Post harvest losses of fresh produce, including fruits and vegetables, have continued to be high. This realization has triggered numerous efforts to address this issue. One proposition is to utilize maize stover to produce sustainable moulded pulp bio-based packaging as a possible replacement for single plastics packaging. Maize stover is considered a burden to farmers to dispose after harvesting leading to its wastage. The objectives of this study were; to ascertain the current ways in which maize stover is utilized by farmers, the major packaging materials they use, and the determinants of demand for the quantity of packaging materials that farmers use. A total of 200 smallholder maize farmers from Kamuli district were interviewed. Findings show that a good percentage of farmers destroy the stover through burning, some farmers plough it back to replenish the lost soil nutrients, while others use it as livestock fodder. Polypropylene and polyethylene packaging materials are the most used and preferred packages due to availability, and affordability. The covariates that determine the demand for the number of packages purchased annually were; quantity of maize marketed, distance to the market, funds spent on marketing, and annual income. To increase the demand for maize stover packaging materials formal education, regular training, access to capital and formation of farmer groups are recommended.
Page(s): 01-13 Date of Publication: 26 July 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8701In the theory of differential equation and probability, Probabilistic Hermite polynomials Hr(x) = {r=0,1,2,…,n} are the polynomials obtained from derivatives of the standard normal probability density function (pdf) of the form α(x)=1/√2π e^(-1/2 x^2 ). These polynomials played an important role in the Gram-Charlier series expansion of type A and the Edgeworth’s form of the type A series (see [18]). In this paper, we obtained new Probabilistic Hermite polynomials by considering a standard normal distribution with probability density function (pdf) given as β(x)=1/(2√π) e^(-1/4 x^2 ). The generating function, recurrence relations and orthogonality properties are studied. Finally, a differential equation governing these polynomials was presented which enables us to obtain the expression of the polynomial in a closed form.
Page(s): 14-20 Date of Publication: 26 July 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8702This review paper highlights the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in Cannabis industries. Growing Cannabis especially on a large scale can come with several complex challenges unique to the industry. Therefore, artificial intelligence (AI) has been implemented across all stages of the Cannabis supply chain. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool that can be applied in all aspects of the Cannabis industry. However, developing an effective artificial intelligence (AI) model is a challenging task due to the dynamic nature and variation in real-world problems and data. In addition, a growing number of artificial intelligence (AI) -powered apps, Chatbots, and websites are launching to help medical Cannabis (marijuana) customers to find the products. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have become essential to Cannabis businesses that want to display the most relevant products and services to consumers when they visit companies websites. Digital medical Cannabis represents the combination of a Cannabis product and a second- generation Artificial intelligence (AI), system to create a new intellectual property (IP). With medicinal and recreational interests for Cannabis sativa L. growing, research related to the optimization of in vitro practices is needed to improve the current methods. Plant tissue culture experiments comprise a part of very complex studies with many problems. In plant tissue culture studies, optimization is highly desirable and the application of new computational approaches like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms using fewer inputs is on the rise in recent years. It has been shown that Generalized Regression Neural Network (GRNN) as one of the most powerful of ANNs has more accuracy than other artificial neural networks (ANNs) in modeling and forecasting in vitro culture procedures.
Page(s): 21-40 Date of Publication: 26 July 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8703In this study, the phytochemical, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of neem seed oils (Azadirachta indica) was analyzed. The extract was extracted by solvent extraction using n-hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and aqueous solvents. The percentage yields of the extraction were 42.50%, 40.70%, 38.30% and 28.50% for the n-hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and aqueous solvents respectively. The phytochemical screening of the samples revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides and terpenoids in neem seed extract. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum fungicidal concentration of the neem seed extract was determined on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans. The MIC for neem seed extract in methanolic extract on E. coli and S. aureus was the least at 6.25% concentration while the MIC on the fungi (A. niger) was at 50% concentration having a zone of inhibition of 7.67± 0.71mm. There was no growth inhibition in C. albicans. The neem seed extract was shown to possess an antioxidant activity using DPPH radical. There was a significant increase in the scavenging activity of the neem seed extract as the concentration increased from 6.25% to 100%. The blended quantity of the neem seed extract showed the highest scavenging activity of 54.19 ± 0.03%. The study shows the extracts of neem seed possess good bioactive agents, antioxidant and antibacterial activity, and therefore they could be effectively used as a natural source of antioxidants and to be detected against gram-positive bacteria.
Page(s): 41-47 Date of Publication: 28 July 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8704Mangrove swamp deposit, Sombreiro Warri deltaic deposit, and Recent and sub-recent alluvial deposit soils of Bayelsa State were characterized and evaluated for arable crop cassava production. Results showed that there were variations in the soil physicochemical properties. Soils underlain by Mangrove swamp deposit being better than others since it had greater content of organic matter, total nitrogen, Ca and total exchangeable bases. It also recorded higher pH making it less acidic for crop production. The results of the current (actual) suitability map of the soils showed a wide range of moderate to marginal suitability scores for cassava production except in in soils of Otuoke (11.4 to 24.28%) indicating temporary nonsuitable (N1) for cassava production. However, the potential suitability map of the study area revealed that the soils were moderately suitable for cassava. The study also revealed that fertility is a major constraint to the production of cassava and managerial strategies capable of boosting fertility status should be employed for cassava production in this region.
Page(s): 48-57 Date of Publication: 29 July 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8705The study examined the profitability and efficiency of Ginger Marketing in Benue State Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used in selecting 256 respondents. Data were obtained from primary source with well-structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistic, gross margin and marketing efficiency analysis. Results from the socio-economic characteristics showed that 35.2% were male and 64.8% were female with mean active workforce of 46.82 years; majority of ginger marketers (77.3%) were married and the mean household size was 9; ginger marketers had a mean marketing experience of 10years and the mean formal education attained by ginger marketers was 7 years indicating that most ginger `marketers had education. The gross margin was N98.36 and N151.78 for wholesalers and retailers respectively. The result further showed that marketing efficiency was 46.58% for retailers and 7.96% for wholesaler in the study area. Ginger marketers are faced with the problem of heavy tax and high cost of transportation. The study showed that ginger marketing is profitable and efficient in the study area. It is recommended that tax should be properly conducted to reduce multiple taxation and good roads should be provided to reduce transport cost.
Page(s): 58-65 Date of Publication: 29 July 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8706There is a growing concern by consumers of broiler chickens in Kenya over the injudicious use of antibiotic growth promoters such as oxytetracyclines which has led high tissue residues and consecutively, resistance to the drugs in both livestock and humans. This problem has elicited increased research towards natural alternatives. The current research was thus conducted to determine the optimal dietary inclusion levels of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.) leaf meal (NLM) that result to improvements in feed intake (FI), growth rate (GR) and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) of Cobb 500 starter broiler chickens. Four isonitrogeneous (20% crude protein (CP)) and isocaloric (3200 Kcal/kg) diets were formulated; Diet 1 (Control, NLM 0%), Diet 2 (NLM 1%), Diet 3 (NLM 1.5%) and Diet 4 (NLM 2%). Proximate analysis was undertaken for all experimental diets. A total of 48 unsexed chicks were weighed and randomly allocated the experimental diets with 4 replicates of 3 chicks each for 17 days. The FI and body weight gain (BWG) were weighed and recorded daily and weekly respectively. The GR and FCE were also calculated. Results showed that birds supplemented with NLM at 1% had significant mean (162.03g) for FI. Birds supplemented with NLM at 1.5% in the diet had the highest BWG (1930.50g) and GR (113.56g). However, 2% NLM supplemented birds showed the highest FCE (7.98). From the study, it was concluded that supplementing the diets of starter broiler chickens with NLM at 1.5% resulted to the highest BWG and GR.
Page(s): 66-75 Date of Publication: 29 July 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8707This study investigated the issues and management of construction cost overruns in a public university in Ghana. Specifically, the study answered the following research questions: (1) What types of project experience construction cost overrun? (2) What are the causes of project construction cost overruns? (3) How are project construction cost overruns managed? The study used the qualitative research approach. Documentary reviews and participant observation were the research methods employed for the data collection. The study showed that all types of construction project irrespective of the source of funding (i.e., internally generated funded, Ghana Education Trust Funded and externally funded project) experienced cost overruns. Also, it was established that contractors, location of the project, project consultants and funders were responsible for construction cost overrun in the university. In terms of the management of projects with cost overrun, they were based on the circumstances surrounding each project.The study recommendsthat due diligence should be done before awarding construction project contracts to avoid contractual stalemates in the future. Also, the income statement of contractors should be thoroughly analyzed to ensure they are not concurrently executing numerous projects and have the financial capacity to execute the project. Other resources like human resources and machinery should also be thoroughly analyzed to ensure their adequacy. Additionally, project consultants should ensure that their roles in projects that have been awarded for construction are effectively and efficiently carried out.
Page(s): 76-81 Date of Publication: 31 July 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8708This review paper highlights about sex determination and conversion of dioecious into monoecious plants by applying exogenous growth regulators or chemicals. Cannabis sativa L. (Cannabaceae) is a dioecious plant, producing male and female flowers on separate unisexual individuals. Although both male and female plants are capable of producing cannabinoids in equal concentrations, female plants produce greater floral biomass than male plants and thus are exclusively used in commercial Medical Cannabis sativa (drug or marijuana) production facilities. In commercial production, marijuana plants are all genetically unfertilized female plants and, male plants are destroyed as seed formation reduces flower quality. One male Cannabis plant can ruin the entire female plant crop due to uncontrolled pollination and crop is designated as contaminated. Moreover, after pollination, female plants alter their relative investment in phytochemicals by reducing the production of secondary metabolites like cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenoids. Therefore, early diagnosis of sex is very important to both breeders and farmers for Cannabis crop improvement or production purposes. Cannabis sex determination could be modified by applying exogenous growth regulators or chemicals, which can influence the ratio of endogenous hormones and hence the incidence of sex organs. Silver compounds such as silver nitrate (AgNO3) or silver thiosulfate (Ag2S2O3; STS) have been found to have masculine effects in many plant species including Cannabis. A gap in the literature highlighting Cannabis sex determination has been updated in this review paper.
Page(s): 82-91 Date of Publication: 03 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8709Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is frequently used in centrifugal pump design. The characteristics of the flow fields around turbomachinery can be simulated using tools for numerical computational fluid dynamics in three dimensions. Numerical simulation, which also provides significant information for the hydraulic design of the centrifugal pump, can be used to visualize the internal flow condition of a centrifugal pump. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of blade number on the hydraulic performance curve using a commercial instrument. ANSYS 91.2. code commercial.The geometric model of the pump was built using CF turbo, and the flow domain was meshed using the commercial programme ICEM. The results demonstrated that an increase in the number of blades significantly improved the hydraulic performance of the centrifugal pump’s head. The findings also revealed that the area of the low-pressure zone at the blade’s input suction grew and that the static pressure distribution homogeneity in the diffusion section was significantly better than that in the spiral section. The design flow of 35 m3 per hour is where the best efficiency point (BEP) is located. At Z = 6 and Z = 7, the head values were 51.58 m and 53.13 m, respectively, while the efficiency values were 50.32% and 53.35%. The comparison of the H-Q curve for estimated head discharge indicates that all impeller efficiency curves share the same fundamental tendency.
Page(s): 92-99 Date of Publication: 03 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8710Adolescence is a transitional period that everyone goes through after infancy. In adolescence, hormonal and physical changes take place which is evident in appearance of breasts in girls and beard in boys. Socially, the adolescents expand their social circle by spending more time outside family bounds, which disorients them. This is a critical stage of their life when parents are required to offer emotional support, guidance and mentorship. The demise of a parent at this delicate period may worsen the adolescents’ psychosocial wellbeing. Therefore, this study investigated the influence of parents’ death on the psychosocial wellbeing of adolescent orphans in selected orphanages in Nairobi, Kenya. The study was guided by these objectives: to explore the psychosocial wellbeing of orphaned adolescents after the demise of their parents and to explicate the effects of the death of parent (s) on the psychosocial wellbeing of the adolescent orphans living in the selected orphanages. The study used a qualitative research approach. The target population was 175 while the sample size was 10 comprising 6 adolescent orphans and 4 caregivers. The respondents were purposively selected while qualitative data was collected using semi-structured interviews and observation. The study found out that parental death disrupts adolescent orphans emotionally and socially. It also creates scarcity of the basic needs in the lives of the orphans forcing them to look for help from orphanages. The findings of this research may help parents to prepare in advance the future of their children. Further, the study established that the affected adolescent orphans need counselling especially grief therapy in order to restore their psychosocial wellbeing
Page(s): 100-107 Date of Publication: 03 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8711This study presents a mathematical model that aims to study corruption in Kenya. The model is validated both epidemiologically and mathematically, with all solutions demonstrating positivity and boundedness within a meaningful set of initial conditions. By investigating unique corruption-free and endemic equilibrium points, as well as computing the basic reproduction number, we assess the system’s behavior. Our analysis reveals that a locally asymptotically stable corruption-free equilibrium point is achieved when the reproduction number is below one, while a locally asymptotically stable endemic equilibrium point is attained when the reproduction number exceeds one. Simulation results confirm the agreement with analytical findings. This research enhances our understanding of corruption dynamics and provides valuable insights for designing effective anti-corruption strategies in Kenya.
Page(s): 108-123 Date of Publication: 03 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8712Curcuma longa is a tropical plant whose rhizomes has been used to dye cloth since at least 2500 BCE but being a natural dye, it has poor to moderate fastness. In this study, an attempt was made to extract turmeric dye from Curcuma longa rhizomes and carry out its chemical modification by the choline chloride method to improve its fastness property when applied to fabrics. Turmeric dye was extracted from the rhizome using acetone and further crystallized with hexane to form the curcumin, the concentrated yellow dye. The characterization of the extracted dye and modified dye was carried out using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Dyeing of cotton fabric was carried out using the extracted dye and the modified dye. Fastness properties was also determined on the dyed fabric. Fastness properties of natural Curcuma Longa dyed cotton fabric ranged from moderate [2] to good [4] and that of modified Curcuma Longa dyed cotton fabric ranged from good [4] to excellent [5]. This indicate that the modified fabric has better fastness properties. Dye manufacturing from local plants should be supported using chemical modification to achieve better fastness properties on dyed fabrics.
Page(s): 124-128 Date of Publication: 03 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8713Insects, including cricket, fly, locust, and cockroach species, exhibit growth and escape (thigmotactic) responses to aversive stimuli. This study aimed to investigate the growth rate and thigmotactic behavior of Turkestan cockroaches (Blatta lateralis) under different illumination conditions: natural (direct) sunlight, artificial white light, and dark control in Davao City, Philippines. In this study, gentle agitation of the container (i.e., wind puffs and food drops during feeding) stimuli stimulated B. lateralis, and the more they are exposed to natural (direct) sunlight and other bright displays, the lesser they survive, and their growths are. Thigmotaxis and body length were measured weekly starting on the 5th week of observation, utilizing the six experimentally nymphal organisms as subjects starting with 1.1 cm in size each organism to a 7″ x 55″ container with the 20 cm x 28 cm paper shelters folded within a 10° angle in a room with direct sunlight, a dark edge, and floor lit by a 60-W light bulb with 1 inch above the center of the container, and plain darkness. The results demonstrated that the organism’s selection from a finite set of preferred escape trajectories (ETs) could cause variation in ETs where overall thigmotactic stimuli response was higher and had the largest growth with a body length of 2.05 cm for nymphs placed under artificial white light. In conclusion, Turkestan cockroaches exhibited flight responses even to impending and particularly gentle agitation stimuli and had a more dark or natural light condition survival rate.
Page(s): 129-140 Date of Publication: 03 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8714Noise pollution has become a serious problem nowadays due to the industrial development and urbanization. Noise level, in particular, is exceeding being an environmental issue to being a health problem for people. This study investigated the noise levels in residential areas, schools and hotels in North A’ Sharqiyah region in Oman. The area covered by the study is around 20 km2 which includes more than 200 houses, 13 schools and nine hotels. Fourteen different zones have been selected within this area to measure the noise levels. Using a sound level meter (S/N:2019023967) with a 30 to 130 dB measuring range and 1.5 dB accuracy, noise levels were measured. Around 90% of the collected data in the housing area at the city center was higher than the Omani standards (60 dB) and with an exposure time of 10 hours per day. In contrast, the housing areas outside the city center, only 5% of the measured noise was higher than the standards. In schools, it was found that the noise inside the schools is higher than the standards of indoor buildings noise. Furthermore, it was observed that the schools were built in quiet locations where the noise outside the schools met the standards. 70 % of the noise that was measured during the morning assembly in schools was higher than the standards. In hotels, it was found that the noise levels depend on the location of the hotel. The hotels located outside the city center or commercial area were found to be quiet and the noise levels within standards. In contrast, the others which locate in the city center have high noise levels.
Page(s): 141-151 Date of Publication: 03 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8715This paper examines the impact of childlessness on married couples in Ado Ekiti. Childlessness has been described as having the potential to have children but choosing not to, as well as having the desire to have children but they do not come. When a married couple is ready and willing to have children but is unable to do so, this is referred to as “involuntary childlessness” and is defined as not being able to have children. Couples have children for a variety of reasons, including religious, ideological, economic, and cultural expectations. According to the Bible, having children is a good event. This is evident to the fact that attempts to initiate a move which would have been directed towards adoption is taken with serious resistance in some places like Nigeria mostly by couples without even a child. This leads to addressing social-cultural and physiological problem married couples face and discrimination from the society because the married couples cannot procreate but in the same vein the society still views married couples as inferior with the objective to determine whether women’s infertility is the main reason that couples don’t have children, to determine how individuals in Ado Ekiti feel about childlessness and also to determine whether being childless is a benefit for childless married couples. Five hundred (500) questionnaire were administered to married couples. Chi-square, Multiple bar chart to determine major factor responsible for childlessness were used. Substantive issues were considered that include, social impact, cultural impact and psychological impact. The findings show that display of superiority by the couples with children against childless couples, childless woman is blamed for infertility, and depression are the most negative impact of social impact, cultural impact and psychological impact on childless couples. It is concluded that there is high negative impact of childlessness on married couples in Ado Ekiti
Page(s): 152-157 Date of Publication: 05 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8716Introduction : Anxiety among patients , during dental treatment , remains one of the biggest challenges faced by dentists , considering that it impeds the achievement of clinical procedures . this situation may lead patients to stop their treatment and thus complicates their oral health condition . Materiels and methods : A cross sectional study was conducted in the department of pediatric dentistery in Tunis from august to september 2017 on a simple of 360 couples ( mother / child ) . the child’s and mother’s level of anxiety were evaluated according to various parameters using 2 fear assessment venham picture test for children and Corah dental anxiety scale for mothers . Results : 33.9% of children were anxious. a significant relationship between the child’s anxiety and the child’s age (p=0.01) and gender (p=0.031) was found , on the other hand 57.1% of mothers who feel that their children are afraid of the dentist are anxious. Conclusions : During children’s dental care , anxiety has always been one of the biggest obstacles encountered by specialits in pediatric dentistery . it is important to care about this symptom to develop a good psychological approch with the young patients
Page(s): 158-164 Date of Publication: 05 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8717This study was undertaken to compare biogas production by maize and sorghum stalks for house hold energy supply in Pankshin local government area of Plateau state. An experimental research design was used. The experimental procedure included the growth of maize and sorghum stalks for two months (60 days) the stalks were selected and harvested while still succulents. The stalks were washed, cut into pieces using clean knives, pounded into pastes using mortar and pestles. An empty metal bucket with known weight was used, the pastes of each was weight and equal number of each bucket was put inside each digester accordingly from the top. The top was then sealed with super glue and the digesters were each painted with black oil paint. As a result of the size and volume of the digesters, the set up stayed for 14 days and being monitored daily. Findings indicate that for the Maize stalk there was no gas generated in day one as such the Bunsen burner did not burn. It burns for 50 seconds in day two, 1.5 minutes in day three and it rises steadily to 4 minutes in day eight. Then it started dropping to 3.5 minutes in day nine, 2.7 minutes in day ten, then it drops steadily to 0. 00 minute in day fifteen. For the Sorghum Stalk, days one and two no gas was generated as such the Bunsen burner did not burn. It burns for 1 minute in day three, 1.5 minutes in day four, then it rises steadily to 2.2 minutes for days 7 and 8 then to 2 minutes in day 9 then it started falling steadily to 0.00 minute in days 14 and 15. This implies that energy in form of biogas can be generated from maize and sorghum stalks. Exploring this can meet the increasing energy of man. Based on the results it was recommended amongst others the study can also be replicated with other varieties of common grass using standardized digesters. This is because grass is a weed and do not have other economic value like stalks from food crops. It was concluded that energy in form of biogas can be generated from maize and sorghum stalks. Exploring this can meet the increasing energy need of man. It is recommended that; the study can be carried out with the stalk of other crops such as rice, millet, cow pea and others.
Page(s): 165-170 Date of Publication: 05 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8718Emotions are dynamic biological states that are connected to all of the nerve systems. The problem of facial expression recognition has been thoroughly investigated, leading to the development of some robust and accurate face recognition algorithms. The effectiveness of three such algorithms (CNN, VGG16, and ResNet50) that have been widely studied and applied in the research community are investigated and compared in this paper. The aim is to use grayscale images to train these training models and compare their accuracy and data losses. The system will be able to detect the seven facial expressions Angry, Neutral, Contempt, Disgust, Fear, Happy, and Sad after training these models. To compare their precision, the same batch size and epoch were used. After reviewing all possible evaluations based on these output matrices, it is clear that all three networks produce reliable effect identification, with CNN being the most accurate.
Page(s): 171-177 Date of Publication: 05 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8719Water quality is one of the main challenges that societies faces, threatening human health, limiting food production, reducing ecosystem functions, and hindering economic growth. In this research water sample from Gobbiya dam were collected at ten different points on the dam water surface using a water sampler with the coordinate of the sampling point recorded using a Global Positioning System (GPS) camera. Powder pillow reagents with a DR/890 colorimeter was used to determine the level of anions in the water samples after which Geographical information system (GIS) were used to estimate by interpolation the levels of anions at unmeasured distance on the dam water surface. The result obtained showed that the concentration of sulphate and phosphate has no statistical difference across the ten sampling points as revealed by ANOVA (P≤0.05) ,Whilst Chloride, Nitrate, Ammonium showed a statistical differences across the ten sampling points and where further subjected to Turkey Pair-Wise test to determine the points of variation. The average concentrations of the anions determine are as follows: Phosphate, Chloride, Nitrate, Ammonium, Sulphate (0.06±0.01, 0.48±0.24, 14.4±10.30, 3.95±2.82, 2.40±0.97) mg/dm3, respectively. The anions determined in the dam water are within the permissible limit set by WHO and FEPA for domestic and irrigation purposes.
Page(s): 178-184 Date of Publication: 11 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8720This study examined the effect of the use of information and communication technology on the instruction of physics in secondary schools in Awka Education Zone of Anambra state. The study was guided by the three research questions and three hypotheses. The population for the study was 19, 153 SS3 physics students in all the secondary schools in the study area. A sample size of 110 SS3 physics students were selected (59 males and 51females). The research instrument used for the study was a Physics Achievement Test (PAT). PAT was validated by three experts, one lecturer from science education department, one from educational foundations department and one from computer science department, all from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka. A reliability coefficient of 0.86 was gotten using Kudar- Richarson’s reliability formula. The mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study showed that students taught physics with ICT performed higher than their counterparts that were taught physics without ICT. Gender interaction effect showed that the male students taught with ICT performed higher than their female counterparts. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended among others that physics teachers should be encouraged to use ICT in teaching physics, since the method is more effective in learning physics compared to the conventional lecture method Also the federal ministry of education should organize workshops and seminars for science teachers to strengthen their knowledge of the use of ICT in teaching.
Page(s): 185-190 Date of Publication: 11 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8721I. Introduction A year after World Health Organization declared Covid-19 as a global pandemic, most universities across the world are still struggling to face the new normal. Online learning has become the means universities have in continuing education. While most progressive universities are digitally prepared, there is another gap that these universities have to deal with – the continuing divide between those who are able to study digitally, and those that are left behind due to economic factors. In a recent study by Grishchenco (2020), most of the students living in rural areas have been greatly affected by the sudden shift to full digital learning due to the limitations of technology. Beaunoyer, Dupéré, and Guitton (2020) pointed out that the digital divide has already been existing even in the pre-pandemic days. It, however, exacerbated when students were left with no other means but through online learning. The series of lockdowns caused a lot of limitations to the students. From technological limitations to financial and even social challenges (Lassoued, Alhendawi, & Bashitialshaaer, 2020; Peters, et al., 2020), students are also challenged when it comes to their mental health and psychological wellness (Cao, et al., 2020), causing greater issues on inclusion – both academically and socially. In the Philippines, the readiness of students in a fully-digital learning space remains low on students’ demographics who belong to lower income and rural areas (Alipio, 2020). Approximately 2,400 Higher Education Institution in the Philippines are challenged to bridge the gap between the economically-able students and those who are being left behind. Prior to the 2020 Pandemic, Oztok et al. (2013) surveyed different means of conducting digital learning to alleviate such gap, through synchronous and asynchronous learning. Years later, the acceptance of synchronous and asynchronous mode of online learning has become a staple in the New Normal set-up of education.
Page(s): 191-203 Date of Publication: 12 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8722The study is mainly concerned with mathematical modelling of peste des petit ruminant (PPR) disease using deterministic approach. A system of differential equations was formulated. Disease free and epidemic equilibria were calculated and used Jacobian Matrix to carried out stability analysis of the model. We then perform numerical simulations using Euler’s method. Sensitivity analysis with basic reproduction number were finally conducted to identify the most important parameters in the model. It was finally recommended that animal suffering from peste des petit ruminant (PPR) diseases should be immediately quarantined so as to reduce the contact rate between the infected and the susceptible and other items that have been in contact with the sick animals must be disinfected with common disinfectants.
Page(s): 204-211 Date of Publication: 12 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8723Bangladesh, a developing country, faces various challenges that hinder its progress. One significant issue is the high crime rate, along with its lower resilience score on the global peace scale compared with other Asian countries. This study investigates the underlying factors that contribute to armed conflict in Bangladesh. Key questions were explored, such as identifying the regions most affected by conflicts, understanding the involvement of different actors in these regions and events, and developing predictive models for fatality rates and future crime based on various related attributes. To address these objectives, machine learning algorithms and clustering techniques were employed in this research. The ACLED[1] Bangladesh dataset, encompassing conflict events from 2010 to 2021, was analyzed to obtain valuable insights. Clustering techniques, specifically k-means and hierarchical clustering, were applied to classify Bangladeshi Divisions and Cities based on shared characteristics. Furthermore, this study investigates the events and actors associated with each cluster to identify hidden factors. Machine learning algorithms are utilized to predict fatality rates by employing various techniques, such as pre-trained models and discretization methods. Finally, the focus shifts towards predicting future crimes by utilizing the Random Forest algorithm, which achieved a 97% accuracy rate. The results of this study demonstrated promising outcomes, with high R2 scores which is Goodness of fit measure, indicating a 99% satisfaction level for predicting fatalities. Overall, this study highlights the potential of machine learning to understand and mitigate conflicts in Bangladesh. It emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and stakeholder engagement in developing context- specific tools for effective conflict analysis and mediation. By leveraging the findings of this study, policymakers and relevant authorities can make informed decisions to address the increasing prevalence of crime and work towards a more peaceful and secure Bangladesh
Page(s): 212-220 Date of Publication: 15 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8724COVID-19 virus has totally crushed and changed the lives of billions of people in the world. It has arisen as a major epidemiological, economic, and global health crisis (Roychowdhury, 2020). Moreover, the pandemic has infected 232,075,351 individuals and claimed the lives of 4,752,988 people (World Health Organization, 2020). So far, the economic burden of COVID-19 has been estimated to cost between $5.8 and $8.8 trillion (Dennis, 2020), which is expected to plunge most countries into recession (World Bank, 2020). This global pandemic changed the way people live and work before and it triggered one of the worst jobs crises since the great depression (https://www.oecd.org/employment/covid-19.htm) and this crisis was an upsurge of stress in different ways to people who work in various occupations around the world. There has been a significant spike in demand for mindfulness programming since the start of the pandemic (Harrison, P.J., 8 January, 2021). Number of researchers have indicated that introducing mindfulness meditation practice during this pandemic has the potential to complement treatment and is a low-cost beneficial method of providing support with anxiety for all. (Behan, C., 14 May 2020). Mindfulness is the psychological process of purposely bringing one’s attention to experiences occurring in the present moment without judgment which one can develop through the practice of meditation and through other training. (Kabat-Zinn, J., 2013). Many scholarly articles for mindfulness research in the finance sector in covid-19 have highlighted the benefits of meditation and mindfulness practices (Behan, C., 2020 May 14). COVID-19 was changed the way people work in Sri Lanka. With lockdown travel restrictions, minimum staff, distant work, and social distance becoming the new rules. In many organizations, these new ways of working were raising challenges and distresses. But In Sri Lankan context, there is yet less research on mindfulness based intervention for addressing the job related stress during the COVID-19 epidemic. Hence, this paper focuses on mindfulness practice as a potential strategy to reduce the stress experienced by the employees who worked in the finance sector during the pandemic.
Page(s): 221-231 Date of Publication: 19 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8725Since ancient times, we have worked with microbial consortia in a variety of contexts, including wastewater treatment, the production of biogas, additionally to biodegradation and bio cleansing. The great ability of microbial consortiums is, however, a very long way from being completely realized. Last few years have seen a surge in interest in biosynthesis and bioprocessing related to the understanding and use of microbial consortia. It can be difficult to implement complex tasks in a single population. Synthetic consortiums of microorganisms have long utilized in biotechnology procedures like waste management, agricultural farming, and fermentation. Today, microbial consortiums are being engineered for a range of uses by synthetic biologists. The division of collaborative work in consortia is crucial for the breakdown of environmental contaminants that are persistent, cultures need to be resilient to the complicated environment, which often needs several phases. As a result, bioremediation may greatly benefit from the use of synthetic microbial consortiums [1]. The created and improved synthetic microbial community can operate as a culture (seed culture) for ex situ remediation methods including biodegradation in smaller reactors and bio augmentation of in situ bioremediation practices. In order to prevent genetic contamination from environmental microorganisms, the use of designed microbial consortia is currently, to a large degree, restricted in carefully monitored bioprocesses. In this review, an overview of undefined naturally occurring microbial consortia and their application was discussed. We introduced the notion of synthetic microbial consortia, system biology, we discussed Importance of synthetic microbial consortia with relevant examples of how they add value to bio refineries. We did an overview of microbial consortia in biotechnological process, application of microbial consortia in bioremediation and biodegradation was further discussed.
Page(s): 232-241 Date of Publication: 21 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8727The cooperative graduate is trained to emerge as an all-knowing-cooperative-expert at the zenith of his practice because he is taught to be a lawyer, accountant, finance and business management expert, magistrate and consultant. Many cooperative training institutes both in Nigeria and abroad are producing graduates with these prospects at different levels of cooperative professionalism capable of, and ready to render these valuable services to employers of labour. Unfortunately, many of these experts do not know where to find employment after graduation. This paper interrogated 314 diplomates and ambassadors of the cooperative department over a period of 4 years and identifies several employment opportunities available to them which include consultancy and self-employment. The paper also identifies the constraints they face especially that of ignorance of employers of labour and finally made recommendations that will help them become more visible in the employment market including mentioning cooperative courses as one of the invited disciplines during advertisement of business and management vacancies.
Page(s): 242-247 Date of Publication: 21 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8728This purpose of this paper is to design an energy efficient clustering protocol for device-device (D2D) in an overlay cellular networks. The protocol is also aimed at increasing the capacity of the cellular network. In order to achieve this, a clustering algorithm is proposed using a combination of Euclidean distance and the received signal to interference noise ratio for its design. These parameters are combined with Q-learning to define an energy efficient protocol for D2D communication. The protocol Clustering Algorithm for D2D communication using Reinforcement Learning (CADREL) will reduce energy consumption in D2D communication in a co-located antenna system. It also improves the allocation of resources necessary for efficient data transmission as well as reduce the amount of data transmissions by intelligently electing cluster heads (CH) so as to minimize data collisions and enhance the lifetime of the network. A simulation experiment was conducted in order to compare the protocol with other state of the art clustering protocol using energy efficiency and channel capacity as the metrics. From the simulations carried out, it was observed that the proposed algorithm outperforms the other protocols by 23% and 34% respectively.
Page(s): 248-259 Date of Publication: 22 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8729Phishing attacks pose a significant threat in the cyber world, exploiting unsuspecting users through deceptive emails that lead them to malicious websites. To combat this challenge, various deep learning based anti-phishing techniques have been developed. However, these models often suffer from high false positive rates or lower accuracy. In this study, we evaluate the performance of two neural networks, the Autoencoder and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), using a publicly available dataset to build an efficient phishing detection model. Feature selection was performed through correlation analysis, and the Autoencoder achieved an accuracy of 94.17%, while the MLP achieved 96%. We used hyperparameters for optimization using the Gridsearch CV, resulting in a False Positive Rate (FPR) of 1.3%, outperforming the Autoencoder’s 4.1% FPR. The MLP model was further deployed to determine the legitimacy of websites based on input URLs, demonstrating its usability in real-world scenarios. This research contributes to the development of effective phishing detection models, emphasizing the importance of optimizing neural network architecture for improved accuracy and reduced false positives
Page(s): 260-267 Date of Publication: 25 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8730Bamboo is adjudged to be a very good sustainable, versatile and eco-friendly building material. It grows naturally in most of the world’s forests especially in tropics and sub-tropical regions. Bamboo is the fastest growing grass in the world and matures within three to five years. It consumes carbon (iv) oxide (the major greenhouse gas) in the environment through photosynthesis and releases oxygen to the environment thereby drastically reducing the greenhouse gases and making the environment safe. Throughout the entire globe, there is increase in human population. As the number of humans in the world increases, there is proportional increase in the need for shelter and other civil infrastructures. This increase in need for shelter and other civil infrastructures has resulted in over-consumption of traditional building materials and has created serious burden on the depleting world’s natural resources. Continuous use of the traditional building materials like steel, timber, cement, has also led to increase in the burning of fossil fuels which releases greenhouse gases to the environment during their production. Nevertheless, traditional building materials are very expensive and their continuous use leads to increase in the overall cost of buildings and other civil infrastructures. The use of bamboo as a material for construction of buildings and other civil infrastructures presents a very huge relief to the aforementioned problems encountered in the construction industry. This paper x-rays the viability of bamboo as construction material in Nigeria. Increase in the use of bamboo in the construction industry will lead to reduction in the overall construction cost, growing bamboo in commercial quantity and reduction of greenhouse gases in the environment
Page(s): 268-273 Date of Publication: 26 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8731Globally, the incessant failure of buildings has drastically led to an increase in the loss of lives and properties, posing lots of concerns about the causes of these devastating effects. This research evaluates the immediate and remote causes of probable foundation failure on some buildings at Ohunyon Street, Uromi, Edo State, using integrated geophysical and geotechnical methods. By optimizing the measured field, calculating the apparent resistivity data, and interpreting the generated electrical resistivity tomography by using the SAS 1000 terrameter and RES2DINV software, a variation in soil resistivity and type was established. The geotechnical method required performing Atterberg limit-index studies on the gathered soil specimens in the region as well as geological laboratory grain size analyses. The pole-dipole results showed two weak zones and one moderately competent zone, whereas the dipole-dipole results revealed three primary layers: topsoil (sandy clay), clayey loam, and silty loam. The results also revealed regular clay permeation within the loam at depths ranging from 0.9 to 1.9 m, indicating yearly wetness, volumetric expansion, shrinkage, and uneven ground settlement. The geotechnical survey results provided useful information on both the textural soil test and the Casagrande soil analysis. All of the results were highly correlated, providing pertinent information regarding the factors responsible for the buildings’ failure and recommending that the foundations of these buildings be reinforced by piling to depths of 2 m (6.6 ft) below the ground surface in order to prevent future failures. This work has distinctly shown how integrated geophysical and geotechnical methodologies can potentially be used to evaluate subsoil competency.
Page(s): 274-285 Date of Publication: 30 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8732The role of cyberattacks in modern warfare has become increasingly important in recent years. Cyberattacks can be used to gain a tactical advantage over an adversary, disrupt or disable critical infrastructure, gather intelligence, as well as engage in offensive or defensive operations. They can also be used as part of psychological warfare to create a sense of fear and uncertainty among an adversary’s population. As a result, military forces around the world are investing in cybersecurity and cyber warfare capabilities to prepare for the evolving threat landscape. This abstract highlights the growing importance of cyberattacks in modern warfare and the need for continued focus on developing and improving cybersecurity and cyber warfare capabilities
Page(s): 286-292 Date of Publication: 30 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8733This research work centered on The Effects of COVID-19 on Entertainment Industry in Rwang Pam Township Stadium, Plateau State, Nigeria. The following objectives; To determine the level of covid-19 awareness on Rwand Pam Stadium, To determine the negative effect of covid-19 on entertainment industry, to determine if there were any entertainment industry opened during covid-19 and to identify the challenges of covid-19 on entertainment industry. Simple random sampling was used to determine the respondents to reach. A sample size of about 140 people were acquired from the sampling, which was used fot the study. Simple percentage method were used as statistical tool in analyzing data obtained from the field. From the findings, it shows that there are high rates of awareness about covid-19. lockdown of Rwang Pam Stadium, absent of palliatives, distance from teammates and relatives, habitat for reptiles are the challenges of covid-19 on entertainment industry in Rwang Pam Stadium. Tour, Live performances. Album releases, were postponed during covid-19 pandemic in Rwang Pam stadium, Provision of palliatives by the government, establishment of covid-19 centers in all districts of the state, employment of new physicians are the recommendation to enable government curb the challenges and effects identified on entertainment industry in Rwang Pam Township Stadium, Plateau State, Nigeria
Page(s): 293-298 Date of Publication: 30 August 2023
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2023.8734
