Disparities in Sepsis Mortality by Region, Urbanization, and Race in the USA: a Multiple Cause of Death Analysis

Purpose: To assess gender, race/ethnicity, and geographic disparities in sepsis-associated mortality. Materials and Methods: The US data for multiple causes of death (MCOD) for years 2013–2016 were used to determine numbers of deaths and age-adjusted rates for sepsis as underlying or contributing cause of death using the International Classification of Diseases–10 (ICD-10) codes for non-Hispanic blacks (NHB) and whites (NHW) aged 15 years and older. Results: There were a total of 746,725 sepsis-associated deaths. Among females, age-adjusted death rate for NHB was 88.6 (95% CI 87.8–89.3) and for NHW, 55.4 (95% CI 55.1–55.6). Among males, age-adjusted death rate for NHB was 115.2 (95% CI 114.1–116.3) and for NHW, 69.5 (95% CI 69.2–69.8). Rates were generally higher in divisions of the south region (West South Central in NHB). Within the South, NHW and NHB who resided in non-metropolitan areas had the highest rates, while the lowest were in suburban metropolitan areas. Conclusions: Sepsis-related MCOD mortality rates were highest in males, in NHB, in the South region, and, within the South, non-metropolitan areas

Aeropalynological Studies of the University of Lagos Campus, Nigeria

Aeropalynological studies were conducted in four selected sites at the University of Lagos campus, in the months of February, March, April and May of 2007. One pollen-collecting bucket containing 50 ml glycerol, 10 ml formaldehyde and 5 ml phenol, per site, was placed at each sampling site, namely the Botanical Garden, Lagoon Front, Engineering Department and Computer Center. The mixtures which attracted aerospore from the atmosphere were acetolysed, observed under the microscope and photomicrographs of palynomorphs were taken. The abundance of recovered pollen ranges from 64, in February to 132, in May. Recovered palynological assemblage from chemical engineering sampling point had the highest in February, Lagoon Front location had the highest in March, Computer Centre location had the highest in April and Lagoon Front had highest number of palynomorphs during May. A total of 393 palynomorphs were counted at all, belonging to 22 families. Poaceae were abundant representing 26.33% of the total pollen, Asteraceae represents 12.72%, Mimosaceae (8.89%), Ferns spores (8.64%), Arecaceae (5.85%) and Euphorbiacae (5.34%) among others. The palynomorphs abundance and diversity hits the peak in May which corresponds to the wettest month of the sampled period

Aeropalynological Studies of the University of Lagos Campus, Nigeria

Aeropalynological studies were conducted in four selected sites at the University of Lagos campus, in the months of February, March, April and May of 2007. One pollen-collecting bucket containing 50 ml glycerol, 10 ml formaldehyde and 5 ml phenol, per site, was placed at each sampling site, namely the Botanical Garden, Lagoon Front, Engineering Department and Computer Center. The mixtures which attracted aerospore from the atmosphere were acetolysed, observed under the microscope and photomicrographs of palynomorphs were taken. The abundance of recovered pollen ranges from 64, in February to 132, in May. Recovered palynological assemblage from chemical engineering sampling point had the highest in February, Lagoon Front location had the highest in March, Computer Centre location had the highest in April and Lagoon Front had highest number of palynomorphs during May. A total of 393 palynomorphs were counted at all, belonging to 22 families. Poaceae were abundant representing 26.33% of the total pollen, Asteraceae represents 12.72%, Mimosaceae (8.89%), Ferns spores (8.64%), Arecaceae (5.85%) and Euphorbiacae (5.34%) among others. The palynomorphs abundance and diversity hits the peak in May which corresponds to the wettest month of the sampled period

Pleistocene refugia and genetic diversity patterns in West Africa : insights from the liana Chasmanthera dependens (Menispermaceae)

Processes shaping the African Guineo-Congolian rain forest, especially in the West African part, are not well understood. Recent molecular studies, based mainly on forest tree species, confirmed the previously proposed division of the western African Guineo-Congolian rain forest into Upper Guinea (UG) and Lower Guinea (LG) separated by the Dahomey Gap (DG). Here we studied nine populations in the area of the DG and the borders of LG and UG of the widespread liana species, Chasmanthera dependens (Menispermaceae) by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), a chloroplast DNA sequence marker, and modelled the distribution based on current as well as paleoclimatic data (Holocene Climate Optimum, ca. 6 kyr BP and Last Glacial Maximum, ca. 22 kyr BP). Current population genetic structure and geographical pattern of cpDNA was related to present as well as historical modelled distributions. Results from this study show that past historical factors played an important role in shaping the distribution of C. dependens across West Africa. The Cameroon Volcanic Line seems to represent a barrier for gene flow in the present as well as in the past. Distribution modelling proposed refugia in the Dahomey Gap, supported also by higher genetic diversity. This is in contrast with the phylogeographic patterns observed in several rainforest tree species and could be explained by either diverging or more relaxed ecological requirements of this liana species

Identification and Toxigenic Potential of Fungi Isolated from Capsicum Peppers

Capsicum peppers are among the most popular horticultural crops produced and consumed worldwide. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of spoilage fungi responsible for post-harvest losses in the most common varieties of Capsicum peppers collected from retail markets in Nigeria and Ghana. Forty fungal isolates belonging to 7 families, 8 genera, and 17 species were identified on the basis of morphology, culture characteristics, and DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Aspergillus spp. (42.5%), Fusarium spp. (22.5%), and Colletotrichum spp. (15%) were found to be the predominant fungal pathogens. Furthermore, potential ability of the isolated mycotoxigenic fungi to produce some major mycotoxins was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Among the 22 isolates analyzed, 11 strains belonging to the genera of Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium were found to be able to produce mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin B1, gliotoxin, deoxynivalenol, and citrinin. A better understanding of the role of fungal contaminants in pepper fruits, especially the prevalence of mycotoxigenic fungi and their associated mycotoxigenic potential, will assist in the development of management strategies to control mycotoxin contamination and to reduce toxicological risks related to pepper consumption by humans and animals

Analyses of molecular variance (AMOVAs) for cpDNA and AFLP data in <i>Chasmanthera dependens</i>.

<p>Analyses of molecular variance (AMOVAs) for cpDNA and AFLP data in <i>Chasmanthera dependens</i>.</p

Current and historical species distribution models for <i>Chasmanthera dependens</i> in West Africa and tropical Africa, respectively.

<p>Probability of occurrence is represented by different colors from low (blue) to high (red). Results are based on the data from CCSM4 and MPI ESM-P paleoclimatic models representing the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, ca. 21 kyr BP) and Holocene Climate Optimum (HCO, ca. 6 kyr BP), as well as current climate observations. (a) Model of current distribution; (b) red dots indicate current occurrence points, which served as a basis for modelling, (c) HCO, CCSM4; (d) HCO, MPI ESM-P; (e) LGM, CCSM4; (f) LGM, MPI ESM-P.</p

Sampling localities of studied <i>Chasmanthera dependens</i> populations.

<p>Sampling localities of studied <i>Chasmanthera dependens</i> populations.</p