Corrosion of Aluminum Alloy Metal Matrix Composites in Neutral Chloride Solutions

The electrochemical behavior of UNS A0332.00S, UNS A0332.20S, UNS A0359.00S, and UNS A0359.20S aluminum alloys were studied in NaCl media through weight loss, potentiodynamic, and cyclic polarization techniques. UNS A0332.20S and UNS A0359.20S were reinforced with SiC, 20% by volume while the other two samples were not reinforced. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy were used to analyze the role of intermetallic phases in both the corroded and non-corroded aluminum alloy samples. Results showed that unreinforced alloys have lower corrosion rates compared to the reinforced alloys. Pits on the reinforced alloys were significantly more numerous, shallower, and widespread than on the monolithic alloys. Al/ SiC interface particles and intermetallic phases were observed to form at the mouth of the pits especially in alloys reinforced with SiC particles which might have contributed significantly to the weakening of regions where localized corrosion occurs. The result shows that intermetallic phases may directly influence the corrosion behavior of the aluminum alloy

Ethnocentric Behaviour and Business Performance of Multinational Enterprises (MNES): Evidence From South-West Nigeria

The globalised world has become more integrated and has witnessed an unprecedented dispersal of Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) across various nations and regions of the world. Most of these MNEs advertently or inadvertently exhibit tendencies that show them off as ethnocentric- possessing superior culture than those of their host country. This study assessed the effects of ethnocentric behaviours on the performance of MNEs in the South West of Nigeria. Adopting a survey design, the study made use of primary data collected mainly through administering a set of questionnaire to 207 management staff of selected MNEs from Oyo, Lagos and Ogun states respectively. Findings inter alia revealed that: engaging expatriates in strategic positions by MNE's leads to increased operating costs; foreign culture of MNE's home country negatively affects the local acceptance of management techniques by employees in host countries and MNE's standardized marketing strategies encouraged customers' loyalty and patronage in the Nigeria business environments. The work among other things, recommends that local employees in host nations must be incorporated into key decisions to aid MNE's continuous effectiveness. The work, in addition to that, also advised that MNE's should guide against culture shock i.e. the disorientation, cultural risks and stress associated with being in a foreign environment

Rough ends of infinite primitive permutation groups

If G is a group of permutations of a set Omega , then the suborbits of G are the orbits of point-stabilisers G_\alpha acting on Omega. The cardinalities of these suborbits are the subdegrees of G. Every infinite primitive permutation group G with finite subdegrees acts faithfully as a group of automorphisms of a locally-finite connected vertex-primitive directed graph Gamma with vertex set Omega, and there is consequently a natural action of G on the ends of Gamma. We show that if G is closed in the permutation topology of pointwise convergence, then the structure of G is determined by the length of any orbit of G acting on the ends of Gamma. Examining the ends of a Cayley graph of a finitely generated group to determine the structure of the group is often fruitful. B. Krön and R. G. Möller have recently generalised the Cayley graph to what they call a rough Cayley graph, and they call the ends of this graph the rough ends of the group. It transpires that the ends of Gamma are the rough ends of G, and so our result is equivalent to saying that the structure of a closed primitive group G whose subdegrees are all finite is determined by the length of any orbit of G on its rough ends

Innovative and Interventions Towards a Better Ageing Management

This paper discusses interventional innovation toward a better ageing management. It is a position paper in which phases of ageing was looked into; its characteristics and innovative measures for the management of ageing from various researchers point of view were properly reviewed. All such, observation was drawn from various research paper that with an increasing aged population, cognitive disorders became a major health and social issue. It was concluded that, although cognitive decline is a normal part of ageing, there are interventional innovative measures that could be employed towards a better ageing management. It was recommended that, ageing people should participate in physical exercise, regular medical checkups; government should formulate policies favourable for the ageing people and health education for the ageing people is important. Keywords: interventional innovations, ageing management, cognitive disorder

FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR WOMEN’S PREFERENCE FOR TRADITIONAL MATERNAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN AKOK NORTH AREA OF ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

This study compared the population of women that prefer traditional maternal health care services in Akoko North area of Ondo State and identified factors responsible preference for traditional maternal health care services. This was with a view to providing information on reasons responsible for women’ preference for traditional maternal health care services. The study used descriptive survey research design. The population for the study comprised women of child bearing age who had a life birth in the last five years in Akoko North–East (ANE) and North-West (ANW) LGAs of Ondo State. The sample comprised a total of 200 women. Each of the two LGAs was first stratified according to wards. In Akoko North-East and North-West, there are 13 and 11 wards respectively. From each of the LGAs, five wards were selected totaling 10 wards using simple random sampling technique. From each ward, 20 respondents were selected using snowballing sampling technique. A self-developed questionnaire was used to collect information on the population of women preferring TMHCS and reasons underlying their preferences. Data collected were analysed using percentage and chi-square analysis. The results indicated that 59% of the 200 women used in Akoko North–East preferred traditional maternal health care services while 69.0% of the women in Akoko North–West preferred it. Results also showed that spiritual reasons (59%), cultural belief (57.8%), cheaper services (57%) and provision of more compassionate care (53.9%) were reasons for women preference for traditional maternal health services in the study areas. The study concluded that spiritual reasons, cultural belief, compassionate care, low economic status, low education status are factors responsible for women’ preference for traditional maternal health services in Akoko North–East and North–West Areas of Ondo State.  Article visualizations

Rate of isolation of streptococcus species from children with bacterial infections: an indication for introduction of streptococcal vaccines

Background: Streptococcus species are among the commonest bacterial causes of childhood morbidity in developing countries. Streptococcal diseases in children have not been as well characterized in Nigeria as it has been in industrialized countries. The rudimentary nature of public health surveillance makes the true epidemiology of the disease difficult to ascertain. The predominance of Streptococcus pneumoniae in the causation of invasive diseases has led to the advocacy of inclusion of pneumococcal vaccine in the National Programme on Immunization. However, local data critical to inform on vaccine deployment are scarce, thus the need for the present study. Objective: To study the rate of isolation of Streptococcus species from children aged zero to 15 years, with suspected bacterial infections. Materials and Methods: Laboratory records of results of bacteriological studies of samples from children with suspected bacterial infections in University of Abuja Teaching Hospital from January 2008 through December, 2010 were retrieved and analyzed for bacterial growth. Data analysis Version 3.5.1. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 2,247 samples were received during the study period. Of the 1,242 bacteria isolated, 502 (40.4%) were Staphylococcus aureus, 232 (18.7%) were Escherichia coli and 146 (11.8%) were Streptococcus species: 78 were isolated from blood, 9 from sputum, 11 from throat swabs and 28 from other sites while urine and eye swabs had 10 each. One hundred and six (72.6%) of the streptococci were from children aged 5 years and below. Most of the Streptococci (88.1%) were untyped. Among the 17 Streptococcal isolates typed, 10 were Streptococcus pneumoniae and three were group B Streptococcus. Conclusion: Streptococcal infections remain an important cause of severe disease in children in Nigeria. The use of effective, safe and affordable vaccine could significantly reduce morbidity from these infections, thus suggesting the need for more studies to conclude on streptococcal vaccine deployment.Key words: Streptococcal infections, Nigeria, Streptococcal vaccine

Adsorptive Removal of Rhodamine B Dye from Aqueous Solution Using Raw Plantain Peel

The Adsorption capacity of raw plantain peel for Rhodamine B Dye in an aqueous solution has been studied using the batch optimization method. The adsorbent without any modification was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results show that maximum adsorption capacity was obtained at the optimum levels of contact time (90 minutes at 16.5739mg/g) adsorbent dose (0.2g at 7.4815mg/g), initial dye concentration (60mg/L at 21.2024mg/g) and pH8 (24.5719mg/g). In order to investigate the mechanism of adsorption, kinetic data were modeled using the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich, and Intraparticle diffusion. Among the kinetic models studied, the pseudo-second-order equation was the best applicable model to describe the adsorption process of the dye onto the adsorbent employed in this work. Equilibrium isotherm data were also analyzed using the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin-Raduskevich isotherms. The Freundlich isotherm model yielded a better result. Isotherm parameters have also been used to obtain the thermodynamic parameters such as Gibb’s free energy, enthalpy, and entropy of adsorption. These results show that raw dried plantain peel powder has the potential of a good low-cost adsorbent for the removal of this hazardous dye from wastewater, it also shows that raw dried plantain peel powder can be used as an absorbent for the removal of Rhodamine B (RB) from aqueous solution

Health-Related Factors Influencing School Drop-Out Rate in Akoko North-East Local Government Arear of Ondo State.

This study investigated the health-related factors influencing school drop-out rate in Akoko North-East LGA of Ondo State. Two null hypothesis on the rate at which adolescents drop out of school for health-related reasons is not significantly higher than the rate at which they drop out for non-health related reasons. (e.g Poverty, school performance) and health-related factors responsible(Substance use/abuse, teenage pregnancy/motherhood ,Exposure to sexual harassment and communicable and non communicable disease) are not a significant factor in adolescents dropping out of school were formulated to guide the study. This study adopted the descriptive survey research design. The population of the study consist of all out-of school adolescents in Akoko North-East Local Government Area, Ondo State.The sample for this study comprised of 200 out-of-school adolescents selected from Akoko North-East LGA of Ondo State. The LGA has 13 wards, from which ten were selected using simple random sampling technique. From each ward, the snowballing technique was used to select respondents. At the initial stage of snowballing sampling, the researcher established contacts with five drop-outs from each of the ten wards through friends and relatives residing in them. Each of the respondents was implored to provide information needed to locate other adolescent(s) who were also drop-outs. The follow-up yielded other sets of drop-outs who also recommended others in their category, until 200 respondents were got.  The instrument used to collect data for this study was a self-designed questionnaire. The questionnaire developed was validated by experts in the Department of Physical and Health Education who made reconstructions where necessary in order for it to measure what it was supposed to. The corrected questionnaire was used for the study. The questionnaire was administered twice to the same set of 20 school dropout adolescents who were not part of the sample for the study. There was a two week interval between the two tests. The data obtained from both tests were correlated using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient (PPMCC) to establish the strength of the relationship between the two sets of scores. The result showed that r = 0.82 which was considered reliable enough to make the questionnaire reliable. Two hundred copies of the questionnaire for this study were administered by the researcher and two of his friends who acted as research assistants and who were well taught on what to do. Respondents were contacted individually at their homes, shops motor parks and hawking locations. Administration of the questionnaire was done on the spot to ensure high rate of retrieval and completed questionnaire were collected on the spot. The data collected for this study were analysed using  percentage  and  chi-square. The result revealed that Out of 200 respondents, 156 (78%) respondents dropped out of school for health-related issues, while only 44 (22%) dropped for other reasons like financial problem, while Substance use and abuse (x2=36); Teenage pregnancy/motherhood/fatherhood (x2=36.28), Sexual harassment (13.82) and communicable diseases (x2= 32.73) are significant health-related factors influencing school dropout rate among adolescents. Consequent upon the findings, it was recommended among others, that School authorities should enact strict laws regarding sexual coercion and such laws should be strictly enforced and Schools should regularly mount counseling programmes on human sexuality to help adolescent avoid untimely sex and unwanted pregnancies and unexpected motherhood/fatherhood that can lead to dropping out of school. Key words: Education, Adolescent, School dropout and Health related issues. DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/63-11 Publication date:June 30th 201