Butanol extract of Manihot esculenta leaf modulated cigarette butt leachate-mediated liver mitochondrial membrane permeabilization and its functional capacity

Objective: The experiment was designed to investigate the modulatory effects of the butanol extract of Manihot esculenta leaf, in vivo, and against the effects of cigarette butt leachate, in vitro on liver mitochondrial membrane permeability transition (MMPT), and its possible hepatoprotection in female Wistar rats.Methods: The powdery form of fresh, air-dried and pulverized M. esculenta leaves were extracted in 95% butanol using Soxhlet apparatus and concentrated to a sticky mass using rotary evaporator. Ethical approval for animal use was obtained from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Nigeria (LTH/EC/2014/10/237). Twelve Wistar rats were randomly assigned into 2 groups of 6 rats each, and a separate group of 4 rats were used for the in vitro study. The first set of rats was orally treated daily with the extract for 21 days. Following an overnight fast, the rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and the liver mitochondria isolated by standard methods. Mitochondrial swelling and liver function assays were done spectrophotometrically.Results: In vivo, the extract significantly induced low amplitude pore opening in the absence of exogenous Ca2+; whereas when it was present, the extract slightly inhibited same. Two concentrations of cigarette butt leachate caused appreciable low amplitude swelling in control and treated animals in the presence of Ca2+; in the absence of which highly significant inhibitory effects were observed at the same concentrations, in vitro. Significant increases were also recorded for AST, ALT, bilirubin, total protein and ALP, in vivo.Conclusion: The extract showed promise for hepato-protection against cigarette butt leachate toxicity in the liver of normal rats in the presence of exogenous Ca2+, in vitro.Keywords: Manihot esculenta leaf extract, cigarette butt leachate, mitochondrial membrane permeability transition pore, liver functio

Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards and Market Performance of Listed Banks in Nigeria

Abstract. The objective of this study is to examine the effect of the adoption of IFRS on the market performance of banks in Nigeria. Secondary data were acquired from the financial statement of 15 money deposit banks listed on floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) while regression and paired sample test analyses were used to determine the association between the adoption of IFRS and the market performance of listed money deposit Banks in Nigeria. The study found a positive and significant relationship between the adoption of IFRS and the market performance of listed money deposit banks in Nigeria proxy by Dividend pay-out (DPO) and Dividend Yield (DY). Furthermore, the paired sample test result indicates a significant difference exists between Dividend pay-out (DPO) and the adoption of IFRS while no significant difference exists between Dividend Yield (DY) and the adoption of IFRS. Thus, the study recommends that the global adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards particularly in developing economies like Nigeria should be properly implemented and studied, so as to keep abreast with the various changes the would likely affect the market performance of the Nigerian Banking industry

Religious core values and ethical sensitivity: an empirical investigation of university undergraduates in Nigeria

This paper examines the role the teaching of a set of religious core values to university undergraduate students could play in shaping their ethical sensitivity. Using a sample of accounting and business students of a religious based university and a survey instrument that contains four scenarios, the results show that there is no significant difference between accounting and business students concerning acceptability of questionable accounting and business practices. We also find no significant difference between male and female students in their ethical sensitivity. Furthermore, we find accounting students not more ethically sensitive than business students regardless of their courses in codes of professional conduct. These results suggest that the core values have positive effect in shaping the ethical sensitivity of the students in the same direction irrespective of course of study and sex. We conclude that the teaching of religious core values can improve the ethical sensitivity of students. However, we could not draw any policy implications due to a number of limitations of the study which include small sample size. We therefore recommend further studies that would consider those limitations.religious core values, total man concept, ethical sensitivity, spiritual principles, religion, vision, skills, responsibility, capacity building, sacrifice, Nigeria, ethics, university education, higher education, undergraduate students, accounting students, business students, questionable practices, gender, codes of conduct, professional conduct,

Cost of governance in Nigeria in whose interest.pdf

<div>Cost of governance in Nigeria has become a challenge</div><div>to development and concern to practitioners and scholars alike in the field of business and social science research. In the 2010 national budget of NGN4.6 trillion or USD28.75billion for instance, only a pantry sum of NGN1.8trillion or USD11.15billion was earmarked for</div><div>capital expenditure. Similarly, in 2013, out of a total national budget of NGN4.92trillion or USD30.75billion, only the sum of NGN1.50trllion or USD9.38billion was voted for capital expenditure. Therefore, based on the data sourced from the Nigerian Office of Statistics, Central bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin as well as from the United Nations Development Programme, this study examined the causes of high cost of governance in Nigeria. It found out that the</div><div>high cost of governance in the country is in the interest of the ruling class, arising from their unethical behaviour – corrupt practices and the poor management of public resources. As a result, the study recommends the need to intensify the war against corruption and mismanagement of public resources by government officials as possible solution to overcome the high cost of governance in Nigeria.</div><div>This could be achieved by strengthening the constitutional powers of the various anti-corruption agencies in the area of arrest, investigation and prosecution of offenders without the interference of the executive</div><div>arm of government either at the local, state or federal level.</div