Effect of Ethanoic Extract of Treculia Africana Seeds on Total Cholesterol, Total Protein, and Nitric Oxide

Treculia africana is well known and eaten by the people of South-South and South-East region of Nigeria. T. africana can be eaten alone or process and combine it with other fruits. It is nutritious and provide natural bioactive substance to the body. This study was aim to evaluate the Effect of Ethanoic Extract of Treculia africana Seeds on Total Cholesterol, Total Protein, and Nitric Oxide. It was an experimental research. 20 male rats were randomly selected into four groups (control, low dose, moderate dose and high dose groups) with five animals per group.  Group A served as control and received only water and pellet feed, Group B (low dose) received 250mg/kg, group C (moderate dose) received 300mg/kgand group D (high dose) received 350mg/kg of aqueous extract of Treculia africana seed respectively. The extract was administered orally to the rats once a day for a period of 10days. On the 11th day, the animals were anaesthetized with chloroform soaked in cotton wool and blood tissues were collected. The results revealed that,there is significantly increase in the serum levels of total protein in all the treated groups when compared with control (Total protein control 51.40±0.51, low dose 61.60±0.51* medium dose 71.60±0.51*, and 71.80±1.07*). Total cholesterol significantly decreased when both medium and high dose were administered when compared with control (Total cholesterol control 2.34±0.05, medium dose 1.90±0.07*, high dose 1.96±0.19*). Also, nitric oxide significantly increases serum levels in the groups treated with T. africana when compared with control (Nitric oxide control 7.16±0.14, low dose 8.98±0.09*, medium dose 8.50±0.15* and high dose 8.02±0.11*)

Ascertaining the Overall Occurrence of Dental Fluorosis in Students of Selected Secondary Schools in Rivers State

Public health places a premium on understanding the amount of fluoride in potable water and other toothpastes, as well as how it affects skeletal and dental tissues to cause fluorosis. Fluorosis is, however, poorly understood and known in Nigeria. The goal of this research was to Ascertain the Overall Occurrence of Dental Fluorosis in Students of Selected Secondary Schools in Rivers State. A cross-sectional survey of 541 students from selected secondary schools in Rivers State who were between the ages of 9 and 17 was carried out. All students present at school on the day of data collection had their mouths examined by oral health professionals as part of a quasi-experimental method. Each subject was supported by a torch light while seated on a chair, and their teeth were examined for dental fluorosis in their wet state. The presence of dental fluorosis and the severity of it were documented using Dean's Dental Fluorosis. The presence of dental fluorosis and the severity of it were documented using Dean's Dental Fluorosis. (358) Dental fluorosis impacted 66.17% of the students, varying in severity from very mild to severe cases

Urinary Tract Infection in Okada village: Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern

The antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of bacterial isolates from suspected urinary tract infection (UTI) patients at Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital was carried out from November 2004 to November 2005 using the disc diffusion method. The subjects were made up of 330 (60%) males and 220 (40%) females. The commonest isolates were Escherichia coli (51.2%), Staphylococcus aureus (27.3%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (12.8%) respectively. Both methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive (MSSA) S. aureus were isolated in the study. The isolates were highly sensitive to ofloxacin but low to moderately sensitive to gentimicin, tobramycin, nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, nitrofurantoin, and cefuroxine. The MSSA isolates were highly sensitive to ciprofloxaxin and ofloxacin while the MRSA were sensitive to ofloxacin. In addition, the isolates showed multi-drug resistance

Comparative Evaluation of the Effects of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy and Amodiaquine Monotherapy in G6PD Activity, Fasting Glucose Level and Parasite Clearance Rate in Malaria-infected Adults in Abakaliki, Nigeria.

Background: Antimalaria combination therapy with regimen containing an artemisinin-based compound has been recommended as a gold standard and first-line treatment for malaria by WHO. Studies have also proven the effectiveness of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmoduim falciparum and delaying the emergence of drug resistance. However, limited reports exist on the effects of ACT on some vital biochemical parameters such as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and blood glucose concentration. This study therefore investigates and compares the effects of Artesunate-Amodiaquine combination therapy and Amodiaquine monotherapy on G6PD activity, fasting blood glucose level and parasite clearance rate in malaria-infected adults in Abakaliki, Nigeria. Methodology: Twenty adults aged between 20 and 30 years were used for the study. The patients were divided into two groups-A and B of 10 individuals each. Group A was given Artesunate-Amodiaquine (AS-AQ) while group B was given Amodiaquine (AQ). Blood samples were collected from each individual at baseline (Day 0) and after drug treatment (Day 4) for the comparative analysis of G6PD activity, fasting blood glucose level and parasite clearance rate. Result: There was an increase in G6PD activity after drug treatment in the two groups but the increase was not statistically significant. Glucose levels decreased after treatment in both groups but the decrease was also insignificant. There was a significant (P<0.001) difference in malaria parasite density of both groups after drug administration. The percentage parasite clearance of AS-AQ treated group and the AQ treated group were 67% and 47% respectively. Conclusion: There were no significant differences in the AS-AQ and AQ effects on the G6PD activity and fasting glucose level. In contrast, AS-AQ therapy indicated higher parasitic clearance rate compared to the AQ therapy. This further proves that Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) is more effective than monotherapy in the treatment of malaria. Keywords: Artemisinin- Amodiaquine, Combination therapy, Amodiaquine, Parasite clearance, G6pd, Glucose

Plant growth-promoting actinobacteria: a new strategy for enhancing sustainable production and protection of grain legumes

Grain legumes are a cost-effective alternative for the animal protein in improving the diets of the poor in South-East Asia and Africa. Legumes, through symbiotic nitrogen fixation, meet a major part of their own N demand and partially benefit the following crops of the system by enriching soil. In realization of this sustainability advantage and to promote pulse production, United Nations had declared 2016 as the “International Year of pulses”. Grain legumes are frequently subjected to both abiotic and biotic stresses resulting in severe yield losses. Global yields of legumes have been stagnant for the past five decades in spite of adopting various conventional and molecular breeding approaches. Furthermore, the increasing costs and negative effects of pesticides and fertilizers for crop production necessitate the use of biological options of crop production and protection. The use of plant growth-promoting (PGP) bacteria for improving soil and plant health has become one of the attractive strategies for developing sustainable agricultural systems due to their eco-friendliness, low production cost and minimizing consumption of non-renewable resources. This review emphasizes on how the PGP actinobacteria and their metabolites can be used effectively in enhancing the yield and controlling the pests and pathogens of grain legumes

Interaction of Copper-Based Nanoparticles to Soil, Terrestrial, and Aquatic Systems: Critical Review of the State of the Science and Future Perspectives

In the past two decades, increased production and usage of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) has inevitably increased their discharge into the different compartments of the environment, which ultimately paved the way for their uptake and accumulation in various trophic levels of the food chain. Due to these issues, several questions have been raised on the usage of NPs in everyday life and has become a matter of public health concern. Among the metallic NPs, Cu-based NPs have gained popularity due to their cost-effectiveness and multifarious promising uses. Several studies in the past represented the phytotoxicity of Cu-based NPs on plants. However, comprehensive knowledge is still lacking. Additionally, the impact of Cu-based NPs on soil organisms such as agriculturally important microbes, fungi, mycorrhiza, nematode, and earthworms are poorly studied. This review article critically analyses the literature data to achieve a more comprehensive knowledge on the toxicological profile of Cu-based NPs and increase our understanding of the effects of Cu-based NPs on aquatic and terrestrial plants as well as on soil microbial communities. The underlying mechanism of biotransformation of Cu-based NPs and the process of their penetration into plants has also been discussed herein. Overall, this review could provide valuable information to design rules and regulations for the safe disposal of Cu-based NPs into a sustainable environment

Effects of Smoothies on Semen Parameters, Nitric Oxide and Total Protein in Male Wistar Rats

Fruits are very important to humans and they have several essential nutrients that are important to improve their overall health. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of smoothies (banana, apple and pineapple) on semen parameters and nitric oxide in male Wistar rats. Thirty (30) animals weighing 130kg to 180kg were randomly selected into 6 groups with 5 animals per group. Group 1 received 5mls of distilled water, group 2 received 1ml/kg (low dose) of smoothies, group 3 received 2ml/kg (medium dose), group 4 received 3ml/kg (high dose), group 5 received 400mg/kg of monosodium glutamate, group 6 received 400mg/kg of monosodium-glutamate and 3ml/kg (high dose) of smoothies co-administered. Administration was carried out for 14 days and on the 15th day, the animals were sacrificed, semen was harvested and 5ml blood was collected via cardiac puncture. Statistical analysis was done using ANOVA and expressed as Mean±SEM. Statistically P < 0.05 was said to be significant. SPSS version 26 was used. Results from the study showed significant increase in sperm morphology and sperm volume and decrease in sperm count and sperm viability. There was significant increase in the level of nitric oxide dose-dependent and thus could aid erection in male

Genotype by Environment (G x E) Modeling of the Variable Initiation of Parthenocarpy sensu stricto in Musa: Elucidation of the Environmental Components of Variable Expressivity of Parthenocarpy in a Facultative Apomictic Musa acuminata Subspecies Microcarpa Model System

To better understand the genome by environment (G x E) interactions that need to be accommodated in order to better predict hybrid performance for a high breeding value vegetative parthenocarpy trait sensu stricto. An analysis of the possible environmental signals contributing to the variability of a vegetative parthenocarpy trait sensu stricto via the genome x environment initiation of a genetic lesion that temporally, developmentally and systematically results in abortion of a parthenocarpic developmental regime was performed utilizing Musa acuminata accession Borneo as a model plant. We examined the effect of the variable and potentially modulating environmental signals, and performed a dissection of the genetic components of expressivity and penetrance in the vegetative parthenocarpy in Borneo, utilizing 180 apomictic progeny planted at different developmental ages in duplicate at each of two ecoregional zones. A total of 2,160 floral rachis from 720 mats of Borneo were measured for their subsequent expressivity and penetrance for vegetative parthenocarpy across individual flowers produced from a single vegetative mat, across local duplicate mats, and across ecoregional zones. The results of our study have produced a predictive G x E Model for expressivity of vegetative parthenocarpy in Musa, with validation of this model by a variety of statistical and probabilistic methods. Since expressivity of vegetative parthenocarpy to similar environmental signals have been identified across the monocot to dicot plants such as tomato, the generalized use of models such as presented in our study may have broader applicability to a wider range of crop plants