Harnessing Agricultural Services Centers for Agricultural Extension Services: A case Study Gezira state-Wad Medani Great Locality, Sudan

Agricultural Services Centers expect to plays an important role in facilitate marketing of most agricultural commodities such as seeds, feed, fertilizers and pesticides. This paper attempts to realize the Importance of agricultural services centers in supporting agricultural extension services in the study area. The study based on two sources of data, primary and secondary, the primary quantitative and qualitative data were collected from field survey using structured questionnaire (in-depth and repeated interview) which designed and pre-tested. Fifty seven respondents (members ASCs) were randomly selected to represent the study population. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used for data analysis (Descriptive Statistic) in addition to correlation and regression analysis to test significant level of variables. The findings indicated that 98% of the respondents were explained that the link with farmers was direct link, 53% stated that the farmers they visits them to get information. 90% of the respondents reported that they provided farmers with input and information, 98% of them explained that their source of inputs was imported companies, and 91% explained that their method to present the information to the farmers was personal explanation. The results of correlation and regression analysis showed Education level had high significant correlation with link with extension (.001) the value (.430), High significant correlation also with the link with extension and Components that you consider more useful in giving information sig (.000) value (.772) and the available components in case of problem sig (.000) value (.774). Imported companies had significant regression value (.457 beta) (.042) in information exchange other partners had no significant. Conclusion: Agricultural Services Centers enhance the role of agricultural extension through marketing of most agricultural commodities. The paper recommends that the service centers workers should look after the recommended information and follow up their inputs after sailing process to the farmers, the extension view should be more than the trading view

Internet Banking Service quality in Malaysia: an empirical investigation

This study is among the first research that develops an instrument to measure Internet Banking Service (IBS) quality in Malaysian context based on Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and nine service quality dimensions. The objective of this research is to highlight the weaknesses and strengths of IBS quality dimensions from Malaysian users’ perspectives in order to increase the adoption of IBS. Five hundred and forty seven questionnaires were distributed and collected from the Klang Valley area in Selangor state. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study results show that Malaysian Internet Banking users’ have attitudes and intentions of using IBS (mean rating more than 3.00). Furthermore, Malaysians users realize the advantages of using IBS by giving high mean ratings for service quality dimensions to ease of use, competence, product/service portfolio, reliability, security/privacy, and relative advantage. However, other dimensions such as response and contact, efficiency, and enjoyment obtained relatively low mean ratings as indictor of users’ behavioral intentions towards IBS. Implications and suggestions for future research were given

International Journal of Physical Sciences

Silver nanoparticles biogenic synthesized using an orange peel extract and their use as an anti-bacterial agen

Thigh-length compression stockings and DVT after stroke

Controversy exists as to whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves survival in patients with invasive bladder cancer, despite randomised controlled trials of more than 3000 patients. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of such treatment on survival in patients with this disease

Azithromycin in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial

Background Azithromycin has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19 on the basis of its immunomodulatory actions. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of azithromycin in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Methods In this randomised, controlled, open-label, adaptive platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]), several possible treatments were compared with usual care in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 176 hospitals in the UK. Eligible and consenting patients were randomly allocated to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus azithromycin 500 mg once per day by mouth or intravenously for 10 days or until discharge (or allocation to one of the other RECOVERY treatment groups). Patients were assigned via web-based simple (unstratified) randomisation with allocation concealment and were twice as likely to be randomly assigned to usual care than to any of the active treatment groups. Participants and local study staff were not masked to the allocated treatment, but all others involved in the trial were masked to the outcome data during the trial. The primary outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality, assessed in the intention-to-treat population. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936. Findings Between April 7 and Nov 27, 2020, of 16 442 patients enrolled in the RECOVERY trial, 9433 (57%) were eligible and 7763 were included in the assessment of azithromycin. The mean age of these study participants was 65·3 years (SD 15·7) and approximately a third were women (2944 [38%] of 7763). 2582 patients were randomly allocated to receive azithromycin and 5181 patients were randomly allocated to usual care alone. Overall, 561 (22%) patients allocated to azithromycin and 1162 (22%) patients allocated to usual care died within 28 days (rate ratio 0·97, 95% CI 0·87–1·07; p=0·50). No significant difference was seen in duration of hospital stay (median 10 days [IQR 5 to >28] vs 11 days [5 to >28]) or the proportion of patients discharged from hospital alive within 28 days (rate ratio 1·04, 95% CI 0·98–1·10; p=0·19). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at baseline, no significant difference was seen in the proportion meeting the composite endpoint of invasive mechanical ventilation or death (risk ratio 0·95, 95% CI 0·87–1·03; p=0·24). Interpretation In patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19, azithromycin did not improve survival or other prespecified clinical outcomes. Azithromycin use in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 should be restricted to patients in whom there is a clear antimicrobial indication. Funding UK Research and Innovation (Medical Research Council) and National Institute of Health Research