Corporate Social Responsability and Profitability in Nigeria Financial Services Industry

This study investigates the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on profitability with particular reference to the Nigeria financial services industry. The study employed a survey research design. Primary data were collected using validated and reliable questionnaire instrument from sampled managers of Nigeria financial Services industry in Sagamu, Ogun State and were found usable. A sample size of 140 questionnaires was administered in this study. Correlation analysis was employed as a statistical technique to analyze data collected using SPSS 17.0. Regression models were specified, estimated and evaluated. The regression results revealed that corporate social responsibility has a significant impact on profitability. The study concludes that Nigeria financial Services industry should recognize the importance of corporate social responsibility for sustainable development as they perform their obligations to the society. And therefore, recommended that management of Nigeria financial Services industry should continue support CSR activities because any organization that does not invest much in corporate social responsibilities its long run existence is threate

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF CARBON STORAGE IN BIOMASS AND SOIL ORGANIC CARBON IN TEAK PLANTATION OF DIFFERENT AGES IN YEWA NORTH, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Tree act as a sink for CO2 by fixing carbon during photosynthesis and is a vital tool to alleviate climate change through CO2 absorption from the atmosphere. This study was conducted to assess carbon storage in tree biomass and soil carbon stock in Teak (Tectona grandis) plantations of different age series (5, 9 and 12 years). Data were collected on diameter at breast height (Dbh) and total height (TH) of all the trees in a sample plot of 1000 m2 in each plantation of age series. Carbon stored was evaluated based on tree growth variables, soil parameters and above ground biomass. Topsoil and subsoil (0-15 and 15-30 cm) samples collected from three sites were analyzed for organic carbon (OC) following standard methods.  Mean diameter at breast height were 67.11, 45.42, and 21.35 cm ha-1 and the mean volumes were 0.39, 0.16 and 0.02 m3ha-1 for 12, 9 and 5 years old were significant different (p<0.05). The highest value of total soil organic carbon (TSOC) was 8464.65 t.ha-1 for the 12year-old followed by 4430.25 t.ha-1 for 9 years old stand and 3004.95 t.ha-1 for 5years old were significant different (p<0.05) respectively. The total soil organic carbon per hectare were higher for the older than the younger Tectona grandis stand (8464.65 t.ha-1, 4430.25 t.ha-1 and 3004.95 t.ha-1) were significant different (p<0.05). Total carbon storage by soil and in biomass (CSB) was 15899.85 and 49.31 tons.ha-1 and total carbon accumulated by the plantation under investigation was in the order of 12 years old > 9 years old > 5 years old, respectively. The results of this study confirm that teak has good potentials to offer carbon sequestration through its soil and accumulate large amount of biomass carbon. The plantation ownership should be guided properly on the management activities such as thinning, pruning and weeding operation as well as indiscriminate removal of individual caused by anthropogenic activities should be avoided.     &nbsp

Infection Control of Spatial Disseminated Multi-Antibiotics Resistant And Phylo- Diverse Staphylococcus Aureus Pathotypes

Focal dissemination of multi-antibiotic resistant (MAR) Staphylococci pathotypes regulated by agr functionalities was investigated and evaluated for infection control. Non-repetitive Staphylococcus aureus strains from soft and skin infections disseminated in several communities were recovered and biotyped, assayed for biofilm and profiled for antibiotic resistance. Strains were further genotyped for spa types, virulence and resistant genes; and mapped for geospatial distribution. Clonal diversity and functional accessory gene regulators ( agr ) were also evaluated. Staphylococcal infection was not significant with age group (p>0.05), but high rate of MSSA (53.0%) and MRSA (1.5%) was observed. Median resistance rates were significantly differ (p=0.001) but highest 75 th percentile and media resistance rates were observed in wound infection. Resistance rate of 78.8% at MIC 50 32μg/ml and MIC 90 128μg/ml to amoxicillin-clavulanate, and more than 40% resistance to ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, gentamycin, ofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline with MIC 90 and MIC 50 at 32 μg/ml were observed. More than 0.83 multi-antibiotic resistance index (MARI) were observed among the strains that clustered into separate phylo-group expressing high beta- lactamase and strong biofilm production. Heterogeneous spa types t442 (wound and pus), t657 (wound), t091 (ear) and t657 (ear and wound) revealed high phylo- diversity. Only 4.6% pvl + MSSA-CC1 agr I, pvl + MSSA-CC5 (13.6%) and pvl + MRSA-CC7 agr II (4.6%), expressed enterotoxin; sea, sec, sed, sej, Leukocidins ( LukF-PV, lukD, lukE ), proteases ( aur, slpA sspB, sspE ) and resistance genes ( fosB, msr (A), bla mph(C),aphA3, sat, fosB, sdrM, Q7A4X2) . Phylogenetic related spa types of livestock origin, specifically bovine milk clustered with detected strains that were prevalent in urban communities with focal dissemination to other nearest suburbs. Clonal dissemination resistant pvl+ MAR MSSA-CC1 and MRSA- CC5 encoding agr were predominant in several peri-urban communities. This require adequate genosurveillance, population-target antimicrobial stewardship, extensive community health care intervention policy and well-structured infection control programs to prevent further focal dissemination

Wastewater-based epidemiology in hazard forecasting and early-warning systems for global health risks

With the advent of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) has been applied to track community infection in cities worldwide and has proven succesful as an early warning system for identification of hotspots and changingprevalence of infections (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) at a city or sub-city level. Wastewater is only one of environmental compartments that requires consideration. In this manuscript, we have critically evaluated the knowledge-base and preparedness for building early warning systems in a rapidly urbanising world, with particular attention to Africa, which experiences rapid population growth and urbanisation. We have proposed a Digital Urban Environment Fingerprinting Platform (DUEF) – a new approach in hazard forecasting and early-warning systems for global health risks and an extension to the existing concept of smart cities. The urban environment (especially wastewater) contains a complex mixture of substances including toxic chemicals, infectious biological agents and human excretion products. DUEF assumes that these specific endo- and exogenous residues, anonymously pooled by communities’ wastewater, are indicative of community-wide exposure and the resulting effects. DUEF postulates that the measurement of the substances continuously and anonymously pooled by the receiving environment (sewage, surface water, soils and air), can provide near real-time dynamic information about the quantity and type of physical, biological or chemical stressors to which the surveyed systems are exposed, and can create a risk profile on the potential effects of these exposures. Successful development and utilisation of a DUEF globally requires a tiered approach including: Stage I: network building, capacity building, stakeholder engagement as well as a conceptual model, followed by Stage II: DUEF development, Stage III: implementation, and Stage IV: management and utilization. We have identified four key pillars required for the establishment of a DUEF framework: (1) Environmental fingerprints, (2) Socioeconomic fingerprints, (3) Statistics and modelling and (4) Information systems. This manuscript critically evaluates the current knowledge base within each pillar and provides recommendations for further developments with an aim of laying grounds for successful development of global DUEF platforms

Origins and Outcomes of Electoral Institutions in African Hybrid Regimes: A Comparative Perspective

In the early 1990s most African countries carried out extensive reforms of their electoral regimes. Adopting a historical institutionalist approach, this paper critically examines the role of institutional path dependence in accounting for the setup of six African electoral regimes. For this purpose, we distinguish between different types of path dependence. The paper further analyzes the extent to which the development of electoral institutions contributed to the regime-type outcome (democratic/hybrid/autocratic). The main emphasis herein is on so-called hybrid regimes; in other words, regimes existing in the grey zone between democracy and autocracy. The paper finds that, while institutional path dependence has a limited but important impact on the setup of the electoral regimes, it is ultimately the process of decision-making during critical junctures that accounts for the regime type outcome. Hybrid regimes lack long-term institutional ownership

Perceptions of small business executives on determinants of performance in the construction industry in Gauteng, South Africa

Orientation: The South African (SA) government expects emerging contractors (ECs) to become the main players in economic transformation and growth, job creation and income generation. However, ECs fail to live up to the expectations as some are characterised by low performance levels and are at risk of business closure. Research purpose: The purpose of this research was to examine the perceptions of small business executives (SBEs) on determinants of ECs’ performance so that a performance model that could guide ECs in the construction industry is developed. Motivation for the study: Despite the significance of ECs to the SA economy, researchers have constantly omitted to identify and examine the role played by the perceptions of SBEs on the determinants of performance and this gap in the body of knowledge would be closed by this study. Research design, approach and method: A mixed approach was used to examine the perceptions of SBEs on determinants of performance by applying both qualitative and quantitative research approaches. Data were obtained from 433 urban based ECs registered with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) in the construction industry in Gauteng Province. A structured questionnaire and an interview guide were administered as the data collection instruments. Content analysis, regression analysis and multiple linear regressions were performed. Main findings: The analysis of qualitative data demonstrated the perceptions of SBEs that financial factors, manpower, materials, machinery and equipment, project implementation, quality of work, legal and environmental factors and strategic planning were the determinants of ECs’ performance. Multiple linear regressions carried out based on the perceptions of SBEs identified strategic planning, project implementation and project performance as the most statistically significant factors in predicting the performance of ECs in Gauteng Province. Contribution and value add: Based on perceptual analysis of the ECs and multivariate results, a performance prediction model was developed. Furthermore, a new set of significant determinants of performance as perceived by SBEs in South Africa’s (Gauteng Province) construction industry was established

Performance in the Construction Industry— A Conceptual and Theoretical Analysis

Small businesses growth and profitability is a national problem in South Africa (SA) and the Emerging Contractors (ECs) in the construction industry are no exception. ECs are alleged to fail to live up to the expectations of different stakeholders. This paper looks back at the level of understanding of the performance construct especially the ECs and their stakeholders in South Africa. It establishes that there are no unique characteristics that have been translated into the performance construct and contributed by defining performance for ECs in the construction in the context of today’s South African changing environment

Theoretical Examination of Efficiency of Anthocyanidins as Sensitizers in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

After experimental studies on the application of anthocyanidins as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) we have used computational methods to further elucidate the data obtained in the experimental study. In this study structural effects and electronic contributions of four anthocyanidins, cyanidin (Cy), delphinidin (Dp), malvidin (Mv) and pelargonidin (Pg), to improve the efficiency of DSSCs were investigated, using quantum chemical method, the density functional theory (DFT), to calculate parameters such as frontier molecular orbitals, band gap energies, reactivity descriptors.<br /