Effects of heat stress on some blood parameters and egg production of Shika Brown layer chickens transported by road

The effects of vitamins C and E on layer chickens transported by road for 6 h during the hot dry season were investigated. Two experimental groups consisting of thirty Shika Brown layers were separately administered vitamins C and E orally just before transportation, while another 30 layers, which were only given sterile water, served as control. Blood samples analyzed before and after transportation in the control layers showed a decrease (p<0.05) in total white blood cell, (p<0.01) lymphocyte and monocyte values, and a significant (p<0.05) and (p<0.001) increase in the values of eosinophils and heterophils post-transportation, respectively. In the experimental groups, post-transportation values of total white blood cells, eosinophils and monocytes were not different (p>0.05) from those obtained before transportation. Heterophil/lymphocyte values were highest in the control group. The result showed that transportation was stressful for the control layers. Post-transportation egg production was not significantly (p>0.05) different in the vitamin E treated group, but values recorded for the vitamin C and control groups were significantly (p<0.05) and (p<0.001) reduced compared to pre-transportation. In conclusion, vitamins C and E administration ameliorated the adverse effect of road transportation stress during the hot dry season.     

Constraints to exclusive breastfeeding practice among breastfeeding mothers in Southwest Nigeria: implications for scaling up

Background

The practice of exclusive breastfeeding is still low despite the associated benefits. Improving the uptake and appropriating the benefits will require an understanding of breastfeeding as an embodied experience within a social context. This study investigates breastfeeding practices and experiences of nursing mothers and the roles of grandmothers, as well as the work-related constraints affecting nurses in providing quality support for breastfeeding mothers in Southwest Nigeria.

Methods

Using a concurrent mixed method approach, a structured questionnaire was administered to 200 breastfeeding mothers. In-depth interviews were also held with breastfeeding mothers (11), nurses (10) and a focus group discussion session with grandmothers.

Results

Breastfeeding was perceived as essential to baby's health. It strengthens the physical and spiritual bond between mothers and their children. Exclusive breastfeeding was considered essential but demanding. Only a small proportion (19%) of the nursing mothers practiced exclusive breastfeeding. The survey showed the major constraints to exclusive breastfeeding to be: the perception that babies continued to be hungry after breastfeeding (29%); maternal health problems (26%); fear of babies becoming addicted to breast milk (26%); pressure from mother-in-law (25%); pains in the breast (25%); and the need to return to work (24%). In addition, the qualitative findings showed that significant others played dual roles with consequences on breastfeeding practices. The desire to practice exclusive breastfeeding was often compromised shortly after child delivery. Poor feeding, inadequate support from husband and conflicting positions from the significant others were dominant constraints. The nurses decried the effects of their workload on providing quality supports for nursing mothers.

Conclusion

Breastfeeding mothers are faced with multiple challenges as they strive to practice exclusive breastfeeding. Thus, scaling up of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers requires concerted efforts at the macro, meso and micro levels of the Nigerian society.     

Isolation and characterization of hydrocarbon-degrading and biosurfactant-producing yeast strains obtained from a polluted lagoon water

Microbial surfactants are environmentally friendly products with amazing properties and spectrum of applications. It is therefore, not surprising that research has increased in recent time with the objectives of sourcing for novel surface-active compounds with dual functions in oil and pharmaceutical industries. Evaluation of hydrocarbon degrading potentials and emulsifying activities indicated that biosurfactants were produced by two newly isolated and promising yeast strains, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans, obtained from a polluted lagoon water. Both strains were able to grow effectively on crude oil and diesel as sole sources of carbon and energy. Growth curves on diesel were obtained to establish the relation between cell growth and biosurfactant production. The growth peak was on the 8th day while the specific growth rate ranged insignificantly (P < 0.05) between 0.46 and 0.48 day⁻¹. Interestingly, biosurfactant was detected on the 2nd day when growth was almost inexistent, with maximal production obtained at stationary/death phase of growth. The partially-purified biosurfactants exhibited antimicrobial activities by completely inhibiting the growth of clinical strains of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus at all concentrations tested. Although C. albicans appeared to be a better diesel-utilizer and biosurfactant-producer (E₂₄ = 64.2%), the potency of its surfactant was smaller than that of S. cerevisiae. These strains represent a new class of biosurfactant producers that have potential for use in a variety of biotechnological and industrial processes particularly in the pharmaceutical industry.     

Long non‐coding RNAs in melanoma

Melanoma is the most lethal cutaneous cancer with a highly aggressive and metastatic phenotype. While recent genetic and epigenetic studies have shed new insights into the mechanism of melanoma development, the involvement of regulatory non‐coding RNAs remain unclear. Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a group of endogenous non‐protein‐coding RNAs with the capacity to regulate gene expression at multiple levels. Recent evidences have shown that lncRNAs can regulate many cellular processes, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and invasion. In the melanoma, deregulation of a number of lncRNAs, such as HOTAIR, MALAT1, BANCR, ANRIL, SPRY‐IT1 and SAMMSON, have been reported. Our review summarizes the functional role of lncRNAs in melanoma and their potential clinical application for diagnosis, prognostication and treatment.     

Monitoring microbiological and biochemical changes in fermented yam

The microbiological and biochemical changes occurring in yam (Dioscorea rotundata L.) tissues fermented in 2% brine under anaerobic conditions at ambient temperature were studied. The ash. fibre and fat contents of the yam tissues were reduced at an average rate of 1.98, 1.72 and 0.42 mg g⁻¹ d⁻¹, respectively.Lactobacillus andLeuconostoc spp., as well as other fermentative microorganisms, showed a tendency to increased growth. The decrease in the total aerobic count after a 4-d fermentation was due to depletion of available nutrients, increased acidity of the medium and complete anaerobiosis of the environment. The fermenting microbes showed a higher amylolytic activity, releasing between 52 and 73 mg glucose per mL, than proteolytic activity, where between 120 and 250 μg amino acids per mL was released.     

Changes in odor quality discrimination following recovery from olfactory nerve transection

Following recovery from olfactory nerve transection, animals regain their ability to discriminate between odors. Odor discrimination is restored after new neurons establish connections with the olfactory bulb. However, it is not known if the new connections alter odor quality perception. To address this question, 20 adult hamsters were first trained to discriminate between cinnamon and strawberry odors. After reaching criterion (> or = 90% correct response), half of the animals received a bilateral nerve transection (BTX) and half a surgical sham procedure. Animals were not tested again until day 40, a point in recovery when connections are re-established with the bulb. When BTX animals were tested without food reinforcement, they could not perform the odor discrimination task. Sham animals, however, could discriminate, demonstrating that the behavioral response had not been extinguished during the 40 day period. When reinforcement was resumed, BTX animals were able to discriminate between cinnamon and strawberry after four test sessions. In addition, their ability to discriminate between these two familiar odors was no different than that of BTX and sham animals tested with two novel odors, baby powder and coffee. These findings suggest that, after recovery from nerve transection, there are alterations in sensory perception and that restoration of odor quality discrimination requires that the animal must again learn to associate individual odor sensations with a behavioral response.      

Peptidomic analysis of skin secretions from the bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus (Ranidae) identifies multiple peptides with potent insulin-releasing activity

Using a combination of reversed-phase HPLC and electrospray mass spectrometry, peptidomic analysis of norepinephrine-stimulated skin secretions of the American bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus Shaw, 1802 led to the identification and characterization of five newly described peptides (ranatuerin-1CBb, ranatuerin-2CBc, and -CBd, palustrin-2CBa, and temporin-CBf) together with seven peptides previously isolated on the basis of their antimicrobial activity (ranatuerin-1CBa, ranatuerin-2CBa, brevinin-1CBa, and -1CBb, temporin-CBa, -CBb, and -CBd). The abilities of the most abundant of the purified peptides to stimulate the release of insulin from the rat BRIN-BD11 clonal β cell line were evaluated. Ranatuerin-2CBd (GFLDIIKNLGKTFAGHMLDKIRCTIGTCPPSP) was the most potent peptide producing a significant stimulation of insulin release (119% of basal rate, P < 0.01) from BRIN-BD11 cells at a concentration of 30 nM, with a maximum response (236% of basal rate, P < 0.001) at a concentration of 3 μM. Ranatuerin-2CBd did not stimulate release of the cytosolic enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase at concentrations up to 3 μM, indicating that the integrity of the plasma membrane had been preserved. Brevinin-1CBb (FLPFIARLAAKVFPSIICSVTKKC) produced the maximum stimulation of insulin release (285% of basal rate, P < 0.001 at 3 μM) but the peptide was cytotoxic at this concentration.     

Gram-positive merA gene in gram-negative oral and urine bacteria

Clinical mercury resistant (Hg(r)) Gram-negative bacteria carrying Gram-positive mercury reductase (merA)-like genes were characterized using DNA-DNA hybridization, PCR and sequencing. A PCR assay was developed which discriminated between the merA genes related to Staphylococcus and those related to the Bacillus/Streptococcus merA genes by the difference in size of the PCR product. DNA sequence analysis correlated with the PCR assay. The merA genes from Acinetobacter junii, Enterobacter cloacae and Escherichia coli were sequenced and shared 98-99% identical nucleotide (nt) and 99.6-100% amino acid identity with the Staphylococcus aureus MerA protein. A fourth merA gene, from Pantoeae agglomerans, was partially sequenced (60%) and had 99% identical nt and 100% amino acid identity with the Streptococcus oralis MerA protein. All the Hg(r) Gram-negative bacteria transferred their Gram-positive merA genes to a Gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis recipient with the resulting transconjugants expressing mercury resistance. These Gram-positive merA genes join Gram-positive tetracycline resistance and Gram-positive macrolide resistance genes in their association with mobile elements which are able to transfer and express in Gram-negative bacteria.     

Assessment of the Quality of Antenatal Care Services Provided by Health Workers Using a Mobile Phone Decision Support Application in Northern Nigeria: A Pre/Post-Intervention Study

BackgroundGiven the shortage of skilled healthcare providers in Nigeria, frontline community health extension workers (CHEWs) are commonly tasked with providing maternal and child health services at primary health centers. In 2012, we introduced a mobile case management and decision support application in twenty primary health centers in northern Nigeria, and conducted a pre-test/post-test study to assess whether the introduction of the app had an effect on the quality of antenatal care services provided by this lower-level cadre.MethodsUsing the CommCare mobile platform, the app dynamically guides CHEWs through antenatal care protocols and collects client data in real time. Thirteen health education audio clips are also embedded in the app for improving and standardizing client counseling. To detect changes in quality, we developed an evidence-based quality score consisting of 25 indicators, and conducted a total of 266 client exit interviews. We analyzed baseline and endline data to assess changes in the overall quality score as well as changes in the provision of key elements of antenatal care.ResultsOverall, the quality score increased from 13.3 at baseline to 17.2 at endline (p<0.0001), out of a total possible score of 25, with the most significant improvements related to health counseling, technical services provided, and quality of health education.ConclusionThese study results suggest that the introduction of a low-cost mobile case management and decision support application can spur behavior change and improve the quality of services provided by a lower level cadre of healthcare workers. Future research should employ a more rigorous experimental design to explore potential longer-term effects on client health outcomes.