Preparation of proton exchange membrane by radiation-induced grafting method : Grafting of styrene onto poly(ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) copolymer films

Radiation induced grafting of styrene onto poly(ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE) copolymer film was carried out to prepare graft copolymer (ETFE-g-polystyrene) that can host sulfonic acid groups and form proton exchange membrane for polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). The effect of monomer concentration and type of solvent on the degree of grafting was investigated. The formation of graft copolymer film was confirmed by FTIR spectrum analysis

Exposure in emergency general surgery in a time-based residency program: A call for review

Objective: This paper aimed to characterize the resident exposure to acute general surgical conditions during a three-months rotation in a general surgical unit. Setting: The Department of Surgery, University of Nairobi and Kenyatta National Referral and Teaching Hospital in Nairobi. MethodS: Four residents (in their first to third post-basic science year) were evaluated during a 12-week General Surgery rotation. Details assessed included number and variety of admission diagnoses logged by each resident, number and nature of surgical operations performed independently by each resident and with consultant support, and the resident involvement in the continuity of care. The experiences were compared across the residents. Results: One hundred and forty five patients were admitted. The number of admissions per resident varied between 30 and 41. Fifty-eight patients had surgery. Operative experience where the resident was the principal surgeon ranged from 11 cases to 23 cases per resident. A second resident assisted in 8 out of the fiftyeight cases operated on and consultant support was infrequent. Conclusion: The operative experience was variable for the general surgical residents. Exposure could be improved by a policy of resident assistance at emergency surgery. The infrequent consultant support may invalidate formative assessment of resident competence

Toward a new Framework of Strategic Alignment of Big Data projects: literature review

The notion of strategic alignment is a permanent issue for enterprises, that consists of redesigning a new architecture in order to reach a perfect harmony between the business architecture and the information technology architecture. The strategic alignment is therefore an old issue, that was first cited by Henderson and Venkatraman, in the 70’s, many contributions came along since then by the scientific community. With the emergence of big Data, many scientists focused on how to reach the strategic alignment, based on the new technologies provided by big Data, thus in our contribution, we started to define three main categories that can be used. Those categories can be summarized as reaching strategic alignment either through the big data ecosystem, or through big data analytics capability and finally through the big data transformation. We focused more on the last one, and we managed to propose five bricks that a company can use in order to reach the perfect harmony by doing some efforts on their strategy and business model, on their culture and organization, on their strategy of marketing based on the client experience, and also on their technology choices and their IT infrastructure and finally through the treatment of the data gathered and the establishment of measures.

Common carotid intimal medial thickness in a Kenyan population

Carotid intimal medial thickness, a marker for early atherosclerosis, has high clinical utility. It shows gender, regional, age and ethnic differences but data from black African populations are scarce. This study describes the carotid intimal medial thickness in a black Kenyan population. One hundred and fifty histological samples from 25 males and 25 female left common carotid arteries were routinely processed for light microscopy and stained using Mason’s Trichrome stain. The intimal medial thickness was measured on the photomicrographs using the Scion Multiscan software. The mean age of the cases was 28+19yrs. Mean carotid intimal medial thickness is higher in males (0.97+0.22) than females (0.77+0.06), p=0.05 and increases distally. Carotid intimal medial thickness increased with age being 0.5+0.16mm, 0.87+0.24mm and 1.21+0.36 mm for the age groups 0-20yrs, 21-40yrs and 41-60yrs respectively (p=0.035). Carotid intimal medial thickness in black Africans is similar to that reported for Caucasian populations. It is higher in males, increases distally and with age.Keywords: Carotid Intimal medial thickness, atherosclerosi

Activité hypoglycémique de l’extrait aqueux d’Ajuga iva L. schreber chez les rats diabétiques induite par l’alloxane

Ajuga iva (L) schreber est utilisé en médecine traditionnelle dans le traitement du diabète. Le but de cette étude était d'évaluer l'activité l'hypoglycémique de l'extrait aqueux de la partie aérienne de cette plante sur un modèle animal. L’extrait a été préparé dans de l'eau bouillante et le filtrat aqueux a été lyophilisé et conservé. A iva est une plante capable d’induire une hypoglycémie chez les rats diabétiques. Alloxane a été administré en dose unique (150 mg poids corporel / kg) par injection intra-péritonéal. Des rats femelles Wistar (n = 30) pesant 200 ± 2g divisés en 5 groupes, ont reçu des doses différentes (0,05 g/mL, 0,10 g/mL, 0,15 g/mL) par voie orale. Cette opération est répétée tous les jours pendant 3 semaines. La glycémie a été déterminée par la méthode enzymatique colorimétrique par spectrophotométrie. Seul l’extrait aqueux à forte dose a diminuée le taux du glucose sanguins de 62, 96±7, 30% comparativement au groupe control. Dans la présente étude, le potentiel hypoglycémiant de A iva est démontré chez le rat. Ces résultats confirment l'utilisation de cette plante comme antidiabétique.Mots-clés : Ajuga iva, extrait aqueux, alloxane, activité hypoglycémique, diabète.Hypoglycemic Activity of the aqueous extract of Ajuga iva L. in diabetic rats induced by alloxanAjuga iva (L) schreber is used in traditional medicine in the treatment of diabetes, The purpose of this study was to evaluate hypoglycemic effect of the aqueous extract of aerial parts of this plant on animal model. The extract was prepared in boiling water and the aqueous filtrate was lyophilized and conserved. A iva is a plant capable of inducing hypoglycemia in diabetic rats. Alloxan was administered as a single dose (150 mg body weight / kg) injection intaperitoneal injection. Female Wistar rats (n = 30) weighing 200 ± 2g divided into 5 groups received different doses (0.05 GML-1, 0.10 GML-1, 0.15 g / mL) by oral route. This is repeated every day for three weeks. Blood glucose was determined by the enzymatic and colorimetric method by spectrophotometry. Only the aqueous extract high dose rate decreased blood glucose of 62, 96 ± 7, 30% compared with the control group. In the present study, the hypoglycemic potential of the A iva was demonstrated in rats. These results give support to the traditional use of this plant as antidiabetic herbal medicine.Keywords : Ajuga iva L, aqueous extract, alloxan, diabetes, hypoglycemic activity

Étude comparative de l’activité antispasmodique de l’extrait aqueux d’Ajuga iva L. et de l’ibuprofène chez les souris

Ajuga iva (L.) Schreber, utilisé dans la pharmacopée traditionnelle, pour des troubles gastro-intestinaux, le diabète et comme  hypocholestérolémiante. L’étude pharmacologique de l’extrait aqueux d’Ajuga iva (Lamiaceae) a été effectuée à l’aide de modèles animaux. L’évaluation de l’activité analgésique, montre que l’extrait aqueux à 0,4g/ L de cette plante induit une diminution du nombre de crampes abdominales dans le test de writhing provoqué par l’acide acétique à 1% Ajuga iva a un effet analgésique plus efficace que celui de l’ibuprofène, en effet ce dernier provoque une inhibition de la douleur de 77,53±3,80 % et celui de ,l’extrait aqueux d’Ajuga iva de 85,39±4,29 % pour la même concentration (200mg/kg). L’extrait aqueux d’Ajuga iva a des propriétés analgésiques qui justifient son usage traditionnel. Les effets  thérapeutiques sont induits par divers composés révélés lors du tri phyto chimique de cette plante (alcaloïdes, flavonoïdes, polyphénols, saponosides, et tanins catéchiques) qui constituent la base scientifique de l’utilisation thérapeutique traditionnelle de la plante étudiée.Mots- clés : Ajuga iva L., extrait aqueux, effet analgésique, ibuprofène, writhing test

Experience with Hirschsprung’s Disease at a Tertiary Hospital in Kenya

BACKGROUND: Hirschsprung’s disease presents unique characteristics in Africans. Previous literature has reported high complication rates. We examined our single-institution experience with Hirschsprung’s disease (HD) to evaluate outcomes related to the different phases of care. STUDY DESIGN: Records were reviewed for children with HD managed during the years 2002 to 2006. Morbidities and mortalities were evaluated in relation to the different phases of care. Categorical variables were compared using Chi-square analysis. SETTING: Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) a teaching and referral hospital, Nairobi, Kenya. RESULTS: One hundred and twelve patients with clinical diagnosis of HD were evaluated. Eighty nine had histological confirmation of HD. Forty four (39%) were aged 30 days or below. Eighteen children were lost to follow up before definitive diagnosis while a further 14 were lost after colostomy formation (before definitive surgery). Fifty six patients underwent definitive surgery (between one day and four years). Two had singlestage surgery while the rest had Swenson (52) and Boley’s (2) endorectal pull-through after interim colostomies. Thirty nine of 69 patients (56.5%) developed complications related to colostomies or definitive care. Morbidity related to colostomy alone was 34.7% while that related to the definitive surgery was 64.8%. There were sixteen deaths. The mean time to reversal for patients with colostomies was 23+12 months. Colostomy duration of more than one year was associated with more complications, increased duration of hospital stay and overall length of management. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective review of a single-institution experience with treatment for HD has demonstrated a morbidity rate similar to other centres but a mortality rate higher than in published literature. Only 39% of patients with HD present during the neonatal period in our environment. The long duration of colostomy is associated with complications, prolonged duration of treatment as well as significant losses to follow up. A single-stage repair may expedite care and reduce the colostomy morbidity

Morphometry of the adult sigmoid colon and relation to volvulus

BACKGROUND: The sigmoid colon in Africans is commonly affected by volvulus formation. Anatomical characteristics of this part of the colon could provide some of the contributory explanations for male gender predisposition. METHOD: Ninety five sigmoid colons (fifty male subjects) were harvested at autopsy. The following measurements were made: length of the sigmoid colon, length of the mesocolon root, height of the mesocolon. The sigmoid length. mesocolic root length ratio and sigmoid length: mesocolic height ratios were also calculated. All means and ratios were compared for gender using the Student t-test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean sigmoid colon length was higher in males (36.9cm) than in females (32.6cm) (p=0.007). Most (41.7%) of the sigmoid colons measured 30-34.9cm long. Males had shorter mesocolon roots and longer mesocolon heights. CONCLUSION: The greater colon length and smaller mesocolic root lengths in males may be the anatomical basis for the higher incidence of sigmoid volvulus in males

Antibacterial Activity of Secondary Metabolite Compounds From Leaf of Eclipta Alba L. Hassk

Two secondary metabolite compounds of steroid and triterpenoid derivates had been extracted from the leaf of Eclipta alba L. Hassk. The extraction of the compounds was carried out by maceration and then isolated by column chromatography. Structural elucidation was established using GC-MS. Both of the compounds showed antibacterial activity against S. mutans, A. viscosus, and L. kaesal at the concentration of 5%, 10%, and 25%