Background: Knowledge of the bifurcation level of the common carotid artery (CCA) is important during surgery, mummification, and radiological studies. This study aim to evaluate the anatomical variations in the bifurcation level of CCA, and the origin of the superior thyroid artery (STA), in Sudanese populations. Their knowledge reduces risk during surgery and helps in arterial ligation. Materials and Methods: 30 neck cadaveric specimens were evaluated on sides, using natural anatomical tools and methods for the anatomical studies. Results: The bifurcation of CCA was found at 36.7% at the level of the upper border of thyroid cartilage (TC), 61.7% above, and 1.6% below. No big differences were found in carotid bifurcation on both sides. The right side showed 30% were normal, 66.7 % high, and 3.3% were low-level bifurcation, left showed 43.3% were normal, 56.7% high, and no low level of bifurcation was observed. Origin of STA either from external 50% or bifurcation 46.7% was nearly about the same, with a few incidences 3.3% from the common carotid. Significance differences were observed in origin STA between both sides, on the right the artery commonly originates from external, and on the left commonly from the bifurcation. Conclusion: CCA bifurcates at a higher level in Sudanese, with no big difference in carotid bifurcation on both sides. Statistically, a significant difference was found in the origin of STA on both sides. Recommendation: higher bifurcation of CCA, and side variations in origin of STA, should be put into consideration during surgery and radiology.

Various chemicals have been consumed unnoticed by human in the advent of solving problems. The study is aimed at investigating the haematological indices of the first generation of the Wistar rat fed with Calcium Carbide induced ripened orange. Mature unripe oranges were plucked off from the Orange plant in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The fruits were divide into two groups, one group was kept and allowed to rip at normal room temperature and the other group was induced with Calcium Carbide to ripe. 10gram of calcium carbide was dissolved in 5ml of water in a closed metal bucket containing 1kg of the orange rapped with black nylon and was allowed for two days [48 hours] for ripening. After ripening, sampled fruits were washed and juiced. 600g of both the naturally ripened and calcium carbide ripened orange were peeled separately and blended in an electric blender with 350ml/1L of deionized water. The juice was filtered with a clean fine sieve and was poured into clean bottles labeled [CaC2 ripened orange juice and naturally ripened orange juice]; and was stored in a refrigerator for subsequent use. A total of 24 adult Wister rats [12 male and female of each sex] weighing between 126.9- 213.3g were used. They were kept in standard environmental condition, acclimatize for two [2] weeks and was fed with standard grower mash with clean water ad libitum. The rats were divided into three groups based on the body weight and then different concentrations of naturally ripened and calcium carbide induced ripened orange were administered orally. Group 1: Normal control group of 8 rats [4 males and 4 females] receive normal water and feeds only as placebo. Group 2: Treatment Group [1] of 8 rats [4 males and 4 females] received 5ml/kg of the naturally orange juice. Group 3: Treatment Group [2] of 8 rats [4 males and 4 females] received 5ml/kg of the Calcium Carbide ripped orange juice for 4 weeks. They were allowed to mate freely during the acclimatization and treatment period [One Month and two weeks]. The Wistar rats birthed and the pups of the three different groups were collected according to the treatment protocols. The Pups were weighed at birth, one week and two weeks and then sacrificed and blood samples were collected for haematological analysis. Results showed reduce Packed Cell Volume, Total White Blood Count, Hemoglobin, Red Blood Cell Count, Platelets, Lymphocytes, in the pups from the Calcium carbide treated Wistar rats (p>0.05). But there was an increase in Neutrophil, Monocytes and Eosinophil level of the pups from the Calcium carbide treated group. Calcium carbide has shown devastating effect on the haemtological parameters from the Pups of the Wistar rats fed with Calcium carbide. Blood cells production is impeded due its negative effect on hemapoietic stem cells, protection against foreign bodies is compromised due to low TWBC, resulting to tissue hypoxia, hemorrhage, and stunted growth and amongst other negative consequences; which are passed from parents to offspring as clearly exposed in this study.

The concept of targeted drug delivery is designed to attempt to concentrate the drug in the tissues of interest while reducing the relative concentration of the drug in the remaining tissues. As a result, the drug is localized to the targeted site. Therefore, the surrounding tissues are not affected by the drug. Therefore, carrier technology provides an intelligent approach to drug delivery by coupling drugs to carrier particles such as microspheres, nanoparticles, liposomes, niosomes, etc., modulating the release and absorption characteristics drug revenue. Microspheres are typically free-flowing powders made of proteins or synthetic polymers that are biodegradable in nature and ideally have a particle size of less than 200 μm. It is a reliable way to deliver drugs to the target site with specificity, if altered, and to maintain the desired concentration at the site of interest without side effects. Microspheres have received a great deal of attention not only for sustained release but also for targeting anti-cancer drugs to tumors. In the future, by combining various strategies, microspheres will occupy a central place in the delivery of new drugs, especially in the classification of diseased cells, diagnostics, genes and genetic material, safe, targeted and effective in vivo delivery and supplements in miniature versions of diseased organs and tissues in the body.

Optimizing patient local and systemic circumstances, as well as creating an optimum wound healing environment, are essential components of successful wound care. Many products have been developed to impact the wound environment in order to offer a pathogen-free, protected, and moist environment in which to heal. In the wound healing cascade, newer items are being employed to replace or supplement various substrates. The latest applications of silver in microbial prophylaxis and treatment, including issues involving resistance and side effects, the latest uses of negative pressure wound devices, advanced dressings and skin substitutes, biologic wound products, including growth factor applications, and hyperbaric oxygen as an adjunct in wound healing are all covered in this review of the current state of the art in wound-healing products. With so many options, it's easy to get overwhelmed.

Abstract: A life-threatening fungal infection has rise that further exacerbates the terrible circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic in India and nearby South Asian countries. The fungal infection more commonly being referred to as black fungus (Mucormycosis) infection due to its blackening effect on the skin, is on the rise amongst patients affected with or recovering from COVID-19. India has already reported the highest occurrence of mucormycosis in the world. As of June 28, 2021, India has reported 40,845 cases of black fungus, with the highest reported cases in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Also, the country reported 3,129 related deaths till June 28, 2021.

Hydrogels are crosslinked polymer networks that absorb substantial amounts of aqueous solutions. Hydrogels can be divided into two categories based on the chemical or physical nature of the crosslink junctions. Chemically crosslinked networks have permanent junctions, while physical networks have transient junctions that arise from either polymer chain entanglements or physical interactions such as ionic interactions, hydrogen bonds, or hydrophobic interactions .Hydrogels, the swellable polymeric materials, have been widely investigated as the carrier for drug delivery systems. These biomaterials have gained attention owing to their peculiar characteristics like swelling in aqueous medium, pH and temperature sensitivity or sensitivity towards other stimuli. Hydrogels being biocompatible materials have been recognized to function as drug protectors, especially for peptides and proteins, from in vivo environment. Also these swollen polymers are helpful as targetable carriers for bioactive drugs with tissue specificity. This article presents an overview to the advances in hydrogel based drug delivery that have become the interest of most researchers.

Letter to the editor