Prevalence of Giardia species in Cattle Faecal Matter in Selected Farms in Weija and Kpong Major Water Supply Heads to Accra, Ghana.

In developing countries including Ghana, giardiasis plays a major role in gastroenteritis in vertebrate. It poses health and socio-economic burden, and continues to be one of the causes of infant and calf mortality. Their infection continues to thrive in humans due to the zoonotic transmission of infected domesticated animals including cattle, dogs and cats, and their con­tinual presence in water bodies. The objective of this study was to establish their presence and evaluate the prevalence of Giardia sp. in cattle faecal matter in the environment in the Kpong and Weija communities. The Iron-haematoxylin staining techniques was used to analyze the faecal samples in order to identify Giardia sp. (Student t- test and Chi square were the statistical analyses) used for the studies. About five percent (5.3%) prevalence was obtained in both com­munities and this was significant (p> 0.05). The parasite was found to be most prevalent (9.4%) in calves less than 3 months old and this decreased with age of calf. It was also observed that Giardia plays an important role in the cause of diarrhoea in cattle. There is the need to educate people on the disease and its implication on the quality of water from the treatment plants. Keywords: Giardia sp, water, contamination, diarrhoea, infant mortality.

Isoenzymatic and cytological studies of some Asiatic species of the genus Salsola

The genetic and cytological variability of population of three <em>Salsola</em> species from Asia was investigated, using isozyme electrophoresis and haematoxylin staining. Eight enzyme systems, representing 14-17 loci, were examined: 6PGD, DIA, G6PD, GDH, GOT, MDH, PGM and PGI. Analysis of the chromosome number revealed that the three species have the same number of chromosomes: <em>2n=18</em>. Parameters describing genetic diversity indicate a very low level of genetic variation of the studied populations. The isozyme data support hypothesis that strong directional selection can result in lower level of genetic variation of arid plant populations.

Demonstration of intranuclear vesicles in blast cells in lymph nodes with different fixatives and staining techniques

For the demonstration or intranuclear vesicles, iodine vapor, formalin vapor, and methyl alcohol fixations give equivalent results when followed by staining with the May-Grünwald Giemsa technique. Neutral buffered formalin and May-Grünwald Giemsa staining demonstrate fewer intranuclear vesicles than the first-mentioned combinations. Iodine vapor or formalin vapor fixations followed by Mayer's haematoxylin staining show greater numbers of nuclei with vesicles.Formalin fixes nuclei slowly, which allows nuclear contraction and thus the squeezing-out of vesicles. Haematoxylin stains protein, while May-Grünwald Giemsa technique does not stain proteins but deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). It therefore follows that the demonstration of vesicles in blast cell nuclei depends on the fixatives and staining methods used.

TWO TYPES OF SERTOLI CELLS IN MAN

ABSTRACT By means of iron haematoxylin staining carefully differentiated by either picric acid or iron alum, Sertoli cells may be differentiated into two types, one (type A) containing unstained nuclei and the other (type B) intensely stained nuclei. No intermediate forms appear to be present. The two types are most easily found in the Sertoli-cell-only syndrome but they are present in the testes with spermatogenesis although type B is rare. The immature (pro-) Sertoli cells in infantile testes also display the two types. The two types of Sertoli cells differ in their degree of binding between nucleic acids and nucleic protein. The significance of the existence of these two types is discussed.