bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ПРО НЕОБХІДНІ ЗМІНИ В ПАТРІОТИЧНОМУ ВИХОВАННІ МОЛОДІ ЧЕРЕЗ ЗБРОЙНУ АГРЕСІЮ РФ (2014-2022)
Authors: Свинаренко Н. О.
Published: February 2023

The recent tragic events of the Russian-Ukrainian war of 2014-2022 force
teachers of various levels to adjust the content, methods and forms of conducting
patriotic work. Modern teachers should carry out work on patriotic education
with the smallest schoolchildren — to present the beauty and melodiousness of
our Ukrainian language, our beautiful, large country, our complex history of
the formation of statehood. Middle and junior high school students should be
shown at educational events that Russia is the embodiment of evil, total lies,
and backwardness.High school students and college students should pay more
attention to the military feats of our compatriots — soldiers of the armed forces
of Ukraine, who protect our land from enemies. The fight against convergence
must be consistent, long-term, carefully conducted, with strong state support —
especially in regions with a multi-ethnic population.
ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ПРОФЕСІЙНОГО САМОВДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ МАЙБУТНІХ ФАХІВЦІВ
МУЗИЧНОГО МИСТЕЦТВА В ПРОЦЕСІ ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ ПІДГОТОВКИ В ЗАКЛАДІ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ
Authors: Сімакова С. І.
Published: February 2023

The study is devoted to the disclosure of essential aspects of professional
self-improvement in the system of professional training of future specialists in
musical art. The essence of the concepts «professional training», «professional
training of future specialists in musical art» is defined, the content is outlined
and the features of training future specialists in musical art for professional selfimprovement are characterized.
ЩАСЛИВІ «МІСЦЯ ПАМ’ЯТІ»: ПРАКТИЧНА РЕАЛІЗАЦІЯ В ШКІЛЬНІЙ ІСТОРИЧНІЙ ОСВІТІ
Authors: Сморжевська О. О.
Published: February 2023

History lessons at school can be useful for the formation of not only certain
historical knowledge and the ability to use it in one’s later life. And to contribute
to the formation of a happy personality, capable of building tactics and strategies
for personal development, relying on the historical experience of one’s people
and the world in general. For this purpose, it is advisable to use the concept of
«places of memory» by P. Nora.
ДУХОВНІСТЬ ЯК СКЛАДОВА ПРОЦЕСУ ПІДГОТОВКИ ЗДОБУВАЧІВ ВИЩОЇ МЕДИЧНОЇ ОСВІТИ
Authors: Кравчун П. Г. , Заїкіна Т. С.
Published: February 2023

This article is devoted to the discussion of the issue of spirituality, namely the
need to introduce a course on spiritual assistance to patients in the educational
process of institutions of higher medical education. In our opinion, it is extremely
important to learn such basic spiritual competencies as the skills of assessing
the patients’ spiritual needs, methods of spiritual support, and developing the
skills of active listening, which will contribute to a significant improvement in the
quality of medical care
ІНФОМЕДІЙНА ГРАМОТНІСТЬ ЯК КАТЕГОРІЯ МОРАЛЬНО-ДУХОВНОГО ВИХОВАННЯ
Authors: Курило В. А.
Published: February 2023

У статті розглянуто поняття «інфомедійна грамотність», «медіакультура». Зроблено висновок про те, що інфомедійна грамотність є основним підґрунтям розвитку інформаційної і медіакультури людини.
Також, висвітлено основні принципи формування медіаінформаційноїграмотності.
ВИКОРИСТАННЯ МУЗИЧНОГО МИСТЕЦТВА В НАЦІОНАЛЬНОМУ ВИХОВАННІ СТУДЕНТІВ
Authors: Лей Кунь
Published: February 2023

The article is dedicated to the study of the possibilities of using musical art
in students’ national education. The means of musical art, which are used for
the purpose of national education, are determined. They are listening to music;
performing activity; singing; playing musical instruments; taking special courses
of national musical orientation in the educational process; extracurricular
work that combines national education and musical art; enlightening musical
and educational activity; creation of a cultural and educational environment at
a higher education institution etc.
ВІДЕОІГРИ ЯК КРЕОЛІЗОВАНІ ТЕКСТИ: ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ІНТЕРПРЕТАЦІЇ
Authors: Лисоколенко Т. В.
Published: February 2023

The game phenomenon is at the center of the article. Features of the use
of games in the educational process are given. A view of video games as a
special category of analysis through the prism of creolized texts is proposed,
possible methodological techniques of using video games as creolized texts in the
educational process are highlighted.
Aproximación teórica acerca de la relación entre el muralismo y la política pública
Authors:   , Álvarez Mazo Carmen Cecilia
Published: February 2023

El presente estudio se relaciona con la maestría de “Estética y Teoría de las Artes” en tanto que se ocupa de abordar teóricamente la relación entre el muralismo y la política pública, asunto relevante a nivel, filosófico, estético y pedagógico. El muralismo, como movimiento originado en Mexico, puede entenderse como una expresión colectiva con grandes matices estéticos y con una potencia que permite conservar la memoria de las comunidades y denunciar las necesidades sociales; por su parte, la política pública es un concepto relativamente moderno, es una manera de hacer política distanciándose de la forma tradicional, en ella se incluyen elementos que pueden fortalecer el estado de bienestar buscando retroalimentarse para alcanzar una constante evolución. Debido a la relevancia y trascendencia de estas dos categorías el objetivo general de esta investigación fue analizar teóricamente la relación entre el muralismo y la política pública.
Brecha digital después de la pandemia. Indicadores de inclusión digital en el sector educativo
Authors: Beltrán Ricardo
Published: February 2023

The post-pandemic represents, in many aspects, a period in which a closer relationship with the use of electronic devices is evident; However, the digital divide continues to exist for some sectors of society; The objective was to make known, through specific indicators, the magnitude of the digital divide in an educational community in the "new normal"; The methodology was mixed, through the implementation of structured surveys (quantitative) and their analysis in conjunction with the group of teachers (qualitative); The results indicate an increase in devices and connectivity lines, lack of continuity in the use of digital applications in the transition to face-to-face modality and new behaviors against the use of devices, such as the increase in the consumption of content from social networks and in some cases, a routine that implies too much time in front of screens, With which it can be determined that many of the digital inequalities are related more to the inappropriate use of devices, than to the difficulty of accessing or the availability of time.
Competencia ciudadana en el sistema educativo paraguayo. Una mirada desde la educación media
Authors: Castillo-Vega Jose , Ferreira-Ferreiro Ángeles
Published: February 2023

The present investigation sought to describe the approach to citizen competence in secondary education of the Paraguayan educational system, in order to determine its contribution in the formation of young people, who must participate in a critical, constructive and reflective way in the society that experiences a weak democracy. The study is approached from documentary research, with a qualitative descriptive approach. The findings show that, although citizenship competencies are present in the curriculum, the ways of addressing it in the study programs are not specifically established, as well as, it is inferred that they can be identified as an exclusive requirement for the disciplines of the Social Sciences and not so for the other disciplines that are part of the academic component. The role of teachers is also identified as a weak link, so it is necessary to prioritize teacher training and research on classroom practices. On the other hand, the creation and recognition of student centers at the national level is identified as a strength, since these constitute a space for training and citizen participation. Finally, it highlights that democratic training is not only a commitment of the educational system but must be recognized as a responsibility shared with society, especially the family, which is the first school for students and the central nucleus where the courses must be taught. ethical and democratic values.
O princípio da presunção da inocência, a valoração da prova na atualidade e desafios do direito penal no séc XXI
Authors: Soares-Gomes Eudiracy , Farias Diana
Published: February 2023

The present study sought to point out the challenges of criminal law in the face of new times and its transformations, volatilizing established principles such as the Presumption of Innocence and, to a certain extent, provoking a new look at crime and the evaluation of evidence. Law is a science in constant transformation, since it epistemologically depends on sociology, anthropology, psychology and other social sciences. The methodology used was based on a qualitative bibliographic approach, contemplating the use of scientific studies, with key authors on the proposed topic. A brief historical review was made on the importance of the so-called constitutional guarantee right, the Presumption of Innocence, highlighting the issue of the evaluation of the evidence in some legal situations such as the crime of rape and in the context of family relations, where the crimes they are usually committed without the presence of witnesses and other analyzes of a social nature that are of interest to criminal law. Finally, we consider that, in evidentiary matters, the question of the truth of the facts as a validating criterion of justice in the field of criminal procedural law, the impartiality of the magistrate and the new penal modalities that require an adequate act of the right to stop and punish.
İstanbul İli Tekne Bağlama Kapasiteleri ve Bağlama Kütüğüne Kayıtlı Tekne Sayılarının Analizi
Authors: OKŞAŞ Olgay , HALICI Sedat
Published: February 2023

Bulunduğu coğrafi konum ve sahip olduğu yoğun nüfusla birlikte İstanbul, tüm Türkiye’deki gemi ve iç su araçlarının yaklaşık % 16’sını barındırmaktadır. Bu yoğunluk kısıtlı bağlama kapasitesine sahip İstanbul kıyı alanlarında tekneler için bir bağlama ve barınma sorununa sebep olmaktadır. Uygun bağlama yeri bulamayan tekneler emniyetsiz bir şekilde kıyılarda düzensiz ve izinsiz olarak barınmaktadırlar. Bu durum başta deniz ve çevre kirliliği olmak üzere deniz ve kıyı alanları için çeşitli riskleri de beraberinde getirmektedir. Yapılan çalışmada, İstanbul bölgesinde mevcut tekne bağlama kapasiteleri ile bağlama kütüğüne kayıtlı tekne sayıları tespiti ve aralarındaki arz talep dengesinin analizi amaçlanmaktadır. Bağlama kapasitesi olarak İstanbul bölgesindeki marinaların, balıkçı barınaklarının, iskelelerin, tekne imal ve çekek yerlerinin toplam kapasiteleri dikkate alınmıştır. En yüksek bağlama kapasiteleri marina ve balıkçı barınaklarına ait olup 2021 yılı itibariyle İstanbul’daki toplam kıyı bağlama kapasitesi yaklaşık 10500 tekne civarındadır. Kapasitelerle karşılaştırılmak üzere bağlama kütüğüne kayıtlı tekne sayıları incelenmiş ve mevcut durumda tekne sayısının bağlama kapasitesinden fazla olduğu görülmüştür. 2010-2021 yılları arası bağlama kütüğüne kayıtlı tekne sayıları da analiz edilerek trend analizi yöntemiyle 2026 yılına kadar bağlama kütüğüne kaydedilmesi muhtemel tekne sayıları hesaplanmıştır. 2021 yılında 19614 olan tekne sayısının 2026 yılı sonunda 25366’ya kadar çıkması beklenmektedir. Proje aşamasında olup gelecek yıllarda tamamlanması planlanan kıyı yapılarının inşalarının artan tekne sayıları dikkate alınarak gerçekleştirilmesi ve kısa vadede alternatif bağlama yöntemlerinin geliştirilmesi İstanbul’daki bağlama sorununun çözümü açısından önem arz etmektedir.
IMPLEMENTASI PROGRAM POSYANDU LANSIA UNTUK MENJAGA KESEHATAN LANJUT USIA
Authors: Tuwu Darmin , La Tarifu
Published: February 2023

Elderly people are people who fall into the category of the age group sixty years and over. This old age group is increasing day by day. They are vulnerable to mental and spiritual health problems, so it is necessary to make a Posyandu program for the elderly. This qualitative research with a case study approach is about the Integrated Service Post Program (Posyandu) which is given to the elderly age group to maintain the health and quality of life of the elderly. The object of study is the elderly who can still walk to the local Posyandu. Methods of collecting data through observation, interviews, and documentation. The main source of reference was obtained through literature studies related to the Posyandu program for the elderly. The results of the study found that the Elderly Posyandu program was carried out once a month, which was located at the local village head office or at a place determined by the residents. The service programs provided by the Posyandu for the elderly to the elderly are such as: health services, providing additional food, sports activities, and non-health activities such as spiritual activities, social gathering, productive economic activities, distribution of hobbies, and social interaction with fellow elderly. Through this activity, the elderly receive health and social benefits, so that the health and quality of life of the elderly can be well maintained
The Effect of Ice Breaking And Video Making Activities in Non-Classical Learning Models on Literacy Ability of Students
Authors: Hariyadi Eko , Azzajjad Muhammad Fath , Ahmar Dewi Satria
Published: February 2023

Education is a measure of student success, but the emergency that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic affected many activities, one of which is the lecture process until now, the lecture process that previously used classical learning turned into non-classical ( distance learning) or known as online model. Ice breaking activity is an activity to dilute the learning atmosphere and increase student motivation, with ice breaking students who feel bored and overwhelmed by feelings of tension become more lively and interactive. The non-classical learning model used in this study is a problem solving collaborative learning model with treatment assignments for making learning material videos which are expected to make it easier to find knowledge in teaching materials. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of ice breaking and making video activities in non-classical learning models on the literacy skills of the Geography Education Study Program students of USN Kolaka. the results of the independent sample t-test, the information on the value of Sig. (2-tailed) < 0.05 then H0 is rejected and H1 is accepted, meaning that there is an effect of ice breaking and Making Video activities in non-classical learning models on students' literacy skills.
Geographic Information System Mapping of Plantation
Authors: Pramuditha Shinta Dewi Puspitasari  , Agus Kurniasari Arvita , Trismayanti Dwi Puspitasari
Published: February 2023

Perusahaan Daerah Perkebunan (PDP) Kahyangan is a Regional Owned Enterprise in Jember Regency which was formed to realize the prosperity of the community.  In Regional Regulation Number 2 of 2012-chapter 3 clauses 2, the government can manage regional finances by exploring sources of Regional Original Income, one of which is from the PDP.  In addition, the purpose of the establishment of the PDP is as a means of developing the economy in the context of regional development by increasing productivity from all aspects to increase regional income.  The main commodities are coffee and rubber, cloves, Mahoni, and Sengon wood are supporting commodities.  Based on interviews PDP's profit contribution to Jember's income has continued to decline in recent years due to the absence of good management of its potential.  So, this research will manage a system that can assist in obtaining information about the distribution of plantation land commodities in Jember, as well as mapping existing commodities by Geographic Information System (GIS).  The method for developing GIS uses a Design Sprint.  The output of this method prototypes and will implement in the GIS application.
The Improvement of Productivity to Increase Company Competitiveness in PT. X Binjai
Authors: Kodrat Kimberly Febrina
Published: February 2023

Productivity is a measurement of the ability for an input in resulting of an output. The productivity for a company is an important element that can create the effectiveness, efficiency, and quality for its operational activities. This research is aimed to design a developmental system of productivity and improvement of productivity which can be applied by the company in increasing the competitiveness. Its methodology used is explanatory research. The productivity is made by measuring data of manpower, material, energy, and capital. The model of productivity improvement is using employee base technique. The research shows that the productivity index of manpower, material, energy and capital is fluctuated. In running the activity of productivity process, there is still inefficiency in distributing the manpower, material, energy, and capital for the company
Influence of Parental Support and Achievement Motivation on Academic Performance of Secondary School Islamic Studies Students in Lagos State
Authors: Yahya Isiaq Oluwatosin , Khadijah Olaniyan-Shobowale , Adekunle Animashaun Uthman
Published: February 2023

This study investigates the influence of parental support and achievement motivation on academic performance of secondary school students in Islamic Religious Studies in Lagos State. The study posed three research questions and tested two hypotheses. The study is a descriptive survey design with the population consisting of all 68 public senior secondary schools in Lagos state Education District V and 31,703 Islamic Religious Studies Students. A Sample of 400 SS II Islamic religious studies students were selected using Simple random sampling technique in 10 randomly selected schools for this study. Descriptive analysis was used to answer the research questions and lineal Regression was used to test hypotheses at α=0.05 level of significance. The study found that the level of Parental Support, Achievement Motivation and Academic Performance were all high among senior secondary schools Islamic Studies Students in Lagos State. Also that Parental Support and Achievement Motivation does not have significant influence on the Academic Performance of senior secondary schools Islamic Studies Students in Lagos State. Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that Parents and guardians should show high level of parental support for their children, in order to reinforce learning and enhance their academic performance.
Determine the Undervalued US Major League Baseball Players with Machine Learning
Authors:   Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, USA, Xiong Lu , Tian Kechen ,   Department of Mathematical Sciences, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, USA, Qian Yuwen ,   Department of Mathematical Sciences, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, USA, Musyoka Wilson ,   Department of Mathematical Sciences, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, USA, Chen Xingyu ,   Department of Mathematical Sciences, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, USA
Published: February 2023

Baseball is a sport of statistics. The industry has accumulated detailed offensive and defensive statistical data for over a century. Experience has shown that data analysis can give a competitive advantage compared to teams without using such analysis. In the last two decades, with the development of machine learning and artificial intelligence, we have had more advanced algorithms to analyze data in baseball. In the following research, we will run different ML models using sci-kit-learn and H2O on Colab, and the Caret package on RStudio to examine the datasets (hitting dataset and salary dataset) and determine the undervalued players by predicting the number of runs scored in the next year. We will compare machine learning regression algorithms and ensemble methods and give comprehensive explanations of the result. The suggestion of which model is superior in terms of prediction accuracy will be determined.
Experimental Study on the Influence of Alccofine-1203 and Phosphogypsum on the Strength Characteristics of Expansive Soil
Authors:   Research Scholar, Department of Civil Engineering, Puducherry Technological University, Puducherry, India, Jaladevi V. , Murugaiyan V. ,   Professor & HOD, Department of Civil Engineering, Puducherry Technological University, Puducherry, India
Published: February 2023

Expansive soil is generally found in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. One of the main issues with these expansive soils is their swelling properties when their natural water content increases. The various swell-shrink tendencies of expansive soils cause numerous issues with the substructure and distress in infrastructures such as buildings, pavements, and breast walls, among others. Geotechnical engineers have worked hard to understand the behavior of expanding soil and implement appropriate management strategies. The current study aims to elucidate the efficacy of alcofine-1203 and Phosphogypsum (PG) powder in achieving the geotechnical properties of soil and improving its high swell, high shrink, and low bearing capacity, which have benefits for civil engineering. The combination of the two materials can be more beneficial when used as a stabilizing agent than using them individually. An experimental programme has calculated the effects of alcofine-1203 (3, 6, 9, and 12%) and Phosphogypsum (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0%) on the Atterberg limits, optimum moisture content (OMC), unconfined compressive strength (UCS), maximum dry density (MDD), and other essential soil characteristics. Both admixtures were added independently and blended into the expansive soil. It was found that the liquid limit, plasticity index, optimum moisture content, and swelling behavior of the expansive soil have been greatly reduced with the addition of specified admixtures. UCS gradually increases from 46.4 kPa to 948 kPa after 56 days due to the combined effect of 12% alccofine and 1.0% Phosphogypsum reacting with soil, which plays a critical role when compared to the remaining admixture combination. Hence, the result concluded that the addition of 12% alccofine and 1.0% PG exhibited an essential improver of expansive soils, proved that adding the admixture is a potential stabilizer, and also proved that the problematic soil was transformed into the best soil. It also reduced the construction cost by making the best use of locally available materials.
Energy Efficient Multi-Hop Multipath Sub Clustering Routing Protocol for Wireless Sensor Network
Authors:   Department of Engineer, Central Government, New Delhi, India, Bazar Kirti , Sharma Dr. Kanika ,   Assistant Professor, Department of Electronics and Communication, National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTTR), Chandigarh, India
Published: February 2023

The aim of this paper is to design Energy Efficient Multi-Hop Multipath Sub Clustering Routing Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks. This paper presented a routing protocol for heterogenous WSN for the selection of cluster head based on the highest remaining residual energy in a node by using the optimal probabilistic equation. The heterogenous technique contains the multi-hoping of inter clustering communication and connectivity of remaining sensor nodes by using sub clustering technique. The sensor nodes with high residual energy will become cluster head and sends data packets to the base station. After successive simulations of this routing protocol on to MATLAB 2022b software, it was consequently found out that it improves the number of alive nodes, number of data packets transmitted to the sink in a network and also improves the network lifetime by 75%-80% in comparison with other protocols. The simulation results were carried out by comparing the proposed method with O LEACH, EEE LEACH, Z-SEP, LEACH. The result shows that, our proposed method is more stable and energy efficient than the other routing protocols.
AI-based Dynamic web server for real-time classification of raw genome sequences of ESKAPEE pathogens
Authors: Mishra Sarthak , Sharma Priyanka , Jabin Suraiya , Ahmad Sumaiya , Srivastava Divyanshu , Tiwari Krishna Mohan , Khan Arzoo , Singh Pulkit , Kaur Punit , Singh Harpreet
Published: February 2023

It's a collaborative effort of JMI, AIIMS, and ICMR, New Delhi, India.

"Dynamic Web Server for ESKAPEE Pathogen classification" is the deployment of a robust machine learning model which accepts raw clinical sequences i.e. SRA data in the fast/fq format, and classifies it into 8 classes of Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter species, E. coli (i.e. ESKAPEE) and non-ESKAPEE that consists of Human DNA, Fungi, and bacteria other than ESKAPEE.
One site, three species, three stories: syntopy of geckoes Euleptes europaea (Gené, 1839), Hemidactylus turcicus (Linnaeus, 1758), Tarentola mauritanica (Linnaeus, 1758) in a coastal area of southern Tuscany (central Italy)
Authors: Radi Giacomo , Zuffi Marco
Published: February 2023

Ecological aspects of syntopic geckoes were rarely addressed in the Mediterranean basin. We reported basic information on habitat use, and activity patterns of three species found in syntopy in Cala Violina site (divided in three subareas), a highly touristic beach located in southern Tuscany, central Italy, during 2009-2010. The most abundant species at first capture is Hemidactylus turcicus (94 individuals), while Tarentola mauritanica and Euleptes europaea are less represented (28 animals in both cases). Total captures and recaptures were 175. Sex ratio did not differ from 1:1 in all the species, nor sexes of adults did differ in size. Ambient temperatures did not differ in T. mauritanica and E. europaea, while were different in H. turcicus. Despite the humidity of capture sites did not vary among species, we recorded the highest number of E. europaea at 95% and H. turcicus at 62% humidity. Wind influenced negatively T. mauritanica and H. turcicus presence, not on E. europaea. Higher observation rate took place between 21:00 and 22:00. After 23:00, only Euleptes was active. Height from the ground was different only in H. turcicus. General Linear Models showed that interaction substrate-height at capture was important for Euleptes, not for the other two species. Along the area, E. europaea was more concentrated in the northern patch, while T. mauritanica and H. turcicus distributed more homogeneously. We suggest limitation of human presence for conservation purposes.
Molecular analysis of recently introduced populations of the Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus)
Authors: Oskyrko Oleksandra , Sreelatha Lekshmi B. , Silva-Rocha Iolanda , Sos Tibor , Vlad Sabina E. , Cogălniceanu Dan , Stănescu Florina , Iskenderov Tavakkul M. , Doronin Igor V. , Lisičić Duje , Carretero Miguel A.
Published: February 2023

In recent decades, many reptile species have been introduced outside their native ranges, either accidentally through the transportation of goods and materials (e.g., plants, construction materials), but also intentionally through the pet trade. As a paradigmatic example, the Italian wall lizard, Podarcis siculus, native to the Italian Peninsula, Sicily and the north Adriatic coast, has been introduced in several nearby islands since historical times (Corsica, Sardinia, Menorca). Besides these regions, scattered populations were later reported from the Iberian Peninsula, France, Switzerland, Turkey, Greece, the United Kingdom and North America. Here, we provide molecular evidence regarding the introduction and origin of P. siculus in six new populations outside its native range: Romania (Bucharest and Alba Iulia), inland Croatia (Zagreb and Karlovac), Italy (Lampedusa Island) and Azerbaijan (Baku). Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the Alba Iulia (Romania) population originated from a single clade (Tuscany), while the population from Azerbaijan is admixed including two distinct clades, one similar to those found in Sicily and the other present across the Tuscany clade. Samples from Bucharest also have admixed origins in Tuscany and the Adriatic clades. Less surprisingly, samples from Zagreb and Karlovac are included in the Adriatic clade while those from Lampedusa originated from Sicily. Overall, our results further demonstrate that P. siculus is able to establish outside of its native range even under different climatic conditions, not particularly from specific clades or source areas. Also, for the first time in this species, our results indicate that repeated human introductions promote lineage admixture and enhance their invasive potential.
Cryptic diversity in pygmy chameleons (Chamaeleonidae: Rhampholeon) of the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania, with description of six new species
Authors: Menegon Michele , Lyakurwa John V. , Loader Simon P. , Tolley Krystal A.
Published: February 2023

Previous molecular phylogenetic studies of pygmy chameleons have identified several cases of undescribed cryptic diversity of species, some of which have remained undescribed due to a lack of morphological information. Here, we combine descriptive morphology with principal component analysis, to quantify the overall morphological variation, and phylogenetic analysis to describe six new species of Rhampholeon from the Eastern Arc Mountains, including populations found in the Udzungwa, Rubeho, Nguru, Ukaguru, and Nguu Mountains. From our study we detected only limited morphometric variation between species. We distinguish the new species using genetics, combined with assessment of morphological features, and their geographical distribution. We highlight the threats to pygmy chameleons in East Africa from habitat change and exporting live specimens for the wildlife trade. Based on our understanding, we note a few species that we consider at risk of decline – mainly based on their narrow distribution and their apparent popularity in the export market. This study also further underlines the extraordinary biological value of the relatively small forest patches (less than 3000 km2) of the Eastern Arc, which contain more species of chameleons than any other area in mainland Africa.
Ecological niche differentiation in the Anatolian rock lizards (Genus: Anatololacerta) (Reptilia: Lacertidae) of the Anatolian Peninsula and Aegean Islands
Authors: Şahin Mehmet Kürşat , Candan Kamil , Karakasi Danae , Lymberakis Petros , Poulakakis Nikos , Kumlutaş Yusuf , Yildirim Elif , Ilgaz Çetin
Published: February 2023

The genus Anatololacerta is distributed in the eastern Mediterranean region including Asia Minor and some east Aegean islands. Recent phylogenetic studies suggested that this genus displayed cryptic diversity and was divided into five species: A. anatolica, A. pelasgiana, A. ibrahimi, A. finikensis and A. danfordi. The ecological niche differentiations of these species have not been studied so far. Our aims for this study were to predict the potential suitable habitats for the species nested in genus Anatololacerta, and to examine the niche overlaps and differentiations via identity and background tests. The occurrence data were obtained from literature and our own field surveys. Occurrence records were rarefied and assessed in a 30 arc-second resolution layer, compatible with several bioclimatic and topographic variables. Species distribution analyses were performed using maximum entropy approach and pairwise niche comparisons were evaluated by identity and background tests. Our results demonstrated that the species delimitation among this genus was not only affected by geographic isolation but also that precipitation and temperature influenced the habitat suitability for these species. Predicted suitability usually well matched the actual species distributions. Moreover, the niche overlap (identity test) analyses verified that allopatric Anatololacerta species show clear ecological differentiations. However, a niche overlap between parapatric species A. pelasgiana and A. finikensis, was confirmed by identity and background tests. It has been suggested that these parapatric species could be more affected by microclimatological parameters than the others. The results of our study are in agreement with the latest phylogenetic study within this genus.
The constant forms: a ubiquitous and pragmatic ontogony
Authors: Rieusset-Lemarie Isabelle
Published: February 2023

According to Etienne Souriau, ontology must be grasped in light of an ontogonic perspective in which future is to be rebuilt permanently as an act. We show that “constant forms” support Souriau’s aim that ontogony must be both ubiquitous and pragmatic. Firstly, the “constant forms” support Souriau’s ubiquitous ontogony which aims to escape the reification due to the “law of localization”. Secondly, as far as they are considered as “action template”, the “constant forms” support Souriau’s pragmatic ontogony according to which “existence is an act”. Thirdly, Souriau characterizes as “constant forms” the morphems on which is based his synaptic vision (as opposed to the ontic vision) which values the dynamical role of transitions in order to create a future as an act, as it is required by the criteria of pragmatic ontogony.
Preliminary Analysis of Daily Rainfall Data from Kano State using Statistical Techniques
Authors: Thompson S. , Sanni I.M. , Abubakar U.A. , Sani B.S.
Published: February 2023

A 35-year annual rainfall was collected from NIMET to determine the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) and also to study the trend of rainfall parameter in the Kano State, Northern Nigeria. The paper captures the average rainfall (normal rainfall) data for thirty-five years period which implies a rainfall of about 1081.56mm. The positive values (above zero) signify rainfalls that were higher than normal (wet); while the negative values (below zero) imply rainfalls that were lower than normal (dry). From the rainfall anomaly, 18 years (52.9%) recorded wet due to the fact that rainfall occurred in those years were greater than the normal rainfall of 1081.56; while 16 years (47.1%) recorded dry because the rainfalls that occurred in those years were below normal rainfall. In the study, Weilbul method was used to determine the return period in order to predict the year of occurrence of maximum rainfall. In addition, Standard Precipitation Index was used to determine periods of dry, normal or wet temperatures. September 1991 recorded the minimum SPI value of -0.86 (moderately dry), while October 2011 recorded the maximum SPI value of 1.88 (moderately wet). This study is carried out because of the importance of agriculture in the region and to Nigeria at large. Kano state is well known to support food production in the country. Also, the presence of dams further buttresses this study. Dams have many purposes; one is agriculture during dry and wet season. It is observed that the rainfall in the basin has no definite pattern.
Integration of GIS-based Multi-criteria Analysis Techniques for the Delineation of Groundwater Potential Zones in Oyo state, Nigeria using Bayes’ Approach
Authors: Epuh E.E. , Famiwaye O.V. , Daramola O.E. , Orji J.M. , Owolabi O.A.
Published: February 2023

Groundwater is the world’s most extracted raw material due to its incessant need for human consumption. This study was carried out to delineate groundwater potential zones in Oyo state, Nigeria using the integration of two GIS-based multi-criteria analysis techniques – Multi influencing factor (MIF) and Analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The Bayes’ integration approach for the recalculation of criteria weights was used. Eight groundwater potential contributing factors such as land cover, drainage density, lineament density, soil texture, geology, geomorphology, slope, and rainfall were processed and the multi-criteria analysis techniques were employed in assigning weights to each thematic layer and sub-classes. The thematic layers were overlaid in ArcGIS 10.4 software environment using the groundwater potential index equation for the generation of groundwater potential maps. The criteria weights of the MIF and AHP techniques were further integrated using Bayes’ approach to obtain an optimum groundwater potential map. In this study, the groundwater potential maps from the three techniques were validated using the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve methods. The validation of the groundwater potential zonation maps from the MIF, AHP and the Bayes’ integration was also executed by evaluating the depths and yields from 1425 boreholes distributed across the study area. The Bayes’ approach shows that the groundwater percentage distributions within the study area are: very low (36%), low (34%), Moderate (14%) and high (16%). The maximum yields of 200m3 were observed in Akinyele, Atisbo and Egbeda LGA with minimum borehole depths of 24.20m, 30.30m and 30.00m. The Area under the Curve (AUC) results are: MIF (69.4%), Bayes’ (69.0%) and AHP (67.6%) respectively. The Bayes’ integration approach further shows better consistency as the average borehole yields across the groundwater potential zones positively correlates i.e. high potential zone has the highest average borehole yield, followed by the moderate, low and very low.
Geoelectrical and Geochemical Investigations of Selected Dumpsites for Potential Groundwater Contamination in Gusau, Zamfara State, Nigeria
Authors: Murana K.A. , Shuaibu A.M. , Ajibade I.I. , Okoye I.F. , Ojo O.F.
Published: February 2023

Groundwater contamination has been a worldwide phenomenon. In this research, geoelectric and geochemical surveys were carried out on three active dumpsites in Gusau metropolis for detection of groundwater contamination. Vertical electrical Soundings (VES) were conducted on the dumpsites using Schlumberger array with maximum current electrode separations of 180 m. Five VES were conducted on each dumpsite making a total of fifteen VES along three profiles. Thirty five (35) points were assessed from three wastes dumpsites using portable XRF equipment for the in-situ testing while fifteen (15) representative groundwater samples collected were taken to the laboratory for hydro-geochemical analysis. The field data obtained from VES was analyzed using WinGlink software. The VES results revealed three subsurface layers. The topsoil has resistivity ranging from 1.5Ωm to 48.2 Ωm while the thicknesses vary from 0.47 m to 3.37 m across the profiles. The second layer’s resistivity varies from 5.4 Ωm to 144.35 Ωm and their thicknesses’ ranges from 1.36 m to 16.93 m. The third geoelectric layer has resistivity from 70.0 Ωm to 6003.0 Ωm. The geoelectric results revealed that the top soils in all the dumpsites were characterized by very low resistivity depicting possible pollution and contamination. Environmental pollution models applied to the geochemical dataset revealed Zn, Pb and Cu as moderately contaminants which generally indicated severe potential contamination in the investigated area. While other analytic parameters such as Mn, Cr, Ni and Fe showed low contamination factors. Hydro chemical analysis showed that pH values recorded from the water samples ranged between 7.26 to 8.12 with mean value of 7.50, whereas, recorded Total dissolve solid (TDS) ranged between 377 to 1393mg/L with average concentration of 751.27mg/L. Findings from the study indicated that there may be possible contamination of shallow groundwater system in the nearest future if proper mitigation measures are not taken into consideration at the dumpsites.
Comparative Analysis of the Horizontal Positional Accuracy of Google Earth and Bing Imageries of Samaru, Kaduna State Nigeria
Authors: Youngu T.T. , Aliyu Y.A. , Azua S. , Bawa S. , Bala A. , Hamzat H.D.
Published: February 2023

Satellite imageries have in the recent past gained popularity in the areas of geo-informatics and geo-positioning because they provide global coverage and are cost-effective. Nevertheless, the use of these services poses questions on their spatial data quality in terms of positional reliability and accuracy, which have implications for their applicability. This study, therefore, analyzed the horizontal positional accuracy of satellite imageries (Google Earth and Bing) of Samaru in Kaduna state, Nigeria. The coordinates of 63 ground points (GPs) acquired with the Total Station instrument (Leica TCA 1201 M) were assessed against their corresponding points on the imageries using simple statistical accuracy metrics. The results revealed that the root mean square error (RMSE) of positions on the ground were significantly different from the RMSE of positions on the Google Earth and Bing imageries only in the Easting direction at the 95% significance level when p (2-tailed) = 0.000 [p < 0.05]. The study revealed that 50% and 70% of the Easting and Northing coordinates of the Google Earth imagery were related to the corresponding ground coordinates. In addition, 51% and 67% of the Easting and Northing coordinates of the Bing imagery were related to the corresponding ground coordinates. The results also showed that the Google Earth and Bing imageries had an overall positional accuracy of 6.09 m and 6.02 m, respectively, with the latter being more reliable in determining horizontal positions in the study area. The accuracy obtained was sufficient for navigation purposes and ground-based measurements that do not require very high accuracy. It was suggested, however, that a geometrical accuracy evaluation of similar or different imageries of the same study location or a more complex terrain should be undertaken to determine their reliability.
Public Awareness and Attitude on Municipal Solid Waste Management: A Case of University of Benin, Ugbowo Campus, Benin City
Authors: Kubeyinje B. , Igbinoimwahia D.I. , Akingba O. , Orerome R. , Ononyie C. , Shella A. , Biose O. , Onabi J. , Okorie C. , Itabor N.
Published: February 2023

University of Benin, Benin city was investigated as a sub municipality to determine the awareness and attitude of the people towards solid waste management. Interviews were conducted that focused on available dumpsite, frequency of waste collection and methods of managing the waste. A total of 303 questionnaires were distributed using stratified systematic method to ensure appropriate representation in the population and 293 responses were received. The result revealed that 63.9% of the residents make use of waste managers to dispose waste but a significant 30% still burn their waste. In addition, it was established that 60.8% of residents pay for waste disposal, 87.9% of the business respondents patronize waste managers and pay, while 26.3% of the administrative and academic offices pay for waste disposal. Further investigation showed that 78.5% of residents were not sorting their waste and 52.7% were not willing to sort. 52.1% of business owners were not also willing to sort their waste. The attitude of residence regarding waste management is unfavorable to human health and environmental sustainability; hence, effort should be made to improve interaction and communication between waste generators and waste managers. Also, more should be done to establish a strategy that involves educating people, developing the knowledge and confidence that is necessary for them to actively participate in proper solid waste management process.
Characterization and Purification of Groundwater Using Carbon Dot Impregnated into Biosand Filters: A Case of Warri and its Environs, Niger Delta, Nigeria
Authors: Ogbe O.B. , Ogeleka D.F. , Mami A. , Omo-Irabor O.O. , Edjere O.
Published: February 2023

The release of toxic gases and spills into the ecosystem prior to anthropogenic activities can increase the level of pollutants in hydrological systems. This possibly influences the number of harmful substances that percolate into aquifers. The drilling of polluted aquifers for domestic and drinking purposes and consuming such water untreated consequently increases the risk of developing water-related health issues. The study presents the quality and purification of groundwater samples in the Warri metropolis through water-quality analysis and biosand filtration method Aappropriatemethod (Appropriate Technology Enableds Development technique), respectively. The pH results were very low in all the groundwater samples presented with values ranging from 5.16±0.03 to 6.81±0.09, except for table water samples serving as controls. Total iron concentration was above the regulatory limits of 1.00 mg/L in some locations, recording concentrations between 0.758±0.340 mg/L and 1.204±0.740 mg/L. Groundwater samples contaminated with coliform bacteria were recorded in some locations. It suggests that the groundwater quality of the studied locations is relatively poor and unsafe for drinking untreated. This is possibly due to high hydrocarbon exploration and production activities, together with other anthropogenic activities in the area. Nevertheless, the filtration of the groundwater samples with biosand filter effectively improved the taste, reduced the iron content, removed particles, and eliminated microbial contaminations. However, the pH was relatively low after filtration and was further enhanced in the filtration with the carbon dots. The carbon dot filtration can be viewed as a better substitute to for granites in the filter beds of the biosand filter unit to influence pH conformance.
Accessibility of Public Healthcare Facilities and Their Distribution in Benin City, Edo State
Authors: Moedozie A.N. , John-Abebe R.O.
Published: February 2023

Access to quality health services determines human health and well-being, especially in this pandemic era. The objective of the study is to examine the factors that affect the utilization and accessibility of public healthcare services within selected local government areas in Benin City. The study adopted the use of 400 questionnaires, which were administered to respondents within the study area. ArcGIS 10 was used to depict health facility disparities within the city, while Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation was used to test healthcare utilization. The results indicate that public healthcare facilities are clustered in distribution, having a 0.28 nearest neighbour ratio. The public healthcare facilities are accessible and there are no shortages of healthcare within the study area. Socio-demographic variables such as gender, age, marital status, education, and employment at a were positively related to healthcare accessibility. Approximately 73% of patronage and the type of public healthcare facility influence facility utilization in the study area. Factors influencing accessibility and utilization of healthcare facilities are means of transportation, travel distance, and challenges within healthcare facilities. The quality of services at 48% improves healthcare utilization. This study recommends that health care facilities need to be maintained to encourage more patronage and better service delivery that includes a policy framework for the regular maintenance and provision of necessary equipment and infrastructure that would encourage accessibility and utilization of public healthcare facilities.