Effects of Entrepreneurship Education on Entrepreneurial Intention

Entrepreneurship education is believed to be of great importance to the quest for improved youth employment and economic development of any society. It is for this reason that the Nigerian government invests heavily in entrepreneurship education. However, in spite of these heavy investments, youth unemployment is on the increase and economic development continues to elude Nigeria. This study investigates the effect of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial motivation and intention among final year students of Nigeria. We adopted the Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke as a case study where data was collected using structured questionnaire from 550 responded selected using random sampling. Data was analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The study discovered that entrepreneurship education significantly determine entrepreneurial motivation which also significantly affects entrepreneurial intention. The study also found that the entrepreneurship education – entrepreneurial motivation relationship is significantly mediated by cognitive factors. To this end, this research effort recommends that the government and other relevant stakeholders should continue to provide quality entrepreneurship education to continue to motivate graduates of tertiary institutions to become entrepreneurs

Yersinia enterocolitica-Specific Infection by Bacteriophages TG1 and ϕR1-RT Is Dependent on Temperature-Regulated Expression of the Phage Host Receptor OmpF

Bacteriophages present huge potential both as a resource for developing novel tools for bacterial diagnostics and for use in phage therapy. This potential is also valid for bacteriophages specific for Yersinia enterocolitica. To increase our knowledge of Y. enterocolitica-specific phages, we characterized two novel yersiniophages. The genomes of the bacteriophages vB_YenM_TG1 (TG1) and vB_YenM_ϕR1-RT (ϕR1-RT), isolated from pig manure in Canada and from sewage in Finland, consist of linear double-stranded DNA of 162,101 and 168,809 bp, respectively. Their genomes comprise 262 putative coding sequences and 4 tRNA genes and share 91% overall nucleotide identity. Based on phylogenetic analyses of their whole-genome sequences and large terminase subunit protein sequences, a genus named Tg1virus within the family Myoviridae is proposed, with TG1 and ϕR1-RT (R1RT in the ICTV database) as member species. These bacteriophages exhibit a host range restricted to Y. enterocolitica and display lytic activity against the epidemiologically significant serotypes O:3, O:5,27, and O:9 at and below 25°C. Adsorption analyses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and OmpF mutants demonstrate that these phages use both the LPS inner core heptosyl residues and the outer membrane protein OmpF as phage receptors. Based on RNA sequencing and quantitative proteomics, we also demonstrate that temperature-dependent infection is due to strong repression of OmpF at 37°C. In addition, ϕR1-RT was shown to be able to enter into a pseudolysogenic state. Together, this work provides further insight into phage-host cell interactions by highlighting the importance of understanding underlying factors which may affect the abundance of phage host receptors on the cell surface

Sonographic assessment of pregnancy co-existing with uterine leiomyoma in Owerri, Nigeria

Background: Uterine myomas co-existing with pregnancy could cause obstetric complications.Objectives: To assess sonographically the frequency of occurrence and effect of uterine myomas co-existing with pregnancy.Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted during a period of 23 months. A convenience sample of 816 consecutive consenting pregnant women who met the inclusion criteria was evaluated during routine prenatal ultrasound scan. The women were referred for prenatal sonography. One hundred of the subjects who had myoma co-existing with pregnancy and another 100 subjects without myoma were selected for follow-up. These groups were followed up till delivery and obstetric complications and outcomes were documented. Any changes in size and growth rate of myoma were documented.Results: Subjects with myoma co-existing with pregnancy were 12.3%. This was commoner with increasing maternal age. An increase was observed in myoma mean size from 60mm to 63mm from the 1st scan sequence to the 2nd scan sequence and a reduction from 63mm to 59mm in the 3rd scan sequence. Myoma growth rate was 0.667mm per week. Myomas inpregnancy especially large ones caused more complications during delivery when compared to pregnancies without myomas.Conclusion: Routine sonography is important in pregnancy management of uterine myomas co-existing with pregnancy.Keywords: Routine sonography; uterine myoma, pregnancy, obstetric complications

Comparing the impact of environmental factors during very high gravity brewing fermentations

The impact of the initial dissolved oxygen, fermentation temperature, wort concentration and yeast pitching rate on the major fermentation process responses were evaluated by full factorial design and statistical analysis by JMP 5.01 (SAS software) software. Fermentation trials were carried out in 2L-EBC tall tubes using an industrial lager brewing yeast strain. The yeast viability, ethanol production, apparent extract and real degree of fermentation were monitored. The results obtained demonstrate that very high gravity worts at 22°P can be fermented in the same period of time as a 15°P wort, by raising the temperature to 18°C, the oxygen level to about 22 ppm, and increasing the pitching rate to 22 × 106 cell/mL. When diluting to obtain an 11.5°P beer extract, the volumetric brewing capacity increased 91% for the 22°P wort fermentation and 30% using the 15°P wort. After dilution, the fermentation of the 22°P wort resulted in a beer with higher esters levels, primarily the compound ethyl acetate.(undefined

The Effects of Human Resources Development on Financial Performance of Organisations

Contemporary organisation invests huge resources on a regular basis on Human Resources Development (HRD) initiatives because of the age long belief that this will enhance efficiency and effectiveness. But sadly, these expectations often go unfulfilled. This study empirically tests the effect of HRD on financial performance with employee competence and organisational commitment acting as mediating mechanisms. A total of 84 copies of a questionnaire that was distributed to and received from bank workers of two of Nigeria’s leading banks: First Bank of Nigeria Plc and Zenith Bank Plc to elicit relevant data on employee participation in and perceived benefits of HRD, commitment & competence and financial performance were analysed using Cronbach’s Coefficient Alpha and multiple regression analysis. Results show a significant relationship between employee participation in HRD including perceived benefits of HRD and organisational commitment and employee competence. The study also shows a significant relationship between competence & commitment and financial performance. Thus organisation should focus attention on delivering consistent HRD initiatives relevant to the need of employees and focused on addressing identified Skills, Knowledge and Abilities (KSA) gaps for a continuous financial performance improvement. JEL Classification Code:  M12

The Effects of Human Resources Development on Financial Performance of Organisations

Contemporary organisation invests huge resources on a regular basis on Human Resources Development (HRD) initiatives because of the age long belief that this will enhance efficiency and effectiveness. But sadly, these expectations often go unfulfilled. This study empirically tests the effect of HRD on financial performance with employee competence and organisational commitment acting as mediating mechanisms. A total of 84 copies of a questionnaire that was distributed to and received from bank workers of two of Nigeria’s leading banks: First Bank of Nigeria Plc and Zenith Bank Plc to elicit relevant data on employee participation in and perceived benefits of HRD, commitment & competence and financial performance were analysed using Cronbach’s Coefficient Alpha and multiple regression analysis. Results show a significant relationship between employee participation in HRD including perceived benefits of HRD and organisational commitment and employee competence. The study also shows a significant relationship between competence & commitment and financial performance. Thus organisation should focus attention on delivering consistent HRD initiatives relevant to the need of employees and focused on addressing identified Skills, Knowledge and Abilities (KSA) gaps for a continuous financial performance improvement

Complete genome sequence of bacteriophage vB_YenP_AP5 which infects Yersinia enterocoliticaof serotype O:3

BACKGROUND: Bacteriophage vB_YenP_AP5 is a lytic bacteriophage capable of infecting Yersinia enterocolitica strains of serotype O:3, an epidemiologically significant serotype within this bacterial species that causes yersiniosis in humans. This work describes the complete genome sequence of this phage. RESULTS: The genome consists of linear double-stranded DNA of 38,646 bp, with direct terminal repeats of 235 bp in length, and a GC content of 50.7%. There are 45 open reading frames which occupy 89.9% of the genome. Most of the proteins encoded by this virus exhibit sequence similarity to Yersinia phage φYeO3-12 and Salmonella phage φSG-JL2 proteins. CONCLUSIONS: Genomic and morphological analyses place the bacteriophage vB_YenP_AP5 in the T7likevirus genus of the subfamily Autographivirinae within the family Podoviridae

Empirical Examination of the Role of Three Sets of Innovation Attributes for Determining Adoption of IRCTC Mobile Ticketing Service

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited’s (IRCTC) mobile ticketing was recently introduced in India. In this study of its adoption, three competing attribute-sets are compared. This study aims to reveal the attribute-set best predicting its adoption. The research model was empirically tested and validated using SPSS. Four attributes from the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory, four from the PCI theory, and four from Tornatzky and Klein’s meta-analysis significantly affected behavioral intentions. Only complexity failed to influence use intentions, and behavioral intention and riskiness significantly impacted adoption