March 2011

The effect of three selected concentrations of the nonionic surfactant, polyoxyethylenated (23) monolaurate (I) and polyoxyethylenated (23) monostearate (II) on an artificial oil spill was studied. Surface tension measurements were used to detect the critical micelle concentration (CMC). The hydrophobic-Lypophilic balance, HLB, was calculated and the wetting Power was determined for the prepared surfactants. Gas Chromatography (GC) was used to detect the most effective surfactant as a dispersing agent; also, the pristine/phytane ratio was determined before and after treatment. The di- and poly-aromatic compounds were detected at 228 nm and 256 nm, respectively using the Ultra Violet technique (UV). The obtained results pointed out that the nonionic surfactant, II, can successfully be used as a dispersing agent especially at and above its critical micelle concentrations (CMC) with efficiency more than surfactant I, which is less effective at these concentrations but it shows a good result at low concentration range (i.e. below the CMC).

The nutritive value of Taro (Colocasia esculenta) as a substitute for maize in weaner pig diets was evaluated using (1) chemical analysis (proximate, gross energy, and anti-nutritional factors). (2) Animal trial (growth performance, carcass characteristics and organ weight expressed as percentage dressed weights and feed cost estimate of the diets). Diet 1 was maize based while diets 2, 3, and 4 had maize being replaced at 13.7% (5%), 27.24% (10%), and 41.13% (15%) by taro respectively. A total of 24 weaner pigs were used and randomly allotted to four dietary treatments having three replicates and two weaner pigs per replicate in a completely randomized design. The experiment lasted for 56 days, feed and water were given ad libitum. The proximate and gross energy showed CP (5.342%), GE (3.851kcal/kg). Phytate (0.29%), Oxalate (0.54%), HCN (4.45%) and Tannin (0.063%). The growth performance favoured diet 4, followed by 3, 2 and 1 with feed conversion ratio of 0.1826, 0.1953, 0.1951 and 0.2057 respectively. The carcass characteristics and organ weight favoured T3. The feed cost estimate of diets also favoured T3 (with cost/kg weight gain of N277.43 as opposed to others in T1 (N290.40), T2 (N292.01) and T4 (N281.99). Judging from the growth performance especially feed conversion ratio (0.1953), carcass characteristics ( % dressed weight, ham %, shoulder % and belly %), comparable organ weight and highest value of economic viability especially for cost/kg weight gain N277.43 as opposed to others, T1 = N290.40, T2 = N292.07 and T4 = N287.99. T3 is therefore recommended.

A study has been undertaken to enlighten the influence of industrial and domestic sewage on the water quality parameters during postmonsoon, summer, premonsoon and monsoon in Ennore creek. The concentrations of the water quality parameters especially the nutrients were above the permissible limits of the coastal standards. Total alkalinity, pH and dissolved oxygen were below the coastal standards. The stations 3 and 4 at the Ennore creek had contributed the ubiquitous distribution of nutrients in the creek. The monsoon season experienced chaotic concentrations of nutrients. Along the creek concentrations of nutrients and other water quality parameters could have been controlled by the anthropogenic inputs from point and non-point sources.

The present study was carried out to determine the effects of sub-lethal concentration (96 h-LC50) of mercury (0.026ppm, 0.040ppm and 0.080ppm) and chromium (3.4ppm, 5.1ppm and 10.2ppm) for 28 days in Clarias batrachus and the protein content in the brain, gills, liver, kidney and muscle were quantified Bradford method. The levels of protein content in the liver, kidney, brain, muscle and gill showed fluctuations of decreasing and increasing trend in fishes exposed to different concentrations of mercury and chromium in a time–dose dependent manner.The protein variation in the tissues of C.batrachus were significant when exposed in mercury and chromium. The variations observed in the total protein quantified in the C.batrachus as a general indicator of pollutant induced stress response is discussed.

Stress has become an important term in everyday language, meaningful to most individuals found in industrial societies. It not only describes a range of “pains and aches” or as Cartwright and Cooper (1997:1) puts it ‘a vague yet often a sense of disquiet’, but a legitimate concern in our modern way of life. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors that contribute to stress among child care givers in Kenya especially in children Homes in Eldoret. A descriptive research design was adopted. Under it, survey method was used to solicit information. Data was collected using questionnaires. The sampling procedure adopted in this study was purposive, proportionate and systematic random sampling. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Output was presented in the form of pie charts, graphs and frequency tables. The salient findings were that stress is inevitable at the place of work. Job satisfaction, fatigue, low productivity, headache and tension are the effects of stress experienced by the staff; task demand, organizational structure, organizational leadership and role demand are organizational factors contributing to stress among child care givers; economic problems was an individual factor contributing to stress among child care takers in children’s homes while economic and political uncertainties are environmental factors contributing to stress among staff in children homes. The study recommended that staff be trained on ways of coping with stress, staff to be given payment which is worth work done and that the government to fund the children homes to some extent to ensure its sustenance.

After Second World War the United States of America was forced to improve the production of Quality of goods and services. Total Quality Management (TQM) concept was developed by an American W. EDWARDS DEMING. Still 1980s the Japanese only were concentrating in TQM concept where they dominated in world markets. There is a myth the use of TQM which is applicable only in Business and Industry where the production process are being made but the new concept of TQM is also applicable to Academics. Many educators strongly believe that the Deming concept provides guiding principles to make reform in educational system. Also Mr. John Joy Bonstingl, an educationalist out lines the TQM principles. Hence the authors of this paper strongly believe the TQM principles are most relevant to education.

Injuries are a major public health problem in India which also has a definitive causative pattern and mechanism. Every year, injuries contribute to a significant number of deaths, disabilities, amputations, disfigurement, pain, suffering and agony. Identifying issues and problems in the occupational health of women remains a challenge. Any accident/injury to the hand or leg which throws a prospect of decreased efficiency in the present occupation and hinder in other types of work must be considered serious. Injuries due to occupational accidents lead to serious consequences in terms of both clinical courses and economic losses. The causes of injuries can be road traffic injuries, occupational injuries, fire-related injuries, fall, domestic injuries, and violence. The impact of injuries on the general well being is reflected in terms of economic, social, psychological, physiological distresses in the victim .This in turn will reflect as the performance limitation in both the occupational and domestic settings. Absence of emergency and trauma care, inadequate care combined with various dangerous home remedies aggravate injuries and complications, especially in rural areas. Rehabilitation forms an integral part of overall trauma care. Low-cost walking-aid equipment as prosthesis with ergonomic perspective should be readily available for use in community centres. Ergonomic intervention to induce confidence in their life styles should also be attempted. Appropriate use of these techniques along with social support systems for employment, education and home care would be of help to many disabled persons and help to improve their quality of life. This paper presents the findings of a micro level study conducted on a sample of injured women in Coimbatore city.

The reliability of electronic assemblies is highly dependent on the quality of solder joints, and the latter’s response to temperature excursions. Finite element modeling (FEM) has been widely used for the estimation of the lifetime of solder joints subjected to temperature cycling. Thanks to the expertise of decades, a significant number of companies, universities and research institutes were able to have a relatively accurate estimation of life time for SnPb solder. For the lead-free solder materials, first attempts for correlation models show up but there are several problems. First of all, there is a wide range of alloys and alloy compositions, which have a different material behavior (E-modulus, CTE) but also a different resistance to thermal fatigue. Second, it is shown in several papers that lead-free solders have different failure modes compared to SnPb. In particular at low temperatures (-20°C, 50°C), some lead-free materials show brittle behavior and this is not covered by the current simulation models based on creep fatigue at high temperature. Experiments show that the trends in lead-free solder joint reliability are cycling-condition and package dependent. In this paper, the simulation results for commonly used solder alloys are presented and the thermal fatigue reliability of lead-free solder joints has been investigated. An isothermal fatigue test method was used in this study to improve the efficiency of fatigue study, and two different lead-free solder alloys, Sn-Ag-Cu, Sn-Ag were investigated. It was found that the lead-free solder alloy was more reliable compared to the lead alloy and this is package dependent.

This study is designed to establish an indicator of English communicative competence for high school students whose L1 is Chinese. Fuzzy Delphi Method is the primary methodology employed by this research. Twenty experts were invited as the participants. Delphi Method has been considered a powerful approach to apprehend experts’ collective opinions on the targeted issues. In this study, the Fuzzy Linguistic Scale replaced the traditional Likert scale for its subjectivity related to human beings’ decision-making. In terms of the instrumentation, indicators were constructed utilizing Bachman’s Model of Communicative Language Ability (CLA). In this study, two rounds of Delphi were administered and experts’ opinions were converged with some questions being deleted from the model. Results of this study indicate that vocabulary is considered as the most important part for EFL learners of Chinese to improve their communicative competence in English followed by the ability to interpret the contents and context of conversation.

The objective of this paper is to investigate; first, the effects of livestock income on poverty and second, the impact of global warming on livestock farming and the way farmers adapt. Based on a 2004 household farm-climate data set generated by Global Environment Facility, Center for Environmental Economics and Policy in Africa and the World Bank we simulate the impact of livestock income on household poverty in Cameroon. Use is made of the Heckman’s two-step estimation procedure to identify the factors that influence livestock income in Cameroon. We estimate a structural Ricardian model of net livestock income which not only reveals how net income changes with climate, but also reveals how livestock farmers adjust to the changing climatic conditions. Our findings reveal that livestock income is poverty reducing. Also, livestock income is adversely affected by global warming.

This study tested an extended model of job satisfaction and life satisfaction, based on revised model of Life Satisfaction propounded by Daily and Near (2000). Results of regression analysis and path analysis of 379 full time Nigerian University staff, representing a national probability sample, indicated that relationship stress mediated the relationship between non-work satisfaction and life satisfaction, but that time conflict did not mediate this relationship. Job satisfaction had no direct effect on life satisfaction in this sample, and its indirect effect was mediated by non-work satisfaction.

The reliability of electronic assemblies is highly dependent on the quality of solder joints, and the latter’s response to temperature excursions. Finite element modeling (FEM) has been widely used for the estimation of the lifetime of solder joints subjected to temperature cycling. Thanks to the expertise of decades, a significant number of companies, universities and research institutes were able to have a relatively accurate estimation of life time for SnPb solder. For the lead-free solder materials, first attempts for correlation models show up but there are several problems. First of all, there is a wide range of alloys and alloy compositions, which have a different material behavior (E-modulus, CTE) but also a different resistance to thermal fatigue. Second, it is shown in several papers that lead-free solders have different failure modes compared to SnPb. In particular at low temperatures (-20°C, 50°C), some lead-free materials show brittle behavior and this is not covered by the current simulation models based on creep fatigue at high temperature. Experiments show that the trends in lead-free solder joint reliability are cycling-condition and package dependent. In this paper, the simulation results for commonly used solder alloys are presented and the thermal fatigue reliability of lead-free solder joints has been investigated. An isothermal fatigue test method was used in this study to improve the efficiency of fatigue study, and two different lead-free solder alloys, Sn-Ag-Cu, Sn-Ag were investigated. It was found that the lead-free solder alloy was more reliable compared to the lead alloy and this is package dependent.

By using the dyes it is now possible to confirm the structure of the complex formed between the -cyclodextrin and Rhodamine B base. The Proton NMR studies were carried out with pure dye, rhodamine B base and with 1: 1 inclusion complex of rhodamine B base and -cyclodextrin. The change in chemical shift values confirm the formation of inclusion complex of Rhodamine B base with -cyclodextrin.

Sales promotions have become a vital tool for marketers and its importance has been increasing significantly over the years. In India, sales promotions expenditure by various marketing companies is estimated to be Rs 5,000 crores and the emphasis on sales promotion activities by the Indian industry has increased by 500 to 600 percent during the last 3 to 5 years The growing importance of sales promotion, there has been considerable interest in the effect of sales promotion on different dimensions such as consumers’ price perceptions, brand choice, brand switching behaviour, evaluation of brand equity, and effect on brand perception and so on. One of the purposes of a consumer promotion is to elicit a direct impact on the purchase behaviour of the firm’s customers The study is based on primary data derived through sample survey using pre-tested structured instrument (questionnaire). In order to study the perception of customers on sales promotion, the researchers used fast moving consumer durables, CTV, Washing machines, refrigerator etc. customers as respondents. The instrument consisted of questions pertaining to experience in availing schemes, interest in schemes, perception about the scheme etc. The questions were framed such a way that researchers can identify whether they will recommend the scheme or not and any difference between two types of sales promotions (On Season and off season)’

Feeding and growth experiments were conducted with reference to three commercial feeds namely, C.P.Scampi feed, Aqua Prime+ feed, and Higashimaru Aqua Feed. The experiments provided evidences to show that C.P.Scampi feed is better than other two commercial feeds under investigation. A body weight of 746 mg/day was gained in those juveniles fed with C.P.Scampi feed, whereas Higashimaru Aqua Feed promoted growth at the rate of 540 mg/day and Aqua Prime + Feed only 296 mg/day. A similar trend was recorded with reference to increase in length (0.0166 mm / day, 0.0141 mm / day, 0.0114 mm / day, and in width 0.13 mm/day, 0.086 mm/day and 0/.064 mm/day).

The buccal micronucleus cytome assay is a simple non invasive method used to assay DNA damage. It is well recognized that electromagnetic fields can affect the biological functions of living organisms at both cellular and molecular level. The potential damaging effects of electromagnetic fields and very low frequency and extremely low frequency radiation emitted by computer cathode ray tube (CRT) video display monitors (VDMs) has become a concern within the scientific community. We studied the effects of occupational exposure to VDMs in 119 occupationally exposed to VDMs and 101 unexposed control subjects matched for age and sex with no history of dental ailments were recruited. Genetic damage was assessed by examining the frequency of micronuclei in exfoliated buccal cells Buccal smears obtained from the subjects were analyzed for nuclear anomalies using the buccal cytome assay. Higher degree of karyolytic cells was observed in exposed male (KL) (13.02±0.14), and females (9.81±1.04). Smokers possessed higher nuclear anomalies than the non smokers.

Hydrodistilled leaves of Ocimum gratissimum L. yielded 1.25% (v/w) of essential oil. Investigation of the oil by GC and GC/MS revealed that the bulk of the oil was constituted by aromatic compounds (65.17%) with eugenol (61.9%) as the most abundant compound. Other notable constituents were cis-ocimene (8.2%), germacrene D (4.4%), β-pinene (1.6%), α-farnesene (1.6%), and camphor (1.5%). Antibacterial activity of the oil on oral bacterial isolates was investigated using agar diffusion method. The oil inhibited the growth of Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis Lactobacillus casei, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus salivarius, and Streptococcus pyogenes while no activity was recorded against Streptococcus viridans and Actinomyces israeli.

Water quality plays an important role in the survival and distribution of aquatic organisms. It is dependent on physico-chemical and nutrient parameters. The present investigation deals with the analysis of water quality of Veeranam Lake water samples were collected monthly for a period of one year from June 2009 to May 2010 at 5 sites of the lake. The physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), electrical conductivity (EC), biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), chloride (Cl), sulphate (SO4), phosphate (PO4), gross primary productivity (GPP) and net primary productivity (NPP) were analysed. The water quality of the Veeranam lake water was within the safe limits throughout the study period which shows that this water is fit for aquaculture.