Gender Perspectives In African Higher Education

An African Higher Education Senior Policy Seminar paper on gender disparities in Africa.This paper discusses three main issues, namely (a) some basic facts on the access of females and males to higher education in Africa (b) participation of men and women with higher education in the labour market particularly, in the civil service, higher education and in entrepreneurial activities; and (c) some of the reasons why there is disparity in the percentages of men and women who have access to higher education. These issues are explored with emphasis on the social and cultural impediments, and the dis-empowering effects of the curriculum and methodology of education. Emphasis is placed on what takes place in the home at primary and secondary school, and during higher education. It is concluded that once females have overcome the cultural and social impediments at the household level, education itself becomes a stumbling block in their progress through school. This is because the curriculum and methodology at all levels of the system teaches technical knowledge and skills without ensuring that students acquire basic skills in social justice and developmental work

Willingness by people living with HIV/AIDS to utilize HIV services provided by Village Health team workers in Kalungu district, central Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Less than one quarter of people in need have access to HIV services in Uganda. This study assessed willingness of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) to utilize HIV services provided by Village Health Teams (VHTs) in Kalungu district, central Uganda. METHODS: A cross-sectional study conducted in two health facilities providing anti-retroviral therapy enrolled 312 PLWHAs. Pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires were administered to participants at household level. A forward fitting logistic regression model computed the predictors of willingness of PLWHAs to utilize services provided by VHTs. RESULTS: Overall, 49% were willing to utilize HIV services provided by VHTs increasing to 75.6% if the VHT member was HIV positive. PLWHAs who resided in urban areas were more likely to utilize HIV services provided by VHTs (AOR 0.24, 95%CI 0.06-0.87). Barriers to utilizing HIV services provided by VHTs were: income level > 40 USD (AOR 6.43 95%CI 1.19-34.68), being a business person (AOR 8.71 95%CI 1.23-61.72), peasant (AOR 7.95 95%CI 1.37-46.19), lack of encouragement from: peers (AOR 6.33 95%CI 1.43-28.09), spouses (AOR 4.93 95%CI 1.23-19.82) and community leader (AOR 9.67 95%CI 3.35-27.92). CONCLUSION: Social support could improve willingness by PLWHAs to utilize HIV services provided by VHTs for increased access to HIV services by PLWHA

The Effects of Implementing Montessori at Home on Children’s Independence and Self-Regulation in a Montessori Classroom

The ultimate goal of Montessori educators is to prepare the child, the whole child. One who is not only excelling academically, but also is independent, a critical thinker, and can collaborate with people from all different walks of life. The role of the Montessori educators is to prepare and guide children to independence, this is an increasingly difficult goal to achieve independence and self-regulation especially in the three to six, and six to nine age group. The Montessori guides have grappled with the disconnect between the home environment and school environment, citing it as the major obstacle to children’s independence. In this paper, the literature about parent involvement and its impact on children independence and self-regulation in a Montessori classroom are reviewed. This paper explains the research tools that were employed throughout the research period as well as the methodology, and findings and conclusions

Choice of device to view video lectures: an analysis of two independent cohorts of first-year university students

Video lectures and mobile learning devices have become prominent, but little is known about device choices for watching video lectures. The setting for this study, a university that provided perpetual access to personal computers and free tablet devices to all first-year students, provided a unique opportunity to study device choice in a setting where both tablets and personal computers were perpetually available. Weekly video lectures on a first-year module were made from October to April in two independent cohorts of students. YouTube analytics were used to record data on device usage for video lecture views. Tablets were initially used for almost 70% of views. However, tablet usage declined throughout the academic year, and tablets were overtaken by personal computers as the preferred device in the second half of the academic year. Findings suggest that an initial preference for using tablets to view video lectures lasts only a few months

Agrobacterium mediated transformation of banana (Musa sp.) cv. Sukali Ndiizi (ABB) with a modified Carica papaya cystatin (CpCYS) gene

Conventional banana breeding for pest and disease resistance is a very difficult and slow process due to the limited sources of resistance, sterility of cultivated banana varieties, high polyploidy levels, long cropping cycle and the lack of rapid screening methods. Molecular breeding using the transgenic approach with candidate genes such as cystatins offers an alternative method to banana improvement. Cystatin proteins inhibit the activity of cysteine proteases responsible for the breakdown of dietary proteins in the gut of many pests including nematodes resulting in protein deficiency. In this study, the papaya cystatin gene was introduced into the banana genome. Embryogenic cell suspension (ECS) cultures of the banana cultivar Sukali Ndiizi (ABB) were used as explants material for the successful transformation of banana. The Carica papaya cystatin gene (CpCYS-Mut89) previously modified to improve its inhibitory potential against banana pests was introduced into this cultivar using Agrobacterium tumefaciens, strain LBA4404 and the gus reporter gene was used to observe successful transformation process. We report the successful protocol for routine transformation of this cultivar, which was completed in six months with plant regeneration observed at a frequency of 23%. An additional four months was required to multiply the regenerant lines in order to have at least 20 plants per line for downstream challenging studies. Putatively transgenic plants were analyzed by PCR using hpt and CpCYS-Mut89 specific primers to confirm the presence of transgenes. Out of 28 selected lines, 27 were positive for both hpt and CpCYS-Mut89 transgenes giving 96.4% transformation efficiency. Five lines were then selected on the basis of putative PCR positives and a Southern blot analysis gave hybridization signals with 1 to 4 copy number integration patterns characteristic of Agrobacterium mediated transformation. These results confirm stable gene integration in East African banana cultivar cv. Sukali Ndiizi (genome group ABB) through an efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation protocol described for routine use in future improvement of this crop with genes of economic importance.Keywords: Cystatins, banana, Agrobacterium mediated transformation, southern blotAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(15), pp. 1811-181

The effect of AIDS defining conditions on immunological recovery among patients initiating antiretroviral therapy at Joint Clinical Research Centre, Uganda

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Many HIV-infected patients only access health care once they have developed advanced symptomatic disease resulting from AIDS Defining Conditions (ADCs). We carried out a study to establish the effect of ADCs on immunological recovery among patients initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A retrospective cohort of 427 HIV-1 patients who were initiated on ART between January 2002 and December 2006 was studied. Data on ADCs was retrieved from Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) data base and backed up by chart reviews. We employed Kaplan-Meier survival curves to estimate median time to 50 CD4 cells/μl from the baseline value to indicate a good immunological recovery process. Cox proportional hazard models were used at multivariate analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The median time to gaining 50 CD4 cells/μl from the baseline value after ART initiation was longer in the ADC (9.3 months) compared to the non-ADC group (6.9 months) (log rank test, p = 0.027). At multivariate analysis after adjusting for age, sex, baseline CD4 count, baseline HIV viral load, total lymphocyte count and adherence level, factors that shortened the median time to immunological recovery after ART initiation were belonging to the non-ADC group (HR = 1.31; 95% CI: 1.03–1.28, p = 0.028), adherence to ART of ≥ 95% (HR = 2.22; 95% CI: 1.57–3.15, p = 0.001) and a total lymphocyte count ≥ 1200 cells/mm³(HR = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.22–2.78, p = 0.003). A low baseline CD4 count of ≤ 200 cells/μl (HR = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.37–0.77, p = 0.001) was associated with a longer time to immunological recovery. There was no interaction between low CD4 counts and ADC group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Patients with ADCs take longer to regain their CD4 counts due to the defect in the immune system. This may prolong their risk of morbidity and mortality.</p

Agrobacterium mediated transformation of banana (Musa sp.) cv. Sukali Ndiizi (ABB) with a modified Carica papaya cystatin (CpCYS) gene

Conventional banana breeding for pest and disease resistance is a very difficult and slow process due to the limited sources of resistance, sterility of cultivated banana varieties, high polyploidy levels, long cropping cycle and the lack of rapid screening methods.Molecular breeding using the transgenic approach with candidate genes such as cystatins offers an alternative method to banana improvement. Cystatin proteins inhibit the activity of cysteine proteases responsible for the breakdown of dietary proteins in the gut of many pests including nematodes resulting in protein deficiency. In this study, the papaya cystatin gene was introduced into the banana genome. Embryogenic cell suspension (ECS) cultures of the banana cultivar Sukali Ndiizi (ABB) were used as explants material for the successful transformation of banana. The Carica papaya cystatin gene (CpCYS-Mut89) previously modified to improve its inhibitory potential against banana pests was introduced into this cultivar using Agrobacterium tumefaciens, strain LBA4404 and the gus reporter gene was used to observe successful transformation process. We report the successful protocol for routine transformation of this cultivar, which was completed in six months with plant regeneration observed at a frequency of 23%. An additional four months was required to multiply the regenerant lines in order to have at least 20 plants per line for downstream challenging studies. Putatively transgenic plants were analyzed by PCR using hpt and CpCYS - Mut89 specific primers to confirm the presence of trans genes. Out of 28 selected lines, 27 were positive for both hpt and CpCYS - Mut89 transgenes giving 96.4 % transformation efficiency. Fivelines were then selected on the basis of putative PCR positives and a Southern b lot analysis gave hybridization signals with 1 to 4 copy number integration patterns characteristic of Agrobacterium mediated transformation. These results confirm stable gene integration in East African banana cultivar cv. Sukali Ndiizi (genome group ABB) through an efficient Agrobacterium - mediated transformation protocol described for routine use in future improvement of this crop with genes of economic importance

Agrobacterium mediated transformation of banana (Musa sp.) cv. Sukali Ndiizi (ABB) with a modified Carica papaya cystatin (CpCYS) gene

Conventional banana breeding for pest and disease resistance is a very difficult and slow process due to the limited sources of resistance, sterility of cultivated banana varieties, high polyploidy levels, long cropping cycle and the lack of rapid screening methods. Molecular breeding using the transgenic approach with candidate genes such as cystatins offers an alternative method to banana improvement. Cystatin proteins inhibit the activity of cysteine proteases responsible for the breakdown of dietary proteins in the gut of many pests including nematodes resulting in protein deficiency. In this study, the papaya cystatin gene was introduced into the banana genome. Embryogenic cell suspension (ECS) cultures of the banana cultivar Sukali Ndiizi (ABB) were used as explants material for the successful transformation of banana. The Carica papaya cystatin gene (CpCYS-Mut89) previously modified to improve its inhibitory potential against banana pests was introduced into this cultivar using Agrobacterium tumefaciens, strain LBA4404 and the gus reporter gene was used to observe successful transformation process. We report the successful protocol for routine transformation of this cultivar, which was completed in six months with plant regeneration observed at a frequency of 23%. An additional four months was required to multiply the regenerant lines in order to have at least 20 plants per line for downstream challenging studies. Putatively transgenic plants were analyzed by PCR using hpt and CpCYS-Mut89 specific primers to confirm the presence of transgenes. Out of 28 selected lines, 27 were positive for both hpt and CpCYS-Mut89 transgenes giving 96.4% transformation efficiency. Five lines were then selected on the basis of putative PCR positives and a Southern blot analysis gave hybridization signals with 1 to 4 copy number integration patterns characteristic of Agrobacterium mediated transformation. These results confirm stable gene integration in East African banana cultivar cv. Sukali Ndiizi (genome group ABB) through an efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation protocol described for routine use in future improvement of this crop with genes of economic importance.Bioversity International through the National Banana Research Programmme of the National Agricultural Research Organization, Uganda.http://www.academicjournals.org/AJBam201

Analysis of association of sensory and laboratory assessments for quality and consumer acceptability of steamed East Africa highland bananas

BACKGROUND: The relevance of several characteristics for the acceptability of steamed East Africa bananas (matooke) was assessed using consumer-preferred characteristics, the overall liking scores, check-all-that-apply (CATA) and the Just About Right scale. The study was conducted in rural and urban locations in three banana growing regions of Uganda. Two landraces and two hybrids were processed into matooke. Twelve trained panellists evaluated color, taste and texture sensory characteristics. RESULTS: Consumers scored matooke from landraces as the most liked. The CATA test showed that the most important characteristics were: smooth mouthfeel, soft to the touch, not sticky, moldable, deep yellow color, attractive, good matooke taste and smell. Principal component analysis confirmed that most of the preferred sensory characteristics were associated with the local genotypes, whereas the less preferred characteristics were associated with hybrids. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive correlations between the consumer assessed characteristics, hardness by touch, softness to touch and yellowness, as well as quantitative laboratory characteristics (moldable, hardness by touch, softness and yellowness) of the steamed matooke. Color assessed by consumers was strongly correlated with the laboratory-assessed color indicators. CONCLUSION: The strong associations observed between laboratory-assessed and consumer-based characteristics (moldable by touch and yellowness) suggest the possibility of predicting consumer characteristics using quantitative laboratory sensory assessments. Matooke taste as assessed by consumer panel is strongly associated with smooth texture and deep yellow color, which were the characteristics associated with landraces in the laboratory sensory assessment