The Economic Effects of Malaria Eradication: Evidence from an Intervention in Uganda

This study evaluates the economic consequences of a malaria eradication campaign in the southwestern Ugandan district of Kigezi. The project was a joint venture between the WHO and Uganda's Ministry of Health, designed to test for the first time the feasibility of malaria eradication in a sub-Saharan African country. During the years of 1959 and 1960, eradication efforts employing DDT spraying and mass distribution of anti-malarials were implemented, beginning in northern Kigezi. Follow-up studies reported a drop in overall parasite rates from 22.7 to 0.5% in hyperendemic areas and from 12.5 to 0% in mesoendemic areas. We use this campaign as a plausibly exogenous health shock to explore changes in human-capital formation and income. We employ a difference-in-difference methodology to show that eradication produced differential improvements in Kigezi compare to the rest of Uganda in years of schooling, literacy, and primary school completion. In addition, we find suggestive evidence that eradication increased income levels.human capital, malaria, economic development and health

Análisis del efecto de la inteligencia emocional de estudiantes y entrenadores en el rendimiento académico con mediación del éxito deportivo

This research aims to study the effect of students’ and coaches’ emotional intelligence (EI) on academic achievement (AA) with mediation of sport success (SS). This is a causative research and it is applied research in terms of the purpose. The population consists of second grade students and their coaches. For sampling, 33 sport teams were identified that had 347 second grade students, and the research questionnaires were distributed among them. The results showed that EI of students and coaches have significant effect on SS. In addition, students’ EI have a significant effect on AA. Also, the EI of students and coaches have indirect effect on AA through SS. Finally, considering the importance of EI, coaches and students should perceive the EI functions and aspects to utilize it in different situation.La presente investigación tiene como objetivo estudiar el efecto de la inteligencia emocional (IE) de los estudiantes y entrenadores en el rendimiento académico (RA) con la mediación del éxito deportivo (ED). Esta es una investigación causal y es investigación aplicada en términos del propósito. La población está compuesta por estudiantes de segundo grado y sus entrenadores. Para el muestreo, se identificaron 33 equipos deportivos que tenían 347 estudiantes de segundo grado, y los cuestionarios de investigación se distribuyeron entre ellos. Los resultados mostraron que la IE de los estudiantes y entrenadores tiene un efecto significativo en el ED. Además, la IE de los estudiantes tiene un efecto significativo en el RA. Además, la IE de estudiantes y entrenadores tiene un efecto indirecto en el RA a través de ED. Finalmente, considerando la importancia de la IE, los entrenadores y los estudiantes deben percibir las funciones y aspectos de la IE para utilizarla en diferentes situaciones

Toward sustainable nitrogen management in vegetable production: balancing yield and nitrogen use efficiency

Non-Peer ReviewedCover crops (CC) have the potential to immobilize nutrients, especially nitrogen (N), that would otherwise be lost during post- or pre-harvest periods, leading to improved N management. However, information on how CCs influence N management for vegetable production are scarce. This study aims to determine agronomic responses (yield and N use efficiency, NUE) of three common prairie vegetable crops when produced with and without an overwintering rye CC. In 2017 and repeated in 2018, trials were initiated on a Sutherland clay soil (Dark Brown Chernozem) in Saskatoon for a fully phased broccoli-sweet corn-carrot sequence, with each crop type receiving five N fertilizer treatments (ranging from 0 to 300 kg N ha-1) arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. After harvest, sub-plots were established with vs without a shoulder-season rye CC, and the effect followed into the subsequent growing season. Compared with zero N control, N fertilizer rate did not affect vegetable crop yields in either year, demonstrating the N-rich nature of the soil at this site. Depending on the crop, moderate to high application rates of N significantly reduced crop NUE; N rates above zero N control reduced NUE for sweet corn, rates above 75 kg N ha-1 reduced NUE for broccoli, all rates above 55 kg N ha-1 reduced NUE for the root crop in 2018. Subsequent to the CC in 2018, we found no N fertilizer by CC interaction for crop yields or NUE. The rye CC had no effect on crop yield or NUE for sweet corn or carrot, but significantly reduced broccoli yield and NUE. Regression analysis showed a decreasing trend in NUE with increasing N rates for all three vegetables, regardless of the CC. Our results suggest that the repetition of this experiment for a number of years is necessary to avoid excessive N application and improvement of productivity with cover crops

Role of Cover Crops in Regulating Nitrogen Dynamics, Productivity and Phytochemical Quality in Vegetable Production Systems

Cover crops (CCs) can immobilize nitrogen (N) that would otherwise be lost before or after the main crop production, leading to improved N management. However, how CCs influence N management in vegetable cropping systems, where crop N demand and input requirements are inherently high, is poorly understood. Hence, N dynamics and vegetable yield quantity and quality were evaluated via field and greenhouse studies under N fertility gradients with vs. without rye CCs. In the field, a three-year crop rotation trial consisting of broccoli sweet corn root crop sequence under N gradients grown with vs. without a rye CC was set up to determine CC influence on yield, soil inorganic N, and N use efficiency (NUE). In the greenhouse trial, first the fate of above-ground and below-ground rye N into subsequent broccoli under a N fertility gradient, and then the accumulation of glucosinolates in broccoli heads under that N gradient with vs. without a rye CC was studied. In the field trial, CCs had the potential to improve yield, N content and crop NUE indices, reduce post-season N losses through N uptake and subsequent N release through mineralization. Increasing N rate did not continually increase yield, but increased soil N availability at vegetable planting and harvest, and often lowered crop NUE indices. In the greenhouse trial, the percent recovery of rye N into broccoli was about two to three times greater under sufficient N than the limited N or control conditions, with more pronounced recovery from above-ground than the below-ground rye N. Moreover, concentrations of selected glucosinolates frequently decreased by N fertilization more than 5 kg ha-1, but increased by rye CC in some cases. Overall, results indicate the importance of adjusting soil N levels to better align with crop needs and phytochemical quality — and that including a rye CC in the vegetable rotation is one method of doing so. Furthermore, although the above-ground plus below-ground rye derived N can provide a significant N source in agroecosystems, the background soil N level controls how much rye CC derived N is transferred into subsequent crops

A framework for exploration and cleaning of environmental data : Tehran air quality data experience

Management and cleaning of large environmental monitored data sets is a specific challenge. In this article, the authors present a novel framework for exploring and cleaning large datasets. As a case study, we applied the method on air quality data of Tehran, Iran from 1996 to 2013. ; The framework consists of data acquisition [here, data of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤10 µm (PM10)], development of databases, initial descriptive analyses, removing inconsistent data with plausibility range, and detection of missing pattern. Additionally, we developed a novel tool entitled spatiotemporal screening tool (SST), which considers both spatial and temporal nature of data in process of outlier detection. We also evaluated the effect of dust storm in outlier detection phase.; The raw mean concentration of PM10 before implementation of algorithms was 88.96 µg/m3 for 1996-2013 in Tehran. After implementing the algorithms, in total, 5.7% of data points were recognized as unacceptable outliers, from which 69% data points were detected by SST and 1% data points were detected via dust storm algorithm. In addition, 29% of unacceptable outlier values were not in the PR.  The mean concentration of PM10 after implementation of algorithms was 88.41 µg/m3. However, the standard deviation was significantly decreased from 90.86 µg/m3 to 61.64 µg/m3 after implementation of the algorithms. There was no distinguishable significant pattern according to hour, day, month, and year in missing data.; We developed a novel framework for cleaning of large environmental monitored data, which can identify hidden patterns. We also presented a complete picture of PM10 from 1996 to 2013 in Tehran. Finally, we propose implementation of our framework on large spatiotemporal databases, especially in developing countries

National and Subnational Cardiovascular Diseases Mortality Attributable to Salt Consumption in Iran by Sex and Age From 1990 to 2016

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Biological and molecular detection of Hibiscus chlorotic ringspot virus infecting Hibiscus rosa-sinensis in Iran

During 2011, ten leaf samples of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis with virus-like symptoms including diffuse mottling, numerous chlorotic spots and chlorotic ring spots, were collected from Guilan province, North Iran. The results of mechanical inoculation of sap from these leaves onto different indicator hosts showed local lesions (chlorotic or necrotic) on Gompherena globosa, Chenopodium amaranticolor, C. quinoa and Gossypium hirsutum, while Hibiscus cannabinus (kenaf) showed systemic chlorotic ring spot symptoms. Purified preparations of the isolated virus contained isometric particles approximately 28–30 nm in diameter. A specific band of about 1.3 kb was amplified from all symptomatic leaves using Hibiscus chlorotic ringspot virus (HCRSV) specific primers. Comparative sequence analysis revealed that the IRN.HCRSV (JX865593) isolate shared the greatest nucleotide sequence identity (96.5%) with NC-003608 (Singapore) and the least nt sequence identity (91.5%) with DQ392986 (Taiwan) isolates. The phylogenetic tree showed at least two subgroups for HCRSV isolates in which the Iranian isolate was grouped with Singapore HCSRV (NC-003608). This is the first report of HCRSV in H. rosa-sinensis in Iran

Evaluating equality in prescribing Novel Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs) in England: the protocol of a Bayesian small area analysis

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, affecting about 1.6% of the population in England. Novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are approved AF treatments that reduce stroke risk. In this study, we estimate the equality in individual NOAC prescriptions with high spatial resolution in Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) across England from 2014 to 2019. Methods A Bayesian spatio-temporal model will be used to estimate and predict the individual NOAC prescription trend on ‘prescription data’ as an indicator of health services utilisation, using a small area analysis methodology. The main dataset in this study is the “Practice Level Prescribing in England,” which contains four individual NOACs prescribed by all registered GP practices in England. We will use the defined daily dose (DDD) equivalent methodology, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), to compare across space and time. Four licensed NOACs datasets will be summed per 1,000 patients at the CCG-level over time. We will also adjust for CCG-level covariates, such as demographic data, Multiple Deprivation Index, and rural-urban classification. We aim to employ the extended BYM2 model (space-time model) using the RStan package. Discussion This study suggests a new statistical modelling approach to link prescription and socioeconomic data to model pharmacoepidemiologic data. Quantifying space and time differences will allow for the evaluation of inequalities in the prescription of NOACs. The methodology will help develop geographically targeted public health interventions, campaigns, audits, or guidelines to improve areas of low prescription. This approach can be used for other medications, especially those used for chronic diseases that must be monitored over time

The trend of national and subnational burden of maternal conditions in Iran from 1990 to 2013: The study protocol

Background: It is widely accepted that maternal mortality is a proxy for maternal health status. Maternal deaths only represent the top of the iceberg; morbidity due to maternal causes apart from maternal mortality, poses a huge burden on women's families. There is an excessive need to widen the research on maternal morbidity. Here, we explain the framework of our study on maternal conditions and their burden in Iran as a part of the National and Sub-national Burden of Diseases (NASBOD) study. Methods: A systematic search will be carried out for both published and unpublished data on maternal mortality and morbidity reported between 1985 and 2013. Data collected through systematic review and those obtained from national and sub-national surveys will be extracted in a data set. Two statistical models will be applied: Bayesian Autoregressive Multi-level models and Spatio-Temporal Regression models. Models will be used to overcome the problem of data gaps across provinces, years and age groups. Discussion: In order to control and manage maternal conditions and to make more efficient and cost-effective policies, there is an excessive need for data on the burden of such diseases. There are a few sub-national analyses of the burden of disease. In the current study, burden of maternal conditions will be assessed at national and sub-national levels in Iran between 1990 and 2013. The results of this study are undoubtedly required to provide comprehensive information at the national and provincial levels to administer interventions more effectively, since the priority based policies need regional assessments and comparisons