bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Evaluation of the Feasibility of Utilizing the Bakken Formation Oil and Gas Field Produced Water for Extraction of Critical Minerals and Salts, with a Focus on the Inyan Kara Formation: An Analysis of Salinity and Infrastructure
Authors: Md Jakaria
Published: November 2023

This study compares the salt concentration and mineral composition of water from the Bakken Formation and the Inyan Kara Formation to assess their suitability for salt/critical minerals extraction. The results reveal that the Bakken Formation exhibits significantly higher levels of dissolved solids, calcium, magnesium, and chloride compared to the Inyan Kara Formation, indicating its potential suitability for salt/critical elements extraction. Conversely, the Inyan Kara Formation water displays higher bicarbonate concentrations, which may limit its applicability in certain salt extraction processes. The Bakken Formation proves more viable for water production due to its existing oil and gas infrastructure and abundant produced water from active and abandoned oil wells. This availability of produced water wells reduces the cost of critical mineral extraction and presents opportunities for water reuse or critical minerals sale, generating additional revenue that could offset recycling and disposal costs. In contrast, the absence of water production wells in the Inyan Kara Formation hinders its economic feasibility for salt/mineral extraction. The Inyan Kara Formation has a higher volume of water, but its lower salt content limits its usefulness for some purposes, especially in the energy industry for recovering rare earth minerals. Considering the higher mineralization, the concentration of key ions, and the presence of water production infrastructure, the Bakken Formation emerges as a more favorable choice for critical mineral extraction. However, factors like environmental impact and extraction costs should be considered in determining the most suitable formation. Despite data limitations, the study utilizes a valuable database to identify regional variations in salt concentrations for critical mineral extraction.
Scale Morphology and Population Differentiation in Exotic Fish Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus P. 1852) from Some Major Water Bodies of Western India
Authors: Ujjania N. C. , Sharma L. L. , Rose Sanchita , Prajapati S. D.
Published: November 2023

The study was conducted to find out the morphological variations in tilapia (Oreochrmis mossambicus P. 1852) samples collected from three different water bodies namely Aanasagar lake (S1), Jaisamand lake (S2) and Vallabhsagar dam (S3) during the March 2012 to April 2022 have been studied in the current research. The standard-length and weight ranged between 17.50 to 38.50 cm and 98.50–932.50 g (S1), 15.00 to 24.00 cm and 60.00 to 250.00 g (S2), 15.00 to 33.00 cm and 77.00 to 662.00 g (S3). Key scales were picked out to accomplish the objective of research. The twelve different morpho-parameters (L1, L2,…L12) of Oreochrmis mossambicus P. 1852 scales were measured and analyzed to find presence or absence of morphological variations among the tilapia populations from three habitats. It was found that between these morphometric parameters of Oreochromis mossambicus, L3 and L8 in S1 (0.862), L7 and L12 in S2 (0.830) and L10 and L12 in S3 (0.988) showed very high correlation. Further, the morphological study on measurements was subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) and reported a total 84.98, 89.52 and 93.40 percent of significant variances in scale components (morphometric parameters) for tilapia from S1, S2 and S3 respectively. Variations obtained in morphological (morphometric measurements) data showed four (S1), five (S2) and two (S3) groups of dominant components for the scales of tilapia. It was clearly the formation of disseminated groups in the plot of sheared PCs scores. It is inferred that there was dissimilarity in scale morphological structure of Oreochromis mossambicus collected from different water bodies.
Hall effect on unsteady MHD flow along vertical plate with variable temperature and mass diffusion in the presence of porous medium and chemical reaction
Authors: KUMAR Manish , KUMAR Gaurav , WADOOD KHAN Abdul
Published: November 2023

The effects of chemical reaction and Hall current on the unsteady magneto hydrodynamic flow along a vertical plate with variable temperature and mass diffusion in the presence of a porous medium is studied hare. The fluid flow model of this paper contains governing partial differential equations of the motion, energy, and diffusion equation. To simplify the analysis, the governing equations are transformed into dimensionless form using non-dimensional variables. The Laplace-transform technique is employed to obtain an exact solution for the flow equations of the MHD model. The results of the analysis are presented using graphical representations of the velocity profiles. With the help of graphs, we discussed the behavior of fluid velocities with different parameters, including the chemical reaction parameter, Hall cur-rents parameter, accelerated parameter, magnetic field parameter, and permeability parameter, and the numerical values of Sherwood number have been tabulated. We found that the values obtained for velocity, concentration and temperature are in concurrence with the actual flow of the fluid.
Study for a photovoltaic system to supply electricity to an isolated apiary
Authors: RĂDUCA Eugen , MOLNAR Mihaela , POPESCU Cristinel , HAȚIEGAN Cornel
Published: November 2023

The paper presents, based on the study and the experience of the authors in the field, some considerations, especially from an application aspect, useful in building a photovoltaic system for supplying electricity to an isolated apiary, as well as simulations for such a system, made with the PVGIS program . The main high-performing electric machines of today with relatively high energy consumption from an isolated beehive are identified, as well as their specific mode of use, during a calendar year, an essential factor for establishing the installed power of such a photovoltaic system and a its effective technical-economic design.
The strain energy in loosening the clamped end of a beam (part I)
Authors: STAN Patric-Timotei , PRAISACH Zeno-Iosif , GILLICH Gilbert-Rainer , MĂNESCU Tiberiu , TUFIȘI Cristian
Published: November 2023

Using analytical equations, the paper aims to solve the dynamic behavior of beams where a clamped end of the beam does not respect the ideal boundary conditions by introducing a weakening coefficient. In the paper, the characteristic equation for determining the eigenvalues and the relationship of the modal function and strain energy are derived. The results show the first six vibration modes for different values of the weakening coefficient which is considered in the clamped end and the evolution of the strain energy.
Dynamic behavior of a clamped circular plate and strain energy representation (part I)
Authors: MANU Nestor , PRAISACH Zeno-Iosif , GILLICH Gilbert-Rainer , TUFIȘI Cristian
Published: November 2023

The first part of the paper presents a study regarding the dynamics behavior of thin circular plate clamped all around. An analytical investigation is performed and the results in terms of mode shapes are used to highlight the plate’s dynamics. The modal shapes are obtained using Bessel functions and their graphic representation is presented in 3D by using MS Excel software.
Dynamic behavior of a clamped circular plate and strain energy representation (part II)
Authors: HAREA Ionela , PRAISACH Zeno-Iosif , GILLICH Gilbert-Rainer , TUFIȘI Cristian
Published: November 2023

The paper presents the strain energy of the circular plate clamped all around through a relation obtained analytically and the graphic representation of the modal shapes and the maximum normalized strain energy along the x axis. Depending on the number of nodal circles s and the nodal diameters n, the maximum strain energy can be both in the center of the circular plate clamped all around, as well as the first ventral points from the center of the circular plate towards the outside of the plate.
Sobre Fernando Ciaramitaro, Santo Oficio Imperial. Dinámicas globales y el caso siciliano
Authors: Hamui Sutton Silvia
Published: November 2023

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Sobre Kasey Diserens Morgan y Tiffany C. Fryer (eds.), Coloniality in the Maya Lowlands, archaeological perspectives
Authors: Taladoire Eric
Published: November 2023

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Sobre Antonio Rubial, Brian Connaughton, Manuel Ceballos y Roberto Blancarte, Historia mínima. La Iglesia católica en México
Authors: Cárdenas Ayala Elisa
Published: November 2023

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Sobre María Cecilia Zuleta, Sandra Kuntz Ficker, Bernd Hausberger y Aurora Gómez-Galvarriato (coords.), La formación del mundo latinoamericano. Aportes a la historia económica e intelectual. En homenaje a la obra de Carlos Marichal
Authors: Contreras Carranza Carlos
Published: November 2023

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Sobre Pablo Piccato, Historia mínima La violencia en México
Authors: Spindola Zago Octavio
Published: November 2023

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Conceptualizaciones teóricas sobre la lectura en la revista Sitio
Authors: Cortés Federico Gabriel
Published: November 2023

En este trabajo proponemos un ejercicio de visualización de información del número 4/5 de la revista literaria y cultural Sitio (1981-1987), con el objetivo de exhibir y reflexionar sobre las tensiones entre lectura y ensayo, atendiendo a la problematización de las morales de la lectura académica que tiene lugar en la revista. Con un enfoque metodológico que combina la teoría literaria tradicional y herramientas digitales, el estudio utiliza OCR para la conversión del texto y Voyant Tools para el análisis cuantitativo, buscando destacar las dinámicas matizadas de la crítica literaria argentina durante ese periodo.
represión del bandolerismo en Andalucía: un análisis preliminar de la visión de Julián Zugasti y Saénz a través de una lectura distante
Authors: Spinelli Julián
Published: November 2023

El propósito de este trabajo es llevar a cabo un análisis preliminar y exploratorio de un corpus seleccionado de las obras de Julián Zugasti y Sáenz sobre el bandolerismo en Andalucía durante el siglo XIX. A través del uso de la herramienta Voyant Tools, se pretende realizar una lectura distante de sus escritos sobre el origen y reproducción del fenómeno en la región con el objetivo de observar y contextualizar ciertos patrones discursivos en los funcionarios estatales de la época al momento de legitimar la persecución y represión del bandolero rural.
Power relations through the prism of critical discourse analysis and systemic functional grammar
Authors: Avdagić Kemal , Džanić Mirza
Published: November 2023

The paper aims to evaluate the role of language in a specific socio-political context. It offers a critical approach and evaluation of the political statements of the European Union representatives regarding the process of the accession of Bosnia and Hercegovina to the European Union. The focus of the linguistic investigation is on the identification of language structures that participate in the development of communicative models that enable the establishment of power relations between participating entities. The linguistic data is obtained through systemic functional grammar and evaluated using critical discourse analysis.
Convergence estimates of semi-exponential operators associated with 1 + x
2
Authors: Malik Neha
Published: November 2023

Certain convergence estimates for the semi-exponential operators associated with 1 + x
2 are established including weighted approximation, a direct result involving classical modulus of continuity and quantitative Voronovskaya-type theorem in weighted spaces. Initially, the moments are obtained following a recurrence relation for these operators and then some direct results are estimated.
Deus Inimicus: Divine Word and Hostile Divine Presence in the Book of Jeremiah
Authors: Fabrikant-Burke Olga
Published: November 2023

This article makes the case that the Jeremianic tradition construes the divine word as a mode of divine presence—indeed, a locus of hostile divine presence. This oft-neglected biblical conceptualisation of divine presence has the potential to call into question our submerged assumptions about the nature of divine presence, absence, and hiddenness. The investigation traces the echoes of the mīs pî pīt pî rituals in Jeremiah 1 as well as the relationship between the word of Yhwh and the written word. The book of Jeremiah itself emerges as an embodiment of hostile divine presence. Jeremiah’s Deus Inimicus mysteriously abides in the Jeremianic scroll.
Philosophy of Love and the Hiddenness Argument
Authors: Price Randall J.
Published: November 2023

J.L. Schellenberg and likeminded philosophers have offered a compelling argument against the existence of God known as the hiddenness argument. The idea that a loving God would not permit nonresistant nonbelief seems intuitive at first. Many theists have provided strong rebuttals to the hiddenness argument, attacking one or more of its controversial premises. I attempt to provide a new way forward in rebutting the hiddenness argument by challenging the assumed understanding of love that motivates many of the intuitions behind the hiddenness argument. I offer objections to the account of love that Schellenberg uncritically assumes and applies to divine-human relationships, and then go on to reconstruct the hiddenness argument with other accounts of love that are offered in contemporary philosophical literature discussion. In each case, the hiddenness argument is rendered unsuccessful. Throughout the essay, I comment on the theological merits of these various accounts of love as they are applied to divine-human relationships in order to show that, while not all of them are equally viable, Christian theists have several plausible ways of avoiding the conclusion of the hiddenness argument by adopting a different account of divine love.
Bildungsdaten: Datenlücken durch ein Bildungsverlaufsregister schließen
Authors: Hertweck Friederike , Isphording Ingo E. , Matthewes Sönke H. , Schneider Kerstin , Katharina Spieß C.
Published: November 2023

Evidence-based education policy needs comprehensive data. Education economists of the Verein für Socialpolitik call for the implementation of a longitudinal education register in Germany to understand the complex interrelationships of education systems. The education register should cover all levels of formal education and include data on student performance in order to close a serious data gap in Germany. The statement also calls for regular access to this data for independent research. Once implemented, the education register should enable linking with other data sources, for example from the labour market, tax and health records, in order to be able to analyse the long-term effects of education. By establishing a longitudinal education register, Germany would finally catch up with established standards of other European countries, creating a resource where education register data not only exists, but are available for researchers and can be linked with other data.
Regionaldaten: Verknüpfungen ermöglichen
Authors: Bauer Thomas K. , Gathmann Christina , Helm Ines , Raffer Christian , Siegloch Sebastian , Schaffner Sandra , Lichter Andreas
Published: November 2023

Regional disparities are pronounced and persistent. Regional data of high quality are needed to improve the understanding of the origins and consequences of regional disparities and the effectiveness of regional policies through empirical analysis. Against the background of existing problems with regard to both the access to and the provision of high-quality regional data, this paper derives recommendations for action to improve the supply of regional data for the purpose of scientific analyses.
Managing Interpersonal Conflict in the Nigerian Construction Industry: A Study of Port Harcourt in South-South Region of Nigeria
Authors: Burabari Akpe Nwako  , Kindness Ebubechi Esom  , Isaac Taiwo Afuye
Published: November 2023

This research sought to examine the interpersonal conflict in the Nigerian construction industry, specifically in Port Harcourt, South-South region, and to proffer solutions for dealing with such conflicts. A mixed-method approach was adopted, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data collection. The study found that differences among team professionals were the major cause of conflict in construction projects. In addition, it was further revealed that conflict mainly occurs at the post-contract stage (the construction Phase). From the analysis of data collected, the most frequently adopted management strategy for conflict resolution within the study area was "Negotiation and Re-negotiation." More so, the "Definition of roles and responsibilities" ranked highest. The study concluded that the major cause of interpersonal conflict is Differences among team members. Hence, there should be clearly defined roles and responsibilities and strict adherence to relevant conflict management strategies by the stakeholders at all stages of the projects.
Heads of Schools’ Assurance of the Availability of Teaching and Learning Materials for the Implementation of Competency-Based Approach in Ward Secondary Schools in Mbeya District Council, Tanzania
Authors: Yustina W. Yilima  , Dr. Catherine Muteti  , Evans Ogoti Okendo
Published: November 2023

The study examined how heads of schools ensured the availability of teaching and learning materials for implementing competency-based approach to inward secondary schools in Mbeya District Council, Tanzania. The study was guided by Instructional leadership theory developed by Ronald Edmonds in 1979. The study used a convergent design under a mixed methods approach. Participants were selected using probability and non-probability sampling approaches. A total of 252 samples of participants were included in the study. Questionnaires, interview guides, and observation schedules were used for data collection. The Cronbach Alpha method was used to determine the reliability of quantitative data, and peer review and triangulation were used to determine the reliability of qualitative data. Qualitative data were analysed by examining direct quotations and presenting the findings in narrative form. The study revealed that heads of schools ensure the availability of teaching and learning materials. Also, the study revealed that there are inadequate teaching and learning materials. The study concluded that heads of schools ensure the availability of teaching and learning material. The study recommended that heads of schools should ensure the supply of teaching and learning materials in schools.
Outsourcing Human Resource Functions and Organizational Performance: A Study of Some Selected Commercial Banks in Nigeria
Authors: Ochuko Mary Amori  , Kazeem, Gbenga Akanmu
Published: November 2023

Through this study, the effects of outsourcing training and development programs and the recruitment process on organizational performance were assessed. The study employed a survey research design with a created and validated questionnaire. Members of the HRM Department from these selected commercial banks who made up the study's overall population size of 100 were the respondents. A sample size of 80 was chosen using Taro Yamane's sampling formula. With the use of SPSS and a linear regression model, the gathered data were evaluated. The study's findings revealed a substantial association of (0.940 and 0.815, respectively) between the characteristics of outsourcing human functions and organizational performance. The study came to the conclusion that outsourcing human resource functions such as the recruitment process and training and development has a significant impact on organizational performance. In accordance with the findings of the study, it was recommended that human resource managers spell out the job descriptions of the applicants in the portfolio that will be given to these outsourcing firms to enable them to perform better in the search for these candidates.
Effect of Manpower Training and Development on Employees’ Performance in Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abuja, Nigeria
Authors: Dr. Daniel, Dare Joseph  , Dr. Chukwuemeka, Emeka Joshua
Published: November 2023

A noticeable disparity in skills advancement within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has become apparent, attributed to the evolving electoral landscape and the influence of international electioneering standards, prompting shifts in electoral policies and administration. This investigation focuses on the impact of personnel training and growth on the efficacy of INEC employees in Abuja, employing a survey research design. Data collection involved a questionnaire distributed among 248 respondents selected as the sample size out of a total of 657 staff. The sample size was determined using Taro Yamane formula. The study used Cronbach Alpha to test the reliability of the administered questionnaire and also adopted faced validity to test the validity of the questionnaire. The study adopted multiple regression with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 to analyse the data. The examination of outcomes reveals a noteworthy and substantial correlation between manpower training and development and the performance of employees within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, Nigeria. This signifies that training and development exert a constructive influence on the performance of INEC employees. Consequently, the research suggests a persistent focus on manpower training within INEC, alongside efforts to foster employee growth by facilitating ongoing learning and educational pursuits while also safeguarding their chosen career paths. They should continue to maintain standards on training and development since it has a positive and significant effect on employees' performance.
Risk Management Practices and Organizational Performance of Deposit-taking SACCOs in Nairobi City County, Kenya
Authors: Mbuguah Charles Macharia  , Dr. Mary Namusonge
Published: November 2023

An increase in the volume of corporate failures has made risk management to be considered integral to the performance of Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOs) in Kenya, which have been investing over the years with the objective of maximizing their wealth. Towards this end, they employ various risk management techniques to mitigate risks they face in relation to their lending activities. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of risk management practices on the organizational performance of deposit-taking SACCOs in Kenya, which have been facing increased pressure from microfinance institutions, commercial banks and emerging digital financial platforms for customers. This study specifically focused on the effect of credit, liquidity, and market rate risk management practices. The research adopted a descriptive design that was grounded on the balance scorecard theory and the shiftability theory of liquidity. The study focused on 44 deposit-taking SACCOs located in Nairobi City County and collected both primary and secondary data. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) program based on descriptive, correlational and least squares regression analysis. The findings were presented using various graphical representation tools such as charts and tables. Regression results revealed that credit risk management, liquidity risk and market risk management had a positive and significant effect on the organizational performance of deposit-taking SACCOs in Nairobi County. The study recommended that SACCOs should further enhance their strategic loan screening guidelines, develop stronger strategic partnerships with credit reference bureaus, and improve loan monitoring processes. The study also recommended that SACCOs should review its interest rate risk management strategies. Further, they should explore opportunities for product diversification to enhance their market share and competitiveness. Finally, it was recommended that SACCOs should adopt a dynamically strategic approach to risk management and regularly review their risk management strategies to ensure their relevance and effectiveness in the changing business and regulatory environment.
The Dichotomy of Risk and Loan Repayment: Which Way Microfinance Banks?
Authors: Nadebu, Philbert Caleb  , Dr. Robert Kisavi Mule  , Dr. Destaings Nyenyi Nyongesa
Published: November 2023

Repayment of disbursed loans to borrowers remains the central focus of every lending financial institution. Microfinance banks (MFBs) are vehicles of financial inclusion designed to onboard the unbanked majority, especially in developing countries. However, the transition drags along with it worrying default trends that threaten to overturn the gains of this concept. Reports indicate that of 45% of default borrowers in the USA, 60% terminate into bad debts. The statistics in Nigeria depict growing non-performing loans. The loan repayment trend among MFBs reflects a trajectory that calls for urgent intervention measures to secure steady operations to the extent of meeting their arising financial obligations. Existing empirical studies were biased in favour of credit risk and left the mitigation perspective of its management, which serves to diagnose and neutralize potential adverse lending outcomes. Extant literature is dedicated to investigating parameters associated with profitability. The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between credit risk management and loan repayment among microfinance banks in Kenya. Credit risk and moral hazard theories underpinned the study. Secondary balanced panel data for eight years, sourced from the annual reports of 12 regulated MFBs in Kenya, was used. Moderated multiple regression was applied to realize the study objective and results indicated that credit risk management yields a negative but significant change in loan repayment (β=-0.009874, p=0.0260). This implies that a unit increase in the credit risk management ratio leads to an inverse but significant -0.98% decrease in loan repayment. Based on this finding, it is recommended that efforts to enforce a reduction in non-performing loans should coincide with measures to filter the profile of loan applicants to eliminate borrowers with tainted credit history.
Collaboration in the Tea Supply Chain in Phu Tho Province, Vietnam
Authors: Tran Tuan Anh  , Vu Quang Hai
Published: November 2023

The study's objective is to study the factors affecting the supply chain cooperation of tea in Phu Tho province. The study used Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the 258 data and hypotheses. Data are collected from tea producers, wholesalers, and retailers in Phu Tho province, Vietnam. Research has given five factors affecting cooperation:

Information sharing,

Policies,

Collaborative culture,

Collaborative strategies, and

Trust

From there, the study proposes several solutions to strengthen the collaboration of all components in the tea supply chain in Phu Tho in particular and in Vietnam in general.
Examining the Causes of Military Intervention in West Africa: The Case Study of Ghana (1969–1985)
Authors: Eric Agbesi Kwasi Akafia  , Alex Acquaye  , Richard Danso
Published: November 2023

Since Independence, West African countries, including Ghana, have experienced military interventions in several forms. The international community, including regional bodies, tried severally to stem the occurrence of military intervention but to no avail. For this reason, "Examining the Causes of Military Intervention in West Africa: The Case Study of Ghana 1969-1985" sought to find out the causes and factors responsible for coups and suggest solutions to reduce the coups in the sub-region. The objective of the paper is to find out the impact of coups in Ghana, ascertain the factors responsible for the coups, and suggest mitigation measures. The researcher made good use of the diffusion theory, the military centrality theory and the political development theory to provide a succinct background for the work. The concept of civil-military relations was also discussed exhaustively to enable readers to understand the interconnectedness of the military and contexts coexisting in the same environment. Questionnaires were used to solicit data from 300 respondents across Ghana. Face-to-face interviews were also conducted to collect information and elicit meaning from the interviewees' body language. The telephone and the internet were useful in the collection of data. Most of the questions in the questionnaire came with neutral responses and it was only in very few cases that respondents agreed with the questions. The research concluded that definite factors could not be blamed for the cause of coups. In some cases, causative factors were remote and not even under the control of any government. It is, therefore, a difficult task for governments' efforts to control military coups. Military interventions in governance cannot totally be avoided. Therefore, governments need numerous efforts, innovation and the involvement of various stakeholders to control the situation.
Assessing the Design Elements for a Sustainable Neighbourhood: A Case Study of Talba Housing Estate Minna, Nigeria
Authors: John Augustine Buwah  , Mohammad Abubakar Sadiq  , Shuaibu Onoze Abdullahi  , Akilu Aliyu
Published: November 2023

Urbanization and increase in population have led to an upsurge demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly neighbourhoods, these designs include a variety of aspects that increase resource efficiency, mitigate environmental impacts, improve quality of life, and encourage community interaction. The study focuses on identifying and analysing the various design aspects implemented within the housing estate in order to evaluate their effectiveness in promoting sustainability. By examining features such as accessibility, infrastructure, green spaces, energy efficiency, and waste management, the research evaluates the delivery and impact of sustainable design in Talba housing estate. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative interviews, observations, and quantitative analysis to gather comprehensive data. The findings of this case study will contribute to a broader understanding of the importance and implications of design elements for establishing sustainable neighbourhoods, thereby offering valuable insights for urban planners, policymakers, and housing developers in their pursuit of creating environmentally friendly and resilient communities.
The Influence of Principals’ Student Disciplinary Practices on Student Retention in Public-Day Secondary Schools in Nakuru County, Kenya
Authors: Elsie Njambi Nyaga  , Dr. Emily Nyabisi
Published: November 2023

Low secondary school retention has long been a source of concern in Kenya. Existing literature emphasizes that the reasons for this low student retention are complex, multifaceted, and poorly understood. Furthermore, there is a lack of understanding about how students experience these reasons, particularly during their secondary school education. The goal of this study was to determine the impact of principals' student disciplinary practices on student retention in Nakuru County public day secondary schools. The concurrent triangulation research design was used in a mixed-methods research approach. The study involved 396 participants, including 90 principals, 363 teachers, 110 students, and 11 Sub-County Directors of Education. The study established that the regression coefficients (β) of peer counselling in helping to solve student disciplinary issues and the issuance of copies of school rules and regulations during admission were both negative and insignificant (β= -.128, = -.179, p ˃ 05). The practices of involving learners in the setting of school rules and regulations, organizing guidance and counselling sessions for students with social problems, and invitation of parents and guardians to school to discuss amicable solutions for serious disciplinary issues had positive but insignificant regression coefficients (β= .114, = .283,= 0.238; p ˃ 05). However, the practice of regularly informing parents and guardians of students' disciplinary issues had a statistically significant regression coefficient (β= .561; p < 05). The multiple regression model produced an adjusted R² = .190, p < 0.05, which implied that principals' disciplinary practices explained 19% of the variance in retention of students in public day secondary schools in Nakuru County, Kenya. From the findings of the study, it is evident that school principals should prioritize disciplinary measures that have an influence on the retention of students to create a favorable learning atmosphere for academic performance. These findings can assist educational administrators in developing effective student disciplinary and management techniques that will boost student retention in their schools.
Recognition and Mentorship as Contributors to Retention in Academia: A Case of Non-Teaching Staff of Universities in Ogun State, Nigeria
Authors: Dr. Ngozi C. Uwannah  , Ayokunle E. Fadairo
Published: November 2023

The assessment of recognition and mentorship as determinants of retention among non-teaching staff of universities in Ogun state, Nigeria, is a worthwhile venture that cannot be overemphasized since organizations need to retain experienced and qualified staff to achieve their goals.

This study, therefore, investigated the influence of recognition and mentorship on the retention of non-teaching staff in universities in Ogun State, Nigeria. A descriptive research design was adopted. The population of the study comprised 218 non-teaching staff selected from two universities using random sampling techniques. Three self-developed instruments were used for data collection, namely: recognition, mentorship and retention questionnaires, which were subjected to pilot study with a reliability coefficient of 0.80. Data were analyzed with both descriptive (simple percentages) and inferential statistics (chi-square). The findings showed a significant relative contribution of employee recognition and mentorship on retention, while a significant combined contribution of recognition and mentorship on retention of non-teaching staff was recorded. This suggests that recognition and mentorship programs can serve as effective retention strategies for non-teaching staff in universities. The study highlights the importance of considering factors such as recognition and mentorship in retaining employees in organizations. Based on the above findings, it was recommended that there is a need for the universities' administrators to ensure that recognition packages are provided adequately for their staff members. This would engender feelings of satisfaction among them to ensure that they remain with the institution and give their best. Also, there should be formalized and on-going mentoring in universities so that non-teaching staff can experience career mobility.
An Examination of Teachers' Continuous Professional Development Programmes and Implication for Quality Education in Basic Education Schools, Plateau State, Nigeria
Authors: Dr. Athanasius Nanle Dashen  , Klactu Kulu
Published: November 2023

The study examined Teachers' Continuous Professional Development Programmes and the implication for Quality Education in Basic Education Schools, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Quality education is fundamental to the achievement of functional education. With this understanding, the study was built on the premise that teachers, being the heartbeat of quality education, are key to achieving this goal. The research advanced six objectives from which six research questions and two hypotheses were put forward to guide the study. The research methodology was based on survey design. Survey, as a versatile tool, is adaptive to both small and large samples. A self-developed questionnaire, “Teacher Professional Development Programmes Exploratory Questionnaire” (TPDPEQ), was used to obtain the opinions of teachers. The questionnaire was based on a 5-point Likert scale. A test-retest reliability test gave a value of 0.85, confirming internal consistency. The test items were further subjected to face validity. The data obtained was analyzed using frequencies, mean, standard deviation and one–tailed t-test for hypotheses testing. The level of significance was at P<0.05. The findings of the study show that teachers' continuous professional development is closely linked to teacher quality and the quality of students' performance; teachers exposed to professional development programmes report a change in their competency skills and that access to such programmes hinges on overcoming identified hindrances. Teachers expressed the need for further professional development. It is recommended that governments at all levels need to prioritise the continuous professional development of teachers, who also desire to be involved in decisions involving competency skill choices for their continuous professional development. This should be backed by incentives to serve as motivation to participating teachers.
Democracy at a Crossroads: 2023 General Election in Nigeria, Electronic Results Transmission and Electoral Conflicts
Authors: Dr. Prince Eze  , Dr. Ferguson Amaobi Onuegbu
Published: November 2023

Democracy in Nigeria is at a crossroads and in dire need of solutions. This informed the new Electoral Act of 2022. This paved the way for introducing the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) as a supposed game changer that would guarantee free, fair, and credible elections in 2023. Based on this background, the paper focuses on the 2023 general election in Nigeria and uses the Elite theory as its framework to examine how the failure of BVAS in transmitting results electronically from the polling unit caused electoral conflicts, endangered democracy in Nigeria and marred the conduct of credible and acceptable elections. The data collected through primary and secondary sources revealed that the inability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit results electronically through the BVAS, as stated in the electoral guidelines, gave rise to manipulations of results by politicians and the elites. This paper argued that all forms of manipulation by politicians, elites and the ruling class that would further endanger democracy in Nigeria must be resisted by the citizens and all lovers of democracy globally. In this regard, it is recommended that INEC must be non-partisan, follow electoral guidelines, and capital punishment for staff of the commission found guilty of electoral fraud. The paper emphasized that the Nigerian-State must be an impartial arbiter before, during and after elections, while civil society groups and the citizens should continue to demand transparency and ask for due process to be followed in elections.
Cloth and Iron Dresses: Reading Symbolic Reparation from Postwar Artworks That Address Gender Violence
Authors: Xuan Lan
Published: November 2023

In this article, I investigate the methods and strategies that make postwar artworks of gender violence reparative by comparing two postwar artworks: “Thinking of You” created after the Kosovo conflict and the sculpture group in front of the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall. I argue that while both artworks address the systematic gender violence suffered by female victims in an armed conflict, the effect that the artworks have had on the audience and the victims are vastly different due to gendered factors. To illustrate the way in which these gendered factors impact the artists’ portrayal and the means through which they are manifested in the artworks, I use Rubio-Marín’s “Gender of Reparations” theory in considering how artwork’s portrayal of female victims succeeds or fails in providing reparation to the female victims of gender violence.
An Optimality Theory Account of Phonological Adaptations of English Loanwords to Ng’aturukana (Turkana) Language
Authors: Celestine Nkieny Tioko
Published: November 2023

Borrowed words get to the system of the recipient language with foreign structures. The borrowed words may feature different sets of phonotactics and alien phonemes in the view of the borrowing language. These new phonotactics and phonemes must, however, be adapted through various phonological adaptation processes to befit the borrowing language rules. This paper sought to analyze how Optimality Theory accounts for how English words are phonologically adapted to fit them into the structure of Ng'aturukana (Turkana), the borrowing language. The paper sought to answer two questions:

What phonological adaptation processes do the English loanwords undergo when borrowed to Ng'aturukana?

How does the principle of constraint ranking account for the observed phonological adaptations?

Theoretically, the paper relied on Optimality Theory to account for the adaptation processes. The study collected thirty (30) English loanwords borrowed into Ng'aturukana. These were drawn from the researcher's MA thesis, the researchers' intuition and common radio station discourses in Turkana County (radio Akicha and Sayari). These data were subjected to validation through two adult speakers of Ng'aturukana. The researcher employed a purposive sampling technique in identifying eighteen (18) loanwords that were analyzed to answer the two research questions. The following were some of the key findings: one, insertion, resyllabification, monopthongization, and spirantisation processes are key in adaptation of English words in Ng'aturukana, and two, the OT constraints that facilitate adaptation of loanwords in Ng'aturukana are *DIPH, *[LAB-DENT], *[ə]V, *[ɑ]V, [*DR], *OBSTRUENT-LIQUID, and DEP-IO. The findings are expected to contribute to the credibility of OT as a universal and typological theory and to issues in cross-linguistic loanword phonology.
Boundedness for the Transient Two-Dimensional Hydromagnetic Flow over an Impermeable Surface
Authors: Nmeburulo, I. E  , Durojaye, M. O.  , Onyeozili I. A.
Published: November 2023

Abstract:  

This paper examines the properties of the solution for the transient two-dimensional hydromagnetic flow over an impermeable surface with ohmic and viscous heat dissipation. Our results revealed that the fluid velocity , species concentration and medium temperature  are bounded.

 

Keywords: Boundedness, hydromagnetic flow, impermeable surface, transient, viscous fluid
Enormous Impact of Hospital and Clinical Waste Generation on Air Quality in Abakaliki, Southeastern Nigeria
Authors: Okoli Ifeyinwa, S  , Igboji, Paul Ola
Published: November 2023

The study was conducted at the FETHA 1 in Abakaliki, Southeastern Nigeria. It assessed the various hospital/clinical wastes generated in the various wards. The indoor and outdoor air quality of the wards was studied. The volume of waste generated in the morning and evening was studied for three months for two years. The indoor and outdoor air quality of the wards was also studied for three months for two years. The ambient concentrations of CO, NH3, NO2, H2S were monitored using portable gas motors. At FETHA1, the highest volume of waste generated in the morning time in the month of June 2021 was 26.9 kg in the children's ward and the least value of 15.6 kg in the gynaecology theatre with a coefficient of variation (cv) of 26.7%; while in same morning of June 2022; the same children's ward gave the highest volume of wastes of 28.9 kg and least wastes of 16.7 kg in the same gynaecology theatre with a cv of 26.9%. In the evening period of June 2021, the highest waste of 27.5 kg was in the children's ward and the lowest value of 20.6 kg in the gynaecology theatre with a cv of 14.9%. In the morning of June 2022, the children's ward gave the highest volume of waste of 28.9 kg and the lowest value of 16.7 kg in the gynaecology theatre with a cv of 26.95, while in the evening period of June 2022, the same children's ward gave 30.1 kg and least value of 26.6 kg in gynaecology theatre with a cv of 6.3%. There were no statistically significant variations across wards, times of day and months for wastes generated at FETHA 1. The highest CO indoor gas concentration of 0.88 mg/l in 2021 was in the children's ward and the lowest CO indoor gas concentration of 0.40 mg/l and outdoor CO gas concentration of 0.28 mg/l with cv of 43.3%. For NH3, the highest concentration of 0.35 mg/l was in the same children's ward and the lowest concentration of 0.12 in the labour ward with a cv of 67.5%. Across wards, months and years, there were statistical variations in the indoor and outdoor gaseous concentrations of the various gases monitored. Although the concentrations of the gases indoors and outdoors passed the WHO and local standards, constant monitoring of wastes generated at all times, months, and years and their impact on air quality was recommended as the teaching hospital has high traffic of patients and customers to allay fears of gas poisoning.
Analysis of the range of medicines in the form of lyophilized powders
Authors: Saliy O. O. , Popova M. E. , Sementoukh S. Ya. , Sachenko Ye. V. , Puchkan L. O.
Published: November 2023

Aim. To conduct the analysis of the range of medicines in the form of lyophilized powders at the pharmaceutical market of Ukraine.

Materials and methods. The methods of information and bibliographic search, analysis and generalization, statistical processing, as well as tabular and graphic means of visual data presentation were used. The analysis medicines registered in Ukraine in the form of lyophilized powders was based on the data of the State Register of Medicines of Ukraine, the Morion information search program, the ATC classification system of the electronic resource Compendium.online as of April 2023.

Results. The total number of medicines registered in Ukraine in the form of lyophilized powders is 215 trade names, excluding release and dosage forms, which are represented in 34 anatomical groups. The majority of products are found in groups L01 “Antineoplastic agents” (28.83 %), A02 “Drugs for acid related disorders” (14.42 %) and J01 “Antibacterials for systemic use” (11.16 %). The analysis by active substance revealed the proportion of active substances used most often, namely esomeprazole (5.12 %), gemcitabine and pantoprazole (4.65 % each), pemetrexed (3.72 %). The distribution of the market segment studied by producing countries was 22 % of domestic producers and 78 % products of importing countries, the leaders were India (35 %) and Turkey (6 %).

Conclusions. The analysis of the range of the medicines registered in the form of lyophilized powders as of April 2023 has been performed according to the ATC classification system. The market segment of lyophilized powders has been determined by active substance, composition (single-component, multi-component), the country of manufacture. The analysis of domestic manufacturers of medicines in the form of lyophilized powder has been performed, their branded specific product lines and production facilities have been determined. The absence of registration of medicines in the form of lyophilized powders in Ukraine based on doxycycline, protein drugs and a number of vaccines has been found. Thus, this situation forms promising areas for expanding the range of this group of medicines.
A comparison of rugae pattern in males and females as a samples of Iraqi population
Authors: Jasim Mohamed Tariq
Published: November 2023

The palatine rugae are irregular fibrous connective tissue ridges located in the anterior third of hard palate that extends bilaterally from the midline behind the incisive papilla. Rugae patterns play a role as positive identification of individuals in suspected cases in forensic dentistry. The aim of the present study is to identify and compare the rugae pattern in a sample of Iraqi population. Materials and method: 120 samples of maxillary casts were selected for 60 males and 60 females their ages ranging between (22-35) years old by using Thomas & Kotze classification for assessment rugae patterns. As a result of this study shows that rugae patterns has a unique individual imprint, differ in the number, symmetry between right and left sides, shape of rugae lines for each person with no significant differences for both sexes. This work conclude that rugae patterns can be used as additional method for identification as a personal print, and considered a characteristic to discriminate between individuals.