Archives-December 2015

This paper presents a new approach to the Automatic detection and classification of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals is of huge importance for diagnosis of cardiac abnormalities. A method is proposed here to classify different cardiac abnormalities like Ventricular Arrythmias, Myocardial infarction,Myocardial hypertrophy and Valvular heart disease. Support Vector Machine (SVM) has been used to classify the patterns inherent in the features extracted through Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) of different ECG signals. CWT allows a time domain signal to be transformed into time-frequency domain such that frequency characteristics and the location of particular features in a time series may be highlighted simultaneously. Thus it allows accurate extraction of feature from non-stationary signals like ECG. Then the support vector machine (SVM) with Gaussian kernel is used to classify different ECG heart rhythm. In the present work, SVM in regression mode has been successfully applied for the classification of cardiac abnormalities with good diagnostic accuracy.

Esthetics is the science of beauty and encompasses almost every field of dentistry. Gingival recession is defined as the oral exposure of the root surface due to displacement of the gingival margin apical to the cement-enamel junction and it is regularly linked to the deterioration of dental aesthetics. It has been associated with many factors such as inflammatory periodontal disease, developmental anatomic abnormalities (aberrant frenal attachment, thin bony plate), toothbrush injury, tooth malposition and iatrogenic factors. Among the various treatment modalities for root coverage, Coronally Advanced Flap (CAF) procedure demonstrates a high percentage of root coverage with a high predictability and without significant post-surgical complications. Management of gingival recession using Choukroun’s Magic Wand i.e. Platelet Rich Fibrin along with CAF, undoubtedly is a promising treatment modality for root coverage in vogue and should definitely be explored in future.

The present study investigates the oxidative-conversion of propane-butane (C3–C4) fraction to methanol via a proposed vapor–gas system: C3–C4 + O2 + h?/HN?3 ? 2??3?? + C2H4 + C3H6. Experiments were performed by feeding propane-butane fraction, oxygen, and nitric-acid into a photo-chemical reactor under mild conditions at a temperature of 100oC, an atmospheric pressure (P = 1 atm.), and under the influence of electromagnetic radiation using visible-light excitation at a wavelength ? = 420 nm, and at reaction-times (tr) between 2 – 120 minutes. The major oxidation-products are methanol, ethylene, and propylene. From this approach, methanol with 90 % selectivity can be achieved at a single-pass C3–C4 conversion level of 10 %. Quantum-chemical calculations for the oxidation reaction of C3–C4 by hydroxyl radical (via HN?3 photo-dissociation) were performed using the density functional theory (DFT) method at the B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd) level, and the calculation-results are broadly consistent with the experimental data. In a strict sense, the applied technique herein for the oxidation of C3–C4 to methanol, and the valuable semi-products (alkene), as well as to enhances the regeneration of nitric-acid, apparently finds physico-chemical justification.

It is probable that performance in mathematics at the standard eight classes in Kenya is a reflection of the pupil’s mathematical ability carried forward from standards seven, six and other classes of the primary tier. Gender disparities have persisted in the general performance of this subject, with notable differences in topics like geometry and algebraic fractions at secondary level. This study set out to investigate the influence of gender and age on computation of fractions by the primary pupils in Kenya and its findings were hoped to make a difference in performance of similar topics at secondary school level. The research was carried out in Bungoma County, Kenya. It involved 320 pupils and 8 teachers of mathematics from 8 primary schools. Data were collected by means of a diagnostic test for pupils and a questionnaire for teachers of mathematics. Inferential statistics, namely the t-test and the Pearson r, and frequency distributions were used in data analysis. The study revealed that the pupils had some knowledge of fractions but they encountered a lot of difficulties in computing work on fractions, which limited their level of understanding the topic and that gender had little or no influence on the pupils’ ability to compute fractions at the primary level; while age did. On the basis of the findings, the researcher recommends that teachers be sensitized on age differences in the learning of fractions.

The Government of Kenya started the implementation of Free Primary Education programme in January 2003 and Free Day Secondary Education in 2008. Basic education is critical as it lays a foundation for the subsequent levels of education. To implement the Free Primary Education, the Kenya Government progressively increased budgetary allocations to primary education from an expenditure of Kshs 745.08 million in 2001/2002 financial year to Kshs 18.30745 billion in 2007/2008 financial year. While there has been improvement in pupils’ enrolment in primary and secondary schools, its effect on retention and participation of pupils/students in basic education has not been determined. This paper, therefore, looks at factors that affect retention and participation of pupils/students in basic education. Changes in enrolment should be accompanied by improvement in quality of instruction and retention if the set goals of basic education are to be achieved. The paper is based on a study that investigated the factors that affect retention and participation of pupils/students in basic education. The study was carried out in twenty four counties in Kenya. Descriptive survey research design was used. The study targeted learners in primary and secondary schools, teachers, school administrators, BOG/ SMC’s and education officials. The research instruments used to collect data were questionnaire and interview guide. They were piloted and validated for reliability. Means and standard deviations were used to describe the data gathered during the main study. Data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Findings were presented in form of tables, pie charts and graphs. It is expected that the findings of this study will provide insightful reference that can help enhance pupils/students retention and participation in education.

The present study aimed to determine the relationship between self-regulation and self-esteem with Resiliency of adolescent was conduct in Borazjan secondary schooldays, thus, it’s descriptive study. Participants in the study were 200 boys and girls students of Borazjan high schools who were selected with random multi-stage cluster sampling method. For data gathering, self-regulation Questionnaire (SRQ), Cooper Smith scale of self-esteem and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) were used. The results of Pearson correlation between self-regulation and self-esteem with resiliency show that self-regulation, general self-esteem , social self-esteem and academic self-esteem have a positive and significant relationship with resiliency, But, there is no significant relationship between family self-esteem and resiliency. Also, step-by-step regression results for determine of effect size of self-regulation and self-esteem on resiliency show that the social self -esteem (0/16), general self- esteem (0/22) and self-regulation (0/20) have predictive power of resiliency, But family self- esteem and academic self- esteem haven’t predictive power of resiliency. Based on these findings, can understood that adolescents with high self-esteem and self-regulation, may have the greater opportunity and possible for self-determination, self-expression, self-awareness, self-regulation and self-synergy that these psychological constructs affect the resiliency of people.

The relationship between p wave and s wave is dynamic, and it is majorly a function of terrain. Knowing the relationship between p wave and s waves for any particular terrain is of vital important for both seismic exploration and geotechnical analysis. The aim of this research work is to establish an absolute relationship between the p waves and s wave seismic velocities within the basement complex. This factor (ratio) will be a guide to a better estimate of shear wave velocity during data analysis that will enhance exploration and site characterization in areas where vertical geophones will be exclusively used for data acquisition. With a bid to achieving this aim, seismic survey was carried out within some locations in the basement complex. The data was processed to generate the p wave velocity models and s wave velocity models independently. The result revealed that both the p waves and s waves from the tomographic model generally increase with depth. The ratio of these p waves and s waves velocities ranges between 1.767981 to 1.999435347. The average representative value for these p waves and s waves velocities ratio was determined to be 1.794860218. The result also revealed that the ratio of p waves and s waves does not genially increase with depth. Therefore, a value of 1.8 approximated to one decimal place, can be taken as a representative value for the ratio between p waves and s waves down to a depth of 40 m within the basement complex. However a value of 1.9 to 2.0 can be adopted as a ratio between p and s wave velocity within the basement complex beyond the depth of 40 m.

This research investigated the effect of co-curricular activities on academic achievements of special educations students with learning disabilities in SMK Permata Jaya, Rengit, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia. 20 students from special educations class session 2015 were selected for moderate level syllabus and another 20 students were using high level syllabus constituted a study sample. Each level of students taught by the same teacher was divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental groups were involved in co-curricular activities and the control groups did not participate in any co-curricular activity. They were two types of co-curricular activities which are physical activities and the other was like debates, speeches and drama. Raw scores of the students from the subject of Science test made up data for the study. Data analysis involved the use of mean scores and t-test of significant difference between two independent group means scores, supported by F-test of homogeneity of two independent group variances It was found that co-curricular activities had significant effect on academic achievements of the experimental groups.

Youth unemployment in Kenya has been seen to be on the rise. However, with the inception of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund the youth have been able to exploit the opportunity in utilizing the fund. The study used a sample of 147 respondents from the youth group in Turbo Division, Uasin-Gishu County. The study found out that the prevailing factors encouraging youth participation in entrepreneurship included; entrepreneurial business trainings, societal attitude and finally family involvement

Field trials were carried out at the farm of Livestock development unit of Ekiti state Ministry of agriculture, Erinfun, Ado Ekiti (7°40? N, 5°15? E) in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 cropping sessions to assess the effects of sprout number per cassava stand on the performance of cassava Manihot esculenta. The treatments which represented the number of shoots allowed to survive from sprouted shoots per stand were single shoot; double shoots; triple shoots and multiple shoots. At four weeks after planting (4WAP), sprouted shoots were detached to the required number per stand in each treatment. Multiple shoots produced the tallest plants while single and double shoots per stand gave the shortest plants. Single shoot per stand produced the highest stem girth figure, number of initial and final branches, fresh shoot biomass, number of tubers per plant as well as tuber yield per hectare. While the percent peel per tuber was lowest in the single and double shoots per stand, the highest percentage of peel per tuber was recorded in the multiple shoots cassava plants. It is concluded that sprouted cassava should not be allowed to be more than two shoots per stand for optimum cassava tuber yield.