Asian Journal of Advanced Research and Reports

The preparation of pre-tertiary school teachers by colleges of education in Ghana is beset by varied challenges of quality. A lot of the products of the colleges are unable to measure up to desired standards of competence. It appears that efforts at promoting quality teacher education seem to centre mostly on enhancing the academic capabilities of teachers to enhancing students' capability to act as agents of their own learning. This article brings to the fore, the drivers of student-centred learning and how colleges of education can empower students as clients with absolute responsibility to drive their own learning. It clarifies the role of the administrative staff in the implementation of students’ relationship management and how their functions constitute the bedrock for effective teacher preparation.

This study was conducted to evaluate effect of intercropping dates of lablab (Lablab purpureus L.) with maize (Zea mays L.) on forage and maize grain yields. It was carried out at Gereb Giba in Tanqua Abergelle district, Tigray, Ethiopia. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four treatments and four replications were used. The treatments were sole maize sown (T1) and lablab sown at 10, 20 and 30 days after emergence of maize for T2, T3 and T4 respectively. Intercropping did not affect height and days for 50% flowering of lablab. Similarly, it was not affected height and days for physiological maturity of maize. Lablab forage yield was significantly greater (p<0.01) in T2 and T3 than T4. Maize Stover dry matter (DM) yield was similar among treatments while total forage DM yield was significantly higher (p<0.0001) in T2, T3 and T4 than T1. Moreover, among the intercrops, total forage yield was significantly highest (p<0.0001) for T2 compared to T4 but similar in T2 and T3. Maize grain yield was significantly superior (P<0.0001) in T2 and T3 compared to T1 and T4. Though, T2 and T3 had similarity in all parameters measured, T2 provided higher forage and maize grain yields than T1 and T4. Therefore, lablab intercropping at 10 days after emergence of maize is appropriate in Tanqua Abergelle district and other areas with similar agro ecologies.

Parents play a vital role in increasing the performance and ensuring the good manners of their children in school. In the context of Indigenous People (IP), parental participation in educating their children is a meaningful involvement that benefits student learning directly. This study aims to determine the parental involvement of indigenous people in selected elementary schools in Northern Part of Mindanao, Philippines. The study specifically identified the profile of the IP parents, parents’ contributory factors and involvement on the aspect of communication, learning at home, and financial support. The extent of parental involvement on the behavior of their children and significant relationship between respondents’ profile were also measured. The study utilized a descriptive-quantitative method to explore how the IP parents extend their support to their children through survey, actual visitation and interview to validate the accuracy of the data gathered. Selected IP parents from IP elementary schools were surveyed using a researcher-made questionnaire as the main tool in the study.  Data were analyzed using frequency counting, simple percentage, weighted mean, and Pearson R correlation.

The IP parents fall to marginal classification in terms of educational background (45.83% are elementary undergraduate) with monthly income of less than fifteen thousand (less than the minimum wage). Regardless of race and background, IP parents’ instincts are the same with common parents in supporting their children in school-related activities. However, issues on communication, learning at home, and financial support extended by IP parents to their children still need to be improved. In addition, parents’ involvement influence academic endeavor of the students because they are given chances to enjoy the opportunity of free and supportive education. Thus, parents should constantly monitor the performance of their children at school to help them improve in their studies and build confidence to do better.

Aims: This study was conducted to investigate the nature of genotypes-environments interaction (GEI) and identify the most stable sunflower hybrids that can give high seed yield with high oil yield under a wide range of environmental conditions in Egypt.

Place and Duration of Study: Fifteen hybrids were evaluated across three years (2017 to 2019) and three locations (Giza, Ettay El-Barod and Shandaweel).

Study Design: The experiments were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications.

Methodology: Analysis of variance, some stability methods as additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and genotype main effects and genotype-by-environment interaction effects (GGE-biplot) were conducted. Results of stability indices were ranked as AMMI Stability Value (ASV), yield stability (YSI) and rank-sum (RSI) and heritability was estimated.

Results: Combined analysis revealed that GEI was highly significant, indicating the possibility of selection for stable ones. AMMI analysis confirmed that the seed yield performance of sunflower hybrids was largely influenced by the environment. On the contrary, environments recorded less impact on oil yield as compared to the effect of hybrids (genetics). Then, heritability estimate of oil yield trait (93.86%) was higher than the seed yield one (31.10%). Indices of YSI and RSI presented that hybrids (H15, H7 and H11) and (H7, H8 and H15) were the best stable promising ones in seed and oil yield, respectively. GGE-biplot analysis indicated that hybrids (H15, H7, H4 and H11) and (H7, H15, H8 and H15) were considered as the most ideal for seed and oil yield, respectively whereas Shandweel was the ideal environment for both.

Conclusion: Therefore, all analyses agreed on hybrids H15, H7 and H11 were considered as the most desirable and stable ones. These hybrids can be recommended for wider cultivation due to better seed and oil yield with stable performance across the test environments.

Aims: To test if the level of oxidative stress is different in women with overweight and with metabolic syndrome.

Study Design:  Cross- sectional.

Place and Duration of Study: Endocrinology Clinic of the Botucatu Medical School- UNESP, between March 2013 and March 2014.

Methodology: Eighty women (31.15 ± 7.91 years old) attended at the Endocrinology Clinic of the Botucatu Medical School- UNESP composed this study.  According to the body mass index (BMI) they were divided in 3 groups: Group 1 (G1, n=36 eutrophic); Group 2 (G2, n=21 overweight) and Group 3 (G3, n=23 women with MS-Metabolic syndrome). It was evaluated: dietary intake of macro and micronutrients dietary; antioxidant capacity (HAC) of plasma and levels of malondialdehyde (MDA); carotenoids, retinol and α-tocopherol in peripheral lymphocytes and the comet assay.

Results: Damage to DNA, oxidized purines and the levels of MDA didn’t differ between women with overweight and with metabolic syndrome but they are higher than those in the control group. Correlation was positive for BMI and waist circumference (WC) with damage to DNA. Linear regression showed that higher consumption of protein and sodium is related to damage to DNA and both carotenoids and omega- 3 are protectors.

Conclusion: Damage to DNA occurs independent of overweight or obesity and WC could be a predictor for damage to DNA.