Baynoon Centre for Studies and Development (BCSD): OJS
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Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun and the Valorization of Womanhood
Get PDFThe Nigerian Civil War has birthed much writing with the actors and victims reimagining the dark historical experience, highlighting the divergent role(s) in different literary genres. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun, one of the latest additions to the corpus of the war narratives, marks its distinctiveness by its fictive feminization, valorizing the marginal ‘other’. Available studies on the text focus on gender and trauma, with a passing mention of education. With the feminist theory as its thrust, this paper examines Adichie’s redefinition of the status of femininity vis-à-vis education. Through the actions of male/female genders and the rural illiterate/highly educated female gender captured in duality, Adichie, in the text, configures education as an undercurrent for the exploits of the educated female even as it (education) serves as the author’s strategy of subverting gender bias in society
The Impact of Cooperative Membership on Rural Households’ Farm Income: The Case of Aquaculture Farmers in the Eastern Region of Ghana
Get PDFPurpose: This study examined the effect of farmers’ involvement in aquaculture cooperatives on rural households’ farm income in the Eastern Region of Ghana.
Approach/Methodology/Design: The data were gathered through questionnaires administered to four hundred (400) rural fish farming households. The endogenous switching regression (ESR) technique was used to resolve the self-bias of variables selection. For robustness of the results, Heckman selection model was later used to assess the treatment impact while accounting for endogeneity bias resulting from selection on unobservable variables. The heterogeneous analysis was performed to examine the impacts of cooperative involvement on rural fish farming households’ farm income.
Findings: Based on the ESR outcomes, the study found that households’ credit access, extension services accessed by household heads, educational attainment by household heads, and household size significantly influence cooperative members’ farm income. However, farm (pond) size, household heads’ age, and households’ farming experience had no significant impact on cooperative members’ farm income. Using the problem confrontation index, the cooperative aquaculture farmers claimed that the deployment of primitive tools, high post-harvest losses, unavailability of improved feeds, high costs of chemicals, and low yield were the most severe obstructions in fish production. In contrast, the study established that the topmost pressing constraints confronting the non-cooperative member farmers were the inaccessibility to credit facilities, low productivity, high post-harvest losses, unavailability of improved feeds, and high costs of chemicals.
Originality/value: This study highlighted that technical training, credit access, market outlets, bargaining power, input supplies, and increased prices of their products were the benefits the members derived from their involvement in aquaculture cooperatives in the study area
Human Capital Factors in the Recent College Graduate: Employers’ Perspective
Get PDFPurpose: This paper aims to identify and evaluate the human capital factors that are expected in fresh college graduates as perceived by employers. The paper also aims to identify the gap between the expectation of the employer and the skills found (reality) in the graduate as perceived by the industry. Further, the study involves estimating if the expectation-reality gap in these factors is different across industries.
Design/Methodology/Approach: Qualitative research was undertaken to identify those factors and items within each factor. Then, descriptive research was conducted which involved a survey with several respondents from major industries in the private and public sectors in the Sultanate of Oman. The responses were statistically analyzed using Fisher Exact Test.
Findings: The study revealed that the most important Human Capital/ employability factor varies from one industry to another. The most and least important items/ skills in each of the three categories of Human Capital factors were independent across industry types, except for the most important of soft skills. Though the expectation-reality gap existed in the factors, it was found to be independent across industries, except for the Personal Characteristics factor.
Practical Implications: Fresh graduates need to understand that their prospective employers are perceiving gaps in their expectations versus reality. Being cognizant of this gap and working for self-improvement is imperative not only for improving the probability of employment with the favorite employer but also to fuel their career growth. These insights are relevant and useful to other stakeholders as well. By taking action based on these findings, the industry would reap better productivity benefits, and the economy of the nation would improve and propel sustainable development. Also, Higher Education Institutions (HEI) would be able to show better employment rates and student successes.
Originality/Value: The findings provide important insights for students and HEI to formulate intervention strategies. The employers would be aware of the gap and thus, design suitable bridge programs to adapt the new graduates to their and the industry needs. Therefore, the government would acquire valuable cues to formulate suitable policies to achieve the nation’s strategic goals
The Politics of Protest in the Post-Apartheid Poetry of Seitlhamo Motsapi and Mxolisi Nyezwa
Get PDFThis paper critically examines the manifestation of protest agitations in post-apartheid South African poetry. The paper considered the insightful reflections of two South African poets on the influence of the apartheid administration and other forms of racial profiling and segregation. It is pertinent to note that the paper does not only record the outburst of these writers against apartheid; the crux of the paper is channeled towards the exposition of the perspectives of the selected poets about the traumatic experience of apartheid and the obnoxious nature of the post-apartheid experience. One collection of poetry from Seitlhamo Motsapi and Mxolisi Nyezwa was selected for critical and literary analysis. The paper considers the expression of disaffection by writers in their portrayal of the struggles for socio-political sanity and socioeconomic equanimity after the dehumanizing apartheid regime. The paper posits that writers should continually engage the thesis of post-apartheid and evoke the consciousness of the masses to the nefarious realities of their circumstances. The paper concludes that Africans need to realize their distinctions and peculiarities by looking inwards and reflecting on new ways to chart a new course for future generations
It’s not about the Burqa: Muslim Women on Faith, Feminism, Sexuality and Race: Book Review
Get PDFThis book review presents a brief synthesis of the lived narratives of Muslim women presented in It's not about the Burqa. The review also includes a critical reading of those narratives as well as some linguistic decisions the book editor, Mariam Khan, makes in her adopted representational politics. 
Evaluation of Anticancer Activity of Azadirachta Indica and Withania Somnifera Crude Extracts on Human Prostate Cancer Cell Lines PC3 and DU145
Get PDFPurpose: Recent years have witnessed a shift from chemically processed drugs to more therapeutic natural domains. Several plant parts like root, stem, leaves, etc. are utilized to develop ‘natural drugs’ for treatment of deadly diseases, one such being cancer. A plethora of plant secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, steroids, phenolics have displayed viable roles in the human diseases like diabetes, cancer and have been known to show anti-inflammatory, analgesics and antipyretic properties. The present investigation has mainly focused on the evaluation of crude extracts of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Neem), Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Ashwagandha) against human prostate cancer cell lines PC3 and DU145 by performing cell viability tests.
Methods: The crude extracts of plants were prepared in organic solvents such as ethanol and methanol and their anticancer activity were evaluated by employing resazurin and DNA fragmentation assays.
Results: The crude extracts of A. indica and W. somnifera have showed inhibition on growth of PC3 and DU145 cells. In PC3, ethanolic extract of W. somnifera (WSEE) at 80 µg/mL was found to be optimum as cancer cells growth inhibitor and showed 45.03% inhibition whereas, 42.63% inhibition in DU145 cells was observed in 100 µg/mL of methanolic extract of A. indica (AIME). Fragmented or damaged DNA was observed in the extract treated PC3 and DU145 cancer cells assessed by DNA fragmentation assay.
Conclusion: The secondary metabolites present in the crude extracts showed moderate anticancer activity against prostate cancer cell lines such as PC3 and DU145. These natural agents stand out as chemopreventive substances and are have been used more in practice with allopathic substitutes, however investigation with the aid of advance technology and extrapolating the potential benefits of various other herbs can be vital in this regard
Firm Specific Determinants of Growth in a Post CPEC Situation
Get PDFPurpose: The study explores the determinant of firm growth in a post CPEC scenario by taking a panel data of 53 textile based firms listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).
Approach/Methodology/Design: The data were extracted from the Financial Statement Analysis (FSA) published by State Bank of Pakistan for a period ranging from 2012 to 2017. In this research, we applied some methods to evaluate results descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and regression models such as random effect model, fixed effect model and pooled OLS and also we use GMM method (generalized method of movement).
Findings: The results after the calibration of CPEC as dummy variable proved that profitability and financial leverage are significant determinants of firm growth in the textile sector of Pakistan even after controlling the endogeneity problems.
Originality/value: The results imply that the firms in textile sector should focus on sustained profitability and also the availability of healthy financial arrangements to pursue growth in the long term
A Cross-Sectional Study to Assess Quality of Care and Patient Satisfaction Using Theranow Telerehabilitation Program Post-THR and TKR Surgeries
Get PDFPurpose: to study the quality of care and satisfaction of patients using a telerehabilitation program after THR and TKR surgeries by checking their NPS
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among the 40 patients planned for TKR and/or THR surgeries and participating in TheraNow telerehabilitation program. Net Promoter Score scale was used to assess patient’s satisfaction and the likelihood of recommending TheraNow telerehabilitation program to others. Patients were asked to rate their satisfaction level on a scale of 0-10 after the program, 0 being the least satisfied and 10 being the most. Demographic details of the patients were also recorded.
Results: Out of 40 Patients, 17 (42.5%) were males and 23 (57.5%) were females. The overall mean age of the study population was 65.20+8.41. The maximum number of patients (42.5%) belonged to 61-70 years of age group followed by the 71-80 years of age group (27.5%). The national average NPS score for the healthcare industry is 27 but the average NPS score in our study was 93.
Conclusion: Excellent levels of patient satisfaction with total joint replacement were found and it shows that most patients who have had either a hip or knee replacement would be happy to recommend TheraNow rehabilitation programs in the future. The average NPS score in our study is 93 which is even more than the national average NPS score for the healthcare industry
The Effect of Using Smart Board on Primary Stage Students’ Motivation to Learn English
Get PDFPurpose: The study aims to investigate the effect of using the SMART Board on primary stage students’ motivation for learning the English language. Besides, it focuses on how SMART Board enhances the four skills of the English language, namely listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Approach/Methodology/Design: The study is of a quasi-experimental design. A total number of 80 students were selected, and pre-test and post-test were administered. The results were recorded and analyzed using mean, standard deviation, t-test, and p-value. A questionnaire was also administered to measure students’ motivation.
Findings: The findings of this research showed that EFL Jordanian students improved their English proficiency through SMART Board. The teachers, who have taken part in this study, agreed that English language teachers have to be trained to effectively implement SMART Board in their classrooms presenting to the students the most useful lessons on the target contents. Furthermore, it is noticed that the teachers and students found using SMART Board very beneficial as well as helpful in improving the English language.
Practical Implications: The study presents practical implications for English language teachers. The results would be of use for teachers to measure the influence of incorporating instructional technologies in teaching English.
Originality/value: The study findings indicate that the SMART Board integration in a classroom has a powerful effect on the comprehension, recognition, and retention of English
Development and Evaluation of Elisa Kits Based on Proteomics Technology for Detection and Semi-Quantification of Meat Species Adulteration
Get PDFPurpose: This study aimed to develop ELISA kits for the detection of meat species adulteration in raw and processed meat and evaluate its specificity and sensitivity.
Method: We identify the unique peptide markers based on the proteomics approach. Subsequently, we prepared specific antisera for beef, pork, horse, sheep, chicken and developed ELISA kits.
Results: Evaluation of the developed kits in testing crooked reference sample mixtures revealed that the developed ELISA kits showed 100% specificity with no cross-reactivity detected for the non-target species. In terms of sensitivity, the developed ELISA kits were able to consistently detect pork in the sample mixtures and horses at levels down to 5% w/w. Although sheep and chicken were detected at levels as low as 1% w/w. The beef-specific ELISA test showed greater sensitivity.
Conclusions: It is concluded that the developed ELISA kits are a promising tool but further studies are still required for validation of the developed kits and comparing its results with the commercially used kits before entry into the production phase