Finite element analysis applied to the study of stress transmission in the corrugated sheet slab

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Retention, Viral Suppression, and Care Models in HIV Positive Children and Adolescents in Cameroon

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) remains a significant public health problem in Sub-Saharan Africa with poor treatment outcomes in children and adolescents (C&As). There is a lack of information on the effects of various HIV care models (Child and Adolescent Friendly Clinic model and Support Group model) on retention in care and Viral Suppression (VS) in Cameroon. This study was carried out to identify the care model with the best outcomes for C&As, inform national scale-up strategies, resource prioritization, and contribute to the existing literature. A quantitative retrospective cohort review approach guided by the social cognitive theory was used to analyze data on 2,503 C&As aged 0-19 years current on antiretroviral therapy (ART) from January 2018 to September 2019 with a documented viral load result. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression and the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance tests, and findings were interpreted using the test statistics and p values. The retention at 12 months was not associated with the model of care (OR = 1.014, p = .876). Viral Suppression and medication pickup were not associated with the type of home-based caregiver. The Odds of VS were 1.265 times higher in C&As enrolled in the Child and Adolescent Friendly Clinic model compared with the Support Group model (p = .003). Consequently, this research\u27s findings will impact positive social change by stimulating further studies leading to quality improvement in the HIV domain. Moreover, the results could encourage public health professionals to design and implement effective HIV management programs addressing clinical and psychosocial services needed to improve retention and VS for C&As

Teaching Learning Methods and Students’ Moral Behaviour

This study sets out to examine the relationship between teaching methods and students’ moral behaviour in secondary schools. The improvement of students’ moral behaviour in Cameroon is an ongoing process. The study deals with students’ moral behaviour which has dropped in the past five years and is increasingly gaining grounds in Cameroon. There has been a constant increase of violence, juvenile crimes, aggressiveness, cheating in exams, disrespect, irresponsibility just to name but a few deviant students’ behaviour. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of teaching methods on students’ moral behaviour. The research applied a mixed methodological approach which is a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches at different stages in the research process.  Teaching learning methods was measured using Element Based Curriculum Development Model Questionnaire scale adopted from Aslan and Gunay (2016). The students’ moral behaviour was assessed using Understanding the Moral Values of Young People and their character development questionnaire sub scale by Beng (2018). The semi structure interview guide was adopted from Askell-Williams (2001) focusing on achievement goals (Pintrich, 2000). The validity and reliability of these research instruments were assessed and determined. The review of related literature was focused on teaching methods and student’s moral behavior with models and theories. The samples were 100 students, 50 with disciplinary problems and 50 without disciplinary problems, 7 discipline masters and 7 citizenship teachers selected for the research through the simple random sampling techniques.  Data collected from the respondents was analyzed using descriptive statistics, stepwise multiple regression analysis and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The research findings indicated a significantly positive relationship between teaching methods and students moral behaviour.  If teaching methods is improved by 10%, students moral behaviour will be improved by 0.19% .Students’ moral behaviour should be developed through teaching learning methods and the integration of moral education in all lessons in the school curriculum. Keywords: curriculum development, moral behaviour, and violence. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-29-05 Publication date:October 31st 2022

Subject Allocation to Teacher Trainers in Cameroon: Conflicts and Perspectives

This study was concerned with the allocation of teacher trainers to subjects at the teacher training colleges in Cameroon. The case of some selected Government Teacher Training Colleges. This study was designed to find out the extent to which every teacher trainer can effectively teach every subject of the Grade one teacher training programme if assigned to do so. The Deans of study have to allocate subjects to teacher trainers based on needs while considering the academic backgrounds of the teachers. Most often than not, these teachers happen to have similar academic backgrounds. This results into a situation whereby, some subjects such as statistics and ICT are resisted or turned down by some teacher trainers when assigned to teach them. This situation often escalates into a teacher trainer/Dean of studies conflicts which hamper the smooth functioning of the colleges. This paper evokes the root cause of such conflicts and proposes the way forward. The following hypotheses guided the study. Ho: Subject allocation does not significantly influence work climate at the teacher training colleges. Ha: Subject allocation significantly influences work climate at the teacher training colleges. The cross-sectional survey research design that employed the descriptive approach was adopted for the study. Specifically, forty (40) participants were randomly selected from a population of about 116 teacher trainers. The Scientific Management Theory as postulated by Taylor (1909) formed the study’s theoretical framework. Data analysis was done using both descriptive statistics and inferential statistic with the help of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. The findings from the analysis revealed that the teacher trainers could effectively teach 29.6% of the 27 subjects of the teacher training programme. None of them indicated that they can effectively teach all the subjects of the Grade one Teacher Training Programme. The study recommended that, in order to do away with teacher trainer/Dean of Study conflicts and boost teacher trainers’ output, the admission requirements at the Department of Sciences of Education at the HTTCs in Cameroon  need to be revised. Keywords: Subject allocation, Teacher Trainer, Conflicts, Perspectives DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-24-07 Publication date:August 31st 202

Contribution of Indigenous Knowledge to Agricultural Growth in South Africa: A Case of Disaneng Community in the Ratlou Local Municipality

Indigenous knowledge is the cornerstone of the society’s agricultural growth; however, its documentation and dissemination remain big challenges. This paper explores the contribution of indigenous knowledge to agricultural growth in the Disaneng community. A qualitative research approach was employed in the study. Twenty participants took part in the study and semi-structured and unstructured interview guides were utilized to collect data from participants. The thematic approach was used to analyze results and five themes emerged during the study. Key themes that emerged include weather patterns, land preparation, seed selection, soil fertility, and stockpiling. The findings revealed that locals are endowed with indigenous knowledge (IK) on land preparation, seed selection, stockpiling, and soil fertility, and this promotes agricultural growth. The study concludes that IK acts as a vehicle for enhancing agricultural growth. However, challenges such as disregard of IK by some religious beliefs continue to hinder the application of IK for the growth of agriculture. Hence, for IK to continue influencing agricultural growth positively, effective measures should be introduced to mitigate the hindrances

Theory of transient streaming potentials in coupled unconfined aquifer-unsaturated zone flow to a well

A semianalytical solution is presented for transient streaming potentials associated with flow to a pumping well in an unconfined aquifer, taking into account the effect of flow in the unsaturated zone above the water table. Flow in the unsaturated zone is modeled with a linearized form of Richards\u27 equation using an exponential model for soil moisture retention and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. Archie\u27s law is invoked for unsaturated electrical conductivity. The unsaturated electrokinetic coupling coefficient is modeled with a decaying exponential, where the maximum value is at and below the water table. The coupled flow and electrokinetic problem is solved using Laplace and Hankel transforms. The results of the model predicted behavior are presented and compared to that observed in laboratory simulations of pumping tests. The early time polarity reversal predicted the model is observable in the experiments. Other nonmonotonic streaming potential behaviors predicted by the model are also evident in experimental measurements. The model is used to estimate hydraulic parameters from SP data and these compare well to those obtained from drawdown data. For example, a hydraulic conductivity of 3.6 × 10−4 m/s is obtained from SP data compared to 3.4 × 10−4 m/s from drawdown data

Influence of water pressure dynamics and fluid flow on the streaming-potential response for unsaturated conditions

International audienceA B S T R A C T Streaming-potentials are produced by electrokinetic effects in relation to fluid flow and are used for geophysical prospecting. The aim of this study is to model streaming potential measurements for unsaturated conditions using an empirical approach. A conceptual model is applied to streaming potential measurements obtained from two drainage experiments in sand. The streaming potential data presented here show a non-monotonous behaviour with increasing water saturation, following a pattern that cannot be predicted by existing models. A model involving quasi-static and dynamic components is proposed to reproduce the streaming potential measurements. The dynamic component is based on the first time derivative of the driving pore pressure. The influence of this component is investigated with respect to fluid velocity, which is very different between the two experiments. The results demonstrate that the dynamic component is predominant at the onset of drainage in experiments with the slowest water flow. On the other hand, its influence appears to vanish with increasing drainage velocity. Our results suggest that fluid flow and water distribution at the pore scale have an important influence on the streaming potential response for unsat-urated conditions. We propose to explain this specific streaming potential response in terms of the behaviour of both rock/water interface and water/air interfaces created during desaturation processes. The water/air interfaces are negatively charged, as also observed in the case of water/rock interfaces. Both the surface area and the flow velocity across these interfaces are thought to contribute to the non-monotonous behaviour of the streaming potential coefficient as well as the variations in its amplitude. The non-monotonous behaviour of air/water interfaces created during the flow was highlighted as it was measured and modelled by studies published in the literature. The streaming potential coefficient can increase to about 10 to 40 when water saturation decreases. Such an increase is possible if the amount of water/air interfaces is increased in sufficient amount, which can be the case

Evidence for an enhanced HIV/AIDS policy and care in Cameroon: proceedings of the second Cameroon HIV Research Forum (CAM-HERO) 2021

To achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger, multi-sectoral strategies to improve nutrition are necessary. Building towards this goal, the food and agriculture sector must be considered when designing nutritional interventions. Nevertheless, most frameworks designed to guide nutritional interventions do not adequately capture opportunities for integrating nutrition interventions within the food and agriculture sector. This paper aims to highlight how deeply connected the food and agriculture sector is to underlying causes of malnutrition and identify opportunities to better integrate the food and agriculture sector and nutrition in low and middle income countries. In particular, this paper: (1) expands on the UNICEF conceptual framework for undernutrition to integrate the food and agriculture sector and nutrition outcomes, (2) identifies how nutritional outcomes and agriculture are linked in six important ways by defining evidence-based food and agriculture system components within these pathways: as a source of food, as a source of income, through food prices, women’s empowerment, women’s utilization of time, and women’s health and nutritional status, and (3) shows that the food and agriculture sector facilitates interventions through production, processing and consumption, as well as through farmer practices and behavior. Current frameworks used to guide nutrition interventions are designed from a health sector paradigm, leaving agricultural aspects not sufficiently leveraged. This paper concludes by proposing intervention opportunities to rectify the missed opportunities generated by this approach. Program design should consider the ways that the food and agriculture sector is linked to other critical sectors to comprehensively address malnutrition. This framework is designed to help the user to begin to identify intervention sites that may be considered when planning and implementing multi-sectoral nutrition program

Hazard assessment and disaster preparedness towards sustainable development in Mpumalanga (South Africa) coal-mining areas.

PhD (Environmental Management)Mining and mining-related activities remain the world’s most intensive, primary industrial activity undertaken with severe environmental impact. Coal mining falls within these primary undertakings, while coal burning for energy use further adds to environmental degradation. Coal burning is by far the least expensive and thus the most affordable means of energy supply to the South Africa low-income communities. It is likely that this status quo will continue indefinitely. The use of coal as an energy source in South African communities has been inherited with its resultant environmental (physical), social and economic implications. The physical implications are the actual hazards associated with coal during and after mining activities. “Physical hazards” include processes generating coal dust, coal ash and gaseous emissions, and hazards that manifest themselves from the existence of coal mining at a particular site, such as spontaneous combustion, surface instability and acid mine-water drainage. “Social hazards” are mostly the social and economic effects that are related to health. Social hazards associated with coal mining, coal processing and coal usage include dilution of cultural values, ethics, norms and the growth of informal sectors, for example, settlements and trade. Some of these hazards are immediate, while others are long-term and cumulative. Emphasis was placed on the cumulative effects of mining activities and the need to address issues relating to communities that live close to mining operations. This process of addressing community concerns is known as “creating a sustainable mining community”. South Africa hosted the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and is a signatory of the working plan of action known as the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation. Therefore, one would expect to see that mining communities in South Africa are acting on and benefiting from this plan of action. The aim of this research is to assess the effectiveness of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation in promoting sustainable mining and sustainable communities through changes in practices, perceptions and community participation in decision making. The research, undertaken during February to June 2007, examines the role of stakeholders and local authorities in basic environmental decisions. Environmental decisions examined were the provision of education and information to the community, uplifting community welfare through corporate social investment and corporate social responsibility. The surrounding communities of eMalahleni (formerly Witbank) in the Mpumalanga (Highveld) coal-mining region – were identified as a suitable area for this case study. Social research tools, comprising multiple-choice and open-ended questions administered to 6 790 respondents (3 930 learners and 2 860 general adult population), 650 voluntary comments, six individual interviews, and a 20 member focus group discussion, were used. Photographic images and personal observation provided meaning to results by presenting the quantitative and qualitative data visually. A blended methodological approach was used to analyse the data using descriptive statistics and a t-test for variance. Tables, bar graphs and pie charts were the various representative techniques deployed during the analysis. Data were analysed comparing statistical input and responses of the learners and the general population. Results presented show that the studied community is aware of some hazards associated with coal from the mining process to indoor combustion. The community studied is aware of the need for pro-active measures to protect their community. Members of the community are not aware of company decisions affecting the community with regard to coal hazards. They are also unaware of the existence and application of environmental legislation. Awareness was not linked to education or information obtained from a reliable source, such as a mining company or a local authority. It was based on personal experience, longevity of dwelling in the community and observation of the health conditions of relatives and friends. Some voluntary comments from the respondents and photographic images are included to support the community’s outlook. The research concluded that there are more unidentified hazards in the community than were covered in the structured questionnaires. The responses received to the questionnaires exposed the mining industry as being dismissive when it came to applying the law. This evasive behaviour emanates from the laxity of the enforcement departments and responsible authorities. More needs to be done to attain the requirements of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation as agreed upon at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development