Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone (LHRH)-Conjugated Cancer Drug Delivery from Magnetite Nanoparticle-Modified Microporous Poly-Di-Methyl-Siloxane (PDMS) Systems for the Targeted Treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells.

This study presents LHRH conjugated drug delivery via a magnetite nanoparticle-modified microporous Poly-Di-Methyl-Siloxane (PDMS) system for the targeted suppression of triple-negative breast cancer cells. First, the MNP-modified PDMS devices are fabricated before loading with targeted and untargeted cancer drugs. The release kinetics from the devices are then studied before fitting the results to the Korsmeyer-Peppas model.

Incidence and antibiotic susceptibility profile of uropathogenic positive for extended spectrum β-lactamase among HIV/AIDS patients in Awka metropolis, Nigeria.

Background And Objectives: This study investigated the incidence and antibiotic susceptibility profile of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing uropathogenic recovered from HIV/AIDS patients in Awka metropolis, Nigeria.

Materials And Methods: A total of 363 urine samples were bacteriologically analyzed for the isolation of isolates which were further characterized using standard microbiology techniques. The isolated uropathogenic was tested for susceptibility to a range of clinically important antibiotics using the modified disk diffusion technique.

Structure and Computational Studies of New Sulfonamide Compound: {(4-nitrophenyl)sulfonyl}tryptophan.

Synthesis of sulfonamide through an indirect method that avoids contamination of the product with no need for purification has been carried out using the indirect process. Here, we report the synthesis of a novel sulfonamide compound, ({4-nitrophenyl}sulfonyl)tryptophan (DNSPA) from 4-nitrobenzenesulphonylchloride and L-tryptophan precursors. The slow evaporation method was used to form single crystals of the named compound from methanolic solution.

Antibiotic resistance: The challenges and some emerging strategies for tackling a global menace.

Background: Antibiotic resistance is currently the most serious global threat to the effective treatment of bacterial infections. Antibiotic resistance has been established to adversely affect both clinical and therapeutic outcomes, with consequences ranging from treatment failures and the need for expensive and safer alternative drugs to the cost of higher rates of morbidity and mortality, longer hospitalization, and high-healthcare costs. The search for new antibiotics and other antimicrobials continues to be a pressing need in humanity's battle against bacterial infections.

Interpregnancy interval after a miscarriage and obstetric outcomes in the subsequent pregnancy in a low-income setting, Nigeria: A cohort study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine and compare the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in a cohort of pregnant women with interpregnancy interval of < and ⩾6 months (short and normal interpregnancy interval, respectively) following a spontaneous miscarriage in their last pregnancies.

Methods: This was a cohort study that involved pregnant women with a spontaneous pregnancy loss in their last pregnancies. They were recruited at a gestational age of 13-15 weeks and followed up to determine the obstetric and foetal outcomes of their pregnancies at four tertiary hospitals in Nigeria from July 2018 to September 2019.

Women autonomy and demand for maternal health services in Nigeria: Evidence from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey.

Improving women autonomy can be vital in determining the uptake of healthcare services, especially in a patriarchal society with gender rights concerns. Using the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey and employing Zero Inflated Negative Binomial regression, the effect of household decision-making power with considerations to women autonomy on the demand for maternal health services in Nigeria was examined. The result of the analysis suggests that women autonomy in deciding expenditures on household healthcare services, and autonomy in deciding their income expenditures significantly increases the likelihood of demand for maternal healthcare services.

Relationship of oxidative stress and antioxidant response with vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell anaemia.

Background: Though sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is known to promote oxidative stress, there is paucity of information on the relationship between oxidative stress and vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC).

Objective: This study was undertaken to evaluate the relationship of oxidative stress and antioxidant response with VOC in SCA.

Methods: A cross-sectional case-control study was carried out at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu Nigeria involving 116 individuals which included 36 SCA subject, 40 sickle cell carriers (AS) and 40 healthy individuals (AA).

Influence of Nigerian Jelly Ear Culinary-Medicinal Mushroom, Auricularia auricula-judae (Agaricomycetes), on Humoral and Cellular Immunity.

The fruiting body of Auricularia auricula-judae has received attention in folk medicine due to its possible medicinal values. Therefore, this study evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of the hot aqueous extract (AAAJ) and the β-D-glucan-rich polysaccharide fraction of A. auricula-judae (BGPA) on specific and nonspecific humoral and cell mediated immune responses in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed mice.

Phenotypic and Molecular Characterization of -Lactamases among Enterobacterial Uropathogens in Southeastern Nigeria.

Little is known about the molecular basis of antibiotic resistance among uropathogens in Southeast Nigeria. The aim of the study was to characterize enterobacterial uropathogens with respect to drug resistance. One hundred (100) enterobacterial uropathogens were studied.

Multi-Antibiotic Resistance and Factors Affecting Carriage of Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in Pediatric Population of Enugu Metropolis, Nigeria.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing organisms have become a serious challenge in healthcare delivery globally. The prevalence of ESBL carriage in healthy and sick children in Enugu, Nigeria, was bacteriologically investigated in this study. Four hundred and twenty-two biological samples (mid-stream urine and feces) were bacteriologically analyzed.

Apparent absence of infections among children under 5-years of age with acute watery diarrhoea in Abakaliki, Nigeria.

Although the impact of diarrhoeal disease on paediatric health in Nigeria has decreased in recent years, it remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years. Rotavirus is recognised as an important aetiological agent, but information on the contribution of intestinal protozoa to watery diarrhoea in this age group in Nigeria is scarce. In this cross-sectional study, faecal samples from children admitted to healthcare centres in Abakaliki, Nigeria with acute watery diarrhoea (N = 199) and faecal samples from age-matched controls (N = 37) were examined for Cryptosporidium and Giardia using immunofluorescent antibody testing and molecular methods.

Prevalence, Antibiogram and Molecular Characterization of Comunity-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant in AWKA, Anambra Nigeria.

Objectives: This study evaluated the prevalence, antibiogram and molecular features of CA-MRSA in Awka, Nigeria.

Methods: Confirmation of MRSA was done by testing resistance to oxacillin (1µg), cloxacillin (5µg) and cefoxitin 30µg) on sterile Mueller Hinton agar supplemented with 4% sodium chloride. The MRSA strains were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method.

Organic cation rhodamines for screening organic cation transporters in early stages of drug development.

The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of rhodamine-123, rhodamine-6G and rhodamine B as non-radioactive probes for characterizing organic cation transporters in respiratory cells. Fluorescent characteristics of the compounds were validated under standard in vitro drug transport conditions (buffers, pH, and light). Uptake/transport kinetics and intracellular accumulation of the compounds were investigated.

Antimicrobial Evaluation of Bacterial Isolates from Urine Specimen of Patients with Complaints of Urinary Tract Infections in Awka, Nigeria.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) account for one of the major reasons for most hospital visits and the determination of the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of uropathogens will help to guide physicians on the best choice of antibiotics to recommend to affected patients. This study is designed to isolate, characterize, and determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the pathogens associated with UTI in Anambra State Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Anambra State, Nigeria. Clean catch urine samples of inpatient and outpatient cases of UTI were collected and bacteriologically analyzed using standard microbiological procedures.

Drug transporters in the nasal epithelium: an overview of strategies in targeted drug delivery.

In this article, we discussed the expression of some ABC (e.g., P-glycoprortein, MRP and CFTR) and SLC (e.

Drug-eluting nasal implants: formulation, characterization, clinical applications and challenges.

Chronic inflammation and infection of the nasal sinuses, also referred to as Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS), severely affects patients' quality of life. Adhesions, ostial stenosis, infection and inflammation relapses complicate chronic sinusitis treatment strategies. Drug-eluting stents, packings or implants have been suggested as reasonable alternatives for addressing these concerns.