Acute mechanical bowel obstruction among adults see at the Lake Akintola

No Abstrac

Polystyrene-co-maleic acid/CdS nanocomposites: Preparation and properties

Composites of CdS nanoparticles confined in a polystyrene-co-maleic acid (PS-co-MAc) matrix have been prepared and characterized. It was shown that the acid groups of the co-polymer could be successfully used to control the aggregation of the nanoparticles, because they act as coordinate sites for Cd ions. UV-VIS measurements showed a blue shift of the absorption threshold, proving the presence of nanoparticles. An average size of the nanoparticles of about 4 nm is estimated from the change in band gap energy. Although the FTIR spectrum of the nanocomposite showed the presence of C-S bonds, a broad emission originating from surface recombination sites are noticed. DSC and TGA measurements revealed changes in thermal properties upon incorporation of nanoparticles. No thermal transition was observed in the nanocomposite, while the pure co-polymer exhibits a glass transition at 190 degrees C. In the presence of nanoparticles the onset of the thermal decomposition of the matrix is also shifted by 50 degrees C towards a higher temperature. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Audit of day case surgery in LAUTECH teaching hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria

Background/ method: A retrospective study of all patients operated as day-case at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital Osogbo over a period of 14 months (October 2000 to November 2001) was carried out. Results: Seventy-six patients were operated as day-cases within the study period, but 74 case notes (97.4%) were available for analysis. There were 46 males (62.2%) and 28 females (37.8%), giving a male: female ratio of 1.6:1. the age ranged between 11 and 70 years (mean 27.26 ± 23.89 years). The commonest procedure performed was excisional biopsy, which constituted 40.5% of all procedures; followed by herniorrhaphy, which accounted for 28.4%. Pain was the commonest immediate postoperative problem. This responded to analgesics like dipyrone, pentazocine and paracetamol. There were minimal postoperative complications at home and mortality was zero. None of the patients came for admission after surgery. Conclusion: We concluded that day-case surgery is feasible, safe and acceptable to our patients; other hospitals are encouraged to undertake day-case surgery service. Nig J Surg Res 2003; 5: 43 – 49) Key words: Day case surgery, audi

Structure and properties of PbS-polyacrylamide nanocomposites

A synthetic procedure for the incorporation of PbS nanoparticles in a polyacrylamide (PAM) matrix is introduced. The method is based on the simultaneous polymerization of the monomer and thermal decomposition of the dithiooxamide-lead complex. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the PbS nanoparticles have a sphalerite crystal structure (galena). A transmission electron micrograph showed spherical particles, with an average diameter of about 3 nm, well dispersed in the polymer matrix. Although a sharp edge was not observed, the optical absorption of the PAM-PbS nanocomposite is shifted towards lower wavelengths compared to the bulk PbS. It was also found that, despite a low concentration of the inorganic phase, the nanoparticles significantly affect the thermal properties of the matrix

Pharmacopoeial quality of drugs supplied by Nigerian pharmacies.

BACKGROUND: The quality of medicines available in some less-developed countries is inadequate in terms of content of active ingredient. Reasons for the poor quality of drugs include widespread counterfeiting of medicines in less-developed countries, excessive decomposition of active ingredient as a result of high temperature and humidity, and poor quality assurance during the manufacture of medicinal products. Our aim was to investigate the quality of different drugs obtained from retail pharmacies in two urban areas of Nigeria, and, in instances of poor quality, to ascertain the reason why. METHODS: We randomly collected 581 samples of 27 different drugs from 35 pharmacies in Lagos and Abuja in Nigeria. We analysed the medicines for drug content by validated chromatographic methods, and compared our results with pharmacopoeial requirements. FINDINGS: 279 (48%) samples did not comply with set pharmacopoeial limits, and this proportion was uniform for the various types of drugs tested. Although some preparations contained no active ingredient, most had amounts just outside the pharmacopoeial limits. We identified samples with both too much and too little active drug content. INTERPRETATION: The most probable cause of the poor quality of drugs is absence of adequate quality assurance during manufacture. Substandard drugs sold in the pharmacies of less-developed countries could contribute to global microbial resistance and therapeutic failure of infectious diseases