Original Article The effect of grower feed diet supplemented with Ganoderma lucidum against some enteric zoonotic parasites of pigeons (Columba livia)

We report a preliminary study on the effect of grower feed diet supplemented with mashed Ganoderma lucidum against some enteric zoonotic parasites of wild rock pigeons (Columba livia) in Benin City, Nigeria. The pigeons were fed ad libitum with supplemented and non-supplemented grower feed diet in sawdust-floored squared wooden cages (45 cm x 30 cm x 20 cm) at room temperature for 21 days. They were sacrificed at days 14 and 21 for profiling of their zoonotic enteric parasites. High prevalence (77.7%) of Cestodes (tapeworms) and low prevalence (12.3%) of nematodes were recorded in the control pigeon fed non-supplemented grower feed compared to those on diet supplemented with Ganoderma. Cestodes (Helminths) such as Hymenolepsis carioca, Amoebataenia cuneata, Raillietina tetragona, Raillietina serrata, Inermicapsifer spp., Hymenolepsis spp., and a species of nematode (Ascaridia columbae) were identified in the gastrointestinal tract of the experimental pigeons. A few species (< 8 %) of Trematodes yet to be fully identified were also observed. The low population of helminth parasites and overall weight decrease of pigeon fed with diet supplemented with Ganderma lucidum recorded during the study suggest improved removal of digestive microbes, intestinal health, and gastrointestinal motility. These findings were aimed at contributing to the already existing knowledge on the use of feed additives, probiotics and supplementations in poultry farming.KEYWORDS: Ganoderma lucidum, pigeon (Columba livia), helminth, zoonotic parasite, cestode, nematod

A survey of macrofungi in Edo/Delta region of Nigeria, their morphology and uses

A survey of macrofungi and their ethnomycology was carried out in Edo and Delta states (latitudes 4.87° to 7.12° E and longitudes 5° to 7.6° N) of Nigeria. The survey covers six selected local government areas (Burutu, Etsako East and West, Ovia South-West and Ukhumwonde) scattered across different vegetation zones in the region. Fifty three (53) species of macrofungi were encountered at the end of the survey, 26 species comprising of 23 basidiomycetes and 3 ascomycetes were fully enumerated. Auricularia auricula, Pleurotus spp, Schizophyllum commune and Volvariella volvaceae are eaten by 77% of the sampled communities. Analyses of their nutrient contents recorded over 55% per gram fibre, 11.77% per gram protein, between 7.16 and 12.63% per gram carbohydrate. Amanita phalloides, Daldinia concentrica, Ganoderma lucidum, Ganoderma resinaceus and Nothopanus sp are more frequently employed in the treatment of varying degrees of anemic, blood pressure, gastro-intestinal, homoeostatic, oral and rheumatic ailments. Lowland forest regions recorded greater species diversity and richness than other regions studied. Mushroom hunters, 45% women and 26% youths (ages 18-28), hunt for the in the wild to supply the mushroom needs of the inhabitants of the Edo/Delta region. The hunters are mostly guided by divergent and unwritten mushroom hunting codes while picking in the wild. Keywords: survey, macrofungi, edible, ethnomycology, Edo/Delta region Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Vol. 12(2) 2006: 149-15

PRELIMINARY BIBLIOMETRICS OF PLANT-DERIVED HEALTH FOODS OVER THE LAST DECADE IN THE SCOPUS DATABASE

A growing interest in the medicinal values of foods can be assessed by the rapidity of research publications on foods that exert health benefits. Many foods that are of health benefit to humans, irrespective of their origin (plants, animals) and subjected level of processing (fermentation, cooking, warming, freezing, vacuumpackaging), are variously designated in scientific literature based on their biofunction. Plant-based foods’ application vagaries, momentum, and research orientation regarding their health functionality awareness are scarcely studied by bibliometrics from a global perspective. Therefore, a bibliometric search was performed on the Scopus database from 2011 (January) to 2021 (April) using a range of search keys covering reports of conceptualized consumable plant-derived foods with health-promoting potential. A total of 362,309 documents on medicinal foods of plant origin were obtained from the database. The data were obtained in comma-separated values (CSV) format and analyzed with Microsoft Excel tools. Of the total documents from the Scopus database on the study, 8.01% (29,036) were contributed by African researchers. Comparatively, lead contributors (global; Africa) by group disciplines include biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology (118,896; 8,236); pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmaceutics (104,530; 8,581); agricultural and biological sciences (99,053; 9,610), respectively. Similarly, lead contributors by country include China (73,977), India (44,898), USA (44,582), and Nigeria (4,680). This observation shows a higher research propensity towards plant-derived medicinal foods in populous nations due to factors like dietary culture, an increase in vegan and health-nutrition enthusiast populations, and the emergent concerns with the therapeutic use of synthetic pharmaceuticals. The analyzed results gave insights into the research orientation of plant-based foods that promote human health on a global stage and provide future research directions. Knowledge of the various application of plant-based foods may potentiate the United Nations Sustainable Goals initiative on responsible consumption (SDG 12), and health and wellbeing (SDG 3) among the global population

The Nigeria Parkinson Disease Registry: Process, Profile, and Prospects of a Collaborative Project

BACKGROUND: Clinical disease registries are useful for quality improvement in care, benchmarking standards, and facilitating research. Collaborative networks established thence can enhance national and international studies by generating more robust samples and credible data and promote knowledge sharing and capacity building. This report describes the methodology, baseline data, and prospects of the Nigeria Parkinson Disease Registry. METHODS: This national registry was established in November 2016. Ethics approval was obtained for all sites. Basic anonymized data for consecutive cases fulfilling the United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease Brain Bank criteria (except the exclusion criterion of affected family members) are registered by participating neurologists via a secure registry website (www.parkinsonnigeria.com) using a minimal common data capture format. RESULTS: The registry had captured 578 participants from 5 of 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria by July 2019 (72.5% men). Mean age at onset was 60.3 ± 10.7 years; median disease duration (interquartile range) was 36 months (18–60.5 months). Young‐onset disease (<50 years) represented 15.2%. A family history was documented in 4.5% and 7.8% with age at onset <50 and ≥ 50, respectively. The most frequent initial symptom was tremor (45.3%). At inclusion, 93.4% were on treatment (54.5% on levodopa monotherapy). Per‐capita direct cost for the registry was $3.37. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first published national Parkinson's disease registry in sub‐Saharan Africa. The registry will serve as a platform for development of multipronged evidence‐based policies and initiatives to improve quality of care of Parkinson's disease and research engagement in Nigeria

Setting the scene

Fungi are a keystone component of all ecosystems on earth and have shaped the structure and functioning of nature for eons. Their body is made up of an interwoven mass of threadlike filaments, individually called hyphae and altogether known as mycelium. When fungi form spore-forming structures, the so-called mushrooms, these are also built up of hyphae. The three known trophic groups of fungi have had a fundamental functional diversity in the development of life as we know it. The so-called saprotrophs use the complex dead materials of plants, animals, and microorganisms, including other fungi, as their source of energy—playing a crucial role in nutrient recycling in nature. Mycorrhizal fungi, which establish symbiotic relationships with the roots of plants, have gone hand in hand with plants in the colonization of life on land environments since more than 400 million years. Ectomycorrhizal fungi, in particular, are currently essential in maintaining forest masses worldwide since they establish mutualistic relationships with trees and shrubs mainly. According to the recently named Read’s rule, they dominate ecosystems with low mineralization rates in high-latitude regions with cold and dry climates. Furthermore, they have also been considered the earth’s natural internet, or ‘wood wide web’, because they connect plants and enable them to share nutrients, water, and signal compounds among individuals and species. These networks also help stocking carbon in organic forms from the atmosphere, contributing to climate regulation. Some fungi also establish parasitic relationships with plants and animals, working as an evolutionary force and a selection pressure factor of paramount importance in these groups of living organisms. On top of this ecological and evolutionary relevance, the reproductive structures of fungi, the mushrooms, have shapes and colours that have always fascinated humans. Since early human history, mushrooms have also been an important source of food, medicine, and ceremonial use, all around the world. They also cause death or disease, since deadly and poisonous species exist. Nowadays, they are an important source for the search of new antibiotics, enzymes with industrial use, bioremediation, biofuels, cosmetics, inks, and dyes. In this introductory chapter, we will first describe some remarkable ecological facts related to mushrooms, including members of the three trophic groups previously mentioned. Then, we will provide evidences of the ancient relationships between mushrooms and humans; and, finally, we will analyse the relationships between mushrooms, humans, and nature in different parts of the world, describing and illustrating different realities in five continents

Identification of genetic risk loci and causal insights associated with Parkinson\u27s disease in African and African admixed populations: a genome-wide association study

\ua9 2023 Elsevier LtdBackground: An understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying diseases in ancestrally diverse populations is an important step towards development of targeted treatments. Research in African and African admixed populations can enable mapping of complex traits, because of their genetic diversity, extensive population substructure, and distinct linkage disequilibrium patterns. We aimed to do a comprehensive genome-wide assessment in African and African admixed individuals to better understand the genetic architecture of Parkinson\u27s disease in these underserved populations. Methods: We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in people of African and African admixed ancestry with and without Parkinson\u27s disease. Individuals were included from several cohorts that were available as a part of the Global Parkinson\u27s Genetics Program, the International Parkinson\u27s Disease Genomics Consortium Africa, and 23andMe. A diagnosis of Parkinson\u27s disease was confirmed clinically by a movement disorder specialist for every individual in each cohort, except for 23andMe, in which it was self-reported based on clinical diagnosis. We characterised ancestry-specific risk, differential haplotype structure and admixture, coding and structural genetic variation, and enzymatic activity. Findings: We included 197 918 individuals (1488 cases and 196 430 controls) in our genome-wide analysis. We identified a novel common risk factor for Parkinson\u27s disease (overall meta-analysis odds ratio for risk of Parkinson\u27s disease 1\ub758 [95% CI 1\ub737–1\ub780], p=2\ub7397 7 10−14) and age at onset at the GBA1 locus, rs3115534-G (age at onset β=–2\ub700 [SE=0\ub757], p=0\ub70005, for African ancestry; and β=–4\ub715 [0\ub758], p=0\ub7015, for African admixed ancestry), which was rare in non-African or non-African admixed populations. Downstream short-read and long-read whole-genome sequencing analyses did not reveal any coding or structural variant underlying the GWAS signal. The identified signal seems to be associated with decreased glucocerebrosidase activity. Interpretation: Our study identified a novel genetic risk factor in GBA1 in people of African ancestry, which has not been seen in European populations, and it could be a major mechanistic basis of Parkinson\u27s disease in African populations. This population-specific variant exerts substantial risk on Parkinson\u27s disease as compared with common variation identified through GWAS and it was found to be present in 39% of the cases assessed in this study. This finding highlights the importance of understanding ancestry-specific genetic risk in complex diseases, a particularly crucial point as the Parkinson\u27s disease field moves towards targeted treatments in clinical trials. The distinctive genetics of African populations highlights the need for equitable inclusion of ancestrally diverse groups in future trials, which will be a valuable step towards gaining insights into novel genetic determinants underlying the causes of Parkinson\u27s disease. This finding opens new avenues towards RNA-based and other therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing lifetime risk of Parkinson\u27s disease. Funding: The Global Parkinson\u27s Genetics Program, which is funded by the Aligning Science Across Parkinson\u27s initiative, and The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson\u27s Research