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Abstract Background Malaria is a major public health concern among pregnant women in sub‐Saharan Africa. Within the region, Nigeria has the highest malaria cases. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with malaria parasitaemia among pregnant women at a booking clinic in Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted between January and April 2021 at the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria. A sample of 300 pregnant women participated, and anaemia and malaria were diagnosed using packed cell volume and Giemsa‐stained blood smears, respectively. Data analysis was done using SPSS 25.0. Results The study found that 26 (8.70%) pregnant women tested positive for malaria parasitaemia. Factors such as age, religion, level of education, and occupation were significantly related to the prevalence of malaria parasitaemia among pregnant women with p

In the ear of corn there are silky strands which run its length and these strands are known as corn silks. Folk remedies show that the corn silks have been used as an oral antidiabetic agent in China for many years and as herbal tea in other world nations for the amelioration of urinary tract infection. The extract is being assessed for safety in this study using histopathological changes, as well as an electrocardiogram (ECG). Graded doses (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg) of aqueous CS extract were administered to rats for seven days. The fourth group which served as control received 3 ml/kg dose of distilled water. On the eighth day, ECG was evaluated in ketamine/xylazine-induced anaesthesia in rats to determine changes in the heart rate, P-wave duration, P-R interval, R-amplitude, QRS duration, QT interval and QTc. Hearts from the experimental animals were collected for histopathological changes. The results showed that there was a significant change in the heart rate (groups B and C), P-wave duration (group D), QT interval (groups B, C and D) and QTc (groups B, C and D) when compared to the control group. Histology also indicated that sections of the heart showed fatty infiltration of inflamed heart and areas of moderate inflammation of the atrium and ventricle. It could therefore be concluded from this study that though folklore indicated that corn silk (CS) is of high medicinal value, one must be careful in using this product as medicinal agent especially in patients with compromised heart conditions.

The Liver is one of the organs involved in the multiorgan failure that occurs in sickle cell disease, the pathophsiology of liver disease in this condition is complex because of the interrelated multifactorial causes. Liver dysfunction was assessed in both paediatric and adult sickle cell disease patients in the steady state. The transaminases and alkaline phosphatase were analysed by automation while coagulation studies were done manually. The mean (range) of Alanine transaminase (ALT), Aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were 23.0 (2-77) IU, 48.5 (15-120) IU, 227.5 (37-1200) IU respectively. ALT and AST levels were less than 100 IU in over 95% of the patients. The gender or age of the patients did not significantly affect the level of these three enzymes. There was close association between the liver size and elevation of the liver enzymes except for alkaline phosphatase (ALT = .017, AST = .009, ALP = .056). Twenty-five percent of the patients had normal enzymes while 13% had derangement of the three enzymes, 19%, 50% and 74% had abnormal ALT, AST and ALP respectively. Only 22% and 5% had deranged PT and APTT respectively. In conclusion minimal elevation of the tramsaminases which is not gender or age dependent were observed in steady state sickle cell disease, higher levels of alkaline phosphatase may be due to associated vasoocclussive crises involving the bones rather than a pathology of the liver.