Archives-July 2023

The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of monitoring and evaluation of stakeholder participation on implementation of infrastructure projects in public secondary school in Kakamega County, Kenya. The target population was principals, Board of Management chairpersons, Parents Association chairpersons and Sub County Education officers. Stratified sampling and purposive sampling technique were used to select respondents. A sample size of 316 respondents was selected comprising of 101 principals, 101 Board of Management chairpersons, 101 Parents Association chairpersons and 13 Sub County Education officers. Primary data was collected from the respondents using questionnaires and interview schedule. Qualitative data was analyzed qualitatively using content analysis based on meanings and implications emanating from respondent’s information. Data from questionnaires was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Descriptive statistics consisted of frequencies, percentages, mean, and standard deviation. Inferential statistics consisted linear and multiple regression analysis. Based on the multiple regression model, the coefficient of determination (R squared) of .392, showing that 39.2% of the variation in monitoring and evaluation was explained by implementation of infrastructure projects. The study concludes that monitoring and evaluation of stakeholder participation, monitoring and evaluation of financial resource, monitoring and evaluation of human capacity, monitoring and evaluation of time allocation and monitoring and evaluation of public accountability had a significant influence on implementation of infrastructure projects in public secondary school in Kakamega County. The study recommended that schools should ensure that all the stakeholders are involved in the M&E of school projects. The study also recommends that there should be clear allocation of finances for M&E, staff hiring, staff training, equipment, environment setting, project supervision and the budgeting of financial resources by stakeholders.

There are currently one billion overweight and obese people in the globe. The frequency of obesity has sharply increased worldwide. For the healthcare system, this results in extremely high expenses. Due to the poor compliance characteristic of adolescents, dietary restrictions and meticulous programmed to change their lifestyle are frequently ineffectual in managing the specific group of patients. In order to address obesity, a number of strategies, including medical treatments and surgical procedures, have been developed. Some people say they would like to lose weight surgically or are able to do so. Many people view bariatric surgery as risky and think that maintaining their current weight is safer than having the procedure. There are several novel laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures available to help with weight loss, with intragastrical balloons among the most recent developments. The weight loss achieved with the balloon is an opportunity to lower the surgical and anesthesiologic consequences resulting from bariatric surgery in super-obese individuals with various comorbidities. A novel swallow able intragastrical balloon has been tested for safety and efficacy in reducing excess weight. Utilizing intragastrical balloons, the review's major focus is on helping patients lose weight while improving their co-morbidities.

The deleterious effects of interruptions of hydroelectric energy damage on equipment are profound, and the adverse effect is also on worker productivity. This exploratory study was on understanding the strategies of manufacturing leaders in Zambia strategies to manage hydroelectricity interruptions and thereby also mitigate risks and reduce financial losses. Grounded in the contingency theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that some manufacturing leaders use to manage hydroelectricity interruptions. The study participants for this study were six managers from different manufacturing industries based in Lusaka, Zambia, who implemented strategies to manage hydropower interruptions. Data collection involved semistructured interviews and a review of secondary sources, from the company and externally, and these ranged from company websites, and publications from the Zambia Association of Manufacturers related to managing hydroelectricity power interruptions. The analysis of data was thematic from which Four themes emerged: managing stock gaps, use of generators (turn-time), managing cost of labor input, and investment in stabilizers and storage facilities. Key recommendations include investment in alternative power-generating equipment and upgrading plant transformers. The implication for positive social change includes the potential to create jobs and improve the local economy and subsequent tax base

Leadership plays a crucial role in the management of international airlines' alliance ground staff operations environment. Leadership that is transformational and proactive can serve to optimize the talents of a diverse and inclusive workforce and have the potential to affect an organization positively. This qualitative study was reinforced with the lens of the transformational leadership theory, as the purpose of this single case study was to explore the role of leadership in a U.S.-based international airline alliance, and their approach to leading ground staff operations, successfully. Managing a diverse workforce is often a challenge, as the aim is to ensure desired and optimal organizational effectiveness and performance, on which organizational sustainability and profitability hinges. The study entailed the collection of data using semistructured interviews in computer-mediated conferencing format with five airline alliance leaders located in the state of Georgia, who held at least 2 years of successful experience in leading a diverse workforce. The analysis using a process of constant comparison and thematic analysis yielded the principal theme of the importance of the proactiveness of leadership, in leveraging a diverse workforce, under the aegis of strategic human resources management, and leadership. A key recommendation is for airline alliance leaders to display astute transformational skills and align diversity, equity, and inclusion policies as a critical corporate human resources strategy. Optimizing employee performance is vital in gaining a competitive advantage in a field where service quality is a key differentiating factor in being superior among equals.

A study was carried out to evaluate the plant architecture of 27 local cassava cultivars (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in the Bengamisa region. The aim was to find out which cultivars could be used as monocultures or in crop associations for better weed control. We used a randomized complete block design with 27 treatments (27 cultivars) repeated four times. These parameters were measured: height of first branch, number of branches and petiole length after three months' planting. The results obtained showed that the 27 cultivars gave three groups of cultivars in relation to the height of the first branching and the number of branches (early, medium and late cultivars). They also showed that there are early cultivars that can be used in monoculture for better weed control (Apolina, Adjele and Atua); medium cultivars that can be used for both cropping systems (pure or associated) and late cultivars, better indicated for crop association.

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of altering the distance between the light source and the surface of the restorative material (DLR) on the depth of composite cure with a range of low to high light intensity with different types of light cure units. This in vitro study compared the depth of cure obtained with five quartz tungsten halogen and light-emitting diode curing units at different exposure times and light tip-resin composite distances. Resin composite specimens (Tetric Ceram, A3; diameter 4 mm, height 6 mm) were exposed from 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5- mm distance. The depth of cure determined using the scrape test ISO 4049. Light intensity was also measured at each separation distance for each light. The depth of cure was generally found to decrease as the separation distance increased for all lights at the various cure times. the effect of increasing the separation distance was less than anticipated. The depth of cure was also related to the light output. Depth of composite cure was directly related to intensity and duration of light exposure and inversely related to distance of the light source from the surface for halogen and plasma lights. However, the effect of increasing the separation distance up to 15 mm was less than expected. Altering the separation distance in order to modify the polymerisation characteristics is unlikely to be effective.