Correlations Among Availability of Information and Communication Technology, ICT Skills, Perceived Ease-of-use and Use Electronic Resources by Law Lecturers in Nigerian Public Universities

Law lecturers occupy a vintage position in producing legal experts who will later constitute the bar and benches in the society. However, as global as the profession is, there seems to be existence of some challenges in electronic resources use by law lecturers in public universities in Nigeria. Previous studies on the issue largely focused on strategies for improving the use of ER with little consideration for the extent to which availability of Information and Communication Technology, ICT skills, and perceived ease-of- use could influence the use of ER. Therefore, the study investigated the influence of the availability of ICT, ICT skills (applications, text creation, access and manipulation, database, and the Internet Communication skills) and perceived-ease-of-use on the use of ER by law lecturers in public universities in Nigeria. Survey research design was adopted. Four hundred and twenty (420) law lecturers, 247(58.8%) male and 173(41.2%) female participated in the study. There were significant positive relationships among availability of ICT and use of electronic resources by law lecturers (r =0.21), and ICT skills and use of electronic resources (r=0.22) while perceived ease-of-use of ICT did not. Availability of ICT, ICT skills and perceived ease-of-use, jointly influenced the use of electronic resources (F (2,416) =4.90, R2=0.26). The relative contributions of the independent variables to the use of electronic resources were: availability of ICT (β=.14, t=2.01); ICT skills (β =.14, t=1.87) and perceived ease-of-use of ICT (β =0.20, t=.27). Availability of Information and Communication Technology, Information and Communication Technology skills and ease-of-use of Information and Communication Technology influenced the use of electronic resources by law lecturers in public universities in Nigeria. ICT and other basic infrastructure in appreciable quantity should be provided by the government and the management of the universities for use of the law lecturers and, Publicity of the acquired electronic resources and their contents. Keywords: Information and communication technology, ICT skills, Electronic resources, Perceived ease-of-use of ICT, Law lecturers in public universities, Nigeria

An Evaluation of Nomadic Education Programme in Nigeria

The global consensus is that education is a process that helps the whole human being, physically, mentally morally, socially and technologically. This enables one to function in any environment in which one may find oneself. Education also performs a major role in equipping the individual with the skills and knowledge which would help to transform any economy. Thus, it is the greatest investment that any nation can make for the quick development of its economic, political, sociological and human resources. Believing that education is the cornerstone for national development, Nigeria has adapted education as the “principal instrument par excellence” for effective national development. Her philosophy of education is based on the integration of the individual into sound and effective citizenship with equal educational opportunities at all levels through the formal and non-formal school system. More importantly, the government of Nigeria believes that the provision of functional education is the primary means of upgrading the socioeconomic condition of the rural population. Such rural populations, particularly the nomadic pastoralists and the migrant fishermen are difficult to educate. This is reflected by their participation in existing formal and non-formal education programmes which are abysmally low; their literacy rate ranged between 0.2% and 2.0% (Tahir, 2003)

Comparative analysis of dietary pattern, anthropometry and serum ascorbate status of persons living with or without non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Recent upsurge of cancer cases across the globe is of concern to all and many studies shows the relationship between nutrient and the immune system and consequently cancer. This work aims to compare the dietary pattern, anthropometry and serum ascorbate status of the persons living with and those living without non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). A case-control study was conducted using blood samples of eight patients diagnosed for NHL at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, while eight (8) volunteers were the control group. Socio-economic characteristics, medical history, food preferences, anthropometric indices were retrieved from questionnaires. Ascorbic Serum assay done with ultraviolet absorption spectrophotometry method using Klett-summerson photoelectric. Students’ t-test and Chi-square were used to test the educational levels fruit consumption. 25% of the respondents suffering from NHL skipped lunch and dinner, but none skipped breakfast. 66.67% of the cases and 100% of the control have their weight normally distributed. Cases had 11.11% slightly underweight and 11.11% obese. 25% of the population of the respondents had normal range of 0.4 mg/100 of serum ascorbate, while six had low serum ascorbate levels

Stability of Vitamin a in Selected Nigerian Bread Made From Commercial Fortified Wheat Flour

Abstract Purpose: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a public health problem in Nigeria. Stability study was carried out to determine vitamin A contents of selected brands of commercial wheat flour and bread. Methods: Retinyl Palmitate content of three samples of commercial wheat flour and bread randomly selected were analyzed at 0, 5 (bread) and 0, 60 days (flour) respectively at room temperature using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Results: Vitamin A contents of wheat flour and bread were 7.1 to 10.1 i.u. /g (wheat flour) and 0-3.4 i.u./g (bread). Significant difference existed between the mean vitamin A content of wheat flour and label declaration (30 i.u/g) (P< .05). Vitamin A stability was 0-91% (wheat flour) after 60 days and 0-68% (bread) after 5days. Mean stability was better in bread than in flour. Conclusion: Wheat flour and bread contain vitamin A lower than the standard (30 i.u/kg)

Information Technology and Transcription of Reading Materials for the Visually Impaired Persons in Nigeria

Studies have shown inadequate reading materials for the visually impaired in Nigeria. Information technology has greatly advanced the provision of information to the visually impaired in other industrialized climes. This study investigated the extent of application of information technology to the transcription of reading materials for the visually impaired in Nigeria. The study adopted survey research design of the ex-post facto to select 470 personnel as respondents. A questionnaire titled Information Technology Use Scale (α=0.74), and Interview Schedule (α=0.75), were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The findings indicate that information technology in transcription was low and a significant positive relationship between application of information technology and transcription of information materials (r=0.62: p<0.05). The study recommended among others that Multi-National Corporations should be sensitized to extend their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities to help in procuring modern information technology devices and software to enhance transcription

Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective

This Report has a number of inter-related general purposes. One is to explore the extent to which food, nutrition, physical activity, and body composition modify the risk of cancer, and to specify which factors are most important. To the extent that environmental factors such as food, nutrition, and physical activity influence the risk of cancer, it is a preventable disease. The Report specifies recommendations based on solid evidence which, when followed, will be expected to reduce the incidence of cancer

Information Technology and Transcription of Reading Materials for the Visually Impaired Persons in Nigeria

Studies have shown inadequate reading materials for the visually impaired in Nigeria. Information technology has greatly advanced the provision of information to the visually impaired in other industrialized climes. This study investigated the extent of application of information technology to the transcription of reading materials for the visually impaired in Nigeria. The study adopted survey research design of the ex-post facto to select 470 personnel as respondents. A questionnaire titled Information Technology Use Scale (α=0.74), and Interview Schedule (α=0.75), were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The findings indicate that information technology in transcription was low and a significant positive relationship between application of information technology and transcription of information materials (r=0.62: p<0.05). The study recommended among others that Multi-National Corporations should be sensitized to extend their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities to help in procuring modern information technology devices and software to enhance transcription

Consuming cassava as a staple food places children 2-5 years old at risk for inadequate protein intake, an observational study in Kenya and Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Inadequate protein intake is known to be deleterious in animals. Using WHO consensus documents for human nutrient requirements, the protein:energy ratio (P:E) of an adequate diet is > 5%. Cassava has a very low protein content. This study tested the hypothesis that Nigerian and Kenyan children consuming cassava as their staple food are at greater risk for inadequate dietary protein intake than those children who consume less cassava.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A 24 hour dietary recall was used to determine the food and nutrient intake of 656 Nigerian and 449 Kenyan children aged 2-5 years residing in areas where cassava is a staple food. Anthropometric measurements were conducted. Diets were scored for diversity using a 12 point score. Pearson's Correlation Coefficients were calculated to relate the fraction of dietary energy obtained from cassava with protein intake, P:E, and dietary diversity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The fraction of dietary energy obtained from cassava was > 25% in 35% of Nigerian children and 89% of Kenyan children. The mean dietary diversity score was 4.0 in Nigerian children and 4.5 in Kenyan children, although the mean number of different foods consumed on the survey day in Nigeria was greater than Kenya, 7.0 compared to 4.6. 13% of Nigerian and 53% of Kenyan children surveyed had inadequate protein intake. The fraction of dietary energy derived from cassava was negatively correlated with protein intake, P:E, and dietary diversity. Height-for age z score was directly associated with protein intake and negatively associated with cassava consumption using regression modeling that controlled for energy and zinc intake.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Inadequate protein intake was found in the diets of Nigerian and Kenyan children consuming cassava as a staple food. Inadequate dietary protein intake is associated with stunting in this population. Interventions to increase protein intake in this vulnerable population should be the focus of future work.</p

Agricultural Value Added, Food and Nutrition Security in West Africa: Realizing the SDG 2

This study examined how food security will be achieved in ECOWAS through agricultural value added. The study made use of panel data sourced from the World Bank World Development Indicators (WDI) and the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) databases; it employed the fixed effects econometric technique. Results from the analysis showed that 1% increase in agricultural production, agriculture employment, agricultural valued added, political stability and absence of violence as well as access to electricity all things being equal, will bring about 14.2, 56.9, 1.9, 1.5 and 42.5% increase in food security. Thus, the study recommended that the governments of the West African countries should ensure that there is adequate security in the economies so as to encourage people to practice agriculture

Relative Undernourishment and Food Insecurity Associations with Plasmodium falciparum Among Batwa Pygmies in Uganda: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Survey

Although malnutrition and malaria co-occur among individuals and populations globally, effects of nutritional status on risk for parasitemia and clinical illness remain poorly understood. We investigated associations between Plasmodium falciparum infection, nutrition, and food security in a cross-sectional survey of 365 Batwa pygmies in Kanungu District, Uganda in January of 2013. We identified 4.1% parasite prevalence among individuals over 5 years old. Severe food insecurity was associated with increased risk for positive rapid immunochromatographic test outcome (adjusted relative risk [ARR] = 13.09; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 2.23–76.79). High age/sex-adjusted mid-upper arm circumference was associated with decreased risk for positive test among individuals who were not severely food-insecure (ARR = 0.37; 95% CI = 0.19–0.69). Within Batwa pygmy communities, where malnutrition and food insecurity are common, individuals who are particularly undernourished or severely food-insecure may have elevated risk for P. falciparum parasitemia. This finding may motivate integrated control of malaria and malnutrition in low-transmission settings