Effect of high frequency ultrasounds on lycopene and total phenolic concentration, antioxidant properties and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of tomato juice

Tomato juice was subjected to high frequency ultrasounds(378 and 583 kHz)at increasing energy densities (up to 250 MJ/m3). Results relevant to the treatments at high frequency providing an energy density of 250 MJ/m3 were compared with those obtained at 24 kHz delivering the same energy density. Lycopene and total phenolic concentration, as well as the α-glucosidase inhibitory activityof tomato juice, were not affected by ultrasound regardless the frequency and energy density. However, the antioxidant properties were negatively affected by high frequency ultrasounds

Use of time-resolved fluorescence to monitor bioactive compounds in plant based foodstuffs

The study of compounds that exhibit antioxidant activity has recently received much interest in the food industry because of their potential health benefits. Most of these compounds are plant based, such as polyphenolics and carotenoids, and there is a need to monitor them from the field through processing and into the body. Ideally, a monitoring technique should be non-invasive with the potential for remote capabilities. The application of the phenomenon of fluorescence has proved to be well suited, as many plant associated compounds exhibit fluorescence. The photophysical behaviour of fluorescent molecules is also highly dependent on their microenvironment, making them suitable probes to monitor changes in pH, viscosity and polarity, for example. Time-resolved fluorescence techniques have recently come to the fore, as they offer the ability to obtain more information, coupled with the fact that the fluorescence lifetime is an absolute measure, while steady state just provides relative and average information. In this work, we will present illustrative time-resolved measurements, rather than a comprehensive review, to show the potential of time-resolved fluorescence applied to the study of bioactive substances. The aim is to help assess if any changes occur in their form, going from extraction via storage and cooking to the interaction with serum albumin, a principal blood transport protein

Correcting the polarization effect in low frequency Dielectric Spectroscopy

We demonstrate a simple and robust methodology for measuring and analyzing the polarization impedance appearing at interface between electrodes and ionic solutions, in the frequency range from 1 to $10^6$ Hz. The method assumes no particular behavior of the electrode polarization impedance and it only makes use of the fact that the polarization effect dies out with frequency. The method allows a direct and un-biased measurement of the polarization impedance, whose behavior with the applied voltages and ionic concentration is methodically investigated. Furthermore, based on the previous findings, we propose a protocol for correcting the polarization effect in low frequency Dielectric Spectroscopy measurements of colloids. This could potentially lead to the quantitative resolution of the $\alpha$-dispersion regime of live cells in suspension

Capacity Building For Library and Information Centre Personnel In ICT Environment

The paper examined the concepts “ICT environment’ and ‘digitized/virtual library and information centre’ and discussed the features of digitized/virtual library and information centre and the need for capacity building especially in ICT-based libraries and information centres. It highlights the skills, competencies and training needs expected of personnel in typical digitized libraries and information centres, the avenues for their education and training and the basic questions to address in capacity building plans and strategies. The paper concluded by putting forward strategies to adopt to ensure the available of requisite relevant manpower in virtual libraries and information centres to cope with the changing needs of the time

Multichronic complexity in second language development

Taking a dynamic systems perspective on second language development, this paper argues that development is change over time, which is never stable and has no end state. Moreover, time can be defined at different scales: from the millisecond, minute, week and year to the lifespan. At all scales we can see change over time in language development at different levels of granularity; however, the time scale and level of granularity we use  determines to a great extent what we find. What seems a change at one level may be nothing more than natural variation at another one.Keywords: Multichronic complexity, language development, variation, time scale

Traumatic infratentorial epidural haematoma: presentation and treatment outcome at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, North Central Nigeria

Background: Traumatic infratentorial epidural haematoma (TIEH), also called posterior fossa epidural haematomas when compared to their supratentorial counterparts, are very rare and their presentation nonspecific, accounting for 0.1-0.3% of all head trauma. Data on TIEH in our environment is very scanty. Our objective was to document the different presentations of TIEH and the outcome of management of these patients in our setting.Methods: This was a retrospective study of consecutive patients with head injury in whom non contrast cranial CT scan showed the presence of an infratentorial epidural haematoma and who presented to the Jos university teaching hospital between January 2012 to December 2020. The patients’ demographics, aetiology, clinical features, CT scan findings and outcome of treatment were extracted from the case folders and analysed using simple proportions.Results: There was a total of seven patients with TIEH out of a total of 308 patients with traumatic epidural haematoma, thus accounting for 2.3% of epidural haematomas in our series. All the TIEH were caused by road traffic collisions, all but one (85.7%) occurred in adults. Six (85.7%) of the patients had occipital skull fractures detected with cranial CT scan or at surgery. Two (28.6%) of the patients were managed non-operatively under close monitoring and did well. Five (71.4%) of the patients were managed surgically. There was one death, giving an overall mortality of (14.3%).Conclusions: TIEH is rare, the presentation is non-specific and early surgical decompression is lifesaving in selected patients

Intracranial suppurations surgically managed at Jos, North Central Nigeria: a nine-years retrospective review

Background: Intracranial suppurations are rare but can be fatal entities consisting of pus collection within the intracranial cavity.  The aim of the study was to document the clinical and radiological findings in our patients and the outcome of treatment.Methods: A retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients presenting to the Jos University Teaching Hospital from January 2012 to December 2019. Data of interest were retrieved from their folders and entered into SPSS version 22 and descriptive statistics run on the variables.Results: There were 33 patients within this period, but only 21 had complete records and thus used for the analysis. The median age was 18 years (IQR=29), males accounted for 81% of the patients. The median time to presentation was 14 days (IQR=23). The most common cause of abscess in our series was trauma (surgical and non-surgical) in 38.1%, followed by contiguous spread from the ear or paranasal sinuses (23.8%). The most common symptom was fever occurring in 61.9%, followed by headache 42.8%. In two thirds of the patients, the abscess was intra-axial (the frontal lobe being the most common site). Patients were managed surgically with either a craniotomy (28.6%) or a burr whole (71.4%). A positive culture was obtained in 33.3% of cases.Conclusions: Intracranial suppurations are uncommon, but can occur in the setting of predisposing factors. A high index of suspicion is required to clinch the diagnosis