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Objective: In 2016, Spodoptera frugiperda invaded Africa and caused serious economic damage. To protect crops from this dangerous pest, it was necessary to use all plant protection methods, like biological and chemical control. Producing powerful pesticides for the efficient management of this pest was the interest of many scientists around the world. Methods: A large number of chemical compounds were synthesized and tested for their toxicological activity against this new invading pest. The synthesized pyrazole derivatives are the subject of the first study on the harmful effects they cause, followed by structural relationships. Following the stated protocols, five pyrazole derivatives were synthesized as pure active ingredients, and their efficacy as potential insecticides against S. frugiperda was tested. Results and Discussion: The toxicity data exhibited that compound (VIb), with LC50 of 8.81 and 16.16 ppm, was more toxic than other synthesized insecticidal agents against the 2nd and 4th larval instars, respectively. The other checked compounds showed weak to strong insecticidal activity in the final category; the biological effects of the synthesized insecticidal agents on S. frugiperda under laboratory conditions were also investigated. These findings were validated via molecular docking investigations of the titled compounds against the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABA), which had PDB ID: 4COF.The results showed a strong interaction of (IVb) and (VIb) with the target 4COF protein with a high negative docking score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the characterization of an African swine fever genotype IX virus (ASFV-Kenya-IX-1033), which was isolated from a domestic pig in western Kenya during a reported outbreak. This includes the efficiency of virus replication and in vivo virulence, together with genome stability and virulence, following passage in blood macrophages and in a wild boar lung cell line (WSL). The ASFV-Kenya-IX-1033 stock retained its ability to replicate in primary macrophages and retained virulence in vivo, following more than 20 passages in a WSL. At the whole genome level, a few single-nucleotide differences were observed between the macrophage and WSL-propagated viruses. Thus, we propose that the WSL is suitable for the production of live-attenuated ASFV vaccine candidates based on the modification of this wild-type isolate. The genome sequences for ASFV-Kenya-IX-1033 propagated in macrophages and in WSL cells were submitted to GenBank, and a challenge model based on the isolate was developed. This will aid the development of vaccines against the genotype IX ASFV circulating in eastern and central Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is swiftly increasing all over the world. In Africa, it manifests more in pathogenic bacteria in form of antibiotic resistance (ABR). On this continent, bacterial contamination of commonly used herbal medicine (HM) is on the increase, but information about antimicrobial resistance in these contaminants is limited due to fragmented studies. Here, we analyzed research that characterized ABR in pathogenic bacteria isolated from HM in Africa since 2000; to generate a comprehensive understanding of the drug-resistant bacterial contamination burden in this region. Methods: The study was conducted according to standards of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). We searched for articles from 12 databases. These were: PubMed, Science Direct, Scifinder scholar, Google scholar, HerbMed, Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau Abstracts, African Journal Online, and Biological Abstracts. Prevalence and ABR traits of bacterial isolates, Cochran's Q test, and the I2 statistic for heterogeneity were evaluated using MedCalcs software. A random-effects model was used to determine the pooled prevalence of ABR traits. The potential sources of heterogeneity were examined through sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis, and meta-regression at a 95% level of significance. Findings: Eighteen studies met our inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of bacterial resistance to at least one conventional drug was 86.51% (95% CI = 61.247–99.357%). The studies were highly heterogeneous (I2 = 99.17%; p < 0.0001), with no evidence of publication bias. The most prevalent multidrug-resistant species was Escherichia coli (24.0%). The most highly resisted drug was Ceftazidime with a pooled prevalence of 95.10% (95% CI = 78.51–99.87%), while the drug-class was 3rd generation cephalosporins; 91.64% (95% CI = 78.64–96.73%). None of the eligible studies tested isolates for Carbapenem resistance. Extended Spectrum β-lactamase genes were detected in 89 (37.2%) isolates, mostly Salmonella spp., Proteus vulgaris, and K. pneumonia. Resistance plasmids were found in 6 (5.8%) isolates; the heaviest plasmid weighed 23,130 Kilobases, and Proteus vulgaris harbored the majority (n = 5; 83.3%). Conclusions: Herbal medicines in Africa harbor bacterial contaminants which are highly resistant to conventional medicines. This points to a potential treatment failure when these contaminants are involved in diseases causation. More research on this subject is recommended, to fill the evidence gaps and support the formation of collaborative quality control mechanisms for the herbal medicine industry in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the etiological agent of a contagious and fatal disease of domestic pigs that has significant economic consequences for the global swine industry. Due to the lack of effective treatment and vaccines against African swine fever, there is an urgent need to leverage cutting-edge technologies and cost-effective approaches for generating and purifying recombinant virus to fast-track the development of live-attenuated ASFV vaccines. Here, we describe the use of the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and a cost-effective cloning system to produce recombinant ASFVs. Combining these approaches, we developed a recombinant virus lacking the non-essential gene A238L (5EL) in the highly virulent genotype IX ASFV (ASFV-Kenya-IX-1033) genome in less than 2 months as opposed to the standard homologous recombination with conventional purification techniques which takes up to 6 months on average. Our approach could therefore be a method of choice for less resourced laboratories in developing nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the political ideologies of Frantz Fanon and his impact on the African liberation movement. Fanon's criticisms of single-party dictatorships, personal rule, cult of leaders, and military authoritarianism; Recognition of class formation in African politics; Fanon's stand against autarky; Fanon's books.

Summary: The creation and implementation of national cancer control plans is becoming increasingly necessary for countries in Africa, with the number of new cancer cases per year in the continent expected to reach up to 1·5 million by 2020. Examples from South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, and Rwanda describe the state of national cancer control plans and their implementation. Whereas in Rwanda the emphasis is on development of basic facilities needed for cancer care, in those countries with more developed economies, such as South Africa and Nigeria, the political will to fund national cancer control plans is limited, even though the plans exist and are otherwise well conceived. Improved awareness of the increasing burden of cancer and increased advocacy are needed to put pressure on governments to develop, fund, and implement national cancer control plans across the continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]