Investigation of Groundwater Contamination from Akanran Open Waste Dumpsite, Ibadan, South-Western Nigeria, using Geoelectrical and Geochemical Techniques

In recent times, large waste is produced especially in an urban area due to population with careless handling which calls for worries. Hence, the study determines the effect of Akanran dumpsite on the groundwater quality for drinking and domestic purposes. It employs the geophysical and geochemical methods. Wenner configuration was adopted with constant electrode separation ranging from 5 to 25 m to acquire five profiles within and outside the dumpsite and processed using DIPROWIN 4.01 software. Soil and water samples were collected and analysed. The 2-D pseudosection revealed a very low resistivity value which is less than 10 ohm-meter and is suspected to be leachate infiltration which migrates to a depth of 7 m. The results of soil analysis show that clay ranges between 9.61 - 18.8 %., silt between 9.27 – 19.7 % and an average bulk density of 1.48 (relatively high for a sandy loam) which suggests that infiltration of the leachate is minimal. The pH of the water sample analysis obtained is 6.9, suggesting acidic concentrates in the groundwater of the study area. However, this pH value for drinking water is within the permissible level of 6.5 – 8.5 indicating that the groundwater in the study area is suitable for drinking and also for other purposes. A Nitrate level of 2.56 mg/l in the water sample falls within 50.0 mg/l, and nitrite level of 0.09 mg/l which is moderate when compared to the permissible level limit of 0.20 mg/l. The concentration of heavy metals in hand-dug well sample from Akanran dumpsite are Zn (1.81 mg/l), Cu (0.38 mg/l), Cr (0.003 mg/l) which are within the permissible level limit and Pb (0.21 mg/l) which recorded high metal concentration which may suggest that the dumpsite contain waste metals which may leach down the soil. In conclusion, the groundwater in the area of the survey is safe and there is possible contamination with time.

Potential Residual Contaminants in Edible Bird's Nest

Edible bird’s nest (EBN) is recognized as a nourishing food among Chinese people. The efficacy of EBN was stated in the records of traditional Chinese medicine and its activities have been reported in many researches. Malaysia is the second largest exporter of EBNs in the world, after Indonesia. For many years, EBN trade to China was not regulated until August 2011, when a safety alert was triggered for the consumption of EBNs. China banned the import of EBNs from Malaysia and Indonesia due to high level of nitrite. Since then, the Malaysia government has formulated Malaysia Standards for swiftlet farming (MS 2273:2012), edible bird’s nest processing plant design and management (MS 2333:2010), and edible bird’s nest product quality (MS 2334:2011) to enable the industry to meet the specified standards for the export to China. On the other hand, Indonesia's EBN industry formulated a standard operating procedure (SOP) for exportation to China. Both countries can export EBNs to China by complying with the standards and SOPs. EBN contaminants may include but not limited to nitrite, heavy metals, excessive minerals, fungi, bacteria, and mites. The possible source of contaminants may come from the swiftlet farms and the swiftlets or introduced during processing, storage, and transportation of EBNs, or adulterants. Swiftlet house design and management, and EBN processing affect the bird’s nest color. Degradation of its optical quality has an impact on the selling price, and color changes are tied together with nitrite level. In this review, the current and future prospects of EBNs in Malaysia and Indonesia in terms of their quality, and the research on the contaminants and their effects on EBN color changes are discussed.

Application of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum SCH1 for the Bioconservation of Cooked Sausage Made from Mechanically Separated Poultry Meat

The aim of the research was an assessment of the effect of the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum SCH1 strain isolated from ecological raw fermented pork roast on pH, redox potential, nitrites, and nitrates content, L a* b* color parameters, total heme pigments content, nitrosyl myoglobin concentration, as well as the microbiological quality and sensory traits of cooked sausages produced from mechanically separated poultry meat (MSPM), cured with a lower sodium nitrite level (NaNO2 50 mg/kg) after production as well as after storage (1 and 3 weeks of storage). The biochemical identification of the Lactobacillus bacteria after storage was also performed. Tests were performed in two sausage treatments: C—control sausage made from MSPM and L—sausage made from MSPM inoculated with L. plantarum at approx. 107 cfu/g. No negative effect of using the L. plantarum SCH1 strain on the physical and chemical MSPM sausage features was found. The treatment with L. plantarum SCH1 was of better microbiological quality after 3 weeks of storage. The sausages with L. plantarum SCH1 kept good sensory quality while the control treatment was spoiled after storage.

Limonene through Attenuation of Neuroinflammation and Nitrite Level Exerts Antidepressant-Like Effect on Mouse Model of Maternal Separation Stress

Background and Aim. Depression is a social problem with high economic burden in the society. Finding an effective agent with high efficacy and few side effects is therefore needed. Involvement of neuroimmune response as well as nitric oxide (NO) has been determined in the pathophysiology of depression. Limonene is a terpene with various pharmacological properties. Thus, we aimed to evaluate antidepressant-like effect of limonene on a mouse model of maternal separation (MS) focusing on neuroinflammation and NO level in the hippocampus. Methods. Mice were randomly divided into experimental groups as follows: the control group received normal saline and MS groups received normal saline, limonene (10 and 20 mg/kg), L-NAME (10 mg/kg), L-arginine (L-arg) (75 mg/kg), limonene (10 mg/kg) plus L-NAME, and limonene (20 mg/kg) plus L-arg. Behavioral tests including the forced swimming test (FST), open field test (OFT), and splash test were performed. Finally, serum and hippocampal nitrite levels as well as the expression of inflammatory genes (IL-1β and TNF-α) in the hippocampus were measured. Results. We showed that MS caused depressive-like behavior. Treatment of MS mice with limonene reduced the duration of immobility time in FST and increases the grooming activity time in the splash test. Limonene also reduces serum and brain nitrite levels and reduces the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α in the hippocampus. We found that L-NAME potentiated the effects of a subeffective dose of limonene. Conclusion. We concluded that the antidepressant-like effects of limonene are probably mediated through inhibition of neuroinflammation and attenuation of nitrite levels in the hippocampus.

Chia Oleogel as a Potential New Ingredient for Healthy Cooked Meat Sausages

Meat products reformulation is very complicated since the “charcuterie” is more than a technology. The addition of new ingredients is not an easy task; therefore, preliminary assays are carried out to determine their feasibility. Oleogels are “new ingredients” used to mimic fats and/or modify the fatty acids profile. To evaluate the chia oleogel (COG) feasibility in Frankfurt-type cooked sausages (FTCS) processing, several physical and physicochemical parameters, CIELAB color space, 2-Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), moisture, fat, pH, water activity (Aw), and residual nitrite level (RNL), were determined. In a traditional FTCS formula, the COG was used to replace pork back fat (substitution level 0%, 25%, 50%, and 75%). In FTCS, RNL were not detected in COG samples. The 75% substitution with COG increased moisture content. COG addition increased pH. For Aw, COG addition decreased their values in FTCS. The 50% and 75% of COG substitution increased TBA values. FTCS fat content for COG-added samples showed values between 22.35 and 23.85 (g fat/100 g). Thus, the use of chia oleogels is feasible in an industrial process and can be a good source to reduce nitrite residual level.

Application of Chia Seed Coproduct in Dry-Cured Sausages: Effect Upon Its Physicochemical Properties

Chia mucilage is a new ingredient with a lot of new applications and so its extraction from seeds generates a great amount of coproducts (CSWM), whose composition is suitable for the meat industry. In this work, the effect of the addition of CSWM and whole chia seeds (WCS) in a dry-cured sausage (DCS) upon its physicochemical properties has been evaluated (four processing days). Several concentrations of WCS and CSWM (0, 1.5, 3.0, and 4.5%) were added. pH, water activity (Aw), residual nitrite level (RNL), the 2-Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay and moisture content were determined. WCS and CSWM addition in DCS decreased the pH values in all the samples. For RNL, the values decreased along time without differences between samples. Although all the samples reached at day 4 a weight loss of 30% (industrial criteria for sausages commercialization), any of them reached Aw values to be considered as intermediate moisture foods (≤0.900). Samples with WCS showed lower TBA values than control. CSWM can be used as an ingredient for DCS showing the same effect upon its physicochemical properties than WCS and so it could be an interesting way to valorize this coproduct.

Urinalysis Using a Diaper-Based Testing Device

Urinary tract infections (UTI), one of the most common bacterial infections, annually affect 150 million people worldwide. Infants and the elderly are likely to have missed or delayed diagnosis of UTI due to difficulty clearly describing their symptoms. A rapid screening method for UTI is a critical and urgent need for these populations. The aim of our study is to develop a diaper-based testing device to assay urine biomarkers including pH, leukocyte, and nitrite level. This all-in-one device assists in urine collection and testing using a colorimetric approach to provide easily read visual results on the outside surface of a test strip-integrated diaper. In this study, we tested samples from 46 patients using testing strips and examined the results from 7 patients recruited to validate the strip-integrated diaper. In conclusion, this new diaper-based testing device is easy to use, rapid, and inexpensive, all of which imbue it with tremendous potential for development into a commercially viable UTI screening system.

Evaluation of Nitric Oxide Concentrations in Preeclampsia and Normal Pregnancy

During pregnancy Nitric oxide is one of the most important relaxing factors for myometrium and also in the control of blood flow in uterus and placenta. Nitric oxide is generated by endothelial type II nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and acts as a vasodilator. Objective:To investigate the level of nitric oxide (NO) production in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia and in normal pregnancy. Materials and Methods: A case control study was undertaken in Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), from january to july 2014. The study population was pregnant women having preeclampsia and normal pregnancy who attended the OPD Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in BSMMU between 29 to 40 weeks of gestation. As because of transient and volatile nature of nitric oxide, it was unsuitable to measure the nitric oxide level by conventional method. However, two stable break down product, nitrate (NO3 -) and nitrate (NO2 -) could be easily detected by sprectophototric means. Nitrate (NO2 -) was first converted to Nitrite (NO3 -) by reduction process using cadmium. Then concentration was measured by using Griess reagent in UV sprectophototric machine. This procedure was done in the Biochemistry Department, Dhaka University. Results: The mean nitrite level was found 18.37}3.64 mol/L in case group and 25.57}2.11mol/ L in control group, which was significantly (p<0.05) higher in control group. The mean serum creatinine level was found 1.19}0.28 mg/dl in case group and 0.65}0.1 mg/dl in control group. The mean serum creatinine level was significantly (p<0.05) higher in case groups. Nitrite level had no correlation with onset of hypertension (r=-0.006; p=0.966), onset of proteinuria (r=0.071; p=0.623), systolic blood pressure (r=0.012; p=0.933), diastolic blood pressure (r=-0.159; p=0.269) and urine protein (r=0.047, p=0.748). Conclusion: As pregnancy progressed there was a decrease in plasma nitric oxide levels in preeclampsia. Urine uric acid to creatinine ratio increased with the decrease in nitric oxide levels and can be used as a marker for preeclampsia. Bangladesh J Obstet Gynaecol, 2017; Vol. 32(2) : 60-66

The effects of acute sumatriptan treatment on renal ischemia/reperfusion injury in rat and the possible involvement of nitric oxide

Renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a common pathological condition. Studies reported renal toxicity following administration of triptans, which are commonly used for treating migraine headaches. To investigate the effects of sumatriptan and the molecular mechanisms involved in renal I/R injury in rats, ischemia was induced by bilateral clamping of renal pedicles followed by 24 h of reperfusion. Sumatriptan was administered in three different doses (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg) before I/R injury induction. Biochemical and histopathological changes were evaluated. The contribution of nitric oxide in modulating the effects of sumatriptan was determined by administrating aminoguanidine at 50 mg/kg 60 min before I/R injury. The tissue level of nitrite, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. Sumatriptan at 10 and 20 mg/kg increased the serum level of creatinine (Cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) significantly. There was also a significant increase in nitrite level of animals that received 10 mg/kg sumatriptan. Co-administration of sumatriptan with aminoguanidine significantly decreased the BUN and Cr. Depletion of SOD level (P < 0.05) and elevation of serum levels of MDA (P < 0.001) indicated the involvement of oxidative stress in sumatriptan adverse effects. Overall, the administration of sumatriptan intensified renal I/R injury through activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase and oxidative responses in rats.

The Potential Role of Very Small Embryonic-Like Stem Cells in the Neuroinflammation Induced by Social Isolation Stress: Introduction of a New Paradigm

Background: Lack of social contacts could induce psychiatric features and lead to various behavioral and neurochemical abnormalities in rodents. Social isolation stress (SIS) is a valid paradigm of depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors in animals. It has demonstrated that psychiatric disorder could affect the peripheral blood population of very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs). The aim of the current study is to evaluate the role of VSELs in behavioral impairments induced by SIS through neuroinflammation in mice. Methods: Behavioral experiments were evaluated by using forced swimming test (FST), open field test (OFT), and splash test in male NMRI mice. In addition, plasma and bone marrow samples, as well as hippocampus, were collected to evaluate the population of VSELs, nitrite level, and inflammatory cytokines by using flow cytometry and ELISA. Results: Behavioral tasks showed that SIS could induce depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors in mice. Data obtained from flow cytometry showed that VSELs significantly increased in socially isolated animals in bone marrow, peripheral blood, and hippocampus. Also, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 significantly increased in hippocampal and plasma samples in socially isolated animals. Correlation analysis indicated that mice with higher VSELs counts have better results in behavioral tasks, and lower pro-inflammatory cytokines as well as nitrite level in mice. Conclusion: VSELs could be used as a biological marker to enhance diagnostic accuracy as well as predicting the prognosis. Also, increment in the VSELs counts might decrease the neuro-inflammation and subsequently improve the behavioral impairments induced by SIS.