The Suitability of Hybrid Library Services to Open and Distance Learners in Nigeria

In Nigeria, open and distance learning has become widely accepted. Even though there are a myriad of educational problems, workers, politicians, school leavers, and the public are finding the distance learning system a convenient and flexible mode to acquire education. Libraries are indispensable in every facet of higher education. Adequate library support for distance learners is mandatory for the qualitative delivery of instruction and learning. The development of hybrid libraries has definite benefits for distance learners. It is imperative to create virtual learning environments and libraries without borders to reach multitudes of learners at various locations. Several institutions are approved to run distance learning. Eight distance-learning university libraries were purposively selected to examine the status of hybrid library services aimed at reaching distance learners. These include the Federal University of Technology Library, Minna, University of Maiduguri Library, University of Abuja Library, Ahmadu Bello University Library Zaria, National Open University of Nigeria Library, Olabisi Onabanjo University Library, Ago-Iwoye, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Library, Port Harcourt and Joseph Ayo Babalola University Library. The objectives of the study were to determine the status of library services in ODL institutions in Nigeria, analyse the form of library service most suitable to distant learners in Nigeria, examine the challenges confronting distance learning in Nigeria and determine the challenges in providing timely library services to distant learners in Nigeria. This paper examines the penetration of distance learning in Nigeria and the suitability of hybrid library services provided to distant learners. It examines the challenges in creating and delivering well-integrated and functional library services for distance education and the prospects of a hybrid library in a developing country like Nigeri

Libraries Without Walls and Open and Distance Learning in Africa: The Nigerian Experience

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is gradually gaining ground in Africa. Nigeria is a newcomer in the Open and Distance Learning paradigm. The experiences of several open and distance learning institutions such as the Open University of United Kingdom (OUUK), Athabasca University (Canada’s Open University), Open University of Hong Kong, Indira Gandhi National Open University, (IGNOU), and University of South Africa (UNISA), have provided a baseline for the take-off of the only Open University in Nigeria – the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). The successful take-off of NOUN is not without the incorporation of functional libraries. Effective library support to distance learners is mandatory for qualitative delivery of instruction and learning. This is where the developments in information and telecommunications are potent. This gave impetus to the development of virtual library services or library without walls. This development has definite benefits to distance learners. Developed and developing countries are now creating virtual learning environments and libraries without walls to reach multitudes of learners at various locations. This paper examines the general experiences of ODL in Africa, the evolution of ODL in Nigeria and the structure of library services provided to distant learners, particularly in Nigeria. It examines the challenges in creating and delivering a library without walls for distance education and the prospects of such a library without walls in a developing country like Nigeria. The paper will also present a discussion on how NOUN is developing creative solutions to the challenges

Environmental Effects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PASHs) are a class of unique compound that consist of fused   conjugated aromatic rings and do not contain heteroatoms or substituents carrier. These compounds can be point source (e g, oil spill) or non-point source ( e.g; atmosphere deposition) and are one of the most widespread organic pollutants. Some of them are known or suspected carcinogens and are linked to other health problems. They are primarily formed by incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels such as words, coal; diesel; fat, tobacco or incense etc. PAHs exert  there toxicity following biotransformation to toxic metabolites, which can be bound covalently to cellular macromolecules such as protein, DNA and RNA, which causes cell damage, mutagenesis and carcinogenesis. However, during biological and chemical degradation of  PAHs other toxic compound may be formed. If these transformation products are sufficiently persistent they could potentially accumulate during remedial processes. This will provide the background information and rationale for the derivation of distribution behaviour, environment contaminations, sources, types, the effect of PAHs on the environment and the recommendations. Keywords : Environment, deoxyribonucleic acid, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, ribonucleic acids and toxicity

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Inactivated Oil-Emulsion Newcastle Disease Komarov Vaccine against Clinical Disease, Lesions and Immune Response, Following Challenge with Velogenic Newcastle Disease Virus in Laying Chickens

Since the first recognition of Newcastle disease (ND) in Nigeria, it has been observed to be enzootic despite the intensive vaccination policy, leading to significant economic losses in the poultry industry. This study evaluated the ability of inactivated oil-emulsion ND Komarov vaccine to protect laying chickens from challenge with a velogenic ND virus (VNDV). Two hundred and forty pullets were randomly divided into two groups of 120 each viz: vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. The vaccinated group was given ND vaccines. At peak production, 32-weeks of age, vaccinated and unvaccinated laying chickens were sub-divided into four groups of sixty birds each designated; Vaccinated and challenged (VAC); Vaccinated and unchallenged (VAU); Unvaccinated and challenged (UNC); and Unvaccinated and unchallenged (UNU). Groups VAC and UNC were each inoculated intramuscularly with 0.2ml of a VNDV with a median embryo infective dose (EID50) of 106.46 per ml. Groups VAU and UNU were each inoculated with 0.2ml of phosphate buffered saline. Group VAC showed no clinical signs, no clear lesions grossly and mild histopathologic changes. Group UNC showed severe depression, anorexia, whitish-greenish diarrhoea, nervous signs and necrosis of the organs. All infected groups (VAC and UNC) showed significantly higher (P < 0.05) sero-conversion determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) 10 days post-challenge. The inactivated oil-emulsion ND Komarov vaccine not only induced higher immunity, but also conferred long-lasting protection against morbidity, mortality, and severe organ damage in VAC group. This immunization procedure can be recommended for prevention of ND in laying chickens in an endemic environment.Key words: Newcastle disease, vaccine, laying chickens, immunity

Evaluation of Students' Consumption of Beer in Higher Institutions of Learning in Nigeria: Propelling Factors for Choice

The several brands of beer in Nigeria, with brand extensions, provide the opportunity for consumers to have more options to choose their brands from, and the brewing companies contend with how to make their products the preferred choice among consuming public. Although empirical studies in institutions of higher learning in Nigeria report that some factors influence the choice of beer brand in different places, there is, however, a paucity of information on the propelling factors for choice of beer brand. It is against this backdrop that this study appraised the choice of beer brand in the Nigerian higher institutions. A total number of 166 undergraduate and postgraduate students studying at the Enugu Campus of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, participated in this study. The study adopted survey design, questionnaire was used and consent was obtained from all the participants before carrying out the study. Questions posed to them were whether social group, price and emotion significantly determine their choice of brand of beer. The result indicated that social group has the greatest percentage of significance propelling factor of 78.9% (agreed and strongly agreed); then emotion, 74.1% (agreed and strongly agreed) and the price of beer 53% (agreed and strongly agreed) which is also significant. Students' social group, emotion and price of beer showed statistical significance when compared in relation to choice of beer. Therefore, students always align with the type of products (beer inclusive) consumed by their social group that has moderate price and emotional appeals when making choice

Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity Screening of Chloroform Leaves Extract of Man-To-Man (Peperomia pellucida) Harvested from Umunomo Ihitteafoukwu in Imo State, South Eastern Nigeria

Peperomia pellucida commonly called man-to-man or pepper elder is a plant of immense medicinal value and used in the treatment of different ailments such as abdominal pain, abscess, acne, boils colic rhematic joint pain and also consumed as vegetable. This study was conducted to investigate the preliminary and quantitative phytochemical properties of Peperomia pellucida. The results obtained revealed the presence of alkaloids (2.49±0.02), phenols (0.05±0.01), flavonoids (0.59±0.01), saponins (0.64 ± 0.02), tannins (0.08± 0.01) with alkaloid registering the highest presence. Peperomia pellucida leaves extract exhibited significant antioxidant activity at minimum and maximum concentrations of 2.0 and 12.0mg/ml respectively (compared to the ascorbic acid used as the free scavenger). The antibacterial result also showed that P. pellucida extract inhibited the growth of the test organisms, with the highest growth inhibition against Escherichia Coli and the lowest growth inhibition against Bacillus Cereus. The antimicrobial properties indicate the potential usefulness of this plant in the treatment of various pathogenic diseases which in future can be developed as a potential antimicrobial agent used in the treatment of infectious diseases

Vitamin D supplementation attenuated carageenan-induced paw edema and formalin-induced nociception in indomethacin-treated rats

Background: This work evaluated the effect of vitamin D supplementation on carrageenan-induced paw edema and formalin-induced nociception in indomethacin treated rats.Methods: Rats were grouped into six (A – F) of 5 each. Groups (C – F) were pretreated for 14 days with vitamin D; 250, 500, 1000 and 1000 iu/day respectively. On day 15, they were treated as follows: group A (10 ml/kg distilled water), B; (10 mg/kg indomethacin), C – E; (10 mg/kg indomethacin) F (1000 iu/day vitamin D alone). One hour later 50 1% carrageenan or 25 5% formalin was injected into the sub-plantal surface of left hind paw. For carageenan-induced paw edema, paw sizes were measured 1 h later, then every hour for 5h. For formalin-induced nociception, number of paw licking/lifting was counted for each rat from 0 – 5 min (first phase) and 25 – 30 min (second phase) post-formalin injection.Results: Paw sizes were significantly (P<0.05) lower from 2 – 5 h post-carageenan injection in the 250 iu/day vitamin D + 10 mg/kg indomethacin group when compared with both controls. In the formalin-induced nociception, the 250 iu/day vitamin D + 10 mg/kg indomethacin, 500 iu/day vitamin D + 10 mg/kg indomethacin and the 1000 iu/day vitamin D alone groups produced significantly (p<0.05) lower number of paw lifting when compared with both controls in both phases.Conclusion: These findings suggest that vitamin D exerts antiinflammatory and antinociceptive responses that could be relevant for clinical application