The study examined the socio-demographic factors affecting access to and utilization of social welfare services in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were adopted to select 570 respondents from the study area. Probability and non-probability sampling techniques were adopted in the selection of communities, and respondents. The quantitative data were analyzed using frequency distribution tables and percentages, while chi-square statistic was used to determine the relationship between socio-demographic variables and access to and utilization of social welfare services. The qualitative data were analyzed in themes as a complement to the quantitative data. This study reveals that although all the respondents reported knowing available social welfare services, 44.3% reported not having access to existing social services due to factors connected to serendipity variables, such as terrain condition, ethnicity and knowing someone in government. Therefore, the study recommends that the government and other stakeholders should push for the massive delivery of much-needed social welfare services to address the issue of welfare service deficit across the nation, irrespective of the ethnic group and whether the community is connected to the government of the day or not, primarily in rural areas.

Salicylaldehyde imine transition metal catalyst is a kind of olefin polymerization catalyst that is widely used in the coordination of salicylaldehyde imine ligand and pre-transition metal. Salicylaldehyde imine ligands have the characteristic of easily inserting different substituents via organic synthesis. Therefore, the regulation of the polymerization activity, polymerization product, and product distribution can be achieved by changing the steric hindrance effect, the electronic effect, and the number of metal active sites near the catalytic active center. The development status of the transition metal catalyst of salicylaldehyde imide was summarized in this paper. The influence of the ligand structure of the salicylaldehyde imide transition metal catalyst on the catalytic performance, which involved the high selectivity of ethylene trimerization, ethylene/α-olefin, polar monomer copolymerization, ethylene polymerization production, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, and many other areas of olefin polymerization, was elaborated, providing references for further study and industrial applications of this catalyst.

In this paper, a solar tracking device that can continuously track the sun by adjusting the direction and angle of the solar panel in real time is designed and fabricated to improve the power generation efficiency of the solar cell panel. The mechanical parts as well as the automatic control part of the passive sun-tracking system are described, and the efficiency enhancement with the sun-tracking solar panel is characterized in comparison with the fixed panel system. The test results show that in the spring season in Qingdao city of eastern China, the sun-tracking system can improve the solar cell power generation efficiency by 28.5%–42.9% when comparing to the direction and elevation angle fixed system in sunny days. Even in partly cloudy days, the PV power output can increased by 37% with using the passive sun-tracking system. Economic analysis results show the cost-benefit period is about 10 years, which indicates that the passive sun tracking device can substantially contribute to the solar energy harvest practices.

The COVID-19 pandemic has instigated global lockdowns, profoundly altering daily life and resulting in widespread closures, except for essential services like healthcare and grocery stores. This scenario has notably intensified mental health challenges, particularly among children and adolescents. Influenced by a myriad of factors including developmental stages, educational backgrounds, existing psychiatric disorders, and socioeconomic status, the pandemic’s impact extends beyond the immediate health crisis. This paper critically examines the multifaceted effects of the pandemic on mental and physical health across various age groups. It highlights the increased incidence of stress, anxiety, and depression, underscoring the pandemic’s deep psychological footprint. Additionally, the paper explores the societal implications, from altered family dynamics and educational disruptions due to the shift to online learning, to workplace transformations. These changes have led to a mix of adaptive responses and adverse effects, including heightened domestic tensions and mental health issues. The paper also delves into the ethical challenges faced by medical professionals during this crisis, balancing urgent patient care with ongoing medical research and mental health considerations. This analysis aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic’s extensive impact on health and society, emphasizing the importance of addressing mental health as a crucial component of the response strategy.

All ophiolite associations mark epochs of active tectonic movements, which lead to significant petrological processes and modification of the relief of the Earth’s crust. Here we present a geological-petrographical characterization of one ophiolitic associations composed of: a) serpentinites; b) amphibolites-metamorphosed volcanic rocks and tuffs; c) metagabbros and metagabbrodiabases, placed among the Proterozoic metamorphic complex in the Rhodope Massif of Bulgaria on the Balkan Peninsula, South-Eastern Europе. The goal is to clarify the paleogeographical and geological setting during its creation. The methods of lithostratigraphic profiling and correlations on the database of geological field mapping were used, supplemented by microscopic, geochemical and isotopic studies of numerous rock samples. The summarized results confirm a certain stratigraphic level of the Ophiolite Association among the metamorphic complex and a complicated and protracted heterogenetic development, which is typical for the ophiolite associations created in eras of closing oceans, opposite movement of tectonic plates, subduction-obduction environment with appearance of autochthonous Neoproterozoic magmatism. Obducted fragments of serpentinites mark an old erosional continental surface, subsequently covered by transgressively deposited pelitic-carbonate sediments. The general conclusion of our study confirms the concept that the metamorphic complex of the Rhodope Massif represents a unified stratigraphic system consisting of two petrographic groups of different ages, with which we oppose the idea of a trust construction, launched by a group of geologists.

In China, ideological and political education is currently the hot direction of teaching reform in various colleges and universities, yet the development of appropriate teaching evaluation methods needs to catch up. This study addresses the pressing need for a preliminary investigation into the complex relationships among ideological and political education, the students’ learning satisfaction and teaching quality. This research examines the influence of teaching and ideological and political education quality on students’ satisfactions by designing a set of scales, collecting about 3800 questionnaires. Utilizing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and qualitative interviews, this study reveals that the teaching quality directly affects students’ learning satisfaction and ideological and political education. Notably, ideological and political education can also affect students’ learning satisfaction. The findings underscore the importance of including ideological and political education assessments in evaluating courses. This research contributes to the ongoing dialogue on effective teaching evaluation methods in the context of evolving educational practices.