Cultivation of Lentinus subnudus Berk (Polyporales: Polyporaceae) on woodlogs

Studies were carried out on the cultivability of Lentinus subnudus on woodlogs of various hardwood trees and the effect of chemical treatments of these woodlogs with citric, tartaric, indole-3-acetic (IAA) and gibberellic (GA3) acids on fruitbody production and yield. Of the four hardwood species of Chlorophora excelsa, Terminalia ivorensis, Terminalia superba and Spondias mombin tried, woodlogs of C. excelsa were the best in supporting L. subnudus fructification, followed by those of S. mombin. On the effect of chemical treatments of C. excelsa and S. mombin woodlogs on L. subnudus' fruitbody production and yield, bed logs treated with 50 ppm indole-3-acetic and gibberellic acids were the best in enhancing fructification and yield with C. excelsa GA3 and IAA treated bed logs consistently producing more fruitbodies and greater yields than S. mombin bed logs given the same treatments. The implication of these findings in relation to results obtained in previous studies are discussed.     

Irisin immunohistochemistry in gastrointestinal system cancers

Cancer is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Some studies have shown that high heat kills cancer cells. Irisin is a protein involved in heat production by converting white into brown adipose tissue, but there is no information about how its expression changes in cancerous tissues. We used irisin antibody immunohistochemistry to investigate changes in irisin expression in gastrointestinal cancers compared to normal tissues. Irisin was found in human brain neuroglial cells, esophageal epithelial cells, esophageal epidermoid carcinoma, esophageal adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine esophageal carcinoma, gastric glands, gastric adenosquamous carcinoma, gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma, gastric signet ring cell carcinoma, neutrophils in vascular tissues, intestinal glands of colon, colon adenocarcinoma, mucinous colon adenocarcinoma, hepatocytes, hepatocellular carcinoma, islets of Langerhans, exocrine pancreas, acinar cells and interlobular and interlobular ducts of normal pancreas, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and intra- and interlobular ducts of cancerous pancreatic tissue. Histoscores (area × intensity) indicated that irisin was increased significantly in gastrointestinal cancer tissues, except liver cancers. Our findings suggest that the relation of irisin to cancer warrants further investigation.     

Evidence for an early evolutionary emergence of γ-type carbonic anhydrases as components of mitochondrial respiratory complex I

Background  

The complexity of mitochondrial complex I (CI; NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) has increased considerably relative to the homologous complex in bacteria. Comparative analyses of CI composition in animals, fungi and land plants/green algae suggest that novel components of mitochondrial CI include a set of 18 proteins common to all eukaryotes and a variable number of lineage-specific subunits. In plants and green algae, several purportedly plant-specific proteins homologous to γ-type carbonic anhydrases (γCA) have been identified as components of CI. However, relatively little is known about CI composition in the unicellular protists, the characterizations of which are essential to our understanding of CI evolution.     

Seed germination and seedling growth of the Mexican sunflower Tithonia diversifolia (Compositae) in Nigeria, Africa

We studied seed germination and seedling growth of the Mexican sunflower Tithonia diversifolia in Nigeria. This involved the usage of some dormancy-releasing methods and the effect of some concentrations of three herbicide formulations on the young seedlings. Initial germination tests on fresh and stored seeds revealed a low percentage germination of less than 30%. The seeds of the weed exhibit dormancy. Subjecting the seeds to wet heat at 80 and 100 degrees C and light treatment terminated dormancy both in the fresh and stored seeds. Light greatly enhanced the germination percentage of seeds by about 70%. There was gradual increase in germination percentage with increase in storage period in dormancy-released seeds. The mean LAR (Leaf Area Ratio), NAR (Net Assimilation Rate) and RGR (Relative Growth Rate) are comparatively high in young seedlings. Concentrations of 0.5-2.0% of Gramoxone, Primextra and Galex are toxic to 1 month old seedlings. For eradication, the seedlings should be attacked at one month stage.     

Debating Ethics in HIV Research: Gaps between Policy and Practice in Nigeria

HIV prevention is a critical health issue in Nigeria; a country that has one of the worst HIV epidemic profiles in the world. With 270,000 new infections in 2012, Nigeria is a prime site for HIV prevention research. One effect of the HIV epidemic has been to revolutionalise ethical norms for the conduct of research: it is now considered unethical to design and implement HIV related studies without community engagement. Unfortunately, there is very little commensurate effort in building the capacity of local persons to engage actively with researchers, and there is no existing platform to facilitate dialogue between researchers and communities engaged in research in Nigeria. In an effort to address this gap, we undertook a series of three community dialogues (Phase One) and two community‐researcher interface meetings (Phase Two) in Nigeria. This paper aims to give an empirical account of the dialogue from these community engagement processes and provide a resulting critique of the implementation of research ethics practices in Nigeria. It is anticipated that the outputs will: (i) support researchers in designing community‐based research protocols; (ii) inform ethics committees of key considerations during research protocol reviews from a community perspective; and (iii) inform policy makers and research sponsors about issues of primary concern to communities with respect to HIV research.     

Ultrastructural study of midgut embryonic cytodifferentiation in the phasmid Clitumnus extradentatus Br.

The embryonic cytodifferentiation of Clitumnus midgut occurs very late when compared to that of other tissues in the embryo. It proceeds from hemolymph towards the yolk, first at the level of the muscular–connective tissue sheath, by the appearance of myofilaments in external–then internal–muscle fibers. In the gut epithelium, cytodifferentiation begins with the appearance of infoldings of the basal membranes of the cells. Then, microvilli and continuous junctions form at the apices of the cells. Microvilli appear in crypts, which seem to represent localized dilatations of intercellular spaces. At the level of these crypts, continuous junctions are formed somewhat later than are microvilli. This midgut differentiation coincides with deposition of the third embryonic (first larval) cuticle, and with a high titer of ecdysteroids.     

Distribution of Anthropometric Variables and the Prevalence of Obesity in Populations of West African Origin: The International Collaborative Study on Hypertension in Blacks (ICSHIB)

A survey of the prevalence of hypertension and associated risk factors including obesity was carried out among persons of West African heritage currently living in societies at different stages of social, economic and technological development. We present here the distribution of several anthropometric variables and the prevalence of obesity in these populations. Using a standard protocol with centralized training of field staff, 7 439 men and women aged 24 to 75 from six multinational sites were recruited and examined. Although men were taller, women were more obese across sites. Body mass index (BMI) and consequently the prevalence of overweight and obesity increased with westernization from rural African subsistence farming communities to suburban Chicago. Average BMI increased with age until about age 54, and then began to decline or at least level off. The mean BMI for African-American men and women was 27.1 kg/m² and 30.8 kg/m², respectively. Men displayed high levels of centripetal fatness, measured as the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), compared to the women across site. Based on the US Department of Agriculture guidelines, 22.6% and 56.9% of the African-American men and women had elevated WHR. Although account must be taken of the important contribution of an individual's genetic background, this multinational study of persons with similar heritage clearly shows the potent impact of current environmental factors on the distribution and level of obesity.     

Pollen production in anemophilous species of the Poaceae family in Tetouan (NW Morocco)

Total pollen production per inflorescence and per square meter were studied in anemophilous species of the Poaceae family, to determine the relative contribution of each species to the total load of pollen released and to identify the species with the highest potential pollen emission. This was done by calculating the number of pollen grains per flower and per inflorescence and by estimating the density of inflorescences in an area of one square meter. Pollen production per inflorescence varied between 12,000 and 15 million grains, often being higher in the perennial species. Mountainous, grassland, riverside, and littoral areas contributed similarly to the amount of pollen grain production per square meter. Species such as Gaudinia fragilis, Hordeum murinum, Lolium rigidum, and Trisetaria panicea, with high pollen records, were found in all the studied areas. Aerobiological analysis will be undertaken to determine the main pollen season of Poaceae species. The results obtained are of great importance for respiratory health management in this region.