Light intensity variation and early growth performance of Anona muricata Linn seedlings in south-western Nigeria

The study was carried out in the Silviculture nursery of Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Jericho, Ibadan, Nigeria. Fruits were collected  from Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Oyo States. The seeds were extracted, air dried and seedlings raised. Each seedling was transplanted into a polythene  pot filled with top soil. . A total of 160 seedlings were exposed to four different light intensities (100%, 75%, 50% and 25%) under light screening chambers made from wooden frames and covered mesh on all sides with single, double or triple layers of synthetic 1mm mesh netting. The  seedlings raised in the open nursery were receiving 100% light intensity and served as control. Seedlings were watered daily. Growth variables were taken fortnightly for eight months. The seedling height, collar diameter and number of the leaves were assessed. The results showed that the number of leaves of Anona muricata varied significantly among the three factors and the control. The highest number of leaves was found in seedlings exposed to 100% (23.2), 75% (20.65), 25% (20.2) and 75% (20.4) light intensities for seedlings raised from seeds from Ogun, Ondo, Osun  and Oyo respectively. The least leaf number was found in 25% (19.9), 50% (19.25), 50% (2318.0) and 100% (19.5) in Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo States respectively. The ANOVA revealed that there were no significant differences at 5% probability level in all the four seed sources. The highest diameter was found in seedlings exposed to 100% (4.47 mm), 75% (4 mm), 100% (4.14mm) and 75% (3.90 mm) light intensities in Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo States respectively while the least was observed in 25% (3.06mm), (3.60 mm), (3.61 mm) and (3.36 mm) in all states. There were significant  differences at 5 % probability level among the treatment in Ogun, Osun and Oyo States while in Ondo State, there was no significant difference at 5% probability level. The highest height was found in 75% (31.01 cm), (32.44 cm), (31.69 cm) and (33.43 cm) light intensity while the least was found in 25% (21.01 cm), (22.46cm), (25.28cm) and (22.86 cm) light intensity in all sources. The ANOVA revealed no significant differences at 5% probability level in all the four sources used. Therefore, it was concluded that A. muricata requires partial shade (75 % light intensity) and seeds from Oyo State were found best among the sources. Keywords: Light intensity, Annona muricata, southwestern Nigeria, early growth performanc

Use of stool culture as a non invasive method for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori from stool of diarrhoeic children in western Nigeria

Background: Helicobacter pylori has been associated with chronic diarrhoea, iron deficiency anaemia, growth retardation, gastric malignancies, peptic ulcer disease, and gastritis among children. Diagnosis of this infection has been invasive using biopsies while stool culture is not common or routinely practiced. This study was designed to detect and isolate H.pylori from stool of diarrhoeic children and highlight possible use of such for routine laboratory diagnosis of H.pylori infections.Material and methods: Two hundred and sixty faecal samples obtained from diarrhoeic children were screened for H. pylori antigen, using H. pylori stool antigen test kit (HpSA) and cultured on modified DENTS medium. Cholestyramine and nitrobluetetrazolium salt were added to the stool and the medium respectively to aid isolation of H. pylori. Correlation of BMI and H. pylori infection of the children was also evaluated.Results: Twenty-six (10%) samples showed growth on culture while 91 (35%) tested positive for H. pylori antigen. Of the 26 children with positive culture, 16 had a low BMI. HpSA has sensitivity and specificity of 11.5% and 62.4%. There was a significant association (χ2 = 12.86, df=2, P-value = 0.004) between age group of participants and use of HpSA kit.Conclusion: Stool culture for recovery of H. pylori is feasible in our environment and diarrhoeic children should be screened for H. pylori using both HpSA and culture. H. pylori is suggested to be screened routinely especially among children having diarrhoea and are underweight. Albeit, other causes should be eliminated before concluding on the reason for the underweight.Keywords:  Helicobacter pylori, stool culture, HpSA, BMI, Cholestyramine, Nitrobluetetrazolium sal

L-Arginine Administration Improves Cognition and Oxidative Stress Parameters in the Hippocampus and Frontal Lobe of 4- Vinylcyclohexene Diepoxide Perimenopausal Female Rats

Neuropsychiatric symptoms like cognitive impairment and anxiety are prominent in the perimenopausal period and have beenrelated to increased oxidative stress. Study evaluated effect of L-arginine on these neuropsychiatric symptoms and oxidativestress parameters. Immature female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups; Premenopausal injected with Corn-oil(2.5μl/g) for 15 days; VCD perimenopausal, injected with 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (160mg/kg) diluted in Corn-oil for 15days; and AGING perimenopausal group. Fourteen weeks after VCD/corn-oil administrations, and 180 days in AGINGperimenopausal group, rats were further divided into 2 sub-groups that received L-Arginine (100mg/kg) and distilled water for30 days. Thereafter, neurobehavioural assessments were carried out in animals at diestrus using Y-maze and elevated plus maze.Animals were humanely sacrificed, hippocampus and frontal lobe were isolated from the brain and homogenized formeasurement of oxidative stress parameters. Percentage correct alternation was significantly higher (P< 0.05) in premenopausalcompared to VCD and AGING perimenopausal groups. It was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in AGING perimenopausal groupadministered distilled water compared to AGING perimenopausal group administered L-Arginine with no change in other groups.Close Vs Open arm ratio was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in premenopausal compared to VCD and AGING perimenopausalgroups. Similarly, L-Arginine significantly reduced (P < 0.05) Close Vs Open arm ratio in AGING PRM group while itsignificantly improved (P < 0.05) oxidative stress parameters in all groups. L-arginine improved cognition and anxiety in AGINGperimenopausal with no change in premenopausal and VCD perimenopausal rats

Awareness and practice of cord blood donation by pregnant women in Lagos Nigeria: Practice implication for future cord blood transplantation in Nigeria

Background: Poor awareness remains a substantial limitation to harnessing the benefits of umbilical cord blood (UCB) in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the level of awareness and factors influencing intention to donate cord blood to blood bank among antenatal clinic attendees at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study of 400 women attending the antenatal clinic of a tertiary hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, between February and June 2018. The data were analyzed using Stata version 13; comparisons were conducted with Chi-square, Student's t-test, and Mann–Whitney U-test. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression was conducted with “willingness to donate” as the outcome variable. Results: Majority (n = 287/331 [86.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 76.4–84.9]) of the participants had some knowledge of UCB, almost half intended future donation of UCB (n = 161/333, [48.3%, 95% CI: 42.9–53.6]). Based on our findings, factors such as religion (P = 0.001), education (P = 0.03), information from health-care provider (P < 0.001) appear to influence awareness, and the decision to donate UCB. Conclusion: Although the awareness of the clinical uses of UCB is very limited in Nigeria, the intent to participate in UCB donation is high. Factors such as religion, education, and prior information about UCB donation by health-care providers have been identified in this study to have an influence on the decision to donate UCB

Sodium Dedecyl Suphate Polyacrilamide Gel Electrophosis of Campylobacter coli

Campylobacter coli were characterized using sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The isolates were obtained from the faeces of diarrhoeic children with the age range of 0 t 36 months attending paediatric clinic at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The 16 isolates studied were characterized into seven protein profiles based on their outer membrane proteins (OMPs). The glagella antigens of C. coli had the molecular weights of 24kDa and 84 kDa. The SDS-PAGE proves a reliable and rapid technique for typing strains from sporadic cases. (Af. J. of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology: 2002 3(1): 1-2

THE EFFECT OF SOME NIGERIAN LOCAL HERBS ON HELICOBACTER PYLORI

Four Nigerian medicinal plants commonly used in the treatment of bacterial infections were tested for antimicrobial activity against twenty local strains of Helicobacter pylori recovered from patients with gastro-duodenal ulcers and gastritis. In vitro agar diffusion assay revealed anti-Helicobacter pylori activity of ethanolic extracts of C. papaya and M. lucida to 80% (16/20) of the isolates tested, while the ethanolic extracts of O. gratissimum and P. amarus inhibited the colonial growth of 35% (7/20) of these strains. The zones of inhibition ranged from 5 – 20 mm in diameter. Contrastingly, the aqueous extracts of these plants appeared to lack anti-Helicobacter pylori activity except in M. lucida and O. gratissimum where inhibition of a total of three isolates was observed. The present results suggest the presence of anti-Helicobacter pylori principles in ethanolic extracts of C. papaya and M. lucida and support their future use in the treatment of ulcers and gastritis in Nigeria. (Af J Clinical & Exp Microbiology: 2003 4(2): 29-35

Laboratory Diagnosis of Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Review

A spate of pneumonia cases caused by A novel Coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) was observed in Wuhan, Hubei province of China in late 2019. The outbreak termed COVID-19 has spread rapidly almost throughout the world with a case fatality of approximately 6.9%. The disease spreads by droplet infection from person to person. Early diagnosis is the key for prompt management of cases and control of the spread of the virus. Currently, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT- PCR) for the detection of unique sequences of the viral genome is the gold standard for COVID-19 testing where the N, E, S and RdRp (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase) genes are targeted using upper and lower respiratory tract specimens. The rRT-PCR is labor intensive, severely constraining the capacity for quick turnaround time (TAT) from sample collection to results transmission particularly in resource limited settings. Consequently, laboratory testing of suspected cases might be characterized by long wait periods. The exponential increase in demand for tests, coupled with inherent shortage or scarcity of laboratory resources dictates the need to provide for all that is required for effective diagnosis in the laboratory. Also, whether other materials, such as blood, urine, stools, saliva and throat washing, will become valid alternatives has not been unequivocally defined so far. The development and availability of serological assays and point of care molecular testing assays are potentially viable opportunity for purposes of diagnostics and epidemiologic surveillance, although more information is needed on accuracy and reliability of these portable immunoassays as non has been licensed for use in the country according to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Majority (80%) of these infections remains asymptomatic and are the major drivers of the spread of the infection around the world. With the perception of our experiences in recent months, it is clear that COVID-19 may have come to stay and we might be living together with this virus for quite a long time. Thus, our level of surveillance (using laboratory testing) and responsiveness against the emergence over burdened local outbreaks must be maintained at the highest possible levels with mitigation strategies to limit the spread of the disease