Animal-related factors associated with moderate-to-severe diarrhea in children younger than five years in western Kenya: A matched case-control study

Background Diarrheal disease remains among the leading causes of global mortality in children younger than 5 years. Exposure to domestic animals may be a risk factor for diarrheal disease. The objectives of this study were to identify animal-related exposures associated with cases of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in children in rural western Kenya, and to identify the major zoonotic enteric pathogens present in domestic animals residing in the homesteads of case and control children. Methodology/Principal findings We characterized animal-related exposures in a subset of case and control children (n = 73 pairs matched on age, sex and location) with reported animal presence at home enrolled in the Global Enteric Multicenter Study in western Kenya, and analysed these for an association with MSD. We identified potentially zoonotic enteric pathogens in pooled fecal specimens collected from domestic animals resident at children’s homesteads. Variables that were associated with decreased risk of MSD were washing hands after animal contact (matched odds ratio [MOR] = 0.2; 95% CI 0.08–0.7), and presence of adult sheep that were not confined in a pen overnight (MOR = 0.1; 0.02–0.5). Variables that were associated with increased risk of MSD were increasing number of sheep owned (MOR = 1.2; 1.0–1.5), frequent observation of fresh rodent excreta (feces/urine) outside the house (MOR = 7.5; 1.5–37.2), and participation of the child in providing water to chickens (MOR = 3.8; 1.2–12.2). Of 691 pooled specimens collected from 2,174 domestic animals, 159 pools (23%) tested positive for one or more potentially zoonotic enteric pathogens (Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli, non-typhoidal Salmonella, diarrheagenic E. coli, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, or rotavirus). We did not find any association between the presence of particular pathogens in household animals, and MSD in children. Conclusions and significance Public health agencies should continue to promote frequent hand washing, including after animal contact, to reduce the risk of MSD. Future studies should address specific causal relations of MSD with sheep and chicken husbandry practices, and with the presence of rodents

Ancient DNA and deep population structure in sub-Saharan African foragers

Multiple lines of genetic and archaeological evidence suggest that there were major demographic changes in the terminal Late Pleistocene epoch and early Holocene epoch of sub-Saharan Africa(1-4). Inferences about this period are challenging to make because demographic shifts in the past 5,000 years have obscured the structures of more ancient populations(3,5). Here we present genome-wide ancient DNA data for six individuals from eastern and south-central Africa spanning the past approximately 18,000 years (doubling the time depth of sub-Saharan African ancient DNA), increase the data quality for 15 previously published ancient individuals and analyse these alongside data from 13 other published ancient individuals. The ancestry of the individuals in our study area can be modelled as a geographically structured mixture of three highly divergent source populations, probably reflecting Pleistocene interactions around 80-20 thousand years ago, including deeply diverged eastern and southern African lineages, plus a previously unappreciated ubiquitous distribution of ancestry that occurs in highest proportion today in central African rainforest hunter-gatherers. Once established, this structure remained highly stable, with limited long-range gene flow. These results provide a new line of genetic evidence in support of hypotheses that have emerged from archaeological analyses but remain contested, suggesting increasing regionalization at the end of the Pleistocene epoch. DNA analysis of 6 individuals from eastern and south-central Africa spanning the past approximately 18,000 years, and of 28 previously published ancient individuals, provides genetic evidence supporting hypotheses of increasing regionalization at the end of the Pleistocene.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

May Measurement Month 2018: a pragmatic global screening campaign to raise awareness of blood pressure by the International Society of Hypertension

Aims Raised blood pressure (BP) is the biggest contributor to mortality and disease burden worldwide and fewer than half of those with hypertension are aware of it. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global campaign set up in 2017, to raise awareness of high BP and as a pragmatic solution to a lack of formal screening worldwide. The 2018 campaign was expanded, aiming to include more participants and countries. Methods and results Eighty-nine countries participated in MMM 2018. Volunteers (≥18 years) were recruited through opportunistic sampling at a variety of screening sites. Each participant had three BP measurements and completed a questionnaire on demographic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg, or taking antihypertensive medication. In total, 74.9% of screenees provided three BP readings. Multiple imputation using chained equations was used to impute missing readings. 1 504 963 individuals (mean age 45.3 years; 52.4% female) were screened. After multiple imputation, 502 079 (33.4%) individuals had hypertension, of whom 59.5% were aware of their diagnosis and 55.3% were taking antihypertensive medication. Of those on medication, 60.0% were controlled and of all hypertensives, 33.2% were controlled. We detected 224 285 individuals with untreated hypertension and 111 214 individuals with inadequately treated (systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg) hypertension. Conclusion May Measurement Month expanded significantly compared with 2017, including more participants in more countries. The campaign identified over 335 000 adults with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. In the absence of systematic screening programmes, MMM was effective at raising awareness at least among these individuals at risk

ARPN Journal of Agricultural and Biological Science INFLUENCE OF PHOSPHORUS ON SELECTED DESMODIUM GROWTH AND NODULATION PARAMETERS

ABSTRACT Phosphorus is known to affect growth and formation of nodules although its role in the process is less understood. Several workers have, however, related phosphorus nutrition with rhizabial activities in leguminous plants. In other studies, it has been shown that nodules are stronger sinks for phosphorus-compared roots, shoots and even young mature leaves. We initiated this study to determine the effect of phosphorus on selected desmodium species growth and nodulation parameters in a pot experiment. A 2 by 8 factorial experiment was laid in a complete randomized design (CRD) at KARI-CYMMIT Research Station located in western Kenya. Pots were each filled with 7.5 kg 2 mm sieved dry soil. The treatments consisted of two desmodium species (D. intortum and D. uncinatum) and 8 levels of phosphorus applied at 0, 10.3, 20.6, 30.9, 41.2, 51.5, 61.8 and 72.1 mg P kg -1 soil. The experiment was replicated 3 times. Plants were top dressed with urea (at 85.5 mg N pot -1 ) at 21 days after emergence (DAE). Shoots were harvested twice during the growth period (at 15 and 28 weeks after planting) while dry root weight and nodulation parameters were determined at 34 wap. Results showed that shoot biomass produced in the second harvest was 21% and 42% higher than production in the first harvest for D. uncinatum and D. intortum, respectively. Root biomasses was significantly (p = 0.045) increased at 41.2 mg P kg -1 soil compared to the control treatment in the D. uncinatum plant while D. intortum had significant increase in root weight at ≥ 30.9 mg P kg -1 soil. Addition of phosphorus in excess of these rates did not translate into gain in biomass except at 72.1 mg P kg -1 soil. Application of phosphorus at ≥ 20.6 mg P kg -1 soil significantly (p = 0.039) increased the number of nodules produced by D. intortum species from an average of 37 (control) to 86.8 nodules -1 pot at 51.5 mg P kg -1 soil. The number of active nodules obtained in the control treatment was significantly (p = 0.041) low compared to that obtained at 30.9 mg P kg -1 soil in the D. uncinatum species. Whereas D. uncinatum produced few but heavy nodules, D. intortum had relatively large number and light nodules, phosphorus rates not withstanding. Relationships between nodule number and root biomass are also discussed

Isolation, characterization and identification of roundup degrading bacteria from the soil and gut of Macrotermes michaelseni

Roundup degrading bacteria were isolated from the soil and gut of fungus cultivating termites Macrotermes michaelseni using MM7 media supplemented with the pesticide as the sole source of carbon and energy. The isolates were gram negative rods the isolate from the soil was designated GS1 while that from termite gut was designated GT2. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the isolates revealed that isolates Both isolates GS1 and GT2 are closely related to Enterobacter sp AY 0822447 with 99% sequence similarity. The results of this study highlight the potential of these bacterial isolates to be used in bioremediation. Published by the International journal of Microbiology and Mycology (IJMM

Evaluating residual strain throughout the murine female reproductive system

Mounting evidence suggests that cells within soft tissues seek to maintain a preferred biomechanical state. Residual stress is defined as the stress that remains in a tissue when all external loads are removed and contributes to tissue mechanohomeostasis by decreasing the transmural gradient of wall stress. Current computational models of pelvic floor mechanics, however, often do not consider residual stress. Residual strain, a result of residual stress can be quantitatively measured through opening angle experiments. Therefore, the objective of this study is to quantify the regional variations in opening angles along the murine female reproductive system at estrus and diestrus, to quantify residual strain in the maintenance state of sexually mature females. Further, evidence suggests that hydrophilic glycosaminoglycan/proteoglycans are integral to cervical remodeling. Thus, variations in opening angles following hypo-osmotic loading are evaluated. Opening angle experiments were performed along the murine reproductive system in estrus (n = 8) and diestrus (n = 8) and placed in hypo-osmotic solution. Measurements of thickness and volume were also obtained for each group. Differences (p < 0.05) in opening angle were observed with respect to region and loading, however, differences with respect to estrous stage were not significant. Thickness values were significant (p < 0.05) with respect to region only. The effects of both estrous cycle and region resulted in significant differences (p < 0.05) in observed volume. The observed regional differences indicate variation in the stress-free state among the reproductive system which may have implications for future computational models to advance women's reproductive health