THE ROLE OF AN AGGRESSIVE FACTOR IN PEPTIC ULCER DISEASE (PUD)

The stomach is the expanded part of the digestive tract between the esophagus and the small intestine. It acts as a reservoir and has chief function in enzymatic digestion. Several types of glands provide different types of secretions in the alimentary tract most of which act as lubricant and to protect the stomach mucosa from excoriation. The pathophysiology of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is often described as an imbalance between aggressive factors and mucosal protective mechanisms. Helicobacter pylori, a gram-negative organism that has been identified as a potential causative agent in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer disease, which is diagnosed by invasive or non-invasive methods. Three classes of drugs have been shown to have a direct effect on Helicobacter pylori: antibiotics, bismuth salts, and proton pump inhibitors. Because Helicobacter pylori is difficult to eradicate, most treatment regimes combine agents from two or even all three of these cases. In all of them, patients with active peptic disease should also receive a total of 6 weeks of acid suppression with an H2-receptor antagonist. The discovery of Helicobacter pylori as a gastrointestinal pathogen has had a profound effect on current concepts of the pathogenesis and treatment of peptic ulcer disease

Effect of Taurine on Chronic Restraint Stress Induced Behavioural Deficits in Rodents

Stress is an aversive stimulus capable of altering physiological homeostasis and the ability to cope with such stressful stimuli is a crucial determinant of health and disease. Taurine (2-aminoethanesulphonic acid) constitutes about 0.1 % of body weight, it is a sulphur-containing amino acid present in virtually all cells throughout the animal kingdom. It is an important ingredient used in energy drinks. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effects of taurine in preventing the restraint stress induced memory deficit in passive avoidance test, spatial learning, motor coordination and exploratory behaviour. Three different doses of taurine were administered (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) to rodents subjected to chronic restraint stress (6 h/day for 21 days). The treatments were administered once daily by oral gavage. Twenty four Wistar rats were divided into four groups of six rats each also; twenty four mice were divided in to four groups of six mice each. Learning and memory in the chronic restraint-stressed Wistar rats was assessed using step down passive avoidance test, learning and memory in mice was assessed using elevated plus maze for memory, exploratory activity was assessed using hole board apparatus and motor coordination in mice was assessed using beam walk assay method. In the present study it was observed that taurine improved learning and short-time memory in chronic restraint-stressed rodents it also improved motor coordination and increased exploratory behaviour in mice. Keywords: stress, taurine, deficit, exploratory, oral gavage, memor

Business Strategies and Competitive Advantage: Evidence from Flour Mill Companies in Lagos State, Nigeria

The authors argued from business strategies perspective to understand competitive advantage among homogenous producers. The population consisted of top and functional managers of flour mill companies in Lagos State, Nigeria. Cross sectional survey research design was adopted and primary data were collated and used. The research instrument was an adapted questionnaire. Its validity and reliability were statistically determined. Six hundred and twenty copies of the questionnaire were administered and 605 retrieved. Econometric equation was formulated and multiple regression analysis was employed for data analysis. Business strategies were found to have significantly affected competitive advantage. The study recommended product differentiation and portfolio diversification in order to achieve competitive advantage

Sectors together for professional development: a university team in an action research collaboration with school teachers and senior leaders.

Action research promotes teaching and learning as it may allow teachers to explore areas of their practices that require improvement. The purpose of this case study is to highlight the steps involved in carrying out action research and any challenges that teachers may encounter in this learning process. This study was developed as a professional development course from 2015 to 2019 attended by more than 150 teachers from early years, primary and secondary schools in London and Kent in the last 4 years. The teachers were registered as students at the University of Greenwich and supported by a university team of researchers. The study identified five steps of the development of teacher-led action research and highlighted the challenges for each step. The steps included defining the field of action; planning; action; evaluation and reflection/(re)planning. This led to the development of an innovative model for the facilitation of action research and collaboration between the university team and participants. The model is used as a framework to enhance the development of teacher-led research in schools

ANTI-NOCICEPTIVE AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITIES OF ETHANOL EXTRACT OF SYZYGIUM AROMATICUM FLOWER BUD IN WISTAR RATS AND MICE

The ethanol extracts of Syzygium aromaticum flower bud were tested for anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects in mice and Wistar rats which were carried out using acetic acid-induced abdominal contractions in mice and formalin-induced hind paw edema in Wistar rats. Three doses of the ethanol extract (50, 100, and 200mg/kg body weight i.p.) were used for both studies. The extract had an LD50 of 565.7 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally in mice. The extracts produced significant effect (

We need to talk about… differentiation

Differentiation has been one of the main teaching strategies used to support inclusion in the classroom when teaching a diverse class of pupils who vary in ability and needs. In England, the Teachers’ Standards 5 (DFE, 2021) is clear that teachers need to ‘know when and how to differentiate appropriately, using approaches which enable pupils to be taught effectively’ (p.11). This aim is challenging, as differentiation is a complex and a broad teaching approach that incorporates many practices to improve inclusion. It involves a multitude of professional decisions that the teacher must make during a lesson. This article will explore differentiation, the misconceptions associated with it, and classroom practices to support differentiation

How can mastery learning promote inclusion in the science classroom?

Mastery learning is not a new concept, as it has been around for many years and will continue to feature in the educational scene as educators explore how it can be utilised to promote learning, despite the varying views regarding its impact on pupils’ learning and progress. The purpose of this article is to amplify the concept of mastery learning and its place in promoting inclusive learning among science pupils, and to highlight reasons why this pedagogy should be considered by science teachers

The Helicobacter pylori Genome Project : insights into H. pylori population structure from analysis of a worldwide collection of complete genomes

Helicobacter pylori, a dominant member of the gastric microbiota, shares co-evolutionary history with humans. This has led to the development of genetically distinct H. pylori subpopulations associated with the geographic origin of the host and with differential gastric disease risk. Here, we provide insights into H. pylori population structure as a part of the Helicobacter pylori Genome Project (HpGP), a multi-disciplinary initiative aimed at elucidating H. pylori pathogenesis and identifying new therapeutic targets. We collected 1011 well-characterized clinical strains from 50 countries and generated high-quality genome sequences. We analysed core genome diversity and population structure of the HpGP dataset and 255 worldwide reference genomes to outline the ancestral contribution to Eurasian, African, and American populations. We found evidence of substantial contribution of population hpNorthAsia and subpopulation hspUral in Northern European H. pylori. The genomes of H. pylori isolated from northern and southern Indigenous Americans differed in that bacteria isolated in northern Indigenous communities were more similar to North Asian H. pylori while the southern had higher relatedness to hpEastAsia. Notably, we also found a highly clonal yet geographically dispersed North American subpopulation, which is negative for the cag pathogenicity island, and present in 7% of sequenced US genomes. We expect the HpGP dataset and the corresponding strains to become a major asset for H. pylori genomics

Acute Administration of Methionine Affects Performance of Swiss Mice in Learning and Memory Paradigms

Summary: Methionine, an essential amino acid, plays an essential role in the central nervous system CNS development. It serves as a crucial intermediate in the methylation, trans-sulfuration and amino- phosphorylation pathways, necessary for the synthesis of nucleic acids, phospholipids, hormones, neurotransmitters, antioxidants, polyamines, catecholamines and other biogenic amines. The effect of methionine on learning and memory in mice was investigated using Morris water maze (MWM), Elevated plus maze(EPM) and Y maze (YM). Animals were administered with distilled water (control), methionine (1,700mg/kg); folate (3mg/kg) or methionine (1700mg/kg) plus folate (3mg/kg) for 14 days. Escape latency and time spent in target quadrants; transfer latency and percentage spontaneous alternations were measured in the MWM, EPM and YM respectively. The animals were anaesthetized with inhalational chloroform and their brains subsequently harvested, homogenized and assayed for acetylcholinesterase24 hours after the experiment. Folate significantly(p<0.05) increased transfer latency (53.33 ± 12.62) as compared to control (20.1 ± 5.01) and reduced spontaneous alternations significantly (25.0 ± 8.9) when compared to control (44.33 ± 3.07). When folate was combined with methionine there was also a significant increase in transfer latency (43.0 ± 14.39) when compared with control (20.1 ± 5.01). Folate-methionine combination also significantly (p<0.05) reduced spontaneous alternations (20.4 ± 8.4) as compared to the control (44.33 ± 3.07) much more than folate alone. Acetylcholinesterase activities in all groups were not statistically significant. It can be concluded that acute methionine administration has some benefits in memory enhancement. However, a short course folate supplementation impairslearning and working memory especially when combined with methionine which may be as a result of sudden overwhelming of the methylation cycle, leading to homocysteinemia which is pro-dementia.Keywords: Methionine, Memory, Learning, MWM, EPM, Y-Maz

Anti-Nociceptive and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Aqueous Leaves Extract of Ocimum Gratissimum (Labiate) in Rodents

The aqueous leaves extract of Ocimum gratissimum was investigated for anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects in mice and rats. The models used to study the effect on nociception are the acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction test, hot- plate method in mice. The anti-inflammatory effect was investigated employing the formalin-induced hind-paw oedema in rats. The extract caused a significant (p<0.05), dose-dependent inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhing and hot-plate method. The extract also exhibited anti-inflammatory effect which was significant (P<0.001) at all the three doses. The intraperitoneal LD50 value of the extract was 1264.9mg/kg body weight in mice. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins and flavonoids. The results suggest the extract contained pharmacologically active principles, and supports the local application of the plant in painful and inflammatory conditions