Shoulder Pain Syndrome Among Nigerians

Objectives: To identify aetiological causes of shoulder pain syndrome among patients attending a rheumatology clinic, and to highlight the therapeutic options.Design: Retrospective study.Setting: A private rheumatology clinic in Lagos, Nigeria from January 2002 to December 2006.Subjects: Forty female adult patients and 26 male adult patients aged 24-79 years. Main outcome measures: Patient reported outcome in terms of pain relief and increased mobility.Results: Sixty six subjects were seen during the study period. Females were more commonly affected and were mostly middle aged. Adhesive capsulitis was the most common condition while septic arthritis and avascular necrosis were least diagnosed 22.7% of the subjects could not, however, be categorised.Conclusion: Shoulder pain syndrome is common among Nigerians. Diagnosis and management are mostly based on the clinical presentations, especially considering the lack of sensitivity of plain radiographs and the high cost of more sensitive MRI. The treatment of these conditions are standard

Antibiotic resistance and resistance genes in Escherichia coli from poultry farms, southwest Nigeria

Introduction: This study investigated the mechanisms of resistance in 36 E. coli isolated from waste, litter, soil and water samples collected from poultry farms in Southwestern Nigeria. Methodology: Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) distributions of the isolates were determined using the methods of the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute and resistance genes detected by PCR. Results: A total of 30 isolates (94%) showed resistance to more than one antimicrobial. Percentage resistance was: tetracycline 81%, sulphamethoxazole 67%, streptomycin 56%, trimethoprim 47 %, ciprofloxacin 42%, ampicillin 36%, spectinomycin 28%, nalidixic acid 25%, chloramphenicol 22%, neomycin 14%, gentamicin 8%, amoxicillin-clavulanate, ceftiofur, cefotaxime, colistin, florfenicol and apramycin 0%. Resistance genes found among the isolates include bla-TEM (85%), sul2 (67%), sul3 (17%), aadA (65%), strA (70%), strB (61%), catA1 (25%), cmlA1 (13%), tetA (21%) and tetB (17%). Class 1 and 2 integrons were found in five (14%) and six (17%) isolates, respectively, while one isolate was positive for both classes of integrons. Seven out of eight isolates with resistance to ciprofloxacin and MIC ≤ 32 mg/L to nalidixic acid contained qnrS genes. Conclusions: Our findings provided additional evidence that the poultry production environment in Nigeria represents an important reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes such as qnrS that may spread from livestock production farms to human populations via manure and water.</jats:p

Pathogenesis of peritoneal drain complications; a case report of evolving adnexal evisceration following difficult retrieval of a retained peritoneal drain

Background: Intra-peritoneal drainage dates back to the time of Hippocrates when long bone tissue, metal, and glass tubes were employed. The benefit of routine intra-peritoneal drainage however remains debatable in contemporary times. Retained drains may be outward manifestations of more sinister or latent complications and how an entrapped surgical drain is removed, may determine the occurrence of further complications. Case Presentation: We report here the case of a 32-year-old primipara who had a retained improvised peritoneal drain, which was inserted during the cesarean section for continued oozing of serosanguineous fluid. Omental tissue found at laparoscopy, to have plugged a fenestration in the drain, was promptly relieved. A loop of the Fallopian tube was however later observed trapped in another fenestration and herniating into the stab incision of the drain tube towards the exterior, this was freed with an atraumatic laparoscopic grasper and drain tube retrieval completed under laparoscopic visualization. Conclusion: Insertion of the peritoneal drain during cesarean section should be carefully considered, when necessary; it should be done with the most appropriate drainage systems. Retrieval of the peritoneal drain is a risk factor for visceral herniation. Entrapped drains should be retrieved, under direct visualization, to prevent iatrogenic injuries

Students’ Perception of Reference Services as Determinant of Library use in Colleges of Agriculture in Oyo State, Nigeria

Descriptive survey design was used to study the students’ perception of reference services as determinant of library use in the Colleges of Agriculture in Oyo State (Federal College of Agriculture, Moor Plantation, Apata, Ibadan [FCAIB] and Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora [OYSCATECH]). The study has four objectives, three research questions and one research hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. Purposive stratified proportionate random sampling technique and a sampling fraction of fifteen percent (15%) were used to select a sample size of two hundred and eighty-seven (287) students out of the one thousand eight hundred and eighty-five (1885) students in the eight (8) departments that are common to the two Colleges (Population of the study). The response from a well-structured questionnaire administered on the sampled population was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The result of the analyzed data showed positive perception of reference services in OYSCATECH (WX=2.71) and FCAIB (WX= 2.44). The result showed positive correlation between the perception of reference services and use of library in the two colleges of Agriculture in Oyo State –FCAIB ( r = 0.311) and OYSCATECH (r = 0.214). The study also identified purposes and frequencies of using the library by the students in the two institutions. The study recommended the use of electronic reference services in order to enhance ease, visibility, relevance and efficiency of reference services in our libraries and more importantly to encourage use of library

Structural and Optical Properties of Tin Doped Zinc Oxide Fibres Prepared By Electrospinning Technique

The study synthesized ZnO fibers using electrospinning technique. It also characterized and determined the effects of Sn2+ dopant on the optical properties of the fibers synthesized. This was with a view to exploring the potential of improving the performance ZnO semiconductor material in industrial applications. Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) solution was prepared and mixed with ZnO source. Zinc acetate was used as the ZnO source while Tin Acetate was used as Sn2+ dopant source. Viscous electrospinning solutions of PVA/Zinc Acetate and three different compositions of Tin Acetate were prepared. The compositions of dopants used were 5, 7 and 9-wt. %. Samples of the depositions from the electrospinning process were annealed at 600o C at a rate of 4o C per minute for 6 hours. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to reveal the morphology of the depositions. The structural analysis of the fibers was carried out using x-ray diffractometry (XRD) while the optical properties of the fibers were investigated using ultra violet visible spectrophotometry. The SEM results showed the depositions to be web of fibers. The XRD confirmed the crystallization of undoped and doped ZnO fibers from the acetates. The crystal sizes of the fibers were in the range of 5.566 to 7.202 nm. Furthermore, wide bandgap energy values ranging from 3.26 to 3.46 eV were obtained from the results of the optical properties of the fibers. The results showed that the average crystal sizes of Sn2+ doped ZnO fibers were larger than those of the undoped fibers. However, it was observed that the average crystal size decreases with increase in Sn2+ content. The results also showed that the bandgap energy values of the fibers increase with dopant concentration. The study established the viability of fabricating doped and undoped ZnO structure in form of fibers in order to enhance its performance in industrial applications. Also, the results showed that the optical properties of the fibers improved with increase in Sn2+ dopant concentration. Keywords: ZnO fibers; Electrospinning technique; Structural analysis; Optical properties;  Sn2+ Dopant; Band gap energy value; Crystal siz

A Genetic Algorithm Approach to Optimal Sizing and Placement of Distributed Generation on Nigerian Radial Feeders

Mitigating power loss and voltage profile problems on radial distribution networks has been a major challenge to distribution system operators. While deployment of distributed generation, as compensators, has made a suitable solution option, optimum placement and sizing of the compensators has been a concern and it has thus been receiving great attention. Meta-heuristic algorithms have been found efficacious in this respect, yet the use of the algorithms in addressing problems of radial feeders is still comparatively low in Nigeria where analytical and numerical programming methods are common. Hence; the use of genetic algorithm to site and size distributed generator for real-time power loss reduction and voltage profile improvement on the Nigerian secondary distribution networks is presented. Backward-forward sweep load flow analysis, together with loss sensitivity factor, is deployed to identify the buses suitable for the installation of the distributed generation, while the algorithm is employed in estimating the optimum size. This approach is tested on the standard IEEE 15-bus system and validated using a Nigerian 11 kV feeder. The result obtained on the IEEE test system shows 183 kW loss using the compensator, as compared to 436 kW loss without the compensator; while on the Nigerian network the loss with the compensator was 4.99 kW, in comparison with no-compensation loss of 10.47kW. By the approach of this study, real power loss on the Nigerian feeder decreased by 52.3% together with energy cost reduction from N658,789.12 to N314,227.38. Likewise the minimum bus voltage magnitude and the voltage stability index of the network are improved to acceptable limits. This approach is therefore recommended as capable of strengthening the performance of the Nigerian radial distribution system

Detection of the carbapenemase gene blaVIM-5 in members of the Pseudomonas putida group isolated from polluted Nigerian wetlands

Abstract There are increasing concerns about possible dissemination of clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes, including genes encoding for carbapenemases in the environment. However, little is known about environmental distribution of antibiotic resistance in Africa. In this study, four polluted urban wetlands in Nigeria were investigated as potential reservoirs of carbapenem-resistant bacteria (CRB). CRB were isolated from the wetlands, characterized by Blue-Carba test, MIC determinations and whole genome sequencing (WGS). Nine of 65 bacterial isolates identified as members of the Pseudomonas putida group (P. plecoglossicida and P. guariconensis, respectively) harboured the metallo-beta-lactamase gene bla VIM-5. WGS revealed the bla VIM-5 in three novel Tn402-like class 1 integron structures containing the cassette arrays aadB|bla VIM-5|bla PSE-1, aadB|bla VIM-5|aadB|bla PSE-1, and bla VIM-5|aadB|tnpA|bla PSE-1|smr2|tnpA, respectively. Strains carrying the aadB|bla VIM-5|bla PSE-1 cassette also carried an identical integron without bla VIM-5. In addition, the strains harboured another Tn402-like class 1 integron carrying bcr2, several multidrug resistance efflux pumps, and at least one of ampC, aph(3”)-lb, aph(6)-ld, tetB, tetC, tetG, floR, and macAB. This is the first report of a carbapenemase gene in bacteria from environmental sources in Nigeria and the first report of bla VIM-5 in environmental bacteria isolates. This result underscores the role of the Nigerian environment as reservoir of bacteria carrying clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes