Myo-Inositol Limits Kainic Acid-Induced Epileptogenesis in Rats

Epilepsy is a severe neurological disease characterized by spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS). A complex pathophysiological process referred to as epileptogenesis transforms a normal brain into an epileptic one. Prevention of epileptogenesis is a subject of intensive research. Currently, there are no clinically approved drugs that can act as preventive medication. Our previous studies have revealed highly promising antiepileptogenic properties of a compound–myo-inositol (MI) and the present research broadens previous results and demonstrates the long-term disease-modifying effect of this drug, as well as the amelioration of cognitive comorbidities. For the first time, we show that long-term treatment with MI: (i) decreases the frequency and duration of electrographic SRS in the hippocampus; (ii) has an ameliorating effect on spatial learning and memory deficit associated with epileptogenesis, and (iii) attenuates cell loss in the hippocampus. MI treatment also alters the expression of the glial fibrillary acidic protein, LRRC8A subunit of volume-regulated anion channels, and protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type R, all expected to counteract the epileptogenesis. All these effects are still present even 4 weeks after MI treatment ceased. This suggests that MI may exert multiple actions on various epileptogenesis-associated changes in the brain and, therefore, could be considered as a candidate target for prevention of epileptogenesis.     

Multiple signals of nuclear spin echoes in ferromagnets excited by radio-frequency pulses of arbitrary duration

Calculations have been performed of multiple signals of nuclear spin echoes excited in ferromagnets by two radio-frequency pulses whose duration can exceed the time of free-induction decay. The values obtained for the number of echo signals and for the moments of their appearance proved to be in good agreement with the results of experiments performed using lithium ferrite.     

Effect of cooking on the nutritive value of koko/kosai—A traditional breakfast meal of the hausas in Northern Nigeria

The effect of cooking on the nutritive value of koko/kosai was assessed by chemical analysis. There was significant loss in the proximate composition due to cooking. In addition, losses of some mineral elements and vitamins were observed. The losses in potassium, iron, zinc and phosphorus were found to be 23%, 6·7%, 25% and 13·3%, respectively.Losses of vitamins B₁, B₂, C and carotene were found to be 20%, 46%, 37% and 9·6%, respectively.The amino acid pattern of the koko/kosai was only slightly affected by the traditional method of cooking employed. Some suggestions and recommendations are made on how to retain most of the nutrients when cooking the meals.     

Capturing of transition by the RNG based algebraic turbulence model

This paper concerns the RNG based algebraic turbulence model. This model has characteristics to capture transitional process from laminar to turbulent flow. This is determined by the argument of the Heaviside function, which becomes a threshold for the occurrence of turbulence. It is supposed that proper modeling of this argument will lead to correctly capture transition location. In the present paper, this argument is modeled in such a way that the form of cubic equation for the turbulent kinematic viscosity be maintained. Moreover, the length scale which is required to calculate the turbulent kinematic viscosity is newly proposed, taking into account the freestream pressure gradient. The validation is performed by comparing the calculated results with the empirical expressions as well as the experimental data. This model can simulate the streamwise intermittency effect, by which a sudden increase of skin friction is prevented. Moreover, the transition location can be predicted within reasonable accuracy compared with the experimental data.     

Optimizing a novel PPG sensor patch via optical simulations towards accurate heart rates

This study proposes the design and optimization of the flexible OLED–OPD photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor patch to estimate the long time continuous heart rate. Using optical simulation, the distance between OLED–OPD and the aperture area of the OLED–OPD has been optimized to enhance the AC/DC ratio of the receive PPG signal. The optical simulation incorporates an empirical optical skin model. All the patches incorporate green OLED@525 nm wavelength and red OLED@630 nm wavelength. Simulation results show that the optimized AC/DC ratio of the cross-type patch for the green and the red OLED is 2.16% and 6.25%, respectively. Similarly, the optimized AC/DC ratio of the square-type patch for the green, and the red OLED is 9.6% and 5.8%, respectively. Experiment results show that the received PPG signal AC/DC ratio for the square type and cross-type are 2%@green OLED and 4.5% @green OLED, respectively. Also, the AC/DC ratio of the received PPG signal from the square type and cross-type are 1.4%@red OLED and 1.1%@red OLED, respectively. The AC/DC ratio is reduced because the skin and blood itself act as a lossy medium so that the DC signal increased more; as a result, the overall AC/DC ratio decrease. The best design of the optical patch is the square-type OPD patch due to the wide area of the OPD. The OLED drive current ranges between 0.1 and 0.4 mA. The average OPD current is 800 nA. The flexibility of the design PPG sensor patch is 130°. The non-invasive square-type PPG sensor patch is applied to the wrist artery of 40 subjects for sensing the PPG pulsation of the blood vessel. The heart rate measurement accuracy is 95%, whereas the standard error rate is 0.37 ± 1.96 bpm, respectively.

     

Emulsion stability of clove oil in chitosan and sodium alginate matrix

Clove oil was emulsified in 1% w/w chitosan (CC emulsions) and 2.5% w/w sodium alginate matrix (CA emulsions) containing Tween 80 as the surfactant. Different homogenization speeds (5,000, 10,000, 15,000 and 20,000 rpm) were used to produce the emulsions, and the stability of the emulsions during storage (29 days) was determined. The stability of the emulsions containing clove oil prior to the solidification process was assessed when chitosan and sodium alginate were used as encapsulating materials. Different homogenization speeds resulted in polydisperse emulsions with a size of 2–3 μm and 90% of stability after 29 days of storage. Different homogenization speeds did not significantly affect the concentrations of the active compounds contained in the emulsions. However, these concentrations changed significantly after 29 days of storage when sodium alginate was used to make the emulsions and the homogenization speeds were ≥ 10,000 rpm. High temperature caused by the high viscosity of the solution and high energy dissipation during homogenization suggested that the emulsions composed of sodium alginate were unstable. Chitosan enabled a longer processing time during the clove oil encapsulation process compared to sodium alginate, when emulsification by homogenization was used. The stability of the emulsion of the clove oil-in-chitosan matrix prior to the solidification step was superior.