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Climate change has been a great drawback for developing countries regarding agricultural productivity. In discussing the possible spheres of adapting agriculture to climate change, climate service mainstreaming is given less attention despite its role in agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where smallholder farming is dominant and rain-fed. Attempts at mainstreaming climate services through sectorial development strategies in order to improve adaptive capacities of stakeholder institutions are often given less attention. This paper argues that mainstreaming climate services should be at the forefront in ensuring a resilient agricultural base in SSA and that the co- production of these services is ideal for all users. Drawing on empirical evidence from Ghana, the paper concludes that though the mainstreaming of climate services provides possible reliable options for developing a resilient agricultural sector, there are institutional challenges that require immediate redress especially the adoption of a National Framework for Climate Services. Keywords: Agricultural policy, Climate change, Climate services, Ghana

The societal acceptability of different applications of genomic technologies to animal production systems will determine whether their innovation trajectories will reach the commercialisation stage. Importantly, technological implementation and commercialisation trajectories, regulation, and policy development need to take account of public priorities and attitudes. More effective co-production practices will ensure the application of genomic technologies to animals aligns with public priorities and are acceptable to society. Consumer rejection of, and limited demand for, animal products developed using novel genomic technologies will determine whether they are integration into the food system. However, little is known about whether genomic technologies that accelerate breeding but do not introduce cross-species genetic changes are more acceptable to consumers than those that do. Five focus groups, held in the north east of England, were used to explore the perceptions of, and attitudes towards, the use of genomic technologies in breeding farm animals for the human food supply chain. Overall, study participants were more positive towards genomic technologies applied to promote animal welfare (e.g., improved disease resistance), environmental sustainability, and human health. Animal “disenhancement” was viewed negatively and increased food production alone was not perceived as a potential benefit. In comparison to gene editing, research participants were most negative about genetic modification and the application of gene drives, independent of the benefits delivered.

Many schools in South Africa ban smartphones. The decision does not take into account the views of the learners. The purpose of this paper was to elicit learners’ views regarding smartphones in schools. A survey design was used and data were collected from 93 learners using a questionnaire consisting of closed- and open-ended items. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics for the closed-ended items and taxonomical analysis was used for the open-ended items. The results indicate that 55.9% of learners are of the view that smartphones should be allowed in schools. The results from the open-ended items show that information searching and processing were the most prevalent views among learners. While the learners acknowledged possible distractions using smartphones in classrooms, their views included setting rules to limit any misuse of smartphones in schools. This study recommends further study on learners’ views regarding smartphones in schools.

Our understanding of radiation-induced cellular damage has greatly improved over the past few decades. Despite this progress, there are still many obstacles to fully understand how radiation interacts with biologically relevant cellular components, such as DNA, to cause observable end points such as cell killing. Damage in DNA is identified as a major route of cell killing. One hurdle when modeling biological effects is the difficulty in directly comparing results generated by members of different research groups. Multiple Monte Carlo codes have been developed to simulate damage induction at the DNA scale, while at the same time various groups have developed models that describe DNA repair processes with varying levels of detail. These repair models are intrinsically linked to the damage model employed in their development, making it difficult to disentangle systematic effects in either part of the modeling chain. These modeling chains typically consist of track-structure Monte Carlo simulations of the physical interactions creating direct damages to DNA, followed by simulations of the production and initial reactions of chemical species causing so-called "indirect" damages. After the induction of DNA damage, DNA repair models combine the simulated damage patterns with biological models to determine the biological consequences of the damage. To date, the effect of the environment, such as molecular oxygen (normoxic vs. hypoxic), has been poorly considered. We propose a new standard DNA damage (SDD) data format to unify the interface between the simulation of damage induction in DNA and the biological modeling of DNA repair processes, and introduce the effect of the environment (molecular oxygen or other compounds) as a flexible parameter. Such a standard greatly facilitates inter-model comparisons, providing an ideal environment to tease out model assumptions and identify persistent, underlying mechanisms. Through inter-model comparisons, this unified standard has the potential to greatly advance our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of radiation-induced DNA damage and the resulting observable biological effects when radiation parameters and/or environmental conditions change.

Many schools in South Africa ban smartphones. The decision does not take into account the views of the learners. The purpose of this paper was to elicit learners' views regarding smartphones in schools. A survey design was used and data were collected from 93 learners using a questionnaire consisting of closed- and open-ended items. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics for the closed-ended items and taxonomical analysis was used for the open-ended items. The results indicate that 55.9% of learners are of the view that smartphones should be allowed in schools. The results from the open-ended items show that information searching and processing were the most prevalent views among learners. While the learners acknowledged possible distractions using smartphones in classrooms, their views included setting rules to limit any misuse of smartphones in schools. This study recommends further study on learners' views regarding smartphones in schools.

Freeze‒thaw induced landslides (FTILs) in grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau are a geological disaster leading to soil erosion. These landslides reduce biodiversity and intensify landscape fragmentation, which in turn are strengthen by the persistent climate change and increased anthropogenic activities. However, conventional techniques for mapping FTILs on a regional scale are impractical due to their labor-intensive, costly, and time-consuming nature. This study focuses on improving FTILs detection by implementing image fusion-based Google Earth Engine (GEE) and a random forest algorithm. Integration of multiple data sources, including texture features, index features, spectral features, slope, and vertical‒vertical polarization data, allow automatic detection of the spatial distribution characteristics of FTILs in Zhidoi county, which is located within the Qinghai‒Tibet Engineering Corridor (QTEC). We employed statistical techniques to elucidate the mechanisms influencing FTILs occurrence. The enhanced method identifies two schemes that achieve high accuracy using a smaller training sample (scheme A: 94.1%; scheme D: 94.5%) compared to other methods (scheme B: 50.0%; scheme C: 95.8%). This methodology is effective in generating accurate results using only ∼10% of the training sample size necessitated by other methods. The spatial distribution patterns of FTILs generated for 2021 are similar to those obtained using various other training sample sources, with a primary concentration observed along the central region traversed by the QTEC. The results highlight the slope as the most crucial feature in the fusion images, accounting for 93% of FTILs occurring on gentle slopes ranging from 0° to 14°. This study provides a theoretical framework and technological reference for the identification, monitoring, prevention and control of FTILs in grasslands. Such developments hold the potential to benefit the management of grassland ecosystem, reduce economic losses, and promote grassland sustainability.

Background. In islet transplantation, the use of dynamic hypothermic preservation techniques is a current challenge. This study compares the efficacy of 3 pancreas preservation methods: static cold storage, hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP), and oxygenated HMP. Methods. A standardized human pancreas split model was employed using discarded organs from both donation after brain death (n = 15) and donation after circulatory death (DCD) (n = 9) donors. The pancreas head was preserved using static cold storage (control group), whereas the tail was preserved using the 3 different methods (study group). Data on donor characteristics, pancreas histology, isolation outcomes, and functional tests of isolated islets were collected. Results. Insulin secretory function evaluated by calculating stimulation indices and total amount of secreted insulin during high glucose stimulation (area under the curve) through dynamic perifusion experiments was similar across all paired groups from both DCD and donation after brain death donors. In our hands, islet yield (IEQ/g) from the pancreas tails used as study groups was higher than that of the pancreas heads as expected although this difference did not always reach statistical significance because of great variability probably due to suboptimal quality of organs released for research purposes. Moreover, islets from DCD organs had greater purity than controls (P ≤ 0.01) in the HMP study group. Furthermore, our investigation revealed no significant differences in pancreas histology, oxidative stress markers, and apoptosis indicators. Conclusions. For the first time, a comparative analysis was conducted, using a split model, to assess the effects of various preservation methods on islets derived from pancreas donors. Nevertheless, no discernible variances were observed in terms of islet functionality, histological attributes, or isolation efficacy. Further investigations are needed to validate these findings for clinical application.

Key Clinical Message Gastric adenocarcinoma can present uncommonly. This emphasizes the need for intensified vigilance in the absence of typical gastrointestinal symptoms, particularly in areas where infectious diseases are common. Abstract Gastric adenocarcinoma, a common advanced‐age global malignancy is typically associated with abdominal symptoms. However, atypical presentations such as back pain and respiratory distress particularly in younger patients represent diagnostic challenges. We present a case of a late‐30s male who presented initially with back pain, shortness of breath, and constitutional symptoms. A diagnosis of tuberculosis was established presumptively with immediate initiation of treatment. Later on, he presented with abdominal pain and intractable vomiting. Oesophagoduodenoscopy (OGD), tissue histology, and immunohistochemistry confirmed a diffuse type gastric adenocarcinoma. He died as a result of complications from an advanced disease. This particular instance emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high index of skepticism even in atypical presentations, as well as the significance of prompt OGD alongside potential genetic testing if any. Gastric adenocarcinoma should be contemplated by clinicians in a variety of clinical scenarios, especially when handling younger patients from settings with limited resources to facilitate timely diagnosis and effective treatment.

Abstract The primary reason for the failure of malaria vector control across endemic regions is the widespread insecticide resistance observed in Anopheles vectors. The most dominant African vectors of malaria parasites are Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles funestus mosquitoes. These species often exhibit divergent behaviours and adaptive changes underscoring the importance of deploying active and effective measures in their control. Unlike An. gambiae, An. funestus mosquitoes are poorly studied in Benin Republic. However, recent reports indicated that An. funestus can adapt and colonize various ecological niches owing to its resistance against insecticides and adaptation to changing breeding habitats. Unfortunately, scientific investigations on the contribution of An. funestus to malaria transmission, their susceptibility to insecticide and resistance mechanism developed are currently insufficient for the design of better control strategies. In an attempt to gather valuable information on An. funestus, the present review examines the progress made on this malaria vector species in Benin Republic and highlights future research perspectives on insecticide resistance profiles and related mechanisms, as well as new potential control strategies against An. funestus. Literature analysis revealed that An. funestus is distributed all over the country, although present in low density compared to other dominant malaria vectors. Interestingly, An. funestus is being found in abundance during the dry seasons, suggesting an adaptation to desiccation. Among the An. funestus group, only An. funestus sensu stricto (s.s.) and Anopheles leesoni were found in the country with An. funestus s.s. being the most abundant species. Furthermore, An. funestus s.s. is the only one species in the group contributing to malaria transmission and have adapted biting times that allow them to bite at dawn. In addition, across the country, An. funestus were found resistant to pyrethroid insecticides used for bed nets impregnation and also resistant to bendiocarb which is currently being introduced in indoor residual spraying formulation in malaria endemic regions. All these findings highlight the challenges faced in controlling this malaria vector. Therefore, advancing the knowledge of vectorial competence of An. funestus, understanding the dynamics of insecticide resistance in this malaria vector, and exploring alternative vector control measures, are critical for sustainable malaria control efforts in Benin Republic.

Abstract Background Anaemia persistently remains a grave public health challenge in most sub-Saharan African countries. Understanding the perspectives of young adults concerning the multi-factorial nature of anaemia may be an important step towards meeting the 2025 global nutrition target of halving anaemia since these individuals might be in the process of reproductive decisions. Aim To explore the relationship between students’ knowledge about individuals at risk of developing anaemia, and anaemia consequences, and anaemia prevention strategies in a tertiary student cohort. Methods This sequential exploratory study adopted a mixed-methods approach to triangulate the data collection. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather baseline data regarding students’ perspective on anaemia. Themes that emerged from the initial questionnaire data analyses guided a focus group discussion (FGD) to further explore students’ perspectives on anaemia. FGD data was thematically analysed to unearth reasons behind questionnaire item selection. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to explore the relationship between constructs in the anaemia knowledge questionnaire. Results Overall, 543 students participated in the initial questionnaire data acquisition compared to 16 in the FGD. Our latent variable structural model showed that knowing the causes of anaemia did not significantly (p > 0.05) associate with either knowledge about anaemia consequences (b = 0.113) or knowledge about anaemia prevention strategies (b = 0.042). However, knowledge about individuals at-risk of anaemia was significantly positively associated with both anaemia prevention strategies (b = 0.306, p