Archives-June...  

This paper assesses the benefits, problems and implications of the use E-commerce to developing economy like ours (Nigeria) in the area of international marketing. The position of this paper is that despite the myriad benefits of e-commerce in the international scene, the concept has held African countries under electronic siege. It promises freedom for all but in practice it's under developing Africa faster. The historical evolution of NWICO is responsible for this scenario. The lesson to be learned from the paper is that Africa should join the rest of the world in developing electronically platforms that 'will help our products marketed and competed internationally in the "market space ".

This paper was motivated by the need to locate and discuss the role and place of electronic skills to strengthening and expanding the development footprint of women in rural development. The study analyzed the levels of electronic literacy among rural women who attended adult literacy classes in deep remote areas of Zimbabwe. The study revealed that most women lack e-skills. A few were learning basic electronic skills through their electronically literate family networks. Consequently, the study concluded that it is important to empower rural women with electronic skills for community development.

L-Valinium Picrate, Rare earth element Erbium doped L-Valinium Picrate and soft transition element Cobolt doped L-Valinium Picrate were synthesized and grown as single crystals by slow evaporation method. The cell dimensions were obtained by single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. Optical properties, such as UV–visible–NIR absorption and second harmonic generation conversion efficiency were investigated to explore the optical characteristics of the grown crystals. Microhardness, Thermal and dielectric studies of the compound were also carried out. 

The quality of three marine fish species smoked with a gas smoker (Abuesi Gas Fish Smoker) and a fuelwood smoker (Chorkor Smoker) were analyzed. The aim was to evaluate the nutritional profile and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) levels in smoked fish from these smokers. The three fish species were the yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares, the common white grouper Epinephelus aeneus and barracuda Sphyraena sphyraena. The Abuesi Gas Fish Smoker produced significantly better quality-smoked fish than the Chorkor smoker. The protein, moisture, fat, total carbohydrate and ash contents of the gas smoked fish were in the range of 54.23 - 70.32%, 13.69 - 24.73%, 5.28 - 8.76%, 2.97 - 13.21% and 2.77 - 4.27% respectively, whilst that of the fuelwood-smoked fish were 43.38 - 43.75%, 22.00 - 46.5%, 2.00%, 5.26 - 25.78% and 2.85 - 6.50% respectively. Total PAH concentration ranged between 321.7 – 514.41 ?g/kg for gas-smoked fish and 1038.8 – 1550 ?g/kg for fuelwood-smoked fish. PAH concentrations per fish species in the two different fish smokers were significantly different. The EU maximum residue limits (MRLs) for PAH4 and BAP were met in the Gas Fish Smoker but not in the Chorkor Smoker. It is concluded that the gas fish smoker is a better choice, in terms of fish quality, than the fuelwood smoker.

Electronic banking (e-banking) system has become an important practice among commercial banks in Nigeria. The introduction of this banking system has improved banking efficiency in rendering services to customers and the public. However the gains of e-banking has been associated with some hinderances ranging from internet failure to arbitrary withdrawal of money by customers which negates the cashless policy being heralded by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). It was in line with this that the study aims at examining the challenges facing this banking system and the prospects accruable to its adoption. Among the various suggestions made in this study- to benefit maximally from e-banking- include provision of enabling environment that can guarantee safety of lives and cash deposits of customers, provision of an interrupted power supply and internet service in order to enjoy efficient services from the banks. Lastly, enforceable e-banking regulations should be put in place to back up the cashless policy already initiated by the CBN. This will go a long way to reduce money laundering and reckless withdrawal of cash and thereby boosting capital formation and investment in the economy.

Attitudes can be described as an evaluative statements or judgments concerning objects, people or events (Robbins & Judges, 2007), it’s because employee’s attitudes can reflect from the emotion on attachment to the particular organization and amplify employee’s productivity. This study particularly examines the importance employee attitudes that can be revealing from the aspect on affective commitment. Commitment is a manifestation of individual owns self and reflect values standard that are basic to an individual’s existence as a person. Based on the result shown that the commitment a closely associate with the attitudes of each employee in an organization. Organizational commitment can be classified into three (3) aspects which are affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment. The objective of this study is to measure the employee attitudes among non academic in UiTM Kedah by using the affective commitment. 100 samples were selected involved eight departments in UiTM Kedah. The results show affective commitment is positively influence the employee commitment. In conclusion, it is hoped that this paper will give some insight to promote the importance on affective commitment among the government servant especially the non-academic staff in UiTM Kedah in order to increase their level of efficiency concerning the attitudes stability towards their own organization attached.

Social work is one of the unique training and profession which strives to enhance the human being through sustain their capabilities and inherent strengths. In practice arena the profession is using various models, approach and intervention modalities to meet the needs and to ameliorate the problems of individual, families, groups, organisation and community. The prime goal of social work practice is to empower the individuals at different level. Empowerment has been a consistent theme within the social work profession for over a century. Hence NASW (1996) directed in its ethical preamble that “The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty”.

This work assessed the enrichment of lettuce and cabbage on display for sale along some busy roads in Accra with some essential elements using instrumental neutron activation analysis and atomic absorption spectrometry. The background levels of Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn, in lettuce and cabbage harvested from a vegetable farm were determined. The amount of the metals deposited on the vegetables after deliberate exposure along a busy road for three days were also determined. Background levels of elements in the vegetables in mg/kg were, Fe (162.97) > Mn (58.28) > Zn (10.78) > Cu (4.61) for lettuce and Fe (44.91) > Mn (20.95) > Zn (6.69) > Cu (1.16) for cabbage. The levels of all the elements increased in both vegetables after deliberate exposure with the third day recording the highest levels. The total amount of elements deposited on the vegetables after exposure for three days in mg/kg were Fe (22.27), Mn (11.8), Cu (1.68) and Zn (3.17) for lettuce and Fe (18.76), Mn (12.83), Cu (1.59) and Zn (5.58) for cabbage. Rates of enrichment of the vegetables by elements in mg/kg/day were, Fe (9.09) > Mn (3.93) >Zn (1.06) > Cu (0.56) for lettuce and Fe (6.25) > Mn (4.28) > Zn (1.86) > Cu (0.53) for cabbage.

Composite flours were prepared by blending acha and Bambara flours in ratios 90:10, 80:20, 70:30 and 60:40. Functional, pasting and chemical properties of the blends were evaluated. Cold extruded spaghetti samples were produced from the composite flours and 100% wheat flour as control. Proximate composition, mineral content, anti-nutritional, colour, cooking qualities and sensory acceptability of the spaghetti samples were determined. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in water absorption and oil absorption capacities between the control and the experimental samples. Loose and packed bulk densities, dispersability, water absorption and oil absorption capacities of the composite flours were as follows: 0.59 to 0.66 g/ml, 0.91 to 0.95 g/ml, 79 to 80 g/ml, 2.14 to 2.26 g/ml and 2.15 to 2.18 g/ml compared with wheat flour 0.48 g/ml, 0.77 g/ml, 75 g/ml, 2.26 g/ml and 2.46 g/ml, respectively. Swelling power of composite flour at 90 and 100oC were essentially the same, while slight differences occurred at 60, 70 and 80oC. Moisture, ash, fat, crude fiber, protein and carbohydrate contents of the blends were 12.58 to 12.91%, 1.00 to 2.50%, 2.30 to 2.40%, 0.25 to 1.00%, 12.58 to 14.63% and 67.09 to 71.20% compared with wheat flour 13.17%, 1.5%, 2.25%, 1.32%, 10.21% and 71.56%, respectively. Phytate, tannin and trypsin inhibitor contents of the extruded products were significantly reduced. The Ca and Zn of the composite spaghetti were higher than that of wheat spaghetti. Significant differences were observed in the colour of experimental spaghetti samples. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) between the cooked weight of composite spaghetti and wheat spaghetti. The overall acceptability of the experimental samples was about 60% of the control spaghetti.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent difficulties in social communication and interaction and restrictive, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, activities, and interests. Children with autism also experience sensory processing issues and it is a part of diagnostic criteria for Autism. The executive functions are fundamental cognitive skills for achieving good performance in life, as well as in the school and social environment, allowing people to face new and complex situations and the major components of executive functions are working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility. executive functions in an early age evaluating a group of ASD preschool children and confirmed the presence of a significant deficit in some aspects of executive functions in subjects with ASD. The research indicated that children with ASD are often reported problem in executive function in order to have poor working memory capacity, difficulties in switching attention between tasks, and inhibition response problems, which can seriously affect their school performance and everyday functioning. An attempt has been made to review on executive functions in children with autism.