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The study examined the impact of Point of Sale (POS) on cashless policy, issues and prospect in Nigeria economy; research questions were formulated and distributed to the sample population of 500 drawn from various POS operating centers in line with the objectives of the study. Four hundred and fifty responses were returned while fifty copies were not returned; the responses were categorized according to strongly agreed, agreed, strongly disagreed, disagreed and neutral with weight of (5,4,3,2,1) assigned to each category respectively to generate acceptable raw data for econometric analysis. The raw data were analyzed using cointegrated, ordinary least squares, autoregressive distributed lag, unit root and Grange causality; the result shows that POS has significant and positive impact on cashless policy in Nigeria. We therefore recommend that POS should be deployed to various areas to facilitates exchange transactions and ultimately reduces cash based related transactions in the economy.

This study examined the effects of financial dualism and inclusion on the economic development in Nigeria. Data were obtained principally from primary sources, interviews and questionnaires. The sample for the study consisted of one hundred (100) respondents randomly selected from shop owners in Eke Ugwu market, in owerri capital territory. The qualitative data were transformed into quantitative form with the use of likert scale. The ordinary least square (OLS) estimation technique was employed to test for relationship in the model. The study revealed a significant relationship between financial inclusion and economic development in Nigeria. The study further revealed that the delivery of quality financial services at affordable price and terms to the generality of the populace especially the disadvantaged and lower income segment of the society is the essence of financial inclusion. This study therefore recommends that the monetary authorities should ensurethat banks offer prompt and timely services. Neck-to-measure services should be produced and made available to customers at affordable prices. Again, Banks and other financial institutions should design appropriate packages that will assist in collaborating with the informal financial institutions so that the funds so far mobilized by them are integrated into the banking sector. This will reduce the volume of currency outside the banking sector.

Microsporidial infections have been recognized as an increasingly important infection in immunocompromized patients, particularly those infected with HIV/AIDS. This study was designed to study immune responses associated with experimental Encephalitozoon intestinalis infection in immunecompetent rats.Thirty-four rats in 3 groups, A (Control), B (Intraperitoneal) and C (Oral) were given injections of 0.5 ml of 2 x 10(6) of purified spores of Encephalitotozoon intestinalis spores and were observed for serum specific IgG for 21 days using both Direct and Indirect ELISA.In indirect ELISA, specific lgG were detected on days 7, 14 and 21 for the group B rats and on day 21 for group C and in direct ELISA method, specific lgG were detected in-group B rats on days 7 and 21, for group C rats on day 21 only, while in the control rats, specific lgG were not detected. There was no significant difference between the direct and indirect methods (df=1, X(2), P0.05). E. intestinalis was observed in stool samples of rats in 1/12 (08.33%) on days 14 and 21 in group B and in 4/10 (33.33%), 3/10 (25.00%) and 2/10 (16.67%) on days 7, 14 and 21 respectively in group C. In-group, A which is the control rats, no microsporidia were observed on days 0, 7, 14 and 21.There were no changes in the T-lymphocyte counts of rats prior to and after inoculation with spores. Extensive lesions were observed along the intestinal walls especially on the middle and lower sections of group C rats only.

Cuticular lipids were extracted in hexane from the females of four strains of Anopheles stephensi and separated by capillary gas chromatography. When the chromatograms produced were quantified and compared by discriminant analysis, compositional variations in the hydrocarbons indicated that two of the strains, 'Russ' (originally isolated in the former (U.S.S.R.) and 'Iraq' (from Iraq), both of which were susceptible to DDT and malathion, could be confidently separated from 'Beech' from India and 'St Mal' from Pakistan, both of which were resistant to DDT and malathion. A high degree of hydrocarbon segregation between each of the four strains might be associated with geographical variation. It appears that there are significant and real differences in the hydrocarbons of these strains and these may be at least partially related to genetic alterations resulting from prior insecticide exposure. However, far more analysis is required if any relationship with prior exposure is to be confirmed.

(1997). Hydrocarbon variation/discrimination between two strains of Anopheles albimanus Wied from El Salvador. Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology: Vol. 91, No. 5, pp. 493-497.

Gas Liquid Chromatography was used to obtain profiles of cuticular hydrocarbons from single larvae of two species belonging to the Anopheles gambiae complex: A. gambiae and A. arabiensis. By applying discriminant analysis of hydrocarbons it was possible to separate the two populations with a 95% success rate. The same analysis was used to achieve an average of 94% segregation among their strains. This analysis does not require preservation of specimen by liquid nitrogen or refrigeration and further identification by other procedures can be carried out on the specimens after cuticular hydrocarbon analysis. More importantly the technique permits analysis of single rather than pooled specimens used by earlier investigators.

Cuticular lipids were removed from adult female .inophries stephensi Liston and the cuticular hydrocarbons present were separated and quantified by gas chromatography. Comparison was made between the hydracarbons of four .-la. stephensi strains: Russ, sensitive to DDT and malathion and originally isolated in the former U.S.S.R.; Beech, a DDT-resistant Indian strain with high sensitivity to Piasnrodilrm species; St 41a1, a strain from Pakistan shown to be resistant to malathion; and Iraq, a DDT-susceptible strain from Iraq. Discriminant Analysis indicated that the four groups were distinct And that, on Average, X”,, of the population could beseparated on the basis ofthe quantities ofsome ofthe cuticular hydrocarbons. The profiles ofBeech and Russ or Russ and St Ma1 could be separated in 98”,, ofthe cases. There was reduced segregation between the profiles of St Ma1 and Iraq, suggesting greater similarity in the hydrocarbons of these two strains. The usef‘uiness of-cuticular hydrocarbon in determining species relationships is discussed.

Information is very scarce on the prevalence of hepatitis-B virus (HBV) infection among blood donors and patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in Nigeria. Hepatitis-B surface antigen (HBsAg) ELISA was used to determined the prevalence of HBsAg among 175 blood donors (aged 20-40 years) and 490 HIV-infected patients (aged 17-60 years) in Jos, Nigeria. Twenty-five (14.3%) of the blood donors and 127 (25.9%) of the HIV-infected individuals were HBsAg seropositive, indicating a higher HBV infection among HIV-infected persons than among healthy blood donors. A slightly higher HBsAg seroprevalence was recorded in the males (14.6%) than females (12.9%) of the blood donors. Among the HIV-infected patients, the males had considerably higher HBsAg seroprevalence than the females (31.8 vs 22.1%) with the highest prevalence of HBsAg occurring in the 51-60 years age group (44%), followed by those of 31-40 years (28.2%). Results confirmed the high endemicity of HBV infection in Jos, Nigeria and the significantly greater prevalence of HBV infection among HIV -infected patients than among blood donors.

Examination of chromatograms of karyotyped larvae of Anopheles gambiae s.s. and Anopheles arabiensis has revealed that there are differences in the profile of their epicuticular hydrocarbons. A discriminant analysis of the quantitative hydrocarbon data has shown that the An. gambiae Mopti 2Rbc/bc karyotype from Mali could be separated from the Forest 2La/a karyotype from Liberia in80% of cases. Similar analysis permitted80% separation of individuals of two karyotypes of Anopheles arabiensis: 2Rab/ + from Burkina Faso, and 2Rb/b from Madagascar.

Methanol extract of the dry peels of the common edible plant, Citrus limon (family, Rutaceae), was obtained using a Soxhlet extractor and its larviciding effect evaluated against the larvae of two household mosquitoes: Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. Each batch of larvae (20-30) were treated with 3.90, 15.63, 62.50, 250 and 1000 mg/l of the plant extract in 4 replicates. Application of 3.90 mg/l resulted in 14% mortality in both Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus within 24 hours but with a rise in concentration to 250 mg/l, mortality in both reached 66%. At the maximum concentration of 1000 mg/l used, 70% mortality was attained in the case of Ae. aegypti and 86% in Cx. quinquefasciatus. Statistical analysis showed that besides the 1000 mg/l treatment, there was significant difference (Anova, p < 0.05) in larval mortality between the other dosages tested on both species. The log-concentration probit line for C. limon extract against Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus after 24 hrs of treatment indicates that a concentration of 39.81 mg/l proved sufficient in killing 50% of the larvae of the former, while in the case of the latter, 112.20 mg/l was the median lethal dosage. The possible value of C. limon as an anti-mosquito agent is highlighted. JOURNAL OF AQUATIC SCIENCES Volume 16, Number 2, October 2001, pp. 111-114 KEY WORDS: Larviciding effects, Lemon peels, mosquito larvae

Cuticular hydrocarbons of larvae of individual strains of the Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto were investigated using gas liquid chromatography. Biomedical discriminant analysis involving multivariate statistics suggests that there was clear hydrocarbon difference between the Gambian(G3), the Nigerian (16CSS and, its malathion resistant substrain, REFMA) and the Tanzanian (KWA) strains. The high degree of segregation (95%) in hydrocarbons among the four strains investigated indicates that further analysis is needed to enable understanding of hydrocarbon variation in samples of An. gambiae especially from areas where these populations co-exist.

Purpose: Microsporidial infections have been recognized as an increasingly important infection in immuncompromised patients, particularly those infected with HIV/AIDS. This study was designed to study immune responses associated with experimental Encephalitozoon intestinalis infection in immunocompetent rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty-four Rats in 3 groups, A (Control), B (Intraperitoneal) and C (Oral) were given injections of 0.5 ml of 2 x 10 6 of purified spores of Encephalitotozoon intestinalis spores and were observed for serum specific IgG for 21 days using both direct and indirect ELISA. Results: In indirect ELISA, specific lgG were detected on days 7, 14 and 21 for the group B rats and on day 21 for group C and in direct ELISA method, specific lgG were detected in-group B rats on days 7 and 21, for group C rats on day 21 only, while in the control rats, specific lgG were not detected. There was no significant difference between the direct and indirect methods (df=1, X 2 , P>0.05). E. intestinalis was observed in stool samples of rats in 1/12 (08.33%) on days 14 and 21 in group B, and in 4/10 (33.33%), 3/10 (25.00%) and 2/10 (16.67%) on days 7, 14 and 21 respectively in group C. In group A, which is the control rats, no microsporidia were observed on days 0, 7, 14 and 21. Conclusions: There were no changes in the T-lymphocyte counts of rats prior to and after inoculation with spores. Extensive lesions were observed along the intestinal walls especially on the middle and lower sections of group C rats only.