The Physicochemical Characteristics of Ibiekuma River Ekpoma, Nigeria

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taiwo Crossby Omotoriogun ◽  
Osariyekemwen Osa Uyi ◽  
Ikponmwosa Nathaniel Egbon

The Ibiekuma River is an important source of livelihood to its catchment. It contributes enormously to research success and living standard of students and staffs of the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Nigeria. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of anthropogenic activities on the physicochemical properties of Ibiekuma River. Twenty seven water samples were collected at four stations during the study period and analyzed accordingly. The results obtained shows that the physicochemical parameters of the river were in conformity with the World Health Organization (WHO), National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) safe limits, except for pH values which ranged from 4.69 to 4.81. The heavy metal concentrations were found to be within the limit of the guidelines prescribed by WHO and NAFDAC. Also, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the concentrations of the physicochemical parameters across the four stations sampled along the Ibiekuma River. Water obtained from Ibiekuma River will be fit for domestic use, only if purified. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jowe.v6i0.5242 J Wet Eco 2012 (6): 01-06

Author(s):  
Kirti Sundar Sahu ◽  
Arlene Oetomo ◽  
Niloofar Jalali ◽  
Plinio P. Morita

The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. To inhibit the spread of COVID-19, governments around the globe, including Canada, have implemented physical distancing and lockdown measures, including a work-from-home policy. Canada in 2020 has developed a 24-Hour Movement Guideline for all ages laying guidance on the ideal amount of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep (PASS) for an individual in a day. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes on the household and population-level in lifestyle behaviours (PASS) and time spent indoors at the household level, following the implementation of physical distancing protocols and stay-at-home guidelines. For this study, we used 2019 and 2020 data from ecobee, a Canadian smart Wi-Fi thermostat company, through the Donate Your Data (DYD) program. Using motion sensors data, we quantified the amount of sleep by using the absence of movement, and similarly, increased sensor activation to show a longer duration of household occupancy. The key findings of this study were; during the COVID-19 pandemic, overall household-level activity increased significantly compared to pre-pandemic times, there was no significant difference between household-level behaviours between weekdays and weekends during the pandemic, average sleep duration has not changed, but the pattern of sleep behaviour significantly changed, specifically, bedtime and wake up time delayed, indoor time spent has been increased and outdoor time significantly reduced. Our data analysis shows the feasibility of using big data to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the household and population-level behaviours and patterns of change.


Author(s):  
Peter Davis Sumo

The purpose of this paper is to present a science-based narrative of the impact of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) on the supply chains of the major commodities of Liberia. Scientific literatures from appropriate journals, newspapers, trade data of applicable ministries and governmental agencies, data on Ebola from websites of World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), Center for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC), World Bank, the International Monetary Funds (IMF) and other relevant institutions are used extensively while also employing a market chain approach to represent the overall supply chains of these products. The review reveals, among others, the significant disruption to the flow of goods and the decrease in output of the main export commodities of Liberia. It also shows a fall in the real GDP growth rate of the Mano River Basin (MRB) countries during the Ebola years. The paper identifies that the specific mechanisms through which the supply chains were disrupted were as a result of fear and government’s regulation. Additionally, it provides a practical conduit for the diversification of the rubber industry. Given the complex web of supply chains of just a single product, this effort is in no way an exhaustive review on the impact of the EVD on supply chains of commodities dealt with herein, let alone the overall impact of EVD on the country as a whole. Obviously, this review is also limited in terms of scope and extent. This review is a useful introduction to investigators who might want to commit to research in this particular aspect of the impact of the EVD vis-a-vis its impact on supply chains in Liberia or on a broader level, the MRB Countries.


2021 ◽  
Vol 234 ◽  
pp. 00078
Author(s):  
Hicham En-nkhili ◽  
Issam Etebaai ◽  
Khadija El kharrim ◽  
Driss Belghyti

In order to assess the quality of surface water of Boudaroua Lake, located in the Moroccan Pre-rif.The water quality parameters was used to evaluate the potential presence of toxicity of this ecosystem. To this end, samples and hydrochemical analyzes were carried out for five permanent stations around the Lake, during the study period (July 2019, October 2019, January 2020). The study was based on 11 parameters, namely, turbidity (TUR), dissolved oxygen (O2), total hardness (DT), calcium (Ca2+),magnesium(Mg2+), sodium (Na+),potassium (K+), ammonium (NH+4), chloride(Cl−), sulfate( SO2−4), nitrate (NO-3)were considered. The results obtained of these physicochemical parameters have been compared with the Moroccan standard (MS) for surface water and with the World Health Organization (WHO). The results indicated that the values of the physicochemical parameters varies significantly seasonally due to precipitation rate variation. In addition the impact of Agricultural pollution resulting from the excessive use of fertilizers that enter the lake through waterways, such as ammonium NH+4, and dissolved oxygen (O2) its value reaching respectively 1.09 mg/L ,12 mg/L remains above standards (MS) and (WHO) which could harm the ecosystem of the lake.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1124-1128
Author(s):  
Hira Burhan ◽  
Askari Syed Hasan ◽  
Syed Mansur-ul-Haque ◽  
Ghazanfar Zaidi ◽  
Taha Shaikh ◽  
...  

Introduction: According to the World Health Organization, the estimated number of malaria cases in Pakistan is about 1.5 million. Hematological variables like platelets, total leukocyte count (TLC), and hemoglobin (Hb) need to be evaluated to diagnose malaria in suspects. This study aimed to investigate the association between blood group and susceptibility to malaria and effects on platelets, TLC, and Hb. Methodology: This was a case-control study with a sample size of 446, of which 224 were malarial cases and 222 were controls. A designated questionnaire was developed to know age, gender, malarial strain, Hb, TLC, platelets, and blood group. Results: Of 224 malarial cases, 213 were P. vivax, and 11 were P. falciparum. There were 58 patients with blood group A, 72 with group B, 69 were O and 23 were AB. There was no significant difference in the blood group of controls compared to malarial patients (p > 0.05). Mean Hb level was 11.5mg/dL in malaria patients and 12.5mg/dL in controls. There was significant difference (p<0.01) in the mean platelet count in malarial (11,7000/μL) and control (24,5000/μL) patients. All blood groups showed similar falls in Hb and platelet levels, showing no significant difference among blood groups (p = 0.79 and p = 0.52, respectively). TLC was not significant between malarial and control groups (p = 0.072). Males were two times susceptible to malaria. Conclusions: There was no significant association between the type of blood group and susceptibility to malaria or developing anemia or thrombocytopenia.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Timothy G. White ◽  
Gabriela Martinez ◽  
Jason Wang ◽  
Michele Gribko ◽  
Artem Boltyenkov ◽  
...  

Introduction. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic last year. While a clear impact of COVID-19 on the declining stroke volume has been reported, its overall impact on stroke presentation and clinical outcomes has not been established. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on acute ischemic stroke volume, presentation, treatment, and outcomes at comprehensive stroke centers. Methods. A retrospective review of patients with a discharge diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke from the Get With The Guidelines database was performed from January 1, 2019, to July 1, 2020. The following time periods were defined: Pre-COVID (January/February), Peak-COVID (March/April), and Post-COVID (May/June). Bivariate analyses were performed comparing the 2020 and 2019 time periods to determine differences in stroke volume, presentation, treatment, and outcomes. Results. Stroke volumes were significantly lower during the Peak-COVID period in 2020 compared to that in 2019, with an absolute decline of 49.5% ( P < 0.001 ). Patients were more likely to present after 24 hours from last known well during the 2020 Peak-COVID period ( P = 0.03 ). However, there was not a significant difference in the rate of treatment with either the tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) or mechanical thrombectomy during the Peak-COVID period. Interestingly, relative treatment rates increased during the 2020 Post-COVID period to 11.4% ( P = 0.01 ). Conclusions. The overall ischemic stroke volume decreased during the pandemic, and patients had a tendency to present later, beyond eligible treatment windows. However, rates of treatment, patient demographics, and stroke outcomes did not significantly change when compared to the prior year.


2021 ◽  
Vol 317 ◽  
pp. 01086
Author(s):  
Wahyu Widyantoro ◽  
Nurjazuli ◽  
Yusniar Hanani Darundiati

The 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak was first discovered in Wuhan, China, and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020. In dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, various countries have implemented social restrictions on their citizens. Social limits due to the COVID-19 pandemic have caused different life effects that have never occurred. This phenomenon will affect the transmission of existing diseases such as dengue fever. This study aims to determine the impact of social restrictions on dengue transmission and indicators of dengue. This research method is a systematic literature review, is a literature review by synthesizing 294 selected 12 articles from the Pubmed.gov database. The literature shows that social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic hurt the supervision and control of dengue. The increase in the dengue indicator, namely the density of mosquitoes, increased due to the termination of the control program. Human movement is a critical behavioural factor in many vector-borne disease systems because it affects vector exposure and pathogen transmission. The aspect of community mobility also reduces dengue cases during social distancing due to COVID-19.


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Belen Sathicq ◽  
Tomasa Sbaffi ◽  
Giulia Borgomaneiro ◽  
Andrea Di Cesare ◽  
Raffaella Sabatino

The World Health Organization considers antibiotic resistance as one of the main threats to human and other animals' health. Despite the measures used to limit the spread of antibiotic resistance, the efforts made are not enough to tackle this problem. Thus, it has become important to understand how bacteria acquire and transmit antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs), in particular in the environment, given the close connection between the latter and human and animal health, as defined by the One-Health concept. Aquatic ecosystems are often strongly impacted by anthropogenic activities, making them a source for ARGs and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB). Although freshwater meiofauna have been the object of active research, few studies have focused on the relationship between the spread of antibiotic resistance and these organisms. In this review, we investigated freshwater meiofauna as carriers of resistances since they play a central role in the aquatic environments and can harbor human and animal potential pathogens. We assessed if these animals could contribute to the spread of ARGs and of potentially pathogenic bacteria. Only four taxa (Rotifera, Chironomidae, Cladocera, Copepoda) were found to be the subject of studies focused on antibiotic resistance. The studies we analyzed, although with some limitations, demonstrated that ARGs and ARB can be found in these animals, and several of them showed the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria for humans and animals within their microbiome. Thus, meiofauna can be considered a source and a reservoir, even if neglected, of ARGs and ARB for the freshwater environments. However, further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of the meiofauna on the spread and persistence of antibiotic resistance in these ecosystems.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul A. J. Mohamed ◽  
Ussi Makame Kombo ◽  
Miza Ali Kombo

Aim of the study was to assess the physicochemical characteristics of rainwater at urban and rural (north B) Unguja. Twenty four (24) rainwater samples were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS) and cations: calcium (Ca2+), copper (Cu2+), iron (Fe2+), chromium (Cr VI) , and anions: fluoride (F-), nitrite and sulfate (SO42-). The investigated physicochemical parameters in the rainwater samples were within the permissible limits of the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water quality guidelines. The ranges of concentration for the physical parameters analyzed were; pH: (5.8 – 7.7), EC: (5.08 – 35.6 µS/cm),  TDS: (1.68 – 20.16 mg/L, Ca: (0.163 – 24.331 mg/L), Cr: (VI) : (BDL – 0.029 mg/L), Cu: (BDL - 0.085 mg/L); Fe: (BDL – 0.068), anions were SO42- : (BDL – 5.00 mg/L) and F- : (BDL – 0.5 mg/L). Nevertheless, there was no significant difference for the measured parameters between urban and rural areas. This is a good indication that the air quality in Zanzibar is remarkably not polluted with respect to the parameters studied.


Author(s):  
Maryam Naderi ◽  
Ahmadreza Dorosty Motlagh ◽  
Zahra Abdollahi ◽  
Mina Minaei ◽  
Monierh Aminian ◽  
...  

Background: The adequate growth of children is an important phenomenon, having a great impact on the growth and psychological health of children in the future. Nutritional intervention to have a better dietary intake could be affected by geographical and cultural issues. This study aimed to compare the impact of food intervention between the children of two different provinces of Northern and southern area of Iran. Methods: In an interventional study, anthropometric indices of 520 children (205 Bushehr, 315 Rasht) were measured using World Health Organization (WHO) Anthro and Anthro plus software, based on the WHO standards. Results: In Bushehr, a total of 205 children under the age of 5 years were assessed. Before the intervention, about 11% of them were moderately to severely malnourished, based on weight for height, which decreased to about 6% after the intervention. In Rasht, a total of 315 children under the age of 5 were assessed before the intervention; nearly 6% of them were moderately to severely underweight, based on weight for height, which decreased to about 4% after the intervention. Also, there was no significant difference between boys and girls in this index. Conclusion: Due to the relative achievement of the present intervention plan, nutritional education along with these kinds of projects might be useful for Iranian health policy-makers to promote children’s growth.


Author(s):  
Peng Shao ◽  
Yingji Shan

SummaryBackgroundThe 2019 new coronavirus, “2019-nCoV”, was discovered from Wuhan Viral Pneumonia cases in December 2019, and was named by the World Health Organization on January 12, 2020. In the early stage, people knows little about the 2019-nCoV virus was not clear, and the spread period was encountering China’s annual spring migration, which made the epidemic spread rapidly from Wuhan to almost all provinces in China.MethodsThis study builds a SEIRD model that considers the movement of people across regions, revealing the effects of three measures on controlling the spread of the epidemic.Based on MATLAB R2017a, computational experiments were performed to simulate the epidemic prevention and control measures.FindingsThe research results show that current prevention and control measures in China are very necessary. This study further validates the concerns of international and domestic experts regarding asymptomatic transmission (E-status).InterpretationThe results of this study are applicable to explore the impact of the implementation of relevant measures on the prevention and control of epidemic spread, and to identify key individuals that may exist during the spread of the epidemic.


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