Spectrum and pattern of distribution of findings in patients with dyspepsia undergoing oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy at a Tertiary Hospital in Ibadan, south west, Nigeria

Introduction: Dyspepsia is a symptom complex with varied underlying etiologies. The underlying etiology determines the precise treatment and prognosis though Helicobacter pylori infection plays a central role. The aim of this study was to describe the spectrum and pattern of distribution of findings in patients with dyspepsia undergoing oesophago-gastroduodenoscopy at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.Methods: A retrospective analysis of computerized database patients with dyspepsia who underwent oesophago-gastro–duodenoscopy from 2015 to 2019.Results: A total of 1,373 procedures were done and dyspepsia was the indication in 736 (53.2%) comprising 317 (43.1%) male and 405 (55%) female (P< .001). The age ranged from 18 to 100 with a mean of 50 ± 15 years. The age group 40–59 years had the highest representation (P = .00). The esophageal mucosa was normal in 592 (80.4%) while 45 (6.1%) and 36 (4.9%) patients had esophagitis and esophageal candidiasis, respectively. In the stomach, 230 (31%) patients had normal mucosa while 433 (57.5%) and 40 (5.4%) patients had gastritis and gastric ulcers, respectively. Antrum was the most commonly involved site by the gastritis and ulcers in 236 (55.8%) and 24 (60%) patients, respectively. The mean age of those with non-ulcer dyspepsia was 49.8 ± 15 while that of those with organic dyspepsia was 55.7 ± 13.7 years (P= .01). Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between the age group and organic dyspepsia (P = .00). The first part of the duodenum was normal in 594 (80.7%) while bulbar duodenitis was seen in 106 (14.4%).Conclusion: In our practice, OGD in patients with dyspepsia is either normal or yielded few abnormalities. The most common abnormalities were gastritis, duodenitis, esophagitis and gastric ulcers. Gastritis and ulcers were antral predominant and gastric ulcers were more common than duodenal ulcers. There was a significant relationship between increasing age and organic dyspepsia

Silver nanoparticle synthesis by Acalypha wilkesiana extract: phytochemical screening, characterization, influence of operational parameters, and preliminary antibacterial testing

© 2019, The Author(s). Introduction: The application of skin bleaching products to inhibit melanogenesis is a common practice within the African diaspora. Despite the adverse health effects of skin bleaching, rigorous studies investigating skin bleaching behavior among these populations in the United States are limited. In our P30 pilot study, we explored predictors of skin bleaching practice intensity among African and Afro-Caribbean women. Methods: In collaboration with our Community Engagement Core, we conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the relationship between demographic and psychosocial predictors and skin-bleaching-related practice patterns among African and Afro-Caribbean women in New York City. Results: Among the 76 participants recruited, the median age at the initiation of skin bleaching was 19.5 (16–25) years, yielding a median duration of 13.5 (6–23) years. Although pregnant women were not actively recruited for the study, 13.2% (n = 10) of the participants used skin bleaching products while pregnant or possibly breastfeeding. Nativeness and education were associated with various components of skin bleaching practice intensity, including duration of skin bleaching, daily use of products, and bleaching of the entire body. Participants’ perceived skin-color-related quality of life was not associated with skin bleaching practice intensity. Conclusion: Skin bleaching is a habitual practice that likely requires culturally sensitive interventions to promote behavioral change. The existence of prenatal and postnatal exposure to mercury, hydroquinone, and other potentially harmful chemicals in skin bleaching products highlights an urgent need to explore the adverse effects of skin bleaching practices on birth outcomes and the growth and neurodevelopment of young babies

The Helicobacter pylori Genome Project : insights into H. pylori population structure from analysis of a worldwide collection of complete genomes

Helicobacter pylori, a dominant member of the gastric microbiota, shares co-evolutionary history with humans. This has led to the development of genetically distinct H. pylori subpopulations associated with the geographic origin of the host and with differential gastric disease risk. Here, we provide insights into H. pylori population structure as a part of the Helicobacter pylori Genome Project (HpGP), a multi-disciplinary initiative aimed at elucidating H. pylori pathogenesis and identifying new therapeutic targets. We collected 1011 well-characterized clinical strains from 50 countries and generated high-quality genome sequences. We analysed core genome diversity and population structure of the HpGP dataset and 255 worldwide reference genomes to outline the ancestral contribution to Eurasian, African, and American populations. We found evidence of substantial contribution of population hpNorthAsia and subpopulation hspUral in Northern European H. pylori. The genomes of H. pylori isolated from northern and southern Indigenous Americans differed in that bacteria isolated in northern Indigenous communities were more similar to North Asian H. pylori while the southern had higher relatedness to hpEastAsia. Notably, we also found a highly clonal yet geographically dispersed North American subpopulation, which is negative for the cag pathogenicity island, and present in 7% of sequenced US genomes. We expect the HpGP dataset and the corresponding strains to become a major asset for H. pylori genomics