Discovery and Innovation最新文献

{"title":"Foundation Construction in a Reclaimed Marginal Land: A Case Study","authors":"E. George, T. Abam","doi":"10.4314/DAI.V19I2.15792","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/DAI.V19I2.15792","url":null,"abstract":"A sand-filled land situated in a mangrove swamp area in the Niger Delta is to be used for the erection of a factory for the production of pre-cast concrete electric poles. The soil profile for the site comprises a hydraulically-placed top sand about 2 metres in thickness, under-lain by very soft organic clay which in turn rests on a continuous deposit of\u0000medium dense to dense sand. The ground water table is, in general, about 1.0m below the ground surface in the area. The main columns of the structures are designed to carry a maximum load of 1200 kN and require embedment depths of 2 metres. This implies that the bases of the columns will lie on or within the organic clay which is too weak to support any significant load. The option of piled foundation was considered expensive, although this had the advantage of being able to overcome construction problems associated with unfavourable ground water conditions. Ground improvement involving discriminative removal of the top sand and the weak organic clay and their replacement with well-compacted sand was adopted while de-watering of the excavation was carried out with sump pumps. Keywords : Marginal land, land reclamation, mangrove, factory construction, swamp area, sandy soil, ground water table, dewatering, sump pump, Niger Discovery and Innovation Vol. 19 (2) 2007: pp. 117-121","PeriodicalId":50577,"journal":{"name":"Discovery and Innovation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70508276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Amendment of Agricultural Bye Products with Animal Manures on Soil Chemical Properties and Yield of Amaranthus in South Western Nigeria","authors":"E. Moyin-Jesu","doi":"10.4314/DAI.V19I1.15784","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/DAI.V19I1.15784","url":null,"abstract":"The high cost and other problems associated with the use of chemical fertilizer in the humid tropics necessitated research into the effectiveness of locally available agricultural by-products as source of nutrient. A study was conducted in Akure,\u0000South West Nigeria, on the effect of wood ash, saw dust, ground cocoa husk spent grain (sorghum based brewery waste) and rice bran amended with or not with goat, pig and poultry manures on soil fertility and leaf yield of amaranthus (Amaranthus Viridus L.). Twenty organic fertilizer treatments were compared to control (no fertilizer and manure) and 400 kgha-1 NPK fertilizer, replicated three times and arranged in a randomized complete block design. Application of spent grain, wood ash, cocoa husk saw dust and rice bran at 10t/ha increased soil organic matter, N,P,K,Ca,Mg, pH,and amaranthus leaf yield. For instance, wood ash amended with poultry manure increased the soil O.M. (2.51%), N(0.31%) P(50.74mg/kg), K(0.89mmol/kg), Ca(0.77mmol/kg), Mg(0.094mmol/kg) and Na (0.459mmol/kg) compared to the sole form of wood ash which had soil O.M.(2.15%), N(0.212%), P(25.13mg/kg), K(0.77), Ca(0.47mmol/kg), Mg(0.065mmol/ kg), and Na(0.176mmol/kg), respectively. The agricultural by-products (sole and amended forms) produced higher values of soil pH, Ca, Mg and O.M compared to NPK fertilizer. The soil O.M, pH, Ca and Mg contents in NPK fertilizer treatment decreased with the number of cropping. Spent grain + poultry manure increased soil O.M (2.46%), Ca (0.57mmol/kg), Mg(0.11mmol/kg) and pH (7.20) compared to the NPK fertilizer which had soil O.M (0.4%), Ca(0.015 mmol/kg), Mg(0.005 mmol/kg) and pH(5.60). Agricultural by-products applied sole or amended with animal manure gave higher values of leaf Ca, Mg, P and K than the NPK fertilizer. Spent grain + poultry manure had the amaranthus leaf P(0.22%), K(0.99%),\u0000Ca(0.14%) and Mg (0.05) compared to that of NPK fertilizer leaf P(0.14%), K(0.81%), Ca (0.005%) and Mg(0.005%) respectively. NPK fertilizer increased; plant height and leaf yield of amaranthus better than other agricultural by-products amended with manures except in spent grain amended with pig and poultry manures. Spent grain amended with poultry\u0000manure had the amaranthus leaf yield values of 7.53, 11.63, 11.90 and 12.60t/ha in crop 1, 2, 3 and 4 compared to 7.50, 10.10, 11.63 and 12.40t/ha in NPK fertilizer treatment, respectively. Saw dust and rice bran with the highest C/N ratio were least effective in improving soil fertility and amaranthus leaf yield. It is recommended that application of agricultural by-products such as wood ash, cocoa husk, spent grain, rice bran and saw dust to soil at 10t/ha-1 improved soil fertility and amaranthus leaf yield. The amendment of the agricultural by-products with goat, pig and poultry manures at 5t/ha-1each improved their effectiveness. Keywords : Agricultural by-products, manures, growth and leaf yield of amaranthus, leaf and soil chemical composition Discovery and Innovati","PeriodicalId":50577,"journal":{"name":"Discovery and Innovation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70508227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors affecting agroforestry sustainability in bee endemic parts of south eastern Nigeria","authors":"C. U. Okoye, A. Agwu","doi":"10.4314/DAI.V19I1.15680","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/DAI.V19I1.15680","url":null,"abstract":"This paper attempts, in an exploratory manner, to identify the various ways in which bad beekeeping and honey hunting practices result in the loss of important multi-purpose agro-forestry tree species in bee endemic parts of South Eastern Nigeria. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches (Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), Community Fora, Focus Group Discussions, Key Informant Interviews and Semi-structured interview schedules) were used in an interactive manner to collect data for this study from five randomly selected communities in Nsukka, Igbo-Etiti, Uzo-Uwani, Igbo-Eze South and Udenu Local Government Areas of Enugu State. Results show that beekeeping/honey hunting in the area are traditionally gender-specific occupations, involving only male members of the households, while female members play active role in the processing, preservation and marketing of products. Majority (69.6%) of the beekeepers/honey hunters\u0000were within the age range of 31 Ð 50 years and most (75.2%) of them had less than secondary school education. Findings reveal that outright felling of some trees in order to permit the extraction of honey, cutting tree trunks open and/or cutting down tree branches and setting surrounding bush on fire are among the major factors impacting negatively on the agroforestry of the area. However, species of trees particularly at risk include Irvingia gabonensis, young Chlorophera excelsa, Raphia spp., Elaeis guineensis, Brachystegia eurycome, Dialium guineense, Erythrophleum guineese and Strychnos spinosa. Recommendations are proffered towards improving harvesting practices for hive and other non-timber forest products in order to avert the erosion of natural resource-base of the fragile farming ecosystem of the area. Keywords : agroforestry, beekeeping, honey hunting, environmental sustainability. Discovery and Innovation Vol. 19 (1) 2007: pp. 23-32","PeriodicalId":50577,"journal":{"name":"Discovery and Innovation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70507710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Classroom: Models Made from Local Materials for Teaching Plant and Animal Cells and Solar System","authors":"W. Hordzi, B. Mensah","doi":"10.4314/DAI.V19I1.15786","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/DAI.V19I1.15786","url":null,"abstract":"In an attempt to find out if simulated teaching-learning materials could effectively fill in the gap for expensively imported science teaching-learning resources, models for teaching plant and animal cells and the solar system were made and tested. The results showed that between 13.33 -50 % of the students obtained distinction when the models were used in teaching whilst no distinction was recorded for students who did not use the models. There were very highly significant differences, (7.11>3.67, p=0.001; 3.09>3.69,p=0.001; and 5.06>3.69,p=0.001) between the means for the control and test experiments for schools A, B, and C, respectively, when the model cells were used. Similarly, the differences between the means of the control and the test experiments for schools A, B, and C, respectively, when the model for the Solar System was used were also very highly significant (4.23>3.69,p=0.001; 6.69>3.69,p=0.001; and 3.73>3.69,p=0.001). Views of teachers introduced to the models suggested that the models would receive acceptance by science teachers. Keywords : Science teaching, local teaching-learning models, natural sciences, plant and animal cells, solar system, student's \u0000performance, adoption, Ghana Discovery and Innovation Vol. 19 (1) 2007: pp. 60-67","PeriodicalId":50577,"journal":{"name":"Discovery and Innovation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70508289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A statistical model for seasonal rainfall forecasting over the highlands of Eritrea","authors":"Mt Mebrhatu, M. Tsubo, S. Walker","doi":"10.4314/DAI.V19I1.15768","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/DAI.V19I1.15768","url":null,"abstract":"A deterministic model was developed to investigate how global rainfall predictors relate to the two main rainy months in the highlands of Eritrea. The main aim of looking at these relationships is to develop a simple statistical model for forecasting rainfall amount. In a preliminary step, in order to identify the most influential rainfall predictor, a correlation matrix and step-wise regression of 10 predictors with different lags were analysed. The influence of the southern Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperature was identified as the most influential predictor for the highland of Eritrea. A model was developed and validated giving a promising result. Keywords : Highlands of Eritrea, Indian Ocean SST, Jack-knife cross-validation, Statistical model Discovery and Innovation Vol. 19 (1) 2007: pp. 37-42","PeriodicalId":50577,"journal":{"name":"Discovery and Innovation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70507785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of Grazing on Forage Quality and Quantity for Ungulates of The Borgu Sector of the Kainji Lake National Park, Nigeria.","authors":"O. Aremu","doi":"10.4314/DAI.V19I1.15783","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/DAI.V19I1.15783","url":null,"abstract":"This study examined the effect of grazing as simulated by clipping on forage quality and quantity in terms of above ground biomass, live, total production and nutrients content of forages utilized by ungulates of Kainji Lake National Park. Three 2.5m by 2.5m plots were constructed in the three main vegetation communities in the Park, the plots were in three replicates in each vegetation community. Each plot received separate treatment including medium clipping, heavy clipping and unclipped, average forage biomass production and forage nutrients were measured. The results revealed that higher\u0000total annual above ground biomass was recorded in clipped plots which values ranged between 1642 and 2458g m-2 yr-1 when compared to unclipped plots which values ranged between 1,394 and 1,435g m-2 yr-1. Equally, the values of annual total production of clipped and unclipped plots ranged between 250-471 and 210-254 gmÐ2 yr-1 respectively, the values were significantly different at P£0.05. It was observed that forages in clipped plots contained higher values of c rude protein and fat. Also, they contained nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium and sodium values above minimum values required by herbivores for body maintenance, pregnancy and lactation. Measures to improve forage quality and quantity in the Park were also discussed. L'.tude a examin. l'effet de faire pa.tre les animaux, sur la qualit. et la quantit. de fourrage en terme de biomasse a.rienne, la vigueur et la production totale, de meme que la teneur en .l.ments nutritifs des fourrages utilis.s par les ongul.s dans le Parc National du Lac Kainji. Trois parcelles de 2,50 m x 2,50 m de cot. chacune ont .t. d.limit.es dans les trois principales associations v.g.tales du Parc National. Pour chacune de ces associations v.g.tales, les essais ont .t. r.p.t.s trois fois. Chacune des parcelles a .t. soumise . un traitement particulier dont un p.turage intensif, moyen, et sans p.turage. La production moyenne en biomasse de fourrage et la teneur en matieres nutritives ont .t. .valu.es. Les r.sultats ont prouv. que les productions annuelles totales en biomasses a.riennes dans les parcelles p.tur.es variaient entre 1.642 gr et 2.458 gr/ m2 par an, en comparaison des parcelles non p.tur.es dont les valeurs variaient entre 1.394 et 1.435gr/ m2 par an. De meme, les valeurs de la production totale dans les types de parcelles p.tur.es et non p.tur.es variaient ente 250-471 et 210-254gr /m2 par an, respectivement et ces valeurs .taient significativement diff.rentes au seuil de P𕟨,05. On a remarqu. que les fourrages dans des parcelles sous p.turage avaient des valeurs .lev.es en prot.ines brutes et en matieres grasses. De meme, ces fourrages contenaient des valeurs .lev.es en azote, phosphore, calcium et en sodium, quantit.s de loin sup.rieures aux normes exig.es pour satisfaire les besoins corporels des herbivores, leur gestation, et leur lactation. Les pr.cautions pour l'am.lioration de la qualit. et la quantit. de fourrage","PeriodicalId":50577,"journal":{"name":"Discovery and Innovation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70507798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterisation of chitosan from blowfly larvae and some crustacean species from Kenyan marine waters prepared under different conditions","authors":"P. Oduor-Odote, M. Struszczyk, M. Peter","doi":"10.4314/WIOJMS.V4I1.28478","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/WIOJMS.V4I1.28478","url":null,"abstract":"Isolation of chitosan from cuticles of blue bottlefly larvae Calliphora erythrocephala, and shells of crab Sylla cerrata, lobster Panulirus ornatus, prawn Paeneaus indicus was carried out. The yield of chitin was 12.0%, 23.0%, 15.7% and 28.0% respectively. In the same order the yield of chitosan was 66.0%, 74.6% 74.3% and 75.0% from chitin. Ash in the crab and lobster chitosan demineralised with 0.5M HCl was 30.2 and 22.4% respectively. This was reduced to 0.2 % for lobster and 0.4% for crab using 2M HCl for demineralisation and 0.5M HCL was adequate for demineralisation of prawns to bring the ash content to < 1%. The ash content in the blowfly larvae was negligible. The conditions used for chitosan isolation in blowfly larvae were milder requiring no demineralisation step. The time to obtain soluble chitosan in 1% v/v acetic acid was 8 hr for crab and lobster at 100°C deacetylation and 4 hr at 120°C while for prawns it was 6 hr at 100°C and 3 hr at 120°C deacetylation temperature. The average molecular weight ( ̄M V ) for crabs was 556,000 after 8 hr deacetylation and 148,000 at 140°C deacetylation temperature. With 2M HCl used for demineralisation first, it was 439,000 for a 4 hr period. Crabs, first demineralised then deprotenised the ̄M V was 155,000 for a 3 hr deacetylation at 120°C and 417,000 for 1 hr deacetylation. An 8 hr deacetylation at 100°C for lobsters gave ̄M V of 791,000. It was reduced to 560,000 after 4 hr of deacetylation at 120°C and to 236,000 at 140°C for 3 hr. Prawns had a ̄M V of 507,000 after 6 hr deacetylation at 100°C and reduced to 455,000 after a 3 hr deacetylation. For insect larvae, at 100°C deacetylation for 4 hr the ̄ M V was 413,500 while for 1 hr, 2 hr and 2.5 hr deacetylation time at 120°C it was 369,000, 308,500 and 263,000 respectively. The degree of deacetylation (DD) increased with temperature and time of deacetylation. For crab, demineralised then deproteinised, it increased from 72.9% in 1 hr then 81.5% in 3 hr. In prawn chitosan it was 60.0% for the 6 hr deacetylation at 100°C and 69.2% for 3 hr deacetylation at 120°C. The DD of insect larvae was 62.56% after 4 hr of deacetylation at 100°C. When deacetylated at 120°C it was 64.0% after 1 hr, 79.9% after 2 hr and 80.7% after 2.5 hr. The moisture content showed a slight increase with DD. Temperature increase and time of deacetylation caused a decrease in ̄M V and a more conservative increase in DD.","PeriodicalId":50577,"journal":{"name":"Discovery and Innovation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4314/WIOJMS.V4I1.28478","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70417914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Socia preferences to Mopane woodland management options: A case study from Southern Zimbabwe","authors":"T. Gondo, C. Musvoto, T. Mujawo","doi":"10.4314/DAI.V19I1-2.15766","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/DAI.V19I1-2.15766","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50577,"journal":{"name":"Discovery and Innovation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70508313","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparisons in seed kernel sizes and early growth performance of different Moringa oleifera provenances in southeast of Botswana","authors":".. J.B.Nduwayezu, S. Chamshama, .. A.G.Mugasha, Y. Ngaga, E. Khonga, R. Chabo","doi":"10.4314/DAI.V19I1-2.15772","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/DAI.V19I1-2.15772","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50577,"journal":{"name":"Discovery and Innovation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70508470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing nutrient accumulation of Tephrosia vogelii fallow through Minjingu phosphate rock application on acidic P deficient ferralsol of eastern Tanzania","authors":"Cz Mkagwa, S. Maliondo, J. Semoka","doi":"10.4314/DAI.V19I1-2.15773","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/DAI.V19I1-2.15773","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50577,"journal":{"name":"Discovery and Innovation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70508518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}