Probability, Reliability and Statistical Methods in Engineering Design

The targeted audience for this book is graduate students in engineering and medical statistics courses, and it may be useful for a senior undergraduate statistics course. To get the maximum benefit from this book, one should have a good knowledge and understanding of calculus and sufficient background in elementary probability theory to understand the central limit theorem and the law of large numbers. Some more sophisticated probability terminologies and concepts are defined for a smooth reading of the monograph. This monograph has 10 chapters, including the introduction. Chapter 2 deals with the ageing concept and some usual parametric families of probability distribution are presented in Chapter 3. Parametric and nonparametric statistical inference are nicely treated in Chapters 4 and 5. Chapter 5 also offers tests for exponentiality, which is one of the main feature of the monograph. Chapters 7 and 8 cover two-sample and regression problems, respectively. All of the preceding chapters showcase results for both complete and censored data. One of the interesting contributions is with regard to the analysis of competing risk, which is presented in Chapter 9. Finally, Chapter 10 introduces repairable systems. One of the main strengths of this book is that it introduces the public domain R software and nicely explains how it can be used in computations of methods presented in the book. This book has sufficient material and examples to cover a one semester (13week) course. However, I would be reluctant to adopt this book for one simple reason—there are no exercises. Having said that, the monograph would be useful to some applied researchers in related fields.

Handbook of Statistical Distributions with Applications

Oral HIV self-testing is an innovative and potentially high-impact means to increase HIV-case identification globally. As a screening test, oral HIV self-testing offers the potential for increased adoption through greater convenience and privacy, and the potential to increase the proportion of the population who test regularly. Research on how best to translate the innovation of oral self-testing to high-risk populations is underway. Currently only one oral HIV self-test kit is FDA-approved (OraQuick In-Home HIV Test) and available for retail sale. In the present report we review recent studies on the dissemination, adoption, and implementation of oral HIV testing. Prior work has focused primarily on adoption, but recent studies have begun to identify methods for improving dissemination and problems associated with self-implementation. At present a major barrier to wider adoption is the relatively high retail cost of the oral HIV test kit. Significant but minor barriers are represented by overly complex instructional materials for some population segments, and dissemination programs of unknown efficacy. Theoretical and practical suggestions for conducting research on dissemination, adoption, and implementation of oral HIV testing are discussed.

HIV Self-Testing: a Review of Current Implementation and Fidelity

The paper reviews the cost of different water supply and water treatment options around the world. The cost of supplying ground water is found to be proportional to the lift. The relationship between cost and volume of water treated by specific treatment options is assessed. Vehicular transportation of water is found to be very costly compared to wastewater treatment and compared to conventional water treatment and supply. Efforts have been made to differentiate the cost of water with respect to its application in various sectors. The capital cost of infrastructure required to extract, treat, supply, and reclaim water is also studied. Finally, the effects of precipitation, geographic aspects, population, financial, regulatory laws, and social attributes of a specific region are considered as they affect the cost of water. Global use of water in agriculture and the costs of agricultural irrigation are studied. Pressurized irrigation systems are costlier compared to flood or surface irrigation systems.

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Costs for water supply, treatment, end-use and reclamation

The focus of this study is on the physical properties of clay ceramic materials compatible for drinking water filtration. A multiparameter lognormal multivariate regression approach is proposed for assessing the combined effects of quantity of compositional constituent of raw materials used in ceramic manufacture on toughness. The approach was validated for two specimen types (T- and S-specimens) derived from a circular base of the frustum shaped, porous clay ceramic ware (PCCW). The PCCW were manufactured from clay and sieved sawdust mixed at distinct volume fractions. The variation of the porosity and density of the PCCW was studied with respect to the amounts of sawdust and clay used in the manufacturing. The research helped to clearly define the roles of clay and sawdust quantities for strength development in both T- and S-specimen. A generalized experimental approach is proposed for estimation of mechanical properties of clay ceramics as a function of the material constituent fractions. A polynomial relationship was developed between the compressive strength and density of the PCCW material. The statistical model expressions developed herein may be used for the prediction of material and mechanical properties of similar materials, including natural and engineered materials.

Physical Properties of Porous Clay Ceramic-Ware

Field study and surveys were conducted to evaluate interdisciplinary parameters influencing the health of people using ceramic filters for water purification. A total of 52 families were distributed with filters at Eweje Village, Odeda local government area, Ogun State, Nigeria. Surveys contained questions related to hygiene, health, water source and treatment, socio-economic and educational status of people and their use of clay ceramic water filters. Several parameters were studied including time of use of water filter, maintainability, education, societal economics, and social the status of the people using the filters. There was interdependence between these parameters. Health of the Eweje village community was greatly influenced by the number of people using the filter, the time of filter usage, education, maintainability, access to medical facilities, and economic status. A novel multi parameter multivariate regression approach clearly enumerates the hierarchy of the effects of the influencing variables on the health of Eweje community. Apart from population and time of filter use, access to medical services also influenced health of this rural community.

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Andrew Usoro

Papers

A Field Study on the Use of Clay Ceramic Water Filters and Influences on the General Health in Nigeria