Impact of soil amendment on phytotoxicity of a 5-month old waste engine oil polluted soil

The present study investigated the effects of soil amendment on the remediation of waste engine oil (WEO) polluted soil, as well as the eventual phytotoxic effects of remediated amended soil on some growth parameters of cowpea. There were over 50% reductions from the original concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cr, Cd, Pb, Ni and V in soil nine months after amendment. Significant reductions in polyaromatic hydrocarbons were also achieved. Total PAH reduced from 538.59 to 1.10 mg/l in 10% w/w oil polluted soil. Achromobacter spp. Clostridium spp. Sarcina spp. and Micrococcus spp. were prevalent bacteria species found in the polluted soils, while prevalent fungi species included Aspergillus niger, Penicillium, Geotrichum and Trichoderma. The Actinomycete nocardia spp. was prevalent as well. Ecological risk factor initially posed by the presence of heavy metals in the unamended soil was significantly reduced to safe levels. Phytoassessment of the polluted soil was carried out just before soil was amended with sawdust, and results showed that virtually all the cowpea seedlings died within 2 weeks; only those seedlings in unpolluted soils survived. Nine months after soil was amended, all cowpea plants survived up to fruiting. The present study also showed that cowpea was able to bioaccumulate heavy metals into harvestable parts, though bioaccumulation quotients calculated showed that these accumulations were not significant

Effectiveness of sitagliptin compared to sulfonylureas for type 2 diabetes mellitus inadequately controlled on metformin: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of sitagliptin compared to sulfonylureas as add-on to metformin in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus from both randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and 'real-world' non-randomised studies. METHODS AND ANALYSES: We conducted a systematic review of EMBASE, MEDLINE, CENTRAL and grey literature for RCTs and non-randomised studies. We reported outcomes relating to change in HbA1c, fasting glucose, weight, blood pressure and lipids from baseline and need for treatment change. No study investigating macrovascular and microvascular diabetes complications was found. Meta-analysis was used where studies were sufficiently homogenous. RESULTS: Seven RCTs and five non-randomised studies were eligible for inclusion from 1335 articles retrieved. Meta-analysis of three homogenous RCTs revealed a statistically significant decrease in weight with sitagliptin when compared to sulfonylureas (weighted mean difference (WMD) -2.05 kg; 95% CI -2.38 to -1.71); however, a similar change from baseline in HbA1c (WMD 0.05; 95% CI -0.03 to 0.12), fasting glucose (WMD 0.11; 95% CI -0.08 to -0.29), blood pressure, lipids and the proportion achieving HbA1c <7% by study end (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.85 to 1.13) was observed.Non-randomised studies identified consisted of four prospective and one retrospective cohort study. Three of these five studies were of moderate/high quality, and results though less precise suggested similar real-world comparative glycaemic and weight effectiveness for both treatments. Data from two cohort studies suggested that treatment change (HR 0.65; 95% CI 0.57 to 0.73) and insulin initiation (HR 0.76; 95% CI 0.65 to 0.90) were less likely among those prescribed sitagliptin; however, inadequate reporting of HbA1c at time of treatment change made interpreting results challenging. CONCLUSION: Sitagliptin users experienced modest weight loss compared to gain with sulfonylureas; however, this difference was around 2 kg, which may not be of major clinical significance for most individuals. Similar change was observed across most other effectiveness outcomes reported. Further studies are needed to address longer-term effectiveness outcomes for sitagliptin compared to sulfonylureas as add-on to metformin. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42016033983

Prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes scapularis in a rural New Jersey County.

To assess the potential risk for other tick-borne diseases, we collected 100 adult Ixodes scapularis in Hunterdon County, a rapidly developing rural county in Lyme disease endemic western New Jersey. We tested the ticks by polymerase chain reaction for Borrelia burgdorferi, Babesia microti, and the rickettsial agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE). Fifty-five ticks were infected with at least one of the three pathogens: 43 with B. burgdorferi, five with B. microti, and 17 with the HGE agent. Ten ticks were coinfected with two of the pathogens. The results suggest that county residents are at considerable risk for infection by a tick-borne pathogen after an I. scapularis bite

Studies of heavy metal contents and microbial composition of rhizosphere of Panicum maximum within and around auto mechanic workshop in Benin City

This study investigated the heavy metal content and microbial composition of rhizosphere of Panicum maximum obtained from some auto mechanic workshops in Benin City, Nigeria. The grass was uprooted and soil sample was taken from its rhizosphere. The sample were labeled appropriately and immediately  transported into a polythene bag covered with aluminium foil papers. It was then taken to the laboratory for heavy metals and microbial assay. The results showed that average plant density of Panicum maximum per 100m2 of sampled subplots in the mechanic workshops was 8.50 in Ikpoba-Okha and 9.00 in Oredo, compared to 27.50 in the control. Fe content of rhizospheric soil in Ikpoba-Okha was 1527.6 mg/kg and 1653.1 mg/kg in Egor, compared to 1002.2 mg/kg in the control. Mean heavy  metal content of rhizospheric soils was 11.71 mg/kg of Mn, 0.031 mg/kg of Pb, and 9.98 mg/kg of Cr. Total hydrocarbon content ranged from 1445.0 – 2314.2 mg/kg in the oil-polluted soils, compared to 851.5 mg/kg in the control soil. Total bacterial count of the rhizospheric soils collected from Ikpoba-Okha sampling site was 5.40 x 106 cfu/g; 5.30 x 106 cfu/g in Ovia NE, and 4.90 x 106 cfu/g in Egor, compared to 0.39 x 106 cfu/g in the control. Comparatively, bacterial counts  outnumbered fungal counts. Percentage hydrocarbon degrading fungi was 133.3% in samples collected from Oredo, compared to 31.82 in the control. The most prevalent fungal species was Aspergillus niger, whereas Micrococcus varians was the most prevalent bacterial species

Magnetorotational Instability in Liquid Metal Couette Flow

Despite the importance of the magnetorotational instability (MRI) as a fundamental mechanism for angular momentum transport in magnetized accretion disks, it has yet to be demonstrated in the laboratory. A liquid sodium alpha-omega dynamo experiment at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology provides an ideal environment to study the MRI in a rotating metal annulus (Couette flow). A local stability analysis is performed as a function of shear, magnetic field strength, magnetic Reynolds number, and turbulent Prandtl number. The later takes into account the minimum turbulence induced by the formation of an Ekman layer against the rigidly rotating end walls of a cylindrical vessel. Stability conditions are presented and unstable conditions for the sodium experiment are compared with another proposed MRI experiment with liquid gallium. Due to the relatively large magnetic Reynolds number achievable in the sodium experiment, it should be possible to observe the excitation of the MRI for a wide range of wavenumbers and further to observe the transition to the turbulent state.Comment: 12 pages, 22 figures, 1 table. To appear in the Astrophysical Journa

Antibiotic prescribing frequency amongst patients in primary care: a cohort study using electronic health records

BACKGROUND: Reducing inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in primary care is a public health priority. Objectives: We hypothesized that a subset of patients account for the majority of antibiotic prescriptions in primary care. We investigated the relationship between the total amount of antibiotics prescribed, individual-level antibiotic use and comorbidity. METHODS: This was a cohort study using electronic health records from 1 948 390 adults registered with 385 primary care practices in the UK in 2011-13. We estimated the average number of antibiotic prescriptions per patient and the association between prescribing and comorbidity. We modelled the impact on total prescribing of reducing antibiotic use in those prescribed antibiotics most frequently. RESULTS: On average 30.1% (586 194/1 948 390) of patients were prescribed at least one antibiotic per year. Nine percent (174 602/1 948 390) of patients were prescribed 53% (2 091 496/3 922 732) of the total amount of antibiotics, each of whom received at least five antibiotic prescriptions over 3 years. The presence of any comorbidity increased the prescribing rate by 44% [adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.44, 95% CI 1.43-1.45]; rates of prescribing to women exceeded those in men by 62% (adjusted IRR 1.62, 95% CI 1.62-1.63). CONCLUSIONS: Half of antibiotics prescribed to adults in primary care were for <10% of patients. Efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance should consider the impact of this on total prescribing

Weight change over two years in people prescribed olanzapine, quetiapine and risperidone in UK primary care: Cohort study in THIN, a UK primary care database

BACKGROUND: Follow-up studies of weight gain related to antipsychotic treatment beyond a year are limited in number. We compared weight change in the three most commonly prescribed antipsychotics in a representative UK General Practice database. METHOD: We conducted a cohort study in United Kingdom primary care records of people newly prescribed olanzapine, quetiapine or risperidone. The primary outcome was weight in each six month period for two years after treatment initiation. Weight changes were compared using linear regression, adjusted for age, baseline weight and diagnosis. RESULTS: N = 6338 people received olanzapine, 12,984 quetiapine and 6556 risperidone. Baseline weight was lowest for men treated with olanzapine (80.8 kg versus 83.5 kg quetiapine, 82.0 kg risperidone) and women treated with olanzapine (67.7 kg versus 71.5 kg quetiapine 68.4 kg risperidone. Weight gain occurred during treatment with all three drugs. Compared with risperidone mean weight gain was higher with olanzapine (adjusted co-efficient +1.24 kg (95% confidence interval: 0.69–1.79 kg per six months) for men and +0.77 kg (95% confidence interval: 0.29–1.24 kg) for women). Weight gain with quetiapine was lower in unadjusted models compared with risperidone, but this difference was not significant after adjustment. CONCLUSION: Olanzapine is more commonly prescribed to people with lower weight. However, after accounting for baseline weight, age, sex and diagnosis, olanzapine is still associated with greater weight gain over two years than risperidone or quetiapine. Baseline weight does not ameliorate the risks of weight gain associated with antipsychotic medication. Weight gain should be assertively discussed and managed for people prescribed antipsychotics, especially olanzapine

Heavy metal content and microbial flora of fresh leaves of fluted pumpkin (Telfaria occidentalis) collected from road-side open market in Benin metropolis, mid western Nigeria

ABSTRAC

Conversation therapy with people with aphasia and conversation partners using video feedback: a group and case series investigation of changes in interaction

Conversation therapies employing video for feedback and to facilitate outcome measurement are increasingly used with people with post-stroke aphasia and their conversation partners; however the evidence base for change in everyday interaction remains limited. We investigated the effect of Better Conversations with Aphasia (BCA), an intervention that is freely available online at https://extend.ucl.ac.uk/. Eight people with chronic agrammatic aphasia, and their regular conversation partners participated in the tailored 8 week program involving significant video feedback. We explored changes in: (i) conversation facilitators (such as multi-modal turns by people with aphasia); and (ii) conversation barriers (such as use of test questions by conversation partners). The outcome of intervention was evaluated directly by measuring change in video-recorded everyday conversations. The study employed a pre-post design with multiple 5 minute samples of conversation before and after intervention, scored by trained raters blind to the point of data collection. Group level analysis showed no significant increase in conversation facilitators. There was, however, a significant reduction in the number of conversation barriers. The case series data revealed variability in conversation behaviors across occasions for the same dyad and between different dyads. Specifically, post-intervention there was a significant increase in facilitator behaviors for two dyads, a decrease for one and no significant change for five dyads. There was a significant decrease in barrier behaviors for five dyads and no significant change for three dyads. The reduction in barrier behaviors was considerable; on average change from over eight to fewer than three barrier behaviors in 5 minutes of conversation. The pre-post design has the limitation of no comparison group. However, change occurs in targeted conversational behaviors and in people with chronic aphasia and their partners. The findings suggest change can occur after eight therapy sessions and have implications for clinical practice. A reduction in barrier behaviors may be easier to obtain, although the controlled case series results demonstrate a significant increase in conversation facilitators is also possible. The rehabilitation tool is available online and video technology was central to delivering intervention and evaluating change