BackgroundIt is established that serum level of leptin is affected by transitional phases of reproduction. It is also reported that the puberty is triggered when body fat and circulating levels of leptin exceed the critical thresholds, butthere is less focus on the serum level of leptin and its relationship with different phases of menstrual cycle and the fertility.ObjectivesThe present study try to determines the serum concentration of leptin and fertility hormonesin the various phases of normal menstrual cycle of fertile women and compare any difference in serum concentration between age groups of 18-30 years and 31-41 years It is a well known fact that fertility start to decrease from age 31 years.Patients and MethodsA total of 118 healthy fertile women with normal menstrual cycle aged between 18-40, were divided into two age groups (n = 65) 18-30 years and (n = 53) 31-40 years. Serum concentrations of leptin, estradiol, progesterone, luteinising hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured on day1 (menstrual phase), day7 (proliferative/follicular phase), day14 (ovulatory phase), day21 (luteal phase) and day 28(secretory phase) of the menstrual cycle.ResultsThere was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in leptin levels on day 14 (12.75 + 5.8 ng/mL) and day 21 (12.91 + 3.2 ng/mL) for age group 18-30 years compared to day 14 (11.60 + 3.2 ng/mL) and day 21 (11.60 + 3.2 ng/mL) for age group 31-40 years. Leptin was positively correlated with FSH on day 14, with LH on day 7 and day 21; likewise, with progesterone on day 21 and day 28 and with estradiol on day 7 and day 14 for both age groups.ConclusionsThe serum leptin level was at the lowest level during the menstrual and secretory phase and the highest level was around the luteal phase. The significant increase ofleptin in the younger age group raise this question whether circulating leptin has any role to play in the age of pregnancy and fertility. Data in this study shows that leptin level was affected with increase in age; therefore changes in leptin level will affect fertility in this study suggest that there may be a relation between leptin levels and fertility.

Renal failure is accompanied by oxidative stress, which is caused by enhanced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and an impaired antioxidant defense. We studied 73 hemodialysis (HD) patients (39 males and 34 females) aged 24-75 years; the patients were randomized into two subgroups according to the type of hemodialysis membrane (35 patients were dialyzed on cellulose and 38 patients on polysulfone F7/F9 membrane dialyzers) and we assessed their antioxidant and lipid peroxidation status levels. The total antioxidant status (TAS) levels including whole blood levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH); glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities were measured, before and after hemodialysis. The MDA levels significantly increased 52.0% and 16.9% post dialysis among the cellulose and the polysulfone dialyzer users, respectively, (P<0.05). The TAS levels significantly decreased, 22.0 and 16.5% in the cellulose and polysulfone dialyzer users, respectively, (P<0.05). The erythrocyte SOD activity decreased 25.1 and 19.1% in the cellulose and the polysulfone dialyzer users, respectively, (P<0.05). The GSH concentrations, post dialysis, decreased 49.9 and 6.8% in the cellulose and polysulfone dialyzer users, respectively, (P<0.05). In contrast, the erythrocyte activity of CAT, post dialysis, increased 15.0 and 37.3% in the polysulfone and the cellulose dialyzer users, respectively, (P<0.05). We conclude that the type of the dialysis membrane affects the oxidative status after HD with possible consequences on patient morbidity and mortality.

Chloroquine (CQ) resistance in

Background: The aim of this prospective study was to determine the prevalence of HCV antibodies among pregnant women and their corresponding offspring in a tertiary medical centre in Southwestern Nigeria. Method: Anti-HCV antibodies (anti-HCV antibodies) were analyzed in blood samples from mothers and cord samples from their corresponding offspring using the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method. The results obtained from the study were expressed in simple percentages. Results: Out of the 272 consenting pregnant women screened for anti-HCV antibodies, 25 (9.2%) of them were positive. As none of the pregnant women had multiple births, screening the 272 cord sera from their offspring for the same antibodies revealed that 3 (1.10%) of them were also positive. Thus, the prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in the pregnant women and their offspring were 9.2% and 1.1% respectively. Conclusion: If vertical transmission of HCV were to be based on the acquisition of anti-HCV antibodies alone, the prevalence of vertical transmission from HCV infected mothers to offspring in the study was 12.0%. Further studies on vertical transmission are suggested to include analysis for HCV-RNA quantification in pregnant mothers and their offspring as well as a long-term follow-up of neonates seropositive for HCV markers. Such studies are necessary to justify any recommendations to be made for the purpose of reducing HCV infection through vertical transmission.

PurposeTo determine whether low dose aspirin has any deleterious effects on renal function in elderly patients.MethodsWe conducted a prospective pilot study of 30 Nigerians older than 60 years with various chronic ailments necessitating the use of low dose aspirin. Patients gave their consent, and institutional ethical clearance was obtained. Each patient’s baseline samples at enrolment (before commencing aspirin use) served as a control, and subsequent weekly samples were compared. The weekly mean of each parameter was calculated, and the differences of means from baseline were determined, and values were compared for statistical differences with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 16.ResultsWe found that a majority of patients (86.67%) had basal renal functions at chronic kidney disease stages 1 and 2. When compared with the corresponding baseline parameters, the mean weekly serum and urinary electrolytes, urea, creatinine, and uric acid parameters did not change, and the P-value did not show any statistical significance. However, there was positive statistical significance for the creatinine clearance (P = 0.025). Also, unlike in previous studies, anemia and hypoalbuminemia did not affect the renal function parameters.ConclusionThis study did not show any deleterious effects with short-term, low dose (75 mg daily) aspirin use on kidney functions in elderly patients. However, caution should be exercised when dealing with patients in renal stages 3–5 and the very elderly, aged ≥ 80 years.

BACKGROUND:The oxidative modification hypothesis of atherosclerosis predicts that low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) oxidation is an early event in atherosclerosis and that oxidized LDL-C contributes to atherogenesis OBJECTIVE: To determine a link, if any, between the plasma lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant status (TAS) among dyslipidemic and hypertensive Nigerian patients with high risk of coronary heart disease. METHODS: The study groups comprised 58 hypertensive adult Nigerians whose fasting plasma total cholesterol (TC) levels were > 5.5mmol/L and with high risk coronary heart disease (CHD) lipid fraction i.e. 'the ratio of high density lipoprotein cholesterol to total cholesterol' (HDL-C/TC) < 0.13 were selected for the study. (5,87 ± 0.23mmol / L et 4,65 ± 0,34 mmol / L) 53, p <0,50, p <0,001), cependant une corrélation directe entre le MDA / TC (r = 0,51, p <0,48, p <0,01) chez les hommes hypertendus ont été trouvés. Dans les sujets de sexe féminin à la moyenne ± écart-type plasma TC (5,45 ± 1,04 mmol / L) RÉSUMÉ CONTEXTE: La modification hypothèse oxydative de l'athérosclérose prédit que des lipoprotéines de faible densité-cholestérol (LDL-C), l'oxydation est un événement précoce dans l'athérosclérose et que l'oxydation du LDL-C contribue à l'athérogenèse. Objectif: déterminer un lien éventuel entre le plasma et de la peroxydation lipidique total antioxidant status (TAS) et les dyslipidemic nigérian patients hypertendus à haut risque de maladie coronarienne. MÉTHODES: Les groupes d'étude comprenait 58 hypertendus adultes Nigérians dont le plasma à jeun de cholestérol total (CT) ont été> 5.5mmol / L et avec un risque élevé de maladie coronarienne (CHD) de lipides c'est-à-dire la fraction «le taux de cholestérol des lipoprotéines de haute densité pour le cholestérol total" (HDL-C/TC) <0,13 ont été retenus pour l'étude. Les groupes de contrôle comprenant 58 adultes hypertendus non avec les Nigérians (HDL-C/TC

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a b s t r a c tIntroduction: The etiology of schizophrenic is still remains elusive. In the last few decades, dopamine hyperactivity hypothesis predominates in the research field. Impaired antioxidant defenses are suggested to participate in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The aim of this study is to elucidate whether oxidative stress may have a pathophysiological role in schizophrenia and in clinical course. Methods: A total of 48 schizophrenic patients of age group 18e55 years (30M: 18F) were recruited. The patients were divided into three groups: 18 subjects with positive symptoms, 14 with negative symptoms and 16 with cognitive symptoms. The control groups consist of 48 healthy individuals that were recruited from general population with similar socio-economic status. Total antioxidant ststus (TAS), erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione (GSH) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) were measured using standard methods. Results: Erythrocyte MDA concentration was significantly increased in schizophrenic subjects with positive, negative and cognitive symptoms. Contrarily, the erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes GSH-Px and CAT were significantly reduced among schizophrenic subjects. Erythrocyte GSH and plasma TAS concentrations were also significantly reduced in schizophrenic subjects. Likewise, secondary antioxidant enzymes activity G6PD was significantly reduced (p < 0.01) among schizophrenic subjects. Conclusion: Our finding reveals that maintenance of redox balances within cells is a primary component of homeostasis underlying neuronal survival. Studies are pointing to oxidative stress as a part of the pathology in schizophrenia. Therefore, identifying viable therapeutic strategies to tackle oxidative stress and the resulting physiological disturbances will provide an exciting opportunity for the treatment and ultimately prevention of schizophrenia.