Extrusion of low density polyethylene tubular film

Melt capillary flow has been employed to characterise some low density polyethylene grades, differing in degree of an incorporated slip agent (Olemide Commercial). The same grades were processed into blown film under different extrusion conditions by varying screw speed, blow-up ratio and haul-off rate. The rheological properties affected by the slip agent were, namely, the melt viscosity and the critical shear-rate, after which fracture (turbulence) of the given extrudate occurred. Ease of draw-down property was found to be lower for the low slip grades and increased significantly with increasing degree of slip. (ASTM) and (B.S.) methods were used to test the mechanical properties of the films produced from the film-blowing process under the same above extrusion variables. The effect of these variables on tensile, tear and impact strengths of each grade were analysed. Orientation of the molecular structure, during its passage through the die and immediately after extrusion, as a result of longitudinal or transverse direction drawing strongly affected these properties. Increasing the extrusion variables, generally, resulted in a balanced orientation in both machine and transverse directions (balanced film) and an optimum blow-up ratio was found for a film of balanced strength properties. An attempt was made to correlate characteristics of flow of the different polyethylenes with the above extrusion variables and, hence, with the mechanical properties of the consequent films

Tele-Screening, Triaging of Dental Patients, and Reopening of Dental Services During SAR-CoV2 Pandemic

Background: The nature of dental profession requires a dentist to be in a close proximity to the patient’s mouth to perform various operative treatments including procedures such as generating aerosols. As such, dentistry is considered as one of the riskiest profession for the cross-transmission of SARS-CoV2. Although the prevalence and incidence of SARS-CoV2 continue to increase worldwide; the dental services and treatment of non-emergency cases have resumed in many countries including Sudan. Moreover, the use of smartphone technology in communication with patients can play an important role in controlling the spread of SARS-CoV2. Therefore, the aim of this short review was to draw a summary on using smartphone technology for telescreening dental patients prior to their visit to the clinics and to set guidelines and rules for dental treatment during SARS-CoV2 pandemic. Methods:  For the purpose of this study, telescreening is referred as a virtual contact between patients and healthcare personnel used to provide health services during the highly contiguous SARS-CoV2 pandemic. Using a smartphone, dental patients can be screened and questioned about their medical history and particularly for SARS-CoV2 (for symptoms such as fever, headache, coughing, breath shortness, loss of smell or taste). They should also be asked about their travel history to epidemic area, visiting hospital or coming in contact with a confirmed SARS-CoV2 patient during the last 14 days. On arrival to a dental clinic, the patient's temperature should be measured, instruction for wearing masks, hand hygiene, and keeping distances from others inside the waiting zone. Conclusion: Telescreening and triaging will minimize the time of patients’ exposure to dental clinic environments, hence decreasing the risk of getting SARS-CoV2 infection for both patients and dental healthcare workers.  Keywords: COVID-19, dentistry, procedure generating aerosols, smartphone, social distance, surgical masks

Effects of sowing date and intercropping on yield, yield components and oil content of sunflower and groundnut in a desert environment in northern Sudan

    The summer season in the Northern State, Sudan, is characterized by its limited field activities. The present and future expansion of agricultural production is targeted in desert plain soils away from the River Nile bank. This study was conducted during seasons 2014/15 and 2015/16 with the objectives of determining the effects of sowing date and intercropping system on yield, yield components and oil content of sunflower and groundnut. Split-plot design with randomized complete arrangement with four replicates was used. The main plots were assigned to the three sowing date namely: 1st June, 1st July and 1st August. The sub-plots were assigned to intercropping system: viz: sole cropped and intercropping (two rows of groundnut alternate with two rows of sunflower). The interaction between sowing date and intercropping had a significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect on yield component, total yield and oil content of both crops in both seasons. The highest seed yield was obtained by intercropped sunflower and sole groundnut for 1st June and 1st August, respectively. The highest oil content was attained by intercropped groundnut and sole sunflower, respectively, for 1st August.  First June sowing date resulted in the best land equivalent ratio in both seasons. Based on these results, to obtain high seed yield of high oil content, it could be recommended that 1st of June and 1st of August were optimum sowing dates for sunflower and groundnut, respectively in the desert environment of north Sudan. It was also recommended to intercrop sunflower with groundnut and sow them on the first of June for the highest LER.   النشاط الزراعي محدود جدا في الموسم الصيفي بالولاية الشمالية في السودان.  وأن التوسع الحالي والمستقبلي في الرقعة الزراعية يستهدف أراضي السهل الصحراوي والتروس العليا البعيدة عن حوض نهر النيل. نفذت هذه التجربة في المناخ الجاف علي تربة السهل الصحراوي في الولاية الشمالية في الموسم الصيفي 2014/15 و2015/16 بهدف تحديد أثر تاريخ الزراعة ونظام الزراعة البينية علي الإنتاجية ومكوناتها وكمية الزيت لمحصولي زهرة الشمس والفول السوداني. نظمت المعاملات إحصائيا باستخدام تصميم القطع المنشقة مع القطاعات العشوائية الكاملة بأربعة مكررات. حيث وضع في القطع الرئيسية ثلاثة تواريخ زراعة (1/6 و1/ 7 و1/8) وفي القطع الثانوية نظام الزراعة البينية: حيث زرع المحصول الواحد بمفرده والمحصولين مع بعض في زراعة بينية (صفان من الفول السوداني يَتناوبانِ مع صفين من زهرة الشمس). أظهرت النتائج أن التداخل بين تاريخ الزراعة والزراعة البينية كان له تأثير معنوي على مكونات الإنتاج والإنتاجية وكمية الزيت لكلا المحصولين في كلا الموسمين. أعلى إنتاجية بذور تحققت للزراعة البينية لزهرة الشمس ولمحصول الفول السوداني منفردا عند زراعتهما في تواريخ الأول من يونيو والأول من أغسطس على التوالي. أعلى نسبة زيت تحققت لمحصولي زهرة الشمس منفردا وللزراعة البينية للفول السوداني عند ما نفذت الزراعة بتاريخ الأول من أغسطس. قيمة مؤشر نسبة الأرض المكافئ أعلي من الرقم واحد في كل تواريخ الزراعة، وتاريخ أول يونيو أعطي أفضل مكافئ في الموسمين علي التوالي. للحصول على أعلى إنتاجية بذور ونسبة زيت لمحصولي زهرة الشمس والفول السوداني توصي الدراسة بأن الأول من يونيو  والأول  من أغسطس هي الأمثل لزراعة محصولي زهرة الشمس والفول السوداني علي التوالي في البيئة الصحراوية بشمال السودان, كما توصي أيضا بأن الزراعة البينية لزهرة الشمس والفول السوداني في أول يونيو هي الأفضل في استغلال الأرض. &nbsp

Do grain reserves necessarily contribute to prices stability and food security in Sudan? An assessment

AbstractMost governments in Africa implement policies aiming to stabilize the prices of staple foods, which often include building up grain reserves, besides other trade measures insulating their domestic market from the world market. The mechanism should ideally work as follows, grains should be bought and stored from areas, during the surplus seasons (after harvest) so as to assure fair prices to producers and should be distributed during deficit seasons, in deficit areas besides in cases of emergencies. However, ideal approaches are not necessarily followed in many developing countries due to different constraints and situations. The Strategic Reserve Corporation (SRC) is an institution that is established ten years ago to play such a role in Sudan. This paper tries to assess the performance of the SRC against the overall goals and to study the related obstacles if any. We use a sample of 112 respondents from the SRC staff, related and grain farmers as our data source. Results of the research revealed numerous financial and administrative constraints that obstruct SRC from playing the intended role, which need to be considered so as to contribute to price stability and food security in Sudan

THE EFFECT OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF SOLANUM DUBIUM IN GLUCOSE INTRA-PERITONIALLY LOADED RATS (in-vivo) AND GLUCOSE UPTAKE IN ISOLATED RAT HEMIDIAPHRAGM (in-vitro)

ABSTRACT:Thirty westar albino rats of either sexes weighing 120gm to 250gm were divided into five groups to test three different doses of ethanolic extract of solanum dubium for its blood glucose lowering activity in comparison with glibenclamide as a positive control and distilled water as a negative control group. Blood glucose in the rats was evaluated in the first, second and fourth hour. The first and second hour the extract lowered blood glucose level potently to a decrement value of 25% in comparison to 17% decrement in the group administered glibenclamide. At the fourth hour the extract showed no effect on blood glucose level, nevertheless, it start rising, the fact that reveals it as a short acting drug. Using rat hemidiaphragm to check the potential of solanum extract in enhancing re-uptake of glucose by tissues, it showed good synergistic activity when administered with insulin.Key words: solanum dubium, glibenclamide, ethanolic, hypoglycemic, hemidiaphragm

Effects of skipping one irrigation at different growth stages on yield and water productivity of some maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars under heavy clay soils of central Sudan

      Crop production in arid and semi-arid regions faces the challenge to ensure high yields with limited supply of water. This study was conducted at the experimental farm of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Gezira, during seasons 2014/15 and 2015/16. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of skipping one irrigation on yield and yield components of maize (Zea mays L.). A split-plot design with four replicates was used. Main plots were assigned to the cultivars namely: Hudaiba1, Hudaiba2 and Mogtamaa -45, and sub-plots to irrigation treatments which consisted of (T1) irrigation every 10 days throughout the season (control), skipping one irrigation at: Vegetative (T2), flowering (T3) and grain filling (T4) stages. The results indicated that irrigation treatments and cultivars had highly significant effects on all parameters tested. Irrigation every 10 days resulted in the highest values of plant height, cob length, number of grains per cob, 100 seed weight, grain yield and water productivity. Hudaaiba2 outyielded the other two cultivars. Skipping one irrigation at flowering (T3) stage gave the lowest values of the tested parameters. The highest grain yield was obtained when frequent irrigation (control) and Hudaiba 2 was practiced and the lowest was obtained by skipping of irrigation at flowering, which reflected the sensitivity of this stage for water deficit. Hence, it is recommended to grow Hudaiba2 maize cultivar and irrigate every 10 days

Using (1,3)-β-D-glucan concentrations in serum to monitor the response of azole therapy in patients with eumycetoma caused by Madurella mycetomatis

Introduction: (1,3)-β-D-glucan is a panfungal biomarker secreted by many fungi, including Madurella mycetomatis, the main causative agent of eumycetoma. Previously we demonstrated that (1,3)-β-D-glucan was present in serum of patients with eumycetoma. However, the use of (1,3)-β-D-glucan to monitor treatment responses in patients with eumycetoma has not been evaluated. Materials and Methods: In this study, we measured (1,3)-β-D-glucan concentrations in serum with the WAKO (1,3)-β-D-glucan assay in 104 patients with eumycetoma treated with either 400 mg itraconazole daily, or 200 mg or 300 mg fosravuconazole weekly. Serial serum (1,3)-β-D-glucan concentrations were measured at seven different timepoints. Any correlation between initial and final (1,3)-β-D-glucan concentrations and clinical outcome was evaluated. Results: The concentration of (1,3)-β-D-glucan was obtained in a total of 654 serum samples. Before treatment, the average (1,3)-β-D-glucan concentration was 22.86 pg/mL. During the first 6 months of treatment, this concentration remained stable. (1,3)-β-D-glucan concentrations significantly dropped after surgery to 8.56 pg/mL. After treatment was stopped, there was clinical evidence of recurrence in 18 patients. Seven of these 18 patients had a (1,3)-β-D-glucan concentration above the 5.5 pg/mL cut-off value for positivity, while in the remaining 11 patients, (1,3)-β-D-glucan concentrations were below the cut-off value. This resulted in a sensitivity of 38.9% and specificity of 75.0%. A correlation between lesion size and (1,3)-β-D-glucan concentration was noted. Conclusion: Although in general (1,3)-β-D-glucan concentrations can be measured in the serum of patients with eumycetoma during treatment, a sharp decrease in β-glucan concentration was only noted after surgery and not during or after antimicrobial treatment. (1,3)-β-D-glucan concentrations were not predictive for recurrence and seem to have no value in determining treatment response to azoles in patients with eumycetoma.</p

Trends of Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes of Notified Cases in Three Refugee Camps in Sudan: A Four-year Retrospective Analysis, 2014–2017

Background: Refugees are vulnerable to tuberculosis (TB) infection. Tracking of program performance is needed to improve TB care and prevention. The objective of this study was to assess the trends of TB treatment outcomes of notified cases in three refugee camps in Sudan from 2014 to 2017. Methods: This study was a historical cohort study. Sex, age, type of TB, TB patient category, and treatment outcome of all TB cases registered in three refugee camps (Al Kashafa, Shagarab, Wadsherify) from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2017 were collected from the TB register. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to explore factors for unsuccessful TB treatment. Results: A total of 710 TB cases of which 53.4% were men, 22.1% children (&lt;15 years), and 36.2% extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) were registered. Overall, the TB treatment success rate was 75.7% with a declining trend from 86.2% in 2015 to 63.5% in 2017. On average, 11.4% were lost to follow-up (LTFU), 6.6% died, 5.9% were not evaluated, and in 0.3% the treatment failed. Being 15–24 years old and having EPTB were significantly associated with unsuccessful treatment outcome. Conclusion: The treatment success rate in the refugee camp in 2017 (63.5%) was far lower than the national treatment success rate (78%) and the End TB global target (≥90%) that needs to be improved. LTFU, died, and not evaluated outcomes were high which indicated the necessity to improve the TB treatment program