Aminu Imam

Neck circumference: An upcoming tool of adiposity indices

Context: Obesity is one of the most significant contributors to ill health competing with under-nutrition and infectious diseases. Aims: The aims of the study were to determine the presence and level of sexual dimorphism in adiposity indices, correlation of neck circumference (NC) and body mass index (BMI) with other adiposity indices such as waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-height ratio (WHtR) and also to encourage the uses of neck circumferences as valuable tool in assessing upper body central adiposity index. Settings and Design: The study population included 71 undergraduate participants (41 Males and 30 Females) with mean age of 22.68 ΁ 4.23 years. Subjects and Methods: Anthropometric measurements of height, weight, NC, WC and HC were obtained following standard protocols. Statistical Analysis Used: Independent t -test and Pearsons correlation were employed to compare and find the relationship between the variables, using SPSS version 17. Significance level was considered at P ≤ 0.05. Results: The result shows that there was statistically significant ( P r = 0.8, P r = 0.7, P r = 0.7, P Conclusions: Despite the low level of correlation of NC with other adiposity indices compared to the BMI, the NC may serve as an important tool for the assessment of upper body adiposity.

Chlorpyrifos- and Dichorfos-Induced Oxidative and Neurogenic Damage Elicits Neuro-Cognitive Deficits and Increases Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Wild-Type Rats

The mechanization of agricultural activities has led to indiscriminate deposition of toxic 29 xenobiotics, including organophosphates in the biomes, and this has led to intoxication 30 characterized with deleterious oxidative and neuronal changes. This study investigated the 31 consequences of oxidative and neurogenic disruptions that follow exposure to two 32 organophosphates, chlorpyrifos (CPF) and dichlorvos (DDVP) on neuro-cognitive performance 33 and anxiety-like behaviors in rats Thirty-two adult male Wistar rats (150 – 170g) were randomly 34 divided into 4 groups, orally exposed to normal saline (NS), DDVP (8.8mg/kg), CPF (14.9mg/kg) 35 and DDVP+CPF for 14 consecutive days. On day 10 of exposures, anxiety-like behaviors and 36 amygdala dependent fear learning were assessed using Open Field and Elevated Plus Maze 37 paradigms respectively, while spatial working memory was assessed on day 14 in the Morris water 38 maze paradigm, following 3 training trials each on days 11, 12 and 13. On day 15, the rats were 39 euthanized, and their brains excised, hippocampus and amygdala removed, 5 of which were 40 homogenized and centrifuged to analyze nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, total reactive oxygen 41 species (ROS), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and the other three processed for histology 42 (cresyl violet stain) and proliferative marker (Ki67 immunohistochemistry). Marked (p≤0.05) loss in 43 body weight, AChE depletion, and overproduction of both NO and ROS were observed after 44 repeated exposure to individual and combined doses of CPF and DDVP. Insults from DDVP 45 exposure appeared more severe owing to the observed greater losses in the body weights of 46 exposed rats. There was also a significant (p≤0.05) effect on the cognitive behaviors recorded from 47 the exposed rats, and these deficits were related to the oxidative damage and neurogenic cell loss in 48 the hippocampus and the amygdala of the exposed rats. Taken together, these results provided an 49 Preprints (www.preprints.org) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 16 October 2018 doi:10.20944/preprints201810.0359.v1

Cerebellar Molecular and Cellular Characterization in Rat Models of Alzheimer's Disease: Neuroprotective Mechanisms of Garcinia Biflavonoid Complex

Background: Recent evidences suggest that cerebellar degeneration may be associated with the development of Alzheimers disease (AD). However, previous reports were mainly observational, lacking substantial characterization of cellular and molecular cerebellar features during AD progression. Purpose: This study is aimed at characterizing the cerebellum in rat models of AD and assessing the corresponding neuroprotective mechanisms of Garcinia biflavonoid complex (GBc). Methods: Male Wistar rats were grouped and treated alone or in combination with PBS (ad libitum)/day, corn oil (CO; 2 mL/kgBw/day), GBc (200 mg/kgBw/day), sodium azide (NaN3) (15 mg/kgBw/day) and aluminium chloride (AlCl3) (100 mg/kgBw/day). Groups A and B received PBS and CO, respectively; C received GBc; D received NaN3; E received AlCl3; F received NaN3 then GBc subsequently; G received AlCl3 then GBc subsequently; H received NaN3 and GBc simultaneously while I received AlCl3 and GBc simultaneously. Following treatments, cerebellar cortices were processed for histology, immunohistochemistry and colorimetric assays. Results: Our data revealed that cryptic granule neurons and pyknotic Purkinje cell bodies (characterized by short dendritic/axonal processes) correspond to indistinctly demarcated cerebellar layers in rats treated with AlCl3 and NaN3. These correlates, with observed hypertrophic astrogliosis, increased the neurofilament deposition, depleted the antioxidant system-shown by expressed superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, and cerebellar glucose bioenergetics dysfunction-exhibited in assayed lactate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. We further showed that GBc reverses cerebellar degeneration through modulation of neurochemical signaling pathways and stressor molecules that underlie AD pathogenesis. Conclusion: Cellular, molecular and metabolic neurodegeneration within the cerebellum is associated with AlCl3 and NaN3-induced AD while GBc significantly inhibits corresponding neurotoxicity and is more efficacious when pre-administered.

Nigella sativa L. oil ameliorates insulin resistance caused by dexamethasone treatment in male Wistar rats

1 Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. 2 Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. 3 Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. 4 Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. 5 Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.