The effect of farmyard manure and urea on grain yield and agronomic characteristics of maize (Zea mays)

Combining organic and inorganic fertilizer has been proved to be an effective and sustainable soil management strategy for increased crop yield and safe environment. Field experiments were conducted in two locations in Nigeria namely Malete and Shao during 2018 and 2019 seasons. This was to find out the efficacy of organic and inorganic fertilizer (including prilled and granular urea) and their various combinations on grain yield and agronomic characteristics of maize. The use of full dose of P and K + 75% N through Granular Urea + 25 % N through farmyard manure improved most of the soil chemical properties with high economic returns. It was concluded from the experiment that a combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers is an environmentally friendly practice and could lead to high yields and improve farmers’ income and their livelihoods

Farm Practical Training and Job Aspiration of Undergraduates of Agriculture in Universities in Kwara State Nigeria

The study investigated whether Farm Practical Training (FPT) is significantly associated with job aspiration of Undergraduate students comparing results of empirical evidence between two Universities in Kwara State, Nigeria. Specifically, students preferred courses of study were identified, and their attitude towards FPT and job aspiration were determined. 120 final year students who recently completed the FPT were selected from the two Universities through multistage sampling. Average age of student was 23.5 years with standard deviation of 2.4. Less than half (40%) preferred agriculture as course of study, while 38% preferred science and 5% medicine. About 32% decided to stay on in agriculture after admission because it is deemed prestigious, 13% due to being last available opportunity to gain admission and 17% because of its entrepreneurial potentials. Many (69.8%) aspired for agriculture/farming related job, while 12% aspired to work in agro-allied industries. While many (45.8%) had favorable attitude towards the FPT, comprising 35.0% UNILORIN and 10.8% KWASU students, more (23.3%) of KWASU students had unfavorable attitude towards the FPT compared to 5% UNILORIN students in this category. There was no significant association between students’ attitude towards FPT and their job aspiration in both institutions (UNILORIN χ2=8.07, p=0.62; KWASU χ2=8.60 p=0.38). Although, most of the students aspired to work in agriculture/agro-allied industry, it could not be concluded from the findings of the studies that FPT did significantly influence their job aspiration. 

Farm Practical Training and Job Aspiration of Undergraduates of Agriculture in Universities in Kwara State Nigeria

The study investigated whether Farm Practical Training (FPT) is significantly associated with job aspiration of Undergraduate students comparing results of empirical evidence between two Universities in Kwara State, Nigeria. Specifically, students preferred courses of study were identified, and their attitude towards FPT and job aspiration were determined. 120 final year students who recently completed the FPT were selected from the two Universities through multistage sampling. Average age of student was 23.5 years with standard deviation of 2.4. Less than half (40%) preferred agriculture as course of study, while 38% preferred science and 5% medicine. About 32% decided to stay on in agriculture after admission because it is deemed prestigious, 13% due to being last available opportunity to gain admission and 17% because of its entrepreneurial potentials. Many (69.8%) aspired for agriculture/farming related job, while 12% aspired to work in agro-allied industries. While many (45.8%) had favorable attitude towards the FPT, comprising 35.0% UNILORIN and 10.8% KWASU students, more (23.3%) of KWASU students had unfavorable attitude towards the FPT compared to 5% UNILORIN students in this category. There was no significant association between students’ attitude towards FPT and their job aspiration in both institutions (UNILORIN χ2=8.07, p=0.62; KWASU χ2=8.60 p=0.38). Although, most of the students aspired to work in agriculture/agro-allied industry, it could not be concluded from the findings of the studies that FPT did significantly influence their job aspiration. 

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an Autoimmune Disease Triggered by Proteus Urinary Tract Infection

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and disabling polyarthritic disease, which affects mainly women in middle and old age

Computerised interpretation of fetal heart rate during labour (INFANT): a randomised controlled trial

Background. Continuous electronic fetal heart-rate monitoring is widely used during labour, and computerised interpretation could increase its usefulness. We aimed to establish whether the addition of decision-support software to assist in the interpretation of cardiotocographs affected the number of poor neonatal outcomes. Methods. In this unmasked randomised controlled trial, we recruited women in labour aged 16 years or older having continuous electronic fetal monitoring, with a singleton or twin pregnancy, and at 35 weeks’ gestation or more at 24 maternity units in the UK and Ireland. They were randomly assigned (1:1) to decision support with the INFANT system or no decision support via a computer-generated stratified block randomisation schedule. The primary outcomes were poor neonatal outcome (intrapartum stillbirth or early neonatal death excluding lethal congenital anomalies, or neonatal encephalopathy, admission to the neonatal unit within 24 h for ≥48 h with evidence of feeding difficulties, respiratory illness, or encephalopathy with evidence of compromise at birth), and developmental assessment at age 2 years in a subset of surviving children. Analyses were done by intention to treat. This trial is completed and is registered with the ISRCTN Registry, number 98680152. Findings. Between Jan 6, 2010, and Aug 31, 2013, 47062 women were randomly assigned (23515 in the decision-support group and 23547 in the no-decision-support group) and 46042 were analysed (22987 in the decision-support group and 23055 in the no-decision-support group). We noted no difference in the incidence of poor neonatal outcome between the groups—172 (0·7%) babies in the decision-support group compared with 171 (0·7%) babies in the no-decision-support group (adjusted risk ratio 1·01, 95% CI 0·82–1·25). At 2 years, no significant differences were noted in terms of developmental assessment. Interpretation. Use of computerised interpretation of cardiotocographs in women who have continuous electronic fetal monitoring in labour does not improve clinical outcomes for mothers or babies

DEVELOPMENT OF NANO BASED FILM FORMING GEL FOR PROLONGED DERMAL DELIVERY OF LULICONAZOLE

Objective: Luliconazole (LZL) has low aqueous solubility that limits its dermal bioavailability and acts as a barrier to topical delivery. The conventional topical formulations have a limited ability to retain the drug over the skin for a prolonged period. The main objective of the study was to formulate and characterize LZL loaded ethyl cellulose (EC) nanoparticles and formulate them as a film-forming gel (FFG) for prolonged delivery in fungal skin infections.Methods: The solvent evaporation technique was used for the preparation of nanoparticles of LZL by using EC as a polymer. The prepared nanoparticles were evaluated for physical appearance, production yield, entrapment efficiency, drug content, particle size, zeta potential, Polydispersity index (PDI), and in vitro drug release. Then the nanoparticles were incorporated into FFG formulation by using polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the gelling agent. The prepared FFG was evaluated for pH, Viscosity, Spreadability, in vitro drug release studies, in vitro antifungal studies, and release kinetic studies.Results: The optimized nanoparticle formulation F5 having drug to polymer ratio of 1:2 showed satisfactory production yield (86.32%), entrapment efficiency (83.36%), drug content (42.86), particle size (125.3), and 93.72% of in vitro drug release after 24 hours (h). The optimized FFG formulation FFG4 showed the shortest film-forming time of 5.06 minutes (min), percentage Cumulative drug release of 92.18% after 24 h, and had promising in vitro antifungal activity.Conclusion: The prepared FFG could be used with promising potential for fungal infection of the skin

Эндомиокардиальный фиброз: эволюция заболевания в штате Керала (Индия)в XXI веке

Endomyocardial fibrosis is one of the main causes of heart failure in equatorial countries. The etiology is unknown, conservative treatment is not developed, the prognosis is poor, the endemic focus of the disease in India is Kerala. Objective: to study the course of the disease, echocardiographic parameters, effects of conservative therapy, prognosis in patients with endomyocardial fibrosis in the conditions of modern India (Kerala). Materials and methods. 154 patients were included; the average follow-up was 66.3 months. Standard clinical, laboratory and instrumental examination was conducted. The diagnosis was set using 5 large diagnostic criteria for endomyocardial fibrosis. Results. In the study group, 63% of patients belonged to the age group of 30-60 years, there were no patients younger than 10 and over 80 years old, women prevailed. Right ventricular, left ventricular, and biventricular types of endomyocardial fibrosis were found in 33.8%, 31.8%, and 34.4% of cases. Calcification of myocardium was detected in 31.2% of patients, pulmonary thromboembolism - in 5.8%, hydropericardium - in 5.2%, intracardiac thrombus establishing - in 2.6%. Complications developed 8.5±1.5 years after establishing the diagnosis. During the observation period, number of patients with symptomatic heart failure increased from 25.3% to 46.1%, and there was a redistribution of patients towards a decrease in the functional class of heart failure. Drug therapy was prescribed only when complications and/or symptoms of the disease appeared. Intake of spironolactone was associated with increased mortality: p <0.01, OR - 0.17 (95% CI 0.05-0.59); patients who were not prescribed warfarin had a shorter survival time: p <0.02, OR - 4.4 (95% CI 1.23-17.20). The average life expectancy from diagnosis to death was 55.4 ± 45.72 months, mortality - 10.4%. Conclusion. In the state of Kerala (India) in modern conditions, endomyocardial fibrosis develops at an older age, proceeds more favorably, mortality in this disease has decreased significantly.Эндомиокардиальный фиброз - одна из основных причин развития сердечной недостаточности в экваториальных странах. Этиология неизвестна, консервативное лечение не разработано, прогноз неблагоприятный, эндемичным очагом заболевания в Индии является штат Керала. Цель: изучить течение заболевания, эхокардиографические параметры, эффекты консервативной терапии, прогноз у пациентов с эндомиокардиальным фиброзом в условиях современной Индии (штат Керала). Материалы и методы. Было включено 154 пациента, средняя длительность наблюдения составила 66,3 мес. Проводилось стандартное общеклиническое, лабораторное и инструментальное обследование. Диагноз выставлялся при наличии 5 больших диагностических критериев эндомиокардиального фиброза. Результаты исследования. В исследуемой группе 63% пациентов относились к возрастной группе 30-60 лет, не было ни одного пациента моложе 10 и старше 80 лет, преобладали женщины. Правожелудочковый, левожелудочковый и бивентрикулярный типы эндомиокардиального фиброза встречались в 33,8%, 31,8% и 34,4% случаев, соответственно. Кальцификация миокарда выявлена у 31,2% пациентов, тромбоэмболия легочной артерии - у 5,8%, гидроперикард - у 5,2%, внутрисердечные тромбы - у 2,6%. Осложнения развивались через 8,5±1,5 лет после диагностики заболевания. За время наблюдения увеличилось число пациентов с симптомной сердечной недостаточностью с 25,3 до 46,1%, отмечалось перераспределение пациентов в сторону снижения функционального класса сердечной недостаточности. Медикаментозная терапия назначалась только при появлении осложнений и/или симптомов сердечной недостаточности. Прием спиронолактона ассоциировался с повышением смертности: p <0,01, ОШ - 0,17 (95% ДИ 0,05-0,59); пациенты, которым не назначался варфарин, имели более короткое время дожития: p <0,02, ОШ - 4,4 (95% ДИ 1,23-17,20). Средняя продолжительность жизни от установления диагноза до смерти составила 55,4±45,72 мес., смертность - 10,4%. Заключение. В штате Керала (Индия) в современных условиях эндомиокардиальный фиброз развивается в более старшем возрасте, протекает более благоприятно, смертность при этом заболевании значительно снизилась