Archives-June... 

The purpose of this research is to investigate the use of varied steel fibres with different aspect ratio in structural concrete to enhance the mechanical properties of self compacted concrete(SCC). The objective of the study is to determine and do the comparative study of the properties of concrete containing no fibres and concrete with fibres, as well as the comparison on the effects of different type and aspect ratio of fibres to the self compacted concrete. This investigation was carried out using several tests, which included workability tests of SCC, shear test, torsion test, moment etc

This study was carried out to assess the performance, haematological, biochemical indices and bacteria load of broiler chickens fed diets supplemented with copper sulphate (CuSO4) at 0%, 100ppm, 200ppm and 300ppm inclusion levels. A total of one hundred and twenty (120) broiler chicks were careful selected and assigned to four (4) dietary treatments. The experiment was performed in three (3) replicates with ten (10) chickens per replicate making a total of thirty (30) chicks per diet. The birds were randomly selected using the Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The birds were fed ad libitum and given clean and cool water. At the end of the feeding trial, at four (4) weeks, birds fed diet 1 had the highest total fed intake (g/bird) of (34.64) and at 8 weeks, diet 2 containing 100ppm of copper sulphate has the highest feed intake (g/bird) of (180.67). The highest total weight gain (g/birds/day) in birds fed diet 2 containing 100ppm CuSO4 (1632.96) at eight (8) weeks of age. The highest feed conversion ratio was observed in the birds fed diet 3. The results obtained showed that all the haematological indices measured were not significantly (p>0.05) influenced by the treatments as the birds fed the supplemented diets were not different from birds fed the control diet which fall within the normal range. The serum biochemical values showed that cholesterol, albumin, total protein, bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Alkaline phosphate (ALP), creatinine and globulin were not significantly affected by the dietary treatment. The blood cholesterol level of the birds ranged between 25.09g/l in the 100ppm CuSO4 inclusion to 40.12g/l in the control diet. A decrease at 100ppm CuSO4 inclusion level was observed followed by an initial increase in blood cholesterol was recorded in 200ppm and 300ppm CuSO4 inclusion level. The fact that values obtained for both alkaline phosphatase and globulin concentration did not differ significantly among treatment means showed that the utilization of CuSO4 in the diets of broiler birds will have no detrimental effects on their physiological functions. The bacterial load of liver, spleen and duodenum in birds fed diets 1, 2 and 3 decreased as the levels of inclusion of CuSO4 increases but got higher in those fed diet 4. Keywords: Copper Sulphate, Performance, Haematological indices, Biochemical properties and Bacterial loads

Time of sowing is one of the important factors that govern crop physiology, phenological development along with efficient partitioning of biomass production into economic yields. Due to prolonged duration of preceding crops like rice, cotton, sugarcane and on account of untimately rains, the sowing of succeeding wheat crop gets delayed and is exposed to sub-optimal temperature (High temperature) at establishment, resulting in reduction of not only crop duration but also crop yield. This low yield is due to growth acceleration reduction in duration of crop development stages and carbon starvation due to reduced net assimilation. Genetic progress in increasing the yield potential is closely associated with an increase photosynthetic activity (Rees et al.1993 and Fisher et al.1998).Therefore the present study was conducted to screen photo-synthetic efficient wheat genotypes under delayed sowing condition.

Water is one of most important gift nature has given to humanity. The importance of this gift of nature is such that without it man could hardly exist. However, the major source of water is groundwater which is mostly polluted by bacteria due to activities around the wells. The aim of the study is to access the level of pollution in shallow wells in Ogbomoso by bacteria. Groundwater samples were collected from ten (10) wells at different locations in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria. The samples were taken to the laboratory for Physical and Microbial analysis. The parameters determined include pH, temperature, odour, Total Viable Count (TVC), Total Yeast Count (TYC), Total Mould Count (TMC) and isolation of organisms. Physical parameters in the samples indicated groundwater pollution were below the WHO limits for consumption and USEPA maximum contaminant level. The pH ranged from 5.46-6.65 indicating toxic pollution. In the same vein, odour, temperature and depth range from mild, 23.4-26.0 celsius and 6.3-24.5fts respectively. Organisms identified during isolation include salmonella spp, shigella spp and e.coli. TVC, TYC and TFC ranges between 9.6-57.3(cfu/ml), 4.1-30.0(cfu/ml) and 0-31.2(cfu/ml) respectively. It is concluded that the samples were polluted due to activities around the water source such as improper waste disposal and care for the water source in the environment. The microbial constituents of the entire samples are high and require treatment before domestic use. Borehole provisions, groundwater monitoring and effective nutrient management in the study area were recommended.

Speech act theory is a widely disputed field and issues such as what speech acts are and how they are classified seem to be culture specific, and not as universal as some of the studies presented above have described. Evidence on speech act production and recognition from different cultures have demonstrated that more research needs to be done in order to provide a theory that has an integrated approach to speech acts. Thus, besides carefully defining the term used in the research and creating an appropriate taxonomy, social, cultural, and pragmatic influences on the meaning, perception, and production of speech acts need to be considered. This study aims at comparing the strategies used by Native English speakers and Iranian EFL learners for expressing promising in different situations. The participants of this study were 27 among whom 20 were Iranian EFL learners and 7 were native English speakers. The participants were both male and female, aging from 18 to 31 years old. An open-ended data collection technique (DCT) was employed for studying participants' responses and verbal reactions to different situations. Iranian EFL learners’ sensitivity to L1 made them use inappropriate expressions and strategies in their English responses. It suggested that Persian learners of English transfer some of their L1 pragmatic norms to L2 because they perceive these norms to be universal.

The prevalence of Bombay blood group in Employees State Insurance Medical College and Post Graduate Institute of Medical Science and Research centre(ESICMC-PGIMSR), a tertiary health provider in Karnataka, South India.

The use of locally available raw materials in soap production was carried out. The soap was prepared using sheabutter oil (SBO), palm kernel oil (PKO) and plantain peels. The physicochemical parameters of the oils were analysed. The saponification values of the oils 175.30±0.81mgKOH/g (SBO) and 249.18±1.40mgKOH/g (PKO), and the iodine values 65.99±1.27 I2/100g (SBO) and 18.58±0.86 I2/100g (PKO) agreed with those found in literature. The free fatty acid (FFA), acid value and Relative density were found to be 1.719±0.009, 3.60±0.06mgKOH/g and 0.90±0.02 for PKO and for SBO the corresponding values were 5.499±0.113, 11.78±0.56mgKOH/g and 0.91±0.07 respectively. The alkali was extracted from the plantain peels ash and used to saponify the oils for the production of soap. The soap produced was analysed by testing its hardness, moisture and foaming stability. The results indicated that the soap produced by SBO:PKO (50:50) showed a very good properties, hence regarded better compared to the soap produced by SBO and PKO separately.

Osteoarthritisis one of the most common joint disease encountered, affecting more than 80% of people over the age of 55.It is a major cause of musculoskeletal pain and single most important cause of disability and handicap in old age and, is therefore, an important healthcare burden. Osteoarthritis is not a single entity but rather a heterogeneous group of conditions showing common x-ray and pathological changes and is characterized by joint degeneration, loss of cartilage, alteration of subchondral bones etc.Osteoarthritis principally affects the knee and hip. High tibial osteotomy is a welle stablished procedure for the treatment of unicompartmental osteoarthritis of the knee. In osteoarthritis Varus and valgus deformities are fairly common but Varurs is more as compare to valgus & cause an abnormal distribution of the weight bearing stress within the joint. A total of 26 patients were enrolled for this study and all were treated with tomofix plate. Physical examination and radiographs were performed at regular follow-ups. Functional outcomes were analyzed using knee society scoring system. According to the grading used for functional assessment in knee scores there was definite improvement in the function of cases 22 (96.15%) at 1yrs. But up to 3 months patients required some walking aid in half of the cases. There was very little improvement in the functional knee score in 1 case. The pre-operatively mean functional knee score in 26 cases was 46.8 and post-operatively was 92.5 i.e. the mean improvement in functional knee score is 45.7 (the maximum functional knee score is 100).

The National Radioactive Waste Management Centre (NRWMC) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission undertakes routine monthly radiation monitoring in and around the vicinity of its storage facility. In collaboration with the government of the United States of America, the Ghana Atomic energy Commission (GAEC) upgraded and intensified the safety and security systems at the radioactive waste storage facility located at the main site of the GAEC. Additional storage/decay rooms were built with more enriched and thicker concrete blocks to be able to contain the radiation. The sources were transferred from the old block to the new re-enforced block. Radiation levels were measured for a period of six months before and after the transfer of the sources and the results compared. An average dose rates of 0.13 nSv/y and 0.02 nSv/y were recorded around walls of the storage facility before and after the transfer of the sources, respectively. The reduction in the dose rate was attributed to the increased thickness of the walls of the new storage block providing enough shielding to the radiation. Comparing the results with the IAEA safety standard on dose limit of 1.0 mSv/y to the public and 20 mSv/y for the radiation worker, it was concluded that the radiation levels emanating from the facility are low and within the allowable limits.

For the appraisal of contamination of lake waters coliform count is generally used to review the infectivity echelon of potable water. The usual sources of coliform contamination at lake Sambhaji include discharges due to domestic wastes, laundry activities related to hospitals, natural surface runoff, rivulets, swimming activities, anthropogenic activities urban run-off, animal and human wastes. Lake water for the reason it had objectionable odour, was suspected for being contaminated. An attempt was made to comprehend the potable competence lake waters of lake Sambhaji, at Solapur district (MS), India, by specifying total coliforms counts employing the method of Multiple Tube Test with double strength MacConkey Broth Medium (Himedia M539S), the traditional method for presumptive isolation of coliform bacteria by MPN, incubating at 370C for 24 hours, in addition to other tests. Most Probable Number (MPN) of total coliforms was determined by referring to standard probability table for estimation of total coliforms for the determination of MPN. The investigation of the cultural response revealed 480 cfu/ml at site 2 and 220 cfu/ml at site 1, exceeding limits for recreational water. The highest fraction of indicator coliforms was detected in the water sample at site 2, of lake Sambhaji which has truly objectionable odour as compared to site 1 of lake Sambhaji. Taking into consideration the observations of high coliform count at lake Sambhaji results portray a tragic testimony of the deterioration of the ecological health of the lake and advocates dismissal of the consideration of water for being thought for its potable potential, portraying human malady if exposed to such unsanitary lake. The results encompass imperative repercussion directing prioritization to design restoration strategies.