Diversity of selective and non-selective fishing gear and their impact on the White Nile River, Khartoum State, Sudan

This survey was conducted in Al-Kalakla Fishery (KF) and Jabel Awlia Dam Fishery (JADF) in the White Nile River, Khartoum state to identify the selective and non-selective fishing gear. The results showed the selective fishing gear represented by gill-nets and seine nets (beach nets) in both fisheries with clear variation in use. In KF, fixed nets were dominant (56%) in fishing and followed by drift net (33%), while cast nets were absent in this fishery. In JADF, fixed nets were dominant (63%) in use and followed by cast nets (14%). The average net length was 150 m with width 1.5 m. Non-selective fishing gear was luring gear represented by long-lines (Sareema and Jago). Average length of long-lines was 200 m with 200 hooks in both KF and JADF. Results showed selective tendency of particular mesh sizes of gill-nets in both KF and JADF towards some fish species as: Nile Perch (Lates niloticus L. 1758), Bayad (Bagrus bayad, Forskal, 1775), Kabarous (Bagrus docmak, Forskal, 1775), and large sizes of Dabis (Labeo niloticus, Forskal, 1775) were caught by fixed nets. Bulti (Tilapias), small sizes of Dabis (Labeo niloticus) and Gargur (Synodontis schall, Bloch and Schneider, 1801) were caught mostly by drift nets around breeding grounds and cast nets. Kas (Hydrocynus forskalii, Cuvier 1819), Kawara (Alestes dentex L. 1758) and Shilba (Schilbe intermedius, Ruppel, 1832) were caught by seine nets.Keywords: Fishing gear, gill nets, seine nets, cast nets, long-lines

The Flexible Group Spatial Keyword Query

We present a new class of service for location based social networks, called the Flexible Group Spatial Keyword Query, which enables a group of users to collectively find a point of interest (POI) that optimizes an aggregate cost function combining both spatial distances and keyword similarities. In addition, our query service allows users to consider the tradeoffs between obtaining a sub-optimal solution for the entire group and obtaining an optimimized solution but only for a subgroup. We propose algorithms to process three variants of the query: (i) the group nearest neighbor with keywords query, which finds a POI that optimizes the aggregate cost function for the whole group of size n, (ii) the subgroup nearest neighbor with keywords query, which finds the optimal subgroup and a POI that optimizes the aggregate cost function for a given subgroup size m (m <= n), and (iii) the multiple subgroup nearest neighbor with keywords query, which finds optimal subgroups and corresponding POIs for each of the subgroup sizes in the range [m, n]. We design query processing algorithms based on branch-and-bound and best-first paradigms. Finally, we provide theoretical bounds and conduct extensive experiments with two real datasets which verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed algorithms.Comment: 12 page

Pyloric atresia epidermolysis bullosa aplasia cutis syndrome: a case report and literature review

The association between epidermolysis bullosa and congenital pyloric atresia is rare, but is a known distinct clinical entity with autosomal recessive inheritance. We report on a case of a baby girl born by cesarean section at 37 weeks’ gestation to a G7 P7 mother and weighed 2.84 kg. At birth, there was denuded skin over the right leg from the knee joint up to the middle of the right foot. Abdominal radiograph was thus performed and indicated absent gas in the small bowel and single bubble appearance of the stomach. Pyloric atresia was surgically corrected. Electron microscopy of skin biopsies showed junctional epidermolysis bullosa. There was typical nail dystrophy and no corneal lesions; ultrasonography for the renal system was normal. At 4 months of age, the baby required gastrostomy and fundoplication for severe failure to thrive. Six weeks after her second surgical procedure, the patient presented to the emergency room dead; the parents provided a typical scenario of sudden infant death syndrome at home. Examination indicated no signs of child abuse; the parents refused an autopsy exam for the child.Keywords: aplasia cutis syndrome, epidermolysis bullosa, pyloric atresi

Effect of Lime, Magnesium and Boron on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Their Residual Effects on Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.)

The study was carried out during 2007-2008 season in the research field of Wheat Research Centre, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Dinajpur to know the effect of lime, Magnesium (Mg) and Boron (B) on yield and yield components of wheat and also their residual effect on mungbean. The geographical position of the area is between 25°62´ N, 88°63´ E and 38.20 meter above sea level. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications, both in wheat and mungbean. Treatments for wheat were (I) recommended fertilizer + Mg + B, (II) recommended fertilizer + lime + B + Mg, (III) recommended fertilizer + lime + Mg, (IV) recommended fertilizer + lime + B and (V) control (Only recommended fertilizer) and for mungbean were (I) recommended fertilizer + Mg + B, (II) 75% of recommended dose, (III) recommended fertilizer + B, (IV) recommended fertilizer + Mg and (V) control (without fertilizers). Results showed that the highest yield and yield components of wheat were recorded from recommended fertilizers + lime + B + Mg treated plot and the second highest were recorded from recommended fertilizers + lime + Mg treated plot. The lowest was recorded in control plot (only recommended fertilized). In case of mungbean the highest was found from recommended fertilizers + B treated plot, this treatment was limed in previously cultivated wheat crop and the lowest was recorded from control plot (without fertilizer). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/ijarit.v1i1-2.13923 Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. &amp; Tech. 1 (1&amp;2): 9-15, December, 201

Oesophageal candidiasis in an immunocompetent adult, an adverse effect of antibiotic therapy following cardiac surgery: Case report and review of literature

Dysphagia following cardiac surgery is a frequently encountered problem, being most commonly due to the sternotomy incision and/or prolonged intubation. Oesophageal candidiasis is an increasing problem that is usually associated with immunosuppression or immunodeficiency. We report a 59 years age, immunocompetent lady whom had developed dysphagia and odynophagia following open cardiac surgery and long term course of antibiotics. Diagnosis of Candida oesophagitis was established after radiological, endoscopic and microbiological evidence, and successful treatment with combined topical and systemic antifungal therapy was achieved. Possibility of immunodeficiency was excluded. We believe that this lady developed oesophageal candidiasis due to a long term course of broad spectrum antibiotics. We discuss the various diagnostic modalities and treatment options

Local population and regional environmental drivers of cholera in Bangladesh

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Regional environmental factors have been shown to be related to cholera. Previous work in Bangladesh found that temporal patterns of cholera are positively related to satellite-derived environmental variables including ocean chlorophyll concentration (OCC).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This paper investigates whether local socio-economic status (SES) modifies the effect of regional environmental forces. The study area is Matlab, Bangladesh, an area of approximately 200,000 people with an active health and demographic surveillance system. Study data include (1) spatially-referenced demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population; (2) satellite-derived variables for sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height (SSH), and OCC; and (3) laboratory confirmed cholera case data for the entire population. Relationships between cholera, the environmental variables, and SES are measured using generalized estimating equations with a logit link function. Additionally two separate seasonal models are built because there are two annual cholera epidemics, one pre-monsoon, and one post-monsoon.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>SES has a significant impact on cholera occurrence: the higher the SES score, the lower the occurrence of cholera. There is a significant negative association between cholera incidence and SSH during the pre-monsoon period but not for the post-monsoon period. OCC is positively associated with cholera during the pre-monsoon period but not for the post-monsoon period. SST is not related to cholera incidence.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Overall, it appears cholera is influenced by regional environmental variables during the pre-monsoon period and by local-level variables (e.g., water and sanitation) during the post-monsoon period. In both pre- and post-monsoon seasons, SES significantly influences these patterns, likely because it is a proxy for poor water quality and sanitation in poorer households.</p

Graphene oxide exhibits differential mechanistic action towards Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria

The antibacterial nature of graphene oxide (GO) has stimulated wide interest in the medical field. Although the antibacterial activity of GO towards bacteria has been well studied, a deeper understanding of the mechanism of action of GO is still lacking. The objective of the study was to elucidate the difference in the interactions of GO towards Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The synthesized GO was characterized by Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), Raman and Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Viability, time-kill and Lactose Dehydrogenase (LDH) release assays were carried out along with FESEM, TEM and ATR-FTIR analysis of GO treated bacterial cells. Characterizations of synthesized GO confirmed the transition of graphene to GO and the antibacterial activity of GO was concentration and time-dependent. Loss of membrane integrity in bacteria was enhanced with increasing GO concentrations and this corresponded to the elevated release of LDH in the reaction medium. Surface morphology of GO treated bacterial culture showed apparent differences in the mechanism of action of GO towards Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria where cell entrapment was mainly observed for Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis whereas membrane disruption due to physical contact was noted for Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ATR-FTIR characterizations of the GO treated bacterial cells showed changes in the fatty acids, amide I and amide II of proteins, peptides and amino acid regions compared to untreated bacterial cells. Therefore, the data generated further enhance our understanding of the antibacterial activity of GO towards bacteria