The Sequence of Wet and Dry Days at Ibadan and Onne (Sub-Humid Zone of Nigeria)

Twenty-three years daily rainfall data were collected for Ibadan while twenty years data were collected for Onne. These data were analysed and modelled for the dependence of wet days following dry days; dry days following wet days; dry days following dry days and wet days following wet days using the first order Markov chain rule. The results were produced as monthly and decadal transition probability of dry days, wet days and their dependence, and this was used to model the dependence of wet and dry days in the study area. This model was tested using Ten years daily rainfall record each of Akure and Calabar for the sub-humid and humid areas and was found to perform well in its predictability. The study shows that, for the purpose of water resources planning as well as agriculture operations in the two area under study and for most humid and sub-humid stations, there is need to take into consideration the state (i.e. wetness or dryness) of the previous 2 day especially in the rainy months

Baseline CD4+ T lymphocyte cell counts, hepatitis B and C viruses seropositivity in adults with Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria

Background: Ekiti State of Nigeria is known to have the lowest prevalence of HIV in Nigeria. University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Ado Ekiti was recently upgraded to serve as one of the three centres for HIV/AIDS referral, diagnosis and treatment in Ekiti State. We evaluated the baseline immunologic and biochemical parameters of patients presenting at the ART clinic of University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State. Methods: All HIV seropositive patients not yet on antiretroviral therapy, who presented at the ART Clinic within the study period had at the first visit to the clinic, their blood sample taken for CD4 cell counts estimation, HBsAg and anti- HCV screening, ALT, AST as well as hemoglobin estimation as part of the routine workup to assess their disease health status and need for antiretroviral therapy. Statistical significance was taken as p< 0.05. Results: A total of 273 patients comprising 79 (28.9%) males and 194 (71.1%) females were included in the study (F:M = 2.46: 1). The mean age of the study population was 36.21± 10.20 years with mean age of males (39.52 ± 9.95years) significantly higher than females (34.88 ± 10.02; p=0.001). The overall prevalence of HBsAg in the study population was 6.6% with a sex specific prevalence of 8.1% and 6% for males and females, respectively. No statistically significance difference in the mean serum alanine transaminase, serum aspartate transaminase, hemoglobin and CD4+ T- Lymphocytes cell count of those who had HBsAg negative status compared to those who had HBsAg positive status. Two (0.7%) of the patients had positive serum anti HCV antibodies. The CD4+ T- Lymphocytes cell count ranged between 5 – 1050 cells/Hl with a mean of 286.19 ± 233.31 cells/Hl. The majority of patients (71.8%) had a CD4+ T- Lymphocytes cell count < 350 cells/Hl. Conclusion: At the time of presentation, majority of our patients had a CD4+ T- Lymphocytes cell count less than 350 cells/Hl consistent with significant immune-suppression. More sustained and vigorous awareness campaigns still need to be done in Ekiti State to diagnose this disease early. There is also a need to accelerate the integration of hepatitis B virus screening and treatment programme into HIV/AIDS programme because of the morbidity and mortality implication of HBV and HIV co-infection.Key words: HIV AIDS infection, CD4+ T-lymphocyte cell counts, Hepatitis B virus infectio

SELECTED MARKERS OF OXIDANT CHALLENGE IN ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSIVE SMOKERS

Aim: The study was set to assess the relationship between antioxidant status, smoking and hypertension, the argument being whether there would be a significant difference in antioxidant status and perhaps, a significant difference in blood pressure. Methods: A total of105 samples were collected. 36 samples were collected from type I hypertensive smokers; 47 from hypertensive non smokers, the remaining 22 were collected from normal non smokers, who served as control. The blood pressure of each subject was measured. Determinations of SOD activity and TBARS content were carried out on each of the samples. Determination of systolic and diastolic blood pressure was also carried out using a digital sphygmomanometer. The results of all investigations were thereafter subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS 17, the student’s t test being the tool of choice. Significance was tested at P<0.05. Results: The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressureof hypertensive smokers and non smokinghypertensives was found to be significantly increased. Similarly the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure of hypertensive smokers was found to be significantly increased. SOD activity was significantly decreased while TBARS levels were significantly higher in both hypertensive groups. Lipid peroxidation was significantly higher while SOD activity was significantly lower in hypertensive smokers when compared with hypertensive non smokers Conclusion: It appears that cigarette smoking as a social lifestyle depletes SOD levels but increases lipid peroxidation. It also seems to favour the progression of essential hypertension from mild to severity

Cotyledon persistence and seedling growth in fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook. F.)

Photosynthetic activity of exposed cotyledons of Telfairia occidentalis during seed germination and the growth of seedlings with removed or attached cotyledons were investigated. The experiment  investigated how early cotyledon removal affects seedling growth. Seedlings from seeds germinated in light and those  germinated in the dark were compared four weeks after germination. The effects of removal of cotyledons on seedling growth were also investigated with  cotyledons removed at different times and from different seed sizes in order to assess the effect of time of removal and seed sizes on seedling growth. Biomass accumulation of the different plant parts, number of leaves and root/shoot ratio were used to assess the relative importance of cotyledon photosynthesis and  cotyledon storage reserves to seedling growth. The cotyledons which are predominantly for storage were found to have a minimal photosynthetic function. Telfairia seedling biomass was significantly reduced (P&lt;0.05) by removal of the cotyledon. Seed size and morphotype influenced the effect of cotyledon removal on seedling growth. The time of cotyledon removal affected all growth parameters negatively with greatest effect on removal at the first week of growth. Cotyledon reserves  support seedling growth of Telfairia occidentalis, and ability to cope with loss of cotyledon is affected by factors such as seed size, morphotype and time of  removal.Keywords: Storage reserves, cotyledon removal, hypogeal, morphotype, Telfairia occidentalis

Effect of normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies on plasma cholinesterase in Nigerian women

Background: Pre-eclampsia can be devastating and life-threatening for both mother and baby, particularly in developing countries. It is a major cause of maternal and foetal mortality and morbidity. Early diagnosis and management are very important to the reduction of mortality and morbidity. A sensitive diagnostic and prognostic marker will therefore be of great value. There is paucity of data on the effect of pre-eclamptic pregnancy on plasma cholinesterase activity especially in Nigerians. Objective: Our aim was to determine the changes in plasma cholinesterase concentration in normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies in Nigerians. Setting: Antenatal Clinic and Prenatal Diagnostic and Therapy Centre in a Tertiary University Teaching Hospital in Lagos. Patients and Methods: Plasma cholinesterase concentration was determined using a colorimetric method in 30 healthy non-pregnant, 30 healthy pregnant, 30 and 27 pregnant women with mild and severe pre-eclampsia, respectively, between 28 and 41 weeks of gestation. Cholinesterase activity was re-assessed 6 weeks postpartum. Results: The mean plasma cholinesterase levels in healthy non-pregnant women, women with normal pregnancy, pregnant women with mild pre-eclampsia and those with severe pre-eclampsia were 3594±1042, 2135±422, 1781±330 and 1630±326 (m/L), respectively. Six weeks postpartum, the mean cholinesterase levels in the normal pregnant, mild eclamptic and severe eclamptic groups were 3212±346, 3157±750 and 2864±700 (/L), respectively. Conclusions: Our study suggests that normal pregnancy, mild and severe pre-eclampsia cause a significant (p< 0.01) reduction in plasma cholinesterase activity compared to non-pregnant state, with the greatest decrease in severe pre-eclamptic pregnancy. This decline does not return to normal non-pregnant state in subjects with severe pre-clampsia within six weeks postpartum. The place of plasma cholinesterase concentration as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in pre-eclamptic and eclamptic pregnancies should be further explored. Keywords: Cholinesterase, Eclampsia, Pre-eclampsia, Pregnancy, Succinylcholine

Isolation, characterization and extracellular enzyme detection of microbial isolates from deteriorated apple (malus domestica) fruits

Studies were carried out on deteriorated apples obtained from the Just Rite supermarket, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria, to isolate microorganisms associated with post-harvest deterioration of apple (Malus domestica) fruits. The bacterial species were identified using microscopy, morphology and various biochemical tests while macroscopy and morphology was used to identify the fungi isolated. The ability of the isolate to elaborate extracellular amylase and protease were tested for. Results revealed Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus as the fungal species while the bacterial species isolated were Bacillus spp and Micrococcus spp. All the isolates except Aspergillus niger produced amylase in substantial amount. Micrococcus spp, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus produced protease. The results of this investigation if combined with further studies can be used in identifying organisms which could be used as a biological method in the control of apple pathogens.Keywords: Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Bacillus spp, Micrococcus spp, agar

Obesity: An emerging disease

Obesity is rapidly becoming an emerging disease in developing countries due to the increasing westernization of societies and change in the lifestyle. The etiology of obesity is said to be multifactorial, with a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Literature has been extensively reviewed to provide a broad overview of obesity. Data for this review were obtained from original articles, review articles and textbooks. Internet search engines were also employed. The years searched were from 1993 to 2008. Obesity, classified in terms of the body mass index and the waist&ndash;hip ratio, has several associated co-morbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, degenerative osteoarthritis and infertility. In Nigeria, there is limited information on obesity. A literature review on obesity is necessary to improve the knowledge about obesity in developing countries, its prevention and its management

Antimicrobial and phytochemical analysis of leaves and bark extracts from Bridelia ferruginea

Five bacteria and three fungi were grown and tested against the effects of crude ethanolic, methanolic and water extracts of Bridelia ferruginea leaves and bark. The leaf water extract had zero antimicrobial activity. The overall antimicrobial activity recorded zones of inhibition ranging between 9 and 20 mm. The crude extracts were not active against the fungi tested. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the active extracts was determined. Half strength (10 g/ml) concentrations of the bark ethanol and methanol extracts were the MICs against Citrobacter sp. and Bacillus subtilis. While quarter strength (5 g/ml) concentrations of the bark methanol and ethanol extracts were the MICs against Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus. The phytochemical analysis carried out on B. ferruginea leaves and bark detected the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannin, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinone, phlobatinnin and saponins and was negative for anthocyanin

Comparative Effects of Three Herbs and Standard Hypoglycaemic Agents on Blood Glucose in Normoglycaemic, Hyperglycaemic and Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Male Rats

Background: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus has risen exponentially in the last decade and an increasing number of people are using herbal supplements. Objective: We aimed to assess the relative efficacy of three promising herbs as potentially emerging alternative/adjunct treatment for diabetes. Materials and Methods: One hundred and ninety-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. A third of the animals were randomly rendered diabetic with alloxan (150 mg/kg), another third injected 50% dextrose (5 g/kg); and the last third constituted the controls. The rats were variously administered aqueous leaf extract of Momordica foetida (500 mg/kg), Vernonia amygdalina (500 mg/kg) and Tapinanthus butungii (500 mg/kg), glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) chlorpropamide (250 mg/kg), and human insulin lente (0.1 I.U./kg). Results: Extract of Momordica foetida caused maximal anti-diabetic effect in six hours, Vernonia amygdalina ten hours, while Tapinanthus butungii continued to cause reduction after ten hours. The three extracts caused greater blood glucose reductions than glibenclamide in the diabetic rats, while exhibiting comparable effects with chlorpropamide and insulin. Conclusions: Tapinanthus butungii is more effective in lowering blood glucose than Momordica foetida and Vernonia amygdalina in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Leaf extract of Momordica foetida should be useful in rapidly lowering blood glucose, while that of Tapinanthus butungii in situations that require more subtle reductions and in conditions in which prolonged hypoglycaemic actions are desirable. Keywords: Mormordica foetida, Vernonia amygdalina, Tapinanthus butungii, Leaf, Alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus Parts of this work were read at the 19th World Diabetes Congress, Cape Town, South Africa (December, 2006)

Anti-malarial activity of ethanolic leaf extract of Piliostigma thonningii Schum. (Caesalpiniacea) in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei berghei

Piliostigma thonningii Schum. (Caesalpiniacea) is used traditionally in the management of fever, cough, wounds and various ulceration. Oral acute toxicity of the ethanolic leaf extract of Piliostigma thorningii was evaluated in mice using modified Lorke&#8217;s method. The ethanolic leaf extract was evaluated for in vivo anti plasmodial activity against chloroquine sensitive strain of Plasmodium berghei berghei NK65 in mice. Four day suppressive, curative effect against established infection and prophylactic models of anti plasmodial studies were carried out. The oral median lethal dose was determined to be 3807.89 mg/kg body weight. The extract (100,200 and 400 mg/kg) exerted dose dependent chemo suppressive effects at the different levels of the infections tested. However the anti-plasmodial effect of chloroquine at 5 mg/kg body weight was higher than the extract in all the test models. Thi