Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Removal Of Iron From Aqueous Solution By Using South Ethiopian Semen Ari Bamboo Activated Carbon

: This study focuses the removal of iron upon batch adsorption process using activated carbon that obtained from bamboo stem. The bamboo activated carbon was prepared and activated by using H 3 PO 4 was studied and the results indicates that 62.45 % fixed carbon, 0.65 g/cm 3 bulk density, 7.6 % moisture content, 5.55 % ash content. The process parameters for the removal of iron which include initial pH, contact time, initial metal ion concentration, adsorbent dosage, particle size and temperature of solution was varied in order to evaluate their influence on the adsorption process. The results were obtained reveals that the maximum sorption for metal was found to be at pH 5. The adsorption of Fe 3+ was achieved and exist equilibrium at 60 minutes of agitation. The BAC dosage reveals better results at lower metal ion concentrations and higher adsorbent dosages. The adsorption process was also evaluated under different isotherms; a better sorption fit found for Fe 3+ is Freundlich isotherm model with correlation coefficient (R 2 ) values of 0.9620. The kinetic models were studied upon adsorption kinetics and this study showed a good correlation coefficient for a pseudo-second order kinetic model. Thermodynamic parameters such were also been evaluated and indicate the spontaneous nature of the adsorption process. The positive value of change in enthalpy ( Δ H) and negative Gibbs free energy change ( Δ G) suggests and confirmed that the adsorption process was established as endothermic and spontaneous nature respectively.
Assessment of organic fertilizer usage by vegetable farmers in Asa Local Government area of Kwara State, Nigeria

Vegetables support rural and urban population both in terms of subsistence and income generation. Its cultivation however presents with problems that can be reduced with the use of organic fertilizers. Therefore, there is a need to assess the use of organic fertilizer among vegetable growers as it directly affects yield of vegetables. This study was conducted in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State. Purposive and simple random sampling was used to select 120 respondents who were interviewed. Results from the study showed that the majority of the respondents (94%) were above 25 years while 77% of the farmers were females. A few number of the respondents (19%) had secondary education while many (50%) lack formal education. A large proportion (86%) of the respondents use organic fertilizer on their farms and 72% use a combination of poultry droppings and cow-dung to fertilize their farms on a regular basis (fortnightly). Offensive odour and transportation problems were among the prominent limitations to the use of organic fertilizer among the farmers. The study concludes that although vegetable farmers in the study area profusely use organic fertilizer, the yield is rather poor. It was therefore recommended that application should be supervised by relevant agencies to ensure correct levels of usage whilst research institutes need to devise means of reducing offensive smells of organic fertilizers. Keywords: Organic fertilizer, Vegetable production, Yield, offensive odour
vaccine-induced neuroprotection in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

There is a growing interest in using vaccination with CNS antigens to induce autoreactive T cell responses that home to damaged areas in the CNS and ameliorate neurodegenerative disease. Neuroprotective vaccine studies have focused on administering oligodendrocyte antigens or Copaxone H in complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA). Theoretical considerations, however, suggest that vaccination with a neuronal antigen may induce more robust neuroprotective immune responses. We assessed the neuroprotective potential of vaccines containing tyrosine hydroxylase (a neuronal protein involved in dopamine synthesis) or Copaxone H in CFA in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. Surprisingly, we observed that the main beneficial factor in these vaccines was the CFA. Since the major immunogenic component in CFA is Mycobacterium tuberculosis , which closely related to the bacille Calmette-Gue´rin (BCG) that is used in human vaccines, we tested BCG vaccination in the MPTP mouse model. We observed that BCG vaccination partially preserved markers of striatal dopamine system integrity and prevented an increase in activated microglia in the substantia nigra of MPTP-treated mice. These results support a new neuroprotective vaccine paradigm in which general (nonself-reactive) immune stimulation in the periphery can limit potentially deleterious microglial responses to a neuronal insult and exert a neurorestorative effect in the CNS. Accordingly, BCG vaccination may provide a new strategy to augment current treatments for a wide range of neuropathological
Vacuolar H 1 -ATPase Activity Is Required for Endocytic and Secretory Trafﬁcking in Arabidopsis W

In eukaryotic cells, compartments of the highly dynamic endomembrane system are acidiﬁed to varying degrees by the activity of vacuolar H þ -ATPases (V-ATPases). In the Arabidopsis thaliana genome, most V-ATPase subunits are encoded by small gene families, thus offering potential for a multitude of enzyme complexes with different kinetic properties and localizations. We have determined the subcellular localization of the three Arabidopsis isoforms of the membrane-integral V-ATPase subunit VHA-a. Colocalization experiments as well as immunogold labeling showed that VHA-a1 is preferentially found in the trans -Golgi network (TGN), the main sorting compartment of the secretory pathway. Uptake experiments with the endocytic tracer FM4-64 revealed rapid colocalization with VHA-a1, indicating that the TGN may act as an early endosomal compartment. Concanamycin A, a speciﬁc V-ATPase inhibitor, blocks the endocytic transport of FM4-64 to the tonoplast, causes the accumulation of FM4-64 together with newly synthesized plasma membrane proteins, and interferes with the formation of brefeldin A compartments. Furthermore, nascent cell plates are rapidly stained by FM4-64, indicating that endocytosed material is redirected into the secretory ﬂow after reaching the TGN. Together, our results suggest the convergence of the early endocytic and secretory trafﬁcking pathways in the TGN. resulting binary plasmids were introduced into Agrobacterium tume- faciens strain GV3101:pMP90 and selected on 5 m g/mL rifampicin, 10 m g/ mL gentamycin, and 100 m g/mL spectinomycin. Col-0 plants were trans- formed usingstandard procedures,and transgenic plants were selected on MS medium þ 1% sucrose plates containing 50 m g/mL kanamycin.
Factors Associated With Utilisation of Antenatal Care Services by Pregnant Women Aged Between 18 and 49 Years in Masvingo Province

Objectives: The study sought to identify factors associated with utilization of antenatal care (ANC) services by women aged between 18-49 years in Masvingo Province Methods: An analytical cross sectional study guided by Anderson and Newman conceptual Framework of Health Services Utilisation, was carried out at Masvingo Provincial hospital to identify predisposing, enabling and need related factors associated with ANC utilization by pregnant women aged 18-49 years. Utilisation of ANC services was defined as the number of ANC visits that a client makes during one pregnancy. Those who had at least four ANC visits before birth during their pregnancy were classified as having utilised ANC services. Women in ANC who were 36 weeks pregnant, aged between 18 and 49 years, attending ANC at Masvingo Provincial Hospital during the data collection period and were willing to participate in the study were included. Simple random sampling using the lottery method was then used to select study participants. A total of 207 pregnant women were interviewed. Results: The prevalence of non-utilization of ANC services in Masvingo Province was 48%. Statistically significant predisposing factors associated with non-utilization of ANC services were having nil/primary level of education (COR=14.45; 95% CI: 1.843-113.356), family income of less than US $500 (COR= 2.837, 1.534-5.247) and not being married (COR= 2,839; 95%CI: 1.045-7.714). Statistically significant enabling factors associated with non-utilization of ANC services were not having a planned pregnancy (COR=6.665; 95% CI: 3.528-12.591), not being encouraged to go for ANC check-up (COR=4.440; 95%CI: 2.452-8.042), not having autonomy to seek health care (COR= 4.231; 95%CI: 2.277-7.861) and not having a previous normal vertex delivery (COR=2.139; 95%CI: 1.219-3.752). Statistically significant need related factors which were associated with non-utilization of ANC services were not having been satisfied with the care provided in ANC (COR=5.277; 95%CI: 2.565-1086), not having used ANC services before (COR=4.173; 95%CI: 1.479-11.802) and not having knowledge about the risks associated with pregnancy (COR=3.518; 95%CI: 1.881-6.58). Conclusion: There is need for the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s Family Health department in conjunction with the department of nursing services, to carry out community awareness campaigns on the importance of antenatal care utilisation.
Biochemical Studies on Pomegranate

Water, methanol and ethanol were used to extract total phenols, total tannins, anthocyanin, flavonoids and antioxidants activity from pomegranate peels ( Punica granatum L) by using different methods. The obtained extracts and juice were used to study their antimicrobial effects against some Gram positive bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenese, Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus cereus), some Gram negative bacteria ( Escherichia coli , Klebsiella pneumonia and Salmonella typi ) and some fungi ( Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans ). Also, pomegranate juice and peel water extract were used to study their biological effects against diabetic and hypercholesterolemia in Wister rats. Water extract at 50°C for 20 min showed the highest capacity for extracting total phenols, total tannins, anthocyanin and total flavonoids compounds from dried pomegranate peels. Methanol extract at 50°C for 20 min recorded the highest antioxidant activity. All extracts recorded good inhibition for all the tested microorganisms. Administration of pomegranate juice and peel water extract induced significant decrement in blood serum glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), urea, uric acid and creatinine in diabetic and hypercholesterolemia rats while, high density lipoprotein (HDL) elevated. Hematological parameters showed significant increment in white blood cells (WBC) in the diabetic group and in hypercholesterolemia group administrated with pomegranate juice red blood cells (RBC) and WBC showed significant increment.
The homeobox, a highly conserved 183 bp sequence found in several classes of development-regulating genes in Drosophila, is also conserved in the genome of organisms as evolutionarily diverse as sea urchins and mammals

The homeobox, a highly conserved 183 bp sequence found in several classes of development-regulating genes in Drosophila, is also conserved in the genome of organisms as evolutionarily diverse as sea urchins and mammals (reviewed by Gehring, 1987; Scott et al., 1989). Genes containing this domain are known to function as transcription factors, regulating the expression of target genes. The sequence similarity in the homeodomain has provided a means for isolating potential development-regulating genes from the complex genomes of higher organisms. Mouse genes with a homeodomain most similar to that of the Drosophila Antennapedia gene are designated Hox genes (Martin et al., 1987). More than thirty-five Hox genes have been identified and the patterns of expression of several of them have been characterized in embryos and adult tissues. Like their Drosophila counterparts, the mammalian homeobox genes exhibit temporal, spatial and cellular specificity in their expression both during embryogenesis and in adult tissues. However, the regulatory mechanisms involved in the establishment of these complex patterns are not well understood. The mouse gene termed Hox-1.4 was isolated from a cDNA library prepared from adult mouse testis RNA (Wolgemuth et al., 1986). Like other mouse homeobox genes characterized to date, Hox-1.4 is expressed during mid-gestational development of the mouse embryo in a temporally and spatially restricted pattern. In day 12.5 embryos (E 12.5), Hox-1.4 expression has been observed by in situ and 823 Development 117, 823-833 (1993) Printed in Great Britain © The Company of Biologists Limited 1993
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF INFLUENZA VIRUS IN A SUSPECTED OUTBREAK OF INFLUENZA IN A UNIVERSITY

Objectives. Influenza virus occurs usually on epidemic scale and this study monitored a suspected outbreak of Influenza in a University campus. The objective of the study is to confirm that there was an outbreak and suggest ways to stop future occurrence. Methods. 766 nasal, throat swabs and sputum were collected from both staffs and students showing symptoms of cold, cattarah and difficulty in breathing. To serve as control, another age-matched 766 samples were collected from apparently healthy individuals. Samples were collected between January to April 2005. All samples were screened for Influenza virus by culturing into allantoic fluid of embryonated chicken’s eggs which was incubated at 37 o C for 15days. After harvesting, haemaglutination Inhibition (HI) test was carried out using the allantoic fluid of the embryonated eggs with fowl’s erythrocytes. This also served as the antigen during HI test using the respective blood samples from all the subjects in this study. Result. Of the 766 symptomatic individuals screened using the embryonated eggs, 467 (61%) were positive while 299 (39%) were negative. From the 766 control samples, only 260 (33.9%) were positive while 506 (66.1%) were negative and the results were significantly high when confirmed by the regression analysis. There was no significant F-change (F=0.006, CI=99%, p=0.739). The results from both the culture and HI test gave no significant difference based on their t test . Conclusion . The high positive results from the cases as compared to the controls points that there was an outbreak of influenza. And that the result from both the culture method and the HI test are the same and then reliable.
A study of correlation between radiological and functional outcome of distal radius fracture treated by various modalities

Background : Distal radius fractures are one of the most common injuries to the musculoskeletal system. Functional outcome in these fractures depend on many factors. Our main aim was to study if good radiological outcome has any effect on functional outcome and to compare various modalities of treatment of fracture distal end radius Method : We retrospectively studied 120 patients. 30 cases were treated with conservative management & 30 cases with volar plating, percutaneous pinning and JESS fixator (Joshi’s External Stabilizing System). Results : Most of the patients were between 40-60 years (Mean 50.35 years). Most common mode of injury was RTA (50.3%), Right side was predominantly affected (60.3%) and most common fracture type was AO type C1. Mean pain score & Function score Patient Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) were less among patients where radiological parameters were restored. Conclusion : From this study, we conclude that restoration of radiological parameters will help in good functional outcome in treatment of intra-articular and extra articular fractures of distal end of radius and volar plating has better results in radiological parameter restoration and functional outcome.
Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change in Cities and their 1 Adaptive Capacity: towards transformative approaches to climate 2 change adaptation and poverty reduction in urban areas in a set of 3 developing countries

13 Many cities across the world are facing from the many problems climate change poses to their 14 populations, communities and infrastructure. These vary from increased exposures to floods, to 15 discomfort due to urban heat, depending on their geographical locations and settings. However, 16 even though some cities have a greater ability to cope with climate change challenges, many 17 struggle to do so, particularly in cities in developing countries. In addition, there is a shortage of 18 international studies which examine the links between climate change adaptation and cities, and 19 which at the same time draw some successful examples of good practice, which may assist future 20 efforts. This paper is an attempt to address this information need. The aim of this paper is to 21 analyse the extent to which cities in a sample of developing countries are attempting to pursue 22 climate change adaptation and the problems which hinder this process. Its goal is to showcase 23 examples of initiatives and good practice in transformative adaptation, which may be replicable 24 elsewhere. To this purpose, the paper describes some trends related to climate change in a set of 25 cities in developing countries across different continents, including one of the smallest capital 26 cities (Georgetown, Guyana) and Shanghai, one the world´s most populous cities. In particular, it 27 analyses their degree of vulnerability, how they manage to cope with climate change impacts, 28 and the policies being implemented to aid adaptation. It also suggests the use of transformative 29 approaches which may be adopted, in order to assist them in their efforts towards investments in 30 low-carbon and climate-resilient infrastructure, thereby maximizing investments in urban areas 31 and trying to address their related poverty issues. This paper addresses a gap in the international 32 literature on the problems many cities in developing countries face, in trying to adapt to a 33 changing climate. 34
Death comes suddenly to the unprepared: singing crickets, call fragmentation, and parasitoid flies

: Male field crickets are subject to a delicate dilemma because their songs simultaneously attract mates and acoustic predators. It has been suggested that in response, crickets have modified various temporal song parameters to become less attractive to acoustic predators. We investigated whether crickets with chirping (versus trilling) song structures are less likely to attract acoustically orienting parasitoid flies. Experimentally, we evaluated the phonotactic quest of the parasitoid fly Ormia ochracea in response to broadcast cricket calls, presented both simultaneously (choice paradigm) and sequentially (no-choice paradigm). Flight trajectories were recorded in darkness using three-dimensional active infrared video tracking. The flies showed remarkable phonotactic accuracy by landing directly on the loudspeaker. The introduction of acoustic fragmentation that resembles calls of many chirping crickets altered the flies’ phonotactic accuracy only slightly. Our results document differential attraction between trilling and chirping cricket songs and quantitatively demonstrate that chirping songs, if presented alone, do not impair the efficiency (temporal investment and landing accuracy) of the flies’ phonotactic quest. This study shows that song fragmentation is no safeguard against acoustic parasitism. We conclude that, in general, a cricket may reduce predation only if its neighbors are acoustically more conspicuous, chiefly by amplitude Male ﬁeld crickets are subject to a delicate dilemma because their songs simultaneously attract mates and acoustic predators. It has been suggested that in response, crickets have modiﬁed various temporal song parameters to become less attractive to acoustic predators. We investigated whether crickets with chirping (versus trilling) song structures are less likely to attract acoustically orienting parasitoid ﬂies. Experimentally, we evaluated the phonotactic quest of the parasitoid ﬂy Ormia ochracea in response to broadcast cricket calls, presented both simultaneously (choice paradigm) and sequentially (no-choice paradigm). Flight trajectories were recorded in darkness using three-dimensional active infrared video tracking. The ﬂies showed remarkable phonotactic accuracy by landing directly on the loudspeaker. The introduction of acoustic fragmentation that resembles calls of many chirping crickets altered the ﬂies’ phonotactic accuracy only slightly. Our results document differential attraction between trilling and chirping cricket songs and quantitatively demonstrate that chirping songs, if presented alone, do not impair the efﬁciency (temporal investment and landing accuracy) of the ﬂies’ phonotactic quest. This study shows that song fragmentation is no safeguard against acoustic parasitism. We conclude that, in general, a cricket may reduce predation only if its neighbors are acoustically more conspicuous, chieﬂy by amplitude. Key words: communication, Gryllus, Ormia, parasitism, phonotactic behavior, trajectory analysis. [Behav Ecol 13:598–606 (2002)]
Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports

Route choice through mountainous terrain requires a knowledge of how pace (the reciprocal of speed) varies with gradient of ascent or descent. To model this variation for runners, we analyse record times for 91 uphill and 15 downhill races or race stages. The pace is modelled as a nonlinear function of gradient and a linear function of race duration, using ordinary least squares to obtain a best fit. For the gradient-dependence, six functional forms are compared, of which a quartic is found to fit the data best; however, at steep gradients the quartic model is unrealistic and it may be argued that a linear model is more appropriate. Critical gradients, at which a runner's vertical speed (uphill or downhill) is maximised, may be calculated from a nonlinear model, although it appears that there is no uphill critical gradient within the range of our dataset.
AN INTEGRAL FIELD STUDY OF ABUNDANCE GRADIENTS IN NEARBY LIRGS

We present for the ﬁrst time metallicity maps generated using data from the Wide Field Spectrograph (WiFeS) on the ANU 2.3m of 9 Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIRGs) and discuss the abundance gradients and distribution of metals in these systems. We have carried out optical integral ﬁeld spectroscopy (IFS) of several several LIRGs in various merger phases to investigate the merger process. In a major merger of two spiral galaxies with preexisting disk abundance gradients, the changing distribution of metals can be used as a tracer of gas ﬂows in the merging system as low metallicity gas is transported from the outskirts of each galaxy to their nuclei. We employ this fact to probe merger properties by using the emission lines in our IFS data to calculate the gas-phase metallicity in each system. We create abundance maps and subsequently derive a metallicity gradient from each map. We compare our measured gradients to merger stage as well as several possible tracers of merger progress and observed nuclear abundances. We discuss our work in the context of previous abundance gradient observations and compare our results to new galaxy merger models which trace metallicity gradient. Our results agree with the observed ﬂattening of metallicity gradients as a merger progresses. We compare our results with new theoretical predictions that include chemical enrichment. Our data show remarkable agreement with these simulations.