Application of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for correcting multicollinearity and dimension reduction of morphological parameters in Bunaji Cows

This paper presents the application of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) on the dimension reduction of morphological variables. Sixteen morphological variables were measured from 50 multiparous Bunaji cows. The correlation amongst most of the morphological variables was very high suggesting severe multicollinearity. Therefore, PCA was applied to verify whether the collinear variables could be combined to form composite scores. The application of the PCA effectively reduced the dimensionality of the 16 morphological variables into four artificial composite variables (called principal components) which were uncorrelated and independent of each other with standardized means of zero and standard deviation of one and explained 90.45% of the variation in the original morphological data set. Therefore, PCA can be used to correct the problem of multicollinearity and dimension reduction of morphological data in multiple regression analysis.Keywords: principal component, correlation, communality, body indices, orthogonal varima

A Quantitative Study of the Effectiveness of Regulatory Policy in the Maryland Food Industry

Foodborne illness is a persistent problem in the food service industry. Restaurant inspections reveal that only 60-70% of restaurants are in compliance with health code requirements, which vary from state to state and county to county. In Maryland, 5 of the state\u27s 24 counties have a requirement that restaurants classified as medium- or high-priority food establishments must employ certified food managers (CFMs). It is unknown how this requirement has influenced the operation of the affected restaurants and the extent to which the requirement has resulted in improved food handling safety. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the effectiveness of CFMs in reducing the incidence of foodborne illness in Maryland counties. The study was based on the theory of planned behavior. The study was also based on the relationship between foodborne illness outbreaks and the presence of CFMs and the role such managers can play in reducing those outbreaks. Data were collected from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reports regarding foodborne illness outbreaks from 2004 to 2013. A total of 288 establishments were selected for analysis. Data analysis involved comparing results for the 5 counties that require CFMs with the 19 counties that lack this requirement. Results showed a significance difference of 0.008 (95% CI, 0.005), z = 4.71, p = 0.000 in the proportion of foodborne illness outbreaks between county restaurants that require CFMs and those without such a requirement. Social change implications include the potential to reduce the incidence of foodborne illness, thereby contributing to improved public health. The patrons who live in Maryland counties without onsite CFMs risk exposure to foodborne illness more than those living in counties with CFMs

Plummer’s nails (onycholysis) in an adolescent nigerian girl with hyperthyroidism due to Graves’ disease

This paper reported a case of a 16 years old Nigerian girl with Plummer’s nails associated with hyperthyroid­ism (Graves’ disease). The issue of excessive weight gain after therapy for the Graves’ disease was also discussed. Following therapy, the patient gained 7 Kg over a period of 5 months. The diagnosis of hyperthyroidism due to Graves’ disease was based on increased heart rate at rest, diffuse smooth goiter, mild ophthalmopathy, low TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) level, elevated T3 (triiodothyronine)and T4 (tetraiodothyronine) levels. The paper emphasized the need for clinicians to be alert to the possibility of nail changes in adolescents with thyroid diseases and watch out for weight gain following successful therapy

Genetic and Non Genetic Sources of Variation for Linear Body Conformation Traits in Bunaji and Friesian X Bunaji cows

The effects of Age of dam at calving, Sex of calf, Breed, Sire, month of calving and season of lactation on linear body conformation traits was investigated in the dairy herd of the National Animal Production Research Institute, Shika Zaria, Nigeria. Seven linear body conformation traits of 25 Bunaji and 25 crossbred (Friesian x Bunaji) cows were measured. The measurements were taken monthly by 3 evaluators for the complete lactation length of the cows, this resulted in 1275 cumulative records, (with 750 records from Friesian x Bunaji and 525 records from Bunaji). The 7 body conformation traits (stature, chest width, wither height, heart girth, body length, body depth and rump width) were measured in centimeter using flexible tape. The results showed that all the genetic and non genetic factors considered had significant effect (P<0.05) on the linear body conformation traits. However, there was no significant (P>0.05) variation amongst the evaluators in their measurements, except RW. The body size characteristics increased with age. The male bearing cows were relatively broader (CW, HG) and longer (BL) than the female bearing cows, though there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in their statures (ST) and the body depth (BD). The crossbred cows were taller (ST, HW) longer (BL), broader (CW, HG), but less deep (BD) than the pure Bunaji. The animals of season 1 were taller (ST, WH), deeper (BD) and longer (BL) than the others. However, animals of season 2 and 3 had similar body sizes (ST, CW, BD, WH, HG, BL and RW). It is therefore suggested that in selecting for body conformation these genetic and non genetic factors should be taken into consideration.Key words: Friesian x Bunaji, linear body conformation, evaluators, breed, sir

Evaluation of fertility traits of Friesian X Bunaji dairy cows

Data from 13 primaparous and 47 multiparous Friesian-Bunaji (F1)  crossbred cows were used to evaluate the reproductive performance of Friesian x Bunaji dairy cows. Four fertility traits; days to first insemination (DFI), days open (DO), Non-return rate 56 days after first insemination (NRR56) and numbers of insemination per conception (NIC) were analysed . The results revealed that the average days to first insemination (DFI), days open (DO) , number of insemination per conception (NIC), and non- return rate 56 days after first insemination (NRR56) were 122.29 days, 171.18 days, 1.64, and 61%, respectively. These traits were highly variability (CV = 54.01-80.90%). The effects of sire and sex of calf on the reproductive characteristics were not significant (p>0.05). The dam body condition score (BCS) had significant effect on all the reproductive characteristics. The DFI, DO and NIC decreased with increase in BCS. Dams with BCS of < 2.50 had longer DFI and DO, and required higher numberof inseminations before conception (NIC), while those with BCS of >3.50 had shorter DFI and DO with minimum number of insemination per  conception (1.00). Dam parity had no significant effect (p>0.05) on the reproductive characteristics except on NRR56 and NIC. However, the heifer had longer days to first insemination (DFI), and days open (DO) andrequired higher number of inseminations per conception than the older cows. Season of calving had no significant effect (p>0.05) on the reproductive characteristics except on NRR56. The cows that calved during the wet seasons (early and late dry) had higher NRR56 (69 – 71%), than those of the dry (early and late wet) seasons (40 – 59%). The reproductiveperformance of the cows depreciated significantly (p<0.05) within the 3 years (2010 - 2012) of this study; DFI increased from 88.47 to 131.49 days, DO increased from 80.39 to 269.14 days, NIC increased from 1.01 to 2.72, while the percentage non-return rate (NRR56) decreased from 86% to 42%.The heritability (h2) estimates for fertility traits was very low ranging from 0.014 to 0.087. Dam body condition score, parity, season and year of calving are important sources of variation in fertility traits of dairy cows. These results illustrate that environmental effects makes larger contributions to the variability of fertility traits than direct genetic effects, thus reproductive health and feeding management are very importantdeterminant of reproductive performance of dairy cows.Keywords: Fertility, Friesian x Bunaji cows, Parity, Body condition score, Season, Yea

1-(1-Benzofuran-2-yl)-3-(4-chloro­phen­yl)prop-2-en-1-one

In the title compound, C17H11ClO2, the benzofuran ring system is almost planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.011 Å) and forms a dihedral angle of 10.53 (6)° with the chloro­phenyl ring. No significant inter­molecular inter­actions are observed

EFFECT OF DAM PARITY ON MEASURES OF GROWTH IN RED SOKOTO GOATS AT 1, 3, 6, AND 9 MONTH OF AGE

Data on measures of growth (birth weight, body weight (BW), height-at-withers (HW), body length (BL) and heart girth (HG)) were taken in 1000 Red Sokoto goat kids belonging to smallholder farmers in Kano and environs. The data collected were analyzed to determine the effect of dam parity on measures of growth of kids at 1, 3, 6, and 9 month of age. The result revealed that parity had significant effect (P<0.01- 0.05) on birth weight and bodyweight of kids at 1,3, 6 and 9, month of age. The effect of dam parity on the linear body measurements ( HW,BL and CG) was significant (P<0.01- 0.05) at 1,3 and 6 month of age but not significant (P>0.05) at 9 month of age. Birth weight and bodyweight increased with parity up to the 5th parity and declined. Also kids of higher parity had larger body size (HW, BL, CG) than those of the lower parity. The significant effect of parity of dam on birth weight, body weight and linear body measurements in this study therefore, indicates that parity of dam is an important factor to consider in making appropriate selection and/ or culling decision in Red Sokoto goat

RELATIONSHIP OF PARITY AND SOME BREEDING CHARACTERISTICS IN RED SOKOTO GOATS

Data on some breeding characteristics; litter size (LS) kidding interval (KI), dam mating weight (Mwt), Kidding weight(Kwt) and 60 day post kidding weight(60dPKwt) as well as body size characteristics(HW,BL and HG) collected from 1000 Red Sokoto does of small holder farmers in Kano State, Nigeria, were analysed to estimate the relationships amongst these characteristics themselves and between them with parity of dam. The mean LS, KI, Mwt, Kwt and 60dPKwt were 1.45, 6.90 months 20.4kg, 24.7kg, and 23.0kg, respectively. The mean height-at-withers (HW), body length (BL) and chest girth (CG) were 54.4cm, 59.0 and 65.8cm, respectively. The correlations amongst all the measured characteristics were positive and significant (P<0.01 – 0.05; r = 0. 32- 0.93). The correlation between Mwt and Kwt was the strongest (r = 0.93). The relationships between parity and all the characteristics measured was positive and highly significant (P<0.01; r = 0.49-0.87) The correlation of parity with mating weight (Mwt) was the strongest ( r = 0.87). The prediction equations of body weight at different stages of growth using combinations of linear body measurements were significant (P<0.01) However, the prediction equation of 60 day post- kidding weight using the combination of the linear body measurements (HW, BL, CG) was the best ( R2 = 72.0%) followed by kidding weight ( R2 = 55.4%) and mating weight (R2 = 54.76%), respectively. Therefore, the equation for the prediction of 60 day post kidding weight (60d PKwt) using the combination of linear body measurements (HW, BL, CG) adequately explained about 72% of the variation in the 60d PKwt of the does. This implies that combination of linear body measurements can be used with high degree of reliability to estimate body weight in Red Sokoto goats

3-Ethyl-6-(4-fluoro­phen­yl)-7H-1,2,4-triazolo[3,4-b][1,3,4]thia­diazine

In the title compound, C12H11FN4S, the thia­diazine ring adopts a twist-boat conformation. The dihedral angle between the triazolothia­diazine system and the benzene ring is 10.54 (9)°. The crystal structure is characterized by C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds. The crystal packing also exhibits π–π inter­actions, with a centroid–centroid distance of 3.6348 (15) Å

An inkjet printed, roll-coated digital microfluidic device for inexpensive, miniaturized diagnostic assays

The diagnosis of infectious disease is typically carried out at the point-of-care (POC) using the lateral flow assay (LFA). While cost-effective and portable, LFAs often lack the clinical sensitivity and specificity required for accurate diagnoses. In response to this challenge, we introduce a new digital microfluidic (DMF) platform fabricated using a custom inkjet printing and roll-coating process that is scalable to mass production. The performance of the new devices is on par with that of traditional DMF devices fabricated in a cleanroom, with a materials cost for the new devices of only US $0.63 per device. To evaluate the usefulness of the new platform, we performed a 13-step rubella virus (RV) IgG immunoassay on the inkjet printed, roll-coated devices, which yielded a limit of detection of 0.02 IU mL^(−1), well below the diagnostic cut-off of 10 IU mL^(−1) for RV infection and immunity. We propose that this represents a breakthrough for DMF, lowering the costs to a level such that the new platforms will be an attractive alternative to LFAs for the diagnosis of infectious disease at the POC