Effect of foliar application of zinc and salicylic acid on growth, flowering and chemical constitute of African marigold cv. pusa narangi gainda (Targets erecta L.)

A field experiment on African marigold (Targets erecta L.) was conducted during winter season of 2014-15to study the foliar effect of Zn and SA of 20 treatment combinations having five concentrations of zinc (0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.0 %) and salicylic acid (0.0, 0.25, 0.50 and 1.0 mM/L).The treatmentZn4SA3 (Zinc 1% + Salicylic acid 1.0 mM/L) recorded the maximum plant height (77.41 cm), number of leaves per plant (314.10),earliest first flower bud appearance (39.78 days), maximum number of flowers per plant (62.33), maximum chlorophyll content (3.83mg/g) and maximum carotene content (3.07 mg/g)as compared to control where it was recorded minimum. These results are conclusive that foliar spraying with zinc 1.0% + salicylic acid 1.0 mM/L may positively increasedthe growth and flowering parametersof marigold

Determination of Rheumatoid Factor in Suspected Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Attending Selected Hospitals in Zaria, Nigeria

The study was carried out to provide information on RF among RA especially in the Northern part of Nigeria is relatively scarce. As such, rheumatoid factor levels in blood could serve as a predictive index for the onset of Rheumatoid arthritis. A total of 182 sera samples were analyse for the presence of IgM rheumatoid factor by ELISA. Seventeen (17) were found to be positive and 165 negative giving a prevalence of 9.3% and 90.7% respectively. The age range of 50 and above had the highest RF positive cases of 4.9%. This is followed by the eighteen (18) to thirty (30) age range. The association was not significant at p-value of 0.05. Similarly, the relationship between RF and gender showed that 5.5% (n=101) of females were positive while than 3.8% (n=81) of males were positive. The association was not significant. The highest participants had tertiary level of education which has a RF prevalence of 4.4%. Most of the participants that tested positive for RF were married (8.2%). There was no significant association between positivity for RF and level of education as well as marital status. There was however no statistical significant association between RF and the signs and symptoms (stiffness of joints, swelling around the joints, general fatigue, muscle pains, fever 13 and joint pains). Out of the 29 patients with history investigated for RA, 4 (2.2%) were positive for RF. Among the participants that smoke cigarette (n=4), none was RF positive. Both factors did not show significant association at a p-value of 0.05. The information in this study would serve as a predictive index for the onset of Rheumatoid arthritis. Keywords: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Rheumatoid Factor, Auto-immune disease, synovial inflammatio

Measles Virus Strain Diversity, Nigeria and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Differences in epidemiologic patterns are only partially explained by vaccination practices

Trends in mortality by labour market position around retirement ages in three European countries with different welfare regimes

<p>Objectives: In the face of economic downturn and increasing life expectancy, many industrial nations are adopting a policy of postponing the retirement age. However, questions still remain around the consequence of working longer into old age. We examine mortality by work status around retirement ages in countries with different welfare regimes; Finland (social democratic), Turin (Italy; conservative), and England and Wales (liberal).</p> <p>Methods: Death rates and rate ratios (RRs) (reference rates = ‘in-work’), 1970 s–2000 s, were estimated for those aged 45–64 years using the England and Wales longitudinal study, Turin longitudinal study, and the Finnish linked register study.</p> <p>Results: Mortality of the not-in-work was consistently higher than the in-work. Death rates for the not-in-work were lowest in Turin and highest in Finland. Rate ratios were smallest in Turin (RR men 1972–76 1.73; 2002–06 1.63; women 1.22; 1.68) and largest in Finland (RR men 1991–95 3.03; 2001–05 3.80; women 3.62; 4.11). Unlike RRs for men, RRs for women increased in every country (greatest in Finland).</p> <p>Conclusions: These findings signal that overall, employment in later life is associated with lower mortality, regardless of welfare regime.</p&gt

Positive and negative effects of antipsychotic medication: an international online survey of 832 recipients

Background: Antipsychotic medication is currently the treatment of choice for psychosis, but few studies directly survey the first hand experience of recipients. Objectives: To ascertain the experiences and opinions of users of an international sample of antipsychotic drugs regarding positive and negative effects. Method: An online direct-to-consumer questionnaire was completed by 832 users of antipsychotics, from 30 countries – predominantly USA, UK and Australia. This is the largest such sample to date. Results: Over half (56%) thought the drugs reduced the problems they were prescribed for, but 27% thought they made them worse. Slightly less people found the drugs generally ‘Helpful’ (41%) than found them ‘Unhelpful’ (43%). While 35% reported that their ‘quality of life’ was ‘improved’, 54% reported that it was made ‘worse’. The average number of adverse effects reported was 11, with an average of five at the ‘severe’ level. Fourteen effects were reported by 57% or more participants, most commonly: ‘Drowsiness, feeling tired, sedation’ (92%), ‘Loss of motivation’ (86%), ‘Slowed thoughts’ (86%), and ‘Emotional numbing’ (85%). Suicidality was reported to be a side effect by 58%. Older people reported particularly poor outcomes and high levels of adverse effects. Duration of treatment was unrelated to positive outcomes but significantly related to negative outcomes. Most respondents (70%) had tried to stop taking the drugs. The most common reasons people wanted to stop were the side effects (64%) and worries about long-term physical health (52%). Most (70%) did not recall being told anything at all about side effects. Conclusions Clinical implications are discussed, with a particular focus on the principles of informed consent, and involving patients in decision making about their own lives

Mapping Water Levels across a Region of the Cuvette Centrale Peatland Complex

Inundation dynamics are the primary control on greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands. Situated in the central Congo Basin, the Cuvette Centrale is the largest tropical peatland complex. However, our knowledge of the spatial and temporal variations in its water levels is limited. By addressing this gap, we can quantify the relationship between the Cuvette Centrale’s water levels and greenhouse gas emissions, and further provide a baseline from which deviations caused by climate or land-use change can be observed, and their impacts understood. We present here a novel approach that combines satellite-derived rainfall, evapotranspiration and L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data to estimate spatial and temporal changes in water level across a sub-region of the Cuvette Centrale. Our key outputs are a map showing the spatial distribution of rainfed and flood-prone locations and a daily, 100 m resolution map of peatland water levels. This map is validated using satellite altimetry data and in situ water table data from water loggers. We determine that 50% of peatlands within our study area are largely rainfed, and a further 22.5% are somewhat rainfed, receiving hydrological input mostly from rainfall (directly and via surface/sub-surface inputs in sloped areas). The remaining 27.5% of peatlands are mainly situated in riverine floodplain areas to the east of the Congo River and between the Ubangui and Congo rivers. The mean amplitude of the water level across our study area and over a 20-month period is 22.8 ± 10.1 cm to 1 standard deviation. Maximum temporal variations in water levels occur in the riverine floodplain areas and in the inter-fluvial region between the Ubangui and Congo rivers. Our results show that spatial and temporal changes in water levels can be successfully mapped over tropical peatlands using the pattern of net water input (rainfall minus evapotranspiration, not accounting for run-off) and L-band SAR data

Mental health clinicians’ beliefs about the causes of psychosis: Differences between professions and relationship to treatment preferences

The ontology of mental health problems is an area of long standing debate. This has been fuelled by strong claims of a genetic basis to mental health problems, particularly in relation to the more serious difficulties such as schizophrenia and psychosis (John, Thirunavukkarasu, Halahalli, Purushottam, & Jain, 2015). The result of this biological framework has influenced practice at a service-level, with medication the primary treatment offered to this client group. Although neurobiological and genomic research has substantially progressed over the past decade, findings have also provided strong evidence for the role of environmental factors. Deprivation, trauma, social isolation, urbanicity and adverse childhood experiences have all been associated with the onset of psychosis (Cohen, 1993; Read, Van Os, Morrison, & Ross, 2005; Van Os, 2004). Given the evidence-base, psychosis is now considered by many experts in the field to be the result of a complex interaction of biological and environmental factors, for which the relevance of these differs for each individual. As a result, an integrative approach to treating psychosis is now endorsed by some clinical guidelines, with a recommendation that everyone be given a comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessment and be offered both antipsychotic medication and psychosocial interventions (NICE, 2014)