Data article on disposition towards enhancing SMEs' performance through entrepreneurial orientations: Perspectives from a developing economy.

102 SME owners/managers. Using descriptive and standard multiple regression statistical analysis, the data described how proactiveness, risk-taking and autonomy orientations significantly influenced SMEs' profitability, sales growth, customer satisfaction and new product success.

Data on the relationships between financing strategies, entrepreneurial competencies and business growth of technology-based SMEs in Nigeria.

The article presents data on the relationship between financing strategies, entrepreneurial competencies and business growth of technology-based SMEs in Nigeria. Copies of structured questionnaire were administered to 233 SME owners and financial managers. Using descriptive and standard multiple regression statistical analysis, the data revealed that venture capital and business donations significantly influences profit growth of technology-based SMEs.

Survey data on e-Procurement adoption in the Nigerian building industry.

This article is a description of data related to the research article entitled "Factors influencing e-Procurement adoption in the Nigerian Building Industry" (Ibem et al., 2016) [1]. The data were derived via a questionnaire survey involving 213 participants comprising architects, quantity surveyors, builders, construction/project managers, and engineers working in consulting and contracting firms, private client organisations and government agencies.

Selected persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in water of River Niger: occurrence and distribution.

This study assessed the levels and distribution of selected persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in water of River Niger. The selected POPs of interest were organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Fifteen representative sites along River Niger: three each from Gurara River (tributary) in Niger State, Lokoja (confluence) in Kogi State, Onitsha in Anambra State, Brass and Nicolas Rivers (tributaries) in Bayelsa State were selected for sampling quarterly over a 24-month period.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in River Niger, Nigeria: Occurrence, distribution and composition profiles.

Contamination of rivers with persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is an issue of current global concern. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are POPs with origin from commercial, incineration and industrial sources. Hence, there is a need for monitoring their occurrence and distribution in the environment.

Assessment of genetic diversity in Vigna unguiculata L. (Walp) accessions using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphic markers.

Background: Assessment of genetic diversity of Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp (cowpea) accessions using informative molecular markers is imperative for their genetic improvement and conservation. Use of efficacious molecular markers to obtain the required knowledge of the genetic diversity within the local and regional germplasm collections can enhance the overall effectiveness of cowpea improvement programs, hence, the comparative assessment of Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and Start codon targeted (SCoT) markers in genetic diversity of V.

Monodora myristica (African nutmeg) modulates redox homeostasis and alters functional chemistry in sickled erythrocytes.

The antioxidative effect of Monodora myristica seed acetone extract and its effect on chemical functional groups were investigated in sickled erythrocytes as well as molecular modeling of the antisickling potentials of its secondary metabolites. The extract was subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify the compounds present, which were then docked into the allosteric-binding site of deoxy-hemoglobin. The extract was incubated with sickled erythrocytes at 37°C for 6, 12, and 24 h and were subjected to antioxidative analysis for reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and lipid peroxidation (LPO).

Parquetina nigrescens leaves: chemical profile and influence on the physical and biochemical indices of sexual activity of male Wistar rats.

Objective: The leaves of Parquetina nigrescens have been claimed in folk medicine to be useful for managing sexual dysfunction, but there is inadequate scientific evidence for this claim. This investigation was conducted to assess the effects of aqueous leaf extract of Parquetina nigrescens (AEPN) in rats induced with sexual dysfunction.

Methods: Male rats were allocated into various groups after being induced into sexual dysfunction with paroxetine hydrochloride.

Clustering Algorithms: Their Application to Gene Expression Data.

Gene expression data hide vital information required to understand the biological process that takes place in a particular organism in relation to its environment. Deciphering the hidden patterns in gene expression data proffers a prodigious preference to strengthen the understanding of functional genomics. The complexity of biological networks and the volume of genes present increase the challenges of comprehending and interpretation of the resulting mass of data, which consists of millions of measurements; these data also inhibit vagueness, imprecision, and noise.

Comparative alteration in atherogenic indices and hypocholesteremic effect of palm oil and palm oil mill effluent in normal albino rats.

The comparative hypocholesteremic effect of feeding palm oil and palm oil mill effluent (POME) was investigated in male albino rats. Diets were prepared and designed to contain 50% of energy as carbohydrate, 35% as fat, and 15% as protein. Groups of six rats were each fed one of these diets, while a group was fed pelletized mouse chow which served as the control.

Potassium Dichromate Toxicities: Protective Effect of Methanol Extract of Corchorus olitorius in Albino Rats.

Exposure to hexavalent chromate compounds such as other human carcinogens is unavoidable in the developing countries of the world. Research efforts are being directed toward minimizing exposure to them, intercepting their activity in vivo, and/or prophylaxis. The present study therefore evaluates the effect of methanol extract of the leafy vegetable, Corchorus olitorius (MECO), against potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7)-induced toxicities.

Arsenic-induced dyslipidemia in male albino rats: comparison between trivalent and pentavalent inorganic arsenic in drinking water.

Background: Recent epidemiological evidences indicate close association between inorganic arsenic exposure via drinking water and cardiovascular diseases. However, the exact mechanism of this arsenic-mediated increase in cardiovascular risk factors remains enigmatic.

Methods: In order to investigate the effects of inorganic arsenic exposure on lipid metabolism, male albino rats were exposed to 50, 100 and 150 ppm arsenic as sodium arsenite and 100, 150 and 200 ppm arsenic as sodium arsenate respectively in their drinking water for 12 weeks.

Assessments of natural radioactivity and determination of heavy metals in soil around industrial dumpsites in Sango-Ota, Ogun state, Nigeria.

The activity concentration of natural radionuclides in soil samples from industrial dumpsites in Sango-Ota were determined using gamma-ray spectrometry with NaI(Tl) detector. The mean activity concentration of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K was 3.0 ± 1.

Genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum isolates from naturally infected children in north-central Nigeria using the merozoite surface protein-2 as molecular marker.

Objective: To characterize the genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) field isolates in children from Lafia, North-central Nigeria, using the highly polymorphic P. falciparum merozoite surface protein 2 (MSP-2) gene as molecular marker.

Combination of culture-independent and culture-dependent molecular methods for the determination of bacterial community of iru, a fermented Parkia biglobosa seeds.

In this study, bacterial composition of iru produced by natural, uncontrolled fermentation of Parkia biglobosa seeds was assessed using culture-independent method in combination with culture-based genotypic typing techniques. PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) revealed similarity in DNA fragments with the two DNA extraction methods used and confirmed bacterial diversity in the 16 iru samples from different production regions. DNA sequencing of the highly variable V3 region of the 16S rRNA genes obtained from PCR-DGGE identified species related to Bacillus subtilis as consistent bacterial species in the fermented samples, while other major bands were identified as close relatives of Staphylococcus vitulinus, Morganella morganii, B.

Total immunoglobulin G and IgG1 subclass levels specific for the MSP-1(19) of Plasmodium falciparum are different in individuals with either processing-inhibitory, blocking or neutral antibodies.

Background: Some MSP-1(19) specific antibodies that inhibit merozoite invasion also inhibit the secondary processing of MSP-1. However the binding of these inhibitory antibodies can be blocked by another group of antibodies, called blocking antibodies, which recognize adjacent or overlapping epitopes, but themselves have no effect on either MSP-1 processing or merozoite invasion. These antibodies have been reported to be present in individuals living in a malaria endemic area.

Influence of light and spawn quantity on the growth of Nigerian mushroom Pleurotus tuber-regium.

The effects of light and quantity of spawn on the sporophore and sclerotial yields of Pleurotus tuber-regium, cultivated on cotton wastes, rice straw, cocoyam peel, comcob, groundnut shell and sawdusts of Mansonia altissima, Khaya ivorensis and Boscia angustifolia were observed. The organism had sporophore and sclerotial yield values of 36.8 and 27.

Biodegradation of agro-industrial wastes by a edible mushroom Pleurotus tuber-regium (Fr.).

When Pleurotus tuber-regium was cultivated on cotton waste, rice straw, cocoyam peels and sawdusts of Mansonia altissima, Boscia angustifolia and Khaya ivorensis, the highest crude protein, crude fat and carbohydrate contents in sporophores were 29.4 (M. altissima) , 1.

Phytoremediation potential of Eichornia crassipes in metal-contaminated coastal water.

The potential of Eichornia crassipes to serve as a phytoremediation plant in the cleaning up of metals from contaminated coastal areas was evaluated in this study. Ten metals, As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn were assessed in water and the plant roots and shoots from the coastal area of Ondo State, Nigeria and the values were used to evaluate the enrichment factor (EF) and translocation factor (TF) in the plant. The critical concentrations of the metals were lower than those specified for hyperaccumulators thus classifying the plant as an accumulator but the EF and TF revealed that the plant accumulated toxic metals such as Cr, Cd, Pb and As both at the root and at the shoot in high degree, which indicates that the plant that forms a large biomass on the water surface and is not fed upon by animals can serve as a plant for both phytoextraction and rhizofiltration in phytoremediation technology.

Radioactivity and dose assessment of marble samples from Igbeti mines, Nigeria.

The concentration and distribution of natural radionuclides in marble around Igbeti marble mines, Nigeria, were measured to evaluate the environmental radioactivity and health effects which the marble samples may posses. The concentration of radionuclides was determined using gamma-ray spectrometry with NaI (Tl) detector. The measured values of the activities of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in the marble samples were found to lie in the ranges 2.

Equilibrium, kinetic and sorber design studies on the adsorption of Aniline blue dye by sodium tetraborate-modified Kaolinite clay adsorbent.

Raw Kaolinite clay obtained Ubulu-Ukwu, Delta State of Nigeria and its sodium tetraborate (NTB)-modified analogue was used to adsorb Aniline blue dye. Fourier transformed infrared spectra of NTB-modified Kaolinite suggests that modification was effective on the surface of the Kaolinite clay with the strong presence of inner -OH functional group. The modification of Kaolinite clay raised its adsorption capacity from 1666 to 2000 mg/kg.

Enzyme activities of Pleurotustuber-regium (Fries) Singer, cultivated on selected agricultural wastes.

Studies were carried out on the enzyme activities of Pleurotus tuber-regium fruitbodies and sclerotia cultivated in various agro-wastes. Higher activities of proteinase, total amylase, and glucose-6-phosphatase were observed in the sporophores compared to the sclerotia. Cellulase, carboxymethylcellulase and lipase values were higher in fruitbodies grown on cotton waste, sawdust of Khaya ivorensis and rice straw (2.