Graded Encoding of Food Odor Value in the Drosophila Brain

Odors are highly evocative, yet how and where in the brain odors derive meaning remains unknown. Our analysis of the Drosophila brain extends the role of a small number of hunger-sensing neurons to include food-odor value representation. In vivo two-photon calcium imaging shows the amplitude of food odor-evoked activity in neurons expressing Drosophila neuropeptide F (dNPF), the neuropeptide Y homolog, strongly correlates with food-odor attractiveness. Hunger elevates neural and behavioral responses to food odors only, although food odors that elicit attraction in the fed state also evoke heightened dNPF activity in fed flies. Inactivation of a subset of dNPF-expressing neurons or silencing dNPF receptors abolishes food-odor attractiveness, whereas genetically enhanced dNPF activity not only increases food-odor attractiveness but promotes attraction to aversive odors. Varying the amount of presented odor produces matching graded neural and behavioral curves, which can function to predict preference between odors. We thus demonstrate a possible motivationally scaled neural "value signal" accessible from uniquely identifiable cells

Dialoguing through E-Mail: An Ict Tool for Science Lesson Delivery in National Teachers’ Institute in Akwa Ibom State

The study investigated the impact of integrating dialoguing through e-mail as an ICT tool in science lesson delivery in National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) in Akwa Ibom State. Descriptive and quasi-experimental designs were used for the study. Three research questions guided the study. A population of 102 final year science students spread across the six (6) study centres of NTI in the State was used for the study. A Questionnaire and an Achievement Test of 0.72 and 0.78 reliability indexes, structured by the researchers, were instruments used for data collection. Data collated were computed and compared using weighted means and standard deviations according to the research questions posed for the study. Findings from the study revealed that performance of NTI science students who integrated dialoguing through e-mail in their learning process performed better than those who only relied on the programmed printed materials given to them at their study centres. It also indicated a difference in performance between male and female students who integrated dialoguing through e-mail in their learning process, in favour of the males. Lastly the study revealed that high Internet access charges; fluctuation in Network access; inconsistent power supply; inadequate skill on how to operate the computer system; and selectivity of some modems to some environments for Internet accessibility were major factors militating against effective dialoguing through e-mail as an ICT instructional tool. Major recommendations made based on these findings are that lecturers and students of NTI should integrate e-mail dialoguing in their instructional process in order to achieve better performance; female NTI students should encourage themselves to meet up with the current ICT challenges, by enrolling in ICT trainings; improved modems that will be generally friendly to all environments should be produced by highly-skilled technicians for easy accessibility of Internet; and Nigerian government should work in collaboration with non-governmental bodies and philanthropists to solve the problem of power supply

Micro Fast Food Outfits Operations and Economic Empowerment of the People (Through Income Generation) in Calabar Urban, Cross River State, Nigeria

This study examined Micro fast food outfits operations and economic empowerment of the people through income generation in Calabar urban, Cross River State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were identified and related literature were reviewed. Data for this research were derived from a 20 items questionnaire. Survey research design was adopted for the study with 600 respondents randomly selected from Calabar urban.  Data generated were presented using simple percentage analysis. The findings of the study revealed that; micro - fast food outfits operations can serve as a source of income generation to people in Calabar urban, Cross River State; micro - fast food outfits operations can serve as a source of business empowerment for the people in Calabar urban, and that, micro - fast food outfits operations relate with economic wellbeing of the people in Calabar urban, Cross River State. The study recommended that Government should create a favourable business atmosphere for fast food outfits and Micro fast food outfits operators should be motivated so that they will understand their role in economic empowerment in the State and Soft loan should be provided to micro fast food operators to enhance their operations and invest on a large scale fast food outfits operations. Keywords: Micro, outfits, operations, economic empowerment, urban dwellers, income generation. DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/76-01 Publication date:October 31st 202

Heavy Metals Concentration In Soils And Bioaccumulation In Earthworm (Lumbricus Terrestris) At Lemna Solid Wastes Dumpsite, Calabar, Cross River State

This study investigated the concentrations of heavy metals and their bioaccumulation in earthworm in Lemna solid wastes dumpsite in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Three composite samples of the depth of 30 cm each were collected from Lemna dumpsites and control from the University of Calabar Botanical garden, making a total of four composite soil samples, while samples of earthworms were collected at each sampling point. The samples were analysed for Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu. The result showed that the levels of heavy metals were all higher in dumpsite and significantly different from the control. The respective means of metal concentrations from both Lemna and control were Pb(323.99mg/kg , 89.88mg/kg),  Cd(1.12 mg/kg, 0.072 mg/kg), Zn(281 mg/kg, 7.60 mg/kg) and Cu(21.58 mg/kg, 4.89 mg/kg). Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu were also higher in earthworm of dumpsite than earthworm of the control soil. Correlation between Cadmium and Zinc concentration in soil and Cadmium and Zinc concentration in earthworm displayed strong and positive relationship while weak and negative correlation was observed between Cu and Pb concentrations in soil and Cu and Pb concentrations in earthworm. Bioaccumulation of the heavy metals by earthworm was in the order of Zn (0.382) > Cd (0.170) > Pb (0.076) > Cu (0.020). The dumpsite soil was found to be contaminated with Cd, Pb and Zn as their concentrations were high above maximum permissible limits except Cu.  For safe consumption of crops from Lemna dumpsite soil, remediation of heavy metals in the soil in advocated.   &nbsp

ASSESSMENT OF PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PARK SERVICE: THE CASE OF CROSS RIVER NATIONAL PARK

The study examined the level of Protected Area Management Practices in the Nigerian National Park Service. Primary data were collected through interviews and Focus Group Discussion. Secondary data involved a reconnaissance survey of the park for two months to assess the situation on ground in the study area. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as chi-square. Results of the study revealed that management strategies adopted in the operations of the park were inadequate for effective park management. Adequate funding and provision of modern patrol equipment were considered necessary for effective management of the park

Vitamin C modulates adrenaline-augmented gastric injury via cardiac troponin/creatine kinase pathway in Wistar rats

Objective(s): Vitamin C has anti-oxidant benefits in the gastrointestinal tract and heart. This study investigated the effect of vitamin C on some gastric parameters in myocardial injury in rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty Wistar rats were divided into five groups (n = 6). Group 1 was the control and Group 2 (ADR) received 1 mg/kg of adrenaline subcutaneously on days 13 and 14. Group 3 received vitamin C (200 mg/kg) orally for 14 days. Group 4 received adrenaline (1 mg/kg) on days 1 and 2 and vitamin C from days 1 to 14. Group 5 received vitamin C till day 14 and adrenaline on days 13 and 14. All animals were sacrificed after 2 hr of pyloric ligation. Gastric secretion parameters were assessed while a blood sample was obtained for biochemical analysis. Results: Gastric juice volume, total gastric acidity, pepsin activity, cardiac troponin 1, creatine kinase-MB, and lactate dehydrogenase levels increased (P<0.05) in ADR only group relative to the control. Pre- and post-vitamin C treatment reduced (P<0.05) these markers to near normal. However, treatment with vitamin C reduced (P<0.05) ulcer score, and increased (P<0.05) pepsin activity, mucus weight, and serum vitamin C levels when compared with the ADR-only group. Pre-treatment with vitamin C resulted in a marked decrease (P<0.05) in gastric juice volume, pepsin activity, and total gastric acidity compared with post-treatment in the adrenaline-induced injury group.Conclusion: Vitamin C pretreatment reduces excessive gastric secretions, ulcer scores, and attenuates cardio-inflammatory responses in adrenaline-augmented myocardial injury in rats

HUMAN-INDUCED IMPACT ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND DIVERSITY OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES AND FISH FAUNA IN THE TROPICAL IKANG RIVER, NIGERIA

Tropski vodeni ekosustavi jugoistočne Nigerije obično se sastoje od močvara mangrova i obalnih šuma, a ugroženima su postale posljednjih šest desetljeća. Cilj ovog istraživanja bilo je utvrditi opseg i aktivnosti utjecaja čovjeka na kakvoću vode, te na distribuciju i raznolikost bentoskih makrobeskralježnjaka i riba u tropskoj rijeci Ikang. Uzorkovani su riječna voda, bentoski makrobeskralješnjaci i fauna riba, te su identificirani kako bi se stvorila baza referentnih podataka. Identificirano je dvanaest (12) vrsta bentoskih makrobeskralježnjaka iz dvije (2) skupine. Postaja 1 imala je najveću brojnost bentoskih makrobeskralježnjaka od 58 (35,65%), dok je postaja 3 imala najnižu brojnost od 52 (31,70%). Uca tangeri bio je najzastupljeniji bentoski makrobeskralješnjak s postotkom brojnosti od 28 (17,07%), dok su Dinocras sp., Macromia sp. i Gomphus sp. bili su najmanje zastupljeni bentoski makrobeskralježnjaci s postotkom zastupljenosti od 3,66%. Osim toga, identificirano je sedam (7) vrsta riba iz šest (6) porodica. Tijekom istraživanja najzastupljenija je bila porodica Claroteidae, dok je porodica Carangidae bila najmanje zastupljena. Temperatura rijeke imala je pozitivnu korelaciju s prodicama Carangidae i Mugilidae, negativnu s porodicom Clupeidae, dok nikakvu s porodicom Claroteidae. Ukupne otopljene čvrste tvari (TDS) pozitivno su korelirale s porodicama Carangidae, Mugilidae i Clariidae, dok je vodljivost pozitivno korelirala samo s prodicom Sciaenidae, a negativno s prodicama Carangidae, Mugilidae i Clariidae. Na brojnost i raznolikost bentoskih makrobeskralješnjaka i riblje faune općenito su utjecale fizikalne i kemijske karakteristike vode, dostupnost hrane te opseg ljudskih utjecaja i aktivnosti. Kako bismo osigurali održivu kvalitetu vode i očuvanje bioraznolikosti u ovom okolišu, potrebno je primjereno upravljati rijekom i okolnim ekosustavom.South-eastern Nigeria\u27s tropical water ecosystems typically consist of mangrove swamps and riparian forests, both of which have become endangered in the last six decades. The purpose of this research was to determine the extent of human-induced impact and activities on the effect of water quality on the distribution and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates and fish fauna in the Tropical River (Ikang). The river\u27s surface water, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish fauna were sampled and identified to create a database of reference information. Twelve (12) species of benthic macroinvertebrates from two (2) phyla were identified. Station 1 had the highest benthic macroinvertebrate abundance of 58 (35.65%), while Station 3 had the lowest abundance of 52 (31.70%). Uca tangeri was the most abundant benthic macroinvertebrate with a percentage abundance of 28 (17.07%), while Dinocras sp., Macromia sp., and Gomphus sp. were the least abundant benthic macroinvertebrates with a percentage abundance of 3.66%. In addition, seven (7) fish species from six (6) families were identified. During the study, the family Claroteidae was the most abundant, while the family Carangidae was the least abundant. The temperature of the river had a positive correlation with the families Carangidae and Mugilidae, a negative correlation with the family Clupeidae, and no correlation with the family Claroteidae. Total dissolved solids (TDS) correlated positively with the families Carangidae, Mugilidae, and Clariidae, while conductivity correlated positively only with the family Sciaenidae and negatively with the families Carangidae, Mugilidae and Clariidae. The abundance and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates and fish fauna were generally influenced by the physical and chemical characteristics of the water, the availability of food, and the extent of human impacts and activities. In order to ensure sustainable water quality and biodiversity conservation in our environment, it is necessary to manage the river and the surrounding ecosystem appropriately

Representation of Time-Varying Stimuli by a Network Exhibiting Oscillations on a Faster Time Scale

Sensory processing is associated with gamma frequency oscillations (30–80 Hz) in sensory cortices. This raises the question whether gamma oscillations can be directly involved in the representation of time-varying stimuli, including stimuli whose time scale is longer than a gamma cycle. We are interested in the ability of the system to reliably distinguish different stimuli while being robust to stimulus variations such as uniform time-warp. We address this issue with a dynamical model of spiking neurons and study the response to an asymmetric sawtooth input current over a range of shape parameters. These parameters describe how fast the input current rises and falls in time. Our network consists of inhibitory and excitatory populations that are sufficient for generating oscillations in the gamma range. The oscillations period is about one-third of the stimulus duration. Embedded in this network is a subpopulation of excitatory cells that respond to the sawtooth stimulus and a subpopulation of cells that respond to an onset cue. The intrinsic gamma oscillations generate a temporally sparse code for the external stimuli. In this code, an excitatory cell may fire a single spike during a gamma cycle, depending on its tuning properties and on the temporal structure of the specific input; the identity of the stimulus is coded by the list of excitatory cells that fire during each cycle. We quantify the properties of this representation in a series of simulations and show that the sparseness of the code makes it robust to uniform warping of the time scale. We find that resetting of the oscillation phase at stimulus onset is important for a reliable representation of the stimulus and that there is a tradeoff between the resolution of the neural representation of the stimulus and robustness to time-warp. Author Summary Sensory processing of time-varying stimuli, such as speech, is associated with high-frequency oscillatory cortical activity, the functional significance of which is still unknown. One possibility is that the oscillations are part of a stimulus-encoding mechanism. Here, we investigate a computational model of such a mechanism, a spiking neuronal network whose intrinsic oscillations interact with external input (waveforms simulating short speech segments in a single acoustic frequency band) to encode stimuli that extend over a time interval longer than the oscillation's period. The network implements a temporally sparse encoding, whose robustness to time warping and neuronal noise we quantify. To our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate that a biophysically plausible model of oscillations occurring in the processing of auditory input may generate a representation of signals that span multiple oscillation cycles.National Science Foundation (DMS-0211505); Burroughs Wellcome Fund; U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Researc

Academic Stress and Parental Pressure as Predictors of Psychological Health in Covid-19 Emergency Times among School Children with Intellectual Disabilities in Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State, Nigeria: The Implication for Counseling

Background: Academic stress and parental pressure have been shown to be important factors associated with psychological health. However, the internal mechanism between them is still not clear. Aim: This study assessed the joint significant influence of the predictor variables (academic stress and parental pressure) as predictors of psychological health in COVID-19 emergency times among school children with disabilities in Calabar metropolis, Cross River State, Nigeria: The implication for counseling. One study objective was stated, and one statement of hypothesis was posed. A literature review was carried out based on the variable under study. Method: The research design that was adopted in this study is correlational research design. A simple random sampling technique was adopted to select the 234 respondents sampled for the study from a population of 2,344. A validated 35-item four-point modified Likert scale questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. The face and content validity of the instrument was established by experts in Test and Measurement. The reliability estimates 0.89 of the instruments were established using the Cronbach Alpha method. A multiple Linear regression statistical tool was used to test the hypotheses formulated for the study. The hypothesis was tested at a 0.05 level of significance. Results: The results obtained from the data analysis revealed that there is a joint significant influence of the predictor variables (academic stress and parental pressure) on psychological health in COVID-19 emergency times among school children with learning disabilities. Conclusion: Sometimes, stress and pressure can be motivating at the mild stage. However, at the severe stage, it could lead to frustration, social pressure, family workload, and cognitive overload, which in turn influences an individual to use and abuse substances in order to escape from unpleasant feelings of life situations. It was recommended that Parents should advise students on how to perform well academically rather than setting standards that may put so much pressure on students, which may have a negative impact on the psychological health of the students