SOME ADVERSE EFFECTS OF NITRITE ON OXIDATIVE STATUS AND HISTOLOGICAL STRUCTURES OF ADULT MALE WISTAR RATS TESTES

ABSTRACT Nitrite is a useful precursor to a variety of organic compounds such as pharmaceuticals, dyes, and pesticides but it is probably best known as food additive to prevent botulism. 20 adult male Wistar rats weighed between 160g -240g used for this study were obtained from the animal house of the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria. The rats were assigned to 4 groups (n=5). The nitrite used was prepared from sodium nitrite. The control group received 1ml of distilled water, while rats of the treated groups received 0.04mg/kgbw, 0.06mg/kgbw and 0.08mg/kgbw nitrite respectively by oral route. The dosing was done for 30 days. Sacrifice of the rats was done by cervical dislocation 4 hours after the last dosing. These findings suggest that nitrite may change the testicular oxidative status and may play a role in testicular dysfunction that causes infertility. We therefore recommend that excess exogenous nitrite intake should be reduced or avoid

Lamivudine-Induced Liver Injury

BACKGROUND: Lamivudine is a nucleoside analogue antiretroviral drug, known for its low toxicity at clinically prescribed dose. However, the toxicity or mechanism of toxicity and target tissue effects during prolonged administration of higher doses were hardly given sufficient laboratory attention. AIM: The present work was designed to investigate the biochemical and histopathological changes in the liver of rat administered with prolonged doses of lamivudine. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Lamivudine in multiple doses of five ranging from 4 mg/kg to 2500 mg/kg were administered, in vitro, by injection into the air-sac of 10–day old fertile embryonated eggs of Gallus domesticus. Also, female rats of the Wistar strain received oral doses, up to 500 mg/kg singly or repeatedly for 15 or 45 days, respectively. Spectrophotometric techniques were employed to monitor activities of the aminotransferases (ALT and AST), γ–glutamyltransferase (GGT) and total protein concentration in serum while activities of glutathione S–transferase (GST), GGT and superoxide dismutase (SOD) as well as concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein were determined in liver. Histopathological studies were carried out on liver. Data were analysed using ANOVA and were considered significant when p < 0.05. RESULTS: The LD50 for the drug calculated from the incubation experiment was 427 mg/kg. Total serum protein concentration significantly reduced while enzymes activities significantly increased at 500 mg/kg only among the repeat-dosed rats. Hepatic GGT, GST and SOD activities as well as MDA concentration were significantly elevated at 20 mg/kg. Histopathological studies showed multifocal lymphoid cell population in the liver sinusoid of the chicken and hydropic degeneration of hepatocytes were recorded among rats repeatedly exposed to the drug respectively at doses ≥ 100 mg/kg

APOE E4 is associated with impaired self-declared cognition but not disease risk or age of onset in Nigerians with Parkinson's disease

The relationship between APOE polymorphisms and Parkinson's disease (PD) in black Africans has not been previously investigated. We evaluated the association between APOE polymorphic variability and self-declared cognition in 1100 Nigerians with PD and 1097 age-matched healthy controls. Cognition in PD was assessed using the single item cognition question (item 1.1) of the MDS-UPDRS. APOE genotype and allele frequencies did not differ between PD and controls (p > 0.05). No allelic or genotypic association was observed between APOE and age at onset of PD. In PD, APOE ε4/ε4 conferred a two-fold risk of cognitive impairment compared to one or no ε4 (HR: 2.09 (95% CI: 1.13-3.89; p = 0.02)), while APOE ε2 was associated with modest protection against cognitive impairment (HR: 0.41 (95% CI 0.19-0.99, p = 0.02)). Of 773 PD with motor phenotype and APOE characterized, tremor-dominant (TD) phenotype predominated significantly in ε2 carriers (87/135, 64.4%) compared to 22.2% in persons with postural instability/gait difficulty (PIGD) (30/135) and 13.3% in indeterminate (ID) (18/135, 13.3%) (p = 0.037). Although the frequency of the TD phenotype was highest in homozygous ε2 carriers (85.7%), the distribution of motor phenotypes across the six genotypes did not differ significantly (p = 0.18). Altogether, our findings support previous studies in other ethnicities, implying a role for APOE ε4 and ε2 as risk and protective factors, respectively, for cognitive impairment in PD

Effects of mefloquine and artesunate mefloquine on the emergence, clearance and sex ratio of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes in malarious children

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The gametocyte sex ratio of <it>Plasmodium falciparum</it>, defined as the proportion of gametocytes that are male, may influence transmission but little is known of the effects of mefloquine or artesunate-mefloquine on gametocyte sex ratio and on the sex ratio of first appearing gametocytes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>350 children with uncomplicated <it>P. falciparum </it>malaria were enrolled in prospective treatment trial of mefloquine or artesunate-mefloquine between 2007 and 2008. Gametocytaemia was quantified, and gametocytes were sexed by morphological appearance, before and following treatment. The area under curve of gametocyte density <it>versus </it>time (AUC_gm) was calculated by linear trapezoidal method.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>91% and 96% of all gametocytes appeared by day 7 and day 14, respectively following treatment. The overall rate of gametocytaemia with both treatments was 31%, and was significantly higher in mefloquine than in artesunate-mefloquine treated children if no gametocyte was present a day after treatment began (25.3% <it>v </it>12.8%, P = 0.01). Gametocyte clearance was significantly faster with artesunate-mefloquine (1.8 ± 0.22 [sem] <it>v </it>5.6 ± 0.95 d; P = 0.001). AUC_gmwas significantly lower in the artesunate mefloquine group (P = 0.008). The pre-treatment sex ratio was male-biased, but post-treatment sex ratio or the sex ratio of first appearing gametocytes, was significantly lower and female-biased two or three days after beginning of treatment in children given artesunate-mefloquine.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Addition of artesunate to mefloquine significantly modified the emergence, clearance, and densities of gametocytes and has short-lived, but significant, sex ratio modifying effects in children from this endemic area.</p

Development of Models for Predicting the Yield and Quality of Soymilk

Models were developed to predict the yield and quality of soymilk, one of soybean products. The quality characteristics investigated were total solids, protein content and fat content. The processing parameters considered were Amount of water added during grinding per Kg of dry seed, AW; Blanching time, BT and Heating time, HT. The models developed had coefficient of determination ranging from 0.78 to 0.99. Predicted values of the dependent variables compared quite well with the observed values when plotted against the independent variables. The predicted coefficients were also statistically significant (P< 0.05). Results showed that the yield and quality characteristics were affected by all the processing parameters. Hence, the production process must be effectively monitored to process soymilk of high yield and quality. J Food Tech in Africa (2002) 7, 55-5

THE BURDEN OF VESICO-VAGINAL FISTULA IN ILE-IFE, SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA

Background: Vesicovaginal fistula is a major cause of severe morbidity and potential mortality, which can result in marital disruption, rejection, and eventual destitution. Methodology: A retrospective study of all cases of vesicovaginal fistula managed over a 30 year period between 1st January 1984 and 31st December 2013 at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. Relevant data were obtained from the case notes and analyzed for the demographics, clinical features, management and outcome using SPSS version 20. Result: There were 213 patients with vesicovaginal fistula over the period of the study with aprevalence of 3.9 per 1000 deliveries. The age range was 15-45 years with a mean age of 24.8 years. Most of them were primiparous, (52.1%) and of the low social class (84.5%). Obstetric fistula accounted for 93.9%. The majority of them (64.8%) did not have antenatal care during the antecedent pregnancy. Labor was attended by unskilled attendants in about 90% of them while 92% labored for at least 24hours. The juxta-cervical fistula was the most common anatomical type (47.0%). The overall success rate at repair was 76.4%. Stillbirth rate in the antecedent pregnancy was 67.5%. Other associated morbidities included chronic vulva excoriation, obstetric palsy, and secondary amenorrhea. Conclusion:Vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) is a major public health problem in developing countries with too many calamities as shown in this study. Improving the educational and economic status of women in Nigeria will go a long way in empowering them to access quality antenatal care. This will also enhance hospital delivery thereby preventing prolonged obstructed labor which is a strong etiological factor for VVF. Decentralization of treatment centers and training of specialists in fistula surgery is very important to improving treatment outcomes