Effects of Citrus aurantifolia Linn and Xylopia aethopica (Dunal) A. Rich Extracts on Leaf Blight Disease of Taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott)

Phytophthora colocasiae Raciborski, an Oomycete phytopathogen, has been known for several decades as the causal agent of the most infectious and devastating disease of Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, known as taro leaf blight (TLB). Investigations were conducted in a screenhouse to determine the effects of fruit extracts of Citrus aurantifolia and Xylopia aethiopica on the incidence and severity of TLB. The experiment was set up in a completely randomized design with three replicates.  Healthy taro seedlings obtained from the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, were planted in plastic pots (5000 cm3) containing sterilized soil enriched with poultry manure. The plant extracts were applied as foliar spray on taro leaves with manually operated hand sprayer at 7 weeks after planting and continued at four days intervals for a period of 28 days. Positive check was maintained with the fungicide Ridomil (a.i. mefenoxam) applied at the rate of 0.67 mg.ml-1 while zero concentration in distilled water served as negative control. Data were subjected to one-way analysis of variance and means were separated using F-LSD.  Results showed very high reduction of disease with plant extracts (P < 0.05) and Ridomil compared to the control. Citrus aurantifolia juice was more efficient in reducing the incidence and severity of TLB compared to X. aethiopica extracts and was highly significant (P< 0.05). The overwhelmingly fungitoxic effects of  C. aurantifolia and X. aethiopica extracts on P. colocasiae as expressed in the reduction of disease suggests that these extracts can serve as alternative bio-fungicide for  the control of TLB. Hence, further studies under field conditions are required to reestablish their efficacy

Evaluation of Morphogenesis and Yield of Three \u3ci\u3ePennisetum purpureum\u3c/i\u3e Varieties in South-West, Nigeria

This experiment, conducted at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria evaluated the morphogenesis of three varieties of Pennisetum purpureum used in this study, which were the local, purple, and FI variety at different stages of growth. The plants were established through vegetative plant parts (stems) sourced from a previously established plot and planted using 1 m × 1 m spacing on plots measuring 4 m × 5 m. The plants were fertilized with split doses of poultry manure at 4 t/ha (equivalent to 120 kg N/ha). The experiment was laid out as a Randomized Complete Block Design. Data on the morphogenic traits and dry matter yield were collected at bi-weekly from the 4th week for a period of twelve weeks. Results showed that the morphogenic plant traits differed significantly (p\u3c 0.05) between the varieties, except the tiller appearance rate (p\u3e 0.05) which was not significantly (p\u3e 0.05) different when the varieties were compared. The purple variety had the least plant elongation and leaf appearance rate values, however, for both traits, the F1 hybrid and local variety had similar trait values. The F1 variety had the least (p\u3c 0.05) leaf elongation rate value and the highest leaf (p\u3c 0.05) expansion rate value. On the other hand, the local and purple variety had comparably higher leaf elongation rate and leaf expansion rate values. The purple variety had higher (p\u3c 0.05) dry matter yield at the 6th and 8th week, but at the 10th and 12th week, the local variety produced the highest dry matter yield. In conclusion, the varieties had distinct morphogenic traits. Also, while the purple variety produced higher dry matter yield at the early stages of growth, dry matter production was higher for the local variety at more advanced stages of growth (10 and 12 weeks)

Response of Guinea Grass (\u3cem\u3ePanicum maximum\u3c/em\u3e Jacq) to Application of Cow Dung in South West Nigeria

The yield of forage species from the world\u27s grazing land is limited by poor soil and unproductive species (Jones & Wild, 1975; Cooke, 1982). The use of manure on pasture land not only represents a low cost disposal method but also a means of recycling nutrients for plant growth and counteracting the decreasing organic matter content in most agricultural soils. In agro-pastoral production systems, the interaction between crops and livestock is important. Manures are used mainly to complement inorganic fertiliser in the production of food crops. There is a dearth of information on the response of pasture grass to application of cow dung and so the response of two Panicum maximum ecotypes to cow dung was evaluate

The seasonality of tuberculosis, sunlight, vitamin D, and household crowding.

BACKGROUND: Unlike other respiratory infections, tuberculosis diagnoses increase in summer. We performed an ecological analysis of this paradoxical seasonality in a Peruvian shantytown over 4 years. METHODS: Tuberculosis symptom-onset and diagnosis dates were recorded for 852 patients. Their tuberculosis-exposed cohabitants were tested for tuberculosis infection with the tuberculin skin test (n = 1389) and QuantiFERON assay (n = 576) and vitamin D concentrations (n = 195) quantified from randomly selected cohabitants. Crowding was calculated for all tuberculosis-affected households and daily sunlight records obtained. RESULTS: Fifty-seven percent of vitamin D measurements revealed deficiency (<50 nmol/L). Risk of deficiency was increased 2.0-fold by female sex (P < .001) and 1.4-fold by winter (P < .05). During the weeks following peak crowding and trough sunlight, there was a midwinter peak in vitamin D deficiency (P < .02). Peak vitamin D deficiency was followed 6 weeks later by a late-winter peak in tuberculin skin test positivity and 12 weeks after that by an early-summer peak in QuantiFERON positivity (both P < .04). Twelve weeks after peak QuantiFERON positivity, there was a midsummer peak in tuberculosis symptom onset (P < .05) followed after 3 weeks by a late-summer peak in tuberculosis diagnoses (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The intervals from midwinter peak crowding and trough sunlight to sequential peaks in vitamin D deficiency, tuberculosis infection, symptom onset, and diagnosis may explain the enigmatic late-summer peak in tuberculosis

Hierarchical approach for fatigue cracking performance evaluation in asphalt pavements

In this paper, a hierarchical approach is proposed for the evaluation of fatigue cracking in asphalt concrete pavements considering three different levels of complexities in the representation of the material behaviour, design parameters characterization and the determination of the pavement response as well as damage computation. Based on the developed hierarchical approach, three damage computation levels are identified and proposed. The levels of fatigue damage analysis provides pavement engineers a variety of tools that can be used for pavement analysis depending on the availability of data, required level of prediction accuracy and computational power at their disposal. The hierarchical approach also provides a systematic approach for the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of pavement deterioration, the elimination of the empiricism associated with pavement design today and the transition towards the use of sound principles of mechanics in pavement analysis and design

Immunomodulatory Effects of Neem (Azadirachta indica) Leaf Aqueous Extracts in Cockerels Vaccinated and Experimentally Infected with Infectious Bursal Disease Virus

The aim of the present work was to study the immunomodulatory potentials of aqueous extract of Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf in cockerels vaccinated and/ or infected with infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). Four hundred and eighty (480) day old cockerels were used and allocated into 8 groups. The birds were grouped as vaccinated/ unvaccinated, challenged/ unchallenged, neem leaf treated/ untreated groups. The IBD vaccines (intermediate plus strain) were given at 14 and 28 days of age while the experimental infection using very virulent IBD virus (vvIBDV) was inoculated at 35 days of age and the extracts were given from day old to 6 week old.Serum samples were collected on first day and on weekly intervals while post challenge, onset of the disease, clinical signs and mortality rate were recorded. The results obtained showed higher antibody titre, faster seroconversion, mild clinical sign and very low mortality in the neem leaf treated groups. These results indicated that the neem leaf aqueous extract has immunomodulatory potentials by increasing the antibody titre post vaccination and the ability to prevent mortality

Patients infected by tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus facing their disease, their reactions to disease diagnosis and its implication about their families and communities, in Burkina Faso: a mixed focus group and cross sectional study

BACKGROUND: Patients facing tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection receive particular care. Despite efforts in the care, misconceptions about TB and HIV still heavily impact patients, their families and communities. This situation severely limits achievement of TB and HIV programs goals. This study reports current situation of TB patients and patients living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) facing their disease and its implications, by comparing results from both qualitative and quantitative study design. METHODS: Cross sectional study using mixed methods was used and excluded patients co-infected by TB and HIV. Focus group included 96 patients (6 patients per group) stratified by setting, disease profile and gender; from rural (Orodara Health District) and urban (Bobo Dioulasso) areas, all from Hauts-Bassins region in Burkina Faso. Quantitative study included 862 patients (309 TB patients and 553 PLWHA) attending TB and HIV care facilities in two main regions (Hauts-Bassins and Centre) of Burkina Faso. RESULTS: A content analysis of reports found TB patients and PLWHA felt discriminated and stigmatized because of misconceptions with its aftermaths (rejection, emotional and financial problems), mainly among PLWHA and women patients. PLWHA go to healers when facing limited solutions in health system. There are fewer associations for TB patients, and less education and sensitization sessions to give them opportunity for sharing disease status and learning from other TB patients. TB patients and PLWHA still need to better understand their disease and its implication. Access to care (diagnosis and treatment) remains one of the key issues in health system, especially for PLWHA. Individual counseling is centered among PLWHA but not for TB patients. With research progress and experiences sharing, TB patients and PLWHA have some hope to implement their life project, and to receive psychosocial and nutritional support. CONCLUSION: Despite international aid, TB patients and PLWHA are facing misconceptions effects. There is a need to reinforce health education towards patients and healers, inside community, health centers and associations, and for specific settings. International aid must be adapted to specific targets and strategies implementing programs. Maintaining psychosocial and nutritional support is crucial for better outcomes of medication adherence. Individual counseling has to be centered among TB patients and PLWHA

Postoperative complications after pancreatoduodenectomy for malignancy: results from the Recurrence After Whipple’s (RAW) study

Background Pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is associated with significant postoperative morbidity. Surgeons should have a sound understanding of the potential complications for consenting and benchmarking purposes. Furthermore, preoperative identification of high-risk patients can guide patient selection and potentially allow for targeted prehabilitation and/or individualized treatment regimens. Using a large multicentre cohort, this study aimed to calculate the incidence of all PD complications and identify risk factors. Method Data were extracted from the Recurrence After Whipple’s (RAW) study, a retrospective cohort study of PD outcomes (29 centres from 8 countries, 2012–2015). The incidence and severity of all complications was recorded and potential risk factors for morbidity, major morbidity (Clavien–Dindo grade > IIIa), postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), post-pancreatectomy haemorrhage (PPH) and 90-day mortality were investigated. Results Among the 1348 included patients, overall morbidity, major morbidity, POPF, PPH and perioperative death affected 53 per cent (n = 720), 17 per cent (n = 228), 8 per cent (n = 108), 6 per cent (n = 84) and 4 per cent (n = 53), respectively. Following multivariable tests, a high BMI (P = 0.007), an ASA grade > II (P II patients were at increased risk of major morbidity (P < 0.0001), and a raised BMI correlated with a greater risk of POPF (P = 0.001). Conclusion In this multicentre study of PD outcomes, an ASA grade > II was a risk factor for major morbidity and a high BMI was a risk factor for POPF. Patients who are preoperatively identified to be high risk may benefit from targeted prehabilitation or individualized treatment regimens

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century