Balancing a multistage vehicle number plate production line using effective cycle time model

Shortest product cycle time is a key criterion for job sequencing and measuring competitiveness among entrepreneurial-based firms. Now, the long waiting time of job orders constitutes a deterministic production line problem in vehicle number plate production plants in Nigeria. Case studies were conducted on those plants, confidentially identified in this paper as A, B, C, and D. Delays caused by non-value-adding work processes are major culprits among other contributors to the long queues at these plants. The value stream mapping technique was applied to identify non-value adding activities before the production line was balanced using an effective cycle time model. The index cases to a balanced line, as shown in the results, are increases in process rate by 41 %, 59 %, 42 %, and 71 % for  A, B, C, and D, respectively, and overall line efficiency. Next, the system capacities correspondingly increased with the elimination of wastages.  These increments imply that bottleneck activities have been minimized, and we have a balanced production line. The devised solution procedure is reliable and recommended to other line manufacturing concerns that experience delays and bottleneck problems

Living between languages: The politics of translation in Leila Aboulela’s Minaret and Xiaolu Guo’s A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers

This is the author's final draft post-refereeing as published in The Journal of Commonwealth Literature 2012 47: 207 DOI:10.1177/0021989412440433. The online version of this article can be found at: http://jcl.sagepub.com/content/47/2/20

Race, colonial history and national identity: Resident Evil 5 as a Japanese game

Resident Evil 5 is a zombie game made by Capcom featuring a White American protagonist and set in Africa. This paper argues that approaching this as a Japanese game reveals aspects of a Japanese racial and colonial social imaginary that are missed if this context of production is ignored. In terms of race, the game presents hybrid racial subjectivities that can be related to Japanese perspectives of Blackness and Whiteness where these terms are two poles of difference and identity through which an essentialised Japanese identity is constructed in what Iwabuchi calls “strategic hybridism” (Iwabuchi, 2002). In terms of colonialism, the game echoes structures of Japanese colonialism through which Japanese colonialism is obliquely memorialised and a “normal” Japanese global subjectivity can be performed

Anaesthetic management of post-burn contractures, a recurrent challenge from oil pipeline vandalization in Nigeria: a case report

A 13 year- old girl presented to the department with sternomental contractures as a result of facial burns from kerosene explosion. Difficult airway was envisaged. Over the period of time she developed sub-mental contracture with keloids; and was scheduled for release of contractures and flap closure

Global Perspectives on Task Shifting and Task Sharing in Neurosurgery.

BACKGROUND: Neurosurgical task shifting and task sharing (TS/S), delegating clinical care to non-neurosurgeons, is ongoing in many hospital systems in which neurosurgeons are scarce. Although TS/S can increase access to treatment, it remains highly controversial. This survey investigated perceptions of neurosurgical TS/S to elucidate whether it is a permissible temporary solution to the global workforce deficit. METHODS: The survey was distributed to a convenience sample of individuals providing neurosurgical care. A digital survey link was distributed through electronic mailing lists of continental neurosurgical societies and various collectives, conference announcements, and social media platforms (July 2018-January 2019). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and univariate regression of Likert Scale scores. RESULTS: Survey respondents represented 105 of 194 World Health Organization member countries (54.1%; 391 respondents, 162 from high-income countries and 229 from low- and middle-income countries [LMICs]). The most agreed on statement was that task sharing is preferred to task shifting. There was broad consensus that both task shifting and task sharing should require competency-based evaluation, standardized training endorsed by governing organizations, and maintenance of certification. When perspectives were stratified by income class, LMICs were significantly more likely to agree that task shifting is professionally disruptive to traditional training, task sharing should be a priority where human resources are scarce, and to call for additional TS/S regulation, such as certification and formal consultation with a neurosurgeon (in person or electronic/telemedicine). CONCLUSIONS: Both LMIC and high-income countries agreed that task sharing should be prioritized over task shifting and that additional recommendations and regulations could enhance care. These data invite future discussions on policy and training programs

Permanence, Temporality and the Rhythms of Life : Exploring Significance of the Village Arena in Igbo Culture

The village arena (or ‘square’ or ‘Otobo’ in Nsukka Igbo) is at the physical and socio-cultural centre of Igbo life, in southeast Nigeria. It is a space where intangible Igbo cultural heritage is played out, and also serves as a virtual museum where heritage materials are kept. The arena performs its roles in two very different ways: as a sacred space hosting initiation rites and religious rituals; and as a profane space for meetings and ceremonies. Either way, these uses see the arena transition between permanency and temporality, following routines and rhythms which themselves give the practices meaning and significance, and contribute to their inscription on the landscape. This paper explores the complexities associated with these village arenas with a particular focus on their socio-cultural, political, economic and religious functions through time, as well as the way those complexities are manifest in material cultures that serve to characterize the village arena

Quality assurance strategies for user friendly school libraries in Nigeria

This paper examines the methods of school library services with the pll1pose to promote quality assurance in Nigeria school libraries. The recurring theme in this paper is the imperative that school libraries in Nigeria should be committed and contributed to the transformation agenda which is the key issues of equity and redress, quality, development, effectiveness and efficiency. Quality assurance in NPE 2004 and the minimum standards for school libraries in Nigeria (1992) should be seen simultaneously as objective of, and medium for transforming quality services in Nigerian school iibraries. Problems of the school librartes were stated, in this regard recommendationswere made for the best way forward.Keywords: Quality assurance, User friendly school library, Nigeria

Human Resources Factor in the Development of Appropriate Information Literacy Skills of the Nigerian School-Child; The Role of the Teacher-Librarian

Discussions on information literacy skills of the School child in Nigeria bring to mind a composite requirement of relevant human resource in the school library. The stakeholders have been identified as veritable human resource in the school library that should encourage the Teacher-Librarian to carry out effective library services of inculating a ppropriate information literacy skills in the school child

Relevance of media rental services in quality education of the Nigerian school child

In the library and information sector, there are two flJethodi of service delivery namely the free service and fee-based service. Any of these two methods could be operated by either the public or private sector. Media rental services promote information and national development. It is a veritable means of providing quality education to the Nigerian school child. The media rental is also a place where the library and information  professionals carry out private practice for skill update and financial reward. Just as the teachers in schools engage in private practice,the school teacher librarian or media speCialist can also engage in private practice as desired The following issues are discussed in this paper, Quality  education and MDGS, media rental centres as  educational centres, concepts of media rental libraries and relevance to quality education of the Nigerian school child both at jubilee year and beyond, types and their services, basic infrastructure for setting up media rentals and feasibility study