A Comparative Study of the Canine Tooth as a Tool in Gender Determination in Nigerian Population

Dental evidence has been demonstrated as a major forensic tool for the identification of individuals and sex determination. The objective of the research was to determine sex in Delta Ibo ethnic group of Nigeria using the mandibular and maxillary canine teeth. Materials and methods. The study comprised 201 (100 males and 101 females) subjects of Delta Ibo ethnicity at the age of 17 – 25 years. The mesiodistal crown width and intercanine distance of both the maxillary and mandibular canines were measured intraorally using a pair of dividers and a ruler. Unpaired T-test at a probability value of p<0.05 was used to ascertain the mean significant differences between the male and female canine indices.   Results. Study results showed a statistically significant difference between male and female mandibular and maxillary canine mesiodistal width. This implied a sexual and reversed sexual dimorphism in the studied population.        Conclusions. The study confirmed that the canines of Delta Ibos exhibit sexual dimorphism like other populations and the maxillary canine indices give the most accurate prediction in sex determination

The effects of aqueous extract of ocimum gratissimum on the cerebellum of male wistar rats challenged by lead acetate

Objectives: Lead acetate (LA) is a known toxicant, and its exposure in the environment has been on the increase in recent times, leading to oxidative stress and tissue damage. Based on this background, we investigated the role of the antioxidative properties of Ocimum gratissimum (OG), a potent medicinal plant, in ameliorating and protecting the brain from lead acetate-induced cerebellar damage via the assessment of oxidative stress parameters and brain histology. Methods: Thirty-five adult male Wistar rats weighing 145e200g divided into five groups were used for this experimental study. Groups 1, 2, and 3 served as positive and negative controls and were administered sterile water, 252.98 mg/kg body weight of aqueous leaves extract of OG and 120 mg/kg of LA for 21 days. Furthermore, following the administration of LA, rats in groups 4 and 5 were treated with 125 and 250 mg/kg body weight of OG. OG and LA were administered orally for 42 days. Oxidative stress parameters, as well as histoarchitectural investigations following LA and OG treatment, were analysed. Results: Results showed normal histoarchitecture of the cerebellum in control and group 2 animals (OG only). In group 3 animals that received LA only, we observed severe stages of neurodegenerative features in the Purkinje, granular cell molecular cell layers of the Cerebellum. Also, results from groups 4 and 5 rats that were co-administered with LA and OG revealed regenerative tendencies and an increase in the neuronal cell density of the cerebellum. Nevertheless, we recorded an increase in the brain content of malondialdehyde and decreased antioxidant status (catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), and sodium dismutase (SOD)) following LA administration. OG attenuated this heightened MDA activity and depletion of the antioxidant status. Conclusion: Overall, these findings suggest that oral administration of aqueous extract of OG improved cerebellar neurotoxicity and degeneration in rats exposed to LA by modulating oxidative damage