bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Studies on Target-specificity and Biological Activity of Streptococcus Serum Antibody and Sulfate Amikacin Conjugates
Authors: Yi Lingxiao , Li Xiang , Dong Wei 
Published: April 2019

To investigate the target-specificity and biological activity of Streptococcus serum antibody and sulfate amikacin conjugates. The recent used polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG6000) as the coupling agent to produce Coupled complexes of Streptococcus serum antibody and sulfate amikacin. Then, analyzed the antibody being in conjugates specificity which against Streptococcus, and the antibody being in conjugates immunogenicity. Besides, we also detected the acute toxicity, antimicrobial activity and bioavailability of sulfate amikacin being in conjugates. As a result, the antibody specific binding to Streptococcus, instead of Escherichia coil, Pasteurella and Staphylococcus aureus. Biological activity results showed that coupling decreased Streptococcus serum antibody immunogenicity, increased Streptococcus serum antibody response sensitivity. Simultaneously, the results indicated that coupling reduced the acute toxicity of sulfate amikacin, improved sulfate amikacin bioavailability and antimicrobial activity of sulfate amikacin. The combination effect on the antibacterial activity of drug and the biological activity of serum antibody is helpful for the practical application of targeted drugs.
Soil Fertility Status in Relation to Farmers’ Practices Under Maize Based Systems in Western Region of Kenya: Yield Gap Analysis
Authors: Muya E. M. , Miriti J. M. , Radiro M. , Esilaba A. , Chek A. L. , Nyongesa D. , Thuranira A. , Githunguri C. 
Published: April 2019

A study was carried out in Kenya Cereal Enhancement Project site in Western region of Kenya to examine the soil fertility status in relation to the current blanket fertilizer recommendations and farmers’ practices across the four wards, namely: Motosiet, Keiyo, Cherangani and Kwanza. The baseline fertility status in different soil mapping units was assessed in terms of soil productivity index with a view of analyzing the levels of nutrients and yield gaps. Using the standard soil survey procedures, six soil mapping units were identified as UUr1, UUr2, UUr3, RUd, RUrb, and BU1.. The results showed that the highest productivity index was in unit BU1, followed by UUr1, UUr2, UUr3, and RUrb with values of 40.5, 29.4, 25.0, 16.0 and 8.9% respectively. Keiyo Ward had the highest level of nitrogen, being 125.82, followed by Motosiet, Cherangani and Kwanza with values of 99.92, 97.12, and 81.12 kg/ha respectively. Phosphorous level was highest in Kwanza (136.41 kg/ha), followed by Cherangani (106.82 kg/ha) and Keiyo Ward (76.08 kg/ha). The lowest level was recorded in Motosiet with the value of 72.56 kg/ha. Potassium was found to be adequate in all the four Wards with values ranging between 347.67 and 410.34 kg/ha. The maximum maize production recorded in the project sites was 9,000 kg/ha, with a yield gap of 1,000 kg/ha. This was achieved through application of 100 and 50 kg/ha of DAP and CAN respectively. This was followed by 6,750 kg/ha obtained through application of 50 kg/ha of DAP and CAN. The yields from the rest of the sites ranged between 1,800 and 4,500 kg/ha with yield gaps varying from 3,250 to 8,650 kg/ha. The lowest yields were obtained in Keiyo, followed by Kwanza Ward despite the relatively high macro- nutrient levels in the soils of the two Wards. This was attributed to soil-related constraints caused by the increased soil structural degradation and loss of soil tilth. Therefore, it is recommended that the envisaged climate smart technologies be geared towards enhancement of nutrient and water use efficiency through improved soil structure and tilth.
Evaluation of Median Lethal Dose and Subchronic Oral Toxicity Assessment of Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Phyllanthus amarus
Authors: Adolor O. E. , Onyesom I. , Opajobi A. O. , Mordi J. C. 
Published: April 2019

Aims: To determine the median lethal dose (LD50) of crude ethanolic leaf extract of Phyllanthus amarus and evaluate its sub-chronic oral toxicity in experimental mice (BALB/C strain).
Study Design: One-factor, one-control, one-test group experimental design.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria, between December, 2014 and November, 2015.
Methodology: Crude ethanolic leaf extract of P. amarus was prepared as previously described and twenty (20) Swiss albino mice (BALB/C strain) were randomly and equally divided into two (2) groups and administered 2000 mg/kg body weight (Group A) and 5000 mg/kg body weight (Group B) of the prepared extract as single oral dose in line with the limit dose method of determining LD50. For the sub-chronic oral toxicity study, ten (10) mice were assigned into control (n=5) and experimental (n=5). The control animals were given placebo-normal saline, but the experimental mice were administered with nocebo – 300 mg/kg body weight of P. amarus crude ethanolic extract for twenty one (21) days. Thereafter, the animals in each group were sacrificed and then, serum and liver homogenate were obtained for the assay of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and oxidative damage (Malondialdehyde-MDA) Using documented methods. Liver tissue was also processed for histopathological examination using H&E stain.
Results: Data showed LD50 of the extract to be greater than 5000 mg/kg. Assessment of the herb’s sub-chronic oral toxicity indicates that the leaf extract significantly (P=.03) enhanced total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in both serum (Control: TAC = 0.10±0.03 mM, Experimental: TAC = 0.33±0.05 mM) and liver (Control: TAC = 0.12±0.09 mM, Experimental: TAC = 0.34±0.06 mM) but reduced (P = .01) the biomarker for liver tissue damage (Control: MDA = 41.89±3.36 µM, Experimental: MDA = 4.67±4.04 µM). In addition, hepatic cells were invigorated by P. amarus treatment as suggested by the histopathological features.
Conclusion: Collectively, P. amarus crude ethanolic leaf extract possesses high degree of tolerance and hepatic tonic potential with no identifiable toxic or side effects.
Diversity and Antibiotics Susceptibility of Bacterial Species on Hand Surfaces in Public Buses Plying Kenyatta National Hospital Route 7c in Nairobi
Authors: Chebon Samson , Sonoiya Jackline Chelangat 
Published: April 2019

Aims: To determine the pathogenic and the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bacterial isolates on hand surfaces in public buses in Nairobi.
Study Design: A random sampling technique was utilized and targeted public buses plying Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) and Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) 7C route.
Place and Duration of Study: Bacterial isolates were obtained from hand surfaces in public buses in Nairobi during a three-month period, May-July 2015.
Methodology: A total of 30 swab samples were collected using sterile moist cotton swabs then cultured on three media including MacConkey agar, Mannitol salt agar and Eosin Methyl Blue agar (EMB). Characterization of isolates was by morphological and biochemical features. Antimicrobial susceptibility profile tests using eight antibiotics including tetracycline, sulphamethoxazole, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, gentamycin, ampicillin, co-trimoxazole and streptomycin was also undertaken.
Results: A total of 45 isolates indicated the following prevalence: Staphylococcus aureus 33%, Escherichia coli 24%, Staphylococcus epidermidis 18%, Klebsiella species 11% and Pseudomonas species 13%. The antimicrobial resistance profiles indicated E. coli isolates had the highest resistance to five antibiotics, Klebsiella spp. to four, Staphylococcus aureus to three, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas spp. each to only one antibiotic. Isolates were predominantly resistant to ampicillin (100%) followed by co-trimoxazole and streptomycin but were instead sensitive to gentamycin followed by tetracycline, sulphamethoxazole and chloramphenicol.
Conclusion: These findings demonstrate serious health risks posed to the community by potentially pathogenic and antibiotic resistant bacterial species on hand-touch sites in public buses. Therefore, this study creates awareness of the need for stringent sanitary measures in public buses and hygienic practices among commuters to forestall transmission of community acquired infections.
Effect of Agitation Speed and Incubation Time on Amylase Production by Bacillus Species Isolated from Malted and Fermented Maize (Zea mays)
Authors: Henshaw Effiom , M. Wakil Sherifat 
Published: April 2019

Aims: The effect of agitation speed and incubation time on Bacillus species growth and amylase production isolated from malted and fermented maize were investigated.
Study Design: An experimental study.
Methodology: Bacillus species were screened for amylase production using starch hydrolysis method on starch agar. Bacillus sp.IBM21 was observed to exhibit highest hydrolytic activity with zone of clearance of diameter 41.6mm. Process parameters optimizations were evaluated using submerge fermentation techniques.
Results: The effect of agitation speed on growth and amylase production was varied from 100-250 rpm. It was observed that, the amylolytic Bacillus species were able to grow optimally at agitation speed of 100 rpm while their highest amylase activities were recorded at speed of 150 rpm for Bacillus sp.IBM22, 10.16Um-1 and 200 rpm for Bacillus sp.IBM21, 5.59Um-1. The effect of incubation time was varied from 12-72h, amylase activities as well as bacterial growth increases with increase in incubation time until peaks were attained at 36h (10.16Uml-1, OD540nm, 2.98) for Bacillus sp.IBM22 and 48h ( 5.5Uml-1, OD540nm 1.55) for Bacillus sp.IBM21.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that Bacillus species isolated from malted/fermented maize produced amylase maximally at optimal agitation speed and incubation time ranges of 150-200rpm and 36-48h respectively.
Evaluation of Hereford and first-cross cows on three
pasture systems. III. Milk yield and its influence on calf performance
Authors: ARTHUR P. F. , HEARNSHAW H. , BARLOW R. , WILLIAMSON P. J. , STEPHENSON P. D. , DIBLEY K. 
Published: July 2002

Milk yield was determined by the weigh-suckle-weigh method over
2 years (1983 and 1984 calvings),
for a total of 305 purebred Hereford (H×H) and first-cross
Brahman×Hereford (B×H),
Simmental×Hereford (S×H) and Friesian×Hereford (F×H)
cows grazing three pasture systems at
Grafton, New South Wales, Australia. The age of the cows ranged from
6 to 11 years. The data were
used to evaluate different estimates of milk yield and to examine
the effects of milk yield on growth of calves up to weaning.Of all the cow traits studied, average lactation milk yield (average of
early, mid and late-lactation
milk yields) had the highest correlation coefficient with calf 210-day
weight (r=0·73) and pre-weaning average daily gain
(ADGtotal, r=0·73), and explained >50% of the
variation in the calf
traits. However, milk yield was also moderately correlated with other cow traits
(liveweight and body
condition score). Thus, to predict calf performance, milk yield data may not
be required if detailed
data on other cow traits are available. This is supported by the finding that
differences in the coefficients of determination (R2)
between models for calf 210-day weight and ADGtotal which
included average lactation milk yield and other cow traits (highest
R2=69%) and models which
included other cow traits but no milk yield estimate (highest
R2=57%) were <13%.Cow breed rankings for average lactation milk yield were similar
to those for calf 210-day weight
and ADGtotal. On high quality pasture, S×H and F×H cows produced
the most milk (S×H,
7·5 kg/day; F×H, 8·3 kg/day; B×H,
5·7 kg/day;
H×H, 5·5 kg/day) and weaned the heaviest calves
(S×H, 255 kg; F×H, 252 kg; B×H, 215 kg;
H×H, 217 kg), while on low quality pasture, B×H
and F×H cows produced the most milk (B×H,
4·2 kg/day; F×H, 3·7 kg/day; S×H,
2·9 kg/day;
H×H, 2·7 kg/day) but B×H cows weaned the heaviest
calves (B×H, 180 kg; F×H, 168 kg; S×H,
159 kg; H×H, 124 kg).
The Ecumenical Movement in its Early Years
Authors: CARTER DAVID 
Published: July 2002

The year 1998 sees the fiftieth anniversary of the formation of
the
World Council of Churches. Great, but subsequently largely
disappointed hopes, greeted it. The movement that led directly to
its formation had its genesis in the International Missionary Conference

of 1910, an event often cited in popular surveys as marking the beginning

of the Ecumenical Movement. This paper will, however, argue that
modern ecumenism has a complex series of roots. Some of them predate
that conference, significant though it was in leading to the ‘Faith
and
Order’ movement that was, in its turn, such an important contributor
to
the genesis of the World Council.Archbishop William Temple, who played a key role in both the ‘Faith

and Order’ and ‘Life and Work’ movements, referred to
the Ecumenical
Movement as the ‘great fact of our times’. This was a gross
exaggeration.
It is true that the movement engaged, from about 1920 onwards, a very
considerable amount of the energy of the most talented and forward-looking

leaders and thinkers of the Churches in the Anglican and
Protestant traditions. It remained, however, marginal in the life of the

Roman Catholic Church until Vatican II, despite the pioneering
commitment of some extremely able people amidst official disapproval.
Some leaders of the Orthodox Church took a considerable interest in the

movement. However, both the official ecclesiology and the popular stance

of most Orthodox precluded any real rapprochement with other Churches
on terms that bore any resemblance to practicality. Even in the Anglican

and mainstream Protestant Churches, the movement remained largely
one of a section of the leadership. It attained little genuine popularity,
a
fact that was frequently admitted even by its most ardent partisans. One

could well say that the Ecumenical Movement had only one really solid
achievement to celebrate in 1948. This was the formation, in the previous

year, of the Church of South India, the first Church to represent a union

across the episcopal–non-episcopal divide. This type of union has
yet to be
emulated outside the Indian sub-continent.One of the aims of this article will be to try to explain why success
in
India went unmatched elsewhere. The emphasis will be on the English
dimension of the problem, though many of the factors that affected the

English situation also obtained in other countries in the Anglo-Saxon
cultural tradition. This assessment must be balanced, however, by an
appreciation of the real progress made in terms of improved and even
amicable church relationships.
Streamwise absolute instability of a
three-dimensional boundary layer at high
Reynolds numbers
Authors: RYZHOV OLEG S. , TERENT'EV EUGENE D. 
Published: July 2002

The simplest receptivity problem of linear disturbances artificially
excited in a
three-dimensional boundary layer adjacent to a solid surface is studied
in the framework
of the generalized triple-deck theory. In order to provide a mathematical
model to
be compared with experimental data from wind-tunnel tests we consider the
base
flow over a swept flat plate. Then crossflow in the near-wall region originates
owing
to an almost constant pressure gradient induced from outside with a displacement

body on top. A pulsed or vibrating ribbon installed on the solid surface
serves as
an external agency provoking initially weak pulsations. A periodic dependence
of
the ribbon shape on a coordinate normal to the streamwise direction makes
the
receptivity problem effectively two-dimensional, thereby allowing a rigorous
analysis
to be carried out without additional assumptions.The most striking result from the asymptotic theory is the discovery
of streamwise
absolute instability intrinsic to a three-dimensional boundary layer at
high Reynolds
numbers. However, due to limitations imposed on the receptivity problem
no definite
conclusions can be made with regard to possible continued convection of
disturbances
in the crossflow direction. An investigation of the dispersion-relation
roots points to
the fact that wave packets of different kinds can be generated by an external
source
operating in the pulse mode. Rapidly growing wave packets sweep downstream,

weaker wave packets move against the oncoming stream. Insofar as the amplitude
of
all of the modulated signals increases exponentially in time and space,
the excitation
process gives rise to absolutely unstable disturbances in the streamwise
direction.
The computation confirms the theoretical prediction about the existence
of
upstream-advancing wave packets. They can be prevented from being persistently
amplified
only in a region ahead of the ribbon where nearly critical values of the
Reynolds
number are attained.The results achieved are shown to be broadly consistent with wind-tunnel
measurements.
Hence a conjecture is made that the onset of transition is probably associated,

under some environmental conditions, with the mechanism of streamwise absolute

instability in the supercritical range of the Reynolds numbers.
A note on tuning in Roseau's alternative edge waves
Authors: EHRENMARK ULF TORSTEN 
Published: July 2002

Ursell's edge waves are derived systematically using
a new method. Computed profiles
are then compared with the lesser known shoreline singular waves first
constructed by
Roseau (1958). A recent method of writing the continuous spectrum solutions
on a
plane beach is thereby extended to the discrete spectrum to enable the
reconstruction
of both types of edge waves so that, in particular, the unbounded wave
profiles are
more easily computed. The existence of stagnation points on the bed for
standing
edge waves is considered and demonstrated for the first few modes. A ramification

of this is the existence of (two-dimensional-cross-shore)
dividing ‘streamlines’ from
the bed to the surface also, the number of which appears to equate to the
modal
number of the edge wave. These dividing streamlines, along with other streamlines,

are computed for the first few modes of both the Ursell and the (alternative)
singular
waves constructed by Roseau.It follows that these waves can also exist in the presence of solid
cylinders bounded
by fixed streamlines and, in particular therefore, that the hitherto unbounded
Roseau
waves can exist in a bounded state since a region including the origin
can be removed
from the flow by exploiting a dividing streamline. It is confirmed that
the wavenumbers
of the Roseau waves interlace those of the Ursell waves. An examination
of available
evidence leaves open to further research the question of whether the alternative

Roseau waves have been ‘inadvertently’ observed either in the
laboratory or, by
means of contamination of data, in the field. Further laboratory simulations
using
longshore solid cylinders as ‘wave guides’ are proposed.
Probabilistic reasoning in obsessive–compulsive and
delusional disorders
Authors: FEAR CHRISTOPHER F. , HEALY DAVID 
Published: July 2002

Background. Delusional disorder (DD) and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) have been
investigated in previous studies using probabilistic reasoning paradigms and abnormalities in each
group have been reported. No study to date has compared results between these groups. This
study compares patients with these disorders with those who have both phenomena.Methods. Thirty subjects with DD, 29 with OCD and 16 with obsessive and delusional features
were compared with 30 normal controls in a study of probabilistic reasoning using two different
computer-based tasks involving a Bayesian paradigm.Results. Deluded subjects showed a ‘jump to conclusions’ reasoning style, but on a test that
added a consequence to their choices did not differ from normals. OCD subjects deviated from
Bayesian and control norms to a greater degree than did DD subjects. In subjects with mixed
psychopathology, the presence of both phenomena appeared to ‘normalize’ these probability estimates.Conclusions. Our findings extend those of others but require cautious interpretation as to the
role of probabilistic reasoning in the genesis of delusions or obsessions. Obsessionals in both the
OCD and Mixed groups, showed substantial deviation from Bayesian norms, suggesting that
obsessionality leads to a reasoning style that is less ‘normal’ than that of delusionals. Further
work is required to investigate clinical correlates of these findings which provide modest support
for the proposal that the combination of obsessions and delusions confers greater functional
advantages than simply having delusions or obsessions.
A survey of delusional ideation in primary-care patients
Authors: VERDOUX H. , MAURICE-TISON S. , GAY B. , VAN OS J. , SALAMON R. , BOURGEOIS M. L. 
Published: July 2002

Background. To assess the prevalence of delusional ideas

in primary-care patients.Method. A survey was carried out with the Aquitaine Sentinel

Network of general practitioners

(GPs). Consecutive practice attenders were invited to complete the

Peters et al. Delusional

Inventory (PDI-21) self-report questionnaire, designed to measure

delusional ideation in the normal

population. GPs, blind to the questionnaire results, provided

information on patients' psychiatric history.Results. Of the 1053 attenders included in the survey, 348

(35%) had a lifetime history of psychiatric

disorder, of whom 20 (2%) had a history of broadly defined psychotic

disorder. The self-report

questionnaire was completed by 790 patients. The range of individual

PDI-21 item endorsement in

subjects with no psychiatric history varied between 5 and 70%,

suggesting that delusional ideation

is a dimensional phenomenon lying on a continuum with normality. The

main discriminative items

between psychotic and non-psychotic patients were those exploring

persecutory (OR=15·2, 95%

CI 4·3–53·7), mystic (OR=6·4,

95% CI 1·9–22·4) and guilt

(OR=5·8, 95% CI 1·5–23·2) ideas.Conclusions. This survey demonstrates that questions that

explore delusions and hallucinations are

well-accepted by most primary-care patients. More research is needed

on psychotic disorders in

primary-care settings to improving early identification of these disorders.
Immediate memory, attention and communication
disturbances in schizophrenia patients and their
relatives
Authors: DOCHERTY NANCY M. , GORDINIER SCOTT W. 
Published: July 2002

Background. Schizophrenia has been defined in part by
disturbances of thought and language. The
non-schizophrenic relatives of patients also have been found to show subtle
disturbances of
language that may be associated with vulnerability. Investigators have
hypothesized that these
phenomena in patients and their relatives are, at least in part, the result
of weaknesses in facets of
attention and memory.Methods. The present study assessed some neuropsychological
process correlates of three different
measures of thought and language symptoms in 55 stable out-patients, using
tests of immediate
auditory memory impairment and auditory distractability, and carefully
controlling for generalized
deficit effects. A parallel assessment was made of referential communication
disturbances in 59 non-schizophrenic relatives of patients and 24 control
subjects matched to the relatives.Results. In patients, formal thought disorder, disorganization,
and referential communication
disturbances were all associated with each other and with auditory distractability.
In addition, as
expected, referential communication disturbances were associated with immediate
auditory memory
impairment. Referential disturbance ratings for relatives were similar
in magnitude to those for the
stable out-patients, and much higher than for controls. However, the relatives'
language ratings
were not associated specifically with weaknesses in attention or memory
as measured.Conclusions. Impairments in immediate auditory memory and attention
are associated differentially
with different types of communication disturbances in schizophrenia patients.
The cognitive
substrate for referential communication disturbances in relatives appears
to differ qualitatively from
that for patients.