Acceptance of technology, quality, and customer satisfaction with information technology department in a community college : a case study

textThis study attempted to determine the level of customer satisfaction of the fulltime faculty and staff with the Information Technology department of Houston Community College (HCC), using Ziethaml et al., (1990) ten dimensions of quality service and the five dimensions of quality service identified by Bestfield et al., (1995). The study was guided by four research questions and used a mixed method approach: quantitative and qualitative research techniques. An online survey made-up of 27 Likert questions and three open-ended questions was sent to 1654 Houston Community College (HCC) employees (851 staff and 803 faculty). Three hundred and one (18.2%) respondents participated in the survey. For the qualitative piece, the top five and bottom rated questions by faculty and staff were used to conduct two focus group sessions: Focus Group One [Faculty] and Focus Group Two [Staff]. The researcher looked for similarities/dissimilarities between the faculty and staff. The results for faculty and staff on both the survey and focus group sessions shared some similarities and dissimilarities on their rating of the dimensions of quality service. For instance, 73.70% of the faculty and 74.90% of the staff were “truly satisfied” with dimension of Courtesy while about twice the percentage of faculty - 13.15% were “truly dissatisfied” with the dimension of Access compared to 7.50% for the staff. Findings of the study led to some conclusions and recommendations. Although the level of customer satisfaction among HCC’s faculty and staff were above average, a deeper consideration of the dimensions reveals that the dimensions of quality service of Leadership, Credibility and Communication are the most dimensions that are in deed of improvements. The recommendations made were: (1) HCC IT department should use this study as a baseline of customer satisfaction with the department and the department’s services for which the IT department may measure its customer satisfaction progress. (2) The HCC IT department should cultivate a strong professional development tract for its staff. This professional development should focus on the aspects of IT services that are unique to the HCC environment. (3) To add congruency and improve customer satisfaction, the various IT groups throughout HCC should be brought under the purview of the Vice Chancellor (VC) of Information Technology. (4) The IT department should improve communication within and without the department; the department should be committed to use board based communication means to improve the exchange and flow of information. (5) The IT department should create a group or team within the department that has the sole job of providing technology training and documentation to the user community – faculty and staff.Educational Administratio

Optimisation of the seedball technology for sorghum production under nutrient limitations

The seedball technology is a simple and affordable seed-pelleting technique that uses locally available materials such as sand, loam, wood ash and seeds to enhance early crop establishment. It has been shown to be effective for pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.) subsistence production in Sahelian environments. The objective of this study was to optimise the seedball technology for sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) under greenhouse conditions. Series of pot experiments were conducted in order to identify optimal size, seed number as well as nutrient content under low- and normal-soil phosphorus availability. The identified optimal seedball formula for sorghum is: 80 g sand + 50 g loam + 25 ml water + about 20 seeds. As maximum 1.5 g NPK mineral fertiliser can be added as nutrient compound. Compared to the control treatment, seedballs significantly improved root and shoot biomass variables as well as nutrient uptake of sorghum seedlings grown for 19 days. The lower the substrate P level, the better the biomass enhancement effect of seedballs, i.e. likely caused by nutrient availability. The next step is on-farm field testing under Sahelian conditions

Seedball technology development for subsistence-oriented pearl millet production systems in Sahelian West Africa

The objectives of this study were to review the potential of the local material-based innovation i.e. the seedball technology, at enhancing pearl millet seedlings establishment under Sahelian conditions, identify its potential constraints as well as applicability, chemically and mechanically optimize the seedball, and validate its performance under Sahelian field conditions. Seedball is a local seed pelleting techniques that aims at improving seedlings performance and to stabilize yield. First, the potential local materials such as sand, loam, wood ash, gum arabic, termite soil, charcoal as well as animal dung as the seedball components were identified and reviewed. These materials were selected based on their affordability to the local farmers. Potential constraints to seedball applicability as well as adoption in the Sahel were evaluated, and options for adaptation were discussed with the farmers. Afterwards, mechanical and chemical optimization of the seedball technology in several greenhouse experiments were conducted, followed by a germination test of the optimized seedball in the Sahelian field. Lastly, the mechanism of pearl millet seedlings root and shoot enhancement was investigated using micro-suction cup and computer tomography. Our evaluation showed that the materials needed for seedball production are locally available at affordable costs. The seedball technology totally conforms to the agronomic management practices in the African Sahel. In addition, the socio-economic status as well as cultural practices seemed not to reduce the chances of seedball technology adoption in this region. Our greenhouse studies showed that the seedball base dough, from which about ten 2 cm diameter-sized seedballs can be produced, is derived from the combination of 80 g sand + 50 g loam + 25 ml water. Either 1 g mineral fertilizer or 3 g wood ash can be added as nutrient additive to enhance early biomass of pearl millet seedlings. With respect to nutrient additives, ammonium fertilizers and urea hampered seedlings emergence. Wood ash amended (Sball+3gAsh) and mineral fertilizer-amended seedballs (Sball+1gNPK)enhanced shoot biomass by 60 % and 75-160 %, root biomass by 36 % and 94 %, and root length density of pearl millet by 14 % and 28 %, respectively, relative to the control. Again, the mineral fertilizer amended seedball in particular enhanced root dry matter by 227 %, compared to the control. Although the shoot nutrient content was not clearly enhanced by the seedball, nutrient extraction, calculated as the product of biomass yield and nutrient content, was higher in the nutrient-amended seedballs, compared to the conventional sowing. In Senegal, optimized seedballs showed over 95 % emergence in an on-station trial, indicating its viability in the Sahel region. With respect to seedball enhancement mechanism, the mineral fertilizer-amended seedball in particular promoted root growth within the vicinity of the seedball as early as 7 days after planting. The analysis of the sampled soil solution revealed that P as well as other cations and anions, observed through EC measurement, were released by the seedball in direct proximity of the seedball. Most likely, the nutrient release by the seedball triggered the observed fine root growth and overall higher root biomass of pearl millet seedlings. However, due to nutrient depletion in the root zone, nutrient supplementation was needed after three weeks after sowing to further promote growth of the well-established seedlings. At the Sahelian field, where seedlings enhancement is decisive for higher panicle yield in pearl millet, nutrient amended seedballs can potentially increase panicle yield under subsistence production. The seedball technology is cheap, and seems to have favorable conditions for adoption in the Sahel, coupled with its minimal seed usage and simple sowing on the sandy soil. A recommendation will be to conduct long-term, on-farm as well as on-station field trials, testing the seedball technology under different seasonal weather conditions. Pearl millet and sorghum are the major Sahelian staple crops. Fonio (Digitaria spp) is often neglected despite its high nutritional values. It is, therefore, recommended to test the seedball technology on the other fine-grained cereal crops.Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde das Potential von Saatkugeln, einer auf lokalen Ausgangs-materialen basierenden Aussaattechnologie, untersucht, um den Perlhirseanbau, insbesondere die Auflaufphase, unter den Bedingungen der Sahelzone zu verbessern. Die möglichen Einsatzbeschränkungen wurden identifiziert, die Saatkugeln bezüglich ihrer chemischen und physikalischen Eigenschaften optimiert und die Anwendbarkeit unter Feldbedingungen der Sahelzone validiert. Saatkugeln stellen eine lokale Pelletiertechnik dar, die Sand, Lehm sowie Holzasche oder einen geringen Anteil an Mineraldünger verwendet, um das Auflaufverhalten zu verbessern. Zunächst wurden die potentiellen lokalen Ausgangsmaterialien zur Herstellung der Saatkugeln wie zum Beispiel Sand, Lehm, Holzasche, Termitenhügelsubstrat, Gummi arabikum, Holzkohle, sowie Kompost identifiziert und charakterisiert. Diese Materialien wurden anhand ihrer Bezahl- und Verfügbarkeit für die lokalen Bauern ausgewählt. Potentielle Einschränkungen des Einsatzes der Saatkugeln, sowie die Adaption an die Bedingungen der Sahelzone wurden unter Einbeziehung der lokalen Landwirte diskutiert und evaluiert. Anschließend wurden verschiedene Gewächshausexperimente durchgeführt, um die physikalischen und chemischen Eigenschaften der Saatkugeln zu optimieren. Darauf folgte ein Keimungstest der optimierten Saatkugeln unter Feldbedingungen der Sahelzone. Abschließend wurden mittels Mikrosaugkerzen und Computertomographie die Mechanismen des Keimlingswurzelwachstums und des Sprosswachstums der Perlhirsekeimlinge untersucht. Unsere Evaluation zeigte, dass die Ausgangsmaterialien für die Saatkugelherstellung vor Ort zu niedrigen Kosten verfügbar sind. Die Saatkugeltechnologie entspricht den landwirtschaftlichen Verfahrensweisen in der afrikanischen Sahelzone und kann daher leicht angewandt werden. Außerdem scheinen der sozioökonomische Status und die kulturellen Praktiken der Landbevölkerung einem Einsatz der Saatkugeltechnologie in dieser Region nicht negativ entgegenzustehen. Die Gewächshausexperimente zeigten, dass eine Mischung aus 80 g Sand, 50 g Lehm und 25 ml Wasser die optimale Zusammensetzung der Saatkugeln darstellt. Aus dieser Menge können zehn Saatkugeln mit einem Durchmesser von 2 cm hergestellt werden. Zusätzlich wurden sowohl 1 g Mineraldünger als auch 3 g Holzasche als Nährstoffquelle hinzugefügt, um die frühe Biomassenproduktion der Perlhirsenkeimlinge zu verbessern. Der Einsatz der Stickstoffverbindungen Ammonium und Harnstoff hemmte das Auflaufen der Keimlinge. Die Nährstoffadditive Holzasche bzw. Mineraldünger führten zu einer Zunahme der Sprossbiomasse um 60 % bzw. 75 - 160 %, der Wurzelbiomasse um 36 % bzw. 94 % und der Wurzellängendichte der Perlhirse um 14 % bzw. 28 %, relativ zur Kontrolle. Die Mineraldünger enthaltende Saatkugel erhöhte insbesondere die Wurzeltrockenmasse um 227 % im Vergleich zur Kontrolle. Der Nährstoffgehalt des Sprosses nach Anwendung der Saatkugel-Technologie war nicht eindeutig erhöht. Jedoch war die Nährstoffextraktion, berechnet als Produkt aus Biomasseertrag und Nährstoffgehalt, bei den mit Nährstoffen angereicherten Saatkugeln, höher als bei herkömmlicher Aussaat. In Senegal zeigten die optimierte Saatkugeln in einem Stationsversuch eine Auflaufrate von über 95 %. Die Mineraldüngervariante zeigte bereits 7 Tage nach der Aussaat eine Steigerung des Wurzelwachstum in der Nähe der Saatkugel. Die Leitfähigkeitsmessung der Bodenlösung im Rhizotronversuch zeigte, dass Nährstoffe aus der Saatkugel herausdiffundierten. Höchstwahrscheinlich löste die Nährstofffreisetzung aus der Saatkugel das beobachtete Feinwurzelwachstum und die positive Gesamtwurzelentwicklung der Perlhirsesämlinge aus. Aufgrund der Nährstoffverarmung in der Wurzelzone drei Wochen nach der Keimung wird jedoch eine weitere Nährstoffgabe erforderlich, um das Wachstum der etablierten Sämlinge weiter zu fördern. Auf den Arenosolen der Sahelzone können Saatkugeln mit zugesetzten Nährstoffen den Biomasseertrag in der Subsistenzlandwirtschaft erhöhen. Die Saatkugeltechnologie ist kostengünstig und es scheint keine soziokulturellen Gründe zu geben, die gegen ein Anwendung sprächen. Die Technologie ist mit einem minimalen Saatgutverbrauch bei einfacher Aussaat auf sandigem Boden verbunden. Als weiterer Schritt sollten mehrjährige Freilandversuche unter realen Bedingungen auf Subsistenzbetrieben in der Sahelzone durchgeführt werden. Perlhirse und Sorghum sind die Grundnahrungsmittel. Fonio (Digitaria spp.) wird trotz seiner hohen Nährwerte oft vernachlässigt. Es wird empfohlen, die Saatkugel-Technologie mit Sorghum- und Fonio-Kulturen zu testen

Aetiological agents of surgical site infection in a specialist hospital in Kano, north-western Nigeria

Despite the advances made in asepsis, antimicrobial drugs, sterilization and operative techniques, surgical site infections (SSI) continue to be a major problem in all branches of surgery in the hospitals. The objective of this study was to establish the incidence of SSI, the type and frequency of various pathogens and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern in Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital (MMSH), Kano, Nigeria. A total of 2,920 consecutive patients who underwent different surgical procedures between January 2009 and December 2010 at Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital were enrolled in this study. Samples of pus were collected from infected cases and screened for bacterial and fungal pathogens by standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were done by disc diffusion technique. A total 878 patients were found to be clinically infected and 919 isolates were obtained in all. This gave an incidence of 30.1% infection rate. While 783(89.2%) cultures yielded single organism, 77(9.8%) yielded mixed growth and 18(8.1%) cultures yielded no growth. The most frequently isolated organism was E. coli (25.5%) followed by Staphylococcus aureus 20.6%. The incidence of Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus was 35.7%. Ceftriaxone, ceftazidime and ofloxacin showed good results against most isolates while ampicillin and cotrimoxazole which are commonly used drugs were ineffective. An understanding of the various types of pathogen involved in SSI and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern will reduce indiscriminate prescription of antibiotics and help in infection control

Trust in e-procurement

The efficiency of e-Procurement is based on the imperatives, trust and perceived risk. Trust is established as a major factor moderating transaction processes on the internet. It has implicit relational properties and therefore needs the context of a relationship to develop. Previous works have suggested that lack of trust is a major impediment to e-Procurement. Trust and perceived risk exhibits inverse relationships and, paradoxically have causative effect on e-Procurement. EProcurement organisations are in continuous search on how their consumer’s trust can be evaluated. In this study, based on a synthesis of literature, we offer an integrative model of consumer trust in e- Procurement. It is a mathematical model that not only maps trust behaviour, but also sensitive and accommodative of an acceptable risk threshold in electronic transaction environments. It also proffers solution to the exploration of consumer’s trust evaluation

The Use of Unripe Pawpaw for Wound Bed Preparation Following Radiation‑Induced Sacral Ulcer: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Radiation wounds are very difficult to manage due to poor vascular status, excessive matrix metalloproteinases, and abnormal  myofibroblast function. Such wound beds do not adequately support conventional resurfacing as do nonradiate beds. We present a 46‑year‑old female with a sacral radiation ulcer, which had earlier failed to support flap cover on two instances after bed preparation with conventional honey dressing and negative pressure dressing, but was subsequently successfully managed with unripe pawpaw wound bed preparation. Are‑elevation of the right gluteal myocutaneous flap proved successful and satisfactory. The finding may have resulted from both enzymatic properties of unripe pawpaw and its ability to break the biofilms and to locally supply the ascorbic acid necessary for collagen synthesis and granulation tissue formation. Keywords: Case report, radiation wounds, unripe pawpaw, wound bed preparatio

Physical and chemical optimisation of the seedball technology addressing pearl millet under Sahelian conditions

This study deals with the development of the seedball technology in particular for dry sowing under Sahelian conditions and pearl millet as crop. At first, our participatory evaluation in Senegal showed that (i) local materials needed for seedball production are locally available, (ii) the technology conforms to the existing management systems in the Sahel, and (iii) socio-economic conditions do not hinder seedball adoption. Afterwards, seedball was mechanically and chemically optimised. Pearl millet seedlings derived from the seedball variants were grown and compared to the control under greenhouse conditions. Our results showed that the combination of 80 g sand + 50 g loam + 25 ml water is the standard seedball dough, which produces about ten 2 cm diameter-sized seedballs. Either 1 g NPK fertiliser or 3 g wood ash can be added as nutrient additive to enhance early biomass of pearl millet seedlings. Ammonium fertiliser, urea and gum arabic as seedball components hampered seedlings emergence. Seedball + 3 g wood ash and seedball + 1 g NPK-treatments enhanced shoot biomass by 60 % and 75 %, root biomass by 36 % and 94 %, and root length density by 14 % and 28 %, respectively, relative to the control. Shoot nutrient content was not greatly influenced by treatment. However, multiplying biomass yield with nutrient content indicates that nutrient extraction was higher in nutrient-amended seedballs. On-station field tests in Senegal showed over 95 % emergence under real Sahelian conditions. Since early seedlings enhancement is decisive for pearl millet panicle yield under the Sahelian conditions, on-farm trials in the Sahel are recommended

Gastric Duplication Cyst with Multiple Ectopic Pancreatic Tissues: A Case Report and Review of Literature

A gastric duplication cyst (GDC) is a type of enteric duplication cyst. It can co‑exist with an ectopic tissue. This was a female toddlerwith a GDC at the greater curvature. An abdominal ultrasound and a contrast‑enhanced computed tomogram suggested the cyst. Shehad laparotomy, complete cyst and partial gastric excision with the removal of extragastric pancreatic tissue. The histology reportcame out as a cyst with associated intracystic and an extracystic pancreatic tissue. She made a clinical improvement. GDC can beassociated with both intracystic and extracystic ectopic pancreatic tissues. This should be kept in mind when choosing the modalityof treatment. Keywords: Ectopic pancreas, gastric duplication cyst, intra‑peritoneal cys

Saatkugeln als Managementoption zur Verbesserung des Auflaufverhaltens von Perlhirse (Pennisetum glaucum) auf sandigen Böden im Sahel

Für den Perlhirseanbau im Sahel sind die frühen Vegetationsstadien von entscheidender Bedeutung. Die Saatkugeltechnologie kann das Auflaufverhalten und die Biomasseentwicklung in dieser Zeitspanne durch Nährstoffadditive (Holzasche, Mineraldünger) verbessern