Prevalence of malarial parasites in pregnant women attending Sir Muhammad Sunusi Specialist Hospital, Kano, Nigeria

A total of 300 blood samples of pregnant women were tested to determine the prevalence of malarial parasite using Leishman’s stain method. Out of which, 155 (51.7%) were found to be M.P positive, while 145 (48.3%) were M.P negative. 85 (54.8%) of M.P positive had the highest percentage as the primigravidae followed by 70 (45.16%) as multigravidae. Observation have shown that there was a high prevalence of 76 (49.03%) positive patients in the month of August followed by September with 44 (34.19%) as well as 26(16.77%) in July respectively. This was attributed as a result of heavy rainfall experience between Julys to September. It was also seen that patients from Sauna quarters has a highest number of prevalence of 36 (24.5%). this attributed to the fact that they have a close proximity with the hospital and has a highest number of patients that attended the antenatal clinic during the period. Keyword: Prevalence, Malarial Parasite, Pregnant Women, Kano

Evaluation of antimicrobial activities of Combretum micranthum L.

The antibacterial and antifungal activities of extracts of Combretum micranthum L. (root) were tested against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans respectively. The plant (root) extracts were obtained using ethanol, chloroform, ethyl acetate and distilled water solvents. All the test organisms were studied using the Agar Diffusion Method (ADM) and were susceptible to crude and ethyl acetate extracts but Escherichia coli and Candida albicans were resistant. The extracts of Combretum micranthum L. had broader spectrum of activity than the commercial antibiotics tested against isolates. Results of the study confirmed the chemotherapeutic values in ethnomedicine of extracts of this plant in the treatment of various ailments. Key words: Antimicrobial, Extracts, Combretum micranthu

A Study of the Phytochemical Properties and Synergistic Action of Leaf Extracts of Dodonea Viscosa Linn, Annona Comosus (Linn) Merr Peel and Citrus Senensis Peel on Aeromonas hydrophila and Salmonella Species

The leaf of Dodonea viscosa Linn, peels of Annona comosus (Linn) Merr and Citrus senensis are widely used traditional remedies against various ailments, such as digestive system disorders like: indigestion, ulcers, diarrhoea, constipation, upset stomach and tonic to digestive system. The major chemical constituents reported from the plant parts are alkaloids, flavoniods, saponins, tannins, steroids, triterpenoids and phytosterols which show that these plant parts can be a potential candidate to be use as a therapeutic agent. The aim of the study was to determine the synergism at a concentration ratio of 1:1 between the three extracts using discs diffusion, broth tube dilution and fractional inhibitory concentration techniques against six Salmonella paratyphi B, one Salmonella typhi and three A. hydrophila. In vitro anti-salmonellae and A. hydrophila activities of the extracts were confirmed and no synergism was demonstrated (P = 0.05). Keywords: Bioactivity, phytochemicals, synergism, Dodonea viscosa, Annona comosus, Citrus senensis, MIC, MBC, FIC

Conversion of biomass to adsorbent: a review

Tons of biomass are produced every year including organic agricultural and forestry by-products but they are of limited value. Mostly, in the developing countries, the biomasses are considered as waste and are being burnt or thrown to liter the environment as part of teaming solid waste. Presently, there are no sustainable long-term management strategies to use biomass. The utilization of biomass to produce activated carbon is a good approach that is industrially useful and environmentally benign materials. The adsorption technique is using adsorbents in the removal of heavy metals from water therefore, biomass can be converted to the adsorbent and utilized as a waste-to-wealth commodity in water purification. In this review, the suitable process for conversion of biomass to cheap and simple means of obtaining activation carbon as adsorbent is presented. The potential uses of biomass and the conversion stages including carbonization, pyrolysis, gasification, and activation were discussed. This work depicts that the issue of solid waste utilization to solve existing issues with locally available and cheap materials is beneficial to man and the environment

Monocyte-lymphocyte cross-communication via soluble CD163 directly links innate immune system activation and adaptive immune system suppression following ischemic stroke

CD163 is a scavenger receptor expressed on innate immune cell populations which can be shed from the plasma membrane via the metalloprotease ADAM17 to generate a soluble peptide with lympho-inhibitory properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate CD163 as a possible effector of stroke-induced adaptive immune system suppression. Liquid biopsies were collected from ischemic stroke patients (n = 39), neurologically asymptomatic controls (n = 20), and stroke mimics (n = 20) within 24 hours of symptom onset. Peripheral blood ADAM17 activity and soluble CD163 levels were elevated in stroke patients relative to non-stroke control groups, and negatively associated with post-stroke lymphocyte counts. Subsequent in vitro experiments suggested that this stroke-induced elevation in circulating soluble CD163 likely originates from activated monocytic cells, as serum from stroke patients stimulated ADAM17-dependant CD163 shedding from healthy donor-derived monocytes. Additional in vitro experiments demonstrated that stroke-induced elevations in circulating soluble CD163 can elicit direct suppressive effects on the adaptive immune system, as serum from stroke patients inhibited the proliferation of healthy donor-derived lymphocytes, an effect which was attenuated following serum CD163 depletion. Collectively, these observations provide novel evidence that the innate immune system employs protective mechanisms aimed at mitigating the risk of post-stroke autoimmune complications driven by adaptive immune system overactivation, and that CD163 is key mediator of this phenomenon

Machine-Learning Approach Identifies a Pattern of Gene Expression in Peripheral Blood that can Accurately Detect Ischaemic Stroke

Early and accurate diagnosis of stroke improves the probability of positive outcome. The objective of this study was to identify a pattern of gene expression in peripheral blood that could potentially be optimised to expedite the diagnosis of acute ischaemic stroke (AIS). A discovery cohort was recruited consisting of 39 AIS patients and 24 neurologically asymptomatic controls. Peripheral blood was sampled at emergency department admission, and genome-wide expression profiling was performed via microarray. A machine-learning technique known as genetic algorithm k-nearest neighbours (GA/kNN) was then used to identify a pattern of gene expression that could optimally discriminate between groups. This pattern of expression was then assessed via qRT-PCR in an independent validation cohort, where it was evaluated for its ability to discriminate between an additional 39 AIS patients and 30 neurologically asymptomatic controls, as well as 20 acute stroke mimics. GA/kNN identified 10 genes (ANTXR2, STK3, PDK4, CD163, MAL, GRAP, ID3, CTSZ, KIF1B and PLXDC2) whose coordinate pattern of expression was able to identify 98.4% of discovery cohort subjects correctly (97.4% sensitive, 100% specific). In the validation cohort, the expression levels of the same 10 genes were able to identify 95.6% of subjects correctly when comparing AIS patients to asymptomatic controls (92.3% sensitive, 100% specific), and 94.9% of subjects correctly when comparing AIS patients with stroke mimics (97.4% sensitive, 90.0% specific). The transcriptional pattern identified in this study shows strong diagnostic potential, and warrants further evaluation to determine its true clinical efficacy

Anti Bacterial Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Zingiber Officinale and Pipper Nigrum against Some Clinical Isolates

Ethanolic extract of Zingiber officinale and Pipper nigrum were evaluated by testing in vitro antimicrobial activity on clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, and proteus specie using Agar diffusion method. Proteus specie showed sensitivity to Z. officinale at disc concentration range of 50 to 800µg/ml, Staphylococcus aureus also showed sensitivity to z. officinale at concentration of 100 to 800 µg/ml and Klebsiella pneumonia showed sensitivity at disc concentration of 100 to 800 µg/ml likewise proteus specie showed sensitivity to p. nigrum at disc concentration range of 100 to 800µg/ml and staphylococcus aureus also showed sensitivity to p. nigrum at disc concentration range of 100 to 800µg/ml. However, the Ethanolic extract of z. officinale and p. nigrum showed no lethal or inhibitory effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli at all concentration. The observed minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the Ethanolic extraction for proteus species, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia were 50, 100,200µglml respectively for Z. officinale, while for P. nigrum, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were 100 and 200µg/ml for Proteus specie and staphylococcus aureus respectively. The extracts were further subjected to phytochemical tests for the presence of secondary metabolites using standard procedures. The results of phytochemical screening indicated the presence of alkaloids, Flavonoid, reducing sugar, saponins and steroids in Z. officinale, and alkaloids, Flavonoid, saponins, steroids and tannin in P. nigrum. This indicates that both Z. officinale and piper nigrum has the potential for the production of drugs against pathogenic organisms

Origin of myofibroblasts in liver fibrosis

Most chronic liver diseases of all etiologies result in progressive liver fibrosis. Myofibroblasts produce the extracellular matrix, including type I collagen, which constitutes the fibrous scar in liver fibrosis. Normal liver has little type I collagen and no detectable myofibroblasts, but myofibroblasts appear early in experimental and clinical liver injury. The origin of the myofibroblast in liver fibrosis is still unresolved. The possibilities include activation of endogenous mesenchymal cells including fibroblasts and hepatic stellate cells, recruitment from the bone marrow, and transformation of epithelial or endothelial cells to myofibroblasts. In fact, the origin of myofibroblasts may be different for different types of chronic liver diseases, such as cholestatic liver disease or hepatotoxic liver disease. This review will examine our current understanding of the liver myofibroblast

Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Rubella Susceptibility Among Obstetric Population in Metropolis Antenatal Centre Kano, Nigeria

It is well known that hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is endemic in Nigeria. However, increased rubella susceptibility has been shown in patients from the Asian pacific region where chronic HBV infection is endemic. This study was carried out to assess the relationship between chronic HBV infection and rubella susceptibility in obstetric population aged 15–47 years attending Antenatal Clinic at Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital Kano, Nigeria. From a total of 288 patients screened, 31 (10.76%) were reactive for HBsAg, meanwhile 50 (17.36%) were reactive to rubella IgM. Among the 31 infected patients 15 (48.39%) were from 20 – 24 years age bracket representing the most  susceptible age group while the infection rate was lowest (0.35%) in 45 – 49  age group (P = 0.00). The results of serological markers shows that HBsAg (+) was found in all 31 subjects (100%), anti HBs (+) 0 (0.00%), HBeAg (+) 3 (9.68%); anti HBe (+) and anti HBc (+) 24 (77.42%) respectively (P = 0.09). The study of liver enzymes activity among the HBV positive patients shows abnormal Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) among HBsAg (+) and HBeAg (+) group. However, abnormal Alkaline phospatase (ALP) was found to be non-significantly different between HBsAg (+) and HBeAg (+) vsHBsAg (+) and HBeAg (-) groups (P=0.00). Moreover, obstetric histories such as abortion still birth and neonatal deaths among various age groups with respect to rubella was also studied, it implies that  out of the 50 reactive patients, 35(12.15%) had a previous abnormal obstetric history (P=0.02). In a comparative study conducted, it was observed that HBV carriers were (25.81%) susceptible to rubella as against (12.91%) observed in HBV free subjects (positive correlation). The study demonstrates strong associations between chronic HBV infection and rubella susceptibility among the studied population