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Effect of Fine Fractions on Engineering Properties of Sandy Soils in Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia
No full textThe current study examines the effect of fine content (passing a 75µm sieve) on the engineering properties of sandy soil. Sand samples were collected from the Kulfo riverside(site one), Hamasa(site two), Mirab Abaya(site three), and the sand samples were derived in laboratory as medium sand and fine sand by sieving them through a 2mm - 0.425mm and 0.425mm – 0.075mm sieve sizes respectively and fine fractions of the samples through a 75 m sieve. Laboratory tests were conducted by varying the proportions of the sand and fine fractions to form reconstituted sandy soil samples with fine contents of 0%, 5%, 12%, 20%, and 30% by weight. Direct shear, permeability, consolidation, compaction, CBR, and plasticity tests were performed on the formed reconstituted samples to determine their engineering properties. The plasticity of the reconstituted sandy soil for both medium and fine sand from 0% to 12% fine content was zero (non-plastic) for all sites, and that plasticity starts at 20% and increases up to 30% fine content. The average plasticity index for medium and fine sand is 5.88% and 8.46% respectively, as fine content increases. As the fine fraction increases, the average MDD for medium and fine sand increases from 1.79g/cm3 to 1.95g/cm3 and the OMC climbs from 10.64% to 13.9%. The increase in fine fractions owing to particle interlocking has a major impact on MDD. The average CBR value for medium sand decreases from 32.60% to 13.14% and fine sand decreases from 24.785 to 11.80% as fine content increases. The result showed that when the fines content grows, compression index rises to a 0.03368 of fine sand and 0.03059 of medium sand for site three linked with a fines content of 30 percent. The maximum permeability value for medium sand at site three was 2.18* cm/sec, while the values for medium sand and fine sand at site three were 1.57 cm/sec and 7.22* cm/sec, respectively. The direct shear test results for medium sand from Site one range from 16.6° (for 0 percent fines) to 0° (For 100 percent fines). The results for sample fine sand range from 10.4° (for 0 percent particles) to 0° (for 100 percent fines). The fine fraction of sandy soil affects the CBR, Permeability, Shear Strength, Plasticity, Compressibility, and MDD values of sandy soils, according to the study.
Keywords:- CBR, Fine Fraction Content, Maximum Dry Density (MDD), Optimum Moisture Content(OMC), Reconstituted Sandy Soil
Assessment of Dairy Cattle Breeding Practices and Reproduction Performances in Derashe District, Southern Ethiopia
Get PDFThis study was conducted in Derashe District, Southern Ethiopia with the aim of assessing the breeding practices and the reproductive performance of crossbred and local cows in the district. Field observations, key informant discussion and structured questionnaire were used to generate data. The district was stratified in to three agro-ecologies namely highland (2301-2622 m.a.s.l), mid-altitude (1501-2300 m.a.s.l) and lowland (below1500 m.a.s.l) with a total of 149 respondents. The number of respondents were determined by using probability proportional to size-sampling technique. The overall average cattle herd size in the study areas was 9.5 of local cows and crossbreds. However, the average cattle herd size of crossbred and local cows was 9.5 headsper household. Age at first services, age at first calving, days open, calving intervals and number of services per conception of HF in the mid-altitude were 19.85±1.101months, 28.519±1.354 months, 141.111±6.435 days, 22.815±0.912 months and 1.781±0.102, respectively. Age at first services, age at first calving, days open, calving intervals and number of services per conception of Jersey crosses were 24.09±0.513 months, 33.09±0.5 month, 152.273±3.835 days, 24.455±0.312 months and 1.982±0.018, respectively. Age at first service, age at first calving, days open, calving intervals and number of services per conception rate of local cows were 39.414±0.552 months, 48.483±0.558 months, 170.624±0.882 days, 26.559±0.321 months and 2.009±0.005, respectively. The overall daily milk yield of HF crosses, Jersey crosses and local cows in the study areas was 8.344±0.576, 4.06±0.248, and 1.971±0.052 liters, respectively(P<0.05). The mean lactation length of HF crosses, Jersey crosses and local cows was 8.62±0.233, 7.51±0.552 and 7.40±0.076 months, respectively (P<0.05). Poor extension and shortage of AI services were the major problems in the study area. The opportunities for improving dairying are suitable climatic condition, road access, AI services and increased demand of dairy products by increasing human population. Generally, dairy cattleproduction in the study district was subsistent type of production. Except for mid-altitude dairy producers, the highland and lowland farmers did not focus on dairy production. The local Zebu, Boran and unknown breed types are dominant cattle population in highland and lowland areas of the district which were associated with low productivity. In order to alleviate these problems, farmers should be halped to have awareness to use AI services
The Assuan labeo or Labeo horei Heckel (Pisces: Cyprinidae) in Lake Chamo, Ethiopia: Reproductive biology and condition factor
Get PDFThe Labeo horei (Heckel, 1847), the Assuan labeo, is an ecologically and economically important fish of Lake Chamo; thus, reproductive biology and condition factors of the fish were investigated in order to provide information essential for appropriate stock exploitation and sustainable management. Fish specimens were collected monthly from sampling stations at Lake Chamo between July 2022 and January 2023. A total of 462 specimens were collected for analysis. The mean condition factor was 1.11, which indicates a good state of wellbeing in the habitat during the period of study. The overall male to female sex ratio (1: 0.83) did not deviate substantially from the anticipated value of 1:1 (x2 = 3.82, P < 0.01). The fecundity of L. horei ranged from 200,000 to 1000,000 eggs and was found in mature ovaries (mean 261,045.8 eggs). These results confirm the suitability of Lake Chamo for the survival of L. horei. There is, however, a need for a systematic closed fishing regime to be employed in order to make way for sustainable growth of L. horei fisheries in the lake Chamo as the fish candidate for future aquaculture development.
Keywords: Breeding season; Condition factor; Fecundity; Fishery; Labeo horei; Lake Cham
ይዘት ተኮር የቋንቋ ማስተማሪያ ዘዴ በአማርኛ ቋንቋ ትምህርት የ10ኛ ክፍል ተማሪዎችን አከራካሪ ድርሰት ከመጻፍ ክሂል አላባውያን ውስጥ ይዘትን እና የግለብቃት የመጻፍ ተነሳሽነት ላይ ያለው አስተዋፅዖ
Get PDFየጥናቱ ዋና ዓላማ ይዘት ተኮር የቋንቋ ማስተማሪያ ዘዴ በአከራካሪ ድርሰት ከመጻፍ ክሂል አለባውያን ውስጥ ይዘትን እና ከተነሳሽነት መገለጫ ከሆኑት ውስጥ የግለ ብቃት የመጻፍ ተነሳሽነትን ማጎልበት ላይ ያለው አስተዋፅዖንን መመርመር ነው፡፡ የጥናቱ ንድፍ ባለሁለት ቡድን ሙከራዊ ነው፡፡ የጥናቱ ተሳታፊዎች በአዲስ አበባ መስተዳድር በዳግማዊ ምኒልክ 2ኛ ደረጃ ትምህርት ቤት በ2014 ዓ.ም 10ኛ ክፍል ትምህርታቸውን በመከታተል ላይ ከነበሩ 609 /ስድስት መቶ ዘጠኝ/ ተማሪዎች መካከል በእድል ሰጪ ንሞና የተመረጡ የ10 ኛ - C ፣ የ10 ኛ- E እና የ10ኛ - H ክፍል ቡድኖችን ቅድመ የጽሁፍ ፈተና በመፈተን ተቀራራቢ ውጤት ያገኙትን የ10 ኛ - C እና የ10ኛ - E -ቡድኖች ለሙከራ እና ለቁጥጥር ቡድን ተሳታፊ እንዲሆኑ ተደርገዋል፡፡ ከእነሱም በፈተና፣ በጽሑፍ መጠይቅ እና በምልከታ አማካይነት የጥናቱ መረጃዎች ተሰብስበዋል፡፡ በቅድመፈተና እና በቅድመ የጽሁፍ መጠይቅ የተገኙ ውጤቶች በነጻ ናሙና ቲ- ቴስት (Independent samples t-test) ተተንትነዋል፡፡ በትንተናው የተገኙት ውጤቶች እንደ ሚያመለክቱት በቅድመ ፈተና እና በቅድመ የጽሑፍ መጠይቅ ተመጣጣኝ አማካይ ውጤቶች የተመዘገበባቸው ቡድኖች፣ በድኅረፈተና በመጻፍ ክሂል ውስጥ ካሉት አላባውያን ውስጥ ይዘት እና በድኅረ የጽሑፍ መጠይቅ ደግሞ ግለብቃትን የሙከራ ቡድኑ ተማሪዎች ከቁጥጥር ቡድኑ ተማሪዎች ጉልህ የሆነ ልዩነት አሳይተዋል (P= <0.05)፡፡ ከዚህም በመነሳት ይዘት ተኮር የቋንቋ ማስተማሪያ ዘዴ የተማሪዎችን በአከራካሪ ድርሰት የመጻፍ ክሂል አላባውያን ውስጥ ይዘትእና ከመጻፍ ተነሳሽነት ግለብቃትን ለማጎልበት ከተለመደው የማስተማር ዘዴ የበለጠ ውጤታማነት አለው ከሚል መደምደሚያ ላይ ተደርሷል፡፡ በጥናቱ ውጤት መሰረትም ይዘት ተኮር የቋንቋ ማስተማሪያ ዘዴ የተማሪዎችን በአከራካሪ ድርሰት የመጻፍ ክሂል አለባውያን ውስጥ ይዘት እና ከመጻፍ ተነሳሽነት ግለብቃትን ለማጎልበት ያለው ውጤታማነት ጠቃሚ መሆኑ በመፍትሄነት ተጠቁሟል፡፡
ቁልፍ ቃላት፣ ይዘት፣ አደረጃጀት፣ ተነሳሽነት፣ ግለብቃት፣የመጻፍ ክሂል ችሎታ ድርሰ
The The Effect of Corporate Governance on Financial Performance: Evidence from Commercial Banks in Ethiopia
No full textThe main objectives of this study to examine the effect of corporate governance on financial performance of commercial banks in Ethiopia during the period 2015-2020. The study was employed explanatory types research design. Return on asset (ROA) was used to a measurement of the financial performance of the banks. The study employed both primary and secondary source of data. Secondary data was obtained from audited financial statement of the bank during the period of 2015-2020 from National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE). And primary data was collected through self-administered questionaries that distribute to the board secretary of each bank. The target group of the studies were incorporate all (17) commercial bank operated in the country during the period of the study. The studies found that CEO tenure and recruitment of CEO internally were positive and significant effect on financial performance and board meeting frequency, legal reserve ratio and leverage have negative and significant effect on financial performance of the bank. While board size, board gender diversity and bank sizes have negative but insignificant effect on return on asset. On the other hand, depositor influence has positive and insignificant. Accordingly, the study concludes that Ethiopian commercial banks’ need to give a due attention on the meeting frequency of board director, hiring of CEO internally and CEO tenure to improve their financial performanc
Synthesis of Nano-Biocomposite for Light-Weight Structural Applications
Get PDFBiocomposite materials have brought additional possibilities to the manufacturing industry rather than synthetic materials. Biodegradable polymer materials such as Polylactide Acid (PLA) have attracted various industries for numerous applications due to their excellent properties such as tensile strength despite some weaknesses. However, their combination with varying weight percentages of Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) (0%, 3%, 6%, and 9%), Montmorillonite (MMT) nano clay (0%, 3%, 6%, and 9%) as reinforcing agents, and Sorbitol (S) (10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%) as plasticizers to enhance properties, fabricated at various temperatures (100°C, 125°C, 150°C, and 175°C) using the melt-mixing method, can be evaluated under different testing standards and optimized to achieve an optimal experimental setup. This study prepared 16 biocomposite samples through Taguchi’s Orthogonal Array experimental design. The optimal factor level combination was investigated for Flexural Strength (FS) at 3% MCC and 9% MTT fillers, and 20% S plasticizer and at 175-degree centigrade, 3%MCC, 9%MTT, 20%S and 175-degree centigrade, at these levels, FS (Flexural Strength) is 96.5 MPa, Flexural Modulus (FM) (6%MCC, 9%MTT, 20%S, and 175-degree centigrade), at these control factors FM is 9.8 GPa, Tensile Strength (TS) (9%MCC, 9%MTT, 10%S, and 175-degree centigrade), at these levels, TS is 85.2 MPa, Young´s Modulus (YM) (6%MCC, 9%MTT, 0%S, and 150-degree centigrade), at these experimental run YM is 4.22 GPa, Water Absorption (WA) (0% MCC, 0% MTT, 0% S and 150 degree centigrade), WA is 2.42% and Density (D) (9%MCC, 9%MTT, 30%S and 175 degree centigrade) at this experimental setup D is 0.0427g/mm3. A general multiple linear model was established for each result prediction. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) for the regression model shows the statistical significance of the regression model and the significance of the factors that affect each response. The addition of fillers and plasticizers significantly improves the properties of PLA material and the developed biocomposite material is expected to be utilized for lightweight load-carrying applications in structural and biomedical areas.
Keywords: Biocomposite, Micro Crystalline Cellulose, Montmorillonite, Polylactide Acid, Sorbitol, Multiple Linear Mode
GIS-based Land Suitability Analysis for Mung Bean Production in Arba Minch Zuria District, Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia: Land Suitability Analysis
No full textLand suitability analysis is of vital importance to maximize crop productivity of farming households. This study has aimed to investigate land suitability for mung bean production using the Analytical Hierarchic Process model. Four main criteria (soil, climate, land use land cover and topography), and 8 sub-criteria (slope, soil texture, soil depth, soil pH, soil cation exchange capacity, temperature, rainfall, and soil drainage) were selected to analyze land suitability. The sub-criteria were reclassified into 5 suitability levels: high, moderate, marginal, not suitable, and permanently not suitable. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), was used to determine the perceived weights that each criterion and sub-criteria carry. The land suitability for mung bean production during the October-November-December (OND) season showed by the final map was 32% (high), 26% (moderate), and 42% (marginal). 14%, 62%, and 24%, respectively were the suitability levels designated as high, moderate, and marginal during the January-February-March (JFM) season. Due to the prevalence of the climatic conditions, topography, spatially low lands, and fertile soil, the production of mung bean during the OND season was high. The major factors that impede higher land suitability during the JFM season include rainfall, soil, poor drainage, and slope. The production of mung bean is important in the agricultural sector for many benefits like human nutrition, local market, animal feed, export commodities, and soil fertility maintenance. So, stakeholders such as the district agricultural office, and governmental, and non-governmental actors should encourage farmers to produce more in conducive seasons and relieve food security shortfalls and livelihood problems in the entirety.
Keywords: Land suitability; Geographic Information System; Analytical Hierarchic Process; Mung bean  
A Secondary School Teachers’ Professional Commitment in Wolaita Zone, South Ethiopia Region: Secondary School Teachers’ Professional Commitment
No full textProfessional commitment refers to the emotional attachment and dedication individuals have towards their chosen profession. In the field of teaching, commitment is crucial for educators' focus and involvement. However, sometimes teachers may experience declining commitment over time. Therefore, a study was conducted to investigate the extent of teachers' professional commitment in selected secondary schools in the Wolayta Zone, South Ethiopia Region. The study focused on examining teachers' commitment to the teaching profession, students, colleagues, and the school. The study used a cross-sectional research design to collect primary data from randomly selected secondary school teachers using a lottery method. Researchers developed a questionnaire, which was tested, and a Cronbach alpha value of 0.78 was recorded. Researchers used quantitative data analysis, including measures like mean and standard deviation, as well as inferential statistical methods like one-way ANOVA. The study found that secondary school teachers in the Wolayta Zone demonstrated high dedication to their profession but had moderate commitment to students, colleagues, and the school as a whole. Commitment levels did not differ significantly across schools. The study identified salary, benefits, and recognition as the most influential factors affecting teachers' commitment. The study concluded that the highest level of professional commitment had not been achieved, likely due to these factors. Therefore, the study recommended recognizing and rewarding committed teachers to foster their commitment. The study also suggested addressing factors like recognition, opportunities, and benefits at the education bureau level.
Keywords: Colleagues, professional commitment, secondary school, students, teacher
Valency-Adjusting Constructions in Rayya Oromo: Causative and Middle
Get PDFRayya Afan Oromo is a scarcely studied variety of Oromo spoken in Northern Ethiopia. The objective of this study is describing valency-adjusting constructions that refer to either valency increasing or valency decreasing construction in the variety. To achieve this objective, causative construction and middle construction were selected purposively by convenient sampling technique. The study employed a descriptive qualitative research approach. Data for the study were obtained through field linguistics method which covered recording of communicative events and direct elicitation. The work discovered that morphologically derived causative verbs could come from a verb or a (verbalized-) noun and/or an adjective stem. Markers, -s- and -s(i) is- are used in interansitive verb roots/stems, whereas -s (i) is- is used in transitive verb roots/stems. In case of nouns and adjectives roots/stems, -s- is used. Additionaly, verbalized-noun roots/stems can be causativized by -siis-, whereas adjective roots/stems can be causativized by -e(e)ʃʃ-. Thus, the causativization results in increasing arguments by one or two to the basic structure and transform the arguments. In this case, the basic subject moves to the object position and the applied argument, that is, the causer argument becomes the subject of the derived causal structure. Concerning middle markers of the variety, -(a)at- is marking the middle in verb, noun and adjective roots/stems. However, -(a)aw- is also marking the middle in adjective roots/stems. And middle construction reduces the valency in the variety. In general, the Rayya Afan Oromo variety has markers of causative and middle constructions respectively for increase and decrease valencies in a nutshell.
Keywords: causative, middle, inchoative, auto benefactive and valenc
Proposing Difficulty and Discrimination Indices to Validate Teacher-Made Multiple-Choice Test Items: A Remedy to Variations Observed in Scholars’ Propositions
Get PDFThe purpose of this research article was to propose difficulty and discrimination indices as a remedy to variations observed in scholars’ indices and check the efficacy of the proposed indices by comparing them with other researchers’ indices. To achieve this, a multiple-choice vocabulary test was constructed and was given to 4th year medical student at AMU. Then, a comparative item analysis was done with the researcher’s proposed indices and with one of other researchers. The analysis revealed that the test had several items that needed to be discarded and replaced by other better items as most of these items had poor discrimination index. This was due to researcher’s choosing the most frequent words from Academic Word List. As the test-takers were familiar with these words, they could easily identify them. In addition, it was found out that there were a few items that needed some revisions. The problems with these items were associated with having many non-functional distractors which attracted none or few of the test-takers. Besides, the comparison showed that the researcher’s indices were better in some respects than that of the other researcher. Eventually, it was recommended that the area needed further studies.
Keywords: multiple-choice, item analysis, difficulty index, discrimination index, distractor efficiency, stem, and distractor