An evaluation of the effects of brand equity on consumer responses: Empirical evidence on Malaysian perspective

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of brand equity on consumer responses by investigating the effects of the overall brand equity on consumer willingness to pay price premium, attitude towards brand extension, brand preference, purchase intention and how brand equity can lead to reduction in the cost of searching information by consumers. Using the automobile product category in Malaysia as stimuli, cross-sectional survey data were collected and analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling technique. Result showed that brand equity plays a significant role in firms by creating and developing additional value to organisations and their products. A causal relationship among the antecedents of brand equity was also established. Among the antecedents of brand equity, brand loyalty was found to be the dominant driver of overall brand equity while perceived quality’s influence on overall brand equity was not supported by the result of the hypotheses. Moreover, the effect of brand equity on consumer responses was substantiated and found to be positive. The study used a single high involving product category. Future studies should use product categories with short consumption length and high purchase frequency. Findings of this study provide more insight to managers on how to manage brand equity. Outcomes of brand equity can be used to measure the performance of brand in the market. The study also provides additional clarification to the existing literature on the need for managers to develop a post-brand equity marketing strategy in order to achieve sustainable competitive advantage

Multivariate study of vehicle exhaust particles using machine learning and statistical techniques

This research has examined the application of machine learning and statistical methods for developing roadside particle (number/mass concentrations) prediction models that can be used for air quality management. Data collected from continuous monitoring stations including pollutants, traffic and meteorological variables were used for training the models. A hybrid feature selection method involving Genetic Algorithms and Random Forests was successfully used in selecting the most relevant predictor variables for the models from the variables selected based on their correlation with the PM$_{10}$, PM$_{2.5}$ and PNC concentrations. The study found that the hybrid feature selection can be used with both statistical and machine learning methods to produce less expensive and more efficient air quality prediction models. Among the machine learning models studied the Boosted Regression Trees (BRT), Random Forests (RF), Extreme Learning Machines (ELM) and Deep Learning Algorithms were found to be the most suitable for the predictions of roadside PM$_{10}$, PM$_{2.5}$, and PNC concentrations. The machine learning models performed better than the ADMS-road model in spatiotemporal predictions involving monitoring sites locations. Moreover, they performed much better in predicting the concentrations in street Canyons. The ANN and BRT were found to be suitable for air quality management applications involving traffic management scenarios

Smart Health Internet of Thing for Continuous Glucose Monitoring: a Survey

Health monitoring system allows patients to monitor the health-related problem to avoid further complications which could result in loss of life. Smart health is one of the categories of a health monitoring system that uses Smartphone’s and sensors to effectively monitor patient health status. However, the smart health internet of thing methods for glucose monitoring still does not provide accurate glucose reading. Hence, diabetes patient can easily loss life. To help understand this challenge, a comprehensive survey focused on smart health internet of thing methods for continuous glucose monitoring was conducted. The paper discusses the benefit and challenge of each method applicable to glucose monitoring. It was observed that several smart health methods required sensor to function. Smart vehicles and remote monitoring have less attention. However, when accommodates can provide future opportunities

Contrastive Analysis Of Tense Formation Processes In Hausa And English With Teaching And Learning Implications For Teachers Of English As A Second Language

This paper investigates the linguistic devises carrying tenses in Hausa and English and provides Teaching and Learning Implications. The tense formation processes in the two languages were studied by a way of contrast. In the study, Transformational Generative Grammar (TGG) was used as analytical model. The Gradman’s Description, Detection and Explanation (DDE) model was used as a descriptive model for the contrast. Two texts were selected for the analysis: “Points of Disorder” and “Da na Sani Keya ce”. Out of the population of ten sentences: four sentences from the Hausa text and another set of four sentences from the English text were used as sample. The sentences carrying different tenses in each language were analyzed to demonstrate both tense markers and linguistic items carrying tense and tense formation processes the languages. It was discovered that the two languages have some similarities in terms of directions occupied by linguistic items marking the presence of tense as well as tense formation processes. However, from the data collected and analyzed, differences become apparent in terms of linguistic items marking the occurrence of tense, those carrying tense and tense formation processes in Hausa and English. The study recommends the use of context-related activities such as making students to write to vividly report and describe adventures and experiences in the teaching of English tenses to Hausa-speaking students. Equally recommended are drilling students in story writing and comparisons of the English tenses identified in stories, speeches etc. with those of the Hausa language. It is expected that using the contrastive model of DDE will help Hausaspeaking students identify if there are cases of confusion in the use of English and Hausa tenses as well as cases of transfer in the use of tenses in either language. This includes problems of overgeneralization of tense formation rules and processes among Hausa-speaking students learning the delicate English language tenses

Innate sensing and regulation during enteric caliciviruses infections

Several decades after the discovery of the human norovirus, with thousands of lives and billions of dollars lost, the lack of a robust cell culture system still severely hampers development of vaccines and therapeutics. This is likely in large part as a result of our limited understanding of the immune responses against an infection with the virus. Here, the presence of a RIG-I/STING-dependent innate response pathway that restricts the replication of noroviruses is described, and an attempt by the murine norovirus to subvert it through expression of an accessory protein is demonstrated. We show that both RIG-I and STING are required for a robust interferon response to infection with MNV1 in primary BMDMs and RAW264.7 cells, with a significant increase in viral titres following infection in RIG-I- and STING-deficient cells. We also show that STING is non-canonically activated in MNV1-infected cells partly in a RIG-I dependent manner. Furthermore, our data indicate that the MNV VF1 protein binds to STING and can inhibit interferon induction downstream of RIG-I. Secondly, while exploring the mechanisms for the differential induction of interferon sub- types, we show that depletion of MED23 leads to a reduction in expression of both types I and III IFNs in human and mouse cell lines. We also show that Med23 knockout cells undergo genetic compensation, suggesting a critical role for MED23 in this pathway. Mechanistically, we show that MED23 interacts with IRF3, and is required for recruitment of RNA Polymerase II to promoters of IRF3-dependent genes. Taken together, our data indicate that MED23 plays a central role in antiviral responses by coupling IRF3 activation and RNA Pol II recruitment.Presidential Special Scholarship Scheme for Innovation and Development (Nigerian Government

The Impact of Internet on Students of National Teachers’ Institute Zaria Centre, Nigeria

This research work was carried out to determine The Impact of Internet on Students of National Institute Zaria Centre, Nigeria. The population of the study was the students of National Teachers’ Institute, Zaria Centre, Nigeria. Survey method of the research and stratified random sampling was used for the study to select 120 postgraduate students for the study. However, 100 respondents responded to the questionnaires distributed. The data was presented and analyzed in tables and percentages. The research discovered that majority of the students spend about 2 hours on daily basis to browse on internet. The research reveals that majority of the students are computer and internet literate. The research further reveals that most of students joy using e-mail and Web browsing as their favourite internet services. It also reveals that online activities has positive impact on the students and also has influenced the accessibility of online information usage of students in National Teachers’ Institute Zaria Centre, Nigeria. This implies that most of the students are internet users

Stress Level and Academic Performance among Students of Colleges of Health Sciences and Technology in Funtua Senatorial District, Katsina State Nigeria

The cutting-edge world, which is said to be a world of accomplishment, is additionally a world of stress. One discovers stress all over. As a result of the various inner and external pressures piled on students, stress has become a part of their academic lives in institutions like colleges of health sciences and technology. This study hence explored the sources and level of stress among students at the colleges of health sciences and technology in Katsina State. The relationship between stress and academic performance was also examined in relation to the students' age, gender, and level of study. Based on a cross-sectional study design, 169 male and 136 female students were recruited using stratified random sampling techniques from selected health science and technology colleges. Data was collected using questionnaires that measured presence and stress levels and the different sources of stress in the academic institutions. Academic performance was assessed from the students’ examinations results. Inferential and descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. To determine whether the research questions were statistically significant, Chi Square statistics were used. The analyses were done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 computer program. The average mean and standard deviation of the sources of stress are 2.1357 and 0.7699 respectively and they are worried of examination, too much continuous assessment, among others. Understanding these sources from diverse perspectives will assist the management in tailoring interventions that will combine the most effective strategies for students. As a result, improving the holistic well-being of a student will ultimately be productive not only for the individual student, but for the overall productivity of the institution as well as the academic performance of the institution as assessed by its students

Pattern of Cancer in Bauchi: Report from a Departmental Cancer Registry

Context: Cancer ranks second among the major causes of death globally. A projection by 2020 indicated that developing countries wouldaccount for about 70% of total cancer‑related death worldwide. Despite the great threat posed by cancer to this region of the world,  reliable statistics on the trends and patterns of cancer are rare. Aims: The aim of the study is to review the cases of cancer recorded in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2019 Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective, descriptive study. Nine years records of all pathologically diagnosed cancer cases in the ATBUTH, Bauchi were retrieved, reviewed, and grouped in accordance with the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology. The results were presented as simple frequency tables and charts. Results: A total of 1284 cancer cases were diagnosed during the period, an average of 142.7 cases per annum. There was a female predominance of cancer cases (male: female ratio ‑ 1:1.53. The age range was from seven months to 95 years, with mean and medianages of 49.6 and 50 years, respectively. More than half of the cases were reported in the fifth to seventh decades of life. Prostate (14.6%)and non melanoma skin cancer (11.2%) were the most common cancers seen in males. In females, cancers of the cervix (37.9%) and thebreast (22.9%) were the most common. Conclusions: Breast cancer and cancer of the uterine cervix were the most common cancers in women in this review while prostate cancer was the most common cancer in men. The need to establish a hospital‑based and/or population‑based cancer registry that will generate reliable cancer data in our environment cannot be overemphasized. Keywords: Bauchi, breast, cancer, cervix, prostate, registr

The search for mitochondrial tRNALeu(UUR) A3243G mutation among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in the Nigerian population

The study aimed to compare the incidence of the pathogenic point mutation A3243G in the gene tRNALeu(UUR) indicating sub-type 2 diabetes mellitus conducted within the Nigerian population with that reported in other populations. 112 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2D) mellitus according to the World Health Organization criteria were selected based on family history and re-evaluated for associated disorders from the diabetic clinics in the Northern part of Nigeria. The mtDNA of these patients was extracted and the tRNALeu(UUR) gene screened for A3243G by PCR-RFLP method. Probands with maternal history were further investigated for other mutations using PCR-sequencing methods. None of the 112 patients were found to carry the A3243G mutation in the mitochondrial tRNALeu(UUR) gene in the homoplasmic or in the heteroplasmic form. However, C3254T was identified in two of our patients. This mutation was reported to be associated with gestational diabetes and linked with population from sub-Saharan Africa. The A3243G mutation in mitochondrial tRNALeu(UUR) is not a frequent cause of maternal diabetes in the Nigerian population contrary to other reported populations. However, further screening of an enlarged selected study group is necessary to fully determine the prevalence of this mutation in this population. This further search will help to fully appreciate the prevalence of maternal inheritance and diabetic deafness (MIDD) as extensively reported in other populations.Key words: Maternal diabetes, mitochondrial gene, maternal Inheritance and diabetic deafness, Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa