Effect of organic fertiliser and Chromolaena odorata residue on the pathogenicity of Meloidogyne incognita on maize

Pot experiments laid out in a complete randomised design were conducted in the screen house of the Department of Crop Protection, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria to determine the effects of organic fertiliser and Chromolaena odorata residue at 1% w/w on the pathogenicity of Meloidogyne incognita infecting maize. M. incognita significantly reduced the plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area, cob weight and grain yield of maize by 6.89, 15.18, 20, 63.92 and 56.16% respectively. C. odorata residue and organic fertiliser significantly suppressed M. incognita galling, inhibited the nematode fecundity and reduced the number of eggs and juveniles on maize. A remarkable increase in plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area, cob weight and grain yield were observed on maize plants treated with the mixture of C. odorata and organic fertiliser despite the nematode infection. The observation from this study suggests that C. odorata in combination with organic fertiliser is a viable option for the control of M. incognita on maize.     

Influence of exogenous corticosterone on testicular function and mating behavior of Nigerian indigenous cocks

In bridging the knowledge gap on stress physiology of Nigerian indigenous chickens, this study investigated the effect of exogenous corticosterone (eCORT) as stress inducing agent on the testicular function and mating behavior of Nigerian indigenous cocks. Twenty-four (24) cocks and one hundred and forty four (144) hens (mating ratio of 1 cock: 6 hens) were grouped into four and assigned to each of the four eCORT treatments (0, 2, 4 and 6 mgeCORT/KgBW) daily for 14 days. Semen samples were collected on days 0, 7 and 14 and analyzed for semen volume (SV), progressive sperm motility (PSM), membrane integrity (MI) and sperm abnormality (SA). Mating behaviors were monitored on days 3, 5 and 8. Blood samples, for hormonal (Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Testosterone (TEST) and stress analysis (heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, H/L) were collected from brachial vein on days 7 and 14. On day 15, cocks were euthanized and testes harvested for histomorphometry. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis, one–way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests all in SPSS 23. Administration of 4 mgeCORT/KgBW declined (P<0.05) PSM while 4 mgeCORT/KgBW and 6 mgeCORT/KgBW cocks had reduced (P<0.05) SV and MI with increased SA. Compared to baseline values, progressive sperm motility of cocks administered 6 mgeCORT for 7 and 14 days decreased (P<0.05) by 57.5% and 52.4%, respectively. Exogenous CORT had no significant (P>0.05) influence on the mating behaviors, H/L ratio, FSH and TEST. However, 2 mgeCORT/KgBW enhanced LH levels. Administration of eCORT did not affect the testicular epithelial height and seminiferous tubular diameter. In conclusion, optimal stress induced by eCORT impaired semen quality but with less impact on reproductive hormones, H/L and mating behaviors of intensively raised Nigerian indigenous cocks.     

Doing No Harm? Adverse Events in a Nation-Wide Cohort of Patients with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Nigeria

Background

Adverse events (AEs) of second line anti-tuberculosis drugs (SLDs) are relatively well documented. However, the actual burden has rarely been described in detail in programmatic settings. We investigated the occurrence of these events in the national cohort of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients in Nigeria.

Method

This was a retrospective, observational cohort study, using pharmacovigilance data systematically collected at all MDR-TB treatment centers in Nigeria. Characteristics of AEs during the intensive phase treatment were documented, and risk factors for development of AEs were assessed.

Results

Four hundred and sixty patients were included in the analysis: 62% were male; median age was 33 years [Interquartile Range (IQR):28–42] and median weight was 51 kg (IQR: 45–59). Two hundred and three (44%) patients experienced AEs; four died of conditions associated with SLD AEs. Gastro-intestinal (n = 100), neurological (n = 75), ototoxic (n = 72) and psychiatric (n = 60) AEs were the most commonly reported, whereas ototoxic and psychiatric AEs were the most debilitating. Majority of AEs developed after 1–2 months of therapy, and resolved in less than a month after treatment. Some treatment centers were twice as likely to report AEs compared with others, highlighting significant inconsistencies in reporting at different treatment centers. Patients with a higher body weight had an increased risk of experiencing AEs. No differences were observed in risk of AEs between HIV-infected and uninfected patients. Similarly, age was not significantly associated with AEs.

Conclusion

Patients in the Nigerian MDR-TB cohort experienced a wide range of AEs, some of which were disabling and fatal. Early identification and prompt management as well as standardized reporting of AEs at all levels of healthcare, including the community is urgently needed. Safer regimens for drug-resistant TB with the shortest duration are advocated.     

Saponin as regulator of biofuel: implication for ethnobotanical management of diabetes

There has been a sharp rise in the global prevalence of diabetes, obesity, and their comorbid conditions within the last decade prompting significant research into possible causes and cure via therapeutic intervention and lifestyle adjustments. Here, the molecular bases of antidiabetic plants used in the prehistorical treatment of diabetes and obesity are reviewed with particular focus on saponin as the phytotherapeutic principle. Until recently, the phytotherapeutic potentials of saponins have been masked in the heterogeneity of phytochemicals co-extractable during traditional preparations. With improved technique of purification and cutting edge biological assay methods, saponins have emerged as a regulator of primary biofuel availability through direct interaction with energy metabolism, cell signaling, and gene expression. Specific cases of lipoprotein lipase/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma/phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI-3-K)/protein kinase B (Akt) activation, adiponectin gene upregulation, fatty acid binding protein 4 repression (FABP4), and glucose transporter type 4 (Glut4) membrane exocytosis have been documented which provide molecular basis for hypocholesterolemic, hypoglycemic, and anti-obesity manifestations observed in experimental animals following saponin treatment. Although intensified research is required to characterize the pharmacophoric features in saponins exhibiting these interactions, however, this preliminary lead is valuable if the world will be free of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and atherosclerosis in no distant future.     

Integrated system approach to dark fermentative biohydrogen production for enhanced yield,energy efficiency and substrate recovery

The challenges of climate change, dwindling fossil reserves, and environmental pollution have fuelled the need to search for clean and sustainable energy resources. The process of biohydrogen has been highlighted as a propitious alternative energy of the future because it has many socio-economic benefits such as non-polluting features, the ability to use diverse feedstocks including waste materials, the process uses various microorganisms, and it is the simplest method of producing hydrogen. However, the establishment of a biohydrogen driven economy has been hindered by low process yields due to the accumulation of inhibitory products. Over the past few years, various optimization methods have been used in literature. Among these, integration of bioprocesses is gaining increasing prominence as an effective approach that could be used to achieve a theoretical yield of 4 mol H₂ mol^?1 glucose. In batch integrated systems, dark fermentation is used as a primary process for conversion of substrates into biohydrogen, carbon dioxide, and volatile fatty acids. This is followed by a secondary anaerobic process for further biohydrogen conversion efficiency. This review discusses the current challenges facing scale-up studies in dark fermentation process. It elucidates the potential of batch integrated systems in biohydrogen process development. Furthermore, it explores the various integrated fermentation techniques that are employed in biohydrogen process development. Finally, the review concludes with recommendations on improvement of these integrated processes for enhanced biohydrogen yields which could pave a way for the establishment of a large-scale biohydrogen production process.     

Are Individual and Community Acceptance and Witnessing of Intimate Partner Violence Related to Its Occurrence? Multilevel Structural Equation Model

Background

Intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) is a serious and widespread problem worldwide. Much of the research on IPVAW focused on individual-level factors and attention has been paid to the contextual factors. The aim of this study was to develop and test a model of individual- and community-level factors associated with IPVAW.

Methods and Findings

We conducted a (multivariate) multilevel structural equation analysis on 8731 couples nested within 883 communities in Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey 2008. Variables included in the model were derived from respondents'' answers to the experience of IPVAW, attitudes towards wife beating and witnessing physical violence in childhood. We found that women that witnessed physical violence were more likely to have tolerant attitudes towards IPVAW and women with tolerant attitudes were more likely to have reported spousal IPVAW abuse. Women with husbands with tolerant attitudes towards IPVAW were more likely to have reported spousal abuse. We found that an increasing proportion of women in the community with tolerant attitudes was significantly positively associated with spousal sexual and emotional abuse, but not significantly associated with spousal physical abuse. In addition, we found that an increasing proportion of men in the community with tolerant attitudes and an increasing proportion of women who had witnessed physical violence in the community was significantly positively associated with spousal physical abuse, but not significantly associated with spousal sexual and emotional abuse. There was a positive correlation between all three types of IPVAW at individual- and community-level.

Conclusions

We found that community tolerant attitudes context in which people live is associated with exposure to IPVAW even after taking into account individual tolerant attitudes. Public health interventions designed to reduce IPVAW must address people and the communities in which they live in order to be successful.     

Cell line specific control of polyethylenimine-mediated transient transfection optimized with "Design of experiments" methodology

We describe a design of experiments (DoE) response surface modeling strategy to optimize the concentration of basal variables underpinning polyethylenimine (PEI) mediated transfection of different CHO-K1 derived parental cell populations in a chemically defined medium, specifically the relative concentration of linear 25 kD PEI, host CHO cells and plasmid DNA. Using recombinant secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) reporter activity as the modeled response, a discrete simple maximum was predicted for each CHO host cell population. Differences between the modeled optima derived from host cell specific differences in PEI cytotoxicity, such that the PEI:cell interaction effectively limited PEI-DNA polyplex load at a relatively constant PEI:DNA ratio. However, across the three CHO host cell populations, SEAP reporter production was not proportional to plasmid DNA input at the host cell specific predicted basal variable optima. A 10-fold variation in SEAP reporter output per mass of plasmid DNA delivered was observed. To determine the cellular basis of this difference in transient productivity, host CHO cells were transfected with fluorescently labeled polyplexes followed by flow cytometric analysis. Each CHO host cell population exhibited a distinct functional phenotype, varying in the extent of PEI-DNA polyplex binding to the cell surface and degree of polyplex internalization. SEAP production was directly proportional to the level of polyplex internalization and heparan sulfate proteoglycan level. Taken together, these data show that choice of host CHO cell line is a critical parameter, which should rationally precede cell line specific transient production platform design using DoE methodology.     

Flavonols and an oxychromonol from Piliostigma reticulatum

The leaf extract from the plant Piliostigma reticulatum was found to exhibit antimicrobial activity against some bacteria and fungi such as Staphylococcus aureus (NCTC 6571), Escherichia coli (NCTC 10418), Bacillus subtilis (NCTC 8236), Proteus vulgaris (NCTC 4175), Aspergillus niger (ATCC 10578) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231). Upon investigation of the chemical constituents present in the leaf extract, a total of seven compounds were isolated and their structures were unambiguously established by spectroscopic methods including HR-MS and NMR spectrometry. Four of the isolated compounds were novel, namely 6-C-methyl-2-p-hydroxyphenyloxychromonol (piliostigmol), 1, 6,8-di-C-methylquercetin-3,3',7-trimethyl ether, 2, 6,8-di-C-methylquercetin-3,3'-dimethyl ether, 3 and 3',6,8,-tri-C-methylquercetin-3,7-dimethyl ether, 4. The other three were known C-methylated flavonols and they were isolated from P. reticulatum for the first time. These were 6-C-methylquercetin-3-methyl ether, 5, 6,8-di-C-methylkaempferol-3-methyl ether, 6 and 6-C-methylquercetin-3,3',7-trimethyl ether 7. All the isolated compounds were tested for cytotoxicity using the brine shrimp toxicity assay and all of them were active albeit at different levels. With respect to antibacterial activity piliostigmol, 1 showed the highest activity against E. coli (MIC=2.57 microg/ml, 0.006 micromol), which is three times more that of Amoxicillin, where as 4 and 7 showed the least activity.