Risk factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a tertiary health institution in Lagos, Nigeria.

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics and identifiable risk factors for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in a real-world clinical setting.

Design: Cross-sectional study among patients with COPD.

Setting: The Respiratory clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

Phenolic Contents, Antioxidant Activities, LCMS Profiles of Mespilus germanica Leaf Extract and Effects on mRNA Transcription Levels of Apoptotic, Autophagic, and Necrotic Genes in MCF7 and A549 Cancer Cell Lines.

Cancer, defined by the continuous, uncontrollable proliferation of cells in the human body, is a disease with a rapidly increasing incidence and mortality rate. Scientists are looking for novel ways to cure and prevent this sneaky disease because of the toxicity of contemporary chemotherapy and the cancer cells' resilience to anticancer drugs. Determining the effect of herbal medicines, which do not have as harmful side effects as synthetic drugs, on cancer cell lines is an essential preliminary study in the production of effective drugs against cancer.

Evaluation of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PBDD/Fs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) outflows during the destruction of HBCD wastes in a hazardous waste incinerator.

This paper presents an evaluation of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PBDD/Fs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) outflows during the destruction of HBCD waste stockpiles in IZAYDAS Hazardous Waste Incinerator (HWI) in Kocaeli, Türkiye. HBCD wastes containing 100 % pure HBCD were in 25 kg packages with 63 % Br content were co-incinerated in a 3-day test burn with average feed rate of 26 kg/h. HBCD, PBDD/Fs and PCDD/Fs were measured in the outlet streams to quantify the amount of unintended POPs releases associated with the processing of HBCD waste and to observe the POP removal performance of air pollution control equipment (APCE) of the incinerator.

A novel graphene oxide-based fluorescence method for detection of urine glycosaminoglycans.

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) serve as a biomarker for mucopolysaccharidoses disease. In this study, a novel fluorometric method was developed to measure total GAGs in urine. Graphene oxide (GO) and rhodamine B (RhB), a cationic fluorescent dye, were employed in the development of the method.

Lycopene prevents cell death in NRK-52E cells by inhibition of high glucose-activated DNA damage and apoptotic, autophagic, and necrotic pathways.

This study aims to investigate the effects of lycopene on apoptotic, autophagic, and necrotic pathways, oxidative status, and DNA damage in diabetic nephropathy at the molecular level. The sample of the study includes seven groups: lycopene (L), high glucose (G), high glucose + lycopene (GL), and control (C) groups tested at 12 and 24 h. The expression levels of genes in oxidative, apoptotic, autophagic, and necrotic cell death pathways are determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis.

Measurement of the ^{13}C(α, n_{0})^{16}O Differential Cross Section from 0.8 to 6.5 MeV.

The cross section of the ^{13}C(α,n)^{16}O reaction is needed for nuclear astrophysics and applications to a precision of 10% or better, yet inconsistencies among 50 years of experimental studies currently lead to an uncertainty of ≈15%. Using a state-of-the-art neutron detection array, we have performed a high resolution differential cross section study covering a broad energy range. These measurements result in a dramatic improvement in the extrapolation of the cross section to stellar energies potentially reducing the uncertainty to ≈5% and resolving long standing discrepancies in higher energy data.

Vitamin D may assist the UPR against sodium fluoride-induced damage by reducing RIPK1, ATG5, BECN1, oxidative stress and increasing caspase-3 in the osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cell line.

Background: Out of all measure systemic exposure to fluorides can cause defect of skeletal and dental fluorosis. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is caused by fluorine-induced oxidative stress and importance of vitamin D in its prevention is not known enough in bone cells. This study was carried out to investigate fluorine-induced oxidative stress, ER stress, and death pathways and the effect of vitamin D on them.

Health-related quality of life in asthma measured by the World Health Organization brief questionnaire (WHO-BREF) and the effect of concomitant allergic rhinitis-A population-based study.

Background And Objective: The impact of allergic rhinitis (AR), a common comorbidity in asthma, on global quality of life (QoL) using generic QoL questionnaires has not been extensively evaluated.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional population-based study among adults ≥18 years old. Generic QoL was measured using the World Health Organization (WHO) questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF), and asthma control was assessed using the Asthma Control Test.

Single-cell transcriptomic atlas-guided development of CAR-T cells for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.

Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) have emerged as a powerful treatment option for individuals with B cell malignancies but have yet to achieve success in treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) due to a lack of safe targets. Here we leveraged an atlas of publicly available RNA-sequencing data of over 500,000 single cells from 15 individuals with AML and tissue from 9 healthy individuals for prediction of target antigens that are expressed on malignant cells but lacking on healthy cells, including T cells. Aided by this high-resolution, single-cell expression approach, we computationally identify colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor and cluster of differentiation 86 as targets for CAR-T cell therapy in AML.

Anesthesia induction regimens may affect QT interval in cardiac surgery patients: A randomized-controlled trial.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects on QT interval of the propofol-ketamine combination and the midazolam-fentanyl combination in anesthesia induction for cardiac surgery.

Methods: Between September 2020 and June 2021, a total of 9 5 c ardiac s urgery p atients ( 80 m ales, 1 5 f emales; mean age: 57±9.1 years; range, 26 to 76 years) were included.

The inhibitory effects of lycopene and thymoquinone on angiotensin converting enzyme from human plasma (An in vitro study).

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE, EC 3.4.15.

The effect of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) on apoptotic, autophagic, antioxidant and inflammation markers in glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance in rats.

Background: Insulin resistance plays an important role in predicting type 2 diabetes that may develops. This study was planned in order to investigate the beneficial effects of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) use in glucocorticoid induced-insulin resistance.

Methods And Results: Forty-two rats were used as the material (experimental) groups: the control group (C), the quinoa-administered group (Q), the insulin resistance-created group (IR), the IR + metformin group (IM), the IR + quinoa for treatment group (IQ) and the quinoa + IR for prophylaxis group (QI).

The Effects of Vitamin D Application on NaF-Induced Cytotoxicity in Osteoblast Cells (hFOB 1.19).

This study was planned to evaluate the effect of vitamin D administration on cytotoxicity due to fluoride exposure in vitro. NaF (IC50) and vitamin D (proliferative) were applied to human osteoblast (hFOB 1.19) cells.

Hyperstoichiometric Uranium Dioxides: Rapid Synthesis and Irradiation-Induced Structural Changes.

Uranium dioxide (UO), the primary fuel for commercial nuclear reactors, incorporates excess oxygen forming a series of hyperstoichiometric oxides. Thin layers of these oxides, such as UO, form readily on the fuel surface and influence its properties, performance, and potentially geologic disposal. This work reports a rapid and straightforward combustion process in solutions to prepare UO nanomaterials and thin films.

Determination of L-Phenylalanine in Human Plasma Samples with New Fluorometric Method.

The measurement of phenylalanine in biological fluids for the diagnosis of phenylketonuria (PKU) in newborns and the monitoring/therapeutic drug monitoring of individuals with PKU are especially important. Owing to the importance of PKU monitoring in clinical medicine, a new fluorometric method was developed for the determination of L-phenylalanine in serum samples. This method is based on the relationship between phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and o-phthalaldehyde (OPA).

In vivo two-photon characterization of tumor-associated macrophages and microglia (TAM/M) and CX3CR1 during different steps of brain metastasis formation from lung cancer.

Brain metastases frequently occur in lung cancer and dramatically limit prognosis of affected patients. The influence of tumor-associated macrophages and microglia (TAM/M) and their receptor CX3CR1 on different steps of brain metastasis formation from lung cancer is poorly characterized. We established a syngeneic orthotopic cerebral metastasis model in mice by combining a chronic cranial window with repetitive intravital 2-photon laser scanning microscopy.

The Effects of Sodium Fluoride (NaF) Treatment on the PI3K/Akt Signal Pathway in NRK-52E Cells.

The effects of the element fluorine on the phosphoinositide-3-kinase-protein kinase B/Akt (PI3K/Akt) pathway has a significant role in regulation of intracellular molecular mechanisms. NRK-52E rat kidney epithelial cell line was selected as the material of the study. NaF was used as the fluorine source in the study.

Impact of post-tuberculosis lung disease on health-related quality of life in patients from two tertiary hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria.

Background: Post-tuberculosis (TB) lung disease is a recognised cause of chronic respiratory disease, and its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has not been extensively described.

Objectives: To describe the clinical profile, spirometry impairment and impact of post-TB lung disease on HRQoL among patients attending two tertiary hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study and obtained data through interviews, chart reviews and physical examination.

Irradiation-Driven Restructuring of UO Thin Films: Amorphization and Crystallization.

Combustion synthesis in uranyl nitrate-acetylacetone-2-methoxyethanol solutions was used to deposit thin UO films on aluminum substrates to investigate the irradiation-induced restructuring processes. Thermal analysis revealed that the combustion reactions in these solutions are initiated at ∼160 °C. The heat released during the process and the subsequent brief annealing at 400 °C allow the deposition of polycrystalline films with 5-10 nm UO grains.

The feasibility and effect of a nurse-led, patient-centered asthma education program in a Nigerian context.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: Insufficient asthma education is an unmet need in Nigeria. We aimed to assess the feasibility of a nurse-led asthma education program and its effect on asthma knowledge and outcomes in Lagos, Nigeria.

Methods: Using a quasi-experimental study design, we recruited participants ≥12 years with physician diagnosed asthma.

α-Amylase assay with starch-iodine-sodium fluorescein-based fluorometric method in human serum samples.

A new fluorometric method was developed for the determination of α-amylase activity in human serum samples. Firstly, a saturated starch-iodine complex (SI) was prepared. The SI complex was combined with sodium fluorescein to form a starch-iodine-sodium fluorescein complex (SIF).

Unrecognized Respiratory Morbidity among Adolescents and Young Adults in Nigeria: Implications for Future Health Outcomes.

Background: Lung function impairment is a major determinant of morbidity and mortality. Unrecognized respiratory morbidity may be a missed opportunity to improve future health outcomes.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and the relationship to spirometry abnormalities and respiratory diagnosis among medical students in Lagos, Nigeria.