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Sustainable Biocomposites Materials for Automotive Brake Pad Application: An Overview
Get PDFResearch into converting waste into viable eco-friendly products has gained global concern. Using natural fibres
and pulverized metallic waste becomes necessary to reduce noxious environmental emissions due to indiscriminately
occupying the land. This study reviews the literature in the broad area of green composites in search of
materials that can be used in automotive brake pads. Materials made by biocomposite, rather than fossil fuels,
will be favoured. A database containing the tribo-mechanical performance of numerous potential components
for the future green composite was established using the technical details of bio-polymers and natural reinforcements.
The development of materials with diverse compositions and varying proportions is now conceivable, and
these materials can be permanently connected in fully regulated processes. This explanation demonstrates that all
of these variables affect friction coefficient, resistance to wear from friction and high temperatures, and the operating
life of brake pads to varying degrees. In this study, renewable materials for the matrix and reinforcement are
screened to determine which have sufficient strength, coefficient of friction, wear resistance properties, and reasonable
costs, making them a feasible option for a green composite. The most significant, intriguing, and unusual
materials used in manufacturing brake pads are gathered in this review, which also analyzes how they affect the
tribological characteristics of the pads
Sustainable utilization of value-added products from the catalytic and non-catalytic pyrolysis of motor car scrap tire: Suitability of produced char for energy generation and sugar mill wastewater treatment
Get PDFClean fuel and sustainable energy utilization are essential requirements to address the impacts of
global warming and climate change. In this study, the pyrolysis of motor car scrap tire was
investigated in a fabricated cylindrical stainless steel reactor, operated at 450, 500, and 550 ◦C for
50 min with or without the addition of a catalyst. The catalytic condition yielded maximum char
of 59% w/w obtained at 450 ◦C. The addition of the catalyst also enhanced oil yield up to 33% w/
w at 500 ◦C while the maximum gas fraction of 44% w/w was obtained under the non-catalytic
condition, at 550 ◦C. The TGA/DSC analysis showed that the pyrolysis char had a specific heat
capacity (Cp) of 35 J/g.K, relating to its high thermal stability for applications in furnaces, reactors,
and heat construction materials. The char, after chemical activation, with the XRD analysis,
showed that the produced activated carbon (AC) has a good crystalline structure (with high
interplanar distances). The BET analysis revealed that the AC has a high surface area of 1065 m2/
g (average pore diameter of 3.36 nm) which enhanced the adsorption capacity of the AC to about
90 % efficiency for the removal of the heavy metal, cadmium, from sugar mill wastewater
Whistleblowing and interpretation, addressing organizational challenges: a conceptual reflection from Nigeria
Get PDFPurpose – This study aims to explore the effect of whistleblowing and interpretation among practitioners
in the Nigerian economy. The research puts a premium on understanding the relevance and critical
issues in its practices and developing an improved model for the effective practice of whistleblowing and
interpretation in Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach – This study adopted a conceptual approach, relying on extant
literature to understand the management of whistleblowing incidents and identify the managers’ and
other stakeholders’ responsibility in the whistleblowing process. It applied systems dynamics conceptual
modelling and presented an improvement approach to addressing the complexities associated with
whistleblowing and interpretation among Nigerian organizations.
Findings – This study contributed to the extant literature by developing a model for proper management
of whistleblowing in the Nigerian context and enhancing the robust practice of whistleblowing and
interpretation in Nigeria. The findings highlighted critical factors such as managers’ skills development,
legal system support, institutional stakeholders’ function and ethical balance as key factors to effective
whistleblowing management and interpretation. This implies that the act of identifying and developing
responses to an emerging case of whistleblowing requires a process of developing underpinning
assumptions, engagement and consideration of stakeholders’ interests while driving the sustenance of
organizational focus.
Originality/value – This study emphasized the departure from absolute best practice to developing
idea approaches that reflect stakeholders’ interests and the context of whistleblowing and
interpretation. While the study acknowledges limitations in the sole focus on the Nigerian private
sector and the Nigerian economic background, it recommends further exploration of whistleblowing
and its interpretation on a comparative approach, to improving the current understanding of the
topic
Resonant fractional order differential equation with twodimensional kernel on the half-line
Get PDFThis paper derives existence results for a resonant fractional order differential equation with two-dimensional kernel on
the half-line using coincidence degree theory. Fractional calculus of Riemann-Liouville type is adopted in the study. The results
obtained are illustrated with an example
Satisfaction with Maintenance of the Public Sector Employee Housing Schemes in Lagos State, Nigeria
Get PDFThe Public sector employee housing is a kind of housing arrangement, which accentuates the role of
the employer (government as well as its agencies) in assisting to deliver housing, mainly for the public sector
workers. However, not much is known of the occupants’ satisfaction with the maintenance features of housing
provided through this scheme in a large metropolitan area such as Lagos State. This study investigated the
Maintenance Satisfaction features in nine public-sector employee housing estates in Lagos state, Nigeria. A
cross-sectional survey research design involving quantitative research approach was adopted. The survey was
carried out between September, 2020 and March, 2021. Using stratified sampling technique, the estates were
grouped into the local government area. Cluster sampling was used to select the local government area. Also,
purposive sampling technique was used to select 688 housing units in the nine purposively selected housing
estates. 500 copies of the administered questionnaire were correctly filled and returned by the participants and
the information were subjected to descriptive statistics. Statistical package for Social Science(SPSS) was used
to analyze the data. The results pointed out that the respondents were most satisfied with the promptness of
response to security issues in the estate, frequency of collection and disposal of refuse, frequency of
maintenance of power supply facilities and least satisfied with the frequency of maintenance of roads within
the estate, frequency of maintenance of drainage facilities and frequency of fumigation of the estate
environment. Therefore, to improve maintenance satisfaction of inhabitants in public sector employee housing
schemes, the key stakeholders such as the architects, builders and so on should give priority attention to the key
features that ensure residents’ satisfaction
DEMOCRACY, FEDERALISM AND GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA
Get PDFNigeria became one of the federal societies under the supervision of
the British colonial government in 1954. Federalism and democracy
ceased when the military government usurped and suspended the
Republican Constitution in 1966. The periods of military rule
witnessed over-centralization of power at the centre, while the
federating states became Lilliputians. The usurpation of jurisdictional
competencies and centralization of power made the federating
states and local governments default on their socio-economic
responsibilities. The paper aims to elucidate the intricate relationship
between federalism and democracy in Nigeria, shedding light on
the repercussions of their erosion during military rule. Through a
comprehensive review of historical events and constitutional changes,
this study examined the consequences of over-centralization and
jurisdictional encroachments during military governance. The paper revealed that the institutionalization of federalism once embraced
without due consideration, led to detrimental adjustments and crises
during military rule, significantly impeding socio-economic and
political development. The paper concluded that democracy and
federalism are twins ‘brothers’ and will remain relevant and last long
when Nigerian leaders, particularly elected representatives, undertake
constitutional reforms that prioritized power devolution to states and
local governments. This adjustment, rooted in justice and fairness,
will rejuvenate the symbiotic relationship between democracy and
federalism, ensuring lasting relevance
Dynamic Retention Strategies for Mitigating Health Workers Brain Drain
Get PDFThe departure of skilled health workers from Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Pacific poses a significant
challenge for the global health workforce, exacerbating healthcare accessibility issues, labour shortages, and
vulnerabilities within healthcare systems worldwide. This study aims to identify brain drain drivers and
propose dynamic retention strategies tailored to the unique circumstances of each region, relying solely on
secondary data. Drawing upon the Push-Pull and Social Exchange Theory frameworks, the study reviews
existing literature, and it was revealed that there is an interplay of push factors, such as low pay, limited
professional development opportunities, and challenging working conditions, alongside pull factors,
including better income prospects and career advancement opportunities. This study advocates for dynamic
retention strategies like enhancing employee engagement, implementing flexible work arrangements,
promoting work-life balance, offering competitive compensation, facilitating professional development, and
fostering supportive work environments tailored to each region's circumstances were imperative to mitigate
the health workers brain drain syndrome. It also suggests the importance of strategic, context-specific
interventions in mitigating brain drain and ensuring sustainable healthcare delivery worldwide and ongoing
research and evaluation to assess their effectiveness. This can be achieved through collaborative efforts of
stakeholders towards safeguarding the global health workforce and promoting equitable access to healthcare
services for all
Microbial biotechnology for bioenergy: general overviews
Get PDFBioenergy technologies are environment-friendly, renewable, and a clean way of
powering the global community. Bioenergy technology is an innovation that improves
the quality of life by simply reducing water and air contamination; this also mitigates
energy dependence through creation of renewable resources locally. Bioenergy sources
include wind, water, geothermal, nuclear power, solar, and natural gases. The most
interesting and important part of bioenergy is the environmental benefits as part of a
global energy future, which are aided by microorganisms. The future of bioenergy,
however, seems bright because recent global information in this field proved that more
renewable energy capacity has been fixed globally than new fossil fuel and nuclear
capacity combined. As the global population progressively increases, there is an everincreasing
demand for clean energy. The only safe answer to this is sustainable energy,
which will protect the earth from climate change and make it a good habitat for all living
organisms. This chapter provides a general overview to microbial biotechnology for
bioenergy, sources, and challenges of bioenergy, role of microorganisms in bioenergy
generation, innovations in bioenergy, and the environmental conservation of bioenergy
Cytotoxic and phytochemical screening of Solanum lycopersicum–Daucus carota hydroethanolic extract and in silico evaluation of its lycopene content as anticancer agent
Get PDFThis article explores the potential of a specific
functional food mix containing lycopene, a pigment found
in tomatoes, for its role in cervical cancer prevention and
treatment. The article assesses the cytotoxic effects on cervical
cancer cells and conducts molecular docking analysis to
understand the biological activities and binding interactions
of lycopene. The formulations are analysed for their phytochemical
profile, and their in vitro antioxidant activities are
evaluated using spectrophotometric methods. Cytotoxicity
tests on cervical cancer cells demonstrate that the ethanol
extract of tomatoes exhibits the highest cytotoxic inhibition
(40.28%), while carrots show minimal cytotoxic effects.
Moreover, the lycopene extract exhibits dose-dependent
cytotoxicity, with the highest concentration (1,000 μg/mL)
displaying remarkable inhibition (74.2%). Molecular docking
analysis indicates favourable interactions between lycopene
and the pro-apoptotic protein BAX 1, suggesting its potential
to induce apoptosis in cervical cancer cells, but camptothecin
demonstrated stronger interactions. Molecular dynamics
simulations confirm the stability of lycopene–protein complexes
throughout the 100 ns simulation, supporting their
potential as anticancer agents. Overall, the study highlights
the cytotoxic effects of tomato–carrot food extracts and lycopene
on cervical cancer cells. Molecular docking reveals the
potential of lycopene to induce apoptosis through interactions
with BAX 1. The stability analysis of lycopene–protein
complexes further supports its anticancer properties. These
findings enhance our understanding of the molecularmechanisms
underlying the anticancer effects of lycopene and provide
insights for future research on novel chemopreventive strategies
for cervical cancer. However, further in vivo and clinical
studies are warranted to validate the efficacy and safety of
lycopene-based interventions
HIGHER FRACTIONAL ORDER p-LAPLACIAN BOUNDARY VALUE PROBLEM AT RESONANCE ON AN UNBOUNDED DOMAIN
Get PDFIn this work, we use the Ge and Ren extension of Mawhin’s
coincidence degree theory to investigate the solvability of the
p-Laplacian fractional order boundary value problem of the form
(f ( a ( )))¢
p D0+x t
( , ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ), 0 ( )), (0, ),
1
0
2
0
3
0 = a Î +¥
+
a-
+
a-
+
a-
f t x t D + x t D