The inner ear in patients with nasal allergy

BACKGROUND: The endolymphatic sac has been proposed as a target organ responsible for inner-ear symptom in allergic subjects. This is a report of inner-ear symptoms in patients with nasal allergy. METHOD: Retrospective review of record charts of patients with known nasal allergy presenting to the otorhinolaryngology out-patient department of the University College Hospital, Ibadan in 5 years. RESULT: Ear symptoms were found in 95/144 (66%) subjects with nasal allergy. This comprises of 41 males and 44 females (M: F = 1:1). Of these, itching of the external ear canal, hearing loss and tinnitus accounted for 63 (66%), 55 (58%) and 39 (41%), respectively, while vertigo was found in 12 (13%). Peripheral vestibular signs of imbalance were seen in 11/95. The audiological assessment of 73 subjects revealed normal pure-tone average in 43 (59%), and sensorineural hearing loss (SHL) in 17 (23.3%). The severity of SHL was mild in 6/17, moderate in 7 and moderate-to-severe in 4. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were elevated in 10/15 (67%) and 6/15 (40%), while the skin sensitivity test showed reactions to dust in 32, cold in 25, cockroach in 7, perfume in 11, vegetable oil in 1 and insecticide in 2. The clinical diagnoses were idiopathic tinnitus in 25 (26.3%), Idiopathic SHL in 17 (18%), cochlear hydrop in 6 (6%) and autoimmune inner-ear disease in 6 (6%). CONCLUSION: This report suggests some peculiar predisposition to inner-ear pathology in patients with nasal allergy. However a longitudinal assessment of cochleovestibular features of nasal allergy subjects will help in its validation.     

Medication overuse and drug addiction: a narrative review from addiction perspective

Chronic headache is particularly prevalent in migraineurs and it can progress to a condition known as medication overuse headache (MOH). MOH is a secondary headache caused by overuse of analgesics or other medications such as triptans to abort acute migraine attacks. The worsening of headache symptoms associated with medication overuse (MO) generally ameliorates following interruption of regular medication use, although the primary headache symptoms remain unaffected. MO patients may also develop certain behaviors such as ritualized drug administration, psychological drug attachment, and withdrawal symptoms that have been suggested to correlate with drug addiction. Although several reviews have been performed on this topic, to the authors best knowledge none of them have examined this topic from the addiction point of view. Therefore, we aimed to identify features in MO and drug addiction that may correlate. We initiate the review by introducing the classes of analgesics and medications that can cause MOH and those with high risk to produce MO. We further compare differences between sensitization resulting from MO and from drug addiction, the neuronal pathways that may be involved, and the genetic susceptibility that may overlap between the two conditions. Finally, ICHD recommendations to treat MOH will be provided herein.     

Effect of calcitonin on different inflammatory models

The effect of synthetic salmon calcitonin was studied on adjuvant arthritis, pertussis vaccine edema, tuberculin skin reaction, passive direct Arthus reaction and nystatin edema. The results show that calcitonin inhibits these inflammatory processes.     

A Systematic Literature Review on Waste-to-Resource Potential of Palm Oil Clinker for Sustainable Engineering and Environmental Applications

Several agro-waste materials have been utilized for sustainable engineering and environmental application over the past decades, showing different degrees of effectiveness. However, information concerning the wider use of palm oil clinker (POC) and its performance is still lacking. Therefore, as a solid waste byproduct produced in one of the oil palm processing stages, generating a huge quantity of waste mostly dumped into the landfill, the waste-to-resource potential of POC should be thoroughly discussed in a review. Thus, this paper provides a systematic review of the current research articles on the several advances made from 2005 to 2021 regarding palm oil clinker physical properties and performances, with a particular emphasis on their commitments to cost savings during environmental and engineering applications. The review begins by identifying the potential of POC application in conventional and geopolymer structural elements such as beams, slabs, and columns made of concrete, mortar, or paste for coarse aggregates, sand, and cement replacement. Aspects such as performance of POC in wastewater treatment processes, fine aggregate and cement replacement in asphaltic and bituminous mixtures during highway construction, a bio-filler in coatings for steel manufacturing processes, and a catalyst during energy generation are also discussed. This review further describes the effectiveness of POC in soil stabilization and the effect of POC pretreatment for performance enhancement. The present review can inspire researchers to find research gaps that will aid the sustainable use of agroindustry wastes. The fundamental knowledge contained in this review can also serve as a wake-up call for researchers that will motivate them to explore the high potential of utilizing POC for greater environmental benefits associated with less cost when compared with conventional materials.     

Penile gangrene due to calcific uremic arteriopathy

Calcific uremic arteriopathy (CUA) is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and secondary hyperparathyroidism. It typically presents with ischemic necrosis involving areas of adiposity in the body mainly the trunk, buttocks, or proximal extremity. Patients can also present with digital ischemia and more rarely penile gangrene. The pathogenesis of CUA is not yet clear but several putative factors, mainly hyperparathyroidism and related metabolic abnormalities are implicated. A number of conditions can mimic CUA clinically and should be differentiated from it. We present in the current study, a patient who presented with progressive penile gangrene and skin necrosis due to CUA. We review the current understanding of the pathogenesis, diagnosis/differential diagnosis, and management of this rare but potentially life-threatening complication of ESRD.     

Inhibitory activity of xanthine oxidase by fractions Crateva adansonii

ObjectiveTo study the inhibitory effect of various extracts from Crateva adansonii (C. adansonii) used traditionally against several inflammatory diseases such as rheumatism, arthritis, and gout, was investigated on purified bovine milk xanthine oxidase (XO) activity.MethodsXanthine oxidase inhibitory activity was assayed spectrophotometrically and the degree of enzyme inhibition was determined by measuring the increase in absorbance at 295 nm associated with uric acid formation. Enzyme kinetics was carried out using Lineweaver-Burk plots using xanthine as the substrate.ResultsAmong the fractions tested, the chloroform fraction exhibited highest potency (IC₅₀ 20.2±1.6 μg/mL) followed by the petroleum ether (IC₅₀ 30.1±2.2 μg/mL), ethyl acetate (IC₅₀ 43.9±1.4 μg/mL) and residual (IC₅₀ 98.0±3.3 μg/mL) fractions. The IC₅₀ value of allopurinol used, as the standard was 5.7±0.3 μg/mL.ConclusionsEnzyme inhibition mechanism indicated that the mode of inhibition was of a mixed type. Our findings suggest that the therapeutic use of these plants may be due to the observed Xanthine oxidase inhibition, thereby supporting their use in traditional folk medicine against inflammatory-related diseases, in particular, gout.     

The ML flow test as a point of care test for leprosy control programmes: potential effects on classification of leprosy patients

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of the ML Flow test as an additional, serological, tool for the classification of new leprosy patients. DESIGN: In Brazil, Nepal and Nigeria, 2632 leprosy patients were classified by three METHODS:: (1) as multibacillary (MB) or paucibacillary (PB) according to the number of skin lesions (WHO classification), (2) by slit skin smear examination, and (3) by serology using the ML Flow test detecting IgM antibodies to Mycobacterium leprae-specific phenolic glycolipid-I. RESULTS: The proportion of MB leprosy patients was 39.5, 35.6 and 19.4% in Brazil, Nepal and Nigeria, respectively. The highest seropositivity in patients was observed in Nigeria (62.9%), followed by Brazil (50.8%) and Nepal (35.6%). ML Flow test results and smears were negative in 69.1 and 82.7% of PB patients, while smears were positive in 58.6% of MB patients in Brazil and 28.3% in Nepal. In MB patients, both smears and ML Flow tests were negative in 15.6% in Brazil and 38.3%, in Nepal. Testing all PB patients with the ML Flow test to prevent under-treatment would increase the MB group by 18, 11 and 46.2% for Brazil, Nepal and Nigeria, respectively. Using the ML Flow test as the sole criterion for classification would result in an increase of 11.3 and 43.5% of patients requiring treatment for MB leprosy in Brazil and Nigeria, respectively, and a decrease of 3.7% for Nepal. CONCLUSIONS: The ML Flow test could be used to strengthen classification, reduce the risk of under-treatment and minimize the need for slit skin smears.     

An Insight into the Molecular Characteristics and Associated Pathology of Chicken Astroviruses

The chicken astrovirus (CAstV) is a ubiquitous enteric RNA virus that has been associated mainly with conditions, such as the runting-stunting syndrome, severe kidney disease, visceral gout, and white chick syndrome, in broiler-type chickens worldwide. Sequence analysis of the capsid genes’ amino acids of the strains involved in these conditions reveals a genetic relationship and diversity between and within the CAstV genogroups and subgroups based on phylogenetic analysis, genetic distance (p-dist), and pathogenicity. While the two genogroups (A and B) are demarcated phylogenetically, their pairwise amino acid sequence identity is 39% to 42% at a p-dist of 0.59 to 0.62. Group-A consists of three subgroups (Ai, Aii, and Aiii) with an inter- and intra-subgroup amino acid identity of 78% to 82% and 92% to 100%, respectively, and a p-dist of 0.18 to 0.22. On the other hand, the six subgroups (Bi, Bii, Biii, Biv, Bv, and Bvi) in Group-B, with a p-dist of 0.07 to 0.18, have an inter- and intra-subgroup amino acid identity of 82% to 93% and 93% to 100%, respectively. However, these groupings have little to no effect on determining the type of CAstV-associated pathology in chickens.     

Anticonvulsant properties of saponins from Ficus platyphylla stem bark

Preparations of Ficus platyphylla have been used in Nigerian traditional medicine for the management of epilepsy for many years and their efficacy is widely acclaimed among the Hausa communities of northern Nigeria. The anticonvulsant properties of the saponin rich fraction (SFG) obtained from the methanol extract of F. platyphylla stem bark were studied on pentylenetetrazole-, strychnine- and maximal electroshock seizures in mice. Effects of SFG were also examined in murine models for neurological disease and on relevant in vitro targets for anticonvulsant drugs. SFG protected mice against pentylenetetrazole- and strychnine-induced seizures; and significantly delayed the onset of myoclonic jerks and tonic seizures. SFG failed to protect mice against maximal electroshock seizures at doses tested. SFG neither abolished the spontaneous discharges induced by 4-aminopyridine in a neonatal rat brain slice model of tonic–clonic epilepsy nor could it modulate chloride currents through GABA_A receptor channel complex in cultured cortical cells. However, it was able to non-selectively suppress excitatory and inhibitory synaptic traffic, blocked sustained repetitive firing (SRF) and spontaneous action potential firing in these cultured cells. Our results provide scientific evidence that F. platyphylla stem bark may contain psychoactive principles with potential anticonvulsant properties. SFG impaired membrane excitability; a property shared by most anticonvulsants particularly the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) blocking drugs, thus supporting the isolation and development of the saponin components of this plant as anticonvulsant agents.