Children and marital satisfaction in a non-Western sample: having more children increases marital satisfaction among the Igbo people of Nigeria

Previous research has demonstrated that having more children decreases marital satisfaction among parents. However, the universality of these findings is limited since the vast majority of the studies have been conducted in Western countries. In the present study, 374 people from the Igbo ethnic group (Nigeria) were assessed for levels of marital satisfaction and the number of children. In contrast to almost all previous findings, we found a positive relationship between the number of children and marital satisfaction among parents. Number of children was the strongest predictor of marital satisfaction even when compared to other variables like wealth and education. Our results suggest that the negative relationship between the number of children and marital satisfaction is not culturally universal and probably only characterizes developed, individualistic Western countries. We discuss our findings from a sociocultural and evolutionary perspective.     

DEVELOPMENTAL FEATURES OF THE SPERMATOGENOUS CELL IN GINKGO BILOBA

A “double-blepharoplast” originates de novo in the spermatogenous cell of Ginkgo biloba L. Initially, the double-blepharoplast consists of two opposing hemispherical bodies comprised of densely staining material. The two blepharoplasts seemingly are pushed apart by the formation of densely packed fibrils which are oriented perpendicular to the distal, rounded edges of the two future blepharoplasts. As the latter move apart, each one develops lightly staining channels which are often organized in a hub and spoke configuration (procentrioles). Microtubules extend from the blepharoplasts as the latter move to their final position in the cell, and centrioles (probasal bodies) become organized at the periphery of each blepharoplast. Two large “osmiophilic globules,” conspicuous entities close to the nucleus of the mature spermatogenous cell, arise de novo. A fibrillogranular body in the cytoplasm, always closely associated with the nucleus, also arises de novo.     

INCORPORATION OF H3-THYMIDINE INTO SHOOT AND ROOT APICES OF CERATOPTERIS THALICTROIDES

Gifford , Ernest M., Jr . (U. California, Davis.) Incorporation of H³-thymidine into shoot and root apices of Ceratopteris thalictroides. Amer. Jour. Bot 47(10): 834–837. Illus. 1960.—The localization of tritiated thymidine in apical meristems of Ceratopteris thalictroides by the autoradiographic method is described. Intact, floating plants of the fern were placed in 1/2 strength Hoagland's inorganic nutrient solution containing H³-thymidine (10 μc/ml.) for 3 days. The material was killed, dehydrated and embedded in paraffin. Autoradiographic stripping film (AR 10 Kodak) was applied to serial sections. After an appropriate exposure period, the film was developed and the sections with the superimposed film were stained lightly with Harris' hematoxylin. The autoradiographs revealed the presence of the H³-thymidine in nuclei of the large, individualized apical cells of shoots and roots which is proof of DNA synthesis. In no instances were these nuclei unlabeled. If endomitotic reduplication is excluded the results of these studies lend support to the concept that apical cells actually do divide and perhaps at a higher rate than envisioned by other workers. Considerable cytoplasmic labeling occurred and its significance to general problems of DNA synthesis is discussed.     

Characterization of Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates responsible for cholera outbreaks in Kenya between 1975 and 2017

Kenya is endemic for cholera with different waves of outbreaks having been documented since 1971. In recent years, new variants of Vibrio cholerae O1 have emerged and have replaced most of the traditional El Tor biotype globally. These strains also appear to have increased virulence, and it is important to describe and document their phenotypic and genotypic traits. This study characterized 146 V. cholerae O1 isolates from cholera outbreaks that occurred in Kenya between 1975 and 2017. Our study reports that the 1975–1984 strains had typical classical or El Tor biotype characters. New variants of V. cholerae O1 having traits of both classical and El Tor biotypes were observed from 2007 with all strains isolated between 2015 and 2017 being sensitive to polymyxin B and carrying both classical and El Tor type ctxB. All strains were resistant to Phage IV and harbored rstR, rtxC, hlyA, rtxA and tcpA genes specific for El Tor biotype indicating that the strains had an El Tor backbone. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) genotyping differentiated the isolates into 14 pulsotypes. The clustering also corresponded with the year of isolation signifying that the cholera outbreaks occurred as separate waves of different genetic fingerprints exhibiting different genotypic and phenotypic characteristics. The emergence and prevalence of V. cholerae O1 strains carrying El Tor type and classical type ctxB in Kenya are reported. These strains have replaced the typical El Tor biotype in Kenya and are potentially more virulent and easily transmitted within the population.