Polish road transportation system has recently been referred to as Tigers or Kings of Europe with its leading position being emphasized among other European countries. Therefore, it is about time the true condition of the system was revealed. The following presentation thoroughly illustrates the actual state of Polish road transportation system in 2012. Once the lecture of this article is finished, each reader can come to his own conclusions regarding road transport in Poland and decide whether monarchist terms of any kind are appropriate for this system description.

Nigeria is made up of over 250 ethnic groups and has over 500 dialects validating her rich cultural diversity and resources. Yet its cultural industry has not been properly harnessed and as a result, Nigeria is fast losing her cultural heritage or history to cultural colonization and westernization. Consequently, Nigeria faces the possibility of cultural usurpation by cultures that are foreign to her cosmology. This research therefore examines how Nigeria’s cultural resources can be tapped into for nation building using the Eyo Festival as a case study. It is anchored on the neoliberal theory as a framework which explains the use of our culture as a means or an instrument of foreign policy. The study employed the use of both primary and secondary data to arrive at its conclusions. It sampled a population of 100 residents of Lagos State. Research findings indicate that the Eyo festival as a cultural heritage of Lagos State has contributed immensely to the nation building project, especially through tourism. The study therefore, recommends that the Nigerian government should re-orient and educate its citizens about its cultural heritage in order to increase national consciousness and awareness. Also, the government should ensure that our cultural heritage is preserved in order to attract foreign investment, thus enhancing nation building.

Detection of Optic disc (OD) in a fundus image is a foremost important step in the process of screening the diabetic retinopathy [1,4,18]. Hard Exudates detection algorithms usually find lot of false positives since the intensity and color distribution of OD will much resemble that of a Hard Exudates region [15,16]. So, most of the Exudates detection algorithms will miss classify the pixels at the OD region as Hard Exudates [2]. In our previous works, we used Genetic Algorithm(GA)[23,24] to find the OD location and size and reduced overall time, even doing the search on the entire problem space and also removed false hard exudates. In this work we are improving Hard Exudates detection accuracy using gradient index mapping technique applied on two similar planes of the RGB. The new algorithm is termed as TWINGRAB use the the two planes of the RGB after proper gradient projection. The database used for this preprocessing is DIARETDB1[10]for evaluation and comparision with the existing methods.

Comparisons of logarithmic and power-law wind profiles are made for offshore conditions during Tropical Storm Debby in 2012 over the Gulf of Mexico. It is found that both laws are validated up to 122m and that the power law is as good as the log law statistically. For practical applications, the exponent of power law can be determined from the gust factor measurement available routinely from National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) buoys.

Background: Neurogenic or neuropathic bladder is defined as any defective functioning of the bladder caused by impaired innervations. Pernicious anemia is a rare cause of neurogenic bladder and it is often accompanied by other neurological manifestations. The standard treatment is based on parenteral vitamin administration. We report a unique case of pernicious anemia revealed by a neurogenic bladder succefully managed by vitamin B12 administration.

The paper examines the different phases of identity assertion by the Bodos, the largest plains tribe of Assam, a state situated in Northeast India. Available evidence indicates that the emerging educated middle class has been playing a catalytic role in articulation of Bodo identity in various phases. It observes that the Assam movement against foreign nationals failed to accommodate the aspirations of smaller nationalities like Bodos and argues that as the Bodo middle class has been apprehensive of Assamese middle class hegemony, it sought to carve out its own political space by transforming and consolidating Bodo ethnic and regional identity into a distinct national identity and by raising the demand for a separate homeland for protection of its class interests. The paper proposes to examine the dynamics of this phenomenon.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine reclaiming ubuntu philosophy as a kernel of Chinhoyi University of Technology’s (CUT) service delivery. We argue that embedding ubuntu philosophy into core values, leads to better institutional vision, mission and strategies. The study explores how values of ubuntu are linked to service excellence at CUT. We argue that reclaimingand praxis of ubuntu philosophy bridges service delivery performance gap.Design/methodology/approach – Simple random sampling method focusing on ubuntu and client service charter framework (CSCF) is used. Having reviewed relevant literature, the study employs self-completing questionnaires and interviews. A qualitative methodology was used. Data was analysed using SPSS and content analysis.Findings – Basing on key variables embodied in ubuntu philosophy, the study shows that a CSCF for CUT was non-existent, thereby creating service performance delivery gap.Research limitations – This study is exploratory, however, the findings could be generalised within African context as ubuntu is an African ethic.Practical implications - This study is significant to institutions and stakeholders involved in quality service delivery.Social implications – This exploratory paper indicates constraints involved in the institutional management and socio-cultural characteristics as ubuntu is enshrined in African people and therefore strategies linking ubuntu and performance are of higher significance in the work-place.Originality/value – This paper explores the distinctiveness of ubuntu and institutional performances, service delivery and management. Very scant research has been undertaken in this area of Afrocentric service delivery and management.

In this article, the authors look at whether trade openness has had positive effects on growth and development in South Africa. A time series regression method that depicts the long and short term effects of trade openness on the South African economy was used. We carry out a long and short term regression analysis using quarterly data for the period 1994 through to 2013.The results of the regression analysis indicate that there was an enormous long and short term influence of trade openness on growth and development in South Africa.

Infections of animals with gastrointestinal nematodes constitute a world wide health problem. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness in vitro anthelminthic of Methylene Chloride/Methanol (1:1 volume mixture) extract of Annona senegalensis (Annonaceae) the barks of the stem on Heligmosomoides bakeri eggs and larvae (for ovicidal and larvicidal activities, respectively). Annona senegalensis is included in the list of the plants that have anthelminthic activity in the traditional medicine, just as with other plants like Albizia anthelmintica (Mimosaceae), Canthium mannii (Rubiaceae), Nauclea latifolia (Rubiaceae) and Carica papaya (Caricaceae). The plant material was collected from the peripheral savanas of Foumban, Noun Division, West Region of Cameroon. The final concentrations of plant extract tested were: 5 000, 3 750, 2 500, 1 250 and 625 μg/mL; 4 % Tween 80 aqueous solution was used as negative control. Ovicidal and larvicidal activities were assessed through egg embryonation and hatching rates and through mortality rate of L1 and L2 larvae, respectively. The extract produced low but dependant concentration on egg embryonation and hatching rates. With the highest extract concentration (5 000 μg/mL) embryonnation and hatching rates of 20.8 % and 16.1 % were obtained respectively. On the contrary, a strong larvicidal activity was observed. L1 mortality rates of 100 % and 96.7 % were recorded respectively, in the two most concentrated extract (5 000 and 3 750 μg/mL) just after six hours of exposition. L2 larvae appeared more resistant as the two most concentrated extracts (5000 and 3 750 μg/mL) produced larvicidal mortality rates of 96.1 % and 90.0 % respectively, just twenty four hours after the administration of the treatment. These results suggest that the extract of A. Senegalensis bark stem used, possess high larvicidal properties. Further more in vivo, studies assess the effects on adult worms and toxicity on mice hosts are still needed.

This study presents an overview of the urban development in Raipur city in India. More than one third of Raipur’s population resides in slums, squatters and other poor settlements. Their contribution to city’s economy has been also been growing over the period. In the absence of developed land and clear policy to address their problems, the poor suffer from many inadequacies in terms of access to basic services, socio- economic needs. It is necessary, therefore, to articulate policies and programmes to mainstream the slum communities with the city, both in terms of infrastructure provision and social and economic development. The present research broadly comes into the category of urban sociology where an effort is made to understand the problems of poor living slums of Raipur city. The physical improvement in the health and nutritional levels of the poor throughout the world would provide the physical basis for far higher levels of human productivity in the future. With the elimination of colonial rule in India, the spread of democratic forms of governance and market economies, the political, social and economic conditions needed to release human energies for higher levels of accomplishment are being met today more than at any time in the past. This study is an attempt to bring out the issues related to socially marginalized sections and their development.