PHOTOLYSIS OF METHYLENE BLUE DYE USING AN ADVANCED OXIDATION PROCESS (ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT AND HYDROGEN PEROXIDE)

Photolysis of methylene blue was studied by using an advanced UV/H2O2 oxidation process. This study investigated different initial dye concentrations (I0, 20, 30 ppm) using different concentrations of H2O2 (10 %, 30%, 50 %) in three additions (5 mL, 10 mL, 15 mL). The results showed that the degradation efficiencies of this dye at different concentrations were as follows: 99.86 % at 10 ppm using 15 mL of 10 % H2O2 after 60 min, 99.22 % at 20 ppm using 15 mL of 30 % H2O2 for 60 min, and 98.90 % at 30ppm using 15 mL of 50 % H2O2 after 90 min. An increase in the optimum concentration of H2O2 was observed with an increase in the initial dye concentration. The de-coloration time also increased with increasing initial dye concentration

Detection of Trypanozoon trypanosomes infections on Glossina fuscipes fuscipes (Diptera: Glossinidae) using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique in the Blue Nile State, Sudan

Tsetse flies transmit many species of trypanosomes in Africa, some of which are human and livestock pathogens of major medical and socio-economic impact. Identification of trypanosomes is essential to assess the disease risk imposed by particular tsetse populations. The present study was carried out to determine the trypanosomal infection rate of tsetse flies (Glossina fuscipes fuscipes) in the Blue Nile State of Sudan. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was used because of the inherent difficulty of speciating trypanosomal parasites in the fly. Our results show that 4.44% (8/180) of the flies were positive for a Trypanosoma brucei group. Three of eight positive flies reacted with primers for Trypanosoma b. rhodesiense. We did not detect flies infected with T. b. gambiense. Thus, the burden of flies harboring T. b. rhodesiense and T. b. brucei trypanosomes were 1.67 and 2.78%, respectively. This is the first evidence of T. b. rhodesiense in the Yabus District. Thus, HAT case-detection active surveillance and tsetse fly control campaigns should be conducted before the establishment of human settlement, investment of natural resources into agricultural and animal husbandry.Key words: Glossina fuscipes fuscipes, Trypanosoma brucei, T. b. gambiense, T. b. rhodesiense, infection rate, PCR technique, Blue Nile State

Effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and core muscle strengthening on trunk instability following stroke

Background: Postural instability leads to balance dysfunction in stroke subjects, which always increase the risk of fall. This study aimed to compare the effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and core muscle strengthening on trunk balance following stroke.Methods: Forty five stroke subjects were participated and assigned randomly into three groups; all groups received standard rehabilitation program; and core group received additional core strengthening, neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) group received added electrical stimulation over paraspinal region and combination group received core muscle strengthening and NMES along with standard rehabilitation protocol. After four weeks of the interventions, primary and secondary outcome measures are evaluated. Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke (PASS), Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS) and Barthel Index (BI) were evaluated before and after the intervention.Results: All the three (core MS, NMES and combination) groups showed significant improvement after the intervention (BBS 10.07, 15.54 and 18.27, PASS 6.54, 13.06 and 14.00, TIS 0.25, 0.25 and 0.51, BI 16.40, 29.93 and 36.53). The combination group (NMES and core muscle strengthening) showed better improvement than other two groups. TIS and BI total score showed positive (0.849) correlation.Conclusions: Addition of NMES along with core muscle strengthening for stroke rehabilitation will improve trunk stability, balance and ADLs

EXTRACTION, PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF LECTIN FROM PHASEOLUS VULGARIS L. CV. WHITE SEEDS (WHITE KIDNEY BEAN)

Abstract The purpose of the research was to study the purification and characterization of lectin from Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv.white seeds. The lectin was purified by sequence of steps , namly , first with ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by ion exchange (DEAE cellulose) and gel filtration (sephadex G-200

Effect of boron on the yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under center pivot sprinkler irrigation system in the West Desert of Iraq

Two field experiments were conducted under field conditions under a sprinkler irrigation system in the West desert of Iraq, Al-Qaim Area, 400 km west of Baghdad. Underground water was used as a source of irrigation water to study the effect of different rates and different times of boron application on wheat cv. Ibaa99. RCBD with five treatments and three replications was used in this study. Boron dose was 2 kg/ha for soil application method and 0.30 kg/ha for foliar application method. Boron treatments were: 0 (control T1), 2 kg B ha-1 at sowing time (T2), 2 kg B ha-1 at 30 days after sowing (T3), 0.3 kg B ha-1 foliar application at 60 days after sowing (T4) and 0.3 kg B ha-1 for foliar application at 90 days after sowing (T5). Most boron treatments gave a significant increase as compared with control in morphological, physiological and productivity characters of wheat crop. The results revealed that B application treatment at 30 days after sowing time increased significantly the 1000 grains weight (17.6%) while T5 treatment increased significantly the chlorophyll content (12.41%) over control. In most cases, B application treatment at 60 days after sowing time showed the best results and increased significantly the plant height (5.24%), leaf area (9.18%), number of grains spike-1 (30.9 %), number of spike m-2 (18.8%), spike length (65.6%), Grains yield (34.6%) over control. There was evidence that the best dose of boron was 0.3 kg B ha-1 and the best time of B application to the foliage was at 60 days after sowing

The Effect of Solvent-Modification on the Physicochemical Properties of ZnO Nanoparticles Synthesized by Sol-Gel Method

This study investigated the solvent effect on the synthesis of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle using sol-gel method. Zinc acetate dihydrate and oxalic acid were used as a chemical precursor for the synthesis of the ZnO nanoparticle considering the effects of various solvents. The effect of using water, propanol, or ethanol as solvent during the synthesis were examined. The resultant gel in the aqueous and organic moderate solvent was thermally cracked into ZnO nanoparticles at 450 °C under atmospheric pressure. The results showed that the solvent type has a significant effect on the morphology and particles size of the ZnO nanoparticles synthesized. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to investigate the microstructure of the nanoparticles. The crystalline and chemical structure of the prepared ZnO nanoparticle were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The average diameter of nano-size particles obtained for ethanol, propanol and water are 79.55 nm, 83.86 nm and 85.59 nm, respectively. ZnO particles showed higher degree of crystalline in water compared to other solvents under current investigation. Copyright © 2021 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

Debilitating floods in the Sahel are becoming frequent

Despite the long-lasting and widespread drought in the Sahel, flood events did punctuate in the past. The concern about floods remains dwarf on the international research and policy agenda compared to droughts. In this paper, we elucidate that floods in the Sahel are now becoming more frequent, widespread, and more devastating. We analyzed gridded daily rainfall data over the period 1981–2020, used photographs and satellite images to depict flood areas and threats, compiled and studied flood-related statistics over the past two decades, and supported the results with peer-reviewed literature. Our analysis revealed that the timing of the maximum daily rainfall occurs from the last week of July to mid-August in the Eastern Sahel, but from the last week of July to the end of August in the Western Sahel. In 2019 and 2020, flash and riverine floods took their toll in Sudan and elsewhere in the region in terms of the number of affected people, direct deaths, destroyed and damaged houses and croplands, contaminated water resources, and disease outbreaks and deaths. Changes in rainfall intensity, human interventions in the physical environment, and poor urban planning play a major role in driving catastrophic floods. Emphasis should be put on understanding flood causes and impacts on vulnerable societies, controlling water-borne diseases, and recognizing the importance of compiling relevant and reliable flood information. Extreme rainfall in this dry region could be an asset for attenuating the regional water scarcity status if well harvested and managed. We hope this paper will induce the hydroclimate scholars to carry out more flood studies for the Sahel. It is only then encumbered meaningful opportunities for flood risk management can start to unveil

A Systemic Review of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Adults and the Clinical Management of Diagnosis and Treatment

Iron deficiency is the most frequent cause of anaemia worldwide. It impairs quality of life, increases asthenia and can lead to clinical worsening of patients. In addition, iron deficiency has a complex mechanism whose pathologic pathway is recently becoming better understood. The discovery of hepcidin has allowed a better clarification of iron metabolism regulation. Furthermore, the ratio of concentration of soluble transferrin receptor to the log of the ferritin level, has been developed as a tool to detect iron deficiency in most situations. Therefore, the problem of this research lies in exploring the cause of iron deficiency that always be sought because the underlying condition can be serious. This review will summarize the current knowledge regarding diagnostic algorithms for iron deficiency anemia. The majority of aetiologies occur in the digestive tract, and justify morphological examination of the gut. First line investigations are upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and colonoscopy, and when negative, the small bowel should be explored; newer tools such as video capsule endoscopy have also been developed. The treatment of iron deficiency is aetiological if possible and iron supplementation whether in oral or in parenteral form

Barcoding of Asian seabass across its geographic range provides evidence for its bifurcation into two distinct species

Asian seabass or barramundi (Lates calcarifer) is an important food fish with commercial value and a wide geographic distribution. Though some reports based on molecular and/or morphological data exist, a comprehensive effort to establish species identity across its range is lacking. In order to address this issue and especially to ascertain whether the wide-spread distribution has resulted in bifurcation of the species, we collected Asian seabass samples from various locations representing the Western and Eastern Coastline of India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bangladesh and Australia. Samples from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore were collected as part of a previous study. DNA sequence variations, including cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI), 16S rDNA and the highly variable D-loop (or control region), were examined to establish species delineation. Data from all the sequences analyzed concordantly point to the existence of at least two distinct species—one representing the Indian subcontinent plus Myanmar, and a second, representing Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia) plus Northern Australia. These data are useful for conservation ecology, aquaculture management, for establishing the extent of genetic diversity in the Asian seabass and implementing selective breeding programs for members of this species complex

Knowledge Assessment of Anti-snake Venom Among Healthcare Practitioners in Northern Nigeria

Introduction: Anti-snake venom (ASV) is the standard therapy for the management of snakebite envenoming (SBE). Therefore, the knowledge of ASV among healthcare practitioners (HCPs) is essential for achieving optimal clinical outcomes in snakebite management. This study aimed to assess knowledge of ASV among the HCPs in northern Nigeria. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving eligible HCPs from different healthcare settings in northern Nigeria. The participants were recruited into the study using a combination of online (via Google Form) and face-to-face paper-based survey methods. The ASV knowledge of the respondents was measured using a validated anti-snake venom knowledge assessment tool (AKAT). Inadequate overall knowledge of ASV was defined as scores of 0-69.9%, and 70-100% were considered adequate overall knowledge scores. The predictors of ASV knowledge were determined using multiple logistic regression. Results: Three hundred and thirty-one (331) eligible HCPs were included in the study analysis (310 from online and 21 from paper-based survey). Overall, an estimated 12.7% of the participants had adequate knowledge of ASV. Adequate ASV knowledge was higher among physicians compared with other HCPs (21.7%; X-2 =8.1; p=0.04). Those without previous training on ASV (adjusted odds ratio [a0R], 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.18-0.73; p= 0.004) and who have not previously administered/dispensed ASV (aOR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.15-0.63; p \u3c 0.001) were less likely to have adequate knowledge of ASV. Conclusion: The knowledge of ASV among healthcare practitioners in northern Nigeria is grossly inadequate. Experience with administering or dispensing ASV predicts ASV knowledge. Therefore, appropriate interventions are needed to improve ASV knowledge, particularly among the HCPs, for optimal healthcare outcomes