Changes in mediators of inflammation and pro-thrombosis after 12 months of dietary modification in adults with metabolic syndrome

Objective: This study evaluated the effects of a 12-month dietary modification on indices of inflammation and pro-thrombosis in adults with metabolic syndrome (MS).Materials and methods: This longitudinal study involved 252 adults with MS recruited from the Bodija market, Ibadan and its environs. Participants were placed on 20%, 30% and 50% calories obtained from protein, total fat and carbohydrate respectively and were followed up monthly for 12 months. Anthropometry and blood pressure were measured using standard methods. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1)], interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were measured using spectrophotometric methods and ELISA as appropriate. Data was analysed using ANCOVA, Student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant.Results: After 6 months of dietary modification, there was a significant reduction in waist circumference (WC), while the levels of HDL-C, fibrinogen and PAI-1 were significantly increased when compared with the corresponding baseline values. However, WC and fibrinogen reduced significantly, while HDL-C and IL-10 significantly increased after 12 months of dietary modification as compared with the respective baseline values.Conclusion: Long-term regular dietary modification may be beneficial in ameliorating inflammation and pro-thrombosis in metabolic syndrome.Keywords: Dietary modification, fibrinogen, interleukins, metabolic syndrome, plasminogen activator inhibito

An Acute Leukaemia Masquerading as Immune Thrombocytopaenic Purpura (ITP)? A Case Report

This is a case report of a 35 year old female with diagnosed Immune Thrombocytopaenic Purpura (ITP) that was strangely followed by acute myeloid leukaemia at 10 months post diagnosis of ITP. She was managed as ITP using prednisolone 45 mg daily for 10 months with good response. She also synchronously carried a pregnancy to term and safe delivery. Shortly after delivery, she represented with gingival bleeding and peripheral film review and subsequent bone marrow cytology was in keeping with AML-M4 subtype. She died shortly after diagnosis without being able to receive chemotherapy

Influence of soil amendments on yield and yield characteristics of grain amaranth

The problem of low yield in grain amaranth could be solved through selection of high yielding varieties and a consideration of appropriate nitrogen fertilizer source. The present study assessed the yield potentials of 5 grain amaranth accessions namely 74-43, RRC1351, RRC399, RRC8 and RRC551 as influenced by different nitrogen sources. The experiment was conducted at the National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Teaching and Research Farm, Ogbomoso between August and December, 2015. Five accessions of grain amaranth were planted on the field at both locations. Randomized Complete Block Design was used to lay out the trial and assign treatments in the field; this was replicated thrice. Seven Nitrogen sources: poultry manure; cow dung; pacesetter organic fertilizer; brewery waste; providence organic fertilizer; Aleshinloye organic fertilizer and N: P: K were each applied at 120 kg N.ha-1and control imposed on the five selected accessions. Bi-weekly data collection was made on leaf area, dry matter index, inflorescence weight and length as well as grain yield and were subjected to analysis of variance. Accessions 74-43, RRC1351, RRC399, RRC8 and RRC551 in the two locations had good shoot biomass and stable grain yield above 1.00 t ha-1. Accession RRC8 had the highest fresh shoot weight both in Ibadan (74.2g) and Ogbomoso (82.0g). RRC551 needs some cultivar improvement as it recorded lowest shoot dry weight, infloresecence length and weight in both locations. Grain amaranth and the entire yield parameters were positively correlated with one another at p<0.01% probability level. The two agro-ecological zones were found suitable for high grain yield of grain amaranth. Addition of soil amendments to 120 kg N ha- 1 is recommended preferably organic fertilizer like cow dung

Transfusion Related Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Infection in Sickle Cell Disease Patients

This study aimed to determine retrospectively, the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in relation to a background history of blood transfusion; through anti HCV antibody screening test, amongst adult sickle cell disease patients. Anti HCV antibody was tested for in the serum of 92 consecutively selected adult SCD patients using anti HCV detection test in serum rapid kit by Clinotech diagnostics which has a sensitivity of 99.4%. 13(14.1%) out of the 92 SCD patients were positive by anti HCV screening. All the 13 were HbSS patients and 12(92.3 %) had record of blood transfusion. 8 were males and 5 were females. The mean transfusion requirement amongst SCD patients was 2.1±2.2 units. Out of the total number of 92 SCD patients studied, 65 (70.7% %) had record of blood transfusion of various units of which 60 % of those transfused had at least up to 4 units of blood; while 27 (29.3% ) were never transfused. Conspicuously, HCV positive SCD patients had a background history of blood transfusion. Frequency of transfusion and HCV positivity is higher in HbS than HbSC. Since screening for anti-HCV antibody actually started in the year 1997, the cohorts of patients studied possibly had been transfused blood not screened for anti-HCV antibody.Anti- HCV positive SCD patients require thorough follow up to avert the complications attributable to HCV infection

Chronic blood transfusion in a long-survivor sickle cell anaemia patient

No Abstrac

Pionic 4f-3d X-rays from ²⁰⁸Pb and ²⁰⁹Bi

The X-ray energies and widths of the pionic 4f-3d and 5g-4f transitions have been measured in <sup>208</sup>Pb and <sup>209</sup>Bi. The 3d widths obtained are in reasonable agreement with theory, and do not support the anomalously small values previously reported

The pionic sodium 2p-1s transition

The width and energy of the pionic sodium 2p-1s X-ray has been measured using a Compton suppressed germanium spectrometer. The resulting reduction of the continuum Compton background has allowed a more detailed determination of the X-ray. The values obtained are: Energy = 276.45(± 0.27, ± 0.33) keV; Width = 17.1(± 1.1, ± 1.2) keV. The measured width is in better agreement with optical model predictions than previous measurements which gave anomalously narrow values