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Revive capsule, also called Kedi Revive capsule is a polyherbal formulation manufactured by Kedi healthcare company limited in Hong Kong, China. The drug is widely used around the globe, especially in Africa and Asia for the treatment of erectile dysfunction or enhancement of libido in men. Each capsule contains 400 mg of the constituent herbs including 80 mg of herb Epimedii, 80mg of Radix ginseng, 40 mg of Cordyceps militaris, 80mg of Tribulus terrestris, 80mg of Radix polygoni multiflori, and 40 mg of Eucommia ulmoides, with its effects exerted four hours after administration via the oral route. The adult man dosage is two capsules (800 mg) to be taken once daily for at least 28 days (before significant improvements may be observed when used to treat erectile dysfunction). Phytochemical analysis of the drug reported the presence of flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, tannins, polyphenols, alkaloids and quinones. Due to its speculated use in the treatment of erectile dysfunction or enhancement of libido, it may be referred to as an herbal phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor, that acts by selectively inhibiting the enzyme phosphodiesterase type-5, and thus enhancing increased arterial blood flow into the penis, which results in penile erection; however, the mechanism of action of this drug may be attributed to the contained phytochemicals. Additionally, due to its increased use, it is highly recommended that further studies be conducted on this drug to ascertain its effects on some biochemical components and vital organs of the body.

Consumption of foods, water, vegetables, fruits, undercooked/ground/raw meat, unpasteurized milk or milk products contaminated with the bacterium strain Escherichia coli 0157:H7 has become a serious public health concern. This strain naturally inhabits the digestive tract of healthy cattle, and is released into the environment through the faeces of the animal. This strain cause haemorrhagic enterocolitis or gastroenteritis, and then haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). HUS is a disorder characterised by haemolytic anaemia, low platelet count and acute kidney failure, and this disorder is a consequence of the production and action of Shiga-like toxin produced mainly by this bacterial strain (accounting for 90 percent of all cases), and occurs mainly in children less than five (5) years of age, but also occurs in the elderly. After infection with this bacterial strain, the disorder begins with intestinal perforation and ulceration leading to bloody diarrhoea, and consequently acute kidney injury, thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia. In conjunction with clinical manifestations, several laboratory investigations (haematological, biochemical and microbiological assays) are implicated in the diagnosis of HUS. There is currently no specific treatment for HUS; however, supportive care (such as treatment of hypertension, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, haemodialysis, blood transfusion, etc) happens to be the only ameliorative measure for this disorder.

Heavy metals gain entry into biological systems mainly via inhalation and ingestion, and also via radiation or radio-therapeutic measures. The accumulation of these heavy metals in biological systems overtime may cause several deleterious health challenges such as liver, kidney and brain damages amongst others. Intoxication with heavy metals may either be acute or chronic, and because the kidney has the ability to reabsorb and accumulate divalent metals, it happens to be the primary target organ for heavy metal toxicity, inducing renal damage. The extent of this damage depends on the dose, nature, route and duration of exposure to the metal. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by a permanent loss of nephrons accompanied by an eventual decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR); this (to a greater extent) maybe due to heavy metal intoxication and the renal reabsorption of these heavy metals. Although 70 percent of the heavy metals are reabsorbed in the proximal tubule, all segments of the nephrons are involved in the reabsorption of these metals, where several transporters such as the Divalent Metal Transporter (DMT)-1, Na+/amino acid co-transporter, Zinc Transporter (ZnT)-1 and stretch-activated cation channels (SAC) facilitate the reabsorption. In the nephrons of each kidney, heavy metals are primarily reabsorbed via the apical membrane and accumulate at the basolateral membrane; these heavy metals do not readily exit the basolateral membrane, which overtime may result in chronic inflammation of the nephrons, fibrosis and kidney failure. However, the loss of nephrons and decline in GFR in CKD are compensated by certain changes (glomerular and cellular, enhanced renal blood flow, enhanced single nephron glomerular filtration rate and tubular hypertrophy) in the remaining functional nephrons. These changes help to deliver solutes to the remaining functional nephrons for uptake by the epithelial cells of the renal tubules. Also, because the luminal and basolateral surfaces of tubular epithelial cells of the remaining healthy nephrons are also potentially exposed to higher levels of metabolic wastes, xenobiotics, heavy metals and other nephrotoxicants, renal injury, tubular or glomerulosclerosis, and death of these nephrons occur. These compensatory changes become insufficient once about 75 percent of the nephrons are no longer functional and incapable of maintaining homeostasis and renal function. This results in the accumulation of metabolic wastes in the blood, and induction of metabolic disturbances and/or organ intoxication.

In this study, the concentrations of urea were assayed in both blood and saliva of 130 haemodialysis patients; before haemodialyis(pre-haemodialysis) and after haemodialysis (post haemodialysis); and 60 healthy individuals who made up the control group. The method used for urea assay was urease method. The mean±SD concentrations of salivary urea in pre and post haemodialysis patients, as well as control group, were 17±0.6 mmol/l, 9.1±0.5 mmol/l and 4.0±0.3 mmol/l respectively. The mean±SD concentrations of blood urea in pre and post haemodialysis patients, as well as control group, were 21.6±0.5 mmol/l, 9.1±0.4 mmol/l and 4.2±0.2 mmol/l respectively. The correlation coefficient between blood and salivary urea in pre-haemodialysis patients is 78.8% while that for post haemodialysis patients is 60.6% and for the control group is 90%. The ANOVA results of salivary urea in the three groups (pre, post and control) showed a significant difference with P-value ˂0.05. The ANOVA results of blood urea in the three groups (pre, post and control) showed a significant difference with P-value ˂0.05. From the various results obtained, saliva can serve as a diagnostic biofluid for renal disease especially with the salivary urea as the biomarker. Also, the salivary renal biomarker (urea) responds to changes in concentrations after therapeutic consideration. This study is in consonance with other literature that saliva is a diagnostic fluid for kidney disease; however, there is a need to carry out more research works to continually unveil the diagnostic potential of saliva in kidney disease.

History of upper respiratory tract infection in the mother or siblings was associated with higher risk of acute lower respiratory tract infection in cases. Most upper respiratory tract infections were caused by viral pathogens and likely to occur in many members of the family. The study aimed to determine the existence and pattern of relationship between risk of acute respiratory infection (ARI) among infants and exposure to pre-existing maternal/caregiver acute respiratory tract infection. The study was designed as a community-based Nested case-control study of 1100 infants randomly selected from 12 communities out of 6 Local Government Areas of the 3 senatorial districts of Rivers State. A multistage random sampling technique was used in selecting the subjects up to the community level. Descriptive method was used to represent the characteristics of the subjects and the differences in ARI between exposed and unexposed infants were tested in a bivariate logistics regression at 5% level of significance. Odds ratio (OR) was used to interpret the size effect measures of ARI on exposure to pre-existing maternal/caregiver ARI differences. A total of 275 Cases of ARI and 825 controls were included in the study. Among exposed infants (N = 104), ARI cases were found to be higher n = 80 (76.9%) than in control n = 24 (23.1%). Whereas, among unexposed infants N = 991, ARI cases were found to be lower n = 195 (19.7%) than in control n = 796 (80.3%). For the exposed infants, the odds for ARI were 13.5 times significantly higher compared to those of their unexposed counterparts (OR-Unadjusted = 13.52, (p < 0.0001, 95% CI = 0.047 - 0.121)). The findings will widen the horizon in the etiological consideration of ARI among infants vis-a-vis exposure potential to pre-existing maternal/caregiver ARI via nursing care. Therefore, community-based sensitization programme on barrier nursing care techniques and personal hygiene practices should be on focus.

Background: Revive capsule is a polyherbal formulation commonly used to treat erectile dysfunction or enhance libido in men. Some of the individual herbs used in the formulation of this drug have been known scientifically to affect various biochemical components of the human body; hence this study was aimed at evaluating the reproductive profile in male albino rats following varied duration of administration with Revive capsule. Methods: A total of 42 male albino rats were used for the study, and were divided into six (6) groups of seven (7) rats each. They were allowed to acclimatize for two (2) weeks by maintaining 12-hour light and dark cycles daily, with access to standard feed and water ad libitum. Group A (negative control) rats were administered with distilled water once daily, while groups B, C, D, E and F were administered once daily with 72 mg/kg of Revive capsule for 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks respectively. The rat dose administered was extrapolated from the human dose using the formula by Paget and Barnes. At the end of each treatment week, the rats were allowed to fast overnight, followed by their anaesthetization using chloroform, and blood sample collection via jugular vein puncture. Also, the testes were excised; the epididymis were also excised from the testes and used immediately for semen analysis, while the epididymis-free testes were examined histologically. Rat-specific test kits with ELISA method were used to analyze serum LH, FSH and testosterone.Results: The results showed a significant increase (p

This is a review paper that brings to focus, concepts of Community Health Practice that connect Community Health Practitioners’ Roles to National development in view of its composite index improvement measure of social welfare services provision among others for the citizens of a country over time, with particular emphasis on medical care component of such index aimed at reduction in diseases and poverty in the population. The objective of the review work is to determine the extent to which Community Health Practice, particularly by Community Health Practitioners is capable of ensuring National Development in democratic governance or otherwise, in the context of our country, Nigeria. The methodology applied was traditional review of published literatures concerning the subject and findings of operational research of programme implemented by Community Health Practitioners at the Primary Health Care facilities and household level in the communities. This paper emphasizes on Primary Health Care services delivery contribution to National Development, since it is the level where Community Health Practitioners are mainly commissioned to render their services. Home-Based Care Strategy for Integrated Maternal, Newborn and Child Health piloted in three (3) local government areas (Ahoada West, Etche and Oyigbo) in Rivers State, Nigeria, in 2012 and implemented by Community Health Practitioners, aimed at reducing maternal, newborn and child morbidity and mortality by 20% by 2015 in line with the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, had been shown to achieve an average of 26% improvement in utilization of maternal and newborn health services, an average of 27% overall reduction in maternal malnutrition status, an average of 14% overall improvement in under 5 years malnutrition status among others in 2013 on comparing with baseline indicators. Nigeria also attained 80% coverage in routine immunization in most vaccine preventable diseases except Tetanus Toxiod (TT) 2 (54%) in 2013 to achieve herd immunity of the community to prevent transmission of disease pathogen to cause a disease. Community Health Practitioners are the frontline Primary Health Care Professionals charged with the responsibility of implementation of immunization programmes in Nigeria and therefore contributing significantly to the prevention and control of targeted vaccine preventable diseases in Nigeria Health System. Our findings on factors militating against Community Health Practitioners’ Roles in National Development as elicited in this paper may form basis for empirical studies to determine the level of significance of each of these factors. In conclusion, it is when the Community Health parameters are adequately addressed that we can ensure sustainable National Development and we can say we have succeeded in our various strategic agenda of government at whatever level that makes up the complex whole. This brings to fore, the importance of the roles of Community Health Practitioners in health care delivery to National Development in the context of our country, Nigeria.

Background and Aim: Fish plays a crucial role in human nutrition and food supply across the globe, particularly among the poor segment of the society. Food fish currently represents the major source of animal protein needed for growth and development, especially among the children and women who are more vulnerable to malnutrition in developing countries. The importance of food to an individual and society cannot be over emphasized, as food is a basic necessity of life and sufficient intake of quality food is imperative for people to live a strong, vibrant and productive life. Considering the importance of fish food, this study therefore assessed the contribution of brackish water fish farming to stable fish supply and food security in coastal communities of Rivers State.

Statement of the problem: Gender had a much wider influence on disease than is usually acknowledged. More so, relative contributions of social and biological factors had not been clearly delineated for many diseases. Higher mortality rates are usually observed in male infants with lower acute respiratory infections (ARIs) and pneumonia particularly during the first month of life than the female infants due to immature lungs in males. The rate declines between 6 and 12 months after birth. The study aims to determine the existence and pattern of relationship between risk of ARI and gender. Methodology and theoretical orientation: The study was designed as a community based retrospective casecontrol study of 1,100 infants randomly selected from 12 communities out of 6 Local Government Areas of the 3 senatorial districts of Rivers State. A multistage random sampling technique was used in selecting the subjects up to the community level. Descriptive method was used to represent the characteristics of the subjects and the differences in ARI between male and female infants were tested in a bivariate logistics regression at 5% level of significance. Odds ratio (OR) were used to interpret the size effect measures of ARI on gender differences. Findings: A total of 275 Cases of ARI and 825 controls were included in the study. The ARI cases were found to be slightly higher in Female infants (27.8%) than in the Male infants (22.4%). For the Female infants, the odds for ARI were 1.3 times significantly higher compared to those of their Male counterparts (OR=1.32, p=0.048, 95% CI=1.003-1.735). Conclusion and significance: Understanding such differences between Male and Female infants will enhance the knowledge about the epidemiology, outcome and effectiveness in prevention and control of ARIs. Recommendation: Awareness creation on gender differences in susceptibility to acute-respiratory infection among infants requires sustainable attention.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:41:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-08-31 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Snakebite envenoming is the cause of an ongoing health crisis in several regions of the world, particularly in tropical and neotropical countries. This scenario creates an urgent necessity for new practical solutions to address the limitations of current therapies. The current study investigated the isolation, phytochemical characterization, and myotoxicity inhibition mechanism of gallic acid (GA), a myotoxin inhibitor obtained from Anacardium humile. The identification and isolation of GA was achieved by employing analytical chromatographic separation, which exhibited a compound with retention time and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra compatible with GA's commercial standard and data from the literature. GA alone was able to inhibit the myotoxic activity induced by the crude venom of Bothrops jararacussu and its two main myotoxins, BthTX-I and BthTX-II. Circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence spectroscopy (FS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and interaction studies by molecular docking suggested that GA forms a complex with BthTX-I and II. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) kinetics assays showed that GA has a high affinity for BthTX-I with a KD of 9.146 × 10−7 M. Taken together, the two-state reaction mode of GA binding to BthTX-I, and CD, FS and DLS assays, suggest that GA is able to induce oligomerization and secondary structure changes for BthTX-I and -II. GA and other tannins have been shown to be effective inhibitors of snake venoms' toxic effects, and herein we demonstrated GA's ability to bind to and inhibit a snake venom PLA2, thus proposing a new mechanism of PLA2 inhibition, and presenting more evidence of GA's potential as an antivenom compound. Instituto de Genética e Bioquímica Universidade Federal de Uberlândia UFU Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista UNESP Laboratório de Biotecnologia de Proteínas e Compostos Bioativos LABIOPROT Centro de Estudos de Biomoléculas Aplicadas à Saúde CEBio Laboratório de Imunologia Celular Aplicada à Saúde Fundação Oswaldo Cruz FIOCRUZ Unidade Rondônia Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis IBAMA Departamento de Química Universidade Federal de Lavras UFLA Instituto Federal Goiano IF Goiano Faculty of Chemical Sciences University of Cuenca LAQV/Requimte Faculty of Sciences University of Porto Centro Universitário São Lucas UniSL Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental (INCT-EpiAmO) Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista UNESP

Submitted by Guilherme Lemeszenski (guilherme@nead.unesp.br) on 2013-08-22T19:06:35Z No. of bitstreams: 1 S1516-35982003000800004.pdf: 127696 bytes, checksum: 2ee1a3855761c3867f7ce336a80cb9ed (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2013-08-22T19:06:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 S1516-35982003000800004.pdf: 127696 bytes, checksum: 2ee1a3855761c3867f7ce336a80cb9ed (MD5) Previous issue date: 2003-12-01 Made available in DSpace on 2013-09-30T17:55:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 S1516-35982003000800004.pdf: 127696 bytes, checksum: 2ee1a3855761c3867f7ce336a80cb9ed (MD5) S1516-35982003000800004.pdf.txt: 38075 bytes, checksum: b0185f19de74c0fbf12c5559a9919446 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2003-12-01 Submitted by Vitor Silverio Rodrigues (vitorsrodrigues@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2014-05-20T13:15:43Z No. of bitstreams: 2 S1516-35982003000800004.pdf: 127696 bytes, checksum: 2ee1a3855761c3867f7ce336a80cb9ed (MD5) S1516-35982003000800004.pdf.txt: 38075 bytes, checksum: b0185f19de74c0fbf12c5559a9919446 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-20T13:15:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 S1516-35982003000800004.pdf: 127696 bytes, checksum: 2ee1a3855761c3867f7ce336a80cb9ed (MD5) S1516-35982003000800004.pdf.txt: 38075 bytes, checksum: b0185f19de74c0fbf12c5559a9919446 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2003-12-01 O matrinxã, Brycon cephalus, espécie nativa oriunda da Bacia Amazônica, apresenta características adequadas para a piscicultura. Entretanto, trata-se de peixe reofílico, sendo necessário manejo adequado para induzir à reprodução. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar o perfil da triiodotironina (T3) plasmática no matrinxã, durante 16 meses (outubro/97 a janeiro/99), relacionando-o com a maturação sexual, além de testar a ação do T3 associado ao extrato pituitário de carpa na reprodução induzida da espécie. O experimento foi conduzido no Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Peixes Tropicais - CEPTA, Pirassununga, SP, e no Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, da Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal - UNESP. Foram amostrados, mensalmente, 8 a 12 peixes, de ambos os sexos, totalizando 173 animais, de onde retirou-se sangue para dosagem do T3 plasmático. As gônadas foram removidas para análise histológica com identificação do sexo e determinação do estádio de maturação. Analisaram-se testículos e ovários de 161 peixes em corte transversal, tendo predominado machos (63,35%) e o estádio sexual imaturo entre ambos. A concentração plasmática de T3 foi maior de dezembro a janeiro, para machos e fêmeas, coincidindo com o período de maior atividade reprodutiva da espécie e maiores temperaturas da água. em janeiro/99, reprodutores de matrinxã foram induzidos com extrato de pituitária de carpa (EPC) associado à administração de T3 (20 mg/kg em 0,1 mL de suspensão oleosa). Os resultados sugeriram que o T3 atuou sinergicamente à gonadotropina do extrato hipofisário e que o tratamento agudo de triiodotironina com o EPC pode estimular o eixo hipotálamo-hipófise-ovário. O tempo de eclosão das larvas provenientes das fêmeas tratadas com o T3 foi menor e o crescimento inicial e a sobrevivência dessas larvas, maiores. The matrinxã, Brycon cephalus, native specie from the Amazonian Basin, shows good characteristics for farming. It is a migrating fish, being necessary an appropriate handling to induce its spawning. The objective of this work was to characterize the profile of plasma triiodotironina (T3) in matrinxã, during 16 months (October/97 to January/99), associated to the sexual maturation, besides testing T3 action associated to the carp pituitary extract in the induced reproduction. The experiment was carried out at the National Center of Research of Tropical Fish, CEPTA, Pirassununga, SP, and at the Animal Morphology and Physiology Department, of the University of São Paulo State, UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP. A total of 173 one and half year old matrinxã were sampled. Monthly, from eight to twelve fish, of both sexes, were bled for plasma T3 determination. The gonads were collected for histological identification of the sex and maturation stage. Testes and ovaries of 161 fish were observed, prevailing males (63.35%) and immature sexual stage. The concentration of plasma T3 was higher from December to January, both in males and in females, coinciding with the period of higher reproductive activity of the species and higher temperatures of the water. on January/99, breeders were induced with extract of carp pituitary (ECP), associated to the administration of T3 (20mg kg-1 in 0.1 ml oil solution). Results suggest that T3 played a synergistic role to the gonadotropin of the ECP, and a short-term treatment of ECP associated to triiodothyronine can stimulate the hipothalamus-hypophysis-ovary axis. The hatching time of the larvae from females treated with T3 was lower than the control ones. The initial growth and percent survival that larvae were better. Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE) Departamento de Pesca UNESP Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Peixes Tropicais- CEPTA/IBAMA UNESP Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal