The effects of cigarette smoking on intraocular pressure and arterial blood pressure of normotensive young Nigerian male adults

This study was designed to determine the effects of cigarette Smoking on intra ocular pressure and arterial blood pressure of normotensive young male adults. Fifty male students (who met the screening conditions and devoid of obvious ocular pathology and systemic diseases and nonsmokers) had their intra ocular pressure (IOP) measured with a schiotz tonometer and blood pressure(BP) measured with standard syphgmomanometer respectively prior to smoking of two sticks of cigarette each day for one month and thereafter. The result showed a significant (P< 0.01] effect on the intra ocular pressure with a mean control of 37.760.98 for both eyes and test of 41.930.98.Cigarette smoking increased the blood pressure from mean control of 197.240.88 to 208.460.82. The increase of both intra ocular pressure and arterial blood pressure was due to nicotine, the principalconstituent of cigarette. It is recommended that health care workers should check regularly the IOP and BP of their cigarette smoking patients for early diagnoses of ocular hypertension (glaucoma) andhypertension

Diets/dietary habits and certain gastrointestinal disorders in the tropics: a review

Against the background that what one eats affects the gastrointestinal tract (G.I T), the role of diet and dietary habits including fibres, food additives and preservatives on the aetiology of gastric cancers, colorectal cancers and other G.I disorders in the tropics are herein reviewed. Carcinomas of the gut believed to be on the decline in the developed countries have plateaued and increasing cases arebeing reported in the tropics. Africa and Nigeria in particular, with little or no cases previously are  currently experiencing patterns of incidence similar to those of the Western Hemisphere. All these developments are premeditated by the nature of diets and dietary factors contained therein. Some of these factors contain chemical carcinogens, irritants as additives or preservatives, high cholesterol, highly spiced foods, alcohol, nicotine, xanthines, caffeine, most of which provoke gastric acid secretions dyspepsia and heartburn, and they lack vegetables and dietary fibres known to protect the G.I tract against various diseases. The roles of dietary hygiene implicating certain microorganismsassociated with G.I diseases like Helicobacter Pylori are also discussed. It presupposes that well articulated diet and proper dietary manipulations remain the cure for all diet induced G.I disorderswhile avoidance of such habits that predispose to them must be encouraged to ensure proper and healthy G.I.T

The effects of pain sensitivity behaviour on Swiss White Mice administrated with Chloroquine Phosphate

This study evaluates the effects of Chloroquine phosphate on pain sensation in mice considering the fact that Chloroquine as s chemotherapic agent is known for its neurotoxicity effect. The mice were divided into three groups of 10 mice each. While group 1 as the control, 2 and 3 as the test groups and group 1 received 0.2ml physiological saline i.p. while test groups 2 and 3 received 10mg/k (human therapeutic dose) and 20ml/kg (pharmacological  dose) of Chloroquine respectively. The tail flick and formalin tests were used to assess pain sensation. In the tail flick test, the latency of tail flick in group 2 and 3 were significantly lower compared to the control group in both phases, thus, showing an increase in pain sensation. In formalin tests, the frequency of right hind paw lick in group 2 was significantly higher compared to the control, representing an increase in pain sensitivity. The duration of hind paw lick was not significantly different among the groups. However, in phase 2, the duration of hind paw lick in group 2 was higher than control, showing an increase in chronic pain sensitivity. Our results suggest that, Chloroquine phosphate increases pain sensation in mice.Keywords: Neurotoxicity, Chloroquine phosphate, pain sensation, tail flick tests, formalin tests

Seroprevalence Of HIV Infection Among Orthopaedic And Plastic Surgery Patients In Enugu, Nigeria - A Six Month Study

As the HIV pandemic continues to ravage every aspect of humanity, there is a need to document its incidence and prevalence in various medical subdivisions. This six-month study reports on the sero- prevalence of HIV infection among orthopaedic and plastic surgery in- patients. Out of a total of 121 patients screened using Capillus test kit for HIV-1 / HIV-2, 10 patients were HIV positive while 111 patients were HIV negative and this gave a seroprevalence of 8.26 percent. Out of these, 73 plastic surgery patients were screened of which 6 patients or 8.22 percent were HIV positive. This shows that the prevalence rates for both categories of patients were significantly higher than the 5.8 per cent national seroprevalence for HIV / AIDS. This raises a risk factor for both surgeons and other patients undergoing elective procedures in these two subdisciplines by contamination. Key words: HIV infection, seroprevalence, plastic, orthopaedic, surgery Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences Vol.19(1&2) 2004: 98-10

Could taxes on foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) improve climate health and nutrition in Scotland?

Foods high in fats, sugar and salt (HFSS) have a significant impact on public health, the climate and the economy. As such, it is critical to ascertain how pricing policies could help reduce their consumption in Scotland. This study analysed secondary data of 3,260 households from Kantar Worldpanel, which comprised 18 food categories consumed in Scotland. The primary objective was to simulate the implications of an excise tax imposed on HFSS food purchases on climate health and consumer welfare using uncompensated own- and cross-price elasticities estimated from the Exact Affine Stone Index demand model. Two policy scenarios were considered: taxing all HFSS while the prices of the remaining foods remain unchanged; and taxing HFSS while subsidising fruit and vegetables with the revenue generated. The results from the study indicate that imposing taxes on HFSS would reduce their consumption due to price effects. A10% tax on HFSS food groups while subsidising fruit and vegetables with the tax revenues simultaneously brought about a 5-9% decline in the consumption of HFFS and an 11% and 7% rise in vegetable and fruit consumption respectively. Weekly per capita greenhouse gas emissions could increase by 2% if fruit and vegetables were subsidised with the tax revenues, while decreasing by 3% when only HFSS food groups were taxed. Taxing HFSS without a subsidy policy in place was more regressive on consumers than when fruit and vegetables were subsidised. In conclusion, imposing a revenue-neutral HFSS tax policy would result in a trade22 off between dietary, welfare and environmental goals. The policy scenario adopted by the 23 government would depend on the national goal being pursued

Could taxes on foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) improve climate health and nutrition in Scotland?

Funding This paper derives from work under Topics B4 (Food supply and security) and B5 (Food and Drink Improvement), which are part of the Scottish Government—Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS) as part of their Strategic Research Programme 2022-27.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Prevalence Of Rh And ABO Blood Groups In HIV Seropositive Pregnant Women In Enugu, Nigeria

HIV status and blood groups determination (Rhesus and ABO groups) in 3691 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at a Mission Hospital and Maternity and 1199 non-pregnant women visiting the same institution for marriage-related matters, or blood donation, or out-patient department between 1999 – 2002 were studied. Blood sample from each subject was screened for HIV using the quick test kits and tested for blood group types with anti-sera A, B, AB, and D. Overall, the prevalence of blood group O+ was higher than in the general population with highest rate of 62.9% in HIV+ pregnant women followed by 58.4% in HIV- pregnant women and 58.0% in non-pregnant women. No difference was observed in groups A+, B+, AB+, O- for the three categories of subjects studied. Blood groups B-, AB- were conspicuously absent in HIV+ pregnant women but non-significant in HIV- pregnant women and the control. A- was very few in all the categories. Rh –ve accounted for 3.16% (HIV+), 3.46%(HIV-) and 2.67% (Control) while Rh +ve were 96.84%(HIV+), 96.06% (HIV-) and 97.33%(Control). Thus, the higher than normal prevalence of group O+ in HIV+ pregnant women is indicative of the population size for this group. The very low prevalence of Rh –ve in type A- suggests that incompatibility could be higher than in this population and protective in HIV infection contrary to the previous report in apparently healthy population. The obvious absence of Rh- in AB group suggests that AB may have a higher percentage of protection against immunization. Hence in group B, less incidence of Rh incompatibility and haemolytic disease of the young in the mothers in blood group AB will occur. Key words: Rhesus genes, ABO blood groups, prevalence, Pregnant women, HIV seropositive. Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences Vol.19(1&2) 2004: 7-

Bile secretion in albino rat following chronic honey intake

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of honey intake on bile secretion, bile electrolytes, bilirubin and cholesterol levels including plasma cholesterol in albino rats. 20 male albino rats (200-210g) were used in the study. The rats were assigned randomly into 2 groups (control and honey-fed groups), each group containing 10 rats. The control was fed on normal rat feed and water while the test group was fed on normal rat feed with honey added to its drinking water (1ml of honey to every initial 10ml of water) for 22 weeks. After 22 weeks the animals were starved for 12hrs before the experiment, weighed and anaesthetized with sodium thiopentone (6mg/100mg body weight) intraperitoneally. The common bile duct was cannulated and bile collected for 3hrs. The rate of bile flow was noted, the concentrations of bile electrolytes and bilirubin, bile and plasma cholesterol levels were determined in the control and test groups. The results obtained showed a significant (

Effect of occupational exposure to local powdered tobacco (snuff) on pulmonary function in south eastern Nigerians

The effect of occupational exposure to local powdered tobacco (snuff) on pulmonary function was studied. Snuff industry workers in Onitsha and Enugu markets were studied and compared with age-, weight-, and height-matched control not exposed to any known air pollutant. The pulmonary indices studied include; forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and ratio of FEV1/FVC as percentage using a vitalograph spirometer and Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR), using a mini Wright Peak Expiratory Flow Meter. The respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms frequently associated with these workers were also analyzed and dust sampling in both test and control environments was also done. The mean anthropometric parameters, (age, height and body weight) between the two groups were not statistically different. The results obtained showed statistically significant impairment of lung function of workers chronically exposed to snuff. FVC, FEV1 and PEFR in the exposed (test) subjects were significantly decreased in comparison with the control subjects (

Effect of honey consumption on intestinal motility in male albino rats

Summary: This study investigated the effects of honey on intestinal  motility and transit using twenty (20) male albino rats of Wistar strain weighing 210-220g. The rats were randomly grouped into control and  honey-fed (test) groups of ten (10) rats each. The control group was fed on normal rat chow ( Pfizer Company, Nigeria ) and water while the test  group was fed on rat feed, water and honey ( 1 ml of honey to every 10 ml initial drinking water daily) for twenty two (22) weeks after which the rats  were starved over night before the experiment and sacrificed by stunning. Laparatomy was immediately performed, proximal and distal portions of the intestine identified, cut and put in aerated tyrode solution. Cut sections of the ileum (2-3cm) were mounted on organ bath instrument for motility experiment with varying concentrations of acetylcholine and carbachol. Contractions were recorded as well as the intestinal transit in each group and lengths of intestine with total mean values calculated. Results  obtained showed that honey significantly decreased (p<0.01 ) intestinal transit in the test group (21.15±0.75 ) compared with the control group ( 35.96±1.15); decreased intestinal motility in the test group compared with the control and caused significant percentage reduction of intestinal motility with varied concentrations of acetylcholine and carbachol in the test group ( Ach-75.00±0.75%; Carbachol-79.00±0.28%) compared with the control group (Ach-62.00±0.39%; Carbachol-51.00±0.39%). In conclusion,  unprocessed Nigerian honey decreased intestinal transit, caused intestinal smooth muscle inhibition and motility and reduced sensitivity of   gastrointestinal tract to cholinergic agents.Keywords: Honey, Intestinal motility, Intestinal transit, Diarrhoea  treatment