An Assessment of Generic Skills and Competencies of Architecture Graduates in Nigeria

Graduate unemployment has become a fundamental problem worldwide, necessitating studies that seek to identify generic transferable skills towards improving prospects for graduates in future. Several disciplines have received such research attention. There has been comparatively less attention paid to establishing generic skills/competencies that will boost the employability potentials of architecture graduates. A total of 102 survey questionnaires containing 19 generic skills/competencies were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests as well as the Wilcoxon signed ranked test in SPSS v.21. Results reveal that the most developed skills by architecture graduates, also considered important by respondents were basic knowledge of the field/discipline, creativity, knowledge of the profession, computing/ICT and the capacity to learn. Other important skills were decision making, ability to work as part of an interdisciplinary team, capacity to apply knowledge in practice, time management, responsibility for one's own work/self-criticism, interpersonal/communication, ethical commitment as well as leadership skills. The study recommends that stakeholders in architecture education re-iterate the acute need for architecture graduates to develop important generic skills to improve their versatility and employment potentials in future.Keywords: Architecture, Competencies, Generic skills, Graduates, Unemploymen

The involvement of Aβ42 and tau in nucleolar and protein synthesis machinery dysfunction

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and is distinguished from other dementias by observation of extracellular Amyloid-b (Ab) plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, comprised of fibrils of Ab and tau protein, respectively. At early stages, AD is characterized by minimal neurodegeneration, oxidative stress, nucleolar stress, and altered protein synthesis machinery. It is generally believed that Ab oligomers are the neurotoxic species and their levels in the AD brain correlate with the severity of dementia suggesting that they play a critical role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Here, we show that the incubation of differentiated human neuroblastoma cells (SHSY5Y) with freshly prepared Ab42 oligomers initially resulted in oxidative stress and subtle nucleolar stress in the absence of DNA damage or cell death. The presence of exogenous Ab oligomers resulted in altered nuclear tau levels as well as phosphorylation state, leading to altered distribution of nucleolar tau associated with nucleolar stress. These markers of cellular dysfunction worsen over time alongside a reduction in ribosomal RNA synthesis and processing, a decrease in global level of newly synthesized RNA and reduced protein synthesis. The interplay between Ab and tau in AD remains intriguing and Ab toxicity has been linked to tau phosphorylation and changes in localization. These findings provide evidence for the involvement of Ab42 effects on nucleolar tau and protein synthesis machinery dysfunction in cultured cells. Protein synthesis dysfunction is observed in mild cognitive impairment and early AD in the absence of significant neuronal death

Molecular and serological evidence of flea-associated typhus group and spotted fever group rickettsial infections in Madagascar

This research was supported by the Wellcome Trust (RCDF and Senior Fellowship to ST, #081705 and #095171), the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, and the Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System, a Division of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center [847705.82000.25GB.A0074].Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Internal root morphology in mandibular first permanent molars in a Kenyan population

Objective: To determine the internal root morphology and gender  variations in mandibular first permanent molars in a Kenyan population.Design: In vitro descriptive cross sectional study.Setting: School of Dental Sciences, University of NairobiResults: The mesial root of mandibular first molars had two canals in 96.3% of the teeth in both males and females and type IV canal configuration was most prevalent in the mesial root. The distal root of the mandibular first molar had one canal in 57.7% of the teeth in males and females. There were significant gender variations in the number of canals and canal configurations in the distal root. Two canals were more prevalent in females (53.6%) compared to males (30.4%) and a single canal was more frequent in males (69.6%) compared to females (46.4%) (P=0.001). Canal types I, II and IV were the most frequent in the mandibular distal root. The gender variation in the frequency of canal types I, II and IV in the distal root was statistically significant (P=0.001).Conclusion: Most of the mandibular first molars have three canals (56%). Two canals in the distal root are more frequent among females (53.6%) compared to males (30.4%)

Awareness, Satisfaction and Willingness to Pay Remuneration for Architectural Services among Clients in Nigeria

This study assessed relationships between awareness, satisfaction, and willing(ness)-to-pay (WTP) remuneration for architectural services from client perspectives toward improving the public image and business performance of architects in Nigeria. Likert ratings of 16 officially approved architectural services based on residential developments from 97 respondents using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and regression analysis revealed that clients obtained architectural information through word-of-mouth referrals from friends, colleagues, architects and finally, through digital media. Respondents were significantly more aware (mean 2.75 on a 4-point Likert scale) than were WTP for architectural services (mean 2.12), P = 0.000. Clients were WTP for only production of construction drawings and site supervision. Awareness significantly predicted WTP (β = −0.7, Exp (β) = 4.106, P = 0.003) in a model including age and income which explained 36% of the variance in WTP. Satisfaction with architectural services negatively predicted WTP (β = −0.77, Exp(β)=0.462, P = 0.16), implying that client satisfaction, a key performance indicator for architects, was no guarantee for WTP. Revisions to professional fees and code of ethics are recommended to allow architects and allied professionals advertise and market their services through online and social media outlets. Architects should also leverage on interior, furniture, fittings, and component design to improve remuneration and business performance

INFLUENCE OF PERCEIVED VALUE ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONSUMER NATIONAL ETHNOCENTRISM AND WILLINGNESS TO BUY COMMERCIAL BANKING SERVICES IN KENYA

International marketing researchers have concentrated on establishing the influence of consumer national ethnocentrism on willingness to buy domestic products/services as opposed to foreign products/services. The purpose of this paper was to determine the mediating role of consumer perceived value on the relationship between consumer ethnocentrism and the willingness to buy banking services in Kenya. A descriptive research design which was cross sectional in nature was used in the study. Data were gathered from 374 University Staff and Students in Kenya. Data analysis was done using binary logit regression. As a multi faceted construct, consumer national ethnocentrism was found to have a negative influence on the willingness to buy banking services from foreign owned banks. These related well with other previous literature. The relationship was however mediated by several factors. Consumer perceived value was found to have a partial mediation. Findings of the study implies that foreign investors in the banking industry should have pertinent localization strategies incorporated in their broad corporate strategies to guide them not only in repositioning their products in the domestic markets but also in adapting their operations so as to enhance domestic consumption

What is Double Parton Scattering?

Processes such as double Drell-Yan and same-sign WW production have contributions from double parton scattering, which are not well-defined because of a delta(z_\perp=0) singularity that is generated by QCD evolution. We study the single and double parton contributions to these processes, and show how to handle the singularity using factorization and operator renormalization. We compute the QCD evolution of double parton distribution functions (PDFs) due to mixing with single PDFs. The modified evolution of dPDFs at z_\perp=0, including generalized dPDFs for the non-forward case, is given in the appendix. We include a brief discussion of the experimental interpretation of dPDFs and how they can probe flavor, spin and color correlations of partons in hadrons.Comment: 7 pages, 12 figures; v2: appendix fixed and extended, journal versio

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Influence of Cyclophosphamide on the Haematological Profile of Laboratory Bred African Soft-furred Rats (Mastomys natalensis)

The African soft-furred rat (Mastomys natalensis) has been shown to be a possible model for propagation  of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. This study aimed at determining the baseline biological reference values  and reproductive data of a laboratory bred Mastomys colony, which was established at TRC. In addition,  the effect of cyclophosphamide (an immunosuppressant) treatment (s) on the haematological profile  was investigated. The mean gestation period was 23 days and the mean litter size was eight. At birth, the  pups weighed 2.4±0.23 g and the weights increased to 78.0±10.6 g in males and 53.9±4.5 g in females by  90 days. The mean haematological values were significantly (p<0.05) higher in adults than juveniles.  However, there was no statistical difference of haematological values between the sexes.  Cyclophosphamide treatment caused a macrocytic hypochromic anaemia, which was noted 24 hours after  treatment and was more severe in animals treated more than once. Thus, in studies involving a disease that  causes anaemia, repeated cyclophosphamide treatment should be limited. Our study is a contribution to  the clinical and biological characterization of the disease pattern in this preferred rodent model of T. b.  gambiense.