A Hedonic Pricing Model on Factors that Influence Residential Apartment Rent in Abuja Satellite Towns

In this paper, we propose the hedonic price model to tracks the dynamics that influence rent apartment price in three satellite towns in FCT Abuja. The premise that rent apartment prices are influenced by a combination of attributes was tested with a standard hedonic model using a sample of 289 rent apartment in three satellite town (Bwari, Karshi and Kuje). Out of the seventeen explanatory variables used in the analysis, about ten of them show positive signs of considerably impact on rent apartment price. Variables like lot size (LOTSZ), room size (ROOMSZ), number of rooms (NUMRMS), number of bathroom/toilet (NUMBRMS) major access road (MAROAD), presence of government establishment (GOVTEST) were statistically significant at 1% and 5% significance level. The findings in this work suggest that satellite towns can be classified into two groups; established and growing satellite towns. Established satellite town implies that very few of these hedonic variables actually influence rent price, except for variable like LOTSZ and ROOMSZ which are common to all satellite towns in the study area. Growing satellite towns are those that more hedonic variables influence rent apartment price. Examples of growing satellite town are Bwari, Karshi and Kuje satellite towns. The population influx in the FCT is probably is the cause high rent apartment price being greatly influence by LOTSZ than any other variable. It is further suggested that hedonic research be employed to measure the growth rate of satellite towns in terms of locational and neighbourhood characteristics. Keywords: Hedonic model, Residential apartment, Rent, Abuj

A Mathematical Model on the Dynamics of Poverty and Prostitution in Nigeria

In this paper, we propose a compartmental mathematical model that tracks the dynamic of poverty and prostitution in Nigeria. Our model incorporates an infected compartment that allows for a non-violent approach of government interventions. The stability of the system is analyzed for the existence of the prostitution free equilibrium. We established that there exist a prostitution free equilibrium point that is locally asymptotically stable when the reproduction number  and unstable when . Result in this paper shows that high rate of government interventions will reduce to the barest minimum the number of members in both poverty and prostitution class. Keywords: Mathematical model, Poverty, Prostitution, Stability Analysis, Reproduction numbe

Numerical solution of Black–Scholes Partial Differential Equation using Direct solution of second-order Ordinary Differential Equation with two-step hybrid Block Method of Order seven

This paper proposes a new numerical solution of Black-Scholes Partial Differential Equation using Direct solution of second-order Ordinary Differential Equation ODE with two-step hybrid Block Method of Order seven directly. The method is developed using interpolation and collocation techniques. The use of the power series approximate solution as an interpolation polynomial and its second derivative as a collocation equation is considered in deriving the method. Properties of the method such as zero stability, order, consistency, convergence and region of absolute stability are investigated The new method is then applied to solve Black–Scholes equation after converting it to the system of second-order ordinary differential equations and the accuracy is better when compared with the existing methods in terms of error

An Application of Spline and Piecewise Interpolation to Heat Transfer (Cubic Case)

An Application of Cubic spline and piecewise interpolation formula was applied to compute heat transfer across the thermocline depth of three lakes in the study area of Auchi in Edo State of Nigeria. Eight temperature values each for depths 1m to 8m were collected from the lakes. Graphs of these temperatures against the depths were plotted. Cubic spline interpolation equation was modelled. MAPLE 15 software was used to simulate the modelled equation using the values of temperatures and depths in order to obtain the unknown coefficients of the variables in the 21 new equations. Three optimal equations were found to represent the thermocline depth for the three lakes. These equations were used to obtain the thermocline gradients.....

Modeling the Grade Point Average (GPA) System in Nigerian Universities

We proposed a mathematical model that captures students’ academic progress via the GPA evaluation system. Our purpose is to understand the effect of failing a course (carryovers), low grade point and probation on the overall academic progress (CGPA) of students. The model is analyzed for the existence and stability of the student progress free equilibrium (SPFE) state. Stability analysis revealed that the model is locally asymptotically stable under certain conditions on the model parameters. A quantitative analysis using numerical experiments with the Maple software was also carried out. From the result of this work, there is a direct relationship between high grade point and high GPA and low grade point and low GPA. Students with high CGPA on a consistent manner tend to graduate in the fourth year while students with low grade and failing courses graduate in the fifth or sixth year. The GPA system goes hand in hand with the semester and course credit system, hence the need for students to understand the functionalities of the impact of the credit system on his overall academic progress. Keywords: Mathematical Model, Course credit system, Semester system, Grade Point Average (GPA) system, Student Academic Progres

A systematic review of the evidence for single stage and two stage revision of infected knee replacement

BACKGROUND: Periprosthetic infection about the knee is a devastating complication that may affect between 1% and 5% of knee replacement. With over 79 000 knee replacements being implanted each year in the UK, periprosthetic infection (PJI) is set to become an important burden of disease and cost to the healthcare economy. One of the important controversies in treatment of PJI is whether a single stage revision operation is superior to a two-stage procedure. This study sought to systematically evaluate the published evidence to determine which technique had lowest reinfection rates. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was undertaken using the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases with the aim to identify existing studies that present the outcomes of each surgical technique. Reinfection rate was the primary outcome measure. Studies of specific subsets of patients such as resistant organisms were excluded. RESULTS: 63 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria. The majority of which (58) were reports of two-stage revision. Reinfection rated varied between 0% and 41% in two-stage studies, and 0% and 11% in single stage studies. No clinical trials were identified and the majority of studies were observational studies. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence for both one-stage and two-stage revision is largely of low quality. The evidence basis for two-stage revision is significantly larger, and further work into direct comparison between the two techniques should be undertaken as a priority

The luteinizing hormone receptor knockout mouse as a tool to probe the in vivo actions of gonadotropic hormones/receptors in females

Abstract Mouse models with altered gonadotropin functions have provided invaluable insight into the functions of these hormones/receptors. Here we describe the repurposing of the infertile and hypogonadal luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) knockout mouse model (LuRKO), to address outstanding questions in reproductive physiology. Using crossbreeding strategies and physiological and histological analyses, we first addressed the physiological relevance of forced LHR homomerization in female mice using BAC expression of 2 ligand-binding and signaling deficient mutant LHR, respectively, that have previously shown to undergo functional complementation and rescue the hypogonadal phenotype of male LuRKO mice. In female LuRKO mice, coexpression of signaling and binding deficient LHR mutants failed to rescue the hypogonadal and anovulatory phenotype. This was apparently due to the low-level expression of the 2 mutant LHR and potential lack of luteinizing hormone (LH)/LHR-dependent pleiotropic signaling that has previously been shown at high receptor densities to be essential for ovulation. Next, we utilized a mouse model overexpressing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) with increased circulating “LH/hCG”-like bioactivity to ~40 fold higher than WT females, to determine if high circulating hCG in the LuRKO background could reveal putative LHR-independent actions. No effects were found, thus, suggesting that LH/hCG mediate their gonadal and non-gonadal effects solely via LHR. Finally, targeted expression of a constitutively active follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) progressed antral follicles to preovulatory follicles and displayed phenotypic markers of enhanced estrogenic activity but failed to induce ovulation in LuRKO mice. This study highlights the critical importance and precise control of functional LHR and FSHR for mediating ovarian functions and of the potential repurposing of existing genetically modified mouse models in answering outstanding questions in reproductive physiology