Amelioration of age-related brain function decline by Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibition.

One of the hallmarks of aging is the progressive accumulation of senescent cells in organisms, which has been proposed to be a contributing factor to age-dependent organ dysfunction. We recently reported that Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is an upstream component of the p53 responses to DNA damage. BTK binds to and phosphorylates p53 and MDM2, which results in increased p53 activity. Consistent with this, blocking BTK impairs p53-induced senescence. This suggests that sustained BTK inhibition could have an effect on organismal aging by reducing the presence of senescent cells in tissues. Here, we show that ibrutinib, a clinically approved covalent inhibitor of BTK, prolonged the maximum lifespan of a Zmpste24-/- progeroid mice, which also showed a reduction in general age-related fitness loss. Importantly, we found that certain brain functions were preserved, as seen by reduced anxiety-like behaviour and better long-term spatial memory. This was concomitant to a decrease in the expression of specific markers of senescence in the brain, which confirms a lower accumulation of senescent cells after BTK inhibition. Our data show that blocking BTK has a modest increase in lifespan in Zmpste24-/- mice and protects them from a decline in brain performance. This suggests that specific inhibitors could be used in humans to treat progeroid syndromes and prevent the age-related degeneration of organs such as the brain.

Virgin coconut oil extract mitigates testicular-induced toxicity of alcohol use in antiretroviral therapy.

The consumption of alcohol by people living with HIV/AIDS is associated with a graver prognosis. Long-term use of antiretrovirals may have certain health challenges that may be aggravated by concomitant alcohol use. This study investigated virgin coconut oil (VCO) as an adjuvant to the deleterious effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and alcohol on the cyto-architecture and functioning of the testis. Forty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 165~176 g, were divided into eight groups and treated according to protocol. Testicular histology, stereological parameters, seminal fluid, testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, the antioxidants marker malondialdehyde (MDA), and antioxidant glutathione (GSH) were examined. The use of ethanol alone and ethanol + HAART showed extensive degeneration in the seminiferous epithelium, decreased semen quality, disorganized basement membrane and widened, hypocellular interstitium. GSH was significantly decreased in the ethanol alone treated group with no significant effect on testosterone, LH, and MDA levels. Adjuvant treatment with VCO at low dose (2.5 mL/kg/bw) improved sperm motility with a partial restoration of the histopathological alterations. High doses of VCO (5.0 mL/kg/bw) showed greater improvement with respect to sperm counts, increased FSH hormonal and GSH antioxidant levels, and a well-preserved testicular cyto-architecture.

Adjuvant potential of virgin coconut oil extract on antiretroviral therapy-induced testicular toxicity: An ultrastructural study.

The effects of Virgin coconut oil as an adjuvant to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) were investigated on the testicular ultrastructure and biochemical markers in rats. Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 153-169 g were divided into four groups and treated as follows: control A (distilled water), B (HAART), C (HAART+Virgin coconut oil 10 ml/kg) and D (Virgin coconut oil [VCO] 10 ml/kg). Testicular segments were evaluated using transmission electron microscopy. Serum was assayed for testosterone, luteinising hormone, follicle stimulating hormone and testicular tissue for malondialdehyde and glutathione. Ultrastructure of basement membrane (Bm), mitochondria and spermatocytes was normal in the control group. HAART-treated group showed significant increase (p < .01) in Bm thickness with significant decrease in Leydig cell nuclear diameter (p < .05) and volume (p < .01) when compared with control group. Mitochondrial cristae appear collapsed, and Sertoli cells showed cytoplasmic vacuolations. HAART+VCO group showed improved ultrastructural details in Bm, and Sertoli cell and Leydig cells show abundant lipid droplets. Virgin coconut oil-treated group showed thinning of Bm with otherwise normal ultrastructural features of organelles. HAART-treated group showed significant increase (p < .01) in testosterone levels. There was no significant effect on malondialdehyde and glutathione levels. Virgin coconut oil improved testicular morphology and reversed HAART-induced ultrastructural alterations. Further studies on putative mechanism are required.

Naringenin attenuates highly active antiretroviral therapy-induced sperm DNA fragmentations and testicular toxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy has evolved over the years, leading to a boost in the quality of life in people living with HIV and AIDS. However, growing evidence has shown that highly active antiretroviral therapy has deleterious effects on the testes and the overall reproductive capacity. Therefore, this study is to determine the adjuvant potential of Naringenin on highly active antiretroviral therapy-induced perturbations in fertility of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Thirty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups viz - Control; H: 30 mg/kg of highly active antiretroviral therapy (EFV, 600 mg + FTC, 200 mg + TDF, 300 mg); N40: Naringenin, 40 mg/kg; N80: Naringenin, 80 mg/kg; HN40: highly active antiretroviral therapy + Naringenin, 40 mg/kg; HN80: highly active antiretroviral therapy + Naringenin, 80 mg/kg. The rats were euthanized after 4 weeks. Results showed that there was a significant decrease in sperm count (p < 0.001), spermatozoa with normal morphology (p < 0.001) and progressive sperm motility (p < 0.05) of H compared to the control and the HN groups. Likewise, fragmentations increased (p < 0.05) in tail lengths of sperm DNA in H compared to control. HN40 and HN80 decreased tail lengths compared to H (p < 0.001). There was also a decrease in %tail DNA and tail moment in HN40 (p < 0.001) compared to H. Luteinizing hormone significantly increased (p < 0.05) in HN40, HN80, and N40 (p < 0.001) but decreased in H (p < 0.05) compared to control. The diameter of the seminiferous tubules also decreased (p < 0.05) in H compared to control, N80, and HN40. Likewise, the area of the seminiferous tubules in group H decreased (p < 0.05) compared to N80 and HN80. The seminiferous tubules epithelium increased (p < 0.05) in N40 and HN40 compared to H. This study establishes that highly active antiretroviral therapy has deleterious effects on the testicular microanatomy, sperm parameters, and sperm DNA of Sprague-Dawley rats, which may impair fertility but Naringenin is a potential complimentary adjuvant.

BTK blocks the inhibitory effects of MDM2 on p53 activity.

p53 is a tumour suppressor that is activated in response to various types of stress. It is regulated by a complex pattern of over 50 different post-translational modifications, including ubiquitination by the E3 ligase MDM2, which leads to its proteasomal degradation. We have previously reported that expression of Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) induces phosphorylation of p53 at the N-terminus, including Serine 15, and increases its protein levels and activity. The mechanisms involved in this process are not completely understood. Here, we show that BTK also increases MDM2 and is necessary for MDM2 upregulation after DNA damage, consistent with what we have shown for other p53 target genes. Moreover, we found that BTK binds to MDM2 on its PH domain and induces its phosphorylation. This suggested a negative regulation of MDM2 functions by BTK, supported by the fact BTK expression rescued the inhibitory effects of MDM2 on p53 transcriptional activity. Indeed, we observed that BTK mediated the loss of the ubiquitination activity of MDM2, a process that was dependent on the phosphorylation functions of BTK. Our data together shows that the kinase activity of BTK plays an important role in disrupting the MDM2-p53 negative feedback loop by acting at different levels, including binding to and inactivation of MDM2. This study provides a potential mechanism to explain how BTK modulates p53 functions.

Features and Outcome of Surgical Management of Spinal Tumors in a Cohort of Nigerian Patients.

OBJECTIVE: There is a dearth of information on operated cases of spinal tumors in patients in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this study was to evaluate the histologic pattern, anatomic distribution, and extent and outcome of surgery of Nigerian patients with spinal tumors. METHODS: This retrospective study comprised a cohort of Nigerians who underwent surgery for spinal tumors. Data obtained included patient demographics, duration of symptoms, anatomic location, imaging findings, Frankel grading before and after surgery, and type and outcome of surgery. Univariate analysis was performed, and results were compared with results from other parts of the world. RESULTS: There were 59 patients (male-to-female ratio 1:1.1) with a bimodal age distribution. The highest (20.34%) incidence was seen in the 20-29 age group. More than half (58.06%) of the patients presented with a duration of symptoms of at least 6 months (duration of symptoms was >12 months in 35.48%). Motor deficit was present in 97.73% of patients at presentation. Functional grading was Frankel A in 38.10% of patients, Frankel C in 26.19%, Frankel B in 16.67%, Frankel D in 16.67%, and Frankel E in 2.38%. The tumors were mostly in the thoracic region (65.45%), and 58% were extradural in location. Gross total tumor excision was performed in 50.88% of the cases, and subtotal resection was performed in 24.56%. Spinal stabilization was performed in 17.86% with spinous process wiring and vertical strut being the most common method of stabilization (80%) among this group. Metastasis was the most common histologic tumor type (23.21%). Meningioma accounted for 12.50% of tumors, and ependymoma, astrocytoma, and hemangioma each accounted for 7.14%. The most common source of metastasis was the prostate (38.46%). Postoperatively, 45% of patients improved neurologically, 52.5% remained the same, and 2.5% deteriorated. There was no perioperative mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Metastasis was the most common histologic type of spinal tumor in this study, and the most common location was extradural. The outcome was satisfactory in most cases with neurologic function remaining the same or improving after surgery in most patients.

Pattern of childhood cancer in University College Hospital, Ibadan during 1991-2010 and comparison with the previous three decades.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide in children under 15 years of age, with the incidence and mortality rate varying from 40 to 155 per million children. AIM: To describe the pattern of childhood cancer in Ibadan, Nigeria. OBJECTIVE: To compare the findings of this study with those of previous studies in Ibadan and internationally. METHODS: A retrospective review of histologically and cytologically confirmed cases of cancer in children aged <15 years diagnosed at University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan between January 1991 and December 2010 was undertaken. The cases were categorised using the International Classification of Childhood Cancer, third edition (ICCC-3). RESULTS: There were 625 cases comprising 360 (57·6%) males with a modal age of 3 years. The most common neoplasms were lymphomas (140, 22·4%), of which 90% were non-Hodgkin lymphomas, with Burkitt lymphoma constituting the majority of cases (73). Other common neoplasms were retinoblastomas (21%), soft tissue sarcomas (14·9%), leukaemias (10·2%) and CNS tumours (6·9%). Lymphomas, bone tumours, malignant hepatic tumours and other malignant epithelial neoplasms had the highest mean and modal ages, while retinoblastomas, neuroblastomas, germ cell tumours and renal tumours had the lowest mean and modal ages. During 1960-72 there were 1326 cases and during 1973-90 there were 1881 cases and the proportion of lymphomas was 58·9% and 45·4%, respectively. The present study demonstrated a marked decline in the number of cases and proportion of lymphomas (22·4%), particularly Burkitt lymphomas. CONCLUSION: During the last 20 years, there has been a decline in the number of cases of childhood cancer seen at UCH, Ibadan. This may be due to the establishment of additional specialist centres in the sub-region. Owing to a persistent decline in the frequency of Burkitt lymphoma, retinoblastoma is now the most common individual childhood cancer seen at Ibadan.

Histomorphometric studies of the effects of Telfairia occidentalis on alcohol-induced gonado-toxicity in male rats.

BACKGROUND: Available evidence suggests that 50% of couples with infertility are male related. Over 40% of these males consume alcohol which has been reported to be a reproductive toxicant causing depletions in the epithelium of seminiferous tubules hence reducing sperm counts and sperm morphology. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of aqueous leaf extract of Telfairia occidentalis on alcohol-induced cyto-architectural changes in the testis. METHODS: Aqueous leaf extract of Telfairia occidentalis (T. occidentalis) was administered by gastric gavage at a dose of 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg body weight daily, while 2 g/kg body weight of ethanol at 30% v/v was administered daily to mature male Sprague-Dawley rats. The experiment was in 2 phases. Phase 1 had groups A1-F1 and lasted for 4 weeks while phase 2 had groups A2-F2 and lasted 8 weeks. Parameters tested include: testicular histology, relative volume density, sperm parameters, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione. RESULTS: In both phases, there were depletions in the seminiferous epithelium, decreased sperm quality and increased MDA and SOD in animals that received alcohol only compared to control. Likewise, a significant increase of seminiferous epithelium of animals that received respective doses of 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg of T. occidentalis only compared to control. Animals that received T. occidentalis and alcohol simultaneously had a significant increase in seminiferous epithelium and sperm quality with decreased MDA level. CONCLUSION: T. occidentalis attenuated the deleterious effects of alcohol to the cyto-architecture of the testis, protected the seminiferous epithelium, reduced oxidative stress and promoted spermatogenesis.

Correlation of intraoperative cytological and final histological diagnoses: a retrospective 10-year study of neurosurgical cases from Ibadan, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: Intraoperative cytology is a cost-effective, rapid, and easy technique, and studies have shown good correlation between intraoperative cytology and histology. We undertook this study to compare the intraoperative cytology diagnoses of brain lesions made in our unit over a 10-year period with the definitive histological diagnoses. The aim was to determine the degree of accuracy of this procedure. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective study of intraoperative neuropathology consultation cytology smears or imprints and histology of 69 cases obtained over a 10-year period. Cytology smears were stained using both Papanicolaou and Giemsa. Histology sections were prepared from routine formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue and stained using H and E method. Each of the smears and histology samples were assessed by at least two pathologists. Cytological diagnosis was correlated with final histological diagnosis. The sensitivity and specificity of cytological diagnosis was evaluated using final histological diagnosis as gold standard. RESULTS: Correlation was strongest with inflammatory lesions followed by low-grade neoplasms. High-grade neoplasms also showed good concordance, but the degree of correlation was lower than in the other categories. Misdiagnosis was commonest with benign tumors. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative cytology is a relatively simple, reliable, and accurate diagnostic technique and should be more commonly used, particularly in low-resource settings.

Pattern of childhood leukaemia in University College Hospital, Ibadan.

BACKGROUND: Leukaemias are haematological malignancies characterized by unregulated clonal proliferation of haematopoietic cells. OBJECTIVE: To determine the pattern of childhood leukaemia in Ibadan. METHODOLOGY: This was a retrospective study of leukaemia cases diagnosed at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan between January 1991 and December 2010 in children less than 15 years of age. Data obtained was subjected to statistical analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20. RESULTS: There were 64 cases of childhood leukaemia, accounting for 10.2% of childhood cancers seen during this study period. The male to female ratio was 2:1 and modal age group was between 10 and 14 years. Thirty (46.9%) cases were acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), 22 (34.4%) were acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) and 12 (18.8%) were unspecified acute leukaemias. There was no case of chronic myeloid or lymphocytic leukaemia. CONCLUSION: There has been a relative increase in the frequency of leukaemia cases at UCH, Ibadan, which may be largely explained by increased awareness and referrals. There is a need for further collaborative multicentre studies of childhood leukaemias in Nigeria and other developing countries and focused research on childhood leukaemias in order to unravel the aetiology.

Is the art of renal biopsy on the decline in Nigeria?

BACKGROUND: Renal biopsy remains the means by which definitive parenchymal kidney disease diagnoses are made. With the renal biopsy, the activity, progression and prognosis of renal parenchymal diseases can be studied with objectivity. We investigated the trend of renal histopathology request in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria over 31 years. OBJECTIVE: To determine the trend of renal biopsy requests in one of the biggest tertiary hospitals in Nigeria over a 31-year period (1981- 2011). METHODS: We retrospectively analysed all the renal biopsies submitted to the Department of Pathology, University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, South-West Nigeria over a 30 year period (1981-2011). Trend of requests of all the biopsies submitted from the Surgery, Paediatrics and Medicine departments was analysed using a test for linear trend. Gender and age groups trends were also studied. RESULTS: A significant reduction in the rates of renal biopsy request over the 31-year period (p=0.001) was noted which is attributed to diminution in requests from the Medicine and Paediatrics Departments (p<0.001), while the rates of requests from Surgery Department remain fairly uniform over this period (p=0.05). Decrease in biopsy requests significantly cuts across the ages in both genders. CONCLUSION: Lack of adequately trained manpower, poor health insurance scheme and lack of facilities may be contributory in renal biopsy requests decline. Adequate efforts should be made towards reviving this important investigative modality in Nigerian tertiary hospitals.

Pediatric brain tumors in Nigeria: clinical profile, management strategies, and outcome.

INTRODUCTION: Although modern neuroimaging has facilitated early care of brain tumors in children worldwide, there are, however, few published reports on clinical profile, treatment, and outcome of brain tumors in children from our subregion. PURPOSE: We aimed to retrospectively study the clinical profile and outcome of pediatric brain tumors in a tertiary referral center from a developing country. METHODS: Forty pediatric patients with histologically verified brain tumors managed by the authors over a 13-year period (May 1994-April 2006) were studied. Patients' data from clinical, radiological, and pathology records were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences version 16. RESULTS: The mean age was 9.75 years (range 1-15 years). Twenty-two males, 18 females. Common presenting symptoms were headaches (23 patients, 57.5%) and seizures (15 patients, 37.5%). Hyperreflexia (72.5%) and focal motor deficits (62.5%) were the most common neurologic signs. The mean interval from onset of symptoms to neurosurgical diagnosis was 13.4 months (95% CI). All patients had tumor resection, while 11 (27.5%) patients received adjuvant radiotherapy. Hydrocephalus occurred in 19 (47.5%) patients and was associated with early presentation (X2 = 10.65, p < 0.01). Low-grade astrocytoma (25%) and medulloblastoma (25%) were the most common tumors. Survival at 1 and 5 years were 56 and 47%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Focal motor signs and elevated intracranial pressure are the salient presenting features of brain tumors in children seen in Nigeria. Those of them with hydrocephalus are likely to present early. The outcome for pediatric brain tumors remains poor.

Serum antioxidant vitamins and the risk of oral cancer in patients seen at a tertiary institution in Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES: Tobacco and alcohol are major risk factors of oral cancer, but nutritional deficiency may also contribute to development of oral cancer. This study compared serum antioxidant vitamin levels in oral cancer patients and controls in order to validate the role of vitamin deficiencies in the etiology of oral cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum vitamin A, C, and E levels of 33 oral cancer patients and 30 controls at University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, were determined using standard methods. The data obtained were analyzed using the Student t-test, odds ratio, and logistic regression. RESULTS: Mean vitamin A, C, and E levels were significantly lower in oral cancer patients (P=0.022, P=0.000, and P=0.013 respectively). Risk of oral cancer was 10.89, 11.35, and 5.6 times more in patients with low serum vitamins A, C, and E, respectively. However, on logistic regression analysis, only low serum vitamin E independently predicted occurrence of oral cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The lower serum vitamin A, C, and E levels in oral cancer patients could be either a cause or an effect of the oral cancer. Further studies using a larger sample size and cohort studies with long-term follow-up of subjects are desirable.

Squamous papillomas of the conjunctiva: a retrospective clinicopathological study.

BACKGROUND: There is very limited literature on squamous papillomas of the conjunctiva from Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa. In an attempt to contribute to the literature on the subject, we studied the clinicopathological characteristics of patients histologically diagnosed with squamous papilloma of the conjunctiva in Ibadan, Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical and pathological records of patients with histological diagnosis of squamous papilloma of the conjunctiva made in the Department of Pathology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, between January 1985 and December 2004, were reviewed. RESULTS: There were totally 26 cases. Patients' ages ranged from 2 to 58 years with a mean age of 32 years. Male to female ratio was 1.4:1. Size of tumors ranged from 2 to 10 mm. Duration of presenting complaints was from 2 months to 10 years. The lesions in 10 cases were located in the medial canthus, at or close to the limbus in another 10 cases, and in the tarsal conjunctiva in a single case. Five cases had no documentation of location. Sixteen cases (61.5%) had multiple papillomas. Four cases had a history of chemical injury (alkaline based - hair relaxer in a single case, acid based - wet cell car battery fluid in two cases, and unknown chemical in a single case) preceding the lesion by at least 6 weeks. Fourteen cases had koilocytosis on histology suggestive of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) etiology. HIV screening test was negative in the three patients who had the screening done. Preoperative clinical diagnosis was squamous papilloma in 16 cases, pterygium in 6 cases and squamous cell carcinoma in 2 cases. CONCLUSION: In the environment where we practice, conjunctival squamous papilloma occurs most commonly in the fourth decade of life. Only very few cases are submitted for histological diagnosis. HPV infection and chemical injury are the main etiology. We strongly advocate that all excisions of the conjunctiva, irrespective of the clinical impression, should be submitted routinely for histological assessment.

Oro-facial squamous cell carcinoma--a twenty-year retrospective clinicopathological study.

BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinoma of the orofacial region is a potentially life-threatening malignant epithelial neoplasm. There have been few studies on the relationship between clinical variables and histological grade among patients with oro-facial carcinoma. We sought to find correlation (if any) between clinical profile, anatomical location and histological grade of these tumours. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective study of all histologically diagnosed oro-facial squamous cell carcinoma cases seen at the University College Hospital, Ibadan between 1990 and 2009. RESULTS: Squamous cell carcinomas constituted 176 (38%) of all oro-facial malignancies. They comprised 91 males and 85 females with mean age of 57 (+/- 16.4) years. The maxillary region was most frequently affected (25%) while the lip was least involved (3.4%). Well-differentiated squamous cell carcinomas constituted 49%, moderately differentiated carcinoma accounted for 36.8% while poorly-differentiated squamous cell carcinomas constituted 14.2%. Well-differentiated and moderately differentiated tumours were relatively more common among subjects older than 50 years of age and poorly-differentiated tumours were more common before 50 years of age (p= 0.001). Degree of tumour differentiation was not correlated with gender (p = 0.88), and anatomical location (p = 0.17). CONCLUSION: Further clinical studies may be required to determine whether oro-facial carcinoma in patients less than 50 years of age has a more aggressive behaviour than in older patients.

Paediatric head and neck cancers in Nigeria: Implications for treatment planning in resource limited settings.

BACKGROUND: The head and neck (H/N) is a common site for childhood cancers. This study examined all cases of H/N childhood cancers diagnosed in a major teaching hospital in Nigeria over 18 years to determine patterns of broad lineage cancer groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Primary pediatric childhood malignancies diagnosed between 1990 and 2008 were analysed. Logistic regression models were fitted to determine significant clinical correlates of childhood cancer. RESULTS: Lymphomas were the commonest cancers (49.5%). After controlling for site and age, there was no significant difference in the incidence of Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) by sex (P=0.423). The jaw bones (mandible and maxilla) were the commonest sites in the H/N for involvement of BL, with over 20 times the odds of occurrence when compared to other non-jaw sites of the H/N region (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]=21.41, P<0.001). Among the jaw bones, there was no significant difference in the occurrence of BL (P=0.860). CONCLUSION: Lymphomas are the commonest cancer group among children in Nigeria. In resource limited settings where diagnoses depend majorly on clinical intuition, an awareness of predictors of a disease can shorten the time spent on arriving at a working diagnosis and guide the immediate choice of investigations and treatment.

A retrospective histopathological review of oral squamous cell carcinoma in a Nigerian teaching hospital.

This study was undertaken to describe the demographic pattern of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in Ibadan, Nigeria and compare our findings with that of other countries. It involved a retrospective review of OSCC diagnosed at the University College Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria between 1990 and 2008. A review of studies from other countries was done with respect to the three most frequently affected sites by OSCC, as well as mean ages and gender ratios. OSCC comprised 181 (43.7%) of the 414 malignant neoplasms diagnosed in the oral cavity within the study period. The most frequently affected sites were the maxillary gingiva (24.9%) and mandibular gingiva (21.5%). There was a slight male preponderance; with a male to female ratio of 1.2:1. The peak age was in the eighth decade of life. About 17.7% of cases were diagnosed in patients below the age of 40 years and 1.1% of cases occurred in children. Worldwide, the tongue is the most frequently affected site by squamous cell carcinoma followed by the floor of the mouth. Males are also more frequently affected. In conclusion, OSCC remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality among middle aged individuals in our environment and worldwide, but sometimes affecting younger individuals.

Cystadenocarcinoma arising from ovary in a three year old doberman bitch / Cistoadenocarcinoma derivado del ovario en una perra doberman de tres años

A three- year- old Doberman was presented with complaint of lethargy and weight- loss. Physical examination revealed a mass in the right abdomen. Laboratory abnormalities included anaemia, azotaemia and metabolic acidosis. Sonogram of the mass was an anaechoic area surrounded by hypoechoic tissue. The mass was located between the right kidney and ovary and showed papillary and tubular pattern of cystadenocarcinoma. Nephroureterectomy and ovariohysterectomy was performed; however bitch was euthanized owing to poor improvement, while necropsy of the left kidney revealed an end-stage kidney. It was concluded that the cystadenocarcinoma must have arisen secondary to a primary ovarian adenocarcinoma through stromal invasion.

Se presentó una perra doberman de tres años de edad aquejada de letargo y pérdida de peso. El examen físico reveló una masa en el abdomen derecho. El examen de laboratorio mostró anormalidades que incluyeron anemia, azotemia y acidosis metabólica. La ecografía de la masa mostró un área anecoica rodeada por tejido hipoecoico. La masa se localizó entre el riñón derecho y ovario y mostró el patrón papilar y tubular del cistoadenocarcinoma. Se realizó la nefroureterectomía y ovariohisterectomía, sin embargo la perra fue sacrificada debido a la falta de mejoría, donde la autopsia del riñón izquierdo reveló un riñón en etapa terminal. Se concluyó que el cistoadenocarcinoma debió haber surgido secundario a un adenocarcinoma primario de ovario a través de la invasión del estroma.

Pattern of homicide coroner's autopsies at University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria: 1997-2006.

There is relatively little information regarding the pattern of homicides in developing countries such as Nigeria. This study is aimed at determining the pattern and demographic factors associated with homicide cases seen in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital. It is a descriptive autopsy study of homicide cases seen at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan over a 10-year period from January 1997 to December 2006. All the coroner's autopsies for the period, of homicides or suspected homicides, were reviewed with emphasis on the following: gender, age, occupation, circumstances surrounding event, likely motive, type of weapon used, site(s) of injury and mechanism of death. Homicides accounted for 153 (3.1%) of the 4928 coroner's cases at the UCH within the study period. One hundred and thirty-seven of the 152 cases were men, and the overall age range was 4-83 years. The mechanism of death was haemorrhagic shock in 91 cases (59.9%); severe raised intracranial pressure in 58 cases (38.2%); septicaemic shock in two cases (1.3%); and asphyxia in one case (0.7%). Gunshot injuries accounted for 64.5% of the fatalities, sharp objects 21.1% and blunt force 14.5%. Most were victims of armed robbery attacks. The head, abdomen, chest and lower limbs were single sites of injuries in descending order of frequency and most of the cases sustained multiple injuries involving two or more of these sites. Gunshot deaths were the commonest form of homicides in the period under review. Young males and victims of armed robbery attacks were most susceptible.

Social profile and habits of oral cancer patients in Ibadan.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the socioeconomic profile and social habits of oral cancer patients and those of control subjects in order to investigate the relative importance of these risk factors in the occurrence of oral cancer. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-two histologically diagnosed oral carcinoma patients and 30 normal patients were recruited at the dental centre University College Hospital, Ibadan. A 33-item questionnaire was administered to the two groups. The data obtained was analyzed using student t test and chi square as appropriate as well as odds ratio. RESULTS: Incomes less than 50,000 naira per annum, absence of fruit in every diet and tobacco use, were associated with 5.7, 3.0 and 4.05 increased risk of oral cancer respectively. CONCLUSION: Low income, fruit depleted diet and tobacco use seems to be the most important risk factors for oral cancer development in the studied environment.