Archives-December 

Solar energy has a bright potential to be the clean source of energy for the future. This paper presents a review on the literature found of the solar panel industry in Malaysia followed by identification of possible factors that may influence consumer’s purchase intention of the green product. The review exercise found perceived government policy, perceived costs and maintenance, product knowledge and experience, solar panel aesthetics, social influence, environmental concern, environmental attitude, product benefits as well as demographic factors (such as education level and income) as possible influencing factors for solar panel. The review outcomes are beneficial particularly for solar panel marketers and businesses who can develop proper planning and strategies to market this product from the consumer’s behaviour insights gained to help the renewable energy industry to grow.

Cu₂Se particles have been synthesized by the hydrothermal method at a temperature of 200° C. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by a variety of techniques like XRD, UV, FTIR, SEM and EDAX. Experimental data reveals that the final product almost consists of hexagonal flakes in the [111] plane. The estimated optical band gap for the particles was found to be within the reported range.

The study titled “A study on acquisition of primary education as a catalyst for value re-orientation and national development in Rivers state, Nigeria” was undertaken to among other things determine the nature of contributions made by primary education towards value orientation and national development. 2,277 primary school graduates were sampled. Purposive sampling technique was adopted in selecting them. A self researcher made questionnaire known as “Response of Primary School graduates towards value re-orientation and national development (RPSGTVOND)” and it was made up of 21 items. Professors of primary education and educational evaluation validated the instrument. Test retest method was used to establish the reliability level of the instrument to be 0.68 at 0.05 level of significance. Regression ANOVA was used to analyze the data. Two hypotheses were generated namely: (1) there is no significant relationship between primary education and value re-orientation (2) the relationship between acquisition of primary education and national development is not significant. The study establishes that there is a significant relationship between the acquisition of primary education and value re-orientation whereas the relationship between the acquisition of primary education and national development is not significant. Based on the findings, the study recommends that: teacher trainee institutions like the universities of education need to train student teachers to be equipped with skills such as storytelling, counseling etc. known as useful approaches for the teaching and learning of values in the Nigerian society and there is the need for the government to enlighten all stake holders in primary education through the mass and social media to take the business of primary education serious so that it can sufficiently contribute towards national development.

The adsorption and inhibition of Aluminium corrosion in 1.0 M HCl using different concentrations of extracts of Baissea axillaris was investigated at 303 and 323K using weight loss technique. Weight loss and corrosion rate increased with increase in temperature both for the free acid and inhibited solutions, with marked reluctance to increase in both observable in for the presence of the extracts, varying with the extract concentration. Inhibition efficiency increased with increase in the concentration of the extract. The maximum inhibition efficiency of 86.3% was obtained for 10 µg/L extract but decreased to 68.4 % on increasing the temperature from 303 K to 323 K. The adsorption was best described by the Temkin and Langmuir adsorption isotherm from where negative Gibbs free energy change was obtained indicating spontaneous adsorption while negative heat of adsorption was obtained indicating exothermicity. Activation Energy was deduced from the Arrhenius equation while thermodynamic approach yielded the heat of adsorption.

Identifying the occurrence of congestion in a Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET) is a major task. The inbuilt congestion control techniques of existing Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) designed for wired networks do not handle the unique properties of shared wireless multi-hop link. There are several approaches proposed for detecting and overcoming the congestion in the mobile ad-hoc network. In this paper we present a Modified AD-hoc Transmission Control Protocol (M-ADTCP) method where the receiver detects the probable current network status and transmits this information to the sender as feedback. The sender behavior is altered appropriately. The proposed technique is also compatible with standard TCP.

Flood has today become a major disaster ravaging communities in different parts of the world, especially those lying around the banks of rivers. But most importantly, flooding occurs when the natural waterways are obstructed due to human quest for “development”. However, Physical Planning Agencies as well as many communities are now becoming more aware of the need to embrace best environmental management practices in order to avert the recurring colossal damages of flooding. Therefore, this paper set out to evaluate the physical planning measures adopted in controlling flooding in Kubwa town of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. In order to achieve this, a direct interview session was held with the representative of the Development Control Department (DCD) of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and also, a total of 100 questionnaires were administered on household heads or their representatives-representing 20% of the about 500 houses that were affected by the 2009 flooding. The primary data obtained was subsequently analysed using the descriptive statistical methods and the result revealed that the FCDA is to blame for granting legal titles for developers to build on the flood plain of river Usuma; this is because 60% of the houses submerged by the 2009 flooding have either C of Os or statutory right of occupancy. Owing to this therefore, the paper recommended that the FCDA should take a major step in addressing the situation through the enforcement of physical planning policies and the sensitization of the members of the public on how best to ensure a flood-free society by embracing environmental best practices.

This study investigates empirically the effect of investment decision on financing decision. To obtain the objectives, the data required, ranging from 2004 through 2013 were collected from the financial statements of all the banking firms listed in Karachi Stock exchange. Investment opportunity and actual investment were used as proxies of investment decision. Profitability and firm size were used as control variables. Multiple regression models were used to estimate the variables of interest. It was concluded that investment opportunity had significant effect on financing decision; however, the effects have no particular pattern. Furthermore, actual investment had no impact on financing decision.

Communication is an important element in each society. Through communication, people express themselves, their attitudes, their beliefs and opinions. They interact with other people as well. But how well this interaction continues depends on different factors. For example, the way you use language, the choices you make, and the way you express your wants and attitudes all are important and affect your interaction with others. According to Coulmas (2005, p. 84), "speakers make many choices when speaking, including the politeness level of their utterances". Every verbal utterance, as it is an instance of language use, has certain degree of politeness. This article aimed at investigating the reflection of politeness principle and face theory in EFL students' writing in Iran. For this purpose, a sample of 50 undergraduate students learning English as a foreign language, were selected from Hakim Sabzevari University. After administering a standard language proficiency test, a writing task was given to participants to investigate whether this aspect of sociolinguistics is reflected in Iranian writing. After analyzing the papers based on Brown and Levinson (1987) framework, it was found that politeness principle and face theory are reflected in the writing of Iranian EFL learners to a considerable extent.

Antifungal properties, and effects of fresh, oven dried uncooked and cooked seeds of Buchholzia coriacea on haematology and kidney was evaluated. The haematology and kidney studies were carried out using Wistar albino rats. Antifungal property result revealed the following order fresh seed > oven dried uncooked seed > cooked seed for the studied seed samples. Effects of the studied seed samples on haematology and kidney followed the order cooked seed

Livestock industry in Nigeria is ridden with myriad of problems, which have resulted to a gross shortage of meat and other animal products. The growth rate of agriculture sector in Nigeria is still below the potentials of the natural and human resources due to high cost of agricultural inputs. To increase protein intake in Nigeria, there is urgent need to increase broiler production at household and commercial holdings. This research was conducted to assess the weight gained by the broiler chickens served fluted pumpkin leaves extract and also to examine the possible combination of number of weeks and  quantity of fluted pumpkin leaves extract that can result in maximum weight of the broiler chickens. The data were collected as a secondary data from the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology (I.A.R & T), Ibadan. An 8-weeks experiment was conducted to assess the weight gained by the broiler chickens served with fluted pumpkin leaves extract (FPLE). Forty day old Anak 2000 broiler chicks were randomly distributed to 5 treatments which contained 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 ml of FPLE per litre of water for A, B, C, D and E, respectively, in a completely randomized design. Each treatment was replicated four times with two birds per replicate. The birds were fed with the same starter and finisher diets. The feed and water were served. Factorial design was used to study the main and interaction effects of number of weeks and quantity of FPLE on the weight of broiler chickens. Response surface model was fitted and subjected to canonical analysis to the characterization of the nature of its turning point and to capture the combination of number of weeks and quantity of FPLE that brings maximum weight of the broiler chickens. The results showed that the average body weight gained was significant (P<0.05). It was least in control compared to the birds served with 30-120 ml of FPLE. Factorial Design revealed that birds served with FPLE gained more weight than those in control. The birds served 120 ml of FPLE per litre of water for 8 weeks had the best performance in terms of weight gain. The use of FPLE in broiler chickens production is most effective from five weeks of age. The fitted Response Surface Model indicated that number of weeks and quantity of FPLE together with their mutual interaction significantly (P<0.05) determined the weight of broiler chickens. The maximum weight was achieved when number of week was ten with 100ml of FPLE. Number of weeks, FPLE and their mutual interaction play a key role in obtaining maximum weight of broiler chickens. These factors should be put into consideration in making of feed for broiler chickens.