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Short communications: Report of a case of progressive greying in the Moorland Chat Pinarochroa sordida in Bale Mountains National Park, Ethiopia
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Building Dwelling Caring - Some reflections on the future of learning
Get PDFThis paper opens out some philosophical questions on the accelerated use of technology in our teaching environments as a result of the global pandemic and it considers the ongoing implications for education. Revisiting some of the work of Martin Heidegger and his questions concerning technology in conjunction with what I call a dialogical approach to teaching and learning, this paper explores how we can create and think with technologies to consider the possibilities and limitations of technological use in our educational contexts. Furthermore, it reflects on some questions that we may need to address for pedagogical care and responsibility as we move toward a future of learning
Demographic and Systemic Factors Affecting Student Voter Turnout in Africa’s Largest Distance Higher Education Institution
Get PDFPublic higher education institutions in South Africa conduct Student Representative Council (SRC) elections yearly. However, there is a paucity of studies to determine factors that affect voter turnout in these elections. This descriptive quantitative study conducted an empirical analysis of factors influencing students’ voter participation at Africa’s largest Open Distance eLearning institution. An electronic survey instrument was distributed among the sampled students and yielded a final response count of 6,851. A joint descriptive statistical analysis and binary logistic regression model were applied to analyse the data. Regression analysis revealed that there was a significant relationship between students having encountered one or more of a number of marketing initiatives employed in relation to the elections and voter participation. This positions marketing as a significant predictor of student voting given that respondents who encountered SRC election marketing initiatives were seven times more likely to vote, as shown by the odds ratio (OR=7.9 [95% CI:6.6-9.3], p=0.001). The second-highest predictor of voting in this study was the impact of the closing date for voting. Student respondents who indicated that the voting period was long enough were two times more likely to vote compared with those who did not believe it was long enough (OR=2.2 [95% CI: 1.9-2.7], p-value <0.001). Other significant predictors of SRC voting included gender, employment status and level of qualification. Whereas the study revealed a fair balance between the influence of demographic and systemic factors on SRC electoral process, institutions need to pay close attention to systemic factors, which have great potential to constrain voter participation. 
Evaluation de l’effet repulsif d’extraits de neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss., 1830) sur le charançon de la patate douce (Cylas puncticollis Boheman, 1833) en condition de laboratoire a Korhogo, nord de la Cote d’Ivoire
Get PDFUne stratégie de gestion intégrée des insectes nuisibles à la culture de la patate douce a été élaborée pour réduire les pertes dues à ceux-ci. Ainsi, les propriétés répulsives des extraits de feuilles et d’amandes de neem ont été évaluées sur Cylas puncticollis, un charançon de la patate douce. Pour ce faire, quatre concentrations d’extraits ont été préparées à raison de quatre répétitions par concentration. Le test a consisté à la détermination du pourcentage de charançons présents dans la zone traitée. Chacune des concentrations d’extraits a été appliquée sur la moitié d’un papier buvard placé dans une boite de Pétri de 9 cm de diamètre et sur lequel 10 charançons ont été posés. Les effets répulsifs des extraits ont été comparés à ceux d’un insecticide chimique et l’eau distillée. Le test avec 20 cL/L d’extraits de feuilles a causé 85 % de répulsion contre 45 % pour les amandes à 25 g/L. Les extraits ont significativement causé plus de répulsion que l’eau distillée et l’insecticide chimique. Les tests ont révélé un potentiel plus répulsif des extraits de feuilles comparé à celui des amandes. Les extraits de neem pourraient constituer une alternative crédible à la lutte chimique pour la protection de la patate douce contre ce charançon.
English title: Evaluation of the repellent effect of neem extracts (Azadirachta indica A. Juss., 1830) on the sweet potato weevil (Cylas puncticollis Boheman, 1833) under laboratory conditions in Korhogo, northern Côte d’Ivoire
Abstract
An integrated pest management strategy for sweet potatoes has been developed to reduce pest losses. Thus, the repellent properties of neem leaf and kernel extracts were evaluated on Cylas puncticollis, a sweet potato weevil. For this purpose, four concentrations of extracts were prepared with four replicates per concentration. The test consisted of determining the percentage of weevils in the treated area. Each of the extract concentrations was applied to half of a blotting paper placed in 9 cm diameter Petri dishes on which 10 weevils were placed. The repellent effects of the extracts were compared to those of a chemical insecticide and distilled water. Test with 20 cL/L leaf extract caused 85% repellence compared to 45% for almonds at 25 g/L. Compared to the chemical insecticide and distilled water, the extracts caused significantly more repellence. The tests revealed a higher repellent potential of the leaf extracts compared to those of almonds. Neem extracts could be a credible alternative to chemical control for the protection of sweet potato against this weevil.
Keywords: Neem extracts, Repellent effect, Sweet potato, Cylas puncticolli
Swamp taro cocoyam (cytosperma chamissonis) as a potential feedstuff for livestock
No full textA study was conducted to determine the nutritional potentials of some parts (corm and leaves) of swamp taro cocoyam (Cytosperma chamiIssonis) as a feed resource for livestock. The corm was prepared by washing in water before slicing into small pieces with sharp knife. The sliced corms were shared into two parts, one part sun dried for three days and the other part boiled and then sun dried for five days. Thereafter, the two parts were ground into powder separately with a mechanical blender, labeled and stored in different air-tight bottles. The leaves were washed, chopped into smaller pieces, sun dried, pulverized, labeled and stored. These stored samples were subjected to series of chemical analyses (proximate, phytochemical, mineral and vitamin determinations) to elucidate their chemical, toxicant, mineral and vitamin compositions. The results of proximate composition of the corm and leaves showed that the fresh leaves contained higher crude protein value (22.87t0.23 %), followed by raw sun dried corm (7.93+0.11 %). The fresh. leaves also contained higher crude fibre (6.73:0.01 %) than either the raw sun dried corm (1.36:0.05 %) or boiled sun dried corm (1.15+0.01 %). The boiled sun dried corm had the highest nitrogen free extract (NFE) or carbohydrate value (75.32+0.15 %), followed by the raw sun dried corm (74.31t0.05 %) and the fresh leaves (69.00t0.26 %). The dried leaves had the lowest NFE value (61.04:0.20 %). The results also showed that the leaves were richer in iron, flavonoid and alkaloid than the corm. In the contrary, the corm contained higher levels of phytate than the leaves. The results of vitamin and mineral determinations showed that the cocoyam leaves contained higher levels of evaluated vitamins (vit. A, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin and vit. C) than the corm. Besides, the leaves contained higher levels of magnesium, copper, potassium and iron than the corm, while the reverse is true for calcium, zinc, sodium and manganese. The statistical analyses for proximate composition between the fresh and dried leaves were significant (P<0.05) for CP, CF, ether extract, total ash and NFE. The analyses for these same fractions were not significant (P>0.05) between the raw sun dried and boiled sun dried corms. The analyses for mineral composition between the fresh and dry leaves, and between the raw sun dried and boiled sun dried corms were significantly (P<0.05) different for Cu, Mg, K, Na and Fe, but not for Zn, Ca and Mn. The analyses for vitamin composition between the fresh and dry leaves, and between the raw sun dried and boiled sun dried corms were significantly (P<0.05) different for riboflavin and vit. C, but not for niacin, thiamin and vit. A. The results of this study are indicative that the leaves and corm of swamp taro cocoyam are promising feed resources for livestock. It is therefore recommended that greater emphasis be placed on the production of swamp taro cocoyam because of its numerous benefits
Encephalopathie de Gayet-Wernicke : A propos de 2 cas au Togo et revue de la literature : Gayet-Wernicke's encephalopathy: About 2 cases in Togo and literature review
No full textNous rapportons l’observation de 2 patients, tous de sexe masculin respectivement âgés de 50 ans et 39 ans, éthyliques chroniques connus qui ont présenté un tableau typique d’encéphalopathie de Gayet-Wernicke. Le premier a eu un retard diagnostic et une aggravation clinique à la suite d’une administration initiale de solutés glucosés hypertoniques. Le second a pu bénéficier d’une IRM encéphalique durant son suivi et qui a permis de retrouver des signes radiologiques en faveur de l’encéphalopathie de Gayet-Wernicke. Ces observations rappellent non seulement l’utilité de l’IRM dans le diagnostic de cette affection mais aussi de toujours penser à une vitaminothérapie B1 initiale avant apport de solutés glucosés chez tout patient suspecté de complications d’éthylisme quel qu’en soit le type.
We report the observation of 2 patients, all males, respectively aged 50 and 39 years, known chronic alcoholics who presented a typical picture of Gayet-Wernicke encephalopathy. The first one had a delayed diagnosis and clinical worsening following the initial administration of hypertonic glucosic solutions. The second one had a brain MRI during his follow-up which allowed to find radiological signs in favor of Gayet-Wernicke encephalopathy. These observations are a reminder not only of the usefulness of MRI in the diagnosis of this condition, but also to always think of an initial B1 vitamin therapy before the administration of glucose solutions in any patient suspected of complications of ethylism of any type
Dependence on Forest Resources, and Community Perception of Existing Management Strategies of Akure-Ofosu, Oluwa, and Akure Forest Reserves in Southwest Nigeria
Get PDFA good understanding of community use and perception of existing forest conservation and management practices plays a significant role in achieving conservation objectives. This study investigated the level of dependence on forest resources, and community perception of existing management strategies in Akure-Ofosu, Oluwa, and Akure forest reserves in southwest Nigeria using appropriate standard methods. A semi-structured questionnaire and key informant interviews were used to engage a total of 150 households and three community heads within 5 km of the forest reserves, including Ala-Elefosan, Onipetesi, and Aponmu communities respectively, for data collection. Data obtained revealed that majority (72, 94, and 76%) of respondents in Ala-Elefosan, Onipetesi, and Aponmu respectively, depend on the forestland for crop farming, which could account for the alarming rate of decline in forestlands. A large number of the respondents across the study areas also reported that existing conservation strategies are reinforcing household poverty as they are not able to farm freely within the reserve. The study further gave credence to the high dependence on the forest reserves to meet the basic needs and subsistence of forest communities and concluded that current management measures hold the possibility for conflicts and illegal activities in the region. It is therefore suggested that an integrated approach that engages the forest communities in the decision-making processes through inclusive governance, and measures that can address the mutual exclusivity between livelihoods and conservation should be put in place
Production of Biolubricants from Balanites aegyptiaca Seed Oil via Epoxidation and Double Transesterification Techniques
Get PDFIn this study, Balanites aegyptiaca seed oil was extracted from the ground seed using the Soxhlet extraction method with n-hexane as the extraction solvent to produce two biolubricants; one via epoxidation to produce Balanites aegyptiaca Lubricant (BAB-E) and the other via transesterification with trimethylolpropane to produce Balanites aegyptiaca Lubricant (BAB-T). Both biolubricants were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry. The physicochemical properties, lubricity and thermal properties of the produced biolubricants were determined. Results showed that the biolubricants had wavelengths of 3008.0 cm-1 associated with C-H stretching, 2922.8 cm-1 to -OH (acid), 1740.7 cm-1 to C=O, 1488.8 cm-1 to C=C stretching, 1364.2 cm-1 to NO2, 1237.6 cm-1 to C-O, 1159.2 cm-1 to C-C and 723.1 cm-1 to C-H bending. BAB-T had viscosities of 58.29 and 10.36 cSt at 40 and 100 OC respectively while those of BAB-E were 54.37 and 9.56 cSt. They had viscosity index of 168 and 161, and pour points of -9 and -8 respectively. These values were observed to be within acceptable range. BAB-T had coefficient of friction of 0.094 ± 0.014 while that of BAB-E was 0.080 ± 0.010 respectively. The biolubricants were observed to have thermal stability and showed properties similar to those of lubricants and show remarkable potentials to be used as alternatives to fossil-based lubricants