Gender Analysis of Sandwich Admissions: A Case Study of South-South Nigeria

Even though university institutions produce high level manpower for the various sectors of the economy Nigeria had none until 1948. In its desire to increase the spread of university education, Ashby Commission recommended a dual mode delivery especially to accommodate the workers quest for upgrade of their qualification. Sandwich is the part-time programme designed for teachers and education workers. The study sought to analyse the gender demand for placement and actual supply of admission places in the sandwich programmes in South-South Nigeria. Eleven universities constituted the study universe made up of states and federal universities; some conventional, others specialized. Six of them were sampled for analysis. The study adopted the descriptive survey and covered eleven academic sessions. It was established that the demand for sandwich admission increased at an annual growth rate of 8.6%. Sampled universities placed an annual average of 26,787 candidates, made up of cumulative 56.7% females and 43.3% males. The increase in female demand for placement buttresses the desire to balance gender drive for national development. Suggestions were made for improvement. Keywords: university education, sandwich, gender, demand, supply, placement

Strategic Management and Firm Performance: A Study of Selected Manufacturing Companies in Nigeria

The study of strategic management has drawn so much attention among business practitioners and academic researchers in the last two decades as globalization came fully into limelight. However, in Nigeria, there are few empirical studies conducted to investigate the relationship between strategic management and firm performance. Thus, the main objective of this study was to provide further evidence on the effects of strategic management (SM) on the performance of manufacturing industries in Nigeria. Five large-scale quoted manufacturing firms located in Lagos metropolis were selected. The study relied on primary data which were obtained using structured questionnaire administered to 50 purposively selected respondents of the selected firms. The data collected were analysed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and correlation analysis as well as descriptive analysis in pursuance of the stated specific objectives of the study. The result showed that strategic management had significant effects on the profitability and operational performance of the selected manufacturing firms. Also, strategic management had positive relationship with the level of competition of the firms. This study concluded that the practice of strategic management is sine qua non in boosting firm performance in the manufacturing industries in Nigeria. Keywords: Strategic Management, Profitability, Operational Performance, Level of Competition

Effect of Class C and Class F Fly Ash on Early-Age and Mature-Age Properties of Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement Paste

To Promote the Sustainable Development of Eco-Efficient Calcium Sulfoaluminate (CSA) Cements through the Partial Replacement of the CSA Clinker with Supplementary Cementitious Waste Products, the Effects of Coal Fly Ashes on the Early-Age and Mature-Age Properties of a Calcium Sulfoaluminate (CSA)-Based Cement Paste Were Investigated. the Impacts of Both Class C and Class F Fly Ashes on the Rheological Properties, Hydration Kinetics, and Compressive Strength Development of CSA Cement Paste Were Studied. Rheology-Based Workability Parameters, Representing the Rate of Loss of Flowability, the Rate of Hardening, and the Placement Limit, Were Characterized for the Pastes Prepared with Fixed Water-To-Cement (W/c) and Fixed Water-To-Binder (W/b) Ratios. the Results Indicate a Slight Improvement in the Workability of the CSA Paste by Fly Ash Addition at a Fixed W/b Ratio. the Isothermal Calorimetry Studies Show a Higher Heat of Hydration for the Class C Fly Ash-Modified Systems Compared to the Class F-Modified Systems. the Results Show that Fly Ash Accelerates the Hydration of the Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement Pastes, Chiefly Due to the Filler Effects, Rather Than the Pozzolanic Effects. in General, Ettringite is Stabilized More by the Addition of Class F Fly Ash Than Class C Fly Ash. Both Fly Ashes Reduced the 1-Day Compressive Strength but Increased the 28-Day Strength of the CSA Cement Paste; Meanwhile, the Class C Modified Pastes Show a Higher Strength Than Class F, which is Attributed to the Higher Degree of Reaction and Potentially More Cohesive Binding C-S-H-Based Gels Formed in the Class C Fly Ash Modified Systems. the Results Provide Insights that Support that Fly Ash Can Be Employed to Improve the Performance of Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement Pastes, While Also Enhancing Cost Effectiveness and Sustainability

Land-use diversity within an agricultural landscape promotes termite nutrient cycling services in a southern African savanna

CITATION: LeClare, S. K. et al. 2020. Land-use diversity within an agricultural landscape promotes termite nutrient cycling services in a southern African savanna. Global Ecology and Conservation, 21. doi:10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00885The original publication is available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/global-ecology-and-conservationSoil macrofauna provide key supporting ecosystem services by transporting nutrients against physical and chemical gradients. In the semi-arid savannas of southern Africa, termites are the dominant macrofauna whose foraging activities increase nutrient availability, soil aeration and water infiltration. With increasing land-use conversion, savanna landscapes are becoming surrounded by a matrix of agricultural landscapes. We tested how compositional and configurational landscape heterogeneity influenced the presence of soil sheetings, a termite foraging activity, within savanna habitat patches embedded in a heterogeneous agricultural landscape in north-east Eswatini. We found that landscape heterogeneity most strongly influenced termite foraging activity at smaller spatial scales (1- to 2-km surrounding the savanna patch). Within this spatial scale, high compositional heterogeneity, which was indicative of diverse habitat patches, promoted termite foraging activity, yet high configurational heterogeneity, indicative of a fragmented landscape, reduced termite foraging activity. At larger landscape scales (5-km), the heterogeneity of the landscape no longer influenced termite foraging activity, yet low to moderate proportions of sugarcane surrounding savanna patches promoted termite foraging activity within those patches. Our results provide novel insights in how the structure of the landscape affects termite foraging activity, demonstrating that diverse, intact landscapes are a critical buffer in maintaining positive nutrient cycling services within an agricultural landscape.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989419304408Publishers versio

Vaccine coverage and factors associated with vaccine adherence in persons with HIV at an urban infectious disease clinic

Information on vaccination rates and factors associated with adherence in persons with HIV (PWH) is limited. We report vaccine adherence in 653 adult PWH attending an urban Infectious Disease Clinic from January 2015 to December 2021. Vaccines evaluated included influenza, pneumococcal, tetanus, hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), human papillomavirus (HPV), and zoster vaccines. Vaccine reminders were triggered at every visit, and all vaccines were accessible in the clinic. The mean age was 50 y (±SD 13), male gender was 78.6%, and black race was 74.3%. The overall adherence to all recommended vaccines was 63.6%. Vaccine adherence was \u3e90% for influenza, pneumococcal, and tetanus, \u3e80% for HAV and HBV, and ≥60% for HPV and zoster vaccines. The main predictor of adherence to all vaccines was ≥2 annual clinic visits (odds ratio [OR] 3.45; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.36-5.05; p \u3c .001). Other predictors included an assigned primary care provider within the system (OR 2.89 [95% CI 1.71-5.00, p \u3c .001]) and CD4 \u3e200 cell/mm(3) at entry into care (OR 1.91 [95% CI 1.24-2.94, p = .0003]). Retention in care combined with vaccine reminders and accessibility of vaccines in the clinic can achieve high vaccine uptake in PWH

In situ permafrost thaw due to climate change drives holistic microbial community shifts with implications for methane cycling

Thawing permafrost is a potentially significant source of radiative forcing feedback due to increased emissions of methane, a biogenic greenhouse gas (GHG). This study investigated changes in the microbial community along a permafrost thaw gradient at Stordalen Mire, Sweden using 16S rRNA gene amplicon and metagenomic methods. In situ measurements of geochemical parameters, including CH4 and C isotopes, enabled linkage of community dynamics to significant shifts in C balance. The thaw gradient ranged from intact at a palsa (low productivity and GHG emissions), through partially thawed in a bog (high productivity, low GHG emissions) to a completely thawed fen (high productivity and GHG emissions). Microbial assemblages in both the palsa and fen were highly diverse (in both richness and evenness), consistent with climax communities. The microbial community in the bog had distinctly lower diversity, characteristic of ecosystem disturbance. The palsa community was dominated by Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria, as is typical of a range of soils including permafrost. Methanogens dominated both the bog and fen and were most abundant within the zone of water table fluctuation. Inferring methanogens’ production pathway from phylogeny showed a shift from mostly hydrogenotrophic methanogens in the bog towards acetotrophic methanogens in the fen. This corroborated porewater and flux emitted CH4 and CO2 carbon isotopic 13C signatures of CH4 and CO2. The fen, where the highest CH4 flux was recorded, was significantly richer in methanogenic archaea. A novel archaea, Candidatus Methanoflorens stordalenmirensis, was present at up to 70% relative abundance in the bog, enabling recovery of a population genome. The genome (and associated metaproteome) of ’M. stordalenmirensis’ indicates that hydrogenotrophic methane production is its main energy conservation pathway. ’Methanoflorens’ may be an indicator species of permafrost thaw, it is globally ubiquitous, and appears a major contributor to global methane production. Our results revealed a distinct difference in the microbial community structure and membership at each site, which can be directly associated with increasing methane emission and thaw state

Preliminary Research on a COVID-19 Test Strategy to Guide Quarantine Interval in University Students

Following COVID-19 exposure, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a 10–14-day quarantine for asymptomatic individuals and more recently a 7-day quarantine with a negative PCR test. A university-based prospective cohort study to determine if early polymerase chain reaction (PCR) negativity predicts day 14 negativity was performed. A total of 741 asymptomatic students in quarantine was screened and 101 enrolled. Nasopharyngeal swabs were tested on days 3 or 4, 5, 7, 10, and 14, and the proportion of concordant negative results for each day versus day 14 with a two-sided 95% exact binomial confidence interval was determined. Rates of concordant negative test results were as follows: day 5 vs. day 14 = 45/50 (90%, 95% CI: 78–97%); day 7 vs. day 14 = 47/52 (90%, 95% CI: 79–97%); day 10 vs. day 14 = 48/53 (91%, 95% CI:79–97%), with no evidence of different negative rates between earlier days and day 14 by McNemar’s test, p \u3e 0.05. Overall, 14 of 90 (16%, 95% CI: 9–25%) tested positive while in quarantine, with seven initial positive tests on day 3 or 4, 5 on day 5, 2 on day 7, and none on day 10 or 14. Based on concordance rates between day 7 and 14, we anticipate that 90% (range: 79–97%) of individuals who are negative on day 7 will remain negative on day 14, providing the first direct evidence that exposed asymptomatic students ages 18–44 years in a university setting are at low risk if released from quarantine at 7 days if they have a negative PCR test prior to release. In addition, the 16% positive rate supports the ongoing need to quarantine close contacts of COVID-19 cases

Relationship between religiosity, religious coping and socio-demographic variables among out-patients with depression or diabetes mellitus in Enugu, Nigeria.

Background: Religion is a powerful coping strategy. Diabetes and depression are common conditions in our environment that induce psychological distress, thus requiring coping for better outcome. Studies indicate that increased religiosity is associated with better outcome in clinical and general populations. Therefore, studies of the distribution of religiosity and religious coping among these populations are essential to improve outcome. Objectives: To assess the association between religiosity, religious coping in depression and diabetes mellitus, and selected sociodemographic variables (age, gender and occupational status). Methods:Using simple random sampling we recruited 112 participants with diabetes and an equal number with depression consecutively, matching for gender. Religiosity was determined using religious orientation scale (revised), religious coping with brief religious coping scale and socio-demographic variables with a socio-demographic questionnaire. Results: Intrinsic religiosity was greater among older people with depression than among older people with diabetes(t=5.02,p<0.001); no significant difference among young people with depression and diabetes(t=1.47,p=0.15).Positive religious coping was greater among older people with depression than among older people with diabetes(t=2.31,p=0.02); no difference among young people with depression and diabetes(t=0.80,p=0.43). Females with depression had higher intrinsic religiosity scores than males with depression(t=3.85,p<0.001); no difference in intrinsic religiosity between females and males with diabetes(t=0.99,p=0.32).Positive religious coping was greater among participants with diabetes in the low occupational status(t=2.96,p<0.001) than those in the high occupational status. Conclusion: Religion is indeed a reliable coping method, most commonly used by the elderly and females with depression. Positive religious coping is more common among diabetic patients who are in the low occupational status

Ambivalence towards discourse of disaster resilience

This paper investigates empirically how the international aid community (IAC)—donors and practitioners—considers and implements disaster resilience in a specific country setting, Nepal, and throughout the rest of the world. A key finding is that there is ambivalence about a concept that has become a discourse. On a global level, the IAC utilises the discourse of resilience in a cautiously positive manner as a bridging concept. On a national level, it is being used to influence the Government of Nepal, as well as serving as an operational tool of donors. The mythical resilient urban community is fashioned in the IAC's imaginary; understanding how people create communities and what type of linkages with government urban residents desire to develop their resilience strategies is missing, though, from the discussion. Disaster resilience can be viewed as another grand plan to enhance the lives of people. Yet, regrettably, an explicit focus on individuals and their communities is lost in the process