• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.193-200
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• 2016

Purpose: New low-cost oilseeds are needed to meet an ever-increasing demand for oil for food, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications. African oil bean seed is a tropical crop that is underutilized and has high oil yields, but there have been no studies conducted on its mechanical oil expression up to now. The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of moisture content and seed dimensions on mechanical oil expression from the seeds. Methods: Fresh oil bean seeds were procured, de-hulled, and cleaned. Initial seed moisture content, obtained in accordance with the ASAE standard, was 12% dry basis (db). The seeds were further conditioned by dehydration and rehydration prior to oil expression to obtain four other moisture levels of 8, 10, 14, and 16% db. The major diameter of the seeds was measured using digital vernier calipers, and the seeds were classified into size dimensions (< 40, 41-45, 46-50, 51-55, and > 55 mm). The oil yield and expression efficiency were obtained in accordance with standard evaluation methods. Results: The highest oil yield and expression efficiency (47.74% and 78.96%, respectively) were obtained for a moisture content of 8% db and seed dimensions of < 40 mm, while the lowest oil yield and expression efficiency (41.35% and 68.28%, respectively) were obtained for a moisture content of 14% db and seed dimensions between 51-55 mm. A mathematical model was developed to predict oil yield for known moisture content and seed dimensions, with a coefficient of determination $R^2$ of 95% and the confidence level of the predictive model of 84.17%. The probability of prediction F ratio showed that moisture content influence was more significant than seed dimensions. Conclusions: The higher the moisture content and larger the seed dimensions, the lower the oil yield from African oil bean seeds.

• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.278-297
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• 2021

Despite competing strategical interests over Southeast Asia that have emerged in the last decade, with the launch of wide scope geopolitical strategies Chinese and Japanese initiatives have been characterized by a certain degree of implicit coordination, particularly in offering support to the Myanmar state's territorializing strategies for economic development. The case of the Thilawa Special Economic Zones (SEZ) is exemplary, as it was a Japan-led project which became a model and benchmark example for similar development initiatives supported by the People's Republic of China.

• Journal of Construction Engineering and Project Management
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.13-25
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• 2017

Construction projects have been observed to have problems of project delays and disruptions and the South African construction industry is not an exception. This research identified causes and effects of project delay and disruption through a desktop study. Subsequently, a questionnaire was designed and used to conduct a survey to obtain the views of the three main construction project participants - clients, consultants, and contractors. The questionnaire contains 48 causes and 13 effects of project delay and disruption identified from the desktop study. This research identified sixteen most important causes of project delay and disruption and five most important effects of delay and disruption. Sixteen most important causes were: (1) strikes, (2) rework due to errors during construction, (3) shortage of materials in market, (4) suspension of work by the client, (5) poor communication between the parties, (6) ineffective planning and scheduling of project, (7) delays in issuing working drawings, (8) mistakes and discrepancies in design documents, (9) shortage of labours and equipment, (10) delay in decision making process by the client, (11) unforeseen ground conditions, (12) unclear and inadequate details in drawing, (13) inadequate contractor's experience, (14) delay in approving changes in the scope of works, (15) delay in material delivery and (16) unacceptable quality of materials. The five major effects include: (1) create stress on contractors, (2) cost overrun, (3) time overrun, (4) poor quality of work due to rush, and (5) disputes. Furthermore, the result of this research was compared with the result of previous studies conducted in other regions of Africa in terms of causes and effects of project delay and disruption. The research concludes that numerous causes and effects of delay and disruption are limited to South African construction projects based on the comparison. The causes limited to South African construction projects include: (1) strikes, (2) suspension of work by the client (3) mistakes and discrepancies in design documents (4) delay in approving changes in the scope of works and (5) unacceptable quality of materials, while the two major effects limited to South African construction projects includes: (1) create stress on contractors and (2) poor quality of work. In conclusion, some recommendations were made in order to minimise the causes of delay and disruption identified.

• International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.17-34
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• 2022

This informetrics study was conducted to find out the distribution of articles and authors that published in African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Studies [AJLAIS]) from 2009 to 2018; considering the year-wise growth of research articles; authorship pattern and collaboration ratio; subject and geographical distributions of authors; and authors' productivity level. A descriptive informetrics research design was adopted. Quota sampling technique was used to select all the articles published within the ten-year period. Data collected through a self-designed checklist was analyzed using frequency count and percentage. The findings revealed that 141 articles, contributed by 266 authors were published by AJLAIS during the period. An annual average growth of 1.20% was recorded. Overall year-wise authorship pattern revealed that majority of articles (62.41%) published in AJLAIS were multiple authored. Also, articles on Informetrics and ICT dominated the journal. Some subject areas not covered were identified such as: indexing and serial collections management. Average collaborative index across the 10-year period for the journal was 0.62. South Africa and Nigeria were the two major prolific contributors to AJLAIS, just as evidence-based research papers of survey type (65.25%) were the most common to the journal. There should be increased numbers of articles in each edition over the coming years, and awareness should be created by the publishers to familiarize the researchers with the publishing requirements of the journal. Also, LIS researchers should concentrate more on areas usually left untouched by previous studies. The study is original as no other similar study was found on publication pattern of articles in AJLAIS covering a ten year period of 2009-2018. The findings of the study will also serve as a feedback mechanism for the Publisher of the Journal and LIS researchers on how to improve the journal and LIS research in general.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.2567-2570
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• 2013

Background: This study analyzed Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data to assess if socio-economic factors (SEFs) impact on endometrial cancer survival. Materials and Methods: Endometrial cancer patients treated from 2004-2007 were included in this study. SEER cause specific survival (CSS) data were used as end points. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were computed for predictors. Time to event data were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify independent risk factors. Results: This study included 64,710 patients. The mean follow up time (S.D.) was 28.2 (20.8) months. SEER staging (ROC area of 0.81) was the best pretreatment predictor of CSS. Histology, grade, race/ethnicity and county level family income were also significant pretreatment predictors. African American race and low income neighborhoods decreased the CSS by 20% and 3% respectively at 5 years. Conclusions: This study has found significant endometrial survival disparities due to SEFs. Future studies should focus on eliminating socio-economic barriers to good outcomes.

• 무역학회지
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.39-57
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• 2021

Developing countries are in competition to attract ODA and FDI in an effort to overcome poverty and development. This study tries to identify factors influencing the distribution of ODA and FDI resources and analyzes if ODA and FDI are in complementary relationship. We use a panel data for 53 African countries during early and middle of 2000 period. Factors affecting the ODA distribution include per capita GDP, physical infrastructure, good institutions of receiving countries. FDI was found to be positively affected by market size, trade openness, human capital accumulation, business-friendly regulatory environment. The impact of ODA is believed to be more effective and sustainable if it has a complementary relationship with FDI. Our result, however, did not confirmed the complementarity relation between the two.

• Human Ecology Research
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• 제55권3호
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• pp.275-287
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• 2017

The recent Great Recession of 2008 was a period of sharp economic decline throughout the late 2000s. All socio-demographic groups were impacted by the economic downturn, however, Hispanic households were particularly hard hit. It is not a recent phenomenon that minority groups often have greater problems related to credit and debt repayments. A better understanding of these racial/ethnic differences in credit and debt has been hindered by the propensity of many studies to pool all racial/ethnic minorities together and compare them to white households. Using a Heckman-type selection model with a combination of the 2010 and 2013 Survey of Consumer Finances datasets to study household debt repayment problems, we found that racial/ethnic groups have been differently impacted by the recent Great Recession in terms of debt repayment problems. Hispanic households were less likely to hold debt; however, those with debt were just as likely as white households and African American households to be delinquent in repayments. This finding is contrary to prior research that indicated Hispanics with debt were less likely than white and African American households to be delinquent on repayments prior to the Great Recession of 2008. We propose possible explanations for the increase in debt repayment problems, that includes increased assimilation into the U.S. culture of credit use, the circumstance of being more recent home buyers prior to the decline, and living in states that suffered the greatest decline in housing value.

• 한국아프리카학회지
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• 제43권
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• pp.3-48
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• 2014

ABAKO(Alliance des Bakongo) of Democratic Republic of Congo is an organization founded by an ethnic group who sought to preserve its language, culture and tradition. It later developed into a political organization and led an independence movement from Belgium. In 1950, Edmond Nzeza-Nlandu founded the ABAKO in Leopoldville (currently known as Kinshasa), the capital of Belgian Congo. ABAKO changed into a political organization, however, when Nzeza-Nlandu stepped down from his position and Joseph Kasa-Vubu was elected instead as the chief of ABAKO in March 21, 1954. The Bakongo nationalism, as a link between the Kongo Kingdom of the past and the Bakongo people of the present, had influence on their cultural identity, attitude towards authority, political orientation, a common ground for geographical boundaries, and provided foundation for group mobilization. Moreover, the Kimbangu Church, founded by Simon Kimbangu had close ties with ABAKO. They struggled to obtain independece from the Belgian colonial rule. In conclusion, the leaders and members of ABAKO regarded the 'ethnic, linguistic and historical' affinities as the identity of their Bakongo nationalist group.

• 대한지리학회지
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.440-458
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• 2012

본 연구는 문화 간 이해, 인종주의적 편견 해소 등과 같은 문제의식에 대해 '사실과 재현'의 관점에서 세계지역 내용 구성 및 내용 서술을 비판적으로 검토하는데 목적을 두었다. 이를 위해 초 중학교 사회교과서 아프리카 교육 내용을 비판적으로 검토하였다. 분석 결과, 자연환경 서술 영역에서는 지리적으로 다양한 장점을 지닌 지역으로서의 이미지를 부각시키지 못하고 있었다. 문화 역사 서술 영역에서는 다양한 민족과 국가로 이루어진 다양성의 아프리카로서의 재현보다는 과도한 일반화와 단순화로 인해 아프리카 문화와 역사에 대한 고정관념과 왜곡된 이미지를 심어주고 있었다. 자원 산업 서술 영역에서는 긍정적인 발전의 모습 보다는 부정적인 측면이 강조되어 재현되었고, 변화의 모습 보다는 정체적이고 낙후된 지역으로서의 이미지를 심어주고 있었다. 이제는 '동일한 문화와 특성을 지닌 아프리카'에 대한 이미지 보다는 그 안에 살아 숨쉬고 있는 '다양하고 다층적이며 역동적인 아프리카'의 실제 모습을 보거나 떠올릴 수 있는 교육으로 이루어져야 할 필요성이 있음을 논의하였다.

• 한국컴퓨터정보학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국컴퓨터정보학회 2023년도 제67차 동계학술대회논문집 31권1호
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• pp.477-478
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• 2023

본 연구는 코로나-19 이후로 다시 활성화된 해외여행과 관련된 정보를 데이터베이스화해 정리하고, 폭발적으로 늘어난 여행객들을 위한 여행지 추천을 제시하였다. 또한 여행객들만이 아닌 여행사들을 위해 여행객들의 정보 역시 데이터베이스화하여 여행지 상품 수요조사 등에 사용할 수 있도록 하였다. 코로나-19로 인해 각국의 입국 정책은 다양해졌고, 해외여행이 단절된 기간 동안 소비자들은 여행에 대한 최신 정보를 계속해서 접하지 못했다. 그래서 이 데이터를 통해 소비자들의 수요에 맞는 여행지를 추천하고, 여행사들은 소비자들의 필요를 확인할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.