An Overview of Nigeria Information Policy

An information policy for Nigeria is most desirable in the face of the emergence of an information society. The purpose of this paper is to present a scenario of information activities in the various bodies responsible for information services especially in the public sector. The paper also believes that national policy on information can be traced amongst the various bodies involved with information production and distribution. Samaru Journal of Information Studies Vol. 7 (1) 2007: pp. 8-1

Assessment of Information Sources and Services Provided for the Business Needs of the Micro and Small Scale Enterprises in North West Zone, Nigeria.

Business information consists of every factor influential to business operation. It is influenced by a set of political, economic, social and technological factors which are largely outside the control and influence of a business. The general objective of this study was to investigate into business information sources and services of micro and small business enterprises in the North-West geo-political zone of Nigeria. The survey research method was adopted for the study. From the parent population of micro and small business enterprises, seven municipal areas of the geopolitical zone were randomly sampled. Research instrument used for collecting data was the questionnaire which was constructed along the theoretical frame of the study. Hypotheses were formulated to provide basis for inferences from the analysed data. The findings showed that the effective provision of business information towards the need of small business enterprises requires more articulated services to fill the existing gap. Significant correlation was observed between the entrepreneurs’ awareness of required information for their business and their access to such information. It was observed that accessibility of business information is significantly related to availability of the information, the awareness and visibility of sources and services

Assessment of information resource provision in the staff school libraries of Niger State

The study investigated the information resources in staff school libraries in Niger state. Survey research method was adopted for the research. The population of the study consists of the staff school librarians/teacher librarians in Niger state. Simple Random sampling technique was used to select six (6) out of twenty one (21) staff school libraries. Instrument for data collection was observation and questionnaire containing items on availability and adequacy of resources, method of acquisition, organization of resources and challenges constraining the provision of information resources and services. The data collected were analyzed using frequency and percentages. The findings revealed that the available information resources were printed resources which were mostly text books, maps and pictures. The findings also showed that the staff school libraries did not have computers and other non-printed resources the resources available were inadequate. It was also found that most of the school libraries acquire library resources through purchase and gift/donation. The methods of organization used by the libraries were found to be on subject basis and numerical order, none of the libraries use classification scheme in organizing their resources. The staff school libraries were face with many challenges ranging from inadequate funding, lack of relevant information resources, lack of professional staff and mutilation of library materials. Finally, the study therefore recommends the following: provision of adequate budgetary allocation to school libraries to enhance provision of varied and adequate information resources, effective library and information services, qualified staff and functional ICT and internet facilities

Teachers’ Perceptions and Undergraduate Students’ Experience in E-Exam in Higher Institution in Nigeria

This study was conducted to explore teachers’ perceptions, and students’ experiences in e-Examination in University of Maiduguri. Questionnaires were distributed to 30 teachers and 50 students, and the 80 collated instruments were valid for data analysis, representing a response rate of 100%. The validity of the questionnaire was approved by some experts in the field. Descriptive statistics was used to analyzed the data. The descriptive results indicated that teachers’ and students’ exposure and experiences to ICT was low. The findings further revealed that both the teachers and students agreed that e-Examination is important to them and more efforts should be gear toward improving its integrity. Furthermore, both the teachers and students agreed that e-Examination is not the true reflection of the students’ performance if used as the only way of measurement.From the findings of the study, it is recommended that courses such as computer supported learning, and  e-Examination process, should be introduced periodically for teachers and students’ exposure to the nature of e-Examination through practice and drill to improve teachers’ and students’ level of confidence and perceptions towards the use of e-Examination. Keywords: Teachers, Students, ICT, e-examination, higher education, institutio

\u3cem\u3eIn vivo\u3c/em\u3e Imaging of Human Cone Photoreceptor Inner Segments

Purpose. An often overlooked prerequisite to cone photoreceptor gene therapy development is residual photoreceptor structure that can be rescued. While advances in adaptive optics (AO) retinal imaging have recently enabled direct visualization of individual cone and rod photoreceptors in the living human retina, these techniques largely detect strongly directionally-backscattered (waveguided) light from normal intact photoreceptors. This represents a major limitation in using existing AO imaging to quantify structure of remnant cones in degenerating retina. Methods. Photoreceptor inner segment structure was assessed with a novel AO scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) differential phase technique, that we termed nonconfocal split-detector, in two healthy subjects and four subjects with achromatopsia. Ex vivo preparations of five healthy donor eyes were analyzed for comparison of inner segment diameter to that measured in vivo with split-detector AOSLO. Results. Nonconfocal split-detector AOSLO reveals the photoreceptor inner segment with or without the presence of a waveguiding outer segment. The diameter of inner segments measured in vivo is in good agreement with histology. A substantial number of foveal and parafoveal cone photoreceptors with apparently intact inner segments were identified in patients with the inherited disease achromatopsia. Conclusions. The application of nonconfocal split-detector to emerging human gene therapy trials will improve the potential of therapeutic success, by identifying patients with sufficient retained photoreceptor structure to benefit the most from intervention. Additionally, split-detector imaging may be useful for studies of other retinal degenerations such as AMD, retinitis pigmentosa, and choroideremia where the outer segment is lost before the remainder of the photoreceptor cell

Modeling the capacitive deionization batch mode operation for desalination

This research article published by Elsevier, 2014Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an emerging desalination technology in which saline water flows through a pair of polarized/biased electrodes. The cations and anions are attracted towards the negative and positive electrodes, respectively. In CDI operation there are two possible modes: single pass and batch mode. In single pass operation, saline water passes only once through the CDI cell, whereas in batch mode operation, the fixed volume of saline water is recycled continuously until a steady state is reached. This paper presents the transient response of the CDI cell under batch mode operation. The model is developed by taking into account single pass CDI operation and the mixing phenomena that occur in the recycling tank. The developed model was successfully validated using experimental data, and the model helped to derive the equation for predicting the steady state of the CDI cell for the given operating parameters: flow rate, saline water quantity, CDI capacitance, CDI resistance, spacer volume, dead volume, applied potential, and initial concentration of the saline water

Desalination using capacitive deionization at constant current

This research article published by Elsevier B.V., 2013Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an emerging technology of desalinating brackish/seawater to attain freshwater. The process involves polarization of the two electrodes electrically using direct current; thus the cations and anions are attracted towards the oppositely charged electrode. So far most of the experiments/models involve the charging of the CDI cell at constant voltage. However, charging at constant voltage leads to having a shorter time in a given CDI cell cycle when the system has reached its lowest effluent concentration. This is undesired phenomena. To overcome this problem desalination process is preferred to be performed at constant current. The dynamic response model to describe the variation of the effluent concentration with time under constant current charging has been derived and validated. Also, the effect of processing parameters such as applied current, flow rate, CDI cell dead volume, and capacitance on the lowest effluent concentration is analyzed

Predicting the lowest effluent concentration in capacitive deionization

This research article published by Elsevier B.V., 2013Capacitive deionization (CDI) is a promising technology for desalination of brackish water with different applications such as in the pharmaceutical industry, semiconductor manufacturing, and domestic use. The CDI cell utilizes an electric potential across two electrodes in which one of the electrodes becomes positively charged and the other becomes negatively charged. Cations and anions are attracted towards the anode and cathode, respectively. The adsorption and desorption mechanism within the CDI cell determines the amount of salt in the effluent stream. Modeling the dynamic response of the effluent concentration is vital to understanding the water purity level. In this paper, the equations predicting the lowest concentration time and lowest concentration have been found using the adsorption cycle mathematical model. During purification process the effluent concentration reaches the highest purity level after a certain period of time. We define the time it takes to reach the highest purity level as lowest concentration time and the corresponding instantaneous effluent purer water is what we call lowest concentration. While the lowest concentration depends on all of the CDI operating parameters i.e., applied potential, capacitance, flow rate, feed concentration, dead volume, and spacer volume, the lowest concentration time depends only on flow rate, dead volume, and capacitance. Using a genetic algorithm, it was found that seawater (32,702 ppm) could be desalinated to as low as 2.1 ppm; which is within the standards for drinking water set by the world health organization

Integrating reverse electrodialysis with constant current operating capacitive deionization

This research article published by Elsevier Ltd., 2014The presence of a salinity gradient between saline water streams may result in the production of electricity via either reverse electrodialysis (RED) or forward osmosis. While the former system generates electricity because of the ionic current, the latter process produces electricity due to the osmotic pressure. In this study, RED is coupled with capacitive deionization (CDI) so that highly pure water, fresh water and electricity could be generated simultaneously. A CDI cell is operated at constant current, and it generated ultrapure water and two streams (a lower salinity stream of approximately 17.4 mol NaCl per m3 and a high salinity stream of approximately 512.8 mol NaCl per m3) to be fed to the RED stack from a 15,000 ppm CDI feed concentration. The performed simulation reveals that, the total power generated from the RED using infinitely divided electrodes is 0.57 W/m2 electrode area. The use of RED in a CDI plant introduces a new approach to minimize CDI brine concentration, which would otherwise have a negative impact on the environment if it were disposed directly without prior treatment

Crustacean derived calcium phosphate systems: Application in defluoridation of drinking water in East African rift valley

This research published by Elsevier B.V., 2018Calcium phosphate adsorbents, derived from prawns and crabs shell biomass wastes have been developed using wet chemistry and low temperature treatment. The adsorbents were characterized by X-ray diffractometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Batch adsorption test were carried out to investigate their effectiveness in adsorption of fluoride from ground and surface waters. Adsorption capacities were compared with bone char and synthetic hydroxyapatite (CCHA). Results indicate that prawns derived adsorbent (PHA) formed hexagonal structure with phases identifiable with hydroxyapatite while crabs based adsorbent (CHA) formed predominantly monoclinic structure with crystalline phase characteristic of brushite. Vibrational analysis and kinetic studies predicted defluoridation occurred mainly by ion exchange and ion adsorption mechanisms. Defluoridation capacity of the adsorbents was found to be superior compared to bone char and CCHA. CHA was the most effective with efficiencies above 92% and highest capacity of 13.6 mg/g in field water with fluoride concentration of 5–70 mg/L. PHA had highest capacity of 8.5 mg/g which was still better than 2.6 mg/g recorded by CCHA and bone char. Adsorption was best described by pseudo 2nd order kinetics. The findings indicate that crustacean derived calcium phosphate systems have better potential for defluoridation than traditional bone char and synthetic systems