Effects of Peer Scaffolding on Students’ Grammar Proficiency Development

The main purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Peer Scaffolding on students’ grammar proficiency development. The recently developed model under study –Peer scaffolding- is based on Vygotsky’s and Leentevo’s Scaffolding instruction. To put the model in to practice an intervention program was designed and implemented. The program had two components Experimental and Control group .The sample consisted of 102 grade eleven students in two classes at Tillili Preparatory and General Secondary School. The classes were randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. A non equivalent group pre- test-post- test quasi experimental design was employed with 52 experimental and 49 control participants. Two grammar proficiency tests (one pre test and one post test) were designed. Both experimental and control groups were involved in similar scaffolding grammar proficiency activities for two months. The experimental group learned grammar activities using the peer scaffolding instruction. The control group, on the other hand, learned grammar the same exercise within the same period of time working with the teacher who was not trained in peer scaffolding. At the post intervention phase, the other tests followed by the social validity questionnaires were administered. The findings revealed that the Experimental group showed greater pre- to post- intervention improvement in grammar proficiency and show the intervention as socially valid. Thus, the study corroborated the efficacy of Peer Scaffolding intervention as feasible tool to enhance grammar proficiency development. Keywords: Grammar proficency,Scaffolding,Social validity DOI: 10.7176/JLLL/58-02 Publication date:July 31st 201

Information Communication Technology and The Performance of Selected Retail Business Outlets in Abuja Nigeria

This research is a contribution towards understanding the influence of information communication technology and the performance of selected retail business outlets in Abuja – Nigeria. The usage of information communication technology (ICT) covers any product that stores, retrieve, manipulate, transmit or retrieve information electronically in a digital form. In an attempt to investigate the influence of ICT on the performance of retails business outlet, the researcher adopted purposive sampling technique. The population of the study consist of 110 selected retail business outlets in Abuja. The study adopted survey design method through the distribution of questionnaire in order to elicit respondents views. The data gathered with the help of questionnaire was developed through Likert Scale for the purpose of this study. The study used multiple linear regression to analyze the result, SPSS version 20 was used to test the captured information as it enhances credibility. Findings revealed that internet facilities enhances the performances of retail business outlets in Abuja. The study also found that web based information enhances retail business performance. The study concluded that information communication technology (ICT) enhances business performances of selected retail outlets in Abuja. The study recommended in light of the findings that internet service providers should ensure regular availability of internet services in order to create effective retrieval of information from the internet. Keyword: Information communication technology, internet facilities, web based, retail business outlets, platform

Aptamer-Functionalized Hydrogel for Self-Programmed Protein Release via Sequential Photoreaction and Hybridization

A dynamic hydrogel that sequentially responds to two independent but interrelated physical and biomolecular signals was reported in this work. Once hit by an external light signal, an immobilized internal molecular signal is activated and freed via photoreaction; and subsequently the freed molecular signal works as a self-programming factor of the hydrogel to induce the dissociation of a biomolecular complex to release protein via a hybridization reaction. Notably, pulsatile external light input can be converted to periodical protein output from the hydrogel to regulate cell migration. Thus, this hydrogel holds potential as a self-programming platform for biological and biomedical applications such as controlled release of bioactive substances

Surface biofunctionalization to improve the efficacy of biomaterial substrates to be used in regenerative medicine

Surface biofunctionalization has emerged in the past decade as a rising tool in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM) approaches. The development of biomaterial substrates with regenerative properties is challenging, mainly due to the requirement of obtaining a surface that promotes cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation. Biomolecules, namely extracellular matrix proteins and growth factors, play a key role in the wound healing cascade, mediating a wide range of cellular activities. Therefore, the immobilization of such biomolecules at the surface of biomaterials has a remarkable interest for TERM strategies. Numerous variants can be used to biofunctionalize the surface of biomaterials, being classified as non-covalent and covalent immobilization strategies. Importantly, the maintenance of stable/available bioactive factors needs also to be considered. In this review, a wide range of bioactive molecules and different biofunctionalization strategies will be discussed, as well as the most relevant results achieved in the novel and most promising strategies.The authors would like to acknowledge the PortugueseFoundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for the PhD grant of M.R.C. (PD/BD/113797/2015) financed by the FCT DoctoralProgram onAdvancedTherapies forHealth (PATH) (FSE/POCH/PD/169/2013), the IF grant of A.M. (IF/00376/2014), and the projects SPARTAN (PTDC/CTM-BIO/4388/2014) andFRONthera(NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-0000232)