Pumpkin seed oil and zinc attenuate chronic mild stress perturbations in the cerebral cortex of rats

Purpose This study aims to investigate the potential of pumpkin seed oil (PSO) and zinc to attenuate oxidative stress and neuroinflammation caused by chronic mild stress (CMS) in the cerebral cortex of male rats. Design/methodology/approach The rats were submitted to stress for six weeks and then the behavior of the rats was tested by forced swimming test (FST) and novel cage test. The treated groups were given venlafaxine (20 mg/kg), pumpkin seed oil (40 mg/kg) and zinc (4 mg/kg). The cortex homogenate was used for the detection of the oxidative stress parameters, the concentration of neurotransmitters, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β), Na+/K+-ATPase activity, and the expression of histamine N-methyltransferase (Hnmt) and tyrosine hydroxylase (Th). Findings CMS causes a significant increase in immobility time in the FST and a significant decrease in the number of rearing in the novel cage test. CMS group showed a significant increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, levels of cortisol, TNF-α, IL-1β, nitric oxide and malondialdehyde. CMS caused a significant decrease in the concentrations of serotonin, GABA, norepinephrine, and the activities of glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase and Na+/K+-ATPase. CMS caused a marked reduction in the expression of Hnmt and Th in the cortex. PSO and zinc attenuated the Na+/K+-ATPase activity, oxidative parameters and neuroinflammation induced by the CMS, and this was reflected by the elevation of the concentration of neurotransmitters and reduction of cortisol and ALT, in addition to the behavior normalization. PSO and zinc attenuated the CMS by improving the antioxidant milieu and anti-inflammatory status of the cerebral cortex. Originality/value There are no studies on the effect of pumpkin seed oil on depression

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF ALCOHOL INTOXICATIONS AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN VARNA REGION FOR 2015-2017 AND STUDY OF PARENT BEHAVIOR

Purpose: To research the frequency of acute alcohol intoxications among young people of age 10-18 in Varna region within the time frame 2015-2017 and to examine the correspondent parent behavior. Material/Methods: A total of 159 adolescents were examined. All of them were registered patients of the Clinic for Intensive Treatment of Acute Intoxications and Toxicoallergies at the Naval Hospital – Varna. Alcohol dependence was studied by means of CAGE test. The evaluation of the parent behavior was done in accordance with Robert's methodology and involved 54 parents. Results: It was demonstrated that the initial alcohol consumption age is very low, approximately 10-11. Acute alcohol intoxications among young people vary from year to year, but such cases were estimated to represent 12-19% of all registered alcohol intoxications in the region studied. Most abused beverage types are spirits and beer; wine is less preferred. The analysis of the parent behavior shows a definite underestimation of the problem in both sociological consequences and health risks directions.

Assessment of Efficiency of Eco-Friendly Organic Mosquito Repellent Developed using Elephant Dung

Mosquitoes transmit a range of infectious agents that affects human health. Malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and other mosquito-borne diseases infect countless individuals and account for thousands of deaths annually, causing a large burden to public health and on the economic process of developing countries. At present, concerning 40% of the world’s populations mainly in India live in areas where the chance of dengue fever transmission is most. High rate of reproduction and lack of effective vaccines against several mosquito-borne pathogens makes us extremely addicted to the utilization of insecticides to manage the mosquito populations so as to prevent illness due to transmission. Mosquito repellents mainly consist of pyrethroids that lead to hyper excitation of nervous systems and its prolong usage results in corneal damage, liver damage and asthma. Hence, need for the development of the most effective organic herbal insect repellent must be taken into account due to the toxicity issues, together with the increased incidence of resistance to insects. In this perspective, the present study aimed to develop an eco-friendly mosquito repellent as an alternative for chemical repellent using elephant dung and other natural resources and to assess the efficiency of the organic repellant compared to commercial repellent. Elephant dung has being employed for fuel supply, biofertilizer and paper production. Natural ingredients like Nerium flowers, Tulsi, Neem leaves, Lemon grass oil and Natural loban were used in combination with the elephant dung to reinforce the potency of the mosquito repellent. Smoke toxicity of organic mosquito repellent was evaluated. Emission test for commercial and developed repellent was also compared and it is evident that there is 57% reduction in the carbon-di-oxide emission from developed repellent than commercial repellent and there are no traces of emission of carbon monoxide from the developed repellent. Also, cage test proves that the developed mosquito repellent is highly efficient against mosquitoes and hence can be more effectively used for control of mosquitoes.

Effect of Repellency on Mosquito Nets using Citrus Peel Extract

Mosquitoes are considered as one of the most dangerous creatures on the planet as they cause various diseases like dengue , malaria, chikungunya and so on. We can protect ourselves from mosquito bites by using mosquito repellent agents like spray, lotions and mosquito nets. The use of mosquito nets does not cause any harmful effects on the human body. The objective of this project is to improve the repellency of mosquito nets by applying the extracts of the citrus peels namely CITRUS SINENSIS (sweet orange) and CITRUS AURANTIFOLIA (lime) by padding method on the cotton mosquito nets. The samples have been tested by standard methods of testing such as Cage Test (WHO-1996), Modified Excito Chamber Test, Anti-bacterial Test (AATCC-147) and Durability Test (AATCC-135).The treated mosquito nets ensures good repellency against the mosquitoes along with Anti-bacterial property.

Links between personality, early natal nutrition and survival of a threatened bird

There is growing recognition that variation in animal personality traits can influence survival and reproduction rates, and consequently may be important for wildlife population dynamics. Despite this, the integration of personality research into conservation has remained uncommon. Alongside the establishment of personality as an important source of individual variation has come an increasing interest in factors affecting the development of personality. Recent work indicates the early environment, including natal nutrition, may play a stronger role in the development of personality than previously thought. In this study, we investigated the importance of three personality metrics (activity, boldness and acclimation time) for estimating survival of a threatened species, the hihi ( Notiomystis cincta ), and evaluated the influence of early natal nutrition on those metrics. Our results showed that boldness (as measured from a one-off cage test) had a positive effect on the probability of juvenile hihi surviving to adulthood. There was also a tendency for juveniles that received carotenoid supplementation in the nest to be bolder than those that did not, suggesting that the early environment had some influence on the expression of boldness in juvenile hihi. Linking the development of personality traits with ultimate effects on vital rates may benefit conservation management, as it could enable developmentally targeted management interventions. To our knowledge, this study is the first to identify potential linkages between early natal nutrition, personality and fitness in a wild-living population. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Linking behaviour to dynamics of populations and communities: application of novel approaches in behavioural ecology to conservation’.