The Association of Central corneal thickness with Intra-ocular Pressure and Refractive Error in a Nigerian Population

The purpose of this study was to determine the variation of central corneal thickness (CCT) with intraocular pressure (IOP) and spherical equivalent refractive error. A total of thirty-nine (N=39) subjects within 20-75 years with mean age 45.2 ± 15.4 years were used for this study. The central corneal thickness was assessed with the Corneo-Gage plus ultrasonic Pachymeter, the IOP with slit-lamp mounted Goldmann applanation tonometer and refractive status by Protec 2000 autorefractor, phoropter and trial lens set. Results obtained showed that there was no linear correlation between CCT and spherical equivalent errors, although the association between them was significant (p<0.05). The linear correlation between CCT and IOP was not statistically significant. The central corneal thickness was weakly correlated with age; with increasing age the central corneal thickness decreases. Neither the central corneal thickness nor the intraocular pressure was affected by gender

A Survey on Ophthalmia Neonatorum in Benin City, Nigeria (Emphasis on gonococcal ophthalmia)

The purpose of the study was to investigate the incidence of gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum considering its ability to lead to childhood blindness through corneal ulceration and scarification. Eye swabs were obtained from 330 neonates of 1-5 days in the hospitals of study. Of these, 248 yielded growth and six bacterial genera were identified using standard techniques. Staphylococcus aureus was the most prevalent (60.5%) while Neisseria gonorrhoeae accounted for 1.7%. Susceptibility patterns of bacterial isolates to four antibiotics were determined using Disk-diffusion tests. Staphylococcus aureus and Neisseria gonorrhoeae showed 62.5 and 100% susceptibility to Erythromycin while 66.7% of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella and 62.5% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were susceptible to Gentamicin. The incidence of gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum for the period of study was 8.9 (cases per 1,000 live births). Prevention is through ocular prophylaxis by the application of either 1% silver nitrate ophthalmic solution or 0.5% erythromycin ointment to the neonates’ eyes some hours after birth. This would help to preserve vision and reduce to the barest minimum the incidence of childhood blindness

Organization of the command system in the lamprey brain that initiates locomotor behavior

Abstract only availableIn vertebrate animals, the muscle activity pattern for locomotor behavior is produced by central pattern generators (CPGs) in the spinal cord. In the brain, “command” systems, which have several levels, process information and, if appropriate, initiate locomotor behavior. The output neural elements of the command system, which are reticulospinal (RS) neurons, send neural processes to the spinal cord to activate the CPGs and initiate locomotor behavior. The lamprey, a lower vertebrate, has many advantages for studying the organization of command systems. Neurophysiological experiments indicate that several brain areas are part of the command system: rostrolateral rhombencephalon (RLR); ventromedial diencephalons (VMD); dorsolateral mesencephalon (DLM); and RS neurons (Paggett et al. 2004). Other experiments suggest the following organization for the command system: RLR VMD & DLM RS neurons à spinal CPGs In the present study, various lesions were made in the brain to interrupt some of the above pathways, and muscle activity (EMGs) was recorded soon after the lesions to test the behavioral capabilities of the animals. Also, for lesions that initially abolished locomotor behavior, EMG recordings were made at various recovery times to determine if axonal regeneration within the brain restored the lesioned pathways in the command system. First, lesions at the mesencephalon-rhombencephalon border, which disrupt the RLR VMD & DLM pathways, usually abolished locomotor activity that normally would be initiated by stimulation of the head. Two weeks after the above lesion, locomotor activity could once again be initiated by stimulation of the head. Second, lesions in the middle of the mesencephalon or at the diencephalons-mesenencephalon border, both of which disrupt the RLR VMD but not the RLR DLM pathways, did not abolish locomotor behavior. Results from the present study support the above model of the locomotor command system in the lamprey brain. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that axons severed by brain lesions could regenerate and restore the function of the command system.NSF-REU Biology & Biochemistr

Diplomacia pública en la bibliografía actual

En la era de información y de asuntos globales, la diplomacia pública tiene poco que ver con aquellas modestas campañas de información pública del pasado. Siendo así, surgen varios interrogantes acerca de la Diplomacia Pública como una práctica autónoma y complementaria en cuanto al concepto de esta nueva diplomacia. En esta consideración, está implícito la importancia creciente y el impacto que esta nueva diplomacia tiene en la diplomacia contemporánea. En un primer paso por saber lo que es, el autor analiza en este artículo el nivel de la presencia de la diplomacia pública en la bibliografía actual.Public diplomacy in the information age and in the age of global issues is a far cry from modest public information campaigns of the past. And alongside the concept of this new diplomacy, there are widespread concerns about Public Diplomacy as an autonomous practice, discipline or subdisciplin. Implicit in such concerns is the assumption that this new diplomacy has a discernible impact on the contemporary diplomacy. In this article, the author analyses the presence of public diplomacy in the present-day literature, considering the conditions and circumstances that are fostering the development of public diplomacy as a new field of studies

The Effect of Smokeless Tobacco on Intra-Ocular Pressure in a Nigerian Population

The study was conducted to find out the effect of smokeless tobacco (ST) on the intraocular pressure (IOP) among non-smokers and smokers. Thirty-seven healthy volunteers of between 19–30 years age, classified into two groups, non-smokers (n=22) and- smokers (n=15), were used. The IOPs of the right eyes were measured before (0min) and 1, 3 and 5mins after sniffing 40mg ST with Pulsair 2000 tonometer. Among non-smokers and smokers, the difference in mean IOP at different times (0min, 1min, 3mins and 5mins) was statistically significant by one-way ANOVA (p<0.05). Post hoc analysis using Duncan multiple range (DMR) test showed that the peak IOP was at 1min after sniffing ST. The difference in IOP before sniffing ST between smokers and non-smokers was statistically significant by Mann-Whitney test (p<0.05). Also the difference in the peak time of 1min between smokers and non-smokers was statistically significant (p<0.05). It was concluded that ST stimulates aqueous humour formation thereby tending to raise IOP and this could enhance the chances of developing ocular hypertension in patients that are predisposed to glaucoma

Effect of Soft Contact Lens Materials on Tear Film Stability and Central Corneal Radius of Curvature: A Comparative Study of Polymacon and Lotrafilcon B

This study investigated the effects of soft contact lens material on the&nbsp; corneal radius of curvature and the tear film stability. A total of thirty&nbsp; (n=30) subjects aged between 17 and 33 years with mean age 22.3 &plusmn; 3.4 years, made up of 11 males and 19 females were recruited for this study. The corneal radius of curvature (CRC) and non-invasive tear break-up time (NIBUT) were assessed with the Bausch and Lomb Keratometer H-135A (Bausch and Lomb Corp., USA). The subjects were categorised into two groups: Polymacon (conventional soft contact lens) group (n = 17) and lotrafilcon B (O2 optix contact lens) group (n = 13). The difference in NIBUT between pre-task and 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of polymacon contact lens wear was statistically significant (ANOVA: P = 0.003). However, for lotrafilcon B, the difference in mean NIBUT was not statistically significant (P = 0.22). The difference in mean CRC between pre-task and 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of polymacon and lotrafilcon B contact lens wear was not statistically significant (ANOVA: P &gt; 0.05). The degree of association between CRC and NIBUT was also not statistically significant (p&gt;0.05). This indicates that the tear film stability measured as non-invasive tear break-up time varied under conventional soft (polymacon) lens wear while it remained stable under silicone hydrogel (lotrafilcon B) lens wear. The corneal curvature was not significantly affected by the contact lens materials during the period under study. In conclusion, Lotrafilcon B was a preferred contact lens material since it demonstrated no significant effect on tear film stability as measured as NIBUT

The Role of African Proverbs in Advancing Information Systems Research

Despite the richness of African proverbs, they have been muted in information systems (IS) research. This explicitly contributes to the lag in developing information systems and technology solutions for African people by African researchers in African terms. It is on this basis that two related objectives were formulated: (1) to examine the role which African proverbs can play in further advancing IS research, and (2) to understand how the concept can be employed to indigenize IS research. Qualitative data were collected from different sources, and the dimension of social change from structuration theory was employed to examine the role African proverbs can significantly play in advancing IS research. The analysis reveals that African proverbs can be employed in all stages of IS research, from problematizing the phenomenon, data collection to data analysis and interpretation of findings

Developing a Culturally Relevant Mental Health Assessment for Persons of African Descent

Abstract Problem: Persons of African descent have lower access to mental health care, are less likely to receive needed care, and are more likely to be misdiagnosed, experience severe disease, and to receive mental health care through primary care than non-Hispanic Whites. Context: Cultural norms related to mental health as well as the lack of culturally congruent health care delivery contribute to lower mental health care access and uptake among persons of African descent. Interventions: Campinha-Bacote’s cultural competence model and the BATHE technique provided the theoretical framework for the development and implementation of a nurse practitioner (NP) (n = 4) administered culturally tailored mental health assessment intervention for patients (n = 87) of African descent at a primary care center. Measures: Outcome measures used to assess the impact of the intervention were NP adherence to the use of the assessment, patient mental health referrals within the clinic, and NPs’ and patients’ perceived usefulness and cultural relevance of the intervention. Results: NP adherence to the use of the assessment was 100%. Twenty-one patients were referred to mental health care during the intervention. All NPs and the majority of patients reported the assessment to be culturally relevant and useful. Pearson’s two-tailed correlations found a significant (p Conclusions: The theoretically grounded brief culturally-tailored mental health assessment was found to be relevant and useful in the mental health assessment and referral of patients of African descent and appeared to be sustainable for routine use in the project organization and likely transferable to other settings and populations. Keywords: culturally congruent care, mental health assessment, African descen

An analysis of the extensive powers of the Asset Management Corporation (AMCON) under the AMCON act

In an attempt to provide for more efficiency in the recovery of debts owed under Non-Performing Loans and with a ruthless approach to achieving the Federal Government’s goal of recovering all the outstanding debts that are seen as a cause for the slowdown in the Nigerian Economy, the National assembly seems to be constantly amending the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Act 2010 in order to extend the powers of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). The powers that have been given to AMCON have never been limited by each amendment, they have only been expanded, this paper seeks to examine all the extensive powers donated to AMCON by the National Assembly to aid the Corporation in its bid to recover these outstanding debts