2647 research outputs found
Sort by
Empirical and model-based evidence for a negligible role of cattle in peste des petits ruminants virus transmission and eradication
Full text linkThis research article was published by Communications Biology volume 7, 2024Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) is a multi-host pathogen with sheep and goats as main hosts. To investigate the role of cattle in the epidemiology of PPR, we simulated conditions similar to East African zero-grazing husbandry practices in a series of trials with local Zebu cattle (Bos taurus indicus) co-housed with goats (Capra aegagrus hircus). Furthermore, we developed a mathematical model to assess the impact of PPRV-transmission from cattle to goats. Of the 32 cattle intranasally infected with the locally endemic lineage IV strain PPRV/Ethiopia/Habru/2014 none transmitted PPRV to 32 co-housed goats. However, these cattle or cattle co-housed with PPRV-infected goats seroconverted. The results confirm previous studies that cattle currently play a negligible role in PPRV-transmission and small ruminant vaccination is sufficient for eradication. However, the possible emergence of PPRV strains more virulent for cattle may impact eradication. Therefore, continued monitoring of PPRV circulation and evolution is recommended
Insights into antioxidant dosage determination for improving biodiesel oxidation stability: a comprehensive review
Full text linkThis research article was published by Biofuels ,2024Concerns about energy security and environmental sustainability have increased the preference for renewable energy sources. Biodiesel, a renewable alternative to conventional diesel, has gained interest as a potential solution. However, biodiesel’s stability during storage and susceptibility to oxidation are significant challenges. Antioxidants are essential to enhance biodiesel’s oxidation stability, ensuring fuel quality and sustainability. While various studies have examined the effects of different antioxidant concentrations on biodiesel oxidation stability on trial and error bases, a consensus on the most effective dosage range has yet to be established. This review emphasizes the importance of predictive models for estimating antioxidant amounts in biodiesel. Using mathematical formulations, statistical analyses, and computational simulations, predictive models offer efficient and accurate approaches to understanding the complex relationships between antioxidants, biodiesel properties, and oxidation stability. The review examines the link between antioxidants and biodiesel stability, discusses predictive models’ role in determining optimal antioxidant dosages, and identifies factors influencing these decisions. It also highlights the limitations of predictive models and suggests future research directions. The conclusion is that systematically integrating data-driven strategies through predictive models facilitates the cost-effective optimization of antioxidant dosages, advancing high-quality and sustainable biodiesel
Assessing the Ethnobotanical Uses, Harvesting Practices, and Conservation Awareness of Warburgia ugandensis in Northern Tanzania
Full text linkThis research article was published by Open Journal of Ecology > Volume 14 , December 2024Warburgia ugandensis is unsustainably harvested commercially, threatening its survival and potentially leading to local extinction in its native range areas in Northern Tanzania. Our study aimed to assess the extent of harvesting of W. ugandensis in Northern Tanzania, ethno-botanical uses, community perceptions of species utilization, and conservation measures across its native range in Northern Tanzania. From each of the 128 randomly selected grids, we laid down a sampling plot measuring 100 m × 100 m (1 ha) for the identification, and collection of data on the extent of harvesting of W. ugandensis. Additionally, we interviewed 221 respondents using open-ended questionnaires to gather data on ethno-botanical uses, perceptions of product utilization, and conservation measures. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Our findings reveal significant variation in the extent of harvesting, with Mt. Ketumbeine experiencing the most severe harvesting while Mt. Kilimanjaro holds the highest number of intact trees. Community knowledge of the medicinal uses of W. ugandensis was highest in Mt. Kilimanjaro, particularly for treating gastrointestinal disorders, coughs, and malaria. Perceptions of species utilization were very high in Mt. Gelai and Mt. Monduli, while Mt. Kilimanjaro, Ketumbeine, and Longido showed more variability. Awareness of W. ugandensis conservation measures was high in Mt. Kilimanjaro, compared to the rest of the species’ native range areas. Therefore, our study findings underscore the urgent need for targeted conservation initiatives, particularly in regions like Mt. Ketumbeine and Mt. Longido, where W. ugandensis faces the severe extent of harvesting
Curbing the major and growing threats from invasive alien species is urgent and achievable
Full text linkThis research article was published by Nature Ecology & Evolution volume 8, 2024Although invasive alien species have long been recognized as a major threat to nature and people, until now there has been no comprehensive global review of the status, trends, drivers, impacts, management and governance challenges of biological invasions. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Thematic Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and Their Control (hereafter ‘IPBES invasive alien species assessment’) drew on more than 13,000 scientific publications and reports in 15 languages as well as Indigenous and local knowledge on all taxa, ecosystems and regions across the globe. Therefore, it provides unequivocal evidence of the major and growing threat of invasive alien species alongside ambitious but realistic approaches to manage biological invasions. The extent of the threat and impacts has been recognized by the 143 member states of IPBES who approved the summary for policymakers of this assessment. Here, the authors of the IPBES assessment outline the main findings of the IPBES invasive alien species assessment and highlight the urgency to act now
Analysis of Legal Conundrums in Division of Co-owned Real Property Following Divorce in Tanzania
No full textThis research article was published by the Law Reform Commission of Tanzania Volume 5, March 2024Ownership of real property among spouses is regulated by the Constitution, land
and marriage laws. The Constitution guarantees the right to own property while
the Land Act specifies conditions permitting spouses to co-own land. The Law of
Marriage Act (LMA) unifies and harmonizes existing multiple regimes of marriage
and recognizes all forms marriages. However, the LMA is silent, and its provisions have
notable challenges and or irrelevant in the distribution of co-owned real property
upon divorce in monogamous and polygamous marriages. Likewise, there is a legal
conundrum attached to provisions of the LMA, the Land Act and the Land Registration
Act. This Article analyses these challenges and concludes that the LMA has not been
aligned with property laws. In this regard, it is irrelevant in the distribution of co-owned
real property between spouses at the time of divorce. The Article recommends for
the amendment of the LMA and its rules to accommodate division of co-owned real
property during divorce
Spatial occurrence and variation of the active pharmaceutical compounds in rivers and groundwater systems in Arusha City, Tanzania
No full textThis research article was published by Heliyon Volume 10 (2024)This study investigated the occurrence of 11 pharmaceutical compounds in the rivers and groundwater systems of Arusha City, Tanzania. Each suspected individual residue of active pharmaceutical compounds in water matrices, was pre-concentrated using solid-phase extraction techniques and, then quantified using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS). The concentrations varied across the assessed rivers and groundwater systems. High concentrations of caffeine 520 ng/L were detected in the station downwards of a wastewater stabilization pond, discharging its partially treated effluent into the river, followed by stations whose rivers flowed through informal areas. Sampled points' located near the river's water sources reported fewer compounds with values below the detection limit, such as amoxicillin, paracetamols, and doxycycline. Except for sulfamethoxazole (94 ng/L) in the borehole, most of the concentrations detected in rivers were ten times higher than in boreholes. In addition, in boreholes, more compounds were identified in the monitoring than in the domestic ones, and concentration varied with depth of deep boreholes (25 m) were less abundant than shallow wells of less than 10 m. In conclusion, pharmaceutical compounds were frequently detected in both rivers and groundwater systems within Arusha City suggesting the need for understanding of their fates and associated risks
A Web-Based Private Permissioned Blockchain for Ionizing Radiation Management: A Case Study of The Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission
No full textThe intricate software and hardware configurations of nuclear regulatory systems, such as
ionization radiation inspection systems, and maintaining and monitoring their integrity pose
challenges. Traditional methods of managing ionization radiation data often lead to
vulnerabilities such as data manipulation and inefficiency in handling information, which can
result in compromised safety measures and regulatory non-compliance. Recording electronic
ionization radiation and related data in spreadsheets or other obsolete systems poses a threat to
information security due to accidents. This project addresses the challenges of managing
ionization radiation data within nuclear regulatory systems by developing a private
permissioned blockchain Management Information System for the Tanzania Atomic Energy
Commission (TAEC). The primary objective is to enhance data security, operational efficiency,
and regulatory compliance through a secure, immutable, and transparent digital platform. The
project employed qualitative data collection methods, including user stories from focus groups
with TAEC staff. The system leveraged smart contras (chaincode) to automate processes and
enforce rules. It was developed using Hyperledger Fabric and followed the Extreme
Programming (XP) methodology. A prototype was implemented to demonstrate the feasibility
of this approach, focusing on the general inspection process of ionization radiation sources and
facilities. The system successfully automated inspection scheduling, data recording, and report
generation reducing processing time from days to hours while improving data integrity,
transparency and accessibility. Validation results indicated high user satisfaction, with 94%
agreeing on the system's usability and data security. The blockchain framework ensured secure
and tamper-proof record-keeping, meeting regulatory standards and enhancing ionization
radiation operational workflows at TAEC
A framework for timely payments of property taxes in local government authorities: a case of Tanzania
Full text linkMany governments in developing counties, including Tanzania depend on different taxes
charged from various sources such as income taxes from an individual, income taxes from
cooperate, taxes on services and goods, property taxes and taxes from social insurance as main
sources of revenues. Numerous studies conducted worldwide have shown that tax avoidance
and late payments by taxpayers still occur often. Some taxpayers' actions include hiding their
income from tax authorities and believing that many other taxpayers also break the applicable
laws because they are confident there is little chance of being caught. Even though African
countries' laws appear to offer sufficient methods for tax enforcement, some of them are
politically unpalatable and are therefore not put into operation. This study focused on designing
a framework for enforcing prompt property taxes payment in Tanzania. A strategy based on
case studies was used to collect data from two regions, Dar es Salaam and Dodoma, to explore
the current difficulties Tanzania is having with collecting property taxes. The questionnaire
and interviews involved 10 tax collectors, 150 property owners, and 10 property taxes
information systems administrators. The findings revealed that Tanzania still has some
challenges in collecting property taxes, including ineffective involvement of Local
Government Authorities in provision of taxpayers’ education, higher costs related to tax
collection, a high number of tax defaulters, slow payment methods, and impractical
enforcement measures. The design science research methodology was used in designing the
framework, and extreme programming was adopted in developing the application prototype to
put the designed framework into action. The prototype application's results demonstrated that
the best way to enforce timely payment of property tax is cutting off electricity to tax defaulters.
Through the developed application prototype, the framework was validated and more than 80%
of the participants agreed that the designed mechanism is useful, more than 83% of participants
said that the mechanism is appropriate and 86.7% of participants said the application is easy to
use. Since the study is based on enhancing existing information systems functionality, it is
contributing to understanding of how to improve and optimize the information systems to better
meet user needs. The study consequently advises property taxes authorities to consider the
designed enforcement mechanism that would aid in overcoming the highlighted challenges and
enable them to capture more income from these highly viable revenue sources
Development of photocatalytic semiconductors and nanocomposites with excellent optoelectronic and electrochemical properties for dye effluent remediation -A review
Full text linkThis research article was published by Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, Volume 184, December 2024Myriads of photocatalytic semiconductors and their corresponding nanocomposites have been investigated for the remediation of toxic dye molecules in textile effluent however, notable challenges are reported of their performance. These challenges are based on the optoelectronic and electrochemical features that precede their photocatalytic performance in dye effluent remediation. Thus, the need arises to investigate the development of state-of-the-art photocatalytic semiconductors and their composites fabricated with excellent optoelectronic and electrochemical features having proficient activities under visible photon irradiation. The study focused on vital optoelectronic and electrochemical features needful for the development of high-performance photocatalysts under a green photon source. It also provides concise synthetic and composite fabrication approaches aimed at developing photocatalytic semiconductors with these properties. The report presents various doping processes and introduction of elements into the structural lattices of the semiconductors while equally offering a recent approach to developing nanocomposites with heterostructures. The review evaluated bandgap modification, separation of charge carries, structural defects and mobility concerning the investigated process. The study was able to present an inorganic doping technique with intercalated nitrogen, codoping and nanocomposite fabrication as the versatile and industrially scalable approach for the development of high-performance photocatalytic semiconductors
Modeling and Optimization of Sisal Fiber Degradation Treatment by Calcined Bentonite for Cement Composite Materials
Full text linkThis research article was published by Journal of Natural Fibers Volume 21, 2024The treatment of sisal fiber by pozzolanic materials like kaolin and silica-fume has been explored; however, no study has modeled and optimized the effect of sisal fiber degradation treatment using calcined bentonite. Therefore, the present study investigate the effects of treating sisal fiber with different doses of calcined bentonite, bentonite calcination temperatures, and times on fiber breaking load, degradation resistance, and water absorption using the central composite design-response surface method (CCD-RSM). The best performance of the optimum treated sisal fiber selected from the CCD-RSM based on the established goal of maximizing breaking load and degradation resistance with minimum water absorption, it was obtained a calcined bentonite dose of 30.067%, a bentonite calcination temperature of 800°C, and a calcination time of 179.99 min. Based on these factors, experimentally found sisal fiber breaking load 12.87 N, degradation resistance 98.44%, and water absorption 39.05%, all are within the 95% confidence level compared to the optimum numerical suggested values. Hence, the optimum treated sisal fiber improved breaking load by 33.37% and degradation resistance by 98%, while it reduced water absorption by 60.95%, compared to raw sisal fiber. Besides these, the optimum treated sisal fiber exhibits higher surface roughness and lower porosity than the raw sisal fiber