The Radiological Management Of Tuberculosis

No Abstrac

PEPETELA’S THE RETURN OF THE WATER SPIRIT AS A PARABLE OF THE POSTCOLONIAL CONDITION IN ANGOLA

Writing about a post-colonial society which has fallen in love with capitalist democracy in the face of a crumbling Russian empire, Pepetela argues in The Return of the Water Spirit that the common people who fought for independence have been marginalized in post-independence Angola as the ruling class, once socialist, now worship on the altar of greedy capitalism. This paper contends that in this novel, Pepetela asserts that good as the naked revolution is in confronting the selfish ruling elite, the mythic example of Kianda in reclaiming what rightly belongs to him points the way forward in the Angolan people’s quest for a genuine reclamation of their political voice. In the final analysis, this paper concludes, Angolan problems can only be truly solved by Angolan-bred ideas

Oases in the Desert: Optimistic Vision in Alex La Guma’s A Walk in the Night and a Threefold Cord

The metaphor of the desert best describes the poverty-stricken, miserable and marginal apartheid-induced life of the blacks as depicted by Alex La Guma in A Walk in the Night and And a Threefold Cord. The crime, prostitution, drunkenness and gangsterism which constitute the world of District Six and the Cape Flats, the settings of the two works, no doubt, justify this metaphor. But then, not even the driest of deserts is bereft of a few refreshing oases, pockets of hope which La Guma couches in symbols. This paper, therefore, explores this optimistic vision in the two works in focus, a recognition of the novelist’s faithfulness to realism which dictates that the artist should be able to capture imaginatively, the realities of his immediate environment. The overall artistic significance of this optimistic vision, the paper contends, does not only lie in helping to tone down the grimness of the narrative but in foreshadowing the ultimate victory of the struggle of the non-whites over the forces of oppression as represented by the hydra-headed apartheid system of government

Empirical assessment of the effects of cashless policy on financial inclusion in the Nigerian emerging economy

The present study examined the effects of cashless policy on financial inclusion in the Nigerian emerging economy. The necessary data were collected from the Central Bank of Nigeria Economic Reports as well as Statistical Bulletin and the ordinary least squares method was applied to analyze the data. The findings reveal that the cashless policy maintained a non-significant relationship with financial inclusion both in urban and rural areas of Nigeria. The findings show that the cashless policy had a significant effect on increasing customers’ deposits in commercial banks of Nigeria. Volume of Automated Teller Machine (ATMVL) maintains a positive and significant effect on financial inclusion indicators in urban center compared with the rural areas. Volume of Point of Sales (POSVL) shows more significant and positive influence on financial inclusion in urban area than the rural area. However, Web Based Technique (WBTVL) reveals a non-significant effect on financial inclusion both in urban and rural centers. The study therefore recommends that more branches of commercial banks and ATM centers/outlets should be opened in rural urban centers with efficient network systems and security in order to enhance banking penetration and by extension effectiveness of the financial inclusion and poverty reductions

Process Simulation and Optimization of Biodiesel Production from Algae Biomass

There is need to further examine optimization of biodiesel production from renewable sources. In this study, we report the optimization of biodiesel produced from microalgae biomass using the CHEMCAD process simulator. Results show that the overall molar flow and energy was calculated to be 7.010kmoles/h and -4936.5MJ/h respectively. And also the liquid viscosity of the microalgae oil is greater than that of the biodiesel produced

The impact of male reproductive health problems on conjugal satisfaction: implications on women fertility

This study examined the incidence of male sexual diseases, the influence of fertility desire and coping strategies among currently married women in Nigeria. The data for the study was extracted from a 2010 survey of 435 couples in the southwest Nigeria supported by Covenant University as part of PhD programme. Data obtained were analyzed using a combination of univariate and binary logistic. The common male reproductive health challenges identified include erectile dysfunction (10.5%), gonorrhea (12.7%), low sperm count (0.1%), testicular cancer (6.3%), prostate (3.2%) and prostate cancer (1.6%). Where the husbands experience erectile dysfunction, prostate or gonorrhea, the couples are 0.064, 0.898 and 0.583 times (respectively) less likely to enjoy marital satisfaction. It recommends establishment of robust specialized reproductive healthcare services to cater for health needs of men who may be experiencing sexual problems in order to engender stability in family and stable nation. The study concludes that marriage counselors, social workers and other health officials need to focus on erectile dysfunction, gonorrhea and prostate as major determinants of sustainable marital satisfaction

Corruption in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry and Implication for Economic Growth

This is an exploratory study that seek to examine the effect of  corruption in the oil and gas industry to the economy growth of Nigeria. This study adopted the  resource-curse theory, which state that plenty of mineral resources is more often a curse than a blessing, particularly in developing countries like Nigeria. To achieved the purpose of these study, a review of empirical works, Corruption Perception Index Report of Transparency International and some corruption cases in Nigeria was explored. This paper discovers that corruption had being part of our socio-political and economic life in Nigeria as shown by the corruption perception index from 1996 to date and  that majority of corruption cases in the oil and gas industry has increased  in amount over the years. Generally, corruption impaired economic growth by diverting investment fund meet for public goods and services into private gains by few individuals. This study recommend that the award of oil block, contract, licensing and production right should follow due process and that the awarding of oil block to individual should be discourage rather they should be awarded to corporate entities with wide spread ownership. Keywords: oil and  gas, Corruption, Economy growth, Resource-Curse

A two-pronged truncated deferred sampling plan (TTDSP) for log-logistic distribution

This paper is aimed at developing a new truncated sampling plan that uses information from precedent and successive lots for lot disposition with a pretention that the life-time of a particular product assumes a Log-logistic distribution. A new Two-pronged Truncated Deferred Sampling Plan (TTDSP) for Log-logistic distribution is proposed when the testing is truncated at a precise time. The best possible sample sizes are obtained under a given Maximum Allowable Percent Defective (MAPD), Test Suspension Ratios (TSR) and acceptance numbers (c). A formula for calculating the operating characteristics of the proposed plan is also developed. The operating characteristics and mean-ratio values were used to measure the performance of the plan. The findings of the study show that: Log-logistic distribution has a decreasing failure rate; furthermore, as mean-life ratio increase, the failure rate reduces; the sample size increase as the acceptance number, test suspension ratios and maximum allowable percent defective increases. The study concludes that the new minimum sample sizes were smaller which makes the plan a more economical plan to adopt when cost and time of production is costly and the experiment being destructive

Batch Adsorption Study of Methylene Blue in Aqueous Solution using Activated Carbons from Rice Husk and Coconut Shell

The removal efficiency of activated carbons prepared from rice husk and coconut shell in the adsorption of methylene blue (azo dye) from the synthetic industrial wastewater was investigated in a batch system. Rice husk and coconut shell were both processed into activated carbon by carbonizing at 600 oC and activated with 3.0 M H3PO4 at 80 oC for 3h. Synthetic solutions of methylene blue were prepared and the adsorption process was carried out by varying initial, methylene blue concentration, adsorbent dosage, and contact. The results showed that higher values of adsorbent dosage and contact time favored the adsorption of methylene blue from the simulated waste water. Activated carbon from coconut shell proved a better adsorbent compared to the activated carbon obtained from rice husk as coconut shell has the highest percentage removal for methylene blue

Business Ethics and Corporate Growth

This study was carried out to ascertain the impact of business ethical code of conduct on corporate growth in the wake of several corporate fraud, misstatement and misrepresentation. This study employed the survey research design. Business ethics and corporate growth questionnaire (BECGQ) was developed and 100 of the BECGQ were administered, out of which 80 were completely filled and returned. The Pearson product moment correlation was used to test the analysed data at 50% significance level. The study revealed that adoption of business ethical code of conduct and employee adherence to rules and regulations enhance corporate growth. The study also revealed that there is no significant relationship between corporate growth and corporate adherence to rules and regulations. The study therefore recommended that business ethics should be align with the corporate structure, goals and culture in order to enhance corporate growth. Key words: Business ethics, Corporate growth, rules and regulation