Agronomic efficacy of compost manure and NPK fertilizer on some soil chemical properties and maize production in an ultisol environment

Studies were conducted as an on-farm trial at Evboneka in 2009 and 2010 cropping seasons to estimate the effect of soil amendments in enhancing soil fertility status and relative agronomic efficacy of maize yield in humid ultisol environment. Effects of compost was investigated at application rates of 20 and 40 t ha-1 while NPK and organo-mineral fertilizer effects were investigated at 200 kg/ha and a combination of 100 kg/ha NPK and 20 t/ha compost manure (organo-mineral fertilizer) with maize TZEE-W cultivar resulting in five treatments and replicated three times. The results obtained revealed that the tested soil was low in organic matter, total N, available P, moderately acidic and low cations (Ca, Mg and K). The compost manure was rich in N, P, Mg, K, organic carbon and Ca concentration. The application of compost manure and NPK to the soil improved the soil fertility status. The highest maize height (132.70 cm), greatest total dry weight (0.63 t ha-1) and relative agronomic efficacy (%) were obtained from plots treated with 40 t/ha-1 compost manure while the plots treated with organo-mineral had the greatest LAI (2.75)

Performance evaluation of 2.4kVA grid-tie inverter

This paper is focused on experimenting the overall performance of a 2.4kVA direct solar power supply system. The overall aim is to implement a solar power supply system without a battery back-up in order to minimize cost. The objectives include measuring the performance of grid-tie inverter, determine its period of operation under load conditions, to make the use of batteries optional in solar power supply system and minimize initial cost of installation. Various tests (variable load, fixed load and no-load) were carried out for the purpose of analysis. A dual trace digital storage oscilloscope was used to monitor the output waveform of the inverter to observe possible harmonic distortion on the waveform. The inverter takes its input power directly from the solar modules (panels) through the maximum power point tracker (MPPT) charge controller. Each category of test was conducted for at least three days of different weather conditions, to determine how variation in the sun’s intensity (irradiance) affects the operation of the inverter and its output power. Test results show that the inverter performs its function during the day apart from the early hours in the morning and later in the evening of each day, and the loads were powered successfully during the period of test.  The output waveform as observed from the oscilloscope is not purely sinusoidal; it is rather a modified sine wave

Study on Chemical Treatments of Jute Fiber for Application in Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites (NFRPC)

Research and studies on the use of natural fibers as replacement to man-made fiber in fiber-reinforced composites have increased and opened up further industrial possibilities. Natural fibers have the advantages of low density, low cost, biodegradability, recyclable, low pesticide and thus environmentally friendly. However, the main disadvantages of natural fibers in composites are the poor compatibility between fiber and matrix and the relative high moisture sorption. Therefore, chemical treatments are considered in modifying the fiber surface properties. In this paper, the different chemical modifications and treatments on jute fibers for use in natural fiber-reinforced composites are reviewed. Chemical treatments including alkali, permanganate treatments and others are discussed. The chemical treatment of fiber aimed at improving the adhesion between the fiber surface and the polymer matrix may not only modify the fiber surface but also increase fiber strength. Water absorption of composites is reduced and their mechanical properties are improved

Five years retrospective cohort analysis of treatment outcomes of TB-HIV patients at a PEPFAR/DOTS Centre in South Eastern Nigeria.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) associated tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global public health challenge, with an estimated 1.4 million patients worldwide. Co-infection with HIV leads to challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess treatment outcomes of a cohort of smear positive TB-HIV co-infected patients over a five-year study period. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 600 smear-positive tuberculosis patients registered at the chest unit of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu from January 2008 to December 2012 was done. The data was analyzed using SPSS Version 17. Results: One hundred and three (17.2%) of the patients were co-infected with TB/HIV, while 398 (66.3%) and 99 (16.5%) were HIV negative and unknown respectively. Among the co-infected patients, 45(43.7%) were cured as against 222(55.8%) in the TBHIV negatives (Z=4.53, p=0.000, 95%CI= 0.12-0.34). Respectively in the TB-HIV co-infected and TB-HIV negative patients, treatment completed were 21(20.4%) and 71(17.8%) (Z=9.15, p=0.000, 95%= 0.4035-0.60); defaulted 19(18.5%) vs 70 (17.6%) (Z=9.29, p=0.000, 95%CI=0.42-0.60), died 10(9.7%) vs. 6(1.5%) (Z=1.22, p=0.224, 95%CI= -0.0286-0.1086), and failures were 1(0.9%) vs. 7(1.8%) (Z=2.48, p=0.013, 95%CI=0.04-0.10). Treatment success rate was lower in TB-HIV co-infected patients, 64.1% compared to TB-HIV negative patients with 73.6%. Also those that defaulted among the TB-HIV co-infected patients (18.5%) were higher than 17.6% among TB-HIV negative patients, a difference of 0.9%. Conclusion: Findings demonstrate that HIV co-infection affects TB treatment outcomes adversely. Treatment adherence, timely and sustained access to antiretroviral therapy for TB/HIV co-infected patients are important

Online cognitive-behavioral intervention for stress among English as a second language teachers: implications for school health policy

IntroductionStress is one of the highest-ranked work-related injuries worldwide and has become almost universal among the Nigerian workforce. English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers face enormous work-related threats that lead to occupational stress. When ESL teachers are stressed, students' language development and entire educational progress are at risk. This is mostly underscored as English, though a second language, serves as the language of instruction in Nigerian schools. As a result, managing occupational stress is particularly important for ESL teachers, as it is among the definitive ways of improving ESL learning and overall educational outcomes. This study examined the effectiveness of online cognitive behavioral intervention (o-CBI) in lowering occupational stress among ESL teachers.MethodESL teachers with at least 1 year of experience were among the participants (N = 89). Participants were divided into two groups: the intervention group (N = 44) and the control group (N = 45). For 9 weeks, the experimental group engaged in nine sessions of 2 h of the o-CBI program. The Single Item Stress Questionnaire (SISQ), the Satisfaction with Therapy and Therapist Scale-Revised (STTS–R), and the Teachers' Stress Inventory (TSI) were the measures used to collect primary and secondary data. Four sets of data were collected at baseline, post-test, and follow-up 1 and 2 evaluations. The data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, t-test statistics, repeated measures ANOVA, and bar charts.Results and discussionCompared to the control group, the o-CBT group had significantly lower TSI scores at the post-test (Time 2) and follow-up evaluations (Times 3 and 4). Between pre-, post-, and follow-up 1 and 2 measurements, there were no significant differences in occupational stress index scores in the control group. It was concluded that o-CBI is effective in job-stress treatment among ESL teachers. In addition, implications for school health policy are discussed. The o-CBI for occupational stress was well received by the participants, showing high acceptability among ESL teachers

Overdetection, overtreatment and costs in prostate-specific antigen screening for prostate cancer

Background:Prostate cancer screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has shown to reduce prostate cancer mortality in the European Randomised study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) trial. Overdetection and overtreatment are substantial unfavourable side effects with consequent healthcare costs. In this study the effects of introducing widespread PSA screening is evaluated.Methods:The MISCAN model was used to simulate prostate cancer growth and detection in a simulated cohort of 100 000 men (European standard population) over 25 years. PSA screening from age 55 to 70 or 75, with 1, 2 and 4-year-intervals is simulated. Number of diagnoses, PSA tests, biopsies, treatments, deaths and corresponding costs for 100 000 men and for United Kingdom and United States are compared.Results:Without screening 2378 men per 100 000 were predicted to be diagnosed with prostate cancer compared with 4956 men after screening at 4-year intervals. By introducing screening, the costs would increase with 100% to \[euro]60 695 000. Overdetection is related to 39% of total costs (\[euro]23 669 000). Screening until age 75 is relatively most expensive because of the costs of overtreatment.Conclusion:Introduction of PSA screening will increase total healthcare costs for prostate cancer substantially, of which the actual screening costs will be a small part

Burden of cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2005–2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study

Objectives: To estimate incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) caused by cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) between 2005 and 2015. Methods: Vital registration system and cancer registry data from the EMR region were analyzed for 29 cancer groups in 22 EMR countries using the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 methodology. Results: In 2015, cancer was responsible for 9.4% of all deaths and 5.1% of all DALYs. It accounted for 722,646 new cases, 379,093 deaths, and 11.7 million DALYs. Between 2005 and 2015, incident cases increased by 46%, deaths by 33%, and DALYs by 31%. The increase in cancer incidence was largely driven by population growth and population aging. Breast cancer, lung cancer, and leukemia were the most common cancers, while lung, breast, and stomach cancers caused most cancer deaths. Conclusions: Cancer is responsible for a substantial disease burden in the EMR, which is increasing. There is an urgent need to expand cancer prevention, screening, and awareness programs in EMR countries as well as to improve diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care services.The funding source played no role in the design of thestudy, the analysis and interpretation of data, and the writing of thepaper. GBD 2015 is funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The Burden of Primary Liver Cancer and Underlying Etiologies From 1990 to 2015 at the Global, Regional, and National Level Results From the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Akinyemiju T, Abera S, Ahmed M, et al. The Burden of Primary Liver Cancer and Underlying Etiologies From 1990 to 2015 at the Global, Regional, and National Level Results From the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. JAMA ONCOLOGY. 2017;3(12):1683-1691.IMPORTANCE Liver cancer is among the leading causes of cancer deaths globally. The most common causes for liver cancer include hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and alcohol use. OBJECTIVE To report results of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2015 study on primary liver cancer incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 195 countries or territories from 1990 to 2015, and present global, regional, and national estimates on the burden of liver cancer attributable to HBV, HCV, alcohol, and an " other" group that encompasses residual causes. DESIGN, SETTINGS, AND PARTICIPANTS Mortalitywas estimated using vital registration and cancer registry data in an ensemble modeling approach. Single-cause mortality estimates were adjusted for all-cause mortality. Incidence was derived from mortality estimates and the mortality-to-incidence ratio. Through a systematic literature review, data on the proportions of liver cancer due to HBV, HCV, alcohol, and other causes were identified. Years of life lost were calculated by multiplying each death by a standard life expectancy. Prevalence was estimated using mortality-to-incidence ratio as surrogate for survival. Total prevalence was divided into 4 sequelae that were multiplied by disability weights to derive years lived with disability (YLDs). DALYs were the sum of years of life lost and YLDs. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Liver cancer mortality, incidence, YLDs, years of life lost, DALYs by etiology, age, sex, country, and year. RESULTS There were 854 000 incident cases of liver cancer and 810 000 deaths globally in 2015, contributing to 20 578 000 DALYs. Cases of incident liver cancer increased by 75% between 1990 and 2015, of which 47% can be explained by changing population age structures, 35% by population growth, and -8% to changing age-specific incidence rates. The male-to-female ratio for age-standardized liver cancer mortality was 2.8. Globally, HBV accounted for 265 000 liver cancer deaths (33%), alcohol for 245 000 (30%), HCV for 167 000 (21%), and other causes for 133 000 (16%) deaths, with substantial variation between countries in the underlying etiologies. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Liver cancer is among the leading causes of cancer deaths in many countries. Causes of liver cancer differ widely among populations. Our results show that most cases of liver cancer can be prevented through vaccination, antiviral treatment, safe blood transfusion and injection practices, as well as interventions to reduce excessive alcohol use. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals, the identification and elimination of risk factors for liver cancer will be required to achieve a sustained reduction in liver cancer burden. The GBD study can be used to guide these prevention efforts

Burden of cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2005-2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study

Fitzmaurice C, Alsharif U, El Bcheraoui C, et al. Burden of cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2005-2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. 2018;63(Suppl. 1):151-164.To estimate incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) caused by cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) between 2005 and 2015. Vital registration system and cancer registry data from the EMR region were analyzed for 29 cancer groups in 22 EMR countries using the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 methodology. In 2015, cancer was responsible for 9.4% of all deaths and 5.1% of all DALYs. It accounted for 722,646 new cases, 379,093 deaths, and 11.7 million DALYs. Between 2005 and 2015, incident cases increased by 46%, deaths by 33%, and DALYs by 31%. The increase in cancer incidence was largely driven by population growth and population aging. Breast cancer, lung cancer, and leukemia were the most common cancers, while lung, breast, and stomach cancers caused most cancer deaths. Cancer is responsible for a substantial disease burden in the EMR, which is increasing. There is an urgent need to expand cancer prevention, screening, and awareness programs in EMR countries as well as to improve diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care services