Breed and gender effects on blood profile of Muturu and Bunaji cattle in Benue and Ogun State, Nigeria

This research was conducted to study the blood profile of Bunaji and Muturu cattle in Benue and Ogun States. Four hundred and eighty cattle comprising 240 of each breed and 120 of either gender at each location were sampled. The experiment was set in a 2×2×2 factorial format in a CRD with location, breed and gender as factors. Samples were collected five times at each location. Blood parameters analyzed were PCV, Haemoglobin (Hb), Red Blood Cell Count (RBC), Lymphocytes, Granulocytes and Monocytes. The results showed that Muturu cattle presented significantly (p<0.05) higher mean PCV, Hb, WBC, percent Lymphocyte and Monocytes. It was also observed that Muturu cattle at Benue State showed higher (p<0.05) mean PCV, RBC and percent granulocyte while the Bunaji presented higher (p<0.05) mean MCHC, with the bulls presenting significantly (p<0.05) higher mean MCHC (39.45g/dl) than the cows (36.38g/dl). Similarly, higher mean MCHC were observed in Muturu bulls (31.02g/dl) compared to the cows (28.90g/dl) of Benue State. These variations in mean MCHC were not observed among cattle in Ogun State. Mean lymphocytes and granulocytes varied significantly (p<0.05) with Bunaji gender in Ogun State. The study concluded that location and breed affected haematological parameters of the cattle breed investigated. Key words: Blood; Breed; Bunaji; Gender; Mutur

Effects of Time of Weed Removal on Weed Species Composition and Crop Performance of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench)

The effect of time of weed removal on weed species composition and crop performance of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) was assessed in the early and late seasons of 2002 in Ondo (07° 05’N, 04° 55’E). Okra plots weeded at 2, 4. 6, and 8 weeks after planting (WAP) were compared with weed free (WF) and weedy (WY) okra in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. Weed removal (WR) at 8 WAP was similar to weedy check with regards to crop growth parameters. Plant height, stem girth, nodes per plant, total dry matter, shoot dry matter, mean root length, number of roots, root dry weight, shoot/ total dry weight ratio (SWR) and root/total dry weight ratio (RWR) were superior in the early season to the late season. However number of leaves/plant, number of branches/plant and leaf area/plant were better in the late season than in the early season. Pod number, pod length and fruit yield/plant were also higher in the late season than early season, except weedy throughout and WR at 8 WAP.  WR at 4 WAP gave comparable values of plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area per plant, mean root length, root dry weight, pod number, pod length and pod yield with WF. The order of pod yield was WF >WR at 4 WAP >WR at 6 WAP >WR at 8 WAP >WY. The critical time of weed removal in okra production under the condition of this experiment was 4 WAP. Uncontrolled weed infestation in okra resulted in 39 % and 84 % reduction in potential okra fruit yield compared with the maximum obtained from the WF okra in the early and late seasons, respectively. It is suggested that plot be weeded early (4 WAP) for optimum growth and yield of okra. Keywords: weed removal, weedy check, weed species, okra, weed- fre

Self-Interacting Electromagnetic Fields and a Classical Discussion on the Stability of the Electric Charge

The present work proposes a discussion on the self-energy of charged particles in the framework of nonlinear electrodynamics. We seek magnet- ically stable solutions generated by purely electric charges whose electric and magnetic fields are computed as solutions to the Born-Infeld equa- tions. The approach yields rich internal structures that can be described in terms of the physical fields with explicit analytic solutions. This suggests that the anomalous field probably originates from a magnetic excitation in the vacuum due to the presence of the very intense electric field. In addition, the magnetic contribution has been found to exert a negative pressure on the charge. This, in turn, balances the electric repulsion, in such a way that the self-interaction of the field appears as a simple and natural classical mechanism that is able to account for the stability of the electron charge.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur

Testing systems of identical components

We consider the problem of testing sequentially the components of a multi-component reliability system in order to figure out the state of the system via costly tests. In particular, systems with identical components are considered. The notion of lexicographically large binary decision trees is introduced and a heuristic algorithm based on that notion is proposed. The performance of the heuristic algorithm is demonstrated by computational results, for various classes of functions. In particular, in all 200 random cases where the underlying function is a threshold function, the proposed heuristic produces optimal solutions

Magic angle spinning NMR studies on the metarhodopsin II intermediate of bovine rhodopsin: evidence for an unprotonated Schiff base

Bio-organic Synthesi

Environmentalism, performance and applications: uncertainties and emancipations

This introductory article for a themed edition on environmentalism provides a particular context for those articles that follow, each of which engages with different aspects of environmentalism and performance in community-related settings. Responding to the proposition that there is a lacuna in the field of applied drama and environmentalism (Bottoms, 2010), we suggest that the more significant lack is that of ecocriticism. As the articles in this journal testify, there are many examples of applied theatre practice; what is required is sustained and rigorous critical engagement. It is to the gap of ecocriticism that we address this issue, signalling what we hope is the emergence of a critical field. One response to the multiple challenges of climate change is to more transparently locate the human animal within the environment, as one agent amongst many. Here, we seek to transparently locate the critic, intertwining the personal – ourselves, human actants – with global environmental concerns. This tactic mirrors much contemporary writing on climate change and its education, privileging personal engagement – a shift we interrogate as much as we perform. The key trope we anchor is that of uncertainty: the uncertainties that accompany stepping into a new research environment; the uncertainties arising from multiple relations (human and non-human); the uncertainties of scientific fact; the uncertainties of forecasting the future; and the uncertainties of outcomes – including those of performance practices. Having analysed a particular turn in environmental education (towards social learning) and the failure to successfully combine ‘art and reality’ in recent UK mainstream theatre events, such uncertainties lead to our suggestion for an ‘emancipated’ environmentalism. In support of this proposal, we offer up a reflection on a key weekend of performance practice that brought us to attend to the small – but not insignificant – and to consider first hand the complex relationships between environmental ‘grand narratives’ and personal experiential encounters. Locating ourselves within the field and mapping out some of the many conceptual challenges attached to it serves to introduce the territories which the following journal articles expand upon

Structure and protein environment of the retinal chromophore in light- and dark-adapted bacteriorhodopsin studied by solid-state NMR

Solid state NMR/Biophysical Organic Chemistr

Perceptions of 'coming out' among British Muslim gay men

The cultural processes of heteronormativity and compulsory heterosexuality are acutely active within Islamic societies. The present study explored perceptions of 'coming out' among a group of British Muslim gay men (BMGM), focussing upon the potential consequences for identity processes and psychological well-being. Ten BMGM of Pakistani descent were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Interview transcripts were subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis and informed by identity process theory. Four superordinate themes are reported, including (1) 'social representational constraints upon "coming out"'; (2) ' "coming out": a source of shame and a threat to distinctiveness'; (3) 'fear of physical violence from ingroup members'; and (4) 'foreseeing the future: "coming out" as a coping strategy'. Data suggest that BMGM face a bi-dimensional homophobia from ethno-religious ingroup members and the general population, which can render the prospect of 'coming out' threatening for identity. Theoretical and practical implications of this research are discussed

Iterative fitting of magic-angle-spinning NMR spectra

Bio-organic Synthesi