Aquatic weeds hotspots in the Lake Victoria basin – Uganda and on Lake Kyoga: implications for their management

Proliferation of invasive aquatic weeds has developed into a major ecological and socio economic issue for many regions of the world. As a consequence, inference on where to target control and other management efforts is critical in the management of aquatic weeds (Ibáñez et al., 2009). Notwithstanding, aquatic systems in Uganda in general and in the basins of Lakes Victoria and Kyoga in particular, have fallen victims to aquatic weeds invasion and subsequent infestation. If these aquatic weeds infestations are to be minimized and their impacts mitigated, management decisions ought to be based on up-to-date data and information in relation to location of infestation hotspots. Aquatic systems in the basins of the two production systems are important sources of livelihoods especially from fish production and trade yet they are prone to infestation by aquatic weeds. Thus, the invasion and subsequent infestation of aquatic ecosystems by aquatic weeds pose a major conservation threat to various aquatic resources (Catford et al., 2011; Kayanja, 2002). This paper examines the extent to which aquatic weeds have infested aquatic ecosystems in the basins of Lakes Victoria and Kyoga. The information is expected to guide management of major aquatic weeds through rational allocation of the scarce resources by targeting hotspots

Penerapan Direct Instruction Disertai Metode Praktikum Terhadap Hasil Belajar Siswa Materi Jamur Di SMA

This research aims to find out the implementation of direct instruction model with practical methods for the students learning achievement in fungi material in class X of Bawari Islamic High School Pontianak. The form of this research is (quasi experimental design) with nonequivalent control group design. The sample of the research is class X A (control class) and class X B (experiment class), the sampling technique is intact group. The instrument used in the form of a multiple choice test which consist of 20 items. The average posttest score of the students in experiment class is 17,43, while control class is 15,94 and Zcount < Ztable (-2,58 < -1,96). It can be concluded that the application of direct instruction model with practical methods affect student learning achievement

Pengembangan Herbarium Hasil Inventarisasi Tumbuhan Obat Sebagai Media Pembelajaran Pada Subpokok Bahasan Angiospermae

This study aims to determine the feasibility of herbarium media from medicinal plants inventory as learning media in sub subject of Angiospermae. The method used in this study is the development of research. The development of herbarium media conducted in two stages of making 40 herbarium from the medicinal plants inventory results and validate the media so it become feasible to be a learning media. The feasibility of this herbarium media assessed from the format, content, language, and practicality aspects by 7 validators using the validation sheet. The results of validation assessment of the 40 herbarium on format aspect is 3.5, content aspect is 3.63, language aspect is 3.69, and practicality aspect is 3.63. It can be conluded that this herbarium from medicinal plants inventory results is feasible to be used in of sub subject Angiospermae

Late-type galaxies observed with SAURON. Two-dimensional stellar and emission-line kinematics of 18 spirals

We present the stellar and gas kinematics of a sample of 18 nearby late-type spiral galaxies (Hubble types ranging from Sb to Sd), observed with the integral-field spectrograph SAURON at the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope. SAURON covers the spectral range 4800-5380 A, allowing us to measure the Hbeta, Fe, Mgb absorption features and the emission in the Hbeta line and the [OIII], and [NI] doublets over a 33x41 arcsec field of view. The maps cover the nuclear region of these late-type galaxies and in all cases include the entire bulge. In many cases the stellar kinematics suggests the presence of a cold inner region, as visible from a central drop in the stellar velocity dispersion. The ionised gas is almost ubiquitous and behaves in a complicated fashion: the gas velocity fields often display more features than the stellar ones, including wiggles in the zero-velocity lines, irregular distributions, ring-like structures. The line ratio [OIII]/Hbeta often takes on low values over most of the field, probably indicating a wide-spread star formation.Comment: 34 pages, 24 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS. A version with full resolution figures is available at http://www.strw.leidenuniv.nl/sauron/papers/ganda2005_late_types.pd

Upaya Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar melalui Cd Pembelajaran Interaktif pada Materi Sistem Peredaran Darah Manusia Kelas VIII

Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian tindakan kelas yang bertujuan untuk meningkatkan hasil belajar siswa melalui CD pembelajaran interaktif pada materi sistem peredaran darah manusia. Penelitian tindakan kelas ini dilaksanakan dalam dua siklus dengan dua kali pertemuan. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan pada siklus I nilai rata-rata hasil belajar siswa sebesar 57,56 dengan persentase ketuntasan sebesar 50% dan pada siklus II nilai rata-rata hasil belajar siswa sebesar 62,67 dengan persentase ketuntasan sebesar 66,67%. Disimpulkan bahwa melalui CD pembelajaran interaktif dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar siswa pada materi sistem peredaran darah manusia kelas VIII B SMP Negeri 3 Sungai Raya Kabupaten Bengkayang. Kata kunci : CD pembelajaran interaktif, sistem peredaran darah manusia Abstaract:This research is classroom action research which was aimed to increas students\u27 learning achievement through interactive learning CD on human blood circulatory system. Two cycles were conducted during this research, on the first cycle was shown 57,56 of the average score at students\u27 learning achievement by 50% succeeding rate and on second cycle was shown 62,67 of the average score at students\u27 learning achievement by 66,67% succeeding rate. It could be concluded that through interactive learning CD could increase students\u27 learning achievement on class VIIIB SMP Negeri 3 Sungai Raya Bengkayang

Eating and oral hygiene habits in a population of young adults: An observational study

Aim: Eating Disorders (ED) are a group of psychological disorders affecting patients’ relationship with food and their own body. In particular, they have an impact on teeth and oral mucosa and may cause dental caries, erosions, xerostomia, salivary glands modifications and perioral tissue metabolic impairment. The aim of this paper is to investigate the risk factors associated with ED in a population of young adults by considering the impact such disorders have on oral health, particularly in view of the increased rate of tooth erosion recorded in recent years. Materials and methods: An observational study was conducted by submitting, to a population of young adults in the Brescia area, an anonymous questionnaire (39 questions) to reveal their behaviours regarding their eating habits and lifestyles. The areas investigated were oral hygiene and eating habits. Results: A total of 212 young people were interviewed (M/F 18-25 in Brescia and its province) and the sample is at risk of developing ED in general owing to their eating habits and lifestyles: 65% of the respondents think diligently about food, and 57% of them worry about putting on weight, both these characteristics are typical to all EDs; 14% of the sample stated not eating in the company of family and friends in the way they would like out of embarrassment and shame. After eating, 8% of them “nearly always” feel remorse, and 41% “only on some occasions”. After having ‘transgressed’, 22% will fast or go on a diet to compensate for their excesses. Conclusions: EDs are a continually growing and evolving pathological problem. Informing and training healthcare professionals and citizens about the damage caused by EDs to the entire body could help to understand the importance of making a multidisciplinary evaluation from the outset of the problem and right from the first contact with the patient. To this end, dentists and dental hygienists are in the delicate situation of being among the first health professionals able to see early signs and symptoms of ED in the mouth and elsewhere

Identifying barriers to accessing information and treatment for obstetric fistula in Niamey, Niger

Objective: To identify barriers to accessing information and treatment regarding obstetric fistula (OF) unique to Niger encountered by women referred to the National Referral Fistula Center. Method: A questionnaire was administered at the National Referral Fistula Center to 29 women with OF. Qualitative and quantitative statistics were computed. Results: The average individual was 30.4 years old, illiterate and from a rural area. 76.0% had antenatal care, the average labor time was 3.04 days, and 88.0% had a physician-assisted delivery. Barriers to information included rural dwelling, lack of education, lack of understanding of cause despite contact with health care workers, lack of knowledgeable resources to seek advice from or lack of ability/interest, not given specific information about availability of treatment, and not utilizing available resources to disseminate information. Barriers to treatment included lack of information regarding condition and treatment, traditional healer utilization, inability to access adequate care for condition, delay for childbirth recovery, permission needed to seek treatment, cost, timely treatment unavailable, and lack of social support. Conclusion: Improving efficiency of getting women to the hospital at time of delivery, prompt referrals for OF, and using cell phones for disseminating information or accessing transport may benefit women with OF in Niger

Implementation of Standard Solar PV Projects in Nigeria

The basic operating principle of Photovoltaic device is the conversion of solar irradiation into electricity. There are several applications of this principle. In Nigeria, most solar PV projects are designed for street lighting, water pumping and general stand-alone/minigrid rural electrifications. However, several solar PV projects being installed in various parts of this country fail to meet the minimum life-span due to a number of limiting factors. These include poor or improper fundamental design, use of sub-standard components, adoption of poor installation procedure by inexperienced personnel, bad construction/civil works among other factors. This has become a problem in the country and many are beginning to feel disgusted with solar PV projects as the heavy investments in such projects do not seem to be commensurate with their performances and satisfactions derivable. This paper therefore presents an overview of the performances of solar PV projects and a concise procedural approach to the implementation of standard solar PV projects in the country. In-depth analysis of performances of existing systems was also considered and the limiting factors identified with specific recommendations for improvement. We believe that if power projects are designed and executed properly by experienced technical experts, using the appropriate components and best technical procedures, standard PV projects with maximum performance output could be achieved