HEPATITIS AND PHYSIOLOGY OF LIVER CELLS-A REVIEW

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver, with accompanying damage to liver cells. Hepatitis is classified into chronic and acute hepatitis and the different types are hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. However, their causes, modes of transmission, incubation periods, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatments and preventions were also discussed. Hepatitis causes liver diseases such as liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and jaundice. It is reviewed that when chronic hepatitis C or B goes untreated, it causes scarring to the liver (cirrhosis) and an increased chance of liver cancer and liver failure, ending in death. Hepatitis viruses, especially Hepatitis A Virus (HAV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection are endemic in Nigeria and constitute a public health menace, the prevalence of HBV in some professional group was found to be highest among the female sex workers (FSWs). Global prevalence of chronic HAV and HBV infection is highest in Africa, Asia and Western Pacific; intermediate in Southern and Eastern Europe and Lowest in Western Europe, North America and Australia. Pregnant women, in the 3rd trimester of gestation are found to be more likely to be infected than those in the 1st and 2nd trimester, thus, the virus can be transmitted from the infected mother to the offspring during birth. The group of people who stood the high risk of contracting both HAV and HBV infections were also revealed. It is recommended that hepatitis screening should be incorporated in the routine antenatal check up, and government at all levels should be proactive in innovation and immediate implementation of a general child and adolescent immunization against HBV to prevent further spread of this virus.Key words: Hepatitis, Liver cell, cirrhosis, jaundice, hepatocellular carcinom

Phytochemical composition and antitrypanosomal activities Of aqueous leaf extracts of Loranthus micranthus Linn. (Loranthaceae) in rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei Brucei

Phytochemical composition and antitrypanosomal activities of aqueous leaf extracts of Loranthus micranthus in rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei was investigated for 28 days using 72 adult male albino rats weighing between 150 – 250 g. The rats were divided into six groups (A – F), replicated thrice with each replicate having four rats. Group A, B and C were given 400 mg/kg, 800 mg/kg and 1200 mg/kg of the extracts respectively, according to their body weights, while group D, E and F served as the negative, positive and normal control groups, respectively. LD50, phytochemical screening, parasitaemia and body weight were determined using standard methods. It was observed that tannins and flavonoids were highly present, alkaloids, resins, steroids and saponins were moderately present in the plant extract, while terpenes and glycosides were present in trace amounts. LD50 of the crude leaf extract of L. micranthus showed no mortality at dose levels of up to 5,000 mg/kg after 24 hours. The level of parasitaemia in all the tested groups and negative control were significantly high (p<0.05) when compared with the positive and normal control groups throughout the duration of the experiment. Similarly, a significant decrease (p<0.05) was observed in the mean values of body weights of the infected and treated animals throughout the duration of the experiment. The results showed that all the tested rats and negative control groups died from the overwhelming parasitaemia unlike the case of those administered the standard drug. The aqueous leaf extract of L. micranthus may not be used as an antitrypanosomal agent.Keywords: Phytochemical composition, Parasitaemia, Trypanosomiasis, Albino rats, Loranthus micranthus, Non antitrypanosomal agen

Gene therapy, physiological applications, problems and prospects - a review

Gene therapy can be defined as the use of DNA as a pharmaceutical agent to treat disease. It is also an experimental medical treatment that manipulates a gene or genes within cells in order to produce proteins that change the function of those cells. The physiological applications, problems and prospects of gene therapy are reviewed in this study. The different types of gene therapy such as germline gene therapy, somatic gene therapy and chimeraplasty gene therapy are discussed. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nanoparticles, sonoporation, electroporation and gene gun are the techniques used in gene therapy. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used in medical and biological research. Nanoparticles have been widely used in the field of drug and gene delivery to target cells. Sonoporation allows uptake of large molecules of DNA into the cell, in a process called cell transformation. Electroporation is highly efficient for the introduction of foreign genes in tissue culture cells, in tumor treatment and cell-based therapy. A gene gun is a device for injecting cells with genetic information to plant cells. Gene therapy is applied in medicine, agriculture, loss and gain of function, tracking and expression studies. Some problems bedeviling gene therapy include insertional mutagenesis, mutagenic disorders, problem of viral vectors, immune response etc. Gene therapy has the potential to eliminate and prevent hereditary diseases such as cystic fibrosis and is a possible cure for Alziehmer’s disease and cancer, enhance agricultural productivity of farm animals, and in the production of genetically modified animals (GMOs) which will further help in medical and biomedical research.Keywords: Gene therapy, Chimeraplasty, Nanoparticles, Sonoporation, Electroporation, Gene gun, Polymerase chain reactio

Adaptation of the Wound Healing Questionnaire universal-reporter outcome measure for use in global surgery trials (TALON-1 study): mixed-methods study and Rasch analysis

BackgroundThe Bluebelle Wound Healing Questionnaire (WHQ) is a universal-reporter outcome measure developed in the UK for remote detection of surgical-site infection after abdominal surgery. This study aimed to explore cross-cultural equivalence, acceptability, and content validity of the WHQ for use across low- and middle-income countries, and to make recommendations for its adaptation.MethodsThis was a mixed-methods study within a trial (SWAT) embedded in an international randomized trial, conducted according to best practice guidelines, and co-produced with community and patient partners (TALON-1). Structured interviews and focus groups were used to gather data regarding cross-cultural, cross-contextual equivalence of the individual items and scale, and conduct a translatability assessment. Translation was completed into five languages in accordance with Mapi recommendations. Next, data from a prospective cohort (SWAT) were interpreted using Rasch analysis to explore scaling and measurement properties of the WHQ. Finally, qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated using a modified, exploratory, instrumental design model.ResultsIn the qualitative phase, 10 structured interviews and six focus groups took place with a total of 47 investigators across six countries. Themes related to comprehension, response mapping, retrieval, and judgement were identified with rich cross-cultural insights. In the quantitative phase, an exploratory Rasch model was fitted to data from 537 patients (369 excluding extremes). Owing to the number of extreme (floor) values, the overall level of power was low. The single WHQ scale satisfied tests of unidimensionality, indicating validity of the ordinal total WHQ score. There was significant overall model misfit of five items (5, 9, 14, 15, 16) and local dependency in 11 item pairs. The person separation index was estimated as 0.48 suggesting weak discrimination between classes, whereas Cronbach's α was high at 0.86. Triangulation of qualitative data with the Rasch analysis supported recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ items 1 (redness), 3 (clear fluid), 7 (deep wound opening), 10 (pain), 11 (fever), 15 (antibiotics), 16 (debridement), 18 (drainage), and 19 (reoperation). Changes to three item response categories (1, not at all; 2, a little; 3, a lot) were adopted for symptom items 1 to 10, and two categories (0, no; 1, yes) for item 11 (fever).ConclusionThis study made recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ for use in global surgical research and practice, using co-produced mixed-methods data from three continents. Translations are now available for implementation into remote wound assessment pathways