Social Differences in the Vulnerability and Adaptation Patterns among Smallholder Farmers: Evidence from Lawra District in the Upper West Region of Ghana.

There is growing attention on socially differentiated stakeholder groups in understanding vulnerability and adaptation to climate change. However, empirical research on smallholder farmers in Ghana has not paid adequate attention to social differentiation among smallholder farmers. This study sought to assess the perception of vulnerability and adaptation strategies of socially differentiated groups of smallholder farmers to climate change in Lawra district, north-western Ghana. Gender and age axis of social differentiation are the major focus of this work. The study employed a mix method study design involving 8 FGDs and 160 questionnaire surveys among smallholder farmers. Kendell’s W rank correlation was used to rank constrains identified, descriptive statistics and chi-square was used to determine adaptation patterns among different social groups. Results suggest that, smallholder farmers are not homogenous. Rather, males and females and youth and older folks differ in their perception of vulnerability and subsequent adaptation strategies. The results highlight the need for adaptation interventions that pay attention to different stakeholder needs in reducing smallholder farmers’ vulnerability. Key words: social differentiation, smallholders, adaptation, vulnerability, age, gender

Hill- Piper diagram for drinking water quality in Ingessana area - Blue Nile State, Sudan.

        This study, aims to assess the effect of mineralization on drinking water quality and its visages in Ingessana area, which is located in the southwestern part of the Blue Nile State (Sudan). Forty drinking water samples from various sources in the study area were collected during four seasons, and then analyzed, using atomic absorption spectrometer, Flame photometer, UV spectrophotometer and conventional titration methods. Different computer software's were used to interpret data as Aquachem. The results showed that calcium, and magnesium, were the main predominant cations in the samples, while bicarbonate and chloride were the dominant anions in wet and dry seasons. Calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate are due to the presence of marble, calcite CaCO3, dolomite CaCO3, Mg (CO3), aragonite, gabbros, and schist in under saturated state. Calcium chloride and bicarbonate indicate the presence of dolomite, aragonite, halite (NaCl), magnsite, gypsum and carbonate rocks as an interfere layers in the study area. These minerals occur in the fractured zone in study area. The Hill-Piper result shows that, all groundwater visages in wet seasons are normal earth alkaline and alkaline with prevailing bicarbonate, while in dry season is earth alkaline with increased portion of alkalis in water and the processes that control these visages are ion exchange and simple dissolution or mixing processes. Comparing the results with (WHO) standard, calcium, magnesium and lead are of higher levels than (WHO) drinking water standard. This may be due to mineralization in the study area. There is an impossibility to determine the effect of these augment on native's health, because most of them are medicated by traditional medicines.  As a final result most of drinking water in the area of study needs treatment before use .                                                                                                                                       &nbsp

Blood group and Rhesus antigens among Blood donors attending the Central Blood Bank, Sudan

Background: It is well known that the Rhesus system remains the second most clinically important blood group system after the ABO. There is no published work regarding the frequency of various Rhesus antigens among Sudanese population.Objectives: In order to minimize Rhesus allo-immunization among blood recipients a cross sectional study was conducted to determine the frequency of various Rhesus antigens among the blood donors attending the Central Blood Bank in Khartoum.Methods: Two hundred male blood donors were enrolled in the study. ABO and Rhesus typing were performed using the classical slide method and gel micro typing system.Results: The frequency percentage of ABO blood phenotypes in the total samples were as follows: O(51.5%), A (29.5%), B (16%), and AB (6%); whereas the frequency percentage of Rh antigens were D (93%), e (79.5%), c (68.5%), C, (27%), E (18.5%).Conclusion: We concluded that the frequency of the Rh antigens can be shown in this order D > e > c > C > E. Special precautions need to be undertaken to minimize any possible allo-immunization by such antigens.Keywords: Frequency, Rhesus antigens, phenotyping, Blood group

CARDIOVASCULAR AND HEMODYNAMIC EFFECTS OF GLUCAGON-LIKE PEPTIDE-1

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an incretin hormone that has been shown to have hemodynamic and cardioprotective capacity in addition to its better characterized glucoregulatory actions. Because of this, emerging research has focused on the ability of GLP-1 based therapies to drive myocardial substrate selection, enhance cardiac performance and regulate heart rate, blood pressure and vascular tone. These studies have produced consistent and reproducible results amongst numerous laboratories. However, there are obvious disparities in findings obtained in small animal models versus those of higher mammals. This species dependent discrepancy calls to question, the translational value of individual findings. Moreover, few studies of GLP-1 mediated cardiovascular action have been performed in the presence of a pre-existing comorbidities (e.g. obesity/diabetes) which limits interpretation of the effectiveness of incretin-based therapies in the setting of disease. This review addresses cardiovascular and hemodynamic potential of GLP-1 based therapies with attention to species specific effects as well as the interaction between therapies and disease

Social differences in the vulnerability and adaptation patterns among smallholder farmers : evidence from lawra district in the upper west region of Ghana

Research on smallholder farmers in Ghana has paid inadequate attention to social differentiation among smallholder farmers. This study assesses the perception of vulnerability and climate change adaptation strategies of socially differentiated groups of smallholder farmers in Lawra district. Results suggest that smallholder farmers are not homogenous. Rather, males and females and youth and older folks differ in their perception of vulnerability and subsequent adaptation strategies. Results of perceptions drawn from focus group discussions are tabled and compared as “Hazards faced by smallholder farmers.

Perivascular adipose tissue and coronary vascular disease

Coronary perivascular adipose tissue is a naturally occurring adipose tissue depot that normally surrounds the major coronary arteries on the surface of the heart. Although originally thought to promote vascular health and integrity, there is a growing body of evidence to support that coronary perivascular adipose tissue displays a distinct phenotype relative to other adipose depots and is capable of producing local factors with the potential to augment coronary vascular tone, inflammation, and the initiation and progression of coronary artery disease. The purpose of the present review is to outline previous findings about the cardiovascular effects of coronary perivascular adipose tissue and the potential mechanisms by which adipose-derived factors may influence coronary vascular function and the progression of atherogenesis

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (7-36) but not (9-36) augments cardiac output during myocardial ischemia via a Frank-Starling mechanism

This study examined the cardiovascular effects of GLP-1 (7-36) or (9-36) on myocardial oxygen consumption, function and systemic hemodynamics in vivo during normal perfusion and during acute, regional myocardial ischemia. Lean Ossabaw swine received systemic infusions of saline vehicle or GLP-1 (7-36 or 9-36) at 1.5, 3.0, and 10.0 pmol/kg/min in sequence for 30 min at each dose, followed by ligation of the left circumflex artery during continued infusion at 10.0 pmol/kg/min. Systemic GLP-1 (9-36) had no effect on coronary flow, blood pressure, heart rate or indices of cardiac function before or during regional myocardial ischemia. Systemic GLP-1 (7-36) exerted no cardiometabolic or hemodynamic effects prior to ischemia. During ischemia, GLP-1 (7-36) increased cardiac output by approximately 2 L/min relative to vehicle-controls (p = 0.003). This response was not diminished by treatment with the non-depolarizing ganglionic blocker hexamethonium. Left ventricular pressure-volume loops measured during steady-state conditions with graded occlusion of the inferior vena cava to assess load-independent contractility revealed that GLP-1 (7-36) produced marked increases in end-diastolic volume (74 ± 1 to 92 ± 5 ml; p = 0.03) and volume axis intercept (8 ± 2 to 26 ± 8; p = 0.05), without any change in the slope of the end-systolic pressure-volume relationship vs. vehicle during regional ischemia. GLP-1 (9-36) produced no changes in any of these parameters compared to vehicle. These findings indicate that short-term systemic treatment with GLP-1 (7-36) but not GLP-1 (9-36) significantly augments cardiac output during regional myocardial ischemia, via increases in ventricular preload without changes in cardiac inotropy

Obesity Alters Molecular and Functional Cardiac Responses to Ischemia-Reperfusion and Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonism

This study tested the hypothesis that obesity alters the cardiac response to ischemia/reperfusion and/or glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor activation, and that these differences are associated with alterations in the obese cardiac proteome and microRNA (miRNA) transcriptome. Ossabaw swine were fed normal chow or obesogenic diet for 6 months. Cardiac function was assessed at baseline, during a 30-minutes coronary occlusion, and during 2 hours of reperfusion in anesthetized swine treated with saline or exendin-4 for 24 hours. Cardiac biopsies were obtained from normal and ischemia/reperfusion territories. Fat-fed animals were heavier, and exhibited hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertriglyceridemia. Plasma troponin-I concentration (index of myocardial injury) was increased following ischemia/reperfusion and decreased by exendin-4 treatment in both groups. Ischemia/reperfusion produced reductions in systolic pressure and stroke volume in lean swine. These indices were higher in obese hearts at baseline and relatively maintained throughout ischemia/reperfusion. Exendin-4 administration increased systolic pressure in lean swine but did not affect the blood pressure in obese swine. End-diastolic volume was reduced by exendin-4 following ischemia/reperfusion in obese swine. These divergent physiologic responses were associated with obesity-related differences in proteins related to myocardial structure/function (e.g. titin) and calcium handling (e.g. SERCA2a, histidine-rich Ca2+ binding protein). Alterations in expression of cardiac miRs in obese hearts included miR-15, miR-27, miR-130, miR-181, and let-7. Taken together, these observations validate this discovery approach and reveal novel associations that suggest previously undiscovered mechanisms contributing to the effects of obesity on the heart and contributing to the actions of GLP-1 following ischemia/reperfusion

Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Activation Augments Cardiac Output and Improves Cardiac Efficiency in Obese Swine After Myocardial Infarction

This study tested the hypothesis that glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) therapies improve cardiac contractile function at rest and in response to adrenergic stimulation in obese swine after myocardial infarction. Obese Ossabaw swine were subjected to gradually developing regional coronary occlusion using an ameroid occluder placed around the left anterior descending coronary artery. Animals received subcutaneous injections of saline or liraglutide (0.005-0.015 mg/kg/day) for 30 days after ameroid placement. Cardiac performance was assessed at rest and in response to sympathomimetic challenge (dobutamine 0.3-10 μg/kg/min) using a left ventricular pressure/volume catheter. Liraglutide increased diastolic relaxation (dP/dt; Tau 1/2; Tau 1/e) during dobutamine stimulation (P < 0.01) despite having no influence on the magnitude of myocardial infarction. The slope of the end-systolic pressure volume relationship (i.e., contractility) increased with dobutamine after liraglutide (P < 0.001) but not saline administration (P = 0.63). Liraglutide enhanced the slope of the relationship between cardiac power and pressure volume area (i.e., cardiac efficiency) with dobutamine (P = 0.017). Hearts from animals treated with liraglutide demonstrated decreased β1-adrenoreceptor expression. These data support that GLP-1 agonism augments cardiac efficiency via attenuation of maladaptive sympathetic signaling in the setting of obesity and myocardial infarction

The Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on health professionals in Sudan 2020

Background: The 2019 novel corona virus (COVID-19) is highly contagious with pandemic transmission, so it is associated with severe health problems and high public anxiety, with healthcare community speculation to be the most distressed because they were at the highest risk of infection. This study aimed to investigate the psychological impact on frontline medical staff in Khartoum state, Sudan, during the COVID‑19 outbreak between January and March 2020 Material and Methods: Patient Health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), generalized anxiety Disorders (GAD-7) scale and the revised impact of event scale (IES-R) were used to assess the depression, anxiety and psychological impact of COVID-19 on participants respectively, by an online questionnaire, analyzed by the statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 24. Results: PHQ-9 depression Scale showed that 72% have some degree of depression with mild depression being the most common seen in 96 (24.2%), severe depression was found to be more among age group between 45-65 and was associated with working in the emergency room (ER), p value was 0.03.The post-traumatic stress disorder among our participants was assessed by the IES-R scale which revealed 67 (16.9%) having mild PTSD, 32 (8.1%) having moderate PTSD,75 (18.9%) having severe PTSD while with statistical association with male gender with (P value= 0.16), age group of 45-65 (P value= 0.03), working in the respiratory wards (P value of 0.039) and history of contact with a positive case of COVID 19, (P value= 0.0001). We used GAD 7anxiety score showed mild anxiety in 32 participants (23.2%) moderate anxiety in 53 (13.4%) and severe anxiety 66 (16.7%). Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of vigor organizational support in predicting and managing health workers symptoms of burnout, and the working conditions they face during novel times of crisis. Keywords: COVID-19, Psychological impact, Health workers, Sudan, GAD-7, PHQ-9, IES-