Augustine Ibegbu
Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Anatomy, Faculty Member
- PhD from Queen Margaret University Edinburgh UK, Short Course in Learning, Teachingedit
BACKGROUND: Stature reconstruction from skeletal remains forms part of forensic investigations in anthropology for the purpose of individual identifications. Despite a growing number of forensic cases in Idomaland, a very little work has... more
BACKGROUND: Stature reconstruction from skeletal remains forms part of forensic investigations in anthropology for the purpose of individual identifications. Despite a growing number of forensic cases in Idomaland, a very little work has been done to document stature estimation among modern Idoma people. AIM: This study aimed to determine stature from anthropometric parameters and generate a regression model among Idoma tribe in Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 300 healthy individuals of Idoma tribe were randomly selected. Out of which, 155 males and 145 females aged 15–18 years from Methodist High Schools in Otukpo participated in the study. Measurements were taken with the help of standard instruments. Stature and six parameters (head length, head width, bizygomatic distance, nasal length, nasal width, and facial height) were determined to the nearest centimeters. RESULTS: The nasal width was higher in males than females. In addition, the nasal length was higher in males than females while bizygomatic distance was close in values among both sexes with a significance level of P < 0.05. Pearson's correlation coefficient and linear regression equations were derived for male and females separately for all individuals in the study group. Stature was higher in males than females in perfect distribution (174.38 and 156.35, respectively). The facial height was higher in males than females (11.57 and 11.00, respectively). Although it was not significant (P < 0.05), the parameter expressed a higher value. The simple Pearson's correlation (r) was high in bizygomatic distance and low in nasal width (r = 0.28 and 0.05, respectively) of males, while nasal width was low (r = 0.12) and head width was high (r = 0.38) in females. There was a statistically significant level in head length for both males and females (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Facial height, nasal length, and bizygomatic distance had statistically significant weak positive correlation with stature for both Idoma males and females. Human stature cannot be predicted from cephalofacial variables.
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Objectives: We aim to develop a labor protocol for male or female birth, base on maternal and neonatal stature. Materials and method: A prospective study of a cross section of pregnant mothers and their newborn babies, based on convenient... more
Objectives: We aim to develop a labor protocol for male or female birth, base on maternal and neonatal stature. Materials and method: A prospective study of a cross section of pregnant mothers and their newborn babies, based on convenient sampling technique. A total of 480 mothers that were identified by a gynecologist as having healthy pregnancies and their newborn babies in gynecology ward of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Nigeria, from 1st July to 1st December, 2019, volunteered to participate in this study. Maternal and neonatal anthropometries; weight, height, BMI, waist girth (WG), hip girth (HG), birth head girth (BHG), and delivery outcomes: mode of delivery and duration of first and second stages of labor, and Apgar score at 1 minute of birth were considered. We adopted the guidelines of Institute of Medicine for direct anthropometric measurements.Results: The study recorded low prevalence of cesarean deliveries and abnormal apgar score. Male b...
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Mercury is an environmental neurotoxicant that triggers structural and physiological alterations in different brain parts. The hippocampus is associated with learning and memory, and injury to this brain part may lead to behavioural and... more
Mercury is an environmental neurotoxicant that triggers structural and physiological alterations in different brain parts. The hippocampus is associated with learning and memory, and injury to this brain part may lead to behavioural and cognitive changes. Phoenix dactylifera (date palm) has been demonstrated to possess a variety of medical benefits. This study comparatively assessed the neuroprotective property of aqueous and ethanol fruit pulp extracts of P. dactylifera in a rat model of mercury-triggered hippocampal changes using microscopic examinations. Twenty-eight Wistar rats were divided into seven groups (I-VII, n=4). Group I (control) was administered distilled water (2ml/kg); group II was administered mercuric chloride, HgCl2 (5mg/kg); group III was administered vitamin C (100mg/kg) as reference drug +HgCl2; groups IV and V were administered aqueous extract (250mg/kg and 500mg/kg, respectively) +HgCl2, while groups VI and VII were administered ethanol extract (250mg/kg and...
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Introduction: Hypoxia has been implicated in nerve cell deaths that occur in a variety of neurological disorders. Opioid receptor agonists have been shown to have some positive benefits on the nervous system. The aim of the present work... more
Introduction: Hypoxia has been implicated in nerve cell deaths that occur in a variety of neurological disorders. Opioid receptor agonists have been shown to have some positive benefits on the nervous system. The aim of the present work was to investigate the effects of hypoxia and opioid receptor agonists' treatment on the morphology of B50 neuronal cell lines cultured in hypoxia. Materials and Methods: The B50 cells were cultured under normoxic conditions (21%O2; 5% CO2) as the control group and under hypoxic conditions (5%O2; 5% CO2) as the experimental group. Three opioid receptor agonists namely DAMGO (μ) DSLET (δ) and ICI-199,441 (κ) were administered to the cells for 48 hours as treatment against hypoxia after 48 hours of culture at doses of 10 μM, 50 μM and 100 μM respectively. Neuronal morphology, viability, proliferation and differentiation were assessed using same field morphological assessment. In addition lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, cellular proliferation a...
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Background: The protective activity exerted by Psidium guajava on the nervous system has been suggested to be via its antioxidant composition; however, its role in mercury-induced neurotoxicity remains elusive. This study investigated the... more
Background: The protective activity exerted by Psidium guajava on the nervous system has been suggested to be via its antioxidant composition; however, its role in mercury-induced neurotoxicity remains elusive. This study investigated the ameliorative activity of ethanolic extract of P. guajava leaves on mercuric chloride-induced toxicity in the cerebral cortex of male Wistar rats. Methods: Thirty-five (35) male Wistar rats were separated into seven groups with five rats each. Group, I served as control, Group II received 41.5 mg/kg of mercuric chloride (HgCl2), Group III received 1000 mg/kg bwt of EEPGL, Group IV received 41.5 mg/kg of HgCl2 and distilled water, Group V received 41.5 mg/kg of HgCl2 and 500 mg/kg bwt of EEPGL, Group VI received 41.5 mg/kg of HgCl2 and 1000 mg/kg bwt of EEPGL, while Group VII received 41.5 mg/kg HgCl2 and 1190 mg/kg bwt of Vitamin C. At the end of the administration, the brains of the Wistar rats were excised, oxidative stress markers quantified and ...
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Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Introduction: World scientists are using facial morphometry as a reconstructive option in the treatment of patients and ethnic differentiations. Hence, the authors aimed to study the... more
Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Introduction: World scientists are using facial morphometry as a reconstructive option in the treatment of patients and ethnic differentiations. Hence, the authors aimed to study the naso-facial dimensions of northern population in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: About 500 subjects (Igede, n = 260 and Idoma, n = 240) were recruited from schools in the Benue-Plateau valley in 2014–2015 academic session. Notable parameters measured using vernier caliper were upper facial length, lower facial length, total facial indices, nasal length, nasal width, and nasal indices. Also, stature was measured to the nearest centimeters with stadiometer. Result: Taller Idoma males than Igede males (169.25 ± 8.92, 167.13 ± 8.99), and taller Igede females than Idoma females (164.57 ± 8.77, 163.45 ± 8.94). The mean facial indices of Idoma subjects showed 97.89 ± 8.53 and 97.82 ± 8.11 with nasal indices of 77.77 ± 7.34 and 80.42 ± 7.53, whereas Igede su...
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This study was aimed at evaluating the histological and biochemical effects of ethanol leave extract of Azadirachta indica and melatonin in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats. To achieve this, forty five Wistar rats were used in... more
This study was aimed at evaluating the histological and biochemical effects of ethanol leave extract of Azadirachta indica and melatonin in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats. To achieve this, forty five Wistar rats were used in the study. The animals were assigned into the following groups: Group 1: Normal control + normal saline orally; Groups 2: Normal + A. Indica (200mg/kg b w) orally; Group 3: Normal + melatonin (10 mg/kg b w) IP; Group 4: Normal + melatonin (10 mg/kg b w) IP + A. Indica (200 mg/kg b w) orally; Group 5: Diabetic control + normal saline orally; Group 6: Diabetic + A. Indica (200 mg/kg b w) orally; Group 7: Diabetic + melatonin (10 mg/kg b w) IP; Group 8: Diabetic + A. Indica (200 mg/kg b w) orally + melatonin (10 mg/kg b w) IP; Group 9: Diabetic + metformin (500 mg/kg b w) orally. The extract and drug were administered once daily for a period of three (3) weeks respectively. After the last day of treatment, the animals were sacrificed and the liver tiss...
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Research Interests: Biology, Anatomy, Cerebellum, Brainstem, Cavia, and 3 moreVeterinary Anatomy, Guinea Pig, and Cerebrum
Research Interests: Biology, Anatomy, Cerebellum, Brainstem, Cavia, and 3 moreVeterinary Anatomy, Guinea Pig, and Cerebrum
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The super family of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is the main target for the actions exerted by hormones, drugs and neurotransmitters. Each GPCR shows preferential coupling to some members of the G- protein family such as Gs, Gi and... more
The super family of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is the main target for the actions exerted by hormones, drugs and neurotransmitters. Each GPCR shows preferential coupling to some members of the G- protein family such as Gs, Gi and Gq which in turn activates the defined second messenger pathways. The G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent 50-60% of the current drug targets
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Aim: The effect of vitamin E on phostoxin-induced changes in biochemical parameters and the kidney of adult Wistar rats were studied. Materials and Methods: Thirty adult Wistar rats of both sexes were randomly separated into six groups of... more
Aim: The effect of vitamin E on phostoxin-induced changes in biochemical parameters and the kidney of adult Wistar rats were studied. Materials and Methods: Thirty adult Wistar rats of both sexes were randomly separated into six groups of five rats each. Group 1 was the Control and was given normal saline. Group 2 was exposed to phostoxin for 3 hours per day with vitamin E and Group 3 was exposed to phostoxin for 1 hours with vitamin E. Groups 4 and 5 were treated with phostoxin only on exposure time of 1 and 3 hours respectively while Group 6 was treated with vitamin E only. The rats were exposed to phostoxin through inhalational method for 7 days and at the end of the exposure period, the rats were sacrificed. The blood and tissues were collected for analysis and were processed for histological studies. Results: The results showed significant changes in body weight of the rats (P < 0.05) while there was a significant increase in weight of the kidneys in Groups 3 and 6 when compared to the Control (P < 0.05). The results of the biochemical parameters Na + , K + , Cl−, urea, creatinine and HCO3 showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the control and the experimental groups. The results of histological examination of the kidney showed changes in animals exposed to phostoxin when compared to the Control animals. Conclusion: The changes in the kidney depend on the duration of the exposure time while vitamin E administration has been shown to have some level of protection on phostoxin-induced toxicity on the kidney tissues and biochemical parameters of the adult Wistar rats.
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Introduction. Mercury is one of the most hazardous environmental contaminants to living organisms and the central nervous system has been shown to be the main target. Objective. The present work was aimed at evaluating the effect of... more
Introduction. Mercury is one of the most hazardous environmental contaminants to living organisms and the central nervous system has been shown to be the main target. Objective. The present work was aimed at evaluating the effect of ascorbic acid on mercury chloride-induced changes on the cerebellar cortex of adult Wistar rats. Material and method. Thirty Wistar rats of average weight of 200g and were randomly divided into 6 groups of 5 rats each. The animals in Group 1 (control) were administered with distilled water, Groups 2 and 3 were administered with 52mg/kg and 26.25mg/kg body weight of HgCl respectively while Groups 4 and 5 were administered with 52mg/kg of HgCl and 5mg/kg of ascorbic acid and 26.25gm/kg of HgCl and 5mg/kg of ascorbic acid respectively, while Group 6 was administered with 5mg/kg of ascorbic acid. The administration was through oral route, daily for 3 weeks. Results. The result of the biochemical parameters showed a significant increase (P < 0.05) on the m...
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Introduction. The anthropometric characteristics of 600 normal Nigeria School Children of ages between 5-10 years of Gbagyi tribe of Abuja, with no obvious deformities or previous history of trauma to the hand were selected for this... more
Introduction. The anthropometric characteristics of 600 normal Nigeria School Children of ages between 5-10 years of Gbagyi tribe of Abuja, with no obvious deformities or previous history of trauma to the hand were selected for this study. Materials and methods. Of these children, males (n=300) with mean age of 7.10 ± 1.98, and females (n=300) with mean age of 7.68 ± 1.86) were investigated. The anthropometric characteristics of their height, age, weight, hand length, and body mass indices were measured, analysed statistically for any significant difference, and correlation between the parameters studied. Results. The results show some significant differences between the anthropometric parameters and a significant correlation (p< 0.001) between the height and hand length, and other parameters in both males and females. The study derived a linear regression and a multiple linear regression equations for Gbagyi School children of Nigeria from which height, age, weight, hand length ...
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The anthropometric characteristics of 600 normal Nigeria School Children of ages between 5-10 years of Gbagyi tribe of Abuja, with no obvious deformities or previous history of trauma to the hand were selected for this study. Of these... more
The anthropometric characteristics of 600 normal Nigeria School Children of ages between 5-10 years of Gbagyi tribe of Abuja, with no obvious deformities or previous history of trauma to the hand were selected for this study. Of these children, males (n=300) with mean age of 7.10 ± 1.98, and females (n=300) with mean age of 7.68 ± 1.86) were investigated. The anthropometric characteristics of their height, age, weight, hand length, and body mass indices were measured, analysed statistically for any significant difference, and correlation between the parameters studied. The results show some significant differences between the anthropometric parameters and a significant correlation (≤ 0.001) between the height and hand length, and other parameters in both males and females. The study derived a linear regression and a multiple linear regression equations for Gbagyi School children of Nigeria from which height, age, weight, hand length and body mass index could be predicted if one fact...
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Cannabis and its derivatives have great therapeutic potential and have been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. The side effects of cannabinoids include euphoric mood changes, acute psychotic episodes, initiation and exacerbation... more
Cannabis and its derivatives have great therapeutic potential and have been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. The side effects of cannabinoids include euphoric mood changes, acute psychotic episodes, initiation and exacerbation of schizophrenic psychosis in predisposed persons, impaired cognitive and psychomotor performance, tachycardia and hypotension. The production of complex behavioural effects by cannabinoids are mediated by cannabinoid receptors (CB_1 and CB_2) and by interactions with other neurochemical systems. It has been shown that the therapeutic and physiological effects of cannabinoids are dependent upon whether the administration is acute or chronic and on the route of administration. The physiological effects of cannabis and its derivatives include: reduction in psychomotor coordination and performance, alterations in thermoregulation, endocrine and reproductive functions and gut motility. There is also evidence of agonist selectivity for CB_1 receptors coup...
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Oxidative stress adversely affects cells and tissues, and neuronal cells in particular have been shown to be more susceptible to the injurious effects of oxidative stress in which the cells may die when oxygen supply is reduced or... more
Oxidative stress adversely affects cells and tissues, and neuronal cells in particular have been shown to be more susceptible to the injurious effects of oxidative stress in which the cells may die when oxygen supply is reduced or completely eliminated. The aim of the present study was to study the effect of oxidative stress using hypoxia as a bench mark on the morphology of B50 neuronal cell lines cultured in hypoxia using neuronal pattern and pattern formation as case study. The B50 cells were cultured in normal incubator (21%O2; 5% CO2) as control group and hypoxic incubator (5%O2; 5% CO2) as the experimental group. Neuronal morphology, pattern and wellbeing were assessed using same field morphological assessment of cells and lactate dehydrogenase leakage (LDH). The result showed groups of dead and degenerating B50 neuronal cells, altered neuronal pattern and pattern formation and some significant changes (P<0.05) in cellular levels of LDH leakage in normal B50 cells and hypox...
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Mercury is a heavy metal that has been reported to cause devastating health problems worldwide. This work studies the effects of mercury chloride exposure on the histomorphological changes on the hippocampus, spatial learning and memory... more
Mercury is a heavy metal that has been reported to cause devastating health problems worldwide. This work studies the effects of mercury chloride exposure on the histomorphological changes on the hippocampus, spatial learning and memory on adult wistar rats. Twenty four male and female wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups of six animals each. Group I serves as the control group which receives normal saline. While groups II, III and IV were treated orally with 12.45 mg/kg, 28.9 mg/kg and 49.8 mg/kg body weight of mercury chloride respectively for twenty one (21) days. Animals were anasthesized and sacrificed using chloroform. The brain was fixed in Bouin’s fluid and tissues were processed histologically using H and E stain. The result shows that there was distortion of the pyramidal cells and congestion, necrosis and sparse distribution of the hippocampal cells were observed. The latency time was decreased in the control group while among the treated groups show that th...
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Hypoxia adversely affects cells and tissues, and neuronal cells in particular have been shown to be more susceptible to the injurious effects of hypoxia ie they may begin to die when oxygen supply is reduced or completely eliminated.... more
Hypoxia adversely affects cells and tissues, and neuronal cells in particular have been shown to be more susceptible to the injurious effects of hypoxia ie they may begin to die when oxygen supply is reduced or completely eliminated. Cannabinoid (CB1) receptor ...
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ABSTRACT
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Abstract: The study of the index (2D) and ring (4D) digits ratios and their association with some physical characteristics of the Ebira tribe of Nigeria was carried out to determine the values of the 2D: 4D digit ratios and their... more
Abstract: The study of the index (2D) and ring (4D) digits ratios and their association with some physical characteristics of the Ebira tribe of Nigeria was carried out to determine the values of the 2D: 4D digit ratios and their association with other anthropometric variables. ...