Characterization and photocatalytic activity of boron-doped TiO(2) thin films prepared by liquid phase deposition technique

Boron doped TiO(2) thin films have been successfully deposited on glass substrate and silicon wafer at 30 degrees C from an aqueous solution of ammonium hexa-fluoro titanate and boron trifluoride by liquid phase deposition technique. The boric acid was used as an F(-) scavenger. The resultant films were characterized by XRD, EDAX, UV and microstructures by SEM. The result shows the deposited film to be amorphous which becomes crystalline between 400 and 500 degrees C. The EDAX and XRD data confirm the existence of boron atom in TiO(2) matrix and a small peak corresponding to rutile phase was also found. Boron doped TiO(2) thin films can be used as photocatalyst for the photodegradation of chlorobenzene which is a great environmental hazard. It was found that chlorobenzene undergoes degradation efficiently in presence of boron doped TiO(2) thin films by exposing its aqueous solution to visible light. The photocatalytic activity increases with increase in the concentration of boron

Transforaminal epidural steroid injections for the treatment of lumbosacral radicular pain in a Nigeria tertiary hospital: observational study

Background: Lumbosacral radicular pain is a common cause of chronic low back pain. Despite published reports of effectiveness of transforaminal epidural steroid for lumbosacral radicular pain, it is underutilised in many tertiary hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed the clinical effects of transforaminal epidural steroid injections in patients with lumbosacral radicular pain at a major tertiary health facility in Nigeria.Methods: This is a prospective observational study carried out between March 2012 and February 2016. Under fluoroscopy, the epidural space was accessed through the neuroforamen using 22G spinal needles in 47 adult patients with lumbosacral radicular pain; and a mixture of 10 mg triamcinolone acetonide and 0.25% plain bupivacaine (2 mLs per level) was injected. Pain intensity and functional impairment were assessed with the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores respectively at three and six months.Results: The pain and ODI scores at baseline and at six months’ follow-up improved significantly; 8.49 ± 1.28 vs. 3.6 ± 1.5 (p = 0.002) and 45.1 ± 11.5 vs. 32.4 ± 11.5 (p = 0.001) respectively.Conclusion: Transforaminal epidural steroid injections provided significant pain relief and improved function in patients with lumbar radicular pain due to intervertebral disc herniations.Keywords: herniated intervertebral disc, lumbosacral radicular pain, Nigeria, pain relief, transforaminal epidural steroid injectio

Prevalence of blaIMP-1 among P. aeruginosa isolated from patients with burn infections

Carbapenems are often used as antibiotics for treating infections by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is considered a major cause of health care issues associated with higher mortality and morbidity rates worldwide. This study aimed to detect the prevalence of carbapenemase gene blaIMP-1 that is produced by carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa isolated from burn infection patients. A total of 137 burn swabs were collected from burn patients in different hospitals in Babylon province from December 2021 to April 2022. All of the swabs were streaked on selective media cetrimide agar. Antibiotic susceptibility was performed for Imipenem and meropenem and polymerase chain reaction for species specific 16S rDNA gene and blaIMP-1 gene was done for all isolates. 50 isolates were confirmed by amplicon of species-specific 16S rDNA for P. aeruginosa. Results of antibiotic susceptibility for imipenem and meropenem revealed that 5/50 (10%) and 13/50(26%) of P. aeruginosa isolates were resistant to imipenem and meropenem, respectively. Co-susceptibility (co-resistance or co-sensitive) for both imipenem and meropenem results showed 5/50 (10%) display resistance for both imipenem and meropenem, 8/50(16%) display resistance for only meropenem while 37/50(74%) sensitive for both and none was resistant to imipenem and sensitive for meropenem. Phenotypic detection of Metallo-β-lactamase gave inverse result while the Mean±SD of inhibition zone (mm) for imipenem disc (10μg) =29.34±7.11 and for imipenem+EDTA (10 μg+750 μg) =21.8±4.98. Investigation of blaIMP-1 gene revealed that 23/50 (46%) have blaIMP-1 while 18/50 (36%) were sensitive for imipenem and meropenem but have blaIMP-1.  The current study concludes the possibility of the presence of resistance gene among phenotypically sensitive isolates pushing great threat of antibiotic misuse and leaving the infection untreated.

Seismic analysis and design assisted by numerical simulation of slender steel portal frame structures

Lightweight (thin-walled or cold-formed) steel portal frame structure could be a popular and effective alternative to the traditional hot rolled structure and, with care to avoid buckling, could be used in earthquake areas owing to its economy and ease of fabrication and transportation, but no recommendations for seismic design of these structures is provided in the design codes. Accordingly, there is need for a lightweight design that is suitable for earthquake areas, which could be transported using lighter vehicles and erected quickly using smaller plant than is required for conventional hot rolled sections following an earthquake. The present paper shows some stages in the development of an earthquake-resistant frame, designed for by combining numerical finite element investigations with analytical check calculations based on EN 1993-1-3 for cold-formed steel members and EN 1993-1-1 for design of steel structures to estimate the loads on the frame structure within the use of EN 1998-1seismic design requirements. Although the initial buckling modes have been avoided, the frame still needs further modification to improve its ductility. It is planned to use this work to assist with the development of performance-based design recommendations for future structures that cover both thin-walled steel and cold-formed steel portal frame structures

Evaluation of an accelerated Ponseti protocol for the treatment of talipesequinovarus in Nigeria

Background: The commonest congenital musculoskeletal deformity worldwide is talipes equino varus (CTEV). Of the various treatment methods available, the most acceptable treatment currently for CTEV worldwide is serial manipulation and casting using the Ponseti technique. The Ponseti technique consists of weekly manipulation and casting for an average of six to eight weeks followed by bracing of the feet till school age. Some studies have shown evidence that more frequent casts may have similar outcomes with weekly casts using the Ponseti method. This study compared the efficacy of management of idiopathic CTEV using an accelerated protocol of twice weekly casts, with the standard weekly Ponseti protocol.Methods: The study was a randomized case control study with a group of patients undergoing an accelerated casting protocol involving twice weekly casts compared with another group who went through the normal weekly Ponseti protocol.Results: A total of 45 feet in 28 patients were studied. The study showed a significantly shorter treatment period in the accelerated protocol (39 days) compared with the standard protocol (52 days); with no significant increase in the number of casts needed for treatment.Conclusions: A twice weekly Ponseti casting protocol enables completion of the casting period earlier than the standard Ponseti method.Keywords: Talipes equinovarus; Ponseti treatment; Accelerated Ponseti Protocol; Serial Castin

Optimization of bacteria pectinolytic enzyme production using banana peel as substrate under submerged fermentation

The investigation was based on optimizing the cultural conditions of bacteria pectinolytic enzymes indigenous to soil of banana peel dump site. Optimization of cultural conditions was carried out by changing the physico-chemical environment such as pH, temperature, inocula size and substrate concentration of the production medium by testing for one factor at a time. Highest pectinase activity was observed at pH 6.0 which gave 1.455±0.095 U/mL and 1.695±0.01 U/mL for Bacillus subtilis TYg4-3 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SW106 respectively. The optimized temperature for better yield was obtained at 370C with 0.955±0.006 U/mL for Bacillus subtilis TYg4-3 and 1.098±0.012 U/mL for Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SW106. Lactose yielded 1.655±0.046 U/mL and NH4Cl 1.603±0.005 U/mL activity for Bacillus subtilis TYg4-3, while maltose yielded 1.343±0.062 U/mL and KNO3 1.075±0.077 U/mL activity for Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SW106. Bacillus subtilis TYg4-3 produced best at 72 h of incubation giving 1.275±0.006 U/mL and at 36 h incubation for Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SW106 giving 1.345±0.033 U/mL activity. Bacillus subtilis TYg4-3 yielded 2.083±0.008 U/mL and 2.015±0.036 U/mL at 1.5% and 2.0% of inoculum size and substrate concentration respectively. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SW106 produced best enzyme activity at 2.0% of inoculum and substrate concentration and gave 2.193±0.175 U/mL and 2.256±0.067 U/mL enzyme activities respectively

the significant effect of size and concentrations of iron oxide nanoparticles on magnetic resonance imaging contrast enhancement

In this study, iron oxide (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles (IONs) were successfully synthesized using sol-gel method, and characterized by XRD and VSM. The potential application of the differently sized IONs (22 nm and 30 nm) as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents was investigated. The relaxation time (T2) of the IONs was measured at room temperature and concentration range of 9–84 µg/ml using fast spin echo sequence with six echoes. The size was found to affect the contrast enhancement of the MRI image, with the T2 for 22 nm sized γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles exhibiting a shorter dephasing compared to the 30 nm sized γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The T2 relaxivity also decreased with increasing concentration (9–84 µg/ml) of the γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. Based on the T2-weighted analysis, a better signal (i.e. brighter image) was achieved for the 30 nm sized γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. Thus, the use of IONs to enhance MR image contrast is dependent on the nanoparticle size and concentration of the IONs. In general, the results indicate that the synthesized γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles are promising materials for use as MRI contrast agents. Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging, Iron oxides nanoparticles, T2 relaxivity, XRD, VS

Environmental factors and population at risk of malaria in Nkomazi municipality, South Africa

OBJECTIVE : Nkomazi local municipality of South Africa is a high-risk malaria region with an incidence rate of about 500 cases per 100 000. We examined the influence of environmental factors on population (age group) at risk of malaria. methods R software was used to statistically analyse data. Using remote sensing technology, a Landsat 8 image of 4th October 2015 was classified using object-based classification and a 5-m resolution. Spot height data were used to generate a digital elevation model of the area. RESULTS : A total of 60 718 malaria cases were notified across 48 health facilities in Nkomazi municipality between January 1997 and August 2015. Malaria incidence was highly associated with irrigated land (P = 0.001), water body (P = 0.011) and altitude ≤400 m (P = 0.001). The multivariate model showed that with 10% increase in the extent of irrigated areas, malaria risk increased by almost 39% in the entire study area and by almost 44% in the 2-km buffer zone of selected villages. Malaria incidence is more pronounced in the economically active population aged 15–64 and in males. Both incidence and case fatality rate drastically declined over the study period. CONCLUSION : A predictive model based on environmental factors would be useful in the effort towards malaria elimination by fostering appropriate targeting of control measures and allocating of resources.This study was supported by the EU project ‘Quantifying Weather and Climate Impacts on health in developing countries’, an European Commission’s Seventh Framework Research Programme by providing a 2-year student bursary to the primary author. We acknowledge the support of the University of Pretoria, Centre for Sustainable Malaria Control and of the Earth and Atmospheric Remote Sensing Research Group, University of Pretoria.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-31562017-05-31hb2016Centre for Environmental StudiesCentre for Geoinformation ScienceGeography, Geoinformatics and Meteorolog