Acetate attenuates cyclophosphamide-induced cardiac injury via inhibition of NF-kB signaling and suppression of caspase 3-dependent apoptosis in Wistar rats.

Aim: The goal of the current study was to examine the potential therapeutic effects of sodium acetate on cardiac toxicities caused by cyclophosphamide in Wistar rats. The possible involvement of NF-kB/caspase 3 signaling was also explored.

Main Methods: Thirty-two male Wistar rats were divided into four groups at random.

Prediction of malaria positivity using patients' demographic and environmental features and clinical symptoms to complement parasitological confirmation before treatment.

Background: Current malaria diagnosis methods that rely on microscopy and Histidine Rich Protein-2 (HRP2)-based rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) have drawbacks that necessitate the development of improved and complementary malaria diagnostic methods to overcome some or all these limitations. Consequently, the addition of automated detection and classification of malaria using laboratory methods can provide patients with more accurate and faster diagnosis. Therefore, this study used a machine-learning model to predict Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) antigen positivity (presence of malaria) based on sociodemographic behaviour, environment, and clinical features.

Expression Patterns of ER, PR, HER-2/neu and p53 in Association with Nottingham Tumour Grade in Breast Cancer Patients.

Objectives: Recent molecular studies show that breast cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease, and several molecular changes may accumulate over time to influence treatment response. As a result, employing reliable molecular biomarkers to monitor these modifications may help deliver personalised treatment. However, this may be unrealistic in the resource-limited parts of the world.

Histopathological evaluation of infertility: Lessons from laboratory rodents.

Infertility is a growing challenge globally with emerging risk factors. There are effective laboratory tests to evaluate infertility in humans, nevertheless, some measures, especially histopathological evaluations, are invasive due to the pain inflicted when accessing the reproductive organs and obtaining samples; hence, their relevance may be limited in humans. However, these histopathological evaluations provide essential information on the etiopathogenesis of infertility and the likely mechanisms of action of potential therapeutic candidates.

Can Clean Delivery Kits Prevent Infections? Lessons from Traditional Birth Attendants in Nigeria.

Background: In resource-poor settings, perinatal infections contribute significantly to maternal and neonatal deaths, and the use of clean delivery kits (CDKs) has been proposed as a tool to reduce the risk of infection-related deaths. This study aims to assess the acceptability and effectiveness of CDKs in preventing infections in deliveries attended by traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in Abeokuta, Nigeria.

Methods: The study was a cluster-randomized trial with 67 birth centres/clusters, 453 births/mothers, and 457 babies randomized to intervention or control arms; intervention involved supplementation of delivery with JANMA CDKs.

Glutamine Alleviates I/R-Induced Intestinal Injury and Dysmotility Via the Downregulation of Xanthine Oxidase/Uric Acid Signaling and Lactate Generation in Wistar Rats.

Introduction: Disruption of intestinal histoarchitecture and intestinal dysmotility is critical to intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury and xanthine oxidase (XO)/uric acid (UA) signaling and increased lactate generation have been reported to play a role. More so, glutamine treatment has been demonstrated to inhibit XO/UA signaling. However, the role of glutamine in intestinal IR injury-induced intestinal dysmotility and the associated mechanisms of action are unclear.

DEPRESSION AND MEDICATION ADHERENCE AMONG ALDER ADULTS WITH SELECTED CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS IN MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA.

Introduction: Older adults constitute a rapidly growing population whose healthcare needs are unique, with a higher prevalence of physical and psychiatric morbidities. A knowledge gap exists regarding the association of chronic medical conditions with Depression and how they affect medication adherence. This may be linked to their chronic nature and impacts on the mood of older adults.

Nosocomial infections in sickle cell anemia patients: Prevention through multi-disciplinary approach: A review.

Sickle cell anemia (SCA), a hereditary blood disorder characterized by the presence of abnormal hemoglobin, poses a unique set of challenges for both patients and healthcare providers. One of the most pressing issues in the care of these individuals is the persistent threat of nosocomial infections, which are infections acquired during hospitalization. This abstract provides a concise overview of the ongoing challenge of nosocomial infections in SCA patients, highlighting the factors contributing to their vulnerability and the preventive measures in place.

Exploring artificial intelligence in the Nigerian medical educational space: An online cross-sectional study of perceptions, risks and benefits among students and lecturers from ten universities.

Background: The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) has been compared to that of the Internet and printing, evoking both apprehension and anticipation in an uncertain world.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the perceptions of medical students and faculty members from ten universities across Nigeria regarding AI.

Methods: Using Google Forms and WhatsApp, a cross-sectional online survey was administered to clinical year medical students and their lecturers from ten medical schools representing all the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

Chronic Kidney Disease and Its Clinical Correlates in a Rural Community in Southwestern Nigeria.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a burgeoning problem globally, and more than a billion adults were affected as of 2016, with 1.2 million people dying from renal failure in 2017. To arrest the seemingly relentless progression of CKD to renal failure, there is a need to detect CKD early in the community.

The Role of International Collaborations in Sustainable Neurosurgical Development in Nigeria.

Objective: Despite 6 decades of existence, neurosurgery is still in the developing stages in Nigeria. In this era of collaborative health system capacity-building in low- and middle-income countries, this article reviews past efforts and future prospects for collaborative neurosurgical development in Nigeria.

Methods: A bibliometric review of the Nigerian neurosurgical literature and data from a structured survey of Nigerian neurosurgeons and residents provided details of current local and international collaborations for neurosurgical research, service delivery, training, and capacity building.

The Status of Specialist Neurosurgical Training in Nigeria: A Survey of Practitioners, Trainers, and Trainees.

Objective: Despite the well-known neurosurgical workforce deficit in Sub-Saharan Africa, there remains a low number of neurosurgical training programs in Nigeria. This study sought to reassess the current status of specialist neurosurgical training in the country.

Methods: An electronic survey was distributed to all consultant neurosurgeons and neurosurgery residents in Nigeria.

Development, Feasibility, and Preliminary Effects of a Hybrid-Mode Multicomponent Music Intervention for Women Undergoing Mastectomy.

Background: Music listening interventions have been used to manage preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain in women undergoing breast cancer (BC) using face-to-face mode and music that was relevant to the patients' culture; however, the interventions were not underpinned by any theories.

Objective: To assess the feasibility and preliminary effects of a theory-driven multicomponent music intervention on preoperative and postoperative patient outcomes in African women with BC undergoing mastectomy.

Methods: This study was a multicenter, single-blind randomized controlled trial with qualitative interview.

Impact of organophosphate pesticides exposure on human semen parameters and testosterone: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Organophosphate (OP) pesticides have been associated with a decline in semen quality, although there are still considerable arguments about the magnitude of the association.

Objective: This study provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of the impacts of OP pesticides on semen quality and male reproductive hormones.

Methods: This study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocols.

Therapeutic Study of Cinnamic Acid Derivative for Oxidative Stress Ablation: The Computational and Experimental Answers.

This study aimed to examine the therapeutic activity of the cinnamic acid derivative KAD-7 (N'-(2,4-dichlorobenzylidene)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) acrylohydrazide) on Fe-induced oxidative hepatic injury via experimental and computational models. In addition, the role of ATPase and ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (ENTPDase) in the coordination of cellular signals is speculated upon to proffer suitable therapeutics for metabolic stress disorder upon their inhibition. While we know little about therapeutics with flexible dual inhibitors for these protein targets, this study was designed to screen KAD-7's (N'-(2,4-dichlorobenzylidene)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) acrylohydrazide) inhibitory potential for both protein targets.

Knowledge, attitude and perception of cesarean section among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.

While the rate of Cesarean Section (CS) has been increasing in developed countries, the same cannot be said about developing countries, especially Nigeria. Despite the various indications of CS that may arise, the CS rate in Nigeria has remained as low as 2.7% as against the 15% acceptable upper limit according to the World Health Organization.

The Iron Status of Children with and without Sickle Cell Disease at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.

Background: Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at potential risk of iron overload from chronic transfusion and probable iron deficiency due to accelerated growth. However, only few studies on the iron status of children with SCD in Nigeria are available.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study compared the iron status of 109 children with sickle cell disease with 109 age and sex-matched haemoglobin AA controls at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.

Murine Malaria Model: Ketoconazole Prevented Malaria while Proguanil and Sulfadoxine/Pyrimethamine Protected against Malaria-associated Anemia and Kidney Damage.

Background: The concern about the global spread of resistant malaria has made the researchers not focus only on the treatment of established infections but relatively more on the prevention of the disease.

Objective: This study evaluates the chemopreventive activity of ketoconazole in a murine malarial model.

Method: Five out of seven groups of mice were pretreated for five days with proguanil (PRG), sulfadoxine/ pyrimethamine (SP), 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg body weight (b.

Association between Socioeconomic Status and the Utilization of Maternal Health Services in Nigeria.

Background: Maternal health is the mother's state of well-being before, during, and after conception. Studies have suggested that the increasing maternal mortality rate is preventable provided maternal health services are accessible during pregnancy. This study explored the association between socioeconomic status and the utilization of maternal health services in the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Key lifestyles and interim health outcomes for effective interventions in general populations: A network analysis of a large international observational study.

Background: The interconnected nature of lifestyles and interim health outcomes implies the presence of the central lifestyle, central interim health outcome and bridge lifestyle, which are yet to be determined. Modifying these factors holds immense potential for substantial positive changes across all aspects of health and lifestyles. We aimed to identify these factors from a pool of 18 lifestyle factors and 13 interim health outcomes while investigating potential gender and occupation differences.

Reference Values for 3-Meter Backward Walk Test among Apparently Healthy Adults.

Objective: The 3-meter backward walk (3MBW) test is an outcome performance measure to assess backward walking mobility, balance, and risk of fall. However, the lack of baseline values is a potential limitation for its use as a rehabilitation target value or predictor of outcomes. This study aimed at ascertaining a gender- and age-reference value of 3MBW and determining its correlation with sociodemographic and anthropometric variables.

Risk Assessment Score and Chi-Square Automatic Interaction Detection Algorithm for Hypertension Among Africans: Models From the SIREN Study.

Background: This study aimed to develop a risk-scoring model for hypertension among Africans.

Methods: In this study, 4413 stroke-free controls were used to develop the risk-scoring model for hypertension. Logistic regression models were applied to 13 risk factors.

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oil from (Bl.) Endl., Walp. Repert. (Annonaceae).

The volatile compositions and antimicrobial activity of aerial parts of from Vietnam were reported for the first time. From the GC/MS spectral, spathulenol (35.9%), bicyclogermacrene (5.

Relationship between Serum Uric Acid and Hypertension among Secondary School Adolescents in Ekiti State, Nigeria.

Background: With the seemingly increasing trend of childhood hypertension, high serum uric acid (SUA) levels might be an indicator of essential hypertension among adolescents.

Objective: To determine the SUA levels of hypertensive students and randomly selected controls and find the association, if any, between SUA level and blood pressure (BP) among secondary school students in Ido-Osi Local Government Area (LGA).

Methodology: The study was a nested case-control study conducted among selected secondary school students in IdoOsi LGA from June 2017 to March 2018.