Background: It has been reported that at high concentration monosodium glutamate (MSG) administration induces neurological toxicity caused by increased concentration of glutamate that promotes the production of free radicals and apoptosis. The blood–brain barrier is used by the brain to protect itself against the effect of glutamate and other neurotoxins but its level of protection varies with age. Aim and Objective: In this present study, we examined brain responses to combined intraperitoneal and oral administration of MSG at different doses in Wistar rats. Material and Method: 4 mg/g MSG was administered intraperitoneally to neonates in postnatal days 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10–2 groups and one of the groups was further administered 10 mg/g MSG orally as adult, while the last group received 10 mg/g MSG as adults only for 21 days. At the end of the 21 days, brain tissue was collected and used to determine MSG effect. Results: In the brain tissue, MSG administration caused a significant increase (P < 0.05) in glutamate decarboxylase, glutamate synthase, catalase, and glutathione peroxydase activities in a concentration dependent manner higher in group that received MSG both in neonate and adult. Superoxide dismutase also showed a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the treated groups but higher in group administered as neonates only. Conclusion: The result showed that MSG administration increased the level of neurotransmitters in both neonate and adult groups similarly and in response the brain increase the activity of the respective catabolic enzyme to protect itself against its effect

Background: Adverse health outcomes of night shiftwork (NSW) have been reported from observational studies but interventional researches mimicking NSW are dearth. This study aimed to simulate NSW and investigate its effect on lipid profile, hematological, and immunoinflammatory parameters in adult male Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: Sixteen male Wistar rats aged between 8 and 10 weeks, weighing 100 g ± 12 g were equally and randomly divided into control and NSW groups. Night shift-work group was sleep restricted and exposed to light at night for 6 weeks. Lipids were analyzed using their respective Randox kits and chemistry Autoanalyser (mindry Ba-88a). Full blood count was done using an Automated Hematology analyzer (Mindray BC-10) and CD 4⁺ T-cells were estimated using an automated Partec Cyflow counter. Data were analyzed using SPSS V20.0 and summarized using mean ± standard error of means. Student's t-test was used to investigate differences between the groups and P ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The results demonstrated NSW rats to exhibit trends toward lower high-density lipoprotein, higher triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and lipid ratios compared to controls (P > 0.05). In addition, NSW group exhibited significant reduction in total WBC count, marginal decrease in CD4⁺ T-cells, and absolute lymphopenia. In addition, while erythrothrombotic parameters of the two groups appeared statistically similar, platelets-to-lymphocytes ratio is slightly higher and red cell distribution width coefficient is significantly lower in the NSW group. Conclusion: The present study has demonstrated the potentials of night shiftwork to increase atherogenic lipids, lower cardioprotective lipids, impair immunological competence and increase systemic inflammation in male Wistar rats. These finding have highlighted the need for extensive research effort in order to fully understand mechanisms through which NSW affect immunoinflammation, metabolic and cardiovascular health.

Background: Adequate evidence suggests that a poor in utero environment produced by early-life dietary disturbance may predispose offspring to chronic diseases in later life. It remains to be defined which of the windows of early exposure due to perinatal protein restriction (PPR) (gestation, lactation, and/or both) is more detrimental to the regulators of lipid metabolism and hepatic functions of the offspring in later life. Hence, the current study investigated the role of PPR on regulators of lipid metabolism and hepatic functions in adult offspring. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were used and fed either a control (CONT) diet containing 20% protein or protein-restricted (PR) diet with 8% protein. The dams were given PR diet up to parturition (in utero group, in utero protein restriction [IUPR]), or from birth to postnatal day (PND) 21 (lactation group, lactational protein restriction [LPR]) or for a period covering both (combined protein restriction [CPR]). On PND 126, triglycerides (TG), cholesterol (CHOL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and high density lipoprotein (HDL) were determined and Castelli indices I and II were calculated. Hepatic lipase (HL) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and serum albumin were also assessed. Results: There was a significant decrease (P < 0.01) in HDL with a significant increase (P < 0.01) in TG and LDL in IUPR and CPR offspring compared with CONT. The Castelli index I was significantly increased (P < 0.01) in all PR offspring with a significant increase (P < 0.01) in Castelli index II in LPR offspring compared with CONT. HL and LPL activities reduced significantly (P < 0.01) in all PR offspring. PPR produced a significant reduction (P < 0.01) in AST with a significant elevation in ALT in all PR, while ALT heightened significantly (P < 0.01) in CPR offspring. A significant decrease (P < 0.01) was observed in albumin level in CPR offspring compared with CONT. Conclusion: In conclusion, it is evidenced that PPR at critical periods of early-life exposure blunted remarkably the actions of HL and LPL which consequently led to impairment of lipid metabolism and hepatic dysfunction.

Background: In Africa traditional medicine, certain plant leaves and fruits are employed in the treatment of metabolic disorders such as dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, and liver disorders. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is named among Nigerian plants that are under investigation for its medicinal activities. The present study investigates the hypolipidemic, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective potentials of C. sativus-supplemented diet in both sexes of Sprague-Dawley rats. Materials and Methods: Twelve male and twelve female Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this study and were grouped into four equal rats – Group A: control male (CM) fed with normal rat chow, Group B: control female (CF) fed with normal rat chow, Group C: cucumber-supplemented male (CSM) fed with cucumber-supplemented diet, and Group D: cucumber-supplemented female (CSF) fed with cucumber-supplemented diet for 6 weeks. At the end of the experiment, body weight change, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), hepatic lipase, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine amino transferase (ALT) were determined. Hepatic and myocytic glycogen, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), and malonaldehyde (MDA) were also assessed. Results: The result displayed a nonsignificant decrease (P > 0.05) in weight change in CSM and CSF compared with CM and CF. TG and LDL downregulated significantly (P > 0.05) in CSM and CSF compared with CM and CF while HDL significantly upregulated (P < 0.05) in CSM and CSF compared with CM and CF. There was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in SOD and CAT activities in CSM and CSF with a concomitant reduction in GSH activity and MDA level compared with CM and CF. ALP, AST, and ALT levels downregulated significantly (P < 0.05) in CSM and CSF compared with CM and CF. Despite a significant increase (P < 0.05) in skeletal glycogen, hepatic glycogen downregulated in CSM and CSF compared with CM and CF. Conclusion: It is evidenced that C. sativus-supplemented diet possessed hypolipidemic, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective effects in both sexes of Sprague-Dawley rats, though the effects were more marked in female rats compared with their male counterparts.

Introduction: Preservation of ovarian function and fertility has become one of the major qualities of life issues for patients of reproductive age undergoing chemotherapy. Thus, monitoring ovarian reserve in the course of chemotherapy is of utmost importance for prediction of patients' reproductive life span. Aim: The study investigated the ovarian toxicity of chemotherapy in female cancer patients in selected Nigerian tertiary hospitals. Materials and Methods: One hundred and sixty participants comprised hundred radiotherapy-naive female cancer patients aged 18–72 years across all stages and sixty age-matched healthy volunteers (control) randomly selected from three medical centers in South West Nigeria. Patients' demographics and cycle of chemotherapy were obtained using questionnaire. Three milliliters of blood was collected intravenously from the participants before chemotherapy and a week after chemotherapy. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B hormone levels in the serum samples were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Tukey's honestly significant difference one-way analysis of variance was employed to test for the significant difference, with the level of significance considered at P < 0.05. Results: The findings of the study revealed a significant decrease (P = 0.000) in AMH and inhibin B levels of the participants before and after receiving chemotherapy as compared to that of control. In the same way, there was a significant decrease in postchemotherapy AMH (P = 0.001) and inhibin B levels (P = 0.004) as compared to that of prechemotherapy. Conclusion: Decreased postchemotherapy ovarian reserve in cancer patients confirmed chemotherapy-induced ovarian toxicity.

Background: Oxidative stress is one of the major mechanisms underlying the onset and development of type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Although L-citrulline possesses antioxidant effect, little or no data exist linking such effects in diabetic setting. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of L-citrulline on biomarkers of oxidative stress in diabetic Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats 10–12 weeks old and weighing 200–250 g were randomly assigned into six groups of five rats each. Group I rats were fed normal diet, while diabetes was induced in the other groups with high-fat diet (HFD) and dexamethasone intraperitoneally (1 mg/kg) for 21 days. Thereafter, Group III received metformin 100 mg/kg/day orally, and Groups IV, V, and VI received 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg/day L-citrulline, respectively, for another 21 days. Data were analyzed using SPSS and values at P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: The malondialdehyde concentrations were significantly reversed from 42.0 ± 0.42 μmol/mL in the diabetic group to 20.7 ± 0.81, 22.2 ± 0.75 and 22.1 ± 0.39 μmol/mL at 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg/day, respectively. The L-citrulline remarkably ameliorated the reduction in superoxide dismutase activity noted in the diabetic group (13.0 ± 0.44 μmol/mL) at all doses (17.8 ± 0.37, 16.0 ± 0.51, and 23.7 ± 0.78 μmol/mL at 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg, respectively). Similarly, there was a corresponding significant increase in the catalase activity, especially at 400 mg/kg (13.7 ± 0.43 ng/mL) and 800 mg/kg (14.6 ± 0.54 ng/mL) compared to the diabetic group (10.8 ± 0.41 ng/mL). The marked reduction in reduced glutathione level observed in the diabetic group (22.9 ± 0.69 mg/mL) was markedly ameliorated by L-citrulline supplementation at all doses (42.9 ± 1.08, 46.4 ± 0.53, and 45.2 ± 1.00 mg/mL at 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg, respectively). Conclusion: This study shows that L-citrulline supplementation has antioxidant effects in HFD- and dexamethasone-induced T2DM in male Wistar rats.

Context: Ghrelin is a peptide hormone that is secreted predominantly in the stomach having effects on immunomodulation and bone metabolism. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is synthesized by the osteoblasts and is presumed to be involved in the calcification of the bone matrix. Objective: The objective of the study is to compare and correlate the salivary ghrelin and serum ALP levels in health and chronic periodontal disease before and after 2 months of nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT). Materials and Methods: A total of 50 systemically healthy subjects were included in the study and divided into healthy, chronic gingivitis, and chronic periodontitis groups. Clinical parameters such as plaque index, gingival index, pocket depth, and clinical attachment level were recorded along with the collection of saliva and serum samples at baseline and also after 2 months of NSPT and subjected to ELISA and colorimetric test. Statistical Analysis: Student independent t-test, Pearson's correlation, and analysis of variance with post-hoc Games Howell test were used for analysis. Results: Results demonstrated that salivary ghrelin and serum ALP were detected in all the groups. There was a statistically significant increase in salivary ghrelin and a reduction in serum ALP levels as wells as the clinical parameters following NSPT in both the treated groups. Conclusion: This study concludes that salivary ghrelin and serum ALP levels may represent as a diagnostic biomarker for periodontal disease and also have the potential for therapeutic assessment of responses to NSPT.

Context: Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder, although the cause is unknown, yet oxidative stress is a prominent feature; therefore, assessment of oxidative stress indices in preeclamptics would no doubt improve their clinical outcome. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant and malondialdehyde (MDA) status in preeclampsia. Setting and Design: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Subjects and Methods: One hundred and ninety-six (196) respondents consisting of 124 preeclampsia (PE), 36 normotensive pregnant women (NPW), and 36 analbuminuric hypertensive pregnant women (AHPW) participated in this study. Blood samples were collected for estimation of plasma uric acid, serum MDA, nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GSSH) and catalase (CAT) activities, Vitamin C (Vit C), and Vitamin E (Vit E) using standard methods. Statistical Analysis Used: The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16 with level of significance set at P < 0.05 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Plasma uric acid level was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in PE than in AHPW and NPW. MDA levels, SOD, CAT, and GPX activities showed a significant increase (P < 0.05) in PE and AHPW when compared to NPW, while GSSH, NO, Vit C, and Vit E levels were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in NPW than in PE and AHPW. Most oxidative stress indicators were higher in PE and AHPW than in NPW in the 2^nd and 3^rd trimesters, while Vit C and E were lower. Plasma uric acid, MDA and NO levels, SOD, and GPX activities were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in severe than in mild PE. Conclusion: from our findings, it can be safely suggested that oxidative stress is related to the severity of preeclampsia.

Background and Objective: Safety concerns have been expressed in the extensive applications of nanoparticles in nanomedicine and consumers' products. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of in vitro nanosilver (NS) exposure on erythrocytes membrane integrity during osmotic fragility (OF) reactivity in different hemoglobin genotypes (HbAA, HbAS, and HbSS). Materials and Methods: Blood sample was collected from 45 consenting male and female participants' age 20–30 years; comprising 15 (HbAA, HbAS, and HbSS). Red blood cells were separated, washed, and divided into three sets with each sample treated in triplicate with graded percentage concentrations of NaCl (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9). Two sets of the blood samples were preincubated with 1 ml and/or 2 ml of 10 ppm NS and 0.9 normal saline for 1 h, while the other set was exposed directly to access the capacity of erythrocyte hemoglobin genotypes to withstand osmotic stress. The absorbance from supernatants was recorded after 30 min incubation with standard spectrophotometer at 540 nm wavelength. The mean values of percentage hemolysis were plotted against the different NaCl concentrations. Results: The results showed that there was no significant difference (P < 0.05) in the OF response curves and mean OF (MOF) indices (concentration of the solution when 50% of the cells are hemolyzed) in the different genotypes. The MOF concentrations of the three genotypes were in the order: HbAA > HbAS > HbSS. The relative capacity of NS to stabilize erythrocyte membrane in the three genotypes was in the order HBSS > HBAS >HBAA. Conclusion: There was no undesirable NS effect on the erythrocyte OF responses in the different hemoglobin genotypes but a greater membrane stabilization effect in the HBSS.

Background: Malnutrition is a serious problem among children in developing countries and undernutrition negatively affects child development and academic performance. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done in six primary schools in Dangriga, Stann Creek Region of Belize, involving children (5–12 years) to assess malnutrition prevalence and determine if there is a relationship between nutritional status and academic performance. About 353 students were surveyed at a confidence level of 95%, with a 5% margin of error. Mathematics and English scores were recorded and compared between the groups. Results: A positive relationship was found between weight for age Z-scores and English and Mathematics; Height for age Z-scores with English. Conclusion: This study did not establish a conclusive positive relationship between several indicators of students' nutritional status and academic performance in English and Mathematics.

Peripheral giant cell granuloma (PGCG) has been given various names over the years such as peripheral giant cell tumor, reparative giant cell granuloma, giant cell epulis, giant cell hyperplasia, and osteoclastoma. It is the most commonly occurring lesion of the jaw developing from periosteum's connective tissue or periodontal membrane. It is predominantly seen in females in the mandibular region and usually in their late 40s. However, we hereby present a rare case of PGCG found in a male, in the maxillary posterior region, and in his early 20s.