Corporate Social Responsibility in Supply Chains of Global Brands: A Boundaryless Responsibility? Clarifications, exceptions and implications

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is increasingly becoming a popular business concept in developed economies. As typical of other business concepts, it is on its way to globalization through practices and structures of the globalized capitalist world order, typified in Multinational Corporations (MNCs). However, CSR often sits uncomfortably in this capitalist world order, as MNCs are often challenged by the global reach of their supply chains and the possible irresponsible practices inherent along these chains. The possibility of irresponsible practices puts global firms under pressure to protect their brands even if it means assuming responsibilities for the practices of their suppliers. Pressure groups understand this burden on firms and try to take advantage of the situation. This paper seeks to challenge the often taken-for-granted-assumption that firms should be accountable for the practices of their suppliers by espousing the moral (and sometimes legal) underpinnings of the concept of responsibility. Except where corporate control and or corporate grouping exist, it identifies the use of power as a critical factor to be considered in allocating responsibility in firm-supplier relationship; and suggests that the more powerful in this relationship has a responsibility to exert some moral influence on the weaker party. The paper highlights the use of code of conducts, corporate culture, anti-pressure group campaigns, personnel training and value reorientation as possible sources of wielding positive moral influence along supply chains

Coefficient of surface water absorption: A non-destructive test index for evaluation and quality grading of cover-concrete

Surface Water Absorption Test (SWAT) has long been proposed as a non-destructive testing device for evaluation and grading of the quality of the cover concrete and standardization of SWAT is still in process. In this study, the acceptability and validity of a new water sorptivity index of the SWAT method - the coefficient of surface water absorption (CSWA), are appraised by a correlative assessment between CSWA and the coefficient of air permeability (kT values) measured by the Torrent’s double chamber air permeability device. The tests were conducted on fourteen different kinds of concrete at different ages, produced with three different cement types, four water-to-binder ratios, and four curing conditions. The results revealed a good correlation between CSWA and kT for both the specimens with uniform moisture content and the ones with varying degrees of moisture gradients. The findings validate the CSWA as an effective quality control index during design as well as a durability quantifier for evaluating the water absorption resistance of in-situ concrete structures

Coefficient of surface water absorption: A non-destructive test index for evaluation and quality grading of cover-concrete

Surface Water Absorption Test (SWAT) has long been proposed as a non-destructive testing device for evaluation and grading of the quality of the cover concrete and standardization of SWAT is still in process. In this study, the acceptability and validity of a new water sorptivity index of the SWAT method - the coefficient of surface water absorption (CSWA), are appraised by a correlative assessment between CSWA and the coefficient of air permeability (kT values) measured by the Torrent’s double chamber air permeability device. The tests were conducted on fourteen different kinds of concrete at different ages, produced with three different cement types, four water-to-binder ratios, and four curing conditions. The results revealed a good correlation between CSWA and kT for both the specimens with uniform moisture content and the ones with varying degrees of moisture gradients. The findings validate the CSWA as an effective quality control index during design as well as a durability quantifier for evaluating the water absorption resistance of in-situ concrete structures

Trends in HIV prevalence from 2008 to 2012 among young adults in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Background: The pandemic of HIV lines amongst the utmost infectious disease menaces in antiquity. HIV remains a problem worldwide and it’s a grave health snags in developing nations particularly in  Nigeria.Objective: This study focused on “trends in HIV reporting from 2008 to 2012 among young adults in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.Methods: Secondary data were collected from BMSH, Port Harcourt using a Performa specifically intended for this determination. Socio-demographic data for the subjects were recovered from coded patients’ medical records kept at BMSH. The data generated was exposed to Fisher’s Exact Test.Results: The study showed that a total of 3081 HIV-positive cases were reported between 2008 and 2012. The HIV trend were not well defined, it peaked in 2009(36.6%) and 2008(32.8%) and a decrease in  2011(16.6%), 2012(8.3%) and 2010(5.7%). A 3.8% increase was observed between 2008 and 2009 and 30.9% decrease between 2009 and 2010. However, the prevalence seemed to stabilize between 2009 and 2012. HIV patterns among various age-groups is not  well-defined, it rose with increasing age and peaked at 26-30years (35.7%) after which it declined. Sex differences (P<0.05) in the trend was observed. Males ages 26–30years showed uniform pattern with an increasing trend while 36-40years showed decreasing trend except in 2009(34.1%). Females ages 26-30years showed uniform pattern with an increasing trend from 2008(21.7%) to 2010(41.9%) and decreased from 41.9% (2010) to 36.5%(2012). The low HIV prevalence in 2010 could be attributed to the fact that the proportion of centers giving ART enlarged from 2005 to date. Health care facilities providing HIV/AIDS counselling and testing services also increased.Conclusion: The long decades fight against HIV especially in Rivers State is making progress, though an unstable one. The observed increase in years with high HIV prevalences calls for an intensified focus of intervention.Keywords: AIDS, Anti-retroviral therapy (ART), Health facilities, HIV, Prevalence Trends

Perspective of Inflammation and Inflammation Markers

Progression and occurrence of coronary heart disease can be attributed in part to the presence of inflammation. As a result of our understanding of inflammation's molecular underpinnings, we have identified markers that may also serve as new treatment targets for atherosclerosis. Individuals with and without a history of cardiovascular disease can benefit from monitoring their C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (CVD). The anti-inflammatory characteristics of statins have lately been explored, and they have been shown to significantly lower cardiovascular morbidity and death. C-reactive protein, adiponectin, CD40 ligand, and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A were the focus of this review, which also looked at statins' effect on these biomarkers and their potential link to cardiovascular events, all of which are thought to be involved in the inflammatory process that leads to atherothrombosis and other cardiovascular diseases

Evaluation of Pattern of Lipid Profile of Subjects With Different Abo Groups in Madonna University Elele Rivers State Nigeria

This study looked into how the lipid profiles of people with various ABO blood groups varied. 50 healthy patients with varied ABO blood groups were studied, including 12 A, 12 B, and 10 AB and 16 O blood groups, all of whom appeared to be in good condition and appeared to be asymptomatic. Men and women between the ages of 15 and 25 years old provided informed consent and met the inclusion criteria. Colorimetric measurements of serum lipid profiles were performed on blood samples collected in accordance with routine operating protocols. The results were expressed as MeanSD, and the means of the groups were compared using an analysis of variance (ANOVA). Values with p0.05 were considered significant, whereas those with p>0.05 were not. Averages for TCH and TG in group A were 4.21 and 0.99 millimol/L, respectively. HDL and LDL were both 1.71 and 0.07 millimol/L higher in this group. TCH was 4.2 0.48 mmol/L, TG was 0.74 0.35 mmol/L, HDL was 1.6 0.62 mmol/L, and LDL was 2.26 0.45 mmol/L on average in group B. TCH (4.3 0.88 mmol/L), TG (0.96 0.49 mmol/L), HDL (1.8 0.52 mmol/L) and LDL (1.94 0.81 mmol/L) were found in the group AB patients. When the TCH, TG, HDL, and LDL mean values of the various ABO blood groups were examined, there was no significant difference (p>0.05). This study's findings suggest that blood type has no effect on the serum lipid profile of healthy persons

The Role of ICT in Poverty Alleviation among Rural Farmers inAbia State

The study examined the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in poverty alleviation among rural farmers in Abia State.  Specifically, the study examined the role of ICT in rural and agricultural development and identified the type of ICT facilities (hard and software) used in the study area.  Data for the study were gathered from 50 respondents (10 extension workers and 40 farmers) randomly selected from the three agricultural zones of the state using structured questionnaire.  Percentages and mean scores were applied for data analysis.  The study found that the major roles of ICT in the study area were for weather forecast, access to markets, reach out to people outside the locality and mobilize people for occasions.  The hardware and software used in the study area were radio, television, sms telephones, telephone mainlines and sms messages.  The most frequently used were radio, radio and television.  The study therefore, recommended that government should create agricultural website for farmers. Also, farmers should be trained in the use of ICT equipment, while constant power supply should be maintained to enable the farmers use ICT facilities effectively.

Bacteriology of Different Wound Infections and their Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns in Owerri

This study was carried out to determine the bacterial aetiologic agents of different wound infections in parts of Imo State their distribution in relation to type of wound and their in vitro antibiotic susceptibility patterns. Samples were collected and processed following standard microbiological techniques as part of the routine clinical management of the patients. The antibiotic sensitivity testing was done on pure culture isolates employing disc-diffusion method for some commonly used antibiotics. A total of 150 patients made of 89 (59.3%) males and 61(40.7%) females were sampled. A total of 175 bacterial isolates were recovered and the predominant bacteria isolated from the infected wounds were staphylococcus aureus (25.1%) pseudomonas aeroginosa (22.3%), Escherichia coli (13.1%) staphylococcus epidermidis (11.4%) Enterobacter species (6.9%), Klebsiella aerogenes(5.1%), proteus vulgaris (5.1%), proteus mirabilis (3.4%), streptococuss specie (1.7%), staphylococcus saprophyticus (1.1%) and Bacillus specie(1.1%). Most of the bacterial isolates were resistant to the microbials used with some species exhibiting 100% resistance to as many as 8 to 10 different antibiotics. This probably indicates that wounds in patients in Owerri were colonized by different bacteria including opportunistic bacteria with staphylococci being predominant. The multiple antibiotic resistant profile of the isolates recommends better clinical evaluation of antimicrobial therapy which would lead to more rational use of drugs

Alterations of alpha fetoprotein and some liver enzymes, in HIV patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy at Federal Medical Centre, Owerri

Aim: This study is therefore aimed at evaluating the serum level of alpha fetoprotein and liver enzymes in HIV patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy at Federal Medical Centre, Owerri. Materials and method: A total of one hundred and fifty subjects which comprised 50 HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy, 50 HIV patients not yet on antiretroviral therapy and 50 healthy subjects as control were used in the study. The liver enzymes and alpha fetoprotein serum levels were determined using colorimetric end-point method and ELISA technique, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed on Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) windows version 20.0.Test of significance was determined using the student’s t-test and the statistical significance was set up at p<0.05.Results:. Results obtained showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in alpha fetoprotein (4.64±4.42ng/ml), Aspartate aminotransferase (13.3±8.10iu/L), Alanine Aminotransferase (7.58±3.56iu/L) and alkaline phosphatase (68.73±54.95iu/L) of the HIV positive patients when compared with to their controls (1.43±1.53ng/ml), (5.75±3.03iu/L), (3.85±2.33iu/L) (25.9±9.17iu/L) respectively. There were no significant difference (P>0.05) in the mean value of the alpha fetoprotein of those already in ART (5.91±5.60ng/ml) when compared with the mean value seen in those not on the therapy (3.36±2.10ng/ml). Also, when compared according to duration of therapy, a significant increase was seen at P>0.05 in all the parameters. This study inferred that long time use of these antiretrovirals has a damaging effect on the liver but can't possibly cause hepatocellular carcinoma except in the presence of other risk factors. Thus, the intake of the drug should be strictly under the doctor's prescription and monitoring