132 research outputs found
In vitro anticancer screening of 24 locally used Nigerian medicinal plants
Background
Plants that are used as traditional medicine represent a relevant pool for selecting plant candidates that may have anticancer properties. In this study, the ethnomedicinal approach was used to select several medicinal plants native to Nigeria, on the basis of their local or traditional uses. The collected plants were then evaluated for cytoxicity. Methods
The antitumor activity of methanolic extracts obtained from 24 of the selected plants, were evaluated in vitro on five human cancer cell lines. Results
Results obtained from the plants screened indicate that 18 plant extracts of folk medicine exhibited promising cytotoxic activity against human carcinoma cell lines. Erythrophleum suaveolens (Guill. & Perr.) Brenan was found to demonstrate potent anti-cancer activity in this study exhibiting IC50 = 0.2-1.3 ÎĽg/ml. Conclusions
Based on the significantly potent activity of some plants extracts reported here, further studies aimed at mechanism elucidation and bio-guided isolation of active anticancer compounds is currently underway
The reported preparedness and disposition by students in a Nigerian university towards the use of information technology for medical education
Background: The computer and information technology (IT) revolution have transformed modern health care systems in the areas of communication, storage, retrieval of medical information and teaching, but little is known about IT skill and use in most developing nations.Objectives: The aim of this study has been to evaluate the reported preparedness and disposition by medical students in a Nigerian university toward the use of IT for medical education.Methods: A self-administered structured questionnaire containing 24 items was used to obtain information from medical students in the University of Ilorin, Nigeria on their level of computer usage, knowledge of computer software and hardware, availability and access to computer, possession of personal computer and e-mail address, preferred method of medical education and the use of computer as a supplement to medical education.Results: Out of 479 medical students, 179 (37.4%) had basic computer skills, 209 (43.6%) had intermediate skills and 58(12.1%) had advanced computer skills. Three hundred and thirty (68.9%) have access to computer and 451(94.2%) have e-mail addresses. For medical teaching, majority (83.09%), preferred live lecture, 56.78% lecture videos, 35.1%lecture handout on web site and 410 (85.6%) wants computer as a supplement to live lectures. Less than half (39.5%) wants laptop acquisition to be mandatory. Students with advanced computer skills were well prepared and disposed to IT than those with basic computer skill.Conclusion: The findings revealed that the medical students with advanced computer skills were well prepared and disposed to IT based medical education. Therefore, high level of computer skill is required for them to be prepared and favorably disposed to IT based medical education
Prevalence of intestinal parasites in newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS patients in Ilorin, Nigeria
AbstractBackgroundHuman immune-deficiency virus/acquired immune-deficiency syndrome predisposes to opportunistic parasitic infestations of the gastrointestinal tract. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in newly diagnosed treatment naĂŻve HIV/AIDS patients.MethodsThis hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out from December 2010 to June 2011. Questionnaires were administered to 238 HIV/AIDS subjects, and 238 age and sex-matched controls. CD4+ T cell count was carried out on HIV-positive subjects. Stool samples were examined using direct microscopic and modified Ziehl-Neelsen methods. Positivity of intestinal parasites was taken as the presence of worms, oocyst, cyst, ova or larvae in the stool samples.ResultsNinety males and 148 females were studied for the HIV-positive and HIV-negative controls respectively. Intestinal parasitic infestation in HIV-positive subjects was 68.5%, and was significantly higher than in the HIV-negative controls 49.2% (P<0.05). In HIV-positive subjects, Cryptosporidium spp. was the commonest (55.0%) parasite isolated. Others were Cyclospora cayetanensis (41.2%), Isospora belli (3.0%), Entamoeba histolytica (8.4%), Giardia lamblia (3.7%), Ascaris lumbricoides (2.5%), Strongyloides stercoralis (1.7%), Trichuris trichiura (0.8%) and Schistosoma mansoni (0.4%). HIV-positive patients with CD4+ T cell count of less than 200 cells/ul were more at risk of opportunistic parasites compared to the HIV-negative controls.ConclusionThe prevalence of intestinal parasites in newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS individuals was high, and its association with CD4+ T cell count was demonstrated. Routine screening for parasitic infestations at diagnosis is indicated to reduce the burden of the disease
Prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of ESBL producing Klebsiellae isolated from clinical specimens in a Nigerian tertiary hospital
Background: Infection by Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases (ESBLs) producing bacteria is a threat to man as a consequence of treatment challenges. This study evaluated the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of ESBL producing Klebsiellae (EPK) in clinical specimens at the University of Ilorin Teaching hospital, Ilorin (UITH), Nigeria.Methods: ESBL production was assayed using Double Discs Synergy Test (DDST). Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed by Modified Kirby- Baeur method with the organism tested against ceftazidime (30μg), cefotaxime (30μg), amoxicillin-clavulinic acid (20/10μg), cefepime (30μg), ciprofloxacin (5μg), gentamicin (10μg), trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (23.75/1.25μg), imipenem (10μg) and doripenem (10μg) (Oxoid, UK).Results: Fifty (26.7%) of the 187 Klebsiellae studied were EPK comprising of 37(26.8%) Klebsiella pneumoniae and 13(26.5%) Klebsiella oxytoca. EPK were mostly from wound specimens (24.0%) although Klebsiellae were mostly occurring in sputum (26.2%). The EPK were resistant to ceftazidime (100%), cefotaxime (94.0%), trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (92.0%), gentamicin (70.0%) and ciprofloxacin (70.0%) but 100% susceptible to both doripenem and imipenem.Conclusion: The prevalence of EPK in this study is high and they are multi-drug resistant. Carbapenems are the best antibiotic treatment option for infections arising from these organisms although a coordinated rational usage is desired along with functional antibiotic prescription policy to avoid treatment failures. Continuous surveillance for ESBL producing Klebsiellae and resistance monitoring are necessary routine to strengthen infection control policies.Keywords; ESBL, cephalosporins, Klebsiella, antibiotics susceptibility, drug resistance
Review of Organizational Strategy and Structure (1962-2015)
Improving on performance is of greater
interest to all organization leaders in today's business
environment. Researches relating to large, small and
medium sized firms constantly stress a positive link between
business strategies, management activities and
organizational performance. Because it is often detailed that
best business strategies produce outstanding organizational
performance. This study used secondary method of data
collection to review various empirical literatures on business
strategies and their effects on organizational performance.
The study was able to ascertain from various literature
reviewed that business strategies such as (customer
orientation, employee autonomy, communication, training
and development job satisfaction, corporate social
responsibility, motivational factors) have major role to play
in organizational performance. Recognizing the causes of
organizational performance is important especially in the
perspective of the current global crises because it helps an
organization to identify those factors that should be given
priority attention in order to improve the organizational
performance. Hence, this study recommends that business
organizations should adopt appropriate strategies that
would enhance adequate organizational performanc
Comparative in-vitro activity of Imipenem and Doripenem against ESBL producing Klebsiella isolates from a tertiary hospital in Ilorin, Nigeria
Background: Doripenem is a recent carbapenem not commercially available in Nigeria with broad spectrum antibacterial activity against various clinical infections. Carbapenems have been shown to be the last line of agents against ESBL producing organisms.Objective: To determine the in-vitro activity of Imipenem and Doripenem against ESBL producing Klebsiella spp.Design: A cross-sectional laboratory based study.Setting: The University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, a major tertiary hospital in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara state in Nigeria.Subjects: All strains of Klebsiella spp isolated from all clinical specimens collected at the hospital laboratory non– repetitively.Result: Doripenem had a superior in-vitro activity compared to imipenem with MIC 50/90 value of 0.0125/0.023 while imipenem was found to be 0.19/0.38 which was statistically different.Conclusion: The result obtained in this study is similar to those from other studies and therefore re-affirms the superior activity of doripenem compared to imipenem and should therefore be introduced as a better alternative to imipenem against ESBL producing organisms
Smoking Impact on the Microbial Load of Clarias gariepinus
Effects of different smoking methods on microbial load on freshly collected freshwater mud fish, Clarias gariepinus samples from Oyo State Fisheries Department, Ibadan in South-Western Nigeria was carried out. Seventy-two C. gariepinus (505 ± 0.45g and 25.5 ± 1.30cm) were collected and sorted into 4 groups. 10 fish samples from groups 1, 2 and 3 were subjected to cold smoking, hot smoking and oven drying methods respectively using group 4 as standard. Samples were tested for microbial loads in triplicate at the end of 24, 48 and 72 hrs. Some of the microbes identified were; Streptococcus faecium, Proteus vulgaricus, Pseudomonas aureginiosa, Bacillus cereus; Micrococcus acidiophilus, Aerobacter aerogenes, E. Coli, Streptococcus pyrogenes, Streptococcus lactis, Bacillus subtilis, Pedio cerevisiae, Sacchomyces Sp, Fusarium oxysporum, F. compacticum, Penicillium oxalicum, P. chrysogenum, Aspergillus tamari, A. niger, Cladosporum sphacrosporum, Aspergillus terreus and Rhizopus nigericans. Others are Pseadomonas, Alteromonas, Moraxella, Acinetobacter, Flavobacterium, Cytophaga, Vibrio, Aeromonoas, Staphylococcus aureus, Samonella faecuim, P. fragii. Microbial load for cold smoked products were 72%, 66% and 38%; hot smoked products had 61%, 32% and 08%; while oven-dried had 12%, 0% and 0% at 24, 48 and 12 hrs respectively. Positive correlation r = 0.94, 0.92 and 0.51 were observed between the microbial load processing methods – oven dried, hot-smoked and cold-smoked respectively. Cold smoked had 41.63% C.P and oven-dried had 25.73% C.P. Consumers had highest preference (40%) for hot smoked, 35% for oven dried and 25% for cold smoked products.Key Words: Processing, storage, smoking, bacteria, Clarias gariepinus
Impact of Human Urine Contamination on Soil Biota
The role of human urine as an organic pollutant to soil biota was examined in this study. Using
standard methods, the impact of human urine on the physicochemical parameters, fauna and
microbial load in the soil microcosm was considered. Ten replicates of Urine contaminated soil
(UrCS) and Uncontaminated Agricultural soil (UnCS) samples respectively were collected from
points pedestrian urine deposition within Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye and
University of Agriculture, Alabata both in Ogun State. pH was determined using the pH meter.
Moisture content (MC) was determined by drying and difference in weight method. Organic
Carbon (OC) was determined using the Walkey-Black method and Organic Matter (OM) was
estimated by the formula %OC = %OC x 1.729. Phosphate and nitrate concentrations were
determined by spectrophotometric method while sulphate concentration was determined by
the turbidimetry method. Ammonium concentration was determined by distillation method
using 40% boric acid with methyl red indicator. The fauna record was conducted by heat
extraction into alcohol or normal saline while microbial load was estimated by the pour plate
and serial dilution techniques. UrCS recorded a significantly higher MC, OC, OM, phosphate,
nitrate, sulphate, ammonium concentrations and lower pH (p<0.05) than UnCS. A complete
absence of microfauna (protozoa), mesofauna (mites, lion ants, insects, insect eggs) and
macrofauna (beetle, beetle caterpillars, millipedes, pill millipedes, earthworms, earthworm
castings) was recorded in UrCS while UnCS samples recorded their presence. UrCS recorded a
significantly lower (p<0.05) microbial loads than UnCS. The most adverse impact of human
urine on soil biota is the lowered pH and increased acidity which unleash a vicious cycle on soil
biota persisting as long as urine deposition continues unhindered on the same spot
Bacteriological agents of chronic discharging ears and their antibiotic sensitivity pattern in Ido – Ekiti, Nigeria
Aims and Objectives: To identify bacterial agents of chronic discharging ear and
determine their antibiotic sensitivities pattern in Ido – Ekiti, Nigeria.
Patients and Methods: Swab specimens of each chronically (>8 weeks) discharging
ears of patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) presenting to
the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) clinic of the Federal Medical Centre, Ido Ekiti
were bacteriologically cultured aerobically and the antibiotic sensitivity
pattern of the recovered organisms determined by the modified Kirby-Bauer
disc-diffusion method over a three year period starting from January 2005.
Results: Seventy eight patients with CSOM whose age ranged between 3 months
and 85 years were seen during the study period with 73.1% of them having
unilateral disease and majority were children <15 years (71.8%). Out of 99 ear
swabs that were examined, 87.9% were culture positive with 90.8% yielding a
single isolate. Coliforms (34.7%) were the most frequent isolated group of
organisms. Other isolates included Staphylococcus aureus (26.3%), Proteus
spp (24.2%), Pseudomonas spp (9.5%) and Klebsiella spp (5.3%). Sparfloxacin
and ciprofloxacin showed highest activity on all the isolates unlike cefuroxime
and ceftiaxone to which all isolates were resistant.
Conclusion: Chronic discharging ear is caused by bacteria agents most sensitiv
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