Self Reported Symptoms associated with Coffee Consumption among University Students in Nigeria

This paper examined the psycho physiological effects of coffee consumption as reported by University students. The relationship between coffee consumption and anxiety was also explored. It was hypothesized that heavy caffeine users would report significantly higher anxiety and more psychophysical symptoms of caffenism more than non-users. A sample size of 447-university students made up of 239 males and 208 females within ages 16-36 years (M = 22.7; SD = 2.92) participated in the study. All respondents completed an adapted version of STAI forms Y-1 and Y-2 which measures state-trait anxiety. Analysis of data revealed significant difference between coffee users and non-users on state anxiety. The quantity and frequency of daily coffee consumption were found to be related to the symptoms exhibited on state anxiety. There was no significant sex difference on the frequency and quantity of coffee consumption but a significant age difference in favour of younger respondent was recorded on frequency of coffee consumption. Various symptoms reported by the respondents confirmed the stimulating properties of caffeine.African Research Review Vol. 2 (2) 2008 pp. 13-3

Review of Business Strategies for Environmental Leadership and Sustainability Matters

Environmental leadership and sustainability has not much been pursued by most business organization in that, the main focus of most business organizations today is to make profit and to satisfy the customer. Modern business strategies demand the protection of the natural environment. Many people are now expecting corporate institutions to be socially responsible. Environmental deterioration caused by corporate activities is reducing the quality state of our environmental. Institutions must now develop strategies that can help protect and sustain the environment. There are many strategies firms can practice to sustain the environment. These strategies are known as Environmental business strategy. In the literature review two of these strategies were reviewed: Purchasing environmental strategy and Marketing environmental strategy. Keywords: Sustainability, Strategies, marketing, Business Models, Environmental leadership DOI: 10.7176/JESD/12-2-04 Publication date: January 31st 202

Incidence of Bacterial Septicaemia in Ile-Ife Metropolis, Nigeria

A retrospective study of septicaemia was conducted in Ile-Ife metropolis with a view to determine its incidence and changes in the predominant aetiological agents. Six hundred and fifty (650) subjects, aged from one day to seventy years and above were examined. They all had clinical features suggestive of septicaemia and were on admission at the Obafemi Awolowo University hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Their blood specimens were seeded into thioglycolate and glucose broths and incubated at 37 °C for 7 days. Subcultures were performed after 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 days respectively. Growth (positivity) in the broths was assessed using conventional diagnostic methods namely macroscopy (visualization), Gram filming (microscopy) and culture. The bacterial isolates harvested were subjected to in-vitro antibiotic susceptibility tests using the disc diffusion method. Etiology was established in 204 out of 650 subjects indicating an incidence of 31.4%. This difference in prevalence among different age groups was statistically significant (P < 0.01). The males (112/650, 17.2%) appeared to be more susceptible to septicaemia than the females (94/650, 14.5%) in all the age groups. This variation had no statistical significance (P > 0.01). Monomicrobial septicaemia had a higher prevalence (92.2%) than polymicrobial septicaemia (7.8%). Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli constituted 43.8%. Most of the offensive microbes were facultative anaerobes (91.7%) while very few were strict aerobes (6.8%) and strict anaerobes (1.5%). The isolated anaerobes were Peptostreptococcus sp. (0.5%) and Bacteroides fragilis (1%). The in vitro susceptibility of the bacterial isolates to antibiotics indicated 76.4-95.6% sensitivity to vancomycin, zinnat, peflacin and fortum. However, they were 60 – 90% resistant to penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline and septrin. This study confirmed the diverse nature of bacterial etiologies of septicaemia in the area; the need for the use of thioglycolate broths, first subcultures on or before 24 h instead of starting off for after 48 h of incubation, complementary application of macroscopy, Gram filming and culture including antibiotic susceptibility test as an integral part of diagnosis and management of septicaemia is hereby advocated, most especially in the developing countries of the world

Navigating Metaphorical Expressions through Design Problem Solving: A Perspective of Design Critic in a Creative Economy

In the school of creativity, Metaphors are tools and weapons that designers employs during intellectual navigation to understand unfamiliar design problems and are as useful as criticism to an art-teacher in portfolio grading, assessment and examination. A connecting thread is found by juxtaposing metaphor and criticism in which a creative end is reached for both the Art-teachers and students in academe and practice. Thus in a developing economy where design endeavor gains nobility, a creative product emerges and retrieving concepts from metaphors necessitates creative thinking. While the importance of these creative tools has been acknowledged in design, more research work is needed to appreciate its contribution to design practice. This investigation is aimed at building a connecting thread resilient enough to create a synergy between the uses of metaphor in design criticism and meaningful design problem solving with a particular focus on design creativity. Overt meaning of metaphorical expressions, factors of creativity and constructive criticism were interpolated into a holistic value. Critical evaluation showed that the connection of metaphor and criticism is the most significant factor characterizing design evolution and creativity. On the other hand, the synthesis of design solutions is the stronger factor of the use of metaphors. Evaluation in this paper demonstrates that correct use of metaphorical expressions play an important role in design creativity. Theoretical discourse analysis of metaphorical expressions in design problems was the screen that showed unique contributions of criticism to individual potential discoveries and general creativity by design problem solving in a dynamic econom

A Study of Valuation Clients Perception on Mortgage Valuation Reliability

The effect of overvaluation and undervaluation cannot be over emphasized in any economy. Valuation opinions are very crucial to the operations and business dealings of the clients that seek valuer’s advice in decision making. Wrong opinion of value has caused strain in many business dealings. This paper studies the perception of clients on reliability of mortgage valuation in Nigeria. A sample size of 50 lending institutions was randomly chosen representing 57.5% of the target population in Lagos State, the study area. The study used descriptive statistic to analyse the data. The study reveals that clients are of the opinion that valuations produced by valuers were not reliable. This is as a result of the experiences they were having with large disparity between the final opinion of values of those properties on default mortgage that were foreclosed and the final sales price. The study therefore concludes that the estate surveyors and valuers in the country owe their clients a duty of care by presenting accurate and reliable valuation reports since other stakeholders of the real property investors depend on these reports for their investment decision

Using Test Theories Models to Assess Senior Secondary Students Ability in Constructed-Response Mathematics Tests

Testing is essential in education and other behavioural science fields because many decisions and policies are made according to the results of testing. It is therefore, imperative that besides ensuring that the test items are valid and reliable, the scoring of the items must be reliably and validly conducted. It has been established by chief examiners of examining bodies that students most times obtained low scores in the constructed-response items aspect of mathematics and this could be as a result of the assessment procedures adopted by the examination bodies. Also, many research works have been carried out to confirm the similarity between West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) in Nigeria using multiple choice items. Against this backdrop, this study assessed the ability of senior secondary students in constructed-response mathematics tests of WAEC and NECO with test theories models and as well established the similarity between the two examinations. Non-experimental design of ex post facto type was adopted. The target population consists of all senior secondary school students in Ibadan Metropolis of Oyo State in Nigeria. Simple random sampling was used to randomly sample 24 schools and 1151 students. The compulsory section A of Paper II of three years past constructed-response items of WAEC and NECO were used as instruments for data collection. Data collected were analysed using mean, standard deviation, Person Product Correlation Movement; Classical Test Theory, generalized partial credit and graded response models of Item Response Theory. Results of the finding shows that students mean score in the examinations were below 50% using CTT and above 50% using IRT models respectively. It was concluded that the two examinations mathematics constructed-response items are equal and IRT models are more efficient and reliable in determining students’ ability compare to CTT. Keywords: WAEC Mathematics Constructed-Response Test, NECO Mathematics Constructed-Response Test, Classical Test Theories Model, Item Response Theory Models, DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-7-05 Publication date:March 31st 202

DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A 2kVA FUELLESS GENERATOR

Electricity supply has been unreliable for a long period in Nigeria. The energy generating capacity has the potential to generate 12,522 MW of electric power from existing plant, however, approximately 4650 MW is daily generated. Consequently, most homes and industries use internal combustion engine generating sets as an alternative to power grid failure. This does not only contribute to the amount of CO2 that people inhale in the atmosphere but also contributes to ozone layer depletion and climate change. The need for new energy generating sources with no negative impact on our environment had led to several alternatives cleaner source of power that is environmentally friendly and affordable for the masses. In response to this, a fuelless generator was developed using local materials to serve as a standby generator against the incessant power outage. The generator was developed by using a D.C battery, D.C motor, alternator, connecting shaft, charging panel (transformer, diode and capacitor), and a frame. A 12V, 100Ah battery was used to drive a 12V DC motor which in turn spun the alternator to optimal speed to generate electrical power. The output voltage was used to power varying loads of 0W to 2KW, with efficiency reducing with load increase. This paper presents the design and construction procedures, as well as the performance evaluation of the generated result