Proper understanding of LULC changes is considered an indispensable element for modeling. It is also central for planning and management activities as well as understanding the earth as a system. This study examined LULC changes in the region of the proposed Pwalugu hydropower project using remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS) techniques. Data from the United States Geological Survey's Landsat satellite, specifically the Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM), the Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM), and the Operational Land Imager (OLI), were used. The Landsat 5 thematic mapper (TM) sensor data was processed for the year 1990; the Landsat 7 SLC data was processed for the year 2000; and the 2020 data was collected from Operation Land Image (OLI). Landsat images were extracted based on the years 1990, 2000, and 2020, which were used to develop three land cover maps. The region of the proposed Pwalugu hydropower project was divided into the following five primary LULC classes: settlements and barren lands; croplands; water bodies; grassland; and other areas. Within the three periods (1990–2000, 2000–2020, and 1990–2020), grassland has increased from 9%, 20%, and 40%, respectively. On the other hand, the change in the remaining four (4) classes varied. The findings suggest that population growth, changes in climate, and deforestation during this thirty-year period have been responsible for the variations in the LULC classes. The variations in the LULC changes could have a significant influence on the hydrological processes in the form of evapotranspiration, interception, and infiltration. This study will therefore assist in establishing patterns and will enable Ghana's resource managers to forecast realistic change scenarios that would be helpful for the management of the proposed Pwalugu hydropower project.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between internal and information integration within the supply chain (SCI-INTI and SCI-INFI), supply chain management (SCM) practices, and port operational performance (POP) in Oman’s container ports. Additionally, it explores the mediating role of SCM practices in the relationship between SCI-INTI, SCI-INFI, and POP in Oman. To meet the study’s objectives, a quantitative cross-sectional survey method was used. A total of 377 questionnaires were distributed to managers responsible for supply chain operations in the main departments at Sohar and Salalah ports, yielding 331 usable responses, with a response rate of 88 percent. The data collected were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that both internal and information integration within the supply chain have positive and statistically significant effects on the operational performance of Oman’s container ports (POP). Specifically, Supply Chain Integration with Internal Integration (SCI-INTI) significantly impacts POP (β = 0.249, t = 5.039, p < 0.001), and Supply Chain Integration with Information Integration (SCI-INFI) also significantly affects POP (β = 0.259, t = 4.966, p < 0.001). Additionally, SCI-INTI positively influences Supply Chain Management Practices (SCMP) (β = 0.381, t = 7.674, p < 0.001), as does SCI-INFI (β = 0.484, t = 9.878, p < 0.001). Furthermore, SCMP positively and significantly influences the operational performance of Oman’s container ports (β = 0.424, t = 7.643, p < 0.001). These findings contribute to the literature by emphasizing the significance of internal and information integration within the supply chain and SCM practices as strategic internal resources and capabilities that enhance operational performance in container ports. Understanding these elements enables decision-makers and policymakers within government port authorities and port operating companies to optimize internal resources and capabilities to improve port operational performance.

The construction industry is a significant contributor towards global environmental degradation and resource depletion, with developing economies facing unique challenges in adopting sustainable construction practices. This systematic review aims to investigate the gap in sustainable construction implementation among global counterparts. The study utilizes the P5 (People, Planet, Prosperity, Process, Products) Standard as a framework for evaluating sustainable construction project management based on environmental, social, and economic targets. A Systematic Literature Review from a pool of 994 Sustainable Construction Project Management (SCPM) papers is conducted utilizing the PRISMA methodology. Through rigorous Identification, Screening, and Eligibility Verification, an analysis is synthesized from 44 relevant literature discussing SCPM Implementations worldwide. The results highlight significant challenges in three main categories: environmental, social, and economic impacts. Social impacts are found as the most extensively researched, while environmental and economic impacts are less studied. Further analysis reveals that social impacts are a major concern in sustainable construction, with numerous studies addressing labor practices and societal well-being. However, there is a notable gap in research on human rights within the construction industry. Environmental impacts, such as resource utilization, energy consumption, and pollution, are less frequently addressed, indicating a need for more focused studies in these areas. Economic impacts, including local economic impact and business agility, are further substantially underrepresented in the literature, suggesting that economic viability is a critical yet underexplored aspect of sustainable construction. The findings underscore the need for further research in these areas to address the implementation challenges of sustainable project management effectively. This research contributes towards the overall research of global sustainable construction through the utilization of the P5 Standards as a new lens of determining sustainability performance for construction projects worldwide.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) is a highly valued crop in the world, particularly in Nigeria with high nutritional and economic benefits. However, its production in Iwollo, Southeast Nigeria, is constrained by unfavorable weather conditions. To address this, a study was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm, Department of Horticultural Technology, Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, Southeast Nigeria to evaluate and select the best cultivar for high tunnel production using the Rank Summation Index. Completely Randomized Design with three replications was used, and six high-yielding cultivars, namely Roma VF, BHN-1021, Supremo, Pomodro, Money maker, and Iwollo local, were evaluated. Data were collected on key agronomic characters and analyzed with Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at a 0.05 level of probability. There were significant differences in the number of leaves per plant, plant height, number of branches per plant, days to fruit maturity, fresh fruit weight, number of harvested fresh fruits per plant, and fresh fruit yield per plant among the cultivars. These characters that showed significant differences were ranked and summed up to obtain the Rank Summation Index (RSI) score. The results revealed that the Supremo cultivar had the lowest and best score (18). This suggests Supremo as the best cultivar for high tunnel tomato production in the study area, based on its superior performance across key agronomic traits.

On the basis of the enlightenment of international engineering education accreditation for the reform and development of higher education in China, combined with the important measures of the national “double first-class” construction, new challenges have been proposed for innovative talent cultivation among engineering majors in the context of promoting national development. These challenges also promote the reform of science-oriented courses among engineering majors. As a core mandatory course for engineering majors, biochemistry plays a crucial role in the entire educational process at universities, serving as a bridge between basic and specialized courses. To address challenges such as limited course resources, insufficient development of students’ advanced thinking and innovation skills, and overly standardized assessment methods, the bioengineering major from Guilin University of Technology restructured the biochemistry course content. A blended teaching model termed “three integrations, three stages, one sharing”, was implemented. This effort has yielded significant results, providing a research foundation for constructing an innovative talent cultivation system that is oriented toward industry needs within modern industrial colleges. It also offers valuable insights into and reference points for the cultivation of engineering talents and curriculum reform in local universities.

This research focused on the design and implementation of the flipped classroom approach for higher mathematics courses in medical colleges. Out of 120 students, 60 were assigned to the experimental group and 60 to the control group. In the continuous assessment, which included homework and quizzes, the average score of the experimental group was 85.5 ± 5.5, while that of the control group was 75.2 ± 8.1 (P < 0.05). For the final examination, the average score in the experimental group was 88.3 ± 6.2, compared to 78.1 ± 7.3 in the control group (P < 0.01). The participation rate of students in the experimental group was 80.5%, significantly higher than the 50.3% in the control group (P < 0.001). Regarding autonomous learning ability, the experimental group spent an average of 3.2 hours per week on self-study, compared to 1.5 hours in the control group (P < 0.005). Other potential evaluation indicators could involve the percentage of students achieving high scores (90% or above) in problem-solving tasks (25.8% in the experimental group vs. 10.3% in the control group, P < 0.05), and the improvement in retention of key concepts after one month (70.2% in the experimental group vs. 40.5% in the control group, P < 0.01). In conclusion, the flipped classroom approach holds substantial promise in elevating the learning efficacy of higher mathematics courses within medical colleges, offering valuable insights for educational innovation and improvement.