Anti-Protozoan Activities of Stachytarpheta angustifolia on Some Haematological Parameters in Wistar Rats

This study focuses on the anti-protozoan activities of Stachytarpheta angustifolia (Tarkajiya; Hausa, Devil’s coach whip; English) on haematological parameters of Albino Wistar rats which is an unexplored study area. The work is aimed at the determination of the effects of S. angustifolia on Wistar Rats, when exposed to herbal extract on the haematological parameters of Wistar Rats infected with E. tenella Biomarkers. The plant was obtained whole; dried under the shade, made into a powdered form and aqueous extraction method carried by maceration technique. After infecting the experimental animals with the parasites; E. tenella, the following respective doses of 750 mg and 1500 mg were administered to the rats in groups of 3 and 4. Results obtained were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). It was discovered that no significant harmful effect on the rats was recorded, but 60 % of the parasites were killed. This work demonstrated that the herbal extract killed the parasites but induced minimal stress to the animals as shown by the low haematological parameters in the study.

Investigation of Percolation-Driven Fluid Transport in Rock Salt under Repository-Relevant Conditions (PeTroS)

According to the state of the art in mining and repository research, undisturbed rock salt is impermeable to fluids. Hence, rock salt formations are considered as host rock for nuclear waste repositories. Viscous, polycrystalline salt rock with low humidity contains no connected pore spaces. Two mechanisms are known for fluid transport: (a) damage due to large deviatoric and tensile stresses generates dilatancy, and hence permeability. (b) Fluid pressure exceeding the minor principal stress can open pathways (pressure-driven percolation, Minkley et al., 2013). To assess barrier integrity of rock salt barriers, the dilatancy and minimal stress criteria have been derived. Recently (Ghanbarzadeh et al., 2015; Lewis and Holness, 1996), high permeabilities in rock salt have been postulated under certain conditions. In particular, at high stresses and temperatures, including possible repository conditions, rock salt is claimed to develop a connected, thus permeable, pore space. In the PeTroS project (Minkley et al., 2020), we investigated fluid transport in the supposedly permeable region. Five points in pressure-temperature space were defined – pressures of 18 and 36 MPa, temperatures of 140, 160, and 180 ∘C. At each point, experiments with both nitrogen and saturated NaCl solution (brine) were performed. Samples were prepared from natural rock salt of German Zechstein formations, both bedded and domal salt. Sample material was generally relatively pure rock salt with minor impurities. Cylindrical samples (diameter 100 mm, length 200 mm) were loaded in a triaxial (Kármán) cell. Fluid pressure was applied to a central pressure chamber; any transmitted fluid was collected and extracted at the secondary side. The entire cell was heated to the specified temperature. Experiments generally comprised an isotropic phase (several stages of fluid pressure almost up to the confining stress) and a fluid breakthrough phase (lowering of axial stress by strain-controlled extension). After the test, a coloured tracer fluid was injected to visualise fluid discharge points. Fluid breakthroughs with fluid pressure above the minor principal stress were observed at all five pressure-temperature conditions. Some samples showed an approximately Darcian flow at fluid pressure below the minor principal stress, with permeabilities in the order of 10−22 m2, as is regularly observed due to the small size and initial damage from sample preparation (Popp et al., 2007). Tests consistently showed a gradual decrease of flow rate, i.e. reduction of the initial damage. A stable permeability over longer times, as would be expected due to the formation of a connected pore space network, was not observed in any of the experiments. Intriguingly, experiments with brine showed no initial permeability even though the wetting fluid should plausibly favour the formation of a stable connected pore network. Predictions of the static pore scale theory (Ghanbarzadeh et al., 2015) could thus not be confirmed. Regarding repositories for heat-generating waste, it can be concluded that from a geomechanical point of view, the dilatancy and minimal stress criteria are the relevant criteria for barrier integrity even at higher pressure and temperature.

The Passive Fit Concept- A Review of Methods to Achieve and Evaluate in Multiple Unit Implant Supported Screw Retained Prosthesis

Obtaining the most accurate 3-dimensional location of the implant positions, facilitates the fabrication of a prosthesis that, not only conforms to the biomechanics of the rehabilitation in relation to the TM joint and surrounding musculature but also lays minimal stresses imparted onto the implant-bone interface, maximizing the longevity of any prosthetic superstructure. The passive fit concept accentuates the need for this ‘minimal-stress’ interface in order to prevent any mechanical or, biological eventualities while the prosthesis is under masticatory load in the oro-facial environment. A wide horizon of techniques have been studied and devised upon, to achieve this ‘un-eventual fit’ and also methods developed, to assess and evaluate the misfit that the prosthetic superstructure bears in relation to the implants or, the abutments into which they are screwed. This article aims to define the concept, elaborate upon the need of the same and the methods to evaluate them in a clinical and laboratory set-up.

Electroencephalogram-based neurofeedback training in persons with stroke: A scoping review in occupational therapy

BACKGROUND: Neurofeedback training targets the relevant brain response under minimal stress. It could be a promising approach for the treatment of patients with brain injury. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to examine the existing literature to confirm the effectiveness of applied electroencephalogram (EEG)-based neurofeedback training in the area of occupational therapy for upper limb stroke rehabilitation. METHOD: All relevant literature published until July 1, 2020 in five prominent databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, MEDLINE Complete, and Web of Science) was reviewed, based on the five-step review framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley. RESULTS: After a thorough review, a total of 14 studies were included in this review. Almost studies reported significant improvements as a result of EEG-based neurofeedback training, but this had not always account for the differences in effectiveness between groups. However, the results of these studies suggested that neurofeedback training was effective as compared to the traditional treatment and more effective in combination with EEG than that with simple equipment application. CONCLUSION: This review demonstrated the effectiveness of the combination of occupational therapy and EEG-based neurofeedback training. Most of these treatments are intended for inpatients, but they may be more effective for outpatients, especially if customized to their requirements. Also, such explorations to assess the suitability of the treatment for patient rehabilitation will help reduce barriers to effective interventions. An analysis of the opinions of participants and experts through satisfaction surveys will be helpful.

The Influence of Predictability and Controllability on Stress Responses to the Aversive Component of a Virtual Fence

To ensure animal welfare is not compromised, virtual fencing must be predictable and controllable, and this is achieved through associative learning. To assess the influence of predictability and controllability on physiological and behavioral responses to the aversive component of a virtual fence, two methods of training animals were compared. In the first method, positive punishment training involved sheep learning that after an audio stimulus, an electrical stimulus would follow only when they did not respond by stopping or turning at the virtual fence (predictable controllability). In the second method, classical conditioning was used to associate an audio stimulus with an electrical stimulus on all occasions (predictable uncontrollability). Eighty Merino ewes received one of the following treatments: control (no training and no stimuli in testing); positive punishment training with an audio stimulus in testing (PP); classical conditioning training with only an audio stimulus in testing (CC1); and classical conditioning training with an audio stimulus followed by electrical stimulus in testing (CC2). The stimuli were applied manually with an electronic collar. Training occurred on 4 consecutive days with one session per sheep per day. Sheep were then assessed for stress responses to the cues by measuring plasma cortisol, body temperature and behaviors. Predictable controllability (PP) sheep showed no differences in behavioral and physiological responses compared with the control treatment (P < 0.05). Predictable uncontrollability of receiving the aversive stimulus (CC2) induced a higher cortisol and body temperature response compared to the control but was not different to CC1 and PP treatments. CC2 treatment sheep showed a higher number of turning behaviors (P < 0.001), and more time spent running (P < 0.001) than the control and PP treatment groups, indicating that predictability without controllability was stressful. The behavior results also indicate that predicting the event without receiving it (CC1) was less stressful than predicting the event then receiving it (CC2), suggesting that there is a cost to confirmation of uncontrollability. These results demonstrate that a situation of predictability and controllability such as experienced when an animal successfully learns to avoid the aversive component of a virtual fence, induces a comparatively minimal stress response and does not compromise animal welfare.

Management of a geriatric alpaca with multiple neoplasms in a zoological setting

During a routine health check, a 22-year-old female alpaca presented with an infected mass on the sternal pad. A squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed on histopathology. Systemic antibiotics and topical treatment were initiated. Thoracic radiographs and blood analysis showed no abnormalities; therefore, surgical resection was performed, and the wound was allowed to heal by second intention with therapeutic laser therapy. The treatment plan for this animal was developed with the collaboration of the keeping team and zoo managers and considered the health status of the animal, overall prognosis and the possibility of frequent restraints with minimal stress. Six months after initial presentation, the alpaca showed dramatic weight loss and severe urine scalding with a mass identified in the urinary bladder and was euthanased on welfare grounds. Postmortem findings included squamous cell carcinoma metastases in the tributary lymph nodes and in the lung, adenocarcinoma in the lung, and a polyp in the urinary bladder.

Exposure to boat noise in the field yields minimal stress response in wild reef fish

Aquatic anthropogenic noise is on the rise, with growing concern about its impact on species that are sensitive to low-frequency sounds (e.g. most fish and invertebrates). We investigated whether the reef fish Halichoeres bivittatus living in both noisy and quiet areas had differing levels of baseline stress (measured as whole-body cortisol) and whether they would exhibit a physiological stress response when exposed to boat noise playbacks. While the playback experiments significantly increased cortisol levels in fish from our experiment compared to baseline levels, there were minimal pairwise differences across treatments and no difference in baseline stress for fish living in noisy vs. quiet areas. These results may be explained by low overall auditory sensitivity, habituation to a fairly noisy environment (due to biological sounds), or that boat noise simply may not represent an immediate threat to survival in this species. These findings contrast recent studies that have shown elevated stress responses in fishes when exposed to boat noise and highlights that inter-specific differences must be considered when evaluating potential impacts of anthropogenic noise on marine life.

The Promise of Sustainable Magnesium Composite Technology for Greener Future

Ethical research that ensures the enhancement of quality of human life for present and future generations is the need of the day. This inherits the typical requirement to impose zero or minimal stress on the environment. Currently, planet earth is witnessing global warming and largely unpredictable weather changes, primarily due to greenhouse gas emissions. Transportation sector is one of the major engineering sectors contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. One way to mitigate/minimize these emissions is to use lightweight materials in the construction of vehicles for use in land, water, aerospace and space applications. Towards this, magnesium based materials are viable options which are suitable to replace aluminum based materials allowing ~ 35% weight saving on a component basis. As magnesium is abundant in nature and is a nutritional element, its availability and recyclability is not an issue. Accordingly, this paper will focus on the development of magnesium based nanocomposites capable of replacing conventional materials in multiple engineering and biomedical applications.