Hybrid Cooling System for Industrial Application

A hybrid cooling System was constructed and tested for glass-ware and plastic-ware production. The unit utilizes water-in-air stream to cool molds in glass and plastic forming processes. The rate of heat transfer between the mold surface and the two component two-phase stream was increased more than five times over that achieved by using the gas (air) phase alone. The enhanced cooling rate yielded speed increase in production by about 65%. The system also reduced the level of noise due to air blast at the press by limiting the use of compressed air. This cooling unit could also be used in iron and steel industries

Determination of ulcer protecting effect of ethanol extract of Gongronema latifolium in rats

Ethanol extract of dietary vegetable, Gongronema latifolium, was evaluated for anti-ulcer activity. The extract was obtained from air-dried, pulverized leaves of the plant following its maceration in ethanol, filteration with Whatman No. 1 filter paper and drying at 110°C. Fractionation of the dry crude ethanol extract was stepwisely carried out in with n-hexane, chloroform and ethylacetate, respectively, and their residual ethanol extract washed several times in ethanol. The four fractions were dried at low temperature and stored for use. The anti-ulcer activity of the crude extract was tested on indomethacininduced and acid/ethanol-induced models of ulcer induction in rats. The activities of the fraction of the crude ethanol extract with respect, to reduction of ulcer index was evaluated only on indomethacininduced ulcer model. The crude ethanol extract significantly (p<0.05) inhibited ulceration dose - dependently in the two ulcer models. This inhibition was higher in acid/ethanol model than in the indomethacin-induced ulcer model. The sub-fractions from the crude extract also inhibited ulcer with the chloroform fraction exhibiting the highest ulcer protection.Keywords: Gongronema latifolium, ulcer, protection, indomethacin, acid/ethanol.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(38), pp. 5705-570

Analytic Method for Pressure Recovery in Truncated Diffusers

A prediction method is presented for the static pressure recovery in subsonic axisymmetric truncated conical diffusers. In the analysis, a turbulent boundary layer is assumed at the diffuser inlet and a potential core exists throughout the flow. When flow separation occurs, this approach cannot be used to predict the maximum pressure location. The analysis can easily be modified to accommodate two-dimensional diffuser and conical diffusers fitted with tailpipes. The predicted overall static pressure recovery compares favorably with available experimental results and agreement is generally within +- 5 per cent

Inhibition of Gastric Erosion Formations in Rats by Adenosine, 5 /-Adenosine Monophosphate and 5 /- Adenosine Diphosphate

Gastric erosions were induced in rats with indomethacin, 5-hydoxytryptamine (5-HT) or reserpine. Three adenine compounds adenosine, adenosine, 5 /-adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and 5 /- adenosine diphosphate (ADP) were found to protect against the erosion formations. Both 5-HT and reserpine caused untimely deaths of some of the control animals. Also the adenine compounds prevented the untimely deaths caused by the two ulcerogenes. Keywords: Adenosine, AMP, ADP, Anti-ulcer, Antidote, Gastric erosionBio-Research Vol. 6 (1) 2008: pp. 346-34

Evaluation of hypoglycaemic activity of ethanol extract of Gongronema latifolium (Asclepiadaceae) leaves

The mechanism of anti-diabetic activity of Gongronema latifolium was evaluated. The ethanol extract of the leaves of G. latifolium were fractionated using solvents of increasing polarity, namely n-hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate and ethanol. Phytochemical screening of the dried fractions were carried and then acute toxicity tests on mice carried out. The induction of diabetes mellitus was achieved with 150 mg/kg b.w for mild diabetes and 300 mg/kg b.w for the severe condition. The effects of the crude ethanol extract (CEE) and its fractions on alloxan-induced hyperglycaemia were monitored. The result obtained reveals that crude ethanol extract significantly and dose-dependently reduced hyperglycaemia. The fractions of the ethanol extract equally reduced hyperglycaemia but the level of reduction was affected by the phytochemical content. This suggests that an intact pancreas is required for the hypoglycaemic action which is the mechanism of action of the sulphonylureas.Keywords: Anti-diabetic, Gongronema latifolium, hyperglycaemia, hypoglycaemia, phytochemical screening.African Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 13(27) 2750-275

Adenosine and its Related Nucleotides may Modulate Gastric Acid Secretion by Inhibiting Calcium Permeability

Studies on lumen-perfused rat isolated stomachs showed that adenosine, adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) inhibited histamine-induced gastric acid secretion. The inhibitions and the calcium levels of the serosal solution exhibited inverse relationship. Adenosine and AMP were shown to antagonise calcium-induced swelling of mitochondria. It was thus thought, by extension, that inhibition of calcium entry might be one of the mechanisms by which the purines regulate gastric functi Keywords:Purines: Gastric hypoacidity; anti-mitochondrial swellingBio-Research Vol. 6 (1) 2008: pp. 348-35