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This study investigated the compliance of marketers of agrochemicals with the approved and banned cocoa pesticides in selected cocoa producing states of southwest Nigeria. Primary data was collected through the use of structured questionnaire administered to randomly selected agrochemical marketers. All the marketers (100%) were aware of the recently banned cocoa pesticides, however, majority still have the pesticides in stock. About 70.6% of the marketers in Osun state and 58.8% in Ogun state stated that they did not receive information on the banned pesticides from government agencies but through other channels. More than half of the marketers (52.9% in Ogun, 55% in Kwara and 47.1% in Osun) strongly disagreed that government should place a ban on pesticides. Availability of banned pesticides in their stock, insufficient information from the concerned government agricultural agencies, and fear of short supply of approved pesticides are among the reasons proffered by the marketers for not supporting the ban of pesticides. Relevant government regulatory agencies should conduct a comprehensive inventory of pesticides offered for sale by the marketers of agrochemicals. There should be massive public awareness programme, and wellcoordinated association for all the marketers of agrochemicals. Agrochemical manufacturers should translate instructions and warnings on pesticide labels to local languages understood by the farmers.

Globally, the eggplant clade ( Solanum L.) (Solanaceae) is an economically important source of food, nutrition, income, and medicines. Members of the clade are distinctively known for their incompatibility and yet genetically related as a diploid hyper-diverse monophyletic group. The eggplant clade are underutilized, and there are concerns about genetic erosion in Nigeria, primarily attributed to a limited understanding of their genetic diversity. To improve the members of the clade, it is imperative to understand their intra- and inter-specific genetic diversity and relationships for sustainable cultivation, conservation, and genetic improvement. A total of twelve (12) eggplant accessions comprising four (4) accessions of Solanum aethiopicum , three (3) accessions each of S. macrocarpon and S. melongena , and two accessions of S. nigrum obtained from the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB) Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria were assessed for their intra- and inter-specific genetic diversity. Genomic DNA was extracted from four-week-old young leaves at the emergence of each accession, followed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification of the maturase K (MatK) gene. The PCR amplicons were then sequenced using Sanger's technique and the results analysed. The dataset presents intra- and inter-specific diversity and population structure of the studied species. A relatively low level of intraspecific diversity and moderate to high level of interspecific diversity with varying degrees of nucleotide and haplotype diversities were recorded for the dataset. Quite elevated values of 693 total allele sites, 9 haplotypes, 0.96 gene diversity, 100 polymorphic sites, 16 parsimony information sites, and 101 total number of mutations were documented for the sequence dataset. Relatively high gene flow and genetic differentiation (Fst) were observed among the populations of S. aethiopicum and S. nigrum (0.939), S. macrocarpon and S. nigrum (0.833), whereas a moderate Fst was recorded for the populations of S. melongena and S. nigrum (0.254) and S. aethiopicum and S. melongena (0.047), while populations of S. aethiopicum and S. macrocarpon as well as S. macrocarpon and S. melongena showed a low Fst values of -0.129 and 0.014. Genetic distance and phylogenetic relationships showed a closely related taxa of four distinct cluster groups with three groups of mixed species and one unique cluster of S. nigrum . The dataset provides insights into the genetic diversity within and between Solanum species which could be used to inform commercial cultivation, conservation, and breeding efforts, as well as the evolutionary dynamics of the clade., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Launaea taraxacifolia (Willd.) Amin Ex C. Jeffrey (Asteraceae) popularly known as "African wild lettuce" is a neglected, underutilized, and sometimes classified as a weed in West and Central Africa. The plant has been naturalized in numerous regions of the world, including Asia, North America, Europe, and North Africa. This highly nutritional and medicinal leafy vegetable is endemic to some states in southwest, Nigeria. People who utilize the species still depend largely on its spontaneous appearance in the wild, except for some herbalists who cultivate it for therapeutic uses. Its domestication and cultivation are still at infant stage. Without the intervention of breeders, the full potential of this species would remain untapped. The inadequate information about the genetic diversity of L. taraxacifolia hinders its improvement through breeding programme and for conservation purposes, hence this dataset. A total of fifteen (15) accessions of L. taraxacifolia were collected from Oyo, Osun and Ogun states in Nigeria. The accessions were partitioned into three populations according to their collection states and subjected to DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction amplification and Sanger sequencing using ribulose-1,5-carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit gene (rbcL). The dataset composed of partial rbcL gene sequences which provides information on L. taraxacifolia distribution in southwest, Nigeria, its genetic diversity, single nucleotide polymorphic information, codon usage bias and amino acids molecular weight profile. The dataset recorded a relatively low number of segregating sites (3), total number of haplotypes (4), and nucleotide diversity (0.298) with a high gene diversity (0.667) and average number of nucleotide differences (0.895). A significant low level of genetic differentiation (Fst) was recorded for the population in the decreasing order of 0.103 (Ogun and Oyo populations), 0.000 (Ogun and Osun populations) and -0.222 (Oyo and Osun populations). The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean revealed the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of L. taraxacifolia accessions which could be explored for its domestication, cultivation, genetic improvement and conservation in Nigeria., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

This study examined how social cohesion variables, SCV are associated with effective crime control strategies, CCS in Nigeria's rural areas. With mixed-methods, we collected data from 3408 participants and 12 interviewees in 48 rural areas; the results showed that strong SCV indirectly hindered an effective CCS. Significant correlation was found between SCV and CCS. The SCV are shared emotions, strong-family and religious-ties, mutual-trust, communal cohesion, well-articulated common information network, and longstanding age-group bond. The CCS adopted by the law enforcement agents were largely ineffective; these strategies are indiscriminate arrest or search with/without warrant, secret deployment of informants, liaising with local security guards and prompt documentation of cases. Other strategies include monitoring crime black-spots, collaboration among different security agencies, awareness programs and strong community-police relationship. There is a need for public awareness about the negative effects of communal bond on crime control to have a crime-free society in Nigeria., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Thyroid disorders are one of the most common endocrine disorders seen globally. Diagnostic challenge may arise both clinically and biochemically because of the multiple function of thyroid hormones (THs). Request for thyroid function test (TFT s) may be based on clinical impression that may suggest thyroid dysfunction or obvious symptoms and signs that are diagnostic of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism., Materials and Methods: This retrospective study looks at the biochemical patterns of TFTs and the clinical impression of thyroid disorders in a rural tertiary institution. Information extracted from the laboratory register includes indication for the test, the hospital number, the gender, the age, and the THs assayed. The corresponding biochemical pattern of the TFT result was established., Results: A total of 297 requests were submitted for TH assay; 34 were excluded from the present study because there were no clinical information. There were 239 females and 24 males giving a female-to-male ratio of 9.9:1. Majority of the requests (36.5%) were for goiters, followed by gynecological disorders (20.9%) and clinical thyroid disorders (17.9%). About 46% (45.8%) of the goiter cases were biochemically euthyroid, whereas 13.5% were biochemically primary hyperthyroid. Among the 47 cases of thyroid disorders by the physician's clinical impression, 27.7% were euthyroid, 17% were biochemically hyperthyroid, and 10.6% were hypothyroid. Of the 55 gynecological disorders assessed, only 7.3% show biochemical evidence of TH alteration with 56.4% being euthyroid. About 47% (46.6%) of those that did routine medical examination had altered TH level that includes hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism., Conclusion: Goiter is the most prevalent thyroid disorder in this environment. Biochemical pattern of thyroid function test in our environment was mostly euthyroid despites clinical features suggestive of thyroid disorders., Competing Interests: None