Isolation and Characterization of Soft Rot pathogen of Yam (Dioscorea spp) in Nigeria-A Review

Yam (Dioscorea spp) is a tuber crop belonging to the family Dioscoreaceae. The species of economic importance include Dioscorea rotundata, Dioscorea alata, Dioscorea cayenensis, Dioscorea dumetorum, Dioscorea bulbifera and Dioscorea esculentus. In West Africa, Dioscorea rotundata is also refered to as white yam or white guinea yam. It is the most widely cultivated. It is the most important food and income source for millions of producers, processors and consumers in West Africa. A pathogen or infectious agent is a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its host and it can infect unicellular organisms from all of the biological kingdoms. In the oldest and broadest sense, it is anything that can produce disease, a term which came into use in the 1880s ("Pathogen". Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House ; Casadevall, Arturo; Pirofski, Liise-anne 2014). It is used to describe an infectious agent like the following: virus, bacterium, prion, fungus, viroid, or parasite that causes disease in its host. The host may be a human, an animal, a plant, a fungus, or even another micro-organism (Alberts B et al., 2002; MetaPathogen, 2015). There are different types of pathogens which include the following: Bacterial, Viral, Fungal, Prionic Protozoa, Viroids and Human Parasite. Isolation It is defined as the complete separation from others of a person or plant suffering from contagious or infectious disease; quarantine. It is very damaging, and there is no way to ameliorate it and isolation of pathogen is the process whereby pathogens of yam are treated. This is the process where rotted yam tubers were rinsed in distilled water, surface sterilized with 70% ethanol and cut open with a sterilized knife and it is now treated

Cluster update and recognition

We present a fast and robust cluster update algorithm that is especially efficient in implementing the task of image segmentation using the method of superparamagnetic clustering. We apply it to a Potts model with spin interactions that are are defined by gray-scale differences within the image. Motivated by biological systems, we introduce the concept of neural inhibition to the Potts model realization of the segmentation problem. Including the inhibition term in the Hamiltonian results in enhanced contrast and thereby significantly improves segmentation quality. As a second benefit we can - after equilibration - directly identify the image segments as the clusters formed by the clustering algorithm. To construct a new spin configuration the algorithm performs the standard steps of (1) forming clusters and of (2) updating the spins in a cluster simultaneously. As opposed to standard algorithms, however, we share the interaction energy between the two steps. Thus the update probabilities are not independent of the interaction energies. As a consequence, we observe an acceleration of the relaxation by a factor of 10 compared to the Swendson and Wang procedure.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Strengthening retinopathy of prematurity screening and treatment services in Nigeria: a case study of activities, challenges and outcomes 2017-2020.

OBJECTIVES: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) will become a major cause of blindness in Nigerian children unless screening and treatment services expand. This article aims to describe the collaborative activities undertaken to improve services for ROP between 2017 and 2020 as well as the outcome of these activities in Nigeria. DESIGN: Descriptive case study. SETTING: Neonatal intensive care units in Nigeria. PARTICIPANTS: Staff providing services for ROP, and 723 preterm infants screened for ROP who fulfilled screening criteria (gestational age <34 weeks or birth weight ≤2000 g, or sickness criteria). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A WhatsApp group was initiated for Nigerian ophthalmologists and neonatologists in 2018. Members participated in a range of capacity-building, national and international collaborative activities between 2017 and 2018. A national protocol for ROP was developed for Nigeria and adopted in 2018; 1 year screening outcome data were collected and analysed. In 2019, an esurvey was used to collect service data from WhatsApp group members for 2017-2018 and to assess challenges in service provision. RESULTS: In 2017 only six of the 84 public neonatal units in Nigeria provided ROP services; this number had increased to 20 by 2018. Of the 723 babies screened in 10 units over a year, 127 (17.6%) developed any ROP; and 29 (22.8%) developed type 1 ROP. Only 13 (44.8%) babies were treated, most by intravitreal bevacizumab. The screening criteria were revised in 2020. Challenges included lack of equipment to regulate oxygen and to document and treat ROP, and lack of data systems. CONCLUSION: ROP screening coverage and quality improved after national and international collaborative efforts. To scale up and improve services, equipment for neonatal care and ROP treatment is urgently needed, as well as systems to monitor data. Ongoing advocacy is also essential

The Influence of Toxins in Disease Symptom Initiation in Plants: A Review

The concept that plant pathogens cause disease by producing toxic substances dates back about a century. Evidence for its general validity, however, has accumulated only recently. The difficulty has been that most plant disease symptoms are the result of a complex interplay of several factors. Some pathogens, in addition to producing one or more toxins, may also excrete enzymes which degrade cell walls, causing tissue disorganization; they may destroy plant hormones, causing abnormal growth of the host; or they may physically block the water-conducting vessels of the host by their prolific growth or by production of viscous polysaccharides. Because of this complexity, proof of the role of a toxin as one of several interacting factors causing a disease symptom is often difficult to obtain, even though the presence of toxic substances in cultures of most plant pathogens is easily demonstrated. Despite these problems, our growing knowledge of the biochemistry of symptom causation clearly establishes the role of toxins as a dominant one in most plant diseases

Physico-chemical properties of selected soils overlying three parent materials in the humid tropics

No Abstract. IJOTAFS Vol. 1 (2) 2007: pp. 159-16

Characterization of wetland soils of Zarama, Bayelsa state, Nigeria, in relation to iron and manganese distribution

This study investigated the soil properties of Zarama, Bayelsa state, Nigeria in relation to iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) distribution, between October and December, 2005. Four soil profile pits representing varying creek water influences were studied. The soils have acquic moisture and isohyperthermic temperature regimes. Results showed that silt and clay dominated in all profiles with total sand being least, ranging from 20-310 g kg- 1 in profile 1. Soil pH was slightly acidic in the site (pH CaCl2 = 5.0-6.9). Organic carbon was highest in profile 3 (22-150 g kg- 1). There were higher values of Fe in wetter profile pits unlike Mn. Crystalline Fe (Fe d) was more abundant than amorphous Fe (Fe o). Total iron was significantly correlated with fine earth (r=0.80; p = 0.01; n = 26), total sand (r = - 0.76) silt (r = 0.63) and clay (r= - 0.88). Total manganese correlated significantly with fine earth (r=0.64), total sand (r = 0.52), silt (r = 0.46) and clay (r = 0.67). Keywords: Wetland, farming gleysation, marshland, iron, manganese, tropical soilsIJOTAFS Vol. 1 (1) 2007: pp. 80-8

Characterization of Soil Properties of Farms

Abstract: This study investigated soil properties and cassava yield of 18 owner-managed farms in Abia and Imo States, Southeastern Nigeria. Transect studies were conducted on-farm and soil samples collected along the transects based on morphological differences. Results showed that soils of the area are very sandy (Total sand = 39-87%). Sulphur content was high (120 ppm). Exchangeable basic cations were generally low while soils were strongly acidic (pH water = 4.0-5.6). Principal component analysis of 12 variables studied showed that soil pH (PRIN 1) explained 28.5 percent of the total variance, followed by organic carbon (PRIN 2) which explained 27.3 percent of the total variance. Soil reaction and organic matter content of these soils become of paramount importance for sustainability

Barriers and incentives influencing the use of partograph in Nigeria: A comprehensive review

This comprehensive review examines the barriers and incentives influencing the use of partographs in maternal healthcare within Nigeria. Maternal mortality remains a critical concern in the country, making it imperative to evaluate the factors that shape the adoption of essential tools like the partograph. The literature review underscores the global significance of partograph utilization, emphasizing its role in improving maternal outcomes. A particular focus is placed on existing studies and findings relevant to Nigeria, providing a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by healthcare providers. The article delves into the barriers hindering the widespread adoption of partographs in Nigeria, including issues related to training, resource availability, and cultural considerations. Additionally, it explores the incentives that can positively influence healthcare practitioners and facilities to integrate partographs into their maternal care protocols. Government policies and initiatives in Nigeria related to maternal healthcare and partograph use are also analyzed, shedding light on the broader contextual factors impacting implementation. Through examining case studies, the review presents real-world examples that illustrate successful and challenging instances of partograph implementation. The article concludes with actionable recommendations to overcome identified barriers and enhance incentives for effectively integrating partographs into maternal healthcare practices in Nigeria. This study contributes valuable insights to the ongoing discourse on improving maternal healthcare, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies in the Nigerian context.Unfunde