bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Collective Memory in the Diaspora as Represented in Crossing the River by Caryl Phillips and Small Island by Andrea Levy
Authors: Asiri Afrah
Published: January 2024

The current study seeks to investigate how Crossing the River (1993) by Caryl Phillips and Small Island (2004) by Andrea Levy engage with what is known today as postcolonial counter-discourse to show how colonialism, slavery and racism shape the collective memory of African and Afro-Caribbean diaspora. It is also significant to understand how such a process allows both writers to use tangible or intangible forms of collective memory as tools in representing, reassessing and documenting the diaspora history from the perspective of the oppressed other. Moreover, a chance will be given to understand how they abrogate/dismantle essentialist hegemonic Western assumptions through collective forms of remembrance in multicultural contexts. In that sense, the analysis will draw on the concept of collective memory as defined by Maurice Halbuach, Aleida Assmann and Linda Shortt's description of memory as a powerful agent of change and Pierre Nora's sites of memory to explore how the diaspora characters remember or deal with their colonial past and its aftermath beyond their national borders. The study concludes that the process of memory recovery and transmission from one diasporic generation to the other, as representative subjects of multiple movements and dwellings, resulted in acquiring problematic senses of belonging due, in large part, to the pervasiveness of ethnic and racial oppression in the new world. At this stage, each diasporic member would consider such traumatic social environments as their premise to define and select what should be remembered or forgotten from a past marked with constant transformations. This selectivity is triggered by their impossible return to a place once called home in their collective diasporic consciousness.
Training Translator on Campus and after Graduation
Authors: Mohsen Al-Hussein Saleem
Published: January 2024

Training translators is an important issue that can be more difficult than learning a new language. Students of translation have to deal with different texts. Translating these different texts requires dealing with various types of dictionaries. There is self-training based on some books that claim to teach translation without a teacher. This type of book for learning translation without either guidance or an instructor cannot be trusted. However, there is another type of organized training provided by educational institutions where the translation teachers deal with each text in order to teach the students how to deal with words, textual and grammatical characteristics, and the methods suitable for translating the texts. The time needed for training differs depending on the goal of training, from a few weeks to several months. Translation training is no longer limited to the texts only but also to the translation technologies: Google, Microsoft and other computer-assisted technologies. Training translators in Libyan universities is still far from machine translation, which makes it complicated and does not give any optimism towards increasing translation projects. The translation between Arabic and other languages is very limited; this happens because no funding is allocated for bringing these technologies and also for training itself. Training is not limited to the knowledge of the source and target languages but also to proofreading and finding the exact equivalence for the source text. It also includes training on dealing with various types of texts coming from different cultural environments.
Political Concerns in Langston Hughes’s Scottsboro Limited
Authors: Abdulmawgoud Sayed Abdulhay
Published: January 2024

This article aims to elucidate Langston Hughes’s political concerns as reflected in his most important political play, Scottsboro Limited (1931). Langston Hughes is a distinguished African American writer who tried his hand in almost all literary genres. He epitomized the views and ideals of the African American literary movement known as ‘The Harlem Renaissance’. In this play, he attempts to justify his race’s need to pursue their political rights and fight for the achievement of equality and liberty. This is achieved by illustrating the contaminated political atmosphere and circumstances under which African Americans were leading their life. Furthermore, the reasons that led to Hughes’s political resentment and indignation are all brought to light. In this play, he presents an outrageous example that shows the prevalence of political corruption inside the law system itself. What is noticeable about Langston Hughes is that he does not confine himself to discussing the conditions of African Americans, but he attempts to deal with the absorbed rights of other groups of people worldwide. Consequently, he saw that there was a need for an international revolution against whites’ oppression. These harsh forces were represented by the white imperialists and wealthy persons both in Europe and the USA. In Scottsboro Limited, he encourages these helpless people to get united to be able to strive against their oppressors and attain their full rights. The last point that this article handles is Hughes’s relationship with the communist part. His illustration of how the political rights of poor people internationally are down-trodden was the reason which lurked behind the racially-prejudiced attempts to relate him to the activities of Communism in American society. They accused him of being a communist, though he never was. All these aspects are crystalized in the analysis of the play.
Examining the Relationship between the Stressful Factors of the Work Environment and the Job Performance of Bank Employees: A Case Study of Private and Public Banks of Taloqan
Authors: Mowahid Wahidullah
Published: January 2024

In this research, the effective study of the stressful factors of the work environment on the job performance of bank employees in Talaqon City has been studied. This research has covered all private and public banks active in Taloqan city of Takhar province. The statistical population of this research includes 50 employees of public and private banks in this city; using Cochran's sample size method, questionnaires were distributed to 46 people who were selected by random cluster sampling. In this research, Standard Nordic questionnaires and Hersey Gold Smith questionnaires were used. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods have been used to analyze the data collected by the questionnaires. Frequency tables, statistical tables, tables and graphs are used as parts of descriptive statistics and normality tests, correlation coefficients and regression models that are used to test the hypotheses of inferential statistics. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) is the program used in this research to analyse data. The results obtained from the research show that the stressful factors of the work environment caused the job Performance of the employees of the banks of Taloqan City to decrease significantly, and this result indicates the meaningfulness of the relationship between the stressful factors of the work environment and the job Performance of the employees of the banks of Taloqan city.
Barriers to Women in Academia: The Case of Moroccan University Female Professors
Authors: ROSTOM Meryem
Published: January 2024

This paper aims to enhance our understanding of the challenges women in academia face in their pursuit of research, with a particular focus on the Moroccan context. Using in-depth interviews with female Moroccan university teachers, we explore personal narratives to highlight the perceived barriers to women’s academic advancement. The results showed that family related factors and financial constraints were the most commonly mentioned obstacles that hinder women’s aspiration and/or time to conduct scientific research and attend international conferences and academic workshops. Implications of these findings suggest creating a gender-friendly work environment and providing specific incentives that could help female academics in their quest for research.
Britain’s Decision to Push for Canadian Confederation
Authors: Baker Anthony
Published: January 2024

Prior to Canadian confederation the British Empire pursued a policy of scripter control over the British North American colonies by the imperial metropole. However, in the decades leading up to Canadian confederation the British Empire pursued a policy of consolidation of British North America and laxer control allowing for autonomy by Canadians. By providing the historical analysis of the decades leading up to Canadian confederation we can understand why this policy shifts of the British Empire into allowing confederation. A number of radical things will occur in the decades from the American Revolution in 1776 to Canadian confederation in 1867 that will allow for this to occur. The growth of the American Republic, Internal rebellions in Canada, and of course imperial shifting of policy towards India will allow confederation. With the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763 the Seven Year War ended and France’s North American colonies, particularly Quebec, were handed over to the British. The British Empire would only enjoy complete dominance of North America until the creation of the new American Republic. For the next century despite the threat posed by the United States of America, Britain’s North American colonies remained divided and spread over the vast expanse of the Canadian North America. It was only in the 1860’s when the British Empire’s worldwide imperial goal shifted that Canadian Confederation became possible. Confederation of all colonies bordering the United States happen occur over a short period of time. Britain’s participation in the Canadian confederation process was key in preventing colonies from being annexed by the United States and facilitating confederation.
Human Rights-Based Conservation: The Integral Role of Human Rights Director in the Conservation Sector
Authors:   Department of Geography, University of Florida, Turlington Hall, 3141, 330 Newell Dr, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.  Email: m.foyet@ufl.edu, Foyet Metolo
Published: January 2024

Historically, many conservation organizations operated without a dedicated focus on human rights, lacking a systematic approach to ensure compliance with global human rights standards. This oversight led to practices that inadvertently disregarded fundamental human rights principles. Recognizing the pivotal role of communities and Indigenous rights in resource management, there has been a paradigm shift. Conservation organizations now acknowledge the need for a Human Rights Director, a role catalysing a community-centric approach and aligning initiatives with human rights principles. While this shift is in its early stages, it signifies a crucial step towards more responsible and sustainable conservation practices. The Human Rights Director, often underestimated, plays a vital role in navigating the delicate balance between biodiversity conservation and community well-being. This paper explores the responsibilities, challenges, and impact of individuals in this position, emphasizing their role as stewards of ethical practices and advocates for social justice. Through a comprehensive review, case studies and best practices, the paper sheds light on the intricate intersections of human rights and conservation. It underscores the indispensable contributions of Human Rights Directors and their teams to conscientious and sustainable conservation strategies. The discussion contributes to the broader discourse on the synergies between human rights advocacy and effective conservation, emphasizing the imperative for organizations to prioritize the creation of a Human Rights unit. This unit can empower teams to achieve socially responsible conservation outcomes, marking a transformative journey towards ethical conservation practices.
Crop Intensification through Short Duration Stress-Tolerant Rice Varieties with Green Gram for Fostering Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability
Authors:   Department of Agricultural Economics, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Siksha O Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Bhubaneswar, India. Email: mosharaf.ximb@gmail.com, Hossain Sk Mosharaf , Atibudhi Hrudananda ,   Department of Agricultural Economics, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Siksha O Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Bhubaneswar, India. Email: hnatibudhi@rediffmail.com
Published: January 2024

Rice stands as a critical cornerstone in the pursuit of food security due to its unparalleled significance as a staple crop for billions of people worldwide. Rice in India, is cultivated within diverse cropping systems that harness the nation's rich agro-climatic variations. Eastern India has emerged as a significant contributor to the country's overall rice production. Nevertheless, most of the existing cropping systems of rice in this region suffer from some drawbacks, primarily due to monoculture practices and limited crop diversity. An experiment was conducted in the Eastern Indian State of Odisha to evaluate the efficiency and profitability of promoting a rice-green gram-rice cropping system. The experiment consists of two major interrelated interventions viz., awareness regarding short-duration stress-tolerant rice varieties (STRV) and the introduction of the new crop for higher economic returns. Varietal awareness programs were organized before the onset of the wet season of 2020 and the potential benefits of cultivating STRV over the popular traditional cultivars were communicated to the target farmers, besides advocating the rice-green gram-rice cropping system. The study employed a field experiment design to compare the performance of existing and new cropping systems. The impact evaluation was carried out after recording the comments of the farmers followed by a thorough comparison between the new and existing cropping systems. The available evidence suggests that the introduced short-duration STRVs are better than the already existing varieties and have the potential to change the cropping system of the region. The most desirable trait of these varieties as reported by the farmers is their short maturity duration. The results do unequivocally demonstrate the superior performance of the new cropping system over the existing system in terms of crop yield, diversification, and profitability. This remarkably underscores the potential of the new system to address food security challenges and enhance agricultural productivity.
Exploring the Legal Dimensions of Environmental Policy within the Framework of Ukraine's Sustainable Development Strategy
Authors:   Koretsky Institute of State and Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.  E-mail: kovalenko.v.v@gmail.com, Kovalenko Vitaliy , Kolb Oleksandr ,   Criminal Justice department, State Tax University, Kyiv, Ukraine.  E-mail: lesya5@meta.com, Bondarenko Olena ,   Department of Law Enforcement & Anti-Corruption Activities of the Educational & Scientific Institute of Law, Prince Vladimir the Great Interregional Academy of Personnel Management, Kyiv, Ukraine.  E-mail: ollenabond@ukr.net, Boldizhar Sandra ,   Department of Administrative, Financial & Informative Law, Uzhhorod National University, Ukraine.  E-mail: boldizhar.sandra@uzhnu.edu.ua, Marko Sergii ,   Criminal Procedure and Criminology Department, Lviv State University of Internal Affairs, Ukraine.  E-mail: marko.sergii@gmail.com
Published: January 2024

This article is devoted to the theoretical and practical analysis of the organizational and legal problems involved in the evolution and implementation of the environmental policy as integral part of the sustainable development strategy of Ukraine. This research is based on the international documents defining the goals of sustainable development and that are guidelines for harmonizing legal instruments in rationalizing nature use conforming the European Green laws. Based on the analysis of the current environmental legislation of Ukraine and its application, as well as inculcating the views of scientists, a conclusion is drawn about the need for prioritizing sectoral environmental reforms in the fields of biodiversity protection, curbing industrial pollution, waste management, emission monitoring and reporting, environmental control, and statutory responsibility. The grey areas of improving Ukraine's environmental policy ensuring effective, transparent and modern post-war reconstruction are identified as: strengthening control over compliance with standards and environmental regulations concerning nature management; improving the mechanism of payments for harming the environment; giving tax benefits and other financial incentives to environmentally innovative practices; encouraging the environmental audit and certification; pricing flexibly the ecological products; stimulating scientific temperament in solving environmental problems; and so on.
GROWTH AND YIELD PERFORMANCE OF TWO ACCESSIONS OF SOME LEGUMES ON EXPOSURE TO HEAVY METAL IN LAFIA NASARAWA STATE
Authors: Mshelmbula B. P. , Ubani Uzoamaka , Kana H. A. , Bello S. , Tsaku N. A. , Zakariya Rebeccah , Sirajo S. , Alanana M. H. , Saudat I. , Ibrahim S. O.
Published: January 2024

The aim of the research was to determine the growth and yield performance of some legumes upon exposure to heavy metals.  seeds were collected from International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA). Wild beans included TVNU2 and TVUN16, Cowpea: TVU2 and TVU8 while Bambara: TVSU3 and TVSU7. Dried soil collected was filled into 24 plastic buckets. Four (4) grams of lead chloride was measured with the aid of weighing balance and was dissolved into 1 litter of distilled water. Another portion of distilled water without any additive was measured and used as control. The lead solution was used to pollute the soil and allowed to stay for 24hrs before planting in a screen house. 4g of heavy metal was introduced into 8kg of soil in a bucket with each of the legumes having three replicates and was laid in a Randomized Complete Bock Design. The data collected was analyzed using two way (ANOVA) and treatment means were separated by means of LSD where differences exist. At 14 weeks after planting, results revealed that among the Cowpea accessions, TVU8 performed better than the other accession in all the parameters measured. Among the Wild bean, TVNU2 did better in most of the parameters except number leaf and number of pod/plant while in Bambara groundnut, TVSU7 performed best generally.
MODELLING AND OPTIMIZATION OF LOCUST BEAN POD ASH CONTENT IN ASPHALT MIXTURE USING SURFACE RESPONSE METHODOLOGY
Authors: Murana A. A. , Ochepo J. , Isah A. A. , Ibedu Kenneth Ejike
Published: January 2024

Consumption of agricultural products generates large quantities of waste daily, and proper disposal mechanism is of great need. Introduction of waste pozzolanic material in asphaltic mixture creates a chemical reaction between bitumen and mineral filler as a result of its texture, geometry, chemical and mineralogical compositions. Mineral fillers play a significant role in the engineering properties of hot mix asphalt. The aim of the present study is to assess the effect of locust bean pod ash (LBPA) as mineral filler on the Marshall properties of hot mix asphalt. X-Ray fluorescence was used for characterization of LBPA, the results showed that LBPA oxide composition are comparable to that of granite dust which has been used as a conventional filler material. To accomplish this objective response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to examine the impact of LBPA on the conventional Marshall properties (Stability, Flow, VMA, Pa, VFB) of LBPA-modified asphalt mixture. By using Multi-objective process, a fifth regression model was considered with a p-value < 5% for all responses. ANOVA revealed that the LBPA had a significant effect on the Marshal properties investigated. After optimization the optimum values of LBPA and bitumen content are 40% and 50% and respectively. The predicated Marshall properties values for stability, flow, VMA, Pa and VFB are 7.639kN, 3.892mm, 18.311%, 3.63%, 78.549% respectively. The findings of this study showed that LBPA is suitable as a mineral filler in asphaltic mixture.
FLEXURAL STRENGTH OF BAMBOO AND STEEL REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAM
Authors: Mbazor Chukwu , Kaura J. M. , Ocholi A. , Ochepo J. , Ibedu K. E.
Published: January 2024

There is no doubt that construction and building industries are the main energy and materials consumers of any country. In sustainable development, both the immediate and imminent needs are adequately taken into consideration. Sequel to the fact that concrete is weak in tension, reinforcement is inevitable to compensate for the deficiency. This paper purposes to comparing the flexural properties of concrete beams reinforced with bamboo strips and steel bars. Bamboo strips were found to be a close replacement to steel for light-weight constructions. This research consists of 100 x 100 x 450mm reinforced concrete beams with varying percentages of steel served as reference. Three beams were cast for each bamboo/Steel reinforcement ratio for each curing age making a total of Ninety-Six beams for flexural properties test. Three cubes were prepaid for every curing age summing up to Twenty-Four cubes for compressive test. The area of Bamboo reinforcement equivalent to steel was calculated via the equivalence of the force that could withstand the bending stresses which was also resisted by corresponding bamboo area. Steel stirrups were used to carter for shear in the beams. Flexural and compressive strengths at 7-, 14-, 21- and 28-days have been taken into consideration for comparison purpose. The graphs from the results were plotted and the suitability of bamboo reinforced beam was discoursed regarding the failure types. Results from the research reveal that bamboo can be used in low-cost constructions.
PTIMIZATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF USED COOKING OIL FOR BIODIESEL PRODUCTION USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY
Authors: Umar Khadijah Aminu , Adedo Ahmad Akanbi , Muhammad Aminu , Sa'eed Ahmad , Muhammad Abdulladif , AbdulLateef AbdulHakeem , Gama Ibrahim Auwal , Tijani Husseini
Published: January 2024

This study focuses on optimizing and characterizing alkali-catalyzed biodiesel production from used cooking oil. Transesterification using potassium hydroxide (KOH) and methanol, followed by solvent-solvent extraction, yielded biodiesel. Physicochemical analysis of the used cooking oil revealed an acid value of 29 mgNaOH/g, free fatty acid (FFA) value of 14.5, and density of 0.91 g/cm3. The high FFA content suggests the use of a heterogeneous catalyst. Optimization parameters included alcohol-to-oil ratio, catalyst concentration, reaction temperature, and time, employing Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on Central Composite Design (CCD). Optimal conditions for biodiesel production were determined at a reaction temperature of 60°C, a reaction time of 60 minutes, 0.3g KOH catalyst concentration, and a 3:20 methanol-to-oil ratio, predicting a 100% yield. Physiochemical properties of the produced biodiesel indicated specific gravity and pH values of 0.891 and 7.60, respectively. Biodiesel blends (B100, B80, and B20) exhibited specific gravity and pH values of 0.891, 0.842, and 0.839, and 7.60, 7.81, and 5.5, respectively. Comparative analysis with diesel suggests the biodiesel's suitability for standalone or blended use in diesel engines. Characterization involved physicochemical analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC). Overall, the optimized process presented a viable and efficient approach to producing biodiesel from used cooking oil with favourable fuel properties
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF PALM KERNEL SHELL ASH BLENDED CEMENT CONCRETE
Authors: Amartey Bilkisu Hassan Sada , Taku Kumator Josiphiah , Amartey Yusuf Dada
Published: January 2024

Chemical and agricultural process industries generate substantial amounts of industrial by-products annually, leading to environmental pollution and escalating waste disposal expenses for the industry. As environmental awareness grows and landfill space becomes scarce, there is a rising interest in researching waste materials utilization. Exploring alternative methods, instead of disposal aims to minimize pollutions impact on the environment. The application of pozzolanic materials in construction works is on the rise, and this trend is anticipated to persist in the coming years, driven by the depletion of natural materials essential for manufacturing construction materials such as cement. This study investigates the utilization of agro-waste ash as a supplementary cementitious material SCM, specifically palm kernel shell ash (PKSA) as a substitute material for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in concrete. Specimens containing 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30% palm kernel shell ash (PKSA) as replacement for cement in the concrete were prepared at a water/binder ratio of 0.65. The results showed that the samples incorporating binary blends of cement with 5 – 15% PKSA illustrated better strength properties at ages above 28 days of hydration than that of control sample without PKSA. The compressive strength obtained were 26.76MPa, 26.81MPa and 27.16MPa at 60 days, and 29.80MPa, 30.0MPa and 31.41MPa at 90 days for 5 – 15% replacement levels respectively. The tensile strength values obtained were 4.5MPa, 4.5MPa and 4.7MPa at 60 days and 5.2MPa, 5.2MPa and 5.4MPa at 90 days for 5 – 15% replacement levels...
EARTH TREMORS - EMERGING THREATS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA
Authors: Oyibo David , Kadiri Afegbua Umar
Published: January 2024

The August 2000 Jushi Kwari, September 2016 Kwoi Kaduna, and September 2018 Mpape (Abuja) seismic events have clearly placed Nigeria's Northern states at high risk of earth tremors. Although the Northern part of Nigeria is far from earthquake-prone zones around the world, recent seismic activity in the region suggests that Northern Nigeria is now vulnerable to earthquakes. As a result, the purpose of this research is to identify the vulnerability and assess the evolution of tremor activities in Nigeria's Northern States. Previous research has revealed dominant NE-SW and NW-SE trending structures distributed throughout Northern Nigeria, with all major regional fault lines (Romanche, Chain Charlot, and St Paul) extending from the Atlantic Ocean linked to NE-SW and SW faults, which are interpreted as conduits of seismic energy that cause earth tremors in Nigeria.
NEW GENERALIZED ODD FRÉCHET-ODD EXPONENTIAL-G FAMILY OF DISTRIBUTION WITH STATISTICAL PROPERTIES AND APPLICATIONS
Authors: Sadiq Ibrahim Abubakar , Doguwa S. I. S. , Yahaya Abubakar , Garba Jamilu
Published: January 2024

A new lifetime continuous probability distribution called the new Generalized Odd Fréchet-Odd-Exponential-G Family of Distribution is developed using the principle of Alzaatreh. The developed distribution is flexible for studying positive real-life datasets. The statistical properties related to this family are obtained. The parameters of the family were estimated by using a technique of maximum likelihood. A NewGeneralized Odd Fréchet-Odd-Exponential-Weibull model is introduced. This distribution was fitted with a set of lifetime data. A Monte Carlo simulation is applied to test the consistency of the estimated parameters of this distribution in terms of their bias and mean squared error with a comparison of M.L.E and the maximum product spacing (MPS).The outcome of the Monte Carlo simulation shows that the M.L.E method is the best technique for estimating the parameter of the New Generalized Odd Frechet-Odd-Exponential-Weibull distribution and the New Generalized Odd Frechet-Odd-Exponential-Rayleigh distribution than the M.PS method. The outcomes of the application on the data set produce a higher flexibility than some of the competing distributions. The distributions serve as a viable alternative to other distributions available in the literature for modelling positive data.
EXTRACTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF OIL FROM DATE PALM SEED (PHOENIX DACTYLEPHERA) USING N-HEXANE
Authors: Alexander David Onoja  , Usman Salifu Oma , Abdullahi Aminu Sezor , Jacob Alifa David , Ocheme Gabriel Wilson , Sheneni Victor , Audu Ali Salihu , Jimoh Abdulazeez Enesi
Published: January 2024

This research aimed to extract, characterize and identify oil components in date-palm seed  The date-palm were collected after eating several date-palm (seed). The extraction was undertaken with the aid of a soxhlet apparatus and a solvent hexane was selected based on the fact that it has a very low value of toxicity and A huge retraction rate. The particles gotten from were separate units from numbers i.e. 710um, 1mm and 2mm mesh size mesh size, which 40g each were measured and subjected to the extraction steps and the following values of oil were obtained: respectively: 363, 3.49 and 3.25 with the smallest particle size producing the highest yield. , While the result obtained from FTIR analysis showed the following functional group results CH2, C=O, C=C, C-C, C-O. In the Oil Extract the physicochemical indicates acid value: 2.55mg/g, peroxide value: 1.40mg/g, Saponification value: 80.50mg/g, iodine value: 83.31mg/g, free  fatty acid value: 6.71mg/g. However,  from this analysis date palm seed oil has high oil value compared to other edible vegetable oil.
OPTIMIZATION OF BIOGAS PRODUCTION FROM TREE WASTE MATERIALS FOR BIORESOURCE RECOVERY
Authors: Molua O. C. , Ukpene A. O. , Ighrakpata F. C. , Nwachuku D. N. , Ogwu D. A. , Edobor M.
Published: January 2024

Biogas production from waste biomass has gained significant attention as a sustainable alternative to conventional fossil fuels. This study investigated the potential of using tree waste materials for biogas production and optimizing the process parameters. A lab-scale anaerobic digester was used to evaluate the biogas generation potential of tree trimmings and sawdust. Different process parameters, including the substrate-to-inoculum ratio, temperature, and pH, were varied to optimize the biogas yield. We also analyzed the chemical composition of the feedstock and the digestate to assess nutrient recovery potential. The results showed that tree trimmings and sawdust are suitable feedstocks for biogas production, with a maximum biogas yield of 228.4 mL CH4/g VS added obtained at a substrate-to-inoculum ratio of 2:1 and a temperature of 35°C. The nutrient analysis showed that the digestate obtained from the anaerobic digestion process is a rich source of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which can be used as fertilizer.
SURVEY ON MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT AND EXTENDED SPECTRUM BETA LACTAMASES PRODUCING BACTERIA ON CONTACT SURFACES AT MURTALA MUHAMMAD SPECIALIST HOSPITAL, MAKKAH EYE CLINIC AND UMC ZHAHIR HOSPITAL, KANO STATE
Authors: Suleiman R. , Muhammad B. , Magashi A. M.
Published: January 2024

The contaminated environmental surfaces are not only potential reservoirs for spread of microbial agents inside hospital but also in community. The development and evolution of antimicrobial resistance in pathogen has been reported to be one of the major issues confronting the global health community. Members of family Enterobacteriacae able to produce extended spectrum of beta lactamase which is responsible to hydrolyze the third generation of cephalosporin group antibiotics resulting treatment failure. The use of beta-lactams has increased considerably since its discovery so also resistant genes leading to Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBL) mediated by the presence of blaCTX-M, blaTEM, and blaSHV genes present in most Gram-negative bacteria. Out of 300 swab samples collected, 218 (72.7%) bacteria were isolated. 158 (72.5%) was gram positive and 60(27.5%) was gram negative. A total of 96(44.0%) isolates were multidrug resistant. Antibiotics susceptibility test was performed by Kirby Bauer technique according to CLSI guidelines. Organisms that tested positive phenotypically for ESBL were subjected to PCR for molecular analysis. ESBL had a percentage rate of 11.3%. The coexistence of bla CTX-M, bla TEM and bla SHV gene was detected
CHANGE IN LAND USE/LAND COVER USING REMOTELY SENSED IMAGES IN KAFANCHAN AREA OF KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
Authors: Mande Hosea Kato , Olaniyi Akeem O. , Richard Mercy , Sule Bulus , Abasha Deborah
Published: January 2024

Vegetation cover in Kafanchan has been on the decrease which has suffered more and undue depletion and degradation. This research assessed the change of land use/land cover for the span of 45 years (1988-2023). This study made use of LANDSAT 2, 4, 8 and 8 images of the year 1988, 1998, 2016 and 2023 accordingly. The images were processed using Arcmap 10.3. For the secondary data collection, the area was demarcated into bare land, water bodies, vegetation and built-up areas. The results shows that there has been an increase of built-up areas from 28.19% of the study area in 1988 to 44.73% in 1998 and 45.98% in 2023. Vegetation land use has also shown a decrease from 49.75% in 1988 to 30.54% in 2023. Water bodies decreased from 12.3% in 1988 to 10.92% in 2023. Vegetated land was the most dominant land cover class in the study area but decreased to 28.84% in 1998, and increase from 28.84% in 1998 to 30.54% in 2023 this is supported by the continuous decline of high-end Normalized Difference vegetation index (NDVI) values from 1988 (0.536), 1998 (0.411), 2016 (0.380) and 2023 (0.280) implying that vegetation cover in Kafanchan is steadily being depleted. The applications of RS and GIS will promote better understanding in the monitoring of land use-land cover interactions to aid planning, management and enterprise.
NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION AND GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY (GC-MS) ANALYSIS OF METHANOL LEAF EXTRACT OF Terminalia ivorensis
Authors: Enadeghe Rosephine , Omoregie A. E.
Published: January 2024

Terminalia ivorensis (TI) is used in West African ethnomedicine for the treatment of ulcers, malaria, inflammation, and wounds. Despite its widespread use, its nutritional status remains largely undetermined. This study was undertaken with the aim to evalute the nutritional and phytochemical composition of TI. Proximate analysis of the methanol leaf extracts of TI was carried out using the AOAC methods. Elemental analysis of the methanol leaf extracts of the plant was also carried out using an Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS). Identification and quantification of the bioactive components were determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) single-phase ion mode. Spectra from detected compounds were matched with known compounds of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Proximate analysis reveals that it is rich in primary nutrients such as carbohydrates (37.70±0.05%), proteins (10.94±0.03%), fats (7.97±0.12%), fibre (0.95±0.01%), ash (1.42±0.01%) and moisture content (41.02±0.21%). Mineral analysis of the extract revealed the presence of essential minerals such as calcium (641.2±1.20 mg/100g), copper (6.28±0.02 mg/100g), magnesium (186.16±0.29 mg/100g), iron (17.13±0.06 mg/100g), manganese (3.47±0.01 mg/100g), and zinc (3.82±0.01 mg/100g), which are essential for the metabolic processes and pregnancy. Forty-Seven (47) phytochemical compounds were detected by GC-MS including 1, 2, 3- Benzenetriol (26.31%), Diethyl Phthalate (14.93%), D-Allose (6.96%), Anhydro-.alpha-d-galactofuranose (5.09), Glycerin (6.28%) as the most predominant. The study revealed that Terminalia ivorensis could be a useful source of nutrients, minerals, and several helpful bioactive compounds that may serves as potential drug target needed for drug development
PROCESS FORMULATION AND USAGE OF CASTOR SEED OIL AND POLYVINYL ACETATE ADMIXTURE IN THE MANUFACTURING OF EMULSION PAINT
Authors: Ugbune Ufuoma , Okhuarobo Osamwen L.
Published: January 2024

Paints are widely used for surface coating, they are made with combinations of different raw materials, for example polyvinyl acetate. The cost of this raw material is increasing daily in Nigeria due higher exchange rate of dollar to naira coupled with an increasing number of entrepreneurs using this material for paint production daily. This raw material is synthetic and not eco-friendly. Therefore, this research seeks to fill this gap by using natural material (castor seed oil) that is cheap and eco-friendly as combinatorial with polyvinyl acetate. Castor seed oil used for this research was sourced from a local market in Delta State. Castor seed oil was extracted using solvent extraction. Paint was produced using four different formulations; Paint produced was characterized using ASTM method. Results obtained from the work showed 43.5 yield of castor seed oil, results of opacity, viscosity, specific gravity, drying time and pH are in the range of 9.5-22, 0.92-0.94,1.01-1.15 gcm3, 25-30 minutes, 7.9-8.6 respectively. The combination of 60% Polyvinyl acetate to 40% Castor seed oil was more effective for paint production due  to its low viscosity ( 0.920C) and high specific density  (1.15 kg/L). Therefore, 60% Polyvinyl acetate to 40% Castor seed oil combinatorial is recommended for paint production for economic and environmental gain
Corpus Linguistics Strategies for Identifying Accepted Theories in Early Modern England
Authors: Shan G. G.
Published: January 2024

The paper investigates the applicability of corpus linguistics to the construction of a database of intellectual history.  Working with the Royal Society Corpus (RSC), it presents a series of corpus queries that can aid with computationally identifying potential instances of communal theory acceptance in England during the period of 1665-1800. These queries allowed to identify a set of noun-adjective pairs potentially synonymous with “accepted theory” and retrieve around 1,400 excerpts potentially indicative of instances of communal theory acceptance. The paper also discusses some strategies for identifying the epistemic agent, as well as the RSC’s place within the broader historical context. Finally, I argue that, in addition to exploring corpus linguistics strategies, methodologies for interpreting computationally retrieved data should also be developed.
Discussion of Suggested Modifications
Authors: Friesen Izzy , Allen Joshua , Alliksaar Markus , Atrli Amirali , Barseghyan Hakob , Borrie Spenser , Castino Alessandra , Garcia da S. Oliveira Deivide , Muscant Rebecca , Ng Tessa , Palider Kye , Patton Paul , Rupik Gregory , Sarwar Ameer , Shan G. G. , Shaw Jamie
Published: January 2024

The paper presents the transcript of the discussions during the first scientonomy workshop that took place on February 25, 2023. The participants discussed and voted on several modifications concerning the scientonomic workflow (Sciento-2019-0007, Sciento-2019-0001, Sciento-2019-0002, Sciento-2019-0003, Sciento-2019-0004, Sciento-2019-0005, Sciento-2019-0006) as well as two modifications concerning the idea of scientificity as an epistemic stance (Sciento-2018-0013) and the respective law of theory demarcation (Sciento-2018-0014).
Epistemic Actions
Authors: Allen Joshua
Published: January 2024

In a series of publications, Hasok Chang makes the case that activities carried out by epistemic agents form the basis of the scientific enterprise. This paper provides an action-based scientonomic perspective of scientific practice. I define epistemic action as an action of an epistemic agent that involves an epistemic element and highlight the difference between global and local actions. The availability of a local action to an epistemic agent amounts to the agent employing the norm that the local action is permissible/desirable. To unearth the mechanism by which local actions become available to epistemic agents, I derive the local action availability theorem, according to which, a local epistemic action becomes available to an agent only when its permissibility is derivable from a non-empty subset of other elements of the agent’s mosaic, i.e., from that agent’s employed norms and accepted theories. This framework is then applied to the emergence of the local action of determining the composition of chemical substances by weighing as practiced by Lavoisier and his followers; it is shown that the respective norm became employed in accord with the local action availability theorem.
Impact of Ownership Structure and Corporate Governance on Earning Management
Authors: Bashir Babar , Rashid Muhammad , Bashir Zeeshan
Published: January 2024

Purpose- This study investigates the interplay among Ownership Structure, Corporate Governance, and Earnings Management by employing ordinary least square (OLS) regression. To find the relationship among the three constructs based on data sourced from listed companies on the Pakistan Stock Exchange spanning 2016-2021 were used, excluding the financial industry due to its unique reporting system.Design/Methodology- The sample comprises 111 firms chosen based on data availability. To measure earnings management, the researchers used a modified version of John's model (1995) to estimate discretionary accruals. Findings- The study's key findings include the significant role of institutional investors in reducing earnings management. The number of board directors and ownership concentration were observed to impact discretionary accruals. Control variables indicated that more profitable, growing, and highly leveraged firms tend to engage in earnings management, which decreases with the firm's age. The study revealed a diverse relationship between ownership structure, corporate governance codes, and earnings management. Notably, significant institutional investment reduces ownership concentration, leading to decreased earnings management. Moreover, the results show a positive and significant correlation between firm size and Return on Assets (ROA). Practical Implications- Board independence was found to have a positive impact on earnings management, suggesting that boards serve a more complex role than mere monitoring to mitigate accounting manipulation.
An Appraisal of the Invasion of Midwest State By the Biafran Secessionists Government and Liberation During the Period of Nigerian Civil War August 9-September 20, 1967
Authors: Ediagbonya Michael  , Duyile William Abiodun
Published: January 2024

This paper examines the invasion of Midwest state by the Biafran Secessionists Government in August 9, 1967. The occupation of the state by the rebels also came to focus. The consequence of the invasion and liberation of the state by the federal troops were demonstrated. Data for the study was obtained through oral interview as primary sources and the secondary sources like books, newspapers, articles, journals, theses, projects and dissertation were also used. It was found that August 9 on which the people of the Midwest celebrate the yearly anniversary of the creation of their state was the day rebel troops invaded the state. It was demonstrated that while the state was invaded by the rebels on August 9, 1967, September 20, 1967, the people regained freedom. It was also found that Ojukwu’s conquest and occupation of the Midwest was a miscalculated strategy to prolong the war and annex Southern Nigeria. In conclusion, the economy of the state was badly affected by the disruption of trade and movement of the population in search of safety.
Correlation and path coefficient analysis for yield and component traits in pea (pisum sativum l.)
Authors: Sharma Deepa , Kumari Manisha , Sandeep Sampathi , Thakur Nikhil
Published: January 2024

Twenty eight pea genotypes were evaluated for their genetic variability attributes under sub-tropical conditions of Himachal Pradesh during Rabi, 2021. The estimates of phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) were high for plant height and pod weight. High heritability along with high genetic advance was observed in days to first flower, node at which first flower appear, days to 50 % flowering, pod length, pod weight, number of primary branches per plant, plant height, number of pods per plant and number of seeds per pod. Pod yield was positively and significantly correlated with pod length, pod weight, pod width, pod girth, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, shelling percentage and TSS. The pod length exhibited highly positive and direct effect on pod yield followed by pod weight and plant height. Therefore, selection based on these traits could be effective for higher pod yield in pea genotypes.
Bangladesh J. Bot. 52(4): 907-914, 2023 (December)
Role of genetic diversity and combining ability and heterosis in maize (zea mays l.) Hybrids under drought stress
Authors: Patil Nandan L , G Shanthakumar  , Biradar BD , Gangavati Lakshmi R
Published: January 2024

Water stress during flowering stage is a key factor effecting maize productivity in India. Mahalanobis D2 method was used to group one hundred and thirty-three inbred lines based on their phenotypic performance under waters stress condition. Fifteen selected lines were crossed in half diallel fashion to produce 105 direct F1 crosses which were then evaluated under water stress and non-stress condition. Negative correlation was observed between parents mahalanobis distance and grain yield suggesting parents with diverse phenotypic expression need not always produce heterotic hybrids. Mid-parent heterosis showed linear relationship with grain yield and none of the combining ability effects showed significant association with grain yield. Thus, per se performance of inbred lines across the traits under water stress situation has to be considered in selection of parents for production of heterotic hybrids.
Bangladesh J. Bot. 52(4): 915-923, 2023 (December)
Impact of grafting and deficit irrigation on yield of melon (cucumis melo l.)
Authors: Özbek Ömer , Kaman Harun
Published: January 2024

An experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of grafting and deficit irrigation on yield of melon grown under different water stress conditions. The plant materials used in the study were Ünlü melon grafted on the rootstock of Ferro melon and ungrafted  Ünlü melon species. Water was applied at the level of 80, 60 and 40% of the water applied to the full irrigation level (I100=100%). Grafting significantly affected the fruit number of the plants. The fruit number in the ungrafted applications was higher than that in the grafted applications. Effects of grafting application and irrigation level on fruit weight was significant. The fruit weight in the ungrafted applications was higher than that in the grafted applications. Outcome indicated that there was no significant loss in yield, fruit number, or fruit weight of melons under application of 20% water deficit to the plants. Findings also revealed that the amount of irrigation water for melon cultivation can be safely reduced by 20% under Mediterranean climate conditions.
Bangladesh J. Bot. 52(4): 925-932, 2023 (December)
Banglaponics: A Soilless Cultivation Technique For Tomato In Bangladesh
Authors: Khatun Masuma , Md Mizanur Rahman  , Rahman Tabibur , Naz Sabrina
Published: January 2024

The study was carried out to develop an efficient, reproducible method to overcome the drought stress and increasing agriculture field crisis of Bangladesh. Banglaponics, a soilless cultivation technique comprised of traditional agricultural fertilizers in pond water mixed with cow urine has been used to evaluate the efficiency of tomato production. The production rate (237.85 ± 10.87 g/plant) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the Banglaponics medium than soil medium. Plant height, leaf number, leaf area, root number, root length, and flower number of the studied plant showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher in Banglaponics medium than plants grown in soil. Both treatments showed that chlorophyll score and antioxidant activity (DPPH) were almost equal. Banglaponically grown plant leaf, despite having lower Ca concentrations, possessed higher concentrations of Fe and Zn than those of soil-grown. Additionally, Banglaponically grown plant also showed significantly much lower Pb concentrations than that of grown in soil. On the contrary the other two heavy metals Cr and Cd, hold nearly the same value. By appearance, Banglaponically-grown plants were much healthier than that of soil-grown. This technique can be introduced in drought-prone areas of Bangladesh as it requires much less water than soil-grown tomato plants.
Bangladesh J. Bot. 52(4): 933-939, 2023 (December)