Western Delta University

ABSTRACT This study evaluates how economic and human capital factors influence ecological outcomes in the Next‐11 economies (Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Turkey, and Vietnam) over the period 1990–2023. The primary objective is to examine the differential impacts of carbon productivity and healthy life expectancy on ecological footprint, while accounting for socio‐institutional determinants such as income, education, governance, and energy transition. A Panel Quantile Autoregressive Distributed Lag (PQARDL) framework is employed to capture both short‐run dynamics and long‐run equilibrium relationships across the ecological footprint distribution. Results indicate that higher carbon productivity significantly reduces ecological footprints, supporting SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). In contrast, rising income and education, while enhancing human development, can increase environmental pressures, highlighting the need for sustainable growth strategies. Aging and healthy life expectancy show quantile‐dependent effects, particularly in high‐footprint economies, linking SDG 3 (Good Health and Well‐being) to ecological performance. Dominance analysis identifies wealth and education as the main drivers of ecological impact, while the significant error correction term confirms long‐term stability. The findings underscore the importance of integrated policy approaches that enhance carbon productivity through technological innovation and renewable energy adoption, advancing green growth in alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The study examined the effectiveness of the 3Rs (Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse) waste management practice: Implications for climate change and environmental sustainability. A descriptive design (survey) was employed, while five research questions guided this research and were conducted in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Participants comprised all 333 undergraduate biology education students enrolled during the 2023/2024 academic session. All were purposively sampled to take part in the study as the population was deemed manageable. The questionnaire on Waste Management (QWM) served as a data collection tool. The questionnaire was duly validated by three professionals in science education and was trial tested on 20 students in the same institution, but different faculty, and yielded a reliability coefficient value of 0.81, using Cronbach’s alpha. Descriptive statistics of percentage, mean, and standard deviation were used to answer the study’s questions. The findings show that most practice waste management includes open dumping and burning composting, while the 3Rs were found to be rarely practiced in schools. The findings revealed that students are aware of the 3Rs approach to waste management. Among the prominent barriers identified were the school curriculum’s silence on 3Rs, lack of incentives to attract students to bring their waste for recycling, and the distance between dumpsites and where the populace lives. Lastly, the enforcement of environmental sanitation day within the school, the dumpsite should be located at a reasonable distance, and the opening of more dumpsite/waste containers within the schools was encouraged. It was recommended that an awareness program or campaign should be organized to enlighten the populace on the importance of the 3R approach to waste management.

This study investigated customers’ complaints toward online shopping. The study examined which online store is mostly patronized by the Nigerian consumers; the common issues faced by online customers that lead to complaints; the mode of complaint that is mostly adopted by online store customers; and the extent to which online customers are satisfied with the resolution of their complaints. This study used the survey method by administering copies of structured questionnaire to two hundred (200) online shoppers. Data collected were descriptively analysed using percentages, ranking, and frequencies via the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The study found that the common customers’ complaints towards online shopping are: misleading products descriptions, poor quality of delivered products, high cost of delivery, long delivery time, high cost of products, and difficulty navigating through the websites. It was also observed that the mode of complaints mostly adopted by online store customers is complaining to the online store to redress the issue. The study recommended that online stores should ensure that products are described exactly as they are so as not to mislead the customers into buying a lie. Keywords: Complaints, Customers, Online, Products, Shoppers.

This study presents a spatially explicit stochastic agent-based model (ABM) to simulate the complex non-linear interactions between T-cells, HIV virions, and therapeutic agents. The model framework operates on a two-dimensional grid, explicitly modeling biological entities as discrete agents to investigate the effects of antiretroviral drug therapy and specific lifestyle interventions. To benchmark model behavior, three distinct clinical stages of HIV infection were simulated under four comparative intervention scenarios. Quantification across 100 independent stochastic replicates per scenario demonstrated robust findings. The key result is that while antiretroviral drug therapy is essential for immediate viral suppression, the combination of drug therapy and lifestyle factors consistently produces a synergistic effect that leads to favorable long-term T-cell outcomes across all clinical stages simulated. Sensitivity analysis employed to assess the model’s robustness identified the rate of wild-type virus production as the single most critical biological factor for viral control and clarified that the observed synergy stems mechanistically from lifestyle factors that boost T-cell proliferation, thereby improving immune recovery and promoting the clearance of infected T-cells. The comprehensive analysis in this study presents that a holistic management approach, integrating pharmacological and lifestyle interventions, provides a crucial synergistic effect that promotes sustained immune health. The model presented in this study serves as an exploratory framework for investigating optimal and personalized HIV treatment strategies.

Abstract This study focused on polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a group of persistent toxic compounds with significant environmental and health risks, particularly in mining-impacted regions. PCB contamination was investigated at a mining site in Ibadan, Nigeria, by analyzing the distribution, concentrations and interrelationships of 18 PCB congeners. The mean total PCB concentration across all samples was 186.42 ng g −1 , ranging from 42.35 ng g −1 at site G3 to 451.27 ng g −1 at site G1, indicating severe contamination hotspots. Correlation analysis showed strong positive relationships, such as PCB161 vs PCB183 (r = 0.87, p < 0.01) and PCB99 vs PCB206 (r = 0.94, p < 0.01), suggesting common anthropogenic sources, likely linked to historical mining activities. In contrast, significant negative correlations, such as PCB5 vs PCB99 (r = − 0.71, p < 0.05), implied distinct environmental degradation pathways. Communalities analysis revealed that most congeners had variance explanations above 70%, with PCB180 (82%) and PCB138 (79%) being highly influenced by shared factors, while PCB161 (42%) and PCB168 (39%) were affected by unique sources. Human health risk assessments indicated that ingestion contributed the highest incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR). For example, at site G1, ingestion ILCR was 2.12 × 10 −5 , compared to 1.40 × 10 −5 for dermal exposure and 1.21 × 10 −6 for inhalation. These results highlight the urgent need for targeted remediation strategies, especially in hotspots like G1 and G2, and demonstrate the importance of understanding both shared and unique contamination pathways when managing PCB pollution in mining environments. Graphical Abstract

The search for a safer antibiotic of phytogenic origin using Goat weed leaf meal and Scent leaf meal as additive was investigated on 240 unsex day old chicks of Ross 308 strain. The birds were allotted into six diets and replicate four times with 10 birds per replicate in a completely randomized design. D1 was the control, D2 had 10g of Antibiotics (Diaziprim-48% S), while D3-D6 have 0.6g + 0.6g, 0.9 + 0.9g, 1.2 + 1.2g and 1.5 + 1.5g (GWLM + SLM) per kg of the feed respectively. At 21 days old, D4 recorded significant values of 1116.22g on final weight, 1076.02g weight gains, 1544.06g feed intake and better feed conversion ratio of 1.43. The birds final weight (2571.35g) and weight gain (1462.35g) on D5 at 42days was significantly (p>0.05) different compared to the other diets. The result on feed intake revealed that D1 and D5 had superior (2607.45g) and least (2565.44g) value. The feed conversion ratio of birds showed significantly better value on D5 in comparison to other diets. Also, the additives affected the cost of diets and cost of weight gain of the birds across the diets. The result on haematology and serum biochemistry revealed significant differences on WBC where D5 and D6 recorded superior values compared to other treatments. The blood indices of the birds revealed no adverse effects cause by the diets. The results on AST and ALT recorded decrease values with higher supplementation of the additives. The MDA, SOD, T-AOC, GSH-Px and CAT were within the range of healthy birds. The microbial load of birds revealed a reduced microbial load of Staphylococcus spp, Escherichia coli and Salmonella were observed at higher inclusion of the additives. In conclusion, adding these additives in the diets of broiler chickens could enhance the growth performance as reflected on the blood profile, carcass qualities, oxidative status and the reduce microbial loads without any adverse effects on the birds.

Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this chapter, students should be able to: 1. Define corporate sustainability and explain its linkage to good governance practices.2. Discuss the principles of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) responsibility.3. Analyze how governance structures promote sustainable corporate strategies and long-term value creation.4. Identify mechanisms through which boards and management integrate sustainability goals into decision-making.5. Evaluate the impact of governance on corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting and stakeholder engagement.6. Discuss global and Nigerian examples of sustainable governance practices.