Computer-Aided design of belt and pulley systems using Visual Basic

A Visual Basic Code “DriveCad” was developed for analysis and design of flat and V-belt drives. The Code was used to solve design problems and the results compared favorably with data generated by manual computat-ions, with variation of less than 1.6 %. DriveCad was used to generate scaled 2-dimensional drawings of pulley and belt assembly at reduced design time with minimal roundoff errors

Hepatoprotective activity of aerial part and root extracts of Schwenckia americana Linn. (Solanaceae) against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in rats

The hepatoprotective potentials of the methanol aerial part (MME) and root (RME) extracts of Schwenckia americana Linn (Solanaceae) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats was studied. Adult Swiss albino rats of either sex were divided into six groups (n=6). Groups I-IV received MME and RME at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses respectively, while Groups V and VI received Silymarin (50 mg/kg) and 3% Tween 80 (2.5 ml/kg). All the animals received 1 ml of 2% CCl4 in normal saline intraperitoneally, 24 h after initiation of drug administration. Treatment was thereafter continued for 7 days after which the CCl4- treated rats were sacrificed and blood samples collected via ocular puncture were used for biochemical assays for liver marker enzymes (alkaline phosphatase, aspartate and alanine transaminase), total reduced glutathione and malondialdehyde. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of MME and RME was also carried out. Results showed that pre-treatment with the extracts protected the challenged rats from carbon tetrachloride induced liver injury as evidenced by the significant (P < 0.05) reduction in serum AST and ALT levels. Similarly, the extracts also caused significant (P < 0.05) reduction in malondialdehyde levels and hence extent of lipid peroxidation. Histopathological studies showed that the plant extracts attenuated hepatocellular necrosis and inflammation and offered considerable preservation of liver hepatocytes especially at the higher dose (400 mg/kg) investigated. MME however gave a higher protective effect than RME. Phytochemical analysis revealed a relatively higher abundance of flavonoids in MME than in RME. Our findings revealed that Schwenckia americana L. possesses some hepatoprotective potentials which appear to be higher in the aerial parts than the roots possibly due to the higher flavonoids content of the fomer.Keywords: Hepatoprotective, Schwenckia americana, Carbon tetrachloride, liver indices, lipid peroxidation, extract

Utilization of dry unpeeled sweet potato (ipomea batatas) in the diet of snails

This study was designed to determine the effect of inclusion of varying levels of dry unpeeled dry sweet potato on growth characteristics and cost analysis of growing snails (Archachatina marginata). One hundred and twenty snails of mean weight of 86.6 g were randomly selected and allotted to 4 dietary treatments. Each treatment was replicated thrice with ten snails per replicate in a completely randomized design. Four diets were formulated to contain 0 % (T 1 ), 10 %(T 2 ), 20 % (T 3 ), 30 % (T 4 ) dry unpeeled sweet potato (DSP) of the entire diet. The parameters taken were weight gain, feed intake on weekly and daily basis respectively. Feed conversion ratio, total feed cost, and cost per weight gain were calculated. Significant differences were not observed in the mean monthly feed intake of snails fed diet containing varied levels of DSP (p>0.05). There were no significant differences in the mean monthly weight gain of snails fed diet containing 20 % DSP and the control diet (p>0.05). The feed conversion ratios were not significantly different from one another (p>0.05). The dietary treatments had no significant effect on the mean monthly shell length, width and thickness increment and dressing percentage of the snails (p>0.05). The lowest cost/weight gain was recorded in the diet containing 30 % DSP. Snail could tolerate up to 30 % dry unpeeled sweet potato in the diet without any adverse effect but at a reduced cost.Este estudio se diseñó para determinar el efecto de diferentes niveles de batata seca sin pelar sobre las características de crecimiento y costes de caracoles (Archachatina marginata) en crecimiento. Ciento veinte caracoles de 86,6 g de peso medio fueron aleatoriamente selecciona- dos y asignados a 4 dietas diferentes. En cada tratamiento se realizaron 3 repeticiones de 10 individuos cada una, en un diseño completamente al azar. Se formularon 4 dietas que contenían 0 % (T 1 ), 10 % (T 2 ), 20 % (T 3 ) y 30 % (T 4 ) de batata seca sin pelar (DSP). Se analizaron la ganancia de peso semanal y la ingestión diaria de alimento. Se calcularon la conversión alimenticia, costes total de alimentación y ganancia de peso. No se obser- varon diferencias en la ingestión mensual de alimentos ni en el índice de conversión en los diferentes tratamientos. No hubo diferencias en la ganancia mensual de peso en los caracoles que consumían 20 % de DSP, ni en la dieta control. No hubo diferencias mensuales significativas sobre el incremento de la longitud, anchura y espesor de la cáscara ni sobre el faenado. El menor coste/ ganancia de peso se consiguió con 30 % de DSP. Los caracoles pueden tolerar hasta un 30 % de DSP sin efectos adversos y a coste reducido

Terpene‑rich fractions of Ficus mucoso (Welw) modulate lipopolysaccharide‑induced infammatory mediators and aberrant permeability of the inner mitochondrial membrane in murine animal model

Ficus mucoso is traditionally used to treat bronchial infections. This study compared the efficacy of terpene-rich fractions of F. mucoso root bark on lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced inflammation, liver mitochondrial permeability transition (mPT), an index of mitochondrial health, and associated pathological alterations. Terpene-Rich Fractions of Dichloromethane (TRDF) and Ethylacetate Fractions of F. mucoso (TREF) were obtained according to standard procedures. To induce systemic inflammation, a single intraperitoneal injection of 1mgLPS/kgbw was given to mice. Spectrophotometric techniques were used to evaluate the effects of the oral administration of TRDF and TREF (3 days) on levels of pro-inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) using ELSA techniques as well as antioxidant indices in normal and LPS-treated mice. The mPT pore opening, mitochondrial ATPase activity and lipid peroxidation were monitored spectrophotometrically. Our results revealed that treatment with LPS caused significant elevation in serum cytokine levels while administration of 50 and 100 mg/kg TRDF and TREF significantly reduced elevated serum levels of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) in LPS-challenged mice. In addition, activitities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and liver marker enzymes (ALT and AST) as well as levels of mitochondrial lipid peroxides were significantly reduced in mice treated with TRDF and TREF relative to LPS-fed mice. Furthermore, LPS caused induction of opening of the liver mPT pore which was significantly inhibited by TRDF at 100 and 200 mg/kg bw by 71% and 88%, respectively, but only at 100 mg/kg TREF. Furthermore, mitochondrial ATPase activity was inhibited largely by TRDF. UPLC–ESI–MS analysis revealed the presence of terpenoid derivatives and a few aromatic metabolites in TRDF. The terpene dominance of TRDF metabolites was further justified on the 1H NMR fingerprint. Overall, TRDF is more effective as a cocktail of anti-inflammatory compounds than TREF against LPS-induced acute systemic inflammation