Solvent Extraction of Polyphenolics from the Indigenous African Fruit Ximenia caffra and Characterization by LC-HRMS.

Indigenous and non-commercial fruits can be an important source of antioxidant polyphenols; however, the identity and content of polyphenols from non-commercial fruits are often poorly described. The study aimed to extract, identify, and quantify polyphenols from the skin of the indigenous Africa fruit Ximenia caffra, using solvent extraction. Three solvents (hexane, acetone, and 70% v/v ethanol) over three extraction times (30, 60 and 120 min) were used in a 3² full factorial experimental design to determine effects on polyphenol recovery, and individual polyphenolics were characterised using liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Ethanol was the most effective extraction solvent, and extracts had high levels of total phenolics and flavonoids (65 mg gallic and 40 mg catechin equivalents per gram dry sample respectively), and high antioxidant activity (18.2 mg mL-1 ascorbic acid equivalents). LC-HRMS positively identified 16 compounds, of which 14 were flavonoids including flavonoid glycosides, and indicated that concentrations of some flavonoids decreased for extraction times beyond 60 min. It was concluded that the fruit of Ximenia caffra is rich in natural polyphenolic antioxidants; the present work identified and quantified a number of these, while also establishing suitable solvent extraction conditions for the recovery of these potentially high-value compounds.

Raman Deuterium Isotope Probing Reveals Microbial Metabolism at the Single-Cell Level.

We illustrate that single-cell Raman microspectroscopy, coupled with deuterium isotope probing (Raman-DIP), provides a culture-independent and nondestructive approach to probe metabolic pathways of carbon substrates at the single-cell level. We found a distinguishable C-D vibration band at 2070-2300 cm-1 in single-cell Raman spectra (SCRS) when Escherichia coli used deuterated glucose and Pseudomonas sp. used deuterated naphthalene as sole carbon sources. The intensity of the C-D band is proportional to the extent of deuteration in the carbon source, and as little as 5% deuteration can be distinguished by analysis of SCRS. It suggests that Raman-DIP could be used to semiquantitatively and sensitively indicate the metabolism of deuterated carbon source in microbes. A lower lipid conversion rate of deuterated naphthalene compared to that of deuterated glucose was observed, presumably owing to different anabolic pathways and membrane alteration. Apart from the C-D band shift from C-H, SCRS also reveal several isotopic shifts of the phenylalanine band, of which the positions correlate well with a computational model. A reduction in phenylalanine deuteration in Pseudomonas sp. compared to that in E. coli is due to the dilution effect of different pathways of phenylalanine biosynthesis in Pseudomonas sp. Collectively, we demonstrate that Raman-DIP can not only indicate metabolic activity using deuterated carbon sources but also reveal different metabolic pathways by analyzing SCRS. By harnessing such low-cost and versatile deuterated substrates, Raman-DIP has the potential to probe a wide range of metabolic pathways and functions at the single-cell level.

Laryngeal tumours: clinical pattern in Sokoto, Northwestern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Laryngeal tumours may be benign or malignant presenting with progressive voice hoarseness and upper airway obstruction which may be misdiagnosed. METHOD: Patients were prospectively recruited over 6years from July 1999 to July 2005 in a tertiary health centre. RESULTS: Thirty seven cases of laryngeal tumours were seen (30 males (81.1%), 7 females (18.9%). The incidence was 6.2 cases per year. Histological diagnosis was only obtained in 30 patients (25 (83.3%) males, 5 females (16.7%). The age range was 3 months to 75 years with the mean ages (benign 6.1 years, and malignant 47.9 years). Histology of the 30 patients showed 20 (66.7%) to be malignant (Squamous cell carcinoma) out of which 17 (85%) were males and 3 (15%) females with male to female sex ratio of 5.7:1. Ten (33.3%) of the 30 cases were benign out of which 8 were males (80%) and 2 females (20%) with male to female sex ratio of 4:1.Malignant cases who had total laryngectomy, selective neck dissection with radiotherapy lived longer (minimum of 4 years) than those who had only total laryngectomy (maximum of 2(1/2) years) or only radiotherapy (6 months - 1 year). There was recurrent nodal neck lesions in 6 (30%) patients, five of which did not go for radiotherapy after surgery while one had postoperative radiotherapy. Two of these died from carotid artery rupture. Two female patients with malignant tumor who had total laryngectomy had babies born through safe vaginal delivery but eventually succumbed to the disease. CONCLUSION: There were more malignant (66.7%) laryngeal tumors than benign (33.3%) lesions with a male preponderance and strong association with cigarette smoking but no alcohol consumption. The mean age for malignant lesions was 47.9 years which signifies a considerably younger population while that of benign lesion was 6.1 years.

Surgical management of chronic rhinosinusitis in north western Nigeria and challenges for the future.

BACKGROUND: Rhinosinusitis is usually treated medically. Surgical management is indicated when medical treatment fails or becomes complicated. Appraisal of various surgical methods employed in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis is the subject of this paper from a University teaching hospital in north western Nigeria. METHOD: This is a review of 75 patients who underwent various conventional surgical operations for rhinosinusitis over a 5.5 year period from September 1999 to February 2005 who were followed up for a minimum period of 2 years. RESULTS: A total number of 177 surgical operations were carried out of which 75 patients either had some surgical procedures unilaterally, bilaterally or in combinations. There were thirty nine males (52%) and thirty six females (48%) with a male to female ratio of 1:1. Their age ranges from 8 years to 70 years with a mean of 31.1 years. The ages 21-40 years range constituted majority (65.3%) of the patients. Ninety-two operations (52%) were caldwell luc (CWL) which was the commonest operation followed by forty-one (23.2%) cases of inferior meatal antrostomy (IMA), thirty two (18.1%) cases of partial inferior anterior turbinectomy (PIT), Ten (5.6%) cases of frontoethmoidectomy (FTE) and Two( 1.1%) cases of submucous resection of the septum (SMR). The indications for surgery were mainly persistent symptoms despite adequate medical treatment with radiologically confirmed evidence of ninety-seven nose or sinus pathologies in the seventy-five patients operated. These were: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with snus opacity in fifty four (55.7%) cases, CRS with polyps in eighteen (18.6%) cases, CRS with hypertrophic turbinates causing nasal obstruction in sixteen (16.8%) cases, CRS with frontoethmoidal mucoceles in five (5.2%) cases and CRS with sino-cutaneous fistula in two (2.1%) cases. Paraesthesia of the upper incissors was the commonest complaint after surgery for chronic maxillary sinusitis but at the fronto-ethmoidal region after frontoethmoidectomy which usually improved gradually and eventually disappeared between 3 to 6 months. Symptom relief after surgery justified surgery in all patients while one case needed a revision surgery after two and a half years for a recurrent symptom. There has not been any need for further surgery for the rest of the cases after a minimum period of 2 years follow up. CONCLUSION: Surgical management of rhinosinusitis in north western Nigeria was mainly for chronic rhinosinusitis and proved to be beneficial for relief of symptoms with minimal complications if patients are carefully selected either with failed medical treatment or with complications. The young population of twenty-one to forty years (65.3%) constituted the bulk of the patients with a peak at the 3rd decade anda mean age of 31.1 years.

Surgical considerations in the management of tumours of the nose and paranasal sinuses in a Northern Nigerian Teaching Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Tumours of the nose and paranasal sinuses in sub-Saharan Africa are generally characterised by late presentation posing management challenges to the otorhinolaryngologists in the sub-region. OBJECTIVES: To appraise surgical considerations in the management of tumours of the nose and paranasal sinuses in a developing nation from the experiences of an Ear, Nose, and Throat Department of a Nigerian Teaching Hospital. METHODS: This was a chart review of patients with tumours of the nose and paranasal sinuses who underwent various surgical operations over a period of four and a half years.The patients were referred by other physicians or health care workers. They were assessed clinically, backed by laboratory and radiological investigations. RESULTS: A total number of 55 patients underwent 64 surgical operations. There were 31 (56.4%) males and 24 (43.6%) females, giving a male to female ratio of 1.3:1. They were aged between four years and 70 years. In 46(83.6%) patients the tumours had extended beyond the nasal cavity or one sinus cavity to contiguous structures. The surgical operations carried out were lateral rhinotomy in 37(57.8%), intranasal clearance and intranasal antrostomy in 16(25%), total maxillectomy in seven(11%), and anterior craniofacial resection in two (3.1%) patients.The histological examination showed that 43 (78.2%) cases were benign, while 12 (21.8%) cases were malignant. These malignant cases needed radiotherapy and chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Majority of the cases were characterised by late presentation, requiring surgical approaches such as lateral rhinotomy, total maxillectomy or craniofacial resection depending on the extent of the tumour. Poverty, ignorance, inadequate funding and administration challenges of health resources are factors militating against proper clinical management of tumours of the nose and paranasal sinuses in developing nations. Provision of free medical care and modern facilities for early diagnosis, treatment, and health education are needed to reverse the trend.