Port Harcourt cosmopolis grappled with a continual rise in municipal solid waste (MSW) generation. The increase is a consequence of an advance in population rise and consumption pattern. The paper reports an approximate valuation and depiction of municipal solid waste with emphasis from questionnaire survey on socio-economic status of the inhabitants in the zones that make up the cosmopolis. The methodology and procedure for this investigation obtained using vehicle selection approach centered on ASTM D5321 standard test method for ascertaining the constituents of municipal solid waste. Specimens were sorted into fourteen waste classifications of paper; 6.22%, pasteboard; 2%, plastic film; 9.05%, dense plastic; 2.73%, glass; 2.3%, iron-based metal; 3.03%, non-iron based metal; 1.13%, putrescibles; 56.3%, textiles; 1.85%, misc-ignitable; 2.83%, non-misc ignitable; 3.35%, E-waste; 2.33%, household waste; 4.88% and fine elements; 2.03%. The outcome shows an average 56.3% of municipal solid waste specimens discovered to be biodegradable. This is suitable for composting activities. Aside biodegradables, there exist, paper glass, dense plastics, and iron-based metals, which are recyclables. This is significant for providing gainful employments to the inhabitants of the cosmopolis. On the contrary, there were about 2.83% of misc-ignitable. This is suitable for energy recovery. There was a variation in specimens of MSW in all the zones that make up the cosmopolis, attributing it to changes in disparity in incomes. It is necessary for government to legalize, recycling and composting activities, which based on the waste management hierarchy process in a manner that ensures environmental sustainability, economic sustainability, and global acceptance.

In agricultural production planning; compiling the data correctly, and using and interpreting the data precisely have strategic importance. This study aims, it is aimed to develop a model that can evaluate the suitability of the Lower Kelkit Basin for wheat farming by using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and current GIS technologies. In the study, weight values of seven different criteria of topography (slope, aspect) and soil (texture, organic matter (OM), CaCO3, EC, pH) were calculated with AHP. These weight values and standardized criteria maps were combined within the ArcGIS Weighted Overlay tool and the result maps were created according to the FAO suitability index. According to these maps, 54% of the Lower Kelkit Basin was modeled as unsuitable (N) for wheat, 22% as moderately suitable (S2), and 24% as highly suitable (S1). In addition to all these, an editable and updatable ArcGIS model tool was also produced as a result of the study. Our results indicated that AHP and GIS are powerful and effective tools that can be used in land suitability modeling.

The effect of antifreeze protein type III (AFPIII) and human heat shock protein 70 (HHSP70), added to the vitrification medium of mouse embryos, on post-freeze/thaw in vitro embryonic growth rates and cell numbers were investigated. In total 20 female mice were synchronized. After synchronization, 2 females and 1 male were mated in the same cage. Twenty-four h after mating, the embryos were collected at the pronuclear stage. In total 8 groups were established, including a positive control group (C+), a negative control group (C-), and treatment groups that were vitrified in a medium added with 200, 400 and 800 ng/ml of AFPIII (AFPIII200, AFPIII400, AFPIII800), and 1, 2 and 4 µg/ml of HHSP70 (HHSP70-1, HHSP70-2, HHSP70-4). Solid surface vitrification (SSV) medium was prepared for the vitrification of the embryos. Once thawed, in vitro development rates of embryos were followed at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. Four embryos, which progressed to the full blastocyst stage, were taken from each group and stained with the Hoeschst 33258 and propidium iodine (PI) dyes to determine the inner cell mass (ICM), trophectoderm (TE) and total cell numbers. The groups showed statistically significant difference for in vitro embryonic development rates at 48, 72 and 96 h (p

The current study presents a Turkish Truffle Checklist based on literature and a newly discovered species. Within the two divisions, the list includes 104 species belonging to 35 genera and 20 families, as well as their range and Turkish names. Tuber oligospermum was one of them, and it was recorded for the first time in Turkey. A brief description of newly reported species was provided, along with images of their macro and micro-morphology.

Garo people are tribal communities who live in the middle northern part of Bangladesh from time immemorial. The purpose of the research was to identify the reasons, outline, and impact on the relocation of Garo people in the city areas in Bangladesh. Primary data were collected from face-to-face contact through an interview schedule. The findings indicate that poverty, lack of production, unemployment, and security were the main push factors where urban job opportunity, urban life style and social security were pull factors for garo migration. Pattern analysis showed that 69 percent of respondents migrate to the city without a plan. Large farm and family size discourged the unplanned migarion where deteriorate social security influence garo people for unplanned migration. Study also revealed that garo people access to better income, health facility, transportation have increased. In contrast, the involvement of agricultureal activity greatly reduced. Moreover, migrated family maintain their daily requirement for food by purchasing market. Government should take policy for improving the security, income opportunity, and infrastructure for discouraging the unplanned migration from village to town.

Foeniculum vulgare Mill, known as fennel, is a medicinal plant of the Apiaceae family, widely used in traditional Algerian medicine. The aim of this study was to estimate the polyphenols and flavonoids content and to evaluate the antioxidant, the analgesic and the antiulcer activities of aqueous extract of F. vulgare seeds. Quantitative determination of total polyphenols and flavonoids revealed that this extract contained 551.45±0.010 mg gallic acid equivalent/g of dry extract and 284.83±0.008 mg quercetin equivalent/g of dry extract respectively. The study of the gastroprotective effect showed that this extract is able to protect the stomach against lesions induced by 70% ethanol. The percentages of protection were 55.54±6.99 and 71±3.09% for the 200 and 400 mg/kg doses respectively. The study of the analgesic activity indicated that the aqueous extract of F. vulgare reduced the pain induced by acetic acid (0.6%) with an inhibition rate of 47.89% and 68.65% for doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg respectively. Free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and iron chelation tests were applied to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant activity. The free radical scavenging activity of F. vulgare extract against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals revealed an IC50 value of IC50=30.91±0.49 mg/mL in comparison with gallic acid (0.038±0.0002 mg/mL). The iron chelating test showed that the extract had a high capacity for iron chelating, which was estimated at 0.346±0.003 mg/mL in comparison with the chelating reference agent, ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid.

The storage of spermatozoa and keeping alive for years in the spermatheca by the honey bee queen is a phenomenon allowing her to fertilize eggs throughout her life. In this study, the queens that were 2-week, 1-year, and 2-year-old were analyzed to determine the viability of spermatozoa in their spermathecae. The sister queens reared by the grafting method were instrumentally inseminated with 8 μl fresh semen when they became 6 days old. One week after instrumental insemination, one batch of queens (2-week-old) was dissected for spermatozoa viability test. Another set of queens was introduced into production colonies in Langstroth hives after the onset of oviposition in the mating nuclei. The queens were maintained in production colonies for one year and two years until the dissection process for spermatozoa viability test. The viability of spermatozoa was measured by the dual staining method. We determined that the mean viability of spermatozoa in 2-week, 1-year and 2-year-old queens were 97.3%, 91.1% and 88.1%, respectively. The viability of spermatozoa in queens decreased with age, and the differences between the viability means were significant. However, we did not detect a steep decline in the viability of spermatozoa in queens (6% in one year and 9% in two years) in a wide range of timescale in contrast to previous reports. Furthermore, we found high viability of spermatozoa in the spermathecae of queens at the start of their lives and one- and two-years of age.

Postharvest storage conditions frequently affect nutritional quality of fruits and vegetables. Temperature and storage duration are the most important factors to extend shelf life and maintain quality of fresh watermelon. This study was conducted to determine the changes in the antioxidant properties of watermelon during storage. Fruits of the watermelon cultivars were harvested and stored at 5ºC for a period of 15 days. During storage antioxidant contents (lycopene and total phenolics) and total antioxidant activity were evaluated. The objective of this work was to determine the content of the antioxidant properties in different watermelon genotypes at four different postharvest storage periods (0, 5, 10 and 15 days). Furthermore, the nutritional quality is strongly influenced by the storage period. The cv Mahdia was the most suitable for extended storage periods.

Mechanical properties provide information to design and develop suitable machines (equipment) for processing, transporting, and conveying chestnuts. Four chestnut cultivars that have not been studied before were investigated in the study carried out for this purpose. Some engineering properties of Macit 55, Akyüz, Ali Nihat, and Bouche de Betizac chestnut cultivars were determined and compared. The mechanical properties were determined by rupture force, rupture energy, deformation, and firmness values. The friction coefficients of chestnut varieties on a galvanized sheet, stainless steel, and rubber surfaces were investigated. Mechanical properties were determined using a Universal Testing Machine. The values obtained from the samples were obtained by compression between the parallel plate along the X, Y, and Z axes. For the static friction coefficient, while the galvanized sheet surface had the lowest value (0.145), the rubber surface had the highest value (0.212). For rupture forces, the force required to break the chestnut at the Z loading axis position (714.09 N) was higher than the required force at the Y loading axis position (396.35 N) of the fruit.