Rare Occurrence of Mix Stromal Tumours: A Case Report Of Gastrointestinal and Extra-Intestinal Stromal Tumour on the Jejunum And Omentum of a Nine Year Old Girl From Adamawa State, Nigeria

Background: Stromal tumors of the jejunum (GIST) and omentum (EGIST) are uncommon and dearth of information still exists on their occurrence concurrently.Case details: Here, we report a nine year old girl that presented with tender abdominal mass measuring 14 x 8 cm associated with features of gastric outlet obstruction and hyponatremia of 115mmol/L. A diagnosis of hyponatremia in a child with gastric outlet obstruction secondary to intraabdominal mass was made for which exploratory laparotomy was carried out. Histology of the tumour revealed stromal spindle epithelioid as well as myxoid cells. Complete resection of the tumour and correction for hyponatremia was done in addition to antibiotics therapy with remarkable improvement.Conclusion: Index case is that of mixed stromal tumours that presented with features of gastric outlet obstruction, and the patient did well after surgery.Keywords: Gastrointestinal/extraintestinal stromal tumors, Jejunum,  Omentum, Paediatrics, Adamawa state, Nigeria

Triterpenoids from Gutenbergia nigritana(Benth).Oliv and Hiern

Gutenbergia nigritana (Benth).Oliv and Hein (Asteraceae) is a Nigerian ethnomedicinal plant which has long being used medicinally in traditional systems of medicine.The plant has diverse ethnomedicinal uses which include: The Plant is used in the Ijaw area of Niger Delta region of Nigeria to treat Malaria,convulsion,diarrhea and as a remedy for skin infection. The antibacterial study on dichloromethane extract and chromatographic fractions:dichloromethane soluble part(DC1),ethyl acetate soluble part(E1) and N-butanol soluble portions of methanolic extract were investigated using agar diffusion assay method by measuring the zone of inhibition against clinical isolates: Bacillus subtillis,Escherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Extensive Chromatographic separation and preparative TLC were employed in the isolation steps. Column chromatograpy of the dichloromethane extract, gel filteration on sephadex and preparative TLC led to the isolation of two triterpenoids: Lupenol(1) and Lupenol acetate(2). The structures were elucidatedby NMR spectroscopy and compared with literature. The dichloromethane extract exhibited antibacterial activity against all the test microorganisms with zones of inhibition ranging between 12-26mm. The chromatographic fraction (Fr-6) exhibited activity against E.coli,Ps.aeruginosa and S.aureus but in-active against B.subtilis, while the methanol soluble portions:dichloromethane and ethyl acetate showed weak activity while the n-butanol portion was in active. Dichloromethane extract of Gutenbergia nigritana leaves exhibited anti-bacterial activity, though the compounds isolated did not show activity, it is likely that the activity might reside in other components present in the dichloromethane extract.Key words: Lupenol, Lupenol acetate,antibacterial activity

Flame propagation through different sizes of metal mesh and mitigation using fine water sprays

Explosion is one of the major problems faced in dealing with flammable hydrocarbon gases.Following the recent tragic incident resulting from gas and vapour cloud explosion aroundthe globe, there has been a great interest in the use of fine water spray to suppress theexplosion. The present work is focused on the mitigation of slow-moving deflagrationsflames flow through various mesh sizes and water spray, with resulting speeds of ≤30m/s.Thus, the mesh sizes thickness and droplets within the spray must be small enough to extractheat in the short finite moments that the flame, mesh and droplets interact (approximately0.03ms for a representative 1mm thick flame front, 0.94mm, 1.31mm, and 6mm diametermeshes). A novel technique, of woven wire steel mesh and perforated steel mesh combinedwith a high-pressure atomiser known as a Spill Return Atomiser (SRA), was selected, whichcontained a unique swirl chamber. The investigation was conducted in three stages including configurations with dry, dry plusmesh and wet plus mesh trials. At the initial stage, the hot trials of homogeneous methane-airmixtures throughout the whole flammable range of 6, 7 and 9% was conducted and the flamespeeds observed were 26.32, 27.01 and 30 m/s respectively. The second stage involved flameflow through the mesh. The flame speed observed for the trial was 20.36, 22.75 and 23.31m/s for 6, 7 and 9% methane-air mixture respectively, for 0.94mm mesh. Mesh insertion intothe system reduces the flame speed, and also a decrease in temperature was observed due tothe heat loss to the mesh. Similar trend were observed for 1.31 and 6mm meshes. Finally, theflame flow through both mesh and water sprays was investigated, with an average flamespeed within the range of 4 – 30 m/s. Whereby a configuration consisting of a steel mesh anda cross flow (X/F) of 4 spill return atomizers at a separation distance of 1000 mm from themesh in the direction of the flame propagation. The spill return atomizers were configured at105 mm and 120˚ apart and opposed to each other, thereby providing a total spray region of315 mm. The flame speed observed during this trial was 6 and 11.99 m/s for 6 and 7%methane-air mixture respectively at downstream 0.94mm mesh and upstream water spray,and they are fully mitigated. For 1.31mm mesh and water spray, the flame speed observedwas 4.49, 5 and 12.42 m/s for 6, 7 and 9% methane-air mixture respectively, and were fullymitigated. This is evidence that as the mesh thickness increases, mitigation of the flamepropagation was achieved easily. Conclusively, the effect of the steel mesh was investigated and shows a good characteristic ininfluencing the flame propagation and mitigating behaviour, though found to be better whilecombined with fine water spray

Water-based drilling fluids for high-temperature applications and water-sensitive and dispersible shale formations

This study examines the effectiveness of sodium erythorbate, potassium formate, and polyethylene glycol for the formulation of high-performance water-based drilling fluids. High-performance water-based drilling fluids are environmentally-friendly, remain stable when exposed to high temperatures, and retard problems associated with reactive shale. A biopolymer, diutan gum, is used as drilling fluid viscosifiers in the preparation of drilling fluid formulations. The viscosities of the drilling fluid formulations with pH 8-10 were measured using Model 1100 viscometer before and after aging dynamically in a roller oven for sixteen hours. Shale rock samples were characterised using scanning electron microscope photos while X-ray diffraction analysis was used to identify the mineral contents of the shale samples. Shale dispersion tests were carried out by aging shale cuttings in an inhibitive drilling fluid formulation and in freshwater dynamically in a roller oven for 16 hours at 120°C. The percentage recovery of shale rocks after dynamic aging was determined. Experimental data indicated that the diutan gum stability temperature in bentonite water-suspension after aging for 16 hours was 115°C. Experimental data also indicated that the mud formulations with the additives - sodium erythorbate, potassium formate, and polyethylene glycol - retained their viscosities up to 232°C. The additives, therefore, significantly retarded the degradation of the biopolymer and other mud additives up to 232°C. The result from the shale dispersion test showed that the shale cuttings recovered from freshwater was 78%; with drilling fluids formulated with the additives, the shale cuttings recovered were 100%. This new fluid system which is stable at high temperatures and inhibits shale dispersion can meet high temperature and shale formation drilling requirements

Prevalence of hydatid cyst in camels slaughtered at Katsina metropolitan abattoir, Katsina State, Nigeria

Cystic Echinococcosis, among other food animal zoonotic diseases, heralds a significant zoonotic threat to meat consumers due to the lack of stringent meat inspection policies and poor awareness of zoonoses by most livestock traders/butchers. Therefore, this study is aimed at determining the prevalence of hydatid cysts in camels slaughtered at katsina metropolitan abattoir, Katsina State, Nigeria. A total of 392 samples were collected over three months (November 2019 to January 2020), of which 129 samples were from males and 263 from females. Information about the age, sex and body condition of the slaughtered camels were recorded. The carcass of each camel was inspected carefully for the presence of Hydatid cysts, the organs infected, and the number of cysts present. The data were subjected to statistical analysis using the Chi-square test (χ2), and significant levels were determined at p<0.05 level for all the data, which revealed an overall prevalence of 14.0% (55/392). The prevalence rate of Hydatid cysts was 16.3% in females and 9.3% in males, while it is 16.8 and 5.3% in adult and young camels, respectively. We recommend a holistic epidemiological study on the prevalence of hydatid cysts in camels and more public enlightenment for effective control measures against the disease in Katsina State

Microeconomics of managing Diabetic Ketoacidosis in a rural Nigerian child of low socioeconomic class: a case report

Health care delivery is a concurrent responsibility of the various levels of government in Nigeria where most of the populace earn less than one dollar a day. The total expenditure on Nigerian health care as a percentage of gross domestic product, and the percentage of federal government expenditure on health care is far below the World Health Organization recommended standard. Thus, caregivers pay out of their pockets to settle health care expenses of their children thereby creating a negative microeconomic impact on parents, households and health workers. Herein, we report the case management of newly diagnosed Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) in an eight-year-old boy from a low socioeconomic class (SEC), and the costs implication of the child’s hospital care. After forgoing indirect costs like opportunity cost which is difficult to determine, the direct total cost involved in patient’s hospital care for DKA was forty eight thousand eight hundred naira only (N48, 800.00) equivalent to three hundred and ten United States Dollars and eighty three cents (310.83 USD). Based on the high cost of managing DKA observed in the study case, there is a need to convince health system administrators and policy makers to strengthen health insurance so as to enable patients, especially those from low SEC, to pay their hospital bills promptly.Keywords: Diabetic ketoacidosis; Microeconomics; Costs; Low socioeconomic class; Child; Yola; Nigeri

Anti-Inflammatory Constituents of Alchornea cordifolia Leaves

Alchornea cordifolia (Schum and Thonn) Muell. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) is a traditional medicinal plant widely distributed in West Africa including Nigeria.The plant has been used for ethnomedicinal purposes against wounds, ulcers, and sores. The decoction of the leaves has been reported to provide remedies for bronchial problems, rheumatic pain and cough. From the dichloromethane and ethyl acetate soluble parts of the Methanol leaf extract, two compounds namely Lup-20(29)-en-3c-ol (lupenol) and Methyl 3, 4,5-trihydroxy benzoate (Methyl gallate) were isolated and their structures elucidated. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of the compounds on carrageenan-induced paw oedema and formalin-induced pain in rats showed that compound 2 significantly (P<0.05) inhibit rat paw oedema compared to the standard drugs (Piroxicam and Morphine) used, while on formalin-induced pain in rats, the same trend was observed and were both comparable to Piroxicam and morphine, the standard anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents used, respectively. Compound 1 did not show any significant anti-inflammatory activity compared to control, likewise compound 2. Thus, compound 2, Methyl trihydroxy benzoate, might be responsible for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of this plant.Keywords: Alchornea cordifolia, Anti-inflammatory, Analgesic, Methyl Trihydroxy Benzoat

Flavonoid Glycosides from the Leaves of Cissus Ibuensis Hook (Vitaceae)

The bioactive N-butanol fraction of the ethanol extract of the leaves of Cissus ibuensis was fractionated over silica Gel column to give Quercetin 3-O-rutinoside (I) and mixtures of Flavonoids (A2). A2 was fractionated using reverse phase HPLC to give Kaempferol 3-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl (1→6)-β;-D-galactopyranoside (II), Kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside(III)and Kaempferol3-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl (1→6)-α-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)-β;-D-galactopyranoside (IV). The structures were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy and compared with literature