Effectiveness of repeated mutagenesis of sesame crosses for enhancing polygenic variability in F2M2 generation.

The value of combining hybridization and mutagenesis in sesame was examined to determine if treating hybrid sesame plant material with mutagens generated greater genetic variability in four key productivity traits than either the separate hybridization or mutation of plant material. In a randomized block design with three replications, six F2M2 varieties, three F2varieties, and three parental varieties were assessed at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. The plant characteristics height, number of seed capsules per plant, and seed yield per plant had greater variability in the F2M2 generation than their respective controls (F2), however, the number of primary branches per plant varied less than in the control population.

Detection of a reduced susceptibility to chlorfenapyr in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae contrasts with full susceptibility in Anopheles funestus across Africa.

New insecticides have recently been produced to help control pyrethroid-resistant malaria vectors including the pyrrole, chlorfenapyr. Monitoring the susceptibility of mosquito populations against this new product and potential cross-resistance with current insecticides is vital for better resistance management. In this study, we assessed the resistance status of the major malaria vectors Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles funestus to chlorfenapyr across Africa and explored potential cross-resistance with known pyrethroid resistance markers.

Seasonal variation in abundance and blood meal sources of primary and secondary malaria vectors within Kilombero Valley, Southern Tanzania.

Background: Existing control tools have significantly reduced malaria over the past two decades. However, progress has been stalled due to increased resistance in primary vectors and the increasing role of secondary vectors. This study aimed to investigate the impact of seasonal change on primary and secondary vector abundance and host preference.

Seropositivity of spp. Antibodies among Febrile Patients Attending Outpatient Clinics in Mwanza, Tanzania: Should It Be Included in Routine Diagnosis?

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic neglected tropical disease with a worldwide distribution caused by the pathogenic spirochetes of the genus . Despite being a widespread disease in tropical regions, it has never been considered in the routine diagnostic panel for febrile patients. This study determined seropositivity and factors associated with antibodies among febrile adult patients in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Preliminary investigation and intervention of the suspected plague outbreak in Madunga, Babati District-Tanzania.

Background: Rodents are known to be reservoirs of plague bacteria, Yesinia pestis in the sylvatic cycle. A preliminary investigation of the suspected plague outbreak was conducted in Madunga Ward, Babati District Council in Manyara Region December-2019-January 2020 Following reported two cases which were clinically suspected as showing plague disease symptoms.

Method: The commensal and field rodents were live trapped using Sherman traps in Madunga Ward, where plague suspect cases were reported and, in the Nou-forest reserve areas at Madunga Ward, Babati District Council, to assess plague risk in the area.

DNA barcoding of insects from India: Current status and future perspectives.

Insect fauna occupy the largest proportion of animal biodiversity on earth, but the assessment or quantification in terms of species diversity is far from complete. Several recent studies have demonstrated the rapid pace at which insect population decline is occurring. There is an urgent need to document and quantify the diversity of insect fauna for a proper understanding of terrestrial ecosystems.

Comparative study of the effect of solvents on the efficacy of neonicotinoid insecticides against malaria vector populations across Africa.

Background: New insecticides with a novel mode of action such as neonicotinoids have recently been recommended for public health by WHO. Resistance monitoring of such novel insecticides requires a robust protocol to monitor the development of resistance in natural populations. In this study, we comparatively used three different solvents to assess the susceptibility of malaria vectors to neonicotinoids across Africa.

iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis of Bacillus subtilis strain NCD-2 regulated by PhoPR two-component system: A comparative analysis with transcriptomics revealed the regulation for fengycin production by branched chain amino acids.

The PhoPR two-component system (TCS) is a signal transduction pathway to regulate the phosphate starvation response in Bacillus subtilis and regulated fengycin production in strain NCD-2 under low phosphate condition. The purpose of this study was to characterize the proteome level responses in the phoP-null mutant (MP) and the phoR-null mutant (MR), and to integrate the proteomics with the transcriptomic data obtained previously. The metabolic pathway for fengycin was predicted based on omics analysis as well as molecular genetics assay.

Visual Analytics of Tuberculosis Detection Rat Performance.

The diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) disease remains a global challenge, and the need for innovative diagnostic approaches is inevitable. Trained African giant pouched rats are the scent TB detection technology for operational research. The adoption of this technology is beneficial to countries with a high TB burden due to its cost-effectiveness and speed than microscopy.

Leptospira Seropositivity in Humans, Livestock and Wild Animals in a Semi-Arid Area of Tanzania.

Background: Leptospirosis is among the major neglected zoonoses in developing countries. The prevalence of leptospirosis remains underestimated in many African countries because of limited diagnostic facilities. We studied seropositivity prevalence in humans, sheep, goats and rodents in a semi-arid region of central Tanzania and compared findings with reports from humid tropical areas.

, a Novel Causal Agent of Maize Ear Rot and Its Sensitivity to Fungicides.

Ear rot is one of the most prevalent and destructive diseases of maize. During field surveys, it was found that a Penicillium ear rot broke out in some areas of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hebei, and Tianjin in China, with an incidence of 3 to 90%. A sp.

Existence of Similar Serovars among Dog Keepers and Their Respective Dogs in Mwanza, Tanzania, the Need for a One Health Approach to Control Measures.

This study investigated seroepidemiology of serovars among the dog keepers and their dogs in the city of Mwanza, Tanzania. A total of 205 dog keepers and 414 dogs were tested for antibodies using a microscopic agglutination test (MAT). The median age of the dog keepers was 26 (inter quartile range (IQR): 17-40) years and median duration of keeping dogs was 36 (IQR: 24-120) months.

Impact of contraceptive hormones on the reproductive potential of male and female commensal black rats (Rattus rattus).

The black rat is considered one of the world's top pests. With increased restrictions on rodenticides, new alternatives to manage rats are urgently needed. Research on the use of contraceptive hormones, levonorgestrel (LE), and quinestrol (QU), have been evaluated against some rodent species, and this research is the first study to assess these on black rats.

Effects of forest disturbance on the fitness of an endemic rodent in a biodiversity hotspot.

occurs abundantly in both disturbed and intact forests in the Ukaguru Mountains within the Eastern Arc Mountains (EAM), Morogoro, Tanzania. While previous studies have reported that anthropogenic disturbances such as grazing, wood cutting, and harvesting have a positive effect on the population density of , the impact of habitat disturbance on its demographic traits is still unknown. We performed a capture-mark-recapture study in both disturbed and intact forests from June 2018 to February 2020 in order to investigate the effects of habitat disturbance on abundance and two demographic traits: survival and maturation of in the Ukaguru Mountains.

Nonlinear maternal effects on personality in a rodent species with fluctuating densities.

Consistent among-individual variation in behavior, or animal personality, is present in a wide variety of species. This behavioral variation is maintained by both genetic and environmental factors. Parental effects are a special case of environmental variation and are expected to evolve in populations experiencing large fluctuations in their environment.

Three arenaviruses in three subspecific natal multimammate mouse taxa in Tanzania: same host specificity, but different spatial genetic structure?

is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and hosts several arenavirus species, including the pathogenic zoonotic Lassa virus in West Africa. Mitochondrial lineages sub-divide the range of and have been associated with cryptic structure within the species To test specificity of arenaviruses to hosts carrying these lineages, we screened 1772 in a large area of Tanzania where three mitochondrial lineages meet. We detected fifty-two individuals that were positive for one of three arenaviruses: Gairo, Morogoro, and Luna virus.

Trypanosome prevalence in pigs and tsetse flies from selected areas of Jomoro district of the western region of Ghana.

Detection of trypanosomes in tsetse or domestic livestock is a basic requirement for epidemiological studies as well as for planning and implementing control measures against tsetse and trypanosomiasis. This epidemiological study aimed at assessing the prevalence of trypanosomes in pigs and tsetse flies in the Jomoro district of the western region of Ghana using molecular techniques. Blood was collected from pigs and biconical traps were used to collect tsetse flies.

Passive Outdoor Host Seeking Device (POHD): Designing and Evaluation against Outdoor Biting Malaria Vectors.

Odor-baited devices are increasingly needed to compliment long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) for control of residual malaria transmission. However, the odor-baited devices developed so far are bulky, dependent on the source of electricity and carbon dioxide (CO), and they are logistically unsuitable for scaling up in surveillance and control of malaria vectors. We designed a passive and portable outdoor host seeking device (POHD) and preliminarily evaluated suitable components against that maintains residual malaria transmission.

Using a phenotype microarray and transcriptome analysis to elucidate multi-drug resistance regulated by the PhoR/PhoP two-component system in Bacillus subtilis strain NCD-2.

The PhoRP two-component system (TCS), one of the most important signaling pathways in Bacillus subtilis, regulates cell physiological reactions mainly under phosphate starvation conditions. The mechanism by which PhoRP TCS regulates resistance towards antibiotics in B. subtilis strain NCD-2 was investigated in this study.

Retrospective Analysis of Malaria Cases in a Potentially High Endemic Area of Morogoro Rural District, Eastern Tanzania.

Background: Malaria is increasingly characterized by appreciable fine-scale variability in ecology and topography, and it is likely that we are missing some salient foci with unprecedented malaria transmission intensity in different parts of Tanzania. Therefore, efforts aimed at identifying area-specific malaria situation and intervening are needed to preserve the realized health gains and achieve elimination. Mkuyuni and Kiroka, adjacent wards within Morogoro Rural District, are purported to form one of such foci.

The Use of Granular Cyclopentanone as Alternative to Artificial Source of Carbon Dioxide in Improved Passive Outdoor Host Seeking Device (POHD).

Reliable sources of CO that are relatively cheap, obtainable, and easy to sustain are immediately required for scaling up of odor-baited mosquito surveillance and control devices. Several odor-baited devices are in the pipeline; however, their scale-up against residual malaria transmission, particularly in resource poor areas, is limited by the unavailability of reliable sources of CO and reliance on electrical power sources among other factors. We evaluated the use of granular cyclopentanone as an alternative to artificial or yeast fermentation-produced CO in passive outdoor host seeking device (POHD).

Semifield Evaluation of Improved Passive Outdoor Host Seeking Device (POHD) for Outdoor Control of Mosquitoes.

Despite the considerable progress made so far, the effectiveness and mass application of odour-baited outdoor mosquito control devices in pipelines is limited by several factors. These include the design and size of the devices, optimal placement of attractive blends, and nature of materials into which the blends are impregnated. The primary aim of this study was to manipulate these factors to improve the attractiveness of our recently developed passive outdoor host seeking device (POHD) to outdoor biting .

Comparative assessment on rodent impacts and cultural perceptions of ecologically based rodent management in 3 Afro-Malagasy farming regions.

Rodents generate negative consequences for smallholder farmers in Africa that directly impact household and livestock damage, food security, and public health. Ecologically Based Rodent Management (EBRM) seeks sustainable solutions for the mitigation of rodent damage through assessments of rodent population dynamics, agro-ecosystems, and socio-cultural contexts. We adopt a comparative approach across 3 rural Afro-Malagasy smallholder farming regions in South Africa, Tanzania, and Madagascar to assess the household impacts of rodent pests and current perceptions and preferences associated with several rodent control measures.