Nociceptive neuropeptide increases and periorbital allodynia in a model of traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: This study tests the hypothesis that injury to the somatosensory cortex is associated with periorbital allodynia and increases in nociceptive neuropeptides in the brainstem in a mouse model of controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury. METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice received either CCI or craniotomy-only followed by weekly periorbital von Frey (mechanical) sensory testing for up to 28 days post-injury. Mice receiving an incision only and naïve mice were included as control groups. Changes in calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) within the brainstem were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Activation of ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule-1-labeled macrophages/microglia and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes were evaluated using immunohistochemistry because of their potential involvement in nociceptor sensitization. RESULTS: Incision-only control mice showed no changes from baseline periorbital von Frey mechanical thresholds. CCI significantly reduced mean periorbital von Frey thresholds (periorbital allodynia) compared with baseline and craniotomy-only at each endpoint, analysis of variance P \u3c .0001. Craniotomy significantly reduced periorbital threshold at 14 days but not 7, 21, or 28 days compared with baseline threshold, P \u3c .01. CCI significantly increased SP immunoreactivity in the brainstem at 7 and 14 days but not 28 days compared with craniotomy-only and controls, P \u3c .001. CGRP levels in brainstem tissues were significantly increased in CCI groups compared with controls (incision-only and naïve mice) or craniotomy-only mice at each endpoint examined, P \u3c .0001. There was a significant correlation between CGRP and periorbital allodynia (P \u3c .0001, r = -0.65) but not for SP (r = 0.20). CCI significantly increased the number of macrophage/microglia in the injured cortex at each endpoint up to 28 days, although cell numbers declined over weeks post-injury, P \u3c .001. GFAP(+) immunoreactivity was significantly increased at 7 but not 14 or 28 days after CCI, P \u3c .001. Craniotomy resulted in transient periorbital allodynia accompanied by transient increases in SP, CGRP, and GFAP immunoreactivity compared with control mice. There was no increase in the number of macrophage/microglia cells compared with controls after craniotomy. CONCLUSION: Injury to the somatosensory cortex results in persistent periorbital allodynia and increases in brainstem nociceptive neuropeptides. Findings suggest that persistent allodynia and increased neuropeptides are maintained by mechanisms other than activation of macrophage/microglia or astrocyte in the injured somatosensory cortex

Radiological assessment of natural radionuclide contents in soils from Omala, Kogi State, Nigeria.

High purity germanium detector (HPGe) was employed to assess radionuclide contents of 238U, 40K and 232Th in soils obtained from Omala, Kogi State, Nigeria. The activities measured vary from 9.0 to 82.2, 12.3 to 114.86 and below detector limit (BDL) and 349.0 Bq Kg-1 in 238U, 232Th and 40K respectively. Highest activities for the three radionuclides were consistently obtained from soil samples got from Igaliwu. The measured activities were engaged to estimate the absorbed dose, annual outdoor effective dose and gamma index. It was observed from the absorbed dose, annual equivalent dose and the gamma index estimated that soils from Igaliwu, Ijeke-ogene and Bagana were found to be higher than the recommended safe limit for normal background. This suggests that those living or using the soil for construction purposes are exposed to high radiation burden from natural radionuclides

Age as a Correlate of Quality of Academic Programmes: the Case of Public Universities in South West Nigeria

This study examined the influence of age on quality of academicprogrammes in South West Nigerian universities. A descriptive survey design was used in the study. Data were collected from 600 academic staff using stratified, purposive and simple random techniques. The data were analysed using frequency counts, percentages, means, standard deviation and t-test statistic. The study revealed that there was significant difference between first generation and third generation universities in their extent of compliance with quality assurance measures on academic programmes. Also, a significant difference was found between first generation and third generation universities on constraints to quality assurance measures with third generation universities facing greater constraints. It was recommended that both categories of universities be given adequate  attention in the provision of quality-enhancing inputs. However, third generation universities should be accorded greater priority in allocation of resources. In addition, greater collaboration is recommended between first and third generation universities while newly established universities must be affiliated with older universities for mentoring.Keywords: Age of University; Quality assurance; Programme accreditatio

Vibration under variable magnitude moving distributed masses of non-uniform Bernoulli-Euler beam resting on Pasternak elastic foundation

The dynamic response to variable magnitude moving distributed masses of simply supported non-uniform Bernoulli-Euler beam resting on Pasternak elastic foundation is investigated in this paper. The problem is governed by fourth-order partial differential equation with variable and singular coefficients. The main objective of this work is to obtain closed form solution to this class of dynamical problem. In order to obtain the solution, a technique based on the method of Galerkin with the series representation of Heaviside function is first used to reduce the equation to second order ordinary differential equations with variable coefficients. Thereafter the transformed equations are simplified using (i) The Laplace transformation technique in conjunction with convolution theory to obtain the solution for moving force problem and (ii) finite element analysis in conjunction with Newmark method to solve the analytically unsolvable moving mass problem because of the harmonic nature of the moving load. The finite element method is first used to solve the moving force problem and the solution is compared with the analytical solution of the moving force problem in order to validate the accuracy of the finite element method in solving the analytically unsolvable moving mass problem. The numerical solution using the finite element method is shown to compare favorably with the analytical solution of the moving force problem. The displacement response for moving distributed force and moving distributed mass models for the dynamical problem are calculated for various time t and presented in plotted curves

Observation of Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering

The coherent elastic scattering of neutrinos off nuclei has eluded detection for four decades, even though its predicted cross-section is the largest by far of all low-energy neutrino couplings. This mode of interaction provides new opportunities to study neutrino properties, and leads to a miniaturization of detector size, with potential technological applications. We observe this process at a 6.7-sigma confidence level, using a low-background, 14.6-kg CsI[Na] scintillator exposed to the neutrino emissions from the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Characteristic signatures in energy and time, predicted by the Standard Model for this process, are observed in high signal-to-background conditions. Improved constraints on non-standard neutrino interactions with quarks are derived from this initial dataset

Phytochemical Screening of the Bark of Vernonia Amygdalina

The bark of vernoniaamygdalina has been selected for this work in order to ascertain the natural and  medicinal endowment based on the ethnobotanical evidences of the plant. Phytochemical screening was carried out on the bark of vernoniaamygdalina (bitter leave), using both methanolic and chloroform extracts, this screening analysis confirmed the presence of saponins, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinones and phobatannins. Keywords: Phytochemical Screening, Vernoniaamygdalina

An overview of anti-diabetic plants used in Gabon: Pharmacology and Toxicology

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Ethnopharmacological relevance: The management of diabetes mellitus management in African communities, especially in Gabon, is not well established as more than 60% of population rely on traditional treatments as primary healthcare. The aim of this review was to collect and present the scientific evidence for the use of medicinal plants that are in currect by Gabonese traditional healers to manage diabetes or hyperglycaemia based here on the pharmacological and toxicological profiles of plants with anti-diabetic activity. There are presented in order to promote their therapeutic value, ensure a safer use by population and provide some bases for further study on high potential plants reviewed. Materials and methods: Ethnobotanical studies were sourced using databases such as Online Wiley library, Pubmed, Google Scholar, PROTA, books and unpublished data including Ph.D. and Master thesis, African and Asian journals. Keywords including ‘Diabetes’ ‘Gabon’ ‘Toxicity’ ‘Constituents’ ‘hyperglycaemia’ were used. Results: A total of 69 plants currently used in Gabon with potential anti-diabetic activity have been identified in the literature, all of which have been used in in vivo or in vitro studies. Most of the plants have been studied in human or animal models for their ability to reduce blood glucose, stimulate insulin secretion or inhibit carbohydrates enzymes. Active substances have been identified in 12 out of 69 plants outlined in this review, these include Allium cepa and Tabernanthe iboga. Only eight plants have their active substances tested for anti-diabetic activity and are suitables for further investigation. Toxicological data is scarce and is dose-related to the functional parameters of major organs such as kidney and liver. Conclusion: An in-depth understanding on the pharmacology and toxicology of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is lacking yet there is a great scope for new treatments. With further research, the use of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is important to ensure the safety of the diabetic patients in Gabon.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

First Measurement of Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering on Argon

We report the first measurement of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (\cevns) on argon using a liquid argon detector at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Spallation Neutron Source. Two independent analyses prefer \cevns over the background-only null hypothesis with greater than $3\sigma$ significance. The measured cross section, averaged over the incident neutrino flux, is (2.2 $\pm$ 0.7) $\times$10$^{-39}$ cm$^2$ -- consistent with the standard model prediction. The neutron-number dependence of this result, together with that from our previous measurement on CsI, confirms the existence of the \cevns process and provides improved constraints on non-standard neutrino interactions.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures with 2 pages, 6 figures supplementary material V3: fixes to figs 3,4 V4: fix typo in table 1, V5: replaced missing appendix, V6: fix Eq 1, new fig 3, V7 final version, updated with final revision

Nutritionally Improved Cookies from Composite Flour: African Walnut (Tetracarpidium conophorum) with Wheat

African walnut seed (Tetracarpidium conophorum) is rich in protein and phytochemical with great potentials for food application, but has limited uses in food industry. The African walnut seed was procured from Oje market and commercial wheat flour in Aleshiloye market, Ibadan. The commercial wheat and African walnut flours were composites of varying ratios; 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30 and 60:40 to prepare cookies and labeled samples X, A, B, C and D respectively. The proximate composition, anti-nutrients (oxalates, phytate and protease inhibitor), phyto-chemical (tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, saponins, and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) and sensory evaluation of the cookies were determined using standard methods. The result of proximate composition of cookies showed that carbohydrate (47.0-52.36%), protein (16.3-19.6%) and fat (18.5-19.2%) were the major components in the cookie samples. Other components including; moisture (7.7-8.4%), ash (4.1-4.2%) and fibre (0.9-1.8%) were generally low. Anti-nutrient factors of cookie samples ranged from 11.3-17.7mg/100g for Phytate and no traces of oxalates and protease inhibitors in all cookie samples. Control cookie sample had no traces of tannin, flavonoids and saponins, but enriched cookie ranged from 10.3-14.7mg/100g; 3.4-5.7mg/100g and 10.7-15.3mg/100g, respectively. Phytochemical constituents of cookie samples in ORAC ranged from 3.4-12.0mg/100g and alkaloids (3.7-7.7mg/100g). Organoleptic panelists preferred sample X to all other samples, followed by sample A. Inclusion of 10% African walnut flour compared favorably with wheat cookie in terms of sensory quality