School performance of Nigerian adolescents with epilepsy

PURPOSE: The study assessed the school performance of Nigerian adolescents with epilepsy compared with healthy controls and examined the variables correlating with their academic difficulties. METHODS: The school grades of adolescents with epilepsy aged 12 to 18 years (n = 73) over the past academic year were compared with the grades of their classmates of the same age and gender. Risk factors possibly associated with school performance, such as adolescent variables (age, gender, perceived stigma, attitude toward epilepsy, and psychopathology), seizure variables (age at onset of illness, years of illness, types of seizures, and frequency of seizures per month), drug variables [types of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), number of AEDs and side effects of AEDs], and family variables (family's socioeconomic status, family functioning, caretakers' psychopathology, and caretakers' perceived stigma) were assessed. RESULTS: The mean school grades of adolescents with epilepsy are significantly lower than are those of their healthy controls (p < 0.001) in all the subjects. The variables that significantly predict poor school performance in adolescents with epilepsy include psychopathology in the caretaker (p < 0.001), adolescents' perceived poor family functioning (p = 0.002), adolescents' attitude toward the illness (p = 0.001), adolescents' felt stigma (p = 0.002), externalizing symptoms in the adolescents (p = 0.004), and duration of illness (p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: The determinants of poor school performance in adolescents with epilepsy in Nigeria are multivariate, with psychosocial factors most important. These should be noted for early identification and screening of those children at greatest risk for academic failure and the greatest need for appropriate educational remediation services.     

Bilateral nephron sparing surgeries for multiple renal angiomyolipomas in Bourneville’s disease

Introduction Angiomyolipomas are the most common renal lesions in tuberous sclerosis complex. When symptomatic, the treatment includes nephron sparing surgery. This is especially challenging when the lesions are bilateral, large and multiple. Case-History A 22-year-old lady with bilateral multiple large symptomatic renal angiomyolipomas associated with other manifestations of tuberous sclerosis was managed with partial nephrectomies on either side. At 30 months of follow-up, the patient has normal renal functions and no evidence of recurrence. Discussion Intervention for renal angiomyolipomas is indicated in symptomatic tumors larger than four centimetres. Selective arterial embolisation is the therapeutic modality of choice in such cases. However, in bilateral cases when angioembolisation may not always be feasible, nephron sparing surgery maybe considered. Nephron sparing surgery of both kidneys for angiomyolipomas in association with tuberous sclerosis has only been sparingly reported in literature.     

Successful surgical correction of true diphallia, scrotal duplication, and associated hypospadias

A 1-year-old child with complete duplication of penis presented with continuous dribbling of urine. Examination revealed hypospadias of 1 penis and a duplicated scrotum with 2 normal testes. Cystourethrogram revealed a single bladder with a normal urethra in the dorsally placed phallus and ectopic insertion into the bladder of the ventral urethra. Abnormality was corrected by excision of the ventrally located penis bearing the ectopic urethra. The preputial skin of this ventral penis was used to repair the hypospadias of the dorsal penis. The case is being reported in view of its rarity and the successful surgical correction.     

Novel sulphonic acid liquid crystal derivatives: experimental,computational and optoelectrical characterizations

A novel liquid crystal homologous series based on the benzene sulphonic acid moiety, namely (E)-4-((4-((4-(alkoxy)benzoyl)oxy)benzylidene)amino)benzenesulfonic acid (Sn), was synthesized and examined via different experimental and theoretical measurements. The four synthesized members have terminally connected alkoxy chain groups, which vary between 6 and 12 carbons. FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy, as well as elemental analyses, were used to confirm their molecular structures. Mesomorphic and optical investigations of the prepared homologues were also conducted using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized optical microscopy (POM). The DSC and POM characterization revealed that all of the synthesized sulphonic acid members are monomorphic, exhibiting a pure smectic A (SmA) mesophase with enantiotropic properties. Moreover, all compounds in the group have high thermal transition temperatures. The terminal electron-withdrawing group –SO₃H plays a considerable role in the stabilization of the molecule, which in return resulted in high thermal SmA stability. Furthermore, the experimental data relating to the mesophase behavior were substantiated via computational studies using the DFT approach. In addition, the terminal –SO₃H moiety has an essential impact on the thermal and physical parameters of possible geometries. All members of the synthesized Sn series exhibit ohmic behavior with electrical resistance in the GΩ range, as revealed by electrical measurements. The S10 electrode had the highest electrical conductivity: 35.16 pS. It also showed two direct optical band gaps of 3.58 and 3.23 eV with Urbach energies of 1261.1 and 502.4 meV. Upon decreasing the number of carbon atoms to n = 6, the main bandgap for S6 reduced to 3.3 eV. The highest conductivity, good absorption, and two large bandgaps recorded for the chain derivative S10 make it suitable for investigations relating to energy-based applications.

A novel liquid crystal homologous series based on the benzene sulphonic acid moiety, namely (E)-4-((4-((4-(alkoxy)benzoyl)oxy)benzylidene)amino)benzenesulfonic acid (Sn), was synthesized and examined via different experimental and theoretical measurements.     

Parasitic Etiology of childhood diarrhea

The objective was to determine the prevalence of parasitic agents among under-five children with diarrhea in Ilesa, Nigeria and the clinical correlates of diarrhea associated with parasitic infestation. All under-five children presenting with diarrhea in the hospital had stool microscopic examination. Children with parasites in diarrheic stools (cases) were compared with those without (controls) for clinical features. Out of 300 under-five children with diarrhea, 70 (23.3%) had parasites. There were 18 (6%) helminthes and 52 (17.3%) protozoas. These included the ova ofAscaris lumbricoides (13; 18.6%), cysts and trophozoites ofEntamoeba. histolytica (46; 65.7%), cysts ofEntamoeba coli (1; 1.4%),Giardia Lamblia (5; 7.1%),Necator american us (1; 1.4%) andTrichuris trichiuria (4; 5.7%). As against the controls, the cases were older (t=4.88; p=0:0000017), more undernourished (OR=2.04; 95% Cl=1.14 to 3.63; p=0.009) and belonged to the lower socio-economic classes (OR=7.15; 95% Cl=3.83 to 13.43; p=0.0000). It is concluded that parasitic infestations are commonly associated with childhood diarrhoea in Nigeria. Malnutrition and low socio-conomic status are risk factors.     

Al and Zr Porous Clay Heterostructures as Removal Agents of Basic Blue-41 Dye from an Artificially Polluted Solution: Regeneration Properties and Batch Design

The removal of Basic Blue-41 dye molecules was carried out by using two doped porous clay heterostructures by aluminum (Al) or zirconium (Zr) species. The proposed method of synthesis showed its efficiency, starting from Al or Zr intercalated hydrolyzed species, prior to its reaction with dodecylamine (C₁₂ amine) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as a silica source. The intercalated precursors and their porous clay heterostructures (PCH) derivatives were characterized by different techniques. Solid NMR technique proved the presence of Al species into the intercalated silica between the clay sheets, and in addition to Si in different environments within the PCH materials. The Zr-PCH material exhibited a higher surface area and pore volume compared to its Al-PCH counterpart, with a mesoporous character for both materials. A maximum removed amount of 279 and 332 mg/g was achieved and deduced from the Langmuir equation. The regeneration tests revealed that the removal efficiency of Zr-PCH was retained after five regeneration runs, with a loss of 15% of the original value; meanwhile, the Al-PCH lost 45% of its efficiency after only three cycles. A single-stage batch design was proposed based on the Langmuir isotherm parameters. The increase of the removal capacity of Zr-PCH led to the reduction of the required amounts for the target removal of BB-41 dye compared to Al-PCH.     

Early detection of Pre-XDR TB with line probe assay in a high TB burden country

BackgroundWorldwide, tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top 10 causes of death. Drug resistant tuberculosis has lately become a major public health problem that threatens progress made in Tuberculosis (TB) care and control worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Pre-extensive drug resistant TB among MDR TB in North Central of Nigeria.MethodsThis study was conducted from October, 2018 to August, 2019 with 150 samples. In Nigeria, guidelines for DR-TB as recommended by WHO is followed. All the samples from the patients who gave their consent were transported to a zonal reference TB laboratory (ZRL).ResultsMean age was 38.6 ± 13.4 years with peak age at 35–44. Out of these 103 samples processed with LPA, 101(98%) were rifampicin resistant and 2 were rifampicin sensitive, 99(96%) were INH resistant and 4 (4%) were INH sensitive, 5(5%) were fluoroquinolone resistant, 98(95%) were fluoroquinolone sensitive, 12 (12%) were Aminoglycoside + Capreomycin resistant, 91(83%) were Aminoglycoside + Capreomycin sensitive.ConclusionMultidrug resistant TB and its severe forms (Pre-extensive & extensively drug resistant TB) can be detected early with rapid tool- Line Probe Assay rapid and prevented timely by early initiation on treatment.