variables used were Gross Fixed Capital Formation, Labour force, Foreign Direct Investment and Agricultural exports. The study made use of unit root tests and Johansen Maximum Likelihood Test of Co-Integration. It was discovered that a long run equilibrium relationship exists between agricultural exports and economic growth and the relationship is elastic in nature meaning that a unit increase in agricultural exports would bring a more than proportionate increase in the Real Gross Domestic Product in Nigeria. Keywords: Agricultural exports, economic growth, Real Gross Domestic Produc