Risk Perception of HIV Infection among the Nigerian African- Immigrant Population in Houston, Texas

HIV/AIDS studies mostly lack distinction between the US-born Blacks and non-US-born Blacks while African Americans (AAs) continues to represent the group with the heaviest burden of AIDS deaths and new diagnosis of HIV. A review of studies on HIV infection in the US, Europe, and other Western countries revealed a knowledge gap on HIV infection with non-refugee African immigrants (NRAIs), especially the Nigerian African Immigrants (NAIs) who are non-US-born Blacks. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study is to address this gap by exploring the expressed views of NAIs, a sub-group of the NRAIs living in Houston, Texas, on the issue of HIV infection. In a qualitative research design, 13 NAI individuals aged 18 to 49 were purposively selected for a face-to-face interview. The health belief model provided the conceptual framework for the development of study questions and analysis of the gathered data using the phenomenological approach. The study findings showed that 90% of the participants have knowledge of HIV infection. Even though 100% of the participants acknowledged the severity of unprotected sex and multiple sexual relationships in the acquisition of HIV, 27% engaged in multiple sexual relationships and there was inconsistent use of condoms in 64% of the participants. The participants expressed low levels of perception regarding the threat of contracting HIV in their relationships. Evidence of sexual mixing was found in about 61% of the study participants. This study provided an opportunity for future research with NAIs, an upcoming set of immigrants, in the US. The study also highlighted how knowledge of the NAIs\u27 culture and language can be used in promoting preventative interventions like the use of condoms and HIV testing

Conversion Bridge of Sony SubLvds to MIPI CSI-2

Undergraduate Summer Research Outpu

Impact of Infrastructure on Foreign Direct Investment in Nigeria: An Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Approach

This study examines the roles infrastructure play in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) into Nigeria for the period between 1981 and 2014. It also investigates the type of infrastructure that has more impact on FDI attraction. The unit root test results show that none of the variables in the study is integrated of order two, that is, I(2), a condition which justifies the use of Autoregressive Distribution Lag (ARDL) framework. The ARDL Bounds Test approach to cointegration was employed to determine the long-run relationship among the variables in our model and the result shows that there is a long-run relationship between infrastructure and FDI in Nigeria. The result of the estimation of the selected ARDL Error Correction Model shows that none of the infrastructure variables (tractor, telephone lines and electricity) employed in this study is significant  to attract FDI into Nigeria in the short-run although electricity production (power supply) was  found to influence FDI in the long-run. The study thus recommends that the power sector be revitalized and should be given priority as it will attract FDI, increase national output and move Nigeria closer to actualizing her dream of becoming one of the twenty leading economies in the world by the year 2020. Keywords: Foreign Direct Investment, Infrastructure, Nigeria, Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL). DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-3-0

A Small Macroeconometric Model of Nigeria

This study presents a small macroeconometric model to forecast and simulate policy options for the Nigerian economy. The model consists of ten behavioural equations and five identities made up of ten endogenous variables and thirteen exogenous variables. Autoregressive distribution lag (ARDL) framework is used to estimate the behavioural equations using annual time-series data for the period 1981-2014. The predictive ability of the model is evaluated and found to be satisfactory as the mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE) and Theil inequality coefficient are considerably small. Policy simulations to quantify the impact of shocks to government expenditure, exchange rate and crude-oil price on the economy are analysed. The results shows that a positive shock in government expenditure raises aggregate output, total exports, total import, gross fixed capital formation, exchange rate, consumption, and inflation rate while interest rate falls; a negative shock to exchange rate has a negative effect on gross fixed capital formation and a positive effect on aggregate national output, consumer price level, interest rate, consumption, total export and total imports; and a negative shock in oil prices results in an increase in total imports, total exports, consumption, exchange rate, gross fixed capital formation and aggregate national output. Hence, the study recommends that the monetary authorities employ a managed-floating exchange rate to address the volatility in exchange rate and government should formulate and implement policies aimed at diversifying the economy to cushion the shocks that result from oil price volatility in the international market

Varicella-zoster virus vaccination under the exogenous boosting hypothesis: two ethical perspectives

The varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes two diseases: varicella (‘chickenpox’) and herpes zoster (‘shingles’). VZV vaccination of children reduces exposure to chickenpox in the population and it has been hypothesized that this could increase the prevalence of shingles. This ‘exogenous boosting’ effect of VZV raises an important equity concern: introducing a vaccination program could advance the health of one population group (children) at the expense of another (adults and elderly). We discuss the program's justifiability from two ethical perspectives, classic utilitarianism and contractualism. Whereas the former framework might offer a foundation for the case against introducing this vaccination, the latter offers a basis to justify it

EXCIPIENTS COPROCESSING INFLUENCE ON THE INTERACTING VARIABLES THAT AFFECT THE DISINTEGRATION PROPERTIES OF A PARACETAMOL TABLET FORMULATION

Objective: Neem gum (NMG) was coprocessed with lactose (LTC) at different ratios to produce novel binders.Methods: The quantitative individual and interaction effects of formulation variables, nature of the coprocessed binders (N), concentration of coprocessed binders (C) and their tablet's relative density (D) on two disintegration properties–disintegration time (DT) and crushing strength-friability/disintegration time (CSFR/DT) ratio–of a Paracetamol tablet formulation was studied using a 23 factorial experimental design.Results: The result showed that changing from neem gum to any of the coprocessed binders decreases the disintegration time of the Paracetamol tablet while an increase in C of the coprocessed binders led to an increase in the CSFR/DT ratio of the Paracetamol tablets. The extent of this decrease in disintegration time or increase in CSFR/DT depends on the proportion of NMG or LTC in the coprocessed binders.Conclusion: The study concluded that the nature and proportions of individual materials coprocessed together would alter the influence C or D would have on disintegration time and CSFR/DT ratio. It further concludes that a 23 factorial analysis could be helpful to formulators in creating a design space for choosing optimal formulation and process variables that would produce desired product qualities.Keywords: Coprocessing, binder, Neem gum, Disintegration time, Crushing-strength-friability/disintegration-time rati

A quantitative study of the influence of coprocessing of binders on the mechanical properties of paracetamol tablets

A 2³ factorial experimental design has been used to quantitatively study individual and interaction effects of the nature of binder (N), concentration of binder (C) and the applied pressure (P) on two mechanical properties, namely, tensile strength (TS) and brittle fracture index (BFI), of paracetamol tablets. The factorial design was also used to study the quantitative effects of coprocessing of binders on the mechanical properties. The results obtained from this study suggest that the nature (i.e. plastic/elastic) and ratio of binders coprocessed together alter the influence of C and P on TS and BFI.Utilizou-se planejamento experimental fatorial 2³ para estudar, quantitativamente, os efeitos individuais e de interação da natureza do ligante (N), concentração do ligante (C) e a pressão aplicada (P) em duas propriedades mecânicas, como forças de ruptura (TS) e índice de fragilidade (BFI) de comprimidos de paracetamol. O planejamento fatorial foi, também, empregado para estudar os efeitos quantitativos do coprocessamento de ligantes nas propriedades mecânicas. Os resultados obtidos desse trabalho sugerem que a natureza (plástica/elástica) e a proporção de ligantes coprocessados, juntas, alteram a influência de C e P em TS e em BFI

Technical Efficiency and Constraints among Medium Scale Maize Production in Oyo State, Nigeria

This study presents the empirical analysis of the constraints and determinants of technical efficiency in medium – scale maize production in Oyo state, Nigeria. Primary data were collected on 76 medium scale maize farmers selected from some major maize producing agricultural area Afijio L. G. A. in Oyo state Nigeria. The selection of respondents was multi – staged and involved random sampling as well as purposive sampling methods. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the constraints on maize production while translog stochastic frontier model was used to estimate the determinants of technical efficiency of the farmers. The major constraints on maize production as perceived by medium – scale farmers among others was inadequate processing facilities (39.5%) and lack of mechanical services (25.0%). The average technical efficiency about 75%. The determinants of technical efficiency which were statistically significant were sex, age and experience, sex and age had an inverse relationship with technical inefficiencies of farmers while experience had a direct relationship. Hence, Nigeria, public and private policies that would improve the farmers’ experience in maize production especially in handing the available technologies would lead to significant increase in the level of technical efficiency in medium – scale maize production. Keywords: Technical Efficiency, Constraints, Stochastic Frontier, Maize production, Nigeri