Water productivity improvement of cereals and foods legumes in the Atbara Basin of Eritrea

The project ‘Water Productivity Improvement of Cereals and Food Legumes in the Atbara Basin of Eritrea’ is an example of organization and implementation of farmers’ participatory research, conducted utilizing the available indigenous knowledge while empowering farming communities. Farmers have been partners in technology development with extension and research, with full decision-making power in planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. The project produced, in partnership with farmers, new varieties of cereals and food legumes which have proven farmer acceptability; established seed systems which supply farmers with quality seed in a sustainable manner; enhanced farmers’ skills in participatory research and in community based seed production; strengthened the capacity of National Institutions to carry out participatory research and technology transfer, and strengthened linkages between research, seed, and extension departments by working together in cooperation with farmers and farmers’ communities. Working conditions, during the course of the project were not always easy and became challenging towards the end of the project, but to work with farmers and learn from them has been an extremely rewarding experience

Fragile DNA Repair Mechanism Reduces Ageing in Multicellular Model

DNA damages, as well as mutations, increase with age. It is believed that these result from increased genotoxic stress and decreased capacity for DNA repair. The two causes are not independent, DNA damage can, for example, through mutations, compromise the capacity for DNA repair, which in turn increases the amount of unrepaired DNA damage. Despite this vicious circle, we ask, can cells maintain a high DNA repair capacity for some time or is repair capacity bound to continuously decline with age? We here present a simple mathematical model for ageing in multicellular systems where cells subjected to DNA damage can undergo full repair, go apoptotic, or accumulate mutations thus reducing DNA repair capacity. Our model predicts that at the tissue level repair rate does not continuously decline with age, but instead has a characteristic extended period of high and non-declining DNA repair capacity, followed by a rapid decline. Furthermore, the time of high functionality increases, and consequently slows down the ageing process, if the DNA repair mechanism itself is vulnerable to DNA damages. Although counterintuitive at first glance, a fragile repair mechanism allows for a faster removal of compromised cells, thus freeing the space for healthy peers. This finding might be a first step toward understanding why a mutation in single DNA repair protein (e.g. Wrn or Blm) is not buffered by other repair proteins and therefore, leads to severe ageing disorders

Performance of Vernonia galamensis as a potential and viable industrial oil plant in Eritrea: Yield and oil content-1

Vernonia galamensis, whose seeds can be used to produce high-demand, environmentally friendly oil, can stimulate the economy of a country like Eritrea. The seed from the plant contains oil rich in epoxyfatty acids. A potential market use is as a drying agent for resin paints and can form clear, tough, rubbery plastics or coatings on metal. The general objective was to develop vernonia as a viable industrial plant in Eritrea while the specific objectives were to collect, introduce, and characterize wild vernonia accessions and to evaluate and select the best genotypes with higher seed yield and oil content. A total of 61 wild accessions of vernonia were collected from different parts of Eritrea. Some germplasm materials were also added from Ethiopia in 1995 and collections from the United States Department of Agriculture. The materials were collected in its wild form in valleys, riverbanks, plateausand hills in many parts of Eritrea. The germplasm was collected, characterized and evaluated. The results of the germplasm collection showed that the mean seed yield (kg/ha), seed size (g/1000 seeds),total oil (%) and vernolic acid (%) were 873, 3.4, 24, and 62, respectively. The variety trial of vernonia tested has shown that ERV-05 (1127 kg ha–1) and 66 BK-OR-1 (1111 kg ha–1) were the best yielding genotypes. The oil content of ERV-05 was better than 66BK-OR-1. The genotypes with smaller seed size had better oil content. There was a positive and significant correlation between oil content, plant height and days to blooming. Therefore, breeders should select genotypes based on these traits for better oil content. The future challenges of the plant are lack of uniform seed maturity, and to developappropriate technologies for mechanical harvesting, seed cleaning and processing and oil extraction

Criminality or monopoly? Informal immigration enforcement in South Africa

Zimbabwean displacement has significant implications for the evolution of state forms in Southern Africa. In South Africa, Zimbabwean migrants' claims to residence confront exclusionary immigration laws. The South African government officials who are responsible for enforcing these laws have helped migrants to circumvent protocols and procedures while simultaneously overstepping the bounds of their authority to prevent migrants from entering the nations borders and residing within. Drawing upon a range of ethnographic and survey data, this study explores these two tendencies in government efforts to tackle smuggling across the Zimbabwean border, limit access to immigration permits and police undocumented residence in the city of Johannesburg. The article suggests that these seemingly contradictory developments corrupt circumvention and overzealous enforcement are both products of a single dynamic: the states monopolisation of legitimate movement. The 'state' is not being captured but is helping to generate parallel and informal orders alongside conventional immigration law.

Criminality or monopoly? Informal immigration enforcement in South Africa

Zimbabwean displacement has significant implications for the evolution of state forms in Southern Africa. In South Africa, Zimbabwean migrants' claims to residence confront exclusionary immigration laws. The South African government officials who are responsible for enforcing these laws have helped migrants to circumvent protocols and procedures while simultaneously overstepping the bounds of their authority to prevent migrants from entering the nation's borders and residing within. Drawing upon a range of ethnographic and survey data, this study explores these two tendencies in government efforts to tackle smuggling across the Zimbabwean border, limit access to immigration permits and police undocumented residence in the city of Johannesburg. The article suggests that these seemingly contradictory developments - corrupt circumvention and overzealous enforcement - are both products of a single dynamic: the state's monopolisation of legitimate movement. The ‘state’ is not being captured but is helping to generate parallel and informal orders alongside conventional immigration law

Criminality or Monopoly? Informal Immigration Enforcement in South Africa

Zimbabwean displacement has significant implications for the evolution of state forms in Southern Africa. In South Africa, Zimbabwean migrants' claims to residence confront exclusionary immigration laws. The South African government officials who are responsible for enforcing these laws have helped migrants to circumvent protocols and procedures while simultaneously overstepping the bounds of their authority to prevent migrants from entering the nation's borders and residing within. Drawing upon a range of ethnographic and survey data, this study explores these two tendencies in government efforts to tackle smuggling across the Zimbabwean border, limit access to immigration permits and police undocumented residence in the city of Johannesburg. The article suggests that these seemingly contradictory developments - corrupt circumvention and overzealous enforcement - are both products of a single dynamic: the state's monopolisation of legitimate movement. The ‘state’ is not being captured but is helping to generate parallel and informal orders alongside conventional immigration law

Síndrome da boca ardente: etiologia Burning mouth syndrome: etiology

A Síndrome da Boca Ardente (SBA) é caracterizada por dor na cavidade oral, com ou sem sinais inflamatórios, mas sem lesões específicas. Acomete geralmente mulheres na faixa etária entre 40 a 60 anos. A dor é do tipo queimação, de intensidade moderada a severa, sendo a língua o local mais acometido, podendo haver sensação dolorosa também em gengivas, lábios e mucosa jugal. Pode haver piora da intensidade dolorosa no decorrer do dia, nos estados de tensão, fadiga, ao falar muito, à ingestão de alimentos picantes e/ou quentes e melhora com alimentos frios, trabalho e distração. O objetivo desta revisão é contemplar as possíveis etiologias da SBA, agrupando-as em 4 grandes grupos para que melhor possam ser estudados: dor oral de causa local, sistêmica, emocional e idiopática. Sabendo dos diagnósticos diferenciais da síndrome, estabelecemos um protocolo para o manejo destes pacientes. Dentre as etiologias de dor bucal local, deve-se pesquisar as de causa dentária, alérgicas e infecciosas. Para as causas sistêmicas, pesquisar doenças do tecido conectivo, doenças endócrinas, neurológicas, deficiências nutricionais e as alterações das glândulas salivares que levam à xerostomia. A etiologia da SBA pode ser de difícil diagnóstico, muitas vezes com mais de um fator causando dor na boca. A realização de anamnese detalhada, exame físico geral, inspeção minuciosa da cavidade oral e orofaringe, além de exames laboratoriais são de fundamental importância, para evitar que o tratamento dos pacientes com esta síndrome, seja baseado em tentativa e erro.<br>The Burning Month Syndrome (BMS) is an oral mucosa pain - with or without inflammatory signs - without any specific lesion. It is mostly observed in women aged 40-60 years. This pain feels like a moderate/severe burning, and it occurs more frequently on the tongue, but it may also be felt at the gingiva, lips and jugal mucosa. It may worsen during the day, during stress and fatigue, when the patient speaks too much, or through eating of spicy/hot foods. The burning can be diminished with cold food, work and leisure. The goal of this review article is to consider possible BMS etiologies and join them in 4 groups to be better studied: local, systemic, emotional and idiopathic causes of pain. Knowing the different diagnoses of this syndrome, we can establish a protocol to manage these patients. Within the local pain group, we must investigate dental, allergic and infectious causes. Concerning systemic causes we need to look for connective tissue diseases, endocrine disorders, neurological diseases, nutritional deficits and salivary glands alterations that result in xerostomia. BMS etiology may be of difficult diagnosis, many times showing more than one cause for oral pain. A detailed interview, general physical examination, oral cavity and oropharynx inspection, and lab exams are essential to avoid a try and error treatment for these patients