Effects of sowing date and nutsedge removal time on plant growth and yield of tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]

Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is an annual C4 grass crop that originated in Ethiopia. The average grain yield of this crop is low; averaging < 0.8 Mg ha-1 in farmer’s fields of the semi arid conditions.Productivity can be increased to a considerate extent through the improvement of management practices alone, particularly sowing time with appropriate weed control. The objective of this study was to identify the growth and yield performance of tef as affected by cultural manipulation of date of sowing and weed removal time at semi arid region in Alem tena in Ethiopia. Tef was planted at three sowing dates, recommended sowing date, 7 and 15 days delay after the recommended date. The fiveweed removal time were included as weedy check (W1), weeded two weeks (W2), four weeks (W3), six weeks (W4) after crop emergence and weed-free check (W5). All data were subjected to analysis by ANOVA, principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation/regression analysis. Weed removal time played a minor role compared to sowing time. Irrespective of weeding dates, delayed tef sowing time was very critical. Plant height reduced by 23 to 32%, panicle length by 45.51 and 55.11% crop biomass by 34.39 and 35.53% and grain yield 60 to 68%, when sowing was delayed for 7 and 15 days, respectively. The relationship between plant height and grain yield and crop biomass and grain yield oftef was very strong and quadratic, whereby, as the plant height as well as crop biomass increased, the yield also increased. All these relationships clearly indicate the high competitive ability of tef against nutsedge. Nutsedge competition during the first 6 weeks after crop emergence reduced tef biomass by more than 30%. Keeping the tef field free of weeds for at least six weeks for early and late sown tef is essential to give the crop advantage of growing faster to enhance crop yields

Effect of salt stress on germination and early seedling growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The response of twelve rice varieties against six salinity levels (0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 dS m-1) were studied at germination and early seedling stages. Data were analyzed using SAS and means were separated by LSD for final germination percentage (FGP), speed of germination (SG), germinationenergy percentage (GE%), plumule and radical length and plumule and radical dry weight. Based on dry matter yield reduction, rice varieties were classified as tolerant (T), moderately tolerant (MT), moderately susceptible (MS) or susceptible (S). Germination was completely arrested at 20 dS m-1 salt concentration. Salinity decreased FGP, SG, GE % and led to reduction in shoot and root length and dry weight in all varieties and the magnitude of reduction increased with increasing salinity stress. Ricevarieties MR211, IR20, BR40 and MR232 showed greater salt tolerance during germination (germinated at 12 dS m-1 salinity). However, MR211, MR232 and IR20 performed better based on dry matter yield reduction. The result suggested that MR211, MR232 and IR20 might be used for further study of salinity effect on growth processes and physiological consequences at advanced stage of growth, since salt tolerance of a crop at germination and early seedling stage may not correspond to that at advanced stage

Defining hypoxaemia from pulse oximeter measurements of oxygen saturation in well children at low altitude in Bangladesh: an observational study

BACKGROUND: WHO defines hypoxaemia, a low peripheral arterial oxyhaemoglobin saturation (SpO2), as <90%. Although hypoxaemia is an important risk factor for mortality of children with respiratory infections, the optimal SpO2 threshold for defining hypoxaemia is uncertain in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We derived a SpO2 threshold for hypoxaemia from well children in Bangladesh residing at low altitude. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled well, children aged 3-35 months participating in a pneumococcal vaccine evaluation in Sylhet district, Bangladesh between June and August 2017. Trained health workers conducting community surveillance measured the SpO2 of children using a Masimo Rad-5 pulse oximeter with a wrap sensor. We used standard summary statistics to evaluate the SpO2 distribution, including whether the distribution differed by age or sex. We considered the 2.5th, 5th and 10th percentiles of SpO2 as possible lower thresholds for hypoxaemia. RESULTS: Our primary analytical sample included 1470 children (mean age 18.6±9.5 months). Median SpO2 was 98% (IQR 96%-99%), and the 2.5th, 5th and 10th percentile SpO2 was 91%, 92% and 94%. No child had a SpO2 <90%. Children 3-11 months had a lower median SpO2 (97%) than 12-23 months (98%) and 24-35 months (98%) (p=0.039). The SpO2 distribution did not differ by sex (p=0.959). CONCLUSION: A SpO2 threshold for hypoxaemia derived from the 2.5th, 5th or 10th percentile of well children is higher than <90%. If a higher threshold than <90% is adopted into LMIC care algorithms then decision-making using SpO2 must also consider the child's clinical status to minimise misclassification of well children as hypoxaemic. Younger children in lower altitude LMICs may require a different threshold for hypoxaemia than older children. Evaluating the mortality risk of sick children using higher SpO2 thresholds for hypoxaemia is a key next step

Catatonia: demographic, clinical and laboratory associations

Background: Catatonia, a severe neuropsychiatric syndrome, has few studies of sufficient scale to clarify its epidemiology or pathophysiology. We aimed to characterise demographic associations, peripheral inflammatory markers and outcome of catatonia. / Methods: Electronic healthcare records were searched for validated clinical diagnoses of catatonia. In a case–control study, demographics and inflammatory markers were compared in psychiatric inpatients with and without catatonia. In a cohort study, the two groups were compared in terms of their duration of admission and mortality. / Results: We identified 1456 patients with catatonia (of whom 25.1% had two or more episodes) and 24 956 psychiatric inpatients without catatonia. Incidence was 10.6 episodes of catatonia per 100 000 person-years. Patients with and without catatonia were similar in sex, younger and more likely to be of Black ethnicity. Serum iron was reduced in patients with catatonia [11.6 v. 14.2 μmol/L, odds ratio (OR) 0.65 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.45–0.95), p = 0.03] and creatine kinase was raised [2545 v. 459 IU/L, OR 1.53 (95% CI 1.29–1.81), p < 0.001], but there was no difference in C-reactive protein or white cell count. N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibodies were significantly associated with catatonia, but there were small numbers of positive results. Duration of hospitalisation was greater in the catatonia group (median: 43 v. 25 days), but there was no difference in mortality after adjustment. / Conclusions: In the largest clinical study of catatonia, we found catatonia occurred in approximately 1 per 10 000 person-years. Evidence for a proinflammatory state was mixed. Catatonia was associated with prolonged inpatient admission but not with increased mortality

Health behaviors and their relationship with disease control in people attending genetic clinics with a family history of breast or colorectal cancer

The current work aimed to assess health behaviors, perceived risk and control over breast/colorectal cancer risk and views on lifestyle advice amongst attendees at cancer family history clinics. Participants attending the East of Scotland Genetics Service were invited to complete a questionnaire (demographic data, weight and height, health behaviors and psycho-social measures of risk and perceived control) and to participate in an in-depth interview. The questionnaire was completed by 237 (49%) of attendees, ranging from 18 to 77years (mean age 46 (&plusmn;10) years). Reported smoking rates (11%) were modest, most (54%) had a BMI&gt;25kg/m2, 55% had low levels of physical activity, 58% reported inappropriate alcohol intakes and 90% had fiber intakes indicative of a low plant diet. Regression analysis indicated that belief in health professional control was associated with higher, and belief in fatalism with poorer health behavior. Qualitative findings highlighted doubts about the link between lifestyle and cancer, and few were familiar with the current evidence. Whilst lifestyle advice was considered interesting in general there was little appetite for non-tailored guidance. In conclusion, current health behaviors are incongruent with cancer risk reduction guidance amongst patients who have actively sought advice on disease risk. There are some indications that lifestyle advice would be welcomed but endorsement requires a sensitive and flexible approach, and the acceptability of lifestyle interventions remains to be explored

Beliefs about weight and breast cancer: An interview study with high risk women following a 12 month weight loss intervention

This is an Version of Record of an article published by BioMed Central in Hereditary Cancer in Clinical Practice on 9 January 2015, available online: http://www.hccpjournal.com/content/13/1/1 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. Lifestyle factors including excess weight contribute to risk of developing the disease. Whilst the exact links between weight and breast cancer are still emerging, it is imperative to explore how women understand these links and if these beliefs impact on successful behaviour change. Overweight/obese premenopausal women (aged 35–45) with a family history of breast cancer (lifetime risk 17–40%) were invited to a semi-structured interview following their participation in a 12 month weight loss intervention aimed at reducing their risk of breast cancer. Interviews were carried out with 9 women who successfully achieved ≥5% weight loss and 11 who were unsuccessful. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Three themes were developed from the analysis. The first theme how women construct and understand links between weight and breast cancer risk is composed of two subthemes, the construction of weight and breast cancer risk and making sense of weight and breast cancer risk. The second theme - motivation and adherence to weight loss interventions - explains that breast cancer risk can be a motivating factor for adherence to a weight loss intervention. The final theme, acceptance of personal responsibility for health is composed of two subthemes responsibility for one’s own health and responsibility for family health through making sensible lifestyle choices.Beliefs about weight and breast cancer risk were informed by social networks, media reports and personal experiences of significant others diagnosed with breast cancer. Our study has highlighted common doubts, anxieties and questions and the importance of providing a credible rationale for weight control and weight loss which addresses individual concerns