Extraction and qualitative assessment of African sweet orange seed oil

The African sweet orange fruit Citrus Sinensis seeds were obtained from discards of fruits and prepared for use by decoating, sun drying and grinding. By solvent extraction using petroleum ether, a golden yellow coloured oil was obtained and characterized by determining the pH, refractive index, density, solvent miscibility, congealing temperature, flame nature, specific gravity, retention factor on chromatographic plate, heat of combustion, smoke point, flash point, fire point, and the percentage yield. In addition, the spectroscopic analysis was carried out using Genesis FTIR spectrophotometer. The free fatty acid, unsaponifiable matter, saponification, iodine, acid and peroxide values were determinedaccording to the standard method of analysis. Oil yield of 36 % was obtained. The results show a high degree of unsaturation, presence of reasonable amount of free fatty acids, marked level of oiliness, refractive index (1.47 at 25 oC), high level of acid value 82 % (0.82)—with the presence of palmitic, stearic, oleic acid, traces of linoleic acid—and interestingly, absence of linolenic, myristic and arachidic acids.The solvent miscibility of the oil was determined by physical observation of the uniform blending of oil sample in acid (HCl), alkali (NaOH), sodium hydrogen carbonate solution, carbonate solution, ether and water at room temperature, 40 oC, 60 oC, 80 oC and 100 oC. The low value of the congealing temperature of the oil gave an indication that the oil can be handled in very many geographical regions irrespective of the difference in temperature values of such regions. The trace level content of linoleic acid of the oil confers on it a high degree of stability. The IR shows peaks at 1377.33, 1237.05, 1163.43 and 1100.14 cm-1, which are indicative ofthe presence of carboxylic acids, and these are vital elemental composition of fatty acid compounds. The presence of the multiple peaks at  1100.14cm-1 in the IR chart depicts an isopropyl group presence which is also indicative of a cis–alkene groups presence, suggestive of the stable bond structure of the oleic acid family

Measurement of pH, alkalinity and acidity in ultra-soft waters

Conventional characterisation of low alkalinity waters via pH measurement and titration of total alkalinity to a prescribed end-point invariably leads to large errors. These errors result from instability of the pH probe and an unknown titration end-point. In this paper two indirect methods (termed the "double Gran function" and the "blend" method) for the characterisation of such waters are evaluated critically. A blend composed of the raw water, sodium chloride (to increase conductivity), and standard bicarbonate (to increase buffering capacity) was titrated with standard strong acid in two pH regions: 6.3 pH < 4.0. In both methods, total alkalinity was determined using the latter set of points, and the first Gran function. In the double Gran function method the upper set of titration points was used to determine CO2 acidity using the second Gran Function. In the "blend" method, equilibrium chemistry data were used to calculate total acidity for each point based on the known total alkalinity, pH reading, temperature and ionic strength. The two methods gave excellent results (in terms of both repetition and accuracy) as compared to characterisation based on total alkalinity and inorganic carbon analysis. A detailed procedure for the execution of the two approaches is given in an appendix. WaterSA Vol.27(4) 2001: 423-43

Phytochemical constituents and antioxidant activities of aqueous and methanol stem extracts of Costus afer Ker Gawl. (Costaceae)

Medicinal plants contain bioactive compounds capable of preventing and fighting oxidative related diseases. These compounds must be screened and assayed before effective drugs are developed. Thus, phytochemical constituents and antioxidant activities of aqueous and methanol stem extracts of Costus afer Ker-Gawl were evaluated. C. afer contained flavonoids, phenols, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids, alkaloids and tannins. Preliminary screening of free radical scavenging activity of extracts with 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) using thin layer chromatography tested positive. The aqueous extract had a higher free radical scavenging activity with IC50 (concentration of samples required for 50% inhibition of DPPH radical activity) value of 64.42 g/ml than methanol extract (92.33 g/ml). Furthermore, total phenolic content in aqueous extract (0.66 ± 0.02 mg gallic acid equivalent/g) was significantly higher (p &lt; 0.05) than methanol extract (0.52 ± 0.01 mg gallic acid equivalent/g). In addition, inhibition of lipid peroxidation by aqueous extract (80.60 ± 0.28%) was significantly higher (p &lt; 0.05) than methanol extract (77.00 ± 0.84%). Nevertheless, methanol and aqueous extracts of C. afer possess anti-oxidative properties as well as bioactive metabolites. Thus, stem extracts of C. afer could serve as sources of antioxidants and bioactive compounds for nutrition and therapeutic purposes.Key words: Costus afer, phytochemicals, antioxidant, phenol, nutrition, therapeutic

Autogenous Tooth Transplantation In Adult Orofacial Cleft Deformity: A Case Report

A case of autotransplantation of a tooth in a 26 year old female African cleft palate patient is reported. This case report emphasizes the possibility and success of autotransplantation in our centre, it also emphasizes that transplantation is only technique sensitive but less equipment sensitive. It further stresses that an otherwise extracted and discarded tooth can be used to make natural functional unit. Keyword: autotransplantation, tooth, cleft palate, success, technique sensitive, extraction

Firm life cycle and advisory directors

This article investigates whether the presence of advisory directors and monitoring directors varies across firm life cycle stages. We follow a parsimonious life cycle proxy based on the predicted behaviour of operating, investing and financing cash flows across the different life cycle stages that result from firm performance and the allocation of resources. Using an Australian sample, this study shows that compared to mature-stage firms, firms in the introduction, shake-out and decline stages have more advisory directors. With respect to the demand for monitoring directors, we find that compared to mature-stage firms, firms in the introduction, shake-out and decline stages have fewer monitoring directors on the board. We contribute to the literature on boards of directors by documenting that firms choose an optimal board structure based on their economic characteristics

Electrical power production from low-grade waste heat using a thermally regenerative ethylenediamine battery

Thermally regenerative ammonia-based batteries (TRABs) have been developed to harvest low-grade waste heat as electricity. To improve the power production and anodic coulombic efficiency, the use of ethylenediamine as an alternative ligand to ammonia was explored here. The power density of the ethylenediamine-based battery (TRENB) was 85 \ub1 3 W m2-electrode area with 2 M ethylenediamine, and 119 \ub14Wm2 with 3 M ethylenediamine. This power density was 68% higher than that of TRAB. The energy density was 478 Wh m3-anolyte, which was ~50% higher than that produced by TRAB. The anodic coulombic efficiency of the TRENB was 77 \ub1 2%, which was more than twice that obtained using ammonia in a TRAB (35%). The higher anodic efficiency reduced the difference between the anode dissolution and cathode deposition rates, resulting in a process more suitable for closed loop operation. The thermal-electric efficiency based on ethylenediamine separation using waste heat was estimated to be 0.52%, which was lower than that of TRAB (0.86%), mainly due to the more complex separation process. However, this energy recovery could likely be improved through optimization of the ethylenediamine separation process

Electron microprobe monazite geochronology : a tool for evaluating magmatic ages with examples from Variscan Massif Central migmatites and granotoids, France.

U–Th–Pb dating of monazite with the electron probe microanalyser (EPMA) is increasingly documented as a reliable geochronological method offering high spatial resolution. This method has been applied on monazite from the Cévennes migmatites and granitoids from the southeast of the French Massif Central. Measurements were performed on separated grains after systematic back-scattered electron (BSE) imaging. Monazites from migmatites record two main ages: (i) a protolith age of about 550–543 Ma obtained on inherited cores, and (ii) a migmatization event between 329 ± 5 and 323 ± 3 Ma recorded by monazite rims and all other monogenetic grains. Monazite from the peraluminous Rocles pluton yields a 318 ± 3 Ma age. Finally, three granite dykes are dated at 333 ± 6, 318 ± 5 and 311 ± 5 Ma; the older dyke is the most deformed of them and is interpreted as linked to the migmatization event; the two other dykes are geochronologically, petrologically and structurally coeval with the Rocles pluton. The data constrain the timing of crustal melting following Variscan thickening in the northern Cévennes area. Migmatization of Ordovician protoliths took place at 329–323 Ma and was shortly followed by intrusion of leucogranite at 318–311 Ma. The study shows that EPMA dating of monazite can be successfully used to resolve a close succession of regional melting events

A global disorder of imprinting in the human female germ line

Imprinted genes are expressed differently depending on whether they are carried by a chromosome of maternal or paternal origin. Correct imprinting is established by germline-specific modifications; failure of this process underlies several inherited human syndromes. All these imprinting control defects are cis-acting, disrupting establishment or maintenance of allele-specific epigenetic modifications across one contiguous segment of the genome. In contrast, we report here an inherited global imprinting defect. This recessive maternal-effect mutation disrupts the specification of imprints at multiple, non-contiguous loci, with the result that genes normally carrying a maternal methylation imprint assume a paternal epigenetic pattern on the maternal allele. The resulting conception is phenotypically indistinguishable from an androgenetic complete hydatidiform mole, in which abnormal extra-embryonic tissue proliferates while development of the embryo is absent or nearly so. This disorder offers a genetic route to the identification of trans-acting oocyte factors that mediate maternal imprint establishment

Effects of intrathecal bupivacaine and bupivacaine plus sufentanil in elderly patients undergoing transurethral resection

Introduction: The present study compared the effect of bupivacaine and bupivacaine + sufentanil on hemodynamic parameters and characteristics of spinal anesthesia in elderly patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) under spinal anesthesia.Technical Considerations: The study included 40 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I‑III patients scheduled to undergo TURP. Patients were blindly and randomly divided into two groups. Group B (n = 20) received 10 mg of intrathecal bupivacaine and group BS (n = 20) received 7.5 mg of bupivacaine + 5 μg of sufentanil. Sensory and motor block characteristics, hemodynamic changes, side effects, and time to first analgesic requirement were recorded. No differences in mean arterial pressure or heart rate, time for sensory blockade to reach the T10 level, and maximum sensory level were observed between the two groups. The time to first analgesic request was longer in group BS (P &lt; 0.05). Motor block was significantly higher in group B (P &lt; 0.05). In terms of side effects, no statistically significant differences occurred between the groups.Conclusions: Similar hemodynamic stability and sufficient level of sensory blockade were provided by bupivacaine and bupivacaine + sufentanil used for spinal anesthesia in patients undergoing TUR. Due to the fact that less motor block was observed and the time to first analgesic request was longer, the combination of bupivacaine + sufentanil might be appropriate for patients undergoing TUR.Key words: Bupivacaine, intrathecal, opioid, spinal, sufentani