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The Guinea fowl (Numida meleagridis) is a semi-domestic bird whose commercial popularity is on the increase. The gross anatomy of the hindlimbs of 8 helmeted Guinea fowls of equal sexes were studied. The pubic shafts were free, thus they did not fuse ventrally to form a symphysis. The ilium had a quadrilateral and roughly triangular pre and post acetabular wings, respectively. A conspicuous renal fossa was observed in the post acetabular wing. An incomplete concentric obturator foramen, lacking a caudal margin, was formed by the ventral border of the ischium and dorsal border of the cranial pubic shaft, while a prominent ischiopubic fissure was formed by the same bones, caudally. The incomplete concentric nature of the obturator foramen created a common space between it and the ischiopubic fissure. The femoral major trochanter was more proximal than the head, while the minor tro-chanter and the head were on the same horizontal level. The femur lacked a visible pneumatic foramen. The tibiotarsus had a prominent cranial cnemial crest. The fibular spine terminated at the tibia mid-shaft, leaving one interosseous space. An intertarsal sesamoid bone was identified, indicative of an adult skeleton. Crests and channels depicted the hypotarsus. Vascular foramen was identified in the distal extremity of the tibiotarsus. Digit I was oriented to the planter direction.

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy in women worldwide and occurs when cells in the breast begin to grow out of control. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), including MMP1 protein, are important in the progression of various types of cancer. Quinacrine, a derivative of 9-aminoacridine, has been shown to inhibit the growth of several types of cancer cells. In this study, we examined the effect of Quinacrine on MMP1 gene expression in breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB 231 and MCF7. MDA-MB 231 cell line has triple negative breast cancer cells properties. Materials and Methods: Breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB 231 and MCF7, were treated with 0.5 µM Quinacrine for 3 days. The dose was selected using MTT assay. Expression of MMP1 gene was quantified by Real-time PCR. Significance of observations were statistically checked by t-test using P

As a sequel to the current advancement in ethology, this study was designed to provide information on the brain size of the African grasscutter at specific postnatal periods and to extrapolate these findings to the behaviour of the rodent in its natural habitat. Brain samples were extracted from African grasscutter neonates on postnatal day 6, juveniles on postnatal day 72 and adults on postnatal day 450 by basic neuro-anatomical techniques. The weight, volume and dimensions of the brain samples were determined in absolute and relative terms. Their encephalisation quotient was also computed. There was a very strong positive correlation between nose-rump length and brain length in the neonates. The relative brain weight of neonates, juveniles and adults were 3.84 ± 0.12 %, 2.49 ± 0.07 % and 0.44 ± 0.03 %, respectively. The differences were significant (P < 0.05). The encephalisation quotient of juveniles was 1.62 ± 0.03 while that of the adult was 0.49 ± 0.02. The difference was significant (P < 0.05). The results were extrapolated to the animal’s cognitive ability, and compared with other rodents. It was concluded that the juvenile African grasscutter may have higher cognitive ability than the adult rodent, thus, juveniles should be preferred in physiological studies of memory and cognition.

Background: Use of certain antipsychotic drugs has severe effects on fertility in males. Hypothalamus and hypophysial impressions and changes in plasma hormones concentration like prolactin, LH and FSH can affect sperm production. In this study, we investigated the effects of sulpiride on sperm quality, maturation and DNA damage. Methods: Twenty for adult male mice (age: 6-8 weeks) were divided into three groups. The treatment group received 40 mg/kg sulpiride solution and the control sham group was given carrier of the drug intraperitoneally (IP) daily for 45 days but the control group received nothing. Finally, all the mice were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and their cauda epididymis were removed surgically. The excised specimens were placed in 1 ml HTF medium and incubated for 30 min in CO2 incubator to allow the spermatozoa to swim out. Later, sperm count, motility and viability were analyzed. Additionally, sperm chromatin quality and DNA integrity were assessed by aniline blue and acridine orange staining. Results: Significant decrease in sperm motility and count were observed in the treatment group while the number of abnormal sperm increased as compared with the other two groups. Sperm viability and DNA maturation showed significant reduction and the rate of DNA damage increased in comparison with the control sham and the control groups (P

Schlumberger configuration of Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) was deplored for groundwater exploration in Ugboshi-Afe study location. A total of nine (9) vertical electrical sounding (VES) locations, spread across the community were occupied to gain insights on the hydrogeological settings within the area. Quantitative computer interpretation of the data yielded three to six geoelectrical layers. The geoelectrical interpretation models were geologically interpreted as: clayey sand/sandy topsoil with resistivity values ranging from 54 Ohm-m to 424 Ohm-m, this is underlain by a relatively high resistivity layer (228-868 Ohm-m) interpreted as lateritic sand, and below this the low resistivity (21.38 Ohm-m - 42.4 Ohm-m) interpreted as clay, then the fractured/weathered geoelectric layer (95Ohm-m to 385Ohm-m), while the fresh basement has resistivity greater than 400 Ohm-m. Several maps such as fractured window thickness map, isoresistivity map of the fractured interval, overburden map were generated to investigate trends that may hold prospects for groundwater exploitation. Furthermore, hydroresistivity parameters such as Total Transverse Resistance, Total Longitudinal Conductance, Resistivity Reflection Co-efficient and Resistivity Contrast values were calculated for further screening of the study site for groundwater development. The VES1, VES2, VES6 and VES7 locations were concluded as holding prospects for groundwater potentials in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THIS INVESTIGATION IS THE FIRST EFFORT to study the nonlinear free vibration response of functionally graded (FG) graphene nanoplatelet (GPL)-reinforced composite rectangular plates using the full layerwise (LW) finite element method. The innovation of this article, which has not been investigated thus far, is a nonlinear vibration analysis with equivalent precision to three-dimensional (3D) elasticity while benefiting from decreased computational cost, ease of mesh adjustment, and faster achievement of the element stiffness matrix due to preserving the 2D structure. The modified Halpin--Tsai model and the rule of mixtures are employed to specify the effective material properties for composite plates with three different arrangements of GPLs. After confirming the results and formulation, an exhaustive parametric study is executed to examine how various characteristics of GPLs and the plate affect the nonlinear-to-linear frequency (NTL) ratio of the FG GPL-reinforced composite plate. The noteworthy finding is that inserting a small percentage of GPLs in pure epoxy changes its NTL ratio significantly. The effect of the GPL dimension on the NTL ratio is insignificant when the thickness-to-length ratio of GPLs is smaller than 10-3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ingestion of crude oil released into the environment is reported to cause oxidative stress-induced reproductive impairments. This study investigates the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf (MO) treatment on cavernosa contractile activity in crude oil-contaminated water (CCW)-exposed male Wistar rats. Cavernosa tissues excised from distilled water, CCW, CCW+MO, and MO treated rats were subjected to contractile functions studies using acetylcholine, calcium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium nitroprusside, glibenclamide, nifedipine, methyl blue and barium chloride. Serum testosterone, cavernosa oxidative markers, and phosphodiesterase 5 were also determined using standard techniques. Serum testosterone, body weight, and testicular, epididymal and cavernosa weights were significantly reduced in the CCW group as compared to CCW+MO group. MDA concentration increased significantly in CCW group as compared to CCW+MO and MO groups. Moringa oleifera improved the relaxation response to acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside in CCW+MO group, and relaxation was not significantly affected by incubation in nifedipine, methyl blue and barium chloride when compared to the CCW group. MO treatment ameliorated crude oil-contaminated water-induced cavernosa dysfunctions by increasing testosterone, phosphodiesterase 5 activity, and its cytoprotective antioxidant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, five fundamental unit cells namely BCC, hexagonal packing, rhombicuboctahedron, diamond, and truncated octahedron, for which there was a lack of accurate analytical yield stress relationship in the literature, were studied analytically and numerically using the Timoshenko and Euler–Bernoulli beam theories. Two different approaches based on force or displacement methods were considered. The results of the analytical models were validated against finite element models results as well as experimental data from literature. The results demonstrated that the newly developed analytical relationships based on Timoshenko beam theory give more accurate results as compared to Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, especially in higher values of relative densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, free vibration and dynamic transient response of a multilayer polymer nanocomposite beam resting on elastic foundation reinforced by graphene platelets (GPLs) non-uniformly distributed through the thickness direction in thermal environment is investigated. Theoretical formulations are derived based on Hamilton's principle, Timoshenko beam theory relationships. The effective Young's modulus of the GPL/polymer composite is estimated by Halpin–Tsai micromechanics model to account for the effects of GPL geometry and dimensions. The vibration frequencies of the beam are obtained numerically by generalized differential quadrature method (GDQM). The influences of the distribution pattern, weight fraction, the number of layers, thermal environment, slenderness ratio of the beam, boundary conditions, and types of elastic foundations on the free vibration behavior and transient response are presented. The results show that adding a very small amount of GPLs into polymer matrix as reinforcements together with the elastic foundation, significantly increases the natural frequencies of the beam. Placing more GPLs near the top and bottom surfaces of the beam are the most effective ways to strengthen the beam stiffness and increase the natural frequencies. Besides, with the increasing of foundation's stiffness, the displacement amplitude of the functionally graded composite beam reinforced by GPLs subjected to impulsive load decreases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Developmental anatomy is a prerequisite for a real understanding of gross anatomy and teratology. It is concerned with the sequential stages of embryonic and fetal development, beginning with fertilization. Moreover, it helps to describe developmental changes and abnormalities, heredity, sexing, and the appearance of vestigial structures. Powerful advancements in molecular genetic manipulation and assisted reproductive technologies are employed during embryo and fetal development, and these efforts have had profound impact on animal production worldwide. OBJECTIVES: The present study was carried out to investigate the onset and stages of osteogenesis in rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). METHODS: Forty mature rabbits (33 does and 7 bucks) with a mean weight of 2 kg were included in this study. They mated twice at a ratio of three does to one buck on day zero (0). Mounting was carefully observed to ensure mating occurred and was confirmed by the physical examination of the vulva for swelling and redness, while pregnancy diagnosis was confirmed by ultrasonography and abdominal palpation. Embryos and fetuses were extracted via a ventral incision on the abdominal and uterine walls of one pregnant doe each day after euthanization with thiopental sodium at the dose of 31 mg/kg body weight intravenously. Diaphonisation was employed in studying osteogenesis. RESULTS: Osteogenesis began at fetal day 21 (F21) using diaphonisation. In the skull, the bones of the splanchnocranium appeared before the neurocranium. The centrum and transverse processes were the first identifiable features of all different types of bone in the vertebral column to be ossified. The spinous process and the fusion of the sacrum and sternum were not detected throughout the gestation period. It was also observed that the epiphyseal and articular ends of none of the bones, neither in the fore nor hind limbs were ossified throughout gestation. Specifically, while the primary ossification centers of the middle phalanges were the last to appear in the manus and pes, all the carpals were absent, and only the calcaneous was evident in the tarsal bones. CONCLUSIONS: We recorded the onset of osteogenesis and subsequent development throughout the gestation period of rabbits, which has added some valuable information to the documented literature on the bone development of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study on the forelimb skeletal gross anatomy was conducted on the helmeted guinea fowl to document its distinctive morphological features. Eight (8) Helmeted guinea fowls (4 females and 4 males) with an average weight of 3.0kg were sacrificed via jugular vein severance with bone preparation achieved by use of insect larvae. The horizontally oriented scapula was an elongated flattened dorsoventrally curved bone having two extremities and a shaft but lacked the muscular tubercle on the cranial third of the ventral border present in other avian species. The obliquely oriented coracoid presented a thick bone with a hook-like acrocoracoid process that formed a shallow supracoracoid groove at its proximal extremity. It however, lacked the rough surface for muscular attachment and the pneumatic foramen on the dorsal surface. The proximal fossa was absent on the dorsal surface of the humerus while the ulna and radius were joined at their extremities creating an extensive interosseous space. The radius was the thinner of the two bones lying dorsal to the larger ulna in the folded wing. Two carpal bones were present on the wings while the carpometacarpal consisted of the 2nd (stub-like projection), 3rd (large straight long) and 4th (curved) metacarpals with the 3rd and 4th fusing at their extremities giving rise to an extensive D-shaped interosseous space. The digits were three in number (digits II, III and IV) that articulated proximally with carpometacarpals II, III and IV respectively. Digit III had two phalanges while digits II and IV had one. In conclusion, bones of the forelimb of the guinea fowl (Numida meleagridis) lacked some common features visible in its closest relative, the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]