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There has been an ongoing debate about the importance of the English language. Employers are lamenting that new graduates these days lack communicative proficiency in English. The purpose of this study is to determine the factors which contribute to English proficiency in Chinese students in Johor Bahru. Investigating the factors that contribute to English proficiency might partially explain the occurrence of underachievement in the learning English. The study was conducted with a self-reported questionnaire as an instrument. Data was collected from a sample of 119 students from Southern College, a Chinese community run college based in Johor Bahru. Data was analyzed using the SPSS version 11.5. Descriptive statistics showed that respondents have interest in the language but lack confidence and motivation in using English. The independent variables which were hypothesized factors were correlated with the dependent variables. Findings showed that although parents and close significant others do have influence on the respondents’ attitude and perception towards the English language, their English proficiency grades were not influenced by them. In conclusion, socializing factors such as family members and significant others are not significant contributors to English proficiency in Chinese students in Johor Bahru but they do contribute to the positive attitude and perception towards English that many of the respondents have.

In the article, the researchers are trying to figure out what factors with in an organization enhance and effects team performance. At one end miss management at any level can result into a disaster in teams with in an organization, while effective and efficient integration of few factors can help team out perform beyond their desired vision. In the article team performance is measured based on four factors: leader skills, substitutes for leaders, collective effort, and empowerment. The result suggests that effective and efficient utilization of this model can enhance team performance within an organization. Design/methodology/approach: Model based approach is used which contains four factors that helps understand enhancing team performance in any group or team with in departments in any organization. Findings: With in groups or teams, a path can be defined or determined for integration of effective and efficient management of teams and results.

Lithostratigraphic, foraminiferal and calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphic studies have been carried out on ditch cutting samples from KR-1 well located in the offshore area of the Niger delta. The Agbada Formation sediments are made up of shales and sandy shales which are grey in colour with intercalations of medium to fine grained sandstone beds. The shales are fissile and slightly calcareous while the sandy shales are light grey, ferruginous and sub-fissile. The sediments yielded rare planktonic but relatively rich benthonic foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils with significant variations in abundance and diversity. The important foraminifera recovered are Globigerina ciporoensis angustiumblicata, Globigerinoides praebulloides, Lenticulina inornata, Epistominella vitrea, Hanzawaia concentrica, Poroeponides lateralis, Quiqueloculina lamarckiana, and Brizalina mandoroveensis while Helicosphaera truempyi, Calcidiscus leptoporus, Cyclicargolithus abisectus, Cyclicargolithus floridanus, Discoaster and Helicosphaera euphrati constitute the principal nannofossils. Early Miocene age was assigned to the section using the top occurrences of some of these taxa while a marginal marine environment of deposition was suggested due to the low diversity of nannofossils and very low planktonic/bentonic ratio.

Preformulation can be defined as an investigation of physical and chemical properties of a drug substance alone and when combined with excipients. The overall objective of preformulation testing is to generate information useful to the formulator in developing stable and bioavailable dosage forms which can be mass-produced. Detailed understanding of the properties of the drug substance is essential to minimize formulation problems in later stages of drug development, reduce drug development costs, and decrease the product’s time to market (i.e., from drug substance to drug product )

Global warming frightens even the baby in the womb. No one wants to be roasted by sunshine or swept off the earth by tsunami arising from extreme weather events. The sights of such events are frightening. Global warming is daily effects of human civilization. There are several controversies surrounding it. Some positive, while others are negative. Negative impacts means gain, while positive impact means loss. We need more negative than positive impacts for a safe world. This paper reviews the subject matter from the point of boon, pandemic or quagmire.

Gluteric aciduria type 1 , a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder which is caused by deficiency of Glutaryl CoA dehydrogenaseleads to progressive neurological damage. 75% of the cases of gluteric acidemia type 1 present with macrocephaly and is the earliest and most consistent sign of the disease (1). Here we report a case of gluteric aciduria type 1 in a one year old male child without macrocephaly but typical clinical spectrum of the disease.

The glycemic index is a ranking of foods based on the post prandial blood glucose response compared with a reference food. Ten Healthy volunteers belonged to 35-60 years of age were recruited for the study. The glycemic response was found out before and after supplementation of test food and reference food. The blood sample was collected at zero, half an hour, one hour, one and half an hour and two hour intervals after giving 50g of glucose, 78 grams of Commercial Home Made Chocolate with 50 grams of carbohydrate and 200 grams of Developed Home Made Dark Chocolate (HMDC) samples containing 50 grams of carbohydrate. The blood sugar levels were measured in mmols/L using ascensia entrust diabetes care system. The glycemic index is calculated using the area under the curve (AUC) values. The subjects were healthy consuming sufficient amount of nutrients as recommended by Gopalan et al., 2007. Glycemic index and glycemic load value of the developed sample was. Thus the developed product was a low glycemic food compared to the standard product.

The aim of the project was to design a GSM based student’s Body Mass Index (BMI) monitoring system device. It was proposed to overcome the problem of obesity. The function of this device is to calculate the body mass index using two basic parameter that are weight and height. For weighting mechanism this device using the load cell while as for height it using ultrasonic sensor. Only student with Radio Frequency Indentification (RFID) card can used this machine since it provided with RFID sensor. BMI calculation will be displayed on LCD and parent will be notified via message by using GSM module.

Parkia biglobosa is an important multipurpose tree of West African Savannah land used traditionally, to treat a range of human and animal ailments. To evaluate the effects of sub-chronic administration of aqueous extract of the leaves of Parkia biglobosa in rats, twenty four male albino rats weighing between 120-200 g were distributed into four groups: A, B, C, and D containing 6 rats each. Aqueous extract of the leaves was administered to rats in groups B, C and D at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mgkg-1 respectively for 21 consecutive days, while the rats in group A were administered distilled water (vehicle for extract) and served as control. After the treatment period, results of haematological evaluation revealed a dose dependent significant (p<0.05) decrease in the Packed cell volume of rats at all treatment levels. Likewise, haemoglobin concentration and red blood cell counts were also significantly decreased at the 200 and 400 mgkg-1 doses. However, significant increase in total white blood cell count (WBC) was observed at the 400 mgkg-1 dose. Changes observed in all analysed plasma biochemical parameters were not significant except for gamma glutamyl tansferase, on which the extract caused a significant (p<0.05) increase at the 400 mgkg-1 body weight dose. Moreover, mild portal congestion in the liver, mild renal cortical congestion in the kidney and moderate sub-capsular congestion in the testis were observed at the 400 mgkg-1 dose. The study concludes that the extract is relatively safe provided that it is used judiciously at low doses.

River is a natural watercourse, flowing over the surface in extended hollow formations (i.e channels) which drain discrete areas of mainland with a natural gradient. In basic terms the existence of a river depends on three things: the availability of surface water, a channel in the ground and an inclined surface. In this sense, the term "river" includes all kinds of watercourses, from the tiniest of brooks to the largest of rivers. Importance of river to humanity cannot be neglected but as important as rivers are, they are also dangerous to lives and properties if they are not well monitored. Most rivers in Nigeria are not gauged, so their flows are not known. Ogbomosoo is a city in Oyo state, South Western Nigeria in which River Oba is located. It is one of the river with heavy flow in Ogbomoso and also with varying depth which when flowing it picks up debris caused by human activities in that area