The University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) is a Federal higher institution located in Maiduguri, the capital city of Borno State in northeast Nigeria. The university was created by the federal government of Nigeria in 1975, with the intention of its becoming one of the country's principal higher-education institutions. It enrolls about 25,000 students in its combined programs, which include a college of medicine and faculties of agriculture, arts, environmental science, Allied health science, Basic medical science, dentistry, education, engineering, law, management science, pharmacy, science, social science, and veterinary medicine. With the encouragement of the federal government, the university has recently been increasing its research efforts, particularly in the fields of agriculture, medicine and conflict resolution, and expanding the university press. The university is the major higher institution of learning in the north-eastern part of the country.
The seminal vesicle is an important accessory reproductive organ in male teleosts, but detailed ultrastructural information on its organization in Clarias gariepinus remains limited. This study examined the seminal vesicle of sexually mature male African catfish during the spawning season using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Forty wild-caught males from the Lake Chad region of Maiduguri, Nigeria were examined. Seminal vesicle tissues were fixed in phosphate buffered glutaraldehyde, post-fixed in osmium tetroxide, embedded in Epon 812, sectioned, and examined using TEM. The seminal vesicle consisted of elongated tubular projections associated with the sperm duct. The epithelium contained numerous spermatogonia within the sperm cysts that were flanked by intercellular junctional specializations in the basal part of the tubule. The apical part of the tubule contained abundant secretory vesicles, seminal vesicle villi, and intervilli spaces. Numerous clusters of oval and elongated mitochondria were located in both the basal and apical parts of the tubule. At the junction between the seminal vesicle projections and the sperm duct, the tissue showed dense connective tissue, lamina propria, and muscular components. These findings provide baseline ultrastructural data on the seminal vesicle of C. gariepinus and may support future studies on teleost reproductive biology and aquaculture reproduction.
Landslides pose significant threats to life, property and sustainable development in mountainous regions worldwide, with their occurrence increasingly influenced by climate change. This study addresses the critical need for accurate landslide susceptibility models in the Western Province of Rwanda, where traditional methods have shown limitations. It employed and compared three deep learning models: convolutional neural network (CNN), deep neural network (DNN), and multi-layer perceptron (MLP), to assess the landslide risks, incorporating climate change considerations. The study utilised 16 conditioning factors, carefully selected to avoid multicollinearity, with the digital surface model (DSM) showing the highest variance inflation factor (VIF) of 3.9730. The CNN model demonstrated superior performance, achieving the highest overall accuracy (93.7
Coking coal is an essential feedstock for coke production, and its thermoplastic properties are the primary determinant of coke quality. Thermoplastic behavior is influenced by the coal rank, maceral composition, and rheological properties. Understanding these thermoplastic characteristics is essential for optimizing coke production processes. This work extends our previous publication on in situ FTIR/MS spectroscopy, in which spectra were acquired at 10 degrees C intervals at a heating rate of 5 degrees C/min from 30 to 600 degrees C. However, this study focused exclusively on the 900-700 cm-1 region-the spectral region most relevant to aromatic substitution patterns. In situ FTIR was used to characterize and quantify structural changes in three Australian metallurgical coals during coking. The findings showed that as the coking temperature increases beyond the plastic region, fused aromatic C-ring structures become progressively ordered and more condensed, and aromatic clusters grow due to aromatic carbon hybridization. Thus, the degree of substitution (DOS) of aromatic rings increased with coal rank and vitrinite composition, and the maximum fluidity in mid-ranked coal also contributed, as exhibited by coal B. The methodology and techniques employed in this work can be applied to coal and coal maceral blends to provide further insights into the chemistry underlying the transformation of coal to metallurgical coke. This will guide coal experts and marketers in selecting optimal coal blends for producing high-quality coke-critical for the iron and steel industries. More samples with distinct properties will be considered in future work.
BackgroundThe rapid emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT is transforming teaching and learning practices in higher education. This study assessed the awareness, attitudes, and usage patterns of ChatGPT among university students in Zambia and examined factors associated with students’ attitudes toward the technology.MethodsA multi-institutional cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,829 university students in Zambia using a structured questionnaire adapted from instruments informed by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Data were analysed using SPSS version 26.0, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.ResultsAmong the 1,829 participants, 81.7% were aged 18–25 years, 52.5% were female, and 92.4% were unmarried. Overall, 96.8% of the students had heard of ChatGPT, and 85.6% reported having used it before this study. Among AI-usage constructs, 74.8% of respondents perceived high risks associated with AI use, 73.3% perceived ChatGPT as easy to use, 64.0% perceived it as useful, and 56.8% reported behavioural intention to use AI tools. In multivariable analysis, students aged ≥40 years were more likely to report positive attitudes toward ChatGPT compared with those aged 18–25 years (aOR = 5.91; 95% CI: 1.23–28.33; p = 0.026). Technology/social influence was also significantly associated with positive attitudes (aOR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.55–2.68; p < 0.001). Conversely, perceived risks were associated with lower odds of positive attitudes (aOR = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.43–0.75; p < 0.001). Regarding ChatGPT use, perceived usefulness significantly predicted higher usage (aOR = 1.49; 95% CI: 1.17–1.89; p = 0.001), while perceived risks were associated with reduced usage (aOR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.45–0.84; p = 0.003).ConclusionAwareness and use of ChatGPT are widespread among university students in Zambia, with more than four out of five students reporting prior use. Perceived usefulness and social influence were positively associated with adoption, whereas perceived risks were linked to lower attitudes and reduced use. These findings highlight the need for higher education institutions to develop clear policies and integrate AI literacy into curricula to promote responsible and effective use of generative AI technologies in academic environments.
Abstract Electrochemical hydrogen production in alkaline media faces distinct mechanistic challenges compared with acidic conditions, largely due to the extra water dissociation step (Volmer reaction) and slower hydrogen adsorption and desorption kinetics. Non-noble electrocatalysts have attracted significant attention as cost-effective alternatives to platinum, offering a balance between activity, stability, and scalability using earth-abundant elements. This review provides a comprehensive overview of non-noble alkaline HER catalysts, spanning transition metal oxides and hydroxides, layered double hydroxides (LDHs), transition metal phosphides, nitrides, borides, MOF-derived materials, single- and dual-atom catalysts, MXene-based hybrids, boron-rich metal-free frameworks, and advanced 1D/2D architectures. Emphasis is placed on the evolving nature of catalyst surfaces, highlighting phenomena such as in situ reconstruction and the pre-catalyst concept, which often dictate the true active sites under reaction conditions. We examine how intrinsic catalytic kinetics, electron and mass transport, structural durability, and high-current operation interact, and highlight strategies such as heterostructure engineering, hierarchical design, doping, and integration with conductive scaffolds. By combining fundamental understanding with practical electrode considerations, this review outlines the principles necessary for designing alkaline HER catalysts that are both efficient and durable, moving closer to practical water electrolysis applications.
