Influence of size grading on physiological parameters in Tephrosia (Tephrosia purpurea) MDU (KO)-1

Seed grading is an important practice for better crop establishment and to improve efficiency of planting ratio in field and also useful in separation of quality seed in a seed lot. The influence of seed size on physiological and biochemical seed quality characters were evaluated in Tephrosia seeds using seeds retained on 5.5/64?, 6/64? and 7/64? sieves along with control. The estimations revealed that larger size seeds retained on 7/64" sieves recorded the maximum recovery (64 %), 100 seed weight (2.0 g), speed of germination (14.1) germination ( 86 %), root length (8.5 cm), shoot length (11.0 cm), dry matter production (15.92 mg seedlings-10), vigour index (1677) and protein (10.56 %) compared to BSS 5.5 / 64'', BSS 6 / 64'' and ungraded seeds

Multilevel Analysis of Trachomatous Trichiasis and Corneal Opacity in Nigeria : The Role of Environmental and Climatic Risk Factors on the Distribution of Disease.

Funding: Jennifer L Smith was supported by the International Trachoma Initiative through a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Anthony Solomon is a Wellcome Trust Intermediate Clinical Fellow (098521). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Couching in Nigeria: prevalence, risk factors and visual acuity outcomes.

PURPOSE: Couching is an ancient treatment for cataract which is still practiced in some of the poorer developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of this study is to describe risk factors for couching and visual acuity outcomes in a nationally representative sample of adults aged 40 years and above in Nigeria. METHODS: Probability in proportion size methods were used to identify a representative sample. Of the 15,375 adults enumerated, 13,582 were interviewed and examined. Examination included logMar acuities, slit lamp examination and dilated fundoscopy with digital fundus imaging. RESULTS: Almost half of the 583 eyes undergoing a procedure for cataract had been couched (249 eyes, 42.7%). Individuals living in rural areas (P = 0.033) and in the two underserved northern administrative zones (P = 0.33; P = 0.002) were more likely to have been couched. Visual outcomes were poor according to World Health Organization categories, with 55.8% of people and 73.1% of eyes having a presenting visual acuity of less than 3/60 and only 9.7% and 2.4% of people and eyes respectively having a good outcome (6/18 or better). None were wearing an aphakic correction, and with correction acuities improved but 42.6% of eyes were still blind (< 3/60). CONCLUSIONS: Couching is still widely practiced in Nigeria and visual outcomes are very poor. The population needs to be made aware of the risks associated with the procedure, and services for high quality, affordable cataract surgery need to be expanded, particularly in rural areas and in the north of the country

Unethical practices within medical research and publication – An exploratory study

The data produced by the scientific community impacts on academia, clinicians, and the general public; therefore, the scientific community and other regulatory bodies have been focussing on ethical codes of conduct. Despite the measures taken by several research councils, unethical research, publishing and/or reviewing behaviours still take place. This exploratory study considers some of the current unethical practices and the reasons behind them and explores the ways to discourage these within research and other professional disciplinary bodies. These interviews/discussions with PhD students, technicians, and academics/principal investigators (PIs) (N=110) were conducted mostly in European higher education institutions including UK, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Czech Republic and Netherlands. Through collegiate discussions, sharing experiences and by examining previously published/reported information, authors have identified several less reported behaviours. Some of these practices are mainly influenced either by the undue institutional expectations of research esteem or by changes in the journal review process. These malpractices can be divided in two categories relating to (a) methodological malpractices including data management, and (b) those that contravene publishing ethics. The former is mostly related to “committed bias”, by which the author selectively uses the data to suit their own hypothesis, methodological malpractice relates to selection of out-dated protocols that are not suited to the intended work. Although these are usually unintentional, incidences of intentional manipulations have been reported to authors of this study. For example, carrying out investigations without positive (or negative) controls; but including these from a previous study. Other methodological malpractices include unfair repetitions to gain statistical significance, or retrospective ethical approvals. In contrast, the publication related malpractices such as authorship malpractices, ethical clearance irregularities have also been reported. The findings also suggest a globalised approach with clear punitive measures for offenders is needed to tackle this problem

Coverage of hospital-based cataract surgery and barriers to the uptake of surgery among cataract blind persons in nigeria: the Nigeria National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey.

PURPOSE: To determine cataract surgical coverage, and barriers to modern cataract surgery in Nigeria. METHODS: Multistage stratified cluster random sampling was used to identify a nationally representative sample of 15,027 persons aged 40+ years. All underwent visual acuity testing, frequency doubling technology visual field testing, autorefraction, and measurement of best corrected vision if <6/12 in one or both eyes. An ophthalmologist examined the anterior segment and fundus through an undilated pupil for all participants. Participants were examined by a second ophthalmologist using a slit lamp and dilated fundus examination using a 90 diopter condensing lens if vision was <6/12 in one or both eyes, there were optic disc changes suggestive of glaucoma, and 1 in 7 participants regardless of findings. All those who had undergone cataract surgery were asked where and when this had taken place. Individuals who were severely visually impaired or blind from unoperated cataract were asked to explain why they had not undergone surgery. RESULTS: A total of 13,591 participants were examined (response rate 89.9%). Prevalence of cataract surgery was 1.6% (95% confidence interval 1.4-1.8), significantly higher among those aged ≥70 years. Cataract surgical coverage (persons) in Nigeria was 38.3%. Coverage was 1.7 times higher among males than females. Coverage was only 9.1% among women in the South-South geopolitical zone. Over one third of those who were cataract blind said they could not afford surgery (36%). CONCLUSIONS: Cataract surgical coverage in Nigeria was among the lowest in the world. Urgent initiatives are necessary to improve surgical output and access to surgery

A Study of the Shear Response of a Lead-Free Composite Solder by Experimental and Homogenization Techniques

The current study proposes a combined experimental and modeling approach to characterize the mechanical response of composite lead-free solders. The influence of the reinforcement volume fraction on the shear response of the solder material in the joint is assessed. A novel optimized geometry for single lap shear specimens is proposed. This design minimizes the effect of plastic strain localization, leading to a significant improvement of the quality of experimental data. The constitutive model of the solder material is numerically identified from the load-displacement response of the joint by using inverse finite element identification. Experimental results for a composite solder with 0.13 reinforcement volume fraction indicate that the presence of the reinforcement leads to a 23% increase of the ultimate stress and a 50% decrease of the ultimate strain. To interpret experimental data and predict the elastoplastic response of the composite solder for varying particle volume fraction, a three-dimensional (3D) homogenization model is employed. The agreement between experiments and homogenization results leads to the conclusion that the increase in the ultimate strength and the decrease in ductility are to be attributed to load sharing between matrix material and particles with the development of a significant triaxial stress state which restricts plastic flow in the matri

Prevalence and risk factors for hypertension and association with ethnicity in Nigeria: results from a national survey.

OBJECTIVE: Non-communicable diseases are now a global priority. We report on the prevalence of hypertension and its risk factors, including ethnicity, in a nationally representative sample of Nigerian adults recruited to a survey of visual impairment. METHODS: multi-stage, stratified, cluster random sample with probability proportional to size procedures was used to obtain a nationally representative sample of 13 591 subjects aged ≥ 40 years. Of these, 13 504 (99.4%) had a blood pressure measurement. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension was 44.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 43.5-46.3% ]. Increasing age, gender, urban residence and body mass index were independent risk factors (p < 0.001). The Kanuri ethnic group had the highest prevalence of hypertension (77.5%, 95% CI: 71.0-84.0%). CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria is a cause for concern and suggests that it is inevitable that the impact of hypertension-related ill health is imminent, with the accompanying financial and societal costs to families and the state of Nigeria

Prevalence, causes, and risk factors for functional low vision in Nigeria: results from the national survey of blindness and visual impairment.

PURPOSE: To estimate prevalence and describe causes of functional low vision (FLV) among a nationally representative sample of Nigerian adults, assess socioeconomic risk factors, and estimate the number of adults in Nigeria who might benefit from low vision assessment or rehabilitation services. METHODS: Multistage, stratified, cluster random sampling with probability proportional to size procedures were used to identify a nationally representative sample of 15,027 persons aged 40 years or older. Distance vision was measured using a reduced logMAR tumbling E-chart. All participants with presenting acuity of <6/12 in one or both eyes had their corrected acuity measured and underwent detailed clinical examination to determine the cause. FLV was defined as best corrected vision <6/18 in the better eye, after excluding those with no light perception in both eyes and those with treatable causes. Analysis took account of the clustered design. RESULTS: In all, 13,591 individuals were examined in 305 clusters (response rate, 89.9%). The crude prevalence of FLV was 3.5% (95% confidence interval, 3.1-3.9%). This was lower than the prevalence of blindness, which was 4.2%. Glaucoma was the most common cause and age the most important risk factor. There are estimated to be approximately 5000 adults with FLV per million population and 340 who are totally blind. Only 9.3% of those with FLV were of working age and literate. CONCLUSIONS: These are the first data on the prevalence, causes, and risk factors for FLV from Africa. Results support studies from Asia that the prevalence of FLV is lower than previously thought. Because the majority of adults with FLV in Nigeria live in rural areas and are elderly and not literate, further research is required to assess the nature of the interventions required and who might best deliver them

Critical current degradation in HTS wires due to cyclic mechanical strain

HTS wires, which may be used in many devices such as magnets and rotating machines, may be subjected to mechanical strains from electromagnetic, thermal and centripetal forces. In some applications these strains will be repeated several thousand times during the lifetime of the device. We have measured critical current degradation due to repeated strain cycles for both compressive and tensile strains. Results for BSCCO-2223 HTS conductor samples are presented for strain values up to 0.5% and cycle numbers up to and beyond 10/sup 4/