Contemporary profile of acute heart failure in Southern Nigeria: data from the Abeokuta Heart Failure Clinical Registry.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the contemporary profile, clinical characteristics, and intrahospital outcomes of acute heart failure (AHF) in an African urban community.

Background: There are limited data on the current burden and characteristics of AHF in Nigerian Africans.

Methods: Comprehensive and detailed clinical and sociodemographic data were prospectively collected from 452 consecutive patients presenting with AHF to the only tertiary hospital in Abeokuta, Nigeria (population about 1 million) over a 2-year period.

Assessments of natural radioactivity and determination of heavy metals in soil around industrial dumpsites in Sango-Ota, Ogun state, Nigeria.

The activity concentration of natural radionuclides in soil samples from industrial dumpsites in Sango-Ota were determined using gamma-ray spectrometry with NaI(Tl) detector. The mean activity concentration of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K was 3.0 ± 1.

New epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus infection in Africa.

Research on African Staphylococcus aureus has been largely neglected in the past, despite the cultural and geographical diversity in Africa, which has a significant impact on the epidemiology of this pathogen. The polarity between developed urban societies and remote rural populations (e.g.

Emergence of trimethoprim resistance gene dfrG in Staphylococcus aureus causing human infection and colonization in sub-Saharan Africa and its import to Europe.

Objectives: Co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) is clinically valuable in treating skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) caused by community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The genetic basis of emerging trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole resistance in S. aureus from Africa is unknown.

Lessons learned from setting up the Nahuche Health and Demographic Surveillance System in the resource-constrained context of northern Nigeria.

Background: The present time reflects a period of intense effort to get the most out of public health interventions, with an emphasis on health systems reform and implementation research. Population health approaches to determine which combinations are better at achieving the goals of improved health and well-being are needed to provide a ready response to the need for timely and real-world piloting of promising interventions.

Objective: This paper describes the steps needed to establish a population health surveillance site in order to share the lessons learned from our experience launching the Nahuche Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) in a relatively isolated, rural district in Zamfara, northern Nigeria, where strict Muslim observance of gender separation and seclusion of women must be respected by any survey operation.

Presentation of preauricular sinus and preauricular sinus abscess in southwest Nigeria.

Background And Aim: Preauricular sinus abscess is a common congenital external ear disease. This abscess is usually misdiagnosed because it is commonly overlooked during physical examination. In Nigeria, the prevalence was 9.

Assessment of the level of agreement in the interpretation of plain radiographs of lumbar spondylosis among clinical physiotherapists in Ghana.

Background: Objective physical assessment of patients with lumbar spondylosis involves plain film radiographs (PFR) viewing and interpretation by the radiologists. Physiotherapists also routinely assess PFR within the scope of their practice. However, studies appraising the level of agreement of physiotherapists' PFR interpretation with radiologists are not common in Ghana.

Osthole activates glucose uptake but blocks full activation in L929 fibroblast cells, and inhibits uptake in HCLE cells.

Aims: Osthole, a coumarin derivative, has been used in Chinese medicine and studies have suggested a potential use in treatment of diabetes and cancers. Therefore, we investigated the effects of osthole and other coumarins on GLUT1 activity in two cell lines that exclusively express GLUT1.

Main Methods: We measured the magnitude and time frame of the effects of osthole and related coumarins on glucose uptake in two cells lines; L929 fibroblast cells which have low GLUT1 expression levels and low basal glucose uptake and HCLE cells which have high GLUT1 concentrations and high basal uptake.

Lipid-like nanomaterials for simultaneous gene expression and silencing in vivo.

New lipid-like nanomaterials are developed to simultaneously regulate expression of multiple genes. Self-assembled nanoparticles are capable of efficiently encapsulating pDNA and siRNA. These nanoparticles are shown to induce simultaneous gene expression and silencing both in vitro and in vivo.

Quick and simple sample treatment for multiresidue analysis of bisphenols, bisphenol diglycidyl ethers and their derivatives in canned food prior to liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection.

We report herein a multiresidue method for canned food determination of 12 bisphenols [bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol E (BPE)], bisphenol diglycidyl ethers [bisphenol F diglycidyl ether (BFDGE), bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE)] and their derivatives [BADGE·2H2O, BADGE·H2O, BADGE·HCl·H2O, BADGE·HCl, BADGE·2HCl and BFDGE·2HCl]. The method was based on the microextraction of the target contaminants in 200mg food sample with 600 μL of a supramolecular solvent made up of inverse aggregates of tetradecanol, followed by analysis of the extract by liquid chromatography/fluorescence detection using external calibration. Chromatographic separation of all target compounds, including the ortho-ortho, ortho-para and para-para isomers of BFDGE and BFDGE·2HCl, was achieved with baseline separation (Resolution ≥ 1.

Incidence, pathogens and resistance patterns of nosocomial infections at a rural hospital in Gabon.

Background: Nosocomial infections pose substantial risk to patients receiving care in hospitals. In Africa, this problem is aggravated by inadequate infection control due to poor hygiene, resource and structural constraints, deficient surveillance data and lack of awareness regarding nosocomial infections. We carried out this study to determine the incidence and spectrum of nosocomial infections, pathogens and antibiotic resistance patterns in a tertiary regional hospital in Lambaréné, Gabon.

Combined administration of curcumin and gallic acid inhibits gallic acid-induced suppression of steroidogenesis, sperm output, antioxidant defenses and inflammatory responsive genes.

In this study, we investigated the effects of administration of gallic acid (Gal) with or without curcumin (Cur) on the sperm output, steroid level and antioxidant defenses in rat testis in vivo and the expression of inflammatory responsive genes in vitro. Male Wistar rats were divided randomly into four groups and given oral Gal (100mg/kg/day) and Cur (100mg/kg/day) alone or in combination for four weeks. The sperm quality was impaired following Gal treatment, while Cur prevented this and also improved the sperm count as well as the efficiency of sperm production (DSP/gm testis).

Lipopeptide nanoparticles for potent and selective siRNA delivery in rodents and nonhuman primates.

siRNA therapeutics have promise for the treatment of a wide range of genetic disorders. Motivated by lipoproteins, we report lipopeptide nanoparticles as potent and selective siRNA carriers with a wide therapeutic index. Lead material cKK-E12 showed potent silencing effects in mice (ED50 ∼ 0.

Proximate and phytochemical of Cola nitida and Cola acuminata.

The aim of the research was to examine Cola nitida and Cola acuminata for their phytochemical and proximate compositions. Presence of secondary metabolites do provide information about the plants for their potentials as a lead candidates for the novel drug discovery. The proximate analysis was done using the method of Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) and the phytochemical analysis was done using methods of Markkar and Goodchild for tannin, Brunner for saponin, Harbone for alkaloid and Bohm and Koupai-Abyazani for flavonoid.

First Report of Potato virus Y in Potato in West Java, Indonesia.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is an important vegetable crop in Indonesia. A small survey was conducted for virus diseases in November 2011 in Lembang, West Java, as part of assessing the sanitary status of potatoes produced in farmers' fields. Among the six potato fields surveyed, one field had nearly 20% of plants displaying stunted growth with leaves showing mild chlorotic spots and reduced size of lamina.

Childhood injuries in a tertiary institution in north east Nigeria.

Background: Injury has been recognised as a preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The aim of this study was to determine the aetiology, pattern and location of childhood injuries in north east Nigeria.

Materials And Methods: This is a 3-year retrospective hospital-based descriptive study.

Pseudococcus maritimus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and Parthenolecanium corni (Hemiptera: Coccidae) are capable of transmitting grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 between Vitis x labruscana and Vitis vinifera.

The grape mealybug, Pseudococcus maritimus (Ehrhorn), and European fruit lecanium scale, Parthenolecanium corni (Bouché), are the predominant species of Coccoidea in Washington State vineyards. The grape mealybug has been established as a vector of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) between wine grape (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars, elevating its pest status.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus as a cause of invasive infections in Central Africa: a case report and review of the literature.

Introduction: Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) colonization and infection are increasingly being reported worldwide and are associated with severe illness. The vast majority of MRSA infections are skin and soft tissue infections, while invasive disease remains rare. In Western countries, the epidemiology of MRSA is well documented, but from Central Africa, reports on MRSA are very limited.

Uncommon cause of paradoxical embolism in a case of scimitar syndrome.

Scimitar syndrome, a rare congenital cardiopulmonary condition, presents in both pediatric and adult populations as an anomalous pulmonary venous return of most of the right lung to the inferior vena cava. Recently, asymptomatic adult cases have been diagnosed with advances in imaging studies. We report the case of an asymptomatic 43-year-old male, with a complex variant scimitar syndrome diagnosed by computed tomographic angiography.

Profile of anaerobic bacteriology of middle ear aspirates in a developing country: does immunocompromise play a role?

Objectives: The study intends to report the profiles of anaerobic bacteria isolated and attempts to evaluate the impact of immunocompromised status of patients on the disease.

Study Design: A cross-sectional prospective study.

Setting: ENT clinic, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria; a 450-bed tertiary health facility.

An evaluation of male partners' perceptions of antenatal classes in a national health service hospital: implications for service provision in london.

Few studies have considered whether the gender of educator or same-gender classes have any influence on the participation of male partners, and even fewer studies have examined any factors that limit attendance from ethnic minority groups. The objective of this study was to investigate male partners' initial experience and associated factors that limit attendance. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire given to 69 male partners in North London.

Pulmonary-esophageal variceal bleeding: a unique presentation of partial cor triatriatum sinistrum.

Cor triatriatum sinistrum is a rare congenital disorder defined as a division of the left atrium by a diaphragmatic membrane resulting in two left atrial chambers. The membranous division of the atrium can be partial or complete and can affect either atrium, with involvement of the right atrium referred to as cor triatriatum dexter. The presence of fenestrations within the membrane allows for communication and forward passage of blood into the true atrium.

A chemotherapy only therapeutic approach to pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma: AHOPCA LH 1999.

Background: AHOPCA is a collaborative group that designs uniform treatment regimens (protocols) for children diagnosed with cancer in Central America. Based on a preliminary report from one of the AHOPCA centers, AHOPCA adopted a treatment regimen to maintain a good event-free survival (EFS) as well as eliminate radiation therapy from the treatment of children with Hodgkin lymphoma.

Procedure: Newly diagnosed patients with histologically proven Hodgkin lymphoma were staged according to the Ann Arbor classification and divided into favorable (stage I, stage IIA, and IIIA) and unfavorable (stage IIB, IIIB, and IV) groups.

Alkaline pH activates the transport activity of GLUT1 in L929 fibroblast cells.

The widely expressed mammalian glucose transporter, GLUT1, can be acutely activated in L929 fibroblast cells by a variety of conditions, including glucose deprivation, or treatment with various respiration inhibitors. Known thiol reactive compounds including phenylarsine oxide and nitroxyl are the fastest acting stimulators of glucose uptake, implicating cysteine biochemistry as critical to the acute activation of GLUT1. In this study, we report that in L929 cells glucose uptake increases 6-fold as the pH of the uptake solution is increased from 6 to 9 with the half-maximal activation at pH 7.