An Enhanced Performance Analysis of Software Using Architectural Feedback

The importance of software products and their quality attributes attainment has been a thing of concern in recent time to both academia and industry experts. This research work evaluated an enhanced performance analysis of software using architectural feedback. Data collected were, classified and analysed using SPSS reveal that the Relative Importance Index (RII) in relations to an enhance performance analysis of software using the architectural feedback was 0.83 which led to the proposal of a framework for an enhanced performance analysis of software using architectural feedback

Socio-economic Factors Influencing Extension Workers’ Effective use of Knowledge Management in Agricultural Extension Services

The study assessed the factors influencing extension workers effective use of Knowledge Management (KM) inSokoto State, Nigeria. Purposive sampling procedure was used to sample respondents from the study area andExtension Workers were selected from Sokoto Agricultural Development Project (SADP). Socio-economiccharacteristics were using structured questionnaire and a total of 188 respondents were sampled and data collectedanalysed using descriptive statistics and logit model as tools of analysis. The result of the study showed that 74.4% ofthe extension workers were male and majority (79.8%) were married. More so, 35% of the extension workers arewithin the age range of 31 – 40 years with household average size of 5-10 children. Majority (79%) of the extensionworkers had tertiary education. (35%) had experience ranging from 21-25 years on extension service delivery. About41% of respondents used motor cycle as a mean of transportation. Result of logit model shows that marital status,level of education, service experience, cosmopolitness and means of transportation had positive and significantrelationship with effectiveness of KM whereas household size and rank of extension workers had significant andnegative relationship with KM. It is therefore recommended that KM be encouraged and disseminated through topmanagement approach in SADP. This will avail quality and better extension service delivery by extension agencybecause the vast knowledge and experience garnered on effective extension service delivery by top managementofficer will be shared and passed on to junior officers. This will go in line with strengthening and improving thecapacity building of extension workers

Use of Rasch Wright map to understand the quality of Healthcare Workers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices for Uncomplicated Malaria (HKAPIUM)

The present study assessed the dimensionality and item difficulty targeting to person ability of HKAPIUM scale using Rasch Wright map approach. A HKAPIUM instrument (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.71) containing eighteen (18)-items was administered to 121 trained healthcare professionals involved in the management of uncomplicated malaria in 24 selected primary health care (PHC) facilities in Plateau state, Nigeria. The respondents filled and returned the instrument and the data was analyzed using Bond&Fox software®. The Rasch principal components analysis (Rasch-PCA) of the item residuals indicated variance explained values of 52 (knowledge), 41.1 (attitudes), and 55.4 (practices) and eigenvalues of the first contrast as 1.2, 1.8, and 1.5, respectively, which were within acceptable values thatindicated the unidimensionality of the three constructs of the HKAPIUM scale. The result showed moderate items difficulty levels for all the three constructs. The mean person ability levels of respondents with-respect-to knowledge-related items were low, while their mean person ability levels in endorsing the attitudes and practices-related items were good. The study revealed unidimensionality of the 3 constructs of HKAPIUM scale, with observed mismatch between item difficulty levels of the constructs with most of the person ability levels of the respondents

Insecticidal Effects of Hyptis Suaveolens Leaf Extract on Bean Weevils (Callosobruchus Maculatus) and Maize Weevils (Sitophilus zeamais)

Hyptissuaveolens is among the most widely used plants in insect pest control.Similarly, the cowpea beetle (Callosobruchusmaculatus F.) is a major primary insect of stored cowpea in Nigeria which causes annual losses estimated at 2900 tons. Likewise, the maize weevil (Sitophiluszemais M.) is one of the world’s most serious stored maize pest, that attacks all other cereal grains and products. The effects of the methanolic, ethanolic and acetonicleaf extracts of Hypitssuaveolens(L.) were evaluated for their repellent activities against adult Callosobruchus maculates and Sitophiluszeamaisusing a multi-choice bio-assay apparatus. The extracts were applied to the cowpea and maize each at 0.00mg/ml, 6.25mg/ml, 12.50mg/ml and 100.00mg.ml concentrations and the repellant activities were recorded. Observations were made after two hours, four hours, six hours, and eight hours for each extract and percentage repellency (PR) was determined. Among the three solvents tested, methanol extract of Hypitsuaveolens (100mg/ml) showed the highest repellent effect on Sitophiluszeamais (100%). In contrast, highest percentage of repellent activity was obtained when acetonicextracts were tested against the cowpea beetles.The highly significant percentage repellency observed in allthe extracts, strongly revealed the repellent properties of the plant. Hypitssuaveolens, is environmentally friendly, safe to consume. Therefore, it is recommended as a promising candidate for the treatment of stored grains