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Reproducibility in Cancer Transcriptomics Research
No full textSlide deck of my talk on Reproducibility in Cancer Transcriptomics Research during October Omics Codeathon organised by the African Society for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
Effects of motivation on the performance of librarians at Rongo University Library.
Get PDFScholars in management aver that the success of any organization is mostly pegged on the level of its staff motivation. In spite of this reality, many organizations spend much of their resources on other pursuits while ignoring the need to motivate its staff. This realty affects libraries just like affects other institutions and calls for efforts to lobby for more investment on motivation of librarians for the greater success of the institutions that they serve. It is with background that this study seeks to investigate factors affecting motivation of staff and their correlation to work performance of librarians at Rongo University. The objectives of the study were to investigate factors affecting librarians at Rongo University, to assess the effect motivation on the performance of librarians at Rongo University and to propose a framework of motivating librarians at Rongo University. The study was based on qualitative research approach and guided by descriptive survey design. The study also adopted the census method whereby data was collected from all employees of the library using questionnaires. According to the findings, librarians at Rongo University felt that In conclusion, librarians at Rongo University generally fee that the employers has not provided them with most of the requirements for motivation. Further, they generally agreed that providing the requirements for motivation will make them perform better in their assignment. The study recommends that the employer should improve working conditions by improving the provision of lunch, tea, accommodation and office space; invest more on professional development of librarians, reward academic excellence, base promotions on academic achievement and provide incentives for academic advancement; address all the promotional factors associated with remuneration and invest more on their employee motivation as a means of addressing its performance challenges
The Negative Existential Cycle In Ancient Egyptian
Get PDFAncient Egyptian has a very long attested history, which allows us to follow the emergence and evolution of several negative patterns. In spite of the inherent obstacles in a dead language's documentation, my research – focusing on negation in Earlier Egyptian (roughly defined as the language of texts written from 3000 to 1300 BCE) but tracing the relevant forms until Coptic (the last phase of the language, written in the Greek alphabet from the 4th to 14th century CE) – sheds light on a renewal process that appears to belong to the category of the negative existential cycle. This process has long remained misunderstood, but recent progress in the field of linguistic typology regarding linguistic change in the negative domain makes it possible to propose a coherent historical analysis of the data. Starting with a transitional phase (C--A) documented in Old Egyptian, the Egyptian negative existential cycle does not illustrate Croft's model in an ideal way. However, it offers a concrete case for a better understanding of how structural and functional parameters are intertwined in explaining this type of evolution
The Relevance Of Bantoid For The Reconstruction Of Proto-Bantu Verbal Extensions
Get PDFIn this chapter the relevance of Bantoid for the reconstruction of verbal
extensions in Proto-Bantu (PB) is assessed. The Bantoid or Wide Bantu languages are a body of some 150–200 languages positioned geographically between Nigeria and Cameroon. They do not form a genetic subgroup, but all are in some way related to Narrow Bantu, i.e. Bantu as referentially classified by Guthrie (1948; 1967–71), more closely than other branches within Benue-Congo. The most well-known subgroups are Dakoid, Mambiloid, Tivoid, Beboid, Grassfields, and Mbe-Ekoid. The chapter discusses the characteristics of verbal extensions in Bantoid and their possible relation to extensions attested in Narrow Bantu on the one hand, and in other branches of Benue-Congo on the other hand. Based on a review of the literature on verbal extensions in the various branches of Bantoid and on case studies of individual languages, the chapter concludes that a rich system similar to Narrow Bantu can be reconstructed for Proto-Grassfields, while in other Bantoid subgroups, it is now lost or much reduced. Only the causative -si is attested in a substantial number of subgroups. Some Bantoid extensions show significant segmental similarities to certain extensions in Narrow Bantu zone A languages, which have never been reconstructed for PB. It is argued that these extensions shared between the highest branches of the Bantu family tree warrant a revision of PB verb derivation suffixes
Science Communication activities and Trust amongst Nigerian scientists and journalists
Get PDFRelatively few studies have explored the communication practices of researchers and journalists working in African contexts. We set out to explore the communication activities undertaken by Nigerian health researchers and journalists, their motivations and the barriers they face in communicating about health topics with lay audiences, as well as their trust in a range of sources of scientific information. The study adopted a survey methodology, recruiting 69 participants at a communications training workshop for both health researchers and journalists. We found high levels of participation in research communication amongst health researchers compared with previous work. While many barriers are similar to those faced by researchers in other contexts, our respondents highlighted that lack of support from managers is a significant hurdle, which has not been highlighted in other studies. Both journalists and researchers primarily communicate science with the aim of educating, informing, entertaining or inspiring their audiences. Regarding trust, both researchers and journalists broadly trust sources linked to science, such as academic journals. However, trust in industry, NGOs and other media was higher amongst journalists than health researchers. Least trust was invested in social media sources, with the exception of material posted on accounts linked to universities
A Phylogenetic Classification Of Luyia Language Varieties
No full textThis paper presents the results of a comparative study of the Luyia cluster of Bantu languages spoken in western Kenya and eastern Uganda. We propose a new classification of Luyia and neighboring languages using phylogenetic methods. Our study is based on a 200-item wordlist of basic vocabulary, representing 33 language varieties from the Luyia cluster and its closest neighbors, including Ganda, Gwere, and Soga to the west, and Gusii and Kuria to the south. Our results are broadly consistent with past classifications by Mould (1976, 1981) and Williams (1973), but refine our understanding of the relatedness of the target languages by employing more extensive data from more languages within the Luyia cluster and others in the region
Selecting Between Semantic Modeling of Intelligence and Semantic Modeling of Systems
No full textThe newly emerging science of Human-Centric Functional Modeling or HCFM models systems in terms of “functional state spaces” that are hypothesized to have the capacity to provide a complete representation of the behavior of any system modeled this way. When used for modeling human cognition, AI, or any other intelligent system, these functional state spaces potentially provide a complete representation of the meaning of any concepts as the functional states of cognition, as well as a complete representation of the meaning of reasoning processes used by such systems to navigate between concepts, thereby providing what is believed to be the first complete semantic model of information. When used for modeling other systems, these functional state spaces potentially provide a complete representation of the functional states those systems might occupy as well as the processes through which the systems might transition between those functional states. In addition, HCFM provides a functional definition for general problem-solving ability as well as the magnitude of that ability, and introduces the possibility of artificial systems which might exponentially increase that ability when information about the system is defined in terms of functional state spaces. This introduces two possibilities, the first is to represent information in terms of the functional state space of cognition and to increase capacity to solve problems regarding a second system where that information might or might not represent valid behaviors of that second system, or to represent information directly in terms of the functional state space of the second system, so all information represents valid behaviors of that system. This paper explores the implications of both
The Universal Patterns of Leadership
No full textPrinciples are fundamental truths that serve as the foundation for systems of belief, behavior or for a chain of reasoning. It is this understanding that has led the author to look at principles, systems and patterns that are the bedrock of behavior for all creatures in the universe. It is not the behaviors of living creatures only but the behavior of all creation.
An examination of the universe leads one to note that there are patterns that govern everything. Those patterns were not a fabrication of man but preceded him. These patterns or systems enhance goal achievement and survival of everything.
The systems and patterns are like a road that travelers use as they journey to their desired destination. Noncompliance to the pattern direction is disastrous. The patterns are myriad in order to serve myriad needs of elements in the universe. Essentially, the patterns are meeting a need of their clients or users. Users are mandated by the system or pattern to comply or obey. In a sense, this compliance could be described as adaptation.
Since leadership is the concept to be examined, one observes that the leadership situation is a system or pattern that the emerging leader must understand and follow through wherever and whenever the pattern mandates.
The reader is therefore invited to study carefully the patterns exhibited all around him and develop skills to navigate, maneuver and practice. The reader must read to comprehend and be willing to accept the presented mandate as shown in the patterns; once understood, practice must follow in order not to be at variance with the identified pattern or system.
The reader is now compelled to develop three competencies to survive in this systemic universe where he is, namely: Foundational competence, Practical Competence and Reflective Competence. These three competencies are abilities developed in the process of development and growth. Without understanding the mandate, it follows that nothing will be done and when nothing is done, ownership of the idea will not be realized. That individual, with no competence, cannot be identified with the idea exhibited by the pattern. No ownership implies no positive development and without positive development, immaturity is perpetuated. This immaturity is also development in the opposite direction.
Enjoy the universal pattern discovery as you learn the ropes of dynamic leadership
Quantum Performance at its best
No full textThe idea of training is based on a number of assumptions that are sound and verifiable. One of these assumptions is the law of cause effect. According to this law nothing happens without a cause. In order for something to become, there must be an originator or an inventor or a cause. This concept is supported by the adage: ‘There is no smoke without fire.’
Also, many believe that the disasters in our planetary system cannot just happen, but must be the result of some cause. Hence they are called acts of God. If they are acts, it follows that somebody is doing something to cause effects. If disasters are acts of God, what about other creations and marvels in our orderly planetary system and specifically on our planet home?
The most dynamic and undeniable assumption is that of the body. It has been marvelously designed with organs that show that there is no reaction without an outside cause. The presence of the ears, nose, eyes, taste and touch in the body confirm that these organs are poised to be activated by sensations from outside. These sensations could be called inputs because they come from outside.
The birth of a child is another powerful support for effects from outside-in. No pregnancy can take place without insemination or sexual intercourse. The story of the virgin birth has been denied by many because of their strong adherence to the concept of cause-effect relationships. It is an accepted notion that if a woman is pregnant, someone must be responsible for that pregnancy.
Should it happen that one could see a car in the highway at great speed without a driver, that event would be news-paper headlines the next day. This is because no car can travel without a driver. This is the whole basis of training and development in any sphere of life. With that said, let us examine the anatomy of a training and development strategy for Year 2000 and beyond – The WORD-ACAID SYSTEM PHILOSOPH
High Positivity Yield of HIV Index Case Testing in Mamfe Health District, South West Region, Cameroon
No full textBackground: Index testing (IT) is a voluntary process whereby after obtaining consent, sexual partners of HIV seropositive clients are offered HIV testing services. IT has been associated with high HIV positivity. The aim of this study is to determine the positivity rate and factors influencing IT yield among sexual partners (SP) of newly diagnosed Index clients (IC) at Mamfe Health District, Cameroon.
Methods: At Mamfe District Hospital, the main district HIV care and treatment center, records of all newly diagnosed HIV positive clients with an outcome for IT between July and September 2021, were reviewed retrospectively. Data including age and gender of the IC and their partners, method of referral and notification of partners, HIV test results of partners and linkage status of new HIV positive partners were collected using a chart abstraction template from the IT registers. Analyses were done using the R Software Package version 4.0.4. Chi-square was used to test association between different groups at a significance level of p<0.01.
Results: Records of 133 consecutive newly diagnosed IC, 48.1% males vs 51.9% females and their 156 listed SP, 50.6% males vs 49.4% females were reviewed. Mean ages of IC and SP were 39±10 and 37±11 years respectively and a majority of IC (39.9%) and SP (42.9%) were in the 35-44 years age group. 37.2% (58/156) of partners tested positive for HIV and were all linked to antiretroviral therapy. All SP were notified using provider referral method. HIV results of both male and female partners were not significantly associated with age group (p>0.05). HIV positivity rate of 42.9% (33/77) in female partners was not significantly higher than 31.6% (25/79) in male partners (p>0.05)
Conclusions: The positivity rate of IT among the SP of new IC was high with no significance in gender difference. Most of the IC and SP were aged 35-44 years and essentially in heterosexual relationships. Prioritizing and sustaining IT to partners of new IC using provider referral is a veritable strategy and need to be implemented with fidelity to increase case finding in order to boost ART uptake, especially in the 35-44 years age group