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@#Objective: To assess the nephroprotective potential of agmatine in a rat model of streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy. Methods: A single dose of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg) coupled with a fructose diet induced diabetes in Wistar rats. Agmatine (40 and 80 mg/kg) was administered to rats for 12 weeks. The body weight and fasting blood glucose were measured weekly. Insulin level, urine output, total protein, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and cystatin-C were also determined at the end of the experiment. Furthermore, superoxide dismutase, glutathione, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were evaluated in kidney tissue. Histopathological study was also performed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results: Agmatine at both doses significantly increased final body weight, and lowered fasting blood glucose, urine output, insulin, total protein, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and cystatin-C levels compared with the diabetic group (P < 0.05). Inflammatory markers and antioxidant effect were significantly improved in agmatine-treated rats. Moreover, the histopathological changes in renal structure were ameliorated by agmatine treatment. Conclusions: Agmatine alleviates diabetic nephropathy by improving renal functions and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. The molecular mechanisms of its nephroprotective actions need to be investigated in future study.
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Background: Nosocomial infection caused by methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) presents with management difficulties in infected patients due to their resistance to a number of other frontline antibiotics and constitutes significant epidemiological problems. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of methicillin resistant S. aureus and antibiotic sensitivity pattern in clinical isolates in Kano. There is dearth of information on this subject in Kano. Method: One hundred and eighty five (185) S. aureus isolates from various clinical specimens obtained over a 12-month period in the Microbiology Department of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) were subjected to methicillin susceptibility testing; while including susceptibility testing to other antibiotics by the disc diffusion methods. Result: Out of 185 S. aureus isolates tested; 53(28.6) were found to be methicillin resistant. While 38(62) isolates were obtained from in-patients; 15(28) were from out-patients. Surgical wound infection had the highest prevalence of 32(60) isolates. Antibiotics sensitivity results of methicillin susceptible staphylococcus aureus MSSA) and MRSA with the third generation cephalosporins and the quinilones were encouraging. All MRSA isolates were sensitive to vancomycin. Conclusion: A prevalence of 28.6MRSA in this environment calls for urgent intervention strategies due to its possible rapid spread and therapeutic problem