Contemporary strategies in marketing e-resources amongst selected Technical University (TU) Libraries in Ghana

The study examined Contemporary strategies in marketing e-resources amongst selected Technical Universities (TUs) in Ghana. 62 respondents were respectively drawn from all three selected Technical Universities ie Kumasi Technical University, Tamale Technical University, and Takoradi Technical University. Given that the population from the three TUs library staff was small, no sampling had to be done. The investigator sent out 62 questionnaires to the three TUs and received 39 responses representing 63 %. A descriptive survey design was employed to acquire data from the selected Technical University (TUs) libraries. Analysis of the data gathered was carried out using bar charts, pie charts, Line graphs, and percentages. Findings discovered that the state of use of e-resources amongst selected TUs was not encouraging. This is a result that the selected TUs were not using contemporary strategies such as print, online advertisement, electronic methods, and merchandise giveaways in marketing e-resources in their various libraries. Therefore, it is required of the various TUs to put measures to employ these contemporary approaches in marketing e-resources in their various libraries

Dreamvision Songbook: Five Songs for Mixed Ensemble

The DREAMVISION SONGBOOK is a musical dream vision: a cycle of allegorical songs for mixed ensemble (three sopranos, guitar, violin, double bass and percussion). The text for the work consists of five original English poems written by the composer. The poems take the characteristics of the medieval rondeau, virelai and ballade as a formal departure point. The five poems depict a series of episodes that weave together a dream vision; a pilgrimage in which the dreamer encounters imagery of environmental collapse, death, decay and catastrophe, but also symbols of hope and repair

Conscious monitoring and control (reinvestment) in surgical performance under pressure.

Research on intraoperative stressors has focused on external factors without considering individual differences in the ability to cope with stress. One individual difference that is implicated in adverse effects of stress on performance is "reinvestment," the propensity for conscious monitoring and control of movements. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of reinvestment on laparoscopic performance under time pressure

A diverse diet as an alternative to ryegrass can improve the total antioxidant status of dams at lambing

The objective of this experiment was to determine if providing ewes in the final trimester of pregnancy with choice from diverse diet components would reduce markers of oxidative and metabolic stress in ewes and improve lamb birth weights relative to ewes offered only one forage species, repetitively. Fifty-four, twin bearing Coopworth ewes [initial live weight (LW) = 69.82 ± 1.16 kg] were blocked by weight onto iso-energetic diets with either choice from taxonomically diverse plants [DIV; spatially separated strips of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)] or a ryegrass only diet (RYE) for the final third of gestation. The ewes offered the DIV diet birthed 8.9% heavier lambs (5.64 ± 0.20 kg) than RYE ewes (5.18 ± 0.20 kg; P = 0.03). In addition, the DIV ewes had greater (P < 0.01) glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant status, and lower (P = 0.01) plasma non-esterified fatty acid concentrations than the RYE fed ewes 24 h after lambing. The results indicate that the DIV diet can improve antioxidant status and reduce some markers of oxidative and metabolic stress at lambing compared to a conventional RYE diet

Low Mate Encounter Rate Increases Male Risk Taking in a Sexually Cannibalistic Praying Mantis

Male praying mantises are forced into the ultimate trade-off of mating versus complete loss of future reproduction if they fall prey to a female. The balance of this trade-off will depend both on (1) the level of predatory risk imposed by females and (2) the frequency of mating opportunities for males. We report the results of a set of experiments that examine the effects of these two variables on male risk-taking behavior and the frequency of sexual cannibalism in the praying mantis Tenodera sinensis. We experimentally altered the rate at which males encountered females and measured male approach and courtship behavior under conditions of high and low risk of being attacked by females. We show that male risk taking depends on prior access to females. Males with restricted access to females showed greater risk-taking behavior. When males were given daily female encounters, they responded to greater female-imposed risk by slowing their rate of approach and remained a greater distance from a potential mate. In contrast, males without recent access to mates were greater risk-takers; they approached females more rapidly and to closer proximity, regardless of risk. In a second experiment, we altered male encounter rate with females and measured rates of sexual cannibalism when paired with hungry or well-fed females. Greater risk-taking behavior by males with low mate encounter rates resulted in high rates of sexual cannibalism when these males were paired with hungry females

Protective Efficacy of Menthol Propylene Glycol Carbonate Compared to N, N-diethyl-Methylbenzamide Against Mosquito Bites in Northern Tanzania.

The reduction of malaria parasite transmission by preventing human-vector contact is critical in lowering disease transmission and its outcomes. This underscores the need for effective and long lasting arthropod/insect repellents. Despite the reduction in malaria transmission and outcomes in Tanzania, personal protection against mosquito bites is still not well investigated. This study sought to determine the efficacy of menthol propylene glycol carbonate (MR08), Ocimum suave as compared to the gold standard repellent N, N-diethyl-methylbenzamide (DEET), either as a single dose or in combination (blend), both in the laboratory and in the field against Anopheles gambiae s.l and Culex quinquefasciatus. In the laboratory evaluations, repellents were applied on one arm while the other arm of the same individual was treated with a base cream. Each arm was separately exposed in cages with unfed female mosquitoes. Repellents were evaluated either as a single dose or as a blend. Efficacy of each repellent was determined by the number of mosquitoes that landed and fed on treated arms as compared to the control or among them. In the field, evaluations were performed by human landing catches at hourly intervals from 18:00  hr to 01:00  hr. A total of 2,442 mosquitoes were collected during field evaluations, of which 2,376 (97.30%) were An. gambiae s.l while 66 (2.70%) were Cx. quinquefaciatus. MR08 and DEET had comparatively similar protective efficacy ranging from 92% to 100 for both single compound and blends. These findings indicate that MR08 has a similar protective efficacy as DEET for personal protection outside bed nets when used singly and in blends. Because of the personal protection provided by MR08, DEET and blends as topical applicants in laboratory and field situations, these findings suggest that, these repellents could be used efficiently in the community to complement existing tools. Overall, Cx. quinquefasciatus were significantly prevented from blood feeding compared to An. gambiae s.l. The incorporation of these topical repellents for protection against insect bites can be of additional value in the absence or presence of IRS and ITNs coverage. However, a combination of both the physical (bed nets) and the repellent should be used in an integrated manner for maximum protection, especially before going to bed. Additional research is needed to develop repellents with longer duration of protection

Which family members use the best nets? An analysis of the condition of mosquito nets and their distribution within households in Tanzania

BACKGROUND: Household ownership of insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) is increasing, and coverage targets have been revised to address universal coverage with ITNs. However, many households do not have enough nets to cover everyone, and the nets available vary in physical condition and insecticide treatment status. Since 2004, the Government of Tanzania has been implementing the Tanzania National Voucher Scheme (TNVS), which distributes vouchers for ITNs through antenatal clinics to target pregnant women and their infants. This analysis aimed to determine the following: (1) coverage patterns of bed nets within households according to physical condition and treatment status; (2) who might be at risk if mosquitoes were diverted from occupants of untreated nets to those not using nets? (3) the degree to which those at highest risk of malaria use the most protective nets. METHODS: Data from the 2006 TNVS household survey were analysed to assess within-household distribution of net use. The associations between net characteristics and net user were also evaluated. Multivariate analysis was applied to the relationship between the number of holes per net and user characteristics while adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: In households with a net:person ratio better than 1:4 (one net for every four household members), more than 80% of the people in such households reported using a net the previous night. ITNs were most likely to be used by infants, young children (1-4 y), and women of childbearing age; they were least likely to be used by older women (>or=50 y), older children (5-14 y), and adult men. The nets used by infants and women of childbearing age were in better-than-average physical condition; the nets used by older women and older children were in worse-than-average condition; while young children and adult men used nets in intermediate (average) condition. When adjusted for confounders, the nets used by young and older children had more holes than nets used by infants. CONCLUSIONS: Infants and other vulnerable groups were most likely to sleep under the most protective nets. Nevertheless, more communication efforts are needed to increase use of intact ITNs within households for children. Further research is necessary to fully understand motivations influencing within-household net distribution

Hostility, Physical Aggression and Trait Anger as Predictors for Suicidal Behavior in Chinese Adolescents: A School-Based Study

Purpose: This study explored the extent to which trait aggression is associated with suicidal behavior in a nationwide school-based sample of adolescents. Methods: A nationwide sample of 14,537 high school students in urban areas of China was recruited. Information concerning suicide ideation, plans, attempts, trait aggression and other risk factors was collected by a self-reported questionnaire. Multivariate regression analyses were employed to predict suicidal behavior. Results: Approximately 18.5 % of students reported suicide ideation, 8.7 % reported suicide plans, and 4.1 % reported attempts during the past one year. Hostility and trait anger had a significant positive association with suicidal ideation. Hostility and physical aggression were positively related to suicide plans. Hostility had a positive correlation with suicide attempts, while trait anger was inversely associated with suicide attempts. Conclusions: This study suggests that hostility, physical aggression and trait anger may be able to be used to predict suicidal behavior among adolescents. Suicide prevention programs should target at attenuating the severity of hostility, anger and physical aggression. But teachers and parents should also give close attention to students with low trait anger