In vitro evaluation of antioxidant activity of Anisopus mannii N.E. Br.

Anisopus mannii (Asclepiadaceae) –a plant widely used as an anti-diabetic agent in Northern Nigerian traditional medicine, was subjected to antioxidant evaluation. The crude methanol extract, n-butanol and ethyl acetate fractions were investigated for free radical scavenging activity of the 1, 1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), total phenolic contents and reducing power assay. The results of the DPPH free radical scavenging at 250 ìgml-1 indicated maximum antioxidant activity of 94.1, 94.3 and88.7% for crude methanol extract, ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions, respectively. The total phenolic content was higher in the ethyl acetate fraction (59.60 mg/g gallic acid equivalent GAE) than in the nbutanolfraction (56.40 mg/g GAE) and crude methanol extract (53.20 mg/g GAE). The reducing power of n-butanol fraction was 0.112 nm higher than those of ethyl acetate fraction (0.110 nm) and crude methanol extract (0.106 nm). The antioxidant activities of the crude extract/fractions and the standards at maximum concentration of 250 ìgml-1 decreased in the order: ascorbic acid> ethyl acetate fraction> crude methanol extract> Gallic acid> n-butanol fraction, but there was no significant difference (p <0.05) between them. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins and saponins. This suggests a potential utility of the plant as a source of phenolic antioxidants and may provide leads in the ongoing search for natural antioxidants from Nigerian medicinal plants to be used in treating diseases related to free radical reactions

Phytochemical and antibacterial properties of garlic extracts

The antibacterial potency of aqueous and methanol extracts of garlic was determined invitro against three bacterial isolates (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) by agar well  diffusion method. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannin, flavonoid, carbohydrate, protein, saponin, alkaloid and glycoside in the plants while anthraquinone was absent. Both the aqueous and methanol extract of garlic were observed to be more potent against E. coli with maximum zone of growth inhibition of 21.5mm at 200mg/ml and 24.0mm at 200mg/ml respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the aqueous and methanol extracts of garlic against E. coli was 100mg/ml and 50mg/ml respectively, and for S. aureus it was 200mg/ml and 100mg/ml respectively. Similarly, The MIC against Pseudomonas aeruginosa for the aqueous and methanol extracts was 200mg/ml and 200mg/ml respectively. Higher minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 300mg/ml was observed against P. aeruginosa with aqueous extract and 250mg/ml with the methanol extract. The MBC for both the aqueous and methanol extract was 200mg/ml respectively against E. coli while MBC of 300mg/ml was observed against S. aureus for the aqueous extract and 200mg/ml for the methanol extract. These findings therefore justify the traditional medicinal use of garlic.Keywords; Phytochemical, Antibacterial, Efficacy, Garlic, Isolates

Phytotherapy as an alternative for the treatment of human papilloma virus infections in Nigeria: a review

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been incriminated as the causal agent of cervical cancer which has been rated as the second most common cancers among women in developing countries and seventh most common cancers in the developed world. In spite of the fact that HPV has been the major cause of cervical cancer, the dilemma lies in finding a cost-effective therapy. Approximately 291 million women are infected with HPV worldwide, 32% of whom are infected with HPV16 or HPV18. The estimated prevalence of HPV in sub-Saharan Africa is 24% and 11.7% globally. There have been studies reporting specific HPV prevalence rates in some part of Nigeria, with 37% in Abuja, 10% in Port Harcourt, and 26.3% in Ibadan. In the Nigeria population, awareness of HPV infections is low, HPV vaccines are inadequate, and the cost of HPV vaccination per person is beyond what an average citizen can afford. It has been suggested that herbal therapy such as Echinacea therapy reduces HPV replication and enhances the immune system. Although there is yet no scientific proof of the efficacy of Echinacea therapy against HPV infections, future emphasis should be placed on scientific research into this alternative therapy. There is need for more studies on development of antiviral agents against HPV, with a prospect of easy accessibility and affordability in Nigeria.Keywords: Phytotherapy; HPV; Cervical cancer; Nigeri

Biodegradable Poly (Lactic Acid)/ Poly (ethylene glycol) Reinforced Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposite Fabrication, Characterization, Properties, and Applications

This paper presents the electromagnetic interference properties of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a novel nano-reinforcement filler in poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) polymer matrix that was prepared via melt blending mode. Plasticization of PLA was first carried out by PEG, which overcomes its brittleness problem, in order to enhance its flexibility. A waveguide adapter technique was used to measure the dielectric properties εr , and S-parameters reflection (S11) and transmission (S21) coefficients. The dielectric properties, microwave attenuation performances, and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMISE) for all the material under test have been calculated over the full X-Band (8–12 GHz) due to its importance for military and commercial applications. The prepared samples were studied while using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), mechanical properties measurements, as well as thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results showed that the dielectric properties increased with increased multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) filler, as well as the shielding effectiveness of the MWCNT/PLA/PEG nanocomposites increased with the increasing of MWCNTs. The highest SE total value was found to be 42.07 dB at 12 GHz for 4 wt.% filler content. It is also observed that the attenuation values of the nanocomposites increased with an increase in MWCNTs loading, as well as the power loss values for all of the samples increased with the increase in MWCNTs loading, except the amount of the transmitted wave through the nanocomposites

Effect of selenium sources on laying performance, egg quality characteristics, intestinal morphology, microbial population and digesta volatile fatty acids in laying hens

The use of toxic and less bioavailable inorganic selenium can now be supplemented with an alternative organic source from bacterial species in nutrition for human and animal benefit. This study investigated the effects of selenium sources on laying performance, egg quality characteristics, intestinal morphology, caecum microbial population, and digesta volatile fatty acids in laying hens. One hundred and forty-four Lohman Brown Classic laying hens, at 23 weeks of age, were divided into four experimental groups (36 hens in each), differing in form of Se supplementation: no Se supplementation (Con), 0.3 mg/kg of inorganic Se in the form of sodium selenite (Na2SeO3), 0.3 mg/kg of organic Se from selenium yeast (Se-Yeast), and 0.3 mg/kg of organic Se from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (bacterial organic Se, ADS18). The results showed that different dietary Se sources significantly affected laying rate, average egg weight, daily egg mass, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and live bodyweight (LBW) (p 0.05) among the treatment groups. The findings revealed that selenium sources had no (p > 0.05) effect on egg quality (external and internal) parameters. However, eggshell breaking strength and Haugh unit were significantly (p < 0.05) improved with organic (ADS18 or Se-yeast) Se-fed hens compared to the control group. In addition, egg yolk and breast tissue Se concentrations were higher (p < 0.05) in the dietary Se supplemented group compared to the control. Intestinal histomorphology revealed that hens fed ADS18 or Se-Yeast groups had significantly (p < 0.05) higher villi height in the duodenum and jejunum compared to those fed Na2SeO3 or a basal diet. However, when compared to organic Se fed (ADS18 or Se-Yeast) hens, the ileum villus height was higher (p < 0.05) in the basal diet group; with the lowest in the SS among the treatment groups. A significant increase (p < 0.05) of Lactobacilli spp. and Bifidobacteria spp., and a decrease of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. population were observed in the organic (ADS18 or Se-yeast) compared to inorganic supplemented and control hens. The individual digesta volatile fatty acid (VFA) was significantly different, but with no total VFA differences. Thus, bacterial selenoprotein or Se-yeast improved the performance index, egg quality characteristics, egg yolk and tissue Se contents, and intestinal villus height in laying hens. Moreover, caecum beneficial microbes increased with a decrease in the harmful microbe population and affected individual cecal volatile fatty acids without affecting the total VFA of the laying hens digesta

Computational and experimental approaches for determining scattering parameters of OPEFB/PLA composites to calculate the absorption and attenuation values at microwave frequencies

This article describes attenuation and absorption measurements using the microstrip transmission line technique connected with a microwave vector network analyzer (Agilent 8750B). The magnitudes of the reflection (S11) and transmission (S21) coefficients obtained from the microstrip transmission line were used to determine the attenuation and absorption of oil palm empty fruit bunch/polylactic acid (OPEFB/PLA) composites in a frequency range between 0.20 GHz and 12 GHz at room temperature. The main structure of semi-flexible substrates (OPEFF/PLA) was fabricated using different fiber loading content extracted from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) trees hosted in polylactic acid (PLA) using the Brabender blending machine, which ensured mixture homogeneity. The commercial software package, Computer Simulation Technology Microwave Studio (CSTMWS), was used to investigate the microstrip line technique performance by simulating and determine the S11 and S21 for microwave substrate materials. Results showed that the materials’ transmission, reflection, attenuation, and absorption properties could be controlled by changing the percentage of OPEFB filler in the composites. The highest absorption loss was calculated for the highest percentage of filler (70%) OPEFB at 12 GHz to be 0.763 dB, while the lowest absorption loss was calculated for the lowest percentage of filler 30% OPEFB at 12 GHz to be 0.407 dB. Finally, the simulated and measured results were in excellent agreement, but the environmental conditions slightly altered the results. From the results it is observed that the value of the dielectric constant (ε′r) and loss factor (ε′′r) is higher for the OPEFB/PLA composites with a higher content of OPEFB filler. The dielectric constant increased from 2.746 dB to 3.486 dB, while the loss factor increased from 0.090 dB to 0.5941 dB at the highest percentage of 70% OPEFB filler. The dielectric properties obtained from the open-ended coaxial probe were required as input to FEM to calculate the S11 and S21 of the samples

Clinico-pathological profile of sinonasal masses: an experience in national ear care center Kaduna, Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The presence of a mass in the nose and paranasal sinuses may seem to be a simple problem; however it raises many questions about the differential diagnosis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinico-pathological profile of sinonasal masses in our environment</p> <p>This is a retrospective analytical review of all the patients with sinonasal masses that presented to the national ear care center, Kaduna over a six year (2003-2008) period. Their biodata, clinical profile and histological diagnoses were analyzed.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>A total of 76 patients were analyzed, age range 5 to 64 yrs with a mean age of 33.3 yr median and modal age of 35.00 (SD = 13.1 ± 1.5). Majority of the patients were in the age groups 21-50 yrs. There were 34 male and 42 female with M: F ratio of 1:1.2. The main presenting symptoms are nasal blockage 97.4% and rhinorrhea 94.7%. It was bilateral in 34 (44.7%), left side in 24(31.6%) and right side in 18(23.7%) patients. The commonest clinical diagnoses were simple nasal polyp 47(61.8%) and antrochoanal polyp 10(13.2%). About 59 (77.6%) were benign, 2 (2.6%) were malignant and 15 (19.7%) were lost to follow up. The commonest histological diagnosis is simple inflammatory nasal polyp in 28 (36.8%) patients and the least was nasal capillary hemangioma 2 (2.6%). About 55(72.4%) patients had surgical treatment.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Nasal obstruction and rhinorrhea are the commonest symptoms of presentation, simple inflammatory nasal polyp is still the commonest histological pattern seen in our environment, and surgery is still the best modality of treatment for benign tumor thus the need for advocacy for early recognition and referral to the ENT surgeon.</p

The association between parity, infant gender, higher level of paternal education and preterm birth in Pakistan: a cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>High rates of antenatal depression and preterm birth have been reported in Pakistan. Self reported maternal stress and depression have been associated with preterm birth; however findings are inconsistent. Cortisol is a biological marker of stress and depression, and its measurement may assist in understanding the influence of self reported maternal stress and depression on preterm birth.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a prospective cohort study pregnant women between 28 to 30 weeks of gestation from the Aga Khan Hospital for Women and Children completed the A-Z Stress Scale and the Centre for Epidemiology Studies Depression Scale to assess stress and depression respectively, and had a blood cortisol level drawn. Women were followed up after delivery to determine birth outcomes. Correlation coefficients and Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to assess relationship between preterm birth, stress, depression and cortisol. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the key factors predictive of preterm birth.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>132 pregnant women participated of whom 125 pregnant women had both questionnaire and cortisol level data and an additional seven had questionnaire data only. Almost 20% of pregnant women (19·7%, 95% CI 13·3-27·5) experienced a high level of stress and nearly twice as many (40·9%, 95% CI 32·4-49·8%) experienced depressive symptoms. The median of cortisol level was 27·40 ug/dl (IQR 22·5-34·2). The preterm birth rate was 11·4% (95% CI 6·5-18). There was no relationship between cortisol values and stress scale or depression. There was a significant positive relationship between maternal depression and stress. Preterm birth was associated with higher parity, past delivery of a male infant, and higher levels of paternal education. Insufficient numbers of preterm births were available to warrant the development of a multivariable logistic regression model.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Preterm birth was associated with higher parity, past delivery of a male infant, and higher levels of paternal education. There was no relationship between stress, and depression, cortisol and preterm birth. There were high rates of stress and depression among this sample suggesting that there are missed opportunities to address mental health needs in the prenatal period. Improved methods of measurement are required to better understand the psychobiological basis of preterm birth.</p

Clinical presentation of abdominal tuberculosis in HIV seronegative adults

BACKGROUND: The accurate diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis usually takes a long time and requires a high index of suspicion in clinic practice. Eighty-eight immune-competent patients with abdominal tuberculosis were grouped according to symptoms at presentation and followed prospectively in order to investigate the effect of symptomatic presentation on clinical diagnosis and prognosis. METHODS: Based upon the clinical presentation, the patients were divided into groups such as non-specific abdominal pain & less prominent in bowel habit, ascites, alteration in bowel habit, acute abdomen and others. Demographic, clinical and laboratory features, coexistence of pulmonary tuberculosis, diagnostic procedures, definitive diagnostic tests, need for surgical therapy, and response to treatment were assessed in each group. RESULTS: According to clinical presentation, five groups were constituted as non-specific abdominal pain (n = 24), ascites (n = 24), bowel habit alteration (n = 22), acute abdomen (n = 9) and others (n = 9). Patients presenting with acute abdomen had significantly higher white blood cell counts (p = 0.002) and abnormalities in abdominal plain radiographs (p = 0.014). Patients presenting with alteration in bowel habit were younger (p = 0.048). The frequency of colonoscopic abnormalities (7.5%), and need for therapeutic surgery (12.5%) were lower in patients with ascites, (p = 0.04) and (p = 0.001), respectively. There was no difference in gender, disease duration, diagnostic modalities, response to treatment, period to initial response, and mortality between groups (p > 0.05). Gastrointestinal tract alone was the most frequently involved part (38.5%), and this was associated with acid-fast bacteria in the sputum (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Gastrointestinal tract involvement is frequent in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. Although different clinical presentations of patients with abdominal tuberculosis determine diagnostic work up and need for therapeutic surgery, evidence based diagnosis and consequences of the disease does not change

Twelve-month observational study of children with cancer in 41 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction Childhood cancer is a leading cause of death. It is unclear whether the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted childhood cancer mortality. In this study, we aimed to establish all-cause mortality rates for childhood cancers during the COVID-19 pandemic and determine the factors associated with mortality. Methods Prospective cohort study in 109 institutions in 41 countries. Inclusion criteria: children &lt;18 years who were newly diagnosed with or undergoing active treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, retinoblastoma, Wilms tumour, glioma, osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, medulloblastoma and neuroblastoma. Of 2327 cases, 2118 patients were included in the study. The primary outcome measure was all-cause mortality at 30 days, 90 days and 12 months. Results All-cause mortality was 3.4% (n=71/2084) at 30-day follow-up, 5.7% (n=113/1969) at 90-day follow-up and 13.0% (n=206/1581) at 12-month follow-up. The median time from diagnosis to multidisciplinary team (MDT) plan was longest in low-income countries (7 days, IQR 3-11). Multivariable analysis revealed several factors associated with 12-month mortality, including low-income (OR 6.99 (95% CI 2.49 to 19.68); p&lt;0.001), lower middle income (OR 3.32 (95% CI 1.96 to 5.61); p&lt;0.001) and upper middle income (OR 3.49 (95% CI 2.02 to 6.03); p&lt;0.001) country status and chemotherapy (OR 0.55 (95% CI 0.36 to 0.86); p=0.008) and immunotherapy (OR 0.27 (95% CI 0.08 to 0.91); p=0.035) within 30 days from MDT plan. Multivariable analysis revealed laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR 5.33 (95% CI 1.19 to 23.84); p=0.029) was associated with 30-day mortality. Conclusions Children with cancer are more likely to die within 30 days if infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, timely treatment reduced odds of death. This report provides crucial information to balance the benefits of providing anticancer therapy against the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children with cancer