Utilization Of Facilities Research Articles

Comparative life-cycle sustainability assessment of centralized and decentralized remediation strategies at the city level

Remediation of contaminated soil at industrial sites has become a challenge and an opportunity for sustainable urban land use, considering the substantial secondary impacts resulting from remediation activities. The design of soil remediation strategies for multi-site remediation from a regional perspective is of great significance for cities with a large number of brownfields. Centralized and decentralized facilities have been studied in different environmental fields, yet limited research has focused on centralized soil remediation, specifically the treatment of contaminated soil from different sites through the construction of shared soil treatment facilities. This study proposes a framework for comparing centralized and decentralized strategies for contaminated soil remediation based on the integration of life-cycle sustainability assessment and multi-objective optimization. With Zhuzhou, an industrial city in China, serving as an example, results show that after optimization, the centralized scenario can reduce total environmental impacts by 25 %–41 %. In addition, the centralized scenario can reduce economic costs by 27 %–39 %, saving up to 176 million USD. The advantages of the centralized soil remediation strategy include: (1) increased use of soil washing, (2) reduced use of off-site disposal, and (3) reduced construction and efficient utilization of soil treatment facilities. In conclusion, the centralized strategy is relatively suitable for cities or areas with a large number of medium or small-sized contaminated sites. The built framework can quantitatively evaluate multiple sites soil remediation at both the city and individual site level, allowing for a straightforward and objective comparison with the optimal remediation design.

Unveiling the Spatial-Temporal Characteristics and Driving Factors of Greenhouse Gases and Atmospheric Pollutants Emissions of Energy Consumption in Shandong Province, China

As the largest energy-consuming province in China, Shandong faces the dual task of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction and atmospheric pollution control. Based on the latest activity data and updated emission factors, this study establishes a high-resolution emission inventory (5 km × 5 km) for GHGs and main atmospheric pollutants from the energy consumption sectors of Shandong Province from 2010 to 2021, quantifies the relationship between social economic factors and GHGs and atmospheric pollutants emissions using the expanded stochastic environmental impact assessment (STIRPAT) model, and forecasts the future emission trend with the help of the scenario analysis method. Results indicate that the electricity and transportation sectors are the main contributors to all pollutants. Spatially, the high value of pollutants is mainly concentrated in the urban agglomerations of central and eastern Shandong. Up to 72% of GHGs and 50% of air pollution emissions are attributed to the top 10% of emission grids. Emission peaks occur mainly in summer and winter due to straw burning, increased utilization of temperature-controlled facilities, and expansion of plant capacity. Population, energy consumption, the proportion of secondary industry, and energy consumption intensity are the most significant influencing factors for pollutant emissions. Scenario analysis results indicate Shandong province can reach its carbon peak in 2027 without sacrificing population growth or economic progress.

Research on the village layout optimization in China's developed areas based on daily life circles.

Public service facilities are the basic material carrier of social services. It is of great significance for the operation of social justice and the improvement of residents' wellbeing. In the process of rapid urbanization, the demand for traffic convenience and diversity of public service facilities in rural areas has been further improved. Since the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, it is more necessary to meet the public service needs of human daily life within a certain space. The huge gap between urban and rural infrastructures, human living conditions, and supporting public services such as education, health, and culture has become a key bottleneck constraining the integration of urban and rural areas. It is appropriate to focus on the requirements for the construction of daily life circles and prioritize the satisfaction of villagers' increasing demand for public services in regions characterized by high levels of urban-rural integration. The behavior preference of public service facilities significantly affects the choice of residential areas. The existing research on village layout optimization focused on the spatial pattern, landscape morphology, influencing factors, and other contents. To some extent, the preference for equalization of public services in the context of urban-rural integration has been ignored. Uneven distribution and low utilization of public service facilities in villages resulted in an inability to adapt spatially and functionally in response to the renewal of urban-rural relations. Taking a highly developed urban and rural integration area named Wuxi City of Jiangsu Province in China as an example, this paper combines the current situation of public service facility allocation and the transport situation of residents in rural areas to build a life-circle system of different levels. On this basis, combined with the optimization goal of public service facilities and the constraints of agglomeration coverage, we try to determine the village layout optimization scheme under the construction of both the daily life circle and location-allocation model. The study can effectively adjust the allocation of public resources in rural areas and solve the problems of irrational village layout leading to long travel distances. It can also serve as a reference for improving the situation of lagging rural public service functions and promoting urban-rural equalization.

Mental health comorbidities in workers' compensation patients and the effect on pain, disability, quality of life, and return to work after lumbar spine surgery.

The impact of mental health comorbidities on outcomes after lumbar spine surgery in workers' compensation (WC) patients has not been robustly explored. The goal of this study was to examine the impact of mental health comorbidities on pain, disability, quality of life, and return to work after lumbar spine surgery in WC patients. A nationwide, prospective surgical outcomes registry (National Neurosurgery Quality Outcomes Database [N2QOD]) was queried for all patients who underwent 1- to 4-level lumbar decompression and/or fusion from 2012 to 2021. Patients were stratified on the basis of compensation status into non-WC (25,507) and WC (1018) cohorts. Baseline demographic data, perioperative safety data, and patient-reported outcome measures were compared between groups. The WC cohort was further subdivided on the basis of mental health status into patients with anxiety and depression (n = 107) and those without anxiety and depression (n = 911). Propensity matching was used to generate parity between these subgroups, generating 214 patients (107 pairs) for analysis. Perioperative safety, facility utilization, 1-year patient-reported outcomes (back and leg pain, disability, and quality of life), and return to work were measured as a function of WC and mental health comorbidity status. A total of 26,525 patients (25,507 non-WC and 1018 WC) who underwent 1- to 4-level lumbar spine surgery were reviewed. WC patients were younger, healthier (lower American Society of Anesthesiologists class), more likely to be minorities, less educated, and more likely to smoke and had greater baseline back pain, disability, and quality of life compared to non-WC patients. The prevalence of anxiety and depression was similar between groups (11%). WC patients had worse outcomes for all measures and lower rates of return to work compared to non-WC patients. WC patients with anxiety and depression demonstrated even greater disparities in all outcomes. After propensity matching, WC patients with anxiety and depression continued to demonstrate significantly worse outcomes in comparison to WC patients without anxiety and depression. Disparities in outcomes after lumbar spine surgery in WC patients are exacerbated in patients with anxiety and depression. WC patients with mental health comorbidities receive the least benefit from lumbar spine surgery and may represent the most vulnerable subset of patients with spine pathology. Addressing mental health comorbidities preoperatively may represent an opportunity for valuable resource allocation and surgical optimization in the WC population.

Kelayakan Konstruksi Bangunan Trotoar di Kota Ambon

Introduction: Sidewalks are road support facilities as stipulated in Law no. 22 of 2009 concerning Road Traffic and Transportation. The availability of sidewalks must provide safety and comfort for pedestrians passing through.Purposes of the Research: The purpose of writing this thesis is to find out and analyze (1) Does the sidewalk building in Ambon City meet the construction feasibility requirements in the provisions of laws and regulations.? and (2) What are the legal consequences if the sidewalk building does not meet the construction feasibility standards in the ptovisions of the legislations.? Methods of the Research: The type of research used in this study is normative juridical legal research, namely legal research conducted by examining library materials or secondary materials which consist of primary legal materials and secondary legal materials. These materials are arranged systematically, studied, then a conclusion is drawn in relation to the problem under study.Results of the Research: The results and discussion show that the construction of sidewalks in the city of Ambon does not meet the feasibility standards for the construction of sidewalks as stipulated in the Regulation of the Minister of Public Works Number 03/PRT/M/2014 concerning Guidelines for Planning, Provision and Utilization of Infrastructure and Facilities for Pedestrian Networks and Urban Areas, and Decree of the Director General of Highways No. 74/KPTS/Db/1999, Date, 7 December 1999 Concerning Ratification of One Technical Guideline of the Directorate General of Highways. Of course, this condition has legal consequences as stipulated in Article 44UU No. 28 of 2002 concerning Buildings in which there are administrative sanctions in the form of a) Written warning; b) Restrictions on development activities; c) Temporary or permanent suspension of construction implementation work; d) Temporary or permanent suspension of building use; e) Freezing of building construction permits; f) Revocation of building construction permit; g) Freezing of the certificate of proper function of the building h) revocation of the certificate of proper function of the building; or i) an order for the demolition of a building.

Impact of Referral Guideline Enforcement on Orthopedic and Trauma Admissions at Kenyatta National Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenya: A Pre-Post Test Design

Background: The suboptimal utilization of tertiary health facilities and inadequate management of referral systems in low- and middle-income countries pose challenges to health system administration, characterized by frequent self-referrals and bypassing of lower-tier health facilities. On July 1, 2021, Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) implemented referral guidelines, mandating that all admitted patients be referred from lower-tier health facilities, aligning with the KNH legal statute of 1987. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of enforcing referral guidelines on the spatial distribution of orthopedic and trauma admissions at KNH.
 Methodology: A pre-posttest study design was employed, reviewing a total of 459 and 446 charts in 2021 before and after the enforcement of referral guidelines. Measures of central tendencies and Chi-squared tests were applied, and density plots were generated using Geographic Information System (QGIS 2.18.19) to illustrate the spatial distribution of admissions.
 Results: of KNH admissions, 85.3% and 79.3% originated from Nairobi County and its environs. Admissions were geographically diverse, with a notable concentration from Nairobi County and its environs. Enforcement of referral guidelines led to a significant decrease in admissions from Nairobi County, dropping from 64.3% to 56.9% (p=0.019). Declines were particularly observed in Kamukunji, Embakasi, and Ruaraka sub-counties, serving as the catchment population for Mama Lucy Kibaki Referral Hospital. Conversely, admissions from Kibra and most of Kajiado County were notable. There was a concurrent increase in admissions from other parts of the country (p = 0.003).
 Conclusion: Over four-fifths of KNH admissions are from Nairobi County and its environs. The enforcement of referral guidelines resulted in decreased local admissions and an uptick in admissions from other regions in the country.

Patterns of facility and patient related factors to the orthopedic and trauma admissions at the Kenyatta National Hospital: A qualitative assessment.

Inappropriate utilization of higher-level health facilities and ineffective management of the referral processes in resource-limited settings is increasingly becoming a concern in health care management in developing countries. This is characterized by self-referrals and frequent bypassing of nearest health facilities coupled with low formal referral mechanisms. This scenario lends itself to a situation where uncomplicated medical conditions are unnecessarily managed in a high-cost health facility. This situation compromises the ability and capacity of Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) to function as a tertiary referral health facility as envisioned by Kenya Health Sector Referral Implementation Guidelines of 2014, Kenya 201 constitution and KNH legal statue of 1987. The study objective was to assess the patterns of facility and patient related factors to the orthopaedic and trauma admissions at the KNH. This was a descriptive qualitative study design. The study was conducted amongst the orthopaedic and trauma admission caseload for 2021. Data collection was done through a) data abstraction from 905 patients charts admitted during February to December 2021 and b) 10 (ten) semi-structured interviews with 10 major health facilities that refer to KNH to understand the reasons for referral to KNH. Quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science version 21.0 to calculate the frequency distribution. Qualitative data from the data abstraction and transcripts from the KIIs were analysed using NVivo version 12. The major facility and patient related factors to the orthopaedic and trauma admissions at KNH were inadequate human resource capacity and availability (42.7%), financial constraints (23.3%), inadequate Orthopaedic equipment's and implants availability (20.0%) and inadequate health facility infrastructure (6.3%) while the major patient related factor was patient's preference (23.4%). In conclusion, to decongest KNH requires that the lower-level health facilities need to be better equipped and resourced to handle essential orthopaedic and trauma care.

Facile Utilization of Renewable Resources Containing Cyclobutene Mechanophores: Preparation and Properties of High-Toughness Materials with One-Step Cross-Linking by Frontal Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization

Facile Utilization of Renewable Resources Containing Cyclobutene Mechanophores: Preparation and Properties of High-Toughness Materials with One-Step Cross-Linking by Frontal Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization

The effects of cool roofs on health, environmental, and economic outcomes in rural Africa: study protocol for a community-based cluster randomized controlled trial

BackgroundHigh ambient air temperatures in Africa pose significant health and behavioral challenges in populations with limited access to cooling adaptations. The built environment can exacerbate heat exposure, making passive home cooling adaptations a potential method for protecting occupants against indoor heat exposure.MethodsWe are conducting a 2-year community-based stratified cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) implementing sunlight-reflecting roof coatings, known as “cool roofs,” as a climate change adaptation intervention for passive indoor home cooling. Our primary research objective is to investigate the effects of cool roofs on health, indoor climate, economic, and behavioral outcomes in rural Burkina Faso. This cRCT is nested in the Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), a population-based dynamic cohort study of all people living in a geographically contiguous area covering 59 villages, 14305 households and 28610 individuals. We recruited 1200 participants, one woman and one man, each in 600 households in 25 villages in the Nouna HDSS. We stratified our sample by (i) village and (ii) two prevalent roof types in this area of Burkina Faso: mud brick and tin. We randomized the same number of people (12) and homes (6) in each stratum 1:1 to receiving vs. not receiving the cool roof. We are collecting outcome data on one primary endpoint - heart rate, (a measure of heat stress) and 22 secondary outcomes encompassing indoor climate parameters, blood pressure, body temperature, heat-related outcomes, blood glucose, sleep, cognition, mental health, health facility utilization, economic and productivity outcomes, mosquito count, life satisfaction, gender-based violence, and food consumption. We followed all participants for 2 years, conducting monthly home visits to collect objective and subjective outcomes. Approximately 12% of participants (n = 152) used smartwatches to continuously measure endpoints including heart rate, sleep and activity.DiscussionOur study demonstrates the potential of large-scale cRCTs to evaluate novel climate change adaptation interventions and provide evidence supporting investments in heat resilience in sub-Saharan Africa. By conducting this research, we will contribute to better policies and interventions to help climate-vulnerable populations ward off the detrimental effects of extreme indoor heat on health.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00023207. Registered on April 19, 2021.

Transforming “white elephants” into positive legacies for cities: An assessment of the sustainability of winter Olympic venues and its implications

AbstractAs major attractions for host cities, mega‐event venues have the potential to generate revenue and attract new events, create job and business opportunities, and drive urban innovation and transformation. However, they are often criticized for being unsustainable due to high resource and energy consumption, potential environmental pollution, large construction and operating costs, and insufficient usage post‐event. Winter Olympic venues, in particular, are frequently situated in ecologically sensitive areas and are more exclusive, leading to higher maintenance and conversion costs as well as greater ecological risks. Until now, studies examining the sustainability of large‐scale winter venues have been lacking. In this study, a multi‐dimensional conceptual model was developed to include ecological, social, and economic aspects, and the scorecard method was used to quantitatively evaluate the sustainability of venues from six Winter Olympic Games held between 1998 and 2018. The results show that the overall sustainability of the venues is at a medium level, with relatively high ecological sustainability. Additionally, the sustainability of the venues has improved over time, while the economic dimension of sustainability has decreased. Furthermore, indicators that hinder the sustainability of Winter Olympic venues were identified, and strategies from ecological, social, and economic dimensions were proposed to improve their sustainability. This study enriched the knowledge of Olympic legacies and sustainable venues, providing theoretical implications for the assessment of venue sustainability and practical implications for the construction and utilization of sports facilities as sustainable city infrastructure.

Investigation and Root Cause Analysis of Transformer Metering Destruction by Arc Flash

An arc flash and fire in the secondary compartment of an industrial facility utility transformer resulted in destruction of newly installed electrical metering equipment. Inherent to this type of event are two loss-of-evidence challenges: extremely high heat burns or melts everything nearby, and urgency to restore normal operation may prevent comprehensive examination of the scene. The facility contractor’s operations staff conducted an initial root cause analysis. The contractor’s management called on an external forensic team to provide an independent assessment. Having an established investigation methodology allows the forensic examiner to better understand what was, and was not, evaluated by facility staff and prevents confirmation biases. This paper examines the facility’s report, addresses shortcomings in its conclusions, and goes on to detail the methods and reasoning behind the forensic team’s findings. The methodology presented in this paper is applicable to a wide range of industrial electrical fires.

Assessment of Educational Facilities and Administrative Effectiveness in Colleges of Education: A Case Study of Delta State

This research aimed to assess the impact of educational facilities on administrative effectiveness within Colleges of Education. To achieve this, six research questions were formulated, and six hypotheses were proposed. The study utilized a correlational research design, The population of the study comprised 2,925 staff of the public colleges of education across Delta State and a sample of 800 administrative staff from Colleges of Education in Delta State was randomly selected. Questionnaires and checklists were employed as data collection instruments and were validated by experts in Measurement and Evaluation. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the gathered data. Mean, standard deviation and Pearson coefficient of determination were used to address the research questions, while t-test and simple regression were employed to test the hypotheses at a significance level of 0.05. The study's findings indicated that educational facilities are available, adequate, and utilized in Delta State Colleges of Education. Additionally, significant differences were observed in the availability, adequacy, and utilization of educational facilities among the various colleges of education in Delta State. Furthermore, a significant relationship was identified between the availability, adequacy, and utilization of educational facilities and school administrators' effectiveness in Colleges of Education in Delta State. Based on the study's results, the researcher recommended an increase in the purchase of educational facilities to further enhance administrative effectiveness in Colleges of Education.

Philosophy Of Religious Education Management at State Elementary School 002 Kuaro

This research explores the philosophy of religious educational management at State Elementary School 002 Kuaro. he primary focus is to comprehend the philosophical principles underlying the administration of religious aspects in the context of elementary education. The research methodology employed is qualitative, utilizing interview and observation techniques. The research subject is State Elementary School 002 Kuaro, one of the formal educational institutions under the auspices of the Education Agency of Kabupaten Paser, established in 1974, located at the village of Keluang Paser Jaya, Kuaro District, Paser Regency, East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. This study centers its attention on the scope of educational management in the school, including curriculum management, facility and infrastructure management, as well as financial management. The research findings indicate that the philosophy of religious education management at State Elementary School 002 Kuaro reflects religious values integrated into daily policies and practices. This includes instilling habits and rituals as an implementation of the teachings. Students are accustomed to participating in collective prayers, reading the Quran, and performing Friday Dhuha prayers together in the school courtyard, among other practices. In the implementation of the philosophy of religious management at State Elementary School 002 Kuaro, there are still several challenges, especially related to the utilization of facility and infrastructure management and financial management, in its efforts to enhance the application of religious management philosophy in the school.

Assessing the Impact of Healthcare Quality on Facility Utilization among Rural Dwellers in Bauchi State Nigeria

Rural areas in Nigeria, including Bauchi State, face significant healthcare challenge, with limited access to quality healthcare services. This study as aimed at assess the impact of healthcare quality on facility utilization among rural Dwellers in Bauchi State Nigeria. A cross sectional design was used for this study. Simple random sampling technique was used to select three local government areas from each senatorial district. A total of 1344 respondents were sampled for the study. The questionnaires were administered by the researcher and some research assistants. The reliability index as determined using Cronbach’s alpha test of internal consistency stood at 0.89. The data from the study were presented using descriptive statistics of mean and percentages for the research questions. The analysis was carried out using SPSS version 25. The results obtained showed that the quality of healthcare services influences the utilization of health care facilities by rural dwellers in Bauchi State. However, the r2 value of 0.29 indicates that the quality of healthcare services have 8% influence on the utilization of health care facilities by rural dwellers in Bauchi State. Therefore, the stake holders in the health sector, in collaboration with Government and healthcare workers should ensure that the quality of services offered in the health care facilities is improved upon. This will in turn encourage the rural dwellers to regularly visit healthcare facilities in Bauchi State Nigeria.

Factors Influencing Utilization of ICT Facilities in Teaching and Learning of Agricultural Sciences. (A Case Study of Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania)

This study investigated the factors influencing utilization of ICT facilities in teaching and learning of agricultural sciences at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania. A descriptive survey design was adopted in this study; and a mixed research approach was employed whereby, a questionnaire with a reliability of 0.83 and interview schedule checklist were used for data collection. Data were collected from the College of Agriculture (CoA) at SUA involving a sample population of 65 instructors, 4 Heads of Department and the Head of ICT services who were all purposively selected. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, content analysis and binary logistic model. The findings revealed that institutional factors such as the availability and accessibility of ICT facilities, and technical support influence instructors toward using ICTs in teaching and learning processes. The findings also revealed that, personal factors such as instructors’ positive attitude, sex, age and teaching experience play significant roles in influencing ICT utilization at the university. The study findings also point out that inadequacy of ICT facilities, slow internet connectivity, unreliable power supply, inadequate ICT infrastructures, lack of in-service training, problems of handling large classes, inadequacy of ICT manpower/ technical support, and lack administrative support i.e. provision of funds as challenges that deter instructors from utilizing ICTs. Among other things, it was recommended that, the university should strive to address the existing challenges by at least ensuring alternative source of power is installed, ensuring regular training of instructors is organized and adequate ICT infrastructures are available at the university.

Health Insurance, Attitude of Health Workers and Delivery at Health Facility: Outcome from Demographic and Health Survey in Nigeria.

The authors are concerned about poor utilization of health facility during pregnancy and delivery in Nigeria which are contributing to high incidence of maternal mortality. The causes of the poor utilization of health facility during delivery were examined so as to proffer policy solution on how to overcome the high incidence of maternal mortality in the country. The authors sourced data from Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (DHS, 2013) because cost of attending health facility was not covered in the 2018 Demographic Health Survey. Moreover, the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method of regression analysis was used in the study because the dependent variable was not binary.Finding shows that cost of accessing health care in the hospitals, health insurance, and attitude of health workers have a positive and significant effect on delivery at health facility. This makes it important for wider coverage of national health insurance program and organization of regular training on work attitudes for health workers in Nigeria to increase use of health facility during child delivery. It will help to reduce maternal health problems in Nigeria.

An Integrated Frac Geometry Control Approach To Prevent H2S Production

_ Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) production has in recent years become a mounting issue facing operators and midstream companies in major US basins. At present, H2S production appears to be random and poorly understood. As such, H2S is considered by many to be an unpreventable nuisance and one that is largely addressed by treating the dangerous gas at surface before putting it to a sales line. This article highlights impacts of H2S, possible sources, and a successful case study of a completions operation designed specifically to prevent H2S production in North Dakota’s Williston Basin. H2S and Its Impacts H2S is a colorless gas known for its pungent “rotten egg” odor at low concentrations. It is extremely flammable, highly toxic, poisonous, and corrosive. H2S is commonly encountered during the drilling and production of crude oil and natural gas, as well as in wastewater treatment, utility facilities, and sewers. H2S is well-known for its significant health and safety risks, along with substantial financial implications in the event of an accidental release. The substance ranks as the second leading cause of workplace gas inhalation deaths in the US. This is according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, which concluded that H2S caused 46 worker deaths between 2011 and 2017. Due to its corrosiveness, wells that produce even small volumes of H2S may compromise wellbore integrity and lead to premature failure of production equipment. Sour oil and gas is considered to have about 10% lower profit margin than traditional sweet Bakken crude (SPE 141434). An electrical submersible pump replacement can cost an operator up to $250,000, plus production downtime. Additionally, according to one leading chemical company, it costs $2,250 per day to treat 200 ppm H2S at a typical gas production rate of 2,000 Mcf/D. H2S Sources A recent study, URTeC 3852794, published by the Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) at the University of North Dakota suggests three possible causes of H2S: geo-mechanical, thermochemical, and biogenic. Geo-mechanical: Mission Canyon organic-rich intervals could be a source of H2S for a limited number of the Bakken producing wells via communication between reservoirs caused by out-of-zone stimulation work. This conclusion was evidenced by matching the δ34S isotope between 30 H2S producing wells and formation cores. Thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR): Another possible mechanism of H2S generation involves the presence of anhydrites and hydrocarbons at a higher reservoir temperature of 110° to 150°C. This mechanism is plausible for wells with the δ34S in the range from +10 to +19‰. The EERC research team is currently investigating the TSR existence in the Williston Basin. Biogenic: This third mechanism of reservoir souring is questionable in the Bakken because of the high reservoir temperatures (110° to 150°C) and elevated salinity of the formation water (TDS 200,000 mg/L) making microbial growth unlikely, especially in the context of the predominance of heavier 34S isotope (δ34S of +2 to +19‰) in produced H2S.

Black Scorpion and the 1970 Apapa Port Congestion: Solving Maritime Gateway-Hinterland Delivery Problems in Nigeria

The study examined the Apapa Port congestion of 1970 which became an albatross for the fledgling Gowon junta as Nigeria, heavily import-export dependent, grappled with immediate post-civil-war economic difficulties compounded by a clogged maritime gateway that threatened the peace dividend. The regime desperately turned to a noted disciplinarian, Colonel Benjamin Adekunle, aka Black Scorpion, the no-nonsense former head of the 3rd Marine Command which had routed Biafra’s secessionist forces at Port Harcourt to facilitate Nigeria’s victory, but who was untidily shunted aside in 1969, following the clandestine politics of the country and her vicious military sector. Although alienated, Adekunle became the military port commandant charged with clearing the gateway by all means. Using archival, primary, and secondary data sources, the paper examines Nigeria’s underlying sociopolitical fault lines using relevant theoretical frameworks and Adekunle’s rare oral interview to interrogate his persona, the controversies of the time, the achievements of the military port commandant-in-council, and how the hinterland delivery problems of the era were subjected to management by design strategies in future port and highway developments. The findings include unbalanced national utilization of port facilities in favour of the Lagos port system, with the conclusion that the skew was largely responsible for the frequent congestions whose resolution options must include harmonized nationwide redistribution of gateway functions in line with economic realities.

Open Defecation Practice and Its Determinants Among Households Owned Toilet Facilities in Gambela Town, South West Ethiopia.

The use of toilet facilities is a major sanitation intervention, as it reduces the spread of diarrheal diseases. In areas where toilets are misused, human excreta may be disposed of in open fields, bushes, and other open places. However, information about the level of utilization of toilet facilities in developing regions of Ethiopia is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to identify open defecation (OD) levels and determinants of OD among household-owned toilets in Gambella town, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 561 households in Gambela Town, using systematic random sampling and questionnaires. The level of OD was analyzed using frequency and percentage. The determinants of OD were assessed using binary logistic regression. Variables with a P-value less than .25 in univariable logistic regression were entered into the multivariable logistic regression model, and statistical significance was declared at a P-value less than .05. The model's fit was tested using Hosmer and Lemeshow's goodness of fit. The study found that OD was 47.2% [95% CI: 43.2%-51.4%] among those who owned toilet facilities. The determinants of OD were: occupation of household head [AOR: 5.27, 95% CI: 3.08-9.00], toilet facilities lacking a superstructure [AOR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.16-3.43], toilet facilities lacking doors [AOR: 3.23, 95% CI: 1.97-5.27], large family size [AOR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.29-3.60], knowledge of the respondents [AOR: 2.40, 95% CI: 1.50-3.99], and respondents with negative attitude [AOR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.12-2.74]. Therefore, key stakeholders should focus on improving toilet utilization, considering those factors in their interventions.

Influence of Principals’ Management Strategies in the Achievement of Quality Assurance in Public Secondary Schools in Benue State, Nigeria

The study investigated the influence of principals’ management strategies in the achievement of quality assurance in public secondary schools in Benue State, Nigeria. The study was guided by three (3) specific objectives. Three research questions were raised for the study. Also, three hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. This study adopted the survey research design. The population of the study is 4888 principals and teachers in all the public secondary schools in Benue State. The sample size is 370 respondents. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Influence of Principals’ Management Strategies in the Achievement of Quality Assurance Questionnaire (IPMSAQAQ)”. An overall reliability coefficient of 0.89 was obtained for the instrument. Mean and Standard Deviation were used in answering the research questions while Chi-square goodness of fit was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level. The findings of the study revealed that principals’ instructional, physical facilities and supervisory management strategies significantly influence the achievement of quality assurance in public secondary schools in Benue State. In view of the findings of this study, it was concluded that the utilization of instructional, physical facilities and supervisory management strategies by principals will enhance the sustainability of quality assurance in public secondary schools in Benue state. In view of the findings of this study, it was recommended that; School administrators in Benue State should prioritize the development and implementation of effective personnel management strategies for principals in public secondary schools.