INFLUENCE OF HEAD-TEACHERS CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLE ON TEACHERS’ JOB SATISFACTION IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS

The study focused on influence of head-teachers conflict management style on teachers’ job satisfaction in public secondary schools in Awka education zone of Anambra State, Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were tested. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population of the study consisted 122 head-teachers in 61 public secondary schools in Awka education zone. No sample was taken, as the population size was manageable. A 16-items structured questionnaire validated by three experts was used for the study. The reliability of the instrument was ascertained using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient to determine its degree of reliability which obtained overall reliability coefficient values of 0.95. Data related to the research questions were analyzed using mean and standard deviation while Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that respondents disagreed that head teachers use integrating conflict management style while they agreed in using obliging conflict management style for their job satisfaction. The study revealed that head teachers’ years of teaching experience does not affect the uses of integrating and obliging conflict management style in their job satisfaction. It was concluded that integrating conflict management style are rarely used by the head teacher. It was recommended, among others, that Head teachers should strive at minimizing conflicts and use appropriate methods to manage them such integrating either than obliging conflict management style.  Article visualizations

Awareness and Perception of Climate Change among Farmers in Nigeria: Implications for Food Security

Nigeria is characterized by high level of hunger, malnutrition and poverty, making food security a serious concern in the country. This is being worsened by threats of climate change which adversely affect agriculture; the predominantly livelihood activity in the country. The study examined the implications for food security of farmers’ awareness and perception of climate change in Nigeria using evidence from farmers in Ebonyi State. Multistage random sampling technique was used to select 360 respondents for the study, while data were collected using structured questionnaire. Analysis of data involved the use of frequencies, percentages, means and rating scale, while the results were presented using charts, tables and graphs. The mean extent of knowledge of the farmers of climate change phenomenon is 2.74. About 16.1% of the respondents indicated knowledge to a great extent, 36.4% to a reasonable extent, 26.4% to a little extent, and 21.1% to no extent. Climate change is largely understood by 93.6% of the farmers as fluctuations in average weather conditions. The farmers are being impacted by climate change through increased weather uncertainties (3.71), reduced cropping season (3.60), decreased soil fertility and farm yield (3.48), early cessation of rains (3.33), delayed onset of rains (3.20) and increased temperature (2.89). Their sources of information on climate change are radio (66%), friends and relatives (56.2%), family (33.4%), personal observations (40%), social media (23%), extension agents (21.6%), internet (19%), cooperatives (12.1%) and religious bodies (10%). The study recommends the strengthening of agricultural extension system to engage in increased and continuous sensitization and education of farmers on climate change through radio, social media, internet, cooperative societies and religious organizations

Adsorptive Removal of Erythrosin B Dye onto Terminalia Catappa Endocarp Prepared Activated Carbon: Kinetics, Isotherm and Thermodynamics Studies

The effectiveness of activated carbon prepared from Terminalia catappa (almond) endocarp via thermal and chemical activation for the adsorption of Erythrosin B (EB) dye was investigated. The thermally activated sample was impregnated with 60% by weight phosphoric acid (H3PO4) in 1:2 weight basis of activating agent to Terminalia catappa (almond) endocarp. Physico-chemical analyses results revealed the potential suitability of the prepared acid activated almond endocarp (AAAE) as an adsorbent. Further results obtained show that particle size, adsorbent dosage, pH, time, ion concentration and temperature had significant effect on the percentage of EB dye adsorbed. Freundlich model best fitted the experimental data compared to the results obtained for Langmuir and Dubnin-Radushkevich isotherm models. The adsorption kinetic data was modelled using the pseudo first-order, pseudo second-order and Elovich kinetic models. The kinetics of the adsorption process best followed the Elovich model. Thermodynamic parameters: Gibb’s free energy (ΔG∘), enthalpy change (ΔH∘) and entropy change (ΔS∘) were determined to evaluate the feasibility of the process and the effect of temperature on the system. The negative free energy obtained confirms the feasibility of the adsorption process. The adsorption of EB on the acid activated almond endocarp was found to be exothermic. Keywords: Adsorption; Almond endocarp; Erythrosin B; Isotherm; Kinetics; Adsorption thermodynamic

Effects of maternal hypertension on the neonatal haemogram in southern Nigeria: A case-control study

BackgroundHypertension in pregnancy is a leading cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to compare the hematological parameters in neonates of hypertensive mothers with those of normotensive mothers, and also to compare the incidence of polycythaemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia in both groups.MethodsThis was a hospital-based case control study. Three milliliters of cord blood from neonates of women with hypertension in pregnancy and those of normotensive pregnant women were sampled for haemogram parameters using a 3-part  autoanalyser. Haematocrit and white blood cell differentials were done manually. Data were analysed using SPSS version 16.ResultsA total of 200 neonates were recruited, comprising 100 neonates of mothers with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and 100 neonates of normotensive mothers. The mean haematocrit was significantly higher in neonates of hypertensive mothers than those of normotensive mothers. The neutrophil and platelet counts of neonates of hypertensive mothers were significantly lower than those of normotensive  mothers. The incidences of polycythaemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia were found to be 8%, 15%, and 38% among neonates of hypertensive mothers and 0%, 2%, and 8% among neonates of normotensive mothers, respectively. These incidences were significantly different between the groups. ConclusionsThere was a positive association between hypertension in pregnancy and neonatal polycythaemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia. Haematological parameters of neonates of mothers with hypertension in pregnancy should be properly evaluated and monitored to reduce the chances of developing complications associated with these abnormalities

Mitigating Botnet Attack Using Encapsulated Detection Mechanism (EDM)

Botnet as it is popularly called became fashionable in recent times owing to it embedded force on network servers. Botnet has an exponential growth of about 170, 000 within network server and client infrastructures per day. The networking environment on monthly basis battle over 5 million bots. Nigeria as a country loses above one hundred and twenty five (N125) billion naira to network fraud annually, end users such as Banks and other financial institutions battle daily the botnet threats.Comment: This paper addresses critical area of networ

Assessment of some mechanical properties and microstructure of particulate periwinkle shell-aluminium 6063 metal matrix composite (PPS-ALMMC) produced by two-step casting

This work investigates some mechanical properties and microstructures of PPS-AlMMC and compares the properties of the composites and those of the aluminium 6063 (AA6063) alloy. Periwinkle shells were milled to particle sizes of 75μm and 150μm and used to produce PPS-AlMMC at 1,5,10 and 15wt% filler loadings using two-step casting technique. The mechanical properties and microstructures of the composite materials were compared with those of the AA6063 alloy. It was observed that the filler distributes uniformly in the matrix due to the two-step casting technique. Improved strength, ductility, hardness and modulus were obtained when the filler was used to reinforce the alloy. However, using a filler of bigger particle size resulted to reduced tensile strength, ductility and toughness of composites.Key words: Composites, Periwinkle shell, Aluminum, Mechanical properties, Microstructur

Restorative Justice: Psychological Needs of Offenders and Implications for Safety & Security

Crime creates psychosocial needs for victims, offenders, and communities where they occur—whether it is homogeneous or heterogeneous. Unfortunately, the criminal justice system does not recognize and take steps to meet these needs. This failure stems from a mischaracterization of the state or government as the crime victim. Our contention is that this problem also emerges from the theoretical groundswell that posits that offender must pay for his or her crime through incarceration. The result of this skewed perception of crime and victimhood has not deterred crime as evidenced by the high rate of recidivism. Certainly, crime-created psychological and social needs, also referred to in this analysis as psychosocial needs, do exist. The overarching question for this analysis is: Does the traditional criminal justice system meet these requirements? Contrarily, the restorative justice system is a method of justice administration that focuses on meeting the psychosocial needs of victims, offenders, and communities. The goal of restorative justice may be realized through victim-offender conference, family group conference, and peacemaking circles. Our findings revealed that these programs are effective because their success is supported by factors such as high rate of participation; the satisfaction of victims, the offenders and the communities where the crime occurred; as well as the programs’ popularity

Analysis of Electrical Porcelain Insulators from Local Clays

This paper focused on the chemical analysis of electrical porcelain insulators based on local clays. Test samples were made by conducting some chemical composition test using the Atomic Assumption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The clay samples were also tested for linear shrinkage and apparent porosity. Based on the results obtained, the linear shrinkage values recorded range from 7.29% to 14.29% for Iva Valley formulations, 5.14% to 14.71% for Nawfija and 7.74% to 10.29% for Ekwulobia. It was observed that linear shrinkage decreases as the content of non-plastic materials increases and increases as clay content increases. Iva Valley formulation recorded porosity values ranging from 8.84% to 20.80%. For Nawfija formulation, porosity values range from 10.81% to 17.30% while Ekwulobia formulations gave porosity values ranging from 9.52% to 16.82. Porcelain insulators that constitute the above results were found to have requisite properties that make them suitable for domestic production of porcelains insulators from the clay samples studied