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Seasonal variation in stroke occurrence is well described. However, correlation between sudden cold water exposure and stroke is not documented in literature. We report two cases of ischemic stroke on sudden cold water exposure. Case 1: A 73-year-old male developed sudden left face, arm and leg weakness immediately after taking a dip in the holy waters of Amritsar Golden Temple, during peak winter. Case 2: A 48-year-old male developed right side weakness and fell in bathroom while taking bath in cold water at 6am. Studies show that both stroke and atrial fibrillation peak in winter. Pathophysiologically, sudden cold water exposure increases sympathetic tone, which is mediated by thermo-receptors, activated by the rapid fall in skin temperature. Superimposed on the hyper-dynamic circulatory situation during short-term cold water immersion, it induces a further increase in blood pressure. Cold water immersion or simply an exposure might increase the propensity for stroke, especially in high risk individuals.

In this paper, we define the notion of regular power fuzzy graph (RPFG), as a combination of regular properties and power fuzzy graphs. We also define totally regular power fuzzy graph as a special case of RPFG. A comparative study between regular and totally regular power fuzzy graphs is investigated. It is also proved that any power fuzzy graph containing a pendant vertex can be neither regular nor totally regular. A necessary condition for a total power fuzzy graph to be perfectly regular is that the vertex and edge membership functions are constants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

En Afrique, la parabole matthéenne des talents ((Mt 25, 14-30) est souvent utilisée dans la prédication et les textes du Magistère. Par contre, la parabole lucanienne des mines ((Lc 19, 11-28) est moins bien connue. D’après l’évangéliste, Jésus la prononce avant d’entrer à Jérusalem pour sa passion, sa résurrection et son ascension. Mais que dit-elle de particulier sur Jésus et le royaume ? Comment la lire en contexte africain ? Pour répondre à ces interrogations, nous utiliserons de manière complémentaire les approches synchronique, diachronique et contextuelle. Nous le ferons en quatre moments. Nous commencerons par l’étude synchronique, présentant la parabole en elle-même. Ensuite, nous passerons à l’étude diachronique, avant de relever quelques accents théologiques de la parabole et d’en proposer des lectures contextuelles. N’est-ce pas une parabole qui ose provoquer à l’inventivité ?

ABSTRACT Sesame cultivation was until recently restricted to the northwestern part of Benin. The yield is relatively low, as there are no improved varieties introduced and widely adopted so far. This study aimed to assess the molecular diversity, genetic differentiation, and the agronomic performance of a collection of local cultivars and introduced lines of sesame from China. The agronomic evaluation was conducted across eight environments during the 2020 cropping season using 14 descriptors on 19 accessions, including 6 introduced lines arranged in a randomized complete bloc design. Twelve simple sequence repeat markers were used to assess the molecular diversity. The analysis of variance showed significant variation among accessions for all the traits, except the number of lodges per capsule. Principal component analysis (PCA) followed by hierarchical clustering indicated that the accessions could be classified into three groups. The first group included accessions from China with the local accession SI09, characterized by early flowering and low seed yields (on average 380.13 kg ha−1). The second group included late flowering accessions and intermediate seed yield (on average 548.68 kg ha−1). The third group included higher yielding accessions (on average 715.7 kg ha−1). The PCA identified key traits such as days to 50% emergence, days to 50% flowering, collar diameter, plant height, number of branches, and seed yield as the most discriminative among accessions for agromorphological characterization. The SSR markers were polymorphic, with polymorphic information content values between 0.17 and 0.92. A total of 62 alleles were detected, with each locus exhibiting 2 to 15 alleles. The gene diversity ranged from 0.18 to 0.92, with an average value of 0.55. Cluster analysis based on the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean revealed that accessions were grouped in three clusters, with the coefficients of similarity/dissimilarity ranging between 0.60 and 0.92. Most of the Chinese lines were clustered together, except accession Y01. This study provided useful knowledge about local sesame cultivars in Benin and their similarities and differences with the lines introduced from China, therefore contributing to the advancement of the sesame‐breeding program in the country.

Abstract Background Rice production is important for food security in Benin, with a national production largely dominated by the cultivation of the aromatic ecotype IR841, by far the most appreciated by Beninese consumers. However, to maintain agronomical qualities of a given cultivar, the origin and quality of seeds are mandatory and at the heart of the maintenance of yield and of market requests. Following this idea, the objective of the current study was thus to investigate the genetic purity of IR841 varieties collected from rice producers across 22 villages in Benin in relation to their agronomical performances. Results For this, agromorphological evaluation of 72 accessions based on 13 quantitative descriptors followed by genotyping with the Illumina Infinium rice 7 K SNP array of 9 accessions was carried out in the presence of 2 controls. Agromorphologic as well as genetic and phylogenetic analyses revealed two groups, the first one Okouta97, Koum47, Nana30, Man118, Ang1 and control sample IR841-2) was characterized by seed accessions provided by the formal seed system, while the second (Koum53, Tchaka41 and Koud46) comprising seeds from local markets or from previous harvests and showing a depression in agronomic performances. Conclusion We showed that IR841 seed purity is mandatory for the completion of agronomical performance, and that the farmers’ choice of seeds must be guided and informed to ensure sustainability and food security.

Soil salinization adversely affects sustainability and productivity of cultivable land by altering seed germination, growth and physio-biochemical attributes consequently limiting agricultural output. To sustain crop productivity, therefore, the need to comprehend plant tolerance mechanism becomes imperative. Enhancement of stress resilience can be achieved through several methods but here, we delineate a novel cost-effective ecofriendly technique known as priming, which involves pre-germinative exposure of seeds to eliciting factors that induce mild stress and fortifies plants against subsequent stressful constraints. Priming and sensitizing the seeds in different chemicals prior to sowing enhances its imbibition capacity and pre-germinative metabolic processes to improve seedling emergence, growth, vigour and productivity. Enhanced activity of Na+/H+antiporters in invigorated seedlings favour Na+ exclusion and K+ uptake thereby stabilizing membrane potential. Priming mediated memory upregulates expression of genes associated with giberrellic acid (GA) biosynthesis and photosynthesis that accelerates seedling emergence. Priming induced reprogramming of antioxidant genes and polyamine metabolism genes improve adaptability under salt stress. Seed priming also enhances DNA repair, stabilizes RNA, increases de novo protein synthesis to maintain genome integrity. This review presents a comprehensive update on the efficacy of seed priming, its associated physio-biochemical and molecular modulations that would aid to eradicate salt-induced adversities conferring tolerance to the primed plants and enhance productivity.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to evaluate rice farmers’ perceptions on the manifestations of the climate change and identify efficient strategies and determinants of adoption of these strategies in the Republic of Benin. Design/methodology/approach – Surveys were conducted using participatory research appraisal tools and techniques, such as direct observation, individual interviews and field visits through a questionnaire for data collection. A total of 418 rice farmers across 39 villages located in the three climatic zones of the Republic of Benin were interviewed. Farmers’ perceptions, temperature from 1952 to 2018 and rainfall from 1960 to 2018 data obtained from meteorological stations were analysed using descriptive and inferences statistics. Findings – All the surveyed farmers were aware of climate change and perceived diverse manifestations including the delay in rainfall regarded as the most important risk. They perceived that deforestation, no respect for the laws of nature and desacralization of morals, no respect for cultures and the traditional rainmakers are the main causes of climate change. The disruption of agricultural calendar and the reduction in rice yield were perceived as the main impacts of climate change in rice production. They used various approaches to adapt and mitigate climate change effects. The adoption of adaptation strategies was influenced either negatively or positively by the household size, land size, education level, membership to rice farmer’s association, training in rice production, access to extension services, use of improved varieties and the location in climatic zones. Research limitations/implications – For each climatic zone of the Republic of Benin, weather data were collected in only one meteorological station. Practical implications – The study showed that it is important to educate rice farmers on the scientific causes of climate change for better resilience. There is an urgent need to train rice farmers in irrigation and water management techniques to cope with climate variability. To promote irrigation, the authors suggest the establishment of a subsidy and credit mechanism by the government. Factors that influenced adoption of efficient adaptation strategies to climate events must be taken into account for future adaptation policies in the Republic of Benin. Originality/value – This study provided an overview of the perceptions and adaptations of rice farmers along the climatic gradient in the Republic of Benin. Therefore, the knowledge of the determining factors of the adaptation strategies used by rice farmers could be used in the setting up of effective climate change resilience policies in Benin.

Abstract The identification of technological and policy interventions allowing to improve the performance of Beninese rice systems is necessary to reduce the heavy dependence on rice imports. This study characterized the Beninese rice farming systems, identified the production constraints, and determinants of the adoption of improved varieties by farmers. Four hundred eighteen rice farm households were surveyed across 39 villages using participatory research tools and methods. Cluster analysis was used to classify the surveyed farm households and revealed four typologies of rice farming systems differentiated by 8 variables. These are, the intensive rice farming system (cluster 4; 33.7%), semi-intensive rice farming system (cluster 1; 31.8%), integrated rice–livestock farming system (cluster 3; 11.8%), and subsistence rice farming (cluster 2; 22.7%). The integrated rice–livestock farming system was the dominant type practiced in the northern Benin, while, it is the intensive rice farming system in the south. Fifteen production constraints across rice-growing areas were recorded. Our results suggest that to increase adoption of improved rice varieties, agricultural extension services should target landowners’ farmers practicing off-season rice production, and having other sources of income. Initiatives to boost rice production in Benin should prioritize the establishment of formal agricultural credit and mechanization option policies.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the trends of the availability and readiness of the healthcare system to provide cardiometabolic (cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes) services in Burkina Faso in multiple political and insecurity crises context.Design We performed a secondary analysis of repeated nationwide cross-sectional studies in Burkina Faso.Data source Four national health facility survey data (using WHO Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) tool) conducted between 2012 and 2018 were used.Participants In 2012, 686 health facilities were surveyed, 766 in 2014, 677 in 2016 and 794 in 2018.Primary and secondary outcome measures The main outcomes were the availability and readiness services indicators defined according to the SARA manual.Results Between 2012 and 2018, the availability of CVD and diabetes services significantly increased (67.3% to 92.7% for CVD and 42.5% to 54.0% for diabetes). However, the mean readiness index of the healthcare system to manage CVD decreased from 26.8% to 24.1% (p for trend