The relationship between socio-affective factors and reading proficiency: Implications for tertiary reading instruction

Research in the field of reading literacy has focussed predominantly on the foundation phase and primary and secondary levels. In addition, these studies in reading literacy are predominantly cognitive-oriented. As a result, information on academic reading at tertiary level is sparse; even  more so with regard to socio-affective factors and students’ reading  proficiency. This paper explores the relationship between tertiary-level students’ socio-affective profile and their reading proficiency. The Test of Academic Literacy Levels (TALL) was used to measure students’ reading proficiency, and ANOVA tests were applied to analyse and yield data on students’ reading background, reading habits, social literacy and several motivational components. The results and the data so obtained indicated arobust relationship between these socioaffective factors and students’ reading proficiency. The paper discusses the research findings and their implications for instructing tertiary-level students in a way that would ensure successful academic reading.Keywords: socio-affective factors, reading proficiency, academic reading,reading instructio

Analysis of childhood overweight and obesity in Namibia using spatio-temporal quantile interval models

Abstract The global prevalence of overweight (including obesity) in children under 5 years of age was 7% in 2012, and it is expected to rise to 11% by the year 2025. The main objective of this study was to fit spatio-temporal quantile interval regression models for childhood overweight (including obesity) in Namibia from 2000 to 2013 using fully Bayesian inference implemented in R-INLA package in R version 3.5.1. All the available Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) datasets for Namibia since 2000 were used in this study. Significant determinants of childhood overweight (including obesity) ranged from socio-demographic factors to child and maternal factors. Child age and preceding birth interval had significant nonlinear effects on childhood overweight (including obesity). Furthermore, we observed significant spatial and temporal effects on childhood overweight (including obesity) in Namibia between 2000 and 2013. To achieve the World Health Organisation (WHO) global nutrition target 2025 in Namibia, the existing scaling-up nutrition programme and childhood malnutrition policy makers in this country may consider interventions based on socio-demographic determinants, and spatio-temporal variations presented in this paper

The helminth community of Helmeted Guineafowls, <i>Numida meleagris</i> (Linnaeus, 1758), in the north of Limpopo Province, South Africa

The helminths of 15 Helmeted Guineafowls were collected in the north of Limpopo Province, South Africa. A total of 11 cestode, ten nematode and a single acanthocephalan species were present. Species richness ranged from 8 to 16 species per host, and nine core and nine secondary species accounted for 40.9% of the component parasite community. The remaining 18.2% comprised satellite species. Core species represented 91% of all the worms present. Individual intensities ranged from 66 to 2 724 per host and overdispersion was pronounced. There were no significant differences regarding the abundance and species richness between male and female hosts. The number of component species and overall abundance did not differ significantly between juvenile and adult hosts, but Cyrnea parroti was significantly more abundant, and the prevalence of Hadjelia truncata was higher in young birds than in adults. In contrast, Gongylonema congolense and Porogynia paronai were absent in juveniles, but had a prevalence of 60% and 70%, respectively, in adults. Pairwise Spearman's rank correlation yielded one positive and 10 negative significant species correlations. A single trematode, Dicrocoelium macrostomum, was collected from five of nine guineafowls, but was not included in the helminth community study

Can Integration of Legume Trees Increase Yield Stability in Rainfed Maize Cropping Systems in Southern Africa?

Growing maize (Zea mays L.) in association with legume trees in agroforestry arrangements has been shown to increase yields in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa; however, the stability of crop yields has not been critically analyzed in the various cropping systems that integrate leguminous trees. The objective of this analysis was to compare yield stability in improved cropping systems, namely maize gliricidia [Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Kunth] intercropping and fertilized monoculture maize, with the de facto practice of resource-poor farmers who grow maize continuously without any external input. Yield stability was determined for three long-term field trials (12 13 consecutive yr) conducted at Makoka Research Station in southern Malawi and Msekera Research Station in eastern Zambia. At Makoka, the most stable yield was recorded in maize gliricidia intercrops. Average yield was highest for maize gliricidia intercropping amended with 50% of the recommended N and P fertilizer, and this was comparable with the yield recorded in monoculture maize that received inorganic fertilizer. On the two sites at Msekera, the highest yield was recorded in fertilized monoculture maize, followed by maize gliricidia intercrops. Yields were more stable, however, in maize gliricidia intercropping than fertilized maize on both sites at Msekera. It was concluded that maize yields remain more stable in maize gliricidia intercropping than in fertilized maize monoculture in the long term, although average yields may be higher with full fertilization