Effect of gestational diabetes on purkinje and granule cells distribution of the rat cerebellum in 21 and 28 days of postnatal life

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is associated with nervous system alterations in both human and animal models. This study was done to determine the effect of gestational diabetes on the Purkinje and granular cells in the cerebellum of rat offspring. Methods: 10 Wistar rats Dams were randomly allocated in control and diabetic group. The experimental group received 40 mg/kg/body weight of streptozotocin (STZ) at the first day of gestation and control groups received saline injection intraperitoneally (IP). Six male offsprings of gestational diabetic mothers and control dams, at the 21, 28 postnatal days were randomly scarified and coronal sections of cerebellum (6 micrometer) serially collected. The neurons were stained with cresyl violet. Results: The Purkinje cells density in the apex and depth of cerebellum in P21, in the experimental group was reduced 23 and 15 in comparison with the control group (P<0.001). The granular cells density in the experimental group was reduced 19.58 and 18.3 in comparison with the controls (P<0.001). The Purkinje cells density of cerebellum in P28, in the diabetic group reduced to 22.12 and 12.62 in comparison with the control group (P<0.001). The granular cells density in the diabetic group reduced 17.14 and 16.12 in comparison with the control group (P<0.001). Discussion: The Purkinje and granular cells significantly reduced in gestational diabetes rat offspring

Analog Computer Research

Contains reports on two research projects

Effect of gestational diabetes on neuronal cells in rat cerebellum in early postnatal life

Previous study has shown the adverse effects of gestational diabetes on hippocampal neuronal density in animal model. This study was conducted to determine the effect of gestational diabetes on rat cerebellum in early postnatal life. In this experimental study, 10 dams randomly allocated into control and diabetic groups on day 1 of gestation. Five dams in diabetic group were administered 40 mg/kg/BW (intraperitoneally) of streptozotocin and control animals received normal saline. Six offspring of each gestational diabetes mellitus and controls were randomly selected at day 7 of postnatal life. Offspring were sacrificed and coronal sections were taken from the cerebellum and stained with cresyl violet. The number of Purkinje and granular cells and thickness of layers of cerebellum were evaluated by quantitative computer-assisted morphometric method. The Purkinje cells density at apex and depth of cerebellar lobules in the experimental group (14.40±0.7, 14.86±0.6) significantly reduced in comparison with the control group (16.72±0.3, 17.85±0.7) (P<0.05). The granular cell density at apex and depth of cerebellar lobules in the experimental group (23.94±0.6, 22.81±0.5) significantly reduced in comparison with the control group (29.20±0.8, 28.1±0.8) (P<0.05). The thickness of the Purkinje and internal granular and molecular layers at apex and depth of cerebellar cortex significantly reduced in diabetics group compared to controls (P<0.05). This study revealed that gestational diabetes induces loss of number and size of the Purkinje cells and the granular cells and reduction of thickness of the Purkinje and internal granular layer of the cerebellar cortex in neonatal mice

Pine-Polyethylene (Wood -Polymer) Composites: Synthesis and Mechanical Behavior Characterization.

Processing of recycled wood chips, recently produced after extraction of creosote from telephone posts and railroad crossties, and combining them with a recycled polymer for the synthesis of novel composite materials would initiate a new trend toward preservation of natural resources. The challenge is taken in this work to produce and study the properties of such materials for further advancement of science. In the present study, addition of pine wood chips to HDPE reduced the tensile strength and break strain in tensile loading. Smaller wood chips generally resulted in smaller reductions. Peak load, modulus of rupture and stiffness were slightly higher at 40% pine wood chip concentration in the composite than the polymer alone; they later decreased with increasing concentration of wood chips. Optimal mechanical properties in these composites were produced by pine wood chips smaller than 0.125 inch in size, at around 40 vol. % in concentration. Pre-treatment of wood chips in a suitable solution of NaOH caused an increase in the coupling strength between protruding wood fibers and polymer. Such a treatment followed by a second one with vinyltrimethoxysilane was found to be the best for obtaining maximum bonding strength. Impact testing of the prepared samples showed that more fracture resistant wood-polymer composites were those with larger wood chips at the higher concentration range of 50 to 60 vol. %. In contrast, composites with 60% fine wood chips would fail easily at energy levels far less than those required to break the polymer alone. Variation of (Keng)2/E vs. crack length, the R curve, indicates three regions. The point of transition from region I (elastic) to region II is considered as a critical point of fracture process initiation, KIif,com. The transition from the state of stable crack growth, region II, to region III is considered to be at the point of instability. Likewise, the point of inflection on the plot of Ktrue vs. crack length, corresponding to a large change in slope, indicates also the point of instability. Keng corresponding to this critical point of inflection is proposed to be KIc, the real fracture toughness of these composites

The Cashless Debit Card trial in the East Kimberley

This paper focuses on the Cashless Debit Card trial in the East Kimberley, Western Australia. The card aims to restrict cash and purchases to curb alcohol consumption, illegal drug use and gambling. The card targets Indigenous people disproportionately – 82.0% of the people in the East Kimberley trial are Indigenous. The current study is based on 13 months of research into the Australian Government’s trial of the card in the East Kimberley. We review the card in the context of current policies to manage Indigenous consumption. We then look at aspects of the trial in the East Kimberley, including its implementation, lack of community engagement, community resistance and effects on money management. We find not only that the trial was chaotic, but that its logic is deeply flawed, and disconnected from the relational poverty experienced by people receiving state benefits. We also find that the card has become a symbol of government control and regulation in the study site

Technology Innovation in Education Research

No Abstract

Growth, physiological processes and yield of tomatoes grown in different root zone volumes using sand culture

The effects of different root zone volumes (2000, 4000 and 6000 cm3) an growth, water relations, stomatal responses, photosynthetic rate, mineral nutrition and yield of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) grown in sand culture were investigated. The plants were sampled for growth analysis fortnightly for a 56-day period. Leaf growth, stem and root dry weights were significanlty reduced with root zane volumes of 2000 and 4000 cm3. Total fruit fresh weight was reduced when plants were grown with decreasing root z.one volumes. Root zone volumes, however, did not produce a significant effect an percentage of fruit dry matter and total soluble solids. The reduction in plant growth and development was associated with reduction in water potential, photosynthetic rate and mineral nutrient uptake when plants were grown in root zone volumes of 4000 cm3 or less

Batch and Continuous Lactic Acid Production from Cassava by Streptococcus bovis

Process variables were optimized for the production of lactic acid from cassava by Streptococcus bovis for batch and continuous fermentations. In the batch fermentation, maximum yield 82.5% and maximum lactic acid productivity 2.43 was achieved at 39 oC, pH 5.5 with 50 g/l cassava concentration. In the continuous fermentation maximum productivity lactic acid 1.25 g/l.h was obtained at dilution rate 0.05 /h