Aeromonas sobria regulates proinflammatory immune response in mouse macrophages via activating the MAPK,AKT, and NF-κB pathways

Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE B -...     

Impact of mobile-based mentoring,socio-economic background and religion on girls’ attitude and belief towards antisocial behaviour (ASB)

This study examined the impact of mobile-based mentoring, socio-economic background and religion on girl’s attitude and belief towards ASB in Ibadan Oyo State Nigeria. The study adopted a mixed method research design. The participants in the study comprised forty (40) students purposively selected from Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The platform ( www.gcmentoringinitiative.org ) was adopted for mobile-based mentoring. One research question was raised and three null hypotheses were tested in the study at .05 level of significance. Data were analysed using content analysis for Focus Group Discussion, Analysis of Covariance and Estimated Marginal Means. The results reveal a significant main effect of socio-economic background on girl’s attitude towards ASB. Also, there was no significant impact of mobile-based mentoring on girl’s attitude towards ASB. Based on the findings, using mobiles in mentoring girls could significantly reinforce or change their belief in engaging in antisocial activities. Also, the socio-economic background plays a significant role in determining the attitude and belief of girls in engaging in antisocial activities. Girls’ religion has little or no effect on their belief and attitude towards antisocial behaviours (ASB). Girls from low-income family are susceptible to engage in ASB, while those from wealthy homes are less likely to engage in ASB.     

Electronic Document Delivery: The Ibadan University Library Experience

New information communication technologies, such as the Internet and electronic publishing, not only enhance the range of publications that libraries can provide for their users but also increase the speed with which such requests can be met. This article describes the development of electronic document delivery (EDD) at the Kenneth Dike Library at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. A successful EDD program depends upon good intranet and Internet network systems, document availability, user awareness and training, and ease of use. The major challenge to this service is inconsistent power supply, which the university is addressing with the aid of a grant from the MacArthur Foundation for backup electric generators and a university solar energy project. It is hoped that this will assure better and more reliable power service in support of EDD in future. New information delivery regulations and laws guiding adequate service will also emerge but must be properly applied for effective and positive results.     

Strengthening professional expertise: Mentoring in knowledge transfer,the cataloguers’ perspective

Abstract

University libraries provide support for institutions to achieve their objectives. To realise these objectives, universities allocate considerable funds for the library’s development and provision of needed resources that support teaching/research activities. This is for the simple reason that a university’s excellence is synonymous with the effectiveness of its library services. Hence, there is a need for continuous training and retraining for retention of librarians who manage the libraries to achieve the university’s objectives. Of the few on-the-job training models, mentoring as a Continuing Professional Development programme for librarians in a university library has often been overlooked. This study surveys the uses of mentoring in knowledge transfer for cataloguing, managerial, and research skills development for cataloguers in Nigerian academic libraries. The findings show that mentoring as a tool for knowledge transfer influences cataloguers and their skills development. The result indicates that mentoring in knowledge transfer has a moderate to strong correlation with skills development, and it improves catalouers’ proficiency and overall development.     

The Definitions and Onset of an Old Person in South-Western Nigeria

This paper investigates the definitions and onset of an old person in South-Western Nigeria. Conventionally, anyone who has reached the age of 60 or 65 years is regarded as the onset of an old person. But on contrary, this recent study is strongly emphasizing that 50 years and above is the onset of an old person in South-Western Nigeria. Obviously, the definitions and onset of an old person are controversial, yet, revealing in this paper. The study captured 13 Local Government Areas in Lagos state while 11 Local Government Areas were covered in Oyo state. The study employed focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs). However, 938 old persons were interviewed through questionnaire administration in Lagos and Oyo states of South-Western Nigeria. The univariate, FGDs, and IDIs were employed in the analyses of this research. The major findings of this study are the following: firstly, that there are different dimensions of the definitions of an old person that include frailty, inactivity, loss of strength, respect, blessedness, sickness, growing old, and inability to do hard work. Secondly, that someone who has reached the age of 50 years and above can be regarded as an old person, which is the onset of an old person in South-Western Nigeria society. On the basis of earlier findings, the study hereby recommends that anyone who has attained the age of 50 years and above should be recognized, regarded, and honored as an Elder by the State Government of South-Western Nigeria society where they are presently residing.