Phenotypic and chemotypic characterization of GABA-shunt mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana

Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a four carbon non protein amino acid, and the pathway that involves its production and degradation is called the GABA shunt. The GABA shunt is a short enzymatic pathway that involves three enzymes: glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), GABA transaminase (GABA-T) and succinic semi aldehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH). GABA shunt is conserved almost in all organisms studied so far. The pathway starts in the cytosol and finishes in mitochondria in higher organisms like plants and mammals, whereas, in yeast it is exclusively cytosolic. The presence of GABA in plants has been known since over half a century ago. The induction of its accumulation under biotic and abiotic stresses has been well documented. However, the specificity of the response and the role of GABA and the GABA shunt under stress conditions have been elusive. Several Arabidopsis GABA shunt mutants have been studied and were shown to have defects in vegetative growth, reproductive growth and response to stress. To describe some, gad1 mutant was shown to have a reduced root growth. The pop2-1 mutant, defective in the activity of GABA-T, accumulated a very high level of GABA in the flower and that led to a pollen tube elongation defect. Arabidopsis ssadh mutants exhibited a severe growth phenotype, accumulated high -hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and H2O2, and were sensitive to high-light conditions. In this work, several mutant lines have been generated and investigated to answer a range of questions; these include study on the specificity of the GABA response during abiotic stress, identifying the reasons for severe ssadh growth phenotype and suppression of the ssadh phenotype. Arabidopsis gad1/2 mutant is depleted in GABA and is unable to induce GABA synthesis under drought, salt and osmotic stress. Hence, the mutant plants were oversensitive to these stresses, indicating that GABA accumulation during abiotic stresses was a specific response. In an attempt to identify the cause of ssadh phenotype, exogenous GHB was fed to wild type and ghbdh1/2 mutants. The GHB application, however, did not elicit the severe ssadh-like phenotype. But, treatment of wild type and ghbdh1/2 mutant with SSA re-produced the ssadh phenotype, suggesting that SSA, but not GHB, was the cause of the severe ssadh phenotype. To suppress the ssadh phenotype, the potential accumulation of SSA was blocked by simultaneous mutation of Gad1/2. This, indeed, partially suppressed the ssadh phenotype. Suppression of ssadh phenotype mediated by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) induced mutation was also successful. Based on the range of phenotypes obtained in GABA shunt mutants, further studies on the role of the GABA shunt in plants is important

hegemonic Obstinacy - The Stumbling Block against Resolution of the Nile Waters Question

Resolution of the Nile waters question has proved, once again, to be an elusive task. Identifying the major hurdle which has bedeviled past cooperative initiatives and rendered current efforts mere Sisyphean ones is thus of paramount importance. The main thrust of this article is to identify this challenge which has thus far stifled almost all efforts at resolution of the Nile waters question in a fair and equitable manner. The consistently obstinate position Egypt has taken over the years to maintain its poignantly inequitable “share” of Nile waters forever is the heart of the problem which makes any settlement of the Nile waters question a virtual impossibility. Relying on its status as the basin’s hydro-hegemon, Egypt has so far been able to not only defend the indefensible but has also been able to effectively hoodwink and contain the non-hegemonic riparians by engaging them in “cooperative initiatives” and a “benefit sharing” scheme it effectively is using as stalling tactics while aggressively pursuing giant hydraulic projects as instruments of resource capture. A real transformation and a breakthrough in this stalemate requires, of necessity, a change in the malign, oppressive nature of Egyptian hydro-hegemony into a benign, cooperative one, at least. The non-hegemonic riparian states have thus to adopt effective counter-hegemonic strategies in order to force Egypt back to the negotiation table, developing, in the mean time, the resource and technical capability that would enable them to resist and overcome the multifaceted pressure and influence the hydro-hegemon will inevitably exert to keep them in line; failure to do so would surely condemn them to live, ad infinitum, with the grotesquely inequitable status quo

Declaration of Principles on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: Some Issues of Concern

The Nile Basin has long been noted as a potential flashpoint for resource conflict on account of the prevalence of inequitable water utilization and acrimonious inter-riparian relations. The basin’s proneness to conflict has been exacerbated by the absence of an inclusive legal and institutional framework governing the utilization and management of its meager water resources. Unilateralism and incompatible riparian claims negating the fundamentals of international water law still continue to be the defining features of the basin. Launched in such a setting, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) constitutes a significant counter-hegemonic measure capable of inducing a positive transformation in the basin’s inequitable status quo. A lasting solution which would ensure the equitable and sustainable utilization of the Nile waters for the benefit of all is, however, still elusive as the signing of the Declaration of Principles (DoP) poses challenges which might arguably neutralize the transformative impact of the GERD and entail institutionalization of the status quo.Key termsGERD  · Declaration of Principles  · International Water Law  · Equitable Utilization  ·  Nile Basi

Representation and the Portrayal of Elders’ Characters in Ethiopian Children’s Books: Policy Implication

The objective of this study was to investigate the Representation and the Portrayal of Elders’ Characters in Ethiopian Children’s Books. To achieve this intention, three different publishers were purposively taken, Mega Enterprise, Aster Nega, and Royal, for the books do have large sellers for children’s present day in Ethiopia. Therefore, 38 different books were gathered from selected independent bookstores and taken from wholesalers along availability sampling technique. A coding sheet was utilized to assist in recording data. The information used to establish this recording aid was adapted from Robinson and Anderson’s (2006) content analyses on older characters. The gathered data under the help of three oriented experts were coded and statistically analyzed (using frequency and percentage). Thus, the study found that the elders’ character mostly appeared in children’s picture books. Further, the most of the elders’ characteristics were found to be positive in nature in the sample picture books. In addition to this, both physical and social basis characteristics of elders were found to be represented and portrayed in Ethiopian children’s picture books. Based on these results, it has been concluded that Ethiopian children’s picture books represented and portrayed elders’ characteristics prevalently and positively which in turn indicates the good and acceptable place that elders do have in Ethiopian children’s picture books. However, this study found that the characteristics of the books that represented and portrayed undermined the additional characteristic of elders with special needs. Further, the characters that presented and portrayed in those picture books may not yet included in to academic textbooks of students. Therefore, it has been recommended that the publishers, the educational experts, and the readers as well as the researchers should enforce the concerned bodies to include the elderly characteristics of individuals with special needs (particularly of those with disabilities) in to the readable picture books and should evaluate the contents of academic textbooks

Low-cost adsorptive technologies: batch reactor and fixed-bed column experiments for the removal of phosphate from wastewater

Using low-cost and locally available raw materials to remove phosphate (P) from sewage and industrial effluent instead of employing high-cost techniques are one of the viable solutions to prevent aquatic life from excess P. Therefore, this research aimed to study the applicability of low-cost carbon-based (i.e., leftover coal materials) and rock adsorbents (volcanic rocks, i.e., pumice-VP um and scoria-VSco) for the removal of P from artificial wastewater in batch and column experiments.Die Verwendung kostengünstiger und lokal verfügbarer Rohstoffe zur Entfernung von Phosphat (P) aus Abwässern und Industrieabwässern anstelle des Einsatzes teurer Techniken ist eine der praktikablen Lösungen, um zu verhindern, dass Wasserlebewesen überschüssiges P erhalten. Daher zielte diese Forschung darauf ab, die Anwendbarkeit zu untersuchen von kostengünstigen kohlenstoffbasierten (d. h. Restkohlematerialien) und Gesteinsadsorptionsmitteln (Vulkangestein, d. h. Bimsstein-VP um und Schlacke-VSco) für die Entfernung von P aus künstlichem Abwasser in Batch- und Kolonne-Experimenten

Viewing Kana Television Dramas as predictor of Adolescents’ Psychosocial Developments: the Case of Jimma Town Preparatory Students in Oromia Regional State

This study was intended to examine the influence of viewing kana television dramas on psychosocial developments of adolescents of Oromia special zone preparatory schools in Oromia region.  To address this objective, correlational research design was employed.  It was targeted on 349 participants selected by multistage and purposive sampling techniques.  Questionnaire and key informant interview guide were used to gather information from participants.  Furthermore, quantitative data analysis was used where multiple linear regression and independent sample t-test were applied.  Tikur Fikir drama was mostly explained peer interaction (β= 0.077, p= .024) while Kuzi Guni drama was mostly predicted adolescent-family interaction (β= 0.082, p= .022) and Kitat drama was mostly predicted adolescents’ identity development (β= 0.334, p= .018).  Independent sample t-test was conducted where there was non-statistically significant mean difference between gender in both peer interaction (male: x ̅=8,SD=1.27 and female: x ̅=8,SD=1.29 at t (332) = -1.45, p =. 149) and family interaction (male: x ̅=8,SD=1.58 and female: x ̅=8,SD=1.49 at t (332) = -.957, p =.321) whereas statistically significant mean difference was found in identity development of the participants((male: x ̅=29.45,SD=4.186 and female: x ̅=31,SD=3.705 at t (327) = -4.44, p< .05) while female adolescents were more influenced by the dramas than their counterparts.  Therefore, it was conclude kana television dramas influenced the psychosocial development of adolescents where awareness raising for both parents and students on monitoring the influences viewing the dramas and further studies are critically recommended in some important social variables including adolescents’ academic achievements, adolescents’ time management skills, and marriage relationships of the society members

“Healing the Heart”: A Retrospective Analysis of Surgical Management of Chronic Constrictive Pericarditis at Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background: Chronic Constrictive pericarditis is a condition that can lead to diastolic heart failure due to a thickened, scarred, and non-compliant pericardium. Surgical intervention in the form of Pericardiectomy&nbsp;is the mainstay of treatment. Objectives:&nbsp;This retrospective study aims to describe the clinical characteristics, surgical management, and outcomes of patients with Chronic constrictive pericarditis treated with Pericardiectomy&nbsp;at Tikur Anbessa Hospital. Methods:&nbsp;Medical records of 49 patients who underwent Pericardiectomy&nbsp;for constrictive pericarditis at Tikur Anbessa Hospital from January 2012 to December 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. Data was collected using a well-structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS 20. Results:&nbsp;Of the 49 patients, 34 were male (69.4%) and 15 were female (30.6%) with a mean age of 25.06 +/- 13.884 (range 6-80 years). The most common presenting symptoms were shortness of breath (98%), leg swelling (75.5%), abdominal swelling (65.3%), and cough (44.9%). 73.5% of the patients had a medical history of tuberculosis. Median sternotomy was performed in all patients, with 71.4% undergoing total Pericardiectomy&nbsp;and 28.6% undergoing partial Pericardiectomy. The most common intraoperative and immediate post-operative complications were low output syndrome (8.2%), myocardial perforation (6.1%), bleeding (6.1%), and wound infections (4.1%). Mortality within the same admission or within 30 days post-operative was 2%. Conclusion:&nbsp;Pericardiectomy is an effective treatment for Chronic constrictive pericarditis and associated with excellent functional outcomes. Early diagnosis and surgical intervention are crucial in reducing morbidity and mortality. Tuberculosis remains an important cause of constrictive pericarditis in our setting

A binary logistic regression model with complex sampling design of unmet need for family planning among all women aged (15-49) in Ethiopia.

Background: Unintended pregnancy related to unmet need is a worldwide problem that affects societies. The main objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and determinants of unmet need for family planning among women aged (15-49) in Ethiopia. Methods: The Performance Monitoring and Accountability2020/Ethiopia was conducted in April 2016 at round-4 from 7494 women with two-stage-stratified sampling. Bi-variable and multi-variable binary logistic regression model with complex sampling design was fitted. Results: The prevalence of unmet-need for family planning was 16.2% in Ethiopia. Women between the age range of 15-24 years were 2.266 times more likely to have unmet need family planning compared to above 35 years. Women who were currently married were about 8 times more likely to have unmet need family planning compared to never married women. Women who had no under-five child were 0.125 times less likely to have unmet need family planning compared to those who had more than two-under-5. Conclusion: The key determinants of unmet need family planning in Ethiopia were residence, age, marital-status, education, household members, birth-events and number of under-5 children. Thus the Government of Ethiopia would take immediate steps to address the causes of high unmet need for family planning among women

Improving Lifetime of Domestic Compressor Subjected To Repetitive Internal Stresses

To enhance the lifetime of a mechanical system such as compressor, parametric accelerated life testing (ALT) as a systematic reliability method is proposed. It consists of (1) a parametric ALT plan formed on BX lifetime, (2) load examination for ALT, (3) a customized parametric ALTs with design alternatives, and (4) assessment of the compressor design to secure the objective BX lifetime is fulfilled. As an experiment instance, newly designed reciprocating compressors for French-door refrigerators returned from the marketplace were investigated. The refrigerators had been making disagreeable noise and vibrations, creating the consumer to ask for replacing their refrigerators. As the vibration level of the problematic refrigerators was recorded in an anechoic chamber, the result was 0.35g. Upon closer inspection of the refrigerator, the noise originated from the reciprocating compressor where there was interference between the compressor upper shell and the stator frame. To reproduce the compressor problem from the marketplace, a parametric ALT was performed. The failure mode during the ALTs for the compressor was alike to those of the failed refrigerators from the field. As a corrective action, the stator frame in the compressor system was redesigned to increase the minimum gap between the compressor upper shell and the stator frame. During the second ALT, there were no issues. After parameter ALTs were used to develop corrective action plans, the lifetime of the compressor was reassured to have a B1 life 10 years

Overweight and Undernutrition in the Cases of School-Going Adolescents in Wolaita Sodo Town, Southern Ethiopia: Cross-Sectional Study

Background. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of malnutrition and associated factors among school adolescents in Wolaita Sodo town, Southern Ethiopia. Methods. A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 18–June 10, 2015. A multistage sampling was used to select a random sample of 690 adolescents from selected schools. Data on sociodemographic information were collected by using an interviewer-administered questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements were made by using a digital Seca scale and height measuring board by trained data collectors. Data were entered into Epi-Data version 3.1 software and exported to SPSS version 20. World Health Organization (WHO) Anthro-plus software was used to analyze anthropometric data. Both binary and multinomial logistic regression analyses were done to identify factors associated with the malnutrition of adolescents. Result. The overall prevalence of thinness, stunting, and overweight/obesity among school adolescents was 4.7% (95% CI: 3%–6.4%); 5.2% (95% CI: 3.4%–7%); and 5.0% (95% CI: 3.4%–6.7%), respectively. Being male (AOR = 4.07; 95% CI: 2.35–7.02), learning at a government school (AOR = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.20–0.65), mothers with no formal education (AOR = 4.03; 95% CI: 1.82–8.92), owning no cattle (AOR = 4.92; 95% CI: 2.08–11.64), skipping meals (AOR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.05–2.74), and illness in 2 weeks prior to survey (AOR = 2.67; 95% CI: 1.49–4.78) were significantly associated with thinness. However, males, students who had their house, and no cattle were more likely to develop overweight/obesity. Maternal education of secondary school (AOR = 0.214; 95% CI: 0.054–0.846) was significantly associated with the stunting. Conclusion. The study showed the coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition among school adolescents in the study area. There needs to implement evidence-based school nutrition education and health policies and programs to improve nutritional status of adolescents and timely taking action to limit obesity-related health problems