Application of Wilks’ Lambda and Hotelling’s with MANOVA on Drug Addiction and Drug Abuse Data

In this study Wilks’  Lamda and Hotelling’s  were employed as Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) technique in determining the significance difference in the causative factor for drug addiction and abuse. The data were primary and were generated by a survey conducted on some patients selected from Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Enugu-Nigeria.  The patients were divided into two groups - those treated of substance  abuse before and those treated for the first time. 89 patients were selected  and nine factors  for substance abuse were considered. They were rated and scored over ten by the patients. The result showed  a significant difference in the factors specified for drug abuse. . Keywords: Wilks’  Lamda, Hotelling’s , drugs, substance abus

Phytochemical assessment, elemental composition, and biological kinetics of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. stalks

Introduction The essential oil of Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel) has been extensively studied for phytochemical and elemental compositions, biochemical significance, and biological activities. However, the literature has a dearth of information on the Fennel stalk as a potential source of antioxidant and antibacterial agents. This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical and elemental composition of Fennel stalks and also, to investigate the kinetic DPPH scavenging property and antibacterial activity of Fennel stalk extracts. Methods Fennel aqueous extract (FVAE) was prepared by mixing of powdered fennel stalks with sterile distilled water, followed by heating and filtration. Methanol (FVME) and ethanol (FVEE) extracts of F. vulgare were prepared by macerating the stalk with respective solvents, followed by filtration. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), determination of total phenols, and X-ray fluorescence were conducted to analyze the chemical composition of the extracts. Biological activities, including DPPH scavenging and antimicrobial activity against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli, were evaluated through spectrophotometric methods and well diffusion assay, respectively. Results The GCMS analysis revealed 15 compounds including anozol, myristyl iodine, flexiricin, dutadrupine, cycloheptaciloxane, neophytadiene, phthalic acid, and ribitol. Some of these compounds have not been reported from this plant before. FTIR analysis suggested hydroxyl (OH), alkane (CH), carbonyl (C = O), aromatic (C = C), and ether (CO) functional groups in the Fennel extracts. X-ray fluorescence identified elements including titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, rubidium, and strontium. The ethanol extract had higher total phenolic content (72.45±0.01 mg GAE/g) than the aqueous (54.3 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g) and methanol (51.3 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g) extracts. In addition, a high% DPPH scavenging activity was observed in the ethanol extract (85.1 %) compared to that of ascorbic acid (96.2 %). Fennel's stalks methanol extract showed significant inhibition against the growth of E. coli 0157 and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus B-4420, having zones of inhibition diameters of 16 mm and 13 mm, respectively. This is similar to what was observed for chloramphenicol and azithromycin. Conclusion The current study has demonstrated that Fennel stalks contain potentially useful antioxidant and antibacterial properties, in addition to the well-studied essential oil of its fruits and seeds

Rethinking terrorism financing and democracy in Africa: The Nigeria case

Terrorism financing has become a threat to humanity and democracy in Africa. Most terrorist organizations in Africa need money to carry out their massacre activities, which threatens African democracy, political stability, and economic development. The wave of terrorism activities and terrorism financing in Africa have remained a major cause for concern. The pervasive widespread of terrorist attacks seem to have defile all situations. Apparently, in Nigeria, terrorist attack reports have become a daily menu. The lethal killings by Boko Haram in Nigeria can be likened to the era of the Nigerian Civil war. This paper therefore, compares and contrasts the terrorism financing vis-à-vis the nascent democracy in Africa with a focus on Nigerian cases of Boko Haram. Terrorism financing misrepresents democratic growth and economic development in Africa, which brought about a rise in terrorist widespread and negative financial growth and progress in Nigeria and Africa. The multi-dimensional of terrorist financing has brought difficulties to trace terrorist funds due to legitimize illegal sourcing of funds to terrorist accounts. The paper finds that the current wave of terrorism financing have made African democracy unstable and pathetically feeble. Keywords: Terrorism, financing, security, democrac

Effect of Age and Weight on Laying Performance and Egg Weight among Harco Hens

This study was designed to determine the effect of age and weight on laying performance and egg weight among Harco hens. Laying performance and egg weight were compared between three weight ranges of beak trimmed commercial Harco hens in conventional battery cages. Seventy two Harco hens, age 32 weeks were divided into three groups corresponding to 3 weight ranges; 1.35 – 1.59kg (WRI), 1.60 – 1.80kg (WR2) and 1.81 – 2.20 kg (WR3). The hens were fed a commercial layers ratio for three months (12 weeks) during which the average egg weight and hen day egg laying performance of each weight range was determined. The average monthly production of WR3 layers was 295 eggs per 24 layers, whereas, those in WR2 range and WR1 laid 283 and 232 eggs per 24 layers respectively. WR3 hens laid 63 eggs more than WR1 hens per month, while age significantly (P < 0.05) affected laying performance. The effect of body weight on laying performance was significantly different (P <0.05). The average weight of eggs laid by WR1, WR2 and WR3 hens were 53.20 – 60.4g, 53.50 – 64.6g and 56.5 – 63.2g. There were therefore, significant differences (P < 0.05) in weights of eggs laid by hens in three weight ranges. The results therefore, show that laying performance and egg size are positively affected by age and body weight in Harco breed

Achieving favourable customer outcomes through employee deviance

This study advances current knowledge by examining how employee deviance and customer participation during a single employee-customer exchange generate favourable customer responses. This work bridges the employee deviance stream with the service encounter literature and illustrates the importance of equity theory in deviant service exchanges between customers and employees. Moreover, results add to the ongoing debate on service nepotism by canvassing the consequences from the customer’s active participation in deviant exchanges which appears to enhance customer perceptions of the exchange. A 3x2 between-subjects experimental design was adopted which manipulates three types of pro-customer deviance along with customer’s participation (or not) to the exchange. The dependent variables capture three types of perceived customer justice (cognitive outcomes) and customer’s affective state (affective outcome). Findings illustrate that customers approve employees’ deviance for their own benefit while also indicate favourable outcomes from deviant exchanges with employees such as higher perceived justice and a more positive affective state. The article concludes with a discussion of the theoretical and managerial implications, limitations and research directions that emerge from this study

Effect of Agricultural Financing on the Performance of Agricultural Sector in Nigeria

The study examined the effects of agricultural financing on the performance of agricultural sector in Nigeria using annual time series data. The data for the study was sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Statistical Bulletin. Contribution of agriculture to GDP was used as proxy for the performance of agricultural sector, commercial banks loan to agriculture, rain fall, government expenditure to agriculture and interest rate were used as proxy for explanatory variables. Following unity in the order of integration, Johansen cointegration approach was used to check for the long run relationship among the variables. Vector autoregressive estimate the vector correction mechanism was used to examine the speed of adjustment of the variables from the short run dynamics to the long run equilibrium. The study found that there is long run relationship among the variables. Specifically; there is significant and long run effect of Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme on Contributions of agriculture to GDP. Commercial banks loans to agriculture showed positive and significant effect on Contributions of agriculture to GDP within the reference period. The coefficient of multiple determinations explained the variation in the dependent variable jointly explained by the independent variables. The study recommend that there should be increase in the amount which the agricultural credit guarantee scheme inject into the sector on annual basis and  proper supervisory measures should be constituted in order to ensure efficient application and use of the money

Effect of Supplementation of Palm Kernel Meal with Yeast Culture Enzyme on Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Broiler Chickens

This study was carried out to determine the effect of supplementation of palm kernel meal with yeast culture enzyme additive on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. The palm kernel meal supplemented with yeast culture enzyme was used to replace soyabean meal at various levels to determine the best replacement that would give optimal performance in broiler chickens diets. The proximate composition of palm kernel meal showed that it contained 91.05% dry matter, 8.9% moisture, 4.2% ash, 20.00% crude protein, 6.50% ether extract, 1.3% crude fibre, 66.07% nitrogen free extract (NFE) and 3481.81 Kcal/Kg metabolizable energy. In the starter feeding trial, the palm kernel meal supplemented yeast culture enzyme was used to replace soyabean meal at levels of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% each. Each starter diet was fed to a group of 30 broiler chicks for four weeks using completely randomized design. Each treatment was divided into three replicates of 10 broiler chicks each. Parameters determined include; initial body weight, final body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and cost of production. In the finisher feeding trial, the replacements were 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% PKM to replace soyabean meal in the control diet. Each finisher diet was fed to a group of 30 finisher broiler chickens for another four weeks using completely randomized design. The parameters determined include; initial body weight, final body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, cost of production and carcass characteristics. In the starter feeding trial, the starter broiler chicks fed 25% PKM supplemented with yeast culture enzyme compared favourably with those fed the control diet (P<0.05) in terms of feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio and hence recorded highest body weight gain. The cost of production of the starter broiler chicks was lowest for Treatment 5 (N361.47) (100% PKM supplemented with yeast culture enzyme) while the costliest was Treatment 1 (Control) N494.89. In the finisher feeding trial, the finisher broiler chickens fed 75% PKM supplemented with yeast culture enzyme compared favourably with those on the control diet in terms of body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio. It was observed that the finisher broiler chickens could tolerate high palm kernel meal supplemented with yeast culture enzyme up to 75% inclusion in their diets. The cost of production of the finisher broiler chickens was lowest for Treatment 5(100% PKC supplemented with yeast culture enzyme) (N308.90) versus N354.74 for the control which was the costliest. The internal organs expressed as percent of the live-weight were not affected by the treatments. The results of the trials have shown that supplementation of palm kernel meal with yeast culture increased its digestibility and reduced high fibre level of palm kernel meal. Palm kernel meal supplemented with yeast culture enzyme could be used up to 25% in the diets of starter broiler chicks and up to 75% in the diets of finisher broiler chickens without affecting body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio negatively

Conservation of forest resources by rural farmers in Anambra State, Nigeria

This study assessed the conservation practices, forest resources available, roles of local organisations in forest conservation and constraints to conservation of forest resources in the area. Multi-stage sampling proceedure was used to select 100 respondents used for the study. Data were collected with the use of interview schedule and analysed with frequency distribution, percentages and mean scores. Result shows that greater percentage (96.7%and 76.7%) were male and between 31 and 40 years respectively. The prevailing conservation practice in the study area were enforcement of law against bush burning ( X = 4.3), legislation against indiscriminate felling of trees ( X =4.1) and restrictions on some areas ( X =4.0). Various forest resources available in the area included: timber (95%) and Bush meat (98.3%). The roles of local organisations in conserving forest resources included: prevention of clearing of forest area for agricultural purposes ( X = 3.3) and provision of forest guards for forest preservation. Constraints to conservation of forest resources included insufficient finance to conserve forest resources ( X =3.4) and lack of local people involvement in conservation decisions ( X = 3.3). This implies that there are many forest resources. Hence it was recommended that there should be provision of fund and involvement of rural people in making decisions for conservation of forest resources in the area

The impact of advocacy and community mobilization on the utilization of health services at the Comprehensive Health Centre, Gindiri.

Primary Health Care facilities provide promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to a community. They may be well built and equipped with adequate resources but grossly underutilized due to several factors. Health records at the Comprehensive Health Centre Gindiri for 2005 were compared with those of 2007 after a wellcoordinated advocacy and mobilization programme in that community. The results show that the total out patient attendance in 2007 increased by 220.6% when compared to that of 2005. 293 patients were admitted into the wards in 2005 compared to 813 in 2007(277%). There was no surgery carried out in the whole of 2005, whereas in 2007 there were 98 surgeries. Advocacy and community mobilization could be important factors in the utilization of primary health service