Validation and application of a highly discriminating and rapid 10-locus Y-STR DNA profiling system

Philosophiae Doctor - PhDDNA profiling the male specific region on the Y-chromosome is fundamental to forensic practise. Its recognised as a powerful analytical tool for investigation of sexual assault when the DNA evidence is highly admixed. Standard practises for processing sexual assault evidence include physically separate the sperm cell from the female fraction using differential extraction followed by autosomal DNA profiling. However, under specific scenarios of assault physical separation may not be possible due to the nature of the evidence. The research presented in this thesis was focused on the development and validation of the UniQTyper™ Y-10 prototype for male specific DNA profiling. The prototype which contains 10 Y-STR markers was developed and validated to deliver a rapid and cost-effective system while maintaining a forensic applicable level of performance. An allelic ladder is produced with an allele cloning approach for which an overview of the workflow and technicalities presented herein is aimed to assists an efficient bulk production process. In a second component novel sequence variation was reported across 153 sequenced alleles and submitted to Genbank. In this output the Y-STR panel was perused beyond the scope of length polymorphisms. In a proof of concept, its potential to discriminate between shared allele sizes by characterizing sequence structure variations is discussed. In a final component we generate the largest Y-STR survey across South Africa to establish reference data and to comprehensively assess the forensic genetics parameters for the UniQTyper™ Y-10

Rail Rebound: The Impact of Freight Rails on Regional Development in the United States, 1970-2010

Railroads have played a critical role in economic growth and development, and they exert a tremendous impact on the distribution and redistribution of the population. However, the impacts of railroads, especially freight rails, on population change and socioeconomic development are not well understood. This study fills the gap in the literature by examining the demographic and socioeconomic impacts of freight rails using county-level data in the continental United States from 1970 to 2010. The demographic and socioeconomic changes are measured by eleven dependent variables. Of those eleven, six are demographic (population, young, old, White, Black, Hispanic) and five are socioeconomic (high school, bachelor’s degree, graduate degree, employment, and income). The railroad is the explanatory variable, and it is measured by freight rail terminal density. This study utilizes data from various sources including the National Transportation Atlas Database, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS), cartographic boundary shapefiles, the land developability index, and decennial censuses of 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010. This study utilizes exploratory spatial data analysis, standard regression, and spatial regression models. The application of spatial lag model, spatial error model, and spatial error model with lag dependence systematically considers the spatial effects and produces more robust results. There are four broad major findings of this research. First, freight rail is a distributive force. Second, freight rail contributes to the urbanization and suburbanization process. Third, freight rail facilitates demographic and socioeconomic change. Fourth, freight rail has differential demographic and socioeconomic impacts at the regional level. The findings of this study are the outcomes of the multiple dependent and independent variables tested for many decades using robust statistical methods that measure direct and indirect impacts. Not only does this study apply the most advanced statistical methods in the railroad research, but it also addresses the social impact, which are less-researched topics in transportation literature. This study contributes uniquely to the transportation, demographic and social equity literature and extends the transportation discussion from the development perspective, and it could be useful helping shape a just society, which is the ultimate goal of transportation policy

Temporal Changes in a Tropical Nekton Assemblage and Performance of a Prawn Selective Gear

The temporal variation of components of a moderately diverse (H=1.46) tropical estuarine fish assemblage (long. 146°30'E, lat. 8°45'S) was directed by salinities that had been determined by local oceanographic and probably topographic conditions. For this assemblage, two types of intrayear component profiles are predicted. Pooled data (1988-91) reveal a large component of regular/resident species (43%) in an assemblage which has been under a narrow temperature regime «5T). These results facilitate a discussion on the relevance and usefulness of three hypotheses often cited in studies concerning species diversity and component characteristics of the subtropical/tropical coastal nonreef fish assemblages. Manifestations of the assemblage are reflected in catch composition and weights of 39 trials conducted for a selective prawning gear whose performance in bycatch reduction, mainly for finfishes, is judged by an index, E, we have previously proposed. This gear is capable of harvesting the prawn while conserving the demersal fish. Behavioral responses to netting of the prawns and the finfishes, especially the nearshore surface schoolers such as leiognathids, are discussed from several points of view. An adaptation in terms of group selection for leiognathids of their locking mechanism of median fin spines has been interpreted. For the purpose of bycatch reduction or E enhancement, suggestions for improvements in net design and trawl configuration by considering the behavioral features of fish are made. Our original formula of E is modified for general use. Bycatch problems in the regional prawn fisheries and their possible impacts on fishery planning and development in Papua New Guinea as a developing country are discussed. The gear tested may offer enormous ecological and economic benefits. The gear is multipurpose, extremely simple, and can also be used as a biological sampler

The effect of inclusion of fish waste meal on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chicken

This research was carried out with the aim of assessing the effect of incorporating fish waste meal as a substitute for soybean on the growth and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. A total of 180 day-old broiler chicks of the Cobb-500 strain were used in this study. They had an average initial body weight of 41.36 ± 0.5 g. The chicks were assigned randomly to four dietary treatments, with three replications per treatment. Each replicate consisted of 15 chicks, and a completely randomized design (CRD) was used. The four broiler starter and finisher diets that were tested contained different levels of fish waste meal (FWM), specifically: 0% (T1), 7% (T2), 13.5% (T3), and 20% (T4). The daily DM, crude protein (CP), and metabolizable energy (ME) intakes of broilers were highly significant (P < 0.001) during the starter, finisher, and entire experimental periods. During the starter, finisher, and entire period, broilers in the T4, T3, and T2 groups had significantly better daily DM intake (P < 0.05). The daily CP intake of broilers in T4 and T3 had significantly better CP intake (P < 0.005) than the control group (T1) during the finisher and entire phase. Similarly, improved ME intake and BW gain (P < 0.05) were observed in T4, T3 and T2 during the finisher phase and the entire experimental period. The FCR of broilers fed FWM in the diets was considerably lower (P < 0.05) than the control group during the finisher and entire phase. The eviscerated carcass yield, breast, and drum-thigh weight were significantly better (P < 0.05) in FWM treatment diet groups compared to the control group. There is a significant decline (P < 0.05) in the weight of abdominal fat in T4 and T3 compared to the control group. Including 20% FWM in broilers' diets has resulted in a lower feed cost per kg of BW gain and the highest net return (NR) and marginal rate of return (MRR) than T3, T2, and control T1. Therefore, incorporating fish waste meal at 20% has improved DM intake, body weight gain performance, carcass yield, and is economically viable for broiler production

Prevalence of obesity among health workers in Kadjebi District of Ghana

Overweight and obesity are excess body adiposity which is unhealthy. Globally, 35% of the adult population, 20 years and older, were overweight and 11% were obese in 2008 accounting for more than 1.4 billion adults with overweight. Healthcare workers are susceptible to being overweight because of the stress levels they experience at work and also the irregular hours during which they work. We determine the prevalence of obesity among health care workers in the district, by conducting a cross-sectional study in March 2013 in all the health facilities in Kadjebi District. The study subjects were all the health workers in health facilities in the district. About 158 health care workers (HCWs) participated in the study. Majority of the study participants 64.6% were from Mary Theresa Hospital. Most of the HCWs, 53.8% were females. The overall prevalence of overweight/obesity among the HCWs was 38.0% according to their BMI. The prevalence of overweight/obesity among females was 42.4% and 32.9% in males. Males were more physically active than their female colleagues. The prevalence of obesity among health care workers was higher than in the general population. However, additional studies with representative sample is needed. HCWs like any other person need information to control their body weight and maintain reasonable physical activity. Key words: Ghana, Obesity, Overweight, Body Mass Index, Waist-Hip Ratio, Waist Circumference

Impact of Microfinance and Remittances on the Livelihood of Nepali People

This research is about the impact of microfinance and remittances on the livelihood of Nepali people. The research has adopted a quantitative approach and used the Nepal Living Standard Survey 2003-04 dataset. The research shows that microfinance and remittances have a clear effect on percent of expenses made on food, health, education, and the housing quality of Nepali people. Out of four dependent variables, microfinance is significantly associated with percent of expenses on food, health and housing quality. Amount of microfinance loans received is negatively associated with percent of expenses on food and quality of housing but positively associated with the percent of expense on health. Similarly, remittances are significantly associated with two livelihood variables - food and education, but in an opposite direction. It has a negative association with food and a positive association with child education. The significant association of remittances with percent of children currently attending school shows that improvement in the financial situation of the household has a positive impact on education of children. ( ( Out of all independent variables, the total number of household jobs is the only vm1able which is significantly and negatively associated with all four dependent variables. Interestingly, household income is the weakest independent variable. It is significantly and negatively related with food only. Income has no significant relationship with health, education or housing. Income is overshadowed by other stronger factors like education level of the household head, caste and ethnicity, sex of household head, marital status of household head and number of dependent persons in the household. These variables are significantly associated with food, education and housing. It may indicate that Nepal is still a traditional country, where social factors are stronger than economic factors

Tailoring Extension Efforts for Promotion of Diversified Crop Rotation Systems

We conducted a survey in the northern Great Plains to better understand farmer-preferred learning sources and formats, influential factors, and challenges related to adoption of diversified crop rotation systems. University Extension was ranked as the second most preferred learning source, lagging only behind other farmers. Most farmers listed short seminars and Extension fact sheets as their most preferred learning formats, and most viewed crop productivity and soil health as the most influential factors for new-practice adoption. Our findings can help Extension educators better facilitate future adoption of diversified cropping systems as a conservation practice

Retrospective Cohort Study of Antenatal Care and Pregnancy Outcomes in Kadjebi District of Ghana

Antenatal care is essential strategy for improving maternal and pregnancy outcome. We determined the association between antenatal attendance and pregnancy outcome using low birth weight and preterm birth. We conducted retrospective cohort study using data from antenatal and delivery records of all the maternity units in Kadjebi District from October 2012 to January 2013. The study subjects were a cohort of women who delivered in maternity units in the district from 1st January to 31st December 2011.The study participants were 663 pregnant women with mean age of 25.8 years, ranging between 15-45 years. Most of the women, 53.9% were between 20-29 years and 16.2% were teenagers. The mean parity of the women was 2.1. Almost all the pregnant women, 99.2% had at least one antenatal care but only 48.2% of them made the optimum antenatal visits recommended by WHO. About 55.5% of the deliveries were preterm. Pregnant women with height <145cm were most likely to have good antenatal attendance (LR, OR:  0.65, CI: 0.45-0.95, P= 0.0246). Preterm delivery was more among Sickling positive pregnant women (LR, OR: 4.37, CI: 1.55-12.33, P: 0.0052). Low birth weight was most common among the unemployed (OR: 5.17, CI: 1.72-15.60, P: 0.0035). Early antenatal registration was protective against low birth weight (OR: 0.27, CI: 0.07-0.95, P: 0.0415). Analysis of data collected in the antenatal and delivery registers can yield valuable information for public health action. Antenatal attendance was almost universal however, optimum antennal visits was undesirably lower than expected. Early registration for antenatal care would reduce low birth weight and improve pregnancy outcome. Keywords: Ghana, Antenatal care, Prenatal care, Retrospect cohort study, pregnancy outcom