What Are Americans' Most Pressing Health Concerns?

Summarizes findings from a June 2006 survey on health issues Americans are most concerned about, such as developing heart disease, diabetes, obesity-related illnesses, and avian flu. Compares responses by race/ethnicity

Improving Public Coverage for Children: Lessons From CKF in New Jersey

Reviews how grantees of RWJF's initiative to boost enrollment in Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program worked closely with state officials to support outreach efforts, with a sustained positive impact. Looks at recent coverage trends

Improving Public Coverage for Children: Lessons From CKF in Washington

Reviews the impact of RWJF's Covering Kids & Families (CKF) grant on the state's enrollment and retention in Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Shares lessons learned on advocacy, the programs' coalition model, and sustainability

Improving Public Coverage for Children: Lessons From CKF in Colorado

Reviews the impact of RWJF's Covering Kids & Families (CKF) grant on outreach for the state's Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program. Shares lessons on the role of advocates in monitoring the effects of policy and procedural changes

Towards Inculcating Morality among the Youths in Nigeria: The Holy Family Youth Village Example

The youths form the essential segment of every human society. They are the driving force that determines the future and hope of the society. Any human society devoid of the youths is bound to collapse. The impact of the youths at home, church, community and the society at large cannot be overemphasized for they are most cherished by the human society. The youths like the yam stem, require the utmost attention of the society .In an attempt to realize themselves, youths are affected and influenced by the social environment and the social structure in which they live. It is,  therefore, pertinent to acquaint youths with the basic veritable norms,  values, social consciousness and code of conduct without which human  co-existence would be impossible. The family, church, educational   institutions and the State have a stake in this regard. This paper  therefore, examines the effort of ‘Holy Family Youth Village’ towards inculcating morality among the contemporary youths in Nigeria. The paper concludes that the family, church and the state as agents of moral formation have irrevocable responsibility over the youths. However, individuals, industrialists and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) could also venture into the welfare of the youths in Nigeria by initiating programmes that will ensure the realization of morally sound youths so as to ensure healthy human society

Diffuse Solar System Design and Utilization in Agriculture and Domestic Applications

Diffuse solar radiation is a component of total solar radiation that is good for low temperature grade heating. Since the portion of the scattered radiation from the sun, which consists of short and long waves, that reaches the earth is diffused, its utilization in Agriculture as this paper suggested, has multiple phase change material, which as well could serve as heat exchange for domestic (residential) applications. The Diffuse Solar System designed, consists of three functional units: the solar collector, thermal storage (heat sink) and a dryer cabinet. The thermal storage ranges from 140 – 1500F (60 – 500C) for heating system and 60 – 700F (15 – 200C) for residential cooling. Likewise, a natural convection solar dryer with collector efficiency of about 42% and drying efficiency of about 53% would dry tomatoes with initial moisture contents of 94% wet basis, to safe moisture content of about 4% wet basis and 35.2 – 86.8% ascorbic acid (vitamin C) retention with acceptable colour and texture.Keywords: Solar radiation, Heat sink, Ascorbic acid, Collectors, Reflectors, Yeast/mould count and Efficiency

The Warrior and the State in Precolonial Africa

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/67219/2/10.1177_002190967701200103.pd

A Comparative Analysis of Descartes’ and Spinoza’s Notions of Intuition

This study aims at Comparatively Analysing Descartes’ and Spinoza’s Notions of Intuition. The rationalists employ logico-mathematico (logical and mathematical) model as the foundation of their epistemological pursuit, while the empiricists in opposition to the rationalists hold that knowledge is derived from sense experience. Because the rationalists are in unism in their argument against the empiricists and vice versa; it is important to note that there are variations in their approaches to those features they have in common. However, the rationalists among other things based their argument and judgement on intuition as a clear, certain and reliable strand of cognition. It is their conviction that only a living being can think, and so, they conceive intuition as an authentic and most certain route to knowledge. The variation in their arguments to uphold intuition as their common feature is what this work describes as epistemic sustainability. These scholars’ variegated position on one issue brings about new insight, creativity and productivity within the epistemic circle. It shows that epistemology is on-going, interesting and indeed, a continuous process. This study employed analytic, historical, textual and contextual methods of research

Developmental Nationalism: The Role of the African Youth

Nationalism has long been a subject of discussion in the literature of development. It helps facilitate development by creating a strong sense of national identity which allows the citizenry to commit to nation-building. This paper examines the role of the African youth in promoting the continent’s development through developmental nationalism. Africa’s young people are recognized as the continent’s greatest assets and the most suited to play this role. The fact that the continent needs development suggests a compelling need for the potentials of youth to be harnessed to drive any development agenda. In the past, young people played historic roles in promoting development through nationalistic causes but today’s youth are facing increasing difficulties in sustaining this legacy. This paper, therefore, makes a case for rebuilding this past legacy and for the empowerment of Africa’s young people to drive the continent’s development

Exploring multi-stakeholder initiatives for natural resource governance: the example of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI)

Multi-stakeholder Initiatives (MSIs) bring multiple stakeholders (usually government, business, and civil society) to a common platform to dialogue, design, and implement sustainable solutions to identified governance issues. However, what factors are likely to determine the effectiveness of MSIs? The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is a global MSI, established in 2003, that seeks to improve the management of natural resource wealth in implementing countries through increased transparency. This study examines the Nigerian EITI to explore the factors that influence the organisation and effectiveness of MSIs. We find that the Nigerian EITI (NEITI) falls short of a truly multi-stakeholder initiative and hence is limited in its impact and effectiveness in improving resource wealth management in Nigeria. Four factors deduced from a combination of agency and collective action theories appear to be strong in explaining the shortcomings of the NEITI. These factors are the Nigerian structural environment, the characteristics of the stakeholders to the Nigerian extractives industry, the emergent governance structure of NEITI, and the nature of external influence on NEITI. Evidence gathered from the implementation of NEITI, demonstrates that a combination of these factors has contributed to the difficulty in achieving a truly multi-stakeholder structure and hence the limited impact of the initiative on improving resource wealth management in Nigeria