Can technology help close the gender gap in literacy achievement? Evidence from boys and girls sharing eBooks

Abstract

Purpose: Digital technologies may offer new solutions to old problems or bring additional complications. In this paper, we address a longstanding and widespread issue, specifically, slower acquisition of literacy skills by boys compared to girls. Electronic books might serve to close this gender gap because it is believed that boys are generally less motivated to read but that boys are especially engaged by technology. However, interactive features in electronic books could further challenge boys’ weak self-regulation skills, thus impeding their literacy achievement. Gender differences in literacy learning and the learning environment were examined in two studies conducted in French-language kindergartens.

Method: Study 1 involved 56 girls and 36 boys, where the relationship between oral language precursors at school entry and literacy outcomes at the end of second grade was assessed. Study 2 included 43 girls and 44 boys, where interactions between children and an adult during shared reading exchanges with electronic books were coded to reveal gender-related differences in the learning environment.

Result: In Study 1, the oral language and emergent literacy screener in first grade significantly predicted second grade spelling, with a significant gender gap in orthographic skills favouring girls in grade two despite similar oral language skills in grade one. In Study 2, adult readers were observed to re-direct boys’ attention or regulate their behaviour more often during shared reading (when compared to girls).

Conclusion: These findings suggest that self-regulation may mediate early reading precursors and different literacy outcomes by gender. Strategies to alleviate stress and improve the learning environment during literacy activities are suggested. Overall, it is clear that technology is neither beneficial nor harmful by itself; rather, synchronised interactions between adult, child and technological features are crucial. Furthermore, the broader social context in which teaching and learning interactions are embedded plays a role.     

Effect of annealing on the defect-mediated blue phosphorescence in ZnO nanocrystals

Recently, UV/NUV excitable RGB phosphors with precisely tunable PL emission properties have been in high demand for their suitability in the fabrication of white LEDs. In this paper, we report to have tuned the PL intensity, shade, and color temperature of the defect-mediated blue phosphorescence of ZnO nanopowders by systematic annealing at different temperatures. The ZnO nanopowder was prepared by a facile and cost-effective aqueous solution-precipitation method. The as-synthesized nanopowder was annealed at different temperatures ranging from 150 °C to 850 °C and all these samples were characterized by XRD, FESEM, EDX, BET, Raman spectroscopy, and UV-Vis spectroscopy to have insight into their microstructural, compositional, and band-structure details. Optical studies of the samples were conducted by PL and τ-PL spectroscopy. Color coordinates of the samples were obtained from the CIE plots derived from the PL spectra. The CIE coordinates were further used to calculate the CCT values of the samples. τ-PL spectroscopy was carried out to measure the life-time of the photogenerated electrons. PL studies of the samples revealed that the blue emissions have red, yellow, and blue components originating from crystalline point defects, viz. zinc interstitial (Zn_i), and oxygen interstitial (O_i). Annealing at different temperatures triggered changes in the defect concentrations leading to the corresponding changes in the intensity, shade, and color temperature of the blue phosphorescence.

We observed and analyzed the effect of thermal annealing on the point defect concentration and in turn on the defect mediated blue phosphorescence in nanocrystalline ZnO.     

In Silico Screening of Natural Products as Potential Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Using Molecular Docking Simulation

Objective:To explore potential natural products against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus(SARS-CoV-2)via the study of structural and non-structural ...     

Water Based Microwave Assisted Extraction of Thiamethoxam Residues from Vegetables and Soil for Determination by HPLC

A microwave assisted extraction (MAE) method for determination of thiamethoxam residues in vegetable and soil samples was standardized. Insecticide spiked vegetable and soil samples were extracted by MAE using water as an extraction solvent, cleaned up by solid phase extraction and analysed by high performance liquid chromatography on photodiode array detector. The recoveries of the insecticide from various vegetable (tomato, radish, brinjal, okra, French been, sugarbeet) and soil (sandy loam, silty clay loam, sandy clay loam, loamy sand) samples at 0.1 and 0.5 μg g⁻¹ spiking levels ranged from 79.8% to 86.2% and from 82.1% to 87.0%, respectively. The recoveries by MAE were comparable to those obtained by the conventional blender and shake-flask extraction techniques. The precision of the MAE method was demonstrated by relative standard deviations of <3% for the insecticide.     

Indian Carp (Labeo Rohita) Gall Bladder Poisoning-Report of Four Cases in a Single Family

The ingestion of Indian carp gallbladder may result in transient hepatitis with subsequent acute renal failure. This case series also illustrates the importance of understanding the use and potential serious complications of alternative medicines. So fish gallbladder poisoning should be considered in unexplained acute renal failure in Chinese and Asian patients. We report four family members who developed acute renal failure and toxic hepatitis at the same time following ingestion of raw Indian carp (Labeo rohita) gall bladder.     

Association of CYP3A4, CYP3A5 polymorphisms with lung cancer risk in Bangladeshi population

The rate of direct smoking, second hand smoking, and smokeless tobacco users as well as the amount of environmental pollutant like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarons is increasing in Bangladesh. Therefore, the prevalence of lung cancer is increasing day by day. To the best of our knowledge, no pharmacogentic study of CYP3A4, CYP3A5 genes has been reported on Bangladeshi population relating those with lung cancer. The present study was conducted to determine the association of CYP3A4, CYP3A5 gene polymorphisms and tobacco smoking in the development of lung cancer in Bangladeshi population. A case–control study was carried out on 106 lung cancer patients and 116 controls to investigate three allelic variants—CYP3A4*1B, CYP3A5*3, and CYP3A5*6 using Polymerase Chain Reaction Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism. Risk of lung cancer was estimated as odds ratio (OR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) using unconditional logistic regression models. The variant allele frequencies for CYP3A4*1B (*1A/*1B?+?*1B/*1B) were 2.83 % and 0.86 % and that of CYP3A5*3 (*1A/*3?+?*3/*3) were 88.68 % and 85.34 % in cases and controls, respectively. Individual carrying at least one variant allele of CYP3A4*1B (CYP3A4*1A/1B?+?*1B/1B) has a 3.35 times more risk (OR?=?3.35, 95 % Cl?=?0.34-32.71, p?=?0.271) for developing lung cancer whereas individual carrying at least one variant allele of CYP3A5 (CYP3A5*1A/3?+?*3/3) has a 1.26 times more risk (OR?=?1.35, 95 % Cl?=?0.61–2.97) and both are statistically non-significant (p?>?0.05). CYP3A5*6 was absent in the study population. No association of lung cancer with the mentioned polymorphisms was found both in heavy and light smokers. In the cases of all three major types of lung cancer—squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and small cell carcinoma—significantly strong relationships (p???0.05) have been found. To confirm the association of lung cancer with the mentioned polymorphisms, large number volunteers (patients and controls) will be required.     

Neonatal Erythroderma: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenges

Erythroderma a life-threatening entity during the first one month, and many a time, a manifestation of genodermatosis, immune deficiency, psoriasis, metabolic diseases, and infections. Atopic dermatitis presenting as erythroderma is usually observed later, after this one-month period, and hence not a common differential for neonatal exfoliative dermatitis. Although a rare entity, there is a paucity of studies on this and in contrast to adults, some may manifest as cardinal signs of primary disease conditions.     

The economic impact of visceral leishmaniasis on households in Bangladesh

OBJECTIVES: To explore current patterns of diagnosis and treatment, quantify household economic impact and identify household strategies to cover the costs of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) care in rural Bangladesh. METHOD: Structured interviews with 113 VL patients from 87 households documenting all provider visits and expenditures for health care for VL, and the ways in which the expenditures were covered. RESULTS: Patients paid a median of 7 visits to six different providers before beginning VL treatment. All visited the subdistrict government hospital at least once. While health care, including antileishmanial drug therapy, is officially available free of charge at government facilities, 79% of patients reported making informal payments for provider access, diagnostics and drug administration; only 14% of patients received their full drug course from this source. For the 58% of patients who purchased the full treatment course, drug cost constituted 34% of direct expenditure. Median direct expenditure for one VL patient was US$87 and median income lost was $40; median total expenditure was 1.2 times annual per capita income of our study population. Households employed multiple coping strategies to cover expenditures, most commonly sale or rental of assets (62%) and taking out loans (64%). CONCLUSIONS: Visceral leishmaniasis treatment causes a major economic burden in affected families. Control strategies for VL should facilitate timely, affordable diagnosis and treatment of patients to decrease the infection reservoir and to alleviate the economic burden of VL on households.