University of Nigeria, Nsukka

About: University of Nigeria, Nsukka is a education organization based out in Nsukka, Nigeria. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 10211 authors who have published 13685 publications receiving 138922 citations.

Sales practices of patent medicine sellers in Nigeria.

Abstract: A survey was carried out among patent medicine dealers to evaluate their practices that militate against laws governing prescriptions-only medicines in Nigeria. Questionnaires were distributed to 46 patent medicine dealers and later collected from them on appointment. Analysis of the results showed that all the patent medicine dealers were aware of the law governing the sale of prescription drugs in Nigeria. Seventy-five per cent of them stock such drugs. Patent medicine dealers obtain their drugs largely from sales representative of pharmaceutical companies as well as from industries. Inappropriate use of sales boys and girls in patent medicine stores and defective government policies were all investigated.

Association of Genetic Variants With Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Among Individuals With African Ancestry.

Abstract: Importance Primary open-angle glaucoma presents with increased prevalence and a higher degree of clinical severity in populations of African ancestry compared with European or Asian ancestry. Despite this, individuals of African ancestry remain understudied in genomic research for blinding disorders. Objectives To perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of African ancestry populations and evaluate potential mechanisms of pathogenesis for loci associated with primary open-angle glaucoma. Design, Settings, and Participants A 2-stage GWAS with a discovery data set of 2320 individuals with primary open-angle glaucoma and 2121 control individuals without primary open-angle glaucoma. The validation stage included an additional 6937 affected individuals and 14 917 unaffected individuals using multicenter clinic- and population-based participant recruitment approaches. Study participants were recruited from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, the United States, Tanzania, Britain, Cameroon, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Morocco, Peru, and Mali from 2003 to 2018. Individuals with primary open-angle glaucoma had open iridocorneal angles and displayed glaucomatous optic neuropathy with visual field defects. Elevated intraocular pressure was not included in the case definition. Control individuals had no elevated intraocular pressure and no signs of glaucoma. Exposures Genetic variants associated with primary open-angle glaucoma. Main Outcomes and Measures Presence of primary open-angle glaucoma. Genome-wide significance was defined asP Results A total of 2320 individuals with primary open-angle glaucoma (mean [interquartile range] age, 64.6 [56-74] years; 1055 [45.5%] women) and 2121 individuals without primary open-angle glaucoma (mean [interquartile range] age, 63.4 [55-71] years; 1025 [48.3%] women) were included in the discovery GWAS. The GWAS discovery meta-analysis demonstrated association of variants at amyloid-β A4 precursor protein-binding family B member 2 (APBB2; chromosome 4, rs59892895T>C) with primary open-angle glaucoma (odds ratio [OR], 1.32 [95% CI, 1.20-1.46];P = 2 × 10−8). The association was validated in an analysis of an additional 6937 affected individuals and 14 917 unaffected individuals (OR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.09-1.21];P Conclusions and Relevance In this genome-wide association study, variants at theAPBB2locus demonstrated differential association with primary open-angle glaucoma by ancestry. If validated in additional populations this finding may have implications for risk assessment and therapeutic strategies.

Perceptions of burden of caregiving by informal caregivers of cancer patients attending University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Cancer care is devastating to families. This research studied the informal caregivers' perceptions of burden of caregiving to cancer patients attending University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar. METHODS: The research adopted a cross-sectioned descriptive design and 210 caregivers providing care to advanced cancer patients were purposively selected. Data were collected using a researcher developed questionnaire and standardized Zarit Burden Interview scale (ZBIS). Data collected were analysed using descriptive and chi-square statistics with the help of SPSS 18.0 and PAS 19.0 softwares. RESULTS: The results indicated that the caregivers were in their youthful and active economic age, dominated by females, Christians, spouses, partners and parents. The burden levels experienced by the caregivers were as follows: severe (46.2%), moderate (36.2%) and trivial of no burden (17.6%). The forms of burden experienced were physical (43.4%), psychological (43.3%), financial (41.1%) and social (46.7%), quite frequently and nearly always. Psychological and social forms of burden had the highest weighted score of 228 in terms of magnitude of burden. The result further showed that there was a significant (P = 0.001) and inverse association between caregivers' burden and the care receivers’ functional ability. The level of burden also increased significantly (P = 0.000) with the duration of care, while there was also a significant (P = 0.01) relationship between caregivers’ experience of burden and their desire to continue caregiving. CONCLUSION: Caregiving role can be enhanced by provision of interventions such as formal education programme on cancer caregiving, oncology, home services along side with transmural care.

Prevention of thioacetamide‐induced hepatotoxicity by biflavanones of Garcinia kola

Abstract: Kolaviron, a mixture of Garcinia biflavonoids GB-1 (II-3-I-4′-II-4″-I-5-II-5-I-7-II-7-heptahydroxy-3,8″-biflavanone), GB-2 (II-3-II-3′-I-4′-II-4″-I-5-II-5-I-7-II-7-octahydroxy-3,8″-biflavanone) and kolaflavanone (II-3-II-3′-II-4″-I-5-II-5-I-7-II-7-heptahydroxy-3,8″-biflavanone) obtained from Garcinia kola, protected rats against the toxic effects of thioacetamide in vivo. The biflavonoid mixture at a dose of 100mg/kg i.p. reduced the thiopental-induced sleep in thioacetamide-poisoned rats, both in the chronic and acute test models. The microsomal enzyme levels in the serum of rats poisoned with thioacetamide were also significantly altered by treatment with kolaviron.

Mucuna gum microspheres for oral delivery of glibenclamide: In vitro evaluation.

Abstract: An investigation into the suitability of mucuna gum microspheres for oral delivery of glibenclamide is presented. Mucuna gum microspheres were formulated under different conditions of polymer concentration and crosslinking time at constant speed. The formulated microspheres were thereafter loaded with glibenclamide by the remote loading process. The microspheres were evaluated according to particle size, yield, loading efficiency and swelling. In vitro release of glibenclamide from the microspheres was studied in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 7.4). The release data was fitted into two release models to investigate the mechanism of glibenclamide release from the microspheres. All the microspheres showed good swelling characteristics in distilled water. The investigation revealed that the microspheres produced with 5% (m/V) mucuna gum with a crosslinking time of 5 h had the optimum prolonged release pattern. The microspheres produced using 10% (m/V) mucuna gum with a crosslinking time of 1 h had the highest delayed release of the incorporated drug, whereas those without crosslinking had the fastest release. The Ritger-Peppas case I transport model appeared to have adequately described the release process as about 54% of the batches of microspheres conformed to this model. This implies that a formulation of glibenclamide-loaded mucuna gum microspheres is likely to offer a reliable means of delivering glibenclamide by the oral route.