Archives-June 2016

The aims of this study were to investigate the performance characteristics of a farm tractor during ploughing (chisel plough) using variable weights from (0 to 500 kg) on the rear tractor wheels, and different traveling speeds from (3.58 to 5.68 km/h). The ploughing depths were (15-20 cm), and the average moisture content was (20.15 %). The soil texture was found to be a (Silty clay). The rear tier sizes of the tractor and inflation pressure were 16.9/14-38 and 150 kPa, respectively. The study was concentrated on the rate of fuel consumption, specific energy, drawbar pull, tractor wheel slippage, tractive efficiency and field efficiency. The obtained results, for the range of tests, showed that the use of 500 kg weight on the tractor rear wheel at 3.1 km/h traveling speed produced the highest value (74.4 %) of tractive efficiency, and (in the meantime) the wheel slippage, filed efficiency, fuel consumption, required power, specific energy were 7.46 %, 80.22%, 15.11 l/h, 46.58 kW, and 43.13 kW.h/fed, respectively. In general, the traveling speed and the weight on the rear tractor wheels were the most important factors that affecting the drawbar pull and the specific energy.

Bipolar plates (BPs) are a key component of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells with multifunctional character. They uniformly distribute fuel gas and air, conduct electrical current from cell to cell, remove heat from the active area, and prevent leakage of gases and coolant. Bi-Polar Plates also significantly contributes to the volume, weight and cost of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell stacks. Hence, there are vigorous efforts worldwide to find suitable materials for Bi-Polar Plates. The materials include non-porous graphite, coated metallic sheets, polymer composites, etc. This paper reviews various types of materials, in use and proposed, for Bi-Polar Plates and critically examines their physical and chemical properties.

Since its discovery more than thirty years ago, HIV/AIDS has remained one of the devastating infections globally. It is the fourth most common causes of premature deaths in the world and the leading cause of death in Africa. The fight against HIV/AIDS is of public concern because the epidemic could undermine the collective development effort. In staging this effort, the participation of both men and women is critical in combating the scourge. HIV/AIDS is emerging as the paramount threat to investment in Kenya and subverts efforts to lift people out of poverty; thus calling for an urgent and sustained participation of both genders. Various interventions have been put in place by various stakeholders including government agencies, NGOs, the media, religious organizations among others. However, it is evident that the participation of men has been wanting since their presence in the various interventions is glaringly absent. This paper is based on a study that was carried out in Nairobi, Kenya, to establish the non-participation of men in the HIV/AIDS prevention initiatives. The main objective of this study was to establish factors influencing affective participation of men in HIV/AIDS campaigns within government ministries in Nairobi, Kenya. The study adopted an explanatory research design to collect quantitative data. The study utilized both primary and secondary data. The study administered questionnaires to a total of 59 respondents who were obtained from the selected government ministries in Nairobi, Kenya. Stratified random sampling was used to select respondents from the target population. Secondary data was gathered from various authoritative sources including books, articles, published and on-line journals. Data was analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Statistical mean and standard deviation as well as percentages was used in interpretations to determine data characteristics, Cronbach’s alpha test was used to establish the reliability of the study variables as well as multiple regression analysis used to determine the predictive power of the study model. From the study findings, it was established that policy factors had significant influence on effective participation of men in HIV/AIDS campaigns within government ministries in Nairobi, Kenya. The study therefore recommended that mechanisms be devised that address the problem of lack of information, advocacy, counsel and support services among men and boys to enable them take an active role in HIV prevention. There was also need for a framework that has in-built mechanisms of gender equity integration in HIV/AIDS campaigns; that a policy is devised to ensure that all employees are persuaded and coerced to participate in HIV/AIDS campaigns in each department of the ministries that were sampled for the study and finally, policy guidelines be provided to guide HIV/AIDS key areas such as awareness, prevention and response. Finally, adequate budgetary allocations be considered to help create capacity that encompass relevant areas both in terms of infrastructure and management among other recommendations.

River is a natural watercourse, flowing over the surface in extended hollow formations (i.e channels) which drain discrete areas of mainland with a natural gradient. In basic terms the existence of a river depends on three things: the availability of surface water, a channel in the ground and an inclined surface. In this sense, the term "river" includes all kinds of watercourses, from the tiniest of brooks to the largest of rivers. Importance of river to humanity cannot be neglected but as important as rivers are, they are also dangerous to lives and properties if they are not well monitored. Most rivers in Nigeria are not gauged, so their flows are not known. Ogbomosoo is a city in Oyo state, South Western Nigeria in which River Oba is located. It is one of the river with heavy flow in Ogbomoso and also with varying depth which when flowing it picks up debris caused by human activities in that area

Application of biological mechanisms or employment of microorganisms is in practise for many years in the treatment of sewage. In the present study selected microorganisms (Pseudomonas sp., Klebsiella sp., E.coli, Lactobacillus sp., and Candida sp., were employed to treat the sewage of a local hospital. This sewage is found to contain considerable quantity of alcohol and phenol. The efficiency of the above cultures either separately or in different combinations was studied. The original levels of BOD (285 mg O2/l) and COD (680 mg O2/l) of the sewage were reduced to 16.4 O2/l and 260 O2/l respectively in 72 h when sterile sewage was incorporated with Pseudomonas sp. at a level of 26 X 10 5 CFU/ml. The corresponding BOD and COD in the control was 79 mg O2/l and 655 mg O2/l. The Candida sp., at an incorporation level of 35 X 105 CFU/ml reduced the BOD and COD of the sewage to 18.3 mg O2/l and 240 mg O2/l respectively. E.coli, Lactobacillus sp., Klebsiella sp., at an incorporation level of 28 X 10 5, 27 X 10 5 CFU/ml reduced BOD to 23.6, 19.9, 26.5 mg O2/l respectively. From the original value of 160 mg/l, nitrate reduced to 8.9, 46.8, 4.3, 49.2 and 6.8 mg/l respectively when Pseudomonas sp., Klebsiella sp., E.coli, Lactobacillus sp., and Candida sp., were incorporated separately in the sewage. The value in control was 135 mg/l mg/l at 72 /h of incubation. The phosphate was reduced to 4.7, 3.9, 2.8, 5.3 and 2.9 mg/l respectively. The value in the control was 10.8 mg/l. The above said cultures (Pseudomonas sp., Klebsiella sp., E.coli, Lactobacillus sp., and Candida sp.,) were mixed at a ratio of 26:23:28:27:35 and incorporated in the sewage at a mixed population of 120 X 10 5 CFU/ml which reduced the BOD to 14.2 mg O2/l and COD to 138 mg O2/l in 48 h of incorporation. Thus it was found that the efficiency of mixed cultures found to be higher than the individual cultures.

Pre-treatment effects on the quality of oven –dried peeled and unpeeled ginger, grown locally form Kadjebi in the Volta Region of Ghana was evaluated by determining proximate and phytochemical content using conventionally accepted methods. The pre-drying treatments under investigation were dipping in 10% citric acid solution, dipping in 10% ascorbic acid solution, dipping in 10% sodium chloride solution and a control. The pre-treatments resulted in varied results in the pH, protein, vitamin C and TTA readings. The vitamin C content of the treated peeled and unpeeled samples, with ascorbic acid scored the highest value of 0.54±0.01mg/100ml for peeled and 0.95±0.01 mg/100ml for unpeeled ginger. No significant difference was observed between the control of both peeled and unpeeled samples with respect to the protein content. However, there were significant differences in the treated peeled and unpeeled ginger samples. Peeled ginger, pre-treated with citric acid recorded the highest protein value of 9.63±0.11%. Unpeeled ginger samples exhibited higher antioxidant components than peeled ginger samples.

This paper presents the preparation and characterization of a series of (PEO+PVP) composites with different ratios of NaF salt. New Na+ ion conducting polymer blend electrolyte films based on semicrystalline polymer poly (ethylene oxide) PEO and poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) PVP complexed with NaF salt were prepared using the solution-cast technique. The features of the complexation and structure of the electrolytes were studied by X- ray diffraction (XRD) and FTIR techniques. Frequency dependent conductivity were obtained from complex impedence (cole-cole) plots. It was observed that the magnitude of conductivity increased with increasing temperature and followed Arrhenius behavior throughout with three regions having different activation energies. The activation energy values were found to decrease with increasing concentration of NaF.

Image inpainting is the science of filling in the missing or damaged area of an image from the enclosing area’s information. Its purpose is to recover images with limited data loss and tries to obtain inpainting outputs of damaged parts in such a way that the recovered images look usual. In our proposed method we will divide the damaged portion of image in the form of reference pixel according to their dissipating property. Then by applying image inpainting we have obtained an image whose visuable quality is identical to cover image.

The Purpose of this research study is to measure the comparative financial performance of Islamic banking sector and conventional banking sector of Pakistan in terms of profitability, liquidity and risk & solvency. This research work also facilitate to all the stakeholders of Islamic banking sector and conventional banking sector including country heads of banks, branch managers, shareholders, creditors, investors, religious segment of population and regulatory bodies of Pakistan. Sample size consist of ten banks selected by using the conveyance sampling techniques including five leading Islamic banks (Meezan Bank, Bank Islami, Burj Bank, Dubai Islami Bank and Albarka Bank) and five conventional banks (MCB Bank Ltd, United Bank Ltd, Allied Bank Ltd, Habib Bank Ltd & Bank of the Punjab). The findings of the study indicated that conventional banking stream dominating on Islamic banking sector with respect to profitability at the cost of worst liquidity and high risk. Islamic banking sector dominated on conventional banking stream with reference to liquidity and risk & solvency at the cost of low profitability.

The central issue in this work is to examine the role the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) played in the 2015 Presidential election in Nigeria. To unravel this, we employed the historical and phenomenological method in our analysis and arrived at the finding that CAN ahead of the 2015 presidential election was divided along denominational and ideological lines and consequently could not speak with one voice. Given this finding, the paper maintains that the age-long denominational rivalry between the Catholic Church and Protestants is far from being over; hence the difficulty in arriving at a unanimous decision. The paper concludes with Darrel Lee that “the body of Christ can only thrive when believers work together in harmony” (Ehianu, 2007:119)