Lagenaria siceraria (Lauki) belong to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is also known as calabash or white flowered gourd and locally kado. There are 118 general and 825 species. It is found in many countries Pakistan, India, Sri-Lanka, and Africa. The fruit is the rich source of the ascorbic acid, beta carotene and a good source of vitamin B complex. The seeds of L. siceraria contain amino acids, proteins, lignin, and iron. The leaves contain carbohydrates, phytoestrols, saponins, phenolic compounds, tennis, proteins, amino acids and flavonoids. Lagenaria siceraria seed oil has cooling effects and can be applied in migraine type headache. The fruit of the L. siceraria help to reduce the inflammation on the liver and the juice of the L. siceraria on empty stomach in morning is the best remedy liver disease, heart disease, urinary problems and depression. The juice also helps to change the concentration of the urea and uric acid in kidney. The fruit is used for the treatment of the jaundice, diabetes, and ulcer, piles, hypertension and skin disease. It may be the best gift for the mankind.

This is very unfortunate that even in 21st century most of us are still unaware of the fact that the microbial origin of cancer exists in nature. And, this is all due to the lack of knowledge about their potentialities in causing cancer in human and animals. Further, as in recent past, some of these viruses having high rate of mutabilities and adaptabilities have already been proven their abilities to transform the host cells dividing indefinitely. The present review discusses some of the oncogenic viruses developing human cancers including their mechanisms of cancer development known so far in the same field.

SARS CoV-2 is a pandemic infection that is associated with a significant mortality rate in elderly patients due to severe acute respiratory SARS-CoV-2 infection. When compared to adults, children had a lesser vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 infection and a milder severity. This could be due to the large number of vaccines. This study was aimed to investigate whether the influenza vaccine may reduce the susceptibility and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. 79 inmates and workers at the Al-Wafa House for the Care of the Infirm and the Elderly in the Massa region was enrolled from November 15th to December first, 2020, and were test for SARS-CoV-2 infection by PCR on an oropharyngeal swab and presence of antibodies IgG/IgM against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Clinical data, outcomes, BCG and influenza vaccination status were collected from the medical records. 3% of all subjects were positive for IgG and 16.7% were positive for both IgM and IgG at the same time. While 16.7% were negative for both antibodies. Only 17 workers were vaccinated against influenza on November 1st, all workers had received the BCG vaccination. 78.4% of all workers were positive for SARS-CoV-2 IgG and 16.2% were positive for both SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG. Results from the present study found that 87% of all subjects had BCG vaccination, and this might offer at least partial protection against SARS-CoV-2. Results were also found that a relationship between vaccination against influenza and asymptomatic, mild, moderate, and severe symptoms associated with the SARS-CoV-2 were found at 13.54, 25.64, and 20.14 respectively, at a significant level. However, the relationship between vaccination against influenza and moderate symptoms associated with the SARS-CoV-2 infection was not significant. According to a current study, influenza immunization could lower SARS-CoV-2 mortality. Prospective investigations are required to verify this conclusion.

Background: Retropulsion and stone fragment migration is a problem with lithotripsy especially for proximal and mid-ureteric calculi during ureteroscopy, leading to increased operative time, costs, and additional procedures. To overcome this drawback, many strategies have been developed, one of which is the use of anti-retropulsion devices like the stone cone. Objective: To describe our initial experience with the use of the stone cone during holmium laser lithotripsy in a patient with proximal and mid-ureteric stone for preventing retropulsion. Method: This is a retrospective study carried out on six consecutive patients with proximal with uncommon proximal ureteric stone over a 2year period ureteric stone. TPatients with distal ureteric stone were excluded. The Boston Scientific Stone Cone Nitinol Retrieval Coil was passed beyond the stone and deployed under fluoroscopy to prevent proximal stone and fragment migration. Holmium laser lithotripsy was then carried out. The fragments were removed with graspers and the stone cone was then removed. A double J stent was passed in all cases for about two to a month week and removed. The total operating time was noted. The data on the patient’s age, sex, stone size, Hounsfield, and stone clearance was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: There were six patients, five male, and one female with a mean age of 37.5years with an age range between 27 – 54years. The stone sizes ranged from 7-15mm with a mean dimension of 11.17mm. The Hounsfield of the stones ranged from 539 to 1171HU with a mean of 765.5HU. The operating time ranged from 55 – 90minutes with a mean of 67.5minutes. None had retropulsion with 100% stone clearance. Conclusion: The stone cone is a safe device and is useful during ureteroscopy and lithotripsy for mid-and proximal ureteric stone in preventing retropulsion and improving stone clearance.

Piper guineense (uziza) leaves may have therapeutic input on male infertility caused by Lead exposure. This study investigated the antioxidant activities of the ethanolic extract of Piper guineense leaves (EEPL) on lead-induced testicular toxicity in rats. Twenty male wistar rats (150-200g) were divided into 4 groups consisting of 5 rats each. Control received 1ml of distilled water, lead only received 150mg/kg of lead, low dose received 150mg/kg of lead + 300mg/kg of EEPL, high dose received 150mg/kg of lead + 600mg/kg of EEPL. Administration was done orally for 14 days and then sacrificed. Blood was collected and analysed for serum testosterone and testes were harvested and homogenised for testicular antioxidant enzymes and zinc levels. Data was analysed for ANOVA using Graph Pad Prism 5. Lead exposure negatively affected the antioxidant enzymes, testosterone and zinc levels. Administration of EEPL significantly (p<0.05) increased the testosterone and zinc levels in a dose dependent manner. EEPL also significantly (p<0.05) increased the testicular Superoxide dismutase, Catalase, and Glutathione peroxidase levels and significantly decreased the testicular Malondialdehyde levels. Piper guineense leaves ameliorate testicular oxidative stress damage induced by lead toxicity.

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Nigerian men and worldwide. Some comorbidities, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases, have been investigated as potential risks for developing PCa. Hypertension and Type2 diabetes mellitus (DM) are common in the middle-aged and elderly and could be a problem during treatment. Aims and Objectives: This study highlights prostate cancer-associated comorbidities and describes the relationship between Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and hypertension with prostate cancer among southern Nigerian men. Materials and Methods: This was a 10-year retrospective study on all patients with histologically confirmed prostate cancer at the University of Port Harcourt and two private Urology Hospitals. The case records of the patients were retrieved, and their age, prostate-specific antigen levels, Gleason grade, comorbidities, and treatment received were analyzed. Patients with incomplete data were excluded from the study. The data were collated using Microsoft excel 2020 and analyzed using SPSS Version 20. Results: There were a hundred and fifty-two patients with histologically confirmed PCa. Sixty-four were reported with Gleason scores. Fifty-four (35.5%) of the patients had no associated comorbidity. Hypertension was the commonest associated comorbidity observed in sixty-one (40.1%) patients, followed by Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in nineteen (12.5%). The poorly differentiated cancers were commonest among the patients with hypertension, Type 2 DM, and patients with both DM and hypertension. There was no association between Type 2 DM, hypertension, and Gleason’s score. Conclusion: Diabetes and hypertension are the most frequent comorbidities associated with Prostate cancer in our patients. There was no statistically significant association between Type 2 DM and hypertension with prostate cancer and Gleason’s score.

The Niger Delta in the Southern part of Nigeria had been captioned ‘a region of environmental degradation’ including carbon monoxide (CO) pollution in the World Bank study of the region in 1995 and in the UNEP Environmental assessment of Ogoniland in 2011. The objective of the study was to ascertain the sources of CO production in the Niger Delta, the availability of Nigerian national guidelines on CO pollution, Nigerian national and regional register of CO poisoning and air quality check for CO in the region. A mixed method study (observational-descriptive and systemic review was carried out. Sources of CO production were visited, guidelines on environmental protection, CO and its register and data on daily air monitoring were looked for in Rivers State and the Nigerian Federal Ministries of Environment, Health and Justice. The result showed that there were no guidelines on environmental protection against CO pollution, no register of its poisoning and no monitoring of its ambient and indoor air concentrations in the Niger Delta. Sources of its pollution were tobacco fumes, generator, firewood, kerosene, bush and refuse burning, fire out-brake, barbecues, burning of fossil fuels in old vehicles, crude oil and gas industry (three refineries, oil wells, flow stations and gas flaring, crude oil and condensate spills, vapours from crude and refined oil storage, processing and transportation facilities, petrochemical plants and gas liquefaction plants). In conclusion the Niger Delta was plagued with numerous sources of CO emission and ineffective environmental protection laws. There was therefore urgent need for revival of regional and national environmental laws, maintenance of registers for CO poisoning and conduct of daily air quality check for CO and other gases in the Niger Delta and in Nigeria at large.