Isolation and partial characterization of a protease enzyme from Thaumatococcus daniellii waste

A protease enzyme was isolated and partially purified from the pulp of Thaumatococcus daniellii fruit by gel filtration on sephadex G-75 followed by ion-exchange column chromatography on DEAEcellulose. The enzyme showed a specific activity of 4.75 × 10-1 unit/mg protein and 6.93 × 10-1 unit/mg protein, respectively after each purification procedure. The purified enzyme had a Km and Vmax of 2.0 × 10-4 M and 1.53 mol/min, respectively, using casein as substrate. The enzyme had an optimum temperature of 35°C and functioned best at pH 7.0 with some residual activity at alkaline pH.Key words: Protease, isolation, characterization, Thaumatococcus danielii

EVALUATION OF DOG SLAUGHTER AND CONSUMPTION PRACTICES RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF RABIES IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT The trade, slaughter and consumption of dog meats are some common attitudes and practices in subSaharan West African countries. These factors may represent a source of human rabies exposures and infections in the population of these countries and may be because of these only, still rabies remain endemic disease in Nigeria. Therefore, a survey was conducted during January, 2012 to July, 2012 for finding out the rational of dog meat consumption in Niger state, Nigeria. One hundred and fifty five volunteers (146 males and 9 females), consisting of dog butchers, consumers and those who leave around the slaughter points answered a questionnaire at five dog slaughter locations across the state. Information on the dogs slaughtered was also collected. The results revealed that 125 (80.6%) of the respondents consumed dog meat (4 females and 121 males). Only 12 (9.6%) were actually engaged in dog butchering who also identified that they purchased their dogs for slaughter from households within and outside their territories, not by personal breeding. None of the butchers were vaccinated against rabies. Regarding reasons for dog meat consumption, 80 (64%) respondents indicated that the meat was delicious, 23 (18.4%) claimed medicinal purposes, and 1 (0.8%) respondent believed that its consumption protected against the witches. Overall, 471 dogs were recorded to be slaughtered for human consumption during the study period. Despite their rational, the practices of dog trade, slaughter and consumption were detrimental to dogs as well as the control of rabies, particularly when evidence indicated that up to 28% of dogs slaughtered for human consumption in Nigeria may harbor the rabies virus. KEYWORDS Dog slaughter Dog consumption Rabies Nigeri

Two New Loci for Body-Weight Regulation Identified in a Joint Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies for Early-Onset Extreme Obesity in French and German Study Groups

Meta-analyses of population-based genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in adults have recently led to the detection of new genetic loci for obesity. Here we aimed to discover additional obesity loci in extremely obese children and adolescents. We also investigated if these results generalize by estimating the effects of these obesity loci in adults and in population-based samples including both children and adults. We jointly analysed two GWAS of 2,258 individuals and followed-up the best, according to lowest p-values, 44 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) from 21 genomic regions in 3,141 individuals. After this DISCOVERY step, we explored if the findings derived from the extremely obese children and adolescents (10 SNPs from 5 genomic regions) generalized to (i) the population level and (ii) to adults by genotyping another 31,182 individuals (GENERALIZATION step). Apart from previously identified FTO, MC4R, and TMEM18, we detected two new loci for obesity: one in SDCCAG8 (serologically defined colon cancer antigen 8 gene; p = 1.85610 x 10(-8) in the DISCOVERY step) and one between TNKS (tankyrase, TRF1-interacting ankyrin-related ADP-ribose polymerase gene) and MSRA (methionine sulfoxide reductase A gene; p = 4.84 x 10(-7)), the latter finding being limited to children and adolescents as demonstrated in the GENERALIZATION step. The odds ratios for early-onset obesity were estimated at similar to 1.10 per risk allele for both loci. Interestingly, the TNKS/MSRA locus has recently been found to be associated with adult waist circumference. In summary, we have completed a meta-analysis of two GWAS which both focus on extremely obese children and adolescents and replicated our findings in a large followed-up data set. We observed that genetic variants in or near FTO, MC4R, TMEM18, SDCCAG8, and TNKS/MSRA were robustly associated with early-onset obesity. We conclude that the currently known major common variants related to obesity overlap to a substantial degree between children and adults

A year of genomic surveillance reveals how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolded in Africa.

The progression of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in Africa has so far been heterogeneous, and the full impact is not yet well understood. In this study, we describe the genomic epidemiology using a dataset of 8746 genomes from 33 African countries and two overseas territories. We show that the epidemics in most countries were initiated by importations predominantly from Europe, which diminished after the early introduction of international travel restrictions. As the pandemic progressed, ongoing transmission in many countries and increasing mobility led to the emergence and spread within the continent of many variants of concern and interest, such as B.1.351, B.1.525, A.23.1, and C.1.1. Although distorted by low sampling numbers and blind spots, the findings highlight that Africa must not be left behind in the global pandemic response, otherwise it could become a source for new variants

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance.

Investment in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing in Africa over the past year has led to a major increase in the number of sequences that have been generated and used to track the pandemic on the continent, a number that now exceeds 100,000 genomes. Our results show an increase in the number of African countries that are able to sequence domestically and highlight that local sequencing enables faster turnaround times and more-regular routine surveillance. Despite limitations of low testing proportions, findings from this genomic surveillance study underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic and illuminate the distinct dispersal dynamics of variants of concern-particularly Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron-on the continent. Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve while the continent faces many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Agroclimatological Indices and Performance of Okra in Mixtures with Sorghum and Maize in Forest-Savanna Transition Zone of Nigeria.

Agroclimatological indices and performance of okra in mixtures with sorghum and maize in a Forest-Savanna transition zone of Nigeria was investigated at the Experimental Research Farmland of the National Horticultural Research Institutes (NIHORT), Ibadan during the 2009 and 2010 cropping seasons. Plants phenological stages formed the basic unit of time for the investigation. During these phenological stages, agroclimatological thermal and moisture indices were measured daily and processed into ten-day (decadal) averages likewise selected agronomic growth and yield parameters of the components crops were taken fortnightly. The results showed that the 2010 season crops had relatively longer growth duration, received more rainfall than 2009 season (692mm vs 487.2mm) while 2009 experienced warmer temperature during establishment and early vegetative stage than 2010 season (33.2°C vs 32°C), and (28.5°C vs 27 °C) during the reproductive phase for 2009 and 2010 season respectively. The mean pod yields of okra in both seasons were dependent on crop combination since pod yield in sorghum cultivars mixtures (Farin Dawa and Janare) (97.33 and 93.67 pods) was significantly higher than in maize mixtures (58.33 and 49.65 pods) in 2009 season likewise in 2010 season when okra pods in sorghum mixtures (Farin Dawa and Janare) had (309.67 and 232.33 pods) against (162.67 and 67 pods) in maize mixtures for the two sorghum cultivars. Result of correlation analysis showed that growing period rainfall contributes more to plant height and leaf area of the components crops than mean temperature. Key words: Phenological stages, agroclimatological indices, okra, sorghum, maiz

Effect of Water Extract Of Tetrapleura Tetraptera (Aidon) On Haematological And Biochemical Parameters in Rats infected With Trypanosoma Brucei

This study investigated whether water extract of Tetrapleura tetraptere has trypanocidal effect against T.brucei in laboratory rats. Studies also examined its effect on the weight, haematological parameters as well as the blood chemical analyses of the infected animals. Results showed that oral administration of the water extract to the infected rats significantly reduced the parasite load, also weight loss was significantly lower in the infected and treated rats than the untreated ones. These positive observations were accompanied by reduced leukocytosis, improved state of anaemia and increased packed cell volume, all of which are indices of recovery from the state of cell toxicity arising from parasitemia. The tolerance of the extract by the animal was evaluated by the determination of the blood chemistries. Results revealed that there was no significant difference in the concentrations of the blood glucose, total protein, uric acid and unconjugated bilirubin in the uninfected but treated rats compared with the "neat" rats which were neither infected nor treated. However, conjugated bilirubin and creatinine values were significantly increased. It was also observed that when the infected animals were treated with the extract, the blood levels of total protein, uric acid, creatinine and unconjugated bilirubin decreased slightly, but consistently, as against the untreated rats. These observations indicate the beneficial effects of the plant extract and suggest that the T. tetraptera may contain active substance(s) which could have therapeutic effect against trypanosome infection. Nigerian Quarterly Journal of Hospital Medicine Vol. 9, No. 1 (1999) pp. 66-7

Leishmaniasis presenting as severe anaemia in an adult female Nigerian

Visceral leishmaniasis is a rare cause of anaemia. We report a case of visceral leishmaniasis presenting as severe anaemia and pyrexia of unknown origin in an adult female Nigerian. The objective was to highlight the importance of exhaustive investigations in the diagnosis of anaemia and pyrexia of unknown origin in our environment. Keywords: visceral leishmaniasis, chronic anaemia, pyrexia of unknown origin, NigeriaAfrican Journal of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology Vol. 6 (3) 2005: 253-25