An Assessment of the Determinants of the Nigerian Banking Industry Profitability Using Panel Evidence From Nigerian Commercial Banks

Prominent studies abroad which focused on the determinants of bank's interest margin and profitability have focused on whether banks in a particular country or panel have tended to exhibit different profit determinants and deposit behaviours. One question that these studies have not yet addressed is the actual determinants of bank profitability in Nigeria. Using the panel of respondents drawn randomly from 10 sampled banks based on their total deposit position at the entry point of the period of study 1996-2005, the study established that in Nigeria, the volume of operations more than any other factor determined the operating profits of commercial banks. The other factors include the level of market capitalisation, peer group ranking and combination of other important factors as determined by the tempo of the macro economic environment. This finding posed serious challenge to bank executives to identify important explanatory variables or determinants affecting their annual earnings to their forecast and build them into their chosen forecasting and profit planning models to improve forecast accuracy. The study calls for more commitment to trainings and model development based on the internal peculiarities of banks under study. The Information Manager Vol. 7 (2) 2007: pp. 14-2

The Biophysics and Flow Haemodynamics in Sickle Cell Patients: A Mathematical Model That Takes into Account Electochemical and Vascular Factors in the Genesis of Vaso-Occlusion

Sickle Cell Disease is inherited genetic disease. An autosomal recessive gene is responsible for the synthesis of Haemoglobin S. The disease manifests usually in Homozygous SS state. Synthesis of the Haemoglobin S is courtesy of beta globin gene mutation in chromosome number 11 within the nucleus of Erythroblast. Valine replaces Glutamic acid in position 6 of beta polypeptide chain of haemoglobin. But deoxygenation of Haemoglobin S results in polymerization of the Haemoglobin and the deformable discoid red cell changes to stiff sickle cell, and this is the hallmark of vaso-occlusion and crises. Intracellular concentration of both Magnesium ions and Potassium ions in red cells correlate positively with lower risk of sickling and crises in SCD according to studies. Introducing a hypothetical equation that determines Vaso-occlusion risk, shortened and christen VASOcclusity, a product of biochemical and biophysical considerations in SCD haemodynamics where the radius of the blood vessel and the Body Mass Index by extension are also considered strong factors and variables. Keywords:  Haemoglobin S, Polymerization, ions, Magnesium, Potassium, radius

A Simple and Effective Laboratory Method of Growing Larvae of Lucilia sericata Using Clean and Moistened Sharp Sand Mixed with Groundnut Powder

Maggot is a general name given to larvae of many different insects. Some of these larvae are biotherapeutically used in debridement of infected, necrotic and non-healing wounds. The laboratory growing and management of many different larvae are important to medical units interested in maggot debridement therapy, research centres interested in studying the physiology of a given larvae and forensic entomology units that use linear regression method of determining time of death of a decomposing body. This study aims at developing an accessible and effective method of growing larvae of Lucilia sericata. A piece of putrid beef is hung out in the open to attract flies that deposit eggs which on hatching were able to burrow into  the clean dried silica-based sharp sand mixed with 1:10 groundnut powder in a 20 litre capacity plastic bucket. The bucket has a cover cut out to allow ventilation over a net. A tinge of iodized salt (0.5 gram) is added to help in metamorphosis. The soil was kept moist by 8 hourly sprinkling of water. The larvae counted were 300 and subsequently they were allowed to metamorphose to pupae and adults. The flies hatched were exposed to cold temperature of 10 oC for 10 minutes to reduce their activity and were then counted and the species identified. The different species identified may be use in growing a second generation of the desired larvae. Of the 286 units of flies, 10 were Musca domestica specie while 276 were Lucilia sericata specie. This effort has produced a 95% successful hatch that metamorphosed into adult flies. This introduces a reliable alternative of growing larvae in the laboratory.

Electrolytes and Metabolites Rich Secretion from Laboratory Grown Larvae of Lucilia sericata

Feeding process in biological system involves release of exocrine secretion to modify the pH of the food substrate and the release of protein enzyme for digestion. Digestive secretions contain electrolytes and metabolites of varying nature and source. The aim of this study is to harvest the saprophagous secretion of larvae of Lucilia sericata and to quantitatively as well as qualitatively evaluate the contents. The larvae were grouped and housed in 5 different 200 ml plastic jars, each with a net cover firmly attached round the brim of the jar with elastic band. Each jar contains 300 units of the larvae and they are all kept in a larger bucket whose interior was saturated with the smell of a piece of putrid meat. Half hourly 100ml of Normal Saline was used to wash off the effluent from the larvae of each of the five groups. The analyses show the significantly (p<0.05) increasing and time dependent presence of Na+, K+, Cl-, HCO3-, urea, creatinine,  total protein,  bilirubin and  amylase secreted. Keywords: Lucilia sericata, saprophagous, Electrolytes, Metabolite