Effect of diazinon 60 EC on Anabas testudineus, Channa punctatus and Barbodes gonionotus

Anabas testudineus, Channa punctatus and Barbodes gonionotus were exposed to 5.62, 6.25, 6.87, 7.50, 8.12 and 8.75 ppm; 1.13, 2.26, 3.39, 4.52, 5.65 and 6.78 ppm; and 2.00, 2.50, 3.00, 3.50, 4.00 and 4.50 ppm of Diazinon 60 EC, respectively. The median lethal concentration (LC50) values of Diazinon 60 EC on A. testudineus, C. punctatus and B. gonionotus were 6.55, 3.09 and 2.72 ppm for 96 hrs of exposure. The fish species showed several abnormal behaviors which included restlessness, arena movements, loss of equilibrium, increased opercular activities, strong spasm, paralysis and sudden quick movements during the exposure. For histopathological studies, A. testudineus, C. punctatus and B. gonionotus were exposed for 7 days to sublethal concentrations of 1.13 and 3.75 ppm; 1.13 and 2.26 ppm; and 1.13 and 2.26 ppm of Diazinon 60 EC, respectively. Hypertrophy, necrosis and pyknosis of hepatocytes, pyknosis and degenerative changes such as necrosis of tubular and haematopoietic cells of kidney were the major histopathological effects

Prevalence of malaria and its risk factors in Sabah, Malaysia

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of malaria in Sabah and its potential risk factors. Methods This cross-sectional study analysed secondary data obtained from the health clinics in Sabah, Malaysia from January to August 2016. The Pearson Chi-square test was used to analyse the relationships between malaria infection and socio-demographic characteristics. Multivariable logistic regression was performed in order to determine the risk factors for malaria in Sabah. Results Out of 1222 patients, 410 (33.6%) had a laboratory-confirmed malaria infection. Infection by Plasmodium knowlesi accounted for the majority of malaria reports in Sabah (n=340, 82.9%). Multivariable analysis indicated that males (prevalence odds ratio 0.023, 95% confidence interval 0.012-0.047) and those living in a rural area (prevalence odds ratio 0.004, 95% confidence interval 0.002-0.009) were at higher risk 24.0–95.9) and those living in a rural area (adjusted odds ratio 212.6, 95% confidence interval 105.8–427.2) were at higher risk of acquiring a malaria infection. Conclusions Malaria infections in Sabah, Malaysia are common, with P. knowlesi being the most common malaria parasite. The infection was associated with several socio-demographic and geographical factors. Thus, mitigation measures should be considered to address modifiable risk factors for malaria infection

Aquaculture for income and nutrition: Final report

The United States Agency for International Development-Aquaculture for Income and Nutrition (USAID-AIN) project, implemented by WorldFish, emphasized technology development for improved fish strains, and capacity building in hatcheries and nurseries for wider dissemination and uptake among small- and medium-scale household and commercial producers. Improving nutritional benefits from household aquaculture investment was also an important activity of the project. Specifically, AIN aimed to increase aquaculture production by developing hatcheries and nurseries, disseminating improved fish and shrimp seed, enhancing farm management skills of smallholder farmers, promoting new technologies to expand commercial aquaculture, developing backward and forward market linkages, supporting policy reform and building capacity of the public and private sectors, which resulted in increased productivity and revenue for farmers. This report also highlights the major achievements of the AIN project between 2011 and 2016

Physical and chemical properties of different morphological parts of sugar palm fibres.

Recently, due to increased environmental concerns, scientists and technologists have placed great importance on the application of natural fibres, especially in biocomposites. The sugar palm tree is one of the most popular natural fibres used in engineering applications. A study on the fundamental properties of fibres from different morphological parts of the sugar palm plant, which are bunch, black sugar palm fibre, locally known as ijuk, trunk and frond was carried out in order to evaluate their potential as eventual raw materials for reinforced polymer composites. From this study, it was found that sugar palm frond (SPF)gives the highest tensile strength compared to the other parts, which is 421.4 N/mm2. The tensile strength for sugar palm bunch (SPB), ijuk and sugar palm trunk (SPT) is 365.1,276.6 and 198.3 N/mm2, respectively. These results have been proven using those for their chemical compositions, where the highest cellulose content was obtained from SPF (66.5%), followed by SPB (61.8%), ijuk (52.3%), and SPT (40.6%). For water absorption testing, it was found that SPF also gave the highest percentage - 132.8%, followed by SPB, ijuk and SPT. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was used in order to detect the presence of functional groups existing in sugar palm fibre

Characterising Ballistic Limits of Lightweight Laminated-Structure as a Protective Panel for Armoured Vehicle / N.A. Rahman...[et al.]

This study investigates the ballistic performance of aluminium alloy Al7075-T6 and magnesium alloy AZ31B served as the intermediate layer in triple-layered laminated panel using computational analysis. Aluminium and magnesium alloys offer a considerably potential for reducing the weight of an armoured vehicle body due to low densities and high energy absorption capabilities. The poor ballistic performance of these materials can be improved by layering with the high strength steel, Ar500. A commercial explicit finite element code was implemented to develop triple-layered panels impacted by a 7.62 mm armour piercing projectile at velocity range of 900 to 950 m/s. Two models were constructed where aluminium alloy and magnesium alloy served as intermediate layer in the first model and the second model respectively. The ballistic performance of each model in terms of ballistic limit velocity and depth of penetration was evaluated. Considering the 25% existing armour vehicle weight reduction, it was found that magnesium alloy has equivalent ballistic limit to that of aluminium alloy which is at 1020 m/s. At the standard projectile velocity, aluminium stopped the projectile at 24 mm depth and magnesium stopped at 25 mm. Thus, lightweight materials can be suitable combinations for designing lighter armoured vehicle panel without neglecting its ballistic performance

Variation of Car Cabin Temperature Influenced by Ventilation under Direct Sun Exposure

In the past few years many fatalities have been reported as the result of internal car heat. Problems arise when the temperature in a car cabin is too hot when parked under direct sunlight. The trapped and accumulated heat causes the temperature inside a car to reach up to 36ºC and even up to 50ºC. The objectives of this paper are to study and analyze the behavior of car cabin temperature influenced by ventilation under direct sun exposure. The performance of the proposed mathematical modelling was compared to data collected in real time from the car cabin. The simulation model was used to study the behavior of cabin temperature by investigating the ventilation mass flow rate as its parameter. An experimental result was obtained from measurements on a salon car parked in the direct sun. It is hoped that this study will be able to provide beneficial information for car interior design and material selection in order to improve comfort levels in cars

Synthesis and characterization of grafted polystyrene with acrylonitrile using gamma-irradiation

Polystyrene grafted with acrylonitrile using gamma-irradiation technique was successfully synthesized. This process was carried out at various gamma dose (0.2-1.5 Mrad). The new grafted polymer was characterized and its properties were investigated. The results indicate that best grafting percentage ratio could be revealed when the concentration of the catalyst Ferrous Ammonium Sulphate (FAS) is about 2% and the monomer concentration is 90%, at 1.25 Mrad dose. The new grafted polymer was proved by FTIR, TGA and Viscosity techniques, which was analyzed and studied with a suggested presented mechanism. The adding of acrylonitrile to polystyrene improved the physical properties of polystyren

Phylogenomics and Infectious Potential of Avian Avulaviruses Species-Type 1 Isolated from Healthy Green-Winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) from a Wetland Sanctuary of Indus River

Given the importance of Avian avulaviruses (AAvVs) in commercial poultry, continuous monitoring and surveillance in natural reservoirs (waterfowls) is imperative. Here, we report full genomic and biologic characterization of two virulent AAvVs isolated from apparently asymptomatic green-winged teal (Anas carolinensis). Genetic characterization (genome length, coding potential, and presence of typical cleave motif [112RRQKR| F117]) and biologic assessment (HA, log 2 9 ; mean death time, 49.2-50 hr; 10 -6.51 50% egg infective dose [EID50]/0.1 mL; and 1.5 intracerebral pathogenicity index [ICPI] value) revealed virulence of both isolates. Phylogenetic analysis of the complete genome and hypervariable region of the fusion (F) gene revealed clustering of both isolates within class II strains in close association with domestic poultry-origin AAvVs representing genotype VII and subgenotype VIIi. The inferred residue analysis of F and hemagglutinin-neuraminidase genes showed a number of substitutions in critical domains compared with reference strains of each genotype (I-XVIII). The isolates showed a high nucleotide resemblance (99%) with strain isolated previously from backyard poultry; however, they also showed a variable similarity (16.1% to 19.3%) with the most commonly used vaccine strains, Mukteswar (EF201805) and LaSota (AF077761). In accordance with pathogenicity assessment and horizontal transmission, the clinical and histopathologic observations in experimental chickens indicated the velogenic viscerotropic nature of AAvV 1 isolates. Taken together, this study confirms the evolutionary nature of AAvVs and their potential role in disease occurrence, necessitating continuous surveillance of migratory/aquatic fowls to better elucidate infection epidemiology and potential impacts on commercial poultry. © 2019 American Association of Avian Pathologists

Fragmentation processes of ionized 5-fluorouracil in the gas phase and within clusters

We have measured mass spectra for positive ions produced from neutral 5-fluorouracil by electron impact at energies from 0 to 100 eV. Fragment ion appearance energies of this (radio-)chemotherapy agent have been determined for the first time and we have identified several new fragment ions of low abundance. The main fragmentations are similar to uracil, involving HNCO loss and subsequent HCN loss, CO loss, or FCCO loss. The features adjacent to these prominent peaks in the mass spectra are attributed to tautomerization preceding the fragmentation and/or the loss of one or two additional hydrogen atoms. A few fragmentions are distinct for 5-fluorouracil compared to uracil, most notably the production of the reactive moiety CF+. Finally, multiphoton ionization mass spectra are compared for 5-fluorouracil from a laser thermal desorption source and from a supersonic expansion source. The detection of a new fragment ion at 114 u in the supersonic expansion experiments provides the first evidence for a clustering effect on the radiation response of 5-fluorouracil. By analogy with previous experiments and calculations on protonated uracil, this is assigned to NH3 loss from protonated 5-fluorouracil