Problems of Microcredit among Microenterprises in Nigeria

This study was designed to assess the problems of microcredit among microenterprises in Nigeria and make recommendations for remedial strategies. Microcredit refers to small loans made available to small producers otherwise known as the active poor to enable them start new productive activities, grow or sustain existing ones. The study was delimited to Aba which has the highest concentration of microenterprises in the South East Zone of Nigeria. The survey research design was used, and the questionnaire and face-to-face interview methods were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using tables, frequencies, percentages and Z-test statistics. It was found that problems of microcredit have significant effects on the performance of microenterprises in Nigeria. Ten recommendations were made based on the findings of this study. Keywords: Microcredit, Microenterprises, Micro-entrepreneurs, UNDP, MfB, CBN, Peru, Soft loans, FEAP, MSMEs, Vulcanizers, Venture Capitalist

Power of the Knowledge of Management Techniques on Productivity among Indigenous Entrepreneurs in Nigeria

The research was conducted to determine the power of the knowledge of management techniques among indigenous entrepreneurs in Nigeria and make recommendations. The survey research method was used and researchers self-designed questionnaire, titled, “Entrepreneurs Self-Assessment Questionnaire” (ESAQ) and face-to-face personal interviews were used to generate data. Management techniques involve the entire body of systems, procedures and methods of the science and art of managing to achieve enterprise objectives. In Nigeria today the great need for sound financial intelligence, planning and management makes the understanding of concepts such as ROA, balance-sheet analysis, variable budgeting, ratios, business plans, etc important for emerging entrepreneurs of the current century. Entrepreneurs as decision-makers are constantly under enormous business pressure to make realistic and intelligent projections in key financial variables on how to maximize organizational efficiency and profitability. Data collected were organized and coded before they were classified. To obtain result, data were analyzed through the use of tables, frequencies, percentages and Chi-Square statistics. The Test Statistics showed that knowledge of management techniques is important for superior productivity among indigenous entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Eight recommendations were made based on the result of the study. Keywords: Entrepreneurs, Management Techniques, Indigenous, ERP, Efficiency, Wharton, Productivity, Kleptomania, Touting, Ownership, Business Plan ICT

The Relative Effectiveness of Collaborative Learning Approach on Secondary School Students' Understanding of the Concept of Electromagnetic Induction

This study compared the relative effectiveness of Collaborative and Demonstration Teaching Approaches on students’ conceptual understanding of electromagnetic induction in secondary schools in Nigeria. Two research questions and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the research. The research quasi experimental design was adopted for this study. The population of the study is made up of the 323 Senior Secondary III physics students in all six public co-educational Senior Secondary schools in Port Harcourt local Government Area. A sample of 180 students, comprising 120 males and 60 females, were selected for the study. Simple Means, Standard Deviation and Variance were used to answer research questions while t-test was utilized for the testing of the hypothesis. The results show that students taught with Collaborative Learning Approach understood better than those taught with Demonstration Approach. Based on the effectiveness of the Collaborative learning approach, it is recommended that teachers be acquainted with the techniques and use of collaborative and other constructivists teaching approaches in science classrooms

Perceptions of Instructor Caring Behaviors Between English as a Second Language and Non-English as a Second Language Nursing Students

AbstractEnglish as a second language (ESL) nursing students have a significantly higher attrition rate and lower National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) pass rate than their non-ESL counterparts. Instructor caring behaviors (ICBs) are the ways nursing instructors treat students with respect, taking care to avoid prejudices, stereotyping, and judgments in the teaching-learning process which present prelicensure faculty to grapple with the challenge of effectively meeting the learning needs of both ESL and non-ESL students. The purpose of this cross-sectional, comparative study, guided by Watson’s theory of human caring, was to explore the differences in perceptions of ICBs between ESL and non-ESL prelicensure nursing students enrolled in associate of science in nursing (ASN) and bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) programs. A sample size of 50 participants drawn from three ASN programs, located in the Northeastern United States, completed the Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Instructor Caring survey questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a series of Mann-Whitney U tests. The study findings indicated no significant difference between prelicensure ESL and non-ESL ASN students in how they perceived ICBs. The results from this study could be used to empower nursing program administrators and faculty to better support both ESL and non-ESL students to effect positive social change so nursing could have better representation of minority populations. Future research could be conducted using a larger number of participants from both prelicensure ASN and BSN programs with diverse student populations

Design and Implementation of a Virtual Machine Video Conferencing Application

Videoconferencing today is faced with the challenge of limited number of participants per time, and also the need for large and fully equipped conference rooms. This might not be a problem to a large enterprise, but for the small to medium-sized business, access to a videoconferencing facility involves either a very costly rental fee or is completely impossible. The aim of this work is to design and implement a videoconferencing prototype (OpenMeeting) with added functionalities which will solve problems facing the traditional way of conducting meetings

Toxic metal levels in Nigerian electronic waste workers indicate occupational metal toxicity associated with crude electronic waste management practices

The poor management of electronic wastes (e-waste) in Nigeria exposes workers to toxic chemicals in waste electrical and electronic equipment. In this study, we evaluated the toxic metal levels in Nigerians occupationally exposed to e-waste. Whole blood levels of Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), and Chromium (Cr) were determined in Nigerian e-waste workers (n=63) and in age-matched non-exposed participants (n=41), using standard electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry methods. The results showed statistically significant (p<0.01) elevated body burden of toxic metals in e-waste workers (Pb, 0.95 ± 0.00 µmol/L; Cr, 405.99 ± 6.34 µmol/L; Cd, 108.54 ± 1.60 nmol/L; As, 10.09 ± 0.01 µmol/L; and Hg, 25.02 ± 0.14 nmol/L) compared with non-exposed group ((Pb, 0.03 ± 0.00 µmol/L; Cr, 178.44 ± 5.99 µmol/L; Cd, 56.99 ± 1.42 nmol/L; As, 1.02 ± 0.0008 µmol/L; and Hg, 1.62 ± 0.0672 nmol/L). These data indicate that the elevated body burden of toxic metals in the e-waste exposed  population is an indication of occupational metal toxicity associated with crude e-waste management practices in Nigeria. In addition, the potential health implications of exposure to these toxic metals, such as chronic kidney disease, cancer; preceded by genome instability and depressed immune response were highlighted.Keywords: Metal toxicity, e-waste, Nigeria, Occupational exposure

Correlates in Groundwater Quality Parameters and Textural Classes of Soils in a Peri-industrial District of the Nigerian Delta Region

This study investigated the physicochemical status of groundwaters of the oil-rich Ekakpamre community in Ughelli, Nigeria. Ten borehole water samples located about 1 km apart and soil samples around them were collected and analyzed by standard methods. Clay, sand and silt compositions in overlaying soils appeared to influence the DO (r=-0.999), TPH & toluene (r=0.998, each), and K+ ion (r=-0.999) levels in groundwaters at P<0.05. Three PCs which accounted for 100% variability in the original 27 variables formed the extraction solution and were most correlated with Cr (0.995), Pb (0.989) and PO42- ions (0.947). Though the high compositions of clay (72.67 ± 2.33%) and low compositions of sand (24.33 ± 2.60%) in the study indicates slight possibility of migration of surface pollutants to aquifers, the exceedances of Pb and Cd levels over regulatory limits portends public health hazards to consumers of groundwaters in the area. Keywords: Physiochemical status, Groundwater, Peri-industrial District, Niger Delta, Water contamination,    Textural compositions 

Formulation and characterization of artemether-loaded sodium alginate microcapsules

Purpose: To increase the solubility of artemether (ART) in Transcutol® HP through microencapsulation in sodium alginate polymer to achieve  sustained in vivo release.Method: Graded concentrations of ART (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00 g) microcapsules were produced using Tween® 80 by the cold  homogenization method at 24 x 1000 rpm for 15 min. Characterization based on yield, encapsulation efficiency (EE), particle size, pH stability,  differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and in vivo release using Peter’s four-day suppressive protocol in Wistar mice infected with Plasmodium berghei, were determined.Results: The results obtained indicate that 0.5 g ART-loaded microcapsules (AMC) showed the highest yield of 96.85 %. The EE of 88.3 %  corresponded to 0.75 g ART-loaded microcapsules. DSC results revealed that there was a significant reduction in enthalpy in all the formulations compared to the crystalline drug, but no strong bond interaction occurred except for the blank microcapsules. The AMC1.0 showed high dose-dependent plasmodial growth inhibition of 88.75 % while AMC0.25 had the least (68.13 %).Conclusion: The artemether microcapsules showed sustained release characteristics for oral delivery of artemether and therefore may reduce some of the adverse effects associated with high dose artemether therapy in conventional oral tablets. Keywords: Malaria, Artemether, Transcutol® HP, Sustained-release, RBC count, Antiplasmodial activit

Preliminary spectroscopic characterization of PEGylated mucin, a novel polymeric drug delivery system

The objective of this study was to evaluate, spectrophotometrically, the compatibility of non-mucinated polyethylene glycol (PEG) 4000 and non-PEGylated mucin in a PEGylated mucin matrices for drug delivery application. Mucin was extracted from the giant African land snails (Archachatina maginata) using chilled acetone and characterized in terms of qualitative properties and solubility profile. Polymeric matrices composed of PEG 4000 and mucin in ratios of 2:0 (A), 1:1 (B), 2:1(C) and 3:1 (D) were prepared by co-precipitation using chilled acetone. The matrices were characterized with respect to compatibility using the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Results of the qualitative tests performed on the snail mucin showed that carbohydrates, proteins and trace amounts of fats were present; the extracted mucin was light-brownish in colour, with a pleasant meaty odour. Snail mucin, when dispersed in water yielded a slightly viscous dispersion, but is not soluble in ethanol, acetone, 0.1 M sodium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide and sulphuric acid. The presence of different peaks in the FT-IR spectra of the PEGylated mucin matrices compared with the non-PEGylated mucin (2:0) matrix and non-mucinated PEG 4000 (0:2) matrix indicated the formation of new polymers, which could be employed in drug delivery. This study has shown that PEGylation of mucin gives rise to new polymeric system with principal FT-IR peaks quite different from those of non-PEGylated mucin and nonmucinated PEG, and this may be employed in the delivery of drugs.Key words: PEGylation, drug delivery, mucin, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Archachatina maginata

Toxic metal levels in Nigerian electronic waste workers indicate occupational metal toxicity associated with crude electronic waste management practices

The poor management of electronic wastes (e-waste) in Nigeria exposes workers to toxic chemicals in waste electrical and electronic equipment. In this study, we evaluated the toxic metal levels in Nigerians occupationally exposed to e-waste. Whole blood levels of Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), and Chromium (Cr) were determined in Nigerian e-waste workers (n=63) and in age-matched non-exposed participants (n=41), using standard electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry methods. The results showed statistically significant (p<0.01) elevated body burden of toxic metals in e-waste workers (Pb, 0.95 \ub1 0.00 \ub5mol/L; Cr, 405.99 \ub1 6.34 \ub5mol/L; Cd, 108.54 \ub1 1.60 nmol/L; As, 10.09 \ub1 0.01 \ub5mol/L; and Hg, 25.02 \ub1 0.14 nmol/L) compared with non-exposed group ((Pb, 0.03 \ub1 0.00 \ub5mol/L; Cr, 178.44 \ub1 5.99 \ub5mol/L; Cd, 56.99 \ub1 1.42 nmol/L; As, 1.02 \ub1 0.0008 \ub5mol/L; and Hg, 1.62 \ub1 0.0672 nmol/L). These data indicate that the elevated body burden of toxic metals in the e-waste exposed population is an indication of occupational metal toxicity associated with crude e-waste management practices in Nigeria. In addition, the potential health implications of exposure to these toxic metals, such as chronic kidney disease, cancer; preceded by genome instability and depressed immune response were highlighted