Archives- 

In this paper, some engineering properties of sugar cane stalk are determined. For this purpose, two varieties of sugar cane including L310 and L820 varieties with average moisture contents of 76.4 and 73.8% wet basis, respectively, were used. The experiments were conducted at ten internode positions down from the flower for both varieties. Based on the results obtained, the averages of stalk’s diameter, cross-section area and second moment of area of L310 variety were higher than those of L820 variety, while the average of stalk’s length of L820 variety was higher than that of L310 variety. The internode position had no significant effect on the shearing and bending properties of both varieties. Furthermore, there was significant difference between the two varieties in the case of Young’s modulus, while there was not any difference in the case of shear strength, specific shearing energy and bending strength. The average of Young’s modulus of L820 variety was significantly higher than that of L310 variety. The mean values of shear strength, specific shearing energy, bending strength, and Young’s modulus of L310 and L820 varieties were obtained as 4.92 and 5.25 MPa, 53.36 and 57.35 mJ mm^-2,  9.58 and 9.20 MPa, and 18.81 and 24.50 MPa, respectively.

The purpose of this study was to find out those competencies that Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) appointed Heads of Department in secondary schools should have for effective performance of their administrative duties and responsibilities. Major areas of responsibility for study were: Responsibility for Curriculum; Responsibility for Teachers; Responsibility for Learners; Responsibility for Resources; and Responsibility for Finance. Under these areas of responsibility, 46 specific tasks were identified and consequently studied. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used for the study. There were 37 Heads of Department, 112 teachers, 24 head-teachers and 2 Quality Assurance and Standards officers’ in-charge of secondary schools selected from Siaya District. Data collection techniques included questionnaires, interviews and document analysis. For data analysis, mean scores and percentages were used to describe data. T-test and chi-square statistical techniques were used to draw inferences. The findings of the study revealed that heads of departments in secondary schools are lacking in certain competencies which are crucial for effective performance of their administrative functions and responsibilities. The most discrepant competencies were found to be in the area of Responsibility for Curriculum, and Teachers. On the basis of the findings, recommendations were made on how to equip heads of department with the necessary competencies in order for them to be effective in their work. These include the need to: offer extra job- focused formal training to heads of department; broaden, detail and make practicable education administration curriculum in teacher training institutions; provide elaborate job description manual; provide incentives to these administrators; and have quality assurance personnel make frequent and broad based supervision of the work of Heads of Department.

The solid phase FTIR and FT-Raman spectra of 2-chloro-5-nitrobenzaldehyde (CNB) have been recorded in the regions 4000–400 cm^-1 and 3500–100 cm^-1, respectively. The optimized geometry, frequency and intensity of the vibrational bands, NBO analysis, HOMO- LUMO study of CNB in two conformational states of C₁ and C₂ obtained by the ab initio HF and DFT levels of theory using B3LYP/6-31G** basis set. The harmonic vibrational frequencies were calculated and the scaled values have been compared with experimental FTIR and FT-Raman spectra. A detailed interpretation of the vibrational spectra of the title compound has been made on the basis of the calculated potential energy distribution (PED). Stability of the molecule arising from hyperconjucative interactions leading to its bioactivity, charge delocalization have been analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The calculated HOMO-LUMO energies shows that charge transfer occur with in the molecule. The observed and calculated frequencies are found to be in good agreement.

The study investigated the comparative effect of Tectona grandis to different concentration level of CCA preservative. The species were obtained from five plantation trees from Burgma forest at Onigambari Forest Reserve, a total of 75 test samples consisting 60 samples treated to CCA and the remaining 15 as control experiment. The samples were later subjected to termite attack at a termittarium for 3months. The preservation absorption, retention and penetration were measured while analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. Results showed that Teak had the highest absorption, retention and penetration of 48.33km/m3 and longitudinal and lateral penetration of 4.1mm and 2.0mm at 5% concentration. The absorption of 4% concentration was 42.89kg/m3 with retention of 1.59kg/m and 47.78kg/m3 with retention of 1.40kg/m3. After exposure to termite, Tectona grandis immersed in 5% concentration of CCA produce the most durable. Analysis of variance showed a significant difference among the absorption rate while the retention shows insignificant differences among the absorption rate while the retention shows insignificant differences among the concentration. In conclusion, preservative treatment at 5% concentration produce the most durable, the higher the concentration the better the durability of Tectona grandis, hence, the treatment of the species at 5% concentrate by immersion is recommended.

Currently, there are about 1,750 urban co-operative banks in India, which form 14% of the banking sector. While the focus has always been on private and public sector banks who are riding the technology wave to emerge as front runners in the global banking arena, cooperative banks, have been laggards when it comes to technology adoption. The drivers of performance for UCBs, as for any organisation, includes indicators such as increased employee satisfaction, increased customer satisfaction, financial stability, lower average time to resolution, and innovations in information and communications technology (ICT). Co-operative banks can play a significant role in rural financial inclusion if they ably take advantage of the technology in place. Besides enabling faster services, their decision to bring technology into play will open up possibilities of providing new cost-effective banking products and services to the farming community in particular. It is envisaged that post implementation of CBS including Financial Inclusion, Cooperative banks will also implement internet banking, phone banking, ATM network etc. According to industry watchers, technology deployments like CBS are a big challenge in cooperative banks. Factors such as high costs of implementation and maintenance coupled with lack of regional language software support for CBS are deterrents.

CSR in India has traditionally been seen as a philanthropic activity because of social life, economic conditions and lack infrastructure. The present study has made an endeavour to comprehend the status and activities made by extensive firms of India in setting to CSR policy framing and implementation. The Government of India has also enhanced its focus on persuading companies to participate in addressing social and developmental issues, not only as a part of their social responsibility but also their business practices. India has entered or taken a transformational change by including into new CSR activities.

Pneumatic applications are increasing day to day. Nowadays most of the systems are rehabilitated into Pneumatic. This is due to the speed, accuracy and safety of Pneumatic systems, when compared to the rest. Till date the rubber stamping is done manually. It is for the reason that the content, size and shape of Rubber stamp may vary depending on the particular application. But no research is carried out for large measure of similar rubber stamping. In order to save the man power and to reduce the processing time the Pneumatic Rubber Stamping Machine is designed and fabricated.

A system was designed and fabricated to grade apples automatically based on their size using machine vision, in this study. The device included unites to single out, orient and grade apples. A cylinder container with circular hole in bottom which was equipped with agitator was built to single out the apples. This mechanism delivered apples to orientation unit, one by one. Two wooden rails with a specific form which was located on the ramp via adequate slope was used to orient the apples during rolling. After the orientation, apples were placed below the camera to take its photo. The photos were transferred to computer for image processing to determine the grade of apples based on their size. A belt conveyor carries the apples and set them in appropriate place regards to their grade. As a final point, the wind spray valve is opened and the apple is pushed to the marked box. In order to evaluate the constructed system, 10 red and golden delicious apples of each grade were chosen and the completely randomized design test was conducted. The results demonstrated that the most time consumed related to image processing. Almost%85 of apples were properly oriented in the orientation unit and graded correctly. The overall system performance was appropriate, thus the system can be used to grade apples automatically.

The fission product isotopic inventories have been estimated for a 90.2% highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel core of the Ghana Research Reactor-1 (GHARR-1) using the ORIGEN2 code. The results indicate a gradual decrease in the ¹³⁵Xe inventory, and a build up in the ²³⁹U and ²³⁹Np inventory. The results will assist in assessing the bounding radiological consequences of a release of actinides from fuel material. It will also assist in the design of a nuclear spent fuel storage cask for GHARR-1 using local material (Serpentine).

The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of trace elements in some selected fruit juices and carbonated beverages purchased in Accra metropolis, Ghana. The technique used in this study was Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Fruit juices considered in this study includes pineapple, strawberry, lemon and orange. Some carbonated drinks were also analysed in this analysis. The trace elements considered were Al, Br, Ca, Cl, Mg, Mn, Na, K, Cd, Co, and As. Generally, the trace elements in the fruit juices were found to be more than that of the carbonated beverages. As, Cd, Co and Br were not detected in any of the samples analysed. Also Ca, Mg, Mn were not present in all the carbonated drinks studied. The levels of trace elements in both the fruit juices and carbonated drinks were however within permissible levels.