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In this research, the composites of maize cob (MC)/unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) and composites of jute fiber (JF)/unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) were prepared using the hand lay-up technique. The study employed 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% filler loadings for the preparation of the MC/UPR and JF/UPR composites. The composites were subsequently characterized to examine their mechanical and physical properties. The results reveal that the increase in percentage filler loading decreases the tensile strength, impact strength, flexural strength, hardness, and density, whereas the water absorption increases at higher filler loading. This observation could be ascribed to clumping, voids, and agglomeration formed during composites preparation for both fillers. The MC/UPR composite exhibited better flexural resistance of 31.41 Mpa to 28.88 Mpa compared to 25.72 Mpa to 22.14 Mpa for JF/UPR due to the excellent dispersion of MC, larger surface area, and intermolecular interactions between the particulate MC filler/matrix. The MC/UPR composites also exhibited higher density compared to the JF/UPR due to the larger surface area and reduced voids in the structure. Overall, the study demonstrated that the valorization of maize cob and jute fibers into composite materials is a sustainable and environmental approach to waste disposal and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Inflammation is a physiological process essential for maintaining homeostatic mechanisms in human, but however, exaggerated inflammatory responses are closely related to many chronic diseases. Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal with high toxicity when present in food, water and air has the potential of eliciting inflammatory reactions, with a major health risk to human. This review aimed to elucidate on the major routes of Cd exposure, the main organs affected by the exposure, the degree of toxicity as well as the roles of the toxic effects on the immune system which results to inflammatory responses. Immune modulation by Cd may cause serious adverse health effects in humans. Various studies have highlighted the ability of Cd as an environmental pollutant involved in the modulation of the innate, adaptive and mucosal immune responses in relations to the release of chemokine, gene expression, and susceptibility to microbial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The stem bark of Khaya senegalensis A. Juss (Meliaceae) is currently used for the treatment of trypanosomiasis by traditional practitioners in Nigeria. Objectives: The present study investigated the anti- Trypanosoma brucei brucei activity of phenolics-rich fraction of K. senegalensis (pfks) and its ameliorative effects on trypanosome-induced pathological changes. Materials and methods: The fraction was initially analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A 60 min time course experiment was conducted with various concentrations of the fraction using a 96-well microtiter plate technique and was further used to treat T. brucei infected rats at 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight (BW). Indices of anemia as well as hepatic and renal functions were analyzed in all experimental animals at the end of the experiment. Results: The GC-MS analysis of the pfks revealed that the most abundant phytochemicals are phloroglucinol (40.56%) and 3,4-(dihydroxyphenyl) acetic acid (41.76%). The fraction showed a concentration dependent in vitro antitrypanosomal activity. Interestingly, the fraction completely eliminated the parasites from the bloodstream of infected rats without relapse during the experimental period at the dose of 300 mg/kg BW and also kept the parasites consistently lower at 100 and 200 mg/kg BW than that was recorded in the untreated infected rats. Furthermore, the severity of T. brucei-induced anemia and hepatic damage was significantly ( p < 0.05) ameliorated in the 300 mg/kg BW treatment group whereas the parasite-induced renal damage was significantly ( p < 0.05) ameliorated in all treatment groups. Conclusion: Data from this study may suggest that phenolics play an important role in the antitrypanosomal activity of K. senegalensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]