Effects of modern instructional technology (MIT) on critical thinking skills of students in agriculture vocational courses in Nigeria

The recent development in modern instruction technology (MIT) methods and equipment warranted for studies to examine their effects on students, teachers, and the education system in general. This study examines the effects of MIT on students’ critical thinking skills in Agriculture vocational courses in Nigeria. The methods and equipment used were identified, and the effect of teachers’ usage behaviour was assessed. A survey approach was adopted, using questionnaires for data collection. The descriptive, correlations and multiple regressions were carried out using SPSS. The result of this study indicates that the most commonly used equipment is electronic whiteboard, while the least are electronic tablets and laptops. Cooperative learning is the most commonly used methods while games and online instruction are the least. There is a moderate positive correlation between MIT methods and the students’ critical thinking skill, but a very weak positive correlation between MIT equipment and students’ critical thinking skill. There is statistically significant contribution of methods to student’s critical thinking, but insignificant method usage behaviour. Therefore, it is concluded that government should incorporate the provision and effective utilisation of MIT equipment and methods in the national education policy. School managements should emphasise the use of MIT methods and review curriculum to improve teachers’ skills in MIT usage. Teachers should utilise the available MIT equipment and method along with their skills for an effective delivery of lessons. Similarly, the students should be encouraged to appreciate the available methods and the equipment, and use them effectively

COVID-19 vaccination personas in Yemen: insights from three rounds of a cross-sectional survey

We used three rounds of a repeated cross-sectional survey on COVID-19 vaccination conducted throughout the entire territory of Yemen to: (i) describe the demographic and socio-economic characteristics associated with willingness to be vaccinated; (ii) analyse the link between beliefs associated with COVID-19 vaccines and willingness to be vaccinated; and (iii) analyse the potential platforms that could be used to target vaccine hesitancy and improve vaccine coverage in Yemen. Over two-thirds of respondents were either unwilling or unsure about vaccination across the three rounds. We found that gender, age, and educational attainment were significant correlates of vaccination status. Respondents with better knowledge about the virus and with greater confidence in the capacity of the authorities (and their own) to deal with the virus were more likely to be willing to be vaccinated. Consistent with the health belief model, practising one (or more) COVID-19 preventative measures was associated with a higher willingness to get a COVID-19 vaccination. Respondents with more positive views towards COVID-19 vaccines were also more likely to be willing to be vaccinated. By contrast, respondents who believed that vaccines are associated with significant side effects were more likely to refuse vaccination. Finally, those who relied on community leaders/healthcare workers as a trusted channel for obtaining COVID-19-related information were more likely to be willing to be vaccinated. Strengthening the information about the COVID-19 vaccination (safety, effectiveness, side effects) and communicating it through community leaders/healthcare workers could help increase the COVID-19 vaccine coverage in Yemen

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Influences of cultural values, community cohesiveness, and resilience among residents in insurgency-prone Northeast Nigeria

The concepts of risk and resilience have gained growing relevance in the context of cultural values and community cohesiveness. Specifically, in the face of threat particularly in situations like armed conflicts. Simultaneously, there is an argument that emphasizes, cultural values and community cohesiveness are valuable assets for fostering resilience, lessening disaster risk, and promoting peace and reconciliation among individuals in many communities around the globe. The current study seeks to understand whether cultural values and community cohesiveness influence resilience among affected public housing residents in Maiduguri Borno State Nigeria. Hofstede cultural value model, was used as the model for this study. The study employed a cross-sectional design, used questionnaire for data collection, and a sample size of 345 across 5 public housing, based on the proportion of their population, using Cochran (1977), formula in determining the sample size. Data was analysed using SPSS package version 25. The descriptive analysis, reveals a high level of cultural values and community cohesiveness while results from the regression analysis indicate that cultural values and community cohesiveness predict resilience. The study therefore suggests that culture should be cooperated in neighbourhood and housing design. Likewise, coping strategies such as resilience-oriented planning to deal with the security situation at all levels should pay special attention and support community social networks in order to enhance their resiliency

Perceptions of insecurity and social cohesion in building resilience among residents in north-east Nigeria

Building resilience is vital to devising the ability to overcome challenges, especially in times of insecurity. The objective of this study is to assess the level of perception of insecurity and social cohesion of residents in northeast Nigeria. The study also determines the influence of the perception of insecurity, social cohesion, length of stay, and age on resilience. The study sampled 383 respondents in Gwange, Bolori, Yerwa and Mai-Sandari of Maiduguri metropolis. The data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed a moderate level of both perceptions of insecurity and social cohesion. The study also indicates that while the perception of insecurity predicts resilience (? = .297, p < .000) and social cohesion (? = .444, p < 0.00), age and length of stay (? = -.012, p < .770 and (? = -.041, p < .324) do not influence residents' resilience in Maiduguri. This study recommended that community engagement programs that aim to foster a sense of unity, and collaboration among residents, strengthen the existing social support networks within the neighbourhood. Similarly, community involvement in the decision-making process should be implemented and any form of initiative should be culturally sensitive and aligned with the needs of the people

New discrete frequency table with application to real data

One way to make sense of data is to organize it into a more meaningful format called frequency table. The existing univariate discrete frequency table is simple to construct, easy to understand and interpret. However, when the number of elements in the data is substantial, it results in a long table that can be difficult to handle. This article presents a new discrete frequency table. The proposed frequency table is described, using simulations performed on five different discrete distributions, and real data. The new frequency table improves the existing table in various ways. This includes how the data with a large number of elements can be handled, how the mode of the data can be better estimated, and how the essential features of the data can be better revealed

Assessment of the Genetic Structure and Diversity of Soybean (<i>Glycine</i> <i>max</i> L.) Germplasm Using Diversity Array Technology and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Markers

Knowledge of the genetic structure and diversity of germplasm collections is crucial for sustainable genetic improvement through hybridization programs and rapid adaptation to changing breeding objectives. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic diversity and population structure of 281 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) soybean accessions using diversity array technology (DArT) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for the efficient utilization of these accessions. From the results, the SNP and DArT markers were well distributed across the 20 soybean chromosomes. The cluster and principal component analyses revealed the genetic diversity among the 281 accessions by grouping them into two stratifications, a grouping that was also evident from the population structure analysis, which divided the 281 accessions into two distinct groups. The analysis of molecular variance revealed that 97% and 98% of the genetic variances using SNP and DArT markers, respectively, were within the population. Genetic diversity indices such as Shannon’s diversity index, diversity and unbiased diversity revealed the diversity among the different populations of the soybean accessions. The SNP and DArT markers used provided similar information on the structure, diversity and polymorphism of the accessions, which indicates the applicability of the DArT marker in genetic diversity studies. Our study provides information about the genetic structure and diversity of the IITA soybean accessions that will allow for the efficient utilization of these accessions in soybean improvement programs, especially in Africa

Carcass characteristics and meat quality of Red Sokoto Bucks fed treated and untreated bagasse with or without enzyme supplementation

study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding treated or untreated bagasse with or without enzyme supplementation on the carcass characteristics and meat quality of Red Sokoto bucks. Sixteen Red Sokoto bucks averaging one year and weighing 10 ± 2 kg were used for the study. Four bucks were assigned per treatment and allotted to two dietary treatments with two level of supplementation in a completely randomized design. The enzyme was included based on the manufactures recommendation. The bucks were slaughtered and dressed according to normal dressing procedure and meat samples were analysed for moisture, protein and ash content. The result of the trial showed that there was no significant difference (p&gt;0.05) in hot carcass weight and protein content between bucks fed bagasse with enzyme and bucks fed bagasse without enzyme. Bucks fed untreated bagasse without enzyme had significantly (p&lt;0.05) higher dressing percentage (44.11 %) when compared to bucks fed treated bagasse with enzyme (42.58 %). The study concluded that treated and untreated bagasse with or without enzyme has no adverse effect on carcass and meat quality of Red Sokoto bucks