| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84920155060 | The impact of HIV exposure and maternal Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection on infant immune responses to bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccination | Jones C.E., Hesseling A.C., Tena-Coki N.G., Scriba T.J., Chegou N.N., Kidd M., Wilkinson R.J., Kampmann B. | 2015 | AIDS | 29 | 2 | 10.1097/QAD.0000000000000536 | Academic Department of Pediatrics, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Paediatric Infectious Diseases Research Group, St george'S, University of London, Mail point J2C, Level 2, Jenner Wing, London, United Kingdom; Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa; South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; DST/NRF Ctr. of Excellence for Biomed. TB Research and MRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Division of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa; MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London, United Kingdom; Clinical Infectious Diseases Research Initiative, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Division of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Vaccinology Theme, Medical Research Council Unit, Banjul, Gambia | Jones, C.E., Academic Department of Pediatrics, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Research Group, St george'S, University of London, Mail point J2C, Level 2, Jenner Wing, London, United Kingdom; Hesseling, A.C., Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Tena-Coki, N.G., Academic Department of Pediatrics, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Scriba, T.J., South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Chegou, N.N., DST/NRF Ctr. of Excellence for Biomed. TB Research and MRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Kidd, M., Division of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Wilkinson, R.J., MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London, United Kingdom, Clinical Infectious Diseases Research Initiative, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, Division of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Kampmann, B., Academic Department of Pediatrics, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, Vaccinology Theme, Medical Research Council Unit, Banjul, Gambia | Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the effect of maternal HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection on cellular responses to bacille Calmette- Guérin (BCG) immunization. Design: A mother-infant cohort study. Methods: Samples were collected from mother-infant pairs at delivery. Infants were BCG-vaccinated at 6 weeks of age and a repeat blood sample was collected from infants at 16 weeks of age. BCG-specific T-cell proliferation and intracellular cytokine expression were measured by flow cytometry. Secreted cytokines and chemokines in cell culture supernatants were analysed using a Multiplex assay. Results: One hundred and nine (47 HIV-exposed and 62 HIV-unexposed) mother-infants pairs were recruited after delivery and followed longitudinally. At birth, proportions of mycobacteria-specific proliferating T cells were not associated with either in-utero HIV exposure or maternal Mtb sensitization. However, in-utero HIV exposure affected infant-specific T-cell subsets [tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) single positive proliferating CD4+ T cells and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), TNF-α dualpositive CD4+ T cells]. Levels of TNF-α protein in cell culture supernatants were also significantly higher in HIV-exposed infants born to Mtb-sensitized mothers. In the presence of maternal Mtb sensitization, frequencies of maternal and newborn BCG-specific proliferating CD4+ T cells were positively correlated. Following BCG vaccination, there was no demonstrable effect of HIV exposure or maternal Mtb infection on infant BCG-specific T-cell proliferative responses or concentrations of secreted cytokines and chemokines. Conclusion: Effects of maternal HIV and Mtb infection on infant immune profiles at birth are transient only, and HIV-exposed, noninfected infants have the same potential to respond to and be protected by BCG vaccination as HIV-unexposed infants. © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. | Bacille Calmette-Gué rin; HIV infection; HIV-exposed; Immunogenicity; Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection; Uninfected infants; Vaccination | BCG vaccine; chemokine; cytokine; gamma interferon; nevirapine; tumor necrosis factor alpha; zidovudine; Article; birth; blood sampling; CD4+ T lymphocyte; cell culture; controlled study; delivery; female; flow cytometry; highly active antiretroviral therapy; human; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; immune response; immunization; infancy; infant; lung tuberculosis; lymphocyte proliferation; major clinical study; mother; Mycobacterium; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; nonhuman; sensitization; supernatant | 084323, Medical Research Council; 088316, Medical Research Council; GR 077273, Medical Research Council; MC-UP-A900/115, MRC, Medical Research Council; MR/K007602/1, MRC, Medical Research Council; MR/K011944/1, MRC, Medical Research Council; U1175.02.0002 |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84944789912 | Effect of educational outreach timing and duration on facility performance for infectious disease care in Uganda: A trial with pre-post and cluster randomized controlled components | Burnett S.M., Mbonye M.K., Naikoba S., Stella Z.-M., Kinoti S.N., Ronald A., Rubashembusya T., Willis K.S., Colebunders R., Manabe Y.C., Weaver M.R. | 2015 | PLoS ONE | 10 | 9 | 10.1371/journal.pone.0136966 | Accordia Global Health Foundation, Washington, DC, United States; Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; Center for Human Services, University Research Co. LLC, Bethesda, MD, United States; Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH), Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States; PATH, Seattle, WA, United States; Save the Children, Kampala, Uganda; International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Uganda Country Office, Wandegeya, Uganda; Fio Corporation, Toronto, ON, Canada; University of Manchester, Institute for Development Policy and Management, Manchester, United Kingdom; U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, Rockville, MD, United States | Burnett, S.M., Accordia Global Health Foundation, Washington, DC, United States, Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium, PATH, Seattle, WA, United States; Mbonye, M.K., Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Naikoba, S., Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium, Save the Children, Kampala, Uganda; Stella, Z.-M., Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Uganda Country Office, Wandegeya, Uganda; Kinoti, S.N., Center for Human Services, University Research Co. LLC, Bethesda, MD, United States, Fio Corporation, Toronto, ON, Canada; Ronald, A., Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Rubashembusya, T., Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, University of Manchester, Institute for Development Policy and Management, Manchester, United Kingdom; Willis, K.S., Accordia Global Health Foundation, Washington, DC, United States, U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, Rockville, MD, United States; Colebunders, R., Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium; Manabe, Y.C., Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; Weaver, M.R., International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH), Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States | Background: Classroom-based learning is often insufficient to ensure high quality care and application of health care guidelines. Educational outreach is garnering attention as a supplemental method to enhance health care worker capacity, yet there is little information about the timing and duration required to improve facility performance. We sought to evaluate the effects of an infectious disease training program followed by either immediate or delayed on-site support (OSS), an educational outreach approach, on nine facility performance indicators for emergency triage, assessment, and treatment; malaria; and pneumonia. We also compared the effects of nine monthly OSS visits to extended OSS, with three additional visits over six months. Methods: This study was conducted at 36 health facilities in Uganda, covering 1,275,960 outpatient visits over 23 months. From April 2010 to December 2010, 36 sites received infectious disease training; 18 randomly selected sites in arm A received nine monthly OSS visits (immediate OSS) and 18 sites in arm B did not. From March 2011 to September 2011, arm A sites received three additional visits every two months (extended OSS), while the arm B sites received eight monthly OSS visits (delayed OSS). We compared the combined effect of training and delayed OSS to training followed by immediate OSS to determine the effect of delaying OSS implementation by nine months. We also compared facility performance in arm A during the extended OSS to immediate OSS to examine the effect of additional, less frequent OSS. Results: Delayed OSS, when combined with training, was associated with significant pre/post improvements in four indicators: outpatients triaged (44% vs. 87%, aRR = 1.54, 99% CI = 1.11, 2.15); emergency and priority patients admitted, detained, or referred (16% vs. 31%, aRR = 1.74, 99% CI = 1.10, 2.75); patients with a negative malaria test result prescribed an antimalarial (53% vs. 34%, aRR = 0.67, 99% CI = 0.55, 0.82); and pneumonia suspects assessed for pneumonia (6% vs. 27%, aRR = 2.97, 99% CI = 1.44, 6.17). Differences between the delayed OSS and immediate OSS arms were not statistically significant for any of the nine indicators (all adjusted relative RR (aRRR) between 0.76-1.44, all p>0.06). Extended OSS was associated with significant improvement in two indicators (outpatients triaged: aRR = 1.09, 99% CI = 1.01; emergency and priority patients admitted, detained, or referred: aRR = 1.22, 99% CI = 1.01, 1.38) and decline in one (pneumonia suspects assessed for pneumonia: aRR: 0.93; 99% CI = 0.88, 0.98). Conclusions: Educational outreach held up to nine months after training had similar effects on facility performance as educational outreach started within one month post-training. Six months of bimonthly educational outreach maintained facility performance gains, but incremental improvements were heterogeneous. Copyright: © 2015 Burnett et al. | None | Article; case management; clinical assessment; controlled study; emergency health service; fever; health care facility; health care quality; human; infection control; malaria; medical education; outcome assessment; pneumonia; randomized controlled trial; Uganda | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84927554751 | Associations between CAMCOG-R subscale performance and formal education attainment in South African older adults | James K.A., Grace L.K., Thomas K.G.F., Combrinck M.I. | 2015 | International Psychogeriatrics | 27 | 2 | 10.1017/S1041610214002233 | ACSENT Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Clinical Neurosciences Research Unit, Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa | James, K.A., ACSENT Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, Clinical Neurosciences Research Unit, Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa; Grace, L.K., Clinical Neurosciences Research Unit, Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa; Thomas, K.G.F., ACSENT Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Combrinck, M.I., Clinical Neurosciences Research Unit, Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa | Background: The Cambridge Cognitive Examination-Revised (CAMCOG-R) is a sensitive screening tool for the early diagnosis of dementia in older adults. Overall performance on the CAMCOG-R is influenced by educational attainment. Few studies have, however, examined the association between educational attainment and performance on the individual CAMCOG subscales. We aimed to address this question in a sample from a low-and middle-income country (LAMIC), where resource constraints may have compromised access to, and quality of, education for many older adults. Methods: Participants, all over 60 years of age, were 51 cognitively healthy community-dwelling volunteers and 47 individuals diagnosed with mild-moderate stage Alzheimer's disease (AD). Most participants had some high school education. They were administered the CAMCOG-R under standardized conditions. Results: Within both the control and AD patient groups, there were significant associations between years of completed education and CAMCOG-R total score, MMSE score, and CAMCOG-R Language subscale score. In both groups, level of education was not associated with scores on these subscales: in controls, recent memory, R 2 =.21, p =.055, learning memory, R 2 =.16, p =.398, attention/calculation, R 2 =.19, p =.467, and perception, R 2 =.18, p =.984; in AD patients, recent memory, R 2 =.14, p =.340, learning memory, R 2 =.03, p =.680, perception, R 2 =.09, p =.723, and attention/calculation, R 2 =.19, p =.097. Conclusions: Some CAMCOG-R subscale scores were more strongly associated with educational attainment than others. Importantly, however, performance on the recent memory and learning memory subscales was not affected by education. These subscales are sensitive indicators of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early AD. These subscales may therefore remain valid for use as an AD screening tool in resource-poor healthcare settings. Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2014. | Alzheimer's disease; cognitive impairment; education; neuropsychological testing | aged; Alzheimer disease; Article; attention; Cambridge Cognitive Examination Revised; clinical article; cognitive defect; community sample; controlled study; educational status; female; human; learning; male; memory; psychologic test; South African; volunteer | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84912023130 | Performance improvement by scheduling techniques: A case of leather industry development institute | Habib A., Jilcha K., Berhan E. | 2015 | Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing | 334 | None | 10.1007/978-3-319-13572-4_21 | Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Habib, A., Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Jilcha, K., Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Berhan, E., Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | The model leather products manufacturing factory of leather industry development institute (LIDI) suffers from poor performances due to various problems. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to improve the performance of the case company using scheduling techniques. Proper scheduling technique can result in dramatic improvements in layout, utilization, idle time, make span and tardiness reduction. The existing company performance and various another scenarios were analyzed by using different sequencing rules plus Johnson’s and Campbell’s algorithms. The analysis and discussion showed that the feasible scheduling was of flow shop and while product layout was seen most preferable that result in reduction of machine idle time & make span by 3.00 & 4.33 hours respectively. Total flow time was reduced by 82.9% and machine utilization was improved by 16.15% when compared with existing layout. Through production lines 1 or 2 of scenario-2 with the sequence of J1, J2, J3, J4 and J5, the company should make possible arrangements for such improvements. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015. | Leather industry; Make-span; Manufacturing; Performance; Scheduling | Leather; Manufacture; Company performance; Leather industries; Machine utilization; Make-span; Manufacturing factories; Performance; Poor performance; Scheduling techniques; Scheduling | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928138418 | Land suitability evaluation to optimize land management of small-scale farms in the Gerado catchment, North-Eastern Ethiopia | Bahir A.L., Ahmed M.A., Antille D.L. | 2015 | Tropical Agriculture | 92 | 1 | None | Addis Ababa University, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; University of Southern Queensland, National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia | Bahir, A.L., Addis Ababa University, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Ahmed, M.A., Addis Ababa University, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Antille, D.L., University of Southern Queensland, National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia | Biophysical and socio-economic constraints and sub-optimal utilization of soil and water resources have resulted in progressive reduction of land productivity in Ethiopia. This study investigated the suitability of land mapping units of the Gerado catchment for subsistence rainfed cultivation of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), maize (Zea mays L.) and teff (Eragrostis tef Zucc.). A land resource survey was conducted and it identified nine different land mapping units (LMU). The FAO maximum limitation method was used to assess LMU and determine land suitability subclasses. The study indicated that soil erosion, soil wetness, soil fertility status, and soil workability were the main limiting factors affecting land quality within the catchment. We suggest that drainage using traditional ditches may be a cost-effective method to reduce the incidence of waterlogging conditions. Long-term fertility management requires the implementation of suitable fertilization programs that consider the use of organic materials such as manure and compost. Such programs need to account for nutrient budgets over the entire crop rotation to maximize use efficiency and minimize environmental losses. Soil erosion may be mitigated through stone terracing, soil bunding and by adopting a more conservative approach to agriculture, that is, by matching land use with land capability based on the correct assessment of land suitability. Implementation of the proposed approach to optimizing land management in the Gerado catchment will deliver a range of socio-economic and agri-environmental benefits to the local communities. © 2015 Trop. Agric. | Environmental quality; Land capability; Land-use optimization; Small-scale farming; Sustainable soil management; Tropical rainfed subsistence-agriculture | Eragrostis tef; Triticum aestivum; Zea mays | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84946474311 | The impact of ENSO on Southern African rainfall in CMIP5 ocean atmosphere coupled climate models | Dieppois B., Rouault M., New M. | 2015 | Climate Dynamics | 45 | 42623 | 10.1007/s00382-015-2480-x | African Climate and Development Initiative, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Oceanography, MARE Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Nansen-Tutu Center for Marine Environmental Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa | Dieppois, B., African Climate and Development Initiative, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, Department of Oceanography, MARE Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Rouault, M., Department of Oceanography, MARE Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, Nansen-Tutu Center for Marine Environmental Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; New, M., African Climate and Development Initiative, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa | We study the ability of 24 ocean atmosphere global coupled models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 (CMIP5) to reproduce the teleconnections between El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Southern African rainfall in austral summer using historical forced simulations, with a focus on the atmospheric dynamic associated with El Niño. Overestimations of summer rainfall occur over Southern Africa in all CMIP5 models. Abnormal westward extensions of ENSO patterns are a common feature of all CMIP5 models, while the warming of the Indian Ocean that happens during El Niño is not correctly reproduced. This could impact the teleconnection between ENSO and Southern African rainfall which is represented with mixed success in CMIP5 models. Large-scale anomalies of suppressed deep-convection over the tropical maritime continent and enhanced convection from the central to eastern Pacific are correctly simulated. However, regional biases occur above Africa and the Indian Ocean, particularly in the position of the deep convection anomalies associated with El Niño, which can lead to the wrong sign in rainfall anomalies in the northwest part of South Africa. From the near-surface to mid-troposphere, CMIP5 models underestimate the observed anomalous pattern of pressure occurring over Southern Africa that leads to dry conditions during El Niño years. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. | CMIP5; Coupled model; El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO); Rainfall; Southern Africa; Teleconnection | atmosphere-ocean coupling; atmospheric convection; atmospheric dynamics; climate modeling; El Nino-Southern Oscillation; rainfall; teleconnection; Southern Africa | NRF, Water Research Commission; WRC, Water Research Commission |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84937637591 | Randomized impact evaluation of education interventions: experiences and lessons from a reading to learn intervention in East Africa | Ngware M.W., Abuya B., Oketch M., Admassu K., Mutisya M., Musyoka P. | 2015 | International Journal of Research and Method in Education | 38 | 4 | 10.1080/1743727X.2014.965252 | African Population and Health Research Center, APHRC Campus, 2nd Floor, Manga Close Off Kirawa Road, PO Box 10787-00100, Nairobi, Kenya | Ngware, M.W., African Population and Health Research Center, APHRC Campus, 2nd Floor, Manga Close Off Kirawa Road, PO Box 10787-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; Abuya, B., African Population and Health Research Center, APHRC Campus, 2nd Floor, Manga Close Off Kirawa Road, PO Box 10787-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; Oketch, M., African Population and Health Research Center, APHRC Campus, 2nd Floor, Manga Close Off Kirawa Road, PO Box 10787-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; Admassu, K., African Population and Health Research Center, APHRC Campus, 2nd Floor, Manga Close Off Kirawa Road, PO Box 10787-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; Mutisya, M., African Population and Health Research Center, APHRC Campus, 2nd Floor, Manga Close Off Kirawa Road, PO Box 10787-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; Musyoka, P., African Population and Health Research Center, APHRC Campus, 2nd Floor, Manga Close Off Kirawa Road, PO Box 10787-00100, Nairobi, Kenya | This paper presents the experiences and lessons learnt during the design and implementation of the randomized impact evaluation (IE) of a reading to learn (RtL) intervention in early primary grades. The study was to assess the impact of RtL on literacy and numeracy among pupils in low-performing districts in East Africa. The intervention was designed in a way that in each country one district implemented an intervention package that included teacher training, and teaching and learning materials; while the other district implemented this same package with an additional parental involvement component. Baseline data were collected in mid-2009 in Grades 1 and 2, and in 2010 for the incoming Grade 1. The endline data were collected in mid-2011. A total of 119 treatments and 110 control schools participated in the study. The randomized design provided an opportunity to attribute causality and also qualitatively establish pathways through which the intervention impacted on learning. The paper provides lessons learnt and demonstrates how the challenges faced during the evaluation were addressed. Additionally, the paper shows how IE was utilized to provide robust evidence of what works thus enabling policy-makers to make decisions on sustainability and scale-up of education interventions. © 2014 Taylor & Francis. | early grades; impact evaluation; Kenya; learning; literacy; numeracy; reading; Uganda | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84927591622 | Temperature Variation and heat wave and cold spell impacts on years of life lost among the urban poor population of Nairobi, Kenya | Egondi T., Kyobutungi C., Rocklöv J. | 2015 | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health | 12 | 3 | 10.3390/ijerph120302735 | African Population and Health Research Center, P.O. Box 10787-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden | Egondi, T., African Population and Health Research Center, P.O. Box 10787-00100, Nairobi, Kenya, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Kyobutungi, C., African Population and Health Research Center, P.O. Box 10787-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; Rocklöv, J., Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden | Weather extremes are associated with adverse health outcomes, including mortality. Studies have investigated the mortality risk of temperature in terms of excess mortality, however, this risk estimate may not be appealing to policy makers assessing the benefits expected for any interventions to be adopted. To provide further evidence of the burden of extreme temperatures, we analyzed the effect of temperature on years of life lost (YLL) due to all-cause mortality among the population in two urban informal settlements. YLL was generated based on the life expectancy of the population during the study period by applying a survival analysis approach. Association between daily maximum temperature and YLL was assessed using a distributed lag nonlinear model. In addition, cold spell and heat wave effects, as defined according to different percentiles, were investigated. The exposure-response curve between temperature and YLL was J-shaped, with the minimum mortality temperature (MMT) of 26 °C. An average temperature of 21 °C compared to the MMT was associated with an increase of 27.4 YLL per day (95% CI, 2.7–52.0 years). However, there was no additional effect for extended periods of cold spells, nor did we find significant associations between YLL to heat or heat waves. Overall, increased YLL from all-causes were associated with cold spells indicating the need for initiating measure for reducing health burdens. © 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | Cold spell; Cold-related mortality; Heat wave; Heat-related mortality; Temperature | climate effect; environmental factor; health geography; health impact; informal settlement; mortality; survival; temperature gradient; urban population; Article; cause of death; cold injury; cold spell; controlled study; environmental impact; environmental monitoring; environmental temperature; heat wave; human; Kenya; life expectancy; mortality; outcome assessment; physical phenomena; social status; survival; temperature sensitivity; temperature variation; thermal analysis; urban area; weather; Kenya; Nairobi [Kenya]; Nairobi [Nairobi (CNT)] | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84944315308 | Impact of climate change on brackish water aquaculture development in the coastal areas of Niger Delta | Akinrotimi O.A., Edun O.M. | 2015 | International Journal of Agricultural Research | 10 | 2 | 10.3923/ijar.2015.44.53 | African Regional Aquaculture Center, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, P.M.B. 5122, Buguma, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria | Akinrotimi, O.A., African Regional Aquaculture Center, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, P.M.B. 5122, Buguma, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria; Edun, O.M., African Regional Aquaculture Center, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, P.M.B. 5122, Buguma, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria | The issue of climate change has generated a lot of concern among the general public in Niger Delta region in recent time. It has been described in different ways by many people based on their views, perception and understanding. However, little considerations have been given to the impact of climate change on brackish water aquaculture in the coastal areas of Niger Delta. This study therefore, review critically, based on existing literature and field experience, the causes of climate change, impact of climate change on aquaculture production such as: increase in temperature, flooding of ponds, increase in water turbidity, heavy siltation of pond bottom, introduction of new species, collapse of farms infrastructure and fluctuations in salinity levels. Also, various adaptation and mitigation strategies that will ameliorate the impact of climate change in aquaculture operations, namely: reduction in human activities that are inimical to stable climate, selection of good site suitable for fish farming, provision of shading materials for fish cultured in tanks, raising of pond dykes, good management practices and improvement of monitoring and early warning systems are explicitly elucidated. As these strategies will go a long way in minimizing the impact of this menace, in the brackish water zone of the region. Moreover, efforts should be made by relevant institutions and agencies to come up with coordinated plans and policies that will reduce the effects of climate change on brackish water aquaculture in the coastal areas of Niger Delta. © 2015 Academic Journals Inc. | Climate; Coastal environment; Fish; Fish farming; Niger Delta | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84949806808 | The turn of the south? Social and economic impacts of mega-events in India, Brazil and South Africa | Maharaj B. | 2015 | Local Economy | 30 | 8 | 10.1177/0269094215604318 | University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa | Maharaj, B., University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa | In the neoliberal era, competing to host global sporting events has become a prominent urban promotion strategy, and with a few exceptions, the scholarly focus has been on the western experience. In contrast, this paper focuses on the south experience with specific reference to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. A common argument is that such sporting events provide global marketing opportunities that can attract foreign investment, which may serve as catalysts for development. A key goal is to promote the status and power of the post-colonial nation-state (although ironically ceding sovereignty to entities like FIFA for the duration of events). While there are some benefits, especially in terms of infrastructure development, the Indian, Brazilian and South African experience suggests that the privileged tend to benefit at the expense of the poor, and socio-economic inequalities were exacerbated. These points are illustrated in this paper with reference to evictions, loss of livelihoods and violations of human rights. Disturbingly, the cost of constructing new sports’ facilities and associated infrastructure escalated phenomenally from the original bid-document estimates, without any public oversight, and some are destined to be white elephants. The mega-events were largely organised and funded by the governments in consultation with the private sector, with little or no accountability to citizens, although such decisions had major implications in terms of the diversion of public spending priorities from more urgent social needs such as housing, healthcare and education. © 2015, © The Author(s) 2015. | evictions; legacy; livelihoods; mega-events; South cities | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84945410130 | Diabetes: knowledge, psychosocial impact, and attitude of patients | Achigbu E.O., Oputa R.N., Achigbu K.I., Ahuche I.U. | 2015 | International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries | 35 | None | 10.1007/s13410-015-0368-2 | Department of Ophthalmology, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria; Department of Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria; Department of Paediatrics, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria | Achigbu, E.O., Department of Ophthalmology, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria; Oputa, R.N., Department of Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria; Achigbu, K.I., Department of Paediatrics, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria; Ahuche, I.U., Department of Ophthalmology, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria | The scourge of diabetes has been increasing worldwide with a tendency to double, from 176 to 370 million people by 2030 according to WHO prediction. In Nigeria, only 20 % of the 3.2 million estimated to have diabetes are aware of it. Among those already diagnosed, about 50 % have poor glycaemic control attributable to poor diabetes self-management despite effective medication. Diabetes self-management in addition to medical therapy, lifestyle modification and education are key to the management of diabetes. This study aims to determine the knowledge, psychosocial impact and attitude of people with diabetes to diabetes with a view to make recommendations for a more encompassing patient-based management of diabetes. A cross-sectional study using a structured questionnaire in the endocrinology clinic of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, interviewed 104 consecutive newly diagnosed patients with diabetes who willingly consented to the study. One hundred and four patients with an equal male to female ratio were interviewed. The 41–60-year (78.8 %) age group and traders (66.3 %) constituted the greatest number. Majority (58.7 %) heard of diabetes prior to their diagnosis, but many (41.3 %) did not. This knowledge was significantly associated with occupation (0.022). Many (84.6 %) were willing to disclose diagnosis to family and friends as well as join a support group (61.5 %). But, the major reason for this inclination was wrong. Many never heard of diabetes prior to their diagnosis. In spite of being aware, a diagnosis of diabetes is associated with different emotional responses and attitudes including willingness to disclose their diagnosis and get support. Appropriate treatment based on current medical knowledge, self-management education and development of diabetic support groups is recommended. © 2015, Research Society for Study of Diabetes in India. | Attitude; Diabetes; Knowledge; Psychology | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84926201819 | Feed formulation and feeding impact on the performance of dairy cows in Central Highland of Ethiopia | Assaminew S., Ashenafi M. | 2015 | Livestock Research for Rural Development | 27 | 4 | None | Agricultural College, ATVET, Holetta, Ethiopia; College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia | Assaminew, S., Agricultural College, ATVET, Holetta, Ethiopia; Ashenafi, M., College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia | The study was conducted on private urban and periurban dairy production systems around Holetta, Central Highland of Ethiopia, with the objective to assess the existing feed formulation and feeding of crossbred dairy cows in terms of nutrient supply in relation to the performances. Structured questionnaire and laboratory analysis for home-mixed concentrate were employed to generate data from a total of 60 dairy farms. The average of home-mixed concentrates chemical composition for urban and periurban farm, respectively, were 209 and 224 g/kg dry matter (DM) of crude protein (CP), 3.85 and 5.28 g/kg DM calcium (Ca) and 10.6 and 9.74 g/kg DM of phosphorus (P). The nutrients supplied per kg of milk through home-mixed concentrates for urban and periurban crossbred dairy cows, respectively, were 92.6 and 93.5 g CP, 1.70 and 2.21 g Ca and 4.69 and 4.04 g P. The average daily milk yield (ADMY)/cow/day, calving interval(CI) and days open(DO) for urban and periurban farms, respectively, were 11.1 and 9.28 kg, 14.3 and 15.4 months, and 152 and 176 days. Significant variations in terms of nutrient supply through home-mixed concentrate between the production subsystems of the study site existed. Thus, big variations in nutrient supply and imbalances resulted in an apparently low performance of dairy animals in terms of ADMY, CI and DO as compared to what was expected. © 2015, Fundacion CIPAV. All rights reserved. | Calving interval; Days open; Home-mixed concentrates; Milk yield; Periurban; Urban | Animalia | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930884256 | Multienvironment performance of new orange-fleshed sweetpotato cultivars in South Africa | Laurie S.M., Booyse M., Labuschagne M.T., Greyling M.M. | 2015 | Crop Science | 55 | 4 | 10.2135/cropsci2014.09.0664 | Agricultural Research Council (ARC)–Roodeplaat Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute, Pretoria, South Africa; ARC–Biometry Unit, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Dep. of Plant Sciences, Univ. Of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa | Laurie, S.M., Agricultural Research Council (ARC)–Roodeplaat Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute, Pretoria, South Africa; Booyse, M., ARC–Biometry Unit, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Labuschagne, M.T., Dep. of Plant Sciences, Univ. Of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Greyling, M.M., Agricultural Research Council (ARC)–Roodeplaat Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute, Pretoria, South Africa | Vitamin A deficiency is a serious health problem in South Africa, as in several parts of the world. One strategy to combat micronutrient deficiency is through biofortification, particularly through orange-fleshed sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam]. Previously, a shortage existed in South Africa of orange-fleshed genotypes with a combination of high dry mass, good yield, and good taste. Local cream-fleshed parents and orange-fleshed US introductions were used in the local polycross program. This study aimed at testing the agronomic performance, stability, and genetic diversity of newly developed orange-fleshed genotypes. Twelve entries, nine with orange flesh color, were evaluated at four sites for two seasons in multienvironment trials and the data was subjected to ANOVA and genotype plus genotype-by-environment interaction (GGE) biplot analysis. Simple-sequence repeat (SSR) analysis of the 12 entries was done followed by hierarchical clustering. Two of the orange-fleshed cultivars were recommended for production and plant breeders’ rights were registered for these. Cultivar Impilo produced stable, high root yield similar to the commercial control cultivar Beauregard; while the elite breeding line Purple Sunset (2001_5_2) had high yield and specific adaptability. Both displayed average dry mass and acceptable taste. The genetic analysis indicated relatedness of most new genotypes with the cream-fleshed parents used in the polycross program. The improved cultivars offer considerable yield advantage above US introductions previously recommended for combating vitamin A deficiency. © Crop Science Society of America. | None | Ipomoea batatas | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84925878225 | Evaluation of adherence measures of antiretroviral prophylaxis in HIV exposed infants in the first 6 weeks of life | Desmond A.C., Moodley D., Conolly C.A., Castel S.A., Coovadia H.M. | 2015 | BMC Pediatrics | 15 | 1 | 10.1186/s12887-015-0340-9 | Center for AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa-CAPRISA, Women's Health and HIV Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Biostatistics Unit, Medical Research Council, Durban, South Africa; Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Maternal Adolescent and Child Health (MatCH), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | Desmond, A.C., Center for AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa-CAPRISA, Women's Health and HIV Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Moodley, D., Center for AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa-CAPRISA, Women's Health and HIV Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Conolly, C.A., Biostatistics Unit, Medical Research Council, Durban, South Africa; Castel, S.A., Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Coovadia, H.M., Maternal Adolescent and Child Health (MatCH), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | Background: Adherence to an antiretroviral regimen is imperative for treatment success in both HIV infected adults and children. Likewise, adherence to antiretroviral prophylaxis is critical in HIV prevention. Studies on pediatric adherence are limited, particularly the prophylactic use of antiretroviral drugs and treatment adherence in very young infants. The HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 046 study (Clinical Trial Registration NCT00074412) determined the safety and efficacy of an extended regimen of nevirapine suspension in infants born to HIV-1 infected women for the prevention of vertical HIV transmission during breastfeeding. As per protocol, adherence to nevirapine prophylaxis was measured by maternal verbal reports. In addition, the pharmacy assessed the unused returned suspension. The aim of this sub-study was to determine the reliability of maternal verbal reports in measuring adherence to antiretroviral prophylaxis in infants in the first 6 weeks of life and evaluating the unused returned nevirapine as an alternative method of measuring adherence. Methods: Maternal verbal reports and pharmacy returns indicative of "missed<2 doses" were evaluated against a plasma nevirapine concentration of >100 ng/ml in a subgroup of infants at 2, 5 and 6 weeks of age. Plasma nevirapine concentration of >100 ng/ml was used as a marker of adherence (10 times the in vitro IC50 against HIV). Results: Adherence was 87.7% (maternal verbal report) and 71.3% (unused returned medication), as compared to 85.6% by plasma nevirapine concentration. Evaluated against plasma nevirapine concentration <100 ng/ml, the sensitivity and specificity of maternal verbal reports to detect a missed dose in the last 3 days were 75% and 78% (p=0.03) respectively. Overall, among infants who were classified as adherent based on missed doses by maternal verbal reports and unused returned medication, 88.4% and 87.4% of infants attained a nevirapine concentration above 100 ng/ml respectively. Conclusion: Maternal verbal reports are a reliable measure of adherence to infant antiretroviral prophylaxis in the first 6 weeks of life and could be useful in assessing adherence to antiretroviral treatment in infants younger than 6 weeks. In the absence of resources or expertise to determine plasma drug concentration, we would recommend random assessments of unused returned medication. © Desmond et al.; licensee BioMed Central. | Adherence measures; Antiretroviral prophylaxis; Infants; Maternal verbal report; Pharmacy returns | nevirapine; adult; antibiotic prophylaxis; Article; breast feeding; diagnostic test accuracy study; drug blood level; drug efficacy; drug safety; female; highly active antiretroviral therapy; human; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; IC50; infant; maternal verbal report; measurement; medication compliance; patient compliance; sensitivity and specificity; verbal communication; vertical transmission | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84922261523 | Evaluation of butterhead lettuce cultivars for winter production under a shadenet structure | Maboko M.M., Ncayiyana M., Du Plooy C.P. | 2015 | Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica Section B: Soil and Plant Science | 65 | 2 | 10.1080/09064710.2014.985250 | Agricultural Research Council-Roodeplaat, Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute, Private Bag X293, Pretoria, South Africa | Maboko, M.M., Agricultural Research Council-Roodeplaat, Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute, Private Bag X293, Pretoria, South Africa; Ncayiyana, M., Agricultural Research Council-Roodeplaat, Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute, Private Bag X293, Pretoria, South Africa; Du Plooy, C.P., Agricultural Research Council-Roodeplaat, Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute, Private Bag X293, Pretoria, South Africa | Incorrect selection of cultivar leads to profit loss due to variability in yield and in quality characteristics of butterhead lettuce. Nine butterhead lettuce cultivars were evaluated in soil cultivation under a 40% white shadenet structure during the winter season on an experimental farm of the Agricultural Research Council – Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute (ARC-VOPI). The experiment was laid out as a randomised complete block design with five replicates. During harvest, 10 plants from each cultivar per replicate were assessed for yield, and five uniform heads were cut longitudinally for internal quality assessment. Quality assessment included compactness, uniformity, tipburn, disease tolerance and bolting tolerance. Results showed that head mass, height, diameter, uniformity, compactness, tipburn, disease tolerance and internal quality were significantly affected by cultivar choice. Recommended cultivars which outperformed the control (Ofelia) based on uniformity, tipburn and percentage marketable harvest were Analena, Fabieto RZ, Lobela and Rousso RZ. Results thus indicate that improved yield and quality of butterhead lettuce cultivars can be obtained by selecting the correct cultivar for winter production. © 2014, © 2014 Taylor & Francis. | compactness; internal quality; tipburn; uniformity; yield | Lactuca | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84920913660 | Isolation of α-linolenic acid biohydrogenation products by combined silver ion solid phase extraction and semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography | Turner T.D., Meadus W.J., Mapiye C., Vahmani P., López-Campos Ó., Duff P., Rolland D.C., Church J.S., Dugan M.E.R. | 2015 | Journal of Chromatography B: Analytical Technologies in the Biomedical and Life Sciences | 980 | None | 10.1016/j.jchromb.2014.11.038 | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, 6000 C and E Trail, Lacombe, AB, Canada; Thompson Rivers University, 900 McGill Road, Kamloops, BC, Canada; Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, P. Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; Livestock Gentec, 1400 College Plaza 8215 112 Street, Edmonton, AB, Canada | Turner, T.D., Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, 6000 C and E Trail, Lacombe, AB, Canada, Thompson Rivers University, 900 McGill Road, Kamloops, BC, Canada; Meadus, W.J., Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, 6000 C and E Trail, Lacombe, AB, Canada; Mapiye, C., Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, P. Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; Vahmani, P., Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, 6000 C and E Trail, Lacombe, AB, Canada; López-Campos, Ó., Livestock Gentec, 1400 College Plaza 8215 112 Street, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Duff, P., Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, 6000 C and E Trail, Lacombe, AB, Canada; Rolland, D.C., Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, 6000 C and E Trail, Lacombe, AB, Canada; Church, J.S., Thompson Rivers University, 900 McGill Road, Kamloops, BC, Canada; Dugan, M.E.R., Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, 6000 C and E Trail, Lacombe, AB, Canada | Polyunsaturated fatty acids typically found in cattle feed include linoleic (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA). In the rumen, microbes metabolize these resulting in the formation of biohydrogenation products (BHP), which can be incorporated into meat and milk. Bioactivities of LA-BHP, including conjugated linoleic acid (cis (c) 9,trans (t) 11-18:2 and t10,c12-18:2) and trans fatty acid isomers (t9-, t10- and t11-18:1) have been investigated, but effects of several BHP unique to ALA have not been extensively studied, and most ALA-BHP are not commercially available. The objective of the present research was to develop methods to purify and collect ALA-BHP using silver ion (Ag+) chromatography in sufficient quantities to allow for convenient bioactivity testing in cell culture. Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) were prepared from perirenal adipose tissue from a cow enriched with ALA-BHP by feeding flaxseed. These were applied to Ag+-solid phase extraction, and eluted with hexane with increasing quantities of acetone (1, 2, 10, 20%) or acetonitrile (2%) to pre-fractionate FAME based on degree of unsaturation and double bond configuration. Fractions were collected, concentrated and applied to semi-preparative Ag+-high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the isolation and collection of purified isomers, which was accomplished using isocratic elutions with hexane containing differing amounts of acetonitrile (from 0.015 to 0.075%). Purified trans-18:1 isomers collected ranged in purity from 88 to 99%. Purity of the ALA-BHP dienes collected, including c9,t13-18:2, t11,c15-18:2 and t10,c15-18:2, exceeded 90%, while purification of other dienes may require the use of other complementary procedures (e.g. reverse phase HPLC). © 2014. | Ag+-HPLC; Ag+-SPE; Biohydrogenation; α-Linolenic acid | Acetone; Acetonitrile; Bioactivity; Cell culture; Chromatography; Extraction; Hexane; High performance liquid chromatography; Isomers; Linoleic acid; Liquid chromatography; Liquids; Metal ions; Olefins; Phase separation; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Purification; Alpha linolenic acids; Biohydrogenation; Conjugated linoleic acid; Degree of unsaturations; Fatty acid methyl ester; Linolenic acids; Semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatographies; Solid-phase extraction; Fatty acids; acetone; acetonitrile; conjugated linoleic acid; fatty acid ester; hexane; linolenic acid; silver; trans fatty acid; linolenic acid; adipose tissue; animal cell; animal tissue; Article; biological activity; concentration (parameters); controlled study; cow; fractionation; high performance liquid chromatography; hydrogenation; isomer; linseed; nonhuman; priority journal; solid phase extraction; high performance liquid chromatography; isolation and purification; procedures; solid phase extraction; Bos; alpha-Linolenic Acid; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Linoleic Acids, Conjugated; Solid Phase Extraction | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928714381 | Understanding the impact of hazardous and harmful use of alcohol and/or other drugs on ARV adherence and disease progression | Kader R., Govender R., Seedat S., Koch J.R., Parry C. | 2015 | PLoS ONE | 10 | 5 | 10.1371/journal.pone.0125088 | Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa; Centre for Social Science Research, Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States | Kader, R., Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa; Govender, R., Centre for Social Science Research, Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Seedat, S., Department of Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Koch, J.R., Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States; Parry, C., Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa, Department of Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa | The objective of this study was to understand the impact of hazardous and harmful use of alcohol and/or other drugs on ARV adherence and disease progression among HIV patients. A cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 1503 patients attending HIV clinics in Cape Town, South Africa were screened for problematic substance use. A sub-sample of 607 patients (303 patients who screened positive for problematic substance use and 304 who did not) participated in this study. Hazardous or harmful alcohol use and problematic drug use predicted missing and stopping ARVs which, in turn, was associated with a decrease in CD4 counts and more rapid HIV-disease progression and poorer health outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The findings of this study underscore the need for an integrated approach to managing substance-use disorders in PLWHA. © 2015 Kader et al. | None | antiretrovirus agent; acquired immune deficiency syndrome; adult; alcohol abuse; Article; CD4 lymphocyte count; controlled study; cross-sectional study; disease course; drug abuse; drug treatment failure; female; human; human cell; Human immunodeficiency virus infected patient; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; major clinical study; male; patient attitude; patient compliance; prediction; South Africa; substance abuse; treatment response | 5U2GPS001137, CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84912042628 | The Dube TradePort-King Shaka International Airport mega-project: Exploring impacts in the context of multi-scalar governance processes | Robbins G. | 2015 | Habitat International | 45 | P3 | 10.1016/j.habitatint.2014.05.006 | Amsterdam Institutes for Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands; School of Built Environment and Development Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | Robbins, G., Amsterdam Institutes for Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, School of Built Environment and Development Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | Mega-projects aimed at enhancing urban economic infrastructure have been widely recognised as a feature of cities in which influential actors are eager to encourage economic growth. They have also been described as being central in influencing physical patterns of city growth through their direct and indirect impacts on land-uses. Whilst such initiatives are not necessarily new, it has been noted in more recent urban development experiences that these projects tend to involve crafting highly complex, mixed-use environments through a variety of forms of public-private collaboration. Furthermore, they are promoted not only in instrumental terms as facilities or infrastructure to serve a need of a particular economic process, but are also often packaged and motivated as comprehensive urban developments that can reposition the image of cities in a highly competitive global investment environment. Such processes are both influenced by and, in turn, influence multi-scalar governance processes and practices, both in the planning and motivating projects, as well as in their operations. The new King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) and Dube TradePort (DTP), located some 35km north from the City of Durban in South Africa, were projects developed with the intention of replacing an apparently obsolete facility so as to enable the region to attract more international aviation links that could, in turn, support tourism and exports. Based on analysis of documents and a range of stakeholder interviews, the paper shows how the development of the facilities and the associated impacts, from the shaping of space to meeting of operational targets, have been influenced by and also influenced the character of governance arrangements. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. | Cities; Mega-project impacts; Mega-projects; Multi-scalar governance; Private sector; Public sector | airport; governance approach; private sector; public sector; urban development; urban economy; urban planning; Durban; KwaZulu-Natal; South Africa | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84947998995 | Growth performance and nutrition-related serum metabolites in growing pigs fed on Acacia Tortilis leaf meal | Ndou S.P., Khanyile M., Chimonyo M. | 2015 | Livestock Science | 182 | None | 10.1016/j.livsci.2015.10.003 | Animal and Poultry Science, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P. Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; Department of Animal Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada | Ndou, S.P., Animal and Poultry Science, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P. Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, Department of Animal Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Khanyile, M., Animal and Poultry Science, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P. Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; Chimonyo, M., Animal and Poultry Science, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P. Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | The objective of the study was to determine the response in metabolites and growth performance in growing pigs fed on Acacia tortilis leaf meal-based diets using a dose-response trial. Forty-eight male hybrid pigs (28.5±2.18. kg BW) were individually penned and assigned in a complete randomized design to six experimental diets containing 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150. g/kg DM of A. tortilis leaf meal. Pigs were bled once after three weeks for biochemical analyses. An increase in A. tortilis resulted in quadratic reductions in ADFI (P<0.0001) and ADG (P<0.05), and linear decreases in G:F (P<0.001). Serum iron, cholesterol and total protein initially increased, and then started decreasing with incremental levels of A. tortilis. There was a quadratic increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (P<0.001) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (P<0.01) and a linear increase (P<0.001) in alkaline phosphatases (ALP) observed as A. tortilis inclusion increased. Using the broken-stick model, the optimum levels of leaf meals marking break points at which threshold values of ADG, serum iron, serum cholesterol and total protein occurred when A. tortilis was included at 64.8, 60.0, 87.1 and 63.2. g/kg DM, respectively. In conclusion, growth performance, serum iron and total proteins are reliable indicators of optimum inclusion levels of leaf meals in pigs. © 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V. | Acacia tortilis; Blood metabolites; Growing pigs; Optimum inclusion levels; Tannins | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930613407 | Implementation of an electronic monitoring and evaluation system for the antiretroviral treatment programme in the Cape Winelands District, South Africa: A qualitative evaluation | Myburgh H., Murphy J.P., Van Huyssteen M., Foster N., Grobbelaar C.J., Struthers H.E., McIntyre J.A., Hurter T., Peters R.P.H. | 2015 | PLoS ONE | 10 | 5 | 10.1371/journal.pone.0127223 | Anova Health Institute, Paarl, Western Cape Province, South Africa; Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa; School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Natural Science, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Western Cape Province, South Africa; School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa | Myburgh, H., Anova Health Institute, Paarl, Western Cape Province, South Africa; Murphy, J.P., Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa; Van Huyssteen, M., School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Natural Science, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Western Cape Province, South Africa; Foster, N., School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa; Grobbelaar, C.J., Anova Health Institute, Paarl, Western Cape Province, South Africa; Struthers, H.E., Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa; McIntyre, J.A., Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa; Hurter, T., Anova Health Institute, Paarl, Western Cape Province, South Africa, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa; Peters, R.P.H., Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa | Background: A pragmatic three-tiered approach to monitor the world's largest antiretroviral treatment (ART) programme was adopted by the South African National Department of Health in 2010. With the rapid expansion of the programme, the limitations of the paper-based register (tier 1) were the catalyst for implementation of the stand-alone electronic register (tier 2), which offers simple digitisation of the paper-based register. This article engages with theory on implementation to identify and contextualise enabling and constraining factors for implementation of the electronic register, to describe experiences and use of the register, and to make recommendations for implementation in similar settings where standardisation of ART monitoring and evaluation has not been achieved. Methods: We conducted a qualitative evaluation of the roll-out of the register. This comprised twenty in-depth interviews with a diverse sample of stakeholders at facility, sub-district, and district levels of the health system. Facility-level participants were selected across five sub-districts, including one facility per sub-district. Responses were coded and analysed using a thematic approach. An implementation science framework guided interpretation of the data. Results & Discussion: We identified the following seven themes: 1) ease of implementation, 2) perceived value of an electronic M&E system, 3) importance of stakeholder engagement, 4) influence of a data champion, 5) operational and logistical factors, 6) workload and role clarity, and 7) importance of integrating the electronic register with routine facility monitoring and evaluation. Interpreting our findings through an implementation theory enabled us to construct the scaffolding for implementation across the five facility-settings. This approach illustrated that implementation was not a linear process but occurred at two nodes: at the adoption of the register for roll-out, and at implementation at facility-level. Conclusion: In this study we found that relative advantage of an intervention and stakeholder engagement are critical to implementation. We suggest that without these aspects of implementation, formative and summative outcomes of implementation at both the adoption and coalface stages of implementation would be negatively affected. © 2015 Myburgh et al. | None | antiretrovirus agent; Article; catalyst; conceptual framework; electronic medical record; health care; human; public health service; qualitative analysis; register; South Africa; standardization; thematic analysis | AID-674-A-12-00015, USAID, United States Agency for International Development |
| None | None | Influences of castration on the performance of landmine-detection rats (Cricetomys gambianus) | Edwards T.L., Cox C., Weetjens B., Poling A. | 2015 | Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research | 10 | 4 | 10.1016/j.jveb.2015.04.002 | Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania; Department of Psychology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, United States | Edwards, T.L., Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania; Cox, C., Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania; Weetjens, B., Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania; Poling, A., Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania, Department of Psychology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, United States | Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling has employed pouched rats as mine-detection animals for approximately 10years in sub-Saharan Africa, where the species is indigenous, and now plans to deploy the rats in areas where they are not indigenous. To prevent the possible introduction of an invasive species in those regions, all rats must be castrated before deployment. The research described in the present article was conducted to determine whether castration affects the performance of pouched rats as mine-detection animals. Five sex-, age-, and performance-matched pairs of pouched rats, 3 male pairs and 2 female pairs, were randomly divided into 2 groups: the experimental group undergoing castration procedures and the control group remaining out of training for the same duration as the experimental group. No statistically significant differences were found between the performance of experimental and control groups after the intervention despite high statistical power to detect such a difference, and equivalence tests suggest that any possible effects are of no practical significance. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. | Castration; Landmines; Mine-detection animals; Neutering; Pouched rats (Cricetomys gambianus); Scent detection | Animalia; Cricetomys gambianus; Rattus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930590466 | The impact of cassava effluent on the microbial and physicochemical characteristics on soil dynamics and structure | Igbinosa E.O., Igiehon O.N. | 2015 | Jordan Journal of Biological Sciences | 8 | 2 | None | Applied Microbial Processes and Environmental Health Research Group, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Private Mail Bag 1154, Benin City, Nigeria | Igbinosa, E.O., Applied Microbial Processes and Environmental Health Research Group, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Private Mail Bag 1154, Benin City, Nigeria; Igiehon, O.N., Applied Microbial Processes and Environmental Health Research Group, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Private Mail Bag 1154, Benin City, Nigeria | The effects of cassava effluent on soil microbial and physicochemical properties were studied using culture-dependent and standard analytical methods. Soil samples were collected from sites polluted with cassava effluent and from adjacent sites that were not impacted with the effluent pollution. The isolation and enumeration of microbial population was carried out using standard culture-based methods. Standard analytical methods were used to assay for physicochemical properties. The highest bacterial count of 3.61×108 ± 0.12 CFU/g was recorded for polluted soil sampled from Ehor, while the lowest count of 1.3×108 ± 0.03 CFU/g was recorded in Isihor. Isihor had the highest fungal count of 2.2 ×108 ± 0.01 CFU/g from soil contaminated with cassava effluent. The fungal counts of the polluted soil were significantly lower than the bacterial counts generally (p < 0.05). The heavy metal contents of the contaminated soils were relatively higher than the uncontaminated soil (control). Unlike in the control soils, pH of the polluted soils ranged from 4.0 - 4.78. The bacteria isolated were Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus macerans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella aoxytoca and Escherichia coli. Eleven species of fungi belonging to the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium and Rhizopus were also isolated. The present study shows that the cassava effluent can have an increasing or limiting effect on the microbial diversity of the polluted soil which could also be attributed to the simultaneous impact on the physicochemical parameters of the soil. © 2015 Jordan Journal of Biological Sciences. | Biodiversity; Heavy metal; Microbial density; Pollution; Toxicants | Aspergillus; Bacillus subtilis; Bacteria (microorganisms); Escherichia coli; Fungi; Klebsiella; Manihot esculenta; Paenibacillus macerans; Penicillium; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Rhizopus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84951964216 | Effect of irrigation with diluted winery wastewater on the performance of two grass cover crops in vineyards | Fourie J.C., Theron H., Ochse C.H. | 2015 | South African Journal of Enology and Viticulture | 36 | 2 | None | ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Private Bag X5026, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Private Bag X8, Wellington, South Africa | Fourie, J.C., ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Private Bag X5026, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Theron, H., Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Private Bag X8, Wellington, South Africa; Ochse, C.H., ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Private Bag X5026, Stellenbosch, South Africa | Pennisetum glaucum L. cv. Babala (pearl millet) established as a summer catch crop followed by Avena sativa L. cv Palinup (oats) established as a winter catch crop were irrigated with winery wastewater diluted to eight chemical oxygen demand (COD) levels ranging between 100 mg/L and 3 000 mg!L. The diluted wastewater treatments were compared to irrigation with river water. The dry matter production (DMP) of oats, if not preceded by pearl millet, tended to improve when irrigated with winery wastewater. Growth of pearl millet peaked during the period when 91% of the diluted winery wastewater was applied. Winery wastewater improved the DMP of pearl millet. No trends were observed in the nutrient levels of the above-ground growth of the two interception crops. However, Na levels increased over time. Using both species, too high levels of macro-nutrients were intercepted, but insignificant amounts of Na were removed. Irrigation with winery wastewater with COD levels between 1 500 mg/L and 2 500 mg/L may be sustainable if only pearl millet is employed as an interception crop. Fertiliser needed to maintain the nutrient balance in the soil resulted in an additional cost of approximately R2 800/ha/yr. However, the fodder may provide an income in excess of R15 000/ha/yr. | Catch crops; Cellar effluent; Chemical oxygen demand; Cover crops; Grapevine; Interception crops; Soil cultivation | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84943809362 | Evaluation of the safety, gastroprotective activity and mechanism of action of standardised leaves infusion extract of Copaifera malmei Harms | Adzu B., Balogun S.O., Pavan E., Ascêncio S.D., Soares I.M., Aguiar R.W.S., Ribeiro R.V., Beserra Â.M.S.E.S., De Oliveira R.G., Da Silva L.I., Damazo A.S., Martins D.T.D.O. | 2015 | Journal of Ethnopharmacology | 175 | None | 10.1016/j.jep.2015.09.027 | Área de Farmacologia, Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av.Fer- nando Correada Costa, no.2367-Boa Esperança, Cuiabá-MT, Brazil; Área de Histologia, Departamento de Ciências Básica | Adzu, B., Área de Farmacologia, Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av.Fer- nando Correada Costa, no.2367-Boa Esperança, Cuiabá-MT, Brazil, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Abuja, Nigeria; Balogun, S.O., Área de Farmacologia, Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av.Fer- nando Correada Costa, no.2367-Boa Esperança, Cuiabá-MT, Brazil; Pavan, E., Área de Farmacologia, Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av.Fer- nando Correada Costa, no.2367-Boa Esperança, Cuiabá-MT, Brazil; Ascêncio, S.D., Laboratório de Pesquisa em Produtos Naturais, Curso de Medicina, Universidade Federal Do Tocantins (UFT), Palmas, Brazil; Soares, I.M., Laboratório de Pesquisa em Produtos Naturais, Curso de Medicina, Universidade Federal Do Tocantins (UFT), Palmas, Brazil; Aguiar, R.W.S., Departamento da Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal Do Tocantins (UFT), Gurupi, Brazil; Ribeiro, R.V., Área de Farmacologia, Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av.Fer- nando Correada Costa, no.2367-Boa Esperança, Cuiabá-MT, Brazil; Beserra, Â.M.S.E.S., Área de Farmacologia, Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av.Fer- nando Correada Costa, no.2367-Boa Esperança, Cuiabá-MT, Brazil; De Oliveira, R.G., Área de Farmacologia, Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av.Fer- nando Correada Costa, no.2367-Boa Esperança, Cuiabá-MT, Brazil; Da Silva, L.I., Área de Farmacologia, Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av.Fer- nando Correada Costa, no.2367-Boa Esperança, Cuiabá-MT, Brazil; Damazo, A.S., Área de Histologia, Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Cuiabá, Brazil; Martins, D.T.D.O., Área de Farmacologia, Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av.Fer- nando Correada Costa, no.2367-Boa Esperança, Cuiabá-MT, Brazil | Ethnopharmacological relevance Copaifera malmei Harms (Fabaceae) is a plant that occurs in the central region of Brazil, where the plant's leaves infusion is popularly used to treat gastric ulcer and inflammatory diseases. This study was aimed to investigate the gastroprotective activity and mode of action of the plants' leaves infusion in order to establish the scientific basis for such usage, and to assess its potential as a source of an anti-ulcer agent. Materials and methods Leaves infusion extract of the plant (SIECm) was prepared, freeze dried and lyophilised. Its qualitative and quantitative phytochemical constituents were investigated using TLC and HPLC techniques. The safety profile was evaluated on CHO-k1 epithelial cells viability using the Alamar blue assay, and by acute toxicity test in mice. The gastroprotection and anti-ulcer efficacy of the SIECm (25, 100 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) were tested using acute (acidified ethanol, piroxicam and water restrain stress), and chronic (acetic acid) experimental ulcer models. The plausible mode of action of the SIECm was assessed using gastric secretion, gastric barrier mucus, nitric oxide, and its antioxidant (myeloperoxidase and catalase) effects in mice and rats. The histopathological analyses of the ulcerated tissues as well as the extract's activity on Helicobacter pylori were also investigated. Results Phytochemical tests indicated the presence of mainly phytosterols, phenolics and flavonoids. The SIECm exhibited no cytotoxic effects on the CHO-k1 cells, and no oral acute toxicity in mice. It prevented against the acute induced ulcerations by enhancing gastroprotection through gastric mucus production, NO modulation, antioxidant, reduced gastric secretion and enhanced chronic ulcers healing process, as shown by reduction/prevention of epithelial and vascular damage, in addition to reduction in leucocyte infiltration. The SIECm however did not exhibit activity against H. pylori. Conclusion The SIECm is safe, contain useful phytochemicals and exhibited significant gastroprotective/anti-ulcer effects. The results justify its folkloric usage, and provided scientific evidence of its potential as a source of new phytodrug to treat gastric ulcers. © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. | Acute toxicity; Copaifera malmei; Gastroprotection; Leaves infusion; Phytochemicals | acetic acid; alcohol; antiulcer agent; carbenoxolone; catalase; catechin; copaifera malmei extract; ellagic acid; flavonoid; gallic acid; myeloperoxidase; nitric oxide; phenol derivative; phytosterol; piroxicam; plant extract; quercetin; rutoside; unclassified drug; water; acute toxicity; adult; analytic method; animal experiment; animal model; animal tissue; antioxidant activity; antiulcer activity; Article; blood vessel injury; cell viability; CHO cell line; clinical assessment; controlled study; Copaifera malmei; drug efficacy; drug mechanism; drug safety; drug screening; epithelium cell; experimental mouse; experimental rat; Fabaceae; freeze drying; Helicobacter pylori; high performance liquid chromatography; histopathology; immobilization stress; infusion; lymphocytic infiltration; lyophilisate; medicinal plant; mouse; nonhuman; plant leaf; qualitative analysis; quantitative analysis; rat; resazurin assay; single drug dose; stomach lesion; stomach mucus; stomach protection; stomach secretion; stomach ulcer; thin layer chromatography; ulcer healing; water restraint stress | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930402282 | Evaluation of biomass yield and growth performance of alfalfa and oat cultivars in the high land of Arsi, Ethiopia | Befekadu C., Yunus A. | 2015 | Livestock Research for Rural Development | 27 | 6 | None | Arsi University, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, PO Box 193, Asella, Ethiopia | Befekadu, C., Arsi University, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, PO Box 193, Asella, Ethiopia; Yunus, A., Arsi University, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, PO Box 193, Asella, Ethiopia | The major objective of this study was to investigate the effect of intercropping alfalfa with oat on growth rate, total forage dry matter yield and nitrogen yield. Alfalfa cultivars with or without oat was grown on finely prepared seed beds. The experimental seed was planted on 12 m2 plot (4 m long and 3 m wide), consisted of 10 rows with intra-row spacing of 0.3m. The plots were laid out in Randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five replications per treatment. Data on biomass yield and other yield related traits was subjected to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure for RCBD experiments using the General Linear Model (GLM) procedure of SAS computer software packages. The result of this experiment has shown that the total forage dry matter yield harvested from plots containing a mixture of alfalfa and oat was higher (P<0.05) than other plots containing pure stands of alfalfa and oat. The analysis also indicated that the dry matter yield per area of land was much greater for oat grown with alfalfa than oat grown without alfalfa. In this trial, the leaf to stem ratio of alfalfa and oat plant grown alone was statistically similar (P>0.05) to those grown in a mixture. The average plant height of.alfalfa and oat plant grown in separate plot was not differed (P>0.05) from those grown in a mixture on same plot under this experiment. The chemical analysis result has implied that the dry matter content of each plant (alfalfa and oat) grown in a mixture was higher than those plant grown separately. Likewise, the crude protein content of oat grown with alfalfa on the same plots was improved as compared to those oats plants grown alone in separate plots which could be achieved from the symbiotic relationship between the two plants grown in mixture. In general, the higher quality forage obtained from oat plants grown with alfalfa on the same plots, may be an important consideration for livestock producers. © 2015 Fundacion CIPAV. All rights reserved. | Crude protein; Forage yield; Growth rate; Intercropping | Avena; Medicago sativa | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84924755802 | Impact of anisotropic stresses during dissipative gravitational collapse | Reddy K.P., Govender M., Maharaj S.D. | 2015 | General Relativity and Gravitation | 47 | 4 | 10.1007/s10714-015-1880-x | Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Unit, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa | Reddy, K.P., Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Unit, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa; Govender, M., Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Unit, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa; Maharaj, S.D., Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Unit, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa | We employ a perturbative scheme to study the evolution of a spherically symmetric stellar body undergoing gravitational collapse in the presence of heat dissipation and anisotropic stresses. The Bowers and Liang static model is perturbed, and its subsequent dynamical collapse is studied in the linear perturbative regime. We find that anisotropic effects brought about by the differences in the radial and tangential pressures render the core more unstable than the cooler surface layers. An analysis of the temperature profiles in the interior of the collapsing body shows that the temperature is enhanced in the presence of pressure anisotropy. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York. | Anisotropic stresses; Causal thermodynamics; Dissipative collapse | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84938718507 | Influence of business information use on sales performance of SMEs in Lagos State | Ojo A., Akinsunmi S., Olayonu O. | 2015 | Library Philosophy and Practice | 2015 | 1 | None | Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria | Ojo, A., Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria; Akinsunmi, S., Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria; Olayonu, O., Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria | Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) are crucial drivers of every nation's economy. However, reports suggest SMEs in Nigeria have not performed creditably well in terms of sales. Hence, they are yet to contribute to a large extent to the economic growth and development of the country. Considering that business information is an indispensable resource in overall business performance, one is forced to question the availability and utilisation of business information by SME owners. This study examines the influence of business information use on the sales performance of SMEs in the information technology sector in Lagos State. Employing a survey research design, the study population comprised of 575 Computer and Allied Product Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN) registered SMEs in Computer Village of Lagos State. The stratified sampling technique was used to survey the responses of 181 SME owners who served as respondents in this study. A selfdeveloped questionnaire was used as the instrument of data collection. Frequency distribution, simple percentages, and regression analysis were used for data analysis. Findings revealed that SMEs obtained most of the information they use from newspapers and informal sources. Also revealed was that business information utilisation influences sales performance of SMEs (R = 0.36, R Square = .212, F<inf>1,161</inf> = 94.18, p < 0.05). The study concludes that business information use for SMEs sales performance is inevitable. However, use is predicated on availability. It is recommended that agencies in charge of SMEs in Nigeria should put more effort in ensuring formal information sources are made available to SME owners. | Business information; Information availability; Information use; Sales performance; SMEs | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940703988 | Evaluation of genetic parameters and growth traits of Hungarian Simmental cattle breed | Kebede D., Komlosi I. | 2015 | Livestock Research for Rural Development | 27 | 9 | None | Bahir Dar University College, Agriculture and Environmental Science, P.O. Box: 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Debrecen University, P.O. Box: 36, Debrecen, Hungary | Kebede, D., Bahir Dar University College, Agriculture and Environmental Science, P.O. Box: 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Komlosi, I., Debrecen University, P.O. Box: 36, Debrecen, Hungary | A study was undertaken in Hungary with the objectives to evaluate Hungarian Simmental cattle growth traits and estimate genetic parameters. Calving ease, birth weight, weaning weight, weaning age, 205-day weight and average daily gain of Hungarian Simmental calves (n=6552, bulls=1479 , heifers=5073) were evaluated. The effects included in the model for the analysis of growth traits were sex (2 classes), birth year (13 classes), birth month (12 classes) and farm (8 classes). R software program was used to calculate variance analysis and least square means; PEST software was used for data file and pedigree file coding and VCE6 software was used for calculating heritablities and correlations. Sex, year, month and farm significantly influenced CE, BW, WW, WA, 205W and ADG (P<0.001). Birth month and sex of the calf significantly (p<0.05) influenced CE, BW, 205W and ADG. The estimated heritablities of WW, BW, ADG and 205W were 0.26, 0.16, 0.31 and 0.25, respectively. Genetic correlation among weaning weight, birth weight, average daily gain and 205-day weight were positive but with calving ease was negative. Weaning weight had strong genetic correlation with average daily gain (r=0.98). Calving ease also had negative genetic correlation with 205-day weight (r=-0.02). The phenotypic correlation of average daily gain and 205-day weight was strong (0.79). © 2015 Fundacion CIPAV. All rights reserved. | Genetic correlation; Phenotypic correlation; Programmes and assessment | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84947070662 | Evaluation of the efficacy of bleach routinely used in health facilities against Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in Ethiopia | Mekonnen D., Admassu A., Wassie B., Biadglegne F. | 2015 | Pan African Medical Journal | 21 | None | 10.11604/pamj.2015.21.317.5456 | Bahir Dar University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Bahir Dar Regional Health Research Laboratory Center, Department of Regional Mycobacteriology Laboratory, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Bahir Dar University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Ethiopia; Institute of Medical Microbiology and Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, University of Leipzig, Germany | Mekonnen, D., Bahir Dar University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Admassu, A., Bahir Dar Regional Health Research Laboratory Center, Department of Regional Mycobacteriology Laboratory, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Wassie, B., Bahir Dar University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Ethiopia; Biadglegne, F., Bahir Dar University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, Institute of Medical Microbiology and Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, University of Leipzig, Germany | Introduction: In Ethiopia, the most widely used disinfectant is 5% Hypochlorites. However, Ethiopian national health safety and infection prevention guideline recommendation on the use of bleach is not consistent and varying from 0.1%-4%. The purpose of this study was therefore to assess the effective time-concentration relationship of sodium hypochlorite against Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates in the absence of any organic load. Methods: This experimental study was conducted in Bahir Dar Regional laboratory from February-June 2013. Test suspensions of 1.5 X 108 CFU/ml prepared using normal saline containing 0.5% tween 80. From 5% stock, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1% and 2% bleach was prepared. A 1ml of test strain suspension and 1ml of bleach mixed and allowed to stand until the specified time achieved, neutralized by 48 ml phosphate buffer. 100µl from the diluted sediment were spread on two L-J mediums and incubated at 37°C for 8 weeks. Results: When 0. 1% bleach was used for 10 min, majority 11/20 of isolates showed 3 x 103 CFU/ml growth (ME=4.4) which was inefficient. However, when the time increased, the log10 reduction was acceptable, ME >5 and it was effective. The bleach solution containing 0.5% and above was effective in all respective times. In this study, there is no difference observed in the tuberculocidal activity of bleach against resistant and sensitive strains. Conclusion: Our study showed that in the absence of any organic load, 0.1% bleaches over 15 min and 0.5 % bleaches over 10 min was found to be tuberculocidal. © Daniel Mekonnen et al. | Bleach; Efficacy; Ethiopia; M. tuberculosis; Organic load | bleaching agent; hypochlorite sodium; Article; bacterial growth; bacterial strain; bactericidal activity; bacterium isolate; controlled study; disinfection; dose time effect relation; Ethiopia; growth inhibition; health care facility; infection prevention; instrument sterilization; laboratory; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; nonhuman; pH; temperature sensitivity; water temperature | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940056879 | Effect of short chain iodoalkane solvent additives on photovoltaic performance of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and phenyl-C<inf>61</inf>-butyric acid methyl ester based bulk heterojunction solar cells | Hailegnaw B., Adam G., Yohannes T. | 2015 | Thin Solid Films | 589 | None | 10.1016/j.tsf.2015.05.038 | Bahir Dar University, College of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Dilla University, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 419, Dilla, Ethiopia; Addis Ababa University, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 1179, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Hailegnaw, B., Bahir Dar University, College of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Adam, G., Dilla University, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 419, Dilla, Ethiopia; Yohannes, T., Addis Ababa University, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 1179, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | In this work the effect of short chain iodoalkane solvent additives such as iodobutane, iodoethane, diiodomethane and iodomethane on the photovoltaic parameters of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl-C<inf>61</inf>-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) (1:1) based bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells was studied in an ambient air conditions. Devices processed in 2% (v/v) of diiodomethane, iodobutane and iodoethane showed improved power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.40, 2.29 and 2.04%, respectively as compared to the efficiency of pristine (without additive) devices (1.93%), while devices made using iodomethane exhibit PCE of 1.66%. The UV-vis absorption spectra of devices showed that the presence of these additives results the growth of enhanced local structure with improved crystalline and order of P3HT domain. Furthermore, UV-vis absorption response of the solar cells before and after soaked in the aforementioned solvents indicates that each additive has selective solubility for PCBM except iodomethane in which both P3HT and PCBM showed solubility. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. | Bulk heterojunction; Iodoalkane; Phase separation; Selective dissolution; Solvent additive | Additives; Butyric acid; Carrier mobility; Chains; Esters; Heterojunctions; Phase separation; Photovoltaic effects; Solar power generation; Solubility; Solvents; Ultraviolet spectroscopy; Bulk heterojunction; Bulk heterojunction (BHJ); Bulk heterojunction solar cells; Iodoalkane; Power conversion efficiencies; Selective dissolution; Solvent additives; UV-VIS absorption spectra; Solar cells | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84948771504 | Higher breastfeeding performance index is associated with lower risk of illness in infants under six months in Ethiopia | Haile D., Biadgilign S. | 2015 | International Breastfeeding Journal | 10 | 1 | 10.1186/s13006-015-0057-2 | Bahir Dar University, Department of Reproductive Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Independent Public Health Research Consultants, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Haile, D., Bahir Dar University, Department of Reproductive Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Biadgilign, S., Independent Public Health Research Consultants, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Background: Breastfeeding performance index is an explanatory attempt to summarize key breastfeeding practices by summarizing the different dimensions of breastfeeding practices into a single summary variable. Breastfeeding performance index is used to assess optimal breastfeeding practices by constructing a single composite index that includes timely initiation of breastfeeding, prelacteal feeding, current breastfeeding status, bottle feeding, any liquid given(except medicine) in the last 24h, formula given in the last 24h, any solid food given in the last 24h. This study aimed to assess optimal breastfeeding practices of 0-6 month infants using breastfeeding performance index (BPI) and its association with childhood illness in Ethiopia. Methods: A secondary data analysis was carried out based on the Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) 2011 data. The BPI was created using seven components by giving equal weight for all components during scoring. The data were described using descriptive statistics and analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of low, medium, and high BPI was 18.41, 57.96 and 23.63% respectively. The mean BPI score was 4.38 (SD 1.25; 95% CI 4.31, 4.45). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that those infants who had low BPI score were 2.22 times (AOR=2.22; 95% CI 1.20, 4.11) and medium BPI category had 2.15 times at higher odds (AOR=2.15; 95% CI 1.23, 3.75) of developing diarrhea compared to infants in the highest BPI category. Being in the lower BPI category was significantly associated with higher odds of having fever (AOR=1.73; 95% CI 1.06, 2.80). Being in the medium index category was also associated with higher odds of having short and rapid breaths (AOR=2.02; 95% CI 1.01, 4.04). Conclusion: More than 80% of the infants did not receive optimal breastfeeding practices based on the Breastfeeding Performance Index. Lower BPI was statistically associated with diarrhea, fever and short and rapid breaths illness in the last 2 weeks. This study implicates the importance of optimal breastfeeding to reduce childhood illness. © 2015 Haile and Biadgilign. | Breastfeeding; DHS; Ethiopia; Index; Infants | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939222284 | Impacts of household energy programs on fuel consumption in Benin, Uganda, and India | Garland C., Jagoe K., Wasirwa E., Nguyen R., Roth C., Patel A., Shah N., Derby E., Mitchell J., Pennise D., Johnson M.A. | 2015 | Energy for Sustainable Development | 27 | None | 10.1016/j.esd.2014.05.005 | Berkeley Air Monitoring Group, 2124 Kittredge St #57, Berkeley, CA, United States; Wana Energy Solutions, Uganda; Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), FABEN Project, Benin; Food and Fuel Consultants, Germany; Alpha Renewable Energy, Pvt. Ltd., India; Self Employed Women's Association, India; Winrock International, United States; United States Environmental Protection Agency, United States | Garland, C., Berkeley Air Monitoring Group, 2124 Kittredge St #57, Berkeley, CA, United States; Jagoe, K., Berkeley Air Monitoring Group, 2124 Kittredge St #57, Berkeley, CA, United States; Wasirwa, E., Wana Energy Solutions, Uganda; Nguyen, R., Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), FABEN Project, Benin; Roth, C., Food and Fuel Consultants, Germany; Patel, A., Alpha Renewable Energy, Pvt. Ltd., India; Shah, N., Self Employed Women's Association, India; Derby, E., Winrock International, United States; Mitchell, J., United States Environmental Protection Agency, United States; Pennise, D., Berkeley Air Monitoring Group, 2124 Kittredge St #57, Berkeley, CA, United States; Johnson, M.A., Berkeley Air Monitoring Group, 2124 Kittredge St #57, Berkeley, CA, United States | This paper presents results of three United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) sponsored field studies which assessed the fuel consumption impacts of household energy programs in Benin, Uganda, and Gujarat, India. These studies expand on a previous round of U.S. EPA supported efforts to build field testing capacity and collect stove performance data in Peru, Nepal, and Maharashtra, India. Daily fuel consumption estimates of traditional and intervention technologies were made using the Kitchen Performance Test (KPT) protocol to determine the potential fuel savings associated with the respective programs. The programs in Benin and Gujarat, India resulted in significant fuel savings of approximately 29% and 61%, respectively. In Uganda, the homes using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) consumed approximately 31% less charcoal than those not using LPG, although the total energy consumption per household was similar between the baseline and LPG user groups. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. | Biofuel; Cookstoves; Fuel savings; Kitchen Performance Test; Stove performance testing | biofuel; cooking appliance; energy use; fuel consumption; household energy; liquefied petroleum gas; performance assessment; Benin [West Africa]; Gujarat; India; Maharashtra; Nepal; Peru; Uganda; United States | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930402354 | Comparison of artificial neural network and response surface methodology performance on fermentation parameters optimization of bioconversion of cashew apple juice to gluconic acid | Osunkanmibi O.B., Owolabi T.O., Betiku E. | 2015 | International Journal of Food Engineering | 11 | 3 | 10.1515/ijfe-2015-0072 | Biochemical Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria | Osunkanmibi, O.B., Biochemical Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria; Owolabi, T.O., Biochemical Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria; Betiku, E., Biochemical Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria | The study examined the impact and interactions of cashew apple juice (CAJ) concentration, pH, NaNO<inf>3</inf> concentration, inoculum size and time on gluconic acid (GA) production in a central composite design (CCD). The fermentation process and parameters involved were modeled and optimized using artificial neural network (ANN) and response surface methodology (RSM). The ANN model established the optimum levels as CAJ of 250 g/l, pH of 4.21, NaNO<inf>3</inf> of 1.51 g/l, inoculum size of 2.87% volume and time of 24.41 h with an actual GA of 249.99 g/l. The optimum levels predicted by RSM model for the five independent variables were CAJ of 249 g/l, pH of 4.6, NaNO<inf>3</inf> of 2.29 g/l, inoculum size of 3.95% volume, and time of 38.9 h with an actual GA of 246.34 g/l. The ANN model was superior to the RSM model in predicting GA production. The study demonstrated that CAJ could serve as the sole carbon source for GA production. © 2015 by De Gruyter 2015. | Cashew apple juice; fermentation; fungi; gluconic acid; modeling; optimization | Carbon; Fruit juices; Fruits; Fungi; Models; Neural networks; Optimization; Surface properties; Cashew apple juice; Central composite designs; Fermentation process; Gluconic acids; Independent variables; Parameters optimization; Response surface methodology; Sole carbon source; Fermentation; Anacardium occidentale; Fungi; Malus x domestica | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930244335 | Sub-acute evaluation of extract of syzygium malaccense in albino rats | Adebayo A.H., Ogundare O.C., Adegbite O.S. | 2015 | Research Journal of Medicinal Plant | 9 | 2 | 10.3923/rjmp.2015.60.71 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Technology Covenant University, PMB 1023, Canaan Land, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria; Biochemistry Unit, Department of Science and Laboratory Technology, School | Adebayo, A.H., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Technology Covenant University, PMB 1023, Canaan Land, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria; Ogundare, O.C., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Technology Covenant University, PMB 1023, Canaan Land, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria, Biochemistry Unit, Department of Science and Laboratory Technology, School of Technology, Lagos State Polytechnic Ikorodu, PMB, 21606, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria; Adegbite, O.S., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Technology Covenant University, PMB 1023, Canaan Land, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria | The study was aimed at investigating the sub-acute evaluation of the extract of Syzygium malaccense in albino rats. Five groups of eight rats per group were orally administered with graded 50, 100, 250 and 500 mg kgG1 b.wt. doses of the extract for 28 days. Blood samples of the sacrificed rats were collected for biochemical and haematological studies while liver and kidney tissues were used for histopathological assessment. The results showed an LD50 of 1224.75 mg kgG1 b.wt. with no significant (p>0.05) changes in weight of organs tested. Biochemical parameters such as AST, ALP, protein and albumin levels in all the treated animals did not change significantly, however, there was significant (p<0.05) change in the activity of ALT as well as haematological parameters such as RBC, WBC, HGB, platelet counts, MCV and MCH when compared with the control group. The results from histopathology showed an inflammation of the liver cells at doses beyond 100 mg kgG1 b.wt. but there was no significant damage to the kidney tissue. It may be concluded that the extract of S. malaccense possesses the tendency of affecting the haematopoietic elements and may also alter the structural integrity of the liver tissue if ingested at higher doses. © 2015 Academic Journals Inc. | Biochemical parameters; Haematological indices; Histopathology; Myrtaceae; Syzygium malaccense | albumin; alkaline phosphatase; aspartate aminotransferase; hemoglobin; plant extract; protein; Syzygium malaccense extract; unclassified drug; animal experiment; animal tissue; Article; blood sampling; controlled study; drug safety; enzyme activity; erythrocyte count; hepatitis; histopathology; LD50; leukocyte count; liver cell; mean corpuscular hemoglobin; mean corpuscular volume; nonhuman; organ weight; phytochemistry; rat; Syzygium; Syzygium malaccense; thrombocyte count; toxicity testing; Animalia; Myrtaceae; Rattus; Syzygium malaccense | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84906545171 | The evaluation of pioneering bioethanol projects in nigeria following the announcement and implementation of the nigerian biofuel policy and incentives | Ohimain E.I. | 2015 | Energy Sources, Part B: Economics, Planning and Policy | 10 | 1 | 10.1080/15567249.2010.512904 | Bioenergy and Environmental Biotechnology Unit, Biological Science Department, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Amassoma, 560001 Bayelsa State, Nigeria | Ohimain, E.I., Bioenergy and Environmental Biotechnology Unit, Biological Science Department, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Amassoma, 560001 Bayelsa State, Nigeria | Nigeria has joined the bioenergy production bandwagon in an attempt to reduce fossil fuel consumption, decentralize its energy sources and increase the renewable and cleaner energy share of the nations energy consumption. Following the release and implementation of the Nigerian Biofuel Policy and Incentives, 20 new bioethanol projects have commenced with an additional 13 projects in the offing. These projects qualify to be accorded pioneer status and its attendant benefits because they are directly involved in the production of fuel ethanol from locally sourced biomass feedstocks. We examined the projects based on the nominal ethanol yield from the various feedstocks and found that some of the projects were misevaluated in terms of feedstock requirement to produce the desired ethanol output. In such instances, we provided a more realistic estimate, which the project proponents could adapt in order to meet the designed ethanol production output. This study provided the very first attempt to evaluate pioneering bioethanol projects in Nigeria. Such information is typically not available in public domains in Nigeria. The study also highlighted the importance of policy for the promotion of biofuel, and actualization of environmental and sustainable development goals. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. | bioethanol; biofuel policy; biorefineries; incentives; pioneer | Biomass; Energy utilization; Ethanol; Feedstocks; Bioenergy productions; Biofuel policies; Biomass feedstock; Biorefineries; Cleaner energies; Ethanol production; incentives; pioneer; Bioethanol | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84949555720 | Relationships between physical and biomechanical parameters and golf drive performance: A field-based study | Green A., Dafkin C., Kerr S., McKinon W. | 2015 | South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation | 37 | 3 | None | Biomechanics Laboratory, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Johannesburg, South Africa | Green, A., Biomechanics Laboratory, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Johannesburg, South Africa; Dafkin, C., Biomechanics Laboratory, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Johannesburg, South Africa; Kerr, S., Biomechanics Laboratory, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Johannesburg, South Africa; McKinon, W., Biomechanics Laboratory, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Johannesburg, South Africa | A proficient golf swing is composed of a sequence of highly complex biomechanical movements and requires precisely timed and coordinated body movements to achieve great distance and accuracy. The aim of the current study was to identify the key physiological and biomechanical variables that relate to golf drive performance. Eighteen golfers (handicap 11±6 strokes, playing experience 18±15 years), volunteered to take part in the study. Drive distance and accuracy were measured directly. Balance was assessed using a modified stork test and hand-eye coordination was assessed using a 3D maze. Average balance duration of both legs (r= 0.563; p=0.015), left leg (r= 0.620; p=0.006) and right leg (r= 0.488; p=0.044) were all significantly correlated to drive distance. Hand-eye coordination was significantly negatively correlated to total drive distance (r=-0.600 p=0.008), but was not associated significantly with the centre of hit between the clubface and ball. Several parameters were found to have significant relationships to golf drive distance in a group of amateur golfers. Therefore, training regimes could include tasks that aim to improve hand-eye coordination and balance. © 2015, University of Stellenbosch. All rights reserved. | Balance; Biomechanics; Co-ordination; Golf; Performance | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84959542660 | Drive performance for able-bodied and disabled golfers | Kenny I.C., Campbell M.J., Surmon S., Bressan L. | 2015 | International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching | 10 | 4 | None | Biomechanics Research Unit, University of Limerick, Ireland; Centre for Human Performance Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa | Kenny, I.C., Biomechanics Research Unit, University of Limerick, Ireland; Campbell, M.J., Biomechanics Research Unit, University of Limerick, Ireland; Surmon, S., Centre for Human Performance Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Bressan, L., Centre for Human Performance Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa | Golf is a popular leisure and competitive activity for individuals with disabilities. The current golf handicap system does not take into account the possible challenges of playing golf with any form of physical disability. The aim of this study was to examine golf driving performance measures, comparing golfers with various types of physical disabilities to able-bodied golfers. Through drive shot ball launch analysis, this study compared amputees (single leg, below and above knee), deaf, visually impaired, polio, Les Autres and arthrogryposis golfers to able-bodied golfers with similar golf handicaps. Twenty-seven able-bodied (handicap category 3, 12.4 ± 7.0) and 15 disabled (handicap category 3, 18.2 ± 9.2) hit 10 drives each. Able-bodied golfers presented longer but less accurate drives (208.1 m carry, 4.6 m lateral deviation), and concomitant higher club head and ball velocity than disabled golfers (157.6 m carry, 6.O m lateral deviation) [p<O.OO1]. The apparent difference in outcome performance cannot be fully accounted for by the small difference in golf handicap score, thus disabled golfers appear to be penalised/disadvantaged by the current golf handicap classification rules. | Amputee; Arthrogryposis; Deaf; Disabled golf; Golf shot performance analysis; Lés Autres; Post-polio syndrome | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84920903920 | Computational analysis of the radial mechanical performance of PLLA coronary artery stents | Pauck R.G., Reddy B.D. | 2015 | Medical Engineering and Physics | 37 | 1 | 10.1016/j.medengphy.2014.09.014 | Biomedical Engineering, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa; Centre for Research in Computational and Applied Mechanics (CERECAM), UCT, South Africa | Pauck, R.G., Biomedical Engineering, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa, Centre for Research in Computational and Applied Mechanics (CERECAM), UCT, South Africa; Reddy, B.D., Centre for Research in Computational and Applied Mechanics (CERECAM), UCT, South Africa | Stents have been an effective tool to restore and maintain the patency of narrowed blood vessels, but they must have sufficient radial strength. Biodegradable stent materials have substantially lower mechanical properties than permanent stents. The stent geometry and material properties must be considered simultaneously when assessing stent performance. Material tests were performed to determine the mechanical characteristics of high-molecular-weight poly- l-lactic acid (PLLA). The results were used to calibrate an anisotropic elastic-plastic material model. Three distinct geometries were analysed with a range of material stiffness values in a finite element analysis to investigate their comparative effect on the radial strength, recoil, and radial stiffness. The performance of the different geometries varies substantially, with one particular geometry, with the highest material stiffness of 9. GPa, exceeding the desired radial strength of 300. mmHg. © 2014 IPEM. | Finite element analysis; Poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA); Radial strength; Stent | Biomaterials; Blood vessels; Elastoplasticity; Geometry; Lactic acid; Mechanical properties; Organic polymers; Polymer blends; Stents; Stiffness; Strength of materials; Biodegradable stents; Computational analysis; High molecular weight; Mechanical characteristics; Mechanical performance; Poly L lactic acid; Radial strength; Stent; Finite element method; polylactic acid; lactic acid; polylactic acid; polymer; anisotropy; Article; biodegradability; biomechanics; calibration; coronary stenting; elasticity; finite element analysis; geometry; mathematical analysis; mechanical torsion; molecular weight; performance; physical parameters; proton radiation; radial stiffness; radial strength; simulation; stress strain relationship; tensile strength; biodegradable implant; blood vessel prosthesis; computer simulation; coronary blood vessel; device failure analysis; prosthesis; stent; theoretical model; Young modulus; Absorbable Implants; Anisotropy; Blood Vessel Prosthesis; Calibration; Computer Simulation; Coronary Vessels; Elastic Modulus; Equipment Failure Analysis; Finite Element Analysis; Lactic Acid; Models, Theoretical; Polymers; Prosthesis Design; Stents; Tensile Strength | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928105303 | Performance of regional flood frequency analysis methods in kwazulu-natal, south africa | Smithers J.C., Streatfield J., Gray R.P., Oakes E.G.M. | 2015 | Water SA | 41 | 3 | 10.4314/wsa.v41i3.11 | Bioresources Engineering, School of Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, South Africa; Jeffares and Green (Pty) Ltd, 6 Pin Oak Avenue, Hilton, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | Smithers, J.C., Bioresources Engineering, School of Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, South Africa, Jeffares and Green (Pty) Ltd, 6 Pin Oak Avenue, Hilton, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; Streatfield, J., Jeffares and Green (Pty) Ltd, 6 Pin Oak Avenue, Hilton, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; Gray, R.P., Jeffares and Green (Pty) Ltd, 6 Pin Oak Avenue, Hilton, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; Oakes, E.G.M., Jeffares and Green (Pty) Ltd, 6 Pin Oak Avenue, Hilton, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | Estimates of design floods are required for the design of hydraulic structures and to quantify the risk of failure of the structures. Many international studies have shown that design floods estimated using a regionalised method result in more reliable estimates of design floods than values computed from a single site or from other methods. A number of regional flood frequency analysis (RFFA) methods have been developed, which cover all or parts of South Africa. These include methods developed by Van Bladeren (1993), Mkhandi et al. (2000), Görgens (2007) and Haile (2011). The performance of these methods has been assessed at selected flow-gauging sites in the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. It is recommended that the limitations of available flow records to estimate extreme flow events need to be urgently addressed. From the results for KZN the JPV method, with a regionalised GEV distribution with the veld zone regionalisation, generally gave the best performance when compared to design floods estimated from the annual maximum series extracted from the observed data. It is recommended that the performance of the various RFFA methods needs to be assessed at a national scale and that a more detailed regionalisation be used in the development of an updated RFFA method for South Africa. © 2015, South African Water Research Commission. All rights reserved. | KwaZulu-Natal; Regional flood frequency analysis | Design; Flood control; Rain; Annual maximum series; GEV distributions; International studies; Kwazulu-Natal; Regional flood frequency analysis; Regionalisation; Reliable estimates; Risk of failure; Floods; design flood; extreme event; failure analysis; flood frequency; flow pattern; frequency analysis; gauge; hydraulic structure; performance assessment; regional planning; risk assessment; KwaZulu-Natal; South Africa | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84937024050 | The impact of human immunodeficiency virus infection on obstetric hemorrhage and blood transfusion in South Africa | Bloch E.M., Crookes R.L., Hull J., Fawcus S., Gangaram R., Anthony J., Ingram C., Ngcobo S., Croxford J., Creel D.V., Murphy E.L. | 2015 | Transfusion | 55 | 7 | 10.1111/trf.13040 | Blood Systems Research Institute, 270 Masonic Avenue, San Francisco, CA, United States; University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; South African National Blood Service, Weltevreden Park, South Africa; Chris-Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa; University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Mowbray Maternity Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa; University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban, South Africa; University of Kwazulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa; RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States | Bloch, E.M., Blood Systems Research Institute, 270 Masonic Avenue, San Francisco, CA, United States, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; Crookes, R.L., South African National Blood Service, Weltevreden Park, South Africa; Hull, J., Chris-Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Fawcus, S., Mowbray Maternity Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Gangaram, R., King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban, South Africa, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Anthony, J., University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa; Ingram, C., South African National Blood Service, Weltevreden Park, South Africa; Ngcobo, S., South African National Blood Service, Weltevreden Park, South Africa; Croxford, J., RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States; Creel, D.V., RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States; Murphy, E.L., Blood Systems Research Institute, 270 Masonic Avenue, San Francisco, CA, United States, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States | BACKGROUND Globally, as in South Africa, obstetric hemorrhage (OH) remains a leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity. Although blood transfusion is critical to OH management, the incidence and predictors of transfusion as well as their relation to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are poorly described. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted of all peripartum patients at four major hospitals in South Africa (April to July 2012). Comprehensive clinical data were collected on patients who sustained OH and/or were transfused. Logistic regression was used to model risk factors for OH and transfusion. RESULTS A total of 15,725 peripartum women were evaluated, of whom 3969 (25.2%) were HIV positive. Overall, 387 (2.5%) women sustained OH and 438 (2.8%) received transfusions, including 213 (1.4%) women with both OH and transfusion. There was no significant difference in OH incidence between HIV-positive (2.8%) and HIV-negative (2.3%) patients (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72-1.25). In contrast, the incidence of blood transfusion was significantly higher in HIV-positive (3.7%) than in HIV-negative (2.4%) patients (adjusted OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.14-2.03). Other risk factors for transfusion included OH, low prenatal hemoglobin, the treating hospital, lack of prenatal care, and gestational age of not more than 34 weeks. CONCLUSION In the South African obstetric setting, the incidence of peripartum blood transfusion is significantly higher than in the United States and other high-income countries while OH incidence is similar. While OH and prenatal anemia are major predictors of transfusion, HIV infection is a common and independent contributing factor. © 2015 AABB. | None | hemoglobin; adult; Article; blood transfusion; cesarean section; cross-sectional study; female; gestational age; human; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; Human immunodeficiency virus prevalence; major clinical study; obstetric hemorrhage; perinatal period; practice guideline; prenatal care; risk factor; South Africa; vaginal delivery; adolescent; blood; clinical trial; HIV Infections; incidence; multicenter study; postpartum hemorrhage; pregnancy; virology; Adolescent; Adult; Blood Transfusion; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; HIV Infections; Humans; Incidence; Postpartum Hemorrhage; Pregnancy; Risk Factors; South Africa | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84908032494 | Evaluation of the Effects of Reduced Personal and Corporate Tax Rates on the Growth Rates of the U.S. Economy | Zellner A., Ngoie J.K. | 2015 | Econometric Reviews | 34 | None | 10.1080/07474938.2014.944468 | Booth School of Business, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Department of Economics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | Zellner, A., Booth School of Business, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Ngoie, J.K., Department of Economics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | Using several variants of a Marshallian Macroeconomic Model (MMM), see Zellner and Israilevich (2005) and Ngoie and Zellner (2010), this paper investigates how various tax rate reductions may help stimulate the U.S. economy while not adversely affecting aggregate U.S. debt. Variants of our MMM that are shown to fit past data and to perform well in forecasting experiments are employed to evaluate the effects of alternative tax policies. Using quarterly data, our one-sector MMM has been able to predict the 2008 downturn and the 2009Q3 upturn of the U.S. economy. Among other results, this study, using transfer and impulse response functions associated with our MMM, finds that permanent 5 percentage points cut in the personal income and corporate profits tax rates will cause the U.S. real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate to rise by 3.0 percentage points with a standard error of 0.6 percentage points. Also, while this policy change leads to positive growth of the government sector, its share of total real GDP is slightly reduced. This is understandable since short run effects of tax cuts include the transfer of tax revenue from the government to the private sector. The private sector is allowed to manage a larger portion of its revenue, while government is forced to cut public spending on social programs with little growth enhancing effects. This broadens private economic activities overall. Further, these tax rate policy changes stimulate the growth of the federal tax base considerably, which helps to reduce annual budget deficits and the federal debt. © 2015, Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. | Disaggregation; Impulse response functions; Marshallian macroeconomic model; Transfer functions; U.S. fiscal policy analysis | None | NSF, National Science Foundation |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84923652968 | Performance of rapid HIV testing by lay counselors in the field during the behavioral and biological surveillance survey among female sex workers and men who have sex with men in Botswana | Mine M., Chishala S., Makhaola K., Tafuma T.A., Bolebantswe J., Merrigan M.B. | 2015 | Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes | 68 | 3 | 10.1097/QAI.0000000000000434 | Botswana Harvard Reference Laboratory, National Health Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana; Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care Ministry of Health, Gaborone, Botswana; Family Health International 360, Gaborone, Botswana | Mine, M., Botswana Harvard Reference Laboratory, National Health Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana; Chishala, S., Botswana Harvard Reference Laboratory, National Health Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana; Makhaola, K., Botswana Harvard Reference Laboratory, National Health Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana; Tafuma, T.A., Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care Ministry of Health, Gaborone, Botswana; Bolebantswe, J., Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care Ministry of Health, Gaborone, Botswana; Merrigan, M.B., Family Health International 360, Gaborone, Botswana | The study assessed the performance of rapid HIV testing with whole blood using Kehua Bio-engineering HIV (1 + 2) and Uni-Gold HIV test kits by trained and certified lay counselors, offered to female sex workers and men who have sex with men during the 2012 survey fieldwork. The results of rapid HIV testing were compared with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay testing performed in a parallel algorithm at the HIV Reference Laboratory. The sensitivity and the specificity of rapid HIV testing were high for men who have sex with men and female sex workers, with 98.1% and 100%, and 98.2% and 98.5%, respectively. Misclassifications occurred with rapid testing. Copyright © 2014 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. | BBSS; Botswana; FSW; MSM; rapid HIV testing | Human immunodeficiency virus antibody; adult; Article; bioengineering; blood analysis; Botswana; diagnostic error; diagnostic test accuracy study; disease surveillance; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; female; health care personnel; health survey; HIV rapid test; human; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Human immunodeficiency virus 2; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; lay counselor; major clinical study; male; men who have sex with men; priority journal; prostitution; sensitivity and specificity; adolescent; comparative study; cross-sectional study; diagnostic test; evaluation study; HIV Infections; hospital information system; male homosexuality; middle aged; paramedical personnel; procedures; young adult; Adolescent; Adult; Allied Health Personnel; Botswana; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diagnostic Tests, Routine; Female; HIV Infections; Homosexuality, Male; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Point-of-Care Systems; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sex Workers; Young Adult | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84937801498 | Maximizing the Impact of Training Initiatives for Health Professionals in Low-Income Countries: Frameworks, Challenges, and Best Practices | Cancedda C., Farmer P.E., Kerry V., Nuthulaganti T., Scott K.W., Goosby E., Binagwaho A. | 2015 | PLoS Medicine | 12 | 6 | 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001840 | Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Partners In Health, Boston, MA, United States; Seed Global Health, Boston, MA, United States; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States; Clinton Health Access Initiative, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States; University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; Ministry of Health of RwandaKigali, Rwanda; Geisel School of Medicine—Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States | Cancedda, C., Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States, Partners In Health, Boston, MA, United States; Farmer, P.E., Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States, Partners In Health, Boston, MA, United States; Kerry, V., Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States, Seed Global Health, Boston, MA, United States, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States; Nuthulaganti, T., Clinton Health Access Initiative, Boston, MA, United States, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States; Scott, K.W., Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States; Goosby, E., University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; Binagwaho, A., Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States, Ministry of Health of RwandaKigali, Rwanda, Geisel School of Medicine—Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States | [No abstract available] | None | Article; conceptual framework; government; health care planning; health practitioner; health program; human; lowest income group; medical education; medical school; training | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84948716239 | The utility of stakeholder involvement in the evaluation of community-based health promotion programmes | Owusu-Addo E., Edusah S.E., Sarfo-Mensah P. | 2015 | International Journal of Health Promotion and Education | 53 | 6 | 10.1080/14635240.2015.1030033 | Bureau of Integrated Rural Development (BIRD), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana | Owusu-Addo, E., Bureau of Integrated Rural Development (BIRD), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana; Edusah, S.E., Bureau of Integrated Rural Development (BIRD), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana; Sarfo-Mensah, P., Bureau of Integrated Rural Development (BIRD), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana | Community-based health promotion programmes (CBHPPs) deal with cross cutting issues (social, economic, environmental) and utilise issue-based, population-based and setting-based approaches in programme planning, implementation and evaluation with the aim of empowering individuals and communities to gain control over the determinants of health. This multifaceted nature of CBHPPs has resulted in a number of questions particularly regarding the level of stakeholder involvement in evaluating such programmes. Evaluation is seen as one of the ways to provide evidence to inform health promotion decision-making and practice. Community programme implementers and lay people have lamented that evaluations are often imposed on them without recognition for the uniqueness of their community, its programmes, resources and skills. The aim of this paper is to critically examine the utility of stakeholder involvement in the evaluation of CBHPPs. We first explore the nature of CBHPPs and the methods of gathering evidence via evaluation. This is followed by a critical examination of the value of stakeholder involvement in evaluating CBHPPs. The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion is used to conceptualise the paper with specific examples of stakeholder involvement in evaluation of CBHPPs used to support our arguments. The paper concludes that stakeholder involvement in evaluation of CBHPPs is of importance considering the empowerment and participation values of health promotion. As evaluation is done with people and not on people, stakeholder involvement should be central to the evaluation of CBHPPs rather than adopting an approach whereby the researcher is completely detached from the programme stakeholders particularly the community. © 2015 Institute of Health Promotion and Education. | Community-based health promotion programmes; Epistemology; Evaluation; Stakeholder | Article; community program; decision making; evidence based practice; health care planning; health promotion; human; program evaluation | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84953222801 | Testicular and Related Size Evaluations in Nigerian Sahel Goats with Optimal Cauda Epididymal Sperm Reserve | Abba Y., Igbokwe I.O. | 2015 | Veterinary Medicine International | 2015 | None | 10.1155/2015/357519 | Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, PMB 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria; Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang | Abba, Y., Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, PMB 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Igbokwe, I.O., Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, PMB 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria | Testicular sizes of animals are important for identification of those with adequate sperm production. The aim of this study was to define the testicular and related size estimates that would be associated with optimal cauda epididymal sperm counts (ESC) in Sahel goats based on postmortem evaluations. A stratified quota sample population of 125 male goats inclusive of all testicular sizes was taken at a slaughterhouse in Maiduguri, Nigeria. The bucks were aged 18-30 months and weighed 17.04 ± 2.99 (12-25) kg. Body, testicular, and epididymal weights of each goat with other related size measurements were estimated. ESC was determined from homogenized tissue using a manual cytometer. At the cut-off ESC of >1.1 × 109 sperm heads, 66 (52.80%) of the goats had optimal ESC which was associated with testicular weight of 59.90 ± 16.10 (31.40-86.20) g, gonadosomatic index of 3.51 ± 0.69 (2.00-4.50) g/kg, and scrotal circumference of 19.07 ± 1.29 (17.00-21.80) cm. The size variables of the scrotum and testis correlated with one another and with the ESC. These findings provide data that may be used to anticipate adequate antemortem sperm reserve based on testicular size during preliminary selection of sires for breeding from a sexually mature Sahel buck population. © 2015 Y. Abba and I. O. Igbokwe. | None | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84944549252 | Corporate social responsibility and organisational performance of a professional football club in South Africa | Moyo T., Davies S.E.H., Joubert E. | 2015 | Corporate Ownership and Control | 13 | 1CONT5 | None | Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa | Moyo, T., Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa; Davies, S.E.H., Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa; Joubert, E., Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa | This research investigated the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and organisational performance at Ajax Cape Town FC a professional football club in the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL). The data collected suggested that Ajax Cape Town FC employed CSR initiatives and consequently enjoyed various benefits from these activities. The CSR activities facilitated access to the club’s target market, developed and improved mutually beneficial relations with the community and consequently Ajax Cape Town FC experienced increased trust, a positive brand image and stronger loyalty from their fans. The outcomes of this study provide an insight into a South African professional football club and demonstrate how CSR initiatives can be used to successfully improve organisational performance. © 2015, Virtus Interpress. All rights reserved. | Civil law; Common law; Corporate governance; Hedge funds; Shareholder activism | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84941918872 | Performance of re-used pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators compared with new devices at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa | Jama Z.V., Chin A., Badri M., Mayosi B.M. | 2015 | Cardiovascular Journal of Africa | 26 | 4 | 10.5830/CVJA-2015-048 | Cardiac Clinic, Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa; College of Medicine, King Saudi Bin, Abdulaziz University for Medical Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Jama, Z.V., Cardiac Clinic, Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa; Chin, A., Cardiac Clinic, Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa; Badri, M., College of Medicine, King Saudi Bin, Abdulaziz University for Medical Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Mayosi, B.M., Cardiac Clinic, Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa | Objectives: Little is known about the performance of re-used pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) in Africa. We sought to compare the risk of infection and the rate of malfunction of re-used pacemakers and ICDs with new devices implanted at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. Methods: This was a retrospective case comparison study of the performance of re-used pacemakers and ICDs in comparison with new devices implanted at Groote Schuur Hospital over a 10-year period. The outcomes were incidence of device infection, device malfunction, early battery depletion, and device removal due to infection, malfunction, or early battery depletion. Results: Data for 126 devices implanted in 126 patients between 2003 and 2013 were analysed, of which 102 (81%) were pacemakers (51 re-used and 51 new) and 24 (19%) were ICDs (12 re-used and 12 new). There was no device infection, malfunction, early battery depletion or device removal in either the re-used or new pacemaker groups over the median follow up of 15.1 months [interquartile range (IQR), 1.3-36.24 months] for the re-used pacemakers, and 55.8 months (IQR, 20.3-77.8 months) for the new pacemakers. In the ICD group, no device infection occurred over a median follow up of 35.9 months (IQR, 17.0-70.9 months) for the re-used ICDs and 45.7 months (IQR, 37.6-53.7 months) for the new ICDs. One device delivered inappropriate shocks, which resolved without intervention and with no harm to the patient. This re-used ICD subsequently needed generator replacement 14 months later. In both the pacemaker and ICD groups, there were no procedure-non-related infections documented for the respective follow-up periods. Conclusion: No significant differences were found in performance between re-used and new pacemakers and ICDs with regard to infection rates, device malfunction, battery life and device removal for complications. Pacemaker and ICD re-use is feasible and safe and is a viable option for patients with bradyarrhythmias and tachyarrthythmias. | ICDs; Pacemakers; Performance; Re-used devices; Safety | advanced cancer; aged; arthritis; Article; atherosclerosis; bacterial endocarditis; cancer mortality; cause of death; cerebrovascular accident; chronic obstructive lung disease; comorbidity; controlled study; dementia; device comparison; device malfunction; device removal; diabetic angiopathy; female; follow up; human; immobility; implantable cardioverter defibrillator; incidence; infection risk; leg amputation; major clinical study; male; medical device complication; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection; outcome assessment; pacemaker; pacemaker implantation; recycling; retrospective study; sepsis; South Africa; supraventricular tachycardia | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84942190785 | The effect of performance-based financing on illness, care-seeking and treatment among children: An impact evaluation in Rwanda | Skiles M.P., Curtis S.L., Basinga P., Angeles G., Thirumurthy H. | 2015 | BMC Health Services Research | 15 | 1 | 10.1186/s12913-015-1033-7 | Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 400 Meadowmont Village Circle, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Global Health Program, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, United States; Rwanda Biomedical Center, Ministry of Health, Kigali, Rwanda; Department Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States | Skiles, M.P., Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 400 Meadowmont Village Circle, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Curtis, S.L., Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 400 Meadowmont Village Circle, Chapel Hill, NC, United States, Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Basinga, P., Global Health Program, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, United States, Rwanda Biomedical Center, Ministry of Health, Kigali, Rwanda; Angeles, G., Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 400 Meadowmont Village Circle, Chapel Hill, NC, United States, Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Thirumurthy, H., Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 400 Meadowmont Village Circle, Chapel Hill, NC, United States, Department Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States | Background: Performance-based financing (PBF) strategies are promoted as a supply-side, results-based financing mechanism to improve primary health care. This study estimated the effects of Rwanda's PBF program on less-incentivized child health services and examined the differential program impact by household poverty. Methods: Districts were allocated to intervention and comparison for PBF implementation in Rwanda. Using Demographic Health Survey data from 2005 to 2007-08, a community-level panel dataset of 5781 children less than 5 years of age from intervention and comparison districts was created. The impacts of PBF on reported childhood illness, facility care-seeking, and treatment received were estimated using a difference-in-differences model with community fixed effects. An interaction term between poverty and the program was estimated to identify the differential effect of PBF among children from poorer families. Results: There was no measurable difference in estimated probability of reporting illness with diarrhea, fever or acute respiratory infections between the intervention and comparison groups. Seeking care at a facility for these illnesses increased over time, however no differential effect by PBF was seen. The estimated effect of PBF on receipt of treatment for poor children is 45 percentage points higher (p∈=∈0.047) compared to the non-poor children seeking care for diarrhea or fever. Conclusions: PBF, a supply-side incentive program, improved the quality of treatment received by poor children conditional on patients seeking care, but it did not impact the propensity to seek care. These findings provide additional evidence that PBF incentivizes the critical role staff play in assuring quality services, but does little to influence consumer demand for these services. Efforts to improve child health need to address both supply and demand, with additional attention to barriers due to poverty if equity in service use is a concern. © 2015 Skiles et al. | None | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940825986 | Efficient purification of rhG-CSF and its PEGylated forms and evaluation for in vitro activities | Tiwari D., Haque S., Jawed A., Mishra M.K., Govender T., Kruger H.G. | 2015 | Protein and Peptide Letters | 22 | 10 | None | Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Rajeev Gandhi International Biotech Park, Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd, Hinjwadi, Pune, India; Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India; Research and Scientific Studies Unit, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia | Tiwari, D., Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa, Rajeev Gandhi International Biotech Park, Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd, Hinjwadi, Pune, India; Haque, S., Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India, Research and Scientific Studies Unit, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia; Jawed, A., Research and Scientific Studies Unit, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia; Mishra, M.K., Rajeev Gandhi International Biotech Park, Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd, Hinjwadi, Pune, India; Govender, T., Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Kruger, H.G., Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa | Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) has commonly been used to help the patients to recover from neutropenia inflicted due to radiotherapy, organ transplants and chemotherapy. As the number of people undergoing these therapies and procedures are increasing world-wide, the need for more economical ways of G-CSF production and improvement in its efficacy has become increasingly crucial. In the present study, recombinant human G-CSF (rhG-CSF) was expressed in E. coli and its purification process was optimized by demonstrating better efficiency and higher recoveries (upto 54%) in a multi-step chromatographic purification process, which is greater than the existing reports. Additionally, the efficacy of rhG-CSF was increased by derivatizing with polyethylene glycol (PEG; upto 85% PEGylation), which increases the plasma clearance time, reduces the immunogenicity and requires less frequent administration to the patient. Overall, the present study suggests a cost-effective purification process of rhG-CSF and also proposes its efficient conjugation with PEG for enhanced efficacy as compared to the existing commercially available forms. © 2015 Bentham Science Publishers. | Chromatography; Neutropenia; Pegylation; Purification; Rhg-csf | macrogol; recombinant granulocyte colony stimulating factor; granulocyte colony stimulating factor; macrogol derivative; polyethylene glycol 1000; recombinant protein; Article; cost effectiveness analysis; drug conjugation; drug efficacy; drug formulation; drug purification; drug screening; Escherichia coli; immunogenicity; in vitro study; ion exchange chromatography; nonhuman; plasma clearance; process optimization; protein expression; biosynthesis; chemistry; human; isolation and purification; metabolism; Escherichia coli; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; Humans; Polyethylene Glycols; Recombinant Proteins | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84952651616 | Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a Teixobactin Analogue | Jad Y.E., Acosta G.A., Naicker T., Ramtahal M., El-Faham A., Govender T., Kruger H.G., De La Torre B.G., Albericio F. | 2015 | Organic Letters | 17 | 24 | 10.1021/acs.orglett.5b03176 | Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Institute for Research in Biomedicine-Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER-BBN, Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, Barcelona Science Park, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, P.O. Box 426, Ibrahimia, Alexandria, Egypt; Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain | Jad, Y.E., Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Acosta, G.A., Institute for Research in Biomedicine-Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, CIBER-BBN, Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, Barcelona Science Park, Barcelona, Spain; Naicker, T., Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Ramtahal, M., Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; El-Faham, A., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, P.O. Box 426, Ibrahimia, Alexandria, Egypt, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Govender, T., Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Kruger, H.G., Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; De La Torre, B.G., Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Albericio, F., Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa, School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa, Institute for Research in Biomedicine-Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, P.O. Box 426, Ibrahimia, Alexandria, Egypt, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain | The first synthesis and biological activity of a teixobactin analogue is reported. Substitution of the unusual l-allo-enduracididine residue by the naturally occurring l-arginine was achieved, and the analogue gave an activity trend similar to that of teixobactin (against Gram-postive bacteria) and meropenem, which was approved by the FDA in 1996. The synthetic route used allows for the synthesis of the natural product as well as the development of a program of medicinal chemistry. © 2015 American Chemical Society. | None | None | 2014 SGR 137, Generalitat de Catalunya; RGP-234, KSU, Generalitat de Catalunya |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940553981 | In vivo evaluation of genetic and systemic toxicity of aqueous extracts of phyllanthus amarus in mice and rats | Bakare A.A., Oguntolu G.O., Adedokun L.A., Amao A.A., Oyeyemi I.T., Alimba C.G., Alabi O.A. | 2015 | International Journal of Toxicological and Pharmacological Research | 7 | 4 | None | Cell Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria | Bakare, A.A., Cell Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Oguntolu, G.O., Cell Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Adedokun, L.A., Cell Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Amao, A.A., Cell Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Oyeyemi, I.T., Cell Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Alimba, C.G., Cell Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Alabi, O.A., Cell Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria | Phyllanthus amarus is a broad spectrum medicinal plant which has received world-wide recognition. However, there are concerns on the efficacy and safety of this plants' extract when used as medicinal herb. This study was therefore designed to investigate the genotoxicity of aqueous extract of P. amarus using the mouse micronucleus and sperm morphology assays. The potential effects of the extract on histology of the liver, kidney and testis, and blood parameters of rats were also investigated. Five concentrations: 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg body weight of the extract were utilized and the test animals were orally exposed for ten consecutive days. Distilled water and cyclophosphamide were utilized as negative and positive controls respectively. Compared with the negative control, the extract induced increasing frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes and sperm abnormalities at tested concentrations; and this was significant (p<0.05) at some of the tested doses. There was significant (p<0.05) increase in total white blood cell and lymphocyte counts; and significant pathological changes in the liver, kidney and testis of exposed rats. Tannins, resins, cardiac glycolyside and phenols were analysed in the extract. These findings suggest that aqueous extract of P. amarus contained constituents capable of causing systemic and DNA damage in the mouse and rat. © 2015,International Journal of Toxicological and Pharmacological Research. All rights reserved. | DNA damage; Haematology; Histopathology; Micronucleus; Phyllanthus amarus; Sperm morphology | cyclophosphamide; distilled water; phenol derivative; Phyllanthus amarus extract; resin; tannin derivative; animal cell; animal experiment; animal tissue; Article; controlled study; DNA damage; drug effect; erythrocyte; genotoxicity; hematological parameters; in vivo study; kidney parenchyma; leukocyte count; liver histology; lymphocyte count; male; micronucleus test; morphology; mouse; nonhuman; rat; semen abnormality; sperm; testis; toxicity testing | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930091797 | The short-term impact of price shocks on food security-Evidence from urban and rural Ethiopia | Matz J.A., Kalkuhl M., Abegaz G.A. | 2015 | Food Security | 7 | 3 | 10.1007/s12571-015-0467-4 | Center for Development Research, University of Bonn, Walter-Flex-Str. 3, Bonn, Germany; Ethiopian Economics Association/Ethiopian Economic Policy Research Institute and International Food Policy Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Matz, J.A., Center for Development Research, University of Bonn, Walter-Flex-Str. 3, Bonn, Germany; Kalkuhl, M., Center for Development Research, University of Bonn, Walter-Flex-Str. 3, Bonn, Germany; Abegaz, G.A., Ethiopian Economics Association/Ethiopian Economic Policy Research Institute and International Food Policy Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | This study investigates the impact of food price changes on food security in urban and rural Ethiopia. Using a quarterly household survey panel dataset and price data collected directly at markets, a negative effect of high cereal prices on some, but not all considered indicators of food security was found, controlling for unobserved heterogeneity across households. The results indicate that increases in cereal prices are generally, but not always, associated with households having a lower number of meals and switching to less preferred foods. Diet diversity and calorie consumption, however, show no clear response to grain price changes. Only partly in line with existing notions, our results suggest that the aggregate effect is negative for both the urban and rural populations (with the strongest among the urban poor) but that even poor households are able to maintain their basic food consumption through periods of moderate price changes. © 2015, The Author(s). | Ethiopia; Food and nutrition security; Food price inflation | food consumption; food policy; food security; household survey; price dynamics; socioeconomic conditions; Ethiopia | None |
| None | None | Wastewater treatment performance efficiency of constructed wetlands in African countries: A review | Mekonnen A., Leta S., Njau K.N. | 2015 | Water Science and Technology | 71 | 1 | 10.2166/wst.2014.483 | Center for Environmental Science, College of Natural Science, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 33348, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania | Mekonnen, A., Center for Environmental Science, College of Natural Science, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 33348, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Leta, S., Center for Environmental Science, College of Natural Science, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 33348, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Njau, K.N., Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania | In Africa, different studies have been conducted at different scales to evaluate wastewater treatment efficiency of constructed wetland. This paper aims to review the treatment performance efficiency of constructed wetland used in African countries. In the reviewed papers, the operational parameters, size and type of wetland used and the treatment efficiency are assessed. The results are organized and presented in six tables based on the type of wetland and wastewater used in the study. The results of the review papers indicated that most of the studies were conducted in Tanzania, Egypt and Kenya. In Kenya and Tanzania, different full-scale wetlands are widely used in treating wastewater. Among wetland type, horizontal subsurface flow wetlands were widely studied followed by surface flow and hybrid wetlands. Most of the reported hybrid wetlands were in Kenya. The results of the review papers indicated that wetlands are efficient in removing organic matter (biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand) and suspended solids. On the other hand, nutrient removal efficiency appeared to be low. © IWA Publishing 2015. | Constructed wetland; Horizontal subsurface flow; Removal efficiency; Surface flow | Biochemical oxygen demand; Chemical oxygen demand; Efficiency; Oxygen; Wastewater treatment; Constructed wetlands; Horizontal subsurface flow; Nutrient removal efficiency; Operational parameters; Removal efficiencies; Surface flow; Treatment performance; Wastewater treatment efficiencies; Wetlands; organic matter; phosphorus; surface water; constructed wetland; pollutant removal; sewage treatment; subsurface flow; surface flux; Africa; Article; biochemical oxygen demand; chemical oxygen demand; constructed wetland; nonhuman; nutrient loading; sludge dewatering; suspended particulate matter; waste water management; Egypt; Kenya; sewage; standards; Tanzania; wetland; Egypt; Kenya; Tanzania; Africa; Egypt; Kenya; Tanzania; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Wetlands | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939643524 | Evaluation of a consumer fitness-tracking device to assess sleep in adults | De Zambotti M., Claudatos S., Inkelis S., Colrain I.M., Baker F.C. | 2015 | Chronobiology International | 32 | 7 | 10.3109/07420528.2015.1054395 | Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, United States; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of MelbourneVIC, Australia; Brain Function Research Group, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | De Zambotti, M., Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, United States; Claudatos, S., Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, United States; Inkelis, S., Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, United States; Colrain, I.M., Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, United States, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of MelbourneVIC, Australia; Baker, F.C., Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, United States, Brain Function Research Group, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | Wearable fitness-tracker devices are becoming increasingly available. We evaluated the agreement between Jawbone UP and polysomnography (PSG) in assessing sleep in a sample of 28 midlife women. As shown previously, for standard actigraphy, Jawbone UP had high sensitivity in detecting sleep (0.97) and low specificity in detecting wake (0.37). However, it showed good overall agreement with PSG with a maximum of two women falling outside Bland-Altman plot agreement limits. Jawbone UP overestimated PSG total sleep time (26.6 ± 35.3 min) and sleep onset latency (5.2 ± 9.6 min), and underestimated wake after sleep onset (31.2 ± 32.3 min) (p's < 0.05), with greater discrepancies in nights with more disrupted sleep. The low-cost and wide-availability of these fitness-tracker devices may make them an attractive alternative to standard actigraphy in monitoring daily sleep-wake rhythms over several days. © 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. | Actigraphy; activity trackers; motion; sleep; wristbands | None | HL103688, NIH, National Institutes of Health |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84938299459 | DDT and pyrethroid resistance status and laboratory evaluation of bio-efficacy of long lasting insecticide treated nets against Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex decens in Ghana | Kudom A.A., Mensah B.A., Froeschl G., Rinder H., Boakye D. | 2015 | Acta Tropica | 150 | None | 10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.07.009 | Center for International Health, Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Germany; Department of Entomology and Wildlife, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Ghana; Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Oberschleissheim, Germany; Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Ghana | Kudom, A.A., Center for International Health, Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Germany, Department of Entomology and Wildlife, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Ghana; Mensah, B.A., Department of Entomology and Wildlife, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Ghana; Froeschl, G., Center for International Health, Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Germany; Rinder, H., Center for International Health, Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Germany, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Oberschleissheim, Germany; Boakye, D., Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Ghana | Nuisance from Culex mosquitoes in Ghana has a serious negative impact on the standard of living in many urban communities. In addition, a perceived lack of efficacy of long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) against nuisance mosquitoes contributes to their discontinued use. This again compromises malaria control, even if Anopheles species themselves would still be susceptible to the insecticides used. Control strategies involve pyrethroid insecticides but information on Culex mosquito susceptibility to these insecticides is limited. A nationwide survey was conducted to address this problem. In adults, susceptibility to permethrin, deltamethrin and DDT as well as enzyme activity and kdr mutation were determined. Cone and tunnel bioassay were also carried out to determine the efficacy of LLINs against the mosquitoes. Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex decens were identified in the study area. Higher deltamethrin and DDT resistance and relatively low permethrin resistance were observed in both species. High enzyme activities and kdr mutations were observed in C. quinquefasciatus but not in C. decens. However, reduced efficacy of LLINs was observed in both mosquito species. This adds up to the evidence of the spread of pyrethroid resistance in mosquitoes and its negative impact on control strategies. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. | Culex; Kdr mutation; Malaria; Pyrethroid; Resistance; Urban | chlorphenotane; cytochrome P450; deltamethrin; esterase; genomic DNA; glutathione transferase; insecticide; permethrin; pyrethroid; unspecific monooxygenase; bioassay; DDT; disease control; disease spread; enzyme activity; malaria; mosquito; pyrethroid; Anopheles gambiae; Article; bioassay; controlled study; Culex; Culex decens; Culex quinquefasciatus; enzyme activity; gene; gene mutation; Ghana; kdr gene; laboratory test; malaria control; nonhuman; polymerase chain reaction; urban population; Ghana; Culex decens; Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84937064907 | The feasibility, time savings and economic impact of a designated time appointment system at a busy HIV care clinic in Kenya: A randomized controlled trial | Kwena Z.A., Njoroge B.W., Cohen C.R., Oyaro P., Shikari R., Kibaara C.K., Bukusi E.A. | 2015 | Journal of the International AIDS Society | 18 | 1 | 10.7448/IAS.18.1.19876 | Center for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya; Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States | Kwena, Z.A., Center for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya; Njoroge, B.W., Center for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya; Cohen, C.R., Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; Oyaro, P., Center for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya; Shikari, R., Center for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya; Kibaara, C.K., Center for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya; Bukusi, E.A., Center for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya | Introduction: As efforts are made to reach universal access to ART in Kenya, the problem of congestion at HIV care clinics is likely to worsen. We evaluated the feasibility and the economic benefits of a designated time appointment system as a solution to decongest HIV care clinics. Methods: This was an explanatory two-arm open-label randomized controlled trial that enrolled 354 consenting participants during their normal clinic days and followed-up at subsequent clinic appointments for up to nine months. Intervention arm participants were given specific dates and times to arrive at the clinic for their next appointment while those in the control arm were only given the date and had the discretion to decide on the time to arrive as is the standard practice. At follow-up visits, we recorded arrival and departure times and asked the monetary value of work participants engaged in before and after clinic. We conducted multiple imputation to replace missing data in our primary outcome variables to allow for intention-to-treat analysis; and analyzed the data using Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Overall, 72.1% of the intervention participants arrived on time, 13.3% arrived ahead of time and 14.6% arrived past scheduled time. Intervention arm participants spent a median of 65 [interquartile range (IQR), 52-87] minutes at the clinic compared to 197 (IQR, 173-225) minutes for control participants (p < 0.01). Furthermore, intervention arm participants were more productively engaged on their clinic days valuing their cumulative work at a median of USD 10.5 (IQR, 60.0-16.8) compared to participants enrolled in the control arm who valued their work at USD 8.3 (IQR, 5.5-12.9; p = 0.02). Conclusions: A designated time appointment system is feasible and provides substantial time savings associated with greater economic productivity for HIV patients attending a busy HIV care clinic. © 2015 Kwena ZA et al; licensee International AIDS Society. | Clinic waiting time; Designated time appointment system; HIV care clinic; HIV patient; Kenya | adult; Article; controlled study; economics; female; follow up; health care system; human; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; Kenya; major clinical study; male; open study; priority journal; randomized controlled trial; time | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84954319870 | Evaluation of genome wide association study associated type 2 diabetes susceptibility loci in sub Saharan Africans | Adeyemo A.A., Tekola-Ayele F., Doumatey A.P., Bentley A.R., Chen G., Huang H., Zhou J., Shriner D., Fasanmade O., Okafor G., Eghan B., Jr., Agyenim-Boateng K., Adeleye J., Balogun W., Elkahloun A., Chandrasekharappa S., Owusu S., Amoah A., Acheampong J., | 2015 | Frontiers in Genetics | 6 | None | 10.3389/fgene.2015.00335 | Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Department of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria; Department of Medicine, University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana; Institute of Human Virology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States; National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; National Human Genome Center, Howard University, Washington, DC, United States | Adeyemo, A.A., Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Tekola-Ayele, F., Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Doumatey, A.P., Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Bentley, A.R., Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Chen, G., Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Huang, H., Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Zhou, J., Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Shriner, D., Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Fasanmade, O., Department of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Okafor, G., Department of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria; Eghan, B., Jr., Department of Medicine, University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Agyenim-Boateng, K., Department of Medicine, University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Adeleye, J., Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Balogun, W., Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Elkahloun, A., National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Chandrasekharappa, S., National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Owusu, S., Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana; Amoah, A., Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana; Acheampong, J., Department of Medicine, University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Johnson, T., Department of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Oli, J., Department of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria; Adebamowo, C., Institute of Human Virology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States; Collins, F., National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Dunston, G., National Human Genome Center, Howard University, Washington, DC, United States; Rotimi, C.N., Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States | Genome wide association studies (GWAS) for type 2 diabetes (T2D) undertaken in European and Asian ancestry populations have yielded dozens of robustly associated loci. However, the genomics of T2D remains largely understudied in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where rates of T2D are increasing dramatically and where the environmental background is quite different than in these previous studies. Here, we evaluate 106 reported T2D GWAS loci in continental Africans. We tested each of these SNPs, and SNPs in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with these index SNPs, for an association with T2D in order to assess transferability and to fine map the loci leveraging the generally reduced LD of African genomes. The study included 1775 unrelated Africans (1035 T2D cases, 740 controls; mean age 54 years; 59% female) enrolled in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya as part of the Africa America Diabetes Mellitus (AADM) study. All samples were genotyped on the Affymetrix Axiom PanAFR SNP array. Forty-one of the tested loci showed transferability to this African sample (p < 0.05, same direction of effect), 11 at the exact reported SNP and 30 others at SNPs in LD with the reported SNP (after adjustment for the number of tested SNPs). TCF7L2 SNP rs7903146 was the most significant locus in this study (p = 1.61 × 10-8). Most of the loci that showed transferability were successfully fine-mapped, i.e., localized to smaller haplotypes than in the original reports. The findings indicate that the genetic architecture of T2D in SSA is characterized by several risk loci shared with non-African ancestral populations and that data from African populations may facilitate fine mapping of risk loci. The study provides an important resource for meta-analysis of African ancestry populations and transferability of novel loci. © 2015 Adeyemo, Tekola-Ayele, Doumatey, Bentley, Chen, Huang, Zhou, Shriner, Fasanmade, Okafor, Eghan, Agyenim-Boateng, Adeleye, Balogun, Elkahloun, Chandrasekharappa, Owusu, Amoah, Acheampong, Johnson, Oli, Adebamowo, Collins, Dunston and Rotimi. | Fine-mapping; Genetic association; Replication; Sub Saharan Africa; Type 2 diabetes | cholesterol; glucose; triacylglycerol; adult; Africa south of the Sahara; anthropometry; Article; blood analysis; controlled study; female; gene linkage disequilibrium; gene locus; gene mapping; genetic association; genetic susceptibility; genotype; human; major clinical study; male; middle aged; non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus; single nucleotide polymorphism | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930615156 | Impact of Anti-Retroviral Treatment and Cotrimoxazole Prophylaxis on Helminth Infections in HIV-Infected Patients in Lambaréné, Gabon | Janssen S., Hermans S., Knap M., Moekotte A., Rossatanga E.G., Adegnika A.A., Bélard S., Hänscheid T., Grobusch M.P. | 2015 | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases | 9 | 5 | 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003769 | Center for Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Centre de Traitement Ambulatoire (CTA), Lambaréné, Gabon; Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné, Gabon; Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Clinical Infectious Diseases Research Initiative, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Global Health, Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Pediatric Pneumology and Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; Instituto de Microbiologia, Lisbon, Portugal | Janssen, S., Center for Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Centre de Traitement Ambulatoire (CTA), Lambaréné, Gabon, Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné, Gabon, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany, Clinical Infectious Diseases Research Initiative, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Hermans, S., Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, Department of Global Health, Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Knap, M., Center for Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné, Gabon; Moekotte, A., Center for Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné, Gabon; Rossatanga, E.G., Centre de Traitement Ambulatoire (CTA), Lambaréné, Gabon; Adegnika, A.A., Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné, Gabon, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Bélard, S., Center for Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné, Gabon, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany, Department of Pediatric Pneumology and Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; Hänscheid, T., Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné, Gabon, Instituto de Microbiologia, Lisbon, Portugal; Grobusch, M.P., Center for Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné, Gabon, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany, Clinical Infectious Diseases Research Initiative, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, Department of Global Health, Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands | Foci of the HIV epidemic and helminthic infections largely overlap geographically. Treatment options for helminth infections are limited, and there is a paucity of drug-development research in this area. Limited evidence suggests that antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces prevalence of helminth infections in HIV-infected individuals. We investigated whether ART exposure and cotrimoxazole preventive therapy (CTX-P) is associated with a reduced prevalence of helminth infections. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a primary HIV-clinic in Lambaréné, Gabon. HIV-infected adults who were ART-naïve or exposed to ART for at least 3 months submitted one blood sample and stool and urine samples on 3 consecutive days. Outcome was helminth infection with intestinal helminths, Schistosoma haematobium, Loa loa or Mansonella perstans. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess associations between ART or CTX-P and helminth infection. In total, 408 patients were enrolled. Helminth infection was common (77/252 [30.5%]). Filarial infections were most prevalent (55/310 [17.7%]), followed by infection with intestinal helminths (35/296 [11.8%]) and S. haematobium (19/323 [5.9%]). Patients on CTX-P had a reduced risk of Loa loa microfilaremia (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.47, 95% CI 0.23-0.97, P = 0.04), also in the subgroup of patients on ART (aOR 0.36, 95% CI 0.13-0.96, P = 0.04). There was no effect of ART exposure on helminth infection prevalence. CTX-P use was associated with a decreased risk of Loa loa infection, suggesting an anthelminthic effect of antifolate drugs. No relation between ART use and helminth infections was established. © 2015 Janssen et al. | None | antiretrovirus agent; cotrimoxazole; adult; aged; Article; blood sampling; CD4 lymphocyte count; cross-sectional study; feces analysis; female; follow up; geographic distribution; helminthiasis; human; Human immunodeficiency virus infected patient; infection risk; major clinical study; male; outcome assessment; parasite prevalence; prophylaxis; treatment duration; urinalysis | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84921665729 | Generation and evaluation of clade C simian-human immunodeficiency virus challenge stocks | Chang H.-W., Tartaglia L.J., Whitney J.B., Lim S.-Y., Sanisetty S., Lavine C.L., Seaman M.S., Rademeyer C., Williamson C., Ellingson-Strouss K., Stamatatos L., Kublin J., Barouch D.H. | 2015 | Journal of Virology | 89 | 4 | 10.1128/JVI.03279-14 | Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States; Division of Medical Virology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States | Chang, H.-W., Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Tartaglia, L.J., Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Whitney, J.B., Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States, Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States; Lim, S.-Y., Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Sanisetty, S., Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States; Lavine, C.L., Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Seaman, M.S., Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Rademeyer, C., Division of Medical Virology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Williamson, C., Division of Medical Virology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Ellingson-Strouss, K., Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States; Stamatatos, L., Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States; Kublin, J., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States; Barouch, D.H., Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States, Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States | The development of a panel of mucosally transmissible simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) challenge stocks from multiple virus clades would facilitate preclinical evaluation of candidate HIV-1 vaccines and therapeutics. The majority of SHIV stocks that have been generated to date have been derived from clade B HIV-1 env sequences from viruses isolated during chronic infection and typically required serial animal-to-animal adaptation for establishing mucosal transmissibility and pathogenicity. To capture essential features of mucosal transmission of cladeCviruses, we produced a series of SHIVs with early cladeCHIV-1 env sequences from acutely HIV-1-infected individuals from South Africa. SHIV-327c and SHIV-327cRM expressed env sequences that were 99.7 to 100% identical to the original HIV-1 isolate and did not require in vivo passaging for mucosal infectivity. These challenge stocks infected rhesus monkeys efficiently by both intrarectal and intravaginal routes, replicated to high levels during acute infection, and established chronic setpoint viremia in 13 of 17 (76%) infected animals. The SHIV-327cRM challenge stock was also titrated for both single, highdose intrarectal challenges and repetitive, low-dose intrarectal challenges in rhesus monkeys. These SHIV challenge stocks should facilitate the preclinical evaluation of vaccines and other interventions aimed at preventing cladeCHIV-1 infection. © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. | None | concanavalin A; adult; animal cell; Article; CD4 lymphocyte count; CD4+ T lymphocyte; cladistics; controlled study; disease severity; female; gene amplification; human; human cell; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; immunophenotyping; male; molecular cloning; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; pathogenicity; phenotype; real time polymerase chain reaction; sequence alignment; Simian immunodeficiency virus; viremia; virus infectivity; virus load; virus neutralization; virus purification; virus replication; virus strain; virus titration; virus transmission; animal; disease model; genetics; growth, development and aging; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; isolation and purification; mucosa; rhesus monkey; Simian immunodeficiency virus; virology; virulence; Animalia; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Macaca mulatta; Simian-Human immunodeficiency virus; Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Female; HIV-1; Humans; Macaca mulatta; Male; Mucous Membrane; Simian Immunodeficiency Virus; Virulence | AI078526, NIH, National Institutes of Health; AI084794, NIH, National Institutes of Health; AI095985, NIH, National Institutes of Health; AI096040, NIH, National Institutes of Health |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930181436 | Impact of increased grid resolution on global marine biogeochemistry | McKiver W.J., Vichi M., Lovato T., Storto A., Masina S. | 2015 | Journal of Marine Systems | 147 | None | 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2014.10.003 | Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici, Bologna, Italy; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Bologna, Italy; Department of Oceanography, University of Cape Town, South Africa | McKiver, W.J., Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici, Bologna, Italy; Vichi, M., Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici, Bologna, Italy, Department of Oceanography, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Lovato, T., Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici, Bologna, Italy; Storto, A., Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici, Bologna, Italy; Masina, S., Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici, Bologna, Italy, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Bologna, Italy | Here we examine the impact of mesoscale processes on the global marine biogeochemical system by performing simulations at two different resolutions, 2° (LO-res) and 1/4° resolution (HI-res) using the PELAGOS model. Both the LO-res and HI-res simulations are set up with the same forcings and biogeochemical parameterizations, while the initial conditions are provided by a spinup of the LO-res simulation. This allows us to perform a direct inter-comparison of the two cases with a view to understanding how the introduction of mesoscale features affects the biogeochemical system, specifically how differences in the resolved horizontal and vertical motions are reflected in the plankton biomass and the nutrient availability. While the global large-scale oceanographic features (fronts, gyres, etc.) are captured in both the LO-res and HI-res simulations, differences in the mesoscale flow structures, and in particular the resolved vertical physics in the HI-res simulation generate very different behavior in the biogeochemical system. These differences in the physics drive what is a spun-up biogeochemical system in the LO-res simulation into a new regime in the HI-res simulation with significant reduction of typical low resolution biases. Coastal features are well reproduced due to stronger Ekman upwelling at the continental margins and increased eddy kinetic energy in the Southern Ocean significantly reduces the winter overestimation. These biases in the LO-res model are a result of inadequate vertical dynamics. The enhancement of surface chlorophyll can be attributed to improvements in the winter mixed layer in some regions such as the North Atlantic, while it is overall the difference in the Ekman vertical velocity which improves surface production allowing to simulate more realistic deep chlorophyll maxima as well. While the HI-res is better than the LO-res at capturing the timing of the spring bloom in the Southern Ocean, it still overestimates the peak of the bloom, hinting at the need to better understand the driving forces of the seasonal cycle of sub-Antarctic plankton dynamics. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. | Chlorophyll; Global ocean; Marine plankton; Mesoscale processes; Nutricline | Biogeochemistry; Blooms (metal); Chlorophyll; Kinetic energy; Kinetics; Marine biology; Oceanography; Plankton; Different resolutions; Global ocean; Horizontal and vertical motions; Marine planktons; Mesoscale process; Nutricline; Nutrient availability; Winter mixed layers; Computer simulation; biogeochemistry; kinetic energy; marine ecosystem; mesoscale meteorology; nutrient availability; parameterization; plankton; simulation; Southern Ocean | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84927545929 | The effects of drought and shade on the performance, morphology and physiology of ghanaian tree species | Amissah L., Mohren G.M.J., Kyereh B., Poorter L. | 2015 | PLoS ONE | 10 | 4 | 10.1371/journal.pone.0121004 | Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana; Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana | Amissah, L., Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana, Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands; Mohren, G.M.J., Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands; Kyereh, B., College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Poorter, L., Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands | In tropical forests light and water availability are the most important factors for seedling growth and survival but an increasing frequency of drought may affect tree regeneration. One central question is whether drought and shade have interactive effects on seedling growth and survival. Here, we present results of a greenhouse experiment, in which seedlings of 10 Ghanaian tree species were exposed to combinations of strong seasonal drought (continuous watering versus withholding water for nine weeks) and shade (5% irradiance versus 20% irradiance). We evaluated the effects of drought and shade on seedling survival and growth and plasticity of 11 underlying traits related to biomass allocation, morphology and physiology. Seedling survival under dry conditions was higher in shade than in high light, thus providing support for the "facilitation hypothesis" that shade enhances plant performance through improved microclimatic conditions, and rejecting the trade-off hypothesis that drought should have stronger impact in shade because of reduced root investment. Shaded plants had low biomass fraction in roots, in line with the trade-off hypothesis , but they compensated for this with a higher specific root length (i.e., root length per unit root mass), resulting in a similar root length per plant mass and, hence, similar water uptake capacity as high-light plants. The majority (60%) of traits studied responded independently to drought and shade, indicating that within species shade- and drought tolerances are not in trade-off, but largely uncoupled. When individual species responses were analysed, then for most of the traits only one to three species showed significant interactive effects between drought and shade. The uncoupled response of most species to drought and shade should provide ample opportunity for niche differentiation and species coexistence under a range of water and light conditions. Overall our greenhouse results suggest that, in the absence of root competition shaded tropical forest tree seedlings may be able to survive prolonged drought. © 2015 Amissah et al. | None | Albizia zygia; Aningeria robusta; Antiaris toxicaria; Article; controlled study; drought; drought stress; drought tolerance; Entandrophragma angolense; environmental impact assessment; Ghanaian; greenhouse effect; growth rate; kapok; leaf area; leaf water potential; microclimate; morphological trait; nonhuman; Pericopsis elata; Piptadeniastrum africanum; plant growth; plant parameters; plant physiology; plant response; plant structures; root length; seasonal variation; shade; species coexistence; species differentiation; stem length; Sterculia rhinopetala; stomatal conductance; Strombosia pustulata; survival prediction; survival rate; tree; Turraeanthus africanus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84927730810 | Evaluation of Irrigated Bird’s Eye Chilli Pepper Adaptability Under Tropical Conditions | Inusah B.I.Y., Dogbe W., Abudulai M., Maxwell Prince E., Haruna M., Mawunya M. | 2015 | International Journal of Vegetable Science | 21 | 2 | 10.1080/19315260.2013.840712 | Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), Nyankpala, Tamale, Ghana | Inusah, B.I.Y., Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), Nyankpala, Tamale, Ghana; Dogbe, W., Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), Nyankpala, Tamale, Ghana; Abudulai, M., Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), Nyankpala, Tamale, Ghana; Maxwell Prince, E., Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), Nyankpala, Tamale, Ghana; Haruna, M., Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), Nyankpala, Tamale, Ghana; Mawunya, M., Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), Nyankpala, Tamale, Ghana | Production of Bird’s eye chillies (Capsicum annuum L) under tropical conditions presents a unique opportunity for small farmers to improve income. A study in 2010 and 2011 evaluated the performance of irrigated, improved Bird’s eye chilli (BEC), cvs. Demon, UHP281 70, UHP226 94, and UHP296 92, with ‘Shito Adope’, for growth, adaptability, yield, and marketability. The cultivars are categorized as being early (‘UHP281 70’ and ‘Shito Adope’), medium (‘UHP226 94’ and ‘Demon’), and late maturing (‘UHP296 92’). The UHP series had the best yield (average 12.47 Mt·ha−1). The best choice for crop performance and dried fruit quality/brightness and perceived marketability was ‘UHP281 70’ followed by ‘UHP226 94’. Economic analysis indicated that ‘UHP296 92’ had the highest total variable cost. It also had the highest marginal rate of returns (217%). It is possible to increase options for small-, medium-, and large-scale chilli pepper farmers regarding choice of superior Bird’s eye chilli peppers. © , Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. | Adaptability; Capsicum annuum; Ghana; Price; Tropical conditions | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84947574256 | Public health impact after the introduction of PsA-TT: The first 4 years | Diomandé F.V.K., Djingarey M.H., Daugla D.M., Novak R.T., Kristiansen P.A., Collard J.-M., Gamougam K., Kandolo D., Mbakuliyemo N., Mayer L., Stuart J., Clark T., Tevi-Benissan C., Perea W.A., Preziosi M.-P., La Force F.M., Caugant D., Messonnier N., Walk | 2015 | Clinical Infectious Diseases | 61 | None | 10.1093/cid/civ499 | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, United States; Inter-country Support Team for West Africa, World Health Organization, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Centre de Support en Santé International, N'Djamena, Chad; World | Diomandé, F.V.K., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, United States, Inter-country Support Team for West Africa, World Health Organization, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Djingarey, M.H., Inter-country Support Team for West Africa, World Health Organization, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Daugla, D.M., Centre de Support en Santé International, N'Djamena, Chad; Novak, R.T., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, United States; Kristiansen, P.A., World Health Organization, Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Meningococci, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Collard, J.-M., Centre de Recherche Médicale et Sanitaire, Niamey, Nigeria; Gamougam, K., Centre de Support en Santé International, N'Djamena, Chad; Kandolo, D., Inter-country Support Team for West Africa, World Health Organization, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Mbakuliyemo, N., Inter-country Support Team for West Africa, World Health Organization, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Mayer, L., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, United States; Stuart, J., Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom; Clark, T., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, United States; Tevi-Benissan, C., World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo; Perea, W.A., Department of Pandemic and Epidemic Diseases, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland; Preziosi, M.-P., Meningitis Vaccine Project, PATH, Ferney-Voltaire, France, Meningitis Vaccine Project, Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland; La Force, F.M., Serum Institute of India, Ltd., Pune, India; Caugant, D., Centre de Recherche Médicale et Sanitaire, Niamey, Nigeria; Messonnier, N., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, United States; Walker, O., Inter-country Support Team for West Africa, World Health Organization, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Greenwood, B., World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo | Background. During the first introduction of a group A meningococcal vaccine (PsA-TT) in 2010-2011 and its rollout from 2011 to 2013, >150 million eligible people, representing 12 hyperendemic meningitis countries, have been vaccinated. Methods. The new vaccine effectiveness evaluation framework was established by the World Health Organization and partners. Meningitis case-based surveillance was strengthened in PsA-TT first-introducer countries, and several evaluation studies were conducted to estimate the vaccination coverage and to measure the impact of vaccine introduction on meningococcal carriage and disease incidence. Results. PsA-TT implementation achieved high vaccination coverage, and results from studies conducted showed significant decrease of disease incidence as well as significant reduction of oropharyngeal carriage of group A meningococci in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, demonstrating the vaccine's ability to generate herd protection and prevent group A epidemics. Conclusions. Lessons learned from this experience provide useful insights in how to guide and better prepare for future new vaccine introductions in resource-limited settings. © 2015 World Health Organization; licensee Oxford Journals. | Africa meningitis belt; disease incidence; meningococcal group A; PsA-TT; vaccine evaluation framework | group A meningococcal conjugate vaccine; Meningococcus vaccine; unclassified drug; Article; bacterium carrier; clinical effectiveness; cost benefit analysis; disease transmission; drug efficacy; epidemic meningitis; evaluation study; group A meningococcus; health impact assessment; health survey; human; immunity; incidence; infection prevention; Neisseria meningitidis; oropharynx; priority journal; public health; vaccination; world health organization | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929223634 | Impact of maternal HIV seroconversion during pregnancy on early mother to child transmission of HIV (MTCT) measured at 4-8 weeks postpartum in South Africa 2011-2012: A national population-based evaluation | Dinh T.-H., Delaney K.P., Goga A., Jackson D., Lombard C., Woldesenbet S., Mogashoa M., Pillay Y., Shaffer N. | 2015 | PLoS ONE | 10 | 5 | 10.1371/journal.pone.0125525 | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Global Health, Division of Global HIV/AIDS, Atlanta, GA, United States; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States; Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Kalafong Hospital, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa; School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa; US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Global Health, Division of Global HIV/AIDS, Pretoria, South Africa; National Department of Health, Pretoria, South Africa; World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland; United Nations Children's Fund, New York, United States | Dinh, T.-H., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Global Health, Division of Global HIV/AIDS, Atlanta, GA, United States; Delaney, K.P., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States; Goga, A., Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Kalafong Hospital, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Jackson, D., Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa, United Nations Children's Fund, New York, United States; Lombard, C., School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa; Woldesenbet, S., School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa; Mogashoa, M., US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Global Health, Division of Global HIV/AIDS, Pretoria, South Africa; Pillay, Y., National Department of Health, Pretoria, South Africa; Shaffer, N., World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland | Background: Mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) depends on the timing of HIV infection. We estimated HIV-seroconversion during pregnancy (HSP) after having a HIV-negative result antenatally, and its contribution to early MTCT in South Africa (SA). Methods and Findings: Between August 2011 and March 2012, we recruited a nationally representative sample of mother-infant pairs with infants aged 4-to-8 weeks from 578 health facilities. Data collection included mother interviews, child health-card reviews, and infant dried-blood-spots sample (iDBS). iDBS were tested for HIV antibodies and HIV-deoxyribonucleic-acid (HIV-DNA). HSP was defined as maternal self-report of an HIV-negative test during this pregnancy, no documented use of antiretroviral drugs and a matched HIV sero-positive iDBS. We used 20 imputations from a uniform distribution for time from reported antenatal HIV-negative result to delivery to estimate time of HSP. Early MTCT was defined based on detection of HIV-DNA in iDBS. Estimates were adjusted for clustering, nonresponse, and weighted by SA's 2011 live-births. Results: Of 9802 mother-infant pairs, 2738 iDBS were HIV sero-positive, including 212 HSP, resulting in a nationally weighted estimate of 3.3% HSP (95% Confidence Interval: 2.8%-3.8%). Median time of HIV-seroconversion was 32.8weeks gestation;28.3% (19.7%- 36.9%) estimated to be >36 weeks. Early MTCT was 10.7%for HSP (6.2%-16.8%) vs. 2.2% (1.7%-2.8%) for mothers with known HIV-positive status. Although they represent 2.2% of all mothers and 6.7% of HIV-infected mothers, HSP accounted for 26% of early MTCT. Multivariable analysis indicated the highest risk for HSP was among women who knew the baby's father was HIV-infected (adjusted-hazard ratio (aHR) 4.71; 1.49-14.99), or who had been screened for tuberculosis (aHR 1.82; 1.43-2.32). Conclusions: HSP risk is high and contributes significantly to early MTCT. Identification of HSP by repeat-testing at 32 weeks gestation, during labor, 6 weeks postpartum, in tuberculosis-exposed women, and in discordant couples might reduce MTCT. © 2015, Public Library of Science. All rights reserved. | None | DNA; Human immunodeficiency virus antibody; adult; Article; controlled study; disease transmission; female; gestational age; human; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; infant; infection rate; infection risk; live birth; major clinical study; mother to child transmission; pregnancy; puerperium; self report; seroconversion; South Africa; virus transmission | CDC, Medical Research Council; 1U2GPS001137-02, MRC, Medical Research Council; 1U2GPS001137-03, MRC, Medical Research Council |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939945876 | Evaluation of the ASTERTM process in the presence of suspended solids | Van Zyl A.W., Huddy R., Harrison S.T.L., Van Hille R.P. | 2015 | Minerals Engineering | 76 | None | 10.1016/j.mineng.2014.11.007 | Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, South Africa | Van Zyl, A.W., Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, South Africa; Huddy, R., Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, South Africa; Harrison, S.T.L., Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, South Africa; Van Hille, R.P., Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, South Africa | The ability to recycle and reuse process water is a major contributing factor toward increased sustainability in the mining industry. However, the presence of toxic compounds has prevented this in most bioleaching operations. The ASTERTM process has been used for the bioremediation of cyanide (CN) and thiocyanate (SCN-) containing effluents at demonstration and commercial scale, increasing the potential for recycling of the treated effluent. The process relies on a complex consortium of microorganisms and laboratory tests have shown that the biomass retention, in suspended flocs or attached biofilm, significantly improved SCN- degradation rates. The current research evaluated the process performance in the presence of suspended solids (up to 5.5% m/v) ahead of implementation at a site where complete tailings removal is not possible. Experiments were performed in four 1 l CSTRs (with three primary reactors in parallel at an 8 h residence time, feeding one secondary reactor at a 2.7 h residence time). Stable operation at the design specifications (5.5% solids, 100 mg/l SCN- feed, effluent SCN- <1 mg/l) was achieved within 50 days, including a period of adaptation. The pH had the most significant effect on performance, with significant inhibition below pH 6. The presence of gypsum and anhydrite phases in the fresh tailings was most likely responsible for the observed decrease in pH. A maximum SCN- degradation rate of >57 mg/l/h was achieved, despite no obvious floc formation. Microbial ecology studies (16S rRNA clone library) revealed reduced diversity relative to reactors operated without suspended solids. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. | Biomass retention; BIOX® process; Microbial ecology; Thiocyanate destruction | Bioremediation; Degradation; Ecology; Microbiology; Recycling; RNA; Water conservation; 16S rRNA clone libraries; Biomass retention; Contributing factor; Design specification; Microbial ecology; Process performance; Suspended solids; Thiocyanate destruction; Effluents | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928669397 | Synthesis and evaluation of antimicrobial properties of AZO dyes | Kofie W., Dzidzoramengor C., Adosraku R.K. | 2015 | International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences | 7 | 4 | None | Centre for Drug Design and Development, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana | Kofie, W., Centre for Drug Design and Development, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Dzidzoramengor, C., Centre for Drug Design and Development, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Adosraku, R.K., Centre for Drug Design and Development, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana | Objective: To synthesizeazo dyesand evaluate their antimicrobial potential. Methods: A number of azo compounds were synthesized via diazotization of primary aromatic amine and subsequent coupling with naphthols or other coupling partners. The antimicrobial properties of these azo compounds were determined against six microbial species; Staphylococcus aureus(ATCC25923), Escherichia coli (ATCC10231), Mycobacterium smegmatis (clinical strain), Micrococcus luteus(ATCC10240), Pseudomonas aureginosa (ATCC 9027) and the fungusCandida albicans(ATCC10231) using the Kirby-Bauer Standard disc diffusion method. The minimum inhibition concentrations (MIC)were also determined for those compounds that exhibited antimicrobial activity. Results: Two of the azo compounds showed inhibition against microbial agents, with p-NAαN in particular exhibiting very good antimicrobial properties. However, Pseudomonas aureginosa (ATCC 9027) was resistant against all the azo compounds. Conclusion: p-NAαN showed broad spectrum of activity againstStaphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Mycobacterium smegmatis, Micrococcus luteusand the fungal species Candida albicans, with p-ABAαN exhibiting activity against Candida albicans. © 2015, International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science. All rights reserved. | Antimicrobial; Azo; Diazotization; Disc diffusion method; Minimum inhibition concentration | azo dye; antimicrobial activity; Article; Candida albicans; controlled study; cross coupling reaction; diazotization; disk diffusion; drug synthesis; Escherichia coli; Micrococcus luteus; minimum inhibitory concentration; Mycobacterium smegmatis; nonhuman; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Staphylococcus aureus; thin layer chromatography | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84937032833 | The optical design and performance of a concentrator photovoltaic module | Schultz R.D., van Dyk E.E., Vorster F.J. | 2015 | Journal of Energy in Southern Africa | 26 | 2 | None | Centre for Energy Research, Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa | Schultz, R.D., Centre for Energy Research, Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa; van Dyk, E.E., Centre for Energy Research, Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa; Vorster, F.J., Centre for Energy Research, Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa | Concentration photovoltaic (CPV) modules promise a more efficient, higher power output than traditional photovoltaic modules. This is achieved by concentrating sunlight onto a small 1 cm2 concentrator triple-junction (CTJ) InGaP/InGaAs/Ge cell by using high quality precision optics. In order to achieve high energy performance and reliability, well thought-out design decisions must be made in the development of a CPV module. This paper investigates the design of two CPV modules (Module I and II), which are based on the Sandia III Baseline Fresnel module. The investigation concentrated on the effect of the optimization of the optical design on the electrical performance characteristics of CTJ cells with good thermal dissipation. The best performance achieved by Module I was at 336 times operational concentration (Xo), which produced a Pmax of 10.29 W per cell, with cell and module efficiencies of 39% and 24%, respectively. In the development of the second module (Module II) pre-deployment criteria such as the CTJ cell and system components characteristics was used to eliminate faulty components from the system what was observed in Module I. Cell units that were optimized in Module II showed no form of degradation in their Current-Voltage (I-V) characteristics. The cell unit operating under optical misalignment showed a progressive degradation with long term operation in the field. | Concentrated triple junction cells; Concentrator photovoltaics; Degradation; Efficiency | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928239277 | Asymmetric impacts of the determinants of energy intensity in Nigeria | Adom P.K. | 2015 | Energy Economics | 49 | None | 10.1016/j.eneco.2015.03.027 | Centre for Environmental and Resource Economics (CERE), Department of Forest Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umeå, Sweden; Department of Banking and Finance, University of Professional Studies, Accra, Ghana | Adom, P.K., Centre for Environmental and Resource Economics (CERE), Department of Forest Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umeå, Sweden, Department of Banking and Finance, University of Professional Studies, Accra, Ghana | This study analysed the problem of energy intensity determinants in Nigeria based on the fully modified OLS and canonical cointegration regressions. These methods were preferred since they are able to deal effectively with the second-order bias problems, an often characteristics of time series data. The impacts of price of crude oil, FDI, trade openness and industry structure are asymmetric which suggests the presence of structural effects in parameters. The impact of crude oil price is negative but becomes stronger post-1989 saving .126% more in energy consumption relative to pre-1989. Also, the impacts of FDI and trade openness are negative and significant but become stronger post-1989 saving 11.2% and 0.8% more in energy consumption relative to the baseline, respectively for every one percentage point increase in FDI and trade openness. The impact of industry value-added is positive and significant but weakens after 1989 consuming 1.8% less in energy for every one percentage point increase in industry value-added relative to the baseline. The energy reducing effect of industry value-added post-1989 reflects improvements in the technical characteristics of industrial sector in Nigeria. Last, the result showed that the absorptive capability and industry characteristics of Nigeria are important determinants of how FDI affects energy intensity. This implies that a more integrated FDI programme (considering the country characteristics) rather than a 'one-fit-all' programme is preferable. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. | Absorptive capability; Asymmetric effects; Energy intensity; Nigeria | Commerce; Crude oil; Oil shale; Absorptive capability; Asymmetric effects; Energy intensity; Industrial sector; Industry characteristics; Industry structures; Nigeria; Percentage points; Energy utilization; consumption behavior; crude oil; energy market; foreign direct investment; industrial structure; price dynamics; regression analysis; time series; trade; Nigeria | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84911860941 | Prosopis invasions in South Africa: Population structures and impacts on native tree population stability | Shackleton R.T., Le Maitre D.C., Richardson D.M. | 2015 | Journal of Arid Environments | 114 | None | 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2014.11.006 | Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; Natural Resources and the Environment, CSIR, P.O. Box 320, Stellenbosch, South Africa | Shackleton, R.T., Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; Le Maitre, D.C., Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa, Natural Resources and the Environment, CSIR, P.O. Box 320, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Richardson, D.M., Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa | Several Prosopis taxa are widespread invaders that have negative impacts on biodiversity and human livelihoods globally. Better knowledge of the impacts and ecology of invasive Prosopis species is required to support and inform management interventions. Prosopis was introduced to South Africa and has become the second most widespread invasive alien plant taxon in the country. We compare population structures of invasive Prosopis populations in different part of South Africa, and quantify the effects of Prosopis invasions on native tree populations using size-class distribution (SCD) curves. Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, regressions, quotients, and Permutation Indices were used to compare size-class distributions and assess population stability. Prosopis population structures differed across South Africa. Those along perennial rivers and areas in the Succulent Karoo biome had fewer juvenile plants. Prosopis in South Africa also has higher recruitment (% juvenile plants) than in other areas like Australia. Prosopis invasions are having a negative effect on the stability of native tree populations in South Africa, and are linked to increased mortality of native trees. Improved management of Prosopis is needed. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. | Biological invasions; Mesquite; Permutation Index; Size-class distribution; Tree invasions | biodiversity; biological invasion; biome; invasive species; legume; mortality; population structure; recruitment (population dynamics); size distribution; stabilization; Australia; South Africa; Prosopis | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84921057084 | The impact of invasive alien Prosopis species (mesquite) on native plants in different environments in South Africa | Shackleton R.T., Le Maitre D.C., Van Wilgen B.W., Richardson D.M. | 2015 | South African Journal of Botany | 97 | None | 10.1016/j.sajb.2014.12.008 | Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa; Natural Resources and the Environment, CSIR, P.O. Box 320, Stellenbosch, South Africa | Shackleton, R.T., Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa; Le Maitre, D.C., Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa, Natural Resources and the Environment, CSIR, P.O. Box 320, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Van Wilgen, B.W., Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa; Richardson, D.M., Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa | Many Prosopis species have been introduced to South Africa; some taxa and their hybrids have naturalised and become widespread invasive trees. These invasions have detrimental effects on biodiversity, ecosystem services and human livelihoods. Although several studies have documented these impacts, the studies have been limited to single sites or restricted areas. This study assessed the Prosopis population across the full invasive range of the genus in South Africa, and quantified the effects of invasions on native woody and herbaceous species. Basal areas of invasive Prosopis stands reached 9m2/ha, and were on average higher along perennial rivers than along ephemeral rivers (mean basal areas of 3.2 vs. 1.4m2/ha). Native woody species density, basal area, richness and diversity all decreased significantly as the basal area of Prosopis stands increased. For example, up to eight native woody species occurred at basal area of <2m2/ha, this decreased to three native species or fewer at basal areas of >4m2/ha. The cover of native perennial grasses and herbaceous plants declined from 15-20% where the basal area of Prosopis was <2m2/ha to zero where the basal area of Prosopis was >4.5m2/ha. The results highlight the widespread nature of the impacts across all invaded biomes. Current control of Prosopis has had limited success, and alternative, potentially more effective, options are controversial. In the light of the widespread impacts, we recommend that a thorough assessment of the problem be undertaken to inform policy. © 2014 South African Association of Botanists. | Basal area; Biological invasions; Impacts; Invasive plants; Tree invasions | basal area; biodiversity; biome; dicotyledon; ecosystem service; invasiveness; native species; risk assessment; woody plant; South Africa; Poaceae; Prosopis | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84946720989 | Co-ownership and collaboration: Insights into the measurement of impact and change from evidence-based community and state violence prevention partnerships | Mutongwizo T., Leoschut L., Burton P. | 2015 | Stability | 4 | 1 | 10.5334/sta.fh | Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, South Africa | Mutongwizo, T., Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, South Africa; Leoschut, L., Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, South Africa; Burton, P., Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, South Africa | Effective partnerships in community crime and violence prevention interventions are challenging to foster. Though challenging, their merits cannot be denied; thus it is necessary to involve diverse stakeholders in processes that aim to address violence and crime prevention in order to better approach the causes of crime. However, practical experiences have been used to identify the challenges of crime prevention partnerships, particularly in developing indicators that appropriately measure, monitor and evaluate progress. It has also been noted that it is difficult to discern which interventions yield success, particularly in partnerships with various stakeholders. This article therefore encourages joint assessments from the outset of crime prevention projects and the development of indicators that relate to all partners. This paper will draw on three violence and crime prevention pilot projects, conducted in South Africa. The discussion will focus on the processes of developing performance measurement frameworks and the challenges and successes experienced throughout the monitoring, evaluation and learning process. © 2015 The Author(s). | Crime prevention; Monitoring and evaluation; Multi-stakeholder forums; Partnerships; Safety audits | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84937074095 | Is South Africa's 20 years of democracy in crisis? Examining the impact of unrest incidents in local protests in the post-apartheid South Africa | Mkhize M.C. | 2015 | African Security Review | 24 | 2 | 10.1080/10246029.2015.1038285 | Centre for Military Studies (CEMIS), Stellenbosch University, South Africa | Mkhize, M.C., Centre for Military Studies (CEMIS), Stellenbosch University, South Africa | This article assesses South Africa's 20 years of democracy, which has frequently been bedevilled by local protests. This article is particularly interested in those unrest incidents that have been distinct for one reason or another. In South Africa, the surge in local unrest incidents is often linked to police behaviour, which has become increasingly militant and brutal when quelling protests. While the right to protest is constitutional, the damage caused during protest action can be immense owing to acts of violence. Protestors' resorting to violent protest action is often linked to increased frustrations as a result of the government's inability to live up to the expectations of marginalised and poor communities. While this article draws primarily on existing scholarly debates focusing on social protests, the primary objective is to examine the impact of unrest incidents on local protests in post-apartheid South Africa. The article further argues that ‘spaces’ for participation in local governance should be created so that citizens can become architects of development and their own future. © 2015 Institute for Security Studies. | globalisation; grassroots resistance; local protests; neoliberalism; police brutality; South Africa; spaces of participation; unrest incidents | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84907777751 | The interactive effects of chemical and process parameters on the flotation performance of a UG2 ore | McFadzean B., Pani S., Wiese J., O'Connor C.T. | 2015 | Minerals Engineering | 70 | None | 10.1016/j.mineng.2014.08.016 | Centre for Minerals Research, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, South Africa | McFadzean, B., Centre for Minerals Research, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, South Africa; Pani, S., Centre for Minerals Research, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, South Africa; Wiese, J., Centre for Minerals Research, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, South Africa; O'Connor, C.T., Centre for Minerals Research, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, South Africa | A major challenge in the processing of PGM-bearing UG2 ore is the fact that it is comprised largely of chromite (60-90% by volume). Chromite is generally not naturally floatable but significant quantities report to the concentrate by entrainment. This is a serious problem for the downstream smelting process, which is generally constrained to a grade of about 3% chromite. Four of the most accessible levers for the control of flotation performance which are available to a plant metallurgist are frother and depressant dosage, air flow rate and froth height. The effects of each of these factors on the flotation performance have been extensively studied, but interactive effects are not well understood. This study presents the results of an investigation into the interactive effects of these parameters using a factorial experimental design approach. The flotation tests were carried out using a 2 m high continuous column flotation cell which facilitated the generation of a deep froth, since this was the phase of most interest. The results were analysed using statistical analysis software that fitted a regression model to the data for each of the outputs. These results highlight the interactive effects of these variables on the flotation performance and illustrate the complexity that is required in process control. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. | Factorial design; Flotation performance; Interactive effects | Chromite; Chromite deposits; Froth flotation; Regression analysis; Smelting; Factorial design; Factorial experimental design; Flotation performance; In-process control; Interactive effect; Process parameters; Regression model; Smelting process; Process control | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84919460553 | Evaluation of the implementation of a phd capacity-building program for nurses in South Africa | Sheehan A., Comiskey C., Williamson C., Mgutshini T. | 2015 | Nursing Research | 64 | 1 | 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000069 | Centre for Practice and Healthcare Innovation, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, 24 D'Olier St., Dublin 2, Ireland; SANTRUST, Durban, South Africa; University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa | Sheehan, A., Centre for Practice and Healthcare Innovation, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, 24 D'Olier St., Dublin 2, Ireland; Comiskey, C., Centre for Practice and Healthcare Innovation, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, 24 D'Olier St., Dublin 2, Ireland; Williamson, C., SANTRUST, Durban, South Africa; Mgutshini, T., University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa | Background: Nursing is experiencing a significant deficit in research capacity needed to meet future global healthcare demands-there is a call to double the number of nurses and healthcare professionals with a doctorate. Aim: The aim of this research was to evaluate the implementation of a national PhD capacity-building program for academic and practice-based nurses and other healthcare professionals in South Africa.Methods: An implementation science framework was used. Implementation of the program across two national, longitudinal cohorts of participants was studied. Evidence of enablers and barriers to implementation was obtained from multiple data sources, including the curriculum for the program, regular evaluation reports from program participants and program facilitators after each stage of the PhD curriculum delivery, and meeting notes. Supplementary sources included rates of PhD candidate recruitment, retention, and successful completion.Results: Evidence for the presence of enablers for successful implementation was found, including stakeholder consultation and buy-in, leadership, resources, staff capacity, and implementation teams. No evidence of an implementation plan, a supportive organizational culture, or effective ongoing communication at Stage 4 of the implementation process was found. Barriers to implementation included external environmental factors, resistance to change, and vested interests.Discussion: Within the context of a recognized worldwide shortage of nursing scientists, the application of an implementation science framework to evaluate the initial stages of a national PhD development program rollout provided information on how effective implementation can be strengthened and how barriers to success can be overcome. © 2014 Wolters Kluwer Health Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. | International educational exchange; Nursing research; South Africa | adult; cohort analysis; curriculum; education; human; nursing education; organization; organization and management; program evaluation; South Africa; Adult; Cohort Studies; Curriculum; Education, Nursing, Graduate; Humans; Nursing Education Research; Organizational Culture; Program Evaluation; School Admission Criteria; South Africa | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930571206 | Impacts of new universities on hosting cities and the implications for Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa | Kleinsmith D., Horn A. | 2015 | Development Southern Africa | 32 | 4 | 10.1080/0376835X.2015.1039712 | Centre for Regional and Urban Innovation and Statistical Exploration (CRUISE), University of Stellenbosch, Chamber of Mines (Geology) Building, Corner of Merriman Avenue and Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Centre for Regional and Urban Innovation and Statistical Exploration (CRUISE), University of Stellenbosch, Chamber of Mines (Geology) Building, Corner of Merriman Avenue and Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch, South Africa | Kleinsmith, D., Centre for Regional and Urban Innovation and Statistical Exploration (CRUISE), University of Stellenbosch, Chamber of Mines (Geology) Building, Corner of Merriman Avenue and Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Horn, A., Centre for Regional and Urban Innovation and Statistical Exploration (CRUISE), University of Stellenbosch, Chamber of Mines (Geology) Building, Corner of Merriman Avenue and Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch, South Africa | This research investigated the impact of the establishment of a new university on hosting cities by reviewing the literature on such impacts. The aim of the article is to establish the likely impact of a new university (Sol Plaatjie University) to be established in the city of Kimberley during 2014. The study found that generally a university could impact its hosting city in terms of its local economy, employment, human capital, social character and real-estate market. Given the current characteristics and demographic profile of Kimberley, it is likely that positive impacts of a new university in Kimberley would include increased spending capacity in the local economy and short-term employment gains during construction of the university infrastructure. The proposed university could, however, exacerbate the existing pressure on the rental market in Kimberley and encourage the out-migration of specific skilled professionals. The research concludes with a number of steps to be taken by a hosting city that could contribute to strengthening a university's role as an anchor for urban development. © 2015 Government Technical Advisory Centre (GTAC). | demographic impact; Kimberley; local economic impact; Northern Cape; university | demography; economic impact; employment; human capital; local economy; university sector; urban development; Kimberley [Northern Cape]; Northern Cape; South Africa | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84948180161 | The impact of health service variables on healthcare access in a low resourced urban setting in the Western Cape, South Africa | Scheffler E., Visagie S., Schneider M. | 2015 | African Journal of Primary Health Care and Family Medicine | 7 | 1 | 10.4102/phcfm.v7i1.820 | Centre for Rehabilitation Studies, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Psychology Department, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa | Scheffler, E., Centre for Rehabilitation Studies, Stellenbosch University, South Africa, Psychology Department, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Visagie, S., Centre for Rehabilitation Studies, Stellenbosch University, South Africa, Psychology Department, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Schneider, M., Psychology Department, Stellenbosch University, South Africa, Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa | Background: Health care access is complex and multi-faceted and, as a basic right, equitable access and services should be available to all user groups. Objectives: The aim of this article is to explore how service delivery impacts on access to healthcare for vulnerable groups in an urban primary health care setting in South Africa. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study design was used. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with purposively sampled participants and analysed through thematic content analysis. Results: Service delivery factors are presented against five dimensions of access according to the ACCESS Framework. From a supplier perspective, the organisation of care in the study setting resulted in available, accessible, affordable and adequate services as measured against the District Health System policies and guidelines. However, service providers experienced significant barriers in provision of services, which impacted on the quality of care, resulting in poor client and provider satisfaction and ultimately compromising acceptability of service delivery. Although users found services to be accessible, the organisation of services presented them with challenges in the domains of availability, affordability and adequacy, resulting in unmet needs, low levels of satisfaction and loss of trust. These challenges fuelled perceptions of unacceptable services. Conclusion: Well developed systems and organisation of services can create accessible, affordable and available primary healthcare services, but do not automatically translate into adequate and acceptable services. Focussing attention on how services are delivered might restore the balance between supply (services) and demand (user needs) and promote universal and equitable access. © 2015. The Authors. | None | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84948957369 | Direct-to-consumer genetic testing for predicting sports performance and talent identification: Consensus statement | Webborn N., Williams A., McNamee M., Bouchard C., Pitsiladis Y., Ahmetov I., Ashley E., Byrne N., Camporesi S., Collins M., Dijkstra P., Eynon N., Fuku N., Garton F.C., Hoppe N., Holm S., Kaye J., Klissouras V., Lucia A., Maase K., Moran C., North K.N., P | 2015 | British Journal of Sports Medicine | 49 | 23 | 10.1136/bjsports-2015-095343 | Centre for Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine (SESAME), University of Brighton, Eastbourne, United Kingdom; MMU Sports Genomics Laboratory, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, Manchester Metropolitan University, Crewe Green Road, Crewe, United Kingdom; College of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom; Human Genomics Laboratory, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, United States; FIMS Reference Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine for Anti-Doping Research, University of Brighton, Eastbourne, United Kingdom; Volga Region State Academy of Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism, Kazan, Russian Federation; Clinical Genomics Service, Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, United States; Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond Institute of Health and Sport, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia; Department of Social Science, Health and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Aspetar-Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha, Qatar; Institute of Sport, Exercise, and Active Living (ISEAL), Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Graduate School of Health and Sports Science, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Paediatrics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's HospitalVIC, Australia; Coram Chambers, London, United Kingdom; School of Law, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom; Nuffield Department of Population Health, Centre for Health, Law and Emerging Technologies, University of Oxford, Headington, United Kingdom; Emeritus of Ergophysiology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Universidad Europea and Research Institute, Madrid, Spain; Elite Sport Unit, Netherlands Olympic Committee and Netherlands Sports Confederation (NOC and NSF), Utrecht, Netherlands; Physiological Epigenetics Research Group, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom; International Federation of Sports Medicine, University of Rome, Rome, Italy | Webborn, N., Centre for Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine (SESAME), University of Brighton, Eastbourne, United Kingdom; Williams, A., MMU Sports Genomics Laboratory, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, Manchester Metropolitan University, Crewe Green Road, Crewe, United Kingdom; McNamee, M., College of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom; Bouchard, C., Human Genomics Laboratory, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, United States; Pitsiladis, Y., FIMS Reference Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine for Anti-Doping Research, University of Brighton, Eastbourne, United Kingdom; Ahmetov, I., Volga Region State Academy of Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism, Kazan, Russian Federation; Ashley, E., Clinical Genomics Service, Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, United States; Byrne, N., Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond Institute of Health and Sport, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia; Camporesi, S., Department of Social Science, Health and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Collins, M., Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Dijkstra, P., Aspetar-Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha, Qatar; Eynon, N., Institute of Sport, Exercise, and Active Living (ISEAL), Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Fuku, N., Graduate School of Health and Sports Science, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan; Garton, F.C., Department of Paediatrics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's HospitalVIC, Australia; Hoppe, N., Coram Chambers, London, United Kingdom; Holm, S., School of Law, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom; Kaye, J., Nuffield Department of Population Health, Centre for Health, Law and Emerging Technologies, University of Oxford, Headington, United Kingdom; Klissouras, V., Emeritus of Ergophysiology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Lucia, A., Universidad Europea and Research Institute, Madrid, Spain; Maase, K., Elite Sport Unit, Netherlands Olympic Committee and Netherlands Sports Confederation (NOC and NSF), Utrecht, Netherlands; Moran, C., Physiological Epigenetics Research Group, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom; North, K.N., Department of Paediatrics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's HospitalVIC, Australia; Pigozzi, F., International Federation of Sports Medicine, University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Wang, G., FIMS Reference Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine for Anti-Doping Research, University of Brighton, Eastbourne, United Kingdom | The general consensus among sport and exercise genetics researchers is that genetic tests have no role to play in talent identification or the individualised prescription of training to maximise performance. Despite the lack of evidence, recent years have witnessed the rise of an emerging market of direct-toconsumer marketing (DTC) tests that claim to be able to identify children's athletic talents. Targeted consumers include mainly coaches and parents. There is concern among the scientific community that the current level of knowledge is being misrepresented for commercial purposes. There remains a lack of universally accepted guidelines and legislation for DTC testing in relation to all forms of genetic testing and not just for talent identification. There is concern over the lack of clarity of information over which specific genes or variants are being tested and the almost universal lack of appropriate genetic counselling for the interpretation of the genetic data to consumers. Furthermore independent studies have identified issues relating to quality control by DTC laboratories with different results being reported from samples from the same individual. Consequently, in the current state of knowledge, no child or young athlete should be exposed to DTC genetic testing to define or alter training or for talent identification aimed at selecting gifted children or adolescents. Large scale collaborative projects, may help to develop a stronger scientific foundation on these issues in the future. | None | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84954399107 | Comprehensive Community Initiative: Evaluation of a transformation system in Mhakwe community in Zimbabwe | Tirivanhu P., Matondi P.B., Groenewald I. | 2015 | Development Southern Africa | 32 | 6 | 10.1080/0376835X.2015.1063983 | Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Development and Extension, University of Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Ruzivo Trust, 28 Greendale Drive, Harare, Zimbabwe | Tirivanhu, P., Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Development and Extension, University of Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Matondi, P.B., Ruzivo Trust, 28 Greendale Drive, Harare, Zimbabwe; Groenewald, I., Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Development and Extension, University of Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein, South Africa | This article explores community perceptions on implementation and impacts of the Mhakwe Comprehensive Community Initiative (CCI) in Mhakwe Ward, Zimbabwe. A mixed-methods research methodology was adopted. Qualitative data were collected from action research, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Quantitative data were collected using a structured questionnaire from a random cluster sample, and were analysed using SPSS and Stata with binomial logistic regression to determine factors significantly affecting selected variables and the chi-square test for independence to determine association between variables. Thematic reviews were utilised to analyse qualitative data. Community perceptions on issues affecting multi-stakeholder collaborations, ownership, and control, internal and external enabling factors were explored. The article concludes that leadership development, strengthening family institutions, enhancing ownership and building capacity of local institutions to coordinate such initiatives are fundamental building blocks for CCIs. This article recommends CCIs as a practical framework for empowering marginalised communities. © 2015 Government Technical Advisory Centre (GTAC). | Comprehensive Community Initiative; Mhakwe; Mixed-methods research; Perceptions; Zimbabwe | capacity building; community development; empowerment; local participation; perception; research method; stakeholder; Zimbabwe | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84951171560 | Development and comparative study of effects of training algorithms on performance of artificial neural network based analog and digital automatic modulation recognition | Popoola J.J., Van Olst R. | 2015 | Journal of Engineering Science and Technology Review | 8 | 4 | None | Centre for Telecommunications Access and Services, School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of The Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 704, Ondo State, Akure, Nigeria | Popoola, J.J., Centre for Telecommunications Access and Services, School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of The Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, Johannesburg, South Africa; Van Olst, R., Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 704, Ondo State, Akure, Nigeria | This paper proposes two new classifiers that automatically recognise twelve combined analog and digital modulated signals without any a priori knowledge of the modulation schemes and the modulation parameters. The classifiers are developed using pattern recognition approach. Feature keys extracted from the instantaneous amplitude, instantaneous phase and the spectrum symmetry of the simulated signals are used as inputs to the artificial neural network employed in developing the classifiers. The two developed classifiers are trained using scaled conjugate gradient (SCG) and conjugate gradient (CONJGRAD) training algorithms. Sample results of the two classifiers show good success recognition performance with an average overall recognition rate above 99.50% at signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value from 0 dB and above with the two training algorithms employed and an average overall recognition rate slightly above 99.00% and 96.40% respectively at-5 dB SNR value for SCG and CONJGRAD training algorithms. The comparative performance evaluation of the two developed classifiers using the two training algorithms shows that the two training algorithms have different effects on both the response rate and efficiency of the two developed artificial neural networks classifiers. In addition, the result of the performance evaluation carried out on the overall success recognition rates between the two developed classifiers in this study using pattern recognition approach with the two training algorithms and one reported classifier in surveyed literature using decision-theoretic approach shows that the classifiers developed in this study perform favourably with regard to accuracy and performance probability as compared to classifier presented in previous study. © 2015 Kavala Institute of Technology. | AMR development approaches; Artificial neural networks classification; Automatic modulation recognition (AMR); Modulation recognition families | Algorithms; Amplitude modulation; Conjugate gradient method; Neural networks; Pattern recognition; Signal to noise ratio; Surveys; Automatic modulation recognition; Comparative performance; Decision theoretic approach; Development approach; Instantaneous amplitude; Modulation recognition; Neural networks classifiers; Scaled conjugate gradients; Modulation | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930698491 | Integrating the informal with the formal: An estimation of the impacts of a shift from paratransit line-haul to feeder service provision in Cape Town | Del Mistro R., Behrens R. | 2015 | Case Studies on Transport Policy | 3 | 2 | 10.1016/j.cstp.2014.10.001 | Centre for Transport Studies, University of Cape Town, Private Bag x3, Rondebosch, South Africa | Del Mistro, R., Centre for Transport Studies, University of Cape Town, Private Bag x3, Rondebosch, South Africa; Behrens, R., Centre for Transport Studies, University of Cape Town, Private Bag x3, Rondebosch, South Africa | Feeder-trunk-distribution service arrangements are a possible means of integrating paratransit services with scheduled services in public transport system reform projects. In such arrangements the transport authority would concentrate on providing or contracting a high capacity trunk service using large vehicles on corridors with the requisite passenger demand, while paratransit operators would be relegated to only providing feeder and distribution services using smaller vehicles in adjacent areas. This paper explores the veracity of a perception amongst paratransit operators in Cape Town that operating feeder services is less lucrative than operating direct services. A public transport cost model is used to explore the implications of such a change in service operation, using cost and travel demand input data currently applicable in Cape Town. The modelling results suggest that individual minibus operators would be more profitable if they only provided feeder/distribution services, but that improved operating efficiencies would come at the cost of a reduction in the required minibus fleet and associated jobs. It is therefore concluded that if a feeder-trunk-distribution scheme is pursued as a means of integrating paratransit into a revitalised public transport system, considerable attention should to be given to developing strategies that absorb as many paratransit operators displaced by high capacity trunk services as possible. Providing feeder and distribution services for new choice passengers attracted to the improved trunk service may hold promise in this regard. © 2014 World Conference on Transport Research Society. | Feeder; Line-haul; Paratransit | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84942526419 | The Synthesis and Evaluation of C7-Substituted α-Tetralone Derivatives as Inhibitors of Monoamine Oxidase | Legoabe L.J., Petzer A., Petzer J.P. | 2015 | Chemical Biology and Drug Design | 86 | 4 | 10.1111/cbdd.12508 | Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, South Africa; Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, South Africa | Legoabe, L.J., Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, South Africa; Petzer, A., Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, South Africa; Petzer, J.P., Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, South Africa, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, South Africa | Based on a previous report that α-tetralone (3,4-dihydro-2H-naphthalen-1-one) is a promising scaffold for the design of highly potent inhibitors of the enzyme, monoamine oxidase, the present study investigates the monoamine oxidase inhibitory properties of a synthetic series of fifteen C7-substituted α-tetralone derivatives. Arylalkyloxy substitution on C7 of the α-tetralone moiety yielded compounds with high inhibition potencies toward the human monoamine oxidase-B isoform with all compounds possessing IC<inf>50</inf> values in the submicromolar range (0.00089-0.047 μm). The C7-substituted α-tetralones also were highly potent monoamine oxidase-A inhibitors with thirteen (of fifteen) compounds possessing IC<inf>50</inf> values in the submicromolar range (0.010-0.741 μm). The α-tetralones were, however, in each instance selective for monoamine oxidase-B over the monoamine oxidase-A isoform. Dialyses of enzyme-inhibitor mixtures show that, while a representative inhibitor acts as a reversible monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor, inhibition of monoamine oxidase-B is not readily reversed by dialysis. Using a molecular modeling approach, possible binding orientations and interactions of selected α-tetralones with the active sites of the monoamine oxidases are also proposed. This study suggests that C7-substituted α-tetralones are promising monoamine oxidase inhibitors and may represent lead compounds for the development of therapies for Parkinson's disease and depression. C7-Substituted α-tetralones act as high potency reversible inhibitors of human MAO-A and MAO-B. This class of compounds represent promising leads for the development of therapies for Parkinson's disease and depression. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. | competitive; dialysis; inhibition; monoamine oxidase; reversible; α-tetralone | 1 tetralone derivative; amine oxidase (flavin containing) isoenzyme A; amine oxidase (flavin containing) isoenzyme B; lazabemide; monoamine oxidase A inhibitor; monoamine oxidase B inhibitor; monoamine oxidase inhibitor; antidepressant activity; Article; competitive inhibition; crystallization; drug potency; drug safety; drug screening; drug synthesis; enzyme activity; enzyme substrate; hydrogen bond; IC50; molecular docking; molecular dynamics; molecular model; Parkinson disease; priority journal; structure activity relation; therapy effect | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84927660470 | Performance analysis of a connection admission scheme for future networks | Walingo T.M., Takawira F. | 2015 | IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications | 14 | 4 | 10.1109/TWC.2014.2378777 | Centre of Radio Access and Rural Technologies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | Walingo, T.M., Centre of Radio Access and Rural Technologies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Takawira, F., School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | Future networks are to deliver any-traffic, anytime, anywhere with full quality of service (QoS) guarantees. They will evolve from typical heterogeneous networks (HetNets) into dense, organic, and irregular heterogeneous networks called DenseNets. They will be complex and face additional challenges of heterogeneity in many design dimensions like different radio access technologies (RAT's) shrinking in structure. Radio Resource Management (RRM) is one of the key challenges in providing for QoS for these networks. Connection Admission Control (CAC) scheme and intelligent scheduling techniques are employed on the links for RRM. In this paper a CAC scheme is developed that features multiple traffic classes, multiple admission parameters at both packet and connection level. The CAC scheme uses both signal to interference ratio (SIR) and delay as admission parameters since the single parameter based CAC algorithm is not adequate for the emerging traffic classes. The performance analysis of the model features Batch Markovian Arrival Process (BMAP) traffic, a better representative of the future traffic characteristics than the traditional Poisson traffic. A simple approximate Markovian analytical model is developed and used to analyze the complex network. The developed model with more admission parameters outperforms those with less admission control parameters for future networks traffic. © 2002-2012 IEEE. | BMAP traffic; CDMA; Connection admission control; DenseNets; HetNets; Multimedia traffic | Cellular radio systems; Code division multiple access; Heterogeneous networks; Markov processes; Quality of service; Radio communication; Scheduling; Batch Markovian arrival process; Connection Admission Control; DenseNets; Heterogeneous network (HetNets); Hetnets; Multimedia traffic; Quality of service (QoS) guarantees; Signal-to-interference ratio; Complex networks | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84937859588 | Do we care about the distance to the CMB? Clarifying the impact of second-order lensing | Bonvin C., Clarkson C., Durrer R., Maartens R., Umeh O. | 2015 | Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics | 2015 | 6 | 10.1088/1475-7516/2015/06/050 | CERN, Theory Division, Geneva, Switzerland; Astrophysics, Cosmology and Gravity Centre, Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Département de Physique Théorique, Center for Astroparticle Physics, Université de Genève, Quai E. Ansermet 24, Genève 4, Switzerland; Physics Department, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa; Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom | Bonvin, C., CERN, Theory Division, Geneva, Switzerland; Clarkson, C., Astrophysics, Cosmology and Gravity Centre, Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Durrer, R., Département de Physique Théorique, Center for Astroparticle Physics, Université de Genève, Quai E. Ansermet 24, Genève 4, Switzerland; Maartens, R., Physics Department, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa, Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom; Umeh, O., Physics Department, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa | It has recently been shown that second-order corrections to the background distance-redshift relation can build up significantly at large redshifts, due to an aggregation of gravitational lensing events. This shifts the expectation value of the distance to the CMB by 1%. In this paper we show that this shift is already properly accounted for in standard CMB analyses. We clarify the role that the area distance to the CMB plays in the presence of second-order lensing corrections. © 2015 IOP Publishing Ltd and Sissa Medialab srl . | CMBR theory; cosmological parameters from CMBR; gravitational lensing | None | SNSF, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84941551714 | The impact of economic freedom on economic growth in the sadc: An individual component analysis | Gorlach V.I., le Roux P. | 2015 | Journal for Studies in Economics and Econometrics | 39 | 2 | None | CFA, South Africa; Department of Economics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa | Gorlach, V.I., CFA, South Africa; le Roux, P., Department of Economics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa | The SADC is attempting to achieve development and economic growth. This paper investigates the relationship between economic freedom - in aggregate and on an individual component basis - on economic growth in the SADC. The annual data for 13 SADC countries from 2000 to 2009 are used to construct a generalised method of moments, dynamic panel-data model. When cross-sectional dependence of the error term, individual- and time-specific effects are controlled, economic freedom and GDP per capita are positively related and freedom Granger-causes growth. Gross fixed capital formation and economic openness are positively related to growth but government consumption expenditure is an insignificant driver of growth in the SADC. All five individual components are highly significant and are positively related to growth; however, the magnitude of the elasticity parameters varies. The causality among the individual freedom components indicates that linkages exist between certain of these components. © 2015, Universiteit Stellenbosch. All rights reserved. | None | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84936886428 | The Gendered Impacts of Agricultural Asset Transfer Projects: Lessons from the Manica Smallholder Dairy Development Program | Johnson N., Njuki J., Waithanji E., Nhambeto M., Rogers M., Kruger E.H. | 2015 | Gender, Technology and Development | 19 | 2 | 10.1177/0971852415578041 | CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, United States; Cultivate Africa’s Future, International Development Research Centre, Nairobi, Kenya; International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya; National Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Land O’Lakes International Development, Chimoio-Manica, Mozambique; Brattle Group, Washington, DC, United States; Eden Prairie, Minnesota, United States | Johnson, N., CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, United States; Njuki, J., Cultivate Africa’s Future, International Development Research Centre, Nairobi, Kenya; Waithanji, E., International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya; Nhambeto, M., National Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Land O’Lakes International Development, Chimoio-Manica, Mozambique; Rogers, M., Brattle Group, Washington, DC, United States; Kruger, E.H., Eden Prairie, Minnesota, United States | This article explores the gendered impacts of a development project that provided dairy training and a superior breed of cattle to households as part of a broader effort to develop a smallholder-friendly, market-oriented dairy value chain in the Manica province of Mozambique. The project first targeted households, registered cows in the names of the household heads, and, initially, trained these cow owners in various aspects of dairy production and marketing. Subsequently, the training was expanded to two members per household to increase the capacity within households to care for cows, a change that resulted in the training of a significant number of women. Using qualitative and quantitative data on dairy production and consumption, and on gendered control over income and assets, the article explores how men and women participated in and benefited from the Manica Smallholder Dairy Development Program (MSDDP). We found that despite being registered in the name of men, in practice, dairy cattle are in some cases viewed as jointly owned by both men and women. Beneficiary households dramatically increased dairy production and income, with men, women, and children all contributing labor to this endeavor. Women’s incentives for participation in dairy were less clear. Despite their recognized rights and responsibilities related to dairy cow management, women exercised relatively little control over milk and milk income as compared to men. This article explores the various monetary and nonmonetary benefits of MSDDP and dairying for women along with their implications for the level of effort put in by women, and the overall project outcomes. © 2015, © 2015 Asian Institute of Technology. | assets; dairy development; Gender; mixed methods; Mozambique; property rights | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84919572776 | Use of ground-penetrating radar for construction monitoring and evaluation of perpetual pavements | Li J., Walubita L.F., Simate G.S., Alvarez A.E., Liu W. | 2015 | Natural Hazards | 75 | 1 | 10.1007/s11069-014-1314-1 | Changsha University of Science and Technology (CUST), Changsha, Hunan, China; TTI, PVAMU - The Texas A&M University System, College Station, TX, United States; School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Civil Engineering, University of Magdalena, Santa Marta, Colombia; TTI, College Station, TX, United States | Li, J., Changsha University of Science and Technology (CUST), Changsha, Hunan, China, TTI, College Station, TX, United States; Walubita, L.F., TTI, PVAMU - The Texas A&M University System, College Station, TX, United States; Simate, G.S., School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Alvarez, A.E., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Magdalena, Santa Marta, Colombia; Liu, W., TTI, College Station, TX, United States | The inherent quality of perpetual pavement (PP) governs its performance, which consequently influences the frequency and level of the potential accidents during the whole service life.This paper presents the ground-penetrating radar (GPR) as a nondestructive testing (NDT) tool that was utilized for construction monitoring and evaluation of Texas (USA) perpetual pavements. The currently existing Texas PP sections typically consist of hot-mix asphalt layers of over 350-mm total thickness supported on a 200-mm-thick treated (6 % lime or 2 % cement) base, which is resting on a well-compacted in situ subgrade soil. Overall, the results indicate that the GPR has great potential as an effective NDT tool for aiding with the construction quality monitoring, forensic investigations, and structural/performance evaluation of PP structures. In particular, the GPR is useful in determining pavement layer thicknesses, assessing compaction uniformity, locating areas of moisture retention, identifying low-density spots and localized high voided areas, indicative assessment of vertical segregation and debonding, and quality assessment of construction joints. Additionally, the current GPR system has the advantage of rapidly and continuously collecting pavement data up to a depth of 610 mm, together with integrated video images and a GPS system, over any desired highway length while traveling at a nominal speed of about 113 km/h without disturbing conventional traffic. © 2014, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht. | Accidents; Construction; Density; Ground-penetrating radar; Moisture; Perpetual pavement | None | FHWA, Federal Highway Administration |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84953329293 | Yellow Oleander Seed Oil Extraction Modeling and Process Parameters Optimization: Performance Evaluation of Artificial Neural Network and Response Surface Methodology | Ajala S.O., Betiku E. | 2015 | Journal of Food Processing and Preservation | 39 | 6 | 10.1111/jfpp.12366 | Chemical Engineering Department, Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU Campus, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria | Ajala, S.O., Chemical Engineering Department, Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU Campus, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria; Betiku, E., Chemical Engineering Department, Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU Campus, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria | The effects of sample weight, time and solvent type on YOSO yield were evaluated using ANN and RSM. The predicted optimal condition for the extraction process was found to be the same for the ANN and RSM models developed: sample weight of 20g, time of 3h and petroleum ether. The models predictions of YOSO yield (ANN [77.42%] and RSM [78.64%]) at optimum levels were verified experimentally (ANN [77.63%] and RSM [76.64%]). Evaluation of the models by R2 and AAD showed that the ANN model was better (R2=1.00, AAD=0.61%) than the RSM model (R2=0.98, AAD=3.19%) in predicting YOSO yield. Physicochemical properties of the YOSO indicated that it was nonedible and the fatty acids profile showed that the oil was highly unsaturated (76.13%). Practical Applications: This study demonstrated modeling of YOSO extraction and optimization of process parameters that are involved. The performance evaluation results showed that both the ANN and RSM could be used for modeling and optimization of YOSO extraction process. Also, the characterization of the oil showed that it could serve as raw material for many chemical industries such as biodiesel production, soap, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industrials. The results from this study can be successfully scaled up to pilot scale. Also, the results could be extended to the extraction of other oilseeds. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. | None | Chemical industry; Fatty acids; Neural networks; Oils and fats; Unsaturated fatty acids; Biodiesel production; Extraction process; Fatty acids profiles; Modeling and optimization; Optimization of process parameters; Physicochemical property; Process parameters optimizations; Response surface methodology; Extraction | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84921889220 | Sulphur trioxide decomposition with supported platinum/palladium on rutile catalyst: 2. Performance of a laboratory fixed bed reactor | Stander B.F., Everson R.C., Neomagus H.W.J.P., Van Der Merwe A.F., Tietz M.R. | 2015 | International Journal of Hydrogen Energy | 40 | 6 | 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.12.087 | Chemical Resources Beneficiation Research Group, School of Chemical and Minerals Engineering, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa | Stander, B.F., Chemical Resources Beneficiation Research Group, School of Chemical and Minerals Engineering, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa; Everson, R.C., Chemical Resources Beneficiation Research Group, School of Chemical and Minerals Engineering, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa; Neomagus, H.W.J.P., Chemical Resources Beneficiation Research Group, School of Chemical and Minerals Engineering, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa; Van Der Merwe, A.F., Chemical Resources Beneficiation Research Group, School of Chemical and Minerals Engineering, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa; Tietz, M.R., Chemical Resources Beneficiation Research Group, School of Chemical and Minerals Engineering, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa | The construction, operation and experimental evaluation of a laboratory scale fixed bed reactor for the decomposition of sulphur trioxide with a supported platinum and palladium based catalyst, were undertaken. The heating was accomplished with an electrical furnace and the objective was to operate at steady state with an acceptable conversion of sulphur trioxide involving an endothermic reaction. The catalyst consisted of 0.5 wt.% platinum and 0.5 wt.% palladium on rutile and the effect of the inlet temperature and weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) was investigated. It was found that the reactor attained a steady state of operation for experiments conducted over a temperature range of 903 K and 1103 K with a sintered pelletized catalyst at a high temperature prior to reduction and reaction. Sulphur trioxide conversions equivalent to 60%, within 80% of the equilibrium value, were obtained at 1103 K over a range of weight hourly space velocities (2.6-865 h-1) involving a low gas velocity (Rep = 16) with a range of fixed bed configurations (2.5 mm diameter with 5-400 mm bed lengths). © 2014 Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. | Fixed bed reactor performance; Platinum-palladium catalyst; Sulphur trioxide decomposition | Catalysts; Enzyme immobilization; Oxide minerals; Platinum; Sintering; Sulfur; Endothermic reactions; Equilibrium value; Experimental evaluation; Fixed bed reactor; Inlet temperature; Palladium catalyst; Platinum and palladiums; Weight hourly space velocity; Chemical reactors | None |
| None | None | Predicting the impact of temperature change on the future distribution of maize stem borers and their natural enemies along East African mountain gradients using phenology models | Mwalusepo S., Tonnang H.E.Z., Massawe E.S., Okuku G.O., Khadioli N., Johansson T., Calatayud P.-A., Le Ru B.P. | 2015 | PLoS ONE | 10 | 6 | 10.1371/journal.pone.0130427 | CHIESA Project, Icipe - African Insect Science for Food and Health, Nairobi, Kenya; Department of Mathematics, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Department of General Studies, Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; NSBB Project, Icipe - African Insect Science for Food and Health, Nairobi, Kenya; IRD/CNRS UMR IRD 247 EGCE, Laboratoire Evolution Génomes Comportement et Ecologie, CNRS, Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France; Université Paris-Sud 11, Orsay, France | Mwalusepo, S., CHIESA Project, Icipe - African Insect Science for Food and Health, Nairobi, Kenya, Department of Mathematics, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Department of General Studies, Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Tonnang, H.E.Z., CHIESA Project, Icipe - African Insect Science for Food and Health, Nairobi, Kenya; Massawe, E.S., Department of Mathematics, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Okuku, G.O., NSBB Project, Icipe - African Insect Science for Food and Health, Nairobi, Kenya; Khadioli, N., NSBB Project, Icipe - African Insect Science for Food and Health, Nairobi, Kenya; Johansson, T., CHIESA Project, Icipe - African Insect Science for Food and Health, Nairobi, Kenya; Calatayud, P.-A., CHIESA Project, Icipe - African Insect Science for Food and Health, Nairobi, Kenya, IRD/CNRS UMR IRD 247 EGCE, Laboratoire Evolution Génomes Comportement et Ecologie, CNRS, Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France, Université Paris-Sud 11, Orsay, France; Le Ru, B.P., CHIESA Project, Icipe - African Insect Science for Food and Health, Nairobi, Kenya, IRD/CNRS UMR IRD 247 EGCE, Laboratoire Evolution Génomes Comportement et Ecologie, CNRS, Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France, Université Paris-Sud 11, Orsay, France | Lepidopteran stem borers are among the most important pests of maize in East Africa. The objective of the present study was to predict the impact of temperature change on the distribution and abundance of the crambid Chilo partellus, the noctuid Busseola fusca, and their larval parasitoids Cotesia flavipes and Cotesia sesamiae at local scale along Kilimanjaro and Taita Hills gradients in Tanzania and Kenya, respectively. Temperature-dependent phenology models of pests and parasitoids were used in a geographic information system for mapping. The three risk indices namely establishment, generation, and activity indices were computed using current temperature data record from local weather stations and future (i.e., 2055) climatic condition based on downscaled climate change data from the AFRICLIM database. The calculations were carried out using index interpolator, a sub-module of the Insect Life Cycle Modeling (ILCYM) software. Thin plate algorithm was used for interpolation of the indices. Our study confirmed that temperature was a key factor explaining the distribution of stem borers and their natural enemies but other climatic factors and factors related to the top-down regulation of pests by parasitoids (host-parasitoid synchrony) also played a role. Results based on temperature only indicated a worsening of stem borer impact on maize production along the two East African mountain gradients studied. This was attributed to three main changes occurring simultaneously: (1) range expansion of the lowland species C. partellus in areas above 1200 m.a.s.l.; (2) increase of the number of pest generations across all altitudes, thus by 2055 damage by both pests will increase in the most productive maize zones of both transects; (3) disruption of the geographical distribution of pests and their larval parasitoids will cause an improvement of biological control at altitude below 1200 m.a.s.l. and a deterioration above 1200 m.a.s.l. The predicted increase in pest activity will significantly increase maize yield losses in all agroecological zones across both transects but to a much greater extent in lower areas. © 2015 Mwalusepo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. | None | altitude; calculation; Chilo; climate change; controlled study; Cotesia; data base; deterioration; down regulation; geographic distribution; geographic information system; Kenya; life cycle; maize; model; natural enemy; Noctuidae; parasitoid; phenology; plant yield; species; stem borer; Tanzania; weather | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939238050 | Verbal autopsy: Evaluation of methods to certify causes of death in Uganda | Mpimbaza A., Filler S., Katureebe A., Quick L., Chandramohan D., Staedke S.G. | 2015 | PLoS ONE | 10 | 6 | 10.1371/journal.pone.0128801 | Child Health and Development Centre, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Geneva, Switzerland; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom | Mpimbaza, A., Child Health and Development Centre, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; Filler, S., Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Geneva, Switzerland; Katureebe, A., Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; Quick, L., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States; Chandramohan, D., London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Staedke, S.G., Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom | To assess different methods for determining cause of death from verbal autopsy (VA) questionnaire data, the intra-rater reliability of Physician-Certified Verbal Autopsy (PCVA) and the accuracy of PCVA, expert-derived (non-hierarchical) and data-driven (hierarchal) algorithms were assessed for determining common causes of death in Ugandan children. A verbal autopsy validation study was conducted from 2008-2009 in three different sites in Uganda. The dataset included 104 neonatal deaths (0-27 days) and 615 childhood deaths (1-59 months) with the cause(s) of death classified by PCVA and physician review of hospital medical records (the 'reference standard'). Of the original 719 questionnaires, 141 (20%) were selected for a second review by the same physicians; the repeat cause(s) of death were compared to the original,and agreement assessed using the Kappa statistic.Physician reviewers' refined non-hierarchical algorithms for common causes of death from existing expert algorithms, from which, hierarchal algorithms were developed. The accuracy of PCVA, non-hierarchical, and hierarchical algorithms for determining cause(s) of death from all 719 VA questionnaires was determined using the reference standard. Overall, intra-rater repeatability was high (83% agreement, Kappa 0.79 [95% CI 0.76-0.82]). PCVA performed well, with high specificity for determining cause of neonatal (>67%), and childhood (>83%) deaths, resulting in fairly accurate cause-specific mortality fraction (CSMF) estimates. For most causes of death in children, non-hierarchical algorithms had higher sensitivity, but correspondingly lower specificity, than PCVA and hierarchical algorithms, resulting in inaccurate CSMF estimates. Hierarchical algorithms were specific for most causes of death, and CSMF estimates were comparable to the reference standard and PCVA. Inter-rater reliability of PCVA was high, and overall PCVA performed well. Hierarchical algorithms performed better than non-hierarchical algorithms due to higher specificity and more accurate CSMF estimates. Use of PCVA to determine cause of death from VA questionnaire data is reasonable while automated data-driven algorithms are improved. © 2015, Public Library of Science. All rights reserved. This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. | None | algorithm; Article; autopsy; cause of death; childhood mortality; controlled study; intrarater reliability; measurement accuracy; measurement repeatability; medical record review; newborn death; questionnaire; sensitivity and specificity; Uganda; Ugandan; validation study; verbal autopsy | CDC, United States Agency for International Development; USAID, United States Agency for International Development |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84922810556 | Impact of contextualized pediatric resuscitation training on pediatric healthcare providers in Botswana | Wright S.W., Steenhoff A.P., Elci O., Wolfe H.A., Ralston M., Kgosiesele T., Makone I., Mazhani L., Nadkarni V.M., Meaney P.A. | 2015 | Resuscitation | 88 | None | 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2014.12.007 | Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Botswana-UPenn Partnership, 214 Independence Ave, Gaborone, Botswana; Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Naval Hospital, 3475N Saratoga St, Oak Harbor, WA, United States; Clinical Services, Botswana Ministry of Health, Gaborone, Botswana; Princess Marina Hospital, Botswana Ministry of Health, Gaborone, Botswana; University of Botswana School of Medicine, Gaborone, Botswana | Wright, S.W., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Steenhoff, A.P., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, United States, Botswana-UPenn Partnership, 214 Independence Ave, Gaborone, Botswana, University of Botswana School of Medicine, Gaborone, Botswana; Elci, O., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Wolfe, H.A., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Ralston, M., Naval Hospital, 3475N Saratoga St, Oak Harbor, WA, United States; Kgosiesele, T., Clinical Services, Botswana Ministry of Health, Gaborone, Botswana; Makone, I., Princess Marina Hospital, Botswana Ministry of Health, Gaborone, Botswana; Mazhani, L., University of Botswana School of Medicine, Gaborone, Botswana; Nadkarni, V.M., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Meaney, P.A., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, United States, Botswana-UPenn Partnership, 214 Independence Ave, Gaborone, Botswana | Background: Worldwide, 6.6 million children die each year, partly due to a failure to recognize and treat acutely ill children. Programs that improve provider recognition and treatment initiation may improve child survival. Objectives: Describe provider characteristics and hospital resources during a contextualized pediatric resuscitation training program in Botswana and determine if training impacts provider knowledge retention. Design/methods: The American Heart Association's Pediatric Emergency Assessment Recognition and Stabilization (PEARS) course was contextualized to Botswana resources and practice guidelines in this observational study. A cohort of facility-based nurses (FBN) was assessed prior to and 1-month following training. Survey tools assessed provider characteristics, cognitive knowledge and confidence and hospital pediatric resources. Data analysis utilized Fisher's exact, Chi-square, Wilcoxon rank-sum and linear regression where appropriate. Results: 61 healthcare providers (89% FBNs, 11% physicians) successfully completed PEARS training. Referral facilities had more pediatric specific equipment and high-flow oxygen. Median frequency of pediatric resuscitation was higher in referral compared to district level FBN's (5 [3,10] vs. 2 [1,3] p=. 0.007). While 50% of FBN's had previous resuscitation training, none was pediatric specific. Median provider confidence improved significantly after training (3.8/5 vs. 4.7/5, p < 0.001), as did knowledge of correct management of acute pneumonia and diarrhea (44% vs. 100%, p < 0.001, 6% vs. 67%, p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: FBN's in Botswana report frequent resuscitation of ill children but low baseline training. Provider knowledge for recognition and initial treatment of respiratory distress and shock is low. Contextualized training significantly increased FBN provider confidence and knowledge retention 1-month after training. © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. | Developing countries; Emergency training, pediatric emergency training; PEARS; Pediatric emergency assessment recognition and stabilization; Resource-limited setting; Resuscitation education | Article; Botswana; child health care; diarrhea; health care facility; health care personnel; human; lobar pneumonia; medical education; medical society; observational study; patient referral; pediatric hospital; pediatric ward; practice guideline; priority journal; public hospital; respiratory distress; resuscitation; shock; tertiary care center; child; education; emergency; medical education; pediatrics; resuscitation; standards; Botswana; Child; Education, Medical; Emergencies; Health Personnel; Humans; Pediatrics; Resuscitation | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929598046 | Imazalil resistance in Penicillium digitatum and P. italicum causing citrus postharvest green and blue mould: Impact and options | Erasmus A., Lennox C.L., Korsten L., Lesar K., Fourie P.H. | 2015 | Postharvest Biology and Technology | 107 | None | 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2015.05.008 | Citrus Research International, 2 Baker Street, Nelspruit, South Africa; Department of Plant Pathology, University Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | Erasmus, A., Citrus Research International, 2 Baker Street, Nelspruit, South Africa; Lennox, C.L., Department of Plant Pathology, University Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Korsten, L., Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Lesar, K., Citrus Research International, 2 Baker Street, Nelspruit, South Africa; Fourie, P.H., Citrus Research International, 2 Baker Street, Nelspruit, South Africa, Department of Plant Pathology, University Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa | Citrus green and blue mould, caused by Penicillium digitatum (PD) and Penicillium italicum (PI), respectively, are mostly controlled by means of postharvest fungicide applications. Currently, IMZ is regarded as the most effective fungicide in use. Effective IMZ concentrations that inhibit 50% (EC<inf>50</inf>) growth of nine PD and five PI isolates were assessed in vitro and the various isolates categorized according to their resistance (R) factors. Effective residue levels that provided 50% curative (ER<inf>50</inf>C) and protective (ER<inf>50</inf>P) control of these isolates were determined in vivo. All the PI isolates were sensitive, having EC<inf>50</inf> values of 0.005-0.050μgmL-1. Three PD isolates were sensitive (0.027-0.038μgmL-1), while one resistant isolate was categorized as low resistant (R-factor of 19), one as moderately resistant (R-factor of 33.2), three as resistant (R-factor of 50-57.6) and one as highly resistant (R-factor of 70.7). Sensitive PD isolates had mean ER<inf>50</inf>C and ER<inf>50</inf>P values on Valencia orange fruit of 0.29 and 0.20μgg-1, and 0.33 and 0.32μgg-1 on navel fruit, respectively. ER<inf>50</inf> values for resistant isolates did not always correlate with EC<inf>50</inf> values and ranged from 1.22 to 4.56μgg-1 for ER<inf>50</inf>C and 1.00-6.62μgg-1 for ER<inf>50</inf>P values. ER<inf>50</inf>P values for resistant isolates could not be obtained on navel orange fruit, but ER<inf>50</inf>C values (1.42-1.65μgg-1) were similar to those obtained on Valencia fruit. The PI isolates all behaved similar to the sensitive PD isolates with ER<inf>50</inf>C and ER<inf>50</inf>P values on navel and Valencia fruit <0.38μgg-1. Alternative fungicides were assessed for the control of an IMZ sensitive, resistant and highly resistant PD isolate; these included sodium ortho-phenylpenate (SOPP), thiabendazole (TBZ), guazatine (GZT), imazalil (IMZ), pyrimethanil (PYR) and Philabuster® (PLB; a combination of IMZ and PYR), fludioxonil (FLU), azoxystrobin (AZO), Graduate®A+ (GRA; a combination of FLU and AZO) and propiconazole (PPZ). Multiple fungicide resistance was shown to IMZ, GZT, TBZ and PPZ in both resistant isolates. For the sensitive isolates, IMZ, SOPP, TBZ, GZT and PLB provided best curative control, while IMZ, GZT and PLB provided best protective control. For the IMZ-resistant isolates, SOPP, PYR and PLB gave the best curative control, while none of the fungicides provided adequate protective control. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. | Azoxystrobin; Fludioxonil; Fungicide; Guazatine; Propiconazole; Pyrimethanil; Residue; Thiabendazole | Citrus; Citrus sinensis; Penicillium digitatum; Penicillium italicum | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84941284389 | Impacts of community-based natural resource management on wealth, food security and child health in Tanzania | Pailler S., Naidoo R., Burgess N.D., Freeman O.E., Fisher B. | 2015 | PLoS ONE | 10 | 7 | 10.1371/journal.pone.0133252 | Clark University, Economics Department, Worcester, MA, United States; World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC, United States; UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Center, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Centre for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark; ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins, World Agroforestry Centre, Nairobi, Kenya; Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States | Pailler, S., Clark University, Economics Department, Worcester, MA, United States; Naidoo, R., World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC, United States; Burgess, N.D., UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Center, Cambridge, United Kingdom, Centre for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark; Freeman, O.E., ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins, World Agroforestry Centre, Nairobi, Kenya; Fisher, B., World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC, United States, Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States | Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) is a major global strategy for enhancing conservation outcomes while also seeking to improve rural livelihoods; however, little evidence of socioeconomic outcomes exists. We present a national-level analysis that empirically estimates socioeconomic impacts of CBNRM across Tanzania, while systematically controlling for potential sources of bias. Specifically, we apply a difference-indifferences model to national-scale, cross-sectional data to estimate the impact of three different CBNRM governance regimes on wealth, food security and child health, considering differential impacts of CBNRM on wealthy and poor populations. We also explore whether or not longer-standing CBNRM efforts provide more benefits than recently-established CBNRM areas. Our results show significant improvements in household food security in CBNRM areas compared with non-CBNRM areas, but household wealth and health outcomes in children are generally not significantly different. No one CBNRM governance regime demonstrates consistently different welfare outcomes than the others. Wealthy households benefit more from CBNRM than poor households and CBNRM benefits appear to increase with longer periods of implementation. Perhaps evidence of CBNRM benefits is limited because CBNRM hasn't been around long enough to yield demonstrable outcomes. Nonetheless, achieving demonstrable benefits to rural populations will be crucial for CBNRM's future success in Tanzania. Copyright: © 2015 Pailler et al. | None | Article; child; child health; community based natural resource management; conservation biology; environmental management; food security; forest management; government; health survey; household; human; outcome assessment; poverty; socioeconomics; Tanzania; wealth; wildlife conservation | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84947908564 | Impact of Antidepressant Drugs on Sexual Function and Satisfaction | Baldwin D.S., Manson C., Nowak M. | 2015 | CNS Drugs | 29 | 11 | 10.1007/s40263-015-0294-3 | Clinical and Experimental Sciences Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom; University Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape TownCape Town, South Africa; University Guangji Hospital, Suzhou, China; University Department of Psychiatry, Academic Centre, College Keep, 4-12 Terminus Terrace, Southampton, United Kingdom | Baldwin, D.S., Clinical and Experimental Sciences Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom, University Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape TownCape Town, South Africa, University Guangji Hospital, Suzhou, China, University Department of Psychiatry, Academic Centre, College Keep, 4-12 Terminus Terrace, Southampton, United Kingdom; Manson, C., Clinical and Experimental Sciences Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom; Nowak, M., Clinical and Experimental Sciences Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom | Pleasurable sexual activity is important in many human relationships and can provide a sense of physical, emotional and social well-being. Depressive symptoms and depressive illness are associated with impairments in sexual function and sexual dissatisfaction in untreated and treated patients. Most currently available antidepressant drugs are associated with development or worsening of sexual dysfunction in a substantial proportion of patients. Sexual difficulties during antidepressant treatment often resolve as depression lifts, but can persist over long periods, reducing self-esteem and affecting mood and relationships adversely. Sexual difficulties during antidepressant treatment typically have many possible causes but the incidence and nature of dysfunction varies between drugs. Many interventions can be considered when managing sexual dysfunction associated with antidepressants but no approach is 'ideal'. Because treatment-emergent sexual difficulties are less frequent with certain drugs, presumably related to differences in pharmacological properties, and since current interventions are suboptimal, a lower incidence of sexual dysfunction is a relevant tolerability target when developing novel antidepressants. © 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland. | None | agomelatine; amfebutamone; amineptine; antidepressant agent; aripiprazole; clomipramine; dapoxetine; escitalopram; fluoxetine; fluvoxamine; lithium; mirtazapine; moclobemide; nefazodone; olanzapine; paroxetine; phosphodiesterase V inhibitor; placebo; serotonin noradrenalin reuptake inhibitor; serotonin uptake inhibitor; sertraline; sildenafil; tadalafil; testosterone; trazodone; unindexed drug; venlafaxine; vilazodone; vortioxetine; yohimbine; Article; clinical assessment; clinical trial (topic); depression; drug design; drug efficacy; drug induced headache; drug safety; drug tolerability; dyspepsia; functional magnetic resonance imaging; human; incidence; major depression; mental patient; priority journal; prospective study; psychopharmacotherapy; randomized controlled trial (topic); sexual behavior; sexual dysfunction; sexual function; sexual satisfaction; treatment outcome; treatment response; visual disorder | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84954553103 | Economic, organizational and budget impact of a new diagnostic plan for HCV detection: what’s “new”? | Monari M., Foglia E., Montanelli A., Assandri R., Lagioia M., Ferrario L., Garagiola E., Porazzi E., Croce D. | 2015 | Rivista Italiana della Medicina di Laboratorio | 11 | 4 | 10.1007/s13631-015-0098-y | Clinical Investigation Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano, MI, Italy; Centre for Research on Health Economics, Social and Health Care Management—CREMS, University Carlo Cattaneo—LIUC, Corso Matteotti 22, Castellanza, VA, Italy; Medical Superintendent, Health Directorate Humanitas, Rozzano, MI, Italy; School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | Monari, M., Clinical Investigation Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano, MI, Italy; Foglia, E., Centre for Research on Health Economics, Social and Health Care Management—CREMS, University Carlo Cattaneo—LIUC, Corso Matteotti 22, Castellanza, VA, Italy; Montanelli, A., Clinical Investigation Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano, MI, Italy; Assandri, R., Clinical Investigation Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano, MI, Italy; Lagioia, M., Medical Superintendent, Health Directorate Humanitas, Rozzano, MI, Italy; Ferrario, L., Centre for Research on Health Economics, Social and Health Care Management—CREMS, University Carlo Cattaneo—LIUC, Corso Matteotti 22, Castellanza, VA, Italy; Garagiola, E., Centre for Research on Health Economics, Social and Health Care Management—CREMS, University Carlo Cattaneo—LIUC, Corso Matteotti 22, Castellanza, VA, Italy; Porazzi, E., Centre for Research on Health Economics, Social and Health Care Management—CREMS, University Carlo Cattaneo—LIUC, Corso Matteotti 22, Castellanza, VA, Italy; Croce, D., Centre for Research on Health Economics, Social and Health Care Management—CREMS, University Carlo Cattaneo—LIUC, Corso Matteotti 22, Castellanza, VA, Italy, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | Background.: Hepatitis C (HCV) is a liver inflammation which, through the activation of the immune defense system, causes the death of liver cells (liver necrosis). Like Hepatitis B, it can become chronic, turning into a long term pathology. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a new technology useful to diagnose HCV, based on a serological kit HCVAg, comparing it with the standard technology, according to a multi-dimensional approach. Methods.: In order to analyze the differences between the two technologies, three dimensions were considered: (i) process costs, (ii) organizational aspects and (iii) budget impact. Data were collected by observational analysis and supported with administrative data. Activity Based Costing methodology (ABC), and a Budget Impact Analysis approach (BIA) were implemented. Results.: The new technology reduced the time needed to complete a medical report to 90 minutes, with a positive organizational impact, and allowed an immediate definition of the presence or absence of HCV infection, with quantitative results. Data showed that its introduction would bring economic savings to the Regional and National Health Service: a hospital could reduce the direct and indirect costs by 47.90% each and contribute to a reduction in funding at Regional or National level by 26.96%. Conclusions.: The introduction of the new technology, if compared with the standard one, would give similar effectiveness, with a lower organizational and economic impact, both for a hospital and for a Regional/National Health Service, with a good equity impact for HCV infected patients. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Italia. | Economic evaluation; Economic savings; HCV; Multi-dimensional approach; Serological kit | Article; budget; cost control; cost utility analysis; diagnostic kit; diagnostic procedure; economic aspect; health care organization; hepatitis C; Hepatitis C virus; human; major clinical study; observational study; serology; virus detection | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84922982409 | The evaluation of statins as potential inhibitors of the LEDGF/p75-HIV-1 integrase interaction | Harrison A.T., Kriel F.H., Papathanasopoulos M.A., Mosebi S., Abrahams S., Hewer R. | 2015 | Chemical Biology and Drug Design | 85 | 3 | 10.1111/cbdd.12384 | CMDD, Advanced Materials Division, Mintek, Private bag X3015, Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa; HIV Pathogenesis Research Laboratory, Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand Medical School, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa | Harrison, A.T., CMDD, Advanced Materials Division, Mintek, Private bag X3015, Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa, HIV Pathogenesis Research Laboratory, Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand Medical School, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa; Kriel, F.H., CMDD, Advanced Materials Division, Mintek, Private bag X3015, Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa; Papathanasopoulos, M.A., HIV Pathogenesis Research Laboratory, Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand Medical School, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa; Mosebi, S., CMDD, Advanced Materials Division, Mintek, Private bag X3015, Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa; Abrahams, S., CMDD, Advanced Materials Division, Mintek, Private bag X3015, Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa, HIV Pathogenesis Research Laboratory, Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand Medical School, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa; Hewer, R., CMDD, Advanced Materials Division, Mintek, Private bag X3015, Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa | Lovastatin was identified through virtual screening as a potential inhibitor of the LEDGF/p75-HIV-1 integrase interaction. In an AlphaScreen assay, lovastatin inhibited the purified recombinant protein-protein interaction (IC50 = 1.97 ± 0.45 μM) more effectively than seven other tested statins. None of the eight statins, however, yielded antiviral activity in vitro, while only pravastatin lactone yielded detectable inhibition of HIV-1 integrase strand transfer activity (31.65% at 100 μM). A correlation between lipophilicity and increased cellular toxicity of the statins was observed. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. | AlphaScreen; HIV-1 integrase; LEDGF/p75; Lovastatin; Statins | antivirus agent; atorvastatin; compactin; cx 05168; fluindostatin; hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor; integrase; intercellular adhesion molecule 1; lens epithelium derived growth factor; lymphocyte function associated antigen 1; mevinolin; pravastatin; protein p75; RANTES; Rho factor; simvastatin; unclassified drug; hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor; integrase; integrase inhibitor; lens epithelium-derived growth factor; p31 integrase protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1; recombinant protein; signal peptide; antiviral activity; Article; binding site; cell viability; controlled study; cytotoxicity; dose response; down regulation; drug screening; enzyme activity; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; in vitro study; lipophilicity; priority journal; protein protein interaction; biosynthesis; cell culture; chemistry; cytology; drug effects; drug screening; enzymology; genetics; human; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; metabolism; mononuclear cell; physiology; protein domain; virus replication; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Cells, Cultured; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; HIV Integrase; HIV Integrase Inhibitors; HIV-1; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Lovastatin; Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; Recombinant Proteins; Virus Replication | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928806204 | The impact of SNP fingerprinting and parentage analysis on the effectiveness of variety recommendations in cacao | Padi F.K., Ofori A., Takrama J., Djan E., Opoku S.Y., Dadzie A.M., Bhattacharjee R., Motamayor J.C., Zhang D. | 2015 | Tree Genetics and Genomes | 11 | 3 | 10.1007/s11295-015-0875-9 | Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Box 8, New-Tafo Akim, Ghana; Central Biotechnology Laboratory, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Ibadan, Nigeria; Mars Inc., Hackettstown, NJ, United States; USDA ARS PSI SPCL, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Bldg 050, Rm 100, BARC-W, Beltsville, MD, United States | Padi, F.K., Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Box 8, New-Tafo Akim, Ghana; Ofori, A., Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Box 8, New-Tafo Akim, Ghana; Takrama, J., Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Box 8, New-Tafo Akim, Ghana; Djan, E., Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Box 8, New-Tafo Akim, Ghana; Opoku, S.Y., Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Box 8, New-Tafo Akim, Ghana; Dadzie, A.M., Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Box 8, New-Tafo Akim, Ghana; Bhattacharjee, R., Central Biotechnology Laboratory, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Ibadan, Nigeria; Motamayor, J.C., Mars Inc., Hackettstown, NJ, United States; Zhang, D., USDA ARS PSI SPCL, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Bldg 050, Rm 100, BARC-W, Beltsville, MD, United States | Evidence for the impact of mislabeling and/or pollen contamination on consistency of field performance has been lacking to reinforce the need for strict adherence to quality control protocols in cacao seed garden and germplasm plot management. The present study used SNP fingerprinting at 64 loci to examine the diversity, labeling errors and parentage in 2551 trees obtained from six seed gardens, breeders clone collection and single-cross progenies and a sample of farmers’ trees in Ghana. Clone mislabeling was pervasive, both within the seed garden clones and among clones of the breeders’ active collection. Among the seed garden clones, mislabeled trees were assigned to other parental clones used in the seed garden, pointing to labeling errors prior to planting as the principal cause of mislabeling. Among the breeders’ clone collection, both homonymous and synonymous mislabeling were identified in addition to trees with unique genotypes. This implicates pre-planting labeling errors and rootstocks overtaking budded scions. Parentage analysis supported the Amelonado ancestry of farmers’ varieties but with significant contribution of Upper Amazon introductions. Parentage of recently developed clones and of progenies of controlled crosses showed evidence of both pollen contamination and effects of mislabeled parents. The observed patterns of unexpected parentage had direct effects on the consistency of the variety performance between trials and increased within-plot variability for families with mixed ancestry. The results provide a strong basis for mainstreaming SNP fingerprinting in cacao breeding programs to improve the efficiency of the variety development process. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. | Diversity; Fingerprinting; Genetic structure; Mislabelling; Theobroma | Theobroma; Theobroma cacao | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84962343707 | In-core power prediction and effects of average core temperature on miniature neutron source reactor's core performance | Anas M.S., Ahmed Y.A., Rabiu N., Agbo S.A., Balarabe B. | 2015 | International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology | 9 | 4 | 10.1504/IJNEST.2015.075482 | College of Agriculture and Animal Science Mando, Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; Centre for Energy Research and Training, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; Physics Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zar | Anas, M.S., College of Agriculture and Animal Science Mando, Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; Ahmed, Y.A., Centre for Energy Research and Training, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; Rabiu, N., Physics Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; Agbo, S.A., Physics Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; Balarabe, B., Physics Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria | The results of the measurement obtained revealed that the coolant temperature difference is approximately uniform over the period of operation with an average value of 12.1°C for experiments performed at half power and 19.5°C for operation at full power. The average core temperature of the reactor was found to have mean values of 19.8°C and 44.3°C at half and full power levels respectively. The average value for the predicted power of the reactor at half and full flux was found to be 14.9 kW and 31.30 kW respectively. The variation of the inlet temperature (Tin) and coolant temperature (ÄT) with the reactor power was also investigated and the results show that the thermohydraulic parameters dictate the power level but have no significant influence on power excursion, coolant boiling and radiation exposure of personnel. © 2015 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. | miniature neutron source reactor; MNSR; Nigeria Research Reactor - 1; NIRR-1; Thermo-hydraulic | Coolants; Miniature neutron source reactor; MNSR; Nigeria; NIRR-1; Thermo-hydraulic; Neutron sources | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84953354775 | Tillage impacts on net carbon flux in paddy soil of the Southern China | Chen Z.-D., Dikgwatlhe S.B., Xue J.-F., Zhang H.-L., Chen F., Xiao X.-P. | 2015 | Journal of Cleaner Production | 103 | None | 10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.05.014 | College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China; Limpopo Department of Agriculture, Research Services, Plant Production Systems Division, Polokwane, South Africa; Hunan Soil and Fertilizer Institute, Changsha, China | Chen, Z.-D., College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China; Dikgwatlhe, S.B., College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China, Limpopo Department of Agriculture, Research Services, Plant Production Systems Division, Polokwane, South Africa; Xue, J.-F., College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China; Zhang, H.-L., College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China; Chen, F., College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China; Xiao, X.-P., Hunan Soil and Fertilizer Institute, Changsha, China | Scientific regulation of carbon (C) flows under conservation tillage is of great significance for mitigating C emission to the atmosphere and increasing C sequestration potential in soils. The objective of this study was to assess tillage impacts on C cycle from a situ field experiment and identify potential tillage practices for C-smart technology in paddy soils of the Southern China. A field experiment was conducted during 2005-2011, including conventional tillage without residue retention (CT), conventional tillage with residue retention (CTS), rotary tillage with residue retention (RTS), and no-till with residue retention (NTS). We computed SOC concentrations, SOC stocks and C emissions from farm inputs with time, and results in values representing a change in net carbon flux under different tillage systems in a double rice (Oryza sativa L.) cropping system. The annual increase rates of SOC stocks were 452.6, 523.3, 1340.8, and 2385.4 kg ha-1 yr-1 from 2007 to 2011 under CT, CTS, RTS, and NTS, respectively. The annual C emissions under CT, CTS, RTS, and NTS were 1182.5, 1182.5, 1152.5, and 1139.2 kg C-eq ha-1 yr-1, respectively. Among the treatments, NTS treatment had the lowest net C flux with -1246.2 kg C-eq ha-1 yr-1. Taking CT as the baseline, the relative net C flux under RTS and NTS were -918.2 and -1976.1 kg C-eq ha-1 yr-1, respectively. This suggests that adoption of conservation tillage would be beneficial in the reduction of GHG emission and could be a good option for C-smart agriculture in double rice cropping regions. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. | Carbon emission; Conservation tillage; Net carbon flux; Paddy soil; Soil carbon sequestration rate | Agricultural machinery; Cultivation; Forestry; Greenhouse gases; Soil conservation; Soils; Carbon emissions; Conservation tillage; Net carbon flux; Paddy soils; Soil carbon sequestration; Agriculture | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939624471 | Assessment of enzyme supplementation on growth performance and apparent nutrient digestibility in diets containing undecorticated sunflower seed meal in layer chicks | Fafiolu A.O., Oduguwa O.O., Jegede A.V., Tukura C.C., Olarotimi I.D., Teniola A.A., Alabi J.O. | 2015 | Poultry Science | 94 | 8 | 10.3382/ps/pev136 | College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Department of Animal Nutrition, World Bank Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria; Federal College | Fafiolu, A.O., College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Department of Animal Nutrition, World Bank Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria; Oduguwa, O.O., College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Department of Animal Nutrition, World Bank Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria; Jegede, A.V., College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Department of Animal Nutrition, World Bank Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria; Tukura, C.C., College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Department of Animal Nutrition, World Bank Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, National Universities Commission, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria; Olarotimi, I.D., College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Department of Animal Nutrition, World Bank Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria; Teniola, A.A., College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Department of Animal Nutrition, World Bank Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Moor Plantation, Ibadan. Oyo State, Nigeria; Alabi, J.O., College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Department of Animal Nutrition, World Bank Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria | Six hundred and forty one-day-old layer chicks were used to investigate the effect of replacing soybean meal with undecorticated sunflower seed meal protein for protein at 0, 25, 50, and 75% levels. Diets were without enzyme supplementation or with enzyme supplementation with four replications of twenty birds. Growth performance and nutrient utilization were determined. Proximate composition of the undecorticated sunflower seed meal used revealed that undecorticated sunflower seed meal contained 925.9, 204.5, 336.2, 215.1, 52.0 and 192.2g/kg dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre, ash and soluble carbohydrates, respectively. Results showed that the final weight of 484.4g/bird was obtained for birds on 75% undecorticated sunflower seed meal diet, while the lowest value of 472.2g/bird was obtained for birds on 25% undecorticated sunflower seed meal diet. Weight gain per bird per day was not significantly (P > 0.05) affected as the level of undecorticated sunflower seed meal increased in the diets. Feed intake per bird per day increased (P < 0.05) across the treatment as a result of increased undecorticated sunflower seed meal inclusion in the diet. However, enzyme supplementation of the diets showed marked (P < 0.05) improvements in feed intake, weight gain, and final weight as well as the feed to gain ratio. Survivability was not affected by the treatments imposed. Dry matter digestibility were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced due to high undecorticated sunflower seed meal inclusion in the diet while crude protein digestibility progressively reduced (P < 0.05) as the level of undecorticated sunflower seed meal increased in the diet. Ash digestibility values were, however, increased (P < 0.05) as the level of undecorticated sunflower seed meal increased in the diets. Birds on enzyme-supplemented diets consistently showed superior (P < 0.05) digestibility values than those on diets without enzyme supplementation. However ether extract digestibility was not affected by enzyme supplementation. The results indicated that higher inclusion levels of undecorticated sunflower seed meal in the diets of layer chicks showed a similar body weight gain/bird/day with the control. Undecorticated sunflower seed meal used in this study is a good source of crude protein, ether extract, and amino acids and had the potential to serve as feeding stuffs as replacement for soybeans. The nutritive value of undecorticated sunflower seed meal was improved for layer chicks with exogenous enzyme supplementation. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc. | enzyme supplementation; layer chicks; nutrient utilization; undecorticated sunflower seed meal | Aves; Glycine max; Helianthus; enzyme; analysis; animal; animal food; chemistry; chicken; controlled study; diet; diet supplementation; dose response; female; plant seed; randomized controlled trial; sunflower; veterinary; Animal Feed; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Chickens; Diet; Dietary Supplements; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzymes; Female; Helianthus; Seeds | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940562306 | Institutional forces and divestment performance of South African conglomerates: Case study evidence | King D., Coldwell D., Joosub T., McClelland D. | 2015 | South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences | 18 | 3 | 10.17159/2222-3436/2015/v18n3a4 | College of Business, Iowa State University, South Africa; School of Economic and Management Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; School of Accountancy, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; School of Economic and Management Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa | King, D., College of Business, Iowa State University, South Africa; Coldwell, D., School of Economic and Management Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; Joosub, T., School of Accountancy, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; McClelland, D., School of Economic and Management Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa | The history of South Africa serves as a natural experiment in how a changing institutional environment impacts corporate structure. Based on institutional theory, we anticipate higher performance through emulating successful strategies or through restructuring consistent with mimetic isomorphism. Conversely, coercive isomorphism results from restructuring driven by regulation, and we anticipate that they are associated with lower performance. To examine these relationships, we consider divestment by South African firms over two periods, using mixed methods. We find tentative support for our predictions, and we outline implications for policymakers, as well as for management research and practice. © 2015 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. | Case studies; Coercive and mimetic isomorphism; Divestment; Event analysis; Institutional theory | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84941194969 | Enhanced catalytic performance of a Pt-xCeO<inf>2</inf>/Graphene catalyst for DMFCs by adjusting the crystal-plane and shape of nanoscale ceria | Wang W., Zhu M., Lu X., Gao Y., Li L., Cao Z., Li C., Liu J., Zheng H. | 2015 | RSC Advances | 5 | 91 | 10.1039/c5ra08144k | College of Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, China; Materials Science and Manufacturing, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa | Wang, W., College of Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, China; Zhu, M., College of Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, China; Lu, X., College of Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, China; Gao, Y., College of Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, China; Li, L., College of Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, China; Cao, Z., College of Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, China; Li, C., College of Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, China; Liu, J., College of Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, China; Zheng, H., Materials Science and Manufacturing, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa | Oxygen storage capacity is influenced by the morphology and crystal-plane(s) of CeO<inf>2</inf>, which can thus affect the ability of this material to oxidise carbon monoxide. To investigate the effect of different morphologies/crystal-planes of CeO<inf>2</inf> on the electrocatalytic performance of DMFCs (Direct Methanol Fuel Cell), three different types of CeO<inf>2</inf> nanocrystals with different crystal-planes were synthesised and later assembled into Pt-xCeO<inf>2</inf>/Graphene composites with graphene and Pt nanoparticles as the electrocatalyst for DMFCs. According to the HRTEM images, the original morphology and crystal-plane structures of CeO<inf>2</inf> are essentially maintained in the three types of Pt-xCeO<inf>2</inf>/Graphene composite catalysts investigated in this work. The catalytic performance of the Pt-xCeO<inf>2</inf>/Graphene composites for methanol electrocatalytic oxidation was investigated by a series of electrochemical measurements. Compared with the other catalysts, Pt-rCeO<inf>2</inf>/Graphene demonstrates superior catalytic activity (onset potential: 0.15 V) and the strongest resistance to poisoning by carbonaceous species (I<inf>f</inf>/I<inf>b</inf>: 2.11). The results of H<inf>2</inf>-TPR shows that rCeO<inf>2</inf> with the {110} facet has the best surface reducibility among the xCeO<inf>2</inf> with different facets being investigated, which provides a rationale for the superior performance of the Pt-rCeO<inf>2</inf>/Graphene catalyst. This study indicates that metallic oxides with a suitable crystal plane and shape can effectively enhance the electrocatalytic performance of Pt-based catalysts for methanol electrooxidation. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015. | None | Carbon; Carbon monoxide; Catalyst poisoning; Catalysts; Catalytic oxidation; Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC); Electrocatalysis; Electrocatalysts; Electrooxidation; Fuel cells; Metallic compounds; Metals; Methanol; Methanol fuels; Morphology; Platinum; Carbonaceous species; Catalytic performance; Electrocatalytic performance; Electrochemical measurements; Methanol electrocatalytic oxidation; Methanol electrooxidation; Oxygen storage capacity; Resistance to poisoning; Catalyst activity | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84919662308 | Mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon derived from carp with high electrocatalytic performance for oxygen reduction reaction | Wang R., Song H., Li H., Wang H., Mao X., Ji S. | 2015 | Journal of Power Sources | 278 | None | 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.12.072 | College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China; Department of Chemical Engineering, Huizhou University, Huizhou, Guangdong, China; South African Institute for Advanced Materials Chemistry, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa | Wang, R., College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China; Song, H., College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China; Li, H., Department of Chemical Engineering, Huizhou University, Huizhou, Guangdong, China; Wang, H., College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China; Mao, X., College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China; Ji, S., South African Institute for Advanced Materials Chemistry, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa | In this work, a low-cost and nitrogen-containing carbon material with mesopores and high surface area is synthesized by carbonizing carp with SiO2 nanoparticles as template. It is found that pyridinic-N dominates the N species on the surface of obtained carbon material, which can act as active sites for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The BET surface area of obtained carbon material is 401.7 m2 g-1 and the pore size is ca. 11.1 nm. Due to its high pyridinic-N content and mesoporous architecture, the ORR activity of obtained carbon material in alkaline media is comparable to that of commercial Pt/C catalyst. In addition, it shows a higher methanol tolerance than Pt/C catalyst, making it a potential alternative to Pt-based catalysts. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. | Carp; Fuel cells; Mesoporous; Nitrogen-doped carbon; Oxygen reduction reaction | Catalysts; Doping (additives); Electrolytic reduction; Fuel cells; Mesoporous materials; Nitrogen; Oxygen; Platinum; Platinum alloys; Pore size; Synthesis (chemical); Carp; Electrocatalytic performance; Mesoporous; Methanol tolerance; Nitrogen-containing carbons; Nitrogen-doped carbons; Oxygen reduction reaction; Pt-based catalyst; Carbon | 21163018, NSFC, National Natural Science Foundation of China; 21363022, NSFC, National Natural Science Foundation of China; 51362027, NSFC, National Natural Science Foundation of China |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84949032280 | Evaluation of replacing maize with mango (Mangifera indica) kernel on fertility and hatchability parameters of layer hens | Beyene G., Niguse M., Gebreslasie L., Berhe A. | 2015 | Livestock Research for Rural Development | 27 | 12 | None | College of Dryland Agriculture and Natural Resources, Department of Animal, Rangeland and Wildlife Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O.Box 231, Mekelle, Ethiopia | Beyene, G., College of Dryland Agriculture and Natural Resources, Department of Animal, Rangeland and Wildlife Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O.Box 231, Mekelle, Ethiopia; Niguse, M., College of Dryland Agriculture and Natural Resources, Department of Animal, Rangeland and Wildlife Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O.Box 231, Mekelle, Ethiopia; Gebreslasie, L., College of Dryland Agriculture and Natural Resources, Department of Animal, Rangeland and Wildlife Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O.Box 231, Mekelle, Ethiopia; Berhe, A., College of Dryland Agriculture and Natural Resources, Department of Animal, Rangeland and Wildlife Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O.Box 231, Mekelle, Ethiopia | The study was conducted to evaluate replacing maize with mango kernel on fertility, hatchability, embryonic mortality and chick quality of layer hens. One hundred twenty chickens with similar body weight and age were used for the experiment. The chickens were randomly distributed to 15 pens each with 8 hens and 1 cock to the five treatments diets in completely randomized design (CRD). The chickens were kept in a deep litter housing system. The treatment rations were formulated to replace maize grain by mango kernel with 0% (MK0), 25% (MK25), 50% (MK50), 75% (MK75) and 100% (MK100). Chickens were offered a weighed amount of feed and feed leftovers were collected and weighed the next morning. The experiment lasted for 90 days during which fertility, hatchability, embryonic mortality and chick quality were measured. Fertility, hatchability, embryonic mortality, chick length, chick weight and chick visual score were not statistically different among the treatments. Therefore, we concluded that maize can be replaced by mango kernel up to 100% (at a rate of 390g/kg concentrate diet), since this level of replacement has not negatively affected fertility, hatchability, embryonic mortality and chick quality parameters. © 2015, Fundacion CIPAV. All rights reserved. | Byproduct; Feed; Layer diet; Poultry | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940659300 | Evaluation of different oat varieties for fodder yield and yield related traits in Debre Berhan area, central highlands of Ethiopia | Beyene G., Araya A., Gebremedhn H. | 2015 | Livestock Research for Rural Development | 27 | 9 | None | College of Dryland Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 231, Mekelle, Ethiopia; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Debre Berhan University, P.O. Box 445, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia | Beyene, G., College of Dryland Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 231, Mekelle, Ethiopia; Araya, A., College of Dryland Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 231, Mekelle, Ethiopia; Gebremedhn, H., College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Debre Berhan University, P.O. Box 445, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia | Oat is the most important well-adapted cereal fodder crop grown in the central highlands of Ethiopia. Ethiopia has a wide range of agro-ecological zones, described in the research centers to develop varieties to suit different zones as well as different systems of fodder production. However, the yield per acre is still far below than optimum level of production. Considering such a miserable picture in the country, field experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of seven forage oat varieties namely: 80-SA-130, 8251-CI, 80-SA-95, 8237-CI, Lampton, 8235-CI and Jasari at Agricultural Experiment Station of Debre Berhan University, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources during the year of 2014/15. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design having three replications and a net plot of size 1.2 m x 5 m. Data was recorded for plant height, leaf number tiller-1, tiller number plant-1, tillers per m2 and green fodder yield. The varieties differed in yield and yield related parameters. The variety Lampton produced significantly higher green forage yield (67.2 t·ha-1) than other varieties due to taller plants (178cm), more number of tillers plant-1 (14.2), tillers per m2 (256) and number of leaves tiller-1 (6.89) whereas, the variety Jasari recorded lowest (44.5 t·ha-1). Hence variety Lampton proved its superiority over all the other varieties included in the experiment. © 2015 Fundacion CIPAV. All rights reserved. | Avena sativa L; Forage yield; Yield traits | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84949456608 | The impact of the maintenance management system: A case study of the petrosa GTL refinery | Mahlangu B.P., Kruger L.P. | 2015 | South African Journal of Industrial Engineering | 26 | 3 | 10.7166/26-3-1197 | College of Economic and Management Sciences, Department of Business Management, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa | Mahlangu, B.P., College of Economic and Management Sciences, Department of Business Management, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa; Kruger, L.P., College of Economic and Management Sciences, Department of Business Management, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa | This research study investigated the impact of the maintenance management system (MMS) on production output and profitability (PO&P) at the PetroSA GTL refinery, a state-owned company. The two groups that participated were the maintenance group, consisting of 56 respondents, and the production group, with 38 respondents. The main findings of the research study suggested that the MMS impacts positively on PO&P at the PetroSA GTL refinery. The maintenance scorecard assessment tool – consisting of six perspectives – was used to assess the gap between the MMS and PO&P. The positivism paradigm, the deductive process, a cross-sectional quantitative survey, and descriptive statistics were used to conduct the research study. © 2015, South African Institute of Industrial Engineering, All rights reserved. | None | Refining; Assessment tool; Descriptive statistics; Maintenance management systems; Production outputs; Research studies; State-owned companies; Maintenance | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84937886083 | Business environment and the financial performance of small and medium enterprises: A study of Lagos state, Nigeria | Titus O.A. | 2015 | Corporate Ownership and Control | 12 | 4CONT4 | None | College of Economic and Management Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa | Titus, O.A., College of Economic and Management Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa | The financial outcome of an enterprise is perceived to have some relationships with its operational environment. This study analysed the business environment as a correlate of financial performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as to contribute to environment-enterprise policy mechanisms and regulatory framework, industry and management practices. Relevant definitional criteria and World Bank’s model were adopted to sample 228 SMEs from 456 via judgmental and convenience techniques. Multifactor business-environment questionnaire (MBEQ) was used to elicit responses from SMEs in a field survey. Enterprise type, activity, product line and financial performance were examined. Results showed dominance of sole proprietorship and services SMEs, multi-product lines, and highly positively correlated financial performance and business environment. Consequently, improved SME-friendly business environment was recommended. © 2015, Virtus Interpress. All rights reserved. | Business environment; Correlational analysis; Financial performance; Small and medium enterprises | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930268635 | Evaluation of sulfonated acrylamide-based tetrapolymer as a rheology modifier in water-based drilling fluid | Nagre R.D., Zhao L., Frimpong I.K., Owusu P.A. | 2015 | Petroleum and Coal | 57 | 2 | None | College of Petroleum Engineering, Yangtze University, Wuhan, China; College of Geophysics and Oil Resources, Yangtze University, Wuhan, China; Faculty of Engineering, Kumasi Polytechnic, Kumasi, Ghana | Nagre, R.D., College of Petroleum Engineering, Yangtze University, Wuhan, China, Faculty of Engineering, Kumasi Polytechnic, Kumasi, Ghana; Zhao, L., College of Petroleum Engineering, Yangtze University, Wuhan, China; Frimpong, I.K., College of Geophysics and Oil Resources, Yangtze University, Wuhan, China, Faculty of Engineering, Kumasi Polytechnic, Kumasi, Ghana; Owusu, P.A., College of Petroleum Engineering, Yangtze University, Wuhan, China, Faculty of Engineering, Kumasi Polytechnic, Kumasi, Ghana | The need for improved water-based drilling fluid systems for application in unfavourable wellbore con-ditions is a persistent challenge to oilwell drilling operation. This study evaluates the appropriateness of a synthetic tetrapolymer as a rheology modifier in water-based drilling fluid for application at elevated temperatures. The tetrapolymer, comprising acrylamide, sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonate, N-vinyl pyrrolidone and N-butyl propenoate (TPM4) was synthesized in aqueous medium by free-radi-cal polymerization and characterized by Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy. Experimental design using six factors involving monomer molar ratios, total monomer concentration, initiator dosage, reaction temperature, pH and reaction time, was used to establish the optimum conditions of synthesis of the tetrapolymer. Rheological and fluid loss properties of the tetrapolymer were assessed in water-based drilling fluids. The tetrapolymer effected about four-fold filtration loss control in 4% KCl bentonite-based mud compared to the blank at 140°C. It also exhibited good viscosification of the mud and favourably retained mud viscosity up to 150°C. | Filtration loss; Rheological property; Temperature and salt resistance; Tetrapolymer; Water-based mud | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84959258429 | Prognostication of water flooding performance in communicating layered reservoir | Owusu P.A., De Hua L., Nagre R.D. | 2015 | International Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering | 8 | 5 | None | College of Petroleum Engineering, Yangtze University, Wuhan, China; Department of Civil Engineering, Kumasi Polytechnic, P.O. Box 854, Kumasi, Ghana | Owusu, P.A., College of Petroleum Engineering, Yangtze University, Wuhan, China, Department of Civil Engineering, Kumasi Polytechnic, P.O. Box 854, Kumasi, Ghana; De Hua, L., College of Petroleum Engineering, Yangtze University, Wuhan, China; Nagre, R.D., College of Petroleum Engineering, Yangtze University, Wuhan, China, Department of Civil Engineering, Kumasi Polytechnic, P.O. Box 854, Kumasi, Ghana | A model which approaches the recovery performance of waterflooding in communicating stratified reservoirs with log-normal permeability distribution is presented. The reservoir permeability is characterized by the Dykstra-Parsons variation coefficient (V) and standard deviation of the distribution (σ_k). The hydrocarbon pore volume is also characterized by normal distribution. The model allows for effect of variation of hydrocarbon pore volume. Comparison of the results obtained is made with the Dykstra-Parsons model. The performance of the reservoir is expressed in term of vertical sweep as a function of the producing water-oil ratio. Expressions for pseudo-relative permeability function and fractional flow curves are derived. The recovery performance is found to be dependent on mobility ratio and permeability variation. For a given water-oil ratio the vertical coverage increases as mobility ratio increases but decreases as permeability variation increases. Oil recovery therefore is enhanced for system with mobility ratio less than unity and retards for system with above unit mobility ratio. Below unit mobility ratio, Dykstra-Parson model gives reduced vertical coverage but higher at above unit mobility ratio compared to the model presented. The variation of porosity is found to increase oil recovery over the case of constant porosity and it is dependent on the rise of permeability variation and mobility ratio. Truncating the permeability significantly increases the vertical coverage and telling effect on the behavior on the performance prediction. © 2015 CAFET-INNOVA Technical Society All rights reserved. | Mobility ratio; Permeability cut; Permeability variation; Vertical coverage; Water flooding; Water-oil ratio | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84938414925 | Longitudinal evaluation of aflatoxin exposure in two cohorts in south-western Uganda | Kang M.-S., Nkurunziza P., Muwanika R., Qian G., Tang L., Song X., Xue K., Nkwata A., Ssempebwa J., Lutalo T., Asiki G., Serwadda D., Seeley J., Kaleebu P., Nalugoda F., Newton R., William J.H., Wang J.-S. | 2015 | Food Additives and Contaminants - Part A Chemistry, Analysis, Control, Exposure and Risk Assessment | 32 | 8 | 10.1080/19440049.2015.1048749 | College of Public Health and Peanut CRSP, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Medical Research Council (MRC)/Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) Research Unit on AIDS, Entebbe, Uganda; Rakai Health Sciences Program, Entebbe, Uganda; School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; University of York, York, United Kingdom | Kang, M.-S., College of Public Health and Peanut CRSP, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Nkurunziza, P., Medical Research Council (MRC)/Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) Research Unit on AIDS, Entebbe, Uganda; Muwanika, R., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Entebbe, Uganda; Qian, G., College of Public Health and Peanut CRSP, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Tang, L., College of Public Health and Peanut CRSP, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Song, X., College of Public Health and Peanut CRSP, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Xue, K., College of Public Health and Peanut CRSP, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Nkwata, A., College of Public Health and Peanut CRSP, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Ssempebwa, J., School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; Lutalo, T., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Entebbe, Uganda; Asiki, G., Medical Research Council (MRC)/Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) Research Unit on AIDS, Entebbe, Uganda; Serwadda, D., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Entebbe, Uganda, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; Seeley, J., Medical Research Council (MRC)/Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) Research Unit on AIDS, Entebbe, Uganda, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Kaleebu, P., Medical Research Council (MRC)/Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) Research Unit on AIDS, Entebbe, Uganda; Nalugoda, F., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Entebbe, Uganda; Newton, R., Medical Research Council (MRC)/Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) Research Unit on AIDS, Entebbe, Uganda, University of York, York, United Kingdom; William, J.H., College of Public Health and Peanut CRSP, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Wang, J.-S., College of Public Health and Peanut CRSP, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States | Aflatoxins (AF) are a group of mycotoxins. AF exposure causes acute and chronic adverse health effects such as aflatoxicosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in human populations, especially in the developing world. In this study, AF exposure was evaluated using archived serum samples from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seronegative participants from two cohort studies in south-western Uganda. AFB<inf>1</inf>–lysine (AFB-Lys) adduct levels were determined via HPLC fluorescence in a total of 713 serum samples from the General Population Cohort (GPC), covering eight time periods between 1989 and 2010. Overall, 90% (642/713) of the samples were positive for AFB-Lys and the median level was 1.58 pg mg−1 albumin (range = 0.40–168 pg mg−1 albumin). AFB-Lys adduct levels were also measured in a total of 374 serum samples from the Rakai Community Cohort Study (RCCS), across four time periods between 1999 and 2003. The averaged detection rate was 92.5% (346/374) and the median level was 1.18 pg mg−1 albumin (range = 0.40–122.5 pg mg−1 albumin). In the GPC study there were no statistically significant differences between demographic parameters, such as age, sex and level of education, and levels of serum AFB-Lys adduct. In the RCCS study, longitudinal analysis using generalised estimating equations revealed significant differences between the adduct levels and residential areas (p = 0.05) and occupations (p = 0.02). This study indicates that AF exposure in people in two populations in south-western Uganda is persistent and has not significantly changed over time. Data from one study, but not the other, indicated that agriculture workers and rural area residents had more AF exposure than those non-agricultural workers and non-rural area residents. These results suggest the need for further study of AF-induced human adverse health effects, especially the predominant diseases in the region. © 2015 Taylor & Francis. | aflatoxin B<inf>1</inf>–lysine adduct; aflatoxins; cohort studies; human exposure; Uganda | Aflatoxins; Agriculture; Amino acids; Body fluids; Developing countries; Population dynamics; Rural areas; Viruses; Adverse health effects; Aflatoxin B; Cohort studies; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Human exposures; Human immunodeficiency virus; Statistically significant difference; Uganda; Diseases; aflatoxin B1; albumin; lysine; adult; Article; blood sampling; cohort analysis; controlled study; demography; educational status; environmental exposure; female; fluorescence analysis; high performance liquid chromatography; human; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; longitudinal study; major clinical study; male; occupation; population; priority journal; residential area; rural area; Uganda; Human immunodeficiency virus | DFID, National Institutes of Health; FIC, National Institutes of Health; MRC, National Institutes of Health; NIH, National Institutes of Health; USAID, National Institutes of Health |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84938288655 | Trypanosome infection in dromedary camels in Eastern Ethiopia: Prevalence, relative performance of diagnostic tools and host related risk factors | Fikru R., Andualem Y., Getachew T., Menten J., Hasker E., Merga B., Goddeeris B.M., Büscher P. | 2015 | Veterinary Parasitology | 211 | 42433 | 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.04.008 | College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, PO Box 34, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia; Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nationalestraat 155, Antwerp, Belgium; KU Leuven, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department Biosystems, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, Leuven, Belgium; School of Veterinary Medicine, Wollo University, PO Box 1145, Dessie, Ethiopia; Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Nationalestraat 155, Antwerp, Belgium; Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Public Health, Nationalestraat 155, Antwerp, Belgium | Fikru, R., College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, PO Box 34, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nationalestraat 155, Antwerp, Belgium, KU Leuven, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department Biosystems, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, Leuven, Belgium; Andualem, Y., School of Veterinary Medicine, Wollo University, PO Box 1145, Dessie, Ethiopia; Getachew, T., College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, PO Box 34, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia; Menten, J., Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Nationalestraat 155, Antwerp, Belgium; Hasker, E., Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Public Health, Nationalestraat 155, Antwerp, Belgium; Merga, B., College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, PO Box 34, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia; Goddeeris, B.M., KU Leuven, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department Biosystems, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, Leuven, Belgium; Büscher, P., Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nationalestraat 155, Antwerp, Belgium | A cross-sectional study was conducted in Chifra and Dewe districts of Afar region, Eastern Ethiopia, to determine the prevalence, agreement between diagnostic tests and host related risk factors of trypanosome infection in camel. An overall prevalence of 2%, 24.1%, 21.3%, 9.5% and 7.8% was recorded with respectively Giemsa stained thin blood smear, CATT/T. evansi, RoTat1.2 PCR, 18S PCR and ITS-1PCR in a cohort of 399 animals. Only one T. vivax infection was confirmed by TvPRAC PCR indicating T. evansi as the predominant species affecting camels in the study area. No single animal was positive when tested with T. evansi type B specific EVAB PCR. There was slight agreement between the CATT/T. evansi and the molecular tests. Among the PCR methods, RoTat 1.2 PCR yielded a significantly higher positivity rate compared to 18S PCR and ITS-1 PCR. There was no significant difference in the positivity rate observed in each gender of camels (p>0.05). The positivity rate was significantly higher in camels with poor body condition and in older animals when tested using the CATT/T.evansi or RoTat 1.2 PCR (p>0.05). Camels that tested positive with all tests had significantly lower PCV's (p<0.05). This study provides further evidence that T. evansi is endemic in the Afar region of Ethiopia. The latent class analysis indicated an estimate overall prevalence of 19% (95% CI: 13-28). Moreover, the model indicated low sensitivity of CATT/T. evansi (43%) and the PCR tests (39-53%) but higher specificity of the PCR tests (86-99%) and low specificity of CATT/T. evansi (80%). This study suggests that improved sensitivity and reliability of the tests would help diagnosis of trypanosomosis. Further studies are required to determine the prevalence of clinical disease and losses due to trypanosomosis. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. | Dromedary camel; Ethiopia; Prevalence; Risk factor; Trypanosoma evansi; Trypanosoma vivax; Trypanosomosis | animal parasitosis; Article; blood smear; cohort analysis; controlled study; cross-sectional study; diagnostic accuracy; diagnostic test; diagnostic test accuracy study; diagnostic value; dromedary; Ethiopia; female; host parasite interaction; infection risk; male; nonhuman; parasite identification; parasite prevalence; polymerase chain reaction; risk assessment; risk factor; sensitivity and specificity; serology; Trypanosoma evansi; Trypanosoma vivax; trypanosomiasis; Animalia; Camelidae; Camelus dromedarius; Trypanosoma evansi; Trypanosoma vivax | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84941759345 | Damping characteristics of nanoclay filled hybrid laminates during medium velocity impact | Mohan T.P., Velmurugan R., Kanny K. | 2015 | Composites Part B: Engineering | 82 | None | 10.1016/j.compositesb.2015.08.016 | Composites Research Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa; Composites Technology Centre, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India | Mohan, T.P., Composites Research Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa; Velmurugan, R., Composites Technology Centre, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India; Kanny, K., Composites Research Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa | The objective of this paper is to study the vibrational damping characteristics during medium velocity impact of nanoclay filled glass fiber reinforced epoxy hybrid laminates. A series of laminates with varying degree of nanoclay concentration (0-5 wt.%) and fiber weight fraction (25-75 wt.%) were prepared by vacuum assisted resin infusion molding (VARIM) method. The laminates were subjected to medium velocity projectile impact using in-house built gas gun set-up and the ballistic limit of laminates series was determined. The result indicated that during impact, the laminate undergoes vibrational damping. This damping property is a function of fiber weight fraction and orientation, nanoclay concentration and nanocomposite structure. A 42% increase of ballistic limit was observed for 5 wt.% nanoclay filled hybrid (50 wt.% fiber) when compared with unfilled composite. Structural and modal analysis of hybrids showed that the increased ballistic limit of nanoclay filled hybrids is due to the nanocomposite structure and improved damping and fracture properties. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. | A. Laminates; A. Nano-structures; B. Impact behavior; B. Vibration | Ballistics; Damping; Fibers; Modal analysis; Nanocomposites; Nanostructured materials; Nanostructures; Paper laminates; B. Vibration; Damping characteristics; Glass fiber-reinforced epoxy; Impact behavior; Nano-composite structure; Nanoclay concentrations; Vacuum assisted resin infusion moldings; Vibrational damping; Laminates | 76460, Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology; DST, Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84916887285 | Evaluation of the trophic structure of the West Florida Shelf in the 2000s using the ecosystem model OSMOSE | Grüss A., Schirripa M.J., Chagaris D., Drexler M., Simons J., Verley P., Shin Y.-J., Karnauskas M., Oliveros-Ramos R., Ainsworth C.H. | 2015 | Journal of Marine Systems | 144 | None | 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2014.11.004 | Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, United States; Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL, United States; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 100 8th Ave SE, St. Petersburg, FL, United States; University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, 140 7th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL, United States; Center for Coastal Studies Natural Resources Center, Texas A andM University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Dr., Corpus Christi, TX, United States; Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR EME 212, Centre de Recherche Halieutique Méditerranéenne et Tropicale, Avenue Jean Monnet, CS 30171, Sète cedex, France; University of Cape Town, Marine Research Institute Ma-Re, Department of Biological Sciences, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa; Instituto del Mar del Perú (IMARPE), Gamarra y General Valle s/n Chucuito, Callao, Peru | Grüss, A., Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, United States, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL, United States; Schirripa, M.J., Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL, United States; Chagaris, D., Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 100 8th Ave SE, St. Petersburg, FL, United States; Drexler, M., University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, 140 7th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL, United States; Simons, J., Center for Coastal Studies Natural Resources Center, Texas A andM University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Dr., Corpus Christi, TX, United States; Verley, P., Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR EME 212, Centre de Recherche Halieutique Méditerranéenne et Tropicale, Avenue Jean Monnet, CS 30171, Sète cedex, France; Shin, Y.-J., Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR EME 212, Centre de Recherche Halieutique Méditerranéenne et Tropicale, Avenue Jean Monnet, CS 30171, Sète cedex, France, University of Cape Town, Marine Research Institute Ma-Re, Department of Biological Sciences, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa; Karnauskas, M., Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL, United States; Oliveros-Ramos, R., Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR EME 212, Centre de Recherche Halieutique Méditerranéenne et Tropicale, Avenue Jean Monnet, CS 30171, Sète cedex, France, Instituto del Mar del Perú (IMARPE), Gamarra y General Valle s/n Chucuito, Callao, Peru; Ainsworth, C.H., University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, 140 7th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL, United States | We applied the individual-based, multi-species OSMOSE modeling approach to the West Florida Shelf, with the intent to inform ecosystem-based management (EBM) in this region. Our model, referred to as 'OSMOSE-WFS', explicitly considers both pelagic-demersal and benthic high trophic level (HTL) groups of fish and invertebrate species, and is forced by the biomass of low trophic level groups of species (plankton and benthos). We present a steady-state version of the OSMOSE-WFS model describing trophic interactions in the West Florida Shelf in the 2000s. OSMOSE-WFS was calibrated using a recently developed evolutionary algorithm that allowed simulated biomasses of HTL groups to match observed biomasses over the period 2005-2009. The validity of OSMOSE-WFS was then evaluated by comparing simulated diets to observed ones, and the simulated trophic levels to those in an Ecopath model of the West Florida Shelf (WFS Reef fish Ecopath). Finally, OSMOSE-WFS was used to explore the trophic structure of the West Florida Shelf in the 2000s and estimate size-specific natural mortality rates for a socio-economically important species, gag grouper (Mycteroperca microlepis). OSMOSE-WFS outputs were in full agreement with observations as to the body size and ecological niche of prey of the different HTL groups, and to a lesser extent in agreement with the observed species composition of the diet of HTL groups. OSMOSE-WFS and WFS Reef fish Ecopath concurred on the magnitude of the instantaneous natural mortality of the different life stages of gag grouper over the period 2005-2009, but not always on the main causes of natural mortality. The model evaluations conducted here provides a strong basis for ongoing work exploring fishing and environmental scenarios so as to inform EBM. From simple size-based predation rules, we were indeed able to capture the complexity of trophic interactions in the West Florida Shelf, and to identify the predators, prey and competitors of socio-economically important species as well as pivotal prey species of the ecosystem. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. | Gag grouper; Marine ecosystem modeling; Natural mortality; Resource management; Trophic structure; West florida shelf | Biomass; Computer simulation; Fish; Nutrition; Reefs; Florida; Marine ecosystem; Natural mortality; Resource management; Trophic structure; Ecosystems; algorithm; body size; ecosystem modeling; mortality; niche; predation; resource management; socioeconomic status; trophic structure; Atlantic Ocean; Florida Shelf; Epinephelinae; Invertebrata; Mycteroperca microlepis | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84938201454 | Performance assessment of poly (methacrylic acid)/silver nanoparticles composite as corrosion inhibitor for aluminium in acidic environment | Solomon M.M., Umoren S.A. | 2015 | Journal of Adhesion Science and Technology | 29 | 21 | 10.1080/01694243.2015.1066235 | Corrosion Protection and Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria; Centre of Research Excellence in Corrosion, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia | Solomon, M.M., Corrosion Protection and Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria; Umoren, S.A., Centre of Research Excellence in Corrosion, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia | This article reports the preparation of poly (methacrylic acid)/silver nanoparticles composite (PMAA/AgNPs) by in situ mixing of aqueous solutions of PMAA and 1 mM AgNO<inf>3</inf> with natural honey as reducing and stabilizing agent. The prepared PMAA/AgNPs composite was characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared, X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) while the morphology of the AgNPs in the composite was obtained by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM results revealed that the AgNPs were spherical in shape. The performance of PMAA/AgNPs composite as anticorrosion material for Al in acidic environment was examined by electrochemical, weight loss methods, complemented by surface analysis characterization with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDS and water contact angle measurements. Results obtained indicate that PMAA/AgNPs composite is effective corrosion inhibitor for Al in an acid-induced corrosive environment. Inhibition efficiency increased with increase in composite concentration but decreased with rise in temperature. From potentiodynamic polarization results, PMAA/AgNPs composite is found to function as a mixed-type corrosion inhibitor. The adsorption of the composite onto Al surface was found to follow El-Awady et al. adsorption isotherm model. SEM, EDS and water contact angle results confirmed the adsorption of the composite on Al surface. © 2015 Taylor and Francis. | acid corrosion; aluminium; composite; corrosion inhibition; nanoparticles; poly (methacrylic acid) | Adsorption; Aluminum; Composite materials; Contact angle; Corrosion; Electron microscopy; Energy dispersive spectroscopy; High resolution transmission electron microscopy; Nanoparticles; Scanning electron microscopy; Solutions; Surface analysis; Transmission electron microscopy; X ray diffraction; Acid corrosion; Adsorption isotherm model; Anti-corrosion materials; Corrosion inhibition; Energy dispersive spectroscopies (EDS); Performance assessment; Poly (methacrylic acid); Water contact angle measurement; Corrosion inhibitors | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84949115102 | High-performance towards Cr(VI) removal using multi-active sites of polypyrrole-graphene oxide nanocomposites: Batch and column studies | Setshedi K.Z., Bhaumik M., Onyango M.S., Maity A. | 2015 | Chemical Engineering Journal | 262 | None | 10.1016/j.cej.2014.10.034 | Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa; DST/CSIR National Centre for Nanostructured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, South Africa | Setshedi, K.Z., Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa, Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, South Africa; Bhaumik, M., Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa; Onyango, M.S., Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, South Africa; Maity, A., DST/CSIR National Centre for Nanostructured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa, Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, South Africa | Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] adsorption onto polypyrrole graphene oxide nanocomposite (PPy-GO NC) From aqueous solutions was explored using batch and packed-bed column modes. The performance of the PPy-GO NC for Cr(VI) removal was evaluated as a function of solution pH, initial Cr(VI) concentration, temperature, bed mass and time. The characterization of PPy-GO NC using HR-TEM, FE-SEM and Raman spectroscopy confirmed that graphite was successfully exfoliated to thin layered graphene sheets and also ensured the presence of the PPy in the PPy-GO NC. Meanwhile the zeta potential data showed that the point of zero charge of the nanocomposite was at pH 6.2. Batch sorption isotherm data at optimum solution pH of 2, was satisfactorily described by the Langmuir isotherm model with a maximum sorption capacity of 625. mg/g at 25. °C, while the kinetic data fitted well with the pseudo second order kinetic model. Sorption of Cr(VI) onto PPy-GO NC in binary ions systems was also evaluated and results showed that the presence of co-existing ions had no effect on Cr(VI) removal. Expressed through breakthrough curves, the packed-bed Cr(VI) sorption data showed consistency with the ideal s-shape. Moreover, a large volume of Cr(VI) contaminated water (64.08. L) was successfully treated to below allowable discharge limit at low influent Cr(VI) concentration (10. mg/L) using 2. g of PPy-GO NC at a flow rate of 3. mL/min. Breakthrough data were successfully described by the Thomas and Yoon-Nelson models. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. | Breakthrough; Graphene oxide; Kinetics; Nanocomposites; Polypyrrole | Adsorption isotherms; Enzyme kinetics; Graphene; Isotherms; Kinetics; Nanocomposites; Packed beds; Polypyrroles; Sorption; Water pollution; Allowable discharge limits; Breakthrough; Cr contaminated water; Graphene oxide nanocomposites; Graphene oxides; Langmuir isotherm models; Point of zero charge; Pseudo-second-order kinetic models; Chromium compounds | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84961292145 | Heuristic space diversity control for improved meta-hyper-heuristic performance | Grobler J., Engelbrecht A.P., Kendall G., Yadavalli V.S.S. | 2015 | Information Sciences | 300 | 1 | 10.1016/j.ins.2014.11.012 | Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Computer Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; School of Computer Science, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom; University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Malaysia; Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | Grobler, J., Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Engelbrecht, A.P., Department of Computer Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Kendall, G., School of Computer Science, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Malaysia; Yadavalli, V.S.S., Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | This paper expands on the concept of heuristic space diversity and investigates various strategies for the management of heuristic space diversity within the context of a meta-hyper-heuristic algorithm in search of greater performance benefits. Evaluation of various strategies on a diverse set of floating-point benchmark problems shows that heuristic space diversity has a significant impact on hyper-heuristic performance. An exponentially increasing strategy (EIHH) obtained the best results. The value of a priori information about constituent algorithm performance on the benchmark set in question was also evaluated. Finally, EIHH demonstrated good performance when compared to a popular population based algorithm portfolio algorithm and the best performing constituent algorithm. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. | Diversity management; Heuristic space diversity; Hyper-heuristics | Algorithms; Digital arithmetic; Heuristic algorithms; Heuristic methods; Algorithm performance; Bench-mark problems; Diversity managements; Hyper-heuristic algorithms; Hyper-heuristics; Performance benefits; Population-based algorithm; Space diversity; Benchmarking | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84934290452 | Modeling impact of climate change on water resources and agriculture demand in the Volta Basin and other basin systems in Ghana | Amisigo B.A., McCluskey A., Swanson R. | 2015 | Sustainability (Switzerland) | 7 | 6 | 10.3390/su7066957 | CSIR-Water Research Institute, P.O. Box AH38, Achimota, Accra, Ghana; Engineering Management, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States; Civil Engineering, University of Colorado, 352 Summer Ave., Reading, MA, United States | Amisigo, B.A., CSIR-Water Research Institute, P.O. Box AH38, Achimota, Accra, Ghana; McCluskey, A., Engineering Management, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States; Swanson, R., Civil Engineering, University of Colorado, 352 Summer Ave., Reading, MA, United States | An assessment of the impacts of projected climate change on water availability and crop production in the Volta Basin and the southwestern and coastal basin systems of Ghana has been undertaken as a component of the impacts and adaptation study for Ghana by UNU-WIDER and the University of Ghana. Four climate change scenarios were considered in addition to a reference (no change) scenario-two dry and two wet scenarios. To conduct the analysis, a portion of a special framework using three water models was used; the framework is called the Strategic Analysis of Climate resilient Development (SACReD). First, the CliRun water balance model was used to simulate catchment runoffs using projected rainfall and temperature under the scenarios. Second, climate impacts on yields of the economically important Ghana crops were modeled using the AquaCrop software. Third, the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) software was used for the water allocation modeling. The results show that all water demands (municipal, hydropower, and agriculture) cannot be simultaneously met currently, or under any of the scenarios used, including the wet scenarios. This calls for an evaluation of groundwater as an additional source of water supply and an integrated water resources management plan in the catchments to balance demand with supply and ensure sustainable socio-economic development. In addition, the AquaCrop model forecasts negative impacts for the crop yields studied, with some crops and regions seeing larger impacts than others. © 2015 by the authors. | Agriculture; Climate change; Ghana; Water resources | None | None |
| None | None | Does globalisation impact SME development in Africa? | Mutalemwa D.K. | 2015 | African Journal of Economic and Management Studies | 6 | 2 | 10.1108/AJEMS-01-2015-0012 | Dar-es-Salaam Campus College, Mzumbe University, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania | Mutalemwa, D.K., Dar-es-Salaam Campus College, Mzumbe University, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania | Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding and knowledge of the impact of globalisation on African small and medium enterprise (SME) development. The contribution of SMEs to manufacturing industrialisation can be viewed in the context of the changing setting of globalisation. Globalisation is a description as well as a prescription. It can be broadly defined as closer economic integration as a result of rapid advances in technology, growth of world trade and competition, and policy changes towards economic liberalisation. Globalisation can also pose a challenge on how SMEs in Africa should brace themselves to respond to – and take advantages of – the changes, and carve an appropriate position in the global competitive economy. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews and synthesises the eclectic literature and also draws from the experiences of both developed and developing economies. Findings – The evidence from the literature points to several stumbling blocks that prevent African manufacturing SMEs from participating successfully in the global economy. These include problems with exports, technology, competitiveness and inter-firm linkages as well as barriers in the institutional and policy environments. Originality/value – The paper will be useful to businesses, researchers, policy makers, civil society and others interested in understanding the impact of globalisation on manufacturing SME development. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited. | Africa; Globalization; Industrialization; SMEs | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930338805 | Genetic parameter estimation and evaluation of duroc boars for feed efficiency and component traits | MacNeil M.D., Kemp R.A. | 2015 | Canadian Journal of Animal Science | 95 | 2 | 10.4141/CJAS-2014-089 | Delta G, 145 Ice Cave Rd., Miles City, MT, United States; Animal and Grassland Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa; RAK Genetic Consulting Ltd, 54 Coachwood Point W, Lethbridge, AB, Canada | MacNeil, M.D., Delta G, 145 Ice Cave Rd., Miles City, MT, United States, Animal and Grassland Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Kemp, R.A., RAK Genetic Consulting Ltd, 54 Coachwood Point W, Lethbridge, AB, Canada | MacNeil, M. D. and Kemp, R. A. 2015. Genetic parameter estimation and evaluation of Duroc boars for feed efficiency and component traits. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 95: 155-159. The objective of this research was to produce a genetic evaluation for traits related to feed efficiency of Duroc boars. Meeting this objective required partitioning phenotypic (co)variance into additive genetic and environmental components for feed intake and traits indicative of growth and body composition. Boars (N=3291) were housed in group pens of 22 to 24 animals with two electronic feeders per pen and feed intake was recorded for 8 to 14 wk. Body weight was recorded for each boar at the start and end of test, at approximately 100 kg and at up to three times during the test. The pedigree used contained sire and dam of each boar with at least one recorded phenotype (N=4651) and their maternal and paternal grandsires. Variance components were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood for animal models in a series of uni-variate and bi-variate analyses. Two multiple trait genetic evaluations were conducted to predict estimated breeding value for feed intake using animal models. The first evaluation included feed intake (h2=0.33±0.05), age at 100 kg (h2=0.31±0.04), and subcutaneous fat depth (h2=0.47±0.05). The second genetic evaluation included feed intake, average daily gain (h2=0.27±0.04), mid-test weight (h2=0.33±0.05), and subcutaneous fat depth. Genetic correlations of feed intake with age at 100 kg and fat depth were -0.80±0.05 and 0.57±0.08, respectively. Estimated breeding values for measures of feed efficiency (residual feed intake and residual gain) were calculated from the results of the second analysis and the associated additive genetic (co)variance components. | Feed efficiency; Production; Swine; Variance components | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930002990 | Performance evaluation of a membraneless divergent electrode-flow-through (DEFT) alkaline electrolyser based on optimisation of electrolytic flow and electrode gap | Gillespie M.I., Van Der Merwe F., Kriek R.J. | 2015 | Journal of Power Sources | 293 | None | 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.05.077 | Demcotech Engineering, P.O. Box 9624, Edenglen, South Africa; Electrochemistry for Energy and Environment Group, Research Focus Area: Chemical Resource Beneficiation (CRB), North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, South Africa | Gillespie, M.I., Demcotech Engineering, P.O. Box 9624, Edenglen, South Africa; Van Der Merwe, F., Electrochemistry for Energy and Environment Group, Research Focus Area: Chemical Resource Beneficiation (CRB), North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, South Africa; Kriek, R.J., Electrochemistry for Energy and Environment Group, Research Focus Area: Chemical Resource Beneficiation (CRB), North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, South Africa | A membraneless divergent electrode-flow-through (DEFT) alkaline electrolysis design and operating principle is investigated, which allows for the ohmic drop contribution and performance threshold limitations of a conventional membrane barrier to be overcome. Employing mesh electrodes of 30 mm diameter, operation of the electrolyser at an electrolytic flow velocity of 0.075-0.1 m s-1, resulted in an optimal electrode gap of ∼2.5 mm, while operating at greater velocities (>0.1-0.2 m s-1) allows for the employment of a smaller optimal gap of ∼0.8 mm. At an electrode gap of 2.5 mm and current densities of 3500 mA cm-2, hydrogen purity of 99.83% has been recorded. With pure nickel electrodes current densities of 101.19 mA cm-2 (at 1.80 VDC) and 326.33 mA cm-2 (at 2 VDC) have been achieved, while the use of superior catalysts, namely, RuO<inf>2</inf>/IrO<inf>2</inf>/TiO<inf>2</inf> and Pt for the anode and cathode respectively, resulted in the current densities to increase to 219.99 mA cm-2 (at 1.8 VDC) and 474.40 mA cm-2 (at 2 VDC) at an electrode gap of 2.5 mm and a minimum flow velocity of 0.075 m s-1. The test rig is capable of generating hydrogen at a rate of 63.6 L/hr at normal temperature and pressure (NTP). The production rate follows current density linearly at high overpotentials. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. | Alkaline water electrolysis; Hydrogen production; Membraneless | Current density; Electrolysis; Flow velocity; Hydrogen; Hydrogen production; Alkaline electrolysis; Alkaline water electrolysis; Membraneless; Normal temperature and pressures; Operating principles; Optimal electrodes; Superior catalysts; Threshold limitation; Electrodes | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84920111703 | Identifying talented young soccer players: Conditional, anthropometrical and physiological characteristics as predictors of performance | Bidaurrazaga-Letona I., Lekue J.A., Amado M., Santos-Concejero J., Gil S.M. | 2015 | RICYDE: Revista Internacional de Ciencias del Deporte | 11 | 39 | 10.5232/ricyde2015.03906 | Departamento de Educación Física y Deportiva, Universidad del País Vasco, UPV/EHU, Spain; Athletic Club Bilbao, País Vasco, Spain; Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa | Bidaurrazaga-Letona, I., Departamento de Educación Física y Deportiva, Universidad del País Vasco, UPV/EHU, Spain; Lekue, J.A., Athletic Club Bilbao, País Vasco, Spain; Amado, M., Athletic Club Bilbao, País Vasco, Spain; Santos-Concejero, J., Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Gil, S.M., Departamento de Educación Física y Deportiva, Universidad del País Vasco, UPV/EHU, Spain | The aim of this study was to provide the profile of elite young soccer players. Fifty-five players of the Under-14 category of Athletic Club Bilbao participated in this study. Players were classified into 4 playing positions: forwards (n=30), midfielders (n=15), defenders (n=37) and goalkeepers (n=15). Complete anthropometry, chronological age (CA), age at peak height velocity, 15-m sprint test, agility test, Yo-yo IT level 1 (Yo-yo IR1), counter-movement jump and hand dynamometry were measured. Results were transformed into z-scores and summed up to make two performance composites (SCORE and SCOREHG). One-way analysis of variance and a Bonferroni posthoc test were used to examine the differences between playing positions. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to estimate the contribution of independent variables to performance indicators. Significant differences were observed between playing positions in body mass and height (P<0.05); CA, maturity offset and muscle % (P<0.01); sum of skinfolds, fat %, endomorphy, sprint and agility tests (P<0.001). Stepwise regression analysis revealed that the CA and sum of skinfolds were the most important predictors of performance. Collectively, playing positions were characterised by specific anthropometrical characteristics whereas no significant positional differences were observed in performance. This study provides further insight concerning coaches' practice of selecting young soccer players because of physical advantages. However, other components like technical and tactical skills, cognitive and psychological factors may be important to excel in soccer. | Maturation; Position; Talent identification; Youth soccer | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84942526399 | Performance of high resolution satellite rainfall products over data scarce parts of eastern ethiopia | Gebere S.B., Alamirew T., Merkel B.J., Melesse A.M. | 2015 | Remote Sensing | 7 | 9 | 10.3390/rs70911639 | Department for Geology, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Gustav-Zeuner-Str. 12, Freiberg, Germany; Water and Land Resource Centre, P.O. Box 3880, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States | Gebere, S.B., Department for Geology, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Gustav-Zeuner-Str. 12, Freiberg, Germany; Alamirew, T., Water and Land Resource Centre, P.O. Box 3880, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Merkel, B.J., Department for Geology, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Gustav-Zeuner-Str. 12, Freiberg, Germany; Melesse, A.M., Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States | Accurate estimation of rainfall in mountainous areas is necessary for various water resource-related applications. Though rain gauges accurately measure rainfall, they are rarely found in mountainous regions and satellite rainfall data can be used as an alternative source over these regions. This study evaluated the performance of three high-resolution satellite rainfall products, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM 3B42), the Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP_MVK+), and the Precipitation Estimation from Remotely-Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks (PERSIANN) at daily, monthly, and seasonal time scales against rain gauge records over data-scarce parts of Eastern Ethiopia. TRMM 3B42 rain products show relatively better performance at the three time scales, while PERSIANN did much better than GSMaP. At the daily time scale, TRMM correctly detected 88% of the rainfall from the rain gauge. The correlation at the monthly time scale also revealed that the TRMM has captured the observed rainfall better than the other two. For Belg (short rain) and Kiremt (long rain) seasons, the TRMM did better than the others by far. However, during Bega (dry) season, PERSIANN showed a relatively good estimate. At all-time scales, noticing the bias, TRMM tends to overestimate, while PERSIANN and GSMaP tend to underestimate the rainfall. The overall result suggests that monthly and seasonal TRMM rainfall performed better than daily rainfall. It has also been found that both GSMaP and PERSIANN performed better in relatively flat areas than mountainous areas. Before the practical use of TRMM, the RMSE value needs to be improved by considering the topography of the study area or adjusting the bias. © 2015 by the authors. | GSMaP_MVK+; PERSIANN; Rain gauge; Satellite rainfall; TRMM 3B42 | Gages; Neural networks; Precipitation (meteorology); Rain gages; Satellites; Soil moisture; Time measurement; Water resources; GSMaP_MVK; PERSIANN; Rain gauges; Satellite rainfalls; TRMM 3B42; Rain | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84941078348 | The relationship between capital structure and financial performance of firms listed on the nairobi securities exchange | Otieno O.L., Ngwenya S. | 2015 | Corporate Ownership and Control | 13 | 1CONT2 | None | Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Nairobi, PO Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya; Department of Finance, Risk Management and Banking, School of Management Sciences, PO Box 392, UNISA, 0003, Preller Street, Muckleneuk Ridge, Pretoria, South Africa | Otieno, O.L., Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Nairobi, PO Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya; Ngwenya, S., Department of Finance, Risk Management and Banking, School of Management Sciences, PO Box 392, UNISA, 0003, Preller Street, Muckleneuk Ridge, Pretoria, South Africa | Until now, researchers are not in consensus, whether it is the capital structure that influences performance or performance that influences capital structure or both. The main objective of this study was to establish the relationship between capital structure and financial performance of firms listed on the NSE by employing a generalised linear model (GLM) as an improvement on ordinary least regression (OLS). The results of the study revealed that efficient and profitable firms employ more debt than comparable firms that are less profitable possibly because profitable firms’ exposure to financial risk is low. There results also indicate that firms that use more debt outperformed those that use less debt. © 2015, Virtus interpress.All rights reserved. | Capital structure; Financial performance; General linear model; NSE; Ordinary least regression | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84944684024 | Debt capital, firm performance and change of CEO in firms listed on the Nairobi securities exchange | Otieno O.L., Ngwenya S. | 2015 | Corporate Ownership and Control | 13 | 1CONT6 | None | Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Nairobi, PO Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya; Department of Finance, Risk Management and Banking, School of Management Sciences, UNISA, PO Box 392, Preller Street, Muckleneuk Ridge, Pretoria, Kenya | Otieno, O.L., Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Nairobi, PO Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya; Ngwenya, S., Department of Finance, Risk Management and Banking, School of Management Sciences, UNISA, PO Box 392, Preller Street, Muckleneuk Ridge, Pretoria, Kenya | It is generally accepted that boards of directors play a fundamental role in corporate governance and the structure of the board plays a significant role in the functioning of a company (Jensen, 1993). The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between debt capital, firm performance, and change of CEO in firms listed on the NSE. The results of the study revealed that firms in which an individual shareholder has influence or controlling interest are reluctant to replace their CEO even when performance is below average. The results also revealed that the replacement of the CEO is not performance driven, but is debt capital driven. Specifically, the results suggest that medium leverage ratio is associated with change in CEOs on firms listed on the NSE. © 2015, Virtus Interpress. All rights reserved. | Change of CEO; Debt capital; Firm performance; NSE | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84923300411 | Impact of fuel price increaseon the Nigerian economy | Ocheni S.I. | 2015 | Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences | 6 | 1S1 | 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n1s1p560 | Department Of Accounting, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria | Ocheni, S.I., Department Of Accounting, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria | Everybody appreciates the fact that when motorists pay more for fuel, the transport fare increases. This has been the case even when the increase is only marginal. In the particular case where the cost of fuel is expected to double, the increase in transport fare will be astronomical. This will in turn affect everything else – school fees, house rent, just name it. Therefore, this study took a critical look at the impact of Fuel price increase on the Nigerian economy(Whether negative or positive).The study adopted a survey research design approach to evaluate the level of effect the fuel price increase has on the Nigeria economy. The population of the study is made up of Civil Servants -CS, market men and women-MMW and staff in the private sectors- SPS concerned with petrol and gas affairs. A sample size of 120 persons was selected at random. It was distributed as follows: Civil Servants (18), market men and women (55) and staff in the private sectors (47). A pre test was conducted and outcome yield “r”= 0.92 indicating a high degree of consistency and reliability. The instrument was 8- term survey questionnaire with a - 5 Likert scale response options of Very Relevant (VR), Relevant (R), No Effect (NE) Irrelevant (I), and Very Irrelevant (VI). The questionnaire was structured in line with the research objectives, questions and hypothesis of the study. The Pearson product moment correlation coefficient was used to confirm formulated hypotheses. Finding revealed that there is a significant relationship between the recent increases in fuel prices and economic growth in Nigeria. It was also discovered that the Nigeria economy is not developing because of the effect of fuel price hike on purchasing power and finally the finding showed that there is significant relationship between increase in pump price of petroleum and food security. The paper therefore recommended that Government should retain fuel subsidy while expediting the construction of the three proposed refineries; Fuel subsidy should be removed as soon as these new refineries are commissioned; the proposed rehabilitation of the existing refineries should be expedited; Government should vigorously pursue the revitalization of the railways. If only Nigerians had alternative to road transport, all this noise about fuel subsidy removal would not have been there and Private companies should be encouraged to start building refineries now with the assurance that subsidy would be removed before they start production. © 2015, Mediterranean Center of Social and Educational Research. All rights reserved. | Economy; Fuel scarcity; Fuel subsidy; Nigeria | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939551486 | Governing boards and perceived performance of secondary schools: Preliminary evidence from a developing country | Nkundabanyanga S.K., Tauringana V., Muhwezi M. | 2015 | International Journal of Public Sector Management | 28 | 3 | 10.1108/IJPSM-10-2014-0135 | Department of Accounting, Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, United Kingdom; Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda | Nkundabanyanga, S.K., Department of Accounting, Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda; Tauringana, V., Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, United Kingdom; Muhwezi, M., Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda | Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a study carried out to determine the effect of governing boards on the performance of Ugandan secondary schools. Specifically, the study investigated whether governing boards (board role performance, finance committee role performance, board size, frequency of board meetings and board finance expertise) have an effect on the perceived performance of the schools. Design/methodology/approach – This study is cross-sectional and correlational. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 271 schools out of which 200 responded. The data were analysed through ordinary least squares regression using Statistical Package for Social Scientists. Findings – The results suggest that board role performance, finance committee role performance, frequency of meetings and finance expertise of governing boards have a significant effect on the schools’ performance. Research limitations/implications – The authors measure some of the variables qualitatively and perceptively contrary to, for instance, the commonly used quantitative measures of performance, but process factors which are inherently qualitative in nature can better explain variances in secondary schools’ performance. Thus, in this study, the authors do not claim highly refined measurement concepts. More research is therefore needed to better refine qualitative concepts used in this study. The results too suggest that board and finance committee role performance and finance expertise of the board are more important for performance of a school than board size, and frequency of meetings which academics have been focusing on. These findings call for more research to validate the posited relationships. Practical implications – The results are important for governing board policy development; for example, in terms of prescribing the qualifications for schools’ governing board members and also finance committee board members. Originality/value – This study shows that one way to capture the influence of all governing boards’ roles including service role is to adopt a perception-based approach which asks respondents to what extent they think governing boards fulfil all their roles. Unlike previous studies which used proxies for board role performance such as proportion of non-executive directors and board size for monitoring and control and resource provision, the study incorporates proxies as well as perception-based measures of board role performance to determine if governing boards have a significant influence on the performance of Uganda secondary schools. © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited. | Boards; Education; Performance; Public sector; Secondary schools; Uganda | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84944387190 | Impact of evaporative cooling preservation on the shelf life of fruits and vegetable in South Western Nigeria | Ndukwu M.C., Manuwa S.I. | 2015 | Research in Agricultural Engineering | 61 | 3 | 10.17221/54/2013-RAE | Department of Agricultural and Bio Resources Engineering, College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, P.M.B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria; Department of Agricultural Engineering, School of Eng | Ndukwu, M.C., Department of Agricultural and Bio Resources Engineering, College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, P.M.B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria, Department of Agricultural Engineering, School of Engineering and Engineering, Technology Federal University of Technology Akure, Akure, Nigeria; Manuwa, S.I., Department of Agricultural Engineering, School of Engineering and Engineering, Technology Federal University of Technology Akure, Akure, Nigeria | Maintaining the freshness of vegetables and fruits even for a short period in a tropical environment is difficult. Fresh fruits and vegetables usually deteriorate faster than other products because they increase in respiration while in storage, due to high moisture content and high tropical heat which lead to a number of physical and physiological changes affecting the viability, quality and marketability of the produce. The use of evaporative cooling system showed improvement in the shelf life of fruits and vegetables stored. The stored vegetables in the cooler showed higher moisture and vitamin C content while the withered control has higher ash, protein, fibre and carbohydrate content. However, the fruits stored in the cooler had lower vitamin C and higher moisture than the control which showed good quality and crispiness while the control deteriorated at the same period. The results suggest that the integration of evaporative cooling system with good sanitation along the marketing channel from the harvest point until the consumption point will help to attain high quality level of freshness for some period. | Cold storage; Environmental friendly; Food quality; Freshness; Refrigeration | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84908541613 | Design, construction, and evaluation of a mixed mode solar kiln with black-painted pebble bed for timber seasoning in a tropical setting | Ugwu S.N., Ugwuishiwu B.O., Ekechukwu O.V., Njoku H., Ani A.O. | 2015 | Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews | 41 | None | 10.1016/j.rser.2014.09.033 | Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; National University Commission, Abuja, Nigeria; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria | Ugwu, S.N., Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Ugwuishiwu, B.O., Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Ekechukwu, O.V., National University Commission, Abuja, Nigeria; Njoku, H., Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Ani, A.O., Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria | Different designs and improvements on solar kiln for drying different types of products have been an ongoing research interest, ranging from simple and small capacity to automated dryers with integrated storage systems. In this article, mixed-mode solar kiln with black pebble bed as absorber and storage is designed and evaluated at Nsukka, Nigeria, latitude 6.8°N. It combines heat from an external collector and from a transparent roof, making it efficient for wood seasoning in tropical areas. The kiln consists of a drying chamber of 0.362 m3 capacity, a single glazed flat plate collector and transparent roof area of 0.54 m2, a pebble bed capacity of 0.1 m3, and a kiln orientation of 7°N-S facing south. At peak periods, timber stack in the drying chamber receives hot air flow from the collector and the transparent roof simultaneously. At off-peak periods, heat stored by pebble bed helps to avert reverse flow of moist air. Test results reveal that temperatures inside the dryer and solar collector were higher than the ambient temperature at all hours of the day. Maximum drying chamber temperature, which was obtained at midday, was 61.7°C. Kiln drying reduced timber moisture content from 66.27% to 12.9% whereas open air drying reduced to 20.1% dry basis in 360 hours. Also, the initial drying rates for both kiln dried wood and control were 0.205% and 0.564% per day and the final drying rates were 0.15% and 0.08% per day, respectively. The rapid rate of drying in the kiln reveals its ability to dry timber to safe moisture level without defects. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. | Drying; Kiln; Moisture content; Solar; Timber; Wood | Kilns; Moisture; Timber; Wood; Mixed mode; Pebble beds; Solar; Solar kiln; Drying; Forests; Kilns; Lumber; Moisture Content; Wood | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84951124529 | Factors affecting forage chopper performance | Ajav E.A., Yinusa B. | 2015 | International Agricultural Engineering Journal | 17 | 3 | None | Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Technology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria | Ajav, E.A., Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Technology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Yinusa, B., Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Technology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria | The performance of a forage chopper is greatly dependent on some factors such as cutting knife angle, knife edge thickness etc. Therefore, in this work the effect of some factors (operating time and moisture) on forage chopper performance were determined. Moisture contents of the samples forage (Guinea grass-24.4%, 23.3%, 20.0% (wb), Siam weed-21.4%, 16.6%, 13.3% (wb) and Maize Stover-42%, 30%, 23% (wb)) were determined by oven-drying method. The machine was tested using Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standard at Department of Agricultural an Environmental Engineering in September, 2014. Effects of moisture content and operating time (Independent variables) on chopping efficiency, chopping capacity and length of cut of the machine were analysed using response surface design expert of 6.0.6 model. Responses were chopping capacity, chopping efficiency and length of cut. The results of the statistical analysis showed that, moisture content and operating time had significant effects (p<0.05) on the chopping capacities at 5% significant level while their effects on efficiencies were not significant at 5% significant level due to the cutting knife parameters of the machine. Moreover, the length of cut increased with the increase in moisture content but the effect was not significant. The chopping capacity, efficiency and length of cut are functions of the mechanical, physical properties of the material chopped and the cutting knife parameters of the machine. | Cutting knife parameters; Forage chopper; Moisture content; Operating time | Agriculture; Efficiency; Moisture; Moisture determination; Cutting knives; Guinea grass; Independent variables; Knife edge; Operating time; Oven drying method; Response surface designs; Siam weeds; Agricultural machinery | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84941646622 | Trend analysis in climatic variables and impacts on rice yield in Nigeria | Akinbile C.O., Akinlade G.M., Abolude A.T. | 2015 | Journal of Water and Climate Change | 6 | 3 | 10.2166/wcc.2015.044 | Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria | Akinbile, C.O., Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; Akinlade, G.M., Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; Abolude, A.T., Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria | The effects of changes in meteorological parameters on rice yield variations were considered. Weather parameters, temperature (T), rainfall (R), relative humidity (RH) and solar radiation (SR), and rice yield variation for Ibadan were analyzed. Meteorological parameters were obtained from the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture while rice yield data were obtained from the Africa Rice Centre both in Nigeria for three decades (1980-2010). Trends analysis of past and recent variations using the weather parameters obtained showed trends of variability of each parameter with respect to rice yield. Mann-Kendall trend and Sen's slope tests were performed on the respective meteorological variables while correlation, multiple regression and variability index (VI) were also computed for these parameters. Results showed that T, RH and rice yield were negative and decreased significantly (P < 0.001) while R and SR showed statistically non-significant increasing trends in the last three decades. R and T decreased at the rate of 3% per year and 0.03% per decade, respectively. Results of annual VI showed that decreases observed in RH, SR and rice yield were rather recent. T, SR and R were found to have the most significant effect on rice yield of all the meteorological parameters considered. © IWA Publishing 2015. | Nigeria; Rice yield; Trend analysis; Weather parameters | Climate change; Meteorological parameters; Meteorological variables; Multiple regressions; Nigeria; Rice yield; Trend analysis; Tropical agriculture; Weather parameters; Balloons; climate change; climate effect; crop yield; multiple regression; rice; trend analysis; Ibadan; Nigeria; Oyo | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84951006349 | Environmental impact assessment of two polluting sources on stream in Nigeria | Akinbile C.O., Olugbojo W.O., Olubanjo O.O. | 2015 | International Agricultural Engineering Journal | 17 | 3 | None | Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia | Akinbile, C.O., Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia; Olugbojo, W.O., Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; Olubanjo, O.O., Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria | The environmental impact of locating two polluting sources of landfill (refuse dump) and petrochemicals on Alaba stream in Akure, Nigeria was assessed. Twenty physio-chemical parameters were analyzed for wet and dry seasons respectively with three sampling points within 5m intervals from one another of the two polluting sources on the stream. The parameters include: colour, odour, taste, pH, temperature, turbidity, alkalinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and total solids (TS). Others were chloride (CL-), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), lead (Pb), nitrate (NO3), sulphate (SO4-2), oil and grease, Escherichia coli (E-coli) and faecal coliform. Some parameters were determined in-situ while others were determined using APHA (2005) standard procedures and results obtained were subjected to statistical analysis. All the samples investigated contained a considerable degree of pollution which asserted the pollution of the stream. The results for dry and wet seasons indicated that the conductivity, 353.33±15.0 and 256.67±26.58, Alkalinity, 52.83±16.0 and 90.90±20.98, DO, 0.33±0.08 and 0.48±0.01mg/l, Turbidity, 57.22±7.15 and 8.10±1.70, BOD, 0.20±0.10 and 0.22±0.11, TDS, 0.18±0.16 and 0.46±0.42. E-coli had values 55.37±7.45 and 8.99±3.23, faecal coliform, 241.50±11.64 and 129.83±35.06 and Pb, 13.72±7.68 and 11.88±5.20 respectively. Others were sulphate, 1298.33±422.52 and 1273.33±423.77, nitrate, 6.40±0.96, chloride, 0.33±0.12. Most of the values (with the exception of pH and alkalinity) were above the maximum permissible levels of FAO, WHO and NSDWQ standards and parameters such as pH, turbidity, DO, BOD, Pb, E-coli and faecal coliform decreased as the distance from the polluting sources increased. Statistical analyses showed significant differences at specific confidence levels while treatment of Alaba stream is required to achieve minimum acceptable level for domestic uses, public awareness on the dangers inherent in polluting the stream should be carried out. | Akure; Landfill; Microbiological parameters; Petrochemical; Physico-chemical parameters; Pollution; Stream | Alkalinity; Biochemical oxygen demand; Chemical analysis; Chlorine compounds; Dissolved oxygen; Environmental impact assessments; Escherichia coli; Land fill; Lead; Nitrates; Petrochemicals; pH; Pollution; River pollution; Statistical methods; Turbidity; Akure; Degree of pollutions; Dry and wet seasons; Micro-biological parameters; Physico - chemical parameters; Stream; Total dissolved solids; Total suspended solids; Environmental impact | None |
| None | None | Impact of agricultural technology adoption on asset ownership: the case of improved cassava varieties in Nigeria | Awotide B.A., Alene A.D., Abdoulaye T., Manyong V.M. | 2015 | Food Security | 7 | 6 | 10.1007/s12571-015-0500-7 | Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria; International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Lilongwe, Malawi; International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania | Awotide, B.A., Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Alene, A.D., International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria; Abdoulaye, T., International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Lilongwe, Malawi; Manyong, V.M., International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania | Using household survey data from a sample of about 850 households selected from six States in south-west Nigeria, this paper analyses the effects of the adoption of improved cassava varieties (ICVs) on asset ownership among smallholder farmers. The results of the linear regression with endogenous treatment effects showed that adoption of ICVs is positively related to asset ownership. The results further showed that ICVs had greater impact on asset ownership among female-headed households. The impact analysis using propensity score matching (PSM) showed a significant and positive effect of adoption of ICVs on asset ownership and a negative effect on asset poverty. The empirical results suggest that improved agricultural technologies can play a key role in strengthening asset ownership of smallholder farmers for increased agricultural productivity and income generation. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht and International Society for Plant Pathology. | Adoption; Assets; Cassava; Farmer; Impact; Nigeria; Poverty; PSM | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84943147298 | The effect of diet and feeding system on the on-farm performance of local chickens during the early growth phase | Nakkazi C., Kugonza D.R., Kayitesi A. | 2015 | Livestock Research for Rural Development | 27 | 10 | None | Department of Agricultural Production, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, (CAES) Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda; National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI), P. O. Box 96, Tororo, Uganda; Department of Animal Production and Range Management, Gulu University, P.O. Box 166, Gulu, Uganda | Nakkazi, C., Department of Agricultural Production, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, (CAES) Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda; Kugonza, D.R., Department of Agricultural Production, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, (CAES) Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda, National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI), P. O. Box 96, Tororo, Uganda, Department of Animal Production and Range Management, Gulu University, P.O. Box 166, Gulu, Uganda; Kayitesi, A., Department of Agricultural Production, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, (CAES) Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda | This study evaluated the performance of local chickens on three diets and two feeding systems under on-farm conditions. The diets used were formulated from local feedstuffs that had been identified in a baseline survey and analyzed for chemical composition in the laboratory. Based on the laboratory results, two diets were formulated containing 20% CP and 2900Kcal ME/kg (D20) and 23% CP; 3200KcalME/kg (D23). A commercial diet (D18) containing 18% CP; 2800 Kcal ME/kg was obtained from a local feed supplier to be used as a control. The three diets were then used in conducting growth trials with chicks under two different systems of feeding. The first system involved feeding the birds intensively. The three diets were feed separately to four replicate groups of ten chicks each. This system used 120 un-sexed day old local chicks that were obtained from a local hatchery and brooded artificially. The second system involved feeding the experimental diets to semi-scavenging chicks brooded by their mother hens in confinement cages from 6.00 am to 12.00 noon, after which they were let out to scavenge. A weighed amount of feed was given to each batch and left over feed was weighed and recorded each week to compute feed consumption. In both experiments birds were weighed in batches on day one and thereafter weekly for six weeks. The data revealed no difference in the growth rate and final live body weight of chicks under the three dietary treatments. Chickens that were fed intensively exhibited better growth and survival rates than those that were fed from 6.00 am to 12.00 noon then let out to scavenge. Hence it was concluded that that a diet containing 18% CP and 2800Kcal ME/kg is sufficient for rearing local chickens during the early growth phase (0-6 weeks) on-farm. Also intensive feeding of local chickens results into better growth and survival than the semi-scavenging system. © 2015, Fundacion CIPAV. All rights reserved. | Chicks; Dietary-energy; Growth rate; Semi-scavenging | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84960366261 | Evaluation of rice genotypes for resistance to brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens stål) populations from the central region of Thailand | Sreewongchai T., Worede F., Phumichai C., Sripichitt P. | 2015 | Kasetsart Journal - Natural Science | 49 | 4 | None | Department of Agronomy, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand; Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute, Sirinka Research Center, Woldia, Ethiopia | Sreewongchai, T., Department of Agronomy, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand; Worede, F., Department of Agronomy, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand, Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute, Sirinka Research Center, Woldia, Ethiopia; Phumichai, C., Department of Agronomy, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand; Sripichitt, P., Department of Agronomy, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand | Intensive cultivation of rice is believed to be one of the factors responsible for the outbreak of brown planthopper (BPH). An experiment was conducted to study the reaction of 22 rice genotypes to six populations of BPH collected from rice research centers and from farmers’ fields of central Thailand. The results showed that populations of BPH from rice research centers were relatively more virulent than those from farmers’ fields. Cluster analysis using the mean BPH damage score divided the genotypes into three groups. Group I contained 18 susceptible genotypes including the susceptible check TN1. Group II contained two moderately resistant genotypes, IR64 and RD31, while the third group was made up of the resistant checks, Rathu Heenati and Ptb33. Rathu Heenati and Ptb33 could be used as sources of resistance for BPH in central Thailand. However, it is important to study the reaction of more genotypes by using additional BPH populations. The differential response of genotypes to populations of rice research centers and farmers’ fields of the same province also needs further investigation. © 2015, Kasetsart University. All right reserved. | Brown planthopper; Nilaparvata lugens stål; Resistance; Rice | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928943380 | Evaluation of nitrogen fertilizer rates on growth and yield of commercially grown maize genotypes in southwestern Nigeria | Olaniyan A.B. | 2015 | Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment | 13 | 2 | None | Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria | Olaniyan, A.B., Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria | Experiments were designed to estimate the nitrogen requirements of some commercially grown maize genotypes and those under research trials. The first experiment consisted of four rates of nitrogen fertilizer (N 0, 25, 75 and 100 kg/ha) with three maize genotypes: single-cross hybrid (Oba Super1), and two open pollinated genotypes, I-WDC3Syn and ACR-91Suwan1-SRC1, while in the second experiment, six fertilizer rates were used (N 0, 50, 75,100,150 and 200 kg/ha) and two additional maize genotypes (STR double cross and STR 3 way cross) were included. Experimental designs were split plot with fertilizer rates as the main plots and maize genotypes as subplots. Data were taken on morphological parameters, growth rates, dry matter production, yield and components of yield. No consistent differences were recorded for most growth and morphological parameters; though the parameters increased with increasing nitrogen. Grain yield of maize genotypes significantly (P = 0.05) increased with response up to N 200 kg/ha; however, no significant increase was obtained above N 75 kg/ha. Grain yield increase of 18.1, 64.8 and 71.8% were recorded at N 25, 75 and 100 kg/ha, respectively, in the first experiment, while increase of 37.5, 42.6, 60.5, 59.3 and 73.4% were recorded at N 50, 75, 100, 150 and 200 kg/ha, respectively, for second experiment. Grain yield of commercial hybrid was higher than that of the open pollinated genotypes in all the nitrogen fertilizer rates. Hybrid maize genotype (Oba super1) outyielded the open pollinated genotypes ACR-91Suwan1-SRC1 and I-WDC3Syn by 13.4 and 20.4%, respectively, in the first experiment and 17.6 and 32.8%, respectively, in the second experiment. In conclusion, hybrid maize genotypes were superior to open pollinated genotypes, indicating that hybrid maize does not require more nitrogen fertilizer than open pollinated in exhibiting their potential yield, also, additional maize grain increase with respect to fertilizer cost was not profitable above N 100 kg/ha. © 2015, World Food Ltd. and WFL Publishers. All rights reserved. | Genotypes; Grain yield; Maize; Nitrogen fertilizer | nitrogen fertilizer; agricultural parameters; Article; biomass production; chlorophyll content; experimental design; genotype; genotype environment interaction; grain yield; growth rate; leaf area; maize; Nigeria; nonhuman; plant growth; plant height; plant structures; plant yield component; plantation; soil analysis | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84942258758 | The appropriateness of preoperative blood testing: A retrospective evaluation and cost analysis | Buley H.E., Bishop D., Rodseth R. | 2015 | South African Medical Journal | 105 | 6 | 10.7196/SAMJ.9318 | Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Perioperative Research Group, Department of Anaesthetics and Critical Care, School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Department of Outcomes Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States | Buley, H.E., Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Bishop, D., Perioperative Research Group, Department of Anaesthetics and Critical Care, School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Rodseth, R., Perioperative Research Group, Department of Anaesthetics and Critical Care, School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa, Department of Outcomes Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States | Background. Inappropriate preoperative blood testing can negatively contribute to healthcare costs. Objective. To determine the extent and cost implications of inappropriate preoperative blood testing in adult patients booked for orthopaedic, general or trauma surgical procedures at a regional hospital in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa (SA). Methods. We undertook a retrospective observational study using routine clinical data collected from eligible patient charts. The appropriateness of preoperative blood tests was evaluated against locally published guidelines on testing for elective and non-elective surgery. The cost of the relevant blood tests was determined using the National Health Laboratory Service 2014 State Pricing List. Results. A total of 320 eligible patient charts were reviewed over a 4-week period. Preoperative blood testing was performed in 318 patients. There was poor compliance with current departmental guidelines, with an estimated over-expenditure of ZAR81 019. Non-compliance was particularly prevalent in younger patients, patients graded as American Society of Anesthesiologists 1 and 2, and low-risk surgery groups. Conclusion. Inappropriate preoperative blood testing is common in our hospital, particularly in low-risk patients. This is associated with an increase in healthcare costs, and highlights the need for SA doctors to become more cost-conscious in their approach to blood testing practices. © 2015, South African Medical Association. All rights reserved. | None | albumin; C reactive protein; calcium; creatinine; electrolyte; magnesium; phosphate; urea; adult; aged; Article; blood cell count; blood examination; blood gas analysis; comorbidity; cost benefit analysis; erythrocyte sedimentation rate; human; international normalized ratio; liver function test; major clinical study; middle aged; observational study; preoperative evaluation; retrospective study; South Africa; surgical technique | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928697233 | Impact of alcohol on male reproductive hormones, oxidative stress and semen parameters in Sprague-Dawley rats | Oremosu A.A., Akang E.N. | 2015 | Middle East Fertility Society Journal | 20 | 2 | 10.1016/j.mefs.2014.07.001 | Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria; Department of Anatomy, College of Health Sciences, Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria | Oremosu, A.A., Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria; Akang, E.N., Department of Anatomy, College of Health Sciences, Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria | Objective To investigate the impact of alcohol on the reproductive hormones, oxidative stress and semen parameters. Design This is an experimental animal study. Materials and methods Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing between 170 and 200 g received 30% v/v ethanol at a concentration of 2 g/kg body weight for a period of 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 16 weeks. Parameters tested include: testosterone, estrogen, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), gonadotropin hormone releasing hormone (GnRH), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), sperm count and sperm motility. Results After the 4 week study, there was a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in estrogen levels, sperm count and sperm motility. Testosterone levels also decreased while MDA levels increased significantly. After the 8 week study, testosterone levels decreased significantly, LH and FSH also decreased but GnRH levels increased significantly. MDA and SOD levels increased significantly but sperm count and sperm motility decreased significantly compared to controls. After the 16 week study, testosterone and GnRH levels decreased significantly compared to controls. MDA levels increased significantly while sperm count and motility decreased significantly. Conclusion Acute and chronic administration of alcohol depletes testosterone levels, increases oxidative stress and decreases semen parameters. This impact of alcohol on testosterone levels is mediated by direct testicular toxicity and by altering the hormone feedback system in the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus. | Alcohol; Infertility; Luteinizing hormone; Oxidative stress; Sperm count; Sperm motility; Testosterone | alcohol; estrogen; follitropin; glutathione; gonadorelin; luteinizing hormone; malonaldehyde; superoxide dismutase; testosterone; adult; alcohol consumption; animal cell; animal experiment; Article; concentration (parameters); controlled study; feedback system; hormone action; hormone determination; hypophysis; male; male infertility; nonhuman; oxidative stress; protein analysis; rat; spermatozoon count; spermatozoon motility; testis disease; tissue level | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84922985341 | Radiologic Evaluation of the Orbital Index among the Igbo Ethnic Group of Nigeria | Ezeuko V.C., Om'Iniabohs F.A.E. | 2015 | European Journal of Anatomy | 19 | 1 | None | Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria | Ezeuko, V.C., Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria; Om'Iniabohs, F.A.E., Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria | The two orbits in the human face serve as sockets for the eyeball and other visual apparatus. It is pyramidal in shape with the apex directed posteriorly and the base which forms the orbital margin located anteriorly. The purpose of this study was to radiologically evaluate the orbital index of the Igbo ethnic group of Nigeria. Three hundred and fifty frontal plain radiological films of the skull were obtained from the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. The films comprised of 217 males and 133 females aged between zero and seventy nine years (0-79 years). The maximal orbital height was measured from the frontal film as the maximum vertical distance between the superior and inferior orbital rims while the maximal orbital width was determined as the maximum horizontal distance between the medial and lateral orbital rims. The orbital indices were estimated from the data gathered using the formula: Orbital index=[maximal orbital height/maximal orbital width]*100. The analyses were done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. The results are reported as mean ± standard deviation. The orbital indices of both sides as well as both sexes were compared using the Student t-test. The differences were considered statistically significant when probability was less than 0.05 (P<0.05). The results showed that the mean orbital index was 73.09±13.47. This study also revealed that the orbital index was significantly higher (P<0.05) in males than in females. There were no statistically significant differences (P>0.05) between the right and left orbital indices in both sexes. It is recommended that further populationbased studies be carried out in different geographical locations. | Igbo ethnic group; Orbital height; Orbital index; Orbital width; Radiology | adolescent; adult; aged; Article; child; ethnic group; female; human; Igbo (people); infant; inferior orbital rim; major clinical study; male; maximal orbital width; maximum horizontal distance; maximum vertical distance; middle aged; musculoskeletal system parameters; newborn; Nigeria; orbit; orbital height; orbital index; preschool child; school child; sex difference; skull radiography; superior orbital rim; very elderly | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940875454 | Impact of response criteria (tibia ash weight vs. percent) on phytase relative non phytate phosphorus equivalance | Li W., Angel R., Kim S.-W., Jiménez-Moreno E., Proszkowiec-Weglarz M., Plumstead P.W. | 2015 | Poultry Science | 94 | 9 | 10.3382/ps/pev156 | Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States; Danisco Animal Nutrition, DuPont Industrial Biosciences, Marlborough, United Kingdom; Danisco Animal Science, DuPont Industrial Biosciences, Marlborough, United Kingdom; Cargill Animal Nutrition, Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Spain; Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | Li, W., Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States, Danisco Animal Science, DuPont Industrial Biosciences, Marlborough, United Kingdom; Angel, R., Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States; Kim, S.-W., Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States; Jiménez-Moreno, E., Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States, Cargill Animal Nutrition, Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Spain; Proszkowiec-Weglarz, M., Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States; Plumstead, P.W., Danisco Animal Nutrition, DuPont Industrial Biosciences, Marlborough, United Kingdom, Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | The current study was conducted to evaluate the impacts of using tibia ash percentage or ash weight as the response criteria on estimated phytase relative equivalence. Straight run broilers were fed treatment (Trt) diets from 7 to 21 d age (6 birds/pen, 8 pens/Trt). The corn-soy based Trt were formulated to contain 0.80% Ca and 4 non-phytate phosphorus (nPP) concentrations (0.20, 0.27, 0.34, and 0.40%). Monocalcium phosphate was the inorganic phosphate source added to achieve 4 different dietary nPP concentrations and against which the nPP relative equivalence of phytase was determined. A 6-phytase (Danisco Animal Nutrition, DuPont Industrial Biosciences, Marlborough, UK) was added at 500 or 1,000 phytase unit (FTU)/kg to the 0.20% nPP diet resulting 6 total Trts. Tibia ash was determined at 21 d age. Phytase fed at 500 or 1,000 FTU/kg increased tibia ash weight and ash percentage compared to that of birds fed 0.20% nPP diet without phytase (P < 0.05). Graded nPP were log transformed and regressed against tibia ash (weight and percentage) to calculate phytase nPP relative equivalence. The R2 obtained from pen value regressions were 0.81 and 0.84, for tibia ash weight and percentage, respectively. Ash percentage from birds fed 500 and 1,000 FTU phytase/kg fell within the range obtained with the MCP additions. Ash weight (842 mg/tibia) from birds fed 1,000 FTU phytase/kg exceeded (P < 0.05) maximum weight (773 mg/tibia) measured in birds fed the greatest nPP Trt (0.40%), thus the nPP relative equivalence was only calculated in birds fed 500 FTU phytase/kg Trt. The nPP relative equivalence in birds fed 500 FTU phytase/kg were 0.117 and 0.168% based on ash percentage and weight, respectively (P < 0.05). The nPP relative equivalence in birds fed 1,000 FTU phytase/kg was 0.166% for ash percentage. Results suggested that ash weight better reflects the amount of bone mineralization as compared to ash percentage and using ash percentage may lead to an underestimation of phytase efficacy. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc. | ash percentage; ash weight; broiler chicken; nPP relative phytase equivalence; tibia ash | bone ash; mineral; phosphate intake; phytase; administration and dosage; analysis; animal; animal food; biological model; chemistry; chicken; diet; drug effects; phosphate intake; physiology; randomization; tibia; veterinary; 6-Phytase; Animal Feed; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Chickens; Diet; Minerals; Models, Biological; Phosphorus, Dietary; Random Allocation; Tibia | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84925453374 | The impact of firm size and liquidity on the cost of external finance in africa | Hearn B., Piesse J. | 2015 | South African Journal of Economics | 83 | 1 | 10.1111/saje.12062 | Department of Business, Management and Economics, University of Sussex, Jubilee Building, Brighton, United Kingdom; Bournemouth University, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa | Hearn, B., Department of Business, Management and Economics, University of Sussex, Jubilee Building, Brighton, United Kingdom; Piesse, J., Department of Business, Management and Economics, University of Sussex, Jubilee Building, Brighton, United Kingdom, Bournemouth University, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa | Established illiquidity measures are constructed for emerging markets in Africa and used to determine which best explains trading costs. Costs of equity are derived from an augmented Capital Asset Pricing Model for a sample of emerging financial markets generally ignored in the literature. These include: South Africa and Namibia, three countries in North Africa and four in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), plus London and Paris as examples of integrated markets. Minimum variance portfolios are constructed and asset weights derived, with the sample divided into countries dependent on their legal regime. Portfolio weights are shown to be directly related to well-regulated markets with high standards of corporate governance and disclosure, and firms seeking cost-effective finance from SSA stock markets are at a distinct disadvantage compared with those in Northern Africa, South Africa and, in particular, London and Paris. © 2014 Economic Society of South Africa. | Africa; emerging financial markets; G11; G12; G15; Liquidity; O55; portfolio diversification | equity; financial market; financial system; firm size; governance approach; industrial investment; stock market; England; France; Ile de France; London [England]; Namibia; North Africa; Paris; South Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; United Kingdom; Ville de Paris | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84925256528 | The impact of DNA parentage verification on breeding value estimation and sire ranking in South African Angora goats | Garritsen C., Van Marle-Köster E., Snyman M.A., Visser C. | 2015 | Small Ruminant Research | 124 | None | 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2015.01.008 | Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute, Private Bag X529, Middelburg, South Africa | Garritsen, C., Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Van Marle-Köster, E., Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Snyman, M.A., Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute, Private Bag X529, Middelburg, South Africa; Visser, C., Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | Pedigree integrity plays a crucial role in the achievement of genetic progress in livestock selection programmes. DNA marker-based parentage testing has become a useful tool for amending inaccuracies in on-farm pedigree records. In the current study, the extent of inaccurate and incomplete pedigree records was quantified in 381 South African Angora goats using a 12 microsatellite markers. Eight half-sib families with a total of 317 Angora kids, 40 kids with unknown sires and an additional 16 putative sires were included in the study. 14.3% of the on-farm pedigrees were amended, including incorrect (according to the DNA verification) or incomplete records. Estimated breeding values (EBV) for fleece traits (fibre diameter and fleece weight) as well as body weights (birth weight and weaning weight) were calculated for 21 sires using ASREML, firstly for the breeder's recorded pedigree and secondly for the DNA-verified pedigree. An overall greater effect was observed in body weight traits than in fleece weight traits with regard to sire EBVs and the ranking thereof. The significant change realised in sire ranking after DNA marker-based pedigree verification emphasises the importance of pedigree integrity in maximising selection accuracy for the production of the highest quality mohair clip in the South African Angora goat industry. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. | Body weight; Fleece traits; Microsatellite markers; Pedigree integrity; Sire selection | Capra hircus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84953358220 | Long-term impacts of season of grazing on soil carbon sequestration and selected soil properties in the arid Eastern Cape, South Africa | Talore D.G., Tesfamariam E.H., Hassen A., Du Toit J.C.O., Klumpp K., Soussana J.F. | 2015 | Plant and Soil | 397 | 42371 | 10.1007/s11104-015-2625-z | Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private bag 0083, Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Plant Production and Soil Science, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Private bag 0002, Pretoria, South Africa; Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute, Middelburg, Eastern Cape, South Africa; INRA, Grassland Ecosystem Research (UR874), Chemin de Beaulieu, Clermont Ferrand Cedex 2, France; French National Institute for Agronomic Research, INRA, Paris, France | Talore, D.G., Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private bag 0083, Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa; Tesfamariam, E.H., Department of Plant Production and Soil Science, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Private bag 0002, Pretoria, South Africa; Hassen, A., Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private bag 0083, Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa; Du Toit, J.C.O., Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute, Middelburg, Eastern Cape, South Africa; Klumpp, K., INRA, Grassland Ecosystem Research (UR874), Chemin de Beaulieu, Clermont Ferrand Cedex 2, France; Soussana, J.F., French National Institute for Agronomic Research, INRA, Paris, France | Background and aims: The Karoo biomes of South Africa are major feed resources for livestock farming, yet soil nutrient depletion and degradation is a major problem. The objective of this study was to assess impacts of long-term (>75 years) grazing during spring (SPG), summer (SUG), winter (WG) and exclosure (non-grazed control) treatments on soil nutrients, penetration resistance and infiltration tests. Methods: A soil sampling campaign was carried out to collect soil to a depth of 60 cm to analyse bulk density, soil physical and chemical parameters as well as soil compaction and infiltration. Results: Generally, grazing treatments reduced soil organic C (SOC) stocks and C:N ratios, and modified soil properties. There was higher SOC stock (0.128 Mg ha−1 yr−1) in the exclosure than in the SPG (0.096 Mg ha−1 yr−1), SUG (0.099 Mg ha−1 yr−1) and WG (0.105 Mg ha−1 yr−1). The C:N ratios exhibited similar pattern to that of C. From the grazing treatments, the WG demonstrated 7 to 10 % additional SOC stock over the SPG and SUG, respectively. Conclusions: Short period animal exclusion could be an option to be considered to improve plant nutrients in sandy soils of South Africa. However, this may require a policy environment which supports stock exclusion from such areas vulnerable to land degradation, nutrient and C losses by grazing-induced vegetation and landscape changes. © 2015, Springer International Publishing Switzerland. | Arid ecosystem; Exclosure; Grazing season; Organic matter; Soil organic carbon; Total nitrogen | Animalia | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84937512504 | Growth performance and carcass characteristics of three chicken strains in response to incremental levels of dietary Moringa oleifera leaf meal | Sebola N.A., Mlambo V., Mokoboki H.K., Muchenje V. | 2015 | Livestock Science | 178 | None | 10.1016/j.livsci.2015.04.019 | Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology, North-West University, Mmabatho, Mafikeng, South Africa; Food Security and Safety Niche Area, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology, North-West University, Mmabatho, Mafikeng, South Africa; Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, University of Fort Hare, Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa | Sebola, N.A., Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology, North-West University, Mmabatho, Mafikeng, South Africa, Food Security and Safety Niche Area, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology, North-West University, Mmabatho, Mafikeng, South Africa; Mlambo, V., Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology, North-West University, Mmabatho, Mafikeng, South Africa, Food Security and Safety Niche Area, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology, North-West University, Mmabatho, Mafikeng, South Africa; Mokoboki, H.K., Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology, North-West University, Mmabatho, Mafikeng, South Africa, Food Security and Safety Niche Area, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology, North-West University, Mmabatho, Mafikeng, South Africa; Muchenje, V., Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, University of Fort Hare, Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa | A 90-day feeding trial was conducted to determine the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf meal supplementation on growth performance and carcass characteristics of three chicken strains (male and female) that are normally reared under extensive production systems in South Africa. Moringa leaves were harvested by hand, air-dried and milled into M. oleifera leaf meal (MOLM). The MOLM was chemically analysed and used to dilute a commercial broiler finisher diet at 0 (MOLM0), 25 (MOLM25), 50 (MOLM50), and 100 (MOLM100) g/kg DM, producing four dietary treatments. Two hundred and sixteen (216) Potchefstroom Koekoek (PK), Ovambo (OV) and Black Australorp (BA) chickens were raised on a commercial starter mash for 4 weeks. On the fourth week, experimental diets were offered and growth performance data were collected over a period of 13 weeks. Carcass characteristics were measured upon slaughter at the end of the 13-week feeding period. Diet×strain interaction was significant (. P<0.001) for feed intake but not (. P>0.05) for growth rate and FCE. Feed intake responded to incremental levels of MOLM in an asymptotic fashion. Maximum feed intake was achieved at dietary MOLM inclusion levels between 50 and 70. g/kg DM. Black Australorp chickens had the highest feed conversion efficiency (FCE) of 2.35, while OV and PK chickens had lower FCE values of 2.09 and 2.05, respectively. Diet, strain and gender, all had significant effects on dressing percent (. P<0.001), leg and thigh weight (. P<0.05), and wing weight (. P<0.05). Male chickens attained higher (. P<0.05) carcass weight, leg and thigh weight, dressing percent, and breast mass than female chickens (. P<0.001). In female chickens, diets containing MOLM resulted in chickens with better carcass weight, leg and thigh weight, dressing percent, and breast mass compared to the control. In conclusion, Black Australorp chickens were better at utilizing diets with higher levels of MOLM compared to OV and PK strains. Inclusion of MOLM in chicken diets positively affected growth performance and carcass characteristics of the birds. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.. | Carcass weight; Feed conversion efficiency; Feed intake; Indigenous chickens; Moringa oleifera leaf meal | Aves; Gallus gallus; Moringa; Moringa oleifera | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84938591460 | Beyond Static Models: An Evaluation of Present Status and Future Prospects for Iron Age Research in Southern Africa | Fredriksen P.D., Chirikure S. | 2015 | Cambridge Archaeological Journal | 25 | 3 | 10.1017/S0959774314001115 | Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1019, Oslo, Norway; Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa | Fredriksen, P.D., Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1019, Oslo, Norway, Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Chirikure, S., Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa | To what extent do we need structuralist cognitive settlement models such as the Central Cattle Pattern and the Zimbabwe Pattern for future research and understanding of Iron Age social life in southern Africa? How will alternative approaches enable us to progress beyond the present status of knowledge? While the three last decades of debate have underpinned key aspects of archaeological inquiry, notably questions of social change, gender dynamics, analytical scale and the use of ethnographic and ethnoarchaeological insights, the sometimes entrenched nature of the debate has in other respects hindered development of new approaches and restrained the range of themes and topics scholars engage with. In this article, we identify the issues of analytical scale and recursiveness as key to the development of future approaches and present an alternative framework through empirically grounded discussion of three central Iron Age themes: ceramics and the microscale, the spatiality of metal production and the temporality of stonewalled architecture. © 2015 The McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research. | None | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84946077792 | The joint impact of stock market and corruption on economic growth and development in Nigeria: Evidence from cointegration and vecm analysis | Nageri I.K., Nageri I.S., Amin A. | 2015 | Serbian Journal of Management | 10 | 2 | 10.5937/sjm10-7507 | Department of Banking and Finance, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, P.M.B 1601, Ilorin Kwara State, Nigeria; Department of Finance, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria; Department of Business Administration, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria | Nageri, I.K., Department of Banking and Finance, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, P.M.B 1601, Ilorin Kwara State, Nigeria; Nageri, I.S., Department of Finance, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria; Amin, A., Department of Business Administration, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria | This paper studies the effect of capital market on economic growth in the presence of corruption in the Nigerian context. We employed the use of cointegration and Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). We find out that both corruption and capital market has long run associationship with economic development in Nigeria but has no short run relationship. This simply means that there is short run gain and long run pain for the Nigerian economy if corruption and capital market are not checked and well regulated respectively in Nigeria. We therefore recommend that government should strengthen the anti-graft agencies and equip them technologically and make them independent, educate the public on the problems associated with corrupt practices and the economic implication especially through the capital market and encourage local investors to invest in the capital market to improve liquidity and profitability of the Nigerian capital market. | Capital market; Co-integration; Corruption; Vector Error Correction | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940947761 | The impact of motivations, personal values and management skills on the performance of SMEs in South Africa | Asah F., Fatoki O.O., Rungani E. | 2015 | African Journal of Economic and Management Studies | 6 | 3 | 10.1108/AJEMS-01-2013-0009 | Department of Business Management, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa; Department of Business Management, University of Limpopo, Turfloop Campus, South Africa | Asah, F., Department of Business Management, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa; Fatoki, O.O., Department of Business Management, University of Limpopo, Turfloop Campus, South Africa; Rungani, E., Department of Business Management, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa | Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the impact of motivation, personal values and managerial skills of managers on the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through the use of self-administered questionnaire in a survey. Data analysis included factor analysis, descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and regression analysis. Findings – The findings revealed significant positive relationships between motivations, personal values and managerial skills of SME owners on performance. Research limitations/implications – Access to external finance (debt or equity) is one of the factors that can impact on the performance of growing SMEs. The non-accessibility of debt finance from commercial banks and trade creditors is seen as one of the major contributing factors to the failure of SMEs in South Africa. This study did not link access to finance to performance. Practical implications – The failure rate of SMEs is very high in South Africa. The study suggests that SME owners should incorporate values and improve management skills. In addition, SMEs that are motivated by opportunity have a better chance of survival. Social implications – To reduce unemployment and poverty in South Africa. Originality/value – This study adds to the understanding of the relationship between of personal values, motivations and management skills of managers and the performance of SMEs from a developing country perspective. © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited. | Managerial skills; Motivations; Personal values; SMEs performance | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84955288709 | Entrepreneurial self-efficacy and small business performance: The mediating effect of entrepreneurial mindset and openness to experience | Ngek N.B. | 2015 | Problems and Perspectives in Management | 13 | 4 | None | Department of Business Management, University of Free State, South Africa | Ngek, N.B., Department of Business Management, University of Free State, South Africa | Small business performance is a key concern around the globe as small businesses play a vital role in fostering economic growth and development. Despite the increasing research on enhancing small business performance, most small businesses still fail within the first three years of operations. As such, unearthing the underlying aspects on how several factors affect small business performance continues to be an important research agenda. This study focuses on examining the mediating effect of entrepreneurial mindset and openness to experience on the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) and small business performance. The empirical findings indicate that both entrepreneurial mindset and openness to experience fully mediate the ESE-performance relationship. These findings act as an enrichment of our current understanding of the ESE-performance relationship. The study culminates by providing both theoretical and practical implications for entrepreneurship theory and practice. © Neneh Brownhilder Ngek, 2015. | Entrepreneurial mindset; Entrepreneurial self-efficacy; Firm performance; Openness to experience; Small businesses | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930482270 | Growth performance and cost benefit of weaner rabbits fed diet supplemented with probiotic in the tropics | Ezema C., Eze D.C. | 2015 | Pakistan Journal of Nutrition | 14 | 1 | 10.3923/pjn.2015.47.49 | Department of Animal Health and Production, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria | Ezema, C., Department of Animal Health and Production, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Eze, D.C., Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria | This study investigated the effect of probiotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on growth rate and evaluated the economic benefit of this supplementation in growing rabbits. Twenty male crossed-bred weaner rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (A, B, C and D) of five rabbits each. Each rabbit served as a replicate. They were fed pelleted grower mash and groups A to C had probiotic supplementation at varied levels of 0.08, 0.12 and 0.16 g/kg of diet, respectively. Group D had no yeast (control). Feed and water were given ad libitum. Daily feed intake was determined and the rabbits were weighed weekly. The study lasted thirteen weeks. Results showed that all the probiotic supplemented groups had higher but not statistically significant (p>0.05) feed intake and significantly (p<0.05) higher weight gain than the control. Cost of experimental diet per kilogram of live weight gain was cheapest (N69.68) in group B (0.12 g yeast/kg diet) than other groups. Group B (0.12 g probiotic/kg of diet) was thus recommended for maximum weight gain and optimum economic benefit in rabbit production. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2015. | Economic benefit; Feed; Growth rate; Probiotic; Rabbit | probiotic agent; Article; body growth; body weight; controlled study; cost benefit analysis; diet supplementation; economic aspect; food intake; male; nonhuman; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; weight gain; Oryctolagus cuniculus; Saccharomyces cerevisiae | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930484345 | Probiotic effect of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on hen-day egg performance, serum and egg cholesterol levels in laying chicken | Ezema C., Eze D.C. | 2015 | Pakistan Journal of Nutrition | 14 | 1 | 10.3923/pjn.2015.44.46 | Department of Animal Health and Production, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria | Ezema, C., Department of Animal Health and Production, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Eze, D.C., Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria | This study evaluated the effect of varied levels of probiotc (Saccharomyces cereviae) on total serum and egg cholesterol levels in laying birds. The impact of this probiotic on hen-day egg performance was also studied. A total of 100 layers were randomly divided into 4 groups (A, B, C and D) of 25 layers each. The diets for groups A, B and C were supplemented with probiotic at varied levels of 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 g/kg of feed, respectively. Group D diet had no probiotic (Control). The layers were given 120 g of feed per bird per day in two divided doses (morning and afternoon). Eggs were collected three times daily (morning, afternoon and evening). All the eggs collected from each group were weighed and recorded daily. Five birds were randomly selected from each group and 5.0 ml of blood was collected from each bird. The blood samples were allowed to clot in a sample bottle and serum harvested was used to determine the total serum cholesterol content with the aid of a commercial kit. Five eggs were also randomly collected from each group and used to determine the total egg cholesterol content following standard procedure. The result showed that the probiotic fed groups had a significant (p<0.05) reduction in serum cholesterol levels than the control (group “D”). The least mean serum cholesterol level was group “A” (108.33±9.28 mg/dl) followed by group “C” (112.67±7.88 mg/dl) and group “B” (115.00±14.34 mg/dl). Group “D” (control) had a significantly higher mean serum cholesterol level of 166.67±8.82 mg/dl. Group “C” had a significantly higher (p<0.05) hen-day egg performance of 85.00±10.00%, followed by group “B” with 70.00±9.35% hen-day egg performance. Group “A” had a hen-day egg performance of 68.00±8.93% while group “D” (the control) had the least hen-day egg performance of 65.00±5.00%. Probiotic inclusion of 1.0 g/kg of feed was therefore recommended for effective reduction in serum and egg cholesterol levels and optimum hen-day egg performance. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2015. | Cholesterol; Eggs; Feed; Layers; Probiotic | cholesterol; probiotic agent; Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein; Article; blood level; controlled study; diet supplementation; egg laying; egg production; female; hen; nonhuman; Aves; Saccharomyces; Saccharomyces cerevisiae | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84942550935 | Evaluation of analytical assays efficiency to detect aflatoxin M<inf>1</inf> in milk from selected areas in Egypt and South Africa | Mwanza M., Abdel-Hadi A., Ali A.M., Egbuta M. | 2015 | Journal of Dairy Science | 98 | 10 | 10.3168/jds.2014-9220 | Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Agriculture and Technology, North West University, Mafikeng Campus, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho, South Africa; Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut Branch, Assiut, Egypt; College of Applied Medical Sciences, Medical laboratories Department, Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia; Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut Branch, Assiut, Egypt | Mwanza, M., Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Agriculture and Technology, North West University, Mafikeng Campus, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho, South Africa; Abdel-Hadi, A., Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut Branch, Assiut, Egypt, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Medical laboratories Department, Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia; Ali, A.M., Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut Branch, Assiut, Egypt; Egbuta, M., Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Agriculture and Technology, North West University, Mafikeng Campus, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho, South Africa | Recently, methods to analyze aflatoxin M<inf>1</inf> (AFM<inf>1</inf>) in milk and dairy products have been developed for both screening purposes (i.e., rapid, economical, and simple methods) and for confirmation by accurate, reproducible, and sensitive quantification. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of different rapid kits and techniques available on the market by using different analytical methods: thin layer chromatography (TLC), immunoaffinity column, AFM<inf>1</inf> immunochromatographic strip, and ELISA; some samples were also submitted to HPLC for comparison of results. One hundred thirty-eight samples were collected from rural subsistence and commercial dairy farms in selected areas of Egypt and South Africa and analyzed for the presence of AFM<inf>1</inf>. The results obtained by AFM<inf>1</inf> immunochromatographic strip indicated the lowest frequency of occurrence, with a detection incidence of 20.45% in Egyptian samples and 16% in South African samples. Aflatoxin M<inf>1</inf> was detected by ELISA in 65 (73.9%) Egyptian milk samples, with a range of 8.52 to 78.06 ng/L, and in 34 (68%) South African milk samples, with a range of 5 to 120 ng/L. A higher incidence of AFM<inf>1</inf> in Egyptian milk samples was shown by TLC (81.8%) compared with ELISA (73.9%). Samples analyzed by ELISA in South African milk samples demonstrated satisfactory correlation when compared with HPLC coupled with Coring cell (an electrochemical cell for the derivatization of AFM<inf>1</inf>). Among the positive samples, 18 of the Egyptian samples (20.45%) positive by ELISA had levels of AFM<inf>1</inf> above the European Union (EU) regulatory limit (50 ng/L), whereas 65 samples (73.9%) were above the Egyptian regulatory limit (0 ng/L). Six of the South African samples (12%) tested by ELISA were above the South African (50 ng/L) and EU regulatory limits. The mean concentration of AFM<inf>1</inf> was 25.79 ng/L in Egyptian samples and 17.06 ng/L by ELISA and 39 ng/L by HPLC in South African samples. These contamination levels would not represent a serious public health hazard according to EU legislation. © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. | Aflatoxin M<inf>1</inf>; ELISA; HPLC; Milk; Thin layer chromatography | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84941748654 | Interaction effect of whole wheat feeding and mannanoligosaccharides supplementation on growth performance, haematological indices and caecal microbiota of cockerel chicks | Oso A.O., Erinle O.Y., William G.A., Ogunade A.C. | 2015 | Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition | 99 | 5 | 10.1111/jpn.12314 | Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Federal University of Agriculture, Nigeria | Oso, A.O., Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Federal University of Agriculture, Nigeria; Erinle, O.Y., Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Federal University of Agriculture, Nigeria; William, G.A., Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Federal University of Agriculture, Nigeria; Ogunade, A.C., Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Federal University of Agriculture, Nigeria | The interaction effect of whole wheat feeding and mannanoligosaccharides supplementation on growth performance, haematological indices and caecal microbiota of cockerel chicks were investigated using 250-day-old cockerel chicks previously reared for 7 days pre-experimental period. Birds were fed with commercial chick mash during the pre-experimental period. At the expiration of this period, 192 chicks were selected on weight equalization basis and assigned into 24 pens. Each treatment consisted of six pens, while each pen housed eight birds. Four wheat-soya bean-based experimental diets were formulated in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of diets having two wheat forms (ground and whole wheat grain) each supplemented or not with 1 g/kg MOS/kg feed. Whole wheat feeding (irrespective of MOS supplementation) showed reduced (p < 0.05) feed intake. Birds fed whole wheat diet supplemented with MOS recorded the highest (p < 0.01) final live weight, weight gain and the best (p < 0.05) feed conversion ratio. Haemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume and red blood cell count of the chicks were not affected (p > 0.05) by dietary treatment. However, dietary supplementation with MOS resulted in increased (p < 0.05) WBC counts. The caecum content of chicks fed with MOS-supplemented whole wheat diets recorded the least (p < 0.01) salmonella counts. In conclusion, combination of whole wheat feeding and MOS supplementation showed improved growth performance, gut microbiota and indications of improved health status of cockerel chicks. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH. | Caecal microbiota; Cockerel chicks; Haematological indices; Mannanoligosaccharides; Whole wheat feeding | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84938965419 | Effect of browse plant foliage supplementation on the performance of buckling goats fed threshed sorghum top basal diet | Isah O.A., Okunade S.A., Aderinboye R.Y., Olafadehan O.A. | 2015 | Tropical Animal Health and Production | 47 | 6 | 10.1007/s11250-015-0823-6 | Department of Animal Nutrition, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Department of Animal Production Technology, Federal College of Wildlife Management, New Bussa, Nigeria; Department of Animal Science, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria | Isah, O.A., Department of Animal Nutrition, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Okunade, S.A., Department of Animal Production Technology, Federal College of Wildlife Management, New Bussa, Nigeria; Aderinboye, R.Y., Department of Animal Nutrition, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Olafadehan, O.A., Department of Animal Science, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria | The effect of browse plants (Piliostigma thonningii, Daniellia oliveri, Afzelia africana, Pterocarpus erinaceus and Annona senegalensis) supplementation on nutrient intake, digestibility, nutritive value and N utilization and growth performance of buckling goats fed threshed sorghum top (TST) was investigated using 24 Red Sokoto goats (9.0 ± 0.25 kg) body weight (BW) which were randomly assigned to one of the six diets in a completely random design. Intakes of dry matter (DM) and nutrients, feed conversion ratio, digestibility of nutrients except for neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF), digestible organic matter (DOM), digestible crude protein (DCP), energy concentration, N utilization and average daily gain were superior (P < 0.05) in TST-supplemented diets compared to sole TST diet. Among the supplemental fodders, intakes of forage, DM, condensed tannins and most of the nutrients; digestibility of DM, crude protein (CP) and non-fibre carbohydrate, DOM and DCP; and N absorbed, balance and retention were greater (P < 0.05) in A. africana relative to the other fodders. Results indicate that the entire browse fodders are good supplements to low quality TST, though A. africana appears to have a better nutritive value. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht. | Digestibility; Goat; Intake; N utilization; Nutritive value; Weight gain | Afzelia africana; Annona senegalensis; Capra hircus; Daniellia oliveri; Pterocarpus erinaceus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930274972 | Growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, intestinal morphology and carcass traits of broiler chickens fed dry, wet and fermented-wet feed | Akinola O.S., Onakomaiya A.O., Agunbiade J.A., Oso A.O. | 2015 | Livestock Science | 177 | None | 10.1016/j.livsci.2015.04.016 | Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta, Ni | Akinola, O.S., Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Onakomaiya, A.O., Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Agunbiade, J.A., McPherson University Seriki-Satayo, Km 96 Lagos-Ibadan Expressway P.M.B. 2094, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Oso, A.O., Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta, Nigeria | This study seeks to investigate the growth performance, intestinal morphology, carcass traits and apparent nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens fed with dry, wet and fermented-wet feed. Three experimental diets were formulated in this study. Diet 1 was dry mash feed. Diet 2 was wet mash feed in a 1:1.3 mix with water. Diet 3, was fermented-wet mash feed in a 1:1.3 mix with water which was fermented for 24. h in sealed plastic polythene bags prior to feeding. A total of 192 two-weeks-old broilers (Marshal strain) were randomly assigned to the experimental diets in a completely randomized design (CRD). Each treatment group was replicated four times with 16 birds per replicate. Each dietary treatment was fed immediately to the birds after re-constitution. Fermentation of the feed reduced (P<0.05) the pH from 6.61 to 4.37. Birds fed fermented-wet and wet mash recorded higher (P<0.05) final live weight and weight gain. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not affected (P>0.05) by wet and fermented-wet fed birds compared to the dry fed birds. Mortality was not affected by dietary treatment imposed. Apparent organic matter digestibility was higher (P<0.05) in birds fed fermented-wet feed when compared to birds fed with dry and wet feed. Intestinal villus morphology and carcass measurement were not affected (P>0.05) by the treatment imposed. However, birds fed wet feed showed lower (P<0.05) gizzard weight when compared to birds fed fermented-wet feed. Birds fed with fermented-wet mash recorded higher (P<0.05) abdominal fat than those fed with dry mash. The results of this study indicated fermented-wet feeding improved apparent organic matter digestibility with a resultant improved growth performance of broiler chicken. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. | Broiler chicken; Carcass; Fermented-wet feed; Intestinal morphology; Performance; Wet feed | Aves; Gallus gallus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84922553428 | Effect of feed restriction and ascorbic acid supplementation on growth performance, rectal temperature and respiratory rate of broiler chicken | Olukomaiya O.O., Adeyemi O.A., Sogunle O.M., Abioja M.O., Ogunsola I.A. | 2015 | Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences | 25 | 1 | None | Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Department of Animal Physiology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Department of Animal Nutrition, Federal University of Agriculture, Abe | Olukomaiya, O.O., Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Adeyemi, O.A., Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Sogunle, O.M., Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Abioja, M.O., Department of Animal Physiology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Ogunsola, I.A., Department of Animal Nutrition, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria | A total of 252 two-week old Marshall broiler chickens were used in a 4 x 3 factorial experiment to determine the effect of feed restriction and ascorbic acid supplementation on growth performance, rectal temperature and respiratory rate of broiler chickens. The birds were weighed and randomly allotted to 12 treatments with 3 replicates of 7 birds each, subjected to 4 feed restriction levels: full feeding (AD), skip a day feeding (SAD), skip two days feeding (S2D) and skip three days feeding every week (S3D) for 24 hours from 15th to 35th day of age and 3 levels of ascorbic acid supplementation (0, 150, 300 mg/kg feed). Feed was provided ad libitum from days 36 to 56. Ascorbic acid supplementation had no effect (p>0.05) on the performance parameters measured during feed restriction. Birds on S3D fed diets containing 300 mg/kg ascorbic acid had the highest (p<0.05) weight gain during realimentation. Ascorbic acid lowered the rectal temperature in birds on S2D and S3D at the end of feed restriction. At the end of realimentation, birds on S3D fed diets containing 150 mg/kg ascorbic acid had the lowest (p<0.05) respiratory rate. Ascorbic acid supplementation at 150 mg/kg feed enhanced weight gain, rectal temperature and respiratory rate of broiler chickens on skip three days feeding every week. © 2015, Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum. All rights reserved. | Ascorbic acid; Broiler performance; Feed restriction; Rectal temperature; Respiratory rate | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84924240896 | Performance, haematological parameters and faecal egg count of semi-intensively managed West African dwarf sheep to varying levels of cassava leaves and peels supplementation | Fasae O.A., Amos A.O., Owodunni A., Yusuf A.O. | 2015 | Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science | 38 | 1 | None | Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta, Nigeria | Fasae, O.A., Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Amos, A.O., Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Owodunni, A., Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Yusuf, A.O., Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta, Nigeria | Thirty West African dwarf (WAD) sheep aged 18-24 months with average weight of 17.96±0.89kg, managed under semi-intensive system, were used in a 56-day experiment to investigate the effects of varying levels of cassava leaves (CL) and cassava peels (CPL) supplementation on the performance, haematological indices and faecal egg count of sheep. Animals were subjected to 6 dietary treatments of 100% CL, 100% CPL, 75% CL/25% CPL, 25% CL/75% CPL, 50% CL/50% CPL, and natural pasture (0% CL/0% CPL) in a complete randomized design. Results showed that weight gain (g/day) varied (P<0.05) across treatments from 26.25 to 44.64 with sheep supplemented with 75CL/25CPL having the highest (P < 0.05) growth rate and the least values observed in sheep on control treatment. The dry matter and crude protein digestibilities were least (P<0.05) in sheep supplemented with 100%CPL relative to other treatments. The white blood cells and total protein of sheep varied (P<0.05) across treatments, while supplementary diets of CL reduced faecal egg count in sheep. It was therefore concluded that the performance of sheep managed under the semi-intensive system, grazing natural pasture could further be enhanced through the supplementation of cassava leaves and peels with dietary levels of 75% CL/25% CPL recommended for sheep's optimum performance. © Universiti Putra Malaysia Press. | Cassava leaves; Cassava peels; Faecal egg count; Haematology; Performance; Sheep | Animalia; Manihot esculenta; Ovis aries | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84941175383 | Nutrient intake, digestibility and growth performance of Washera lambs supplemented with graded levels of sweet blue lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) seed | Ephrem N., Tegegne F., Mekuriaw Y., Yeheyis L. | 2015 | Small Ruminant Research | 130 | None | 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2015.07.019 | Department of Animal Production and Technology, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Arid Land Research Centre, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori, Japan; Amhara Region Agricultural Research Institute, P.O. Box 527, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia | Ephrem, N., Department of Animal Production and Technology, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Tegegne, F., Department of Animal Production and Technology, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, Arid Land Research Centre, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori, Japan; Mekuriaw, Y., Department of Animal Production and Technology, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Yeheyis, L., Amhara Region Agricultural Research Institute, P.O. Box 527, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia | The experiment was conducted to evaluate nutrient intake, digestibility and growth performance of Washera lambs fed natural pasture hay-based diet supplemented with graded levels of sweet blue lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) seed. Twenty male intact Washera lambs with average age of four months and initial body weight of 16.9±0.32kg (mean±SD) were used in 90 days feeding trial followed by 10 days digestibility trial. The design of the experiment was randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five replications. The four supplement feeds were;150g wheat bran (WB) (control-T<inf>1</inf>), 150g WB+195g sweet lupin seed (SLS) (T<inf>2</inf>), 150g WB+245g SLS (T<inf>3</inf>) and 150g WB and 295g SLS (T<inf>4</inf>). Natural pasture hay was offered ad libitum. Digestibility trial was conducted at the end of the growth trial. Data were analyzed using the General Linear Model (GLM) procedures of SAS (version 9.2). Means were separated using Duncan's Multiple Range test. Correlation between nutrient intake, digestibility of nutrients and weight gain were analyzed using Pearson correlation procedure. Results showed that supplementation of SLS significantly increased total dry matter, crude protein and organic matter intakes. Supplementation of SLS improved the digestibility of dry matter and organic matter (P<0.05) and crude protein (P<0.001). However, the digestibility of NDF and ADF were not affected by supplementation (P 0.05). Average daily gain (ADG) was higher (P<0.001) for the SLS supplemented groups (61.8-89.1g/day). It was concluded that sweet blue lupin seed could serve as alternative CP supplement in natural pasture hay-based feeding of Washera sheep. Based on the biological performance of the experimental lambs (ADG and FCE values), T<inf>3</inf> could be recommended for practical feeding of lambs if optimum performance is targeted. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.. | Digestibility; Dryland; Ethiopia; Grass hay; Nutrient intake; Sweet blue lupin; Washera sheep; Weight change | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940705892 | Milk production performance of Holstein Friesian dairy cows at Holetta Bull Dam Farm, Ethiopia | Ayalew W., Aliy M., Negussie E. | 2015 | Livestock Research for Rural Development | 27 | 9 | None | Department of Animal Production and Technology, Wolkite University, P.O.Box 07, Wolkite, Ethiopia; Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, P.O.Box 307, Jimma, Ethiopia; LUKE Natural Resources Institute Finland, Helsinki, Finland | Ayalew, W., Department of Animal Production and Technology, Wolkite University, P.O.Box 07, Wolkite, Ethiopia; Aliy, M., Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, P.O.Box 307, Jimma, Ethiopia; Negussie, E., LUKE Natural Resources Institute Finland, Helsinki, Finland | The study was carried out at Holetta Bull Dam farm to assess the effects of non genetic factors on milk production traits of Holstein Friesian dairy cattle. Records compiled from 1981 to 2013 were used as original data of production traits like 305 days milk yield (n=3538), total lactation milk yield (n=3706) and lactation length (n=2923) of the Holstein Friesian herd in Ethiopian management and environmental situation. Effects of period, sire origin, season and parity on milk yield traits were evaluated. The data were analyzed using general linear models. Result of the non-genetic factors revealed that period of calving, parity and sire origin had significant (p<0.001) effect and were the main causes of variation in milk production traits. Season of calving had no significant effect on milk production traits except on LL. The overall least squares means of LMY and LL were: 3689±45.0 kg, 3604±38.4 kg, and 319±1.91 days, respectively. Generally the productive performance of cows reported in this study was lower than the performance reported in many tropical regions and its expected genetic potential in their countries of their origins. Therefore, improving herd management, breeding practices, as well asconsidering genotype-environmental interactions during importation of breeding sire and heifer is very essential for full exploitation of exotic dairy cattle genetic potential in Ethiopia. © 2015 Fundacion CIPAV. All rights reserved. | Genetic factors; Genotype-environmental interactions; Origin of sire | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84938337719 | Effect of graded levels of roselle (hibiscus sabdariffa LINN.) calyx extract on performance and carcass characteristic of broiler chickens | Omolade A.-P., Abiola A.A., Grace L.O. | 2015 | International Journal of Poultry Science | 14 | 6 | None | Department of Animal Production, Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Moor Plantation IbadanOyo State, Nigeria; Department of Animal Science, University of IbadanOyo State, Nigeria | Omolade, A.-P., Department of Animal Production, Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Moor Plantation IbadanOyo State, Nigeria; Abiola, A.A., Department of Animal Science, University of IbadanOyo State, Nigeria; Grace, L.O., Department of Animal Science, University of IbadanOyo State, Nigeria | The study evaluated the effect of graded levels of the red variety of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) calyx extract on performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. A total of two hundred Arbor acres broiler birds were used for the study, these were randomly assigned to five treatments, (T<inf>1</inf>, T<inf>2</inf>, T<inf>3</inf>, T<inf>4</inf> and T<inf>5</inf>) which had broiler chicks on water only, 2 g of roselle calyx boiled in 1 L of water for 30 min, 4 g of roselle calyx boiled in 1 L of water for 30 min, 6 g of roselle calyx boiled in 1 L of water for 30 min and 8 g of roselle calyx boiled in 1 L of water for 30 min, respectively. The birds were further randomly sub-divided into four replicates of ten birds each. The birds were given basal diets at both the starter (0-3 weeks) and finisher phases (4-6 weeks). Data obtained were subjected to ANOVA and means separated using the Duncan's New Multiple Range Test. Result showed no significant difference in average daily fluid intake, average daily weight gain, feed intake and FCR of the birds at the starter phase. However, at the finisher phase, there was significant difference (p<0.05) in the values obtained for average daily feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion. Carcass evaluation showed birds in T5 had better breast meat weight and dressing percentage. The extract was not toxic to the birds and can be administered to broiler chickens at a graded level of 8 g of Roselle calyx boiled in 1 L of water for 30 min. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2015. | Carcass characteristics; Fluid intake; Roselle calyx extract; Weight gain | Aves; Gallus gallus; Hibiscus sabdariffa | None |
| None | None | Growth performance and carcass characteristics of Tanzania Shorthorn Zebu cattle finished on molasses or maize grain with rice or maize by-products | Asimwe L., Kimambo A.E., Laswai G.H., Mtenga L.A., Weisbjerg M.R., Madsen J., Mushi D.E. | 2015 | Livestock Science | 182 | None | 10.1016/j.livsci.2015.11.001 | Department of Animal Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania; Department of Animal Science, Au Foulum, Aarhus University, Blichers Alle 20, Tjele, Denmark; Department of Larger Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark | Asimwe, L., Department of Animal Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania; Kimambo, A.E., Department of Animal Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania; Laswai, G.H., Department of Animal Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania; Mtenga, L.A., Department of Animal Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania; Weisbjerg, M.R., Department of Animal Science, Au Foulum, Aarhus University, Blichers Alle 20, Tjele, Denmark; Madsen, J., Department of Larger Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark; Mushi, D.E., Department of Animal Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania | Forty five steers (2.5-3.0 years of age and 200±5 (SEM) kg body weight) were allotted randomly into five diets to assess the effects of finishing Tanzania Shorthorn Zebu (TSZ) cattle in feedlot using diets based on either molasses or maize grain combined with maize or rice by-products. The diets were hay and concentrate mixtures of hominy feed with molasses (HFMO), rice polishing with molasses (RPMO), hominy feed with maize meal (HFMM), rice polishing with maize meal (RPMM) and a control of maize meal with molasses (MMMO). All concentrate mixtures contained cotton seed cake, mineral mixture, salt and urea. Both hay and concentrate were fed ad libitum and with free access to drinking water for 90 days. Feed intake, body weights and carcass characteristics were recorded. The daily total dry matter intake (DMI, kg/day) was greater (P<0.05) in molasses based diets (7.64 for RPMO and 7.35 for HFMO) than in maize grain based diets (6.94, 6.73 and 6.19 for RPMM, MMMO and HFMM, respectively). Energy intake was highest (P<0.05) in HFMO (86 MJ/day) and lowest in RPMM (69 MJ/day). Crude protein intake was highest in HFMO (867 g/day) and lowest in RPMO (725 g/day). Feed conversion ratio (kg feed DMI/kg gain) was lower (P<0.05) for steers fed on HFMM (7.87) and HFMO (8.09) than those fed on MMMO (10.4), RPMM (11.0) and RPMO (11.5). Steers fed on HFMO had the highest (P<0.05) daily weight gain (919. g/day), total weight gain (83. kg), final live weight (283. kg), empty body weight (268. kg) and hot carcass weight (151. kg). The proportion of internal fat to empty body weight (2.7%) in steers fed on HFMO was higher (P<0.05) than those from other diets. Nevertheless, all carcasses showed relatively high fat cover (1.1-1.6. cm). It is concluded that agro-processing by products are good feed resources for finishing TSZ cattle in feedlots with formulations based on molasses being superior over those based on maize meal, and hominy feed being superior over rice polishing. A combination of molasses and hominy feed (HFMO) could be used successfully as an alternative to maize meal in finishing TSZ cattle in feedlot. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. | Agro-processing by-products; Carcass characteristics; Feedlot; Weight gain | None | None |
| None | None | Effect of days in feedlot on growth performance, carcass and meat quality attributes of Tanzania shorthorn zebu steers | Asimwe L., Kimambo A.E., Laswai G.H., Mtenga L.A., Weisbjerg M.R., Madsen J. | 2015 | Tropical Animal Health and Production | 47 | 5 | 10.1007/s11250-015-0801-z | Department of Animal Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania; Department of Animal Science, Au Foulum, Aarhus University, Blichers Alle 20, Tjele, Denmark; Department of Larger Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark | Asimwe, L., Department of Animal Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania; Kimambo, A.E., Department of Animal Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania; Laswai, G.H., Department of Animal Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania; Mtenga, L.A., Department of Animal Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania; Weisbjerg, M.R., Department of Animal Science, Au Foulum, Aarhus University, Blichers Alle 20, Tjele, Denmark; Madsen, J., Department of Larger Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark | A study was conducted on 50 steers (183 ± 4 kg initial body weight, 3 years of age) to assess effects of days in feedlot on performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of Tanzania shorthorn zebu (TSZ) cattle with the aim of determining appropriate finishing period. Periods were 0 day (P<inf>0</inf>), 25 days (P<inf>25</inf>), 50 days (P<inf>50</inf>), 75 days (P<inf>75</inf>) and 100 days (P<inf>100</inf>) with 10 animals per period. Steers were housed in individual pens, fed with a concentrate diet and hay on an ad libitum basis except the P<inf>0</inf> group which was slaughtered at the beginning of trial. Long stay in feedlot, P<inf>100</inf>, increased concentrate dry matter intake by 2 kg DM/day over short stay, P<inf>25</inf>. Final weight and total gain increased (P < 0.05) from P<inf>25</inf> (22.6 kg) to P<inf>100</inf> steers (95.4 kg). Periods had no influence (P > 0.05) on an average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) but affected carcass characteristics. Empty body weight (EBW) and hot carcass weight (HCW) increased by 61 and 65 %, respectively, from no feedlot, P<inf>0</inf> to P<inf>100</inf>. Dressing percentage was high (P < 0.05) for P<inf>100</inf> steers. Carcass measurements, internal fat, fat thickness and carcass total fat were the highest (P < 0.05) on P<inf>100</inf> steers and the lowest on P<inf>0</inf> steers. Rate of pH decline increased with days in feedlot, while cooking loss and shear force values decreased in advanced ageing time. Feedlot periods of 75 and 100 days resulted into high intake, carcass measurements and tenderness, but 100 days further increased carcass fatness and fat thickness levels, thus, with this particular feeding system and animal’s condition, 75 days is the recommended period to finish TSZ cattle in feedlots. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht. | Beef; Carcass; Gain; Period of stay; Quality | Animalia; Bos; Bos indicus; analysis; animal; animal food; animal husbandry; body weight; bovine; controlled study; diet; growth, development and aging; male; meat; physiology; randomized controlled trial; Tanzania; veterinary; Animal Feed; Animal Husbandry; Animals; Body Weight; Cattle; Diet; Male; Meat; Tanzania | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939270193 | The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System: Updates to the model and evaluation of version 6.5 | Van Amburgh M.E., Collao-Saenz E.A., Higgs R.J., Ross D.A., Recktenwald E.B., Raffrenato E., Chase L.E., Overton T.R., Mills J.K., Foskolos A. | 2015 | Journal of Dairy Science | 98 | 9 | 10.3168/jds.2015-9378 | Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Goiás, Jataí, Brazil; Department of Animal Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Elanco Animal Health, Canastota, NY, United States | Van Amburgh, M.E., Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; Collao-Saenz, E.A., Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Goiás, Jataí, Brazil; Higgs, R.J., Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; Ross, D.A., Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; Recktenwald, E.B., Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; Raffrenato, E., Department of Animal Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Chase, L.E., Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; Overton, T.R., Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; Mills, J.K., Elanco Animal Health, Canastota, NY, United States; Foskolos, A., Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States | New laboratory and animal sampling methods and data have been generated over the last 10 yr that had the potential to improve the predictions for energy, protein, and AA supply and requirements in the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS). The objectives of this study were to describe updates to the CNCPS and evaluate model performance against both literature and on-farm data. The changes to the feed library were significant and are reported in a separate manuscript. Degradation rates of protein and carbohydrate fractions were adjusted according to new fractionation schemes, and corresponding changes to equations used to calculate rumen outflows and postrumen digestion were presented. In response to the feed-library changes and an increased supply of essential AA because of updated contents of AA, a combined efficiency of use was adopted in place of separate calculations for maintenance and lactation to better represent the biology of the cow. Four different data sets were developed to evaluate Lys and Met requirements, rumen N balance, and milk yield predictions. In total 99 peer-reviewed studies with 389 treatments and 15 regional farms with 50 different diets were included. The broken-line model with plateau was used to identify the concentration of Lys and Met that maximizes milk protein yield and content. Results suggested concentrations of 7.00 and 2.60% of metabolizable protein (MP) for Lys and Met, respectively, for maximal protein yield and 6.77 and 2.85% of MP for Lys and Met, respectively, for maximal protein content. Updated AA concentrations were numerically higher for Lys and 11 to 18% higher for Met compared with CNCPS v6.0, and this is attributed to the increased content of Met and Lys in feeds that were previously incorrectly analyzed and described. The prediction of postruminal flows of N and milk yield were evaluated using the correlation coefficient from the BLUP (R2<inf>BLUP</inf>) procedure or model predictions (R2<inf>MDP</inf>) and the concordance correlation coefficient. The accuracy and precision of rumen-degradable N and undegradable N and bacterial N flows were improved with reduced bias. The CNCPS v6.5 predicted accurate and precise milk yield according to the first-limiting nutrient (MP or metabolizable energy) with a R2<inf>BLUP</inf>=0.97, R2<inf>MDP</inf>=0.78, and concordance correlation coefficient=0.83. Furthermore, MP-allowable milk was predicted with greater precision than metabolizable energy-allowable milk (R2<inf>MDP</inf>=0.82 and 0.76, respectively, for MP and metabolizable energy). Results suggest a significant improvement of the model, especially under conditions of MP limitation. © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. | Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System; Dairy cattle; Evaluation; Update | Animalia; Bacteria (microorganisms); Bos | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84946023855 | Effects of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) seed powder and extract on performance of broiler chickens | Naeemasa M., Alaw Qotbi A.A., Seidavi A., Norris D., Brown D., Ginindza M. | 2015 | South African Journal of Animal Sciences | 45 | 4 | 10.4314/sajas.v45i4.3 | Department of Animal Science, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran; Department of Agricultural Economics and Animal Production, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga, South Africa | Naeemasa, M., Department of Animal Science, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran; Alaw Qotbi, A.A., Department of Animal Science, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran; Seidavi, A., Department of Animal Science, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran; Norris, D., Department of Animal Science, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran; Brown, D., Department of Agricultural Economics and Animal Production, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga, South Africa; Ginindza, M., Department of Animal Science, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran | This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels of coriander (Coriandrum sativum) seed powder and extract on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. A total of 420 day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308) were allocated randomly into seven treatments of 60 birds per group. Each treatment had four replicates (15 chicks per replicate). The trial was designed with seven treatments, consisting of a control diet without coriander, this is, the control group (CG); three treatments, which included the control diet plus three levels of coriander extract in water (750, 1000, and 1250 mg/kg); and the another three, which received the control diet plus three levels of coriander powder (1.5%, 2.0% and 2.5%). Performance parameters were monitored throughout the experimental period. At 21 - 42 d old, the inclusion of 952 mg/kg of coriander extract in drinking water maximized weight gain, while the feed intake of the experimental period (1 - 42 d) was maximized at the coriander powder level of 1.2%. Feed conversion ratios improved with the inclusion of coriander powder in the diet throughout the experimental period. These results suggest that coriander powder in the diet and coriander extract in water could replace synthetic antibiotics and could be regarded as natural feed additives and growth promoters in poultry diets. | Additives; Broiler; Herbs; Spices | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84949664971 | Effects of organic acid and probiotic on performance and gut morphology in broiler chickens | Agboola A.F., Omidiwura B.R.O., Odu O., Popoola I.O., Iyayi E.A. | 2015 | South African Journal of Animal Sciences | 45 | 5 | 10.4314/sajas.v45i5.6 | Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria | Agboola, A.F., Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Omidiwura, B.R.O., Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Odu, O., Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Popoola, I.O., Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Iyayi, E.A., Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria | The effects of organic acid, probiotic and a combination of the two on performance and gut morphology in broiler chickens were investigated. Two hundred and forty one-day-old Arbor Acre broiler chicks were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments with six replicates, each with eight birds. The treatments were basal diet (negative control, NC), basal diet + antibiotic (positive control (PC)), NC + 0.4% organic acid (OA), NC + 0.3% probiotic (PB) and NC + 0.4% OA and 0.3% PB. Reduced body weight gain (BWG) was recorded for birds on the NC diet at the starter phase and over the total period. The addition of OA significantly increased BWG compared to values obtained in birds on the NC and other diets. Diet had no effect on BWG at the grower phase or on feed intake, dry matter intake and feed conversion ratio in any growth phase. Gain : feed ratio was lowered in the NC diet, but improved significantly by OA and PB in the starter phase. Organic acid supplementation reduced the weight of the bursa of Fabricius. The weight of pancreas, height of villi and crypt depth were reduced in birds on the NC diet compared with those on OA, PB and a combination of these. Diet had no effects on the weights of the lungs, heart, spleen, kidneys, liver, villus width, villus height : crypt depth ratio, lactic acid bacteria, coliform bacteria and total bacterial count in any gut section. In conclusion, supplementation of broiler diets with OA and PB could improve their growth and gut morphology better than antibiotics would, with a greater positive effect in the starter phase. | Broiler chickens; Gut health; Organic acids; Performance; Probiotics | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84935053604 | Evaluation of growth and reproductive traits of Nigerian local chicken and exotic chicken | Ndofor-Foleng H.M., Oleforuh-Okoleh V., Musongong G.A., Ohageni J., Duru U.E. | 2015 | Indian Journal of Animal Research | 49 | 2 | 10.5958/0976-0555.2015.00046.1 | Department of Animal Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu-Oroworokwu, Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Catholic University of Cameroon (Catuc), Bamenda, Cameroon | Ndofor-Foleng, H.M., Department of Animal Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Oleforuh-Okoleh, V., Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu-Oroworokwu, Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Musongong, G.A., Catholic University of Cameroon (Catuc), Bamenda, Cameroon; Ohageni, J., Department of Animal Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Duru, U.E., Department of Animal Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria | An experiment was carried out to evaluate some reproductive and growth traits of Nigerian indigenous light ecotype and exotic chicken for possible egg and meat-type chicken development. This study was undertaken to contribute to the genetic improvement of the Nigerian indigenous chicken by crossing with an exotic egg type strain Isa Brown. The birds were arranged in 3 breeding groups: BG<inf>1</inf> (Local cocks (EC) X Exotic females (EF)), BG<inf>2</inf>(exotic cocks (EC) X local females (LF)) and BG<inf>3</inf> (local cocks (LC) X local females (LF)). The hens were subjected to natural mating and eggs laid were collected according to breeding groups and hatched. The offsprings that were generated were used for growth performance studies. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance. Results indicated significant (P<0.05) effect of genotype on fertility and hatchability of eggs. Percentage fertility across the genotypes were 70.00, 72.60 and 82.00, while hatchability was 69.70, 84.00, and 60.97%, for BG<inf>1</inf>, BG<inf>2</inf>and BG<inf>3</inf>respectively. The cross bred (BG<inf>1</inf> and BG<inf>2</inf>) had higher egg weight (60.42g, 51.40g), than BG<inf>1</inf> (38.64g). There was significant effect (p<0.05) in all the weekly body weights studied. The findings showed that breeding local pullets with local cocks, improved fertility while hatchability were improved by breeding local pullets with exotic cock. Body weights of chicks hatched from eggs of the exotic pullets with local cock were better than the other groups. Exotic chickens are recommended for the improvement body weight of the light ecotype chicken in Nigeria. © 2015, Agricultural Research Communication Centre. All rights reserved. | Body weight; Exotic; Fertility; Hatchability; Indigenous | Aves; Gallus gallus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84941421858 | Effects of genotype and sex on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens | Benyi K., Tshilate T.S., Netshipale A.J., Mahlako K.T. | 2015 | Tropical Animal Health and Production | 47 | 7 | 10.1007/s11250-015-0850-3 | Department of Animal Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa | Benyi, K., Department of Animal Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa; Tshilate, T.S., Department of Animal Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa; Netshipale, A.J., Department of Animal Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa; Mahlako, K.T., Department of Animal Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa | Six hundred and eight day-old chicks of Ross 308 and Cobb Avian 48 broiler strains were used in a 49-day experiment to examine the effects of genotype and sex on the growth performance and carcass characteristics. Body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and mortality rate were recorded. Over all, genotype had a significant effect only on feed conversion ratio, Cobb being a better efficient in converting feed than Ross. Males consumed more feed, utilized the feed more efficiently, gained more body weight, and were heavier at 49 days of age than females but had a higher mortality rate. There were significant genotype × sex interaction effects on 49-day body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, and mortality rate. As regards carcass characteristics, genotype affected only liver weight with a heavier liver in Cobb than Ross. Sex significantly affected carcass, back, wing, leg, liver, gizzard, and abdominal fat weights with higher means for males than females for all the traits except abdominal fat weight where females had higher means than males. Genotype × sex interaction effects significantly influenced carcass, breast, back, wing, leg, and liver weights. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht. | Broilers; Carcass characteristics; Genotype; Growth performance; Sex | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84934765105 | Productive and reproductive performance of holstein-friesian cows under farmer’s management in Hossana town, Ethiopia | Kebede H. | 2015 | International Journal of Dairy Science | 10 | 3 | 10.3923/ijds.2015.126.133 | Department of Animal Sciences, Wachemo University, P.O. Box 667, Hossana, Ethiopia | Kebede, H., Department of Animal Sciences, Wachemo University, P.O. Box 667, Hossana, Ethiopia | The study was conducted on 154 Holstein-Friesian (HF) cows maintained under farmer’s managemental system in Hossana city (Ethiopia). A total of 80 HF owners were randomly selected and interviewed with structured questionnaire to assess the productive and reproductive performance of Holstein-Friesian cows. The results of the study showed that the mean milk yield/day/cow was 8.38±0.47 L, lactation length was 252.25±5.31 days, peak yield was11.39±0.58 L and lactation milk yield was 2149.19±143.80 L, number of services per conception was 1.8±0.09, age at first calving was 36.48±0.55 month, calving to first service interval was 212.70±18.12 days and calving interval was 462.87±19.48 days for HF cows. The constraints of dairy production in the study areas including feed shortage (1st), high feed cost (2nd), disease (3rd), scarce information about feeding (4th), high medicament cost (5th), scarcity of timely veterinary services (6th), lack of capital (7th), low price of milk (8th), heat detection (9th) and ineffici nt AI services (10th) were found to be the top challenges for dairy practice in the area. Therefore, strategies designed to solve the existing problem should be important by involving all stakeholders in the formulation and implementation of improvement strategies. © 2015 Academic Journals Inc. | Holstein-Friesian; Hossana city; Productive; Reproductive performances | None | None |
| None | None | Postpartum Contraception in Northern Tanzania: Patterns of Use, Relationship to Antenatal Intentions, and Impact of Antenatal Counseling | Keogh S.C., Urassa M., Kumogola Y., Kalongoji S., Kimaro D., Zaba B. | 2015 | Studies in Family Planning | 46 | 4 | 10.1111/j.1728-4465.2015.00040.x | Department of Anthropology, University College London, Gower Street, London, United Kingdom; National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania; Magu District Council, Tanzania; Mwanza City Council, Tanzania; Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom | Keogh, S.C., Department of Anthropology, University College London, Gower Street, London, United Kingdom; Urassa, M., National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania; Kumogola, Y., National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania; Kalongoji, S., Magu District Council, Tanzania; Kimaro, D., Mwanza City Council, Tanzania; Zaba, B., Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom | In Tanzania, unmet need for contraception is high, particularly in the postpartum period. Contraceptive counseling during routine antenatal HIV testing could reach 97 percent of pregnant women with much-needed information, but requires an understanding of postpartum contraceptive use and its relationship to antenatal intentions. We conducted a baseline survey of reproductive behavior among 5,284 antenatal clients in Northern Tanzania, followed by an intervention offering contraceptive counseling to half the respondents. A follow-up survey at 6-15 months postpartum examined patterns and determinants of postpartum contraceptive use, assessed their correspondence with antenatal intentions, and evaluated the impact of the intervention. Despite high loss to follow-up, our findings indicate that condoms and hormonal methods had particular and distinct roles in the postpartum period, based on understandings of postpartum fertility. Antenatal intentions were poor predictors of postpartum reproductive behavior. Antenatal counseling had an effect on postpartum contraceptive intentions, but not on use. Different antenatal/contraceptive service integration models should be tested to determine how and when antenatal counseling can be most effective. © 2015 The Population Council, Inc. | None | contraceptive use; fertility; health impact; health services; information; reproductive behavior; Tanzania | None |
| None | None | Impact of local pre-harvest management practices in maize on the occurrence of Fusarium species and associated mycotoxins in two agro-ecosystems in Tanzania | Degraeve S., Madege R.R., Audenaert K., Kamala A., Ortiz J., Kimanya M., Tiisekwa B., De Meulenaer B., Haesaert G. | 2015 | Food Control | 59 | None | 10.1016/j.foodcont.2015.05.028 | Department of Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, Ghent, Belgium; Faculty of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3005, Morogoro, Tanzania; Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority, P.O. Box 77150, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, Belgium; Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Cuenca University, Av. 12 de abril s/n Cdla. Universitaria, P.O. Box 01.01.168, Cuenca, Ecuador; School of Life Sciences and Bio Engineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technologies, Tanzania | Degraeve, S., Department of Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, Ghent, Belgium; Madege, R.R., Faculty of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3005, Morogoro, Tanzania; Audenaert, K., Department of Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, Ghent, Belgium; Kamala, A., Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority, P.O. Box 77150, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, Belgium; Ortiz, J., Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, Belgium, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Cuenca University, Av. 12 de abril s/n Cdla. Universitaria, P.O. Box 01.01.168, Cuenca, Ecuador; Kimanya, M., School of Life Sciences and Bio Engineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technologies, Tanzania; Tiisekwa, B., Faculty of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3005, Morogoro, Tanzania; De Meulenaer, B., Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, Belgium; Haesaert, G., Department of Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, Ghent, Belgium | Knowledge on the presence of mycotoxins in Africa is fragmentary, although it can be assumed that both concentrations and prevalence in food commodities is high. The present study focuses on the presence of Fusarium species and their associated mycotoxins in maize from two geographically distant agro ecological systems in Tanzania. In a two-year survey, both Fusarium species and concomitant mycotoxins were surveyed in the Northern highlands (Hanang district) and the Eastern lowlands (Kilosa district). Parallel with this, a questionnaire on agricultural practices in both agro-ecosystems was included in this study. This allowed us to put the presence of the toxigenic Fusarium species and their mycotoxins within a relevant agricultural framework.Fusarium verticillioides, Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium poae were the predominant species in both locations although the population in the Eastern lowlands was slightly more complex comprising also Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium avenaceum and Fusarium sporotrichioides. The predominant presence of F.verticillioides resulted in a high prevalence of fumonisins in both regions. The importance of F.graminearum in the population was reflected by the presence of deoxynivalenol in the mycotoxin analysis. Although the agricultural practices differed significantly amongst both locations, only few significant correlations were detected between mycotoxin presence and crop rotation, storage conditions, and insect control measures. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. | Fusarium mycotoxins; Fusarium population; Maize; Production practices; Tanzania | Fusarium; Fusarium culmorum; Fusarium poae; Fusarium sporotrichioides; Gibberella avenacea; Gibberella zeae; Hexapoda; Zea mays | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84935913145 | Gum ghatti and poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) based biodegradable hydrogel-evaluation of the flocculation and adsorption properties | Mittal H., Maity A., Ray S.S. | 2015 | Polymer Degradation and Stability | 120 | None | 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2015.06.008 | Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, South Africa; DST/CSIR National Centre for Nanostructured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa | Mittal, H., Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, South Africa, DST/CSIR National Centre for Nanostructured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa; Maity, A., Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, South Africa, DST/CSIR National Centre for Nanostructured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa; Ray, S.S., Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, South Africa, DST/CSIR National Centre for Nanostructured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa | The main aim of this study was to develop a biodegradable flocculent and adsorbent based on the graft co-polymer of the Gum ghatti (Gg) with the co-polymer mixture of acrylamide (AAM) and acrylic acid (AA) using the microwave assisted graft co-polymerization technique. The synthesized hydrogels were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The swelling capacity of the synthesized hydrogel was studied in the double distilled water and it showed the maximum swelling capacity of 2547% at 50 °C. Moreover, the hydrogel polymer was employed for the selective removal of saline water from different petroleum fraction-saline emulsions. The flocculation characteristics of the synthesized hydrogel were investigated in clay suspension and the maximum flocculation efficiency was observed in the acidic clay suspension with 20 mg l-1 polymer dose. Furthermore, the synthesized hydrogel polymer was also employed for the successful removal of cationic dyes from the aqueous solutions and it was found to adsorb 96% of malachite green and 99% of methyl violet. Finally, the hydrogel polymer was subjected to biodegradation using the composting method and 91.77% degradation was achieved after 60 days. In summary, the biodegradable Gg-cl-P(AAM-co-AA) hydrogel have demonstrated potential for its use as flocculants and absorbents. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. | Adsorption; Biodegradation; Flocculation; Gum ghatti; Hydrogel polymer | Acrylic monomers; Adsorption; Amides; Ascorbic acid; Biodegradable polymers; Biodegradation; Carboxylic acids; Copolymers; Dyes; Flocculation; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Grafting (chemical); Microbiology; Organic acids; Polymers; Saline water; Scanning electron microscopy; Stripping (dyes); Suspended sediments; Suspensions (fluids); Thermogravimetric analysis; Adsorption properties; Biodegradable hydrogels; Double distilled water; Flocculation efficiency; Graft co polymerizations; Gum ghatti; Hydrogel polymers; Swelling capacities; Hydrogels | HGERAOZ, CSIR, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84937544957 | Bioassay-guided evaluation of the antidiabetic activity of Cleome rutidosperma DC | Okoro I.O., Umar I.A., Atawodi S.E., Anigo K.M. | 2015 | International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences | 7 | 1 | None | Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru Zaria, Nigeria; Department of Biochemistry, Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria | Okoro, I.O., Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru Zaria, Nigeria, Department of Biochemistry, Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria; Umar, I.A., Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru Zaria, Nigeria; Atawodi, S.E., Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru Zaria, Nigeria; Anigo, K.M., Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru Zaria, Nigeria | Objective: An earlier anti-hyperglycemic study with crude extracts of Cleome rutidosperma indicated aqueous extract as the most effective. The present study was undertaken to in part identify the potent antihyperglycemic fraction from the aqueous extract of the plant, using bioassay guided fractionation. Methods: Aqueous extract of C. rutidosperma were fractionated to obtain chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, methanol and aqueous fractions, which were tested for antidiabetic activity using acute Streptozotocin-Induced diabetic mice model. Further fractionation of the more active methanol fraction yielded 1st sub-fractions I- IX. The more active of these 1stsub-fractions were further re-fractionated to give 2ndsub-fractions (2SFC1 and 2SFC2). The more active of the 2ndsub-fractions (2SFC1) was purified further using preparative thin layer chromatography (TLC) and the resultant fractions (TLCFIC and TLCFIIC) were tested in vivo. Results: The methanol fraction of C. rutidosperma significantly (p < 0.05) reduced blood glucose more than the other fractions, while the most active 1st sub-fraction from in vivo studies in mice was, chloroform: methanol (5: 5). Also, the more active of the 2ndsub-fractions was: 2SFC1. The preparative thin layer chromatography (TLC) results from in vivo studies indicated TLCFIC to be the most active. Conclusion: The observed antidiabetic activity of the plant may be as a result the phytoconstituent of the plant. Therefore the fractionated component could be a new source of development of new plant based therapy for management of diabetes. © 2015, International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. All rights reserved. | Bioassay guided-fractionation; Cleome rutidosperma; Preparativee thin layer chromatography (TLC) and streptozotocin-induced diabetes | alkaloid; carbohydrate; cardiac glycoside; Cleome rutidosperma extract; flavonoid; glibenclamide; plant extract; saponin; steroid; tannin; triterpene; unclassified drug; animal experiment; animal model; antidiabetic activity; Article; bioassay; controlled study; fractionation; glucose blood level; LD50; male; nonhuman; phytochemistry; rat; streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus; thin layer chromatography; toxicity testing | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84946018968 | Evaluation of In-vivo antimalarial activity of methanol leaf extract of Glyphaea brevis in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice | Anjuwon T.M., Ibrahim S., Nok A.J. | 2015 | Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research | 14 | 10 | 10.4314/tjpr.v14i10.14 | Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria | Anjuwon, T.M., Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; Ibrahim, S., Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; Nok, A.J., Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria | Purpose: To evaluate the in-vivo antimalarial activity of the methanol extract of the leaves of Glyphaea brevis in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. Methods: The phytochemical profile of ethylacetate, n-butanol, and residual aqueous fractions of the methanol extract of G. brevis were determined using standard procedures. Mice, weighing between 15 - 30 g, were used for this study. Plasmodium berghei infected blood (0.2 ml) was used to infect each of 55 mice (5 in 11 groups) intraperitoneally. Animals in the infected groups were treated orally with varying doses (200, 300 and 400 mg/kg body weight) of the ethylacetate, n-butanol and residual aqueous fractions daily, using artemisinin (5 mg/kg body weight per day) as standard drug, over a period of four days. The non-infected (normal control, n = 5) received distilled water (0.2 ml) while the infected control group (n = 5) was administered 0.2 ml normal saline. The suppressive antiplasmodial properties of the fractions as well as the serum concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were determined. Results: Alkaloids, carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, steroids and triterpenes were present in the extract fractions. The suppressive antiplasmodial activity of n-butanol, residual aqueous portion and ethylacetate fractions was 76.64, 73.25 and 72.99 %, respectively, while that of artemisinin was 86.13 %. The serum concentrations of AST, ALT, and ALP in the infected control group were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of the treated malaria-infected groups treated with the three fractions. Conclusion: Glyphaea brevis possesses significant antiplasmodial properties and could be a source of lead molecules for the development of new antimalarial agents. © Pharmacotherapy Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, 300001 Nigeria. All rights reserved. | Antimalarial; Artemisinin; Glyphaea brevis; Plasmodium berghei | acetic acid ethyl ester; alanine aminotransferase; alkaline phosphatase; alkaloid; artemisinin; aspartate aminotransferase; butanol; carbohydrate; cardiac glycoside; flavonoid; Glyphaea brevis extract; methanol; plant extract; saponin; steroid; tannin; triterpene; unclassified drug; animal model; antimalarial activity; Article; blood analysis; controlled study; female; hematocrit; liver function; male; mouse; nonhuman; phytochemistry; plant leaf; Plasmodium berghei infection; toxicity testing | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939517196 | Effect of different stocking density on nutrient utilization, growth performance and survival of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus, Burchell, 1822) fry in recirculatory system | Kareem O.K., Olanrewaju A.N. | 2015 | Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science | 10 | 5 | 10.3923/jfas.2015.400.404 | Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, University of Ibadan, Ibada, Nigeria; Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, P.M.B 1060, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria | Kareem, O.K., Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, University of Ibadan, Ibada, Nigeria; Olanrewaju, A.N., Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, P.M.B 1060, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria | Management of C. gariepinus fry in recirculating tank is one modern technique applied for fish culture in Nigeria. Since, this system is gaining popularity nationwide there is a dare need to investigate appropriate stocking density as already established for both concrete tanks and earthen pond system. Clarias gariepinus fry (0.14±0.01 g) were reared in indoor recirculating tanks (60.5 m3) at three different stocking rates 5000, 8000 and 12000 fry/tank as treatment LD, MD and HD respectively for a period of eight weeks. The experiment was duplicated and fish were fed 45% crude protein diet at 5% in four installments daily. The mean body weight gain and SGR decreased with increasing stocking density. The best growth performance (weight gain, length gain and SGR) was achieved in treatment LD. The lowest FCR (1.04±0.01) value was obtained in HD but show no significant difference (p>0.05) to other treatments. Percentage survival of the fish was significantly (p<0.05) affected by the stocking density with the highest value recorded in LD (86.8%). Waterquality parameters were within the recommended ranges throughout the experimental period. From this study, the stocking density of 5000 fry m-3 is recommended for efficient feed utilization, optimum growth performance and survival in a re-circulatory culture system. © 2015 Academic Journals Inc. | Fish seed; Growth performance; Recirculating system; Stocking density | finfish; growth rate; growth response; recirculating system; stock assessment; stocking density; survival; Clarias gariepinus | None |
| None | None | Effect of initial stocking size of the predatory African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) on recruits, growth performance, survival and yield of mixed-sex Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in concrete tank culture system | Limbu S.M., Shoko A.P., Lamtane H.A., Shirima E.D., Kishe-Machumu M.A., Mgana H.F., Mgaya Y.D. | 2015 | International Aquatic Research | 7 | 1 | 10.1007/s40071-014-0093-3 | Department of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries, University of Dar es Salaam, P. O. Box 35064, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute, Headquarters, P. O. Box 9750, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Department of Animal Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P. O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania; Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute, Kigoma Centre, P. O. Box 90, Kigoma, Tanzania | Limbu, S.M., Department of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries, University of Dar es Salaam, P. O. Box 35064, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Shoko, A.P., Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute, Headquarters, P. O. Box 9750, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Lamtane, H.A., Department of Animal Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P. O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania; Shirima, E.D., Department of Animal Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P. O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania; Kishe-Machumu, M.A., Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute, Headquarters, P. O. Box 9750, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Mgana, H.F., Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute, Kigoma Centre, P. O. Box 90, Kigoma, Tanzania; Mgaya, Y.D., Department of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries, University of Dar es Salaam, P. O. Box 35064, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Prolific breeding and production of high percentage of recruits are main problems in mixed-sex Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) culture in earthen ponds. The current study assessed the efficiency of different sizes of African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in controlling recruitment in mixed-sex Nile tilapia cultured in tanks and its effect on growth performance, percentage survival and yield. Three treatments consisting of triplicate ponds stocked with mixed-sex Nile tilapia in monoculture and in polyculture with large (62.50 ± 3.26 g) and small (40.00 ± 2.68 g) African sharptooth catfish were fed on a 297.50 g kg−1 crude protein diet for 126 days. Results showed that, the number of recruits was significantly lower in larger African sharptooth catfish predator than smaller ones and monoculture of Nile tilapia. Polyculture with larger African sharptooth catfish resulted in significantly higher growth performance of Nile tilapia. Large African sharptooth catfish in polyculture reduced the amount of small, low-value recruits, while the yield of large and high value Nile tilapia was increased. This study revealed that fish farmers can reduce prolific breeding, obtain higher growth performance and produce larger size of marketable Nile tilapia by predominantly stocking ponds with large African sharptooth catfish predator of at least 60 g. © 2015, The Author(s). | Monoculture; Polyculture; Predator; Production; Prolific breeding; Recruitment | Clarias gariepinus; Oreochromis niloticus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929091282 | The need for post-occupancy evaluation of public apartment buildings in Ghana | Agyefi-Mensah S., Post J., van Egmond E., Badu E., Mohammadi M. | 2015 | Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology | 13 | 2 | 10.1108/JEDT-05-2013-0033 | Department of Architecture, Building and Planning, Technical University of Eindhoven (TU/e), Eindhoven, Netherlands; Department of Building Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana | Agyefi-Mensah, S., Department of Architecture, Building and Planning, Technical University of Eindhoven (TU/e), Eindhoven, Netherlands; Post, J., Department of Architecture, Building and Planning, Technical University of Eindhoven (TU/e), Eindhoven, Netherlands; van Egmond, E., Department of Architecture, Building and Planning, Technical University of Eindhoven (TU/e), Eindhoven, Netherlands; Badu, E., Department of Building Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Mohammadi, M., Department of Architecture, Building and Planning, Technical University of Eindhoven (TU/e), Eindhoven, Netherlands | Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine and show why post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of public apartment buildings in Ghana as a product of design is important. Design/methodology/approach: By design the paper is descriptive. It uses a literature review as a method to summarize, synthesize and show the gaps in the existing knowledge on public apartment buildings in general and Ghana in particular. These arguments are brought together in a conceptual framework for approaching POE studies. Findings: This paper finds that gaps exist in the existing POE research knowledge regarding public apartment buildings in Ghana not only as residential settings but also as designed artifacts intended for use. Research limitations/implications: There is a need for scientific research which focus on the design and use of public apartment buildings in Ghana to provide empirical basis for design, policy and research decision-making. Social implications: This paper shows that occupants’ feedback information is important, as it can benefits government, designers and builders, building regulators and managers, as well as end users. Originality/value: The paper contributes a conceptual framework based on which POE studies can be designed. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited. | Architectural design; Built environment research | Apartment houses; Buildings; Decision making; Design; Product design; Apartment buildings; Built environment; Conceptual frameworks; Design/methodology/approach; Feed back information; Post occupancy evaluation; Postoccupancy evaluation (POE); Scientific researches; Architectural design | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84936075126 | Assessment of the sustainability of public housing projects in Ogun state, Nigeria: A post occupancy evaluation approach | Ibem E.O., Aduwo E.B., Ayo-Vaughan E.K. | 2015 | Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences | 6 | 4S2 | 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n4s2p523 | Department of Architecture, College of Science and Technology, Covenant University, KM 10 Idiroko Road, Canaan Land, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria; Department of Architecture, College of Environmental Sciences, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, | Ibem, E.O., Department of Architecture, College of Science and Technology, Covenant University, KM 10 Idiroko Road, Canaan Land, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria; Aduwo, E.B., Department of Architecture, College of Science and Technology, Covenant University, KM 10 Idiroko Road, Canaan Land, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria; Ayo-Vaughan, E.K., Department of Architecture, College of Environmental Sciences, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria | As the emphasis on sustainability increases among architects and construction professionals, the various ways for achieving sustainability in physical development projects have continued to engage the attention of scholars and researchers across the globe. However, in the context of housing in a developing country like Nigeria, there is a paucity of empirical studies on the sustainability of public housing projects. Therefore, this study aimed at identifying and analyzing the sustainability features of public housing projects in urban areas of Ogun State, Nigeria. A survey of 517 residents in nine public housing estates was conducted between December 2009 and February 2010 in the study area. With the aid of structured questionnaire, interview guide and observation schedule; data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analyses. Findings show that public housing projects in the study area were evaluated to be sustainable in terms of affordability and building forms responding to site and climatic conditions. The projects were however found to be unsustainable in the use of asbestos-based materials, inadequate provision of domestic spaces and lack of basic social infrastructural facilities. The paper concludes that to achieve sustainability in public housing in Nigeria, there is a need for public housing developers to pay adequate attention to users’ domestic space and basic social infrastructural facilities need in the design, construction and management of housing projects. © 2015, Mediterranean Center of Social and Educational Research. All rights reserved. | Housing Characteristics; Nigeria; Ogun State; Public Housing; Survey; Sustainability | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928672661 | Investigating dimensions of housing adequacy evaluation by residents in public housing: Factor analysis approach | Ibem E.O., Alagbe O.A. | 2015 | Facilities | 33 | 42559 | 10.1108/F-02-2014-0017 | Department of Architecture, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria; School of Construction Economics and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | Ibem, E.O., Department of Architecture, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria, School of Construction Economics and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Alagbe, O.A., Department of Architecture, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria | Purpose – The aim of this study was to investigate the dimensions of housing adequacy evaluation by residents in public housing with a view to identifying how government and construction professionals can deliver adequate housing facilities. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on household surveys involving 517 respondents selected from nine public housing estates constructed between 2003 and 2010 in Ogun State Southwest Nigeria. The data were collected using structured questionnaire administered to the residents by the researchers through visits to the housing estates. A total of 33 variables derived from the review of the literature were used in measuring housing adequacy. Descriptive statistics and factor analyses were used in analysis of the data. Findings – The study reveals that residents perceived their housing situation as inadequate. They evaluated housing adequacy based on four key dimensions: ambient condition of interiors spaces, security, utilities and neighbourhood facilities; social infrastructure; level of privacy and size of sleeping; and living and dining areas in the residences. These dimensions of housing adequacy evaluation were found not to be exactly the same way experts conceived housing adequacy in the literature. Research limitations/implications – The concept of housing adequacy can be used to examine occupants’ housing preferences and their standard of living, the quality of housing and the performance of mass housing projects. Practical implications – The paper makes practical suggestions to government and construction professionals on how to improve adequacy levels of public housing. Specifically, in the areas of giving more attention to ambient condition of interiors, security, utilities and neighbourhood facilities as well as privacy and sizes of main activities areas in dwelling units in the design, construction and management of public housing projects. Originality/value – The study identifies dimensions of housing adequacy evaluation by residents in public housing and compares these with experts’ conception of housing adequacy. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited. | Housing estates; Post-occupancy evaluation; Public sector; Survey | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84949524892 | Empirical investigation of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) performance in hospital buildings in Nigeria | Stephen Nimlyat P., Zin Kandar M., Sediadi E. | 2015 | Jurnal Teknologi | 77 | 14 | 10.11113/jt.v77.6445 | Department of Architecture, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia UTM, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia; Department of Architecture, University of Jos, Nigeria | Stephen Nimlyat, P., Department of Architecture, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia UTM, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia, Department of Architecture, University of Jos, Nigeria; Zin Kandar, M., Department of Architecture, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia UTM, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia; Sediadi, E., Department of Architecture, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia UTM, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia | This study investigates and summarises the results of physical measurement of the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in hospital building wards in Plateau State, Nigeria comparing two hospital settings. The results indicate that the mean indoor air temperature in the case study hospital ward buildings exceeded the range of 23-26 °C as recommended by international standards. The temperature levels in the teaching hospital ward buildings were relatively lower than what was obtained in the specialist hospital whose ward buildings lack proper ventilation. The amount of daylight requirement on an average were below 300Lux in the specialist hospital whose façade orientation and window-wall-ratio (WWR) could not allow for maximum sunlight penetration, while it was above 300Lux in the teaching hospital. However, the sound intensity level in both hospital ward buildings ranged between 52.7dBA and 71.3dBA. This study therefore recommend that, hospital building design or retrofitting should employed common strategies towards increasing ventilation and daylight with minimal energy consumption. © 2015 Penerbit UTM Press. All rights reserved. | Environmental quality; Hospital buildings; Indoor; Measurement; Parameters | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84949475648 | E(Lab)orating performance: transnationalism and blended learning in the theatre classroom | Cloete N., Dinesh N., Hazou R.T., Matchett S. | 2015 | Research in Drama Education | 20 | 4 | 10.1080/13569783.2015.1065723 | Department of Art History, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Drama, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; School of English and Media Studies, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand | Cloete, N., Department of Art History, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Dinesh, N., Department of Drama, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Hazou, R.T., School of English and Media Studies, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand; Matchett, S., Department of Drama, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa | E(Lab)orating Performance is a transnational collaborative teaching and learning project involving Massey University (New Zealand), University of Cape Town (South Africa), UWC Mahindra College (India), and University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa). The project was devised to facilitate creative engagements between students and educators in theatre and performance classrooms at the participating institutions. By using online platforms to create transnational teaching and learning spaces, the project explored the affordances and the limitations of blended learning approaches to ‘live’ disciplines like Theatre and Performance Studies. In addition to exploring aspects of blended learning, the project was guided by an assumption that it might facilitate transnational cultural citizenship, through which participating students and educators might develop cosmopolitan engagements and openness to cultural differences. This paper critically examines the E(Lab)orating Performance project by providing an overview, a reflection on its various productive mistranslations, and a consideration of its effectiveness as a teaching and learning initiative. © 2015 Taylor & Francis. | blended learning; collaborative teaching; cosmopolitanism; cultural citizenship; documentary theatre; selfie performance; transnational learning | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939496139 | Evaluation of Trace Metals and Physical Properties of Nigerian Crude Oil Saturate Fraction | Adebiyi F.M., Adebiyi A.Y. | 2015 | Petroleum Science and Technology | 33 | 12 | 10.1080/10916466.2015.1065277 | Department of Chemistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria | Adebiyi, F.M., Department of Chemistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria; Adebiyi, A.Y., Department of Chemistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria | Analyses of trace elements and physical properties of the saturate fraction of Nigerian crude oil were done in order to establish the characteristics that may aid the developmental processes of the natural resources. Crude oil samples were collected from three different oil fields in Niger-Delta area of Nigeria. The saturate fractions were eluted by column chromatography using n-hexane. The saturate fractions were investigated for functional groups using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR); the elemental concentrations were determined using Atomic absorption spectrometry, while the physical properties (flash point, ash content, refractive index, and color) were determined using standard analytical methods. The results revealed that the infrared spectra of the saturate fraction of the Nigerian crude oil showed mainly the presence of C-H(CH<inf>3</inf>) and C-H(CH<inf>2</inf>) functional groups, indicating high purity of the samples. The concentrations of the analyzed elements (Mn, Cu, Co, Zn, Fe, V, Cr, and Ni) in the saturate fraction were generally low compared to other fractions of Nigerian crude oil. This study revealed that Co has the highest mean concentration of 1.81 ± 0.36 mg/L, while Mn has the lowest mean concentration of 0.04 ± 0.02 mg/L. The t test values for the comparison of the elemental concentrations of Nigerian crude oil /saturate fraction and crude oil asphaltene/saturate fraction showed significant difference (except Mn) with respect to Nigerian crude oil /saturate fraction. The cluster analysis for the elements showed two groups, which are fairly well correlated indicating similar source and similar chemical affinity. The cross-plot analysis of the Nigerian crude oil and its saturate using elemental concentrations as the variables showed a strong positive inter element correlation since (R2 = 0.71), establishing a relationship between the Nigerian crude oil and the saturate fraction. The color of the saturate fraction ranged from off-white to colorless. The results of analysis provide useful information on its conversion mechanism and environmental implications of the development of the fossil fuel deposit. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC 2015. | crude oil; functional group; physical properties; saturate; trace metal | Absorption spectroscopy; Atomic absorption spectrometry; Chemical analysis; Chromatography; Cluster analysis; Column chromatography; Crude oil; Fossil fuel deposits; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Functional groups; Hexane; Infrared spectroscopy; Manganese; Metal analysis; Oil fields; Physical properties; Refractive index; Spectrometry; Trace elements; Chemical affinities; Conversion mechanism; Element correlations; Elemental concentrations; Environmental implications; Fourier transform infrared spectrometry; saturate; Trace metal; Petroleum analysis | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84950135794 | Evaluation of antidiabetic effect of four Egyptian plants and their phytoconstituents | Koekemoer T.C., Rashed K., Mtshizana O., van de Venter M. | 2015 | Pharma Research | 12 | 2 | None | Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa; Pharmacognosy Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt | Koekemoer, T.C., Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa; Rashed, K., Pharmacognosy Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt; Mtshizana, O., Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa; van de Venter, M., Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa | Postprandial hyperglycaemia is a major contributory factor in the development of diabetes which can be clinically targeted via a number of independent mechanisms such as the inhibition of postprandial glucose absorption and through potentiating glucose dependent insulin release. This study was carried out to evaluate antidiabetic effect of four Egyptian medicinal plants, Sonchus oleraceus, Lagerstroemia tomentosa, Diospyros virginiana, and Toona ciliate, and to investigate the phytoconstituents from the bioactive plant extracts. The results revealed that L. tomentosa leaves methanol 80% extract was the most effective inhibitor of carbohydrate digestion which showed strong inhibition against both alpha-amylase and alphaglucosidase. The relevance to mammalian alpha-glucosidase was confirmed using a rat intestinal maltase assay however the inhibitory activity was considerably weaker relative to the yeast enzyme. None of the extracts displayed any significant inhibition against DPP-iv, an additional target to regulate postprandial hyperglycaemia. Cytotoxicity screening against Chang liver cells did not reveal any significant toxicity suggesting a favourable safety profile. Phytochemical studies of methanol 80% extract of L. tomentosa leaves produced lupeol (1), corosolic acid (2), gallic acid (3), ellagic acid (4), apigenin (5), vitexin (6), apigenin 7-O-β-glucoside (7), and kaempferol 3-O-β- galactoside (8). These results gave scientific evidence that L. tomentosa leaves may provide anti-diabetic effect through the inhibition of postprandial glucose absorption. | Antidiabetic; Lagerstroemia tomentosa; Leaves; Medicinal plants; Phenolics; Triterpenes | alkaloid; alpha glucosidase; amylase; antidiabetic agent; apigenin; apigetrin; carbohydrate; corosolic acid; coumarin derivative; Diospyros virginiana extract; ellagic acid; flavonoid; gallic acid; kaempferol 3 galactoside; Lagerstroemia tomentosa extract; lupeol; methanol; plant extract; plant medicinal product; saponin; Sonchus oleraceus extract; tannin derivative; Toona ciliate extract; triterpene; unclassified drug; vitexin; antidiabetic activity; Article; controlled study; cytotoxicity test; Diospyros virginiana; drug identification; drug mechanism; drug screening; drug structure; Egypt; enzyme inhibition; glucose absorption; IC50; Lagerstroemia tomentosa; liver cell; medicinal plant; phytochemistry; plant leaf; Sonchus oleraceus; Toona ciliate | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84943621072 | Impact of fiscal policy variables on economic growth in Nigeria (1970-2012): A managerial economics persperctive | Igwe A., Emmanuel E.C., Ukpere W.I. | 2015 | Investment Management and Financial Innovations | 12 | 2 | None | Department of Management, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Department of Economics, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria; Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, Faculty of Management, University of Johannesburg, South Africa | Igwe, A., Department of Management, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Emmanuel, E.C., Department of Economics, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria; Ukpere, W.I., Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, Faculty of Management, University of Johannesburg, South Africa | This study is set out to investigate the impact of fiscal policy variables (capital expenditure, recurrent expenditure and direct income tax) on economic growth in Nigeria. The study adopts a growth accounting framework that specifies economic growth as a function of the fiscal policy variables. Using a time series data for the period 1970-2012, the study tests for the presence of unit root test, using the augmented Dickey-Fuller test for stationarity. It is discovered that all the variables are integrated at I(1). The Johansen cointegration reveals the presence of a long run relationship between economic growth and all the dependent variables (CX, RX and TX). The VECM analysis indicates that capital expenditure and recurrent expenditure are positively related and statistically significant in determining economic growth in the long run. As expected, direct income tax is inversely related and statistically significant in determining economic growth in the long run. A 1% increase in capital expenditure leads to an increase of 3.94% in income. A 1% increase in recurrent expenditure leads to an increase of 3.22% in income. On the other hand, a 1% increase in direct income tax leads to a fall of 6.83% in national output. Moreover, only tax determines economic growth in the short run, as a 1% in direct income tax causes national output to fall by 0.39%. These results meet apriori expectations with respect to their signs. GDP adjusts to its long run equilibrium when there is a shock at a slow speed of 3.07%. The pairwise granger causality indicates that causality relationship does not exist between any of the fiscal policy variables and economic growth. Based on these results, the study recommends the adoption of tax policies that would spur growth instead of retarding growth with a wide margin, as has been observed from the study. Efforts should be made to skew the pattern of public spending towards capital expenditure as it leads to higher growth than recurrent expenditure. © Anthony Igwe, Edeh Chukwudi Emmanuel, Wilfred I. Ukpere, 2015. | Capital; Economic growth; Fiscal policy; Government; Taxation | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84945933906 | Hematological and lipid profile evaluation of a hexane fraction of Costus afer leaves in arthritic rats | Anyasor G.N., Onajobi F.D., Osilesi O., Adebawo O. | 2015 | Pharmaceutical Biology | 53 | 11 | 10.3109/13880209.2014.1001404 | Department of Biochemistry, Benjamin S. Carson School of Medicine, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Ogun State, P.M.B. Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, O.A.C.H.S. | Anyasor, G.N., Department of Biochemistry, Benjamin S. Carson School of Medicine, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Ogun State, P.M.B. Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; Onajobi, F.D., Department of Biochemistry, Benjamin S. Carson School of Medicine, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Ogun State, P.M.B. Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; Osilesi, O., Department of Biochemistry, Benjamin S. Carson School of Medicine, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Ogun State, P.M.B. Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; Adebawo, O., Department of Biochemistry, Benjamin S. Carson School of Medicine, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Ogun State, P.M.B. Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, O.A.C.H.S., Olabisi Onabanjo University, Remo Campus, Ikenne, Nigeria | Context: Costus afer Ker Gawl. (Costaceae) is an ethnomedical plant used as therapy against inflammatory disorders. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the hematological and lipid profile analysis of hexane fraction of C. afer leaves (CAHLF) in arthritic rats. Materials and methods: Male albino rats were randomly distributed into seven groups of six rats each. Rats were induced with arthritis using formaldehyde and Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) for 7 and 21 d, respectively. The animals were administered orally with 50, 100, and 250 mg/kg CAHLF, 10 mg/kg diclofenac and prednisolone, 0.9% NaCl (control), and 0.9% NaCl (normal). At the end of treatment periods, blood samples were withdrawn and subjected to hematological and biochemical analysis using auto-analyzer and spectrophotometric methods. Results: Hematological analysis revealed that in formaldehyde- and CFA-induced arthritic rat models, 250 mg/kg CAHLF-treated groups had significantly reduced (p<0.05) hematocrit counts (HC) (30.98 ± 1.59% and 33.55 ± 1.10%), white blood cell counts (WBC) (5.50 ± 0.35 and 4.15 ± 0.82×109/L), and platelet counts (PC) (401.50 ± 48.94 and 246.33 ± 5.54×109/L) compared with control HC (46.90 ± 1.92 and 41.88 ± 2.19%), WBC (11.09 ± 0.26 and 7.37 ± 0.34×109/L), and PC (783.67 ± 59.51 and 593.83 ± 36.3×109/L). Furthermore, blood analysis showed that CAHLF-treated groups had reduced total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides while they had an elevated high-density lipoprotein compared with the control group. Discussion and conclusion: Findings from this study indicated that CAHLF could possess immunomodulatory and hypolipidemic properties in arthritic rats. CAHLF could be considered as a source of biopharmaceutical agents in anti-arthritis drug discovery process. © 2015 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc. | Bioactive compounds; Ethno-medicine; Immunomodulation | cholesterol; Costus afer extract; diclofenac; formaldehyde; Freund adjuvant; hexane; high density lipoprotein cholesterol; lipid; low density lipoprotein cholesterol; plant extract; prednisolone; sodium chloride; triacylglycerol; unclassified drug; animal experiment; animal model; arthritis; Article; blood analysis; blood sampling; cholesterol blood level; controlled study; Costaceae; Costus afer; drug dose comparison; hematocrit; hematological parameters; hypolipemia; immunomodulation; leukocyte count; lipid blood level; male; nonhuman; plant leaf; rat; thrombocyte count; treatment outcome | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84931559925 | Evaluation of antioxidant potentials of Morinda morindoides leaf extract | Akinloye D.I., Sunmonu T.O., Omotainse S.O., Balogun E.A. | 2015 | Toxicological and Environmental Chemistry | 97 | 2 | 10.1080/02772248.2015.1031667 | Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Department of Biological Sciences, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria; Department of Veterinary Pathology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Departmen | Akinloye, D.I., Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Sunmonu, T.O., Department of Biological Sciences, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria; Omotainse, S.O., Department of Veterinary Pathology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Balogun, E.A., Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria | This study investigated antioxidant status of animals given aqueous extract of Morinda morindoides leaves using the levels of reduced glutathione, total-thiol, vitamin C, and vitamin E as well as malondialdehyde concentrations as indices, and its in vitro antioxidant capacity. Thirty rats divided into five groups were used. Group A served as control and were administered distilled water while groups B, C, D, and E were given 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg per kilogram body weight of water-extracted constituents of M. morindoides for 28 days. Total phenolic compounds amounted to 83.6 ± 5.9 mg g−1 gallic acid equivalent, while total flavonoid content was 9.5 ± 0.9 mg g−1 pyrocathecol equivalent. Malondialdehyde in plasma was significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner, ranging from 21% in groups B and C to 84% in groups D and E. Vitamins C and E were significantly increased, in group E by 91% and 17% compared with control. Total thiols and glutathione in plasma were significantly increased, with group E having 2.5-fold and 4.2-fold higher values than control. © 2015 Taylor & Francis. | antioxidant; evaluation; leaf extract; Morinda morindoides | Aldehydes; Peptides; Antioxidant capacity; Antioxidant potential; Dose-dependent manner; evaluation; Leaf extracts; Morinda morindoides; Total flavonoid contents; Total phenolic compounds; Antioxidants; antioxidant; aqueous solution; concentration (composition); dicotyledon; dose-response relationship; leaf; phenolic compound; plant extract; plasma; Animalia; Morinda morindoides; Rattus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928974435 | Nutritional evaluation of some legumes and vegetables cultivated and consumed in Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria | Sarkiyayi S., Hamman B.M. | 2015 | Advance Journal of Food Science and Technology | 7 | 9 | None | Department of Biochemistry, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria | Sarkiyayi, S., Department of Biochemistry, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria; Hamman, B.M., Department of Biochemistry, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria | The study was designed to evaluate the nutritional and anti-nutritional content Legumes and vegetables consumed in Adamawa state. The investigations were carried out on Proximate (Moisture, fibre, Ash, Protein, Nitrogen, fat, carbohydrate and Energy), mineral elements (Na, K, Zn, Cu, Pb and Mn, respectively). Vitamins (vitamin A (retinol), β-carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B<inf>1</inf> and Vitamin B<inf>2</inf> and Anti-ntrient composition (phytate, oxalate and Tannins). The percentage moisture ranges between 4.28% for baobab leaves to 12.78% in sesame leaves. Legumes contained higher protein contents, the highest was observed in legumes (ground nut) with 25.40% the percentage for fat and carbohydrates were higher in legumes than in vegetables. Zinc was higher in vegetables (senna leaves and sesame leaves) (5.90 mg/kg) and was absent in one of the legumes (cowpea, red). Lead was only detected in vegetable leaves. It was higher in Sesame leaves with 2.0 mg/kg, lead was not detected in all the other sample used for this research. Vitamin A was only detected in vegetable samples and some legume (cowpea), the values ranges between 7.46 to 37.42 μg/100 g in senna leaves and cowpea (red) respectively. Vitamin C was not detected in the vegetable samples, but was detected in legume samples. Vitamin B<inf>1</inf> is higher in vegetable samples (baobab) with 1.32 mg/100 g. Riboflavin (B<inf>2</inf>) was higher in sesame leaves with 1.01 mg/100 g. The values for phytate ranges between 0.03 mg/100 g in baobab and sesame leaves condiment sample to 5.33 mg/100 g in legume (cowpea, red) respectively. Legumes and vegetables investigated revealed that the anti-nutrient contents were very high especially Oxalate and tannins but lower in phytate. © Maxwell Scientific Organization, 2015. | Anti-nutrient; Legumes; Mineral elements; Proximate composition; Vegetables; Vitamins | Carbohydrates; Flavonoids; Lead; Manganese; Minerals; Moisture; Nutrients; Oxalic acid; Proteins; Tannins; Vitamins; Zinc; Anti-nutritional; Legumes; Mineral element; Nutrient contents; Nutritional evaluations; Protein contents; Proximate compositions; Vegetable samples; Vegetables | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84935090382 | Evaluation of antimicrobial potential of a galactose-specific lectin in the skin mucus of african catfish (clarias gariepinus, burchell, 1822) against some aquatic microorganisms | Olayemi O.O., Adenike K., Ayinde A.D. | 2015 | Research Journal of Microbiology | 10 | 4 | 10.3923/jm.2015.132.144 | Department of Biochemistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun, Nigeria; Department of Microbiology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun, Nigeria | Olayemi, O.O., Department of Biochemistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun, Nigeria; Adenike, K., Department of Biochemistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun, Nigeria; Ayinde, A.D., Department of Microbiology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun, Nigeria | A galactose-specific lectin purified from the skin mucus of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) was tested for antimicrobial activities against microbial pathogens isolated from the catfish pond water with a view to examining the involvement of the protein in the host defense mechanism. Standard methods of microbial isolation and identification were employed and disc-diffusion method was used for the anti-microbial assay. Anti-microbial evaluation of standard antibiotics ampicillin and nystatin were used as comparative study. The microbial load of the fish pond water was high, with highest total bacterial count of 7.1×10<inf>8</inf> CFU mL-1 and fungal count of 6.7×103 CFU mL-1. Twelve bacterial species and 14 fungi species were isolated and identified from the pond water. The lectin specifically agglutinated different Gram-negative bacteria, such as Aeromonas hydrophila, Alcaligenes faecalis, Klebsiella edwardsii and Vibrio metschnikovii but had no effect on Gram-positive bacteria. It inhibited strongly the growth of A. hydrophila, A. faecalis, Bacillus cereus, B. polymyxa, K. pneumoniae, K. edwardsii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and V. metschnikovii. In the same manner, the lectin inhibited the mycelia growth of yeast, Kluyveromyces marxianus and a phytopathogenic fungus, Fusarium oxysporum. The ability of skin mucus lectin to agglutinate and inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi will make available effective defense mechanism for the African catfish against invading microbes. © 2015 Academic Journals Inc. | African catfish; Agglutination; Antimicrobial; Lectin; Pathogens; Skin mucus | Aeromonas hydrophila; Alcaligenes faecalis; Bacillus cereus; Bacteria (microorganisms); Clarias gariepinus; Fungi; Fusarium oxysporum; Klebsiella; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Kluyveromyces marxianus; Negibacteria; Polymyxa; Posibacteria; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Vibrio metschnikovii | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939994772 | Kolaviron, a Garcinia kola Biflavonoid Complex, Protects Against Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury: Pertinent Mechanistic Insights from Biochemical and Physical Evaluations in Rat Brain | Akinmoladun A.C., Akinrinola B.L., Olaleye M.T., Farombi E.O. | 2015 | Neurochemical Research | 40 | 4 | 10.1007/s11064-015-1527-z | Department of Biochemistry, The Federal University of Technology, School of Sciences, Akure, Nigeria; Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Ciencias Biologicas-biofisica, Instituto de Biofisica Carlos Chag | Akinmoladun, A.C., Department of Biochemistry, The Federal University of Technology, School of Sciences, Akure, Nigeria, Ciencias Biologicas-biofisica, Instituto de Biofisica Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Centro de Ciencias da Saude, Bloco G, Cidade Universitaria, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Akinrinola, B.L., Department of Biochemistry, The Federal University of Technology, School of Sciences, Akure, Nigeria; Olaleye, M.T., Department of Biochemistry, The Federal University of Technology, School of Sciences, Akure, Nigeria; Farombi, E.O., Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria | The pathophysiology of stroke is characterized by biochemical and physical alterations in the brain. Modulation of such aberrations by therapeutic agents affords insights into their mechanism of action. Incontrovertible evidences that oxidative stress is involved in the pathophysiology of neurologic disorders have brought antioxidative compounds, especially plant phytochemicals, under increasing focus as potential remedies for the prevention and management of neurodegenerative diseases. Kolaviron, a biflavonoid complex isolated from Garciniakola Heckel (Guttiferae) was evaluated for neuroprotectivity in brains of male Wistar rats submitted to bilateral common carotid artery occlusion-induced global ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/R). Animals were divided into six groups: sham treated, vehicle (I/R), 50 mg/kg kolaviron + I/R, 100 mg/kg kolaviron + I/R, 200 mg/kg kolaviron + I/R and quercetin (20 mg/kg i.p.) + I/R. The common carotid arteries were occluded for 30 min followed by 2 h of reperfusion. Relative brain weight and brain water content were determined and oxidative stress and neurochemical markers were also evaluated. I/R caused significant decreases in glutathione level and the activities of enzymic antioxidants, the sodium pump and acetylcholinesterase while significant increases were recorded in relative brain weight, brain water content, lipid peroxidation and the activities of glutamine synthetase and myeloperoxidase. There was a remarkable ablation of I/R induced oxidative stress, neurochemical aberrations and brain edema in animals pretreated with kolaviron. The results suggested that the protection afforded by kolaviron probably involved regulation of redox and electrolyte homeostasis as well as anti-inflammatory and antiexcitotoxic mechanisms. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York. | Global cerebral ischemia; Kolaviron; Neuroprotection; Phytochemicals; Stroke | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84926144997 | Evaluation of selected zimbabwean plant extracts as inhibitors of hematopoietic prostaglandin D<inf>2</inf> synthase | Chimponda T., Mukanganyama S. | 2015 | Journal of Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants | 21 | 3 | 10.1080/10496475.2014.954073 | Department of Biochemistry, University of Zimbabwe, Biomolecular Interactions Analyses Group, P.O. Box MP 167, Mt. Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe | Chimponda, T., Department of Biochemistry, University of Zimbabwe, Biomolecular Interactions Analyses Group, P.O. Box MP 167, Mt. Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe; Mukanganyama, S., Department of Biochemistry, University of Zimbabwe, Biomolecular Interactions Analyses Group, P.O. Box MP 167, Mt. Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe | Increased expression of hematopoietic prostaglandin D2 synthase (H-PGDS) is responsible for allergic reactions promoting the inflammatory processes. A total of fifteen plant extracts were screened for their inhibitory activity against H-PGDS using 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) as a substrate at 0.3 mg.mL-1. Seven of these plant extracts that were effective inhibitors of H-PGDS were then used to determine the half maximum inhibitory concentrations (IC<inf>50</inf>s). Parinari curatellifolia leaf ethanol extract was the most potent plant extract with an IC<inf>50</inf> of 3.8μg.mL-1 that was comparable to 2.1 μg.mL-1 of the standard Cibacron blue. P. curatellifolia extract directly inhibited H-PGDS activity, which was a kind of reversible inhibition of mixed type with respect to both GSH and CDNB as substrates. The results obtained in this study validate the ethnomedicinal use of P. curatellifolia in the reduction of symptoms of inflammation. Copyright © 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. | 1-chloro-2; 4-dinitrobenzene; anti-inflammatory; glutathione S-transferases; Parinari curatellifolia | alcohol; cibacron blue f3ga; methanol; Parinari curatellifolia extract; plant extract; prostaglandin D synthase; prostaglandin D2; prostaglandin synthase inhibitor; unclassified drug; water; allergy; enzyme activity; gene expression; hematology; plant extract; antiinflammatory activity; Article; drug screening; enzyme inhibition; immobilized metal affinity chromatography; solvent extraction; Zimbabwe; Parinari | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84945306054 | Performance of umar-srimat on soil water conservation and weed control in system of rice intensification | Mohammed U., Wayayok A., Soom M.A.M., Abdan K. | 2015 | Jurnal Teknologi | 76 | 15 | 10.11113/jt.v76.5956 | Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; Department of Agricultural Education, School of Vocational Education, Umar Suleiman College of Education Gashua, P.M.B. 02, Gashua, | Mohammed, U., Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia, Department of Agricultural Education, School of Vocational Education, Umar Suleiman College of Education Gashua, P.M.B. 02, Gashua, Yobe State, Nigeria; Wayayok, A., Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia, Smart Farming Technology Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; Soom, M.A.M., Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia, Smart Farming Technology Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; Abdan, K., Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia | Weed emergence is among the most important problems in system of rice intensification (SRI) due to extensive planting geometry of at least 25 × 25 cm and moist environment, thereby leading to water loss by means of evaporation from the broad space as a result of the extensive planting geometry, and transpiration by the weeds. This reduces the additional water saving which affect the potential of SRI water productivity. It also reduces rice crop yields up to 70% if there is no weed control attempted. Nowadays, weed is being controlled by manual weeder which is labour demanding, while motorized weeders overcome the problem but still, it able to remove the weeds before rice canopy closure or 30 days after transplanting (DAT). This research was designed to evaluate the performance of UMAR-SRImat on soil moisture conservation and weed control. UMAR-SRImat was made using flaked rice straw and biodegradable adhesive. The design was laid out using randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three treatments [without soil cover (T1), SRImat (T2), UMAR-SRImat (T3)] and three replications. The analysis was conducted using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Volumetric moisture content (VMC) was determined at 18 and 25 DAT. Weeds were observed and recorded to determine the weed dry weight and weed control efficiency at 20, 40 and 60 DAT. Plant height per hill was measured at 30 and 50 DAT, likewise, the number of tillers were counted at 30 and 50 DAT. The result of VMC showed that UMAR-SRImat significantly conserved water higher than the control treatment at 18 and 25 DAT of 3100.0a and 2680.0a m3/ha, respectively. The effectiveness of UMARSRImat mulched was 100% at 20 DAT 99.64% at 40 DAT and 97.99% at 60 DAT. This research revealed that UMAR-SRImat mulch could retain soil moisture and suppressed weeds up to 60 DAT. © 2015, Penerbit UTM Press. All rights reserved. | Bio-composite technology; Moisture content; Rice yield; Sustainable farming | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84926640115 | Evaluation of stream water quality data generated from MODIS images in modeling total suspended solid emission to a freshwater lake | Ayana E.K., Worqlul A.W., Steenhuis T.S. | 2015 | Science of the Total Environment | 523 | None | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.03.132 | Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; School of Civil and Water Resources Engineering, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Columbia University, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, New York, United States; The Nature ConservancyVA, United States | Ayana, E.K., Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States, Columbia University, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, New York, United States, The Nature ConservancyVA, United States; Worqlul, A.W., Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States, School of Civil and Water Resources Engineering, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Steenhuis, T.S., Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States, School of Civil and Water Resources Engineering, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia | Modeling of suspended sediment emission into freshwater lakes is challenging due to data gaps in developing countries. Existing models simulate sediment concentration at a gauging station upstream and none of these studies had modeled total suspended solids (TSS) emissions by inflowing rivers to freshwater lakes as there are no TSS measurements at the river mouth in the upper Blue Nile basin. In this study a 10. year TSS time series data generated from remotely sensed MODIS/Terra images using established empirical relationship is applied to calibrate and validate a hydrology model for Lake Tana in Upper Blue Nile Basin. The result showed that at a monthly time scale TSS at the river mouth can be replicated with Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NS) of 0.34 for calibration and 0.21 for validation periods. Percent bias (PBIAS) and ratio of the root-mean-square error to the standard deviation of measured data (RSR) are all within range. Given the inaccessibility and costliness to measure TSS at river mouths to a lake the results found here are considered useful for suspended sediment budget studies in water bodies of the basin. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. | Freshwater monitoring; Lake tana; MODIS; TSS | Budget control; Developing countries; Lakes; Mean square error; Radiometers; Rivers; Sediments; Water; Water quality; Empirical relationships; Lake Tana; MODIS; Root mean square errors; Sediment concentration; Stream water quality; Total suspended solids; TSS; Suspended sediments; freshwater environment; lake water; MODIS; pollution monitoring; remote sensing; satellite imagery; streamwater; suspended sediment; Terra (satellite); time series; water quality; Article; catchment; Egypt; environmental monitoring; hydrology; image analysis; lake ecosystem; mathematical model; priority journal; satellite imagery; sediment; sensitivity analysis; stream (river); suspended particulate matter; validation process; water analysis; water flow; water quality; analysis; chemistry; lake; procedures; river; water pollutant; Blue Nile Basin; Ethiopia; Lake Tana; Nile Basin; water pollutant; Environmental Monitoring; Geologic Sediments; Hydrology; Lakes; Rivers; Satellite Imagery; Water Movements; Water Pollutants | None |
| None | None | Evaluation of the cytotoxic activity of extracts from medicinal plants used for the treatment of malaria in Kagera and Lindi regions, Tanzania | Nondo R.S.O., Moshi M.J., Erasto P., Zofou D., Njouendou A.J., Wanji S., Ngemenya M.N., Kidukuli A.W., Masimba P.J., Titanji V.P.K. | 2015 | Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science | 5 | 4 | 10.7324/JAPS.2015.50402 | Department of Biological and Pre-Clinical Studies, Institute of Traditional Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Biotechnology Unit, University of Buea, Buea, South West Region, Cameroon; Research Foundation in Tropical Diseases and Environment, Buea, South West Region, Cameroon | Nondo, R.S.O., Department of Biological and Pre-Clinical Studies, Institute of Traditional Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Moshi, M.J., Department of Biological and Pre-Clinical Studies, Institute of Traditional Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Erasto, P., National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Zofou, D., Biotechnology Unit, University of Buea, Buea, South West Region, Cameroon, Research Foundation in Tropical Diseases and Environment, Buea, South West Region, Cameroon; Njouendou, A.J., Research Foundation in Tropical Diseases and Environment, Buea, South West Region, Cameroon; Wanji, S., Research Foundation in Tropical Diseases and Environment, Buea, South West Region, Cameroon; Ngemenya, M.N., Biotechnology Unit, University of Buea, Buea, South West Region, Cameroon; Kidukuli, A.W., Department of Biological and Pre-Clinical Studies, Institute of Traditional Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Masimba, P.J., Department of Biological and Pre-Clinical Studies, Institute of Traditional Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Titanji, V.P.K., Biotechnology Unit, University of Buea, Buea, South West Region, Cameroon | A number of medicinal plants used for treatment of malaria in Tanzania have been documented, but information on their safety and efficacy is still based on traditional knowledge accumulated over years and not on pre-clinical and clinical evaluation. The present study aimed to assess the cytotoxic activity of extracts of selected plant species used for treatment of malaria in Tanzania. Ethanol extracts were evaluated for cytoxicity by using MTT assay on LLC-MK2 cells and by brine shrimp lethality assay. Forty five (93.75%) out of 48 crude extracts assessed using LLC-MK2 cells were non-cytotoxic while three extracts (6.25%) were cytotoxic with CC<inf>50</inf> <30 μg/mL (cut-off point). In the brine shrimp assay 30 (65.2%) out of 46 extracts tested were non-toxic while 16 extracts (34.8%) were toxic (LC<inf>50</inf> <100 μg/mL). Antiaris toxicaria stem bark extract was the most cytotoxic to mammalian cells. This study demonstrates that, most of the antimalarial plants tested were non-toxic. These observations corroborate with traditional healers' claims that the herbal medicines used in their areas are safe. However, further studies using different toxicity models are suggested to further confirm their claims. © 2015 Ramadhani SO Nondo et al. | Brine shrimps assay; LLC-MK2 cells; Malaria; Medicinal plants; Tanzania; Toxicity | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84922798088 | Risk evaluation of main pests and integrated management in Chinese wolfberry, Lycium barbarum L. | Liu J., Ali A., Yu M., Zhu F., Kidane D. | 2015 | Pakistan Journal of Zoology | 47 | 1 | None | Department of Biological Engineering, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian, Henan, China; State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Mekelle University, Ethiopia | Liu, J., Department of Biological Engineering, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian, Henan, China; Ali, A., State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China; Yu, M., Department of Biological Engineering, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian, Henan, China; Zhu, F., Department of Biological Engineering, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian, Henan, China; Kidane, D., State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China, Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Mekelle University, Ethiopia | Chinese wolfberry Lycium barbarum L. (Solanales: Solanaceae), is an ancient herbal medicine and has been used for years in China. However, insect pests associated with this plant had not yet been well studied. The present study characterized the main pests associated with this plant. The method of risk assessment indices and the method of experience formulae were used to analyze the risk of pests under different management systems. The result demonstrates most frequent, incidental, and general insect pest in abandoned, organic and conventional fields. Analyses using CANCORR showed that the dynamics of pest populations were similar in all fields under different management system. Moreover, the matrices of correlation coefficients showed that dynamics of pests were significantly correlated. The correlation coefficients in dichotomous pattern viz. the abandoned field and the conventional field, the abandoned field and the organic field, the conventional field and the organic field were 0.8504, 0.8447, and 0.8564, respectively. Dynamics of the populations showed that the frequent disaster pests had two population establishment stages and one exponential growth stage in a year. The optimal controlling stages were from late part of the infancy period to early part of outbreak I period, middle of outbreak I period and from late part of dormancy period to early of outbreak II period. These were the key periods to control pest outbreak. The implications of these results are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Zoological Society of Pakistan. | Chinese wolfberry field; Control strategies; Disaster pests; Optimal separations; Risk assessment | correlation; dicotyledon; dormancy; field survey; fruit; integrated pest management; population dynamics; population outbreak; risk assessment; traditional medicine; Hexapoda; Lycium barbarum; Solanaceae; Solanales | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940180314 | Effect of growth supporting additives on the performance of Auricularia auricula on Mansonia altissima A. chev sawdust | Adenipekun C.O., Lawal R., Isikhuemhen O.S. | 2015 | International Food Research Journal | 22 | 5 | None | Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Crescent University, Abeokuta, PMB, Sapon, Nigeria; Mushroom Biology and Fungal Biotechnology Laboratory, North Carolina A and T State University, Greensboro, NC, United States | Adenipekun, C.O., Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Lawal, R., Crescent University, Abeokuta, PMB, Sapon, Nigeria; Isikhuemhen, O.S., Mushroom Biology and Fungal Biotechnology Laboratory, North Carolina A and T State University, Greensboro, NC, United States | Auricularia auricula (St. Aman's) Berk was cultivated on Mansonia altissima sawdust with various additives (Brewer's grain (BG), Corn chaff (CC), Oil palm fibre (OPF), Sorghum bicolor chaff (SC) and Wheat bran (WB) at different percentages (0%, 5%, 10% and 20%). The study was carried out to determine the effect of additives on the performance of the fungus on the substrate; M. altissima sawdust. The treated and untreated substrates with additives at different percentages were analyzed for lignocelluloses composition, macro element, C-N ratio and proximate composition. The result of this study showed that A. auricula reduced the lignocelluloses composition of M. altissima sawdust. The lignin content reduced from 7.97% (control) to 1.59% in 20%SC treated substrate. The macro elements (Ca, Mg, K, Na) compositions were low in all the treated substrate - additives combination. The least was recorded in Na (25.8 - 84.5ppm), Ca (2.04% in control and 0.50% in 20%SC). The proximate composition showed that the substrate had an average moisture content of 50% - 61%, low protein (4.85-0.60%), high carbohydrate and high ash contents compared to the control. The results of this study showed that A. auricula exhibited an increase in performance with increase in additives, with the most efficient at 20% for all the additives. It can also be concluded that wheat bran was the best out of the five additives used. | Additives; Auricularia auricula; Lignocelluloses composition; Proximate composition | Auricularia auricula-judae; Elaeis; Fungi; Mansonia altissima; Sorghum bicolor; Triticum aestivum; Zea mays | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84941911390 | Evaluation of some heavy metals concentration in River Argungu | Obaroh I.O., Abubakar U., Haruna M.A., Elinge M.C. | 2015 | Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science | 10 | 6 | 10.3923/jfas.2015.581.586 | Department of Biological Sciences, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, P.M.B. 1144, Aliero Birniin Kebbi, Nigeria; Department of Biological Sciences, Usmanu Danfodio Univeresity, Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria; Department of Fisheries and Aqu | Obaroh, I.O., Department of Biological Sciences, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, P.M.B. 1144, Aliero Birniin Kebbi, Nigeria; Abubakar, U., Department of Biological Sciences, Usmanu Danfodio Univeresity, Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria; Haruna, M.A., Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Federal University Dutse, P.M.B. 7156Jigawa State, Nigeria; Elinge, M.C., Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, P.M.B. 1144, Aliero, Birniin Kebbi, Nigeria | Pollution of inland water ways is largely as a result of human activities along the river banks. Some heavy metals concentrations of River Argungu were evaluated due to its close proximity to the town. The study lasted for 12 months (March, 2014-February, 2015) using Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) Analysis. Nickel and copper were highest during the month of July with mean values of 1.02±0.02 and 1.81±0.23 mg L-1, respectively, lead and chromium were highest during the month of September with mean values of 13.12±0.18 and 0.14±0.05 mg L-1, respectively. The Mean±SD of eight heavy metals assessed indicated that, nickel, iron, lead and cadmium detected were observed to be higher than the permissible limit (nickel 0.02, iron 0.30, lead 0.01 and cadmium 0.003 mg L-1) throughout the study period. Zinc was however, lower than the permissible limit of World Health Organization (WHO) throughout the period of the study. Most of the highest concentrations of heavy metals observed were at the onset and during the rainy season. The high concentrations of some heavy metals observed in the river could be as a result of human activities mostly concentrated at the river banks and run-off during the rainy season. This study infers that, some fish species could be threaten as a result of the high concentrations of most of the heavy metals, thus the need for an efficient and sustainable fisheries management to control human activities along the river bank. © 2015 Academic Journals Inc. | Analysis; Composition; Concentration; Water samples; X-ray | anthropogenic effect; concentration (composition); fishery management; heavy metal; human activity; river bank; river pollution; river water; sustainability; X-ray; Argungu River; Nigeria | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929222762 | The impact of paleoclimate, geologic history, and human influence on the evolution of East African cichlids | Twesigye C.K. | 2015 | Quaternary International | 369 | None | 10.1016/j.quaint.2014.10.065 | Department of Biological Sciences, Kyambogo University, P.O. Box, 1, Kyambogo, Kampala, Uganda | Twesigye, C.K., Department of Biological Sciences, Kyambogo University, P.O. Box, 1, Kyambogo, Kampala, Uganda | The cichlid fishes of the East African Great Lakes are the largest extant vertebrate radiation identified to date. These lakes and their watersheds support over 2000 species of cichlid fish, many of which are descended from single common ancestor within the past 25Ma-10Ma. The extraordinary East African cichlid diversity is linked to the highly variable geologic and paleoclimatic history of this region. The East Africa rift system (EARS) is the roughly north-south alignment of rift basins in East Africa that defines the boundary between the Somalian and African plates. The EARS is divided into two structural branches that are also oriented roughly north-south. Rifting in the eastern branch began 30-35 Ma in the Afar and Ethiopian Plateau and propagated north-south until it impinged on the strong Precambrian Tanzanian cratonic block, which is in the center of the East Africa Plateau. The timing of the initiation of the western branch of the EARS is uncertain and has been suggested to have begun as early as 25 Ma to as recently as 12-10 Ma. Uplifting associated with this rifting backponded many rivers and created Lake Victoria. Since their creation, these lakes have changed dramatically which has, in turn, significantly influenced the evolutionary history of the lakes' cichlids. This paper examines the geologic history, paleoclimate of the East African Great Lakes, and human influence and the impact of these forces on the region's endemic cichlid fishes using evidence from geologic and molecular data. A drastic decline has occurred in the size of cichlid fishes populations since the beginning of the 20th century, exacerbated by two main factors; an increase in the size of the human population and increased fishing pressure and fish introductions. One of the attendant consequences of such a decline is a reduction in the amount of genetic diversity in the surviving populations due to increased effects of random genetic drift. Information about the amount of genetic variation within and between the remaining populations is vital for their future conservation and management. The genetic structure of a cichlid fish, the Nile tilapia, was examined using nucleotide variation of mitochondrial control region sequences and four nuclear microsatellite loci in 128 individuals from seven localities. Forty three mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes were observed, fourteen of which were geographically localized. We found significant genetic differentiation between the five populations at the mitochondrial locus while three out of the four microsatellite loci differentiated five populations. The possible contributions from human activities such as water pollution, overfishing and fish introductions are also discussed. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. | East African cichlids; Evolution; Genetic diversity; Geologic history; Human influence; Paleoclimate | anthropogenic effect; cichlid; DNA; evolutionary biology; genetic differentiation; genetic variation; geological record; paleoclimate; population genetics; Afar; East African Lakes; East African Rift; Ethiopian Highlands; Lake Victoria; African cichlids; Cichlidae; Oreochromis niloticus; Pisces; Vertebrata | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84933054431 | Evaluation of metal nanoparticles for drug delivery systems | Adeyemi O.S., Sulaiman F.A. | 2015 | Journal of Biomedical Research | 29 | 2 | 10.7555/JBR.28.20130096 | Department of Biological Sciences, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria; Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria | Adeyemi, O.S., Department of Biological Sciences, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria; Sulaiman, F.A., Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria | Diminazene aceturate is a trypanocide with unwanted toxicity and limited efficacy. It was reasoned that conjugating diminazene aceturate to functionalized nanoparticle would lower untoward toxicity while improving selectivity and therapeutic efficacy. Silver and gold nanoparticles were evaluated for their capacities to serve as carriers for diminazene aceturate. The silver and gold nanoparticles were synthesized, functionalized and coupled to diminazene aceturate following established protocols. The nanoparticle conjugates were characterized. The free diminazene aceturate and drug conjugated nanoparticles were subsequently evaluated for cytotoxicity in vitro. The characterizations by transmission electron microscopy or UV/Vis spectroscopy revealed that conjugation of diminazene aceturate to silver or gold nanoparticles was successful. Evaluation for cytotoxic actions in vitro demonstrated no significance difference between free diminazene aceturate and the conjugates. Our data suggest that surface modified metal nanoparticles could be optimized for drug delivery systems. © 2015 by the Journal of Biomedical Research. | Drugs; Nanoparticles; Targeting; Toxicity; Trypanocides | diminazene aceturate; gold nanoparticle; silver nanoparticle; Article; drug conjugation; drug cytotoxicity; drug delivery system; in vitro study; priority journal; surface property; synthesis; transmission electron microscopy; ultraviolet spectroscopy | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84945940863 | Evaluation of spatial and temporal characteristics of wind and wind resources: A case study of some nigerian cities | Ngene B.U., Agunwamba J.C., Tenebe I.T., Emenike P.C. | 2015 | International Journal of Applied Engineering Research | 10 | 19 | None | Department of Civil Engineering, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria; Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria | Ngene, B.U., Department of Civil Engineering, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria; Agunwamba, J.C., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria; Tenebe, I.T., Department of Civil Engineering, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria; Emenike, P.C., Department of Civil Engineering, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria | Wind Energy available in 24 Nigeria cities is estimated using monthly wind speed data. The country is grouped into zones, namely: Coastal, Inland, Middle Belt and far Northern regions for effective characterization into areas of similar climatic conditions. To analyze the wind data, a check on the reliability is made to ensure adequacy for the estimation of spatial and temporal characteristics of the nation’s wind resources. The long-term average wind speed, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, shape and scale factors and wind power densities are estimated for each city and averaged for zones. From the results generated, the classification of the 24 stations into class 1-7 is made. Classification indicates class 1 for the weakest location for siting of wind power generators to class 7 the strongest possible site for electric energy generator site. Sites with high altitude mostly in the Northern part of the country, such as Jos, Minna, Sokoto, Gusau, Katsina and Kano show potentials for investment in wind power generators. In the southern part of the country, possible offshore wind generator is advocated. For cities such as Ikeja, Enugu and Ikom, generators may be considered though not very economical when average yearly wind speed is the subject. © Research India Publications. | Seasons and characteristics; Wind power; Wind speed; Zones | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84924798977 | Laboratory evaluations of the fractions efficacy of Annona senegalensis (Annonaceae) leaf extract on immature stage development of malarial and filarial mosquito vectors | Lame Y., Nukenine E.N., Simon Pierre D.Y., Elijah A.E., Esimone C.O. | 2015 | Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases | 9 | 2 | None | Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon; Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria; Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeri | Lame, Y., Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon; Nukenine, E.N., Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon; Simon Pierre, D.Y., Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon; Elijah, A.E., Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria; Esimone, C.O., Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria | Background: Within the framework to control mosquitoes, ovicidal, larvicidal and pupicidal activity of Annona senegalensis leaf extract and its 4 fractions against Anopheles gambiae and Culex quinquefasciatus were evaluated in the laboratory conditions. Methods: Ovicidal test was performed by submitting at least 100 eggs of mosquitoes to 125, 250, 500, 1000 and 2000 ppm concentrations, while larvicidal and pupicidal effects were assessed by submitting 25 larvae or pupae to the concentrations of 2500, 1250, 625 and 312.5 ppm of plant extract or fractions of A. senegalensis. Results: The eggs of An. gambiae were most affected by N-hexane (0.00% hatchability) and chloroform (03.67% hatchability) fractions compared to Cx. quinquefasciatus where at least 25 % hatchability were recorded at 2000 ppm. For larvicidal test, N-hexane (LC50= 298.8 ppm) and chloroform (LC50= 418.3 ppm) fractions were more effective than other fractions on An. gambiae larvae while, a moderate effectiveness was also observed with Nhexane (LC50= 2087.6 ppm), chloroform (LC50= 9010.1 ppm) fractions on Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae. The highest mortality percent of the pupae were also recorded with N-hexane and chloroform fractions on An. gambiae at 2500 ppm. As for Cx. quinquefasciatus only 50 % and 36 % mortality were recorded with N-hexane and chloroform fractions respectively. Conclusion: The extract of A. senegalensis was toxic on immature stage of mosquito species tested. By splitting methanolic crude extract, only N-hexane and chloroform fractions were revealed to possess a mosquitocidal effects and could be considered and utilized for future immature mosquito vectors control. | Annona senegalensis; Anopheles gambiae; Culex quinquefasciatus; Fractions; Pupicidal | alkaloid; Annona senegalensis extract; chloroform; flavonoid; hexane; phenol derivative; plant extract; saponin; steroid; tannin derivative; terpenoid; unclassified drug; adult; animal experiment; Anopheles gambiae; Article; controlled study; Culex quinquefasciatus; developmental stage; egg; female; hatching; insecticidal activity; larvicidal activity; LC50; mortality; mosquito; nonhuman; ovicidal activity; pupa (life cycle stage); pupicidal activity; vector control | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929391195 | Mitigating the impact of swimming pools on domestic water demand | Fisher-Jeffes L., Gertse G., Armitage N.P. | 2015 | Water SA | 41 | 2 | 10.4314/wsa.v41i2.09 | Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, South Africa | Fisher-Jeffes, L., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, South Africa; Gertse, G., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, South Africa; Armitage, N.P., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, South Africa | South Africa is a water-scarce country where the sustainable provision of water to its citizens is one of the most significant challenges faced. A recent study in Cape Town, South Africa, investigated the impact of residential swimming pools on household water demand and found that, on average, the presence of a swimming pool increased water demand by 8.85 kℓ/ month or 37.36%. Should cities in South Africa wish to develop in a water sensitive manner – where water is treated as a scarce resource with economic value in all its competing uses – it will be vital to understand the impact of swimming pools on residential water demand. Should there be a significant increase in water demand attributable to the presence of a swimming pool on a property, it would highlight the need to consider whether it is acceptable for properties to use municipal water to fill them or top them up – especially in water-scarce/stressed areas. This paper describes a study undertaken in the Liesbeek River catchment, Cape Town, to investigate the impact that swimming pools have on domestic water demand. The results support the contention that properties with swimming pools use significantly more water than those without. This study estimated the additional demand resulting from swimming pools at between 2.2–2.4 kℓ/month or 7–8% of total water demand. The data also indicate that the presence of a swimming pool correlates with a higher indoor demand. The study shows the need to reduce the impact of swimming pools. This could include: pool covers to reduce evaporation, the recycling of backwash water, the use of rainwater to top up swimming pools, water use surcharges and, finally, appropriate regulation and enforcement to prevent the use of municipal water in swimming pools – especially during droughts. © 2015, South African Water Research Commission. All rights reserved. | Swimming pools; Urban water management; Water demand management | Catchments; Housing; Lakes; Swimming pools; Water management; Water recycling; Water treatment; Cape Town , South Africa; Residential swimming pools; Residential water demand; Scarce resources; Sustainable provision; Urban water management; Water Demand Management; Water sensitive; Water resources; catchment; drought; evaporation; mitigation; pool; residential development; river; water demand; water management; water use efficiency; Cape Town; South Africa; Western Cape | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84924705895 | Behaviour and ecological impacts of termites: Fecundity investigations in mounds | Wako S.E. | 2015 | Ekologia Bratislava | 34 | 1 | 10.1515/eko-2015-0008 | Department of Biology Education, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 6767, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Wako, S.E., Department of Biology Education, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 6767, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | A radical study was conducted on the behaviour and ecological impacts of termites in Haru District of Western Oromia, Ethiopia. It was aimed at investigating the natural behaviour, fecundity in mounds, ecological impacts and recommending possible solutions to termite problems. Four mounds in different sites were vertically dug down to display the profile of the queen, soldiers, workers, number of laid eggs, nymphs and colonies of termites. On an average, termite queens of the study site may lay about 25 eggs per minute, 36,000 eggs per day and 13,140,000 eggs annually. The fourth queen was unearthed to study the structure, size, number of ovaries and fecundity. It was examined that the death of a queen does not affect the colony, because four small queens are formed and one of them becomes the queen of queens and replaced the dead queen promptly. Accordingly, termites are found to be one of the most destructive agents of our ecosystems and their management requests careful and biological control methods. As a result, the negative effect of termites outweighs the positive effect of termites so that minimising the population size is important for human beings. | Alates; Cast; Colony; Queen; Red ants and royal cell | behavioral ecology; biological control; ecological impact; ecosystem management; fecundity; population size; termite; Ethiopia; Oromia; Formicidae; Isoptera | None |
| None | None | Understanding watershed dynamics and impacts of climate change and variability in the Pangani River Basin, Tanzania | Lalika M.C.S., Meire P., Ngaga Y.M., Chang'a L. | 2015 | Ecohydrology and Hydrobiology | 15 | 1 | 10.1016/j.ecohyd.2014.11.002 | Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3038, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania; Department of Forest Economics, Faculty of Forestry and Nature Conservation, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3011, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania; Tanzania Meteorological Agency, P.O. Box 3056, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Lalika, M.C.S., Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp, Belgium, Department of Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3038, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania; Meire, P., Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp, Belgium; Ngaga, Y.M., Department of Forest Economics, Faculty of Forestry and Nature Conservation, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3011, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania; Chang'a, L., Tanzania Meteorological Agency, P.O. Box 3056, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Watersheds and rivers are vital ecological features for the provision of hydrological services for the health, welfare and prosperity of human communities. Nevertheless, anthropogenic activities coupled with climate change and climate variability are blamed for degrading watersheds and rivers and decreasing their capacity to irrigate. To address the situation, it is important to understand why and how water shortages are occurring. This paper reports findings of a study carried out to identify and assess drivers of water shortages and adaptation strategies to climate change and variability in Pangani River Basin of Tanzania. To assess the influence of climate change and variability on hydrological flow and water shortages, time series data on rainfall and temperature were compiled from the Tanzania Meteorological Agency. We also used structured questionnaires to collect data on villagers' perceptions about the drivers of water shortages and adaptation strategies. Results indicated a decreasing trend of water flow (p < 0.05) at Kikuletwa-Karangai gauging station along Pangani River Basin. Trend analysis indicated a slight decrease of rainfall and increase of temperature. Although there is no empirical evidence to associate climate change with the decline of rainfall and water flow, adaptation measures need to be put in place in order to mitigate against increasing climate variability, reduced water flow, and projected climate change. Therefore, watershed conservation strategies should also focus on improving the welfare of local communities. Additionally, involvement of stakeholders in the entire PRB is crucial toward watersheds conservation for steady flow of hydrological services. © 2014 European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology of Polish Academy of Sciences. | Basin; Climate change; Ecosystem services; Pangani; River; Water; Watershed degradation | climate change; climate effect; climate variation; ecosystem service; environmental degradation; river basin; water flow; watershed; Pangani Basin; Tanzania | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84931830664 | Evaluation for in-vitro antibacterial activity of selected medicinal plants against food-borne pathogens | Mulat M., Chali K., Tariku Y., Bacha K. | 2015 | International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research | 32 | 2 | None | Department of Biology, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia; Adam Science and Technology University, Adama, Ethiopia; Department of Chemistry, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia; Department of Biology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia | Mulat, M., Department of Biology, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia; Chali, K., Adam Science and Technology University, Adama, Ethiopia; Tariku, Y., Department of Chemistry, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia; Bacha, K., Department of Biology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia | Folkloric medicinal plants are commonly used all over the world and linked with different cultural believes. In most developing countries, including Ethiopia, where many people live under poor hygienic conditions; and has low access to modern health care system, the chance infection with food borne disease is undoubtedly high. As a result, peoples visit traditional healers as an alternative to the modern health care system. To this effect, five traditional medicinal plants (Vernonia amygdalina, Nigella sativa, Ocimum sauve, Ruta graveolens and Ocimum lamifolium) were collected for evaluation of in vitro antibacterial activity. Soxhlet extraction method and agar disk diffusion techniques were used to obtain the crude extracts as well as for antibacterial activity test. All the petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol crude extracts of the five medicinal plants and volatile oil were tested against standard reference strains, including Escherichia coli (ATCC25722), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC25903), Shigella sonnei (ATCC259131) and Salmonella typhimurium (ATCC13311). The essential oil extract of Nigella sativa seeds showed better activity against the Gram negative bacteria Salmonella typhimurium at concentration of 3.7 µl. Based on our observation, it could be concluded that the crude and volatile oil extracts of the plants are candidate products for treatment of gastrointestinal pains having gone through additional investigation on pharmacokinetics and toxicity of the extracts. © 2015, Global Research Online. All rights reserved. | Medicinal plants; MIC; Nigella sativa; Ocimum lamifolium; Ocimum sauve; Ruta graveolens; Vernonia amygdalina | alkaloid; cardiac glycoside; essential oil; flavonoid; Gymnanthemum amygdalinum oil; Nigella sativa oil; Ocmium lamifolium oil; Ocmium Sauve oil; phenol derivative; Ruta greaveolens oil; saponin; tannin; unclassified drug; Vernonia amygladyia oil; antibacterial activity; Article; bacterium; bacterium isolation; black cumin; controlled study; disk diffusion; Escherichia coli; food borne bacterium; food poisoning; Gymnanthemum amygdalinum; in vitro study; minimum inhibitory concentration; nonhuman; Ocimum; Ocimum lamifolium; Ocimum sauve; phytochemistry; Ruta graveolens; Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium; Shigella sonnei; Soxhlet extraction; Staphylococcus aureus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84942605038 | Evaluation of rational use of veterinary drugs especially antimicrobials and anthelmintics in Bishoftu, Central Ethiopia Veterinary Research | Beyene T., Endalamaw D., Tolossa Y., Feyisa A. | 2015 | BMC Research Notes | 8 | 1 | 10.1186/s13104-015-1466-4 | Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia; Department of Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia | Beyene, T., Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia; Endalamaw, D., Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia; Tolossa, Y., Department of Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia; Feyisa, A., Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia | Background: Rational use of drugs in veterinary medicine has numerous benefits, such as increasing efficacy, decreasing the potential adverse effects, reducing risk of drug residue and combating development of microorganism's drug resistance. Methods: A retrospective study with the aim of evaluating the current rational use of veterinary drugs was conducted at college of veterinary medicine and agriculture veterinary teaching hospital and Ada district veterinary clinic, central Ethiopia. One thousand eight hundred and nineteen animal patients' encounters were randomly selected for the study from prescription papers and prescription registration books retrospectively. Results: The average number of drugs prescribed per encounter was 1.23 with maximum of five. The percentage of encounters in which antimicrobials and anthelmintics was prescribed were 54.4 % (1216/2235) and 38.9 % (869/2235), respectively. The percentages of drugs prescribed by generic name and from essential veterinary drug list were 90.1 % (2014/2235) and 99.7 % (2229/2235), respectively. The most commonly prescribed antimicrobials and anthelmintics were oxytetracycline 1016 (45.5 %), penicillin and streptomycin combination 168 (7.5 %), sulfa drugs 23 (1.0 %), and albendazole 732 (32.8 %) and ivermectin 137 (6.1 %). Among the 1819 animal-patient encounters, only 57 % (n = 1037) of the prescriptions were written adequately, 43 % (n = 782) incorrectly prescribed and 1179 cases of the adequately specified prescription were tentatively diagnosed. For 656 (53.9 %) and 233 (26.8 %) inadequately specified cases antimicrobials and anthelmintics were prescribed, respectively. Antibiotics were prescribed irrationally for cases which were tentatively diagnosed as parasitic 21.6 % (n = 262) and viral to prevent secondary bacterial complications 6.0 % (n = 73). Among all patients that were admitted to veterinary clinics, 96.6 % (1757) were treated empirically without getting correct laboratory-supported diagnosis. Chi Square test for trend analysis showed a statistically significant association between irrational drug usage and year (p = 0.000). Conclusions: The findings had shown problems in generic prescribing, incorrect diagnosis, and non-availability of standard veterinary treatment guideline and drug formulary in the study area. Therefore, veterinary drugs, specially, antimicrobial agents should be judiciously used; and a wide scale study to safeguard the public from drug residual effects and antimicrobial resistance development is recommended. © 2015 Beyene et al. | Ethiopia; Evaluation; Prescribing practices; Rational use; Veterinary drugs | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84927918107 | Evaluation of Chemical, Biochemical and Microbiological Quality in Tomato Using Multivariate Analysis | Sobratee N., Workneh T.S. | 2015 | International Journal of Food Engineering | 11 | 2 | 10.1515/ijfe-2014-0099 | Department of Bioresources Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | Sobratee, N., Department of Bioresources Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; Workneh, T.S., Department of Bioresources Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | Tomato quality is determined by metabolite content which is governed by post-harvest physiological changes. A 30-day full factorial experiment investigated pre-packaging, disinfection and storage temperatures on 18 different biochemical, microbiological, enzymatic and subjective quality attributes of tomato quality. Principal component analysis revealed associations among the variables such as PC1 (28.85%): coliform/enzymatic softening; PC2 (21.52%): free sugars/sweetness; and PC3 (18.20%): sucrose hydrolysis/microbial spoilage/defense metabolites. Discriminant analysis showed that some specific parameters were highly significant (P<0.001) in determining quality changes in relation to the washing procedures and storage temperature. The prominence of ascorbic acid was observed in the equations which discriminate mostly on the basis of microbial deterioration. Further works in this respect entail fine-tuning through model verification of the equations. Multivariate analysis techniques are, therefore, recommended in studies whereby understanding of the phenomenon driving the post-harvest system's dynamics has to be understood through diverse interrelated metabolic parameters. © 2015 by De Gruyter. | dipping treatment; discriminant analysis; post-harvest tomato quality; principal component analysis (PCA); separation of variables | Ascorbic acid; Chemical analysis; Discriminant analysis; Fruits; Harvesting; Metabolites; Multivariant analysis; Principal component analysis; dipping treatment; Full factorial experiment; Microbial deterioration; Microbiological quality; Multi variate analysis; Multivariate analysis techniques; Post harvest; Separation of variables; Quality control; Lycopersicon esculentum | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84956619412 | The impact of prior information on estimates of disease transmissibility using bayesian tools | Moser C.B., Gupta M., Archer B.N., White L.F. | 2015 | PLoS ONE | 10 | 3 | 10.1371/journal.pone.0118762 | Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States; National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa | Moser, C.B., Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States; Gupta, M., Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States; Archer, B.N., National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; White, L.F., Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States | The basic reproductive number (R0) and the distribution of the serial interval (SI) are often used to quantify transmission during an infectious disease outbreak. In this paper, we present estimates of R0 and SI from the 2003 SARS outbreak in Hong Kong and Singapore, and the 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) outbreak in South Africa using methods that expand upon an existing Bayesian framework. This expanded framework allows for the incorporation of additional information, such as contact tracing or household data, through prior distributions. The results for the R0 and the SI from the influenza outbreak in South Africa were similar regardless of the prior information (R 0 = 1.36 -1.46,μ = 2.0-2.7,μ = mean of the SI). The estimates of R0 and μ for the SARS outbreak ranged from 2.0-4.4 and 7.4-11.3, respectively, and were shown to vary depending on the use of contact tracing data. The impact of the contact tracing data was likely due to the small number of SARS cases relative to the size of the contact tracing sample. © 2015 Moser et al. | None | 2009 H1N1 influenza; Article; basic reproduction number; Bayes theorem; contact examination; disease transmission; epidemic; Hong Kong; household; human; sample size; serial interval; severe acute respiratory syndrome; Singapore; South Africa; statistical model; statistical parameters; Bayes theorem; computer simulation; confidence interval; epidemic; Influenza A virus (H1N1); Influenza, Human; severe acute respiratory syndrome; statistics and numerical data; transmission; virology; Bayes Theorem; Computer Simulation; Confidence Intervals; Contact Tracing; Disease Outbreaks; Hong Kong; Humans; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; Influenza, Human; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; Singapore; South Africa | NIGMS, National Institute of General Medical Sciences |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84922321935 | Evaluation of the 5 and 8 pH point titration methods for monitoring anaerobic digesters treating solid waste | Vannecke T.P.W., Lampens D.R.A., Ekama G.A., Volcke E.I.P. | 2015 | Environmental Technology (United Kingdom) | 36 | 7 | 10.1080/09593330.2014.964334 | Department of Biosystems Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Water Research Group, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa | Vannecke, T.P.W., Department of Biosystems Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Lampens, D.R.A., Department of Biosystems Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Ekama, G.A., Water Research Group, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Volcke, E.I.P., Department of Biosystems Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium | Simple titration methods certainly deserve consideration for on-site routine monitoring of volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration and alkalinity during anaerobic digestion (AD), because of their simplicity, speed and cost-effectiveness. In this study, the 5 and 8 pH point titration methods for measuring the VFA concentration and carbonate system alkalinity (H2CO3∗-alkalinity) were assessed and compared. For this purpose, synthetic solutions with known H2CO3∗-alkalinity and VFA concentration as well as samples from anaerobic digesters treating three different kind of solid wastes were analysed. The results of these two related titration methods were verified with photometric and high-pressure liquid chromatography measurements. It was shown that photometric measurements lead to overestimations of the VFA concentration in the case of coloured samples. In contrast, the 5 pH point titration method provides an accurate estimation of the VFA concentration, clearly corresponding with the true value. Concerning the H2CO3∗-alkalinity, the most accurate and precise estimations, showing very similar results for repeated measurements, were obtained using the 8 pH point titration. Overall, it was concluded that the 5 pH point titration method is the preferred method for the practical monitoring of AD of solid wastes due to its robustness, cost efficiency and user-friendliness. © 2014 Taylor and Francis. | Alkalinity; anaerobic digestion; monitoring; multiple pH-point titration; volatile fatty acids | acetic acid; bicarbonate; butyric acid; isobutyric acid; propionic acid; alkalinity; anoxic conditions; fatty acid; measurement method; monitoring; pH; solid waste; volatile substance; alkalinity; anaerobic digestion; Article; concentration (parameters); continuous stirred tank reactor; flow rate; high performance liquid chromatography; monitoring; municipal solid waste; pH; photometry; solid waste management; titrimetry | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84943248401 | Effects of NPK single fertilizers on relative growth performances of two cycles of maize (Zea mays L.) grown in a degraded soil of Southwest Nigeria | Chukwuka K.S., Ajala S., Nwosu P.C., Omotayo O.E. | 2015 | Journal of Agronomy | 14 | 4 | 10.3923/ja.2015.203.211 | Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria | Chukwuka, K.S., Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Ajala, S., International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria; Nwosu, P.C., Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Omotayo, O.E., Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria | The balanced use of inorganic amendments to enhance effective crop production for developing world economies like Nigeria is paramount to achieve her Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for its teeming population. Thus this study was carried out to assess the relative growth performances of a major food crop under different regimes of fertilizer application. Field and Green House experiments were carried out to assess the relative growth performances of two Cycles of Zea mays L. (LNTP-W C0and C3) used as test crops for the amendment of degraded soil using N, P and K single fertilizers. The single fertilizers (treatments) used were Urea, Single Super Phosphate (SSP) and Muriate of Potash and the study was carried out in the Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. The experiment consisted of 4 treatments applied at 2 levels (C0 and C3) and replicated three times in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) to give a total of 48 experimental units. The application of Nitrogen (N) was done at four levels (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg ha–1), while the Phosphorous (P2O5) and Potassium (K) were applied at a constant rate of about 60 kg ha–1 for all the pots except for the experimental control pots. The design was adopted for both Green House and Field experiments. The results from the study showed that C3 performed better than C0 in Field and Green House experiments with respect to their relative performances of the growth parameters; plant height (cm), stem diameter (mm), number of leaves, leaf length (cm) and leaf width (cm) measured within the Pre-flowering period of 8 weeks. The treatment combination of 90 kg ha–1 N, 60 kg ha–1 P and 60 kg ha–1 K gave the best performance in this study. The study also revealed that the growth rate of the maize plant was directly proportional to the level of N applied with constant levels of P and K providing the basis for developing optimum NPK fertilizer level for the amendment of degraded soil for higher productivity using maize with tolerance to low soil Nitrogen. The study showed that more derelict soils can be put to good use with the appropriate level of NPK Fertilizer application optimum for the right crop, thus aiding the use of hitherto abandoned degraded land and putting more land under cultivation. © 2015 Asian Network for Scientific Information. | Eroded soil; Fertilizer application; Performance; Zea mays L | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929655475 | Comparing impacts of alien plants and animals in Europe using a standard scoring system | Kumschick S., Bacher S., Evans T., Markova´ Z., Pergl J., Pysˇek P., Vaes-Petignat S., van der Veer G., Vila` M., Nentwig W. | 2015 | Journal of Applied Ecology | 52 | 3 | 10.1111/1365-2664.12427 | Department of Botany and Zoology, Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; Unit Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Muse´e 10, Fribourg, Switzerland; Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire, United Kingdom; Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Pru˚honice, Czech Republic; Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Vinicˇna´ 7, Praha 2, Czech Republic; Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, Bern, Switzerland; Estacio´n Biolo´gica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avda. Ame´rico Vespucio, s/n, Isla de la Cartuja, Sevilla, Spain | Kumschick, S., Department of Botany and Zoology, Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; Bacher, S., Unit Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Muse´e 10, Fribourg, Switzerland; Evans, T., Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire, United Kingdom; Markova´, Z., Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Pru˚honice, Czech Republic, Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Vinicˇna´ 7, Praha 2, Czech Republic; Pergl, J., Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Pru˚honice, Czech Republic; Pysˇek, P., Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Pru˚honice, Czech Republic, Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Vinicˇna´ 7, Praha 2, Czech Republic; Vaes-Petignat, S., Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, Bern, Switzerland; van der Veer, G., Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, Bern, Switzerland; Vila`, M., Estacio´n Biolo´gica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avda. Ame´rico Vespucio, s/n, Isla de la Cartuja, Sevilla, Spain; Nentwig, W., Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, Bern, Switzerland | Alien species can change the recipient environment in various ways, and some of them cause considerable damage. Understanding such impacts is crucial to direct management actions. This study addresses the following questions: Is it possible to quantify impact across higher taxa in a comparative manner? Do impacts differ between taxonomic groups? How are environmental and socio-economic impacts related? Can impacts be predicted based on those in other regions? To address these questions, we reviewed literature describing the impacts of 300 species from five major taxonomic groups: mammals, birds, fish, terrestrial arthropods and plants. To make very diverse impact measures comparable, we used the semi-quantitative generic impact scoring system (GISS) which describes environmental and socio-economic impacts using twelve categories. In each category, scores range from zero (no impact known or detectable) to five (the highest possible impact). Using the same scoring system for taxa as diverse as invertebrates, vertebrates and plants, we found that overall, alien mammals in Europe have the highest impact, while fish have the lowest. Terrestrial arthropods were found to have the lowest environmental impact, while fish had relatively low socio-economic impact. Overall, the magnitude of environmental and socio-economic impacts of individual alien species is highly correlated. However, at the species level, major deviations are found. For mammals and birds, the impacts in invaded ranges outside of Europe are broadly similar to those recorded for alien species within Europe, indicating that a consideration of the known impacts of a species in other regions can be generally useful when predicting the impacts of an alien species. However, it should be noted that this pattern is not consistent across all mammal and bird orders, and thus, such information should be considered with caution. Synthesis and applications. Comparing the impacts of alien species across taxa is necessary for prioritizing management efforts and effective allocation of resources. By applying the generic impact scoring system (GISS) to five major taxonomic groups, we provide the basis for a semi-quantitative cross-taxa listing process (e.g. 'black lists' or 100-worst-lists). If more data are collated from different geographical regions and habitats using standard GISS protocols, risk assessments for alien species based on rigorous measures of impact could be improved by taking into account local variation, and context dependence of impacts. This would also allow studies at lower taxonomic levels, and within-taxon analyses of functional groups and guilds. Comparing the impacts of alien species across taxa is necessary for prioritizing management efforts and effective allocation of resources. By applying the generic impact scoring system (GISS) to five major taxonomic groups, we provide the basis for a semi-quantitative cross-taxa listing process (e.g. 'black lists' or 100-worst-lists). If more data are collated from different geographical regions and habitats using standard GISS protocols, risk assessments for alien species based on rigorous measures of impact could be improved by taking into account local variation, and context dependence of impacts. This would also allow studies at lower taxonomic levels, and within-taxon analyses of functional groups and guilds. © 2015 British Ecological Society. | Arthropod; Biological invasions; Environmental impact; Generic impact scoring system; Management prioritization; Non-native species; Policy; Risk assessment; Socio-economic impact; Vertebrate | biological invasion; bird; comparative study; environmental impact; habitat fragmentation; introduced species; mammal; risk assessment; socioeconomic impact; Europe; Animalia; Arthropoda; Aves; Invertebrata; Mammalia; Vertebrata | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929659246 | Distributon and impact of the alien anemone Sagarta ornata in the West Coast Natonal Park | Robinson T.B., Swart C. | 2015 | Koedoe | 57 | 1 | 10.4102/koedoe.v57i1.1246 | Department of Botany and Zoology, Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa | Robinson, T.B., Department of Botany and Zoology, Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Swart, C., Department of Botany and Zoology, Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa | Sagartia ornata is an alien anemone that occurs intertidally within the West Coast National Park (WCNP). Whilst baseline distributional data was gathered in 2001, the range and abundance of this alien has not been reassessed. The present study aimed to determine the current status and distribution of this anemone, to assess its diet so as to establish the role it may play as predator and to investigate its impact on sandy-shore communities. Sagartia ornata was found to be restricted to the WCNP, where it occurred in densities of up to 508 ± 218 individuals per m2. Within the park the distribution of this anemone had changed. Populations were recorded in Nanozostera capensis seagrass beds for the frst time and this alien was absent from two areas in which it had previously occurred. Diet analysis revealed indigenous polychaetes and amphipods as the dominant prey items consumed by S. ornata. This alien was found to signifcantly alter sandy-shore community structure, with differences caused primarily by increases in the abundance and biomass of the tanaid Anatanais gracilis and the polychaete Orbinia angrapequensis. Additionally, invaded areas supported signifcantly greater invertebrate diversity, density and biomass. It is concluded that whilst this anemone negatively affects native biota, its current dependence on restricted habitats precludes widespread impacts with the park. Conservation implications: With regard to conservation implications, this invasion should be routinely monitored outside the WCNP as in its native range S. ornata occurs on rocky shores and kelp holdfasts, suggesting a potential for spread along the west coast of South Africa. © 2015. The Authors. | None | abundance; biological invasion; introduced species; polyp; rocky shore; seagrass; sessile species; spatial distribution; South Africa; West Coast National Park; Western Cape; Amphipoda; Anemone; Invertebrata; Orbinia; Polychaeta; Sagartia ornata; Tanaidae; Zeuxo phytalensis | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929579381 | Exploring the impact of habitat size on phylogeographic patterning in the overberg velvet worm peripatopsis overbergiensis (onychophora: Peripatopsidae) | Myburgh A.M., Daniels S.R. | 2015 | Journal of Heredity | 106 | 3 | 10.1093/jhered/esv014 | Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa | Myburgh, A.M., Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; Daniels, S.R., Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa | Evolutionary relationships in the velvet worm species, Peripatopsis overbergiensis, were examined in 3 forest areas in the Overberg region of South Africa to explore the impact of historical habitat fragmentation on the population genetic structure of the species. We collected 84 P. overbergiensis specimens from Grootvadersbosch, Koppie Alleen, and Marloth Nature Reserves and sequenced all these specimens for the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) locus, whereas a subset of 13 specimens were also sequenced for the 18S rRNA locus. Phylogenetic analyses of the 20 unique COI haplotypes revealed 4 genetically distinct clades, a result that is corroborated by the haplotype network. A hierarchical analysis of genetic variation was performed on the COI haplotype data within the 2 large forested areas, Grootvadersbosch and Marloth Nature Reserves, and across all 3 of the sample localities. These results revealed low haplotypic and nucleotide diversity within the largest Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve forest and high haplotypic and nucleotide diversity within the fragmented Marloth Nature Reserve forest, whereas Koppie Alleen had the lowest haplotypic and nucleotide diversity. Across all 3 main localities statistically significant F <inf>ST</inf> values were found, together with the absence of shared haplotypes indicating the absence of maternal gene flow. Divergence time estimations based on the 20 COI haplotypes calculated in BEAST suggest a Pleistocene/Holocene divergence between the 4 clades as a result of habitat fragmentation and the aridification of the region. Our results indicate that conservation efforts should also prioritize linked, smaller fragmented habitats together with continuous habitats to maximize the genetic diversity of saproxylic fauna. © 2015 © The American Genetic Association 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com. | biogeography; habitat fragmentation; velvet worm | nucleotide; RNA 18S; mitochondrial DNA; animal experiment; Article; cladistics; cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene; forest; gene; gene flow; gene locus; gene sequence; genetic variability; habitat; habitat fragmentation; haplotype; Holocene; nonhuman; Onychophora; Peripatopsis overbergiensis; phylogeny; phylogeography; Pleistocene; priority journal; animal; DNA sequence; ecosystem; environmental protection; genetic variability; genetics; invertebrate; phylogeography; population genetics; South Africa; Onychophora; Peripatopsidae; Peripatopsis; Animals; Conservation of Natural Resources; DNA, Mitochondrial; Ecosystem; Genetic Variation; Genetics, Population; Haplotypes; Invertebrates; Phylogeny; Phylogeography; Sequence Analysis, DNA; South Africa | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84944201025 | The impact of project risk factors on national competitive tendering procurement method in Ghana | Baiden B., Abdul-Razak S., Danku J. | 2015 | International Journal of Procurement Management | 8 | 6 | 10.1504/IJPM.2015.072389 | Department of Building Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Private Mail Bag, Kumasi, Ghana; A and QS Consortium Ltd., P.O. Box 531, Wa, Upper West Region, Ghana | Baiden, B., Department of Building Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Private Mail Bag, Kumasi, Ghana; Abdul-Razak, S., A and QS Consortium Ltd., P.O. Box 531, Wa, Upper West Region, Ghana; Danku, J., Department of Building Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Private Mail Bag, Kumasi, Ghana | The study determined the extent of occurrence and assessed the impact of project risk factors on the choice of national competitive tendering (NCT), the dominant of the six (6) procurement methods used by public entities, in the procurement of works in Ghana. Data for study were collected by means of a questionnaire survey and analysed statistically through the comparisons of means using one-way analysis of variance. Twenty six (26) project risk factors were evaluated and ranked. Financial and design risk factors were found to have the highest impact on works procured through NCT. A public works risk impact matrix revealed that, financial and design risks factors have the high extent - high impact on projects procured through NCT. Economic related risk factors have low extent - high impact of occurrence. Environmental and construction related risks have low extent - low impact on the risk matrix. Copyright © 2015 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. | Contracts; Ghana; National competitive tendering; NCT; Procurement; Public; Risks; Works | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84961327393 | Relationships among internal stakeholders in construction projects: A cognitive evaluation for sustainable team integration in Nigeria | Ujene A.O., Edike U.E. | 2015 | International Journal of Construction Management | 15 | 1 | 10.1080/15623599.2015.1012142 | Department of Building, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria; Department of Building Technology, Bells University of Technology, Otta, Nigeria | Ujene, A.O., Department of Building, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria; Edike, U.E., Department of Building, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria, Department of Building Technology, Bells University of Technology, Otta, Nigeria | This study evaluates the relationships among internal stakeholders in the Nigerian construction industry. The objectives are to evaluate the factors influencing good working relationships, with priority placed on relationship indicators and variation in effect/priority among groups of relationships. A survey of 95 purposively sampled stakeholders resulted in 72 valid structured questionnaires. Data were analysed using mean score and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The study concludes that unitary relationships are more associated with professionals; coercive relationships more associated with contractors; while mutuality relationships are least prevalent. The influence of factors promoting/hindering good relationships do not significantly vary among the internal stakeholders (p-values = 0.665 and 0.468), while significant variation exists in the priority placed on relationship-oriented indicators (p-value = 0.015). The study recommends encouragement of mutual relationships, clear/regular communication, trust/respect for contractual conditions, cooperation/collaboration, adequate job descriptions and good job attitudes. Priority should be placed on seamless/collaborative operation, collective understanding and gain/pain-sharing, which encourage team integration. ©2015 Taylor & Francis. | construction; internal stakeholders; projects; relationship; team integration | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84923342361 | Impact of hospital atmosphere on perceived health care outcome | Narang R., Polsa P., Soneye A., Fuxiang W. | 2015 | International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance | 28 | 2 | 10.1108/IJHCQA-12-2013-0142 | Department of Business Administration, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India; Department of Marketing, Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Geography, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Management School, Tianjin Normal Universit | Narang, R., Department of Business Administration, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India; Polsa, P., Department of Marketing, Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki, Finland; Soneye, A., Department of Geography, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Fuxiang, W., Management School, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China | Purpose – Healthcare service quality studies primarily examine the relationships between patients’ perceived quality and satisfaction with healthcare services, clinical effectiveness, service use, recommendations and value for money. These studies suggest that patient-independent quality dimensions (structure, process and outcome) are antecedents to quality. The purpose of this paper is to propose an alternative by looking at the relationship between hospital atmosphere and healthcare quality with perceived outcome. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from Finland, India, Nigeria and the People’s Republic of China. Regression analysis used perceived outcome as the dependent variable and atmosphere and healthcare service quality as independent variables. Findings – Results showed that atmosphere and healthcare service quality have a statistically significant relationship with patient perceived outcomes. Research limitations/implications – The sample size was small and the sampling units were selected on convenience; thus, caution must be exercised in generalizing the findings. Practical implications – The study determined that service quality and atmosphere are considered significant for developing and developed nations. This result could have significant implications for policy makers and service providers developing healthcare quality and hospital atmosphere. Originality/value – Studies concentrate on healthcare outcome primarily regarding population health status, mortality, morbidity, customer satisfaction, loyalty, quality of life, customer behavior and consumption. However, the study exposes how patients perceive their health after treatment. Furthermore, the authors develop the healthcare service literature by considering atmosphere and perceived outcome. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited | Atmosphere; Perceived outcome; Service quality; Healthcare | adolescent; adult; aged; clinical trial; environment; female; health care personnel; health care quality; human; male; middle aged; multicenter study; organization and management; patient satisfaction; perception; very elderly; young adult; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Environment; Female; Health Personnel; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Satisfaction; Perception; Quality of Health Care; Young Adult | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84947062168 | The impact of ISO 9001 implementation on organizational performance in Kenya | Ochieng J., Muturi D., Njihia S.N. | 2015 | TQM Journal | 27 | 6 | 10.1108/TQM-06-2015-0071 | Department of Business Intelligence and Research, Kenya Institute of Management, Nairobi, Kenya; Kenya Institute of Management, Nairobi, Kenya | Ochieng, J., Department of Business Intelligence and Research, Kenya Institute of Management, Nairobi, Kenya; Muturi, D., Kenya Institute of Management, Nairobi, Kenya; Njihia, S.N., Kenya Institute of Management, Nairobi, Kenya | Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to establish the effect of ISO 9001 implementation on the performance of organizations in Kenya. It specifically targeted organizations listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) which is the leading securities exchange in East Africa. Design/methodology/approach: The survey made use of web content analysis to collect data from these organizations' web sites. Data were collected on net profit, turnover and net assets over a four-year period (2010-2013). The research used statistical data analysis to investigate the association between ISO 9001 implementation and performance. Findings: Results of the survey reveal that ISO 9001 certification influenced return on net assets of the organizations thereby influencing their performance. There was significant differences in net asset value among organizations with ISO 9001 certification and those that did not possess the certification. On profit and revenue, there were no significant differences between the ISO 9001 certified and non-certified organizations. Research limitations/implications: The research findings are limited to those organizations listed in the NSE and may not be generalized to other organizations. The study is further limited by the number of organizations participating in the study which was 20. Practical implications: The findings of the study provide justification for adoption of ISO 9001 standard in organizations in all key sectors of the Kenyan economy for sustained quality management practices. The ISO 9001 certified companies will enhance their quality management practices to achieve the successes documented in this paper while those yet to embrace the standards will draw lessons from such successes which may offer them compelling arguments to adopt them. Originality/value: Since the adoption and uptake of ISO certification in Kenya over a decade ago, no study has been carried out that directly relates ISO certification to organizational performance. This study will thus be useful as a starting point in documenting the ISO standard's impact. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited. | ISO 9001; Organizational performance; Quality management | Economics; Profitability; Quality management; Surveys; Design/methodology/approach; ISO 9001; ISO 9001 certification; ISO certifications; Organizational performance; Quality management practices; Statistical data analysis; Web content analysis; Societies and institutions | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84925949590 | The impact of the business environment on the South African emerging market economy | Fisher J.J., Mostert F.J., Mostert J.H. | 2015 | Corporate Ownership and Control | 12 | 2 CONT6 | None | Department of Business Management, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa | Fisher, J.J., Department of Business Management, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; Mostert, F.J., Department of Business Management, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; Mostert, J.H., Department of Business Management, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa | The business environment impacts on the strategic as well as the operational policies, decisions and actions of enterprises, as businesses do not operate in a vacuum. This research paper addresses the impact of the business environment on the South African emerging market economy, where emerging market economies usually have a rapid growing economy as well as government policies which embody economic liberalization and a free-market system. Secondary as well as primary data were applied to achieve the objective of this research paper, which involves the improvement of financial decision-making concerning the impact of the business environment on an emerging market economy. The empirical study of this research paper focuses on the following three aspects, viz.: The importance of the impact of various business environment factors on an emerging market economy, The problem areas within the business environment which impact on an emerging market economy and possible solutions to solve them, as well as The perceptions concerning the rating of various business environment factors over the past five years and the next five years in South Africa. As this research paper focuses on an emerging market economy, the conclusions of this study should be valuable to other countries which have the same type of economy. © 2015, Virtus Interpress. All rights reserved. | Business environment; Economic impact; Financial impact; Impact of foreign direct investments; Impact of the infrastructure; Political impact | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84951947214 | Institutional proxy voting in South Africa: Process, outcomes and impact | Viviers S., Smit E.Vdm. | 2015 | South African Journal of Business Management | 46 | 4 | None | Department of Business Management, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; University of Stellenbosch Business School, PO Box 610, Bellville, South Africa | Viviers, S., Department of Business Management, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; Smit, E.Vdm., University of Stellenbosch Business School, PO Box 610, Bellville, South Africa | This study investigated the nature of institutional shareholder activism in South Africa with a particular focus on proxy voting as a public form of shareholder discontent. A total of 24 510 votes cast by 17 local investment management companies in 2013 were analysed. Interviews were also conducted with selected investment managers to gain more insight into the proxy voting process at their companies. Based on this data, it was concluded that investment managers preferred to engage with investee companies in private and viewed proxy voting as the last link in the shareholder activism chain. As a result, only 6.6 per cent of all votes were 'against' resolutions tabled by 347 JSE-listed companies in 2013. Resolutions regarding shareholders' endorsement of companies' remuneration policies; the election and re-election of directors, particularly those serving on audit committees; and the issuance of ordinary shares elicited the most opposition. Companies that were excluded from the JSE's Socially Responsible Investment Index in 2013 attracted significantly more opposition than their counterparts who were included in the index when seeking shareholder approval on the election and re-election of directors and the placing of shares under the control of directors. The same applied to companies that had low environmental, social and governance disclosure scores in 2013 as regards the issuance of shares. It is recommended, amongst others, that shareholder activism in South Africa be promoted by enhancing investor education and effecting some regulatory changes. | None | None | National Research Foundation |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84949813999 | The impact of risk on the financial performance of small medium enterprises in the construction industry in eastern cape, South Africa | Chiliya W., Rungani E.C., Chiliya N., Chikandiwa C.T. | 2015 | Risk Governance and Control: Financial Markets and Institutions | 5 | 3CONT2 | None | Department of Business Management, University of Fort Hare Alice, P.B. X1314, Eastern Cape, South Africa; University of the Witwatesrand School of Economics and Business Sciences, Private Bag 3, Wits, South Africa; University of KwaZulu-Natal, Graduate School of Leadership, Westville Campus, Private Bag, Durban, South Africa | Chiliya, W., Department of Business Management, University of Fort Hare Alice, P.B. X1314, Eastern Cape, South Africa; Rungani, E.C., Department of Business Management, University of Fort Hare Alice, P.B. X1314, Eastern Cape, South Africa; Chiliya, N., University of the Witwatesrand School of Economics and Business Sciences, Private Bag 3, Wits, South Africa; Chikandiwa, C.T., University of KwaZulu-Natal, Graduate School of Leadership, Westville Campus, Private Bag, Durban, South Africa | Risk management has become the driving force for business success due to the everchanging business environment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the level of awareness and use of risk management techniques on the financial performance. The data was collected from 82 of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) owners/managers in the construction industry in Eastern Cape, South Africa. The results show that the level of awareness and use of risk management techniques have a significant impact on the financial performance of SMEs in the construction industry. The study recommends that the government, tertiary institutions, construction industry development board, and SME owners or managers in the construction industry should work together in improving the level of awareness and use of risk management techniques. © 2015 Virtus Interpress.All rights reserved. | Financial performance; Risk awareness; Risk management techniques; Small Medium enterprises | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84941134620 | The effects of business support as a start-up factor on business performance | Radipere S. | 2015 | Corporate Ownership and Control | 13 | 1CONT1 | None | Department of Business Management, University of South Africa, South Africa | Radipere, S., Department of Business Management, University of South Africa, South Africa | The study examined relationship between business support and business performance using 500 SMMEs in Gauteng province, South Africa. Questionnaire was used to collect data from 500 SMMEs owners. The findings from the survey were modelled through a categorical regression model with business performance as dependent variable. The level of significance of the four variables out of eight variables suggests that business support be classified as the strongest predictor of business performance. © 2015, Virtus interpress. All rights reserved. | Business performance; Business support; Entrepreneur | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939506652 | The effects of motivation as a start-up factor on business performance | Radipere S. | 2015 | Risk Governance and Control: Financial Markets and Institutions | 5 | 1 | None | Department of Business Management, University of South Africa, Box 392, Pretoria, South Africa | Radipere, S., Department of Business Management, University of South Africa, Box 392, Pretoria, South Africa | The study examined the relationship between entrepreneurial motivation and business performance using 500 SMEs in Gauteng province, South Africa. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 500 SME owners. The findings from the survey were modelled through a categorical regression model with business performance as the dependent variable. The level of significance of eight variables out of the twelve variables suggests that motivation be classified as the strongest predictor of business performance. These findings, depicting the magnitude of the business environment in the study area, clearly confirm the positive impact of motivation on business performance. © 2015, Virtus Interpress. All rights reserved. | Business performance; Entrepreneurship; Motivation; SME | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84943275681 | Online-mobile service cross-channel cognitive evaluations in a multichannel context | Nel J., Boshoff C. | 2015 | South African Journal of Business Management | 46 | 3 | None | Department of Business Management, University of the Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Department of Business Management, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, South Africa | Nel, J., Department of Business Management, University of the Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Boshoff, C., Department of Business Management, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, South Africa | Since the advent of mobile commerce, many firms have added a mobile (m-) service to their existing offline and online services. The adoption of an m-service in a multichannel context is not only influenced by factors directly associated with the m-service, but also by cross-channel cognitive evaluations emanating from other existing channels. These cross-channel evaluations can lead to evaluative synergies and dissynergies that can influence consumer decision-making. To explore empirically the impact of cross-channel synergies and dissynergies between the online service and the m-service offered by the same firm, against the background of expectation-transfer theory and status-quo-bias theory, data were collected from 666 online-service users. Consistent with expectation-transfer theory and status-quo-bias theory, the results of the study demonstrated that cross-channel evaluative synergies and dissynergies do indeed impact salient m-service beliefs. The results suggest that managers can leverage the cross-channel synergies emanating from online trust and ease-of-use beliefs to enhance the adoption of the m-service. The results also suggest that, to enhance wider adoption, the marketing managers of m-services need to mitigate the status-quo-bias effects emanating from online-service facilitating conditions, and lower online-service risk perceptions. | None | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84922569355 | Impact of internals size and configuration on bubble dynamics in bubble columns for alternative clean fuels production | Kagumba M., Al-Dahhan M.H. | 2015 | Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research | 54 | 4 | 10.1021/ie503490h | Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, 110 Bertelsmeyer Hall, 1101 N. State St., Rolla, MO, United States; Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi, City-Square, Kenya | Kagumba, M., Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, 110 Bertelsmeyer Hall, 1101 N. State St., Rolla, MO, United States, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi, City-Square, Kenya; Al-Dahhan, M.H., Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, 110 Bertelsmeyer Hall, 1101 N. State St., Rolla, MO, United States | Bubble columns have been used in a wide range of applications in industry including the production of alternative clean fuels via Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and liquid phase methanol synthesis, among others. The effects of dense internals encountered in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis with different diameters and covering the same cross-sectional area and hence configuration on bubble properties are lacking in the open literature. Therefore, the focus of this study is to investigate the effects of dense internals with different diameters and covering the same cross-sectional area and hence configuration on the bubble dynamics such as local and overall gas holdup, specific interfacial area, axial bubble velocity, bubble passage frequency, and bubble chord lengths using a four-point fiber optical probe. The experimental work was carried out in a 0.14 m inner diameter Plexiglas bubble column for an air-water system. The superficial gas velocities applied based on both total cross-sectional area and free cross-sectional area available for the flow were in the range 0.03-0.45 m/s covering the bubbly flow regime through the churn turbulent flow regime. The internals used were both Plexiglas rods of 0.5 in. diameter and 1 in. diameter occupying 25% of the column cross-sectional area. The experimental data obtained suggest that 0.5 in. internals gave consistently higher overall and local gas holdup, specific interfacial area, and bubble passage frequency than the 1 in. internals or empty column, particularly at the column center. The effect of the internals diameter was insignificant for the gas holdup, particularly in the churn turbulent flow regime. Lower axial bubble velocity was obtained with the smaller diameter internals. Worth noting is that the insignificant difference in the local gas holdups at the velocity based on free cross-sectional area indicates that it is possible to extrapolate the local gas holdup results obtained from empty bubble columns to those with dense internals, but the effect of dense internals on the other bubble properties still needs to be done in columns equipped with dense internals. © 2015 American Chemical Society. | None | Air; Alternative fuels; Bubbles (in fluids); Fischer-Tropsch synthesis; Fuels; Gases; Methanol fuels; Synthesis gas manufacture; Turbulent flow; Velocity; Bubble velocities; Bubbly flow regime; Churn-turbulent flow regime; Cross sectional area; Fiber optical probes; Methanol synthesis; Specific interfacial area; Superficial gas velocities; Bubble columns | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929897517 | Influence of mixed electrolyte on the performance of Iron-ion/Hydrogen redox flow battery | Watson V., Nguyen D., Effiong E.E., Kalu E.E. | 2015 | ECS Electrochemistry Letters | 4 | 7 | 10.1149/2.0091507eel | Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Florida A and M University, Tallahassee, FL, United States; Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States; Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal Universi | Watson, V., Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Florida A and M University, Tallahassee, FL, United States; Nguyen, D., Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States; Effiong, E.E., Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria; Kalu, E.E., Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Florida A and M University, Tallahassee, FL, United States | Improved charge/discharge performance of Iron-ion/Hydrogen redox flow battery (RFB) electrolyte with a mixed FeSO<inf>4</inf> and FeCl<inf>2</inf> is reported. Addition of Cl- ions into a sulfate electrolyte changes the charge/discharge behavior of the sulfate electrolyte leading to a reduction in charging potential for a mixed FeSO<inf>4</inf> and FeCl<inf>2</inf> electrolyte system. This suggests that a sulfate/chloride electrolyte system can lead to improved charge/discharge of the Fe-ion/H<inf>2</inf> RFB. Reverse addition of FeSO<inf>4</inf> to FeCl<inf>2</inf> showed a decrease in the mixed electron transfer efficiency (experimental current relative to theoretical) equivalent to a decrease in electrolyte performance. We deduce that 0.8 M FeCl<inf>2</inf> corrosive electrolyte can be replaced by less corrosive mixture of 46 mol % Cl- in 0.8 M FeSO4 to achieve the same performance that can be obtained using an all chloride system. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by ECS. | None | Chlorine compounds; Electric batteries; Electrolytes; Ions; Metal ions; Secondary batteries; Sulfur compounds; Charge/discharge performance; Corrosive electrolytes; Electrolyte systems; Electron-transfer efficiency; Mixed electrolyte; Redox flow batteries; Reverse addition; Sulfate electrolytes; Flow batteries | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929932856 | Particle boards produced from cassava stalks: Evaluation of physical and mechanical properties | Aisien F.A., Amenaghawon A.N., Bienose K.C. | 2015 | South African Journal of Science | 111 | 06-May | 10.17159/sajs.2015/20140042 | Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Benin, PMB 1154, Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria | Aisien, F.A., Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Benin, PMB 1154, Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria; Amenaghawon, A.N., Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Benin, PMB 1154, Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria; Bienose, K.C., Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Benin, PMB 1154, Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria | We investigated the potential use of cassava stalks for the production of bonded particle boards. Particle boards were produced from cassava stalks using urea-formaldehyde as a binder. Water absorption and thickness swelling tests were carried out to determine dimensional stability of the boards while modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity tests were carried out to assess the mechanical strength of the boards. Particle boards produced using an adhesive-cassava stalk ratio of 3:1 gave the best results in terms of the lowest mean values of water absorption (20%) and thickness swelling (6.26%), as well as the highest values of modulus of rupture (4×106 N/m2) and modulus of elasticity (2366.74×106 N/m2). The particle boards produced met the ANSI/A208.1-1999 standard for general-purpose boards. The results of analyses of variance carried out revealed that the adhesive-cassava stalk ratio had a marked influence (p<0.05) on the physical properties (water absorption and thickness swelling) but not on the mechanical properties (modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity). © 2015. The Author(s). | Cassava stalks; Dimensional stability; Particle board; Thickness swelling; Urea-formaldehyde | absorption; cassava; mechanical property; physical property; swelling; variance analysis; wood; Manihot esculenta | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84954168489 | Influence of medium particle size on the separation performance of an air dense medium fluidized bed separator for coal cleaning | Mohanta S., Meikap B.C. | 2015 | Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy | 115 | 8 | 10.17159/2411-9717/2015/v115n8a13 | Department of Chemical Engineering, Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology, Sarang, India; Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India; School of Chemical Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa | Mohanta, S., Department of Chemical Engineering, Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology, Sarang, India; Meikap, B.C., Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India, School of Chemical Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa | Dry beneficiation of coal by air dense medium fluidized bed is an emerging trend. It is widely believed that the particle size of the medium has a significant effect on the separation efficiency. This investigation demonstrates that medium particle size has a major effect on separation efficiency. Experimental results show that different size fractions of the same feed respond differently to the same size fraction of medium solids. Furthermore, a particular size fraction of feed coal responds differently with different size fractions of medium solids. The Ep values and overall metallurgical performance parameters, obtained from experimental results, clearly indicate the superior performance of an air dense medium fluidized bed separator when using-150+106 μ m magnetite powder as the fluidizing medium. These observations reinforce the importance of sizing the medium particle size for the air dense medium fluidized bed. © 2015 The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. | Air dense medium fluidized bed; Coal beneficiation; Partition curve; Separation efficiency | Air cleaners; Beneficiation; Coal; Coal industry; Concentration (process); Efficiency; Particle size; Separation; Separators; Size separation; Air dense medium fluidized beds; Coal beneficiation; Dry beneficiation of coals; Fluidizing medium; Metallurgical performance; Partition curves; Separation efficiency; Separation performance; Fluidized beds | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84935748546 | Evaluation of new cassava varieties for adhesive properties | John Olusola A., Babatunde Adebiyi O., Riyaad K. | 2015 | Starch/Staerke | 67 | 08-Jul | 10.1002/star.201400239 | Department of Chemical Engineering, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago; Department of Food Science and Technology, Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria | John Olusola, A., Department of Chemical Engineering, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, Department of Food Science and Technology, Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria; Babatunde Adebiyi, O., Department of Food Science and Technology, Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria; Riyaad, K., Department of Chemical Engineering, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago | Cassava varieties: Red stick, Butter stick, Maracas Black stick, and M Col 22 were evaluated for pulp yield, starch yield, amylose, and protein contents in a screening exercise of new cassava varieties. Starch content of the tubers was determined. Starch was extracted from freshly harvested nine-month-old tubers using standard method. The starch paste was air dried before final drying at 50°C for 8-h in an oven. Amylose and protein contents of the starch were determined by approved methods. Adhesive was made by heating 10% starch slurry in 0.1-M KOH solution to 70 and 80°C, respectively. Color, pH, viscosities, adhesive force, adhesiveness, stickiness, and storage properties of the adhesives were determined. Pulp yields (74.1-83.1%), starch yields (11.8-20.3%); starch amylose (23.5-26.5%) and protein contents (0.34-0.82%) of cassava tubers differed. Also peak viscosity (297-393 RVU), breakdown viscosity (195-263 RVU), and set back viscosity (43-52 RVU) of the starches were significantly different. Similarly the adhesive force (-77 to -146 and adhesiveness (-1952-gs to -3075-gs) varied significantly. Adhesive from variety M Col 22 resolved into two fractions at two weeks of storage and completely broke down by week three. Pastes produced at 80°C were less viscous, had lower adhesiveness and adhesive force and were darker than pastes produced at 70°C. Storage reduced the adhesive force and adhesiveness of the adhesives. The adhesive pastes were alkaline (pH10.69-11.58). The Maracas Black Stick and Butter Stick varieties produced the best adhesives in terms of stickiness and resistance to degradation than the other two varieties. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. | Adhesive; Cassava; Properties; Starch | Adhesives; Alkalinity; Cyclodextrins; Plants (botany); Proteins; Screening; Starch; Viscosity; Adhesive properties; Breakdown viscosity; Cassava; Cassava varieties; Peak viscosities; Properties; Protein contents; Storage properties; Adhesive pastes; Manihot esculenta | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929408831 | Performance comparison of hydraulic and gravitation HybridICE filters in freeze desalination of mine waters | Adeniyi A., Mbaya R.K.K., Popoola A.P.I., Maree J.P., Zvinowanda C.M. | 2015 | Water SA | 41 | 2 | 10.4314/wsa.v41i2.13 | Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, PMB X680, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, PMB X680, Pretoria, South Africa | Adeniyi, A., Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, PMB X680, Pretoria, South Africa; Mbaya, R.K.K., Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, PMB X680, Pretoria, South Africa; Popoola, A.P.I., Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, PMB X680, Pretoria, South Africa; Maree, J.P., Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, PMB X680, Pretoria, South Africa; Zvinowanda, C.M., Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, PMB X680, Pretoria, South Africa | HybridICE is an emerging freeze desalination technology for treating complex mine wastewaters. The technology works on the principle that growing ice crystals reject impurities during freezing. The bottleneck in the freeze desalination processes may be the separation of ice from the ice slurry generated in the freeze engine. Two types of HybridICE filter have been developed to effect ice separation from ice slurry. The two types differ in the design of the filter elements, mode of feeding the slurry into the filter, and the mechanism of separation of ice from the slurry. In both types of filter, an extruded continuous ice column is formed around the filtering element, which has some openings to allow excess concentrated process water to flow out of the filter. However, the driving force in the gravitation filter is buoyancy, while in the hydraulic filter the ice column is driven by the pressure generated from the flow of the slurry. Salt removal and ice yield from each of the filter types was evaluated when a solution of approximately 4% m/m NaCl solution, prepared by dissolving 25.1 kg of NaCl in 674 litres of water, was treated in a HybridICE freeze crystallisation pilot plant. The objective was to describe the operation of the two types of filter and compare their performance. Salt removal and ice yield were found to be higher with the gravitation filter than the hydraulic filter. © 2015, South African Water Research Commission. All rights reserved. | Desalination; Filter; Freeze; Ice; Salt removal; Yield | Crystal impurities; Desalination; Freezing; Gravitation; Groundwater; Pilot plants; Salt removal; Wastewater treatment; Water treatment; Desalination technologies; Driving forces; Filter; Filter elements; Filtering elements; Mine wastewaters; Performance comparison; Yield; Ice; buoyancy; desalination; filter; ice crystal; performance assessment; slurry; sodium chloride; wastewater | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84926147254 | Evaluation of major causes of road accidents along north–east highway, nigeria | Yero A.S., Ahmed T.Y., Hainin M.R. | 2015 | Jurnal Teknologi | 73 | 4 | None | Department of Civil Engineering, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, P.M.B 0248, Bauchi, Nigeria; Department of Geotechnics and Transportation, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia | Yero, A.S., Department of Civil Engineering, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, P.M.B 0248, Bauchi, Nigeria; Ahmed, T.Y., Department of Civil Engineering, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, P.M.B 0248, Bauchi, Nigeria; Hainin, M.R., Department of Geotechnics and Transportation, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia | A major road link in the North-Eastern region of Nigeria is the Bauchi – Maiduguri highway that is a 425 km road that links a section of the north east region to other regions of Nigeria. The goods and services to the region are basically transported by road. This has increased vehicular traffic that resulted in increased road accident rates over the years. It is paramount to investigate the major causes of vehicle accidents on this highway as much has not been done to investigate accident cases on the route. The five year accident record on that route was obtained from the Federal Road Safety Corp of Nigeria, the Nigeria Police traffic unit, and the Nigeria union of road traffic workers. The study indicated that speed violation by drivers and bad road conditions contributes greatly in the rate of accidents along the route. Hence the study recommends better road maintenance culture and more sensitization of the road users and enforcement of speed limits. © 2015 Penerbit UTM Press. All rights reserved. | Accident; Highway; Traffic; Vehicles and road safety | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84949792518 | Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Novel Ferroquine and Phenylequine Analogues as Potential Antiplasmodial Agents | Jacobs L., De Kock C., De Villiers K.A., Smith P.J., Smith V.J., Van Otterlo W.A.L., Blackie M.A.L. | 2015 | ChemMedChem | 10 | 12 | 10.1002/cmdc.201500349 | Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; Department of Pharmacology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X2 Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa | Jacobs, L., Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; De Kock, C., Department of Pharmacology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X2 Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa; De Villiers, K.A., Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; Smith, P.J., Department of Pharmacology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X2 Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa; Smith, V.J., Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; Van Otterlo, W.A.L., Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; Blackie, M.A.L., Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa | 7-Chloroquinoline-based antimalarial drugs are effective in the inhibition of hemozoin formation in the food vacuole of the Plasmodium parasite, the causative agent of malaria. We synthesized five series of ferroquine (FQ) and phenylequine (PQ) derivatives, which display good in vitro efficacy toward both the chloroquine-sensitive (CQS) NF54 (IC50: 4.2 nm) and chloroquine-resistant (CQR) Dd2 (IC50: 33.7 nm) strains of P. falciparum. Several compounds were found to have good inhibitory activity against β-hematin formation in an NP-40 detergent assay, with IC50 values ranging between 10.4 and 19.2 μm. © 2015 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. | ferroquine; malaria; oxalamide; phenylequine; β-hematin | antimalarial agent; aromatic amine; artesunate; beta hematin; chloroquine; ethyl 2 [[2 (7 chloroquinolin 4 ylamino)ethyl] [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]benzyl]amino] 2 oxoacetate; ethyl 2 [[3 (7 chloroquinolin 4 ylamino)propyl] [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]benzyl]amino] 2 oxoacetate; ferroquine; hematin; n 1 (7 chloroquinolin 4 yl) n 2 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]benzyl]butan 1,4 diamine; n 1 (7 chloroquinolin 4 yl) n 2 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]benzyl]hexan 1,6 diamine; n 1 (7 chloroquinolin 4 yl) n 2 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]ferrocenylmethyl]ethan 1,2 diamine; n 1 (7 chloroquinolin 4 yl) n 3 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]ferrocenylmethyl]propan 1,3 diamine; n 1 (7 chloroquinolin 4 yl) n 4 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]ferrocenylmethyl]butan 1,4 diamine; n 1 (7 chloroquinolin 4 yl) n 5 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]benzyl]pentan 1,5 diamine; n 1 (7 chloroquinolin 4 yl) n 5 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]ferrocenylmethyl]penta 1,5 diamine; n 1 (7 chloroquinolin 4 yl) n 6 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]benzyl]hexan 1,6 diamine; n 1 (7 chloroquinolin 4 yl) n 6 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]ferrocenylmethyl]hexane 1,6 diamine; n 1 [2 (7 chloroquinolin 4 ylamino)ethyl] n 2 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]benzyl]oxalamide; n 1 [2 (7 chloroquinolin 4 ylamino)ethyl] n 2 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]ferrocenylmethyl]oxalamide; n 1 [2 (7 chloroquinolin 4 ylamino)ethyl] n 4 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]ferrocenylmethyl]oxalamide; n 1 [3 (7 chloroquinolin 4 ylamino)ethyl] n 3 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]benzyl]oxalamide; n 1 [3 (7 chloroquinolin 4 ylamino)ethyl] n 3 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]ferrocenylmethyl]oxalamide; n 1 [4 (7 chloroquinolin 4 ylamino)ethyl] n 4 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]benzyl]oxalamide; n 1 [4 (7 chloroquinolin 4 ylamino)ethyl] n 4 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]ferrocenylmethyl]oxalamide; n 1 [5 (7 chloroquinolin 4 ylamino)ethyl] n 5 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]ferrocenylmethyl]oxalamide; n 1 [6 (7 chloroquinolin 4 ylamino)ethyl] n 6 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]benzyl]oxalamide; n 1 [6 (7 chloroquinolin 4 ylamino)ethyl] n 6 [2 [(dimethylamino)methyl]ferrocenylmethyl]oxalamide; phenylequine derivative; unclassified drug; unindexed drug; antimalarial activity; antimalarial drug resistance; Article; carbon nuclear magnetic resonance; cross resistance; drug design; drug efficacy; drug screening; drug synthesis; follow up; hydrogen bond; IC50; in vitro study; infrared spectroscopy; nonhuman; Plasmodium falciparum; priority journal; proton nuclear magnetic resonance; X ray diffraction | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929179810 | Evaluation of six sample preparation methods for determination of trace metals in lubricating oils using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry | Tekie H.A., McCrindle R.I., Marais P.J.J.G., Ambushe A.A. | 2015 | South African Journal of Chemistry | 68 | None | 10.17159/0379-4350/2015/v68a12 | Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, P.O Box 56208, Arcadia, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Chemistry, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga, South Africa | Tekie, H.A., Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, P.O Box 56208, Arcadia, Pretoria, South Africa; McCrindle, R.I., Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, P.O Box 56208, Arcadia, Pretoria, South Africa; Marais, P.J.J.G., Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, P.O Box 56208, Arcadia, Pretoria, South Africa; Ambushe, A.A., Department of Chemistry, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga, South Africa | Quantification of trace elements in used lubricating oil forms a vital part in monitoring engine conditions and impact on the environment. In this study, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) was employed for the determination of Ag, Ba, Cu, Mn and Ni in used lubricating oils. Methodology was developed so as to minimize the oil's carbonaceous matter and its effect on viscosity. Accordingly, six oil sample preparation techniques (xylene dilution, detergent emulsion, microwave digestion, dry-ashing, wet-ashing and ultrasonic extraction) were investigated for their efficiency. Optimization of the factors influencing ultrasonic-assisted extraction and ICP-OES operating parameters enabled quantification of the trace metals in oils. Limits of detection (3S<inf>b</inf>/m), in the ng g-1 range, were obtained for each element of interest using each method investigated. The validity of the methodologies studied was confirmed through the analysis of quality control (QC) samples. Analyte recoveries, ranging from 48.3 to 106%, were obtained. Evaluation of the analytical methods studied with regard to accuracy, precision, LOD, linearity, applicability for routine analysis, preparation time and cost was made. Based on these evaluations, ultrasonic extraction has a clear advantage in terms of accuracy, applicability for routine analysis, time and cost of sample preparation. ©2015 South African Chemical Institute. | ICP-OES; Lubricating oil; Optimization | None | NRF, Neurosurgical Research Foundation |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84938291098 | Modified QuEChERS Method for the Determination of Multiclass Pesticide Residues in Fruit Samples Utilizing High-Performance Liquid Chromatography | Bedassa T., Gure A., Megersa N. | 2015 | Food Analytical Methods | 8 | 8 | 10.1007/s12161-014-0081-7 | Department of Chemistry, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Department of Chemistry, Jimma University, P.O. Box 378, Jimma, Ethiopia | Bedassa, T., Department of Chemistry, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Gure, A., Department of Chemistry, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Department of Chemistry, Jimma University, P.O. Box 378, Jimma, Ethiopia; Megersa, N., Department of Chemistry, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | A modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method (QuEChERS) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with variable wavelength detector (VWD) has been developed for the quantitative determination of six multiclass pesticide residues including atrazine, ametryn, and terbutryn among herbicides; methidathion and carbaryl among insecticides; and chlorothalonil which is a fungicide. The QuEChERS extraction method developed was aimed to extract and preconcentrate the target analytes from selected fruits such as tomato, watermelon, and papaya samples. Various experimental parameters affecting the extraction efficiency of the method including the use of dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) cleanup, types and amount of salts, sample size, and composition as well as volume of the extraction solvent, acetonitrile, were optimized. Under the optimum experimental conditions, matrix-matched calibration curves were constructed using the tomato sample as the representative matrix and good linearity, over wide concentration ranges, was obtained with a coefficient of determination (r2) of 0.990 or better. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of the proposed method were in the ranges of 1.7–3.3 and 5.8–11.1 μg kg−1, lower than the maximum residue limits set by the European Union for the raw fruits, such as tomato, watermelon, and papaya. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the intra- and inter-day precision studies were varied over the range of 0.2–11.7 %. The proposed method was successfully applied to different fruit samples, and satisfactory recoveries, ranging from 78 to 118 %, were obtained. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York. | Fruit samples; High-performance liquid chromatography; Multiclass pesticide residues; QuEChERS | Chromatography; Fruits; Herbicides; High performance liquid chromatography; Insecticides; Liquid chromatography; Liquids; Organic solvents; Pesticides; Phase separation; Dispersive solid phase extraction; Experimental parameters; Fruit samples; Pesticide residue; Quantitative determinations; Quechers; Quick , Easy , Cheap , Effective , Rugged , and Safe; Relative standard deviations; Extraction; Carica papaya; Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus; Lycopersicon esculentum | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84925099186 | Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial evaluations of mixed ligand complexes of diphenylamine of cobalt | Ejelonu B.C., Olagboye S.A. | 2015 | Research Journal of Pharmaceutical, Biological and Chemical Sciences | 6 | 2 | None | Department of Chemistry, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria; Department of Chemistry, Ekiti State University, Ado, Ekiti State, Nigeria | Ejelonu, B.C., Department of Chemistry, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria; Olagboye, S.A., Department of Chemistry, Ekiti State University, Ado, Ekiti State, Nigeria | Nove l cobalt(II) diphenylamine complexes have been synthesized in water-methanol medium and characterized on the basis of their elemental analysis, melting points, solubility tests, conductivity tests , UV-Visible and IR spectral studies. The antimicrobial activities of the cobalt (II) complexes were screened against Enterohaemorragic coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium tetani,Neisseria gonorrheae and Streptococcus pyogeus bacteria and Mucor, Rhizomucor, Aspergillus fumigates, Rhizopus, Sporothrix schenckii, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus terreus, Absidia, Aspergillus niger and Candida spp pathogenic fungi. The melting points or decomposition temperatures of the metal complexes fell between 89-101°C. The colors of the metal complexes range from blue to purple. The spectral results suggest the binding of diphenylamine(ligand) through the nitrogen atom to the cobalt(II) ions. The absorption bands observed in the Uv-Visible region are presumed to be due to charge transfer or intra-ligand transitions from the ligands or d-d transition from the metal ions.The metal complexes displayed proactive activities against the tested bacteria and fungi pathogens. | Antimicrobial; Diphenylamine; Metal complexes; Mixed ligand | amoxicillin; antiinfective agent; cobalt complex; cobalt diphenylamine complex; diphenylamine derivative; ketoconazole; methanol; unclassified drug; water; Absidia; antibacterial activity; antifungal activity; Article; Aspergillus; Aspergillus flavus; Aspergillus fumigatus; Aspergillus terreus; Candida; Clostridium tetani; conductance; controlled study; drug solubility; drug synthesis; enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli; infrared spectroscopy; ligand binding; melting point; Mucor; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; nonhuman; Rhizomucor; Rhizopus; Sporothrix schenckii; Staphylococcus aureus; Streptococcus pyogenes; ultraviolet spectroscopy; Absidia; Aspergillus; Aspergillus flavus; Aspergillus niger; Aspergillus terreus; Candida; Clostridium tetani; Fungi; Mucor; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Rhizomucor; Rhizopus; Sporothrix schenckii; Staphylococcus aureus; Streptococcus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940845174 | Notes on Russellian cosmogony. II. A procedure for theoretical evaluation of relative atomic mass and internal energy | Obande O.P. | 2015 | Physics Essays | 28 | 1 | 10.4006/0836-1398-28.1.78 | Department of Chemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru, Zaria, Nigeria | Obande, O.P., Department of Chemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru, Zaria, Nigeria | We present results of an investigation of factors that set values of relative atomic mass mr and the atom's internal energy E<inf>int</inf>. The results do suggest the possibility for a consistent formalism for accurate evaluation of m<inf>r.</inf> It is shown that: (i) Avogradro constant (Loschmidt number) can be evaluated from fundamental principles to yield N<inf>A</inf>=6.623×1043 u/mol; (ii) A clear distinction exists between the transverse e-m radiation, c=2.99792458×108 m/s, normally associated with speed of light in "vacuum" and the same radiation of tangible matter described here as "molar" radiation c∗=co=c′=3.715352291×10-14 m/s; for a given v, c determines values of absolute atomic mass, i.e., m=hv/c2 and co sets values of relative atomic mass, e.g., mo<inf>r</inf> = hvo<inf>r</inf>=co2; (iii) co is identifiable with the cosmic microwave background revealing that the latter is actually intrinsic e-m radiation of tangible matter; (iv) complete description of the atom's internal energy requires not one but combinations of the parameters v, m, and c as each relates to the atom's wave or particulate form and its domain; (v) with v<inf>e</inf>=1.0 Hz Planck constant turns out to be a measure of the electron's internal energy and indeed nature's fundamental energy unit; (vi) macrocosmic matter and energy constitute only 0.02% and 0.01% of total cosmic values, respectively, the bulk of 99.98% and 99.99% belongs, respectively, to invisible microcosmic (dark) matter and energy; and (vii) conversion of the particle (mass) to the wave (energy) does not destroy the atom's absolute mass. Copyright © 2015 Physics Essays Publication. | Atomic; Cosmogony; Evaluation; Mass; Relative; Russell | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84924180904 | Ionic-liquid-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography for the determination of multiclass pesticide residues in water samples | Tadesse B., Teju E., Gure A., Megersa N. | 2015 | Journal of Separation Science | 38 | 5 | 10.1002/jssc.201401105 | Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Jimma University, P. O. Box 378, Jimma, Ethiopia | Tadesse, B., Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa; Teju, E., Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Gure, A., Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Jimma University, P. O. Box 378, Jimma, Ethiopia; Megersa, N., Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Ionic-liquid-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction in combination with highperformance liquid chromatography and diode array detection has been proposed for the simultaneous analysis of four multiclass pesticide residues including carbaryl,methidathion, chlorothalonil, and ametryn from water samples. The major experimental parameters including the type and volume of ionic liquid, sample pH, type, and volume of disperser solvent and cooling time were investigated and optimum conditions were established. Under the optimum experimental conditions, limits of detection and quantification of the method were in the range of 0.1-1.8 and 0.4-5.9 μg/L, respectively, with satisfactory enrichment factors ranging from 10-20. The matrix-matched calibration curves, which were constructed for lake water, as a representative matrix were linear over wide range with coefficients of determination of 0.996 or better. Intra- and interday precisions, expressed as relative standard deviations, were in the range of 1.1-9.7 and 3.1-7.8%, respectively. The relative recoveries of the spiked environmental water samples at one concentration level were in the range of 77-102%. The results of the present study revealed that the proposed method is simple, fast, and uses environmentally friendly extraction solvent for the analysis of the target pesticide residues in environmental water samples. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. | Environmental waters; High-performance liquid chromatography; Ionic liquids; Pesticide residues; Trace enrichment | Chromatography; High performance liquid chromatography; Ionic liquids; Liquid chromatography; Liquids; Pesticides; Solvent extraction; Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction; Environmental water; Environmental water samples; Experimental conditions; Experimental parameters; Pesticide residue; Relative standard deviations; Simultaneous analysis; Extraction; ionic liquid; lake water; pesticide residue; analytic method; Article; dispersion; high performance liquid chromatography; limit of detection; liquid phase microextraction; pH; priority journal; water analysis; water contamination | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84934982426 | Evaluation of Human Exposure to metals from some popular brands of underarm cosmetics in Nigeria | Iwegbue C.M.A. | 2015 | Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology | 72 | 3 | 10.1016/j.yrtph.2015.05.020 | Department of Chemistry, Delta State University, P.M.B. 1, Abraka, Nigeria | Iwegbue, C.M.A., Department of Chemistry, Delta State University, P.M.B. 1, Abraka, Nigeria | The concentrations of metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu, Co, Fe, Mn, Zn and Al) were determined in thirty brands of popular of underarm cosmetics in Nigeria with a view to providing information on the levels of metals and the risk of exposure to metals by humans through long time usage of these products. The concentrations of metals in these samples of underarm cosmetics were measured by using atomic absorption spectrometry after acid digestion. The concentrations of metals in these types of underarm cosmetics studied ranged from <0.15 to 1.2μgg-1Cd, <0.02 to 11.2μgg-1Pb, <0.03 to 4.9μgg-1Ni, <0.1 to 25.0μgg-1, <0.02 to 2.8μgg-1Co, 2.0 to 6.4μgg-1Cu, 4.7 to 91.2μgg-1Fe, <0.05 to 14.1μgg-1Mn, 77.9 to 132μgg-1 and 69.2 to 83,500μgg-1Al. The results of this study indicate that Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr and Co were presents in these types of underarm cosmetics at concentrations below the regulatory control limits for metal impurities in color additives for cosmetics and suggested limits following good manufacturing practice. The estimated margin of safety (MoS) indicated that the concentrations of the examined metals in these underarm cosmetic products present no potential risk to the users. The continuous use of these brands of underarm cosmetics represents a potential source of human exposure to metals such as aluminum in the local area of the breast, particularly to the upper outer quadrant. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. | Antiperspirants/deodorants; Human exposure; Margin of safety; Metals; Nigeria; Systemic exposure dosage | aluminum; aluminum salt; cadmium; chromium; cobalt; copper; deodorant agent; iron; lead; manganese; metal; nickel; zinc; absorption; allergic reaction; animal experiment; Article; atomic absorption spectrometry; breast cancer; cancer risk; chemical analysis; contact dermatitis; exposure; good manufacturing practice; health hazard; human; limit of detection; material state; Nigeria; nonhuman; priority journal; risk factor; safety; toxicity testing | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929400224 | Computational evaluation of the effect of structural parameters of 3-flouro thiophene and 3-thiophene malonic acid on corrosion inhibition efficiency of mild steel in acidic media | Usman B., Maarof H., Abdallah H.H., Aziz M. | 2015 | International Journal of Electrochemical Science | 10 | 4 | None | Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'azim, Malaysia; Advanced Membrane Technology Centre, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'azim, Malaysia; Department of P | Usman, B., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'azim, Malaysia, Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Bayero University, Kano. P. M. B, Kano, Nigeria; Maarof, H., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'azim, Malaysia; Abdallah, H.H., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'azim, Malaysia, Department of Chemistry, Education College, Salahaddin University, Erbil, Iraq; Aziz, M., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'azim, Malaysia, Advanced Membrane Technology Centre, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'azim, Malaysia | The effect of the substituent's, halide and carboxylic group on thiophene compounds, namely 3-flourothiophene (3FT) and 3-thiophene malonic acid (3TMA) on the corrosion inhibition efficiency of mild steel in acidic media has been predicted using quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) model and quantum chemical calculation. The results from QSAR model show that 3TMA exhibit higher corrosion inhibition efficiency of 85.3 and 91.7%, which may be due to the increase in length of the malonic acid then 3FT which tends to exhibit higher electron withdrawing ability as a result of the fluorine substitution and hence lower corrosion inhibition efficiency of 40.6 and 42.1% respectively. Similarly the molecular structure of the compounds was investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculation with 6-311G++(d,p) basis set. Quantum chemical parameters were calculated, the results show that QSAR model can be used to predict the corrosion inhibition performance of a compound prior to experimental. © 2015 The Authors. | 3-Flourothiophene; 3-Thiophene malonic acid; Corrosion inhibition; DFT; QSAR | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84943236465 | Synthesis and anti-bacterial evaluation of novel thio- and oxazepino[7,6-b]quinolines | Hamidi H., Heravi M.M., Tajbakhsh M., Shiri M., Oskooie H.A., Shintre S.A., Koorbanally N.A. | 2015 | Journal of the Iranian Chemical Society | 12 | 12 | 10.1007/s13738-015-0698-5 | Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Physics and Chemistry, Alzahra University, Vanak, Tehran, Iran; Department of Chemistry, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran; School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa | Hamidi, H., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Physics and Chemistry, Alzahra University, Vanak, Tehran, Iran; Heravi, M.M., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Physics and Chemistry, Alzahra University, Vanak, Tehran, Iran; Tajbakhsh, M., Department of Chemistry, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran; Shiri, M., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Physics and Chemistry, Alzahra University, Vanak, Tehran, Iran; Oskooie, H.A., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Physics and Chemistry, Alzahra University, Vanak, Tehran, Iran; Shintre, S.A., School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa; Koorbanally, N.A., School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa | Cyclocondensation of 2-chloroquinoline-3-carbaldehydes and 2-thiophenol/2-aminophenols led to the formation of benzo[2,3][1,4]thio- or oxazepino[7,6-b]quinolines. Ugi reaction of the latter compound with various carboxylic acids and isocyanides gave novel oxazepino[7,6-b]quinoline derivatives. All compounds were evaluated for their anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activities. Among them, compounds 4a, 4b and 4d showed moderate to good activity. © 2015 Iranian Chemical Society. | Anti-bacterial; Isocyanide; Oxazepinoquinolines; Thiazepinoquinolines; Ugi condensation | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84953337190 | Synthesis, photo physical studies and evaluation of ruthenium(II) complexes of polypyridyl ligands as sensitizer for DSSCs | Mkhohlakali A.C., Ajibade P.A. | 2015 | International Journal of Electrochemical Science | 10 | 12 | None | Department of chemistry, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X 1314, Alice, South Africa | Mkhohlakali, A.C., Department of chemistry, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X 1314, Alice, South Africa; Ajibade, P.A., Department of chemistry, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X 1314, Alice, South Africa | In the research on TiO2 nanocrystalline sensitization, ruthenium(II) complexes have received considerable attention in order to get efficient dyes for DSSCs. In this study, we report the synthesis of ruthenium(II) complexes formulated as [Ru(L1)(L2)(NCS)2], [Ru(L3)(L1)((NCS)2] where L1= 1,10-phenanthroline-4,7-disulphonic acid, L2= 2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid and L3 = 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxy aldehyde. The compounds were characterized by 1H-NMR, FTIR, UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. The complexes exhibited a broad metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) absorption bands in the range 510-531 nm and intense (π-π*) transitions between 240-380 nm. Some of these complexes showed emission maxima up to 680 nm. The compounds were used sensitizers to fabricate solar cells and an overall conversion efficiencies of 0.2-1.06 % under standard 1 sun 1.5 AM illumination (100 mWcm-2) with open circuit voltage 0.53, and 0.6, 0.48 V, short circuit current density up to 3.4 mAcm-2 and fill factor up to 0.6 were obtained. © 2015 The Authors. | DSSCS; Open voltage solar cell efficiency; Photo physical properties; Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes; Short circuit current voltage | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84947931377 | Synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of 1,3,5-triazine amino acid derivatives to study their MAO inhibitors | Khattab S.N., Khalil H.H., Bekhit A.A., El-Rahman M.M.A., El-Faham A., Albericio F. | 2015 | Molecules | 20 | 9 | 10.3390/molecules200915976 | Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, P. O. Box 426, Ibrahimia, Alexandria, Egypt; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt; Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Institute for Research in Biomedicine, CIBER-BBN, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain | Khattab, S.N., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, P. O. Box 426, Ibrahimia, Alexandria, Egypt; Khalil, H.H., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, P. O. Box 426, Ibrahimia, Alexandria, Egypt; Bekhit, A.A., Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt; El-Rahman, M.M.A., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, P. O. Box 426, Ibrahimia, Alexandria, Egypt; El-Faham, A., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, P. O. Box 426, Ibrahimia, Alexandria, Egypt, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Albericio, F., Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa, School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa, Institute for Research in Biomedicine, CIBER-BBN, Barcelona, Spain, Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain | Three series of 4,6-dimethoxy-, 4,6-dipiperidino- and 4,6-dimorpholino-1,3,5-triazin- 2-yl) amino acid derivatives were synthesized and characterized. A preliminary study for their monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity showed that compounds 7, 18, and 25 had MAO-A inhibition activity comparable to that of the standard clorgyline, with apparently more selective inhibitory activity toward MAO-A than MAO-B and no significant acute toxicity. | 1,3,5-triazine derivatives; Amino acids; Monoamine oxidase; Morpholine; Piperidine | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84954511318 | Evaluation of physicochemical and biodegradability properties of selected Nigerian non-edible oilseeds as potential cutting fluids | Jayeoye T.J., Ogundiran M.B., Fadare D.A., Ogunjobi A.A. | 2015 | Pakistan Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research Series A: Physical Sciences | 58 | 3 | None | Department of Chemistry, Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria; Analytical/Environmental Unit, Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Dep | Jayeoye, T.J., Department of Chemistry, Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria, Analytical/Environmental Unit, Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Ogundiran, M.B., Analytical/Environmental Unit, Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Fadare, D.A., Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Ogunjobi, A.A., Department of Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria | This paper reports evaluation of physicochemical and biodegradability properties of selected non edible Nigerian oilseeds as a potential cutting fluid. Oil extraction process was carried on the oilseeds, with physicochemical parameters and biodegradability of the extracts were equally assessed. The established physicochemical parameters were percentage oil yield (5.58-61.8%), specific gravity (0.86-0.94), acid value (2.89-18.2 mgKOH/g), iodine value (15.7-104 mg iodine/g), peroxide value (1.35-10.9 mg/g oil), saponification value (173-286 mg KOH/g) and viscosity (37.9-53.1centipoises), while biodegradability ranged between (50.0-63.8%) in comparison with the mineral oil with values less than 20%. Based on this study, the oil extracts of Caesalpinia bonduc and Calophyllum inophyllum appeared to be the most suitable as potential cutting fluids for further formulation studies and machining trials. © 2015, PCSIR-Scientific Information Centre. All rights reserved. | Bacterial inoculums; Biodegradability; Cutting fluids; Vegetable oilseeds | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929955236 | Performance of bonded boards using lignin-based resins | Oluwasina O.O., Lajide L., Owolabi B.J. | 2015 | Wood Material Science and Engineering | 10 | 2 | 10.1080/17480272.2014.923044 | Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria | Oluwasina, O.O., Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; Lajide, L., Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; Owolabi, B.J., Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria | Abstract: Lignin was extracted from some underutilized plant materials using soda–anthraquinone and soda–anthraquinone–ethanol pulping chemicals. Soda–anthraquinone–ethanol gave higher lignin yield, ranging from 44.47% to 50.41% versus 39.40% to 47.92% of soda-anthraquinone. The isolated lignin was used as a partial substitution for phenol in preparation of lignin-phenol-formaldehyde. The free formaldehyde of the resins ranges from 0.25% to 0.67% versus 1.23% of phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin used as control. The bonding effectiveness of the resin was evaluated when used as glue for board preparation. The density of the board ranges from 333.54 Kg/m3 to 363.84 Kg/m3. The result revealed that Musa sapientum-, Musa parasidiaca- and Tithonia diversifolia- soda–anthraquinone-derived resins, and soda-anthraquinone–ethanol-derived resin of M. parasidiaca and T. diversifolia had boards with better modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) than the board obtained using PF resin. © 2014 Taylor & Francis. | Board; characterization; lignin; plants; pulping; resin | Aromatic compounds; Characterization; Ethanol; Formaldehyde; Ketones; Lignin; Phenols; Board; Bonding effectiveness; Free formaldehydes; Lignin-phenol-formaldehyde; Partial substitution; Phenol formaldehyde; plants; pulping; Resins | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84947711009 | Synthesis and biological evaluation of 4β-benzoxazolepodophyllotoxin hybrids as DNA topoisomerase-II targeting anticancer agents | Paidakula S., Kankala S., Kankala R.K., Juluru B., Jonnalagadda S.B., Lee C.-H., Vadde R., Vasam C.S. | 2015 | RSC Advances | 5 | 118 | 10.1039/c5ra15366b | Department of Chemistry, Kakatiya University, Warangal Telangana State, India; School of Physics and Chemistry, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Chiltern Hills, Durban, South Africa; Department of Life Science and Institute of Biotechnology, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan; Department of Chemistry, Satavahana University Karimnagar, Telangana State, India; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Telangana University, Nizamabad, India | Paidakula, S., Department of Chemistry, Kakatiya University, Warangal Telangana State, India; Kankala, S., Department of Chemistry, Kakatiya University, Warangal Telangana State, India, School of Physics and Chemistry, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Chiltern Hills, Durban, South Africa; Kankala, R.K., Department of Life Science and Institute of Biotechnology, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan; Juluru, B., Department of Chemistry, Kakatiya University, Warangal Telangana State, India; Jonnalagadda, S.B., School of Physics and Chemistry, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Chiltern Hills, Durban, South Africa; Lee, C.-H., Department of Life Science and Institute of Biotechnology, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan; Vadde, R., Department of Chemistry, Kakatiya University, Warangal Telangana State, India; Vasam, C.S., Department of Chemistry, Satavahana University Karimnagar, Telangana State, India, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Telangana University, Nizamabad, India | A series of new 4β-benzoxazolepodophyllotoxin compounds (9a-j) were prepared and screened for cytotoxicity against four human tumour cell lines (HeLa, DU-145, A-159 and MCF-7). Among these compounds, 9a, 9c, 9f and 9i have shown more potent anticancer activity than etoposide with considerable IC50 values. Apoptosis evaluation studies were performed using the Hoechst-33258 staining method and it was found specially that the best active compound 9i shows clear nuclear damage compared to etoposide. Molecular docking studies were also carried out to recognize the interactions against DNA topoisomerase-II and it was found that the energy calculations were in good agreement with the observed IC50 value. © 2015 The Royal Society of Chemistry. | None | Cell death; Active compounds; Anti-cancer agents; Anticancer activities; Biological evaluation; DNA topoisomerase; Energy calculation; Evaluation study; Molecular docking; Cell culture | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84944448595 | In vivo antimalarial evaluation of some 2,3-disubstituted-4(3H)-quinazolinone derivatives | Birhan Y.S., Bekhit A.A., Hymete A. | 2015 | BMC Research Notes | 8 | 1 | 10.1186/s13104-015-1578-x | Department of Chemistry, Natural and Computational Sciences College, Debre Markos University, P.O. Box 269, Debre Markos, Ethiopia; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Birhan, Y.S., Department of Chemistry, Natural and Computational Sciences College, Debre Markos University, P.O. Box 269, Debre Markos, Ethiopia; Bekhit, A.A., Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt; Hymete, A., Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Background: Malaria is a neglected tropical parasitic disease affecting billons of people around the globe. Though the number of cases and deaths associated with malaria are decreasing in recent years, it is the most deadly disease in the world. This study aimed at investigating the in vivo antimalarial activities of some 2,3-disubstituted-4(3H)-quinazolinone derivatives. Results: The in vivo antimalarial activities of the test compounds (6-9 and 11-13) were investigated using the 4-day suppressive standard test in mice infected with chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei ANKA strain. The tested compounds showed significant antimalarial activities with mean percentage suppression of 43.71-72.86 % which is significantly higher than the negative control group (p < 0.05). Compounds 12 and 13 displayed better antimalarial activities from the group with mean percentage suppression of 67.60 and 72.86 % respectively. Conclusion: The tested compounds showed significant in vivo antimalarial activities in mice infected with P. berghi ANKA strain. Thus, 3-aryl-2-(substitutedstyryl)-4(3H)-quinazolinones represent a possible scaffold for the development of antimalarial agents. © 2015 Birhan et al. | Malaria; Quinazolinones | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84924350478 | Trinuclear half-sandwich RuII, RhIII and IrIII polyester organometallic complexes: Synthesis and in vitro evaluation as antitumor agents | Burgoyne A.R., Makhubela B.C.E., Meyer M., Smith G.S. | 2015 | European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry | 2015 | 8 | 10.1002/ejic.201403192 | Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa | Burgoyne, A.R., Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa; Makhubela, B.C.E., Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa; Meyer, M., Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa; Smith, G.S., Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa | Schiff base ligands obtained from the condensation of 4-aminophenylmethanol and either 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde or salicylaldehyde were used to synthesise bidentate trimeric ester ligands. The trimeric ester ligands were used to prepare a new series of trinuclear polyester organometallic complexes by using the dimeric precursors, [Ru(η6-p-iPrC6H4Me)Cl2]2, [Rh(C5Me5)Cl2]2 or [Ir(C5Me5)Cl2]2. The Schiff base ligands act as bidentate donors to each metal. All compounds were characterised by NMR and IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and EI/ESI mass spectrometry. Model mononuclear analogues were prepared, and the molecular structures of selected compounds were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The mono- and trimeric ligands and the metal complexes were evaluated for inhibitory effects against the human ovarian cancer cell lines, A2780 (cisplatin-sensitive) and A2780cisR (cisplatin-resistant), and the model human skin fibroblast cell line, KMST-6. Polyester-containing trinuclear half-sandwich RuII, RhIII and IrIII complexes were prepared and characterised. The cytotoxicity was investigated for all compounds. Aqueous stability studies and interactions with model DNA 5′-GMP were performed for the most-active compounds. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. | Antitumor agents; Bioorganometallic chemistry; Half-sandwich complexes; Polyesters | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928125511 | Global occurrence of anti-infectives in contaminated surface waters: Impact of income inequality between countries | Segura P.A., Takada H., Correa J.A., El Saadi K., Koike T., Onwona-Agyeman S., Ofosu-Anim J., Sabi E.B., Wasonga O.V., Mghalu J.M., dos Santos A.M., Newman B., Weerts S., Yargeau V. | 2015 | Environment International | 80 | None | 10.1016/j.envint.2015.04.001 | Department of Chemistry, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada; Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan; Department of Mathematics and Statistics, McGill University, Canada; Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Canada; School of Agriculture, University of Ghana, Ghana; School of Engineering Sciences, University of Ghana, Ghana; Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology, University of Nairobi, Kenya; Department of Biological Sciences, Pwani University College, Kenya; Faculty of Agronomy and Forestry Engineering, Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique; Coastal Systems Research Group, Ecosystem Services Competence Area, Natural Resources and the Environment, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa | Segura, P.A., Department of Chemistry, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada; Takada, H., Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan; Correa, J.A., Department of Mathematics and Statistics, McGill University, Canada; El Saadi, K., Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Canada; Koike, T., Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan; Onwona-Agyeman, S., Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan; Ofosu-Anim, J., School of Agriculture, University of Ghana, Ghana; Sabi, E.B., School of Engineering Sciences, University of Ghana, Ghana; Wasonga, O.V., Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology, University of Nairobi, Kenya; Mghalu, J.M., Department of Biological Sciences, Pwani University College, Kenya; dos Santos, A.M., Faculty of Agronomy and Forestry Engineering, Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique; Newman, B., Coastal Systems Research Group, Ecosystem Services Competence Area, Natural Resources and the Environment, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa; Weerts, S., Coastal Systems Research Group, Ecosystem Services Competence Area, Natural Resources and the Environment, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa; Yargeau, V., Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Canada | The presence anti-infectives in environmental waters is of interest because of their potential role in the dissemination of anti-infective resistance in bacteria and other harmful effects on non-target species such as algae and shellfish. Since no information on global trends regarding the contamination caused by these bioactive substances is yet available, we decided to investigate the impact of income inequality between countries on the occurrence of anti-infectives in surface waters. In order to perform such study, we gathered concentration values reported in the peer-reviewed literature between 1998 and 2014 and built a database. To fill the gap of knowledge on occurrence of anti-infectives in African countries, we also collected 61 surface water samples from Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa, and measured concentrations of 19 anti-infectives. A mixed one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) model, followed by Turkey-Kramer post hoc tests was used to identify potential differences in anti-infective occurrence between countries grouped by income level (high, upper-middle and lower-middle and low income) according to the classification by the World Bank. Comparison of occurrence of anti-infectives according to income level revealed that concentrations of these substances in contaminated surface waters were significantly higher in low and lower-middle income countries (. p=. 0.0001) but not in upper-middle income countries (. p=. 0.0515) compared to high-income countries. We explained these results as the consequence of the absence of or limited sewage treatment performed in lower income countries. Furthermore, comparison of concentrations of low cost anti-infectives (sulfonamides and trimethoprim) and the more expensive macrolides between income groups suggest that the cost of these substances may have an impact on their environmental occurrence in lower income countries. Since wastewaters are the most important source of contamination of anti-infectives and other contaminants of emerging concern in the environment, it is expected that deleterious effects to the aquatic biota caused by these substances will be more pronounced in countries with inadequate wastewater and collection infrastructure. With the information currently available, we could not evaluate either the role of the receiving environment or the importance of regulatory frameworks on the occurrence of anti-infectives in surface waters. Future studies should focus on these two factors in order to better evaluate risks to aquatic ecosystems in LM & LICs. We propose that CECs such as anti-infectives could be used as a new class of environmental degradation indicators that could be helpful to assess the state of development of wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure around the world. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. | Antibiotics; Developing countries; Macrolides; Occurrence; Quinolones; Rivers; Sulfonamides; Tetracyclines; Trimethoprim | Amides; Antibiotics; Aquatic ecosystems; Contamination; Developing countries; Metabolites; Regression analysis; Rivers; Sewage treatment; Sulfur compounds; Wastewater treatment; Macrolides; Occurrence; Quinolones; Sulfonamides; Tetracyclines; Trimethoprim; Surface waters; antiinfective agent; azithromycin; chlortetracycline; clarithromycin; dehydroerythromycin; diaminopyrimidine; doxycycline; lincomycin; macrolide; minocycline; oxytetracycline; roxithromycin; sulfadimethoxine; sulfadimidine; sulfamerazine; sulfamethizole; sulfamethoxazole; sulfapyridine; sulfathiazole; surface water; trimethoprim; tylosin; unclassified drug; antiinfective agent; fresh water; waste water; water pollutant; antibiotics; developing world; environmental degradation; income distribution; regulatory framework; surface water; water pollution; aquatic environment; Article; concentration (parameters); drug cost; environmental exposure; environmental impact; Ghana; Kenya; lowest income group; Mozambique; priority journal; sewage treatment; socioeconomics; South Africa; waste water; water analysis; water contamination; analysis; biota; chemistry; economics; ecosystem; environmental monitoring; income; procedures; social status; Turkey; water pollutant; Ghana; Kenya; Mozambique; South Africa; algae; Anti-Infective Agents; Biota; Ecosystem; Environmental Monitoring; Fresh Water; Ghana; Income; Mozambique; Social Conditions; South Africa; Turkey; Waste Water; Water Pollutants, Chemical | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84925457770 | Synthesis, characterization and evaluation of fluorocarbon-containing rhodium(I) complexes for biphasic hydroformylation reactions | Maqeda L., Makhubela B.C.E., Smith G.S. | 2015 | Polyhedron | 91 | None | 10.1016/j.poly.2015.02.037 | Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa | Maqeda, L., Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa; Makhubela, B.C.E., Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa; Smith, G.S., Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa | Abstract A series of fluorocarbon-containing salicylaldimine and iminophosphine Schiff base ligands and their Rh(I) complexes were synthesized. The synthesized ligands and complexes were characterized using different analytical and spectroscopic techniques including (1H, 13C{1H}, 31P{1H} and 19F{1H} NMR spectroscopy), FT-IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry (ESI and EI), and elemental analysis. In addition, single crystal X-ray diffraction was also used for characterization for complexes 1 and 2. Consequently, the Rh(I) synthesized complexes were evaluated as catalyst precursors in the hydroformylation of 1-octene. The hydroformylation results showed that the iminophosphine and salicylaldimine-based catalyst precursors are active and selective under mild conditions, converting 1-octene to mostly aldehydes. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. | Biphasic catalysis; Fluorocarbon; Hydroformylation; Rhodium(I) complexes; Schiff bases | None | DST, University of Capetown; UCT, University of Capetown |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84938919085 | Polyamine quinoline rhodium complexes: Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation as antiparasitic agents against Plasmodium falciparum and Trichomonas vaginalis | Stringer T., Taylor D., Guzgay H., Shokar A., Au A., Smith P.J., Hendricks D.T., Land K.M., Egan T.J., Smith G.S. | 2015 | Dalton Transactions | 44 | 33 | 10.1039/c5dt02378e | Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town Medical School, Observatory, South Africa; Division of Medical Biochemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, United States | Stringer, T., Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Taylor, D., Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town Medical School, Observatory, South Africa; Guzgay, H., Division of Medical Biochemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Shokar, A., Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, United States; Au, A., Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, United States; Smith, P.J., Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town Medical School, Observatory, South Africa; Hendricks, D.T., Division of Medical Biochemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Land, K.M., Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, United States; Egan, T.J., Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Smith, G.S., Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa | A series of mono- and bis-salicylaldimine ligands and their corresponding Rh(i) complexes were prepared. The compounds were characterised using standard spectroscopic techniques including NMR, IR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The salicylaldimine ligands and complexes were screened for antiparasitic activity against two strains of Plasmodium falciparum i.e. the NF54 CQ-sensitive and K1 CQ-resistant strain as well as against the G3 isolate of Trichomonas vaginalis. The monomeric salicylaldimine quinolines exhibited good activity against the NF54 strain and the dimeric salicylaldimine quinolines exhibited no cross resistance across the two strains. The binuclear 5-chloro Rh(i) complex displayed the best activity against the Trichomonas vaginalis parasite, possibly a consequence of its enhanced lipophilicity. The compounds were also screened for cytotoxicity in vitro against WHCO1 oesophageal cancer cells. The monomeric salicylaldimine quinolines exhibited high selectivity towards malaria parasites compared to cancer cells, while the dimeric compounds were less selective. © 2015 Royal Society of Chemistry. | None | Cells; Diseases; Ligands; Mass spectrometry; Rhodium; Strain; Synthesis (chemical); Antiparasitic activity; Antiparasitic agents; Cytotoxicity in Vitro; Dimeric compounds; Plasmodium falciparum; Resistant strains; Salicylaldimine ligands; Spectroscopic technique; Rhodium compounds | Medical Research Council; MRC, Medical Research Council |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929463566 | Synthesis, characterization and pharmacological evaluation of ferrocenyl azines and their rhodium(I) complexes | Stringer T., Guzgay H., Combrinck J.M., Hopper M., Hendricks D.T., Smith P.J., Land K.M., Egan T.J., Smith G.S. | 2015 | Journal of Organometallic Chemistry | 788 | None | 10.1016/j.jorganchem.2015.04.009 | Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Division of Medical Biochemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Division of Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town Medical School, Observatory, South Africa; Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, United States | Stringer, T., Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Guzgay, H., Division of Medical Biochemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Combrinck, J.M., Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa, Division of Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town Medical School, Observatory, South Africa; Hopper, M., Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, United States; Hendricks, D.T., Division of Medical Biochemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Smith, P.J., Division of Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town Medical School, Observatory, South Africa; Land, K.M., Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, United States; Egan, T.J., Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Smith, G.S., Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa | Ferrocenyl azines containing salicylaldimine motifs were prepared by Schiff-base condensation of salicylaldehyde hydrazones and (dimethylamino)methyl ferrocenecarboxaldehyde. Their corresponding Rh(I) complexes were prepared by reaction of the various ferrocenyl azines with [RhCl(COD)]<inf>2</inf> (where COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) to yield heterobimetallic complexes. The compounds were characterized using standard spectroscopic and analytical techniques. The characterization data suggests that the ferrocenyl azine acts as a bidentate donor. The rhodium(I) centre binds to the imine nitrogen and phenolic oxygen of the salicylaldimine, forming a neutral complex. The compounds were screened against the NF54 chloroquine-sensitive (CQS) and K1 chloroquine-resistant (CQR) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. The ferrocene-containing salicylaldimines exhibited weak to moderate activity across both parasite strains. The heterometallic complexes exhibited enhanced activity compared to the ferrocenyl azines in both strains. Most of the compounds exhibited enhanced activity in the resistant strain compared to the sensitive strain. Inhibition of haemozoin formation was considered as a possible mechanism of action of these compounds and indeed they exhibited β-haematin inhibition activity, albeit weaker than chloroquine. All compounds were also screened against the G3 strain of Trichomonas vaginalis. The compounds inhibited no more than 50% parasite growth at the tested concentration. One complex exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against WHCO1 oesophageal cancer cells. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. | Antiparasitic activity; Bioorganometallic chemistry; Cytotoxicity; Ferrocene; Heterobimetallic; Plasmodium falciparum | Cytotoxicity; Functional groups; Metallic compounds; Nitrogen compounds; Organometallics; Rhodium; Strain; Synthesis (chemical); Antiparasitic activity; Bio-organometallic chemistry; Ferrocenes; Heterobimetallics; Plasmodium falciparum; Rhodium compounds; Plasmodium falciparum; Trichomonas vaginalis | National Research Foundation |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84945926134 | Ru(II) and Co(II) complexes of bis(pyrazolyl)pyridine and pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid: Synthesis, photo physical studies and evaluation of solar cell conversion efficiencies | Motaung M.P., Ajibade P.A. | 2015 | International Journal of Electrochemical Science | 10 | 10 | None | Department of Chemistry, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, South Africa | Motaung, M.P., Department of Chemistry, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, South Africa; Ajibade, P.A., Department of Chemistry, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, South Africa | We report the synthesis of two nitrogen chelating ligands: 2,6-bis(pyrazolyl)pyridine (L1); 2,6-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)pyridine (L2) and their corresponding ruthenium(II) and cobalt(II) complexes formulated as [RuL1L(NCS)2] (C1), [RuL2L(NCS)2] (C2), [CoL1L(NCS)2] (C3) and [CoL2L(NCS)2] (C4) where L= pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid. The synthesis of the ligands were confirmed by 1HNMR spectroscopy and FTIR spectra studies confirmed the bonding of the Ru and Co ions to the ligands via the nitrogen atoms. Electronic absorption spectra indicates the geometries around the metal ions are six coordinate octahedral in which L1 or L2 acts as tridentate chelating ligands. In the cyclic voltammetry, cobalt(II) complexes exhibited lager redox potentials as compared to the ruthenium(II) complexes. The conversion efficiencies of the fabricated solar cells using the complexes as sensitizers showed that [RuL2L(NCS)2], C2 on TiO2 semiconductor produced the highest open-circuit photovoltage (Voc) of 87.3 × 10-3 mV, short-circuit photocurrent (Jsc) of 0.022 mA/cm-2 and the solar conversion efficiency was 101 × 10-5 %. © 2015 The Authors. | Conversion efficiency; Dye sensitizer; Dye-sensitized solar cells; Electrochemistry; Photo physical studies | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84941762656 | Synthesis and characterisation of silver(I) benzyldiphenylphosphine complexes: Towards the biological evaluation on SNO cells | Potgieter K., Cronjé M.J., Meijboom R. | 2015 | Inorganica Chimica Acta | 437 | None | 10.1016/j.ica.2015.08.023 | Department of Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, P.O. Box 524, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, P.O. Box 524, Johannesburg, South Africa | Potgieter, K., Department of Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, P.O. Box 524, Johannesburg, South Africa; Cronjé, M.J., Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, P.O. Box 524, Johannesburg, South Africa; Meijboom, R., Department of Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, P.O. Box 524, Johannesburg, South Africa | Cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide, due to the lack of effective anticancer agents, and the agents leading to side-effects. It is therefore crucial to find an anticancer agent which is effective enough to destroy the cancer cells without causing side-effects. Silver(I) complexes have the potential to be applied as effective anticancer agents, due to their excellent antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Silver(I) benzyldiphenylphosphine complexes were synthesised and characterised by means of NMR, FTIR as well as single crystal X-ray diffractometry (SXRD). The crystal structure revealed a trigonal planar geometry, which is rarely seen in silver chemistry. In addition, the anticancer activity of these complexes was evaluated against a malignant SNO (oesophageal) cancer cell line. The viability of the cells after treatment with the complexes were determined using an alamarBlue® viability assay. The possible mode of cell death, being apoptosis, necrosis or both, was determined by studying the treated cells under a microscope. A significant decrease in the viability of the cells after 24 h treatment with the complexes was observed. The morphological studies revealed that apoptosis could be a possible mode of cell death, however some necrosis was observed. Silver(I) benzyldiphenylphosphine complexes shows potential as effective anticancer agents. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. | Anticancer activity; Silver(I) phosphine complexes; SNO cancer cells | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929992405 | Oxygen reduction reaction at MWCNT-modified nanoscale iron(ii) tetrasulfophthalocyanine: Remarkable performance over platinum and tolerance toward methanol in alkaline medium | Fashedemi O.O., Ozoemena K.I. | 2015 | RSC Advances | 5 | 29 | 10.1039/c5ra03133h | Department of Chemistry, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Energy Materials, Materials Science and Manufacturing, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa | Fashedemi, O.O., Department of Chemistry, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Ozoemena, K.I., Department of Chemistry, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa, Energy Materials, Materials Science and Manufacturing, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa | A nanoscale iron(ii) tetrasulfophthalocyanine (nanoFeTSPc) catalyst obtained by co-ordinating with hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide and subsequently anchored onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has been reported. Two types of MWCNTs, hydroxyl/carboxyl-functionalized (o-MWCNTs) and sulfonate-functionalized (s-MWCNTs) were used as the supporting platforms for the catalysts (nanoFeTSPc-o-MWCNT and nanoFeTSPc-s-MWCNT, only 9 wt% loading of the nanoFeTSPc). The nanoFeTSPc-o-MWCNT gave the best performance towards ORR in terms of high catalytic current density, more positive onset potential (E<inf>onset</inf> = -0.02 V vs. Ag/AgCl), half-wave potential (E<inf>1/2</inf> = -0.32 V vs. Ag/AgCl), and high catalytic rate constant (k ∼ 1.6 × 10-2 cm s-1) compared to the nanoFeTSPc-s-MWCNT counterpart or the Pt/XC-72 (80% Pt loading). The ORR performance generally follows this trend: nanoFeTSPc-o-MWCNT > Pt/XC-72 > nanoFeTSPc-s-MWCNT. The MWCNT-modified nanoFeTSPc complexes are much better than observed for the individual components, nanoFeTSPc, o-MWCNT and s-MWCNT. In addition, the nanoFeTSPc-o-MWCNT essentially followed a 4-electron pathway, while the nanoFeTSPc-s-MWCNT followed a 2-electron pathway. The excellent performance of the nanoFeTSPc-o-MWCNT correlates very well with the more homogenous dispersion and higher degree of attachment of the nanoFeTSPc on the surface of the o-MWCNT than on the s-MWCNTs. Unlike Pt/XC-72, the nanoFeTSPc-o-MWCNT exhibited excellent tolerance toward methanol contamination. The excellent ORR activity of the nanoFeTSPc-o-MWCNT at a very low catalyst loading, coupled with its excellent methanol tolerance compared to the commercial platinum, promises to serve as a viable non-noble alternative to the expensive noble metal catalysts (such as Pt and Pd) for alkaline fuel cells. © 2015 The Royal Society of Chemistry. | None | Alkaline fuel cells; Catalysts; Electrolytic reduction; Fuel cells; Iron compounds; Methanol; Nanotechnology; Oxygen; Palladium; Platinum; Platinum metals; Precious metals; Rate constants; Silver; Yarn; Half-wave potential; Hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide; Homogenous dispersions; Individual components; Methanol tolerance; Noble metal catalysts; Oxygen reduction reaction; Supporting platform; Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCN) | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84925047350 | Electro-oxidation of ethylene glycol and glycerol at palladium-decorated FeCo@Fe core-shell nanocatalysts for alkaline direct alcohol fuel cells: Functionalized MWCNT supports and impact on product selectivity | Fashedemi O.O., Miller H.A., Marchionni A., Vizza F., Ozoemena K.I. | 2015 | Journal of Materials Chemistry A | 3 | 13 | 10.1039/c5ta00076a | Department of Chemistry, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Istituto di Chimica Dei Composti Organometallici, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (ICCOM-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto, Fiorentino, Italy; Energy Materials, Materials Science and Manufacturing, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa | Fashedemi, O.O., Department of Chemistry, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Miller, H.A., Istituto di Chimica Dei Composti Organometallici, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (ICCOM-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto, Fiorentino, Italy; Marchionni, A., Istituto di Chimica Dei Composti Organometallici, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (ICCOM-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto, Fiorentino, Italy; Vizza, F., Istituto di Chimica Dei Composti Organometallici, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (ICCOM-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto, Fiorentino, Italy; Ozoemena, K.I., Department of Chemistry, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa, Energy Materials, Materials Science and Manufacturing, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa | Half-cell reactions and alkaline direct ethylene glycol and glycerol fuel cells (DEGFC and DGFC) have been studied on Pd-based ternary core-shell (FeCo@Fe@Pd) nanocatalyst using multi-walled carbon nanotubes bearing carboxylic (MWCNT-COOH) and sulfonic acid (MWCNT-SO3H) as supporting platforms. The core-shell-shell nature of this nanocatalyst, obtained via the "microwave-induced top-down nanostructuring and decoration", was clearly proven from atomic resolution transmission electron microscopy (ARTEM). The functional groups of the MWCNTs show a huge impact on the physico-chemical properties of the FeCo@Fe@Pd nanocatalyst towards the electrocatalytic oxidation of EG and GLY in alkaline media. The FeCo@Fe@Pd on -COOH-treated MWCNTs showed the small particle size of ca. 7.4 nm, uniform loading of the catalyst on the support, large electrochemically-active surface area and enhanced electrocatalytic activity compared to the FeCo@Fe@Pd on -SO3H-bearing MWCNTs. As a preliminary test, FeCo@Fe@Pd/MWCNT-COOH was used for passive, air-breathing anion-exchange membrane based fuel cells (AEM-DEGFC and AEM-DGFC). The analysis of the exhaust products, established using NMR spectroscopy, revealed a high selectivity towards the complete oxidation of both EG and GLY under benign experimental conditions. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry. | None | Alkaline fuel cells; Alkalinity; Direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFC); Electrocatalysis; Electrooxidation; Ethylene; Ethylene glycol; Fuel cells; Functional groups; Gas fuel purification; Glycerol; Ion exchange membranes; Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCN); Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Oxidation; Particle size; Polyols; Shells (structures); Transmission electron microscopy; Yarn; Anion exchange membrane; Electro-catalytic oxidation; Electrocatalytic activity; Electrochemically active surface areas; Experimental conditions; Functionalized-MWCNT; Physicochemical property; Product selectivities; Palladium | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940259267 | Structure and properties of a β-nucleated polypropylene impact copolymer | Motsoeneng T.S., van Reenen A.J., Luyt A.S. | 2015 | Polymer International | 64 | 2 | 10.1002/pi.4778 | Department of Chemistry, University of the Free State (Qwaqwa Campus), Phuthaditjhaba, South Africa; Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa | Motsoeneng, T.S., Department of Chemistry, University of the Free State (Qwaqwa Campus), Phuthaditjhaba, South Africa; van Reenen, A.J., Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Luyt, A.S., Department of Chemistry, University of the Free State (Qwaqwa Campus), Phuthaditjhaba, South Africa | The effect of a β-nucleating agent (β-NA) on the properties and structure of a commercial impact polypropylene copolymer (IPC) was investigated. The effect of selected β-NAs on the impact resistance, stress and strain behaviour of the IPC is reported. In addition, the IPC was fractionated according to crystallinity by preparative temperature rising elution fractionation. Fractions with varying chemical composition and crystallinity were treated with a two-component β-NA to investigate the effect of the β-NA on the various fractions. The results indicate that the efficacy of the β-NA is dependent on the chemical composition of the polymer that crystallises, more specifically on the sequence length of crystallisable propylene units. The effect of the addition of β-NAs on the overall morphology of the IPC was also investigated, and in particular the size and distribution of the rubbery particles in these complex reactor blends were probed. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry. | Impact polypropylene copolymer; Mechanical properties; Thermal stability; β-nucleation | Copolymers; Mechanical properties; Propylene; Thermodynamic stability; Chemical compositions; Impact polypropylene copolymer; Nucleating agents; Polypropylene impact copolymers; Sequence lengths; Stress and strain; Structure and properties; Temperature-rising elution; Polypropylenes | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940197167 | ICP-OES monitoring of the instability of [OsCl<inf>6</inf>]2- and Evaluation of [OsO<inf>2</inf>(CN)<inf>4</inf>]2- as alternative standard for osmium quantification | Chiweshe T.T., Purcell W., Venter J.A. | 2015 | Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Japan | 88 | 8 | 10.1246/bcsj.20150025 | Department of Chemistry, University of the Free State, Nelson Mandela Drive, Bloemfontein, South Africa | Chiweshe, T.T., Department of Chemistry, University of the Free State, Nelson Mandela Drive, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Purcell, W., Department of Chemistry, University of the Free State, Nelson Mandela Drive, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Venter, J.A., Department of Chemistry, University of the Free State, Nelson Mandela Drive, Bloemfontein, South Africa | A spectrometric method using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) for the determination of Os and the stability of (NH<inf>4</inf>)<inf>2</inf>[OsCl<inf>6</inf>] standard was developed. Results obtained from this study showed a gradual decrease in Os recovery in the liquid reference material (RM) within 96 h of having prepared the calibration standards. The instability of the Os standard (NH<inf>4</inf>)<inf>2</inf>[OsCl<inf>6</inf>] resulted in the decrease in Os percentage recoveries. The Os calibration plots shifted (gained or lost sensitivity) after every 24 h. This gain or loss in sensitivity also varied, depending on acid or base used. In acidic medium, the gain in sensitivity of the calibration curves increased from HCl < HBr < HF whilst in the basic medium, the calibration plots decreased in sensitivity from NaOH < KOH < NH<inf>4</inf>OH. The stable Cs<inf>2</inf>[OsO<inf>2</inf>(CN)<inf>4</inf>] compound was synthesized and evaluated for its suitability as osmium standard and it was determined to be a good alternative standard for Os analysis due to its excellent stability in HCl matrix and at room temperature. The optimum storage conditions for both Os standards (NH<inf>4</inf>)<inf>2</inf>[OsCl<inf>6</inf>] and Cs<inf>2</inf>[OsO<inf>2</inf>(CN)<inf>4</inf>] and the liquid RM analyte solutions were in the acidic medium (HCl), in the dark and at ca. 10°C. © 2015 The Chemical Society of Japan. | None | Calibration; Cesium; Inductively coupled plasma; Optical emission spectroscopy; Plasma diagnostics; Plasma stability; Spectrometry; Stability; Calibration curves; Calibration standard; Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry; Percentage recovery; Reference material; Room temperature; Spectrometric methods; Storage condition; Osmium | NRF, Neurosurgical Research Foundation |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84934764742 | Biological activities of (E)-N-(CH<inf>3</inf>-substituted-phenyl)-1-phenylmethanimine: Evaluation of ortho-, meta- and para- substitution effects | Mkpenie V.N., Mkpenie I.V., Essien E.E. | 2015 | Der Pharma Chemica | 7 | 6 | None | Department of Chemistry, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria | Mkpenie, V.N., Department of Chemistry, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria; Mkpenie, I.V., Department of Chemistry, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria; Essien, E.E., Department of Chemistry, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria | Schiff bases with ortho-, meta- and para-methyl substituents were synthesized by thecondensation of appropriatearomatic amines (o-, m- and p-toluidine) with benzaldehyde. The structures of all the synthesized compounds were confirmed by analytical and spectral data. The sensitivity of thebacteria and fungi was evaluated bymeasuring the zones of inhibition exhibited by the microorganisms against the tested compounds using disk diffusion method. The results of the antimicrobial activity showed that the methyl group substituted at meta and para positions exhibited more antifungal and antibacterial activities compared to the ortho and unsubstituted derivatives. The results showed that antifungal and antibacterial activities are affected by the position of substituents in the aryl ring of theSchiff bases. | Antibacterial activity; Antifungal activity; Schiff bases; Substitution effect; Toluidine | 2 methylaniline; 3 methylaniline; 4 methylaniline; aniline derivative; antiinfective agent; benzaldehyde; fluconazole; n (2 methylphenyl) 1 phenylmethanimine; n (3 methylphenyl) 1 phenylmethanimine; n (4 methylphenyl) 1 phenylmethanimine; n,1 diphenylmethanimine derivative; Schiff base; streptomycin; unclassified drug; antibacterial activity; antibiotic sensitivity; antifungal activity; antifungal susceptibility; Article; Aspergillus fumigatus; Aspergillus niger; Candida albicans; controlled study; disk diffusion; drug screening; drug structure; drug synthesis; Escherichia coli; nonhuman; Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi; Shigella dysenteriae; Staphylococcus aureus; Trichophyton rubrum | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940025563 | In vitro evaluation of the comprehensive antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of curtisia dentata (Burm.f) C.A. Sm: Toxicological effect on the human embryonic kidney (HEK293) and human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell lines | Fadipe V.O., Mongalo N.I., Opoku A.R. | 2015 | EXCLI Journal | 14 | None | 10.17179/excli2015-351 | Department of Chemistry, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa, South Africa; College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) Laboratories, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida, South Africa; Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa, South Africa | Fadipe, V.O., Department of Chemistry, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa, South Africa; Mongalo, N.I., College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) Laboratories, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida, South Africa; Opoku, A.R., Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa, South Africa | Curtisia dentata is used in African traditional medicine to treat variety of infections. C. dentata leaves were collected from Buffelskloof Nature Reserve, South Africa. The ethanol, chloroform, ethyl acetate and acetone extracts were evaluated for antimicrobial activity using micro dilution assay against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mycobacterium smegmatis, Mycoplasma hominis, Candida albicans and some clinical isolates of Moraxella catarrhalis, Proteus mirabilis and Staphylococcus aureus isolated from HIV patient. Acetone extract exhibited lowest MIC of 0.01 mg/ml against Candida albicans compared to other extracts. Besides lupeol, betulinic acid and ursolic acid, β-sitosterol was isolated for the first time from C. dentata leaves and exhibited antimicrobial activity with MIC values ranging from 0.20 to 6.25 mg/ml. Furthermore, the ethanol extract and the four isolated compounds revealed microbicidal effect, with MIC index of less than 4. Ethanol extract revealed the best total activity of 2400 ml/g against Mycoplasma hominis. Cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds was further investigated against the Human embryonic kidney (HEK293) and Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell lines using the MTT assay. Ursolic acid exhibited the lowest LD<inf>50</inf> of 122.4 μg/ml against HEK293 cell line while lupeol exhibited LD<inf>50</inf> of 278.8 and 289.4 μg/ml against HEK293 and HepG2 respectively. Lupeol exhibited low selectivity index. Ethyl acetate and acetone extracts were further investigated for antioxidant activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The acetone extract exhibited potent inhibition of DPPH compared to ethyl acetate extract. The findings of the current work validate the use of the plant species in the treatment of various human infections. © 2015 Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors. All rights reserved. | Antimicrobial; Antioxidant; Curtisia dentata; Cytotoxicity; Ethnomedicine; β-sitosterol | 1,1 diphenyl 2 picrylhydrazyl; antiinfective agent; antioxidant; ascorbic acid; betulic acid; Curtisia dentata extract; lupeol; plant extract; sitosterol; streptomycin sulfate; unclassified drug; ursolic acid; antimicrobial activity; antioxidant activity; Article; Candida albicans; controlled study; Curtisia dentata; drug cytotoxicity; drug isolation; Escherichia coli; HEK293 cell line; HepG2 cell line; human; human cell; in vitro study; LD50; minimum bactericidal concentration; minimum fungicidal concentration; minimum inhibitory concentration; Moraxella catarrhalis; Mycobacterium smegmatis; Mycoplasma hominis; nonhuman; plant leaf; Proteus mirabilis; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Staphylococcus aureus; Candida albicans; Curtisia dentata; Escherichia coli; Moraxella catarrhalis; Mycobacterium smegmatis; Mycoplasma hominis; Proteus mirabilis; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Staphylococcus aureus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928730069 | Synthesis, nanostructure evaluation and tunable anomalous 3D hopping transport of manganese ferrite encapsulated poly[3,4-(ethylenedioxy)thiophene] decorated graphene layer | Nandi D., Maity A. | 2015 | RSC Advances | 5 | 45 | 10.1039/c5ra01904d | Department of Civil and Chemical Engineering, University of South Africa (UNISA), South Africa; DST/CSIR National Centre for Nano-Structured Materials, Materials Science and Manufacturing, Pretoria, South Africa | Nandi, D., Department of Civil and Chemical Engineering, University of South Africa (UNISA), South Africa; Maity, A., Department of Civil and Chemical Engineering, University of South Africa (UNISA), South Africa, DST/CSIR National Centre for Nano-Structured Materials, Materials Science and Manufacturing, Pretoria, South Africa | A straightforward novel synthetic approach of manganese ferrite encapsulated poly[3,4-(ethylenedioxy)thiophene] nanocomposite decorated on a graphene layer (NIPG) is engineered assisted by dodecyl benzene sulphonic acid as surfactant. NIPG is characterized by Raman, TG, SEM, EDX, AFM, TEM etc. The temperature-induced (50 to 300 K) I-V characteristics and conductivity are scrutinized for NIPG and the structure-property relationship for electrical transport is also demonstrated. Varying loading of manganese ferrite nanoparticle and graphene significantly improve the order of conductivity even in a low temperature regime due to development of charge carriers such as polaron, bipolaron etc. in the band structure. An anomalous 3D Mott variable range hopping mechanism provides a complete framework to comprehend transport in NIPG. © The Royal Society of Chemistry. | None | Ferrite; Graphene; Manganese; Sulfur compounds; Temperature; Thiophene; Dodecyl-benzene sulphonic acid; Electrical transport; IV characteristics; Low-temperature regime; Manganese ferrite nanoparticles; Mott variable-range hopping; Structure property relationships; Temperature-induced; Loading | CSIR, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research; DST, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84936945068 | Performance of pit latrines in urban poor areas: A case of Kampala, Uganda | Nakagiri A., Kulabako R.N., Nyenje P.M., Tumuhairwe J.B., Niwagaba C.B., Kansiime F. | 2015 | Habitat International | 49 | None | 10.1016/j.habitatint.2015.07.005 | Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Agricultural Production, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Environmental Management, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda | Nakagiri, A., Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda; Kulabako, R.N., Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda; Nyenje, P.M., Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda; Tumuhairwe, J.B., Department of Agricultural Production, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda; Niwagaba, C.B., Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda; Kansiime, F., Department of Environmental Management, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda | In many urban poor areas of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), demand for human excreta disposal is met, predominantly by pit latrines. This study aimed at determining the status of pit latrines (design, construction, operation and maintenance) and its influence on latrine performance (filling, smell and insect nuisance). The study was conducted on 130 pit latrines in typical urban poor areas of Kampala, Uganda. Data on design, construction, usage, operation and performance of the pit latrines was collected by interviews, observations and measurements; and analysed by descriptive statistics, bi-variate analysis and logistic regression. Results showed that the level of pit content was predicted by rain or storm water entry, terrain, cleaning before or after use and number of households using the latrine. Smell was predicted by cleanliness, stance length, superstructure material and whether the latrine was private or public. The predictor of presence of flies was the superstructure material. To improve the performance of pit latrines in urban poor areas, researchers and practitioners should develop local latrine design standards (dimensions, construction materials and number of users) and cleaning guidelines for local policy makers to implement. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. | Maintenance; Operation; Performance; Pit latrines; Smell; Urban poor | construction; design; low income population; maintenance; poverty; sanitation; urban area; Kampala; Uganda; Hexapoda | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84943616357 | Extraction of oil from Terminalia catappa L.: Process parameter impacts, kinetics, and thermodynamics | Menkiti M.C., Agu C.M., Udeigwe T.K. | 2015 | Industrial Crops and Products | 77 | None | 10.1016/j.indcrop.2015.08.019 | Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Water Resources Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States; Department of Chemical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria; Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech Un | Menkiti, M.C., Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Water Resources Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States, Department of Chemical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria; Agu, C.M., Department of Chemical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria; Udeigwe, T.K., Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States | The effects of temperature, time, solvent type, and particle size on oil yield as well as the effects of these parameters (particle size, time, and temperature) on the kinetics and thermodynamics parameters (enthalpy, entropy, and free energy) of oil extraction from Terminalia catappa L. kernel (TCK) were investigated. Among the different extractions solvents examined, n-hexane gave the highest oil yield of 60.45% (by weight) at 55°C, 150min, and 0.5mm particle size. Findings from the physicochemical properties investigation revealed that the viscosity, acidity, and dielectric strength of the TCK oil were 20.29mm2s-1, 4.73mg KOH/g oil, and 30.61kV, suggesting the potential suitability of TCK oil as transformer oil. Analysis of the chemical composition of the TCK oil indicated that it is composed of 43.89% and 56.1% saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, respectively. The kinetics of the TCK oil extraction was better described by the pseudo second order model compared to hyperbolic and Elovich models. The δG, δS, and δH values of the TCK oil extraction process were -28.76kJ/mol, 0.643kJ/mol, and 182.81kJ/mol, respectively, indicating spontaneous, irreversible, and endothermic process. © 2015. | Kinetics; Solvent extraction; Terminalia catappa L.; Thermodynamics | Chemical analysis; Enzyme kinetics; Extraction; Fatty acids; Free energy; Hexane; Kinetics; Particle size; Solvent extraction; Solvents; Temperature; Thermodynamics; Unsaturated fatty acids; Chemical compositions; Dielectric strengths; Effects of temperature; Endothermic process; Kinetics and thermodynamics; Physicochemical property; Pseudo-second order model; Terminalia catappa L; Oil filled transformers; Terminalia catappa | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84934277129 | The effect of organic loading rates (OLRs) on the performances of food wastes and maize husks anaerobic co-digestion in continuous mode | Owamah H.I., Izinyon O.C. | 2015 | Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments | 11 | None | 10.1016/j.seta.2015.06.002 | Department of Civil Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, Landmark University, P.M.B.1001, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria; Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Benin, Benin, Edo State, Nigeria | Owamah, H.I., Department of Civil Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, Landmark University, P.M.B.1001, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria; Izinyon, O.C., Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Benin, Benin, Edo State, Nigeria | A continuous anaerobic digestion experiment was carried out to investigate the co-digestion of 75% food waste and 25% maize husk at different organic loading rates (OLRs) of 1-4.5 gVS/L/d. Results obtained showed that pH fluctuated between 7.3 and 7.5 and total alkalinity (TA) between 0.4 and 6.7 g CaCO3/L, indicating that the system was not inhibited by acidification. The range of the ratio of volatile fatty acid (VFA) to TA of 0.06-0.25 was also well below 0.4 and showed that the anaerobic co-digestion was stable and feasible. Though there was no significant difference (p< 0.05) between biogas yields at OLRs of 3.5 and 4.5 gVS/L/d, the methane content at OLR of 4.5 gVS/L/d was higher than that of 3.5 gVS/L/d and suggests that carbon dioxide producing microorganisms were more active in OLR of 3.5 gVS/L/d. The OLR of 4.5 gVS/L/d was therefore found to be the most satisfactory for large scale operation of anaerobic digesters for co-digestion of food waste and maize husk. From a separate batch test, the average biogas yield of 0.50 ± 0.04, 0.24 ± 0.02 and 1.31 ± 0.07 L/gVS were obtained from digesters A, B and C, respectively, indicating that the addition of maize husk to digester C significantly improved the production of biogas from food waste when compared to the biogas yield of digester A that contained food waste alone. Digester B with 100% maize husk was by far the least performed digester. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. | Biogas yield; Continuous digestion; Digester performance; Food waste; Maize husk | Alkalinity; Biogas; Carbon; Carbon dioxide; Fatty acids; Methane; Pulp digesters; Volatile fatty acids; Anaerobic co-digestion; Anaerobic digester; Digester performance; Food waste; Maize husk; Methane content; Organic loading rates; Total alkalinities; Anaerobic digestion; anoxic conditions; biogas; fatty acid; microorganism; performance assessment; waste; Zea mays | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84922831782 | Measuring spatial variability of land use associated with hydrological impact in urbanised quaternary catchments using entropy | Ilunga M., Singh V.P. | 2015 | Water SA | 41 | 1 | 10.4314/wsa.v41i1.7 | Department of Civil Engineering, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida Campus, South Africa; Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, Texas A and M University Scoates Hall, 2117 TAMU College StationTX, United States | Ilunga, M., Department of Civil Engineering, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida Campus, South Africa; Singh, V.P., Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, Texas A and M University Scoates Hall, 2117 TAMU College StationTX, United States | Decision making for water resources is needed for land-use change due to urbanisation, which impacts hydrological variables such as mean annual runof (MAR) of catchments. Urbanisation introduces some degree of uncertainty (expressed as entropy) to this specific variable. This study uses Shannon or theoretic entropy as a tool for measuring land use variability/diversity of urbanised areas in South Africa. Positive correlations between entropy and increase in mean annual runoff (MAR) due to urbanisation are derived. Also, relationships between return period/risk of failure (flooding or water supply) and entropy are established. A case of Pieter Wright Dam of the Vaal drainage region is used to demonstrate these relationships. Consequently, the reliability of this dam is shown to be positively correlated with entropy. Data on surface water resources of South Africa 1990 (WR90) compiled by the Water Resource Commission (WRC) were used in this study. © 2015,South African Water Research Commission. All rights reserved. | Decision-making; Entropy; Hydrological impact; Quaternary catchments; Risk; Urbanisation | Catchments; Decision making; Entropy; Land use; Risks; Runoff; Surface water resources; Surface waters; Water supply; Degree of uncertainty; Hydrological impacts; Hydrological variables; Mean annual runoffs; Positive correlations; Spatial variability; Urbanisation; Urbanised areas; Water resources; decision making; entropy; hydrological change; land use change; runoff; spatial variation; surface water; urbanization; South Africa | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940876199 | Evaluation of landfill cover design options for waste disposal sites in the coastal regions of Ghana | Keelson K.B. | 2015 | International Journal of Engineering and Technology Innovation | 5 | 1 | None | Department of Civil Engineering, Kaaf University College, Accra, Ghana | Keelson, K.B., Department of Civil Engineering, Kaaf University College, Accra, Ghana | Uncontrolled leachate generation from operational and closed waste disposal sites is a major environmental concern in the coastal regions of Ghana which have abundant surface water and groundwater resources. The Ghana Landfill Guidelines requires the provision of a final cover or capping system as part of a final closure plan for waste disposal sites in the country as a means of minimizing the harmful environmental effects of these emissions. However, this technical manual does not provide explicit guidance on the material types or configuration for landfill covers that would be suitable for the different climatic conditions in the country. Four landfill cover options which are based on the USEPA RCRA-type and evapotranspirative landfill cover design specifications were evaluated with the aid of the HELP computer program to determine their suitability for waste disposal sites located in the Western, Central and Greater Accra regions. The RCRA Subtitle C cover which yielded flux rates of less than 0.001 mm/yr was found to be suitable for the specific climatic conditions. The RCRA Subtitle D cover was determined to be unsuitable due to the production of very large flux rates in excess of 200 mm/yr. The results for the anisotropic barrier and capillary barrier covers were inconclusive. Recommendations for further study include a longer simulation period as well the study of the combined effects of different topsoil vegetative conditions and evaporative zone depths on the landfill water balance. The use of other water balance models such as EPIC, HYDRUS-2D and UNSAT-H for the evaluation of the evapotranspirative landfill cover design options should also be considered. © TAETI. | Ghana; Groundwater; HELP model; Landfill cover; Leachate; Waste disposal | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84925428074 | Use of multivariate statistical techniques for the evaluation of temporal and spatial variations in water quality of the Kaduna River, Nigeria | Ogwueleka T.C. | 2015 | Environmental Monitoring and Assessment | 187 | 3 | 10.1007/s10661-015-4354-4 | Department of Civil Engineering, University of Abuja, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria | Ogwueleka, T.C., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Abuja, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria | Multivariate statistical techniques, such as cluster analysis (CA) and principal component analysis/factor analysis (PCA/FA), were used to investigate the temporal and spatial variations and to interpret large and complex water quality data sets collected from the Kaduna River. Kaduna River is the main tributary of Niger River in Nigeria and represents the common situation of most natural rivers including spatial patterns of pollutants. The water samples were collected monthly for 5 years (2008–2012) from eight sampling stations located along the river. In all samples, 17 parameters of water quality were determined: total dissolved solids (TDS), pH, Thard, dissolved oxygen (DO), 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), NH4-N, Cl, SO4, Ca, Mg, total coliform (TColi), turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC), HCO3 −, NO3 −, and temperature (T). Hierarchical CA grouped 12 months into two seasons (dry and wet seasons) and classified eight sampling stations into two groups (low- and high-pollution regions) based on seasonal differences and different levels of pollution, respectively. PCA/FA for each group formed by CA helped to identify spatiotemporal dynamics of water quality in Kaduna River. CA illustrated that water quality progressively deteriorated from headwater to downstream areas. The results of PCA/FA determined that 78.7 % of the total variance in low pollution region was explained by five factor, that is, natural and organic, mineral, microbial, organic, and nutrient, and 87.6 % of total variance in high pollution region was explained by six factors, that is, microbial, organic, mineral, natural, nutrient, and organic. Varifactors obtained from FA indicated that the parameters responsible for water quality variations are resulted from agricultural runoff, natural pollution, domestic, municipal, and industrial wastewater. Mann–Whitney U test results revealed that TDS, pH, DO, T, EC, TColi, turbidity, total hardness (THard), Mg, Ca, NO3 −, COD, and BOD were identified as significant variables affecting temporal variation in river water, and TDS, EC, and TColi were identified as significant variables affecting spatial variation. In addition, box-whisker plots facilitated and supported multivariate analysis results. This study illustrates the usefulness of multivariate statistical techniques for classification and processing of large and complex data sets of water quality parameters, identification of latent pollution factors/sources and their spatial-temporal variations, and determination of the corresponding significant parameters in river water quality. © 2015, Springer International Publishing Switzerland. | Box plots; Cluster analysis; Factor analysis; Principal component analysis; Temporal-spatial variations; Water quality management | Agricultural runoff; Biochemical oxygen demand; Calcium; Chemical oxygen demand; Chlorine; Classification (of information); Cluster analysis; Dissolved oxygen; Factor analysis; Magnesium; Multivariant analysis; Nutrients; Oxygen; Parameter estimation; Pollution; Principal component analysis; Quality control; Quality management; Rivers; Statistical methods; Turbidity; Water conservation; Water management; Water pollution; Water quality; Water resources; Box plots; Electrical conductivity; Multivariate statistical techniques; Spatial variations; Spatio-temporal dynamics; Temporal and spatial variation; Water quality parameters; Water quality variations; River pollution; ammonium nitrate; calcium; chloride; dissolved organic matter; dissolved oxygen; magnesium; runoff; sulfate; cluster analysis; factor analysis; multivariate analysis; principal component analysis; river pollution; river water; spatial analysis; temporal analysis; water quality; Article; chemical oxygen demand; cluster analysis; coliform bacterium; discriminant analysis; dry season; electric conductivity; factorial analysis; hydrology; multivariate analysis; Nigeria; nonhuman; pH; principal component analysis; river; season; seasonal variation; soil erosion; spatiotemporal analysis; statistical analysis; temperature; turbidity; water analysis; water pollution; water quality; water sampling; weathering; wet season; biochemical oxygen demand; chemistry; environmental monitoring; procedures; statistics and numerical data; water pollution; water quality; Kaduna River; Nigeria; Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; Cluster Analysis; Environmental Monitoring; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Multivariate Analysis; Nigeria; Principal Component Analysis; Rivers; Seasons; Temperature; Water Pollution; Water Quality | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84969556965 | Evaluation of impact of climate variability on water resources and yield capacity of selected reservoirs in the north central Nigeria | Salami A.W., Ibrahim H., Sojobi A.O. | 2015 | Environmental Engineering Research | 20 | 3 | 10.4491/eer.2015.0041 | Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria; Department of Civil Engineering, Landmark University, Omu Aran, Nigeria | Salami, A.W., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria; Ibrahim, H., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria; Sojobi, A.O., Department of Civil Engineering, Landmark University, Omu Aran, Nigeria | This paper presents the evaluation of the impact of climate change on water resources and yield capacity of Asa and Kampe reservoirs. Trend analysis of mean temperature, runoff, rainfall and evapotranspiration was carried out using Mann Kendall and Sen’s slope, while runoff was modeled as a function of temperature, rainfall and evapotranspiration using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). Rainfall and runoff exhibited positive trends at the two dam sites and their upstream while forecasted ten-year runoff displayed increasing positive trend which indicates high reservoir inflow. The reservoir yield capacity estimated with the ANN forecasted runoff was higher by about 38% and 17% compared to that obtained with historical runoff at Asa and Kampe respectively. This is an indication that there is tendency for water resources of the reservoir to increase and thus more water will be available for water supply and irrigation to ensure food security. © 2015 Korean Society of Environmental Engineers. | Asa river; Climate variability; Kampe river; Reservoir yield; Runoff | Climate change; Climatology; Evapotranspiration; Food supply; Neural networks; Rain; Reservoirs (water); Runoff; Water supply; Climate variability; Food security; Mann-Kendall; North Central Nigeria; Rainfall and runoffs; Reservoir inflow; Trend analysis; Yield capacity; Water resources | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84937061051 | Evaluation of short-and longterm properties of heat-cured alkali-activated fly ash concrete | Shekhovtsova J., Kovtun M., Kearsley E.P. | 2015 | Magazine of Concrete Research | 67 | 16 | 10.1680/macr.14.00377 | Department of Civil Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | Shekhovtsova, J., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Kovtun, M., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Kearsley, E.P., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | Short- and long-term properties of alkali-activated fly ash concrete, namely, compressive, flexural and splitting tensile strengths, modulus of elasticity, Poisson ratio, early-age and drying shrinkage, creep and durability performance have been investigated in this paper. Blended ordinary Portland cement-fly ash concrete was used as a reference. The average compressive and flexural strengths of alkali-activated fly ash concrete at 28 d were 45 MPa and 5.8 MPa, respectively; drying shrinkage and creep values were about 360 and 200 microstrain, respectively, at 1 year. The total early-age shrinkage during the first 24 h of curing was lower for alkali-activated fly ash concrete at 1460 microstrain compared to 2800 microstrain for blended cement concrete. The use of this non-Portland cement containing material for producing precast concrete units can utilise high volumes of fly ash and potentially reduce the carbon footprint of the final product. | None | Carbon; Carbon footprint; Concretes; Creep; Curing; Drying; Fly ash; Portland cement; Precast concrete; Shrinkage; Tensile strength; Alkali-activated fly ashes; Compressive and flexural strengths; Durability performance; Early age shrinkages; Fly ash concretes; Long-term properties; Ordinary Portland cement; Splitting tensile strength; Cements | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84934268539 | Assessment of knowledge, interventional practices for, and impact of malaria in pregnancy among parturient women in a Nigerian tertiary healthcare facility | Obieche A.O., Enato E.F.O., Ande A.B.A. | 2015 | Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research | 14 | 6 | 10.4314/tjpr.v14i6.24 | Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria | Obieche, A.O., Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; Enato, E.F.O., Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; Ande, A.B.A., Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria | Purpose: To assess knowledge of and intervention for malaria in pregnancy among immediate postpartum women, as well as the impact of malaria on some specific birth outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional study in which 358 immediate postpartum women were recruited in the labour and maternity wards of University Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. Information on demographics, knowledge of malaria, and utilization of malaria interventions were assessed. Immediately after expulsion of placentae, both maternal and placental blood samples were collected from a subset (236) of the study group for parasitaemia and haematocrit determination. Results: The mean age of the women was 29.5 ± 4.55 years. Poor knowledge of adverse effects of malaria during pregnancy was observed. Using an arbitrary scale, low, average and high knowledge of malaria were recorded in 22.4, 50.3 and 27.3% of the respondents, respectively. Use of insecticide-treated net (ITN) was reported by 48.9, 19.1 and 14.3% of women with high, average and low knowledge of malaria respectively (p = 0.004) while there was no statistical difference in the use of sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) among the different levels of knowledge of malaria as its practice was reported by 61, 70 and 78.7% of women with high, average, and low knowledge of malaria, respectively, (p = 0.078). Incidence rates of parasitaemia of 4.0, 1.6 and 6.25% were obtained using peripheral microscopy, placental microscopy and peripheral rapid diagnostic test (RDT), respectively. Maternal infection was significantly associated with low birth weight (p = 0.020, peripheral microscopy; p = 0.020, placental microscopy) and maternal anaemia (p = 0.009, peripheral microscopy; p = 0.000, peripheral RDT). Conclusion: Knowledge gap still exists with regard to malaria and its interventions among mothers. Knowledge of malaria significantly influences the use of insecticide-treated bed nets. The negative impact of malaria infection during pregnancy is maternal anaemia and low birth weight infants. © Pharmacotherapy Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, 300001 Nigeria. All rights reserved. | Insecticide-treated bed nets; Low birth weight; Malaria in pregnancy; Maternal anaemia | None | None |
| None | None | Impact of an electronic clinical decision support system on workflow in antenatal care: The QUALMAT eCDSS in rural health care facilities in Ghana and Tanzania | Mensah N., Sukums F., Awine T., Meid A., Williams J., Akweongo P., Kaltschmidt J., Haefeli W.E., Blank A. | 2015 | Global Health Action | 8 | 1 | 10.3402/gha.v8.25756 | Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; Navrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, Ghana; Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Directorate of Information and Communication Technology, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania; School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon Accra, Ghana | Mensah, N., Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany, Navrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, Ghana; Sukums, F., Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Directorate of Information and Communication Technology, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania; Awine, T., Navrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, Ghana; Meid, A., Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; Williams, J., Navrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, Ghana; Akweongo, P., School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon Accra, Ghana; Kaltschmidt, J., Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; Haefeli, W.E., Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; Blank, A., Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany | Background: The implementation of new technology can interrupt establishedworkflows in health care settings. The Quality of Maternal Care (QUALMAT) project has introduced an electronic clinical decision support system (eCDSS) for antenatal care (ANC) and delivery in rural primary health care facilities in Africa. Objective: This study was carried out to investigate the influence of the QUALMAT eCDSS on the workflow of health care workers in rural primary health care facilities in Ghana and Tanzania. Design: A direct observation, time-and-motion study on ANC processes was conducted using a structured data sheet with predefined major task categories. The duration and sequence of tasks performed during ANC visits were observed, and changes after the implementation of the eCDSS were analyzed. Results: In 24 QUALMAT study sites, 214 observations of ANC visits (144 in Ghana, 70 in Tanzania) were carried out at baseline and 148 observations (104 in Ghana, 44 in Tanzania) after the software was implemented in 12 of those sites. The median time spent combined for all centers in both countries to provide ANC at baseline was 6.5 min [interquartile range (IQR) = 4.0-10.6]. Although the time spent on ANC increased in Tanzania and Ghana after the eCDSS implementation as compared to baseline, overall there was no significant increase in time used for ANC activities (0.51 min, p = 0.06 in Ghana; and 0.54 min, p = 0.26 in Tanzania) as compared to the control sites without the eCDSS. The percentage of medical history taking in women who had subsequent examinations increased after eCDSS implementation from 58.2% (39/67) to 95.3% (61/64) p < 0.001 in Ghana but not in Tanzania [from 65.4% (17/26) to 71.4% (15/21) p = 0.70]. Conclusions: The QUALMAT eCDSS does not increase the time needed for ANC but partly streamlined workflow at sites in Ghana, showing the potential of such a system to influence quality of care positively. © 2015 Nathan Mensah et al. | Antenatal care; Developing countries; Electronic clinical decision support system; Health care providers; Rural setting; Sequence of events; Sub-Saharan Africa; Workflow | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84954470591 | Evaluation of prescription pattern and patients’ opinion on healthcare practices in selected primary healthcare facilities in Ibadan, South-Western Nigeria | Adisa R., Fakeye T.O., Aindero V.O. | 2015 | African Health Sciences | 15 | 4 | 10.4314/ahs.v15i4.35 | Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria | Adisa, R., Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Fakeye, T.O., Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Aindero, V.O., Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria | Background: Inappropriate prescribing negatively impacts on health and economy of individual and the society. Objectives: To evaluate the prescribing patterns and patients’ opinions on healthcare practices in selected primary healthcare centres (PHC) in Ibadan, South-Western Nigeria. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out among patients and healthcare workers in selected PHCs using semi-structured questionnaires. Also, patients’ prescription records were reviewed using the WHO-prescribing indicators. Results: About one-half (210; 52.5%) were very satisfied with convenience of obtaining prescribed medicines in the PHCs, accessibility of PHC to abode (158;39.5%) and affordable medications (136;34.0%). Patients were dissatisfied with follow-up of care (191; 47.8%), courtesy of workers (184; 46.3%) and non-availability of medicines (138;34.5%). Number of drugs per encounter was 5.8±2.3 and % encounter with an antibiotic was >26.8% in each facility. Hematinics accounted for (814; 35.0%), analgesics (544; 23.4%), antimicrobials (303;13.0%) and antihypertensives (5; 0.2%). Conclusion: Primary healthcare attendees were satisfied with medication costs affordability and accessibility of PHC to abode but expressed dissatisfaction with follow-up of care and courtesy of workers. Also, inappropriate prescriptions characterized by polypharmacy and overuse of antibiotics were common underscoring the need for regular training of PHC workers on rational drug use and instituting appropriate measures for improvement. © 2015, Makerere University, Medical School. All rights reserved. | Healthcare workers; Prescribing patterns; Primary healthcare | amoxicillin; amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid; ampicillin; ampicillin plus cloxacillin; artesunate; ascorbic acid; cefalexin; cefixime; cefuroxime; ciprofloxacin; cotrimoxazole; cyanocobalamin; diclofenac; doxycycline; erythromycin; ferrous sulfate; folic acid; gentamicin; ibuprofen; magnesium trisilicate; metronidazole; multivitamin; ofloxacin; paracetamol; procaine penicillin; sulfadimidine; tetracycline; unindexed drug; vitamin B complex; zinc sulfate; adolescent; adult; Article; cross-sectional study; drug cost; drug use; female; health care delivery; health care facility; health care practice; human; major clinical study; male; Nigeria; patient satisfaction; polypharmacy; prescription; prospective study | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84926292174 | Evaluation of information contained in drug advertisement and promotion materials in Nigeria | Adibe M.O., Igboeli N.U., Ubaka C.M., Udeogaranya P.O., Onwudiwe N.P., Ita O.O. | 2015 | Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research | 14 | 3 | 10.4314/tjpr.v14i3.25 | Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria | Adibe, M.O., Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Igboeli, N.U., Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Ubaka, C.M., Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Udeogaranya, P.O., Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Onwudiwe, N.P., Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Ita, O.O., Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria | Purpose: To evaluate the physical characteristics (size, legibility or readability) and the completeness of information in drug package leaflets/inserts and drug promotional brochures in Nigeria. Methods: Three hundred materials (drug information leaflets and brochures) were collected from various community pharmacies, private and governmental clinics and from various pharmaceutical distributor or representatives from different states of Nigeria. Two independent panels sorted and evaluated the information found in them and differences were resolved by consensus. Results: This study revealed that 80.7% of the materials evaluated were leaflets while brochures accounted for 18%. The physical characteristics of the materials showed that 58.7, 31.3 and 89.0% of the materials were sizeable, readable/legible and had adequate color contrast respectively. Most of the materials were written in English (78.7%), English and French 17.3%, English and Arabic accounted for only 4%. Description of indications for which the drugs were used was mentioned in 30.3% of materials. Other contents of the materials were mechanism of action (70.3%), overdoses information (55.0%), drug interaction (51.3%), pharmacokinetics (36.3%) and revision date of the information (21.0%). Conclusion: This study reveals that advertising materials used in promoting drugs in Nigeria have incomplete information and the physical characteristics of the materials are not adequate. It seems that drug industries at present mainly aim at increasing sales rather than promoting health care. Information in some pharmaceutical brochures exaggerated the benefits of the drug and downplayed risks associated with the drugs. © Pharmacotherapy Group. | Advertizing materials; Drug information; Drug leaflet; Drug promotion brochure; Nigeria | advertizing; Article; consensus; data analysis; drug contraindication; drug industry; drug information; drug marketing; drug mechanism; drug packaging; English as a second language; health promotion; Nigeria; reading; storage | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84935035763 | Evaluation of workload and its impact on satisfaction among pharmacy academicians in Southern India | Ahmad A., Khan M.U., Srikanth A.B., Patel I., Nagappa A.N., Jamshed S.Q. | 2015 | Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research | 9 | 6 | 10.7860/JCDR/2015/12921.6023 | Department of Clinical Pharmacy, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Gondar, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gondar, Ethiopia; Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy Shenandoah University, 1775 N Sector Ct, Winchester, VA, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Management, MCOPS, Manipal University, Manipal, India; Kulliyyah of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan Campus, Pahang, Malaysia | Ahmad, A., Department of Clinical Pharmacy, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Khan, M.U., Department of Clinical Pharmacy, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Srikanth, A.B., Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Gondar, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gondar, Ethiopia; Patel, I., Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy Shenandoah University, 1775 N Sector Ct, Winchester, VA, United States; Nagappa, A.N., Department of Pharmaceutical Management, MCOPS, Manipal University, Manipal, India; Jamshed, S.Q., Kulliyyah of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan Campus, Pahang, Malaysia | Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the level of workload among pharmacy academicians working in public and private sector universities in India. The study also aimed to assess the satisfaction of academicians towards their workload. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of 2 months among pharmacy academicians in Karnataka state of Southern India. Convenience sampling was used to select a sample and was contacted via email and/or social networking sites. Questionnaire designed by thorough review literature was used as a tool to collect data on workload (teaching, research, extracurricular services) and satisfaction. Results: Of 214 participants, 95 returned the filled questionnaire giving the response rate of 44.39%. Private sector academicians had more load of teaching (p=0.046) and they appeared to be less involved in research activities (p=0.046) as compared to public sector academicians. More than half of the respondents (57.9%) were satisfied with their workload with Assistant Professors were least satisfied as compared to Professors (p=0.01). Conclusion: Overall, private sector academicians are more burdened by teaching load and also are less satisfied of their workload. Revision of private universities policies may aid in addressing this issue. © 2015, Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. All rights reserved. | India; Job satisfaction; Pharmacists | Article; convenience sample; cross-sectional study; female; human; job satisfaction; male; open-ended questionnaire; organization and management; pharmacist; pharmacy; pilot study; research; teacher; teaching; work experience; workload | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84965175704 | Evaluation of knowledge, attitude and practice about self-medication among rural and urban north Indian population | Ahmad A., Khan M.U., Srikanth A.B., Kumar B., Singh N.K., Trivedi N., Elnour A.A., Patel I. | 2015 | International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research | 7 | 5 | None | Department of Clinical Pharmacy, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; Teerthanker Mahaveer College of Pharmacy, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad, UP, India; Department of Pharmacology, UAE University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates; Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA, United States | Ahmad, A., Department of Clinical Pharmacy, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Khan, M.U., Department of Clinical Pharmacy, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Srikanth, A.B., Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; Kumar, B., Teerthanker Mahaveer College of Pharmacy, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad, UP, India; Singh, N.K., Teerthanker Mahaveer College of Pharmacy, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad, UP, India; Trivedi, N., Teerthanker Mahaveer College of Pharmacy, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad, UP, India; Elnour, A.A., Department of Pharmacology, UAE University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates; Patel, I., Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA, United States | Background: The practice of self-medication is very common in developing countries like India. Several problems have been reported to be associated with self-medication like wastage of resources, adverse drug reactions and antimicrobial resistance. Not many studies in past have explored the differences regarding the knowledge, attitude and practice of selfmedication in rural and urban population of India. Subjects and Methods: The present study was a community based cross sectional study aimed to gather information about the self-medication practices, knowledge and attitude and its factors affecting self medication in the rural and urban population of Moradabad District, Uttar Pradesh from March 2014 to May 2014. Data for self medication were collected through a pre-designed and face validated from the studied population. All data were coded, entered and analyzed using the statistical package for Social sciences program version 20.0 (Chicago, IL, USA). Results: The response rate was 90.47%.The present study shows 100% study participants practiced self-medication. Majority of the participants are male (58.4%) and more than 63% belonged to rural area. Almost 60% respondents believed that OTC medications are safe. 75% participants believed chronic use of OTC drugs can cause ADRs. Majority of participants did not follow the recommendations while using these medicines. Participants belong to urban area was more aware of non-prescription drugs (p<0.05).NSAIDs are most commonly used medication among both urban and rural population respectively 67% and 37%. Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication was high among rural population. The level of knowledge was more among urban population and NSAIDs were the highest consumed medicine among both rural and urban population. Population health awareness programs by pharmacists especially at retail pharmacy and continuing education are essential for controlling self-medication. Hence, there is a need to launch educational campaigns to bridge gap of knowledge especially in rural population. It is imperative that Government and other concerned organizations should promote rational self-medication and well-being in rural communities. © 2015, International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research. All rights reserved. | Knowledge and attitude; OTC drugs; Rural and urban India; Schedule H1; Self medication | non prescription drug; nonsteroid antiinflammatory agent; adult; Article; attitude to health; community sample; controlled study; cross-sectional study; drug safety; female; government regulation; health behavior; health promotion; human; Indian; major clinical study; male; medical education; medication compliance; pharmacist; pharmacy; population research; prevalence; public health; self medication; urban rural difference; validation process; wellbeing | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928065890 | Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage impairs racing performance in Thoroughbred racehorses | Morley P.S., Bromberek J.L., Saulez M.N., Hinchcliff K.W., Guthrie A.J. | 2015 | Equine Veterinary Journal | 47 | 3 | 10.1111/evj.12368 | Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, United States; Equine Research Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, Australia | Morley, P.S., Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, United States; Bromberek, J.L., Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, United States; Saulez, M.N., Equine Research Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa; Hinchcliff, K.W., Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, Australia; Guthrie, A.J., Equine Research Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa | Reasons for performing study: Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) occurs commonly in Thoroughbred racehorses worldwide. While EIPH is believed to be an important cause of impaired performance in these horses, there is limited evidence from sufficiently powered studies to evaluate this association. Objectives: To evaluate whether EIPH is associated with finishing position, distance finished behind race winners and differences in race earning among Thoroughbred horses racing in South Africa. Study design: Prospective cross-sectional study. Methods: One thousand Thoroughbred horses racing in South Africa were enrolled prior to a single race and underwent tracheobronchoscopic examination within 2h of racing. Three observers, blinded to the horses' identity and race performance, independently evaluated EIPH occurrence and severity using video recordings of the examination. Data were analysed using multivariable logistic and linear regression while controlling for important horse and race factors as potential confounding variables. Results: Overall, 68% of horses had evidence of EIPH (grade ≥1). Horses without evidence of EIPH (severity grade 0), when compared with horses with any evidence of EIPH (grade ≥1), were >2 times more likely to win races (odds ratio = 2.3; 95% confidence interval 1.4-3.7; P = 0.001), finished an average of one length ahead of horses with EIPH (P = 0.03), and were 2.5 times more likely to be in the highest decile in race earnings (odds ratio = 2.5, 95% CI 1.5-4.1, P<0.001). However, no association was identified regarding finishing in the top 3 positions or earning money when analysed as a continuous variable or analysed as any winnings vs. none. Conclusions: Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage was associated with impaired performance in Thoroughbred racehorses not medicated with furosemide and not using nasal dilator strips. These findings provide strong corroboration of previous research indicating that the occurrence of EIPH has a major impact on the ability of Thoroughbred racehorses to compete successfully as elite athletes. © 2014 EVJ Ltd. | Eiph; Exercise; Haemorrhage; Horse; Lung; Risk factor | Congiopodidae; Equidae; adverse effects; animal; animal experiment; cross-sectional study; exercise; female; Hemorrhage; horse; horse disease; Lung Diseases; male; pathology; prospective study; running; South Africa; sport; veterinary; Animals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Hemorrhage; Horse Diseases; Horses; Lung Diseases; Male; Physical Conditioning, Animal; Physical Exertion; Prospective Studies; Running; South Africa; Sports | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84943455874 | Evaluation of the intensity of the daytime surface urban heat island: how can remote sensing help? | Ayanlade A., Jegede O.O. | 2015 | International Journal of Image and Data Fusion | 6 | 4 | 10.1080/19479832.2014.985618 | Department of Geography, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Nigeria; Department of Physics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Nigeria | Ayanlade, A., Department of Geography, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Nigeria; Jegede, O.O., Department of Physics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Nigeria | This study aimed at using remote sensing methodology to assess the daytime surface urban heat island (SUHI) in Lagos metropolis. Several studies have examined the SUHI, using point data from meteorological stations. However, it has been shown in the literature recently that it is practically impossible to accurately value the intensity of SUHI from ground meteorological measurement due to heterogeneity and complexity of surface temperature over land. Therefore a time series of Landsat data, from 1984 to 2012, were used in the present study to assess spatial and temporal variability in the contribution of source and sink landscape to daytime SUHI in Lagos. This study uses remote sensing methods because Lagos has a strong heterogeneity of land surface characteristics; with several drainage, vegetation, built-up and soil between the coast and mainland, thus the land surface temperature (LST) changes rapidly in space and time. The results from this study show differences in the contribution of source and sink landscape to SUHI. The main findings from the results show that source landscape contributes positively to the intensity of SUHI in Lagos metropolis. The results show a general increase in mean LST during the periods of study from 1984 to 2012. The north-west (NW) zone of Lagos has highest LST compared to other zones. In 1984, the mean LST of NW zone was 300.53 K, but increased to 301.85 K in 2000 and 302.85 K in 2012. Although contributions from the landscapes differ by zones and time, much more intensified LST was noted in the NW zone of the city. The study find out that change in landcover has been the most important driver of intensified SUHI in Lagos metropolis. NW zone recorded the highest increased in built-up area throughout the years: 320.32 km2 in 1984, 535.28 km2 in 2000 and 630.70 km2 in 2012. This study demonstrates therefore that it is possible to assess spatial distribution and long-term temporal evolution of the LST in urban area, using remote sensing data. Also the results shows that remote sensing methods offer possibility for measuring LST over complete spatially averaged rather than point values. The results from this study further our understanding that not only the SUHI is frequent to cities in developed countries, but the effects are also obvious in several urban settlements in tropical countries. © 2015 Taylor & Francis. | daytime surface urban heat island; remote sensing data | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928615589 | Understanding sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents: Evidence from a formative evaluation in Wakiso district, Uganda Adolescent Health | Atuyambe L.M., Kibira S.P.S., Bukenya J., Muhumuza C., Apolot R.R., Mulogo E. | 2015 | Reproductive Health | 12 | 1 | 10.1186/s12978-015-0026-7 | Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences, Makerere University School of Public Health, P.O.Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Community Health, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Kampala, Uganda | Atuyambe, L.M., Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences, Makerere University School of Public Health, P.O.Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda; Kibira, S.P.S., Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences, Makerere University School of Public Health, P.O.Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda; Bukenya, J., Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences, Makerere University School of Public Health, P.O.Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda; Muhumuza, C., Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda; Apolot, R.R., Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences, Makerere University School of Public Health, P.O.Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda; Mulogo, E., Department of Community Health, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Kampala, Uganda | Introduction: Adolescents are frequently reluctant to seek sexual and reproductive health services (SRH). In Uganda, adolescent health and development is constrained by translation of the relevant policies to practice. Recent studies done in central Uganda have shown that there is need for a critical assessment of adolescent friendly services (AFS) to gain insights on current practice and inform future interventions. This study aimed to assess the sexual reproductive health needs of the adolescents and explored their attitudes towards current services available. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in Wakiso district, central Uganda in September 2013.Twenty focus group discussions (FGDs) stratified by gender (10 out-of-school, and 10 in-school), were purposefully sampled. We used trained research assistants (moderator and note taker) who used a pretested FGD guide translated into the local language to collect data. All discussions were audio taped, and were transcribed verbatim before analysis. Thematic areas on; adolescent health problems, adolescent SRH needs, health seeking behaviour and attitudes towards services, and preferred services were explored. Data was analysed using atlas ti version 7 software. Results: Our results clearly show that adolescents have real SRH issues that need to be addressed. In and out-of-school adolescents had sexuality problems such as unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), defilement, rape, substance abuse. Unique to the females was the issue of sexual advances by older men and adolescents. We further highlight RH needs which would be solved by establishing adolescent friendly clinics with standard recommended characteristics (sexuality information, friendly health providers, a range of good clinical services such as post abortion care etc.). With regard to health seeking behaviour, most adolescents do not take any action at first until disease severity increase. Conclusions: Adolescents in Uganda have multiple sexual and reproductive health needs that require special focus through adolescent friendly services. This calls for resource support in terms of health provider training, information education and communication materials as well as involvement of key stakeholders that include parents, teachers and legislators. © 2015 Atuyambe et al.; licensee BioMed Central. | Adolescent; Needs; Reproductive health; Sexual; Uganda | abortion; adolescent; adolescent behavior; adolescent health; adolescent sexual behavior; adult; Article; child; circumcision; condom use; disease severity; female; health care need; health education; help seeking behavior; human; major clinical study; male; qualitative research; rape; reproductive health; sexual education; sexual health; sexuality; sexually transmitted disease; substance abuse; Uganda; unwanted pregnancy | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84948823505 | Uterine prolapse and its impact on quality of life in the jhaukhel-duwakot health demographic surveillance site, Bhaktapur, Nepal | Shrestha B., Onta S., Choulagai B., Paudel R., Petzold M., Krettek A. | 2015 | Global Health Action | 8 | 1 | 10.3402/gha.v8.28771 | Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal; Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Health Metrics, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Biomedicine and Public Health, School of Health and Education, University of Skövde, Skö vde, Sweden; Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway | Shrestha, B., Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal, Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Onta, S., Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal; Choulagai, B., Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal, Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Paudel, R., Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal; Petzold, M., Health Metrics, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Krettek, A., Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden, Department of Biomedicine and Public Health, School of Health and Education, University of Skövde, Skö vde, Sweden, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway | Background: Uterine prolapse (UP) is a reproductive health problem and public health issue in low-income countries including Nepal. Objective: We aimed to identify the contributing factors and stages of UP and its impact on quality of life in the Jhaukhel-Duwakot Health Demographic Surveillance Site of Bhaktapur, Nepal. Design: Our three-phase study used descriptive cross-sectional analysis to assess quality of life and stages of UPand case-control analysis to identify contributing factors. First, a household survey explored the prevalence of self-reported UP (Phase 1). Second, we used a standardized tool in a 5-day screening camp to determine quality of life among UP-affected women (Phase 2). Finally, a 1-month community survey traced self-reported cases from Phase 1 (Phase 3). To validate UP diagnoses, we reviewed participants' clinical records, and we used screening camp records to trace women without UP. Results: Among 48 affected women in Phase 1, 32 had Stage II UP and 16 had either Stage I or Stage III UP. Compared with Stage I women (4.62%), almost all women with Stage III UP reported reduced quality of life. Decreased quality of life correlated significantly with Stages I-III. Self-reported UP prevalence (8.7%) included all treated and non-treated cases. In Phase 3, 277 of 402 respondents reported being affected by UP and 125 were unaffected. The odds of having UP were threefold higher among illiterate women compared with literate women (OR-3.02, 95% CI 1.76-5.17), 50% lower among women from nuclear families compared with extended families (OR-0.56, 95% CI 0.35-0.90) and lower among women with 1-2 parity compared to -5 parity (OR-0.33, 95% CI 0.14-0.75). Conclusions: The stages of UP correlated with quality of life resulting from varied perceptions regarding physical health, emotional stress, and social limitation. Parity, education, age, and family type associated with UP. Our results suggest the importance of developing policies and programs that are focused on early health care for UP. Through family planning and health education programs targeting women, as well as women empowerment programs for prevention of UP, it will be possible to restore quality of life related to UP. © 2015 Binjwala Shrestha et al. | Health Demographic Surveillance Site; Nepal; Quality of life; Uterine prolapse | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929459545 | Evaluation of the presence of the heavy metal nickel in samples of tobacco snuff (Nicotiana tabacum) in nigeria | Adogu P., Abuah O., Enye J.C., Chineke H.N., Egenti B.N. | 2015 | International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences | 7 | 5 | None | Department of Community Medicine NnamdiAzikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria; University Elele, Nigeria; Department of Community Medicine Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, Nigeria; Department of Community Medicine, University of | Adogu, P., Department of Community Medicine NnamdiAzikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria; Abuah, O., University Elele, Nigeria; Enye, J.C., University Elele, Nigeria; Chineke, H.N., Department of Community Medicine Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, Nigeria; Egenti, B.N., Department of Community Medicine, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria | Objective: Tobacco snuffs a finely ground dark brown coloured powder obtained from dried pulverized leaves of tobacco plant Nicotianatabaccum is commonly used among Nigerians. Since the nickel content and its health implications are not known to have been studied, this study evaluates the presence of this heavy metal in some samples of tobacco snuff obtained from four geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Methods: The study was conducted using thirty samples of tobacco snuff obtained from different parts of Nigeria. The samples were tested for the presence of the heavy metal Nickel by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Results: All the samples contain the heavy metal nickel. Nickel concentration in the studied samples ranged from 0.0003–0.0011 μmol/g, with the highest concentration found in the sample number 3 and 22 only. Conclusion: Tobacco snuff samples sourced from various geopolitical zones of Nigeria are highly contaminated with the heavy metal Nickel. © 2015, International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. All Rights Reserved. | Evaluation; Nickel; Nigeria; Tobacco snuff | nickel; Article; atomic absorption spectrometry; chemical analysis; concentration (parameters); heavy metal poisoning; Nicotiana tabacum; Nigeria; nonhuman; smokeless tobacco | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84920896552 | Indoor household residual spraying program performance in Matabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe: 2011 to 2012; A Descriptive cross-sectional study | Chimberengwa P.T., Masuka N., Gombe N.T., Tshimanga M., Takundwa L., Bangure D. | 2015 | Pan African Medical Journal | 20 | None | 10.11604/pamj.2015.20.27.4721 | Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe; Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Mhlahlandlela Building, PO Box 441, Bulawayo, Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe | Chimberengwa, P.T., Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe; Masuka, N., Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Mhlahlandlela Building, PO Box 441, Bulawayo, Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe; Gombe, N.T., Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe; Tshimanga, M., Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe; Takundwa, L., Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe; Bangure, D., Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe | Introduction: Matabeleland South launched the malaria pre-elimination campaign in 2012 but provincial spraying coverage has failed to attain 95% target, with some districts still encountering malaria outbreaks. A study was conducted to evaluate program performance against achieving malaria pre-elimination.Methods: a descriptive cross sectional study was done in 5 districts carrying out IRS using the logical framework involving inputs, process, outputs and outcome evaluation. Health workers recruited into the study included direct program implementers, district and provincial program managers. An interviewer administered questionnaire, checklists, key informant interviewer guide and desk review of records were used to collect data.Results: we enrolled 37 primary respondents and 5 key informants. Pre-elimination, Epidemic Preparedness and Response plans were absent in all districts. Shortages of inputs were reported by 97% of respondents, with districts receiving 80% of requested budget. Insecticides were procured centrally at national level. Spraying started late and districts failed to spray all targeted households by end of December. The province is using makeshift camps with inappropriate evaporation ponds where liquid DDT waste is not safely accounted for. The provincial IHRS coverage for 2011 was 84%. Challenges cited included; food shortages for spraymen, late delivery of inputs and poor state of IHRS equipment.Conclusion: the province has failed to achieve Malaria pre-elimination IRS coverage targets for 2011/12 season. Financial and logistical challenges led to delays in supply of program inputs, recruitment and training of sprayers. The Province should establish camping infrastructure with standard evaporation ponds to minimise contamination of the environment. © Pugie Tawanda Chimberengwa et al. | None | dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane; insecticide; trichloroethane; unclassified drug; Article; checklist; cross-sectional study; descriptive research; female; health care personnel; health program; human; indoor residual spraying; male; questionnaire; Zimbabwe | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84942134666 | Evaluation of the isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) program in Shurugwi District, Midlands Province, Zimbabwe, January 2013 to August 2014 | Makoni A., Chemhuru M., Tshimanga M., Gombe N.T., Mungati M., Bangure D. | 2015 | BMC Research Notes | 8 | 1 | 10.1186/s13104-015-1451-y | Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Office 3-66 Kaguvi Building, Cnr 4th/Central Avenue, Harare, Zimbabwe; Ministry of Health and Child Care, Harare, Zimbabwe | Makoni, A., Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Office 3-66 Kaguvi Building, Cnr 4th/Central Avenue, Harare, Zimbabwe; Chemhuru, M., Ministry of Health and Child Care, Harare, Zimbabwe; Tshimanga, M., Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Office 3-66 Kaguvi Building, Cnr 4th/Central Avenue, Harare, Zimbabwe; Gombe, N.T., Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Office 3-66 Kaguvi Building, Cnr 4th/Central Avenue, Harare, Zimbabwe; Mungati, M., Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Office 3-66 Kaguvi Building, Cnr 4th/Central Avenue, Harare, Zimbabwe; Bangure, D., Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Office 3-66 Kaguvi Building, Cnr 4th/Central Avenue, Harare, Zimbabwe | Background: Midlands Province started implementing the Isoniazid (INH) preventive therapy (IPT) program in January 2013. Shurugwi and Gokwe North were the piloting district hospitals. In May 2014, four more districts hospitals (Gokwe South, Gweru, Kwekwe and Zvishavane) started implementing IPT. Shurugwi District decentralized the program to its rural health facilities in January 2014. A review of the Shurugwi IPT program, 2013 data, indicated that the majority of eligible clients were not started on IPT. None out of the 400 eligible clients were started on IPT in November against the 100 % target according to the World Health Organization and the National Tuberculosis (TB) Program. We conducted a study to evaluate the IPT program in Shurugwi District from January 2013 to August 2014. Methods: The logical framework approach was used to evaluate inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes of the IPT program. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data from key informants. Checklists were used to collect data from IPT program records. Results: Sixteen health facilities were implementing IPT in Shurugwi District. All the facilities had TB screening tools and three did not have TB screening algorithms. The district experienced medicine stock outs in 2013. One formal training at district level and on job trainings in implementing health facilities were done. From January 2013 to August 2014, Shurugwi District screened 6794 antiretroviral (ART) clients for TB. Out of those screened, 5255 were eligible for IPT and 2831 (54 %) were started on IPT. A total of 700 clients had completed the IPT 6 month's course by August 2014. The dropout rate due to INH toxicity and TB was 0.6 % (n = 18) and 0.3 % (n = 8) respectively. Fifty-three advocacy and community sensitization meetings were done. The program had no Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials. Conclusion: The IPT program in Shurugwi District achieved half its target. This could be due to inadequate formally trained staff, lack of IEC materials, inadequate advocacy and community sensitization, non-availability of the INH 300 mg single dose and inadequate INH 100 mg dose tablets in 2013. To improve the IPT program, there is need for routine advocacy, communication and social mobilization. © 2015 Makoni et al. | IPT program evaluation; Midlands Province; Shurugwi District | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84964589439 | Development of a fuzzy logicbased model for monitoring cardiovascular risk | Idowu P.A., Ajibola S.O., Balogun J.A., Ogunlade O. | 2015 | International Journal of Healthcare Information Systems and Informatics | 10 | 4 | 10.4018/IJHISI.2015100103 | Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria; Department of Physiological Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria | Idowu, P.A., Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria; Ajibola, S.O., Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria; Balogun, J.A., Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria; Ogunlade, O., Department of Physiological Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria | Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are top killers with heart failure as one of the most leading cause of death in both developed and developing countries. In Nigeria, the inability to consistently monitor the vital signs ofpatients has led to the hospitalization and untimely death of many as a result of heartfailure. Fuzzy logic models have found relevance in healthcare services due to their ability to measure vagueness associated with uncertainty management in intelligent systems. This study aims to develop a fuzzy logic modelfor monitoring heart failure risk using risk indicators assessed from patients. Following interview with expert cardiologists, the different stages ofheartfailure was identified alongside their respective indicators. Triangular membership functions were used to fuzzify the input and output variables while the fuzzy inference engine was developed using rules elicited from cardiologists. The model was simulated using the MATLAB® Fuzzy Logic Toolbox. Copyright © 2015, IGI Global. | Cardiovascular disease; Fuzzy logic; Heart failure; Monitoring system; Risk modeling | Cardiology; Computer circuits; Developing countries; Diseases; Fuzzy logic; Intelligent systems; Membership functions; Reconfigurable hardware; Risk assessment; Cardio-vascular disease; Healthcare services; Heart failure; Logic-based modeling; Monitoring system; Risk model; Triangular membership functions; Uncertainty management; Fuzzy inference | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929402738 | The impact of triggers on forensic acquisition and analysis of databases | Hauger W.K., Olivier M.S. | 2015 | SAIEE Africa Research Journal | 106 | 2 | None | Department of Computer Science, Corner of University Road and Lynnwood Road, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Computer Science, University of Pretoria, Corner of University Road and Lynnwood Road, Pretoria, South Africa | Hauger, W.K., Department of Computer Science, Corner of University Road and Lynnwood Road, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Olivier, M.S., Department of Computer Science, University of Pretoria, Corner of University Road and Lynnwood Road, Pretoria, South Africa | An aspect of database forensics that has not received much attention in the academic research community yet is the presence of database triggers. Database triggers and their implementations have not yet been thoroughly analysed to establish what possible impact they could have on digital forensic analysis methods and processes. This paper firstly attempts to establish if triggers could be used as an anti-forensic mechanism in databases to potentially disrupt or even thwart forensic investigations. Secondly, it explores if triggers could be used to manipulate ordinary database actions for nefarious purposes and at the same time implicate innocent parties. The database triggers as defined in the SQL standard were studied together with a number of database trigger implementations. This was done in order to establish what aspects of a trigger might have an impact on digital forensic analysis. It is demonstrated in this paper that certain database forensic acquisition and analysis methods are impacted by the possible presence of non-data triggers. This is specific to databases that provide non-data trigger implementations. Furthermore, it finds that the forensic interpretation and attribution processes should be extended to include the handling and analysis of all database triggers. This is necessary to enable a more accurate attribution of actions in all databases that provide any form of trigger implementations. © 2014 IEEE. | Database forensics; Database triggers; Digital forensic analysis; Methods; Processes | Computer crime; Electronic crime countermeasures; Processing; Academic research; Analysis method; Anti-Forensics; Database triggers; Digital forensic analysis; Forensic acquisition; Forensic investigation; Methods; Database systems | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929887653 | Quality Evaluation of Kokoro Produced from Maize–Pigeon Pea Flour Blends | Adegunwa M.O., Adeniyi O.D., Adebowale A.A., Bakare H.A. | 2015 | Journal of Culinary Science and Technology | 13 | 3 | 10.1080/15428052.2015.1015665 | Department of Hospitality and Tourism, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria | Adegunwa, M.O., Department of Hospitality and Tourism, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Adeniyi, O.D., Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Adebowale, A.A., Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Bakare, H.A., Department of Hospitality and Tourism, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria | Kokoro is a very popular local snack in Nigeria made from whole maize flour. Kokoro snack produced from maize–pigeon pea flour blends was evaluated. Pigeon pea flour was added to increase the protein content of Kokoro. Maize and Pigeon pea flour (PPF) were mixed in various proportions. The blends were made into a thick dough, shaped into a ring shape, and deep fried in hot vegetable oil (170°C) for 5 min. Functional and pasting properties of the blended flour were evaluated, while the products obtained were analyzed for proximate composition, sensory and textural analysis. Oil absorption of the flour blends decreased with increase in PPF (1.95–1.50 g/ml). Foaming capacity (4.38–1.00%) and foaming stability (0.81–0.40%) decreased with increase in PPF.There were significant changes (p < 0.05) in the pasting properties of the resulting flour blends where 100% maize had the highest value of 89.17 RVU and 242.50 RVU for peak and final viscosity, respectively. Crude protein and fat of kokoro snack increased with increase in PPF, ranging from 8.31 to 15.14 % and 15.47 to 18.14%, respectively. This indicates the potentials of the PPF in improving the nutritional status of the snack. There were no significant differences in the thickness and energy to break the snack, regardless of the level of substitution. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in all the sensory attributes of the kokoro. The results revealed that 30 and 40% substitution of PPF were not significantly different from 100% whole maize kokoro, which is the normal traditional one. © , Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. | kokoro; maize flour; Pigeon pea flour; proximate properties; textural analysis | Grain (agricultural product); Proteins; Sensory analysis; kokoro; Maize flour; Pigeon pea; proximate properties; Textural analysis; Quality control; Cajanus cajan; Zea mays | None |
| None | None | Evaluation of nutritive value of browse tree fodder species in semi-arid Kiteto and Kongwa districts of Tanzania | Nassoro Z., Rubanza C.D.K., Kimaro A.A. | 2015 | Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment | 13 | 42433 | None | Department of Conservation Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Dodoma, P.O Box 338, Dodoma, Tanzania; ICRAF Tanzania, P.O Box 6226, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Nassoro, Z., Department of Conservation Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Dodoma, P.O Box 338, Dodoma, Tanzania; Rubanza, C.D.K., Department of Conservation Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Dodoma, P.O Box 338, Dodoma, Tanzania; Kimaro, A.A., ICRAF Tanzania, P.O Box 6226, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | The use of browse tree fodder as supplements to ruminant feeding in the tropics is limited by lack of information on their nutritive potential. A study was carried out based on objectives: (1) to determine chemical composition and concentration of minerals and (2) to assess in vitro digestibility potential of five foliage species of Acacia (A. mellifera, A. senegal, A. tortilis and A. xanthophloea); and Boscia spp. indigenous to Kongwa and Kiteto districts, compared to Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena pallida and Melia azedarach that are established in farmlands in the two districts aiming to fill the existing feed gap for ruminants and soil improvement purposes. Data on chemical and mineral composition were analysed for ANOVA by using SAS software. The browse tree species had high levels of crude protein (CP) that varied (P < 0.05) among the species from 130 to 230 g/kg DM for A. xanthophloea and G. sepium, respectively. The species had moderate to low (P < 0.05) contents of fibers which varied among the species. The NDF ranged from 342 (A. xanthophloea) to 644 g/kg DM (Boscia spp.), ADF from 184 g/kg DM (L. pallida) to 577 g/kg DM (M. azedarach) and ADL from 38 to 175 g/ kg DM. The browse species had adequate levels of macro minerals ranging 2.2 - 12.6, 1.8 - 7.1, 1.4 - 6.4 and 1.5 - 3.1 g/kg DM for Ca, P, Mg and S, respectively. Concentrations of micro minerals were moderate to high (P < 0.05) (4.3 - 53, 155 - 300, 13.1 - 80.9 and 15.2 - 46 mg/kg DM for Cu, Fe, Man and Zn, respectively). The species had high (P < 0.05) in vitro digestibility potential 320 - 671 and 325 - 658 g/kg DM for IVOMD and IVDMD, respectively. Browse tree fodder species with enough foliage biomasses such as A. tortilis (pods), G. sepium, L. pallida and M. azedarach and in the current study could be utilized as protein supplements to ruminant livestock fed on low quality feeds including hays, stovers and crop residues due to their high levels of crude protein and minerals, low fibre contents as well as high digestibility potential. © 2015, World Food Ltd. and WFL Publishers. All rights reserved. | Acacia; Browse fodder; Chemical composition; In vitro digestibility; Minerals; Ruminants | calcium; lignin; magnesium; mineral; organic matter; phosphorus; protein; sulfur; Acacia; acid detergent fiber; animal food; Article; chemical composition; concentration (parameters); digestion; feeding; foliage; Gliricidia; Leucaena; livestock; Melia azedarach; neutral detergent fiber; nonhuman; nutritional value; plant residue; season; Tanzania | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84942874405 | Exploring the use of financial capacity as a predictor of construction company corporate performance: Evidence from South Africa | Tucker G.C., Windapo A., Cattell K.S. | 2015 | Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology | 13 | 4 | 10.1108/JEDT-10-2013-0074 | Department of Construction Economics and Management, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa | Tucker, G.C., Department of Construction Economics and Management, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Windapo, A., Department of Construction Economics and Management, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Cattell, K.S., Department of Construction Economics and Management, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa | Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the resilient operational variables that impact the corporate performance of construction companies in the South African construction industry and to explore whether financial capacity can be used as a predictor of construction company performance in the context of the South African construction industry. Design/methodology/approach – The operational variables of construction companies that impact their corporate performance were identified through an in-depth review of the extant literature. A combination of convenience and snowball sampling techniques were used in identifying 185 building and civil engineering construction companies based in four provinces of South Africa and registered in Grades 2-6 of the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) contractor grading register. The data used in the study were collected from this cohort of respondents through the use of structured questionnaires. At the end of the study period, 62 valid responses representing a response rate of 33.5 per cent were received. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings – The findings of this study indicate that there is a significant positive relationship between the financial capital and net assets of construction companies and their corporate performance in terms of turnover. The data collected did not support any significant relationship between other operating financial variables, such as Return on Capital Employed and profitability and financial performance. Research limitations/implications – A predictive model for predicting the financial performance of firms was developed from the data collected. The implication of this is that the more financial capital possessed by a construction company, the more the company’s financial performance in terms of turnover. The CIDB can use financial capacity as a measure when grading contractors, as a good number of contractors are not performing. The predictive model developed could be adopted by the CIDB as an instrument for predicting the corporate financial performance of construction companies that seek to be listed on their contractor grading register. Originality/value – This research will be of significance to researchers and members of the research community in providing new knowledge as well as to contractors in enabling them to understand the importance of having financial capital. It is also of importance to the CIDB in their quest for contractor and construction industry development. Further research to validate the results obtained in this study using a larger sample size across more provinces of South Africa will form the basis of future studies. © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited. | Capability; Construction industry; Construction management; Corporate performance; Entrepreneurship; Financial capital; Financing; Human resources management; Information and knowledge management; Modeling; Net assets; Turnover | Construction; Construction industry; Contractors; Grading; Information management; Knowledge management; Models; Personnel; Project management; Surveys; Capability; Construction management; Corporate performance; Entrepreneurship; Financial capital; Financing; Human resources management; Information and knowledge managements; Net assets; Turnover; Finance | NRF, National Research Foundation |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84927178733 | Impact of Different Systems of Manure Management on the Quality of Cow Dung | Ewusi-Mensah N., Logah V., Akrasi E.J. | 2015 | Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis | 46 | 2 | 10.1080/00103624.2014.967854 | Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana | Ewusi-Mensah, N., Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana; Logah, V., Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana; Akrasi, E.J., Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana | The use of cow dung as a source of plant nutrients is widespread among many smallholder farmers in Ghana. The benefits of cow dung application in crop production depend on the amount, quality, nutrient-release patterns, and uptake by crops. Samples of cow dung from three main systems of manure management (free range, semi-intensive, and intensive) were collected from the Kumasi Metropolis in the semideciduous forest zone of Ghana and analyzed for nitrogen (N), carbon (C), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium, (Mg), and ash contents. This research was undertaken to corroborate results of an earlier study in the interior savanna zone of Ghana, because manure quality is a function of its management (handling, storage, and transport), animal breed, and vegetation type (feed). Nitrogen content varied from 1.44 to 2.10% with the intensive system of management recording the greatest value. Phosphorus varied from 0.48% under free-range (field) system to 0.80% under the intensive system. The greatest and lowest total K values of 1.74% and 1.11% were respectively recorded under the intensive and free-range management systems. Generally, the study indicated there was relatively better manure quality under the intensive system than in the semi-intensive and free-range (field) systems. The cow dung collected under the various manure-management systems was then incubated in a laboratory study to assess their nutrient-release patterns. The results revealed that the manure under the intensive system mineralized ammonium N during the first 6 weeks of incubation with peak mineralization in the fourth week. Immobilization of nitrate N was observed from the second to the eighth week of incubation from cow dung under all the management systems. Total N [nitrate (NO<inf>3</inf> −) + ammonium (NH<inf>4</inf> +)] was immobilized under the free-range and semi-intensive management systems throughout the incubation period except in the first week. Peak net N mineralization was observed during the fourth week of incubation from cow dung under the intensive system of manure management. Results of the study suggested that total mineral N needs of crops might not be met entirely through application of cow dung to Ferric Acrisol due to immobilization during appreciable period of decomposition of the manure. ©, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. | Cow dung; immobilization; manure management; mineralization; quality | Acrisol; agricultural management; ammonium; cattle; crop production; decomposition; immobilization; manure; mineralization; nitrate; savanna; smallholder; Ashanti; Ghana; Kumasi; Animalia | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84954553994 | Evaluation of Animal Dungs and Organomineral Fertilizer for the Control of Meloidogyne incognita on Sweet Potato | Osunlola O.S., Fawole B. | 2015 | International Journal of Agronomy | 2015 | None | 10.1155/2015/725363 | Department of Crop Production, Kwara State University, Malete, PMB 1530, Ilorin, Nigeria; Department of Crop Protection and Environmental Biology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria | Osunlola, O.S., Department of Crop Production, Kwara State University, Malete, PMB 1530, Ilorin, Nigeria; Fawole, B., Department of Crop Protection and Environmental Biology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria | Root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, is an important animate pathogen causing major damage and severe reductions in the growth, yield, and quality of sweet potato. Nematicides are expensive and their application also causes environmental pollution. A field experiment was therefore conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of poultry dung (10 or 20 t/ha), cow dung (10 or 20 t/ha), horse dung (10 or 20 t/ha), goat dung (10 or 20 t/ha), organomineral fertilizer (2 or 4 t/ha), and carbofuran (3 kg a.i/ha) in the management of M. incognita on sweet potato using a randomized complete block design. The unamended plots served as control. Data were analysed using ANOVA (p ≤ 0.05). All organic materials and carbofuran significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced nematode reproduction and root damage compared with control. Poultry dung (10 and 20 t/ha) and carbofuran were, however, more efficient in nematode control than other organic materials. Sweet potato plants that were grown on soil treated with organomineral fertilizer had the highest mean number of vines and fresh shoot weight, while poultry dung improved sweet potato quality and yield. It is therefore recommended that the use of poultry dung be employed in combination with other nematode control strategies to achieve sustainable, economic, and environment-friendly nematode management. © 2015 Oluremi Solomon Osunlola and Bamidele Fawole. | None | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84945575156 | Evaluation of the performance of sorghumgenotypes using gge biplot | Gasura E., Setimela P.S., Souta C.M. | 2015 | Canadian Journal of Plant Science | 95 | 6 | 10.4141/CJPS-2015-119 | Department of Crop Science, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP 167, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe; International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, P.O. Box MP163, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe; Rattray Arnold Research Station, Seed Co. Pvt Ltd, P.O. Box CH142, Chisipite, Harare, Zimbabwe | Gasura, E., Department of Crop Science, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP 167, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe; Setimela, P.S., International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, P.O. Box MP163, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe; Souta, C.M., Rattray Arnold Research Station, Seed Co. Pvt Ltd, P.O. Box CH142, Chisipite, Harare, Zimbabwe | In spite of sorghum’s drought tolerance, it is largely affected by genotype´environment interaction (GE), making it difficult and expensive to select and recommend new sorghum genotypes for different environments. The objectives of this study were to examine the nature of GE for sorghum grain yield, to identify superior sorghum genotypes for sorghum production environments and determine ideal testing locations for future breeding activities in Zimbabwe. The grain yield of 20 sorghum genotypes from Seed Co. Pvt. Ltd. were evaluated for 2 yr (2011/2012 and 2012/ 2013 cropping seasons) at five locations in different agro-ecological zones of Zimbabwe. Combined analyses of variance showed significant differences for genotypes (PB0.01), environments (PB0.001) and genotype-location (PB0.01). Genotype´environment variance component was seven times greater than that of genotypes. Genotype-environment interaction was attributed to the variability in the predictable biotic and abiotic factors associated with the different locations. The genotype main effect plus GE biplot showed that the experimental sorghum genotypes W07, W09, W05, G06 and OP46 were high yielding and stable, and possessed other desirable agronomic traits. The most discriminating and representative location was Rattray Arnold Research Station. © 2015, Agricultural Institute of Canada. All rights reserved. | Genotype×environment interaction; Ideal testing environment; Sorghum; Stability | agricultural ecosystem; agronomy; crop performance; crop yield; drought resistance; environmental factor; genotype-environment interaction; grass; spatiotemporal analysis; variance analysis; Zimbabwe | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84964893750 | The role of cardiac CT angiography in the pre- and postoperative evaluation of tetralogy of Fallot | Banderker E., Pretorius E., de Decker R. | 2015 | South African Journal of Radiology | 19 | 2 | 10.4102/sajr.v19i2.899 | Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Tygerberg Hospital, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Division of Cardiology, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town, South Africa | Banderker, E., Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Pretorius, E., Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Tygerberg Hospital, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; de Decker, R., Division of Cardiology, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town, South Africa | Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the first described and most common cyanotic congenital heart anomaly that generated the first successful surgical palliation procedure and definitive intracardiac repair. Classical TOF comprises the four typical features of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction (RVOTO), right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH), ventricular septal defect (VSD) and aortic dextroposition. Complex forms of the condition include TOF associated with absent pulmonary valve and TOF with pulmonary atresia (TOF-PA) with or without major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs). The pathophysiological understanding that the tetrad is basically the sequel of a singular abnormality of infundibular malformation, with anterior deviation of the infundibular septum, had major surgical consequences that improved survival. Diagnostic and functional imaging play a key role in the clinical and surgical management of patients with TOF. We revisit the role of traditionally employed imaging modalities (echocardiography and cardiac catheterisation) only briefly as these remain within the domain of cardiology practice. The emphasis of the present review is to outline the role of cardiac computed tomographic angiography (CTA) in the evaluation of TOF, with special reference to the technical considerations and best practice recommendations. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is addressed only in passing, as this service is not currently available at our institution. © 2015. The Authors. | None | None | None |
| None | None | Modified veranda-trap hut for improved evaluation of vector control interventions | Oxborough R.M., Kitau J., Mosha F.W., Rowland M.W. | 2015 | Medical and Veterinary Entomology | 29 | 4 | 10.1111/mve.12123 | Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom; Department of Entomology and Parasitology, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College (KCMUCo), Tumaini University, Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania; Department of Entomology, Pan-African Malaria Vector Research Consortium (PAMVERC), Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania | Oxborough, R.M., Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom, Department of Entomology and Parasitology, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College (KCMUCo), Tumaini University, Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Department of Entomology, Pan-African Malaria Vector Research Consortium (PAMVERC), Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania; Kitau, J., Department of Entomology and Parasitology, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College (KCMUCo), Tumaini University, Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Department of Entomology, Pan-African Malaria Vector Research Consortium (PAMVERC), Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania; Mosha, F.W., Department of Entomology and Parasitology, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College (KCMUCo), Tumaini University, Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Department of Entomology, Pan-African Malaria Vector Research Consortium (PAMVERC), Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania; Rowland, M.W., Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom, Department of Entomology, Pan-African Malaria Vector Research Consortium (PAMVERC), Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania | Experimental huts with veranda traps have been used in Tanzania since 1963 for the study of residual insecticides for use with insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying. Mosquitoes are allowed unrestricted entry through the eaves to facilitate the collection of an estimable proportion of mosquitoes that attempt to exit through the eave gaps, which are left open on two sides of the hut. This study was designed to validate the use of eave baffles to funnel entry and to prevent mosquito escape, and to determine biting times of Anopheles arabiensis (Patton) (Diptera: Culicidae). Anopheles arabiensis and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) (Diptera: Culicidae) were released into the room at 20.30 hours and collected the following morning from veranda traps, window traps and the room. Centers for Disease Control light traps hung overnight next to volunteers were emptied every 2 h to determine peak biting times. A total of 55% of An. arabiensis were trapped before 22.30 hours and the highest peak in 'biting' was recorded during 18.30-20.30 hours. Of the released An. arabiensis that exited into veranda traps, 7% were captured in veranda traps entered through baffles and 93% were captured in traps entered through unmodified eaves. When veranda screens were left open to allow for escape outdoors, recapture rates were 68% for huts with eave baffles and 39% for huts with unmodified eaves. The comparison of open eaves with baffled eaves validated the assumption that in huts of the traditional non-baffled design, 50% of mosquitoes escape through open eaves. Eave baffles succeeded in reducing the potential for mosquito exit and produced more precise estimates of effect. © 2015 The Royal Entomological Society. | Anopheles arabiensis; Biting times; Eave baffles; Exiting; Experimental hut; Insecticide evaluation | disease control; disease vector; experimental study; insecticide; mosquito; trap (equipment); Tanzania; Anopheles arabiensis; Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus; Culicidae; Diptera | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84938751855 | A cross-sectional evaluation of the correlation between disease severity and quality of life in chronic rhinosinusitis patients in Nigeria | Olowosusi O.Z., Asoegwu C.N., Olagunju A.T., Nwawolo C.C. | 2015 | European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology | 272 | 9 | 10.1007/s00405-014-3348-0 | Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Psychiatry, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, Nigeria | Olowosusi, O.Z., Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, Nigeria; Asoegwu, C.N., Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, Nigeria; Olagunju, A.T., Department of Psychiatry, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, Nigeria; Nwawolo, C.C., Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, Nigeria | Quality of Life (QoL) studies are increasingly being used as the primary outcome measure in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) globally. However, little is known about QoL and the interplay of identifiable factors on QoL in CRS in sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated the correlation between disease severity and QoL in chronic rhinosinusitis patients. A total of 147 adults with subjective severity rating of CRS were studied. Participants were assessed using designed questionnaire, Individual Rhinosinusitis Symptom Severity Score Assessment (IRSSSA) and Rhinosinusitis Disability Index (RSDI) questionnaires to elicit socio-demographic/clinical profile, CRS symptom severity and QoL, respectively. The mean age of the participants was 36.86 ± 11.91 years. The mean severity score of all 147 CRS cases was 3.8 ± 1.13. The majority of participants (N = 80; 54.4 %) had moderate disease. The RSDI mean scores for the participants for overall HRQoL were 40.6 ± 19.8. (Median = 40; Range = 77), for physical domain 15.2 ± 7.7, functional domain 12.1 ± 6.4 and emotional domain 13.2 ± 8.2. The trend of association between the disease severity scores and the overall HRQoL on Pearson linear correlation indicates a positive linear association of worsening overall HRQoL with increasing disease severity (R = 0.83; P < 0.0001). The severity of CRS impacted negatively on the HRQoL. All domains were significantly affected by the disease severity particularly the physical domain. Patients adjudged severity of their disease and its’ impact on their quality of life should be considered in the determination of the line of their management which could include psychosocial intervention. © 2014, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. | Africans; Chronic rhinosinusitis; Quality of life; Rhinosinusitis disability index | adult; aged; Article; chronic rhinosinusitis; correlational study; cross-sectional study; disease severity; disease severity assessment; emotion; female; functional status; human; Individual Rhinosinusitis Symptom Severity Score Assessment; major clinical study; male; Nigeria; physical activity; priority journal; quality of life; quality of life assessment; Rhinosinusitis Disability Index; adolescent; chronic disease; middle aged; psychology; rhinitis; severity of illness index; sinusitis; young adult; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Chronic Disease; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nigeria; Quality of Life; Rhinitis; Severity of Illness Index; Sinusitis; Young Adult | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84921507729 | Impact of papyrus wetland encroachment on spatial and temporal variabilities of stream flow and sediment export from wet tropical catchments | Ryken N., Vanmaercke M., Wanyama J., Isabirye M., Vanonckelen S., Deckers J., Poesen J. | 2015 | Science of the Total Environment | 511 | None | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.12.048 | Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium; Department of Soil Management, Ghent University, Belgium; Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium; Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Makerere University, Uganda; Busitema University, Namasagali, Uganda | Ryken, N., Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium, Department of Soil Management, Ghent University, Belgium; Vanmaercke, M., Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium, Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium; Wanyama, J., Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Makerere University, Uganda; Isabirye, M., Busitema University, Namasagali, Uganda; Vanonckelen, S., Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium; Deckers, J., Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium; Poesen, J., Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium | During the past decades, land use change in the Lake Victoria basin has significantly increased the sediment fluxes to the lake. These sediments as well as their associated nutrients and pollutants affect the food and water security of millions of people in one of Africa's most densely populated regions. Adequate catchment management strategies, based on a thorough understanding of the factors controlling runoff and sediment discharge are therefore crucial. Nonetheless, studies on the magnitude and dynamics of runoff and sediment discharge are very scarce for the Lake Victoria basin and the African Rift region.We therefore conducted runoff discharge and sediment export measurements in the Upper Rwizi, a catchment in Southwest Uganda, which is representative for the Lake Victoria basin. Land use in this catchment is characterized by grazing area on the high plateaus, banana cropping on the slopes and Cyperus papyrus L. wetlands in the valley bottoms. Due to an increasing population pressure, these papyrus wetlands are currently encroached and transformed into pasture and cropland. Seven subcatchments (358km2-2120km2), with different degrees of wetland encroachment, were monitored during the hydrological year June 2009-May 2010.Our results indicate that, due to their strong buffering capacity, papyrus wetlands have a first-order control on runoff and sediment discharge. Subcatchments with intact wetlands have a slower rainfall-runoff response, smaller peak runoff discharges, lower rainfall-runoff ratios and significantly smaller suspended sediment concentrations. This is also reflected in the measured annual area-specific suspended sediment yields (SYs): subcatchments with encroached papyrus swamps have SY values that are about three times larger compared to catchments with intact papyrus vegetation (respectively 106-137tonkm-2y-1 versus 34-37tonkm-2y-1). We therefore argue that protecting and (where possible) rehabilitating these papyrus wetlands should be a corner stone of catchment management strategies in the Lake Victoria basin. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. | Gully; Riparian vegetation; Riverbank erosion; Runoff; Suspended sediment yield; Uganda | Catchments; Forestry; Lakes; Land use; Rain; Runoff; Stream flow; Suspended sediments; Vegetation; Water pollution; Wetlands; Gully; Riparian vegetation; Riverbank erosion; Suspended sediment yields; Uganda; Sediments; rain; runoff; gully erosion; riparian vegetation; river bank; runoff; sediment transport; sediment yield; spatiotemporal analysis; streamflow; suspended sediment; wetland; Article; banana; catchment; cropland; cropping system; Cyperus; Cyperus papyrus; environmental impact; environmental management; environmental monitoring; environmental protection; grazing; land use; pastureland; river basin; sediment transport; stream (river); swamp; Uganda; vegetation; wetland; East African Lakes; Lake Victoria; Uganda; Cyperus papyrus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84924785383 | Effects of dietary supplementation of fumaric acid on growth performance of african catfish clarias gariepinus and aeromonas sobria challenge | Omosowone O., Dada A., Adeparusi E. | 2015 | Ribarstvo, Croatian Journal of Fisheries | 73 | 1 | 10.14798/73.1.782 | Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria | Omosowone, O., Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria; Dada, A., Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria; Adeparusi, E., Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria | Five iso-nitrogenous (39.0% crude protein) and iso-caloric diets (510 kJ gross energy) were prepared, with fumaric acid added at varying inclusion levels; 0 (D1), 0.5 (D2), 1.0 (D3), 1.5 (D4) or 2.0 (D5) g kg-1 of diet. Diets were fed to triplicate groups of Clarias gariepinus (mean initial weight 68.14±1.5 g) for 84 days in 50 liters glass tanks. At the end of the experiment, fish fed with diet D3 gave significantly higher growth indices closely followed by the control diet (D1). There were significant differences in weight gain, specific growth rate, food conversion ratio and percentage survival in fish fed diet D3 when compared with those fed diet D5. The haematological parameters of experimental fish revealed significant variations among treatments. The highest haemoglobin, packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) values were recorded in fish fed diet D2 while the lowest were recorded in those fed diets D3. Challenge test showed that mortality was 100% in the control while it was between 0 and 86.67% in other treatments. Inclusion of 1.0 g kg-1 of fumaric acid in C. gariepinus diets boosted growth. Inclusion of 0.5 g kg-1 of fumaric acid improved fish haematological parameters. In overall, incorporation of fumaric acid in C. gariepinus diets improved fish survival after Aeromonas sobria challenge. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture. All rights reserved. | Catfish; Haematological parameters; Organic acid; Pathogenic bacteria; Survival | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939477953 | Impact of investment in information technology on financial performance of Nigerian banks: Is there a productivity paradox? | Farouk B.K.U., Dandago K.I. | 2015 | Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce | 20 | 1 | None | Department of Economics and Management Sciences, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA)Kaduna, Nigeria; School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia, 06010 UUM SintokKedah Darrul Aman, Malaysia | Farouk, B.K.U., Department of Economics and Management Sciences, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA)Kaduna, Nigeria; Dandago, K.I., School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia, 06010 UUM SintokKedah Darrul Aman, Malaysia | This research investigates the impact of investment in Information Technology (IT) on the financial performance of banks in Nigeria. The study covers post-Banking (2006-2010) consolidation period of 5 years. The population of the study comprises of all the 24 banks, and a random sampling of 10 banks was made. The study employs secondary data generated from annual reports and accounts of the banks, records maintained by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reports. The data obtained were analyzed using the panel data regression model where investment in IT (hardware, software and Automated Teller Machine [ATM]), total earnings (TR) and total cost (TC) of the 10 sampled banks were used as the independent variables while financial performance is the dependent variable, proxied by return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), net profit margin (NPM) and earnings per share (EPS). Four hypotheses were developed and tested in line with the proxies to the dependent variables. The result from the panel regression revealed that there is a significant relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variables, but the ttest revealed that the impact of IT investment on the financial performance of Nigeria banks is significant for ROA, ROE and EPS at 5% significance level but not significant for NPM at 5% and 10% significance level. The effect of TR is positive and that of TC is negative on all the four financial performance measures, but the effect of IT investment on all the four financial performance variables is negative, which is not an expected sign. This means that an increase on IT spending leads to a decrease in the financial performance of Nigerian banks, that is to say heavy IT investment does not increase anks profitability, hence there is existence of IT productivity paradox in the Nig ria banking industry. © Bilkisu Kabiru Usman Farouk and Kabiru Isa Dandago, 2015. | Financial performance; Information technology; Investment; Nigerian banks; Productivity | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84944457091 | The economy wide impact of investment on infrastructure for electricity in ethiopia: A recursive dynamic computable general equilibrium approach | Borojo D.G. | 2015 | International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy | 5 | 4 | None | Department of Economics, Adama Science and Technology University, Adama, Ethiopia | Borojo, D.G., Department of Economics, Adama Science and Technology University, Adama, Ethiopia | This study has applied a recursive dynamic computable general equilibrium model to examine the economic impact of investment on infrastructure for electricity using an updated 2009/10 social accounting matrix. Three simulations (foreign saving, domestic household and enterprises saving and mix of foreign and domestic saving to finance the investment) in combination with total factor productivity of industrial and service sectors are used. The findings of the study have shown the improvement of the real gross domestic product (GDP), output of industrial and service sectors in all simulations. Nonetheless, mixed effects have found on household consumption and trade balance. The highest growth of real GDP is registered when the investment on electricity is fully financed by domestic household and enterprise saving. However, household consumption expenditure has grown at negative rate worsening the welfare of households. Investment on electricity fully financed by foreign saving is resulted in lower growth rate of real GDP due to worsening of net export. In addition, it has benefits for households as it increases their welfare. But it is to be repaid in the future that would increase indebtedness of the country. So, financing the investment partly by domestic household saving and foreign saving would be worthwhile. © 2015, Econjournals. All rights reserved. | Economy; Electricity infrastructure; Recursive dynamic computable general equilibrium model | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84927176457 | Empirical assessment of e-learning on performance in principles of economics | Aljamal A., Cader H., Chiemeke C., Speece M. | 2015 | International Review of Economics Education | 18 | None | 10.1016/j.iree.2015.02.002 | Department of Economics, College of Business and Economics, American University of Kuwait, P.O. Box 3323, Safat, Kuwait; Monetary Policy Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Central Business District, No. 33, Tafawa Belewa Way, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria; Depa | Aljamal, A., Department of Economics, College of Business and Economics, American University of Kuwait, P.O. Box 3323, Safat, Kuwait; Cader, H., Department of Economics, College of Business and Economics, American University of Kuwait, P.O. Box 3323, Safat, Kuwait; Chiemeke, C., Monetary Policy Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Central Business District, No. 33, Tafawa Belewa Way, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria; Speece, M., Department of Marketing, College of Business and Economics, American University of Kuwait, P.O. Box 3323, Safat, Kuwait | Abstract This research assessed the effectiveness of online assignments in principles of macroeconomics classes. Students were divided into two groups where the first was required to submit online assignments (treatment) while the other was not (control). Standardized examinations were used as Pretest and Posttest to quantify the online assignments' impact on students' performance. Results showed no significant difference in performance between treatment and control groups. Furthermore, when looking closely at students' performance within the treatment group, results indicate that neither the use of online assignments, nor the degree or intensity of their use tends to have significant impact on students' performance. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. | e-Learning; Economic education; Higher education; Online assignments | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84924308899 | The impact of information communication technology (ICT) on economic growth: A case for South Africa | Khumalo Z.Z., Mongale I.P. | 2015 | Corporate Ownership and Control | 12 | 2Continued1 | None | Department of Economics, North-West University (Mafikeng Campus), Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho, South Africa | Khumalo, Z.Z., Department of Economics, North-West University (Mafikeng Campus), Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho, South Africa; Mongale, I.P., Department of Economics, North-West University (Mafikeng Campus), Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho, South Africa | This paper investigates the impact of Information Communication Technology on economic growth in South Africa. The study intends to establish correlation in a developing country such as South Africa where the existence of such a relationship has not been distinctly determined. The model is estimated by using the cointegration and causality analysis and the interrelationships among the variables will be captured by employing the Johansen Cointegration method. The Generalized Impulse Response Function is also introduced to further explore the dynamic relationship among the variables. The results exhibit the incidence of a positive association between Information Communication Technology and economic growth. © 2015, Virtus Interpress. All rights reserved. | Cointegration; Economic growth; Generalized impulse response function; Information communication technology; South Africa | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928413005 | Performance evaluation of the ADSA in a vehicular network: MAC approach in IEEE 802.11p | Feukeu E.A., Djouani K., Kurien A. | 2015 | Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing | 6 | 3 | 10.1007/s12652-015-0268-9 | Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Build Environment, French South African Institute of Technology, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag x680, Pretoria, South Africa | Feukeu, E.A., Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Build Environment, French South African Institute of Technology, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag x680, Pretoria, South Africa; Djouani, K., Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Build Environment, French South African Institute of Technology, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag x680, Pretoria, South Africa; Kurien, A., Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Build Environment, French South African Institute of Technology, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag x680, Pretoria, South Africa | The added benefits brought by the advent of the Vehicular network (VN) technology have stimulated a lot of hope in the area emergent transportation industries. Two most important factors that have motivated and contributed to the development, design and implementation of the VN standards include the need to ensure safety and the need to consider road accident avoidance strategies. However, the innate dynamic and the high topological mobility of the nodes in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) raise complex and challenging issues with the standard. One of the complexities is the problem posed by Doppler effect (DE) resulting from the high mobility of the VANET nodes. In an attempt to compensate the induced Doppler shift (DS), the Automatic Doppler shift adaptation (ADSA) method was recently introduced to combat DE in a VANET. ADSA proved to be more resilient and effective in term of Bit error rate (BER). Moreover, for realistic applications, BER tests alone are insufficient. Therefore, in this work, a thorough analysis of the method is explored and the strength of the refined ADSA method is evaluated in terms of throughput, elapsed time, packet loss, model efficiency and data transfer rate. These metrics are used to perform a comparative analysis of ADSA versus adaptive modulation code (AMC) and auto-rate fallback (ARF). Results from the analysis shows that the ADSA approach is very effective and has a strong robustness compared to ARF and AMC with up to 300–700 % improvement in throughput and a 60–75 % reduction in consumed time. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. | Doppler effect; DSRC; MCS; OFDM; WAVE | Ad hoc networks; Bit error rate; Complex networks; Data transfer; Data transfer rates; Doppler effect; Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing; Telecommunication networks; Waves; Auto rate fallbacks; Comparative analysis; Design and implementations; DSRC; MCS; Realistic applications; Transportation industry; Vehicular Adhoc Networks (VANETs); Vehicular ad hoc networks | National Research Foundation |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940924110 | Competition, corporate governance and corporate performance: Substitutes or complements? Empirical evidence from Nigeria | Obembe O.B., Soetan R.O. | 2015 | African Journal of Economic and Management Studies | 6 | 3 | 10.1108/AJEMS-02-2012-0007 | Department of Economics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria | Obembe, O.B., Department of Economics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria; Soetan, R.O., Department of Economics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria | Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of interactive effect of competition and corporate governance on productivity growth of firms in Nigeria. Studies that have considered this issue were mainly from developed countries possessing strong institutions as against those of developing countries like Nigeria. Moreover, studies from Nigeria have focused exclusively on corporate governance and firm performance. The interaction effect of competition on corporate governance is yet to be addressed in the context of Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts the dynamic panel data analysis approach suggested by Arellano and Bond for productivity growth analysis. Data on 76 non-financial firms for 11 years beginning from 1997 were extracted from the financial statements of companies collected from the Nigerian Stock Exchange and subsequently analysed using General Methods of Moments (GMM). Findings – The results show that competition had a positive impact on productivity growth, however, its interaction effect with corporate governance had a substitute but not significant impact on productivity growth. When competition was interacted with an alternative corporate governance mechanism – bank – a positive and significant impact was, however, observed which shows that competition and bank loans are complementary in stimulating productivity growth of firms in Nigeria. Research limitations/implications – The study could not be carried out beyond year 2007 owing to the exit of some firms after 2007 which could have reduced the sample size drastically. The findings emanating from this study suggests that government should focus much more on implementing competitive policies and bother less on writing corporate governance codes. Practical implications – The results demonstrate that corporate governance had no significant impact on productivity growth even when it was interacted with competition. However, competition on its own had a significant impact on productivity which means that Nigeria should concentrate more on building a competitive private sector, and in this regard, government should try and pursue policies that will foster competition and eliminate monopolistic tendencies. Once, there is effective competition, the corporate governance may be strengthened. However, the interactive effect of competition and bank loans was found with a positive and significant impact which indicates that banks as alternate corporate governance mechanism can only be effective if competition is strong. This goes to show that the financial sector may not be able to effectively and positively impact the real sector in Nigeria if the prevailing level of competition is low. In such a situation finance may not be channelled to projects that have long-run implications on sustainable growth and development. Social implications – Socially, if the environment for competition is not fostered in Nigeria, the country may face an uphill task in combating the problem of poverty through a private sector-led solution. Hence, there is a need for government to begin to formulate comprehensive competition policies that will ensure that resources are optimally utilized in Nigeria. Originality/value – In the context of Nigeria, this study is novel, the use of productivity growth as against firm financial performance is unique for Nigeria while the use of GMM method of analysis helps in reducing the effect of endogeneity inherent in corporate governance and performance of firms in Nigeria. © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited. | Competition; Corporate governance; GMM; Interaction effect; Nigeria; Productivity growth | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84927667258 | Diseases and economic performance: Evidence from panel data | Nor N.M., Sirag A., Thinng W.B.K., Waziri S.I. | 2015 | Asian Social Science | 11 | 9 | 10.5539/ass.v11n9p198 | Department of Economics, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Economics, Bauchi State University, Gadau, Bauchi State, Nigeria | Nor, N.M., Department of Economics, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Sirag, A., Department of Economics, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Thinng, W.B.K., Department of Economics, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Waziri, S.I., Department of Economics, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia, Department of Economics, Bauchi State University, Gadau, Bauchi State, Nigeria | The current study aims to estimate to what extent economic performance is affected by different types of diseases. Particularly, we intend to examine the impact of diseases such as dengue, TB and HIV on GDP per capita in selected Southeast Asian countries. The panel data analysis and cointegration estimation technique are adopted to achieve the objectives of the study. The findings reveal that the variables move together in the long-run, and the results confirmed by three cointegration tests: Johansen-Fisher, Kao and Pedroni. Additionally, the coefficients estimated using FMOLS and confirmed by DOLS. Most importantly, it has been shown that shocks to human capital (diseases) have a large adverse impact on economic performance, especially; dengue, TB and HIV. The second major finding was that the role of human capital is found to be very crucial expressed by education and labor. The findings of this study suggest that reduction of diseases can lead to considerable improvement in economic performance. © 2015, Canadian Center of Science and Education. All rights reserved. | Cointegration; Communicable diseases; Economic performance; Human capital; Southeast Asia | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84937395866 | Energy consumption, institutional quality and the performance of the manufacturing sector in Nigeria (1999-2013) | Edame G.E., Oko O.B. | 2015 | International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy | 5 | 3 | None | Department of Economics, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria | Edame, G.E., Department of Economics, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria; Oko, O.B., Department of Economics, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria | This study assessed the effect of energy consumption and institutional quality, on the performance of the manufacturing sector in Nigeria between 1999 and 2013 through the use of the ordinary least square technique. The study used three measures of institutional quality: Economic freedom index, corruption perception index and contract intensive money. On the other hand, the industrial sector consumption of electricity (CSL), the total consumption of gas (GCS) and the total consumption of petroleum (PCN) were used as proxies for the consumption of energy. The results of the study show that industrial sector consumption of electricity, petroleum and gas do not have a significant impact on manufacturing sector performance. The results also indicated that the level of corruption perception has a significant effect on the performance of the manufacturing sector. Based on this, the study makes several recommendations including: the improvement in the country’s capacity to refine petroleum products; the maintenance of the current policy stand in the electricity industry by the new government; the removal of executive interference in the operations of the country’s institutions. © 2015, Econjournals. All right resurved. | Energy consumption; Ordinary least squares; İnstitutional quality | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84952980374 | Foamy polystyrene trays for fresh-meat packaging: Life-cycle inventory data collection and environmental impact assessment | Ingrao C., Lo Giudice A., Bacenetti J., Mousavi Khaneghah A., Sant'Ana A.D.S., Rana R., Siracusa V. | 2015 | Food Research International | 76 | None | 10.1016/j.foodres.2015.07.028 | Department of Economics, University of Foggia, Largo Papa Giovanni Paolo II, 1, Foggia, Italy; Department of Quality and Operations Management, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, APB Campus, P. O. Box 524, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milan, Via G. Celoria 2, Milan, Italy; University of Campinas, Faculty of Food Engineering, Department of Food Science, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, Catania, Italy | Ingrao, C., Department of Economics, University of Foggia, Largo Papa Giovanni Paolo II, 1, Foggia, Italy, Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, Catania, Italy; Lo Giudice, A., Department of Quality and Operations Management, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, APB Campus, P. O. Box 524, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, South Africa; Bacenetti, J., Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milan, Via G. Celoria 2, Milan, Italy; Mousavi Khaneghah, A., University of Campinas, Faculty of Food Engineering, Department of Food Science, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Sant'Ana, A.D.S., University of Campinas, Faculty of Food Engineering, Department of Food Science, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Rana, R., Department of Economics, University of Foggia, Largo Papa Giovanni Paolo II, 1, Foggia, Italy; Siracusa, V., Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, Catania, Italy | Food packaging systems are designed to perform series of functions mainly aimed at containing and protecting foods during their shelf-lives. However, to perform those functions a package causes environmental impacts that affect food supply chains and that come from its life-cycle phases. Therefore, package design should be done based upon not only the issues of cost, food shelf-life and safety, as well as practicality, but also of environmental sustainability. For this purpose, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can be applied in the packaging field with the aim of highlighting environmental hotspots and improvement potentials, thus enabling more eco-friendly products. In this context, an LCA of foamy polystyrene (PS) trays used for fresh meat packaging was performed here. The study highlighted that the highest environmental impacts come from PS-granule production and electricity consumption. In this regard, the authors underscored that there are no margins for improvement in the production of the granules and in the transport of the material inputs involved as well as of the trays to users. On the contrary, changing the energy source into a renewable one (by installing, for instance, a wind power plant) would enable a 14% damage reduction. In this way, the authors documented that alternative ways can be found for global environmental improvement of the system analysed and so for enhanced environmental sustainability of food packaging systems. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. | Environmental hotspots; Foam polystyrene; Life Cycle Assessment; Packaging system; Tray; Wind power | Ecodesign; Environmental impact; Environmental impact assessments; Environmental protection; Food safety; Food supply; Granulation; Packaging; Packaging machines; Polystyrenes; Supply chains; Sustainable development; Wind power; Electricity-consumption; Environmental improvements; Environmental sustainability; Hotspots; Life Cycle Assessment (LCA); Life cycle inventory datum; Packaging system; Tray; Life cycle | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84931051845 | Business cycles and stock market performance in South Africa | Muchaonyerwa F., Choga I. | 2015 | Corporate Ownership and Control | 12 | 3 | None | Department of Economics, University of Fort Hare, South Africa; School of Economic and Decision Sciences, North West University, South Africa | Muchaonyerwa, F., Department of Economics, University of Fort Hare, South Africa; Choga, I., School of Economic and Decision Sciences, North West University, South Africa | The stock market is an important indicator of an economy’s financial health. It checks the mood of investors in a country. Stock market performance is a vital component of business cycle growth. T hus, this study investigates the relationship between stock market performance and business cycles in South Africa for the period 2002-2009 using monthly data. This is done by constructing a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). The study specifies a business cycle model with the business cycle coincident indicator of South Africa being the independent variable explained by the All Share Price index (ALSI), Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER), Money Supply (M1), Inflation (CPIX) and the Prime Overdraft Rate (POR). The ALSI represents stock market performance whilst the rest of the variables are to enhance model specification. The study found a positive association between stock market performance and business cycles and this match with most of the results from the empirical literature provided. © 2015, Virtus Interpress. All rights reserved. | Business cycle; Stock market; Vector error correction South Africa | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939789698 | The impact of economic growth on unemploymentin South Africa: 1994 – 2012 | Banda H., Choga I. | 2015 | Corporate Ownership and Control | 12 | 4Cont7 | None | Department of Economics, University of Fort Hare, South Africa; School of Economic Decision Sciences, North West University, North West University (Mafikeng Campus), South Africa | Banda, H., Department of Economics, University of Fort Hare, South Africa; Choga, I., School of Economic Decision Sciences, North West University, North West University (Mafikeng Campus), South Africa | One of the most pressing problems facing the South African economy is unemployment, which has been erratic over the past few years. This study examined the impact of economic growth on unemployment, using quarterly time series data for South Africa for the period 1994 to 2012.Johansen Co-integration reflected that there is stable and one significant long run relationship between unemployment and the explanatory variables that is economic growth (GDP), budget deficit (BUG), real effective exchange rate (REER) and labour productivity (LP). The study utilized Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) to determine the effects of macroeconomic variables thus REER, LP, GDP and BUG on unemployment in South Africa. The results of VECM indicated that LP has a negative long run impact on unemployment whilst GDP, BUG and REER have positive impact. The study resulted in the following policy recommendation: South African government should re-direct its spending towards activities that directly and indirectly promote creation of employment and decent jobs; a conducive environment and flexible labour market policies or legislations without impediments to employment creation should be created; and lastly government should prioritise industries that promote labour intensive. All this will help in absorbing large pools of the unemployed population thereby reducing unemployment in South Africa. © 2015 Virtus Interpress. All rights reserved. | Economic growth; South Africa; Unemployment; Vector error correction | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84944458503 | The economic impact of climate change on road infrastructure in Ghana | Twerefou D.K., Chinowsky P., Adjei-Mantey K., Strzepek N.L. | 2015 | Sustainability (Switzerland) | 7 | 9 | 10.3390/su70911949 | Department of Economics, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 57, Accra, Ghana; Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States; Institute of Climate and Civil Systems, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States | Twerefou, D.K., Department of Economics, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 57, Accra, Ghana; Chinowsky, P., Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States; Adjei-Mantey, K., Department of Economics, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 57, Accra, Ghana; Strzepek, N.L., Institute of Climate and Civil Systems, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States | This paper estimates the economic impact of climate change on road infrastructure using the stressor-response methodology. Our analysis indicates that it could cumulatively (2020-2100) cost Ghana $473 million to maintain and repair damages caused to existing roads as a result of climate change (no adapt scenario). However, if the country adapts the design and construction of new road infrastructure, expected to occur over the asset's lifespan (adapt scenario), the total cumulative cost could increase to $678.47 million due to the initial costs of adaptation. This investment provides lower costs on a decadal basis later in the infrastructure lifespan. This creates the planning question of whether lower decadal costs in the future are a priority or if minimizing initial costs is a priority. The paper addresses this question through decadal and average annual costs up to the year 2100 for the ten regions, using the potential impacts of 54 distinct potential climate scenarios. © 2015 by the authors. | Climate change; Roads; Stressor-response; Temperature | climate change; cost analysis; design method; economic impact; infrastructural development; repair; road construction; sustainability; temperature; Ghana | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84938691863 | The impact of the global economic crisis on HIV and AIDS programmes directed at women and children in Zambia | Serieux J., Njelesani M., Chompolola A., Sepehri A., Guliani H. | 2015 | African Journal of AIDS Research | 14 | 2 | 10.2989/16085906.2015.1040806 | Department of Economics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), UNESCO, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Economics, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada | Serieux, J., Department of Economics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Njelesani, M., Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), UNESCO, Johannesburg, South Africa; Chompolola, A., Department of Economics, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; Sepehri, A., Department of Economics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Guliani, H., University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada | This investigation sought to ascertain the extent to which the global economic crisis of 2008-2009 affected the delivery of HIV/AIDS-related services directed at pregnant and lactating mothers, children living with HIV and children orphaned through HIV in Zambia. Using a combined macroeconomic analysis and a multiple case study approach, the authors found that from mid-2008 to mid-2009 the Zambian economy was indeed buffeted by the global economic crisis. During that period the case study subjects experienced challenges with respect to the funding, delivery and effectiveness of services that were clearly attributable, directly or indirectly, to the global economic crisis. The source of funding most often compromised was external private flows. The services most often compromised were non-medical services (such as the delivery of assistance to orphans and counselling to HIV-positive mothers) while the more strictly medical services (such as antiretroviral therapy) were protected from funding cuts and service interruptions. Impairments to service effectiveness were experienced relatively equally by (HIV-positive) pregnant women and lactating mothers and children orphaned through HIV. Children living with AIDS were least affected because of the primacy of ARV therapy in their care. © 2015 NISC (Pty) Ltd. | case studies; crisis transmission; external funding; financial crisis; health care funding; HIV-related services | anti human immunodeficiency virus agent; acquired immune deficiency syndrome; adolescent; adult; Article; case study; child; childhood disease; clinical effectiveness; economic aspect; female; funding; health care delivery; health program; health service; human; lactation; major clinical study; male; maternal disease; medical service; orphaned child; patient counseling; pregnant woman; Zambia; Zambian | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84942134942 | Beer, wood, and welfare - The impact of improved stove use among dolo-beer breweries | Grimm M., Peters J. | 2015 | PLoS ONE | 10 | 8 | 10.1371/journal.pone.0132603 | Department of Economics, University of Passau, Passau, Germany; International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn, Germany; Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (RWI), Essen, Germany; African Microeconomic Research Unit (AMERU), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | Grimm, M., Department of Economics, University of Passau, Passau, Germany, International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn, Germany; Peters, J., Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (RWI), Essen, Germany, African Microeconomic Research Unit (AMERU), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | Local beer breweries in Burkina Faso absorb a considerable amount of urban woodfuel demand. We assess the woodfuel savings caused by the adoption of improved brewing stoves by these micro-breweries and estimate the implied welfare effects through the woodfuel market on private households as well as the environmental effect. We find substantial wood savings among the breweries, 36% to 38% if they fully switch to an improved stove. In absolute amounts, they save about 0.176 kg of fuelwood per litre of dolo brewed. These savings imply huge reductions in CO<inf>2</inf>-emissions and reduce the overall demand for woodfuel, which is predominantly used by the poorer strata for cooking purposes. We provide estimates for the price decrease that might result from this and show that the urban poor are likely to benefit. Thus, the intervention under study is an example for a green growth intervention with pro-poor welfare gains - something green growth strategies should look for. Copyright: © 2015 Grimm, Peters. | None | fuel; adult; air pollution; Article; beer; beer brewery; biomass production; brewing; commercial phenomena; cooking; cost control; environmental impact; female; household; human; industrial area; industrial production; industry; middle aged; stove use; welfare; wood | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84936747271 | The impact of fiscal policy on inflation in Nigeria | Otto G., Ukpere W.I. | 2015 | Risk Governance and Control: Financial Markets and Institutions | 5 | 1CONT1 | None | Department of Economics, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa | Otto, G., Department of Economics, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Ukpere, W.I., Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa | Inflation is a major problem in Nigeria. To stabilize the economy, policy makers have often used fiscal and monetary policies to address inflation. For efficacy of policy, it is important to know the likely influence of each of these on inflation in order to properly prescribe a solution. This work attempts to see the impact of fiscal policy on inflation. This is necessary because of the current demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which is likely to increase government spending and possible inflation. Using data from the Central Bank of Nigeria spanning 32 years, the study used an ordinary least squares regression analysis, and observed that fiscal policy impacts on inflation but such impact is not significant. Therefore, government may on the basis of this study, implement the agreement it had with the Academic Staff Union of Universities without the fear of inflation. © 2015, Virtus Interpress. All rights reserved. | Fiscal policy; Government revenue; Government spending; Inflation | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84942104082 | The Impact of Exchange Rate Uncertainty on Exports in South Africa | Aye G.C., Gupta R., Moyo P.S., Pillay N. | 2015 | Journal of International Commerce, Economics and Policy | 6 | 1 | 10.1142/S1793993315500040 | Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | Aye, G.C., Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Gupta, R., Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Moyo, P.S., Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Pillay, N., Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | This paper examines the impact of real effective exchange rate uncertainty (REER) on aggregate exports of South Africa for the period 1986Q4-2013Q2. Using a bivariate framework where the structural vector autoregression (VAR) is modified to accommodate bivariate GARCH-in-Mean (GARCH-M) errors, we find that exchange rate uncertainty has a significant and negative effect on exports. Comparing the response of exports to a shock in exchange rate from a model that includes the REER uncertainty with results from a model that restricts the coefficient of the exchange rate uncertainty to zero, we find that the response is more pronounced in the former model. Furthermore, real exports respond asymmetrically to negative and positive shocks of REER of the same size. © 2015 World Scientific Publishing Company. | bivariate GARCH-in-Mean VAR; Exchange rate uncertainty; exports; real effective exchange rate | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84938520071 | Do Stock Prices Impact Consumption and Interest Rate in South Africa? Evidence from a Time-varying Vector Autoregressive Model | Aye G.C., Gupta R., Modise M.P. | 2015 | Journal of Emerging Market Finance | 14 | 2 | 10.1177/0972652715584267 | Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | Aye, G.C., Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Gupta, R., Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Modise, M.P., Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | This article investigates the existence of spillovers from stock prices onto consumption and the interest rate for South Africa using a time-varying parameter vector autoregressive (TVP-VAR) model with stochastic volatility. In this regard, we estimate a three-variable TVP-VAR model comprising real consumption growth rate, the nominal three-months Treasury bill rate and the growth rate of real stock prices. We find that the impact of a real stock price shocks on consumption is in general positive, with large and significant effects observed at the one-quarter-ahead horizon. However, there is also evidence of significant negative spillovers from the stock market to consumption during the financial crisis, at both short and long horizons. The monetary policy response to stock price shocks has been persistent, and strong especially post the financial liberalisation in 1985, but became weaker during the financial crisis. Overall, we provide evidence of significant time-varying spillovers on consumption and interest rate from the stock market. JEL Classification: C11, C15, C32, E31, E32, E44, E52 © 2015, © 2015 Institute for Financial Management and Research. | Bayesian inference; consumption; Markov chain Monte Carlo; monetary policy; stochastic volatility; stock price; structural vector autoregression; time-varying parameter | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84931576293 | The impact of statistical learning on violations of the sure-thing principle | Nicholls N., Romm A.T., Zimper A. | 2015 | Journal of Risk and Uncertainty | 50 | 2 | 10.1007/s11166-015-9210-y | Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa; School of Economic and Business Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | Nicholls, N., Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa; Romm, A.T., School of Economic and Business Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Zimper, A., Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa | This paper experimentally tests whether violations of Savage’s (1954) sure-thing principle (STP) decrease through statistical learning. Our subjects repeatedly had to bet on the drawings from an urn with an unknown proportion of differently colored balls. The control group was thereby subjected to learning through mere thought only. In addition, the test group received more and more statistical information over the course of the experiment by observing the color of the ball actually drawn after each bet. We expected that statistical learning would decrease the decision makers’ ambiguity, thereby implying a stronger decrease of STP violations in the test than in the control group. However, our data surprisingly shows that learning by mere thought rather than statistical learning leads to a decrease in STP violations. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York. | Independence axiom; Learning; Prospect theory; Statistical learning; Sure thing principle | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940528654 | Measuring the impact of marginal tax rate reform on the revenue base of South Africa using a microsimulation tax model | Jordaan Y., Schoeman N. | 2015 | South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences | 18 | 3 | None | Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, South Africa | Jordaan, Y., Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, South Africa; Schoeman, N., Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, South Africa | This paper is primarily concerned with the revenue and tax efficiency effects of adjustments to marginal tax rates on individual income as an instrument of possible tax reform. The hypothesis is that changes to marginal rates affect not only the revenue base, but also tax efficiency and the optimum level of taxes that supports economic growth. Using an optimal revenue-maximising rate (based on Laffer analysis), the elasticity of taxable income is derived with respect to marginal tax rates for each taxable-income category. These elasticities are then used to quantify the impact of changes in marginal rates on the revenue base and tax efficiency using a microsimulation (MS) tax model. In this first paper on the research results, much attention is paid to the structure of the model and the way in which the database has been compiled. The model allows for the dissemination of individual taxpayers by income groups, gender, educational level, age group, etc. Simulations include a scenario with higher marginal rates which is also more progressive (as in the 1998/1999 fiscal year), in which case tax revenue increases but the increase is overshadowed by a more than proportional decrease in tax efficiency as measured by its deadweight loss. On the other hand, a lowering of marginal rates (to bring South Africa's marginal rates more in line with those of its peers) improves tax efficiency but also results in a substantial revenue loss. The estimated optimal individual tax to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio in order to maximise economic growth (6.7 per cent) shows a strong response to changes in marginal rates, and the results from this research indicate that a lowering of marginal rates would also move the actual ratio closer to its optimum level. Thus, the trade-off between revenue collected and tax efficiency should be carefully monitored when personal income tax reform is being considered. © 2015 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. | Microsimulation; Optimal tax; Personal income tax; Tax efficiency; Tax reform | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84941905493 | The impact of the 2014 platinum mining strike in South Africa: An economy-wide analysis | Bohlmann H.R., Van Heerden J.H., Dixon P.B., Rimmer M.T. | 2015 | Economic Modelling | 51 | None | 10.1016/j.econmod.2015.08.010 | Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, South Africa; Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University, Australia | Bohlmann, H.R., Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, South Africa; Van Heerden, J.H., Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, South Africa; Dixon, P.B., Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University, Australia; Rimmer, M.T., Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University, Australia | In this paper we measure the economy-wide impact of the 2014 labour strike in South Africa's platinum industry. The strike lasted 5. months, ending in June 2014 when producers reached an agreement with the main labour unions. The immediate impacts on local mining towns were particularly severe, but our research shows that the strike could also have long lasting negative impacts on the South African economy as a whole. We find that it is not the higher nominal wages itself that caused the most damage, but the possible reaction by investors in the mining industry towards South Africa. Investor confidence is likely to be, at least, temporarily harmed, in which case it would take many years for the effects of the strike to disappear. We conduct our analysis using a dynamic CGE model of South Africa. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. | Computable general equilibrium; Platinum mining strike; UPGEM | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930762222 | The performance of higher education research in South Africa: a post-2004 synthesis | Odhiambo N.M., Ntenga L. | 2015 | Journal of Development Effectiveness | 7 | 2 | 10.1080/19439342.2014.1002522 | Department of Economics, University of South Africa, P.O. Box 392, Unisa, Pretoria, South Africa; Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC), Private Bag X69, Halfway House, Midrand, South Africa | Odhiambo, N.M., Department of Economics, University of South Africa, P.O. Box 392, Unisa, Pretoria, South Africa; Ntenga, L., Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC), Private Bag X69, Halfway House, Midrand, South Africa | This paper aims to examine the performance of higher education research in South Africa, since the introduction of the New Funding Formula in 2004. The analysis includes both accredited publication research outputs from peer-reviewed articles and books and master’s and doctoral research outputs (based on the number of graduates). The study also compares the research publication outputs produced by South African researchers with those produced by researchers from other countries. The study shows that there has been an overall increase in both masters’ and doctoral graduates, since the introduction of the New Funding Framework (NFF) in 2004. Similarly, there has been an increase in the number of publications from South African public universities, since the onset of the NFF. The study also finds that, although South Africa’s research publication outputs have increased significantly since 2004, the country’s research publication output growth is still much lower than those reported in countries, such as China, India and Brazil during the same period. This paper, therefore, recommends that further studies should be done in order to ascertain whether the recent increase in higher education research outputs from South Africa is as a result of the country’s NFF; or it is just a common research trend in the current world of knowledge. © 2015 Taylor & Francis. | Africa; higher education; research output; South Africa | higher education; performance assessment; research work; university sector; Brazil; China; India; South Africa | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84949765285 | Education within public management in south africa: A focus on external whole-school evaluation process’ contribution in Mpumalanga province | Mathaba R.S.R., Dorasamy N. | 2015 | Risk Governance and Control: Financial Markets and Institutions | 5 | 3CONT1 | None | Department of Education, University of Technology, South Africa; University of Technology, South Africa | Mathaba, R.S.R., Department of Education, University of Technology, South Africa; Dorasamy, N., University of Technology, South Africa | The study focused on the role played by public sector management in South Africa towards the country’s total development and improvement. This article also analyses how through the Whole School Evaluation (WSE) process, the education system in South Africa seeks to ensure that the schooling is effective. This paper examines public management, public administration as well as new public management (NPM). The aim is to illustrate a view of how education fits in the broader public management and how the WSE process assists schooling in South Africa and Mpumalanga in particular. This is to ensure that the schooling is effective and contribute towards service delivery and the country’s overall development and improvement. Furthermore, WSE as a process, is viewed through five of NPM undisputable and debatable characteristics of accountability for performance; performance measurement; performance auditing; policy analysis and evaluation; and strategic planning and management. Public management functions and public management principles are discussed from a point of how the WSE process strives to ensure that it complies with these function and principles, and how this compliance benefit school improvement. This paper came to a number of conclusions regarding education within public management from a WSE perspective. Firstly, education through the external WSE process conforms to this principle of New Public Management in that evaluation is aimed at improving the quality of education. Also, the external WSE, as a process, and education in general, through the NPM principles can be performed within public management. Furthermore, external WSE conforms to public management principles as well as Batho Pele principles. © 2015, Virtus Interpress. All rights reserved. | Batho pele principles; External whole school evaluation; New public management; Public administration; Public management; Public management functions; Public management principles | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84957538919 | Enhancing students’ reading comprehension performance through think and search questions. A study of selected secondary schools in Kaduna, Nigeria | Yusuf H. | 2015 | Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology | 2015 | None | None | Department of Educational Foundations and Curriculum, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria | Yusuf, H., Department of Educational Foundations and Curriculum, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria | This study focused on using “think and search” questions to enhance student’s performance in reading comprehension. A sample of sixty (60) senior secondary schools from Kaduna metropolis was used for the study. Quasi experimental research design was used for the study. Government Secondary School, Kigo Road was used as the experimental school, while Government Secondary School Ungwan Muazu was used as the control school. Senior secondary two (i.e SS2) students were used for the study. Thirty (30) students (intact class) from each of the schools were used for the study. Both groups were exposed to six (6) weeks of teaching. Prior to teaching, both groups were exposed to pretest to establish the homogeneity of the two groups of students. Both groups were assessed after six (6) weeks of teaching using reading comprehension test. T-test was used to test the hypothesis raised in the study. The findings revealed significant differences in the performance of students taught reading comprehension using “think and search” questions. Teachers are encouraged to enhance students’ performance in reading comprehension by engaging students in “think and search” questions during reading comprehension lessons. Curriculum planners and text book writers are equally encouraged to provide think and search questions for students before during and after every reading comprehension passage as a means of evaluating each reading task. © The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology. | Enhance student’s | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84926613321 | Constructionist career counseling of undergraduate students: An experimental evaluation | Obi O.P. | 2015 | Journal of Vocational Behavior | 88 | None | 10.1016/j.jvb.2015.03.009 | Department of Educational Foundations, College of Agricultural and Science Education, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria | Obi, O.P., Department of Educational Foundations, College of Agricultural and Science Education, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria | This study used a pretest-posttest control group design to examine the effectiveness of a six-session constructionist career counseling intervention (Savickas, 2011). It was hypothesized that relative to pre-intervention scores, the participants would demonstrate decreases in their indecision, anxiety, uncertainty, and insecurity about their career choices. Participants consisted of 50 undergraduates ranging in age from 19 to 25. They completed the Undergraduate Career Choice Survey (UCCS) and then were evenly divided into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group received six sessions of constructionist career counseling. Each session was approximately 45. min with a total of 4. h, 30. min approximately for the six sessions. Both groups then took the UCCS again. Analyses of the data using t-tests revealed significant reductions in indecision, anxiety, uncertainty, and insecurity for the intervention group but not for the control group. The intervention group took the UCCS again eight weeks later. An ANOVA indicated that the reductions in indecision, anxiety, uncertainty, and insecurity were slightly yet significantly greater. Limitations and directions for further research were pointed out. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. | Career indecision; Constructionist career counseling; Narrative career counseling | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84951202383 | Values orientation, needs satisfaction and job performance of public servants in Cross River State of Nigeria | Bassey P.U., Omori A.E. | 2015 | Organizational Cultures | 14 | 04-Mar | None | Department of Educational Psychology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria; University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria; University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria | Bassey, P.U., Department of Educational Psychology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria; Omori, A.E., University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria | The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of values orientation and needs satisfaction on public servants’ job performance in Cross River State, Nigeria. Survey data collected from five hundred (500) public servants were used in the study. In all, four hypotheses were formulated covering the variables in the study. The Workers’ Values Orientation, Needs Satisfaction and Performance Questionnaire (WVANSAPQ) was used, and data collected was tested at the 0.05 level of significance using the Pearson Moment Coefficient. The results and data analysis indicated that values orientation and needs satisfaction had significant influence on public servants’ job performance. Consequently, the study recommended that the government and counselors as well as employers of labour should embark on reorienting workers, particularly public servants in the area of values orientation and counseling in the public sector in order to raise their level of awareness and consciousness to the variables in the study as a means of facilitating their job effectiveness in the 21st century. © Common Ground, Peter Unoh Bassey, Anne Emmanuel Omori, All Rights Reserved. | Job performance; Needs satisfaction; Public servants; Values orientation | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929282028 | Performance profile comparison of the quasi-lumped element resonator antenna | Olokede S.S., Adamariko C.A., Akinyemi A.T. | 2015 | Journal of the Chinese Institute of Engineers, Transactions of the Chinese Institute of Engineers,Series A/Chung-kuo Kung Ch'eng Hsuch K'an | 38 | 4 | 10.1080/02533839.2014.998162 | Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Olabisis Onabanjo University, PMB 5026, Ifo, Ogun State, Nigeria; Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Ilorin, PMB 1515, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria; ECAS Telecoms and Systems Nigeria, 5 | Olokede, S.S., Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Olabisis Onabanjo University, PMB 5026, Ifo, Ogun State, Nigeria; Adamariko, C.A., Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Ilorin, PMB 1515, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria; Akinyemi, A.T., ECAS Telecoms and Systems Nigeria, 522 Usoma Close, Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria | The performance profile comparison of the quasi-lumped element resonator antenna is presented. The specific advantages of this antenna are investigated by comparing it to the standard long wire antenna approach, and, in particular, also to the many available differently loaded wire antenna approaches, which are also optimized for maximal radiation efficiency and directivity for example, the capacitively loaded long wire antenna and the planar H-shaped elements loaded transmission line design. It was noted that the quasi-lumped element resonator antenna formed by small interdigital capacitors and line inductors proved to be compact in size with an aperture size of 5.8 × 5.6 mm2 and better directional characteristics. © 2015 The Chinese Institute of Engineers. | antenna; footprint; quasi-lumped; wire | Electric lines; Resonators; Wire; Directional characteristic; footprint; Inter-digital capacitors; Loaded transmission lines; Performance profile; quasi-lumped; Quasi-lumped elements; Radiation efficiency; Antennas | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84938410530 | Design and Evaluation of a Magnetically Geared PM Machine | Gerber S., Wang R.-J. | 2015 | IEEE Transactions on Magnetics | 51 | 8 | 10.1109/TMAG.2015.2421474 | Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa | Gerber, S., Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Wang, R.-J., Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa | This paper presents the design and evaluation of a magnetically geared permanent magnet (PM) machine with an inner stator. A brief overview of relevant operating principles is given first. A simplified design and simulation methodology, which can ensure that the magnetic gear and the stator are well matched, is then devised. The method is applied to the design optimization of a small machine resulting in a design with a maximum torque density of 115 kN · m/m3 per active volume. To validate the design, a working prototype has been built and experimentally evaluated. It shows that this computationally efficient design methodology is well suited for the optimization of magnetically geared PM machines. Finally, a method of analyzing the operating points of the machine is described. Relevant conclusions are drawn and recommendations for future work are given. © 2015 IEEE. | Design optimization; finite-element method; magnetic gears; permanent magnet (PM) machines; special electrical machines | Finite element method; Magnets; Permanent magnets; Stators; Computationally efficient; Design and evaluations; Design and simulation; Design optimization; Electrical machine; Magnetic gear; Operating principles; Permanent-magnet machine; Design | US, Universiteit Stellenbosch |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930636351 | Evaluation of Movement Facilitating Techniques for Finite Element Analysis of Magnetically Geared Electrical Machines | Gerber S., Wang R.-J. | 2015 | IEEE Transactions on Magnetics | 51 | 2 | 10.1109/TMAG.2014.2351787 | Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa | Gerber, S., Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Wang, R.-J., Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa | The simulation of magnetically geared electrical machines using the finite element method is an especially demanding task when movement has to be considered. Several methods that facilitate movement exist. In this paper, two of these methods, the macro air-gap element (AGE) and the moving band (MB) are applied in a time-stepped static simulation of a magnetically geared machine (MGM). The methods are evaluated in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency, vitally important factors for numerical optimization. The implementation of both methods exploit the multi-core architecture of modern CPUs to solve several steps in parallel, drastically reducing the simulation time. Nevertheless, the computational cost of the AGE is prohibitively high in the simulation of MGMs. The MB is computationally efficient and good accuracy can be achieved using a multilayer approach. © 1965-2012 IEEE. | Accuracy; Air gaps; Atmospheric modeling; Computational modeling; Finite element analysis; Torque; Voltage measurement | Computational efficiency; Computer architecture; Electric machinery; Numerical methods; Optimization; Program processors; Torque; Voltage measurement; Accuracy; Air-gaps; Atmospheric model; Computational costs; Computational model; Computationally efficient; Multicore architectures; Numerical optimizations; Finite element method | Universiteit Stellenbosch; US, Universiteit Stellenbosch |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84947902528 | Performance evaluation of three PID controller tuning algorithm on a process plant | Ibrahim O., Amuda S.A.Y., Mohammed O.O., Kareem G.A. | 2015 | International Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering | 5 | 5 | None | Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Ilorin, PMB 1515, Ilorin, Nigeria; Department of Computer Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria; National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Abuja, Nigeria | Ibrahim, O., Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Ilorin, PMB 1515, Ilorin, Nigeria; Amuda, S.A.Y., Department of Computer Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria; Mohammed, O.O., Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Ilorin, PMB 1515, Ilorin, Nigeria; Kareem, G.A., National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Abuja, Nigeria | Accurate tuning of controller in industrial process operation is prerequisite to system smooth operation which directly reduce process variability, improved efficiency, reduced energy costs, and increased production rates. Performance evaluation of a model based PID controller tuning algorithm on a chemical process plant is presented in this paper. The control action of three different PID controller tuning algorithms namely; Hagglund-Astrom, Cohen and Coon, and Ziegler-Nichols on the process plant was examined in a closed loop control configuration under normal operating condition and in the face of disturbance. LabVIEW software was used to model a chemical process plant from open loop control test data. The time domain response analysis of the controllers shows that each tuning algorithm exhibit different time response. Ziegler-Nichols algorithm shows the best performance with fastest rise time, settling time and was able to restore the system back to normal operating condition in a short time when subjected to disturbance compare to Cohen & Coon controller and Hagglund-Astrom algorithm settings. © 2015 Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science. All rights reserved. | Control algorithm; PID controller; Plant model; Time response; Tuning parameter | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84934310001 | Fuel Cell Condition Monitoring Using Optimized Broadband Impedance Spectroscopy | De Beer C., Barendse P.S., Pillay P. | 2015 | IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics | 62 | 8 | 10.1109/TIE.2015.2418313 | Department of Electrical Engineering, Advanced Machines and Energy Systems Group, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Electrical Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada | De Beer, C., Department of Electrical Engineering, Advanced Machines and Energy Systems Group, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Barendse, P.S., Department of Electrical Engineering, Advanced Machines and Energy Systems Group, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Pillay, P., Department of Electrical Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada | Determining the state of health of fuel cell systems is essential to improving its performance and life expectancy. This paper presents the development of a new rapid online condition monitoring system using optimized broadband impedance spectroscopy (OBIS). The hardware was specifically designed to be low cost and scalable to meet the needs of single cell and stack level testing. It is shown how classic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is limited when testing under extreme nonlinear conditions. The design process of the broadband signal is tailored for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell diagnostics in order to minimize measurement time and system disturbance while maximizing accuracy. The long measurement time of standard EIS makes it impractical to use for rapid fault diagnosis, and it is shown how the OBIS system is able to deliver impedance measurements under conditions where EIS cannot be applied. The proposed system is tested for an array of possible operational phenomena and faults and the results compared with that obtained from a commercial frequency response analyzer to demonstrate performance. © 2015 IEEE. | Diagnostics; fuel cell; impedance; state of health | Condition monitoring; Electric impedance; Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; Fault detection; Frequency response; Fuel cells; Plasma diagnostics; Polyelectrolytes; Spectroscopy; Broadband impedance spectroscopies; Frequency response analyzers; Impedance measurement; Non-linear conditions; On-line condition monitoring system; Polymer electrolyte membranes; State of health; System disturbances; Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929147808 | Development of a novel control for a matrix converter interfaced wind energy conversion system for dynamic performance enhancement | Kumar V., Joshi R.R., Bansal R.C. | 2015 | Electric Power Components and Systems | 43 | 42592 | 10.1080/15325008.2015.1016194 | Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Technology and Engineering, Udaipur, India; Department of Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | Kumar, V., Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Technology and Engineering, Udaipur, India; Joshi, R.R., Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Technology and Engineering, Udaipur, India; Bansal, R.C., Department of Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | This article presents the development of a novel control for matrix converter interfaced permanent magnet wind energy conversion system. Here, an adaptive fuzzy control algorithm incorporated with a reversed matrix converter is proposed to yield maximum energy with enhanced dynamic performance and low harmonic characteristics. The control algorithm is implemented using a dSPACE DS1104 real-time board (dSPACE, Paderborn, Germany). Feasibility of the proposed system has been verified through simulation and experiment results using a laboratory 1.2-kW prototype of a wind energy conversion system under dynamic conditions. © 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. | matrix converter; synchronous generator; wind energy conversion system; wind turbine emulator | Algorithms; Energy conversion; Fuzzy control; Matrix converters; Permanent magnets; Power converters; Synchronous generators; Wind turbines; Adaptive fuzzy control; Dspace ds1104; Dynamic condition; Dynamic performance; Low harmonics; Real time boards; Wind energy conversion system; Wind turbine emulator; Wind power | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929159019 | Performance analysis of power converter based active rectifier for an offshore wind park | Musasa K., Gitau M.N., Bansal R.C. | 2015 | Electric Power Components and Systems | 43 | 42592 | 10.1080/15325008.2015.1025009 | Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Pretoria, South Africa | Musasa, K., Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Pretoria, South Africa; Gitau, M.N., Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Pretoria, South Africa; Bansal, R.C., Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Pretoria, South Africa | The use of a DC system in wind parks is becoming a more promising technology. Low weight and compact components in the offshore wind park are crucial to use due to strong wind perturbations out in the sea. A wind park with a DC collector is more compact than one using an AC collector. A DC collector employs power converters instead of a 50- or 60-Hz power transformer. For similar voltage/current ratings, the power converter is compact and of small weight compared to the power transformer. The full-bridge voltage source converter is commonly used as topology of the power converter resulting high power losses. This article proposes the use of cascade connection of a non-controlled full-bridge diode rectifier and a controlled DC-DC boost converter. The proposed topology differs from the conventional full-bridge voltage source converter by having a reduced number of operating switches. The power loss is reduced, thus improving the efficiency of the wind park. A DC collection grid consisting of series-parallel connections of wind energy conversion units (WECUs) is investigated. The impact caused to the wind park for a fault or a collapse of a given number of WECU is analyzed and mitigated. It is demonstrated that the use of large numbers of wind energy conversion units in a wind park improves the fault ride-through capabiliy. © 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. | DC collector; DC-DC boost converter; offshore wind park; pulse-width modulation controller; signal model | DC transformers; Electric connectors; Electric load dispatching; Electric rectifiers; Energy conversion; Power converters; Power transformers; Pulse width modulation; Rectifying circuits; Topology; Voltage control; Wind power; DC collector; DC-DC boost converters; Off-shore wind parks; Pulse width modulation controllers; Signal modeling; DC-DC converters | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84919359601 | Evaluation of optimal control-based deformable registration model | Matjelo N.J., Nicolls F., Muller N. | 2015 | Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering | 312 | None | 10.1007/978-3-319-06764-3_15 | Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Science, National Research Foundation, P. O. Box 722Somerset, West, South Africa | Matjelo, N.J., Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Nicolls, F., Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Muller, N., iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Science, National Research Foundation, P. O. Box 722Somerset, West, South Africa | This paper presents an evaluation of an optimal control-based deformable image registration model and compares it to four well-known variational-based models, namely, elastic, fluid, diffusion and curvature models. Using similarity and deformation quality measures as performance indices, Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) is applied to approximate Pareto Fronts for each model to facilitate proper evaluation. The Pareto Fronts are also visualized using Level diagrams. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015. | Deformable image registration; Level diagrams; NSGA-II; Pareto Fronts; Quality measure; Similarity measure | Deformation; Genetic algorithms; Image registration; Deformable image registration; Level diagrams; NSGA-II; Pareto front; Quality measures; Similarity measure; Quality control | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84923991691 | Quantifying the impact of accessibility on preventive healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa using mobile phone data | Wesolowski A., O'Meara W.P., Tatem A.J., Ndege S., Eagle N., Buckee C.O. | 2015 | Epidemiology | 26 | 2 | 10.1097/EDE.0000000000000239 | Department of Engineering and p'Ublic Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, United States; Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Medicine, Duke University and Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, NC, United States; Department of Geography and Environment, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, United Kingdom; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; School of Public Health Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya; Department of Computer Science, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States | Wesolowski, A., Department of Engineering and p'Ublic Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, United States, Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States; O'Meara, W.P., Department of Medicine, Duke University and Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, NC, United States; Tatem, A.J., Department of Geography and Environment, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, United Kingdom, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Ndege, S., School of Public Health Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya; Eagle, N., Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, United States, Department of Computer Science, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States; Buckee, C.O., Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, United States, Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States | Background: Poor physical access to health facilities has been identified as an important contributor to reduced uptake of preventive health services and is likely to be most critical in low-income settings. However, the relation among physical access, travel behavior, and the uptake of healthcare is difficult to quantify.Methods: Using anonymized mobile phone data from 2008 to 2009, we analyze individual and spatially aggregated travel patterns of 14,816,521 subscribers across Kenya and compare these measures to (1) estimated travel times to health facilities and (2) data on the uptake of 2 preventive healthcare interventions in an area of western Kenya: childhood immunizations and antenatal care.Results: We document that long travel times to health facilities are strongly correlated with increased mobility in geographically isolated areas. Furthermore, we found that in areas with equal physical access to healthcare, mobile phone-derived measures of mobility predict which regions are lacking preventive care. Conclusions: Routinely collected mobile phone data provide a simple and low-cost approach to mapping the uptake of preventive healthcare in low-income settings. Copyright © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. | None | Africa south of the Sahara; Article; child; female; health care access; health care facility; household; human; immunization; Kenya; lowest income group; major clinical study; mobile phone; prenatal care; preventive health service; priority journal; vulnerable population; adult; developing country; health care delivery; health care survey; infant; longitudinal study; pregnancy; preschool child; statistics and numerical data; time; travel; utilization; vaccination; Adult; Cell Phones; Child, Preschool; Developing Countries; Female; Health Care Surveys; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Infant; Kenya; Longitudinal Studies; Pregnancy; Prenatal Care; Time Factors; Travel; Vaccination | FIC, National Institutes of Health; NIH, National Institutes of Health |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84935429480 | Evaluation of the importance of the 39 subjects defined by the global forum for maintenance and asset management | Visser J.K., Botha T.A. | 2015 | South African Journal of Industrial Engineering | 26 | 1 | None | Department of Engineering and Technology Management, University of Pretoria, South Africa | Visser, J.K., Department of Engineering and Technology Management, University of Pretoria, South Africa; Botha, T.A., Department of Engineering and Technology Management, University of Pretoria, South Africa | The Global Forum on Maintenance and Asset Management (GFMAM) was formed in 2011 to bring together various experts, practitioners, academics, and other professionals who are active in the field of asset and maintenance management. The primary mission of GFMAM is to develop and promote knowledge, standards, and education for the maintenance and asset management professions. To fulfil this mission, GFMAM developed an ‘Asset Management Landscape’ document, which defines 39 subjects on asset management, grouped into six main subject areas. This paper reports on two surveys that were conducted to determine the importance of the 39 asset management subjects. Respondents were requested to rate the importance of each of the 39 subjects on a five-point scale. Results from the survey indicated that the five most important subjects are ‘asset management strategy and objectives’, ‘asset management policy’, ‘strategic planning’, ‘asset management planning’, and ‘asset management leadership’. © 2015, South African Institute of Industrial Engineering. All rights reserved. | None | Maintenance; Surveys; Asset Management strategy; Global forum; Maintenance management; Management planning; Management policy; Asset management | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928012852 | Students want HIV testing in schools a formative evaluation of the acceptability of HIV testing and counselling at schools in Gauteng and North West provinces in South Africa | Madiba S., Mokgatle M. | 2015 | BMC Public Health | 15 | 1 | 10.1186/s12889-015-1746-x | Department of Environmental and Occupational Heath, School of Public Health, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa | Madiba, S., Department of Environmental and Occupational Heath, School of Public Health, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa; Mokgatle, M., Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa | Background: The proposal by the South African Health Ministry to implement HIV testing and counselling (HTC) at schools in 2011 generated debates about the appropriateness of such testing. However, the debate has been between the Ministries of Education and Health, with little considerations of the students. The main aim of the study was to assess the students' opinions and uptake of HIV testing and counselling in general, and the acceptability of the provision of HIV testing and counselling in schools. The study also determined the association between socio-demographic characteristics, sexual behaviour, and HIV testing behaviour of the students. Methods: A survey was conducted among grade 10-12 high school students in North West and Gauteng provinces, South Africa. Seventeen high schools (nine rural and eight urban) were randomly selected for the administration of a researcher-assisted, self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire. Results: A total of 2970 students aged 14-27 years participated in the study; 1632 (55%) were girls, 1810 (61%) ever had sex, and 1271 (49.8%) had more than one sex partner. The mean age of first sexual activity was 15.6. Half (n∈=∈1494, 50.1%) had been tested for HIV. Having multiple sexual partners, age, and gender were significantly associated with increased odds of having had a HIV test. Fear, being un-informed about HTC, and low HIV risk perceptions were the reasons for not getting tested. The acceptability of HTC at school was high (n∈=∈2282, 76.9%) and 2129 (71.8%) were willing to be tested at school. Appropriateness, privacy, and secrecy were the main arguments for and against HTC at school. One-third (n∈=∈860, 29%) had intentions to disclose their HIV status to students versus 1258 (42.5%) for teachers. Stigma, discrimination and secrecy were the primary reasons students did not intend to disclose. Conclusions: A high acceptability of HTC and willingness to be tested at school suggest that HIV prevention programs tailored to youth have a high potential of success given the readiness of students to uptake HTC. Bringing HIV testing to the school setting will increase the uptake of HTC among youth and contribute towards efforts to scale up HTC in South Africa. © 2015 Madiba and Mokgatle; licensee BioMed Central. | Acceptability of HTC at school; Disclosure; HIV status; Sexual behaviour; South Africa; Stigma and discrimination; Students; Uptake of HTC | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930023183 | Evaluation of toxicity potential of process water using fish acute toxicity and micronucleus tests | Olorunfemi D.I., Olomukoro J.O., Anani O.A. | 2015 | Studia Universitatis Vasile Goldis Arad, Seria Stiintele Vietii | 25 | 1 | None | Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Life Sciences University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Life Sciences University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria | Olorunfemi, D.I., Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Life Sciences University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; Olomukoro, J.O., Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Life Sciences University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; Anani, O.A., Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Life Sciences University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria | In this study, the potential toxicity of process wastewater from oil and gas exploration in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria was investigated on Clarias gariepinus juveniles using a renewable static bioassay with continuous aeration to determine its acute toxicity. Physicochemical analysis of the wastewater showed that it characterised by a foul odour, was slightly alkaline (pH 7.72) and had high values of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and conductivity (100.20 mg/L and 2793.33 μS/cm) respectively. Lead, chromium and nickel were present at amounts above national (FEPA, NESREA) and international (USEPA) set limits for effluent discharge. The LC<inf>50</inf> value obtained for the fish juveniles exposed to various concentrations of the wastewater for 96 hrs under laboratory conditions was 4.45 ml/L with lower and upper limits being 4.11 ml/L and 7.847 ml/L respectively. Toxicosis symptoms observed includes loss of balance, respiratory distress, vertical and erratic movement and death. The fishes were exposed to 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, 8.0, and 10 ml/L (v/v; wastewater/tap water) for 28 days to evaluate the genotoxic effect of the wastewater using the micronucleus test on peripheral blood erythrocytes. The process wastewater induced significant (p<0.05) concentration-dependent increase in micronuclei, binucleated, notched nuclei and immature erythrocytes in C. gariepinus which were considered as cytogenetic damage indicators. Results of this study showed that the tested wastewater was a potential cyto-genotoxic agent and could induce adverse health effects in exposed individuals. © 2015 Vasile Goldis University Press. | Acute toxicity; Clarias gariepinus; Micronucleus; Niger delta; Process water | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84921000981 | Environmental impact assessment of coal mining at Enugu, Nigeria | Ogbonna P.C., Nzegbule E.C., Okorie P.E. | 2015 | Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal | 33 | 1 | 10.1080/14615517.2014.941711 | Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, P.M.B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria; Department of Forestry and Environmental Management, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, P. | Ogbonna, P.C., Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, P.M.B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria; Nzegbule, E.C., Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, P.M.B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria; Okorie, P.E., Department of Forestry and Environmental Management, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, P.M.B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria | This study determined the views of respondents in Akwuke and Iva mine communities concerning the impact of coal mining activities on animal and plant species, pattern of settlement, pollution effect and health of people living in these two mined areas in Enugu, Nigeria. Data were generated through sample survey using a well-structured questionnaire and personal observation in the field. Khaya ivorensis (mahogany) was the major tree species that had gone extinct (72% of respondents), and Geochelone sulcata (tortoise) was the major animal species that has gone extinct (80% of respondents) in the two mined areas. Sixty-five percent of the respondents said that water pollution was most severe environmental impact of mining in Akwuke. The major health hazard caused by mining in Akwuke (55% of respondents) and Iva (65% of respondents) was blindness. Indeed, 82.5% of respondents indicated that mining affected the pattern of settlement in the two mined areas. Emphatically, coal mining affected negatively some of the socio-economic activities of the inhabitants of the mined area through removal of vegetation to access coal deposit vis-à-vis blasting, quarrying and crushing of coal. © 2015, © 2014 IAIA. | animal species; coal mining; health effect; pattern of settlement; pollution impact; tree species | animal; coal mining; environmental impact assessment; health impact; human activity; tree; water pollution; Enugu [Nigeria]; Nigeria; Animalia; Geochelone sulcata; Iva; Khaya ivorensis; Swietenia | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84949445102 | Toxicological evaluation of drinking water sources in some rural communities in southern nigeria after mycofiltration treatment | Olorunfemi D., Efechuku U., Esuana J. | 2015 | Polish Journal of Environmental Studies | 24 | 3 | 10.15244/pjoes/34672 | Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; Environmental Science Unit, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; Department of Science Laboratory Technology, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria | Olorunfemi, D., Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; Efechuku, U., Environmental Science Unit, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; Esuana, J., Department of Science Laboratory Technology, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria | Available domestic water in many communities in Nigeria is increasingly polluted on a daily basis. A major issue of national interest is how these polluted drinking water sources could be fully assessed and mitigated. In this study, mycofiltrated domestic water samples obtained from hand-dug wells and boreholes in six rural communities in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria were evaluated for potential cyto-genotoxicity using the Allium cepa bioassay. Data obtained from physicochemical analysis after a 24- hour mycofiltration treatment of the water samples revealed significant (p < 0.05) reduction/total elimination of heavy metals and microbial load in the samples. Results obtained from the 96-hour macroscopic evaluation of A. cepa showed that compared to onions grown in untreated samples, significant (p < 0.05) reduction in root growth inhibition occurred in bulbs cultivated in mycofiltrated samples. Root tips of A. cepa processed for cytological studies by the aceto-orcein squash technique after exposure to the water samples for 48 hours also showed significant (p < 0.05) reduction in chromosomal aberrations in onion bulbs grown in mycofiltrated samples. These findings show that mycofiltration technique is an efficient and affordable technology for toxicity reduction in drinking water sources available for rural dwellers in developing countries. © 2015, Pol. J. Environ. Stud. All Rights Reserved. | Allium cepa assay; Domestic water; Microbial Load; Mycofiltration; Physicochemical analysis | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939790411 | Impacts of land tenure arrangements on the adaptive capacity of marginalized groups: The case of Ghana's Ejura Sekyedumase and Bongo districts | Antwi-Agyei P., Dougill A.J., Stringer L.C. | 2015 | Land Use Policy | 49 | None | 10.1016/j.landusepol.2015.08.007 | Department of Environmental Science, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom | Antwi-Agyei, P., Department of Environmental Science, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Dougill, A.J., Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom; Stringer, L.C., Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom | Climate change and variability continue to adversely impact the livelihoods of many agriculture-dependent households in dryland sub-Saharan Africa. Climate vulnerability is shaped by institutions and socioeconomic processes including land tenure arrangements and infrastructural development. This paper employs a participatory mixed-method approach including household questionnaire surveys, key informant interviews, oral narratives and focus group discussions to understand the dynamics of livelihood challenges in 6 dryland farming communities of different vulnerability status in Ghana. Acknowledging the importance of agronomic practices as well as economic and environmental processes in influencing climate vulnerability in dryland farming systems, this paper demonstrates how the complex land tenure system is implicitly involved in shaping the vulnerability of two groups of farmers (migrant farmers in the Ejura Sekyedumase district and female farmers in the Bongo district) by limiting the adaptation options available to these groups. Our results suggest that women's rights regarding land ownership should be formalized in land policy in order to reduce cultural discriminations against them. Opportunities for women to own and formalize land registration titles should be pursued by the Government of Ghana. This will help women to secure property rights over land and land use via mechanisms such as collateral to access credit, which could be used to implement climate adaptation practices. The rights of migrant workers should also be recognized in Ghana's land policy to provide them with opportunities for adaptation in a similar manner to non-migrants. Climate change adaptation policies should also consider the broader socioeconomic and environmental factors that hinder smallholder farmers' ability to implement adaptation measures. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. | Climate change and variability; Gender; Land tenure; Livelihoods; Migrant farmers; Participatory methods; Sub-Saharan Africa | adaptive management; climate change; dryland farming; gender; land tenure; land use planning; landownership; marginalization; property rights; smallholder; vulnerability; Ghana; Tragelaphus eurycerus | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84929050488 | Integrating local knowledge and forest surveys to assess Lantana camara impacts on indigenous species recruitment in Mazeppa Bay, South Africa | Jevon T., Shackleton C.M. | 2015 | Human Ecology | 43 | 2 | 10.1007/s10745-015-9748-y | Department of Environmental Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa | Jevon, T., Department of Environmental Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa; Shackleton, C.M., Department of Environmental Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa | Invasive alien species have variable impacts on peoples' livelihoods, plant communities and species at the local scale. Local people often have deeper insights into and experiences of these impacts than can be measured by scientific surveys. Here we examine the impacts of Lantana camara on the recruitment of indigenous forest species, many of which are used by local people. We integrate findings from conversations with elderly respondents with standard ecological surveys. Both sources of information indicate that the increasing presence of Lantana suppresses the number and species richness of recruits of indigenous forest species, which may retard forest succession. Dense thickets of Lantana also restricted access to non-timber forest products and species of cultural significance. The origin and date of the Lantana introduction in the area was identified by respondents as the 1960s and it escaped into the wild in the early 1970s. These findings can be incorporated into locally based management considerations. © 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York. | Forest regeneration; Invasive alien species; Local ecological knowledge; Non-timber forest products; Rural livelihoods | Lantana; Lantana camara | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84928594910 | Monitoring the impact of grazing on rangeland conservation easements using MODIS vegetation indices | Tsalyuk M., Kelly M., Koy K., Getz W.M., Scott Butterfield H. | 2015 | Rangeland Ecology and Management | 68 | 2 | 10.1016/j.rama.2015.01.006 | Department of Environmental Sciences Policy and Management, University of California (UC), 130 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, CA, United States; Geospatial Innovation Facility, Berkeley, CA, United States; School of Mathematical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa; Nature ConservancyCA, United States | Tsalyuk, M., Department of Environmental Sciences Policy and Management, University of California (UC), 130 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, CA, United States; Kelly, M., Department of Environmental Sciences Policy and Management, University of California (UC), 130 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, CA, United States; Koy, K., Geospatial Innovation Facility, Berkeley, CA, United States; Getz, W.M., Department of Environmental Sciences Policy and Management, University of California (UC), 130 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, CA, United States, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa; Scott Butterfield, H., Nature ConservancyCA, United States | Monitoring the effects of grazing on rangelands is crucial for ensuring sustainable rangeland ecosystem function and maintaining its conservation values. Residual dry matter (RDM), the dry grass biomass left on the ground at the end of the grazing season, is a commonly used proxy for rangeland condition in Mediterranean climates. Moderate levels of RDM are correlated with soil stability, forage production, wildlife habitat, and diversity of native plants. Therefore RDM is widely monitored on rangeland conservation properties. Current ground-based methods for RDM monitoring are expensive, are labor intensive, and provide information in the fall, after the effects of grazing have already occurred. In this paper we present a cost-effective, rapid, and robust methodology to monitor and predict RDM using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data. We performed a time series analysis of three MODIS-based vegetation indices (VIs) measured over the period 2000-2012: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Leaf Area Index (LAI), and Fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR). We examined the correlation between the four VIs and fall RDM measured at The Nature Conservancy's Simon Newman Ranch in central California. We found strong and significant correlations between maximum VI values in late spring and RDM in the fall. Among the VIs, LAI values had the most significant correlation with fall RDM. MODIS-based multivariate models predicted up to 63% of fall RDM. Importantly, maximum and sum VIs values were significantly higher in management units with RDM levels in compliance with RDM conservation easement terms compared with units out of compliance. On the basis of these results, we propose a management model that uses time series analysis of MODIS VIs to predict forage quantities, manage stocking rates, and monitor rangeland easement compliance. This model can be used to improve monitoring of rangeland conservation by providing information on range conditions throughout the year. © 2015 Society for Range Management. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. | (NDVI); Leaf Area Index (LAI); Normalized Difference Vegetation Index; overgrazing; remote sensing; residual dry matter (RDM); time series analysis | conservation management; dry matter; grazing; leaf area index; Mediterranean environment; MODIS; NDVI; photosynthetically active radiation; rangeland; satellite data | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84939147415 | Screening and evaluation of some green algal strains (Chlorophyceae) isolated from freshwater and soda lakes for biofuel production | Selvarajan R., Felföldi T., Tauber T., Sanniyasi E., Sibanda T., Tekere M. | 2015 | Energies | 8 | 7 | 10.3390/en8077502 | Department of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida, South Africa; Department of Microbiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter stny. 1/c., Budapest, Hungary; Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, Presidency College, University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India | Selvarajan, R., Department of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida, South Africa, Department of Microbiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter stny. 1/c., Budapest, Hungary, Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, Presidency College, University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India; Felföldi, T., Department of Microbiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter stny. 1/c., Budapest, Hungary; Tauber, T., Department of Microbiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter stny. 1/c., Budapest, Hungary; Sanniyasi, E., Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, Presidency College, University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India; Sibanda, T., Department of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida, South Africa; Tekere, M., Department of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida, South Africa | Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that can produce lipids, proteins and carbohydrates in large amounts and within short periods of time and these can be processed into both biofuels and other useful commercial products. Due to this reason microalgae are considered as a potential source of renewable energy; and one of the most important decisions in obtaining oil from microalgae is the choice of species. In this study, the potential of Chlorophyceae species isolated from freshwater and soda lakes in Hungary and Romania (Central Europe) were characterized and evaluated by determining their biomass accumulation, lipid productivity, fatty acid profiles, and biodiesel properties besides protein and carbohydrate productivity. Out of nine strains tested, three accumulated more than 40% dry weight of protein, four accumulated more than 30% dry weight of carbohydrate and the strain Chlorella vulgaris LC8 accumulated high lipid content (42.1% ± 2.6%) with a favorable C16-C18 fatty acid profile (77.4%) as well as suitable biodiesel properties of high cetane number (57.3), low viscosity (4.7 mm2/s), lower iodine number (75.18 g I<inf>2</inf>/100 g), relative cloud point (8.8 °C) and negative cold filter plugging point (-6.5 °C). Hence the new strain, Chlorella vulgaris LC8 has potential as a feedstock for the production of excellent quality biodiesel. | Biofuel; Fatty acids; Fresh water; Microalgae; Soda lake | Algae; Biodiesel; Biofuels; Carbohydrates; Lakes; Microorganisms; Productivity; Proteins; Water; Biodiesel properties; Biomass accumulation; Cold filter plugging point; Fresh Water; Lipid productivities; Micro-algae; Photosynthetic microorganisms; Soda lakes; Fatty acids | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84922418256 | Comparative study on the impact of copper sulphate and copper nitrate on the detoxification mechanisms in typha latifolia | Lyubenova L., Bipuah H., Belford E., Michalke B., Winkler B., Schröder P. | 2015 | Environmental Science and Pollution Research | 22 | 1 | 10.1007/s11356-014-3402-x | Department of Environmental Seienees, Researeh Unit Mierobe-Plant Interaetions, German Researeh Center for Environmental Health, Helmholtz Zentrum Münehen, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, Neuherberg, Germany; Department of Theoretieal and Applied Biology, College of Seienee, Kwame Nkrumah University of Seienee and Teehnology, Kumasi, Ghana; German Researeh Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Eeologieal Chemistry, Helmholtz Zentrum Münehen, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, Neuherberg, Germany; Department of Environmental Seienees, Researeh Unit Environmental Simulation, German Researeh Center for Environmental Health,Helmholtz Zentrum Münehen, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, Neuherberg, Germany | Lyubenova, L., Department of Environmental Seienees, Researeh Unit Mierobe-Plant Interaetions, German Researeh Center for Environmental Health, Helmholtz Zentrum Münehen, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, Neuherberg, Germany; Bipuah, H., Department of Theoretieal and Applied Biology, College of Seienee, Kwame Nkrumah University of Seienee and Teehnology, Kumasi, Ghana; Belford, E., Department of Theoretieal and Applied Biology, College of Seienee, Kwame Nkrumah University of Seienee and Teehnology, Kumasi, Ghana; Michalke, B., German Researeh Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Eeologieal Chemistry, Helmholtz Zentrum Münehen, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, Neuherberg, Germany; Winkler, B., Department of Environmental Seienees, Researeh Unit Environmental Simulation, German Researeh Center for Environmental Health,Helmholtz Zentrum Münehen, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, Neuherberg, Germany; Schröder, P., Department of Environmental Seienees, Researeh Unit Mierobe-Plant Interaetions, German Researeh Center for Environmental Health, Helmholtz Zentrum Münehen, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, Neuherberg, Germany | The present study focused on cupric sulphate and cupric nitrate uptake in Typha latifolia and the impact of these copper species on the plant's detoxification capacity. When the plants were exposed to 10, 50 and 100 (oMcupric sulphate or cupric nitrate, copper accumulation in T. latifolia roots and shoots increased with rising concentration of the salts. Shoot to root ratios differed significantly depending on the form of copper supplementation, e.g. if it was added as cupric (II) sulphate or cupric (II) nitrate. After incubation with 100 \iM of cupric sulphate, up to 450 mg Cu/kg fresh weight (FW) was accumulated, whereas the same concentration of cupric nitrate resulted in accumulation of 580 mg/kg FW. Furthermore, significant differences in the activity of some antioxidative enzymes in Typha roots compared to the shoots, which are essential in the plant's reaction to cope with metal stress, were observed. The activity of peroxidase (POX) in roots was increased at intermediate concentrations (10 and 50 |oM) of CuSO<inf>4</inf>, whereas it was inhibited at the same Cu(NO<inf>3</inf>)<inf>2</inf> concentrations. Ascorbate peroxidase (APOX) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) increased their enzyme activity intensely, which may be an indication for copper toxicity in T latifolia plants. Besides, fluorodifen conjugation by glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) was increased up to. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014. | Antioxidative enzymes; Cupric nitrate; Cupric sulphate; Typha latifolia | concentration (composition); copper compound; detoxification; enzyme activity; monocotyledon; nitrate; reaction kinetics; sulfate; toxicity; Typha; Typha latifolia | FA0995, DAAD, German Academic Exchange Service |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940403805 | Impact of seasonal variation on Escherichia coli concentrations in the riverbed sediments in the Apies River, South Africa | Abia A.L.K., Ubomba-Jaswa E., Momba M.N.B. | 2015 | Science of the Total Environment | 537 | None | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.07.132 | Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Arcadia Campus, 175 Nelson Mandela Drive, Pretoria, South Africa; Natural Resources and the Environment, CSIR, PO Box 395, Pretoria, South Africa | Abia, A.L.K., Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Arcadia Campus, 175 Nelson Mandela Drive, Pretoria, South Africa; Ubomba-Jaswa, E., Natural Resources and the Environment, CSIR, PO Box 395, Pretoria, South Africa; Momba, M.N.B., Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Arcadia Campus, 175 Nelson Mandela Drive, Pretoria, South Africa | Many South Africans living in resource-poor settings with little or no access to pipe-borne water still rely on rivers as alternative water sources for drinking and other purposes. The poor microbial quality of such water bodies calls for appropriate monitoring. However, routine monitoring only takes into consideration the microbial quality of the water column, and does not include monitoring of the riverbed sediments for microbial pollution. This study sought to investigate the microbial quality of riverbed sediments in the Apies River, Gauteng Province, South Africa, using Escherichia coli as a faecal indicator organism and to investigate the impact of seasonal variation on its abundance. Weekly samples were collected at 10 sampling sites on the Apies River between May and August 2013 (dry season) and between January and February 2014 (wet season). E. coli was enumerated using the Colilert®-18 Quanti-Tray® 2000 system. All sites tested positive for E. coli. Wastewater treatment work effluents had the highest negative impact on the river water quality. Seasonal variations had an impact on the concentration of E. coli both in water and sediments with concentrations increasing during the wet season. A strong positive correlation was observed between temperature and the E. coli concentrations. We therefore conclude that the sediments of the Apies River are heavily polluted with faecal indicator bacteria and could also harbour other microorganisms including pathogens. The release of such pathogens into the water column as a result of the resuspension of sediments due to extreme events like floods or human activities could increase the health risk of the populations using the untreated river water for recreation and other household purposes. There is therefore an urgent need to reconsider and review the current South African guidelines for water quality monitoring to include sediments, so as to protect human health and other aquatic lives. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. | Escherichia coli; Faecal pollution; Microbiological quality; Riverbed sediments; Seasonal variation | Effluents; Escherichia coli; Health risks; Pollution; Potable water; Rivers; Sediments; Surface waters; Wastewater treatment; Water pollution; Water quality; Water resources; Alternative water sources; Faecal indicator bacteria; Faecal indicator organisms; Faecal pollutions; Microbiological quality; Riverbed sediments; Seasonal variation; Wastewater treatment works; River pollution; river water; bioaccumulation; biomonitoring; coliform bacterium; concentration (composition); fluvial deposit; health risk; human activity; river bed; seasonal variation; sediment pollution; analytical equipment; Article; concentration (parameters); controlled study; dry season; environmental impact; Escherichia coli; feces microflora; flooding; health hazard; human activities; microbial quality; microbiological parameters; nonhuman; particle resuspension; population abundance; priority journal; quality control; river ecosystem; rural area; sampling; season; seasonal variation; sediment; South Africa; waste water management; water quality; water temperature; wet season; environmental monitoring; Escherichia coli; growth, development and aging; microbiology; river; sediment; water quality; Gauteng; South Africa; Bacteria (microorganisms); Escherichia coli; Environmental Monitoring; Escherichia coli; Geologic Sediments; Rivers; Seasons; South Africa; Water Microbiology; Water Quality | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84940960972 | Population Growth and Its Impact on the Design Capacity and Performance of the Wastewater Treatment Plants in Sedibeng and Soshanguve, South Africa | Teklehaimanot G.Z., Kamika I., Coetzee M.A.A., Momba M.N.B. | 2015 | Environmental Management | 56 | 4 | 10.1007/s00267-015-0564-3 | Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Sciences, Water Care Unit, TUT, Private Bag X680, 175 Nelson Mandela Drive, Arcadia Campus, Pretoria, South Africa | Teklehaimanot, G.Z., Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Sciences, Water Care Unit, TUT, Private Bag X680, 175 Nelson Mandela Drive, Arcadia Campus, Pretoria, South Africa; Kamika, I., Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Sciences, Water Care Unit, TUT, Private Bag X680, 175 Nelson Mandela Drive, Arcadia Campus, Pretoria, South Africa; Coetzee, M.A.A., Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Sciences, Water Care Unit, TUT, Private Bag X680, 175 Nelson Mandela Drive, Arcadia Campus, Pretoria, South Africa; Momba, M.N.B., Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Sciences, Water Care Unit, TUT, Private Bag X680, 175 Nelson Mandela Drive, Arcadia Campus, Pretoria, South Africa | This study investigated the effects of population growth on the performance of the targeted wastewater treatment plants in Sedibeng District and Soshanguve peri-urban area, South Africa. The impact of population growth was assessed in terms of plant design, operational capacity (flow rate) and other treatment process constraints. Between 2001 and 2007, the number of households connected to the public sewerage service increased by 15.5, 17.2 and 37.8 % in Emfuleni, Lesedi and Midvaal Local Municipalities, respectively. Soshanguve revealed a 50 % increment in the number of households connected to the sewerage system between 1996 and 2001. Except for Sandspruit (−393.8 %), the rate of influent flows received by Meyerton increased by 6.8 ML/day (67.8 %) and 4.7 ML/day (46.8 %) during the dry and wet seasons, respectively. The flow rate appeared to increase during the wet season by 6.8 ML/day (19.1 %) in Leeuwkuil and during the dry season by 0.8 ML/day (3.9 %) in Rietgat. Underperformance of the existing wastewater treatment plants suggests that the rapid population growth in urban and peri-urban areas (hydraulic overloading of the wastewater treatment plants) and operational constraints (overflow rate, retention time, oxygen supply capacity of the plants and chlorine contact time) resulted in the production of poor quality effluents in both selected areas. This investigation showed that the inefficiency of Meyerton Wastewater Treatment Plant was attributed to the population growth (higher volumes of wastewater generated) and operational constraints, while the cause of underperformance in the other three treatment plants was clearly technical (operational). © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York. | Nitrification; Population growth; Wastewater treatment; Water pollution | Chemicals removal (water treatment); Effluents; Flow rate; Nitrification; Oxygen supply; Population statistics; Reclamation; Sewage pumping plants; Sewers; Toxicity; Urban growth; Water pollution; Water treatment; Water treatment plants; Dry and wet seasons; Operational capacity; Operational constraints; Population growth; Rapid population growth; Sewerage services; Treatment process; Wastewater treatment plants; Wastewater treatment; chlorine; nitrate; phosphate; phosphorus; storm water; absorption; activated sludge; aeration; aquatic environment; Article; bacterial growth; chemical oxygen demand; chlorination; climate; concentration (parameters); controlled study; denitrification; disinfection; environmental sanitation; Escherichia coli; flow rate; health hazard; household; human; nitrification; nonhuman; oxidation; oxygenation; population growth; population size; public health; seasonal variation; sedimentation rate; sewage effluent; South Africa; suspended particulate matter; waste water management; waste water treatment plant; water pollution | 87310, NRF, National Research Foundation of Korea |
| None | None | Current performance of food safety management systems of dairy processing companies in Tanzania | Kussaga J.B., Luning P.A., Tiisekwa B.P.M., Jacxsens L. | 2015 | International Journal of Dairy Technology | 68 | 2 | 10.1111/1471-0307.12183 | Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3006, Morogoro, Tanzania; Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Laboratory of Food Preservation and Food Microbiology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Ghent, Coupure Links, 653, Ghent, Belgium; Food Quality and Design Group, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, Wageningen, Netherlands | Kussaga, J.B., Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3006, Morogoro, Tanzania, Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Laboratory of Food Preservation and Food Microbiology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Ghent, Coupure Links, 653, Ghent, Belgium; Luning, P.A., Food Quality and Design Group, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, Wageningen, Netherlands; Tiisekwa, B.P.M., Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3006, Morogoro, Tanzania; Jacxsens, L., Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Laboratory of Food Preservation and Food Microbiology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Ghent, Coupure Links, 653, Ghent, Belgium | A food safety management system (FSMS)-diagnostic instrument was applied in 22 dairy processing companies to analyse the set-up and operation of core control and assurance activities in view of the risk characteristics of the systems' context. Three clusters of companies were identified differing in levels of set-up and operation of this FSMS and system outputs, but all operated in a similar moderate-risk context. Microbiological assessment of products, environmental and hand samples indicated a poor to moderate food safety level. A two stage intervention approach has been proposed to enable commitment and sustainable improvement for the longer term. © 2014 Society of Dairy Technology. | Food safety; Food safety management system; Intervention measures; Microbiological performance; Tanzania dairy industry | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930194290 | Impact of tea drinking upon tuberculosis: A neglected issue | Chen M., Deng J., Li W., Lin D., Su C., Wang M., Li X., Abuaku B.K., Tan H., Wen S.W. | 2015 | BMC Public Health | 15 | 1 | 10.1186/s12889-015-1855-6 | Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Children's Hospital, Ziyuan RD 86, Changsha, Hunan, China; Department of Nursing, Shaoyang Medical College, Shaoyang, Hunan, China; Yueyanglou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Yueyang, Hunan, China; Department of Epidemiology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, P O, Box LG581, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa Hospital, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, Canada | Chen, M., Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China, Hunan Children's Hospital, Ziyuan RD 86, Changsha, Hunan, China; Deng, J., Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Li, W., Department of Nursing, Shaoyang Medical College, Shaoyang, Hunan, China; Lin, D., Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Su, C., Yueyanglou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Yueyang, Hunan, China; Wang, M., Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Li, X., Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Abuaku, B.K., Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China, Department of Epidemiology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, P O, Box LG581, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Tan, H., Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Wen, S.W., Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa Hospital, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, Canada | Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a global public health issue posing serious harm to the human health. Many studies have suggested that smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are risk factors for TB. Laboratory evidence suggests that EGCG in tea leaves can arrest the growth of tubercle bacillus. Can drinking tea lead to decreased susceptibility of TB in humans? Methods: A total of 574 TB patients and 582 healthy controls were recruited to participate in this case-control study. Self-designed questionnaire was used to collect data. Unconditioned logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the associations between tea drinking and TB. Results: Tea drinking has a negative association with TB, with OR∈=∈0.583(0.423, 0.804) and P∈<∈0.05. Drinking black tea, oolong and green tea are all negative association with TB, with OR being 0.683(0.517, 0.902), 0.674(0.508, 0.894) and 0.534(0.349, 0.817) respectively and P∈<∈0.05. Trend χ 2 test indicated a decreasing risk for TB with increased tea consumption, with P∈<∈0.05. Conclusion: There is a significance negative association between tea drinking and TB. Promoting the consumption of tea as the daily drink among populations, particularly those with high TB risk, may reduce the incidence of TB in the populations. © 2015 Chen et al.; licensee BioMed Central. | tea; Tuberculosis | tea; adult; aged; case control study; female; human; incidence; male; middle aged; risk factor; tea; tuberculosis; young adult; Adult; Aged; Case-Control Studies; Female; Humans; Incidence; Male; Middle Aged; Risk Factors; Tea; Tuberculosis; Young Adult | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84937633093 | Participatory appraisal of the impact of epizootic lymphangitis in Ethiopia | Scantlebury C.E., Zerfu A., Pinchbeck G.P., Reed K., Gebreab F., Aklilu N., Mideksa K., Christley R. | 2015 | Preventive Veterinary Medicine | 120 | 42433 | 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2015.03.012 | Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, United Kingdom; SPANA Ethiopia, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, University of Addis Ababa, Debre Zeit Campus, Ethiopia; SPANA UK, John Street, London, United Kingdom; Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; The Brooke, United Kingdom | Scantlebury, C.E., Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, United Kingdom; Zerfu, A., SPANA Ethiopia, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, University of Addis Ababa, Debre Zeit Campus, Ethiopia, Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Pinchbeck, G.P., Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, United Kingdom; Reed, K., SPANA UK, John Street, London, United Kingdom, The Brooke, United Kingdom; Gebreab, F., SPANA UK, John Street, London, United Kingdom; Aklilu, N., SPANA UK, John Street, London, United Kingdom; Mideksa, K., SPANA UK, John Street, London, United Kingdom; Christley, R., Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, United Kingdom | Epizootic lymphangitis (EZL) is reported to have a significant impact upon livelihoods within resource-poor settings. This study used a participatory approach to explore peoples' experiences of EZL and examine the perceived impact of disease, owner knowledge and understanding of EZL, lay management of disease and, attitudes and strategies towards disease prevention.Focus-group discussions were held with 358 cart-horse owners and drivers recruited from 7 towns attended by SPANA (Society for the protection of animals abroad) mobile veterinary clinics and 2 unexposed towns where no SPANA clinics were available. Focus group discussions explored four main research questions: (1) Is EZL recognised by animal owners, and is this considered an important disease in equids? (2) What factors do animal owners associate with the development of disease? (3) What happens to an animal with clinical disease and how does this impact upon the owner/community? (4) Are measures taken to reduce disease occurrence? These key areas were explored using photographs, disease ranking, matrices and open discussion. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.The results are presented thematically and include: recognition and descriptions of EZL, treatment strategies used, disease priorities and ranking, impact of disease, disease transmission and attitudes and approaches to disease prevention.EZL was widely recognised and ranked highly as an important disease of equids. However, there was uncertainty around identifying early cases of EZL, and this could impact upon the timing of initiating treatment and separating potentially infectious animals. People had varying knowledge of effective methods for disease prevention and reported particular difficulties with isolating infected animals.The impact of EZL was multi-dimensional and encompassed effects upon the horse, the individual owner and the wider society. Working equids provide a vital utility and source of income to many people in resource-poor settings. Often, infection with EZL resulted in a reduction in working ability which had a direct impact upon the livelihoods of owners and their dependent family members. EZL also impacted upon the welfare of the horse as sick animals continued to be worked and, in advanced cases, horses were abandoned due to ineffective or unavailable treatment.This study conceptualises the importance of EZL due to the effects of the disease on the horse and its impact upon human livelihoods. Epizootic lymphangitis is a neglected disease that requires further investigation in order to develop practical and sustainable disease control strategies within endemic regions. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. | Disease prevention; Epizootic lymphangitis; Participatory research; Qualitative analysis; Resource-poor settings; Working equids | Animalia; Equidae | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84930798881 | The patient impact of point-of-care vs. Laboratory placement of XpertW MTB/RIF | Hanrahan C.F., Clouse K., Bassett J., Mutunga L., Selibas K., Stevens W., Scott L., Sanne I., Van Rie A. | 2015 | International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease | 19 | 7 | 10.5588/ijtld.15.0013 | Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa; Clinical HIV Research Unit, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, United States | Hanrahan, C.F., Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, United States; Clouse, K., Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Bassett, J., Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa; Mutunga, L., Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa; Selibas, K., Clinical HIV Research Unit, Johannesburg, South Africa; Stevens, W., Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; Scott, L., National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; Sanne, I., Clinical HIV Research Unit, Johannesburg, South Africa; Van Rie, A., Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States | BACKGROUND: The Xpertw MTB/RIF assay can diagnose tuberculosis (TB) rapidly and with great accuracy. The effect of Xpert placement at point of care (POC) vs. at an off-site laboratory on patient management remains unknown. DESIGN : At a primary care clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa, we compared TB diagnosis and treatment initiation among 1861 individuals evaluated for pulmonary TB using Xpert performed either at POC or offsite. RESULT S : When Xpert was performed at POC, a higher proportion of Xpert-positive individuals started treatment (95% vs. 87%< P = 0.047) and time to treatment initiation was shorter (median 0 vs. 5 days, P < 0.001). In contrast, among Xpert-negative TB cases, a higher proportion (87% vs. 72%< P=0.001) started treatment when the sample was sent to the laboratory, with a shorter time to treatment (median 9 vs. 13 days, P = 0.056). While the overall proportion of presumed TB patients starting treatment was independent of Xpert placement, the proportion started based on a bacteriologically confirmed diagnosis was higher when Xpert was performed at POC (73% vs. 58% < P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Placement of Xpert at POC resulted in more Xpert-positive patients receiving treatment, but did not increase the total number of presumed TB patients starting treatment. When samples were sent to a laboratory for Xpert testing, empiric decision making increased. © 2015 The Union. | Diagnostics; South Africa; Tuberculosis | tuberculostatic agent; adult; Article; cohort analysis; comparative study; controlled clinical trial; controlled study; diagnostic accuracy; diagnostic error; female; health service; human; Human immunodeficiency virus infected patient; laboratory diagnosis; lung tuberculosis; major clinical study; male; medical decision making; offsite laboratory placement; point of care testing; priority journal; prospective study; South Africa; time to treatment; tuberculosis rapid test; turnaround time | AID-674-A-12-00033, USAID, United States Agency for International Development |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84960323743 | Impact of borrower’s attributes on mortgage default: Evidence from Nigerian lending market | Oyedokun T.B., Adewusi A.O., Bello M.O. | 2015 | Pacific Rim Property Research Journal | 21 | 3 | 10.1080/14445921.2016.1140713 | Department of Estate Management, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria | Oyedokun, T.B., Department of Estate Management, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; Adewusi, A.O., Department of Estate Management, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; Bello, M.O., Department of Estate Management, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria | The need for proper identification of mortgage default factors has become a major focus of mortgage researches given the debilitating effect of default on mortgage market and real estate finance in particular. This paper therefore analyses the socioeconomic attributes of borrowers as default triggers in residential mortgages of Primary Mortgage Institutions (PMIs) in Nigeria. Relevant data were collected on profiles of 305 borrowers randomly drawn from the credit databank of 36 PMIs. Using logistic regression (LR), payment-to-income ratio, type and sex of borrowers are found as significant mortgage default factors. With 68.2% overall prediction accuracy, LR is found appropriate for mortgage default prediction. However, the findings of this study also signal the complexity that is inherent employing socioeconomic factors for default probability prediction. © 2016 Pacific Rim Real Estate Society. | Borrower; Default; Mortgage; Payment-to-income; PMIs | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84953733024 | Evaluation of the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of ethanol extract of the root of Mimosa Pigra Linn (fabaceae) in albino rats | Shorinwa O.A., Ubele C., Ukwueze S.E. | 2015 | International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences | 7 | 7 | None | Department of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria | Shorinwa, O.A., Department of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Ubele, C., Department of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Ukwueze, S.E., Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria | Objective: Mimosa pigra roots are used in traditional medicine in the treatment of fever, headaches and cold. This study investigated the ethanol extract of the root of Mimosa pigra for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities in albino rats. Methods: The analgesic activity was evaluated by radiant heat tail flick method while the anti-inflammatory effect was investigated using fresh egg albumin induced paw edema in rats. The plant extract was evaluated at 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg. All administrations were done through the oral route. Results: Preliminary phytochemical screening showed that the extract contains; steroids, tannins, flavonoids, phlobatanins, saponins. The LD50 was found to be greater than 5000 mg/kg. The results showed that oral administration of 250 mg/kg of Mimosa pigra showed significantly (P<0.05) analgesic activity in30, 60 and 150 minutes while 500 mg/kg produced significantly (P<0.05) analgesic activity in 30, 60, 120 and 150 minutes. The two tested doses (250 mg/kg and500 mg/kg) were found to produce percentage inhibition of rat paw edema (42.60% and 49%) at 150 minutes compared to the positive control group of 63.20%. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that the ethanol extract of this plant possesses significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. © 2015, International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science. All right resurved. | Analgesic; Anti-inflammatory; Ethanol; Mimosa pigra; Phytochemical | acetylsalicylic acid; alcohol; flavonoid; indometacin; Mimosa pigra extract; ovalbumin; phlobatannin; plant extract; saponin; steroid; tannin; triterpene; unclassified drug; analgesic activity; animal experiment; animal model; animal tissue; antiinflammatory activity; Article; controlled study; experimental paw edema; female; LD50; male; Mimosa; nonhuman; phytochemistry; plant root; rat; tail flick test; toxicity testing | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84954451101 | Integration of non-communicable chronic diseases (Ncds) and hiv/aids and mental health care through the involvement of chronically ill patients using empowerment evaluation | Van Deventer C. | 2015 | South African Family Practice | 57 | 6 | None | Department of Family Medicine and Rural Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | Van Deventer, C., Department of Family Medicine and Rural Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | Background: The emphasis in health care in South Africa is gradually shifting to acknowledge the different roles patients have regarding their own care. There is, however, very little evidence of this practice and of related practical outcomes. Methods: In the North West province, empowerment evaluation was used as the vehicle for patient engagement in integrating and improving services for chronically ill patients, namely those with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), HIV and mental illnesses at primary health care (PHC) clinics. This research was designed as an additional intervention in an ongoing quality improvement (QI) cycle, which had started in 2007. Empowerment evaluation shares many participatory action research qualities with an emphasis on collaboration, emancipation and the creation of new knowledge but with the additional aspect of evaluating and monitoring the processes that have been co-developed. Results: After 62 visits to 9 facilities over a year and after capturing 332 patient and health worker opinions and ideas, many interventions were implemented leading to improved flow at clinics, a heightened awareness of good services, interesting performance-measuring tools and patient/staff teams that acknowledged their symbiotic strength. Objective measurements comparing clinics that had been exposed to the Integrated Chronic Disease Model (ICDM, which is explained in the article) and those with the collaborative patient/staff groups showed no significant difference in clinical outcomes or waiting times. However, waiting time had improved across one sub-district. This may be because the ICDM clinics have been functioning for four years and the research clinics for only one year. There have also been many external influences on the project, such as a number of new doctors appointed at clinics, under the National Health Insurance pilot project, a high turnover of staff, a new chronic drug policy, stable patients being able to access their medication at external ‘pick-up points’ and others. Conclusions: It was found that the potential of patients and patient–staff collaboration are being under-utilised in a resourcestrained sector where the harnessing of this potential might contribute positively towards QI in health. © 2015 The Author(s). | Chronic illness; Empowerment evaluation; Health systems improvement; Patient involvement | acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Article; blood pressure; CD4 lymphocyte count; chronic disease; doctor patient relation; evaluation study; glucose blood level; health auxiliary; health care quality; health center; health personnel attitude; human; medical staff; mental health care; non communicable chronic disease; patient; patient autonomy; patient empowerment; patient participation; patient satisfaction; primary health care; total quality management; virus load | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84924283498 | Mega-sporting events: The impact on host stock markets and investment prospects | Mohamed S., Oettlé T., Stewart S. | 2015 | Corporate Ownership and Control | 12 | 2Continued2 | None | Department of Finance and Tax, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa | Mohamed, S., Department of Finance and Tax, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Oettlé, T., Department of Finance and Tax, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa; Stewart, S., Department of Finance and Tax, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa | The success of mega-sporting events such as the Summer Olympics and the FIFA World Cup brings pride and a focus to their host nations. This paper aims to find the effects of the announcement and the actual event on the host stock market. It then recommends an investment strategy. The paper finds that the announcement of the Olympics and World Cup creates statistically significant abnormal returns and the actual sporting event has little effect on the stock market. By factoring size of the economy, it is found that smaller economies tend to have larger abnormal returns than bigger economies. We then provide recommendation on investment strategies in order to exploit the significant abnormal return on the day of the World Cup announcement. © 2015, Virtus Interpress. All rights reserved. | Investment prospects; Mega-sporting events; Stock markets | None | None |
| Scopus | 2-s2.0-84943611171 | Benchmarking: Business strategy to improve environmental performance | Doorasamy M. | 2015 | Investment Management and Financial Innovations | 12 | 2 | None | Department of Financial Accounting, Mangosuthu University of Technology, South Africa | Doorasamy, M., Department of Financial Accounting, Mangosuthu University of Technology, South Africa | A growing number of organizations have failed to realize that environmental strategies should be incorporated as part of the organizations corporate business strategies, to ensure their sustainable competitive advantage. Future sustainability |