Growth and Yield Response of Upland Rice (Oryza sativa L.) to Different Nitrogen Fertilization and Weeding Levels

Weed interference and poor soil fertility are important factors resulting in the poor yield of rice in Nigeria. A 2-year field study was therefore conducted to evaluate the effect of different nitrogen fertilization and weeding levels on growth and yield of upland rice in a forest savannah transition zone of Nigeria. A split-plot design in three replicates was used with three nitrogen fertilization levels (0, 60 and 90 kg ha-1) as the main plot treatments, and four weeding levels (zero weeding, one hoe-weeding, two hoe-weedings and weed-free check) as the subplot treatments. Nitrogen fertilization levels had no significant effect on weed density, biomass and weed control efficacy. However, rice vigour, plant height, number of tillers and leaf area index increased significantly with increasing nitrogen fertilization levels up to 60 kg ha-1 and grain yield up to 90 kg ha-1. Two hoe-weedings increased weed control efficacy similar to the weed-free check better than one hoe-weeding. Rice vigour, tiller number, leaf area index and grain yield increased as number of hoe-weeding also increased. Weed-free check that included four hoe-weedings was not better than two hoe-weedings carried out 3 and 6 weeks after sowing (WAS). The result of this study showed that nitrogen fertilization application at 90 kg ha-1 and two hoe-weedings at 3 and 6 WAS would improve weed control and productivity of upland rice

Growth and Yield Response of Upland Rice (Oryza sativa L.) to Different Nitrogen Fertilization and Weeding Levels

Weed interference and poor soil fertility are important factors resulting in the poor yield of rice in Nigeria. A 2-year field study was therefore conducted to evaluate the effect of different nitrogen fertilization and weeding levels on growth and yield of upland rice in a forest savannah transition zone of Nigeria. A split-plot design in three replicates was used with three nitrogen fertilization levels (0, 60 and 90 kg ha-1) as the main plot treatments, and four weeding levels (zero weeding, one hoe-weeding, two hoe-weedings and weed-free check) as the subplot treatments. Nitrogen fertilization levels had no significant effect on weed density, biomass and weed control efficacy. However, rice vigour, plant height, number of tillers and leaf area index increased significantly with increasing nitrogen fertilization levels up to 60 kg ha-1 and grain yield up to 90 kg ha-1. Two hoe-weedings increased weed control efficacy similar to the weed-free check better than one hoe-weeding. Rice vigour, tiller number, leaf area index and grain yield increased as number of hoe-weeding also increased. Weed-free check that included four hoe-weedings was not better than two hoe-weedings carried out 3 and 6 weeks after sowing (WAS). The result of this study showed that nitrogen fertilization application at 90 kg ha-1 and two hoe-weedings at 3 and 6 WAS would improve weed control and productivity of upland rice

Website and Television Broadcasting of National Parks: A Perceived Possibility of Promoting and Marketing National Parks in Nigeria

The current coronavirus outbreak has made several organizations such as schools churches real estate consultants tourist attraction centres begin to exploit the benefits of information technology to ensure the continuous running of their operation through website and television broadcast The need for National Park in the developing countries to showcase their flora fauna and environment through website and television broadcast intervention WTBI are not farfetched It is believed WTBI could market and promote national parks in developing countries to potential tourists because through website and television broadcast intervention WTBI the developed countries have achieved high operational efficiency and income to increase National Park Visitation Intention NPVI of tourists As such they have generated so much income through tourism to their national parks The study utilized online survey to evaluate the adequacy of current WTB intervention puts in place by management of national parks in Nigeria and the consequent effects of improving on current WTBI to market and promote national parks in Nigeri

Assessing the Effects of Coronavirus Outbreaks on the Demand for Electronic Health In Nigeria

Electronic health (e-Health) and Mobile health (m-Health) is perceived as opportunity for patients to access their health care providers in the developing countries during coronavirus pandemic as it has been found to contribute tremendously to health care provision in the developed world even before the pandemic. This study attempts to assess how residents of developing countries annexe e-health and m-health during coronavirus outbreak. More specifically, the study analyses the demand for and adoption of electronic health in the face of coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria (a developing country) using Borgu local government, Niger state as case study. It was found that during the outbreak, residents of the local government did not significantly adopt electronic health during the pandemic majorly due to access to community health worker and cost of adopting electronic health facilities. It was recommended that government and relevant health care agencies that deal policy formulation take necessary measure to encourage wider acceptance of electronic health in Nigeria

Prospective observational cohort study on grading the severity of postoperative complications in global surgery research

Background The Clavien–Dindo classification is perhaps the most widely used approach for reporting postoperative complications in clinical trials. This system classifies complication severity by the treatment provided. However, it is unclear whether the Clavien–Dindo system can be used internationally in studies across differing healthcare systems in high- (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods This was a secondary analysis of the International Surgical Outcomes Study (ISOS), a prospective observational cohort study of elective surgery in adults. Data collection occurred over a 7-day period. Severity of complications was graded using Clavien–Dindo and the simpler ISOS grading (mild, moderate or severe, based on guided investigator judgement). Severity grading was compared using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Data are presented as frequencies and ICC values (with 95 per cent c.i.). The analysis was stratified by income status of the country, comparing HICs with LMICs. Results A total of 44 814 patients were recruited from 474 hospitals in 27 countries (19 HICs and 8 LMICs). Some 7508 patients (16·8 per cent) experienced at least one postoperative complication, equivalent to 11 664 complications in total. Using the ISOS classification, 5504 of 11 664 complications (47·2 per cent) were graded as mild, 4244 (36·4 per cent) as moderate and 1916 (16·4 per cent) as severe. Using Clavien–Dindo, 6781 of 11 664 complications (58·1 per cent) were graded as I or II, 1740 (14·9 per cent) as III, 2408 (20·6 per cent) as IV and 735 (6·3 per cent) as V. Agreement between classification systems was poor overall (ICC 0·41, 95 per cent c.i. 0·20 to 0·55), and in LMICs (ICC 0·23, 0·05 to 0·38) and HICs (ICC 0·46, 0·25 to 0·59). Conclusion Caution is recommended when using a treatment approach to grade complications in global surgery studies, as this may introduce bias unintentionally

The surgical safety checklist and patient outcomes after surgery: a prospective observational cohort study, systematic review and meta-analysis

© 2017 British Journal of Anaesthesia Background: The surgical safety checklist is widely used to improve the quality of perioperative care. However, clinicians continue to debate the clinical effectiveness of this tool. Methods: Prospective analysis of data from the International Surgical Outcomes Study (ISOS), an international observational study of elective in-patient surgery, accompanied by a systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature. The exposure was surgical safety checklist use. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality and the secondary outcome was postoperative complications. In the ISOS cohort, a multivariable multi-level generalized linear model was used to test associations. To further contextualise these findings, we included the results from the ISOS cohort in a meta-analysis. Results are reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. Results: We included 44 814 patients from 497 hospitals in 27 countries in the ISOS analysis. There were 40 245 (89.8%) patients exposed to the checklist, whilst 7508 (16.8%) sustained ≥1 postoperative complications and 207 (0.5%) died before hospital discharge. Checklist exposure was associated with reduced mortality [odds ratio (OR) 0.49 (0.32–0.77); P\u3c0.01], but no difference in complication rates [OR 1.02 (0.88–1.19); P=0.75]. In a systematic review, we screened 3732 records and identified 11 eligible studies of 453 292 patients including the ISOS cohort. Checklist exposure was associated with both reduced postoperative mortality [OR 0.75 (0.62–0.92); P\u3c0.01; I2=87%] and reduced complication rates [OR 0.73 (0.61–0.88); P\u3c0.01; I2=89%). Conclusions: Patients exposed to a surgical safety checklist experience better postoperative outcomes, but this could simply reflect wider quality of care in hospitals where checklist use is routine

Critical care admission following elective surgery was not associated with survival benefit: prospective analysis of data from 27 countries

This was an investigator initiated study funded by Nestle Health Sciences through an unrestricted research grant, and by a National Institute for Health Research (UK) Professorship held by RP. The study was sponsored by Queen Mary University of London