Standardization of Stage-Wise Requirement of Nutrients in Banana Cv. Grande Naine (AAA)

A field trial was conducted during 2009-2010 at College Orchard, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, to standardize stage-wise requirement of nutrients in banana cv. Grand Naine (AAA). Treatment T16 where application of 100% RDF (165:52.5:495g NPK plant-1) at 4 critical growth stages, i.e., 40:52.5:25, 30:0:35, 30:0:25 and 0:0:15% at the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9thmonths after planting (MAP), respectively, recorded maximum plant height, pseudostem girth and leaf area index. Maximum bunch weight of 32.15kg was recorded in T16. Higher yield was attributed to more number of (i) hands per bunch, (ii) fingers per hand and (iii) per bunch, besides the higher average weight of the finger. Better quality fruits, with higher TSS, total sugars, low acidity and better sugar:acid blend, were obtained in T16. In treatment T16, where 100% RDF was applied, increased N, P, and K content were seen in the index leaf of the crop. Lower soil-available nutrients, viz., N, P, K, at the higher level of split-application at critical stages of the crop revealed, that, the nutrients applied were utilized efficiently. This was reflected in the better yield and quality obtained. Economics were worked out which indicated T16 as giving the highest cost:benefit ratio (1:3.97)

Genexpert MTB/RIF diagnostic and tuberculosis treatment initiation delays in Namibia

BACKGROUND : Early diagnosis and treatment of drug resistant tuberculosis are crucial in the control of the disease and treatment success. In Namibia, there is a gap in empirical data on the diagnosis and treatment initiation delay time since the roll-out of the GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) assay in 2017. This study aimed to determine Xpert pre-diagnosis and turnaround time at Namibian Institute of Pathology (NIP) as well as rifampicin resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) treatment initiation delay on patients admitted at Katutura Intermediate Hospital TB clinic. METHODS : This was retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study which was conducted from 1 July 2018 to 31 March 2019. A total of seventy two participants comprising of twenty five RR-TB and forty seven non RR-TB patients were enrolled using consecutive sampling method. Laboratory information system (LIS) was utilized to determine Xpert median pre-analytical delay and turnaround time. Patients’ records and LIS were used to calculate median treatment initiation delay time post Xpert diagnosis. Data on continuous variables was summarized as median and interquartile range. RESULTS : The median pre-diagnostic, diagnostic and treatment initiation delay time were 7.5 (IQR: 0-14), 1 (IQR: 0-3) and 10 (IQR: 1-32) days respectively for RR-TB. For drug susceptible TB, the median pre-diagnostic, diagnostic and treatment initiation delay time were 5 (IQR: 1-8), 1 (IQR: 0-3) and 3 (IQR: 0-12) days respectively. Overall, median health system delay time was 21 (IQR: 2-32) days for RR-TB patients and 12 (IQR: 1-12) days for non RR-TB patients. CONCLUSION : Treatment initiation to appropriate second line regimes was long for many patients and may be attributable to poor interpretation of discordant results and increased number of RR-TB patients for treatment since Xpert adoption. Unnecessary referrals due to shortages of pulmonologists, cumbersome baseline investigations and outdated guidelines and policies could be the determinants of health system delay time. Interventions targeted at addressing identified factors should be implemented. Further studies should explore the actual treatment gap among RR-TB patients and further risk factors for delayed treatment.https://www.wjahr.comam2020School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH

Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) among Tuberculosis Patients: A Study from Chennai, South India

BACKGROUND: Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs) among tuberculosis (TB) patients are associated with nonadherence and poor treatment outcomes. Studies from Tuberculosis Research Centre (TRC), Chennai have reported that alcoholism has been one of the major reasons for default and mortality in under the DOTS programme in South India. Hence, it is planned to conduct a study to estimate prevalence of alcohol use and AUDs among TB patients attending the corporation health centres in Chennai, India. METHODOLOGY: This is a cross-sectional cohort study covering 10 corporation zones at Chennai and it included situational assessment followed by screening of TB patients by a WHO developed Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test AUDIT scale. Four zones were randomly selected and all TB patients treated during July to September 2009 were screened with AUDIT scale for alcohol consumption. RESULTS: Out of 490 patients, 66% were males, 66% were 35 years and above, 57% were married, 58% were from the low monthly income group of <Rs 5000 per month. No females reported alcohol use. Overall, out of 490 TB pts, 29% (141) were found to consume alcohol. Among 141 current drinkers 52% (73) had an AUDIT score of >8. Age (>35 years), education (less educated), income (<Rs 5000 per month), marital status (separated/divorced) and treatment category (Category 2) were statistically significant for TB patients with alcohol use than those TB patients without alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS: AUD among TB patients needs to be addressed urgently and the findings suggest the importance of integrating alcohol treatment into TB care

Willingness to pay for risky lifestyles: results from the Pay for Others (PAY4O) study, Italy

Objectives: We assess the individual willingness to pay for diseases arising from risky lifestyles and investigate the personal factors that influence such willingness. Study design: We conducted an online survey with 821 respondents in Italy. The questionnaire was distributed via Facebook® in July and August 2016. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic characteristics, health status, behaviour and psychological attitudes, economic status, and opinion about covering the healthcare costs related to overeating, unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyles, alcohol abuse, tobacco smoking, driving under the influence of alcohol, and illegal drug use by. Methods: We performed the following: (1) the study of the patterns in the dependent variables by principal component analysis; (2) analysis of the determinants by Holdout Variable Importance measure obtained in Random Forest; and (3) we used ordered logit models. Results: Participants agreed with the idea that public health care should be provided for problems arising from bad eating habits and sedentary lifestyle (50.4%), whereas the health care consequences of the other risky behaviours should not be publicly financed by the Italian National Health Service. Conclusions: Our study gives an overview of the willingness to pay of a population living in a country where financing of the Health Service is based on general taxation. So, these results may be generalized, with due caution, to all the countries where the Health Service offers universal coverage and is operated by the government, but of course not to scenarios related to market-based or social health insurance systems

Should I pay for your risky behaviours? Evidence from London

We investigate the extent to which respondents from a general population sample in London (July–August 2011) agree or disagree with the NHS covering the healthcare costs related to five risky health behaviours: overeating, unhealthy diet, sedentary life, excess of alcohol, and smoking. For each behaviour, we also directly explore the main factors associated with the likelihood to agree or disagree. Half of the respondents (N = 146) manifest agreement with the idea. Wider agreement exists for covering the costs associated smoking, heavy drinking, and sedentary lives than with overeating, or poor diets. With the exception of alcohol drinking and sedentary life, there is an almost one-to-one relationship between the agreement that the NHS should pay the healthcare costs associated with a specific behaviour, and the respondents' actual engagement in that behaviour. Those at higher risk of depending on publicly funded healthcare, are more likely to agree