Observations over the years, particularly in the labour rooms of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), and TANDAM Medical Centre, Jos, Plateau, Nigeria, indicates that several neonates respond differently to these parameters. However, the experience of four mothers who had protracted labour and neonates with weak cry and low muscle tone, prompted this present investigation. Ex-vivo placenta, maternal and cord blood of twenty deliveries (10 primipara and ten multipara; five of which were by elective caesarean section) were assayed for thyroid hormone in maternal serum and IgGp in maternal and cord sera; while the APGAR scores of the neonates were as well, documented. Results showed that the mean immunoglobulin G population (IgGp) or density of neonates compared with that of their euthyriod mothers though higher in neonates was not statistically significant (P> 0.05). It was however significant (p < 0.01) between neonates and their hypothyroid mothers. APGAR score of the neonates of the euthyroid mothers were higher (p < 0.05) than those hypothyroid mothers who also bled for longer periods postpartum. It is our opinion that there could perhaps be an insight into the cause of such agonizing deliveries and to that effect, we recommended possible interventions. Keywords : Euthyroidism, hypothyroidism, APGAR score, Gamma Immunoglobulin (IgG)

The transfer of maternal IgG provides the neonate with humoral immunity during early life. The population of transferred IgG or IgG density (IgGρ) was estimated to find out if it has any relevance to the condition of an infant 1-5 minutes after birth or APGAR score which gives an insight into the state of health of the infant and thus its chances of survival and its milestone of development. Ex-vivo, term placenta of forty euthyroid mothers, the maternal serum, and cord blood were used to estimate the IgGρ in both maternal and cord blood by taking blood samples from the antecubital vein of the mother and from the umbilical cord (mixed blood) immediately after birth; having determined the APGAR score within 1-5 minutes post-partum. The findings featured the following: the mean APGAR score (10); mean IgGρ of the neonates (11.94 ± 0.12mg/100ml of blood); mean IgGρ of the maternal blood (10.9 ± 0.29/100ml). The difference however, was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The findings provide evidence suggesting that IgGρ, not only relates to, but determines APGAR score of the neonates. Keywords : APGAR score, IgG density, Term placenta, Cord blood

The aim of the study was to compare the serum cholinesterase activities of a group of type 2 diabetic patients showing clinical evidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to those of age and sex-matched type 2 diabetics who showed no evidence of liver disease, and healthy control subjects to determine, if serum cholinesterase can be used to diagnose nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetic patients. Mean serum cholinesterase activity in diabetics with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was found to be statistically significantly lower than in diabetics without liver disease and in healthy subjects. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean values of serum cholinesterase activities of non-liver disease diabetics and healthy control subjects. It was found that serum cholinesterase activity of 1640IU/L or less differentiated type 2 diabetic subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease from diabetic subjects who were free of liver disease with a diagnostic sensitivity of 87.5% and specificity of 75%. It is suggested that routine monitoring of serum cholinesterase activities from the time of diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus may reveal the earliest time for the change in serum cholinesterase activities in diabetics that signals the onset of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the final and most serious stage of the disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus. The Immune system is the target of AIDS. We investigate presently any possible involvement of thyroid hormone, the deficiency of which gives rise to oedema and susceptibility to nonspecific infections; with a view to finding the primary factor seeding the disease. It has been reported that circumcision reduced the incidence of HIV/AIDS infection. Beyond circumcision however there might be some constitutional factor that comprises HIV infection to clinical AIDS. It is against this background that our research team turned to possible dyshormonopoisis and to thyroid hormone as a prime suspect among other possible factors that cause clinical AIDS. Moreover the hormone has been reported to be crucial for optimum immune function. A population of 200 seropositive AIDS patients were investigated against a control of 50 subjects made up of 25 healthy circumcised males and 25 healthy females; all of who were seronegative for the disease. The parameters investigated include thyrotropin (TSH), Thyroxine (T4), Total protein (TP), Albumin (Alb), Globulin (Glob), Immune complex (IC3) and Bence Jones proteins (BJP) levels in serum or urine. All seropositive clinically HIV/AIDS patients were hypothyroid. Seronegatives had significantly higher T4, TP, and Alb levels at P < 0.001 and P < 0.05 for Glob than seropositives. Seropositive females exhibited significant (P < 0.001) higher levels of IC3 than seronegative males. The globulin levels of all HIV patients were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than control. BJP was also isolated in the urine of patients. The findings suggest that thyroid hormone deficiency is a primary culprit for the other inert or dormant factors to be activated.

An appraisal of a 17-year primary thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) screening programme for the detection of congenital hypothyroidism was carried out to establish the reference interval of cord blood TSH in unaffected infants; the mean cord blood TSH concentration of affected infants and the incidence of congenital hypothyroidism in the Najran province of Saudi Arabia. Our findings show a reference interval of cord blood TSH of 2.0-16.8 mU/l in unaffected infants; a mean cord blood TSH concentration of 399 mU/l in affected infants; a false positive rate for the diagnosis of at-risk infants of 1.02% and a congenital hypothyroidism incidence rate of 34/100 000 (1 : 2931) live births. These findings suggest that there is a need to reset the cord blood TSH concentration for the detection of at-risk infants. We suggest that the detection level of cord blood TSH for the recognition of at-risk infants can be set at 90 mU/l rather than the recommended level of 30 mU/l. This should reduce the false positive rate for detection of infants at risk of congenital hypothyroidism.

Serum albumin concentration is a commonly used, but inadequate index of protein status in man. A study of serum lipid changes in malnourished children reported a progressive increase in serum phospholipid concentration with deterioration of protein status in the children. This led us to assess the usefulness of serum albumin/phospholipid index (API) in groups of healthy young adults, malnourished children, and their age-and-sex-matched well-nourished controls. We found that API discriminated between malnourished and well-nourished children. There was no difference between the index for well-nourished children and adults in spite of differences in body sizes. However, since serum albumin showed a similar discrimination between malnourished and well-nourished children, API may possibly not be superior to serum albumin in the assessment of protein status in man.

The dried root of Rauvolfia vomitoria administered orally to 10 psychiatric patients at doses up to 800 mg/day, in divided doses, showed antipsychotic effects. The overall side effects were minimal, without serious incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms. Physical examination and laboratory parameters tend to correlate with the theory that Rauvolfia vomitoria accumulates in the plasma. The antipsychotic effects of Rauvolfia vomitoria were shown to be dose dependent when given three-times a day, with minimal side effects.

The effects of thyroidectomy and thyroxine on the reactivity of rat uterine muscle to electrical stimulation in vitro was studied in adult albino Wistar-strain rats. Thyroidectomy decreased the frequency of uterine smooth-muscle contraction. Thydroidectomy 6–8 μg/100 g body wt. per day) for 35 days caused a potentiation of acetylcholine and ergometrin-induced contractile responses of the uterine smooth muscle. This findings suggest that the thyroid hormone affects the intrinsic contractile state of the uterine smooth muscle.

The effects of thyroidectomy and thyroxine on serum calcium concentration were studied in adult albino Wistar strain rats using the technique described by Baginski et al. (1973) as used by Lorentz [10]. Thyroidectomy decreased serum calcium concentration from 2.28 +/- 0.02 mmol/l to 1.61 +/- 0.01 mmol/l. Chronic administration of thyroxine (6-8 micrograms/100 g body wt/day) for 35 days caused an increased serum calcium concentrations from 2.28 +/- 0.02 mmol/l to 2.98 +/- 0.05 mmol/l. These findings suggest that thyroidectomy and the dose of thyroxine used affected calcium metabolism in rats.

A longitudinal, short-term study of women using NORPLANT (levonorgestrel implants) was conducted. Cholesterol content of the major lipoproteins along with total cholesterol and triglycerides were measured in fasting blood samples from 32 women volunteers. Results for lipids and lipoproteins determined 6 and 12 months post-NORPLANT insertion were compared with values obtained for samples taken just before implantation. Total serum triglycerides was significantly reduced (p < 0.01) from 1.14 +/- 0.44mmol/l (mean +/- SD) to 0.89 +/- 0.25mmol/l at six and to 0.89 +/- 0.34mmol/l at twelve months post-insertion. Serum total cholesterol was 3.97 +/- 0.53mmol/l at the time of insertion while at six and twelve months post-insertion, they were 3.65 +/- 0.49mmol/l and 3.56 +/- 0.71mmol/l, respectively. These changes in values from the time of insertion to twelve months, were statistically significant (P < 0.02). As regards lipoprotein fractions, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-chol) exhibited statistically significant reduction (P < 0.001) from 1.38 +/- 0.34 mmol/l to 0.71 +/- 0.30 mmol/l (mean +/- SD) six months post-insertion. Although the value had improved to 1.14 +/- 0.38mmol/l by twelve months, the value was still significantly different from the pre-insertion value. The low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-chol) had a mean value (+/- SD) of 2.08 +/- 0.45 mmol/l at the time of insertion. This was significantly elevated (P < 0.001) at six months to 2.54 +/- 0.48mmol/l (mean +/- SD). The twelve-month post-insertion value of LDL-chol (2.02 +/- 0.79) was similar to the pre-insertion value. The shift in HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol within six months followed by a virtual return to the pre-insertion values may represent only a transient change in metabolism of lipids and lipoproteins consequent upon NORPLANT contraception.

Fasting serum lipids in children presenting with protein-energy malnutrition were studied in comparison with those of sex- and age-matched well nourished controls. There was no difference in serum total cholesterol between malnourished and well nourished children. However, serum triglyceride and phospholipid concentrations were significantly higher in children with kwashiorkor or marasmic kwashiorkor than in well nourished controls. It appears that serum concentrations of triglycerides and phospholipids increase with increasing severity of malnutrition, and that fasting serum triglyceride and phospholipid concentrations above 3 mmol/l are jointly predictive of a poor prognosis in malnourished children.

The effect of thyroidectomy and thyroxine on the reactivity of diaphragm muscle to electrical stimulation was studied in adult albino Wistar rats. Thyroidectomy significantly affected the contractility of the diaphragm muscle. The result shows that thyroidectomy predisposes the muscle of the diaphragm to fatigue.