Environmental scanning strategy of manufacturing companies in Southwestern Nigeria

In this paper, we examine the environmental scanning strategy of manufacturing companies in Southwestern Nigeria against the background that manufacturing companies in Nigeria exist in a challenging environment characterised by high import dependency, inappropriate policies, lack of transparent governance and weak industrial capabilities. Empirical data was collected with a questionnaire from a sample of 84 manufacturing firms in Southwestern Nigeria. We found that generally, companies in the industry actively engage in systematic gathering, analyses and assimilation of information about the business environment as strategic input into planning. The main objective of search was to obtain information required to initiate or support strategies for competing in the domestic market. Central among the factors determining the companies' level of intrusiveness into the environment are companies' capacity to interpret changes in the environment, available channels of information and quality of information.business environment; environmental scanning; environmental analysability; environmental uncertainty; manufacturing, strategy; technology; capabilities

Estimation of total dissolved solid in groundwater using multiple linear regression analysis around Igando dumpsites in Lagos, South-West, Nigeria

This study presents a multiple linear regression (MLR) TDS model that relates the TDS data obtained from groundwater samples to the geophysical data obtained from Electromagnetic (EM) data, as an alternative approach to mapping and monitoring the impact of TDS in groundwater. The predictive power of the developed MLR TDS model was appraised to determine the feasibility of using the TDS model to predict groundwater TDS around the study area. Although, the accuracy of the developed TDS model is site specific, the EM data around the area can be applied to the model to determine TDS concentration in groundwater, thus reducing the time and cost of acquiring and monitoring both parameters separately. The utilisation of the proposed MLR TDS model could assist in the implementation of seasonal groundwater quality monitoring programmes around the dumpsites. From the results also, association between TDS and EC and between TDS and N03 are 0.93 and 0.67 respectively, while that between TDS and hardness is 0.81, suggesting common source of contamination around the sites. Generally, there are relatively higher values of the measured physicochemical properties of water around the North-western part of Solous 1, North-western and South-western part of Solous 2, South-western and Southeastern part of Solous 3 dumpsite when compared with other parts investigated. Therefore, groundwater within the study area may have been impacted by the leachates from the decomposed refuse, and boreholes located at positions other than these zones are likely to yield uncontaminated wate

Functional and pasting properties of a tropical breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) starch from Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria

This study was carried out to determine the proximate, functional and pasting properties of breadfruit starch. Breadfruit starch was isolated from matured breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) and was analyzed for its functional, proximate and pasting properties. The starch contains 10.83%, 0.53%, 0.39%, 22.52%, 77.48% and 1.77% moisture, crude protein, fat, amylose, amylopectin and ash contents respectively. The average particle size, pH, bulk density and dispersibility of the breadfruit starch were 18 μm, 6.5, 0.673 g/mls, and 40.67% respectively. The swelling power of the breadfruit starch increases with increase in temperature, but there was a rapid increase in the swelling power from 70 to 80°C. The pasting temperature of the starch paste was 84.05°C, setback and breakdown values were 40.08 and 7.92 RVU respectively. The peak viscosity value was 121.25 RVU while final viscosity value was 153.42 RVU. This study concluded that breadfruit starch has an array of functional, pasting and proximate properties that can facilitate its use in so many areas where the properties of other starches are acceptable

Time dependent electrical resistivity tomography and seasonal variation assessment of groundwater around the Olushosun dumpsite Lagos, South-west, Nigeria

Time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and seasonal variation studies of the physicochemical properties of groundwater were carried out on the Olushosun dumpsite in Lagos South-western Nigeria, to monitor, track the depth of leachate contamination, and to investigate the impact of seasonal variation on groundwater quality around the dumpsite. Six 2-D resistivity imaging lines were investigated. The independent inversion of the dipole–dipole and pole-dipole resistivity data indicated that contaminated zones are characterised by resistivity values ranging from 0.63 to 12.5 Ωm, and a maximum depth of 141m was investigated. The pole-dipole models show clear evidence of vertical migration of contaminant with time, as depth of contamination increased from 106m in May 2014 to about 120m in December 2015 around the investigated portion of the dumpsite. Analysis of the seasonal variation of the examined physicochemical properties of the water samples taken from wells and boreholes within and around the site showed that there is increase in concentration of TDS and EC in the dry season study and a corresponding increase in the mean concentration of pH, Ca, Mg, hardness, Cu, Cr, NO3, SO4 and Na from the dry season results. Also, there is reduction in the mean concentration of Fe, Zn, Mn, PO4, Cl, and Ni in the dry season when compared with the wet season analysis. Generally, there is a strong correlation between the ERT results and the physicochemical parameters of ground water quality viz-a-viz the contamination status of the Olushosun dumpsite. This increased trend in the dry season period could be attributed to the increase in concentration of the dissolved metals due to evaporation, and on the other hand, dilution effect of the rainfall during the wet season. South East direction of contaminant flow was established from the water table contour lines produced for the area. The research has clearly shown that the groundwater within the study area has been impacted by the leachate from the decomposed refuse at the dumpsite and may constitute danger to the life of residents living around the dumpsit

Challenges of Small Ruminants Production in Selected Urban Communities of Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

Livestock production has become a common trend in urban communities whereby a number of people reared farm animals such as sheep and goats for social and economic reasons. Notwithstanding the associated advantages of livestock production, effective urban production of the small ruminants is greatly challenged by a number of factors. Based on this, the study was conducted with a view to identifying factors that challenged effective sheep and goat production in selected urban communities of Abeokuta, Ogun State. From the selected 12 urban communities where sheep and goats were reared, a total of 217 rearers were non-randomly selected using snow balling sampling method. A reliable and validated interview guide was used alongside field observation to obtain information on challenges to sheep and goats production in the urban areas. The results showed that the challenges were feed, health/disease, environmental, marketing and routine management related. All the respondents (100%) experienced challenges such as high cost of feeding, theft of the farm animals, problem of off -season feeding and problem of sourcing feed variety for the animals. The chi-square test showed that a significant relationship exists between the respondents’ socioeconomic characteristics (sex: χ2 = 21.06, df =4; age: χ2 = 43.26, df = 16; education: χ2 = 78.09, df = 12; occupation: χ2 = 62.57, df = 16; income: χ2 = 56.35, df =16) and the encountered challenges (p < 0.05). Based on this, it was concluded that the identified challenges to urban sheep and goat production remained serious issues in the study area. It was thus recommended that conscious efforts should be put up by rearers of the small ruminants to ensure safety of their animals and good feeding routine for increased productivity and beneficial returns

A diverse array of genetic factors contribute to the pathogenesis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease with variable clinical presentation frequently affecting the skin, joints, haemopoietic system, kidneys, lungs and central nervous system. It can be life threatening when major organs are involved. The full pathological and genetic mechanisms of this complex disease are yet to be elucidated; although roles have been described for environmental triggers such as sunlight, drugs and chemicals, and infectious agents. Cellular processes such as inefficient clearing of apoptotic DNA fragments and generation of autoantibodies have been implicated in disease progression. A diverse array of disease-associated genes and microRNA regulatory molecules that are dysregulated through polymorphism and copy number variation have also been identified; and an effect of ethnicity on susceptibility has been described.http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1750-1172-8-2IS

On the Exponentiated Generalized Inverse Exponential Distribution

This research explored the Exponentiated Generalized Inverse Exponential (EGIE) distribution to include more statistical properties and in particular, applications to real life data as compared with some other generalized models

Online Banking

The Internet is rapidly changing the global marketplace and the banking industry is no exception. The banking industry is now providing products and services online. Online banking allows customers to conduct their banking transactions over the Internet. It also facilitates e-society and e-commerce particularly online shopping and online sales. Today online banking is a global phenomenon. The aim of this paper is to provide a brief introduction to online banking

Digital Education

Digital education is the process of using digital technology in teaching and learning. Teachers are under pressure to use digital technologies in teaching students and prepare them for work in a globalized digital economy. Digital education prepares students for becoming digital citizens by making them acquire skills for navigating and existing in the digital world. This paper provides a brief introduction to digital education