Share world: A web-based reuse managment system

The System Share World Web-Based Reuse Management System (WRMS) is an online website that enables the sharing of items in a web friendly environment. The project is a self-maintained web-based application managed by the community. The application can be easily customized to adapt to various communities, whether non-profit or commercial

Lunch and Learn: Addressing Needs and Resources of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Patients

Historically adolescent and young adult (AYA) oncology patients have been an underserved population. Research indicates they are more likely to experience poorer treatment outcomes, which may result in part from unaddressed biopsychosocial stressors, poor treatment compliance, and poor provider rapport. Research also indicates that oncology providers do not have a formal standardized training they are required to attend on biopsychosocial needs and resources for the AYA population. Oncology care providers need knowledge of the biopsychosocial needs and resources of their AYA patients in order to provide care and resources that remove the effects of biopsychosocial stressors. This project was designed to address this need by creating a PowerPoint training for oncology care providers presented in a “Lunch and Learn” setting where providers are offered lunch as an incentive to attend training. This training utilizes a lifespan developmental theory lens to discuss the specific needs of the AYA oncology patient population and provides some available resources to address those needs. The creator of this project hopes that it leads to oncology care providers building rapport with their AYA patients in addition to proactively addressing their unique biopsychosocial needs and offering them resources that help negate effects from biopsychosocial stressors

Ervwvu: etymology and the aesthetics of beauty in Urhobo cosmology

Eruvwu is Urhobo word meaning beauty which is a subject that attracts diverse views, meaning and commentaries. There seem to be an agreement however, that one of the objectives of aesthetics is the search for beauty or the interpretation of whatbeautiful is and what it is not. Beauty being a subjective issue makes aesthetics an inherently controversial field. The concept of beauty differs from one culture or environment to another. The requisites of what is beautiful are predicated upon values that could be historical, socio-cultural or politically interpreted, depending from which perspective or angle the word is viewed from. The paper applies a purely descriptive and qualitative method of research. It is archored on Immanuel Kant’s concept of aesthetics which holds that in all judgements by which we describe anything as beautiful, we allow no one to be of another opinion. This paper examines the word Eruvwe (beauty) from the Urhobo religio/cultural perspective and focuses on the moral conception of the word as well as its etymology of the values which have sharpened the Urhobo aesthetical judgment up to date

From Rhetoric to Action: The Impact of Framings in Climate Change Communication and Adaptation Actions.

PhD thesis in Risk management and societal safetyClimate change is a global threat that has led to international attention, frameworks, and agreements. Climate-related hazards will likely pose socio-political challenges, resulting in numerous security issues. This study sheds light on the way climate change information is framed and how this influences how stakeholders perceive climate change and consequently make decisions. The study aims to analyse the value of framing in climate change communication and its implications for Nigeria’s adaptation process. The study focuses on the climate change debate between 1994 and 2020, with a focus on the period between 2015-2020, which was a significant turning point in Nigeria’s securitization of climate change. The purpose of the thesis is to increase our knowledge of climate change framings by investigating risk and security framings—two prominent framings in climate change communication—and how they influence adaptation in Nigeria. To do so, the thesis sets out to answer three research questions: 1. Why is security framing becoming more prevalent than risk framing in the Nigerian climate change debate? 2. How do the values in security framing influence the adaptation process in Nigeria? 3. How do the values and principles of risk framing influence adaptation in Nigeria? The thesis addresses these research questions through qualitative research based on semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and nonparticipant observation, focusing mainly on the two Nigerian states of Anambra and Enugu. The thesis finds that the climate security frame, with an emphasis on the existential threat and the need for urgent action, was popular and widely supported by elite political actors, the media, state and federal actors, as well as recent government documents. In contrast, climate risk framing that emphasises uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity was less popular among the elite actors but is widely supported by local actors, NGOs, research institutes, the media, and previous government documents. Despite the risk frame not being so popular among the political elite, it remains a powerful frame, providing an alternative narrative that points to climate change as a threat multiplier. The influence of climate risk can be traced to scientific evidence that climate security issues are influenced by hazard exposure, existing vulnerability (social and political), and poor adaptive capacity. This thesis finds that the climate security frame is mainly used as political rhetoric, with a quest for climate justice and holding the international community responsible and accountable for adaptation. Using security framing in climate change communication has significant implications for adaptation. This is because, while the elite actors successfully use security frames to communicate their messages at the international and national levels, they have been less successful at the grassroots level. There are two reasons for this failure. One is the constant use of communication channels that are unavailable to people at the grassroots level. The other is that securitization settings are not accessible to local actors. This implies that vulnerable people and communities are often not effectively informed about climate change and are therefore excluded from the securitization process. Communicating climate security to audiences at the international and national levels is not enough to spur adaptation action that takes place locally. Therefore, the study challenges the prevailing idea that securitizing climate-related problems will lead to urgent adaptation action. Instead, I argue that attention needs to be paid to the grammar, setting, and audience of securitization. This is because the response to climate change information will be influenced by people’s perception, experience, understanding of climate risk, cultural beliefs and values, and societal dynamics. The study discusses risk as a complementary frame alongside the security frame, which, if combined effectively, can act as a good formula for adaptation. The risk frame acknowledges the impact of non-climatic vulnerabilities on climate-related security issues and how reducing vulnerabilities can influence adaptation positively. The study argues that elements in the risk frame, such as deliberative communication, credibility, collaboration, and trust, can act as critical moderators for climate change communication and participatory adaptation

Library Materials and Human Health: Vulnerability and Preservative Measures

This manuscript documents a study on the materials and users of selected libraries in Nigeria, with a view to providing vital information on the effects of library-associated organisms on the library materials, and the health of people in its proximity. The study evaluated the modes of action of library-associated biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors, stated the impacts of the activities of the organism(s) on library materials and users, and investigated the prevalent environmental factors necessary for the well-being of the organisms. The modes of action of the non-living degradation agents were also analyzed and preventive measures were implemented accordingly. Nonbiodegradable library materials made from synthetic or inorganic sources might be a degradationfree option but on the other hand manufacturing of synthetic products would aggravate environmental pollution challenges. Organisms in the library depend on the ambient conditions to thrive, therefore strategic regulation of the library environment is important. Safety of library users and library materials can be guaranteed by the recommended precautions which were based on the study of the organisms

The attitudes of isiXhosa-speaking students toward various languages of learning and teaching (LOLT) issues at Rhodes University

This study aims at eliciting opinions and beliefs of isiXhosa-speaking students to revealtheir attitudes toward various languages of learning and teaching (LOLT) issues at RhodesUniversity, and to determine the influence of a number of variables (such as age, gender,schooling background, level of study and field of study) on these attitudes. Another aim of the study is to compare the findings of this research to the recent findings on isiXhosaspeaking students’ language attitudes at the University of the Western Cape (Dyers 1999) and the University of Fort Hare (Dalvit 2004). Qualitative and quantitative methods were used: data was gathered using a survey that employed a questionnaire and interviews (individual and focus group). The questionnaire data is analysed through using percentage scores as well as mean values coupled with Chi-square tests, while the interviews are analysed qualitatively to further confirm the results of the quantitative analysis. Results are also compared with other recent surveys at South African universities. The results reveal that respondents had a generally positive attitude toward English as LOLT, based mainly on instrumental motivations. More importantly, there was a positive attitude toward the use of isiXhosa alongside English. The motivations for the use of isiXhosa were both instrumental and integrative in nature. The majority of respondents who supported a bilingual arrangement did not, however, believe that a fully-fledged bilingual policy would be practical, mainly because of the multilingual nature of Rhodes University. They felt, however, that providing English and isiXhosa exam question-papers, bilingual tutor support and isiXhosa definitions of discipline-specific technical terms would facilitate learning. Most of the variables mentioned above had an influence on the relevant language attitudes, often confirming the findings of other studies. For instance, schooling background greatly influenced the language attitudes of respondents. Those from previously advantaged English-only schools showed very positive attitudes toward an English-only policy, while most respondents from formerly disadvantaged DET bilingual schools were favourably disposed toward a bilingual policy of English and isiXhosa at Rhodes University. A comparison of the findings of this study with those of recent findings on isiXhosa students’ language attitudes at other universities reveals that respondents at the University of Fort Hare were most favourable toward a bilingual policy, those at the University of the Western Cape were to some extent favourable toward a bilingual arrangement, while respondents at Rhodes University were least favourable toward a bilingual policy

Effect of binders and plasticisers on alumina processing

During ceramic processing several different additives must be introduced into the batch for producing particle dispersion and flow behaviour necessary for forming. These additives unlike the powder or the solvent are added in a very minor quantity, most of which is eliminated in the subsequent processing steps. In this project, different combinations of plasticiser (Polyethylene glycol) and binder (Polyvinyl alcohol) have been used for forming Alumina ceramics. PVA and PEG have been one of the most conventional pairs of binder and plasticiser used on Alumina system. This project aims to study the variation of these properties with the plasticiser amount. It was observed that with the increase in the plasticiser amount, the green density increased till it reached a maximum and then became independent of further additions, in some cases, even decreasing. This high green density led to high sintered density too. But the compositions having more than 0.5% PEG in spite of high green density, showed poor sintered density indicating that, as PEG vaporised out, it left pores, and even some residues which hindered densification while sintering. Therefore, the final density of the product depended on two mutually opposite factors: the high green density and the high amount of impurity left after PEG vaporised. Fired strength (like fired density) was the best for unplasticised sample. Still, highest green strength corresponded to 0.25% and 0.5% plasticiser (PEG) necessitating its use in green products. Green density showed an increasing trend, which reversed after firing, limiting the use of PEG to 0.5% in the batch

Evaluation: Perspectives of Students and Graduates

Women\u27s studies, now in its second phase, is making its presence felt within institutions, developing a new curriculum, and building a new body of intellectual knowledge. Women\u27s studies\u27 original purpose continues: to change the sexist and other biased values, practices, and structures within and outside traditional educational spheres. How much change has occurred? Impact within colleges, high schools, and women\u27s centers is easier to judge than effect in other arenas . Outside educational institutions, impact may be observed through two channels: first, the ties which programs explicitly make with community groups; second, students who graduate and choose not to continue their formal education. Although we assume that students are changed by their women\u27s studies experience, we often do not know what happens to them after leaving. Do they become involved in social change? Or do they feel their education has not influenced what they are now doing? The answers to these questions measure the strengths and deficiencies of women\u27s studies and provide one solid basis on which to build the curriculum during its second phase

Influence of Micro Finance and Small Loan Centre (MASLOC) on the Development of Small Scale Enterprises in the Wa Municipality

This research was to find out the influence of Micro finance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) on small and medium scale enterprise in the Wa Municipality. It involved the identification of ten different enterprises with 50 individual business owners. Questionnaires were also designed for MASLOC officials and the 50 business owners identified. The responses from both officials and the business owners were analysed using SPSS and basic excel tools. It was observed during the research that loans given out by MASLOC have indeed improved the lives of the beneficiaries. Closed to 80% of the beneficiaries have been able to expand their businesses, increased their profit margin and have seen tremendous improvement in their business activities. Most of them can now take care of their families and children's education; their livelihood and social lives have also been enhanced. The average performance rating of all the businesses visited is between 60-75% which is very good. It was, however, observed that about 60% of the beneficiaries are refusing to redeem their loans despites the progress of their businesses making it difficult for others to also benefit. It was also observed that MASLOC lack the resources both human and material to operate effectively. Information and data on some of the beneficiaries were non-existence thus making it difficult to retrieve the loans given out.  The research was concluded with some recommendations to help improve the activities of MASLOC. Keywords: MASLOC, small and medium scale enterprises, microfinance, microcredit, loan