Background: Estimating the changes in the levels of oxidative stress biomarkers are vital in identifying stress related disease in living organism. This study examined changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidase level in female Wistar rats exposed to stressors of different nature were examined. Methods: 88 apparently healthy rats within the ages of 8-12weeks and weighing between 120-180g were utilized for the study. Rats were acclimatized for 2weeks and fed with rat chaw and water ad libitum. Animals were stressed at the rate of 1hr, 3hr or 5hr per day for 1, 2 or 3weeks respectively. After the experimental protocol of stress induction, the rats werekilled via cervical dislocation and some vital organs were carefully harvested for tissue homogenates in assessing SOD, CAT and MDA antioxidants. Data collected were analyzed using Mean±SEM, ANOVA was used to compare means and LSD was used for post hoc. Results: SOD activity of the different tissues examined were significantly (p<0.05) altered irrespective of the stressor applied especially in the restraint or intruder stressors. CAT activity were significantly (p<0.05) reduced in all stressors irrespective of the rate of exposure. The study also revealed that lipid peroxidase levels were significantly (p<0.05) increased in all tissues irrespective of the rate of exposure and type of stressor applied. Conclusions: The findings validate the ability of the stressors to increase production of free radicals, thus, changes in antioxidant enzymes activities and lipid peroxidase level implies compromised cellular activity in tissues of stress-induced rats.

Stress as it relatesto infertility has become a global issue attracting public health concern. The present study examined the morphological changes in ovarian histology in response to oxidative stress-induced in female rats following exposure to different stressors. 92 rats of 12-14weeks old weighing between 120-160g were used for the study. Three (3) different stress models were utilized for stress induction at the rate of 1, 3, and 5hours per day for 1, 2, and 3weeks respectively. At the end of stress induction durations, bodyweights were obtained and the rats were euthanized via cervical dislocation while the ovary weights were carefully isolated and their weights recorded. The harvested ovary was sectioned, mounted on slides, stained, and observed under the microscope for histopathological investigations. Findings from this study established that exposure to restraint mirror or intruder stressor significantly (p<0.05) altered the body and/or ovary weights of the rats irrespective of the rate of exposure when compared to the control group. Cellular degeneration, infiltration, and atretic follicular changes were observed in the ovarian histology of rats in response to stress-inducedchanges caused by exposure to restraint or intruder stressors, whereas, equivalent exposure of the rats to mirror stressor did not result in any observed degenerative changes in the histology of the ovary studied. Our study revealed that exposure to restraint or intruder stressor points towards the existence of stress contributes towardsorgan/body weight changes and cellular damage inthe ovarian tissuespossiblycausing pathogenesis in reproductive capacity of females.

Decline in normal physiological pulmonary function has been attributed to premorbid conditions such as prehypertension. Research evidence suggests that physical activity reduces age-related decline in pulmonary function and improves the efficiency of the lungs in prehypertensive patients. However, there is a scarcity of data evidence relating to isometric exercise and pulmonary function. Furthermore, the interrelationship between the intensity and duration of isometric exercise and pulmonary function in these patients is still uncertain. Therefore, this study was undertaken to investigate the effect of isometric handgrip exercise on pulmonary function capacity in adults with prehypertension. To determine the effectiveness of isometric handgrip exercise on pulmonary function capacity in adults with prehypertension. A quasi experiment using a pre- and post-exercise method was carried out in two out-patients hospital settings. The sample comprised 192 sedentary pre-hypertensive subjects, aged between 30–50 years, that were randomly distributed into three groups of 64 participants each. The subjects performed, for 24 consecutive days, an isometric handgrip exercise at 30% Maximum Voluntary Contraction (M.V.C.). At the end of the 24 days, group one (GP1) discontinued, while group two (GP2) continued the exercise protocol for another 24 consecutive days and group three (GP3) continued with the exercise protocol for another 24 consecutive days but at 50% M.V.C. Determinants of lung function (outcomes) were Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 s (FEV1), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC Ratio and Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR). The study shows that there was no statistically significant difference in the pre- and post-exercise outcomes for FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC Ratio and PEFR after 24 days for group 1. In group 2, there was a statistically significant difference in the FVC [(mean = 0.12 ± 0.12), (p = 0.002)], FEV1 [(mean = 0.15 ± 0.17), (p = 0.003)] and PEF [(mean = 0.85 ± 0.35), (p = 0.001)] after 48 days. In group 3, there was a statistically significant difference (p = 0.001) in all the outcomes assessed after 48 days. There was a between groups difference in favour of group 2 compared with group 1 for outcomes of FEV1 [(mean = 0.142 ± 0.68), (p = 0.005)] and PEF [(mean = 0.83 ± 0.19), (p = 0.0031)]. There was statistically significant difference in favour of group 3 compared to group 2, by increasing the exercise intensity from 30% to 50% M.V.C., for outcomes of FVC [mean change = 0.10 ± 0.052), (p = 0.005)], FEV1/FVC [mean change = 3.18 ± 0.75), (p = 0.017)] and PEF [(mean change = 0.86 ± 0.35), (p = 0.001)] after 48 days. Isometric handgrip exercise (after 48 days at 30% to 50% M.V.C.) improves outcomes of pulmonary function capacity in adults with prehypertension. Meanwhile, duration and/or increase in intensity of the isometric effort significantly contributed to the affects attained.

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Purpose: The incidence of teenage pregnancy has attracted global concern due to its impact on the teen’s maternal health, the overall wellbeing of the child and the society at large. This study examined socio-economic variable of parents as a correlate promoting teenage pregnancy among medical students in Delta State University, Abraka Delta State. Methods: The Ex-Post Facto method was chosen as the research design for the study. 294 female medical students were selected from a total of 982 students from the medical college using simple random sampling technique. The instruments used for data collection was a self-structured and well-designed questionnaire containing 25 multiple choice items based on the research questions developed in the study. 278 questionnaires were successful retrieved from the field and was used for data analysis. Frequency count, percentages, mean score and Pearson product moment correlation were employed as the statistical technique for data analysis. SPSS version 21.0 was utilized for data analysis. Results: Findings from this study revealed that parental income (p=0.003) and occupation (p=0.005) were the viable parents’ socio-economic variable promoting teenage pregnancy among medical students in Delta State University, Abraka when compared to educational background (p=0.343), religion (p=0.307) and marital status (p=0.053) variables that were not significantly related. Conclusions: It appears that significant number of adolescent female students who become pregnant has to leave school and this have a long-term implication for them as individual, their family and their community. Therefore, effective parent-daughter relationships and school-based reproductive health education programmes are strongly recommended.