Hypotensive Activity of Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae) Root Extracts and its Volatile Constituents

Purpose: To explore the hypotensive activity and chemical composition of Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae) roots.Methods: The fresh roots of M. oleifera was cut into small pieces and successively extracted with petroleum ether (PE) and dichloromethane (DC). PE extract was  further divided into MRP and MRP -1. DC extract showed a thick mass during evaporation which was separated as MRDC - IN. The mother liquor left was divided into MRDC and MRDC -1. All residues were analyzed by gas chromatographymass spectroscopy (GC-MS) using ZB-5 column. Identification of each extract and fraction was based on comparison of their retention indices (RI), by co-injecting authentic compounds, as well as by comparing literature data available in NIST Standard Reference Database. Hypotensive activity was determined on urethane-anesthetized normotensive Sprague Dawly rats.Results: Petroleum ether (MRP) and dichloromethane (MRDC) extracts of M. oleifera roots showed 50.06 ± 3.48 and 48.16 ± 1.79 % fall in mean arterial blood  pressure (MABP), respectively, at a dose of 30 mg/kg (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively) compared with control. GC-MS analysis of MRP and MRDC extracts and fractions resulted in the identification of seventy four (74) compounds. Methyl hexadecanoate (7, 20.3 %) , stigmastan - 3, 5, diene (24, 19.32 %), methyl  14-hydroxy-5-tetradecenoate (9, 19.22 %), 1 , 11 diphenyl undecane (47, 18.78 %) and cyclopentanyl hexadecane (39, 14.44 %) were the major constituents  among the various hydrocarbons, fatty acids, esters, alcohols, aldehydes, isothiocyanate, aromatics, steroids, terphenyl and sulphur-containing compounds. Conclusion: The findings reveal the hypotensive potential of M. oleifera roots and the presence of specific hydrocarbons, fatty acid esters, thioureides, steroids and isothiocyanates in active fractions. Further study is required to determine the suitability of the plant as an antihypertensive remedy.Keywords: Moringa oleifera, Methyl hexadecanoate, Methyl 14-hydroxy-5-tetradecenoate, Petroleum ether, Stigmastan - 3, 5, diene, Cyclopentanyl hexadecan

The typology of connectivity in landscape architecture: a review of studies on landscape connectivity (LC)

Connectivity is an important landscape characteristic that is essential for health, welfare and aesthetic values in human societies as well as for the protection of native ecosystems. Diversity in objectives, approaches, definitions and methods in studies on connectivity and its widespread use in the field of landscape ecology are reasons why Landscape Connectivity (LC) in landscape architecture has been deemed as the counterpart of Ecological Connectivity leading to neglect of other aspects of this comprehensive concept. This study, reviews and classifies studies carried out in the field of landscape with a focus on connectivity in order to achieve a comprehensive definition of LC and its various components in landscape architecture literature. The research method used in this study was quantitative-qualitative. In the first phase, the literature was collected using library research and internet search via a descriptive-analytical approach. Then, an inductive constructionist strategy using Delphi technique was used to classify and categorize relevant studies, and logical argumentation was used to develop the concept of LC in landscape architecture literature. Finally, the objectivist Descriptive/Synthetic Modelling strategy was used to provide a conceptual model of urban landscape connectivity (ULC). The key finding of this study is the researcher-made conceptual model of ULC, its corresponding components and parameters with the viewpoint of landscape architecture

Branch-pipe: Improving graph skeletonization around branch points in 3D point clouds

Modern plant phenotyping requires tools that are robust to noise and missing data, while being able to efficiently process large numbers of plants. Here, we studied the skeletonization of plant architectures from 3D point clouds, which is critical for many downstream tasks, including analyses of plant shape, morphology, and branching angles. Specifically, we developed an algorithm to improve skeletonization at branch points (forks) by leveraging the geometric properties of cylinders around branch points. We tested this algorithm on a diverse set of high-resolution 3D point clouds of tomato and tobacco plants, grown in five environments and across multiple developmental timepoints. Compared to existing methods for 3D skeletonization, our method efficiently and more accurately estimated branching angles even in areas with noisy, missing, or non-uniformly sampled data. Our method is also applicable to inorganic datasets, such as scans of industrial pipes or urban scenes containing networks of complex cylindrical shapes

Prevalence and predictors of exclusive breastfeeding in urban slums, Bihar

Objective: Various socio-cultural factors influence infant feeding practices and thus early childhood nutrition and child survival in India. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding, its promoters and barriers in urban slums of Bihar, India. Methods: We conducted a community based cross-sectional survey involving 297 mothers living in slum settlements in Bihar. Data were collected using structured questionnaire on exclusive breastfeeding practices, and the factors that could influence this. Descriptive analysis was done to estimate the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding and regression model was performed to identify the predictors of exclusive breastfeeding. Results: Only 23% of mothers initiate breastfeeding within 1 hour of delivery and 27.6% mothers practise exclusive breastfeeding up to six months. Mother's education was found to be associated with duration of exclusive breastfeeding (OR 11, 95% CI 2-59). Term babies were more likely to be breastfed exclusively for six months than pre-term babies (OR 8.6, 95% CI 1.6-47.6). Antenatal care visits and completing immunization were significantly associated with duration of exclusive breastfeeding (P < 0.001). The majority of mothers acquire exclusive breastfeeding knowledge through television/radio (OR 68, 95% CI 5.5-832.5) and newspaper advertisements (OR 14, 95% CI 2.6-76). Conclusion: Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding up to six months of age and early initiation of breastfeeding remains low in slums of Bihar. Exclusive breastfeeding and early initiation of breastfeeding rates could be improved by educating and counselling mothers during health facility contacts by primary care providers

Synthesis and structural characterization of hexa-μ₂-chlorido-μ₄-oxido-tetrakis{[4-(phenylethynyl)pyridine-κN]copper(II)} dichloromethane monosolvate

In the crystal structure of the title compound, [Cu4Cl6O(C13H9N)4]·CH2Cl2, the core molecular structure consists of a Cu4 tetrahedron with a central interstitial O atom. Each edge of the Cu4 tetrahedron is bridged by a chlorido ligand. Each copper(II) cation is coordinated to the central O atom, two chlorido ligands and one N atom of the 4-phenylethynylpyridine ligand. In the crystal, the molecules are linked by intermolecular C - H⋯Cl interactions. Furthermore, C - H⋯π and π-π interactions also connect the molecules, forming a three-dimensional network. Hirshfeld surface analysis indicates that the most important contributions for the packing arrangement are from H⋯H and C⋯H/H⋯C interactions.</p

An empirical qualitative study of students’ perceived intrinsic motivation

Foreign language and culture learning suffers from a bad image in Danish Upper Secondary schools and German is not an exception. It means that the majority of Danish Upper Secondary school students are not particularly interested in learning the language. Therefore, intrinsic motivation plays a pivotal role in German language and culture learning in Denmark. One didactic initiative proposed to remedy the lack of intrinsic motivation is the introduction of various ICT (Information and Communication Technology) tools. This is the background for the research described in this article. Our study which was conducted on the basis of semi-structured focus group interviews with n=50 high school students and n=2 high school teachers shows that the ICT tools Photostory, MovieMaker and Voki indeed have an influence on students’ perceived intrinsic motivation in connection with German language and culture learning. Depending on the nature of the tool, our thematic analysis indicates that such tools facilitate different aspects of perceived intrinsic motivation. Still, our study shows that the tools have a limited effect on perceived intrinsic motivation, unless they are addressed and used strategically in the proper pedagogical context

Antenatal depression among pregnant mothers in Afghanistan: a cross-sectional study

Background: Approximately one in five pregnant women experience antenatal depression globally. The purpose of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of antenatal depression and explore its relationship between various demographic variables, recent sexual engagement, and recent adverse life events among pregnant Afghan women. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was carried out between January, 2023 and April 2023 among 460 women aged 15–45 years who were recruited using convenience sampling from Herat province (Afghanistan). Logistic regression models were utilized to explore the relationship between antenatal depression and socio-demographic characteristics among the participants. Results: The prevalence of antenatal depression symptoms was 78.5%. Multiple regression analysis indicated that antenatal depression was significantly associated with (i) being aged 30–45 years (AOR: 4.216, 95% CI: 1.868–9.515, p = .001), (ii) being of low economic status (AOR:2.102, 95% CI: 1.051–4.202, p = .036), (iii) not being employed (AOR: 2.445, 95% CI:1.189–5.025, p = .015), (iv) not having had sex during the past seven days (AOR: 2.335, 95% CI: 1.427–3.822, p = .001), and (v) not experiencing a traumatic event during the past month (AOR:0.263, 95% CI: 0.139–0.495, p < .001). Conclusion: The present study provides insight into the factors associated with the high prevalence of antenatal depression among pregnant Afghan women (e.g., demographic variables, recent adverse life events, and recent sexual engagement). It highlights the urgency of addressing antenatal depression in Afghanistan and provides a foundation for future research and interventions aimed at improving the mental health and well-being of pregnant women in the Afghan context