Checkpoint Kinase 1 Expression Predicts Poor Prognosis in Nigerian Breast Cancer Patients.

Background: Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHEK1), a DNA damage sensor and cell death pathway stimulator, is regarded as an oncogene in tumours, where its activities are considered essential for tumourigenesis and the survival of cancer cells treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In breast cancer, CHEK1 expression has been associated with an aggressive tumour phenotype, the triple-negative breast cancer subtype, an aberrant response to tamoxifen, and poor prognosis. However, the relevance of CHEK1 expression has, hitherto, not been investigated in an indigenous African population.

Clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of Ku 70/80 expression in Nigerian breast cancer and its potential therapeutic implications.

Ku 70/80 is a regulator of the Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ) roles in clinicopathological features, and has prognostic significance in breast cancer (BC) in Caucasian populations. However, its significance in the Nigerian BC population, which is characterized by a higher rate of the triple-negative and basal phenotype, p53 mutation rate and BRCA1 deficiency, still needs to be investigated. We hypothesize that Ku70/80 expression shows adverse expression in Nigerian BC and, furthermore, that it is likely to have a therapeutic implication for Black BC management.

Tumour cell membrane laminin expression is associated with basal-like phenotype and poor survival in Nigerian breast cancer.

Introduction: Laminin is a glycoprotein with diverse functions in carcinogenesis including cell proliferation, invasion, metastases and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In breast cancer (BC) laminin expression is speculated to be associated with unfavourable clinicopathological and molecular characteristics. We hypothesize that laminin expression would contributed to the aggressive nature of basal like and triple negative BC phenotype observed in Black women.

Effect of Methamidophos on cerebellar neuronal cells.

Methamidophos is a toxic organophosphorus compound that inhibits acetlycholinesterase activity, and induces neurotoxicity. It is a synthetic chemical commonly used as pesticides to limit pest damages to cultivated plants. Currently, there is serious public health concern over its safety and use due to its global nature, persistence and bioaccumulations.

Hypertension, and blood pressure response to graded exercise in young obese and non-athletic Nigerian university students.

Hypertension, and the effect of graded exercise on blood pressure (BP), in 60 obese non-athletic young medical students (40 females and 20 males) with body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 were studied. The subjects were in the age range of 18-22 years with mean age of 20.30 +/-1.

Influence of smoking on respiratory symptoms and lung function indices in sawmill workers in Benin City, Nigeria.

The study was done to assess the influence of smoking on respiratory symptoms and respiratory function in sawmill workers in Benin City. 150 sawmill workers who were all males and aged between 18 and 50 years, and had been in continuous employment in sawmill factories for a minimum of one year were studied. They were selected by a two-stage random sampling process from sawmills in Benin City.

Variations of peak expiratory flow rate with anthropometric determinants in a population of healthy adult nigerians.

Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was measured in 300 healthy adult male and female staff and students of the University of Benin, Benin City, and the College of Education, Ekiadolor, near Benin. The variations of Peak Expiratory Flow Rate with respect to height (ht), weight (wt) and chest circumference (cc) were determined in these subjects. PEFR values fell within the middle to the lower limits of the range for the general male and female populations.

Prevalence of byssinosis and other respiratory problems among textile mill workers in Asaba, Nigeria.

Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the distribution and severity of byssinosis and other respiratory problems in the different operation sections in a textile mill industry in Asaba.

Patients And Methods: This is a cross-sectional and analytic study in which workers directly exposed to cotton dust are compared with those not directly exposed to cotton dust at one point in time.

Results: A total of 735 workers were interviewed and 437 workers had respiratory examinations carried out on them.

Cerebral blood flow velocity during and after sustained isometric skeletal muscle contractions in man.

1. Twenty-seven young subjects used their right hand to perform sustained, isometric contractions at 40% of maximum for 2 min while lying supine. 2.

Changes in blood pressure and serum cholesterol following exercise training in Nigerian hypertensive subjects.

The effect of exercise training on blood pressure (BP) and serum cholesterol level was studied in hypertensive Nigerians. Fifty-eight subjects aged 30-65 years completed the study. They exercised on a cycle ergometer at 70% maximum O2 consumption.

Enhanced sensitivity to salt-induced high blood pressure in diabetes mellitus.

Salt-induced high blood pressure in diabetic rats was compared with that in non-diabetic (control) rats. Before the rats had eaten the high-salt diet, the diabetic group exhibited significantly greater pressor response to noradrenaline (100 ng/100 g body weight) than the controls (P < 0.05).

Duration-dependent attenuation of acetylcholine--but not histamine--induced relaxation of the aorta in diabetes mellitus.

1. The relaxations of aortic preparations from 1, 4 and 12 week diabetic rats to acetylcholine and histamine were studied. 2.

Ventilatory function of workers at Okpella cement factory in Nigeria.

Simple ventilatory function tests were done in 447 cement factory workers. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were higher in males than females and correlated well with age and height. FEV1 was smaller in workers who were in closer contact with cement dust.

Ventilatory responses to inhaled carbon dioxide at rest and during exercise in man.

1. Rapid steady-state CO2 responses were determined in six normal subjects at rest and five subjects at four different work loads up to 125 W, by injecting pure CO2 at constant flow into a small mixing chamber in the inspiratory limb of a breathing circuit. 2.

Immediate ventilatory response to sudden changes in venous return in humans.

We changed venous return transiently by postural manoeuvres, and by lower body positive pressure, to see what happened simultaneously to ventilation. Cardiac output was measured by a Doppler technique. In seven subjects, after inflation of a pressure suit to 80 and 40 mmHg at 30 deg head-up tilt, both cardiac output and ventilation increased.

Ventilatory sensitivity to inhaled carbon dioxide around the control point during exercise.

Rapid steady-state CO2 responses were determined in five normal adults at rest and at up to six levels of exercise by injecting pure CO2 at a constant flow into the inspiratory limb of a breathing circuit. Ventilation (V) was measured with a dry gas meter and PCO2 at the mouth was recorded by a mass spectrometer. Mean alveolar PCO2 (PACO2) was taken as equal to end-tidal PCO2 at rest, and during exercise was derived graphically from the sloping alveolar plateaus.

Ventilation and cardiac output during the onset of exercise, and during voluntary hyperventilation, in humans.

Three normal subjects performed rest--exercise transitions on a cycle ergometer, from rest to unloaded pedalling (0 W), 50, 100 and 150 W. Each experiment was performed in triplicate, with randomized work load order, in two sessions. Ventilation was obtained breath-to-breath by integration of a pneumotachygraph signal, and cardiac output beat-to-beat by a new development of the Doppler technique.

Validation of a Doppler technique for beat-to-beat measurement of cardiac output.

We have measured aortic flow in the ascending aorta in man with a Bach-Simpson BVM 202 blood velocity meter, and aortic root diameter by M-mode echocardiography, and thus derived beat-to-beat cardiac output (Q). We tested the technique in 21 patients (53 comparisons) with various cardiovascular problems against a thermodilution method, and in four normal subjects at rest and two levels of exercise (50 and 100 W) against a nitrous oxide rebreathing method. We obtained excellent overall correlation in a range of 0.