Poland syndrome with dextrocardia: Case report

Poland syndrome is a rare congenital condition presenting with typical features including an absent costosternal head of pectoralis major and ipsilateral brachysyndactyly. There are many clinical variations of the syndrome including rib defects, absence of shoulder girdle muscle and breast hypoplasia or agenesis. Dextrocardia is rarely associated with Poland Syndrome with only 22 cases being previously reported in the worldwideliterature. Whereas ‘c1assical’ Poland syndrome is predominantly right sided, all cases associated with dextrocardia have been left sided. We report a further case of left sided Poland syndrome with dextrocardia which might have important implications for the understanding of the pathogenesis of this unusual condition

Determination of ploidy among yam (Dioscorea spp.) landraces in Kenya by flow cytometry

Yam (Dioscorea spp.), a traditional crop in Kenya has not undergone improvement and little has been done to understand its genetic background. The taxonomy and phylogeny of the local landraces has not been fully studied. The main cultivated species is Dioscorea minutiflora Engl. Others found with low distribution are Dioscorea alata L., Dioscorea bulbifera L. and Dioscorea odoratissima Pax. Flow cytometry was used to estimate the ploidy level of 155 accessions of Kenyan yam including two checks, TDr.18544 a tetraploid and TDc.98136 an octoploid from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria. Also included in the study were Dioscorea dumetorum Pax, Dioscorea asteriscus Burkill and Dioscorea schimperiana Kunth which are yam wild relatives. Leaf samples were harvested from the field genebank and nuclei extracted using an extraction buffer (Partec GmbH, Munster Germany). Plant nuclei were isolated and stained with propidium iodide then analyzed in a flow cytometer. Seven ploidy levels of 3x (11.4%), 4x(37.5%), 5x(29.2%), 6x(14.6), 7x(3.1%); 8x(3.1%) and 10x(0.6%) were observed. Tetraploids (4x) formed the highest proportion followed by pentaploids (5x). The highest ploidy, decaploid, (10x), was found in D. odoratissima Pax, a conspecific form of Dioscorea preahensilis found under cultivation in two farms in Western Kenya. No diploids were observed in the study. Ploidy level was not associated with geographical habitat of the landraces while farmer-named varieties were not associated with ploidy levels. The findings generated new knowledge and form a basis for future yam research and improvement in the country. Further work is required to establish the phylogeny of Kenyan yam landrace

Morphological diversity of mango germplasm from the upper Athi River region of Eastern Kenya: An analysis based on non- fruit descriptors

Phenotypic variation in plants can be evaluated by morphological characterization using visual attributes. Fruits have been the major descriptors for identification of different varieties of fruit crops. However, even in their absence, farmers, breeders and interested stakeholders require to distinguish between different mango varieties. This study aimed at determining diversity in mango germplasm from the Upper Athi River (UAR) and providing useful alternative descriptors for the identification of different mango varieties in the absence of fruits. A total of 20 International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) descriptors for mango were selected for use in the visual assessment of 98 mango accessions from 15 sites of the UAR region of eastern Kenya. Purposive sampling was used to identify farmers growing diverse varieties of mangoes. Evaluation of the descriptors was performed on-site and the data collected were then subjected to multivariate analysis including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster analysis, one- way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Chi square tests. Results classified the accessions into two major groups corresponding to indigenous and exotic varieties. The PCA showed the first six principal components accounting for 75.12% of the total variance. A strong and highly significant correlation was observed between the color of fully grown leaves, leaf blade width, leaf blade length and petiole length and also between the leaf attitude, color of young leaf, stem circumference, tree height, leaf margin, growth habit and fragrance. Useful descriptors for morphological evaluation were 14 out of the selected 20; however, ANOVA and Chi square test revealed that diversity in the accessions was majorly as a result of variations in color of young leaves, leaf attitude, leaf texture, growth habit, leaf blade length, leaf blade width and petiole length traits. These results reveal that mango germplasm in the UAR has significant diversity and that other morphological traits apart from fruits can be useful in morphological characterization of mango.Keywords: Mango, morphological characterization, Principal Component Analysis, IPGRI, eastern Keny

Sugarcane in vitro culture technology: Opportunities for Kenya’s sugar industry

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is one of the most important crops in Kenya and has wide range of economic importance. The sugar industry contributes up to 15% to the country’s agricultural gross domestic product and an estimated 25% of the population depends on the industry for their livelihood. However, the industry has been facing several challenges including declining yields due to use of poor quality planting materials. There is an increasing pressure to enhance the productivity of sugarcane in order to sustain profitable sugar industries in Kenya, while there are several diseases attacking sugarcane and reducing its quality. Seed multiplication of newly released varieties of sugarcane is one of the major constraints in Kenya as it takes 6-7 years to produce sufficient quantity of improved seed material. In vitro culture offers a practical and fast method for mass propagation of disease-free clonal materials. Successful protocols for shoot tip culture, callus culture, embryo culture, virus free plant production and somatic embryogenesis have already been established. Thus, in vitro technology can be used to enhance productivity of sugarcane in Kenya. Despite several advantages of applying micro-propagation technique in sugarcane such as quick multiplication of newly released varieties, rejuvenation of old deteriorated varieties; production of disease free seed; easy transportation of seed material; elimination of viruses; high cane productivity and sugar yield etc., this technique is not gaining popularity up to the desired extent. There are several constraints like the high cost of production and appearance of some variants in micropropagated population among others. The present article describes the status, challenges and opportunities of in vitro technology for the sugar industry in Kenya. Though, some problems have now been resolved to considerable extents which have been described in this review however, some constraints still require intensive research work to be resolved so that a safe and efficient exploitation of this technique can be ensured in sugarcane seed production programmes for enhanced yields and quality.Keywords: Sugarcane, somaclonal variation, in vitro culture, meristems, micro-propagation, callu

Sugarcane in Vitro Culture Technology: Applications for Kenya’s Sugar Industry

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is one of the most important crops in Kenya and has wide range of economic importance. The sugar industry contributes up to 15% to the Country’s agricultural gross domestic product and an estimated 25% of the population depends on the industry for their livelihood. However, the industry has been facing several challenges including declining yields due to use of poor quality planting materials. There is an increasing pressure to enhance the productivity of sugarcane in order to sustain profitable sugar industries in Kenya, while there are several diseases attacking sugarcane and reducing its quality. Seed multiplication of newly released varieties of sugarcane is one of the major constraints in Kenya as it takes 6-7 years to produce sufficient quantity of improved seed material. In vitro culture offers a practical and fast method for mass propagation of disease-free clonal materials. Successful protocols for shoot tip culture, callus culture, embryo culture, virus free plant production and somatic embryogenesis have already been established. Thus in vitro technology can be used to enhance productivity of sugarcane in Kenya. Keywords: Sugarcane,Somaclonal variation, in vitro culture, Meristems, Micro-propagation, callu

Variation for Agro-Morphological Traits among Kabuli Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genotypes

The objectives of this study were to evaluate genetic variation among kabuli chickpea genotypes and to determine the relationships among agronomic traits with seed yield. Field experiments were conducted during the long and short rain seasons of 2013 using alpha lattice design in triplicate. Data on agro-morphological traits were recorded using descriptors for chickpea and analysed using SAS 2013 and Genstat 2014. There were highly significant (p < 0.001) variations among genotypes and genotype by environment interactions for all studied traits. The top five high yielding genotypes were ICCV 05315, ICC 13461, ICCV 07313, ICC 13764 and ICCV 00302. Genotypes ranking for most agronomic traits varied across environments which indicated a crossover type of genotype by environment interactions. Evaluated genotypes were polymorphic for six qualitative traits. Seed yield ha-1 was positively and significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with biomass yield ha-1, pods plant-1, plant canopy width and secondary branches plant-1. These characters could be used for indirect selection of high yielding genotypes. The first principal component explained 57% of the total variation and was associated with days to 50% flowering and podding, plant canopy width, plant height, number of primary and secondary branches plant-1, days to 75% maturity, number of pods plant-1 and biomass yield ha-1 as positive contributors. The documented information on genetic variation and association of agronomic traits with seed yield can be exploited to devise suitable breeding strategies and chickpea germplasm conservation

Lablab purpureus—A Crop Lost for Africa?

In recent years, so-called ‘lost crops’ have been appraised in a number of reviews, among them Lablab purpureus in the context of African vegetable species. This crop cannot truly be considered ‘lost’ because worldwide more than 150 common names are applied to it. Based on a comprehensive literature review, this paper aims to put forward four theses, (i) Lablab is one of the most diverse domesticated legume species and has multiple uses. Although its largest agro-morphological diversity occurs in South Asia, its origin appears to be Africa. (ii) Crop improvement in South Asia is based on limited genetic diversity. (iii) The restricted research and development performed in Africa focuses either on improving forage or soil properties mostly through one popular cultivar, Rongai, while the available diversity of lablab in Africa might be under threat of genetic erosion. (iv) Lablab is better adapted to drought than common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) or cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), both of which have been preferred to lablab in African agricultural production systems. Lablab might offer comparable opportunities for African agriculture in the view of global change. Its wide potential for adaptation throughout eastern and southern Africa is shown with a GIS (geographic information systems) approach

The terrain of urbanisation process and policy frameworks: A critical analysis of the Kampala experience

Kampala is urbanising in an unplanned manner, but without a clear picture of the underlying dynamics. The city is characterised by lack of proper zoning of economic activities and construction of physical infrastructure without regard to subsequent spatial quality and environmental conservation. Consequently, there are sharp differences in residential standards where expensive housing and luxury flats co-exist with shanty towns and informal settlements, with about 60% of the city’s population living in unplanned informal settlements and often faced with challenges of unemployment. The unprecedented increase in the urban population in Kampala and the prospects for further increases in the near future have economic and social implications concerning employment, housing, education and health, among others. Understanding the nature of the dynamics of the growth or decline of cities like Kampala helps planners to support the processes that lead to harmonious urban development and to deal with the negative consequences of urban growth. This paper reflects the urbanisation dynamics explaining Kampala’s urbanisation process with the view to analysing the implications for an alternative urban policy framework. It argues that the conditions that have allowed the situation to exist have serious policy implications which require the need for an integrated policy framework that can be used to effectively prevent or halt Kampala’s unplanned urbanisation while promoting planned urbanisation. Induced by the migration and lack of information, understanding urban dynamics is crucial to the development of urban policies that can effectively ensure that further urban changes occur in a systematic and satisfactory manner. The current urban process in developing countries like Uganda is associated with poverty, environmental degradation and population demands that outstrip service capacity

The immunological relationship between Typanosoma evansi and Trypanosoma vivax: Immunization by infection, treatment and challenge findings

Trypanosoma evansi and Trypanosoma vivax show very high cross-reactivity in serology; and previous serum neutralization studies demonstrated that anti T. evansi serum contained lytic antibodies that could lyse a large proportion of T. vivax trypomastigotes though anti T. vivax serum had no effect on T. evansi trypomastigotes. This supports the suspicion that the two parasite species are immunologically closely related and prior infection with one species could cross protect against infection with the other species. The possibility of mice infected with T. evansi then treated and challenged with T. vivax being protected against the latter parasite infection and vice versa was investigated. Mice were infected with T. evansi, then treated with Diminasan after the infection had become patent and challenged with T. vivax and vice versa. The challenged mice were monitored for patent infection through examination of their tail blood to establish whether there was any cross protection. Mice were also infected, treated and challenged with homologous trypanosome species to establish whether there was any protection after prior infection followed by treatment and homologous challenge. Mice without prior infection but treated then challenged and those without prior infection and not treated but challenged were included as unexposed and Deminasan controls, respectively. The mean survival time of the Deminasan control mice was not significantly different (p = 0.246183 &gt; 0.05) from the mean survival time of the unexposed control mice. However, mice previously exposed to T. evansi infection then challenged with T. vivax had a significantly higher mean survival time (p = 0.022055 &lt; 0.05) compared to the unexposed control mice. Similarly the mean survival times of mice without prior exposure to T. vivax infection but treated then challenged with T. evansi (unexposed control) and those without prior infection and not treated but challenged (Deminasan control) were not significantly different (p = 0.122966 &gt; 0.05). The mean survival time of mice previously exposed to T. vivax infection then challenged with T. evansi was significantly higher compared to the mean survival times of the unexposed and Deminasan control mice (p = 0.01622&lt; 0.05). Previous exposure to T. evansi infection followed by treatment and homologous challenge conferred 50% protection to mice previously infected with T. evansi then treated and challenges with T. evansi. While previous exposure to T. vivax infection followed by treatment and homologous challenge only prolonged the mean survival time of mice previously infected with T. vivax then treated and challenged with T. vivax.The above findings, therefore, suggest that T. evansi and T. vivax are immunologically related and prior infection with one species prolongs the survival time of mice previously infected with one species when challenged with the other. Previous exposure to T. evansi infection followed by homologous challenge confers 50% protection to mice previously exposed to T. evansi infection. While previous exposure to T. vivax infection followed by homologous challenge only prolongs the mean survival time of mice previously exposed to T. vivax infection.Keywords: Immunological relationship, T. evansi, T. vivax, cross protectio

Financing Post-Conflict Recovery in Africa: The Role of International Development Assistance †

This paper attempts to identify the key challenges of financing countries in post-conflict transition. Such countries constitute a critical development challenge given their enormous socio-economic needs and the difficulties associated with providing effective development assistance. Conflict destroys a country's economic, governance and administrative institutions; weakens public financial management systems and increases transaction costs, which makes it difficult for principals to monitor their agents. Rebuilding social and economic infrastructure is as crucial as the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the destroyed physical infrastructure--roads, bridges, restoration of water supply and sanitation and energy and power. A framework is elaborated here for assessing (i) Post-conflict situations in African countries; (ii) possible mechanism of financing post-conflict reconstruction and development in Africa; and, (iii) lessons from the past challenges of financing countries in post-conflict transition in Africa. The paper concludes that post-conflict financing in Africa needs to be done in the appropriate context and framework to enhance impact and effectiveness. They should be accompanied by the appropriate policy framework and guidance, and should be conceived within the context of the country's long-term development objectives. Copyright The author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Centre for the Study of African Economies. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: [email protected], Oxford University Press.