Pop the pills without bitterness

Masking the bitter taste of drugs is a potential tool for the improvement of patient compliance, which in turn decides the commercial success of the product. To improve the palatability of a pharmaceutical product, many techniques have been developed, which have not only improved the taste of the product, but also the stability of the drug in the formulation and performance of the product. This article is an attempt to review strategies, technologies and tools that are used by pharmaceutical scientists for taste-masking.     

A Womanist Experience of Caring: Understanding the Pedagogy of Exemplary Black Women Teachers

In recent years, a compelling discussion in education has centered on caring. In this paper, I contribute to this dialogue by suggesting that there is a particular form of caring exhibited in the pedagogy of exemplary black women teachers. It is the purpose of this paper to illuminate central aspects of their pedagogy as facets of womanism, an epistemological perspective based on the collective experiences of black women. As educators who exhibit womanist caring, such teachers demonstrate the following three characteristics: an embrace of the maternal, political clarity, and an ethic of risk. In describing each characteristic, I provide both contemporary and historical evidence to demonstrate that womanism is part of a long-standing tradition among African-American women teachers. I conclude the paper by suggesting that we can better inform pre- and in-service educators about the types of teachers that our students need from an understanding of how and why exemplary teachers exhibit their womanist caring.     

Neural network approach to predict mobile learning acceptance

The proliferation of mobile computing technologies is playing major role in the growth of mobile learning (M-learning) market around the globe. The purpose of this paper is to develop a research model in the lines of commonly used models the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by incorporating constructs namely flexibility learning, social learning, efficiency learning, enjoyment learning, suitability learning, and economic learning that can predict M-learning adoption in a developing country. The data were collected from 388 students from all major universities/colleges in the capital city (Muscat) of Oman. The neural network modeling was employed to predict M-learning adoption. The neural network modeling results showed that flexibility learning, social learning, efficiency learning, enjoyment learning, suitability learning, and economic learning variables have significant influence on the intention of students to accept mobile learning. The key outcomes of this study suggest important determinants that can assist academic administrators and telecommunication service providers to enhance the adoption of M-learning with the help of suitable strategy.     

Studies on the management of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita -wilt fungus, Fusarium oxysporum disease complex of green gram, Vigna radiata cv ML-1108

Studies were conducted under pot conditions to determine the comparative efficacy of carbofuran at 1 mg a.i./kg soil, bavistin at 1 mg a.i./kg soil, neem (Azadirachta indica) seed powder at 50 mg/kg soil, green mould (Trichoderma harzianum) at 50.0 ml/kg soil, rhizobacteria (Pseudomonas fluorescens) at 50.0 ml/kg soil against root-knot nematode,Meloidogyne incognita-wilt fungus,Fusarium oxysporum disease complex on green gram,Vigna radiata cv ML-1108. All the treatments significantly improved the growth of the plants as compared to untreated inoculated plants. Analysis of data showed that carbofuran andA. indica seed powder increased plant growth and yield significantly more in comparison to bavistin andP. fluorescens. Carbofuran was highly effective against nematode, bavistin against fungus,A. indica seed powder against both the pathogens and both the bioagents were moderately effective against both the pathogens.     

Experiences of mentorship with academic staff doctoral candidates at a south african university

Given the growing emphasis on academic research output and the challenges encountered in expediting completion of doctoral studies especially, mentorship is increasingly being utilised as a capacity development strategy for supporting scholars to complete post-graduate studies. This article reports on a mentorship project aimed at academic staff enrolled for doctoral studies in a health sciences faculty at a South African university, based on reflections drawn from annual feedback from the mentees and the annual report of the mentor, as well as a focus group conducted with mentees by an independent researcher. Participants found the mentorship, with its combination of individual and group meetings, as well as regular residential writing retreats, to be extremely helpful. A number of key features that enable the mentorship process emerged, and issues relating to supervision and mentorship were highlighted, especially regarding power dynamics.     

Classical angular momentum of light: A paradox and its resolution

Angular momentum carried by a classical circularly polarized electromagnetic plane wave (light) appears to be identically zero inasmuch as its linear field-momentum density is directed along wave propagation, and, therefore, the angular momentum, being the integrated moment of the linear momentum density about an axis parallel to the direction of propagation, necessarily vanishes — in detail. This, however, contradicts the established fact that circularly polarized light does carry angular momentum that remains classically non-zero. The paradox is resolved in a physically transparent manner by treating this problem as that of a transversely bounded, and hence necessarily non-trans verse, electromagnetic wave propagating along a circular waveguide, in the limit as its radius tends to infinity. We get a non-zero angular momentum that bears the correct ratio to wave energy. This angular momentum derives essentially and exactly from the boundary conditions for the geometry considered. This is an interesting example of surface terms giving a volume (bulk) contribution, much as in the entirely different context of orbital diamagnetism, which was regarded as a surprise of theoretical physics by Rudolf Peierls.[1]     

A novel framework for identifying the interactions between biophysical and social components of an agricultural system: a guide for improving wheat production in Haryana,NW India

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual framework with related analysis methodologies that identifies the influence of social environment on an established cropping system.

Design/methodology/approach: A stratified survey including 103 villages and 823 farmers was conducted in all districts of Haryana (India). Firstly, technical efficiency (TE) was modeled using biophysical data including grain yield, seeding rate, wheat varieties, tillage, sowing date, seed source, harvesting method and the application of fertilizer, herbicide and irrigation. The relationship between TE and social community factors such as farm size, farmer age, level of education and agricultural support programs was analyzed by regression tree.

Findings: TE was lower with the farmers who only have education to a primary standard. Farmers with high TE scores were mostly between 35 and 40 years of age, and a higher TE association was common for farmers who use technical publications. Social individual factors such as farmers’ views on the future of farming were also analyzed across different TE levels.

Practical implications: Farmers with lower TE are an obvious target for production improvement, particularly given the understanding that the overall production yield gap is small in Haryana.

Theoretical implications: Our conceptual framework shows a quantitative way to establish the socio-ecological linkage, and to identify the opportunities for changes in management with extension services leading to productivity improvement.

Originality/value: This paper provides a novel framework with detailed methodology to effectively identify the socio-economic factors that limit the biophysical production in an agricultural system.     

Implementation Lessons from Six Early Head Start - Child Care Partnerships

ABSTRACT

Research Findings: This study examined the development and implementation of six Early Head Start Child Care Partnerships (EHS-CCPs), unique collaborations between EHS grantees and community-based child care partners that expand access to high-quality child care and comprehensive services for low-income infants, toddlers, and their families. Interviews and focus groups with 111 key informants identified similarities across the six EHS-CCPs in initial outreach to community partners for establishing partnerships and approaches to developing partnership agreements but variation in approaches to monitoring quality improvement activities. Benefits and challenges to partnerships for programs and families were noted. Practice or Policy: Findings suggest a need for additional guidance for EHS-CCPs on key components of implementation, including the partnership agreement process, monitoring quality improvement plans, offering support for meeting program requirements, and providing comprehensive services. For example, five of the six partnerships reported the EHS grantee led the development of their partnership agreements. While this approach was attributed to child care partners’ lack of prior experience in developing agreements, further guidance on how to engage partners collaboratively in an agreement process that better emulates the principles of authenticity and equality from the conceptual framework for collaborations in early care and education would be useful.     

Training self-regulated learning skills with video modeling examples: Do task-selection skills transfer?

Self-assessment and task-selection skills are crucial in self-regulated learning situations in which students can choose their own tasks. Prior research suggested that training with video modeling examples, in which another person (the model) demonstrates and explains the cyclical process of problem-solving task performance, self-assessment, and task-selection, is effective for improving adolescents’ problem-solving posttest performance after self-regulated learning. In these examples, the models used a specific task-selection algorithm in which perceived mental effort and self-assessed performance scores were combined to determine the complexity and support level of the next task, selected from a task database. In the present study we aimed to replicate prior findings and to investigate whether transfer of task-selection skills would be facilitated even more by a more general, heuristic task-selection training than the task-specific algorithm. Transfer of task-selection skills was assessed by having students select a new task in another domain for a fictitious peer student. Results showed that both heuristic and algorithmic training of self-assessment and task-selection skills improved problem-solving posttest performance after a self-regulated learning phase, as well as transfer of task-selection skills. Heuristic training was not more effective for transfer than algorithmic training. These findings show that example-based self-assessment and task-selection training can be an effective and relatively easy to implement method for improving students’ self-regulated learning outcomes. Importantly, our data suggest that the effect on task-selection skills may transfer beyond the trained tasks, although future research should establish whether this also applies when trained students perform novel tasks themselves.