Some Quality Indices of Gnetum Africanum (Afang) Leaves as Affected by Drying Methods

Gnetum africanum is a tropical plant with origin in the rain forest of Nigeria and contains valuable nutrients but susceptible to speedy spoilage due to its high moisture content. This necessitates its preservation, through drying, as it is not readily available for consumers in parts of Nigeria where it is not grown. This research, therefore, was carried out to evaluate the effect of three drying methods (solar drying, sun drying and oven drying) on some quality indices of Gnetum africanum leaves with a view to determine the most appropriate drying method for maximum nutrient retention. Fresh Gnetum africanum leaves were obtained from the local market, defoliated, washed, drained and sliced. The sliced vegetable was divided to four portions of 200g each. With the initial properties of the fresh vegetable (sample A) determined, samples B, C and, D were subjected to solar, sun and oven drying respectively. The properties evaluated were analyzed and the results showed that sun dried vegetable (sample C) had the least overall quality retention. Moreover, solar dried vegetable (sample B) had the highest quality retention in terms of protein (3.92%), fat content (6.67%) and carotene (6.10IU) while oven dried one (sample D) had the highest quality retention of crude fiber (0.63%), ash content (7.87%), carbohydrate (72.49%) and sensory properties (taste, colour, aroma and texture). These results indicated that drying, especially solar and oven drying can be used to preserve Gnetum africanum leaves with considerable retention in its nutritional and sensory properties

Evaluation of antiplasmodial effects of the ethanolic leaf extract of Salacia lehmbachii on Plasmodium berghei infected mice

Salacia lehmbachii leaves are used in Nigerian traditional medicine for the treatment of malaria and other diseases. The ethanolic extract was tested for its activities against suppressive, prophylactic and established infections in Plasmodium berghei infected albino mice at dose levels of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg; while chloroquine (10 mg/kg) was used as positive control. The extract exhibited significant dose-related antiplasmodial activities on parasites with the used-dose levels, showing significant mean survival time. The results, therefore, co-relate with claims by traditional users for the treatment of malaria and other feverish conditions; and could serve as source of potential new antimalarial  agents. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.55610

Bio-survey of Plankton as Indicators of Water Quality For Recreational Activities in Calabar River, Nigeria

With the increasing recognition of Calabar as a global tourist destination, the suitability of Calabar River for recreational activities by tourists was investigated. The aim was to use phytoplankton and zooplankton characteristics to assess the water quality of the Calabar River. Phytoplankton and zooplankton samples were collected from four stations along the river and carried in plastic containers at 4oC to the laboratory for taxonomic and diversity index analyses. Water samples were also collected from the sampling stations for physico-chemical analysis. In total, 331 phytoplankton individuals were identified from sixty-six species in sixty genera and six taxonomic groups. The most abundant taxon was Bacillariophyceae 212 (64.05%), followed by Cyanophyceae 42 (12.69%), Chlorophyceae 40 (12.08%); Dinophyceae 16 (4.83%); Chrysophyceae 12 (3.63%) and Xanthophyceae 9 (2.72%). Similarly, the diatoms were highest in species richness (54.55%) followed by Cyanophyceae (18.18%), Chlorophyceae (12.12%), Dinophyceae (6.06%), Chrysophyceae (4.55%), and Xanthophyceae (4.55%). Among the zooplankton, the Copepods were the most abundant (54.89%). Others were Protozoa (14.13%), Polychaeta larvae (7.07%), Cyclopoida (5.43%), Cladocera (5.43%), Arthropoda (4.89%), Ostracoda (3.26%), Rotifera (2.72%), Malacostraca (1.09%), and Foraminiferida (1.09%). The copepods were highest in species richness (13), representing 36.11% of the total. The other zooplankton taxonomic groups were Protozoa (16.67%), Cyclopoida (11.11%), Ostracoda (8.33%), Rotifera (8.33%), Cladocera (5.56%), Malacostraca (5.56%), Arthropoda (2.78%), Polychaeta larvae (2.78%), and Foraminiferida (2.78%). We did not observe any preponderance of harmful phytoplankton or zooplankton in the Calabar River during the study. The river showed no evidence of stress beyond her carrying capacity, and there was no evidence of any harmful environmental conditions that is detrimental to recreational activities in the Calabar River. We assess Calabar River as being biologically suitable for contact recreational activities, from the point of view of her plankton characteristics

Preliminary Evaluation of Effects of Herbicide Types and Rates on Growth and Yield of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz)

A field experiment was conducted at the University of Uyo Teaching and Research Farm, located at Use-Offot, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria between September, 2007 and August, 2008.cropping season. to evaluate the effects of type and rate of herbicides on growth and yield of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz). The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with a split plot arrangement and replicated three times. The main treatments were types of herbicides viz: Primextra (Atrazine +Metolachlor) (2-chloro-4(ethylamino-6-(isopropylamino-s-triazine and 2-chloro-N-(-2-ethyl-6-methy-phenyl-N-(2-methozylmethylethyl acetamide), Atrazine (2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino) s-triazine) and Diuron (N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N, Ndimethlurea, while the sub-treatments were rates of application of the herbicides (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 kga.i ha ֿ◌ ¹ applied as preemergence as well as control treatments where no herbicide was applied. Results showed that type and rate of herbicides had significant effects on , stand establishment, plant height leaf area index, number of tubers /stand, tuber length(cm), weight of tuber per plant and tuber yield(t/ha) at (P<0.05). Primextra at 2.0kga.i/ha had the significantly superior growth and yield (19.8tha) than Atrazine (17.3t/ha) and Diuron (16. 8t/ha). Based on the findings, this study suggests that Primextra at 2.0kga.i/ha is effective for weed control in cassava due to low phytotoxicity, better crop growth, and higher storage root yield

Standard set of health outcome measures for older persons

Background: The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) was founded in 2012 to propose consensus-based measurement tools and documentation for different conditions and populations.This article describes how the ICHOM Older Person Working Group followed a consensus-driven modified Delphi technique to develop multiple global outcome measures in older persons. The standard set of outcome measures developed by this group will support the ability of healthcare systems to improve their care pathways and quality of care. An additional benefit will be the opportunity to compare variations in outcomes which encourages and supports learning between different health care systems that drives quality improvement. These outcome measures were not developed for use in research. They are aimed at non researchers in healthcare provision and those who pay for these services. Methods: A modified Delphi technique utilising a value based healthcare framework was applied by an international panel to arrive at consensus decisions.To inform the panel meetings, information was sought from literature reviews, longitudinal ageing surveys and a focus group. Results: The outcome measures developed and recommended were participation in decision making, autonomy and control, mood and emotional health, loneliness and isolation, pain, activities of daily living, frailty, time spent in hospital, overall survival, carer burden, polypharmacy, falls and place of death mapped to a three tier value based healthcare framework. Conclusions: The first global health standard set of outcome measures in older persons has been developed to enable health care systems improve the quality of care provided to older persons

Strategies to combat the problem of yam anthracnose disease: status and prospects

Open Access Journal; Published online: 17 Jul 2021Yam (Dioscorea spp.) anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum alatae, is the most devastating fungal disease of yam in West Africa, leading to 50%–90% of tuber yield losses in severe cases. In some instances, plants die without producing any tubers or each shoot may produce several small tubers before it dies if the disease strikes early. C. alatae affects all parts of the yam plant at all stages of development, including leaves, stems, tubers, and seeds of yams, and it is highly prevalent in the yam belt region and other yam-producing countries in the world. Traditional methods adopted by farmers to control the disease have not been very successful. Fungicides have also failed to provide long-lasting control. Although conventional breeding and genomics-assisted breeding have been used to develop some level of resistance to anthracnose in Dioscorea alata, the appearance of new and more virulent strains makes the development of improved varieties with broad-spectrum and durable resistance critical. These shortcomings, coupled with interspecific incompatibility, dioecy, polyploidy, poor flowering, and the long breeding cycle of the crop, have prompted researchers to explore biotechnological techniques to complement conventional breeding to speed up crop improvement. Modern biotechnological tools have the potential of producing fungus-resistant cultivars, thereby bypassing the natural bottlenecks of traditional breeding. This article reviews the existing biotechnological strategies and proposes several approaches that could be adopted to develop anthracnose-resistant yam varieties for improved food security in West Africa

Sero-survey of rubella IgM antibodies among children in Jos, Nigeria

Sero-survey of rubella IgM antibodies was carried out among children aged 0-10 years in Jos, Nigeria. Blood samples were collected from the subjects and sera extracted. Of the 93(100%) assayed for the rubella IgM antibody, 42(45.2%) were seropositive for rubella IgM antibody while 51(54.8%) were seronegative. A breakdown of the seropositive subjects reveals that 14(15.1%) of the infected children were males while 28(30.1%) were females. Those subjects within the age groups of 1-2, 3-4 and 5-6 years had the highest prevalence of 8(8.6%) followed by those within the age groups of 7-8, 9-10 years with 7(7.5%). Blood transfusion as a risk factor did not show any significant influence on the status of the subjects. The demographic data of the mothers of the subjects were also linked with the seropositivity of the children

Anticoagulation in older people with atrial fibrillation moving to care homes: a data linkage study

Aim: To explore factors associated with OAC prescription. Design and Setting: Retrospective cohort study set in care homes in Wales, United Kingdom, listed in the Care Inspectorate Wales Registry 2017/18. Method: Analysis of anonymised individual-level electronic health and administrative data on people aged ≥65 years entering a care home between 1st January 2003 and 31st December 2018, provisioned from the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank. Results: Between 2003 and 2018, 14,493 people with AF aged ≥65 years became new residents in care homes in Wales and 7,057 (48.7%) were prescribed OAC (32.7% in 2003 compared to 72.7% in 2018) within six months prior to care entry. Increasing age and prescription of antiplatelet therapy were associated with lower odds of OAC prescription (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.96 per one year age increase [95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95 to 0.96] and aOR 0.91 [0.84 to 0.98], respectively). Conversely, prior venous thromboembolism (aOR 4.06 [3.17 to 5.20]), advancing frailty (mild: aOR 4.61 [3.95 to 5.38]; moderate: aOR 6.69 [5.74 to 7.80]; severe: aOR 8.42 [7.16 to 9.90]) and year of care home entry from 2011 onwards (aOR 1.91 [1.76 to 2.06]) were associated with higher odds of OAC prescription. Conclusions: There has been an increase in OAC prescribing in older people newly admitted to care homes with AF. This study provides an insight into the factors influencing OAC prescribing in this population

Activin type I receptor polymorphisms and body composition in older individuals with sarcopenia-Analyses from the LACE randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Ageing is associated with changes in body composition including an overall reduction in muscle mass and a proportionate increase in fat mass. Sarcopenia is characterised by losses in both muscle mass and strength. Body composition and muscle strength are at least in part genetically determined, consequently polymorphisms in pathways important in muscle biology (e.g., the activin/myostatin signalling pathway) are hypothesised to contribute to the development of sarcopenia.METHODS: We compared regional body composition measured by DXA with genotypes for two polymorphisms (rs10783486, minor allele frequency (MAF) = 0.26 and rs2854464, MAF = 0.26) in the activin 1B receptor (ACVR1B) determined by PCR in a cross-sectional analysis of DNA from 110 older individuals with sarcopenia from the LACE trial.RESULTS: Neither muscle mass nor strength showed any significant associations with either genotype in this cohort. Initial analysis of rs10783486 showed that males with the AA/AG genotype were taller than GG males (174±7cm vs 170±5cm, p = 0.023) and had higher arm fat mass, (median higher by 15%, p = 0.008), and leg fat mass (median higher by 14%, p = 0.042). After correcting for height, arm fat mass remained significantly higher (median higher by 4% padj = 0.024). No associations (adjusted or unadjusted) were seen in females. Similar analysis of the rs2854464 allele showed a similar pattern with the presence of the minor allele (GG/AG) being associated with greater height (GG/AG = 174±7 cm vs AA = 170 ±5cm, p = 0.017) and greater arm fat mass (median higher by 16%, p = 0.023). Again, the difference in arm fat remained after correction for height. No similar associations were seen in females analysed alone.CONCLUSION: These data suggest that polymorphic variation in the ACVR1B locus could be associated with body composition in older males. The activin/myostatin pathway might offer a novel potential target to prevent fat accumulation in older individuals.</p