Effect of Qualification and Experience of Biology Teachers on the Status of Ecology Teaching in Kwara State

This study examined the effect of qualification and experience of Biology teachers on the status of ecology teaching in Kwara State.  This study sample included one hundred and forty two (142) Secondary Schools selected by random sampling technique. The researcher designed teachers’ questionnaire which were administered to four hundred and fifty (450) teachers selected from eight (8) Local Government Areas of Kwara State.  Researcher-designed validated questionnaire was used to elicit information from the respondents on the status of ecology teaching. Three research questions and two hypotheses were formulated.  Frequency counts and chi- square statistics were used to analysis the data collected. Finding of this study revealed that 68% of Biology teachers agreed with the contents while 32% disagreed. However both qualified and unqualified teachers had viewed ecology teaching the same way that is ecology teaching was not properly done due to the fact that some Biology teachers skip certain areas of the syllabus that they find difficult to teach.  Similarly, experienced and less experienced teachers had the same views about ecology teaching in Kwara State.  Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made: fieldwork and practicals on Ecology should be carried out satisfactory in the schools, teachers should be sponsored to seminars and workshops specifically on Ecology teaching

Emotional Memory in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic PRISMA Review of Controlled Studies

Background: Emotional memory is an adaptive process that improves the memorization of emotional events or stimuli. In Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), emotional memory may be altered, which in turn may affect symptoms. Having a clearer view of the processes of interaction between memory and emotional stimuli in PTSD may improve our knowledge of this disorder, and could create new therapeutic management tools. Thus, we performed a systematic review of the evidence of specific emotional memory in PTSD patients.Method: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review of MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and ScienceDirect was undertaken to identify controlled studies on emotional memory that used cognitive tasks on PTSD patients. The initial research was conducted from June 2017 to July 2017, and search terms included: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; PTSD; emotional memory; emotion; emotional; memory; and episodic memory.Results: Eighteen studies reporting on 387 PTSD patients met the eligibility criteria. Among the studies selected, 11 observed specific memory processing in PTSD patients, such as a greater memorization of negative information, or a trend to false recognition of negative information. In addition, attentional and inhibition processing seem to play an important role in emotional memory in PTSD sufferers. Furthermore, other studies that did not find behavioral differences between PTSD and control groups nevertheless showed differences in both specific cerebral activities and neurohormone levels during emotional memory tasks.Conclusion: This review has several limitations, including a limited number of controlled studies, small sample sizes, different tasks and methods. Nevertheless, the results of this systematic review provide interesting information on emotional memory for clinicians and researchers, as they seem to highlight facilitated memory processing for negative information in PTSD patients. This topic needs further controlled studies with sensitive behavioral tasks. Also, future studies may evaluate emotional memory after symptom amelioration

The effect of increased investment in Bodaboda business on economic empowerment of people in Kisumu west district.

In the last fifteen years the numbers of motorcycles per capita in many developing nations has doubled, they provide an affordable mobility option that is not otherwise available. Whereas information points to the potential benefits of this mode of transport, there is limited information on the effect of increasing investment in bodaboda business in Kisumu West District. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of increased investment in bodaboda business on economic empowerment in Kisumu West District. A descriptive study design was used. The study population comprised of, 100 bodaboda owners, and 170 bodaboda riders. A total of 43 bodaboda owners and 74 riders were selected through a stratified random sampling process. Primary data was collected by use of structured questionnaire while secondary data was obtained from written reports. Data was analyzed using inferential and descriptive statistics and presented in tables, bar charts and pie charts. It was established that the level of bodaboda business activities were very high in the district and that these activities had a positive significant effect on economic empowerment. The study suggested that further studies should be done in other districts to establish the nationwide effect of bodaboda business in economic empowerment. Keywords: Bodaboda, Reliability, Value, Economic, Empowermen

The Effect of Performance Contract Implementation on Service Delivery in Provincial Administration

In order for the Provincial Administration department in Kenya to deliver its mandate, it needs efficient and proper service delivery. The implementation of performance contracting was aimed at addressing quality of service delivery. Despite these reforms, there remain some challenges in terms of quality of service delivery. The study sought to evaluate the effect of implementing performance contract on service delivery in provincial administration and also evaluate the effectiveness of Performance Contracting in improving efficiency in service. The study used descriptive survey research design. Primary data was collected from a sample size of 147 drawn from a target population of 490 consisting of 90 employees of Provincial Administration and 400 members of the public. Both stratified random sampling and purposive sampling were used for Provincial Administration staff and members of the public respectively to pick the respondents. The data was gathered by use of a questionnaire that had both open and closed ended questions. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze data in form of frequencies and percentages, and presented in tables. The study revealed that the implementation of Performance Contracting was effective in improving efficiency in service delivery by the department. Keywords: Performance contract, competent, effectiveness, quality service delivery

Consumers’ Perceptions towards Goat’s Milk: Exploring the Attitude Amongst Consumers and Its Implication for a Dairy Goat Breeding Programme in Siaya County, Kenya

Although most of the milk consumed in Kenya comes from cows, goat's milk is becoming increasingly popular despite the often negative public perception as evidenced in the literature. Studies on consumer willingness to pay for goat’s milk have revealed that consumers were more willing to pay a premium price to obtain the milk. However, there is inadequate information on consumers’ attitudes towards consumption of goat’s milk, factors associated with this attitude and their implication on a dairy goat breeding programme. By assessing consumer perception, the current study examined consumers’ attitude towards goat’s milk in Siaya County of Kenya, the factors that influenced the decision, and their implications on a dairy goat breeding programme. A snowballing sampling technique was used to select a sample of 84 survey respondents in the County. Primary data was collected using interviews with the help of sets of structured and semi-structured questionnaires. A 5-point Likert continuum scale was used to analyze and rank perceptions of consumers, with one (1) as strongly disagreed and five (5) as strongly agreed. The results showed that consumers’ perception towards goat’s milk was positive. There was a relationship between perception towards goat’s milk and socio-economic factors like age and education. From the findings, it was also evident that the price of goat’s milk and its relative scarcity were barriers to its consumption. This implies that a dairy goat breeding programme is likely to be successful in the study area and in areas with similar production circumstances. Policy interventions are, therefore, recommended to educate consumers on quality attributes of goat’s milk and provision of high value genotypes of dairy goats to farmers in the County to increase the volume of milk supply from the goats and, due to economies of scale, subsequently lower the cost of production and stabilize the market price of goat’s milk. Keywords: Attitude, Consumer perception, Goat’s milk, Breeding programme, Keny

Ethical challenges in preclinical Alzheimer's disease observational studies and trials:Results of the Barcelona summit

AbstractAlzheimer's disease (AD) is among the most significant health care burdens. Disappointing results from clinical trials in late-stage AD persons combined with hopeful results from trials in persons with early-stage suggest that research in the preclinical stage of AD is necessary to define an optimal therapeutic success window. We review the justification for conducting trials in the preclinical stage and highlight novel ethical challenges that arise and are related to determining appropriate risk-benefit ratios and disclosing individuals' biomarker status. We propose that to conduct clinical trials with these participants, we need to improve public understanding of AD using unified vocabulary, resolve the acceptable risk-benefit ratio in asymptomatic participants, and disclose or not biomarker status with attention to study type (observational studies vs clinical trials). Overcoming these challenges will justify clinical trials in preclinical AD at the societal level and aid to the development of societal and legal support for trial participants

Diet breadth of a critically endangered owl presents challenges for invasive rodent management: a conservation conundrum

Trophic interactions between threatened species complicate management. Similarly, interactions between threatened species and pest species present management challenges, given that pest control can lead to non-target impacts (e.g. trophic cascades or secondary poisoning). There are records of the critically endangered Norfolk Island Morepork Ninox novaeseelandiae undulata consuming both threatened songbirds and invasive rodents that are subject to management interventions. Nevertheless, the diet of the morepork remains largely unknown. We visually screened regurgitated pellets using a microscope, alongside environmental DNA (eDNA) screening of pellets and scats, to investigate the diet of the Norfolk Island Morepork. A total of 113 pellets and 19 scats were collected between October 2020 and June 2021. All moreporks screened with eDNA metabarcoding had consumed invasive rodents and at least one-third of samples contained rodents. The owls were also found to have consumed four of five endemic songbirds and possibly an endemic parrot, most of which are threatened. Environmental DNA metabarcoding detected more taxa overall, but visual screening identified a greater richness of Orthoptera and Coleoptera in the diet. The frequency with which the Norfolk Island Morepork consumed rodents presents a conundrum for conservation managers. Control of invasive rodents is considered essential to support threatened songbirds, yet this same action places the species at risk of secondary poisoning. Urgent investigations are needed to identify effective control methods for invasive rodents that are safe for non-target species