HBV, HIV co-infection at Kisumu District Hospital, Kenya

Background: Patients with dual infection of HBV and HIV are increasingly being recognised. The two viruses, HBV and HIV share the same route of transmission and HBV is more efficiently transmitted than HIV. There is evidence that HBV will contribute significantly to continuing morbidity and mortality within the HIV infected population over the coming years. This is due to the widespread use/accessibility of the highly active anti-retroviral (HAART) drugs hence patients live longer. There are few published data in the tropical region on these patients especially in regions where HBV and HIV are endemic. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of HBV, HIV co-infection in patients who presented with jaundice and the pattern of CD4 cell counts in these patients. Design: A prospective, cross-sectional, descriptive study of all consecutive patients included in the study. Setting: Medical wards, medical outpatient clinic and liver clinic, Kisumu District Hospital, Western Kenya. Subjects: Five hundred and nineteen (261 females and 258 males) patients who had jaundice were screened for the study. One hundred and eighty five (110 males and 75 females) patients were excluded. Three hundred and thirty four patients 151 (45.2%) males and 183 (54.8%) females were included and completed the study between August 2002 and October 2003. Main outcome measures: Socio-demographic data, HBsAg positive, HlV serology (positive or negative), CD4 cell counts, ALT and AST, IgG anti-HBc and IgM anti-HBc. Results: The age range was 7-76 years with a mean of 36 (±13) years. The mean age for males and females was 37 (± 13) years and 35 (±12) years respectively. One hundred and seventy seven (53%) had co-infection and 157(47%) had HBV mono-infection. IgG anti-HBc and IgM anti-HBc were detected in 17 (5%) and 317(95%) patients respectively. Of the 317 patients with IgM anti-HBc, 177 (55.8%) had co-infection while 140 (44.2%) had HBV mono-infection (p= 0.05). The overall mean CD4 cell count for the whole population was 391 (±314) cells /mm3. The mean CD4 cell count for patients with co-infection was lower, (120 (±112) cells/mm3) than for patients with HBV monoinfection, 694 (±140) cells/mm3. The transaminases were uniformly elevated in both groups with mean AST of 207 (±147) U/L and ALT of 356 (±177) U/L. In the co-infection and mono-infection groups, AST was 286 (± 117) U/L and 306(± 175) U/L (p=0.23) and is not statistically significant, and the ALT was 338(± 135) U/L and 375(± 213) U/L respectively p=0.05 and the difference is statistically significant. Conclusion: HBV and HIV co-infection is recognised in this region, which is endemic for both viral infections. The patients with dual infection had very low CD4 cell counts. This will influence the choice of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) in favour of Lamivudine containing combinations to cover the HBV infection. East African Medical Journal Vol.81(12) 2004: 626-63

Use of gene marker technology for livestock improvement

Early animal breeders practised selective breeding by identifying what they considered worthwhile characteristics and sought a means of increasing the frequency of such desirable qualities in future generations. This has resulted to the present day specialised breeds of livestock like the Belgian Blue well known for its lean meat, the Holstein-Friesian noted for its milk-production, Superfine Merino for good quality wool and the Japanese Wagyu renowned for its highly marbled beef. For many farm animals, conventional breeding has already achieved high producing animals, but it seems increases in productivity by this means have peaked and are at the sedentary plateau phase. World population on the other hand is on the increase and so is the demand for animal products. Selective breeding cannot keep up with the pace of population growth because it is a painfully slow process and can take many years (especially in cattle with long gestation periods and generation intervals) to establish the desired phenotypic changes. However, the advent of DNA marker technology and its application to animal breeding programmes now provides a fast-tracking of selective breeding and livestock improvement. A genetic marker for a trait is a DNA segment which is associated with, and hence segregates in a predictable pattern, as the trait. Genetic markers facilitate the "tagging" of individual genes or small chromosome segments containing genes, which influence the trait of interest. Availability of large numbers of such markers has enhanced the detection of major genes influencing quantitative traits. The method involves screening the genome for genes with a large effect on traits of economic importance through a procedure known as linkage analysis The process of selection for a particular trait using genetic markers is called marker assisted selection (MAS). MAS can accelerate the rate of genetic progress by increasing accuracy-of selection and by reducing the generation interval. About 50% additional genetic gain can be obtained if the marker explains 20% of the additive genetic variance and the economic trait has a heritability of 0.2. This paper discusses the use of gene marker technology for the improvement of economic traits in beef cattle, sheep and pigs covering aspects of the Ryanodine receptor (Halothane) gene in pigs, Myostatin (double muscling) gene in cattle, Callipyge gene in sheep, TG5 (marbling) gene in cattle and the use of DNA profiling for parentage testing, carcass traceability, worm parasite resistance testing in sheep and the identification of the Inverdale gene for prolificacy in sheep. The paper will conclude with our current collaborative research in SNP Markers for healthy omega-3 fatty acids in crossbred prime lambs at the University of Tasmania

Servicom policy intervention: Improving service quality in Nigerian public sector

In this case study we examine the raison d’être and implementation of a policy intervention, which was promulgated in 2005 for the purpose of eradicating inefficiency and corruption, and inculcating customer orientation in the Nigerian public sector. The policy goes by the acronym ‘SERVICOM’ -‘service compact with all Nigerians’. We draw on existing information in describing workplace behaviours in the Nigerian public sector that necessitated this policy intervention, the extent of its implementation, and in enumerating related interventions that are being implemented concurrently with SERVICOM. Our findings suggest that the objectives and delivery mechanisms of SERVICOM are appropriate remedies for poorservice delivery in the Nigerian public sector. SERVICOM units are being established in government departments, workers are being trained, among other strategies for achieving the aims of the intervention. Other actions, however, must be taken to achieve the desired improvements. For instance, improvements in physical infrastructure must be undertaken, since changed work attitudes cannot substitute for inadequate infrastructure. A properly functioning public service is indispensable to good governance, institutional capacity building, and private sector  development. SERVICOM policy must be sustained, alongside other related initiatives, until Nigerian public life is truly transformed. Continued support of the international community will really help

Variations and correlations in the composition of bovine, ovine and caprine milk

Variations in the milk composition of cattle, sheep and goats as well as residual phenotypic correlations between the milk constituents were investigated. The study utilised Bunaji, Yankasa and Red Sokoto breeds of cattle, sheep and goats, respectively. Results indicated that sheep and goats differed significantly (P0.05). Residual phenotypic correlations between the milk constituents revealed highly significant (P<0.01) and positive relationships between total solids and solids-not-fat (0.97 and 0.98 in cattle and sheep, respectively). All other correlations were positive (ranging from 0.12 to 0.77), except between protein and total solids (-0.44) and protein and solids-not-fat (-0.64) in cattle. Multiple linear regression equations were fitted to predict the percentages of protein and fat. It was demonstrated that protein percentage could be predicted from total solids and solids-not-fat with the highest accuracy of 94, 86 and 82 % in cattle, sheep and goats, respectively. On the other hand, the accuracy of prediction of fat percentage was very low in all the species (R2=0.01, 0.03 and 0.37 in cattle, sheep and goats, respectively)

Servicom policy intervention: Improving service quality in Nigerian public sector

In this case study we examine the raison d’être and implementation of a policy intervention, which was promulgated in 2005 for the purpose of eradicating inefficiency and corruption, and inculcating customer orientation in the Nigerian public sector. The policy goes by the acronym ‘SERVICOM’ -‘service compact with all Nigerians’. We draw on existing information in describing workplace behaviours in the Nigerian public sector that necessitated this policy intervention, the extent of its implementation, and in enumerating related interventions that are being implemented concurrently with SERVICOM. Our findings suggest that the objectives and delivery mechanisms of SERVICOM are appropriate remedies for poor service delivery in the Nigerian public sector.  SERVICOM units are being established in government departments, workers are being trained, among other strategies for achieving the aims of the intervention. Other actions, however, must be taken to achieve the desired improvements. For instance, improvements in physical infrastructure must be undertaken, since changed work attitudes cannot substitute for inadequate infrastructure. A properly functioning public service is indispensable to good governance, institutional capacity building, and private sector development. SERVICOM policy must be sustained, alongside other related initiatives, until Nigerian public life is truly transformed. Continued support of the international community will really help

Post-weaning growth performance of heifers grazing Tasmanian native pastures and the estimation of inbreeding levels using random amplied polymorphic DNA markers

The aims of this study were to evaluate the growth performance of Hereford, Angus, Hereford × Angus and Hereford × Saler heifers within the same herd grazing native pastures and to estimate homozygosity and inbreeding coefcients using random amplied polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Post-weaning liveweight (BW), average daily gain (ADG) and body condition score (BCS) on a scale from 0 to 5 were monitored monthly from 2005 to 2006. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples, amplified using RAPD primers, fragments resolved by gel electrophoresis and banding patterns elucidated under UV light. Estimation of homozygosity through band sharing patterns was utilised in determining within-breed inbreeding levels. Regardless of breed, LWT, BCS and ADG of heifers followed a typical sigmoid curve pattern characterised by a decline in average BW from 200 kg in May to 188 kg in June, a continuous monthly increase through to March 2006 when it reached a peak (380 kg) before a nal decline to 375 kg in May. The BCS ranged from 1.6 to 3.6 while ADG ranged from -0.4 to 1.5 kg/d. Significant genetic variation was observed between the different breeds in that BCS and BW of purebred Angus heifers were lower than those of purebred Hereford and their crosses with Angus and Saler. Average BW of the Angus breed ranged from 164-349 kg, with BCS ranging from 1.4 to 3.3 compared to the Hereford (186-383 kg, 1.6-3.6), Hereford × Angus (192-383 kg, 1.7-3.6) and Hereford × Saler (192-385 kg, 1.6-3.7), respectively. The ADG of the Angus was not different from those of Hereford and their crosses indicating that the Angus was perhaps better in terms of feed efciency since they probably ate less and gained the same weight as the heavier breeds that must have eaten more commensurate with their maintenance requirements. The strongest residual correlation (r=0.98) was between BW and BCS. Average band sharing frequencies ranged from 0.60 in the crossbreds to 0.96 in the purebreds with estimated inbreeding coefcients ranging from 0.5% to 3%, respectively, which is very low

Profitability and milk yield response to protein supplementation in mid-lactation dairy cows.

This study utilized 120 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows in mid-lactation in a randomized block experimental design. The aim was to evaluate milk yield and composition responses to protein supplementation and profitability over an eight-week lactation period. The cows were blocked according to milk yield, days in milk and parity before being randomly assigned to three treatment groups: Control, 15% and 30% protein supplementation. Weekly average daily milk yield (WMY), total milk yield (TMY), income from milk sales, profitability, fat and protein percentages were subjected to statistical analyses to test the effects of treatment, block, parity, week and their second order interactions fitting days in milk as a random effect in mixed model procedures. Multiple regressions with quadratic contrasts were fitted to predict income and profitability from total ration fed and days in milk. The 30% protein supplemented cows gave the highest milk responses (WMY, 27.1 ± 0.80; TMY, 1479.9 ± 38.01litres), fat percentage (2.6 ± 0.3%), total income ($597.4 ± 40.23) and profitability ($54.4 ± 5.04 per cow), while the control group gave the least responses and incurred a loss of -$24.30 ± 4.95. Third parity cows also gave the highest milk yield responses (WMY, 28.1 ± 0.51; TMY 1562.1 ± 28.24 litres) and profitability ($65.7 ± 15.37). Residual phenotypic correlations (r) between milk yield, composition and profitability were almost all highly significant (P<001) with the highest positive r=0.96 between WMY and TMY. Total ration and days in milk within treatment group alone were very poor predictors of profitability (r2=0.02-0.12) compared to within parity groups (r2=0.14-0.90) for income, WMY and TMY. It was concluded that even though a positive profit margin was evident, long-term feeding of mid-lactation cows with 30% protein supplement is unrealistic because of the prohibitive cost of protein. Furthermore, protein requirements for milk synthesis at this stage of lactation can be adequately met by a 16-17% protein diet since energy would be the most limiting nutrient

Estimates of genetic and phenotypic parameters for dairy traits in Friesian-Bunaji crossbreds

Genetic and phenotypic parameters for dairy traits were computed using data on Friesian-Bunaji crossbred cows collected over a twenty-three year period (1967-1989) from the dairy herd of the National Animal Production Research Institute Shika, Zaria, Nigeria. Estimated repeatabilities computed from variance components were 0.72 ± 0.06,0.60 ± 0.10,0.73 ± 0.02,0.53 ± 0.24 and 0.56 ± 0.18 for total lactation yield, lactation length, 305-day yield, calving interval and dry period, respectively. Heritability estimates were 0.44 ± 0.07,0.52 ± 0.12,0.30 ± 0.13,0.18 ± 0.02,0.26 ± 0.08 and 0.27 ± 0.10 for total lactation yield, lactation length, 305-day yield, calving interval, dry period and age at first calving,respectively. Genetic and phenotypic correlation coefficients between traits were medium to high, ranging from 0.30 to 0.95. The results of this study showed that the genetic response to selection in Friesian-Bunaji crosses for total lactation yield, 305-day yield and lactation length could be moderately high since the proportion of additive genetic variance was fairly high. Improvement programmes for age at first calving, calving interval and dry period should focus mostly on management, given their low heritability estimates