The effects of pain sensitivity behaviour on Swiss White Mice administrated with Chloroquine Phosphate

This study evaluates the effects of Chloroquine phosphate on pain sensation in mice considering the fact that Chloroquine as s chemotherapic agent is known for its neurotoxicity effect. The mice were divided into three groups of 10 mice each. While group 1 as the control, 2 and 3 as the test groups and group 1 received 0.2ml physiological saline i.p. while test groups 2 and 3 received 10mg/k (human therapeutic dose) and 20ml/kg (pharmacological  dose) of Chloroquine respectively. The tail flick and formalin tests were used to assess pain sensation. In the tail flick test, the latency of tail flick in group 2 and 3 were significantly lower compared to the control group in both phases, thus, showing an increase in pain sensation. In formalin tests, the frequency of right hind paw lick in group 2 was significantly higher compared to the control, representing an increase in pain sensitivity. The duration of hind paw lick was not significantly different among the groups. However, in phase 2, the duration of hind paw lick in group 2 was higher than control, showing an increase in chronic pain sensitivity. Our results suggest that, Chloroquine phosphate increases pain sensation in mice.Keywords: Neurotoxicity, Chloroquine phosphate, pain sensation, tail flick tests, formalin tests

Effect of Chronic consumption of powdered tobacco (snuff) on anxiety, fear and social behaviours

The effect of chronic consumption of tobacco powder on anxiety, fear and social behavior was studied using two groups of Swiss mice (control and test) weighing 18g-28g (n=15 each). The control received 100g of normal rodent chow, while the test received 1g of tobacco powder in 99g of rodent chow per day. Water was given ad libitum while daily food and water intake, as well as body weight changes, were monitored during the 31-day study. The elevated plus maize (EPM) and light/dark transition box (LDTB) were used to access anxiety and fear, while nest building was used to assess social behaviour. The results showed a significantly higher body weight (P<0.O5), as well as food and water intake (P<0.01) in the test group. In EPM, the duration in the open arm frequency and head dips was significantly higher (P<0.01) in the test group, while the frequency of stretch attend posture and defecation was lower in the test group (P<0.001 and P<0.05 respectively); signifying a decrease in anxiety and fear, which was also observed in LDTB, but no significant difference in nest building between both groups. Thus, chronic consumption of powdered tobacco may decrease anxiety/fear but has no effect on social behaviour.Keywords: Powdered tobacco, Snuff, Anxiety, Fear, Social behaviour, Mice

Adolescent prostitution in south-western Nigeria: demographic characteristics and risk factors.

Context: Adolescent prostitution, an interesting area of reproductive health focus, is of great socioeconomic and medical burden in Nigeria.Objective: This study aims to determine the demographic characteristics and risk factors for adolescent prostitution in NigeriaMethod: This was a cross- sectional study using ethnographic method of in-depth interview based survey of adolescent sex workers in Oyingbo and Yaba communities of Lagos State, Nigeria. This study was conducted between 1st of April, 2014 and 30th of September, 2014. The interview was conducted face to face.Result: A total of 290 adolescent sex workers were interviewed. The mean age of adolescent prostitutes in the study was 16.9 years. While 97.9% of the respondents were of Christian faith, 1.7% belonged to Islam. Financial gain was the commonest reason (90.7%) for involvement in adolescent prostitution in the study.Conclusion: Adolescent prostitution is a significant social and medical problem in Nigeria. Prompt and holistic multidisciplinary approach is required to address this social problem.Keywords: Adolescent, prostitution, reproductive health, demographic characteristics, risk factors, Nigeri

Serial pathologic fractures of five long bones on four separate occasions in a patient with primary hyperparathyroidism, challenges of management in a developing country: a case report

Multiple pathologic fractures secondary to parathyroid adenoma is rarely recognized and reported in the tropics. Inadequate evaluation causes worsened disability and increased psychological stress. We present a 27-year-old Nigerian male student with recurrent unexplained pathological fractures of the long bones. Primary Hyperparathyroidism was later diagnosed and he benefited from a unilateral parathyroidectomy. Primary hyperparathyroidism secondary to parathyroid adenoma is difficult to diagnose and needs a high index of suspicion. Surgery and good  postoperative biochemical control of serum calcium produce satisfying outcomesKey words: Pathologic fractures, parathyroid adenoma, Primary Hyperparathyroidism, serum calcium, surger

Impact of double reading on NI-RADS diagnostic accuracy in reporting oral squamous cell carcinoma surveillance imaging – a single-center study

Objectives: The Neck Imaging Reporting and Data System (NI-RADS) is an increasingly utilized risk stratification tool for imaging surveillance after treatment for head and neck cancer. This study aims to measure the impact of supervision by subspecialized radiologists on diagnostic accuracy of NI-RADS when initial reading is performed by residents. Methods: 150 CT and MRI datasets were initially read by two trained residents, and then supervised by two subspecialized radiologists. Recurrence rates by NI-RADS category were calculated, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted. After dichotomization of the NI-RADS system (category 1 vs categories 2 + 3+4 and categories 1 + 2 vs 3 + 4), sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value were calculated. Results: 26% of the reports were modified by the supervising radiologists. Area under the curve of ROC plots values of the supervision session were higher than those of the initial reading session for both the primary site (0.89 vs 0.86) and the neck (0.94 vs 0.91), but the difference was not statistically significant. For dichotomized NI-RADS category assignments, differences between the initial reading and the supervision session were statistically significant regarding specificity and PPV for the primary site (1 + 2 vs 3 + 4 and 1 vs 2 + 3+4) or even for both sites combined (1 vs 2 + 3+4). Conclusion: NI-RADS enables trained resident radiologists to report surveillance imaging in patients with treated oral squamous cell carcinoma with high discriminatory power. Additional supervision by a subspecialized head and neck radiologist particularly improves specificity of radiological reports

Internal Monitoring of Acoustic Emission in Graphite-Epoxy Composites Using Imbedded Optical Fiber Sensors

The monitoring of acoustic emission (AE) is an important technique for the nondestructive characterization of strained materials because time and frequency domain analyses of AE events yield information about the type, geometry, and location of defects, as well as how material failure may occur. The quantitative interpretation of AE event signatures is critically dependent upon the faithfulness of the acoustic transduction and signal processing system in reproducing localized stress wave amplitude as a function of time. Although the usual sensor for acoustic emission is the piezoelectric transducer, several investigators have considered the application of interferometric optical sensing techniques which offer good spatial resolution and frequency response [1,2]. These techniques typically focus one beam of a modified Michelson interferometer to a small spot on the surface of a specimen and measure the time-dependent normal component of surface displacement at the location of that spot

The bridge helix coordinates movements of modules in RNA polymerase

The RNA polymerase 'bridge helix' is a metastable α-helix that spans the leading edge of the enzyme active-site cleft. A new study published in BMC Biology reveals surprising tolerance to helix-disrupting changes in a region previously thought crucial for translocation, and suggests roles for two hinge-like segments of the bridge helix in coordinating modules that move during the nucleotide-addition cycle

Prospects for terahertz imaging the human skin cancer with the help of gold-nanoparticles-based terahertz-to-infrared converter

The design is suggested, and possible operation parameters are discussed, of an instrument to inspect a skin cancer tumour in the terahertz (THz) range, transferring the image into the infrared (IR) and making it visible with the help of standard IR camera. The central element of the device is the THz-to-IR converter, a Teflon or silicon film matrix with embedded 8.5 nm diameter gold nanoparticles. The use of external THz source for irradiating the biological tissue sample is presumed. The converter's temporal characteristics enable its performance in a real-time scale. The details of design suited for the operation in transmission mode (in vitro) or on the human skin in reflection mode {in vivo) are specified.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of the FANEM2018 workshop - Minsk, 3-5 June 201

Entrepreneurs’ age, institutions, and social value creation goals: a multi-country study

This study explores the relationship between an entrepreneur's age and his/her social value creation goals. Building on the lifespan developmental psychology literature and institutional theory, we hypothesize a U-shaped relationship between entrepreneurs’ age and their choice to create social value through their ventures, such that younger and older entrepreneurs create more social value with their businesses while middle age entrepreneurs are relatively more economically and less socially oriented with their ventures. We further hypothesize that the quality of a country’s formal institutions in terms of economic, social, and political freedom steepen the U-shaped relationship between entrepreneurs’ age and their choice to pursue social value creation as supportive institutional environments allow entrepreneurs to follow their age-based preferences. We confirm our predictions using multilevel mixed-effects linear regressions on a sample of over 15,000 entrepreneurs (aged between 18 and 64 years) in 45 countries from Global Entrepreneurship Monitor data. The findings are robust to several alternative specifications. Based on our findings, we discuss implications for theory and practice, and we propose future research directions

A novel, simple, and sensitive colorimetric method to determine aromatic amino acid aminotransferase activity using the Salkowski reagent

This study describes the development of a new colorimetric assay to determine aromatic amino acid aminotransferase (ArAT) activity. The assay is based on the transamination of l-tryptophan in the presence of 2-oxoglutarate, which yields indole-3-pyruvate (IPyA). The amount of IPyA formed was quantified by reaction with the Salkowski reagent. Optimized assay conditions are presented for ArAT isozymes isolated from Pseudomonas putida. For comparative purposes, ArAT activity was also determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. ArAT activity staining in polyacrylamide gels with the Salkowski reagent is also presented