Sorting Reality from What We Think We Know About Breast Cancer in Africa

Much attention has been paid to the features of breast cancer in Africa and the parallels between breast cancer in indigenous Africans and in African American women, including a shift toward earlier onset; a tendency toward poorer outcomes; and an increased likelihood for the tumors to be negative for the estrogen receptor (ER), the progesterone receptor (PR), and/or the human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) [1,2]. One of the more aggressive forms of breast cancer is termed ‘‘triple negative,’’ i.e., ER2, PR2, HER22 [3]. Patients with triple negative breast cancer tend to be younger than patients with other forms of the disease, and at all ages, the triple negative subtype is more common in women of African descent than in the white women in the United States [4–6]

Effects of Phosphorus and Rhizobium Inoculation on Yield Components and Grain Yield of Some Selected Cowpea Genotypes

The effects of phosphorus (0, 20, 40kg P2O5ha-1) and rhizobium inoculation (inoculated and un-inoculated) on the yield components and grain yield of three cowpea genotypes (IT93K-452-1, IT97K-573-1-1 and IT98K-499-35) were investigated under field conditions at Bayero University, Kano, Teaching and Research Farm (11059 N; 8025 E; 466m above sea level) and Agricultural Research Station Farm, Minjibir (12010’ N,  8039’ E; 402m  above sea level) in 2014 rainy season. Cowpea genotypes were assigned to the main plot, while phosphorus levels were assigned to the sub-plots. The inoculation was assigned to the sub-sub plot. These were laid out in Split-split plot design and replicated three times. Results of the study indicated significant effect of genotype in all the characters measured except shelling percent. Significantly (p˂ 0.05) higher number of pods per plant, pod weight, fodder and grain yield was observed from IT99K-573-1-1 than all other genotypes evaluated. Similarly, the number of pods per plant, pod weight, fodder and grain yield were significantly influenced by application of phosphorus with better results recorded from 40 kg P2O5 treated plants. Inoculation of cowpea with rhizobium MC92 strain, also recorded significant effect on the measured characters and grain yield. Inoculation of cowpea with rhizobium MC92 along with 40kgP2O5 ha-1 could enhance performance of cowpea particularly with an adaptable genotype like IT99K-573-1-1. Keywords: Cowpea, grain yield, inoculation, yield component

A Delayed Black and Scholes Formula I

In this article we develop an explicit formula for pricing European options when the underlying stock price follows a non-linear stochastic differential delay equation (sdde). We believe that the proposed model is sufficiently flexible to fit real market data, and is yet simple enough to allow for a closed-form representation of the option price. Furthermore, the model maintains the no-arbitrage property and the completeness of the market. The derivation of the option-pricing formula is based on an equivalent martingale measure

Fibromyalgia and anxiety disorder

Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenObjective: The etiology of fibromyalgia is unclear. The diagnosis is based on widespread pain and muscular tenderness, but other symptoms often occur, such as sleep disturbance, excessive anxiety and fatigue and concentration difficulties. All these symptoms can occur in generalized anxiety disorder. The aim of this study was to assess whether fibromyalgia is associated with other diagnoses, particularly anxiety disorder. Material and methods: The study includes all those receiving full disability pension on the 1st of December 2001 as ascertained by the disability register at the State Social Security Institute of Iceland. Information was obtained from the register on gender, age and diagnoses of the disability beneficiaries. Diagnoses were compared between two groups of disability beneficiaries - an index group with fibromyalgia and a comparison group without that diagnosis. There were 716 women in each group. We also compared diagnoses among the women who had fibromyalgia as primary diagnosis in the index group and among all women who had anxiety/depression as primary diagnosis. Results: In the index group fibromyalgia was the single registered diagnosis in only 6.8% of cases, while 38.3% of the comparison group had a single registered diagnosis. There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the number of diagnoses by disease category (p<0.0001). Among individual categories of disease, the only category that showed a significant excess in the index group was mental disorders (p<0.0001). Women with fibromyalgia as a primary diagnosis were compared with women with a primary diagnosis of anxiety or depression in terms of distribution of the numbers of diagnoses per person. The distribution pattern was similar. Conclusions: The probability of having a mental disorder, especially an anxiety disorder, is significantly higher amongst women with fibromyalgia as compared to other women with full disability pension. This indicates an association between fibromyalgia and anxiety, an association which needs to be properly addressed in the treatment of this disorder.Inngangur: Orsök vefjagigtar er óljós. Sjúkdómsgreiningin byggist á því að sjúklingur hafi útbreidda verki og þreifieymsli í vöðvum en ýmis önnur einkenni geta fylgt, svo sem truflaður nætursvefn, óeðlileg þreyta, kvíði og skert einbeiting. Öll þessi einkenni geta fylgt kvíðaröskun. Tilgangur þessarar rannsóknar var að kanna hvort vefjagigt tengist öðrum sjúkdómum, sérstaklega kvíðaröskun. Efniviður og aðferðir: Upplýsingar voru unnar úr örorkuskrá Tryggingastofnunar ríkisins um kyn, aldur og sjúkdómsgreiningar allra sem áttu í gildi hæsta örorkumat (að minnsta kosti 75% örorku) 1. desember 2001. Bornar voru saman sjúkdómsgreiningar hjá tveimur hópum öryrkja - konum með vefjagigtargreiningu (rannsóknarhópi) og konum án þeirrar greiningar (samanburðarhópi). Það voru 716 konur í hvorum hópi. Auk þess var borinn saman fjöldi sjúkdómsgreininga á einstakling hjá þeim konum í rannsóknarhópnum sem höfðu vefjagigt sem frumgreiningu á örorkumati og hjá öllum konum á örorkuskrá sem höfðu kvíða/depurð sem frumgreiningu. Niðurstöður: Í rannsóknarhópnum var vefjagigt eina greiningin hjá aðeins 6,8%, en í samanburðarhópnum höfðu 38,3% eina skráða greiningu í örorkumati. Marktækur munur var á dreifingu sjúkdómsgreininga samkvæmt aðalgreiningarflokkum hjá vefjagigtarhópnum og samanburðarhópnum (p<0,0001). Af einstökum greiningarflokkum var aðeins marktækt aukinn fjöldi greininga geðraskana í vefjagigtarhópnum (p<0,0001). Fjöldi greininga hjá konum með vefjagigt sem frumgreiningu var borinn saman við fjölda greininga hjá konum sem höfðu kvíða og/eða depurð sem frumgreiningu. Mynstrið hjá þessum tveimur hópum reyndist áþekkt. Ályktanir: Mun meiri líkur eru á að konur með vefjagigt hafi geðröskun, einkum kvíðaröskun, en aðrar konur með hæsta örorkustig. Þetta bendir til tengsla milli vefjagigtar og kvíða sem taka ber fullt tillit til í meðhöndlun þessa ástands

A survey on drug related problems in cervical cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria

A drug-related problem (DRP) is an event or circumstance involving drug therapy that actually or potentially interferes with desired outcome. The complexities in drug regimens used in cervical cancer chemotherapy has led to more serious problems. The aim of this study is to investigate DRPs in cervical cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. The study was a retrospective cross sectional study on patients receiving cervical cancer chemotherapy at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria (ABUTH). Patients’ medication charts were reviewed from July, 2015 to June, 2016. Data were collected using the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE) Classification of DRP V 6.20. A total of 224 DRPs cases were identified from 65 cervical cancer patients. The DRPs were mostly on treatment effectiveness (28.1%), adverse reaction (29.0%), and cost (26.8%), while the causes were majorly drug selection (28.1%) and dose selection (29.0%). The risk factors for the DRPs were found to be comorbidities and polypharmacy. In conclusion, DRPs were common among cervical cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at ABUTH. Pharmacist interventions to achieve a better therapeutic outcome are necessary.Keywords: Cervical cancer, chemotherapy, drug related problem, pharmacist, polypharmac

Phytosociological attributes of aquatic weeds of Kano-Hadejanguru wetlands

A survey was conducted during dry and rainy seasons of 2011 in order to determine the phytosociological attributes of acquatic weeds of Kano-Hadeja-Nguru wetlands. Random quadrat method was adopted for the phytosociological studies. The study areas consisted of communities from Kano, Jigawa and Yobe States. In each state, six communities were randomly selected. In each community20 quadrats of 4 m2 size were laid down and hence sum of 120 quadrats were randomly thrown for each state. Within each quadrat area, weeds were identified, counted and weed cover scores were recorded. Weeds were cut at ground level, fresh and dry weights were determined. Typha grass was the most dominant species in the wetlands of Jigawa (21.195 and 22.5%) compared to either Kano (9.345 and 5.27%) or Yobe (12.73 and12.135%) states. Weed density, weed cover scores as well as fresh and dry weight of weed samples from Kano were observed to be higher than the other two states. Morphological characteristics of Typha spp found in Kano State were taller with more leaves than the other two states. The study suggested that there is strong need to start an Integrated Typha management in the study areas.Keywords: Phytosocioloy, aquatic weed, wetlands, Typha morpholog

Metal content determination of some sexual dysfunction medicine samples in northern Nigeria

Essential minerals are those that are necessary for normal physiological and biological functions of human body. They act as catalysts such that only trace amount are necessary for cellular function. The study analyzed nine (9) different sex-drive herbal preparations used in the North-western part of Nigeria for essential minerals using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric (AAS) method in order to ascertain relationship between sex-drive and the mineral content of these herbal medicines. The result obtained shows the range of the mean concentration of Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn to be (231.13-440.64)µg/g, (7.74 - 25.93)µg/g, (14.09 - 59.66)µg/g and (6.86 -74.41)µg/g respectively. The presence of Fe, Cu and Zn indicated the potential role of these herbal preparations in alleviation of sexual dysfunction problems and serves as sex-drivers. The average concentration of Cu and Zn obtained in the samples were above the World Health Organization (WHO) and US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) permissible limit in herbal drugs as Cu (20ppm) and Zn (50ppm). The consumers’ of these products need to be cautioned otherwise the tendency of overload which will further result to health hazard is certain.Keywords: Herbal medicine, Sex-drive, Essential mineral

Compatibility of Millet and Legume under Relay Cropping Condition

Double-cropping millet and legumes is a popular cropping system in the Upper East region (UER) of Ghana. For improved production efficiency, suitable millet-legume combinations with short life cycles that permit extension of the growing season to facilitate double-cropping need to be explored. The objective of this study was therefore to use performance data to identify millet-legume combinations compatible for relay cropping within the UER. Three early millet cultivars (Bongo Shorthead, Arrow Millet and Bristled Millet) were factorially relayed by three legumes namely cowpea, groundnut and soybean. Bongo Shorthead followed by cowpea in a relay cropping system has the greatest prospect of accounting for superiority in grain and stover/straw yield while Bongo Shorthead followed by groundnut in a relay will provide the least suitable combination for relay cropping within the Upper East Region of Ghana. Keywords: double cropping, millet, legumes, compatible combination, savannah zone

Low-lying quadrupole collective states of the light and medium Xenon isotopes

Collective low lying levels of light and medium Xenon isotopes are deduced from the Generalized Bohr Hamiltonian (GBH). The microscopic seven functions entering into the GBH are built from a deformed mean field of the Woods-Saxon type. Theoretical spectra are found to be close to the ones of the experimental data taking into account that the calculations are completely microscopic, that is to say, without any fitting of parameters.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl

Epidemiological and pathological screening of suspected cases of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia in Yola Modern Abattoir, Adamawa State Nigeria

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia is an important infectious disease of cattle caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides and a major constraint to cattle production in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was aimed to identify pathological and histopathological lesions identified in cattle tentatively diagnosed with CBPP at Yola Modern Abattoir, Adamawa State. A total of 9,750 cattle were examined at post-mortem for a period of six months, 110 (1.13%) had lesions suggestive of CBPP out of which seventeen (17) were randomly selected and processed for histopathology based on standard laboratory protocols. Based on sex, CBPP lesion was observed more in female 63 (1.06%) than in the male 47 (1.24%). Whereas, CBPP lesions was observed highest in White Fulani breed 68 (1.14%) followed by Cross breeds 23 (91.16%) and Sokoto Gudali 19 (1.74%) and lowest in Red Bororo 10 (1.36%). There was insignificant statistical association (P&gt;0.05) between CBPP lesions and sex and breed of cattle sampled. Age distribution of CBPP lesion was observed higher in cattle between ages of 4-7 years 79 (1.16%), followed by cattle of 1-3 years 28 (1.15%) and least in cattle less than 1 year 3 (0.60%) with significant statistical difference (P&lt;0.05) between the age groups. Histopathology lesions observed include severe congestion of pulmonary blood vessel in all the lung tissues and fibrin exudation into inter-alveolar spaces with almost all the alveoli collapsed. The bronchiolar epithelium was observed to be thickened, hyperplastic and folded, with a considerable quantity of edematous fluid and numerous inflammatory cells seen in the lumen. In conclusion, this study had demonstrated the presence of CBPP lesions in cattle in the study area. Therefore, serological screening of all cattle, stamping out policies and aggressive annual vaccination campaigns are thus recommended in the study area