Moringa oleifera Lam extract attenuates gastric ulcerations in high salt loaded rats

Moringa oleifera Lam is a plant used extensively both in traditional and orthodox medicine to treat myriad ailments, including gastrointestinal disorders. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of leaf extract of M. oleifera some gastrointestinal function parameters in high salt loaded rats. Acute toxicity study was done using 70 male white mice (18-20 g) were used for the study. They were randomly selected and assigned to 7 cages of 10 animals per cage. Percentage mortalities were converted to probits and plotted against the log10 of the dose of the extract from which the LD50 value was calculated. Fresh leaf extract of M. oleifera was Soxhlet extracted. 24 albino Wistar rats were randomly assigned into 4 main groups of 6 rats each. Fed on normal rat chow, high salt (8% NaCl) diet + 1% NaCl drinking water and/or M. oleifera extract (600 mg/kg bw). The feeding regimens lasted for 42 days. Results obtained revealed that the extract had an LD50 value of 1,872.22 mg/kg from which a test dose of 600 mg/kg was derived for the feeding regimen. The salt fed rats had significantly (p<005) raised basal gastric acid output (9.03 ± 0.17 mmol/L/hr) compared with control (7.27 ± 0.17 mmol/L/hr), but had blunted response to administered histamine and cimetidine, while treatment with the extract enhanced the sensitivity of histamine in high salt loaded rats. Gastric mucus concentration was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the salt untreated group (0.25 ± 0.004 g) compared with other groups. The salt fed untreated group also had significantly (p<0.05) raised gastric ulcers (10.83 ± 0.70) compared with other groups, these were reversed following Moringa treatment. In conclusion, Moringa oleifera extract reverses gastric ulcers and blunted histaminergic receptors in high salt fed rats. The mechanism by which high salt increases gastric secretion is independent of the histaminergic mechanism

Alteration in biochemical indices following administration of seafood (Thais coronata) extract

Seafood consumption has been a way of life to most people especially those that leave in riverine areas, because seafoods are known to contain many nutrients that are essential for healthy living. Consequently, this research therefore seeks to investigate the effect of these nutritive components of Thais coronata on biochemical indices of albino Wistar rats. Fourty five male albino Wister rats weighing between 180-220 g were assigned into 3 groups of fifteen rats each in metabolic cages and were given rat feed and drinking water ad libitum. Two test doses (low dose 7.0 mg protein/ml and&nbsp; high dose 52 mg protein/ml) were selected&nbsp; and&nbsp; administered&nbsp; to&nbsp; two&nbsp; groups&nbsp; of&nbsp; rats&nbsp; orally&nbsp; and&nbsp; daily&nbsp; for&nbsp; six&nbsp; weeks,&nbsp; while&nbsp; a third group of rats served as the control, n = 15. At the expiration of the feeding period, blood samples were obtained from all the rats via cardiac puncture for the analysis of the various biochemical indices. Both the low and high doses of the extract produced significant increases in HDLc (P&lt;0.001) compared with control. k (P&lt;0.001), HCO3- (P&lt;0.01) and Ca2+ (P&lt;0.001) were also significantly increased in the&nbsp; extract treated groups. The extract groups had significant reductions in ALT (P&lt;0.001), ALP (P&lt;0.001), Na+ (P&lt;0.001) and Cl- (P&lt;0.001) compared with control. Also Tc (P&lt;0.001), TG (P&lt;0.001), LDL (P&lt;0.001) and VLDLc (P&lt;0.001) were significantly decreased in the extract treated group. In conclusion seafood consumption is of immense benefit to health because it serves to regulate the lipid profile, electrolytes and enzyme concentrations in blood. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.58078

Electronic Structures and Bonding of Oxygen on Plutonium Layers

Oxygen adsorption on delta-Pu (100) and (111) surfaces have been studied at both non-spin-polarized and spin-polarized levels using the generalized gradient approximation of density functional theory (GGA-DFT)with Perdew and Wang functionals. The center position of the (100) surface is found to be the most favorable site with chemisorption energies of 7.386 eV and 7.080 eV at the two levels of theory. The distances of the oxygen adatom from the Pu surface are found to be 0.92A and 1.02A, respectively. For the (111) surface non-spin-polarized calculations, the center position is also the preferred site with a chemisorption energy of 7.070 eV and the distance of the adatom being 1.31A, but for spin-polarized calculations the bridge and the center sites are found to be basically degenerate, the difference in chemisorption energies being only 0.021 eV. In general, due to the adsorption of oxygen, plutonium 5f orbitals are pushed further below the Fermi energy, compared to the bare plutonium layers. The work function, in general, increases due to oxygen adsorption on plutonium surfaces.Comment: Spin-polarization is considered, and the paper is revised accordingl

Experimental Study on Sand Transport Characteristics in Horizontal and Inclined Two-Phase Solid-Liquid Pipe Flow

An experimental investigation on the hydraulic transport of sand particles in pipelines is presented in both horizontal and 30° upward inclined orientations. The pipe, with an internal diameter of 0.0254 m, had sand transported in various water superficial velocities at low and high sand concentrations [0.1%–10% volume-to-volume ratio (v/v)]. Sand particles were polydisperse (144–250 μm) with

Stress among UK academics : identifying who copes best?

This paper examined the levels of stress and coping strategies among UK academics. Adopting a positive psychology approach, the influence of the character strengths of hope, optimism, gratitude and self-efficacy, on stress, subjective well-being (SWB), and mental health (GHQ) was examined in 216 academics in a UK university. The study explored the relationship between coping styles and work-coping variables of sense of coherence and work locus of control and stress. No significant differences on the stress, well-being and mental health measures were found for participants' gender, whether in full-time or part-time employment and level of seniority within the university. Participants using problem-focussed coping experienced lower levels of stress while dysfunctional coping was a positive predictor of stress. Hope agency, hope pathway, gratitude, optimism and self-efficacy were the strongest positive predictors of satisfaction with life (SWL), while levels of perceived stress negatively predicted SWL. Gratitude, hope agency and self-efficacy positively predicted positive affect, while stress was a negative predictor. Gratitude, hope agency, self-efficacy and optimism were negative significant predictors of negative affect while stress was a positive predictor. Gratitude positively predicted mental health, while stress was a negative predictor and optimism was a significant moderator of the relationship between stress and mental health. Academics with higher levels of gratitude, self-efficacy, hope and optimism report lower levels of stress at work and higher levels of well-being as measured by higher life satisfaction, higher positive affect and lower negative affect. New approaches to stress management training are suggested based on these findings

A density functional study of molecular oxygen adsorption and reaction barrier on Pu (100) surface

Oxygen molecule adsorptions on a Pu (100) surface have been studied in detail, using the generalized gradient approximation to density functional theory. Dissociative adsorption with a layer by layer alternate spin arrangement of the plutonium layer is found to be energetically more favorable compared to molecular adsorption. Hor2 approach on a bridge site without spin polarization was found to the highest chemisorbed site with energy of 8.787 eV among all the cases studied. The second highest chemisorption energy of 8.236 eV, is the spin-polarized Hor2 or Ver approach at center site. Inclusion of spin polarization affects the chemisorption processes significantly, non-spin-polarized chemisorption energies being typically higher than the spin-polarized energies. We also find that the 5f electrons to be more localized in spin-polarized cases compared to the non-spin-polarized counterparts. The ionic part of O-Pu bonding plays a significant role, while the Pu 5f-O 2p hybridization was found to be rather week. Also, adsorptions of oxygen push the top of 5f band deeper away from the Fermi level, indicating further bonding by the 5f orbitals might be less probable. Except for the interstitial sites, the work functions increase due to adsorptions of oxygen

Peadiatric intussusception in Calabar, Nigeria

(East African Medical Journal: 2001 78(1): 19-21

Affirmative action measures and gender equality: review of evidence, policies, and practices

YesThe central aim of this chapter is to describe the policy and practice of affirmative action measures. It synthesizes findings from published studies and highlights the rationale, drivers, benefits, beneficiaries, effectiveness, and impacts of affirmative action policies and practices in different countries. The chapter will discuss the possible lessons from these studies and highlight the link between affirmative action policies and practices and contributions to achieving target 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).The full-text of this article will be released for public view at the end of the publisher embargo on 12 May 2022