iosr-JPBS   Volume-8 ~ Issue-4

Abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a devastating disease in which survival is measured in months rather than years from the time of diagnosis. The aggressive nature of the tumour and the usual background chronic liver disease make the management difficult warranting multidisciplinary cooperation. Percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) was introduced ten years ago as palliative therapy for patients with inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma. Objective: This study was aimed at evaluating the benefits of percutaneous ethanol injection in the management of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Patients and methods: Consecutive patients who had percutaneous ethanol injection for hepatocellular carcinoma at Adoose specialist hospital from August 2008 to July 2012 were prospectively analysed and formed the basis of this study. Results :A total of 32 patients had (PEI) during the study period out of an initial 82 that presented with HCC. The mean age of the study population was 40.4+/- 14.2yrs with age range of 18 to 60yrs. There were 28(87.5%) males and 4(12.5%) females giving a male: female ratio of 7:1. Right hypochondrial pain and mass were the main symptoms seen in 28(87.5%). Pre intervention pain score ranges from 6-8 while post intervention pain score a week after treatment dropped to 1 or 2. The longest survivor at follow up with this treatment is 14months with mean survival duration of 8months.Conclusion: Percutaneous ethanol injection significantly reduces the pain of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and prolongs survival.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, Percutaneous Ethanol injection, Palliation, Benefit

Abstract: In this work, we evaluate the biological activities of some new derivatives of benzofuran which can be used as effective anti-microbial agents. The recent reviews of literature have highlighted the attention of medicinal chemists because of their diverse biological activities and profound efficacy. Clinically potent benzofurans generated interest to construct a system which possesses anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activity. Furan and benzofuran are associated with wide spectrum of biological activity. In the view of these, an effort was made to check some synthesized compounds for their anti-microbial activity. In present study, pyrazoline derivatives were synthesized; 5-bromo-3-methyl acetophenone undergoes ring formation in presence of chloroacetone to form benzofuran which further forms chalcone on treatment with substituted benzaldehyde. This intermediate on treatment with hydrazine hydrate results into pyrazoline. Further it reacts with various benzoyl chlorides to form the titled product. Synthesized compounds have been confirmed on the basis of spectral studies and analytical data. All the compounds were screened for their in-vitro anti-bacterial activity against Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus ATCC3750 and Gram negative Salmonella typhi NCTC786, anti-fungal strains of Candida albicans ATCC10233 and Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404 using tube dilution method showing moderate activity.

Keywords : Anti-microbial activity, Benzofuran, Pyrazole.

Abstract: Leprosy is a medico-social problem with a declining in its medical form due to the prescence of effective treatment (MDT) but its social aspect in term of stigmatization,disability,deformities,loss of self-respect and loss of self-esteem and ostracizing of affected ones and misconception of the disease by the community have been well identified as a major threat , therefore , making patients more vulnerable to destitution and social isolation . The study was carried out to determine the prevalence,management of leprosy disease and perceived psychological impact of the disease among residents of leprosy training centre,Saye, Zaria, Kaduna State between January, 2005 and December, 2010 .The study revealed that social isolation (94%), Anxiety 90%, shame 84.4%, depression 81.8%, emotional disturbances 71.4%,loss of self-respect, loss of self-esteem and emotional disturbances associated with disfigurement were some of psychosocial disorders . It was concluded that health education and information should be paramount when caring for the patient with leprosy because of the psychological disorders.

Key words : Prevalence ,Perceived Psychological impact , Saye, leprosy

Abstract: The airborne microbial concentrations of two clinical Laboratories located in the main campus of Ahmadu Bello University (LBU) and Sarkin-pawa Street (LBS) in Samaru-Zaria town were investigated within a period in the dry season (January-march) and a period in wet season (July-September) 2007. Bacterial counts in the dry season ranged from 1.8 × 103cfu/ml to 0.03 × 103cfu/ml with the highest count in LBS in the third week of sampling while those of wet season ranged from 8.0 to 0.01 × 103 cfu/ml with the highest in LBS. The fungal count ranged from 3.6 to 0.08 × 103 cfu/ml in the dry season and 0.54 to 0.04 × 103 cfu/ml in the wet season. The highest fungal count occurred in LBS and LBU in dry and wet seasons respectively. There was no statistical difference between the bacterial concentrations of the laboratories using paired sample t-test. In fungal counts, there was also no significant difference between the laboratories. The correlation between the sum total of bacterial and fungal concentrations at 0.05 level of significance (2-tailed) using Kendall's tau_b, and Spearman's rho was significant. The predominant bacteria and fungi isolated from investigated air samples included Staphylococcus spp, Proteus spp, Streptococcus spp, Micrococcus spp, Aspergillus spp, Rhizopus spp, E. coli, Bacillus spp. This comparative information could be useful for the medical and public health practitioners on common airborne bacteria and fungi, and their roles in the indoor air quality of clinical laboratories.

Keywords: Airborne, bacteria, fungi, laboratory, season