THE ENTREPRENEURIAL ADMINISTRATIVE SKILLS NEEDED BY SELF-EMPLOYED MOTOR VEHICLE MECHANICS IN THE NORTH CENTRAL STATES OF NIGERIA

This study was designed to discover the entrepreneurial administrative skills needed by self-employed motor vehicle mechanics in the North-Central States of Nigeria. The researchers formulated a research question and a null hypothesis guided the study. A descriptive survey research design was employed for the study. The study was carried out in the North-Central States of Nigeria. The targeted population for the study was 22,523 respondents comprising of 21,340 registered self-employed motor vehicle mechanics, 1,016 managers of micro firms in motor vehicle mechanics and 167 entrepreneurship lecturers. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed for the study. The purposive sampling procedure was employed to select three states including Federal Capital Territory, Abuja out of seven states that constitute the North-Central geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The sample for the study was 2,019 respondents comprising of 1,435 registered self-employed motor vehicle mechanics, drawn through the use of Taro Yamane formula for finite population, 475 managers of micro firms in motor vehicle mechanics and 109 entrepreneurship lecturers. A structured questionnaire titled: Self-Employed Motor Vehicle Mechanics Entrepreneurial Administrative Skills Needed Questionnaire (SEMVMEASNQ) developed by the researchers was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by five Lecturers in the Department of Industrial and Technology Education, the Federal University of Technology, Minna and the reliability coefficient of instrument was 0.84 through Cronbach Alpha Statistics. Mean and standard deviation were the statistical tools used to analyze the data for answering the research question; while One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistics was employed to test the null hypothesis for the study at .05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed among others that all the 31 items entrepreneurial administrative skills are highly needed by motor vehicle mechanics for self-employment in the North Central States of Nigeria. Based on the findings it was recommended among others that: the National Council on Automotive (NCA) should in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity incorporate the identified entrepreneurial skills into their training and re-training programs so that motor vehicle mechanics can be made to acquire the needed entrepreneurship management skills that will assist them to sustain and secure their employment

ASSESSMENT OF SCARCITY OF WOODWORK ARTISAN IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

Woodwork artisanal scarcity is at an alarming rate in Nigeria and in Kwara state in particular. The reason being that most of the available woodwork artisans lack adequate skills demanded quality Building Construction. Generally, the issue of woodwork artisanal scarcity is not a current one as it dates as far back as the two World Wars. This study is on the causes of the observed scarcity of woodwork artisans in Nigeria and Kwara state in particular. The objectives of the study were to identify the factors increasing woodwork artisanal scarcity in Kwara state, its effect on Kwara state economy and the possible remedies. The study employed the use of descriptive survey design which involves the use of a structured questionnaire to collect data from 25 contractors and 35 woodwork artisans in carpentry and joinery. There was no sampling because the population is manageable, hence, the entire population was used. Mean ratings were used to answer research questions. The findings show that major factors causing the scarcity of woodwork artisans include; fluctuating payment, low remuneration, low motivation, lack of interest to take-up woodwork trade by youth, technological advancements in tools, equipment and working process. It also identified the effects of scarcity of woodwork artisan on Kwara state economy. Based on the finding of the study, it was recommended that the Carpentry and Joinery Union of Kwara state should encourage the welfare of its members in order to improve the issues raised by this study

Evaluation of the Wood and Plastic Formworks in Building Construction Industry for Sustainable Development

This research work assessed wood and plastic in building construction. The study was a descriptive survey design and as such made use of questionnaire with 42 items. The Population of the study was 110 respondents which include 40 building professional and 70 non-building professional. The data were analysed using mean and standard deviation. The finding of the study shows that plastic work form can be used for casting slab, concrete wall among others. The finding also revealed some factors that determines the selection of form work such as climatic condition, labour efficiency and that plastic formwork saves cost as a result of long reuse period. It is therefore recommended that; plastic and wooden formwork should be integrated often in the casting of slabs, beam and columns without discrimination, proper adherence to standards and specifications for use of any type of formwork, there should be large scale production of plastic formwork to conserve forest and wood, factors to be considered in the selection of formwork should not be ignored, there should be proper weighing of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of formwork relating to the scale of construction before the choice of any formwork

Use of Bamboo and Earth Materials in Construction for the Provision of Affordable Building Structures for Sustainable Development at Kuje Area Council, Abuja

The study was carried out on the use of bamboo and earth materials in building construction in provision of affordable housing at Kuje area council Abuja. The purpose of the study was to determine the status of the use of bamboo and earth materials in construction at Kuje area council Abuja, identifying the factors limiting the use of bamboo and earth materials in construction at Kuje area council Abuja, examine the strategies that will improve the use of bamboo and earth materials in construction at Kuje area council Abuja. Three research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A population of 80 respondents, comprising of 20 engineers and 60 craftsmen was used for the study. A structured questionnaire was developed by the researcher and was used as an instrument for data collection. The instrument was validated by three lecturers in the department of industrial and technology education, federal university of technology Minna. The data collected was analyzed using mean and standard deviation, while t-test statistic was used to test three hypotheses at 0.05level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that there are limitations in the use of bamboo for building construction in the Kuje Area Council. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that the use of bamboo and earth materials in building construction should be introduced as part of the curriculum for construction education at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in order to sensitize the students to their potential uses and benefits. The government should employ a policy of adapting bamboo and earth materials that require minimal amounts of capital and foreign exchange and makes use of available raw materials and skills in small-scale operations and suggestion were also made for further research works

Evaluation of the Wood and Plastic Formworks in Building Construction Industry for Sustainable Development

This research work assessed wood and plastic in building construction. The study was a descriptive survey design and as such made use of questionnaire with 42 items. The Population of the study was 110 respondents which include 40 building professional and 70 non-building professional. The data were analysed using mean and standard deviation. The finding of the study shows that plastic work form can be used for casting slab, concrete wall among others. The finding also revealed some factors that determines the selection of form work such as climatic condition, labour efficiency and that plastic formwork saves cost as a result of long reuse period. It is therefore recommended that; plastic and wooden formwork should be integrated often in the casting of slabs, beam and columns without discrimination, proper adherence to standards and specifications for use of any type of formwork, there should be large scale production of plastic formwork to conserve forest and wood, factors to be considered in the selection of formwork should not be ignored, there should be proper weighing of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of formwork relating to the scale of construction before the choice of any formwork

Dietary exposures to metals in relation to chronic kidney disease of unknown cause (CKDu) in Sri Lanka

Exposure to metals has been hypothesized as possible cause of chronic kidney disease of unknown cause (CKDu) in Sri Lanka; however, evidence is inconclusive. We measured the concentrations of nephrotoxic metals (As, Pb, and Cd), as well as Se in rice (a staple grain in Sri Lanka) and other grains consumed in CKDu endemic and non-endemic regions using Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Our results showed comparable mean concentrations (in µg/kg) of 24.5±18, 7.3±6.4, and 14.2±15 for As, Pb, and Cd, respectively, in rice from endemic regions and 17.7±4.7, 12.7±6.8, and 17.8±16 in rice from non-endemic regions. Selenium concentrations (in mg/kg) were 0.05±0.02 in rice cultivated in both endemic and non-endemic regions. Arsenic and Cd concentrations were significantly higher in rice compared to other grains, which themselves had higher Se than rice. All samples were below the Codex standards established for Cd (400 µg/kg for rice; 100 µg/kg for cereal grains), Pb (200 µg/kg) and inorganic As (200 µg/kg) for white rice. Our findings show that dietary exposure to low levels of As, Pb, Cd, and inadequate Se in staple grains cannot be clearly linked to CKDu, suggesting that the disease could be multifactorial. Additional research is needed to determine the contribution of other risk factors such as lifestyle habits and heat stress to plan preventive strategies for reducing CKDu health cases in Sri Lanka

Experimental Hemorrhagic Septicemia of Calves with <em>Pasteurella multocida</em> Serotype E:2: Clinical, Pathologic and Microbiologic Studies

Hemorrhagic septicemia (HS) was experimentally induced in seven-month-old calves (n = 2) by intratracheal inoculation of 1010 colony-forming units of sixhour log-phase Pasteurella multocida serotype E:2 to study its clinicopathologic features and microbiology. The incubation period was within four hours postinfection. The general continuum of clinical signs in order of manifestation was pyrexia, anorexia, dyspnea, swelling of the throat-forelimb region, tympany, nasal discharge, profuse salivation, lethargy, recumbency and death. The prominent lesions observed at necropsy were congestion of the lungs with consolidation and pleural adhesions of the apical lobes, pleurisy, edematous swelling of the throat and dewlap which exuded yellowish serum-like fluid, petechial and ecchymotic hemorrhages. Histologically, the lung lesions were typical of fibrinous bronchopneumonia with thickened alveolar septa, hyperemia, edema and cellular responses of the lungs. P. multocida E:2 was re-isolated bacteriologically from the lungs, lymph nodes, liver, kidneys, spleen, edema fluid, and heart blood at necropsy. The organism was not detected in the venous blood until a few hours before death. The clinical and pathological features seen in the animals showed that there were striking similarities with P. multocida type B:2 HS. The data should help veterinarians recognize suspected cases of HS in the field

Toxic and Essential Elements in Rice and Other Grains from the United States and Other Countries

We determined the concentrations of toxic and essential elements in rice and other grains (lentils, barleys, beans, oats, wheat, and peas) grown in the United States (US) and other countries using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS). Results showed that median concentrations (in &micro;g/kg) for toxic elements in white rice from the US were 131, 2.8, and 6.5 for arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd), respectively. White rice from Thailand, India, and Italy showed higher median toxic elements concentrations (in &micro;g/kg) of 155 for As, 3.6 for Pb, and 8.4 for Cd, than for white rice from the US. Brown rice from the US showed median concentrations (in &micro;g/kg) of 217 (As), 4.5 (Pb), and 17.4 (Cd) while other grains showed median concentrations (in &micro;g/kg) of 5.4, 4.6, and 6.7 for these elements, respectively. None of the samples exceeded the codex standards set for Pb (200 &mu;g/kg in cereals and pulses) and Cd (100 &mu;g/kg in cereals/pulses and 400 &mu;g/kg in polished rice). However, brown rice and one white rice sample did exceed the codex standard for As (200 &mu;g/kg). Essential elements were higher in other grains than in white and brown rice. These findings suggest that alternating or coupling rice with other grains in one&rsquo;s diet could reduce exposure to toxic metals while providing more essential elements to rice diet