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Surface water resources play a crucial role in potable water delivery to many communities in Ghana. They support recreational, agricultural, and industrial water needs. However, several interrelated factors of spatial and temporal variation impact on and control the quality of these water bodies. Due to lack of protection, surface water bodies are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and anthropogenic activities. This study sought to evaluate the main factors influencing the hydrochemistry of the Pra, Ankobra, and Tano rivers of the south-western rivers system using statistical, spatial, and conventional hydrochemical plots. The results revealed high turbidity and TSS levels in the rivers reaching values of 4645 NTU and 3615 mg/l, respectively. Significant levels of Fe exceeding recommended WHO guideline level was also identified. The main hydrochemical facies in the rivers were Ca-HCO3 (47%) and Mg-HCO3 (44%), with relative abundance of the order Ca > Mg > Na > K for the cations and HCO3 > Cl > SO4 for anions. Precipitation, mineral dissolution in the soil zone, and anthropogenic activities, particularly artisanal mining, were identified as the main factors influencing the quality of these rivers. However, irrigation assessment shows that the rivers are of excellent quality for irrigation.

Graphene zinc oxide composites have been successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal reaction using graphite zinc chloride as starting materials. These prepared composites with different ratios of graphene and zinc oxides were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and solid UV-Vis spectroscopies, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The TGA analysis reveals that the intercalation of ZnO into graphene layer expands the d – spacing between graphene sheets and reduces the oxidation temperature. The results from XRD, Raman spectroscopy show that composites possess both characteristics of graphene and ZnO, and there is existence of interaction between ZnO and oxygenated functionalities on graphene sheets. In the photocatalytic reaction, the composite containing 10% in mass of ZnO exhibits the highest photocatalytic efficiency of 97.13% after 13 hours exposing to sun light

This paper proposes an image hiding technique that exhibits good quality with higher embedding capacity. In this technique, both secret and cover images are divided into non overlapping blocks. The secret image is embedded into a cover image block by block using Range Normalization Technique. This technique exhibits advantages of high embedding capacity with less computational complexity. Compared with the existing algorithms, the quality of the stego and reconstructed image is found to be good.

The current interest in numerous studies focuses on deliberating the knowledge about entrepreneurship in graduating students around the world. Even the eminent role of education in the field of entrepreneurship redeem with opportunities to gain knowledge, skills and career aspiration needed for business start-up or new venture but somehow Indian education system failed on implementation. The study reveals a significant impact on graduates’ business start-up. In this study, we examine the knowledge of entrepreneurship amongst the graduating student of India. Moreover, a descriptive survey has been provided using the Chi-Square test. Further, data were analyzed with the help of descriptive statistics and logistic regression. In addition to this, testing of hypothesis is also given. Moreover, also recommend the need of role in entrepreneurship from government and tertiary institutions in shaping the strategy to assist students to start their venture while in school and after graduation through the incubator program. Hence, encouragement to aspiration towards business start-up helps in developing society towards self-employment.

Concrete columns confined by single layered stirrup are commonly used for increasing the strength and ductility in seismic areas. Recent experiments have developed hope in the use of double stirrup confinement technique in enhancing the strength and ductility of the columns. In the present study, 12 numbers of double confined concrete square column specimens of high strength concrete, of size 150x150x450 (mm), were cast and tested under uni-axial compression. The columns were reinforced with 6 mm and 10 mm diameter of 500 MPa grade as transverse and longitudinal reinforcements respectively. Varied shapes of inner transverse reinforcement such as square, diamond, circular and spiral with square shaped outer layer stirrup, have been studied. The findings reveal that variation in shapes, contributed to greater compressive strength and better ductility of double layered stirrup confined concrete columns.

This study, entitled "Influence of Breed and Feeding on the Zoo technical Performance of Piglets (Sus domesticus erxleben, 1777) and Their Commercial Profitability," was conducted in the city of Kindu and its surrounding areas, Maniema Province, DRC. This research aimed to analyze pig farming practices in Kindu, focusing on the effects of feeding practices, piglet breed management, and their commercial profitability. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that piglets, when fed balanced rations adapted to their nutritional needs, achieve significant weight gains and growth. Those types of feed (local, balanced local, and balanced) containing 6.6% CP, 17.01% CP, and 17.09% CP, respectively, were formulated and rationed to the three pig breeds used as study material. The 46-day-old piglets were divided into three sub-groups: local breed piglets, crossbred piglets, and Large White piglets. These three groups of piglets were each rationed with the three types of feed for 9 weeks. After a week of pre-rationing followed by the actual rationing, the results show that the piglets benefit from balanced rations and gave better zoo technical performances in general except at the 2nd and 8th week (p < 0.05). The difference between the weight averages was not significant. However, feed consumption was (0.63%) and the average weekly weight gain was (0.222 g/week). In second place, the balanced local diet provided average performance. The piglets performed better on the balanced diet, with (p < 0.05) significant differences in live weight gain at weeks 5 and 8 (the difference was not significant in other weeks), feed consumption (0.71%), and average weekly weight gain (0.216 g/week).The study found that the utilization rate of balanced ration distribution was significant (p < 0.05) for different breeds of piglets that allowed for normal growth rates and rapid weight gain, followed by the balanced local ration. This study demonstrated the need to distribute feed in farms practicing late weaning at 45 days. Indeed, their judicious use in pig production can represent a significant economic benefit. However, data analysis reveals that, despite this income, financial profitability is negative for all the sires monitored during this period, indicating that the expenses incurred for the maintenance of the sires exceed the income generated. Expenses related to piglet rearing over a nine-week period. This profit is equivalent to approximately $ 21.53 per piglet. In contrast to the negative profitability of the sires, the financial profitability observed for the three piglet breeds is positive, indicating more efficient management of production costs for this category of animals. Finally, this practice supports the prospects for improving zoo technical performance in pig farming in the City of Kindu and its surrounding areas.

Studies were carried out to evaluate the effect of post harvest processing conditions on yield and quality of Curcuma longa (L.) rhizomes infusettes. A material balance was determined for four production processes including or not peeling and blanching. Sliced and dried rhizomes were packaged on tea bags and the products quality was monitored using reference methods. Production yields ranged from 38.39 to 76.87% with higher values obtained from unpeeled and blanched rhizomes. The moisture content varyed from 3.15 to 3.75 % m/m with a significant difference (P< 0.05) between the peeled and blanched samples which got lower values compared to the others. Microbiological analyses revealed that all samples were of satisfactory quality. Phytochemical screening showed that the presence or absence of metabolites was not influenced by these processing conditions. Peel removal caused mass loss of 33% without blanching but the tea bags obtained from this process had higher intensity of yellow-orange color. Peeling, blanching and drying were operations that affect not only the yield but also the quality of Curcuma longa (L.) rhizomes infusettes.

This paper investigates the influence of terrorist activities taking place in Pakistan on KSE (Karachi Stock Exchange) for the period of 01/2005 to 12/2010 using the GARCH & GARCH- EVT to identify the relationship between these two variables, the study establishes that the terrorist activities adversely affect the financial markets and in case of KSE, it is highly significant relation. Reason for the negative relationship exists because of the foremost increase in number of terrorism attacks in Pakistan.

The causative agent for the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2). SARS-COV-2 makes entry into host cell via ACE2 receptor. The binding interaction of SARS-COV-2 with ACE2 receptor has been presented along with the mechanism of viral infection. In addition to lungs, other tissues viz heart, brain, kidneys etc. become potential targets of SARS-COV-2 infection owing to the expression of ACE2 in them. Understanding of damage in such tissues has been addressed along with some preventive therapeutics.

This study is planned to determine the knowledge of personal protective equipment use of senior paramedic students before graduation during COVID-19 pandemic. The research is a descriptive study. The universe of the study consisted of 180 senior paramedic students studying at three universities in Izmir. When evaluating the study data, descriptive findings were expressed as percentage, mean, standard deviation and median. 38.1% of the students are between 18-20 years old, 50.0% are between 21-23 years old and 11.9% are 23 years old and above. 58.3% of the students participating in the study are females and 41.7% are males. In the study, 74.4% of paramedic students stated that healthcare personnel working in ambulance or patient transport vehicles should use medical masks, gowns, gloves and eye protection while transporting suspected COVID-19- (SARS-CoV-2) patients to the health institution. 78.5% of the students answered that an N95/FFP2 mask should be used while intervening and taking samples in a patient suspected o having COVID-19. As a result, it was found that during the COVID-19 pandemic period, the knowledge of personal protective equipment use of senior paramedic students before graduation is sufficient in some cases and not clear and sufficient in some cases. It is recommended that students should be given effective training on the use of PPE during the intervention of the patient with COVID-19 before graduation. It is known that the use of personal protective equipment is preventive in the transmission of the virus. There are studies supporting that the contact of healthcare professionals with patients with covid-19 increases their anxiety. In our study, it was thought that it would be helpful to determine whether paramedic students, who will be in the risk group to come into contact with covid-19 patients in the prehospital area, have sufficient knowledge about the use of personal protective equipment. In this direction, it is thought that it will contribute to the content of the training on the use of personal protective equipment during the covid-19 pandemic process.