Ambulatory ENT Surgery: Eight Years of Experience in A Tropical Environment

Introduction Ambulatory surgery allows minimizing the time spent in the hospital, which could reduce the transmission of nosocomial pathologies and the occupation of hospital resources and infrastructures. The objective of the study was to assess the ambulatory activity of the ENT department of Military Teaching Hospital of Cotonou since its creation. Materials and methods The study was monocentric retrospective covering an eight-year period from January 1, 2013, to January 1, 2021. It concerned all ENT surgeries where the patient was discharged on the same day, regardless of the type of anaesthesia used. A pre-established survey form was used to collect data from the medical records. The variables studied were socio-demographic factors, eligibility criteria, indications and conversion to inpatient mode. Results Over the study period half of the procedures performed (334 patients) corresponded to indications for outpatient surgery and then were included. Of these, 130 patients (38.9%) were rejected for various contraindications like geographical and financial accessibility and communication difficulties. A total of 204 patients (61.1%) underwent ENT ambulatory surgery. The sex ratio was 3 males to 5 females (0.6). Children under 15 years of age accounted for 43.7% (n=146). Tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy was the most frequent surgery accounting for half of the outpatient surgery cases. Pharyngeal surgery was the most performed: (126 patients) followed by cervico-facial surgery (44 patients). Reconversion to inpatient mode occurred in 39 patients (19.12%). No respiratory complications were noted. No deaths were recorded.   Conclusions  Ambulatory care is a mode of management mainly used for pharyngeal surgery, in particular tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in children. The main contraindications to patient eligibility were geographical and financial accessibility and communication difficulties. This activity would benefit from being better structured with specific staff and premises

Early Growth Of Some Introduced Agroforestry Species In Akure, Nigeria: Influence Of Potting Container

This study investigated the early growth performance of potted seedlings of Grevillea robusta, Dalbergia sissoo, Albizia lebbeck, Prosopis juliflora and Acacia mearnsii . Two types of potting containers were used - the conventional black polypot (size: 10 cm x 15 cm) and the transparent \"pure water\' bags (size: 14 cm x 15 cm ). Topsoil of known characteristics collected from Teaching and Research farm in the Federal University of Technology, Akure was used as the potting medium. Samples of 10 potted seedlings per container were randomly selected after 12 weeks of growth and the following parameters were measured: shoot height, tap root length, shoot dry weight, root dry weight and total plant dry weight. The results revealed that Prosopis juliflora exhibited the highest vigour with a total biomass of 3.99 g in 12 weeks while Grevillea robusta had the least (0.80 g). Type of potting container had no significant effect on seedling growth, indicating that used “pure water” bags can be re-used as alternative potting container for agroforestry seedlings. Key Words: agroforestry, tree seedlings, potting container Global Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol.3(1&2) 2004: 41-4

The Receptivity of Prospective University Candidates in Lagos Mainland Coaching Centres to Distance Learning: Implication for Enhancing Access to Higher Education in Nigeria

This study explored the receptivity of prospective university candidates in Lagos State, Nigeria, to distance learning. The study population comprised 1155 secondary school leavers enrolled in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) coaching centres in Lagos Mainland. The study was carried out in two phases. In phase one, we gave a short sensitization talk on the benefits of distance learning and its potentials for ameliorating difficulties in gaining access to university education. Phase two involved short telephone conventions with 300 selected subjects who participated in phase one. They were simply asked to indicate whether, on the basis of their new awareness, they were willing/not willing to utilise the distance learning mode to access university education. The analysis and tests of hypotheses focused strictly on receptivity to distance learning in relation to age group, gender, marital status, number of years of graduation, quality of the senior secondary school certificate (SSSC), and number of times of JAMB attempt. There was a highly significant association between age, marital status and number of times of writing examination JAMB and receptivity to distance learning. It was concluded that the high receptivity to distance learning demonstrated by secondary school leavers has a great promise and challenge for widening access to university education in Nigeria

The triakontatetraneuropeptide TTN increases [Ca2+]i in rat astrocytes through activation of peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors

International audienceAstrocytes synthesize a series of regulatory peptides called endozepines, which act as endogenous ligands of benzodiazepine receptors. We have recently shown that one of these endozepines, the triakontatetraneuropeptide TTN, stimulates DNA synthesis in astroglial cells. The purpose of the present study was to determine the mechanism of action of TTN on cultured rat astrocytes. Binding of the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor ligand [3H]Ro5-4864 to intact astrocytes was displaced by TTN, whereas its C-terminal fragment (TTN[17-34], the octadecaneuropeptide ODN) did not compete for [3H]Ro5-4864 binding. Microfluorimetric measurement of cytosolic calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]i) with the fluorescent probe indo-1 showed that TTN (10(-10) to 10(-6) M) provokes a concentration-dependent increase in [Ca2+]i in cultured astrocytes. Simultaneous administration of TTN (10(-8) M) and Ro5-4864 (10(-5) M) induced an increase in [Ca2+]i similar to that obtained with Ro5-4864 alone. In contrast, the effects of TTN (10(-8) M) and ODN (10(-8) M) on [Ca2+]i were strictly additive. Chelation of extracellular Ca2+ by EGTA (6 mM) or blockage of Ca2+ channels with Ni2+ (2 mM) abrogated the stimulatory effect of TTN. The calcium influx evoked by TTN (10(-7) M) or by Ro5-4864 (10(-5) M) was not affected by the N- and T-type calcium channel blockers omega-conotoxin (10(-6) M) and mibefradil (10(-6) M), but was significantly reduced by the L-type calcium channel blocker nifedipine (10(-7) M). Patch-clamp studies showed that, at negative potentials, TTN (10(-7) M) induced a sustained depolarization. Reduction of the chloride concentration in the extracellular solution shifted the reversal potential from 0 mV to a positive potential. These data show that TTN, acting through peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors, provokes chloride efflux, which in turn induces calcium influx via L-type calcium channels in rat astrocytes