Information Literacy Skills as determinant of ICT Utilisation by Secondary School Teachers in Private Secondary Schools in Ibadan North Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria.

Information Communication and Technology (ICT) resources use has capacity to positively affect the field of education including the teaching/learning process. It was observed that information literacy skills can influence the use of ICT resources for teaching by private secondary school teachers. It was established that some secondary school teachers do not make adequate use of ICT resources for teaching. The study therefore, examined the influence of information literacy skills on utilization of ICT resources by private secondary school teachers in Ibadan North Local Government, Oyo State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted and the study population consisted of 836 teachers from 34 private secondary schools in Ibadan North. The purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 220 respondents. Questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. There was a positive significant relationship between teachers’ information literacy skills and utilization of ICT resources for effective teaching by private secondary school teachers (r =.263**; n = 205; df =204; p \u3c0.01). The use of ICT resources has enabled secondary school teachers to have access to information materials in different format most especially Electronic Information Resources (EIRs) for teaching. In order for them to enjoy maximum benefit of ICT resources, there is a need for them to be continually trained on the acquisition of information literacy skills, how they can make use of their ICT resources to access different sources of information most especially EIRs, teachers should also be educated/enlightened on using ICT resources for lesson presentation/delivery

Rescuing a broken heart: A tale of two Models of Neural Crest deficiency and its impact on In Utero Heart function and Embryonic Survival via the Beta-Adrenergic pathway

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)Congenital heart defects occur in approximately one percent of births every year, which makes it the most frequently occurring congenital defect in patients. The aim of this project was to use two mutant neural crest (NC) mouse models to study the mechanisms underlying congenital heart failure in utero. The first mouse model was a Pax3 systemic knockout, which was lethal by mouse gestational day 14, and had appreciably reduced numbers of migratory NC cells. The second mouse model was a Wnt1Cre-mediated NC genetic cell ablation model, which was surprisingly viable and survived to birth, despite an apparent lack of migratory NC cells. The resultant data indicated that both mouse models had similar heart structural defects including persistent truncus arteriosus, which was due to fewer or no migratory cardiac NC cells. However, in utero heart function was appreciably perturbed in Pax3 mutants when compared to that of the ablated mutant model. The loss of embryonic cardiac function in Pax3 mutants was directly attributed to a substantial decrease in the activity of the beta-adrenergic pathway. This was due to a lack of proper specification of trunk NC cells, leading to diminished levels of circulating catecholamine levels in the embryo. To definitively confirm this conclusion, poor cardiac function was successfully restored by pharmacological stimulation of the beta-adrenergic pathway via administration of isoproterenol and forskolin to pregnant dams, which led to embryonic survival of Pax3 mutants to birth. By comparison of these two mutant mouse models, perturbation in the beta-adrenergic pathway was identified as the underlying mechanism responsible for in utero heart failure and lethality in Pax3 mutant embryos. The results of this study are expected to be significant in developing future therapeutic targets for congenital heart failure in prenatal and newborn patients

Social Media Utilisation, Study Habit and Undergraduate Students’ Academic Performance in a University of Education in Nigeria

This paper examined the correlation between social media utilisation, study habit and undergraduate students’ academic performance in Tai Solarin University of Education, Ogun State, Nigeria. The study used descriptive survey design. A sample of 2 departments from each of the 4 colleges existed in the university in 2012/2013 session was drawn using simple random sampling technique, Also, a sample 2905 students out 9692 students in the university during the academic session under study was drawn using purposive sampling technique. This comprised the total number of students in all the Departments sampled. The study developed and used a questionnaire tagged “Social Media Utilisation and Study Habit Questionnaire (SMUSHQ)” with correlation coefficient (r) of 0.79. The final year results of the sampled students were used to assess their academic performance (2015/2016 session). The descriptive statistics of frequency count and simple percentage were used for the research questions generated, while inferential statistic of Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation coefficient was employed to analyse the data, and the null hypotheses developed for the study were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that undergraduate students displayed high level of utilisation of social media and there was relatively low study habit pattern of undergraduate students. social media utilisation has significant relationship with study habits of undergraduate students r = .345; (p \u3c 0.01); social media utilisation has significant relationship with undergraduate students’ academic performance r = .547; (p \u3c 0.01) and study habit has significant relationship with undergraduate students’ academic performance. r = .448; (p \u3c 0.01).It is therefore recommended among others that seminars and conferences should be organised by Univeristy management for students on the significance of social media to academic attainment and also reinforce the adverse effects its abuse could have on undergraduate students academic performance. Also, latest electronic books and databases on varying disciplines should be procured by the University while proper orientation on effective utilization of such media should be provided

Information Literacy Skills as determinant of ICT Utilisation by Secondary School Teachers in Private Secondary Schools in Ibadan North Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria.

Information Communication and Technology (ICT) resources use has capacity to positively affect the field of education including the teaching/learning process. It was observed that information literacy skills can influence the use of ICT resources for teaching by private secondary school teachers. It was established that some secondary school teachers do not make adequate use of ICT resources for teaching. The study therefore, examined the influence of information literacy skills on utilization of ICT resources by private secondary school teachers in Ibadan North Local Government, Oyo State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted and the study population consisted of 836 teachers from 34 private secondary schools in Ibadan North. The purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 220 respondents. Questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. There was a positive significant relationship between teachers’ information literacy skills and utilization of ICT resources for effective teaching by private secondary school teachers (r =.263**; n = 205; df =204; p \u3c0.01). The use of ICT resources has enabled secondary school teachers to have access to information materials in different format most especially Electronic Information Resources (EIRs) for teaching. In order for them to enjoy maximum benefit of ICT resources, there is a need for them to be continually trained on the acquisition of information literacy skills, how they can make use of their ICT resources to access different sources of information most especially EIRs, teachers should also be educated/enlightened on using ICT resources for lesson presentation/delivery

Comparative analyses of three radiographic dental age estimation methods amongst Nigerians

Background: Age estimation is a critical step in constructing biological  profiles from human skeletal remains. This study aimed to compare three radiographic methods of age estimation with tested validity in different populations for accuracy and applicability in forensic investigations amongst Nigerians.Methods: This was a retrospective study of panoramic radiographs  (Planmeca Romexis®) captured from 46 young Nigerian patients between ages 6 to 21 years in a Federal Tertiary Health Institution in Southwest Nigeria between July and December, 2017. Parameters on the panoramic radiographs were measured and scored based on Demirjian, Cameriere and Kvaal radiographic dental age estimation methods. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20 at p<0.05.Result and Conclusion: There was no significant difference between  chronological ages and estimated ages of subjects considering Demirjian and Cameriere methods, but there was a significant age difference when Kvaal method was used (p>0.5). Demirjian method was found to be strongly correlated with chronological age (rs = 0.763); Cameriere method moderately correlated (rs = 0.684) and Kvaal method weakly correlated (rs = 0.476). Demirjian method showed the strongest direct relationship (R² = 0.56) followed by Cameriere (R² = 0.44) and Kvaal method (R² = 0.22). Demirjian system was the only significant predictor of the chronological age of Nigerian subjects using multiple linear regression.Keyword: Age estimation, Demirjian, Kvaal, Cameriere, Nigeri

Daycase urology at Ibadan, Nigeria: A ten year review

Introduction: The objective of the study was to report the extent of urological surgeries performed as day cases in a major tertiary hospital in Ibadan and document the outcome. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of all urologic patients treated at the day- case theatre between January 2000 and December 2009. The parameters evaluated were: age, diagnosis, type of surgery/ procedure, anaesthesia administered and the rank of the surgeon. Day case endoscopic procedures as well as prostate biopsies were excluded from the study. Results: In total, 1292 patients were managed, 290 (22.4%) were children aged between 5 days and 15 years while 1002 (77.6%) adults aged between 17 years and 91 years. The majority of the procedures were carried out by the senior registrars (1169 cases, 90.5%) and consultants were involved in 123 cases (9.5%). General anaesthesia was primarily used in children (158 children vs. 4 adults), while local anaesthesia was used only in adults. 131 (45.2%) children had no anaesthesia for circumcision. The most common procedures performed in adults were varicocelectomy (426 cases, 42.5 %), orchidectomy (332 cases, 33.1%), testicular biopsy (120 cases, 12.0%). While in children male circumcision (231cases, 79.7%) was the main procedure performed. Conclusion: The day-case theatre is still suitable for day case urologic procedure in our setting. The common procedures are varicocelectomy, orchidectomy, and open testicular biopsy in the adults. While in children, male circumcision is commonly carried out

Effects of Pax3 mutation and Neural Crest genetic ablation on congenital heart function and embryonic lethality

poster abstractCongenital heart defects (CHDs) occur in approximately one percent of births every year (American Heart Association, 2008). This makes it the most frequently occurring congenital defect in humans. My research is aimed at using two mutant cardiac neural crest (CNC) mouse models to study the mechanisms underlying congenital heart failure in utero with particular interests in understanding the processes of outflow tract (OFT) septation and myocardial homeostasis. The first mouse model is a Pax3 systemic knockout, which is lethal by mouse gestational day14, and has an insufficient number of migratory CNC cells. The second mouse model is a Wnt1Cre-mediated neural crest-ablated model, which is surprisingly viable and survives to birth, despite having no migratory CNC cells. My data indicates that both mouse models have similar heart structural anomalies including failure of the OFT to divide and interventricular septation defects. However, in utero heart function is significantly perturbed in Pax3 mutants when compared to that of the ablated mutant model. Via comparison of these two mutant mouse models, I have been able to assess the tissuespecific contribution of the CNC cell lineage during in utero heart morphogenesis, as well as to identify the beta-adrenergic pathway as the underlying mechanistic pathway that is important for the observed differences in myocardial function and subsequent congenital heart failure and lethality in the Pax3 mutants. By doing so, I am now able to demonstrate pharmacological rescue of the Pax3 mutants to birth, via bypassing or stimulation of the aforementioned pathway. By understanding the causes of congenital heart failure and subsequent lethality in the Pax3 genetic model, and successfully achieving pharmacological rescue to birth, I believe the results of my project will allow me to translate my findings into better treatment strategies for newborn patients with similar CHDs

Technological Analysis of Sustainable Biofuels Development in Nigeria

Nigeria’s biofuel policy calls for 10% bioethanol and 20% biodiesel substitution in domestic petrol and diesel consumptions of 35 million and 12 million litres per day respectively. Although the policy was approved in 2005, after six years, a vibrant biofuels industry has not taken off in the country. In this paper, using strategic analysis approach, we determined the key technological impediments to biofuel industry development in Nigeria to be inadequate knowledge on feedstock and landmass requirements, the “food vs fuel” debate, fuel subsidy implications, indifference and low market confidence by investors, limited S&T human capability, poor funding, weak institutional framework and poor infrastructure provision. We have established that Nigeria’s total biofuel production at highest demand by 2020 (11.64 Million Tons) would require 51.8 Million Tons of feedstock comprising 48.44 Million Tons of cassava for bioethanol and 3.36 Million Tons of Jatropha curcas for biodiesel. This production demand would require 57.5 Thousand Sq. Km of land. This is less than 8% and 20% of the arable land (726 Thousand Sq. Km) or cultivated land (340 Thousand Sq. Km) in Nigeria respectively. Hence the food vs fuel fears were deemed unnecessary. We argue that the N1. 2 trillion (US $8 billion) fuel subsidy claimed by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2011 be converted as seed capital for the take-off of the biofuels industry in the country