Emerging Technology Trends That Could Transform the Way Financial Transactions Occur

In this paper, we present the application of new Information and Communications Technology (ICT) trends in the financial industry, focusing on the advancement of value exchange through the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology and Mobile Point of Sale (POS) applications. We focus on their current impacts on the changing nature of money, the characteristics that make these recent ICT trends suitable to further influence the changing nature of money, their transactional models of exchange and project their future role as bedrocks for the emerging trends in the financial industry. We also briefly discuss the history of financial transactions, highlighting the different changes in trends that led to the present age and the stimuli that precipitated these changes Keywords: Financial transactions, Contactless technology, Near field communication (NFC), Mobile point of sale (POS) applications, Electronic payments, Mobile payments, Electronic wallet, Mobile walle

Nonparametric Approach to Multiple Regression

Many real life problems require the use of multiple regression to characterize and solve. Sometimes however the independent variables come in forms that violate the assumptions of the parametric multiple regression. This paper developed a nonparametric approach which uses ranks of both the dependent and independent variables to achieve the objectives of multiple regression. This approach accommodates data as low as the ordinal scale and robust. A prediction procedure which is by interpolation, is also presented. Keywords: Rank, Robust, Prediction, Interpolation, Rank Correlatio

Strategies for Dealing with Low Adoption of Agricultural Innovations: A Case Study of Farmers in Udenu L.G.A of Enugu State, Nigeria

A study to access the level of acceptance/adoption of agricultural innovations by farmers in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State was carried out. The aim was to find out the reasons behind the low acceptance/adoption of agricultural innovations by farmers in the area and to suggest possible strategies to address this ugly situation; as a way to increase food production amongst farmers in the study area. Hundred farmers from 5 communities in the study area and 10 staff of 2 agricultural Research Institutes were randomly selected as the major population for this study. Three (3) Alternate Hypothesis set for this study were tested using Chi-square statistical tool at 0.05 probability level of significance and at 4 degrees of freedom; and only one was rejected. Structured questionnaire and scheduled interviews were used to collect data from farmers and staff of the Research Institutes.  Result from the study showed that services of extension agents in the rural areas are inadequate and ineffective. It was also found that extension agents are faced with many challenges in their efforts to introduce new agricultural innovations to farmers; most farmers were reluctant to adopt new agricultural innovations/technologies for various reasons. Increasing the ratio of extension agents to farmers, use of indigenous extension agents and local interpreters to disseminate new innovations and technologies, training of model farmers as change agents, use of demonstration method and subsidizing agricultural inputs were recommended as strategies for encouraging acceptance/adoption of agricultural innovations and technologies by rural farmers. Keywords: Agricultural Innovations, Extension Agents, Technologies, Adoption, Small-Scale farmers

Nonparametric Measure of Linear Trend

This paper proposes and develops a nonparametric statistical procedure for estimating linear trend effect on data using nonparametric regression methods based on ranks, assuming one of the sampled populations is a measurement on a time scale. The populations of interest may be measurements on as low as the ordinal scale. The nonparametric regression-based linear trend estimate is shown to be similar in computation to the Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient. Test statistics are developed for testing hypotheses on the linear trend effect. Sample data are used to illustrate the proposed method. Keywords: Nonparametric, Linear, Test Statistic, Measure, Trend, Rati

POPULATION GROWTH INDUCED AND HOUSEHOLDS FINANCIAL VULNERABILITY IN NIGERIA

Nigeria has been recording a rapid increase in its population over the years. This reality has posed a serious concern for the welfare of households especially as the increase in population growth puts households at the risk of financial vulnerability. Based on this, this study is on the move to examined the impact population growth induced has on household in Nigeria. The study made use of secondary data obtained from World Bank and the Central Bank statistical bulletine spanning from 1981 to 2020 to analyze the impact of population growth induced and its financial vulnerability on household using a structural vector autoregressive model (SVAR). After the analysis, the study found out that in the long run, an increase in financial vulnerability, due to an increase in population growth decreases household welfare in Nigeria. Hence, this study recommends that the Nigerian legislature should formulate a law against rapid population growth induced to ensure that the increase in population does not outscore the means of subsistence. JEL: H10; H31 Article visualizations

Učinak povećanja broja stranih mužjaka na Bruceov efekt u miša.

This study investigated whether the increasing number of strange male (SM) mice influences the Bruce effect. Thirty females and 27 males were used. The females were divided into 6 groups of 5 each. Of the 27 males, 12 were introduced, 2 each to the 6 female groups as mating males (MM). The remaining 15 males, which were SM, were divided into graded numbers of 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and 0 for groups A F females. Two days after any female was mated, it was transferred to the cage of the corresponding SM. Within both the first round of matings and the second round of matings, the following parameters were assessed: the number of matings before conception or the number of matings through the duration of the study, the length of time before conception, gestation length, litter size at birth, litter weight at birth and average weight of new-borns at birth. The results showed a significant (P<0.05) number of SM-dependent increases in the number of matings before conception or the number of matings through the duration of the study for both the first round of matings and the second round of matings. There was also a number of SM dependent significant (P<0.05) increases in the length of time before conception for the first round of matings. In the second round of matings, only group F showed a significantly (P<0.05) reduced length of time before conception. Litter size at birth, litter weight at birth and average weight of new-borns at birth for group F were only significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of group D in the first round of matings, and all the groups in the second round of matings. Considering primarily the result of the number of matings before conception and probably that of the length of time before conception, it was concluded that increasing the number of SM mice exhibited an enhancing effect on the Bruce effect.U radu je korišteno 30 ženki i 27 mužjaka s ciljem da se istraži utječe li povećanje broja stranih mužjaka (SM) na Bruceov efekt kod miša. Ženke su bile podijeljene u 6 skupina po 5 životinja u svakoj skupini. Od ukupno 27 mužjaka, 12 je dodijeljeno ženkama (po 2 u svaku od 6 skupina) kao mužjaci za parenje (MP). Preostalih 15 mužjaka, koji su bili stranci (SM), podijeljeno je u skupine sa stupnjevanim brojem 5,4,3,2,1 i 0 za skupine ženki od A do F. Dva dana nakon što bi se bilo koja ženka parila, bila bi prebačena u kavez s odgovarajućim stranim mužjacima. Unutar dva kruga parenja procijenjeni su sljedeći pokazatelji: broj parenja prije koncepcije ili broj parenja tijekom cijelog razdoblja istraživanja, duljina vremena prije koncepcije, trajanje graviditeta, veličina legla pri porođaju, težina legla pri porođaju i prosječna težina novorođenčadi pri porođaju. Rezultat je pokazao značajan (P<0,05) utjecaj porasta broja stranih mužjaka na broj parenja prije koncepcije ili na broj parenja tijekom cijeloga razdoblja istraživanja, i to za prvi i drugi krug parenja. Također, utvrđeno je da porast broja stranih mužjaka značajno (P<0,05) utječe na dužinu vremenskog razdoblja prije koncepcije za prvi krug parenja. U drugom krugu parenja samo je skupina F pokazala značajno (P<0,05) skraćenje razdoblja prije koncepcije. Veličina legla, težina legla pri porodu i prosječna težina novorođenčadi pri porodu u skupini F bile su značajno (P<0,05) veće u odnosu na skupinu D nakon prvog kruga parenja i u odnosu na sve skupine nakon drugoga kruga parenja. Uzevši u obzir prvenstveno rezultat vezan za broj parenja prije koncepcije, a moguće i onaj vezan za dužinu vremenskog razdoblja prije koncepcije, može se zaključiti da povećanje broja stranih mužjaka dovodi do pojačavanja Bruceova učinka u miševa

Microbiological profile of chronic suppurative otits media among HIV infected children in South Eastern Nigeria

Background: Immune compromised HIV/AIDS infected children have consistently shown a higher prevalence of chronic suppurative otitis media than their immune competent counterparts.This study aimed to compare the microbial isolates from ear discharges in HIV infected and non infected childrenMethod: This was a Hospital based prospective cohort study designed to determine the relative prevalence of the common organisms present in chronically discharging ears of HIV infected children and their antimicrobial sensitivities and compare that of age and sex matched non HIV infected children. Fifty HIV infected children being followed up at the paediatric HIV clinic of a tertiary health facility, had ear swabs obtained for culture and antimicrobial sensitivity.The same was done for another cohort of fifty age and sex matched non HIV infected children.Results: The mean age of the study population and controls were 6years 11months (SD 0.96) and 7years 11 months (SD 1.00) respectively.Male to female ratio for each group was 1:1.Ear discharge was bilateral in 27(54%) HIV infected children and in 35(70%) of the controls.The most prevalent bacterial isolate in both groups was Pseudomonas aeruginosa though it was more prevalent in HIV infected children(P=0.005). Fungal isolates were commoner in non HIV infected children(P=0.001).Ninety percent sensitivity to the 4 Quinolones was recorded by isolates in HIV infected children while sensitivity to the Aminoglycosides was greater in non HIV infected childrenConclusion: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the predominant organism isolated from HIV infected children with chronic otitis media.Fungal isolates are less frequently encountered in ear discharges of HIV infected children. The 4 Quinolones are the drugs of choice in treatment of Chronic suppurative otitis media in HIV infected children.Keywords: Chronic suppurative otitis media;Bacteriology;HIV infection;Childre