Inter-Market and Seasonal Variation in Price: An Appraisal of Maize Marketing in Kwara State.

This study investigated inter-market and seasonal variation in prices of maize in Kwara State. Secondary time series data on average monthly retail price of maize in urban and rural markets between 1998 and 2003 were used for the study. Primary data on the average storage cost of maize and the average selling price of maize for 2004 were also used for the study. The study described the seasonal pattern of maize, examined its seasonal price rise and analyzed the inter-market variation in prices of maize in the study area. The study revealed that the seasonal price rise exceeds storage cost but the difference is minimal. The effect of kilometer separation between market- pairs on their Price difference is significant (p < 0.05). Thus, if storage cost should be reduced the inter-market price variation will be reduced while transportation cost should also be reduced to facilitate the movement of food commodities between markets. Keywords: Inter-market, Price difference, Seasonal, Variation, and Maize. Agrosearch Vol. 7 (1&2) 2005: pp. 51-6

Vulnerability analysis of maize farmers to climate risk in Kwara state, Nigeria

There is an increasing concern on the vulnerability of farmers to the impact of climate change. The study analyses maize farmers’ vulnerability to climate risk, it specifically determines their knowledge of climate change; examines their vulnerability; identifies the determinants of vulnerability and their management strategies. Three-stage random sampling was employed. Descriptive statistics, Likert scale, vulnerability index and stepwise regression were the tools of analysis. Result showed 79.5% of the respondents were males while 20.5% were females; 77.5% had no formal education; and their mean farm size was 2.88ha. The majority of the farmers agreed that the climate is changing which is corroborated by the meteorological data analysed. The vulnerability assessment shows that the farmers are vulnerable. The determinants of vulnerability among the farmers were years of experience, information about climate change, sensitivity of farming resource and susceptibility to drought.. The results also showed that farmers do not have the necessary capacity to mitigate against the effect of climate change. It therefore recommends that adequate climatic information, easy access to drought tolerant maize variety should be prioritize in policy making.Keywords: Climate Risk, Kwara State, Maize Farmers, Nigeria, Vulnerability

Enhancing the Mechanical Properties of Lateritic Brick for Better performance

The research considered the production of improved stabilized lateritic Bricks (ISLB) with enhanced mechanical properties. The research data were derived from laboratory experiments which include capillary test, erosion test, abrasion test, density test and compressive strength test. Three batches of 290mm x 140mm x 100mm brick samples were produced which are: the Adobe Unstabilized Lateritic Bricks (AULB), Improved Stabilized Lateritic Brick (ISLB) and the Control Stabilized Lateritic Bricks (CSLB). Brick stabilization was maintained at 5% by weight of cement. Compaction of the bricks were carried out manually; the moulded bricks were carefully extruded in good shape and placed on clean, hard flat surface to allowed to dry under normal atmospheric temperature and pressure . The ISLB was divided into four groups of 12 bricks samples immersed in solution of zycosil and water in the following proportion by volume: (1:100),(1:200),(1:300) and (1:400) for 30 minutes and dried under normal atmospheric temperature and pressure before curing commenced. The result of the capillary test on bricks samples after 24 hours showed that AULB and CSLB has (0.35 and 0.15)kg weight difference equivalent of (0.00599 and 0.00256) kg/m2/min suction rate while the ISLB have 0.05kg weight difference equivalent to 0.000855kg/m2/min suction rate. The result of erosion test for brick durability ranked between very firm for ISLB of 1:100, 1:200 and 1:300 Zycosil Water Solution (ZWS), firm for ISLB of 1:400 ZWS; firm for CSLB and loose for AULB. The abrasion test result showed that the ISLB have abrasion value of (1,2,2 and 2)% while the CSLB and AULB have (3 and 12)% abrasion value. The density of ISLB are (1933.50, 1921.18, 1916.26 and 1908.87) kgm-3 at 28 days while the density of CSLB and AULB were (1926.11 and 1800.49) kgm-3. Density results conform to minimum specification requirement for lateritic bricks of bulk density of 1810kgm-3 as recommended by the Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI). Compressive strength test for the ISLB are (3.16, 3.10, 3.07 and 3.08) Nmm-2 at 28 days while the compressive strength test for CSLB and AULB stood at (3.15 and 2.41) Nm-2 which conforms to NBRRI recommended value of compressive strength ranges of (3 to 3.5) Nmm-2 at 5% stabilization level. It was concluded that the mechanical properties of improved stabilized lateritic brick are better than CSLB and AULB in terms of capillary rise, erosion, abrasion, density and compressive strength

Securinega virosa leaf and root bark extracts: a comparative anti-cancer study against human breast (MCF-7) and lung (NCI-H460) cancer cell lines

Securinega virosa (Roxb. ex.Willd.) is a medicinal plant with folkloric use in the treatment of cancer and other diseases and has earlier shown significant cytotoxic and growth-inhibitory prospect in our past work. The methanol extracts of the leaves and root barks obtained by cold maceration were screened for anti-cancer properties on breast (MCF-7) and lung (NCI-H460) cancer cells at 1-250 μg/mL adopting the SRB assay. The active leaf extract was partitioned into aqueous and chloroform fractions which were further tested at 1-100 μg/mL on the cell lines. The leaf and root bark extracts exhibited higher sensitivities on MCF-7 than NCI-H460 cell lines. At 100 μg/mL the leaf extract showed cytotoxicity and growth-inhibitory activities of –1.09 and +61.35 % on MCF-7 and NCI-H460 cell lines which later increased to –18.67 and +77.13 %, respectively at 250 μg/mL with GI 50 and TGI of 42 and 63 μg/mL on MCF-7 as well and 98.01 and 132.50 μg/mL on both cells. At the maximum concentration, the root bark extract recorded cytotoxicity of –2.60 % on MCF-7, and a growth-inhibitory activity of +57.9 % on NCI-H460 cell lines. Fractionation of the leaf extract improved its activity at GI50, TGI of 28.11, 34.22 μg/mL on MCF-7 and 42 and 52.69 μg/ mL against NCI-H460 cells, respectively. The traditional use of this plant in the treatment of tumor ailment has further been justified by these results

Comparative Antioxidants Status of Leaves Extracts of Some Common Antimalarial Plants in West Africa

Objective: Malaria chemotherapy remains relevance and gives way to the re-evaluation of medicinal plants that has already gain approval in the traditional treatments of Malaria. This work evaluated and compared the antioxidant status of methanol leaves extracts of Azadirachta Indica (MAI), Vernonia Amygdalina (MVA) and Carica Papaya (MCP). Methods: Phenols, Flavonoids,percentage inhibition of lipid peroxidation and radical scavenging activities using 1,1-diphenyl-2- picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and Hydroxyl radicals were determined spectrophotometrically based on international standardized methods . Results: Total Phenolic content in garlic acid equivalence (GAE)were expressed maximally at 700μg/ml by 0.015±0.002, 0.019±0.017, 0.013±0.006 mg/g and flavonoids contents at 350μg/ml by 0.063±0.004, 0.020±0.031, 0.049±0.002 Mg/g quercetin equivalence (QE) for MAI, MVA and MCP respectively. DPPH scavenging activities of 78.60, 55.55 and 54.96 % were obtained at 350μg/ml by MAI, MVA and MCP respectively in the order MAI>MVA>MCP. At 300μg/ml, the extracts scavenged hydroxyl radicals significantly( p≤0.05) by72.00, 77.80 and 53.15 % in the order MVA>MAI>MCP. Intriguingly, extracts also convered significantly (p≤0.05), 50% cell protection as they inhibited lipid peroxidation by50.00, 66.20 and 64.30% in the order MVA>MCP>MAI at 350μg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: Antioxidative properties exhibited by extracts may be correlated with their antimalarial functions, bioactive contents and suggestive of MVA as more potent antimalarial of the evaluated plants which may serve as template for malaria drugs and its local usage encouraged in poverty- stricken malarial-endemic areas of West Africa

Assessment of Post Fire Structural Strengths of Normal Strength Concrete Subjected to Cyclic Thermal Loadings

Concrete is a composite construction material consisting basically of a binder, aggregates, water and with or without admixture to modify either or both its physical and chemical properties. The rate at which concrete structures especially buildings are gutted by fire hazards is on the increase and this has adverse effect on the strength, hence, the need to assess the post fire structural strengths of Normal Strength Concrete(NSC). NSC of grade 50 was produced and cast into specimens of sizes 150mm cubes and 100mm x 100mm x 500mm reinforced concrete beams. The concrete cubes and beams were subjected to elevated cyclic thermal loadings after 7, 14 and 28 days of curing, while the rate of heating was maintained at 1oC/min until the target temperature of (100, 130, 160, 200 and 250)o C where attained and this was maintained for one hour and then allowed to cool at 1oC/min to room temperature of 32oC. Unstressed Residual Uniaxial Compressive Test (URUCT and Flexural Strength Test (FST) were conducted on the cubes and reinforced concrete beams, respectively. Direct Tensile Strength Test (DTST) was performed on the high yield (460N/mm2) steel reinforcement. The result showed that the residual compressive strengths of concrete cubes decreases with increase thermal loadings. The expected strengths of 0.69 and 0.97 of the 28 days strength for 7 and 14 days respectively were met. The flexural strengths decrease with increase in thermal loadings. The flexural strength of the concrete beams at 28 days of 15.25N/mm2 at thermal loading of 32oC was reduced to 8.16/mm2 at thermal loading of 160oC; while the strength at 14 days of 12.19 N/mm2 at thermal loading of 32oC was reduced to 7.62N/mm2 at thermal loading of 160oC and finally, the strength at 7 days of 10.13N/mm2 at thermal loading of 32oC was reduced to 5.82N/mm2 at thermal loading of 160oC. All the results met the specification for high yield steel of 12% elongation at fracture. It was concluded that within the thermal loading range adopted, the tensile strength of the reinforcement was not impaired beyond the limit specified by the code

Cardiac fibrosis can be attenuated by blocking the activity of transglutaminase 2 using a selective small-molecule inhibitor

Cardiac fibrosis is implicit in all forms of heart disease but there are no effective treatments. In this report, we investigate the role of the multi-functional enzyme Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) in cardiac fibrosis and assess its potential as a therapeutic target. Here we describe the use a highly selective TG2 small-molecule inhibitor to test the efficacy of TG2 inhibition as an anti-fibrotic therapy for heart failure employing two different in vivo models of cardiac fibrosis: Progressively induced interstitial cardiac fibrosis by pressure overload using angiotensin II infusion: Acutely induced focal cardiac fibrosis through myocardial infarction by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (AMI model). In the AMI model, in vivo MRI showed that the TG2 inhibitor 1–155 significantly reduced infarct size by over 50% and reduced post-infarct remodelling at 20 days post insult. In both models, Sirius red staining for collagen deposition and levels of the TG2-mediated protein crosslink ε(γ-glutamyl)lysine were significantly reduced. No cardiac rupture or obvious signs of toxicity were observed. To provide a molecular mechanism for TG2 involvement in cardiac fibrosis, we show that both TGFβ1-induced transition of cardiofibroblasts into myofibroblast-like cells and TGFβ1- induced EndMT, together with matrix deposition, can be attenuated by the TG2 selective inhibitor 1–155, suggesting a new role for TG2 in regulating TGFβ1 signalling in addition to its role in latent TGFβ1 activation. In conclusion, TG2 has a role in cardiac fibrosis through activation of myofibroblasts and matrix deposition. TG2 inhibition using a selective small-molecule inhibitor can attenuate cardiac fibrosis

Epidemiology of Untreated Psychoses in 3 Diverse Settings in the Global South: The International Research Program on Psychotic Disorders in Diverse Settings (INTREPID II).

IMPORTANCE: Less than 10% of research on psychotic disorders has been conducted in settings in the Global South, which refers broadly to the regions of Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. There is a lack of basic epidemiological data on the distribution of and risks for psychoses that can inform the development of services in many parts of the world. OBJECTIVE: To compare demographic and clinical profiles of cohorts of cases and rates of untreated psychoses (proxy for incidence) across and within 3 economically and socially diverse settings in the Global South. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) demographic and clinical profiles of cases with an untreated psychotic disorder vary across setting and (2) rates of untreated psychotic disorders vary across and within setting by clinical and demographic group. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The International Research Program on Psychotic Disorders in Diverse Settings (INTREPID II) comprises incidence, case-control, and cohort studies of untreated psychoses in catchment areas in 3 countries in the Global South: Kancheepuram District, India; Ibadan, Nigeria; and northern Trinidad. Participants were individuals with an untreated psychotic disorder. This incidence study was conducted from May 1, 2018, to July 31, 2020. In each setting, comprehensive systems were implemented to identify and assess all individuals with an untreated psychosis during a 2-year period. Data were analyzed from January 1 to May 1, 2022. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The presence of an untreated psychotic disorder, assessed using the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry, which incorporate the Present State Examination. RESULTS: Identified were a total of 1038 cases, including 64 through leakage studies (Kancheepuram: 268; median [IQR] age, 42 [33-50] years; 154 women [57.5%]; 114 men [42.5%]; Ibadan: 196; median [IQR] age, 34 [26-41] years; 93 women [47.4%]; 103 men [52.6%]; Trinidad: 574; median [IQR] age, 30 [23-40] years; 235 women [40.9%]; 339 men [59.1%]). Marked variations were found across and within settings in the sex, age, and clinical profiles of cases (eg, lower percentage of men, older age at onset, longer duration of psychosis, and lower percentage of affective psychosis in Kancheepuram compared with Ibadan and Trinidad) and in rates of untreated psychosis. Age- and sex-standardized rates of untreated psychoses were approximately 3 times higher in Trinidad (59.1/100 000 person-years; 95% CI, 54.2-64.0) compared with Kancheepuram (20.7/100 000 person-years; 95% CI, 18.2-23.2) and Ibadan (14.4/100 000 person-years; 95% CI, 12.3-16.5). In Trinidad, rates were approximately 2 times higher in the African Trinidadian population (85.4/100 000 person-years; 95% CI, 76.0-94.9) compared with the Indian Trinidadian (43.9/100 000 person-years; 95% CI, 35.7-52.2) and mixed populations (50.7/100 000 person-years; 95% CI, 42.0-59.5). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This analysis adds to research that suggests that core aspects of psychosis vary by historic, economic, and social context, with far-reaching implications for understanding and treatment of psychoses globally

The functional relationship between transglutaminase 2 and transforming growth factor β1 in the regulation of angiogenesis and endothelial-mesenchymal transition

The importance of transglutaminase 2 (TG2) in angiogenesis has been highlighted in recent studies, but other roles of this multi-functional enzyme in endothelial cell (EC) function still remains to be fully elucidated. We previously showed that the extracellular TG2 is involved in maintaining tubule formation in ECs by a mechanism involving matrix-bound vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signalling. Here, by using the ECs and fibroblast co-culture and ECs 3D culture models, we demonstrate a further role for TG2 in both endothelial tubule formation and in tubule loss, which involves its role in the regulation of transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) and Smad signalling. We demonstrate that inhibition of tubule formation by TG2 inhibitors can be restored by add-back of exogenous TGFβ1 at pg/ml levels and show that TG2 -/- mouse ECs are unable to form tubules in 3D culture and display negligible Smad signalling compared to wild-type cells. Loss of tubule formation in the TG2 -/- ECs can be reconstituted by transduction with TG2. We demonstrate that extracellular TG2 also has an important role in TGFβ1-induced transition of ECs into myofibroblast-like cells (endothelial-mesenchymal transition), resulting in loss of EC tubules and tubule formation. Our data also indicate that TG2 may have a role in regulating TGFβ signalling through entrapment of active TGFβ1 into the extracellular matrix. In conclusion, our work demonstrates that TG2 has multi-functional roles in ECs where its ability to fine-tune of TGFβ1 signalling means it can be involved in both endothelial tubule formation and tubule rarefaction