Intermediate phase mathematics teachers’ integration of ICT within a blended learning environment

Interventions to address South Africa’s mathematics educational crisis are ample, but little to none of them integrate Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) within a blended learning environment (BLE) (Padayachee, Boshoff, Olivier, & Harding, 2011). Teaching within a BLE has a positive impact on the learning experiences of learners and it can be independent of traditional time constraints. The internet, as an integral part of Information and Communication Technology, makes it easier than before to reach rural communities that were previously isolated from current and best practices. In effect improving equity to high quality mathematics education. This study aimed to explore the experiences of three intermediate phase mathematics teachers’ experiences while integrating ICT within a BLE. This contributed to the larger pool of academic literature and the Department of Basic Education’s vision of developing citizens who are critical and active lifelong learners. This study is qualitative in nature and follows an interpretivist paradigm to understand the subjective experiences of the participants and to create new understandings within a specific context (Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2007). Through purposive sampling three intermediate phase mathematics teachers were selected from a rural school in the Northern Cape to capture the uniqueness and complexity of the case. Data from semi-structured interviews and scheduled observations were analysed deductively according to the four main variables of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology framework, namely facilitating conditions, performance expectancy, social influence, and effort expectancy (Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, & Davis, 2003). This study found that all three teachers believe that the integration of ICT within a BLE will enhance the teaching and learning experiences within the mathematics classroom. Two of the more experienced teachers successfully integrated ICT in their lessons taught within a BLE whereas one of them experienced several difficulties. The teachers who integrated ICT successfully within a BLE planned their individual lessons to not be too heavily dependent on ICT contrary to the teacher who experienced teaching difficulties who relied too heavily on ICT.Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2021.Science, Mathematics and Technology EducationMEdUnrestricte

Discovery of a possibly old galaxy at z=6.027z=6.027, multiply imaged by the massive cluster Abell 383

We report the discovery of a unique $z=6.027$ galaxy, multiply imaged by the cluster Abell 383 and detected in new Hubble Space Telescope ACS and WFC3 imaging, as well as in Warm Spitzer observations. This galaxy was selected as a pair of i-dropouts; its suspected high redshift was confirmed by the measurement of a strong Lyman-alpha line in both images using Keck/DEIMOS. Combining Hubble and Spitzer photometry after correcting for contamination by line emission (estimated to be a small effect), we identify a strong Balmer break of 1.5 magnitudes. Taking into account the magnification factor of 11.4+/-1.9 (2.65+/-0.17 mag) for the brightest image, the unlensed AB magnitude for the source is 27.2+/-0.05 in the H band, corresponding to a 0.4 L* galaxy, and 25.7+/-0.08 at 3.6 um. The UV slope is consistent with beta~2.0, and from the rest-frame UV continuum we measure a current star formation rate of 2.4+/-1.1 Msol/yr. The unlensed half-light radius is measured to be 300 pc, from which we deduce a star-forming surface density of ~10 Msol/yr/kpc2. The Lyman-alpha emission is found to be extended over ~3" along the slit, corresponding to ~5 kpc in the source plane. This can be explained by the presence of a much larger envelope of neutral hydrogen around the star-forming region. Finally, fitting the spectral energy distribution using 7 photometric data points with simple SED models, we derive the following properties: very little reddening, an inferred stellar mass of M*=6e9 Msol, and an inferred age of ~800 Myrs (corresponding to a redshift of formation of ~18). The star-formation rate of this object was likely much stronger in the past than at the time of observation, suggesting that we may be missing a fraction of galaxies at z~6 which have already faded in rest-frame UV wavelengths.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, MNRAS in press, replaced with accepted version including minor comment

The three-dimensional geometry and merger history of the massive galaxy cluster MACS J0358.8-2955

We present results of a combined X-ray/optical analysis of the dynamics of the massive cluster MACS J0358.8-2955 (z=0.428) based on observations with the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Keck-I telescope on Mauna Kea. MACS J0358.8-2955 is found to be one of the most X-ray luminous clusters known at z>0.3, featuring L_X(<r_500) = 4.24*10^45 erg/s, kT = (9.55 +0.58/-0.37) keV, M^{3D}_{gas}(<r_500) = (9.18+/-1.45)*10^13 M_sun, and M^{3D}_{tot}(<r_500) = (1.12+/-0.18)*10^15 M_sun. The system's high velocity dispersion of (1440 +130/-110) km/s (890 km/s when the correct relativistic equation is used), however, is inflated by infall along the line of sight, as the result of a complex merger of at least three sub-clusters. One collision proceeds close to head-on, while the second features a significant impact parameter. The temperature variations in the intra-cluster gas, two tentative cold fronts, the radial velocities measured for cluster galaxies, and the small offsets between collisional and non-collisional cluster components all suggest that both merger events are observed close to core passage and along axes that are greatly inclined with respect to the plane of the sky. A strong-lensing analysis of the system anchored upon three triple-image systems (two of which have spectroscopic redshifts) yields independent constraints on the mass distribution. For a gas fraction of 8.2%, the resulting strong-lensing mass profile is in good agreement with our X-ray estimates, and the details of the mass distribution are fully consistent with our interpretation of the three-dimensional merger history of this complex system.Comment: 17 pages, 17 figures, and 4 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRA

The in silico and in vitro analysis of donepezil derivatives for Anopheles acetylcholinesterase inhibition

Current studies on Anopheles anticholinesterase insecticides are focusing on identifying agents with high selectivity towards Anopheles over mammalian targets. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from electric eel is often used as the bioequivalent enzyme to study ligands designed for activity and inhibition in human. In this study, previously identified derivatives of a potent AChE, donepezil, that have exhibited low activity on electric eel AChE were assessed for potential AChE-based larvicidal effects on four African malaria vectors; An. funestus, An. arabiensis, An. gambiae and An. coluzzii. This led to the identification of four larvicidal agents with a lead molecule, 1-benzyl-N-(thiazol-2-yl) piperidine-4-carboxamide 2 showing selectivity for An. arabiensis as a larvicidal AChE agent. Differential activities of this molecule on An. arabiensis and electric eel AChE targets were studied through molecular modelling. Homology modelling was used to generate a three-dimensional structure of the An. arabiensis AChE for this binding assay. The conformation of this molecule and corresponding interactions with the AChE catalytic site was markedly different between the two targets. Assessment of the differences between the AChE binding sites from electric eel, human and Anopheles revealed that the electric eel and human AChE proteins were very similar. In contrast, Anopheles AChE had a smaller cysteine residue in place of bulky phenylalanine group at the entrance to the catalytic site, and a smaller aspartic acid residue at the base of the active site gorge, in place of the bulky tyrosine residues. Results from this study suggest that this difference affects the ligand orientation and corresponding interactions at the catalytic site. The lead molecule 2 also formed more favourable interactions with An. arabiensis AChE model than other Anopheles AChE targets, possibly explaining the observed selectivity among other assessed Anopheles species. This study suggests that 1- benzyl-N-(thiazol-2-yl) piperidine-4-carboxamide 2 may be a lead compound for designing novel insecticides against Anopheles vectors with reduced toxic potential on humans.DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : Amino acid sequence data are available UniProt Knowledge Base (Accession numbers: A0A182HKN4, A0A6E8V9T9, and A0A182RZ85). The 3D molecular structure data are available on Protein Data Bank (https:// www.rcsb.org/) with the ID numbers: 5YDI, 5YDH, 1EVE, and 4EY7.The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)/National Research Foundation (NRF) Research Chairs Initiative Grant.http://www.plosone.orgdm2022Chemistr

Pilot-WINGS: An extended MUSE view of the structure of Abell 370

We investigate the strong-lensing cluster Abell 370 (A370) using a wide Integral Field Unit (IFU) spectroscopic mosaic from the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE). IFU spectroscopy provides significant insight into the structure and mass content of galaxy clusters, yet IFU-based cluster studies focus almost exclusively on the central Einstein-radius region. Covering over 14 arcmin2, the new MUSE mosaic extends significantly beyond the A370 Einstein radius, providing, for the first time, a detailed look at the cluster outskirts. Combining these data with wide-field, multi-band Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging from the BUFFALO project, we analyse the distribution of objects within the cluster and along the line of sight. Identifying 416 cluster galaxies, we use kinematics to trace the radial mass profile of the halo, providing a mass estimate independent from the lens model. We also measure radially averaged properties of the cluster members, tracking their evolution as a function of infall. Thanks to the high spatial resolution of our data, we identify six cluster members acting as galaxy–galaxy lenses, which constrain localized mass distributions beyond the Einstein radius. Finally, taking advantage of MUSE’s 3D capabilities, we detect and analyse multiple spatially extended overdensities outside of the cluster that influence lensing-derived halo mass estimates. We stress that much of this work is only possible thanks to the robust, extended IFU coverage, highlighting its importance even in less optically dense cluster regions. Overall, this work showcases the power of combining HST + MUSE, and serves as the initial step towards a larger and wider program targeting several clusters

BUFFALO/Flashlights: Constraints on the abundance of lensed supergiant stars in the Spock galaxy at redshift 1

In this work, we present a constraint on the abundance of supergiant (SG) stars at redshift z ≈ 1, based on recent observations of astrongly lensed arc at this redshift. First we derived a free-form model of MACS J0416.1-2403 using data from the Beyond Ultradeep Frontier Fields and Legacy Observations (BUFFALO) program. The new lens model is based on 72 multiply lensed galaxies thatproduce 214 multiple images, making it the largest sample of spectroscopically confirmed lensed galaxies on this cluster. The largercoverage in BUFFALO allowed us to measure the shear up to the outskirts of the cluster, and extend the range of lensing constraintsup to ∼1 Mpc from the central region, providing a mass estimate up to this radius. As an application, we make predictions for thenumber of high-redshift multiply lensed galaxies detected in future observations with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).Then we focus on a previously known lensed galaxy at z = 1.0054, nicknamed Spock, which contains four previously reportedtransients. We interpret these transients as microcaustic crossings of SG stars and explain how we computed the probability of suchevents. Based on simplifications regarding the stellar evolution, we find that microlensing (by stars in the intracluster medium) ofSG stars at z = 1.0054 can fully explain these events. The inferred abundance of SG stars is consistent with either (1) a numberdensity of stars with bolometric luminosities beyond the Humphreys-Davidson (HD) limit (Lmax ≈ 6 × 105 L for red stars), whichis below ∼400 stars kpc−2, or (2) the absence of stars beyond the HD limit but with a SG number density of ∼9000 kpc−2 for starswith luminosities between 105 L and 6 × 105 L. This is equivalent to one SG star per 10 × 10 pc2. Finally, we make predictions forfuture observations with JWST’s NIRcam. We find that in observations made with the F200W filter that reach 29 mag AB, if cool red SG stars exist at z ≈ 1 beyond the HD limit, they should be easily detected in this arc

BUFFALO/Flashlights: Constraints on the abundance of lensed supergiant stars in the Spock galaxy at redshift 1

We present a constraint on the abundance of supergiant (SG) stars at redshift z approx. 1, based on recent observations of a strongly lensed arc at this redshift. First we derive a free-form model of MACS J0416.1-2403 using data from the BUFFALO program. The new lens model is based on 72 multiply lensed galaxies that produce 214 multiple images, making it the largest sample of spectroscopically confirmed lensed galaxies on this cluster. The larger coverage in BUFFALO allows us to measure the shear up to the outskirts of the cluster, and extend the range of lensing constraints up to ~ 1 Mpc from the central region, providing a mass estimate up to this radius. As an application, we make predictions for the number of high-redshift multiply-lensed galaxies detected in future observations with JWST. Then we focus on a previously known lensed galaxy at z=1.0054, nicknamed Spock, which contains four previously reported transients. We interpret these transients as microcaustic crossings of SG stars and compute the probability of such events. Based on simplifications regarding the stellar evolution, we find that microlensing (by stars in the intracluster medium) of SG stars at z=1.0054 can fully explain these events. The inferred abundance of SG stars is consistent with either (1) a number density of stars with bolometric luminosities beyond the Humphreys-Davidson (HD) limit (L ~ $6\times10^5 L_{\odot}$) that is below 400 stars per sq. kpc, or (2) the absence of stars beyond the HD limit but with a SG number density of ~ 9000 per sq. kpc for stars with luminosities between $10^5$ and $6\times10^5$. This is equivalent to one SG star per 10x10 pc$^2$. We finally make predictions for future observations with JWST's NIRcam. We find that in observations made with the F200W filter that reach 29 mag AB, if cool red SG stars exist at z~1 beyond the HD limit, they should be easily detected in this arcComment: 24 pages & 18 figure

Paper 1: The JWST PEARLS View of the El Gordo Galaxy Cluster and of the Structure It Magnifies

The massive galaxy cluster El Gordo (z=0.87) imprints multitudes of gravitationally lensed arcs onto James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) images. Eight bands of NIRCam imaging were obtained in the ``Prime Extragalactic Areas for Reionization and Lensing Science'' (``PEARLS'') program. PSF-matched photometry across Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and NIRCam filters supplies new photometric redshifts. A new light-traces-mass lens model based on 56 image multiplicities identifies the two mass peaks and yields a mass estimate within 500 kpc of ~(7.0 +/- 0.30) x 10^14 Msun. A search for substructure in the 140 cluster members with spectroscopic redshifts confirms the two main mass components. The southeastern mass peak that contains the BCG is more tightly bound than the northwestern one. The virial mass within 1.7 Mpc is (5.1 +/- 0.60) x 10^14 Msun, lower than the lensing mass. A significant transverse velocity component could mean the virial mass is underestimated. We contribute one new member to the previously known z=4.32 galaxy group. Intrinsic (delensed) positions of the five secure group members span a physical extent of ~60 kpc. Thirteen additional candidates selected by spectroscopic/photometric constraints are small and faint with a mean intrinsic luminosity ~2.2 mag fainter than L*. NIRCam imaging admits a fairly wide range of brightnesses and morphologies for the group members, suggesting a more diverse galaxy population in this galaxy overdensity.Comment: 24 pages, accepted by Ap

The Eighteenth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys: Targeting and First Spectra from SDSS-V

The eighteenth data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys (SDSS) is the first one for SDSS-V, the fifth generation of the survey. SDSS-V comprises three primary scientific programs, or "Mappers": Milky Way Mapper (MWM), Black Hole Mapper (BHM), and Local Volume Mapper (LVM). This data release contains extensive targeting information for the two multi-object spectroscopy programs (MWM and BHM), including input catalogs and selection functions for their numerous scientific objectives. We describe the production of the targeting databases and their calibration- and scientifically-focused components. DR18 also includes ~25,000 new SDSS spectra and supplemental information for X-ray sources identified by eROSITA in its eFEDS field. We present updates to some of the SDSS software pipelines and preview changes anticipated for DR19. We also describe three value-added catalogs (VACs) based on SDSS-IV data that have been published since DR17, and one VAC based on the SDSS-V data in the eFEDS field.Comment: Accepted to ApJ

The eighteenth data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys : targeting and first spectra from SDSS-V

The eighteenth data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys (SDSS) is the first one for SDSS-V, the fifth generation of the survey. SDSS-V comprises three primary scientific programs, or "Mappers": Milky Way Mapper (MWM), Black Hole Mapper (BHM), and Local Volume Mapper (LVM). This data release contains extensive targeting information for the two multi-object spectroscopy programs (MWM and BHM), including input catalogs and selection functions for their numerous scientific objectives. We describe the production of the targeting databases and their calibration- and scientifically-focused components. DR18 also includes ~25,000 new SDSS spectra and supplemental information for X-ray sources identified by eROSITA in its eFEDS field. We present updates to some of the SDSS software pipelines and preview changes anticipated for DR19. We also describe three value-added catalogs (VACs) based on SDSS-IV data that have been published since DR17, and one VAC based on the SDSS-V data in the eFEDS field.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe