A rare tumour of the vulva: a case report of a vulva angioneurofibroma hamartoma in a Cameroonian woman

We present the case of a rare vulva tumour, in a 33 years Cameroonian old woman and managed in Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit of Yaoundé Central Hospital in Cameroon. It was a painless pedunculated vulva tumour which developed over a period of six months. This gigantic rapidly growing tumour, was treated with simple surgical resection. After surgical resection, histology confirmed an angioneurofibroma hamartoma. There has been no recurrence and presently the patient is symptom-free.Key words: Tumour, vulva, ngioneurofibroma hamartom

Chimiotherapie des angiosarcomes de Kaposi au service d'oncologie medicale de L'hopital General de Yaounde, Cameroun

Compte tenu de la séroprévalence de l'infection à VIH/SIDA au Cameroun (5,5%), le service d'oncologie médicale de l'Hôpital Général de Yaoundé, prend en charge par chimiothérapie les patients porteurs d'angiosarcome de Kaposi. Nous avons voulu évaluer la chimiothérapie de l'angiosarcome de Kaposi dans notre service. Une étude descriptive rétrospective a été menée sur une année. Les patients recrutés ont été ceux avec un diagnostic d'angiosarcome de Kaposi. Les données collectées étaient les suivantes : le sexe, l'âge, la localisation, les pathologies associées, la chimiothérapie administrée, les réponses et la tolérance. Les deux dernières données ont été évaluées selon les critères de l'OMS. Au cours de cette année, 57 patients ont été reçus pour un angiosarcome de Kaposi dont 31 (54,4%) hommes et 26 (47,6%) femmes. Les âges extrêmes ont été 14 et 76 ans avec une moyenne de 39,05 ans. La localisation principale était tégumentaire (65,6% des localisations), diffuse pour la plupart des cas. Des 43 patients testés, 38 (88,4%) avaient une sérologie VIH positive et 5 (11,6%) négatifs. Dans notre échantillon, 84,6% ont reçu une polychimiothérapie associant la doxorubucine, la bléomycine et la vincristine. Seuls 20 patients des 38 séropositifs soit 52,6% ont reçu des antiretroviraux. La réponse partielle a été objectivée chez 16 sur 19 (84,2%) de nos patients. La toxicité observée a été hématologique et 13 patients (22,8%) ont été transfusés pour anémie. Nous concluons que la chimiothérapie est bénéfique dans le traitement du sarcome de Kaposi. Des études comparatives ultérieures précisent si le traitement de ces patients améliore la qualité de vie et la survie. Clinics in Mother and Child Health Vol. 3(1) 2006: 469-47

An Estimate of the Incidence of Prostate Cancer in Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Prostate cancer (PCa) is rated the second most common cancer and sixth leading cause of cancer deaths among men globally. Reports show that African men suffer disproportionately from PCa compared to men from other parts of the world. It is still quite difficult to accurately describe the burden of PCa in Africa due to poor cancer registration systems.We systematically reviewed the literature on prostate cancer in Africa and provided a continentwide incidence rate of PCa based on available data in the regio

Antioxidant Capacity, Cytoprotection, and Healing Actions of the Leaf Aqueous Extract of Ocimum suave in Rats Subjected to Chronic and Cold-Restraint Stress Ulcers

We evaluated the qualitative chemical composition and tested the antiulcer actions on cold/restraint stress ulcers, the healing effect on chronic acetic acid-induced gastric ulcers, and the in vivo and in vitro antioxidant capacity of Ocimum suave extract. Triterpenes, flavonoids, sugars, phenols, sterols, and multiple bonds were among the phytochemicals detected. The extract (250–500 mg/kg) dose-dependently inhibited the formation of gastric ulcers induced by cold/restraint stress (52.30%–83.10%). The prophylactic actions were associated with significant increases in gastric mucus production. There was significant histological healing of chronic ulcers following 14-day treatment with O. suave extract (250–500 mg/kg). We also evaluated the efficacy of O. suave extract in cold/restraint-induced oxidative stress in rat stomach tissue. O. suave (500 mg/kg) ameliorated the decreased levels of reduced glutathione from 0.85 (control group) to 2.08 nmol/g tissue. The levels of SOD and catalase were also improved in rats treated with O. suave extract. The extract had a high phenol content (899.87 mg phenol/g catechin equivalent), in vitro DPPH radical scavenging activity (89.29%), and FRAP (antioxidant capacity) (212.64 mg/g catechin equivalent). The cytoprotective and ulcer healing effects of the extract are attributed to enhanced mucus production and the antioxidant properties which may likely be associated with the high presence of flavonoids and polyphenols

Healing and Antisecretory Effects of Aqueous Extract of Eremomastax speciosa (Acanthaceae) on Unhealed Gastric Ulcers

Objective. This work investigated the healing and antisecretory effects of the aqueous extract of Eremomastax speciosa on “unhealed gastric ulcers” associated with gastric acid hypersecretion. Materials and Methods. “Unhealed gastric ulcers” were induced using indomethacin following the establishment of acetic-acid-induced chronic gastric ulcers. The extract (200 and 400 mg/kg, per os) was administered concomitantly with indomethacin (1 mg/kg, subcutaneously). The effects of the extract on both basal and histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion were determined. Mucus secretion and oxidative stress parameters were measured, and histological assessment of ulcer healing was carried out. Results. The extract significantly promoted the healing process in rats subjected to “unhealed gastric ulcers” (82.4–88.5% healing rates). Treatment with the extract significantly reduced the basal (25.95–49.51% reduction rates) and histamine-stimulated (24.25–47.41%) acid secretions. The healing effect of the extract was associated with a significant (p<0.05) increase of mucus secretion and concentrations of antioxidant enzymes compared with the controls. The extract at the highest dose showed normalization of the mucosa, without glandular destruction and with the disappearance of fibrosis and lymphocyte infiltration. Conclusion. The abilities of the extract to increase mucus secretion, to reinforce antioxidant status, and to inhibit acid secretion would be some of the mechanisms by which this extract would accelerate the healing process in “unhealed gastric ulcers.

Biosynthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Pseudodesmin and Viscosinamide Cyclic Lipopeptides Produced by Pseudomonads Associated with the Cocoyam Rhizosphere

Pseudomonas cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) are encoded non-ribosomally by biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) and possess diverse biological activities. In this study, we conducted chemical structure and BGC analyses with antimicrobial activity assays for two CLPs produced by Pseudomonas strains isolated from the cocoyam rhizosphere in Cameroon and Nigeria. LC-MS and NMR analyses showed that the Pseudomonas sp. COR52 and A2W4.9 produce pseudodesmin and viscosinamide, respectively. These CLPs belong to the Viscosin group characterized by a nonapeptidic moiety with a 7-membered macrocycle. Similar to other Viscosin-group CLPs, the initiatory non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) gene of the viscosinamide BGC is situated remotely from the other two NRPS genes. In contrast, the pseudodesmin genes are all clustered in a single genomic locus. Nano- to micromolar levels of pseudodesmin and viscosinamide led to the hyphal distortion and/or disintegration of Rhizoctonia solani AG2-2 and Pythium myriotylum CMR1, whereas similar levels of White Line-Inducing Principle (WLIP), another member of the Viscosin group, resulted in complete lysis of both soil-borne phytopathogens. In addition to the identification of the biosynthetic genes of these two CLPs and the demonstration of their interaction with soil-borne pathogens, this study provides further insights regarding evolutionary divergence within the Viscosin group.status: publishe

What do changing weather and climate shocks and stresses mean for the UK food system?

We identify major knowledge gaps in the primary impacts of extreme weather and climate change across the UK's food system, its functioning and their interactions to provide information to support adaptation and resilience planning. Future shocks and stresses due to changes in weather and climate extremes will have significant impacts on the UK food system. Key knowledge gaps remain in our understanding of their impacts on non-cereal crops, livestock and fisheries production, on the food chain beyond primary production, on the longer-term impacts, and in an integrated, full system view of impacts that accounts for cumulative impacts, interactions, feedbacks and the interplay between domestic and overseas elements of the UK food system. These knowledge gaps need to be urgently addressed to ensure future climate resilience of the UK food system. There are several areas where research could better support decision-making towards increased resilience to weather and climate shocks in both food policy and business sectors. We note the need for a step change in the collection, quality, synthesis and application of a broad range of weather and food chain data and information across time and space. There is a need to develop tools to support the inclusion of the "missing middle" of food chain and policy discussions that incorporate weather and climate impacts: processing/packaging, transport, storage, wholesale, retail and disposing/reusing. Greater integration of climate, biophysical, social, political and economic research is required to characterise geo-political influences on food system climate resilience. Further work is needed to assess adaptation actions needed in response, and their knock-on trade-offs and consequences across sectors, and their interactions. The challenges identified here suggest the need for challenge-led, connective, interdisciplinary approaches to future funding initiatives in support of achieving food system resilience to weather and climate shocks