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The effect of Foreign Accented Speech (FAS) on listening comprehension has been under investigation for many years. FAS studies examine the effect of different accents on listeners’ intelligibility and perceived comprehensibility. In this study, the effects of Persian, Spanish, and American accents on Iranian students’ listening comprehension were investigated. Two hundred and fifty undergraduate English Translation students took part in a TOEFL test. Students were divided into two proficiency groups. Thirty students were chosen as the high proficiency group and thirty others were selected for the low proficiency group. Then each group was randomly divided into three sub-groups of ten students, and each group was exposed to Persian-accented English, Spanish-accented English, and standard American English. By analyzing the resulting figures with a repeated measure design of ANOVA, it was realized that for both proficiency groups the Persian accent had been the most influential one on the students’ listening comprehension. It was found that American and Spanish accents did not have any significant effect on Iranian students’ listening comprehension, although the American accent was more effective than the Spanish accent.

An assessment of the impacts of climate variables on water yield in Ujama Okpauku River, Yala LGA, Cross River State, Nigeria was carried out. The interplay of climatic variables particularly rainfall (its intensity, duration, area distribution and frequency of occurrence temperature, human activities (deforestation, irrigation, farming, urbanization), and catchment characteristics (basin size, shape, slope and elevation) determines the quality of water yield in a river. The rotated component matrix and regression coefficient method was used to analyze the climate variables. The model summary explained (R=83.4%), (R2=69.5%) and (Adjusted R2= 55.4%) respectively. The component matrix loads strongly on the following components rainfall 0.86, sunlight 0.88 and temperature 0.76 respectively. Components matrix i have positive regression coefficient on the following factors rainfall 0.002, temperature 0.30, and sunlight 1.68. This suggest that, water level is expected to be higher in every unite increase in the rainfall, temperature and sunlight. Similarly the component matrix loads strongly on the following components, year 0.95, wind speed 0.88 and evaporation 0.61 respectively. Components matrix ii have negative regression coefficient on the following factors year -0.92, wind speed -0.12 and evaporation -0.16 respectively. This implies that water yield is expected to be low in every unite increase in the years, wind speed and evaporation. The wind speed, evaporation and length of years were contributing factors for the low water yield in Ujama Okpauku River, Yala LGA, Cross River State, Nigeria. The study recommends a massive afforestation around Ujama Okpauku River course and restriction of farming activities along and around the river course to reduce evapo-transpiration, erosion, flood rates and boast water yield in the catchment area.

The groundwater of Igbokoda Coastal Area of Nigeria is characterized by high iron concentrations. Excess iron (Fe) at concentrations above 0.3mg/L in water can give an unpleasant metallic taste and its health effects may include warding off fatigue and anemia. This study therefore assessed the implications of excess Fe in Igbokoda coastal groundwater. The research was carried out using the WHO recommended guideline values, the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) and Larson Index (LI). Hydrochemical results revealed that the pH ranged from 6.8 – 9.8, EC from 67 – 2440(µS/cm), TDS from 43.55 – 1586 (mg/L) and TH from 66.36 – 369.22mg/L. In addition, the selected anions (mg/L) including HCO3, SO4 and Cl ranged from 15.25 – 152.50, 0.00 – 5.32 and 72.00 – 2592.00 respectively. Calcium varied from19.21 – 104.32mg/L and Mg from 3.36 – 75.01mg/L. Iron ranged between 0.01 and 13.74(mg/L) with Mn from 0.00 – 1.00(mg/L). The hydrochemical contents are within approved WHO standard values for potable water except for EC, TH, Cl, Fe and Mn concentrations that exceeded the standard values in some locations. About 97% of the groundwater samples for this research have TH>80mg/L and may not be suitable for domestic purposes as it coagulates soap lather. The chloride values were higher than approved WHO standard of 250mg/L in twenty one locations representing 54% of the groundwater samples. The high chloride values were attributed to saltwater intrusion in the area and could accelerate corrosion of stainless steel even at values as low as 50mg/L. In this research, all LI values in all groundwater samples were greater than 0.5 while 78% have negative LSI values indicating corrosive water. Both LI and LSI revealed significantly that the groundwater of Igbokoda coastal area is corrosive. High levels of Fe and Mn in the groundwater of the study area can result in discoloured water, stain plumbing fixtures and inflict unpleasant metallic taste on the water. In addition, it could result into diseases of aging (Alzheimer’s disease, other neurodegenerative diseases, arteriosclerosis, diabetes mellitus). The groundwater in the coastal area of Igbokoda must be treated by aeration or chlorination which should be followed by physical filtration to allay the health risks of excess iron in the groundwater of the study area.

The emergence of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria has made natural products attract more attention in the medical field. Honey is one such natural product and its medicinal importance has been recorded since ancient times. The in-vitro antibacterial effectiveness of different types of honey (raw and processed) was tested against two species of bacteria; Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative), using the disk diffusion method. Disks impregnated with different concentrations of processed and unprocessed honey were applied to Mueller Hinton agar plates inoculated with the two bacterial species, and the diameters of the zones of inhibitions measured after 24 hours of incubation. Both types of honey showed antibacterial activity against the tested organisms, with the zones of inhibition (ZOI) ranging from 7 mm to 25?mm. S. aureus was more susceptible (maximum zone of inhibition of 25mm) while E. coli was less susceptible (maximum inhibition zone of 17mm). Both raw and processed honey significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited growth of both species of bacteria at a minimum concentration of 40%. The results of this study point to the potential use of honey as an antibacterial agent and therefore a possible alternative therapy against ailments caused by these two bacterial species.

Ethical accounting concept of business ethics relates directly to transparency, accountability & Corporate Responsibility. The major ethical issues occur in accounting and finance are reporting false income, falsifying documents, allowing or taking questionable deductions, illegally evading income taxes, engaging in frauds etc. Indian Ethos is all about what can be termed as “national ethos”. Self-governance is an abstract concept that refers to several scales of organization. Some degree of consensus decision making is usually involved in any self-governance system, if only because individual members of the group may choose to violate the criteria for invoking outside authority, break the code of silence, or otherwise cause the group to lose its autonomy. The need of the hour is the requirement of ethical accounting regulations and in this research paper tried to relate the Indian ethos for self governance.

The main purpose of the study is to find out the influence of the Big Five Personality traits namely, Neuroticism, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Openness on Emotional Intelligence and Job Satisfaction. For this purpose a sample size of 536 Executives who are working at a public sector power generating organization functioning in Tamil Nadu state is selected. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the samples. Big Five Personality inventory developed by John and Srivastava (1999); and Emotional Intelligence developed by Abdullah et al. (2013) were used for data collection. The study has found that there are significant relationship between the Big Five Personality Traits, Emotional Intelligence and Job Satisfaction. Suitable managerial implications are given in this study.

Academic libraries which are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education have owned their roles and contributions either to the surrounding community or to the academicians (Zaiton, Goon & Wan Hajrah, 1998: 426). Realizing the utmost importance of the academic library to each research university, it is essential to inspect the service quality implementation in the respective academic library. Therefore, this study, in particular, examines the user acceptance of the service quality implementation in research universities’ libraries, taking Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) as the sample. One of the objectives of this study is to measure the quality service performance in academic libraries using the reliability dimension. The reliability dimension measures the ability to deliver service as it relates to dependability and accuracy. It includes information on whether the library is reliable in providing services as promised, whether it is reliable in performing services right the first time, whether it is reliable in providing accurate services, whether it is dependable in handling user’s service problems, whether it is maintains free-error record, whether OPAC is reliable in providing accurate information and also whether the library is reliable in keeping users informed about when services will be performed. The results of correlation showed that there is a significant relationship between all independent variables. Finally, this study found that the reliability dimension meets the standard of the high quality scores given by the users at the academic library in USM.

Competence-based education and training is a functional approach to education as it emphasizes that learners need to gain necessary knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes or values to work successful in their own profession or occupation. It is regarded as a holistic approach to education. This study sought to establish the influence of Trainers’ knowledge and skills on the implementation of competence-based curriculum in Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges in Uasin Gishu County. The study was guided by curriculum implementation theory. The study adopted a descriptive survey. The target population of the study was 850 respondents comprising of 10 principals, 240 instructors and 600 trainees. A sample size of 90 respondents was selected comprising of 6 principals, 24 instructors and 60 trainees as the respondents. Stratified purposive and simple random sampling techniques was employed. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Cronbach’s alpha co-efficient was used to ensure reliability of the research instruments. Data was analyzed using pearson product moment correlation. The study established that there was a significant positive and strong relationship between trainers’ knowledge and skills and implementation of competence-based curriculum (r= 0.629, p =0.000). The trainers’ knowledge and skills influenced the implementation of competence-based curriculum in Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges in Uasin Gishu County. The study recommended that the ministry of education and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development should organise for more in-service training for teachers to equip them with subject content knowledge, ICT skills and positively change their perceptions about the competency-based curriculum.

Indian banking system touches the lives of millions and has to be inspired by larger social purpose and has sub-verse national priorities. Technology has been playing a crucial role in the tremendous improvement of banking services and operations. The specific objectives of this research are to study the bank marketing mix strategies, current challenges and to identify and analyse service innovation initiatives in selected banks. The study is a conceptual one based on survey of literature. Two models of innovation 4P’s of Innovation model by Bessant and Tidd (2007) and Six Dimensional Service Innovation Model by Pim den Hertog et al., (2010) were used in the study. It is observed that banks in India are moving towards sustainability through social banking and innovative service operations and offerings. It is found that both types of banks have embraced service innovation as a part of their future banking strategy and are moving continuously towards customer-centric and service-centric banks. Indian banking industry has moved way ahead both in terms of offering value added services and delivering quality service. The most pertinent challenge is the very presence of large number of un-remunerative branches, low productivity, overstaff and the archaic methods of operations. All these factors have affected the productivity and profitability of the bank concerned.

The transtheoretical model of behavior change is an integrative theory of treatment that analyses a person's readiness to adopt a new, healthier habit and offers solutions, or change processes, to help them do so. Stages of change, processes of change, and levels of change, self-efficacy, and decisional balance are among the constructs in the model. The transtheoretical model is also known by the acronym "TTM" and the term "stages of change," however the latter word is a synecdoche because the stages of change are only one component of the model, which also includes processes, levels of change, and so on.