Archives-December 

Soft skills is the important skills that need to being apply in order to reduce the numbers of jobless among graduates. One of the reasons for soft skills seldomly applied in teaching and learning process is lack of information among lecturers and the polytechnic administrator to identify the suitable methods and ways to apply soft skills in teaching and learning process. This study was conducted to identify the level of leadership skills apply in engineering programmes’ curriculum for civil, electric and mechanical engineering students in Politeknik Port Dickson, Politeknik Kota Bharu and Politeknik Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah. By using descriptive study in purpose survey, the samples for this study involving 297 number of students from the selected polytechnic and using questionnaire and interview. Researcher found that there is moderate level of leadership skills applied in engineering programmes’ curriculum by using analysis of mean and variance and ANOVA test. Lecture method is the most teaching and learning method being used to applied leadership skills in engineering programmes’ curriculum. There is statistically significantly difference between the levels of leadership skills applied in engineering programmes’ curriculum during teaching and learning process in polytechnic and the type of engineering programmes being taught. Researcher hope a module being construct as a guideline for lecturers to apply soft skills in engineering programmes’ curriculum at PPD, PKB and POLISAS.

The importance of water as a vehicle for spreading diseases has long been recognized and many studies have demonstrated the relationship between illness and deficiencies in water supply and sanitation. This study was conducted between October 2008 and July 2009, to determine microbiological water contaminants and related human health problems in community water sources in Lower Nyakach division, Kisumu County. Water samples were collected in selected water points, analyzed using membrane filter technique and their level of microbiological contamination determined using Escherichia coli type I as bio-indicator. Household level surveys and key informant interviews were conducted and secondary data obtained from Pap-Onditi district hospital on cases of environmental and human health risks associated with water contamination. Data from field samples and survey were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Multiple comparisons between sites were made by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the student t-test. Statistical significance was assessed at p ? 0.05. The mean counts for faecal coliforms were lower than that of total coliforms in all samples in both dry and rainy seasons although the mean counts total coliforms were higher during the rainy season than the dry season. Water samples from water impoundments showed significant differencesin total coliforms compared to recommended WHO levels and no significant differences for faecal coliforms (a = 0.05). Water samples from shallow wells showed significance difference for faecal coliforms between three sampling sites (Pap-Onditi, Urudi and Bonde). From the survey and hospital findings typhoid fever and amoebic dysentery were the most common water-borne diseases in the study area. Faecal contaminated water possesses high human health risks which are responsible for the reported increased water-borne diseases. The study concludes that total and faecal coliforms are important parameters in monitoring faecal contamination and water quality in the area. Most of the community water sources are seasonal and largely contaminated. Consequently, frequent monitoring of water quality and levels of contaminants using total and faecal coliforms is recommended at common water points to curb potential health related risks.

Data Mining is the use of algorithms to extract the information and patterns derived by the knowledge discovery in databases process. Classification maps data into predefined groups or classes. It is often referred to as supervised learning because the classes are determined before examining the data. The Verification of handwritten Signature, which is a behavioral biometric, can be classified into off-line and online signature verification methods. The feasibility and the benefits of the proposed approach are demonstrated by means of data mining problem: online Signature Verification. This paper addresses using ensemble approach of Genetic Algorithm for online Signature Verification. Online signature verification, in general, gives a higher verification rate than off-line verification methods, because of its use of both static and dynamic features of problem space in contrast to off-line which uses only the static features. We show that proposed ensemble of Genetic Algorithm is superior to individual approach for Signature Verification in terms of classification rate.

Whether the level of deployment of information technology solutions actually enhances bank performance is still a matter of debate in academic circles. This paper set out to assess the effect of deployment of information technology solutions on the performances of deposit money banks in Nigeria. Data spanning over a seven year period (2005 to 2011) were generated from annual financial reports of sampled banks to ascertain the relationship between bank deployment of IT solutions and enhanced bank performance using a regression equation expressed in a multiple form. Findings revealed that deployment of IT solutions have been on the increase especially in the post-consolidation period as evidenced by increased number of bank branches and ATM which were interlinked via IT solutions. The correlation matrixes revealed that information technology solutions deployment have a positive relationship with increased bank profitability thus suggesting that increased banks investment in IT solutions enhances bank performance.

The importance of oil seeds cannot be overemphasised, being a large store of energy in the form of fatty acids deposited in their tissues. This work was aimed at determining the physic-chemical properties and the lipid composition of Sesanum indicum. The sesame seeds analysed have acid and saponification values of 0.53 and 185.9 mg KOH / g of oil respectively and an iodine value of 105.12 g of I2 / 100g of oil. Percentage free fatty acids of 2.52, and kinetic viscosity at 40ºC of 4.8 were also obtained. In addition, trace amounts of trace amounts of butyric, caprioc, caprylic, capric, lauric and myristic acids which are short chain fatty acids were detected. Little amounts of myristic, palmitolic, linolenic, arachidolic and behenic acids of 0.13, 0.18, 1.01, 0.26 and 0.48% respectively were also detected. High amounts of palmitic and stearic acids of 11.49 and 8.124% respectively were obtained with significantly high amount of oleic and linoleic acids of 40.20 and 38.0% respectively. In contrast, trace amounts of longer chain fatty acids including erucic and lignoceric acids were detected. The result obtained also revealed high amount of saturated fatty acids of 32.06%, however the degree of unsaturation of the oil was greater. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils constituted 25.82 and 42.14% of the total fats respectively. The ratio of oleic to linolenic and omega 6 to 3 were 0.67 and 37.7 respectively. The above results imply that the Sesanum indicum is a valuable source of essential fatty acids.

Micronutrient malnutrition affects almost two billion people worldwide and food fortification is considered as a major cost effective and sustainable solution. To enhance the micronutrient content of cakes by food fortification using locally available under exploited but nutritionally rich indigenous food fortificants. Lotus stem and Carrots were chosen as food fortificants. The nutrient analysis of the fortificants was carried out. Lotus stem powder (LS) and carrot powder (CA) were incorporated individually (15, 20 and 25 percent) as well as in mixed form(MF) (2:1, 1:1, 1:2.) in Chocolate(CH) and Orange cake(OR) and the highly acceptable cakes were analyzed for iron, ? carotene and quality parameters. Lotus stem powder had iron(80mg/100g),? carotene (543 µg/100g) and fibre(31.6 g/100g).Carrot powder had iron(5 mg/100g),? carotene(6875 µg/100g) and fibre(1.46g/100g).Among all the variations LSCK2 (84.5 percent), CAOR1 (84 percent) MFCK1 (88 percent) and MFOR1 (87.3 percent) cakes were highly acceptable.LSCK2 had the highest iron content (12.50mg/100g) and CAOR1(760µg/100g) had highest ? carotene content. Total solids were above the standard value of 60 percent. pH of MFCK1 and MFOR1 were 6.2.The microbial count of the cakes was found to be within the satisfactory limit. Conclusion: Fortification of cakes is a possible venture to alleviate micronutrient malnutrition in people.

The word "Inyenzi”, which is a Kinyawanda word for cockroaches, came into political lexicon in Rwanda following the Revolution of 1959 in that East Central African nation. Following that Revolution, a hitherto politically dominant ethnic fraction of a broadly homogeneous population - the Tutsi, lost its status to an erstwhile dominated group - the Hutu. Consequent upon this scenario, and in order to escape state-sponsored persecution, the Tutsi fanned out in different directions into the countries of the Great Lakes region - Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, DR. Congo. From these countries of asylum, Tutsi refugees began to carry out sporadic raids into Rwanda, in an effort to get even with the authorities, but more ostensibly to forcibly re-enter Rwanda and re-assume its former dominant position. The now dominant Hutu ethnicity responded by referring to them as cockroaches, so as to encourage not just disdain and hatred for them from the larger society, but a murderous pre-disposition, much like the natural human disposition toward cockroaches. It is the extent to which this contextualizes the denial of justice and human dignity that this paper seeks to determine. The paper also evaluates the consequences of this exercise for peace and development in the Great Lakes region of Africa.

This project has been conducted in New Zealand in 1999, as a requirement for feed production companies to control salmonella in feed by Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF). Feed is the most important factor in poultry production enterprises because of its impact on cost and health. Many chicken producing companies realize that, reducing salmonella in poultry meat is one of the difficult tasks, because there are several factors affecting this process. Producing Salmonella negative birds is the aim of many countries, because of the government regulations, public health concern, and competition between companies. It is impossible to reduce or eliminate salmonella in bird’s guts if the litter is used more than one time, especially if the litter is salmonella positive. It takes the feed about two minutes to reach the 80 ºC. The feed could be recycled if didn’t reach the 82-83 ºC planned. Steam temperature was stable and around 130ºC. This temperature could be optimized to reduce energy cost without affecting the pelleting process through tracing the feed in temperature (ingredients) one can say, that some of the steam is entering to the feed in tube and raising the feed-in temperature. The incoming feed temperature is between 46-50 ºC.

The objective of this paper is to propose a framework on the relationship between developmental experiences, empowerment and perception of organizational support. This framework relies on the social exchange theory (SET), which proposed that employees who received developmental experiences and empowered by their organizations will view their organizations favorably. Review of past literatures is provided to establish the foundation for the proposed framework.

We are very happy to announce that from 16th August 2017, Dr. Anshul Arora has joined the team of Elixir Editorial Advisory Board. He/She will carry a special responsibility for dealing with manuscripts based on Dental Sciences. Dr. Anshul Arora working as Reader Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics, Faculty of Dental Sciences, SGT University, Gurgaon, New Delhi, India. The appointment of Dr. Anshul Arora as member Editorial Advisory Board strengthens the links and will make it easier for prospective authors to establish contact with the journal.