Synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Crinum macowanii bulb extracts and the application of these materials in blood detections at crime scenes

We here in report the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using a Crinum macowanii bulb water extract. The as‐synthesized AuNPs were characterized using ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and a zeta potential‐sizer. The results showed that the as‐synthesized AuNPs were crystalline and mostly spherical in shape with a small mixture of triangular, tetrahedral, hexagonal, octagonal, and diamond shapes. The as‐synthesized AuNPs together with those synthesized by conventional methods were subsequently used as enhancers for the luminol signal in blood detection. It was noted that the AuNPs synthesized from the Crinum macowanii bulb water extract could enhance the chemiluminescence signal for blood detection by luminol to the same extent as AuNPs prepared by conventional methods. Furthermore, both types of AuNPs served as fluorescence enhancers for blood detection when luminol was replaced with the bulb water extract.     

Hydrocarbon Degradation and Biosurfactant Production by an Acenaphthene-degrading Pseudomonas Species

An acenaphthene-degrading bacterium putatively identified as Pseudomonas sp. strain KR3 and isolated from diesel-contaminated soil in Lagos, Nigeria was investigated for its degradative and biosurfactant production potentials on crude oil. Physicochemical analysis of the sampling site indicates gross pollution of the soil with high hydrocarbon content (2100 mg/kg) and detection of various heavy metals. The isolate grew luxuriantly on crude oil, engine oil and acenaphthene. It was resistant to septrin, amoxicillin and augmentin but was susceptible to pefloxacin, streptomycin and gentamycin. It was also resistant to elevated concentration of heavy metals such as 1–15 mM lead, nickel and molybdenum. On acenaphthene, the isolate exhibited specific growth rate and doubling time of 0.098 day^?1 and 3.06 days, respectively. It degraded 62.44% (31.2 mg/l) and 91.78% (45.89 mg/l) of 50 mg/l acenaphthene within 12 and 21 days. On crude oil, the specific growth rate and doubling time were 0.375 day^?1 and 1.85 days with corresponding percentage degradation of 33.01% (903.99 mg/l) and 87.79% (2403.71 mg/l) of crude oil (2738.16 mg/l) within 9 and 18 days. Gas chromatographic analysis of residual crude oil at the end of 18 days incubation showed significant reductions in the aliphatic, alicyclic and aromatic fractions with complete disappearance of benzene, propylbenzene, pristane, phytane, and nC₁₈-octadecane fractions of the crude oil. The isolate produced growth-associated biosurfactant on crude oil with the highest emulsification index (E₂₄) value of 72% ± 0.23 on Day 10 of incubation. The partially purified biosurfactant showed zero tolerance for salinity and had its optimal activity at 27°C and pH 2.0.     

Status of phosphatase activities in the liver and kidney of rats treated with isosaline leaf and stem-bark extracts of Harungana madagascariensis (L)

The activities of phosphatases and other biochemical parameters were examined in rats treated with isosaline leaf and stem-bark extracts of Harungana madagascariensis (L). Results show that both the leaf and stem-bark extracts significantly increased the activities of serum and liver alkaline phosphatase, liver acid phosphatase, liver and kidney glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-diphosphatase and glycogen in the treated rats. While the stem-bark extract significantly elevated the activities of fructose-1,6-diphosphatase and glycogen in the kidney, these biochemical parameters were not affected by treatment with the leaf extract. The activity of serum acid phosphatase was unaffected by the two extracts. The results obtained clearly show that these extracts caused a marked increase in gluconeogenesis in the liver and kidney of the treated rats. While the stem-bark extract increased gluconeogenesis in both liver and kidney, the leaf extract caused an increase in gluconeogenesis only in the liver. The increased serum alkaline phosphatase activity caused by these extracts may, aside from having other tissues contributing to it, be due to damage caused by these extracts to the hepatocytes. The extent of pathological changes as well as the implications of these findings to folklore medicine requires further investigation.     

Doing No Harm? Adverse Events in a Nation-Wide Cohort of Patients with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Nigeria

Background

Adverse events (AEs) of second line anti-tuberculosis drugs (SLDs) are relatively well documented. However, the actual burden has rarely been described in detail in programmatic settings. We investigated the occurrence of these events in the national cohort of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients in Nigeria.

Method

This was a retrospective, observational cohort study, using pharmacovigilance data systematically collected at all MDR-TB treatment centers in Nigeria. Characteristics of AEs during the intensive phase treatment were documented, and risk factors for development of AEs were assessed.

Results

Four hundred and sixty patients were included in the analysis: 62% were male; median age was 33 years [Interquartile Range (IQR):28–42] and median weight was 51 kg (IQR: 45–59). Two hundred and three (44%) patients experienced AEs; four died of conditions associated with SLD AEs. Gastro-intestinal (n = 100), neurological (n = 75), ototoxic (n = 72) and psychiatric (n = 60) AEs were the most commonly reported, whereas ototoxic and psychiatric AEs were the most debilitating. Majority of AEs developed after 1–2 months of therapy, and resolved in less than a month after treatment. Some treatment centers were twice as likely to report AEs compared with others, highlighting significant inconsistencies in reporting at different treatment centers. Patients with a higher body weight had an increased risk of experiencing AEs. No differences were observed in risk of AEs between HIV-infected and uninfected patients. Similarly, age was not significantly associated with AEs.

Conclusion

Patients in the Nigerian MDR-TB cohort experienced a wide range of AEs, some of which were disabling and fatal. Early identification and prompt management as well as standardized reporting of AEs at all levels of healthcare, including the community is urgently needed. Safer regimens for drug-resistant TB with the shortest duration are advocated.     

Improving Maternal Care through a State-Wide Health Insurance Program: A Cost and Cost-Effectiveness Study in Rural Nigeria

Background

While the Nigerian government has made progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, further investments are needed to achieve the targets of post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals, including Universal Health Coverage. Economic evaluations of innovative interventions can help inform investment decisions in resource-constrained settings. We aim to assess the cost and cost-effectiveness of maternal care provided within the new Kwara State Health Insurance program (KSHI) in rural Nigeria.

Methods and Findings

We used a decision analytic model to simulate a cohort of pregnant women. The primary outcome is the incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the KSHI scenario compared to the current standard of care. Intervention cost from a healthcare provider perspective included service delivery costs and above-service level costs; these were evaluated in a participating hospital and using financial records from the managing organisations, respectively. Standard of care costs from a provider perspective were derived from the literature using an ingredient approach. We generated 95% credibility intervals around the primary outcome through probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) based on a Monte Carlo simulation. We conducted one-way sensitivity analyses across key model parameters and assessed the sensitivity of our results to the performance of the base case separately through a scenario analysis. Finally, we assessed the sustainability and feasibility of this program’s scale up within the State’s healthcare financing structure through a budget impact analysis. The KSHI scenario results in a health benefit to patients at a higher cost compared to the base case. The mean ICER (US$46.4/disability-adjusted life year averted) is considered very cost-effective compared to a willingness-to-pay threshold of one gross domestic product per capita (Nigeria, US$ 2012, 2,730). Our conclusion was robust to uncertainty in parameters estimates (PSA: median US$49.1, 95% credible interval 21.9–152.3), during one-way sensitivity analyses, and when cost, quality, cost and utilization parameters of the base case scenario were changed. The sustainability of this program’s scale up by the State is dependent on further investments in healthcare.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence that the investment made by the KSHI program in rural Nigeria is likely to have been cost-effective; however, further healthcare investments are needed for this program to be successfully expanded within Kwara State. Policy makers should consider supporting financial initiatives to reduce maternal mortality tackling both supply and demand issues in the access to care.     

Innovative Technological Approach to Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak Response in Nigeria Using the Open Data Kit and Form Hub Technology

The recent outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in West Africa has ravaged many lives. Effective containment of this outbreak relies on prompt and effective coordination and communication across various interventions; early detection and response being critical to successful control. The use of information and communications technology (ICT) in active surveillance has proved to be effective but its use in Ebola outbreak response has been limited. Due to the need for timeliness in reporting and communication for early discovery of new EVD cases and promptness in response; it became imperative to empower the response team members with technologies and solutions which would enable smooth and rapid data flow. The Open Data Kit and Form Hub technology were used in combination with the Dashboard technology and ArcGIS mapping for follow up of contacts, identification of cases, case investigation and management and also for strategic planning during the response. A remarkable improvement was recorded in the reporting of daily follow-up of contacts after the deployment of the integrated real time technology. The turnaround time between identification of symptomatic contacts and evacuation to the isolation facility and also for receipt of laboratory results was reduced and informed decisions could be taken by all concerned. Accountability in contact tracing was ensured by the use of a GPS enabled device. The use of innovative technologies in the response of the EVD outbreak in Nigeria contributed significantly to the prompt control of the outbreak and containment of the disease by providing a valuable platform for early warning and guiding early actions.     

Catecholamines Inhibit Gastric Epithelial [RGM-1] Cell Proliferation via Beta Adrenoceptors

Catecholamines have been implicated in the modulation of normal cell growth, exerting inhibitory or excitatory control depending on the cell type. However, there is a dearth of information on the role of adrenergic mediators in gastric cell proliferation. In the present study, the effects of adrenaline (ADR) and noradrenaline (NOR) on mucosal cell growth and the cell cycle were evaluated in vitro using a normal rat gastric mucosal cell line RGM-1. Cell proliferation was assessed using [3H]-thymidine incorporation and cell cycle patterns were determined by DNA labeling with propidium iodide and flow cytometric quantification. The expressions of adrenoceptors in RGM-1 were determined by Western blot. ADR (0.01 - 10μM) and NOR (0.01 - 10μM) inhibited the growth of RGM-1 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Pre-treatment of cells with ADR and NOR also inhibited the proliferation stimulated by epidermal growth factor (EGF). Neither phentolamine (non-selective α-adrenergic blocker), methoxamine (α1-selective agonist) nor clonidine (α2-selective agonist) significantly affected the inhibition of cell proliferation produced by ADR and NOR. Propranolol (non-selective β-adrenergic blocker) and butoxamine (selective β2-adrenergic blocker) significantly (but not totally) reversed the inhibitory action of ADR on cell proliferation. Furthermore, procaterol (selective beta-2 agonist) but not dobutamine (selective beta-1 agonist) had effects similar to those produced by ADR and NOR. Exposure of RGM-1 cells to both ADR and NOR caused significant inhibition of the G1 - S cycle progression as evidenced by the higher percentage of the G0/G1 phase and a decreased S- phase. This effect was blocked by pre-treatment with propranolol but not phentolamine These results indicate that catecholamines inhibit the proliferation of RGM-1 cells probably partly through beta-2 receptors.     

Estimation of linear and mass attenuation coefficients of soy–lignin bonded Rhizophora spp. particleboard as a potential phantom material using caesium-137 and cobalt-60

In this study, linear and mass attenuation coefficients of fabricated particleboards intended for use as phantom material were estimated using ¹³⁷Cs and ⁶⁰Co radiation sources. Particleboards made of Rhizophora spp. wood trunk bonded with soy flour and lignin were fabricated at a target density of 1.0 g cm^?3, with and without gloss finish coating. Elemental composition of the particleboards was obtained by means of energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. Experimental setups were simulated via the GATE Monte Carlo (MC) package, with particle histories of 1?×?10⁶–1?×?10⁷. Linear and mass attenuation coefficients obtained from measurements and GATE simulations were compared and discussed. The percentage differences between the measured and simulated linear and mass attenuation coefficients of the samples were reasonably small (2.05–4.88% for ¹³⁷Cs and 3.24–5.38% for ⁶⁰Co). It is shown that all the particleboards have the potential to be used as phantom materials as the attenuation coefficients measured were in good agreement with those of water (calculated with XCOM) and with those simulated with the GATE toolkit. The use of gloss finish coating also did not show any significant effect on the attenuation coefficient of the phantom material. Verification of experimental results via GATE simulations has been shown crucial in providing reliable data for energy transmission studies. Based on the results achieved in this study, it is concluded that the studied material—Rhizophora spp. wood trunk bonded with soy flour and lignin including gloss finish coating—can be used in radiation dosimetry studies.