Wind characteristics and energy potential assessment in Akure,South West Nigeria: econometrics and policy implications

This paper analysed 11 years of daily mean wind-speed data, measured at Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria, using Weibull and Rayleigh distribution functions. While both distributions showed good agreements in extreme-value estimation patterns, investigation of their wind-speed characteristics modelling criteria, using goodness-of-fit statistics, revealed that the wind data followed the Weibull more than Rayleigh. Monthly wind-speed of Akure city ranged from 1.41 to 4.24 m/s by the Weibull fittings and from 1.40 to 4.16 m/s by the Rayleigh fittings. Overall results, of 2.71 m/s (Weibull) or 2.70 m/s (Rayleigh) mean wind-speed and 18.51 W/m² (Weibull) or 22.26 W/m² (Rayleigh) mean power density, indicated Akure a low wind-speed site, requiring low wind-speed turbine for generating wind energy. Econometric analyses of power output simulations using such turbine system resulted in affordable wind energy cost. These bear policy implications for sustainable wind energy usage in this and similar regions of the world.     

The Effects of Exercise and Activity-Based Physical Therapy on Bone after Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) produces paralysis and a unique form of neurogenic disuse osteoporosis that dramatically increases fracture risk at the distal femur and proximal tibia. This bone loss is driven by heightened bone resorption and near-absent bone formation during the acute post-SCI recovery phase and by a more traditional high-turnover osteopenia that emerges more chronically, which is likely influenced by the continual neural impairment and musculoskeletal unloading. These observations have stimulated interest in specialized exercise or activity-based physical therapy (ABPT) modalities (e.g., neuromuscular or functional electrical stimulation cycling, rowing, or resistance training, as well as other standing, walking, or partial weight-bearing interventions) that reload the paralyzed limbs and promote muscle recovery and use-dependent neuroplasticity. However, only sparse and relatively inconsistent evidence supports the ability of these physical rehabilitation regimens to influence bone metabolism or to increase bone mineral density (BMD) at the most fracture-prone sites in persons with severe SCI. This review discusses the pathophysiology and cellular/molecular mechanisms that influence bone loss after SCI, describes studies evaluating bone turnover and BMD responses to ABPTs during acute versus chronic SCI, identifies factors that may impact the bone responses to ABPT, and provides recommendations to optimize ABPTs for bone recovery.     

Integration of Emerging Biomedical Technologies in Meat Processing to Improve Meat Safety and Quality

Modern‐day processing of meat products involves a series of complex procedures designed to ensure the quality and safety of the meat for consumers. As the size of abattoirs increases, the logistical problems associated with large‐capacity animal processing can affect the sanitation of the facility and the meat products, potentially increasing transmission of infectious diseases. Additionally, spoilage of food from improper processing and storage increases the global economic and ecological burden of meat production. Advances in biomedical and materials science have allowed for the development of innovative new antibacterial technologies that have broad applications in the medical industry. Additionally, new approaches in tissue engineering and nondestructive cooling of biological specimens could significantly improve organ transplantation and tissue grafting. These same strategies may be even more effective in the preservation and protection of meat as animal carcasses are easier to manipulate and do not have the same stringent requirements of care as living patients. This review presents potential applications of emerging biomedical technologies in the food industry to improve meat safety and quality. Future research directions investigating these new technologies and their usefulness in the meat processing chain along with regulatory, logistical, and consumer perception issues will also be discussed.     

Microglial FABP4-UCP2 Axis Modulates Neuroinflammation and Cognitive Decline in Obese Mice

The microglial fatty-acid-binding protein 4-uncoupling protein 2 (FABP4-UCP2) axis is a key regulator of neuroinflammation in high-fat-diet (HFD)-fed animals, indicating a role for FABP4 in brain immune response. We hypothesized that the FABP4-UCP2 axis is involved in regulating diet-induced cognitive decline. We tested cognitive function in mice lacking microglial FABP4 (AKO mice). Fifteen-week-old male AKO and wild-type (WT) mice were maintained on 60% HFD or normal chow (NC) for 12 weeks. Body composition was measured using EchoMRI. Locomotor activity, working memory, and spatial memory were assessed using behavioral tests (open field, T-maze, and Barnes maze, respectively). Hippocampal microgliosis was assessed via immunohistochemical staining. An inflammatory cytokine panel was assayed using hippocampal tissue. Real-time RT-PCR was performed to measure microglial UCP2 mRNA expression. Our data support that loss of FABP4 prevents cognitive decline in vivo. HFD-fed WT mice exhibited impaired long- and short-term memory, in contrast with HFD-fed AKO mice. HFD-fed WT mice had an increase in hippocampal inflammatory cytokine expression (IFNγ, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, KC/GRO(CXCL1), IL-10, and TNFα) and microgliosis, and decreased microglial UCP2 expression. HFD-fed AKO mice had decreased hippocampal inflammatory cytokine expression and microgliosis and increased microglial UCP2 expression compared to HFD-fed WT mice. Collectively, our work supports the idea that the FABP4-UCP2 axis represents a potential therapeutic target in preventing diet-induced cognitive decline.     

Where did the Chili Get its Spice? Biogeography of Capsaicinoid Production in Ancestral Wild Chili Species

The biogeography of pungency in three species of wild chili in the chaco and surrounding highland habitats of southeastern Bolivia is described. We report that Capsicum chacoense, C. baccatum, and C. eximium are polymorphic for production of capsaicin and its analogs, such that completely pungent and completely nonpungent individuals co-occur in some populations. In C. chacoense, the density of plants and the proportion of pungent plants increased with elevation. Above 900 m, all individuals in all populations except two were pungent; nonpungent individuals in at least one of the two polymorphic populations were likely a result of spreading by humans. The occurrence of pungent and nonpungent individuals in three species of ancestral Capsicum and the geographic variation of pungency within species suggest that production of capsaicin and its analogs entails both costs and benefits, which shift from one locality to another. Determining the selection pressures behind such shifts is necessary to understand the evolution of pungency in chilies.