Phytochemicals and nutritional characteristics of ethanol extract of the leaf and bark of Njangsa (Ricinodendron Heudelotii) plant

The phytochemical, proximate and mineral content of leaf and bark of Njangsa (Ricinodendron Heudelotii) plant were analysed, using standard procedures described by Harbone, 1973, Sofowora, 1993; Trease and Evans, 1989 and Association of Official Analytical Chemist (AOAC) Official method, 1990; 1984 respectively. The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, steroids, terpernoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, reducing sugars and saponins found only for the plant bark. The result of proximate analysis showed that the leaf and bark of the extract contain respectively: moisture content (25.80% and 10%), protein (17.47% and 3.73%), crude fat(1.80% and 2.00%) ash (11.00% and 10.95%), crude fibre (41.00% and 20.50%) carbohydrate (2.93% and 52.82%).The mineral analysis of the plant leaf and bark respectively yielded calcium – 2640.00 mg/kg and 1772 mg/kg, magnesium – 2383 mg/kg and 1605 mg/kg, iron – 25.00 mg/kg and 6.6 mg/kg, zinc – 29.30 mg/kg and 4.4 mg/kg, copper – 14.60 mg/kg and 6 mg/kg and phosphorus – 1012 mg/kg and 305 mg/kg. Manganese was absent in the bark but yielded 1.1 mg/kg in the leaf. Sodium and potassium were found to be absent in the leaf and bark. The presence of some phytochemicals (flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, reducing sugar, tannins and terpernoids) and some essential minerals suggest that it is a potential source of medicine and food.Keywords: Phytochemical, Nutritional Characteristics, Proximate, Mineral, Medicinal, Analysi

Lights, camera, provocation? Exploring experiences of surveillance in the policing of Scottish football

Based primarily on research into the policing of football fans in Scotland following the implementation of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act (Scotland) Act 2012 this paper examines the interplay of police techniques and surveillance technologies in the policing of Scottish football. There has been relatively little academic attention directed towards the Act, so the question of why and how this flagship legislation generated such intense opposition that it was repealed within six years of its introduction demands investigation. This paper explores the implementation of the Act from the perspectives of football fans, criminal justice agencies, and representatives of football clubs, with a specific focus on the impact of police surveillance practices. The research uncovered strong perceptions that such practices were considered intimidatory, which may have weakened the perceived legitimacy of the Act. This paper poses a challenge to simple readings of evidence in terms of the claimed benefits of particular forms of surveillance, arguing that the use of technologies such as powerful hand-held cameras and body worn video (BWV) has had a detrimental impact on police-fan relationships, interactions and dialogue

Community Experiences of Serious Organised Crime in Scotland

This summary sets out key findings from a research project that aimed to explore the community experiences of serious organised crime ( SOC) in Scotland. The study sought to answer the following questions: 1) What are the relationships that exist between SOC and communities in Scotland? 2) What are the experiences and perceptions of residents, stakeholders and organisations of the scope and nature of SOC within their local area? and 3) How does SOC impact on community wellbeing, and to what extent can the harms associated with SOC be mitigated? The work involved in-depth qualitative research, to understand both direct and indirect forms of harm. Key points pertaining to the research and its results are as follows: - The study involved the selection of three community case study sites based on a typology of ' SOC-affected' communities. These sites were based in varying urban and semi-urban settings. - The impact of SOC at a more 'diffuse' national level was explored via research in a range of smaller case study sites and via interviews with national stakeholders. This included a consideration of SOC impacts in rural and remote areas, and on populations that were not concentrated in any defined geographic community. - The case study areas were selected on the basis of pre-existing academic and policy literature, an initial set of interviews with key experts, and on the basis of aggregated and anonymised intelligence summaries provided by Police Scotland. - 188 individuals participated in the study, which mostly involved semi-structured qualitative interviews, but also a small number of focus groups, unstructured interviews and observational research. Interviews were conducted with residents, local businesses, service providers, community groups, and national organisations, as well as with a small number of individuals with lived experience of SOC. - Interviews comprised of questions about: the relationship between SOC and communities; the experiences and perceptions of residents and local service providers as to the nature and extent of SOC; and the impact of SOC on community wellbeing. - Preliminary findings were presented back to a sub-sample of 33 community residents and representatives, across three of the case study areas, through a feedback method called 'co-inquiry'. This involved the organisation of events designed to assess the integrity of the findings, and elicit reflections on the implications of the findings for potential actions

An evaluation of section 1 of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012

A mixed methods evaluation of a legislation introduced by the Scottish Government to tackle sectarian and other offensive behaviours at regulated fotoball matche

Reflecting on COVID-19 in 55 words

In an effort to address the anxiety that the coronavirus may cause for some, our Family Medicine Residency Program held a writing workshop using the 55-Word Story format, with writings specific to the theme of COVID-19. The exercise gave residents time and space to reflect on their own experiences and emotions, generated a great degree support and discussion and provided them a window into what some of their fellow residents were experiencing.https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154739/1/Grissom article.pdf-1Description of Grissom article.pdf : main articl

Production of 10-methyl branched fatty acids in yeast

Background: Despite the environmental value of biobased lubricants, they account for less than 2% of global lubricant use due to poor thermo-oxidative stability arising from the presence of unsaturated double bonds. Methyl branched fatty acids (BFAs), particularly those with branching near the acyl-chain mid-point, are a high-performance alternative to existing vegetable oils because of their low melting temperature and full saturation. Results: We cloned and characterized two pathways to produce 10-methyl BFAs isolated from actinomycetes and γ-proteobacteria. In the two-step bfa pathway of actinomycetes, BfaB methylates Δ9 unsaturated fatty acids to form 10-methylene BFAs, and subsequently, BfaA reduces the double bond to produce a fully saturated 10-methyl branched fatty acid. A BfaA-B fusion enzyme increased the conversion efficiency of 10-methyl BFAs. The ten-methyl palmitate production (tmp) pathway of γ-proteobacteria produces a 10-methylene intermediate, but the TmpA putative reductase was not active in E. coli or yeast. Comparison of BfaB and TmpB activities revealed a range of substrate specificities from C14-C20 fatty acids unsaturated at the Δ9, Δ10 or Δ11 position. We demonstrated efficient production of 10-methylene and 10-methyl BFAs in S. cerevisiae by secretion of free fatty acids and in Y. lipolytica as triacylglycerides, which accumulated to levels more than 35% of total cellular fatty acids. Conclusions: We report here the characterization of a set of enzymes that can produce position-specific methylene and methyl branched fatty acids. Yeast expression of bfa enzymes can provide a platform for the large-scale production of branched fatty acids suitable for industrial and consumer applications