36 research outputs found
The conventional versus a constructionist Scratch programming and first-year students' achievements in higher education classes: experimental data.
No full textGlobally, learning or teaching the first programming (popularly called CS1) remains a significant educational challenge. Indicators such as CS1 students' engagement, failure and attrition rates, and lack of diversity, continue to show the need for innovating the learning or teaching of novice computer science students. To ease initiating novices to programming, Scratch, a visual programming language, has become a staple of K-12 CS1 classes.
As outcomes of a research project aiming to explore a constructionist Scratch pedagogy with novice CS students in higher education, we present these datasets. In the research lasting two successive academic sessions, we conducted two quasi-experimental studies involving four intact CS1 classes in selected public polytechnic in the north central Nigeria. In each study, we randomly assigned the classes to the experimental and control groups, constituting the constructionist Scratch and the conventional CS1 classes, respectively.
Instruments for collecting data include a student profile questionnaire, a pretest, and posttest. Sequel to ethical clearance and permission from the selected schools, we conducted each study during the first semester of each academic session, in the first seven to eight weeks. During the first to second week, we administered students who consented to take part with the questionnaire and the pretest. Learning or teaching in the two classes lasted six weeks. Then both classes took the posttest. An independent CS educator who is not part of this research marked all the achievement tests, following a rubric prepared by the first author. To strengthen the research design and the possibility of arriving at valid causal evidence, we employed a Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM) algorithm to generate matched samples of experimental and control data, which we used in the analysis.
Data presented here includes the raw, unmatched and matched experimental datasets from both studies. A researcher can make use of the data:
To explore if some background variables not addressed in the original research may moderate CS1 students' achievements. For instance, their prior achievements in mathematics, physics, or English.
To uncover some interesting patterns using machine learning algorithms.
To validate the outcome of the original experiment by using the unmatched, matched or newly generated matched samples.
The authors welcome further research collaborations in using the data or the accompanying research instruments.
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Book Review: African Philosophy: Reflections on Yoruba Metaphysics and Jurisprudence
No full textBook Title: African Philosophy: Reflections on Yoruba Metaphysics and JurisprudenceBook Author: Oladele Abiodun BalogunPublisher: Xcel Publishers. Pages: 387. Year of Publication: 201
Ginger polyphenols attenuate cyclosporine-induced disturbances in kidney function: Potential application in adjuvant transplant therapy
No full textNeuro-endocrine effects of aqueous extract of Amaranthus viridis (Linn.) leaf in male Wistar rat model of cyclophosphamide-induced reproductive toxicity
No full textAbstractCyclophosphamide (CP) is a widely used cytotoxic alkylating agent with antitumor and immunosuppressant properties that is associated with various forms of reproductive toxicity. The significance of natural antioxidants of plant origin should be explored, especially in a world with increasing incidence of patients in need of chemotherapy. The neuro-endocrine effects of aqueous extract of Amaranthus viridis (Linn.) leaf (AEAVL) in Wistar rats with CP-induced reproductive toxicity was determined. Forty rats were used for this study such that graded doses of the extract were administered following CP-induced reproductive toxicity and comparisons were made against control, toxic and standard (vitamin E) groups at p<0.05. The synthetic drugs (CP, 65mg/kg i.p. for 5days; Vitamin E, 100mg/kg p.o. for 30days) as well as the extract (100, 200 and 400mg/kg p.o. for 30days) were administered to the rats at 0.2mL/100g. CP induced reproductive toxicity as evidenced by significantly lowered levels of FSH, LH and testosterone, perturbation of sperm characterization, deleterious disruptions of the antioxidant system as evidenced by decreased levels of GSH as well as elevation of TBARS activity. Histopathological examination showed hemorrhagic lesions with scanty and hypertrophied parenchymal cells in the pituitary while the testis showed ballooned seminiferous tubules with loosed connective tissues and vacuolation of testicular interstitium. These conditions were significantly reversed (p<0.05) following administration of the graded doses of the extract. It was, therefore, concluded that AEAVL could potentially be a therapeutic choice in patients with CP-induced neuro-endocrine dysfunction and reproductive toxicity
The Nigerian novel and indigenous culture : problems of communication
No full textIt is argued in this thesis that the Nigerian Novel is an attempt to transliterate traditional customs, beliefs and attitudes, the characters of myth and legends, a whole universe of ancestors, into an entirely new context of the twentieth century, employing a language to which the modern reader can respond. The work gives detailed consideration to the salient features of this attempt and assesses, with particular reference to the novels of Tutuola, Achebe, Aluko, Nzekwu, Amadi, Balewa, Egbuna, Adaora Ulasi, Nwankwo and Okara, what in each case is the atti tudeof the novelist to the indigenous culture of his country and how successfully the link between tradition and modern experience has been established. The approach adopted in the thesis is one of close analysis of texts in an attempt to find out how critically an author has presented those aspects of tradition he has selected for treatment and how skilfully he has dramatized the realities and dilemmas of the present. On each author answers are sought to a numer of searching questions. What are the particular values the writer is upholding or opposing, and what is his attitude to them? What particular emotional or intellectual effect does he hope to achieve, and does he succeed? If he does, by what methods of communication? If he fails, from what problems of communication has failure resulted, and what effect does this have on the reader? What sympathies are evoked, and how do we see a particular work in the body of works of a particular author? A writer's language is a mirror held up to his personality and his particular circumstances. It is through his use of language that he reflects his individual awareness of a given situation. The detailed study of language leads, almost inevitably, to a consideration of the more fundamental problems of communication. Even though all save one of the novelists to whom this thesis is devoted use English as their creative medium, they do so in the consciousness of the fact that they are presenting a Nigerian experience, and the best of them reveal in their works a specific mode of the imagination which derives from their Nigerian background. It has therefore been necessary in all cases to examine closely the use of language by each novelist and try to assess how effectively the artist has communicated. Because of the historical and cultural environment of the Nigerian novelist considerable interest is taken in the influence which the mother tongue (LI) has had on the writer's English (L2). The thesis concludes by identifying the essential requirements for the establishment of a successful link between tradition and modern life: an important theme, a consistent imaginative scheme, a language which recognizes the characteristics of LI and skill in the use of language. Only works in which many of these conditions are fulfilled as, for example, in the novels of Achebe, Amadi, Okara and Aluko achieve satisfactory results. The link between tradition and modern life is valuable only if it widens satisfyingly our experience of what it is to be human and thus contributes to the solution of the political and social problems of the present
Sub-acute administration of lower doses of nicotine caused sex-dependent improvement of renal function in Wistar rats
No full textThe adverse and beneficial health effects of nicotine (NIC), the major alkaloid found in cigarettes and tobacco, are controversial. Most studies on NIC have focused on its effects on cardiovascular and nervous functions. This study aimed at determining dose- and sex-specific effects of sub-acute (28 days) NIC administration on some indices of kidney function in Wistar rats. Forty rats (20 males and 20 females), 8â9 weeks old (each housed in separate metabolic cage), were used for this study such that graded doses of NIC (1, 2 and 4 mg/kg i.p. for 28 days) were administered to both sexes while each control received distilled water at 0.2 mL/100 g i.p. Blood was collected under ketamine anesthesia (10 mg/kg i.m) for analyses and results obtained were compared at p < 0.05. The result showed beneficial alterations in plasma and urine level of creatinine, urea and uric acid (p < 0.05) as well as plasma and urine electrolyte level (Na+ and K+) in both sexes (p < 0.05). Also, there was significant improvement in creatinine clearance (p < 0.05) with no appreciable difference in their histological examination. Although these beneficial effects were more pronounced in the female than in the male (p < 0.05), administration at the highest dose showed potentially deleterious alterations from normal beneficial trend (p < 0.05) in both sexes. It was concluded that sub-acute administration of lower doses of NIC improves kidney function of Wistar rats; an effect that was more pronounced in the females than their male counterparts. Keywords: Nicotine, Wistar rats, Creatinine clearance, Plasma and urine electrolytes, Renal functio
Susceptible Genes and Polymorphisms Associated with Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases
No full textBackground: Disease epidemiology encompasses a wide range of health conditions, divided into communicable and noncommunicable diseases. Aim and Objective: This systematic review investigates the intricate connection between genetic susceptibility and disease development within these categories. Understanding genetic factors is crucial for improving prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies. The central research question is as follows: Which genes are linked to susceptibility to communicable and noncommunicable diseases, and how do these genetic elements affect susceptibility? We hypothesize that an exhaustive analysis of the literature will reveal numerous genes associated with both types of diseases, revealing the complex genetic landscape influencing susceptibility. Methodology: This systematic review follows a rigorous methodology, including comprehensive search strategies, well-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, publication bias assessment, data extraction, quality evaluation, and data synthesis, adhering to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines to ensure transparency and ethical presentation. Several databases, including PubMed, Embase, Springer Nature, AJOL, CrossRef, Scopus, and Web of Science, were systematically searched to retrieve published articles. Findings: In communicable diseases, the genetic factors influencing susceptibility extend beyond well-established genes, warranting further investigation under conditions such as COVID-19, HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis B. Noncommunicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, neurological disorders, and metabolic disorders, offer promising avenues for exploring additional genetic variations. Research gaps include understanding the functional impact of the identified polymorphisms, their interaction with environmental factors, and their implications for rare diseases. Conclusion: Genome-wide association studies and gene editing therapies have the potential to expand our understanding and therapeutic options for genetically based diseases. This comprehensive review contributes to the evolving landscape of genetic susceptibility and its implications for public health and personalized medicine
Chronic administration of gabapentin and a gabapentin-carbamazepine combination reversibly suppress testicular function in male Wistar rats ( Rattus norvegicus )
No full textPolyphenol-rich extract of Vernonia amygdalina (del.) leaves ameliorated cadmium-induced alterations in feeding pattern and urine volume of male Wistar rats.
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