bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The New American Farmer
Authors: Minkoff-Zern Laura-Anne
Published: November 2019

An examination of Latino/a immigrant farmers as they transition from farmworkers to farm owners that offers a new perspective on racial inequity and sustainable farming.

Although the majority of farms in the United States have US-born owners who identify as white, a growing number of new farmers are immigrants, many of them from Mexico, who originally came to the United States looking for work in agriculture. In The New American Farmer, Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern explores the experiences of Latino/a immigrant farmers as they transition from farmworkers to farm owners, offering a new perspective on racial inequity and sustainable farming. She finds that many of these new farmers rely on farming practices from their home countries—including growing multiple crops simultaneously, using integrated pest management, maintaining small-scale production, and employing family labor—most of which are considered alternative farming techniques in the United States.

Drawing on extensive interviews with farmers and organizers, Minkoff-Zern describes the social, economic, and political barriers immigrant farmers must overcome, from navigating USDA bureaucracy to racialized exclusion from opportunities. She discusses, among other topics, the history of discrimination against farm laborers in the United States; the invisibility of Latino/a farmers to government and universities; new farmers' sense of agrarian and racial identity; and the future of the agrarian class system.

Minkoff-Zern argues that immigrant farmers, with their knowledge and experience of alternative farming practices, are—despite a range of challenges—actively and substantially contributing to the movement for an ecological and sustainable food system. Scholars and food activists should take notice.

The open access edition of this book was made possible by generous funding from the MIT Libraries.
The Householders
Authors: McDowell Tara
Published: November 2019

How the poet Robert Duncan and the artist Jess made the household part of their separate and collaborative creative practice.

“I'm a householder,” the poet Robert Duncan once explained. “My whole idea of being able to work was to have a household.” In this book, Tara McDowell examines the household (physical and conceptual) that Duncan established with the artist Jess, beginning in 1951 when the two men exchanged marriage vows, and ending with Duncan's death in 1988. For Duncan and Jess, the household—rather than the studio, gallery, or collective—provided the support structure for their art. Indeed, McDowell argues convincingly, their work was coextensive with their household. The material surroundings of their house in San Francisco and the daily rhythms of their domestic lives became part of their creative practice.

Duncan wrote poetry that is romantic, ornate, and obscure; Jess (born Burgess Franklin Collins) created multi-imaged, complex collages and assemblages. McDowell explores their life and work—reading Duncan and Jess with and against each other, in alignment and misalignment. She examines their illustrated book Caesar's Gate, a collaborative effort that led them to reject collaboration; considers each man's lifelong preoccupation with an unfinished project, Jess's Narkissos and Duncan's The H.D. Book; and discusses their “origin myths” and self-made genealogies, describing them as a form of witness in the face of the calamities of the twentieth century.

Duncan and Jess made the household a necessary precondition for their art making. Doing so, they reclaimed and rehabilitated the domestic—from which gay couples were traditionally excluded—for their own uses. The household permitted them to reimagine the world. McDowell's portrait of a couple expands to encompass broader issues, urgent in midcentury America and still resonant today: belonging and kinship, alienation, and catastrophe.
The Architectural Model
Authors: Mindrup Matthew
Published: November 2019

An investigation of different uses for the architectural model through history—as sign, souvenir, funerary object, didactic tool, medium for design, and architect's muse.

For more than five hundred years, architects have employed three-dimensional models as tools to test, refine, and illustrate their ideas. But, as Matthew Mindrup shows, the uses of physical architectural models extend beyond mere representation. An architectural model can also simulate, instruct, inspire, and generate architectural designs. It can be, among other things, sign, souvenir, toy, funerary object, didactic tool, medium, or muse. In this book, Mindrup surveys the history of architectural models by investigating their uses, both theoretical and practical.

Tracing the architectural model's development from antiquity to the present, Mindrup also offers an interpretive framework for understanding each of its applications in the context of time and place. He first examines models meant to portray extant, fantastic, or proposed structures, describing their use in ancient funerary or dedicatory practices, in which models are endowed with magical power; as a medium for architectural reverie and inspiration; and as prototypes for twentieth-century experimental designs. Mindrup then considers models that exemplify certain architectural uses, exploring the influence of Leon Battista Alberti's dictum that models be simple, lest they distract from the architect's ideas; analyzing the model as a generative tool; and investigating allegorical, analogical, and anagogical interpretations of models.

Mindrup's histories show how the model can be a surrogate for the architectural structure itself, or for the experience of its formal, tactile, and sensory complexity; and beyond that, that the manipulation, play, experimentation, and dreaming enabled by models allow us to imagine architecture in new ways.
The Long Journey of Central Bank Communication
Authors: Issing Otmar
Published: November 2019

A leading economist and former central banker discusses the evolution of central bank communication from secretiveness to transparency and accountability.

Central bank communication has evolved from secretiveness to transparency and accountability—from a reluctance to give out any information at all to the belief in communication as a panacea for effective policy. In this book, Otmar Issing, himself a former central banker, discusses the journey toward transparency in central bank communication. Issing traces the development of transparency, examining the Bank of England as an example of extreme reticence and European Central Bank's President Mario Draghi as a practitioner of effective communication. He argues that the ultimate goal of central bank communication is to make monetary policy more effective, and describes the practice and theory of communication as an evolutionary process. For a long time, the Federal Reserve never made its monetary policy decisions public; the European Central Bank, on the other hand, had to adopt a modern communication strategy from the outset.

Issing discusses the importance of guiding expectations in central bank communication, and points to financial markets as the most important recipients of this communication. He discusses the obligations of accountability and transparency, although he notes that total transparency is a “mirage.” Issing argues that the central message to the public must always be that the stability of a nation's currency is the bank's priority.
When the President Calls
Authors: Bowmaker Simon W.
Published: November 2019

Interviews with thirty-five economic policymakers who advised presidents from Nixon to Trump.

What is it like to sit in the Oval Office and discuss policy with the president? To know that the decisions made will affect hundreds of millions of people? To know that the wrong advice could be calamitous? When the President Calls presents interviews with thirty-five economic policymakers who served presidents from Nixon to Trump. These officials worked in the executive branch in a variety of capacities—the Council of Economic Advisers, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of the Treasury, and the National Economic Council—but all had direct access to the policymaking process and can offer insights about the difficult tradeoffs made on economic policy. The interviews shed new light, for example, on the thinking behind the Reagan tax cuts, the economic factors that cost George H. W. Bush a second term, the constraints facing policymakers during the financial crisis of 2008, the differences in work styles between Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and the Trump administration's early budget process.

When the President Calls offers a unique, behind-the-scenes perspective on US economic policymaking, with specific and personal detail—the turmoil, the personality clashes, the enormous pressure of trying to do the right thing while the clock is ticking.

Interviews with Nicholas F. Brady, Lael Brainard, W. Michael Blumenthal, Michael J. Boskin, Stuart E. Eizenstat, Martin S. Feldstein, Stephen Friedman, Jason Furman, Austan D. Goolsbee, Alan Greenspan, Kevin A. Hassett, R. Glenn Hubbard, Alan B. Krueger, Arthur B. Laffer, Edward P. Lazear, Jacob J. Lew, N. Gregory Mankiw, David C. Mulford, John Michael Mulvaney, Paul H. O'Neill, Peter R. Orszag, Henry M. Paulson, Alice M. Rivlin, Harvey S. Rosen, Robert E. Rubin, George P. Shultz, Charles L. Schultze, John W. Snow, Gene B. Sperling, Joseph E. Stiglitz, Lawrence H. Summers, John B. Taylor, Paul A. Volcker, Murray L. Weidenbaum, Janet L. Yellen
Comparative proteomic analysis of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seedlings under selenium stress
Authors: Zhang Chenghao , Xu Baoyu , Geng Wei , Shen Yunde , Xuan Dongji , Lai Qixian , Shen Chenjia , Jin Chengwu , Yu Chenliang
Published: November 2019

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for human and animal health. Se fertilizer has been used to increase the Se content in crops to meet the Se requirements in humans and animals. To address the challenge of Se poisoning in plants, the mechanisms underlying Se-induced stress in plants must be understood. Here, to elucidate the effects of Se stress on the protein levels in pepper, we used an integrated approach involving tandem mass tag labeling, high performance liquid chromatography fractionation, and mass spectrometry-based analysis. A total of 4,693 proteins were identified, 3,938 of which yielded quantitative information. Among them, the expression of 172 proteins was up-regulated, and the expression of 28 proteins was down-regulated in the Se/mock treatment comparison. According to the above data, we performed a systematic bioinformatics analysis of all identified proteins and differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). The DEPs were most strongly associated with the terms “metabolic process,” “posttranslational modification, protein turnover, chaperones,” and “protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum” according to Gene Ontology, eukaryotic orthologous groups classification, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis, respectively. Furthermore, several heat shock proteins were identified as DEPs. These results provide insights that may facilitate further studies on the pepper proteome expressed downstream of the Se stress response. Our data revealed that the responses of pepper to Se stress involve various pathways.
Field evaluation of Mosq-ovitrap, Ovitrap and a CO2-light trap for Aedes albopictus sampling in Shanghai, China
Authors: Gao Qiang , Cao Hui , Fan Jian , Zhang Zhendong , Jin Shuqing , Su Fei , Leng Peien , Xiong Chenglong
Published: November 2019

Background

The Mosq-ovitrap (MOT) is currently used for routine surveillance of container-breeding Aedes in China. However, the effectiveness of monitoring Aedes albopictus using the MOT and other mosquito monitoring methods, such as the Ovitrap (OT) and the CO2-light trap (CLT), have not been extensively compared. Moreover, little is known about the spatial-temporal correlations of eggs with adult Ae. albopictus abundance among these three types of traps.

Methods

Comparative field evaluation of MOT, OT and CLT for Ae. albopictus monitoring was conducted simultaneously at two city parks and three residential neighborhoods in downtown Shanghai for 8 months from April 21 to December 21, 2017.

Results

Significantly more Ae. albopictus eggs were collected from both MOTs and OTs when traps remained in the field for 10 d or 7 d compared with 3 d (MOT: 50.16, 34.15 vs. 12.38 per trap, P < 0.001; OT: 3.98, 2.92 vs. 0.63 per trap, P < 0.001). Egg collections of MOTs were significantly greater than OTs for all three exposure durations (Percent positive: X2 = 72.251, 52.420 and 51.429, P value all < 0.001; egg collections: t = 8.068, 8.517 and 10.021, P value all <0.001). Significant temporal correlations were observed between yields of MOT and CLT in all sampling locations and 3 different MOT exposure durations (correlation coefficient r ranged from 0.439 to 0.850, P values all < 0.05). However, great variation was found in the spatial distributions of Ae. albopictus density between MOT and CLT. MOT considerably underestimated Ae. albopictus abundances in areas with high Ae. albopictus density (>25.56 per day ⋅ trap by CLT).

Conclusion

The MOT was more efficient than the OT in percent positive scores and egg collections of Ae. albopictus. The minimum length of time that MOTs are deployed in the field should not be less than 7 d, as Ae. albopictus collections during this period were much greater than for 3 d of monitoring. MOT considerably underestimated Ae. albopictus abundance in areas with high Aedes albopictus density compared to CLT. In areas with moderate Aedes albopictus densities, MOT results were significantly correlated with CLT catches.
Food and Feeding Habits of Black Spot Cat Fish (Auchenoglanis biscutatus) from Lower River Benue, Makurdi
Authors: Thomas Edem, Edem , Opeh Patience B.
Published: November 2019

The present study is aimed to provide information on the food and feeding habit of adult Auchenoglanis biscutatus in Lower River Benue. The natural food of A. biscutatus in the Lower River Benue was studied from stomach contents of the fish. The stomach contents were analyzed using two methods; the frequency of occurrence and point methods. A total of 100 stomachs were randomly examined. Eleven major items constituted the diet of A. biscutatus. The stomach content analysis of A. biscutatus have shown that they fed on the various food items ranging from plant parts, detritus, seeds, digested food particles, fish parts, mollusc, sand/mud, insect parts and algae. This indicates that A. biscutatus is an omnivorous bottom feeder since; bottom dwelling immature insects dominated most of the food items of animal origin, digested food and detritus. A. biscutatus in Lower Benue River feeds on a wide range of food items which could make it to be regarded as an omnivore. Future attempts to culture this species must take cognizance of its food habits in the wild.
Effect of Dietary Inclusion of Fermented Mucuna pruriens Leaf Meal on Growth and Feed Utilisation of Clarias gariepinus Fingerlings
Authors: Ibrahim Rasaq , Bolorunduro P. I. , Adakole J. A.
Published: November 2019

Feeding trial was conducted in 18 plastic tanks (60 x 45 x 30 cm) to assess the performance of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings fed diets containing fermented Mucuna pruriens leaf meal as an alternative protein source to soya bean meal. Five isonitrogenous (crude protein-40%) diets were formulated containing fermented Mucuna leaf meal (FMLM) at A(100% FMLM), B(75% FMLM), C(50% FMLM), D(25% FMLM) and E(0% FMLM) and were fed at 5% body weight to triplicate groups of 10 fingerlings (initial mean weight ranged from 6.20± 1.96g – 6.80± 1.97 g) of C. gariepinus for a period of twelve (12) weeks. Growth performance and feed utilisation parameters indicate that E(0% FMLM) diet gave the highest weight gain (168.87± 3.97g) but did not significantly (P≥0.05) differ from D(25% FMLM), (161.30±6.12 g), and the lowest weight gain (89.70± 1.96 g) was recorded in A(100% FMLM). Similarly, the highest specific growth rate (3.79±0.03 g) was recorded in E(0% FMLM)  followed by D(25% FMLM) (3.74±0.04 g), and the least value (3.10±0.02 g) was obtained in A(100% FMLM). However, feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and gross feed conversion efficiency (GFCE) were not significantly different (P≥0.05) among the dietary treatments. The highest (1.72±0.12) and least (1.50±0.02) FCR were obtained in A(100% FMLM) and E(0% FMLM) respectively. The result from this study indicates that fermented Mucuna  leaf meal could replace soya bean meal up to 25% in the diets for C. gariepinus fingerlings without compromising growth and feed utilisation.
Correlation between Morphometric and Dimorphic Variables to Characterize Potamon ebonyicum (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) from Ebonyi River Basin of Nigeria
Authors: Akpaniteaku Rupert C. , Ofoma John N. , Ogbonna Richard C.
Published: November 2019

Studies were carried out to determine relationships between morphometric and dimorphic variables of freshwater crab, Potamon ebonyicum. Parameter measurements were taken from side to side (left and right); and from tip to the extremity of characteristic features, to ensure that values were obtained at the widest points. The dimorphic variables showed positive correlation and linear relationship between male and female. Nonlinear relationship was recorded in most variables morphologically.  Regression analyses revealed poor correlation between carapace length (CL) and weight, and between carapace width (CW) and weight. There was a positive correlation between CL and CW of both sexes. The findings could be a guide for determining condition factor.  They could also be useful in field identification and further classification of freshwater crab.
Sexual Dimorphism in Erpetoicthys calabaricus from a Mangrove Creek, Nigeria
Authors: Asuquo I. E. , Essien-Ibok M. A.
Published: November 2019

Sexual dimorphism of E. calabaricus is presented based on the examination of external morphology of the fish. Females had very pointed anal fins which joined the caudal fin smoothly with fewer than 10 spikes. Males had broader anal fin clearly separated from the caudal fin with between 9 and 12 spikes on the fin. Colour dimorphism in males tended towards an olive green, whereas the females had a light yellow-brown colour. Paired t-test showed that active females were slightly heavier than similarly-sized males. Length frequency distribution showed the largest fish was 39.9 cm TL female, while the smallest fish (TLmin) was 21 cm TL male. Sex ratio was in favour of males giving a male: female ratio of 1: 0.79 which was different from the expected 1: 1 ratio (χ2 = 9.110, df = 1, p < 0.05). The smallest female and male were 21.7 cm and 21 cm TL, thus delineating minimum sizes in the population. Largest female and male fishes measured 39.9 cm and 39.7 cm TL. Median sizes were 28.0 cm (females) and 29.0 cm (males).
Histo-toxicity of Corexit 9500 Dispersant on Gill and Liver of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822)
Authors: Taylorharry O. , Ugbomeh A. P. , Bob-manuel K. N. O.
Published: November 2019

The aim of this study was to assess the chronic toxicity of Corexit 9500 on histology of liver and gill of juveniles of Clarias gariepinus. Range finding tests were conducted over a 96-hr period after acclimatization of the test organisms in the C.P. Powell laboratory in the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The test organisms 10/treatment were exposed to the following concentrations of Corexit 9500; 0.00 ml/L, 0.0125 ml/L, 0.025 ml/L and 0.05 ml/L in triplicate. Liver and gill were excised from fish every week for histological assay using standard methods. The LC50 at 96 hrs was 0.115 ml/L. The growth in length and weight of C. gariepinus was significantly higher in the control than the test treatments (p<0.05). Hyperplasias, necrosis of epithelial cells, inflammation of the secondary gill lamella and hypertrophic primary gill lamella were observed in the exposed gills. Hepatic lesions in the liver tissues of the fishes exposed to Corexit 9500 were characterized by hyperplasia, narrowing of the central vein and vacoulations. The alterations observed in the liver and gill tissues indicated that Corexit 9500 may have interfered with transamination and metabolic processes, with the possibility of affecting the physiological functions of the fish in an aquatic environment.
Efficacy of Aloe vera Gel and Water-leaf Extracts for Removal of Egg Adhesiveness during Artificial Propagation of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus, Burchel 1822)
Authors: Fawehinmi S. J. , Adebayo O. T. , Gbadamosi O. K.
Published: November 2019

The paper aims to study the best immersion period and concentration of the plant extracts under study (water-leaf and Aloe vera gel) that can efficiently remove egg adhesiveness of Clarias gariepinus. Data generated were subjected to Multivariate Analysis of Variance Test, Tukey multiple range tests was used as a follow up procedure. Third order Polynomial regression analysis was then used to determine the best concentration and immersion period that neutralizes adhesiveness in eggs of C. gariepinus. The experiment was carried out at The Teaching and Research Fish Farm, Federal University of Technology, Akure, between October 2018 to December 2018. One male and one female C. gariepinus brood stock weighing 1.0 kg and 1.3 kg, respectively were used for the experiment. Three different concentrations (1, 3, and 5)% of the plant extracts were used. 2 g of urea diluted in 4 g NaCl/L of water was used as reference de-adhesion agent, while water without urea solution nor plant extracts was used as control. The fish eggs were rinsed with the solutions at different durations of 1, 3 and 5 minutes. Each concentration and rinsing time was recorded in duplicates. Results of the study showed that there were no significant differences (p=0.05) in the non-adhesive egg hatching of eggs immersed in Aloe vera gel and Urea solution. Number of non-adhesive egg and hatching increased in waterleaf extract which was significantly different (P=0.05) from eggs immersed in Aloe vera gel and water but not significantly different from urea solution. Therefore this study shows that waterleaf extract at 1% concentration and 1 minute immersion period can efficiently remove egg adhesiveness and increase hatching in C. gariepinus.
Performance of Lettuce and Water Spinach in Koi Fish-based Aquaponics System
Authors: Andriani Yuli , . Zahidah , Dhahiyat Yayat , Hamdani Herman , Dewi Dan Ristiana
Published: November 2019

This research aims to determine the growth of lettuce and water spinach plants used as biofilter in koi fish (Cyprinus carpio) aquaponic system. Research was carried out at the Laboratory of Fisheries, Ciparanje, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran from March to April 2018. Research was carried out experimentally using Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 2 treatments and 6 repetitions. The treatments were a combination of koi and  water spinach, and a combination of koi and lettuce. The parameters observed were fish growth, fish survival, increase in length of plant stems and increase in leaf strands. The combination of koi fish and water spinach plants produced the highest productivity of plants, with stem length of 39 cm and the addition of 15 leaflets. This combination also produced the highest absolute growth of 3.93 grams / fish and survival rate of 100%.
Stomach Content, Length-weight Relationship and Condition Factor of Tilapia spp. found in the Sombreiro River across Three Communities in Rivers State, Nigeria
Authors: Horsfall E. O. , Sokari G. M. , Moslen M. , Ekweozor I. K. E.
Published: November 2019

Aim: The present study aims to determine the condition factor incomplete of Tilapia guineensis and Sarotherodon melanotheron in Sombreiro River across Buguma, Abonnema and Degema communities in Rivers State.

Study Design: This study employs fieldwork, laboratory experimental design, statistical analysis and interpretation of data.

Place and Duration of Study: Live fish samples were caught by fishermen in Buguma, Abonnema and Degema communities in Kalabari kingdom of Rivers State, and were conveyed in a rectangular plastic aquarium containing ice blocks and oxygen bags to the department of Applied and Environmental Biology, Rivers State University. The duration of the study lasted for twelve weeks (65 days).

Methodology: One hundred and eighty fish samples give their average weights and lengths were identified. The fish samples were weighed using an electronic weighing balance, the total length and length of intestine were measured with a meter rule (cm), color of fish, spines and rays of fish were also observed. Their stomach contents were analyzed viewing under a microscope. The frequency of occurrence method and the numerical method were used for analyzing the food items.

Results: The stomach content analysis indicated that the major food was phytoplankton. The length and weight relationship in the three sampled stations for T. guineensis and Sarotherodon melanotheron showed negative allometric growth, (<3).  The condition factor for all the fish samples was greater than one. The physicochemical parameters showed that there were significant differences in the various physicochemical parameters across the study stations except for turbidity (P=0.744) and salinity (P=0.922), that showed no significant difference across the study stations.

Conclusion: The length-weight relationship in fishes can be affected by a number of factors including season, habitat, gonad maturity, sex, diet, stomach fullness, health and differences in length ranges of the specimen caught. The exact relationship between length and weight differs among species of fish according to their inherited body shape, and within a species according to the condition (robustness) of individual fish.

The stomach content analysis of the sampled fishes provided a baseline study of food and feeding habits of Tilapia species in the sampled stations.
Gonad Histology, Proximate Composition and Growth Efficiency of Nile Tilapia Fed with Pawpaw (Carica papaya) Seeds Powder
Authors: Waweru Jerusha Njeri , Raburu Phillip Okoth , Odhiambo Elizabeth Akinyi
Published: November 2019

The study was carried out to determine the effect of different inclusion levels of pawpaw seeds powder (PSP) on the proximate composition, growth and histological structure of Nile tilapia gonads.  Nile tilapia were treated with pawpaw seeds powder at four levels at 0 g, 4 g, 8 g and 12 g PSP/kg feed for 60 days. The proximate composition of the carcass of the  Nile tilapia showed that the 8 g PSP/kg feed treatment group had the highest values (mean ± SE) of Crude protein  and ash (53.97 ± 0.094 and 20.05 ± 0.35) respectively. The highest body weight gain and specific growth rate was achieved at the 8 g PSP/kg treatment level but this treatment level showed the lowest feed conversion ratio. Histology of gonads of Nile tilapia treated with different levels of PSP revealed that ovaries and testes of 0 g PSP/kg feed were normal. Ovaries of the 4 g PSP/kg feed had degenerative stromas while testes had scanty spermatozoa. At 8 g PSP/kg feed, the ovaries showed increased atretic follicles and testes had degeneration of spermatozoa.Treatment with 12 g PSP/kg feed resulted in severe atretic follicles of the ovaries and deformation of seminiferous tubules and erosion of spermatozoa of the testes. The results of this study showed that pawpaw seeds powder can be used to control the breeding of Nile tilapia in production units.
Effect of Different Doses of Ovulin Hormone Suspended in Saline on the Induced Breeding Performance of African Catfishes Clarias anguillaris and Clarias gariepinus in Sokoto, Nigeria
Authors: Maradun H. F. , Argungu L. A. , Abubakar M. Y. , Abubakar M. Y. , Umar F. , Kasim L. I. , Sahabi A. M.
Published: November 2019

A study on the effect of different doses of Ovulin hormone suspended in saline on the breeding performance of Clarias anguillaris and Clarias gariepinus was carried out. The experiment was conducted in a 2x5 factorial experiment in a Completely Randomized Design at the Hatchery Unit of the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. Species and hormone dilutions constituted the factors with specie having 2 levels (C. anguillaris and C. gariepinus) and Ovulin suspended in saline at 5 levels (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%). The result showed that species levels did not significantly (P>0.05) affect the breeding performance in all the breeding performance parameters observed. However, fertilization rate, hatching rate and survival rate were significantly affected (P<0.05) by different levels of Ovulin suspended in saline, but did not have significant influence (P>0.05) on egg weight, spawning fecundity and relative fecundity. It could be concluded from this study that Ovulin suspended in saline can have significant influence on the breeding performance of African catfish.
Alternations in Enzyme Activities of Clarias gariepinus Infected with Aeromonas hydrophila and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Ukwe I. O. K. , Oladapo-Akinfolarin T. T.
Published: November 2019

Clarias gariepinus were infected with Aeromonas hydrophila and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and blood samples were collected weekly for biochemical analysis to analyse their enzyme activities and pathogenesis for four weeks. The enzymes includes: aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphastase (ALP), acid phosphastase (ACP) and lactate – dehydrogenase (LDH). The fish were distributed in three different groups in triplicates as: control (C1 C2 C3), A. hydrophila (A1, A2, A3) and P. aeruginosa (P1, P2, P3). After two weeks of acclimatization, A1 – A3 were injected with 1.5 ml of 106 cfu/ml of A. hydrophila, P1-P3 were injected with 1.5 ml of 106 cfu/ml of P. aeruginosa, while C1-C3 were pathogen free. At the end of the experiment, it was observed that there was a constant increase, in the enzyme activities of the infected fish, indicating increase in virulence with respect to weeks of exposure but P. aeruginosa had higher pathogenicity compared to A. hydrophila.
Comparative Study of the Flesh Quality of Clarias gariepinus in Farm-raised and Wild Populations
Authors: Michael Popoola Omoniyi , Adedayo Fasakin Emmanuel
Published: November 2019

Aim. Nutrients analysis of wild and farmed raised African catfish (Clarias gariepinus, Burchell, 1822) were studied. The comparative work was carried out to find out if habitat could affect the nutrient composition of the fish.

Study design: Five live C. gariepinus were obtained for three wild location and three fish farm each (n=30). One-way analysis of variance was use to examine the nutrients composition across the study locations.

Methodology: Five individual fishes were randomly selected from the forty individuals in a population obtained from six locations. They were sacrificed and cut into three (tail, middle and trunk) chunks. These were oven dried at a constant temperature of 105ºC using oven model LCON53CF. The samples were later blend using electric blender and kept in airtight nylon for further analysis. Standard methods were employed in the analysis of body nutrients.

Results: A significant difference was observed in proximate composition of C. gariepinus on dry matter bases. The moisture and lipids content were lower in wild C. gariepinus (5.16±0.07;15.27+0.08%) than farm raised (5.25±0.10%;18.54+0.08%). The average protein and ash contents in farm-raised C. gariepinus were significantly (p<0.05) lower (66.23+0.08%; 5.00+0.07%) than wild C. gariepinus (67.24+0.09%;9.06+0.07%). Organoleptic study revealed differences in taste between wild and farm raised C. gariepinus (p<0.05). The amino acids profile showed little disparity in quantity in wild and farm raised C. gariepinus. No significant difference (p>0.05) was noticed in the mean values of amino acids in wild (4.21) and farmed raised (4.16) C. gariepinus. The percentage of saturated fatty acids was higher (56.24%) in farmed raised C. gariepinus than the wild stocks (44.53%) unlike the unsaturated fatty acids that was higher in wild (79.46%) than the farmed raised (54.03%).

Conclusion: The study revealed that wild fish possess some nutritional advantages over the culture C. gariepinus.
Capture Process of White Pomfret (Pampus argenteus) on Gillnet: A Case Study of Pangandaran Regency, Indonesia
Authors: Simanjorang Dear Frans Lyandre , Apriliani Izza Mahdiana , Hamdani Herman , Mulyani Yuniar
Published: November 2019

Gillnet is a wall of netting that hangs in the water column, typically made of monofilament or multifilament nylon, had the same size and usually used by fisherman in Pangandaran. This research aims to see the capture process of white pomfret (Pampus argenteus) on gillnet in Pangandaran Regency. This research was conducted in August 2018 and January 2019 in Pangandaran. The data used in this research are primary data consisting of the proportion of catches and capture process, whereas secondary data obtained from Dinas Perikanan Pangandaran. The results of this research show that the quantity and weight proportion of main catch > bycatch and captured process of white pomfret dominated by wedged by 94% and the lowest is gilled by 6%.
Dietary Effects of Tiger Nut (Cyperus esculentus) on Egg and Milt Quality of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Broodstocks (Burchell, 1822)
Authors: Ayokanmi Dada Adekunle , Oluwagbohunmi Gbajuola Gideon , Adejoke Adeola Adedapo , Israel Opeyemi Oke
Published: November 2019

The dietary effect Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus) seed powder was examined on the egg and milt quality of African catfish broodstock.45 Female catfish broodstock of average body weight, 475 ± 25.00g and male catfish broodstock of average body weight, 487.09±13.57 g. Five diets with crude protein of 40% were formulated with different inclusion levels of Cyperus esculentus seed powder; 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 g per 100 g of experimental diet (D1, D2 ,D3, D4 and D5). The experiment was carried out for 70 days and fish fed twice daily at 3% body weight. Fish fed experimental diets showed significantly improved growth performance and reproductive indices over the control treatment. Fish fed D3 had the highest weight gain (173.6±10.98) in female catfish while D5 had highest weight gain (215.17±11.62) in male catfish. Fish fed with D4 had the highest percentage fertilization (93.00±3.05) and percentage hatchability (85.00±2.64) in female catfish while in male catfish the highest percentage fertilization (94.00±1.29) and hatchability (79.17±10.09) was from D5. Percentage survival and gonadosomatic index was higher in fish fed D5 in both female and male catfish. Histology of fish fed with Cyperus esculentus diets revealed oocytes formation within the ovaries. Ovary of fish fed D1 showed primary oocytes, with primary yolk accumulation in the ovary of fish fed D2 and there were improvement in the oocytes. Fish fed D3, D4 and D5 showed more matured oocytes and ripe yolk of late maturing stage. There was reduced seminiferous tubular lumen and scanty spermatozoa in D1 and D2 and there was high spermatozoa density in the seminiferous lumen seen in the testicular histology of fish fed diets D3, D4 and D5. This result revealed that dietary inclusion of Cyperus esculentus seed powder enhance growth and improves fertility in Clarias gariepinus which will improve the quantitiy of its seed production.
The Place of Spiritual and Traditional Beliefs in Stroke Rehabilitation in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review
Authors: Chidi Nweke Martins , Christian Kanayo Eze
Published: November 2019

Aims: This systematic scoping review aimed at mapping evidence available on the impact of spiritual and traditional beliefs on perception of stroke vis-a-vis stroke rehabilitation in sub-Saharan Africa.

Study Design: Systematic scoping review.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in June, 2019 as a preliminary step to study underway in the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus.

Methodology: Literature search was undertaken of PubMed, CINAHL, EBSCOhost Academic Search Complete and PsycINFO. The selection process was aided with use of EndNote X8. A total of 17 peer-reviewed articles were included. Thematic contents analysis was done using NVIVO 12. Five emerging themes were synthesized. Results show that a small but significant number of the respondents possessed poor knowledge and perception of stroke, and this affected the health seeking behaviors.

Results: Although many of the participants would seek formal healthcare when a stroke occurs, some believed stroke is purely a spiritual event and should be addressed spiritually, while a few advocated for integration of traditional and orthodox healthcare approaches. Being a clinical worker, educated or a Christian was associated with good knowledge of stroke. For the participants who preferred spiritual or traditional approach to formal healthcare, traditional or religious inclination, level of education, hospital cost and hospital-related ill-treatment are the propelling factors.

Conclusion: Spiritual and traditional beliefs possess a significant place in stroke rehabilitation in sub-Saharan Africa. We commend that holistic approach with a spiritual component be adopted in stroke rehabilitation across sub-Saharan Africa.
Multiple sclerosis
Authors: Klocke Shilpa , Hahn Nicole
Published: November 2019

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, unpredictable, and disabling disease. Significant advances have been made in recent years supporting an earlier, more accurate, diagnosis and have led to more than 15 disease-modifying therapies approved by the Food and Drug Administration for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Disease-modifying therapies are now being classified into categories based on level of efficacy. Strategies to use disease-modifying therapies earlier and in a more customizable manner are also emerging. A clinical case study will be used throughout this pearl to review the disease-modifying therapies and use patient-specific factors to develop and provide recommendations on therapeutic strategies for individuals with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis.
Treatment outcomes of long-acting injectable naltrexone versus oral naltrexone in alcohol use disorder in veterans
Authors: Leighty Anne E. , Ansara Elayne D.
Published: November 2019

Introduction

In veterans, the prevalence of 12-month and lifetime alcohol use disorder (AUD) is 14.8% and 42.2%, respectively. Alcohol use disorder treatment is often plagued by medication discontinuation with relapse rates being as high as 39% in patients who sought treatment. One proposed benefit of long-acting injectable (LAI) medications is improved adherence. The purpose of this trial was to compare the difference in time to relapse between patients on oral and LAI naltrexone.

Methods

This study was a retrospective electronic chart review of patients with AUD who were treated with oral or LAI naltrexone at a Veteran's Affairs Medical Center from August 1, 2016, to July 31, 2018. The primary outcome assessed was time to relapse. Secondary outcomes for this study included medication possession ratio (MPR), comorbid mental health diagnosis, substance use, past pharmacological treatment, liver and kidney function, and enrollment in addiction-focused psychosocial therapy.

Results

Thirty-two patients met inclusion criteria. The median time to relapse was longer for those treated with LAI naltrexone versus oral naltrexone (150.5 days vs 50.5 days, P < .01). The MPR was similar among both groups (P = .47). No significant differences were found between the groups regarding safety outcomes.

Discussion

Results suggest that LAI naltrexone is associated with increased time to relapse and should be considered as a first-line option for patients. Given the retrospective nature and small sample size of this study, larger, randomized, controlled trials comparing LAI and oral naltrexone head to head would help determine most appropriate treatment for these patients.
Case report: Albendazole associated psychosis
Authors: Doughty Bennett , Tumey L. Nathan , Williams Karen
Published: November 2019

Introduction

The association of psychosis with albendazole monotherapy has not been established in current literature.

Case Report

We present the first reported case of acute psychosis associated with albendazole. Upon cessation of the agent and the introduction of aripiprazole, the patient's psychosis remitted, and the patient did not present for acute treatment in the months to follow.

Discussion/Conclusion

The temporal relationship and laboratory data support albendazole's role in leading to the aforementioned toxicity. Such reactions, although rare, can drastically impact patient care and may warrant increased provider consideration when choosing to prescribe albendazole.
Pruritus associated with abrupt mirtazapine discontinuation: Single case report
Authors: Spitznogle Brittany , Gerfin Felicia
Published: November 2019

It is well known that antidepressants have the potential to cause withdrawal symptoms upon abrupt discontinuation. At the time of this case report, no literature has identified intense, body-wide pruritus as a result of abrupt mirtazapine discontinuation. However, there is literature to suggest that mirtazapine may be used as a treatment for pruritus at doses as low as 15 mg/d due to its high affinity for central and peripheral histamine H1 receptors. Considering this information, it is suspected that the abrupt discontinuation of mirtazapine in the following patient case resulted in pruritus due to the reversal of antagonism at histamine receptors.
Spatial Confinement Design with Metal‐Doped Catalysts: Modulating Electronic‐State of Active Sites for Accelerating Sulfur Redox Kinetics in Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Wang Zhengran , Jiang Huiyu , Ni Zhiwei , Wei Chuanliang , Tian Kangdong , Li Yuan , Zhang Xinlu , Xiong Shenglin , Zhang Chenghui , Feng Jinkui
Published: December 2024

The rational and well‐structured construction of electrocatalysts with exceptional catalytic activity and adsorption capability is essential for effectively addressing the challenges faced by lithium‐sulfur batteries (LSBs). In this paper, the synergistic effect of spatial confinement design and doping engineering‐induced electronic‐state modulation is leveraged to suppress the shuttle effect, and high‐efficiency catalysis for polysulfide conversion is achieved. The Ni‐doped CoSe2 nanoparticles are in situ formed on a 3D MXene hollow microsphere via self‐assembly and selenization strategies. The hollow structure provides spatial confinement and serves as a physical barrier, mitigating the polysulfide shuttle while the prevention of MXene self‐stacking ensures maximal exposure of the Ni‐CoSe2 nanoparticles to provide additional active sites and enhances their adsorption properties. These findings are corroborated by electrochemical experiments and in situ XRD analysis, demonstrating significantly improved rate capabilities and cycling stability of LSBs utilizing the functional electrocatalyst. This study presents a valuable pathway for exploiting the synergistic effect of structural construction and electronic‐state modulation to develop high‐performance LSBs.
Reconfigurable Logic and in‐Memory Computing Based on Electrically Controlled Charge Trapping in Dielectric Engineered 2D Semiconductor Transistors
Authors: Tan Dongxin , Luo Zheng‐Dong , Yang Qiyu , Xiao Fei , Gan Xuetao , Zhang Dawei , Chu Zhufei , Xue Fei , Zhang Junpeng , Xia Yinshui , Liu Yan , Hao Yue , Han Genquan
Published: December 2024

The co‐integration of logic, memory, synapse, and other essential functionalities into one single element with run‐time reconfigurability is explored as a promising approach for an efficient and flexible in‐memory computing platform. However, despite ample research focused on such reconfigurable semiconductor technology, it remains challenging to achieve a CMOS‐compatible device concept that is with simplified device structure, versatile functionalities, and efficient operation schemes. Here, a new type of run‐time electrically reconfigurable device is demonstrated based on dielectric‐engineered 2D semiconductor transistors. With an engineered semiconductor/charge‐trap layer/dielectric film heterostructure, the 2D charge‐trap transistor (CTT) resembles a simplified metal‐oxide‐semiconductor field‐effect transistor (MOSFET) structure. Both multilevel permanent charge trapping and transient voltage‐modulating capabilities can be realized in the 2D CTTs, giving rise to various switchable device function modes including non‐volatile memory, threshold voltage‐variable logic switch, and artificial synapse. Leveraging the monolithic integration of multiple 2D CTTs and time‐sequential reconfigurable operation strategy, high‐performance logic inverter and non‐volatile ternary content‐addressable memory (TCAM) with compact architecture can be created. The performance of the 2D CTTs in synapse mode is evaluated with the simulation of the convolutional neural network, showing great potential for future neuromorphic computing hardware.
Homologous Molecule Treatment in Perovskite Solar Cells: Synergistic Management of Holistic Defect and Charge Transfer
Authors: Zhou Ning , Shen Yiheng , Zeng Zixin , Ke Lingyi , Kong Fancheng , Cao Chen , Chow Philip C. Y. , Tsang Sai‐Wing , Jen Alex K.‐Y. , Yip Hin‐Lap
Published: December 2024

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are gaining significant attention as key players in the field of advanced photovoltaic technologies, attributed to their impressive efficiency metrics. Despite their advantages, achieving commercial viability for PSCs requires overcoming significant challenges, particularly in mitigating defects that trigger Shockley‐Read‐Hall recombination and mastering the crystallization process. Though multiple strategies tackle these issues, the complexity of molecular engineering, which often needs totally different molecules for different tasks, limits their commercial use. In this study, amidine thiourea (AT), a multifunctional compound with several strong coordination sites is introduced, which effectively passivates diverse defects within perovskite crystals and modulates the crystallization kinetics. Furthermore, a homologous molecule of AT, called 1‐phenyl‐3‐guanylthiourea (PGT) is introduced, which features an additional benzene ring, to treat surface defects and reduce interface non‐radiative recombination. The integration of AT and PGT can synergistically regulate the perovskite crystallization kinetics and address holistic defects, including both bulk and surface of perovskite. The unique electronic properties of PGT also construct an effective charge transfer channel, which significantly suppresses the interface non‐radiative combination. Based on this strategy, planar PSCs, achieving a power conversion efficiency of 26.06% is fabricated, with retention of 90% efficiency after 1400 h under continuous illumination.