Morphological and molecular characterization of Amblyomma variegatum (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks from Nigeria

The association of most tick-borne pathogens with specific tick species has made it imperative that proper identification and characterization of such tick vectors is necessary for the purpose of developing effective tick and tick-borne control strategies. This study was undertaken to identify and characterize Amblyomma species ticks collected from cattle in Plateau State, North-Central, Nigeria. They were morphologically identified using diagnostic characters. Further confirmation and characterization was done genetically using a 460bp-long partial fragment of the 16S rRNA gene amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplified fragment was cloned and sequenced for the phylogenetic dendogram. All the examined ticks were identified as A. variegatum which was confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequences analysis, and phylogenetic inferences showed a 99% similarity and grouping to A. variegatum of African origin. However, the A. variegatum sequences from Nigeria were clustered into 2 groups, but formed a distinct clade from the A. variegatum sequence from Ethiopia. This study was able to conclusively identify and characterize A. variegatum ticks from the study areas by utilizing morphology and molecular genotyping based on sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene.Keywords: Amblyomma variegatum, Morphology, 16S rRNA, PCR, Sequencin

Abortion and its probable cause in gilts experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei

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Pneumonia as the cause of death in gilts experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei

application/pdfA study was conducted in 24 gilts to determine the effect of Trypanosoma brucei infection on their reproductive efficiency. The infected gilts developed clinical trypanosomosis following a prepatent period of 2-3 days with 1.8 x 10⁶ trypanosomes per gilt. The clinical signs were observed intermittent fever, pale mucus membranes, short moist cough, moist rales, mucopurulent ocular discharges and hyperemia of the skin, reduced feed intake, and loss of body condition, recumbency, uncoordinated movements, posterior paresis and death of gilts. The cause of death in the pigs was pneumonia caused by Escherichia coli. Grossly, the lungs were severely congested and had undergone gray hepatization. Histopathologically, the lungs had thickened and congested alveolar walls, and were infiltrated by mononuclear cells which were noticed more in the lung parenchyma. The role of secondary bacterial infection in the pneumonia observed, orchestrated by immunosuppression, which is a classical attribute of trypanosome infection is discussed.journal articl

Properties of Metal Oxide and Pineapple Fiber Reinforced Dental Composite Resin

This study aimed to synthesize fillers in the form of alumina-zirconia-carbonate apatite and pineapple leaf fiber (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr) as matrix reinforcement consisting of UDMA, TEGDMA, and DMAEMA for direct dental restoration applications. The sample consisted of four composite groups with the addition of 0-5% fiber. All composite samples were then tested for hardness, flexural strength, and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The results of the composite hardness test without the addition of fiber were 30.31 VHN. With the addition of 1%, 2.5%, and 5% fiber, the composite has a hardness value of 31.13 VHN, 34.02 VHN, and 27.22 VHN, respectively. The results of the three-point bending test showed that the flexural strength of the sample without the addition of fiber was 1.6 MPa, while the addition of 1%, 2.5%, and 5% fiber resulted in the flexural strength of 2.1 MPa, 2.3 MPa, and 1.8 MPa, respectively. The SEM results show a homogeneous particle dispersion morphology, with various agglomerations and gaps. Composites with the addition of 1% and 2.5% fiber have a narrower gap than without the addition of fiber. This explains the increase in the hardness and flexural strength of the composite

Determinants of door-in-door-out time in patients with ischaemic stroke transferred for endovascular thrombectomy

Background: Long door-in-door-out (DIDO) times are an important cause of treatment delay in patients transferred for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) from primary stroke centres (PSC) to an intervention centre. Insight in causes of prolonged DIDO times may facilitate process improvement interventions. We aimed to quantify different components of DIDO time and to identify determinants of DIDO time. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study in a Dutch ambulance region consisting of six PSCs and one intervention centre. We included consecutive adult patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion, transferred from a PSC for EVT between October 1, 2019 and November 31, 2020. We subdivided DIDO into several time components and quantified contribution of these components to DIDO time. We used univariable and multivariable linear regression models to explore associations between potential determinants and DIDO time. Results: We included 133 patients. Median (IQR) DIDO time was 66 (52–83) min. The longest component was CTA-to-ambulance notification time with a median (IQR) of 24 (16–37) min. DIDO time increased with age (6 min per 10 years, 95% CI: 2–9), onset-to-door time outside 6 h (20 min, 95% CI: 5–35), M2-segment occlusion (15 min, 95% CI: 4–26) and right-sided ischaemia (12 min, 95% CI: 2–21). Conclusions: The CTA-to-ambulance notification time is the largest contributor to DIDO time. Higher age, onset-to-door time longer than 6 h, M2-segment occlusion and right-sided occlusions are independently associated with a longer DIDO time. Future interventions that aim to decrease DIDO time should take these findings into account.</p

Sistemas de manejo y conducción orgánicos, convencionales en la postcosecha de frutos de higo

La búsqueda de innovación tecnológica para mejorar los métodos y sistemas de gestión en cultivos, con el objetivo de reducir los impactos ambientales y mejorar la calidad organoléptica y la seguridad alimentaria de las frutas, ha sido estudiada en varias culturas. El cultivo de la higuera cuenta con frutos de buena aceptación y propiedades organolépticas y farmacológicas, cobrando así protagonismo en la fruticultura. El objetivo fue evaluar métodos de manejo y sistemas de conducción sobre las características químicas de frutos de higuera. El diseño utilizado fue en bloques al azar, en esquema factorial 5 x 4, con tres bloques y tres plantas por parcela. Los factores probados fueron métodos de manejo, cuatro fuentes orgánicas (estiércol de ganado vacuno, estiércol de oveja, estiércol de pollo y compost orgánico) y sistemas de manejo convencionales minerales (NPK) y vegetales (dos patas, tres patas, cuatro patas y espaldera). Las características evaluadas fueron: sólidos solubles, acidez titulable y relación SS/AT. El sistema de formación de cuatro patas presentó los valores más altos, diferenciándose únicamente del sistema de dos patas, que produjo frutos con bajo contenido de sólidos solubles. Los frutos producidos con fuentes orgánicas presentaron los niveles más altos de sólidos solubles. Las fuentes de compost orgánico y estiércol bovino no difirieron entre sí. La relación SS/AT de los frutos tuvo diferencia estadística solo en las plantas manejadas con tres patas, con el método de manejo orgánico utilizando el estiércol bovino como fuente de fertilización con el mayor promedio de SS/AT. Las plantas que utilizaron la fuente de fertilizante de cama de pollo, conducidas con 4 patas, tuvieron el promedio más alto de SS/AT. La AT no fue influenciada por los factores estudiados. La calidad organoléptica de las frutas de mesa depende de los niveles de azúcares y ácidos orgánicos. Nuestros resultados muestran que las fuentes de fertilización y los sistemas de conducción que produjeron frutos con niveles más altos de SS y niveles más bajos de AT fueron los que presentaron cualidades organolépticas superiores (SS/AT)