Vibrational spectra of t-butyl alcohol, t-butylamine and t-butyl alcohol + t-butylamine binary liquid mixtures

Raman and FT-IR absorption spectra of t-butyl alcohol and t-butylamine pure components have been recorded in the liquid state in the region of 400-4000 cm-1. The data obtained have been used to propose complete vibrational assignments for each of the liquid component and the structural features are discussed. Additionally, the Raman and infrared spectra of the binary liquid mixtures for the t-butyl alcohol/t-butylamine system have also been recorded. The variations in frequency shifts, intensities and line widths are discussed with a view to understanding the origin of such variations. KEY WORDS: Infrared and Raman spectra, Binary solution, t-Butanol, t-Butylamine  Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2003, 17(2), 211-218

The Role of Local Government Authorities in Facilitating Land Access for Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises Growth in Tanzania

The sustainable development of tourism destinations relies much on Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises found within Local Government Authorities (LGAs). However, tourism destinations have recently being experiencing an increase of population and social economic activities. This situation creates more demand of the land among stakeholders in particular tourism business. Contrary to lager tourism companies Small and Medium Enterprises(SMTEs) has found to be in a less advantageous position in acquiring land from destination which impairing their growth. Thus, land at the destinations is often regarded as one of the constraints for tourism development. The purpose of this study therefore was to examine the role of Local Government authorities in facilitating land management in tourism destinations particularly considering the effects upon the SMTEs growth.  The study was guided by stakeholders’ theory. Using census survey design 232 questionnaires were collected from SMTEs owners/managers at Mto wa Mbu ward in Monduli District. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the relationship between the dependent variable, SMTEs growth and five independent variables. The results strongly confirm the put forward hypothesis “Local government Authorities role in facilitating management of land interests has statistically positive influence on SMTEs growth”, Moreover, five independent variables: land committee, by- law, land allocation, land law and Land policy have statistically significant impact on the growth of small business. Therefore, the theoretical and practical implications of this study refer to stressing the need and important role of LGA’s in managing stakeholders land interests for local tourism that can stimulate the growth of small business within the destination. The study recommends empowerment of Local government Authorities in terms of legal framework to be part in the management regime of local tourism for sustainable development. Keywords: Tourism, SMTEs growth, land policy, Land allocation DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/67-04 Publication date:August 31st 202

Farmers in the Forest: Economic Development and Marginal Agriculture in Northern Thailand

Humanities Open Book Program, a joint initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Andrew W. Mellon FoundationFarmers in the Forest, while using examples chiefly from northern Thailand, is concerned with complex problems found in all tropical countries. In these areas rapid population growth, increasing demands for food, and burgeoning international markets for forest products and other raw materials are associated with active competition for land and natural resources in upland areas. This book brings together studies by administrators, agronomists, anthropologists, forest ecologists, geographers and jurists, who describe a variety of swidden systems and their effect on soil, forest, society, and economy. They point to conflicts between traditional farming systems and modern legal and administrative constraints now being imposed, and they describe special and technological conditions that contribute to a marginal, stagnant upland economy, increasing socio-economic disparities with the lowlands, and the serious ecological consequences of these conditions. Several possible solutions are suggested to solve these problems

Evolocumab and lipoprotein apheresis combination therapy may have synergic effects to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia: A case report

A 49 years old woman (weight 68 kg, BMI 27.3 kg/m2 ) with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) and multiple statin intolerance with muscle aches and creatine kinase elevation, presented at the Outpatient Lipid Clinic of Verona University Hospital in May 2015. Hypercholesterolemia was firstly diagnosed during adolescence, followed in adulthood by a diagnosis of Cogan's syndrome, a rheumatologic disorder characterized by corneal and inner ear inflammation. No xanthomas, corneal arcus, or vascular bruits were detectable at physical examination. Screening for macrovascular complications did not reveal relevant damages. Ongoing medical therapy included salicylic acid, methylprednisolone, methotrexate, and protonic-pump inhibitor. In the absence of specific lipid-lowering therapy, plasma lipid levels at first visit were: total-cholesterol\u2009=\u2009522 mg/dL, LDL-cholesterol\u2009=\u2009434 mg/dL, HDL-cholesterol\u2009=\u200984 mg/dL, triglycerides\u2009=\u2009120 mg/dL, Lp(a)\u2009=\u200913 mg/dL. On December 2015, evolocumab 140 mg sc every 2 weeks was initiated. After a 24-week treatment, the LDL-cholesterol levels decreased by an average of 21.2% to 342\u2009\ub1\u200922 mg/dL (mean\u2009\ub1\u2009SD). On May 2016, LDL-apheresis (H.E.L.P.system) was started as add-on therapy. Compared to the average levels obtained during the evolocumab monotherapy period, the LDL-cholesterol was reduced by 49.4%, thus reaching an inter-apheresis level (mean\u2009\ub1\u2009SD) of 173\u2009\ub1\u200937 mg/dL. This report suggests that a combination therapy with evolocumab and lipoprotein-apheresis may have synergic effects on circulating lipid levels. Its relevance as a highly effective treatment option for hyperlipidemia in HeFH patients warrants further investigation in larger datasets

Ethical considerations in Controlled Human Malaria Infection studies in low resource settings: Experiences and perceptions of study participants in a malaria Challenge study in Kenya [version 2; referees: 2 approved]

Background: The range and amount of volunteer infection studies, known as Controlled Human Infection Model (CHMI) studies, in Low-Middle Income Countries (LMICs) is increasing with rapid technological advancement, world-class laboratory facilities and increasing capacity development initiatives. However, the ethical issues these studies present in LMICs have not been empirically studied. We present findings of a descriptive social science study nested within a malaria volunteer infection study, on-going at the time of writing, at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) on the Kenyan Coast. Methods: The study included non-participant observations, five group discussions with more than half of the CHMI study participants, two in-depth interviews with study team members, and an exit questionnaire administered to the participants. Results: Participants understood the key elements of the study, including that they would be deliberately infected with malaria parasites and may get malaria as a result, there would be regular blood draws, and they would spend up to 24 days in a residence facility away from their homes. The greatest motivation for participation was the monetary compensation of 20 USD per overnight stay given as a lump-sum at the end of their residency stay. Also appreciated were the health screening tests prior to enrolment and the positive relations with the study team. Concerns raised included the amount and regularity of blood draws experienced, and concerns that this type of research may feed into on-going rumours about research generally. Conclusion: With the increasing range and number of CHMI studies being conducted in LMICs, current ethical guidance are inadequate. This study highlights some of the ethical issues that could emerge in these settings, emphasizing the heavy responsibility placed on research review and regulatory systems, researchers and funders, as well as the importance of carefully tailored community engagement and consent processes

Exploring Electronic Waste Situation in Africa: A review

In recent years African countries are grappling with the increase of electronic waste (e-waste) which poses challenge to environment and human health. However, factors influencing electronic waste situation in Africa have not been explored and thus not well understood. To fill the gap, this paper aims at exploring e-waste situation in Africa and analysing factors influencing the situation.  To address the objective, a systematic literature review was adopted. Findings show that the amount of e-waste has been increasing in both developed and developing countries over time. Although there are common factors associated with the increase of e-waste, some factors are unique to Africa. These are: reduced cost of used items, taxi incentives for importation of electronic devices and increased use of ICT devices in various sectors.  Furthermore, findings show that developed and developing countries differ in terms of the risks posed by the e-waste and this difference is dependent on how e-waste is managed. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the situation of e-waste in Africa is somehow different from developed world both in terms of the factors influencing the situation and ways of managing e-waste. In order to deal with e-waste situation, African countries need to improve awareness of their people, establish and capacitate institutions for dealing with e-waste and invest in technologies for managing e-waste

A new ghost cell/level set method for moving boundary problems:application to tumor growth

In this paper, we present a ghost cell/level set method for the evolution of interfaces whose normal velocity depend upon the solutions of linear and nonlinear quasi-steady reaction-diffusion equations with curvature-dependent boundary conditions. Our technique includes a ghost cell method that accurately discretizes normal derivative jump boundary conditions without smearing jumps in the tangential derivative; a new iterative method for solving linear and nonlinear quasi-steady reaction-diffusion equations; an adaptive discretization to compute the curvature and normal vectors; and a new discrete approximation to the Heaviside function. We present numerical examples that demonstrate better than 1.5-order convergence for problems where traditional ghost cell methods either fail to converge or attain at best sub-linear accuracy. We apply our techniques to a model of tumor growth in complex, heterogeneous tissues that consists of a nonlinear nutrient equation and a pressure equation with geometry-dependent jump boundary conditions. We simulate the growth of glioblastoma (an aggressive brain tumor) into a large, 1 cm square of brain tissue that includes heterogeneous nutrient delivery and varied biomechanical characteristics (white matter, gray matter, cerebrospinal fluid, and bone), and we observe growth morphologies that are highly dependent upon the variations of the tissue characteristics—an effect observed in real tumor growth