Efficient elimination of Yam mosaic virus (YMV) from white yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir.) by cryotherapy of axillary buds

Open Access JournalDioscorea rotundata is an economically important food crop in many tropical countries as many people in this region depend on it for food and livelihood. Viral diseases, especially Yam mosaic virus (YMV), constitute a major constraint in the cultivation of this crop as they perpetuate through generations in the vegetatively propagated planting materials. Getting resistant or at least virus-free planting materials for farmers thus becomes crucial. This study was aimed at eliminating YMV in Dioscorea rotundata by cryotherapy of axillary buds. Enlarged axillary buds of YMV-infected TDr 2269 were frozen in liquid nitrogen for 1 h, re-warmed at 40 °C and cultured to regenerate plantlets. Approximately 76.33% plantlet regeneration and 100% YMV eradication were obtained for cryo-treated buds, against 95% and 0% obtained respectively for non-treated buds. RT-PCR and RT-qPCR analyses did not reveal detectable quantity of YMV in treated plants but did in control plants. Plants from cryo-treated buds showed no mosaic symptoms and produced slightly more tubers, and heavier mini-tubers (20.48±3.11 g) under greenhouse conditions contrary to non-treated plants that showed severe mosaic symptoms with significantly smaller tubers (1.91±0.39 g) (P < 0.05). This is the first report showing the elimination of YMV from infected white yam stock plant by cryotherapy and would be useful for producing clean planting materials

The interaction of strigolactones with abscisic acid during the drought response in rice

Published online: 10 March 2018; Open Access ArticleBoth strigolactones (SLs) and abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthetically originate from carotenoids. Considering their common origin, the interaction of these two hormones at the biosynthetic and/or regulatory level may be anticipated. Here we show that, in rice, drought simultaneously induces SL production in the root, and ABA production and the expression of SL biosynthetic genes in the shoot. Under control conditions, the ABA concentration was higher in shoots of the SL biosynthetic rice mutants dwarf10 (d10) and d17 than in wild-type plants, while a similar trend was observed for the SL perception mutant d3. These differences were enhanced under drought. However, drought did not result in an increase in leaf ABA content in the rice mutant line d27, carrying a mutation in the gene encoding the first committed enzyme in SL biosynthesis, to the same extent as in the other SL mutants and the wild type. Accordingly, d10, d17, and d3 lines were more drought tolerant than wild-type plants, whereas d27 displayed decreased tolerance. Finally, overexpression of OsD27 in rice resulted in increased levels of ABA when compared with wild-type plants. We conclude that the SL and ABA pathways are connected with each other through D27, which plays a crucial role in determining ABA and SL content in rice

Pf7: an open dataset of Plasmodium falciparum genome variation in 20,000 worldwide samples

We describe the MalariaGEN Pf7 data resource, the seventh release of Plasmodium falciparum genome variation data from the MalariaGEN network.  It comprises over 20,000 samples from 82 partner studies in 33 countries, including several malaria endemic regions that were previously underrepresented.  For the first time we include dried blood spot samples that were sequenced after selective whole genome amplification, necessitating new methods to genotype copy number variations.  We identify a large number of newly emerging crt mutations in parts of Southeast Asia, and show examples of heterogeneities in patterns of drug resistance within Africa and within the Indian subcontinent.  We describe the profile of variations in the C-terminal of the csp gene and relate this to the sequence used in the RTS,S and R21 malaria vaccines.  Pf7 provides high-quality data on genotype calls for 6 million SNPs and short indels, analysis of large deletions that cause failure of rapid diagnostic tests, and systematic characterisation of six major drug resistance loci, all of which can be freely downloaded from the MalariaGEN website

Access to E-learning in the Nigerian university system (NUS): a case study of University of Calabar

In developing countries, the application of electronic learning (e-learning) in the educational system is yet to gain much ground. This study therefore seeks to survey the extent to which elearning is applied in University of Calabar for effective teaching and learning processes. The purpose of this paper is to give a brief insight to the current status of e-learning in the Nigerian university system. University of Calabar located in the Niger delta area was used as a sample. The work assessed the availability and adequacy of e-learning resources [human and material] and infrastructure against some minimum benchmarks for quality. Questionnaire, physical counting, and observations were used to gather information. Questionnaire were administered to lecturers and students spanning art and science based programmes during an e- learning workshop organized by AfriHUB. The findings revealed that lecturers and students are literate in the use of most aspects of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), most e-learning facilities are available and functional but inadequate in the University of Calabar. Lecturers and students employ ICT facilities for teaching and learning respectively. From the findings, implications are drawn for quality development and assurance so that the progress in e- learning will continue.Key Words: E-learning, University, Lecturers, Students, Nigeria

Integrating Information Communication Technologies (ICT) with Information Literacy &amp; Library-Use-Instructions in Nigerian Universities

Curriculum contents in developing economies like Nigeria has the objectives of developing students’ higher order thinking skills, ability to acquire and utilize learning sources in the library, develop adequate competence in the use of needed information among others. It should aim as developing technological capability for handling information that would achieve these objectives. This study evaluates the information literacy and library-use programmes introduced in Nigerian universities to achieve the aforementioned objectives. An empirical work done on three Nigerian Universities, as a sample, compares their curriculum contents and explores ways that information technology can be integrated into them. Among the study findings is inadequate attention paid to information and technology literacy. One of the study’s recommendations is to give adequate attention to information and technology literacy without loading the students with unnecessary library technicalities, as the study found out. The study also presented curriculum structures that can improve the situation.</jats:p

Prevalence of nitrate and nitrite in urine of Schistosoma haematobium infected subjects in Adim, Cross River State

No Abstract. Global Journal of Medical Sciences Vol. 5(1) 2006: 21-2

Biochemical changes in serum of protein energy malnourished children following Dietary protein repletion

The serum levels of total protein, albumin, urea, calcium (Ca2+), sodium (Na+), potassium (K+) where determined during a ten day process of dietary protein repletion in 30 protein energy malnourished (PEM) children and in a control group of thirty healthy children of equivalent age group. The findings show that the total protein, albumin, urea, Ca2+, Na+, and K+ were significantly lower (

Antihypertensive Agents Cause Unfavourable Changes in the Serum Cholesterol Profile of Nigerian Hypertensive Patients

Lowering blood pressure by treatment prevents renal and cerebrovascular complications in most hypertensives, but does not substantially protect against coronary heart disease (CHD). This study investigated serum lipid changes in hypertensive patients which may predispose the patients to CHD. Serum total and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol of 130 hypertensives who had been treated for at least 5 years with various agents, and those of 130 age and sex-matched controls were assayed using cholesterol and HDL kits from Randox. The ratio of HDL cholesterol to total cholesterol (HDLC/TC) was calculated for each subject. HDLC/TC ratios of hypertensives were plotted against systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and the tension factor defined as the product of the two blood pressures. Hypertensive subjects had significantly (P < 0.001) higher TC and lower HDCL (P < 0.01) than normotensives, irrespective of the drugs used for their treatment. Female hypertensives had identical TC to their male counterparts but their mean HDCL was significantly higher than those of the males (P < 0.05). HDLC/TC ratios were lower in hypertensives and showed strong negative correlation with systolic blood pressure (r = -0.48; P < 0.05), diastolic blood pressure, (r = -0.79; P < 0.001), and tension factor (r = -0.64; P < 0.01). It is concluded that most anti-hypertensives alter the distribution of cholesterol in lipoprotein fractions in Nigeria patients. Key words: cholesterol, hypertension, CHD risk, anti-hypertensive agents Journal of Medical Laboratory Sciences Vol.12(1) 2003: 32-4

Lipid profile of apparently healthy adolescents in Calabar, Nigeria.

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