Archives-May 2013

In this paper, we propose Bayes estimator of parameter of exponential distri¬bution Under General Entropy Loss Function (GELF) for Progressive Type-II censored data with random scheme. The proposed estimator has been com¬pared with corresponding Bayes estimator under Square Error Loss Function (SELF) and Maximum Likelihood Estimator (MLE) in terms of their risks based on simulated samples from exponential distribution.

The primary objective was to evaluate if batch staining of malaria blood films results in false positive smears. False positive smears (>1%) may cause a serious underestimate of a drug’s or vaccine’s protective efficacy, as well as affect evaluation of diagnostics, estimates of malaria prevalence, and clinical management. Thick blood films may float from a glass slide during staining and adhere to other films if batch staining is used resulting in false positive readings. Venous blood in EDTA anticoagulant from malaria positive samples of ? 20 parasites per high power field and a true negative sample was utilized to make thick and thin smears. Two true negative smears were stained with Giemsa stain with eight positive smears in batch in Coplin jars for 10 minutes or overnight. Two control negatives were stained alone with the same batch of stain. Blinded microscopists read these slides using a rereading paradigm. Thick film loss was graded by gross appearance ranging from 0 (none) to 4+ (> ¾ loss). A total of 602 slides were evaluated in this study, of which 392 were true positives (65%) and 210 (35%) were true negatives. Of the true negatives, 110 were batch stained with true positives, and 100 were true negative controls stained alone. Of the initial readings, 11-20% were reported falsely positive. “Fishing” or cross-contamination was infrequently noted by one of the microscopists, but was uniformly present in these smears on reexamination. Of the true positive smears (high density), 1-3% were read falsely negative. On reexamination of these slides, the cause was found to be reporting of results from very poor quality smears. Thick film loss was clearly more severe for the positive slides with 10 minute versus overnight drying (means score 0.97 vs 1.97, p <0.001). This experiment confirmed that false positive smears result from cross-contamination during batch staining using methods employed today. Since low frequencies of false positive smears can adversely impact research and product development results, single slide staining should become the norm in this setting. Reporting of false negative results occurred in malaria smears with high densities of parasites. Microscopists should be trained not to report results when smear quality is not adequate.

Using hardwood cuttings is the most common method for propagation of pomegranate. Due to the high demand for raw materials in pomegranate production nurseries, and to reduce raw material consumption, comparison of different cutting methods as single-node, two-nodes and four-nodes with smaller and larger than 8 mm diameters, was investigated in greenhouse condition, and on a mixture of sand and perlite bed in the ratio of 2 to 1. Also effects of two levels of IBA hormone treatment with concentrations of 1500 ppm and 3000 ppm and 2N sulfuric acid on increasing of pomegranate single-node cuttings rooting were tested. Cultivars used in this study were Shirin-e-Saveh and Malas-e-Torsh planted on March 2010 and January 2011, and statistically analyzed as factorial in a completely randomized design. According to the obtained results single-node cuttings with diameters smaller than 8 mm had better rooting. Shirin-e-Saveh cultivar showed better rooting compared to Malas-e-Torsh cultivar and also IBA hormone treatment with concentrations of 1500 ppm and 3000 ppm did not show significant effect on increasing of single-node cuttings rooting. Whereas acid treatment in Shirin-e-Saveh cultivar caused facilitation in rooting,best average for some of roots (11 roots) were found in single-node cuttings of Shirin-e-Saveh cultivar treated with sulfuric acid.

The lipid composition of the heart, liver and brain of roan antelope was determined on a dry weight basis. The crude fat ranged between 4.16-8.65 g/100 g with corresponding contributing energy as 120-180 kJ/100 g and total fatty acid of 3.25-4.85 g/100 g. The fatty acids were (in % of total fatty acids): SFA: 46.3 (brain) > 39.5 (heart) > 37.7 (liver); MUFA (cis): 44.2 (brain) > 39.8 (heart) > 25.4 (liver); MUFA (trans): 0.131 (brain) > 0.121 (heart) > 0.053 (liver) and PUFA: 36.8 (liver) > 20.5 (heart) > 9.26 (brain). Best SFA level was C16:0 in brain (25.8 %) and in heart (25.2 %) but C18:0 in liver (17.3 %). C18:1 (cis-6) was highest MUFA in liver (12.7 %) but C18:1 (cis-9) was highest MUFA in heart (18.3 %) and brain (22.3 %). These n-6 PUFA were high in concentration: C18:2 (cis-9, 12) 2.05 -21.4 % and C20:4 (cis-5, 8, 11, 14) 3.91-13.3 %. SFA as food was 1.23-2.24 g/100 g and PUFA was 0.449- 1.20 g/100 g with corresponding energy contributions of 45.4-83.0 kJ/100 g and 16.6-44.2 kJ/100 g. AA/DGLA was 5.73-13.7; EPA/DHA was – to 0.027; LA/ALA was 7.48-60.6; n-6/n-3 was 2.72-51.9; PUFA/SFA was 0.200-0.976; MUFA/SFA was 0.676-1.01 and EPSI was 0.209-1.44. The only sterol of significance was cholesterol with a range of 88.7-1234 mg/100 g whereas total phospholipids range was 283-2791 mg/100 g with the brain being highest in concentration and the liver being lowest in both sterol and phospholipids respectively.

Proximate composition, mineral composition and anti-nutrient factors were determined in the hull and cotyledons of the kernel of dika nut (Irvingia gabonensis) on dry weight basis. Higher values (g/100 g) protein, fat, ash, fiber, dry matter, fatty acid and calorific value were recorded in the cotyledon. In minerals, the levels in cotyledon were higher than hull in (mg/100 g): Na, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu, Mn, Co, Fe, Cd, Ni, and P and in [K (Ca + Mg)], Ca/P and Ca/Mg. In the anti-nutrients, hull was higher in tannin, oxalate, phytate, phytin phosphorus, saponins, alkaloids and phytin phosphorus as a percentage of total phosphorus. The levels of Phy: Zn, Ca: Phy and Ca: Phy/Zn was good enough in the hull and cotyledon for the body to absorb calcium and zinc for its physiological activities. Significant differences existed between the hull and the cotyledon in all the parameters determined with high positive rxy at r = 0.05.

The levels of crude fat, fatty acids, phospholipids and phytosterols were determined in the unfermented and fermented samples of African locust bean seeds using gas chromatography techniques. Results showed crude fat varied from 16.9-19.5 g/100 g; SFA varied from 45.6 down to 42.1 % of total fatty acids, total unsaturated fatty acids varied from 54.4-57.9 %, PUFA range was 31.8 down to 31.0 % and PUFA/SFA ranged from 0.698-0.735. Both samples had high levels of n-6 fatty acids but low in n-3 fatty acids. In the phospholipids, lecithin was highest in the two samples with values ranging from 95.5-107 mg/100 g (46.1-51.4 %). The phytosterol values in the unfermented seeds ranged from 0.00-138 mg/100 g and in fermented seeds the range was 0.00-144 mg/100 g with sitosterol predominating in both samples. Whilst 100 g unfermented seeds would provide 13.5 g fatty acids, 100 g fermented seeds would provide 15.6 g fatty acids. The correlation coefficient was not significantly different in the fatty acids and phospholipids but significantly different in the phytosterols at r _{= 0.05}.

The amino acid components of dry date palm fruits were reported. Among the amino acids investigated, aspartic acid was found most abundant. The least concentrated amino acid was methionine whereas, the highest concentrated essential amino acid was leucine. The percentage ratio of total essential amino acid (44.4%) in the sample was higher than 39%, 26% and 11% considered adequate for ideal food protein for infants, children and adults respectively. The percentage total acidic amino acid was 26.8% whereas the percentage total basic amino acid was 25.1%. The percentage neutral amino acid was 48.1%. The percentage of cystine in total sulphur amino acids was 56.1%. The predicted protein efficiency ratio (P-PER), isoelectric point and essential amino index were 1.14, 1.82, and 0.40 respectively. The leucine/isoleucine ratio was 2.99. This shows that Leu>Ile in the sample. The amino acid scores based on whole hen’s egg amino acid showed that both Thr and Val had the lowest score. The amino acid scores based on provisional essential amino acid scoring pattern showed that Thr had the least score whereas the amino acid scores based on the suggested pattern of amino acid requirements of pre-school child (2-5 years) showed that Thr was limiting. The sample was generally poor in most of the amino acids especially the essential amino acids.

A decent home is a basic need for every human. Owning a home has always been a great dream to everyone, it will secure one’s life and give protection to an individual and also the family. However, young people are at greatest risk when it comes to increasing house prices, interest rates with the portions of their monthly income are spending on monthly payment for the housing debt. Most of this generations are just started their working career and hardly earned a good pay. Therefore, the dream to own a decent house is only able to be realized if it is affordable to them. The term affordable simply means, the housing price will not cause excessive financial burden towards their monthly commitment. Malaysia as a developing country remain consistent about providing access to home ownership and several incentives are given to the young starters, however the responses on the incentives are mixed. As the potential house buyers across Malaysia tighten their belt more and more to meet the increasing price of the housing prices, it is about time to relook on the actual cause of the problems before it becomes a madcap to the nation’s economy.

Whether the level of deployment of information technology solutions actually enhances bank performance is still a matter of debate in academic circles. This paper set out to assess the effect of deployment of information technology solutions on the performances of deposit money banks in Nigeria. Data spanning over a seven year period (2005 to 2011) were generated from annual financial reports of sampled banks to ascertain the relationship between bank deployment of IT solutions and enhanced bank performance using a regression equation expressed in a multiple form. Findings revealed that deployment of IT solutions have been on the increase especially in the post-consolidation period as evidenced by increased number of bank branches and ATM which were interlinked via IT solutions. The correlation matrixes revealed that information technology solutions deployment have a positive relationship with increased bank profitability thus suggesting that increased banks investment in IT solutions enhances bank performance.

The study conducts job strain, stress among managers to cause of presenteeism among managers. The data were obtained by using COPSOQ stress scales, Stanford Presenteeism Scale (SPS-6). The questionnaires administered to all 75 managers in 3 companies situated in Iran. The research questions were conducted using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and T-test. According to the findings the managers experience significantly higher levels of stress, also with female managers experiencing higher levels of job strain than men. Moreover, high levels of stress are related with decreased presenteeism. Meanwhile, a significant difference was obtained in the means between age groups, as the youngest respondents indicating decreased presenteeism.