Effects of growth media and water quantity on seedling growth and survival of Rothmannia hispida (K. schum)

The study investigated the effects of growth medium and water quantity on seedling growth of Rothmannia hispida with a view of promoting its  conservation. The study was conducted at the Nursery of the Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management unit,  University of Port Harcourt. Seeds were collected from Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Edo State. Three hundred and sixty seeds were selected and sown into three growth media which were replicated three times before laying the experiment in a Completely Randomized Design. Fifteen healthy seedlings were selected and replicated three times. A total of one hundred and thirty five seedlings were used for the experiment. Three watering applications at (0.5 litres, 0.75 litres and 1.5 litres) were used. This was allowed to seep into the polypot at five drops per minute; the experiment was arranged in a 3x3 factorial design. Growth parameters were assessed to estimate the optimum water requirement at the nursery. Destructive sampling was carried out on all the seedlings for root length assessment. The results on the effects of growth media and water quantity were significant (α0.05) on height, number of leaves and root length, the highest mean value for watering volume was recorded as 0.75 litres (10.22±2.570) followed by 0.75 litre (3.267 ±1.52) and 1.5 litres had (7.431±2.313) respectively while the highest mean value for growth medium on  plant height, number of leaves and root length was recorded as mixture (10.15±2.342), mixture (3.275±1.156) and sawdust (7.938±2.112)  respectively. The assessment on collar diameter showed no significant difference (α0.05). The study shows that better growth parameters could be achieved using watering volume of 0.75 litres and mixtures of growth media. Keywords: Growth media, water quantity, seedlings, poly pot, Rothmannia hispida&nbsp

Oscillatory Flow and Particle Suspension in a Fluid Through an Elastic Tube

Womersley gave a solution for the case of a thin-walled elastic tube, it being assumed that the effect of the inertia term in the equations of viscous fluid motion can be neglected. He did not consider the presence of particles, to account for the blood cells in the blood, within the viscous flow through the tube (artery). In this paper, the corresponding solution for an oscillatory flow and particle suspension in a fluid (blood), to account for blood cells, through an elastic tube is obtained. This solution is the frequency equation as it was obtained by Womersley but it has a different structure. If the volume fraction particle density , is removed from this solution it collapses to give the same equation as Womersley’s case, without particles. Keywords: Oscillatory flow, Particle suspension, Elastic tube, Periodic functio

Resource Allocation for Epidemic Control in Metapopulations

Deployment of limited resources is an issue of major importance for decision-making in crisis events. This is especially true for large-scale outbreaks of infectious diseases. Little is known when it comes to identifying the most efficient way of deploying scarce resources for control when disease outbreaks occur in different but interconnected regions. The policy maker is frequently faced with the challenge of optimizing efficiency (e.g. minimizing the burden of infection) while accounting for social equity (e.g. equal opportunity for infected individuals to access treatment). For a large range of diseases described by a simple SIRS model, we consider strategies that should be used to minimize the discounted number of infected individuals during the course of an epidemic. We show that when faced with the dilemma of choosing between socially equitable and purely efficient strategies, the choice of the control strategy should be informed by key measurable epidemiological factors such as the basic reproductive number and the efficiency of the treatment measure. Our model provides new insights for policy makers in the optimal deployment of limited resources for control in the event of epidemic outbreaks at the landscape scale

POTENTIALS AND CHALLENGES OF COMMUNITY BANKS IN AGRIBUSINESS FINANCING FOR SMALL FARMERS IN JOS SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STATE

Capital is regarded as a major factor for expanding production and modernizing Agriculture. The need to provide it to farmers is inevitable because it is an instrument in fostering Agricultural development and for improving efficiency in the production process. The contemporary practice of agriculture requires capital support, which is a handicap to small farmers. A research was conducted in Jos South L.G.A to assess the effectiveness of rural credit delivery system of community banks to provide resources to poor farmers. A set of 65 data collection instruments was administered to farmers and bank officials in a multi-stage random selection technique. Descriptive statistics was adopted to analyse socio-economic characteristics of the farmers while inferential statistics was adopted to test the hypotheses of the study. Findings revealed that majority of the farmers are yet to benefit from community banks (88%). The result of the hypotheses test indicates that information gap, inadequate and timely supply of inputs of production, time of loan disbursement, value of loan package are all statistically significant to sourcing of credit from the bank by farmers. It is recommended that farmer friendly banking policy be adopted to encourage farmers to patronize community banks.Agricultural Finance,

Genetic Modification of Animals: Potential benefits and concerns

Genetic modification (GM), a process whereby gene and genotype frequencies are changed among individuals of each generation, is driven by  natural and artificial forces. Natural forces include mutation, fitness and migration/introgression, while artificial forces include selection,  crossbreeding and transgenesis/genetic engineering. Genetic modification, driven by natural forces, is essentially adaptive, while modification driven by artificial forces is controlled by human intervention aimed at meeting food, health and other needs. Conventional genetic modification, under sexual reproduction within species, produces both beneficial and negative effects. Modern genetic modification – interspecific exchange of genes using genetic engineering – has beneficial and negative effects as well, which are at varying degrees depending on the species involved. Control/management systems/mechanisms are developed and applied to enable societal benefits while minimizing/preventing negative effects of conventional and modern genetic modification. Targeted analysis of selected nutrients in animal products is made on a case-by-case basis to test substantial equivalence of any compositional changes resulting from genetic modification. Unique identifiers are established to track GM animals and their products in the food chain. Modification génétique, processus par lequel les fréquences des gènes et des génotypes sont changes parmi les individus de chaque génération, est entraînée par des forces naturelles et artificielles. Les forces naturelles incluent la mutation, compétence de mère/père pour se  reproduire/survivre et la migration / introgression. Les forces artificielles comprennent la sélection, le croisement et la transgénèse / génie génétique. La modification génétique entraînée par les forces naturelles est essentiellement adaptative, tandis que celle entraînée par les forces artificielles est contrôlée par une intervention humaine visant à répondre aux besoins alimentaires, sanitaires et autres. La modification génétique conventionnelle, lors de la reproduction sexuelle au sein des espèces, produit des effets à la fois bénéfiques et négatifs. Modification génétique moderne - échange interspécifique de gènes par génie génétique - a également des effets bénéfiques et négatifs mais à des degrés divers selon les espèces impliquées. Des systèmes / mécanismes de contrôle / gestion sont développés et appliqués pour permettre des avantages pour la société tout en minimisant / empêchant les effets négatifs des modifications génétiques conventionnelles et modernes. Une analyse ciblée de nutriments sélectionnés dans les produits d’origine animale est effectuée au cas par cas afin de tester l’équivalence substantielle de tout changement de composition résultant d’une modification génétique. Des identifiants uniques sont établis pour suivre les animaux GM et leurs produits dans la chaîne alimentaire

Isolation and Selective Glycosylation of Antisalmonellal Anthraquinones From the Stem Bark of Morinda Lucida Benth. (Rubiaceae)

In this work we report the isolation, identification and antibacterial activity of two anthraquinones, 2-hydroxy-1-methoxyanthraquinone (1) and 2,5-dihydroxy-1-methoxy-6-methoxymethylanthraquinone (2), from the stem bark of Morinda lucida. These two natural products were selectively converted into two new glycosylated derivatives, 2-hydroxy-1-methoxyanthraquinone-4′-O-methyl-2-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (3) and 2,5-dihydroxy-1-methoxy-6-methoxymethylanthraquinone-4′-O-methyl-2-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (4) by the filamentous fungus Beauveria bassiana ATCC 7159. Structure elucidation was accomplished based on the 1D and 2D NMR, IR and mass spectra. The glycosylated compounds 3 and 4 showed higher in vitro antibacterial activity against Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica sérovars Typhimurim (MIC of 8 μg/mL each) than the corresponding aglycons 1 and 2 (MIC of 16 μg/mL and 32 μg/mL, respectively). These results indicated that microbial glycosylation is an effective approach to modify natural products for enhanced biological activities

Emergence of antibiotic resistance in immunocompromised host populations: A case study of emerging antibiotic resistant tuberculosis in AIDS patients

Objective The evolution of antibiotic resistance is far outpacing the development of new antibiotics, causing global public health concern about infections that will increasingly be unresponsive to antimicrobials. This risk of emerging antibiotic resistance may be meaningfully altered in highly AIDS-immunocompromised populations. Such populations fundamentally alter the bacterial evolutionary landscape in two ways, which we seek to model and analyze. First, widespread, population-level immunoincompetence creates a novel host environment with disrupted selective pressures. Second, within AIDS-prevalent populations, the recommendation that antibiotics be taken to treat and prevent opportunistic infection raises the risk of selection for drug-resistant pathogens. Design To determine the impact of HIV/AIDS on the emergence of antibiotic resistance–specifically in the developing world where high prevalence and economic challenges complicate disease management. Methods We present an SEIR epidemiological model of bacterial infection, and parametrize it to capture HIV/AIDS-attributable emergence of resistance under conditions of both high and low HIV/AIDS prevalence. Results We demonstrate that HIV/AIDS-immunocompromised hosts can be responsible for a disproportionately greater contribution to emergence of resistance than would be expected based on population-wide HIV/AIDS prevalence alone. As such, the AIDS-immunocompromised have the potential become wellsprings of novel, resistant, opportunistic pathogen strains that can propagate into the broader global community. We discuss how public health policies for HIV/AIDS management can shape the evolutionary environment for opportunistic bacterial infections

Data-driven models to predict the elimination of sleeping sickness in former Equateur province of DRC.

Approaching disease elimination, it is crucial to be able to assess progress towards key objectives using quantitative tools. For Gambian human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), the ultimate goal is to stop transmission by 2030, while intermediary targets include elimination as a public health problem - defined as <1 new case per 10,000 inhabitants in 90% of foci, and <2000 reported cases by 2020. Using two independent mathematical models, this study assessed the achievability of these goals in the former Equateur province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which historically had endemic levels of disease. The two deterministic models used different assumptions on disease progression, risk of infection and non-participation in screening, reflecting biological uncertainty. To validate the models a censor-fit-uncensor procedure was used to fit to health-zone level data from 2000 to 2012; initially the last six years were censored, then three and the final step utilised all data. The different model projections were used to evaluate the expected transmission and reporting for each health zone within each province under six intervention strategies using currently available tools. In 2012 there were 197 reported HAT cases in former Equateur reduced from 6828 in 2000, however this reflects lower active testing for HAT (1.3% of the population compared to 7.2%). Modelling results indicate that there are likely to be <300 reported cases in former Equateur in 2020 if screening continues at the mean level for 2000-2012 (6.2%), and <120 cases if vector control is introduced. Some health zones may fail to achieve <1 new case per 10,000 by 2020 without vector control, although most appear on track for this target using medical interventions alone. The full elimination goal will be harder to reach; between 39 and 54% of health zones analysed may have to improve their current medical-only strategy to stop transmission completely by 2030

The Cameroon Academy of Sciences model of evidence-based science advice

The evidence-based science advice (ESA) effort of the Cameroon Academy of Sciences (CAS) since 23 years has been reviewed. The objective throughout has been to enable science influence policy/decision making at all levels – national, regional and global. The key partners of CAS included the United States National Academy of Sciences (USNAS), the German Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina), the Royal Society of United Kingdom, as well as the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC), the InterAcademy Partnership (Science, Health, Research), the Commonwealth Science Academies and the International Science Council. The mechanisms used included consensus studies, workshops, public lectures, participation in sectoral committees, summaries of key scientific publications and joint statements. Priorities handled through convening activities were triggered by policy/decision making sector requests or Academy foresights. The response/impact of the effort varied from media coverage through policy/programme change/orientation. The major challenges faced included insufficient financial/human resources, inadequate office space, and weak links with government. These challenges must be addressed to enable effective evidence-based science advice which is increasingly unavoidable for sustainable development.Keywords: Evidence-based science, advice, policy, decision-make