Influence of Teacher Support and Personal Relevance on Academic Self-Efficacy and Enjoyment of Mathematics Lessons: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

The purpose of our study was to examine the effects of two psychosocial features of the classroom environment (teacher support and personal relevance) on college students’ academic self-efficacy and enjoyment of mathematics lessons. Data collected from 352 mathematics students attending three higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates were used to validate the questionnaires and to investigate the hypothesized relationships. Structural equation modeling analysis suggests that teacher support and personal relevance are influential predictors of enjoyment of mathematics lessons and academic self-efficacy. L’objectif de cette étude est d’examiner les effets de deux facteurs psychosociaux de la salle de classe (soutien des enseignants et pertinence personnelle) sur l’auto-efficacité académique des étudiants universitaires et du plaisir qu’ils retirent des cours de mathématiques. On a puisé dans des données recueillies chez 352 étudiants en mathématiques de trois institutions d’études supérieures aux Émirats arabes unis pour valider les questionnaires et vérifier les relations postulées. Une analyse de la modélisation par équation structurelle laisse supposer que le soutien des enseignants et la pertinence personnelle ont constitué des facteurs de prévision influents quant au plaisir que retirent les étudiants des cours de mathématiques et à leur auto-efficacité académique

Reducing yield gap in vegetables in Tanzania

United States Agency for International Developmen

Farming Practices of Vegetables: a Comparative Study in Four Regions of East Java and Bali Provinces

Agronomic and ecological aspects play important roles in vegetable production, because the aspects will be used for determining suitable interventions. This study aims to provide current farmers\u27 practices of vegetable production, particularly for agronomic and ecological aspects of chilli and tomato in four regions of East Java and Bali. This study uses of analytical tool of descriptive approach by comparing and contrasting each production practices across regions. Data were compiled from a field survey of 360 farmers during 2013-2014. Results of analysis were presented in graphical and tabular forms. Farmers mostly selected hybrid varieties of vegetables because of economic reasons, such as high yield, good appearance and high number of fruits. Anthracnose and late blight were perceived as the most important disease in chilli and tomato respectively. Farmers controlled pests and diseases using pesticides. In general, farmers perceived that irrigation was one of limiting factors of vegetable farming. Poor drainage was one of the crucial issues in Bali. Farmers mostly sold vegetable once harvested. Post-harvest handling was still traditional, where farmers still less pay attention on post-harvest, even though they observed the economic advantage of post-harvest. Based on the existing practices, a special extension on vegetable production needs to be formulated appropriately, based on the specific characteristics of each region

Tetrahydropyrazolo[1,5-a]Pyrimidine-3-Carboxamide and N-Benzyl-6′,7′-Dihydrospiro[Piperidine-4,4′-Thieno[3,2-c]Pyran] analogues with bactericidal efficacy against Mycobacterium tuberculosis targeting MmpL3

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major human pathogen and the causative agent for the pulmonary disease, tuberculosis (TB). Current treatment programs to combat TB are under threat due to the emergence of multi-drug and extensively-drug resistant TB. As part of our efforts towards the discovery of new anti-tubercular leads, a number of potent tetrahydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-ca​rboxamide(THPP) and N-benzyl-6′,7′-dihydrospiro[piperidine-4,​4′-thieno[3,2-c]pyran](Spiro) analogues were recently identified against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis BCG through a high-throughput whole-cell screening campaign. Herein, we describe the attractive in vitro and in vivo anti-tubercular profiles of both lead series. The generation of M. tuberculosis spontaneous mutants and subsequent whole genome sequencing of several resistant mutants identified single mutations in the essential mmpL3 gene. This ‘genetic phenotype’ was further confirmed by a ‘chemical phenotype’, whereby M. bovis BCG treated with both the THPP and Spiro series resulted in the accumulation of trehalose monomycolate. In vivo efficacy evaluation of two optimized THPP and Spiro leads showed how the compounds were able to reduce >2 logs bacterial cfu counts in the lungs of infected mice

یبوست در بارداری از دیدگاه طب سنتی ایران

Introduction: The human body undergoes many changes during pregnancy, such as constipation that is the second common digestive complaint among pregnant women. Since constipation create many complications in the mother and fetus, also a lot of medication during pregnancy is contraindicated, therefore the adjustment of diet and lifestyle to deal with this problem is essential. Iranian Traditional Medicine has a comprehensive approach to pregnancy. So we can set up a program for pregnant women to prevent constipation and its treatment by traditional medicine resources. Using these experiences with achievements of modern medicine is useful. Method: In this review study, important traditional reference books and new articles were searched and the findings of modern medicine scientists and physicians were compared briefly with traditional medicine findings. Results: First, the concept of constipation and its cause or aggravating factors was assessed and then specifically constipation during pregnancy and its treatment was examined. Discussion & Conclusion: According to the Iranian traditional physicians’ attention in prenatal care and attention to sanitation as a principle of health, nowadays we can use traditional medicine specialists’ finding in reproductive health and research and establish researches base on their speeches and experiences.مقدمه: بدن انسان در دوران بارداری دستخوش تغییرات بسیاری می‌گردد، از جمله یبوست که دومین شکایت گوارشی شایع در بین زنان باردار است. از آنجایی که بروز یبوست عوارض متعددی را در مادر و جنین به همراه دارد، همچنین مصرف بسیاری از داروها در دوران بارداری ممنوعیت دارد، لذا تنظیم برنامه غذایی روزانه و نحوه زندگی برای مقابله با این مشکل، ضروری است. طب سنتی ایرانی دارای رویکرد جامعی به دوران بارداری است. بنابراین جهت تنظیم یک برنامه مدون برای مادر باردار و مادری که قصد بارداری دارد، به منظور جلوگیری از ایجاد یبوست و درمان آن می‌توان از منابع طب سنتی استفاده نمود و استفاده از این تجربیات را در کنار دستاوردهای طب نوین غنیمت دانست. روش: در این مطالعه مروری و کتابخانه‌ای، کتب مرجع و مهم طب سنتی و مقالات جدید مورد بررسی قرار گرفت و یافته‌های دانشمندان طب نوین با یافته‌های حکمای طب سنتی به طور اجمالی مقایسه شدند. یافته‌ها: ابتدا به مفهوم یبوست و علل ایجاد یا تشدید آن پرداخته، سپس یبوست در بارداری و درمان آن را به‌طور خاص مورد بررسی قرار گرفت. نتیجه‌گیری: با توجه به دقت نظر اندیشمندان طب سنتی ایران در مراقبت‌های دوران بارداری و توجه به دفع فضولات به عنوان یك اصل حفظ سلامتی، شاید امروزه بتوان در مباحث بهداشت بارداری و تحقیقات مربوط به این دوران از یافته‌های حکما استفاده کرد و زیربنای تحقیقات را بر گفته‌ها و تجربیات آنان پایه‌گذاری کرد

The Rapid Degradation of Lambda-Cyhalothrin Makes Treated Vegetables Relatively Safe for Consumption.

Lambda-cyhalothrin (λ-cyhalothrin) is the most commonly used pyrethroid insecticide for vegetable farming in Benin. This insecticide is misused and overused by farmers, and hence may pose health hazards to consumers. We monitored λ-cyhalothrin residues in lettuce and cabbage from farms at the market gates in Cotonou and Parakou using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis techniques. These residues were also monitored on samples directly from farms (on-farm sampling) for 14 days post-treatment. Potential factors such as photolysis and hydrolysis involved in λ-cyhalothrin degradation were also screened. Results revealed that the level of λ-cyhalothrin residue concentrations in lettuce from Houeyiho decreased from 4.2 mg/kg on Day 1 to about 0.2 mg/kg on Day 7. On Day 9, analyzed lettuces were all λ-cyhalothrin free. In contrast, even 14 days after treatment of cabbage from Bawera (Parakou), we still recorded the presence of λ-cyhalothrin residues in analyzed samples. For samples from market gates, λ-cyhalothrin residues were found in lettuce from two markets out of the nine surveyed in Cotonou. Interestingly, none of these contaminated samples had residues above the maximum residue limit for lettuce (MRL = 0.5 mg/kg). Similarly, in Parakou, samples from all five surveyed vegetable markets were contaminated with λ-cyhalothrin residues at concentrations below the MRL for cabbage (MRL = 0.2 mg/kg). We conclude that λ-cyhalothrin residues in lettuce and cabbage from farms and markets in Parakou and Cotonou are within the MRL, and hence are relatively safe for consumption