Showing papers by "Adama University published in 2011"

Patterns of diabetic complications at jimma university specialized hospital, southwest ethiopia.

Abstract: Background: Diabetes Mellitus is common metabolic disease worldwide. Its complications in the Ethiopian care setup has not been well documented. The objective of this study was to assess the pattern and distribution of dia-betic complications among patients having follow-up at Jimma University specialized Hospital diabetic clinic. Methods: A cross sectional study based on record review of 305 patients, selected using systematic sampling with replacement was carried out in October 2008. The data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows version 13.0. Results: Larger proportion, 189 (62.0%), of patients had type II diabetes and 163 (53.4%) of them were diabetic for less than 5 years. Seventy three of the 76 (96.1%) patients with type II diabetes mellitus had hypertension. Acute complications were observed in 93 (30.5%) of the patients of which Diabetic Ketoacidosis was documented in 66(71.0%). Forty eight (45.7%) of patients had proteinuria, 90 (29.5%) had peripheral neuropathy, 13(6.8%) had impotence. Diabetic foot ulcer, skin and/or subcutaneous tissue infection, dental problems and tuberculosis were documented in 14(4.5%), 31(10.0%), 31(10.0%), and 17(5.6%) patients, respectively. Any of the chronic complications were not different by sex of the patient but age had statistically significant association with hypertension, visual distur-bance and neuropathy (p< 0.05). Type of diabetes had statistically significant association with all the tested com-plications except infection (P<0.05) where most of the complications occurred in type II diabetics. Statistically significant association was observed between the duration of the diabetes and impotence and visual disturbances (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The majority of patients were type II diabetics. Acute complications were observed more commonly among type I diabetics and DKA was the commonest acute complication. The frequency of chronic complications was high. Increased occurrence of retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension and nephropathy was ob-served with longer duration of illness. Impotence and diabetic nephropathy were more common in type II diabet-ics. The study showed that age, sex, type of diabetes mellitus and duration of diabetes were significantly associated with the development of diabetic complications.

Solar UV Photooxidation as Pretreatment for Stripping Voltammetric Trace Metal Analysis in River Water

Abstract: The application of solar ultraviolet radiation as sample pretreatment or preparation step in stripping voltammetric analysis of trace metals in presence of low levels of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) natural water samples (river water) was studied. River water samples were collected from downstream of Warnow river (Germany) and acidified to pH of 2 ± 0.2 (by addition of 1 mL of ultrapure 65% HNO3 per liter sample). Furthermore, 100 μL/L of hydrogen peroxide solution (ultrapure, 30% H2O2 )w as added to the samples as photochemical reaction initiator. The samples were transferred to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and irradiated with solar radiation of UV-A intensity of 3.6 mW/m 2 for six hours, and the concentrations of Zn, Cd, Pb, and Cu were determined by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV). The comparison of the values with the results obtained for the original untreated sample and artificial UV-treated one proved that solar UV radiation can be applied to the digestion of dissolved organic carbon in trace metal analysis in natural waters like river water, lake waters, well waters, and so forth.

Effects of storage duration and hydro-priming on seed germination and vigour of Common vetch

Abstract: The possibility for prolonged ambient seed storage, and the role of seed hydro-priming were studied in Common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) in the laboratory and greenhouse. Seeds stored for zero, one, two, and three years under ambient conditions at Kulumsa, Ethiopia, were soaked in distilled water for 24 h at 20±1°C and subsequently surface-dried at room temperature for ca. 6 h. Part of the seeds from the four storage durations was maintained unprimed, and was compared with hydro-primed seeds. Effects of ambient storage duration and hydro-priming, including their interactions, were significant (P<0.01) for all parameters considered. There was no significant reduction in germination percentage, speed of germination, and emergence index of seeds stored for up to two years, as compared to freshly harvested seeds. Despite its negative influence on germination percentage and some vigour parameters that depend on seed age, hydro-priming improved the speed of germination in all age groups, root length and Vigour Index-I of aged seed lots, and emergence index for zero and one-year storage duration. Therefore, Common vetch seeds can be stored under the ambient conditions of a tropical highland environment for about two years without significant loss in germination percentage and emergence index. The positive influences of hydro-priming on speed of germination and emergence index could be an opportunity to be considered in over-sowing studies with vetch on native pastures.

Relationships between Plant Biomass and Species Richness under Different Farming Systems and Grazing Land Management in Montane Grasslands of Kokosa District, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract: The study was conducted in a montane grassland of Kokosa District, West Arsi Zone of Oromia Region, southern Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to investigate the relationships between aboveground plant biomass and species richness in three farming systems and four grazing management systems. A total of 180 quadrats (each 1 m x 1 m) were sampled in the three farming systems (dominant livestock- enset , enset -livestock and enset -livestock-cereal) and four grazing management systems (communal, enclosure, stream bank and benchmark). All the farming system and grazing management have different management practices. Plant species composition and aboveground plant biomass at different sites were quantified. Altogether 50 plant species (34 grasses, 4 legumes, 3 sedges and 9 forbs) were recorded in the montane grassland of Kokosa District. Even though the majority of the plant species share the different farming systems and grazing management practices, the highest number of species (39) was recorded in the enset -livestock farming system, whereas the lowest (33) species were recorded in the enset- livestock-cereal farming system when all the grazing management and farming systems were combined. Significantly, the highest species richness (4.9 species m -2 ) was recorded in the enclosure grazing management site whereas the lowest (3.4 species m -2 ) was recorded in the benchmark grazing site when all grazing sites and farming systems were combined. The relationship between species richness and biomass was detected in the montane grassland. There was significant difference (P ≤ 0.05) in species richness for a combination analysis of farming system by grazing management system of the montane grassland. The highest biomass was recorded in the benchmark grazing management sites while the lowest was recorded in the communal grazing sites. On the contrary, maximum species richness was found in the enclosure grazing management sites which had intermediate biomass yield and the lowest species richness was recorded in the benchmark grazing areas with the maximum biomass records. Thus, species richness was observed first to ascend along with biomass increment up to 1932 kg ha -1 and then declined at constant increase of biomass. An increase in biomass in the benchmark grazing sites was not accompanied by an increase in species richness suggesting the dominance of few species in these sites. The rationale behind this might be due to the competitive exclusion of the less competent species from the community at peak biomass production. Keywords: Biomass; Farming System; Grazing Management; Montane Grassland; Species Richness