Neuronal Alterations and Antioxidant Status of Lipopolysaccharide Induced Neuronal damage in Mice: Eff icacy of Three Medicinal Plants

Background: Several factors including neuroinflammation and oxidative stress formation contribute to the progression and development of cognitive impairment. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection has been used as non - transgenic mouse models for Alzheimer’s diseases (AD). Plant medicine has been proposed to be the prospect in treatment/ management of neurodegenerative disease. Aim: The present study sought to evaluate the effect of three medicinal plants ( Bacopa floribunda (R.Br)Wettst , Scoparia dulcis L and Cordia millenii Bak . ) locally used for memory enhancement on neuronal histology and antioxidant status against L ipopolysaccharide induced neuronal damage in mice . Methods: Forty - nine (49) BALB/c male mice were randomly grouped into seven (7) groups of 7 mice each. All animals except in group I control (vehicle), were injected intraperitoneally (I.P.) with LPS (250 μg/kg) once, after oral pre - treatment with plant extracts an d control drugs for 7 days. Group II (untreated) received LPS only (250 μg/kg) , group III received LPS + Sulindac Sulfide (SS, 4 mg/kg), group IV received LPS + Donepezil (DPZ, 1 mg/kg) group V, VI, and VII received LPS + 200 mg/kg of plant extracts [ Sco paria dulcis (SD), Bacopa floribunda (BF), and Cordia millenii (CM)] respectively. After the experiment, histological analysis of the hippocampus from the whole brain was carried out while the other brain tissue s comprising frontal cortex and cerebellum we re used for determination of biomarkers of antioxidant status such as catalase (CAT); superoxide dismutase (SOD); malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH). Results: Oral administration of LPS induced neuronal damage through cell death as eviden ced by the histological analysis and altered brain antioxidant status in mice. However, the plant extracts were able to prevent such neuronal alterations and restored the antioxidant status when compared to the LPS induced neuronal damage in mice. Conclusi on: LPS induced neuroinflammation was prevented by the extracts of; B. floribunda, S. dulcis and C. millenni. Neural damage was also prevented by the extracts. This activity could be attributed to their antioxidant potential as evidenced from their inhibit ory effect on MDA and increased CAT activity and GSH. Nevertheless, other possible mechanisms of action against neuronal damage need to be assessed to further justify their use traditionally in the treatment/management of neurodegenerative disease

Negative emotional stimuli reduce contextual cueing but not response times in inefficient search

In visual search, previous work has shown that negative stimuli narrow the focus of attention and speed reaction times (RTs). This paper investigates these two effects by first asking whether negative emotional stimuli narrow the focus of attention to reduce the learning of a display context in a contextual cueing task and, second, whether exposure to negative stimuli also reduces RTs in inefficient search tasks. In Experiment 1, participants viewed either negative or neutral images (faces or scenes) prior to a contextual cueing task. In a typical contextual cueing experiment, RTs are reduced if displays are repeated across the experiment compared with novel displays that are not repeated. The results showed that a smaller contextual cueing effect was obtained after participants viewed negative stimuli than when they viewed neutral stimuli. However, in contrast to previous work, overall search RTs were not faster after viewing negative stimuli (Experiments 2 to 4). The findings are discussed in terms of the impact of emotional content on visual processing and the ability to use scene context to help facilitate search

The effect of disgust-related side-effects on symptoms of depression and anxiety in people treated for cancer: a moderated mediation model

As maladaptive disgust responses are linked to mental health problems, and cancer patients may experience heightened disgust as a result of treatments they receive, we explored the associations between disgust-related side-effects and symptoms of depression and anxiety in people treated for cancer. One hundred and thirty two (83 women, Mage = 57.48 years) participants answered questions about their treatments, side-effects, disgust responding, and mental health. Experiencing bowel and/or bladder problems, sickness and/or nausea (referred to here as “core” disgust-related side-effects) was significantly related to greater symptoms of depression and borderline increased anxiety. Further, these links were explained by a moderated mediation model, whereby the effects of core disgust side-effects on depression and anxiety were mediated by (physical and behavioural) self-directed disgust, and disgust propensity moderated the effect of core disgust side-effects on self-disgust. These findings stress the importance of emotional responses, like disgust, in psychological adaptation to the side-effects of cancer treatments

Wastage amidst shortage: Strategies for the mitigation of standby electricity in residential sector in Nigeria

Abstract : Due to rising population and the increasing rate of urbanization, residential electricity usage accounts for a large chunk of Nigeria’s electricity consumption. However, little attention is paid to electricity conservation in the country. In response to this, several studies are been tailored to ensure a rapid reduction in energy consumption through various alternatives including energy efficient technologies given the current state of inadequate electricity supply in the country. On this note, this article discusses the significance of standby electricity in Nigeria. The electricity generation and consumption patterns were briefly discussed while the current electricity saving behaviour and practices among the urban dwellers were detailed with a case study analysed. Based on the case study, it was discovered that the mean standby load across the 30 households were estimated at 60 W ranging from 34-144 W. Also, standby consumption accounts for 13-44% of the annual electricity consumption across the households. Finally, the strategies for electricity saving and sustainable consumption, most especially the mitigation of standby electricity were highlighted

Medical applicant general practice experience and career aspirations: a questionnaire study

Background: Increasing access to general practice work experience placements for school students is a strategy for improving general practice recruitment, despite limited evidence and concerns surrounding equity of access to general practice experiences. Aims: To examine the association between undertaking general practice experience and the perceptions of general practice as an appealing future career among prospective medical applicants. To identify socioeconomic factors associated with obtaining general practice experience. Design & setting: Cross-sectional questionnaire study in the UK. Method: Participants were UK residents aged ≥16 years and seriously considering applying to study medicine in 2019/2020. They were invited to take part via the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT). Questionnaire data were analysed using a linear regression of general practice appeal on general practice experience, adjusting for career motivations and demographics, and a logistic regression of general practice experience on measures of social capital and demographics. Results: Of 6391 responders, 4031 were in their last year of school. General practice experience predicted general practice appeal after adjusting for career motivation and demographics (b = 0.37, standard error [SE] = 0.06, P<0.00001). General practice experience was more common among students at private (odds ratio [OR] = 1.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.31 to 2.08, P<0.0001) or grammar schools (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.72, P = 0.03) and in the highest socioeconomic group (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.28 to 2.05, P<0.0001), and less likely among students of ‘other’ ethnicity (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.20 to 0.67, P = 0.0011). Conclusion: Having general practice experience prior to medical school was associated with finding general practice appealing, which supports its utility in recruitment. Applicants from more deprived backgrounds were less likely to have had a general practice experience, possibly through lack of accessible opportunities

Propuesta guía para una planeación y ejecución en proyectos de vivienda unifamiliar con enfoque Lean Construction

Trabajo de investigaciónEste trabajo contempla el desarrollo de una matriz enfocada en la metodología Lean Construction para la planeación y ejecución en proyectos de vivienda unifamiliar. Así mismo se evidencia un análisis de manera cuantitativa y cualitativamente en la adopción de la filosofía Lean Construction en procesos de la gestión de la planeación y ejecución de proyectos, que permite establecer un orden de actividades y sub actividades que componen las fases de un proyecto de vivienda unifamiliar en la relación del alcance exitoso en productividad y rendimiento.INTRODUCCIÓN 1. GENERALIDADES 2. METODOLOGÍAS EN EL MARCO DE LA PLANEACIÓN Y EJECUCIÓN DE PROYECTOS 3. LEAN CONSTRUCTION EN ACTIVIDADES DE CONSTRUCCIÓN 4. IMPLEMENTACIÓN DE LA MATRIZ EN CASO DE ESTUDIO 5. CONCLUSIONES 6. RECOMENDACIONES BIBLIOGRAFÍA ANEXOSPregradoIngeniero Civi

Latent provisions for building information modeling (BIM) contracts: a social network analysis approach

The effective adoption and use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) require appropriate contract design to fairly allocate the contracting parties’ rights and responsibilities. Several standards for BIM protocols and contracts have been developed for the industry. However, the awareness and the use of these are rather limited, leading to unclear provisions in BIM contracts. Therefore, the research aims to identify the influential legal aspects that serve as the latent contract provisions in BIM contracts. A questionnaire survey was conducted to survey experts and active BIM users in construction projects. The data were analyzed using social network analysis (SNA) by assuming interdependent relationships among various the legal aspects in BIM contacts. The key legal aspects associated with BIM contracts pertain to the roles and responsibilities of the project participants. The results also reveal that data security is the center of all latent legal aspects in the contracts. The study provides significant new insights into clarifying the required contract provisions in BIM contracts

Recent advances and perspectives on starch nanocomposites for packaging applications

Starch nanocomposites are popular and abundant materials in packaging sectors. The aim of this work is to review some of the most popular starch nanocomposite systems that have been used nowadays. Due to a wide range of applicable reinforcements, nanocomposite systems are investigated based on nanofiller type such as nanoclays, polysaccharides and carbonaceous nanofillers. Furthermore, the structures of starch and material preparation methods for their nanocomposites are also mentioned in this review. It is clearly presented that mechanical, thermal and barrier properties of plasticised starch can be improved with well-dispersed nanofillers in starch nanocomposites

Brain activation of the defensive and appetitive survival systems in obsessive compulsive disorder

Several studies have shown that basic emotions are responsible for a significant enhancement of early visual processes and increased activation in visual processing brain regions. It may be possible that the cognitive uncertainty and repeated behavioral checking evident in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is due to the existence of abnormalities in basic survival circuits, particularly those associated with the visual processing of the physical characteristics of emotional-laden stimuli. The objective of the present study was to test if patients with OCD show evidence of altered basic survival circuits, particularly those associated with the visual processing of the physical characteristics of emotional stimuli. Fifteen patients with OCD and 12 healthy controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging acquisition while being exposed to emotional pictures, with different levels of arousal, intended to trigger the defensive and appetitive basic survival circuits. Overall, the present results seem to indicate dissociation in the activity of the defense and appetitive survival systems in OCD. Results suggest that the clinical group reacts to basic threat with a strong activation of the defensive system mobilizing widespread brain networks (i.e., frontal, temporal, occipital-parietal, and subcortical nucleus) and blocking the activation of the appetitive system when facing positive emotional triggers from the initial stages of visual processing (i.e., superior occipital gyrus)