Examination of the Role of Religious and Psychosocial Factors in HIV Medication Adherence Rates

Optimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is associated with favorable HIV outcomes, including higher CD4 cell counts, HIV virus suppression and a lower risk of HIV transmission. However, only 25% of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) in the USA are virally suppressed. Sub-optimal adherence (p\u3c 0.05). Social support satisfaction was also significantly associated with ART adherence (OR = 1.52, 95% CI [1.11–2.08], p \u3c 0.05) and energy/fatigue/vitality (OR = 1.03, 95% CI [1.00–1.05], p \u3c 0.05)

PROPERTIES OF EXTRUDATES FROM SORGHUM VARIETIES

Extrusion cooking is a modern high-temperature short-time (HTST) processing technology, which is becoming popular in certain industries because it offers several advantages over other types of cooking processes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the extrusion performance of sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ) varieties commonly grown in Uganda. Four varieties of sorghum namely, Seso1, Epuripur, Seso3 and Eyera were extruded with and without defatted soy-flour. Physical-chemical properties of the extrudates including, lateral expansion, bulk density, hardness, water absorption index, water solubility index, as well as proximate composition were determined. The extrudates exhibited 240-300% lateral expansion and 0.067-0.095 g cm-3 bulk density. The water absorption index was 6.4-7.9 g g-1 compared to 1.9-2.3 g g-1 of the control; while the water solubility index was 6.5-13% compared to 3.4-5.0% of the control. Extrusion of all the varieties reduced the peak and final viscosity of the extrudates. There were no varietal differences with respect to lateral expansion, bulk density and hardness. However, the water absorption index for the varieties increased in the order, Eyera, Seso 3, Seso 1 and Epuripur; while the water solubility index for the varieties increased in the order, Seso 1, Seso 3, Eyera and Epuripur. Defatted soybean flour had no effect on the extrudate properties. The results suggest that the four sorghum varieties in this study can be used in the production of extruded puffed snacks, breakfast cereals and other food products.La cuisson-extrusion est une technologie moderne de cuisson rapide \ue0 haute temp\ue9rature qui devient de plus en plus populaire dans certaines industries parce qu\u2019elle offre plusieurs avantages face \ue0 d\u2019autres proc\ue9d\ue9s de cuisson. L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait d\u2019\ue9valuer la performance de l\u2019extrusion des vari\ue9t\ue9s du sorgho ( Sorghum bicolor ) commun\ue9ment cultiv\ue9es en Ouganda. Quatre vari\ue9t\ue9s du sorgho dont Seso1, Epuripur, Seso3 et Eyera \ue9taient extrud\ue9es avec et sans farine du soja d\ue9graiss\ue9e. Les propri\ue9t\ue9s physico-chimiques de l\u2019extrudant incluant l\u2019expansion lat\ue9rale, la densit\ue9 volumique, la duret\ue9, l\u2019indice d\u2019absorption d\u2019eau ainsi que la composition chimique \ue9taient d\ue9termin\ue9es. Les extrudants ont manifest\ue9 240-300% de l\u2019expansion lat\ue9rale et 0.067-0.095 g cm-3 de la densit\ue9 volumique. L\u2019indice d\u2019absorption d\u2019eau \ue9tait de 6.4-7.9 g g-1 en comparaison avec 1.9-2.3 g g-1 dans le contr\uf4le, pendant que l\u2019indice de solubilit\ue9 dans l\u2019eau \ue9tait de 6.5-13% contre 3.4-5.0% dans le contr\uf4le. L\u2019extrusion de toute les vari\ue9t\ue9s a r\ue9duit l\u2019apog\ue9e et la viscosit\ue9 finale des extrudants. Il n\u2019y avait pas de diff\ue9rences significatives entre les vari\ue9t\ue9s au niveau de l\u2019expansion lat\ue9rale, la densit\ue9 volumique et la duret\ue9. Par ailleurs, l\u2019indice d\u2019absorption d\u2019eau pour les vari\ue9t\ue9s a augment\ue9 dans l\u2019ordre pour les vari\ue9t\ue9s Eyera, Seso 3, Seso 1 et Epuripur; pendant que l\u2019indice de solubilit\ue9 dans l\u2019eau pour les vari\ue9t\ue9s a augment\ue9 dans l\u2019ordre pour les vari\ue9t\ue9s Seso 1, Seso 3, Eyera et Epuripur. La farine degraiss\ue9e de soja n\u2019avait aucun effet sur les propri\ue9t\ue9s de l\u2019extrudant. Ces r\ue9sultats sugg\ue8rent que toutes les quatre vari\ue9t\ue9s de sorgho dans cette \ue9tude peuvent \ueatre utilis\ue9es dans la production des collations , c\ue9r\ue9ales pour petit d\ue9jeuner et autres produits alimentaires

First products of DNA marker-assisted selection in sorghum released for cultivation by farmers in sub-saharan Africa

Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth. is the major biotic constraint to sorghum production. Its control is difficult and can only be achieved through integrated management strategies that depend mainly on host plant resistance and enhanced soil fertility. However, breeding for resistance is hampered by the complexity of host parasite interactions and lack of reliable screening methods. The invention of molecular markers has enhanced the effectiveness of breeding for resistance. Five genomic regions (QTLs) with linked markers associated with Striga resistance were mapped in sorghum variety N13 by [10]. In this study, to increase the efficiency of marker-assisted selection (MAS), 27 EST-SSR markers in close association with Striga resistance QTLs were also identified and mapped. Populations of backcross (BC3S4) derived from N13 (Striga resistant) X three farmer preferred sorghum cultivars: Tabat, Wad Ahmed and AG-8 (Striga susceptible) were generated. Thirty-one lines (BC3S4) with confirmed Striga field resistance were genotyped with foreground and background selection makers. Twenty resistant lines, with two or more major QTLs were selected for regional evaluation. Of these 10 lines were selected and advanced for multi-location testing, together with Wad Ahmed, Tabat, AG-8, N13, SRN39 and IS9830 as checks. Standard variety trials were conducted in Striga sick plots over three seasons (2009-2011) in Sudan, Gezira Research Station, Damazine, Sinnar, and Gedarif. Results revealed that four lines (T1BC3S4, AG6BC3S4, AG2BC3S4 and W2BC3S4) were Striga resistant and agronomically superior with yields ranging from 180% to 298% higher relative to their recurrent parents. This Striga resistance coupled with superior attributes of the recurrent parent (including very high yield potentials, high grain quality and drought tolerance) will provide adaptation and stability across a wide range of environments. These are the first products of DNA markerassisted selection (MAS) in sorghum released for cultivation by farmers in sub-Saharan Africa

RECOVERY OF amiRNA3-PARP1 TRANSGENIC MAIZE PLANTS USING A BINARY VECTOR HAVING THE BIOSAFE PMI GENE

Positive plant selectable marker genes are commonly used in plant transformation because they not only enhance the frequency of generation transgenic tissues but are considered biosafe, unlike antibiotic or herbicide resistance genes. In this study, the binary vector pNOV2819-ubiamiRNA3PARP1, harbouring the phosphomannose isomerase (pmi) gene was developed and used in recovery of transgenic maize ( Zea mays L.) plants containing the drought tolerance gene, amiRNA3-PARP1. The pre-amiRNA3-PARP1 and Tnos transgenes were sequentially PCR-cloned upstream the ubiquitine promoter in the Ubi/NC1300 plasmid. The pre-amiRNA3-PARP1 expression cassette was transferred into the pmi gene-containing pNOV2819 plasmid to produce the pNOV2819-ubiamiRNA3PARP1 vector. Transgenic IL3 and A188 plants containing pre-amiRNA3-PARP1 were generated through transformation with LBA4404 harbouring the pNOV2819-ubiamiRNA3PARP1 vector. The plants were confirmed transgenic by PCR. It is clear that the developed vectors are effective in recovery of amiRNA3-PARP1 transgenic tissues and plants containing the pmi gene, which has been shown to have no negative environmental or health effects.Les marqueurs g\ue9n\ue9tiques de s\ue9lection positive de plantes sont commun\ue9ment utilis\ue9s dans la transformation des plantes parce que, non seulement ils augmentent la fr\ue9quence de la g\ue9n\ue9ration des tissus transg\ue9niques, mais aussi sont consid\ue9r\ue9s comme biosains, \ue0 l\u2019inverse des g\ue8nes de r\ue9sistance aux antibiotiques et herbicides. Dans cette \ue9tude, le vecteur binaire pNOV2819-ubiamiRNA3PARP1 portant le g\ue8ne isom\ue9rase phosphomannose (pmi) a \ue9t\ue9 d\ue9velopp\ue9 et utilis\ue9 dans le recouvrement transg\ue9nique des plantes du ma\uefs ( Zea mays L.) contenant le g\ue8ne to tol\ue9rance \ue0 la s\ue9cheresse amiRNA3-PARP1. Les transg\ue8nes pre-amiRNA3-PARP1 et Tnos \ue9taient s\ue9quentiellement clon\ue9s par PCR dans la partie sup\ue9rieure du promoteur ubiquitine dans le plasmide Ubi/NC1300. L\u2019expression de la cassette de la pr\ue9-amiRNA3-PARP1 \ue9tait transf\ue9r\ue9e dans le g\ue8ne pmi contenant le plasmide pNOV2819 pour produire le vecteur pNOV2819-ubiamiRNA3PARP1. Les plants transg\ue9niques IL3 et A188 contenant le pre-amiRNA3-PARP1 \ue9taient g\ue9n\ue9r\ue9s \ue0 travers la transformation avec LBA4404 portant le vecteur pNOV2819-ubiamiRNA3PARP1. Les plants \ue9taient confirm\ue9es transg\ue9niques par PCR. Il est clair que les vecteurs d\ue9velopp\ue9s sont efficaces dans le recouvrement des tissus transg\ue9niques amiRNA3-PARP1 et les plants contenant le g\ue8ne pmi qui ne pr\ue9sentent aucun effet n\ue9gatif sur l\u2019environnement et la sant\ue9

Marker-assisted introgression improves Striga resistance in an Eritrean Farmer-Preferred Sorghum Variety

The parasitic weed Striga hermonthica hampers the production of sorghum, the most important cereal crop in Eritrea. This weed has a complex mode of infestation that adapts to many hosts and environments, complicating conventional breeding for resistance, which is the only form of crop improvement available to Eritrean breeders, but has failed. This study aimed at improving resistance against this parasite by transferring 5 Striga resistant Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) from resistance donor N13 to Striga susceptible Farmer-Preferred Sorghum Variety (FPSV) Hugurtay from Eritrea. The method involved backcrossing using marker-assisted selection (MAS) and evaluation of the best introgressed lines for Striga resistance in artificially infested fields. Foreground selection was performed with up to 11 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers linked to Striga resistance QTLs, while background selection was conducted in the BC3F2 generation with 27 polymorphic unlinked SSR markers to identify the best recovery of the recurrent parent (RP) genetic background. Out of 84 BC3F3 lines, L2P3-B, L1P5-A and L2P5P35 performed best with respect to both grain yield and reduced Striga infestation. These lines were more resistant to Striga than Hugurtay, but less resistant than N13. The three lines yielded twice as much as N13, with Area Under Striga Number Progression Curve (AUSNPC) values on average 18% higher than that of N13 and 38% lower than that of Hugurtay. This suggests that the introgressed QTLs conferred significant Striga resistance and yield advantage to these BC3F3 backcross progenies under Striga pressure. These lines have good potential for future release and demonstrate that when MAS is available to conventional breeders, even in countries with no genotyping facilities, it is a useful tool for enhancement, expediency and precision in crop improvement

Risk of Injection-Site Abscess among Infants Receiving a Preservative-Free, Two-Dose Vial Formulation of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine in Kenya.

There is a theoretical risk of adverse events following immunization with a preservative-free, 2-dose vial formulation of 10-valent-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10). We set out to measure this risk. Four population-based surveillance sites in Kenya (total annual birth cohort of 11,500 infants) were used to conduct a 2-year post-introduction vaccine safety study of PCV10. Injection-site abscesses occurring within 7 days following vaccine administration were clinically diagnosed in all study sites (passive facility-based surveillance) and, also, detected by caregiver-reported symptoms of swelling plus discharge in two sites (active household-based surveillance). Abscess risk was expressed as the number of abscesses per 100,000 injections and was compared for the second vs first vial dose of PCV10 and for PCV10 vs pentavalent vaccine (comparator). A total of 58,288 PCV10 injections were recorded, including 24,054 and 19,702 identified as first and second vial doses, respectively (14,532 unknown vial dose). The risk ratio for abscess following injection with the second (41 per 100,000) vs first (33 per 100,000) vial dose of PCV10 was 1.22 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.37-4.06). The comparator vaccine was changed from a 2-dose to 10-dose presentation midway through the study. The matched odds ratios for abscess following PCV10 were 1.00 (95% CI 0.12-8.56) and 0.27 (95% CI 0.14-0.54) when compared to the 2-dose and 10-dose pentavalent vaccine presentations, respectively. In Kenya immunization with PCV10 was not associated with an increased risk of injection site abscess, providing confidence that the vaccine may be safely used in Africa. The relatively higher risk of abscess following the 10-dose presentation of pentavalent vaccine merits further study

Points to consider in seeking biosafety approval for research, testing, and environmental release of experimental genetically modified biocontrol products during research and development.

Novel genetically modified biological control products (referred to as “GM biocontrol products”) are being considered to address a range of complex problems in public health, conservation, and agriculture, including preventing the transmission of vector-borne parasitic and viral diseases as well as the spread of invasive plant and animal species. These interventions involve release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the environment, sometimes with intentional dissemination of the modification within the local population of the targeted species, which presents new challenges and opportunities for regulatory review and decision-making. Practices developed for GMOs, primarily applied to date for GM crops may need to be adapted to accommodate different types of organisms, such as insects, and different technologies, such as gene drive. Developers of new GM biocontrol products would benefit from an early understanding of safety data and information that are likely to be required within the regulatory dossier for regulatory evaluation and decision making. Here a generalizable tool drawing from existing GM crop dossier requirements, forms, and relevant experience is proposed to assist researchers and developers organize and plan their research and trialing. This tool requires considering specifics of each investigational product, their intended use, and country specific requirements at various phases of potential product development, from laboratory research through contained field testing and experimental release into the environment. This may also be helpful to risk assessors and regulators in supporting their systematic and rigorous evaluation of new biocontrol products