SINGLE-PLANT STARVATION AND PAIRED-PLANT STARVATION TESTS OF ADULT Neochetina eichhorniae WARNER

Single-plant starvation and paired-plant starvation tests were performed on adult Neochetina eichhorniae to determine the feeding specificity of the insect on the following plants: Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes, Hymphaea lotus, Ceratopteris sp, Azolla species, Colocasia esculentus, Vigna sinensis, Talium triangulare, Capsicum annum and Lycopesicom esculentus.The feeding spots of N.     eichhorniae on the different plants were assessed and counted using a hand-counter.  N. eichhorniae adults fed on E. crassipes only, confirming the feeding specificity of the N. eichhorniae to E. crassipes and the safety of other plants growing in the habitat

Social and environmental justice for a sustainable future

In October 2022, Canterbury Christ Church University invited staff, students and the wider community to explore the connections between environmental and social justice, to promote inclusive learning environments and celebrate the contribution of diverse voices to building a sustainable future for all. The presentation discusses the experiences of an interdisciplinary and interdepartmental organising committee in embracing the inherent ‘messy complexity’ of both the topic itself and the practical delivery of the conference. By sharing the triumphs, challenges and ‘lessons learned’ we hope to encourage others to explore collaborative and innovative ways to promote environmental and social justice

EMPIRICAL STUDY ON MEASUREMENT OF PERFORMANCE OF NIGERIAN MONEY DEPOSIT BANKS

This study examines the performance of the Nigerian money deposit banks for the period 2008 to 2012. Past studies attempted to measure the performance and efficiency of the banking industry using different kinds of performance indicators such as outputs, costs, financial measures, economic meas- ures to include Total Factor Productivity (TPF) among others. But in this study, the researchers fo- cused on another aspect by adopting the Performance Indexing Model developed by Suat, Dilek & Oya (2011), to determine the performance levels of these banks when subjected to ranking. The study covered eleven (11) Nigerian money deposit banks listed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange Market. This was augmented by Time Series Panel Data Analysis to determine the magnitude of performance char- acteristics of the selected banks. Findings showed that, there is a significant and positive relationship between money deposit banks and the performance characteristics. It also showed that Access Bank is dominating as the best performer as indicated by Performance Index and that the model (PIM) is suitable for measuring money deposit banks performance as against the traditional method of using financial measurement only. It was recommended that Money deposit banks should not be measured by financial reports only, but should include management efficiency, capital adequacy, and asset qual- ity among others (performance characteristics)

Safe nights out: Workers’ perspectives on tackling violence against women and girls

Existing research focused on workers within the night-timeeconomy (NTE) is limited. In this unique study, research was conducted with workers from a wide range of professions and occupations. The study garnered important insights into NTE workers’ understanding and experience of violence against women and girls (VAWG). Workers observed a strong relationship between alcohol consumption and VAWG and were knowledgeable about spiking, perceiving this practice to be growing. Strong protocols were in place to support women when spiking was alleged. The understanding of VAWG was, in contrast, broad but inconsistent. NTE workers provide myriad ways to support and protect women who are out at night. However, responses to potential incidents of VAWG are shaped by intuition, rather than being rooted in formal knowledge and institutional protocols. The decision to intervene is usually based on NTE workers’ levels of experience, confidence, and subjective perception of risk – described as ‘going with your gut’. There were, however, some good examples of where formal training had been provided and found to be useful. Specifically,there was evidence that many of the initiatives established as part of the Safer Streets project were making a difference. Respondents valued the training that they had received (such as zero-tolerance), and they recognised the important role that Street Pastors provide. Nevertheless, several training gaps were identified. Specifically, workers reported that they wanted to be better equipped to identify potential perpetrators of crime and would welcome advice on how to enhance personal and customer safety. NTE workers would also benefit from knowing more about the location and value of safe havens. The study showed that while many venues offer support to customers, there is some inconsistency in the way that safety measures are advertised and enacted

Pebble bed: reflector treatment and pressure\ud velocity coupling

In this report, we describe some models and numerical methods used to simulate the flow and temperature in a pebble bed modular nuclear reactor. The reactor core is filled with around 450000 spheres containing low enriched uranium and helium is forced through these hot pebbles to cool the system down. The group first investigated the flow model in the pebbles. Numerical aspects were then considered to tackle difficulties encountered with the flow simulation and the temperature inside the pebbles. Numerical schemes are presented that can significantly improve the accuracy of the computed results

Effects of Thermal Radiation on MHD Peristaltic Motion of Walters-B Fluid with Heat Source and Slip Conditions

In this paper, we examine the combined effects of magnetic field, thermal radiation, heat source, velocity slip and thermal jump on peristaltic transport of an electrically conducting Walters-B fluid through a compliant walled channel. Using small wave number approach, the nonlinear model differential equations are obtained and tackled analytically by regular perturbation method. Expressions for the stream function, velocity, temperature, skin-friction coefficient and heat transfer coefficient are constructed. Pertinent results are presented graphically and discussed quantitatively. It is found that the velocity distribution depresses while the fluid temperature rises with an increase in Hartmann number. The trapping phenomenon is observed and the size of trapped bolus increases with an increase in Hartmann number

Structural mechanism underpinning cross-reactivity of a CD8(+) T-cell clone that recognizes a peptide derived from human telomerase reverse transcriptase

T-cell cross-reactivity is essential for effective immune surveillance but has also been implicated as a pathway to autoimmunity. Previous studies have demonstrated that T-cell receptors (TCRs) that focus on a minimal motif within the peptide are able to facilitate a high level of T-cell cross-reactivity. However, the structural database shows that most TCRs exhibit less focused antigen binding involving contact with more peptide residues. To further explore the structural features that allow the clonally expressed TCR to functionally engage with multiple peptide-major histocompatibility complexes (pMHCs), we examined the ILA1 CD8(+) T-cell clone that responds to a peptide sequence derived from human telomerase reverse transcriptase. The ILA1 TCR contacted its pMHC with a broad peptide binding footprint encompassing spatially distant peptide residues. Despite the lack of focused TCR-peptide binding, the ILA1 T-cell clone was still cross-reactive. Overall, the TCR-peptide contacts apparent in the structure correlated well with the level of degeneracy at different peptide positions. Thus, the ILA1 TCR was less tolerant of changes at peptide residues that were at, or adjacent to, key contact sites. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms that control T-cell cross-reactivity with important implications for pathogen surveillance, autoimmunity, and transplant rejection

Numerical study of radiative Maxwell viscoelastic magnetized flow from a stretching permeable sheet with the Cattaneo–Christov heat flux model

In this article, the Cattaneo-Christov heat flux model is implemented to study non-Fourier heat and mass transfer in the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow of an upper convected Maxwell (UCM) fluid over a permeable stretching sheet under a transverse constant magnetic field. Thermal radiation and chemical reaction effects are also considered. The nonlinear partial differential conservation equations for mass, momentum, energy and species conservation are transformed with appropriate similarity variables into a system of coupled, highly nonlinear ordinary differential equations with appropriate boundary conditions. Numerical solutions have been presented for the influence of elasticity parameter (), magnetic parameter (M2), suction/injection parameter (λ), Prandtl number (Pr), conduction-radiation parameter (Rd), sheet stretching parameter (A), Schmidt number (Sc), chemical reaction parameter (γ_c), modified Deborah number with respect to relaxation time of heat flux (i.e. non-Fourier Deborah number) on velocity components, temperature and concentration profiles using the successive Taylor series linearization method (STSLM) utilizing Chebyshev interpolating polynomials and Gauss-Lobatto collocation. The effects of selected parameters on skin friction coefficient, Nusselt number and Sherwood number are also presented with the help of tables. Verification of the STSLM solutions is achieved with existing published results demonstrating close agreement. Further validation of skin friction coefficient, Nusselt number and Sherwood number values computed with STSLM is included using Mathematica software shooting quadrature