Penile Gangrene: An Unusual Complication of Priapism in a Patient with Bladder Carcinoma

A 40-year-old, apparently healthy farmer presented with a 4-day history of progressively painful penile erection with no known predisposing or precipitating factor. He had an emergency El-Ghorab shunt which resulted in almost complete detumescence. He was noticed to have developed ischemic changes of the distal part of the penile skin which progressed to gangrene of the distal part of the penis on the 4th day post intervention. Abdomino-pelvic ultrasound revealed an intravesical mass and urine and corpus cavernosa aspiration cytology were positive for malignant cell. The patient, however, declined further treatment and was discharged against medical advice

Awareness and attitude towards HPV and its vaccines among market women in Bodija Market, Ibadan

Background: Cervical cancer, commonest among cancers of the female genital tract continued to pose major challenge to women of reproductive age in developing countries though infection by its causative agent,human papilloma virus (HPV) is preventable.This study aimed to assess awareness and attitude of market women concerning HPV and its vaccines in prevention of cervical cancer.Materials and methods: A cross sectional study involving 329 market women, using multistage sampling technique. Instrument was an Interviewer--administered questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics,knowledge and awareness of HPV and its vaccine, sexual history and attitude towards HPV vaccines.Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20.0 with statistical significance level set at p<0.05.Results: Mean age of respondents was 29.49±3.65 years.All respondents were sexually active with majority (94.8%) having multiple sexual partners.Awareness of HPV vaccine and Pap smear test was among 1.2% and 9.4% respectively. Attitude towards HPV vaccination was good in 304 (92.4%) with 302 (91.8%) willing to take the HPV vaccines. There was significant association between attitude towards HPV vaccine and willingness to take HPV vaccine x2=111.8, p<0.01).Conclusions: Awareness of HPV and its vaccines is low among market women in our community.Policies and actions to step up information dissemination are urgently needed in order to stem the scourge of cervical cancer in our society.Keywords: Awareness,Market women,Ibadan,HPV vaccine

Concentration of heavy metals from traffic emissions on plant produce sold along Ife– Ibadan express way: Health implications

In recent years, emission and combustion of fossils and fuels have been identified as primary sources of atmospheric metallic burden. Detailed information about this is not readily available in Nigeria. This study was therefore carried out to determine the concentration of heavy metals (e.g. lead, mercury and cadmium} deposited on plant produce sold along the highway in Osun State). Samples were bought from traders along the road from two different locations (Gbongan and Ikire junctions). The samples were digested and analyses for lead (Pb), cadmium (cd) and Mercury (Hg) using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometers (AAS). The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics (Bar charts and graph). Results from the various analyses indicated that the levels of these metals were found to increase uphill due to high combustion of fuel leading to high emission of vehicular exhaust and vice versa (uphill > downhill).When the heavy metal content in samples was compared with FAO/WHO guideline for food, it was observed that the metal contents in the plant produces sold along the road were higher than the threshold level, hence the plant produces sold along the road were considered contaminated. Therefore, buying and selling of plant produces along the highways should be discouraged. Enactment of an enabling law and its enforcement should be considered as priority by the appropriate organs of the governmen

Resource-Use Efficiency in Rice Production Under Small Scale Irrigation in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State

The study was conducted in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State to appraise the efficiency of the resources used in rice production under small scale irrigation. The specific objectives of the study were to determine resource use efficiency, describe socio-economic characteristics of irrigated rice growers and identify constraints to irrigated rice production among respondents. Data were collected using purposive simple random Sampling techniques involving three villages and sixty rice farmers. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and production function analysis. Data were fitted to two functional forms based on the OLS techniques. The Cobb-Douglas (power function) production function gave the best fit in terms of R2 value and number of significant variables. The results revealed that 90.0% of the variation in dependent variable is explained by the independent variables. All the co-efficient carried positive signs. The result revealed that fertilizer, labour and land were being used inefficiently hence below optimum economic level. This was attested by the high ratios (greater than unity) of MVP/MFC of all the variables. For optimum resource allocation to fertilizer, labour and land about 85.7%, 83.3% and 69% increase in MVP is required respectively. The estimated elasticity of production summed up to 0.815 meaning decreasing return to scale. Major problems include lack of adequate fertilizer, capital and access to land. Agricultural Policies should be directed toward provision of farming input such as fertilizer and effective extension services for efficient resources utilization

Recent Trends on TV White Space Deployments in Africa

In this paper, we presented the effects of Television White Space (TVWS) on digital divide in Africa. The trends in digital divide are found to be wide in most African countries, which are characterized with low internet penetration. Perhaps this is expected because over 60 % of people in Africa reside in the rural area and these areas are characterized with low literacy, poverty level and limited telecommunication infrastructure supports. There have been research efforts and regulations towards the secondary use of TV frequencies. However, findings indicate that there are limited opportunities for such system in Europe: This is due to high internet penetration in Europe, but the situation may be quite different in other part of the world like in Africa. Therefore, the TVWS could be used to provide affordable universal access in rural Africa. The paper also presents some benefits developing countries in Africa will incur from utilizing the TVWS solution. Also, recent trend in the deployment of TVWS and experiences got from African countries that embrace the solution are presented.http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njt.v34i3.1

Trypanosoma brucei Infection in a herd of sedentary cattle in Danja Local Government Area, Katsina State, Northern Nigeria– A possible resurgence of Tsetse flies in the previous Tsetse-free area of Nigeria

In Nigeria, African animal trypanosomosis still constitutes a major obstacle to food security in spite of previous attempts towards chemotherapy and tsetse control (Onyiah, 1997; Abenga et al., 2004). The disease is most devastating in terms of poverty and lost of agricultural production (Hursey, 2000). These losses include; reductions in herd sizes as a result of deaths drop in calving rate, reduced market value of animals as a result of loss in body condition, drop in milk production and reduced work efficiency of draft animals (Swallow, 2000). The seasonal migration and grazing from the supposedly tsetse – free (with scarce feed and water resources during dry seasons) to the tsetse infested (but pasture rich and water abundant) areas in the Southern part of the country have tremendously contributed to the persistence infection of the nomadic cattle by trypanosomes; this has resulted in advocacy for pastoralists to settle down into productive cattle production compared to the nomadic behavior which does not enhance productivity.The approximately one fifth area of the country which tends to be effectively free of tsetse was due to good climatic conditions such as deforestation and bush burning that does not favour the survival of tsetse flies. However, with forestations, strict laws on bush burning and global warming, tsetse flies seems to be moving back into this hitherto declared tsetse - free zone. Several reports of the incidence of tsetse flies in this zone have been received by the Clinical And Ambulatory Services Unit of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and these reports were confirmed by a recent diagnosis of trypanosomosis caused by T. brucei in a herd of Sedentary cattle located within the Northern Guinea Savannah area

Inhibition of aflatoxin-producing aspergilli by lactic acid bacteria isolates from indigenously fermented cereal gruels

A total of six lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates were selected from five indigenously fermented cereal gruels and identified as Lactobacillus fermentum OYB, Lb. fermentum RS2, Lb. plantarum MW, Lb. plantarum YO, Lb. brevis WS3, and Lactococcus spp. RS3. Six aflatoxin-producing aspergilli were alsoselected from the various food sources. Two of the isolates, identified as Aspergillus parasiticus C2 and A. parasiticus AF7, produced both aflatoxin B1 and G while the other four identified as A. flavus M1, A. flavus B4, A flavus B5 and A. flavus C6, produced only aflatoxin B1. Each of the LAB isolatesinhibited the growth of at least a toxin-producing Aspergillus. The maximum inhibitions were shown by Lb. plantarum YO, which was able to inhibit the vegetative and sporulative growth of all the aflatoxinproducing aspergilli. Lactococcus spp. RS3 and Lb. brevis WS3 were only able to inhibit A. parasiticusC7 reasonably and A. flavus B5 and C6 mildly

Phytochemical Screening, Polyphenolic Content and Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitory Potential of Leptadenia hastata (Pers.) Decne

Leptadenia hastata (Pers.) Decne. (Asclepiadaceae) is widely used as vegetable and traditionally in the management of diabetes mellitus and in the treatment of wounds and stomach ache. In this study, phytochemical screening, total phenolic contents and alpha-glucosidase activity of L. hastata leaf extracts were evaluated with the view to validating its antidiabetic potentials. Acetone, methanol and water extracts were screened for the polyphenolic contents while methanol and water extract were used for the evaluation of alpha-glucosidase activity. Phytochemical screening of L. hastata leaf indicated the presence of phenolic glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, alkaloids and saponins. The total phenolics, total flavonoids and proanthocyanidins contents were in the ranges of 17-38, 10-16 and 4-10 mg/g respectively depending on the extraction solvent. The methanol and water extracts had 69.81 and 37.02 % inhibitory effect on alpha-glucosidase activity respectively. The results indicated that L. hastata leaf is rich in polyphenols and possess significant alpha-glucosidase inhibition potential and may therefore be a source of lead compounds in the management of diabetes mellitus and/or other diseases that may be caused by oxidative stress.Keywords: Leptadenia hastata, phytochemicals, polyphenols, alpha-glucosidase, effect, inhibitionNigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Science (2011), 19 (2): 181-18

Cephalometric Assessment of the Fourth Ventricles Using Computerized Tomography: A Five Year Study in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, North-Western Nigeria

The fourth ventricle is usually affected in posterior cranial fossa tumours and other intracranial and ventricular disorders. Therefore, accurate measurement of the fourth ventricle will go a long way in evaluating braindisorders and decision making prior to neurosurgical procedures. This, therefore, places high premium on the accuracy in the technique and equipment used in obtaining a good Computerised Tomography (CT) Scan of the brain. To provide baseline data for measurements of normal fourth ventricle using computed tomographic Scan. Measurement was made with Dragon V3.1.1. A total of 652 scan examinations of subjects were analyzed in this study. 434 (65.79%) of the subjects were males while 217 (34.21%) were females. (M: F ratio = 2:1).The mean length of the fourth ventricles was 9.55mm and mean width was 12.86mm. Maximum length was 13.95mm and minimum length was 5.1mm. Least width was 2.65mm and greatest width was 17.28mm. Thus, the difference between the lengths of the fourth ventricles was not statistically significant (p.0.05), so also there was no statistically significant difference (p> 0.05) between the width of the fourth ventricles in males and females. In conclusion, this study has provided reference ranges for the normal values of the length and width of the fourth ventricle in male and female Nigerians.Keywords: Cephalometry, assessment, fourth ventricles, CT, Nigeria

The pattern of infection and in vivo response to Chloroquine by uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in northwestern Nigeria

The pattern of infection and in vivo response of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria to Chloroquine as first line drug and Quinine, Halofantrine or Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine as second line medications was evaluated at nested sentinel points, including Government and Private Practices, for three consecutive months. 559 cases were evaluated of which 22.5% failed on Chloroquine therapy. The age range of P. falciparum malaria cases was 4 months to 48 years, with a mean and median age of 9.2 and 3 years, respectively. There were significantly more female patients than male. Also, ages 5 years and below accounted for 63.2% of cases and as a group had an increased risk of treatment failure with Chloroquine compared to older patients. In general, male patients also had a higher relative risk of treatment failure on Chloroquine. Patients treated in Government practices were more likely to fail than those treated in Private practices. All cases of failure to Chloroquine treatment responded to Quinine, Halofantrine or Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine. Key Words: Plasmodium falciparum malaria, Chloroquine, resistance. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.4(1) 2005: 79-8