Variable geographic distribution of Blastocystis subtypes and its potential implications.

Blastocystis is a common intestinal micro-eukaryote found in both humans and non-human hosts and known to be genetically very diverse. It has been divided into numerous subtypes (STs), nine of which have been identified in humans to date. Surveys of ST prevalence have started to emerge over the past few years but to date no data are available for any African country except Egypt and Tanzania. In this study, we determined the prevalence of Blastocystis STs in populations from Libya, Liberia and Nigeria, as well as expanding the dataset available for the UK. A total of 356 Blastocystis STs were identified in this study, 271 from the UK, 38 from Libya, 25 from Liberia and 22 from Nigeria. SSU rRNA gene sequences revealed the presence of eight of the nine STs known from humans but at varying frequencies between countries. ST1 was the most common ST in Libya and Nigeria whereas ST3 showed the highest frequency in the other two countries, as indeed is the case in most populations around the world. ST4 was absent in Libya and ST2 in Nigeria, while no ST5, ST6, ST8 or ST9 infections were detected in any of the three African populations. The picture emerging from this and other surveys suggests that there is significant variation in ST prevalence between populations. Some of the possible reasons for and implications of this diversity are discussed

A Review of Rainfall Erosivity as a Natural Factor of Gully Erosion

In this 21st century which is climate change-driven with more extreme rainfall events, gully erosion is increasingly becoming a global environmental problem influenced by both natural and anthropogenic factors. This paper is a literature review of rainfall erosivity as one of the natural factors of gully erosion. The central objective of the paper is to show in a global context how rainfall erosivity has influenced gully erosion. The method used is a review of academic/journal articles, textbooks, internet materials, conference papers and publicly available materials on gully erosion and rainfall erosivity as one of its factors. Previous authors whose works were reviewed on rainfall erosivity as a factor of gully erosion have a convergent view that rainfall is the primary cause of water-induced erosion and its power to do so is known as erosivity. They were of the view that a more intense rainfall of short duration can cause gully erosion more than a less intense one for a longer period of time. The authors also have a unity of opinion that areas with high rainfall regime such as the tropics are more prone to soil erosion than areas with low rainfall events. Recommendations to reduce the influence of rainfall as a factor of soil erosion include planting of trees and grasses that reduce the impact of rainfall to detach soil particles, conservation practices such as terracing, strip cropping and contour ploughing, a shift from rain-fed agriculture to dry season farming and grants to the affected people and landholders to manage gully erosion using adaptive measures based on their indigenous knowledge

The Contribution of Nigeria Health Sector Recurrent Spending on Its Output (1961-2012)

Health sector in any country has been recognized as the primary engine of growth and development. This study makes a modest contribution to the debates by empirically analyzing the contribution of Nigeria Health sector recurrent spending on its output using time series data from 1961 to 2012, obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria. It employs the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression technique and Pair wise Granger Causality tests. The estimation reviews that Political Stability (PSB) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) in Nigeria have positive effect on Total health output (HGDP) while Total Government Recurrent Expenditure on Health (TGREH) has a negative effect on Total health output (HGDP). On the contrary, rising Government recurrent expenditure on health does not results to an increase in Total health output. Based on the result of granger causality, the paper concludes that a very weak causality exist between the two main variables used in this study. The authors therefore advised that there should be a reduction in government recurrent expenditure in the health sector. Also there should be a high degree of transparency and accountability in government spending

Positivity yield of HIV index testing services from selected healthcare facilities in Ondo State, southwest Nigeria

Background: Index testing is a voluntary process whereby HIV seropositive clients are counselled and, after obtaining consent, their sexual and needle sharing partners are offered HIV testing services. Index testing has been associated with high HIV positivity yield. The aim of this study is to determine the positivity yield and identify factors influencing the yield from index testing strategy in selected healthcare facilities in Ondo State, southwest Nigeria. Methodology: Six public hospitals in Ondo State with the highest HIV clients currently on treatment were selected. Records of all clients newly diagnosed to be HIV positive at the selected facilities from June 2018 to September 2019, and who had an outcome for index testing services were reviewed. Data were collected using a chart abstraction template from the index testing registers. Information collected included age and gender of the index clients and their partners, method of referral and notification of partners, HIV test results of partners and linkage status of new HIVpositive partners. Data analyses were done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 24.0. Chi-square was used to test association between variables at a significance level of p<0.01. Results: The records of a total of 904 index clients and their partners were reviewed with partner elicitation ratio of 1:1. The mean ages of index clients and their partners were 38.52±10.96 and 38.98±10.79 years respectively, and majority of the index clients (34.6%) and partners (35.5%) were in the 35-44 years age group. A total of 548 index clients were females (60.6%) while 528 of their partners were males (58.4%), indicating  predominantly heterosexual (96.4%) and few homosexual (lesbian) relationships (3.6%). One-fifth (20%) of partners tested positive for HIV andwere all (100%) linked to antiretroviral therapy (ART). The HIV positivity rate in partners of male index clients (26.9%) was significantly higher than in partners of female index clients (15.5%) (p<0.01). Partner referral method was mostly through assisted referral (56%) and most (82%) were contacted by the index clients through phone. Conclusion: Due to its high positivity yield, index testing is a veritable strategy to increase HIV case detection and linkage to ART. Hence, proper deployment of index testing will be critical to improving ART coverage and achieving epidemiological control. Keywords: HIV, client; partner; index testing; ART; southwest Nigeri

Growth Response and Differentiation of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells in the Presence of Novel Multiple Myeloma Drug Melflufen

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are self-renewing and multipotent progenitors, which constitute the main cellular compartment of the bone marrow stroma. Because MSCs have an important role in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma, it is essential to know if novel drugs target MSCs. Melflufen is a novel anticancer peptide–drug conjugate compound for patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma. Here, we studied the cytotoxicity of melflufen, melphalan and doxorubicin in healthy human bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMSCs) and how these drugs affect BMSC proliferation. We established co-cultures of BMSCs with MM.1S myeloma cells to see if BMSCs increase or decrease the cytotoxicity of melflufen, melphalan, bortezomib and doxorubicin. We evaluated how the drugs affect BMSC differentiation into adipocytes and osteoblasts and the BMSC-supported formation of vascular networks. Our results showed that BMSCs were more sensitive to melflufen than to melphalan. The cytotoxicity of melflufen in myeloma cells was not affected by the co-culture with BMSCs, as was the case for melphalan, bortezomib and doxorubicin. Adipogenesis, osteogenesis and BMSC-mediated angiogenesis were all affected by melflufen. Melphalan and doxorubicin affected BMSC differentiation in similar ways. The effects on adipogenesis and osteogenesis were not solely because of effects on proliferation, seen from the differential expression of differentiation markers normalized by cell number. Overall, our results indicate that melflufen has a significant impact on BMSCs, which could possibly affect therapy outcome

The Effects of the Interraction of Various Oil Types and Rate on Carpophore Wet and Dry Weight And Stipe And Pileus Diameters of Lentinus Squarrosulus (Mount.)Singer

Lenllm~r squurN.1.1ulu•, un ltldlgaw>US 11111Siuoom spec~ conunvnly fou!W growing on dt."ld Jogs in the Z...ria ~n'liron of !-.:lith~ State Wti c:uhu~ on !ix cliff~n::nt medilr wh"h won:: 111ocu l ~red sl'pilliltcly with three diff~ten l spnwn grains o.nd amended \\i lh ~ix diffcJ ~nt oil~ nl nve different mtes. Th~ rc::sul{j h!•c,,led that the lntcmction of uti l)'pe '< nuc produe~ 11 htghly significil.nt effect on <:llfPOphore wet 11nd dry \lt1:iih18 aud st1pc and pileus di~mc rcrs v( L. sqrwrrtt~ultt.J. 1bc intl!mC1 iun or coconut oil x 0.014 ml/tt lndutc:d 1hc htavJcst CMJ)Ophorc wet w~igbt am! wtdesc pileus diam~tc:rs respccll n~ ly, while the: rntmu:tioll of grouodnut oil 1< 0.028 mllg 11:nd coccmul oil x O.O:Zll mllg mduc-e<lthe widest sripe diameter and heaviest C:o'lrpopboro dry weight, rtspee-trvcl

Growth Response and Differentiation of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells in the Presence of Novel Multiple Myeloma Drug Melflufen

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are self-renewing and multipotent progenitors, which constitute the main cellular compartment of the bone marrow stroma. Because MSCs have an important role in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma, it is essential to know if novel drugs target MSCs. Melflufen is a novel anticancer peptide–drug conjugate compound for patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma. Here, we studied the cytotoxicity of melflufen, melphalan and doxorubicin in healthy human bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMSCs) and how these drugs affect BMSC proliferation. We established co-cultures of BMSCs with MM.1S myeloma cells to see if BMSCs increase or decrease the cytotoxicity of melflufen, melphalan, bortezomib and doxorubicin. We evaluated how the drugs affect BMSC differentiation into adipocytes and osteoblasts and the BMSC-supported formation of vascular networks. Our results showed that BMSCs were more sensitive to melflufen than to melphalan. The cytotoxicity of melflufen in myeloma cells was not affected by the co-culture with BMSCs, as was the case for melphalan, bortezomib and doxorubicin. Adipogenesis, osteogenesis and BMSC-mediated angiogenesis were all affected by melflufen. Melphalan and doxorubicin affected BMSC differentiation in similar ways. The effects on adipogenesis and osteogenesis were not solely because of effects on proliferation, seen from the differential expression of differentiation markers normalized by cell number. Overall, our results indicate that melflufen has a significant impact on BMSCs, which could possibly affect therapy outcome