School Location as a Predictor of Achievement in Reading among Nigerian Learners of English as a Second Language

This study determined whether school location was a predictor of English as a second language learners’ achievement in reading when taught with synthetic phonics using the non-equivalent, non-randomized control group quasi-experimental design. The population of the study comprised 1844 primary one school pupils in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State. Out of this population, a sample of 66 pupils from urban location and 52 from rural location was drawn using multi stage sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection was Initial Reading Achievement Test (IRAT) which was designed by the researcher. Mean, Standard Deviations and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) were used to analyse the generated data. The results of the study revealed that school location significantly influenced pupils’ achievement in reading. It also showed that there was significant interaction effect of teaching method and location on pupils’ achievement in reading. It was concluded that in addition to teaching method, school location proved to be a predictor of pupils’ achievement in reading. Hence, it was recommended that pupils from different school locations should be exposed sufficiently to equal literacy-enriched environment to bridge the gap in achievement among learners from urban and rural school environments. Keywords: School location, literacy-enriched environment, achievement in reading, interaction effect, Initial Reading Achievement Test, synthetic phonic

Stochastic analysis of stock price changes as markov chain in finite states

In this work, stochastic analysis of Markov chain model used to examine stock price formation in finite states. The data was subjected to 5-step transition matrix for independent stocks where transition matrix replicated the use of 3-states transition probability matrix. This enables us proffer precise condition of obtaining expected mean rate of return of each stock. Out of the four stocks studied, stock (1), stock (2), stock (3) and stock (4), it  was also discovered that stock (1) has the highest mean rate of return:4.0548 and Stock (4) has the best probability of price increasing in the near future:21%. This informs the investor about the behavior of the stocks for the purpose of decision making. From the stochastic analysis, it is revealed that stock price changes are memory-less satisfying the properties of Markov chain. i.e., it converges to a point or becomes stationary at n=5 ie S1:0.1967-0.2354,S2:0.2053-0.1913,S3:0.1972-0.2051 and S4:0.2023-0.1835. Also all states of the transition communicate and are all time dependent.&nbsp

Effects of Adoption of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato Varieties on Farm Income and Output among Growing Households in Ebonyi and Abia States, Nigeria

The study comparatively analyzed the effect of the adoption of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) varieties on farm income and output of growing households in Ebonyi and Abia States, Nigeria using a well-structured questionnaire on 256 OFSP farmers from four agricultural zones. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as means, percentages, tables and frequency, adoption score index (of 7 point likert-type scale) and Z-test. The result on socio-economic characteristic showed that the average age of the sweet potato farmers in Ebonyi and Abia States was 47.11 and 49.86 years, respectively, with females dominating in Ebonyi, while males dominated in Abia. Farmers’ average farm size was 2.10ha and 1.71ha respectively, and years of farming experience of 8.52 and 9.65 years. The level of adoption of OFSP varieties showed that in Ebonyi, farmers were at the evaluation stage for UMUSP0/3 (X=2.78) and trial stage for UMUSP0/I (X=3.04), while in Abia, the farmers were at the trial stage for UMUSP0/1 (X=3.63) and UMUSP0/3 (X=3.78). The Z-test result showed that there were significant differences in farm income and output of OFSP farm households at 1.0% probability levels in both States. Sweet potato farmers in both Ebonyi and Abia States were seriously constrained by low extension visit, inadequate credit facilities and poor government support. The study therefore recommended that OFSP farmers should be strategically given more support to generally boost OFSP adoption, income, output and productivity across the country

Occurrence of Fluoride and some Heavy Metals in Groundwater from Shallow Aquifers Near Ogbomosho, North-central Nigeria

Groundwater is one of the most important natural resources that when contaminated by either natural or anthropogenic means is difficult and expensive to clean-up. Fluorosis is a disease affecting the bone and teeth of humans due to excessive intake of fluoride either through water or food. Heavy metal pollution is a burning environmental issue due their toxic, persistent and bio-accumulative nature. The present study evaluates the presence of fluoride and some heavy metals in groundwater from shallow aquifers around Ogbomosho, north-central Nigeria and the result of investigation confirmed their enrichment. The fluoride concentration ranged between 1.35mg/l to 2.75mg/l with a mean value of 2.18mg/l as against the recommended value of 1.50mg/l. This is an indication that continuous use of water from this area may result to colouration of the teeth and deformation of the bone among the people especially children since they are the most vulnerable. High fluoride content in groundwater can be attributed to the continuous water-rock interaction during the process of percolation with fluoride-bearing country rocks under arid, low precipitation, and high evapotranspiration conditions. The study has established that the fluoride-rich groundwater as well as heavy metal contamination in the area may have emanated from geochemical processes of dissolution and weathering of the granite aquifers in the area. The heavy metal enrichment is in the order of: Ni > Mn > Cr > Cd > Fe > Cu > Zn. These findings suggest that the enrichment of the groundwater system is geogenic and related to the local geology of the area. It is recommended that people living in the coarse grained porphyritic biotite granite dominated area should discontinue the use of groundwater for domestic and drinking purposes in order not to experience fluorosis in future. Environmentally friendly techniques such as phyto-remediation and bio-remediation should be employed to monitor and control fluoride and heavy metal content in the groundwater system. Keywords: Groundwater Quality, Fluorosis, Heavy metals contamination, Shallow Aquifers Ogbomosho and North-central Nigeri

Challenges and Frugal Remedies for Lowering Facility Based Neonatal Mortality and Morbidity: A Comparative Study

Millennium development goal target on infant mortality (MDG4) by 2015 would not be realised in some low-resource countries. This was in part due to unsustainable high-tech ideas that have been poorly executed. Prudent but high impact techniques could have been synthesised in these countries. A collaborative outreach was initiated to devise frugal measures that could reduce neonatal deaths in Nigeria. Prevailing issues of concern that could militate against neonatal survival within care centres were identified and remedies were proffered. These included application of (i) recycled incubator technology (RIT) as a measure of providing affordable incubator sufficiency, (ii) facility-based research groups, (iii) elective training courses for clinicians/nurses, (iv) independent local artisans on spare parts production, (v) power-banking and apnoea-monitoring schemes, and (v) 1/2 yearly failure-preventive maintenance and auditing system. Through a retrospective data analyses 4 outreach centres and one control were assessed. Average neonatal mortality of centres reduced from 254/1000 to 114/1000 whilst control remained at 250/1000. There was higher relative influx of incubator-dependent-neonates at outreach centres. It was found that 43% of mortality occurred within 48 hours of presentation (d48) and up to 92% of d48 were of very-low birth parameters. The RIT and associated concerns remedies have demonstrated the vital signs of efficiency that would have guaranteed MDG4 neonatal component in Nigeria

Quantum flux effects on the energy spectra and thermo-magnetic properties in 2D Schrodinger equation with Mobius square potential

A 2D Schrodinger equation with interacting Mobius square potential model is solved using Nikiforov-Uvarov Functional Analysis (NUFA) formalism. The energy spectra and the corresponding wave function for the linearly and exponentially varying quantum magnetic flux are obtained analytically in a closed form. The evaluated energy spectra are used to obtain an expression for the partition functions for the two cases comprises of the linearly and exponentially varying quantum magnetic flux and vis-a-vis is use to evaluate other thermodynamic and magnetic properties for the system. The results are used to study the free energy, mean energy, the entropy, specific heat, magnetization, magnetic susceptibility and the persistent current of the system. The numerical bound state energies are computed.Comment: 39 Pages, 64 figure