Alterations of Kiss 1 receptor, GnRH receptor and nuclear receptors of the hypothalamopituitary-ovarian axis following low dose bisphenol-A exposure in Wistar rats / 대한해부학회지

Bisphenol A is a chemical used primarily as a monomer in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. It is a synthetic chemical compound that is produced in billions of pounds annually, and tagged as an endocrine disruptor. Bisphenol A is a high production synthetic chemical compound that is used in the production of many consumables and equipments of daily consumption and use by man. Growing interest in possible health threats posed by endocrine disrupting chemicals (bisphenol-A inclusive), as these substances are in our environment, food, and many consumer products. Therefore, this study aims to determine bisphenol-A effects on the hypothalamo-pituitary-ovarian axis, and role of melatonin in this regard. Forty-two Wistar rats were bred, grouped into 7, with each group consisting of 6 rats. Experimental groups were administered low and high doses of bisphenol-A and melatonin, starting from day 19, and was continued for 7 weeks orally. They were left to develop into full adults and were sacrificed on day 120±4 days. Blood samples, hypothalamus, pituitary and ovarian tissues were excised for biochemical and tissue antioxidants assays as well as genetic studies. Results show elevated gonadotropin and androgen levels. There was disruption of reactive oxygen species in the ovarian tissues, as well as alterations in the expression of genes that regulate reproduction at the hypothalamus and pituitary levels. Conclusion of early exposure to bisphenol-A is associated with prolonged duration of disruption of reproductive functions in female Wistar rats, which persist long after cessation of the exposure. Melatonin antioxidant effects give some promising outturns against bisphenol-A induced toxicities.

Alterations of Kiss 1 receptor, GnRH receptor and nuclear receptors of the hypothalamopituitary-ovarian axis following low dose bisphenol-A exposure in Wistar rats / 대한해부학회지

Bisphenol A is a chemical used primarily as a monomer in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. It is a synthetic chemical compound that is produced in billions of pounds annually, and tagged as an endocrine disruptor. Bisphenol A is a high production synthetic chemical compound that is used in the production of many consumables and equipments of daily consumption and use by man. Growing interest in possible health threats posed by endocrine disrupting chemicals (bisphenol-A inclusive), as these substances are in our environment, food, and many consumer products. Therefore, this study aims to determine bisphenol-A effects on the hypothalamo-pituitary-ovarian axis, and role of melatonin in this regard. Forty-two Wistar rats were bred, grouped into 7, with each group consisting of 6 rats. Experimental groups were administered low and high doses of bisphenol-A and melatonin, starting from day 19, and was continued for 7 weeks orally. They were left to develop into full adults and were sacrificed on day 120±4 days. Blood samples, hypothalamus, pituitary and ovarian tissues were excised for biochemical and tissue antioxidants assays as well as genetic studies. Results show elevated gonadotropin and androgen levels. There was disruption of reactive oxygen species in the ovarian tissues, as well as alterations in the expression of genes that regulate reproduction at the hypothalamus and pituitary levels. Conclusion of early exposure to bisphenol-A is associated with prolonged duration of disruption of reproductive functions in female Wistar rats, which persist long after cessation of the exposure. Melatonin antioxidant effects give some promising outturns against bisphenol-A induced toxicities.

The Environment and COVID-19 Transmission: A Perspective / Condições ambientais e transmissão de COVID-19: uma perspectiva

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a severe public health threat worldwide. Despite the global spread, there is an observed aberration and skewness in the geographic/regional distribution of the disease, with a high preponderance of cases and mortality occurring in the temperate regions compared to the tropics. A plausible explanation for this discrepancy could be linked to variability in environmental factors. Hence, this review discusses succinctly the possible influences of geographic location, temperature/sunlight, relative humidity and building design on the rate of transmission of COVID-19. We postulate that elevated melatonin production in a hot climate, high temperature, adequate vitamin D synthesis from sunlight exposure, high relative humidity and efficient ventilation due to housing design confers innate immunity and adaptive advantage to COVID-19 transmission for populations in the tropics over those in the temperate regions. Hence, we recommend that control studies taking into congnizance the relationship between environment and disease be prioritized. Such studies are important for predicting viral disease spread, in particular if this leads to pandemics like in the case of COVID-19, to aid decisions in public health policies at the global level.

A doença de Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) tornou-se uma grave ameaça à saúde pública em todo o mundo. Apesar da propagação global, observa-se uma aberração e fraqueza na distribuição geográfica/regional da doença, com uma elevada preponderância de casos e mortalidade nas regiões temperadas em comparação com os trópicos. Uma explicação plausível para esta discrepância pode estar ligada à variabilidade dos factores ambientais. Assim, esta revisão discute sucintamente as possíveis influências da localização geográfica, temperatura / luz solar, umidade Relativa e design de construção sobre a taxa de transmissão de COVID-19. Nós postulamos que a elevada produção de melatonina em um clima quente, alta temperatura, síntese adequada de vitamina D da exposição solar, alta umidade Relativa e ventilação eficiente devido ao Projeto de habitação confere imunidade inata e vantagem adaptativa para a transmissão COVID-19 para as populações nos trópicos sobre aqueles nas regiões temperadas. Por isso, recomendamos que sejam priorizados estudos de controle que levem em consideração a relação entre o meio ambiente e a doença. Tais estudos são importantes para prever a propagação da doença viral, em particular se esta conduzir a pandemias como no caso da COVID-19, para ajudar as decisões nas políticas de saúde pública a nível mundial.

Multifocal Epithelial Hyperplasia: a case report and review of literature

Objective: Multifocal epithelial hyperplasia (MEH) or Heck's disease is a rare benign disorder caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). It is characterized by multiple soft well demarcated nodules of the oral mucosa. They are commonly seen in buccal, labial and lingual mucosa. However, tonsilar and gingival lesions have also been reported. A detailed clinical history, examination and histopahological review is needed to arrive at a diagnosis. The aim of this report is to show the successful treatment of MEH using Salicylic acid and Zinc supplement. Case Report. Two cases of a 5year old Hausa girl and 7-year-old Hausa boy with a widespread oral lesion of 8 months and 1-year duration respectively. The diagnosis of the case reported were based on clinical evaluation and histopathological investigation. The presence of multiple painless pink nodules and papules on the lips, buccal mucosa and the gingiva as well as histological presence of koliocytes and mitosoid seen on hematoxylin and eosin slide led to the diagnosis of MultifocalEpithelial Hyperplasia. Conclusion: We reported 2 cases of MEH, a rare benign oral mucosa lesion in a 5-year-old Hausa female and a 7year old Hausa male in North-West Nigeria who presented with 8 months and 1-year history of widespread oral mucosa lesion respectively and was treated successfully using salicylic acid and zinc supplement

Frailty and mortality among older patients in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria

Background: This study determined the frailty status and its association with mortality among older patients. Design: A prospective cohort design. Setting: Study was conducted at the medical wards of University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Participants and study tools: Four hundred and fifty older patients (>60 years) were followed up from the day of admission to death or discharge. Information obtained includes socio-demographic characteristics and clinical frailty was assessed using the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA) scale. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were carried out using SPSS version 21 at a p <0.05. Results: Overall, frailty was identified in 285 (63.3%) respondents. Mortality was significantly higher among frail respondents (25.3%) than non-frail respondents (15.4%) p=0.028. Logistic regression analysis showed factors associated with frailty were: male sex (OR=1.946 [1.005­3.774], p=0.048), non-engagement in occupational activities (OR=2.642 [1.394­5.008], p=0.003), multiple morbidities (OR=4.411 [1.944­10.006], p<0.0001), functional disability (OR=2.114 [1.029­4.343), p=0.042], malnutrition (OR=9.258 [1.029­83.301], p=0.047) and being underweight (OR=7.462 [1.499­37.037], p=0.014). Conclusion: The prevalence of frailty among medical in-hospital older patients is very high and calls for its prompt identification and management to improve their survival

Survey of low vision among students attending schools for the blind in Nigeria: a descriptive and interventional study

The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of low vision among students attending all the schools for the blind in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study set out to determine the proportion of students with low vision/severe visual impairment after best correction, to determine the causes of the low vision, to document the associated pathologies, to determine the types of treatment and visual aid devices required, and to provide the visual aids needed to the students in the schools. All schools students for the blind in Oyo State were evaluated between August 2007 and January 2008. All the students underwent a thorough ophthalmic examination that included measurement of visual acuity, retinoscopy and subjective refraction, tests for visual aids where indicated, and a structured questionnaire was administered. A total of 86 students were included in the study and the mean age was 19.4 +/- 8.19 years. Twenty six [30%] were under 16 years of age. The most common cause of blindness was bilateral measles keratopathy/vitamin A deficiency [VAD] in 25 students [29.1%]. The most common site affected was the cornea in 25 students [29.1%], the lens in 23 [26.7%], and the retina/optic nerve in 16 [18.6%]. Preventable blindness was mainly from measles keratopathy/ VAD [29.1%]. Eleven students benefited from refraction and correction with visual aids; two having severe visual impairment [SVI], and nine having visual impairment [VI] after correction. The prevalence of low vision in the schools for the blind in Oyo State is 2.3%, while the prevalence of visual impairment is 10.5%. These results suggest that preventable and treatable ocular conditions are the source of significant childhood blindness in Oyo State

Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate tolerance in bacteria isolated from sediment of tropical water bodies polluted with detergents

The discharge of untreated detergent-bearing waste introduces linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) to the aquatic environment. The surfactant persists in some streams and rivers in Nigeria, some is adsorbed to suspended materials and end in the sediment of the receiving water bodies. In this study, bacteria isolated from sediments of some tropical detergent-effluent-polluted streams were tested for tolerance to LAS using the media dilution technique. LAS-tolerance was indicated by growth of the bacteria in the presence of the surfactant. The pH, concentrations of surfactant, population of heterotrophic bacteria and population of LAS-tolerant bacteria in the sediments were determined. A direct relationship (r= 0.9124) was found between the alkaline conditions (pH= 8.2-12.0) and high surfactant concentrations (45-132 mg/g) in the sediment. The sediments harboured a high population and a wide variety of bacteria; the populations of viable heterotrophic bacteria (vHB: 2.9×10(5) to 1.2×10(7) cfu/g) and LAS tolerant bacteria (LTB: 1.5×10(4) to 1.2×10(6) cfu/g) had a direct relationship (r= 0.9500). An inverse relationship resulted between each of them and the concentration of surfactant in the sediment, r vHB/ LAS = -0.9303 and rLTB/ LAS = -0.9143, respectively. Twelve bacteria species were isolated from the sediment: Alcaligenes odorans, Bacillus subtilis, Burkholderia cepacia, Citrobacter freundii, Citrobacter diversus, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Micrococcus albus, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis. Most of them were adapted to the surfactant with their maximum acceptable concentrations ranging between 0.03 and >1.0% (w/v). The sediments could serve as source of adapted organisms which can be used in bio-treatment of LAS-bearing waste. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (4):7-15. Epub 2008 December 12.

La descarga de desechos que contienen detergentes liberan sulfonatos de alquibenceno lineal (LAS) al ambiente acuático. El tensoactivador persiste en algunos arroyos y ríos de Nigeria, en parte es absorbido por materiales en suspensión y termina entre los sedimentos de los cuerpos de agua receptores. En este estudio, bacterias aisladas de los sedimentos de algunos arroyos tropicales que reciben efluentes contaminados con detergentes, fueron analizadas para determinar su tolerancia a los LAS, utilizando la técnica de dilusión del medio. Las bacterias se consideraron tolerantes a los LAS cuando continuaron creciendo aún en presencia del tensoactivador. En los sedimentos también se determinó acidez (pH), concentración de tensoactivador, poblaciones de bacterias heterotróficas y de bacterias tolerantes a los LAS. Se encontró una relación directa (r= 0.9124) entre condiciones alcalinas (pH= 8.2-12.0) y concentraciones altas de tensoactivador (45-132 mg/g) en los sedimentos. Además, los sedimentos mostraron albergar a una población grande y variada de bacterias; las poblaciones de bacterias heterotróficas (vHB: 2.9×10(5) -1.2×10(7) cfu/g) y bacterias tolerantes a los LAS (LTB: 1.5×10(4) -1.2×10(6) cfu/g), mostraron una relación directa (r= 0.9500). Por otra parte, una relación inversa se encontró entre cada una de ellas y la concentración de tensoactivador en los sedimentos, r vHB/ LAS = -0.9303 y rLTB/ LAS = -0.9143 respectivamente. Doce especies de bacterias fueron aisladas de los sedimentos: Alcaligenes odorans, Bacillus subtilis, Burkholderia cepacia, Citrobacter freundii, Citrobacter diversus, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Micrococcus albus, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Staphylococcus aureus y Streptococcus faecalis. La mayoría de esas especies muestra adaptaciones al tensoactividor, siempre que éste se encuentre en concentraciones entre 0.03 y 1.0% (w/v). Los sedimentos pueden servir como una fuente de organismos que pueden ser utilizados en el bio-tratamiento de desechos que contengan LAS.