Archives-June... 

The physicochemical parameters of the Nypa fruticans ( Nypa palm) frond and petiole have been determined. The fibre dimensions determined were: fibre length, fibre diameter, cell wall thickness, lumen diameter, slenderness ratio, flexibility ratio and Runkel ratio. Chemical composition determined were lignin contents, cellulose contents and the ash contents. Soluble contents were also determined. Petiole contained more water soluble than the frond but the frond contained more 1% NaOH soluble. The solubles in 1:2 ethanol-benzene were of the same order for both samples. Soda pulps were produced at the pulping temperature of 120oC using 8% and 12% NaOH as cooking liquors at the pulping time of 30 and 60min. The pulps obtained were characterized by determining the pulp yield and residual Klason lignin. Pulp yield and residual Klason lignin decreased with increase in the concentration of the pulping liquor and the cooking time. These results obtained indicate that Nypa fruticans frond and petiole left as waste in Nigeria can be exploited for the production of commercial pulps for several industrial applications.

Though major earthquake of large magnitude has not occurred in Nigeria from previous records, however, the incessant earth tremor currently being experienced within the central northern Nigeria basement complex whose cause is yet to be ascertained calls for concern. Hence, the need for site seismological evaluation and characterization becomes paramount before putting up structures. The aim of this research therefore is to carry out a detail seismic survey of the site under investigation, and determine among other factors, the velocity distribution, the overburden thickness, depth to aquifer, depth to weathered and fresh basement, which will be used to infer and evaluate the nature of Geological Hazards, Seismic shaking hazard, surface fault rupture hazard, ground lurching, liquefaction Hazard, water inundation and shrink swell potential of near-surface soil of the site. The results of the investigation revealed that the seismic wave velocity registered a general increase of velocity with depth, with velocity range of 990 m/s to 3340 m/s. The velocity distribution gave an indication that the site is majorly characterized by hard rocks which are of low elevation thereby ruling out the possibility of landslide in the event of seismic shaking from a remote earthquake. The seismic survey did not detect any obvious fracture or fault that will constitute geological hazard by acting as pathway for contaminant to move into the underground water, or that could engender major earthquake that will cause surface fault rupture hazard. The investigation also reveals that the soil is not predominantly loose sand and the groundwater is restricted to isolated aquifers, therefore the structure sited within this site will not heave or lurch in the event of any shaking because, the possibility of soil liquefaction is ruled out. It was also observed that since the near surface material is not predominantly clay but laterite, therefore the swell potential of the near surface soil will be infinitesimally small. The geological hazard analysis have revealed that the site under investigation is not prone to any geological hazards that could be induced by earthquake, faults, elevation depth to aquifer, and nature of soil.

Experiential learning method (ELM) is more strategic and easy to implement activities for language learning. When experience is made the nucleus of the learning process, learning takes place automatically. It is also possible to make ELM a guiding star to show the destination of communication. Successful learning of language skills occurs through the process of experiential learning cycle. This method allows the learning transformation to take place within the learner without much enforcement from the teachers and allows the learners to naturally overcome the inhibition and actively participate in doing activities. This method also permits learner independency and getting familiarized with the learning methods. The learner’s personal experience becomes the point of initiation for learning experience. Familiarity of the context and the content chosen for the classroom activities, enable the learners to involve fully which, in turn, allows the learning possible. The present experiment was done with a group of 30 students from the second year under graduate course of an arts and science college situated in Thrissur, Kerala state.

Even though Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) allow for the involvement of the private sector in the provision of public infrastructure facilities as a result of budget constraints on the part of the public sector, the private sector is required to raise substantial part, or even the whole of the needed funds to complete PPP projects. Raising such funds could be challenging considering that long-term financial lending by commercial banks in Nigeria is evolving. The option of dedicated infrastructure funds managed by asset management firms is one that Nigeria ought to pursue with seriousness in order to effectively bridge the existing funding gap for infrastructure projects. This paper analyses the need to adopt infrastructure mutual funds as a means to provide funding for various PPP projects in the country. The paper argues that the population of Nigeria is an advantage as it provides a large investing market that can be tapped. The use of infrastructure mutual funds should be encouraged in order to have a greater percentage of the populace participating as against private equity infrastructure funds that target high net worth individuals as such funds usually make the rich get richer. The Paper concludes by recommending the introduction of specialist infrastructure mutual funds by the large asset management firms in the country.

This study generally looked into the challenges of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in maintaining peace in the country. The study also looked into the challenges the mission faced from March 2007, when it was first deployed to Mogadishu, and August 2012, when Somalis elected a new federal government to replace the old existing transitional governments to date. It had further gone to scrutinize how the mission was perceived by the people of Somalia in relation to the political dimensions of the Federal Government of Somalia and as well what has been done and what has not been achieved by the AMISOM (African Mission in Somalia) in fulfilling its mandate of peacekeeping. The key aspects was the initial international political context in which the mission deployed; problems of internal coordination between the mission?s components; the lack of a reliable local partner with which to wage a counter-insurgency campaign; problems of strategic coordination among external partners; the nature of the enemy forces facing AMISOM, principally Al-Shabaab. AMISOM?s lack of relevant capabili¬ties and resources to perform its mandated tasks and the capacity of facilitating legiti¬mate and effective governance structures, especially as AMISOM began to deploy outside Mogadishu of late to begin liberating new frontiers in the South central regions. The study highlighted the role of Somalia factions, groups and clans in country?s problem. The general objectives of the research was to asses factors influencing regional intervention in Somalia and with specific objectives of the influence of stakeholder interest in on the regional intervention in Somalia, power competition among partner countries on regional intervention and evaluation of diverse goodwill on regional intervention in Somalia.. During the study, the researcher used descriptive statistics research design both in qualitative and quantitative. The target population of this study was the members AMISOM and UN mission in Somalia. In the study, 106 people were selected as a sample size using Slovene?s formula. The researcher collected data through questionnaire and finally processed and analyzed the study result using the statistical packages of social scientist (SPSS). The researcher found out that both stakeholder interest and power competition have strong positive relationship with the regional intervention and that if the interests are not consistent with the objectives, the resultant will be low performance. The study recommends that peacekeeping mission and relevant stakeholders develop clear priorities and work towards a central strategy. Towards the peace building and stabilization efforts in Somalia.

Designs ideas can be obtained from many sources of inspiration. Designers are often influenced by anything visual from nature to a fruit plate. Apparel designers are inspired by necessity the need to create fashion which called Form Follows Function .From this point of vie antibacterial treatment now is not a luxury anymore it became a necessity not only in the medical field but in all life parts. So in this study Antibacterial treatment has been done to cotton and viscose fabrics using Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) which gives good antibacterial activity, followed by dyeing and /or printing. 5 designs from historical and folk inspiration using the (PEG) treated fabrics were adapted to make fashionable women dresses. The designs were analyzed from the aesthetic point of view.

A total of 60 composited ditch cutting samples from Koda-1 and Mar-1 wells from onshore and offshore areas of the western Niger Delta Basin were processed and analysed for the lithological, microfauna and microflora contents. Based on the microfaunal analysis, one informal planktonic foraminiferal namely Orbulina universa zone which corresponds to the N9 zone (Middle Miocene) and one informal benthonic biozone Amphistegina radiata zone with Bolivina striatula, Spiroloculina antilarum, Quinqueloculina stelligera and Bulimina elongata sub zones were established for Koda–1 well. An informal planktonic foraminiferal named Globorotalia margaritae zone which corresponds to N17-N19 (Late Miocene–Early Pliocene) was established for Mar-1 well while one informal benthonic biozone Cibicides refulgens zone with Lagena cantenulata, Quinqueloculina costata, Nonionina orbicularis and Planulina wuellerstorfi sub zones were established. The recovered benthonic foraminiferal assemblages and other microfauna accessories indicated that the sediments of the two wells were deposited in marginal to coastal marine (inner neritic, inner to middle neritic and middle neritic) environments. The paleotemperature of the sea was warm with normal salinity, based on the presence of tropical marine indicator species of Orbulina universa.

Learning how individuals open conversations or how people address one another in a certain language is an important issue in studying communication and hence establishing social relationships between individuals. The speaker and the addressee's relationship, cognitive, historical and ideological reality, determine the choice of names and other address variants. Forms of address has an interesting correlation with language and culture. It should be noted that culture is the most important factor involved in the use of address forms. The current study intends to investigate Iranian students' Persian and English electronic requests to faculty to find out if they were different intera- and inter- lingually in regard the use of forms of address. To that end, both quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed to investigate 120 English and Persian e-mails composed by the participants to faculty members. Findings from the study have revealed a wide stylistic range in the form of address used. The results of the study also revealed that students tried to be more polite in their Persian e-mails by exaggerating in the use of the honorifics. This study prove that the application of address forms is governed by social norms and cultural rules.

Research and development in electronics and its allied subjects have changed life styles of modern society. Though modern man has got many physical and mental comforts from exponential revolution in consumer electronics products, they did bring in some hazardous side effects on environment and human health. Disposal of E-waste has become a major problem across the world and is growing at alarming proportions. The accumulation of e-waste causing biggest harm to environment is the dumping of hazardous materials. The main aim of this theoretical concept research paper is to study, analyse, discuss existing E-waste recycling methodologies and conceptualise and formulate an ideal permanent technical solution for E-waste hazards faced by all nations across the world. Future projections of ever increasing E-waste for India, China, Europe, USA and the world for 2050 are included in this paper. In this paper a known novel recycling technical solution is re-invented through which 100% E-waste is processed to extract each and every material used in the fabrication process. An attempt is made to present and discuss an ideal technical solution which will give rise to discarding of E-waste into environment is either nil or minimal. At the same time it is expected to result in employment generation with marginal profits and surely acceptable to all players of consumer electronics industry. Implications of implementation of proposed ideal technical solution, commercial and societical are also included here.

The purpose of the study is to design a framework of syllabus to teach and develop study skills of students in the context of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) with a special focus on the language needs of target group- engineering Students belonging to Karunya University at Coimbatore, employing the linguistic and thematic components of a science fiction titled ‘Star fish’ by Peter Watts. Unlike the ordinary science texts generally prescribed by EAP theorists and ESP/EAP teachers, science fictions as course material would make the learning process interesting, and simultaneously would enhance the study skills much needed for the professional success of the Engineering students.