Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology

Integration of Battery Aging into the Energy Management of Hybrid Vehicles

2026-09-03T07:56:24+00:00

Hybrid electric vehicles use coordinated thermal and electrical power sources to reduce fuel consumption, but battery ageing progressively limits the electrical contribution to propulsion. This study integrates battery ageing into the energy management of a parallel hybrid electric vehicle controlled by an equivalent consumption minimisation strategy (ECMS). The strategy prioritises the battery as the principal power source and updates the equivalence factor using battery state-of-charge feedback. Battery ageing is represented through changes in capacity, internal resistance, and state of health, and its effect on energy management is evaluated through MATLAB/Simulink simulations. Two driving profiles are considered: the FTP-75 cycle and a class cycle derived from a set of driving cycles. For the FTP-75 cycle, the reported test duration and fuel economy are 2,500 s and 60%, respectively, with a new battery, compared with 400 s and 37% with an aged battery. For the class cycle, the corresponding values are 1,100 s and 43% for a new battery and 400 s and 19% for an aged battery. The simulations indicate that battery ageing reduces the duration of effective electric operation and increases reliance on the internal combustion engine as available electrical energy declines. Accordingly, incorporating battery ageing into ECMS-based energy management is necessary when evaluating fuel economy and electric-driving capability over the battery life cycle.

Hybrid AHP and Artificial Neural Networks for Multi-Criteria Modeling of Senegal’s Energy Transition Pathways toward 2040

2026-09-05T13:58:01+00:00

Senegal’s energy transition requires balancing cost, system resilience, environmental performance, employment, energy independence, and resource availability. This study develops a hybrid Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)–artificial neural network (ANN) framework to assess four transition pathways towards 2040: Ambitious Renewable Transition (TAR), Gas–Renewables Mix (MGRE), Domestic Gas Dominance (DGDM), and Slow Transition (TL). AHP is first used to structure the six decision criteria and establish the 2035 baseline ranking. Because the available AHP dataset is limited, perturbation-based oversampling is applied to generate 1,000 synthetic samples for ANN training. The ANN uses six input neurons, two hidden layers with 12 and 6 neurons, respectively, and one output neuron. The dataset is divided into 80% training and 20% testing subsets, and sensitivity is examined using perturbation ranges of ±5%, ±10%, and ±15%. For 2035, MGRE records the highest score (0.78), followed by DGDM (0.72), TAR (0.65), and TL (0.50). Under the specified 2040 weighting assumptions, TAR rises to 0.82, while MGRE, DGDM, and TL decline to 0.70, 0.60, and 0.45, respectively. The results indicate that stronger emphasis on environmental impact and energy independence can shift the preferred pathway towards renewables. These projections should be interpreted as conditional scenario outcomes rather than deterministic forecasts.

Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis of Energy Transition Pathways in Senegal toward 2035 Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process

2026-09-07T07:37:49+00:00

Senegal’s energy system is undergoing a transition shaped by rising electricity demand, energy-security concerns, environmental objectives, and the growing role of domestic natural gas and renewable resources. This study applies the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to compare four energy-transition pathways towards 2035: an ambitious renewable transition, a balanced gas-and-renewables mix, domestic gas dominance, and a slow-transition pathway. Six criteria were considered: total discounted cost, power-system resilience and stability, environmental impact, job creation and local content, energy independence, and resource availability. Pairwise comparisons were undertaken by 11 students specialising in energy together with energy-sector experts, and consistency ratios were reported for the comparison matrices. The analysis demonstrates that the four pathways involve different trade-offs across economic, technical, environmental, social, and resource-related criteria. The criteria weights indicated that cost and resilience were the most influential factors (0.284 each), followed by environmental impact (0.158), employment (0.122), energy independence (0.089), and resource availability (0.063). Based on the final weighted scores, the balanced gas and renewables mix obtained the highest score (0.296), followed by domestic gas dominance (0.250), the ambitious renewable transition (0.242), and the slow transition pathway (0.212). These results indicate that no pathway performs uniformly best across all criteria. Within the study’s stated decision framework, the balanced pathway is presented as a compromise among affordability, system stability, environmental performance, employment considerations, energy independence, and resource availability. The findings illustrate the value of a structured multi-criteria framework for comparing alternative national energy-transition pathways while making the underlying decision criteria explicit.

Sparsity-Aware Movie Recommendation through Dynamic User Profiling and Ensemble Machine Learning

2026-09-07T13:21:28+00:00

Aim: This study aimed to improve movie recommendation accuracy under sparse rating conditions by developing an ensemble system that uses dynamically weighted user profiles to generate personalised recommendations.

Design: An experimental quantitative design was adopted. The ensemble recommendation system integrated Case Evaluation using K-means (CE-KM), Case Evaluation using Weighted Association Rule Mining (CE-WARM), and an Adaptive Naive Bayes Probabilistic technique (ADNB).

Methodology: The framework comprised three stages: dataset preprocessing and user-profile construction, pattern recognition from users’ movie histories, and the generation and ranking of candidate recommendations. Nine weighted profile attributes represented user interactions and content preferences. The component methods were examined in five experiments using different K values. Accuracy and F-measure were used for evaluation, and the predictions from the three methods were combined to produce the top-ranked movies for an active user.

Results: Within the reported experiments, CE-KM achieved its highest accuracy of 0.9323 at K = 70, followed by ADNB which achieved 0.8197 at K = 80 then, CE-WARM which achieved 0.7980 at K = 60. The methods generated different candidate lists, indicating that the profiling, association, and probabilistic components provided complementary outputs. The final ensemble ranking selected movies from the combined predictions.

Conclusion: The framework demonstrates a structured approach to combining dynamic user profiling with multiple machine-learning techniques. However, its comparative performance under controlled sparsity conditions requires further evaluation.

Impact of Skin Presence and Slice Thickness of Ripe Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum l.) on Microwave Drying Kinetics

2026-09-09T13:43:06+00:00

Background: Tomato is highly perishable because of its high moisture content, resulting in substantial post-harvest losses and a short shelf life. Microwave drying offers rapid volumetric heating, but its efficiency may be strongly influenced by fruit skin and slice thickness, which affect moisture transfer during drying.

Aims: To quantitatively assess the influence of epicarp presence and slice thickness on the microwave drying kinetics of ripe tomato, with a view to reducing the substantial post-harvest losses affecting the tomato value chain in Côte d’Ivoire.

Study Design: A comparative experimental study was conducted on tomato half-portions with and without skin and on slices of three different thicknesses (5, 10 and 20 mm).

Place and Duration of Study: Samples were procured in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, and the investigation was conducted between July and August 2026.

Methodology: Fresh, ripe tomatoes (SODEFEL variety) were cut into half-portions (with and without skin) and into calibrated slices (5, 10 and 20 mm) and then dried in a microwave oven (400 W) until mass stabilisation. Water loss kinetics were monitored by periodic weighing, and effective moisture diffusivity was determined using Fick's second law.

Results: Skin presence slowed initial water loss but promoted rapid internal pressure build-up followed by cracking and marked exudation; unpeeled samples dried more slowly (61 min) than peeled ones (17 min). Drying time increased with thickness (28, 33 and 43 min for 5, 10 and 20 mm, respectively). The apparent effective moisture diffusivity paradoxically increased with thickness, from 3.24 × 10⁻⁸ m². s⁻¹ (5 mm) to 1.19 × 10⁻⁷ m². s⁻¹ (10 mm) and 3.96 × 10⁻⁷ m². s⁻¹ (20 mm), reflecting a shift from a diffusional regime to a convective one.

Conclusion: Skin condition and slice thickness affected microwave drying behaviour. Thinner slicing reduced drying time, while skin micro-perforation is proposed for further evaluation as a means of facilitating moisture removal while limiting exudation.

Kinetic Study and Mathematical Modelling of Microwave Drying of Whole Peeled Tomato

2026-09-10T09:49:00+00:00

Background: Tomato is highly perishable because of its high moisture content, making efficient drying essential for reducing post-harvest deterioration. Although microwave drying can accelerate moisture removal, limited information is available on the drying kinetics and mathematical modelling of whole peeled tomato under microwave heating.

Aims: To evaluate the combined effect of a constant microwave power and prior peeling on the acceleration of mass transfer during the drying of whole tomato and to identify, among seventeen semi-empirical models, the one that best describes its drying kinetics.

Study Design: An experimental drying-kinetics study combined with comparative mathematical modelling.

Place and Duration of Study: Analyses were carried out at the Laboratoire des Procédés Industriels de Synthèses de l'Environnement et des Energies Nouvelles (LAPISEN) of the Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Yamoussoukro (Côte d'Ivoire) during July and August 2026.

Methodology: Whole tomatoes, peeled beforehand, were dried by microwave at a constant power of 400 W in a semi-industrial drying tunnel. Drying kinetics were monitored through effective moisture diffusivity, water-loss rate and mean drying flux; seventeen mathematical models were then fitted to the experimental data.

Results: The moisture content fell from 95.76% to 2.61% within 66 minutes, with an effective moisture diffusivity of 6.082 × 10-7 m·s^-1. Peeling combined with volumetric heating eliminated both internal and surface resistances to mass transfer. The Midilli model provided the best description of drying kinetics (r = 0.99472; RMSE = 0.02475; χ² = 0.00062).

Conclusion: Combining peeling with a microwave power of 400 W effectively overcomes the three-dimensional geometric limitations of whole tomato, and the Midilli model offers a reliable tool for industrial scale-up.

Empirical Assessment of a Participatory Community Mobilization Mechanism in Securing Oil Infrastructure in the Dosso, Tahoua, and Maradi Regions

2026-09-11T12:54:25+00:00

The security of long-distance oil infrastructure depends on the interaction between institutional protection and locally grounded monitoring. This study empirically assessed the first phase of a participatory community mobilisation mechanism established along the Niger–Benin Export Pipeline in the Dosso, Tahoua, and Maradi regions of Niger. A mixed-methods descriptive approach was applied from 30 July to 13 August 2026 across eight study sites. Data were obtained through direct observation of awareness-raising and training sessions, semi-structured consultations with administrative, traditional, religious, and security stakeholders, and systematic field records. The intervention organised 220 community monitoring personnel across the corridor, with 30 members at six operational sites, 40 at Gaya, and Dosso serving primarily as a coordination and consultation hub. Participatory discussions also identified locally perceived vulnerable sectors and documented community priorities. Drinking water accounted for 25% of expressed socioeconomic concerns, followed by public health (18%), education (15%), access to infrastructure (15%), income-generating activities for young people and women (12%), rural electrification (10%), and environmental concerns (5%). The findings indicate that community mobilisation can provide an operational complement to formal monitoring by strengthening local observation, information flow, and engagement with authorities. However, the study does not establish an effect on sabotage or security incidents. Longitudinal monitoring and standardised post-training indicators are therefore required to assess continuity, reporting performance, and longer-term security outcomes.

Nutritional and Biochemical Characterization of Palm Kernel Oil (Elaeis guineensis) from Three Traditional Oil Palm Accessions from Man Region, Côte d'Ivoire

2026-09-12T07:59:10+00:00

Aims: To nutritionally evaluate three traditional oil palm specimens from the Man region (Côte d'Ivoire) and contribute to the valorization of palm kernel oil.

Study Design: Comparative physicochemical, biochemical and nutritional characterization of palm kernel oil from three traditional specimens, with triplicate analyses and one-way analysis of variance.

Place and Duration of Study: Palm bunches from three traditional specimens of the Man region (Douèlè, Dompleu, Gbatongouin), introduced by open pollination in 2014, were collected and analyzed at the CNRA La Mé Research Station, Côte d'Ivoire.

Methodology: Oil was extracted by the Soxhlet method; acidity and iodine value by near-infrared spectrometry; total polyphenols by the Folin-Ciocalteu method; fatty acids by gas chromatography; and vitamins A and E by ultra-performance liquid chromatography. Daily vitamin intakes were estimated from a mean daily palm kernel oil consumption of 27.1 g/day and compared with recommended dietary allowances (RDA). Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD test (p < .05).

Results: Oil yield averaged 49.85±2.9%, with acidity of 1.77±0.24%, iodine value of 16.93±0.57 g I2/100g and moisture of 0.2±0.02%, similar across specimens (p > 0.05). Lauric acid (C12:0) was the dominant fatty acid (40.34-48.21%), followed by oleic (14.61-18.66%) and myristic acid (14.06-18.57%), with highly significant differences among specimens (p < 0.01). Vitamin A content ranged from 22.63 to 34.38 mg RE/kg, vitamin E from 24.47 to 32.97 mg/kg, and total polyphenols from 64.87 to 91.50 mg GAE/g (p < 0.001). Estimated daily intakes covered 72% to over 310% of the vitamin A RDA and only 5 to 18% of the vitamin E RDA.

Conclusion: Palm kernel oil from the traditional Man specimens is a lauric oil with appreciable nutritional potential, notably as a source of vitamin A, and shows significant specimen-related variability that supports its inclusion among varietal selection criteria.

Identification of Escherichia coli Pathotypes in Natural Cocoa Mass Produced in Côte d’Ivoire from March to May 2025: Indicators of Recent Fecal Contamination

2026-09-12T11:08:53+00:00

Natural cocoa mass is an intermediate product widely used in the chocolate industry and constitutes a major economic resource in Africa, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire. However, production and handling conditions may promote faecal microbiological contamination, thereby compromising its sanitary quality.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the microbial risk associated with natural cocoa masses produced in Côte d’Ivoire during the cocoa harvesting season from March to May 2025.

Study Design: This study was a descriptive, experimental, and cross-sectional study focusing on the assessment of microbiological hygiene indicators of natural cocoa mass.

Place and duration of Study: The study was conducted in the San-Pedro area, Côte d’Ivoire, from March to May 2025, over a period of 03 months.

Methodology: Six representative samples (E1–E6), collected from the industrial processing units SACO, OLAM, and ICP located in San Pedro, were analysed. Five Escherichia coli pathotypes, recognised as indicators of recent faecal contamination and a potential public health risk, were investigated: Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), E. coli O157, and lactose-positive E. coli. Analyses were performed according to standardised ISO methods, combining observation of typical colony morphological characteristics (colour, size, shape, margin, elevation, surface, and opacity), confirmatory biochemical tests, and molecular analyses (PCR) targeting the virulence genes (elt, est, rfbO157, fliCH7, stx1, stx2, and eae).

Results: The identification results revealed the complete qualitative and quantitative absence of all characteristic colonies and targeted virulence genes, confirming the absence of all investigated E. coli pathotypes in every analysed sample (0 ± 0 CFU/g).

Conclusion: These findings indicate that the natural cocoa masses produced by SACO, OLAM, and ICP during the study period present no microbiological risk associated with pathogenic E. coli. They therefore comply with microbiological safety requirements and may be considered suitable for human consumption and for subsequent industrial processing under satisfactory sanitary conditions.

Advanced Design Optimization of Deep Foundations in Soft Saturated Clayey Soils according to Pressuremeter-based Methods using FOXTAv4: Application to Ganvié, Bénin

2026-09-14T13:48:37+00:00

Construction on the soft saturated soils of Ganvié, a lacustrine settlement on Lake Nokoué in Benin, requires deep foundations that can satisfy geotechnical capacity requirements while remaining compatible with restricted site access. This study evaluates and optimises a micropile solution for the Ganvié General Education College using Ménard pressuremeter and penetrometer data and the FONDPROF module of FOXTA v4 in accordance with NF P 94-262. The geotechnical profile comprises predominantly soft to moderately consistent clay layers extending to a depth of 25 m. The foundation response was assessed through limit-load calculations at the ultimate and serviceability limit states, with pile geometry and anchorage depth varied to identify a compliant solution. For the adopted profile, tip resistance was considered negligible because of the soft clay conditions, and the micropile therefore behaved as a floating element mobilising primarily shaft friction. The numerical analysis identified a type 2 bored micropile with a diameter of 250 mm and an anchorage depth of 15 m as the selected configuration. This solution provides a design capacity of 140 kN at the ultimate limit state and 98.5 kN at the serviceability limit state, reducing the required number of micropiles to 20 for the stated structural load. The results support pressuremeter-based depth optimisation as a practical approach for the studied site, while static load testing and group-effect verification remain advisable before construction.

Sedimentary Phosphorus Dynamics in a Tropical Mangrove Lagoon : Baie des Milliardaires, Ébrié Lagoon, Côte d’Ivoire

2026-09-16T11:20:00+00:00

Sedimentary phosphorus can sustain eutrophication through internal loading, yet its mobility in the Baie des Milliardaires of the Ébrié Lagoon remains poorly documented. This study characterised sedimentary phosphorus fractions and assessed their mobility in relation to physicochemical conditions during the flood season. Surface sediments were collected monthly from nine stations between September and November 2024, producing 27 samples. Phosphorus fractions were determined using an optimised sequential extraction protocol, while pH, redox potential, conductivity, and salinity were measured to examine environmental controls. The sediments were generally acidic and oxidising, with relatively high conductivity and salinity. Total phosphorus concentrations varied spatially, and the extracted phosphorus pool was dominated by authigenic phosphorus, iron-bound phosphorus, and humic-associated phosphorus, whereas phosphorus associated with (oxy)hydroxides and detrital phosphorus was least represented. Total organic phosphorus accounted for more than 60% of sedimentary phosphorus, while mobilisable organic phosphorus represented more than 55% of the total mobilisable fraction. Spatial variability in phosphorus forms was evident among stations, and multivariate analyses indicated associations between selected phosphorus fractions and sediment conductivity and salinity. Overall, the results show that organic phosphorus constitutes a substantial component of the sedimentary phosphorus pool and may contribute importantly to phosphorus mobility within this tropical mangrove lagoon. These findings provide a site-specific basis for understanding the potential contribution of sedimentary phosphorus to eutrophication processes in the Baie des Milliardaires.

Evaluation of the Electrical Performance of a Photovoltaic Solar Tracking System Under the Climatic Conditions of a Sahelian Environment: The Case of Burkina Faso

2026-09-19T12:36:39+00:00

This article analyses the electrical performance of a photovoltaic (PV) system equipped with a single-axis solar tracker under the climatic conditions of Burkina Faso. The objective was to evaluate the electrical performance of a solar-tracking photovoltaic system to optimise the electrical efficiency of the modules in a Sahelian environment. The methodology adopted combines a literature review, modelling of the photovoltaic generator, the design of an experimental prototype, and the collection of data on solar irradiance, temperature, voltage, current, and power.

The experimental results showed a clear advantage for the solar tracker. The maximum power recorded by the tracking system was approximately 6.7 W, compared to 6.1 W for the fixed system. Analysis of the curves also revealed that the average efficiency of the mobile system was 12.1%, whereas that of the fixed system was 11.1%. The mobile system therefore exhibited an absolute difference of approximately 1 percentage point, which corresponds to a relative increase of nearly 9.5%.

The study also showed, however, that the module equipped with the solar tracker reached a maximum temperature of approximately 66 °C, compared to 51 °C for the fixed module. This increase in temperature may reduce the instantaneous efficiency of the cells. Nevertheless, despite this thermal effect, the solar tracking system retained a clear advantage because of its more favourable orientation towards the sun throughout the day.

Measurement of Computed Tomography Dose Indices at a Clinic in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

2026-09-21T13:15:05+00:00

Background: Computed tomography (CT) is widely used for diagnostic imaging because of its ability to provide detailed anatomical information. However, CT examinations involve exposure to ionizing radiation, making dose optimization and routine quality control essential for patient safety. In Côte d’Ivoire, the increasing use of CT scanners highlights the need to assess the accuracy of displayed radiation-dose indices and to support the implementation of appropriate quality-control procedures under local clinical conditions.

Aims: This work contributes to the implementation of quality control for computed tomography (CT) scanners used in Côte d’Ivoire.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at RIMCA clinic in Koumassy, Abidjan, over a period of two weeks.

Methodology: Using a 16-slice multi-detector-row CT scanner, an ionization chamber, a DOSE-1 electrometer, and a PMMA phantom, the computed tomography dose indices for a 100 mm ionization chamber (CTDI₁₀₀) were measured for head and body phantom exposures. The weighted CT dose indices (CTDI_w), as well as the differences between the measured volume CT dose indices (CTDI_vol) and dose-length products (DLP) and their respective displayed values, were then calculated.

Results: For the head phantom exposure, the percentage differences in CTDI_vol and DLP were 0.02% and 10.24% at 80 kVp and 6.48% and 3.41% at 120 kVp, respectively. For the body phantom exposure, the corresponding differences were 0.46% and 9.15% at 100 kVp and 3.14% and 13.68% at 120 kVp.

Conclusion: The percentage differences obtained were less than 20%, and most were below 10%. International organizations such as the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) recommend a percentage difference of less than 20%, and ideally less than 10%. Therefore, the results obtained complied with this recommendation. Thus, the CT scanner employed was of high quality in terms of CTDI accuracy.

Morphological Differences between Geographically Distinct Populations of Roach (Rutilus rutilus) in Uzbekistan

2026-09-22T09:53:09+00:00

Roach (Rutilus rutilus) has established populations in irrigation reservoirs and drainage-water storage lakes across several river basins in Uzbekistan. This study evaluated meristic and morphometric variation among geographically separated populations from Lake Eastern Karateren, Shurkul Reservoir, Lake Zamonbobo, and Lake Tuzkan. During spring 2022–2025, 25 sexually mature specimens were collected from each water body. Meristic traits and classical morphometric measurements were recorded, and morphometric indices were expressed relative to standard body length or head length. Population differences were assessed using one-way ANOVA, factor analysis with principal component extraction and varimax rotation, and discriminant analysis. Across the four populations, dorsal-fin counts were II–III hard rays and 10–11 soft rays, anal-fin counts were II–III hard rays and 9–12 soft rays, and 40–44 scales were recorded in the lateral line. Most morphometric indices differed significantly among water bodies, whereas antedorsal distance and ventral–anal fin distance did not show significant differences. Five latent factors explained 68.25% of the total variance. Discriminant analysis separated the four sampled populations, with Lake Tuzkan showing the greatest distinctness in canonical discriminant space. The findings demonstrate geographical phenotypic variation in roach populations across the studied water bodies of Uzbekistan and provide a morphometric basis for population-level comparison, while further environmental and genetic evidence is required to interpret the mechanisms underlying the observed differences.

Morphological Differences between Invasive European Bream (Abramis brama) Populations in Reservoirs in Uzbekistan

2026-09-22T10:01:22+00:00

The European bream, Abramis brama (Linnaeus, 1758), is an invasive fish species that was introduced into the reservoirs of the Kashkadarya and Zarafshan basins in 1958 from the Syrdarya delta to increase the fish productivity of newly created reservoirs. This study compared the morphology and growth of populations inhabiting the Talimarjan and Tudakul reservoirs approximately six decades after introduction. Fifty individuals were sampled from each reservoir during 2022–2025. Meristic traits, morphometric indices based on a truss protocol, and growth reconstructed from scales were examined, followed by analysis of variance, factor analysis, and discriminant analysis. In the Talimarjan Reservoir, the length–weight relationship was W = 0.0073 × TL^3.1301(r = 0.92), with D III 9, A III 22–27, and 49–55 lateral-line scales. Reconstructed standard lengths from ages 1 to 7 were 6.8, 12.6, 16.3, 18.3, 20.2, 21.9, and 23.5 cm, respectively. In the Tudakul Reservoir, the corresponding relationship was W=0.0065×TL3.1409(r = 0.94), with D III 9, A III 22–26, and 49–55 lateral-line scales. Reconstructed lengths from ages 1 to 5 were 9.2, 15.7, 20.2, 23.3, and 25.0 cm. Five morphometric traits differed significantly between reservoirs. Factor analysis identified seven latent factors explaining 73.18% of total variance, while discriminant analysis differentiated individuals by reservoir. The populations were similar in meristic traits but differed in several morphometric characteristics and growth patterns. These results indicate clear population-level phenotypic differentiation between the reservoirs.

Application and Enhancement of Design for the Maintenance of Sociotechnical Networks (DFMSN): A Case Study of Agricultural Equipment in Burkina Faso

2026-09-22T11:53:42+00:00

Background: Agricultural mechanisation in resource-constrained environments depends not only on machinery performance but also on the capacity of local maintenance networks to sustain equipment operation. Conventional maintainability approaches largely emphasise product-related characteristics, while the influence of local technical skills, spare-parts availability, repair capabilities, costs, and procurement constraints is less explicitly incorporated into design decisions. The DFM_SN approach addresses this gap, although its empirical validation and operational application to agricultural equipment remain limited.

Aims: This study evaluates and extends the Design for the Maintenance of Sociotechnical Networks (DFM_SN) approach to redesigning a two-wheel tractor suited to resource-constrained operating and maintenance conditions in Burkina Faso.

Study Design: A field-based case study was conducted to characterise the local sociotechnical maintenance network and translate its technical, economic and logistical constraints into design requirements.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the Soum agricultural area, Nando Region, Burkina Faso, involving actors engaged in two-wheel-tractor operation, maintenance, repair and component supply.

Methodology: A survey of 39 stakeholders was undertaken, comprising 27 users, two maintenance technicians, two welders, three spare-parts suppliers, three non-governmental organisations (NGOs)/cooperatives and two raw-material suppliers. Data on failures, maintenance practices, component availability, procurement lead times, costs and local repair capabilities were analysed. The findings guided the application of the eight original DFM_SN rules to the redesign of a two-wheel tractor.

Results: The user occupied a central position within an open maintenance network connecting repairers, suppliers and support organisations. Maintainability was strongly influenced by component availability, procurement lead times and ease of intervention. The application of DFM_SN favoured a standardised power unit, simplified transmission, locally available components, a welded frame and a reduced range of fasteners. These findings supported the development of DFM_SN+, incorporating operational rules for functional simplification, local procurement, manufacturability, autonomous maintenance and technical documentation.

Conclusion: DFM_SN+ provides a practical framework for translating local sociotechnical maintenance constraints into actionable design rules for agricultural equipment in resource-constrained environments. The findings constitute preliminary field validation; further assessment of prototype reliability, maintainability, performance and durability over several agricultural seasons is required.

Drivers and Impacts of Forest Loss in Forest-edge Communities: Evidence from Southern and Eastern Sierra Leone

2026-09-23T11:32:28+00:00

Background: Forest loss poses substantial environmental and livelihood challenges, particularly for forest-edge communities that depend heavily on forest resources for food, income, energy, and other essential needs. In Sierra Leone, although forest loss and its associated drivers have been widely reported, evidence integrating community perceptions of both the drivers and resulting impacts across forest-edge communities remains limited, particularly in the southern and eastern regions.

Aims: This study examined forest-edge communities’ perceptions of the drivers and impacts of forest loss across selected forest regimes in south-eastern Sierra Leone.

Study Design: A mixed-methods design was used, incorporating qualitative and quantitative strategies. Data were collected from adults/household heads, chiefdom/community leaders, and agency staff across the four districts.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in 25 forest-edge communities across four districts in south-eastern Sierra Leone. Data were collected in August 2025 to gauge perceptions of forest loss over the previous 40 years (1985–2025).

Methodology: The study targeted 1,280 respondents (786 male and 494 female), who were interviewed through surveys, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). Survey participants were aged 30 years and above, while FGD and KII participants were aged 18 years and above. Data were summarised as counts and percentages. A chi-square test of independence and logistic regression analyses were used to test the associations between respondent characteristics and outcomes.

Results: Farming was the main occupation across the communities (81.3%), which is of concern because agricultural activities degrade forests. Subsistence and commercial agricultural expansion, timber logging and extraction, charcoal and wood production, infrastructure and settlement expansion, and mining were the main proximate drivers, while limited economic opportunities, poverty, demand for forest products, and population growth were the main underlying drivers of forest loss. The prominent mediating drivers included limited community involvement in protection, low awareness of the impacts of forest loss, and non-enforcement of protection policies. Forest-edge communities experienced economic, social, and environmental consequences of forest loss, but a lack of alternative livelihoods, high demand for land and forest resources, and population growth motivated the continuation of forest-loss activities.

Conclusion: Long-term local rootedness and sustained interaction between communities and forests have strengthened community knowledge for identifying indicators, drivers, and consequences of forest loss.

From OEM Dependence to Data-driven Maintenance: A Maintenance Strategy and Integrated Logistics Support Framework for Poorly Supported Mining Drill Rigs

2026-09-25T04:23:43+00:00

Aims: To develop a transferable method for constructing a maintenance strategy framework and an integrated logistics support scheme for heavy mining equipment operated without a mature original equipment manufacturer (OEM) support ecosystem, and to translate that framework into executable enterprise resource planning (ERP) parameters.

Study Design: Methodologically oriented industrial case study, building on a companion failure diagnosis.

Place and Duration of Study: Down-the-hole drill fleet of a West African mining operation; operating data covering 2024–2025.

Methodology: The method proceeds in five steps. Criticalities from failure mode, effects, and criticality analysis (FMECA) and fault tree analysis (FTA) are converted into differentiated maintenance policies through three explicit decision rules (fixed-interval, condition-based, controlled run-to-fail). Target service lives are derived through three documented rules distinguishing evidence-based recontextualisation, design reset after modification, and nominal retention under censored evidence; each value is coupled to a condition-monitoring guard and a revision trigger. Configuration control addresses failure mechanisms of design origin. The framework is made executable through enterprise resource planning types — consumption-driven (VM) and order-driven (PD) — with coverage-based stock bounds and is completed by the four integrated logistics support dimensions.

Results: A consolidated framework covering twenty-three items across three critical subsystems was obtained. The engine target life was recontextualised from a nominal 15,000 h, transposed by analogy, to 6,000 h because no engine had exceeded 6,000 h (mean ≈ 2,700 h). The compressor coupling, whose observed lives ranged from 109 h to about 3,430 h, was redesigned and standardised, and a provisional 12,000 h planning horizon aligned with the compressor grouping interval was adopted. Three configuration modifications were specified, one of which — dual fuel separation — was subsequently incorporated by the manufacturer into a later machine.

Conclusion: The framework is designed to shift heavy replacements from unplanned OPEX towards planned CAPEX and to secure critical-part availability. Life-cycle costing and before–after quantification remain to be performed.

Morphological Differences between Distinct Populations of Snow Trout, Schizopyge curvifrons (Heckel, 1838) in Uzbekistan

2026-09-26T07:43:04+00:00

Snow trout, Schizopyge curvifrons (Heckel, 1838) (= Schizothorax intermedius MacClelland, 1842), occurs in mountain and foothill waters of the Syrdarya River basin. This study compared morphological variation among four populations from the Karasu Canal, Nurota–Shomurod Spring, Shahimardan River, and Maydansay River in Uzbekistan. Samples collected from 2023 to 2026 were assessed using meristic characters, conventional length–weight measurements, and a 10-landmark truss protocol. The populations showed broadly similar meristic characteristics, whereas lateral-line scale counts varied among localities, with wider ranges in the Nurota Mountain populations. Morphometric indices expressed as percentages of standard length were analysed using analysis of variance, factor analysis, and discriminant analysis. Seven latent factors together explained 83.33% of the total variance in the geometric morphometric indices. Analysis of variance indicated significant differences in most body-shape traits among water bodies. Discriminant analysis identified three functions accounting for 100% of the total discriminant variance and showed clear separation among the sampled populations. The Karasu Canal and Shahimardan River populations were particularly distinct from those in the vicinity of the Nurota Mountains, whereas the Nurota–Shomurod and Maydansay populations were comparatively closer but remained distinguishable. These findings document substantial morphological differentiation among snow trout populations occupying contrasting water bodies in the Syrdarya River basin and provide baseline information for further investigation of population structure in Uzbekistan.

Impacts of Climate Change and Adoption of Adaptation Options by Smallholder Farmers in Southern Sierra Leone

2026-09-26T11:34:46+00:00

Backgrounds and Aims: Climate change affects all sectors of the economy, with farming among the sectors most visibly affected, especially in countries that are highly vulnerable to climate change, such as Sierra Leone. The impacts of climate change on farming and the corresponding adaptation options vary across spatial scales, requiring localised studies to obtain detailed information that can guide area-specific mitigation and adaptation. In view of this, the study presents a detailed analysis of climate change impacts and adaptation options in farming communities in southern Sierra Leone, a region that is becoming increasingly vulnerable to climate change.

Study Design: The study employed a case-study and mixed-methods research design examining farmers’ perceptions of climate change impacts and corresponding adaptation options in farming communities.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in southern Sierra Leone. Farmers’ perceptions of climate change impacts and their corresponding adaptation options were collected from May to June 2025.

Methodology: Data were obtained from 614 farmers aged 18–65 years, 56.6% of whom were male and 43.4% female. Qualitative data were obtained from focus group discussions, while quantitative data were obtained from household surveys. Conceptual content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data, whereas descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the quantitative data. Through triangulation, the qualitative data provided a means of validating the quantitative data obtained from farming households.

Results: Reduced crop yields (99.0%) and crop failure (87.9%) were the most commonly reported impacts of climate change on crop production, resulting in food shortages (98.0%) and reduced dietary diversity (79.6%). Mixed cropping was the most widely used indigenous adaptation option (48.7%), followed by crop rotation (42.3%) and shifting cultivation (29.2%). Compared with traditional practices, adoption of modern climate adaptation practices was very low, including adjustment of planting and harvesting dates (22.8%), soil and water conservation through mulching, cover cropping, and terracing (16.0%), crop and livestock diversification (15.6%), and drought-tolerant varieties (12.7%). Very few farmers adopted flood-tolerant crops (4.7%), agroforestry (2.6%), irrigation (0.7%), or water harvesting (0.3%). The study showed that 49.8% of the farmers interviewed had adopted at least one climate adaptation option. There was a strong relationship between understanding and perceived climate-impact seriousness (ρ = 0.66) and a moderate positive correlation between climate-impact seriousness and confidence to adapt (ρ = 0.43).

Conclusion: Climate change has worsened food insecurity in southern Sierra Leone, given the low yields and food shortages reported by most households. While the adoption of an adaptation option by about half of the farmers indicates a meaningful level of behavioural response, a substantial adaptation gap remains, highlighting structural, informational, and motivational barriers that constrain farmers’ responses to increasing climate impacts. The findings further suggest that deeper knowledge of climate change is closely linked to its perceived severity, but awareness alone is not sufficient for adopting climate adaptation options.

Allergen Management Capacity and Training Gaps among School Nutrition Professionals: A Critical Narrative Review of Alignment with United States Department of Agriculture Professional Standards

2026-09-03T07:37:13+00:00

Food-allergic children in the United States are fed each school day by a workforce whose allergen competence is governed less by allergy science than by an administrative training rule. The Professional Standards established under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 impose annual continuing-education hour requirements on school nutrition directors, managers and staff, yet they specify hours and broad key areas rather than allergen-specific competencies, and compliance is documented in hours completed rather than in demonstrated capability. This critical narrative review examines what is known, contested and unknown about allergen management capacity among school nutrition professionals, and evaluates how far the available evidence supports the assumption that the current training architecture produces reliable allergen control in school kitchens. Literature was identified through structured searching of open scholarly databases and indexes, supplemented by citation tracking and by examination of federal regulatory and public health guidance. The synthesis identifies four persistent problems. First, the strongest quantitative evidence on foodservice allergen knowledge derives from restaurant and university operations whose task structures, procurement arrangements and clientele differ materially from school food authorities, so transfer of those estimates to school kitchens is uncertain. Second, allergen knowledge is measured with unvalidated, locally constructed instruments, which prevents meaningful pooling and obscures whether apparent improvement reflects learning or item familiarity. Third, quantitative cross-contact studies demonstrate that shared-equipment hazards are governed by physical transfer dynamics that generic hygiene instruction does not address. Fourth, evaluation of allergen training in this workforce rarely proceeds beyond knowledge and self-reported confidence to observed practice or reaction outcomes. Evidence that site-wide allergen bans reduce epinephrine administration is weak, and reliance on such policies may substitute for staff capability. Priorities include developing a validated allergen competency instrument for school nutrition personnel, linking training records to reaction surveillance, and testing whether specifying allergen content within the existing hour requirement changes operational outcomes.