The Combined Effects of Leptin and Coenzyme Q10 in Ameliorating Obesity- Induced Infertility in Female Rats

Infertility is one of the major problems of obesity. Studies have shown that administration of leptin reversed obesity-induced infertility in rats and mice. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an antioxidant and also supplies the energy needed for ovulation and embryo development. We hypothesized that leptin when combined with CoQ10 could greatly improve obesity-induced infertility. The results showed a significant decrease in food intake, body weight, and the regular estrous cycle was restored after treatment with leptin+CoQ10. There was a significant increase (p10 significantly (p10 can improve fertility in obese infertile female rats. This study could provide a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of infertility and formulation of new drugs for the treatment of obesity-induced infertility in females

EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION AND PERFORMANCE ACROSS SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES IN NIGERIA

Objective: The small and medium scale enterprises remain vital to many countries, contributing to job creation and economic growth. The study aims to determine how the motivational strategies affect performance of employees in SMEs sector in Nigeria.   Method: We employ structural equation modelling (SEM) to depict the direct relationship between job satisfaction and employee’s salary, on one hand as well as between job satisfaction and job security on the other.   Result and Discussion: The outcome finds that job security has a positive but insignificant relationship with job satisfaction and that job security has a positive and significant relationship with job satisfaction in the Nigerian SMEs sector.   Implications: The implication of the finding is that although job security may not be central to the likely psychological well-being of the sector’s employees, employees’ pay motivates them to be satisfied with their job in the SMEs sector.   Originality/Value: The value of the article lies in its focus on providing insight into factors that such as pay of employee and job security can motivate a psychological balance for job satisfaction.   Recommendations: We recommend that the SMEs improve their current human resource policies relating to staff incentive schemes and employee performance as it will help to increase employee’s performance

Effect of Support for Entrepreneurship Development on Economic Growth and Development in Nigeria

This paper examines the effect of support for entrepreneurship development on economic growth and development in Nigeria with a view to ameliorating some problems militating against the development of Nigeria. Secondary data was sourced from CBN reports, NBS reports and so on. Hypotheses were set and tested by engaging the linear regression method as the analytical tool. The results discovered that government policy has helped in developing entrepreneurs’ skill in Nigeria and that whatever polices formulated in the time past has not helped in the development of entrepreneurial skill. In light of these, it was recommended that policies of entrepreneur development and the delivery institutions must be appropriate so that the small industrial units that are being promoted do not fall into a peculiar and complex difficulty

Effect of Technological Innovation on Personnel Skill of Selected Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria

Technology in any organization that has a significant influence on the quality and quantity of production of its goods or services. But despite this, technology is prone to constant change which organizations have to monitor, manage and cope with. Manufacturing firm that will like to be competitive and profitable should ensure that employees are trained and involved in the management of technological innovation for organizational survival. But most organization tends to undermine the contribution of employee in managing technological innovation, the outcome of which are low profitability and performance. This study examines how technological innovation influence personnel skill of manufacturing firms in Nigeria It also seeks to determine effective method of using technological innovation for improved performance in the Nigerian manufacturing firm. Two hypotheses were formulated to determine the relationship between technological innovation and personnel skill; and between technological innovation and performance. Question based on the hypotheses were formulated and 300 questionnaires were distributed to select 10 manufacturing firms in foods and beverages firms in Nigeria. Findings reveal that personnel skill do not have significant relationship with technological innovation. The study recommends that personnel skill should be considered in the management technological innovation for profitability, competitiveness and survival of the Nigerian Manufacturing firm

Well-Being and Culture: An African Perspective

Well-being as a subject is often looked at from a Western perspective, including definitions and measurements. This, however, ignores the sociocultural characteristics of individuals or groups that may be crucial to the subjective conceptualization of well-being. The concept of well-being relates to understanding how people derive and interpret wellness regarding their interactions with other humans within the family, community and social context. This viewpoint of well-being is presented in this chapter as “holistic” from a cultural approach. The notion of well-being from an African perspective is usually defined within the framework of group norms, values, kinship relationships and ties entrenched in cultural values. The concept of well-being in this sense also runs counter to the idea of well-being in western cultures. The African is a ‘group person’, a ‘family person’ and the ‘we person’. These sociocultural features are presumed to affect or influence well-being, mental health and treatment. This chapter expounds on techniques to effectively understand the culture in health from the African perspective. We submit that culturally sensitive measures of well-being will aid deeper exploration of the construct within the African setting and allow for a construct base comparison between Western and African settings

Financial Statements Fraud of Banks and other Financial Institutions in Nigeria

Purpose: There is evidence that managers engage in opportunistic practice to manipulate reported performance to attract unsuspecting investors. This paper seeks to detect the likelihood of manipulations on the financial reports of financial service firms (banks and other financial institutions) as well as to identify the financial indicators that are the likely predictors of the probability of manipulations in Nigeria.   Theoretical framework: The M-score models, from Beneish (1999), are employed as theoretical basis for the paper. The model use financial ratios computed using accounting data to confirm the probability that firms’ reported earnings are manipulated.   Design/Methodology/Approach: The study uses data from the Nigerian Exchange Group, from 2010 to 2019 to compute M8/M5-scores and classify firms into likely manipulators and unlikely manipulators. In addition, a probit regression model was applied to establish financial ratios that significantly predict the likelihood of FSF amongst the financial firms.   Findings: The results based on M8 (M5)-score indicate that 26.67% (23.33%) of firms likely manipulate financial books and exhibit the possibility of FSF. In addition, only sales in receivable, sales growth, depreciation expenses, leverage and accruals to assets ratios are found to be (positive) significant predictors of the probability of manipulations.   Research, Practical & Social implications: The implication of the outcome is that subjecting financial statements to empirical and statistical scrutiny should not be ignored because it would detect and reduce associated risks to manipulations. Therefore, more regulatory interventions and empirical auditing of reports are needed to ensure their readability and reliability to the investors.   Originality/Value: The study offers a novel and first evidence, based on Beneish M-score, to scrutinise reports of financial firms in Nigeria. The evidence ensures quality reporting of the financial statements in order to credibility as well as protect the integrity of the capital markets

CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF WATER SOURCED FROM ODO ONA RIVER, IBADAN, SOUTH-WESTERN NIGERIA

The water samples were collected at three different periods of the year from locations around the Oluyole Estate Industrial hub housing many industries and located in Ibadan, South-Western Nigeria. The observed values of the concentration of Aluminium, Chromium, Iron and Sodium show varied concentrations for Sodium (3.01 – 38.02) mg/L, Iron (0.8 – 28.68) mg/L, Chromium (0 – 0.38) mg/L, Arsenic (Not detected) and Aluminium (0 - 0.24) mg/L. The results were compared with standard values of the parameters under consideration as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO)

Molecular and Physiological Factors of Neuroprotection in Hypoxia-Tolerant Models: Pharmacological Clues for the Treatment of Stroke

The naked mole-rat possesses several unique physiological and molecular features that underlie their remarkably and exceptional resistance to tissue hypoxia. Elevated pattern of Epo, an erythropoietin (Epo) factor; c-fos; vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF); and hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF-1α) contribute to the adaptive strategy to cope with hypoxic stress. Moreover, the naked mole-rat has a lower metabolic rate than any other eutherian mammal of comparable size that has been studied. The ability to actively reduce metabolic rate represents a strategy widely used in the face of decreased tissue oxygen availability. Understanding the different molecular and physiological factors that induce metabolic suppression could guide the development of pharmacological agents for the clinical management of stroke patient

Investigation of Some Factors Influencing Corrosion on Refrigerator

The corrosion of steel reinforcing bar can proceed out of sight and eventually result in failure of a section of the highway. The collapse of electrical towers, damage to building, leakages in refrigerator all these result in significant repair cost, endangering public safety and health. This paper presents investigation of some factors influencing corrosion on refrigerator, such as presence of dissolved mineral, organic impurities and dissolved gasses in the water. The survey results are presented using graphs. T-test and Anova were used to ascertain the significance of the factors. The result of alternative Hypothesis and null Hypothesis on the T-test and Anova test were carried out on the factors causing corrosion and responsible for the corrosion were able to be identified. The results revealed that the corrosive effect of fresh water varies from locality to locality due to the wide variety of dissolved impurities, the organism causing the greatest corrosion problems are bacteria and fungi, time of exposure to a corrosive environment influences metal corrosion, most salt solution is good electrolyte and can promote corrosive attack and corrosion effects reduce the life span of refrigerator. The result of this research would guide environmental and material engineers in better planning to minimize corrosion