31 research outputs found
Improved hydrological understanding of a semi-arid subtropical transboundary basin using multiple techniques – the Incomati River Basin
No full textThis study aims at improving the hydrological process understanding of the semi-arid and transboundary Incomati river basin to enable better water management. Comprehensive statistical and trend analysis of rainfall and streamflow were conducted, and the Indicators of Hydrological Alteration tool was deployed to describe the streamflow regime and trends over time. Land use and land cover change, particularly the conversion of natural vegetation into forest plantation, the expansion of irrigated agriculture and the flow regulation due to dam operation were identified as critical drivers of flow regime alteration. Hydrograph separation using long-term hydrochemical data at seasonal scale, and hydrochemical and isotope data at event scale were performed to quantify runoff components. A novel methodology to calibrate recursive digital filters using routinely collected water quality data was developed and tested in the catchment. This method allows for estimation of daily baseflow from readily available daily streamflow data. Dominant runoff generation zones were mapped using the Height Above Nearest Drainage approach. The hydrological model STREAM was then employed, informed by the runoff generation zones mapping and the process understanding gained in the catchment, as well as remote sensing data. The study provides the basis for better operational water management in the catchment.Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Board for Doctorates of Delft University of Technology and of the Academic Board of the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education.Water Resource
Physico-Chemical characteristics of shea butter(<i>Vitellaria paradoxa</i> C.F. Gaertn.) oil from the Shea district of Uganda
No full textShea oil is a vegetable oil obtained from the seeds of the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn.). It constitutes an important source of fat in food and cosmetics. Although shea oil can be marketed both locally and internationally, increasing demand worldwide for exportable products calls for their certification. Characterization of shea oil is one step towards developing its certification system. In this study, the physico-chemical characteristics of shea oil in different shea zones ofUganda were assessed. Samples of shea fruits were collected between the months of June-August 2007 in the districts of Pader, Lira, Katakwi and Arua representing Acholi, Lango, Teso, and West Nile shea zones, respectively. Seed oil was extracted by Soxhlet apparatus using n-hexane solvent and analysed for colour, refractive index, viscosity, oil content, acid value, peroxide value, saponification value, iodine value,ƒ¿-tocopherols and fatty acid profile. Shea oil content, colour, refractive index and viscosity ranged from 41-54%, orange to orange.yellow, 1.670-1.690 and 2.4-2.8 cP, respectively. Acid and peroxide values ranged between 2.3-12.59 mgKOH/kg and 2.10 to 2.50 meq/kg, respectively. Saponification, iodine and ƒ¿- tocopherols valueswere between 160 mgKOH/g and 192mgKOH/g, 39.21 I2g/100 and 41.37 I2g/100g and 26.3-44.4 mg/100g, respectively. Fatty acid profile for palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and arachidic fatty acids ranged between 6.52-8.12%, 28.65-30.94%, 55.54-57.63%, 6.18-7.79% and 0.65-0.90%, respectively. Although there was significant variation in the oil yield (P.0.05), the physico-chemical characteristic and fatty acid profile showed no significant variation in the shea zones of Uganda (P.0.05). The fact that physico- chemical characteristics of shea oil from the different shea zones of Uganda are comparable to other high value edible vegetable oils indicates its suitability as raw material for food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. This characterization is a bench mark for monitoring the quality of shea oil from Uganda and can be used to enhance its local and international trade
Proximate And Mineral Composition Of Shea ( Vitellaria Paradoxa C.F. Gaertn) Fruit Pulp In Uganda
No full textThe shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa,C.F.Gaertn) is an indigenous fruit
tree distributed in the shea parklands of Africa. The shea fruit is an
important source of food for rural communities especially at time of
food shortages, hunger and other disasters in addition to providing
enormous health benefit and income. Because of its role in combating
food insecurity and sustaining rural livelihoods, an assessment of the
nutritional composition of shea fruit pulp was carried out in Uganda.
Samples of shea fruits were collected from Katakwi, Lira, Pader and
Arua districts in Teso, Lango, Acholi and West Nile sub regions in
Uganda, respectively, between April and August 2007. For each district,
a composite shea fruit sample was analysed for moisture content, total
ash, crude oil, crude fibre, crude protein, vitamin C, carbohydrates
and calorific values. The mineral composition was analysed for calcium,
sodium, potassium, magnesium and iron. The total ash, crude oil, crude
fibre, crude protein, total carbohydrate, vitamin C and caloric values
ranged between 3.6-5.9%, 1.5-3.5%, 10-15%, 3.1-4.2%, 12.4-19.4%,
85.6-124.9mg/100g and 77.6-89.2 Kcal/100g, respectively (dry weight
basis). Ca, K, Mg, Na and Fe values in the pulp ranged from 35.2-95.6
mg/100g, 42.0-63.6 mg/100g, 18.1-24.2mg/100g, 7.1-18.1mg/100gm and
3.4-3.8 mg/100g, respectively. There was a significant variation
(P≤0.05) in the crude proteins, crude fibre, Vitamin C values and
mineral compositions of the shea fruit pulp from the different shea
sub-regions in Uganda. These variations could be due to differences in
prevailing environmental factors. The results show clearly that shea
fruit pulp has adequate nutrients equivalent to other edible fruits and
should be promoted in human nutrition. Its Na/K ratio (0.14-0.35) also
makes the shea fruit a valuable resource for managing high blood
pressure; an emerging non-communicable disease in most developing
countries. To promote wide consumption of shea fruits, the influence of
environmental factors and season of harvest on its nutritional
composition needs to be investigated
Multinationals or cooperatives: does it matter to farmers? A case study of the Indian dairy sector.
No full textProduction of high quality soybean oil and meal: Studies on extraction methods, processing steps, deep-fat frying and optimization of extrusion aided screw pressing
No full textThe objectives of this research were to evaluate the effects of extraction methods, processing steps, frying time and optimization of extrusion aided screw pressing on the quality of soybean oil and meal. The Crude soybean oil was obtained by commercial hexane solvent extraction (SE), or extrusion aided screw pressing (EASP) or by low temperature screw pressing (SP) methods. Five gallons of each of degummed, refined, bleached, non-deodorized hydrogenated and deodorized hydrogenated oils were prepared and characterized. The five processed oils were tested for stability against frying times. Optimization of extrusion aided screw press processing variables were performed by the application of Response Surface Methods using Design-Expert software package. The crude soybean oil produced by EASP and SP did not show any significant differences in physical and chemical characteristics compared to the crude oil extracted by SE method. All processing steps did not exert the same effect on all quality parameters, but reduced or increased other parameters. The stability of degummed, refined, bleached, and hydrogenated oils did not only depend on the frying time, but also on the nature of processing. Degummed oil was shown to be more stable than refined or bleached oils but less stable than hydrogenated oils. Two prediction models were produced and a combination of 135 2\sp\circC temperature, 8.35 1.5% moisture and 10-p-10-8-8 steam lock were found to give the optimum oil yield of 78 2% of commercial grade, and good quality meal with PDI of 24%, 45% protein and a TI value as low as 2%.Made available in DSpace on 2011-05-07T12:29:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2
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Bone-Deep Engagement: Black Methodological Intonations and Ethical Response-Making to Black Living
No full textWhat constitutes an ethical analytical response to Black living? This manuscript thinks with theories of Blackness to explicate how the question of the human, specifically, what it means to be human, interrupts traditional methodological discourse, and requires a critical form of labor to account for the breadth and depth of Black liveliness and living. Diverging from traditional distance-oriented research practices, the author puts forth “Black methodological intonations” as methodological praxes. Unlike conventional methods that prioritize detachment, this manuscript advocates for a transformative attunement that actively engages with and alongside Black liveliness. Grounded in the embodied and relational concept of hapticity, the manuscript outlines the theoretical framework of Black methodological intonations, emphasizing the necessity of transcending mere spectatorship in research on Black life. In conversation with Arthur Jafa’s film, “Love is the Message, the Message is Death” (2016), the manuscript employs haptic reflexivity to consider profound listening, viewing, and feeling experiences in connection with the Black quotidian. Jafa’s film serves as a compelling example of reshaping the white gaze’s racialized power dynamics. The analysis of the film through the lens of hapticity yields valuable insights, culminating in essential considerations for Black methodological intonations as methodological response-making. Key themes include attunement, impressions, slowness, and emanation, contributing to a nuanced understanding of methodological practices that engage with the precarity of Black liveliness and living
The multitasking framework: the effects of increasing workload on acute psychobiological stress reactivity
No full textA variety of techniques exist for eliciting acute psychological stress in the laboratory; however, they vary in terms of their ease of use, reliability to elicit consistent responses and the extent to which they represent the stressors encountered in everyday life. There is, therefore, a need to develop simple laboratory techniques that reliably elicit psychobiological stress reactivity that are representative of the types of stressors encountered in everyday life. The multitasking framework is a performance-based, cognitively demanding stressor, representative of environments where individuals are required to attend and respond to several different stimuli simultaneously with varying levels of workload. Psychological (mood and perceived workload) and physiological (heart rate and blood pressure) stress reactivity was observed in response to a 15-min period of multitasking at different levels of workload intensity in a sample of 20 healthy participants. Multitasking stress elicited increases in heart rate and blood pressure, and increased workload intensity elicited dose–response increases in levels of perceived workload and mood. As individuals rarely attend to single tasks in real life, the multitasking framework provides an alternative technique for modelling acute stress and workload in the laboratory
Impact of Funeral Rites Disruptions on Family Members' Grief and Bereavement during Covid 19 among the Luo Community in Kenya
No full textFuneral ceremonies form fundamental component of religious mourning rites among diverse cultures which is considered to offer social and psychological support to the bereaved. Funerals also afford mourners an opportunity to convey love and respect for the deceased. Therefore, being unable to participate in funeral rituals and ceremonies might have a detrimental effect on the bereaved by affecting their ability to cope with and process their grief. Beginning February 2020, the Government of Kenya, in response to safety protocols for controlling the spread of the deadly Covid 19, issued restrictions on funeral rituals. All gatherings of more than 10 people were prohibited, burial of the dead was to be done within 24 hours after occurrence of the death, and everybody was to disperse immediately after the burial. This disrupted funeral rites of different cultural groups to a greater extent. This qualitative study explored the impacts of funeral rites practices disruptions on family members’ grief and bereavement during Covid 19 among Luo community in Kenya. It specifically focused on impact of restriction on involvement in funeral planning, restrictions on funeral attendance, and restrictions on post death rituals on family members’ grief and bereavement. The author interviewed 20 family members of hospitalized patients who died between May 2020 and May 2021 from October 2021 to February 2022. Involvement in planning a funeral had a mixed outcome on grief adjustment, while attendance of funeral had a high and significant outcome on grief and bereavement. Additionally, post funeral rituals were generally viewed positively for easing grief and perceived as reinforcing bonds with the deceased. It is concluded that funeral rites can be significant component in easing grief even during Covid 19, and the restrictions devasted the grieving processes of the bereaved persons to a significant extent. It is recommended that societies should embrace technology such as virtual ceremonies to help in coping with unprecedented disruptions caused by calamities such as Covid 19 pandemic. Further research should be done on how Covid 19 restrictions disrupted funeral-related commercial activities such as outside catering services, hiring professional mourners, hearse services and regalia branding among others
Improved process representation in the simulation of the hydrology of a meso-scale semi-arid catchment
No full textThe variability of rainfall and climate, combined with land use and land cover changes, and variation in geology and soils makes it a difficult task to accurately describe the key hydrological processes in a catchment. With the aim to better understand the key hydrological processes and runoff generation mechanisms in the semi-arid meso-scale Kaap catchment in South Africa, a hydrological model was developed using the open source STREAM model. Dominant runoff processes were mapped using a simplified Height Above the Nearest Drainage approach combined with geology. The Prediction in Ungauged Basins (PUB) framework of runoff signatures was used to analyse the model results. Results show that in the headwater sub-catchments of Noordkaap and Suidkaap, plateaus dominate, associated with slow flow processes. Therefore, these catchments have high baseflow components and are likely the main recharge zone for regional groundwater in the Kaap. In the Queens sub-catchment, hillslopes associated with intermediate and fast flow processes dominate. However, this catchment still has a strong baseflow component, but it seems to be more impacted by evaporation depletion, due to different soils and geology, especially in drier years. At the Kaap outlet, the model indicates that hillslopes are important, with intermediate and fast flow processes dominating and most runoff being generated through direct runoff and shallow groundwater components, particularly in wetter months and years. There is a high impact of water abstractions and evaporation during the dry season, affecting low flows in the catchment. Results also indicate that the root zone storage and the parameters of effective rainfall separation (between unsaturated and saturated zone), quickflow coefficient and capillary rise, were very sensitive in the model. The inclusion of capillary rise (feedback from the saturated to unsaturated zone) greatly improved the simulation results.Water Resource
A novel approach to estimate direct and indirect water withdrawals from satellite measurements: A case study from the Incomati basin
No full textThe Incomati basin encompasses parts of South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique, and is a water stressed basin. Equitable allocation of water is crucial to sustain livelihoods and agro-ecosystems, and to sustain international agreements. As compliance monitoring of water distribution by flow meters is laborious, expensive and only partially feasible, a novel approach has been developed to estimate water withdrawals using satellite measurements. Direct withdrawals include pumping from rivers, impoundments and groundwater, for irrigation and other human uses. Indirect withdrawals include evaporation processes from groundwater storage, unconfined shallow aquifers, seepage zones, lakes and reservoirs, and inundations, in addition to evaporation from pristine land surface conditions. Indirect withdrawals intercept lateral flow of water and reduce downstream flow. An innovative approach has been developed that employs three main spatial data layers inferred from satellite measurements: land use, rainfall, and evaporation. The evaporation/rainfall ratio was computed for all natural land use classes and used to distinguish between evaporation from rainfall and incremental evaporation caused by water withdrawals. The remote sensing measurements were validated against measured evaporative flux, stream flow pumping volume, and stream flow reductions. Afforested areas in the whole basin was responsible for an indirect withdrawal of 1241 Mm3/yr during an average rainfall year while the tripartite agreement among the riparian countries specifies a permitted total withdrawal of 546 Mm3/yr. However, the irrigation sector is responsible for direct withdrawals of 555 Mm3/yr only while their allocated share is 1327 Mm3/yr – the long term total withdrawals are thus in line with the tripartite agreement. South Africa withdraws 1504 Mm3/yr while their share is 1261 Mm3/yr. The unmetered stream flow reduction from the afforested areas in South Africa represents the big uncertainty factor. The methodology described using remotely sensed measurements to estimate direct and indirect withdrawals has the potential to be applied more widely to water stressed basins having limited availability of field data.Geoscience & EngineeringCivil Engineering and Geoscience
