Search results

This paper aims to appraise the inhibitory effect of saponins extracted from Gongronema latifolium (SEGL) on mild steel in acid media. This is in a bid to conserve our environment and maintain the integrity of engineering structures and materials.

The corrosion inhibition of SEGL and ethanolic extracts of the leaves of G. latifolium (EEGL) on mild steel was studied by hydrogen evolution technique within a temperature range of 30-60°C in tetraoxosulphate (VI) acid solutions.

The extracts inhibit the corrosion of mild steel, and the inhibition efficiency depends on the concentration of the plant extract, temperature and the period of immersion. SEGL was comparatively more efficient than EEGL. Optimum values of the inhibition efficiency for both the EEGL and SEGL (93.7 and 96.5 per cent, respectively) were obtained at extract concentration of 10 g/L, whereas the least values were obtained at extract concentration of 0.5 g/L.

This paper provides new information on the possible application of isolated SEGL as an environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitor. The possible mechanism of the inhibitive action is also given.

Owing to the toxicity, biodegradability, and cost of most corrosion inhibitors, research attention is now focused on the development of environmentally benign, biodegradable, cheap, and efficient options. In consideration of these facts, chrysin, a phytocompound of Populus tomentosa (Chinese white poplar) has been isolated and investigated for its anticorrosion abilities on carbon steel in a mixed acid and chloride system. This highlights the main purpose of the study.

Chrysin was isolated from Populus tomentosa using column chromatography and characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. The investigations are outlined based on theory (Fukui indices, condensed density functional theory and molecular dynamic simulation) and experiments (electrochemical, gravimetry and surface morphology examinations).

Theoretical evaluations permitted the description of the adsorption characteristics, and molecular interactions and orientations of chrysin on Fe substrate. The interaction energy for protonated and neutral chrysin on Fe (110) were −149.10 kcal/mol and −143.28 kcal/mol, respectively. Moreover, experimental investigations showed that chrysin is a potent mixed-type corrosion inhibitor for steel, whose effectiveness depends on its surrounding temperature and concentration. The optimum inhibition efficiency of 78.7% after 24 h for 1 g/L chrysin at 298 K indicates that the performance of chrysin, as a pure compound, compares favorably with other phytocompounds and plant extracts investigated under similar conditions. However, the inhibition efficiency decreased to 62.5% and 51.8% at 318 K after 48 h and 72 h, respectively.

The novelty of this study relies on the usage of a pure compound in corrosion suppression investigation, thus eliminating the unknown influences obtainable by the presence of multi-phytocompounds in plant extracts, thereby advancing the commercialization of bio-based corrosion inhibitors.

This paper aims to acquire the current density distribution on dissolving of Mg, MgZn₂ (η -phase), Mg₂Si (ß-phase) and Al₄Cu₂Mg₈Si₇ (Q-phase) surface in NaCl solutions.

MgZn₂ (η -phase), Mg₂Si (ß-phase) and Al₄Cu₂Mg₈Si₇ (Q-phase) are important intermetallic compounds found in aluminum alloys. Insitu scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET) was used to acquire the current density distribution on dissolving of Mg, MgZn₂ (η -phase), Mg₂Si (ß-phase) and Al₄Cu₂Mg₈Si₇ (Q-phase) surface in NaCl solutions scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) was used to characterize the corroded surface.

SVET maps reveal that these compounds display characteristic dissolution features. Mg and MgZn₂ displayed localized anodic and cathodic sites while that of Al₄Cu₂Mg₈Si₇ > Mg₂Si displayed a diffused distribution of anodic and cathodic sites. The magnitude of the integrated anodic current densities on the compounds was noted to decrease with the progress of time, and the order of the magnitude of the current density with respect to the compounds is Mg > Mg₂Si > Al₄Cu₂Mg₈Si₇ > MgZn₂. SEM/EDX reveal that the highest mass loss recorded after the SVET test was manifested by Mg₂Si followed by MgZn₂ then Al₄Cu₂Mg₈Si₇.

Auxiliary information on the current density distribution on the corroding sample surface at the microscopic scale has been provided by SVET thereby taking care of certain limitations of traditional corrosion monitoring techniques such as gravimetric, hydrogen evolution and electrochemical measurements.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality and sensory properties of cookies produced from wheat flour using avocado puree as fat substitute.

Cookies were produced from wheat flour using avocado puree as fat substitute in ratio 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%, respectively. The formulation of margarine and avocado puree blends was done by using D-Optimal Mixture Design. In all, 20 samples were produced from each substitution level and analyses were done in triplicates to obtain mean values using standard methods. Means were separated by Duncan’s multiple range test, and significances were accepted at less than 5% confidence level (p < 0.05). Proximate and functional analyses were conducted on the flour samples, while cookie samples were subjected to proximate and sensory analyses.

The results of this study revealed that the values of loose bulk density, packed bulk density, oil absorption density, water absorption capacity, swelling power, solubility and dispersibility of the flours at p < 0.05 are 0.3–0.4 g/ml, 0.5–0.7 g/ml, 16.9%–94.0%, 39.7%–80.6%, 461.2%–618.2%, 6.0%–29.8% and 69.0%–82.8%, respectively. The moisture, protein, fat, total dietary fiber, total ash and carbohydrate contents of the cookies at p < 0.05 are 3.6%–16.7%, 6.5%–9.9%, 2.5%–19.2%, 1.7%–1.9%, 1.1%–3.0% and 65.0%–70.7%, respectively. The taste, color, crispiness, texture and overall acceptability of the cookies at p < 0.05 are 7.4–7.8, 6.9–7.5, 7.2–7.9, 7.3–7.7 and 7.4–8.3, respectively. The sensory scores showed that panelists preferred the taste, crispiness and texture of the cookies produced from wheat flour using avocado puree as fat substitute at varying proportion. The sensory characteristics of sample WF⁴ (100% avocado puree) were rated overall best in all the parameters tested followed by sample WF³ (75% avocado puree). Hence, this study established the possibility of producing cookies from wheat flour using avocado puree as fat substitute without a negative impact on the sensory characteristics and the consumers’ acceptability.

The cookies produced from this study are not meant for vegetarians because eggs were added in the formulations and recipes but could be valuable to ovo-vegetarians that may take food with eggs without restriction. The major challenge of this study was that avocados are very expensive in much of the world, so this is only suitable and viable where there is an excess of the fruit.

This study examined the use of avocado puree as fat substitute in cookie production. Effects of avocado puree on proximate composition and functionality of cookies produced from wheat flour were also determined. This approach was novel, and it will encourage the use of avocado for value-added in industrial food production.

This study empirically tests a comprehensive set of relevant factors to explain environmental reporting quality. This study aims to understand whether environmental assurance has a direct effect on “environmental reporting quality”. In addition, this study also aims to examine the relationship between corporate governance and the quality of environmental reporting as measured by voluntary and timely reporting.

A number of econometric techniques are used including panel data specifications using a sample of French listed companies in SBF120 for the period 2012–2017.

The results demonstrate that the presence of an environmental audit committee and the size of the environmental external assurance firm has a significant effect on the level of voluntary reporting of environmental information. The results also reveal that the presence of the environmental audit committee, as well as the corporate social responsibility (CSR) committee, the size of the environmental external assurance and corporate governance index, affect the timely environmental reporting.

This study helps all market participants to more comprehensively evaluate the quality of environmental reporting in the French context and highlights whether various factors could affect the quality of the environmental information disclosed using a multi-theoretical framework.

This paper fills the gap in the literature by highlighting an unexplored field of literature about the quality of environmental reporting by linking on the division of the quality of environmental information reporting into sub-dimensions (voluntary reporting and timely reporting) in the French context. To the knowledge, no empirical study has been done on the timely reporting of environmental information in the French context or other contexts. The originality of the work consists of the fact that it is one of the first works that deal with the relationship between environmental external assurance, corporate governance and the quality of environmental reporting.

Previous studies have argued that the incapacity of the majority of SR stakeholders to identify the different types of assurance processes contributes to the existence of an expectation–performance gap and affects the credibility of such reports. To improve this situation, the Content Index Model was updated by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) in its latest sustainability reporting guideline – “G4”. This paper aims to assess, using a qualitative exploratory approach, whether this updated Content Index Model changes the expectation–performance gap of stakeholders on assurance processes for GRI sustainability reports. This paper also assesses whether this Content Index Model improves the credibility of the assurance processes for GRI sustainability reports, considering participants’ points of view.

This paper used a qualitative approach to obtain participants’ perceptions in relation to the objectives of the paper. Two questions were used to assess whether the updated Content Index Model improves stakeholders’ understanding in regards to the assurance process of GRI sustainability reports, thus changing the expectation–performance gap and improving the credibility of GRI sustainability reports. The following questions were asked: Does the Content Index Model help SR stakeholders to better understand the scope of the assurance processes? and Why? Does the Content Index Model presented help to improve credibility of assured SR? and Why?

Results obtained demonstrate that the updated Content Index Model improves SR stakeholders’ understanding regarding the scope of the assurance processes conducted, thus reducing their expectation–performance gap on assurance processes and improving the credibility of SR. Participants also commented on the relationship among transparency, understand ability, trust and credibility.

First, participants were responsible for identifying the group that best represents his/her professional experience. The fact that participants have professional experience in more than one of the groups identified in this research (assurers, reporters and readers) could have impacted on their perceptions regarding the assurance process. Second, the interviews do not rely on practical experience with the updated Content Index Model, rather, they rely on participants’ perceptions regarding the hypothetical use of this Content Index Model. Third, descriptive statistical analyses in this paper aim to illustrate participants’ perceptions rather than to develop robust statistically significant conclusions. Fourth, the main author of this paper developed the Content Index Model, and this may have impacted the responses of the participants and/or the analysis of data. Also, the specific geographic area where interviews were conducted, the selection technique used and the non-statistical significance of the analyses presented in this paper must be carefully interpreted and cannot be generalised to a broader context based on this paper alone. Finally, interviews were developed and conducted before May 2013, before the GRI officially launched the GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines.

As the GRI is the most commonly used sustainability report framework to date, this study has the possibility to affect all companies that publish their sustainability reports based on the GRI framework and all assurance providers currently providing assurance services for such report. Also, findings would be very useful for sustainability reports’ readers worldwide.

As sustainability reports are the most common instruments used by organisations to provide accountability about the environmental and social performance, and assurance is the most common instrument used by organisations to improve credibility of such reports; it is important to assess whether those instruments are achieving their goals and understand the role played by the GRI G4 Content Index Model in this context. As the GRI G4 was recently launched, there is no study published yet assessing the effectiveness of its new content index model.

Entrepreneurial education in higher education has emphasized following the prospect of entrepreneurship as one of the determinants of countries' economic growth. Therefore, it is considered necessary to assess how the current education system and learning orientation improve student's motivation to become entrepreneurs. This study evaluates all indicators included in the variables of entrepreneurial education, learning orientation, and entrepreneurship intention. While the curriculum represents entrepreneurial education, teaching method, educator competencies, and university support system, learning orientation consists of learning commitment, knowledge sharing capability, critical thinking, and vision sharing, and entrepreneurship intention are measured by abilities in writing a business plan, generating business ideas, identifying business opportunities, and innovation and business startup. The data was harvested from questionnaires completed by 123 entrepreneurship program students and was processed using PLS. This study finds that (1) curriculum significantly influences student's learning commitment and business plan writing ability, (2) teaching method influences individual knowledge sharing and business idea generation ability, (3) educator competencies do not significantly affect students critical thinking and ability to identify a business opportunity, but critical thinking influences their skill in identifying business opportunities, (4) university support system does not significantly influence student intention to innovate and start new businesses, but it significantly affects their ability to share their visions, and the ability significantly influences their intention to innovate and start new businesses.

This study aims to assess the information and communications technology (ICT) proficiency of library and information science (LIS) professionals working in Tangaza University College (TUC) Library, Kenya.

A qualitative research design using a single case study was adopted in the study, which gathered data through a census. Data were collected using a structured interview.

The study findings indicated that the majority of TUC librarians have very high ICT competence in basic ICT and some Web technologies; however, they lack technical ICT skills. Furthermore, though ICT courses are offered during LIS professional training, TUC librarians lack opportunities to implement some of their advanced ICT skills. Lack of funding, time, practical lessons, personal interest, training opportunities and ICT obsolescence were highlighted as challenges librarians encounter in their pursuit of acquiring ICT skills.

The study recommends that regular ICT-related training programmes be conducted for librarians and be offered in the form of workshops, seminars and conferences. Furthermore, there is a need for an academic curriculum in LIS schools to have more practical ICT-related components. Library staff should be encouraged to develop a personal interest in pursuing ICT skills, and librarians should also make use of ICT training opportunities that are freely available online for personal development.

The study is beneficial to those concerned with developing training programmes for librarians to strengthen areas deemed to have shortcomings.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of public policies on engendering entrepreneurship and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) development in Nigeria. Gaps in policies and factors that impede entrepreneurship and MSME development are identified and proposals are offered to address the impediments.

A thorough review of the mainstream literature on entrepreneurship and MSME development is undertaken. This constitutes the reference point for identifying and reviewing specific public policies formulated and programs designed to stimulate entrepreneurial activities and facilitate MSME development. Data were obtained from federal government agencies. This paper contends that for public policies to accomplish their designed objectives of engendering entrepreneurship and MSME development, strategic realignments of various policy dimensions and programs are imperative.

Misalignments occur when existing public policies in other domains are in conflict with policies to promote entrepreneurship and MSME development. Policy misalignments negate the profit motive of entrepreneurship; stifle business innovation and expansion; and contribute to survivalist mode of entrepreneurship in the country. This thwarts the public policy goals of creating jobs and alleviating poverty.

Government needs to streamline current regulatory requirements and revamp tax policies to encourage entrepreneurs and MSMEs. Improvements in infrastructure (road networks, highways, power supply, and telecommunications) will significantly reduce overhead costs for entrepreneurs and help MSMEs to grow.

The paper demonstrates that without strategic realignments of public policies to ensure consistency and coherency in various dimensions, efforts to promote entrepreneurship and MSME development will not yield positive results. Existing public policies and programs need to be brought into tight realignment with policies and regulations in other domains to galvanize entrepreneurial efforts.

This study tests whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance is a predictor of the financial sector's financial stability (FS), with the moderation of a sustainability committee.

The sample covers financial sector firms included in the Thomson Reuters Eikon database. The analyses are based on 8,840 firm-year observations for the years between 2002 and 2019 and the country-firm-year fixed-effects (FE) regression analysis is executed.

The results reveal that CSR initiatives contribute to the financial sector's FS as a whole and the sector's three individual sub-sectors. This proven significant association holds for all sub-sectors, namely insurance, banking, and investment banking. Moreover, the moderation analysis reveals the prominent role of a sustainability committee in bridging CSR performance (CSRP) with FS.

The findings highlight that meeting societies' expectations pays back in the form of greater FS in the financial sector.

The findings suggest that CSR engagement helps the financial sector firms manage their risks and alleviates exposure to insolvency. This is because CSR performance promotes firms' accountability and transparency toward stakeholders. The results help motivate managers to pursue CSR goals more seriously to ensure FS. The moderation analysis implies that sustainability committees develop policies and practices to integrate the non-financial and financial goals of the firm.

Although prior studies have examined the link between CSR and financial performance (FP) in the financial sector, those studies have largely ignored FS in terms of risk-adjusted performance. Besides, prior studies have exclusively focused on the banking sector, but the authors concentrate on the banking, insurance, and investment banking sectors.