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The study sought to investigate the prevalence of cyberbullying incidents among learners in institutions of higher learning in Gaborone, Botswana. The study explored the prevalence of cyberbullying, cyber stalking, impersonation and the use of technology. The mixed methods explanatory research design was adopted in this study. This design involved the use of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis techniques to establish the extent of cyberbullying in institutions of higher learning in Gaborone. Questionnaires were distributed to 150 learners at the institutions of higher learning in Gaborone main campuses. Both institutions of learning were selected because of their intensive use of technology for teaching and learning. Of the 150 questionnaires that were distributed, 115 were completed and returned culminating in a 77% response rate. The research findings revealed the prevalence of cyberbullying in institutions of learning. The results also demonstrated that technological platforms through the use of the internet facilitated cyberbullying in learning institutions. The findings of the study are significant as they will enable the leaders of the institutions to promulgate effective policies that will help curb the prevalence cyberbullying incidences. To augment knowledge sharing in the education fraternity, the study makes a recommendation to the Ministry of Education, together with other institutions of learning, that a specific cyberbullying policy should be promulgated and implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the intricate interplay between the geographic distributions of species and the dynamics of environmental factors is crucial for effective biodiversity management. Crop wild relatives are important resources for the improvement of cultivated plants. However, our understanding of how these species might respond to future climatic changes and their implications for conservation remains incomplete. In this study, we focus on the ecologically and economically significant hickory trees to address this knowledge gap. We employed the Biomod2 ensemble model to predict the potential distributions of 12 North American and five East Asian Carya species based on 13,643 occurrence points and 26 environmental variables. We analyzed the distribution range dynamics of hickory trees across the past, present, and future emission scenarios (2090; SSP126 and SSP585), assessed their conservation status, and conducted a preliminary threat assessment. Our results indicate that most Carya species expanded their habitat range from the Last Glacial Maximum to the present, with substantial contraction projected under both future scenarios. A northward migration shift to high elevations was observed for most species from the LGM to the future. Sixteen species were categorized as "medium priority" for further conservation action, and only one (C. tonkinensis) as "high priority". Preliminary threat assessment classified one species (C. luana) as critically endangered, eight endangered, four vulnerable, and five as least concern. This study underscores the potential effects of climate change on the distribution of Carya species, providing crucial insights for their conservation and highlighting the broader impacts of climate change on crop wild relatives. [Display omitted] • Biomod2 ensemble model was used to predict the range dynamics of 17 Carya species. • The distribution ranges of most species are projected to contract in the future. • Northward range shifts to high elevations predicted under future climate changes. • Conservation actions are needed for C. floridana , C. palmeri and all Asian species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effects of digital technologies on children's rights. All children's rights ought to be reinforced, respected, and protected. Majority of children devote their time on Internet using various social media platforms which have become a key means of teaching and learning. Increased internet access by children is associated with risks and escalation of children's rights violations. Institutions dealing with children continuously struggle to represent the rights of children enshrined within the Convention on the Rights of Children. The paper is mainly focuses on children's rights such as freedom of expression and information, privacy and data protection, protection and safety. Children's rights are not fully protected online in most cases particularly in countries like Botswana. The publication of sensitive information relating to children online is a violation of their rights to privacy and may affect their childhood development. The lack of relevant expert to investigate and prosecute cybercrime leads to the increase of cybercrime activities committed against children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen doped carbon nanodots (NDCNDs) and nanosized cobalt tetra aminophenoxy phthalocyanines (CoTAPhPc NP s) modified glassy carbon electrodes have been successfully used in the simultaneous detection of aspirin (ASA), ibuprofen (IBU) and indomethacin (INDO). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to probe the nature of the synthesized nanomaterials. Sequential deposition of the nanomaterials on the glassy carbon electrode yielded CoTAPhPc NP s-NDCNDs-GCE with remarkable electrocatalytic performance. Electro-oxidation of the drugs at the electrode surface was first order. This work demonstrates the synergic effect of the two nanomaterials towards simultaneous electrocatalytic detection of the drugs. Superior detection limits of ASA, IBU and INDO being 9.66 × 10−9 M, 4.19 × 10−9 M and 7.2 × 10−9 M, respectively, were obtained using differential pulse voltammetry. The developed sensor could detect two of the three (ibuprofen and indomethacin) simultaneously at significantly different potentials and exhibited remarkable reproducibility after a regeneration step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa is one of the most vulnerable regions in respect of climate change. As the African continent struggles to adapt to climate change, a variety of measures are being pursued to alleviate the resultant pressures on people, properties and their livelihoods in several African cities. Collectively, they show that climate change adaptation in Africa is not as hopeless as widely claimed, and that there are some promising prospects. The literature shows a deficiency on studies which examine the extent to which climate change adaptation is being pursued in African cities. This paper addresses this need, and outlines some of the most important climate threats (e.g. increasing temperatures, droughts, sea level rise, sea and river flooding) and synergic non-climate factors, as well as recent progress made in respect of implementing climate change adaptation in African cities. Rather than adopt a general description of trends, this research focuses on concrete case studies from six major cities across the central, western, and eastern regions of the African continent (Douala, Lagos City, Dar-es-Salaam, Accra, Addis Ababa and Mombasa). The vulnerability and adaptive capacity status of the studied cities are discussed. Difficulties and challenges encountered in implementing adaptation policies in these areas are also highlighted. Furthermore, some successful examples of climate change adaptation initiatives in the surveyed cities are provided. Finally, the paper outlines some of the policy measures which can be implemented towards strengthening the capacity of African cities to adapt to a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regimens of current drugs for tuberculosis are lengthy and are associated with many adverse effects. Currently, the emergence of different resistant strains has been observed. This urges a need for the discovery and development of novel drugs. The main sources of drug lead candidates are based on natural products. Zanthoxylum leprieurii , Lantana camara , and Cryptolepis Sanguinolenta are among the plants that have antimycobacterial activity. Recent technological methods, such as metabolomics, can rapidly detect and identify active compounds from medicinal plants. In this review, we aim to provide an overview and discussion of the antimycobacterial activity, phytochemical analysis and toxicity profile of these plants and their products as well as the potential of metabolomic fingerprinting of medicinal plants with a given activity on microbes, in the search for the potential drug hit molecules. The information for this review was extracted from databases such as Excerpta Medica Database, Google Scholar, Springer, and PubMed Central. Primary studies, using a combination of the keywords antimycobacterial medicinal plant, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, phytochemistry, toxicity, Zanthoxylum leprieurii , Lantana camara , Cryptolepis sanguinolenta , and plant metabolomics/metabolic fingerprinting of plant extracts, have been considered. The above-mentioned plant species showed antimycobacterial activity against drug-resistant strains of M. tuberculosis. They may provide potential candidates for novel drugs against multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. However, extensive work is still needed. To our knowledge, there is no or limited literature that reports the metabolic fingerprints of these plants. The analysis of the metabolite fingerprints of medicinal plants with similar antimicrobial activity could be important to determine whether the activity results from common metabolites within different plant species. This review shows that these plants are potential candidates to provide drug hits against multidrug-resistant tuberculosis strains. Future studies of compound optimization, in vivo safety and efficacy, as well as of the specific mechanisms of action are however required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]