Concepts and Emerging Theories: An Analysis of Editorials in Nigerian Newspapers

One of the ways newspapers bare their mind on issues of public interest is through editorials. As an important piece of writing, editorials do not shy away from controversies, in the hope of not only presenting the issues to the reading public, but also drawing responses from the public and attracting new readership in the competitive marketplace of ideas. It is on this premise that this paper examines the relatedness in the concepts that make up the contents of editorials in three selected Nigerian newspapers. Through a qualitative analysis of editorials in The Guardian, Vanguard and Daily Sun newspapers using Grounded Theory method, the concepts of Timeliness, Contempt, Personality-Issue, Audience-Specific and Change were discovered. The study period spans from January – June 2012 and it focuses on salient issues of public interest as commented on by the newspapers. The findings of this study which are the concepts stated earlier gave rise to emerging theories. Key words: Editorial, Grounded Theory, Concepts, Emerging Theory, Newspaper

Design and Construction of A Domestic Solar Power Bank in a Convective Environment

Objective: This research seeks to solve the problem of storing solar energy in small scale modules for domestic use. Method: The Solar Power Bank (SPB) was constructed with local materials based on their individual properties. The functionality of the SPB was tested in a convective environment. Davis automatic Weather Station (DWS) was used to get the weather parameters (like solar irradiance, solar energy and temperature) for each day the SPB was tested. The maximum solar irradiance for four days (during the experiment) were 220 W/m2, 208 W/m2, 450 W/m2 and 900 W/m2. The maximum solar energy was 0.33 J, 03 J, 0.64 J and 1.33 J. Result: The maximum voltage and power obtained from the Solar Power Bank (SPB) was 0.18V and 0.065W respectively. The design showed tremendous heat energy entrapment during solar irradiance peak as the temperature in the SPB was about three times the DWS. Conclusion: It was specifically noted that the convection of the heat transfer that is triggered by the glass shield determines the functionality of the thermo-electric module. This is a clear indication that though the power output may be low to charge the batteries, the prospects of the SPB to operate in convective-rural communities (in tropic region) is very hig

Willingness to Pay for Improved Milk Sensory Characteristics and Assurances in Northern Kenya Using Experimental Auctions

Pastoralists in northern Kenya may be able to diversify income by selling milk in nearby towns and cities. However, milk sold in open-air markets in communities in northern Kenya is often of low quality in terms of its sensory characteristics. The milk is also often adulterated before sale. These markets are characterized by poor consumers who need to make choices about milk quality with virtually no information other than their own sensory perceptions. These conditions are similar in many parts of the world for many different commodities and products. An examination was undertaken using experimental auctions to determine if consumers in the border town of Moyale, Kenya are willing to pay for enhanced milk sensory characteristics and assurances. The results suggest that even poor consumers are willing to pay for enhanced sensory characteristics and assurances if these can be communicated in a trusted manner. Older, relatively well-informed women are the group most willing to pay the highest prices for milk quality.willingness-to-pay, milk, Kenya, Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Q10, Q14,

A New Model for Predicting Liquid Loading in Multiphase Gas Wells

Liquid loading problem occurs when there is accumulation of liquid in the wellbore. The ultimate desire of this phenomenon is to reduce gas recovery or completely kill the production well. This challenge can lead to loss in well deliverability and as a result recovery of gas becomes low and cause heavy damage that the remedy would be costly. So many scholars have modeled to predict liquid loading onset but over the years the results gotten have shown one discrepancies or the other and could be difficult to use because of the challenges facing in predicting the bottomhole pressure of a multiphase flow. Numerical integration method was used in this new model while considering the introduction of valve equation along the functional nodes to the fundamental equation. The pressure drop across the functional node has not been considered by previous scholars. The result is very effective when compared analytically with other established work. The results also show the onset of transient flow and how quickly it stabilizes. Furthermore, the numbers of correctly predicted wells when validated with data was higher than the previous result

Auctioneering in the Practice of Estate Surveyors and Valuers

There has been recent agitation amongst estate surveyors and valuers that auctioneering ought to be an aspect of their practice. This crave for supremacy appears contestable as they have not had an exclusive preserve in this aspect of practice coupled with the participation of other professionals. This study thereby aimed at discovering the prospect of estate surveyors and valuers in auctioneering amongst various stakeholders. Questionnaires were distributed to one hundred and eighty-three (183) estate surveyors and valuers in Lagos State, thirty-nine (39) auction houses in Lagos state and eleven (11) government agencies who require the services of auctioneers. The use of descriptive and inferential statistics such as the Relative Importance Index (RII), Chi-square test and Kruskal-Wallis test of significance were used in the analysis of the data. It was revealed that although the proportion of estate surveyors and valuers engaged in auctioneering are quite minimal, they are still substantial compared to other contending professionals. Estate surveyors and valuers are being vaunted to handle auctioneering even though caution has to be applied in the result not being significant at the 5% significant level but significant at the 1% level of significance. The need for professionals exclusively known as auctioneers was advocated. The researchers thereby opine that the inclusion of auctioneering in the curriculum of all higher institutions offering estate management will be a welcome development that will give the estate surveyors and valuers the hedge for specialization as the professional auctioneer being advocated from responses in the study

Pulse-Field Analysis Diversity of Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases Producing Gram Negative Bacteria Isolated from Periplaneta americana (Cockroaches)

Extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria are organisms of public health significance that have been implicated in prolonged hospital stay, treatment failures and higher fatalities. These organisms were originally thought to be widely distributed in hospital, but have since grown in terms of their epidemiological coverage. This study was therefore aimed at using pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to understand the diversity of ESBL producing organisms originating from cockroaches in Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria. The diversity was determined by using a set of twenty six (26) ESBL producing bacterial strains isolated from cockroaches sampled in Ago-Iwoye community, Ogun State, Nigeria. PFGE analysis revealed three pulsotypes (distinct profile) with no distinct isolates present on a pulsotype. It was however observed that no pulsotype had less than two (2) isolates in any case, while isolates from different communities displayed identical profiles. In conclusion, clonal distributions of ESBL producing organisms on cockroaches are without bias to specimens and/or the community sampled. Keywords: ESBL; Gram negative bacteria; PFGE; Diversity

Modified Pricing Model for Negotiation of Mortgage Valuation Between Estate Surveyors and Valuers and Their Clients

Negotiation is inevitable in every sphere of life. This has transcended conflicts to the business world that is already ensnared by the negotiation of fees charged clients by estate surveyors and valuers after handling valuation jobs. To curtail the indiscriminate negotiation that goes on to even ridiculous charges, this work aimed at determining an equilibrium pricing through a model using mortgage valuation that records the greatest valuation in Nigeria. The researchers opine that such valuation would be a guide establishing a flexible relationship between fees chargeable and fees payable between both parties. As such, a modified mathematical model was used to harmonize the connection between the estate valuers and client fees in Nigeria. Implications for practice and research were discussed

Spatial Variability of VHF FM Radio Signals with Surface Refractivity Values in Niger State, Nigeria

Radio refractivity N exerts considerable influence on radio signals at Very High Frequency (VHF) and higher frequency bands. In particular, surface refractivity correlates positively with radio field strength, and knowledge of its temporal and/or spatial variability is important in predicting performance of terrestrial radio networks, especially at VHF frequencies. In this work, measurement of electric field strength of Frequency Modulated (FM) radio signals in Niger State, Nigeria was carried out at the onset and peak of the wet season; variation of surface radio refractivity was obtained in Minna, Niger State based on concurrent measurement of surface air temperature, pressure and relative humidity. Variation of electric field strength of FM radio signals in the wet season is found to agree in general with the observed variation of surface radio refractivity, Ns, in Niger State, Nigeria. Keywords: Electric field strength, surface radio refractivity, propagation

Molecular Model of the Contractile Ring

We present a model for the actin contractile ring of adherent animal cells. The model suggests that the actin concentration within the ring and consequently the power that the ring exerts both increase during contraction. We demonstrate the crucial role of actin polymerization and depolymerization throughout cytokinesis, and the dominance of viscous dissipation in the dynamics. The physical origin of two phases in cytokinesis dynamics ("biphasic cytokinesis") follows from a limitation on the actin density. The model is consistent with a wide range of measurements of the midzone of dividing animal cells.Comment: PACS numbers: 87.16.Ka, 87.16.Ac http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16197254 http://www.weizmann.ac.il/complex/tlusty/papers/PhysRevLett2005.pd

Neurofeedback of visual food cue reactivity: a potential avenue to alter incentive sensitization and craving

FMRI-based neurofeedback transforms functional brain activation in real-time into sensory stimuli that participants can use to self-regulate brain responses, which can aid the modification of mental states and behavior. Emerging evidence supports the clinical utility of neurofeedback-guided up-regulation of hypoactive networks. In contrast, down-regulation of hyperactive neural circuits appears more difficult to achieve. There are conditions though, in which down-regulation would be clinically useful, including dysfunctional motivational states elicited by salient reward cues, such as food or drug craving. In this proof-of-concept study, 10 healthy females (mean age = 21.40 years, mean BMI = 23.53) who had fasted for 4 h underwent a novel ‘motivational neurofeedback’ training in which they learned to down-regulate brain activation during exposure to appetitive food pictures. FMRI feedback was given from individually determined target areas and through decreases/increases in food picture size, thus providing salient motivational consequences in terms of cue approach/avoidance. Our preliminary findings suggest that motivational neurofeedback is associated with functionally specific activation decreases in diverse cortical/subcortical regions, including key motivational areas. There was also preliminary evidence for a reduction of hunger after neurofeedback and an association between down-regulation success and the degree of hunger reduction. Decreasing neural cue responses by motivational neurofeedback may provide a useful extension of existing behavioral methods that aim to modulate cue reactivity. Our pilot findings indicate that reduction of neural cue reactivity is not achieved by top-down regulation but arises in a bottom-up manner, possibly through implicit operant shaping of target area activity