Comparative Study of Antioxidant Activities of the Leaves and Stem of Ipomoea aquatica Forsk (Water Spinach)

Leaves and stem extracts of Ipomoea aquatic Forsk were analysed for their antioxidant activities. Folin-Ciocalteu and AlCl3 methods were used to quantify total phenolic and flavonoid contents while 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical assay was used to examine the antioxidant activity of the extracts. The respective total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the stem (18.00 ±  1.20 and 20.00 ± 1.40 μg Catechin equivalent, CEQ g-1 DW) show no significant (p > 0.05) difference when compared to leaves (16.00 ± 1.10 and 30.00 ± 2.1 μg CEQ g-1 DW). In DPPH scavenging assay, the reference standard i.e. vitamin C (IC50 = 0.0660μg/ml) had significantly (p<0.05) higher scavenging activity than the stem (IC50 = 35.96μg/ml) which in turn is significantly higher (p<0.05) than the leaves (IC50 = 176.92μg/ml). From the results it can be concluded that stem and leaves of Ipomoea aquatica had similar antioxidants activity.Keywords: Ipomoea aquatica, antioxidant, DPPH Assay, Scavenging activity, phenolic, flavonoi

Acute toxicity effects of the aqueous leaf extract of Anogeissus leiocarpus in rats

A study was conducted to investigate the acute toxicity effects of the aqueous leaf extract of Anogeissus leiocarpus using conventional methods. The result of the oral acute toxicity study revealed nodeath with doses up to 3200 mg/kg body weight. However, the rats showed signs of depression and inappetence. Using the intraperitoneal route, the rats showed dose-dependent signs of toxicity ranging from inappetence, depression, unsteady gait, tremors, and respiratory distress to death. The I/P LD50 was 1400 mg/kg body weight. No gross changes were observed in the organs of rats that died following extract administration. Histopathological lesions were also not observed in all the organs except the lungs, which showed congestion, oedema and bronchitis. These results suggest that the aqueous leaf extract of A. leiocarpus could be used with some degree of safety especially by oral route

Factors influencing health seeking behaviour among residents of basawa community, sabon gari l.g.a. Kaduna state, Nigeria

The health of the citizenry is crucial to the growth and development of any nation. Nigeria is riddled with poor health indices ranging from maternal mortality to infant mortality rates. It has been established that health-seeking behaviour has a strong influence on health status, morbidity and mortality indices of a society. It also drives utilisation of health services and is affected by predisposing, enabling and need factors. This study assessed the factors influencing health-seeking behaviour among residents of Basawa community, Sabon Gari LGA, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Method: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in September 2017 among 125 residents of Basawa community selected by systematic sampling technique. Data was collected using asemi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and analysed with SPSS version 21. The results were presented as tables and charts among others. Level of statistical significance was set at p <0.05. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 42±10 years. Majority of the respondents were male (60.8%) and married (90.4%). About two-thirds of the respondents delayed for more than 24 hours before seeking healthcare. Long waiting time (55.2%), the attitude of health workers (22.4%) and the high cost of drugs (22.4%) were given as barriers to health care utilisation. High cost of services, type and severity of illness and attitude of health care workers are the main determinants of health-seeking behaviour. There was a statistically significant relationship between education, monthly income and delay in seeking health care. Conclusion: The study showed several factors that influence health care seeking behaviour. In view of the multifactorial determinants of health-care seeking behaviour, there is need for health workers to be trained and retrained to improve on their attitude, and the provision of community-based social health insurance scheme by the government among others

Kualiti perkhidmatan pengangkutan air awam di pedalaman Hulu Tembeling, Pahang

Pengangkutan air menjadi nadi kepada penduduk pedalaman untuk bergerak dari satu lokasi ke satu lokasi yang lain. Pengangkutan air turut digunakan untuk mengangkut barangan, hasil pertanian, haiwan ternakan, menangkap ikan dan sewaan untuk tujuan pelancongan. Perkhidmatan pengangkutan perahu Tembeling digunakan untuk menghubungkan enam buah kampung pedalaman iaitu Kg. Kuala Tahan, Kg. Pagi, Kg. Kuala Sat, Kg. Bantal, Kg. Mat Daling dan Kg. Gusai dengan bandar Jerantut. Perahu Tembeling merupakan pengangkutan yang paling dominan digunakan oleh penduduk di kawasan ini kerana kemudahan infrastruktur jalan raya yang masih belum siap dengan sempurna. Artikel ini akan membincangkan kualiti perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam air yang menjalankan operasi di Hulu Tembeling, Pahang. Kajian ini menggunakan metodologi pengedaran borang soal selidik dan temu bual kepada pengguna dan pengusaha perahu Tembeling. Hasil kajian menunjukkan tahap kualiti perkhidmatan pengangkutan perahu Tembeling masih pada tahap sederhana. Kualiti perkhidmatan pengangkutan perahu Tembeling yang sederhana tersebut ialah kualiti masa, kos, keadaan fizikal perahu dan kemudahan. Manakala kualiti perkhidmatan perahu Tembeling yang baik dicatatkan oleh keselamatan dan keselesaan. Kajian ini turut mengemukakan cadangan bagi meningkatkan kualiti perkhidmatan perahu Tembeling di Hulu Tembeling, Pahang

Numerical solution of bio-nano-convection transport from a horizontal plate with blowing and multiple slip effects

In this paper, a new bio-nano-transport model is presented. The effects of first and second order velocity slips, thermal slip, mass slip, and gyro-tactic (torque-responsive) microorganism slip of bioconvectivenanofluid flow from amoving plate under blowing phenomenon are numerically examined. The flow model is expressed by partial differential equations which areconverted to a similar boundary value problem bysimilarity transformations. The boundary value problem is converted to a system of nonlinear equationswhich are then solved by a Matlab nonlinear equation solver fsolveintegrated with a Matlab ODEsolverode15s. The effects of selected control parameters (first order slip, second order slip, thermal slip, microorganism slip, blowing, nanofluid parameters) on the non-dimensional velocity, temperature, nanoparticle volume fraction, density ofmotile micro-organism, skin friction coefficient, heat transfer rate, mass flux of nanoparticles andmass fluxof microorganismsare analyzed. Our analysis reveals that a higher blowing parameter enhances micro-organism propulsion, flow velocityand nano-particle concentration, and increases the associated boundary layerthicknesses. A higher wall slip parameter enhances mass transfer and accelerates the flow. The MATLAB computations have been rigorously validated with the second-order accurate finite difference Nakamura tri-diagonal method.The current study is relevant to microbial fuel cell technologies which combine nanofluid transport, bioconvection phenomena and furthermore finds applications in nano-biomaterials sheetprocessing systems

Approximating Mexican highways with slime mould

Plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum is a single cell visible by unaided eye. During its foraging behavior the cell spans spatially distributed sources of nutrients with a protoplasmic network. Geometrical structure of the protoplasmic networks allows the plasmodium to optimize transport of nutrients between remote parts of its body. Assuming major Mexican cities are sources of nutrients how much structure of Physarum protoplasmic network correspond to structure of Mexican Federal highway network? To find an answer undertook a series of laboratory experiments with living Physarum polycephalum. We represent geographical locations of major cities by oat flakes, place a piece of plasmodium in Mexico city area, record the plasmodium's foraging behavior and extract topology of nutrient transport networks. Results of our experiments show that the protoplasmic network formed by Physarum is isomorphic, subject to limitations imposed, to a network of principle highways. Ideas and results of the paper may contribute towards future developments in bio-inspired road planning

Guyon's canal syndrome due to tortuous ulnar artery with DeQuervain stenosing tenosynovitis, ligamentous injuries and dorsal intercalated segmental instability syndrome, a rare presentation: a case report

The Guyon's canal syndrome is a well known clinical entity and may have significant impact on patient's quality of life. We report a case of 43-year-old male who presented with complaints of pain and numbness in right hand and difficulty in writing for past one month. On imaging diagnosis of Guyon's canal syndrome because of tortuous ulnar artery was made with additional findings of DeQuervain's stenosing tenosynovitis and dorsal intercalated segmental instability syndrome with ligamentous injury and subsequently these were confirmed on surgery

Sonic Hedgehog Gene Delivery to the Rodent Heart Promotes Angiogenesis via iNOS/Netrin-1/PKC Pathway

We hypothesized that genetic modification of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) transgene, a morphogen during embryonic development and embryonic and adult stem cell growth, improved their survival and angiogenic potential in the ischemic heart via iNOS/netrin/PKC pathway.MSCs from young Fisher-344 rat bone marrow were purified and transfected with pCMV Shh plasmid ((Shh)MSCs). Immunofluorescence, RT-PCR and Western blotting showed higher expression of Shh in (Shh)MSCs which also led to increased expression of angiogenic and pro-survival growth factors in (Shh)MSCs. Significantly improved migration and tube formation was seen in (Shh)MSCs as compared to empty vector transfected MSCs ((Emp)MSCs). Significant upregulation of netrin-1 and iNOS was observed in (Shh)MSCs in PI3K independent but PKC dependent manner. For in vivo studies, acute myocardial infarction model was developed in Fisher-344 rats. The animals were grouped to receive 70 microl basal DMEM without cells (group-1) or containing 1x10(6) (Emp)MSCs (group-2) and (Shh)MSCs (group-3). Group-4 received recombinant netrin-1 protein injection into the infarcted heart. FISH and sry-quantification revealed improved survival of (Shh)MSCs post engraftment. Histological studies combined with fluorescent microspheres showed increased density of functionally competent blood vessels in group-3 and group-4. Echocardiography showed significantly preserved heart function indices post engraftment with (Shh)MSCs in group-3 animals.Reprogramming of stem cells with Shh maximizes their survival and angiogenic potential in the heart via iNOS/netrin-1/PKC signaling

Sprouty2 mediated tuning of signalling is essential for somite myogenesis

Background: Negative regulators of signal transduction cascades play critical roles in controlling different aspects of normal embryonic development. Sprouty2 (Spry2) negatively regulates receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) and FGF signalling and is important in differentiation, cell migration and proliferation. In vertebrate embryos, Spry2 is expressed in paraxial mesoderm and in forming somites. Expression is maintained in the myotome until late stages of somite differentiation. However, its role and mode of action during somite myogenesis is still unclear. Results: Here, we analysed chick Spry2 expression and showed that it overlaps with that of myogenic regulatory factors MyoD and Mgn. Targeted mis-expression of Spry2 led to inhibition of myogenesis, whilst its C-terminal domain led to an increased number of myogenic cells by stimulating cell proliferation. Conclusions: Spry2 is expressed in somite myotomes and its expression overlaps with myogenic regulatory factors. Overexpression and dominant-negative interference showed that Spry2 plays a crucial role in regulating chick myogenesis by fine tuning of FGF signaling through a negative feedback loop. We also propose that mir-23, mir-27 and mir-128 could be part of the negative feedback loop mechanism. Our analysis is the first to shed some light on in vivo Spry2 function during chick somite myogenesis