bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
L’Allemagne au défi de ses héritages et de ses choix
Authors: Miard-Delacroix Hélène
Published: October 2024

L’Allemagne a fait preuve d’une exceptionnelle stabilité et constance depuis la césure majeure de 1945, en dépit des mutations profondes induites par la réunification. Elle fait désormais face à d’importants défis dictés par les bouleversements géopolitiques et économiques mondiaux. La guerre en Ukraine et les ambitions chinoises ont notamment fragilisé sa traditionnelle retenue en matière militaire et son économie exportatrice. Elle n’a donc d’autre choix que de réinventer son identité et sa place sur l’échiquier européen et international.
Une cartographie politique en pleine évolution
Authors: Seidendorf Stefan
Published: October 2024

Alliant stabilité et renouveau démocratique, le système politique allemand né après-guerre est confronté depuis quelques années à des défis inédits. L’apparition de nouveaux partis, le retour de l’extrême droite, les difficultés d’entente croissantes au sein des coalitions au pouvoir, ainsi que certains changements en profondeur dans la société allemande rebattent le jeu politique. Ces dynamiques bouleversent la cartographie politique de l’Allemagne et pourraient à terme avoir des conséquences sur le système institutionnel .
Le modèle économique allemand en question
Authors: Vallée Shahin , Tordoir Sander
Published: October 2024

Le modèle économique allemand, fondé sur les exportations de produits industriels, est confronté à de sérieux défis : une concurrence plus menaçante de la part de la Chine, un environnement commercial international qui se détériore et une flambée des prix de l’énergie qui risque de saper durablement ses industries à forte consommation énergétique. Berlin pourrait donc être amené à revoir en profondeur son modèle de croissance, ce qui impliquerait de renoncer à son système corporatiste industriel d’exportation vieux de plusieurs décennies .
La transition énergétique démocrate et la crédibilité des États-Unis
Authors: Collomb Jean-Daniel
Published: October 2024

Cet article analyse les politiques publiques de l’administration Biden et de ses alliés démocrates pour amorcer la décarbonation de l’économie américaine. Malgré la mise en place de politiques industrielles de grande ampleur, il apparaît que l’administration démocrate doit encore relever trois redoutables défis : i) prouver que ses investissements ne mèneront pas à une simple addition de ressources énergétiques bascarbone aux énergies fossiles ; ii) démontrer que la dimension protectionniste de sa stratégie ne conduira pas à la relégation industrielle de ses partenaires, mais à la diffusion mondiale des outils de la transition ; iii) trouver les moyens institutionnels d’augmenter la contribution américaine au financement de la lutte contre le changement climatique dans les pays en développement.
From Old to New Ways of Working
Authors: Harlianto Jefta , Prabowo Harjanto , Rahim Rano Kartono , Setiadi Nugroho J.
Published: October 2024

Startups frequently encounter growth challenges, with a survival rate of only about 10%, and Indonesian startups face additional obstacles, including significant layoffs in key sectors. In this study, the author examined the relationship between workplace technology (WT), job autonomy (JA), new ways of working (NWW), and employee productivity (EP) in Indonesian unicorn startups in the postpandemic era. Using survey data from 413 employees and analyzed through covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) with LISREL software, the author tested the hypotheses and found out that WT and JA significantly foster NWW and enhance EP. These findings highlight the critical role of WT and JA in shaping the modern work environment and enhancing productivity, particularly in the context of startups navigating the complexities of a postpandemic landscape to support sustainable growth and competitiveness.
CARIA
Authors: Seesukong Supaluck , Angskun Thara , Keandoungchun Nantapong , Thippongtorn Atitthan , Angskun Jitimon
Published: October 2024

The purpose of this research is to create a personalized system called CARIA that suggests career recommendations based on students' competencies and the required skills in each career. The focus of this study is on digital technology and digital media careers. The personalized career recommender system uses a novel similarity measure called modified Euclidean similarity to evaluate its performance and compare it with other similarity measures, machine learning, and GPT-4 techniques. The experimental results showed that modified Euclidean similarity achieved a precision@10 score of 0.83, which outperformed other techniques. The main objective of CARIA is to provide students with suitable career paths and conduct a competency gap analysis. This helps students choose a career path that fits their abilities. This research contributes to education in digital technology, digital media, and the workforce by providing employees with competencies that align with their needs.
A Multi-Scale Feature Extraction Method Based on Improved Transformer for Intrusion Detection
Authors: Gu Lijun , Wang Zhongye
Published: October 2024

Network traffic is a crucial indicator of network performance and network intrusions typically result in traffic anomalies. Capturing the differences and commonalities between different input features is challenging due to high-dimensional traffic data. To address this, we propose a multi-scale feature extraction method based on global additive attention (MSFE-GAA), which integrates time position information encoded by trigonometric functions to capture multi-scale temporal features. An improved Transformer with a similarity matrix captures the commonalities and differences, enhanced by global additive attention for long-term dependencies. Experiments on two public datasets show that the MSFE-GAA model outperforms other baseline models.
Consumer Attitudes Towards GenAI Advertisements
Authors: Yin Mengjiao , Ma Biao , Pan Xianyu
Published: October 2024

This research focuses on the attitudes of potential consumers towards generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) advertisements, employing a multi-experimental approach based on engagement to shed light on how e-marketers should leverage novel technological tools in the age of human-AI co-creation to enhance brand favorability. The experimental findings indicate the continued adaptiveness of concepts such as in-group bias, IKEA effect, and social identity theory in the GenAI era, demonstrating that (a) consumers' awareness of AI authorship (b) their level of participation in the co-creative process and (c) their perceived authenticity, significantly influence their attitudes. This study expands the boundaries of theories previously confined to human populations and provides pioneering practical guidance for AI co-creation in the realm of electronic commerce.
Interpersonal communication in the motor insurance sector during the claims stage
Authors: Smit Lise-Mari , Sutton Lucinda B. , Bezuidenhout Louise
Published: October 2024

Orientation: The South African short-term motor insurance industry is highly competitive, offering clients many choices. Therefore, the long-term retention of clients is crucial for an insurance company’s sustainability.Research purpose: The study aims to report on the context-specific communication challenges during the claims stage and to propose recommendations to mitigate them from an interpersonal communication perspective.Motivation for the study: Studies on client retention have been conducted from a marketing or corporate communication perspective, but it is not known how interpersonal communication during the claims phase could impact long-term relationships.Research design, approach and method: We followed a qualitative approach, with a single case study design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior management and claims administrators in the motor insurance department of a large South African insurer. The data were inductively analysed through qualitative content analysis from which the challenges were identified.Main findings: A lack of mutual understanding, ineffective conflict management, a lack of trust and one-way communication were identified as the main challenges experienced by claims administrators in their communication with clients during the claims stage.Practical/managerial implications: Practical principles such as sympathy and empathy, listening, feedback, respect, providing and clarifying information and providing access to resources, together with ethical and transparent communication, two-way symmetrical communication and dialogue should be included in claims administrators’ training to enable them to understand and adapt to the client’s needs.Contribution/value-add: A framework for training claims administrators operating in this context is presented, offering a theoretical and practical contribution.
Hybrid retirement strategy in South Africa
Authors: Van Niekerk Andries J. , Moutzouris Vasili , Maré Eben
Published: October 2024

Background: Many retirees in South Africa face the challenge of either outliving their retirement savings or living below their means. Studies suggest a ‘safe’ withdrawal rate of between 4% and 5%, which is below the average fund size-weighted drawdown rate of approximately 6.66%.Aim: To provide a scientific basis for the success rate of a ‘hybrid’ retirement strategy, whereby a retiree invests a proportion of their savings in a life annuity and the remaining proportion in a living annuity, to increase the success rate for South African retirees.Setting: Historical asset class returns (equities, bonds and inflation) for South Africa were sourced for the period 1900–2020.Method: Bootstrap sampling of historical asset returns was employed to simulate 10 000 random scenarios to investigate the success rate of various compositions of the ‘hybrid’ retirement strategy.Results: The success rate of all ‘hybrid’ portfolio compositions is significantly greater than the success rate of a pure living annuity when the withdrawal rate is less than 8%.Conclusion: In a South African context, a ‘hybrid’ retirement portfolio increases the probability of success for retirees withdrawing less than 8% from their portfolio – which constitutes approximately 50% of the current annuatised population – and may increase the inheritance of a retiree’s heir.Contribution: Where other studies have focussed solely on the success rate of a living annuity, we have shown that a ‘hybrid’ retirement strategy increases a South African retiree’s likelihood of retiring successfully when the withdrawal rate is less than 8%, which is approximately 50% of the annuatised population.
Determinants of foreign direct investment in SADC region: Case of financial development, institutions and openness
Authors: Makalima Sisonke O. , Nduna Sisangile , Kapingura Forget M.
Published: October 2024

Background: Countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region have experienced low growth coupled with high levels of poverty and inequality. Economic growth has been touted as one of the major factors to deal with these problems. However, the lack of financial resources has hampered the efforts to achieve high levels of growth. This has therefore resulted in the countries putting much effort on attracting foreign capital.Aim: The study aims to investigate the extent to which financial development (FSD), financial openness, and institutional quality determine the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the SADC region.Setting: The study focuses on 15 countries in the SADC region from 2008 to 2022.Method: The study employs the Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) technique given the problem of endogeneity between the variables of interest.Results: The findings from the study indicate that FSD and financial openness are important factors determining the flow of FDI to the SADC region. On the other hand, the effect of institutions was found to be significant when taking into account the state of FSD and financial openness.Conclusion: Policymakers are encouraged to focus on enhancing institutional frameworks, promoting FSD, and increasing financial openness to optimise capital inflows.Contribution: The study contributes to the available studies by incorporating the role that is played by institutional quality and financial openness to the modelling. This becomes important as the region aims at attracting more foreign capital so as to improve growth as domestic capital supply falls short of domestic capital demand.
Evaluation of the influence of platelet-rich fibrin on socket preservation – A clinical and radiological study
Authors: Kalra Ashish , Kalra Shilpa , Chaudhary Kanaram
Published: October 2024

Introduction:

Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) has been shown to accelerate bone regeneration in artificial defects. Postextraction alveolar resorption is significantly more on the buccal surfaces, and PRF has been shown to decrease the resorption rate.

Materials and Methods:

The study included 30 medically fit subjects of an age group of 20–50 years irrespective of gender for bilateral extraction of nonrestorable teeth in CMDC, Lucknow. Subjects were randomly divided into Groups A and B. In Group A (controls), the extraction sockets were closed without any intra-socket medicaments. In Group B (cases), PRF was placed in extraction socket before the closure of the socket. The pain and radiographic changes were evaluated.

Discussion:

Intragroup comparison showed significant differences in bone density, bone width, and bone height at 1, 3, and 6 months in both control group and PRF group. Intergroup comparison also showed significant differences in terms of swelling between control group and PRF group.

Conclusion:

PRF shows excellent biocompatibility and bone regeneration potential. The use of PRF can reduce long time needed for new bone formation, as well as the morbidity risk related to harvesting autogenous bone graft.
Pattern of ABO blood group and haemoglobin electrophoresis (phenotype) among patients presenting with acute Noma in a referral center, Northwest Nigeria
Authors: Bala Mujtaba , Abubakar Sani Bako , Braimah Ramat Oyebunmi , Bello Seidu , Taiwo Abdurrazaq Olanrewaju , Abdullahi Mohammed Adam Sheikh , Suleiman Ibrahim Kayode , Abubakar Muhammad Lawal , Bello Abubakar Abdullahi , Ndakotsu Muhammad Alhaji , Bashir Umar Babangida
Published: October 2024

Background:

Noma is a necrotizing destructive disease of the orofacial structures with poorly understood etiopathogenesis. This study aimed to present the pattern of ABO blood group and hemoglobin electrophoresis (phenotype) in patients presenting with acute Noma.

Materials and Methods:

A retrospective study conducted over five months (November, 2023 to April, 2024) using five year record of patients who presented with acute noma. After obtaining ethical approval, case notes of patients who were managed for acute Noma were retrieved. Patients’ demographic information such as age and sex was recorded. The blood group and the hemoglobin phenotype of the patients were also recorded. Data obtained were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS version 25).

Results:

A total of 205 subjects were recruited, of which there were 100 (48.8%) males and 105 (51.2%) females. The age mean ± standard deviation of the patient was 5.06 ± 3.74 in the range of 9 months–22 years. The blood group O 119 (58.3%) was the highest. The majority of the subjects 179 (87.3%) were found to have rhesus positive blood group antigen. Blood group O was found to have the highest positive rhesus antigen with a significant difference (χ
2 = 9.620, df = 3, P = 0.022). The association between the ABO blood group and the phenotype showed that subjects with blood group O have the highest AA phenotype with no significant difference (χ
2 = 8.855, df = 6, P = 0.182).

Conclusion:

This study revealed more frequent blood group “O” rhesus positive and “AA” hemoglobin electrophoresis (phenotype) in patients with acute Noma which is similar to the general population in the same geographical region.
Feasibility of One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass Using the SSI Mantra Robotic Platform
Authors: Mehrotra Magan , Kumar Chukka Gautam , Mehrotra Nikhil
Published: October 2024

One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (OAGB) has become a very popular primary bariatric surgery especially in patients with severe obesity. Robot assisted surgery has been found to be helpful in performing OAGB procedure in patients with severe obesity as it helps in providing a stable platform during complex dissection and suturing involved. The purpose of this study is to report the feasibility of Robotic OAGB using the relatively new SSI Mantra robotic platform.
Early severe paravalvular leak following mitral valve replacement with a prosthetic mechanical bileaflet valve
Authors: Natarajan Deepak , Mittal Chandar Mohan
Published: October 2024

A middle-aged woman developed severe breathlessness soon after mitral valve replacement for rheumatic heart disease with severe mitral stenosis and moderate mitral regurgitation. Echocardiography (two-dimensional and transesophageal) revealed a severe paravalvular leak into the left atrium between the mechanical bileaflet mitral valve and the aortic annulus. The patient was stabilized with intravenous nitroglycerin and torsemide, and the heart rate was controlled with tablet metoprolol. The patient was successfully treated with a redo surgery using a larger mechanical mitral bileaflet valve (size 29 mm) and interrupted sutures. A 25-mm mechanical bileaflet valve was used during index surgery.
Preterm Infant Enteral Feeding Practices in Saudi Arabia: A Scoping Review
Authors: Alyahya Wesam A. , Alsharfa Rayhana H. , Alduhbaki Noor A. , Al-Zahir Batool N. , Alqalaf Marwa A. , Altwejry Hussah M. , Alessa Hanoof A. , Alawfi Jumanah S. , Ahmad Shakil A.
Published: October 2024

Background:

Preterm infants are at risk of developing nutritional deficiencies, which is further compounded by the fact that providing them with adequate nutrition is often challenging. Enteral feeding (EF) practices vary across neonatal units and can be impacted by the setting and geographical region. There is also a lack of evidence on best practices.

Objective:

To investigate EF practices and related nutrition factors, patterns, and outcomes in preterm infants in Saudi Arabia by examining studies published in this area.

Methods:

A search was conducted for articles on EF practices among preterm infants in Saudi Arabia that were published between January 2010 and May 2024. Searches were carried out across five electronic databases and through searching inward and backward citation and reference lists of relevant papers. Studies that described or assessed EF practices used in preterm infants from any region of Saudi Arabia and were published in English or Arabic were included.

Results:

The database and manual search resulted in 1905 articles. After removing duplicates and applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 14 publications were included: 12 were observational studies, 1 was a conference abstract (with retrospective analysis), and 1 was a commentary. Of these, 7 studies were conducted in the Central Province, 6 in the Western Province, and 1 in the Eastern Province. More than half of the publications (8 of 14) were published between 2021 and 2023. The studies included were categorized to three themes based on their aim: studies describing practices on mother–infant bond to encourage breastfeeding, assessing nutritional status and EF, and assessing EF as a risk factor for developing prematurity complications.

Conclusion:

While research activity on EF practices in Saudi Arabia has increased very recently, yet there is a paucity of studies, particularly experimental studies that focus on both short- and long-term health outcomes.
Effect of Phenolic and Alkaloid Extract of Senna occidentalis Leaf on the Oxidative Status of the Heart in High Fat-diet Streptozotocin-induced Type 2 Diabetic Wistar Rats
Authors: Saheed Emmanuel Saviour , Abdulkareem Mutiat A. , Adeleke Fehintoluwa Celestina
Published: October 2024

Objective:

This research examined the effects of extracts (alkaloid and phenolic) from the leaves of Senna occidentalis on the oxidative status of heart in Wistar rats fed high-fat diets and induced with streptozotocin. Type 2 diabetes was established in the rats by injecting 35 mg/kg of streptozotocin intraperitoneally.

Materials and Methods

Forty-three experimental rats were randomly categorized into seven groups of six rats each, with Group 1 as control group, which comprised seven rats. The remaining groups were as follows group 2 (untreated diabetic rats), Group 3 (metformin-treated diabetic rats), Group 4 (phenolic extract-treated diabetic rats), Group 5 (alkaloids extract-treated diabetic rats), Group 6 (high-dose phenolic extract-treated diabetic rats), and Group 7 (high-dose alkaloids extract-treated diabetic rats).

Results:

The activity levels of various biochemical factors such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione, and malondialdehyde were assessed to determine antioxidant status.

Conclusions:

The findings of this study demonstrated that the phenolic and alkaloid extracts from S. occidentalis possess antioxidant properties and show promise in the management of type 2 diabetes.
Genetic relatedness of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes isolated from children under five years of age and food animals in Kisumu County, Kenya
Authors: Yeda R. , Amwoma J. G. , Makalliwa G. , Anguko E. , Okoth R. , Opot B. , Gachohi J. , Kikuvi G.
Published: October 2024

Background: Diarrheal disease remains one of the leading causes of deaths in children below five years of age. The risk factors associated with diarrhea include poor hygiene practices such as open defecation and consumption of contaminated water and food. However, exposure of domestic animal is equally a potential risk factor for diarrhea disease in children. Methodology: We characterized animal-related exposures in a subset of households (n=73) by collecting faecal samples from 150 children with diarrhoea and 100 food animals (30 cattle, 30 chicken, 25 goats and 15 pigs). Escherichia coli was isolated from the faecal samples and biochemically confirmed using conventional microbiological techniques. The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of each E. coli isolate was extracted and amplified by multiplex PCR to identify three diarrheagenic E. coli pathotypes. The amplified products were sequenced, and genetic relatedness of the isolates was determined through phylogenetic analysis. Results: We isolated and identified a total of 32 (12.8%) diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) from the 250 faecal samples, 26 (17.3%) of which were from the 150 children with diarrhea while 6 (6.0%) were from the 100 food animals (OR=3.285, 95% CI=1.299-8.305, p=0.011). Three DEC pathotypes were confirmed by PCR in 16 DEC strains, with 9 enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), 2 enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), 2 enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), 1 EAEC/ETEC, 1 EAEC/EPEC and 1 ETEC/EPEC mixed strains. The phylogenetic analysis showed that 6 DEC isolates had genetic similarity ranging between 31% to 90%. Isolates S04 originating from animal and S02 from a child with diarrhoea of the same household were closely related, with 55% similarity. Moreover, isolate S05 from animal origin and S06 of diarrheic child origin were closely related, with similarity degree as high as 82% even though they were not paired. Twenty four of the 26 (92.3%) DEC isolates from diarrhoeic children showed multidrug resistance (MDR) pattern to antibiotics but none of the 6 isolates from food animals was multi-drug resistant. Conclusion: The high degree of genetic relationship between DEC isolate S04 and S02 from animal and human origin indicated the high potency of zoonotic transmission. Further studies investigating animal husbandry practices and zoonotic transmission of DEC are needed.
Social work and women's violence care in Morocco
Authors: Mrabti Laila , Rhoulam Inass , Nejjar Fedwa , Belamfedel Alaoui Zouhair
Published: October 2024

This study explored the challenges and practices of social workers at Moroccan Integrated Care Units for Women and Children Victims of Violence (ICUWCVV) regarding violence as a major public health and social injustice issue. The study was guided by the Ubuntu philosophy, which emphasizes community solidarity, justice and human dignity. The theoretical framework is informed by African feminist epistemologies critiquing and extending African methods of empowerment within care practices. It applied indigenous research methodology through semi-structured interviews with 13 social workers across the Fès-Meknès region. In this paper, we will share the experiences in the field and challenges in operationalizing services. The perceived lack of training and resources in the programs impacts the quality of care provided and the ability to offer empathetic, victim-centered services. A need for training has been identified for all accountable health and social care workers who have access to case notes under the information-sharing protocol. Recommendations are made to contribute to policy development in areas related to continuous professional development support, as well as improved resourcing aimed at providing effective and culturally competent care for victims. These recommendations also emphasize the revaluation and incorporation of African philosophies and knowledge systems into social work practices. The recommendations draw upon national guidelines from governing bodies, outlining best practices and evidence-based methods for delivering healthcare, which service providers are expected to implement.
 
HOW TO REFERENCE USING ASWDNET STYLE
Mrabti L., Rhoulam I, Nejjar, F. and Belamfedel Alaoui Z. (2024). Social work and women's violence care in Morocco. African Journal of Social Work, 14(4), 225-232 https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v14i4.6
Visit journal website: https://ajsw.africasocialwork.net
Assessment of dietary habits, nutritional and emotional status of elderly in Mushin Local Government Area, Lagos State
Authors: Ngozi Elizabeth O. , Maitanmi Julius O. , Akinsanya Olubunmi B. , Maitanmi Bukola T. , Ogunbiyi Babafemi T. , Oleah Michelle O. , Oyedeji Olajumoke A. , Adegboye Taiwo B.
Published: October 2024

Background: Old age is the final stage of the life cycle, characterized by functional decline and increased susceptibility to disease. Dietary habits, nutritional and emotional status have been shown to partly determine the quality of life of the elderly.
Objective: This research assessed the dietary habits, nutritional and emotional status of the elderly.
Methods: A structured questionnaire was used to obtain the socio-demographic characteristics as well as the dietary habits of the elderly. The mini-Nutritional assessment tool was used to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and Geriatric Depression Scale was used to identify depression among the elderly. Pearson’s Chi test was used to establish the association between Nutritional status and emotional status.
Results: The assessment of the socio-demographic characteristics of the elderly showed that the majority (52.1%) were male, 32.4% were between the ages of 60-64 years and 81.7% were living with someone and quite a number (39.4%) lives with their spouse. The results of dietary habits assessment showed that most (69%) of the elderly ate at home with lunch as the most frequently eaten meal with 47.9% of the elderly preferred to eat lunch. The prevalence of malnutrition and depression among the elderly was found to be 11.3% and 50.7% respectively. At p < 0.05, no significant correlation existed between nutritional status and emotional status.
Conclusion: Elderly habits of eating at home result in low cases of malnutrition but they still go through depression on average as they mostly live alone.
Effect of Organizational Reward System on Employee Service Delivery in Public Institutions in South East Nigeria
Authors: Nze Ujunwa , Udenta Jude , Ahumibe Nneze
Published: October 2024

The study examined effect of organizational reward system on employee service delivery in Public Institutions in South East, Nigeria. The research design utilized a descriptive research approach. Data collected for the study were presented with descriptive statistic using tables, mean, standard deviations while the one-sample t-test was used to test the hypotheses. The study revealed that Organizational reward system had a significant effect on employee productivity in public institutions in South East, Nigeria, that organizational reward system did have a significant effect on employee innovation and creativity in public institutions in South East, Nigeria and that organizational reward system had a significant effect on employee team work and collaboration in public institutions in South East, Nigeria. The study therefore recommends thatorganizational reward systems exert a significant and positive influence on employee performance in Public Institutions in South East, Nigeria.
SMEs as Agents of Peace and Security: Insights from the 2023 YouthConnekt Africa Summit
Authors: Mutalemwa Darlene , Walusala Kennedy
Published: October 2024

This study examines the potential of youth-led Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to contribute significantly to Africa’s peace and security agenda. Drawing on insights from the 2023 YouthConnekt Africa Summit, thepaper highlights the critical role that these enterprises can play in fostering peaceful engagement and addressing the root causes of conflict. By investing in youth leadership capacity, supporting youth-led initiatives, and creating safe spaces for dialogue, governments and stakeholders can leverage on the power of youth-led SMEs to promote positive peacebuilding outcomes. The study further identifies key areas for engagement, including contextual specificity, understanding the root causes of threats and opportunities, going beyond tokenism, andimplementing comprehensive national action plans on youth, peace, and security. While youth-led SMEs offer a promising avenue for peacebuilding. Further research is needed to understand their impact and developeffective strategies for supporting their growth and success.
Qualitative Analysis of the State of Apprenticeship Training in Abeokuta South Local Government
Authors: Adekunbi Suraj , Isiaka Muideen Adejare , Isiaka Rukayat Kikelomo
Published: October 2024

This study examined the state of apprenticeship training in Abeokuta South Local Government. It examines the attitude of relevant stakeholders towards apprenticeship training; the level of apprenticeship training and factors that influence apprenticeship training in Abeokuta South Local Government. Conceptually, the paper briefly explained the overview of apprentice, factors influencing apprenticeship training and cognitive learning theory served as the basis of theoretical frame. The paper revealed that the attitude of the stakeholders especially the trainer and the trainee are positive however, need more commitment from the government, the trainer and the trainee. More so, the paper revealed that there was high level of apprenticeship decline in the society. Finally, majority of the respondents mentioned poverty, high learning fee, internet fraud, peer group’s influence, etc as factors affecting apprenticeship training. However, this paper recommends that all the stakeholders should be deliberate and commited in their goals of ensuring a viable apprenticeship system for the teeming youth in the country.
Women in Cassava Processing and Marketing in North Central Nigeria: Are they any Happier?
Authors: Ewugi Musa Salihu , Ilyasu Ahmed Yakubu
Published: October 2024

Cassava is one of the most important staple food items available in Nigeria. Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava and it’s considered the most important tropical root crop providing food and income to over 30 million farmers, processors and traders. The objective of this study is to ascertain the happiness status of women combining occupation of processing and marketing cassava with family responsibility in north-central Nigeria. This objective is motivated by novelty of such researches in the research area. The findings revealed that women in processing and marketing of cassava in north central Nigeria are happy.  The study concludes that happiness question in the study area is influence by the people’s culture where one will hardly said he/she is unhappy. The study therefore, recommends that community leaders and local government authorities encourage women in cassava processing and marketing to always form cooperative societies. This will not only make them a formidable common front but will improve their contributions/supports to families from their cooperatives pool resources.
Leadership Failure as a Drawback to Africa’s Socio-Economic Development: Analysis of the Challenges and the way forward
Authors: Egwu Grace , Mshelia Isma'il Husain
Published: October 2024

Leadership crises in Africa has precipitated series of military coups, insecurity and other myriad of challenges various states in the continent have been plagued with since their independence from colonial subjugation. And these, as many scholars contended, account for the unenviable position of the continent in developmental indexes—like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development index (HDI) which ranked world countries based on key developmental dimensions and indicators. With focus on leadership landscape, this paper examined the continent’s developmental challenges, the efforts made to curb them at national and continental levels, and the way forward. Secondary data sourced from journal articles and published reports formed the bedrock of the analysis which, first, traced the root of the challenges to the balkanisation of the African continent during colonial rule, and second, showed the failure of the persistent experimentation of unrefined western models of democracy in post-independence Africa. The paper therefore posited that without derogating from 21st century universal leadership values, home-grown democracy that will inculcate African values and ensure inclusion of all ethnoreligious groups holds the key to ending the continent’s leadership crises, which would in turn set it on track for sustainable development.
Impact of Insecurity on Women’s Entrepreneurial Activities in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State
Authors: Mshelia Isma’il Husain , Egwu Grace , Otakey Hassan Abbas
Published: October 2024

This study examined the impact of insecurity on the entrepreneurial activities of women in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, focusing specifically on issues about women’s financial dependence, the kind of entrepreneurial activities common among them and the dimension of the impact of insecurity on their entrepreneurial endeavours. A sample of 377 women was surveyed, leading to the findings that women in Shiroro are highly entrepreneurial with high level of financial independence, engaging mostly in SMEs. The study also found that while insecurity has an adverse effect on women’s entrepreneurial activities in the form of loss of or decline of capital among other things, the number of women entrepreneurs has not experienced a significant decline. The study recommended that sustainable programmes to improve women’s access to and use of financial services should be created and community policing organisations should also be created and strengthened to combat insecurity in the study area.
Government Expenditure, Inflation and Economic Growth in Nigeria
Authors: Olurin Oluwatoyosi Tolulope , Omosebi Ruth Tolulope , Soetan Timothy Adisa , Akintola Abolade Francis
Published: October 2024

This study investigate the impact of government expenditure on inflation and economic growth in Nigeria from 1989 to 2021. Annual time series data obtained from Central Bank of Nigeria statistical bulletin were used for the study. Data gathered were analyzed with Ordinary Least Square (OLS) technique. Empirical result obtained from the study revealed that government expenditure and inflation have positive and significant impact on economic growth in Nigeria. The study recommends that government should increase expenditure on health and transfer and adopt one digit inflation rate to enhance economic growth in Nigeria.
Behavioural Effect of Promotion on Cussstomer Loyalty among Selected Banks in Jigawa State
Authors: Usmana Iliya Hudson , Clement Medupin Oluwafemi
Published: October 2024

This study examined the behavioural effect of Promotion on customer loyalty in the banking sector of Jigawa State, Nigeria. The study adopted the Behavioral Perspective Model (BPM) The study used multiple regression analysis to analyse data from 2,662 customers across four banks; Zenith Bank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank Nigeria Plc, and UBA.  The findings revealed a significant impact of specific promotion on customer loyalty, such as the type, objectives, and sometimes the duration and frequency of promotions. In line with the findings, this study among other recommendations indicated that the varying effectiveness of promotional strategies across different banks, a customer-centric approach tailored to each bank’s clientele’s demographic and cultural context is crucial. All banks should consider employing advanced analytics to gain deeper insights into customer preferences and behaviours. This could inform more personalized and effective promotional strategies.
Fuel Subsidy and Education Sector Financing in Nigeria: A Short-run Adjustment to Equilibrium Approach
Authors: Bashir Najeem O. , Raheem Kamilu A.
Published: October 2024

This study examined the impact of fuel subsidy on education sector financing in Nigeria from 1990 through 2023. Annual data were obtained from the Nigeria Petroleum Corporation and World Development Indicators, (WDI) on variables such as fuel subsidy, government expenditure on education sector, Oil Revenue, pump price of Premium Motor Spirit and secondary school enrolment in Nigeria. A bound cointegration test and ECM were employed. Granger test for causality was also used to ascertain the direction of causation in the series. The estimated error correction term, ECT (-1) is significant. There is no causal relationship from fuel subsidy to education sector financing. However, education sector financing granger causes fuel subsidy. Premium Motor Spirit and education sector financing were found to granger-cause each other. The study recommends that government should ensure that fuel subsidy is not allowed to deprive education of its fair share of government spending, given that current spending on the sector has been established to have implication for the sectors growth in the future years.
Sustainable Competitive Advantage in the Legal Industry: A Review of Business Strategies and Market Entry Approaches for Gowling WLG in Japan and Nigeria
Authors: Abdulsalam Tajudeen Alaburo , Tajudeen Rofiat Bolanle , Francis Enyi
Published: October 2024

The modern business landscape has been notably disrupted by events like the COVID-19 pandemic, which reduced global trade by 13% to 23% in 2020, affecting the triple bottom line—profit, people, and planet—of the legal industry. This research develops a sustainable competitive advantage framework for Gowling WLG in emerging markets, focusing on Japan and Nigeria. The study compares Gowling WLG's business strategies and market entry approaches through a strategic management model and case study design, comparing the firm's operations in these diverse markets. Data was collected via document analysis, interviews, field observations, and megatrend articles to evaluate the competitive landscape. A context analysis of existing literature helped formulate relevant themes. Findings reveal the dynamic nature of the legal sector, influenced by political stability, economic conditions, technological advancements, and environmental concerns. Despite challenges like Brexit, global growth opportunities and threats coexist. Gowling's strengths include global recognition and advanced technology, but it also faces challenges in innovation and leadership. Opportunities lie in expanding the high-legal industry and offering sustainability-focused services, though cybersecurity risks and economic instability are significant threats. Strategic alliances with local firms for risk management and expertise are advised. Entering Japan requires thorough research, local collaboration, and cultural sensitivity. This research contributes to the empirical and theoretical literature, noting data reliability limitations, especially in Nigeria.
Towards Share Price Volatility: Does Capital Structure Choices Really Matter?
Authors: Mwambuli Erick Lusekelo , Kimani Victoria
Published: October 2024

The study was conducted to assess the impact of capital structure on the share price volatility in Tanzania. The study utilized quantitative secondary data spanning a ten (10) year period from 2013 to 2022, sourced from the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE) and annual reports of six (6) chosen manufacturing companies. The data was analysed using the random effect panel regression model. Findings revealed that all independent variables (Short term, long term and total debt) have a negative statistically significant effect on share price volatility. On the basis of the study’s findings, the research suggested that, listed companies should adopt effective debt management strategy to mitigate share price volatility. Also, Capital market and security authorities (CMSA) are advised to provide regulatory guidance and enforce transparent reporting requirements for listed companies. Furthermore, Investors are encouraged to adopt a strategic investment approach, considering companies with effective debt management in their decisions. Future researches should use Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to capture both short- and long-term impact of capital structure changes, and include additional debt related metrics and microeconomic factors for a more nuanced understanding of share price volatility.
Novel Acinetobacter sp. Isolated from Oil-contaminated Soil for Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery
Authors: Rafiu L.M. , Arinkoola A.O. , Akinyemi A.G. , Oladunjoye1 I.A. , Adepoju R.A. , Dada E.O. , Alagbe1 S.O. , Akinde S.B. , Latinwo G.K. , Agarry S.E.
Published: October 2024

The viscosity of hydrocarbon reservoirs increases with age. So, a significant amount of oil is trapped in the underground reservoirs after  recovery using primary and secondary methods. To improve the recovery, tertiary methods have been used. However, there is limited  research on Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) as a tertiary method due to microbes' inability to survive the high-temperature  reservoir conditions. Consequently, the goal of this research is the creation of a novel bacteria strain for MEOR. The isolated bacteria  colonies were inoculated in a batch fermentation broth, and the biosurfactant produced was screened using the oil displacement,  emulsification index, modified drop-collapse test, surface tension, and interfacial tension criteria. The effects of pH (7.2 – 10.52), and  salinity (15 – 35 %) at optimum temperature were studied on the selected isolate, which was identified by partial 16 rRNA gene sequence  analysis. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy was used to characterize the biosurfactants produced. The new isolate reduced heavy  oil viscosity by 17% and produced a recovery factor in the range of 13-16.72%. The new bacteria is a thermophile and survived at a  temperature of 65 °C, indicating promise for use in MEOR.
Impact of Design Dimension Optimization on Capacitive Sensor Performance for Particulate Matter Detection and Measurement
Authors: Kulkarni K.V. , Chorage S.S.
Published: October 2024

Particulate matter (PM) emissions from exhaust gases are major pollutants and cause serious health problems. Diesel particulate filters  (DPF) are used for monitoring and trapping particulates from exhaust gases. For sensing these particulates sensors are used  downstream of a DPF. The present study proposes an interdigitated electrode (IDE) capacitive sensor for detecting and measuring  deposited particulates on the sensor surface. The sensor dimensions are optimized to detect and measure the least deposition of  particulates. The paper presents improvement in sensor performance, a high selectivity of 65.70% with an accuracy of 87.26%. Dimension  optimization extracts capacitance of 581 pF manifolds 10 times more than the reference sensor from the literature. The study presents a sensor with a thin sensing layer manufactured by optical lithography and a lift-off method for IDE. Measurements and testing showed  that the sensor measures the lowest particulate mass of 0.0045 mg in 3.4 ms
Analysis of Impact Attenuation in 3D Printed Hip Protectors: A Support Vector Regression Approach
Authors: Yahaya S.A. , Muniru I.O. , Saminu S. , Ibitoye M.O. , Ajibola T.M. , Jilantikiri L.J. , Ripin Z.M. , Ridzwan M.I.Z.
Published: October 2024

This study examined the impact attenuation of 3D printed hip protectors using thermoplastic polyurethanes with different shore  hardness values for preventing osteoporotic hip fractures. Rigorous testing at various energy levels were carried out to determine the  protector’s abilities to attenuate impact. Subsequently, the prediction of impact attenuation capacity based on key design parameters  was achieved from developed Support Vector Regression (SVR) model generated from the data of the impact attenuation capabilities. The  key design parameters were shell thickness, infill density and shore hardness. The results demonstrated a significant correlation between the impact attenuation ability and the infill density of the hip protectors with R2 of 91% for the training set and 99% for the test  set. The generated RMSE values are 0.0012 and 0.0208, respectively. Remarkably, the SVR model exhibited excellent agreement with the  experimental test results, affirming the efficacy of SVR in the design of hip protectors to enhance protective performance and cut the cost  of experimentation.
Thermal Performance of Vapour Compression Refrigeration System using Bimetallic Strontium Hexaluminate Nanorefrigerants
Authors: Ogbonnaya M. , Ajayi O.O. , Waheed M.A. , Popoola A.P.I.
Published: October 2024

Nanoparticles are added to standard compressor lubricants to improve performance and reduce the energy consumption of vapour  compression refrigeration systems (VCRS). This work evaluated the compatibility, viability, and utility of a bimetallic oxide strontium  hexaluminate (SrAl12O19) nano-lubricant with nominal sizes of 20–40 nm by characterising and evaluating its thermophysical properties  while assessing its effect on the performance and energy consumption of existing, unmodified VCRS. Eco-friendly R600a were used as the  system's refrigerant and the performance, energy consumption, and energy efficiency of VCRS were investigated by altering the  concentration of SrAl12O19 (1%–20%) in the compressor lubricant. The results showed that as the temperature increases, the viscosities  significantly decreased and increased as the concentration of nanoparticles is increased. In contrast, the density and acidity of the  nanolubricant increased as the volume concentration of nanoparticles increased. The addition of nanoparticles into the compressor oil  enhanced the performance of the VCRS performance and reduced the energy required to operate the system; however, these  performance metrics decreased as the concentration of nanoparticles increased further. When the concentration of nanoparticles  increased, exergy efficiency reached the maximum at 5% volume concentration.