6 research outputs found
Anthrax in captive carnivores in Ibadan, Nigeria
No full textBetween 20 and 22 June 1974, three captive carnivores (two genets, Genetta sp. and one caracal, Felis caracal) died suddenly in the University of Ibadan Zoological Garden without previous signs of illness. Bacillus anthracis was isolated from their blood and tissues. The organism was highly pathogenic to laboratory animals. The disease was believed to have been contracted from meat fed the animals.LR: 20031114; PUBM: Print; JID: 0244160; ppublishSource type: Electronic(1
Determinants and Intensity of FARO Rice Variety Adoption among Smallholder Farmers in South West Nigeria
No full textRice is a paramount food staple throughout West Africa and a primary source of rural livelihood in Nigeria. Raising productivity through the adoption of better varieties and related technologies is at the heart of any national food security and rural development strategy. This study explored the determinants of FARO Variety Adoption and Intensity among Smallholder Rice Farmers in South-West Nigeria. Primary data were collected using a structured interview schedule as the main instrument in an endeavour to achieve the work. Data was collected from a total of 240 rice farmers using a multi-stage sampling method. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The result indicated that most of the farmers are in the 41–50 years age group. The mean farm size is 4.8 ha, with a mean of 12.6 years of experience in farming. FARO 44 has extremely high adoption (88.8 %) due to its yield potential, early maturity, and high knowledge among farmers. FARO 52 (33.3 %) and FARO 55 (20.4 %) undergo discontinuity due to handicaps such as poor grain quality and heterogeneous ripening. Significant barriers to adoption are poor access to credit, poor seed availability, poor extension services, poor land access, pest and disease issues, flooding risk, and poor market outlets. Interestingly, farm experience alone was statistically significant (r = 0.15; p = 0.02) in relation to FARO adoption, while age, education, family size, farm size, and distance to farm were not significant. These findings are in line with broader evidence in South-West Nigeria, in which farm experience, education, exposure to extension, credit access, and access to improved seeds significantly influence the adoption. More broadly, this study underscores the central contributions of variety attributes, experience, and institutional facilitation in driving FARO rice adoption. The study recommended that fortifying extension services, enhancing access to credit and seeds, facilitating farmer associations, highlighting high-performing types, establishing market linkages, and capacity building will improve the adoption of the FARO rice variety among smallholder farmers
Artemisinin-based combination therapy does not measurably reduce human infectiousness to vectors in a setting of intense malaria transmission
No full text<p>Background:
Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for treating malaria has activity against immature gametocytes. In theory, this property may complement the effect of terminating otherwise lengthy malaria infections and reducing the parasite reservoir in the human population that can infect vector mosquitoes. However, this has never been verified at a population level in a setting with intense transmission, where chronically infectious
asymptomatic carriers are common and cured patients are rapidly and repeatedly re-infected.</p>
<p>Methods:
From 2001 to 2004, malaria vector densities were monitored using light traps in three Tanzanian districts. Mosquitoes were dissected to determine parous and oocyst rates.
Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite rates were determined by ELISA. Sulphadoxinepyrimethamine(SP) monotherapy was used for treatment of uncomplicated malaria in the
contiguous districts of Kilombero and Ulanga throughout this period. In Rufiji district, the standard drug was changed to artesunate co-administered with SP (AS + SP) in March 2003. The effects of this change in case management on malaria parasite infection in the vectors were analysed.</p>
<p>Results:
Plasmodium falciparum entomological inoculation rates exceeded 300 infective bites per person per year at both sites over the whole period. The introduction of AS + SP in Rufiji was associated with increased oocyst prevalence (OR [95%CI] = 3.9 [2.9-5.3], p < 0.001), but had no consistent effect on sporozoite prevalence (OR [95%CI] = 0.9 [0.7-1.2], p = 0.5). The estimated infectiousness of the human population in Rufiji was very low prior to the change
in drug policy. Emergence rates and parous rates of the vectors varied substantially throughout the study period, which affected estimates of infectiousness. The latter
consequently cannot be explained by the change in drug policy.</p>
<p>Conclusions:
In high perennial transmission settings, only a small proportion of infections in humans are symptomatic or treated, so case management with ACT may have little impact on overall infectiousness of the human population. Variations in infection levels in vectors largely
depend on the age distribution of the mosquito population. Benefits of ACT in suppressingtransmission are more likely to be evident where transmission is already low or effective
vector control is widely implemented.</p>
Growth and micronutrient status parameters of Nigerian preterm infants consuming preterm formula or breastmilk
No full text© The Author(s) 2024. The version of record of this article, first published in [Pediatric Research], is available online at Publisher’s website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41390-023-02976-6Background: Moderate-to-late preterm infants (32–34 weeks GA) have increased risk of neonatal morbidities compared to term infants, however dedicated nutritional guidelines are lacking.
Methods: Moderate-to-late preterm infants received a preterm formula (n = 17) or breastmilk (n = 24) from age 2–10 weeks in a non-randomized, open-label observational study. Anthropometric measurements were assessed bi-weekly. Blood concentrations of hemoglobin, ferritin, serum retinol, and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25OHD) were analyzed at age 2 and 10 weeks.
Result: Average growth per day was 14.7 g/kg BW/day in formula-fed and 12.8 g/kg BW/day in breastmilk-fed infants but not different from each other. Length and head circumference in both groups were in line with the median reference values of the Fenton growth chart. At 10 weeks of age, hemoglobin tended to be higher in the formula-fed group (10.2 g/dL vs. 9.6 g/dL, p = 0.053). 25OHD increased in formula- and breastmilk-fed infants from 73.8 to 180.9 nmol/L and from 70.7 to 97.6 nmol/L, respectively. Serum retinol only increased in the formula-fed group (0.63 to 1.02 µmol/L, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Breastfeeding resulted in adequate growth in moderate-late preterm infants but was limiting in some micronutrients. The preterm formula provided adequate micronutrients, but weight gain velocity was higher than the Fenton reference value.
Impact statement: Unfortified breastmilk resulted in adequate growth in weight, length and head circumference in Nigerian moderate to late preterm infants during an study period of 8 weeks, but status of vitamin D, vitamin A and iron needs to be monitored. The high-energy formula, developed for very preterm infants, resulted in higher growth in body weight in moderate to late preterm infants than the median of the Fenton preterm growth chart. This study supports the necessity of dedicated nutritional guidelines, and regular monitoring of growth and nutritional status of moderate to late preterm infants.This study was sponsored by FrieslandCampina, Amersfoort, The Netherlands
Avaliação in vitro da atividade leishmanicida, tripanocida de derivados de diaminas
No full textDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Centro de Ciências Biológicas. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia e Biociências.Este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar a atividade antiparasitária intracelular e a citotoxicidade de diaminas sintéticas em macrófagos murinos infectados com L. braziliensis, L. chagasi e T. cruzi. A perda do potencial de membrana mitocondrial (.m) de formas epimastigotas de T. cruzi, a indução de TNFa e óxido nítrico e a inibição da enzima tripanotiona redutase recombinante de L. braziliensis e T. cruzi foram utilizados para investigar possíveis mecanismos de ação dos compostos ativos. Dentre 17 diaminas estudadas, 13 inibiram a proliferação de formas promastigotas de L. braziliensis e 10 de epimastigotas de T. cruzi (CI50100 e >115,4, respectivamente). A diamina DP24 foi a mais ativa contra T. cruzi (CI501,6 µM e IS>187,5). A CC50 para macrófagos variou de 149,5 a >300 µM. Diaminas cloridratadas foram mais citotóxicas que seus análogos não cloridratados. Quatro compostos (DP23Cl, DP25, RAG10 e RAG11) mostraram elevada citotoxicidade para macrófagos infectados em concentração >10 µM. A análise da estrutura e da lipofilicidade (logP) das diaminas mostrou que as estruturas com15 a 17 carbonos metilênicos foram mais ativas enquanto que, estruturas com mais de 19 carbonos não apresentaram nenhuma atividade antiparasitária. A melhor atividade leishmanicida foi observada para as diaminas com valor de logP = 5,36, sugerindo que a atividade não depende somente da distribuição de carbonos metilênicos na molécula mas também do logP ideal. Epimastigotas tratados com o composto DP24 na concentração de 6 e 12 µM mostraram despolarização da membrana mitocondrial e morte celular apartir de 6 horas de incubação de forma dose-dependente. O tratamento de células infectadas com os compostos ativos não induziu níveis significantes de produção de TNFa e NO. Com relação a inibição das enzimas tripanotiona redutase recombinante de L. braziliensis e T. cruzi, quatro compostos (DP23Cl, DP25, DP25Cl e RAG10) inibiram a atividade enzimática de LbTR entre 74,2 a 89,4% na concentração do 100 µM, enquanto que para a TcTR apenas o composto DP25Cl ocasionou inibição de 74,5% na concentração de 100 µM, sugerindo diferenças entre a tripanotiona destas duas espécies de tripanosomatídeos. As diaminas avaliadas no presente estudo apresentaram potente efeito in vitro contra formas intracelulares de Leishmania spp e T. cruzi e podem ser consideradas moléculas líder para o desenvolvimento de novos compostos contra Leishmania e T. cruzi.This study aimed to evaluate the antiparasitic activity and cytotoxicity of synthetic diamines in murine macrophages infected with Leishmania braziliensis, L. chagasi and Trypanosoma cruzi. The loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (øm) of T. cruzi epimastigotes, the induction of TNFá nd nitric oxide and inhibition of the recombinant trypanothione reductase of L. braziliensis and T cruzi were used to investigate possible mechanisms of active compounds. Among 17 evaluated diamines, 13 inhibited the proliferation of L. braziliensis promastigotes and 10 inhibited T. cruzi epimastigotes (IC50100 and >115.4) respectively. The compound DP24 was the most active against T. cruzi (IC50 = 1.6 ìM and SI > 187.5). The citotoxicity CC50 for macrophages ranged from 149.5 to > 300 ìM. Chlorinated diamines were more cytotoxic than their non-chlorinated analogs. Four compounds (DP23Cl, DP25, RAG10 and RAG11) showed high cytotoxicity for infected macrophages at a concentration > 10 ìM. The analysis of the structure and lipophilicity (logP) of the diamines showed that structures with 15 to 17 methylenic carbons were more active while structures with more than 19 carbons did not present any antiparasitic activity. The higher leishmanicidal activity was observed for the diamine DP23 with a value of logP = 5.36 and 13-NH-4 distribution of methylenic carbon suggesting that the activity does not depend solely on the distribution of methylenic carbon atoms in the molecule but also depends on ideal logP value. Epimastigotes treated with the compound DP24 at a concentration of 6 and 12 ìM demonstrated dose-dependent membrane depolarization and cell death starting at 6 hours of incubation. Treatment of cells infected with the active compounds did not induce significant levels of TNFá and NO production. Concerning the inhibition of the recombinant trypanothione reductase enzymes of L braziliensis and T. cruzi, four compounds (DP23Cl, DP25, DP25Cl and RAG10) inhibited the enzymatic activity of LbTR between 74.2 to 89.4% at a concentration of 100 ìM, whereas for TcTR, only the compound DP25Cl caused inhibition of 74.5% at the same concentration, suggesting differences between the trypanothione of these two species of trypanosomatids. The diamines evaluated in the study presented potent in vitro effect against intracellular forms of Leishmania spp and T. cruzi and therefore may be considered as leader molecules for developing new compounds against Leishmania and T. cruzi
Efeito microbiológico do revestimento de ácido amplificado na vida de longo tomate
No full textA coating elaborated with modified cassava starch was applied by acid route, to evaluate the post-harvest behavior of the tomato under environmental conditions, determining its effect on the microbiological and structural characteristics. The modification of native starch of cassava variety SM 707-17 was carried out by addition of citric acid (15% w/w with respect to starch on dry basis) to a suspension of starch subjected to controlled conditions of temperature and speed of agitation. The effect was compared with that of the application of others elaborated based on enzymatically modified starch and native starch, being T1: control sample; T2: coating with enzymatically modified starch; T3: coating with starch modified with citric acid and T4: coating with native starch. The application was made manually with clean and sterile sponge; The tomatoes were placed in labeled trays, allowing to dry for 24 h at room temperature, from which the microbial growth and microscopic characterization of the tomato exocarp was measured for 15 days, applying a completely randomized 4x6 factorial design that had consider the type of related and independent samples; the data obtained were analyzed using SPSS software version 19, which found that the "Coating" factor did not influence the response variables analyzed, unlike the "Time" factor that had a decisive effect on them.Se aplicó un recubrimiento elaborado con almidón de yuca modificado por vía ácida, para evaluar el comportamiento pos-cosecha del tomate bajo condiciones ambientales, determinando su efecto sobre las características estructurales del tomate y su acción microbiológica sobre los hongos Colletotrichum sp y Fusarium Sp. La modificación de almidón nativo de yuca variedad SM 707-17 se realizó por adición de ácido cítrico (15% p/p respecto al almidón en base seca) a una suspensión de almidón sometida a condiciones controladas de temperatura y velocidad de agitación. El efecto se comparó con el de la aplicación de otros elaborados con base en almidón modificado enzimáticamente y almidón nativo, siendo T1: muestra testigo; T2: recubrimiento con almidón modificado enzimáticamente; T3: recubrimiento con almidón modificado con ácido cítrico y T4: recubrimiento con almidón nativo. La aplicación se realizó de forma manual con esponja limpia y estéril; los tomates se colocaron en bandejas rotuladas dejando secar por 24 h a temperatura ambiente, a partir de las cuales se inició la medición de las variables crecimiento microbiano y caracterización microscópica del exocarpo del tomate durante 15 días, aplicando un diseño factorial completamente al azar 4x6, que tuvo en cuenta el tipo de muestras relacionadas e independientes; los datos obtenidos se analizaron mediante el software SPSS versión 19 con el cual se encontró que el factor “Recubrimiento” no influyó sobre las variables de respuesta analizadas, a diferencia del factor “Tiempo” que tuvo efecto decisivo sobre las mismas
