A three-year prospective study of 137 cases of acute leukaemia in Zimbabwe

A clinical study on the prevalence of leukemia in patients observed in Zimbabwean major hospitals.In the period December 1985 to November 1988 inclusive, 137 cases of acute leukaemia were diagnosed in patients of all age groups: 129 cases came under our direct care, and a further eight cases were diagnosed on blood and marrow films sent from elsewhere (four from Mpilo Hospital (Bulawayo) and four from other hospitals)

Determination of crop coefficients and evapotranspiration of potato in a semi-arid climate using canopy state variables and satellite-based NDVI

This article belongs to the Special Issue titled 'Remote Sensing for Irrigation and Water Management in Agriculture'.Estimating crop coefficients and evapotranspiration (ET) accurately is crucial for optimizing irrigation. Remote sensing techniques using green canopy cover, leaf area index (LAI), and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) have been applied to estimate basal crop coefficients (Kcb) and ET for different crops. However, analysis of the potential of these techniques to improve water management in irrigated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is still lacking. This study aimed to assess the modified nonlinear relationship between LAI, Kcb and NDVI in estimating crop coefficients (Kc) and ET of potato. Moreover, Kc and ET were derived from the measured fraction of green canopy cover (FGCC) and the FAO-56 approach. ET estimated from the FAO-56, FGCC and NDVI approaches were compared with the ET simulated using the LINTUL-Potato model. The results showed that the Kc values based on FGCC and NDVI were on average 0.16 lower than values based on FAO-56 Kc during the mid-season growing stage. ET estimated from FAO-56, FGCC and NDVI compared well with ET calculated by the LINTUL-Potato model, with RMSE values of 0.83, 0.79, and 0.78 mm day−1 , respectively. These results indicate that dynamic crop coefficients and potato ET can be estimated from canopy cover and NDVI. The outcomes of this study will assist potato growers in determining crop water requirements using real-time ETo, canopy state variables and NDVI data from satellite images.Potatoes South Africa.https://www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensingPlant Production and Soil SciencePlant ScienceSDG-02:Zero HungerSDG-12:Responsible consumption and productio

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in Central Africans

A CAJM article on leukaemia.Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is a haematological malignancy characterized by monoclonal proliferation and accumulation of mature looking small lymphocytes particularly in the marrow, blood, lymph nodes and spleen.1-3 In 90 to 95% of cases, the cells are monoclonal B lymphocytes.3 Although in Europe and America CLL of B-cell origin is the commonest type of leukaemia, it is extremely rare before the age of 50 years, after which its incidence increases progressively with age. The male to female (M:F) ratio is 2:l.2,3 In contradistinction to these findings, CLL is rare throughout Southern, South Eastern and Eastern Asia as well as in Asians who;, migrated to North: America and Europe. This suggests genetic determinants as they usually suffer from the CLL of T-cell origin

In-field assessment of the variability in water and nutrient use efficiency among potato farmers in a semi-arid climate

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.Precise water management is imperative for sustainable crop production under irrigation in semi-arid regions with increasingly variable rainfall. Water use efficiencies achieved by farmers often differ widely, even within regions with homogenous agro-ecological conditions. To better understand the drivers of this variability and derive management recommendations, detailed measurements of water and associated nutrient dynamics were conducted on 20 potato farms in two regions of South Africa. Crop characteristics and typical growing conditions in South Africa make potato cultivation sensitive to water and nutrient losses. Water and nutrient inputs and losses through drainage and plant uptake were measured in potato and the follow-up crop, along with yield and weather variables. Seasonal mean irrigation and evapotranspiration were lower in winter crops (240 mm irrigation, 236 mm evapotranspiration) than in summer crops (598 mm irrigation, 608 mm evapotranspiration). Seasonal field water balances were often close to zero, indicating that estimations of evapotranspiration and drainage were representative for the greater field. Lysimeter observations however appeared more representative in sandy unstructured soils than in heavier structured soils. Rainfall during cropping reduced demand for irrigation and increased water use efficiency based on irrigation water, but caused substantial drainage. Leaching of N and K was considerable (on average 30 kg N, 55 kg K ha−1, much higher in some fields), while P leaching was negligible, with the exception of one field (51 kg P ha−1). Variation in water and nutrients use efficiencies was the result of management decisions and environmental factors, such as rainfall and soil type. Without substantial rainfall, application of irrigation scheduling tools can keep drainage and nutrient losses to a minimum, as was observed on almost half the fields, even on sandy soils with a low water holding capacity. Potato yields greatly varied among farmers (9.1–24.7 t dry matter tuber ha−1). Efficient farmers included those who used water sparsely and had minimal drainage, but also farmers who used inputs judiciously and obtained excellent productivity. The role of follow-up crops as users of surplus nutrients and water left behind by the potato crop was not always evident.Potatoes South Africa, PepsiCo, Yara Fertilizer International, Yara Africa Fertilizer (Pty) Ltd. and the Water Research Commission of South Africa.https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systemsam2024Plant Production and Soil ScienceSDG-02:Zero Hunge

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in Central Africans

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is a haematological malignancy characterized by monoclonal proliferation and accumulation of mature looking small lymphocytes particularly in the marrow, blood, lymph nodes and spleen.1-3 In 90 to 95% of cases, the cells are monoclonal B lymphocytes.3 Although in Europe and America CLL of B-cell origin is the commonest type of leukaemia, it is extremely rare before the age of 50 years, after which its incidence increases progressively with age. The male to female (M:F) ratio is 2:l.2,3 In contradistinction to these findings, CLL is rare throughout Southern, South Eastern and Eastern Asia as well as in Asians who;, migrated to North: America and Europe. This suggests genetic determinants as they usually suffer from the CLL of T-cell origin

Napier stunt and smut diseases in Uganda

A poster showing research findings about Napier stunt and smut in Uganda

LEUKAEMIA AT QUEEN ELIZABETH CENTRAL HOSPITAL IN BI,ANTYRE, MALAWI

Objectives: To determine the patterns of leukaemias seen in M rlawians at Queen ElizabethCentral Hospital (QECH) and to compare the findings wit11 those from elsewhere. Anoverview of the problems encountered in the management of leukaemia in developingcountries especially those in sub-Saharan Africa are highlighted.Design: Retrospectivedescriptive analysis of consecutive leukac ,mia cases seen from January1994 through December 1998.Results: Of the 95 leukaemia patients diagnosed during the st1 ~ d y period, childhood (0 - 15years) leukaemia occurred in 27 (28.4 % )patients while adulthot d (above 15 years) leukaemiaaccounted for 68 (71.6%) patients. The main leukaemia typts were: acute lymphoblasticleukaemia (ALL) 14 (14.7%), acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML) 25 (26.3%), chronicmyeloid (granulocytic) leukaemia (CMI,) 32 (33.7%), chro lic lymphocytic (lymphatic)leukaemia (CLL) 22 (23.2%) and hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) two (2.1%) patients. Most ofthe acute leukaemia (AL) cases occurred in the six to 15 ythar age bracket with a malepreponderance. In ALL, lymphadenopathy was the commone! t presenting feature followedby pallor (92.9%) while in the AML group, pallor occurred in 80% of cases. Abdominalswelling (87.5%) due to splenomegaly (81.3%) were the main clinical features in the CMLgroup whereas lymphadenopathy (63.6%) followed by splt nomegaly (59.1 % ) were thedominant presentingfeatures in CLL. Haematologically,altho~ ~gh leucocytosis characterisedboth acute and chronic leukaemias, most cases of acute leu naemia presented with moresevere anaemia (Hb<7g/dl) and marked thrombocytopenia (Platelet count4 0 x 10'A) than the chronic leukaemias.Conclusions and recommendations: The study shows that leuk remias are not rare in Malawiand cases which were diagnosed in this series probably only rcspresent the tip of the iceberg.While there is need to increase diagnostic awareness among clinicians and laboratory staff,theseverechronic shortageof cytotoxicdrugs and lack of suppc ~rtive care facilities commonlyencountered in developing countries should be realistically ad dressed through cost-sharing.cost recovery, adequate government subvention and donations From charitable organisations

CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKAEMIA IN CENTRAL AFRICANS

Objectives: To document the pattern of presenting clinical and haematological features ofchronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in central Africans and evaluate the clinical consequencesof treating the disease with chemotherapy.Design: Prospective descriptive analysis of clinical and haematological data.Setting: Departments of Haematology of tertiary referral centres and teaching hospitals.Materials and Methods: Prospective clinical and haematological data were collected on 150central Africans (90 Zimbabweans and 60 Malawians) using modern Coulter counters andstandard up-to-date haematological procedures and the results analysed using predeterminedcriteria and the top-desk Scientific Calculator Model HP 48GX, Texas Instruments, USA.Results: There were 150 CML patients studied. Males predominated in a ratio of 1:5:1. Theyoungest patient was 10 years and the oldest 77 years with a mean ± s.d. of 38.9 ± 14.7 years.The peak age incidence of 47.3% occurred between 21 to 40 years. The Ph chromosome wasfound in 19 of the 20 patients studied. Although complaints attributed to splenic enlargementwere the most common symptoms, several unusual clinical features were encountered viz:hepatomegaly (26%), bleeding (12%), significant Iymphadenopathy (11.3%), purpura(3.3%), skin infiltration (2.7%), cardiac failure (2.7%) and 14.7% were diagnosed incidentally.Symptoms such as fatigue, headaches and weight loss were associated with greater degreesof leucocytosis, severe to gross splenomegaly and lower haemoglobin levels. The severe togross splenomegaly which occurred in 68(45.3%) suggests that patients in this part of theworld seek medical advice rather late in the disease. The median survival times of 65,47 and39 months respectively for alpha interferon, hydroxyurea and busulphan are in agreementwith those of previous larger series from other parts of the world.Conclusions: The study has revealed that the presenting pattern of clinical and haematologicalfeatures of CML is changing probably due to the advent of modern clinical practice coupledwith increased physician density, greater awareness of disease among clinicians besidesother reasons. However, optimal treatment is not possible for the majority of patients dueto lack of chemotherapeutic agents and supportive care.Recommendation: Referral centres in African health systems should be equipped for bettermanagement of CML patients