EVALUATION OF INFESTATION AND DAMAGE BY THE LARGER GRAIN BORER (PROSTEPHANUS TRUNCATUS) (HORN) (COLEOPTERA: BOSTRICHIDAE) ON SELECTED FOOD GRAIN CROPS

The study evaluated the ability of the larger grain borer (LGB), Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) to infest and damage two varieties of sorghum (Sorghum bicolour), Sesame (Sesamum indicum) Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and maize (Zea mays). 100 g each of the grain products were infested with 5 pairs (5 males and 5 females) of 1-10 day old LGB for 90 days. At 90 days post-infestation of the crops, the insects and grain dust generated by the feeding activities of the insects were sieved out of the grains; the grains were separated into damaged and undamaged and data were taken on number of adult P. truncatus, number of larvae and pupae, number of larvae and pupae, number of adult mortality, weight of dust (g), weight of damaged grains (g), weight of undamaged grains (g) and final weight of grains (g). The results showed that all the 5 pairs of adult LGB introduced into the cowpea and sesame varieties died. Likewise, neither larvae nor pupae were found in the two grain products. The highest mean number of larvae and pupae (18.5) was recorded in the Suwan-1 maize variety, and it was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the mean number found in the other grain products studied. The mean number of larvae (7.25) in Solo maize variety was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the mean larvae number of 4.25 and 2.50 in Eyinfun and Ex- Minna sorghum varieties respectively.  Significantly (P < 0.05) higher percentage grain damage (49.76) and percentage weight loss (12.89) were recorded in the Solo maize variety compared to percentage grain damage and percentage weight loss in other grain products. Likewise, the grain damage (23.06 %) and weight loss (8.04 %) in the Ex-Minna sorghum variety were significantly  < 0.05) higher than percentage grain damage and percentage weight loss obtained in other grain products except Solo maize. A significantly (P < 0.05) lower grain damage (1.35 %) and grain weight loss (1.43 %) were obtained in the NICRIBEN and E8 sesame varieties respectively. The result of this study indicates the ability of LGB to bore and damage sorghum, maize, sesame and cowpea; with breeding restricted only to maize and sorghum. There were varietal differences in response of the grain products to LGB infestation and damage. Considering the importance of sorghum, maize, sesame and cowpea as a cheap source of carbohydrate and protein; concerted effort should be geared at controlling infestation of the grain products by LGB

Management of calcaneal fractures: a case series

Background: Untreated or inappropriately treated, calcaneal fractures can result in arthritis, chronic ankle pain, and ankle deformity which can significantly impact the lifestyle of affected patients. Even though calcaneal fractures are common among those with multiple injuries, they can easily be missed, and not treating them would significantly impact on the patient negatively. Case Presentation: This article is a retrospective recall of the six patients seen with calcaneal fractures that were treated in our hospital between 2010 and 2018, they were mainly multiply injured and the advanced trauma life support (ATLS) protocol helped to delineate these fractures, the use of modern-day operative and non-operative methods of management and rehabilitation were employed. Discussion and conclusion: Calcaneal fractures are mostly associated with high-energy trauma which includes falls from heights or vehicle accidents with almost 50% soft tissue involvement. This is similar to cases presented in this paper as all the patients were either involved in road traffic accidents or had fallen from a height, however, soft tissue destruction manifesting as open fractures were absent in our series. Calcaneal fractures are rare and can easily be missed as patients may present as multiply injured. Prompt and adequate Rehabilitation is important to improve function

Regression of murine lung tumors by the let-7 microRNA.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have recently emerged as an important new class of cellular regulators that control various cellular processes and are implicated in human diseases, including cancer. Here, we show that loss of let-7 function enhances lung tumor formation in vivo, strongly supporting the hypothesis that let-7 is a tumor suppressor. Moreover, we report that exogenous delivery of let-7 to established tumors in mouse models of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) significantly reduces the tumor burden. These results demonstrate the therapeutic potential of let-7 in NSCLC and point to miRNA replacement therapy as a promising approach in cancer treatment

Assessment of the Effects of Graded Doses of Polyphenolic-Rich Fraction of Garcinia kola Seeds on Pituitary–Testicular Axis of Male Wistar Rats

This study evaluated the ameliorative and prophylactic effects of 2 different doses of polyphenolic-rich fraction of Garcinia kola (PPRFGk) seeds on the histology and hormones of pituitary–testicular axis of male Wistar rats. Thirty-five male Wistar rats (150- 200 g) were divided into 7 groups of 5 rats each. Groups I and II were given distilled water (0.5 mL/day) for 8 days followed by propylene glycol (0.2 mL/d) and 600 mg/kg of PPRFGk, respectively, for 21 days. Group III received sodium arsenate (8 days), left untreated for 21 days. Groups IV and V received sodium arsenate (20 mg/kg) for 8 days followed by PPRFGk (300 and 600 mg/kg, respectively) for 21 days. Groups VI and VII received PPRFGk (300 and 600 mg/kg, respectively) for 21 days followed by sodium arsenate (20 mg/kg) for 8 days. Rats were killed by cervical dislocation 24 hours after the last dose and their blood collected through cardiac puncture. Blood sera were assayed for the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone using immunoassay techniques. Histology of the pituitary gland and testes was carried out. A significant reduction was observed in the concentration of FSH in groups IV, V, VI, and VII in comparison with groups I and II. The concentrations of both LH and testosterone showed significant decreases in groups IV, V, VI, and VII in comparison with group I. Group III presented with the lowest serum hormonal concentrations. Photomicrographs of the pituitary gland revealed greatly reduced basophils in group III and mildly reduced basophils in groups IV, VI, and VII in comparison with groups I and II. Group V revealed hypercellularized and distorted basophils. Photomicrographs of the testes showed detachment of the seminiferous tubules from the basement membrane and disruption of the interstitial space which was worse in group III, moderate in groups V and VI, and mild in group VII. In conclusion, PPRFGk effected a dose-dependent reversal and prevention of the perturbations caused by arsenate in rats

Chemical, antioxidant and sensory properties of pasta from fractionated whole wheat and Bambara groundnut flour

Pasta from whole-grain wheat is highly nutritious but has poor sensory properties. Hence, this study prepared pasta from fractionated whole-grain wheat flour enriched with 20% Bambara groundnut. The chemical, antioxidant and sensory properties of the pasta were assessed using standard methods. The fat, protein, ash contents, lightness and antioxidant properties value of the flour and pasta increased, while carbohydrate and fibre contents decreased with a reduction in particle size from 500 μm to 112 μm. Potassium (246.50–249.00 mg/kg), calcium (223.50–254.00 mg/kg) and magnesium (184.50–192.00 mg/kg) were the major mineral element in the pasta samples, while zinc (1.00–2.00 mg/kg) and iron (3.50–13.00 mg/kg) are present in small quantities. The optimum cooking time of pasta (average 6.55 min) from the fractionated flours was shorter compared to the control pasta (pasta made from unfractionated wheat flour), but the cooking loss was not significantly affected. Pasta from flour with particle sizes of 300 and 112 μm were very similar in their sensory attributes and showed the highest ratings in overall acceptability. Fractionation of whole-grain wheat flour seems very promising in producing pasta with fairly good antioxidant potentials and high level of protein and fibre to improve the health of pasta-loving individuals.The Faculty of Science-University Research Committee Fellowship of the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/lwthj2022Consumer ScienceFood Scienc

Factors associated with financial security, food security and quality of daily lives of residents in Nigeria during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

An online survey was conducted to identify factors associated with financial insecurity, food insecurity and poor quality of daily lives of adults in Nigeria during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The associations between the outcome (experience of financial loss, changes in food intake and impact of the pandemic on daily lives) and the explanatory (age, sex, education level, anxiety, depression, HIV status) variables were determined using logistic regression analysis. Of the 4439 respondents, 2487 (56.0%) were financially insecure, 907 (20.4%) decreased food intake and 4029 (90.8%) had their daily life negatively impacted. Males (AOR:0.84), people who felt depressed (AOR:0.62) and people living with HIV -PLHIV- (AOR:0.70) had significantly lower odds of financial insecurity. Older respondents (AOR:1.01) had significantly higher odds of financial insecurity. Those depressed (AOR:0.62) and PLHIV (AOR:0.55) had significantly lower odds of reporting decreased food intake. Respondents who felt anxious (AOR:0.07), depressed (AOR: 0.48) and who were PLHIV (AOR:0.68) had significantly lower odds of reporting a negative impact of the pandemic on their daily lives. We concluded the study findings may reflect a complex relationship between financial insecurity, food insecurity, poor quality of life, mental health, and socioeconomic status of adults living in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic

Inclusive Growth pattern in Rural Southwestern Nigeria: Opportunities and Challenges

African countries both individually and collectively are still searching for ways to sustain the growth momentum and to ensure that growth translates to poverty reduction, employment opportunities and more inclusive society. To address this issue, this paper looked at the pattern of growth and also argues that there are challenges and opportunities for promoting growth in Nigeria. Inclusive growth encompasses equity, equality of opportunity and protection in market and employment transitions. Using the social concentration curve, the study assesses the pattern of growth across the dimensions of education, water and energy. The study made use of the national household survey data sets collected by the National Bureau of Statistics at two time periods, NLSS 2004 and HNLSS 2009. These data were collected through a multistage sampling technique; data extracted included socio-economic characteristics, human capital, physical capital, social and financial capital variables. The concentration curve suggests that opportunities were distributed equally in terms of access to firewood and land with a downward shift in both years indicating growth inclusive

Recovery of Proteins and Chromium Complexes from Chromium – Containing Leather Waste (CCLW)

Chromium – Containing Leather Waste (CCLW) constitutes an environmental pollution problem to leather industries disposing the waste by landfill. The waste mainly consists of collagen and chromium III complexes. This work is a design of reactors to recover gelatin, polypeptides and chromium from CCLW. The results of the experiment shows that 68% of protein, based on dry weight of leather scraps, could be recovered. Three reactors with a total volume of 18 m3 was designed to handle 10,431 kg of waste generated from the tanning industries