Osteogenic response to hydroxyapatite-fibrin implants in maxillofacial bone defects

Bone formation in hydroxyapatite-fibrin implants has been reported several times. However, available studies refer to experimental animals, or are limited to short periods after implantation. We report the results of histological. histochemical and ultrastructural studies carried out 2.5–8 yr after implantation of non-resorbable, porous hydroxyapatite (HA) and fibrin glue in human maxillofacial bones. Prominent ossification was found in all cases, with the presence of normally structured spongy bone. HA granules were embedded in the calcified bone matrix. They had not elicited inflammatory reactions and did not induce bone resorption. Ossification was preceded by the appearance of alkaline phosphatase activity on fibroblast-like cells, and by the formation of dense collagenous layers, similar to osteoid borders, on the surface of HA granules. The early phases of the calcification process occurred in these borders, with the appearance of calcification nodules adjacent to alkaline phosphatase-positive osteoblast-like cells. A remodeling process similar to that occurring in normal bones was found in the newly formed bone. These results justify the conclusion that HA-fibrin implants lead to the formation of long-lasting bone that does not differ from that of the normal maxillofacial skeleton. Mixing the HA granules with fibrin has the advantage of creating an easily mouldable material which can be adapted to any skeletal surface and stays in place after surgery.     

Blond hair removal using ELOS systems.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to test blond hair removal using the ELOS system, which is optical energy and radio-frequency combined. METHODS: Seventeen patients with blond hair were randomly selected from the Department of Lasertherapy, Medical Centre Maastricht, The Netherlands. The mean age of the patients was 57.4 years. The mean energy used per patient was 23.2 J/cm2 and the mean radio-frequency was 18.6 J/cm2. RESULTS: A mean hair reduction of 57.4% was obtained with a mean of 8.5 treatments. There was a trend found between hair removal and the number of treatments. No correlation was found between the percentage of hair removal and age. Furthermore, there was no correlation between hair removal and the device's technical data. No major side effects were observed postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that ELOS can effectively be used for blond hair reduction.     

Idiopathic granulomatous orchitis.

A case of idiopathic granulomatous orchitis in a 37-year-old Nigerian male is discussed. He presented with a history of pain and swelling of left testis of three weeks duration. A clinical impression of tumor of the testis was made followed by orchidectomy. A systemic review failed to show evidence of any infective proccess. Histology showed non-caseating tuberculoid granulomas replacing the seminiferous tubules.     

Pulmonary radiological findings in hepatoma

Pulmonary radiological features of 27 patients with a diagnosis of hepatoma were reviewed and compared with 64 controls. Coin shadows, nodular, lymphangitic or hilar node metastases were observed in 50% of the hepatoma cases. Other radiological pulmonary findings in hepatoma included statistically significant elevation of the right hemidiaphragm, double contour of the diaphragmatic silhouette and discoid atelectasis. Left hemidiaphragm changes may occur with left lobe involvement. Double contour of the crest of the diaphragm appeared to be specific and common in hepatoma in this African population. Doming of the diaphragm was not specific to hepatoma.     

Bladder tumours in Enugu, Nigeria

The clinicopathological features of 103 tumours of the urinary bladder are reported; 56.3% were transitional cell and 38.8% were squamous cell carcinoma. The results support a strong association between schistosomiasis and bladder cancer.     

Blond hair removal using ELOS systems

Objective: The aim of this study was to test blond hair removal using the ELOS system, which is optical energy and radio‐frequency combined. Methods: Seventeen patients with blond hair were randomly selected from the Department of Lasertherapy, Medical Centre Maastricht, The Netherlands. The mean age of the patients was 57.4 years. The mean energy used per patient was 23.2?J/cm² and the mean radio‐frequency was 18.6?J/cm². Results: A mean hair reduction of 57.4% was obtained with a mean of 8.5 treatments. There was a trend found between hair removal and the number of treatments. No correlation was found between the percentage of hair removal and age. Furthermore, there was no correlation between hair removal and the device's technical data. No major side effects were observed postoperatively. Conclusions: This study showed that ELOS can effectively be used for blond hair reduction.     

Synthesis,characterization, and theoretical studies of the photovoltaic properties of novel reactive azonitrobenzaldehyde derivatives

All dyes conduct but at different degrees of absorption; it is interesting to study the degree of conductivity and absorptivity of novel reactive azo-dyes in respect to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) to ascertain their viability for such applications. In this study, four novel reactive azo-dyes were experimentally synthesized from p-aminobenzaldehyde, 4-amino-3-nitrobenzaldehyde, and aniline through series of condensation and coupling reactions. The various functional groups, molecular connectivities, and molecular weight of the various fragments of the synthesized dyes were elucidated using the GC-MS, FT-IR, UV-vis, and NMR respectively. The experimentally determined structures were modeled and investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) approaches to computationally compute the electronic structure properties, reactivity, absorption and solvatochromism in four different phases: gas, ethanol, acetone, and water, and the photovoltaic properties for possible applications in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). By comparing the HOMO (E_H) and the LUMO (E_L) energies from the results obtained demonstrates that dye D has the highest E_L energy value of −2.48 eV with a relatively lowest E_H energy value of −5.63 eV such that it lies underneath the conduction band edge of TiO₂ which is necessary to enable charge regeneration. Pi-electron delocalization was observed from the natural bond orbital (NBO) calculations between the different aromatic rings with dye B and A having the relatively highest and least second-order stabilization energies between σ* → σ* and LP* → LP interacting orbitals respectively. It is also observed in all the solvents that the Gibbs free energy of injection (ΔG_inject) is greater than 0.2 eV and hence, all the studied azo structures in the four phases provided efficient electron injection and light harvesting efficiency (LHE), however, the value of ΔG_inject for dyes B and D is greatest in all the four phases and thus, provided the highest electron injection of all the dyes. From the fact-findings of quantum theory of atoms-in-molecules (QTAIM), dyes A and C have extra-stability due to their relatively high numbers of intramolecular H-bond interactions along with some additional intra-atomic bonding between atoms within the studied compounds. Hence, all the four dyes are good for DSSCs applications.

Four novel reactive azo-dyes were experimentally synthesized from p-aminobenzaldehyde, 4-amino-3-nitrobenzaldehyde, and aniline through series of condensation and coupling reactions, and their properties were assessed for possible application in dye-sensitized solar cells.     

Gross haematuria in a negro population: An analysis of 100 adult cases

One hundred consecutive cases of gross haematuria seen at a Nigerian Urologic Clinic are analysed. The causes were identified in 95 cases. Benign prostatic hypertrophy was the commonest cause accounting for 27% of the cases, followed by trauma and infection. Schistosomiasis was an uncommon cause. The pattern of the distribution of aetiological factors and valuable investigations are discussed.