Proximate composition and mineral analysis of Brysocarpus coccineus grass

The proximate and some mineral compositions of Brysocarpus Coccineus in Nigeria were investigated. The grass was found contain 7.56 ± 0.06% moisture, 15.30 ± 0.22% Ash, 7.30 ± 0.26% crude lipid, 4.62 ± 0.11% crude fibre, 3.35 ± 0.22% crude protein, and 61.220 ± 0.90% was determined using standard methods. The mineral content showed 0.06 ± 0.02mg/100g calcium and 0.16 ± 0.08mg/100g magnesium using EDTA titration and 9.28 ± 0.26mg/100g sodium using flame photometer. The results indicated that Brysocarpus Cocccineus is not rich in crude protein, but found to be rich in carbohydrate and total ash content. The higher amount of total ash suggests a high value mineral composition comprising calcium, sodium and magnesium as the main elements. The present study inferred that Brysocarpus Coccineus would not serve as source of protein but a good source of energy.Keywords: Brysocarpus Coccineus, Grass, Mineral analysis, Proximat

Genotypic identification of coliforms isolated from cases of subclinical mastitis among pastoral herds in parts of Kaduna State, Nigeria

Background: Mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus was initially considered the major problem in dairy herds, but over the last few decades, the incidence of coliform mastitis has increased among the pastoral herds in Nigeria due to poor environmental and milking hygiene. Hence, this study was aimed at genotypic identification of coliform bacteria isolated from cases of bovine mastitis among pastoral herds in parts of Kaduna State, Nigeria.Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 30 herds of cows across 7 Local Government Areas of Kaduna State, Nigeria, was conducted. One hundred and forty seven cows were proportionately selected by purposive sampling technique. The milk samples were aseptically collected and bacteriologically screened for coliform bacteria following standard bacteriological techniques. Nine out of 12 coliforms identified phenotypically were selected for PCR amplification and sequencing of their 16S rRNA gene. The Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) analysis of the sequences obtained was done on the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) data base, and isolates confirmed based on similarity to 16S rDNA sequences in the Gen BankResults: Five of the 9 coliforms were confirmed to be Klebsiella pneumoniae (prevalence rate, 3.4%) and 4 were confirmed to be Escherichia coli (prevalence rate, 2.7%).Conclusion: This study shows that raw milk of mastitic cows can serve as a vehicle for the spread of pathogens such as K. pneumoniae and E. coli which, according to the Department of Health and Human Services of the United States Public Health Services, are potential threats to public health and safety of humans, animals and plant products.Keywords: pastoral herds, subclinical mastitis, cows, PCR, 16s rRNA, sequencin

Proximate and mineral composition of Jatropha curcas leaves

The proximate and mineral composition of jatropha curcas leaves were evaluated in dry sample to determine the Ash, carbohydrate, crude lipid, crude fiber, crude protein and mineral contents using standard method and atomic absorption spectrophotometry method. The result showed that jatropha curcas leaves contained (12.0±1.00%) Ash, (61.94±5.56%) carbohydrate, (7.00±0.43%) Fat, (16.5±0.1%) fibre, (2.56±0.23%) protein, (4.33±0.28%) moisture in dry sample respectively. The result also revealed that the concentration of potassium is (18.60±1.19mg/100g) sodium (11.50±0.39mg/ 100g), magnesium (58.17 ± 2.04mg/100g), cupper (4.23±0.12mg/ 100g), iron (2.85±0.04mg/100g) and calcium (93.42±0.48mg/100g) respectively which are the major minerals present in the sample. This indicated that Jatropha curcas leaves could serve as an alternative source of food for animal and human after quality processing.Keywords: Carbohydrate, Crude Protein, Jatropha curcas leaves, Mineral, Moisture Analysi

Extraction and Formulation of Perfume from Locally Available Lemon Grass Leaves

The availability of wild plants and their use as economically efficient sources of food for man and animals is obvious. In most parts of Nigeria, plant materials whose edible use is not established are regarded as waste materials. Available materials like lemon grass leaves that contain  essential oils can be utilized in the production of perfumes that can mask body odours. Lemon grass extracts obtained using soxhlet extraction andsolvent extraction (maceration) were utilized in the formulation of perfume using methanol and ethanol as solvent media. An oil yield of 4.5% and 3.8% were obtained for solvent extraction and soxhlet extraction methods respectively. Physicochemical properties of the two formulations revealed that the essential oil has saponification value of 21.04mgKOH/g and the densities of the two formulations in methanol and ethanol were 0.768gcm-3 and 0.82gcm-3 at 60oc while the boiling point for both formulations was 85o. The essential oil can be profitably used for cosmetic grade and perfume formulations.Keywords: Essential oil, Extraction, Perfume, Physicochemical Parameter

Efficacy of Acid-treated Sawdust in Decolourization of Tanning Wastewater

Colour removal from dye-bearing effluent is a serious challenge due to the difficulty in treating such wastewater by conventional treatment methods. The present investigation explores the decolourization of contaminated wastewater using acid-activated sawdust as an adsorbent. The physicochemical properties of wastewater samples labelled A, B, and C vizaverage temperature; pH; electrical conductivity; and total dissolved solids were determined using standard methods to be 302.63; 6.1; 284.47 µS/cm;35116.66 mg/L respectively. Colour removal efficiency of the adsorbent was studied under variable conditions (contact time, rate of agitation,loading). Experimental results demonstrated that the sawdust adsorbent has a significant capacity for colour removal from tannery effluent. There was significant variation in the absorbance of the treated samples. Adsorbent dose, stirring rate, and contact time were found to be directly proportional to colour removal while pH variation of the samples show that the effluents became less alkaline (slightly acidic) after decolourization

Crohn's disease with Pyoderma gangrenosum in a patient in northern Nigeria: A case report

Background: Crohn's disease is a major form of inflammatory bowel disease that can present with extra-intestinal manifestations. We report a case of Crohn's disease with pyodermagangrenosum in a Nigerian patient. The report is to alert physicians in our setting on the occurrence of this rare presentation.Case presentation: The patient presented with chronic bloody and mucoiddiarrhoea with associated weight loss and fever of one-year duration. There was also history of mouth rashes, anal pain and itching. One month prior to presentation, he developed leg ulcer. Colonoscopy showed multiple ulcerations with normal intervening mucosa. Colonic mucosal histology showed focal area of ulceration with extensive inflammatory infiltrate in the lamina propia and submucosa. The patient's symptoms improved after the commencement of sulfasalazine.Conclusion: Crohn's disease should be suspected in a patient with chronic leg ulcer

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Solubility trapping as a potential secondary mechanism for CO2 sequestration during enhanced gas recovery by CO2 injection in conventional natural gas reservoirs : an experimental approach

This study aims to experimentally investigate the potential of solubility trapping mechanism in increasing CO2 storage during EGR by CO2 injection and sequestration in conventional natural gas reservoirs. A laboratory core flooding process was carried out to simulate EGR on a sandstone core at 0, 5, 10 wt% NaCl formation water salinity at 1300 psig, 50 °C and 0.3 ml/min injection rate. The results show that CO2 storage capacity was improved significantly when solubility trapping was considered. Lower connate water salinities (0 and 5 wt%) showed higher CO2 solubility from IFT measurements. With 10% connate water salinity, the highest accumulation of the CO2 in the reservoir was realised with about 63% of the total CO2 injected stored; an indication of improved storage capacity. Therefore, solubility trapping can potentially increase the CO2 storage capacity of the gas reservoir by serving as a secondary trapping mechanism in addition to the primary structural and stratigraphic trapping and improving CH4 recovery

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background: There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low-and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods: Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results: Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion: For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially

Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy. Methods In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation. Results Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89.6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60.6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95 per cent c.i. 0.14 to 0.21, P <0001) or low (363 of 860, 422 per cent; OR 008, 007 to 010, P <0.001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high-HDI countries (risk difference -94 (95 per cent c.i. -11.9 to -6.9) per cent; P <0001), but the relationship was reversed in low-HDI countries (+121 (+7.0 to +173) per cent; P <0001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30-day perioperative mortality (OR 0.60, 0.50 to 073; P <0.001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low- and middle-HDI countries. Conclusion Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low-HDI countries was half that in high-HDI countries.Peer reviewe