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Efficient copper-catalyzed radical thiocyanosulfonylation of alkenes and alkynes with potassium thiocyanate and sodium phenylsulfinate is described. The reactions provide general and convenient methods toward the synthesis of β-thiocyanoalkyl sulfones and β-thiocyanoalkenyl sulfones, respectively, in satisfactory yields. Based on conducted mechanistic experiments, a mechanism involving oxidative generation of sulfonyl radicals and subsequent addition to alkenes followed by Cu-assisted thiocyanation is proposed. Moreover, the practicability of the reaction is successfully demonstrated by its successful application on a gram scale.

Objective: To examine the effect of skoochies, an illicit cocktail drink, on testicular and sperm function in male rats., Design: Twenty-five adult male Wistar rats were assigned randomly into five groups (n = 5) as follows: normal saline; skoochies; Cannabis sativa; codeine; and tramadol. The cocktail (skoochies) used in this study was formulated with the following composition: codeine (5 mg/kg); tramadol (20 mg/kg); and cannabis extract (2 mg/kg). These doses are as previously reported. Administration was performed once daily for 28 days., Setting: University., Animal(s): Twenty-five (25) male Wistar rats., Intervention(s): Skoochies, tramadol, Codeiene, Cannabis., Main Outcome Measure(s): Skoochies and its components induced testicular and sperm damage via increased generation of reactive oxygen species and impairment of glutathione system in rats., Result(s): Skoochies increased reactive oxygen species generation and impaired the antioxidant system resulting in inflammation that eventually damaged the testicular tissue. Skoochies caused oxidoinflammatory injury to this tissue, leading to impaired testicular function. This was evident by the distorted cytoarchitecture, reduced sperm count and motility, and impaired testicular deoxyribonucleic acid integrity., Conclusion(s): Thus, our results infer that skoochies impaired the testicular and sperm function through the increased generation of reactive oxygen species and impairment of the glutathione system., Competing Interests: Declaration of Interests A.F.A. has nothing to disclose. O.O.O. has nothing to disclose. M.A.H. has nothing to disclose. D.T.O. has nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

An efficient copper-catalyzed radical hydrazono-phosphorylation of alkenes with hydrazine derivatives and diarylphosphine oxides is described. The reaction provides a general and convenient method toward the synthesis of diverse β-hydrazonophosphine oxides in satisfactory yields. Based on conducted mechanistic experiments, a mechanism involving Ag-catalyzed oxidative generation of phosphinoyl radicals and subsequent addition to alkenes followed by Cu-assisted hydrazonation is proposed. Moreover, the practicability of the reaction is successfully demonstrated by its successful application on a gram scale.

A copper-catalyzed stereoselective phosphono-hydrazonation of terminal alkynes with alkyl carbazates and diarylphosphine oxides is described. This methodology provides facile access to a variety of β-hydrazonophosphine oxides in satisfactory yields. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions and exhibits good functional group tolerance. A mechanism featuring persulfate-mediated oxidative generation of phosphinoyl radicals and copper-assisted hydrazonation is proposed.

Bread was produced from wheat flour and fermented unripe banana using the straight dough method. Matured unripe banana was peeled, sliced, steam blanched, dried and milled, and sieved to obtain flour. The flour was mixed with water and made into slurry and allowed to stand for 24 h after which it was divided into several portions and blended with wheat flour in different ratios. Proximate and mineral compositions as well as functional, pasting, and sensory characteristics of the samples were determined. The results of proximate analysis showed that crude fiber ranged between 1.95% and 3.19%, carbohydrate was between 49.70% and 52.98% and protein was 6.92% and 10.25%, respectively, while iron was between 27.07 mg/100 g and 29.30 mg/100 g. Swelling capacity of the experimental samples showed a significant difference from that of control. Peak viscosity ranged between 97.00RVU and 153.63RVU for experimental samples compared with 392.35RVU obtained for the control. Most of the sensory properties for the experimental samples were significantly different from the control. This study showed that bread with better quality and acceptability can be produced from wheat-unripe banana blends.

Background: Impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia (IAH) is common in adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and is a major risk factor for severe hypoglycaemia. Little is known about its effect on employment status., Aims: To examine the effect that IAH has on the employment status or employability of people with T1DM., Methods: A randomly selected cohort of adults of employment age with T1DM completed a questionnaire detailing the history of their diabetes, their occupational history (including job and industry type) and assessing both their hypoglycaemia awareness status and whether in their view their ability to obtain or retain employment had been adversely affected by having diabetes., Results: A total of 252 patients participated, with the following characteristics: 135 males, mean HbA1c 8.5% [standard deviation (SD) 1.4], mean age 43.3 years (SD 13.2), mean duration of diabetes 21.3 years (SD 12.8) and prevalence of IAH 23.4%. The employment rate was comparable between those with preserved awareness (73%) and the IAH group (66%) (not significant). People with IAH were older (P < 0.05) and also more commonly felt that having diabetes affected their ability to work (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: This study is the first to demonstrate that those with T1DM and IAH remain as economically active as those with normal awareness of hypoglycaemia, although subjects with IAH were significantly more likely to feel that having diabetes had adversely affected their capacity for employment.

In many of the urban centres of the developing countries, a change in lifestyle due to increased affluence has been observed. It has been shown that change in lifestyle is an important factor in the global epidemic of overweight and obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of lifestyle and socioeconomic class on the prevalence of overweight and obesity amongst adolescents from rural and urban centres in Lagos, Nigeria. This is a cross-sectional prospective survey carried out on a sample of 1504 randomly selected adolescents, aged between 10 and 19 years, from six public secondary schools located in urban and rural areas of the Eti-Osa local government area of Lagos State, Nigeria. A self-designed completed questionnaire was used to determine the participants' socio-demographic characteristics. Anthropometric measurements were taken to calculate their body mass index (BMI). The overall prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in the urban and rural areas, respectively, were 3.7% and 0.4%, and 3.0% and 0.0%. Socioeconomic class did not significantly affect the BMI values. Overweight is an evolving problem, while obesity is seemingly not a problem yet in adolescent school-aged children in Lagos State, Nigeria.

The anti-sickling activities of the extracts of the roots of a plant Cissus populnea L. (CPK) (a major constituent of a herbal formula Ajawaron HF used in the management of sickle cell disease in south-west Nigeria) has been examined. Phytochemical examination of the extract showed the presence of anthraquinone derivatives, steroidal glycosides and cardiac glycosides. Alkaloids and tannins were completely absent in the CPK extracts. Evaluation of the anti-sickling activity involved the use of both positive (p-hydroxybenzoic acid, 5 microg/mL) and negative control (normal saline) for each set of experiments aimed at the inhibition of sodium metabisulphite-induced sickling of the HbSS red blood cells obtained from confirmed non-crisis state sickle-cell patients. The chloroform and water partitioned fractions of the cold methanol extracts of CPK exhibited a 62.2% and 52.9% inhibition of sickling, respectively, at 180 min. The herbal formula (HF) aqueous extract showed the highest anti-sickling activity on a weight by weight basis of all the extracts and fractions tested, giving a 71.4% inhibition of sickling at the end of 180 min incubation when compared with the normal saline control. The maximum percentage inhibition of sickling exhibited by the p-hydroxybenzoic acid control was 46.0% at 90 min incubation., (Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

The antioxidant activities of the leaf and root extracts of Alchornea laxiflora, a plant used locally for the preservation of food items in Nigeria, were evaluated using the ferric thiocyanate method, horseradish peroxidase catalysed oxidation of 2,2 azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), beta-carotene linoleate model system and Fe(2+)/ascorbate/H(2)O(2)-induced rat liver microsomal lipid peroxidation. The crude hexane root (HR), methanol root (MR), methanol leaf (ML) and hexane leaf (HL) extracts from A. laxiflora were tested for antioxidant activities. Antioxidant activity decreased in the following order: HR (76.4%), MR (63%), ML (40%) and HL (38%) at a concentration of 0.05% v/v. The antioxidant activity of HR compared to that of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) (80%), a standard antioxidant. The total antioxidant activity (TAA) of the crude extracts suggests that activity is highest in the HR compared with the others. The TAA value was estimated to be 8.0 measured as mm of vitamin C equivalent. Six column chromatographic fractions (FI-FVI) from HR showed antioxidant activity to varying extents in the beta-carotene model system in the order of FII > FI > FVI > FIII > FIV > FV. FII exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in all model systems utilized, it recorded a higher antioxidant activity than BHA and quercetin in the beta-carotene linoleate and Fe(2+)/ascorbate/H(2)O(2). TLC analysis of fraction II revealed the presence of terpenoid compounds (radiant green coloration with 2,4 dinitrophenylhydrazine). Our results suggest that A. laxiflora contains potent natural antioxidants and may therefore be relevant in the preservation of lipid food products, which are prone to oxidation and rancidity., (Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Quercetin-7,4'-disulphate (1) quercetin (2) quercetin-3',4'-disulphate (3) quercetin-3,4'-diacetate (4) rutin (5) and quercetrin (6) were isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction (ESM) of the crude methanolic leaf extract of Alchornea laxiflora. Purification of these compounds was carried out by column chromatography utilising sephadex LH 20 and various mixtures of water, methanol, ethanol and toluene as eluents. Structural elucidation was by UV, IR, (1)HNMR and (13)CNMR spectroscopy as well as by FAB-MS. Antimicrobial activity of isolated compounds was detected in Gram-positive, Gram-negative and fungal organisms.

A bioactivity monitored phytochemical examination of the morphological parts of Mallotus oppositifolium utilizing the hole-in-plate bioassay procedure against gram-positive, gram-negative bacteria and fungal isolates resulted in the location of significant antimicrobial activity in the acidic fraction (HAF) of the hexane extract of the powdered leaves. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were 32.5 microg/ml and 65 microg/ml against Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCTC 6750 and 25 microg/ml and 50 microg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 6571 respectively. These activities were found comparable with standard drugs.

This paper describes in some detail a prevalence of blindness study conducted in a rural area of South-Western Nigeria, which is served by a peripheral eye clinic. By a stratified random cluster-sampling procedure, 1975 people in ten villages were selected for ocular examination. Community prevalence rate of ocular morbidity was 3.3% with the highest prevalence in the 51-60 years age group. There was a male-female ratio of 4:3 and the prevalence of ocular morbidity in the 31-50 years age group was most significant, but people in this age group seldom reported at the peripheral eye clinic serving the survey areas. Age-related macular degeneration was found to be prevalent in the community, while few cases were reported at the peripheral eye centre. The information gathered in the survey is being used to plan and improve eye care services from the peripheral eye clinic. Case finding in persons aged 31-50 years and those at risk for age-related macular degeneration has been recommended as part of the programme of the peripheral eye clinic.