The Effect of Federal Government Size on Economic Growth in Nigeria, 1961-2011

This study investigates whether there is statistical evidence for a causal relationship between federal government expenditures and growth in real per-capita GDP in the Nigeria, using long and up to date available time series data (1961-2011). After studying the time-series properties of these variables for stationarity and cointegration, we adopted Toda and Yamamoto’s (1995) Granger non-causality tests and investigate Granger causality in detail in the context of a Vector Autoregressive Model. The Empirical results from cointegration test indicate that there exists no long-run relationship between government expenditure and economic growth in Nigeria. The Toda and Yamamoto’s causality test results show that Wagner’s Law does not hold over the period being tested. However, using VAR Granger causality test we found a weak empirical support in the proposition by Keynes that public expenditure is an exogenous factor and a policy instrument for increasing national income in the short run. Keywords: Federal government size, Wagner’s Law, Cointegration, Granger causality, Vector Autoregressio

The Effect of Federal Government Size on Economic Growth in Nigeria, 1961-2011

This study investigates whether there is statistical evidence for a causal relationship between federal government expenditures and growth in real per-capita GDP in the Nigeria, using long and up to date available time series data (1961-2011). After studying the time-series properties of these variables for stationarity and cointegration, we adopted Toda and Yamamoto’s (1995) Granger non-causality tests and investigate Granger causality in detail in the context of a Vector Autoregressive Model. The Empirical results from cointegration test indicate that there exists no long-run relationship between government expenditure and economic growth in Nigeria. The Toda and Yamamoto’s causality test results show that Wagner’s Law does not hold over the period being tested. However, using VAR Granger causality test we found a weak empirical support in the proposition by Keynes that public expenditure is an exogenous factor and a policy instrument for increasing national income in the short run. Keywords: Federal government size, Wagner’s Law, Cointegration, Granger causality, Vector Autoregressio

Effect of temperature on the postembryonic stages and adults of the blowfly, chrysomya chloropyga (diptera: calliphoridae)

Chrysomya chloropyga biology was studied under controlled temperature (15.6, 22.2, 28.8, 32.2, and 36.1 °C) for an incubation period of eight hours. Development and survival of incubated eggs, larval stages I, II and pupae to adult emergence were highest between 22.2 and 28.8 °C and resistant to temperatures below and above that range. Third larva stage showed a difference, with emergence higher at 15.6 than at 22.2 °C. No adult fly emerged at 36.1 °C. The male and female flies of ages 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 days were divided into batches (n = 20). Batches of male and female flies was incubated separately for eight hours and further monitored for 72 hours in the laboratory for survival. Adult males and females survived within 15.6 – 28.8 °C than at higher temperatures irrespective of the ages; 36.1 °C had a lethal effect on the flies. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the survival of adult flies at incubation and after 72 hours of exposure. The results suggest that the effect of temperature depends upon the stage of development of Chrysomya chloropyga. Temperature is fundamental in the development of C. chloropyga and should be considered during PMI determination and in the formulation of control strategies

Export - led growth or growth – driven exports? Evidence from Nigeria

This paper examined the role of export in the economic growth process in Nigeria. Time series data ranging from 1970 to 2009 was used and the study employs unit root testing, co-integration analysis and VAR Granger Causality/Exogeneity Wald Tests to analyze annual time series data from Nigeria. The study uses three measures of export namely, Total export, Oil export and Non-Oil export. This enhances the stability and robustness of results. The unit root test showed that both economic growth and export are integrated of order one, i.e. 1(1). The cointegration test confirmed for model 1 and model 2 (where total exports and oil exports are used respectively as proxy for Nigeria exports) that economic growth and export are cointegrated, indicating an existence of long run equilibrium relationship between the two as confirmed by the Johansen cointegration test results. However, there is no evidence of cointegration between export and economic growth for model 3. Granger causality was applied to test the causal relationship between GDP and economic growth. The results show that there is evidence of uni-directional causality between export and economic growth in Nigeria in three measures of exports and the direction of causality runs strictly from economic growth to exports. This study provided support for growth-led export in case of Nigeria. Thus effort should be direct towards policies that will enhance economic growth such as import substitution industrialization (ISI) strategy, in order to impact more on exports

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) For Health Anxiety (Hypochondriasis): Rationale, Implementation and Case Illustration.

Recent research has shown that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) could be a useful alternative approach to the treatment of health anxiety and deserves further investigation. In this paper, we outline the rationale for using MBCT in the treatment of this condition, namely its hypothesised impact on the underlying mechanisms which maintain health anxiety, such as rumination and avoidance, hypervigilance to body sensations and misinterpretation of such sensations. We also describe some of the adaptations which were made to the MBCT protocol for recurrent depression in this trial and discuss the rationale for these adaptations. We use a case example from the trial to illustrate how MBCT was implemented and outline the experience of one of the participants who took part in an 8-week MBCT course. Finally, we detail some of the more general experiences of participants and discuss the advantages and possible limitations of this approach for this population, as well as considering what might be useful avenues to explore in future research

Molecular Phylogenetic Evaluation of Classification and Scenarios of Character Evolution in Calcareous Sponges (Porifera, Class Calcarea)

Calcareous sponges (Phylum Porifera, Class Calcarea) are known to be taxonomically difficult. Previous molecular studies have revealed many discrepancies between classically recognized taxa and the observed relationships at the order, family and genus levels; these inconsistencies question underlying hypotheses regarding the evolution of certain morphological characters. Therefore, we extended the available taxa and character set by sequencing the complete small subunit (SSU) rDNA and the almost complete large subunit (LSU) rDNA of additional key species and complemented this dataset by substantially increasing the length of available LSU sequences. Phylogenetic analyses provided new hypotheses about the relationships of Calcarea and about the evolution of certain morphological characters. We tested our phylogeny against competing phylogenetic hypotheses presented by previous classification systems. Our data reject the current order-level classification by again finding non-monophyletic Leucosolenida, Clathrinida and Murrayonida. In the subclass Calcinea, we recovered a clade that includes all species with a cortex, which is largely consistent with the previously proposed order Leucettida. Other orders that had been rejected in the current system were not found, but could not be rejected in our tests either. We found several additional families and genera polyphyletic: the families Leucascidae and Leucaltidae and the genus Leucetta in Calcinea, and in Calcaronea the family Amphoriscidae and the genus Ute. Our phylogeny also provided support for the vaguely suspected close relationship of several members of Grantiidae with giantortical diactines to members of Heteropiidae. Similarly, our analyses revealed several unexpected affinities, such as a sister group relationship between Leucettusa (Leucaltidae) and Leucettidae and between Leucascandra (Jenkinidae) and Sycon carteri (Sycettidae). According to our results, the taxonomy of Calcarea is in desperate need of a thorough revision, which cannot be achieved by considering morphology alone or relying on a taxon sampling based on the current classification below the subclass level

RNA Polymerase II Pausing Downstream of Core Histone Genes Is Different from Genes Producing Polyadenylated Transcripts

Recent genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled high throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq) analyses performed in various eukaryotic organisms, analysed RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) pausing around the transcription start sites of genes. In this study we have further investigated genome-wide binding of Pol II downstream of the 3′ end of the annotated genes (EAGs) by ChIP-seq in human cells. At almost all expressed genes we observed Pol II occupancy downstream of the EAGs suggesting that Pol II pausing 3′ from the transcription units is a rather common phenomenon. Downstream of EAGs Pol II transcripts can also be detected by global run-on and sequencing, suggesting the presence of functionally active Pol II. Based on Pol II occupancy downstream of EAGs we could distinguish distinct clusters of Pol II pause patterns. On core histone genes, coding for non-polyadenylated transcripts, Pol II occupancy is quickly dropping after the EAG. In contrast, on genes, whose transcripts undergo polyA tail addition [poly(A)+], Pol II occupancy downstream of the EAGs can be detected up to 4–6 kb. Inhibition of polyadenylation significantly increased Pol II occupancy downstream of EAGs at poly(A)+ genes, but not at the EAGs of core histone genes. The differential genome-wide Pol II occupancy profiles 3′ of the EAGs have also been confirmed in mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells, indicating that Pol II pauses genome-wide downstream of the EAGs in mammalian cells. Moreover, in mES cells the sharp drop of Pol II signal at the EAG of core histone genes seems to be independent of the phosphorylation status of the C-terminal domain of the large subunit of Pol II. Thus, our study uncovers a potential link between different mRNA 3′ end processing mechanisms and consequent Pol II transcription termination processes

Relating Differently to Intrusive Images: The Impact of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on Intrusive Images in Patients With Severe Health Anxiety (Hypochondriasis).

Recurrent distressing intrusive images are a common experience in hypochondriasis. The aim of the current study was to assess the impact of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for hypochondriasis on the occurrence and nature of distressing intrusive imagery in hypochondriasis. A semi-structured interview was used to assess intrusive imagery, and an adapted version of the Southampton Mindfulness Questionnaire (SMQ) was used to assess participants’ relationship with their intrusive images. A consecutive series of participants (N = 20) who were receiving MBCT for hypochondriasis as part of an ongoing research program were assessed prior to participating in an 8-week MBCT intervention, immediately following the intervention, and at three month follow-up. As compared to the baseline assessment, the frequency of intrusive images, the distress associated with them, and the intrusiveness of the images were all significantly reduced at the post-MBCT assessment. Participants’ adapted SMQ scores were significantly increased following the MBCT intervention, suggesting that participants’ relationship with their intrusive images had changed in that they had developed a more ‘mindful’ and compassionate response to the images when they did occur. Effect sizes from pre- to post-intervention were medium to large (Cohen’s d = 0.75 - 1.50). All treatment gains were maintained at 3 month follow-up. Results suggest that MBCT may be an effective intervention for addressing intrusive imagery in hypochondriasis