Archives-April 2017

This study used descriptive survey design using both qualitative and quantitative approaches because it intended to avail useful detailed information on impacts of natural resource conflicts on agricultural activities of the Arror community in Baringo North Sub-County. The study was carried out in Baringo North Sub County, Baringo County. The sub-county has been a setting of numerous resources use conflicts. Baringo North Sub-County has a total population of 93,789 but only 19,734 household heads were targeted, 14 local administrations (chiefs), 1 National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) representative. The research instruments that were employed in collection of data in this study were structured questionnaires and interview schedules. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics; frequencies and percentages. The results revealed that conflict on resources have affected agricultural activities. Some of these conflicts include cattle rustling, water related conflicts, and land based conflicts and human wildlife conflict. These conflicts have resulted to burning of plants, closure of Agro vet shops and eventually reduced agricultural production. In the case of cattle rustling, there is restricted movement of animals hence only a few of the cows can be reared. Animals are therefore sold at a loss due to cattle rustling. Further, conflict on water resources has made the respondents to buy water as well as dig boreholes that are costly. As evidenced in the findings, natural resource conflicts have a negative effect on agricultural activities. It leads to reduced agricultural production and restricted movement of animals.

A typical manufacturing plant has number of diverse activities interacting with each other. Facilities layout consists of the production areas and personnel areas within the building. Plant layout design is one of the strategic fields that determine the long run efficiency of operation. Facility Layout Problem involves the positioning of cells within a given area so as to minimize the material flow costs between cells. The Layout Design Problem is both tactically and strategically important since the layout plays a large role in determining the efficiency and flexibility of the manufacturing plant. Flexible Plant Layout algorithm is used to minimize the material handling cost and deal with the changes in future. In this project CRAFT (Computerized Relative Allocation of Facilities Technique) algorithm is used for designing of plant layout. CRAFT algorithm is one of the most developed and used algorithm for design or optimizing a facility layout which mainly emphasis on the material handling cost and the layout cost.

The preliminary survey of marine molluscs at 5 coasts of Shreewardhan namely Shreewardhan coast, Shekhadi coast, Dive Agar coast, Sarva coast and Harihareshwar coast were carried out. The occurrence of 65 species belonging to 52 genera, 35 families, 8 orders and 3 classes was noted. The Class- Gastropoda was diverse and represented by 3 orders, 24 families, 32 genera and 42 species. Class- Scaphopoda was represented by single order, family, genus and species whereas Class- Bivalvia was represented by 4orders, 10 families, 19 genera and 22 species of molluscs. Among these 65% of the species are gastropods, 34% are bivalvia and only 1% is Scaphopoda were noted. The present survey indicates that Sarva coast and Shekhadi coast are diversity rich followed by Shreewardhan coast, Harihareshwar coast and Dive Agar coast as far as molluscan diversity is concerned.

The experiment was conducted for testing a locally assembled combine implement used for open furrow, planting and fertilizing under different machinery unit speeds. New Holland TD80 tractor was used in this study. Three machinery speeds included 6.26, 7.44 and 9.53 km?hr which represent main plot and two Furrow depths included 5-15 and 15-25 cm which represent sub plot were used in this study. Field efficiency, Leaf area, 100 seed weight, percentage of oil in maize and maize yield was measured in this experiment. Split plot design under Randomized Complete block design with three replication was used in this study. Least significant differences (L.S.D) under 0.05 level was used to compare the mean of treatment. The results can be summarized as Fallow: 9.53 km ? hr speed gave lower field efficiency stood 63.45% and higher maize yield stood 9.65 t ?h. 5 - 15 cm furrow depth gave higher field efficiency stood 69.01% and greater leaf area stood 0.57 m2 while 15-25 cm furrow depth gave higher maize yield stood 5.23 t ?h. The interaction between speed and furrow depth, has significant effect on all plant properties except 100 seed weight and percentage of oil in maize.Using the locally assembling combine implement for planting corn, fertilizing and open furrows is successfully done. 

In this study an exergy analysis of 75 MW gas turbine is carried out. Exergy analysis based on second law was applied to the gas cycle and individual components through an off design point modeling approach. The analysis shows that the highest exergy destruction occurs in the combustion chamber (CC), and the gas turbine is significantly affected by the ambient temperature; increase in temperature leads to decrease in GT power output. The compressor has the largest exergy efficiency of 99% as compared to the other components (combustion chamber – 76%, Turbine – 95%). The highest destruction in exergy was recorded in the combustion chamber. As a result of this destruction, 2.23kJ of energy is lost in every 1MW output of power produced by the plant.

This paper is projected to cram the antioxidant activities the common leafy vegetables in eastern development zone of Nepal. The sprouts, microgreens and leafy greens of common and tartary buckwheat of Nepalese strains were compared for the phenolic contents and biological activity. The tartary buckwheat samples expressed higher total phenolic and flavonoid contents compared to the common buckwheat. The sprouts had the highest total phenolic contents (9333.48 ± 150.23 and 6976.21 ± 213.65 mgGAE/100g dw in tartary and common buckwheat, respectively) whereas, the highest total flavonoid content was present in the leafy greens (7635.39 ± 141.40 and 4414.61 ± 70.85 mg RE/100g dw in tartary and common buckwheat respectively). The high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) results revealed that the tartary buckwheat vegetables had higher rutin, (3800.28 ± 434.41 mg/100g in leafy greens), quercetin (159.75 ± 9.04 mg/100g in sprouts) and chlorogenic acid (293.47 ± 65.06 mg/100g in microgreens) contents than those of common buckwheat. However, other phenolics like vitexin, isovitexin, orientin and isoorientin contents were more abundant in common buckwheat. In biochemical assay, all three types of vegetable of common and tartary buckwheat showed higher antioxidant and ?-glucosidase inhibition effect in dose dependent manner. Based on these results, it can be conformed that all the vegetables (microgreens, sprouts and leafy greens) of both varieties of buckwheat of Nepalese strains can be regarded as a potent sour ce of functional food.They also displayed high total antioxidant capacity. Therefore, the top five potential leafy vegetables consist of both hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant(s), the order being I. aquatica> B. campestris> B. alba> P. sativum> and L. siceraria carried out .

This paper presents structural and tectonic analysis of Udi and Okigwe part of the Anambra basin using aeromagnetic data and Landsat imagery. The study targets to achieve the following objectives: to delineate major surface and subsurface structural lineaments and their trends, to determine the influence of structure on the sedimentation in the area as well the delineation of the basement topography. The aeromagnetic data processing was carried out by subjecting it to low pass filtering and the use of some analytical methods such as reduction to pole, upward continuation, trend surface analysis and first vertical derivative. Similarly, the Landsat imagery processing involves enhancement and transformation routines. Result of the study revealed that the dominant structural trend directionof the study area is in the NE-SW direction. The NE-SW trend is suspected as a continental extension of the Chain and Charcot Oceanic fracture system. Other structural trends are in the NW-SE, NNE-SSW and N-S directions. Lineament density map revealed a suspected megafracture zone around Lokpaukwu and environs. The 3-D basement map revealed a folded topography which reflects the level of tectonism within the study area. The residual polynomial surfaces revealed deep seated anomalies around Lokpaukwu. Finally, the abundance of pyroclastics within part of the study area makes the area viable for ore mineral and quarrying explorations.

Acetoacetanilide derivatives with heterocycles have versatile applications including making agrochemicals, dyes, pigments, pharmaceuticals including vitamins, and stabilizers for PVC and polyester. Among those, 4'- Chloroacetoacetanilide was used in recombinant androgen receptor competitive binding assay for analysis of natural, synthetic and environmental chemicals. Hence in this work, the vibrational spectra and structure of 4'- Chloroacetoacetanilide (4CAA) was studied using DFT. The calculated Infrared and Raman spectra of the 4CAA compound were stimulated using the scaled force fields and the computed dipole derivatives for IR intensities and polarisability derivatives for Raman intensities.

We are very happy to announce that from 14th April 2017, Dr. S.K. Manju bargavi has joined the team of Elixir Editorial Advisory Board. He/She will carry a special responsibility for dealing with manuscripts based on Computer Science. Dr. S.K. Manju bargavi working as a Senior Lecturer & Research in Department of Computer Science, Eritrea Institute of Technology, Asmara, North East Africa. The appointment of Dr. S.K. Manju bargavi as member Editorial Advisory Board strengthens the links and will make it easier for prospective authors to establish contact with the journal.

We are very happy to announce that from 17th April 2017, Dr. Surya Deo Choudhary has joined the team of Elixir Editorial Advisory Board. He/She will carry a special responsibility for dealing with manuscripts based on Electrical and Electronics Engineering. Dr. Surya Deo Choudhary working as Associate Professor, Department of ECE, NIET Greater Noida, India. The appointment of Dr. Surya Deo Choudhary as member Editorial Advisory Board strengthens the links and will make it easier for prospective authors to establish contact with the journal.