Influence of Planting methods and Pinching on growth and vegetative yield of drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam).

Field trials were conducted during the 2010 and 2011 cropping seasons at Federal College of Forestry Mechanization farm, Afaka located (10o 371N and 74o 71E) in the Northern Guinea savannah ecological zone of Nigeria to study the influence of planting method and pinching on growth and vegetative yield of drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam). The experiment consisted of six treatments, viz direct sowing+ pinching at 2 weeks after sowing (WAS); direct sowing + pinching at 2 and 4 WAS; direct sowing+ no pinching; transplanting at 2 WAS +pinching at 2 weeks after transplanting (WAT); transplanting at 2 WAS + pinching at 2 and 4 WAT; transplanting at 2 WAS + pinching at 2WAT; transplanting at 4 WAS + pinching at 2 and 4 WAT. The treatments were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design replicated three times. The plant had significantly vigorous plant with stem diameter at 3 and 9 WAS. However, numbers of leaves, canopy spread and number of branches were not significantly affected by planting methods. Fresh vegetative yield were obtained with direct sowing + pinching at 2 and 4 WAS and transplanting at 2 WAT and pinching at 2 WAT respectively

Malaria parasite positivity among febrile neonates

Background: Malaria, earlier considered rare in neonates, has been reported with increasing frequency in the last decade. Neonatal malaria diagnosis is challenging because the clinical features are non-specific, variable and also overlap with bacterial infection.Aim: To determine the prevalence of neonatal malaria and the associatedclinical features in newborn babies with fever.Patients and methods: One hundred and fifty neonates with fever admitted into the Newborn unit of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, over a six month period, were recruited consecutively. Symptoms and signs for each neonate were documented. Blood film for malaria parasites and investigation for sepsis workup were done before commencement of drugs.Results: One hundred and fifty babies were recruited. Most (85.3%) of the babies were aged .7 days. One hundred and thirty six (90.7%) of the mothers were booked for antenatal care (ANC). Most of the babies were from primiparous women (54.7%). Six babies (4%) had malaria  parasitaemia with four (2.7%) being congenital malaria and two (1.3%)acquired malaria. Plasmodium falciparum was the only species identified. All six with malaria were from the 136 booked mothers. Four of the affected six neonates also had septicaemia. The clinical features in babies with malaria only were, fever, fast breathing and jaundice while thosewith malaria and bacterial co-infection had, in addition, poor suck.Conclusion: Malaria infection and septicemia can coexist in some Nigerian newborns and since the clinical presentation of each of these condition are closely similar, it is recommend that malaria parasite investigation be included as part of the investigation in the newborns with fever. This approach can help to avoid a delay in applying the appropriate therapeuticinterventio

Isolation of Enterovirus from Feacal Samples of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus in Maiduguri, Nigeria

In this study, 150 patients were recruited out of which 63(42%) were male while 87(58%) were female subjects. Patients with type 1 diabetes were 2(1.3%), those with type 2 were 142(94.7%) while those with GDM were 4(4%). Only one sample from type 2 was positive by virus isolation and identified to be Echovirus 1 and 21 by microneutralization tests as described in WHO polio laboratory manual, 2004. It has been demonstrated that enterovirus infections were significantly more common in recently diagnosed diabetic patients, compared to control subjects. The question if enterovirus could cause beta cell damage and diabetes mellitus has become more and more relevant when recent studies have provided new evidence supporting this scenario especially in type 1 diabetes. This is an important issue since it opens the possibility to develop new, preventive and therapeutic strategies to fight the disease. The purpose of this study is to investigate if enterovirus can be isolated from the stool samples of diabetic patients as a study.Key words: Isolation, enteroviruses, faeces, diabetes mellitus, patients

Islamic Monetary Economics: Insights from the Literature

This chapter reviews critical early literature of Islamic monetary economics. The prohibition of Riba has imposed challenges on Islamic economists to come up with the viable alternatives to achieve Islamic monetary policy goals. Our extensive review of theoretical and empirical literature indicates that equity based profit- and loss-sharing instruments have been proposed for conducting open market operations in an interest-free economy. Theoretically, the central bank can achieve desired goals by controlling money supply and profit-sharing ratios. The findings from empirical literature suggest that money demand tend to be more stable in an interest-free economy. Whether monetary transmission works through Islamic banking channel is controversial, but the literature is growing. These findings are not surprising as majority Muslim countries lack sustainable and equitable economic growth. Moreover, these countries suffer from higher inflation and unemployment with little or no monetary freedom due to fixed exchange rate regime, shallow financial markets and strict capital control

Quercetin prevents progression of disease in elastase/LPS-exposed mice by negatively regulating MMP expression

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by chronic bronchitis, emphysema and irreversible airflow limitation. These changes are thought to be due to oxidative stress and an imbalance of proteases and antiproteases. Quercetin, a plant flavonoid, is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. We hypothesized that quercetin reduces lung inflammation and improves lung function in elastase/lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-exposed mice which show typical features of COPD, including airways inflammation, goblet cell metaplasia, and emphysema. Methods Mice treated with elastase and LPS once a week for 4 weeks were subsequently administered 0.5 mg of quercetin dihydrate or 50% propylene glycol (vehicle) by gavage for 10 days. Lungs were examined for elastance, oxidative stress, inflammation, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity. Effects of quercetin on MMP transcription and activity were examined in LPS-exposed murine macrophages. Results Quercetin-treated, elastase/LPS-exposed mice showed improved elastic recoil and decreased alveolar chord length compared to vehicle-treated controls. Quercetin-treated mice showed decreased levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, a measure of lipid peroxidation caused by oxidative stress. Quercetin also reduced lung inflammation, goblet cell metaplasia, and mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and muc5AC. Quercetin treatment decreased the expression and activity of MMP9 and MMP12 in vivo and in vitro, while increasing expression of the histone deacetylase Sirt-1 and suppressing MMP promoter H4 acetylation. Finally, co-treatment with the Sirt-1 inhibitor sirtinol blocked the effects of quercetin on the lung phenotype. Conclusions Quercetin prevents progression of emphysema in elastase/LPS-treated mice by reducing oxidative stress, lung inflammation and expression of MMP9 and MMP12.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78260/1/1465-9921-11-131.xmlhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78260/2/1465-9921-11-131.pdfPeer Reviewe

Rapid whole genome optical mapping of Plasmodium falciparum

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Immune evasion and drug resistance in malaria have been linked to chromosomal recombination and gene copy number variation (CNV). These events are ideally studied using comparative genomic analyses; however in malaria these analyses are not as common or thorough as in other infectious diseases, partly due to the difficulty in sequencing and assembling complete genome drafts. Recently, whole genome optical mapping has gained wide use in support of genomic sequence assembly and comparison. Here, a rapid technique for producing whole genome optical maps of <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>is described and the results of mapping four genomes are presented.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Four laboratory strains of <it>P. falciparum </it>were analysed using the Argus™ optical mapping system to produce ordered restriction fragment maps of all 14 chromosomes in each genome. <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>DNA was isolated directly from blood culture, visualized using the Argus™ system and assembled in a manner analogous to next generation sequence assembly into maps (AssemblyViewer™, OpGen Inc.^®). Full coverage maps were generated for <it>P. falciparum </it>strains 3D7, FVO, D6 and C235. A reference <it>P. falciparum in silico </it>map was created by the digestion of the genomic sequence of <it>P. falciparum </it>with the restriction enzyme AflII, for comparisons to genomic optical maps. Maps were then compared using the MapSolver™ software.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Genomic variation was observed among the mapped strains, as well as between the map of the reference strain and the map derived from the putative sequence of that same strain. Duplications, deletions, insertions, inversions and misassemblies of sizes ranging from 3,500 base pairs up to 78,000 base pairs were observed. Many genomic events occurred in areas of known repetitive sequence or high copy number genes, including <it>var </it>gene clusters and <it>rifin </it>complexes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This technique for optical mapping of multiple malaria genomes allows for whole genome comparison of multiple strains and can assist in identifying genetic variation and sequence contig assembly. New protocols and technology allowed us to produce high quality contigs spanning four <it>P. falciparum </it>genomes in six weeks for less than $1,000.00 per genome. This relatively low cost and quick turnaround makes the technique valuable compared to other genomic sequencing technologies for studying genetic variation in malaria.</p

Measurements of the transverse-momentum-dependent cross sections of J /ψ production at mid-rapidity in proton+proton collisions at s =510 and 500 GeV with the STAR detector

We present measurements of the differential cross sections of inclusive J/ψ meson production as a function of transverse momentum (pTJ/ψ) using the μ+μ- and e+e- decay channels in proton+proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 510 and 500 GeV, respectively, recorded by the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The measurement from the μ+μ- channel is for

Bulk properties of the system formed in Au+Au collisions at sNN =14.5 GeV at the BNL STAR detector

We report systematic measurements of bulk properties of the system created in Au+Au collisions at sNN=14.5 GeV recorded by the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The transverse momentum spectra of π±, K±, and p(p) are studied at midrapidity (|y|&lt;0.1) for nine centrality intervals. The centrality, transverse momentum (pT), and pseudorapidity (η) dependence of inclusive charged particle elliptic flow (v2), and rapidity-odd charged particles directed flow (v1) results near midrapidity are also presented. These measurements are compared with the published results from Au+Au collisions at other energies, and from Pb+Pb collisions at sNN=2.76 TeV. The results at sNN=14.5 GeV show similar behavior as established at other energies and fit well in the energy dependence trend. These results are important as the 14.5-GeV energy fills the gap in μB, which is of the order of 100 MeV, between sNN=11.5 and 19.6 GeV. Comparisons of the data with UrQMD and AMPT models show poor agreement in general

Measurement of inclusive J/ψ suppression in Au+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV through the dimuon channel at STAR

J/ψ suppression has long been considered a sensitive signature of the formation of the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP) in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. In this letter, we present the first measurement of inclusive J/ψ production at mid-rapidity through the dimuon decay channel in Au+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV with the STAR experiment. These measurements became possible after the installation of the Muon Telescope Detector was completed in 2014. The J/ψ yields are measured in a wide transverse momentum (pT) range of 0.15 GeV/c to 12 GeV/c from central to peripheral collisions. They extend the kinematic reach of previous measurements at RHIC with improved precision. In the 0-10% most central collisions, the J/ψ yield is suppressed by a factor of approximately 3 for pT&gt;5 GeV/c relative to that in p+p collisions scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions. The J/ψ nuclear modification factor displays little dependence on pT in all centrality bins. Model calculations can qualitatively describe the data, providing further evidence for the color-screening effect experienced by J/ψ mesons in the QGP