Editorial

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Imaging Probe for Charged Particle Detection

Single Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) are semiconductor devices that detect individual photons. However, they can also experience dark count rate (DCR), generating avalanche current even when no photons are present, which limits their ability to detect low-level signals. SPADs characterization is important to gain insight into their behavior and improve their performance for various applications. This thesis discusses the development of a portable detection probe that uses the APIX2LF chip, which contains arrays of SPADs that were produced using a 150 nm standard CMOS process. A prototype board, that includes a battery, front-end electronics, and a microcontroller acting as the interface between the sensor and the PC was developed and tested using a beta-emitting source. Additionally, custom firmware was designed for the microcontroller and an automatic data acquisition framework was developed for the characterization of the DCR of six APIX2LF chips at different bias voltages and temperatures.This thesis discusses the development of a portable detection probe that uses the APIX2LF chip, which contains arrays of SPADs that were produced using a 150 nm standard CMOS process. A prototype board, that includes a battery, front-end electronics, and a microcontroller acting as the interface between the sensor and the PC was developed and tested using a beta-emitting source. Additionally, custom firmware was designed for the microcontroller and an automatic data acquisition framework was developed for the characterization of the DCR of six APIX2LF chips at different bias voltages and temperatures

Editorial

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Masculinity in early African times: transformational presentations in Achebe’s Things fall apart

The paper considered the concept of masculinity in relation to traditional African gender relations. The paper argued that colonial imposed definitions of patriarchy and matriarchy were designed to create hierarchy within the African society which did not exist before. Through the works of various African scholars, the paper took another look at gender relations in order to show how these relations define masculinity. Based on this, the paper went on to use that framework to analyse Chinua Achebe’s representation of various masculine forms. Through the eyes of Achebe’s men, the paper highlighted some of the variables responsible for the restructuring of the African masculinity and ultimately gender relations in Africa.Key Words: Africa; masculinity; matriarchy; violence; cultur

Ideology in the French translation of Ngugi Wa Thiong'o's children's books

Minga, Katunga Joseph (0301525P) [email protected] MA translation 2005 School of Literature and language studies Dr Inggs, J [email protected] research presented here analyses translations of Ngugi wa Tshiong’o’s children’s books from the point of view of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), as outlined by Norman Fairclough (1989, 1992). The research investigates whether an approach taking into consideration ideological issues in translation is most appropriate in translating Ngugi’s children books for a francophone child reader by giving them access to Gĩkữyữ culture. To achieve this objective, the French translations of selected ideologically embedded extracts of Ngugi’s children books (Njamba Nene and the Flying Bus and Jamba Nene’s Pistol) are compared. The translations were carried out in different socio-cultural contexts by translators of different origins (France and Cameroon). The results of this research show that the translated texts read differently from one translator to another. This suggests that certain ideological and other social factors influence translators, resulting in differing translation products. In this way, translation cannot be considered as a one-to-one transfer between languages. Nor can translation theory draw on one linguistic theory alone, however complex it may be. What is needed is “a theory of culture to explain the specificity of communicative situations and the relationship between verbalised and non-verbalised situational elements” (Nord, 1997:11)

La drépanocytose : état de lieux et historique du marrainage par les premières dames d’Afrique: Sickle disease : state of the art and history of sponsorship by the first ladies of Africa

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Effect of sub-clinical mastitis on milk yield and composition of dairy goats in Tanzania.

Production of dairy goats is on the increase in East African countries. As in cows, prevalence of mastitis in dairy goats appears to be high but studies on the influence of this disease on milk yield and composition are scarce. This study was, therefore, carried out to determine the effect of sub-clinical mastitis on milk yield and composition in dairy goats of Magadu dairy farm in Morogoro, Tanzania. Does were screened for mastitis using the California Mastitis Test (CMT), milk yield was recorded and 80 ml samples collected for laboratory analyses. A total of 184 quarter milk yield samples were available for analyses. Milk samples were analysed for butterfat (BF) by the Gerber method, crude protein (CP) by the Kjeldahl method, lactose by IDF Standard No.28 method and chloride by titration using silver nitrate solution. Data were analysed using least squares analysis of variance based on General Linear models procedures. The fixed effects considered were CMT score, parity, stage of lactation, sampling occasion and quarter of the udder. Sub-clinical mastitis had a significant negative effect on quarter milk yield (

Las políticas públicas judiciales del aborto frente a las mujeres indígenas en el Ecuador: caso provincia de Chimborazo

This article deals with the criminalization of women in abortion issues, through the postulates of feminist theories of male domination to which women are subject when they comply with the development of their rights in sexual and reproductive health issues, evidencing as a law, it is difficult to analyze the cases of abortion in Ecuador, in which the criminalization of abortion against indigenous women has not been made visible. This is why the study takes as its object the study of the Province of Chimborazo in order to analyze a case of a person who was judged by the legal system facing different levels of discrimination that are analyzed from the intersectional perspective. Taking the perceptions of those who execute public policies related to sexual and reproductive rights in the State, specifically in the Office of the Prosecutor, but also revealing the point of view of the indigenous women from the community of Balda Lupaxi in the canton Colta on issues of abortionEste artículo analiza a través de ciertos postulados de las teorías feministas, la forma cómo se criminaliza a las mujeres indígenas por abortar. Evidencia, así como una ley dificulta el análisis de los casos de aborto en el Ecuador, en los cuales la penalización hacia las mujeres indígenas no ha sido visibilizada. El trabajo toma como objeto de estudio la Provincia de Chimborazo con el fin de analizar el caso de una persona que fue juzgada por el sistema legal, enfrentándose a distintos niveles de discriminación que son analizados desde la perspectiva interseccional. El artículo se refiere entonces a las percepciones de quienes ejecutan las políticas públicas relacionadas con los derechos sexuales y reproductivos en el Estado, específicamente en la Fiscalía, pero además revela el punto de vista de las mujeres indígenas provenientes de la comunidad de Balda Lupaxi en el cantón Colta en temas de aborto

Thermal evolution process, properties and photocatalytic activity of sol-gel derived nanocrystalline anatase in dye degradation process

Nanocrystalline anatase aimed to be used as a photocatalyst for dye degradation processes in industrial effluents and has been prepared and investigated. Amorphous titania gel has been prepared using sol–gel process by slow hydrolysis of titanium n–butoxide. The prepared gel has been investigated using Fourier–Transformed Infra–Red Spectroscopy (FTIR), Powder X–ray Diffraction (PXRD), Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA), Thermo–Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), N2 gas adsorption–desorption isotherms and Diffuse Reflectance UV–Vis Spectroscopy (DRS). It was determined that the amorphous gel was comprised of non-hydrolyzed butoxy groups as well as hydroxyl groups bonded to titanium. The thermal evolution of gel is consisted of five steps: elimination of adsorbed water and butanol in temperature range between room temperature and 200 °C, decomposition and elimination of butoxy groups between 200 and 300°C. The crystallization of anatase centered at 404°C, transformation to rutile starting from 540 °C and oxidation of char and tar above 600°C. Thermal treatment of gel at 350 °C for 2 h yields with pure nanocrystalline anatase with average crystallite size of 13.2±0.2 nm, specific surface area of 65.48 m2 g–1 and bandgap, of 3.24 eV. The preliminary assessment of prepared catalyst photocatalytic activity was obtained through degradation process of methylene blue dye under UV light and the 99 % degradation of dye took place within 150 min