Determinants of prostate specific antigen screening test uptake in an urban community in North-Central Nigeria

Background: Despite the increasing incidence of Prostate cancer, there has not been any focused screening policy or strategy in sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria.Objectives: To assess the level of awareness and uptake of PSA screening test and their determinants in a Nigerian community.Methods: A cross-sectional population survey of men with no prior history of prostate cancer was carried out. Logistic re- gression analysis was used to determine the effect of identified variables in predicting awareness and uptake of prostate cancer screening.Results: Mean age was 51.5±9.8 years; a few men (31, 16.9%) had ever heard of the screening test and most got the information from health centers. A low proportion (8, 4.4%) had taken the screening test. Men with incomes above poverty line (OR = 11.7 2.8–50.1, p = .001) or those with health insurance (OR = 2.7 1.2–6.5, p = .023) were significantly more likely to be aware of the test. Only the men with higher incomes (OR = 25.6 5.8–114.2, p = .0001) were significantly more likely to have taken the test.Conclusion: Higher incomes and health insurance status impact screening awareness but only income status determines if men subsequently proceed to take the PSA screening test.Keywords: Prostate cancer; PSA screening; sub-Saharan Africa; Nigeria

Analgesic activity of leaf extracts of <i style="">Culcasia scandens</i> P. Beauv

422-424Analgesic activity of methanol leaf extract of C. scandens obtained by column chromatography and its graded solvent fractions, was evaluated in mice using acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing and formalin-induced paw licking. The extract and fractions significantly inhibited abdominal writhing and two phases of formalin-induced paw licking in mice, indicating that antinociceptive activity may involve inhibition of pain by peripheral and central mechanisms

Intensive Care Unit admissions and outcome in a university teaching hospital: a 6-year review

Background: Critically ill patients are a significant source of morbidity and mortality in hospitals. In resource-challenged economies like Nigeria, the number of deaths due to conditions requiring critical care is alarming. As in most other tertiary hospitals, critically ill patients are usually admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH).Objectives: We sought to find out the pattern of admissions and the spectrum of disease conditions of patients and also, to assess the outcome of the cases admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).Methodology: We undertook a six-year retrospective review of all admissions into the multi-disciplinary six-bed ICU of NAUTH Nnewi, August 2007 to July 2013. Data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0, and presented in relevant charts and tables.Results: During the period, the total number of hospital admissions was 36,386, out of which there were 933 (3%) ICU admissions but, only 521 (56%) case notes were available for analysis. There were 346 males and 175 females with a male:female ratio of 2:1. Trauma admissions were mostly emergencies 42.7%, with a mean ICU length of stay of 37.6days. Survivors had a statistically significant longer length of stay (LOS) 103.8 days than non-survivors 51.7days (p = 0.0001). Mortality rate of trauma patients was 9.7%, and road traffic accidents were responsible for most deaths 32.2%.Conclusion: Intensive care admissions cover a broad spectrum of diseases and specialties. Trauma, especially, due to road traffic accidents and burns, is a very important cause of morbidity and mortality in ICU. Management strategies should include early admission and active life support measures. There is need to improve trauma and hospital care of these patients in order to improve their outcome

Ameliorative effects of betaine and ascorbic acid on erythrocyte osmotic fragility and malondialdehyde concentrations in broiler chickens during the hot-dry season

The study evaluated the effect of betaine and ascorbic acid (AA) administration on the erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration of broiler chickens during the hot-dry season. Eighty day-old broilers were divided into four groups: Group I (control) given sterile water; Group II, betaine (250 mg/kg); Group III, AA (50 mg/kg); and Group IV, betaine (250 mg/kg) + AA (50 mg/kg) orally for 42 days. Blood samples were collected from each bird with and without anticoagulant, sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, on days 21 and 42, for the determination of EOF and serum MDA concentrations. The dry-bulb temperature (DBT), relative humidity and temperature-humidity index (THI) recorded were 28.33–35.67°C, 69.00–93.00% and 28.18–34.82, respectively. The results showed that betaine + AA (7.78 ± 1.66%) significantly (P < .05) reduced EOF, compared to control birds (16.27 ± 9.35%) at 0.7% on day 21. MDA concentrations of broiler chickens in the betaine (1.37 ± 0.038 nmol/L), AA (1.41 ± 0.039 nmol/L) and betaine + AA (1.41 ± 0.040 nmol/L) groups during the experimental period were significantly (P < .05) lower when compared with that of the control group (1.54 ± 0.043 nmol/L). It is concluded that the co-administration of betaine and AA to broiler chickens decreased EOF and MDA during the hot-dry season

TRPA1 and TRPV4 Activation in Human Odontoblasts Stimulates ATP Release

The mechanism of pain in dentine hypersensitivity is poorly understood but proposed to result from the activation of dental sensory neurons in response to dentinal fluid movements. Odontoblasts have been suggested to contribute to thermal and mechanosensation in the tooth via expression of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. However, a mechanism by which odontoblasts could modulate neuronal activity has not been demonstrated. In this study, we investigated functional TRP channel expression in human odontoblast-like cells and measured ATP release in response to TRP channel activation. Human immortalized dental pulp cells were driven toward an odontoblast phenotype by culture in conditioned media. Functional expression of TRP channels was determined with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and ratiometric calcium imaging with Fura-2. ATP release was measured using a luciferin-luciferase assay. Expression of mRNA for TRPA1, TRPV1, and TRPV4 but not TRPM8 was detected in odontoblasts by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Expression of TRPV4 protein was detected by Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. The TRPA1 agonists allyl isothiocyanate and cinnamaldehyde and the TRPV4 agonist GSK1016790A caused a concentration-dependent increase in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration that was inhibited by the selective antagonists HC030031, AP18, and HC067047, respectively. In contrast, exposure to the TRPV1 agonist capsaicin or the TRPM8 agonist icilin had no effect on intracellular Ca(2+) concentration. Treatment with allyl isothiocyanate, cinnamaldehyde, or GSK1016790A caused an increase in ATP concentration in culture medium that was abolished by preincubation with TRP channel antagonists. These data demonstrate that activation of TRPA1 and TRPV4 channels in human odontoblast-like cells can stimulate ATP release. We were unable to confirm the presence of thermosensitive TRPV1 and TRPM8 that has previously been reported in odontoblasts