The efficacy of the pre-and post-planting application of neem seed oil (NSO) or/and diazinon and time of harvest for the control of sweetpotato weevil, Cylas puncticollis (Boh.) was evaluated during the 2009 and 2010 cropping seasons. Forty-eight plots of 3 x 4 m 2 each were demarcated and 240 sweetpotato (var. TIS2532.op.1.13) vine cuttings were dipped into 0, 30 and 50 mls NSO and 30 mls of diazinon (60 EC) mixed in 2 and 10 litre soapy water, respectively and kept for 30 mins before planting. Similar treatment was also basally applied post-planting at 1MAP. In 2009, results showed that treatments (NSO or diazinon or their combinations) did not significantly influence percentage plant stand at harvest in both years, but lower percentage plant stands were obtained at 6 MAP (47.72%) than at 5MAP (56.87%). Significantly higher mean total weights of 34.44 t/ha was obtained in 2009 and 8.99 t/ha in 2010 respectively. Similarly, yield ranged from as high as 53.69 t/ha at 5MAP in 2009 to as low as 5.51t/ha at 6MAP in 2010. Significantly lower attributes of C. puncticollis as a pest were obtained in 2009 than in 2010. Treatments significantly suppressed root damage from 68.59% (Pr0Pt0) to 44.38% (Pr3Pt3) at 5 to 6MAP. Time of application was significant as 50 mls of NSO applied pre-and post-planting gave highest (35.30%) control of the pest at harvest.

The parasitic weed Striga poses a serious threat to cereal production in sub-Saharan Africa. For many years, technological packages for the control of this weed were proposed and implemented on farmers' fields. A study was conducted in 2012 and 2013 to determine maize/ Jointvetch (Aeschynomenehistrix) and N fertilization effect on Striga infestation and maize yield. The intercropping trial consists of six treatments, four inorganic N fertilizer levels of 0, 60, 90, 120 kg ha -1 , alternate hill and same hill intercropping of A. histrix. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Alternate hill and same hill intercropping significantly (P < 0.05) reduced Striga infestationwith respect to Striga shoots per m -2 and plot, Strigareation score and enhanced maize grain yield. There was a significant decline in the level of damage by Striga on maize in plots that received 60 -120 kg N ha -1 . Alternate hill and same hill intercropping had maize grain yield of 3295 kg ha -1 and 2616 kg ha -1 which were significantly higher than those obtained without inorganic N application (306 kg ha -1 ). Inorganic N application had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on grain yield. Lowest grain yield of 306 kg ha -1 was obtained without inorganic N application, whi ch was significantly (P<0.05) different from those fertilized with inorganic N, that had comparable grain yields. Inorganic N fertilizer rate of 60 kg ha -1 seems to be optimum for maize.

In the past decades, nanoparticles (NP) have shown tremendous potential for biomedical applications, such as targeted therapeutics, medical imaging, and biosensors. After administration, NP will directly interact with various biological components in the body, forming a protein corona (PC) on their surface. The PC composition affects the NP identity and behavior, including its stability, targeting ability, cellular uptake, toxicity, biodistribution, and elimination. Thus, a more profound understanding of the nano-bio-interface is crucial to improving the NP design for theranostic applications. The personalized PC (PPC) concept allows specific PC characteristics identification for early disease diagnosis and personalized therapeutics. However, accurate PC characterization is challenging due to its dynamic and complex nature. Until now, most studies have been focused on the NP PC characterization in vitro yet put less emphasis on its translational aspects. In this mini-review, the author will discuss various challenges surrounding PPC research, strategies to bridge that gap, clinical relevance, and future outlook. PPC's application for biomarker discoveries and recent advances in PPC analysis methodologies such as multiomics approach, Proteograph workflow, and machine learning algorithm will also be explored. Overall, PPC technology keeps evolving, and it holds a promising future in the personalized medicine era.

Background: Antibiotic resistant infections were responsible for the deaths of 1.27 million people, with an overall 4.95 million deaths associated with complications from resistant bacterial infections globally. Aim: This study determined the antibiotics; aztreonam (ATM), meropenem (MEM) and imipenem (IMP) resistant Gram negative bacteria from inpatient department in FMC, Birnin Kebbi. Methods: Thirty (30) samples from different fomites in the inpatient department were aseptically collected using swab sticks. Streak plate technique was used to characterize and identify the bacterial isolates, then disc diffusion technique was employed to check the resistance pattern of the isolates to the antibiotics as in EUCAST guidelines version 12.0. Results: The biochemical technique further confirmed the occurrence of; Escherichia coli (E. coli) (35%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (30%), Klebseilla pneumonia (20%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) (15%). On the antibiotic resistance screening, E. coli and A. baumannii were found multi-drug resistant (MDR) to the antibiotics. The remaining isolates show resistance to the antibiotics except Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumonia were found sensitive to MEM and IPM respectively. Conclusion: Bacteria isolated are highly drug resistant to the antibiotics. The need for routine environmental sanitation, proper personal hygiene among the hospital participants, drug repositioning and molecular assay for rapid detection of MDR bacteria.