bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimação do Índice de Bulbo Úmido Termômetro de Globo (IBUTG) para ambientes a céu aberto por meio de Redes Neurais Artificiais utilizando dados de estações metereologicas
Authors: Callejas Ivan Julio Apolonio , Bianchi Ermete Cauduro
Published: July 2022

Este trabalho objetiva demostrar a viabilidade técnica de estimação do Índice de Bulbo Úmido Termômetro de Globo (IBUTG) para ambiente a céu aberto sem fonte artificial de calor por meio de dados medidos em estações meteorológicas convencionais, a partir da utilização de Redes Neurais Artificiais (RNA). Para tanto, procedeu-se a instalação de termômetros de bulbo úmido natural e de globo em uma estação meteorológica convencional, com a finalidade de calcular o IBUTG sincronamente com as variáveis de temperatura, umidade e velocidade do ar, bem como radiação solar global e pressão atmosférica. O treinamento da RNA foi conduzido com a utilização de 81 dias de medições. Algumas configurações da RNA foram modificadas com o intuito de encontrar a de melhor desempenho para a rede. Para o teste de validação do treinamento, selecionou-se dia de céu aberto, nublado e com precipitação, com condições sinópticas que impõem elevado estresse ao calor. O IBUTG estimado pelo RNA acompanhou o ciclo diário do IBUTG medido, com a melhor configuração de rede (três camadas e cinco neurônios) estimando erro médio quadrático diário de 0,2724°C e erro médio absoluto de 0,1818°C (com erro percentual de apenas 0,7%). Comprova-se a viabilidade técnica de estimar o IBUTG com adequada precisão a partir de dados meteorológicos, o que permite que a técnica de RNA possa ser utilizada como estratégia de orientação do gerenciamento do risco ocupacional.
Workflow científico aplicado à modelagem cartográfica para espacialização da irradiação solar global no estado do Rio de Janeiro pelo método de Hargreaves-Samani
Authors: Lima Marciano da Costa , Lyra Gustavo Bastos , Santos Anderson Amorim Rocha
Published: July 2022

A disponibilidade de dados de irradiação solar global (Hg) consistentes é restrita devido à baixa densidade espacial das estações que realizam medições de Hg e, ou a degradação das redes de observações meteorológicas. Uma alternativa para este problema é a estimativa de Hg, por meio de métodos empíricos baseados em outros elementos meteorológicos obtidos com maior frequência. Dentre esses métodos, destaca-se o de Hargreaves-Samani (1985) (HS) pela simplicidade e desempenho satisfatório em diversas condições climáticas. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o método de HS para espacialização de Hg no Estado do Rio de Janeiro (ERJ), utilizando-se de dados dos extremos de temperaturas do ar e Hg mensal de 17 estações meteorológicas automáticas (EMA) do Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET). Para isto, elaborou-se um workflow baseado em modelos de regressão e modelagem cartográfica para espacializar Hg pelo método de Hargreaves-Samani. Os valores de Hg espacializados foram comparados com dados observados nas EMA utilizadas, com base no coeficiente de determinação (r²), índice de concordância de Willmott (d), índice de confiança (c) e a raiz do quadrado médio do erro (RQME). Observou-se que a aplicação do método apresentou estimativas com alta precisão (r² > 0,61) e exatidão (d > 0,78 e RQME > 1,02 MJ m-2 d-1) quando analisada a sazonalidade, porém em sua análise espacial o método apresentou precisão (r² > 0,03) e exatidão inferiores (d > 0,53 e RQME > 0,55 MJ m-2 d-1). O workflow proposto apresenta desempenho satisfatório para representar o padrão mensal de Hg no ERJ.
Genetic diversity of Origanum syriacum L. (Lamiaceae) species through Touch-Up Direct Amplification of Minisatellite-region DNA (TU-DAMD) marker
Authors: SALEH Basel
Published: July 2022

Origanum syriacum L. (Lamiaceae) is a perennial species with an important role in medicinal and pharmaceutical applications. However, the attention regarding its genetic diversity is negligible worldwide. Touch-up direct amplification of minisatellite-region DNA (TU-DAMD) marker has been employed to investigate genetic diversity of natural Origanum syriacum L. populations, where 37 wild O. syriacum genotypes were collected from coastal, central and southern regions of Syria. TU-DAMD assay resulted in 188 total bands, of which 152 (80.85%) were polymorphic. The total bands number ranged between 7 and 22 with an average of 11.75 bands/primer. Polymorphic bands number ranged between 4 and 19 with an average of 9.5 polymorphic bands/primer. Moreover, polymorphic information content (PIC) value ranged between 0.051 and 0.322 with an average of 0.225. As for marker index (MI), this value ranged between 0.308 and 5.092 with an average of 2.284. Overall, the present study suggests that the O. syriacum samples collected from coastal region (Lattakia, Jableh, Banyas and Tartous) are genetically distinct from the ones collected from central and southern regions (Homs, Hama, Damascus, Swedah and Qunetra) based on the estimated percent disagreement values (PDV) average of 0.20. Thereby, TU-DAMD test successfully discriminate O. syriacum genotypes showing high genetic diversity within the studied species. In conclusion, TU-DAMD test could be considered as a new tool for studying genetic diversity of other plant species.
In-vivo sub-chronic toxicological evaluation of extract of Vernonia glaberrima leaves in experimental rats
Authors: ABU Divinelove E. , TIM Jennifer N. , IMO-OBASI Precious , AYOKA Thecla O. , NNADI Charles O.
Published: July 2022

The toxicological profile of a plant is an important ethnomedicinal parameter considered in drug discovery, ethno-therapeutics and safety management in vital organs. The study evaluated the 28-day repeated-dose toxicological profile of moderately polar extract of Vernonia glaberrima being investigated as a therapeutic for sleeping sickness and other parasitic infections in experimental rats. Albino rats were divided into four groups (n=10) and the fraction was administered orally once daily at doses of 0 (control), 40, 250 and 1000 mg kg-1 day-1. Food intake, body weight, organ-to-body weight, biochemical, hematological, plasma blood chemistry, serum hormone levels and histopathological examinations were evaluated on the 29th day. There was no difference in the clinical signs between the treated and untreated rats. The mean body weight of female rats treated with 250 mg kg-1 dose increased significantly (p < 0.05) on the 20th day with no difference in the food intake. All the changes in the blood chemistry, hematology and serum hormone levels cannot be considered to be of toxicological importance. A statistically significant elevation (p < 0.05) was observed in the liver-to-body weight (3.21 to 3.89 g 100g-1) of male rats and in the kidney- (0.67 to 0.98 g 100g-1) and brain-to-body (0.58 to 0.72 g 100g-1) weights of female rats in the 1000 mg kg-1 groups. The histopathological examination showed that there was no definitive association between the lesions in the liver and the treatments. The present data, in addition to folklore, has further demonstrated its safety and the need for the isolation of non-toxic bioactive constituents, especially from the dichloromethane fraction.
Influence of two soil fungal inocula on growth of Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench. plants grown in arsenic-treated soils
Authors: OSAIGBOVO Marquis , DANIA Theophilus  A. , VWIOKO Emuejevoke D.
Published: July 2022

In this study, growth of Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench. was investigated in soils treated with arsenic ions and inoculated with two fungi two weeks after planting.  Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus terreus were selected out of five isolated fungi from a heavy metal contaminated soil and used to inoculate soils treated with, 50,100 and 150 ppm As3+ ion solutions. Abelmoschus esculentus plant growth was measured, where data were collected for germination, morphological and reproductive characters, chlorophyll content, activities of nitrate reductase, catalase (CAT), and super oxide dismutase (SOD). Soil enzymes i.e., urease, phosphatase, dehydrogenase and cellulases were monitored. Results showed that the two fungal inocula increased number of leaves. Plant height was increased in both 100 and 150 ppm As3+ treated soils from 19.50 cm to 26.86 cm and 17.60 cm to 30.97 cm in uninoculated and Aspergillus terreus inoculated soils, respectively. Delayed flowering was observed in plants grown in the As3+ treated soils. The fungal inocula affected SOD and CAT activities in leaves of Abelmoschus esculentus, in As3+ treatments. At 50ppm and 100ppm, inoculation with A. niger and A. terreus significantly reduced SOD activity. Fungal inoculation stimulated phosphatase and cellulases production in the As3+ treated soils. This study clearly shows that the soil inoculants immensely contributed to alleviating heavy metal stress encountered by plants.
Productivity and crop quality of Salvia officinalis L. in the conditions of the Southern steppe of Ukraine
Authors: PANFILOVA Antonina , FEDORCHUK Valentina
Published: July 2022

One of the important elements of ecological production of medicinal plant raw materials is the development and implementation of innovative technologies for growing medicinal crops based on biologized approaches and minimizing anthropogenic pressure on the environment. Therefore, the research aimed to determine the effect of doses of mineral fertilizers and biopreparations Biocomplex-BTU on the yield of green mass of Salvia officinalis L. plants and the content of essential oil in it. Experimental studies were conducted in the ecological conditions of Mykolayiv National Agrarian University (Ukraine) from 2016 to 2021 years. It was found that biometric indicators of plants changed significantly depending on the years of vegetation and the factors studied. Thus, regardless of the year of vegetation, the greatest influence on the formation of biometric indicators of plants was influenced by the combination of applying mineral fertilizers at a dose of N60P90 and carrying out foliar top dressing of plants during the growing season with a Biocomplex-BTU. In this variant of the experiment, 4.04-24.26 t ha– 1 of green mass of plants was obtained, depending on the year of cultivation. The plant nutrition also affected the content of essential oil. Most of it was in plant leaves using N60P90 and Biocomplex-BTU - 2.68%. At the same time, it was determined that most of the essential oil was contained in Salvia officinalis L.  plants in the budding phase.
Efficacy of ethyl acetate extract of Alangium salviifolium fruit pericarp against Culex quinquefasciatus larvae
Authors: MONDAL Rajendra P. , GHOSH Anupam , BURMAN Sunanda , CHANDRA Goutam
Published: July 2022

Mosquitoes transmit major human diseases, resulting in millions of fatalities each year and the development of chemical insecticide resistance, leading to a rebound in vectorial capacity. Plants could be used as a mosquito repellent alternative. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biocontrol potentiality of ethyl acetate extract of fruit pericarp of Alangium salviifolium against Culex quinquefasciatus larvae. 100% larval mortality was recorded after 72 h of exposure with 50, 40 ppm, and 30 ppm concentrations of ethyl acetate extract against 3rd instar mosquito larvae. The bioactive compound responsible for larval mortality was isolated by TLC (Rf value of 0.33). 3rd instar larvae were found to be the most susceptible (LC50 = 3.60 ppm) among all the instars and corresponding LC50 values were 4.45 ppm and 4.52 ppm for 2nd and 4th instars larvae respectively after 72 h of exposure. The mortality rate of all larval instars was directly proportional to the concentration of bioactive compounds. Three-way ANOVA analysis revealed that larval instars, the concentration of bioactive compound, and time of exposure had a significant effect on larval mortality. In the bioactive TLC fraction of A. salviifolium (Rf value of 0.33), FT-IR spectroscopy analysis revealed the presence of numerous functional groups. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of Benzoyl bromide and 3-Amino -5 (2-Furyl) Pyrazole in the extract. The compounds were also studied on non-target organisms such as Anisops sardea, 4th instar larvae of Chironomus sp. and Diplonychus annulatum, and in all the cases no abnormalities were recorded.
Manajemen taman kanak-kanak strawbery di desa blender kecamatan karangwareng kabupaten cirebon
Authors: Putri Khairunnisa Aulia , Zahra Khoirina Az , Faridah Raissa Nur , Salma Syakurah
Published: July 2022

This study aims to understand the management of the Strawbery Kindergarten in Cirebon City, West Java. This research uses a qualitative case study approach. The data collection technique is done through interviews, observation and documentation. While the data analysis technique starts from data display, data reduction, to drawing conclusions. The results showed that; First, this Strawaberry Kindergarten curriculum still uses K13; second, there are still many educators at Strawaberry Kindergarten who do not meet the qualification requirements for PAUD teachers; third, the constraint of the shortage of educational personnel owned by TK Strawbery; fourth, the success of student management in Strawbery Kindergarten.
Pengembangan media pembelajaran berbasis web google sites pada materi ikatan ion dan kovalen untuk SMA kelas X
Authors: Sitepu Deri Salsalina Br , Herlinawati Herlinawati
Published: July 2022

Dalam masa transisi seperti sekarang teknologi sangat dibutuhkan dalam proses pembelajaran, guru harus mampu menggunakan media pembelajaran dengan memanfaatkan teknologi yang ada sekarang yang memudahkan siswa untuk pembelajaran dalam observasi yang sudah dilakukan di SMA dalam pembelajaran kimia di dapat bahwa selama pembelajaran guru kurang menggunakan teknologi dalam pembelajarannnya, guru masih menggunakan media berupa buku pelajaran saja, dan memberikan tugas sehingga membuat pembelajaran kurang menarik bagi siswa  dan terkadang membuat siswa kurang memahami isi dari materi pembelajaran, tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis  pengembangan media pembelajaran berbasis web google sites yang dikembangkan pada mata pelajaran kimia, dan kelayakan media pembelajaran berbasis web google sites yang dikembangkan. Model penelitian dan pengembangan media pembelajaran berbasis web google sites ini menggunakan model pembelajaran ADDIE. Penelitian ini menggunakan instrumen non test, instrumen instumen non tes berupa lembar validasi yang telah memenuhi standar BSNP yaitu aspek kelayakan isi, penyajian, bahasa serta kegrafikan oleh validator skala empat kategori. Hasil kelayakan validasi menunjukkan bahwa pengembangan media pembelajaran google sites pada materi ikatan ion dan kovalen dalam kategori layak dan tidak perlu direvisi dengan perolehan nilai rata-rata kelayakan isi sebesar 3,63 ; kelayakan bahasa sebesar 3,85 ; kelayakan penyajian sebesar 3,87; dan kelayakan kegrafikan sebesar 3,74.
Case Series of Pectoral Hematoma Associated with Enoxaparin Use in Elderly Patients
Authors:   Department of Internal Medicine, Biruni University Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey., Islamoglu Mehmet Sami , Uysal Betul Borku ,   Department of Internal Medicine, Biruni University Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey., Koc Suna ,   Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Biruni University Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey., Yavuzer Serap ,   Department of Internal Medicine, Biruni University Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey., Cengiz Mahir ,   Department of Internal Medicine, Biruni University Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey.
Published: July 2022

Venous thromboembolism is among the common and preventable cardiovascular syndromes. The risk of thromboembolism is increased in elderly and patients with renal failure, and the risk of bleeding due to the use of anticoagulants also increases. In these cases enoxaparin use for profilactic and treatment dosages. After anticoagulant using pectoral hematoma was diagnosed by ultrasonography and computed tomography of the thorax in patients. With the discontinuation of the treatment, the size of the hematoma decreased and the treatment change was sufficient. In this article, 3 cases of pectoral hematoma due to enoxaparin are presented in the light of the literature, especially in this period when the use of anticoagulants is increasing.
A Rare case of Azygos vein arch Aneurysm: A case report
Authors:   AOU Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, Università di Catania, Catania, Italy., S Santonocito , S Cusumano ,   AOU Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, Università di Catania, Catania, Italy., R Crimi ,   AOU Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, Università di Catania, Catania, Italy., EF Santonocito ,   AOU Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, Università di Catania, Catania, Italy., S Palmucci ,   AOU Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, Università di Catania, Catania, Italy., A PHD Basile ,   AOU Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, Università di Catania, Catania, Italy.
Published: July 2022

Background: The aneurysm of the azygos vein (AVA) is a dilatation of the azygos vein (AV) over 1,5cm; it is very rare, mostly fusiform and affecting people between 19 and 70 years old. Aetiology can be traumatic, inflammatory/infectious, cardiogenic, neoplastic or idiopathic. The weak points for the development of an AVA are essentially two: the confluence of the AV in the superior vena cava (SVC) and the convergence among its embryologic constituents. AVA is often asymptomatic, therefore it can be an incidentaloma. Symptoms, usually due to compression of neighbouring structures (such as trachea, bronchi, SVC, inferior vena cava (IVC), oesophagus or nerves), can simulate a mediastinal mass. The main complication of AVA is thrombosis, which can extend to pulmonary vessels. Other complications include rupture, fistulae and dissection. Most of the authors consider the occurrence of complications the only indications to treat it. Case report: We present the case of an 87-year-old woman with chronic atrial fibrillation, which came to our emergency department for wheezing and dyspnoea. Though the chest radiograph only found a pleural effusion, the subsequent CT scan showed a voluminous mediastinal mass compressing the oesophagus, which proved to be an AVA during the dynamic phase of the study. Conclusion: The AVA represents a possible hypothesis in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal masses, that in most cases can be probed radiologically.
Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma involving the jugular foramen and cerebellopontine angle: A Case Report
Authors:   Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey., Yapicier Ozlem , Nanah Abdel Rahman ,   School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey., Alpman Aysim ,   School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey., Demir Mustafa Kemal ,   Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey., Kilic Turker ,   Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey
Published: July 2022

We report a rare case of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma (EMC) involving the jugular foramen and cerebellopontine angle. A 39-year-old male patient presented with initial complaints of headaches, unilateral hearing loss, and loss of balance. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed an enhancing multilobulated right jugular foramen mass with medial upward extension into the cerebellopontine angle and lateral downward extension into the carotid-jugular space. The patient was preoperatively diagnosed with having a paraganglioma solely due to the tumor localization and magnetic resonance imaging finding of strong enhancement patterns. However, upon surgical resection of the intracranial component of the tumor via right lateral suboccipital craniectomy, cytologic and subsequent histopathologic examination helped delineate the diagnosis of EMC. Given the rarity of tumors involving both jugular foramen and cerebellopontine angle, we discuss histopathologic differentiating features and diagnostic pitfalls between EMC and other possible mimickers.
EVALUATION OF EHRAMI BLACK PINE PLANTATIONS IN ISPARTA DISTRICT: 30th YEAR RESULTS
Authors: KARTAL Recep , BİLİR Nebi
Published: July 2022

Isparta yöresindeki, 30 yaşlı Ehrami Karaçam (Pinus nigra Arnold. ssp. pallasiana var. pyramidata) ağaçlandırma sahasından, 500 m2 büyüklüğündeki dört örnek alanda boy, dip çap, göğüs yüksekliği çapı, tepe çapı ile birey sayısı araştırılmıştır. Bununla birlikte sahadaki Anadolu Karaçamı [Pinus nigra Arnold. subsp. pallasiana (Lamb.) Holmboe] ve Toros Sediri (Cedrus libani A. Rich.) ile bu özellikler bakımından karşılaştırmalar yapılmıştır. Çalışma sonucunda Ehrami Karaçam’ın, ortalama boy, dip çap, göğüs yüksekliği çapı ve tepe çapı değerleri sırasıyla 9.9 m, 29.3 cm, 25.1 cm ve 302.5 cm bulunmuştur. Örnek alanlar boy, dip çap ve göğüs yüksekliği çapı bakımından istatistiksel bakımdan anlamlı (p<0.05) farklılık gösterirken, tepe çapı bakımından benzerlik (p>0.05) göstermiştir. Uygulanan varyans analizi sonucunda, Ehrami Karaçam, Anadolu Karaçamı ve Toros Sediri arasında; boy, dip çap, göğüs yüksekliği çapı ve tepe çapı bakımından önemli (p<0.05) farklılıklar olduğu ortaya çıkmıştır. Anadolu Karaçamı’nın çalışmaya konu özellikler bakımından, Ehrami Karaçam ve Toros Sediri’ne göre daha yüksek büyüme performansı gösterdiği belirlenmiştir. Korelasyon analizi sonuçları, özellikler arasında genel olarak anlamlı (p<0.05) pozitif ilişkiler ortaya çıkarmıştır.
Estudo comparativo de plataformas para soluções de E-commerce
Authors: Pacheco Inês
Published: July 2022

O crescimento do negócio eletrónico despoletou a criação de diferentes modelos de negócios, cada um com as suas diferentes características e, consequentemente, com variadas necessidades. Sendo assim, foram criadas diferentes plataformas que permitem a criação de lojas e negócios online de forma gratuita e facilitada, sem recorrer a terceiros. Este artigo tem como objetivo fazer estudo comparativo, contribuindo com um documento atualizado sobre o estado da arte neste domínio. Para que fosse possível, foi feita a definição dos diferentes tipos de modelos de negócio existentes, buscou-se entender as diferentes necessidades e realizar a análise de algumas plataformas existentes.
Micro mobility development and its challenges for Porto
Authors: Roman Luis , Akmatov Timur , Pinter Silard
Published: July 2022

In the past years, people have become more and more aware of the climate change crisis and cities have become more crowded. Also fueled vehicle transportation has become much more expensive, inefficient and bothersome as fuel has become much more expensive as well as cars, roads used by cars have to be maintained more often and also air and sound pollution caused mostly by cars has changed the idea of transportation for the general public. To address that, governments and municipalities all over the world have been searching for solutions to give its citizens different possibilities to replace the car with other types of transportation, like giving more space to pedestrians, public transport or micro-mobility transportation. In this article, we will be focusing our attention to micro-mobility and especially to its situation in Porto as coming from other countries, we have been puzzled about the lack of bike lanes and friendliness of the city towards micro-mobility. Being ourselves mostly users of bikes in our home cities, we wanted to understand why micro-mobility wasn't developed as much in Porto as other cities in Europe or even like its neighboring cities like Aveiro. Apart from that, the societal benefits of increasing micro-mobility and its improvement on not only the economy of the city but also the quality of life of its citizens were highlighted by cities all over Europe and using them as an example would help Porto develop a secure and healthy urbanistic infrastructure that would very highly improve the city of Porto in all its senses.
Why do students start abusing substances and what are the negative impacts?
Authors: van de Pol Nikki , Stumbras Rytis
Published: July 2022

The consumption and abuse of soft & hard drugs among students is an significant public health concern because of the negative impact on the mental and physical state of these human beings. Previous research has shown that students that abuse drugs can experience physical and emotional damage and negatively impact their family and many others with whom they have contct . The purpose of this research is to provide a comprehensive image of why students start abusing drugs and what could be the solution to this problem. First literature about this problem has been reviewed. These topics include drug use among students, mental health problems, financial problems and impact on society. Secondly, addiotional data has been obtained by a small survey among students. These include topics as why they tried drugs for the first time, what kind of drugs they tried and if they felt any negative effects of these. It was discovered that there is a tendency between young adults to try illicit drugs, and people who get addicted to them face negative impacts, mostly guilt, shame and financial problems. A possible solution to this problem could be to educate students on a regular basis about the consequences of drug use and for teachers/parents to start focusing on being more open about drug use, instead of telling them not to, to find a way that the student can try it in a safe environment.
Natural Language Processing and its applications in e-business
Authors: Sousa Gabriela
Published: July 2022

The advent of big data and the ability to extract insights from unstructured data has opened new avenues for companies. In this scientific article we have gathered different examples of application of Natural Language Processing (NLP) specifically in the electronic business environment. The main objective was to investigate what kind of analyzes and techniques are being used to extract knowledge from Big data, more concretly unstructured data, and within this type, textual data and what concrete applications derive from NLP in the context of e-business. Being NLP a type of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that uses Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) with the objective of developing a technology that learns, and takes decisions based on what it learned, it was important to understand what a ML workflow is like and therefore, the literatuere revision is very focused on this point. It was concluded that NLP is a complex process whose applications are diverse and relevant in the context of Electronic Business. Today, NLP is used to complete tasks such as text classification, content filtering, sentiment analysis, language modeling, translation, and summarization and applications such as chatbots, voice assistants and recommendation systems. In the future, it is expected that the NLP will have greater influence in different business areas such as the management of new products and recommendation systems; segmentation, segmentation and analysis of customers and users; brand positioning, communication and marketing; competitor analysis; and risk management, sustainability and social responsibility. Specialists in the area also believe that there will possibly be a paradigm shift in AI that will use Reinforcement Learning techniques, which will allow the development of more advanced, adaptive and multipurpose AI agents. It is also to be expected that humans and machines cohabit in a more collaborative way.
Assessing E-Learning Readiness at the Kenya Technical Teachers College
Authors: Okinda Robert Alfred
Published: July 2022

The purpose of this survey was to assess the level of e-learning readiness at the Kenya Technical Teachers College (KTTC). This was part of an institution-wide strategy to guide the adoption and implementation of e-learning at KTTC. The main objectives of the survey were, to:  assess the level of e-learning readiness by establishing a baseline aggregate index; and, recommend activities to improve the readiness that facilitate effective deployment of e-learning technologies in teaching, learning and research. Various models used for measuring e-readiness within the ADDIE model of instructional design were reviewed. Engholms’ model for assessing e-learning readiness provided the conceptual foundation for the survey and informed its objectives and methodology. A survey was used to capture the respondents’ perception of the level of e-learning readiness along five dimensions adapted from Engholm using a five-point Likert scale. Samples were collected based on quantitative and qualitative methods using self-administered questionnaires and interviews.
From Learning to Empowerment: A study of smallholder farmers in South West Uganda
Authors: Carr Alexis M. , Tenywa Moses , Balasubramanian K.
Published: July 2022

The relationship between education and empowerment has been widely debated in development literature. In recent times, social capital and community-centric learning have been increasingly recognized as important variables in the empowerment process. This paper outlines the development of a Three-dimensional Framework for Empowerment, and looks at the relationship between a community-centric learning process and empowerment in selected villages in Uganda. Based on a comparative study of two villages, the paper evaluates the role of the Lifelong Learning for Farmers (L3F) programme, developed and supported by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), in empowering farming communities. The study shows that the integration of human capital (viewed purely from learning, knowledge acquisition, reflective practices, skills and competencies) social capital and financial capital, has a positive impact on development outcomes such as empowerment.
Mobile Learning Research: the Focus for Policy-Makers
Authors: Traxler John
Published: July 2022

Mobile learning has moved in the last decade from being a small, scattered research interest to being viewed by many international agencies as a way of delivering their humanitarian missions to the developing contexts of the global South.  This paper explores and documents fundamental concepts and concerns that characterize or perhaps jeopardise the relationships between the ‘old’ research communities and ‘new’ policy maker communities working to improve the nature and scope of learning in the developing contexts of the global South using personal mobile digital technologies. As becomes apparent, these concepts and concerns are relevant and interesting across a broader range of domains, touching perhaps under-privilege and access to education and technology in both the global North and the global South, the uses of technology to extend, enhance and transform learning and the various pressures and determinants of policy-making and of the public funding of research.
The Open Flip – a digital economic model for education
Authors: Weller Martin
Published: July 2022

The advent of the internet and digital technologies has given rise to a number of new economic models. These have often been applied to education, but either through faults in the initial models or differences in the characteristics of the education sector, they have not proven to be widely applicable. The use of digital, network technologies combined with open licences is one area that has seen particular success in educational application. This field offers an economic model that has particular application to education, through the reallocation of finances to the production of openly licensed resources instead of the purchase of copyrighted ones. This has potential significant impact across a range of educational practices and beyond.
Distance Learner’s Perspective on User-friendly Instructional Materials at the University of Zambia
Authors: Simui Francis , Mundende Kasonde , Mwewa Godfrey , Kakana Fabian , Namangala Prof. Boniface
Published: July 2022

This case study focuses on print-based instructional materials available to distance education learners at the University of Zambia. Using the Visual Paradigm Software, we model distance education learners’ voices into sociograms to make a contribution to the ongoing discourse on quality distance learning in lowly resourced communities. The key finding shows that out of the four modules (PEM 2082, PEM 2061, PEM 2071, PEM 3122) engaged in, learners rated PEM 2082 as the most user-friendly module at 65.9% while PEM 3122 was rated least at 2.3%. Emerging from this study are the ten elements that instructional designers will need to re-consider some of which are: (i) presentation and layout of content; (ii) use of interactive language; and (iii) inclusion of real life situations. In view of the foregoing, it is recommended that the university adheres to ODL instructional design fundamentals in all its instructional materials as a means to improved quality distance learning.
A Critical Review of eLearning Research Trends in Tanzania
Authors: Mtebe Joel S. , Raphael Christina
Published: July 2022

This study investigated research trends on eLearning implementation in Tanzania from 2007 to 2017. A total of 74 articles from electronic databases, conference proceedings, and selected electronic journals were reviewed. Using content analysis, the study found that there is an increasing interest in eLearning research with the majority of studies conducted by researchers from three universities. Students was found to be the most studied population group while quantitative research design being the most preferred research design. It was also revealed that mobile and game based learning were the least investigated eLearning technologies despite the proliferation of mobile telephony in Tanzania. Internet access and lack of support were the most ranked challenges hindering eLearning implementation in Tanzania. This study will also help policy makers to promote further research in areas where the research gaps have been identified and find interventions to overcome barriers that hinder eLearning implementation in Tanzania.
Challenges of Adopting Open Educational Resources (OER) in Kenyan Secondary Schools: The Case of Open Resources for English Language Teaching (ORELT)
Authors: Orwenjo Daniel Ochieng , Erastus Fridah Kanana
Published: July 2022

Kenya, like many African countries, has faced enormous challenges in the production of and access to quality relevant teaching and learning materials and resources in her primary and secondary school classrooms. This has been occasioned by a plethora of factors which include, but are not limited to a lack of finances, tradition, competence, and experience to develop such resources. Such a situation has persisted despite the existence and availability of many Open Educational Resources (OERs) that have been developed by many education stakeholders at enormous costs. Such freely available resources could potentially improve the quality of existing resources or help to develop new courses.  Yet, their uptake and reuse in secondary and primary schools in Kenya continues to be very low. This paper reports the findings of a study in which Open Resources for English Language Teaching (ORELT) developed by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Canada, were piloted in sampled fifty (50) Kenyan secondary schools. The study applied the Model 1 – Distance and Dependence (Zhao et al 2002)  model to investigate the challenges that hinder instructors to adopt and use ORELT materials. The study reported that poor infrastructure, negative attitudes, lack of ICT competencies, and other skill gaps among teachers and lack of administrative support are some of the implementation challenges that have continued to dog the implementation, adoption and use of OERs in Kenyan schools. The findings of the present study will go a long way in providing useful insights to the developers of OERs and Kenyan education stakeholders in devising strategies of maximum utilisation of OERs in the Kenyan school system.
Eliciting In-service Teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge for 21st-Century Skills in Tanzania
Authors: Mtebe Joel S. , Raphael Christina
Published: July 2022

The Tanzania Vision 2025 articulates the country's aspiration of becoming an industrialized and middle-income country by 2025. The education sector, which is the main driving force towards realizing this goal, is expected to bring about the right mix of high-quality skills for the rapid development of quality and adequate human resources. The kind of revolution needed is nevertheless impossible if teachers are not equipped with the necessary skills to bring in the desirable changes. This study adapted Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) for 21st-Century skills to investigate teachers’ competence levels of 21st-Century skills using self-reported survey and classroom observations from a sample of 132 teachers in 20 schools in Pwani and Morogoro regions.  The study found out that many teachers have moderate self-reported confidence in all TPACK elements with technology. Conversely, teachers self-reported confidence levels in content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge was found to be high. The findings from this study provides valuable insights on how teachers use ICT to prepare students for 21-Century skills capable of supporting the country’s efforts towards developing an industrial economy.
Future Proofing Higher Education in the Pacific with Open and Flexible Learning
Authors: Naidu Som , Roberts Keith
Published: July 2022

Affordable access to higher education is a major challenge for small Pacific island nations. The University of the South Pacific which is owned and governed by twelve island nations in this region plays a special role in meeting this challenge. In its fiftieth year, a few recent developments at USP provide a useful case study for how this challenge can be addressed to provide affordable access to educational opportunity for residents of twelve Pacific Island nations in various stages of development.The island nations served by the University of the South Pacific are spread over 33 million square kilometers of the Pacific, with several official languages and many more indigenous languages, and use seven distinct currencies. As USP celebrates its fiftieth year in 2018, it has embarked upon two specific initiatives that will enable the university to map out a pathway for the future of education for the next generation and within the context of current and new strategies for the design and implementation of meaningful education throughout the member nations. These initiatives are the development of a flexible learning policy and an Open Education Resources policy. Taking pages from the fields of Technology, Education (Learning and Teaching), and Design, these two USP policies seek to “future proof” the university for the next generation and others after that. Being future proofed means being able to stand the test of time in the face of changing contexts and challenges. University policies are most effective when they are designed to withstand and accommodate prospective changes in the educational landscape.  These policies reflect agreed-upon principles that will withstand social and political changes. This paper is a commentary on the content of these policy initiatives around flexible learning and open education practices, their values and principles.
May the Fourth Be with you: Creating Education 4.0
Authors: Salmon Gilly
Published: July 2022

The paper looks back across dominant ways of delivering Higher Education until the present day and then looks forward. There is an approximate continuum described from Education 1.0 through 2.0 to 3.0.  Education is mapped onto the emergence and development of the Web and the revolutions known as ‘Industrial’ over the last 250 years. Then some foresight is deployed with the particular lens of graduates’ employment prospects and contributions to the future – dubbed ‘Education 4.0’. The paper hopes to stimulate dialogue and promote preparedness and innovation for more changes arriving fast over Higher Education’s wider horizons.
Promoting Youth Employment through Information and Communication Technologies in Vocational Education in Tanzania
Authors: Mtebe Joel S. , Kissaka Mussa M. , Raphael Christina , Steven Josephine
Published: July 2022

Africa is the most youthful continent in the world with approximetly 20% of the global youth population and is expected to increase by 42% by the end of  2030. This great number of youth which can be used as a huge asset for the country’s economic growth and development is largely unemployed. As a result, governments have introduced Vocational Education and Training (VET) by providing occupation oriented trainings in a bid to reduce unemployment amongst youth. Despite these  efforts, the majority of VET graduates remain unemployed due to the inadequate employability skills needed in the current job market. This study implemented a project aiming at enhancing employability skills through ICT in four centres: Nangwa VTC, Manyara VTC, Arusha VTC, Mto wa Mbu FDC, and Ketumbeine secondary school with a total of 100 students and 20 teachers. Through participating in the project, it was expected that students would gain the ICT skills as well as the 21st-Century skills required in the current workplace. At the end of the project, an evaluation was conducted using a self-administered survey where a total of 80 students were involved in the four centres. Moreover, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), non-participatory observation, and documentary review were adopted as qualitative data instruments. It was found that that students’ perceived competence and skills levels on technology knowledge of multimedia as moderate (M=3.63) while that of CISCO were found to be high with 76 students graduated and obtained a CISCO certification. In terms of the 21st-Century skills, it was found that students’ self-reported confidence levels in all four 21st-Century skills domains were found to be high with collaboration skills (M=4.5) being the highest followed by communication skills (M=4.26), leadership (4.20) and creativity and innovation (4.06). Nonetheless, the lowest 21st-Century skills element was critical thinking skills (M=3.9). The findings from this study show that with some planned activities within colleges, students can easily acquire the needed employability skills. The implication of these findings are discussed.
Developing Self-regulated Learning Skills in University Students Studying in the Open and Distance Learning Environment by Using KWL Method
Authors: De Silva D. V. M.
Published: July 2022

ABSTRACT

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is considered an important strategy for increasing educational access. However, students learning in ODL environments face many challenges. Studies have indicated that students with self-regulated learning (SRL) skills are more likely to succeed in ODL environments. Studies have demonstrated that through instructional strategies, tutors can teach and help improve SRL skills. This development of SRL skills may lead to reduced drop-out rates. To examine the suitability of SRL skills development strategies, the researcher of this study utilised a KWL (What I Know, What I Want to Know, What I Learned) method in the ODL environment in Sri Lanka to help develop SRL skills in university students. This study adopted an action research approach, and twenty-four (24) Bachelor of Education students and three (03) educators at the Open University of Sri Lanka were the participants. Zimmerman & Moylan's (2009) self-regulated cycle of learning model was used for the intervention. A Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ,1991) was administered to measure students' SRL skills. Observations, reflections, and focus group discussions were used to collect qualitative data. The study's findings indicated that the KWL method contributed to the improvement of self-regulated learning skills among student participants.

Keywords: self-regulated learning skills, Open and Distance Learning environment, KWL method.
Integration of Information Communication Technology in Teaching: The Underpinning Factors Among Kenya’s Primary School Teachers
Authors: Mutisya Sammy Muteti
Published: July 2022

This study was carried out with 86 primary school teachers in Kenya’s Narok County and explored factors affecting integration of ICT in teaching and learning. Multiple regression was used for data analysis. The results revealed that 32.5% of the variance was explained by the independent and extraneous variables (R2 =0.325, P=0.001) and was statistical significant. Attitude was found to be a significant predictor of teachers’ behavioural intention to use ICT in teaching and learning (β=0.259, p<0.05) while Performance expectancy (β=0.148, p>0.05), Effort expectancy (β=-0.185, p>0.05), Social influence (β=0.029, p>0.05), facilitating condition (β=0.194, p>0.05), Self-efficacy (β=0.195, p>0.05) and anxiety (β=0.074, p>0.05) were not significant predictors. The study recommends training of teachers on subject specific ICT technologies, laptops and computers be availed for use by teachers and pupils, school heads be trained on how to monitor and support integration of ICT by teachers and governments to provide schools with requisite ICT infrastructures.
The Impact of Covid-19 on International Higher Education: New Models for the New Normal
Authors: Kanwar Asha , Carr Alexis
Published: July 2022

COVID-19 has had a major impact on international higher education with border closures, cancelled flights, and a shift to online teaching and learning. As a result, many international students have decided to either abandon or defer their plans to study abroad. If students stay in their home countries, many institutions that rely heavily on foreign students’ fees will suffer, with potential impacts on national economies. Beyond the economic implications, it is also important to consider the personal impact of COVID-19 on international students, who may face delays or obstacles to program completion, employment and/or immigration. Though there are certainly risks and losses in the short term, the demand for international education, and the benefits it offers, are expected to grow. This presents an opportunity for higher education institutions (HEIs) and governments, not just to lessen the impact of COVID-19 on their current business models, but to explore new models and opportunities. HEIs and governments must look at redefining international higher education for the new normal, which will entail a shift in policies and programmes. This paper outlines the implications of the COVID-19 crisis for international higher education and presents potential opportunities for governments and higher education institutions to refresh and redefine their approaches for the new normal.
Effects of Free Day Secondary Education Policy on Academic Performance of Rural Public Day Secondary Schools in Kilifi County, Kenya
Authors: Olang'o Jorry , Malechwanzi Joseph , Murage Susan , Amuka Lorna
Published: July 2022

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) policy on academic Performance of Rural Public Day Secondary Schools (RPDSS) in Kilifi County, Kenya. The study adopted descriptive survey research design and a sample of 375 subjects was considered sufficient. Structured questionnaires and interview schedules were used to collect data from principals, teachers, and education directors. Data on performance and enrolment were collected through document analysis. Reliability of the instruments was ascertained through test and retest method that yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.83, an indication of reliable instruments. The study found out that there was a decrease in school mean score between 2003-2007 and 2013-2017. There was a strong positive correlation (r = 0.93) between enrollment and poor performance. Further, learning resources and student finances were inadequate. The study recommends a reduction in class size, timely disbursement and increased students’ capitation.