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Purpose: Pituitary adenomas are the commonest tumors of the sellar region and constitute 10% to 15% of intracranial neoplasms. The conventional classification of pituitary adenomas is according to the hormone expression of the tumors as determined by immunohistochemical methods. There is paucity of existing research on the frequencies of the various immunohistochemical types in our environment. The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the relative frequency of specific pituitary adenoma subtypes seen at our hospital over a period of twelve years.Methods: Forty seven pituitary adenomas received over the study period satisfied the inclusion criteria and their paraffin blocks were retrieved from the archives of the department of Pathology, University College Hospital, Ibadan. Tissue sections were stained with antibodies for Prolactin, Growth hormone, ACTH, TSH, FSH and LH using the streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase method. The tumors were classified using the 2004 WHO classification of pituitary adenomas. Results were tabulated and analyzed using the SPSS statistical software package.Results: Most adenomas presented between the fourth and seventh decades with a slight female preponderance. Gonadotroph and null cell adenomas were commonest and each constituted 34%, followed by prolactinomas, which accounted for 14.9% of the tumors. There were no thyrotroph adenomas.Conclusion: The lower incidence of prolactinomas in this study may be due to the use of other therapeutic modes rather than surgical treatment but may also indicate racial differences. However there is a need for further characterization of the null cell adenomas using ultrastructural and molecular studies.Keywords: Pituitary, Adenoma, Classification, Immunohistochemistry, Endocrine

Background: Previous reports have suggested that both ceftriaxone and ceftazidime are effective as prophylactic perioperative antibiotics in neurosurgery. This study was designed to compare the infection rates following the use of these antibiotics as prophylactic agents during neurological surgery in our centre. In a tertiary hospitalMethods: This was a prospective study in which patients were allocated into two groups. One group received ceftriaxone (Roche-rocephine) and the other group received ceftazidime (GlaxoSmithKline – fortum). Patients were followed up for evidence of surgical site infections for up to 6 weeks after discharge. Clinical and or laboratory evidence of wound infection were used as outcome measure.Results: There were 118 patients, 58 patients received ceftriaxone and 60 patients received ceftazidime. Infection occurred in 4 (6.9%) in the ceftriaxone group and in 9 (15%) in the ceftazidime group. The difference was not statistically significant. The infection rate following ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting procedure was similar (11.8%) in both groups.Conclusion: Our study confirmed the efficacy of ceftriaxone and ceftazidime in preventing surgical site infection that may follow neurosurgical procedures, but the difference in infection rates following the use of their use was not statistically significant.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of crankcase oil on the cellular and functional integrity of rat skin. Thirty (30) rats were randomly grouped into six viz groups A–F. Group A (baseline control) received 2 ml of distilled water. 2.5 %, 5.0 %, 7.5 %, and 10.0 % v/v of the crankcase oil were prepared using unused oil as solvent and 2 ml of the concentrations were topically administered to groups C–F respectively for seven consecutive days. Group B served as positive control and received 2 ml of the unused oil. The rats were sacrificed 24 hours after the last administration, and blood and part of the skin were collected. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde level in the blood and skin samples collected were evaluated. Elemental analysis of the crankcase oil was also carried out. The result revealed high lead, iron and chromium levels. Blood lead concentration of rats was significantly (P, EXCLI Journal ; Vol. 11, 2012

The histology of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in Nigerian Africans has not been previously studied. One hundred MCAs obtained at autopsy from fifty adult Nigerians were studied. The vessels were processed and stained with Ehrlich's haematoxylin and eosin, elastic Van Gieson and Masson's trichrome stains. Early branches were given off before the perforators in two middle cerebral arteries, and there was one accessory MCA, making an incidence of anomalies of 3%. No aneurysm was observed in any of the cases. The internal elastic laminas were well developed but the external elastic laminas of the vessels were poorly developed. Cióse to the bif urcations the túnica media tapered gradually and at the bif urcations, the túnica media was completely deficient being replaced by the túnica adventitia (Forbus raphé). The túnica adventitia was thicker at the bifurcations (0.21mm) compared to other sites of the vessel. The average thickness of the MCA túnica media atits origin was 0.12mm while thatof the túnica adventitia was O.lOmm. Theseresults are similar to what has been described in the literature for Caucasians. It buttresses the assertion that anatomical anomalies of the MCA are rare. The seemingly low frequency of MCA aneurysms in Nigerian Africans is not due to its anomalies or histology.

The histology of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in Nigerian Africans has not been previously studied. One hundred MCAs obtained at autopsy from fifty adult Nigerians were studied. The vessels were processed and stained with Ehrlich's haematoxylin and eosin, elastic Van Gieson and Masson's trichrome stains. Early branches were given off before the perforators in two middle cerebral arteries, and there was one accessory MCA, making an incidence of anomalies of 3%. No aneurysm was observed in any of the cases. The internal elastic laminas were well developed but the external elastic laminas of the vessels were poorly developed. Cióse to the bif urcations the túnica media tapered gradually and at the bif urcations, the túnica media was completely deficient being replaced by the túnica adventitia (Forbus raphé). The túnica adventitia was thicker at the bifurcations (0.21mm) compared to other sites of the vessel. The average thickness of the MCA túnica media atits origin was 0.12mm while thatof the túnica adventitia was O.lOmm. Theseresults are similar to what has been described in the literature for Caucasians. It buttresses the assertion that anatomical anomalies of the MCA are rare. The seemingly low frequency of MCA aneurysms in Nigerian Africans is not due to its anomalies or histology. La histología de la arteria cerebral media (ACM) de los africanos de Nigeria no ha sido previamente estudiada. Fueron examinadas 100 ACM, obtenidas en autopsias de 50 individuos nigerianos adultos. Las arterias fueron procesadas y teñidas con hematoxilina y eosina de Ehrlich, Van Gieson para fibras elásticas y tricrómico de Masson. Ramas proximales se originan antes de la división en dos arterias cerebrales medias, y había una ACM accesoria, constituyendo una incidencia de anomalías del 3%. No se observó aneurisma en ninguno de los casos. La lámina elástica interna estaba bien desarrollada, pero la lámina elástica externa de los vasos estaba pobremente desarrollada. Cerca de la bifurcación la túnica media es gradualmente cónica, la túnica media es totalmente deficiente siendo sustituida por la túnica adventicia (Forbus raphé). La túnica adventicia es más gruesa en las bifurcaciones (0.21mm) en comparación con otros lugares del buque. El grosor medio de la túnica media de ACM en su origen fue 0.12mm mientras que el de la túnica adventicia de O.lOmm. Estos resultados son similares a los que han sido descritos en la literatura para Caucásicos. Es importante la afirmación que las anomalías anatómicas de la ACM son raras. La aparentemente baja frecuencia de los aneurismas de ACM en nigerianos africanos no es debido a sus anomalías o a la histología.

The anti-inflammatory effect of dexamethasone on the irradiated kidneys of adult Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) was studied. Eighteen adult Wistar rats were, after acclimatization, randomly divided into 3 groups of 6 animals per group. The control group had normal saline, receiving neither drugs nor radiation. The second group received normal saline and radiation. The third group received pretreatment with dexamethasone at 1mg/kg body weight/day for 2 days followed by radiation. Radiation was delivered to the animals as a single fraction of 2.5 Gy of gamma rays from Cobalt-60 source, using an AECL Theatron 780-C Teletherapy machine. After exposure to the different interventions, the animals were sacrificed on the 14th post-irradiation day and the kidneys dissected out from each animal. The renal tissues were subjected to histological processing, and then studied using an eyepiece objective ruler calibrated with a 2mm stage micrometer for histomorphometric studies. The result of the study showed that all irradiated animals suffered weight loss by the 14th day post-irradiation (p

The concentration-dependent stimulation of rat liver alkaline phosphatase (ALP) catalyzed hydrolysis of para- nitrophenylphosphate (pNPP) was studied. ALP displayed some activity even in the absence of exogenous Mg2+. Kinetic analyses show that activation by Mg2+ is exerted at the Vmax level without necessarily enhancing the affinity of the enzyme for the ion. However, the hyperbolic activation operates only within the optimal level of 0 to 5mM concentrations of the metal ion. Higher concentrations were actually inhibitory in a pure non-competitive manner. Mg2+, either as an activator (optimal concentrations) or inhibitor (supra-optimal levels) exerts its action via a Vmax effect with only negligible effect on Km for the substrate. Keywords: magnesium ion, alkaline phosphatase, supra optimal regulation Biokemistri Vol. 17(2) 2005: 129-136

The neuroprotective effect of dexamethasone on the irradiated postnatal developing cerebellum of Wistar rat was studied. Seventy-five (day 1 old) neonates were separated into three groups; control group receiving no drug and no irradiation, irradiated group, and irradiated and dexamethasone group in which the dexamethasone was administered one hour before exposure to 5Gray (5Gy) of gamma rays. On complete exposure to the various interventions, the cerebellar tissues of animals from each group on days 5, 9, 14, 21 and 25 were processed for histological and histomorphometric studies. The result of the study showed that irradiation alone significantly reduced the thickness of the external granular layer (EGL) on day 5 and 14 at P0.05. Histologically, the cells of the ML in the irradiated group on days 9 and 14 were heavily gliosed compared to the mildly gliosed control, and the irradiated and dexamethasone groups. There was distortion of the PC monolayer with some cells found in either the ML or GL in the irradiated group on days 5, 9, 14 and 25. From the result of the study, administration of 0.005ml dexamethasone intraperitoneallyone hour before exposure to irradiation appeared to protect the developing rat cerebellum against irradiation injury as seen when compared with the controls Se estudió el efecto neuroprotector de la dexametasona, sobre el cerebelo post-natal en desarrollo irradiado de ratas Wistar. 75 neonatos de 1 día de edad fueron separados en 3 grupos; el grupo control no recibió ni drogas ni irradiación, un grupo irradiado y el otro irradiado con aplicación de dexametasona. Esta droga fue administrada una hora antes de la exposición de 5Gray (5Gy) de rayos gamma. El tejido cerebelar de cada grupo con 5, 9, 14, 21 y 25 días fueron procesados para estudios histológicos e histomorfométricos. El resultado del estudio demostró que la sola irradiación redujo significativamente el grosor de la capa granular externa, en los grupos con 5 y 14 día,s con un p0,05; la capa molecular en los ejemplares de 5, 9, 14 y 21 días con un p0,05 y la capa granular en las ratas de 5,9,14 y 25 días, con un p0,05. Cuando se combinó la dexametasona con irradiación, se observó un grosor significativamente diferente en la capa granular externa, en especímenes con 5, 9 y 14 días; en la capa molecular en los animales de 5, 14 y 21 días y en la capa granular en los que tenían 5 y 14 días, al compararlos con el grupo irradiado, con un p>0,05. El diámetro de las células de Purkinje (capa de Purkinje) aunque fue significativamente reducido en el grupo irradiado de 14 y 21 días, no fue significativamente diferente cuandos se administró dexametasona a los animales irradiados de 5, 9, 14, 21 y 25 días con un p0,05. Histológicamente, las células de la capa molecular, en el grupo irradiado de 9 y 14 días, fueron marcadamente gliosadas comparadas con las medianamente marcadas en los grupos control e irradiados-dexametasona. Hubo distorsión de la monocapa de Purkinje, con algunas células encontradas en la capa molecular o en la capa de Purkinje, en el grupo irradiado de 5, 9, 14 y 25 días. De los resultados de este estudio, se puede afirmar que la administración de 0,005 ml de dexametasona intraperitonealmente, una hora antes de una exposición a una irradiación, parece proteger el desarrollo del cerebelo de la rata, de lesiones producidas por irradiación

The well-known fact that history writers always seem wiser than the subjects on whom they write is the most logical inherent proof that history is rich in lessons. The history of Anatomy is not an exception. It is full of imperative lessons in the Art and Science of the discipline of Anatomy, which following generations ought to learn. We present a defined brief survey with this in mind El hecho bien conocido que los historiadores siempre parecen ser más sensatos que los sujetos sobre quienes escriben, es la más lógica prueba que la historia es rica en lecciones. La historia de la Anatomía no es la excepción. Ella está llena de lecciones imperativas en el arte y ciencia, de la cual generaciones venideras deberían aprender. Presentamos un breve reconocimiento sobre lecciones de la Historia de la Anatomía

Spinal cord injury, though an important cause of morbidity appears to be uncommon in pregnant women or perhaps, has not been accurately documented among them. Superimposed on the many impairments resulting from spinal cord injury is the presence of the foetus in the womb, which in itself normally brings about intense physiological alterations in the patient. Despite the complexities, neither the pregnancy nor the spinal cord injury needs jeopardize the optimal care of the other as long as the standard protocols are followed. In the past 10 years, the University college Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria treated approximately 900 spinal cord injury patients, and only 3 of these were pregnant-an incidence of 0.30 per 90 patients per year, or 0.33%. We report here, the conservative management of one of these pregnant patients using the Gardner-Wells\' tongs traction, resulting in normal parturition and full neurological recovery. Key Words: Spinal cord injury, Third trimester pregnancy, Gardner-Wells\' tongs traction Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice Vol 8(1) 2005: 46-50