Paratesticular myxoid liposarcoma in a 23-year old Nigerian

Paratesticular liposarcomas are rare tumors and are usually seen in patients in middle age or older. Optimal treatment is radical orchidectomy. Radiotherapy or chemotherapy is added for advanced disease or recurrences. These practice guidelines often vary from the experience in developing countries

Body Mass Index, Blood Pressure and Serum Cortisol Level as Stress Index in Symptomatic HIV/AIDS Male Subjects on Antiretroviral Therapy Negative to Malaria Parasite in Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria

Background: HIV infection is a risk factor for a variety of endocrine problems. Objectives: This study investigated the body mass index (BMI), Systolic blood pressure (SBP), Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and serum cortisol level as stress factor/index symptomatic HIV/AIDS male subjects on ART who are negative to malaria parasite in Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 274 adult male participants aged between 18 and 60 (42 ±13) years were randomly recruited at the Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) Centre in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital and grouped based on WHO criteria for staging HIV into symptomatic HIV (stage 11) infected male participants on ART (A: n=69), Symptomatic HIV subjects not on ART (B: n= 69), Asymptomatic HIV positive subjects (C: n= 68) and HIV seronegative subjects (D: n= 68). Blood samples were collected from the participants for the determination of HIV status by immunochromatography and HIV confirmation by Western Blot. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was used to assay for cortisol level. Results: The results showed a significantly increased BMI and decreased mean serum cortisol level in HIV/AIDS seropositive participants on ART than in those, not on ART (p<0.05). Also, the BMI and mean serum cortisol level were significantly decreased and increased respectively in  HIV/AIDS seropositive participants not on ART than in Asymptomatic HIV positive subjects and control respectively (p<0.05). However, the mean SBP and DBP did not differ significantly between the groups studied (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study revealed a decreased stress index in HIV/AIDS subjects on ART with hypercortisolism and lower BMI in symptomatic HIV participants, not on ART. Keywords: HIV; AIDS; Malaria uninfected male subjects; Cortisol; Blood pressure; Antiretroviral therapy

Body Mass Index, Blood Pressure and Serum Cortisol Level as Stress Index in Symptomatic HIV/AIDS Male Subjects on Antiretroviral Therapy Negative to Malaria Parasite in Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria

Background: HIV infection is a risk factor for a variety of endocrine problems. Objectives: This study investigated the body mass index (BMI), Systolic blood pressure (SBP), Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and serum cortisol level as stress factor/index symptomatic HIV/AIDS male subjects on ART who are negative to malaria parasite in Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 274 adult male participants aged between 18 and 60 (42 ±13) years were randomly recruited at the Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) Centre in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital and grouped based on WHO criteria for staging HIV into symptomatic HIV (stage 11) infected male participants on ART (A: n=69), Symptomatic HIV subjects not on ART (B: n= 69), Asymptomatic HIV positive subjects (C: n= 68) and HIV seronegative subjects (D: n= 68). Blood samples were collected from the participants for the determination of HIV status by immunochromatography and HIV confirmation by Western Blot. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was used to assay for cortisol level. Results: The results showed a significantly increased BMI and decreased mean serum cortisol level in HIV/AIDS seropositive participants on ART than in those, not on ART (p<0.05). Also, the BMI and mean serum cortisol level were significantly decreased and increased respectively in  HIV/AIDS seropositive participants not on ART than in Asymptomatic HIV positive subjects and control respectively (p<0.05). However, the mean SBP and DBP did not differ significantly between the groups studied (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study revealed a decreased stress index in HIV/AIDS subjects on ART with hypercortisolism and lower BMI in symptomatic HIV participants, not on ART. Keywords: HIV; AIDS; Malaria uninfected male subjects; Cortisol; Blood pressure; Antiretroviral therapy

The prospects of adopting e-learning in the Nigerian education system: a case study of Covenant University

The conventional method of education has shrunken adequate information access and acquisition capability. However, this as further widened the educational knowledge gap. This research study examined the prospect of adopting e-learning in the Nigerian educational system. The Unified Theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT)modelwas utilized in other to properly investigate the adoption of e-learning for an improved educational system in Nigeria. Adescriptive survey design was employed, and a quantitative research method was used for data gathering and analysis. A total of 574 responses was obtainedfrom the research study respondents. The study analysis result showed that the Average variance extracted (AVE) for actual use, behavioural intention, experience, effort expectancy, facilitating condition, performance expectancy and social influence was o.738,0.790,0.670,0.804,0.749,0.861,0.514 respectively, and the discriminant value for actual use, behavioural intention, experience, effort expectancy, facilitating condition, performance expectancy and social influence were 0.859,0.889,0.897,0.819,0.865,0.928 and 0.717 respectively. This analysis result suggests that the research model convergent and discriminate validity were acceptable. Furthermore, approximately 59.7% of the variance of behavioural intention (BI) to adopt eLearning was illustrated by the PE (Performance Expectancy), EE (Effort Expectancy), and SI (Social Influence); Where R2 = 0.597. Furthermore, about 77.5% of the variance of actual adoption (AC) of eLearning was explained by behavioural intention (BI) to adopt eLearning Where R2 = 0.775. The result suggests that Performance expectancy (PE), Effort Expectancy (EE) and Social Influence (SI) have a positive effect of the behavioural intention to adopt e-Learning and the behavioral intention would lead to the actual adoption of eLearning. Additionally, Facilitating condition (FC) and Experience (E) have a positive effect on the actual adoption of e-Learning.The result of the research study suggests that the adoption of e-Learningin Nigeria educational system is influenced by the ease of use, performance gain, public sway, adequate support, and proficiency

Subtle genetic changes enhance virulence of methicillin resistant and sensitive Staphylococcus aureus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Community acquired (CA) methicillin-resistant <it>Staphylococcus aureus </it>(MRSA) increasingly causes disease worldwide. USA300 has emerged as the predominant clone causing superficial and invasive infections in children and adults in the USA. Epidemiological studies suggest that USA300 is more virulent than other CA-MRSA. The genetic determinants that render virulence and dominance to USA300 remain unclear.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We sequenced the genomes of two pediatric USA300 isolates: one CA-MRSA and one CA-methicillin susceptible (MSSA), isolated at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. DNA sequencing was performed by Sanger dideoxy whole genome shotgun (WGS) and 454 Life Sciences pyrosequencing strategies. The sequence of the USA300 MRSA strain was rigorously annotated. In USA300-MRSA 2658 chromosomal open reading frames were predicted and 3.1 and 27 kilobase (kb) plasmids were identified. USA300-MSSA contained a 20 kb plasmid with some homology to the 27 kb plasmid found in USA300-MRSA. Two regions found in US300-MRSA were absent in USA300-MSSA. One of these carried the arginine deiminase operon that appears to have been acquired from <it>S. epidermidis</it>. The USA300 sequence was aligned with other sequenced <it>S. aureus </it>genomes and regions unique to USA300 MRSA were identified.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>USA300-MRSA is highly similar to other MRSA strains based on whole genome alignments and gene content, indicating that the differences in pathogenesis are due to subtle changes rather than to large-scale acquisition of virulence factor genes. The USA300 Houston isolate differs from another sequenced USA300 strain isolate, derived from a patient in San Francisco, in plasmid content and a number of sequence polymorphisms. Such differences will provide new insights into the evolution of pathogens.</p

External and internal morphology of seed germination and seedling establishment in the white Guinea Yam, Dioscorea rotundata poir

No Abstract. Bio-Research Vol. 5 (2) 2007: pp. 269-27

EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM NIGERIA ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INFLATION AND MANUFACTURING GROWTH

This research investigated the relationship between inflation and Nigerian manufacturing sector growth between 1981 and 2019, utilizing performance measures such as inflation rate, money supply, and gross domestic investment. The data was collected from secondary sources such as the Central Bank of Nigeria's Statistical Bulletin and the World Bank. The major finding is that in the short and long run, inflation and manufacturing sector growth are unrelated. Changes in Nigeria's inflation rate do not explain changes in the manufacturing sector's growth. The data also suggest that inflation does not assist producers with pricing power and that a fall in money supply has resulted in a decrease in manufacturing sector growth. The paper suggests that policymakers make huge investments in infrastructures that is insufficient, such as power supply and road networ