Processing method influences the effect of Cassava ( Manihot esculenta ) consumption on blood lipid profile in rats

Cassava is consumed in many tropical countries and is fast becoming the major raw material of many diets, especially in the bakery, brewery and pharmaceutical industries. This study was aimed at determining the effects of various formulations of Cassava feeds on blood lipid profile in rats. Forty adult Wistar rats weighing between 120 and 150 g were divided into 4 groups of 10 rats each. The rats were acclimatized for one week; fed with different formulations of Cassava feeds ad libitum, after which the rats were allotted into groups. Group 1 was fed on Garri; group 2 on Cassava flour; group 3 on Tapioca, and the control group (group 4) on normal chow. After 4 weeks, each animal was anaesthetized by exposure to chloroform vapour and blood samples collected by cardiac puncture. Group 1 diet (Garri) significantly increased HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration and significantly decreased LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) concentration (p<0.05) compared with the control group. In Group 2 (Cassava flour), there was significant increase in the concentration of HDL-C (p<0.05). Group 3 (Tapioca) had a significant increase in TC, TG, LDL-C concentrations (p<0.05), but an insignificant increase in HDL-C concentration (p<0.05) when compared with the control. In conclusion, our findings suggest that Garri and Cassava flour but not Tapioca enhanced HDL-C in the blood, with Garri proving to be the better of the two

Pattern of Common Hormonal Disorders among Patients with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome at a Tertiary Health Facility in Nigeria

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a disease associated with multiple reproductive and metabolic endocrine disorders. It is associated with cardiometabolic complications with established morbidity and mortality. Aim: We studied the pattern of these endocrine disorders associated with PCOS will aid the understanding of the pathophysiology of this relatively incompletely understood syndrome, particularly among Africans. Patients, Materials and Methods: One hundred adult females aged between 18 and 44 years, who were newly diagnosed with PCOS, and 100 age‑matched non‑PCOS women were involved in the study. Their serum samples were analyzed for follicle‑stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, progesterone, estradiol, testosterone, leptin, and anti‑Mullerian hormone (AMH) using ELISA method. Results: The mean age of the test subjects in this study was 26.4 ± 6.0 years versus 33.3 ± 6.6 years in controls. The mean weights and body mass index of the test subjects and controls were 89.1 ± 13.9 kg versus 64.7 ± 11.3 kg, P = 0.04, and 34.01 ± 3.5 kg/m2 versus 23.8 ± 3.9 kg/m2 , P = 0.034, respectively. The mean serum LH was significantly higher among subjects than that of controls (11.4 ± 7.4 vs. 5.7 ± 4.8 mIU/mL, P = 0.001); similarly the mean serum LH: FSH ratio was significantly higher among subjects and controls in this study (1.9 ± 1.1 vs. 1.1 ± 0.8, P = 0.042). Serum AMH, insulin, leptin, and testosterone levels were higher among subjects than controls (7.5 ± 5.4 vs. 2.7 ± 0.4 ng/mL, P = 0.001, 21.6 ± 7.3 vs. 18.0 ± 3.01 µIU/mL, P = 0.004, and 18.6 ± 4.0 vs. 3.5 ± 1.5 ng/mL, P = 0.003, 1.0 ± 0.2 vs. 0.6 ± 0.2 ng/mL, P = 0.042, respectively). Mean serum prolactin was significantly higher among subjects when compared to controls. The prevalence of hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia, and hyperandrogenemia among subjects in this study was higher when compared to controls. Conclusion: PCOS is a disease of multiple and inter‑related endocrine disorders; a study of the frequencies and distributions of these associated disorders can aid the understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease particularly among Africans where limited studies have been carried out

Blood glucose-lowering effect of Telfairia Occidentalis : A preliminary study on the underlying mechanism and responses

The effects of aqueous extract of Telfairia Occidentalis leaf (TO) on plasma glucose, lactate dehydrogenase activity (LDH), insulin and cortisol levels in rats were investigated. Thirty male Wistar rats (200 12250g) were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=6/group). Rats in the control group received 0.2 ml of normal saline while rats in other groups were orally treated with 100 or 200 mg/Kg of the extract for either 1 or 2 weeks. The results showed that there were significant increases in insulin and cortisol levels, decrease in glucose, and an insignificant increase in LDH activity in rats treated with 100 and 200 mg/Kg of the extract for 1 week. However, after 2 weeks of treatment with the same doses, there was no significant change in plasma insulin in the treated rats when compared with the control. In contrast, there was a significant decrease in plasma insulin levels when compared with what was obtained after one week of treatment. The reduction in plasma insulin was accompanied by increases in plasma glucose towards normal and significant increases in plasma cortisol and LDH activity. The results suggest that the blood glucose-lowering effect of Telfairia Occidentalis might be mediated at least in part by insulin. This effect elicited counterregulatory responses that included an increase in plasma cortisol and lactate dehydrogenase activity to probably stimulate cortisol-induced gluconeogenesis and favor lactate oxidation

Successful rescue cerclage at advanced cervical dilatation in the second trimester

Cervical cerclage has been used in the management of cervical insufficiency for several decades, yet the indications are uncertain and benefits questionable. It remains a controversial intervention. We present a case of cervical incompetence in a 33-year-old Gravida 5 Para 0+4 woman who had an emergency cervical cerclage at 18 weeks gestation and subsequently delivered of a live male infant at 29 weeks gestation following preterm premature rupture of fetal membrane

Comparison of Indices of Insulin Resistance and Islet Beta-Cell Dysfunction across Rat Models of Diabetes Mellitus Induced by Modified Diets or Streptozotocin

Background: Induction of insulin resistance in rodents involves the use of Streptozotocin (STZ) or diets high in sucrose, fat or fructose; but the relative degrees of insulin resistance induced by each of these approaches are unclear. Aim and Objectives: We therefore compared the degree to which intraperitoneal STZ with or without high-fat or high-fructose diet would induce insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and islet β-cell dysfunction in Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: Subsets of STZ-injected rats administered streptozotocin at 30 mg/kg body weight for five successive days were fed normal diet (STZ), or diets high in fat or fructose for 30 or 60 days. Normoglycaemic rats on normal rodent chow, High Fat Diet (HFD) or High Fructose Drink (HFrD) constituted the Control (CTR), HFD or HFrD groups, respectively. Rats were anaesthetized and sacrificed at 30 or 60 days of high fat or fructose feeding followed by measurement of fasting plasma glucose and insulin; and calculation of the HOMA-IR and HOMA-%β. Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) was done 48 hours prior to killing the animals. Results: Glucose tolerance and islet β-cell function were most severely perturbed in the STZ-injected hyperglycaemic rats fed diets high in fructose or fat, as indicated by the significantly increased (p<0.05) HOMA-IR or decreased HOMA- %β (p<0.05) at 30 or 60 days compared with the CTR, STZ or diet-only groups. Weekly blood glucose was most markedly and significantly (p<0.05) elevated in these same (STZ+diet) groups, with impaired OGTT. Conclusion: The profound impairment of glucose tolerance and β-cell function in the STZ-induced hyperglycaemic rats fed high-fat or high-fructose diet support the continued use of such models in the characterization of the molecular events associated with insulin resistance, and the testing of novel therapeutic interventions

Plasma hepatic enzymes as biopredictors of type, metastasis, and prognostication of hematological malignancies

Background and Aim: The present study evaluated the levels of some hepatic enzymes in the plasma of Nigerians affected with hematological malignancies, to determine if these enzymes could be established as predictors of possible metastasis to the liver, the degree of severity of the disease or prognostication of hematological malignancies. Materials and Methods: Twenty-seven consented subjects with multiple myeloma (n = 4), non-Hodgkins lymphoma (n = 5), Hodgkins lymphoma (n = 5), chronic myeloid leukemia (n = 6), and chronic lymphoid leukemia (n = 6) as well as control subjects (n = 7) were recruited having gotten the ethical approval from the authorities of the teaching hospitals used for the study. Evaluations of activities of enzymes (acid and alkaline phosphatases, alanine and aspartate transaminases, lactate, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases) were carried out in the samples collected. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20 software. Results: Statistically significant levels of the enzymes were found in chronic hematological malignancies such as chronic myeloid leukemia and chronic lymphoid leukemia. Conclusion: Evaluating the plasma levels of hepatic enzymes in Nigerians affected with hematological malignancies could assist in predicting possible metastasis to the liver, type or the degree of severity of the disease, or prognostication of hematological malignancies affected

Female factors infertility: Laparoscopic evaluation at a public health facility in Ilorin, Nigeria

Background: Infertility is a problem of global proportions, the majority being the residents of developing countries. The contribution of female factor is assuming a tremendous proportion. Laparoscopy remains an indispensable tool in the evaluation of the fertility potential of these female partners. Aims: This study was aimed at determining the various causes of female factor infertility among female partners of infertile couple in a tertiary health facility. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study of ninety seven (97) eligible infertile women who underwent diagnostic laparoscopy between 1st January 2012 and 31st December 2015 were enrolled for the study. The data were analyzed using SPSS/PC version 16.0 and p value was preset at <0.05. Results: The patients aged 21-50 years with a mean age of 33.2 ± 6.6 years. Majority (79.4%) were nulliparous. Fifty (51.5%) had primary infertility. Their duration of infertility ranged from 1to 33years (5.7 ± 5.5 years). Most (63.9%) belong to middle social class and their spouse age ranges between 28-60 years (39.0 ± 7.5). More than a quarter had clomiphene resistant Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, 19 (19.6%) tubal blockage, 13 (13.4%) uterine fibroid and 10 (10.3%) each had endometriosis, peritubal and ovarian adhesions, ovarian cyst and normal findings respectively. There was significant association between patients' age, intra-operative findings and tubal patency evaluation on laparoscopy (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Laparoscopic procedures are less invasive, more convenient and more precise for diagnosis of infertility in women. The common causes responsible for infertility were polycystic ovarian syndrome, tubal occlusion, uterine fibroid, endometriosis, peri-tubovarian adhesions and ovarian cyst

Blood glucose-lowering effect of Telfairia Occidentalis : A preliminary study on the underlying mechanism and responses

The effects of aqueous extract of Telfairia Occidentalis leaf (TO) on plasma glucose, lactate dehydrogenase activity (LDH), insulin and cortisol levels in rats were investigated. Thirty male Wistar rats (200−250g) were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=6/group). Rats in the control group received 0.2 ml of normal saline while rats in other groups were orally treated with 100 or 200 mg/Kg of the extract for either 1 or 2 weeks. The results showed that there were significant increases in insulin and cortisol levels, decrease in glucose, and an insignificant increase in LDH activity in rats treated with 100 and 200 mg/Kg of the extract for 1 week. However, after 2 weeks of treatment with the same doses, there was no significant change in plasma insulin in the treated rats when compared with the control. In contrast, there was a significant decrease in plasma insulin levels when compared with what was obtained after one week of treatment. The reduction in plasma insulin was accompanied by increases in plasma glucose towards normal and significant increases in plasma cortisol and LDH activity. The results suggest that the blood glucose-lowering effect of Telfairia Occidentalis might be mediated at least in part by insulin. This effect elicited counterregulatory responses that included an increase in plasma cortisol and lactate dehydrogenase activity to probably stimulate cortisol-induced gluconeogenesis and favor lactate oxidation

Effects of Cigarette Smoking on Urinary Testosterone Excretion in Men

Cigarette smoking is a major public health problem that is associated with high morbidity and mortality. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between cigarette smoking and concentration of testosterone in the urine. Forty young men age between 23 to 31 years were used for this study. The subjects were divided into two groups of 20 controls (non-cigarette smoker) and 20 experimental groups (cigarette smoker). 5ml of mid-stream urine was collected from each subject at 0700 hour and urine testosterone concentration was estimated using enzyme immunoassay method. The result showed that the urinary testosterone concentration of non-cigarette smokers was 4.35±0.52 ng/ml, while the concentration in cigarette smokers was 2.81±0.38 ng/ml with p<0.01. It is concluded that cigarette smoking reduced urinary testosterone concentration among cigarette smokers

Assisted reproduction technology: Comparison of clinical outcomes between day 3 and day 5 embryo transfers

BACKGROUND: Embryo transfer (ET) is a critical step in in vitro fertilization (IVF). Selecting the day of transfer for achieving the desired outcomes has been a great challenge. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the pregnancy rates of day 3 and day 5 ET in assisted conception. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a longitudinal prospective study of 122 eligible patients that underwent assisted reproduction program in our facility. All patients had controlled ovarian hyperstimulation using antagonist protocol. Patients with four or more zygotes were randomly allocated on day 1 to either day 3 or 5 transfers (58 vs. 64 patients). Fertilization was achieved through conventional IVF. Zygotes were kept in a single-step medium (Global total ®) for day 3 and 5 transfers, respectively. The morphologically best two or three embryos or blastocysts were chosen for transfer in both groups. RESULTS: The overall clinical pregnancy and live birth rates for both groups were 40.2% and 33.6%. There was no statistically significant difference between day 3 and day 5 transfer regarding clinical pregnancy rates (36.2% vs. 43.8% [P = 0.51]), live birth rates (27.6% vs. 9.1% [P = 1.0]), twinning rates (18.8% vs. 20% [P = 1.0]), and rates of early pregnancy loss (8.6% versus 4.7% P = [0.2]). CONCLUSION: In this study, the clinical outcomes of blastocyst transfer are similar to day 3 ET. This underscores the need for patient selection for the choice of days of ET. Further controlled randomized prospective studies with larger sample sizes are recommended