Epidemiology and individual, household and geographical risk factors of podoconiosis in ethiopia: results from the first nationwide mapping

Although podoconiosis is one of the major causes of tropical lymphoedema and is endemic in Ethiopia its epidemiology and risk factors are poorly understood. Individual-level data for 129,959 individuals from 1,315 communities in 659 woreda (districts) were collected for a nationwide integrated survey of lymphatic filariasis and podoconiosis. Blood samples were tested for circulating Wuchereria bancrofti antigen using immunochromatographic card tests. A clinical algorithm was used to reach a diagnosis of podoconiosis by excluding other potential causes of lymphoedema of the lower limb. Bayesian multilevel models were used to identify individual and environmental risk factors. Overall, 8,110 of 129,959 (6.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.1-6.4%) surveyed individuals were identified with lymphoedema of the lower limb, of whom 5,253 (4.0%, 95% CI 3.9-4.1%) were confirmed to be podoconiosis cases. In multivariable analysis, being female, older, unmarried, washing the feet less frequently than daily, and being semiskilled or unemployed were significantly associated with increased risk of podoconiosis. Attending formal education and living in a house with a covered floor were associated with decreased risk of podoconiosis. Podoconiosis exhibits marked geographical variation across Ethiopia, with variation in risk associated with variation in rainfall, enhanced vegetation index, and altitude

Impact of silicon on decreasing of salinity stress in greenhouse cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in soilless culture

Salinity is one of the environmental threats to agriculture. A study was carried out to investigate impact of silicon on decreasing of salinity stress in greenhouse cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in soilless culture. Seeds of cucumber were sown in polystyrene boxes with a substrate composed of 50% peat and 50% perlite. After 40 days (after germination), seedlings were transferred to plastic containers with 17 liter volumes. Five levels of silicon by sodium silicate (NaSiO3) were considered including 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mg.L-1 using sodium silicate in nutrient solution. Salinity levels in the final nutrient solution were considered including 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 (dS.m-1) using sodium chloride. After five weeks, samples were taken for testing. Maximum plant height, wet weight, dry weight (cm) and total chlorophyll (mg/g fresh weight) equal to 82.6, 333.4, 44.7 and 14.700 were recorded in No. 3 (EC=2.5 dS.m-1 and Si= 50 mg.L-1), 1 (EC= 2.5 dS.m-1 and Si=0 mg.L-1), 5 (EC=2.5 dS.m-1 and Si= 100 mg.L-1) and 2 (EC=2.5 dS.m-1 and Si= 25 mg.L-1), respectively. Minimum plant height, wet weight, dry weight (cm) and total chlorophyll (mg/g fresh weight) equal to 62.3, 281.7, 26.2 and 8.22 were recorded in No. 7 (EC=3.5 dS.m-1 and Si= 25 mg.L-1), 8 (EC=3.5 dS.m-1 and Si= 50 mg.L-1), 12 (EC=4.5 dS.m-1 and Si= 25 mg.L-1) and 7, respectively. The evidences provided by this experiment indicated that silicate has increased resistance of plant against salinity. Silicate caused an increase of chlorophyll content but it caused a decrease of plant height