Decision Making Model for Biomedical Equipment Selection in Public Hospitals in Sri Lanka: Development of a Need Assessment and Prioritization Framework
RM Ranagala, GSK Dharmaratne, SM Samarage
Abstract: Biomedical equipment represents a critical component of healthcare infrastructure, supporting diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, and rehabilitation services. However, ineffective selection and prioritization of medical technologies remain significant challenges in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where procurement decisions are often influenced by incomplete information, limited planning mechanisms, and inadequate assessment of institutional readiness.
Knowledge-Practice Gaps in Rubber Leaf Disease and Soil-Fertility Management among Farmers in Agusan del Sur, Philippines
Renan G. Gopo, Junesa U. Cristobal, and Myrna G. Pabiona
Abstract: Rubber leaf diseases can reduce canopy function and latex production, yet effective management depends on farmers' ability to recognize symptoms, obtain a reliable diagnosis, and act on technical advice. This descriptive cross-sectional study assessed disease experience, management practices, and soil-fertility knowledge among 30 purposively selected rubber farmers in Barangays Locac, Magsaysay, and Los Arcos, Agusan del Sur, Philippines.
A comparative study of Prevalence, Manifestations and Severity of falciparum and vivax Malaria Among Adults at Merowe City, Sudan 2021-2022
Mohammed Makkawi, Wafa Alamin
Abstract: Malaria is a significant health problem worldwide, especially in African countries like Sudan. It is caused by Plasmodium genus. There are five known species of Plasmodium to cause malaria in humans: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, and P. knowlesi. Majority of cases are caused by Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. Plasmodium vivax is the most frequent cause of recurring malaria.
A Legal Analysis on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Ensuring Academic Credence within the Cameroonian Set-up
Mc Levis Lynne Junior
Abstract: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an indispensable tool in modern academia, revolutionising teaching, learning, research, and knowledge production. While AI presents significant opportunities to enhance academic efficiency, research quality, and institutional governance, its unregulated use equally poses serious threats to academic credence through plagiarism, fabrication of research, examination malpractice, authorship disputes, and other forms of academic misconduct.
Headteachers' Competences and Educational Achievement in Public Secondary Schools In Gatsibo District, Rwanda
Uwingabire Sarah, Dr. Faustin Mugiraneza
Abstract: This study examined the influence of headteachers' competences on educational achievement in public secondary schools in Gatsibo District, Rwanda. The research was guided by three specific objectives: (i) to establish the level of headteachers' competences in public secondary schools; (ii) to assess the level of educational achievement
Exact solution of a chemically driven Brownian heat engine
Mesfin Asfaw Taye
Abstract: We develop an exactly solvable chemo–thermal extension of the three-state Metropolis Brownian heat engine. The particle moves through the periodic energy sequence 0 → E → 2E → 0, performs mechanical work against a load f on every forward step, interacts with two cold links and one hot link, and consumes one fuel molecule of free-energy drop Δμ on the hot transition.
Design of a Low-Cost High-Speed Data Acquisition System for Rocket Propulsion Test Stands
Ovansa A. Aloysius.,Onyechi O. Peter., AGU Victor Emezie., Muiliyu Aderemi.
Abstract: Rocket engine development and qualification depend heavily on the ability to capture ast-changing physical parameters during static fire and component tests. Parameters such as chamber pressure, propellant feed pressure, thrust, temperature distributions, structural strain, and fluid flow rates must be recorded with high temporal resolution and synchronization to enable performance evaluation, safety monitoring, and model validation.
Is There a Conflict Amongst English Varieties? An Analysis of Linguistic Hierarchy and Ideological Contestation in Global English
Ngo Huu Hoang, Mai Van Can
Abstract: The global spread of English has led to a diversity of linguistic forms commonly known as World Englishes. Although this diversity has been widely discussed and celebrated, the question of whether different English varieties
Talent Demand for Green, Circular and Digital Upgrading in Pakistan's Clothing SMEs: Service Design Evidence and China Informed Lessons
Gohar Ali Hayat, Rida Alvi, Professor, Zafar Javeed
Abstract: The small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the clothing sector of Pakistan are simultaneously being pressured to cut waste, to lengthen product life and to digitize customer facing services, but there is limited evidence on the skills and competencies required to implement this transition.
Designing Thermal Environments for Maximum Brownian Engine Performance
Mesfin Asfaw Taye
Abstract: Brownian motors and Brownian heat engines are paradigmatic nonequilibrium systems that convert thermal fluctuations into directed motion and useful work [1–4, 54]. They provide minimal yet physically informative models of energy conversion at microscopic scales, where thermal fluctuations cannot be neglected and may instead be used as a source of transport.
Beyond victims’ rights: recognition, institutionalization and the construction of victimhood in contemporary criminal justice
Valentina Moncada
Abstract: The rise of the victim to a central role in contemporary criminal justice represents one of the most significant transformations in the ways in which crime is defined and governed in late modernity. Historically marginalized within a state-centred paradigm, in which crime was interpreted primarily as an offence against public authority, the victim has progressively acquired a new symbolic, legal and institutional centrality. This paper offers a critical review of the literature on the ‘victim turn’, drawing on contributions from victimology, the sociology of punishment, the theory of recognition and studies on restorative justice.
Epidemiology, Prevalence, Clinical Manifestations, and Severity of Plasmodium vivax Among Adults at Merowe City, November 2021 to September 2022
Mohammed Makkawi, Wafa Alamin
Abstract: Plasmodium vivax is the most frequent cause of recurring malaria. It is less virulent than Plasmodium falciparum, but it can also lead to severe disease and death. Classic clinical signs and symptoms of malaria include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, body aches, anemia, and jaundice. The present study investigated the epidemiology, prevalence, manifestations, and severity of Plasmodium vivax among adults at two sites in Merowe City, Sudan, between November 2021 and September 2022.
Effective Leadership among Expatriate Managers in Africa: Challenges and Strategic Responses
Dr. Godfrey Mwamba Tshibangu
Abstract: Expatriate assignment failure is a multidimensional phenomenon resulting from the interaction of individual, organizational, and contextual factors; some researchers estimate that 40% of all expatriate assignments fail (Robbins & Judge, 2023; Atay et al., 2024).
Confidence and Practical Understanding Following Breast-Health Education Among Malaysian Adolescents: A Social Cognitive Theory Perspective
Zuraida Jorkasi, Idris Adewale Ahmed
Abstract: Confidence is often used to assess whether health education has prepared learners to act. Yet confidence may not always match practical understanding. This study examined the relationship between confidence and practice-related understanding following a school-based breast-health programme among Malaysian female adolescents. This secondary analysis used data collected from 150 students aged 15-16 years across three secondary schools in Selangor.
Evaluation of the Screening-to-Action Pathway Following Detection of Elevated Blood Pressure Among Adult Outpatient Attendees at Base Hospital Muthur, Sri Lanka: A Health Service Assessment
Rajiya Mohamed Muyees
Abstract: Opportunistic blood pressure screening in outpatient departments can identify patients who require further assessment, but the service benefit depends on whether abnormal findings lead to appropriate and documented clinical action.
Smart IoT-Enabled Electric Bike Charging Station with Fairness-Aware Scheduling, Real-Time Cloud Monitoring, and Reproducible Prototype Evaluation
Md Aminul Islam
Abstract: Shared electric-bike charging facilities require occupancy visibility, coordinated port allocation, battery-aware control, secure session access, and reliable monitoring. This paper presents the Smart IoT-Enabled Charging Station (SIECS), a completed prototype integrating ultrasonic sensing, Arduino/ESP32 edge control, cloud monitoring, session-bound QR/HMAC authentication, relay cutoff logic, and photovoltaic support.
Machine Learning for Predicting and Optimizing User Behavior in Digital Marketing
Stanela Gacova, Cveta Martinovska Bande
Abstract: The increasing use of customer data in digital marketing has created new opportunities for applying machine learning to marketing decisions. This study uses the Predict–Estimate–Explain–Optimize (PEEO) framework. The empirical analysis is conducted on a random sample of 500,000 observations from the Criteo Uplift Prediction Dataset
Perceived Usefulness of ICT and ICT Self-Efficacy among Public Primary School Administrators in an Arid and Semi-Arid Setting: Evidence from Fafi Sub-County, Kenya
ADAN MOHAMMED ISSACK, ADEN ALI ABDI, IDDI JUMA
Abstract: The Technology Acceptance Model treats perceived usefulness as the most dependable attitudinal antecedent of technology adoption, yet the route by which usefulness beliefs reach administrative behaviour has not been established among school administrators working under infrastructural constraint.
Investigating the Influence of Artificial Intelligence on Higher Education: An Empirical Analysis
HAMMED Waheed Olalekan, SALAWU Akintomide Noah, EDWIN Iduwe, IBRAHIM Surajo, OGUNSUYI Joy
Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) has attracted increasing attention across numerous sectors, with higher education emerging as one of the areas experiencing significant transformation. This study investigates the influence of AI on higher education by considering its implications for teaching and learning, assessment practices, ethical concerns, skill development, and graduates future employment opportunities.
“Party or Parties Unknown”: Lawrence Brown, Lynching, and Collective Liability in Jim Crow South Carolina, 1897
Giovanni Santoro
Abstract: On 6 January 1897 Lawrence Brown, a young Black laborer in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, was found dead, hanging from a railroad danger signal after he had been arrested, released, and then killed by unidentified men. This article asks what happened to legal responsibility when a lynching could be established but the lynchers could not.
From Jericho to Jerusalem: The Salvific Mission of the Son of Man in Luke 19:1–10
Irabothi Basumatary
Abstract: Luke 19:1–10, commonly known as the Zacchaeus narrative, occupies a significant position in the Gospel of Luke because it brings together several major Lukan themes: salvation, grace, repentance, wealth, social exclusion, discipleship, restoration, and the mission of Jesus as the Son of Man. Situated within Jesus’ journey from Jericho toward Jerusalem, the passage is more than an account of the conversion of an individual tax collector.
Energy-Efficient Free Heating and Free Cooling Integration for Offshore Substation
Manoj Kumar Singh
Abstract: Offshore substations present unique HVAC challenges due to constrained layouts, exposure to harsh marine environments, and critical limitations on auxiliary power consumption. This study investigates the integration of free heating and free cooling strategies as a means to optimize energy efficiency in extreme cold climates. Conventional winter operation relies exclusively on electrical heating to condition incoming fresh air, resulting in significant power consumption (≈136 kW for −20 °C ambient). In the proposed approach, chilled water is circulated through AHU cooling coils even during winter operation, effectively preheating fresh air and reducing electrical heater load. Analytical evaluation demonstrates that using chilled water supply at 7 °C reduces electrical heating demand to 38 kW, while further utilization of chilled water return from FCUs at 12 °C lowers it to 19 kW, corresponding to energy savings of 72% and 86%, respectively.
Influence of Knowledge Sharing on Strategic Business Performance of Commercial State Corporations in Kenya
Margaret Akinyi Muku-Odhiambo, Professor Margaret Oloko, Dr Lucy Wamalwa
Abstract: The study explored the effect of knowledge sharing on strategic business performance of commercial state corporations in Kenya. The study addressed issues of organizational knowledge being restricted to departmental or individual silos, resulting in reduced continuity, innovation and decision making.
Comparative Evaluation of Cation Exchange Capacity Among Ten Feedstock-Based Biochars for Soil Amendment Application
Vincent G. Dagium, Myrna G. Pabiona, Chelly S. Alovera, Andrew B. Melencion
Abstract: Biochars (BCs) suitability as a soil amendment depends strongly on its cation exchange capacity (CEC), which governs nutrient retention in acidic, weathered tropical soils. This study evaluated and compared the CEC and associated chemical properties (pH, organic matter, total N, P, and K) of biochar produced from ten locally available feedstocks: Rice Hull (BC1), Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (BC2), Coconut Shell (BC3)
Road-User Perceptions of Rainfall-Related Vehicular Crash Risk in Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Okezuo Jennifer Chinyere, Gobo Akuro Ephraim & Ogboeli Goodluck Prince
Abstract: Rainfall can create hazardous road conditions through reduced visibility, wet and slippery road surfaces, surface-water accumulation, flooding, concealed potholes and impaired road-user mobility. In urban areas where drainage and road infrastructure are inadequate, these conditions may increase perceived risks of vehicular crashes.
Standards-Aware Deep Reinforcement Learning for Adaptive Quality Control in Smart Manufacturing: A Controlled Simulation Study
Sunday Obokenuenu Emmanuel Inonoje, Tsetimi Jonathan, and Henrietta Ify Ojarikre
Abstract: We present a standards-aware deep reinforcement learning (S-DRL) approach for AQC in smart manufacturing. The framework represents four heterogeneous process variables on a common standardized scale, uses a ±3σ quality boundary, and incorporates PPO-based reward function deviations from that boundary.
Molecular Docking and Anti-tubercular potential of bioactive compounds from Houttuynia Cordata
Dr Kalyani Peluri, Nethra K, Nithitha G, Sanjay Kumar, Shiya Shree Kumari, Tana Jernia
Abstract: Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, remains a major global health challenge due to increasing drug resistance and limitations of existing therapies. The present study investigated the anti-tubercular potential of bioactive constituents of Houttuynia cordata.
Social Integration, Mentorship and the Retention of Teachers in Public Senior Schools in Garissa Sub-County, Kenya
Fatuma Kune Mohammed, Aden Ali Abdi, and Njoka Muriithi
Abstract: Teacher retention in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid counties is conventionally explained by remuneration, infrastructure and insecurity, yet these accounts do not explain why teachers who are neither materially disadvantaged relative to peers elsewhere nor personally exposed to threat nonetheless leave.
Paradigm Shift in the Education System in Kenya: Aligning with the 21st Century Skills and Needs
Wafula Edward Nyongesa
Abstract: A good education system empowers people for economic development, promise peace, justice, equal and sustainable future. With this association in mind, the purpose of this study was to find out whether Competency Based Education (CBE) aligns with the 21st Century skills and needs.
Translating Traditional Chinese Fish Motifs into Contemporary Womenswear: A Practice-Based Design Study
Rida Alvi, Zheng Gangqiang,Nabeel Aslam, Shamaim Zafar, Khansa Rani, Gohar Ali Hayat
Abstract: Traditional Chinese motifs are frequently incorporated into contemporary fashion through direct reproduction or surface decoration, which can obscure the cultural meanings and formal principles embedded within their historical sources. This study investigates how traditional Chinese fish motifs, primarily derived from ceramic decoration, can be systematically transformed into contemporary high-end womenswear while maintaining a traceable connection to their cultural and visual heritage.
Impact of Cantilevered Aesthetic Design on Structural Load-Bearing Efficiency: A Comparative Analysis
Shahvaiz Noor Khalid
Abstract: One of the key forms that architects use to achieve the visual lightness, is the cantilevered structure, which is becoming more and more popular in modern architecture. The issue is that each of these design decisions is associated with actual engineering issues concerning the structures stability.
Blazer-Making Process Validation and AHP-Based Prioritisation: A Foundation for Methodological Pattern Engineering in Bespoke Blazer Making
Thippeswamy.C, Dr. Jayashree Venkatesh
Abstract: This study aimed to validate nine blazer-making processes, their sequence, and the outcome attributes of Style and Fit, and to determine their relative influence across MTO/Bespoke, Custom Tailoring (CT), Made-to-Measure (MTM), and Ready-to-Wear (RTW) segments using the Item-Level Content Validity Index (I-CVI) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP).
RECREATIONAL FACILITIES UTILISATION AND PRODUCTIVITY IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS: EVIDENCE FROM RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA
Ikpoku, Isaiah Omemam; Weje, Innocent Ikezam; Anthony Le-Ol; Evengeline Nkiru & Ameme, Godfrey Bright
Abstract: Recreational facilities provide opportunities for physical activity, relaxation, social interaction, stress reduction, and recovery, which may contribute to enhanced productivity among staff and students in tertiary institutions. However, inadequate facilities, poor maintenance, limited accessibility, and competing academic and work demands may constrain their utilisation. This study assessed recreational facilities utilisation and productivity in selected tertiary institutions in Rivers State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and data were collected from 367 academic staff and students using a structured questionnaire and facility assessment checklist. The findings indicated that recreational facilities were available across the institutions, although their distribution and functional adequacy varied. Swimming pools and specialised recreational facilities were limited, while deficiencies were observed in maintenance, cleanliness, and equipment functionality. Accessibility and adequacy of facilities were moderate (grand mean = 2.51). Recreational facilities utilisation was also moderate, with 65.1% of respondents using facilities at least weekly. Availability (M = 3.21), personal interest (M = 3.08), accessibility (M = 2.97), and safety/security (M = 2.89) were the major factors influencing utilisation. The leading constraints were limited time/academic workload (M = 3.42), inadequate facilities (M = 3.28), poor maintenance (M = 3.15), and lack of equipment (M = 3.09). Overall productivity was high (M = 3.05). Recreational facilities utilisation was significantly and positively correlated with productivity (r = .412, p < .001) and significantly predicted productivity (β = .386, t = 5.26, p < .001), explaining 18.3% of its variance (R² = .183; F = 27.64, p < .001). No significant differences in productivity were observed by respondent category, sex, institution, age, or years of service/study (p > .05). The study concludes that recreational fac
Climate Change Impact on Income Inequality: Evidence from Southern Africa
Kiru Sichoongwe, Mayoba Barbara Moono, Whisper Hansakali
Abstract: This study investigates the effects of climate change on income inequality in thirteen Southern African countries over the period 2000–2020. Employing a quantitative methodology, it utilises the Gini index and three econometric specifications: random effects, fixed effects, and a double-log model. The results demonstrate that climate change—proxied by rising temperatures and CO₂ emissions—significantly exacerbates income inequality across the region. Although education and employment exhibit inequality-reducing effects, entrenched structural vulnerabilities in Southern Africa magnify climate-induced disparities. The findings emphasise the urgency of integrated policy responses that jointly address climate mitigation and social resilience. This study contributes to the literature by focusing on a region that remains underexplored in climate–inequality research and by adopting a holistic analytical framework that links climate variability to income distribution, thereby providing region-specific evidence to inform policy and scholarly debate.
