Effect of Methanolic Leaf Extract of Ocimum gratissimum (Linn) Leaves on Sodium Arsenite-induced Toxicity in Rats

Natural plant products are considered as possible protective agents against arsenite induced toxicity. Effects of methanolic leaf extract of Ocimum gratissimum were investigated in sodium arsenite exposed rats. Animals were randomly divided into four groups of five per group. Group A (control), Group B (sodium arsenite alone), Group C (extract and sodium arsenite) and Group D (extract only). Rats were orally pretreated with 100 mg kg-1 b.wt. extract for 14 days while 2.5 mg kg-1 b.wt. arsenite was administered intraperitoneally on the 14th day and animals were sacrificed after 24 h. Plasma Alanine Amino Transferase (AL T), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) and Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) were evaluated. Hepatic lipid peroxidation as Malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced Glutathione (GSH) levels were also assessed. Introduction of sodium arsenite in rats triggered significant increases in plasma ALT, ALP and GGT (p<0.05) levels. Significant increase (p<0.05) in hepatic MDA concentration and depletion in GSH level were obtained. The methanolic leaf extract with arsenite modulated the activities of ALT, ALP and GGT to their normal levels. The extract reversed sodium arsenite-induced decrease in hepatic GSH to their normal levels while significant effect on hepatic MDA level was not observed. Group treated with the extract alone showed no adverse effects on the parameters. The properties exhibited by the extract may be due to the presence of certain bioactive compounds in it. The results obtained from this study underpin the importance offurther research to obtain bioactive substance from the leaf of Ocimum gratissimum

Effect of iodine biofortification on incidence and severity of Fusarium wilt and yield of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Tomato is often attacked by wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporium. Iodine is known to have fungistatic effect in pathogen control. The present experiment was aimed at determining the effect of iodine compounds (potassium iodide, KI and potassium iodate, KIO3) on incidence and severity of Fusarium wilt and yield of two tomato accessions, FUNAABTO/106 and FUNAABTO/123. The experiment was conducted in the screenhouse and on the field. KI was applied at concentrations of 1, 2, 3, 5 mM while KIO3 was applied at concentrations of 0.5, 1, 2, 3 mM. The untreated plots served as control. Results showed that FUNAABTO/106 treated with 0.5 mM KIO3 in the screenhouse and on the field had the least (0.00%) disease incidence. Disease severity was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower (1.00) in the screenhouse in pots containing FUNAABTO/106 treated with 1 mM KIO3. On the field, FUNAABTO/106 treated with 0.5 mM KIO3 had the least (1.17) disease severity. FUNAABTO/106 treated with 0.5 mM KIO3 in the screenhouse and on the field were significantly higher (1.65t/ha and 18.54t/ha respectively) in yield. The study concluded that application of iodine compounds at lower concentrations reduced the incidence and severity of Fusarium wilt and increased the yield of tomato.Keywords: Potassium iodate (KIO3), Potassium iodide (KI), Fusarium oxysporiu

Design and construction of a shrimp hatchery for the breeding of the black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon

A shrimp hatchery for the breeding of the black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon was constructed by the Nigeria Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research in 2008 by the reconstruction of an existing old shrimp hatchery. The new shrimp hatchery comprises of the following: water treatment, water storage, broodstock maturation, spawning/incubation, nursery and micro-algae units. The design included the construction of a concrete sump for the collection and treatment of wastewater before disposal, in addition to an aeration unit equipped with root blower for adequate supply of dissolved oxygen. The reconstructed NIOMR shrimp hatchery has been successfully used for the production of post larvae, which are presently being reared to adult shrimp in concrete tanks. The successful completion of the shrimp hatchery and breeding of P. monodon has confirmed that the species can be spawned and reared to adult size in Nigeria for local and export markets

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

Appraisal - presentation.pdf

This study carried out an appraisal of fresh fish marketing in Ondo-State, Nigeria. It specifically examined the socio-economic characteristics of fresh fish marketers in the study area, determined profitability and examined market structure for fresh fish in the study area .A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 45 fresh fish marketers and structured questionnaire administered on them. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, gross margin analysis, Gini-coefficient analysis and marketing function analysis. The study revealed that 95.6% of the respondents belong to the active segment of the population while the remaining 4.4% were aged. Analysis also showed that fresh fish market was dominated by females which accounted for 73.3% of the sellers. The profitability analysis showed that an average marketer incurred a total variable cost of N511,185.78 ($3,195) per year but earned an average revenue of N618875.56 ($3,867) over the same period. This indicates that an average marketer earned N107,689.78 ($673) as gross margin per year suggesting that fresh fish marketing is a profitable venture in the study area. A Gini-coefficient of 0.5292 obtained in this study indicates a high level of concentration in the fresh fish market. The result of the marketing function showed that the estimated coefficient of multiple determination (R2) indicates that the postulated regressors i.e. included variables in the model explained 72.6% in the variation of the regressand (i.e. sales revenue). It is therefore recommended that women should be encouraged to join cooperative societies that are gender sensitive