56 research outputs found
Infection prevention and control and antibiotic stewardship:Two sides of the same coin in the prevention of antimicrobial resistance
Radical Scavenging Properties, Total Polyphenols and Flavonoids of Two Coloured Basidiomycetes from Four Pre-Determined Phases
Prospects to evaluate appropriate harvest phase for edible basidiomycetes providing optimal value added health promoting benefits are limited in mushroom entrepreneurship. Two colored edible basidiomycetes (golden yellow Pleurotus citrinopileatus singer and pink Pleurotus djamor R22) were selected for the determination of Total Flavonoid, Total phenols, and free radical scavenging properties at spawn mycelia and three predetermined phases. Using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, antioxidative properties of young basidiocarps were relatively higher with EC50 values lower than mature fruiting bodies (3.176±0.905mg/mL against 10.787±1.007mg/mL) for P. djamor while P. citrinopileatus reported 7.321±1.291mg/mL against 10.502±1.017mg/mL. Antioxidant capacity collaborated the phenolics determined using Folin Ciocalteu Assay, young basidiocarps of P. djamor recorded higher values 12.655±1.019 against mature 4.317±0.921 mgGAE/ g dry weight) with P. citrinopileatus reporting 8.726±0.801 against 4.512±0.310 mgGAE/ g dwt. A strong correlation between phenols and the scavenging properties in aqueous extraction (R2 =0.844, y=-0.700x +13.27 for yellow and R2 =0.983, y=-0.896x +14.29 for pink oyster) was noted. Flavonoid contents did not show a linear correlation with the period, antioxidative, or phenolics properties. Early basidiocarps and basidiospores of basidiomycetes contain bioactive molecules worth targeting for value addition in formulating food supplements or pharmaceutical products. Keywords: DPPH, growth phase, antioxidant, colored basidiomycetes, polyphenols, flavonoids, Pleurotus djamor R22, P. citrinopileatu
Herbal Medicines in Kenya: A Review of the Toxicity and Quality Control Issues
In sub-Saharan Africa, it is estimated that 80% of the population depends on indigenous medicines for primary health-care. These herbs often contain highly active pharmacological compounds whose pharmacotherapeutic and toxicity profiles have not been well characterized. Toxicity may be related to several intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Most of the available reports related to the toxic effects of herbal medicines cite hepatoxicity as the most frequently experienced toxicity. However, noxious effects involving kidneys, the nervous system, skin, blood, the cardiovascular system, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity have also been published. This article presents a systematic review on safety and toxicity of herbal medicines used in Kenya.
Keywords: Herbal medicine, herbal preparations, toxicity, Kenya, regulations, complementary and alternative medicin
Genetic diversity of Kenyan Prosopis populations based on random amplified polymorphic DNA markers
Several Prosopis species and provenances were introduced in Kenya, either as a single event or repeatedly. To date, naturally established Prosopis populations are described as pure species depending on site, despite the aforementioned introduction of several species within some sites. To determine whether naturally established stands consist of a single or mixture of species, six populations from Bamburi, Bura, Isiolo, Marigat, Taveta and Turkwel were compared for relatedness with reference to Prosopis chilensis, Prosopis juliflora and Prosopis pallida using random amplified polymorphic DNA markers. Cluster analysis based on Nei’s genetic distance clustered Kenyan populations as follows: Marigat, Bura and Isiolo with P. juliflora, Bamburi with P. pallida and Taveta with P. chilensis, whereas the Turkwel population is likely to be a hybrid between P. chileneis and P. juliflora. Four populations had private markers, revealing germplasm uniqueness. Expected heterozygosity tended to be larger for Kenyan populations (ranging from 0.091 to 0.191) than in the three reference (ranging from 0.065 to 0.144). For the six Kenyan populations and two P. juliflora provenances from the Middle East, molecular variation was larger within populations than between population. Higher molecular variance among populations is attributed to their geographical separation and the low variation within populations is due to gene flow between individuals within a population. Overall, this study shows that (1) the Kenyan Prosopis populations are genetically isolated, (2) multiple introductions enhanced genetic diversity within sites and (3) P. juliflora and its hybrid are the most aggressive invaders
A complete parton level analysis of boson-boson scattering and ElectroWeak Symmetry Breaking in lv + four jets production at the LHC
A complete parton level analysis of lv + four jets production at the LHC is
presented, including all processes at order O(alpha^6), O(alpha^4*alpha_s^2)
and O(alpha^2*alpha_s^4). The infinite Higgs mass scenario, which is considered
as a benchmark for strong scattering theories and is the limiting case for
composite Higgs models, is confronted with the Standard Model light Higgs
predictions in order to determine whether a composite Higgs signal can be
detected as an excess of events in boson--boson scattering.Comment: More detailed discussion of the effects of the reconstruction of the
longitudinal neutrino momentum. Improved figures. To be published in JHE
How well can the LHC distinguish between the SM light Higgs scenario, a composite Higgs and the Higgsless case using VV scattering channels?
A complete parton level analysis of ll + four jets l = e,mu and 3lv + two
jets production at the LHC is presented, including all processes at order
\ordEW, \ordQCD and \ordQCDsq when appropriate. The infinite Higgs mass
scenario, which is considered as a benchmark for strong scattering theories and
is the limiting case for composite Higgs models, and one example of a model
incorporating a Strongly Interacting Light Higgs are confronted with the
Standard Model light Higgs predictions. This analysis is combined with the
results in the lv + four jets channel presented in a previous paper, in order
to determine whether a composite Higgs signal can be detected as an excess of
events in boson--boson scattering.Comment: Introduced some representative Feynman diagrams. Rearranged section
4. Typos fixed. Published in JHE
Forward Jets and Energy Flow in Hadronic Collisions
We observe that at the Large Hadron Collider, using forward + central
detectors, it becomes possible for the first time to carry out calorimetric
measurements of the transverse energy flow due to "minijets" accompanying
production of two jets separated by a large rapidity interval. We present
parton-shower calculations of energy flow observables in a high-energy
factorized Monte Carlo framework, designed to take into account QCD logarithmic
corrections both in the large rapidity interval and in the hard transverse
momentum. Considering events with a forward and a central jet, we examine the
energy flow in the interjet region and in the region away from the jets. We
discuss the role of these observables to analyze multiple parton collision
effects.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures. Version2: added results on azimuthal
distributions and more discussion of energy flow definition using jet
clusterin
COMBINING ABILITY AND HETEROTIC PATTERN IN WEST AFRICAN SORGHUM LANDRACES
Heterotic grouping based on combining ability for traits of interest,
in addition to plant performance and genetic relationship among
germplasm, would be useful in planning crosses in breeding programmes.
This study aimed at determining the combining abilities of selected
landraces for morphological and physiological traits under contrasted
environments and identifying the suitable heterotic grouping method for
superior hybrid production. For this purpose, nineteen accessions
representing different origins and population structure among West
African Sorghum Accessions Panel (WASAP) and two female lines, were
used in \uab\ua0Line x tester\ua0\ubb mating design to produce
thirty-eight (38) hybrids. Analysis of variance showed significant
general combining ability and specific combining ability effects for
grain weight, plant height, days to flowering, panicle length and
chlorophyll content implying existence of heterotic responses for these
traits. Both additive and non-additive gene effects were important in
controlling the inheritance of the traits. Parents K31.3, K37 and Ni331
were the best combiners for grain weight, providing the opportunity for
breeders to improve grain yield under diverse environments. AVG-1 x
K31.3 and AVG-1 x Tg148 were the superior hybrids. Combining ability
based heterotic grouping methods classified sorghum accessions into
four groups. The heterotic group\u2019s specific and general combining
ability (HSGCA) method was the suitable in predicting hybrid
superiority. This combining abilities based heterotic grouping study is
an additional tool that breeders could use to identify the best parents
for superior hybrids development in West Africa.La d\ue9termination des groupes h\ue9t\ue9rotiques bas\ue9e sur
les aptitudes \ue0 la combinaison des traits
d\u2019int\ue9r\ueat en plus des performances et des relations
g\ue9n\ue9tiques dans une collection est importante pour planifier
les croisements en s\ue9lection. Cette visait la d\ue9termination
des aptitudes \ue0 la combinaison des accessions locales pour
certains traits morphologiques sous environnements contrast\ue9s et
l\u2019identification de la meilleure m\ue9thode dans la
pr\ue9diction de la vigueur hybride. Dans cette perspective, dix-neuf
accessions repr\ue9sentant diff\ue9rentes origines et la structure
de la population d\u2019un panel ouest africain de sorgho (WASAP) et
deux m\ue2les st\ue9riles ont \ue9t\ue9 utilis\ue9s dans un
croisement \uab\ua0Line x tester\ua0\ubb pour produire
trente-huit hybrides F1, objet de cette \ue9tude. L\u2019analyse de
variance a indiqu\ue9 des effets significatifs de l\u2019aptitude
g\ue9n\ue9rale et sp\ue9cifique \ue0 la combinaison pour le
poids grain, la hauteur plante, la dur\ue9e semis floraison et la
concentration en chlorophylle traduisant l\u2019existence des
r\ue9ponses h\ue9t\ue9rotiques pour ces traits. Les effets
g\ue9niques additif et non-additif ont \ue9t\ue9 importants dans
le contr\uf4le de ces caract\ue8res. K31.3, K37 et Ni331
pr\ue9sentent les meilleures aptitudes g\ue9n\ue9rales \ue0 la
combinaison puis AVG-1 x K31.3 et AVG-1 x Tg148 ont \ue9t\ue9 les
meilleurs hybrides pour le poids grains. Ils constituent une
opportunit\ue9 pour l\u2019am\ue9lioration dans divers
environnements. Les diff\ue9rentes m\ue9thodes ont class\ue9 les
accessions de sorgho en quatre groupes. Le groupage bas\ue9 sur la
m\ue9thode HSGCA accroit l\u2019efficience en s\ue9lection de 15
%. Cette \ue9tude offre un outil d\u2019aide pour les
s\ue9lectionneurs dans le choix des meilleurs parents \ue0 croiser
pour la production des hybrides sup\ue9rieurs en Afrique de
l\u2019Ouest
The efficacy of adding short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy to antidepressants in the treatment of depression:A systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data
Contains fulltext :
220185.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access)Purpose: We examined the efficacy of adding short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) to antidepressants in the treatment of depression by means of a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data, which is currently considered the most reliable method for evidence synthesis. Results: A thorough systematic literature search resulted in 7 studies comparing combined treatment of antidepressants and STPP versus antidepressant mono-therapy (n = 3) or versus antidepressants and brief supportive psychotherapy (n = 4). Individual participant data were obtained for all these studies and totaled 482 participants. Across the total sample of studies, combined treatment of antidepressants and STPP was found significantly more efficacious in terms of depressive symptom levels at both post-treatment (Cohen's d = 0.26, SE = 0.10, p = .01) and follow-up (d = 0.50, SE = 0.10, p < .001). This effect was most apparent at follow-up and in studies examining STPP's specific treatment efficacy. Effects were still apparent in analyses that controlled for risk of bias and STPP quality in the primary studies. Conclusions: These findings support the evidence-base of adding STPP to antidepressants in the treatment of depression. However, further studies are needed, particularly assessing outcome measures other than depression and cost-effectiveness, as well as examining the relative merits of STPP versus other psychotherapies as added to antidepressants.10 p
Current and Future Prospects of Nitro-compounds as Drugs for Trypanosomiasis and Leishmaniasis
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