Effects of dietary inclusion of Lepidium sativum (garden cress) seed on plasma luteinizing hormone and reproductive performance in female rabbits

Background: Lepidium sativum (LS) has been reported to have multi-purpose medicinal uses. For instance, rubefacient, antihypertensive, hepatoprotective, galactagogue and aphrodisiac properties are well documented; however, there are few controversial reports particularly as related to reproduction. Also, no known study has identified the mechanisms underlying the action of this plant on reproduction. This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of dietary supplementation with LS on luteinizing hormone and reproductive performance in female rabbits.Methods: A total of twenty, nulliparous Chinchilla female rabbits (6.5-month old) were randomly assigned to four treatment groups with five (n=5) rabbits in each group. Diet containing either LS seed powder at 0% (Control), 5%, 7% or 10% were given ad-libitum to female rabbits two weeks pre-pregnancy and throughout the entire period of pregnancy. Blood samples were collected through the marginal ear vein from each female rabbit weekly during pre-pregnancy and pregnancy periods to evaluate Luteinizing hormone (LH). Conception rate, gestation length, litter size, litter weight, number of stillbirths and runts were recorded. Data obtained were analyzed using ANOVA.Results: LS seed inclusion significantly increased (P<0.05) conception rate and plasma LH concentration in dose dependent manner, from 5%- to the 7%- and then decreased at 10%-LS seed level. There was a significant decrease (P<0.05) in gestation length in does fed 10% LS-based diet. Furthermore, the litter weights and number of live kid born were significantly (P<0.05) decreased in all LS groups. In contrast to zero incidence in control rabbits, high incidence of stillbirth and runt were recorded in all LS-based groups.Conclusion: The results show that inclusion of LS seed in rabbit chow increases conception rate and plasma LH levels which were attributed to the phytoestrogens constituent in the seed. Despite the positive role of LS seeds on conception rate and LH, LS seed may possess fetal developmental toxicity effects due to high incidence of stillbirth and extremely low birth weight of newborn recorded.Keywords:  Lepidium sativum seed, rabbit, reproductive performance, luteinizing hormone, pregnancy, foetu

Breed and gender effects on blood profile of Muturu and Bunaji cattle in Benue and Ogun State, Nigeria

This research was conducted to study the blood profile of Bunaji and Muturu cattle in Benue and Ogun States. Four hundred and eighty cattle comprising 240 of each breed and 120 of either gender at each location were sampled. The experiment was set in a 2×2×2 factorial format in a CRD with location, breed and gender as factors. Samples were collected five times at each location. Blood parameters analyzed were PCV, Haemoglobin (Hb), Red Blood Cell Count (RBC), Lymphocytes, Granulocytes and Monocytes. The results showed that Muturu cattle presented significantly (p<0.05) higher mean PCV, Hb, WBC, percent Lymphocyte and Monocytes. It was also observed that Muturu cattle at Benue State showed higher (p<0.05) mean PCV, RBC and percent granulocyte while the Bunaji presented higher (p<0.05) mean MCHC, with the bulls presenting significantly (p<0.05) higher mean MCHC (39.45g/dl) than the cows (36.38g/dl). Similarly, higher mean MCHC were observed in Muturu bulls (31.02g/dl) compared to the cows (28.90g/dl) of Benue State. These variations in mean MCHC were not observed among cattle in Ogun State. Mean lymphocytes and granulocytes varied significantly (p<0.05) with Bunaji gender in Ogun State. The study concluded that location and breed affected haematological parameters of the cattle breed investigated. Key words: Blood; Breed; Bunaji; Gender; Mutur

Assessment of Population Density and Disparity of Village Weaverbirds ( Ploceus cucullatus ) Along Three Selected Road Axis in Ogun State, Nigeria

Study of Village weaverbirds Ploceus cucullatus along the roads was necessary in order to provide prospect of their population, density and platform for monitoring their distribution. Data were collected through on-site observations and pointcount method at thirty-four (34) point-count stations. Collected data were subjected to descriptive statistics and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). 58.8% of the point-count stations were recorded along Abeokuta/Ibadan road axis, 26.5% along Abeokuta/Shagamu road axis and 14.7% along Ijebu-Ode/Ibadan road axis. Twelve different tree species representing ten families were found colonized by the bird but Cassia spp , Mangifera indica and Terminalia catappa were most preferred for habitation. Habitat use classifications indicated that Village weaverbirds predominantly nested in human settlements (94.2%). Total population of 1269 Village weaverbirds were recorded along the three road axis and highest population of it was from Abeokuta-Ibadan road axis. Overall, population density for the three road axis was 18 Village weaverbirds per kilometre and among the roads; Abeokuta-Ibadan road axis recorded the highest density. The total population mean Village weaverbirds was 223\ub113 Village weaverbirds while the total nest population was 129\ub1nest. Total elevation value was 141\ub16 asl and the mean total of the tree species was 5\ub11 tree species. Maximum and minimum values of Village weaverbirds population, nest counts, elevation and tree species were recorded along Abeokuta/Ibadan road axis than other road axis. Elevation of point-count station was significantly different (P< 0.05). Elevation of the study locations contributed to Village weaverbirds population, density and population disparity along the road axis

Thinking about growth : a cognitive mapping approach to understanding small business development

School of Managemen

Exciton swapping in a twisted graphene bilayer as a solid-state realization of a two-brane model

It is shown that exciton swapping between two graphene sheets may occur under specific conditions. A magnetically tunable optical filter is described to demonstrate this new effect. Mathematically, it is shown that two turbostratic graphene layers can be described as a "noncommutative" two-sheeted (2+1)-spacetime thanks to a formalism previously introduced for the study of braneworlds in high energy physics. The Hamiltonian of the model contains a coupling term connecting the two layers which is similar to the coupling existing between two braneworlds at a quantum level. In the present case, this term is related to a K-K' intervalley coupling. In addition, the experimental observation of this effect could be a way to assess the relevance of some theoretical concepts of the braneworld hypothesis.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, final version published in European Physical Journal

Pairing and Density Correlations of Stripe Electrons in a Two-Dimensional Antiferromagnet

We study a one-dimensional electron liquid embedded in a 2D antiferromagnetic insulator, and coupled to it via a weak antiferromagnetic spin exchange interaction. We argue that this model may qualitatively capture the physics of a single charge stripe in the cuprates on length- and time scales shorter than those set by its fluctuation dynamics. Using a local mean-field approach we identify the low-energy effective theory that describes the electronic spin sector of the stripe as that of a sine-Gordon model. We determine its phases via a perturbative renormalization group analysis. For realistic values of the model parameters we obtain a phase characterized by enhanced spin density and composite charge density wave correlations, coexisting with subleading triplet and composite singlet pairing correlations. This result is shown to be independent of the spatial orientation of the stripe on the square lattice. Slow transverse fluctuations of the stripes tend to suppress the density correlations, thus promoting the pairing instabilities. The largest amplitudes for the composite instabilities appear when the stripe forms an antiphase domain wall in the antiferromagnet. For twisted spin alignments the amplitudes decrease and leave room for a new type of composite pairing correlation, breaking parity but preserving time reversal symmetry.Comment: Revtex, 28 pages incl. 5 figure

A global call for action to include gender in research impact assessment

Global investment in biomedical research has grown significantly over the last decades, reaching approximately a quarter of a trillion US dollars in 2010. However, not all of this investment is distributed evenly by gender. It follows, arguably, that scarce research resources may not be optimally invested (by either not supporting the best science or by failing to investigate topics that benefit women and men equitably). Women across the world tend to be significantly underrepresented in research both as researchers and research participants, receive less research funding, and appear less frequently than men as authors on research publications. There is also some evidence that women are relatively disadvantaged as the beneficiaries of research, in terms of its health, societal, and economic impacts. Historical gender biases may have created a path dependency that means that the research system and the impacts of research are biased towards male researchers and male beneficiaries, making it inherently difficult (though not impossible) to eliminate gender bias. In this commentary, we – a group of scholars and practitioners from Africa, America, Asia, and Europe– argue that gender-sensitive research impact assessment could become a force for good in moving science policy and practice towards gender equity. Research impact assessment is the multidisciplinary field of scientific inquiry that examines the research process to maximise scientific, societal, and economic returns on investment in research. It encompasses many theoretical and methodological approaches that can be used to investigate gender bias and recommend actions for change to maximise research impact. We offer a set of recommendations to research funders, research institutions, and research evaluators who conduct impact assessment on how to include and strengthen analysis of gender equity in research impact assessment and issue a global call for action

ECFS best practice guidelines: the 2018 revision

Developments in managing CF continue to drive dramatic improvements in survival. As newborn screening rolls-out across Europe, CF centres are increasingly caring for cohorts of patients who have minimal lung disease on diagnosis. With the introduction of mutation-specific therapies and the prospect of truly personalised medicine, patients have the potential to enjoy good quality of life in adulthood with ever-increasing life expectancy. The landmark Standards of Care published in 2005 set out what high quality CF care is and how it can be delivered throughout Europe. This underwent a fundamental re-write in 2014, resulting in three documents; center framework, quality management and best practice guidelines. This document is a revision of the latter, updating standards for best practice in key aspects of CF care, in the context of a fast-moving and dynamic field. In continuing to give a broad overview of the standards expected for newborn screening, diagnosis, preventative treatment of lung disease, nutrition, complications, transplant/end of life care and psychological support, this consensus on best practice is expected to prove useful to clinical teams both in countries where CF care is developing and those with established CF centres. The document is an ECFS product and endorsed by the CF Network in ERN LUNG and CF Europe