Kytoon observations of the Lake Mead boundary layer

On July 14--16, 1997 nearly 60 hours of kytoon sampling of the boundary layer at Lake Mead was done through a cooperative effort among the U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Micrometeorological data (MET) were analyzed to find boundary layer characteristics of height, precipitable water content, and precipitable water content residence time. In addition, the boundary layer precipitable water content was compared to tributary inflows in an approximated Lake Mead water compariSon The kytoon data was unique and indicated the boundary layer at Lake Mead maintained an inversion during day and night and in all samples collected. The Lake Mead boundary layer was characterized by higher dew points than the surrounding Mojave Desert air mass. In addition, the mountainous terrain around the lake represents a potential influence for isolating the Lake Mead boundary layer, preventing its migration to other locales, and allowing the development of an oasis effect . The atmosphere immediately above Lake Mead contained a sustained inversion based on ambient and dew point temperatures with an average height of 49.3 meters for the three-day sampling period. This value exceeds the estimated value of 8.024 meters assumed by a previous evaporation study done at Lake Mead. The precipitable water content in the boundary layer was also determined to average 218 acre-feet for the three-day sample period and the average residence time based on basin location was 3.4 days. When compared to the tributary inflows in an approximated Lake Mead water comparison, the Lake Mead boundary layer precipitable water content was equivalent to the combined daily tributary inflow from the Muddy River and Virgin River

Criteria for the Extraction of Fish Oil

The effect of pre-treatment of mackery (Scomber scombrus) on oil recovery and quality was investigated. Fish oil was extracted using the screw expeller press after heat pre-treatment of the fish sample. The effect of cooking temperatures and cooking times was evaluated. It was observed that the oil yield has a positive relationship with cooking temperature. The oil yield increased with increasing cooking temperature at all the cooking times investigated and also increased with increasing cooking time from 5-15 minutes and then decreased for 20 minutes cooking time at all the cooking temperatures investigated. The results revealed that a highest yield of 22.8 % was obtained when the fish was treated at 90 0C cooking temperature for 15 minutes. The lowest oil yield of 16.5 % was obtained for the conditions of 60 0C cooking temperature and 5 minutes cooking time. Analysis of oil quality indices (e.g. colour, specific gravity, refractive index, free fatty acid value, saponification value. iodine value, peroxide value, unsaponifiable matter and microbiological analysis) of oil extracted by non pre-treatment and heat pre-treatment indicated that mackery oil from both processes has comparatively similar fatty acids composition. In addition, mackery fish oil was extracted by heat pre-treatment and mechanical press had lower lipid oxidation compared to several standards

Effect of Taurine on Chronic Restraint Stress Induced Behavioural Deficits in Rodents

Stress is an aversive stimulus capable of altering physiological homeostasis and the ability to cope with such stressful stimuli is a crucial determinant of health and disease. Taurine (2-aminoethanesulphonic acid) constitutes about 0.1 % of body weight, it is a sulphur-containing amino acid present in virtually all cells throughout the animal kingdom. It is an important ingredient used in energy drinks. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effects of taurine in preventing the restraint stress induced memory deficit in passive avoidance test, spatial learning, motor coordination and exploratory behaviour. Three different doses of taurine were administered (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) to rodents subjected to chronic restraint stress (6 h/day for 21 days). The treatments were administered once daily by oral gavage. Twenty four Wistar rats were divided into four groups of six rats each also; twenty four mice were divided in to four groups of six mice each. Learning and memory in the chronic restraint-stressed Wistar rats was assessed using step down passive avoidance test, learning and memory in mice was assessed using elevated plus maze for memory, exploratory activity was assessed using hole board apparatus and motor coordination in mice was assessed using beam walk assay method. In the present study it was observed that taurine improved learning and short-time memory in chronic restraint-stressed rodents it also improved motor coordination and increased exploratory behaviour in mice. Keywords: stress, taurine, deficit, exploratory, oral gavage, memor

Effects of Stages of Growth on Dry Matter Yield and Nutrient Composition of Red Clover in the Year of Establishment in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

An experiment was conducted in Jos, Nigeria to evaluate the effects of stages of growth on dry matter yield and nutrient composition of Red clover (Trifolium pratense var. AberClaret) in the year of establishment. The treatments were five (5) stages of growth (5, 9, 13, 17 and 21) weeks after sowing (WAS). The five stages of growth were replicated five times in a Latin Square Design. The land was divided into twenty five plots of 3 m X 3 m each. The spacing between each plot was 1m along the rows and columns. Growth components and DM yield were measured at the various stages of growth. The forage crop was also analysed for nutrients composition. Theere was no significant difference in plant height at 17 WAS (63.75 cm) and 21 WAS (64.25 cm). However, the two stages were higher (P\u3c 0.01) compared to the other stages of growth. Leaf-to-stem ratio decreased significantly from 5WAS (1.16) to 21WAS (0.26). Forage DM yield was higher (P\u3c 0.01) at 17 WAS (3.15 t ha-1) compared to the other stages of growth. Crude protein content at 9 WAS (20.88 %) was higher (P\u3c 0.01) compared to the other stages, while 21 WAS had the lowest value of 18.11 %. Crude protein (CP) content at 9WAS (208.8 g/kg) was higher (P\u3c 0.01) compared with the other stages as 21 WAS had the lowest value of 181.1 g/kg. Crude protein content decreased from 9 to 21 WAS, while the fibre fractions increased from 9 to 21WAS. Therefore, it is recommended that the legume planted in early June on the Jos Plateau, Nigeria could be harvested at 17 WAS when the DMY is maximum and CP content is also very high to meet the requirements for ruminant animals in the tropics

Growth components and Yield of \u3cem\u3eBrachiaria ruziziensis\u3c/em\u3e (Congo grass) and \u3cem\u3eCentrosema pascuorum\u3c/em\u3e (Centro) Mixtures as Influenced by Mixture Ratios, Phosphorus Levels and Stage of Harvest

This study was conducted during the 2017 and 2018 rainy season at the Crop Production Research farm, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi to determine the effects of plant mixture ratios in Brachiaria ruziziensis and Centrosema pascuorum (100% Sole B. ruziziensis, 75% B.R: 25% C.P, 50% B.R: 50% C.P, 25% B.R: 75% C.P and 100% Sole C. pascuorum) and phosphorus fertilizer (SSP) levels (0, 100 and 150kg/ha). The experiment was in a split-plot design with 5x3 factorial arrangement in which the mixture ratios constituted the main plots while phosphorus (SSP) levels constituted the sub treatments. Number of plants per stand ranged from 6.11 in 25% B.R: 75% C.P to 9.56 in 100% B. ruziziensis and 2.89 in 75% B.R: 25% C.P to 11.11 in 50% B.R: 50% C.P. The highest plant height for B. ruziziensis was obtained in 25% B.R: 75% C.P (38.0). Similarly, 25% B.R: 75% C.P mixture had highest plant height for C. pascuorum (45.11). However, tiller per branch per m2 ranged from 57.60 in 25% B.R: 75% C.P to 190.9 in 100 B. ruziziensis and 32.9 in 75% B.R: 25% C.P to 257.90 in 100 C. pascuorum. The mean values indicated that mixture ratios and phosphorus (SSP) levels significantly (P \u3c 0.05) increased plant height and tiller numbers in B. ruziziensis and C. pascuorum mixtures and 75% B.R: 25% C.P mixture, 150kg/ha Single Super Phosphate fertilization and sampling period at week 8 had the best plant height and tiller per branch

EVALUATION OF CHEMICAL NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION OF AFRICAN ELEMI PULP AND SEEDS

The aim of this study is to evaluate chemical nutritional constituents of the pulp and seed of African elemi. The evaluation of chemical compositions of pulp and seed of African elemi was obtained from Mararaba Jamma Market Jos, Plateau State in North Central Nigeria were determined using standard analytical methods. The parameters determined of proximate were protein, moisture, fat, ash as well as fibre of the seed were 6.90±0.60, 6.00±0.11, 61.00±0.33, 3.40±0.00 as well as 7.90±0.21 % respectively, in other hand the respective values of protein, moisture, fat, ash as well as fibre of the pulp were 6.80±0.10, 22.20±0.24, 44.50±0.31, 8.20±0.01 as well as 12.00±0.10 %. The carbohydrate content was lowest in the pulp (6.30±0.41%) and highest in the seed (14.80±0.22%). Energy values analyzed in this study were 2625.90±0.25 and 1869.20±0.01 KJ/100g for the samples seed and pulp respectively. These samples contained reasonable amounts of potassium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, calcium as well as magnesium. The anti-nutritional analysis revealed the presence of oxalate, phytate, saponins, alkaloids, and cyanide which were within the permissible limits. The pulp and seed of African elemi could, therefore, serve as an additional promising source of protein and mineral contents for human and animal feeds formulations

Ameliorative Effects of Soya Bean Oil and Vitamin C on Liver Enzymes in Ethanol -Induced Oxidative Stress in Wistar Rats

Abstract: The protective potential of soya bean oil and vitamin C on Ethanol-induced oxidative stress i

Effects of Soya Bean Oil and Vitamin C on Lipid Peroxidation and Antioxidant Biomarkers in Ethanol -Induced Oxidative Stress in Wistar Rats

Abstract: The aim of this experiment is to investigate the effects of Soya bean oil and vitamin C o

Overturning established chemoselectivities : selective reduction of arenes over malonates and cyanoacetates by photoactivated organic electron donors

The prevalence of metal-based reducing reagents, including metals, metal complexes, and metal salts, has produced an empirical order of reactivity that governs our approach to chemical synthesis. However, this reactivity may be influenced by stabilization of transition states, intermediates, and products through substrate-metal bonding. This article reports that in the absence of such stabilizing interactions, established chemoselectivities can be overthrown. Thus, photoactivation of the recently developed neutral organic superelectron donor 5 selectively reduces alkyl-substituted benzene rings in the presence of activated esters and nitriles, in direct contrast to metal-based reductions, opening a new perspective on reactivity. The altered outcomes arising from the organic electron donors are attributed to selective interactions between the neutral organic donors and the arene rings of the substrates

The "lipid accumulation product" performs better than the body mass index for recognizing cardiovascular risk: a population-based comparison

BACKGROUND: Body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2)) may not be the best marker for estimating the risk of obesity-related disease. Consistent with physiologic observations, an alternative index uses waist circumference (WC) and fasting triglycerides (TG) concentration to describe lipid overaccumulation. METHODS: The WC (estimated population minimum 65 cm for men and 58 cm for women) and TG concentration from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (N = 9,180, statistically weighted to represent 100.05 million US adults) were used to compute a "lipid accumulation product" [LAP = (WC-65) × TG for men and (WC-58) × TG for women] and to describe the population distribution of LAP. LAP and BMI were compared as categorical variables and as log-transformed continuous variables for their ability to identify adverse levels of 11 cardiovascular risk factors. RESULTS: Nearly half of the represented population was discordant for their quartile assignments to LAP and BMI. When 23.54 million with ordinal LAP quartile > BMI quartile were compared with 25.36 million with ordinal BMI quartile > LAP quartile (regression models adjusted for race-ethnicity and sex) the former had more adverse risk levels than the latter (p < 0.002) for seven lipid variables, uric acid concentration, heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Further adjustment for age did not materially alter these comparisons except for blood pressures (p > 0.1). As continuous variables, LAP provided a consistently more adverse beta coefficient (slope) than BMI for nine cardiovascular risk variables (p < 0.01), but not for blood pressures (p > 0.2). CONCLUSION: LAP (describing lipid overaccumulation) performed better than BMI (describing weight overaccumulation) for identifying US adults at cardiovascular risk. Compared to BMI, LAP might better predict the incidence of cardiovascular disease, but this hypothesis needs prospective testing