Cadmium-induced toxicity to the mite, Oppia nitens C.L. Koch, 1836 (Acari: Oribatida): Maternal transfer, bioenergetics, and the influence of habitat quality on the mite’s response to cadmium toxicity

The mite, Oppia nitens, is a true soil dweller, one of many organisms that perform vital functions to support ecosystem services. Environment and Climate Change Canada and International Organization for Standardization recently completed a standardized protocol for Oppia nitens. Therefore, O. nitens is among the battery of soil invertebrates for toxicity testing, but its applicability is limited by the dearth of information on its responses to and interactions with contaminants in soil, and how soil affects its biology and ecology. The main objective of this study was to assess the responses of O. nitens to cadmium (Cd), a model chemical that is potentially toxic to this species, and to understand how habitat quality influences O. nitens’ reproduction and bioenergetics upon exposure to Cd in soil. Firstly, a critical review of the literature on the biology and ecology of O. nitens with notes on its response to metals and pesticides in soil was done. Also, the possible mechanisms on how O. nitens could respond to cadmium was proposed. This study, for the first time, gave detailed information on the bionomics (biology and ecology) of O. nitens, thus supporting existing knowledge on the applicability of O. nitens as test organisms in soil ecotoxicology. The toxicity and uptake of cadmium, as cadmium oxide (CdO) in standard soil was assessed on adult O. nitens and maternal transfer of Cd from adult to juvenile mites (tritonymphs) was estimated. According to the results, Cd as an oxide caused low toxicity compared to Cd as salts for both survival (LC50 = > 700 mg Cd kg-1) and reproduction (EC50 = 392 mg Cd kg-1 and EC25 = 215 mg Cd kg-1). The uptake of Cd by adult and juvenile mites was via the ingestion of total Cd and not via dermal adsorption of dissolved Cd in pore water. Adult O. nitens maternally transferred about 39 to 52 % (average of 46 %) of their Cd body burden to juveniles while the maternally acquired Cd in the juveniles accounted for 41 % of their Cd body burden. Finally, the influence of habitat quality on the reproduction and bioenergetics of O. nitens upon exposure to Cd was investigated. Mites raised in high and low habitat quality soils were exposed to Cd in neutral (artificial) soil for 28 days to assess their reproduction and energy reserves, including the activities of glucose metabolism enzymes, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinases. Cd was found to alter the carbohydrate reserves of the mites that were exposed to 0–700 mg Cd kg-1 and reduced energy production by inhibiting the activities of glucose metabolism enzymes. Upon exposure of the mites from low and high habitat quality to concentrations equivalent to EC25 and EC50 of Cd, we found habitat quality to directly influence mite’s reproduction but not bioenergetics. This study, thus, supports previous knowledge of how habitat quality can modulate metal-induced toxicity on O. nitens. The findings from this research thus, suggest the incorporation of maternal transfer in setting soil quality guidelines for soil invertebrates and also the inclusion of habitat characterization in procedures for ecological risk assessment of contaminated sites

Is Opportunistic Investing Rewarding? – A Study of United Kingdom Unlisted Funds

This study primarily investigates the impact of extreme financial leverage on UK unlisted property fund performance over a 11 year period, 2004 to 2014; accordingly the research problem is addressed applying a panel auto regression to an extended sample provided by the IPD Property Fund Vision Handbook covering funds information over a complete property cycle from 2004 to 2014. The results provide strong evidence in support of the traditional theory of capital structure asserting that financial leverage is a significant determinant of firm performance. A significant positive relationship is found between Leverage and performance of core and value added funds over the cycle but interestingly a significant negative association is seen for opportunistic funds as they underperformed through the cycle. Consequently, it is concluded that fund value may be enhanced by debt finance but must be kept at minimal levels, as an optimal debt finance level seems to exist considering the behaviour of Opportunistic funds over the investigated period. Key to the deduction is that irrespective of investment style (gearing intensity) through the cycle, performance persistence seems to sum the success or failure of UK unlisted property funds as lagged return showed a significant positive relationship in all regression results. Therefore the question of whether an unlisted fund persists in performance becomes even more decisive in determining how investors should select funds and develop investment strategies. Keywords: Performance, Leverage, Value added, Opportunistic, Unlisted fund

The Systems Approach as Theory for Multinational Industrial Relations in Developing Countries

Le présent article soulève différentes questions de nature à montrer que l'influence des multinationales dans les systèmes de relations professionnelles des pays en voie de développement est beaucoup trop forte. À moins qu'elle ne soit modifiée, la théorie des systèmes peut fort bien n'être pas en mesure d'expliquer, de prévoir et de formuler les politiques en matière de relations du travail dans ces pays en particulier ainsi que dans les autres nations en général.L'application de cette théorie ne semble donc pas réaliste dans les pays en voie de développement en Afrique, étant donné que les travailleurs, les syndicats et leurs dirigeants subissent l'agression des pouvoirs coercitifs de l'État d'une part et que, d'autre part, l'action du gouvernement se confond pour ainsi dire avec celle des multinationales. Parce que le modèle présenté a comme point de référence l'État-nation, il ne permet pas une analyse directe des interactions qui ont lieu entre les multinationales et les divers régimes de relations du travail existants.Les avantages que les multinationales sont censés apporter aux pays en voie de développement pour combler les lacunes dans les investissements, les échanges commerciaux, la rentrée des impôts, les transferts de technologie, l'expertise de gestion et, finalement, l'accroissement des processus même de développement finissent parcréer de grandes difficultés à ces pays. Ces difficultés proviennent de l'existence d'entreprises à forte intensité de capital qui ont pour effet de nuire à l'activité des syndicats; de même, le rapatriement de leurs profits et autres redevances ont tendance à amoindrir les pouvoirs et les revenus de l'État qui doit accepter de céder en partie son pouvoir en retour de l'obtention des impôts, source de revenus qu'il lui faut protéger; l'accroissement de la discrimination entre les travailleurs en étiquetant les uns de 'seniors' et les autres de 'juniors', a pour conséquence de les affaiblir en tant que classe; l'exclusivité des emplois clés qui sont réservés aux étrangers et la localisation, à l'extérieur des pays en voie de développement, des entreprises stratégiques (recherche et développement), rend possible l'ouverture et la fermeture des filiales à volonté et est de nature à diminuer le pouvoir de négociation des travailleurs et tend aussi à leur aliéner l'appui des gouvernements, d'où perte de l'indépendance de l'État dans ces pays. De plus, ce comportement de leurs vis-à-vis multinationaux en matière de relations professionnelles ne leur permet pas l'obtention d'avantages positifs substantiels du fait que l'action des syndicats se trouve contenue par les nombreuses manœuvres combinées des multinationales et de leurs alliés du gouvernement. L'État est impuissant à mettre en place la moindre opposition qui puisse contrebalancer leur attitude, parce que tant les multinationales que les gouvernements font partie d'un même système. Les associations internationales d'employeurs ne voient rien de mal à la 'mondialisation' des capitaux, tandis que les organismes internationaux, comme par exemple l'Organisation internationale du travail, ne peuvent pas se départir de leur neutralité à cause de la grande protection dont bénéficient les intérêts capitalistes.Les gouvernements locaux sont davantage intéressés à la sauvegarde de leurs intérêts dans le domaine de la politique internationale de peur que les multinationales en place cessent d'agir comme les canaux par lesquels les gouvernements expriment leurs griefs d'ordre politique.En outre, l'alliance de l'employeur multinational et du gouvernement local est d'autant plus facilitée au plan politique que les multinationales puissantes savent prendre le contrôle des richesses naturelles, voire des emplois. Elles exercent une influence considérable sur les décisions politiques par les pots-de-vin, la corruption et le lobbying auprès des élites politiques et bureaucratiques à tous les niveaux, ce qui fausse le modèle de Dunlop selon lequel les politiques publiques, y compris la réglementation des relations du travail, peuvent être efficaces. Puisque les gouvernements ne peuvent simplement que s'accommoder des multinationales à cause de leur pouvoir d'opposition inadéquat, il importe de revoir la proposition qui fait une distinction entre les multinationales et les bureaucrates du gouvernement. Tels sont quelques-uns des problèmes qu'on retrouve dans les relations professionnelles dans les pays en voie de développement. Ils en font un terrain de luttes pour le pouvoir de la part des groupes d'intérêts qui y sont engagés: les diverses factions des bureaucrates de l'État, les employeurs multinationaux, les syndicats et les travailleurs du rang. Cette épreuve multipartite aurait pour conséquence de limiter le recours aux systèmes tripartites pour aider le rôle de cette théorie dans le champ des relations du travail. Le classement des acteurs des relations professionnelles selon Dunlop aurait pu être excusable si dans la réalité, on avait reconnu l'intégration et l'équilibre des forces parmi ceux-ci. Mais Dunlop a semblé se satisfaire de la relégation de tels facteurs dans le milieu ambiant du climat et de la répartition du pouvoir dans la société globale. Comme la décomposition de cette société en segments identifiables est problématique, il devient apparent que les pouvoirs des multinationales et de leurs effets sur les relations du travail au plan national sont grossièrement sous-estimés dans le tripartisme... C'est là un point qu'il faut inclure parmi les nombreuses autres critiques de la théorie des systèmes de façon à l'améliorer et à accroître ses capacités exploratoires et prévisionnelles. De toute manière, il faudra dans unavenir plus lointain mettre au point une théorie spécifique en matière de relations du travail en ce qui concerne les multinationales.This paper raises issues which show that the impact of the multinational companies in the industrial relations Systems of developing countries are much too profound that the Systems approach may not be suitable for explaining, predicting, and formulating policies in industrial relations in these countries in particular and beyond the level of nation states in general

Qualitative Studies on Proximate Analysis and Characterization of Oil From Persea Americana (Avocado Pear)

Studies were carried out on the proximate analysis and extraction and characterization of ripe and unripe P.americana . The result reveals that ripe and unripe P.americana contains iodine value ranging from 165.11gI2/100g to 252.41gI2/100g and 152.41gI2/100g to 288.59gI2/100g respectively. The range of the saponification values in the ripe and unripe P.americana are 58.85mgKOH/g to 168.61mgKOH/g and 62.8mgKOH/g -142.65mgKOH/g respectively. Acid value of both ripe and unripe P.americana ranged between 17.82mgKOH/g to 25.31mgKOH/g and 11.44mgKOH/g to 28.60mgKOH/g respectively. The proximate analysis shows that both ripe and unripe P.americana has moisture which ranged between 67.62% to 73.63% and 29.05% to 51.17% respectively. This signifies that unripe P.americana can be kept for a long period of time without rotting. The ripe pulp contains 4.82% of crude fibre and it also has the highest energy value of 162.58%. Ripe pulp of P.americana contains 2.38% of protein, 13.38% of fat and 8.16% of carbohydrate. It is observed that ripe P.americana contains substantial nutrients that could meet the needs and requirements of the body, thus it is good for human and animal consumption. It can be recommended for inclusion in animal feeds. Keywords: P.americana, Iodine value, Saponification values, Acid value, Proximate analysi

Geophysical and Geotechnical Investigation for Post Foundation Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Federal University Oye Ekiti

A combined geophysical methods involving very low frequency-electromagnetic, electrical resistivity, magnetics prospecting method and geotechnical investigations were used in delineating the causes of cracks on the buildings of Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Federal University Oye- Ekiti. Five (5) Very Low Frequency-Electromagnetic traverses, Twenty-one (21) Vertical Electrical Soundings and three (3) magnetic profiles were occupied and investigated around the distress building. Two (2) locations were also occupied for geotechnical investigations. Three major layers were delineated in the study area which includes the topsoil, weathered/fractured layer and fresh basement. The VES curve types obtained were A, H, K and Q curves. The buildings were found to be situated within the area of a fairly high concentration of fractures that can aid subsidence in the area and relatively low resistivity zones typical of incompetent clay formation. The geotechnical results also show that the soil has relatively high clay content. Based on the consistency limits. The soils within the area is classified as medium plasticity, hence, the soils are expected to exhibit medium swelling potential. It can however be concluded that the subsoils on or within which buildings are founded within the study area are not competent. From the result, the building failure observe as cracks and foundation subsidence may have been caused by the foundation soils that made up of incompetent materials (clay) which could compress on imposing loads by differential settlement. It is noteworthy that geological features such as fractures/faults delineated within the bedrock is also inimical to the building foundation

Effect of Low Level Cadmium Exposure on Superoxide Dismutase Activity in Rat

Purpose: To investigate the effect of low level cadmium (Cd) exposure on the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in rat.Methods: Thirty-two male albino rats were divided into four groups of eight animals each. Group one received distilled water and served as control. The other three groups were exposed to 100, 200 and 300 ppm cadmium doses, respectively, in their drinking water for 6 weeks. At the end of 6 weeks, blood, brain and liver were removed from the animals and SOD activities were investigated spectrophotometrically at 480 nm.Results: The data revealed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in organ weight of the exposed rats, and with the highest cadmium accumulation in liver ranging from 2.99 ± 0.20 μg Cd/g tissue in control to 34.57 ± 2.06 μg Cd/g tissue for the 300 ppm dose group. Exposure to cadmium resulted in significant (p < 0.05) decrease in SOD activity in plasma, erythrocytes, brain and liver in a dose-dependent manner compared to control. The data showed a negative correlation between tissue cadmium and SOD in plasma, erythrocyte and brain. While positive associations were observed between blood and tissue (brain and liver) cadmium and SOD, a significant (p < 0.01), negative correlation was found between tissue cadmium and SOD.Conclusion: As Cd dose increase, plasma, erythrocyte, brain and liver SOD activities decrease. This might affect the maintenance of the normal body physiological conditions.Keywords: Cadmium, Superoxide dismutase, Liver, Brain, Toxicity, Environmental contaminan

Structural Racism in the United States: A Report to the U.N. Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on the occasion of its review of the Periodic Report of the United States of America

As a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), 1 the United States is under an obligation to condemn and pursue a policy of eliminating racial discrimination, in all its forms (art. 2, ¶1). The U.S. has not taken seriously the duty under Article 2 of CERD to affirmatively address racial discrimination. Instead, the U.S. has rationalized racial discriminatory effects as not covered by U.S. law. Sometimes these effects are caused by explicit government polices. At other times they are caused by private actors. Frequently, it is a combination of both. The Convention defines racial discrimination (art. 1, ¶1) to mean distinctions, exclusions, restrictions or preferences based on race which have “the purpose or effect” of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any field of public life. CERD’s definition of discrimination is unequivocal: effects and racially disparate outcomes caused by individual action or government practices or policies, singularly or collectively, are of primary concern. Contrary to CERD, U.S. law defines racial discrimination more narrowly in at least two critical respects. First, with few exceptions U.S. law narrowly defines cognizable racial discrimination by requiring evidence of intent to discriminate. Section II demonstrates that such a requirement is contrary to the framework of CERD and does not reflect the real-world operation of discriminatory behavior in contemporary American society

Disruption of Lipid Profile and Alteration of Hepatic Lipoprotein Metabolism Gene Expression in Anaemia‐induced Rat

Background and Objective: Iron metabolism in animals is altered by haemolytic anaemia induced by phenylhydrazine (PHZ), however, its effects on lipid metabolism remains elusive. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of anaemia on lipid profiles and lipoprotein metabolism gene expression in rats. Materials and Methods: Fourteen adult male Wistar rats were randomly classified into normal control and anaemia‐induced group (n = 7), respectively. Anaemia was induced in rats by daily administration of PHZ at 10 mg kg–1 for 8 consecutive days, after which blood was collected and liver excised. Lipid profiles of plasma and liver were determined spectrophotometrically while the expression of genes associated with lipid and lipoprotein metabolism was assayed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Results: The induced‐anaemia resulted in hypotriglyceridemia and hypophospholipidosis, with concurrent hypercholesteromia compared to control, respectively. Liver triglycerides, phospholipids, cholesterol were observed to be up‐regulated. Anaemic rats showed a significant (p<0. 05) up‐regulation of the relative expression of hepatic lecithin‐cholesterol acyltransferase (Lcat), paraoxonase‐1 (Pon‐1), aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr), 3‐hydroxy‐3‐ methylglutaryl‐CoA reductase (Hmgcr) and down‐regulation of Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I (Scarb1). Conclusion: The induced‐anaemia alter the expression of lipoprotein metabolizing genes which might be the underlying mechanism of anaemia to disrupt lipid metabolism

Seismic Refraction and Electrical Resistivity Investigation of Building Failure: A Case Study

Geophysical methods involving electrical resistivity and seismic refraction were adopted to investigate the cause(s) of failure of main library complex of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, South-Western Nigeria. The geoelectric section generated from geosounding data revealed four geologic layers. The topsoil has resistivity values varying from 128Ωm to 220Ωm and thickness between 0.9m and 2.4m. The second layer is composed of lateritic clay with resistivity values varying from 238Ωm to 410Ωm and thickness between 2.5m and 5m. The third layer is composed of weathered basement with resistivity values ranging from 56Ω-m to 88Ω-m with thickness between 9.1m and 13.5m. The fourth layer is fresh basement with resistivity values between 1110Ωm and 1200Ωm. The depth to the rock head is between 14.1m and 18.6m. The 2-D subsurface imaging revealed that the foundation soil is composed of clayey materials with resistivity values ranging from 4.3Ωm to 80Ωm, between 0.7m to 5m which correlate well with the geoelectric section. The geovelocity layers’ characteristics substantiate the electrical resistivity imaging and vertical electrical sounding results as it revealed a 4-layer model namely: topsoil, laterite and basement bedrock as the weathered layer is blinded. The topsoil has average velocity 486m/s which is diagnostic of weak/unconsolidated materials presumably clayey materials and average thickness of 2.2m. The sub-weathering/ laterite has average velocity of 1506m/s and average thickness of 7m. The third layer is the bedrock with average velocity of 2292m/s and characterized with a displaced parallel time segment indicating fault within the bedrock. Geotechnical analysis of the subsoil sample revealed that the soils have plasticity index and strength values that are typical of clay. From the result, the building failure observed as cracks and foundation subsidence may have been caused by incompetent foundation soils. It is noteworthy that such faulted zone delineated within the bedrock is also inimical to the building foundation