Monitoring the temperature of the milling process using infrared camera
June 2013
The study of temperatures generated in machining processes has been the theme of research since the beginning of the XX century. High temperatures can provoke changes in the microstructure of materials, resulting in form errors that may cause loss of the machined material and a decrease of tool life. As a result, high temperatures can be responsible an increase in...
Evaluation of crayfish chaff charcoal agar as a transport medium for anaerobes
June 2013
A laboratory formulated crayfish chaff charcoal agar (CCCA) was evaluated both as transport and storage medium for anaerobic bacteria in parallel with Amies charcoal agar (ACA), cooked meat medium (CMM) and thioglycollate broth (TCB). The survival of anaerobes in swab obtained clinical specimens and viability of specific anaerobes in these media were assessed. Eight genera of...
Safety and efficacy of Contiflo OD (Tamsulosin) on catheterized patients treated for acute urinary retention caused by benign prostatic hypertrophy in Ekiti State, Nigeria
June 2013
This study aims to assess the safety and efficacy of Contiflo OD (Tamsulosin) on catheterized adults treated for Acute Urinary Retention (AUR) caused by benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). In this randomized double blind prospective study, patients that reported at the Accident and Emergency Department of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) with AUR and had...
First report of Tuber macrosporum occurrence in Poland
June 2013
Tuber macrosporum, a large spore species is first time confirmed from Poland. It grows naturally in southern part of Poland, in calcareous soils. The fruit bodies of the species were found in mixed fresh forest with dominant tree species such as:Pinus sylvestris, Carpinus betulus and Quercus robur. The soil chemistry and texture of the site was analysed. Fruit...
Design of an HIV drug resistant patient management system in a digitally connected world
June 2013
It is inevitable that drug resistance will become of concern in the treatment of HIV/AIDS infected patients due to the fact that the virus mutates at a high speed, selective pressure and patients that default from treatment. Not only is the management of HIV drug resistant patients difficult, but so too is the management of the patients’ data. The use of information...
Surveillance of the condition of bacteria and Amaranthus viridis in a gasoline contaminated soil
June 2013
The condition of bacteria and Amaranthus viridis in gasoline-contaminated soil was surveyed. The soil was treated with different concentrations of petrol oil: 0 ml (control), 18, 56, 112, 168 and 224 ml. Each of the concentrations was in triplicates. Seventeen (17) bacterial isolates were recovered from the control soil while twenty (20) bacterial isolates were recovered from the...
Management of vegetal covers on Pecan tree with fertilizer irrigation
June 2013
The pecan Carya illinoinensis (Wangeh.) K. Koch is a fruit tree in domestication process, and the components of its profitable and sustainable management are continuously generated by research (Wood, 1991, 2006). For the soil management, the plants that grow on it are traditionally cataloged under the “weed” concept, which states that they must be...
Homotopy analysis method for Zakharov-Kuznetsov (ZK) equation with fully nonlinear dispersion
June 2013
In this paper, we apply Homotopy Analysis Method (MHAM) to find appropriate solutions of Zakharov-Kuznetsov (ZK) equations. Numerical results coupled with graphical representation explicitly reveal the complete reliability of the proposed algorithm. Key words: Homotopy analysis method, Zakharov-Kuznetsov (ZK) equation, exact solutions,...
Influences of rosuvastatin on the expression of matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) through extracellular-signal-regulated kinases (ERK) pathway in mononuclear cell line (THP-1) derived macrophages induced by oxidized low density lipoprotein
June 2013
The current study aims to probe the changes in matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9)expression during differentiation as the mononuclear cell line THP-1 is converted into foam cells, as well as the underlying influence and mechanism of rosuvastatin.PMA was used to induce THP-1 cells transform into macrophages and treated with various concentrations, whereas...
Influences of nitrogen and potassium fertilizer rates on pepper and tomato yield and nutrient uptake under field conditions
June 2013
The influence of nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) fertilizers on pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) growth, fruit production and nutrient uptake was determined under field conditions for two successive years. The aim of the experiment was to determine the optimum N and K fertilizer rate for yield and quality parameters. Experiments were...
Developing new exchanger for removal of inorganic arsenic species from groundwater
June 2013
A new Dowex monospher-BBr exchanger was prepared by the reaction between the conjugated base sulfonic acid [R-S-O3]- of DOWEX MONOSPHERE MR-450 UPW and the strong Lewis acid BBr3 forming adduct (coordinated complex) [(R–S-O3)2 BBr3]+3. The prepared resin is a promising exchanger for the removal of inorganic arsenic species from underground water. More than...
Macroscopic and microscopic findings of infant lung in case of live or still birth
June 2013
In the case of a newly born infant, either stillborn or found dead, the state of the lungs is of particular forensic interest. The aim of this study was to determine whether lungs are adequate for pathological comment about stillbirth or live birth of an infant. In order to evaluate the relevance of 171 autopsy reports of infants, macroscopic and microscopic findings, and body...
Simulation of the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) inverse controller using Matlab S-function
June 2013
In this paper, for the purpose of simulating the mathematical model of adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), we use Matlab/Simulink environment with its powerful S-functions. The simulated model of ANFIS network can be then used to make the simulation of the identification and the control of linear or nonlinear systems. Created Simulink block of ANFIS give...
Theoretical analysis on the laminar flow of an elastico-viscous fluid between a moving elliptic plate with constant injection and the ground
June 2013
A theoretical study is presented for the problem of injection of an elastico-viscous fluid through a moving elliptic plate. The governing equations are reduced to a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations by means of appropriate transformations for the velocity components. The resulting boundary value problem is solved numerically using the Matlab solver singular...
Experimental and numerical stress analysis of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) -stiffened shells with cutout under axial loading
June 2013
In the present study, the stress analysis of thin-walled glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) cylindrical shells with and without cutout subjected to axial loading was carried out by using experimental and finite-element method. The effect of cutout type on the stress distribution of the shell was described. In the experimental procedure electrical strain gauges...
Screening for antimicrobial and antimalarial activities of longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour) seeds
June 2013
In this paper, for the purpose of simulating the mathematical model of adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), we use Matlab/Simulink environment with its powerful S-functions. The simulated model of ANFIS network can be then used to make the simulation of the identification and the control of linear or nonlinear systems. Created Simulink block of ANFIS give...
Perceptions of rural consumers on the quality of mutton in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
June 2013
The objective of the study was to determine the perceptions of consumers from the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa on the quality of mutton. A survey was conducted on 215 consumers from five different municipalities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Data was gathered from interviewed consumers at the point of purchase, or when they left the shops. Door to door...
Mechanism(s) of humic acid induced beneficial effects in salt-affected soils
June 2013
There is enough evidence that humic acid (HA) helps to enhance crops yield by promoting certain physical, chemical and biological activities in soil-plant system. Indigenously produced coal derived, HA was added to saline-sodic silty clay soil to determine its effects on activities of alkaline phosphatase, urease, microbial activities, cation exchange capacity and moisture...
Pre-germination hydration affects seed performance in bambara groundnut
June 2013
In a study to determine the response of local bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) germplasm to seed enhancement, seeds were subjected to hydration (12, 75 and 93% RH) to influence pre-germination water activity (aw) and subsequent germination and seedling establishment. This study also reports on seedling characteristics 28 days after sowing under...
Developing new exchanger for removal of inorganic arsenic species from groundwater
June 2013
A new Dowex monospher-BBr exchanger was prepared by the reaction between the conjugated base sulfonic acid [R-S-O3]- of DOWEX MONOSPHERE MR-450 UPW and the strong Lewis acid BBr3 forming adduct (coordinated complex) [(R–S-O3)2 BBr3]+3. The prepared resin is a promising exchanger for the removal of inorganic arsenic species from underground water. More than...
Effects of corona discharge treatment on the mechanical properties of biocomposites from polylactic acid and Algerian date palm fibres
June 2013
In this paper, biocomposites materials based on date palm fibres (untreated or treated with corona discharge) as reinforcing elements and polylactic acid matrices were prepared and characterized. The objective of this study was to evaluate the mechanical properties of these biocomposites by modification of date palm fiber by using corona...
Determination of economic thickness of insulation of local hemispherical clay pot
June 2013
Undue bulkiness, which characterizes most design in the past, is gradually giving way to economic approach to design, which gives optimal solutions to engineering problems through optimum design techniques, leading to material and cost economy. This paper formulates a mathematical problem and presents a computer–aided solution for determination of economic thickness of...
Community composition and abundance of residential birds in selected church forests, Tigray Region, Northern Ethiopia
June 2013
Birds are among the best known parts of the earth’s biodiversity. This study was conducted in three selected church forests located in different agroclimate zones (Kola, Weyna Dega and Dega) in Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia to investigate the community composition and abundance of residential birds. Data collection was carried out between November 2011 and March 2012...
Farmers’ common bean variety and seed management in the face of drought and climate instability in southern Ethiopia
June 2013
This study reports the various elements and contexts that characterize the farmers’ use and management of common bean seed and varieties in southern Ethiopia. The study used focus group discussions, contact-farmer interviews and surveys. The results demonstrate that farmers’ cropping systems and preferences vary strongly. Moreover, the high level of environmental...
Polymorphic dominant height and site index models for Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantations in Southern China
June 2013
Difference methods based on six growth equations namely: Richards, Weibull, Korf, Logistic, Schumacher and Sloboda were adopted to build polymorphic dominant height and site index equations for Chinese fir plantations in Southern China. Data from stem analysis of 157 trees were used for the model construction. The performance of 15 equations including 10 kinds of difference...
Effects of infrared irradiation on barley grain starch degradation in the rumen of sheep
June 2013
This study was conducted to evaluate effects of infrared irradiation for 60, 90, 120 and 150 s on starch ruminal degradability and chemical composition of barley grain. Three ruminally fistulated rams were used to measure in sacco degradation. There was a linear increase on DM chemical...
Evolution of menstruation in mammals
June 2013
Why do placental mammals dismantle their endometrium in cyclic pattern? And why the amount of blood that is lost relative to the reabsorbed amount differs between species Some species as in humans shed notable amount of blood in association with menstruation that occurs by the end of the menstrual cycle, whereas, other species barely discharge any blood in what is known as...
Predicting the microbial safety of irrigation water and fresh produce: A collaborative approach
June 2013
Outbreak of food borne illnesses as a result of consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits is occurring regularly. In USA for example, it has become business as usual to hear and read about fresh produce recalls. Although, the increase has been attributed to many factors it is however more important to find solution to the problem. An effective solution will be a proactive...
Effects of combinations of ethanolic extracts of Blighia sapida and Xylopia aethiopica on progesterone, estradiol and lipid profile levels in pregnant rabbits
June 2013
The effects of ethanolic extracts of Xylopia aethiopica fruits and Blighia sapidaroots, used by some rural dwellers in western part of Nigeria for arbortifacient purposes, were investigated using pregnant rabbits. A combination of X. aethiopicaand B. sapida in a ratio 1:1 at concentrations of 10.0 mg/ kg body weight (group B) and 50.0 mg/ kg body...
Formulation, characterization and ex-vivo permeation studies on gentamicin-loaded transdermal patches based on PURASORB® polymers
June 2013
Topical administration of gentamicin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic commonly used for treatment of bacterial infections, is limited by toxicity and membrane impermeability. The purpose of this study was to develop an alternative non-invasive, convenient and cost-effective drug delivery system for enhanced skin delivery of gentamicin. The patches were formulated...
Regulation of cytokine gene expression during Brucella abortus infection
June 2013
Toll-like receptors (TLR) play a key role in antimicrobial host defense. Bacterial cell wall components and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are recognized by macrophages via TLR, resulting in activation of professional antigen-presenting cells, initiation of acquired immune responses and further elimination of the invasive bacteria. TLR2 and TLR4 have been shown to recognize bacterial components. TLR2...
Role of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) enhanced anaerobic co-digestion of petrochemical wastewater on cycle time minimization during biomethanation
June 2013
The latent of per-oxidation pretreatment to petrochemical waste water (PWW) prior to anaerobic co-digestion process was explored in continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) continually with dairy cattle and beef cattle manure. Oxidation by hydrogen peroxide (OHP), elevated biodegradability index (BOD/COD) up to 35%. While CSTR operated with non-OHP PWW, system was found to be...
Morphogenetic types of cuticles and melanin granules in the anagen phase of hair follicles
May 2013
Our studies on the scalp and hair follicles have a particular interest in the formation of white hair and melanin; however, representative images of white hair and melanin formation have been difficult to find. The morphogenetic types of melanosomes and cuticles in hair follicles are diverse. The generated form of melanin granules include soft melanosomes that penetrate through the outer root sheath...
Investigation of corrosion properties of uncoated and hot dip galvanised dual phase steel (DP450) welded using spot welding
May 2013
DP450 dual phase steel has attracted an increasing attention as a material with commercial value for certain applications in automotive industry, nowadays. The purpose of this study was to investigate microstructure, micro-hardness, tensile shear tests, and corrosion properties of DP450 dual phase steel sheet welded using spot welding under both uncoated and hot dip galvanised conditions. Experimental results...
Intelligent-classical hybrid scheme controller for better transient response and steady state error of twin rotor MIMO system
May 2013
A hybrid control scheme of Sugeno Fuzzy PD-like System (SFPDS) and PID controller is introduced in this work. The idea of the proposed strategy is to manipulate the control error signal in two stages: the SFPDS first, and then the PID. The manipulated signal is finally provided as a control action to the system. The proposed control strategy aims at combining the benefits of utilizing the artificial...
Moments of the number of triangular configurations in binomial trials
May 2013
Consider a matrix of locations in rows and columns, and suppose that at each location a binomial trial materializes independently which results in a specified event E with some probability. One possible configuration is that the event occurs at three adjacent locations, which we call a triangular configuration. The number of these triangular configurations is a random variable with a highly complex...
Development of drought vulnerability maps in the Parambikulam - Aliyar Basin, Tamil Nadu, India
May 2013
Assessment of occurrence of drought in a basin provides useful information for sustainable water resource planning and management. This study attempts to develop the spatial pattern of drought vulnerability based on frequency and severity of drought events at 3 and 12 month time scales in the Parambikulam-Aliyar river basin. Using the standardized precipitation index (SPI) as a drought assessment and...
Regional climate model: Investigating the impacts of climate change on water availability in Nigeria
May 2013
Nigeria and the rest of African nations, despite the fact that they produce less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, are considered the world’s most vulnerable regions with regard to the effects of climate change due to the fragility of their economies. However, it is still very difficult to assess the extent of such changes and the specific environmental impacts particularly on water...
An improvement on the use of empirical green functions for ground motion synthesis to predict Tehran’s main earthquake
May 2013
This research presents potential use of the empirical green function (EGF) approach and kinematic rupture models as a predicting tool in strong ground motion seismology. The former applications of EGF were employed on very small earthquakes, so the results were not reliable for almost all earthquakes recorded in the crowded metropolitan areas, due to improper signal to noise...
Analytical and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) investigation of the applicability of a ferrofluidic magnetic micropump for fluids with stress-sensitive mircroparticles
May 2013
This paper presents analytical and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) investigations of the applicability of a novel ferrofluidic magnetic micropump for fluids with stress-sensitive microparticles. The velocity, pressure, and stress fields in the annular channel of the pump were determined analytically for the case of channels with rectangular cross sections and small aspect ratios (h/w→ 0) under...
Computational simulation of frequency inverter ramps applied to an electric vehicle
May 2013
This work aims to represent acceleration/deceleration ramps generator and a voltage/frequency control through a SCICOS block diagram for evaluation of values commonly used with electric vehicles. It was opted for the representation of functional block diagrams for implementing the models, and was adopted the free software SCILAB/SCICOS to design and to simulate the representations proposed. Also measurements...
Characteristics of duckweed and its potential as feed source for chickens reared for meat production: A review
May 2013
With the high cost of the conventional protein required in producing meat and its products to meet demand by the ever-increasing population, it is imperative that other cheaper alternatives be explored. One such protein source is duckweed. This paper focuses on the attributes that duckweed has which make it a special contender as a protein source for chickens. The paper also focuses on the challenges...
Characterisation of two kaolin facies from Ediki, Southwest Cameroon
May 2013
Sand-rich (ESR) and sand-poor kaolin (ESP) facies from Ediki, Southwest (SW) Cameroon, have been mineralogically and geochemically characterised in order to elucidate on their emplacement and degree of kaolinization. The mineralogical assemblage comprised quartz, kaolinite, muscovite, microcline, goethite and anatase. ESP registered a sharp peak at 3620 cm-1 and two weak inflections between the doublets...
Spatial and temporal variability of windborne dust in the Sahel-Sahara zone in relation with synoptic environment
May 2013
Windborne dusts have been recognised as climatic indicators in the Sahel region, because of their ability to cause reduction in horizontal visibility. These phenomena have intensified after the exceptionally drought periods in the 1970s over the Sahel region. In this work, we have analysed the spatial and temporal evolution of visibility reduction in the Sahel-Sahara zone between 1957 and 1987. The results...
Screening for antimicrobial and antimalarial activities of longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour) seeds
May 2013
The aims of this study were to evaluate methanolic extract of longan seed for antibacterial, antimalarial (antiplasmodial) activity and conducted with cytotoxicity test by using sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay with Vero cells (African green monkey kidney cell line). The methanolic extract was tested for antimicrobial activity with five strains of pathogenic bacteria including Staphylococcus...
Impulsive control in permanent magnet synchronous motor
May 2013
Permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) appears a chaotic phenomenon when PMSM is turn on or off. This paper analyses parameters of PMSM on how to effects chaos in PMSM and introduce the basic impulsive differential equation theory. An effective method is proposed by impulsive control base on impulsive differential equation theory. The simulation results show the effectiveness of the theoretical...
Selection of chickpea cultivars with agronomic phosphorus (P) utilization characters as influenced by Rhizobium inoculation
May 2013
Evaluation of phosphorus (P) efficient chickpea cultivars with and withoutRhizobium inoculation will provide considerable genetic resources for sustaining the yields and quality with reduced P application under the P deficient conditions on agricultural fields. For this aim, a pot experiment was conducted using a Calcareous Usthochrepts soil. Twenty different chickpea cultivars (Cicer arietinumL.) with...
Identification of players’ positions in a multi-agent game using artificial neural networks and C4.5 algorithm: A comparative study
May 2013
This research aims to classify simulated players in a multi-agent game for the best position and role they may play in according to their abilities. Three approaches were investigated for this purpose, C4.5 classification algorithm, backpropagation neural network and radial basis function network. This work depends on a video game that uses 28 attributes to distinguish every player from another. The applied...
Melon pod fermentation and its effects on physio-chemical characteristics of melon seeds
May 2013
Studies were carried out to determine the effects of melon pod fermentation on the proximate and mineral composition of the melon seeds. Two varieties of melon commonly found in Nigeria were analyzed for similarities in this study. Proximate and mineral compositions of the seeds (Citrullus vulgaris, Egusi melon) were determined using standard analytical procedures. Comparative analysis of the seeds from...
An improved algorithm for prediction of Young’s Modulus of wood plastic composites
April 2013
In this paper, a simulation model is proposed to predict Young’s Modulus for wood plastic composites (WPC) based on micromechanical models. Most of the previous models developed, have assumed that wood have uniform properties similar to synthetic fibers. But in reality wood behave differently due to different natural sources. During the manufacturing process of WPC, the cell wall of the wood...
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