Analysis of Critical Strategic Factors for Sucessful Implementation of Poverty Alleviation Programmes in Nigeria

Poverty as a subject matter has been attracting increasing attention in the academic literature in recent years, and researchers from a variety of disciplines such as sociology, psychology, business, management, as well as practitioners ranging from world bodies, national and local governments have all joined seasoned economists in the attempt to better understand poverty as well as generating means to alleviate it. Furthermore, many quantitative and qualitative studies have also been conducted on poverty in various studies. Linking the lively debates shaping the literature on poverty to strategy research and outlining a research agenda for strategy scholars who might develop an interest in this area constitute the main focus of this study. This paper is intended to evoke provoking thoughts and possibly productive actions among management scholars as well as practitioners and policy makers. Poverty is therefore viewed in this context as an issue of both national and international concern and requires the right policies at all levels for alleviation. Recommendations applicable to both academics and policy makers at all levels were also documented for the possibility of application in order to stem the ever rising tide of the menac

Assessing Problem Areas in Senior Secondary Students’ Use of the English Concord

This research succinctly explicates the areas of problem in Senior Secondary Students’ use of the English Concord in written texts. Language is a social property and has rules that determine how words should be matched to achieve effective communication. Concord in English deals with those rules that govern the co-occurrence of words in sentences. This work is a practical classroom experience and it x–rays the students’ performance in the grammatical, notional and proximity concords respectively. The findings are clearly presented in statistical tables and each of the tables shows the students’ performance in each of the areas. The result shows that the students performed fairly well in notional and proximity concords. The total results, however, led to the conclusion that the students are yet to attain competence in the English concord for good communication

Comparative Study of Impact of Zinc Oxide and Copper (II) Oxide Nanoparticles on Viscosity of Water Based Drilling Fluid

Drilling fluids play very important roles in the oil and gas industry hence the need to get method of improving their rheological properties cannot be over emphasized. In this study how drilling fluid rheological property can be improved using zinc oxide and copper (II) oxide nanoparticles were investigated. To achieve these objectives, water based drilling fluids (WBDF) were prepared using the standard laboratory barrel (350 ml) method from bentonite, xanthan gum and water. The Zinc oxide and Copper (II) nanoparticles were introduced into the formulation in different proportions. Brookfield rotational viscometer was used to determine the rheological properties of the samples while Fourier Transformation Infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to determine the structural analysis of the interaction between the nanoparticles and the Xanthan gum. The results showed that Zinc oxide and CuO nanoparticle improved the rheological properties of the water based drilling fluid. The zinc oxide at equal proportion with xanthan gum at 60 rpm shear rate increased the viscosity from 834.7 to 1597.3 mPa.s while the copper (II) oxide nanoparticles at equal proportion with xanthan gum at 60 rpm shear rate increased from 834.7 to 1452.3 mPa.s at low temperature of 31.5oC. The FTIR analysis of the nanoparticles and xanthan gum revealed that the interactions of the bonds between the nanoparticles and xanthan gum contributed to the improvement in the rheological properties of the drilling fluids. It is concluded that introduction of ZnO nanoparticles and CuO nanoparticles improved the rheological performance of water based drilling fluids with xanthan gum. The ZnO nanoparticles, however, exhibited better improvement than the CuO

Acalypha wilkesiana (Copper leaf) Leaves Alters Acute Cyanide Induced Hepatoxicity in Wister Rats

The aim of this investigation is to ascertain the possible ameliorating potential of Acalyphaw ilkesiana (subsp. macrophylla) methanolic leaf extract on cyanide induced hepatotoxicity and haemato toxicity in Wister rats. A total of 35Wister rats weighing between 100 and 150g were apportioned into 7 groups at random, each containing 5 rats. Group 1: negative control, received no treatment; group 2 and 3 received 200 and 400 mg/kg of A. wilkesiana crude extract respectively; group 4: received cyanide only (positive control); group 5: received cyanide and 660 mg/kg sodium thiosulphate (standard group); group 6 and7 received 200 and 400 mg/kg of crude extract of A. wilkesiana respectively. The result indicates that methanolic extract of A.wilkesiana irrespective of the concentration significantly reduced ALT, AST, and ALP activities in the rats induced with cyanide when compared with the positive control. However, Albumin and Total Protein concentrations were significantly increased in the treated Groups when compared with the positive control. In conclusion, Acalypha wilkesiana leaves were able to ameliorate cyanide induced hepatotoxicity comparable to standard cyanide antidotes in Wister rats

Méthodes de reconnaissance croisées pour l'analyse de stabilité des digues soumises à érosion interne

Les tronçons de digue autour de Grenoble font l'’objet d’une campagne de reconnaissances fondée sur l’utilisation d’'une méthode géophysique à grand rendement, le panneau électrique. L'’expérience montre que la détection de l’'écoulement, des hétérogénéités, de la géométrie, de la nature des couches obtenue par l'analyse électrique, n’'est pas toujours conforme à une réalité objective, mais que la méthode d’inversion conduit à une incertitude qui peut être importante. La recherche permet de réduire les erreurs de cette méthode par la prise en compte des géométries lorsqu’'elles sont connues. Des essais pressiométriques à cycle ont été réalisé et interprété en analyse inverse pour déterminer les caractéristiques mécaniques d’'élasticité et de résistance avec les méthodes développées au L3S-R. Des essais Lefranc, pour la détermination de la perméabilité des matériaux de la digue, ont été réalisé. Les résultats sont regroupés et confrontés aux mesures en laboratoire pour une meilleure analyse du risque d’'instabilit

Report of the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) Hypertension Teaching Seminar organized by the ISH Africa Regional Advisory Group: Maputo, Mozambique, 2016

The International Society of Hypertension (ISH), in fulfilment of its mission of promoting hypertension control and prevention and also of advancing knowledge globally, organizes hypertension teaching seminars or ‘summer schools’ worldwide through the ISH Regional Advisory Groups. In Africa, seven of such seminars have been organized. This is a report of the eighth seminar held in Maputo, Mozambique, April, 2016. The seminar was attended by over 65 participants from 11 African countries. The Faculty consisted of 11 international hypertension experts. The eighth African hypertension seminar was a great success as confirmed by a pre- and post-test questionnaire

A comparison of outcomes in ultrasonography guided versus landmark guided corticosteroid injection for the treatment of adhesive capsulitis

Background: Adhesive capsulitis is a debilitating disease in an otherwise healthy individual. Intra-articular corticosteroid injections offer a cost-effective, non-operative treatment option. However, it is currently unclear whether an ultrasound-guided injection relieves the symptoms of shoulder pain more effectively than if the injection was delivered landmark-guided. Methods: Eighty patients with adhesive capsulitis were randomized to two intervention groups - landmark guided and ultrasound (USG) guided. The functional status of the patients was documented prior to the intervention. Following allocation, the intra-articular steroid was administered either under USG guidance or following identification of the site of injection using landmarks. Follow-up was done on day 5, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks post procedure to document the functional status. Results: The difference in visual analogue score (VAS) between the two arms was found to be statistically significant in favour of the ultrasound guided technique only on day 5 and day 21. On the other hand, the difference in disability of arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) score between the 2 arms was found to be statistically significant in favour of the ultrasound guided technique on day 5, 21, 42 and 84. Finally, in our study, both shoulder flexion and abduction on day 84 achieved a statistically significant improvement, favouring the ultrasound guided arm. Conclusions: Ultrasound guided corticosteroid injections may offer modestly better short-term functional outcome and symptom relief when compared with landmark guided corticosteroids

ETHNOTHERAPEUTIC EVALUATION AND ANTI-NUTRIENT CONTENT OF COMMON PLANTS USED FOR MANAGEMENT OF KIDNEY AND LIVER DISORDERS IN ODEDA COMMUNITIES, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

A survey study was carried out on plants used to manage kidney and liver diseases in Odeda Local Government Area, Ogun State, Nigeria. A total of hundred (100) questionnaire were administered using stratified sampling method on traditional herbal practitioners. Ethnobotanical data such as, plants and plant parts and methods of extraction used were sought. Anti-nutrients of the frequently mentioned plants were also evaluated. Data were subjected to Analysis of variance (ANOVA) with probability set at p<0.05 and descriptive statistics. Results revealed that 55.5% of the respondents were females while 45.5% were males. Largest percentage (47.9%) were between the ages 41-60years.  Twenty six 26(26.0%) of the respondents were herbalists, 34(34.0%) were herb sellers, 21(21.0%) were Traditional practitioners while 19 (19.0%) were Traditional practitioners and herb sellers. Twenty three (23) of the respondents had 1-5years, 35 had 6-10 years while 42 of them had being in the herbal profession for more than 10 years. Seventy four percent (74%) of plants collated during this study were available both in home garden and markets. Fifty 50 plants species belonging to 37 families were reported being used to manage kidney and liver diseases. Malvaceae and meliaceae were the most frequently mentioned families. Largest number of plants 20(40%) collated were trees, followed by herbs 19(38%) while vegetable 1(2%) was vegetable. The most commonly used plants part were Leaves, barks roots, fruits, seeds bulbs and combination of any of these parts. Decoction, soaking, infusion, grinding, strong heating paste and combination(s) of any of these methods were employed for preparing herbal remedies of these diseases. No significant difference (P>0.05) was recorded in the phytate content of Khaya ivorensis and Kigelia africana leaves. Similar observation was recorded in the oxalate and cyanide content of Chasmantheran dependens and Kigelia africana leaves.. Polyphenol and tannins were significantly different across the leaves of plants under this investigation. No significantly different (P>0.05) was recorded in the quantity of phytate present in Chasmantheran dependens and Kigelia africana, oxalate of  Chasmantheran dependens, Kigelia africana and Azadirachta  indica, and cyanide in root of the plants. Highest phytate (13.00) was recorded in Azadirachta  indica, oxalate (12.33), Polyphenol (9.00) and cyanide (4.33) in Ficus exasperate while tannins (16.00) were recorded in the leaves of Chasmantheran dependens.Keywords: Ethnobotanical data , Anti-nutrient content, Kidney and Liver disorder

Foreign Trade and Economic Growth in Nigeria: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract: This study empirically examine the impact of international trade on economic growth in Nigeria fro

Fractional Supersymmetry As a Matrix Model

Using parafermionic field theoretical methods, the fundamentals of 2d fractional supersymmetry ${\bf Q}^{K} =P$ are set up. Known difficulties induced by methods based on the $U_{q}(sl(2))$ quantum group representations and non commutative geometry are overpassed in the parafermionic approach. Moreover we find that fractional supersymmetric algebras are naturally realized as matrix models. The K=3 case is studied in details. Links between 2d $({1\over 3},0)$ and $(({1\over 3}^{2}),0)$ fractional supersymmetries and N=2 U(1) and N=4 su(2) standard supersymmetries respectively are exhibited. Field theoretical models describing the self couplings of the matter multiplets $(0^{2},({1\over 3})^{2},({2\over 3})^{2})$ and $(0^{4},({1\over 3})^{4},({2\over 3})^{4})$ are given.Comment: Latex,no figure,17page