Communities in DSpace

Select a community to browse its collections.

Recent Submissions

No Thumbnail Available
Item
Open Access
Evaluation of the role of omega-3 acids in nicotine-induced neurotoxicity in pregnant wistar rats and their pups
(Department Of Physiological Sciences, Faculty Of Basic Medical Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University., 2023) Omole, Joseph Gbenga
This study evaluated the sensorimotor reflexes, motor strength and co-ordination in the mother Wistar rats and their pups, and the effects of nicotine and treatment with Omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation on memory of mother rats and their pups. It also determined the levels of markers of brain injury such as, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF -α) in the mother rats and their pups, assessed the effect of nicotine and Omega-3 fatty acids on the brain metabolic enzymes such as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6P) as well as brain neurotransmitters such as dopamine (DA) in the brain of the mother Wistar rats and their pups; determined the effects of nicotine and Omega-3 fatty acids on the enzymatic anti-oxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and nonenzymatic anti-oxidant such as reduced glutathione (GSH) in the brain of the mother rats and their pups; and assessed the histology of cerebellum and hippocampus of the mother rats and pups. Ethical clearance (IPH/OAU/12/1925) for the study was obtained from Health Research Ethics Committee (HREC) of the Institute of Public Health, College of Health Sciences,Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. Thirty adults female Wistar rats and ten adult male Wistar rats of 10-12 weeks of age were used for this study. The female rats were randomly divided into six groups such that each group contained five rats. Ten male rats were distributed into five out of the six cages, such that the male: female ratio in the five cages was 2:5. Groups I and II (non- Pregnant and pregnant rats) were treated with 1ml/kg/day of normal saline for 42 days; III (pregnant rats) were treated with 4 mg/kg/day of nicotine for 42 days; IV (pregnant rats) were co-administered nicotine 4 mg/kg/day and 100 mg/kg/day of Omega-3 fatty acids for 42 days; V (pregnant rats) were co-administered nicotine 4 mg/kg/day and 300 mg/kg/day of Omega-3 fatty acids for 42 days, and VI (pregnant rats) were co-administered nicotine 4mg/kg/day and 600 mg/kg/day of Omega-3 fatty acids for 42 days. Nicotine and Omega-3 fatty acids were administered orally. Neurobehavioral tests were performed on the mother rats and their pups following standard protocol. Biochemical parameters such as DA, SOD, GSH, AChE, G6P, IL-6, TNF-alpha and cas-3 were assayed in the brain tissue homogenate using appropriate biochemical kits. Histology of the cerebellum and hippocampus was carried out using Hematoxylin & Eosin stain. Data was analyzed using One-way Analysis of Variance followed by Neuman keul’s post hoc tests. The results were considered significant when P<0.05. The beam walk time of the mother rats in groups III and IV (9.00 ± 0.32 and 8.00 ± 0.32 seconds) were significantly higher (F= 11.59; p= 0.0001) when compared with groups I, II, V and VI (6.00 ± 0.45; 6.40 ± 0.51; 5.80 ± 0.37 and 6.00 ± 0.32 seconds, respectively). Similarly, the beam walk time of the pups in groups III and IV (17.20 ± 0.97 and 15.60 ± 0.81 seconds)were significantly higher (F=40.67; p=0.0001) when compared with the pups in groups II, V and VI (6.80 ± 0.58; 9.60 ± 0.51 and 8.20 ± 0.66 seconds respectively). The brain DA levels of mother rats in groups III, IV and V (24.12 ± 1.74; 18.43 ± 1.64 and 13.97 ± 1.57 pg/ml) were significantly higher (F= 56.45; p=0.0001) when compared with groups I, II and VI (5.37 ± 0.83; 5.13 ± 0.75 and 6.38 ± 1.20 pg/ml respectively). Similar result was obtained for brain DA levels of the pups in groups III and IV when compared with the pups in groups II, V and VI. The GSH of groups III and IV (7.01 ± 0.46 and 10.94 ± 0.95 μ/mg protein) were significantly lower (F= 13.10; p= 0.0001) when compared with groups I, II, V and VI (11.63 ± 0.70; 11.41 ± 0.84; 10.55 ± 0.50 and 13.07 ± 1.21 μ/mg protein). Similarly, Pup rats in groups III and IV (9.20 ± 0.79 and 7.81 ± 1.28 μ/mg protein) had significantly lower (F= 7.208; p= 0.0019) GSH when compared with the pup in groups II, V and VI (15.35 ± 1.74; 12.43 ± 0.81 and 13.56 ± 0.87 μ/mg protein.Photomicrographs of cerebellum and hippocampus of the rats treated with nicotine showed scattered arrangement of pyramidal cells with vacuolated neurons. These alterations were significantly reversed with Omega-3 fatty acids following nicotine exposure. The study concluded that Omega-3 fatty acids at 300 and 600mg/kg ameliorated nicotineinduced neurotoxicity in rat. However, the highest dose seems to be most effective in ameliorating nicotine-induced neurotoxicity in rats
No Thumbnail Available
Item
Open Access
Electronic marketing and customer retention in selected food and beverages firms in southwestern Nigeria.
(Department of Management and Accounting, Faculty of Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University., 2022) Ishola, Oluwakemi Temilade
This study investigated e-marketing strategies used by the selected food and beverages firms, determined the extent of customer retention by the selected firms and determined the effect of e-marketing on customer retention among the selected food and beverages firms in Southwestern Nigeria. These were with a view to establish that customer retention is influenced by electronic marketing. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. Primary data were sourced for this study through administration of questionnaires. The target population for this study consisted of management cadre, production units, marketing departments and the customers of the selected food and beverages firms in Southwestern Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the firms within the food and beverages industry having equal chance of participation. Purposive sampling technique was also used to select the employees of the selected firms and their customers. Yamane formula was used to determine the sample size of 389 out of the total population of 14387. The data collected were analysed using percentages, mean and ordinary least square. The results of the study showed that the following e-marketing strategies have been adopted and used to a large extent by the food and beverages firms – e-mail marketing (X̅=3.13), internet marketing (X̅=3.37), mobile marketing (X̅=3.09), extranet marketing (X̅=3.48) and intranet marketing (X̅=3.19). The study also revealed that e-marketing had positively influenced customer retention to a high extent in the food and beverages firms (F=16.531, p < 0.05). Finally, the result showed that e-marketing had a significant effect on customer retention in the selected food and beverages firms (F=16.531, p < 0.05) in Southwestern Nigeria.The study therefore concluded that e-marketing is a tested and valid means of facilitating customer retention and proved better than the conventional marketing system in food and beverages firms.
No Thumbnail Available
Item
Open Access
A critical discourse analysis of fake news and hate speech among Nigerians in selected social media sites.
(Department Of English, Faculty Of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University., 2023) Adewuya, Abiola Omotayo
The study identified the patterns of language use in fake news and hate speech among Nigerians on the selected social media sites. It analysed the discursive strategies projecting identities and ideologies in the selected texts. It further described the use of language militating against peace and or promoting discord in the selected texts and discussed the implications of the use of language in the Nigerian context. All these were done with a view to uncovering the underlying issues of identity and ideology in the Nigerian wider contexts. The study used both primary and secondary sources of data. The primary source comprised 50 purposively selected fake news and 50 purposively selected hate speeches making 100 altogether. Among the 10 commonly used social media platforms in Nigeria, Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp were selected based on perceived popularity and acceptance among Nigerians. The secondary source included books, journal articles and the Internet. The study adopted van Dijk’s socio-cognitive model of CDA with bias for his ideological square drawing insights from Gumperz’s Interactional Sociolinguistics to analyse the data. The results showed that discourse producers on social media used patterns of language including lengthy titles, capital letters, lexicalisation, punctuation marks and slangy words/expressions in the fake news and hate speeches to emphasise issues and present people. The study also revealed that social media users discursively used language to showcase Self and Other identities in ethnic, religious, social and political forms with the use of figures of speech e.g. consonantal alliteration, metaphor, irony and synechdoche while ideologies of marginalisation, ethnic and religious biases etc. were expressed with discursive strategies such as actor description, categorisation, example/illustration, evidentiality, generalisation, national self(de)glorification, number game among others. It further revealed that fake news and hate speeches’ discursive features reflect negative presentations of different ethnicities and political office holders which mitigate against peace and/or promote discord in Nigeria. Finally, the study found that the implication of language use in fake news and hate speech on social media reflects resistance to domination and power abuse of the political class in the Nigerian context. The study concluded that fake news and hate speech on the social media reflect individual and collective ideologies reflective of the socio-political nature of Nigeria through which different identities are marked.
No Thumbnail Available
Item
Open Access
Demographic and psychosocial correlates of contraceptive use among young people in Nigeria
(Department of Demography and Social Statistics, Faculty of Social Sciences ,Obafemi Awolowo University, 2023) Komolafe, Obaloluwa Ifeolu
This study assessed the socio demographic characteristics of sexually active young people in Nigeria. It also examined the extent to which socio-demographic variables influence contraceptive use among young people and it investigated the influence of psychosocial correlates on use of contraception amidst young people in Nigeria. It examined the combined influence of socio-demographic and psychosocial correlates on use of contraception amidst young people in Nigeria. These were with the view of investigating the complex interplay of demographic and psychosocial factors that influence contraceptive use amidst young people in Nigeria This study employed a cross-sectional research design, using secondary quantitative research data from the challenge initiative. The targeted population for the study were young people aged 15 to 24 years in Nigeria. Potential respondents were selected through a three-stage cluster sampling method stratified within urban and rural areas; this was done in order to get enough sample for representativeness/generalization of results and this amounted to 5940 respondents in total. The results showed that sexually active young people interviewed were mostly females (79.6%), aged 20 to 24 (68.9%), and held a secondary education (69.3%). In total, 63.2% of the sexually active young people identified as Christians (Catholics made up approximately 11.9% of the sample). At bivariate level, sex, location, marital status, education religion and parity were all found to be significantly related with contraceptive use among young people. The age of sexually active young people was found to have no significant relationship with contraceptive use. At multivariate level, sex (OR=0.66; p<0.000), Education (OR=1.67; p<0.000), Marital status (OR=0.40; p<0.000), and Religion (OR=0.82; p<0.000) were the only socio demographic variables that had a significant relationship with the use of contraception. Also, at bivariate level, all psychosocial variables (Discussion with partner on Contraceptives, discussion about number of kids, personal advocacy, perceived behavior of close friends, rejection of misconceptions, self-efficacy etc. were all significantly related with contraceptive use among young people. Similar trends were also observed at multivariate level. When demographic and psychosocial variables were both fitted in the same model, sex, education and residence were the only significant demographic factor associated with contraceptive use. While knowledge, peer behavior, myths rejection, and self-efficacy were the only psychosocial variables associated with contraceptive use. This study concluded that there exist a complex and significant interplay between demographic and psychosocial factors that influence contraceptive use among young people and that factors such as residence, level of education, self-efficacy etc. were associated significantly with contraceptive use among young people in Nigeria.
No Thumbnail Available
Item
Open Access
Roles-based relationship and perfection of academic integrity in universities in Southwestern Nigeria.
(Department of Educational Foundations and Counselling, Faculty of Education. Obafemi Awolowo University., 2022) Oke, Mercy Abiola.
This study identified the types of role-based relationships that exist in universities in Southwestern Nigeria and examined the relationships between students’ socio-demographic characteristics and student-lecturer relationship with their perception of academic integrity. It also determined the relationships between students’ institution type (federal, state and private) and student-lecturer relationship with their perception of academic integrity and investigated the relationship between role-based relationships and student-lecturer relationship with their perception of academic integrity. These were with a view to providing information on types of relationships that could influence academic integrity in universities in Southwestern Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised lecturers and students in universities in Southwestern Nigeria. The sample comprised 1800 students and 360 lecturers using multistage sampling technique. Three states were selected using simple random sampling technique. Nine universities were selected using stratified sampling technique with ownership as the basis for selection (three federal, three state and three private). Also four faculties were selected in each of the selected universities through simple random sampling technique. From each of the faculty, two departments were selected using simple random sampling technique. Again 25 students and five lecturers were selected from each department using convenience sampling technique. Six instruments were used to collect data for the study; two self-designed instruments title: Role Based Relationship Scale for Students (RBRSS); Role Based Relationship Scale for Lecturers (RBRSL) and four adapted instruments titled: Student-Lecturer Relationship and their Perception of Academic Integrity Scale for Students (SLRPAISS); Lecturer-Student Relationship and their Perception of Academic Integrity Scale for lecturers (LSRPAISL); Academic Integrity Scale for lecturers (AISL) and Academic Integrity Scale for Students (AISS). Data collected were analysed using percentage counts, rank order, ANOVA, Chi-Square, and Multiple linear regressions. The results showed the most common role-based relationships of students with a ranking value of project supervision (X̅=2.60), classmate relationships (X̅=2.54), while the most common role-based relationships of lecturers were teaching (X̅=2.82), project supervision (X̅=2.72). The result showed that gender had significant relationship with their perception of lecturers’ academic integrity with a value of .379 at p˂.05 while age had no significant relationship with perception of lecturers’ academic integrity (χ2=7.15; p˃.05), marital status did. Educational levels also had significant relationship with students’ perception of lecturers’ academic integrity (χ2=239; p˂.05). It showed that there is significant relationship between students’ perception of lecturers’ academic integrity and students’ gender, marital status and educational levels. The results further revealed that there is significant relationship between students’ institution types (federal, state and private) and student-lecturer relationship with their perception of academic integrity (F521.0, p˂ .05). The results also revealed that being faith-based universities had no significant relationship with students’ perception of lecturers’ academic integrity as well courses of study had no significant relationship with students’ perception of lecturers; academic integrity (χ2=9.1; p˃.05). The results showed that role-based relationships had significant relationship with academic integrity (F=517.7; p< 0.05) The study concluded that the types of role-based relationships that could influence academic integrity in universities in Southwestern Nigeria are active and passive relationships.