The Feeding Value of Hatchery Waste Meal in the Diets of Early-Weaned Piglets.

In an experiment designed to investigate the feeding value of hatchery waste meal (HWM) in the diets of early-weaned piglets, HWM was included in the experimental diets at 0, 7.5, 15, 22.5, and 30%. Thirty piglets weaned at 3 weeks were used for the experiment, which lasted for a period of 8 weeks in a complete randomized design. The results showed that pigs fed with the various treatments had comparable (P>0.05) feed to gain ratio. However, there was a gradual decrease in weight gain, nitrogen intake and nitrogen digestibility as the levels of HWM in the diets increased. The feed intake, weight gain, nitrogen intake and digestibility of the piglets fed on the control diet was significantly higher (

Geophysical Characterization of Abandoned Dumpsite Soil Properties for Pre- Foundation Delineation at Bowen University Campus, Iwo, Nigeria

Geophysical investigation and microstudy of soil properties were carried out within Bowen University, for the characterization of the subsurface pattern in the area using vertical electrical sounding (VES) survey and evaluation of soil properties with a view to mapping subsurface geological features, such as weak and competent zones and to determine the overburden thickness of the area for pre-foundation studies for a proposed high-rise building. Four (4) VES was carried out in the study area employing schlumberger electrode configuration. The data collected were used to curve match and the results used for subsequent interpretation to reveal the depth,  thickness and resistivity of the study area. In addition, soil samples were collected from three (3) selected points located at the entrance, centre and the end of the study area at about a depth 0-60 cm. Consequently, the VES results were presented as resist graph, which revealed the range of values for the depth (1.3 – 24.5), thickness (1.3 – 15.4 m) and resistivity (357.4 - 6311.6 ohms), which was later used to generated the geoelectric maps of the study area. It was also observed that the result of the soil propertiesrevealed that all the samples taken from the study area have low bulk density (1.41 g/cm3, 1.26 g/cm3, 1.36 g/cm3), high particle density (2.81 g/cm3, 2.94 g/cm3, 3.16 g/cm3), and high porosity (49.64%, 57.22%, 57.03%). In conclusion, it was observed that erection of high-rise building is not advisable within the study area since the results showed that theoverburden (depth to basement) is generally thick mostly greater than 15 m. Also revealed from the microstudy of soil properties is that foundation stability should be properly managed, since a porous soil does not  accommodate engineering activities except when an artificial basement is put in place.Keywords: Geophysical Investigation, Soil Analysis, Foundation Studies, Subsurface Competenc

Colorimetric Assay Of Naproxen Tablets by Derivatization Using 4-Carboxyl-2,6-Dinitrobenzene Diazonium Ion

A colorimetric assay of naproxen tablets based on chemical derivatization with the chromogenic reagent 4-carboxyl-2,6-dinitrobenzene diazonium ion was developed. The optimal reaction time was found to be 5 min at 30 oC after vortex mixing of the drug/reagent mixture for 10 s. The optimal analytical wavelength was found to be 470 nm and linearity of response was obtained between 1-7 μgml-1 of naproxen. The diazo coupling reaction occurred in a 2:1 reagent-drug stoichiometric ratio. The method is sensitive, accurate (mean recovery 101.06±3.06 %), reproducible (imprecision 3.03 % CV) and has a low limit of detection (0.95 μgm-1). It was applied in the assay of naproxen tablets with equivalent accuracy (p>0.05) to the official (BP) UV spectrophotometric method but combined the advantages of speed and more affordable instrumentation. The method can be applied in the in-process quality control of naproxen tablets.Keywords: Naproxen assay, 4-carboxyl-2,6-dintrobenzene diazonium ion (CDNBD), colorimetry, diazo coupling reactionEast and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Vol. 12 (2009) 8-1

Anaemia in pregnancy maternal and perinatal outcome in Ibadan, south western Nigeria

Background: Anaemia during pregnancy is a global public health issue that may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Ante natal care should be concerned with early detection and management of all degrees of anaemia in pregnancy.Objectives: To determine the prevalence of anaemia and associated pregnancy outcomes among expectant mothers attending ante natal clinic at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.Subjects, Methods and Materials:A descriptive, longitudinal study of the maternal and perinatal outcomes of anaemia among an obstetric population at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.Results: Prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy was 6.5% with mild and moderate anaemia accounting for 4.6% and 2.2% respectively. Mild to moderate anaemia were not associated with adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes Conclusion: Prevalence of anaemia in our environment appears to be falling. Adverse maternal and perinatal outcome are unlikely with mild to moderate levels of anaemia.Keywords: Anaemia in pregnancy, prevalence, maternal outcome, perinatal outcome

Randomization of two dosing regimens of vaginal misoprostol for cervical ripening and labor induction in a low resource setting

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of two dosing regimens of vaginal misoprostol for cervical ripening and induction of labour.Materials and Methods: Pregnant women with singleton low risk pregnancy at term scheduled for elective induction of labour were randomized to  receive either 25 µg or 50 µg of vaginal misoprostol for pre.labour  cervical ripening. All the patients received antenatal care and delivered at the University College Hospital (UCH) from January 1st to May 31st 2006. A total of 128 patients were randomized; 65 patients received 25 µg and 63 patients received 50 µg of vaginal misoprostol.Results: Significantly higher number of patients in the 50 µg group   progressed to active labour as compared with the 25 µg group (95.2% versus 84.6%, P < 0.05). The need for oxytocin augmentation of labour was higher among the 25 µg as compared with 50 µg (39.7% versus 16.4%, P = 0.007). There was higher proportion of patients in the 50 µg group delivering vaginally within 24 hours as compared with the 25 µg group (98.2% versus 90.0%, P = 0.063). However, the mean interval between the first dose of misoprostol and vaginal delivery was not  statistically different in the two groups (754 } 362 minutes and 885 } 582 minutes, P = 0.152). The incidence of caesarean section was similar in the two groups (7.7% versus 11%, P = 0.580). Labour complications, such as precipitate labour, tachysystole and abnormal fetal heart rate patterns were greater in the 50 µg group.Conclusion: Twenty.five microgram of misoprostol appears to be as  effective as 50 µg for pre.induction cervical ripening and labour induction. Though 50 µg of vaginal misoprostol resulted in relatively faster delivery and less need for oxytocin augmentation, it was associated with more  labour complications as compared with 25 µg of misoprostol.Key words: Cervical ripening, labour induction, misoprosto

Prevalence of end-digit preference in recorded blood pressure by nurses: a comparison of measurements taken by mercury and electronic blood pressure-measuring devices

Objectives: When compared with the use of a mercury  sphygmomanometer, the use of a validated digital blood pressure (BP) measuring device eliminates the risk of exposure to mercury. Digital devices are also associated with a lesser degree of end-digit preference (EDP). EDP refers to the occurrence of a particular end digit more frequently than would be expected through chance alone. There have been only a few reports from Africa on the occurrence of EDP in BP measurement. This study examined EDP in BP taken by nurses before and after the introduction of a digital BP-measuring device. Design: The design was a retrospective study. Settings and subjects: We reviewed the BP readings of 58 patients who presented at the dedicated clinic for people living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria, before and after the introduction of the digital BP-measuring device. Outcome measures: The prevalence of end-digit zero of systolic and diastolic BP readings before and after the introduction of the digital device was compared using McNemar’s test. Results: There was a large and significant fall in end-digit zero when BP readings that were taken using the mercury and digital devices were compared (systolic 98.1% vs. 10.9%, p-value < 0.001; diastolic 97.1% vs. 14.9%, p-value < 0.001 (McNemar’s test). Conclusion: There was a significant reduction in the frequency of end-digit zero when BP was taken with the digital devicerather than the mercury device. Regular training and certification of healthcare workers in BP measurement is recommended to ensure a high quality BP measurement standard.Keywords: blood pressure measurement, mercury sphygmomanometer, digital blood pressure-measuring devices, end-digit preferenc

Misconception about ultrasound among Nigerian women attending specialist and tertiary health institutions in Ibadan

Background: In women health, ultrasound is well established as a safe tool, and it is often the first imaging modality employed in the, screening, investigation and treatment of conditions in obstetrics and gynaecology. However, women's misconceptions about health issues, aetiology and treatment of diseases conditions may have negative impact on their health care seeking behaviour. Client's perspective of diagnosis including investigation process is therefore crucial in health care. This study aimed at finding out the misconceptions expressed by clients about ultrasound, and the potential predictors associated with this attitude among women in Nigeria.Method: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 3137 women who presented for transabdominal ultrasound scan between August and November 2010 in two referral hospitals in Nigeria. Data were obtained using a questionnaire. Descriptive and multivariate analysis was performed applying logistic regression analysis; predictors of misconceptions  expressed by clients about ultrasound, and misconceptions among women in Nigeria were identified using SPSS Statistics (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL) version 17 software.Results: The mean age of the women was 33.8 years (standard deviation = 7.9), with 88.8% currently married. More than half of the responders had tertiary education (56.6%), followed by secondary school education  (34.5%), primary education (7.8%) and no formal education (1.1%). There were 59 women who held the misconception that ultrasound was dangerous to health accounting for 1.9% of the study population. The reasons given by this group of women Included; 'ultrasound can kill or destroys the body cells' (35.6%); it can cause cancer (15.3%); 'the radiation is only dangerous to some organs of the body' (6.8%); it can harm or deform the fetus (6.7%); it is only dangerous when exposure is frequent (5.1%); and only dangerous when handled by unskilled medical personnel (1.7%).Conclusion: This study provides insight to the wide range of issues about clients' perception and misconception regarding ultrasound safety. These issues have to be addressed to improve better compliance and patronage about ultrasound scans in Nigeria. We suggest that robust counseling session is imperative to address all the views and possible concerns of clients to improve better service delivery

Comparison of transcriptome-derived simple sequence repeat (SSR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for genetic fingerprinting, diversity evaluation, and establishment of relationships in eggplants

[EN] Simple sequence repeat (SSR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers are amongst the most common markers of choice for studies of diversity and relationships in horticultural species. We have used 11 SSR and 35 SNP markers derived from transcriptome sequencing projects to fingerprint 48 accessions of a collection of brinjal (Solanum melongena), gboma (S. macrocarpon) and scarlet (S. aethiopicum) eggplant complexes, which also include their respective wild relatives S. incanum, S. dasyphyllum and S. anguivi. All SSR and SNP markers were polymorphic and 34 and 36 different genetic fingerprints were obtained with SSRs and SNPs, respectively. When combining both markers all accessions but two had different genetic profiles. Although on average SSRs were more informative than SNPs, with a higher number of alleles, genotypes and polymorphic information content (PIC), and expected heterozygosity (He) values, SNPs have proved highly informative in our materials. Low observed heterozygosity (Ho) and high fixation index (f) values confirm the high degree of homozygosity of eggplants. Genetic identities within groups of each complex were higher than with groups of other complexes, although differences in the ranks of genetic identity values among groups were observed between SSR and SNP markers. For low and intermediate values of pair-wise SNP genetic distances, a moderate correlation between SSR and SNP genetic distances was observed (r(2) = 0.592), but for high SNP genetic distances the correlation was low (r(2) = 0.080). The differences among markers resulted in different phenogram topologies, with a different eggplant complex being basal (gboma eggplant for SSRs and brinjal eggplant for SNPs) to the two others. Overall the results reveal that both types of markers are complementary for eggplant fingerprinting and that interpretation of relationships among groups may be greatly affected by the type of marker used.This work has been funded by European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 677379 (G2P-SOL project: Linking genetic resources, genomes and phenotypes of Solanaceous crops) and by Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (Grant AGL2015-64755-R from MINECO/FEDER). Pietro Gramazio is grateful to Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for a pre-doctoral contract (Programa FPI de la UPV-Subprograma 1/2013 call). Mariola Plazas is grateful to Spanish Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad for a post-doctoral grant within the Juan de la Cierva-Formacion programme (FJCI-2015-24835).Gramazio, P.; Prohens Tomás, J.; Borras, D.; Plazas Ávila, MDLO.; Herraiz García, FJ.; Vilanova Navarro, S. (2017). Comparison of transcriptome-derived simple sequence repeat (SSR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for genetic fingerprinting, diversity evaluation, and establishment of relationships in eggplants. Euphytica. 213(264):1-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-017-2057-3S118213264Acquadro A, Barchi L, Gramazio P et al (2017) Coding SNPs analysis highlights genetic relationships and evolution pattern in eggplant complexes. PLoS ONE 12:e0180774. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0180774Adeniji O, Kusolwa P, Reuben S (2013) Morphological descriptors and micro satellite diversity among scarlet eggplant groups. Afr Crop Sci J 21(1):37–49Aguoru C, Omoigui L, Olasan J (2015) Molecular characterization of Solanum species (Solanum aethiopicum complex; Solanum macrocarpon and Solanum anguivi) using multiplex RAPD primers. J Plant Stud 4:27–34. https://doi.org/10.5539/jps.v4n1p27Arumuganathan K, Earle E (1991) Nuclear DNA content of some important plant species. Plant Mol Biol Rep 9(3):208–218Ashrafi H, Hill T, Stoffel K et al (2012) De novo assembly of the pepper transcriptome (Capsicum annuum): a benchmark for in silico discovery of SNPs, SSRs and candidate genes. BMC Genom 13:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-13-571Augustinos AA, Petropoulos C, Karasoulou V et al (2016) Assessing diversity among traditional Greek and foreign eggplant cultivars using molecular markers and morphometrical descriptors. Span J Agric Res 14:e0710. https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2016144-9020Avise JC (2012) Molecular markers, natural history and evolution. Springer Science & Business Media, Berlin. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2381-9Blanca J, Cañizares J, Roig C et al (2011) Transcriptome characterization and high throughput SSRs and SNPs discovery in Cucurbita pepo (Cucurbitaceae). BMC Genom 12:104. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-12-104Botstein D, White RL, Skolnick M, Davis RW (1980) Construction of a genetic linkage map in man using restriction fragment length polymorphisms. Am J Hum Genet 32(3):314–331Bukenya Z, Carasco J (1994) Biosystematic study of Solanum macrocarpon—S. dasyphyllum complex in Uganda and relations with Solanum linnaeanum. East Afr Agric For J 59(3):187–204Castillo A, Budak H, Varshney RK et al (2008) Transferability and polymorphism of barley EST-SSR markers used for phylogenetic analysis in Hordeum chilense. BMC Plant Biol 8:97. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2229-8-97Choudhary S, Sethy NK, Shokeen B, Bhatia S (2009) Development of chickpea EST-SSR markers and analysis of allelic variation across related species. Theor Appl Genet 118:591–608. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-008-0923-zCoates BS, Sumerford DV, Miller NJ et al (2009) Comparative performance of single nucleotide polymorphism and microsatellite markers for population genetic analysis. J Hered 100:556–564. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esp028D’Agostino N, Golas T, van de Geest H et al (2013) Genomic analysis of the native European Solanum species, S. dulcamara. BMC Genom 14:356. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-14-356Daunay MC, Hazra P (2012) Eggplant. In: Peter KV, Hazra P (eds) Handbook of Vegetables. Studium Press, Houston, pp 257–322Davey J, Hohenlohe P, Etter P et al (2011) Genome-wide genetic marker discovery and genotyping using next-generation sequencing. Nat Rev Genet 12:499–510. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3012De Barba M, Miquel C, Lobréaux S et al (2016) High-throughput microsatellite genotyping in ecology: improved accuracy, efficiency, standardization and success with low-quantity and degraded DNA. Mol Ecol Resour 17(3):492–507. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.12594Doyle J, Doyle J (1987) A rapid DNA isolation procedure for small quantities of fresh leaf tissue. Phytochem Bull 19:11–15Ellegren H (2004) Microsatellites: simple sequences with complex evolution. Nat Rev Genet 5:435–445. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg1348Felsenstein, J (2007). PHYLIP (Phylogeny Inference Package) Version 3.67. Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USAFernandez-Silva I, Whitney J, Wainwright B (2013) Microsatellites for next-generation ecologists: a post-sequencing bioinformatics pipeline. PLoS ONE 8(2):e55990Filippi CV, Aguirre N, Rivas JG et al (2015) Population structure and genetic diversity characterization of a sunflower association mapping population using SSR and SNP markers. BMC Plant Biol 15:52. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-014-0360-xFischer MC, Rellstab C, Leuzinger M et al (2017) Estimating genomic diversity and population differentiation—an empirical comparison of microsatellite and SNP variation in Arabidopsis halleri. BMC Genom 18:69. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-016-3459-7Furini A, Wunder J (2004) Analysis of eggplant (Solanum melongena)-related germplasm: morphological and AFLP data contribute to phylogenetic interpretations and germplasm utilization. Theor Appl Genet 108:197–208. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-003-1439-1Gadaleta A, Giancaspro A, Zacheo S et al (2011) Comparison of genomic and EST-derived SSR markers in phylogenetic analysis of wheat. Plant Genet Resour 9:243–246. https://doi.org/10.1017/S147926211100030XGe H, Liu Y, Jiang M et al (2013) Analysis of genetic diversity and structure of eggplant populations (Solanum melongena L.) in China using simple sequence repeat markers. Sci Hortic 162:71–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2013.08.004Gonzaga ZJ (2015) Evaluation of SSR and SNP Markers for Molecular Breeding in Rice. Plant Breed Biotechnol 3:139–152. https://doi.org/10.9787/PBB.2015.3.2.139Goodwin S, McPherson J, McCombie W (2016) Coming of age: ten years of next-generation sequencing technologies. Nat Rev Genet 17(6):333–351Gramazio P, Blanca J, Ziarsolo P et al (2016) Transcriptome analysis and molecular marker discovery in Solanum incanum and S. aethiopicum, two close relatives of the common eggplant (Solanum melongena) with interest for breeding. BMC Genom 17:300. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-016-2631-4Grover A, Sharma PC (2014) Development and use of molecular markers: past and present. Crit Rev Biotechnol 8551:1–13. https://doi.org/10.3109/07388551.2014.959891Hamblin MT, Warburton ML, Buckler ES (2007) Empirical comparison of simple sequence repeats and single nucleotide polymorphisms in assessment of maize diversity and relatedness. PLoS ONE 2:e1367. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0001367Hess JE, Matala AP (2011) Comparison of SNPs and microsatellites for fine-scale application of genetic stock identification of Chinook salmon in the Columbia River Basin Comparison of SNPs and microsatellites for fine-scale application of genetic stock identification of Chinook salmon in the Columbia River Basin. Mol Ecol Resour. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-0998.2010.02958.xHighton R (1993) The relationship between the number of loci and the statistical support for the topology of UPGMA trees obtained from genetic distance data. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2:337–343Hirakawa H, Shirasawa K, Miyatake K, Nunome, T et al (2014) Draft genome sequence of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.): the representative solanum species indigenous to the old world. DNA Res 21:649–660. https://doi.org/10.1093/dnares/dsu027Hong CP, Piao ZY, Kang TW et al (2007) Genomic distribution of simple sequence repeats in Brassica rapa. Mol Cells 23:349–356.Hu J, Wang L, Li J (2011) Comparison of genomic SSR and EST-SSR markers for estimating genetic diversity in cucumber. Biol Plant 55:577–580. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-011-0129-0Isshiki S, Iwata N, Khan MMR (2008) ISSR variations in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) and related Solanum species. Sci Hortic 117:186–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2008.04.003Jones ES, Sullivan H, Bhattramakki D, Smith JSC (2007) A comparison of simple sequence repeat and single nucleotide polymorphism marker technologies for the genotypic analysis of maize (Zea mays L.). Theor Appl Genet 115:361–371. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-007-0570-9Kalia RK, Rai MK, Kalia S et al (2011) Microsatellite markers: an overview of the recent progress in plants. Euphytica 177:309–334Kashi Y, King DG (2006) Simple sequence repeats as advantageous mutators in evolution. Trends Genet 22:253–259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2006.03.005Kaushik P, Prohens J, Vilanova S et al (2016) Phenotyping of eggplant wild relatives and interspecific hybrids with conventional and phenomics descriptors provides insight for their potential utilization in breeding. Front Plant Sci 7:677Kim C, Guo H, Kong W et al (2016) Application of genotyping by sequencing technology to a variety of crop breeding programs. Plant Sci 242:14–22Knapp S, Vorontsova MS, Prohens J (2013) Wild relatives of the eggplant (Solanum melongena L.: Solanaceae): new understanding of species names in a complex group. PLoS ONE 8:e57039Kruglyak S, Durrett RT, Schug MD, Aquadro CF (1998) Equilibrium distributions of microsatellite repeat length resulting from a balance between slippage events and point mutations. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95:10774–10778. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.95.18.10774Lester RN, Daunay MC (2003) Diversity of African vegetable Solanum species and its implications for a better understanding of plant domestication. Schriften zu Genetischen Ressourcen 22:137–152Lester RN, Niakan L (1986) Origin and domestication of the scarlet eggplant, Solanum aethiopicum, from S. anguivi in Africa. In: D’Arcy WG (ed) Solanaceae: biology and systematics. Columbia University Press, New York, pp 433–456Lester RN, Jaeger PML, Bleijendaal-Spierings BHM et al (1990) African eggplants-a review of collecting in West Africa. Plant Genet Resour Newsl 81:17–26Levin R, Myers N, Bohs L (2006) Phylogenetic relationships among the ‘spiny solanums’ (Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum, Solanaceae). Am J Bot 93(1):157–169Li WH, Gojobori T, Nei M (1981) Pseudogenes as a paradigm of neutral evolution. Nature 292:237–239Li YC, Korol AB, Fahima T et al (2002) Microsatellites: genomic distribution, putative functions and mutational mechanisms: a review. Mol Ecol 11:2453–2465Liu K, Muse S (2005) PowerMarker: an integrated analysis environment for genetic marker analysis. Bioinformatics 21:2128–2129Mantel N (1967) The detection of disease clustering and a generalized regression approach. Cancer Res 27:209–220. https://doi.org/10.1038/214637b0Martínez-Arias R, Calafell F, Mateu E et al (2001) Sequence variability of a human pseudogene. Genome Res 11:1071–1085. https://doi.org/10.1101/gr.167701Meyer RS, Karol KG, Little DP et al (2012) Phylogeographic relationships among Asian eggplants and new perspectives on eggplant domestication. Mol Phylogenet Evol 63:685–701. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2012.02.006Muñoz-Falcón J, Prohens J, Vilanova S, Nuez F (2009) Diversity in commercial varieties and landraces of black eggplants and implications for broadening the breeders’ gene pool. Ann Appl Biol 154(3):453–465Nandha PS, Singh J (2014) Comparative assessment of genetic diversity between wild and cultivated barley using gSSR and EST-SSR markers. Plant Breed 133:28–35. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbr.12118Nei M (1972) Genetic distance between populations. Am Nat 106:283–292. https://doi.org/10.1086/282771Nunome T, Negoro S, Kono I et al (2009) Development of SSR markers derived from SSR-enriched genomic library of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.). Theor Appl Genet 119:1143–1153. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-009-1116-0Page R (2001) TreeView. Glasgow University, GlasgowPeakall P, Smouse R (2012) GenAlEx 6.5: genetic analysis in Excel. Population genetic software for teaching and research an update. Bioinformatics 28:2537–2539Pessarakli M, Dris R (2004) Pollination and breeding of eggplants. J Food Agric Environ 2:218–219Plazas M, Andújar I, Vilanova S et al (2014) Conventional and phenomics characterization provides insight into the diversity and relationships of hypervariable scarlet (Solanum aethiopicum L.) and gboma (S. macrocarpon L.) eggplant complexes. Front. Plant Sci 5:318Ranil R, Niran H, Plazas M et al (2015) Improving seed germination of the eggplant rootstock Solanum torvum by testing multiple factors using an orthogonal array design. Sci Hortic 193:174–181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2015.07.030Sakata Y, Lester RN (1997) Chloroplast DNA diversity in brinjal eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) and related species. Euphytica 97:295–301. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003000612441Sakata Y, Nishio T, Matthews PJ (1991) Chloroplast DNA analysis of eggplant (Solanum melongena) and related species for their taxonomic affinity. Euphytica 55:21–26Särkinen T, Bohs L, Olmstead RG, Knapp S (2013) A phylogenetic framework for evolutionary study of the nightshades (Solanaceae): a dated 1000-tip tree. BMC Evol Biol 13:214. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-13-214Scheben A, Batley J, Edwards D (2017) Genotyping-by-sequencing approaches to characterize crop genomes: choosing the right tool for the right application. Plant Biotechnol J 15:149–161Sneath P, Sokal R (1973) Numerical taxonomy. The principles and practice of numerical classification. W H Freeman Limited, San FranciscoStàgel A, Portis E, Toppino L et al (2008) Gene-based microsatellite development for mapping and phylogeny studies in eggplant. BMC Genom 9:357. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-9-357Sunseri F, Polignano GB, Alba V et al (2010) Genetic diversity and characterization of African eggplant germplasm collection. Afr J Plant Sci 4:231–241Syfert MM, Castañeda-Álvarez NP, Khoury CK et al (2016) Crop wild relatives of the brinjal eggplant (Solanum melongena): poorly represented in genebanks and many species at risk of extinction. Am J Bot 103:635–651. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1500539Thiel T, Michalek W, Varshney R, Graner A (2003) Exploiting EST databases for the development and characterization of gene-derived SSR-markers in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Theor Appl Genet 106:411–422. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-002-1031-0Thomson MJ, Alfred J, Dangl J et al (2014) High-throughput SNP genotyping to accelerate crop improvement. Plant Breed Biotechnol 2:195–212. https://doi.org/10.9787/PBB.2014.2.3.195Thorvaldsdóttir H, Robinson JT, Mesirov JP (2013) Integrative genomics viewer (IGV): high-performance genomics data visualization and exploration. Brief Bioinform 14:178–192. https://doi.org/10.1093/bib/bbs017Tumbilen Y, Frary A, Daunay MC, Doganlar S (2011) Application of EST-SSRs to examine genetic diversity in eggplant and its close relatives. Turk J Biol 35:125–136. https://doi.org/10.3906/biy-0906-57van Inghelandt D, Melchinger AE, Lebreton C, Stich B (2010) Population structure and genetic diversity in a commercial maize breeding program assessed with SSR and SNP markers. Theor Appl Genet 120:1289–1299. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-009-1256-2Van Tassell CP, Smith TPL, Matukumalli LK et al (2008) SNP discovery and allele frequency estimation by deep sequencing of reduced representation libraries. Nat Methods 5:247–252. https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.1185Varshney R, Graner A, Sorrells M (2005) Genic microsatellite markers in plants: features and applications. Trends Biotechnol 23(1):48–55Varshney RK, Chabane K, Hendre PS et al (2007) Comparative assessment of EST-SSR, EST-SNP and AFLP markers for evaluation of genetic diversity and conservation of genetic resources using wild, cultivated and elite barleys. Plant Sci 173:638–649. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2007.08.010Vilanova S, Manzur JP, Prohens J (2012) Development and characterization of genomic simple sequence repeat markers in eggplant and their application to the study of diversity and relationships in a collection of different cultivar types and origins. Mol Breed 30:647–660. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11032-011-9650-2Vilanova S, Hurtado M, Cardona A (2014) Genetic diversity and relationships in local varieties of eggplant from different cultivar groups as assessed by genomic SSR markers. Not Bot Horti Agrobo Cluj-Napoca 42:59–65Vogel JP, Gu YQ, Twigg P et al (2006) EST sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the model grass Brachypodium distachyon. Theor Appl Genet 113:186–195. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-006-0285-3Vorontsova MS, Stern S, Bohs L, Knapp S (2013) African spiny solanum (subgenus Leptostemonum, Solanaceae): a thorny phylogenetic tangle. Bot J Linn Soc 173:176–193. https://doi.org/10.1111/boj.12053Weese TL, Bohs L (2010) Eggplant origins: out of Africa, into the Orient. Taxon 59:49–56. https://doi.org/10.2307/27757050Wright S (1965) The interpretation of population structure by F-statistics with special regard to systems of mating. Evolution 19:395–420. https://doi.org/10.2307/2406450Xiao M, Zhang Y, Chen X et al (2013) Transcriptome analysis based on next-generation sequencing of non-model plants producing specialized metabolites of biotechnological interest. J Biotechnol 166:122–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2013.04.004Yan J, Yang X, Shah T et al (2010) High-throughput SNP genotyping with the Goldengate assay in maize. Mol Breed 25:441–451. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11032-009-9343-2Yang X, Xu Y, Shah T et al (2011) Comparison of SSRs and SNPs in assessment of genetic relatedness in maize. Genetica 139:1045–1054. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-011-9606-9Yu J, Zhang Z, Zhu C et al (2009) Simulation appraisal of the adequacy of number of background markers for relationship estimation in association mapping. Plant Genome 2:63. https://doi.org/10.3835/plantgenome2008.09.0009Zhan L, Paterson I, Fraser B (2016) MEGASAT: automated inference of microsatellite genotypes from sequence data. Ecol Resour, Mol. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.1256

Implementation of corticosteroids in treating COVID-19 in the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol UK:prospective observational cohort study

BACKGROUND: Dexamethasone was the first intervention proven to reduce mortality in patients with COVID-19 being treated in hospital. We aimed to evaluate the adoption of corticosteroids in the treatment of COVID-19 in the UK after the RECOVERY trial publication on June 16, 2020, and to identify discrepancies in care. METHODS: We did an audit of clinical implementation of corticosteroids in a prospective, observational, cohort study in 237 UK acute care hospitals between March 16, 2020, and April 14, 2021, restricted to patients aged 18 years or older with proven or high likelihood of COVID-19, who received supplementary oxygen. The primary outcome was administration of dexamethasone, prednisolone, hydrocortisone, or methylprednisolone. This study is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN66726260. FINDINGS: Between June 17, 2020, and April 14, 2021, 47 795 (75·2%) of 63 525 of patients on supplementary oxygen received corticosteroids, higher among patients requiring critical care than in those who received ward care (11 185 [86·6%] of 12 909 vs 36 415 [72·4%] of 50 278). Patients 50 years or older were significantly less likely to receive corticosteroids than those younger than 50 years (adjusted odds ratio 0·79 [95% CI 0·70–0·89], p=0·0001, for 70–79 years; 0·52 [0·46–0·58], p80 years), independent of patient demographics and illness severity. 84 (54·2%) of 155 pregnant women received corticosteroids. Rates of corticosteroid administration increased from 27·5% in the week before June 16, 2020, to 75–80% in January, 2021. INTERPRETATION: Implementation of corticosteroids into clinical practice in the UK for patients with COVID-19 has been successful, but not universal. Patients older than 70 years, independent of illness severity, chronic neurological disease, and dementia, were less likely to receive corticosteroids than those who were younger, as were pregnant women. This could reflect appropriate clinical decision making, but the possibility of inequitable access to life-saving care should be considered. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research and UK Medical Research Council