19 research outputs found
The Hizballah-North Korean Nexus
No full textA significant relationship between Hizballah and North Korea, facilitated by Iran, has developed over the last two decades. This relationship has changed the configuration of Hizballah and shaped it into a more formidable military entity. The famed Hizballah Model now includes a North Korean flavor
Metal organic frameworks supported with emiraldine modified graphite electrode for amperometry detection of herbicide
No full textThe use of herbicide to destroy unwanted weeds by famers have created harmful environment for humans due to incomplete degradation of herbicides in the soil. The residue is washed into rivers during surface runoffs and consumed by humans. This requires the chemist to develop a sensor for detecting herbicides in there smallest availability in drinking water. In this work, a Polymer and Metal Organic Frameworks Graphite Electrode was developed for the detection of herbicide. These was achieved by homogenizing Emiraldine, Hkust and Graphite in a ratio 1:1:4 respectively in a mortar and pestle and then packed tightly into a 3 mL syringe using a copper wire as contact medium between chemical composite and the electrical setup to achieve and electrochemical reaction at the electrode interface. The interfaces serve as the redox mediator for electron transfer. Scanning Electron Microscopy was used to study the morphology of the electrodes. The modification of the surface of developed carbon paste sensor with Emiraldine and Hkust-1 greatly improved the detection of the atrazine on the sensor with a working linear range of 0.4 – 1.0 μM and low detection limit of 0.09 ± 0.67 μM at pH 5 and scan rate of 50 mV/s. The modified electrode turned out to be highly stable and selective its amperometric behavior. Importantly, this method provided a promising electrochemical sensing platform for atrazine analysis and its detection for human safety
3次元再構成を用いた非骨性距踵骨癒合症の形態学的分析
No full textBackground: Resection of talocalcaneal coalitions has generally involved osseous coalitions. We attempted to evaluate the morphology of nonosseous talocalcaneal coalitions. This study aimed to investigate if the calcaneal articular surface area of feet with talocalcaneal coalitions is different than that of normal feet. Methods: Twenty nonosseous talocalcaneal coalition cases with analyzable computed tomography (CT) scans were compared to 20 control cases. Three-dimensional models of the talus and calcaneus were constructed, and the surface areas of the posterior facet (SPF), whole talocalcaneal joint of the calcaneus (SWJ), and coalition site (SCS) of each 3D-CT model were measured. "Calibrated" values of the 2 groups were created to adjust for relative size of the tali and then compared. The preoperative and postoperative AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot scale was calculated for 9 cases that had undergone single coalition resection. Results: The calibrated SPF and SWJ were significantly greater in the coalition group than in the control group (40% and 12%, respectively). No significant difference was detected between the calibrated (SWJ - SCS) value of the coalition group and the calibrated SWJ value of the control group. The AOFAS scale was improved postoperatively in all 9 cases analyzed. Conclusion: The calcaneal articular surface of nonosseous talocalcaneal coalition feet in our series was larger than that of the normal feet. This study indicates that the total calcaneal articular surface after coalition resection may be comparable to the calcaneal articular surface of normal feet. We suggest that the indication for coalition resection be reconsidered for nonosseous coalition. Level of evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study.博士（医学）・甲第815号・令和4年3月15日© The Author(s) 2021. Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0
License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without
further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/
open-access-at-sage)
Mathematical model for the transmission dynamics of Lassa fever with control
No full textIn this work, we proposed a mathematical model for transmission dynamics of Lassa fever by incorporating isolation and treatment as control strategies. The disease free equilibrium state of the model was obtained, and used to derive the basic reproduction number, 0 using the next generation method. We further proved that the disease free equilibrium state is locally asymptotically stable whenever the reproduction number is less than unity. The numerical simulations revealed that the infection transmission rate constitute an essential parameter for an epidemic to occur, thus efforts should geared at bringing the infection transmission parameter to the lowest level to ensure eradication. The simulations further revealed that combined effective treatment and isolation of infected individuals are vital to eradicating the disease transmission
The efficacy of emamectin benzoate against infestations of Lepeophtheirus salmonis on farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L) in Scotland, 2002-2006
No full textInfestations of the parasitic copepod Lepeophtheirus salmonis, commonly referred to as sea lice, represent a major challenge to commercial salmon aquaculture. Dependence on a limited number of theraputants to control such infestations has led to concerns of reduced sensitivity in some sea lice populations. This study investigates trends in the efficacy of the in-feed treatment emamectin benzoate in Scotland, the active ingredient most widely used across all salmon producing regions. Study data were drawn from over 50 commercial Atlantic salmon farms on the west coast of Scotland between 2002 and 2006. An epi-informatics approach was adopted whereby available farm records, descriptive epidemiological summaries and statistical linear modelling methods were used to identify factors that significantly affect sea lice abundance following treatment with emamectin benzoate (SLICEH, Schering Plough Animal Health). The results show that although sea lice infestations are reduced following the application of emamectin benzoate, not all treatments are effective. Specifically there is evidence of variation across geographical regions and a reduction in efficacy over time. Reduced sensitivity and potential resistance to currently available medicines are constant threats to maintaining control of sea lice populations on Atlantic salmon farms. There is a need for on-going monitoring of emamectin benzoate treatment efficacy together with reasons for any apparent reduction in performance. In addition, strategic rotation of medicines should be encouraged and empirical evidence for the benefit of such strategies more fully evaluated
The development of EqWise-Equine welfare information system/expert
No full textEqwise is the one stop source for the horse rider, trainer, owner and veterinarian. It provides a range of material and modules that are of a general nature and are designed to improve knowledge and awareness of equine health and welfare issues.Source type: Electronic(1
Mathematical modeling and simulation of closing function of water hammer system during gas production
No full textMathematical modelling and simulation of closing function of water hammer system during gas production described the speed variation of gas as valves close automatically. The fluctuation of speed witnessed was as a result of automatic valve closing and always give back pressure and the shape of the pressure curve where a wide variety of closing modes exists, depending on the valve type and their operation is mathematically represented by a function. The pressure wave obtained in this work can be significantly important to those in gas producing industries. It is in this regard that the author aim is to reduce the problem encountered in gas producing industries by developing a one-dimensional system of governing equations. The equation was simplified to generic function which was formulated to accommodate a suitable closing laws by means of a polygonal segmented structure and solve by Laplace Transformation. The boundary conditions used in this work is generated from a special algothrim that described the transitory. It is observed that back pressure wave shape and amplitude depend on the closing function of valves and in unique relationship. The results can prevent premature closure of gas in gas producing industries. This work has presented an information about the over-pressure peak, shape and phase of the pressure wave during the gas production. It has an advantage of helping gas production industries in choosing the best type of closing laws and help in arresting the over increase in pressure which may cause rupture to a pipe or cause damage to equipment
Determination of gross alpha and beta radioactivity concentration along Jakara waste water canal, Kano Metropolis, Kano State, Nigeria
No full textThis research undertook an assessment of the radioactivity level along the Jakara waste water canal. Six soil samples and five water samples were taken for gross alpha and beta activity concentration using the gas–flow–proportional counter (IN20). Results for gross alpha activity concentration for the soil samples range from 4.597E-03 Bq/g to 1.425E-02 Bq/g, while that of gross beta activity for soil has the range from 3.341E+01 Bq/g to 8.092E+01 Bq/g. In the same vein, results for gross alpha activity concentration for the water samples have the range from 6.035E-03 Bq/L to 1.433E+00 Bq/L while the value for the gross beta activity concentration ranges from 5.038E+00 Bq/L to 2.853E+01 Bq/L for the same water samples. These results show that the alpha and beta activity concentration in the analysed samples are higher than the minimum permissible concentration by World Health Organisation (WHO, 2003). This may pose health risk because the waste water is used by people to irrigate vegetables along the waste water canal.
Keywords: Background Radiation, Activity Concentration, Gross Alpha, Gross Bet
Comparing diagnoses from expert systems and human experts
No full textThis paper discusses a comparison of one heuristic and two Bayesian belief network based expert systems used to aid veterinarians in the process of differential diagnoses of equine diseases where coughing is the presenting clinical sign. Each implementation infers the likelihood of the presence of a number of diseases based on information on the presence or absence of certain clinical signs. The Bayesian belief network approaches are similar except that one includes the use of prior information in the form of disease prevalence estimates. Both are implemented using the Hugin software package. The three approaches were compared using test cases and the lists of resulting diagnoses were examined for agreement using a measure of concordance. The results indicated a difference between the heuristic approach which used the rule-based scoring mechanism and the Bayesian systems. There was, however, little difference between the diagnoses produced by the two Bayesian implementations, indicating that the incorporation of prevalence data makes little difference in diagnostic systems of this type. The findings were also compared with those of clinical experts. The analysis indicated that clinicians were not always in agreement. Moreover, using the same set of test cases the experts were more in agreement with the Bayesian approaches than with the heuristic approach
Participation of russian prank journalists in the information war against Ukraine
No full textМетою наукової розвідки є дослідження пранк-журналістики, як одного з інструментів російської інформаційної війни проти України. У роботі досліджено відеоматеріали пранкерів з росії Вована (Володимира Кузнєцова) і Лексуса (Олексія Столярова). Окреслено появу пранк-журналістики у науковому дискурсі та виокремлено різницю у застосуванні цього інструменту у демократичних та авторитарних країнах. У західній практиці – це незлобивий жарт, у гібридній війні росії проти України – один з елементів введення в оману широкого загалу авдиторії, формування зневаги до окремих діячів, політиків, керівників держав, а іноді й дегуманізації всього народу. У статті проаналізовано глобальну географію російських пранків, теми розмов з «жертвами пранків». Результатом дослідження є визначення ролі й місця російського пранку у системі інформаційних воєн.The purpose of the research is to study prank journalism as one of the tools of the Russian information war against Ukraine. The paper analyzes the video materials of pranksters from Russia Vovan (Vladimir Kuznetsov) and Lexus (Alexei Stolyarov). The author outlines the emergence of prank journalism in the scientific discourse and highlights the difference in the use of this tool in democratic and authoritarian countries. In Western practice, it is a harmless joke; in Russia's hybrid war against Ukraine, it is one of the elements of misleading the general audience, creating contempt for individual figures, politicians, and heads of state, and sometimes dehumanizing the entire nation. The article analyzes the global geography of Russian pranks and the topics of conversations with “prank victims”. The result of the study is to determine the role and place of Russian pranks in the system of information wars
