Antioxidant Vitamins Status of Hypertensive Subjects in Sokoto, Nigeria

There is increased evidence that hypertension is associated with increased levels of oxidative stress markers. The current work aimed to estimate blood pressure, vitamins A, C, and E levels in 54 hypertensives attending the outpatient clinic of the  Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria and the results compared with those of apparently healthy nonhypertensive volunteers of comparable age and social status. Blood pressure and Serum levels of vitamins A, C, and E were 161.3±23.0/104±14.0mmHg, 25.8±6.6 μg/dL, 0.40 ± 0.2 mg/dL, 0.40 ± 0.1 mg/dL and 123.1 ± 12.3/82.9 ± 9.2 mmHg, 40.3 ± 6.3 μg/dL, 0.7 ± 0.2 mg/dL and 1.0 ± 0.4 mg/dL in hypertensives and non-hypertensive subjects respectively. There was significantly (P<0.05) increased levels of blood pressure and significantly (P<0.05) decreased levels of antioxidant vitamins in hypertensives. Most (80%) of the hypertensives have deficient serum levels of the vitamins. The results suggest that the hypertensives in the study area have low serum levels of antioxidant vitamins, an indication that the hypertensives are predisposed to increased oxidative onslaught.Keywords: Hypertension, blood pressure, serum vitamins A, C, and E

Antioxidant Vitamins and Trace Elements Status of Diabetics in Sokoto, Nigeria

Diabetes mellitus is associated with elevated oxidative stress via increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and decline in antioxidant defences. Increased oxidative stress is thought to play a role in the development of diabetic complications. In the current study, vitamins A, C, and E, chromium, manganese and zinc levels were estimated in 54 diabetics attending the outpatient clinic of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria and the results compared with those of apparently healthy non-diabetic volunteers of comparable age and social status. Serum levels of vitamin A,C, and E were 23.0 ± 6.5 ìg/dl, 15.1 ± 8.3 ìmol/l, 7.3 ± 4.0 ìmol/l and 51.7 ± 14.1 ìg/dl, 42.1 ± 20.3 ìmol/l and 30.5 ± 8.4 ìmol/l in diabetics and non - diabetic subjects respectively. There was significantly (P< 0.05) decreased levels of antioxidant vitamins in diabetics. The serum levels of Cr (2.6 ± 1.2mg/l), Mn (8.2 ± 2.8mg/l) and Zn(9.4 ± 6.9mg/l) were significantly (P< 0.05) low in diabetics. Most (82%) of the diabetics have deficient serum levels of the vitamins and minerals. The results suggest that diabetics in the study area have low serum levels of antioxidant vitamins and trace elements, an indication that the diabetics are predisposed to increased oxidative onslaught

Effect of Supplementation with a Locally Prepared Nutriceutical on Renal Function Profile in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by increased levels of marker of oxidative stress which play a role in the development of diabetes complications. Antioxidants are thought to be beneficial in curtailing the lipid peroxidation. In the current work, antioxidant- rich nutriceutic was formulated from onions, garlic, lemon, palm oil and crayfish (in ratio 6:6:2:1:5 respectively), which are known sources of vitamins A, C and E and Cu, Cr, Mn and Zn. The nutriceutic was administered to alloxan-induced diabetic rats for 3 weeks and the effect of the supplementation on renal function profile was studied. The results shows that supplementation significantly (P&lt;0.05) reduced blood glucose, urea, creatinine and potassium. It also not significantly (P&gt;0.05) reduced serum sodium and bicarbonate. The findings suggest that supplementation with naturally occurring antioxidant nutriceutic may reduce the risk of oxidative stress and complications associated with diabetes mellitus and might be beneficial in the routine treatment of diabetes mellitus patients.Keywords: Diabetes, nutriceutic, glucose, and renal function profileNigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Science (2011), 19 (2): 197- 20

Effect of Copper, Manganese and Zinc With Antioxidant Vitamins on Pulse Rate and Lipid Profile of Salt-Loaded Albino Rats

Hypertension and dyslipidemia are associated with oxidative stress and are major causes of cardiovascular diseases amounting to 30% of global death rate. The effect of antioxidants supplementation on pulse rate and lipid profile in salt-loaded albino rats were investigated using a randomized control study with 30 albino rats divided into 5 experimental groups of 6 rats each. Groups 1 and 2 were normal untreated and salt-induced untreated respectively. Groups 3-5 were treated with Vitamins (A, C and E) with Cu, Mn and Zn respectively. Hypertension and dyslipidemia were induced using Salt-loading method (8% NaCl) for a period of five (5) weeks where Group 1 received normal rat feed and Groups 2-5 received salt-loaded diet. The heart rate of the rats was measured before and after the salt loading and dyslipidaemia was assessed at the end of the experiment. The results indicated that salt loading induced significant increase (

Light-Heavy Symmetry: Geometric Mass Hierarchy for Three Families

The Universal Seesaw pattern coupled with a Light$\leftrightarrow$Heavy symmetry principle leads to the Diophantine equation $\displaystyle N = \sum_{i=1}^Nn_i$, where $n_i\geq 0$ and distinct. Its unique non-trivial solution $(3=0+1+2)$ gives rise to the geometric mass hierarchy $m_W$, $m_W\epsilon$, $m_W\epsilon^2$ for $N=3$ fermion families. This is realized in a model where the hybrid (yet Up$\leftrightarrow$Down symmetric) quark mass relations $m_d m_t \approx m_c^2\leftrightarrow m_u m_b \approx m_s^2$ play a crucial role in expressing the CKM mixings in terms of simple mass ratios, notably $\sin\theta_C \approx {m_c\over m_b}$.Comment: 12 pages, no figures, Revtex fil

Spectrum of external catheter-related infections in children with acute leukemia—Single-center experience

AbstractBackgroundExternal catheters (ECs) are commonly used in children who are receiving treatment for acute leukemia.AimsTo study the spectrum of microorganisms and to compare the rates of infection.MethodsA total of 42 ECs were inserted, including 28 Port-A-Caths, 11 CVC lines and 3 Hickman lines. Single ECs were required for 19 patients (45.2%), whereas 2, 3 and 4 ECs were required in 8, 1 and 1 patients, respectively.ResultsOverall, 37 culture-documented infections were present in 18 (62%) patients who had ECs. Gram-positive microorganisms were identified in 20 cases, Gram-negative microorganisms in 14 cases and fungal infections in 3 cases. Of the 42 devices implanted, 10 out of 28 Port-A-Caths (35.7%), 2 out of 3 Hickman catheters (66.7%) and 9 out of 11 central venous catheters (81.8%) required removal due to infection. The average length of working life for the ports was 330.6 days (range: 40–1043 days). The median rate of complications due to infection was 2.84 infections per 1000 catheter days (interquartile range: −1.55 to 5.8), and the number of infections was correlated with the number of ports (Pearson's r=0.51; p<0.05)

Chiral spinors and gauge fields in noncommutative curved space-time

The fundamental concepts of Riemannian geometry, such as differential forms, vielbein, metric, connection, torsion and curvature, are generalized in the context of non-commutative geometry. This allows us to construct the Einstein-Hilbert-Cartan terms, in addition to the bosonic and fermionic ones in the Lagrangian of an action functional on non-commutative spaces. As an example, and also as a prelude to the Standard Model that includes gravitational interactions, we present a model of chiral spinor fields on a curved two-sheeted space-time with two distinct abelian gauge fields. In this model, the full spectrum of the generalized metric consists of pairs of tensor, vector and scalar fields. They are coupled to the chiral fermions and the gauge fields leading to possible parity violation effects triggered by gravity.Comment: 50 pages LaTeX, minor corrections and references adde

Non-Abelian Monopole and Dyon Solutions in a Modified Einstein-Yang-Mills-Higgs System

We have studied a modified Yang-Mills-Higgs system coupled to Einstein gravity. The modification of the Einstein-Hilbert action involves a direct coupling of the Higgs field to the scalar curvature. In this modified system we are able to write a Bogomol'nyi type condition in curved space and demonstrate that the positive static energy functional is bounded from below. We then investigate non-Abelian sperically symmetric static solutions in a similar fashion to the `t Hooft-Polyakov monopole. After reviewing previously studied monopole solutions of this type, we extend the formalism to included electric charge and we present dyon solutions.Comment: 18 pages LaTeX, 7 eps-figure

The relationship between stimulus intensity and response amplitude for the photopic negative response of the flash electroretinogram

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between stimulus intensity and response amplitude for the photopic negative response (PhNR) of the flash ERG. Specific aims were (i) to determine whether a generalized Naka-Rushton function provided a good fit to the intensity-response data and (ii) to determine the variability of the parameters of the best-fitting Naka-Rushton models. Electroretinograms were recorded in 18 participants, on two occasions, using both DTL fibre and skin active electrodes, in response to Ganzfeld red stimuli (Lee filter "terry red") ranging in stimulus strength from -1.30 to 0.53 log cd.s.m(-2) (0.28-2.11 log phot td.s) presented over a steady blue background (Schott glass filter BG28; 3.9 log scot td). PhNR amplitude was measured from b-wave peak and from pre-stimulus baseline. The Naka-Rushton function was fitted to all intensity-response data, and parameters, 'n', 'Vmax' and 'K' were obtained. Coefficients of variation (CoV), and inter-ocular and inter-session limits of agreement (LoA) were calculated for both Naka-Rushton parameters. A generalized Naka-Rushton function was found to provide a good fit to the intensity-response data, except at the highest stimulus intensity, where a reduction in amplitude occurred in many individuals. The 'Vmax' parameter was less variable than 'K' for all intensity-response data. Variability was lower for DTL than skin electrodes, and for peak-to-trough PhNR measurements, compared to baseline-to-trough. This study has demonstrated for the first time that the Naka-Rushton model provides a useful means of quantifying the intensity-response relationship of the PhNR