Evaluating the impact of synthetic herbicides on soil dwelling macrobes and the physical state of soil in an agro-ecosystem.

This study evaluated three herbicides active ingredients: Paraquat, Glyphosate and 2,4-D Amine in commercial formulations as Frankoquat, Roundup and Agriherb respectively under field conditions to determine their influence on soil dwelling macrobes and the physical state of soil. Herbicides were serially diluted to three treatment concentrations for each plus three controls. Herbicide concentrations were applied to the demarcated field on three consecutive occasions in splits. Macrobes extraction from soil was done under a stereo microscope at 20 × magnification. The Simpson's diversity index was used to calculate the soil macrobes diversity. Soil water content, bulk density and total porosity of sampled soils were determined. The study revealed that both herbicides and non-herbicides treatment had no statistical significance (p > 0.05) on the soil dwelling macrobes. Also, a Simpson's index of diversity, estimated as 53.46%, showed how the experimental area is lowly diverse in the specific soil dwelling macrobes identified. Significant correlations existed between the soil water content, bulk density, total porosity and number of soil macrobes at p < 0.05. This level of significance showed in most instances for Frankoquat herbicide concentration treatments as well as Roundup. For Agriherb and control treatments the correlations were present but majority was not significant. In most situations, the soil dwelling macrobes decreased with increasing soil physical conditions. Thus, the dynamics in soil physical properties affected macrobes abundance in soil, with the slightest influence coming from the herbicides concentrations used in the experiment. The study recommended that Frankoquat and Roundup herbicides could be used to control weeds on farmer's field because, their influence were slightly felt on the soil macrobes and also, quite a number soil dwelling macrobes recovered after application.

Loss-of-Function GRHL3 Variants Detected in African Patients with Isolated Cleft Palate.

In contrast to the progress that has been made toward understanding the genetic etiology of cleft lip with or without cleft palate, relatively little is known about the genetic etiology for cleft palate only (CPO). A common coding variant of grainyhead like transcription factor 3 ( GRHL3) was recently shown to be associated with risk for CPO in Europeans. Mutations in this gene were also reported in families with Van der Woude syndrome. To identify rare mutations in GRHL3 that might explain the missing heritability for CPO, we sequenced GRHL3 in cases of CPO from Africa. We recruited participants from Ghana, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. This cohort included case-parent trios, cases and other family members, as well as controls. We sequenced exons of this gene in DNA from a total of 134 nonsyndromic cases. When possible, we sequenced them in parents to identify de novo mutations. Five novel mutations were identified: 2 missense (c.497C>A; p.Pro166His and c.1229A>G; p.Asp410Gly), 1 splice site (c.1282A>C p.Ser428Arg), 1 frameshift (c.470delC; p.Gly158Alafster55), and 1 nonsense (c.1677C>A; p.Tyr559Ter). These mutations were absent from 270 sequenced controls and from all public exome and whole genome databases, including the 1000 Genomes database (which includes data from Africa). However, 4 of the 5 mutations were present in unaffected mothers, indicating that their penetrance is incomplete. Interestingly, 1 mutation damaged a predicted sumoylation site, and another disrupted a predicted CK1 phosphorylation site. Overexpression assays in zebrafish and reporter assays in vitro indicated that 4 variants were functionally null or hypomorphic, while 1 was dominant negative. This study provides evidence that, as in Caucasian populations, mutations in GRHL3 contribute to the risk of nonsyndromic CPO in the African population.

Association Studies and Direct DNA Sequencing Implicate Genetic Susceptibility Loci in the Etiology of Nonsyndromic Orofacial Clefts in Sub-Saharan African Populations.

Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are congenital dysmorphologies of the human face and oral cavity, with a global incidence of 1 per 700 live births. These anomalies exhibit a multifactorial pattern of inheritance, with genetic and environmental factors both playing crucial roles. Many loci have been implicated in the etiology of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) in populations of Asian and European ancestries, through genome-wide association studies and candidate gene studies. However, few populations of African descent have been studied to date. Here, the authors show evidence of an association of some loci with NSCL/P and nonsyndromic cleft palate only (NSCPO) in cohorts from Africa (Ghana, Ethiopia, and Nigeria). The authors genotyped 48 single-nucleotide polymorphisms that were selected from previous genome-wide association studies and candidate gene studies. These markers were successfully genotyped on 701 NSCL/P and 163 NSCPO cases, 1,070 unaffected relatives, and 1,078 unrelated controls. The authors also directly sequenced 7 genes in 184 nonsyndromic OFC (NSOFC) cases and 96 controls from Ghana. Population-specific associations were observed in the case-control analyses of the subpopulations, with West African subpopulations (Ghana and Nigeria) showing a similar pattern of associations. In meta-analyses of the case-control cohort, PAX7 (rs742071, P = 5.10 × 10(-3)), 8q24 (rs987525, P = 1.22 × 10(-3)), and VAX1 (rs7078160, P = 0.04) were nominally associated with NSCL/P, and MSX1 (rs115200552, P = 0.01), TULP4 (rs651333, P = 0.04), CRISPLD2 (rs4783099, P = 0.02), and NOG1 (rs17760296, P = 0.04) were nominally associated with NSCPO. Moreover, 7 loci exhibited evidence of threshold overtransmission in NSOFC cases through the transmission disequilibrium test and through analyses of the family-based association for disease traits. Through DNA sequencing, the authors also identified 2 novel, rare, potentially pathogenic variants (p.Asn323Asp and p.Lys426IlefsTer6) in ARHGAP29 In conclusion, the authors have shown evidence for the association of many loci with NSCL/P and NSCPO. To the best of this knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate any of these association signals in any African population.

Aesthetic outcome and the need for revision of unilateral cleft lip repair at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

BACKGROUND: The Millard method of unilateral cleft lip repair has been associated with a short lip and a flattened nose on the cleft side. The aim of this study was to determine the need for revision surgery following repair of unilateral cleft lip repair at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. METHOD: Satisfaction with facial appearance (upper lip, nose and general facial appearance) was assessed quantitatively by means of a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), where 0 cm indicates totally unsatisfied or "highly unattractive" and 10 cm indicates totally satisfied or "highly attractive". Three assessors--parents, surgeon and lay-person--were purposively selected to score their level of satisfaction with repair of complete and incomplete unilateral cleft lip. The assessors also indicated the need for any revision. RESULTS: The total sample size was 120, of which 40.0% were male and 60.0% were female. There were 79 cases of repaired complete unilateral cleft lip and 41 incomplete unilateral cleft lip. Average scores of satisfaction of parents were 6.6, 6.8 and 7.2 for nose, lip and general facial appearance (GFA) respectively. Satisfaction scores for surgeon were 6.1(nose), 6.0 (lip) and 6.5 (GFA), while those of the lay-assessor were 5.2(nose), 5.4 (lip) and 6.0(GFA). Concerning the need for revision, parents indicated 30.2% as needing revision, surgeon 33%; and lay-assessor 40%. Of the cases that needed revision, 33.3% were complete cleft lip and 0.1% were incomplete cleft lip. CONCLUSION: Parents were more satisfied with unilateral cleft lip repair using the Millard procedure than either the surgeon or lay assessor. Those who needed revision were mostly children who presented with complete unilateral cleft lip.

On the use of the perineal stain as an index of sexual maturity and breeding condition in the male greater cane rat, Thryonomys swinderianus, Temminck.

The efficacy of the perineal stain as an index for sexual maturity and breeding condition in the male greater cane rat, Thryonomys swinderianus, Temminck, was investigated in 34 animals collected from hunters' kills in the Ekumfi District of Ghana, between April and June 1989. The results indicated that, although the presence of the perineal stain was conclusive proof of sexual maturity in an individual, it was not efficacious as an index for sexual maturity for biological work in these animals (p > 0.05) because it excluded some that, although sexual mature, did not exhibit the trait, particularly young adults. However, the perineal stain may be useful as a management tool for identifying sexually mature captive greater cane rats. About 7 out of every 10 caught each month were found to be in breeding condition.

A bichalcone from the twigs of Rhus pyroides.

The twigs of Rhus pyroides yielded a novel bichalcone 2',4",2"'-trihydroxy-4',4"'-dimethoxy-4-O-5"'-bichalcone. It was identified on the basis of spectroscopic data including 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The name rhuschalcone-1 is proposed.

The efficacy of the vaginal plug formation after mating for pregnancy diagnosis, and embyonic resorption in utero in the greater cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus, Temminck).

The efficacy of the detection of vaginal plug formation after mating for pregnancy diagnosis, and the degree of embryonic resorption were studied in 67 wild greater cane rats (Thryonomys swinderianus) at Esiam in the Ekumfi District, Ghana, over a period of 3 months. Vaginal plug formation was first observed on day 59 of gestation, and could be used for pregnancy diagnosis on or after that date. However, the vaginal orifice subsequently opened a couple of times prior to day 105 of gestation and further checks for pregnancy after day 59 of gestation are suggested. Animals with unplugged vaginas 105 days after mating could, however, be considered as not pregnant. The mean (+/- SE) number of implantation sites and litter size in the greater cane rat were 7.2 +/- 0.18 and 3.4 +/- 0.29, respectively, the embryonic resorption rate being 42.7 +/- 6.66%. The significant positive correlation between the number of implanted embryos and the bled-out carcase weight suggests a positive role of maternal nutrition in increasing the litter size in the greater cane rat. The incidence of post-partum oestrus during the study period was 42.1%, which suggests that the greater cane rat can be re-bred immediately after parturition.