ASTROMETRY OF IRAS 22555+6213 WITH VERA: A 3-DIMENSIONAL VIEW OF SOURCES ALONG THE SAME LINE OF SIGHT

CHIBUEZE, JAMES O.,SAKANOUE, HIROFUMI,OMODAKA, TOSHIHIRO,HANDA, TOSHIHIRO,NAGAYAMA, TAKUMI,KAMEZAKI, TATSUYA,BURNS, ROSS The Korean Astronomical Society 2015 天文學論叢 Vol.30 No.2

We report results of the measurement of the trigonometric parallax of an $H_2O$ maser source in IRAS 22555+6213 with the VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry (VERA). The annual parallax was determined to be $0.278{\pm}0.019$ mas, corresponding to a distance of $3.66^{+0.30}_{-0.26}kpc$. Our results confirm that IRAS 22555+6213 is located in the Perseus arm. We computed the peculiar motion of IRAS 22555+6213 to be ($U_{src}$, $V_{src}$, $W_{src}$) = ($0{\pm}1$, $-32{\pm}1$, $9{\pm}1$) $km\;s^{-1}$, where $U_{src}$, $V_{src}$, and $W_{src}$ are directed toward the Galactic center, in the direction of Galactic rotation and toward the Galactic north pole, respectively. IRAS 22555+6213, NGC7538 and Cepheus A lie along the same line of sight, and are within $2^{\circ}$ on the sky. Their parallax distances, with which we derived their absolute position in the Milky Way, show that IRAS 22555+6213 and NGC7538 are associated with the Perseus arm, while Cepheus A is located in the Local arm. We compared the kinematic distances of IRAS 22555+6213 derived with flat and non-flat rotation curve with its parallax distance and found the kinematic distance derived from the non-flat rotation assumption ($-32km\;s^{-1}$ lag) to be consistent with the parallax distance.

Slaughterhouse facilities in developing nations: sanitation and hygiene practices, microbial contaminants and sustainable management system

Kurotimipa Frank Ovuru,Sylvester Chibueze Izah,Odangowei Inetiminebi Ogidi,Odoligie Imarhiagbe,Matthew Chidozie Ogwu 한국식품과학회 2024 Food Science and Biotechnology Vol.33 No.3

Poor personal and environmental hygiene and sanitary conditions of abattoirs in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa have been implicated in the occurrence and spread of foodborne diseases. This focused review aims to evaluate the sanitation and hygiene practices of slaughterhouses in selected sub-Saharan African countries as well as the microbial (bacterial) contaminants associated with these slaughterhouses. Pathogenic microorganisms of public health importance have been associated with these slaughterhouses due to poor hygiene conditions, non-formal occupational health and safety training, and poor knowledge of workers as well as substandard infrastructures and crude tools in these facilities. Put together, these conditions enable the growth, survival, transmission, and proliferation of foodborne pathogens such as bacteria, parasites, and viruses. To address this issue, there is a need to assess the poor environmental and personal hygiene of butchers and other abattoir workers, the inaccessibility of potable water, waste management practices, and the lack of appropriate infrastructure and technology, which have been identified as some of the enabling factors for bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Sustainable strategies should include instituting regulations that are backed by law.

Toxicological Evaluation of Phytochemical Characterized Aqueous Extract of Wild Dried Lentinus squarrosulus (Mont.) Mushroom in Rats

Eziuche Amadike Ugbogu,Iroha Emmanuel Akubugwo,Victor Chibueze Ude,James Gilbert,Blessing Ekeanyanwu 한국독성학회 2019 Toxicological Research Vol.35 No.2

Lentinus squarrosulus (Mont.) is an edible wild mushroom with tough fruiting body that belongs to the family Polyporaceae. It is used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of ulcer, anaemia, cough and fever. Recent studies have demonstrated its anticancer, anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties. However, little or no information is available regarding the bioactive components and toxicological study of wild dried L. squarrosulus. Therefore, this study investigated the bioactive components of aqueous extract of boiled wild dried L. squarrosulus and its toxicological effects in rats. The extract of L. squarrosulus was subjected to GC-MS analysis. The acute toxicity test was performed by oral administration of a single dose of up to 5,000 mg/kg extract of L. squarrosulus. In subacute study, the rats were orally administered extract of L. squarrosulus at the doses of 500, 1,000 and 1,500 mg/ kg body weight daily for 14 days. The haematological, lipid profile, liver and kidney function parameters were determined and the histopathology of the liver and kidney were examined. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of bioactive compounds; 1-tetradecene, fumaric acid, monochloride, 6-ethyloct-3-yl ester, 9-eicosene, phytol, octahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine and 3-trifluoroacetoxypentadecane. In acute toxicity study, neither death nor toxicity sign was recorded. In the sub-acute toxicity study, significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed on creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total cholesterol, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Whilst no significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed on packed cell volume, heamoglobin, red blood cell, white blood cell and alkaline phosphatase, in all the tested doses. No histopathological alterations were recorded. Our findings revealed that aqueous extract of L. squarrosulus may have antimicrobial, antinocieptive and antioxidant properties based on the result of GC-MS analysis. Results of the toxicity test showed no deleterious effect at the tested doses, suggesting that L. squarrosulus is safe for consumption at the tested doses.

Ameliorative effect of aqueous leaf extract of Solanum aethiopicum on phenylhydrazine-induced anaemia and toxicity in rats

Ekweogu Celestine Nwabu,Ude Victor Chibueze,Nwankpa Promise,Emmanuel Okezie,Ugbogu Eziuche Amadike 한국독성학회 2020 Toxicological Research Vol.36 No.3

Solanum aethiopicum is used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of overweight, constipation and anaemia. This study evaluated the ameliorative effect of aqueous leaf extract of S. aethiopicum on phenylhydrazine-induced anaemia in rats. Acute toxicity was determined in male and female rats (n = 5/group/sex) by oral administration of single dose of up to 5000 mg/ kg of the S. aethiopicum extract. The experimental rats were randomly grouped into five (5) groups of 6 rats each. Group (i) served as normal control, group (ii) negative control, group (iii) standard drug-5 mg/kg ferrous sulphate, groups (iv) and (v), 200 and 400 mg/kg of S. aethiopicum extract respectively. Phenylhydrazine (PHZ) was administered intraperitoneally at the dose of 50 mg/kg body weight for two consecutive days to groups (ii–v). After 14 days, the rats were sacrificed; blood, liver and kidney were collected. The haematological, lipid profile, liver and kidney function parameters were determined and the histopathology of the liver and kidney were examined. In acute toxicity study, no signs of toxicity or death were recorded. The study shows an observable significant (P < 0.05) increase in packed cell volume, haemoglobin and red blood cell counts at 400 mg/kg S. aethiopicum extract in both the male and female rats when compared to other groups. Solanum aethiopicum extract at the dose of 400 mg/kg reduced aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), urea, creatinine and chloride. The results of this study lent credence to the use of S. aethiopicum leaf as an anti-anaemic tonic with a wide margin of safety and hepato/reno-protective potentials.

SiO MASERS AROUND WX PSC MAPPED WITH THE KVN AND VERA ARRAY (KaVA)

Yun, Youngjoo,Cho, Se-Hyung,Imai, Hiroshi,Kim, Jaeheon,Asaki, Yoshiharu,Chibueze, James O.,Choi, Yoon Kyung,Dodson, Richard,Kim, Dong-Jin,Kusuno, Kozue,Matsumoto, Naoko,Min, Cheulhong,Oyadomari, Miyak American Astronomical Society 2016 The Astrophysical journal Vol.822 No.1

<P>We present the first images of the v = 1 and v = 2 J = 1 -> 0 SiO maser lines taken with KaVA, i.e., the combined array of the Korean Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) Network and the VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry ( VERA), toward the OH/IR star WX Psc. The combination of long and short antenna baselines enabled us to detect a large number of maser spots, which exhibit a typical ring-like structure in both the v. =. 1 and v = 2 J = 1 -> 0 SiO masers as those that have been found in previous VLBI observational results of WX Psc. The relative alignment of the v = 1 and v = 2 SiO maser spots are precisely derived from astrometric analysis, due. to the absolute coordinates of the reference maser spot that were well determined in an independent astrometric observation with VERA. The superposition of the v = 1 and v = 2 maser spot maps shows a good spatial correlation between the v = 1 and v = 2 SiO maser features. Nevertheless, it is also shown that the v = 2 SiO maser spot is distributed in an inner region compared to the v - 1 SiO maser by about 0.5 mas on average. These results provide good support for the recent theoretical studies of the SiO maser pumping, in which both the collisional and the radiative pumping predict the strong spatial correlation and the small spatial discrepancy between the v = 1 and v = 2 SiO maser.</P>

Toxicological Evaluation of Phytochemical Characterized Aqueous Extract of Wild Dried Lentinus squarrosulus (Mont.) Mushroom in Rats

Ugbogu, Eziuche Amadike,Akubugwo, Iroha Emmanuel,Ude, Victor Chibueze,Gilbert, James,Ekeanyanwu, Blessing Korean Society of ToxicologyKorea Environmental Mu 2019 Toxicological Research Vol.35 No.2

Lentinus squarrosulus (Mont.) is an edible wild mushroom with tough fruiting body that belongs to the family Polyporaceae. It is used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of ulcer, anaemia, cough and fever. Recent studies have demonstrated its anticancer, anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties. However, little or no information is available regarding the bioactive components and toxicological study of wild dried L. squarrosulus. Therefore, this study investigated the bioactive components of aqueous extract of boiled wild dried L. squarrosulus and its toxicological effects in rats. The extract of L. squarrosulus was subjected to GC-MS analysis. The acute toxicity test was performed by oral administration of a single dose of up to 5,000 mg/kg extract of L. squarrosulus. In subacute study, the rats were orally administered extract of L. squarrosulus at the doses of 500, 1,000 and 1,500 mg/kg body weight daily for 14 days. The haematological, lipid profile, liver and kidney function parameters were determined and the histopathology of the liver and kidney were examined. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of bioactive compounds; 1-tetradecene, fumaric acid, monochloride, 6-ethyloct-3-yl ester, 9-eicosene, phytol, octahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine and 3-trifluoroacetoxypentadecane. In acute toxicity study, neither death nor toxicity sign was recorded. In the sub-acute toxicity study, significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed on creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total cholesterol, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Whilst no significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed on packed cell volume, heamoglobin, red blood cell, white blood cell and alkaline phosphatase, in all the tested doses. No histopathological alterations were recorded. Our findings revealed that aqueous extract of L. squarrosulus may have antimicrobial, antinocieptive and antioxidant properties based on the result of GC-MS analysis. Results of the toxicity test showed no deleterious effect at the tested doses, suggesting that L. squarrosulus is safe for consumption at the tested doses.

THE FIRST VERY LONG BASELINE INTERFEROMETRY IMAGE OF A 44 GHz METHANOL MASER WITH THE KVN AND VERA ARRAY (KaVA)

Matsumoto, Naoko,Hirota, Tomoya,Sugiyama, Koichiro,Kim, Kee-Tae,Kim, Mikyoung,Byun, Do-Young,Jung, Taehyun,Chibueze, James O.,Honma, Mareki,Kameya, Osamu,Kim, Jongsoo,Lyo, A-Ran,Motogi, Kazuhito,Oh, C IOP Publishing 2014 ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS - Vol.789 No.1

<P>We have carried out the first very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) imaging of a 44 GHz class I methanol maser (70-61A(+)) associated with a millimeter core MM2 in a massive star-forming region IRAS 18151-1208 with KaVA (KVN and VERA Array), which is a newly combined array of KVN (Korean VLBI Network) and VERA (VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry). We have succeeded in imaging compact maser features with a synthesized beam size of 2.7 milliarcseconds x 1.5 milliarcseconds (mas). These features are detected at a limited number of baselines within the length of shorter than approximate to 650 km corresponding to 100 M. in the uv-coverage. The central velocity and the velocity width of the 44 GHz methanol maser are consistent with those of the quiescent gas rather than the outflow traced by the SiO thermal line. The minimum component size among the maser features is similar to 5 mas x 2 mas, which corresponds to the linear size of similar to 15 AU x 6 AU assuming a distance of 3 kpc. The brightness temperatures of these features range from similar to 3.5 x 10(8) to 1.0 x 10(10) K, which are higher than the estimated lower limit from a previous Very Large Array observation with the highest spatial resolution of similar to 50 mas. The 44 GHz class I methanol maser in IRAS 18151-1208 is found to be associated with the MM2 core, which is thought to be less evolved than another millimeter core MM1 associated with the 6.7 GHz class II methanol maser.</P>

THE SCALING RELATIONS AND STAR FORMATION LAWS OF MINI-STARBURST COMPLEXES

Nguyê,̃,n-Lu’o, Quang,Nguyê,̃,n, Hans V. V.,Motte, Fredé,rique,Schneider, Nicola,Fujii, Michiko,Louvet, Fabien,Hill, Tracey,Sanhueza, Patricio,Chibueze, James O.,Didelon, P American Astronomical Society 2016 The Astrophysical journal Vol.833 No.1

<P>The scaling relations and star formation laws for molecular cloud complexes (MCCs) in the Milky Way are investigated. MCCs are mostly large (R> 50 pc), massive (similar to 106 M circle dot) gravitationally unbound cloud structures. We compare their masses M-gas, mass surface densities Sigma(Mgas), radii R, velocity dispersions sigma, star formation rates (SFRs), and SFR densities Sigma(SFR) with those of structures ranging from cores, clumps, and giant molecular clouds, to MCCs, and galaxies, spanning eight orders of magnitudes in size and 13 orders of magnitudes in mass. This results in the following universal relations: sigma similar to R-0.5, M-gas similar to R-2, Sigma(SFR) similar to Sigma(1.5)(Mgas) , SFR similar to M-gas(0.9) , and SFR similar to sigma(2.7) Variations in the slopes and coefficients of these relations are found at individual scales, signifying different physics acting at different scales. Additionally, there are breaks at the MCC scale in the sigma-R relation and between starburst and normal star-forming objects in the SFR-M-gas and Sigma(SFR)-Sigma(Mgas) gas relations. Therefore, we propose to use the Schmidt-Kennicutt diagram to distinguish starburst from normal star-forming structures by applying a SMgas threshold of similar to 100M circle dot pc (2) and a Sigma(SFR) threshold of 1M circle dot yr (1) kpc (2). Mini-starburst complexes are gravitationally unbound MCCs that have enhanced Sigma(SFR) (> 1M circle dot yr(-1) kpc(-2)), probably caused by dynamic events such as radiation pressure, colliding flows, or spiral arm gravitational instability. Because of dynamical evolution, gravitational boundedness does not play a significant role in regulating the star formation activity of MCCs, especially the mini-starburst complexes, which leads to the dynamical formation of massive stars and clusters. We emphasize the importance of understanding mini-starbursts in investigating the physics of starburst galaxies.</P>