Foreign Direct Investment, Electricity Power Supply and Economic Growth in Nigeria

This study examined the stimulation of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows through constant electricity power supply for economic growth in Nigeria, by engaging time series data sourced from the world development indicators (WDI) for the period 1986-2017 and employed the Autoregressive distribution lag econometric approach to co-integration. The gross domestic product growth rate per capita was the proxy for economic growth and the dependent variable, while the independent variables include FDI, labour force participation rate, gross fixed capital formation and electricity power supply. The result from the study showed that, in the long-run, increased FDI inflows, gross fixed capital formation, electricity power supply, have the potency of increasing economic growth by 30%, 20% and 6%, respectively. Therefore, based on the results obtained, the study recommended that there should be constant electricity power supply to keep pace with productivity for efficient economic growth in Nigeria

Actinic keratosis: a case of sun damage in the Tropics

A clinical report on a tropical health issue caused by extreme exposure to ultra-violet light in Nigeria.46 year old Nigerian farmer previously a timber merchant presented at the dermatological clinic of our Teaching Hospital in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He was referred from a private hospital for an expert’s evaluation and management. He gave a six year history of a progressively growing mass on the left thumb. This started as an itchy hypo-pigment patch on the left palm and gradually spread to involve the dorsui.. and palmar surface of the thumb. There was no preceding history of burns or any other form of trauma. The patient later noticed a painful growth on the hypo-pigment scarred patch and this continued to increase in size creating an ugly spiky mass. There were no systemic symptoms but the embarrassment and incapacitation caused by the craggy mass made him desperate to seek expert care. Previous treatment he received included topical applications of sulfur and penicillin ointments and also a course of systemic penicillin

The impacts of first line highly active antiretroviral therapy on serum selenium, cd4 count and body mass index: a cross sectional and short prospective study

Introduction: The relationship that exists between body weights, serum selenium and immunological markers of HIV/AIDS continue to provoke more researches in the recent times. The objectives of this study were to examine baseline body mass index, CD4 count and serum selenium and to prospectively assess the impacts of HAART on same parameters 48 weeks post HAART among HIV patients. Methods: A cohort comprising 140 newly diagnosed HIV positive were prospectively studied. Anthropometric measurements, serum selenium and CD4 count were assessed at diagnosis and 48 weeks post HAART. Results: The mean age for patients was 35±8.8 years; 68% was female. Patients' mean weight was 56.79±10.22kg, BMI; 21.59±3.53, serum selenium; 0.55 ± 0.45μmol/L and CD4 count; 288.36 ± 232.23 at the baseline. At diagnosis, 47 (33.6%) were in stage 1, 49 (35.0%) in stage 2, 26 (18.6%) and 18 (12.9%) were in stage 3 and 4 respectively. Similarly, most patients had normal body mass index, 94 (67.14%), 26 (18.57%) were underweight, (12.86%) were overweight and two (1.43%) were obese at diagnosis. At 48 weeks post HAART, the mean weight, BMI, serum selenium and CD4 count were significantly increased. Conclusion: HAART repleted CD4 count and serum selenium, Post HAART overweight was associated with lesser CD4 count reconstitution and selenium repletion. A renew call for weight monitoring in HAART era.Key words: HIV/AIDS, Selenium, CD4 count, BMI, HAAR

COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF EGG YOLKS FROM DIFFERENT POULTRY BREEDS ON VIABILITY OF REFRIGERATED SPERMATOZOA FROM WEST AFRICAN DWARF BUCKS

Egg yolk from avian species is used as a common component of most semen extenders because of its wide availability, beneficial effect on sperm viability and protective effect on acrosome against temperature-related damage during semen preservation. This study was carried out to determine the comparative effects of egg yolks from different poultry breeds on viability of refrigerated spermatozoa of West African Dwarf (WAD) bucks. Pooled semen from five intact WAD bucks was diluted with extender containing egg yolks from Normal feather (NF), Nickel neck (NN), Frizzle feather (FF), Nera black (NB), Oba Marshall black (OB) and Yaffa brown (YB) chickens. Following dilution, the semen samples were assessed subjectively after in vitro storage at 5oC for 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours as regards progressive sperm motility, acrosome status and abnormalities using a phase-contrast microscope. The results showed that the ability of these egg yolks to sustain progressive motility ranked in this order: OB > NN > NF >YB > NB > FF. Intact acrosome was comparable during the 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours of storage and followed similar trend across the egg-yolk types in the extender. Extender containing YB had the highest percentage abnormality at the end of this study. The findings of this study reveal that OB, NN and NF have better protective ability to maintain motility of refrigerated spermatozoa of WAD bucks.Â

Cracking the code: How procedural justice drives employee engagement in Nigerian banks

This study investigates the influence of procedural justice on many aspects of employee engagement including affective, behavioral, cognitive and physical engagement specifically within the banking business in Nigeria. The sector has consistently faced difficulties in maintaining employee engagement with major issues such as high rates of absenteeism and turnover. Implementing an effective employee engagement strategy can help in retaining and developing a team that is prepared for the future, thereby reducing absenteeism and turnover. This study employed survey methodology and used stratified sampling techniques to choose participants. We collected the necessary data from primary sources. The study considered 209 of the 231 distributed questionnaires legitimate and appropriate. The results indicate that how employees perceive the fairness of procedures in the chosen bank has a substantial impact on their high levels of emotional, cognitive, physical and behavioral involvement. This demonstrates that ensuring fair treatment when creating clear and reliable policies and processes results in increased employee engagement. Banks should create an environment that promotes fairness by ensuring transparency and reliability in all rules and procedures to enhance overall satisfaction among workers and performance. It is possible to reduce high rates of absence and turnover resulting in a more stable and productive workforce by using these measures. This study highlights the significance of procedural justice in attaining greater employee engagement and offers significant insights for banks seeking to enhance their staff retention efforts

Envisaging the Impact of Entrepreneurial Culture on Venture Creation among Undergraduate Students of Selected Universities in Nigeria

Entrepreneurship is critical to the development of modern complex societies, not just for their survival but also for their long-term viability. Knowing the importance of entrepreneurship to the development of an economy brought about the introduction of entrepreneurship education into tertiary institutions in Nigeria. However, the restricted way entrepreneurship education is usually taught and practised has not helped undergraduates to imbibe an entrepreneurial culture and create a venture while at university. To close these gaps, the current study envisaged the impact of entrepreneurial culture and venture creation among undergraduate students of selected public universities in the South West region of Nigeria. Specifically, the purposive sampling technique was adopted to select the participants from selected universities in the SouthWest region of Nigeria that offers entrepreneurship as a degree programme. A total of 450 questionnaires were administered. A total of 396 copies of questionnaires were returned valid and confirmed as fit for analysis, representing an 88% response rate. The data collected were analysed using structural equation modelling. The findings from this study concluded that students who exhibit entrepreneurial attributes, values, and mindset are more likely to be entrepreneurs than students who do not. This study recommends that universities work harder to promote entrepreneurial culture by focusing entrepreneurship education more on practical application

Young Single Widow, Dynamics of In-Laws Interference and Coping Mechanisms: Simplicity–Parsimony Approach

The incidence of short marital duration due to the demise of a husband that often exposes young widows to in-laws’ exploitation of the asset of the deceased spouses, without regard for negative health consequences and potential vulnerability to poverty has not been exhaustively investigated, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where 16% of adult women are widows. The study examined the coping mechanisms among the young widow (aged � 40) who have experienced short conjugal relationships (�5 years) and burdensome from in-laws. The research design followed a qualitative approach with the aid of semi-structured in-depth interviews among 13 young widows selected through snowballing and informant-led approaches in the purposively selected communities. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and a thematic approach. The findings, among others, shows the median age of young widow as 29 years. All participants, except one, have faced exploitation from their in-laws over their husbands’ assets. All the participants desired to re-marry in order to: have a father figure for their children, have their own children or have more children. There is an absence of government support, but a few have received support from religious organisations. The author proposed attitudinal-change campaigns targeting the in-laws through accessible media and legislature that could challenge the exploitation of widows and unhealthy widowhood rites

Transforming entomology to adapt to global concerns: 2021 student debates

The 2021 Student Debates of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) were held at the Annual Meeting in Denver, CO. The event was organized by the Student Debates Subcommittee (SDS) of the Student Affairs Committee (SAC). The theme of the 2021 Student Debates was “Transforming Entomology to Adapt to Global Concerns”, with 3 topics. Each topic had an unbiased introduction and 2 teams. The debate topics were (i) Nonnative insect introduction is an ethical approach for counteracting proliferation and overpopulation of consumers, (ii) What is the best technology to control undesirable insect pests in urban and agricultural settings? and (iii) Compared to other solutions, like plant-based diets, insect farming is the best method to address rising human global food and nutrient supply demands. Unbiased introduction speakers and teams had approximately 6 months to prepare for their presentations

Paradigms of life from ancient greek literature

Inaugural lectur