Archives-February 2018

Foundation is the first element of any structure that encounters seismic forces. The various types of seismic waves, reaches and affects the foundations first and then the superstructure. Instead, this is the underprivileged component of the structure, when it comes to seismic forces consideration, compared with super structure. Different types of foundations respond differently to seismic forces. The type of soil, its characteristics, and bearing capacity, affects the design and capacity of foundations severely. Average response acceleration coefficient, as specified in IS 1893-2002 (Part 1), which takes into account the type of soil, also plays a vital role in determining the seismic forces on structure.Therefore, in this research work, RCC structure will be analyzed for the seismic behavior for different types of foundations. Various types of foundations like isolated footings, raft foundations, combined footings, pile foundations, etc. will be analyzed. Seismic analysis will be done in STAAD Pro to compare values of nodal displacement, drift, story and base shear, moment development and fundamental time period. Comments will be made considering safety, stability and economical aspects of the structure.

The Academic Management System is useful to both students and Faculties for Time table, Lesson Plan, Log Book upkeeping , viewing circulars sent by authorities , on-line assignment submission capability, Internal Marks entry, attendance and Mentoring and prepare the final report to be sent to parents. This system is developed as Web Application in ASP/ASP.Net for front end and MS SQL Server as the backend. Security is achieved by using SQL injections prevention codings and encrypted cookies and sessions. Username and password also given only in encrypted form. This automated implementation in our University environment has eased the work-load and enhanced the work efficiency of faculty members and students also feel happy to receive instantly all their Academic Information.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of using Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach on Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ vocabulary learning and speaking skill and also to investigate the feelings and notions of learners and their teacher with regard to the application of PBL approach in English classes. 26 EFL learners which formed two intact classes in a language institute participated in this study. The placement test which was administered in both groups indicated that the students of both groups were homogeneous and that they were in intermediate level. Experimental group was comprised of 14 female learners while the control group included 12 male learners. At the beginning of the study a vocabulary and a speaking test was administered in both classes as the pre-test. Learners in the control group were taught with the prevalent traditional lecture-based, teacher-centered teaching approach while students in the experimental group enjoyed being taught with PBL approach according to which learners were given problems which required learners to think, search about the problem and debate with their classmates. After a semester, learners in both groups were asked to take the vocabulary and speaking tests as the post-test. Result of the data analysis disclosed that learners in the experimental group outperformed their counterparts in the control group, both in vocabulary and speaking tests, which indicated that PBL approach can improve learners’ vocabulary learning and speaking ability compared to traditional methods. Moreover, the data gathered through learners’ self-report and interview with the teacher represented the general positive view of learners and teacher toward PBL approach. More elaborate description and report of the issue in this respect is provided in the discussion.

By the year 2020 depression would be the second major cause of disability-adjusted life years lost, as reported by the World Health Organization. Depression is a mental illness which causes persistent low mood, a sense of despair, and has multiple risk factors. Its prevalence in primary care varies between 15.3-22%, with global prevalence up to 13% and between 17-46% in Saudi Arabia. Despite several studies that have shown the benefit of early diagnosis and cost-savings of up to 80%, physicians in primary care setting continue to miss out on 30-50% of depressed patients in their practices. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Jazan region, Saudi Arabia aiming at estimating the point prevalence of depression among healthy adults, data was collected by using standardized of the PHQ-9 questionnaire. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 20. About 347 subject adults of age 20 up to 60 years old participated in this study, 49% were male and 51% were female, About 347 subject adults of age 20 up to 60 years old participated in this study, 49% were male and 51% were female, majority (70%) within the age group from 30 - 40 years old, 65 % were single and 62% were students. The study indicated that about only 15% of subjects had no symptoms of depression while 85% of subjects had symptoms of depression varies from minimal symptoms to moderate major depression, where 30% had Minimal symptoms, 27% had mild major depression and 28% had moderate major depression. 

The situation that is obtainable in South Africa judging from the historical and socio-political perspective is one in which the black majority lived under the oppressive apartheid regime designed, manipulated and controlled by the white minority. Racial discrimination, an inherent effect of the apartheid policy of the white minority has reduced the blacks to a state of the underprivileged in their fatherland. Racial discrimination in this respect means the state of feeling estranged or separated from one's environment, culturally, socially, economically, politically and otherwise. Its effects on the sociological well being of the individual cannot be overemphasized. The dramatic works of Athol Fugard, a South Africa playwright, have had close sympathy for the situation of the life of blacks in South Africa. The major literary themes of his plays include racial segregation, oppression, deprivation and subjugation. These and the inherent effects of the apartheid laws on the oppressed in South Africa are the main focus in Athol Fugard's play: Sizwe Bansi is Dead are used as a case study in this submission.

This research paper was conducted to examine the prospects and part played by traditional rulers in community development with particular reference to Ikono Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State. Traditionally, the Ikono people have the paramount ruler who is the head of the traditional rulers in the Local Government, and village heads in the respective villages. The theory used is modernization theory propounded by Max Weber. T the study was carried out in nine (9) towns of Ikono Local Government Area. Based on the analysis of the data collection, the following result emerged, traditional rulers make positive impact in community development programmes in Ikono. There is significant role played by traditional rulers in implementing government policies at grassroots level. Some recommendations were also made to complement the role of traditional rulers in community Development which include; traditional rulership consultative forum and programme management committee should be set up at the local government level. The Local Government Chairman and councilors should be meeting with traditional Rulers during their executive council sessions. Seminars and training programmes like workshop for leaders and development of skills should from time to time be organized to enhance the roles of traditional rulers towards community development.

This paper focuses on the social and political ills prevalent in the African societies with a view to correcting them thus, making the contemporary society a better place to live. Using two texts from a renowned Nigerian writer, we see the religious, social and political evils which normally degrade our society and the community at large. These evils are being satirized to bring about transformation. Here, the sociological approach is employed. The quota sampling used in this paper, brings about the religious hypocrisy, moral decadence, marital instability and corruption palpable, a savage, portrait of group of dictatorial African leaders in our texts of study. This study brings out the evil inherent in African socio-political system and calls for a change especially in a society bedeviled by all sorts of evil.

Literature is most commonly used to refer to words of creative imagination, including works of poetry, drama, fiction and non-fiction. It is the body of written works of a language, period or culture. Literature is a mirror of life as well as a tool which writers use to mirror and reflect their societies. It has become a means of self expression, an avenue through which the realities of human conditions are brought to limelight. In other words, the literature of any given society is a reflection of the socio-political, economic as well as the religious background of the society. These points out the idea that literature does not exist in a vacuum rather it is from the real life events, experiences and issues in our contemporary society. In this regard, one can assert that what writers put together and blend in their work, under the powers of imagination and creative ingenuity is only a collection of real life events, facts and ideas from their own world. Writers concern themselves with socio-political, economic and religious issues prevalent in their society. This paper studies Realism in some selected works of writers. The authors under study are Asika Ikechukwu and Jane Austen. The works are Follow the River and Pride and Prejudice. The aim of the study is to determine and expose how these writers gleaned and selected their materials from real life events, in order to buttress it as part of its contribution. This shows how literature and creative works of many writers is nothing but a project of their real life situation and experiences or of those probably close to them. From the study, the researcher gathered and analyzed how man's inhumanity, class consciousness, materialism and poverty among other real life vices, provided materials with which these authors created their fictitious works, experiences and ideas.

This paper discusses poverty alleviation in Igbo traditional society as one critical response from the people’s indigenous religious metaphysics. The Igbo people of Southeastern Nigeria are known from antiquity for their religiosity, industry and egalitarianism, among other virtues. As a people, they abhor material poverty (Ogbenye) and more so, relational poverty (Mgbenye). Therefore, from their world view which has a porous demarcation between the secular and the sacred, they evolved poverty alleviation schemes. The findings of this paper reveal that the success stories of these programs were based on love of neighbour, contentment, honesty, industry, communitarian spirit and other cultural values which were made robust by their indigenous religion. Based on the findings, this work therefore calls on the Igbo indigenes both at home and in diaspora to continue along these moral virtues and positive social values got from their ancestors as they do not contradict the ways of Christianity which majority of us have embraced. The implication of this persuasion is the need by both Igbo people and all persons on earth to eschew immoral vices such as corruption, sale of babies and human parts, assassination, fraud and human trafficking, looting and thuggery, prostitution, cultism and ritual money, et cetera as means of fighting poverty which are prevalent today in many indigenous and modern societies. The methodology employed in this work is “Culture Area Approach” which means that this study focused on Igbo cultural context with special interest on her traditional poverty alleviation methods as peculiar evolutions from her Indigenous Religion.

The issue of truth and reality is one of the main conscientious issues in philosophy. The propagators and interpreters are different in reality over the historical period. For example, in the ancient times, philosophers such as Plato were interpreted as truth by Elisa that is what reveals itself. But most philosophers have assumed the truth to be true but Nietzsche has a different interpretation of the truth, in his opinion, the truth is myth.