A Survey of Determinants of Decision-making by Managers in the Aviation Industry in Nigeria

This paper examined access to and use of information systems, personality traits and decision-making by managers in the aviation industry in Nigeria. The stratified random sampling technique, complemented with a questionnaire, was used to collect data from 1,238 managers in aviation parastatals in Nigeria. However, only 945 responded, giving a response rate of 76.3 percent. The study found that personality traits (r = 0.330, P< 0.05) and information systems access (r = 0.170, P<0.05) and use (r = 0.350, P<0.05) had significant relationships with decision-making of the respondents, when taken together, significantly determined decision-making of the respondents.  Use of information systems was found to make the greatest relative contribution (32.0 percent) in determining the decision-making of managers in the aviation industry in Nigeria. Personality traits should be considered when recruiting managers for the aviation industry. Keywords: information systems access, use, personality traits, decision-making, aviation industr

Self-efficacy, Information Accessibility and Utilization as Determinants of Creativity of Managers in Packaging Companies in Nigeria

This paper investigated self-efficacy information accessibility and utilization as factors determining creativity of managers in packaging companies in Nigeria. The research design adopted for the study was survey method. The study population comprised 540 managers in eleven packaging companies in Nigeria. The questionnaire was used to collect data from the 540 managers out of which 485 responded and valid for analysis given a response rate of 89.8 percent.The study revealed that self-efficacy, information accessibility and utilization had significant positive correlations with the creativity of the respondents. In addition, self-efficacy, information accessibility and utilization were found to be significant determinants of creativity of the managers in the packaging companies in Nigeria.It is therefore recommended that the Board of management in these companies should give much attention to self-efficacy, information accessibility and utilization when planning to improve the creativity of their managers. They should endeavour to encourage their managers to make intensive use of information and have wide access to available information resources internally and externally for better creativity. Keywords: Self-Efficacy, Information Accessibility, Information Utilization, Managers, Packaging Companies, Nigeria

Knowledge sharing behaviour by librarians in federal universities in Nigeria

The ongoing debate in the international community’s is on the evaluation of knowledge sharing and its impact on organisational effectiveness. Librarians play a pivotal role in helping the university to realise the objective of teaching, learning and research. Librarians provide access to information resources and services to support the vision and mission of their parent institution. Knowledge are being created daily in organisation, hence, they should be shared. Although, there have been researches on knowledge sharing by librarians in Nigeria but the focus have always been on sectional part or on one or two geo-political zones, without national study as scope of study. This study therefore investigated knowledge sharing by librarians in federal universities in Nigeria. The population of study comprised 654 librarians from 40 federal universities in Nigeria. A total enumeration technique was used to cover 654 librarians. The descriptive statistics was employed for data analysis. 518 respondents filled and returned the questionnaire, given a response rate of 79.2%. The results revealed that the level of knowledge sharing by librarians is high ( =98.47. SD =11.54). The channel of knowledge sharing by librarians varies significantly from face-to-face to the use of social media. Significant difference exists on knowledge sharing by librarians based on the universities. The study concludes that librarians are not only knowledge managers but also knowledge disseminators. Therefore, library administrators should establish as well as formalised knowledge sharing hours in the library so that the culture of knowledge sharing can be maintained among the librarians. Recognition and incentives be given to librarians who share knowledge so that they can share more knowledge

WORK STRESS AND INFORMATION ANXIETY OF LIBRARY PERSONNEL IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES IN NIGERIA

The paper investigates work stress and information anxiety of library personnel in academic libraries in South-west, Nigeria. The research design adopted for the study was survey method of the correlational type. Simple random sampling technique was used to select a sample population of 308 (60% of the population) out of 703 library personnel in academic libraries in South-west, Nigeria. The findings of this study revealed that the level of work stress of the library personnel is moderate with a mean score X = 52.45; SD=7.366. The level of information anxiety of is also moderate with mean score X=36.87; SD= 6.370. SPSS was used to analyse the data. Delivery of information and service are essential task of library personnel and this must be done efficiently and effectively if the profession is to remain afloat. To this effect, it has been recommended that the academic library managers in South-west, Nigeria should endeavour to sponsor and organise seminars, workshops and conferences for library personnel. This will keep the library personnel abreast of the modern trends and development in academic libraries and thus encourage them to embrace such development to reduce their level of information anxiety. Break time, well-furnished environment, adequate working equipment’ tools, job rescheduling among others will go a long way in helping to alleviate stress in the work environment. The study contributes to literature due to the fact that the project will be useful for other researchers in similar study. Likewise the study provides fresh data for policy makers on ways to reduce work stress

Morphological spectrum and epidemiological profile of ovarian tumours in black West African women at Lagos state university teaching hospital, Ikeja, Nigeria

Background: This study was done to evaluate the histological types, frequency and age distribution of ovarian tumours in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos State. This study also aims to classify ovarian tumours in this centre according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).Methods: A retrospective, descriptive hospital study of all ovarian specimens that were sent to the department of pathology and forensic medicine, LASUTH between 1st January, 2011 and 31st December, 2019 was done. Relevant data composed of the age distributions and histopathological types were extracted from the departmental information system and filed documents. The data was analysed using the IBM-SPSS version 25.0.Results: There were 198 cases of ovarian tumours. The mean age at diagnosis of ovarian tumours was 34.6±15.3 years. Unilateral ovarian tumour was observed in 91.9%% of cases while bilateral disease was seen in 8.1%. Primary ovarian tumours constitute 97.0% of all diagnosed tumours of the ovary. Germ cell tumour was the most frequently diagnosed ovarian tumour; and teratoma was the most common, representing 91.2% of germ cell tumours and 47.0% of all ovarian tumours. Primary ovarian cancer peaked at the 6th decade of life and metastatic ovarian cancer was infrequently seen. Serous carcinoma is the most commonly diagnosed ovarian cancer.Conclusions: Ovarian tumour presents most frequently at the 4th decade of life, and germ cell tumour is the most common

Antinociceptive and anti-arthritic properties of hydroethanolic leaf extract of Clausena anisata (Willd.) Hook. f. ex Benth (Rutaceae) in Rodents: possible mechanism of actions

Summary: The leaves of Clausena anisata (Willd.) Hook. f. ex Benth (Rutaceae) is used in Traditional African medicine for the treatment of various ailments including arthritis. The present study sought to investigate the antinociceptive and anti-arthritic properties of hydroethanolic leaf extract of Clausena anisata (HeCA). HeCA (100, 200 or 400 mg/kg, p.o.) was administered 1 h before intraplantar injection of formalin 1%v/v in saline to evaluate antinociceptive effect. Moreover, its possible mechanism of antinociceptive action was investigated through pretreatment of mice with antagonists of receptors implicated in nociception. Anti¬inflammatory effect of the extract was investigated using the carrageenan-induced paw oedema and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis models in rats. HeCA (400 mg/kg) treatment significantly reduced the duration of paw licking/biting during both in the early (42.12%) and late (75.79%) phases of formalin-induced nociception. However, the antinociceptive effect elicited by HeCA was reverse by pretreatment of mice with naloxone, prazosin, yohimbine, ketanserin, L-arginine, and parachlorophenylalanine (PCPA). HeCA produced dose-dependent and time course decrease in carrageenan-induced paw oedema. Pre- and post-treatment of rats with HeCA ameliorated CFA-induced arthritis evidenced in the significant decrease in arthritic index comparatively similar to the effect of celecoxib. CFA- induced oxidative and nitrosative stress were attenuated by subchronic treatment with HeCA. Findings from this study shows that C. anisata possesses antinociceptive activity through possible interaction with opioidergic, noradrenergic, L-arginine-nitric oxide and serotonergic pathways as well as anti-arthritic property which could be attributed to its ability to prevent the release of inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress.Keywords: Complete Freund's adjuvant; L-arginine-nitric oxide; nociception; antioxidant; rheumatoid arthritis; serotonergic

Histopathology of bladder carcinomas: an eight year retrospective study at Lagos state university teaching hospital, Ikeja, Nigeria

Background: This study was undertaken to evaluate the histological types, frequency, age and sex distribution of bladder carcinoma in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos state. This study aims to classify bladder carcinoma in this centre according to the World Health Organisation/ International Society of Urological Pathology.Methods: An eight-year retrospective study of all bladder carcinomas specimens that were sent to the department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, LASUTH between 1st January, 2011 and 31st December, 2018 was done. Relevant data consisting of the age and sex distributions as well as histopathological types were extracted from the departmental information system and filed documents. The data was analysed using the IBM-SPSS version 25.0.Results: There were 87 cases of bladder tumours, out of which 55 (63.2%) were bladder carcinomas. The mean age at diagnosis of bladder carcinomas was 56.9±13.9 years. Sex distribution has male to female ratio of 1: 1. Urothelial carcinoma predominates as the most common histological type.Conclusions: Bladder carcinoma presents most frequently at the 5th decade of life, with a slight male preponderance

AN ASSESSMENT OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IN THE LIBRARIES OF SOUTH-WESTERN, NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

The paper examines the extent of disaster preparedness in libraries of three South-western Nigerian universities. The survey research method was adopted, randomly administering on a ratio of 1:1:2:3, eighty (80) copies of the questionnaire to staff members of four university libraries. A 73% response rate was recorded and simple frequency tables, Likert Scale aided with summative indexing and Chi square test were used for analyzing the collated data. Four research questions were answered with three universities selected for the population study. There were fifty-eight respondents, made up of 30 males (51.7%) and 28 (48.3%) females.Disaster Likelihood Index (DLI) was used to measure propensity to disaster and of the seven indicators, water leakages (3.89) and faulty power supply (3.15) having the highest index scores, are the most probable sources of disaster. In addition, results reveal that the most available disaster management utilities are fire extinguishers, emergency exits and smoke detectors in the libraries with 90%, 75.9% and 72.4% respectively. The availability of smoke detectors however varies significantly across the libraries and is most available in the Kenneth Dike Library. The level of preparedness was also measured with three main indices, namely: maintenance (MI), adequacy (AdI) and awareness (AwI) of disaster management measures, each with its checklist of indicators. With the mean MI, AdW and AwI being 3.17, 3.03 and 2.82 respectively, awareness on disaster management measures is the lowest scoring index of preparedness, and knowledge of emergency numbers has the least AwI (2.31) among its indicators. The study recommends among others, the installation of utilities like smoke detector, emergency exit doors conspicuously indicated,awareness campaign as well as regular staff training on disaster management, to increase the level of preparedness in all the university libraries

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century