Effect of potash on renal profile of albino wistar rats

This study is intended to investigate the effect of Potash on renal function. Twenty four (24) Albino wistar rats with mean weight of 126.3±23.9g were used. They were subdivided into four groups -A, B, C and D (n=6 each); with A serving as control while B, C and D served as test groups. Group A received normal feed and water while B, C and D received 3.0g/kg, 6.0g/kg and 9.0g/kg of potash per body weight for 21 days respectively. At the end of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed under light anesthesia to obtain blood samples for the estimation of renal function parameters. Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Urea, Uric acid and Creatinine was analyzedusing standard analytical chemical methods. The results showed a  significant (P<0.05) reduction in body weight and serum levels of sodium, potassium, chloride, urea and creatinine among the test groups. Serum levels of uric acid in the test groups were not significantly different  (P>0.05) from that of the control. Our findings therefore, suggest that potash may have dosage dependent nephrotoxic and weight reduction potentials and by implication, may induce growth retardation. This indicates therefore, that potash is toxic to the kidney and there is need for further studies

Cytology of malignant endocrine tumor of the pancreas : A case report

We report here a case of malignant endocrine tumor of the pancreas with lymph node metastasis in a 67-year-old woman. The cytologic preparations ex-hibited small cells having uniform round eccentrically located nuclei and large cells showing irregular-shaped nuclei with coarse chromatin and pleomorphism. The histologic, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings were characte-ristic of pancreatic endocrine tumor, regardless of immunophenotypic hetero-geneity. The heterogeneity observed in cytologic specimens may be important in predicting the malignant potential of this tumor group

A Non-Cytosolic Protein of Trypanosoma evansi Induces CD45-Dependent Lymphocyte Death

In a recent study dealing with a mouse model of Trypanosoma evansi-associated disease, a remarkable synchrony between the parasitaemia peak and the white-blood-cell count nadir was noticed. The present study was designed to establish whether there is a direct causal link between the parasite load during its exponential phase of growth and the disappearance of peripheral blood leukocytes. In vitro experiments performed with trypanosomes and purified peripheral blood mononucleated cells revealed the existence of a lymphotoxin embedded in the T. evansi membrane: a protein sensitive to serine proteases, with a molecular mass of less than 30 kDa. Lymphocytes death induced by this protein was found to depend on the intervention of a lymphocytic protein tyrosine phosphatase. When lymphocytes were exposed to increasing quantities of a monoclonal antibody raised against the extracellular portion of CD45, a transmembrane protein tyrosine phosphatase covering over 10% of the lymphocyte surface, T. evansi membrane extracts showed a dose-dependent decrease in cytotoxicity. As the regulatory functions of CD45 concern not only the fate of lymphocytes but also the activation threshold of the TCR-dependent signal and the amplitude and nature of cytokinic effects, this demonstration of its involvement in T. evansi-dependent lymphotoxicity suggests that T. evansi might manipulate, via CD45, the host's cytokinic and adaptive responses

Trypanosoma vivax Infections: Pushing Ahead with Mouse Models for the Study of Nagana. I. Parasitological, Hematological and Pathological Parameters

African trypanosomiasis is a severe parasitic disease that affects both humans and livestock. Several different species may cause animal trypanosomosis and although Trypanosoma vivax (sub-genus Duttonella) is currently responsible for the vast majority of debilitating cases causing great economic hardship in West Africa and South America, little is known about its biology and interaction with its hosts. Relatively speaking, T. vivax has been more than neglected despite an urgent need to develop efficient control strategies. Some pioneering rodent models were developed to circumvent the difficulties of working with livestock, but disappointedly were for the most part discontinued decades ago. To gain more insight into the biology of T. vivax, its interactions with the host and consequently its pathogenesis, we have developed a number of reproducible murine models using a parasite isolate that is infectious for rodents. Firstly, we analyzed the parasitical characteristics of the infection using inbred and outbred mouse strains to compare the impact of host genetic background on the infection and on survival rates. Hematological studies showed that the infection gave rise to severe anemia, and histopathological investigations in various organs showed multifocal inflammatory infiltrates associated with extramedullary hematopoiesis in the liver, and cerebral edema. The models developed are consistent with field observations and pave the way for subsequent in-depth studies into the pathogenesis of T. vivax - trypanosomosis

The Unknown Risk of Vertical Transmission in Sleeping Sickness—A Literature Review

Children with human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) present with a range of generally non-specific symptoms. Late diagnosis is frequent with often tragic outcomes. Trypanosomes can infect the foetus by crossing the placenta. Unequivocal cases of congenital infection that have been reported include newborn babies of infected mothers who were diagnosed with HAT in the first 5 days of life and children of infected mothers who had never entered an endemic country themselves

A longitudinal survey of African animal trypanosomiasis in domestic cattle on the Jos Plateau, Nigeria:prevalence, distribution and risk factors

BACKGROUND: Trypanosomiasis is a widespread disease of livestock in Nigeria and a major constraint to the rural economy. The Jos Plateau, Nigeria was free from tsetse flies and the trypanosomes they transmit due to its high altitude and the absence of animal trypanosomiasis attracted large numbers of cattle-keeping pastoralists to inhabit the plateau. The Jos Plateau now plays a significant role in the national cattle industry, accommodating approximately 7% of the national herd and supporting 300,000 pastoralists and over one million cattle. However, during the past two decades tsetse flies have invaded the Jos Plateau and animal trypanosomiasis has become a significant problem for livestock keepers. METHODS: In 2008 a longitudinal two-stage cluster survey on the Jos Plateau. Cattle were sampled in the dry, early wet and late wet seasons. Parasite identification was undertaken using species-specific polymerase chain reactions to determine the prevalence and distribution bovine trypanosomiasis. Logistic regression was performed to determine risk factors for disease. RESULTS: The prevalence of bovine trypanosomiasis (Trypanosoma brucei brucei, Trypanosoma congolense savannah, Trypanosoma vivax) across the Jos Plateau was found to be high at 46.8% (39.0 – 54.5%) and significant, seasonal variation was observed between the dry season and the end of the wet season. T. b. brucei was observed at a prevalence of 3.2% (1% – 5.5%); T. congolense at 27.7% (21.8% - 33.6%) and T. vivax at 26.7% (18.2% - 35.3%). High individual variation was observed in trypanosomiasis prevalence between individual villages on the Plateau, ranging from 8.8% to 95.6%. Altitude was found to be a significant risk factor for trypanosomiasis whilst migration also influenced risk for animal trypanosomiasis. CONCLUSIONS: Trypanosomiasis is now endemic on the Jos Plateau showing high prevalence in cattle and is influenced by seasonality, altitude and migration practices. Attempts to successfully control animal trypanosomiasis on the Plateau will need to take into account the large variability in trypanosomiasis infection rates between villages, the influence of land use, and husbandry and management practices of the pastoralists, all of which affect the epidemiology of the disease

The Relationship between School District Tobacco Policy and Smoking Rates of 10th Grade Students in Montgomery County, Ohio

Tobacco use is responsible for a multitude of preventable deaths each year in the United States. Smoking is the most common form of tobacco use and tends to begin during the adolescent years, thereby resulting in a prolonged lifetime exposure to the harmful effects of tobacco. Smoking behavior among students has been shown to be influenced by school tobacco policies, thus the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) recommends all school campuses adopt a 100% tobacco-free policy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between school district tobacco policies and student smoking rates. Survey responses from students in the 10th grade were obtained from the 2012 Dayton Area Drug Survey (DADS) and compared to tobacco control policies of the school districts in Montgomery County, Ohio. Seven school districts met the criteria for inclusion in the analysis. Self-reported prevalence of smoking among adolescents participating in the 2012 DADS was 7.0%, while the proportion of students who reported never smoking was 74.4%. When compared to a school with a more strict tobacco policy, students attending a less strict school were more likely to have a history of smoking (OR = 2.01) and more likely to have initiated smoking prior to the 10th grade (OR = 1.39). Tobacco use among adolescents remains a significant public health issue in Montgomery County, Ohio. There does appear to be value in following the ODH recommendations for a 100% tobacco-free campus