A Comparative Study of the Effect of Formative and Summative Evaluative Feedbacks on Students’ Self-Efficacy

The study investigated how teachers can shape students’ self-efficacy through the evaluative feedback they provide. With the aim of determining which of summative and formative evaluative feedback methods will have greater influence on changes in students’ self-efficacy. The study population comprised of 105 University Matriculation Examination (UME) candidates undergoing a remedial course in preparation for the examination. 55 of the UME candidates were randomly selected and were invited to participate in a “Vocabulary Builder Program”. Two questionnaires and two selfconstructed tests were used for data collection in the study. The collected data were analyzed using t-test and ANOVA to test the study hypothesis. The result after the first feedback indicates a significant increase in the performance of the formative feedback group in the second test, but the increase in the summative feedback group was not significant. Also, while the different in the self-efficacy measures of the formative feedback group was significant, the difference in the self-efficacy measures of the summative group was found not to be significant, and that there was a significant interaction effect between evaluative feedback methods and self-efficacy. Hence, it is suggested that teachers should endeavour to use formative feedback through which students will be provided with valuable information for performance improvement.Key words: Formative feedback, Summative feedback, Self-Efficacy,Evaluative, Performanc

Antidiabetic Activity Of Gladiolus psittascinus In Alloxan Induced Diabetic Rats

The methanol extract of Gladiolus psittascinus bulb was evaluated for its antidiabetic activities in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Blood glucose levels of the glucose loaded and alloxaninduced diabetic rats were estimated over 180 minutes using the O-toluidine and glucose-oxidase methods. The methanol extract at 1g/kg dose exhibited 16.2% decrease in blood glucose level in the glucose loaded rats and a peak effect of 78.9% in the alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The extract exhibited significant blood glucose lowering effects in the oral glucose tolerance test and type 2 diabetic rats. This study shows a possible beneficial effect of Gladiolus psittascinus in the management of non-insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM). Keywords: Gladiolus psittascinus, hypoglycaemic activity, diabetes mellitus.Afr. Jnl of Trad Comp Alt medicine Vol. 5 (2) 2008: pp. 154-15

Examining the Nature of Item Bias on Students’ Performance in National Examinations Council (NECO) Mathematics Senior School Certificate Dichotomously Scored Items in Nigeria

This study examined the nature of item bias on students’ performance in 2017 National Examinations Council (NECO) mathematics senior school certificate dichotomously scored items in Nigeria. The study adopted an ex-post-facto research design. A sample of 256,039 candidates was randomly selected from the population of 1,034,629 students who took the test. Instrument for data collection was 'Student Results' (SR). Data collected were analysed using the R language environment and an independent t-test. Results showed that the 2017 NECO Mathematics test was essentially unidimensional (-0.28 (<.20), ASSI = -0.31 (< 0.25) and RATIO = -0.31 (< 0.36). Results also showed that the nature of bias statistically encountered was a mean difference in scores bias, indicating that 86% (52 items), 79.1% (34 items), and 96% (56 items) were biased against male students, urban and public-school students, respectively. It was concluded that item bias is a notable factor that affected the validity of the NECO 2017 Mathematics test and conclusions drawn from the scores in Nigeria. Hence, it was recommended that before tests are administered for public use, examination bodies should make a careful review of tests through dimensionality assessment at the developmental stage to eliminate any perspectives that could cause test inequity among examinees

Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens Fed Diets Containing Partially Cooked Sweet Potato Meal

A feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effect of partially cooked sweet potato meal on the performance of broiler chikens. A total of two hundred 8 day-old Anak 2000 strain broiler chicks were used. Partially cooked sweet potato meal (PCSPM) was included at 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80% levels designated as diets; I, II, III, IV and V respectively. The broiler chicks after brooding were randomly allotted to the five dietary tratments, each replicated four times with ten chicks per replicate in a completely ramdomised design. The feeding trial lasted for a period of eight weeks. Feed and water were provided at ad libitum. The results showed that daily weight gain was highly significantly (P&lt;0.01) affected by dietary treatments. Such that any increase in the proportion of PCSPM in the starter diet negatively influenced weight gain. Feed conversion ratio was also highly significantly (P&lt;0.01) affected, however, FCR increases with increase in the proportion of PCSPM. In the finisher phase, there is significant (P&lt;0.0) difference in daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio. In the pooled performance, daily feed intake was significantly (P&lt;0.05) influenced by dietary treatments. There is however no difference in feed consumption between the birds fed diet V (80% PCSPM) and those on control diet (0% PCSPM). It can be concluded that, PCSPM can be fed to broiler chickens at up to 80% level with a promising groth performance Keyword: Growth, Partially cooked, Performance, sweet potat

The Influence of Residual Linamarin in Dried Cassava Peel Meal on Carcass Yield and Gut Characteristics of Weaner Rabbits

A feeding trial was conducted to assess the effects of residual linamarin on carcass yield and gut characteristics of rabbits fed diets containing sun dried cassava peel meal (CPM). The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design involving four diets of 16% crude protein. The CPM was included at 0, 30, 35 and 40% levels. Rabbits used for the studies were fed for 42 days and were all serially slaughtered fortnightly. During each slaughter, two rabbits were randomly selected, starved overnight and slaughtered. They were skinned, eviscerated and the carcasses cut up into parts and weighed. The guts were separated into; small intestine, large intestine, caecum and appendix. Each of the visceral parts were weighed and their length recorded. The results showed that chest and back were significantly (P&lt;0.05) affected by dietary treatments. Also the carcass yield obtained over time of slaughter indicated a significant (P&lt;0.05) effect on the weight of the back. The time of slaughter x diet interaction effect showed no significant difference on all parameters. The results of the guts showed that, dietary influence were only obtained on the weights of the caeca (P&lt;0.001) and appendix (P&lt;0.05). There were significant diferences on the  weights of large intestine (P&lt;0.05), caeca (P&lt;0.01) and appendix (P&lt;0.001) over the period of slaughter. There is also a highly significant (P&lt;0.001) difference in the length of the caeca. The results of the interaction effect on time of slaughter x diet for all the visceral parts (guts) measured showed a highly significant (P&lt;0.001) interaction effect on the weight of the caeca and that of the small intestine (P&lt;0.05). The studies indicated that despite sun drying, linamarin, a cyanogenic glucosides still has some potential toxic effects as manifested on the carcass yield, large intestine, caeca and appendix. It is thus, suggested that prolonged feeding of CPM must be investigated to safeguard against poisoning. It might also affect caecotrophy in the caeca and the absorption of nutrients in the appendix. Keywords: Linamarin, gut characteristics, dried cassava peels, rabbit

Mechanistic Insights into Peptide Binding and Deactivation of an Adhesion G Protein-Coupled Receptor

Adhesion G protein-coupled receptors (ADGRGs) play critical roles in the reproductive, neurological, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems. In particular, ADGRG2 plays a significant role in Ewing sarcoma cell proliferation, parathyroid cell function, and male fertility. In 2022, a cryo-EM structure was reported for the active ADGRG2 bound by an optimized peptide agonist IP15 and the Gs protein. The IP15 peptide agonist was also modified to antagonists 4PH-E and 4PH-D with mutations of the 4PH residue to Glu and Asp, respectively. However, experimental structures of inactive antagonist-bound ADGRs remain to be resolved, and the activation mechanism of ADGRs such as ADGRG2 is poorly understood. Here, we applied Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics (GaMD) simulations to probe conformational dynamics of the agonist- and antagonist-bound ADGRG2. By performing GaMD simulations, we were able to identify important low-energy conformations of ADGRG2 in the active, intermediate, and inactive states, as well as explore the binding conformations of each peptide. Moreover, our simulations revealed critical peptide-receptor residue interactions during the deactivation of ADGRG2. In conclusion, through GaMD simulations, we uncovered mechanistic insights into peptide (agonist and antagonist) binding and deactivation of the ADGRG2. These findings will potentially facilitate rational design of new peptide modulators of ADGRG2 and other ADGRs

A Study of Gender Differences in the Attitude of Mathematically Gifted and Non-gifted Senior Secondary School Student in Nigeria.

&nbsp;The aim of the study is to investigate the differences in the attitude of boys and girls who are mathematically gifted or mathematically non-gifted in the Nigerian senior secondary schools. The population for the study was made up Senior Secondary Three students (SS3) of a school in Osun State. The study sample was made up of 150 (69 boys and 81 girls) SS3 students who were selected using stratified random sampling techniques with sex serving as the stratum. Three instruments were used in carrying out this study. The first instrument was an adopted RAVEN‟s Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM). It was a non-verbal assessment of general intelligence in people, applicable to people aged 5 years and over. The second instrument was a self constructed Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) that covers the first two years of the Senior Secondary School Mathematics Syllabus. The third instrument was an adopted Andy (2007) Attitude Scale (AS) which was an adaptation of Fennema and Sherman (1976) AS. The collected data were analysed using t-test. The result indicated that the difference in the general attitude of male and female is significant. However, when considering the componential factors of the AS, it was discovered that there is a significant difference in the attitude of male and female students towards confidence in mathematics (t = 3.96 p &lt;.05). It was also discovered that the male generally, the mathematically gifted male and average male students when compared with the girls showed a significantly more positive attitude towards confidence in mathematics (t = 3.8 and 2.92 respectively). While the girls generally and the underachiever girls when compared with the boys showed that they have a significantly more different negative feelings towards mathematics (t = -3.06 and -2.47 respectively). Based on these findings it is believed that boys‟ higher confidence in mathematics can encourage their pursuit of mathematics in their further studies and future career. However, the conclusions in this study are tentative. More research is needed.&nbsp

Lupeol acetate from Macaranga barteri Müll-Arg leaf lowers blood glucose level in alloxan induced diabetic rats

Background: Macaranga barteri Müll - Arg (Euphorbiaceae) is one of the thirty-seven species of the genus Macaranga found in Africa and Madagascar. It is used in the treatment of several diseases which has been verified and reported in several studies.Objective: The phytochemical analysis and antidiabetic activities of the ethanol extract, Petroleum spirit and Chloroform fractions of the leaf of M. barteri were investigated.Methods: Standard procedures and glucose-oxidase methods in Alloxan induced Diabetic rats and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrophotometry analysis of the isolated compound responsible for the antidiabetic activity were carried out.Result: The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of saponins, tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids in the extract and fractions of M. barteri leaf. The Chloroform fraction and ethanol extract however tested positive for sterols. The antidiabetic activities of the ethanol extract, Petroleum spirit and Chloroform fractions over a period of 6 hr and 24 hr were observed. The activity of the Chloroform fraction was significant (P&lt;0.05) while the mass spectra of the isolated compound responsible for the antidiabetic activity was similar to that of Lupeol acetate (m/z 467).Conclusion: This study has been able to report the antidiabetic activity of the extract and fractions of M. barteri. In addition, this study reports for the first time the isolation of lupeol acetate and its antidiabetic potentials in the leaves of M. barteri.Keywords: Macaranga barteri, antidiabetic, Lupeol acetate, Alloxa