Control of a Single-Star Flying Capacitor Converter Modular Multi-level Cascaded Converter (SSFCC-MMCC) STATCOM for Unbalanced Load Compensation

This paper presents a simulation study into the implementation of the single star flying capacitor converter modular multi-level cascaded converter (SSFCC-MMCC) as a STATCOM for unbalanced load compensation. The paper proposes a new concept of voltage source current control for the reference current tracking of the compensated currents. This control strategy enables the STATCOM system to compensate for both positive sequence reactive and negative sequence currents. Not only compensates for unbalanced load, but also keep the module Dc-link and flying capacitor voltages maintained at their rated values. Simulation results verify the performance of the chosen topology

Stock Market Development in Nigeria: Implications on Economic Growth and Vision 2020

This study uses time series estimates in analyzing the Nigerian economy for 18 years (1986 -2003). It is observed that there is a posttive relationship between real gross domestic investment and the real GDP This relationship is not only positive but also statistically significant at 5 per cent level. A positive and significant relationship also exists between capital market activities (proxy by stock market capitalization) and the real gross domestic product. This implies there is a link between capital market and economic growth. The paper therefore suggests that great effort is required to improve upon the efficiency of the Nigerian capital market. This will culminate in speedy economic growth thereby achieving Nigeria's target of becoming one of the twenty leading economies in the world by the year 2020

Enrolment and Career Choices of Accounting Students in Nigerian Universities: A Gender Analysis

This study analyzed the trend of gender enrolment and factors influencing career choices of accounting students in Universities in the six-geopolitical zones in Nigeria. It examined the enrolment pattern of accounting students in thirty-six universities from 2004/5 to 2009/10. It also examined the factors influencing career choices using data collected from seven universities through questionnaires. Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the data. The results reveal that gap exists in the enrolment of male and female accounting students, with lower female enrolment in the Northern than the Southern zones. Factors influencing career choices of accounting students were found to be job security, job availability and high earnings. It was also discovered that females perceive accounting to be demanding, boring, and mathematical. The researchers recommended among others that Nigerian Government should formulate a comprehensive gender policy for tertiary education in favour of females in Northern Nigeria. It was also recommended that tertiary school teachers should make accounting more interesting for students by using practical and case studies methods

Gender Gap: Enrolment and Career Choices of Accounting Students in Nigerian Universities

This study analysed the trend of gender enrolment and factors influencing the career choices of accounting students in universities in the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. It examined the enrolment pattern of accounting students in 36 universities from 2004/2005 to 2009/2010. It also examined the factors influencing the career choices of undergraduate accounting students using data collected from sampled universities through questionnaires and focus group discussions. The results revealed a gap in enrolment between male and female accounting students, with fewer female students in the northern zones than in the southern zones. Factors influencing career choices of accounting students included job security, job availability and high salaries. It was also discovered that females perceived accounting to be rule-based, boring, stressful and narrow. The researchers recommended among others that the Nigerian Government formulate a comprehensive gender policy for tertiary education in favour of females in the northern part of Nigeria. It was also recommended that tertiary teaching staff should make accounting more interesting for students by using practical and case study methods

Candida albicans in Urinary Tract or in Seminal Sac

A case of urinary tract infection due to Candida albicans and responding to fluconazole is presente

Accounting Numbers and Stock Prices in the Nigerian Stock Market

This research is motivated to study the extent to which accounting information summarizes stock prices in Nigerian stock market as an indicator of value relevance. Piece of accounting data is termed value relevant if it is significantly related to the dependent variable, which may be expressed by the stock price. The methods used for gauging information contents of various accounting numbers were Ordinary Least Squared (OLS), Random Effects Model (REM), and Fixed Effects Model (FEM). The findings show that there is a significant relationship between accounting information and share prices of companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Dividends are the most widely used accounting information for investment decisions in Nigeria, followed by earnings and net book value. The study therefore recommends that the firms should improve the quality of earnings as manipulated earnings (of which dividends are sub-sets) have large effects on share prices. The paper also recommends that all companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange should prepare Simplified Investor’s Summary Accounts (SISA) with emphasis on the most widely used accounting information along the required mandatory detailed financial statements to suit Nigerian peculiarities. The study’s findings and recommendations may be of use to National Standard Setters, preparers of accounting information, Nigerian Stock Exchange Regulators, investors and other emerging stock market

Extensible business reporting language (XBRL): a tool for accounting education in the 21st century

21st century education standards focus on 21st century skills, content knowledge and expertise. Technology advances such as eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) have revolutionized the way information is exchanged and the way business is conducted. These days, speed is of the essence and loss of accuracy, lack of transparency, and difficulty in analysis are increasingly becoming apparent risks. This research exposes XBRL as a phenomenon that represents the future of global accounting education. It discusses the concept and need for XBRL as well as its potential uses and challenges. The research found that there is an ongoing transformation in the way business is conducted and regulated world-wide. The onslaught of the information revolution has profound ramifications for corporate reporting information preparers and users. It therefore recommends that the greater the degree of collaboration between all participants in the financial information supply chain, including government regulators and public sector accountants, the greater the benefits that this information format enables for all participants, educationists, academics, companies, regulators, investors, and government agencies alike

21st Century Business Dynamics: Acting Local and Thinking Global through Extensive Business Reporting Language (XBRL)

In the present dynamic business environment of corporate governance and regulations, financial reporting is an inevitable and extremely significant process for every business enterprise. Several financial elements such as Annual Reports, Quarterly Reports, ad-hoc filing, and other statutory/regulatory reports provide vital information to the investors and regulators, and establish trust and rapport between the internal and external stakeholders of an organization. Investors today are very demanding, and emphasize greatly on authenticity, accuracy, and reliability of financial data. For many companies, the Internet plays a key role in communicating business information, internally to management and externally to stakeholders. Despite high prominence being attached to external reporting, it is disconnected in most companies, who generate their external financial documents manually, resulting in high degree of errors and prolonged cycle times. Chief Executive Officers and Chief Financial Officers are increasingly susceptible to endorsing error-laden reports, late filing of reports, and noncompliance with regulatory acts. There is a lack of common platform to manage the sensitive information – internally and externally – in financial reports. The Internet financial reporting language known as eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) continues to develop in the face of challenges and has now reached the point where much of its promised benefits are available. This paper looks at the emergence of this revolutionary twenty-first century language of digital reporting. It posits that today, the world is on the brink of an Internet revolution that will redefine the ‘business reporting’ paradigm. The new Internet technology, eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL), is already being deployed and used across the world. It finds that XBRL is an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) based information format that places self-describing tags around discrete pieces of business information. Once tags are assigned, it is possible to extract only desired information, rather than having to download or print an entire document. XBRL is platform-independent and it will work on any current or recent-year operating system, or any computer and interface with virtually any software. The paper concludes that corporate stakeholders and the government cannot afford to ignore the XBRL. It therefore recommends that all must act locally and think globally now via the adoption of XBRL that is changing the face of worldwide business reporting

Demographic Features, Beliefs And Socio–Psychological Impact Of Acne Vulgaris Among Its Sufferers In Two Towns In Nigeria

There is paucity of reports in the demographic knowledge, belief and socio-psychological impact of acne vulgaris sufferers towards the disorder in a black population. This is the first study from Nigeria designed to address this issue. A total of 174 facial acne sufferers completed a self-administered questionnaire, which contained several items mentioning different areas in their belief, knowledge, perception, severity, socio-psychological impact and medication attention. The findings were discussed and compared to those of the Caucasians. The occurrence of the disorder was higher in females (65.0%) compared to the males (35.0%). About 54.0% of the female subjects indicated increase in severity of the disorder during their pre-menstrual period. Also 64.9% of acne sufferers indicated increase in severity during the rainy season, while 93.1% of the population implicated stress to perpetuate the severity of the disorder. Most (75.7%) of the acne sufferers believed that it is caused by oily diet, 40.8% thought that it is hereditary, while barely 5.2% had at sometime sought doctor's attention. Non- prescription products used by acne sufferers were cleansers and cream/lotions. Psychological abnormalities experienced by the sufferers included social inhibition, depression and anxiety. Pain and discomfort are the psychosomatic symptoms. No major differences were found in the beliefs, misconception and socio-psychological impact of acne sufferers in a black population (Nigeria) compared to the Caucasians. There is need to improve the understanding of the disorder in Nigeria through health education programmes

Managerial perceptions of corporate sustainability reporting determinants in Nigeria

This study investigated managerial perceptions of the determinants of sustainability reporting in Nigeria. The rationales that managers construct around institutional pressures in relation to sustainability reporting constitute an under explored area in research. A survey research design was employed. A questionnaire was designed for the purpose of data collection and copies were administered to 81 companies in oil and gas, banking, industrial goods and consumer goods sectors in Nigeria. The results showed that corporate respondents opined that a mix of factors – coercive, normative and mimetic factors actually influence sustainability reporting of companies. The findings showed that corporate actors attributed higher values to initiation from the company chief executive officer (CEO) and investors’ concern with long-term performance of the business. Interestingly, regulatory pressures and employee training were found to have higher mean scores than pressures arising from corporate membership of external governance bodies, total asset base and foreign operations. Results from factor analysis showed that respondents opined that sustainability reporting was influenced by a mix of coercive, normative and mimetic factors. Pearson correlation between the level of sustainability reporting and coercive, normative and mimetic pressures showed significant association between the level of sustainability reporting and coercive and normative pressures. This study identified that a number of pressures combine to influence sustainability reporting. The rationales attributed to the factors could be a pointer to the areas that members of the organizational field need to improve upon to enable companies to provide reliable sustainability reporting and disclosures. This study contributes to the literature by focusing on aspects of the organizational field or environment of business that can aid improvements in the quantity and quality of sustainability reporting. This aspect of research is yet to be undertaken in the Nigerian context