Evaluation of water quality and potential scaling of corrosion in the water supply using water quality and stability indices: A case study of Juja water distribution network, Kenya.

Drinking water quality describes the conditions for water to be accepted as suitable for human consumption. The water quality index is characterized by including, in the assessment process, water quality parameters such as physical, chemical and micro-biological. The availability of adequate management strategies to maintain good quality water has always been a challenge for water utilities.

COVID-19, the environment and animal life in Malawi compared to other countries: A brief scooping review for a research agenda in the developing countries.

The impact of COVID-19 on the human population in Malawi has been documented. However, its impact on the animal population and the environment has not been thoroughly researched. Because of the well-known inter-relationship between human and animal populations and the environment, a study based on a brief scooping review of previous related studies, media and survey reports, was conducted.

A study on mechanical properties of rubberised concrete containing burnt clay powder.

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the mechanical performance of rubberised concrete containing Burnt Clay Powder (BCP). Waste Tire Rubber (WTR) and BCP were used to replace coarse aggregate and Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) respectively. Class 20, 25 and 30 concrete mixes based on British Research Environment (BRE) were cast and tested for compressive, split tensile and flexural strengths.

Parameter Estimation in Step Stress Partially Accelerated Life Testing under Different Types of Censored Data.

A long testing period is usually required for the life testing of high-reliability products or materials. It is possible to shorten the testing process by using ALTs (accelerated life tests). Due to the fact that ALTs test products in harsher settings than are typical use conditions, the life expectancy of the objects they evaluate is reduced.

Mechanisms of pre-attachment Striga resistance in sorghum through genome-wide association studies.

Witchweeds (Striga spp.) greatly limit production of Africa's most staple crops. These parasitic plants use strigolactones (SLs)-chemical germination stimulants, emitted from host's roots to germinate, and locate their hosts for invasion.

Controlled electric vehicle charging for reverse power flow correction in the distribution network with high photovoltaic penetration: case of an expanded IEEE 13 node test network.

Over the past years, the penetration of photovoltaic (PV) systems into the distribution network has experienced significant augmentation as the pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere keeps increasing while the prices of the solar components keep reducing. Despite the benefits PV systems bring to the distribution network, the high penetration of this technology into the distribution network could lead to reverse power flow (RPF) when the PV systems produce more than the local loads require. This RPF could result in the malfunctioning of protective devices and their coordination.

A novel approach for low mutual coupling and ultra-compact Two Port MIMO antenna development for UWB wireless application.

In this paper, a novel MIMO antenna operating in the UWB frequency band is presented. The proposed new antenna shape is derived from the conventional circular ring patch antenna having a partial ground plane. An array of three Quad-G Shaped Metamaterial structures was used between the antenna elements of the two-port MIMO antenna to expand the bandwidth in the lower frequency band of UWB application (below 5.

Development of Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Combined with Lateral Flow Dipstick Assay for a Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Cystic Echinococcosis in Livestock in Kenya.

Background: Cystic echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the metacestode stage of and occurs worldwide, causing considerable economic losses and public health problems. The currently available methods for the diagnosis of animal hydatidosis are time-consuming and require well-equipped laboratories which make them incompatible with testing in resource-poor settings. This study developed and evaluated a rapid, more sensitive, and specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with a lateral flow dipstick assay for the rapid and sensitive detection of cystic echinococcosis.

Multiobjective optimal power flow for static voltage stability margin improvement.

Worldwide, utilities are aiming to increase the stability of modern power systems during system disturbances. Optimizing generation scheduling can improve system security in contingency and stressed conditions while lowering losses and generation costs. An efficient operating strategy for maintaining power system stability is proposed in this work.

Application of large-scale grid-connected solar photovoltaic system for voltage stability improvement of weak national grids.

This paper investigates the application of large-scale solar photovoltaic (SPV) system for voltage stability improvement of weak national grids. Large-scale SPV integration has been investigated on the Nigerian power system to enhance voltage stability and as a viable alternative to the aged shunt reactors currently being used in the Nigerian national grid to mitigate overvoltage issues in Northern Nigeria. Two scenarios of increasing SPV penetration level (PL) are investigated in this work, namely, centralized large-scale SPV at the critical bus and dispersed large-scale SPV across the weak buses.

Response surface methodology-based optimisation of cost and compressive strength of rubberised concrete incorporating burnt clay brick powder.

Modified concrete is increasingly being produced by substituting concrete constituents with waste materials. Among waste materials are powder from waste clay bricks replacing Ordinary Portland Cement and Waste Tire Rubber (WTR) replacing natural coarse aggregate. However, the use of modified concrete is controlled by its cost-performance balance.

Ductility performance of reinforced rubberised concrete beams incorporating burnt clay powder.

Application of rubberised concrete in earthquake prone areas is of significant importance. Although investigations have been conducted to research on the ductility of rubberised concrete, the behaviour of rubberised concrete with Burnt Clay Brick Powder (BCBP) is not well understood. This paper captures the ductility behaviour of rubberised concrete containing BCBP.

Adsorption of lead, copper and zinc in a multi-metal aqueous solution by waste rubber tires for the design of single batch adsorber.

Heavy metal pollution has emerged as one of the most serious environmental challenges facing the world today. The removal of heavy metals from the effluent is of special environmental concern because of their toxicity and persistence in nature. This study presents the suitability of activated carbon from waste rubber tire as a low-cost adsorbent for multiple adsorption of copper, lead and zinc from wastewater.

Under voltage load shedding using hybrid ABC-PSO algorithm for voltage stability enhancement.

Voltage collapse tends to occur due to the voltage instability created during large faults. As a last resort, under-voltage load shedding (UVLS) is performed after all the available power operation and control mechanisms have been exhausted. Load shedding techniques have advanced from the conventional and adaptive methods that are less optimal compared to computational intelligence-based techniques.

Leaf Extract Silver Synthesized Nanoparticles Inhibit Dengue Type 2 Viral Replication In Vitro.

The current global occurrence of dengue infection annually is approximately 400 million, with a case fatality rate of 2.5%. However, there are no antiviral agents.

Bayesian Spatial Modeling of Anemia among Children under 5 Years in Guinea.

Anemia is a major public health problem in Africa, affecting an increasing number of children under five years. Guinea is one of the most affected countries. In 2018, the prevalence rate in Guinea was 75% for children under five years.

Annona muricata silver nanoparticles exhibit strong anticancer activities against cervical and prostate adenocarcinomas through regulation of CASP9 and the CXCL1/CXCR2 genes axis.

Background: Green synthesized nanoparticles have been earmarked for use in nanomedicine including for the development of better anticancer drugs.

Objective: The aim of this study was to undertake biochemical evaluation of anticancer activities of green synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from ethanolic extracts of fruits (AgNPs-F) and leaves (AgNPs-L) of Annona muricata.

Methods: Previously synthesized silver nanoparticles were used for the study.

Corrigendum to "Development and Evaluation of an Immuno-Capture Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay to Quantify the subsp. Capripneumoniae (Mccp) Protein in Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP) Vaccine".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2020/4236807.].

Application and control of flexible alternating current transmission system devices for voltage stability enhancement of renewable-integrated power grid: A comprehensive review.

This paper presents a comprehensive review on the application and control of Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems (FACTS) devices in order to improve voltage stability of power grid with high share of renewable energy systems. The rise in the development of renewable energy technologies is driven by the attempts to mitigate the effects of global warming. In addition, global energy demand continues to rise as new electricity-driven systems such as electric vehicles are being developed and as remote locations are being connected to the grid.

The fungus Leptosphaerulina persists in Anopheles gambiae and induces melanization.

Anopheles mosquitoes are colonized by diverse microorganisms that may impact on host biology and vectorial capacity. Eukaryotic symbionts such as fungi have been isolated from Anopheles, but whether they are stably associated with mosquitoes and transmitted transstadially across mosquito life stages or to subsequent generations remains largely unexplored. Here, we show that a Leptosphaerulina sp.

Plasma calprotectin as a biomarker of mortality at antiretroviral treatment initiation in advanced HIV - pilot study.

In advanced HIV, significant mortality occurs soon after starting antiretroviral treatment (ART) in low- and middle-incomes countries. Calprotectin is a biomarker of innate response to infection and inflammatory conditions. We examined the association between plasma calprotectin collected before ART treatment and mortality among individuals with advanced HIV.

Muturu cattle breed management in the smallholder farming area of the Ouémé district in the south of Benin: rearing practices, objectives, and constraints.

An exploratory survey was conducted to understand breeding practices and breeding objectives as well as the constraints as a first step towards developing breeding strategies for the conservation of Muturu cattle breed in Ouémé smallholder farming area of South Benin. Data were generated through randomly interviewing 100 selected Muturu cattle keepers in the municipalities of Adjarra, Adjohoun, Akpro-Missérété, and Bonou using an electronic animal genetic resource characterization, inventory, and monitoring tool. Results indicated that the Muturu cattle were mainly kept for their meat.

A microsporidian impairs Plasmodium falciparum transmission in Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes.

A possible malaria control approach involves the dissemination in mosquitoes of inherited symbiotic microbes to block Plasmodium transmission. However, in the Anopheles gambiae complex, the primary African vectors of malaria, there are limited reports of inherited symbionts that impair transmission. We show that a vertically transmitted microsporidian symbiont (Microsporidia MB) in the An.