E-Commerce and Banking Performance in Nigeria

E-commerce is relatively new in Nigeria and this business approach is fast gaining momentum. It has gradually emerged strongly and it’s advancing rapidly in all areas of financial intermediation and financial markets. This development has no doubt earned a competitive advantage owing to the fact that the recent development in telecommunications and information technology has resulted in new delivery channels for banking products and services. One of such derived benefits from e-commerce and its resultant impact on banking performance is its improved efficiency and effectiveness, convenience, reliability, flexibility, speed, etc. in order to enhance effective service delivery and boost banking performance in the Nigerian economy. However, as to how e-commerce practices can be employed in the pursuit of a sustainable development and economic growth is yet to be firmly established. This research work particularly describes the significance of e-commerce system by explaining the transition from the traditional business practices to the evolving electronic commerce practices which has broken many new grounds and has taken a global dimension.  Again, it explains why the electronic commerce channels such as the use of ATM, telecommunications, social networks, internet banking, POS terminals, Mobile phones, software applications, etc could enable business to blossom and reduce the movement of cash/cash handling which in turn helps to curb crime rates, mitigate other barricading challenges and would protect us from many dangers.  Also, it explains why it has gained greater height of acceptability and thus explains how information communication technology (ICT) could be exploited and enhanced for this purpose.  Conclusively, it develops a strategic management framework for leveraging e-commerce practices by providing considerable and practical suggestions on the use of e-e-commerce - its features, benefits, success factors and possible attendant risks associated with e-commerce. It guarantees customers’ patronage,  improve the standard of living, as well as facilitating economic, social and technological changes as certain values are expoused by sustainable development which in turn, would help to foster economic growth in the Nigerian economy . it was recommended that government and banks should establish adequate regulatory framework that will ensure customers’ protection and security of investment. Keywords: e-commerce, e-banking, mobile commerce/mobile banking, internet banking, information technology, social networks.

Adaptive dual-comb spectroscopy in the green region

Dual-comb spectroscopy is extended to the visible spectral range with a set-up based on two frequency-doubled femtosecond ytterbium-doped fiber lasers. The dense rovibronic spectrum of iodine around 19240 cm-1 is recorded within 12 ms at Doppler-limited resolution with a simple scheme that only uses free-running femtosecond lasers

A Study on Thermal Performance of Palladium as Material for Passive Heat Transfer Enhancement Devices in Thermal and Electronics Systems

In this work, the thermal behavior of fin made of palladium material under the influences of thermal radiation and internal heat generation is investigated. The thermal model for the extended surface made of palladium as the fin material is first developed and solved numerically using finite difference method. The influences of the thermal model parameters on the heat transfer behaviour of the extended surface are investigated. The results show that the rate of heat transfer through the fin and the thermal efficiency of the fin increase as the thermal conductivity of the fin material increases. This shows that fin is more efficient and effective for a larger value of thermal conductivity. However, the thermal conductivity of the fin with palladium material is low and constant at the value of approximately 75 W/mK in a wider temperature range of -100℃ and 227℃ . Also, it is shown that the thermal efficiencies of potential materials (except for stainless steel and brass) for fins decrease as the fin temperatures increase. This is because the thermal conductivities of most of the materials used for fins decreases as temperature increases.However, keeping other fin properties and the external conditions constant, the thermal efficiency of the palladium is constant as the temperature of the fin increases within the temperature range of -100℃ and 227℃. And outside the given range of temperature, the thermal conductivity of the material increases which increases the efficiency of the fin. The study will assist in the selection of proper material for the fin and in the design of passive heat enhancement devices under different applications and conditions

Influence of the Main Filter on QRS-amplitude and Duration in Human Electrocardiogram.

Accurate measurement of electrocardiograms (ECG) is critical for effective diagnosis of patient’s cardiac functions. Detailed examination of filters’ effects on ECG accuracy, reproducibility and robustness covering a wide range of available commercial products can provide valuable information on the relationship between quality and effectiveness of filters, and assessments of patients’ cardiac functions. In this study, ECG device with 12 leads and built-in filters used for ECG measurements was assessed on human volunteers. Results showed that with respect to measuring QRS wave duration and R-amplitude variation, there was a 4 % inaccuracy when the main filter was ON and OFF, and R-amplitude variation was most pronounced in the V4 lead. Accordingly, variability of R-amplitude and length of QRS wave can be reduced by the use of appropriate lead, and filter activation during the ECG assessment

Prediction of received signal power and propagation path loss in open/rural environments using modified free-space loss and Hata models

This paper describes a modification of the Free-Space and Hata formulae for the prediction of received signal power, P R and propagation path loss, L P , in two cellular mobile radio systems (CMRS), in the Northern Nigeria. Measurements of P R s were taken with a Cellular Mobile Radio test Receiver (Sagem OT 160), in some selected open/rural environments, when the receiver was being moved away from the base stations along the propagation paths. L P s were then obtained from values of measured P R s using an appropriate expression. A close comparison of measurement values and computed values from the free-space and Hata formulae revealed that direct application of these formulae is inappropriate for the prediction of these parameters in the region of investigation, as computed values fell short significantly from the corresponding measured values. Consequently, some correction factors have been introduced to both models and these have produced results which closely matched the measured values

EFFLUX MEDIATED MULTIDRUG RESISTANT PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA ISOLATED FROM DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL SOURCES

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic pathogen and one of the leading causes of multi-drug resistant nosocomial infections. This study was therefore carried out to determine the resistance nature, and the role of efflux pump in multidrug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from different environmental sources using the efflux pump inhibitor, Carbonyl Cyanide 3-Chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP). A total of 220 environmental samples were collected and processed following standard techniques. Susceptibility to antibiotics was performed using disc diffusion methods as described by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Activity of the efflux pump system was carried out using the efflux pump inhibitor, CCCP. Results obtained identified 100 (45.5%) Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 72 (32.7%) other strains of Pseudomonas spp. The susceptibility testing revealed that all the identified strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that were subjected to susceptibility test were significantly resistant to ampicillin and cefotaxime, But the  resistance profile of isolates to tetracycline, chloramphenicol, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime and perfloxacin were 93%, 72.1%, 79.1%, 58.1% and 51.2% respectively. However, imipenem was the most sensitive (100%), followed by cefepime (65%) and gentamicin (44%). Carbonyl Cyanide 3-Chlorophenylhydrazone decreased the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the isolates by 2 folds. Results obtained have shown the ubiquitous presence of multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa from the environmental samples examined. Furthermore, it indicated the role of efflux pump in antibiotics resistance in P. aeruginosa isolates which indicate that P. aeruginosa strains from environmental sources could resist antibiotics by the efflux mechanism.     &nbsp

Taxation and Nigerian Economic Growth Process

This study empirically investigates the impacts of taxation on the growth of the economy. The Nigerian government has embarked on monitoring its collection but the economy has failed to experience the desired growth that will lead to the targeted economic development.The chosen economic growth indicator, the real Gross Domestic Product (RGDP), is specified to depend on the taxation indicators which are the petroleum profit tax (PPT), company income tax (CIT), customs and excise duties (CED), value added tax (VAT).  The study employed the use of both simple and multiple linear regression analysis of the ordinary least square method. These were used to determine the impact and relationship between the endogenous variable, RGDP, and the exogenous variables, PPT, CIT, CED and VAT. It was discovered that if all the exogenous variables were tested individually on the economic growth, they show a significant impact individual on economic. The F-statistic shows that the overall model is statistically significant.This paper therefore recommends that the fiscal laws and regulations of the government should be strengthened so as to checkmate tax offenders, improve tax administrative machinery and transparency of government officials that are involve in tax revenue management. Keywords: real Gross Domestic Product, Petroleum Profit Tax, Company Income Tax, Customs and Excise Duties, Value Added Tax, Economic Growt

An optimized probucol microencapsulated formulation integrating a secondary bile acid (deoxycholic acid) as a permeation enhancer

The authors have previously designed, developed, and characterized a novel microencapsulated formulation as a platform for the targeted delivery of therapeutics in an animal model of type 2 diabetes, using the drug probucol (PB). The aim of this study was to optimize PB microcapsules by incorporating the bile acid deoxycholic acid (DCA), which has good permeation-enhancing properties, and to examine its effect on microcapsules’ morphology, rheology, structural and surface characteristics, and excipients’ chemical and thermal compatibilities. Microencapsulation was carried out using a BÜCHI-based microencapsulating system established in the authors’ laboratory. Using the polymer sodium alginate (SA), two microencapsulated formulations were prepared: PB-SA (control) and PB-DCA-SA (test) at a constant ratio (1:30 and 1:3:30, respectively). Complete characterization of the microcapsules was carried out. The incorporation of DCA resulted in better structural and surface characteristics, uniform morphology, and stable chemical and thermal profiles, while size and rheological parameters remained similar to control. In addition, PB-DCA-SA microcapsules showed good excipients’ compatibilities, which were supported by data from differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray studies, suggesting microcapsule stability. Hence, PB-DCA-SA microcapsules have good rheological and compatibility characteristics and may be suitable for the oral delivery of PB in type 2 diabetes