Statistical Package For Social Sciences Research Articles

Management and sustainability of event facilities: perceptions of end-users in higher education institutions in Ghana

Purpose Users are key stakeholders in event facilities, and therefore facilities management (FM) services must meet their needs and expectations. The paper aims to assess users’ perceptions of FM practices and sustainability in event facilities in higher education institutions. Design/methodology/approach The study used a descriptive design approach to explore the perceptions of end-users of event facilities. Using Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology as a case study, 384 users of the event facilities were contacted through the email directory of the event facilities. Questionnaires were used to collect data and analysed in descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS v22.0). Findings The study categorised users’ perceptions into customer care, security and safety and service quality dimensions. The results revealed that constituent key important indices of these three dimensions were not significant at both the composite and individual levels. Thus, the users generally perceived FM practices in the event facilities to be below standard. None of the three sustainability constituents was significant, suggesting that users perceived event FM sustainability practices as below standard. Practical implications The study presents users’ perceptions of FM practices in event facilities. It has also suggested effective ways of managing event facilities to improve user comfort, safety and satisfaction. Originality/value The study provides relevant information on users’ perceptions of FM practices. It specifically has sustainable FM as a key component, which is crucial for achieving sustainable development goals.

Comparative study between JAWS® And NVDA® in academic performance of students with visual impairment

Assistive technology (AT) plays a significant role in improving academic activities of visually impaired students. Through these ATs, visually impaired students can be empowered to engage actively in academic activities. To investigate the impact of JAWS® (job access with speech) and NVDA® (nonvisual desktop access) on the academic performance of visually impaired students. This study employed a prospective analytical design. Age-matched groups of severely visually impaired students were enrolled and divided into two groups: Group A ( N = 25) received NVDA® and Group B ( N = 25) received JAWS®. The MNREAD acuity chart was used to measure the reading acuity, maximum reading speed, and critical print size. In addition, a self-designed questionnaire was employed to gather qualitative data on the features of the software and the students’ experiences while using it. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used for data tabulation and analysis. An independent samples t-test was conducted to analyze the differences between variables. Furthermore, a qualitative assessment was performed using Pearson’s chi-square association test to determine the association between software usage and student experience. Statistical significance was set at p < .05. The results revealed that NVDA® exhibited better outcomes than JAWS® in terms of improved academic activity among visually impaired students. These findings contribute to the existing literature on AT and underscore the potential of NVDA® in supporting the educational experiences of visually impaired students. Use of screen reader software not only enhanced the reading and learning experience but also promoted independence in the classroom. NVDA is the superior choice for several reasons. It caters to the individual needs of students, effectively supports their learning processes, and demonstrates a high level of appreciation among the users.

Empowering gynaecologists with Artificial Intelligence: Tailoring surgical solutions for fibroids

BackgroundIn recent years, the integration ofArtificial intelligence (AI) into various fields of medicine including Gynaecology, has shown promising potential. Surgical treatment of fibroid is myomectomy if uterine preservation and fertility are the primary aims.AI usage begins with the involvement of LLM (Large Language Model) from the point when a patient visits a gynecologist, from identifying signs and symptoms to reaching a diagnosis, providing treatment plans, and patient counseling. ObjectiveUse of AI (ChatGPT versus Google Bard) in the surgical management of fibroid. Study designIdentifyingthe patient’s problems using LLMs like ChatGPT and Google Bard and giving a treatment optionin 8 clinical scenarios of fibroid. Data entry was done using M.S. Excel and was statistically analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 26) for M.S. Windows 2010. All results were presented in tabular form. Data were analyzed using nonparametric tests Chi-square tests or Fisher exact test.pvalues < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The sensitivity of both techniques was calculated. We have used Cohen’s Kappa to know the degree of agreement. ResultsWe found that on the first attempt, ChatGPT gave general answers in 62.5 % of cases and specific answers in 37.5 % of cases. ChatGPT showed improved sensitivity on successive prompts 37.5 % to 62.5 % on the third prompt. Google Bard could not identify the clinical question in 50 % of cases and gave incorrect answers in 12.5 % of cases (p = 0.04). Google Bard showed the same sensitivity of 25 % on all prompts. ConclusionAI helps to reduce the time to diagnose and plan a treatment strategy for fibroid and acts as a powerful tool in the hands of a gynecologist. However, the usage of AI by patients for self-treatment is to be avoided and should be used only for education and counseling about fibroids.

Telehealth consultations and recruitment trends in clinical trials: A retrospective analysis at investigational cancer therapeutics, a dedicated phase I department at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

1635 Background: Recruitment to phase I/II clinical trials have been reported to vary between 30% and 55% across centers, primarily relying on in-person visits. However, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a noticeable surge in telehealth consultations. Consequently, there is currently a dearth of data available regarding this approach within the context of early phase-clinical trials. Methods: Data on patient’s first visits to the Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (ICT), a dedicated Phase I department at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), were retrieved from the institution's electronic platform. The ICT department offers phase I-II clinical trials for patients with advanced cancer. We included first visits between January 2020 and December 2023. Initial telehealth visits were conducted via video or telephone, with patients from either Texas or other states in the United States. Visits were classified into two groups: internal referrals, originating from other departments within MDACC, and new patient visits, including patients who had not been seen at MDACC prior to the ICT visit. Recruitment was defined as the percentage of patients who consented to participate in a clinical trial. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: A total of 6,965 patients had a first visit in the Investigational Cancer Therapeutics Department between January 2020 and December 2023. Of these, 4,321 patients (62%) had their initial in-person visit, while 2,644 patients (38%) opted for telehealth consultations. Internal referrals accounted for 6,304 patients (90.5%), while new patient visits comprised 661 patients (9.5%). Among the entire cohort, recruitment rate for phase I-II clinical trials was 53.2% (n= 3,702). Patients with initial telehealth consultations had a recruitment rate of 55.1%, compared to 52.0% among those with in-person consultations (χ2=6.538, p&lt;0.011). Recruitment was higher among internal referrals at 53.7% compared to 47.5% for external referrals (χ2= 9.355, p=0.002). Notably, recruitment was statistically higher in internal consults that underwent telehealth versus in-person visits (55.4% versus 52.6%, p=0.027), while there were no statistical differences in new patient visits (47.4% vs. 47.8%, p=0.939). Conclusions: Telemedicine consultations emerge as a valuable alternative for evaluating and discussing treatment options for patients with advanced solid tumors, thereby enhancing accessibility to early-phase clinical trials. The flexibility of conducting initial visits remotely may mitigate geographical and logistical challenges and allow for a more inclusive and diverse participant pool, fostering broader representation in clinical trial research.

Drug-resistant epilepsy in Morocco: description, prevalence and predictive factors in Casablanca-Settat region

Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) affects about one-third of people with epilepsy (PWE). Our study aims to estimate the DRE prevalence and its predictive factors in Morocco. A cross-sectional study was conducted over 18 months. PWE with clinical diagnosis of epilepsy, and with an antiseizure treatment duration >12 months were examined in the neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, and pediatrics departments, of different sampled clinical sectors for the Casablanca-Settat region. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected using a questionnaire during consultations. Antiseizure multi-therapy, a seizure freedom duration <12 months, compliance, and adequate posology were the determining factors for classifying DRE. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 21.0. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05 and logistic regression was performed to determine the predictive factors. In our sample of 446 PWE, the median age is 25 years (IQR: 11.75–44.00). The DRE estimated prevalence was 29.4 %. Pseudo-resistant epilepsy (PRE) was 18.0 %. Multivariate logistic regression analysis reports that single marital status (ORa = 1.94; CI95%: 1.02–3.71), comorbidities and concomitant affections (ORa = 2.14; CI95%: 1.27–3.59), structural etiology (ORa = 1.96; CI95%: 1.16–3.30), pre-ictal aura (ORa = 1.90; CI95%: 1.09–3.29), inter-ictal EEG abnormalities (ORa = 2.45; CI95%: 1.24–4.84) and allopathic treatment use (ORa = 2.10; CI95%: 1.30–3.39) are the predictive factors for DRE. We report an alarming DRE prevalence. Associated factors found may contribute to the prognosis and early management. PWE awareness, facilitating healthcare access and the development of epilepsy surgery are the key points to limit DRE in Morocco and prevent its various complications, especially for the pediatric population.

The relationship between leisure activities and mental health disorders among higher education students in Malaysia

This study investigates the association between leisure activities (recreation, sports, social contact, artistic, cultural, religious, and rest) and mental health disorders among Malaysian university students. There were 332 respondents enrolled in the public and private universities, polytechnics and other higher academic institutions in Malaysia were surveyed using a quantitative questionnaire. The study performed multiple regression and correlation analyses on the data using the statistical package for social science (SPSS). The findings indicated that six out of seven categories of leisure activities were significantly linked to mental health issues. The six types of leisure time activities were recreation, sports, social interaction, cultural, religious, and rest. Cultural activities have the highest impact on mental health, with the highest beta value. The universities and polytechnics should consider launching several types of leisure activities and tailor specific activities that may reduce mental health issues.

Therapeutic apheresis in kidney transplantation: Emerging trends.

The use of therapeutic apheresis (TA) either as stand-alone or adjunctive treatment in kidney transplantation has increased over the years to become a leading indication. This study shows recent trends in indications for TA related to kidney transplantation, adverse events, and patient outcome in this cohort. This is a retrospective cohort review of adults who received TA for kidney transplant-related indications from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2022, at the University of Virginia Medical Centre, Charlottesville, VA, USA. Data extracted include basic demographics, indication for apheresis, number of procedures, procedure characteristics, procedure-related adverse events (complications), and serum ionized calcium and serum creatinine. Data were analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS 2022 IBM Inc). Data from a total of 131 patients who received 860 TA procedures were analyzed. Indications for TA were antibody-mediated rejection (65.5%), recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (15%), thrombotic microangiopathy (5%), desensitization for ABO incompatibility (4.5%) and for HLA-incompatibility (4.5%), and recurrent IgA nephropathy (1%). Some adverse events were encountered in 16.7% of the procedures and include hypocalcemia (7%), vascular access malfunction (0.7%), hypotension (1.2%), arrhythmia (0.6%), and depletion coagulopathy (0.6%). The overall case mortality rate was 8.4% over the 6-year period. There was one death recorded on machine during TA resulting in a procedure-mortality rate of 0.12%. Antibody-mediated rejection was the most common indication for TA related to kidney transplantation. Adverse events were minor and patient survival over the time was within usual limits.

Evaluation of embryo-foetal biometry and its correlation with parturition date in Toy Poodle bitches.

Estimating the parturition date in dogs is challenging due to their reproductive peculiarities that. Ultrasonographic examination serves as a tool for studying embryo/foetal biometry and estimating the time of parturition by measuring foetal and extra-foetal structures. However, due to reproductive differences among various dog breeds, such estimates may have a non-significant pattern, representing inaccuracies in the estimated date of birth. This study aimed to monitor pregnant Toy Poodle bitches and establish relationships between ultrasonographically measured foetal and extra-foetal dimensions and the remaining time until parturition. Eighteen pregnant Toy Poodle bitches were subjected to weekly ultrasonographic evaluations and measurements of the inner chorionic cavity diameter, craniocaudal length (CCL), biparietal diameter (BPD), diameter of the deep portion of diencephalo-telencephalic vesicle (DPTV), abdominal diameter, thorax diameter (TXD), placental thickness and the renal diameter (REND). These parameters were retrospectively correlated with the date of parturition and linear regressions were established between gestational measurements and days before parturition (DBP). All analyses were conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM® SPSS®) program at a 5% significance level. The foetal measurements that showed a high correlation (r) and reliability (R2) with DBP were BPD [(DBP = [15.538 × BPD] - 39.756), r = .97 and R2 = .93], TXD [(DBP = [8.933 × TXD] - 32.487), r = .94 and R2 = .89], DPTV [(DBP = [34.580 × DPTV] - 39.403), r = .93 and R2 = .86] and REND [(DBP = [13.735 × REND] - 28.937), r = .91 and R2 = .82]. This statistically validates the application of these specific formulas to estimate the parturition date in Toy Poodle bitches.

Grit as a Predictor of Chemistry Achievement among Secondary School Students in Kenya

This research was carried out to examine grit as a predictor of chemistry achievement among secondary school students in Kenya. The study was anchored on grit theory developed by Duckworth. The researcher used a correlational research design to establish the relationship between study variables. The target population for the study was 3,320 form three chemistry students in 27 public secondary schools in Etago Sub-County in the year 2023. In this study a sample size of 446 participants were selected from the population using simple random sampling, stratified and purposive sampling. A pilot study involving 30 students from one of the schools within the Sub-County was conducted to refine the reliability and validity of the research instruments. Data were collected using questionnaires and chemistry pro forma forms and then analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS version 25). The results indicated a significant positive correlation between grit and chemistry achievement, r (433) = .65, p&lt; .05. The study found no statistically significant gender differences in grit in relation to chemistry achievement t (433) = -.39, p = .70. Grit significantly predicted chemistry achievement, F (2,433) = 133.96, p &lt; .05 and its moderation with gender accounted for 5% variance in chemistry achievement. Study recommends that chemistry teachers should enhance effective teaching aids to boost the interest and perseverance (grit) of students during chemistry learning for better achievement in the subject.

Forecasting an urban sound model using space syntax theory in three different urban patterns in Egypt

The objective of this study is to investigate an acoustic environment based on spatial configurations. To achieve this objective, two types of data were utilized. First, the urban acoustic data was collected from 96 measurements based on equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure levels across three different urban areas in Cairo, Egypt, during weekends and at night. The data was plotted on a contour map in an effort to investigate their distribution in the urban area. Secondly, the data was collected using DepthMapX software, and in this way, spatial analysis was produced with diverse spatial attributes. Moreover, on-site observations of pedestrian and traffic rates were made, and land use distribution was observed.Statistical analysis was also conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Our statistical analysis showed that the value of sound pressure level (LAeq) is greatly influenced by spatial attributes in highly accessible spatial configurations, with Normalized Angular Integration (NAIN) being the most accurate predictor of sound pressure level. Our findings also verified the existence of a high correlation between commercial and mixed land uses and (LAeq).Additionally, this study revealed that the urban sound model can predict sound pressure level (LAeq) in an urban setting. This dataset functions as a valuable resource for future research, urban designers, and policymakers who are addressing sustainable issues pertaining to soundscape, noise pollution, and urban planning.

Effectiveness of Measles Mass Vaccination in the Reduction of Childhood Morbidity and Mortality in Yobe State, Northeast Nigeria

Measles is an issue of public health concern responsible for outbreaks and death of children especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study sought to determine the effectiveness of mass vaccination against measles in Yobe State, Northeast Nigeria. An ecological epidemiological study design involving the collection of secondary data from the same population was carried out over a period of two years. These data were collected from Epidemiology Unit of Yobe State Primary Healthcare Development Board from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Response database which collects records of notifiable diseases in Nigeria. All cases of measles within the period under review (2016-2017) were included and a comparison of the number of cases and deaths from measles reported in two different periods before supplementary immunization activity or mass vaccination against measles (2016) and after supplementary immunization activity against measles in the state (2017) was done. The mass vaccination intervention was conducted within first week of January 2017 as a measure to address outbreaks of measles in the state. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) windows version 22. A total of 4242 cases were reported during the study period. 3780(89.1%) in 2016 (before mass vaccination) and 462(10.9%) were reported in 2017 (after mass vaccination). A total of 556 deaths with case fatality rate of 13.1% was recorded during the study period. Majority of the deaths 525(94.4%) occurred in 2016 when there was no mass vaccination while few 31(5.6%) occurred in 2017 after the mass vaccination. Mass vaccination resulted in a 78.2% decline in number of cases and 88.8% decline in the number of deaths from measles. There was a statistical significant difference in the number of cases and mortality from measles pre and post mass vaccination against the disease in Yobe state. Paired sample t-test done revealed a monthly case distribution mean of 276.6 (95% CI 89.8 to 463.3) with alpha set at 0.05, P = 0.008 while monthly mortality mean was 41.1 (95% CI 15.5 to 66.7) with alpha set at 0.05, P = 0.005. Mass vaccination against measles therefore confers immunity and herd immunity to populations with a subsequent significant decline in morbidity and mortality associated with the measles infection. It is therefore recommended that this initiative be sustained for every two years or possibly yearly to ensure elimination of measles in the Sub-Saharan Africa region and the World at large.

Entrepreneurship Education Structure and SMEs Performance amongst Managers in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria

The importance of entrepreneurial education skills in supporting countries’ economic growth and development has been recognized by experts in the field of accounting, finance, sociology and economics. Today, the issue of entrepreneurship skills is becoming so increasingly important that it has turned into a priority for developing countries including Nigeria. This study empirically explores the relationship between entrepreneurship education skills and venture performance amongst managers of small and medium scale firm in Port Harcourt metropolis. Descriptive survey design was adopted and correctly completed 400 sets of questionnaire were used. Series of statistical analysis were applied including mean, aggregate mean, standard deviation, and Spearman rank correlation with the aid of statistical package for social sciences, version 25. The empirical results indicate that psychomotor education significantly relates to profitability and market share. We therefore conclude that entrepreneurship education structure relates to small and medium enterprises performance amongst managers in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria, and recommend that policy makers should consider introducing entrepreneurship in primary and secondary schools through integration to other subjects or as a stand-alone subject. This could function as an introductory stage which will prepare students for more advanced entrepreneurship education structure in the small. Policy makers should also create conducive entrepreneurship education centers within the business eco-system to enable traders attend free workshops when scheduled. Traders can be pre-informed about the benefits of attending/participating in business workshops through social media before slating any.

Empirical investigation of drivers, motivations and barriers for implementation of integrated continuous improvement system: a case of Ethiopian manufacturing industries

PurposeContinuous improvement in an integrated approach is a philosophy developed over decades based on a set of management practices. It comprises enhancement methodologies that escalate success as well as diminishes letdowns. The state-of-the-art literature finds a variety of practices for the execution of continuous improvement (CI) system. However, it is rare to find an empirical study with an inclusive system that considers various practices in one frame for improving competitiveness. With this outlook, therefore, this study aims originally to identify drivers, motivations and barriers for the application of integrated CI system, and then conduct an empirical investigation within the context of Ethiopian manufacturing industries.Design/methodology/approachJustification of the problem, extensive review of literature, identification of practices, developing research framework, investigational analysis of the empirical study using reliability and descriptive statistical analysis and identifying leading drivers (unique practices and common factors), motivations and barriers are the research approaches used in this study. Furthermore, the primary data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire and were analyzed using a statistical package for social science (SPSS) 23 and the findings were triangulated to relate to the existing state-of-the-art literature.FindingsThe findings indicate 17 common factors associated with human, strategic, operational, technology, structure, resource and information factors; 21 unique practices of just-in-time (JIT), lean-six sigma (LSS), supply chain management (SCM), total productive maintenance (TPM), and total quality management (TQM) methodologies; 20 barriers connected with internal and external issues and 17 motivations linked to operational, innovation and business results are identified. In general, the empirical analysis discovers the practices are noteworthy and commonly supported by a least of 52% of the respondents. As a result, the first five prominent common factors, barriers, unique practices and motivations are also supported by a minimum of 72%, 73.9%, 65.8% and 75% of the respondents, respectively.Research limitations/implicationsEven though this is the first-ever study in the Ethiopian manufacturing sector with the focus on integrated CI practices of JIT, TQM, TPM, SCM and LSS initiatives, some limitations have existed and the major limitations of the study are, targeted merely small number manufacturing companies despite the fact that there are hundreds of companies implementing CI system in Ethiopia, and the data collected were only based on the perception of the respondents, and other information’s like annual reports was not employed to support the findings.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study underlined that the implementation of drivers in relation to common factors and unique practices supported by exterminating barriers in manufacturing industries of Ethiopia enables to enhance competitiveness through attaining operational, innovation and business results though it requires a practical case application to prove this perception-based analysis.Originality/valueThough there are a number of studies published on integrated continuous improvement, currently it is found that there is no literature focused on the identification and empirical investigation of drivers (common factors and unique practices), motivations and barriers for application of integrated CI system with the focus of JIT, TQM, TPM, SCM and LSS initiatives. Therefore, this is the first-ever study, and the empirical analysis of the study discovered that identified practices are providing valuable insights for manufacturing industries which will be on board on this voyage including institutions, practitioners and other sectors.

Effect of Guidance and Counseling on Teenager Pregnancies in Public Secondary Schools

The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of guidance and counselling on teenage pregnancies in public secondary schools in the Kyerwa district, Kagera, Tanzania. The study used a mixed-methods research approach supported by a convergent parallel research design. The participants in this study were 110 (i.e., 10 Heads of schools, 10 Teacher Counselors and 90 Girl students). Data collection instruments were questionnaires, focus group discussions and semi-structured interview guides. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer program version 28.0 and interpreted in table forms using means and standard deviations while qualitative data were transcribed and thematically analyzed through quotes and narrations. The findings established that school-related risky behaviours leading to teenage pregnancies are sexual relationships with villagers, failure to use condoms, favours, and gifts. Students perceive that guidance and counselling help them in reducing unwanted pregnancies among them, sexually transmitted infections, and sexually transmitted diseases. It is also evident that the number of drop-outs because of early pregnancies dropped from 12 girlstudents in 2019 to 8 in 2020. Teacher-counsellors are challenged with other obligations which make them not available when needed, not trusted by female students for fear of the same being exposed and shy among female students. It is concluded that guidance and counselling reduce teenage pregnancies in public secondary schools. Recommendations for action and further research are suggested.

Obstetric Service Delivery Trends and Healthcare Staffing at a Teaching Hospital in Southwest Nigeria

Background: Maternal health is a critical component of public health worldwide, reflecting a society's commitment to the well-being of its women and children. The provision of obstetric services, encompassing antenatal care, delivery and postnatal care, plays a pivotal role in reducing maternal mortality and ensuring positive birth outcomes. However, the quality and accessibility of obstetric services are influenced by various factors, including healthcare infrastructure, staffing levels and healthcare policies. Objective: To determine obstetric service delivery trends and healthcare staffing at a teaching hospital in southwest Nigeria Methodology: This study utilized a retrospective cohort design to examine the utilization of maternity care services among women at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Data spanning from January 2016 to December 2023 were collected from obstetric records. Analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results: a total of 9,855 deliveries were recorded, with 4,145 Caesarean sections and 5,767 spontaneous vaginal deliveries, giving a Caesarean section rate of 42%. Overall, there seems to be some fluctuations in the total number of deliveries over the years, with the highest number observed in 2019 (1482) and the lowest in 2021 (868). The number of consultants, senior residents, junior residents, house officers, nurses and other support staff varied over the years, with different staffing levels observed in each year. Conclusion: this study contributes to a better understanding of obstetric service delivery trends and healthcare staffing dynamics, offering valuable insights for healthcare resource allocation and policymaking. The findings underscore the importance of monitoring caseloads and staffing levels to ensure quality maternal and infant healthcare delivery.

Impacts of ICT as Tools in Teaching Biology in Senior Secondary Schools

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been pivotal in training across the world. Due to the abstractness of Biology in schools, it is essential to develop an effective strategy of ICT tools to improve student’s learning process. Similarly, biology helps people understand how organisms adapt to their environment and the importance of biodiversity in sustaining our planet's delicate balance. Therefore, this study investigates the impacts of ICT as instructional material in teaching and learning biology and its gender dimension in senior secondary school at Ado-Odo Ota local government area of Ogun State, Nigeria. The sample size for this research was 240 which consisted of 180 Biology students and 60 Biology teachers. The research questions were investigated with descriptive statistics; Frequency and percentage with the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The results show a sizable correlation between information communication and technology and the performance of students offering biology in senior secondary school at Ado Odo Ota local government area of Ogun State. It also showed a notable difference in the performance of male students taught with information and communication technology-related facilities and female students taught with ICT-related facilities in Ado-Odo Ota local government area of Ogun State. It was concluded that ICT tools in Biology class can make students more interested in learning Biology. Therefore, Biology concepts should be incorporated into ICT tools to make learning Biology worthwhile, seamless, and entertaining.

Science Teaching Practices at Secondary Level: Cross Comparison of Public and Private Sector Teachers

The main purpose of the study was to learn about science education practices in both public and private schools and identify effective teaching practices in both sectors. To fulfil this purpose, a comparison between public teachers with private teachers and public students with private students was made. For this purpose, a random sample of 300 secondary school students and 80 teachers were selected to collect data. The selected teachers and students were given two rating scales as instruments to learn how to utilize teaching practices. The data were analyzed through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). To examine the gathered information, descriptive data analysis statistics and inferential statistics were used to diagnose the practices. Data analysis highlighted that male secondary school teachers in public and private schools needed to be successfully teaching science. The results led to the recommendation that all the teachers, particularly those employed by private institutions, should undergo refresher courses for effective science teaching practices training.

Evaluation of non-preoperative chest diseases consultations

Aims: This study was conducted to evaluate non-preoperative patients in the chest diseases department of the training and research hospital. Methods: 990 patients were evaluated retrospectively between 01.10.2023 and 01.03.2024 in Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Department of Chest Diseases. The services that requested consultation and the reasons for the request, the patients’ comorbidities, chest radiography and, when deemed necessary, the requested lung computed tomography were examined. The data obtained was analyzed with IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). As descriptive statistics, mean±standard deviation and median (minimum-maximum) were given for quantitative variables, and number (percentage) was given for qualitative variables. Results: Within the hospital, 990 non-preoperative chest diseases consultations were requested within a 6-month period. Those younger than 18 years of age, those who were to be evaluated preoperatively, and those who were asked for consultation from the pulmonology department but did not attend the evaluation were excluded from the study. The average age of the patients for whom consultation was requested was 69.12±16.07 years. 52.1% of the patients were female and 47.9% were male. 470 (47.5%) of the patients were smokers. Among the services where consultation was requested, the first services were 163 (16.5%) emergency services, 129 (13.0%) emergency intensive care units and 112 (11.3%) infectious diseases. 398(40.2%) patients had shortness of breath. It was observed that 411 (41.5%) patients had DM, 285 (28.8%) patients had hypertension, and 108 (10.9%) patients had heart failure. While chest radiography was requested for all patients for whom consultation was requested, 570 (57.6%) thorax computed tomography scans were performed when deemed necessary. Conclusion: Chest diseases consultations is performed mostly for diagnostic support and treatment recommendation. In our study, patients were included retrospectively. In retrospective studies, it is of great importance to keep proper records in consultations and to take a complete examination and anamnesis. However, unnecessary requested chest diseases consultations brings a serious workload.

Doctoral students’ satisfaction with research support services at public universities in Kenya

Research support services (RSS) play an essential role in the lives of academics and researchers. The study focused on availability of RSS and doctoral students’ satisfaction with RSS provided in public university libraries in Kenya. The success of doctoral students is often determined by the extent of RSS provided by the university libraries. Every library system's main goal is to satisfy its patrons. Specifically, the paper was guided by these objectives: to assess the extent of provision of RSS in university libraries and to determine the level of satisfaction of doctoral students on available RSS. A sample size of 372 doctoral students were selected using stratified sampling and simple random sampling techniques, and 32 librarians were selected purposively from selected public universities in Kenya. This study adopted a descriptive research design and used an online survey research technique to collect data from doctoral students and librarians. Microsoft Excel and the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) were used to analyse the data. Findings indicate that a wide range of RSS were provided in the selected universities and that while doctoral students are satisfied with the availability of materials, they are not happy with the currency of the materials in the library. The study concludes that there were significant differences in the provision of RSS for doctoral students across the selected public university libraries and that doctoral students have varying levels of satisfaction with the research support services provided to meet their information needs at selected public universities. The study findings will help university libraries to improve their services, provide targeted services to doctoral students and develop frameworks that will guide in resource allocation.

Strategic Sourcing and Performance of Lake Region Economic Bloc, Kenya

The devolved governments in Kenya undertake projects that make up over 50% of government spending and are important to the economy. To improve the performance of projects and efficiency in service delivery, Kenyan county governments commonly award bids using strategic sourcing. However, despite the adoption of strategic sourcing, the performance of devolved systems of government remains poor. The general objective of this study was to determine the effect of strategic sourcing on performance of devolved systems of government in the Lake Region Economic Bloc, Kenya. The specific objectives were to establish the effect of supplier relationship management, market research, analytics, and multiple sourcing on the performance of devolved systems of government in the Lake Region Economic Bloc, Kenya. The study is significant to the administration of County governments in the Lake Region Economic Bloc, the policy makers as well as other researchers and academicians. The study adopted a cross sectional research design. The target population of the study was all the 47 county governments in Kenya, which are categorized into 6 regional blocs. The target population of the study was all the 47 county governments in Kenya, which are categorized into 6 regional blocs. The respondents included heads of departments in finance, procurement, public relations and information and communication technology as well as their assistants in 14 Counties in the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB). A semi-structure questionnaire was used in the collection of data. Data was analyzed using qualitative data and quantitative methods. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis and the results were presented in a narrative form. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in analyzing quantitative data with the help of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 25) statistical software. Quantitative results were presented in the form of tables and figures. The study found that supplier relationship management has a positive and significant effect on performance in devolved systems of government in the Lake Region Economic Bloc, Kenya. The study also established that market research has positive and significant effect on performance in devolved systems of government in the Lake Region Economic Bloc, Kenya. The study further revealed that analytics has positive and significant effect on performance in devolved systems of government in the Lake Region Economic Bloc, Kenya. Also, the study found that multiple sourcing has positive and significant effect on performance in devolved systems of government in the Lake Region Economic Bloc, Kenya. The study recommends that County government should develop training programs and workshops for government procurement officers and suppliers to enhance their understanding of procurement processes, compliance requirements, and best practices. County governments should regularly update market information related to various goods and services required by the government. In addition, County governments should create a dedicated analytics department or unit within the government structure to focus on data collection, analysis, and interpretation. In addition, County governments should monitor supplier performance regularly and use data-driven insights to make decisions about contract renewals or terminations