Doppler ultrasound features of ophthalmic artery in diabetic retinopathy in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by elevated blood glucose level due to impaired insulin secretion, insulin action or both with diabetic retinopathy being the most common microangiopathic complication. A comparative, cross- sectional study aimed at evaluating Doppler blood flow indices in the ophthalmic artery in diabetic retinopathy and non-retinopathy patients when compared to normal controls in a Nigerian tertiary hospital.Methods: Data were collected over 7 months (April 2017-October 2017) in Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba Lagos, Nigeria. Sixty-five diabetic retinopathy patients, 65 diabetic patients without retinopathy and 65 non-diabetic controls had their ophthalmic artery Doppler indices assessed for comparison.Results: The end diastolic velocity (EDV) of the ophthalmic arteries in the diabetic patients were significantly lower than those of control group (EDV=5.84±2.59 cm/s, p<0.001 bilaterally). In diabetic patients with retinopathy, the end diastolic velocity of the ophthalmic arteries was significantly lower than those of diabetic patients without retinopathy (EDV=5.84±2.59 cm/s right eye, EDV=5.75±2.39 left eye, p<0.001 bilaterally). The resistivity index (RI) of the ophthalmic arteries was significantly higher in both diabetic patients with retinopathy and those without retinopathy compared to control group (RI=0.92±0.07 right eye, p=0.044 right eye, p<0.001 left eye) with resistivity index of diabetic retinopathy respondents significantly higher than the diabetic patients with no retinopathy.Conclusions: The study showed that Doppler is a useful screening parameter in identifying eyes at risk of developing sight threatening proliferative disease in diabetic patients. Significant differences exist in ophthalmic artery Doppler flow indices of diabetics with retinopathy compared to the healthy controls.

Computational and experimental validation of antioxidant properties of synthesized bioactive ferulic acid derivatives

Ferulic acid, a well-known natural phenolic compound, is considerably reportedfor its hydroxyl and peroxyl radical scavenging activities. However, the antiox-idant capacity of ferulic acid is limited by its relatively low solubility in hydro-phobic media thereby preventing its application for autoxidation of fats and oils.To this end, several research efforts are being made to maximize the therapeuticbenefits of ferulic acid and these efforts included but not limited to structuralmodification of ferulic acid to produce its derivatives. In this study, we synthe-sized ester and amide derivatives of ferulic acid and evaluated them forin vitroantioxidant potential as well as molecular docking properties. Data revealed thatferulic ester and amide derivatives had excellent antioxidant capacity anddemonstrated strong inhibitory potential. Analysis of molecular docking indi-cated ferulic ester as potent inhibitor of target proteins in breast cancer as well asin oxidative stress. Taken together, the findings support potent antioxidantproperties by these ferulic derivatives. Findings may become relevant wherestructural modification to enhance physico-chemical properties without com-promising the antioxidant and/or medicinal potential are desirabl

Rationale and design of the NODE-303 study: evaluating the safety of symptom-prompted, self-administered etripamil for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia episodes in real-world settings.

BACKGROUND: Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) is a common episodic arrhythmia characterized by unpredictable onset and burdensome symptoms including palpitations, dizziness, chest pain, distress, and shortness of breath. Treatment of acute episodes of PSVT in the clinical setting consists of intravenous adenosine, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers (CCBs). Etripamil is an intranasally self-administered L-type CCB in development for acute treatment of AV-nodal dependent PSVT in a nonmedical supervised setting. METHODS: This paper summarizes the rationale and study design of NODE-303 that will assess the efficacy and safety of etripamil. In the randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, Phase 3 RAPID trial, etripamil was superior to placebo in the conversion of single PSVT episodes by 30 minutes post initial dose when administered in the nonhealthcare setting; this study required a mandatory and observed test dosing prior to randomization. The primary objective of NODE-303 is to evaluate the safety of symptom-prompted, self-administered etripamil for multiple PSVT episodes in real-world settings, without the need for test dosing prior to first use during PSVT. Secondary endpoints include efficacy and disease burden. Upon perceiving a PSVT episode, the patient applies an electrocardiographic monitor, performs a vagal maneuver, and, if the vagal maneuver is unsuccessful, self-administers etripamil 70 mg, with an optional repeat dose if symptoms do not resolve within 10 minutes after the first dose. A patient may treat up to four PSVT episodes during the study. Adverse events are recorded as treatment-emergent if they occur within 24 hours after the administration of etripamil. RESULTS: Efficacy endpoints include time to conversion to sinus rhythm within 30 and 60 minutes after etripamil administration, and the proportion of patients who convert at 3, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 60 minutes. Patient-reported outcomes are captured by the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, the Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire, the Short Form Health Survey 36, the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication and a PSVT survey. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these data will support the development of a potentially paradigm-changing long-term management strategy for recurrent PSVT

Tackling theChallenges ofNigerian Politics and Governance as a Measure of Sustainable Development: Religious approach

Politics in Nigeria is faced with a number of challenges at all levels of administration. These challenges emanate not only from the rulers but also the ruled and are the core reasons why the nation is backward in her development. The most significant among these are corruption, egocentrism, vandalism, religious-bigotry, ethnicity, nepotism and economic recession. These challenges have caused a lot of damage to the country’s growth and development economically, socially and politically and also hindered her attainment of sustainable development. The situation has been aggravated to the extent that corruption, which is a major cause of the challenges has become a cankerworm in the nation. This paper therefore examines the nature of the challenges of Nigerian politics and governance since the attainment of independence till the present political era and proffers solutions to them via religious polity as a mechanism for growth, development and advancement of the country in all facets of life. The paper adopts an analytical, historical and expository method. Secondary data were employed for effective analysis. The paper recommends that government should provide for the needs of the citizens with justice. Academicians should also intensify their efforts in sensitising government on the need to cater for the needs of the nation in totality. Keywords: Governance, Nigerian politics, Religion, Sustainable development, Challenge

Computational and experimental validation of antioxidant properties of synthesized bioactive ferulic acid derivatives

Ferulic acid, a well-known natural phenolic compound, is considerably reportedfor its hydroxyl and peroxyl radical scavenging activities. However, the antiox-idant capacity of ferulic acid is limited by its relatively low solubility in hydro-phobic media thereby preventing its application for autoxidation of fats and oils.To this end, several research efforts are being made to maximize the therapeuticbenefits of ferulic acid and these efforts included but not limited to structuralmodification of ferulic acid to produce its derivatives. In this study, we synthe-sized ester and amide derivatives of ferulic acid and evaluated them forin vitroantioxidant potential as well as molecular docking properties. Data revealed thatferulic ester and amide derivatives had excellent antioxidant capacity anddemonstrated strong inhibitory potential. Analysis of molecular docking indi-cated ferulic ester as potent inhibitor of target proteins in breast cancer as well asin oxidative stress. Taken together, the findings support potent antioxidantproperties by these ferulic derivatives. Findings may become relevant wherestructural modification to enhance physico-chemical properties without com-promising the antioxidant and/or medicinal potential are desirabl

Erratum to: Characterization of Nigerian breast cancer reveals prevalent homologous recombination deficiency and aggressive molecular features (Nature Communications, (2018), 9, 1, (4181), 10.1038/s41467-018-06616-0)

10.1038/s41467-018-07886-4Nature Communications10128