Easing the burden of fixed telephone lines on small-scale entrepreneurs in Nigeria: GSM lines to the rescue

The study reported in this paper investigated the socio-economic characteristics of the adopters of GSM lines and the factors determining the adoption of GSM lines by small-scale entrepreneurs in a major Nigerian city (Ibadan). The results of the study confirm the widely held notion that the advent of mobile telephony in Nigeria has significantly improved telephone access among the strata of the population that could not afford the relatively expensive and inefficient fixed telephone lines. The relatively lower cost of acquiring GSM lines stands out more than any other factor as the driver of decision to adopt GSM lines by small-scale entrepreneurs. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that factors such as number of apprentices employed, sales turnover, and type of business are also important determinants of the adoption of GSM lines by small-scale entrepreneurs. The parameter estimates of these variables have positive sign and are statistically significant at 1% level. Results also suggest that the relatively new small-scale entrepreneurs are more proactive in the adoption of GSM lines than entrepreneurs that are older in business. In addition, the findings suggest that female small-scale entrepreneurs are generally younger in age though it is unclear whether they are more proactive than their male counterparts in the adoption of GSM lines. Entrepreneurs in service sectors are also more likely to adopt GSM lines than those in manufacturing.     

Culm Morphological Traits Contributing to Lodging Resistance in First Generation NERICA Cultivars Under Foliar Application of Orthosilicic Acid Fertilizer

Silicon - Lodging resistance in upland rice requires adequate knowledge of the mechanical basis of culm morphological traits (CMTs) with potential for improved structural integrity under...     

First steps toward best practice SEA in a developing nation: lessons from the central Namib uranium rush SEA

The intent of this study is to contribute to the discussion of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) best practice based on experience gained in a recent SEA initiative: the central Namib (Namibia) uranium rush SEA. We evaluate this SEA process against internationally established characteristics of ‘best practice’ SEA to improve and strengthen future practice in Namibia. The study draws primarily on the final assessment report as well as inputs from six informants involved in the assessment. The results reveal some elements of good practice as well as areas for improvement, and in particular, the need for improved baseline data collection; adequate consideration of alternatives; committing to preferred scenario/options; enforceability; and a more robust institutional capacity. We offer insight into how consideration of these factors may help to strengthen SEA practice in Namibia. Overall, the SEA may not represent a ‘best practice’ example according to international standards, but it does suggest a potentially bright future for SEA practice in Namibia.     

Challenges to integrating planning and policy-making with environmental assessment on a regional scale – a multi-institutional perspective

Abstract

Regional environmental assessment (EA) requires the participation of policy- and plan-making institutions to formulate, implement and monitor regional environmental management strategies. However, there is little understanding of what effective integration is in the context of regional EA and from the perspectives of planners and policy-makers involved. This paper seeks to explore how institutional actors perceive cross-domain integration vis-à-vis their own involvement in regional EAs. Thirty-eight participants from four regional EA initiatives in Canada shared their perspectives in an online survey. Three types of silo effects are identified: (1) institutional – intricately linked to factors such as coordination, goals and expectations, leadership and capacity; (2) disciplinary – characterized by limited communication and scepticism around data sharing; and (3) transactional – tendency of actors to emphasize individual narrow perspective rather than collective social and environmental outcomes. Additional findings reveal the importance of learning and multiple domain expertise as opportunities for enhancing cross-domain integration in regional EA practice. Finally, the study concludes that proactive consideration of potential silo effects is necessary for improved regional EA outcomes, and to facilitate more effective regional resource governance.     

The oxidation and resistance of tantalum-nitride thin films

The oxidation of reactively-sputtered, tantalum—nitride thin films has been studied between 473 and 773 K in air. Films with thicknesses that correspond to sheet resistances of 43, 75, and 150 / were evaluated in this study. X-ray diffraction revealed that the films and the oxidation products were amorphous. The oxidation products were characterized with AES and XPS. The oxidation process was monitored by measuring the change in sheet resistance with time. Sheet resistance measurements were performed with a four-point probe. The oxidation kinetics can be represented by the equation R/R ⁿ =kt. R/R is sheet resistance change in %, t is time, and k is the rate constant. The oxidation kinetics, for the thickest film, were parabolic above about 598 K, and approximately quartic below this temperature. The 75 / films deviated from parabolic kinetics below 603 K, and approached approximate cubic kinetics at 498 K. However, the data were forced to fit parabolic kinetics with good correlation. For the thinnest film, no deviation from parabolic kinetics was observed. The rate constants obeyed the Arrhenius relation. An activation energy of 147 kJ/mole (1.52eV) was calculated, for the thickest film, during parabolic kinetics. This value is approximately equal to the activation energy obtained during quartic kinetics. A model that explains the deviation from parabolic to quartic oxidation kinetics at lower temperatures is presented. In this model, the change in resistance as a function of time was due to simultaneous change in film resistivity, as a result of oxygen dissolution into the film, and oxide-scale growth. The temperature at which this deviation occurs should be a function of film thickness.     

Effect of annealing on the functionality of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) starch–palmitic acid complex

Bambara groundnut is an underutilised African leguminous crop. This study investigated the effect of annealing on the complexing ability and functionality of Bambara groundnut starch with palmitic acid. Corn starch was included as the reference. Annealing created cracks and pores on the surface of Bambara groundnut and corn starches, respectively. Bambara groundnut starch had significantly higher amylose content, higher peak and final viscosities than corn starch. The peak viscosities of native Bambara groundnut and corn starches significantly reduced with palmitic acid addition. Greater reduction in peak viscosities was observed when the annealed starches were complexed with palmitic acid, suggesting that more palmitic acid was complexed after annealing. This was confirmed by XRD peaks and melting enthalpies. Pasting of native Bambara groundnut and corn starches with palmitic acid resulted in the formation of type I V‐amylose complexes, while type II complexes were formed from annealed starches pasted with palmitic acid.     

Starch-based noodles: Current technologies,properties, and challenges

Starch noodles are gaining interest due to the massive popularity of gluten-free foods. Modified starch is generally used for noodle production due to the functional limitations of native starches. Raw materials, methods, key processing steps, additives, cooking, and textural properties determine the quality of starch noodles. The introduction of traditional, novel, and natural chemical additives used in starch noodles and their potential effects also impacts noodle quality. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the native and modified starch as raw materials and key processing steps for the production of starch noodles. Further, this article aimed to comprehensively collate some of the vital information published on the thermal, pasting, cooking, and textural properties of starch noodles. Technological, nutritional, and sensory challenges during the development of starch noodles are well discussed. Due to the increasing demands of consumers for safe food items with a long shelf life, the development of starch noodles and other convenience food products has increased. Also, the incorporation of modified starches overcomes the shortcomings of native starches, such as lack of viscosity and thickening power, retrogradation characteristics, or hydrophobicity. Starch can improve the stability of the dough structure but reduces the strength and resistance to deformation of the dough. Some technological, sensory, and nutritional challenges also impact the production process.