Determination of Optimal Size of Casual Workers in a Production Company Using Stochastic Model

Many big production companies engage casual workers to work with their regular employees in order to meet their daily labour needs.  The researchers are quite aware that the Nigeria Labour Congress frowns at casualisation of workers which is seen as under-employment and cheating on the part of the people concerned.  Since unemployment and underemployment are parts of the problems confronting Nigeria, there is the need for the issue of workers casualisation to be addressed before the nation can be transformed. This paper therefore attempts to determine the daily optimal number of casual workers that could be engaged by a production company with specific reference to Dangote Cement PLC, Ibese. This is necessary in achieving the national transformation agenda through scientific approach since policy analysis has direct impact on production. This study was done by the use of a stochastic model. In view of this, data were generated, collected and collated from Dangote Cement PLC, Ibese and used to test the validity and applicability of the model. Keywords: Casual workers, Random numbers, Stochastic, Optima

The Newsboy Problem In Determining Optimal Quantity In Stochastic Inventory Problem For Fixed Demand

This paper describes optimization problem related to newsboy model using the famous stochastic inventory problem in determining optimal order–up–to quantity when demand is a continuous random variable. This study was done by the use of a stochastic model. In view of this, data were collected and collated from cocoa board, Ilaro, Egbado-South, Nigeria and used to test the validity and applicability of the model. Keywords: Stochastic, demand uncertainty, concave, optimal order-up-to quantit

Estimating Tree Height and Volume of Gmelina arborea and Three other Tree Species in Plantations of South-West, Nigeria

This study explores the estimation of stand structure of Gmelina arborea and three other tree species in two plantations, in Ibadan, South West Nigeria, with the primary objective of estimating plot – level mean tree height, merchantable tree height, and volume of Gmelina arborea, Terminalia montalis, Tectona grandis, and Triplochiton scleroxylon. The number of tree species and the volume of wood in the two selected plantations were determined. Random sampling method was adopted in carrying out the assessment of the stand structure. Each plantation was divided into three plots of dimension 32mx32m. Twenty (20) stands were selected randomly in each plot, hence sixty (60) stands in each plantation. Quantitative data were taken on: Diameter at breast height (DBH), Total tree height (TTH), Basal area (BA) and Total volume (of wood) (TVOL). A total of three species were encountered in the two study area; the family Verbenaceae has the highest tree species (75%) in the two plantations. During the assessment of the tree species in both plantations, the results revealed that majority of the trees’ (68%) diameter were within 10-20cm, and the number of tree species in the upper diameter class (>60cm) (20%) were considerably small. Trees in the Gmelina plantation had on average, lower merchantable heights than those in the College Arboretum, despite having higher total tree height, diameter at breast height, basal area, and area volume. Inventory analysis of these plantations will establish a base-line information about the stand, point out possible improvements to the management plan and provide information on the volume of merchantable logs that can be extracted from the stand

Analytical Solutions of a 1D Time-fractional Coupled Burger Equation via Fractional Complex Transform

In this paper, we obtain analytical solutions of a system of time-fractional coupled Burger equation of one-dimensional form via the application of Fractional Complex Transform (FCT) coupled with a modified differential transform method (MDTM) in comparison with Adomian Decomposition Method ADM). The associated fractional derivatives are defined in terms of Jumarie’s sense. Illustrative cases are considered in clarifying the effectiveness of the proposed technique. The method requires minimal knowledge of fractional calculus. Neither linearization nor discretization is involved. The results are also presented graphically for proper illustration and efficiency is ascertained. Hence, the recommendation of the method for linear and nonlinear space-fractional models

Effect of Ethanolic Leaves Extract of Moringa oleifera on Blood Glucose Levels of Streptozocin-Induced Diabetics and Normoglycemic Wistar Rats

Abstract: This study was undertaken to determine the hypoglycemic effect of Moringa oleifera [family: Moringaceae] ethanolic extract in normal (normoglycemic) and STZ induced diabetic Wistar rats. In one set of experiment, graded doses of the leaves extract (250 and 500 mg/kg i.p.) were separately administered to groups of fasted normal and fasted STZ diabetic rats. The hypoglycemic effect of the ethanolic leaves extract was compared with that of insulin 6 i.u/kg in fasted normal and STZ diabetic rats. Following treatment, relatively moderate to high doses of Moringa oleifera (250 and 500 mg/kg i.p.) produced a dose-dependent, significant reduction (p<0.05) in blood glucose levels of fasted STZ diabetic rats only. A significant decrease in the blood glucose levels after 1-7 h of administration with the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg was observed in the STZ diabetic group when compared to control. As regards to the dose of 250 and 500 mg/kg for the fasted normal rats, there was significant increase in the blood glucose levels when compared to control. In conclusion the ethanolic extract of the leaves of Moringa oleifera possesses hypoglycemic activity in STZ induced diabetic Wistar rats only

The need to promote behaviour change at the cultural level: one factor explaining the limited impact of the MEMA kwa Vijana adolescent sexual health intervention in rural Tanzania. A process evaluation

Background - Few of the many behavioral sexual health interventions in Africa have been rigorously evaluated. Where biological outcomes have been measured, improvements have rarely been found. One of the most rigorous trials was of the multi-component MEMA kwa Vijana adolescent sexual health programme, which showed improvements in knowledge and reported attitudes and behaviour, but none in biological outcomes. This paper attempts to explain these outcomes by reviewing the process evaluation findings, particularly in terms of contextual factors. Methods - A large-scale, primarily qualitative process evaluation based mainly on participant observation identified the principal contextual barriers and facilitators of behavioural change. Results - The contextual barriers involved four interrelated socio-structural factors: culture (i.e. shared practices and systems of belief), economic circumstances, social status, and gender. At an individual level they appeared to operate through the constructs of the theories underlying MEMA kwa Vijana - Social Cognitive Theory and the Theory of Reasoned Action – but the intervention was unable to substantially modify these individual-level constructs, apart from knowledge. Conclusion - The process evaluation suggests that one important reason for this failure is that the intervention did not operate sufficiently at a structural level, particularly in regard to culture. Recently most structural interventions have focused on gender or/and economics. Complementing these with a cultural approach could address the belief systems that justify and perpetuate gender and economic inequalities, as well as other barriers to behaviour change

Quantum Optics and Photonics

Contains reports on nine research projects.U.S. Air Force - Office of Scientific Research (Contract F49620-82-C-0091)U.S. Air Force - Rome Air Development CenterJoint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAG29-83-K-0003)National Science Foundation Grant (Grant PHY 82-710369

Isolation and Screening of Laccase-producing Fungi from Sawdust-contaminated Sites in Ado-Odo Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria

The environmental imbalance exerted by the continuous release of phenolic substances necessitates a return of polluted sites to natural and safe status. In this study, fungal isolates obtained from sawdust-contaminated soils were screened for laccase production capacities, using tannic acid, as an index to the bio-stimulatory potentials of the sawdust. Soil and sawdust samples collected from wood-processing plants in Morogbo-Agbara (M), Iju (I), and Oja (O) of Ado-Odo/Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria were subjected to physicochemical analysis. The phenolic content estimated using gallic acid calibration curve, showed 0.90%, 0.79% and 0.33% for the soil samples labeled MSL, ISL, OSL, respectively. Phenol content was observed to be 0.63%, 0.91%, and 0.53% for sawdust samples labeled MSD, ISD, OSD, respectively. In the same labeling order, the percentage nitrogen content was 0.77%, 0.38%, and 0.21% for soil; and 0.0025%, 0.0035% and 0.0028% for sawdust; while the percentage carbon was 0.25%, 0.62% and 0.49% for soil samples; and 88.11%, 85.56%, and 88.69% for the sawdust samples. Fungal species of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Candida and Saccharomyces among the ten isolates presented a positive reaction for laccase production by showing a brownish-black coloration. The ability of the fungal isolates to produce laccase makes them useful laccase sources for industrial and environmental application

COMPARE Forum: The idea of North-South and South-South collaboration

The idea of having a Compare Forum focusing on the above title was first discussed with one of the Editors of Compare during a PhD defence in Oslo in 2011. The PhD dissertation itself was linked to a larger project in which researchers from the North (Norway) and the South (South Africa) had been collaborating in educational research for over 10 years. Despite the fact that North-South collaboration is not a new issue on the agenda (King 1985) it is still a timely topic to explore, particularly given the recent growth and moves towards North-South-South collaboration or even South-South Cooperation in Education and Development (Chisholm and Steiner-Khamsi 2009). Thus, any discussion of research collaboration, whether North-South or South-South, is seen as an ideal topic for comparative education, particularly when exploring why there should be collaboration at all and if so what are some of the challenges. While it may be argued that the difference between North-South and South-South collaboration may simply be a question of geography, King (1985) reminds us that collaboration is not necessarily between equals and that collaboration at times ‘appears to be a process initiated in the North, and in which the South participates, as a counterpart’ (184). Ultimately, the differences go beyond simple geographic location to issues of funding and power, something that each of the contributions will touch upon in their own way. While cooperation may mean working with someone, it does suggest that one partner provides information or resources to the other, while collaboration suggests a more equal partnership in which researchers work alongside each other. For the majority of our contributors, we use collaboration as opposed to cooperation, although the literature is not always so clear on this distinction.Web of Scienc