Cellular Planning of GSM Network in Rivers State, Nigeria

Global system for mobile communication has witnessed tremendous growth. This is due largely to the fact that it enables people to make quality calls, send messages, browse the internet etc. at any time and for any period. The huge number of GSM subscribers has resulted in the system being over-loaded. This research work is aimed at optimizing Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) network in Rivers State. The behavior of GSM network under four different conditions were examined. The work also aimed to determine the number of base stations required to provide adequate GSM network coverage in Rivers State. Erlang B technique was employed to achieve the aim of this research work. This research work found that when the traffic load is greater than, or too close to, the voice channels (in magnitude), the system denied many callers access from making calls. However, when the voice channels are greater than traffic load, the system performed well. But voice channels must not be far greater than traffic load and should not be too close to it, to avoid under-utilization or over-utilization of the channels. The work also revealed that the number of base stations required in any given place varies inversely proportional to the square of the cell radius. Hence, for Rivers State, the number of base stations to provide 100% network coverage for a cell radius of 3km was found to be 474

Redesigning Education Curricula as a Panacea for Unemployment and Poverty Reduction in Nigeria

Unemployment and poverty are twin scourge that are global phenomena. The rate of unemployment and poverty in Nigeria amidst plenty of natural and human resources has earned the country the image of a paradox. In spite of numerous policies and programmes initiated to address them, available statistics show that both phenomena are on the increase yearly. This paper advocates for a re-think in the country’s educational curricula as one of the cardinal measures for unemployment and poverty reduction; in that light, it canvasses for a paradigm shift from emphasis and insistence on credit passes on core science subjects as prerequisite or sine qua non for studying Technical and Vocational Education courses and Training, to interests of prospective students in the area. It concludes that the shift will not only swell geometrically the number of students admitted to study such courses each session, it will produce graduates armed with requisite skills to take up self employment consequently reducing rates of unemployment and poverty on the one hand. On the other hand, it will also pave way on one prong for “artisans” who are practicing technicians with the “technical-know-how” to enroll in technical and vocational education courses and acquire the “technical-know-why” in their practices; one the other, graduates and teachers who have become informed and interested in the area could benefit from the new arrangement, thereby placing them and other professionals on good stead for unlimited technological exploration, innovations, inventions and discoveries propelled by advanced technological manufacturing and mechantronics.   Keywords: Redesigning educatio

A Jurisprudential Overview of the Legal Obstacles to the Creation of New Local Governments in Nigeria Since 1999*

Local Governments constitute the last level of government in all countries where they exist and form the link between the grassroot, the State Governments (Regional) and the Federal Government (Central). A properly managed Local Government system will bring development to the rural areas of the country, train up-coming politicians for participating in national politics and create jobs for the young and the old. Local Governments had existed in Nigeria before colonialism and had continued to be after independence in 1960 where each Region adopted her own system of Local Government until 1976 when the Federal Military Government decreed Unified Local Government System in the whole country. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1979 adopted Unified Local Government System in section 7 of the Constitution just as the 1999 Constitution in section 8 provided for very stringent procedure for the creation of Local Governments amongst other obnoxious provisions which have made nonsense of the possibility of creating new Local Governments in the country. This paper argues that looking at what obtains in established democracies such as U.S.A, Brazil, India etc; that time has come for the obstacles stopping the creation of new Local Government Areas in Nigeria to be removed from the Constitution to allow this important level of government to be multiplied in the country for expanded and even development of the nation. Keywords: Local government, obstacles, constitutional amendments, creation, even development. DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/90-03 Publication date:October 31st 201

Dependent seniors garment design

This paper is part of a PhD research in Textile Engineering at University of Minho and aims to establish an ergonomic pattern design methodology to be used in the construction of garments for elderly women, aged 65 and over, dependent of care. The research was developed with a close contact with four institutions involved in supporting this aged population, located in the cities of Guimaraes (Portugal) and Teresina (Brazil). These clothes should be adequate to their anthropometrics and their special needs, in accordance with important functional factors for the dependency of their caregiver, such as: care for the caregiver and comfort for the user. Questions regarding the functional properties of the materials, the pattern design process, trimmings and the assembling process of the garments are specially considered in the desired comfort levels, in order to provide an adequate handling by facilitating the dressing and undressing tasks, but also to assure the user the needed comfort in all its variables.This work is supported by FEDER funds through the Competitive Factors Operational Program (COMPETE) POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007136 and by national funds through Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the project UID/CTM/000264 financed by Science Without Borders/CAPEs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

IL-15 Participates in the Respiratory Innate Immune Response to Influenza Virus Infection

Following influenza infection, natural killer (NK) cells function as interim effectors by suppressing viral replication until CD8 T cells are activated, proliferate, and are mobilized within the respiratory tract. Thus, NK cells are an important first line of defense against influenza virus. Here, in a murine model of influenza, we show that virally-induced IL-15 facilitates the trafficking of NK cells into the lung airways. Blocking IL-15 delays NK cell entry to the site of infection and results in a disregulated control of early viral replication. By the same principle, viral control by NK cells can be therapeutically enhanced via intranasal administration of exogenous IL-15 in the early days post influenza infection. In addition to controlling early viral replication, this IL-15-induced mobilization of NK cells to the lung airways has important downstream consequences on adaptive responses. Primarily, depletion of responding NK1.1+ NK cells is associated with reduced immigration of influenza-specific CD8 T cells to the site of infection. Together this work suggests that local deposits of IL-15 in the lung airways regulate the coordinated innate and adaptive immune responses to influenza infection and may represent an important point of immune intervention

The current state-of-the-art of spinal cord imaging: methods.

A first-ever spinal cord imaging meeting was sponsored by the International Spinal Research Trust and the Wings for Life Foundation with the aim of identifying the current state-of-the-art of spinal cord imaging, the current greatest challenges, and greatest needs for future development. This meeting was attended by a small group of invited experts spanning all aspects of spinal cord imaging from basic research to clinical practice. The greatest current challenges for spinal cord imaging were identified as arising from the imaging environment itself; difficult imaging environment created by the bone surrounding the spinal canal, physiological motion of the cord and adjacent tissues, and small cross-sectional dimensions of the spinal cord, exacerbated by metallic implants often present in injured patients. Challenges were also identified as a result of a lack of "critical mass" of researchers taking on the development of spinal cord imaging, affecting both the rate of progress in the field, and the demand for equipment and software to manufacturers to produce the necessary tools. Here we define the current state-of-the-art of spinal cord imaging, discuss the underlying theory and challenges, and present the evidence for the current and potential power of these methods. In two review papers (part I and part II), we propose that the challenges can be overcome with advances in methods, improving availability and effectiveness of methods, and linking existing researchers to create the necessary scientific and clinical network to advance the rate of progress and impact of the research

Functional magnetic resonance imaging at 0.2 Tesla

NRC publication: Ye

Governance challenges and resurgence of Igbo nationalism in Nigeria: Dissecting Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)

Purpose: The remote and immediate causes of the Nigerian civil war are rather deepening in the psyche of Ndi-Igbo in contemporary Nigerian politics and administration. Amidst the introduction of the Reconciliation, Reconstruction, and Rehabilitation (3Rs) policy over four (4) decades ago, the Ndi-Igbo are not just marginalized but alienated and separated from political power and its benefits in an ethnically and religiously deeply divided federation. More divesting wounds are flagrantly being inflicted upon the Igbo nation. The course pursued by secessionist Biafra between 1967-70 has continued to resonate in Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). This paper thus seeks to dissect the activities of IPOB in relation to national security in Nigeria. It also attempts a polemical analysis of IPOB as a separatist movement and the implications for the integration of Ndi-Igbo into the mainstream of Nigerian power politics. Research methodology: The paper adopts a qualitative research approach using an in-depth review of extant literature for informed comprehension of the dynamics of secession and unification in a deeply divided federal state of Nigeria. Using a theory of Secession: The Case for Political Self-Determination, the paper submits that treatments being meted out to the people of Igbo nation are compelling to separation. Results: It surmised that Ndi-Igbo is systematically sidelined and alienated from major political positions and that the allocation of key values is skewed against the Igbo nation. It thus recommends significant devolution of powers to foster an all-inclusive and participatory governance model. Recommendations: It also recommends the adoption and implementation of a balanced federalist accommodative principle for national cohesion, integration, and development of the Nigeria state