Changes in soil density, moisture, strength, and residue cover induced by tillage and time

The development of new conservation tillage implements and the need for better devices and procedures for evaluating these implements were the primary reasons for undertaking this research;The effects of tillage and time on soil density, moisture, penetration resistance, and percent residue cover were evaluated under field conditions. Evidence was found that the chisel plow, the no-till, and the newly introduced paraplow tillage systems are potential soil and water conservation methods;Adequate precipitation in the experimental site masked the effect of tillage on soil moisture;Paraplowing resulted in lower bulk density and cone index values than did chisel plowing and the changes caused by the paraplow were longer lasting. Disking of the chisel plowed plots in the spring increased the bulk density and the cone index to the equivalent of the no-tilled soil. Soil moisture and bulk density were found to be insufficient to predict soil strength;The no-till resulted in a lower percentage reduction of residue throughout the year than did the paraplow which managed the residue better than did the chisel plow system;High density, penetration resistance, and residue cover apparently combined to reduce the corn yield of the no-till system when compared with the equal yields produced by the paraplow and the chisel plow systems;A microcomputer-based penetrometer was constructed and used to record, store, and display penetration force and depth values. When compared with a hand-held penetrometer, the new penetrometer was found to be fast and precise

Assessment of Critical Control Point in Dairy Farms in Khartoum State, Sudan

An attempt was made to apply Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) system in dairy farms in Khartoum State and to suggest control limits based on the international standard. World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization recommended the HACCP system as a modern tool for disease prevention. Critical points were investigated in 150 farms using California Mastitis Test and Rose Bengal Plate Test for detection of bovine mastitis and brucellosis, respectively. The results revealed that the overall prevalence rates of bovine mastitis and brucellosis were 69.3% and 36%, respectively. Other critical points were obtained from the owners of the dairy farms by a questionnaire, using non-probability sampling method or willingness of the owners for interview. Tick infestation was found in 94% of the farms which could be a risk factor and the application of the odds ratio (OR) was 1.694. The use of antibiotics for treatment of animals was, also, practiced in 54.7% of the farms. The critical points associated with environment in dairy farms and distribution of milk in Khartoum State was investigated, using a questionnaire survey and non probability sampling method. The condition of beddings was poor in 70% of the dairy farms. Absence of cleaning and disinfection of the teats were recorded in 108 and 104 farms, respectively. Furthermore, distribution of the milk depended on either vehicle without chilling (50.7%) or donkey carts (49.3%). Quantification of the risk indicated that hand washing of the milkers could be a risk factor (OR = 2.574), while the condition of the housing as well as the distribution of the milk could be a protective factor (OR=0.383 and 0.278, respectively). In conclusion, many critical points associated with animals or environment were observed in dairy farms in Khartoum State. Diseases of animals included infectious and zoonotic disease, flies and tick infestation, use of antibiotics for treatment and absence of veterinary care. The critical points associated with environment were poor hygiene during handling, storage and distribution of the milk. Moreover, the control limits for all mentioned critical points were as follow: Access to veterinary service, vectors control, improvement of general hygiene in the dairy farms during different practices taking in consideration the low temperature during storage and distribution of the milk

Artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Sudan

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis and effective treatment with an appropriate drug form the main components of the World Health Organization's strategy to reduce malaria related mortality. The few available drugs might be safeguarded if combined with artesunate. The addition of artesunate to a standard antimalarial treatment substantially reduces treatment failure, recrudescence and gametocyte carriage. METHODS: During late 2004, the efficacy of artesunate (4 mg/kg. day, on days 0–2) plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (25 mg/kg, on day 0) for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria was investigated in four sentinel areas in Sudan, with different malaria transmission (Damazin, Kassala, Kosti, and Malakal). RESULTS: Two hundreds and sixty-nine patients completed the 28-day follow-up. On day one, 60 (22.3%) patients were febrile and 15 (5.5%) patients were parasitaemic. On day three, all the patients were afebrile and aparasitaemic. While two patients (0.7%, Kassala) showed late Clinical and Parasitological Failures, the rest (99.3%) of the patients demonstrated Adequate Clinical and Parasitological Response. A gametocytaemia were detected during the follow-up in one patient (0.37%, Kassala). Adverse drug effects were detected in 32 (11.9%) patients CONCLUSION: The study showed that AS plus SP is an effective, safe drug in the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in Sudan

LC-MS/MS Tandem Mass Spectrometry for Analysis of Phenolic Compounds and Pentacyclic Triterpenes in Antifungal Extracts of Terminalia brownii (Fresen)

Decoctions and macerations of the stem bark and wood of Terminalia brownii Fresen. are used in traditional medicine for fungal infections and as fungicides on field crops and in traditional granaries in Sudan. In addition, T. brownii water extracts are commonly used as sprays for protecting wooden houses and furniture. Therefore, using agar disc diffusion and macrodilution methods, eight extracts of various polarities from the stem wood and bark were screened for their growth-inhibitory effects against filamentous fungi commonly causing fruit, vegetable, grain and wood decay, as well as infections in the immunocompromised host. Ethyl acetate extracts of the stem wood and bark gave the best antifungal activities, with MIC values of 250 ug/mL against Nattrassia mangiferae and Fusarium verticillioides, and 500 ug/mL against Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus. Aqueous extracts gave almost as potent effects as the ethyl acetate extracts against the Aspergillus and Fusarium strains, and were slightly more active than the ethyl acetate extracts against Nattrassia mangiferae. Thin layer chromatography, RP-HPLC-DAD and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), were employed to identify the chemical constituents in the ethyl acetate fractions of the stem bark and wood. The stem bark and wood were found to have a similar qualitative composition of polyphenols and triterpenoids, but differed quantitatively from each other. The stilbene derivatives, cis- (3) and trans- resveratrol-3-O-b-galloylglucoside (4), were identified for the first time in T. brownii. Moreover, methyl-(S)-flavogallonate (5), quercetin-7-b-O-di-glucoside (8), quercetin-7-O-galloyl-glucoside (10), naringenin-40-methoxy-7-pyranoside (7), 5,6-dihydroxy-30,40,7-tri-methoxy flavone (12), gallagic acid dilactone (terminalin) (6), a corilagin derivative (9) and two oleanane type triterpenoids (1) and (2) were characterized. The flavonoids, a corilagin derivative and terminalin, have not been identified before in T. brownii. We reported earlier on the occurrence of methyl-S-flavogallonate and its isomer in the roots of T. brownii, but this is the first report on their occurrence in the stem wood as well. Our results justify the traditional uses of macerations and decoctions of T. brownii stem wood and bark for crop and wood protection and demonstrate that standardized extracts could have uses for the eco-friendly control of plant pathogenic fungi in African agroforestry systems. Likewise, our results justify the traditional uses of these preparations for the treatment of skin infections caused by filamentous fungi.Peer reviewe

Glycemic Control in Patients with Diabetes across Primary and Tertiary Government Health Sectors in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A Five-Year Pattern

Objectives: In the UAE, the comparative prevalence of diabetes is reported as 18.98%, but there are very few studies evaluating glycemic control. Attaining the optimum glycemic control has been a global challenge over the years. However, there is a trend of global improvement with the availability of newer options of antidiabetic medications, increasing numbers of physicians, and patient awareness. Our primary aim was to assess the level of glycemic control across Dubai Health Authority points of care over the past five years. Additionally, we aimed to compare the differences in glycemic control between primary and tertiary centers, between nationalities, and type I and II diabetes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the electronic medical records of all patients who attended primary and tertiary care centers within the Dubai Health Authority between 2012 and 2016. All patients with any type of diabetes were included in this assessment. Results: A total of 26 447 patients were included in the study; of these, 73.8% (n = 19 508) were UAE nationals while the other nationalities accounted for 26.2% (n = 6939) of patients. The overall mean glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels from 2012 to 2016 was 7.76%. Patients attending primary care clinics had a mean HbA1c of 7.64% compared to 7.68% for the tertiary care cohort. Out of the total population, 37.7% achieved HbA1c < 7%. Over 40% of the patients attending primary care centers achieved HbA1c < 7% compared to 34.9% of those who attended tertiary care centers. Conclusions: Optimum glycemic target was achieved by less than 40% of patients. Glycemic control is still below the desired levels. However, there has been a trend of improvement in the last few years and we are achieving the international average targets. Further collaborative actions from clinical, educational, and strategic sectors are needed to improve our goals further

Association Between Hemoglobin A1C and the Severity of Acute Ischemic Stroke in Sudanese Patients in Omdurman Military Hospital

Background: Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) levels are known to be linked to a higher risk of stroke. However, no research data is available on the impact of HbA1C on the severity of acute ischemic stroke in Sudan. Methods: This study is a descriptive, cross-sectional hospital-based study of 40 cases of acute ischemic stroke. Ischemic stroke was confirmed using computed tomography (CT) scan at admission; all subjects’ blood HbA1C levels were also measured. Participants were divided into two subgroups based on HbA1C at admission, good glycemic control (GGC) (&lt;7 HbA1C) and poor glycemic control (PGC) (&gt;7 HbA1C), and neurological impairment was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Results: The age distribution of the participants was 45-85 years, with an average age of 63.5±9.2 years with the highest frequency (67.5%) in the age group of 55-75 years. PGC had a statistically significant high HbA1C value of 8.9±1.3 (P=0.000), when compared to GGC subgroups 5.1±0. The association between stroke severity and HbA1C levels on admission in this study was statistically significant (P value=0.005), on admission (78.6%) PGC had moderate to severe stroke (&gt; 18.8 NIHSS) versus (33.3%) that of the GGC (&gt;10.4NIHSS). The frequency of elevated HbA1C levels in patients with acute ischemic stroke was 70% in this study. Conclusion: PGC was shown to be linked to the occurrence of stroke and to its severity

Liquefaction du bois en deux etapes: solvolyse et hydrotraitement

SIGLEAvailable from INIST (FR), Document Supply Service, under shelf-number : T 83088 / INIST-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et TechniqueFRFranc