Assessing the Abuse of Professional Practices in the Nigerian Construction Processes

In order to contain and curtail the harmful and negative consequences posed by abuse of professional  practices in the Nigerian Construction Industry, it is important to envisage the construction phase that records the highest frequency of abuse in the Industry. It is presumed that, this can be a step forward in mitigating abuse of professional practices in the Nigerian Construction Industry. This research was carried out to envisage the construction stage that are prone to severe abuse of professional practices among the three phases; Planning & Design Phase (PDP), Pre-qualification & Tendering Phase (PQTP) and Execution & Completion Phase (ECP) in the Nigerian Construction Industry. A quantitative research approach was systematically employed were semi structured questionnaire was design and administered to the major stakeholders (consultants, clients and contractors) in the Nigerian Construction Industry. Ranking was used to determine the phase that are susceptible to abuse of professional practices than others and ANOVA was further deployed to investigate whether there is significant different in the respondents view point. From the findings made, it was concluded that Pre-qualification and Tendering Phase (PQTP) was the most susceptible to abuse of professional practices in the entire construction processes. The respondents were in the view that although dozens of abuse of professional practices are uncovered each year in different construction phases certainly more cases are occurred frequently at bidding/tendering stage than others. In addition, from ANOVA we concluded that there is significant difference in the opinions of the consultants to that of clients and contractors in the context they all view what abuse of professional practices is all about

Trends of Productivity of Water in Rainfed Crops in Ilorin South, Kwara State, Nigeria

In sub- Sahara, rain fed agriculture is the dominant source of food production. It is likely going to remain so for the next foreseeable future. However, yield from rain fed agriculture are often very low. But there is enormous opportunity to raise crop yield of rain fed agriculture especially by focusing on the aspect of increase productivity of water, formulate and adopt appropriate adequate option for increasing productivity of water in rain fed agriculture. The paper therefore, assessed the trend of productivity of water (PW) for each of the crop during the cropping season. Evapotranspiration occasioned by either mid cropping season, dry spell or early cessation of rainfall and low rainfall utilization are primary drive of production of water (PW) in rain fed agriculture in the area. Other factors that are usually put forward by agricultural stake holders in the region include poor soil nutrient and lack of proper crop management. These are secondary and could be considered as spill over effects from these primary drives of productivity of water (PW).Keywords: Cessation, crop yield, onset, productivity of water, water crop requirement

Cinema semiotics: An application of Hodge and Tripp’s Paradigm/Syntagm approach

Abstract. Various scholars have defined the term semiotics according to their understanding but with a unifying central meaning which is the study of signs. Two important aspects of semiotics are syntagm and paradigm. The organization of signs by chain is referred to as syntagm, while by choice it is referred to as paradigm. According to Hodge & Tripp (1986), as far as syntagmatic structures are concerned, texts are examined from three different angles or variables: space, time, and continuity. Moreover, in film the interpretations of individual, shots depend on both paradigmatic analysis (comparing it, not necessarily, with the use of alternative kinds of shots) and syntagmatic analysis (comparing it with preceding and following shots). This paper, applies the concept of Syntagm and Paradigm given by Hodge and Tripp to analyse the structure of two films from Nigeria’s film industries i.e. Kanywood and Nollywood industries.Keywords. Cinema, Semiotics, Syntagm, Paradigm, Film, Kanywood, Nollywood.JEL. Z00, Y90, H80

Correlation and path-coefficient analysis for grain yield and agronomic traits of maize (Zea mays L.)

Studies were conducted to estimate the direct and indirect effects of four agronomic traits on maize (Zea mays L.) grain yield by the application of simple coefficient correlation and path coefficient analysis in two experimental fields (Kafanchan and Kadawa). Generally, correlation coefficients among the yield component characters were similar in both locations; however path coefficients showed variation in Kafanchan and Kadawa. In the two research sites, plant height, cob length, cob diameter and 1000-grain weight had high positive correlation with maize grain yield and with each other. The path coefficient analysis revealed that plant height made the highest direct contribution (0.653 in Kadawa) to grain yield followed by 1000-grain weight with a direct contribution of 0.4290 in Kafanchan. The path analysis further disclosed these characters to be the most important components of grain yield. Both correlation and path coefficient analyses have established cob diameter as a less reliable agronomic trait than the other three variables included in the maize yield component analysis. Keywords: Agronomic traits, Correlation coefficients, Path coefficients, Grain yield, Maiz

Comparative Review of the Magnitude of Transaction Costs in Construction Procurement Projects between Developed and Developing Countries

Contracting business in public sector within various counties has a transaction cost to incur. This paper reviews transaction costs magnitude of developed and developing countries using standard sampling and procedure by analyzing data from four (4) developed countries; United States of America, United Kingdom, Newzealand, and Czech Republic and two (2) developing countries in Africa; Ghana and Nigeria. According to thefindings Newzealand have the highest TCs magnitude among all countries compared of about 16.5% averagely and with Czech Republic with 0.13% minimum that are incurred by stakeholders when bidding public sector construction projects. This is an important comparison and strengthens the assumption that there is a significant link between transaction costs incurred in bidding and public sector procurement, and that reducing such costs must be important for the contracting firms of various countries. Keywords: Construction, Comparison, Magnitude, Procurement, Transaction Cost

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Plant Materials for the Control of Flea Beetles Podagrica spp on Okra Abelmoschus esculentus L

The efficacy of the Senegal prickly-ash Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides (Lam.) roots and the African locust bean tree Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) pod back was study for their efficacy in the control of okra pest, Podagrica spp. The study was carried out in the laboratory and on the field in the farming season of 2018. Z. zanthoxyloides roots were obtained from Jima-Doko forest and P. biglibosa fruit back from Takunpara. Both plant materials were air-dried under shade for 120 hours. Both plant parts were pounded separately in wooden mortar with the aid of wooden pestle until the materials turns to fine particles. Determined weight of 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 grams were taken for each plant materials and soaked in water for 24 hours and stirred at intervals of an hour. The mixture were then sieved with a muslin cloth and filtered with Whatman filter paper to eliminate all finest particles of varying sizes. These concentrations were applied individually on 10 adults of Podagrica spp. in the laboratory. It was observed that the concentration of 200 – 300g performed better for both plant materials in the control of okra flea beetle. These resulted to the death of above 50% of the insect within 2 hours. These significant laboratory trials were then formulated and taken to the field. Both plant materials acted as anti-feedants and repellants against Podagrica spp. It was also revealed that Z. zanthoxyloides performed significantly (p<0.05) better than the P. biglibosa. Furthermore, short interval applications (<or=3days) of these plant materials could be a good  replacement for synthetic chemicals, hence bio-pesticides that could be adopted for organic agriculture

The roles of environmental pollutants in the pathogenesis and prevalence of diabetes: a review

Diabetes is on the rise worldwide with a growing suspicion of association between environmental pollutants and diabetes. This paper reviewed the roles of environmental pollutants in the pathogenesis and increasing incidence of diabetes. Relevant information was retrieved from reliable sources in the internet using Google search engine. The review found that studies have established environmental pollutants aid in the pathogenesis of diabetes by causing blood vessel rupture and insulin resistance. Toxic chemicals in pollutants may destroy or cause mutation in pancreatic β-cells, disrupting its insulin production. People are therefore advised to live far away from polluted or industrial environment.Keywords: Diabetes, Pathogenesis, Pancreas, Mutation, Insulin, Blood vesse

Prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility of AmpC and ESBLs producing clinical isolates at a tertiary health care center in Kano, north-west Nigeria

The increase in production of Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) and Amp C beta lactamase among clinical isolates in our hospitals is of utmost importance. Failure to detect these enzymes in many of our hospitals has greatly led to treatment failure and uncontrolled spread of multi drug resistant pathogens. It was for this purpose that the present study was conducted to determine the prevalence, distribution and susceptibility pattern of Gram negative bacteria producing ESBLs and Amp C beta lactamases in the largest tertiary health care provider in Kano, North-West Nigeria. A total of 75 ESBL and 10 AmpC producing bacteria were involved in the study which were obtained from a study involving 500 Gram negative clinical bacterial isolates from various hospital wards over a period of 9 months from Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano, Nigeria. Isolates were screened for ESBLs and AmpC using Double Disc Diffusion Method and Amp C Disc test respectively. All confirmed ESBL and Amp C producing isolates were tested for susceptibility to sixteen (16) different antibiotics by the Disc Diffusion Method (DDM). The prevalence of ESBLs was high in Shigella spp. (1/2 or 50%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (10/50 or /20%), and E. coli (47/247 or 19.3%) while Amp C producers were detected more in Klebsiella pneumoniae (4%) and E. coli (2.8%). Of the specimens screened, distribution varies between ESBL and AmpC producers, but more prevalent in urinary tract pathogens in both. Highest prevalence of ESBLs and AmpC producers was recorded in intensive care units and surgical wards. ESBL and AmpC production in the hospital is not sex dependent statistically, thought higher in males (52 and 60%) than in females (48 and 40%) for ESBL and AmpC respectively. ESBL and AmpC producers were both sensitive to Imipenem, Nitrofurantoin and Levofloxacin and resistance to Amoxycillin, Ceftazidime and Tetracycline. The study indicates the occurrence of ESBL and AmpC producers in our tertiary health provider, widely distributed in various clinical samples, wardsand sexes and are multi drug resistant posing serious threat in managing life threatening infections.Key words: prevalence, distribution, ESBL producers, Amp C producers, antibiotic susceptibilit

Growth and yield response of irrigated maize (Zea mays L.) to the application of different rates of inorganic fertilizer and poultry manure

The growth and yield response of irrigated maize (Zea mays L.) under varying levels of inorganic fertilizer and poultry manure was evaluated during 2019/2020 dry season at two locations (Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Crop Science, Kaduna State University, Kafanchan Campus and Kadawa, Irrigation Research Farm of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria) using a complete randomized block design with three replications. The experimental treatments consist of varying quantities of poultry manure: 1.5, 3.0, and 4.5 tonnes per hectare that were incorporated in to the soil along with four levels of inorganic fertilizer 0, 100, 120, and 140 kg N ha-1 . The results of the field trials showed that all growth and yield parameters were significantly affected by poultry manure rate in both Kafanchan and Kadawa. However, the effect of poultry manure on maize plant height and cob diameter was not significant in Kafanchan. The application of inorganic fertilizer had a positive and significant influence on all maize growth and yield attributes in both locations. Irrigated maize yield showed significant increase with increasing quantities of inorganic fertilizer and poultry manure in both Kafanchan and Kadawa. The results of the field trial indicated that a combination of 120 kg N ha-1 inorganic fertilizer and 3.0 t ha-1 poultry manure is desirable for optimum irrigated maize yield in Kafanchan and Kadawa. Keywords: Maize, Irrigation, Poultry manure, Mineral fertilizer; Grain yiel

The Influence of Integrated Gravity Circuit on the Efficiency of Gold Extraction at a Carbon-in-Leach Plant

In gold ores, the precious metal particles may occur as nuggets (> 0.5 mm) and down to sub-microscopic particles. Coarse particles are generally recovered by gravity concentration before leaching the bulk material with sodium cyanide to enhance leaching efficiency. A mine in West Africa operates a carbon-in-leach (CIL) plant where a gravity circuit has recently been installed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the gravity-integrated circuit on the overall efficiency of metallurgical operations in the CIL plant. In this investigation, a quantitative research approach was selected to determine the variables in analysing the influence of the integrated gravity circuit on the efficiency of gold extraction. The general plant efficiencies before and after the installation of the Gravity Recoverable Gold (GRG) circuit were investigated, with a focus on the milling circuit, CIL circuit, and reagent consumption in the various circuits. A model was constructed using multiple linear regression analysis, and the relationship between the variables was determined. From the results, the mill's throughput increased from 13.5 million tonnes per year to 13.9 million tonnes per year after the installation of the GRG circuit. In models 1 and 2, all coefficient p-values were less than the 5% significance level chosen for the study. Cost-benefit analysis of reagent use before and after gravity installation showed that the plant consumption of reagents decreased from 43 264 – 36 481 tonnes, 13 144 – 10 141 tonnes, 1 779 – 1 538 tonnes, 3 208 – 1 551 tonnes, 9 274 – 8 045 tonnes for lime, sodium cyanide, activated carbon, hydrochloric acid and caustic soda respectively. Again, the GRG circuit dramatically reduced the gold loadings onto activated carbon with an overall reduction in tailing grade and increased the gold recovery rate and purity by 1% and 2%, respectively. Overall, the mine's annual ore processing capacity increased by 2.34 %. Therefore, installing additional Knelson concentrators (gravity units) can be key to addressing the excess gravity-recoverable gold suspected to exist in the circuit with continuous checks and balances performed