bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Primary Process and Key Concepts of Economic Evaluation in Healthcare
Authors: Kim Younhee , Kim Yunjung , Lee Hyeon-Jeong , Lee Seulki , Park Sun-Young , Oh Sung-Hee , Jang Suhyun , Lee Taejin , Ahn Jeonghoon , Shin Sangjin
Published: August 2022

Economic evaluations in the healthcare are used to assess economic efficiency of pharmaceuticals and medical interventions such as diagnoses and medical procedures. This study introduces the main concepts of economic evaluation across its key steps: planning, outcome and cost calculation, modeling, cost-effectiveness results, uncertainty analysis, and decision-making. When planning an economic evaluation, we determine the study population, intervention, comparators, perspectives, time horizon, discount rates, and type of economic evaluation. In healthcare economic evaluations, outcomes include changes in mortality, the survival rate, life years, and quality-adjusted life years, while costs include medical, non-medical, and productivity costs. Model-based economic evaluations, including decision tree and Markov models, are mainly used to calculate the total costs and total effects. In cost-effectiveness or costutility analyses, cost-effectiveness is evaluated using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, which is the additional cost per one additional unit of effectiveness gained by an intervention compared with a comparator. All outcomes have uncertainties owing to limited evidence, diverse methodologies, and unexplained variation. Thus, researchers should review these uncertainties and confirm their robustness. We hope to contribute to the establishment and dissemination of economic evaluation methodologies that reflect Korean clinical and research environment and ultimately improve the rationality of healthcare policies.
A case study in teaching inclusive teaching
Authors: Mirakhur Zitsi , Chen Christopher , Schwarz Sarah
Published: August 2022

As the college student population grows increasingly diverse, there is a need for instructors—including graduate student instructors (GSIs)—to have a set of pedagogical tools that enables them to create inclusive classroom environments, those that consider their students’ identity and provide equal opportunities for learning. However, the literature on how to support GSIs develop these skills is still nascent. In this article, we report on two strategies—one diffuse and one direct—we used while training GSIs and the ways in which they changed GSIs’ understanding of what inclusive teaching entails. We find that our direct model might have increased GSIs’ awareness of how students’ identities shape their learning experiences and include some reflections and contextual information for this finding.
A formação de professores alfabetizadores na escola pública: uma análise crítica
Authors: De Brito Lúcia Helena , Vicente da Silva Sirneto
Published: August 2022

Este artigo objetiva analisar o modelo de formação docente ofertado pelos programas de erradicação do analfabetismo infantil PAIC e PNAIC, com foco na experiência de sua implementação no município de Russas-CE. Para tanto, toma como método de análise o materialismo histórico-dialético, apoiando-se em uma pesquisa bibliográfica fundamentada com relevo em Marx, Saviani, Alves, Shiroma et  al., Giroux, Duarte, dentre outros; na análise dos documentos oficiais que definem as diretrizes para a formação dos docentes desses programas; e em pesquisa de campo. Os resultados permitem concluir que os testes padronizados condicionam o modelo de formação docente; ocasionam o estreitamento curricular; impedem em larga medida a autonomia pedagógica dos professores, que não se reconhecem na prática que desenvolvem; impõem uma rotina pedagógica e o uso de material estruturado nas aulas, elaborado por empresas, as quais desconsideram a totalidade na qual a escola, alunos e professores estão inseridos.

Palavras-chave: Políticas Públicas Educacionais; Gestão por Resultados; Formação de Professores Alfabetizadores.
Performance Monitoring on Using Reactive Perlis Rice Husk Ash as Partial Mortar Replacement
Authors: Malek Rohaya Abdul , Subramaniam Gooven , Kamaruddin Nadia , Salleh Siti Hawa , Shukri M.K.A.
Published: August 2022

Cement industry is a major carbon dioxide emission contributor, which could be reduced by implementing supplementary cementitious materials. Rice husk ash (RHA) exhibits high pozzolanic characteristics when properly produced using controlled incineration. In this study, rice husk (RH) collected from rice milling industry in Perlis, Malaysia was burned at 650 °C for 1 hour. The completed burning process produced dark-grey 78 μm sized amorphous ash particles containing almost 89% silica content. To understand the compressive strength in early age mortar, varying composition of RHA between 5 to 20% was purposely replaced with OPC. It was found that replacing RHA at 5% produced the highest strength followed by RHA replacement up to 15% in relation to the conventional OPC mortar. However, adding up to 20 % results in a steep decrease in the compressive strength due to the densification and space ratio factors in the mortar. In addition, the environmental performance of 20% RHA mixture were unsatisfactory as it is associated with the control mixture. In conclusion, mortar containing 5% RHA replacement shows acceptable properties similar to conventional cement mortar. Further analysis needs to be carried out to understand the hydration mechanism that affected their performance.
Interior Deformation and Failure of a Short Composite Sandwich Beam under Three-Point Bending
Authors: Yuan Ze Xun , Mao Ling Tao
Published: August 2022

Composite sandwich plates and beams are increasingly employed as an engineering material in structures such as airplanes, ships, bridges, and vehicles because of their superb strength to weight ratio. Understanding a sandwich structure’s failure mechanism is a prerequisite for a safety design. In this paper, we employ a new experimental technique called DVSP (Digital Volumetric Speckle Photography) to map the interior deformation of a short composite sandwich beam under three-point bending. 3D displacement fields and shear strain fields of 5 transverse and 4 longitudinal sections of the beam are mapped quantitatively in detail as a function of increasing load. The beam fails in delamination of the interface between the face sheet and core.
Study on the Surface Area of Electrospun Magnesium Oxide (MgO) Nanofibers
Authors: Hashim Hashimah , Mohamad Shabari Azyan , Mohamad Saad Puteri Sarah
Published: August 2022

The optimized surface morphology of electrospun magnesium oxide (MgO) nanofibers can be achieved based on the parameters set during the fabrication of nanofibers. However, not all materials used during the electrospinning process can be synthesized together as it depends on the application’s needs. This research aims to study the factors that influence the surface area of the MgO nanofibers due to material preparations and electrospinning parameters. The research is based on data obtained from the previous research and was analyzed to evaluate the effect on MgO nanofibers that synthesized with different materials. Based on the data analysis using Brunauer-Emmert-Teller (BET), the surface area for carbon sorbent is higher than organic sorbent. The surface area for carbon sorbent of nitrogen could be achieved up to 324.5 m2/g compared to only 104.8 m2/g using organic sorbent for magnesium oxalate dihydrate (MO). The studies show that the use of nitrogen as a carbon sorbent in the fabrication of electrospun MgO nanofibers may produce a good quality of nanofibers.
Impact of Glass on Concrete Properties as Substitution of Aggregate
Authors: Jassam Salim H. , Qasim Ola Adel , Maula Baydaa Hussain
Published: August 2022

The improvement of mixture quality has been the priority of the modern-day construction industry while reducing the financial implications of the final product. This investigation concentrated on the application of glass as fine aggregate in the production of concrete. The fine aggregates used were partially substituted with fine glass. The replacement was done at (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50%) by weight of fine aggregates, with other materials constant. A concrete mixture was prepared and the slump flow test and density were examined. The concrete specimens were produced, cured, and compressive, flexural, and splitting tensile intensity tested at 7, 14, and 28 durations. The workability and density of concrete reduce as the percentage replacement increases and the maximum reduction are (25 and 6.5%) respectively for (50%) glass aggregate replacement. The highest development in concrete compressive strength, flexural and splitting tensile intensity is (16.4, 14.7, and 15.1%) for 28 days of the glass aggregate percentage (20%) and the highest decrease is (3.4, 3.1, and 3.6%) for the percentage (50%).
Optimization on the Sound Absorption of Porous Asphalt Pavement
Authors: Chen Fei , Bian Chao Yang , Lv Xun Bo , Chang Yang , He Wei
Published: August 2022

Optimization on Porous Asphalt Pavement is based on noise reduction capacity. The influence factors of sound absorption properties of porous asphalt mixture were studied by using standing wave ratio method.The results indicate that: The peak absorption coefficient of porous asphalt mixture increases with the increase of porosity and the peaks are concentrated in the frequency range from 800Hz to 1000 Hz. The peak moves to high frequency as the porosity increase. It is better to use smaller nominal maximum aggregate size to reduce the noise level. With the pavement thickness increases, the average absorption coefficient of porous pavement in the high frequency band will decreases. The recommended thickness of Porous Asphalt Pavement range is 40-60mm.
Research on Sustainable Bituminous Mixture for Permeable Wearing Layers in Road Pavements
Authors: Skaf Marta , Ortega-López Vanesa , Espinosa Ana B. , Revilla-Cuesta Víctor , Manso Juan M.
Published: August 2022

A surface layer of permeable bituminous mixture has been laid on an existing pavement section. This layer, in addition to providing the pavement with draining characteristics and acoustic comfort, incorporates a residue that is difficult to apply, the ladle furnace steel slag. The tests carried out show that the designed mixture meets the requirements in terms of mechanical properties, resistance to the action of water, and porosity. Furthermore, in-situ tests on the completed layer demonstrate its excellent permeability, as well as a surface texture suitable for use on roads and highways. The introduction of the ladle furnace slag makes it possible to design a high-performance, but also environmentally sustainable, mix.
Synthesis and Characterization of Silica Coated Magnetite Nanoparticle Clusters for Viral RNA Extraction
Authors: Zaman Sabah , Nazir Imran , Khattak Zulfiqar , Abbasi Rashida , Ali Amjad
Published: August 2022

Magnetite nanoparticles or iron oxide nanoparticles are the most explored magnetic nanoparticles till recent times, particularly due to their attractive properties for biomedical applications such as viral RNA extraction. The physical and chemical properties of magnetite nanoparticles and their clusters largely depend on the synthesis method and chemical structure. Co-precipitation method was used to synthesize magnetite nanoparticles at varying process parameters. The nanoparticles were coated with silicon-oxide using Stober method at different deposition durations. These particles were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, vibrating sample Magnetometer and PCR testing to study the phases formed, morphology, size, magnetic properties and RNA extraction efficiency. The synthesized magnetite nanoparticles were in the range of 10 to 100 nm; suitable for super-para-magnetic behavior. The maximum saturation magnetization achieved for synthesized paramagnetic beads was 56 emu and RNA extraction efficiency was more than 80% as compared to commercial beads.
Reduction of Life Time Expectation of Standard Duplex Stainless Steel Exposed to Hydrogen under Corrosion Fatigue Conditions
Authors: Wolf Marcus , Pfennig Anja
Published: August 2022

In geothermal environment corrosion fatigue lowers the lifetime expectancy of high alloyed steels. Therefore, cathodic protection enhances corrosion resistance although hydrogen is produced during the cathodic reactions under applied potential. Corrosion fatigue of standard duplex stainless steel X2CrNiMoN22-5-3, 1.4462 specimen loaded with hydrogen was investigated in a specifically designed corrosion chamber surrounded by the Northern German Basin electrolyte at 369 K. The reactions of the microstructure associated with hydrogen incorporation lowers the number of cycles to failure of specimen significantly at various stress amplitudes, for example at σa = 275 MPa and USHE = -36 mV by 80%. Hydrogen enhances crack propagation and early failure due to the degradation of the mechanical properties of the ferritic phase.
Surface Characterization of Lüders Band on NiTi Shape Memory Alloy
Authors: Ng Ching Wei , Mahmud Abdus Samad , Razali Muhammad Fauzinizam
Published: August 2022

The tensile deformation of NiTi alloy can proceeds in either homogeneous manner, or localized deformation via formation and propagation of macroscopic shear bands, that is commonly known as Lüders-like deformation. The high deformation strain within the localized deformed regions can result in the changes of surface characteristics of NiTi specimen. This paper studies the surface roughening effect associated with Lüders-like deformation of martensitic NiTi alloy, via surface characterization of polished surface and localized deformed region that consists of Lüders bands on tensile specimens, respectively. The surface roughness profile and roughness parameters of surface with Lüders bands are significantly different and higher as compared to the polished surface.
Optimizing I-Beam by Using Shape Generator Tool
Authors: Minh Pham Son
Published: August 2022

Today, there are many different types of shaped steel with different characteristics, designed to meet the different needs of modern buildings. The most common is H-shaped steels, I-shaped steels and V-shaped steel. Shaped steel is hard and durable, with high tensile strength, and can withstand strong vibrations. When subjected to harsh conditions due to the impact of chemicals, the temperature should be kept suitable for industry and construction. Beams are designed for strength, so that they can resist the internal shear and moment developed along their length. To design a beam in this way requires the application of shear and flexure formulas, provided the material is homogeneous and exhibits linear elastic behavior. Although some beams may also be subjected to axial force, the effects of this force are often neglected in design, since it is generally much smaller than the stress developed by shear and bending. To optimize the design of the I-beam, the CAD model was developed in Inventor Professional 2019, and we used the Shape Generator module to determine the best design. In addition, these models also employ finite element analysis to determine whether the designs created are safe. This research also aims to assess long-standing traditional structures.
Perceived professional development of Chinese psychotherapy trainees: a pilot study
Authors: Zhang Ying , Shi Lili , Wei Jing , Hartmann  Armin , Leonhart Rainer , Bassler Markus , Fritzsche Kurt
Published: August 2022

For more than 30 years counselling and psychotherapy services in China have progressed rapidly. Currently, various Chinese universities, hospitals, official mental health centres, and private mental health service organizations provide psychotherapy training programs. However, little is known about Chinese psychotherapy trainees and their development. This pilot study investigated the characteristics and perceived professional development of 20 Chinese trainees during and after an advanced training program for psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy, which is a collaboration project between Peking Union Medical College Hospital and the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy from the University Medical Center Freiburg in Germany. Trainees completed questionnaires from the SPRISTAD (Society for Psychotherapy Research Interest Section on Therapist Training and Development) study at the beginning (T1), at the end (T2), and one year after finishing the program (T3). Seventeen of the twenty participants were clinicians. Trainees reported a prominent rise of Currently Experienced Growth throughout the training period, which nearly dropped to the baseline level after the training, although Retrospective Career Development showed a trend of an overall increase. Both ‘experience in therapy with patients’ and ‘participation in courses or seminars’ were the most important positively perceived sources of influence on trainees’ development. This implies the importance of continuous psychotherapy training for the development of therapists during their career. Future research with a larger sample size should also assess trainees’ development from the viewpoint of trainers, supervisors, and patients.
Geometric Numerical Integration
Authors: Hochbruck Marlis , Lubich Christian , McLachlan Robert , Sanz-Serna Jesús María
Published: August 2022

The topics of the workshop included interactions between geometric numerical integration and numerical partial differential equations; geometric aspects of stochastic differential equations; interaction with optimisation and machine learning; new applications of geometric integration in physics; problems of discrete geometry, integrability, and algebraic aspects.
Small Collaboration: Modeling Phenomena from Nature by Hyperbolic Partial Differential Equations
Authors: Klingenberg Christian , Li Qin , Pirner Marlies
Published: August 2022

Nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations constitute a plethora of models from physics, biology, engineering, etc. In this workshop we cover the range from modeling, mathematical questions of well-posedness, numerical discretization and numerical simulations to compare with the phenomenon from nature that was modeled in the first place. Both kinetic and fluid models were discussed.
Mathematics and its Ancient Classics Worldwide: Translations, Appropriations, Reconstructions, Roles
Authors: Chemla Karine , De Risi Vincenzo , Malet Antoni
Published: August 2022

The workshop analyzes the constitution, recovery, and role of the classical texts in mathematical practice throughout history. It aims at problematizing the notion of “classic”, to make it a historical category and to study the rhetorical, pedagogical, and institutional mechanisms that contribute to secure the status of classic to specific texts. So far, the focus of the historiography has dealt mostly with Greek classics and their impact on Western European societies. We aim to expand the focus of our enquiry culturally and chronologically in two ways. We want to address the reception and transformation of these “classics” outside Europe in different historical periods. We are particularly interested in the roles played by this classical tradition within Islamicate societies, South-East and East Asia. Secondly, we are interested in the ancient mathematical writings in Arabic, Chinese, Sanskrit and other languages that, at certain time periods in these other parts of the world and elsewhere, were perceived as classics. Widening the focus should allow us to inquire into questions such as: what did classical texts mean for various types of actors? How were they available to them? How did they read them? In the contexts of which institutions and with which expectations? The important role classical works have played in mathematical history pose deep methodological questions with far-reaching implications for the history and philosophy of mathematics. In mathematics conceptual and methodological innovations are thought to be legitimized only by appeal to mathematical arguments and consistency. Yet, legitimation has involved in many crucial episodes giving a prominent role to classical works. The mathematical classics have repeatedly been the source and grounds for new ideas and techniques. There is therefore a deep, complex tension between innovation and tradition. We are interested in how innovation has often been legitimized by re-reading old texts, concepts, and methods-old texts whose principles and methods were utterly different from the ones they contributed to sustain. What can this teach us about the nature of mathematical argument, and mathematical practice?
Analysis, Geometry and Topology of Positive Scalar Curvature Metrics
Authors: Ammann Bernd , Hanke Bernhard , Sakovich Anna
Published: August 2022

The investigation of Riemannian metrics with lower scalar curvature bounds has been a central topic in differential geometry for decades. It addresses foundational problems, combining ideas and methods from global analysis, geometric topology, metric geometry and general relativity. Seminal contributions by Gromov during the last years have led to a significant increase of activities in the area which have produced a number of impressive results. Our workshop reflected the state of the art of this thriving field of research.
Influence of Transaction Cost Determinants on Credit Customer Category of Commercial Banks in Tanzania
Authors: Nguvava Heriel Emanuel
Published: August 2022

The provision of credit services in rural areas is a challenge as agriculture and other rural economic activities have unique characteristics of  dependence on natural resources, long production cycles and vulnerability to multiple risks. This paper aims to analyse transaction cost as the  determinants of the choice of credit customer category for commercial bank’s credit business scale-up in Tanzania. Primary data for this study were  collected from 37 registered and licensed commercial banks in January 2018 through structured questionnaires. The main sources of secondary  data were peer-reviewed journal articles on transaction cost economics and rural financing. Data were analysed quantitatively through the logistic  regression method. Key findings revealed that commercial banks have failed to scale up their credit operations to rural-based customers due to  high transaction costs. This fact emanated from commercial banks’ preference of transacting credits directly with individual borrowers instead of  using intermediaries, thus multiplying transaction costs, especially when dealing with rural-based borrowers. Therefore, commercial banks believe  to be better off with few urban-based credit customers. This study recommended that commercial banks should use multiple credit governance  structures (CGSs)\ (methods for credits delivery) to mitigate transaction costs when giving credits. Direct channels should be opted for when dealing  with urban-based borrowers since low transaction costs are involved. Indirect channels with intermediaries should be opted for when  scaling-up credit operations to rural-based borrowers since they allow the spreading of credit transaction costs throughout the credit supply  channel.
Effects of Government Debt on Monetary Policy Strategy in Tanzania
Authors: Mwankemwa Suma Philbert
Published: August 2022

This paper examines the fiscal dominance hypothesis in Tanzania by exploring the relationship between the monetary base and the government  debt using monthly data from 2003:1 to 2019:12. Results from formal statistical tests indicate no evidence of a long-run relationship between the  variables. Structural vector autoregressive model is thus estimated to analyse the short-run dynamics. The findings point to a positive and  statistically significant impact of government debt on monetary base. The findings identifies political phenomenon that before the fourth phase  government (2003-2005), monetary policy witnessed relatively intensive fiscal dominance as compared to the fourth phase (2005-2015) and fifth  phase government (2015-2019). However, in comparison with the fourth phase government, findings suggest that during the first four years of the  fifth phase government, monetary policy encountered a relatively high fiscal influence, partly attributed to implementation of huge development  projects and reduction in foreign financing in the government budget. The identified fiscal dominance for the sample period, implies a subordinated  monetary policy, compromising on Bank of Tanzania’s primary objective of price stability.
The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the EAC tourism and hospitality industry
Authors: Chenyambuga Dora Nestory , Mneney Christina Ernest
Published: August 2022

Worldwide, the COVID-19 epidemic has impacted all economies. The study examines the impact of the pandemic on the tourism and hospitality  industry in East African Community member nations. This study is a systematic review of Covid19’s influence on the tourist and hospitality  industries. The analysis is based on 54 publications collected from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The current study was motivated by an  extensive review of literature. According to these studies, the spread of COVID-19 disease to workers in the tourism industry has put the sector  in jeopardy; travel restrictions and tourism guidance have made tourism and hospitality industry suffer from severe reduction of revenues. All these  studies however do not clarify how, the pandemic has impacted tourism and hospitality industry in terms of national park visitors, hotel occupancy,  and unemployment in particular. Therefore, the current study assesses the impact of COVID-19’s on tourism and hospitality in the EAC Partner States  by using such indicators as the number of international tourists, receipts and tourism jobs generated, visitors to the parks and the rates of  hotel occupancy. The study’s findings show that the EAC Partner States lost USD 4.8 billion in foreign tourist earnings and two million jobs in the  tourism sector due to COVID-19. The numbers of visitors to the National parks decreased by 65 percent, hotels in the region had an average  occupancy rate of less than 30 per cent, which had a substantial impact on their operations. The study recommends to actors in tourism  destinations, to have pandemic preparedness and risk management plans.
Entrepreneurial Abilities of Technical Graduates and their Self-Employability in Tanzania
Authors: Raphael Charles , Kipene Visent
Published: August 2022

Entrepreneurship education is imperative for economic development and new economic strategies for fostering and generating jobs creating  entrepreneurs. This paper therefore assesses the influence of entrepreneurial abilities on selfemployment among technical graduates in Tanzania. It  specifically identifies the entrepreneurial skills acquired by technical graduates from technical institutions and examined the influence of  identified entrepreneurial skills on self-employment among the technical graduates in Tanzania. This study was approached quantitatively based on  explanatory survey design. Data were collected using questionnaire from 350 technical graduates sampled using stratified simple random  technique. The collected data were analysed using Multiple Linear Regressions. The findings show that to a great extent graduates from colleges  and universities acquire technical entrepreneurial skills; business management and to a small extent personal entrepreneurial skills. The findings  show further that business management was ranked highly as the leading entrepreneurial skill for self-employment among technical graduates. All  three entrepreneurial skills were found to have positive and significant influence on self-employment among technical graduates in Tanzania. The  study recommends that colleges, institutes and universities should emphatically inculcate all the entrepreneurial skills to students as they have  significant contributions to graduates self-employment.
Assessment of the impact of advertising on business development in Tanzania’s bank Sector: CRDB bank
Authors: Mneney Christina Ernest , Chenyambuga Dora Nestory
Published: August 2022

This research aimed at determining how effective advertising is at increasing business growth in the banking industry. The study’s target population  was 38 employees of CRDB Bank in Ilala District, out of these thirty-five (35) respondents were selected using a purposive sample  technique. Likert scale was used, whereby 1 indicating Strongly Agree, 2 indicating Agree, 3 indicating Undecided, 4 indicating Disagree, and 5  indicating Strongly Disagree. Data were entered and analysed by SPSS software. The study’s findings revealed that, nearly 65 per cent of the  respondents strongly agreed that advertising as an integrated marketing communication medium assists the banks in improving and enhancing  client loyalty. Furthermore, 74.3 percent strongly agreed that advertising assists the banks in increasing sales volume and 25.7 percent agreed that  advertising assists the bank in increasing sales volume. As a result, the vast majority of the respondents stated that advertising helped the bank to  increase sales volume. According to the study, CRBD bank’s management should invest heavily in all Integrated Marketing Communication (ICM),    including advertising, because it has a direct impact on the bank’s success.
Factors Influencing Bank Lending Behaviour in Tanzania A Case of Listed Banks in Tanzania
Authors: Magoma Anthony , Mbwambo Haika , Dobogo Hermas. A.
Published: August 2022

The study looked at bank and industry-specific factors that influence listed commercial banks’ lending behaviour in Tanzania for the five-year period  from 2016 to 2020. Asset quality, capital adequacy, liquidity, and bank size were employed as bank-specific factors, whereas Gross Domestic Product  and inflation rate were used as industry-specific factors. To establish the cause and effect relationship between the response and  explanatory variables, the study used an explanatory research design. Secondary data were extracted from seven listed commercial banks’ audited  financial statements for a five year period, totalling 35 data points. After performing pre-regression analysis (multicollinearity test), correlation and  linear analysis were conducted. From 2016 to 2020, the study discovered that capital adequacy and bank size have the biggest impact on Tanzanian  listed commercial banks’ lending behaviour. At 5 per cent level, other explanatory variables such as asset quality, liquidity, GDP growth rate, and  inflation rate were insignificant. Thus, the study concludes that capital adequacy and bank size influence the lending behaviour of the listed  commercial banks in Tanzania from 2016 to 2020. The research was limited to seven Tanzanian listed commercial banks from 2016 to 2020.  Regardless of their capital adequacy or size, the banks should lend cautiously. This is because, in today’s intensely competitive business, if larger  banks with massive capital lend irresponsibly, they are likely to collapse. Finally, the study results demonstrated that the bank size and capital  adequacy influence the lending behaviour of the listed commercial banks’ in Tanzania
Management of Obesity in Ghanaian Children: Voices of Health-workers and Parents
Authors: Yarney Lily , Bamfo Betty Akua , Boatemaa Maame Afua
Published: August 2022

Obesity has been described by the World Bank as a “ticking time bomb” which has significant potential devastating economic and health effects, for the poor, and low-and-middle-income country dwellers. However, obesity is thought of as a challenge only among the rich, urban, and high-income country inhabitants. This study was conducted in Ghana to gain in-depth understanding of the determinants and management of obesity in children among healthworkers and parents. A qualitative case-study in design, data were collected with an in-depth interview guide from five doctors, seven nurses and eighteen parents purposively selected from the paediatric department of the 37 Military Hospital. Recorded interviews were transcribed, coded manually, and analyzed using the principles of Grounded Theory. Obesity in children is on the ascendancy with inadequate management. Determinants are both familial and environmental with detrimental health and psychological consequences. Some healthcare providers need to be trained in the assessment, diagnosis, proper interpretation, and management of the condition. There is also the need for mass education of the public especially parents, by relevant stakeholders to reduce the incidence of obesity in children and its attendant problems in Ghana.
The Role of Supply Chain Control in Organizational Performance of Commercial Banks
Authors: Akam Mpuon J. , Sunday Etim G. , Assam Effa G. , Anna Eko H.
Published: August 2022

Few studies have empirically investigated the performance improvement of supply chain control and organizational performance of commercial banks in a non - western context with specific reference to the banking industry. This study closes this gap by empirically exploring the relationship between supply chain control and organizational performance of commercial banks. To achieve this purpose, three hypotheses were developed as a guide to review related literature. The population of this study consists of registered commercial banks in Nigeria and data for the study were collected using questionnaire. Five Hundred and Forty Six (546) copies of the questionnaire were distributed to management staff of commercial banks in Nigeria. The study adopted inferential /descriptive statistical techniques and OLS estimated technique correlation. The findings from the study revealed that supply chain control has a positive significant relationship with organizational performance of commercial banks. Based on the above findings, we recommended that managers should evaluate and regulate organizational activities so as to bring performance in line with expectations.
Work-family conflict as antecedent to workplace deviance: a study among bankers
Authors: Ametorwo Aaron Makafui , Ofori Daniel , Annor Francis , Dartey-Baah Kwasi
Published: August 2022

Hinged on the Job Demand-Resource model and Source Attribution Theory, this study assessed the relationship between work-family conflict (family-towork and work-to-family conflicts) and workplace deviant behaviours (organizational and interpersonal deviance) among bank employees in Ghana. The quantitative two-wave longitudinal design was used, and data collected from 301 respondents. Unique self-generated codes were used to match the responses from each respondent in both times. Work-to-family conflict predicted interpersonal deviant behaviour in both Time 1 and Time 2, and organizational deviant behaviour in Time 2 but not in Time 1. Also, family-to-work conflict predicted interpersonal deviant behaviour in both Time 1 and Time 2 and also predicted organizational deviant behaviour in Time 1 only. This is one of the few empirical studies assessing the relationship between work-family conflict and workplace deviance, and in particular, among bankers. Assessing such relationships in this study over time has shown that variations in nature of the hypothesized relationships could be a result of extraneous variables (dynamic employee behaviour or environmental changes) not anticipated. Banks must pay particular attention to the job demands imposed on employees and again take interest in the out-of-job experiences of staff that could affect their job performance and involvement in deviant behaviours.

Keywords: Work-family conflict; workplace deviance; bankers; Ghana; antecedents
Utility of the sonographic syndromic pattern approach in diagnosis of aneuploidy in a low resource setting: case report
Authors: Verenga C , Farayi S , Hlatshwayo L , Zanga AS , Ndagurwa M , Nkomo M , Rupande F , Khumbula ML
Published: August 2022

Background: Aneuploidies pose a diagnostic challenge in low resource settings where diagnostic tests are unavailable or costs are beyond the reach of many. This provides a clinical challenge in case management and counselling for women with foetuses carrying multiple congenital anomalies. A pragmatic approach in the management of foetal medicine cases in these settings becomes imperative.

Design: Screening survey and diagnostic test, the well accepted standard for Aneuploidy screen and laboratory tests. In this case we seek to illustrate the use of ultrasound in low resource setting where diagnostic tests are expensive and inaccessible.

Setting: This was a hospital-bases case in a low-income setting.

Subjects: A 45-year-old woman in her first pregnancy was referred at 20 weeks gestation to the Fetal Medicine Unit (FMU) with an ultrasound scan diagnosis of exomphalos.

Intervention: A syndromic pattern approach was used in making a clinical diagnosis of trisomy 18 in a setting with ultrasound equipment and well-trained personnel. The syndromic pattern approach recognises that the common aneuploids such as Trisomy 21, 18 and 13, Monosomy X and Triploidy have a set of foetal malformations that accompany each of the syndromes.

Main Outcome Measures: Diagnosis of Aneuploidy

Results: A large exomphalos containing bowel and liver was identified. Additional abnormalities were identified which included bilateral mild ventriculomegaly, choroid plexus cysts, left diaphragmatic hernia, atrioventricular septal defect, and kyphoscoliosis of the thoracolumbar vertebrae.

Conclusion: The case illustrates the utility of the sonographic syndrome approach in managing pregnancy with multiple foetal defects in low-resource settings.

Core Tip: Aneuploidies pose a diagnostic challenge in low resource settings where diagnostic tests are unavailable or costs are beyond the reach of many. We report a case in which a sonographic syndromic pattern approach was used in making a clinical diagnosis of trisomy 18 in a setting with ultrasound equipment and well-trained personnel. This approach helps with case management and patient counselling.
Sustainability and resilience: using the sustainable system-ofsystems model for ergonomics interventions
Authors: Thatcher Andrew , Yeow Paul H.P.
Published: August 2022

The ecological crises faced by humanity require all disciplines to think differently about how we interact with the ecosphere to prevent untold misery  and possible human extinction. The fact that these crises are primarily caused by human mismanagement of our environment means that  ergonomics (literally meaning the study of human work) should play a key role in understanding and ameliorating these negative effects. This  article introduces Thatcher and Yeow’s (2016) sustainable system-of-systems model for ergonomics to the South African ergonomics community.  The sustainable system-ofsystems model blends ecological models of systems with social models of ergonomics systems to create a new model that  encapsulates this eco-socio-technical systems thinking. This article focuses on aspects of complex adaptive systems and resilience thinking to  show where ergonomics might contribute to the creation of resilient and sustainable systems. The article concludes with a set of challenges that  need to be considered when creating sustainable work systems that demonstrate resilience over time.
What Did Captain Robert Sutherland Rattray Say about the Akan Concept of Sunsum?
Authors: Owusu-Gyamfi Clifford
Published: August 2022

The Akan people of West Africa have the general belief that the world is powered and interpenetrated by an invisible force or ‘energy’ called sunsum. Many scholars who study the concept of sunsum consider it the basis of Akan pneumatology. One of the foremost scholars who studied the concept in the early twentieth century was Robert Sutherland Rattray, a Scottish who worked in Ghana (then Gold Coast) as a colonial official and anthropologist. Rattray remains one of the most detailed researchers of Akan religion and culture. This article reviews Rattray’s ethnographical definition of sunsum while it pays keen attention to how he characterized it. In the end, the purpose is to present the best possible perspective of his characterization of the sunsum and how such characterization has contributed to Akan literature and ideas.
Tsui, Heart Expressions in the Gã Bible
Authors: Owiredu Charles
Published: August 2022

The paper explores the metaphorical and metonymic expressions of the heart in Gã (a West African language) within the framework of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory propounded by Lakoff and Johnson. The aim is to examine the ways in which tsui, ‘the heart’ is used in the Gã Bible to express human experiences. The data are gathered from personal conversations with Gã scholars and the Gã Bible. The data revealed the underlying conceptual metaphoric and metonymic patterns and their expressions of various aspects of emotions, modes of rationality and interpersonal relationship in the Gã language. This demonstrates that there is a clear relationship between the linguistic systems of a people and their conceptual and cultural experiences.
Indigenous Knowledge and Africa’s Quest for Sustainable Development
Authors: Oyenuga Olukayode Felix
Published: August 2022

In Africa’s quest for sustainable development, it is important to consider the various factors that make African societies unique and different from others. As a people with special interests, beliefs, and social and political organizations which are culturally transient, Africa cannot develop outside the scope of its cultural ties. Since the gap between indigenous or cultural knowledge and sustainable development is so closely knitted, no society can progress by neglecting its values and bonds. Every development comes with the need to improve the existing condition, and where there is an absolute lack of knowledge of the existing condition of things, every effort directed toward the development of such a society will inevitably fail because the system will only be working on a trial-and-error basis. Hence, Africa’s sustainable development must be construed within the ambience of African society taking cognizance of her communal way of life. In this paper, therefore, we shall argue that the major problem for the technological, economic, social, and political backwardness of Africa lies in her attempt to attain sustainable development without recourse to its rich cultural knowledge. The paper adopts both the speculative and analytic methods of philosophical investigation to affirm the position that Africa must look inward in her quest to attain sustainable development.
Re-Prioritization of Education: A Panacea for the Obstacles Challenging Sustainable National Development in the 21st Century in Nigeria
Authors: Akpata Olumide
Published: August 2022

No abstract.
Judicial independence: a recipe for democracy in Nigeria
Authors: Olawuyi Damilola S.
Published: August 2022

No abstract.
Foreign Fictions: ‘Research’ about Ethiopian Legal Reform in a Top-Tier Academic Journal
Authors: Cochrane Logan
Published: August 2022

Top tier academic journals claim to publish the most rigorous, peer reviewed research. This evidence based found therein is utilized to support decision making for sustainable development. In parallel, many journals that are published in the Global South are accused of being lower quality or disregarded as ‘predatory’. This article explores an example of a ‘foreign fiction’ written about Ethiopia and published in a top tier academic journal. The narratives and evidence from that top tier journal are contrasted with research published in Ethiopian journals. This case study shows that Ethiopian scholars have produced important research and contributed evidence, but have largely been ignored, or silenced, perpetuating foreign fictions. This is important because policy and law seeking to enable development are informed and influenced by the research produced in top tier journals. Based upon this, this article critiques assumptions about “top tier” journals as well as those about Ethiopian journals, and further about the continued colonial power imbalances that exist within knowledge production systems. This has implications for universities and scholars, which continue to privilege a particular set of journals that are largely based in the Global North and wherein contributing authors are also largely based in the Global North. The reproduction of colonial relationships within global knowledge production systems calls for much broader critical reflection about whose voices are privileged as authentic conveyors of knowledge and how these privileges are institutionalized.

Keywords: Ethiopia; Foreign Fictions; Knowledge Production; Power; Narrative; Sustainable Development; SDGs
Improving environmental protection in Nigeria: a reassessment of the role of informal institutions
Authors: Enabulele Osamuyimen , Ekhator Eghosa O.
Published: August 2022

The success of an approach or strategy for the implementation of legal instruments in one country does not imply that the same approach or strategy would be successful when replicated in another country because there is no ‘one-size-fits-all approach’ to policy implementation. The rationale for the above assertion is that institutions play a major role in the success of any policy. Undoubtedly, institutional approach provides a solid foundation to explore the interplay between formulation of policies and their effective implementation. Therefore, for an environmental policy to be successfully implemented, the institutional peculiarity of the country must be considered. This article explores the role of informal institutions (embedded institutions) in policy implementation focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa with specific focus on Nigeria. It provides theoretical basis for an informal institutional approach in environmental policy implementation. This article suggests that the institutional approach can be extended to environmental protection and management through informal institutions.

Keywords: Environment; Institutions; Informal institutions; Indigenous knowledge; Taboos; Environmental protection
The Search for Sustainable Economic Development in Nigeria and the Role of the Young Lawyers
Authors: Awoyale Oladoyin O.
Published: August 2022

No abstract.
Effect of low molecular weight heparin and ulinastatin as a combined therapy on soluble myeloid cell expression and intestinal mucosal function in patients with severe pancreatitis
Authors: Qian Dong , Luan Xinyuan , Zhang Yanan
Published: August 2022

Purpose: To investigate the effect of low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) and ulinastatin on soluble myeloid cells and intestinal mucosal function (IMF) in patients with severe pancreatitis.

Methods: A total of 107 patients with severe pancreatitis were divided into two groups: control group (CG, n = 53) and study group (SG, n = 54). The CG was treated with LMWH while SG was similarly treated but in addition received ulinastatin simultaneously. The following parameters were evaluated in the two groups: treatment effects, IMF, time for various indicators to normalize, vascular endothelial function, complication symptoms, T lymphoid subgroup indicators, inflammatory factors, anti-inflammatory factors, soluble B7-H2, and soluble myeloid cell receptor-1 level changes.

Results: After treatment, SG showed lower levels of L/M value, DAO and D-lactic acid than in CG (p < 0.05). Gastrointestinal function, leukocytes, amylase, and body temperature in SG had a shorter time to return to normal than in CG (p < 0.05). The levels of IL-10 in SG were higher than in CG, while sB7-H2, TNF-α, sTREM-1 and IL-1 levels were lower than those in the CG (p < 0.05). After treatment, NO levels in SG were higher, but TXB2, vWF and ET levels were lower than in CG (p < 0.05). In addition, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ indicators were higher and CD8+ lower in SG than in CG (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Ulinastatin + LMWHs improves IMF in patients suffering from severe pancreatitis, shortens the time for various indicators to normalize, and reduces incidence of complications. However, further clinical trials are required to ascertain this therapeutic strategy for the management of severe pancreatitis.

Keywords: Low molecular weight heparin; Ulinastatin; Severe pancreatitis; Soluble myeloid cell expression; Intestinal mucosal function; Treatment effect