Teacher Attitude, Experience, and Background Knowledge Effect on the Use of Inquiry Method of Teaching

Relatively recent research conducted in the area of science teaching, such as that done by Cole & Beuhner-Brent in 1991, has indicated that current elementary school science instruction is not producing the kind of science literacy desired in relation to the world's clearly greater future scientific needs. In response, professional science organizations such as the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) are promoting the use of more activity-driven, inquiry-based instruction in the teaching of science, particularly in the elementary schools (Mastropieri & Scruggs, 1994). Inquiry-based instruction is instruction using hands-on activities that allow children to explore scientific concepts, as well as instruction in which the focus is on using process skills to gain deeper understandings of the connections in science. Studies have shown that an inquiry based, hands-on approach is the best way to teach science in a world where facts change frequently and the difficulty of the issues faced will only increase with time. In response to this need, many region school compounds in Ethiopia have adopted new science series in which the focus is on active learning type of instruction. Yet still, science literacy has been slow to show improvement in young children. This research was conducted to see how much of a role teacher's attitudes towards science itself, and science instruction in particular, plays in deciding to use an inquiry approach to teaching science. Surveys concerning science background, science training and instruction, and teacher attitude towards science were sent to Debre Markos town teachers currently in elementary classrooms teaching science. Responses were compiled and analyzed, and the results were actually surprising

Positive Psychological Interventions Helps Employees Work Stress

Stress is the emotional and physical strain caused by our response to pressure from the outside world. There are many stress full events in life an individuals and most of these stress events in life related to the workplace. Stress in the life of the organized workers consequently affects the health or behavior in organizations. Despite the preponderance of research describing the impact of stress in the workplace, few studies exist examining ways to reduce stress. The positive psychology is the scientific study of how humans achieve happiness and mental satisfaction. Positive psychology is based on the principal that all people want on the happy, fulfilled life. It is intended to build strength in a people to make the world a better place. Relaxation techniques is any method, process, procedure, or activity that helps a person to relax, to attain a state of increased  calmness, or otherwise reduce levels of anxiety, stress or anger. The purpose of this research paper is to explore a positive psychology-based intervention such as relaxation techniques would actually reduce stress in the workplace. This paper emphasized on the relationship between stress and positive psychology through use some psychological intervention techniques

The Personality Assessment of Elite Indian Female Archers of Recurve and Compound Division

The main purpose of the study was to assess the personality traits of elite Indian female Archers of Recurve and Compound division. For the purpose of the study, the elite were considered those who were among top eight Archers in the final national ranking tournament followed by four national ranking events conducted by Archery Association of India.The age of the subjects were ranging from 17-35 years. Eysenck’s personality inventory was used to assess the respective personality traits. The data was analyzed by applying descriptive statistics such as Mean, Standard Deviation and coefficient of variation were applied to the data. The finding of the study showed that there was Neuroticism and Extraversion stability in the behaviour of archers of every division

Estimation of serum and follicular fluid Malondialdehyde among women undergoing IVF: Association with age, duration of subfertility and other IVF outcome parameters.

Background: Oxidative stress affects various functions in female reproduction and its role in female infertility is proposed. Hence it was of interest to analyze serum and follicular fluid (FF) Malondialdehyde (MDA) among women undergoing IVF and determine its association with IVF outcome determinants (age, subfertility duration, type of stimulation protocol used, fertilization potential of oocytes, embryo quality and post-IVF pregnancy). Materials and Methods: FF collected by transvaginal ultrasound guided oocyte rupture and IV blood from 28 women (20-40years) undergoing IVF/ICSI, were analyzed for MDA following TBARS method and its association with IVF outcome parameters were compared. Results: Mean MDA was significantly higher in serum than FF among all women tested (2.98 ± 0.14 Vs 2.23 ± 0.11; P=0.0001), IVF group (2.88 ± 0.16 Vs 2.25 ± 0.16; p =0.008) and ICSI group (3.10 ± 0.23 Vs 2.20 ± 0.15; P=0.005). No significant association was seen between MDA and other parameters except embryo quality (r=0.378, p=0.047). Conclusion: Low MDA in FF compared to serum evidences that FF has an effective antioxidant mechanism to overcome oxidative stress. The importance of ROS in female reproduction is evidenced by positive correlation between MDA and embryo quality

Effect of White, Red, Blue Light and Darkness on IAA, GA and Cytokinin Induced Stomatal Movement and Transpiration

Plant growth regulators are the signaling molecules which control physiological as well as metabolic functions starting from seed germination to flowering and senescence. Along with this, light of different wavelengths also play an important role in the life span of plants starting from photosynthesis to transpiration. In this work we tried to find out the effect of plant growth regulators along with lights of various wavelengths on stomatal movement and  transpiration rate. In this study we try to observe the influence of auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin in Piper betel L. under blue light, red light, white light and darkness in stomatal regulation. it was found that, red light inhibited transpiration rate and stomatal opening in auxin and gibberellin treated leaves although it accelerated cytokinin treated stomatal opening

Assessments for management of living marine resources in the Barents Sea and adjacent waters – a focus on methodology

The 16th Russian-Norwegian Symposium, Sochi, Russia, 10-12 September 201

Household Environmental Health Hazards and Child Survival in selected states in India

Most deaths of children under age five in India and other developing countries have been linked to the household environment. This study, therefore, hypothesized that variation in household environmental conditions (e.g. sources of drinking water,  types of toilet facilities, main flooring material of the household, type of cooking fuel) could affect children’s survival chances. Using secondary data from the National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) round 3, the study broadly categorized the eight selected states into low and high under-five mortality groups. Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan are in the high under –five mortality group whilst Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are in  the low mortality group.  The dependent variables are under-five mortality and childhood morbidity. Childhood morbidities  were measured by the occurrence of diarrhoea, and acute respiratory infection (ARI) within two weeks preceding the survey. The household environmental variables included sources of drinking water, duration of time from water source, types of toilet facilities, main flooring material of the household, type of cooking fuel in the household. The socioeconomic factor was measured with variables such as the mother’s educational level, father’s educational level, rural or urban residence, and household wealth index. The analysis involved the use of descriptive statistics and logistic regression to examine the distribution of household environmental health hazards in each state. The logistic regression model was used to examine the effects of household environmental health hazard on childhood mortality in the selected states.The study found that high-mortality states are at a relative disadvantage on basic household environmental variables. The household environmental conditions had significant influence on child survival. Some of the differences in childhood morbidity and mortality between the two groups can be explained by household environmental health hazards and by mother’s socioeconomic status. In order to meet Millennium Development Goal 4, which requires under-five mortality reduction by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015, attention should be given to various factors affecting the distribution of resources and facilities especially to the high-mortality states. Policy should be redirected to programs that encourage household hygiene and sanitation

Evaluation of a compression ignition engine performance and emission characteristics using diesel-essential oil blends of high orange oil content

In this research, waste stream essential oil such as orange oil is used as a diesel fuel partial replacement to be tested in a diesel engine. Like diesel fuel, orange oil does not contain any oxygen since it is constituted of limonene (a colourless liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon) and has almost similar density. A 6-cylinder diesel engine is operated using various blends of orange and diesel fuel. The engine was operated with three different fuel blends: neat diesel, 74% diesel + 26% orange oil (D74O26) and 59% diesel + 41% orange oil (D59O41). All the orange oil blends produced nearly the same brake power from the engine experiment compared to neat diesel fuel. Furthermore, all orange oil blends emit less particulate matter, and the ‘count mean diameter’ of the emitted particles is also lower than base diesel. Based on the obtained results, these blends can be suggested to be used in a diesel engine

Energy for sustainable future

Energy and the environment are interrelated, and they are critical factors that influence the development of societies [...]</jats:p

Colorectal cancer incidences in Lynch syndrome : a comparison of results from the prospective lynch syndrome database and the international mismatch repair consortium

Objective To compare colorectal cancer (CRC) incidences in carriers of pathogenic variants of the MMR genes in the PLSD and IMRC cohorts, of which only the former included mandatory colonoscopy surveillance for all participants. Methods CRC incidences were calculated in an intervention group comprising a cohort of confirmed carriers of pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in mismatch repair genes (path_MMR) followed prospectively by the Prospective Lynch Syndrome Database (PLSD). All had colonoscopy surveillance, with polypectomy when polyps were identified. Comparison was made with a retrospective cohort reported by the International Mismatch Repair Consortium (IMRC). This comprised confirmed and inferred path_MMR carriers who were first- or second-degree relatives of Lynch syndrome probands. Results In the PLSD, 8,153 subjects had follow-up colonoscopy surveillance for a total of 67,604 years and 578 carriers had CRC diagnosed. Average cumulative incidences of CRC in path_MLH1 carriers at 70 years of age were 52% in males and 41% in females; for path_MSH2 50% and 39%; for path_MSH6 13% and 17% and for path_PMS2 11% and 8%. In contrast, in the IMRC cohort, corresponding cumulative incidences were 40% and 27%; 34% and 23%; 16% and 8% and 7% and 6%. Comparing just the European carriers in the two series gave similar findings. Numbers in the PLSD series did not allow comparisons of carriers from other continents separately. Cumulative incidences at 25 years were < 1% in all retrospective groups. Conclusions Prospectively observed CRC incidences (PLSD) in path_MLH1 and path_MSH2 carriers undergoing colonoscopy surveillance and polypectomy were higher than in the retrospective (IMRC) series, and were not reduced in path_MSH6 carriers. These findings were the opposite to those expected. CRC point incidence before 50 years of age was reduced in path_PMS2 carriers subjected to colonoscopy, but not significantly so.Peer reviewe