Tourism Multiplier in the World Economy: Covid-19 Effects

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on the world order with the force of a tsunami. It is important also to consider the economic aspect. In this context, tourism plays a leading role, being one of the most affected sectors – both in quantitative terms and in terms of the persistence of the negative trend – as well as, finally, for its effects on other sectors. The result of the calculation of the correlation coefficient between the tourism percentage incidence on GDP in 2018 and 2020/2019 GDP percentage loss highlights that the higher the incidence of tourism on a country’s GDP was at the beginning of the pandemic, the greater the percentage loss of GDP was for that country.

The Relationship between Birth Weight and Neonatal Sepsis Incidence: Literature Review

Neonatal sepsis contributes as much as 75% in increasing the neonatal mortality rate that occurs first week of birth. Neonatal sepsis is characterized by entry of bacteria in the blood that can be life-threatening. Process of neonatal sepsis can occur very quickly, if not treated with adequate treatment, death can occur within 24-48 hours. Neonatal sepsis is affected by infant factors like low birth weight (LBW). LBW in neonates can be easily infected due to immature immune formation. The study used literature review methods. Literature sourced from five databases: Biomed Central, Plus One, Pubmed, Proquest and Science Direct. Search with PICOS framework 15 journals used to analyze and obtained. Results showed the incidence of neonatal sepsis with the percentage incidence of sepsis at 16.9%-77.8%. LBW is risk of developing sepsis with the highest percentage compared to other birth weight classifications. Majority of journals stated there was a significant relationship between birth weight and neonatal sepsis (p value: 0,0131-0,001). Nurses play a role in conducting assessment begin ranging from pregnant to the birth and give a comprehensive nursing care earlier for birth babies less than 2.500 gram. It's effort decrease incidence of neonatal sepsis.

Bacterioplankton diversity and pollution levels in the estuarine regions of Chaliyar and Anjarakkandi rivers, Kerala, India

Rivers and the estuarine regions play crucial roles in the environment by controlling the nutrient cycling, waste disposal, and also in supporting biodiversity. However, the estuarine regions of rivers are highly susceptible to disruptive changes by anthropogenic pollutants and eutrophication. Bacterioplankton diversity is the best indicators of the pollution level and eutrophication status of the rivers. The present study evaluated the eutrophication status and bacterioplankton diversity of the estuarine regions of Chaliyar and the Anjarakkandi originated from the Western Ghats. The present study observed the presence of increased incidence of bacterioplankton comprising of proteobacteria, actinobacteria and cyanobacteria in the estuarine regions of Anjarakkandi river compared to that of Chaliyar river. Further, the percentage incidence of faecal bacteria including Bacillus subtilis and E. coli, were also found to be in high in the Anjarakkandi river; in corroborating with this, the diversity of nitrogen metabolizing bacteria was also higher in the estuarine samples of Anjarakkandi river. Corroborating with this, the levels of water nutrients including nirates, nitrites and phosphates were high in the Anjarakkandi compared to the Chaliyar river. Together, it is possible that there might be increased faecal contamination and subsequent increased eutrophication in the estuarine regions of Anjarakkandi river. Altogether, the study concludes that the Anjarakkandi river may be more polluted and which is partly contributed by faecal contaminants and also responsible for the change in the bacterioplankton community of the estuaries.

Review on the Aflatoxins’ Contamination of Foods and Public Health Effects among Nigerian Population

Aflatoxin in foods and feeds need adequate monitoring on account of their severe toxicity and carcinogenicity to both humans and animals. This review was aimed at examining the public health risks attributed to chronic exposure of aflatoxins in foods within Nigeria. Both the reported cases of aflatoxins in foods and biomarkers in Nigeria signified increase in dietary exposure. Aflatoxins contamination levels ranges from 1.3 ng/g to 51,192ng/g in foods with an estimated dietary exposure of 0.00017 ng/kgbw/day to 9, 880.56 ng/kgbw/day. The percentage incidence of primary liver cancer cases (PLCC) attributable to the dietary aflatoxin exposure for every 100,000 Nigerians per year ranges from 0.0024 to 708.13% between 1998 to 2008 which increases to 0.0046 to 45,602% between 2009 to 2018. The percentage incidence of PLCC signified by urine aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) levels in adults was around 0.23 – 1.29% per 100,000 population per year. In children, the estimated PLCC and stunting due to aflatoxin exposure via breast milk were 0.0019 to 237.71 cancers per 100,000 populations per year and mild to severe stunting with height-for-age z-score (HAZ) value above -3 HAZ reductions. Hence, there is need for additional monitoring of the marketed foods and implementing more stringent control and prevention strategies that reduce dietary exposure levels in Nigeria. Keywords: Aflatoxins, Immuno-suppression, Stunting, Liver cancer

Fungal Organisms Associated with Post-harvest Rot of Frafra Potatoes [Solenostemon rotundifolius (Poir.)] in Bongo-Soe, Upper East Region, Ghana

Aims: The study aims to identifying the microorganisms associated with post-harvest rot of frafra potatoes in Bongo-soe, Upper east region of Ghana. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Horticulture and the Pathology laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. The Solenostemon rotundifolius tubers were stored at the Horticulture Department laboratory whiles rot identification was carried out at the Pathology laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture. The Tubers were stored from 2nd November, 2012 to 22nd March 2013. Methodology: Four hundred (400) tubers of black cultivar and four hundred (400) tubers of a brown cultivar of Solenostemon rotundifolius tubers showing visible signs of rot during the storage were collected. Pieces of diseased tissues from the margin of the necrotic collected and immersed in 10% commercial bleach solution for sterilisation, for one minute. These were then blotted dry and plated on Potato Dextrose Agar PDA. The plates were sealed with a cellotape until growth occurred. Results: The microorganisms identified to be responsible for causing rot in Solenostemon rotundifolius tubers were six in number. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was identified to be responsible for 30.76% of rots observed, followed by Aspergillus niger, 23.07%, Curvularia lunata, 19.23%, Aspergillus flavus, 11.54%, Trichoderma sp and Penicillium sp both recorded 7.70% of rots observed. The percentage incidence of Aspergillus niger (15.38%), Curvularia lunata (11.54%) and Aspergillus flavus (7.69%) was higher in the black cultivar as compared with the brown cultivar which had percentage incidence of 7.69%, 7.69% and 3.85% respectively. Also, the percentage incidence of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (15.38%) and Penicillium sp (3.85%) was the same in both the black and brown cultivars of Solenostemon rotundifolius tubers used in this study. Conclusion: The activities of the damaging microorganisms can be reduced by controlling mechanical injury during harvesting, transportation and storage of Solenostemon rotundifolius tubers should be prevented or reduced because they pave the way for tuber infection by the rot causing microorganisms.

Effect of Phosphonate Applications, for Phytophthora Brown Rot Control, on ‘Nadorcott’ Mandarin External Fruit Quality

Phosphonate foliar applications in the period before harvest are routinely used in citrus (Citrus sp.) production for the control of phytophthora brown rot (Phytophthora sp.) control. However, several grower reports indicated that these applications caused phytotoxic damage on ‘Nadorcott’ mandarin (Citrus reticulata hybrid) fruit. To investigate this, trials were conducted over two seasons (2016 and 2017) in two climatically different citrus production areas of South Africa. These trials consisted of ammonium and potassium phosphite foliar applications (at full dose or half dose) at green, color break, or full color stages of fruit development. At commercial harvest, fruit was sampled from the different treatments and the incidence of the phytotoxic damage was documented as both percentage incidence and a phytotoxic index (PI). Results indicated that, regardless of the type of phosphonate or dosage applied, phytotoxic damage was observed at harvest if foliar applications were carried out at color break or full color stage of fruit development. The same results were observed in the different climatic areas, although the mean percentage of damaged fruit varied between the areas. Based on these results it is recommended that skirt pruning be used to mitigate phytophthora brown rot on ‘Nadorcott’ mandarin fruit.

TUBE GRAFTING REDUCES INCIDENCE AND SEVERITY OF BACTERIAL WILT IN TWO TOMATO CULTIVARS IN ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA

Bacterial wilt, Ralstonia solanacearum, causes severe loss of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) pro-duction in Nigeria. Tube grafting of two tomato cultivars (Beske and UC82-B) on bacterial wilt-resistant tomato landrace rootstock (Tomachiva) was conducted to reduce incidence of bacterial wilt and in-crease the yield in the two cultivars. The experiments were laid in Randomized Complete Block De-sign (RCBD). Percentage incidence and Percentage Severity Index (PSI) of grafted tomato were 0.00% each in the early planting season. Incidence (1.70%) and PSI (1.50%) of grafted tomato were observed in late planting season. Non-grafted tomato had higher significant values of 42.50% and 38.80% in incidence and percentage severity index in late planting season. Grafting on Tomachiva effectively reduced the incidence and severity of bacterial wilt in two cultivars of tomato in southwest Nigeria

Isolate two Crustaceans which infect Cyprinus carpio L. from Bab Al-Muatham fish markets, Baghdad City

During the period from November 2007 till October 2008, a total of 255 specimens of the cyprinid fish, from freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758, were collected from fish markets east of Baghdad city. Microscopic examination of these fishes revealed that they were infected with two species of the crustaceans ]Argulus foliaceus (0.8%) and Ergasilus sieboldi (20%)[.The present study included the following: The clinical signs which were caused by the crustaceans, which included redness and an opacity of the skin, increase of mucus secretion and rapid movements of the operculum. The percentage incidence of the infection with these parasites were also found to be related to different length groups of the host, the larger fishes were more infected (95.2%) while the smaller fishes were less infected (0.8%).