Determining the spatial and temporal requirement of the dunce cAMP-phosphodiesterase in behavior [abstract]

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Troy Zars, BiologyAbstract only availableOne of the first genes identified as affecting learning in Drosophila was the dunce cAMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE). Molecular lesions and transgenic rescue firmly identified the dunce-PDE as the cause for decreased learning in mutant flies (Dauwalder and Davis, 1995). Despite the critical function of the dunce products in memory formation, little is known of the spatial and temporal requirements of dunce gene product in memory formation. We have generated the tools to address this problem.Life Sciences Undergraduate Research Opportunity Progra

The Mediating Impact of Personality and Socio-Economic Status in the Treatment of Stress in Adolescents

This was a quasi-experimental study designed to examine the impact of personality and socio-economic status as moderator variables in stress reduction among 90 diploma students of the Institute of Education, Delta State University, Abraka. The paper employed 3x2x2 pretest posttest control group design. Two therapeutic methods Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) and Recreational Exercises Therapy (RET) were used to bring about stress reduction among adolescents. The Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA) Statistic was used for data analysis. The results showed that personality had a great impact on stress reduction of adolescents. There was no difference in the impact of personality types A and B. Likewise, the result of socio-economic status revealed a lot of impact on stress reduction among adolescents. Participants from high SES had more impact than those from low SES. These findings have implications for adolescent Counselling in the University system.Keywords: Mediating Impact, Personality, Socio-economic Status, Adolescents, Stress

Influence of parenting styles on adolescent delinquency in delta central senatorial district

The study investigated the influence of parenting styles on adolescents’ delinquency. 404 sample sizes were used for the study. 6 research questions and 6 research hypotheses were designed and formulated for the purpose of the study. Regression statistic was used for the analyses of the study. Irrespective of gender, location and age, the results of the analyses show that lassair-faire parenting style effectively predicts adolescents’ delinquency while authoritarian and authoritative did not. Parents who are positively oriented in their styles (demandingess and responsiveness) will make their adolescents socially competent and goal – directed. Parents who exerted control and monitored adolescent activities and promoted self-autonomy were found to have the most positive effects on adolescents’ behaviour. Uninvolving parents and also non responsive to adolescents needs had negative impacts on their behaviour. Key Words: Parenting Styles, Adolescents, Delinquenc

Deregulation of the Downstream Sector of the Nigerian Petroleum Industry: The Role of Leadership

This study examined the role of leadership in the deregulation of the downstream sector of the Nigerian petroleum industry. Primary data was collected through structured interview from 230 respondents via questionnaire.The survey method using the questionnaire was adopted in collecting data. Tables were used in the presentation of the data while the mean (x) and simple percentage (%) were used in the analysis of data. This study highlighted the importance and role of leadership in the deregulation of the downstream sector of the Nigerian petroleum industry. The study revealed that corruption, brought about by petroleum subsidy, is obvious in the petroleum industry and that importation of petroleum products to meet local demand by Nigerians is attributable to leadership/managerial problem. It further revealed that leadership upon attainment of independence in Nigeria has not been accountable and transparent in the management of the nation’s oil wealth to transform the lives of Nigerians. Leadership role in any organization, public or private, is of paramount importance as the leadership role when effectively carried out or not do affect the performance of an organization. The study concludes by recommending that there is constant need to evaluate what we do in leadership and how we do it irrespective of the position(s) we occupy and/or the sector(s) we find ourselves. Keywords: Deregulation, Downstream Sector, Leadership, Petroleum Industry

Poverty and Food Expenditure among Farming Households in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria

The prevalence of poverty continues to remain high in sub-Saharan Africa. It is common to see smallholder farmers focus on the production of food crops from which they can feed their families. The objectives of the study were to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of the farmers and analyse the determinants of poverty among the farmers. Data was collected with the aid of a questionnaire and personal interview. The questionnaire was made up of social and economic variables. The objectives were achieved with the use of descriptive statistics and a logistic regression model. The results showed that household size, education and having other steady source of income are significant determinants of a farmer’s poverty/non-poor status. Consequently, it is recommended that farming households should engage in family planning and invest in education to be able to access salary earning opportunities as these will bring them out of the poverty trap

Oil in the Persian Gulf War: Legal Appraisal of an Environmental Warfare.

Oil, modern history’s most “powerful” natural economic resource stood at the epicenter of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and became the latest unconventional weapon of warfare. The objective of this Article is to assess the legal implications of this recent environmental warfare involving the “oil weapon,” the first of its kind in recorded history. The experiences from national and international wars demonstrate one sure victim of wars, even barring human losses, is the environment. The delicacy of mankind’s planetary ecosystem necessitates urgency addressed to protecting the environment in the international struggle for arms control and disarmament agreement. This Article indicates Kuwait, the worst victim of the Persian Gulf environmental warfare, may sustain a claim against Iraq for damage resulting from Iraq’s act of environmental warfare. The reality is none of the existing treaties relating to this matter are satisfactory for dealing with the ramifications of the legal problems generated by this environmental warfare. In conclusion, it is strongly suggested the United Nations General Assembly, without further delay, adopt a resolution expressly condemning this Iraqi act of environmental warfare. It should condemn it as a war of aggression, an international crime, and a contravention of the principles and objectives of the U.N. Charter, international treaties, and customary international law. Certainly, it does not make for a good precedent for the United Nations to remain silent on this direct issue of environmental warfare. The United Nations should not treat it as an incidental matter if Iraq and other nations are to be deterred from committing similar crimes against the environment and the interest of mankind in the future

Diagnostic accuracy of body mass index in defining childhood obesity: Analysis of cross-sectional data from ghanaian children

Screening methods for childhood obesity are based largely on the published body mass index (BMI) criteria. Nonetheless, their accuracy in African children is largely unknown. The diagnostic accuracies of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the International Obesity Taskforce (IOTF) BMI-based criteria in defining obesity using deuterium dilution as a criterion method in a sample of Ghanaian children are presented. Methods: Data on anthropometric indices and percent body fat were collected from 183 children aged 8–11 years. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated. The overall performance of the BMI criteria was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristics area under the curve (AUC). Results: Overall sensitivity of WHO, CDC, and IOTF were 59.4% (40.6–76.3), 53.1% (34.7–70.9), and 46.9% (29.1–65.3) respectively. The overall specificity was high, ranging from 98.7% by WHO to 100.0% by IOTF. The AUC were 0.936 (0.865–1.000), 0.924 (0.852–0.995), and 0.945 (0.879–1.000) by the WHO, CDC, and IOTF criteria respectively for the overall sample. Prevalence of obesity by the WHO, CDC, IOTF, and deuterium oxide-derived percent body fat were 11.5%, 10.4%, 8.2%, and 17.5% respectively, with significant positive correlations between the BMI z-scores and percent body fat. Conclusions: The BMI-based criteria were largely specific but with moderate sensitivity in detecting excess body fat in Ghanaian children

Measuring Adiposity in Patients: The Utility of Body Mass Index (BMI), Percent Body Fat, and Leptin

Background: Obesity is a serious disease that is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, and cancer, among other diseases. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates a 20 % obesity rate in the 50 states, with 12 states having rates of over 30%. Currently, the body mass index (BMI) is most commonly used to determine adiposity. However, BMI presents as an inaccurate obesity classification method that underestimates the epidemic and contributes to failed treatment. In this study, we examine the effectiveness of precise biomarkers and duel-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to help diagnose and treat obesity. Methodology/Principal Findings: A cross-sectional study of adults with BMI, DXA, fasting leptin and insulin results wer

Comparison of body mass index (BMI) with the CUN-BAE body adiposity estimator in the prediction of hypertension and type 2 diabetes

Background Obesity is a world-wide epidemic whose prevalence is underestimated by BMI measurements, but CUN-BAE (Clínica Universidad de Navarra - Body Adiposity Estimator) estimates the percentage of body fat (BF) while incorporating information on sex and age, thus giving a better match. Our aim is to compare the BMI and CUN-BAE in determining the population attributable fraction (AFp) for obesity as a cause of chronic diseases. Methods We calculated the Pearson correlation coefficient between BMI and CUN-BAE, the Kappa index and the internal validity of the BMI. The risks of arterial hypertension (AHT) and diabetes mellitus (DM) and the AFp for obesity were assessed using both the BMI and CUN-BAE. Results 3888 white subjects were investigated. The overall correlation between BMI and CUN-BAE was R2 = 0.48, which improved when sex and age were taken into account (R2 > 0.90). The Kappa coefficient for diagnosis of obesity was low (28.7 %). The AFp was 50 % higher for DM and double for AHT when CUN-BAE was used. Conclusions The overall correlation between BMI and CUN-BAE was not good. The AFp of obesity for AHT and DM may be underestimated if assessed using the BMI, as may the prevalence of obesity when estimated from the percentage of BF

Fuzzy obesity index (MAFOI) for obesity evaluation and bariatric surgery indication

Background: the Miyahira-Araujo Fuzzy Obesity Index (MAFOI) for being used as an alternative in bariatric surgery indication (BSI) is validated in this paper. the search for a more accurate method to evaluate obesity and to indicate a better treatment is important in the world health context. Body mass index (BMI) is considered the main criteria for obesity treatment and BSI. Nevertheless, the fat excess related to the percentage of Body Fat (%BF) is actually the principal harmful factor in obesity disease that is usually neglected. the aim of this research is to validate a previous fuzzy mechanism by associating BMI with %BF that yields the Miyahira-Araujo Fuzzy Obesity Index (MAFOI) for obesity evaluation, classification, analysis, treatment, as well for better indication of surgical treatment.Methods: Seventy-two patients were evaluated for both BMI and %BF. the BMI and %BF classes are aggregated yielding a new index (MAFOI). the input linguistic variables are the BMI and %BF, and the output linguistic variable is employed an obesity classification with entirely new types of obesity in the fuzzy context, being used for BSI, as well.Results: There is gradual and smooth obesity classification and BSI criteria when using the Miyahira-Araujo Fuzzy Obesity Index (MAFOI), mainly if compared to BMI or %BF alone for dealing with obesity assessment, analysis, and treatment.Conclusion: the resulting fuzzy decision support system (MAFOI) becomes a feasible alternative for obesity classification and bariatric surgery indication