Articles

Nodal marginal zone lymphomas are indolent and rare non-Hodgkin lymphomas, most often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Their clinical presentations are typically insidious, which can lead to delayed diagnosis. The concomitant secretion of IgM and IgG immunoglobulins with kappa light chains constitutes an exceptional feature in this type of lymphoma, as illustrated by our case. We report the case of a 62-year-old man with a history of treated syphilis and inferior vena cava thrombosis managed with rivaroxaban, who presented with a left inguinal mass evolving over three months, accompanied by fever, night sweats, and weight loss. Clinical examination revealed non-inflammatory left inguinal lymphadenopathy without other abnormalities. Laboratory tests showed non-regenerative anemia, leukopenia, and elevated LDH levels. Protein electrophoresis revealed a monoclonal peak in the gamma region, confirmed by serum immunofixation showing two monoclonal bands of IgG kappa and IgM kappa types. Biopsy of the inguinal lymph node revealed histological and immunohistochemical features consistent with a small B-cell marginal zone lymphoma, staged as IV based on the extension workup. A chemotherapy regimen consisting of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) was initiated, resulting in a partial response after four cycles. The coexpression of IgM and IgG kappa light chains in nodal marginal zone lymphomas, which are already rare, is an unusual finding. This particularity warrants multicenter studies to better assess its diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications.

Silver nanoparticles (Ag<SUP>+</SUP>NPs) contamination in the environment is a serious concern. This study investigated selected heavy metal (Ag<SUP>+</SUP>, Cd<SUP>2+,</SUP> Cr<SUP>2+</SUP> and Pb<SUP>2+</SUP>) concentrations at different sampling points to assess the risk to human health (infants, children, and adults). To do this, an enclosed area (laboratory) of 12.6 m X 8.5 m (107.1 m<SUP>2</SUP>) was clearly marked at different coded distances of S1, S2, S3, and S4 representing 2, 4, 6, and 8 m, while unpolluted atmosphere at 50 m away without Ag<SUP>+</SUP>NPs served as the control (S5). The silver fireworks were allowed to burn for an approximate 00h03m30s at each sampling points using a high-volume air sampler mounted at the Environmental Engineering Departmental Laboratory, Rivers State University, with windows and doors closed to simulate indoor conditions. Samples were digested using a mixture of analytical-grade nitric acid, analytical-grade hydrochloric acid and analyzed to evaluate the levels of heavy metals by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The Ag<SUP>+</SUP> result at S1 shows 30,000 µg/cm<SUP>3</SUP>, S2 was 29,000 µg/cm<SUP>3</SUP>, while S3 was 28000 µg/cm<SUP>3</SUP> and then S4 was 13,000 µg/cm<SUP>3</SUP>. These results exceeded the permissible values of the United States National Ambient Air Concentration for rural, urban and industrial areas (0.0005, 0.004 and 0.6 µg/cm<SUP>3</SUP>, respectively). The result for the control (S5) (0.037 µg/cm<SUP>3</SUP>) was within the maximum allowable value. Results from other heavy metals such as Cd were 1000, 743, 401, 153, 0.001 µg/cm<SUP>3</SUP>, Cr was 5000, 4000, 3729, 2960, 0.002 µg/cm<SUP>3</SUP>, Pb was 0.048, 0.041, 0.035, 0.034 and 0.01, µg/cm<SUP>3</SUP>, respectively. However, higher values of Ag<SUP>+</SUP>, Cd, and Cr indicated a higher propensity for the metals to be toxic (bioavailable). In addition, the assessment of the potential health risk posed by these metals proved contaminated and harmful. Visitors recorded high values in exposure concentration<b> (</b>EC) and low values in average daily dose (ADD).

The purpose of the study was to design and develop performance-based tasks to assess laboratory observing skills of biology students in senior high schools. The target population was all students in the nine schools within Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis reading biology as an elective subject. The accessible population was 753 SHS 2 biology students in six schools. 261 students were randomly selected from each of the six schools. These schools were of three different types, single-sex males, single-sex females, and mixed. Mean, standard deviations, frequencies, and percentages were calculated while independent sample t-tests were performed. No significant difference was noticed in levels of proficiency shown for males and females in the various schools surveyed. It is recommended that students from all types of schools and both sexes must be given an opportunity to engage in more activities at the SHS level to sharpen their observing skills.

<b>Background:</b> Foodborne disease is a worldwide<b> </b>challenge.<b> </b>It causes a huge burden of diarrhea in children mostly in developing countries and this is common during the complementary feeding periods. As home serve as the proliferation ground for microbial pathogens, home- prepared complementary foods, coupled with unhygienic feeding practice and contamination, it is the cause of child morbidity and poor nutritional status. This is worse in slum households. However, recent evidence is very scarce and further study is very necessary. <b>Objective: </b>To investigate the microbiological quality of home-prepared complementary foods in slum households with children of 6-24 months in Addis Ababa, 2021. <b>Methods: </b>A community-based cross-sectional study design was used and a total of 91 households were included. Three sub-cities in Addis Ababa and slum settlements within each sub-city were randomly selected by lottery method. Households with children of age from 6-24 months were selected by systematic random sampling. Laboratory investigation was used for microbial identification and excel sheet was used for data entry and cleaning. SPSS V. 23 was used for data analysis. <b>Result: </b>The median and interquartile range of aerobic plate count, <i>S.aureus</i>, yeast, molds and total coliforms are log5.75cfu/ml, Log1.84cfu/ml; Log4.7cfu/ml, Log5.46cfu/ml; Log5.29 cfu/ml, Log3.68cfu/ml; Log4.17cfu/ml, Log4.70cfu/ml; and Log0, Log3.5cfu/ml, respectively. Fecal coliform and <i>E.coli</i> were observed in 19% and 10% of complementary food samples. <b>Conclusion: </b>The load of aerobic plate count, <i>S.aureus</i>, yeast, molds, and total coliform are high in samples of complementary foods. Therefore, intervention studies for further identification of contamination sources should be made in order to minimize contamination of complementary foods and associated infections.

Methamphetamine and its metabolite amphetamine are frequently abused drugs. Whether obtained legally or from clandestine laboratories it is of relevance to determine the chiral makeup of these drugs for investigative purpose. Although urine and oral fluid matrices are commonly offered, less available to independent laboratories are techniques to verify dextro (D-) or levo (L-) (meth)amphetamine from human K2EDTA plasma. This paper outlines the development and validation of a method that includes the addition of internal standard and a two-step liquid-liquid extraction to remove the analytes from human K2EDTA plasma by triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The assay was validated according to the United States Food and Drug Administration and College of American Pathologists guidelines, including assessment of the following parameters in plasma validation samples: linear range, limit of detection, lower limit of quantitation, matrix effects, inter- and intra-day assay precision and accuracy, carry over, linearity of dilution, matrix effects and stability. The outcome is a validated and reliable method for the determination of D- and L- isomer concentration of meth(amphetamine) human plasma samples that can be easily adopted by independent clinical laboratories.

<b>Background:</b> Oral health plays an important role in maintaining life functions and quality of life<b>.</b> Periodontal disease can vary with respect to bacterial etiology, host response, and clinical disease progression. A key role of genetic effects has suggested distribution of lesions and severity of destruction in each individual<b>. </b>Many diseases, particularly digestive disorders, cancer, and infection, show preferences among the ABO blood types. Knowledge of blood groups and their association with oral diseases is very important, as it may help in early diagnosis and treatment strategies‏. <b>Objectives:</b><b> </b>The study aimed to investigate the distribution of patients with oral and dental health problems according to age, regions, Socio-demographic Variables, and blood groups in the Tripoli region. <b>Material and Methods:</b> The present study was conducted on 200 patients with oral and dental health problems attending six medical centers in Tripoli region from the 01^st March 2022 to the 01^st June 2022. Also, 100 healthy individuals without any oral and dental health problems or any other diseases were recruited as a control group. This study was approved by the Research and Ethical Committee of the medical centers and Libyan Academy of graduate studies. One ml of venous blood was withdrawn from each participant in the study for determination of blood groups. The data were compared using Chi-Square using SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25.<b> Results:</b> The results showed that the mean age of the patients was 43.03±13.82 years. The higher distribution of patients was 58 patients (29%) in the age group (26-35) years while the lower distribution was 10 patients (5%) in the age group (66-75) years. The distribution of patients according to the region were 81.5%, 13%, 4%, and 1.5% in Tripoli, South Tripoli, West Tripoli, and East Tripoli, respectively. The Distribution of patients according to occupation were 4.5% Students, 30% Housewives, 10.5% Employers, 12.5% Teachers, 14% Nurses, 7.5% Doctors, 12.5% Laboratory Technicians and 8.5% Freelance workers. The distribution of patients according to levels of education were 23.5% Pre-Secondary, 19% Secondary, 46% Bachelor's or equivalent, and 11.5% Master's or equivalent. The distribution of patients according to marital status were 26% single and 74% married. The distribution of patients according to oral and dental problems were 5% with bridge, 8% with missing teeth, 86% with dental caries, 63.5% with bleeding of gum, and 25.5% with swelling of gum. The degrees of gingival erythema among patients were 36.5% mild, 38% moderate, and 25.5% severe. The degrees of gingival inflammation among patients<b> </b>were 36% mild, 38.5% moderate, and 25.5% severe. The distribution of A, B, AB, and O blood groups showed a significant (<i>P=0.000</i>) difference between healthy individuals and oral and dental health problems among patients that, were 54%, 12%, 4%&#x26; 30%, and 21.5%, 9%, 3.5% &#x26; 66%, respectively. Also, the distribution of A⁺, A^-, B⁺, B^-, AB⁺, O⁺, and O^- blood groups showed a significant (<i>P=0.000</i>) difference between healthy individuals and patients with oral and dental health problems that, were 49%, 5%, 10%, 2%, 4%, 25%, &#x26; 5%, and 18%, 3.5%, 8%, 1%, 3.5%, 60%&#x26; 6%, respectively. But, the distribution of Rh⁺ and Rh^- blood groups showed a non-significant (<i>P=0.695</i>) difference between healthy individuals and patients that, were 88% &#x26; 12%, and 89.5%&#x26; 10.5%, respectively.<b> Conclusion: </b>It can be concluded that the mean age of the patients with oral and dental health problems was 43.03 years and the higher distribution of patients was in the age group (26-35) years. The higher distribution of ABO blood groups was O blood group among patients especially O⁺blood groups. The distribution of Rh+ and Rh- blood groups were showed a non-significant difference between healthy individuals and patients with oral and dental health problems. Further studies are needed to confirm these results.