Initial agronomic benefits of enhanced weathering using basalt: a study of spring oat in a temperate climate

Addressing soil nutrient degradation and global warming requires novel solutions. Enhanced weathering using crushed basalt rock is a promising dual-action strategy that can enhance soil health and sequester carbon dioxide. This study examines the short-term effects of basalt amendment on spring oat (Avena sativa L.) during the 2022 growing season in NE England. The experimental design consisted of four blocks with control and basalt-amended plots, and two cultivation types within each treatment, laid out in a split plot design. Basalt (18.86 tonnes ha−1) was incorporated into the soil during seeding. Tissue, grain and soil samples were collected for yield, nutrient, and pH analysis. Basalt amendment led to significantly higher yields, averaging 20.5% and 9.3% increases in direct drill and ploughed plots, respectively. Soil pH was significantly higher 256 days after rock application across cultivation types (direct drill: on average 6.47 vs. 6.76 and ploughed: on average 6.69 vs. 6.89, for control and basalt-amended plots, respectively), likely due to rapidly dissolving minerals in the applied basalt, such as calcite. Indications of growing season differences in soil pH are observed through direct measurement of lower manganese and iron uptake in plants grown on basalt-amended soil. Higher grain and tissue potassium, and tissue calcium uptake were observed in basalt-treated crops. Notably, no accumulation of potentially toxic elements (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel) was detected in the grain, indicating that crops grown using this basaltic feedstock are safe for consumption. This study indicates that basalt amendments can improve agronomic performance in sandy clay-loam agricultural soil under temperate climate conditions. These findings offer valuable insights for producers in temperate regions who are considering using such amendments, demonstrating the potential for improved crop yields and environmental benefits while ensuring crop safety

Analiza troškova primene modifikovane mašine za ljuštenje kod mehanizovane obrade casave

This paper assessed the benefits of adopting a modified cassava attrition peeling machine in mechanised Cassava (Manihot Esculenta) processing. The parameters evaluated and compared between the modified cassava attrition peeling machine, existing attrition peeler and manual peeling technique include the specific energy consumption, peeling efficiency, flesh loss, throughput capacity, payback period and benefit cost ratio. The results showed that the improved machine has a payback period of one year and four months with Benefit Cost Ratio, BCR of 2.56. Significant improvements on its performance parameters was evident with 43% increase in peeling efficiency, 74.8% increase in throughput, 67% tuber flesh recovery, 12 % energy cost savings and 10.6% reduction in specific energy consumption over the existing attrition peeler.U ovom radu su ocenjene prednosti usvajanja primene modifikovane mašine za ljuštenje kod mehanizovane obrade kasave (Manihot Esculenta). Parametri koji se procenjuju i upoređuju između modifikovane mašine za piling -ljuštenje kasave, postojećeg alata za ljuštenje i tehnike ručnog ljuštenja uključuju: specifičnu potrošnju energije, efikasnost ljuštenja, gubitak mase, propusni kapacitet mašine, period otplate i procenu troškova koristi. Rezultati pokazuju da poboljšana – modifikovana mašina ima rok vraćanja troškova od jedne godine i četiri meseca, a odnos koeficijenta koristi i troškova (BCR) od 2,56. Značajna poboljšanja parametara performansi mašine bila su evidentna sa povećanjem efikasnosti ljuštenja do 43%, povećanje protoka zrna od 74,8%, protokom mase od 67%, sa uštedom troškova energije od 12% i smanjenja potrošnje specifične energije od 10,6% u odnosu na postojeći aparat-uređaj za ljuštenj

The utility of digital rectal examination in estimating prostate volume in a rural hospital setting

Objectives: To determine the correlation between prostate volume estimated by digital rectal examination (DRE) and that estimated by abdominal ultrasound in the same patients. Patients and Methods: Men who presented to our urology outpatient clinic with lower urinary tract symptoms were recruited in this study. We estimated the prostate size by digital rectal examination using the sliding scale as a guide and subsequently measured the prostate volume by transabdominal ultrasound. Results: A total of 100 patients completed this study. The mean age was 65.6 ± 9.84 years. The Kappa's reliability test comparing the prostate size estimated by DRE and the prostate size measured by transabdominal ultrasound was 0.579832, the Kappa's standard error was 0.097768 and Kappa's tvalue was 5.93. The Kappa's reliability test fell into good agreement range (0.4–0.75). This is further validated by the Pearson's correlation test ascertaining correlation between Ultrasound and DRE and generated a correlation coefficient® of 0.59 (P = 0.00). This implies a high positive correlation between ultrasound estimated prostate volume and that estimated by DRE that is statistically significant (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Estimation of prostate volume by digital rectal examination is reliable. This is very important in an environment where esoteric laboratory facilities are not readily available, and the clinician has to depend mainly on his clinical acumen

Health service systems and comorbidity: stepping up to the mark

Clients with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders are not well served in traditional health care systems where specialist services offer segregated interventions and the client is left to negotiate required treatment across both systems. In recent years, policy change guiding the treatment of dual diagnosis in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and elsewhere has triggered the development of diverse models of treatment, each of which function at different points on a continuum from serial to fully integrated care. This paper outlines key models and provides examples, while considering their potential for appropriately addressing the needs of this client group. Consideration is given to the benefits of an interaction between stepped care and the chosen model, as a means of enhancing care efficiency while retaining the focus on positive outcomes.<br /

Seroprevalence of Equine Influenza and Its Associated Risk Factors in Northwest Nigeria.

Equine influenza (EI) is a fast-spreading respiratory disease of equids caused by equine influenza A virus (EIV), often resulting in high morbidity and a huge economic impact on the equine industry globally. In this cross-sectional study to determine the seroprevalence of EI and its associated risk factors, sera from 830 horses bled on a single occasion in Northwest Nigeria between October 2019 and January 2020 were screened for antibodies to A/equine/Richmond/1/2007 (H3N8) using the single radial haemolysis (SRH) assay. Antibodies were detected in 71.3% (592/830, 95% CI: 68−74%) of horses (SRH area ≥ 0.5 mm2). Although there were statistically significant univariable associations between seropositivity and age, sex, breed, purpose and coat colour, only age remained significant when included with each of the other variables in bivariable analyses. There was a clear trend for increasing odds of seropositivity with increasing age: OR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.05−2.40 (p = 0.03) for 5−14-year-olds and OR 8.13, 95% CI: 2.75−24.1 (p 150 mm2, considered sufficient to protect against clinical disease and virus shedding. Comparative screening of a subset of the horses (n = 118) with a 2019 H3N8 virus (A/equine/Worcestershire/2019) revealed a significantly greater seropositivity (p = 0.0001) than A/equine/Richmond/1/2007 consistent with exposure of the population during a widespread outbreak of EI in the region in 2019. In conclusion, there was an insufficient level of protection against EI in the region and introduction of a vaccination programme with vaccines containing recently circulating virus is recommended to mitigate against further outbreaks of EI in Nigeria

Initial agronomic benefits of enhanced weathering using basalt: A study of spring oat in a temperate climate

\ua9 2024 Public Library of Science. All rights reserved.Addressing soil nutrient degradation and global warming requires novel solutions. Enhanced weathering using crushed basalt rock is a promising dual-action strategy that can enhance soil health and sequester carbon dioxide. This study examines the short-term effects of basalt amendment on spring oat (Avena sativa L.) during the 2022 growing season in NE England. The experimental design consisted of four blocks with control and basalt-amended plots, and two cultivation types within each treatment, laid out in a split plot design. Basalt (18.86 tonnes ha−1) was incorporated into the soil during seeding. Tissue, grain and soil samples were collected for yield, nutrient, and pH analysis. Basalt amendment led to significantly higher yields, averaging 20.5% and 9.3% increases in direct drill and ploughed plots, respectively. Soil pH was significantly higher 256 days after rock application across cultivation types (direct drill: on average 6.47 vs. 6.76 and ploughed: on average 6.69 vs. 6.89, for control and basalt-amended plots, respectively), likely due to rapidly dissolving minerals in the applied basalt, such as calcite. Indications of growing season differences in soil pH are observed through direct measurement of lower manganese and iron uptake in plants grown on basalt-amended soil. Higher grain and tissue potassium, and tissue calcium uptake were observed in basalt-treated crops. Notably, no accumulation of potentially toxic elements (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel) was detected in the grain, indicating that crops grown using this basaltic feedstock are safe for consumption. This study indicates that basalt amendments can improve agronomic performance in sandy clay-loam agricultural soil under temperate climate conditions. These findings offer valuable insights for producers in temperate regions who are considering using such amendments, demonstrating the potential for improved crop yields and environmental benefits while ensuring crop safety

Slaughter Conditions and Slaughtering of Pregnant Cows in Southeast Nigeria: Implications to Meat Quality

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