Archives-December 

The effects of moringa leaves and seeds fortification on the nutritional value and overall acceptability of Sorghum-Maize ‘ogi’ was investigated. The ‘Ogi’ produced from sorghum and maize was enriched with moringa leaves and seeds at substitution level of 10%. . Sorghum, maize and moringa seeds/ leaves were constituted in the ratio 45:45:10 while sorghum ogi with moringa leave/seeds was constituted in the ratio 90:10 The proximate content, mineral and vitamins content and the sensory properties of the ogi samples were determined. There was increase in the proximate content with the variation in the ratio of sorghum and maize and 10% Moringa seed enrichment. There was increase in the mineral content. The swelling capacity decreased with 10% moringa leaf and seed substitution. The ogi sample with 10% moringa seeds substitution was rated close to the unfortified ogi sample.

The degree of violence in Nigeria’s Niger Delta has become endemic and are too far-reaching to be ignored: for the inhabitants of this area, there are constant environmental hazards and security threat, The study, therefore, examined the community relations strategies used by oil companies in managing the crises in the Niger Delta. The study population comprised the community relations units of oil companies in the Niger Delta (among which Shell, Chevron and Agip were selected) and the indigenes of Omoku and Obrikom communities in Rivers State and Eruemukohwarien, Tisun and Kolokolo communities in Delta State. Both quantitative (survey) and qualitative (key informant interview and focus group discussion) methods of data collection were employed. The respondents for the survey were randomly selected while those for the interviews and focus groups were purposively selected. The study established that conflicts between oil companies and host communities had serious implications for the two parties and that the community relations strategies adopted by the selected oil companies were not adequate in preventing and resolving conflicts in the Niger Delta. That was because there was a lacuna between the strategies the oil companies believed host communities preferred for conflict resolution and the ones actually preferred by those communities. The research, therefore, recommend that to reduce conflict between oil companies and host communities in the Niger Delta, companies should be mindful of conflict propelling factors identified by the respondents and stated in the work, they should improve on their community relations strategies in order to impress the community and most importantly, they should introduce grassroots approach to the implementation of their strategies

This research paper empirically examines a correlation and causality between asset quality of commercial banks in India by using macro variables (linkages). The asset quality is measured in terms of rising non-performing assets (NPAs) of commercial banks. The correlation estimated between gross NPAs and the six macro variables has turned out to be significant. In addition to the study of the impact of macro linkages, sector- specific analysis is undertaken to examine the correlation between priority and non-priority sector lending and NPAs of these sectors. The Granger causality coefficients are also meaningful and significant. The paper also provides sector-specific correlation and causality analysis of gross NPAs of priority and non-priority sectors and credit to these sectors. The latter part of this paper illustrates Net Stable Funding Ratios (Base III) calculated for all scheduled commercial banks and suggests the ways to improve deteriorating quality of assets of scheduled commercial banks.

Healthcare workers(HCW) are at risk of medical sharps injuries. According to the Kenya national policy on injection safety, 58% of healthcare workers have suffered these injuries. It has long been recognized that needlestick and other injuries from sharp objects place healthcare workers at risk of infection. The main objective of this research was to determine the outcomes of preventive and controls measures against medical sharps amongst HCW at Sub-County hospital in Mombasa County. The study sought to determine health workers adherence to safety guidelines available and determine the prevalence of needle-stick injuries at the county hospitals. This study focused on the HCW of different cadres. Questionnaire were distributed to the respondents of different job cadres of healthcare workers at the hospitals including Nurses, Clinical Officers, Lab Technologists, Public health officers, dentists, waste handlers/support staff who were selected proportionate to the sample frame. Interviews were done on the chosen wrkers. The research adopted a Descriptive cross sectional research design by employing both qualitative and quantitative data collection tools. A checklist was used to observe occupational risks and adherence related to exposure to medical sharps including needle sticks. The findings were collected and analysis done by use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 22.0 and presented using pie charts, contingency tables, and bar charts. Dentists were found to have the highest level of exposure to sharp injuries [X2 (DF= 1, N= 117) = 0.408, p= 0.05].This was consistent with the findings that all dentists indicated that they re-cap used sharps. Recapping of sharps being a critical risk to sharp injuries was practiced more by those who got lower frequency of on-job training. On-job training on infection control had no effect on knowledge of risks involved with sharps injuries where those without exhibiting awareness and practiced safe disposal of sharps to a great extent [X2 (DF= 4, N= 117) = 0.109, p= 0.05]. The use of sharp disposal containers was one of most commonly used method and had significant reduction in exposure to sharp injuries. Personal protective equipment use such as safety boots increased level of protection against medical sharps injuries while others such as hand gloves had insignificant importance. The level of adherence to preventive control measures was found to be quite low and significantly affected the outcomes of the available control measures. Low level of adherence was established at both management level and personnel level where enforcement and practice respectively were found to be deficient. With a prevalence of about 43%, medical sharps injuries at Sub-County hospitals in Mombasa County is found to be of great concern as established in this study.

Software quality depends upon Software Reliability as it is one of its most important characteristics. Software Reliability is an important attribute of software quality, together with functionality, usability, performance, serviceability, capability, installability, maintainability, and documentation. It is hard to be achieved, because the complexity of software tends to be high. The development of many Software Reliability Growth Models (SRGMs) over the last several decades have resulted in the improvement of software facilitating many engineers and managers in tracking and measuring the growth of reliability. This paper proposes Pareto type IV based Software Reliability growth model with interval domain data. The unknown parameters of the model are estimated using the maximum likelihood (ML) estimation approach. Reliability of a software system using Pareto type IV distribution, which is based on Non-Homogenous poisson process (NHPP) is presented through estimation procedures. Comparison is also made between the Pareto type II model and Proposed model. The performance of the SRGM is judged by its ability to fit the software failure data. How good does a mathematical model fit to the data is also being calculated. Besides, an analysis of two software failure data sets is included.

No one can imagine an agricultural revolution without pesticides, in addition to fertilisation and mechanisation. The world should have been more crude without food or probably highly diminished in population due to chronic competition for scarce and raw food. There is population boom due to quicker and more dependable access to food and medicare. The economic growth of citizens and nations have depended primarily on agriculture. Part of the aftermath of human civilisation is chemical and pesticide contamination/pollution. The danger lies on the pollution level of these substances in our food chain and the environment. This paper reviews the place of pesticides in crop management, environmental implications and challenges for the future. It proffers acceptance of opinions of major stakeholders: scientists, investors, farmers, government, policy makers, regulators, health professionals, environmental experts/carers, regulators and recommends the use of contaminant level pesticide in contrast to pollutant level pesticide in crop management, pending the discovery of alternatives to synthetic pesticides, including botanic or bio-pesticides, to feed a hungry world.

Mimosa pudica is a perennial creeper. It has been found to have several medical benefits as it serves as an anti-asthmatic, Anti-convulsant, analgesic anti-diabetic and many more .In the present study the various phyto-chemicals present in Mimosa pudica were determined using phyto-chemical analysis. The well diffusion method was employed to determine the antibacterial activity of Mimosa pudica and the point inoculation method was used to determine the antifungal activity of Mimosa pudica This anti-microbial activity was tested at different concentrations of the extract. The findings showed potential anti-microbial property of extracts. Preliminary phyto-chemical analysis of the extracts was performed. A few samples were analyzed for the presence of Flavonoids by the method of UV Spectroscopy. Germination studies were performed using the aqueous extracts of Mimosa pudica .The findings showed enhanced germination in the presence of the extracts.

Housing is many things to many people. The National Rural Housing and Habitat Policy sees housing and shelter as ‘basic human needs next to only food or clothing’ putting makaan in its familiar place beside roti and kapda. In India as per estimated by working group for rural housing for XII five year plan there is 43.67 million household shortage for the year 2012-2017 working group also further estimated that 39.30 million of shortage of houses for the BPL families in India. The central government having a scheme for the rural household called Indira Awas Yojana for addressing the issues of housing in rural areas. The Maharashtra Government took a decision in the year 2011 that the priority for allocation of IAY should be given to those Gram Panchayat where less houses require to construction. This decision of the state government is creating social exclusion of the people from below poverty line. There is another decision of the state government is that if any village wanted to implement rural development scheme in the village is require that 60 per cent of the household should have a own toilets, this decision created 621 gram panchayat of Osmanabad District non availability of fund for rural development scheme from Government. In this paper we are analyzing how the government decision affect development in the Osmanabad district by focusing on faulty policy designing and budgetary allocation which creating social exclusion of people from implementing government scheme for rural development.

Purpose: To find out the prevalence of postpartum depression and its associated risk factors. Design:A descriptive cross sectional prospective survey with sample of 345 postnatal women. Methods: Women were interviewed in hospital after delivery to collect demographic, marital and obstetrical details and participated in a telephonic structured interview 6 weeks after discharge. Additional data were extracted from the records of the women in the hospital.The instruments used were: Background variables Instrument and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Descriptive statistics, Chi- square test, Fisher’s exact test, odds ratio, and a logistic regression analysis were performed. Findings: 2.9% of the women screened positive for postpartum depression with EDPS. Women’s income, unwanted pregnancy for the husband , marital relationship and adverse life events during past one year were significantly associated with PPD at p < .05 in univariable analyses. The multivariable analysis identified two predictor variables for depression: unwanted pregnancy for the husband (odds ratio= 0.15, 95% CI = 0.02-0.84 , p < .03) and marital relationship (odds ratio= 0.07, 95% CI = 0.01-0.47 , p < .006). Conclusions: Mothers who experience unpleasant marital relationship, adverse life events and an unwanted pregnancy, are at increased risk of getting postpartum depression. Keywords: Postpartum Depression, postnatal women, risk factors.

Terpolymer resins (o-APUF) synthesized by the condensation of o-aminophenol and urea with formaldehyde in the presence of acid catalyst, were proved to be selective chelation ion-exchange copolymers for certain metals. The chelating ion-exchange properties of these terpolymers were studied for Fe(III), Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions in the form of their metal nitrate solutions. A batch equilibrium method was employed in the study of the selectivity of metal ion uptake involving the measurements of the distribution of a given metal ion between the terpolymer sample and a solution containing the metal ion. The study was carried out over a wide pH range, shaking time and in media of various ionic strengths of different electrolytes. The ion-exchange capacity of metal ions has also been determined experimentally and compared with other commercial resins. Besides ion-exchange properties, the terpolymer resins were also characterized by viscometric measurements in dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), UV-visible absorption spectra in non-aqueous medium, infra-red spectra, nuclear magnetic resonance spectra and C13 NMR spectra. The physico-chemical and spectral methods were used to elucidate the structures of o-APUF resins. The morphology of the terpolymers was studied by scanning electron microscopy; showing amorphous nature of the resins therefore can be used as a selective ion-exchanger for certain metal ions.