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Local folks have reported that roasting cashew nuts has fatal effects on domestic birds, especially chickens. This study compared the toxicological effect of acute (one-hour) inhalation of cashew nutshell fumes (CNSF) in Cockerel chickens and Wistar rats. Twenty-four mixed-sex Wistar rats were divided into four groups; control, rats exposed to 500ppm/hr., 1250ppm/hr. and 2500ppm/hr. of CNSF for one (1) hour. The chickens were also divided into three groups of 6 chickens each; control (unexposed chickens), chickens exposed to 500ppm/hr. and 1000ppm/hr. of CNSF for one (1) hour. Hematological analysis as well as histological examinations of the lungs and heart of the Chickens and Rats were carried out. After one hour of exposure, the toxicity signs noted include; scratching, twitching, irregular breathing, and tremors. All rats exposed to 2500ppm/hr of CNSF died with moderate pulmonary congestion. Analysis of hematological parameters in the surviving animals showed a significant (P<0.05) increase in hemoglobin (Hb%), packed cell volume (PCV%) and white blood cells (WBCx109L) counts in both chickens and Wistar rats exposed to CNSF compared with the unexposed control groups. No significant (P>0.05) differences were found between male and female rats for all the hematological parameters measured. The results also showed species-specific variations in all the hematological parameters. Histopathological evaluation reflects a mononuclear inflammatory infiltration of the striated heart muscles and the septa of alveoli in the lungs. These results further highlight the possible adverse health effects of exposure to cashew nut fumes in animals and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource-rich economies, especially those in Africa, are plagued with the resource curse and Dutch Disease syndromes, which undermine the quest for effectively mobilizing domestic resources toward sustainable and inclusive development. Empirical evidence on the role illicit financial flow (IFF) plays in this regard is relatively scarce. Thus, this study evaluates the volume of IFF and its effect on tax revenue in seven resource-rich African countries. Panel data, sourced for the 2009-2021 period, were analysed using the fixed effect and random effect models while the Instrumental Variable Generalised Method of Moment (IV-GMM), a dynamic estimator, was used for robustness check. Findings revealed that IFF has been on the rise and has detrimental effects on the tax revenue of the sampled countries’ national governments. This is inimical to sustainable development. Thus, the governments and policymakers in these countries must develop pragmatic policy and institutional approaches toward tackling the IFF menace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid developments in industrialisation and urbanisation have resulted in serious environmental pollution. It is therefore imperative to evaluate contamination levels, sources, and ecological and human health risks of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils. This work examined the degree of PTE pollution in soils collected from Ikorodu Industrial Layout in Lagos, Nigeria. Concentrations of PTEs were determined by digesting the soil samples with aqua regia and analysing them using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (ICE 3000 series). The results showed that the majority of the PTEs analysed did not exceed the guideline values, but Zn was enriched at about 27% of the sampling locations. The enrichment and contamination factor computations revealed Zn and Ni as the highest and lowest contaminants, respectively. Pollution assessment tools employed Enrichment factor and Contamination factor (EF and CF) showed a similar PTE pattern (in descending order): Zn > Pb > Cd > Cu > Fe > Mn > Ni. Ecological risk assessment revealed that about 70% of sampling locations had significant potential ecological risks. Correlation and hierarchical clustering identified geogenic, anthropogenic and mixed contributions to soil PTE load. Hazard index indicators for children and adults wer less than 1, which suggests there was no potential for significant toxicity risks. Carcinogenic risks were estimated for Cd, Ni and Pb and results were within acceptable risk levels, but children are more vulnerable to cancer and non-cancer risks than adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study critically examines the impact of capitalization on bank liquidity creation in selected banks of Nigeria using the annual data of 10 banks for the period 2006 to 2010. The results of Levin, Lin and Chu unit root test show that all the variables are nonstationary at level. The results of Panel Least Square (PLS) regression reveal that bank size and capital asset ratio are positively related to bank capital but only bank size is significantly related to bank capital. In addition, the results show that bank liquidity and non-performing/assets ratio have a non-significant negative effect on bank capital. The implication is that better capitalized banks tend to create less liquidity, which supports the 'financial fragility-crowding out' hypothesis. This finding has important policy implications for emerging countries like Nigeria as it suggests that bank capital requirements, that is, recapitalization policy, implemented to support financial stability, may harm liquidity creation. The financial regulatory body needs to provide appropriate effective measures to adequately enhance transparent accountability. Measures such as relaxation or elimination of restrictions on profits and capital remittances, opening of formerly 'priority' sectors to investors, and provision of adequate security, among others, should be put in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study intends to critically analyze the relationship between perceived attributes as factors and consumers' engagement with electronic banking technology. A survey method was used to gather data from 200 secondary school teachers from five selected local government in South-Western part of Nigeria namely; Ibadan North, Egbeda, Ido, Ibadan North-East and Ibadan North-West Local government. Data was collected with a structured questionnaire and analyzed with several descriptive statistics to identify consumers' engagement in electronic banking technology in Nigeria. The results of the study therefore reveals that the most common influential factors hindering consumers' adoption of electronic banking in Nigeria are relative advantage of economic gains and non-economic gains, social character, communication behavior, trialability as well as observability. Hence, it therefore recommends that the banks should create channels through which customers' awareness will be enhanced and employ IT trained personnel to monitor and report any fraudulent transaction in order to secure customers' trust on safety risk/security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]