MACBenAbim: A Multi-platform Mobile Application for searching keyterms in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics

Computational biology and bioinformatics are gradually gaining grounds in Africa and other developing nations of the world. However, in these countries, some of the challenges of computational biology and bioinformatics education are inadequate infrastructures, and lack of readily-available complementary and motivational tools to support learning as well as research. This has lowered the morale of many promising undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers from aspiring to undertake future study in these fields. In this paper, we developed and described MACBenAbim (Multi-platform Mobile Application for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics), a flexible user-friendly tool to search for, define and describe the meanings of keyterms in computational biology and bioinformatics, thus expanding the frontiers of knowledge of the users. This tool also has the capability of achieving visualization of results on a mobile multi-platform context

A Review of Models for Evaluating Quality in Open Source Software

Open source products/projects targeting the same or similar applications are common nowadays. This makes choosing a tricky task. Quality is one factor that can be considered when choosing among similar open source solutions. In order to measure quality in software, quality models can be used. Open source quality models emerged due to the inability of traditional quality models to measure unique features (such as community) of open source software. The aim of the paper therefore is to examine the characteristic features, unique strengths, and limitations of existing open source quality models. In addition, we compare the models based on some selected attributes

THE IMPERATIVE OF A REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL CRIME DNA DATABASE IN NIGERIA

The evolution of DNA sequencing and analysis has had an extensive impact on criminal justice in many jurisdictions because it provides an opportunity for crime laboratories to develop distinct personal profiles required to identify crime suspects. This is connected with Locard’s principle of exchange that perpetrators of crime usually leave traces at the crime scene and take traces from the crime scene along with them. DNA evidence has led to the arrest of previously unidentifiable perpetrators of the crime and the exoneration of wrongfully convicted persons.  The functionality of DNA technology in criminal justice depends on the existence of a comprehensive DNA database. However, obtaining DNA samples from suspects has been challenged as a bio-invasion of the suspect’s right to privacy and cause of citizen stigmatization. DNA analysis is also susceptible to unscrupulous manipulations in forensic science laboratories. To avert potential legal challenges, countries with comprehensive DNA databases have evolved extensive regulatory frameworks to oversee the collection and retention of DNA samples of suspects. The collection of DNA samples in Nigeria for crime solving is still at a very elementary stage and a national DNA database does not exist. This paper aims to undertake a comparative legal analysis of relevant case laws as well as legislations in jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, United States of America and South Africa to advance the argument that it has become imperative to put in place a regulatory framework that will control the collection and storage of DNA samples as well as dictate the conduct of forensic laboratory scientists. A national DNA database is vital to combat crime but it must be subject to a regulatory framework

An Analysis of the Suitability of Cloud Computing Services in the Nigerian Education Landscape

Cloud computing is fast gaining popularity in educational institutions of developing countries like Nigeria. Software as a Service, Platform as a Service and Infrastructure as a Service are the three key models through which cloud computing services are delivered to end-users. A number of studies have been conducted to identify the enabling factors as well as the issues being faced as regards the adoption of cloud computing in the Nigerian context. In this study however, Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat analysis of the service delivery models in the Nigerian Education landscape has been presented. In addition, the issues that an educational institution needs to consider when adopting cloud computing is discussed