Archives-August 2013

More and more organizations each day are now storing achieves of data to help them make essential business resolutions. The Commercial Database Management Systems (DBMS) that are available in the I.T. market do not afford any considerable and practical methods of storing and manipulate such data. Time is ubiquitous in information systems. Almost every enterprise faces the trouble of its data becoming out of date. However, such data is frequently valuable, so it should be archived and some means of accessing it should be afforded. Also, some data may be naturally historical, e.g., medical, cadastral, or judicial records. Whilst there has been research into the subject of Temporal Databases, there is a lack of marketable tools. The Paper aims to design and develop a Temporal Database Management System (TDBMS) that provides means to manipulate temporal data. The TDBMS will provide a Temporal Relational Algebra (TRA) structured query language that is based on and is an extension to Relational Algebra (RA) for extracting data from the Temporal Database. The TRA is to contain most the common operators that are associated with RA such as Cartesian Product, Natural Join, Union and many more. The TRA will introduce new temporal operators, which are useful for querying Temporal Databases.

The phenotypic analysis and correlations of the eggs laid by black-skinned and white-skinned ectotypes of giant African land snails (Archachatina marginata var. saturalis) in Calabar, Nigeria were evaluated. Two hundred (200) snails, One hundred (100) each of black-skinned and white-skinned ectotype were used to generate eggs used for this study. The snails were divided into two mating groups, black-skinned x black-skinned and white-skinned x white-skinned. The results of the study on phenotypic traits of the eggs revealed a high significant (P<0.05) mean number of egg, mean egg weight, mean egg length and mean egg width between the black-skinned and white-skinned ectotypes. The variations in mean egg traits between the two ectotypes in this study may indicate variation in genetic composition of the snails. The results of correlation among the egg traits revealed positive and highly significant phenotypic correlation (rp) within egg traits for the two ectotypes studied. The correlation could suggest that there are direct relationships between the traits, and that selection for one trait will lead to improvement in the other trait. It is recommended that intensive production and domestication of black-skinned be carried out since it seems to have high production rate to meet the animal protein supply of the populace then the white-skinned. This is due to its larger size.

This paper presents the new trends in code division multiple access techniques known as Optical CDMA Technology. I highlight those trends and features that are believed to be essential to the successful introduction of various OCDMA techniques in communication systems and data networks in near future. In particular, i elaborate on enabling technologies that are needed prior to full scale consideration of OCDMA in communication systems. I extend my discussion to various data network. It is believed that OCDMA once fully developed and matured will be an inseparable part of advanced optical communication systems and networks due to its various desirable features and functionalities, in not so distant future. Optical Code Division Multiple Access (OCDMA) is an optical processing system which allows multiple users to share the same bandwidth simultaneously without interfering with each other using unique optical codes. In this paper we present an in depth review on the new trends and the directions taken by the researchers worldwide in Optical Code Division Multiple Access (OCDMA) systems.

The aim of this study was focused on investigating the possible protective effect of Alpinia Purpurata rhizome against Gentamicin -induced nephrotoxicity. Nephrotoxicity was measured by various methods like creatinine, cholesterol, blood urea nitrogen, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and suppressed superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities in renal tissues. Activity of serum creatinine and urea levels significantly increased as a result of nephrotoxicity in the Gentamicin group. Also, creatinine and urea levels significantly decreased in Alpinia Purpurata + Gentamicin groups. In the Gentamicin group, increased significantly (p<0.05) and SOD and GSH-Px activities decreased significantly (p<0.05) when compared with control group. Alpinia Purpurata administration with Gentamicin injection result significantly increased SOD and GSH-Px activities when compared with GS group. mononuclear cell infiltration, glomerular and basement membrane alterations were histopathologically detected in the kidneys of the Gentamicin group. Co-treatments with Alpinia Purpurata considerably decreased the renal damage when compared with the Gentamicin group. In conclusion Alpinia Purpurata rhizome acts in the kidney as a potent scavenger of free radicals to prevent the toxic effects of Gentamicin both in the biochemical and histopathological parameters.

This study was conducted with a view to identify the socio-economic characteristics of processors of Vitellaria paradoxa and Parkia biglobosa; to examine the role of the rural dwellers in the sourcing and processing of V. paradoxa and P. biglobosa; to examine the different benefits that accrue to commercial processing of V. paradoxa and P. biglobosa and to investigate strategies put in place for sustainable use of V. paradoxa and P. biglobosa in the study area. Three (3) Local Government Areas were purposively selected for the study and purposive random sampling method was adopted for the selection of respondents. Primary data were obtained through the use of questionnaires while secondary data was gathered from relevant literature. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools and gross margin analysis. The result showed that 90% of Vitellaria paradoxa and 94.3% of Parkia biglobosa processors were female. Majority of the processors of V. paradoxa (77.1%) and P. biglobosa (58%) fell within the age range of 21-40 years. Fruits of V. paradoxa (84.3%) and seeds of P. biglobosa (77.1%) were obtained from processors farmlands as a result of the relative availability of the trees on their farmlands. The remaining processors of V. paradoxa (15.7%) and P. biglobosa (22.9%) had no trees on their farmlands so they gathered the fruits and seeds from and around forest lands. 84.37% of V. paradoxa and 88.5% of P. biglobosa processors indicated that income was the main economic benefit derived from this business while social benefits highlighted by the respondents ranged from produce been used as food, medicine, condiment and cosmetic. The result also showed that processors of V. paradoxa incurred more costs, produced more output and had a higher average gross return in processing than P. biglobosa processors. The RORI for the processing business in the study area was 51% and 96%. To promote sustainability the people have adopted local means of sustaining production by preventing indiscriminate livestock grazing and bush burning.

Discretization transforms a continuous attribute values into a finite number of intervals and associates with each interval a numerical, discrete value. For mixed-mode (continuous and discrete) data, discretization is usually performed prior to the learning process and plays an important role in KDD process. CAIM is very efficient, supervised discretization algorithm. Recent data mining technology is found to be slow to handle data of very large scale. In addition, data mining needs to be a continuous, online process, rather than an occasional one-shot process which has created a need for incremental approach for effective model preparation and updating. Incremental classification is proposed in literature needs online discretization, has created a need for fast and efficient discretization algorithm. The Modified CAIM (MoCAIM) algorithm is proposed and used as online discretization for the Novel ID3 (NID3) algorithm where CAIR is used as attribute selection criteria and CAIM is used for online discretization. Improved NID3 (INID3) is proposed to improve the classification accuracy by considering the unclassified instances of the test and predication phases of the classification process. The outperforming results of MoCAIM and INID3 algorithms in term of classification accuracy and Execution time motivate to explore the process further for the streamed data classification.

Sixteen (16) yearling West African Dwarf Sheep were used to assess body weight gain, feed intake and haematological indices as influenced by the four dietary treatments. The average weight gain of sheep fed supplemental diets were 2.70±0.09kg in Gliricidia sepium, 2.80±0.09kg in Moringa oleifera and 3.15±0.45kg in Gliricidia sepium + Moringa oleifera compared to 1.57±0.10kg for sheep fed basal diet only. The average weight gains in sheep fed supplemental diets were significantly (P<0.05) higher than sheep fed only the basal diets. The linear body measurement gain such as heart girth gain were 11.00±1.73cm in Gliricidia sepium, 8.67±2.08cm in Moringa oleifera, 13.34±1.04cm in Gliricidia sepium + Moringa oleifera compared to 8.33±0.58cm for sheep fed basal diet only. The heart girth gains of sheep fed supplemental diets were significantly (P<0.05) higher than sheep fed basal diets only. The height at whither gains were 8.55±4.04cm in Gliricidia sepium, 9.00±4.36cm in Moringa oleifera, 9.00±1.00cm in Gliricidia sepium + Moringa oleifera compared to 6.33±1.53cm for sheep fed Panicum+cassava peels only. The height whither gains of sheep fed supplemental diets were significantly (P<0.05) higher than sheep fed control diets. The body length gains were 8.00±1.73cm in Gliricidia sepium, 10.00±3.61cm in Moringa oleifera, 10.66±3.06cm in Gliricidia sepium + Moringa oleifera compared to 11.66±5.13cm for sheep fed basal diet only. The body length gains in sheep fed supplemental diets were significantly (P<0.05) higher than sheep fed basal diets. The haematological parameters such as packed cell volume (31.50 – 32.50 %), red blood cells (9.85 – 10.17 X106mm-1), haemoglobin concentration (9.97 – 10.07g 100mm-1), Erythocyte sedimentation rate (0.62 – 0.34), mean Corpuscular haemoglobin (0.99 – 1.08 pg), mean corpuscular volume (3.15 – 3.29µm3), Eosinophils (3.00 – 4.25%), Basophils (0.50 – 1.00 %), Monocytes (6.50 – 8.75%), Lymphocyte (60.00 – 65.25%), Neutrophils (21.25 – 31.25%) of animals fed supplemental diets were significantly (P<0.05) higher than animals fed Panicum-cassava peels ration. From all indications, sheep fed supplemental diets had better growth performance and were haematological stable than sheep fed basal diet only.

The effects of aqueous leaf extracts of different concentrations of Butea monospermal (Lam) Taub (Fabaceae), Limonia acidissima L. (Rutaceae) Semecarpus anacardium L. (Anacardiaceae) from Pathardi Tahsil (longitude190 09? N, latitude 750 10? E) Dist Ahmednagar were bioassayed in August 2008 on germination and seedling growth of Raphanus sativus L . var. ‘Hybrid 11’. Seed germination was promoted 13 to 21% by Butea, 3.58% by Limonia while Semecarpus inhibited by 10.71% at 10-1 concentration. Data was analyzed by appropriate statistical method. Inhibition at higher and stimulation at lower extract concentrations were recorded. Pot culture experiments will be arranged.

The responses of photosynthetic gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence along with changes in growth were observed in Jatropha curcas L. seedlings subjected to waterlogging. The growth characteristics, electrolyte leakage, photosynthetic CO2 assimilation rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rates were determined. The activities of catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase in leaves increased with the increase duration of waterlogging, implying an integrated pathway involving catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase for protection against the detrimental effects of activated oxygen species under waterlogging, but decreased in the recovery period. A strong reduction in photosynthetic and growth characteristics was observed as a results of waterlogging. Decrease in leaf area expansion and stomatal conductance seemed to be the main cause for impairing photosynthesis-carbon assimilation, linked with biomass yield eventually. Further, the ratio between variable to initial chlorophyll fluorescence and the maximum quantum yield efficiency of photosystem II explored damage to the photosynthetic apparatus. Strong nonlinear correlation between physiological parameters and duration of waterlogging was observed.

The prevention climatic changes induced by anthropological greenhouse gas emissions, is one of the of severe major challenges for the current and future generation of mankind hence this study investigates in providing a cheaper and cleaner fuel in burning from post harvesting agricultural wastes. Coal and wood have been the primary fuel used subsequently and produce lot of polluting gases like carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide which has consequences on health. The agriculture waste is bio degradable and decomposes/burns. Since waste can be a source of energy after mixing the waste material of different calorific value, the agriculture waste can be converted into fuel cakes or by modifying charcoal by destructive distillation process by using of effective carbonizer. The results obtained with multifuel (Agri charcoal) further stronger the idea of setting small power plants, dedicated to rural sector of India.