Descriptive epidemiology of salivary gland neoplasms in Nigeria: An AOPRC multicenter tertiary hospital study

Abstract Objectives: Accurate diagnosis of salivary gland neoplasms (SGN) in many centers in Africa is limited by poor diagnostic resources and ancillary services. Hence, we have carried out a multicenter epidemiological study to understand the true burden of SGN in Nigeria. Method: In this descriptive cross‐sectional study, we have deployed resources avail‐able to members of the African Oral Pathology Consortium (AOPRC) to examine the burden of salivary gland lesions in Nigeria, using a multicenter approach. Data from seven major tertiary health institutions in northern, western, and southern Nigeria were generated using a standardized data extraction format and analyzed using the Epi‐info software (Version 7.0, Atlanta, USA).Result: Of the 497 cases examined across the seven centers, we observed that SGN occurred more in females than males. Overall, pleomorphic salivary adenoma (PA) was found to be the most common. PA was found to be the commonest benign SGN while adenocystic carcinoma (ADCC) was the commonest malignant SGN

Changes in nutritional, texture, rancidity and microbiological properties of composite biscuits produced from breadfruit and wheat flours enriched with edible fish meal

Open Access Article; Published online: 30 Apr 2021The use of indigenous crops in the preparation of nutritious snacks such as biscuits has been reported as a means of alleviating the perennial problem of malnutrition among Nigerians, especially children. However, storage has been recognised as a factor affecting the attributes of these biscuits. This study investigated the quality changes of biscuit produced from fish meal enriched-composite flour of breadfruit and wheat. Freshly harvested seedless variety of breadfruit, matured catfish, wheat flour and other ingredients were procured from local outlets in Ogun State, Nigeria. Breadfruit flour (BF) was produced by washing, manual peeling, washing, grating, bagging, dewatering, pulverizing and drying. Edible fish meal (EFM) was produced by washing, eviscerating, steaming and drying Catfish. Five blends of BF, WF and EFM were obtained from the optimised solutions of the D-optimal mixture design. Samples were stored (HDPE; 28 ± 2 °C) for 12 weeks. The proximate and mineral compositions, rancidity, texture profile and microbial counts of the biscuits were determined. Data were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and independent sample t-test. The means from ANOVA were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at p ≤ 0.05. At the end of the storage period, the biscuit blends were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) different in moisture, protein, fat, fibre, ash, carbohydrate, calcium, iron and zinc. Increased levels of EFM in the blends led to increase in protein, fat, calcium, peroxide value (PV) and free fatty acid (FFA) value of the biscuits. At the end of the storage period, moisture increased, while fat decreased. The PV and FFA of most samples increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) with storage, and were within the maximum permissible level. Total bacterial and mould counts also increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) and exceeded the permissible level after 4 weeks of storage. Hence, the biscuits are suitable for consumption within 4 weeks under the investigated storage conditions

A study protocol to characterise pathophysiological and molecular markers of rheumatic heart disease and degenerative aortic stenosis using multiparametric cardiovascular imaging and multiomics techniques

INTRODUCTION: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD), degenerative aortic stenosis (AS), and congenital valve diseases are prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. Many knowledge gaps remain in understanding disease mechanisms, stratifying phenotypes, and prognostication. Therefore, we aimed to characterise patients through clinical profiling, imaging, histology, and molecular biomarkers to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and prognosis of RHD and AS. METHODS: In this cross-sectional, case–controlled study, we plan to recruit RHD and AS patients and compare them to matched controls. Living participants will undergo clinical assessment, echocardiography, CMR and blood sampling for circulatory biomarker analyses. Tissue samples will be obtained from patients undergoing valve replacement, while healthy tissues will be obtained from cadavers. Immunohistology, proteomics, metabolomics, and transcriptome analyses will be used to analyse circulatory- and tissue-specific biomarkers. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses will be used for hypothesis testing and identification of important biomarkers. In summary, this study aims to delineate the pathophysiology of RHD and degenerative AS using multiparametric CMR imaging. In addition to discover novel biomarkers and explore the pathomechanisms associated with RHD and AS through high-throughput profiling of the tissue and blood proteome and metabolome and provide a proof of concept of the suitability of using cadaveric tissues as controls for cardiovascular disease studies

The COVID-19 pandemic: the benefits and challenges it presents for medical education in Africa

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has impacted many facets of everyday daily life, resulting in far-reaching consequences on social interaction, regional and global economies, and healthcare delivery systems. Numerous reports have commented on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical education in various world regions. However, we know little about the influence of the pandemic on medical education in Africa. Here, we discuss the potential impact of COVID-19 on teaching and learning in undergraduate medical education in sub-Saharan Africa, illustrating some of the unexpected benefits and challenges the pandemic presents for medical education in sub-Saharan Africa

Potential latitudinal variation in orodigestive tract cancers in Africa

Background. Previous studies have alluded to a causal relationship between pathological entities and geographical variations, but there is a paucity of studies from Africa discussing the effect of latitudinal variation on orodigestive cancers in this region. It seems plausible that the burden of orodigestive cancer would differ as a result of variations in diet, cultural habits, climate and environmental conditions down the length of Africa.Objectives. To analyse regional variations in prevalence, incidence and mortality data in the global cancer statistics database (GLOBOCAN 2012) curated by the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Basic descriptive statistical tools were used to depict regional variations in cancer morbidity and mortality.Methods. Data on 13 African countries between longitude 20⁰ and 30⁰ east and latitude 35⁰ north and 35⁰ south were examined for variation in age-standardised orodigestive cancer prevalence, incidence and mortality. Possible regional causes for orodigestive tract cancer development were investigated. Data on lip and oral cavity, oesophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, gallbladder and pancreatic cancers in the 13 countries were compared.Results. Our empirical findings from this preliminary study support the notion that the incidence and prevalence of orodigestive cancers vary within Africa. This effect may be due to environmental, economic, political and possibly genetic factors.Conclusions. Considering the heterogeneity of the above factors across Africa, disbursement of funding for cancer research and therapy in Africa should be focused in terms of regional variations to make best use of the fiscal allocation by African governments, non-governmental organisations and international agencies

High-throughput metabolomics applications in pathogenesis and diagnosis of valvular heart disease

High-throughput metabolomics techniques are a useful tool to understand many disease conditions including cardiovascular disease such as valvular heart disease(s) (VHD). VHD involves damage to heart valves, mostly presenting as stenosis, regurgitation or prolapse and can be classified into degenerative, rheumatic, congenital, or prosthetic valve disease. Gaps remain in our understanding of the pathogenesis of the common VHD. It is now fitting to place into perspective the contribution of metabolomics in the mechanism of development, diagnosis, and prognosis of VHD. A structured search for metabolomics studies centred on human VHD was undertaken. Biomarkers associated with the pathogenesis of bicuspid aortic valve disease, mitral valve disease, rheumatic heart disease, and degenerative aortic valve stenosis are reviewed and discussed. In addition, metabolic biomarkers reported to prognosticate patient outcomes of post-valve repair or replacement are highlighted. Finally, we also review the pitfalls and limitations to consider when designing metabolomics studies, especially from a clinician’s viewpoint. In the future, reliable and simple metabolic biomarker(s) may supplement the existing diagnostic tools in the early diagnosis of VHD

Geriatric dentistry education and context in a selection of countries in five continents

Purpose/aim: To summarize and discuss how geriatric dentistry has been addressed in dental schools of different countries regarding to (1) teaching students at the predoctoral level; (2) advanced training, and (3) research. Method and materials: A convenience sample of faculty members from a selection of high, upper-middle and lower-middle income countries were recruited to complete the survey. The survey had 5 open-ended main topics, and asked about (1) the size of their elderly population, (2) general information about dental education; (3) the number of dental schools teaching geriatric dentistry, and their teaching methods; (4) advanced training in geriatric dentistry; (5) scholarship/research in geriatric dentistry. Results and conclusion: ( 1) There is great variation in the size of elderly population; (2) duration of training and content of dental education curriculum varies; (3) geriatric dentistry has not been established as a standalone course in dental schools in the majority of the countries, (4) most countries, with the exception of Japan, lack adequate number of dentists trained in geriatric dentistry as well as training programs, and (5) geriatric dentistry-related research has increased in recent years in scope and content, although the majority of these papers are not in English.Leonardo Marchini, Ronald Ettinger, Xi Chen, Anastassia Kossioni, Haiping Tan, Sayaka Tada, Kazunori Ikebe, Elizabeth Bosede Dosumu, Fadekemi O. Oginni, Patricia Adetokunbo Akeredolu, Azeez Butali, Leeann Donnelly, Mario Brondani, Bernd Fritzsch, Henry A. Adeol

Geriatric dentistry education and context in a selection of countries in 5 continents

Purpose/aim: To summarize and discuss how geriatric dentistry has been addressed in dental schools of different countries regarding to (1) teaching students at the predoctoral level; (2) advanced training, and (3) research. Method and materials: A convenience sample of faculty members from a selection of high, upper-middle and lower-middle income countries were recruited to complete the survey. The survey had 5 open-ended main topics, and asked about (1) the size of their elderly population, (2) general information about dental education; (3) the number of dental schools teaching geriatric dentistry, and their teaching methods; (4) advanced training in geriatric dentistry; (5) scholarship/research in geriatric dentistry. Results and conclusion: (1) There is great variation in the size of elderly population; (2) duration of training and content of dental education curriculum varies; (3) geriatric dentistry has not been established as a standalone course in dental schools in the majority of the countries, (4) most countries, with the exception of Japan, lack adequate number of dentists trained in geriatric dentistry as well as training programs, and (5) geriatric dentistry-related research has increased in recent years in scope and content, although the majority of these papers are not in English. © 2018 Special Care Dentistry Association and Wiley Periodicals, Inc

A multi-country phase 2 study to evaluate the suitcase lab for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 in seven Sub-Saharan African countries: Lessons from the field

From Elsevier via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: issued 2023-03-03Article version: AMPaul Kadetz - ORCID: 0000-0002-2824-1856 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2824-1856Background : The COVID-19 pandemic led to severe health systems collapse, as well as logistics and supply delivery shortages across sectors. Delivery of PCR related healthcare supplies continue to be hindered. There is the need for a rapid and accessible SARS-CoV-2 molecular detection method in low resource settings. Objectives : To validate a novel isothermal amplification method for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 across seven sub-Sharan African countries. Study design : In this multi-country phase 2 diagnostic study, 3,231 clinical samples in seven African sites were tested with two reverse transcription Recombinase-Aided Amplification (RT-RAA) assays (based on SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid (N) gene and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) gene). The test was performed in a mobile suitcase laboratory within 15 minutes. All results were compared to a real-time RT-PCR assay. Extraction kits based on silica gel or magnetic beads were applied. Results : Four sites demonstrated good to excellent agreement, while three sites showed fair to moderate results. The RdRP gene assay exhibited an overall PPV of 0.92 and a NPV of 0.88. The N gene assay exhibited an overall PPV of 0.93 and a NPV 0.88. The sensitivity of both RT-RAA assays varied depending on the sample Ct values. When comparing sensitivity between sites, values differed considerably. For high viral load samples, the RT-RAA assay sensitivity ranges were between 60.5 and 100% (RdRP assay) and 25 and 98.6 (N assay). Conclusion : Overall, the RdRP based RT-RAA test showed the best assay accuracy. This study highlights the challenges of implementing rapid molecular assays in field conditions. Factors that are important for successful deployment across countries include the implementation of standardized operation procedures, in-person continuous training for staff, and enhanced quality control measures.inpressinpres