19 research outputs found
The Potential of Soil Properties in the Stability of Buildings a Case Study of Collapsed Building in Kwang Jos, Nigeria
No full textAbstract: The investigation of soil properties is vital in determining causes of building collapse in Nigeria today, but most times the geotechnical tests and analysis are neglected and site engineers are held responsible for the collapse. This paper seeks to investigate the soil properties of a collapse building site in order to emphasize the need for a geo-technical investigation as a vital tool in the built environment. Investigation of soil properties which includes sieve analysis, moisture content, specific gravity, Atterberg limits and shear strength were conducted on samples collected from the site. Two foundation bases were exposed (Base and Trial pits). Disturbed and undisturbed samples labeled Sample 1/1, Sample 2/1 and Sample 2/2 and recorded as Base 1, Trial pit 3 and Trial pit respectively were collected at the foundation depths of the exposed foundations by driving the sampler at various depths of 0.8m, 0.8m and 0.5m and tested. The soil’s silty nature and low bearing capacity of 36.37KN/m2 as the investigation revealed was a major cause of the collapse and that the building collapse site was a made-up ground. There was no geo-technical investigation prior to the building construction. Other causes such as the used of sub-standard materials, poor construction quality, quackery and supervision boils down to the lack of soil investigation which has caused the building foundation to fail and has resulted to the collapse of the building.
Keywords: Building Collapse, Foundation, Atterberg Limit, Bearing Capacity.
Title: The Potential of Soil Properties in the Stability of Buildings a Case Study of Collapsed Building in Kwang Jos, Nigeria
Author: Ephraim Haruna Maude, Aliyuda Yohanna Adamu, Mbimda Ali Mbishida, Timothy Danjuma
International Journal of Novel Research in Civil Structural and Earth Sciences
ISSN 2394-7357
Vol. 9, Issue 2, May 2022 - August 2022
Page No: 1-7
Novelty Journals
Website: www.noveltyjournals.com
Published Date: 13-May-2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6545486
Paper Download Link (source):
https://www.noveltyjournals.com/upload/paper/The%20Potential%20of%20Soil%20Properties-13052022-1.pdfInternational Journal of Novel Research in Civil Structural and Earth Sciences, ISSN 2394-7357, Novelty Journals, Website: www.noveltyjournals.co
When Empathy Is Not Enough: a Reflection On the Self-Experience of Black Boys in Public Spaces
No full textThis project explores the self-experiences of Black boys in public spaces, primarily in Chicago. Given the plethora of negative media attention placed on violence in the city and on violent encounters with law enforcement, this project asks how Black boys can experience themselves in a life-giving way when so many negative images and stereotypes denigrate their humanity. The author introduces the concepts of group-level racial delusion and demonic transference. The former term suggests a psychological split occurring at the societal level that historically has allowed emotional and physical violence to be disproportionately and callously inflicted on Black boys in public spaces, which society has internalized as normative while simultaneously extolling democratic and Christian values central to Western identity formation. The latter term suggests the interpersonal or group transference that occurs just prior to the infliction of emotional or physical harm on Black boys—a transference that is propped up by abject images and stereotypes of Black males. The article concludes first with reflections on a qualitative interview conducted with two groups of Black boys in Chicago pertaining to their self-experiences in public spaces and then with thoughts on future work
Media ethics and the case of ethnicity : a contextual analysis in Plateau state, Nigeria
No full textEthnic-based conflicts have continued to dot the global landscape. African countries and Nigeria, in particular, have been embroiled in these tidal waves of violent conflicts with cataclysmic consequences. Media Ethics and the Case of Ethnicity: A Contextual Analysis in Plateau State, Nigeria is a critical investigation into the participation of the newspaper journalists in reporting this intractable violent episode in Plateau State, Nigeria. Through deliberate use of lexical, phrases, stereotypes, frames, propaganda and litotes, journalists intensified the conflict. In this easy-to-read book, the author provides guidelines for conflict journalists which includes human rights consciousness journalism as pre-emptive approach to preventing conflicts before they turn violent
Physical Planning Administrative Structures; Impacts and Implication for Urban Development & Its Management
No full textThis paper examines the physical planning administrative structures, impacts and implication for urban development and its management in Nigeria by identifying the various forms of administrative structures, examining how the identified administrative structures impact on the development and management of urban areas. The extensive literature reviews show-case four different and unique administrative structures; Weak Mayor-Council Structure, Strong Mayor-Council Structure, Commission System and the Council-Manager System. The purposive sampling technique was used to draw 4 planning authorities with different or similar administrative structures and how it has affected physical planning within the urban metropolis. The snowball, Purposive and Convenience sampling methods were employed for the Face-to-face interview and the documents that were reviewed on the 4 planning authorities. The thematic and content analyses were used to analyse the face-to-face interviews and over 70 archive documents. The results revealed that two of the planning authorities have the same administrative structures; The Commission System and the Council-Manager System administrative structures were reflective of the planning authorities. The impact of these structures revealed a high level of haphazard development around and about the entire metropolis, Nigeria and an implication of inadequacy of the administrative structures to control urban development and its management over the years. Based on the results obtained, recommendations were made for the academia, practitioners and policy makers
Novel biomarkers for potential risk stratification of drug induced liver injury (DILI): A narrative perspective on current trends
No full textBackground:Drug induced liver injury (DILI) is an increasing cause of acute liver injury especially with increasing need for pharmacotherapy of widening comorbidities amongst our ever-aging population. Uncertainty however remains regarding both acceptable and widely agreeable diagnostic algorithms as well a clear understanding of mechanistic insights that most accurately underpins it. In this review, we have explored the potential role of emerging novel markers of DILI and how they could possibly be integrated into clinical care of patients.Methods:We explored PUBMED and all other relevant databases for scientific studies that explored potential utility of novel biomarkers of DILI, and subsequently carried out a narrative synthesis of this data. As this is a narrative review with no recourse to patient identifiable information, no ethics committee's approval was sought or required.Results:Novel biomarkers such as microRNA-122 (miR-122) profiles, high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), and cytokeratin-18 (K-18), amongst others do have the potential for reducing diagnostic uncertainties associated with DILI.Conclusion:With the increasing validation of some of the novel liver biomarkers such as K-18, mir-122, HMGB-1, and GLDH, there is the potential for improvement in the diagnostic uncertainty commonly associated with cases of DILI. Copyright - 2019 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.Scopu
Assessment of the Compatibility of Abattoir and Residential Land Uses in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria
No full textThis paper assesses the compatibility of abattoir and residential land uses in Jos metropolis, Nigeria by examining the spatial locations of abattoirs, and determining and examining the level of compliance of the abattoirs with the requirements for their establishment. The targeted households considered reside between 1 and 200 meters away from the abattoirs. A systematic sampling technique was employed to select 220 respondents from an estimated 2200 household heads to form the sampled population. The instruments of data collection were questionnaires, satellite images, ArcGIS, physical observation, GPS device and camera. The Data collected were both qualitative and quantitative. Data were analysed using multiple analytical methods and presented in figure and plates. The study revealed that, major abattoirs (Giring and Bukuru) existed on site before residential buildings swamped the areas. Gyel and Yanshanu abattoirs sprang up immediately after the Jos civil unrest in residential areas despite their incompatibility. The results revealed that all the all the Abattoirs did not follow the standard for siting as they were located within residential areas. Twenty-seven (27%) of the houses are (200m) away with 44% of the residents having spent more than 16 years in the neighborhoods; 85% experienced disturbing smell in their environment as the predominant pollution is air pollution, this was attested by 46%. The fact that the abattoirs are located within residential neighborhoods shows clearly their incompatibility. Based on the results obtained, recommendations were made and a framework developed for a specific spatial location and operation of abattoirs within permissible radius to provide information for policy makers, practitioners and the academia.
A New Form of Authoritarianism? Rethinking Military Politics in Post-1999 Nigeria
No full textDespite the vast research that has been done on the Nigerian military, virtually all of these studies have failed to critically examine the accepted role of the military in the democratising phase. This is important because the relationship between the political elite and the military in post-military authoritarian states guarantees either democratic consolidation, or its reversal. In Nigeria, despite an appearance of significant progress in subordinating the military institution to democratic civilian authority, the military remains a crucial political actor in the polity. It appears that the military has yet to accept the core democratic principles of civilian oversight of the institution. This thesis, therefore, explores whether a new form of military authoritarianism is emerging in Nigeria, with the aim of understanding Nigeria’s military behaviour in a transitional phase, from prolonged military authoritarianism to democratisation. To examine this military behaviour, Alfred Stepan’s concept of military prerogatives that was used to understand the military’s behaviour in a transitional phase in Latin America is applied to Nigeria.
A crucial understanding of authoritarianism in Nigeria is initially discussed in this study using mainly document analysis strategy to examine whether multi-ethnic states, such as Nigeria, tend to have authoritarian systems. Six hypotheses form the core analysis of this thesis: first, that the military has retained significant military prerogatives; second, that retired military officers are gaining influential political and economic positions; third, autonomous military involvement in human rights abuses since 1999; and fourth, that civilian government oversight remains weak, and facilitates military authoritarianism. These hypotheses are primarily analysed using the elite interview technique. During the first half of 2011, the author conducted field research where serving and retired military officers were interviewed. The fifth hypothesis is that the military has intervened in politics post-1999. The examination of this hypothesis relies primarily on key security-related media reports (mostly newspaper editorials) on the military after 1999. The examination of the final hypothesis, that increases in military expenditures might facilitate a new form of military authoritarianism, relies primarily on descriptive statistical analysis. In addition, this study collated relevant historical materials that relate to the military, utilising national archival collections.
The empirical findings of this research did not identify a new form of military authoritarianism in Nigeria. The study, however, argues that the unrestricted institutional framework accorded the military has contributed significantly to authoritarian practices in the post-military era in Nigeria. This study discovered that there were similarities between the Brazilian and Nigerian militaries in regard to their military spending during their period in power. Both countries had lower defence budgets. Just as in Brazil, it appears that part of the reason the Nigerian military decided to relinquish power in 1999 had to do with its desire to gain a higher budget, something that was precluded in a military government struggling to retain a sense of legitimacy. The military needed a higher budget to modernise and re-professionalise its institution after more than a decade in power. This feature, which the Nigerian military shares with the Brazilian military, appears to justify the application to Nigeria of Alfred Stepan’s concept of military prerogatives.
Chronic toxicity evaluation of ethanolic stem bark extract of Randia (Xeromphis) nilotica Stapf. (Rubiaceae) in Wistar rats
No full textBackground: Randia nilotica is known in northern Nigeria as Gial-goti, but has also been reported to be widespread in Sudan and India. The plant is used traditionally for its ethno-medicinal claims in managing mental-illnesses, convulsion or epilepsy, jaundice, infertility, snake bites and other ailments. The leaf, root and stem bark of the plant had been scientifically validated for CNS depressant activity and the stembark is particularly used for CNS-related disorders. However, information related to the toxicity potential of the plant is not available. Objective: To investigate the effect of 90-days administration of ethanol stem-bark extract of the plant on some physiological-biomarkers and vital-organs’ histology. Methods: Oral median-lethal dose (LD50) estimated from acute-toxicity test and extract doses of 250, 500, 1000mg/kg for 3-groups of 20-rats each and normal-saline control group were used. The rats were euthanized on the 90th-day following daily oral treatments per-body-weight. Blood-samples in plain and anticoagulated (EDTA) sample-bottles for biochemical and haematological analyses were collected from each group and vital-organs isolated, weighed and kept in fixatives for histo-analyses. Result: The oral acute extract-administration up to 5000mg/kg caused no observable toxic-sign or mortality. PCV, Hb and RBC counts decreased significantly at 500 and 1000mg/kg, but only at 1000mg/kg for MCV, with no significant changes in other haematological-indices. Significant increase in blood-urea-nitrogen at all test-doses and in high-density lipoprotein at 250mg/kg occurred. Brain-weight was significantly decreased and all organs histologically showed blood-vessels congestion and inflammatory-cells’ infiltration, in addition to dose-dependent neuronal-degeneration and cerebral-oedema in brain, lymphocytes’ depletion in spleen, necrositic-hepatocytes, myocardial-haemorrhage with oedematous-fragmentations and glomerular-atrophy, haemorrhage, tubular-necrosis, glomerular hypercellular-vacuolation and Bowman’s-capsule adhesion to parietal surface. Conclusion: Haematological, biochemical and histological analysis revealed evidence of chronic toxicity to various major organ systems. In addition to dose, duration of use also contributes to the toxic effects of the plant. Key-words: Randia-nilotica, stem-bark, ethanol extract, chronic-toxicity, rat
Evaluation of the anti-nociceptive profile of essential oil from Melissa officinalis L. (lemon balm) in acute and chronic pain models
No full textEthnopharmacological relevanceMelissa officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) is a medicinal plant native to Mediterranean regions and found in other parts of the world. Extracts and essential oil from this widely cultivated culinary medicinal herb are used in traditional medicine to manage a variety of disorders that include epilepsy and pain.Aim of the studyTo assess the anti-nociceptive potentials of Melissa officinalis essential oil (MO) and probe the involvement of adrenergic, opioidergic, serotonergic and potassium adenosine triphosphate (KATP) mechanisms in its anti-nociceptive effects.Material and methodsWe employed formalin-, acetic acid and hot plate-induced nociception to study the acute anti-nociceptive effects of MO. The sciatic nerve injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain was utilized to study the anti-nociceptive effects of MO on chronic pain. Effects of MO on anxiety, cognitive deficits, oxidative stress and inflammation in the CCI rats were evaluated on elevated plus maze, open field test, novel object recognition, oxidative stress parameters and pro-inflammatory cytokines, respectively. The possible mechanism(s) of MO's anti-nociceptive effects were elucidated using prazosin, yohimbine, propranolol, glibenclimide, naloxone and metergoline, which are acknowledged antagonists for α1–, α2– and β–adrenergic, potassium adenosine triphosphate (KATP), opioidergic and serotonergic systems, respectively.ResultsMO significantly attenuated acetic acid- and formalin-induced nociception; prolonged the mean reaction time of rats on hot plate before and following sciatic nerve chronic injury (CCI). MO ameliorated anxiety, cognitive deficits and oxidative stress, reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and produced a near total restoration of injured sciatic nerves in CCI rats. Naloxone, metergoline and glibenclimide significantly blocked, while prazosin, yohimbine and popranolol failed to block the anti-nociceptive effects of MO in formalin-induced nociception.ConclusionsMO contains biologically active compounds with potential anti-nociceptive properties that modulate KATP, opioidergic and serotonergic pathways. These support the development of bioactive compounds from MO as anti-nociceptive agents
Serological evidence of camel exposure to peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) in Nigeria
No full textPeste des petits ruminants (PPR), a viral disease of sheep and goats, is endemic in Nigeria. There are reports indicating the involvement of peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV), the causative agent of PPR, in a camel respiratory syndrome in Africa. Considering that camels share the same grazing land and drinking points with other ruminants, this study was undertaken to determine the seroprevalence and extent of PPRV antibodies in Nigerian camels. A total of 1517 camel sera samples were collected from four states (Borno, Kano, Kastina and Sokoto). The seroprevalence was determined by the H-protein-based competitive ELISA. The overall prevalence was 3.36% (51/1517, 95% confidence interval of 2.51-4.39%). There was no significant differences in prevalence between states (p = 0.8921) and between male and female camels (p = 0.7424). The prevalence differed significantly (p < 0.00001) by body condition score; camels with poor body condition score has higher (16.67%) antibody seroprevalence to PPR compared to those with fair and good body condition score. There was a statistically significant difference between camels aged ≤ 5 years and those >5 years (p = 0.0042). These results show occasional transient PPRV infection of camels in Nigeria, and there is the need to include camels among species to be studied in elucidating the epidemiology of the disease in sheep and goats.</p
