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Introduction: Trypanosomosis is a disease caused by trypanosomes, a group of unicellular parasites found in the fluid and tissues of vertebrates. The disease is characterized by anorexia, anaemia, emaciation, weakness and eventual death. Method: A prospective study design was conducted to assess clinical manifestations and parasitaemia in cattle with trypanosomosis under natural infection in Niger state, Nigeria between the months of January to May 2017. A sample size of 343 cattle was purposively selected out of which 262 were diagnosed of clinical trypanosomosis. The clinical signs and parasitaemia associated with Trypanosomosis were monitored in these animals. Result: Of the 343 cattle sampled cattle 45 (13%) were positive for trypanosome infection. Trypanosoma vivax (5.5%), T. congolense (5.5%), and T. brucei (2.0%) were the three trypanosomes identified in the infected animals. The most frequently observed clinical signs were weight loss, weakness, intermittent anorexia, pale mucous membrane, epiphora, and dark/rough hair coat. The mean body weights (257.94±74.13kg) and the mean PCV (23.27±6.82%) of the infected animals were significantly lower than that of the control (386.96±62.69kg and 32.47±8.35%) respectively. Similarly, the mean rectal temperature of the infected animals (39.82±1.79°C) differed significantly (P<0.05) from that of the control. Significance: Clinical manifestations of trypanosomosis when taken into consideration with ecological considerations might provide sufficient grounds for a putative diagnosis of the disease by clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The combination of infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy allowed the monitoring of the structural changes of a soda-lime glass submitted to increasing durations of Ag+–Na+ ion exchange in a molten salt bath at 350°C. Both techniques show an insertion of silver ions in the glass structure that is about 10% higher than the departure of sodium ions. The electro neutrality of the compounds is preserved with local alterations which lead to a higher degree of depolymerization of the silicate network. During the exchange process only sodium leaves the matrix and its content does not go beyond a threshold of about 50% of the initial content. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: Participation in restorative justice interventions post-sentence has been shown to reduce reoffending and mitigate harm to victims. Investment in, and access to, restorative justice remains limited in England and Wales. An economic model was developed to synthesize the available evidence in order to develop contemporary and robust estimates of the economic impact of investment in restorative justice interventions., Methods: This research focused on direct and indirect restorative justice interventions for victims and offenders post-sentence in England and Wales. Included offences were those with an identifiable victim. A model was developed to estimate the social benefit-cost ratio of restorative justice, as well as the direct financial return to the criminal justice system. The modeled benefits of restorative justice included reductions in reoffending and direct wellbeing benefits for victims. It was not possible to incorporate direct wellbeing benefits for offenders due to evidence gaps., Results: In the model, 8% of referrals to restorative justice resulted in direct restorative justice interventions and 19% resulted in indirect Restorative justice interventions. The modeled cost of the restorative justice pathway per direct intervention was £3,394. The base case estimate for the social benefit-cost ratio of restorative justice was £14 per £1 invested, with a direct return to the criminal justice system of £4 as a result of substantial reductions in reoffending. Scenario analysis suggested a plausible range of £7 to £20 social benefit per £1 invested. Hypothetically, increasing the proportion of eligible cases referred for a restorative justice intervention from 15 to 40% could be associated with an increase in investment of £5 m, and benefits to the criminal justice system totaling £22 m, implying a net saving of £17 m., Conclusion: The research suggests that Restorative justice has the potential to yield a substantial social return on investment (SROI) and direct return on investment to the criminal justice system. The economic case for investment in restorative justice centers on identifying offenders with a high risk of offending and enabling them to participate in an intervention that has been repeatedly demonstrated to help them to change their behavior., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Grimsey Jones, Jaffé, Harris, Franklin, Allam and Shapland.)

Introduction: In Morocco, maternal mortality is a crucial public health problem with a current rate of 72.6/100000 live births. This phenomenon is emotionally overwhelming, and the midwife’s experience of this drama is disordering., Purpose of Research: To explore how midwives experience maternal death, the resulting consequences, and the coping strategies used to overcome it., Results: 19 midwives were interviewed and reported 39 cases of maternal death. The results show that no midwife remains indifferent to maternal death. The experience is painful, and the grief of the families is transferred to the midwife. Sadness, denial, fear, feelings of guilt and failure have characterized almost all the victims. In the face of her suffering, the midwife mobilizes coping strategies. The consequences are diverse: psychological, somatic, and professional., Conclusions: The experience of maternal death associated with unfavorable working conditions and lack of recognition increases stress and leads to the intention to abandon the profession. The improvement of working conditions, the focus on teamwork, the implementation of discussion groups, professionalize the experience of maternal death.

Background: Due to its affordability in disease-affected communities and suitability for field application, microscopy has historically been considered the gold standard for field diagnosis of trypanosomosis in rural settings., Aim: This works aims to compare the performance of microscopists on bovine trypanosome microscopy by organizing the first comparative assessment on a correct reading of slides by laboratory professionals using the read slide results and a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire in North-central Nigeria., Methods: Ten participants were addressed, as they were sent a panel of two slides (Slide 1: No Trypanosome present; Slide 2: Trypanosome present) and a questionnaire., Results: All participants greater than 41 years old reported correctly the presence and absence of parasites on slides. Only 3/8 of microscopists from routine diagnostic laboratories reported correctly the presence of the parasite., Conclusion: Our study confirmed errors in reading slides. Therefore, training of microscopists besides a nationwide quality assessment is recommended., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

This study aimed to perform molecular typing of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides from slaughtered cattle in Adamawa and Taraba States, north‑eastern Nigeria. A total of four hundred and eighty (480) samples of lung tissues, nasal swabs, ear swabs and pleural fluids were collected from cattle at slaughter and processed according to standard laboratory protocols. Identification and confirmation were achieved with specific PCR and PCR‑RFLP. An overall M. mycoides subsp. mycoides isolation rate of 6.87% (33/480) was obtained. In Adamawa State, 12 (10.91%) isolates of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides came from both, lung tissues and pleural fluids. While in Taraba State, 5 (7.14%) and 4 (5.71%) isolates of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides came from lung tissues and pleural fluids, respectively. The samples from nasal and ear swabs from the study states were negative for M. mycoides subsp. mycoides. Thirty‑three out of the 37 culture positive isolates were confirmed to be Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides with the production of a band equivalent to 574‑bp. Molecular typing with restriction endonuclease Vsp1 results in the two bands of 180‑bp and 380‑bp. In conclusion, the study has established an isolation rate of 6.87% for M. mycoides subsp. mycoides. Measures to strengthen movement control in order to minimise the spread of this dreaded disease of cattle were recommended.

This study evaluated the ameliorative properties of Azanza garckeana in Bisphenol A-induced reproductive toxicities on weight, spermiogram, serum hormonal profile, sperm DNA integrity, histopathology of testes and brain tissues of rabbit bucks. Twenty-eight rabbit bucks, with live weight of 1.20-2.00 kg and aged 10-18 months. They were randomly divided into four groups of seven bucks each, group A was administered distilled water (1.5 mL) daily for 12 weeks, group B was administered Bisphenol A (100 mg/kg) for 5 consecutive days in a week for a period of 12 weeks, group C was administered Azanza garckeana (500 mg/kg) daily for 12 weeks and group D was pre-dosed with Bisphenol A (100 mg/kg) for 5 consecutive days in a week over 6 weeks period followed by Azanza garckeana (500 mg/kg) daily for another 6 weeks. Mean testicular weights differed significantly (p < 0.05) between group B (4.4 ± 0.23) when compared with groups A (8.0 ± 0.06), C (8.7 ± 0.19) and D (7.1 ± 0.18). There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the mean reaction time, spermiogram, testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone and sperm DNA fragmentation index between Bisphenol A-exposed groups and treatment groups. On histopathology, there was testicular vacuolization, interstitial hemorrhage, reduction in spermatogenic cells following Bisphenol A exposure. There were layers of dense basophilic cells in the pineal and pituitary parenchymas. In conclusion, Bisphenol A has negative effects on reproduction but administration of Azanza garckeana may possess some therapeutic properties that can ameliorate such adverse effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a complex emerging arboviral hemorrhagic disease that causes significant illness in animals and humans. Camel trade across the land borders between Nigeria and the Niger Republic occurs frequently and poses a significant risk for RVF transmission to pastoralists and traders. We carried a cross-sectional study between November 2016 and April 2017 in two northern States (Katsina and Jigawa) known for camel trade in Nigeria to investigate the seroprevalence and potential risk factors for RVFV occurrence. We collected 720 sera and administered questionnaire to pastoralists. We used the competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) to determine the previous exposure to RVFV infection. We retrieved  environmental information from public data sources that might explain RVFV seropositivity at  the LGA level. To asses potential risk factors,we categorized LGAs with RVFV as "1" and those without a case" 0". We fitted a logistic model to the data  and estimated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. An overall 19.9% prevalence was reported among camel herd-the highest seropositivity (33.3%) was recorded in SuleTankarkar LGA. In the multivariable model, only rain-fed croplands was significantly associated with RVFV antibodies occurrence p  = 0.048 (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.76-0.99). Only a minority of the respondents, 19.3% ( n  = 17/88), knew that RVF is zoonotic. Separation of healthy animals from the infected animals was carried out by 53.4% (47/88) pastoralists while 59.1% (52/88) pastoralists still use ethnoveterinary practices to control or mitigate disease outbreaks. Our study demonstrates the presence of RVFV antibodies among camel in Nigeria and the associated risk factors. These findings highlight the need for enhancing surveillance and control efforts and the public health education of camel pastoralists. Further investigation to unravel the zoonotic transmission potential to pastoralists and other animal species is pertinent., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this study., (© 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objectives: To assess the quality of care for patients with diabetes in Queensland hospitals, including blood glucose control, rates of hospital-acquired harm, the incidence of insulin prescription and management errors, and appropriate foot and peri-operative care., Design, Setting: Cross-sectional audit of 27 public hospitals in Queensland: four of five tertiary/quaternary referral centres, four of seven large regional or outer metropolitan hospitals, seven of 13 smaller outer metropolitan or small regional hospitals, and 12 of 88 hospitals in rural or remote locations., Participants: 850 adult inpatients with diabetes mellitus in medical, surgical, mental health, high dependency, or intensive care wards., Results: Twenty-seven of 115 public hospitals that admit acute inpatients participated in the audit, including 4175 of 6652 eligible acute hospital beds in Queensland. A total of 1003 patients had diabetes (24%), and data were collected for 850 (85%). Their mean age was 65.9 years (SD, 15.1 years), 357 were women (42%), and their mean HbA 1c level was 66 mmol/mol (SD, 26 mmol/mol). Rates of good diabetes days (appropriate monitoring, no more than one blood glucose measurement greater than 10 mmol/L, and none below 5 mmol/L) were low in patients with type 1 diabetes (22.1 per 100 patient-days) or type 2 diabetes treated with insulin (40.1 per 100 patient-days); hypoglycaemia rates were high for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (24.1 episodes per 100 patient-days). One or more medication errors were identified for 201 patients (32%), including insulin prescribing errors for 127 patients (39%). Four patients with type 1 diabetes experienced diabetic ketoacidosis in hospital (8%); 121 patients (14%) met the criteria for review by a specialist diabetes team but were not reviewed by any diabetes specialist (medical, nursing, allied health)., Conclusions: We identified several deficits in inpatient diabetes management in Queensland, including high rates of medication error and hospital-acquired harm and low rates of appropriate glycaemic control, particularly for patients treated with insulin. These deficits require attention, and ongoing evaluation of outcomes is necessary., (© 2021 AMPCo Pty Ltd.)

Background and Aims: Several studies have shown that genetic polymorphisms of the transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) are highly associated with the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its associated complications in several populations. The aim of our study was to investigate the association of the rs7903146 (C/T) and rs12255372 (G/T) polymorphism in the TCF7L2 gene with the risk of developing T2DM in the Moroccan population., Material and Methods: A total of 150 T2DM patients and 100 healthy controls were recruited for various anthropometric, biochemical and genetic parameters. Genotyping was performed by using Real Time-PCR. The frequency of genotypes, alleles, anthropometric measures, glycemia, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were evaluated in patients and control, while lipid profile was available only for T2DM group., Results: Glycemia, HbA1c and body mass index (BMI) were significantly higher in T2DM group than control. Analysis of the distribution of the TCF7L2 rs7903146 genotype and allele revealed that the TT genotype was more frequent in T2DM group (24.0%) than in healthy controls (5%) (OR = 4.08, 95% confidence interval (CI = 1.95-11.80, p < 0.0001). The T allele was more frequent in diabetic patients (45.2%) than healthy control (34.5%) and it was associated with high risk of diabetes (OR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.12-7.31, p = 0.005). The same results were found regarding rs12255372, TT genotype frequencies were 18,7% and 6.0% in T2DM and control group, respectively (OR = 3.11, 95% CI = 1.33-7.24, p = 0.004). The T allele was over-presented in diabetics compared to controls (45.3% and 38.0%, respectively) and increases the risk of T2DM (OR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.04-3.10, p = 0.01). However, there was no significant difference between the three genotypes of rs7903146 and rs12255372 regarding age, BMI, glycemia, HbA1c and lipid profile., Conclusion: The present study confirmed a significant association of the TCF7L2 gene (rs7903146 (C/T) and rs12255372 (G/T) polymorphisms with a higher risk to T2DM in the Moroccan population. No significant difference in respect to anthropometric and metabolic parameters between different genotypes.

Background and Aim: Different species of trypanosomes have been reported to cause varying degrees of reproductive disorders in pregnant and non-pregnant animals under experimental infections. Information on reproductive disorders and losses in animals naturally infected with trypanosome species are few. This study was carried out to assess the abnormalities in the genital organs (ovaries, oviduct, uterus, cervix, and vagina) of female cattle naturally infected with trypanosomes in and around Abuja, Nigeria., Materials and Methods: Cows showing signs such as emaciation, weakness, or anemia were selected and examined at Gwagwalada and Karu abattoirs, respectively. Venous blood samples were taken from 108 of such animals and screened using standard trypanosome detection methods. The genital organs were also collected and inspected for gross and histopathological lesions in the laboratory., Results: Six (5.55%) out of the 108 animals were positive for trypanosomes; 4 (66.7%) were infected with Trypanosoma vivax and 2 (33.3%) were infected with Trypanosoma congolense . The mean packed cell volume of the infected animals was 22.83%. Grossly, congestion and ecchymotic hemorrhages were observed in the endometrium, myometrium, and cervical submucosa. Mucometra, hydrometra, and pyometra were also seen in the uterus. Histologically, necrosis of the epithelium and endometrial glands accompanied by mononuclear cellular infiltration was observed in the uterus. There was also sloughing of the endometrial epithelium, vascular congestion, and hypertrophy of serosa of the uterus. There was atropy of the granulosa cells, increased numbers of degenerating tertiary follicles, and absence of corpora lutea in the ovary. No gross or histopathological lesions were observed in the fallopian tube and vagina., Conclusion: The lesions observed were restricted to the uterus and ovary of the animals and were less severe when compared to lesions observed under experimental conditions as reported by previous authors., (Copyright: © Abah, et al.)

In late December 2019, an emerging viral infection COVID-19 was identified in Wuhan, China, and became a global pandemic. Characterization of the genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 is crucial in following and evaluating it spread across countries. In this study, we collected and analyzed 3,067 SARS-CoV-2 genomes isolated from 55 countries during the first three months after the onset of this virus. Using comparative genomics analysis, we traced the profiles of the whole-genome mutations and compared the frequency of each mutation in the studied population. The accumulation of mutations during the epidemic period with their geographic locations was also monitored. The results showed 782 variants sites, of which 512 (65.47%) had a non-synonymous effect. Frequencies of mutated alleles revealed the presence of 68 recurrent mutations, including ten hotspot non-synonymous mutations with a prevalence higher than 0.10 in this population and distributed in six SARS-CoV-2 genes. The distribution of these recurrent mutations on the world map revealed that certain genotypes are specific to geographic locations. We also identified co-occurring mutations resulting in the presence of several haplotypes. Moreover, evolution over time has shown a mechanism of mutation co-accumulation which might affect the severity and spread of the SARS-CoV-2. The phylogentic analysis identified two major Clades C1 and C2 harboring mutations L3606F and G614D, respectively and both emerging for the first time in China. On the other hand, analysis of the selective pressure revealed the presence of negatively selected residues that could be taken into considerations as therapeutic targets. We have also created an inclusive unified database (http://covid-19.medbiotech.ma) that lists all of the genetic variants of the SARS-CoV-2 genomes found in this study with phylogeographic analysis around the world., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: LMTK3 and AKT1 each have a role in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. The analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms of AKT1 and LMTK3 could lead to more complete and accurate risk estimates for colorectal cancer., Aim: We evaluated the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of AKT1 and LMTK3 and the risk of colorectal cancer in a case-control study in Moroccan population., Methods: Genomic DNA from 70 colorectal cancer patients and 50 healthy control subjects was extracted from whole blood. Genotyping was performed by direct sequencing after polymerase chain reactions for the 7 SNPs (AKT1rs1130214G/T, AKT1rs10138227C/T, AKT1rs3730358C/T, AKT1rs1000559097G/A, AKT1rs2494737A/T, LMTK3rs8108419G/A, and LMTK3rs9989661A/G.). Study subjects provided detailed information during the collection. All P values come from bilateral tests., Results: In the logistic regression analysis, a significantly high risk of colorectal cancer was associated with TC/TT genotypes of rs10138227 with adjusted odds ratio [OR] equal to 2.82 and 95% confidence interval [CI] of 1.15 to 6.91., Conclusion: Our results suggest that the SNP AKT1rs10138227 could affect susceptibility to CRC, probably by modulating the transcriptional activity of AKT1. However, larger independent studies are needed to validate our results.

The global burden of infections and the rapid spread of viral diseases show the need for new approaches in the prevention and development of effective therapies. To this end, we aimed to explore novel inhibitor compounds that can stop replication or decrease the viral load of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), for which there is currently no approved treatment. Besides using the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2) receptor as a main gate, the CoV-2 can bind to the glucose-regulating protein 78 (GRP78) receptor to get into the cells to start an infection. Here, we report potential inhibitors comprising small molecules and peptides that could interfere with the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 and its target cells by blocking the recognition of the GRP78 cellular receptor by the viral Spike protein. These inhibitors were discovered through an approach of in silico screening of available databases of bioactive peptides and polyphenolic compounds and the analysis of their docking modes. This process led to the selection of 9 compounds with optimal binding affinities to the target sites. The peptides (satpdb18674, satpdb18446, satpdb12488, satpdb14438, and satpdb28899) act on regions III and IV of the viral Spike protein and on its binding sites in GRP78. However, 4 polyphenols such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), homoeriodictyol, isorhamnetin, and curcumin interact, in addition to the Spike protein and its binding sites in GRP78, with the ATPase domain of GRP78. Our work demonstrates that there are at least 2 approaches to block the spread of SARS-CoV-2 by preventing its fusion with the host cells via GRP78., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interests:The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2020.)