An Exploration of Social Connectedness as a Predictor of Quality of Life in Acquired Brain Injury Survivors

Research on quality of life in ABI survivors has focused on four domains: psychological, physical, social, and cognitive (Upadhyay, 2007). Social relationships, in particular, can help ABI survivors more effectively cope with changes in their lives, help maintain a healthy outlook, and can help with seeking further understanding of the consequences of sustaining a ABI (Hibbard et al, 2002). The current study sought to examine if social connectedness is predictive of quality of life in ABI survivors. Participants were 71 individuals who have sustained a ABI and who currently or in the past participated in a long term rehabilitation program. The study utilized data from a previously collected outcome data set of ABI survivors participating in a residential and/ or outpatient brain injury rehabilitation program located in Southern New Jersey. Results from the study indicated that the Participation subscale and total QoL on the WHOQoLBREF were positively correlated. The total MPAI-IV score as not significantly correlated with total WHOQoL-BREF despite being close to significance, p=.063. Due to having a smaller sample, there was not sufficient enough of power to reach significance. Additionally, the Participation subscale and Social Relationships subscale were negatively correlated indicating that both subscales were indicative of measuring the quality of social connectedness. Overall, it was found that social relationships accounted for 36 % of the variance in total QoL when compared to several other variables found in the research including age at time of injury, time since injury, relationship status, and current age. Strengths, limitations, potential implications, and explanations of the study’s outcomes are also explored

An investigation into the relationship between process kinetics and microbial community dynamics in a lactate-fed sulphidogenic CSTR as a function of residence time and sulphate loading

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references (p. 183-212).The treatment of acid mine drainage and other sulphate-laden wastewaters usingbiological sulphate reduction technology has been shown to offer several advantages.This process effectively removes the following toxicants: sulphate, heavy metals andacidity. Previous studies have also revealed that the sub-process, sulphate reduction, isinfluenced by the choice of electron donor, constituents of the microbial populationmediating the process, the feed sulphate concentration and other operationalparameters. The current work investigated the potential of an ecological approach inthe treatment of sulphate-laden wastewaters. This was based on the relationshipbetween the structure and function of the sulphate-reducing bacterial population. Themain objective was to examine the effects of feed sulphate concentration andresidence time on the kinetics of biological sulphate reduction and the communitystructure of the microbial system involved

Towards Reducing Convid-19 Spread: A Geo-Location based Attendance Monitoring and Navigation System for Institution

The current pandemic caused by covid-19 has come to stay and has changed many things, including the education sector of the whole world. However, institutions must resume, and academic activities must continue under the precautionary measures for students and staff to stay safe. The question is, how will precautionary measure be observed? This paper provided a geo-location approach in tackling the aspect of attendance management of students and staff in the classroom to maintain social distancing while marking attendance sheets for a large class and minimize time wastage for another lecturer. The developed software also focused in campus area navigation for outsiders or newly admitted students. This research was carried out using smart phones due to its built-in global positioning system (GPS) and can be afforded by all. The developed system was tested online with different smart phones connected to it, 93 feed-backs with 63% correctness were gotten from the system prediction

Physiological and Agronomic Responses of Four Rice Varieties to Drought in the Rainforest.

The present investigation tested the hypothesis that there would be variation in physiological responses to water deficit among rice varieties from different production ecologies, with contrasting tolerance to water deficit under repeated cycle of soil moisture deficit, at reproductive growth stage. A screen house and a field trial were conducted at International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan and Ikenne (Latitude 6° 52' N, Longitude 3° 43' E) respectively. Both experiments had rice varieties ('IR 64', 'WAB 56-104', 'IR 77298-1-2-B-10' and 'NERICA 4') and stress status (stress and control) as treatment factor's, arranged in a randomised complete block design with three replicates. In both trials, the physiological mechanism that underpins varietal differences with repeated cycles of water deficit at the reproductive growth stage was more balanced water status, improved foliar characters, efficient photosynthetic capacity and higher grain yield in comparatively drought tolerant upland rice varieties ('NERICA 4' and 'WAB 56-104'), as opposed with the results for the drought susceptible cultivar 'IR 64'. A converse pattern was observed on water stressed rice, despite fewer cycles of water deficit on the field. The results could have suggested that the initiation of water deficit is the rate limiting step rather than its intensity at the reproductive growth stage

Material resources availability, parent subject perception and school type as correlate of student performance in secondary school Yorba language in Oyo State

Students’ poor performance in the Yoruba language is being considered a serious problem by researchers and education stakeholders. Despite their efforts, no appreciable improvement is noticeable for hardly are enough researches on the extent to which school material resources availability, parental subject perception and school type correlate with students’ achievement in Yoruba Language which this study is out to investigate. Being an Ex-post-facto design of survey research type, multi-stage sampling technique was used to draw 400 parents of 820 Yoruba Language students and their 20 teachers from two Local Government Areas in Oyo State. School Material Resources Availability Inventory (r= .85), Parental Subject Perception (r=.75), and Yoruba Language Achievement Test (r=.70) were instruments for data collection. Four research questions were posed and data generated were analyzed using Multiple Regression Analysis at P< 0.05. Findings revealed relationship between school material resources availability and students’ achievement (r=.248); between parental subject perception and students’ students’ achievement (r=.244); and positive significant correlation between school type and students’ achievement (r=.250). Parental subject perception is most influential (β=.143) and school type (β=.126). Therefore, parents should have right perception of the Yoruba Language while Government provides school material resources and facilities to improve students’ performance in the Yoruba Language.Keywords: Material resources Availability, Parent subject Perception, School type, Student performance, Yoruba Languag

Effect of Teacher Variables on the Teaching of Initial Reading to Basics 1 and 2 Pupils in Imo State, Nigeria

Teaching initial reading is a herculean task that must be carried out by qualified, mature teachers. This work is out to investigate if the conditions are met by initial reading teachers in Owerri, Imo State. This study is a survey, carried out on 300 pupils and 60 teachers, randomly selected from eight public basic schools in Owerri Educational Zone 1 of Imo State. Two research hypotheses were posed and two 4-point Likert rating scales; a checklist and a questionnaire with Cronbach Reliability Coefficient r= 0.63 and r= 0.61 respectively were used to generate data, analyzed using t-test. Findings revealed that adult, experienced teachers with Bachelor’s degree in language education (B.Ed.) teach initial reading. There was no significant difference between Basic 1 and Basic 2 teachers’ teaching methods: t (58) = -0.381, p = .146 with Basic one (x̅= 12.54, S.D= 2.487) to Basic two (x̅= 12.75, S.D= 1.741) with the effect size of (r = 0.093) very small; no significant difference in the challenges teachers face in teaching initial reading: t (58) = 0.064, p = .842 with Basic one (x̅= 16.04, S.D= 2.134) to Basic two (x̅= 16.00, S.D= 2.200) with the effect size of (r = 0.045) very small; and no significant difference in teachers’ cadre: t (58) = 0.844, p = .258 with Basic one (x̅= 12.64, S.D= 1.592) to Basic two (x̅= 13.03, S.D= 1.926) with the effect size of (r = 0.234) moderate. It was therefore suggested that teachers should be qualified, have teaching experience, and use mother tongue in their classroom interactions to build in pupils a strong, lifelong foundation in reading.Key Words: Initial reading, mother tongue, qualified teachers, basic learners, teaching methods, reading difficulties, challenge

Boko Haram,Peace, Security and Development in North-East Nigeria: A Refractory Expedition

The atrocious crimes leashed on North Eastern Nigerians evident in brutal killings, rapes, kidnap and violence against humanity by the Boko Haram sect for 16years, is not only devastating but also brings critical narratives to the fore. The threats this sect has posed overtime to the level of peace, security and development of the nation generally, questions the role, agenda and essence of governance in Nigeria especially at the federal level. Available studies bothering on insurgency in the North Eastern region of Nigeria, seem to pay negligible attention to the interconnectedness between peace and development in that region. Applying the democratic peace theory, this paper sets to examine the link between peace, security and development since the formation of Boko Haram in 2002, with particular reference to Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states of Northern Nigeria. The secondary data sources were utilized through theoretical and historical analysis to access, interpret and discuss the findings. The paper submits that the security situation in the region is influenced by the already existing economic dislocation, volatile political terrain, religious insensitivity etc and has adversely affected the peaceful co-existence, security and overall level of development in the region.While a military intervention in curbing this mayhem is expedient, this paper suggests that the assurance of security and overall development of the region should be a top-notch agenda of government in order to fortify any resolve for peace not only in the North east but also in every region in Nigeria. Keywords: Peace, Security, Development, Boko Haram, North-East Nigeria Word Count: 245 DOI: 10.7176/JPID/49-05 Publication date: April 30th 201

Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth in Nigeria (1986 – 2017)

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has attracted the attention of many developing countries. Hence, the study examined the effects of Foreign Direct Investment on economic growth and captured the impacts of other macro-economic variables on economic growth in Nigeria between the period of 1986-2017. The secondary data used in this study were obtained from Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) Statistical Bulletin and World Development Indicator (WDI). To avoid spurious regression, Augmented Dickey Fuller unit root test was conducted on all variables. Multiple regression and Granger Causality Test were also conducted to target the study objectives. The multiple regression reveals that Foreign Direct Investment is statistically significant at 5% level of significance. Thus, Foreign Direct Investment has a significant effect on economic growth in Nigeria. The Granger Causality Test also confirms that Foreign Direct Investment Granger causes economic growth in Nigeria. The conclusion is that Foreign Direct Investment has a positive and significant effect on economic growth. It also Granger causes economic growth in Nigeria. There is high prospect for Foreign Direct Investment to further boost economic growth if enabling environment such as regular infrastructure and microeconomic stability prevail in Nigeria. Keywords: Foreign Direct Investment, Economic growth, Granger causality. DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/10-6-06 Publication date:March 31st 202

Pastoralism as a New Phase of Terrorism in Nigeria

The need to feed livestock of herdsmen necessitates their migration from their communities due to inadequate pastures to other communities and this has led to the trespass of these pastoralists to the farmlands of local agriculturalists and destruction of their crops thereby leading to conflict This study therefore analyses the causes evolution dynamics and solutions to the conflicts generated from the farmersherdsmen clashes in Nigeria The study also recommends the formulation of national livestock development policy effective community policing model demarcation of livestock grazing reserves provision of constitutional roles and recognition for traditional rulers and convening of stakeholders conference on nomadic pastoralism as strategies for ensuring peac