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Serum IL-10 level and response to combined pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Amal A. Mohamed ¹, Zainab A. Ali-Eldin ^2, Wesam A. Ibrahim ², Fatma A. Ali-Eldin³, Ibrahem Siam ⁴, Khaled M. Abd Elaziz ⁵, Nehal A. Radwan ⁶

1 biochemsitry department , National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Institute

2 Internal Medicine, 3 Tropical Medicine Departments, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University

4 Internal Medicine Department, National, Research Center (NRC).

⁵ Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University

⁶ Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University

Dr_zainab2000@hotmail.com. Telephone +20106882543

Abstract: Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections is a major health problem. Egypt has the highest prevalence worldwide. Currently, combined pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy is the standard treatment but the outcome is not satisfactory. It has been reported that patients with chronic HCV infection show enhanced serum IL-10 concentration and it was found to be correlated to the histopathological alterations of the liver. Objectives: To assess the possible association of serum IL-10 level and response to combined interferon α-2a and ribavirin therapy for chronic HCV infection. Patients and methods This study was conducted on 50 consecutive patients with chronic HCV infection and 20 healthy controls. All the patients were subjected to clinical and laboratory assessment, abdominal ultrasound, and liver biopsy. All the patients were treated with combined therapy and followed up for end of treatment and sustained virologic response (SVR). Determination of IL-10 serum level using ELISA test were done at the baseline and at the end of treatment. Results: Pre-treatment serum IL-10 was significantly positively correlated with BMI and grade of positivity of HCV RNA PCR. Pre-treatment serum IL-10 levels were significantly lower in responders at the end of treatment and SVR in comparison to non responders (P<0.001). There was significant reduction of serum IL-10 level after therapy in comparison to baseline in responders with no significant change in non responders. Conclusions: increased serum levels of IL-10 are a poor prognostic marker of response to combined treatment in patients with chronic HCV infection.

[Amal A. Mohamed, Zainab A. Ali-Eldin, Wesam A. Ibrahim, Fatma A. Ali-Eldin, Ibrahem Siam, Khaled M. Abd Elaziz, Nehal A. Radwan. Serum IL-10 level and response to combined pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Academia Arena, 2011;3(10):1-6] (ISSN 1553-992X). http://www.sciencepub.net.

doi:10.7537/marsaaj031011.01

Key words: hepatitis C, IL10, pegylated interferon, SVR.

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Repositioning Tertiary Agriculture Education Curriculum for Sustainable Development in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities.

*Chikaire, J., **Orusha, J.O., **Onogu, B. and **Okafor, O.E.,Nwoye,E.O., Okoli, C.F.

 *Department of Agricultural Extension. Federal University of Technology, Owerri

**Department of Agricultural Science, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri.

e-mail: bankausta@yahoo.com

Abstract: Nigeria’s economic growth hinges on the development and promotion of a vibrant and sustainable agricultural production base. The prime movers of sustainable agricultural production include: availability of improved technologies, human capital, sustainable growth of biological and natural resource capital, improvement in performance of supporting institutions and favourable economic policy environment. Curricula and teaching methods and tools developed are not relevant to the development of the country and needs of the farmers and labour management, rather they are curricula adopted from countries that had colonies in Africa. The public sector used to absorb large majority of agricultural graduates, but this is no longer the case. Agriculture graduates are finding it increasingly difficult to become employed. Their education in agriculture has not been oriented to the needs of an increasingly sophisticated commercial sector. Central to solving the above problems is the production of suitable graduates, who are technically competent and relevant; equipped with the necessary skills and business skills; to work with local and especially rural communities. In this paper, we reviewed the challenges of effective teaching of agricultural education in tertiary institutions in Nigeria and also suggest that environmental degradation, rapid changes in scientific and technical knowledge, the changing role of women in society and the increasing marginalization of agriculture and rural life all call for changes in agricultural education, in addition to ICT introduction. Therefore, the tertiary agricultural education curricula must be transformed if agricultural education will be a ready tool for sustainable development.

[Chikaire, J., Orusha, J.O., Onogu, B., Okafor, O.E., Nwoye, E.O., and Okoli, C.F. Repositioning Tertiary Agriculture Education Curriculum for Sustainable Development in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities. Academia Arena 2011;3(10):7-14]. (ISSN 1553-992X). http://www.sciencepub.net. 2

doi:10.7537/marsaaj031011.02

Keywords: Agricultural Education, Curriculum, Nigeria, Environment, Development, Sustainability

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Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Vehicle for Sustainable Development in Nigeria.

¹Orusha, J.O., ² Chikaire, J., ¹Onogu, B., ¹Okafor, O.E., ¹Nwoye, E.O., and ¹Okoli , C. F.

¹Department of Agricultural Science, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri.

²Department of Agricultural Extension, Federal University of Technology, Owerri. e-mail bankausta@yahoo.com

Abstract: Vocational education and training is very cardinal to any economic development of a country. Training in general has potential benefits which accrue to the individual, organization and the nation in general. To the individual training enhances their future earning potentials career progression ad employability. To achieve the above, the paper argues that the individual or groups will need skills to perform competently. With skill the individual can determine their own destiny. Because of the importance of skills to the individual, it is important that every individual access training to contribute to development. Currently Nigeria, not everybody is able to access training with the rise in population growth and economy going down, governments are unable to offer social amenities. Even schools and colleges cannot match the rising population and as a result fewer and fewer people are accessing training. The paper therefore focused on the contribution of a revitalized technical and vocational education and training to improve the economic status of the country and welfare of the people, trigger entrepreneurship which would eventually lead to job creation. The paper concludes that to solve the problem of widespread poverty, unemployment and national food deficit, priority should be giving to revitalized-technical and vocational education.

[Orusha, J.O., Chikaire, J., Onogu, B., Okafor O.E., Nwoye, E.O. and Okoli, C.F. Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Vehicle for Sustainable Development in Nigeria. Academia Arena 2011;3(10):15-]. (ISSN 1553-992X). http://www.sciencepub.net. 3

doi:10.7537/marsaaj031011.03

Key words: Education, vocational, technical, sustainable development.

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Effects of HIV/AIDS on Smallholder Agriculture and Food Security in Imo State, Nigeria

*Chikaire, J., *Nnadi F.N., **Orusha, J.O., **Onogu, B., **Okafor, O.E., Nwoye, E.O. ,and Okoli, C.F.

 *Department of Agricultural Extension. Federal University of Technology, Owerri

**Department of Agricultural Science, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri.

e-mail: bankausta@yahoo.com

Abstract: The HIV/AIDS epidemic is challenging all aspects of the development agenda. The disease has decimated sub-Saharan Africa’s agricultural labour force and will continue to do so for generations, depleting the region of its food producers and farmers. Not only is the epidemic causing severe reversals in development gains, but it is making development interventions impractical. Communities livelihoods are being permanently eroded and assets depleted with the reoccurring periods of sickness and deaths that the epidemic brings. Inspite of its incapacitating effects on agricultural production and rural livelihoods, and of the fact that up to 80% of the people-in the most affected countries depend on agriculture for their subsistence, the agricultural sector has not been as forthcoming and as innovative in its response, as the situation requires. Labour, a much valued human asset and the foundation of development interventions, is becoming scare and this lack of labour strains traditional coping mechanisms and increase vulnerability. This paper thus investigation the areas HIV/AIDS has affected food production, and rural livelihood such as depletion of labour, loss of generational knowledge and skills, loss of income, land inheritance rights of women and youth and decreasing nutritional status of households. It also reveals extension role in HIV/AIDS mitigation.

[Chikaire, J., Nnadi F.N., Orusha, J.O., Onogu, B., Okafor, O.E., Nwoye, E.O., Okoli, C.F. Effects of HIV/AIDS on Smallholder Agriculture and Food Security in Imo State, Nigeria. Academia Arena 2011;3(10):22-30]. (ISSN 1553-992X). http://www.sciencepub.net. 4

doi:10.7537/marsaaj031011.04

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Agriculture, food security, livelihood, sub-Saharan Africa

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