Archives-December 

World population growth and increasing needs to various industries have led to the accumulation of a wide variety of contaminants in the environment and natural resources. Synthetic dyes have been widely used in many industries. The contamination of receiving water bodies by heavy metals constitutes a major environmental concern as these contaminants are extremely toxic, recalcitrant, and exhibit a tendency to bioaccumulate. Although heavy metals can be removed from industrial wastewater by a range of physicochemical treatment technologies such as precipitation, ion exchange, adsorption, electrochemical processes, and membrane processes; however, regulatory standards are not always sufficient. As an alternative, biological treatments are a relatively inexpensive way to remove dyes from wastewater. These methods have the advantage over such as low operating cost, minimization of the concentration of pollutant and high efficiency in detoxifying very dilute effluents. In this paper, two types of bacteria were tested in the removal of crystal violet dye from textile effluent. Complete physico-chemical characterizations of the effluent have been measured. Bio-Log identification indicated that the two bacterial isolates are Bacillus Pumilus and Micrococcus lylae. Removal efficiency was 89.47 % and 88.4% respectively. Complete characterizations of such type of bacteria have been tested.

The fruits of Balanites aegyptiaca and Parinarium macrophylum were analysed for moisture, solid, crude protein, crude fibre, lipids, carbohydrates, acidity, ash, organic matter, ascorbic acid, potassium and sodium contents. The average mass of each fruit was 4.12 ± 0.68g and 50.52 ± 6.25g respectively. The percentage ash, organic matter, and crude fibre were 8.12 ± 0.87%, 91.89 ± 0.97% and 2.09 ± 0.00% for Balanites aegyptiaca and 4.51 ± 0.07%, 95.49 ± 0.07% and 96.32 ± 0.46% for Parinarium macrophylum respectively. The percentage vitamin C content was 0.04 ± 0.00% and 0.02 ± 0.00%, while total acidity was found to be 0.19 ± 0.00M and 0.05 ± 0.00M for each fruit. The sodium and potassium content was 4.33 ± 0.02% and 0.94 ± 0.04% for Balanites aegyptiaca and 17.99 ± 0.03% and 0.73 ± 0.07% for Parinarium macrophylum.

Oxalate (soluble and total), phytic acid, hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and tannin content of Lasienthera Africana (Editan), Heinsia Crinata (Atama) and piper quineensis (Adusa) were analyzed. The moisture content was first determined and results showed the highest level for lasienthera Africana as (7.52%) and the least (5.14%) for Heinsia Crinata. Standard analytical method was used to estimate the levels of the toxicants in the three vegetables. The result of the analysis showed that Heinsia Crinata, had the maximum total oxalate content of (10.40mg/10g) while piper quineensis had the minimum level of (2.50mg/100g). The highest value of phytic acid (743.00mg/100g) was found in piper quineensis and the minimum value (484.00mg/100g) was found in Lasintherra Africana. The maximum level of HCN (0.43mg/100g) was found in Heinsia Crinata and the minimum value (0.17mg/100g) obtained for piper quineensis. While Tannin recorded least (50.20mg/100g) for piper quineensis and maximum (63.40mg/100g) for Lasienthera Africana. When these result were compared with their respective, lethal does, and the values obtained for other edible leaves the leaves were found to be fit for consumption with respect to their toxicant contents.

Sanitation generally refers to principles, practices, provisions, or services related to cleanliness and hygiene in personal and public life for the protection and promotion of human health and well being and breaking the cycle of disease or illness. It is also related to the principles and practices relating to the collection, treatment, removal or disposal of human excreta, household waste water and other pollutants. In this paper a study have been performed to describe the status of sanitation in U.P. and it is comprises with the Sanitation status of India. For the above purposes secondary data from Tables on Houses, Household Amenities and Assets of the Census 2001 and Census 2011, data by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Swacha Bharat Mission (Gramin), Baseline Survey-2012 and some facts and figures given UNICEF and WHO have been used for the fulfilment of the need. Analysis of the data has been performed for both at all India level and State level (Uttar Pradesh) level especially.

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.