Supporting the speaking development of students in a Swahili-as-a-foreign-language (SFL) classroom

Till date, the development of students’ language skills in a Swahili-as-a-foreign-language (SFL) context has not been thoroughly investigated. Rather, a majority of work has focused on grammar. This paper examines the activities that are used in an elementary SFL classroom at an American University to support the speaking development of students. Observation and in-depth interviews reveal that there are four main speaking activities used to support students’ speaking development. The findings highlight the importance of purposefully selecting speaking activities to support the speaking development of students in a SFL classroom

Genetic diversity studies on selected rice varieties grown in Africa based on aroma, cooking and eating quality

Rice grain quality is an important factor that has a great influence on its market value and consumer acceptance. It is determined by three parameters controlling the cooking and eating qualities of rice (amylose content, gelatinization temperature and gel consistency) and by the aroma, which becomes a criterion increasingly preferred by consumers. Molecular characterization of specific genomic regions of rice genotypes by trait specific markers can help in the development of suitable breeding program. This study was conducted at AfricaRice Regional station, Saint-Louis, Senegal. 30 rice genotypes commonly used in Africa were evaluated using eight simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers linked to the cooking, eating properties, and the aroma. The total number of alleles was 45 with an average of 5.63 allele per locus. The number of alleles per marker varied from three for RM204 to eight for RM190 and RM342A and the effective number of alleles varied from 1.66 for RM204 to 6.16 for RM342A. The polymorphic information content (PIC) varied from 0.39 to 0.83 and the allele frequency ranged from 0.015 to 0.75. A maximum genetic similarity of 1 was observed between Gambiaka Kokoum and Gambiaka Burkina Faso, Basmati 270 and Basmati 370, Sahel 108 and Sahel 201, Sahel 108 and Sahel 208, Sahel 201 and Sahel 208, Sahel 202 and Sahel 209, and Sahel 305 and Sahel 317. The Sahel varieties found with maximum genetic similarity have the same amylose content, but different gelatinization temperature except Sahel 305 and Sahel 317 which have the same cooking and eating properties. Therefore, more markers are needed to discriminate those varieties. Minimum genetic similarity was observed between traditional aromatic rice Basmati 370 and the landrace Gambiaka Nigeria. The unweighted pair-groups method using arithmetic averages (UPGMA) cluster analysis of these cultivars enabled the classification of our varieties in five major groups with additional subclusters in groups 2, 3 and 4. Groups 1 and 2 composed of aromatics varieties, group 3 gathered the three improved Sahel aromatic varieties, group 4 was the most diversified group with three sub-clusters and group 5 corresponded to the traditional varieties Gambiaka. The results of this study indicated that the use of trait specific SSR markers enabled to group the varieties according to their cooking and eating quality and the aroma and therefore can be very useful in breeding rice varieties harboring good cooking and eating quality traits and aroma in rice breeding program.Keywords: Grain quality, cooking and eating properties, aroma, cluster analysis, simple sequence repeat (SSR), ric

The role of the Supreme Court in the development of constitutional law in Ghana

The theme running through this dissertation is intended to prove that the Supreme Court has a role to play in the promotion, enforcement and sustenance of a proper democratic system of government, good governance and fundamental human rights and freedoms in Ghana. The Study would therefore address the role of the Supreme Court in the development of Constitutional Law in Ghana, with particular emphasis on the court's contribution to the underlying concepts of the Fourth Republican Constitution of 1992; the guiding principles of constitutional interpretation and the vexed issue of whether the court should adopt a mechanical and literal approach to the interpretation of the Constitution or adopt a liberal, beneficent and purposive approach. The Supreme Court has asserted in the locus classicus decision: Tuffuor v Attorney-General [1980] GLR 637 that the 1979 Constitution as the supreme law, must be construed as a living political document capable of growth. Is there any evidence now to support that claim? The study shall also investigate the question of the power of the Supreme Court to review legislative and executive action. We shall also examine the role of the Supreme Court in the interpretation and enforcement of the Constitution and Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms in relation to the rights and obligations of the individual and the State with the view to achieving good governance. The 1992 Constitution itself is founded on the premise that there are limitations to the enjoyment of fundamental human rights and freedoms. What is the extent of such limitations as determined by the Supreme Court? What has been the Supreme Court's contribution to the sustenance of political stability and democratic governance and, especially, in matters relating to coup d'etats and to enforcement of the Constitution itself as distinct from the enforcement of fundamental human rights and freedoms? Has the Supreme Court power to enforce the Constitution and the existing law where there is proven case of injustice and illegality? Has the Supreme Court power to enforce Directive Principles of State Policy as formulated in chapter 6 of the 1992 Ghana Constitution?JurisprudenceLL.D

Predicting Bankruptcy and Financial Fraud of Both Listed and Unlisted Commercial Banks in Ghana Using 3 Z-Score Models

The purpose of this study was to assess the possibilities of bankruptcy and financial statement fraud in Ghana’s banking sector. An investigation of the financial statements of the banks for the period 2015 to 2018 was made with the use of Altman’s (2000), Taffler’s (1983), and Beneish (1999) models. The Altman (2000) and Taffler (1983) models are predictors of insolvency or bankruptcy. To unveil the possibilities of financial statement fraud, this study used the Beneish [1999], model. The examination of the bank's annual financial reports with the Beneish model revealed the banks were engaged in earnings manipulation. The Altman [2000] and Taffler [1983] models, on the other hand, brought to light the financial soundness of the banks with an average of 14 (74%) and 18 (95%) of the 19 selected banks correctly classified into the safe zone with an impressive Z-Score performance according to Altman and Taffler’s models respectively. The study, therefore recommends that, if the Beneish model is applied well together with the failure prediction models by researchers, it can provide a reliable finding for policymaking. Also, auditors, investors, management, and stockholders when making good use of the Beneish model, it can provide potential ‘red flags’ for further investigation to be carried out for better audit assignment Keywords: Altman [2000] Z-score model, Beneish [1999] M-score model, bankruptcy, commercial banks, fraud, financial statement, Ghana, Taffler [1983] Z-score model. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-12-05 Publication date: April 30th 202

Evaluation of Oryza sativa x O. glaberrima derived progenies for resistance to rootknot nematode and identification of introgressed alien chromosome segments using SSR markers

The genus Oryza has two cultivated species, Asian rice (Oryza sativa L.) and African rice (Oryza glaberrima Steud.) and 22 wild species. O. glaberrima is low yielding but has useful genes for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Introgression lines derived from backcrossing of O. sativa x O. glaberrima, using O. sativa as recurrent parent, were evaluated for tolerance to root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne graminicola). Testing in sick plots infested with nematodes showed reduction in plant height, shoot and root biomass and leaf area index compared to the control. Based on gall rating and the ratio of the final population to the initial population of nematodes (Pf/Pi ratio), three introgression lines were found to be resistant to nematodes (IR80311-9-B-B-1-2 and IR80311-2-B-B-1-2 under screenhouse and IR80311-48-BB- 1 under phytotron conditions). Gall rating and the Pf/Pi ratio showed positive correlation (r = 0.61). Analysis of 122 introgression lines using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers detected introgression of O. glaberrima segments into O. sativa

The Gender Pain Gap: gender inequalities in pain across 19 European countries

Aims: Chronic pain is increasingly considered to be an international public health issue – but gender differences in chronic pain in Europe are under-examined. This work aimed to examine gender inequalities in pain across Europe. Methods: Data for 27,552 men and women aged 25-74 years in 19 European countries were taken from the social determinants of health module of the European Social Survey (2014). Inequalities in reporting pain were measured by means of adjusted rate differences (ARD) and relative adjusted rate risks (ARR). Results: At the pooled pan-European level, a greater proportion of women (62.3%) reported pain than men (55.5%) (ARD 5.5% [95% CI 4.1%, 6.9%], ARR 1.10 [95% CI 1.08, 1.13]). These inequalities were greatest for back/neck pain (ARD 5.8% [95% CI 4.4%, 7.1%], ARR 1.15 [95% CI 1.12, 1.19]), but were also significant for hand/arm pain (ARD 4.6% [95% CI 3.5%, 5.7%], ARR 1.24 [95% CI 1.17, 1.30]), and foot/leg pain (ARD 2.6% [95% CI 1.5%, 3.8%], ARR 1.12 [95% CI 1.07, 1.18]). There was considerable cross‐national variation in gender pain inequalities across European countries. Conclusions: Significant gender pain inequalities exist across Europe whereby women experience more pain than men; this was most pronounced for back/neck pain. The extent of the gender pain gap varies by country. The gender pain gap is a public health concern, and should be considered in future prevention and management strategies

Mapping QTLs for tolerance to salt stress at the early seedling stage in rice (Oryza sativa L.) using a newly identified donor ‘Madina Koyo’

Open Access Article; Published online: 13 Sep 2020Salt stress is a menace to rice production and a threat to food security worldwide. We evaluated 308 F4 families from Sahel 317/Madina Koyo for tolerance to salt stress at the early seedling stage. To better understand genomic regions controlling tolerance in the population, we genotyped the progenies and the two parents using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and regressed the genotypic data on their phenotype to detect QTLs. An average reduction of 63.4% was observed for all fitness-related traits among the F4 families. A total of 46 progenies recorded an average salt injury score (SIS) between 1–3 and were rated as tolerant to salt stress at the early seedling stage. A high-density genetic map was constructed for the 12 rice chromosomes using 3698 SNP markers. Multiple interval mapping identified 13 QTLs for SIS, shoot length, shoot dry weight and root length on chromosomes 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10 and 12, with trait increasing alleles coming from both parents. Two (qSDW2 and qRL2.2) and three (qSL2, qRL2.1 and qSIS2) QTLs at different regions on chromosome 2 and another two on chromosome 7 (qSDW7 and qSL7) were tightly linked. These QTLs could facilitate breeding for salt tolerance at the early seedling stage as direct selection for one, would mean indirectly selecting for the other. Fine mapping of these novel QTLs in a different genetic background is necessary to confirm their stability and usefulness in breeding for tolerance to salinity in rice

Dynamic Changes of Heart Failure Biomarkers in Response to Parabolic Flight

Background: we aimed at investigating the influence of weightlessness and hypergravity by means of parabolic flight on the levels of the heart failure biomarkers H-FABP, sST2, IL-33, GDF-15, suPAR and Fetuin-A. Methods: 14 healthy volunteers (males: eight; mean age: 28.9) undergoing 31 short-term phases of weightlessness and hypergravity were included. At different time points (baseline, 1 h/24 h after parabolic flight), venous blood was drawn and analyzed by the use of ELISA. Results: sST2 evidenced a significant decrease 24 h after parabolic flight (baseline vs. 24, p = 0.009; 1 h vs. 24 h, p = 0.004). A similar finding was observed for GDF-15 (baseline vs. 24 h, p = 0.002; 1 h vs. 24 h, p = 0.025). The suPAR showed a significant decrease 24 h after parabolic flight (baseline vs. 24 h, p = 0.1726; 1 h vs. 24 h, p = 0.009). Fetuin-A showed a significant increase at 1 h and 24 h after parabolic flight (baseline vs. 24 h, p = 0.007; 1 h vs. 24 h, p = 0.04). H-FABP and IL-33 showed no significant differences at all time points. Conclusion: Our results suggest a reduction in cardiac stress induced by exposure to gravitational changes. Moreover, our findings indicate an influence of gravitational changes on proliferative processes and calcium homeostasis