European Journal of Science, Innovation and Technology

Parametric versus Non-Parametric Models in Stochastic Frontier Analysis: A Theoretical Review

2024-03-21T18:47:16+02:00

The stochastic frontier analysis has focused on parametric models in which, the parametric functional form of the frontier function is specified, and the method involved estimating the parametric of the frontier function as well as the technical inefficiency component. This approach imposed specific distributional assumptions on the error component and applied the method of Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE). The content of this paper is mainly a theoretical review of the literature to extend the frontier of knowledge, particularly on parametric and non-parametric models. In this paper, we first examined the contents of the parametric model followed by the distributional-free approach which does not depend on any specific assumptions. Following the parametric half-normal model, it is observed that, the inefficiency effect, which is treated as a non-negative truncated zero-mean normal distribution and folded zero-mean normal distribution provided similar results and can be used in applied production economics with no theoretical problem. In what follows with the free approach, the Corrected Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), which used residuals provided straightforward inefficiency effect estimates from a one-sided error term compared with the traditional parametric model, and hence its flexibility did not require any underlying distribution of the dataset to be defined in advance. Given the OLS estimates, the non-parametric model can adapt to the distribution of data (data-driven) of the 196 daily farmers, making it particularly useful, when there is little or no prior information about the distribution of data which may not fit well with the parametric models. Given the sample moment-based statistic for the skewness test (skewness test on OLS residuals), if the estimated result follows the expected sign, then the rejection of the null hypothesis provided evidence for the existence of the one-sided error. To help shift the stochastic frontier analysis to more robustness owing to outliers and non-normal error distribution, researchers are encouraged to adopt the non-parametric model, as it is not constrained by a specific functional form of the error term, but determined by the data itself, thus allowing for a more data-driven modelling approach, compared with the parametric model which may not offer the best fit to the data.

Impact of Timely Documentation on Healthcare Delivery System in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi

2024-03-25T20:19:18+02:00

Inadequacy or lack of timely updating and recording of health-related information in medical records do occur in various healthcare settings, which can lead to several issues, which can compromise the quality and continuity of care. Timely documentation among clinical staff, which facilitates diagnosis and treatment, communicates pertinent information to the other caregivers to ensure patient safety, reduce medical error and serves as an important medico-legal function in risk management. The study aimed to investigate the impact of timely documentation on healthcare delivery system in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi. Methods used are structured questionnaire of health professionals in ATBUTH with questions targeted in accordance with the specific objective of this study, the sampling technique employed was a random sampling which is a sub-group of people chosen by chance in a way that everyone has the chance of being selected. Two hundred questionnaires were distributed and one hundred and seventy-one retrieved personally. Results of the finding are: majority of respondents are male (57.9 %), the highest profession that responded is health information officer/technician (34.5%) and lowest is physiotherapist (2.9%), highest respondent years of experience is 1-10 years (59.1%). The highest respondents affirm that accuracy of documentation, easy accessibility of documentation, completeness of documentation, consistency of information in documentation, and timeliness of documentation have an impact on health care delivery in ATBUTH. From the study it was found that timeliness of documentation has an impact on healthcare delivery system in ATBUTH. At the end of the study it was concluded that timeliness of documentation is effective in healthcare delivery system. It is recommended that medical and clinical personnel should maintain the timeliness, accuracy, integrity, availability, and consistency of all clinical documentation.

Occupational Health and Safety Practices among Small-Scale Mining Workers in Ghana

2024-03-25T20:35:29+02:00

Small-scale mining is a benchmark for poverty reduction in developing countries. It contributes immensely to national income for countries with mineral reserves and mining activities. Despite the contribution of small-scale mining to Ghana, the industry pays little attention to health and safety practices among miners. This study investigated occupational health and safety practices among small-scale miners using a descriptive survey design. A total of 295 participants were selected from small-scale mining firms in the Wassa Amenfi (West, East, and Central) District. Data were gathered from the study participants using a structured questionnaire. Results of the study revealed that 78.98% (233) of the respondents were aware of available regulations regarding workers’ safety. Safety measures adopted by the various mining companies were; safety training (35.00%), the use of PPE (33.00%), regular monitoring (28.00%) and prompt reporting of incidents (4.00%). Miners were exposed to various types of hazards and injuries sustained among miners included cuts, fractures, sprains, broken arms, and entrapment. The commonly used PPE were safety boots (37.00%) whilst the overall coat was the least (8.00%) used among miners. Regardless of improvement in occupational health and safety practices in recent times, occupational health and safety should be given the needed social, legal, and moral attention in the mining industry by the government and other stakeholders. Further research should be conducted in the area of vulnerability of women in the mining sector.

Artificial Intelligence Applications for Students with Learning Disabilities: A Systematic Review

2024-03-25T20:46:28+02:00

This review study endeavors to elucidate the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) in assisting students with learning disabilities (SWLDs). Among the 16 studies examined, dyslexia was the primary focus in 10 instances, with only one study concentrating on dyscalculia, and the remainder addressing learning disabilities in a broader context. Notably, only half of the studies targeted school-age children. Across these studies, seven distinct categories of AI applications were identified, encompassing adaptive learning, facial expression analysis, chatbots, communication aides, mastery learning systems, intelligent tutoring systems, and interactive robots. Among these, adaptive learning emerged as the most prevalent. Employing the SAMR-LD (Substitute, Augment, Modify, Redefine - Learning Disability) model, it was discerned that AI has been applied in diverse capacities to support SWLDs, with instances observed across substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition levels. While the findings underscore the potential of AI in aiding SWLDs, the limited number of empirical studies also highlights substantial gaps, indicating the necessity for further research into AI's broader role beyond mere identification and diagnosis of learning disabilities in this population.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Utilization, Obstacles, and Future Prospects of Large Artificial Intelligence Models in Health Informatics

2024-04-11T15:58:43+03:00

This article has been retracted due to plagiarism issues and at the request of the author of the original, plagiarized article. Please see the EJSIT Policy on Article Retraction and Withdrawal.

The Editorial Board would like to extend its sincere apologies for any inconvenience this retraction may have caused.

Software Testing using Multi-Collaboration Platforms

2024-03-26T21:06:11+02:00

Software applications become increasingly complex and competitive pressures intensify; the importance of quality assurance in software development cannot be overstated. Software testing plays a crucial role in the Software Development Lifecycle, necessitating the adoption of enhanced and efficient methodologies and techniques to ensure superior quality. This paper aims to explain and explore existing testing techniques to enhance quality assurance in software development processes by testing means. Various testing tools for backend and frontend applications are available to figure out the outcomes, but selection of the appropriate tool to find the concerned outcomes in software testing aspect is imperative. Loading, implementation, fetching results, extraction of the suitable fallouts is the major aim to the study.

The Impact of Globalization on Organizational Performance in Uganda: Evidence from Madhvani Sugar Factory

2024-03-27T18:08:18+02:00

The study looked into how Ugandan organizations performed in globalization. The study's goals were to: (1) ascertain how trade liberalization affected Madhvani Sugar Factory's organizational performance; (2) analyze how technology development affected Madhvani Sugar Factory's organizational performance; and (3) investigate the impact of global competition. A cross-sectional study design was applied. Questionnaires were distributed to ninety (90) unit supervisors from the sugar factory. Only eighty-one (81) complete and valid questionnaires were received back, nevertheless. To get precise results, descriptive statistics using frequencies and percentages were employed. Consequently, it was determined that the impact of globalization on the performance of businesses is dynamic and dependent on how strategically firms respond to the opportunities and problems it poses. Proactively managing globalization-related factors and successfully adapting to them boost an organization's competitiveness, resilience, and overall performance.

Understanding Living Environment for Migrant Workers: Study & Design of Labour Accommodation in Ahmedabad

2024-03-27T18:12:06+02:00

The life of a migrant worker is fraught with unpredictability, and this has made them extremely susceptible throughout their working careers. They are mostly found to be working on construction and infrastructure project sites. They are not recognised or acknowledged by the society around them. The absurdity of the situation is that the people who build our ideal homes actually live in appalling poverty themselves. They have been looking for a way to live that is both dignified and fulfilling so that they can finally feel like a part of society. Leaving their home for a job that doesn’t pay enough to support their family is already a difficult task; the fact that they don’t have enough housing here makes the situation even more difficult. They are always going through the motions of a transient existence. As a result, it is of the utmost importance to improve the conditions in which they are living so that they can lead decent lives. With India poised to make an immense jump in urbanization – this aspect of our construction and infrastructure development becomes critical – especially in the light of social equity and dignity of life being an integral part of our sustainability goals for the future. In this context, this study looks at some of the existing living conditions of construction site workers in the city of Ahmedabad, India and identifies issues and concerns that need to be addressed. It also goes on to propose one (of many possible) solutions that tries to address these concerns – this is done through a design demonstration.

The Necessary Restructuring of the UN to Avoid the Extinction of Humanity from Threats Caused by Human Beings, by Planet Earth and Coming from Outer Space

2024-03-27T18:16:16+02:00

This article aims to demonstrate the imperative need for the UN to be restructured to prevent the extinction of humanity from threats caused by human beings, by the forces of nature existing on planet Earth and those coming from outer space.

Relationships between Centrifugal Force, Permissible Driving Speed, Outside Diameter, Circular Lane Width and Transverse Gradient of the Seven Selected Austrian Roundabouts

2024-03-28T17:32:58+02:00

The circular roadways at roundabouts are exposed to special traffic loads due to cornering, namely friction and shear stresses, and in smaller roundabouts (mini roundabouts) also torsional stresses (turning of tyres on the spot). Especially due to the high proportion of heavy traffic, damage to the asphalt pavement is often found, such as cracks, unevenness (indentations, ruts), etc. Therefore, it is extremely important to counteract the development of asphalt road damage by selecting the right asphalt construction for the roundabout pavements. It can be stated that there is a correlation between the centrifugal force acting on the vehicle when driving through a roundabout, the permissible driving speed, the outer diameter, the circular lane width and the transversal gradient of the circular lane at roundabout.

Driving Towards Sustainability: Assessment of Water Use and Wastewater Characteristics in Ghana’s Carwash Industry

2024-03-31T12:22:28+03:00

In Africa, the carwash industry remains largely unregulated, using large volumes of potable water and releasing polluted wastewater into the environment. However, as freshwater resources dwindle worldwide, the need to conserve water has become very paramount. Implementing water conservation measures for the carwash industry requires comprehensive empirical data on water usage patterns and wastewater characteristics. To this end, this study assessed the water volumes used by the carwash industry and the nature of the wastewater generated at two locations in Ghana. Four proxy carwash stations were purposively selected and monitored over three weeks to determine water used to wash different vehicles, water consumed and wastewater generated. Composite wastewater samples were collected from two carwash stations to characterize the wastewater generated. ANOVA was used to test for statistical variation in wastewater characteristics using IBM SPSS version 26. Between 30 to 50 vehicles are washed daily at the carwash stations. Water volumes used to wash the vehicles varied widely – between 116 and 1127 litres, depending on the size. Vehicles washed manually used more water than those washed with spray guns. Each car wash station used up to 16,000 litres of fresh water and generated about 13,000 litres of wastewater. All the wastewater quality parameters except pH showed a statistically significant variation (p<0.05) between the two sample locations. On average, BOD (120-160mg/L) and COD (314-382mg/L) in the carwash wastewater exceeded their respective limits for effluent discharge. The mean BOD:COD ratio was 0.4, indicating difficulty in biological treatment. BOD and COD loads in the wastewater were about 2.55kg/day and 6.1kg/day, respectively. To minimize water consumption and wastewater generation at the carwash stations, spray guns for washing vehicles should be mandatory. Innovative approaches to recycling wastewater should also be further studied.

Adaptation of Populations to the Degradation of Natural Resources in Tiéfora (Burkina Faso)

2024-04-02T18:59:44+03:00

The degradation of natural resources in Burkina Faso, particularly in rural areas, seems to be of greater concern on family farms. To this end, the question of combating the degradation of natural resources with adaptation strategies by the local population arises. The objective of this study is to analyse the strategies adopted by the local population to cope with the degradation of natural resources in the rural commune of Tiéfora. A qualitative and quantitative approach was adopted. Interviews were conducted with environmental service workers, village communities and structures in charge of natural resource management. The results show that six (06) water and land conservation techniques (stone barriers, crop rotation, crop association, agroforestry, organic manure and improved seeds) have been adopted by the local population. Perspectives such as community-based and integrated management for the sustainable management of natural resources are also defined.

Music as Communication in Promoting War against Drug Abuse

2024-04-05T13:33:09+03:00

Music is as old as humanity. It has been in existence from time immemorial in the entertainment industry. Music is a veritable source of communication as it is a formidable tool the media use to communicate fast to people on areas of discourse like the fight against drug abuse. Music is one of the most powerful ways to influence, enhance, educate or destroy people’s minds especially with youths. It can make possible good things as well as enhance negative emotions. In Nigeria, a lot of crimes being committed today are done under the influence of drug and this call for taking more stringent measures to tackle drug abuse in Nigeria. The media through their entertainment role use music to disseminate information and entertain the audience. Regarding to drug abuse, people see music as a tool that promotes drug abuse. It is, therefore, the position of this paper to consider the notion that music is also an indispensable tool used by the media to curb out the war against drug abuse. The paper is hinged on Individual difference and Agenda setting theories and it deploys the discourse analysis method. The paper concludes and recommends that music is a powerful communication force to promote war against drug abuse and a measure for behavioral change on drug addicts. The paper suggested that government should use the media through music to mobilize the citizenry against the menace of drug abuse and the government in partnership with the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) should ban any music that promotes drug abuse in Nigeria so as to reduce the increased rate of drug addicts and abusers in the country.

Hygienic and Sanitary Practices among Street Food Vendors - Sagnarigu Municipality of Northern Region, Ghana, 2020

2024-04-08T13:39:46+03:00

Street food vending is a popular income generation activity in developing countries, especially in most cities and towns. Street food vendors normally operate under conditions that could expose consumers to foodborne illnesses. The main objective of the study was to assess sanitary and hygiene practices of street food vendors in the Sagnarigu Municipality. A descriptive cross-sectional study was adopted, questionnaire and multistage sampling technique used, involving purposive and simple random sampling techniques to arrive at a sample size of 270 street food vendors. SPSS was used for data analysis. Univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted. Majority (94.1%) of respondents were females, 32.6% had no formal education, and 39.6% were in the business for 2-3 years. About 81.9% of vending sites were located by the road side, 60.9% close to open gutters, 98.9% of the participants held money with bare hands as well as food. Most of the participants (95.2%) were not wearing face masks, no apron used (90.0%). Also, about 65.2% did not have professional training, no periodic medical examinations (75.9%), no medical certificate to show (83%), and 98.5% had no food safety manual available. Level of respondents’ education showed a significant relationship with location of vending site, waste bin availability at site, frequency to which water used to wash utensils was changed, handling money with bare hands when handling food, provision of veronica bucket at vending site, professional training and licensed to operate as food vendor. The study recommends that Environmental Health Officers may have to consider conducting regular visits to street food vending sites to ensure that high food safety standards were upheld. The study further recommends that the Ghana Education Service (GES) increases school enrolment and girls in particular so as to have more educated people in the future in the food business.

The Impact of Conflict Management on Organizational Performance in Somalia

2024-04-08T13:44:52+03:00

This study investigates the influence of conflict management on organizational performance in Somalia, a country plagued by long-standing sociopolitical instability and recurring wars. Conflict inside firms may stymie production, cooperation, and employee morale, reducing overall organizational performance. However, effective conflict resolution tactics can reduce these negative consequences and establish a work atmosphere favourable to higher performance.

Understanding the relationship between conflict resolution tactics and organizational outcomes is critical in Somalia, a country plagued by long-term violence and instability. Every business in society strives to create an extremely conducive environment where employees may operate effectively and without any outside influences that could obstruct the achievement of individual and organizational goals. Thus, organizational effectiveness—including work-life balance and client and customer satisfaction—is essential for any institution.

This study adopted an exploratory method to investigate and provide useful insights into the link between conflict resolution methods and organizational performance in an unstable setting. The study has significance for organizational leaders, politicians, and practitioners who want to alter workplace dynamics and promote organizational performance.

The paper intends to shed light on the dynamics of conflict management inside Somali companies, providing useful insights into the link between conflict resolution methods and organizational performance in an unstable setting. The findings have significance for organizational leaders, policymakers, and practitioners who want to improve workplace dynamics and increase organizational performance in conflict-affected settings. Finally, recognizing and addressing the influence of conflict management on organizational performance might help Somalia achieve long-term peacekeeping and socioeconomic development goals.

The Impact of Macroeconomic Conditions on the Sharia Stock Index: Empirical Study in Asia Pacific Countries

2024-04-08T13:47:40+03:00

This research aims to analyze the impact of macroeconomic conditions on the sharia stock index carried out on the Sharia Capital Markets in Asia Pacific countries. The sampling technique was carried out using a purposive sampling method for a total of 10 countries. Hypothesis testing uses multiple linear regression. The research results found that inflation had a positive and insignificant effect on the sharia stock index. Meanwhile, the exchange rate has a negative and significant effect on the sharia stock index. Therefore, in this case, to increase the sharia stock index, the country must control the country's exchange rate. Meanwhile, although inflation has a positive influence, changes in the inflation rate, whether decreasing or increasing, are not able to change the sharia stock index.

Development of a CNN-Based Smoke/Fire Detection System for High-Risk Environments

2024-04-08T13:51:47+03:00

This paper addresses the critical challenge of fire detection in high-risk environments, such as industrial facilities, warehouses, and densely populated areas. These locations face significant fire risks due to inherent processes and flammable materials. While traditional methods like smoke and heat detectors play a role, they have limitations like slow response times, false alarms, and ineffectiveness in large spaces. We propose a novel approach using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for smoke/fire detection in these environments. Our CNN-based system continuously analyses video feeds, enabling faster fire detection compared to traditional methods and easily adapts its detection for scenes with challenging lighting conditions. This paper details the development, training process, and evaluation of the CNN system in simulated high-risk environments. The analysis of the system is performed in terms of accuracy, false alarm rate, and response time. The results demonstrate the potential of CNN technology for improving fire safety and early detection in critical locations, achieving an impressive accuracy of 94.14% and minimal loss of 0.14 during evaluation.

Dynamic Behavior Prediction of Magnetorheological Fluid Dampers using Neural Networks

2024-04-11T19:24:15+03:00

Parametric and non-parametric models have been studied to predict the behavior of magnetorheological (MR) fluid dampers by a lot of researchers due to their nonlinear dynamics. In this paper, the direct and inverse dynamic identification for MR fluid dampers using recurrent neural networks are investigated to demonstrate the more accurate and efficient model. The effect of neural networks construction on the prediction quality of dynamic performance of MR damper is introduced in details. The trained direct identification neural network model can be used to predict the damping force of the MR fluid damper on line and the inverse dynamic neural network model can be used to generate the command voltage applied to the damper coil through supervised learning. The architectures and the learning techniques of direct and inverse neural network models for MR fluid dampers are introduced and simulation results are discussed. Finally, the trained neural network models are used to predict the damping force of the MR fluid damper accurately and precisely. Moreover, validation results for the neural network models are proposed and used to evaluate their performance. Validation results with several data sets indicate that the proposed direct and inverse identification models using recurrent neural networks can be used to predict the dynamic performance of MR fluid dampers perfectly.

Toxic Effects Assessment of Acute Cobalt Exposure on Stress Biomarkers Responses of Cyprinus carpio Intestine

2024-04-15T19:03:28+03:00

The aim of the current study is to assess in the first time the toxic effects of acute chloride cobalt concentrations exposure (0(CT), 50 (D1), 500 (D2) µgL^-1CoCl₂) on stress biomarkers responses of Cyprinus carpio intestine during 3 days. Cobalt accumulation alters the lipids of intestine cells causing therefore lipid peroxidation objectified by significant increases of H₂O₂ and MDA levels in all treated groups. The cobalt toxicity induced the disruption of the total antioxidant capacity confirmed by decrease of FRAP levels. The activation of enzymatic and no-enzymatic antioxidants defense system was determined by increases of SOD, GPx activities and GST levels (1) and GSH and NPSH levels (2) in all carp treated groups. Similar MT’s induction recorded in our treatment suggested the better response of intestine cell against the cobalt toxicity.

Contribution of Information Technology Capabilities in improving the Employees Performance of MICE Events, Jakarta, Indonesia

2024-04-15T19:39:08+03:00

The purpose of this study is to explain the effect of self-efficacy on employee performance of MICE events (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) and also explain the mediating effect of job satisfaction from the effect of self-efficacy on employee performance. In addition, it examines the moderating effect of information technology capabilities from the influence of self-efficacy on employee performance. This research uses a quantitative approach, where the two companies Royalindo and Pacto have a total of 98 employees. Given that the population is below 100, the population is sampled. So, the sample size was 98 people. Furthermore, the data obtained were obtained from a total of 98 samples distributed at Royalindo Company and Pacto Company in Jakarta. The results showed that self-efficacy can improve employee performance directly and is also able to increase job satisfaction which in turn can improve employee performance. However, information technology capability has not strengthened the relationship of self-efficacy with employee performance. The finding of this study is that although self-efficacy is able to improve performance, job satisfaction is important in bridging the relationship between self-efficacy and employee performance.