RESUMO O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar a soroprevalência de infecção com Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) em cabras em cinco províncias do noroeste da China. Soroprevalência foi determinado usando o kit de teste de ensaio de imunoabsorção enzimática (ELISA). A soroprevalência geral foi 21.23% (197/928). Análise estatística revlou que diferenças significativas foram observadas em fêmeas (P= 0.048, OR= 0.567, 95% CI= 0.309 a 1.041) e nos grupos ≥ 2 (P= 0.002, OR= 0.330, 95% CI= 0.224 a 0.488). Nenhuma diferença estatisticamente significativa foi observada entre diferentes províncias. Nossos resultados indicam que a infecção com T. gondii, que pode ter implicações importantes sobre a saúde pública, teve diferenças significativas em sexo e idade, mas nenhuma significância foi observada em diferentes regiões. Além disto, nossos resultados também indicam que infecção por T. gondii em cabras é generalizada nas cinco províncias do noroeste.

This study aims at identifying factors that could be used as parameters to improve the smallholder farmers' participation in the agro-processing industries of Gauteng province in order to enhance job creation and self-employment. The study used both qualitative and quantitative research approaches. The focus sessions were used to exploit the respondents' views regarding their participation or lack thereof. On the other hand, the quantitative approaches were used to quantify the effect of the factors under consideration. A sample of (n = 78) smallholder farmers were purposively selected across ten (n=10) local municipalities. The data were analysed using a logistic regression model where non-participation and participation were coded 0 and 1, respectively. The effect of profit, access to advice, age of the farmers, and information flow to the participation of the smallholder farmers was tested. The study found that five identified parameters {information supply (beta = 0.315, p = 0.002), bonds (beta = 0.332, p = 0.000), mutual trust (beta = 0.410, p = 0.000), age (beta = 0.242, p = 0.004) and access to study group (beta = -0.416, p = 0.000)} have significant probabilities to improve the participation of smallholder farmers in the agro-processing sub-sector. The results imply that extension advisors and policymakers can use these parameters to improve the participation and representativeness of the smallholder farmers in the agro-processing industries.

The study aimed to evaluate the levels of participation of smallholder farmers in the agro-processing industries of Gauteng Province. The main objective was to determine the implications of participation or lack thereoffor the extension services, using an exploratory mixed sequential design. Four focus group sessions were conducted to account for qualitative data collection, and the survey data was gathered from three regions of Gauteng Province (West Rand, Pretoria, and Germiston). A sample of smallholder farmers (n=78) was purposively selected across the three regions to select participants. The results revealed that factors such as institutional design, condition of participation, and collaboration were critical in influencing these farmers. However, the results also revealed that leadership did not affect either of the levels of participation of these farmers. Therefore, these results suggest that the level ofparticipation in smallholder farming could be improved, should the influential factors be taken into consideration during the development planning of these farmers. It is recommended that strategic plans formulated by the supporting institutions consider these influential factors as the tools for the transformation of the agro-processing industries. These factors could stimulate participation by smallholder farmers in this sector.

The shipment and storage conditions of clinical samples pose a major challenge to the detection accuracy of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) when using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The aim of the present study was to explore the influence of storage time at 4°C on the DNA of these pathogens and its effect on their detection by qRT-PCR. CT, NG, and UU positive genital swabs from 70 patients were collected, and DNA of all samples were extracted and divided into eight aliquots. One aliquot was immediately analyzed with qRT-PCR to assess the initial pathogen load, whereas the remaining samples were stored at 4°C and analyzed after 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. No significant differences in CT, NG, and UU DNA loads were observed between baseline (day 0) and the subsequent time points (days 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28) in any of the 70 samples. Although a slight increase in DNA levels was observed at day 28 compared to day 0, paired sample t-test results revealed no significant differences between the mean DNA levels at different time points following storage at 4°C (all P>0.05). Overall, the CT, UU, and NG DNA loads from all genital swab samples were stable at 4°C over a 28-day period.

Mt. Everest is relatively inaccessible and little is known about its meteorology. On 27 April 2005, an automatic weather station was displayed on the north column (28°01'0.95"N, 86°57'48.4"E, 6523 masl) of Mt. Everest. This paper summarizes the meteorological data collected from 1 May to 22 July 2005. The measured variables included long-wave radiation, air temperature, relative humidity and baromteric pressure. The daily record indicates synoptic scale variability in the thermodynamic variables, while short-wave radiation and wind speed decrease gradually at different degree, net radiation changes little with a slight increase, and wind direction turns from north to south.

El Monte Everest es relativamente inaccesible y poco se sabe sobre su meteorología. El 27 de abril de 2005, una estación meteorológica automática fue instalada en la columna del norte (28°01'0.95"N, 86°57'48.4"E, 6523 mslm) del Monte Everest. En este trabajo reportamos los datos medidos durante el periodo del 1 de mayo al 22 de julio de 2005. En particular, presentamos un resumen mensual sobre radiación, temperatura del aire, humedad relativa y presión barométrica. Las observaciones diarias mostraron fluctuaciones sinópticas, mientras que la radiación de onda corta y la velocidad del viento disminuyeron gradualmente al mismo tiempo que los cambios netos de la radiación de onda corta mostraron un aumento leve, y la dirección del viento cambió de dirección norte a sur.