Equality Of Means Research Articles

Mixture and interpolation of the parameterized ordered means

Loewner partial order plays a very important role in metric topology and operator inequality on the open convex cone of positive invertible operators. In this paper, we consider a family of the ordered means for positive invertible operators equipped with homogeneity and properties related to the Loewner partial order such as the monotonicity, joint concavity, and arithmetic-G-harmonic weighted mean inequalities. Similar to the resolvent average, we construct a parameterized ordered mean and compare two types of mixtures of parameterized ordered means in terms of the Loewner order. We also show a relation between two families of parameterized ordered means associated with the power mean monotonic interpolating given two parameterized ordered means.

Procalcitonin as a Candidate Biomarker for Malarial Infection and Severe Malaria: A Meta-Analysis.

Procalcitonin (PCT), as a marker of malaria severity, remains to be investigated. The present study collated and compared the levels of PCT between patients with severe malaria, uncomplicated malaria, and control participants to assess their role in predicting malaria infection and disease severity. The systematic review was registered at PROSPERO with registration number CRD42021297243. The search for relevant studies that reported PCT in patients with malaria was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The following meta-analyses were conducted; (1) the pooled mean PCT levels in patients with severe and uncomplicated malaria, and (2) the pooled mean difference in PCT levels between patients with severe and uncomplicated malaria. Fifteen studies were included for qualitative and quantitative syntheses. The meta-analysis results show that the pooled mean PCT levels in patients with uncomplicated malaria were 3.92 ng/mL (95% CI: 2.26–5.58 ng/mL, I2: 96.5, five studies), whereas the pooled mean PCT levels in patients with severe malaria were 14.13 ng/mL (95% CI: 8.75–19.5 ng/mL, I2: 92.6, six studies). The meta-analysis showed that patients with severe malaria had an equal mean of PCT compared to those with uncomplicated malaria when the random-effects model was used (p: 0.055, weighted mean difference: 6.93, 95% CI: −0.16–14.02, I2: 84.6%, four studies). There were probable correlations between the level of parasitemia, immunity level, and possibly bacterial or other parasitic co-infection that could affect the PCT level among different clinical severities of malaria. Therefore, the PCT level alone does not seem to be a suitable biomarker to discriminate the severe/uncomplicated or infected/uninfected cases. Further studies should investigate the increased PCT levels in combination with other markers in association with malaria infection and severity.

There is Many a Slip Betwixt Cup and Lip. An Inquiry to Dig Out Hurdles Faced by the Stakeholders in Gender Representation in English Textbooks of Pakistan

Gender is an important aspect of life noticeably revealed through visuals in textbooks with a deep impression on recipients. School textbooks are made compulsory for the students to read and later on they develop some perceptions and ideals about a society based on these read texts. These textbooks are a combination of text and images through which different concepts are taught. This study aimed to assess the awareness about the sensitization level of visual representation of gender created through textbooks in the provincial curriculum of the English language of Pakistan. The study's objective is to find out issues involved on the side of the stakeholders in bookmaking and publishing regarding gender representation. A qualitative research design was used to collect data from four chairpersons of textbook boards and two authors of textbooks from each province of Pakistan. Twelve in-depth interviews were conducted through a semi-structured interview guideline. Findings showed an apparent unawareness of all stakeholders regarding gender and their social, political, and economic representation. It was found that some of the stakeholders even did not know the true concept of gender and thought that gender equality means only the equal number of visual representations of males and females without bothering that how are they being presented. They ignore that it is more important to see how both sexes are embodied rather than how many times. Text is not in the domain of this study; only the perspective of the stakeholders about the visual’s representation is discussed here. The study brought issues into the limelight that must be resolved to make visuals complement the text and present latent meaning independently with a positive impact. This study will reveal how much is this important to make the stakeholders gender sensitized for the better and more positive gender representation. Keywords: Gender, Visuals, Semiotic, Textbooks, Stakeholders, Qualitative research DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-25-04 Publication date: September 30 th 2022

Equality Means Business: Factors Affecting Indian Women-Owned Small Business’s Scalability & Impact of Entrepreneurship On Financial Independence

The lack of women’s economic participation and financial independence is a major contributor to gender inequality in India. The creation of women-owned MSME businesses in the cottage and F&B industry not only provides women with job opportunities, but also empowers them in the sense that they no longer need to be socioeconomically subordinate to their male representatives. Towards this need, the aim of this study was to understand the factors that impact the financial independence of India’s urban-based women entrepreneurs owning small F&B businesses, as well as evaluate the impact of entrepreneurship on their social and economic empowerment. The sample set of the data were 21 urban India-based female entrepreneurs, between the ages of 20-60 years of age, owning small (less than 10 employees) businesses. The interviews and surveys were conducted in English. The results of this research study have established that the creation of MSME enterprises results in a significant increase in Indian women’s financial independence and social empowerment. While the 95% entrepreneurs aspire to upscale their business ventures, they are being held back by a lack of access to mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs and financial support. Qualitative analysis evidenced the ability of entrepreneurship to socially empower Indian women, through the formation of a professional identity, as well as newfound economic self-sufficiency. These findings imply that entrepreneurship is a tool that can be leveraged by government and non-profit organizations to radically increase Indian women’s financial independence and economic participation, leading to an increase in social empowerment as well.

Some inequalities and majorization for products of τ-measurable operators

In this paper, for a semi-finite von Neumann algebra mathcal{M}, we study the Young, Hölder and Heinz means inequalities and extend results for τ-measurable operators. We obtain some refinements of the those inequalities for τ-measurable operators. We have also presented several inequalities in the sense of majorization.

Tightening and reversing the arithmetic-harmonic mean inequality for symmetrizations of convex sets

This paper deals with four symmetrizations of a convex set [Formula: see text]: the intersection, the harmonic and the arithmetic mean, and the convex hull of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. A well-known result of Firey shows that those means build up a subset-chain in the given order. On the one hand, we determine the dilatation factors, depending on the asymmetry of [Formula: see text], to reverse the containments between any of those symmetrizations. On the other hand, we tighten the relations proven by Firey and show a stability result concerning those factors near the simplex.

Comparing functional outcomes in minimally invasive versus open inguinal hernia repair using the army physical fitness test.

The advantages of minimally invasive inguinal hernia repair (MIHR) over open hernia repair (OHR) continue to be debated. We compared MIHR to OHR by utilizing the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) as an outcome measure. The APFT is a three-component test scored on a normalized 300 point scale taken semiannually by active-duty military. We identified 1119 patients who met inclusion criteria: 588 in the OHR group and 531 in the MIHR group. Changes in APFT scores, time on post-operative duty restrictions (military profile), and time interval to first post-operative APFT were compared using regression analysis. Postoperatively, no APFT score change difference was observed between the OHR or MIHR groups (-7.3 ± 30 versus -5.5 ± 27.7, p = 0.2989). Service members undergoing OHR and MIHR underwent their first post-operative APFT at equal mean timeframes (6.6 ± 5months versus 6.7 ± 5.1, p = 0.74). No difference was observed for time in months spent on an official temporary duty restriction (military profile) for either OHR or MIHR (0.16 ± 0.16 versus 0.15 ± 0.17, p = 0.311). On adjusted regression analysis, higher pre-operative APFT scores and BMI ≥ 30 were independently associated with reduction in post-operative APFT scores. Higher-baseline APFT scores were independently associated with less time on a post-operative profile, whereas higher BMI (≥ 30) and lower rank were independently associated with longer post-operative profile duration. Higher-baseline APFT scores and lower rank were independently associated with shorter time intervals to the first post-operative APFT. Overall, no differences in post-operative APFT scores, military profile time, or time to first post-operative APFT were observed between minimally invasive or open hernioplasty in this military population.

On Fractional Newton Inequalities via Coordinated Convex Functions

In this paper, firstly, we present an integral identity for functions of two variables via Riemann–Liouville fractional integrals. Then, a Newton-type inequality via partially differentiable coordinated convex mappings is derived by taking the absolute value of the obtained identity. Moreover, several inequalities are obtained with the aid of the Hölder and power mean inequality. In addition, we investigate some Newton-type inequalities utilizing mappings of two variables with bounded variation. Finally, we gave some mathematical examples and their graphical behavior to validate the obtained inequalities.

INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE VARIABLES OF SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND GENDER INDEX (SIGI) IN MENA COUNTRIES: THE NONLINEAR CANONICAL CORRELATION ANALYSIS

Gender equality means that women and men have equal rights in many fields, and that all individuals benefit from all social services equally without any discrimination. Inequality in this area is called gender inequality. Various measurement tools have been developed to measure gender inequality. The Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) is one of these measurement methods. In the study, discrimination in the family and restricted civil liberties, which are two sub-dimensions of SIGI, are discussed and the relationship between them is investigated within MENA countries. In the investigation of this relationship, nonlinear canonical correlation analysis, which is one of the multivariate statistical methods and used in the analysis of categorical variables, is preferred. As a result of the analysis, the existence of the relationship between the variables belonging to the sub-dimensions is confirmed by the Chi-Square independence test, and the strength of the relationship is determined by calculating the contingency coefficient obtained as a result of this test. According to the findings, a very high correlation is determined between the two sub-dimensions and most of the variables of these sub-dimensions.

Modeling of gaseous emissions and soot in 3D-CFD in-cylinder simulations of spark-ignition engines: A methodology to correlate numerical results and experimental data

In order to reduce development costs and time-to market, 1D and 3D CFD tools can support engine design providing reliable estimations of the tailpipe emissions. In particular, 3D-CFD in-cylinder simulations can evaluate formation of both soot and gaseous pollutants inside the combustion chamber. The main issue in such kind of simulations is the validation against experimental findings. In fact, the complexity of the emission measurements does not allow a straightforward one-to-one comparison between numerical and experimental results. Therefore the present paper aims at providing, on the one hand, a robust numerical framework for both gaseous and solid emissions, on the other hand a dedicated post-processing for a fair comparison between simulations and experiments. From a numerical standpoint, a simplified approach is dedicated to gaseous emissions, while a more detailed one is reserved to soot modeling. The latter is based on the Sectional Method, whose reaction rates are tabulated following 0D chemical kinetic simulations of a purposely designed surrogate in a constant pressure reactor. Simulations and experiments proposed in the present analysis are referred to a high-performance turbocharged direct-injection spark-ignition engine operated at part-load and low rpms. On equal performance, revving speed and mean mixture quality, different injection timings are investigated. The developed numerical approach and post-processing ensure a good agreement between simulations and experiments.

Estimations of the Slater Gap via Convexity and Its Applications in Information Theory

Convexity has played a prodigious role in various areas of science through its properties and behavior. Convexity has booked record developments in the field of mathematical inequalities in the recent few years. The Slater inequality is one of the inequalities which has been acquired with the help of convexity. In this note, we obtain some estimations for the Slater gap while dealing with the notion of convexity in an extensive manner. We acquire the deliberated estimations by utilizing the definition of convex function, Jensen’s inequality for concave functions, and triangular, power mean, and Hölder inequalities. We discuss several consequences of the main results in terms of inequalities for the power means. Moreover, by utilizing the main results, we give estimations for the Csiszár and Kullback–Leibler divergences, Shannon entropy, and the Bhattacharyya coefficient. Furthermore, we present some estimations for the Zipf–Mandelbrot entropy as additional applications of the acquired results. The perception and approaches adopted in this note may pretend more research in this direction.

New Class of Multivalent Functions with Negative Coefficients

In the present paper, we define a new class NA(n,p,λ,α,β) of multivalent functions which are holomorphic in the unit disk ∆ ={s∈C∶|s|<1}. A necessary and sufficient condition for functions to be in the class NA(n,p,λ,α,β) is obtained. Also, we get some geometric properties like radii of starlikeness, convexity and close-to-convexity, closure theorems, extreme points, integral means inequalities and integral operators.

SOCIAL EQUALITY AND DEMOCRACY AS A WAY OF LIFE: DR B R AMBEDKAR

Political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of it social democracy. What does social democracy mean? It means a way of life which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity as the principles of life. Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Social equality is a concept seldom fully achieved, whereby all members of a society have completely equal treatment, opportunity and access to resources. There would be few separating strata, such as differentiations between genders, races, religious groups, or income that give some people more opportunities than others. This is different than socialism, where everyone has approximately the same amount of resources. Instead, true social equality means that no matter what society members have or who they are, they are treated equally and have equal opportunities. The idea of social equality is often intimately tied to concepts of egalitarianism in both of its forms. This concept either represents the sense, from a political standpoint, that all people deserve equal rights and treatment, or it is a movement that proposes a society should specifically direct its resources toward promoting equality of wealth. The latter stance is more of a socialistic approach, and the former is something adopted by many countries. It’s argued that the two definitions are related, because in so many societies, wealth confers additional power, and without addressing income inequities, there can be no true social equality. Social equality means that all the citizens are entitled to enjoy equal status in society and no one is entitled to special privileges. There should not be any distinction of caste and creed, colour and race, groups and classes, clans and tribes All should have an equal opportunity to develop his personality. All citizens In India enjoy social equality.

The Contestation of the Family Law Discourse in the Digital Age: Islam, State, and Gender

This study examines the contestation of gender discourse in family law on social media and its relationship to religion and state law. This study seeks to answer three questions: how gender relations in the family are constructed on social media, how the struggle for the meaning of gender equality in family law occurs on social media, and why some digital activists in Indonesia have a dualistic understanding of religious law and state law in the context of family law. This is a qualitative study employing approaches from discourse analysis. Utilizing Bourdieu's theory, the researcher examines the contestation of gender relations discourse on social media. There are two groups with opposing viewpoints: those who oppose equality and those who support it. This study demonstrates that each gender narrative agent develops the discourse about the relationships between men and women using a variety of media, including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and an official website. Each has a large number of social media followers. There are numerous ways to disseminate discourse, including lectures, short videos, quotations, images, and scholarly articles. In the context of its relationship to state law, the first group tends to place the state in an overbearing role. This is understood due to the attitude of the state, which governs a number of matters not covered by the Shari'a. In contrast, the second group views religion and state law as mutually beneficial and therefore inseparable. There are a number of conclusions based on a variety of evidence, one of which is that religious authority in the media is fractured based on religious group affiliation, particularly in the family law debate. The problem of authority in the media is no longer defined by a character's scientific aptitude but by who has the most control over the media and the largest number of followers. In addition, sources of religious discourse, particularly family law, have shifted to a variety of media. In order to determine an authority's perspective in the media, it is vital to consider the fundamental values of Islam and perspectives that do not conflict with religion and the state.

The Women’s Rights in Divorce and Gender Equality Discourse in The Dynamics of Divorce in Madura

This study investigates the dynamics of divorce in Madura and women's rights in divorce from a gender perspective. There are three main issues addressed in this study, those are the dynamics of divorce in Madura, women's rights in divorce, and gender equalities. This study is field research with a qualitative approach. The data used comes from primary data and secondary data. By conducting an in-depth analysis based on the sociological theory of gender, particularly Talcott Parson's theory of structural feminism, this study found some findings; firstly, the number of divorces, either from talaq divorce or judicial divorce, in Madura in the last five years has increased. This is because of the decline in ethics such as polygamy without the permission of the first wife, the low-income factor, the presence of a third party either due to parental interference or infidelity with other people, and disharmony due to disputes and differences of opinion; secondly, the number of divorce cases in Madura in the last five years has been dominated by judicial divorce rather than talaq divorce. In 2021, the percentage of judicial divorce compared to talaq divorce is around 73.04% to 26.96%, meanwhile, in 2020, this ratio was only 25.49% to 74.51%. Besides, in 2019, this was about 67.63% to 32.39%, in 2018 it reached 64.23% to 35.77%, and in 2017 it was about 67.18% to 2.82%; thirdly, the phenomenon of increasing divorce by law in Madura indicates that there has been a shift in perception among women about the meaning of divorce, as a response to the presence of legislation that provides room for legitimacy for women to file for divorce. In the perspective of contemporary feminism, the space for legitimacy contains the meaning of gender equality, and the patriarchal culture begins to collapse which has long been attached to the social system of the Madurese community.

Fuzzy Ostrowski type inequalities via ϕ - λ -convex functions

We would like to state well-known Ostrowski inequality via \(\phi\)-\(\lambda\)-convex by using the Fuzzy Reimann integrals. In addition, we establish some Fuzzy Ostrowski type inequalities for the class of functions whose derivatives in absolute values at certain powers are \(\phi\)-\(\lambda\)-convex by Holder's and power mean inequalities. We are introducing very first time that the class of \(\phi\)-\(\lambda\)-convex function, which is the generalization of many important classes including class of \(h\)-convex, Godunova-Levin \(s\)-convex, \(s\)-convex in the \(2^{\rm nd}\) kind and hence contains convex functions. It also contains class of \(P\)-convex and class of Godunova-Levin. In this way we also capture the results with respect to convexity of functions.

P1350: THE EFFICACY OF UPFRONT HIGH-DOSE CHEMOTHERAPY WITH AUTOLOGOUS STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION IN DECREASING RELAPSE RATE IN IV STAGE AND HIGH-INTERMEDIATE/HIGH IPI RISK GROUPS DLBCL

Background: Approximately 30% of patients(pts) with IPI≥2 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma(DLBCL) have relapsed after the frontline regimens. Upfront high-dose chemotherapy(HDCT) with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(auto-HSCT) can be an effective option to decrease the relapse rate and increase the response rate in these patients. Aims: To determine the significance of the upfront HDCT with auto-HSCT in decreasing relapse rate and increased response rate for IV stage DLBCL pts with unfavorable prognosis. Methods: Included 105 pts: DLBCL NOS, age 18-65, stage IV, IPI≥2, CR/PR after x6 CHOP/EPOCH+R from 2010 to 2019 at NMRC of Oncology named after N.N.Petrov of MoH of Russia were retrospectively analyzed. HSCT group (G1) includes pts with upfront HDCT followed by auto-HSCT (n=35). The control group (G2) includes pts with non-invasive follow-up after induction only (n=70). Groups had equal mean (53,4±21.2 mon in G1 vs 48,9±12.5 mon in G2, p=0.71) observation period and mean (48.0±11.7 yrs in G1 vs 48.9±12.5 yrs in G2, p=0.72) age. No difference was in sex (51% (18/35) men in G1 vs 45.7% (32/70) in G2, p = 0.67), IPI (71.4% (25/35) IPI≥3 pts in G1 vs 58.5% (41/70) IPI≥3 pts in G2, p=0.28) or extranodal (E) involvement (77.1% (27/35) pts with >1 E in G1 vs 71.4% (50/70) in G2, p=0.69). Extra with lung lesions (EL) was detected in 20% (7/35) pts in G1 vs 21,4% (15/70, p=0.86) in G2; with adrenal lesions (EA) in 20% (7/35) pts in G1 vs 6% (4/66, p=0.055) in G2. MYC and BCL-2 coexpression were analyzed in 100% (35/35) pts samples in G1 and in 74.2% (52/70) samples in G2 and were present in 37% (13/35) G1 pts and 31/52 G2 pts, p=0.0503. Between-group comparisons were conducted using a χ2, χ2 with Yates correction(Yates), Fisher’s exact test or McNemar criteria with Yates in paired samples for categorical variables and a two-sided independent t-test for continuous variables. A two-sided p-value of <0.05 significance level was considered to be statistically significant in all analyses. Results: Upfront HSCT significantly increased number of complete responses(CR) from 63% (22/35) after induction to 100% (35/35) after HSCT, p = 0.0009. Early relapse rate (RR) was significantly lower in G1 pts (2.8%(1/35) in HSCT vs 21.4%(15/70) in G2, p=0,027). Overall RR was borderline (8.5%(3/35) in G1 vs 27.1%(19/70) in G2, p=0,051). In combined group analysis, early RR was significanty lower in pts with double-expressor lymphomas (DEL) treated by upfront HSCT - 0%(0/13) in G1 vs 57.1%(12/21) in G2, p<0.001. Also, DEL was a worsening factor in overall RR(0% (0/13) in G1 vs 66.6%(14/21) in G2, p=0.013). Lung E significantly increased overall RR in control group (0%(0/7) in G1 vs 60%(9/15) in G2, p=0.021). In subgroup analysis no significant factors for overall and early RR were detected in HSCT group. In control group early RR was higher if pts had DEL (57.1%(12/21) DEL+ vs 16.1%(5/31) DEL-, p=0.003) or EA (75%(3/4) EA+ vs 24.2%(16/66) EA-, p=0.041). Overall RR was significantly increased in pts with DEL (66.6%(14/21) DEL+ vs 16.1%(5/31) DEL-, p<0,001) and with EL(60%(9/15) EL+ vs 18.1%(10/55) EL-, p=0.04). Summary/Conclusion: 1. Complete response rate significantly increased in 18-65 yrs, DLBCL NOS, IV stage, IPI≥2 pts treated by upfront HSCT. 2. Upfront HSCT significantly decreasing early RR and have tend to decrease overall RR in 18-65 yrs, DLBCL NOS, IV stage, IPI≥2 pts. 3. Double-expressor lymphoma increasing overall and early RR in 18-65 yrs, DLBCL NOS, IV stage, IPI≥2 pts. More than one site extranodal involvement with lung or adrenal lesions increasing overall and early RR correspondingly.

Global sex differences in hygiene norms and their relation to sex equality.

Strict norms about hygiene may sometimes have health benefits but may also be a burden. Based on research in the United States, it has been suggested that women traditionally shoulder responsibility for hygiene standards and therefore tend to have stricter views on hygiene. However, there is little systematic research on sex differences in hygiene norms at the global scale. We set up two hypotheses: (1) Stricter hygiene norms among women than among men is a global phenomenon. (2) The size of this sex difference varies across nations with the level of sex equality. We examine these hypotheses using data from a recent international survey (N = 17,632). Participants in 56 countries were asked for their views of where it is not appropriate for people to spit and in which situations people should wash their hands. As a measure of sex equality, we use an existing country-level measure of attitudes to equality between the sexes, available for 49 nations in the study. Stricter hygiene norms among women than among men are observed almost everywhere, but there are a few exceptions (most notably Nigeria and Saudi Arabia). The size of the sex difference in hygiene norms varies strongly with the level of sex equality, but in a non-linear way. The sex difference is most pronounced in moderately egalitarian countries with the highest recorded difference being in Chile. In more egalitarian parts of the world, more sex equality is associated with a smaller sex difference in hygiene norms. In the less egalitarian parts of the world, the opposite relation holds. We offer an interpretation in terms of what different levels of sex equality mean for the content of sex roles.

Evaluation of Agricultural Projects and Extension Services of the Bayelsa State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP)

The study evaluated the agricultural projects and extension services of the Bayelsa State Agricultural Development Programme. Three specific objectives and hypotheses were developed to guide the study. A descriptive survey design was employed to observe a cross-section of the population of the farmers in the three ADP zones, in Bayelsa State. Both purposive and proportionate sampling techniques were used to select two hundred and fifty – four (254) registered farmers for the study. Descriptive statistics such as percentage, arithmetic, and weighted mean scores were used, while inferential statistics - Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05% level of probability. The findings showed that agricultural projects carried out in Bayelsa State within the past five years were: Fish farming (GM = 3.18), cropping practices of most crops (GM = 2.97), poultry production (GM = 2.71), seed multiplication/Yam minisette technology (GM = 2.70) and snail farming (GM = 2.59), among others. The findings also cataloged the agro projects that have not been carried out in the area including Yam bag technology (GM = 1.83), Goat/sheep farming (GM = 1.94), Grasscutter/Rabbit farming (GM = 1.80), processing of tubers/grains/plantains into flour and farmers' cooperative formation with an equal grand mean (GM = 2.32), among others. The result indicated that only: Fish farming (GM = 2.89), organic farming (GM = 2.76), poultry production (GM = 2.70), cropping practices of few crops, and snail farming with a marching grand mean (GM = 2.66) had high adoption rate in the study area. Finally, the findings showed that: Lack of insurance practices by farmers (GM = 3.68), when the farmers are not involved in the planning of the project (GM = 3.50), weak government policies/leap services in agriculture (GM = 3.30), when the projects are not guided by the needs of farmers (GM = 3.23), inadequate agricultural credits (GM = 3.14), lack of incentives for farmers (GM = 3.13) and when projects are gender-specific (GM = 3.10), among many other factors add up to the most serious challenges in adopting agricultural projects in Bayelsa State. All the ANOVA results in this study showed that the views of the registered farmers on the agricultural projects carried out by ADP in the past five years did not differ significantly among the three ADP zones in Bayelsa State at a P &gt; 0.05 significant level. The study, therefore, recommended among others that: Agricultural Development Project (ADP) should beef up its extension package and extend worthwhile services to the farmers in their zones; Engagement of qualified Extension Agents in the Ministry of Agriculture with a clear mandate to assist the farm families to grow should be emphasized in Bayelsa State, and Registered farmers should be formed into cooperative groups and be involved in planning agricultural programs that concern them.

Urine concentrations of selected trace metals in a cohort of Irish adults

Human biomonitoring studies are of increasing importance in regulatory toxicology; however, there is a paucity of human biomonitoring data for the Irish population. In this study, we provide new data for urinary biomarker concentrations of aluminium, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, manganese, lead and selenium. One hundred urine samples, collected between 2011 and 2014 from healthy participants of the EuroMOTOR project, were randomly selected. Metal concentrations were measured via ICPMS. Descriptive statistics for each of the metals stratified by gender were performed. There were 58 male and 42 female participants and metals were detectable for all samples. Geometric mean urinary concentrations for each metal in males were as follows: aluminium 8.5 μg/L, arsenic 8.1 μg/L, cadmium 0.3 μg/L, chromium 0.5 μg/L, copper 5.1 μg/L, mercury 0.4 μg/L, manganese 0.3 μg/L, lead 1.3 μg/L and selenium 10.8 μg/L; and in females: aluminium 8.5 μg/L, arsenic 10.2 μg/L, cadmium 0.4 μg/L, chromium 0.6 μg/L, copper 5.6 μg/L, mercury 0.3 μg/L, manganese 0.2 μg/L, lead 1.6 μg/L and selenium 13.7 μg/L. We observed higher geometric mean concentrations in women for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and selenium, with equal geometric mean concentrations for aluminium and manganese, leaving only mercury with lower geometric mean concentrations in women. Aluminium, cadmium, chromium, lead and urinary concentrations of metals were slightly elevated compared to European data, while for arsenic, copper, manganese and selenium, Irish levels were lower. Our findings highlight that there are differences in urinary metal concentrations between European populations.