Učinci konjske rotkvice (Moringa oleifera) kao dodatka prehrani na antioksidacijski status junica križanki različitih pasmina

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the anti-oxidant effect of Moringa oleifera meal-supplementation in the total mixed ration, replacing the compounded concentrate mixture for crossbred heifer calves. A total of twenty-one crossbred heifer calves were selected and grouped into three treatments based on body weight and age. The leaves (84%) and soft twigs (16%) of Moringa oleifera were mixed to prepare the Moringa oleifera meal. Compounded concentrate mixture, ground nut straw, hybrid napier grass, mineral mixture and common salt were used at 50, 23, 25, 1 and 1%, respectively to formulate the control total mixed ration (T1). The compounded concentrate mixture was replaced with the Moringa oleifera meal at 5.0 and 7.5 % to formulate total mixed rations T2 and T3. The whole blood was collected from each calves in the morning before feeding and watering at the beginning (0 day), middle (at 60 day) and end (at 126 day) of the experiment. The total leukocyte counts, total erythrocyte counts, haematocrit and platelet count of crossbred heifer calves differed non-significantly (P>0.05) between the treatment groups, and were within normal physiological range. The serum albumin, glucose, creatinine, urea, alkaline phosphatase, alanine amino transaminase, calcium and phosphorus differed non-significantly between the treatment groups. However, feeding with Moringa oleifera resulted in higher (P0.05) higher after feeding with the 5.0 and 7.5% Moringa oleifera meals. Feeding with 5.0 and 7.5% Moringa oleifera meal in the total mixed ration, replacing the high protein compounded concentrate mixture, to growing crossbred heifer calves had no adverse effect on haematological and biochemical constituents, and resulted in a non-significant (P>0.05) higher antioxidant capacity in the crossbred heifer calves.Ovo je istraživanje provedeno kako bi se procijenio antioksidacijski učinak konjske rotkvice (Moringa oleifera) kao zamjene za mješavinu koncentrata u hranidbi junica križanki različitih pasmina. Na temelju tjelesne mase i dobi, junice (n=21) su razvrstane u tri pokusne skupine. Lišće (84%) i mekše grančice (16%) konjske rotkvice izmiješane su kako bi se pripremio obrok za istraživane životinje. U formulaciji mješavine (T1) upotrijebljena je mješavina koncentrata u količini od 50%, mljeveni orašasti plodovi 23%, Hybrid Napier 25%, mineralna mješavina 1 % i obična sol 1 %. Pripreljena smjesa koncentrata zamijenjena je obrokom s konjskom rotkvicom u omjeru 5,0% i 7,5% za skupine T2 i T3. Od svake je junice uzet uzorak pune krvi ujutro prije hranjenja i pojenja na početku (0. dan), sredinom (60. dan) i na kraju pokusa (126. dan). Nije bilo statistički znakovite razlike (P>0,05) u ukupnom broju leukocita i eritrocita, hematokritu te broju trombocita među pokusnim skupinama i vrijednosti su bile unutar fiziološkog raspona. Ni u vrijednostima serumskog albumina, glukoze, kreatinina, ureje, alkalne fosfataze, alanin-aminotransaminaze, kalcija i fosfora nije bilo statistički znakovite razlike među pokusnim skupinama. Dodatak prehrani konjske rotkvice međutim rezultirao je porastom proteina u serumu (P0,05) pri hranjenju obrocima s dodatkom konjske rotkvice. Prehrana s 5,0 i 7,5% dodatka konjske rotkvice koja je zamijenila visokoproteinsku koncntriranu mješavinu u obrocima junica nije utjecala na njihove hematološke i biokemnijske pokazatelja kao ni na njihov antioksidacijski kapacitet čije neznatno povećanje nije bilo statistički znakovito (P>0,05)

Toward Eco-centric, Earth-as-School, and Love-based Curriculum and Learning: Example of a graduate course

This article puts forward love, care, and reverence for all people and our nonhuman kin as the center of posthumanist education. Opening our spiritual eye and building intimate relationships with nature and with all elements of the universe is envisioned as part of a schooling or post-schooling experience; our body, heart and spirit, along with our mind, is an essential part of learning. The article describes the experiences of students taking a graduate level course focusing on global climate change and education at a university in the United States. We use the course as an example to explore what posthumanist education entails. In this qualitative study, students taking the course, along with the faculty designing and teaching the course, describe the course curriculum and pedagogies and reflect on the course’s impact on them. Data sources include the syllabus, students’ reflection papers, nature contact journals, final projects, art works, and group conversations. Although situated in North America, the article is rich with international perspectives as student authors came from six different countries. The article posits that posthumanist education must be eco-centric and love-based, engaging students’ whole being to feel for and love Mother Nature. Keywords: curriculum, education, nature, posthumanism, climate change, higher education, teaching and learning, contemplative pedagogies, spirituality &nbsp

Correlates of opium use: retrospective analysis of a survey of tribal communities in Arunachal Pradesh, India

BACKGROUND: Household survey data of Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh, were used in the present study to assess the prevalence of opium use among different tribes, and to examine the association between sociodemographic factors and opium use. METHODS: A sample of 3421 individuals (1795 men and 1626 women) aged 15 years and older was analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression model to determine factors associated with opium use. Sociodemographic information such as age, education, occupation, religion, ethnicity and marital status were included in the analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of opium use was significantly higher (10.6%) among men than among women (2.1%). It varied according to age, educational level, occupation, marital status and religion of the respondents. In both sexes, opium use was significantly higher among Singpho and Khamti tribes compared with other tribes. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that opium use was significantly associated with age, occupation, ethnicity, religion and marital status of the respondents of both sexes. Multivariate rate ratios (MRR) for opium use were significantly higher (4–6 times) among older age groups (≥35 years) and male respondents. In males, the MRR was also significantly higher in respondents of Buddhist and Indigenous religion, while in females, the MRR was significantly higher in Buddhists. Most of the female opium users had taken opium for more than 5 years and were introduced to it by their husbands after marriage. Use of other substances among opium users comprised mainly tobacco (76%) and alcohol (44%). CONCLUSIONS: The study reveals the sociodemographic factors, such as age, sex, ethnicity, religion and occupation, which are associated with opium use. Such information is useful for institution of intervention measures to reduce opium use

Structure of Halothiobacillus neapolitanus Carboxysomes by Cryo-electron Tomography

Carboxysomes are polyhedral bodies consisting of a proteinaceous shell filled with ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO). They are found in the cytoplasm of all cyanobacteria and some chemoautotrophic bacteria. Previous studies of Halothiobacillus neapolitanus and Nitrobacter agilis carboxysomes suggest that the structures are either icosahedral or dodecahedral. To determine the protein shell structure more definitively, purified H. neapolitanus carboxysomes were re-examined by cryo-electron tomography and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Due to the limited tilt angles in the electron microscope, the tomographic reconstructions are distorted. Corrections were made in the 3D orientation searching and averaging of the computationally extracted carboxysomes to minimize the missing data effects. It was found that H. neapolitanus carboxysomes vary widely in size and mass as shown by cryo-electron tomography and STEM mass measurements, respectively. We have aligned and averaged carboxysomes in several size classes from the 3D tomographic reconstruction by methods that are not model-biased. The averages reveal icosahedral symmetry of the shell, but not of the density inside it, for all the size classesP41RR02250; NIH: NIH 5 P41EB218

Distribution and ecological growth conditions of Utricularia australis R. Br. in Ukraine

The study shows the biodiversity of Utricularia australis from western to northern regions of Ukraine. The environmental conditions of Ukraine are favourable for the spread and formation of phytocenosis involving U. australis, especially on thermoclimatic, cryothermal and continental scale. A broader range of the species’ relation to humidity has been recorded. The research outcome shows the existence of the species in conditions from shallow, parched reservoirs to deep water habitats which allows the species to withstand temporary drying of reservoirs in summer periods. The resilience of U. australis to some water quality parameters, including nitrogen, phosphorus, iron content, colour, pH and organic contamination was higher than in previous studies and Tsyganov’s ecological scales. Thus, due to its wide range of tolerance to the majority of environmental factors, U. australis tends to spread in contemporary climatic conditions in Ukraine. Considering that the species has category “vulnerable” in the country and is listed in the red data book of Ukraine, its conservation status is likely to be revised further

Malaria elimination in remote communities requires integration of malaria control activities into general health care: an observational study and interrupted time series analysis in Myanmar

Abstract Background Community health workers (CHWs) can provide diagnosis and treatment of malaria in remote rural areas and are therefore key to the elimination of malaria. However, as incidence declines, uptake of their services could be compromised if they only treat malaria. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of 571,286 malaria rapid diagnostic tests conducted between 2011 and 2016 by 1335 CHWs supported by Medical Action Myanmar. We assessed rates of decline in Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax incidence and rapid diagnostic test (RDT) positivity rates using negative binomial mixed effects models. We investigated whether broadening the CHW remit to provide a basic health care (BHC) package was associated with a change in malaria blood examination rates. Results Communities with CHWs providing malaria diagnosis and treatment experienced declines in P. falciparum and P. vivax malaria incidence of 70% (95% CI 66–73%) and 64% (59–68%) respectively each year of operation. RDT positivity rates declined similarly with declines of 70% (95% CI 66–73%) for P. falciparum and 65% (95% CI 61–69%) for P. vivax with each year of CHW operation. In four cohorts studied, adding a BHC package was associated with an immediate and sustained increase in blood examination rates (step-change rate ratios 2.3 (95% CI 2.0–2.6), 5.4 (95% CI 4.0–7.3), 1.7 (95% CI 1.4–2.1), and 1.1 (95% CI 1.0.1.3)). Conclusions CHWs have overseen dramatic declines in P. falciparum and P. vivax malaria in rural Myanmar. Expanding their remit to general health care has sustained community uptake of malaria services. In similar settings, expanding health services offered by CHWs beyond malaria testing and treatment can improve rural health care while ensuring continued progress towards the elimination of malaria