Tailoring epoxy coating with acetoxime derivative of zinc for advanced anticorrosive performance on mild steel: experimental and computational insights.

Context: In this work, the corrosion inhibitive effect of acetoxime derivative of zinc chloride, (ZnCl.2HON=C(CH)) (ZA), was investigated on mild steel in epoxy/polyamide coating. ZA was used to modify diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) to yield novel anticorrosive coating (epoxy-ZA) with excellent barrier characteristic.

Usefulness of Serum Pepsinogen I as a Biomarker in Early Diagnosis of Aetiology of Dyspepsia.

Background: Dyspepsia, according to Rome III criteria, is defined as pain or discomfort centred in the upper abdomen in addition to symptoms like early satiety, postprandial fullness, bloating and nausea. Pepsinogens which are secreted by chief cells of the stomach play an important role in its physiology. They could determine the functional state of the mucosa in health and in diseased conditions.

Mapping and size estimation of men who have sex with men in virtual platforms in Delhi, India.

Introduction: In India, the HIV epidemic is concentrated among Key Populations (KPs), such as men who have sex with men (MSM), who bear a disproportionate burden of HIV disease. Conventional targeted interventions (TI) mitigate HIV transmission among MSM by focusing on physical hotspots. As increasingly, there is a shift within India's MSM community to connect with sex partners online, novel approaches are needed to map virtual platforms where sexual networks are formed.

Analysis of Facility and Home Isolation Strategies in COVID 19 Pandemic: Evidences from Jodhpur, India.

Purpose: Jodhpur administration directed its efforts to control and mitigate COVID 19 infection by implementing and monitoring facility isolation (FI) and home isolation (HI) measures. This study is conducted with a hypothesis that there is no difference in the quality of life and cost-effectiveness of mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic patients in HI and FI.

Patients And Methods: A mixed-method study was conducted in Jodhpur in September 2020.

Accuracy of non-endoscopic predictors of oesophageal varices in liver cirrhosis using platelet count, splenic size and portal vein diameter.

Background: Endoscopy has been recommended for all patients with liver cirrhosis to detect varices, but it is expensive, invasive and uncomfortable. There is therefore, need to find non-endoscopic means to predict oesophageal varices.

Aim: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of platelet count, splenic size and portal vein diameter to predict oesophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Evaluation of caudal dexamethasone with ropivacaine for post-operative analgesia in paediatric herniotomies: A randomised controlled study.

Background And Aims: Caudal analgesia is one of the most popular regional blocks in paediatric patients undergoing infra-umbilical surgeries but with the drawback of short duration of action after single shot local anaesthetic injection. We evaluated whether caudal dexamethasone 0.1 mg/kg as an adjuvant to the ropivacaine improved analgesic efficacy after paediatric herniotomies.

Role of lamivudine in the therapy of Nigerian patients with Chronic HBV infection.

Aims And Objectives: The study was conducted to determine the role of lamivudine in the treatment of Nigerian patients with chronic HBV infection (CHB).

Materials And Methods: Twenty one Nigerian patients with laboratory, histologic and clinical features of CHB were studied over a period of 30 months for response to a six-month therapy with lamivudine using liver biopsy as gold standard for assessment of response to therapy.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 32.

HBV infectivity among Nigerians.

The study involved 60 (non-immunized), 14 (immunized against HBV), healthy Nigerian adults and 28 Nigerian patients with hepatitis. Their sera were tested for HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HBc, anti-HBs and anti-HCV while only 15 subjects with chronic hepatitis had HBV DNA assay by PCR. The subjects aged 21 to 72 years and comprised 75 male and 27 female adults.

HIV-1 drug resistant mutations in chronically infected treatment naive individuals in the pre-ARV era in Nigeria.

In Nigeria the Federal Government rolled out antiretroviral drugs for the management of HIV infection in year 2002. This study was carried out to determine the circulating antiviral drug mutations among ARV naïve patients with chronic HIV infection during the pre-ARV roll out era in the country. DNA was extracted from stored whole blood samples collected from 75 HIV positive patients attending the Medical outpatient clinic between December 1996 and November 2001.

Hepatitis B and E viral infections among Nigerian healthcare workers.

Background: There is dearth of information on Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection and its co-infection with HBV among Nigerian healthcare workers (HCWs). Hence, there is the need to determine the rate of HEV infection and its association with HBV among HCWs who are at greater risk of nosocomial infections.

Methodology: Sera from 88 HCWs and 44 non-HCWs healthy adults as controls were tested for the presence of antibody to HEV (anti-HEV).

Correlation of cag-A serological status with histological parameters of chronic gastritis among dyspeptic patients in south western Nigeria.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the sero-prevalence of Cag-A strains of Helicobacter pylori in both dyspeptic and non-dyspeptic individuals and also correlate the serological status of Gag-A strain of H. pylori with the various graded histological variables of chronic gastritis in the dyspeptic patients.

Methods: Using helicobacter p120 Cag-A enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, Cag-A serology test was carried out on 65 dyspeptic patients and 65 age and sex matched non-dyspeptic controls.

Hepatitis B virus DNA in patients with HBsAg in south western Nigeria.

There are about 400 million people with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection worldwide with a potential of adverse sequelae including hepatocellular carcinoma. Recent data have shown that the level of HBV DNA in serum or plasma of an infected person probably reflects more accurately the replicative activity of the virus and therefore may serve as a better maker for management of the infection. This study was designed to determine the rate of detection of HBV DNA in blood samples of patients with HBsAg positive in Nigeria in comparison with the HBe and anti-HBe used widely as serological markers of infectivity.

Characteristics of inflammatory bowel disease in three tertiary health centers in southern Nigeria.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to two chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract which is generally believed to be rare in most African countries. The objectives of the current study were to present the experience of three tertiary gastroenterology centers in southern part of Nigeria on IBD, highlighting the age distribution of the patients seen, management and the impact on the quality of their life in university-based community-type practices in Nigeria.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of charts of inflammatory bowel disease seen between January 2007 and June 2010 at three teaching hospitals in Southern Nigeria.

Factors influencing the biochemical markers for predicting mammalian oocyte quality.

The need for accurate selection of the best oocytes for in vitro fertilization protocols and thus, production of embryos has driven the search for oocyte quality markers from morphological criteria to biochemical parameters. Current studies are focused on the biochemical constituents of the follicular fluid and gene expression profiling of the cumulus cells. These parameters are, however, affected by factors that must be considered before making a judgment of the oocyte's quality.

Comparative diagnostic efficacy of serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common liver malignancy in Nigeria. Hepatitis B and C viruses, alcohol and Aflatoxin B are among the various aetiologies. More work needs to be done in the search for markers that will aid early detection of this condition as it is uniformly fatal once advanced.

Correlation of serum anti-helicobacter pylori immunoglobulin a (IgA) with histological parameters of chronic gastritis in ibadan, Nigeria.

Background: The seroprevalence of anti-H. pylori IgA antibodies has been reported to vary among populations and in relation to strains of Helicobacter pylori bacterium. However, there has been conflicting reports on the association between IgA serological status and the histological variables of chronic gastritis.

Autoimmune liver disease in a Nigerian woman.

Autoimmune liver diseases are chronic liver disease with similar clinical features to viral and non-autoimmune liver disorders but with distinct sero-autoimmunologic features. In developed countries, it accounts for about 20% of all liver transplantations in the USA. Most studies on liver disease in Nigeria centred on viral or alcohol aetiology with complete absence of data on autoimmune liver disease.

Cannabidiol protects retinal neurons by preserving glutamine synthetase activity in diabetes.

Purpose: We have previously shown that non-psychotropic cannabidiol (CBD) protects retinal neurons in diabetic rats by inhibiting reactive oxygen species and blocking tyrosine nitration. Tyrosine nitration may inhibit glutamine synthetase (GS), causing glutamate accumulation and leading to further neuronal cell death. We propose to test the hypothesis that diabetes-induced glutamate accumulation in the retina is associated with tyrosine nitration of GS and that CBD treatment inhibits this process.

Pitfalls in diagnosis of hepatitis B virus infection among adults Nigerians.

Objective: Hepatitis B virus infection is common in Nigerians and its diagnosis is necessary for effective treatment and eradication. This study is aimed at highlighting the serological factors jeopardizing the diagnosis and treatment of the infection among Nigerians adults.

Patients And Methods: Three studies were carried out.

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori among Nigerian patients with dyspepsia in Ibadan.

Introduction: Determination of the true prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is difficult in a hyper-endemic area like Nigeria with use of serological tests because of their low discriminatory power between previous and current infections. The use of biopsy based methods will go a long way to mitigate this problem.

Occult HBV infection among a cohort of Nigerian adults.

Objective: To determine markers of HBV infection and detect the presence of its occult infection in serum of a cohort of adult Nigerians.

Methodology: The study involved 28 adult Nigerians with viral hepatitis (Group 1) and 28 apparently healthy adult Nigerians as controls (Group 2). Their sera were assayed for HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HBc, anti-HBs, and anti-HCV, while HBV DNA was determined in 15 patients with chronic hepatitis.

Risk of hepatitis B virus in the slaughter house.

The study involved 180 Nigerian butchers and 180 traders (controls) selected by multistage stratified sampling who had their sera assayed for HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The butchers and the controls had an HBsAg sero-prevalence rate of 9.4% and 3.

Roles of microtubules and microfilaments in spindle movements during rat oocyte meiosis.

Spindle movements, including spindle migration from the center to the cortex of oocytes during first meiosis and spindle rotation during second meiosis, are required for asymmetric meiotic divisions in many species. However, little is currently known in relation to the rat oocyte. To explore how spindles move and the mechanism controlling spindle movements in rat oocytes, we observed the spindle dynamics during the two meiotic divisions in the rat oocyte by confocal microscopy.

Nigerian butchers and hepatitis B virus infection.

Various target groups have been identified in Nigeria for studying the prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection; however there is no information on its prevalence among workers in slaughter houses. This study determined the seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in Nigerian butchers at Ibadan, and comprised 360 healthy Nigerian adult subjects (180 butchers, 180 traders as controls) selected by multistage stratified sampling. A questionnaire was used to collect relevant information and included points about risk behaviour.