Preeclampsia is a multifactorial disorder that is influenced by many factors that include genes, race and parity. The Renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) is vital in the regulation of blood pressure and has been implicated in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia among certain populations but such studies have been not reported in Nigeria. Angiotensinogen is the precursor molecule and a very important component of the RAAS. This pilot study investigated mutations in exon 2 of the angiotensinogen gene in preeclamptic women in Calabar, Nigeria. 19 preeclamptic and 20 normotensive pregnant women were recruited into the study from the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar. Ethical approval and informed consent was obtained from the Ethics research committee and the women. Clinical variables were obtained and analyzed using a two tailed independent sample t-test, 3mls of blood was also collected from all the women. DNA was extracted, PCRs performed and the products were sequenced. Multiple sequence alignment was performed for all the sequenced products. This study observed a deletion of guanine at position 26 in all the 19 preeclamptic women and 5 tranversion mutations 4T>G, 911C>G, 1C>A, 795G>T, 912C>A in 17(89.5), 16(84.2), 4(21.1), 1(5.3) and 1(5.3) preeclamptic women respectively but not in the normotensive women. These results will serve as baseline information for subsequent molecular studies into the pathogenesis of preeclampsia among women in Calabar.

The present work studied experimental results obtained on an artificial mandibular bone in according to tests carried out on live animals. In particular, in order to consider the dynamic response of an implant bridge caused by occlusion, the deformation of the bridge and the near mandible subjected to occlusional force was measured by holographic interferometry. An experimental specimen was built for the above purpose and a screw type ceramic implant was placed in the site of the second molar. An implant bridge was then fabricated between the implant and the first and second premolars that were splinted together. Stress concentration was found on the mesial side of the pontic when the vertical load was applied to the second premolar. The results also show that by applying the load to its mesial side, the mandible near the implant receives considerable stress and of course damages such as bone resorption can be expected on the mandible. The principal strains on the surface of the mandibular bone were tensile and compressive strains from anteroinferior to posterosuperior and a compressive strain from anterosuperior to posteroinferior.

Background: The word “wound” is as old as man’s creation. Wound can be defined as an injury to the body in which the skin, tissue or organ is broken by some external force such as a blow or surgical incision, with damage to the underlying tissue. AIM: This study was aimed at evaluating Wound Morphometry with respect to wound size and rate of wound contraction using tomatoe seed. Materials and Methods: The Solanum lycopersicum seeds were prepared using 28.0g of blended S. lycopersicum seeds after drying. 24 male wistar rats separated into two groups; experimental and control (of 12 each) was used in this research. A wound size of 2cm by 2cm which exposed the panniculus adiposus was inflicted on the right dorso-lateral shaved aspect of the thorax after anaesthetizing. The wound sizes were immediately measured using a 4cm by 4cm template of transparent sheet and placed on a graph sheet for counting of the small blocks. The experimental group were administered the seed extract while control group was merely dressed without seed extract. Results and Disccusion: The rats treated with L. esculentum (experimental) had a mean wound healing (closure) day of 15.75 ± 1.49 while those treated without seed extract had a mean wound healing (closure) day of 19.50 ± 1.73. Conclusion: The seed of Cherry tomato (Lycopersicon Esculentum) was concluded to have accelerating contracting/ healing (closure) effect with respect to the statistical significant mean value on wound healing (closure) day.