AIMS We investigated whether the treatment with anthocyanins prevents the scopolamine-induced memory deficits and whether ectonucleotidase activities and purine levels are altered in the cerebral cortex (CC) and hippocampus (HC) in this model of mnemonic deficit in rats. MAIN METHODS The animals were divided into 4 experimental groups: control (vehicle), anthocyanins (Antho), scopolamine (SCO...

OBJECTIVE To study the impact of obesity on postoperative morbidity and outcome following surgical resection of primary oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EADC). METHODS From a prospective database, we compared clinicopathological findings (age, gender, surgical approach, tumour differentiation and stage), postoperative mortality, morbidity, length of hospitalisation, disease-free survival (DFS) and...

Biological uranium reduction was investigated using bacteria isolated from a uranium mine in Limpopo, South Africa. Background uranium concentration in soil from the mine was determined to be 168 mgkg(-1) much higher than the typical background uranium concentration in natural soils (0.30-11.7 mgkg(-1)). Therefore it was expected that the bacteria isolated from the site were resistant to U(VI) ...

INTRODUCTION AND METHODS. Serotonin N-acetyltransferase (NAT) is a rate-limiting enzyme in melatonin biosynthesis. Its activity (which parallels melatonin levels) follows a diurnal rhythm with high values at night and low values during day-hours of any light-dark illumination cycle (1). In retinas NAT is expressed by photoreceptors (2). Exposure of animals to light at night suppresses the noctu...

People who supplement their diets with extra zinc usually have potentially harmful changes in lipoprotein metabolism. Because zinc can interfere with copper metabolism and copper deficiency has produced similar changes in lipid metabolism in animals and people, the hypothesis that lipid alterations from high zinc intakes are accompanied by changes in copper metabolism was tested. Progenies of s...

Abstract Fly ash represents a promising alternative source of rare earth elements (REE). However, information on REE containing mineral phases and their association with other fly components, vital for recovery from ash, is currently lacking. Herein, the mass fraction, distribution, crystallography solid-state chemistry REE, U Th in Nigerian simulated samples were characterised using range labo...

The hormonal responses to anaesthesia and cardiac surgery were studied in 20 patients. Ten patients were anaesthetized with fentanyl 60 microgram kg-1 and nitrous oxide in oxygen and 10 with etomidate 0.3 mgkg-1 and nitrous oxide in oxygen plus halothane. There were no significant changes in cortisol, growth hormone or insulin concentrations in response to surgery in either group, although cort...

In 14 patients undergoing open-heart operations the haemodynamic effects of diazepam 0.4 mgkg(-1) followed by ketamine 2 mg kg(-1) were studied. In eight patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery, the mean arterial pressure decreased significantly after diazepam from 90.3 +/-7.4 (SEM) to 78.0 +/-5.0 mm Hg (P less than 0.05). However, no changes occurred in six patients undergoing valve replac...

effects of chromium nano particles (nanocr) on performance and meat quality of japanese quail under physiological stress was determined by  using 360 birds in a completely randomized design with six treatments, four replicates and 15 birds per each, during  17- 35 d of age. the tratments were negative control (non-stressed), and five groups under physiological stress which fed on diets suppleme...

Ethanol extract (ETE) and cold aqueous infusion (CAI) of Vitex leucoxylon leaf were evaluated in a battery of tests to define the activity profile of the plant. CAI depressed SMA, antagonised d-amphetamine stereotypy and oxotremorine tremors, shortened the duration of mice immobility in behavioural 'despair' test and lowered serum total cholesterol level. ETE showed significant inhibition of ca...