The pathophysiology and pathology of SARS-CoV-2 infection

SARS-CoV-2 infection is a major pandemic that has involved all continents in the world. It has caused almost seven million deaths since its onset. SARS-CoV-2 commonly enters cells by binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) molecules on the surface of cells in the human body. SARS-CoV-2 infection, although mild in many patients, has the potential to cause dysfunction of many organ systems in the body. The body response to the internalisation of the virus in the epithelial cells of the lungs can lead to alveolar epithelial inflammation, commonly referred to as the exudative phase of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Cardiac symptoms shown by patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 include chest tightness/pain and palpitations. These features can be because of newly developed or worsening ischaemic heart disease and arrythmias, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 infection is known to cause a clinical condition known as COVID-19-associated nephropathy (COVAN), a disease quite similar to HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN). Like HIVAN, COVAN is relatively more common in people of African descent and is associated with the APOL1 variant gene. Researchers have not identified unique morphological changes that could be used to identify the infection in tissues. Hence, the use of RT-PCR for diagnosis is still very important

Spindle cell tumours of the female genital tract

Background: Our aim is to describe the clinicopathology features of spindle cell tumors of the female genital tract seen in our hospital and to compare the findings with what is seen in other parts of the world. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of all spindle cell tumors diagnosed in the department of Morbid Anatomy and Forensic medicine of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2022. Results: Leiomyoma was the most common spindle cell tumour seen. Only 570 cases met the inclusion criteria. Only one nodule was removed in 130 cases (22%) while greater than one nodule was excised in 432 cases (75.8%). The mean age of patients was 40.77 years while the age range was 19-79 years. About three-quarters of leiomyomas are removed in the age-group 31-50. There was no correlation between the number of nodules removed and the age of the patient. The next second most common spindle cell tumor seen was malignant mixed mullerian tumour. Eleven cases were seen in the study period, The average age was 57.7 years. The age range of cases was 27-72 years. Conclusions: Our study supports the general observation that leiomyomas commonly cause symptoms in the reproductive age group and that most patients with leiomyoma frequently have more than one nodule. Our study further reinforces the widely established knowledge that MMMT is found in older post-menopausal women and can occasionally be seen in younger pre-menopausal women

Fibroepithelial tumours of the breast seen in a tertiary health centre in southwestern Nigeria

Background: Fibroepithelial tumours of the breast are mainly fibroadenoma and phyllodes tumour. Our objective was to describe the clinical and pathological features of benign fibroepithelial tumours and then compare our findings with reports from other parts of the world. Methods: We carried out a retrospective study of all benign fibroepithelial tumours diagnosed in the Department of Morbid Anatomy and Forensic Medicine of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, Nigeria from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022. Results: A total of 538 cases of fibroadenoma were seen during the study period. Only 486 cases met the inclusion criteria and were then subsequently studied. Right sided tumour mass is seen in 203 (41.8%) patients, left sided masses in 173 (35.6%) patients and bilateral masses in 96 (19.8%) patients.  The age of the patients ranges from 11 to 75 years. The average duration of symptoms is 16 months. The maximum length of fibroadenoma nodule ranges from 0.9cm to 15cm. The number of nodules seen in a patient range from 1 to 15. There is no association between the size of a fibroadenoma, number of the masses or the duration of symptoms before removal of the mass, and the age of the patient. Nineteen cases of phyllodes tumour were seen during the study period. Conclusions: Our study shows that fibroadenoma is the most common fibroepithelial tumour of the breast. A sizeable proportion of patients have bilateral tumours. Phyllodes tumour is much less common.

SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTIBACTERIAL EVALUATIONS OF NOVEL HYBRID POLYESTERAMIDEURETHANES PREPARED FROM YELLOW OLEANDA SEED OIL

Air drying polyesteramide-urethanes resins were synthesized from Thevetia peruviana seed oil commonly known as Yellow oleanda (a tropical ornamental shrub) having about 68.8% unsaturated and 30.9% saturated fatty acids. The physico- chemical characterization of the optimized unsaturated FAME such as hydroxyl value, iodine value, saponification value, refractive index, inherent viscosity were carried out using standard methods. Through condensation reaction the N,N'- bis(2-hydroxyethyl) Thevetia peruviana (HETA) prepared from the FAME reacted with isophthalic acid to form polyesteramide. The latter undergo urethanation with H1 ' 2MDI. The structural elucidation of the moisture cured polyesteramide-urethane coating was based on FTIR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopic methods. The coatings films were evaluated for its antihacterial activity and thermal stability properties on TGA and DSC. The SEM of the --uating films was also examined

Development Of Biodegradable Polyetheramide-Urethanes From Castor Seed Oil

Castor seed oil (Ricinuscommunis) is a vital renewable base material for industrial production of lubricants, brake fluids, soaps, inks, pharmaceuticals, pla stics, perfumes etc. The presence of reachricinoleic acid (about 87.5%) content in its fatty acids profile confers on its essential use for coating purposes. This paper presents the synthesis, characterization and antibacterial evaluations of polyetheramide-urethanes (PETAU) prepared from Ricinuscommunis seed oil. N,N'-bis (2- hydroxyethyl) Ricinuscommunis fatty amide (HERA) was synthesized via aminolysis. Upon reacting HERA with bisphenoiA, polyetheramide (PETA) resin was form ed. The polyetheramide subsequently undergo urethanation to form PETAU. The synthesized PETAU was characterized by FT-IR, 'H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopic analyses. Selected physico-chemical parameters of seed oil, HERA, PETA, PET AU were measured. Coating performance, thermal stability and antimicrobia l properties ofthe cured resin were also evaluated

Renewable resource based novel antimicrobial polyesteramide-urethenehybrid coatings

The use of renewable resources for the development of coating materials is a viable means to reduce environmental impact and support sustainability efforts. This paper describes a novel antimicrobial polyesteramide-urethane-silica- Zinc Oxide (ZnO) hybrid coatings based on milk bush seed oil as renewable resource. Initially ZnO nanoparticles were modified with aminopropyltrimethoxysilane to get silica grafted ZnO composite particles. The milk bush oil based polyesteramide were reacted with excess H12MDI to get NCO terminated polyesteramide-urethanes and the excess NCO was reacted with silica grafted ZnO composite particles to get the reactive hybrid prepolymers. These prepolymers were casted on tin foil and cured under atmospheric moisture to get eco-friendly moisture curing polyesteramide-urethane-silica- Zinc Oxide (ZnO) hybrid coatings films. The coatings films were evaluated for its antimicrobial and thermo mechanical properties while coated steel specimen were used for corrosion studies. The techniques such as FTIR, TGA, DSC, DMTA, SEM and XRD have been used in this study. The hybrid coating films has shown very good antibacterial and antifungal propertie$, higher thermal stability and better thermo mechanical properties. The improvement in the properties was dependent" on the concentration of ZnO composite particles in the coating films. The antibacterial experiments show that the ZnO doped films exhibit excellent antibacterial activity, especially for E.coli. The salt spray test on coated specimen show good corrosion resistance properties for hybrid coating

Gross architecture of ovarian specimens from a southwest Nigerian tertiary healthcare facility

Background: The aim of our study is to describe the gross morphology of ovarian specimens and to see if some entities can be distinguished based on their gross morphology. Methods: We did a cross-sectional study of all ovarian specimen received by the department of morbid anatomy and forensic medicine of Obafemi Awolowo university teaching hospitals complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, Nigeria from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2022 (Five-year period). OAUTHC is situated in the southwestern part of Nigeria. Results: We examined 225 right ovarian specimens. Non- neoplastic lesions were the most common lesions of the right ovary accounting for 52 cases followed by malignant tumour accounting for 25 cases. We examined 233 specimens of the left ovary of which 133 were normal. Eighteen (72%) of malignant tumors of the left ovary had cystic cut surfaces. The spectrum of lesions of both ovaries has different average widest diameters with significant overlap in their distribution. Metastatic carcinoma is seen to involve both ovaries and found to mainly have a solid cut surface. We found that the average widest diameter of a normal left ovary is 3.6 cm while that of a normal right ovary is 4.9 cm. Conclusions: The ovarian lesions have different widest diameters and are usually larger than that of a normal ovary. Benign ovarian tumours are generally larger than their malignant counterparts but cannot be distinguished based on size alone. Metastatic carcinoma involved both ovaries and had a predominantly solid-cut surface. The normal left ovaries were smaller than the normal right ovaries

Thermal Stability and Antibacterial Activity of a Newly Prepared Organic Coating from a De-saturated Seed Oil of Thevetia Peruviana

Air drying polyesteramide-urethanes resins were synthesized from de-saturated fatty methyl ester (FAME) of Thevetia peruviana seed oil commonly known as Yellow oleanda (a tropical ornamental shrub) having about 68.8% unsaturated and 30.9% saturated fatty acids. Urea fractionation method was used to optimize the percentage of functional groups (in this case double bonds) by physio-sorption of the saturated fatty acids. The physico-chemical characterization of the optimized unsaturated FAME such as hydroxyl value, iodine value, saponification value, refractive index, inherent viscosity were carried out using standard methods. Through condensation reaction the N,N- bis(2-hydroxyethyl) Thevetia peruviana (HETA) prepared from the FAME react with isophthalic acid to form polyesteramide. The latter undergo urethanation with H1 • 2 MDI. The structural elucidation of the moisture cured polyesteramide-urethane urethane coating was based on FTIR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopic methods. The coatings films were evaluated for its antibacterial activity and thermal stability properties on TGA and DSC. SEM of the coating films was also examine