Particles from preformed polymers as carriers for drug delivery

Biodegradable and biocompatible polymers are widely used for the encapsulation of drug molecules. Various particulate carriers with different sizes and characteristics have been prepared by miscellaneous techniques. In this review, we reported the commonly used preformed polymer based techniques for the preparation of micro and nano-structured materials intended for drug encapsulation. A description of polymer-solvent interaction was provided. The most widely used polymers were reported and described and their related research studies were mentioned. Moreover, principles of each technique and its crucial operating conditions were described and discussed. Recent applications of all the reported techniques in drug delivery were also reviewed

Sporting Activities as an Agent of Peace and Unity Among Secondary School Students in Ilorin South Local Government

The study investigated sporting activities as an agent of peace and unity among secondary school students in Ilorin South Local government. Sport has become a world language, a common denominator that breaks down all the walls and barriers. Descriptive research design of the survey type was adopted for the research, the population of the study comprised of all public secondary schools in Ilorin South Local Government. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 288 students used for this study. A researcher structured Questionnaire was used. The study found out that: Extracurricular activities has significant influence on peace and unity among secondary school in Ilorin South local government with cal value 547.20> crit. Value 16.92 at 9 df and 0.05 level of significance, organized inter-house sport has a noticeable influence on peace and unity among secondary school students in Ilorin South Local Government with cal value 439.14> crit. Value 16.92 at 9df and 0.05 level of significance, major competitions influence peace and unity among secondary school students in Ilorin South local government with cal value 400.02> crit. Value 12.59 at 6df and 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that extra-curricular activities, organized inter-house sports, and major competitions have significant influence on peace and unity among secondary school students in Ilorin South Local Government. Based on the findings, some recommendations were made, extracurricular activities should be organized more often in secondary schools so as to promote tolerance, teamwork, trust and respect for others among students.  Keywords: sporting activities, peace, unit

Degradation of Plastic Wastes (PP, PET, and LDPE) for Liquid Fuel Production as alternative energy by Using Vacuum Pyrolysis Method.

The plastic wastes are the more available material in the environment. These material types are: PolyPropylene (PP),PolyEthylene Terephthalate(PET) and Low Density Poly Ethylene(LDPE). Thermal degradation of those three materials was studied under vacuum environment individually and as a combination of all. The output products were characterized by Gas Chromatography(GC) and Fourier Transform Infra-Red(FTIR). Some of the physical properties was measured such as density, boiling point. The results show that degradation of combined materials was produced liquid fuel compared with standard properties preferable than individual once. A mixture product of same carbonyl compounds such carboxylic acid and unsaturated aldehyde was preliminary characterized

Serum zinc levels as a predictor of clinical features and outcome of paediatric acute lower respiratory infections in Nigeria

Background: Malnutrition, especially macronutrient deficiency, has been shown to be interrelated with ALRI-related morbidity and mortality. However the import of zinc deficiency has only recently become the focus of research attention.Objective: The current study was carried out in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria to determine the relationship between serum zinc levels, clinical features and outcome in hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory infections(ALRI).Method: A descriptive crosssectional hospital-based study involving 120 children aged two months to five years with ALRI. Socio-demographic, clinical and laboratory data were obtained. The serum zinc was analyzed with a Jenway™ spectrophotometer after initial preparation with theQuantiChrom™ zinc assay kit.Results: Children with tachypnoea and crepitations had significantly lower mean serum zinc levels compared to the corresponding values in those without these features (each p<0.05). Significantly higher mean serum zinc level was recorded in children with grunting respiration compared with thosewithout grunting (p=0.028). Agerelated tachypnoea, grunting, and crepitations remained significant (each p<0.05) following a linear  regression analysis. The mean serum zinc level in children with multiple complications was significantly lower than the corresponding level recorded in children who had one complication, p=0.020. No significant differencewas found between the mean serum zinc level of the children who were discharged compared with the corresponding level recorded in those that died, p=0.589.Conclusion: The presence of crepitations had the strongest clinical association with a low serum zinc level. Children managed for ALRI would benefit from post-treatment zinc supplements and appropriate zinc-rich sources of food at discharge.Keywords: Children zinc respiratory infection

Identification of gene modules associated with low temperatures response in Bambara groundnut by network-based analysis

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) is an African legume and is a promising underutilized crop with good seed nutritional values. Low temperature stress in a number of African countries at night, such as Botswana, can effect the growth and development of bambara groundnut, leading to losses in potential crop yield. Therefore, in this study we developed a computational pipeline to identify and analyze the genes and gene modules associated with low temperature stress responses in bambara groundnut using the cross-species microarray technique (as bambara groundnut has no microarray chip) coupled with network-based analysis. Analyses of the bambara groundnut transcriptome using cross-species gene expression data resulted in the identification of 375 and 659 differentially expressed genes (p<0.01) under the sub-optimal (23°C) and very sub-optimal (18°C) temperatures, respectively, of which 110 genes are commonly shared between the two stress conditions. The construction of a Highest Reciprocal Rank-based gene co-expression network, followed by its partition using a Heuristic Cluster Chiseling Algorithm resulted in 6 and 7 gene modules in sub-optimal and very sub-optimal temperature stresses being identified, respectively. Modules of sub-optimal temperature stress are principally enriched with carbohydrate and lipid metabolic processes, while most of the modules of very sub-optimal temperature stress are significantly enriched with responses to stimuli and various metabolic processes. Several transcription factors (from MYB, NAC, WRKY, WHIRLY & GATA classes) that may regulate the downstream genes involved in response to stimulus in order for the plant to withstand very sub-optimal temperature stress were highlighted. The identified gene modules could be useful in breeding for low-temperature stress tolerant bambara groundnut varieties

Microfacies Analysis the Lower-middle Miocene Succession, Kirkuk area

The Lower-Middle Miocene succession in kirkuk area include the Serikagni, Euphrates, Dhiben, Jeribe and Fatha formations in addition to Govanda and Ghar formation. The Euphrates, Dhiban, and Jeribe formations for study in Ja-26 and Hr-41 wells at Kirkuk area have similar facies and difficult recognized in order to Dhiban Formation separated with them. Therefore Euphrates ,Dhiban, and Jeribe formations are favored one group where to be similar in paleoenvironment depositonal and facies analyses. Which most them are formed from restricted marine and shallow open marine environments that consisting of lime mud stone, wakestone and packstone which consist skeletal grains of fossils especially milolid and nonskeletal grains of pellits and peloids in addition to dolomite and dolomitic mud and wackestone. The sabkha environment is recognized to Dhiban Formation and at the Jeribe Formation there are fixed occurrence of blue marl facies which represent the deep marine environment and fossilifrous peloidal packestone-grainestone facies represent shoal environments. The Fatha Formation and Serikagni Formation are considered resigning formations where Serikagni Formation is recognized by planiktonic deep marine environment while Fatha Formation is recognized dependence on location of sequence stratigraphy that is characterized high thick of salt, gypsum, anhydrate rocks in addition thin interbeded carbonates rocks

Role Enhancement of ZnO nanoparticles and ZnO/Ag composite for Medical Applications

ZnO nanoparticles assisted with ethanol and 2propanol as capping agent investigated the medical activities of ZnO nanoparticles and ZnO/Ag composite. ZnO nanoparticles were prepared using zinc acetate and silver nitrate as a source of zinc and silver. ZnO/Ag composite also prepared and studied the medical activities. XRD pattern indicates that the structure of ZnO was hexagonal wurtzite with average size 5 nm according to Scherre's formula. The optical band gap of ZnO nanoparticle showed very sensitive for using different capping agent as shown in UV-VIS spectra and also showed blue shift in wavelength corresponding to capping agent. Finally, the antibacterial properties of ZnO and ZnO/Ag composite against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria have been demonstrated using well diffusion method and indentify their antibacterial effects compared with organic antibacterial agents. Keywords: ZnO nanoparticles, ZnO/Ag composite, antibacterial

Nutritional Status of Primary School Children in Ilorin-West LGA, Kwara State, Nigeria

Background: Malnutrition in children remains a global health problem in developing countries including Nigeria. Nearly half of all under-five deaths in Africa and South-East Asia can be traceable to malnutrition. The nutritional status of primary school children in Ilorin-West Local Government Area of Kwara State is not known, therefore the study set out to determine this and its associated factors.Methods: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out between February and May 2016 across 16 primary schools in Ilorin-West LGA. Four hundred and eighty school children aged 6-12 years were recruited into the study through a multi-stage sampling technique. Anthropometry was taken following standard procedures; weight was measured with a digital bathroom weighing scale (Camry, Model: EB9323H, China), while height was measured with a stadiometer (Seca Model: 213, USA). Anthropometric indices were determined. Data collected was analysed using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Tm version 20.0 for windows.Results: The prevalence of underweight, stunting, wasting and obesity were 3.0%, 5.0%, 4.4% and 1.0%, respectively. Stunting was more prevalent among female pupils, pupils attending the public primary schools and children of mothers with no formal education, while obesity was more prevalent in the private primary schools.Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity recorded in this study confirms the emerging concept of ‘the double burden of malnutrition,’ and poses a public health challenge to policy makers. It is recommended that community nutrition enlightenment campaigns be strengthened and possibly school meals be re-introduced to both private and public schools. Keywords: Nutritional status; School-aged; Stunting; Wasting; Obesit

A redox state-dictated signalling pathway deciphers the malignant cell specificity of CD40-mediated apoptosis

CD40, a member of the tumour necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily, has the capacity to cause extensive apoptosis in carcinoma cells, while sparing normal epithelial cells. Yet, apoptosis is only achieved by membrane-presented CD40 ligand (mCD40L), as soluble receptor agonists are but weakly pro-apoptotic. Here, for the first time we have identified the precise signalling cascade underpinning mCD40L-mediated death as involving sequential TRAF3 stabilisation, ASK1 phosphorylation, MKK4 (but not MKK7) activation and JNK/AP-1 induction, leading to a Bak- and Bax-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. TRAF3 is central in the activation of the NADPH oxidase (Nox)-2 component p40phox and the elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is essential in apoptosis. Strikingly, CD40 activation resulted in down-regulation of Thioredoxin (Trx)-1 to permit ASK1 activation and apoptosis. Although soluble receptor agonist alone could not induce death, combinatorial treatment incorporating soluble CD40 agonist and pharmacological inhibition of Trx-1 was functionally equivalent to the signal triggered by mCD40L. Finally, we demonstrate using normal, ‘para-malignant’ and tumour-derived cells that progression to malignant transformation is associated with increase in oxidative stress in epithelial cells, which coincides with increased susceptibility to CD40 killing, while in normal cells CD40 signalling is cytoprotective. Our studies have revealed the molecular nature of the tumour specificity of CD40 signalling and explained the differences in pro-apoptotic potential between soluble and membrane-bound CD40 agonists. Equally importantly, by exploiting a unique epithelial culture system that allowed us to monitor alterations in the redox-state of epithelial cells at different stages of malignant transformation, our study reveals how pro-apoptotic signals can elevate ROS past a previously hypothesised ‘lethal pro-apoptotic threshold’ to induce death; an observation that is both of fundamental importance and carries implications for cancer therap

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication