Significance of meat inspection in the estimation of economic loss due to Bovine Cysticercosis

The records of meat inspection carried out for 24 consecutive days at the Awka main abattoir in Anambra State, south-eastern Nigeria, was used to estimate the direc economic loss in carcass condemnaton due to bovine cysticercosis. Among the 614 catte slaughtered 306 (49.8 %) were examined, out of which cystcerci were detected in 61.1 %, 61.1 %, 46.2 %, 45.2 % and 50.7 % of the Massetter, Tongue, Inter-costal, Diaphragmatic and Pectoral muscles from 221 (72.2 %) ofinfected cattle. This amounted to an estimated loss of N186892.38 in terms of condemnaton of cysticerci-infected carcasses. Condemnation due to generalized infection o the specified organs amounted to N109467.50 (58.6 %), whle moderatey and ocaly infected organs contributed N28435.08 (15.2 %) and N48989.8 (26.2 %) to the tota loss, respectively. This loss was equivalent to 4 heads of cattle in 24 days at N50000 per head, which translated to an annual loss of N2842321.61 or 57 heads of catte at the Awka main abattor alone. Since 10000 to20000 trucks of beef-cattle are reported to be daily transported to abattoirs in different parts of Nigeria, the direct economic loss of revenue in the beef industry on account of cysticercosis would run into billions of naira. This result will promote evidence-based decision on the control of cysticercosis inthe country and elsewhere.Keywords: Meat inspection, Cysticercosis, Carcass condemnation, Economic loss, Managemen

Characteristics of Different Systems for the Solar Drying of Crops

Solar dryers are used to enable the preservation of agricultural crops, food processing industries for dehydration of fruits and vegetables, fish and meat drying, dairy industries for production of milk powder, seasoning of wood and timber, textile industries for drying of textile materials. The fundamental concepts and contexts of their use to dry crops is discussed in the chapter. It is shown that solar drying is the outcome of complex interactions particular between the intensity and duration of solar energy, the prevailing ambient relative humidity and temperature, the characteristics of the particular crop and its pre-preparation and the design and operation of the solar dryer

First-Step Mutations for Adaptation at Elevated Temperature Increase Capsid Stability in a Virus

The relationship between mutation, protein stability and protein function plays a central role in molecular evolution. Mutations tend to be destabilizing, including those that would confer novel functions such as host-switching or antibiotic resistance. Elevated temperature may play an important role in preadapting a protein for such novel functions by selecting for stabilizing mutations. In this study, we test the stability change conferred by single mutations that arise in a G4-like bacteriophage adapting to elevated temperature. The vast majority of these mutations map to interfaces between viral coat proteins, suggesting they affect protein-protein interactions. We assess their effects by estimating thermodynamic stability using molecular dynamic simulations and measuring kinetic stability using experimental decay assays. The results indicate that most, though not all, of the observed mutations are stabilizing

A Physical Activity and Diet Just‐in‐Time Adaptive Intervention to Reduce Blood Pressure: The myBPmyLife Study Rationale and Design

Background Smartphone applications and wearable devices are promising mobile health interventions for hypertension self‐management. However, most mobile health interventions fail to use contextual data, potentially diminishing their impact. The myBPmyLife Study is a just‐in‐time adaptive intervention designed to promote personalized self‐management for patients with hypertension. Methods and Results The study is a 6‐month prospective, randomized‐controlled, remotely administered trial. Participants were recruited from the University of Michigan Health in Ann Arbor, Michigan or the Hamilton Community Health Network, a federally qualified health center network in Flint, Michigan. Participants were randomized to a mobile application with a just‐in‐time adaptive intervention promoting physical activity and lower‐sodium food choices as well as weekly goal setting or usual care. The mobile study application encourages goal attainment through a central visualization displaying participants' progress toward their goals for physical activity and lower‐sodium food choices. Participants in both groups are followed for up for 6 months with a primary end point of change in systolic blood pressure. Exploratory analyses will examine the impact of notifications on step count and self‐reported lower‐sodium food choices. The study launched on December 9, 2021, with 484 participants enrolled as of March 31, 2023. Enrollment of participants was completed on July 3, 2023. After 6 months of follow‐up, it is expected that results will be available in the spring of 2024. Conclusions The myBPmyLife study is an innovative mobile health trial designed to evaluate the effects of a just‐in‐time adaptive intervention focused on improving physical activity and dietary sodium intake on blood pressure in diverse patients with hypertension. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT05154929