EVALUATION OF OPEN POLLINATED MAIZE VARIETIES FOR RESISTANCE/TOLERANCE TO Striga hermonthica Del. Benth AT MOKWA SOUTHERN GUINEA SAVANNAH OF NIGERIA

Three trials were conducted on the College of Agriculture experimental field which was highly anduniformly infested by Striga at Mokwa (latitude 09o 18'N and longitude 05o 04'E) in the SouthernGuinea Savanna agro- ecological zone of Nigeria during 2004, 2005 and 2006 wet seasons. The studywas conducted to evaluate fifteen maize genotypes consisting of eleven improved, open- pollinatedStriga tolerant varieties, a susceptible 8338-1 and tolerant hybrids 9022-13, an improved recommendedopen pollinated variety and a local selection (Mokwa Dzurugi) for their reaction to Striga hermonthica.The treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design and replicated fourtimes. Among the varieties tested, TZL Comp.1Syn Y-1F2, Cam, 1 STR – 1 and hybrid 9022-13 consistentlyresulted in significantly lower Striga emergence and crop syndrome reaction to Striga parasitismcompared to all the other varieties including STR genotypes in 2004 and 2005 and of very lowvalues of the parameters in 2006. The varieties also gave higher grain yield comparable to most oftolerant varieties evaluated. Under Striga infestation, maize grain yields of var. TZL Comp. 1 Syn Y-1F2 were 2.94, 3.04 and 2.93 times than those of the recommended TZB- STR (1015kg/ha, 989kg/haand 993kg/ha) in 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. The corresponding values for the other promisingvariety, Cam- 1STR-1 were 2.93, 3.05 and 2.89 times higher than TZB STR in 2004, 2005 and 2006respectively. The local selection, Mokwa Dzurugi also exhibited good performance with respect toStriga and maize parameters and could therefore be used in the breeding programme for Striga resistance

Human-Hippo Relationship in Selected Communities around Kainji Dam in New-Bussa, Niger State, Nigeria

Human-wildlife conflicts have become a significant issue in conservation and land management of a protected area. The study examines Hippo-Human relationship in selected communities around Kainji dam in New Bussa, Niger State, Nigeria. Data for the study was collected through pre tested structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings from the results revealed that male Hippopotamus is the highest with 75.0% and that 37% were 50 years and above. Majority of the respondents had no formal education (42.0%). 79% of the respondents recorded that Hippopotamus was present in the study area while 82.0% have had to encounter Hippopotamus attack. The crops that are mostly grown by the respondents in the study area are Maize, Beans, Millet, Guinea corn, Rice and Groundnut. In which maize is the mostly grown and raided by Hippopotamus. The findings revealed that 69.0% of the respondents state that crop raiding is the major conflict. Various preventive measures undertaken include: fire and smoke, watch guarding, trapping, scare crow, thorn fencing and hunting, with fire and smoke being the most preferred by the respondents. The victims of these attacks are willing to prevent the attacks with fire and smoke as against killing the Hippopotamus, they should be encourage by factoring compensation into conservation policy to promote the conservation of this species in the study area

Awareness and factors influencing farmers’ decision in establishing private forest plantation in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State

Private investments in forestry in Nigeria have not been as attractive as private investments in cash and food crops such as cocoa, rubber, rice, and maize. It is thought that these agricultural crops yield financial returns earlier than forestry crops. This study therefore, assessed factors influencing private forest plantations establishment among farmers in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State. Simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were used to select 120 farmers from six wards in the study area. Data were collected from the respondents using interview guide. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency Tables and Charts. Results showed that 44.2% of the respondents were aware of private forest plantation establishments while 55.8% were not aware. The major sources of awareness were through community leaders (25.8%), radio (20.8%), and friends (15%). Major factors influencing farmers’ decision to establish private forest plantation are seasonal bush burning (93.3%), long gestation period (85.8%), inadequate extension services (90.8%), Government policies (87.5%), climatic conditions (80.0%), transportation (79.2%), land availability (79.2%), planting stocks (76.7%). It was recommended that farmers’ decision to establish private forest could be influenced by making land available to interested farmers, granting credit facilities and free planting stock

Bilateral multicystic dysplastic kidneys: Case report

Multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK) is a congenital, non-heritable maldevelopment in which the renal cortex is replaced by numerous cysts of varying sizes. Typically, MCDK is a unilateral disorder in 76% of cases and bilateral in 24%. The latter is incompatible with life. We present the case of a male child with bilateral MCDK who was followed up with ultrasound scan (USS) from 22nd week of intrauterine life till death on the 19th day after delivery. Serial antenatal USS revealed oligohydramnios and both kidneys showed multiple cysts which appeared to be communicating. Postnatal USS however, revealed multiple sub-cortical thin walled cysts of varying sizes which apparently appeared to be communicating. A diagnosis of bilateral MCDK was made and was confirmed at autopsy

Safety and efficacy of cladribine tablets in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: Results from the randomized extension trial of the CLARITY study.

BACKGROUND: In the 2-year CLARITY study, cladribine tablets significantly improved clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes (vs placebo) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and efficacy of cladribine treatment in a 2-year Extension study. METHODS: In this 2-year Extension study, placebo recipients from CLARITY received cladribine 3.5 mg/kg; cladribine recipients were re-randomized 2:1 to cladribine 3.5 mg/kg or placebo, with blind maintained. RESULTS: A total of 806 patients were assigned to treatment. Adverse event rates were generally similar between groups, but lymphopenia Grade ⩾ 3 rates were higher with cladribine than placebo (Grade 4 lymphopenia occurred infrequently). In patients receiving cladribine 3.5 mg/kg in CLARITY and experiencing lymphopenia Grade ⩾ 3 in the Extension, >90% of those treated with cladribine 3.5 mg/kg and all treated with placebo in the Extension, recovered to Grade 0-1 by study end. Cladribine treatment in CLARITY produced efficacy improvements that were maintained in patients treated with placebo in the Extension; in patients treated with cladribine 3.5 mg/kg in CLARITY, approximately 75% remained relapse-free when given placebo during the Extension. CONCLUSION: Cladribine tablets treatment for 2 years followed by 2 years' placebo treatment produced durable clinical benefits similar to 4 years of cladribine treatment with a low risk of severe lymphopenia or clinical worsening. No clinical improvement in efficacy was apparent following further treatment with cladribine tablets after the initial 2-year treatment period in this trial setting.This study was sponsored by EMD Serono, Inc., a business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (in the United States), and Merck Serono SA, Geneva, an affiliate of Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany (rest of the world)

Awareness and practice of emergency contraception at a private university in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The pursuit of formal education now causes many people in developing countries to marry later in life, thereby leading to increased premarital sex and unintended pregnancies. Efforts have been made to characterize awareness and use of emergency contraception (EC) among undergraduate students in public universities in Nigeria; however, it is not known if students in private tertiary institutions adopt different practices or if having an affluent family background plays a role. This pilot study therefore aimed to assess the awareness and use of EC among students at a private Nigerian university toward assisting education planners in developing strategies in improving students' reproductive well-being. RESULTS: Out of 94 female students, 42 (44.7%) had sexual experience, but only 32 (34.0%) were currently sexually active. Six students (6.4%) had had unwanted pregnancies, of which all but one were terminated. Fifty-seven respondents (60.6%) were aware of EC, though only 10 (10.6%) ever practiced it. The greatest source of EC information was from health workers and peers; the lowest source was family or relatives. Most respondents desired orientation and availability of EC on campus. EC awareness among the students was predicted by upper social class background (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-7.45) and upbringing in the Federal Capital Territory (adjusted OR, 4.45; 95% CI, 1.56-14.22). CONCLUSIONS: Though awareness of EC was higher among the private university students in this study than at most public universities, there was no difference in EC usage. A high pregnancy termination rate was observed; dilatation and curettage were mainly adopted. In Nigeria, youth-friendly reproductive health information and access should not be limited to government-owned tertiary institutions but also extended to private ones

Discovery of Potent, Selective, and Orally Bioavailable Small-Molecule Modulators of the Mediator Complex-Associated Kinases CDK8 and CDK19.

The Mediator complex-associated cyclin-dependent kinase CDK8 has been implicated in human disease, particularly in colorectal cancer where it has been reported as a putative oncogene. Here we report the discovery of 109 (CCT251921), a potent, selective, and orally bioavailable inhibitor of CDK8 with equipotent affinity for CDK19. We describe a structure-based design approach leading to the discovery of a 3,4,5-trisubstituted-2-aminopyridine series and present the application of physicochemical property analyses to successfully reduce in vivo metabolic clearance, minimize transporter-mediated biliary elimination while maintaining acceptable aqueous solubility. Compound 109 affords the optimal compromise of in vitro biochemical, pharmacokinetic, and physicochemical properties and is suitable for progression to animal models of cancer

Stroke in Africa: Profile, progress, prospects and priorities

Funding text 1 R.O.A. is supported by the UK Royal Society/African Academy of Sciences FLAIR Grants FLR/R1/191813 and FCG/R1/ 201034, and a GCRF Networking Grant from the UK Academy of Medical Sciences. R.O.A., M.O.O., B.O. and F.S.S. are also supported by grants U54HG007479 and U01HG010273 from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) as part of the H3Africa Consortium. M.O.O., B.O., R.O.A. and F.S.S. are further supported by NIH grant R01NS107900. R.N.K.’s research on elderly survivors of stroke has been supported by the Medical Research Council, RCUK Newcastle Centre for Brain Ageing and Vitality (MRC G0500247), Alzheimer’s Research UK, the Dunhill Medical Trust, UK, and the Newcastle National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre in Ageing and Age-Related Diseases, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust. Funding text 2 funds provided by the Wellcome Trust and the NIH. The NIH-funded SIREN study is exploring the genetic architecture of stroke among Indigenous Africans. More than 4,000 case–control pairs have already been recruited to the study and several publications on stroke phenom-ics and preliminary candidate gene analyses have been generated. The SIREN study has also undertaken the first-ever GWAS to unravel the genetic architecture of stroke in Indigenous Africans and the results are eagerly awaited. Stroke neurobanking resources consisting of blood fractions, extracted DNA, neuroimages and databases of clinical information are also being built in Africa and could facilitate data science-driven trans-omics research (including epigenomics, tran-scriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics) as well as the development of precision medicine products such as Afrocentric risk calculators, polygenic risk scores, biomarkers and drug targets23–25,227,307,308. The SIREN neurobiobank comprises a group of constantly monitored ultra-low-temperature (–86 °C) freezers located in Ibadan, Nigeria, constantly powered –20 °C chest freezers located in Ibadan and other recruitment sites, barcode scanners and printers, a laboratory information management system, a secure multi-terabyte server,Stroke is a leading cause of disability, dementia, and death worldwide. Approximately 70% of deaths from stroke and 87% of stroke-related disabilities occur in low-income and middle-income countries. At the turn of the century, the most common diseases in Africa were communicable diseases, whereas non-communicable diseases, including stroke, were considered rare, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. However, evidence indicates that today, Africa could have up to 2–3-fold greater rates of stroke incidence and higher stroke prevalence than western Europe and the USA. In Africa, data published within the past decade show that stroke has an annual incidence rate of up to 316 per 100,000, a prevalence of up to 1,460 per 100,000, and a 3-year fatality rate greater than 80%. Moreover, many Africans have a stroke within the fourth to sixth decades of life, with serious implications for the individual, their family, and society. This age profile is particularly important as strokes in younger people tend to result in a greater loss of self-worth and socioeconomic productivity than in older individuals. Emerging insights from research into stroke epidemiology, genetics, prevention, care, and outcomes offer great prospects for tackling the growing burden of stroke on the continent. In this article, we review the unique profile of stroke in Africa and summarize current knowledge on stroke epidemiology, genetics, prevention, acute care, rehabilitation, outcomes, cost of care, and awareness. We also discuss knowledge gaps, emerging priorities, and future directions of stroke medicine for the more than 1 billion people who live in Africa. © 2021, Springer Nature Limited.Newcastle National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre in Ageing and Age-Related Diseases Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust RCUK Newcastle Centre for Brain Ageing and Vitality Royal Society/African Academy of Sciences: FCG/R1/ 201034,FLR/R1/191813 National Institutes of Health (NIH): R01NS107900 Wellcome Trust (WT) Medical Research Council (MRC): G0500247 Dunhill Medical Trust (DMT) Academy of Medical Sciences: U01HG010273,U54HG007479 Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK

A selective chemical probe for exploring the role of CDK8 and CDK19 in human disease.

There is unmet need for chemical tools to explore the role of the Mediator complex in human pathologies ranging from cancer to cardiovascular disease. Here we determine that CCT251545, a small-molecule inhibitor of the WNT pathway discovered through cell-based screening, is a potent and selective chemical probe for the human Mediator complex-associated protein kinases CDK8 and CDK19 with >100-fold selectivity over 291 other kinases. X-ray crystallography demonstrates a type 1 binding mode involving insertion of the CDK8 C terminus into the ligand binding site. In contrast to type II inhibitors of CDK8 and CDK19, CCT251545 displays potent cell-based activity. We show that CCT251545 and close analogs alter WNT pathway-regulated gene expression and other on-target effects of modulating CDK8 and CDK19, including expression of genes regulated by STAT1. Consistent with this, we find that phosphorylation of STAT1(SER727) is a biomarker of CDK8 kinase activity in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we demonstrate in vivo activity of CCT251545 in WNT-dependent tumors