76 research outputs found
On the estimation of the black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapillus) territory density using geographic information systems technology, 1996
No full textThis study is based on a 1994 survey of the nesting and territory preferences of the black-capped vireo, a small migratory songbird, within Fort Hood, Texas. By Federal Government Order 51 FR 44808-44812 of 1987 (Tazik et al., 1992), these birds were declared an endangered species based on a series of studies by J. D. Cornelius in 1985 and 1986 (Tazik et al., 1993). In this study, it has been shown that the vireo nesting and territory preferences are not uniform across Fort Hood installation grounds, rather the preference is towards the north to northwest. The vegetation in this region consists of oak woodlands, with grassy undergrowth; the elevation is at most 260 meters above sea level; and the geology yields loose and chalky limestone. In addition, the territory intensity, ?ij(s), for each point s(x,y) in the ijth grid cell on the military installation, has been estimated. For each such grid cell, the probability of a successful territory is given by Geographic Information Systems (GIS) raster color maps of territory distribution of the vireo have been produced. These maps were overlaid on the slope, aspect, soils, elevation, vegetation, and military activities coverages. With the density estimate of nesting success and the GIS maps, territory position preferences were identified, thus, helping in the Land Management Plan for the preservation of the black-capped vireo on the Fort Hood Military Installation
Road transport accidents in Nigeria and the role of automotive active safety system
No full textAnalysis of road traffic accidents revealed that most accidents are as a result of drivers’ errors. Over the years, active safety systems (ASS) were devised in vehicle to reduce the high level of road accidents, caused by human errors, leading to death and injuries.This study however evaluated the impacts of ASS inclusions into vehicles in Nigeria road transportation network. The objectives was to measure how ASS contributed to making driving safer and enhanced transport safety. Road accident data were collected, for a period of eleven years, from Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Central Office of Statistics. Quantitative analysis of the retrospective accident was conducted by computing the proportion of yearly number of vehicles involved in road accident to the total number of vehicles for each year. Results of the analysis showed that the proportion of vehicles involved in road accidents decreased from 16 in 1996 to 0.89 in 2006, the injured persons reduced from 15.58 in 1998 to 0.3 in 2006 and the death rate diminished from 4.45 in 1998 to 0.1 in 2006. These represented 94.4%, 95% and 95% improvement respectively on road traffic safety. It can therefore be concluded that the inclusions of ASS into design of modern vehicles had improved road safety in Nigeria automotive industry
Experienced males recognise and avoid mating with non-virgin females in the western flower thrips
No full textThe western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a major insect pest on a wide range of crops throughout the world. There are several unexplained aspects of the mating behaviour, particularly in relation to male-male competition and mate choice. The objectives of the study were to test whether males can detect the mating status of females and whether males avoid mating with previously mated females. Experiments involved either ‘experienced’ adults taken from a laboratory culture, which had been exposed to high densities of thrips, or virgin adults reared individually. Experienced males mated readily with virgin females, but avoided mating with experienced females. Virgin males showed much less discrimination between females. Avoidance of mating with experienced females is likely to be widespread because it occurred in populations from both the United Kingdom and Kenya. Experienced males also mated with dead virgin females, but avoided mating with dead experienced females, which ruled out the possibility that behavioural differences between the females were responsible. To test whether males could detect whether or not females had mated, virgin females of the same age from the same cohort were either mated once or not mated. Experienced males mated with the dead females that were virgin and avoided mating with the dead females that differed only in that they had mated once shortly before. This showed that males recognise whether or not a female has mated and avoid mating with previously mated females. This avoidance by males suggests that mated females are not usually subjected to high levels of male harassment. The most likely explanation of the avoidance is that males produce an antiaphrodisiac pheromone that is applied to females during mating.</div
ENHANCING OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH IN CONSTRUCTION MANUAL HANDLING OF LOAD: TEAM-LIFTING POSSIBILITY AND IMPACTS
No full textManual Handling of Load (MHL) is common to many job titles in the construction industry. It is one risk factor for many reported workers’ ill-health and disabilities. This study evaluated the possibility and impacts of Team-work Practice (TwP) in MHL. Ten (10) building construction sites in South-Western Nigeria involving 125 workers in 6 job titles, were involved with special focus on concrete labourers(ConL) group. Structured questionnaire was used to measure the level and impacts of TwP. Measurement of task variables was carried out among ConL to determine performance of workers under One–person lifting (OpL) and Two-persons Team Lifting (TpTL) methods 
Review of Method Study Approach to Productivity Gain: A Multi-case Study of Portable Water Producing Factory
No full textThis study evaluated level of work-study approach (wsa) to productivity advancement in Southwest-Nigeria Portable Water Producing Factories (PWPF). Objectives were to, measure productivity trend (PT) and, evaluate managers’ recognition and contribution(s) of wsa to productivity growth. PT was measured from 4 years records provided by 50 employers in 50 PWPF. Questionnaires were used on the employers and 120 employees to measure adopted wsa and impacts with responses reported on the scale of 1 to 5. Data was analyzed using t-test statistical analysis. The best performed PWPF was rated 43.75%. Disloyalty, low remuneration, lack of trainings and unsafe workplace were the major factors reported to have influenced the PT. Machinery Utilization (MeU) maximization was the commonly adopted approach. The employers’ ratings of MeU statistically significantly lower (mean=3.6364, SEM= 0.06913) to that of employees (mean=3.7333 SEM=0.6645) t(169) =0.641, p=0.522. Human resources management (p=0.235) and workers’ performance evaluation (p=0.906) were also significant and rated above average. However, work-method, safe work-practices and work-demands reviews, which were key attributes of ergonomic techniques and workers-related factors (wrf), were not significant, rated below average. The author concluded that neglects of wrf in wsa, must have greatly contributed to the weak PT of the industry and should be properly addressed to enhance productivity growth. Keywords— ergonomic, industry, productivity, water, work-stud
The percentage of male-female pairs that exhibited each mating behaviour in the sequence of mating behaviours for live experienced males with either live virgin females or live experienced females in Kenya.
No full textThe percentage of male-female pairs that exhibited each mating behaviour in the sequence of mating behaviours for live experienced males with either live virgin females or live experienced females in Kenya.</p
Photographs of the mating behaviour of an experienced male with a virgin female.
No full textIn each photograph, the male is the smaller of the two. (A) Male antennating a female at first contact. (B) Male and female copulating, with the male antennating and stroking the female with a mid leg. (C) Male and female near the end of copulation in the V-shape position. (D) Male walking away at the end of copulation and pulling at the female abdomen until they separate. Scale bar = 500 μm.</p
The percentage of male-female pairs that exhibited each mating behaviour in the sequence of mating behaviours for live virgin males (experiment 1) or live experienced males (experiment 2) with either live virgin females or live experienced females in the UK.
No full textThe percentage of male-female pairs that exhibited each mating behaviour in the sequence of mating behaviours for live virgin males (experiment 1) or live experienced males (experiment 2) with either live virgin females or live experienced females in the UK.</p
Energy Supply and Climate Change in Nigeria
No full textThe energy industry has been identified as one of the sectors most vulnerable to the impact of climate change. In the past years, government had been making a lot of effort at reforming the energy sector and this study attempted to investigate the extent to which the energy sector will be affected in the face of the threats presented by a changing climate. The study seeks to examine the impact of climate change on energy supply in Nigeria for the period 1971-2011 using the vector error correction procedure. We adopted the Johansen and Juselius, and Engle-Granger co-integration analysis to determine the rank of the series long run co-integration. Also the error correction model was used to obtain the long-run estimates and the speed of error adjustment. We corroborate our findings by adopting the Wald exogeneity test to examine the direction of causal relationship between climate change and energy production. The study found a positive relationship between climate change and energy supply, as well as no evidence of causal relationship between climate change and energy supply. The study developed an interaction of climate change and measure of institutional quality, though less responsive to energy supply, but exhibits similar pattern with the actual climate change. Also, the indicators of power losses, technology and investment impacts a significant negative influence on energy supply, while GDP per capita and economy structure exerts though positive but the indicator of economic structure was statistically insignificant in explaining dynamism in energy supply. The findings from our empirical investigation puts caution on economic advisers and policy makers on the level of adherence to the Kyoto protocol in order not to jeopardize productivity activities and economic gains. Also,adaptation efforts should however follow careful scenario analysis with a strengthened institutional framework and injection of funds for technological improvement. This could be done in partnership with international organizations and the private sector Keywords: Climate Change, Energy Production, Co-integration, Error Correction Model, Causalit
The percentage of male-female pairs that exhibited each mating behaviour in the sequence of mating behaviours for live experienced males with either dead virgin females or dead experienced females.
No full textThe percentage of male-female pairs that exhibited each mating behaviour in the sequence of mating behaviours for live experienced males with either dead virgin females or dead experienced females.</p
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