Risk mitigation strategies and policy implications for carbon dioxide (CO 2) emission in organically-amended soils in Nigeria

Global food security has been a challenge, especially in Africa. This has attracted the adoption of strategies to improve soil productivity and crop yield. One of such strategies is the use of solid wastes as soil organic matter amendments. An investigation of the effects of soil amendment using poultry manure, sawdust and their mixtures on carbon dioxide (CO 2) emission, maize (Zea mays L.) growth and dry matter yield were assessed under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Top soil obtained from unfertilized plots at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching and Research farm, Ile-Ife, Nigeria was used for the experiments. The organic amendments were added at the rate of 10 g/kg, treatments were in triplicates and treatment means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at 95% level of significance. Results obtained revealed that CO 2 emission decreased while maize heights and dry matter yields significantly (P> 0.05) increased with increasing ratios of poultry manure in the poultry manure-sawdust mixtures. The CO 2 emission from poultry manure amended soil was about 61% that from sawdust amended soil while the mean height and dry matter yield in sawdust-amended soils were 84% and 52% respectively those obtained in poultry manure amended soil. This paper concludes that it is essential to design and implement policies that will guide and encourage the use of organic amendments at ratios that can enhance crop yield and mitigate CO 2 emission to the environment

An architectural-based approach to detecting spim in electronic means of communication

Spams are what users and developers should be aware of in all Internet-based communication tools (such as e-mail, websites, Social Networking Sites (SNS), instant messengers and so on). This is because spammers have not ceased from using these platforms to deceive and lure users into releasing vibrant and sensitive information (especially, financial details). This paper developed an architectural based technique for SPIM (Instant Message Spam or IM SPAM) detection using the classification method. The classification was done using the C4.5 classifier with a dataset of messages gotten from an instant messaging environment. The dataset served as the input to the classification algorithm method which was able to distinguish spam from non-spam messages. This classification method was depicted in a tree form to show its usefulness. The results show that its precision, recall and accuracy rate satisfied standard recommendation with a commendable error rate. The proposed technique will find implication in the reduction of the number of Internet users.Keywords: Social Networking sites, spammers, Instant message spam, C4.5 Classifiers, e-mails

Strategic issues in jatropha biofuel enterprise development in Nigeria

In Nigeria today, fossil fuels constitute the major source of energy for the economy with consumption costs in excess of N 654 billion for petrol, N 303.2 billion for diesel and N 194 billion for Kerosene. The global debate on Climate Change/CO 2 emissions and domestic concerns on economic, environmental and energy security implications have necessitated alterative energy options and created opportunities for sustainable biofuel enterprise in Nigeria. Jatropha curcas (known as Lapalapa in Yoruba-speaking parts of Nigeria) is an uncultivated non-food wild-species plant with great potential for bioenergy development in the country. The seeds are resistant to a high degree of aridity and contain 27-40% oil that can be processed to produce a high-quality biodiesel fuel, usable in a standard diesel engine. With estimated diesel demands in Nigeria being 3600-4200 thousand metric tonnes by 2020, there is an expansive opportunity for jatropha biofuel enterprise in the country. This study examines the strategic issues (technological, economic, environmental, and socio-cultural) governing its development and proposes policy recommendations for its successful exploitation

A NEW BIOACTIVE THIOPHENOLIC GLYCOSIDE FROM THE LEAF OF MASSULARIA ACUMINATA (G. DON BULLOCK) EX HOYLE (RUBIACEAE)

Background: Massularia acuminata is a small tree or shrub of tropical rainforest. The leaves are used in Nigerian ethno-medicine for the treatment of microbial infections and pharmacological report suggested the leaf extract as possessing antioxidant activity. This study was therefore carried out to determine the most antioxidant and antimicrobial active fraction(s) of Massularia acuminata leaf and the constituent(s) responsible for the activities. Matherials and Methods: The leaf of Massularia acuminata was investigated for in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, using a 2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and agar dilution method respectively. Results: The ethyl acetate fraction demonstrated the best activities among the partitioned fractions tested. Bioassay guided purification of the most active ethyl acetate fraction led to isolation of a new thiophenolic glycoside, characterized as 4-(3´,3´-dihydroxy-1-mercaptopropyl)phenyl glycosylpyranoside. Conclusion: The isolated compound from the leaf of Massularia acuminata demonstrated antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and may be responsible for the activities of leaf extract and its ethyl acetate fraction, hence this may justify its ethnomedicinal use

Enhancing University Wireless Network Security using Peer-to-Peer Authentication Security Model

Wireless networks are prone to security attacks due mainly to the open nature of its transmission medium (open air). Hence wireless network security is more concentrated and complex than that of a wired network. With the advent of wireless network technologies in the market today, mobility has becomes an important requirement for most university networks. A lot of attention has been given to the provision of wireless infrastructures in the University networks, but little attention has been given to wireless network security in a University environment. The current wireless network security implemented in Universities are weak, making it possible for hacker to break into University networks and hack confidential information of students, staffs and faculty members. This paper addresses how to enhance wireless network security by proposing a pee-to-peer security model with MAC address control, using Extensible Authentication Protocol with Tunneled Transport Layer Security (EAP-TTLS) with certificate based mutual authentication of client and network through an encrypted tunnel and dynamic per user, per session WEP keys, using only server side certificates. This will control access to the network by allowing infrastructures to authenticate users and not wireless hosts using a centralized authentication server system, RADIUS server and LDAP or Active directory server. This will enable users to use their regular username and password. Keywords: Wireless network, Peer-to-Peer, Network security, Authentication I

Development and validation of a questionnaire to assess the doctors and nurses knowledge of acute oxygen therapy.

BACKGROUND:Prescription and administration of oxygen in emergencies by healthcare providers are reported to be inappropriate in most settings. There is a huge gap in the knowledge of health care providers on various aspects of oxygen therapy, and this may be a barrier to optimal oxygen administration. Hence, it is essential to ascertain providers' knowledge of acute oxygen therapy so that appropriate educational interventions are instituted for better delivery. There is no available validated instrument to assess knowledge of acute oxygen therapy. The study aimed to develop, validate and evaluate the test-retest reliability of a questionnaire to determine the doctors and nurses understanding of acute oxygen therapy. METHODS:This study involved the development of the questionnaire contents by a literature review, assessment of face validity (n = 5), content validity, using a panel of experts (n = 10), item analysis and test-retest reliability among a sample (n = 121) of doctors and nurses. RESULTS:Face validity indicated that the questionnaire was quick to complete (10-15 min), most items were easy to follow and comprehensible. The global content validity index (S-CVI) was 0.85. The test-retest reliability statistics showed a kappa coefficient of 0.546-0.897 (all P<0.001) and percentage agreement of 80-98.3% indicating high temporal stability in the target population. In total, 90% of the items fulfilled the reliability acceptance criteria. Item discrimination analysis showed that most questions were at an acceptable level. The final questionnaire included 37 item questions and eight sections. CONCLUSION:The designed questionnaire is a reliable and valid tool for assessing knowledge of acute oxygen therapy among doctors and nurses