Recent Articles

  • Teachers’ Perception of Guidance Counsellors’ Task Performance in Secondary Schools in Anambra State

    This study investigated teachers’ perception of guidance counselors’ task performance in secondary schools in Anambra State. Four research questions guided the study. Three hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 6,857 teachers from 257 public secondary schools in Anambra State. A sample of 685 was drawn using proportionate stratified random sampling techniques. Data was collected using a questionnaire of 30 items developed by the researcher and titled ‘’Teachers’ Perception of Guidance Counsellors Task Performance Questionnaire’’ (TPCTPQ) which was validated by experts. Internal consistency reliability index of 0.82 was obtained for the entire instrument using Cronbach’s alpha. Data analysis was done using mean and standard deviation for the research questions, while t-test was used to test the hypotheses. The finding reveals among others that Teachers’ Perception towards guidance counsellors Task Performance is high. Male and female teachers’ perception towards guidance counsellors’ tasks performance is high. Teachers in urban and rural areas perceive guidance counsellors’ tasks performance as being high. The study also found that teachers in urban and rural areas did not differ significantly in their perception of guidance counsellors’ task performance. Based on the findings of the study it was recommended among others that there is need to have professionally trained school counselors for effective delivery of guidance and counseling services in the schools. There is also need for sufficient facilities and finances for effective delivery of guidance and counseling tasks.

  • Natural resource modelling: accounting for gillnet size selectivity in dynamic deterrence model

    This paper applied the two times dynamic deterrence model (DDM) and relax the assumption of perfect size selectivity in gillnet in order to specify factors that determine violation rate. The method of comparative statics is employed to derive analytical results on the sensitivity of optimal violation to a number of key factors of high relevance to compliance with regulation designed to protect against over fishing. Analytical results obtained with this extended DDM confirm findings of earlier empirical studies. The study concludes that in developing country artisanal fisheries where probability of detection, enforcement and levels of fine are typically low, and poverty levels deriving high impatience about the future (discount rate) violation rates are bound to be high. The relative magnitude of the effects of each of these factors on compliance with regulation however, remains an important empirical question that requires further investigation for prioritization of policy actions.

  • Medicinal ferns of Eastern Ghats with special reference to Ahobiolam Reserve forest of Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, India

    The present investigation was carried out during January 2016 to December 2016 for the documentation of medicinal uses of Pteridophytes by indigenous people of Ahobilam reserve forest of Nallamalais forest of Eastern Ghats of Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh,India. Ethnomedicinal information n was gathered through questionnaire from the tribal and non-tribal people. We have reported 8 species of medicinally important Pteridophytes belonging to 6 families distributed in 7 genera. Our study concluded that, the wealth of indigenous ethnomedicinal knowledge of Pteridophytes may also points to a great potential for research in the discovery of new drugs to fight diseases and other new uses. Their conservation is urgently required.

  • Crop Productivity of Wheat under Different Tillage Systems in Semi-Arid Conditions of Sudan

    This study was conducted at Tamboul Testing and Training Centre, Sudan located at 150km south east of Khartoum during two different seasons (1995 -1996) to investigate the response of wheat productivity to different tillage systems on a heavy clay soil in an area of 2.4ha. The treatments were deferent tillage systems (Zero tillage, ridging, shallow harrowing, heavy harrowing, disc ploughing, disc ploughing+harrowing, split ridging and ridging thrice). These treatments were arranged in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. A computer program (SAS statistical package) was used to analyze the data while the variations among the means were checked by the least significant difference (LSD).The parameters tested were soil physical properties, crop water requirements (mm/day), plant height (cm), No. of tillering and crop productivity (kg/ha). The results indicated that, tillage systems significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected clearly soil physical properties. Disc ploughing+harrowing decreased the bulk density (1.3g/cm3) as compared to zero tillage system (1.5g/cm3). Plant height, tillering and yield significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected by the different tillage systems. Disc ploughing+harrowing gave the highest mean values of plant height (65.83cm), tillering (246) and crop productivity (1305kg/ha) as compared to zero tillage which ranked the least (43.26cm, 202 and 806.8kg/ha, respectively). It is concluded that for increasing the productivity of wheat crop, Disc ploughing+harrowing should be followed and adopted as one of the most important technical packages.

  • “Active fund managers will always underperform in behavioural market?”

    This paper mainly digs out reasons behind a common view that active fund managers perform poorly in behavioural market at most instances. Based on some economics theories and behaviour finance theories, the paper discusses five reasons arouse underperformance by active managers. Accordingly, these causes are divided into internal and external perspectives as well.

  • Treatment of Gangrene in Homeopathy

    The review article focus on Gangrene and its associated amputations are clinically challenging, but Homoeopathy offers therapy options. In this case are presented, in which the homoeopathic treatment prevented amputation of a body part. Homoeopathy stimulates the body’s ability to heal through its immune mechanisms; consequently, it achieves wound healing and establishes circulation to the gangrenous part. Instead of focusing on the local phenomena of gangrene pathology, treatment focuses on the general indications of the immune system, stressing the important role of the immune system as a whole. The aim was to show, through case reports, that homoeopathic therapy can treat gangrene without amputing the gangrenous part, and hence has a strong substitution for consideration in treating gangrene.

  • Evaluation of Antibacterial Activity of Shigru Patra Churna

    Background: Shigru (Moringa Oleifera Lam.) is a well known drug in Ayurveda used for its Krimighna activity (ability to kill the pathogens). Acharya Charaka had mentioned Shigru in Krimighna Mahakashaya1. Nighantus had specifically mentioned Krimighna activity of Shigru Patra viz. Kaiyadeva Nighantu2, Raj Nighantu3 and Shaligram4 Nighantu. Therefore Patra churna (powder of leaves) is selected for evaluation of anti bacterial activity on the strains which affects a large number of population. Methods : Shigru Patra churna at different concentrations viz. 5µl, 10µl, 25µl, 50µl and 75µl were tested for anti bacterial activity by Disc Diffusion method for 2 strains of Gram positive and 2 strains of Gram negative bacteria each, with DMSo (Dimethyl Sulphoxide) a neutral solvent. Zone of Inhibition was calculated. Result : Shigru Patra inhibits growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas auringinosa and Escheria coli at higher concentrations of 50µl and 75µl and is resistant to Streptococcus mutans at all concentrations. Zone of inhibition was 13mm for Staphylococcus aureus, 12mm for Pseudomonas auringinosa and 15mm for Escheria coli and activity index were 0.86, 0.40 and 0.50 respectively. Conclusion : Shigru Patra possess good anti bacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas auringinosa and Escheria coli.