PEROXISOME PROLIFERATOR-ACTIVATED RECEPTOR GAMMA (PPAR-γ) REGULATION OF INDUCTION OF INFLAMMATORY MEDIATORS BY ORGANIC DUST IN THP-1 MACROPHAGE CELLS

Inhalation of organic dust is associated with the development of respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Chronic inflammation due to increased cytokine production has been linked to the development and progression of respiratory diseases. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), a transcription factor belonging to the nuclear hormone receptor family, is known to modulate inflammatory responses. In this study, we investigated the involvement of PPAR-γ in the regulation of organic dust induction of inflammatory mediators in THP-1 macrophages. THP-1 monocytic cells were differentiated into macrophages using phorbol myristate acetate. The effects of PPAR-γ agonists and antagonists on the induction of IL-6 and TNF-a expression by poultry organic dust extract were investigated by ELISA and real-time qRT-PCR. The effects of PPAR-γ agonist 15d-PGJ2 on ROS production and activation of MAPKs and NF-kB and STAT-3 activation were investigated by DCFDA labeling and western blotting respectively. We found that PPAR-γ agonist 15d-PGJ2 potently inhibited dust extract induction of TNF-α and IL-6 proteins by reducing mRNA expression. 15d-PGJ2 inhibited ROS levels and NF-κB and STAT-3 activation while concomitantly activating MAPKs. These data indicated that the inhibitory effects of 15d-PGJ2 on TNF-α and IL-6 may be mediated via reduced ROS and NF-κB and STAT-3 activation, suggesting that PPAR-γ could be targeted to attenuate organic dust-induced lung inflammation

Variation of Radon Gas Emanation with Altitude in Some Parts of Greater Accra

The study to ascertain the correlation between the concentration of radon gas (222Rn) at a relatively higher altitude and that of the concentration at a lower altitude with seismic activity and geological formation was carried out at McCarthy Hill and GAEC using LR-115 solid state nuclear track detectors. A total of 180 track detectors were buried in a grid form at a depth of 75 cm covering an area of 576 sq. meters with intervals of 12 meters between the holes. The radon concentrations varied from 0.27 ± 0.04 kBq m?3 to 86.30 ± 2.94 kBq m?3 for Site A and 0.72 ± 0.04 kBq m?3 to 51.98 ± 1.75 kBq m?3 for Site B, whiles a variation from 1.22 ± 0.102 kBq m?3 to 123.23 ± 0.072 kBq m?3 was determined for Site C. Even though, all the three sites are located along the Akwapim fault zone, an anomaly of more than 5? was observed at GAEC  with a mean concentration of 37.39 ± 0.350 kBqm-3 whiles  mean concentrations of 10.00 ± 0.126 kBqm-3 and 8.07 ± 0.069 kBqm-3 were obtained for sites A and B respectively at McCarthy Hill. The anomaly observed at G.A.E.C could be attributed to the geological setting of the landscape with respect to the altitude of the study area and its closeness to the Eastern Boundary fault compared to the study area at McCarthy Hill. Keywords: radon concentration, altitude, correlation, LR-115, anomaly, Eastern Boundary fault

Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of glaucoma patients at a tertiary referral facility in Zimbabwe

PurposeTo evaluate the clinical and socio-demographic profile of patients living with glaucoma and receiving care in a tertiary eye center in Zimbabwe.MethodA hospital-based retrospective study of clinical records of glaucoma patients from January 2014 to December 2018. The study involved collating demographic information of patients, visual acuities, (VA) intraocular pressure, (IOP), cup-to-disc ratios, (CDRs), average retinal nerve fibers thickness, (RNFL), cup volume, cup-to-disc area, vertical cup-to-disc ratio, (VCDR), rim area, disc area, glaucoma hemifield test, visual field indices and the management of glaucoma.ResultsNine thousand one hundred and eighty-five (9,185) folders were retrieved. Out of these, 432 (4.7%) qualified for the study and were analyzed. There were 267 (61.8%) males and 165 (38.2%) females. The mean age (± Standard deviation, SD) of the patients was 62.66 ± 15.94 years, (range 10 - 110 years). The means visual acuity (VA): OD =1.30 ± 1.06 Logarithm of the Minimum Angle of Resolution, (logMAR), OS = 1.33 ± 1.06 logMAR; IOP: OD = 29.51 ± 12.89 mmHg, OS: 29.17 ± 12.59 mmHg; CDRs: OD = 0.91 ± 0.14 D, OS = 0.92 ± 0.14 D; and the average RNFL thickness was 72.76 ± 18.26 µm and 71.24 ± 23.17 µm in the right and left eye respectively. The mainstay of treatment was medication only. ConclusionThere were more males than females receiving glaucoma care at the tertiary level. Glaucoma cases included juveniles but the mean age was mostly the elderly. It was characterized by high IOPs, large CDRs, and thin RNFL suggestive of late presentation

Soyabean response to rhizobium inoculation across sub-Saharan Africa: Patterns of variation and the role of promiscuity

Article purchased; Published online: 7 Sept 2017Improving bacterial nitrogen fixation in grain legumes is central to sustainable intensification of agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. In the case of soyabean, two main approaches have been pursued: first, promiscuous varieties were developed to form effective symbiosis with locally abundant nitrogen fixing bacteria. Second, inoculation with elite bacterial strains is being promoted. Analyses of the success of these approaches in tropical smallholder systems are scarce. It is unclear how current promiscuous and non-promiscuous soyabean varieties perform in inoculated and uninoculated fields, and the extent of variation in inoculation response across regions and environmental conditions remains to be determined. We present an analysis of on-farm yields and inoculation responses across ten countries in Sub Saharan Africa, including both promiscuous and non-promiscuous varieties. By combining data from a core set of replicated on-farm trials with that from a large number of farmer-managed try-outs, we study the potential for inoculation to increase yields in both variety types and evaluate the magnitude and variability of response. Average yields were estimated to be 1343 and 1227 kg/ha with and without inoculation respectively. Inoculation response varied widely between trials and locations, with no clear spatial patterns at larger scales and without evidence that this variation could be explained by yield constraints or environmental conditions. On average, specific varieties had similar uninoculated yields, while responding more strongly to inoculation. Side-by side comparisons revealed that stronger responses were observed at sites where promiscuous varieties had superior uninoculated yields, suggesting the availability of compatible, effective bacteria as a yield limiting factor and as a determinant of the magnitude of inoculation response

Looking back and moving forward: 50 years of soil and soil fertility management research in sub-Saharan Africa

Article purchased; Published online: 02 Nov 2017Low and declining soil fertility has been recognized for a long time as a major impediment to intensifying agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Consequently, from the inception of international agricultural research, centres operating in SSA have had a research programme focusing on soil and soil fertility management, including the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). The scope, content, and approaches of soil and soil fertility management research have changed over the past decades in response to lessons learnt and internal and external drivers and this paper uses IITA as a case study to document and analyse the consequences of strategic decisions taken on technology development, validation, and ultimately uptake by smallholder farmers in SSA. After an initial section describing the external environment within which soil and soil fertility management research is operating, various dimensions of this research area are covered: (i) ‘strategic research’, ‘Research for Development’, partnerships, and balancing acts, (ii) changing role of characterization due to the expansion in geographical scope and shift from soils to farms and livelihoods, (iii) technology development: changes in vision, content, and scale of intervention, (iv) technology validation and delivery to farming communities, and (v) impact and feedback to the technology development and validation process. Each of the above sections follows a chronological approach, covering the last five decades (from the late 1960s till today). The paper ends with a number of lessons learnt which could be considered for future initiatives aiming at developing and delivering improved soil and soil fertility management practices to smallholder farming communities in SSA

Sociodemographic and Obstetric Characteristics of Anaemic Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in Bolgatanga Regional Hospital

The study determined the sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics of pregnant women which contribute to the risk of developing anaemia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 pregnant women attending their first antenatal visit at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital Antenatal Clinic. Anaemia was significantly associated (p<0.05) with younger maternal age, parity, gravidity, trimester of pregnancy, and source of drinking water. Multivariate logistic regression identified the following factors with adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI): unemployment (aOR = 4.76 (CI: 2.26–11.33); p<0.0001), rural dwelling (aOR = 3.10 (CI: 2.16–4.91); p=0.0071), primigravida (aOR = 2.13 (CI: 1.34–3.18); p=0.0201), nulliparity (aOR = 1.92 (CI: 1.23–2.86); p=0.0231), first antenatal visit at second trimester (aOR = 1.71 (CI: 1.33–3.12); p=0.0149) and first antenatal visit at third trimester (aOR = 2.73 (CI: 1.24–4.35); p=0.0017), drinking from well and boreholes (aOR = 2.78 (CI: 2.27–5.21); p<0.0001), and the presence of domestic livestock (aOR = 2.15 (CI: 1.33–3.68); p=0.0019). This study has shown the various sociodemographic and obstetric factors which significantly contribute to anaemia in pregnancy

Biochemical and hematological changes among anemic and non-anemic pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the Bolgatanga regional hospital, Ghana

Background: Anemia in pregnancy may not only be associated with maternal morbidity and mortality but can also be detrimental to the fetus. A definitive diagnosis of anemia is a pre-requisite to unravelling possible cause(s), to allow appropriate treatment intervention. It is hypothesised that measured hemoglobin (HGB), complemented by biochemical and other hematological parameters would enhance anemia diagnosis. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among 400 pregnant women comprising 253 anemic and 147 non-anemic pregnant women, attending an antenatal clinic at Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, Ghana. Venous blood was collected and hemoglobin genotype, complete blood count and biochemical parameters [ferritin, iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin saturation (TfS), C-reactive protein (CRP) and bilirubin] were determined. Thick blood films were prepared for malaria parasitemia, while early morning stool and midstream urine samples were examined for enteric and urogenital parasites, respectively. Results: There were significantly reduced levels of HGB (p \u3c 0.0001), HCT (p \u3c 0.0001), MCV (p \u3c 0.0001), iron (0.0273), ferritin (p = 0.018) and transferrin saturation (0.0391) and increased WBC (p = 0.006), RDW (p = 0.0480), TIBC (p = 0.0438) and positivity of CRP in anemic, compared to non-anemic pregnant women. Anemic women were associated with increased proportion of hemoglobinopathies (AS, SS and SC), Plasmodium falciparum, Schistosoma hematobium and intestinal parasite infections. Conclusion: Anemic pregnant women are associated with a significant derangement in hematological and iron indices that implicate iron deficiency. This was influenced by hemoglobinopathies and parasitic infections

Form and content: Re-writing Ishinguro\u27s ‘An Artist of the Floating World’ from new critical lens

Ishiguro has created a diverse range of characters, settings, and plots in his literary work, and he has worked in a variety of genres. He has created both female and male central characters with equal success. The role of memory in shaping characters\u27 understanding of themselves has been a recurring theme. Ishiguro is also preoccupied with power and the consequences of authoritarian ideologies. An Artist of the Floating World is a Historical Fiction. It is set in Japan, between 1948 to 1950, after World War II. Masuji Ono is the novel\u27s narrator and protagonist. He is an unreliable narrator, to a certain extent by his own admission, since he often confesses to memory lapses or uncertainty about the events he narrates. The novel assumes mostly a rational and forthright tone. It achieves emotional quality mostly through subtle means and by occasionally contrasting its controlled tone with moments in which the tone very briefly becomes more dramatic. Its mood is similarly calm, pedestrian, and even professional, but when describing the past, it often shifts abruptly. "The floating world" For instance, has a fantastic, fragile mood