Potential of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms) for the Removal of Chromium from Tannery Effluent in Constructed Pond System

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential use of water hyacinth for the removal of chromium (Cr) from tannery wastewater. This experiment was performed using healthy, young and acclimatized water hyacinth collected from unpolluted Awash River. Cr concentrations of 3, 5, 7, 10 and 20 mg/L were added to five different polyethylene tanks, containing 40 litre tap water cultured with Hoagland’s solution. A sixth tank containing Cr-free water was used as a control group. Six plants of equal wet mass (each 12.5 ± 2 g), shoot length (11 ± 2 cm) and root length (6 ± 2 cm) were transferred into each tank and allowed to grow in a greenhouse for 42 days. From each tank plants were harvested randomly every week. Bioaccumulation factor, translocation factor, shoot and root length; wet biomass and dry weight of the shoot and root were measured, and relative growth rate, tolerance index of the root and tolerance index of wet mass were analyzed. The maximum accumulation of 2.52 X 103 µg/g of water hyacinth was achieved in the plants exposed to 20 mg/L Cr solution. The root part of the plant accumulated 2.42 to 3.82 times higher than the shoot part. An overall Cr removal efficiency of up to 91% was achieved in this study, but the efficiency decreased as the concentration of Cr in water increased. The growth of the plant was inhibited at high concentration due to Cr toxicity. Therefore, the application of water hyacinth for Cr removal will be sustainable, if the concentration of Cr in wastewater does not exceed about 10 mg/L. The relative growth rate (RGR) of the plant decreased with increasing Cr concentration and the growth was inhibited above 15.3 mg/L Cr in water. Based on the above data, it could be concluded that water hyacinth can potentially be used for the removal of Cr from tannery effluents which is a major environmental problem in Ethiopia. However, further investigation is needed to ascertain the optimum conditions for maximum removal

Special Issue of Journal of Data and Information Science on ISSI2019 Conference-Part I

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Novel Approaches to the Development and Application of Informetric and Scientometric Tools Special Issue of Journal of Data and Information Science on ISSI2019 Conference-Part II

This is the second part of the Journal of Data and Information Science (JDIS) Special Issue on ISSI 2019, the 17th International Conference on Scientometrics and Informetrics (ISSI2019) held in Rome, on 2–5 September 2019 and includes additional 10 selected posters presented during the conference largely expanded by the authors afterwards. The papers included in this volume have been grouped in three broad themes: - Indicators & Databases (4 papers); - Social context, Innovation, and Policy (3 papers); - Application domains (3 papers)

Novel Approaches to the Development and Application of Informetric and Scientometric Tools Special Issue of Journal of Data and Information Science on ISSI2019 Conference-Part i

[No abstract available

Análise de Envoltória de Dados para alocação de recursos: uma proposta de algoritmo sequencial.

Este trabalho apresenta um modelo sequencial de atribuição de recursos em modelos DEA, inspirado no modelo de votação de Hondt, considerando-se que o excesso de recursos a ser distribuído tem soma constante. Caso fosse de interesse realocal os recursos já existentes, mantendo-se constante o total dos recursos (soma dos recursos constante) poderia ser usado o modelo DEA com Ganhos de Soma Zero - GSZ-DEA, orientado a inputs. O algoritmo sequencial de alocação de recursos em DEA proposto neste artigo é aplicado à distribuição de vagas docentes aos departamentos de ensino do Centro Tecnológico da UFF. O modelo considera o número de professores de cada departamento, o envolvimento com atividades de ensino e pesquisa e a existência de projetos de expansão aprovados

Effect of Electrode Composition and Microstructure on Impendancemetric nitric oxide sensors based on YSZ Electrolyte

The role of metal (Au, Pt, and Ag) electrodes in yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte-based impedancemetric nitric oxide (NO) sensors is investigated using impedance spectroscopy and equivalent circuit analysis. Focus on the metal/porous YSZ interface is based on previous studies using a symmetric cell (metal/YSZporous/YSZdense/YSZporous/metal) and attempts to further elucidate the important processes responsible for sensing. The current test cell consists of a rectangular slab of porous YSZ with two metal-wire loop electrodes (metal/YSZporous/metal), both exposed to the same atmosphere. Of the electrode materials, only Au was sensitive to changes in NO concentration. The impedance behavior of porous Au electrodes in a slightly different configuration was compared with dense Au electrodes and was also insensitive to NO. Although the exact mechanism is not determined, the composition and microstructure of the metal electrode seem to alter the rate-limiting step of the interfering O2 reaction. Impedance behavior of the O2 reaction that is limited by processes occurring away from the triple-phase boundary may be crucial for impedancemetric NO sensing

Epilepsy with auditory features: A heterogeneous clinico-molecular disease

Objective: To identify novel genes implicated in epilepsy with auditory features (EAF) in phenotypically heterogeneous families with unknown molecular basis. Methods: We identified 15 probands with EAF in whom an LGI1 mutation had been excluded. We performed electroclinical phenotyping on all probands and available affected relatives. We used whole-exome sequencing (WES) in 20 individuals with EAF (including all the probands and 5 relatives) to identify single nucleotide variants, small insertions/deletions, and copy number variants. Results: WES revealed likely pathogenic variants in genes that had not been previously associated with EAF: a CNTNAP2 intragenic deletion, 2 truncating mutations of DEPDC5, and a missense SCN1A change. Conclusions: EAF is a clinically and molecularly heterogeneous disease. The association of EAF with CNTNAP2, DEPDC5, and SCN1A mutations widens the phenotypic spectrum related to these genes. CNTNAP2 encodes CASPR2, a member of the voltage-gated potassium channel complex in which LGI1 plays a role. The finding of a CNTNAP2 deletion emphasizes the importance of this complex in EAF and shows biological convergence

Factors influencing uptake of voluntary counselling and testing services for HIV/AIDS in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality (LMKM) in the Eastern Region of Ghana: a cross-sectional household survey

Background Voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) is one of the nine strategies recommended for prevention and control of HIV globally. In this study, we assessed the awareness and utilisation of VCT services among residents of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality (LMKM) in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Methods A population-based descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted with 200 participants, aged between 18 and 55 years. Participants were recruited using cluster and simple random techniques to take part in the survey. Data was analysed descriptively, as well as using regression analysis approach. Results Ninety-one percent of the respondents surveyed were aware of VCT services for HIV/AIDS. Seventy percent (70 %) have used VCT service in the last 12 months prior to the survey. Of this proportion, 97 % were satisfied with the quality of VCT services offered and indicated their willingness to recommend the service to others. Participants desire to know their HIV status (40 %), referral by health workers (25 %), and participants who wanted to get married (11 %) were the main reasons for increased uptake. Participants who had formal education, primary (OR = 1.8 (95 % CI 1.25–2.84)), junior high school (OR = 2.3 (95 % CI 1.54–3.37)), senior high school (OR = 2.8 (95 % CI 1.73–4.78)), and tertiary (OR = 3.4 (95 % CI 1.98–8.42)), had increased chance of using VCT service compared with participants who had no education (p < 0.001). Reasons for non-utilisation of VCT service were lack of awareness of the VCT service in the area (32 %), fear of being stigmatised (53 %), and the belief that HIV/AIDS cannot be cured and therefore the lack of need (5 %). Conclusions Although awareness and utilisation of VCT service rates were reportedly high, more efforts need to be done in order to increase awareness and promote utilisation. HIV/AIDS educational campaign programmes need to be strongly pursued, with emphasis on the benefits of VCT services. This has the potential of reducing stigma and increase utilisation

Sex-related differences of fatty acid-binding protein 4 and leptin levels in atrial fibrillation

Aims: Adiposity plays a key role in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF). Our aim was to study the sex differences in adipokines levels according to AF burden. Methods and results: Two independent cohorts of patients were studied: (i) consecutive patients with AF undergoing catheter ablation (n = 217) and (ii) a control group (n = 105). (i) Adipokines, oxidative stress, indirect autonomic markers, and leucocytes mRNA levels were analysed; (ii) correlation between biomarkers was explored with heatmaps and Kendall correlation coefficients; and (iii) logistic regression and random forest model were used to determine predictors of AF recurrence after ablation. Our results showed that: (i) fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) and leptin levels were higher in women than in men in both cohorts (P < 0.01). In women, FABP4 levels were higher on AF cohort (20 ± 14 control, 29 ± 18 paroxysmal AF and 31 ± 17 ng/mL persistent AF; P < 0.01). In men, leptin levels were lower on AF cohort (22 ± 15 control, 13 ± 16 paroxysmal AF and 13 ± 11 ng/mL persistent AF; P < 0.01). (ii) In female with paroxysmal AF, there was a lower acetylcholinesterase and higher carbonic anhydrase levels with respect to men (P < 0.05). (iii) Adipokines have an important role on discriminate AF recurrence after ablation. In persistent AF, FABP4 was the best predictor of recurrence after ablation (1.067, 95% confidence interval 1-1.14; P = 0.046). Conclusion: The major finding of the present study is the sex-based differences of FABP4 and leptin levels according to AF burden. These adipokines are associated with oxidative stress, inflammatory and autonomic indirect markers, indicating that they may play a role in AF perpetuation.This study was supported by projects (PI16/01282 and PI18/01584) integrated in the Plan Estatal de I+D+I 2016–2019 and cofounded by ISCIII-Subdirección General de Evaluación y Fomento de la Investigación del Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER). J.N.L.-C. and M.R.-M. were a recipient of a Sociedade Galega de Cardioloxía (SOGACAR) research grant. D.d.G.-C. was a recipient of a Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación grant from the Ministry of Science Innovation and Universities (IJCI-2016-29393). CIBER Cardiovascular (CB16/11/00403 to V.Ll.-C. and D.d.G.-C.) is a project from Carlos III Health Institute.Peer reviewe