The cost of open heart surgery in Nigeria

Introduction: Open Heart Surgery (OHS) is not commonly practiced in Nigeria and most patients who require OHS are referred abroad. There has recently been a resurgence of interest in establishing OHS services in Nigeria but the cost is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the direct cost of OHS procedures in Nigeria. Methods: The study was performed prospectively from November to December 2011. Three concurrent operations were selected as being representative of the scope of surgery offered at our institution. These procedures were Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) Repair, Off Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (OPCAB) and Mitral Valve Replacement (MVR). Cost categories contributing to direct costs of OHS (Investigations, Drugs, Perfusion, Theatre, Intensive Care, Honorarium and Hospital Stay) were tracked to determine the total direct cost for the 3 selected OHS procedures. Results: ASD repair cost $6,230 (Drugs$600, Intensive Care $410, Investigations$955, Perfusion $1080, Theatre$1360, Honorarium $925, Hospital Stay$900). OPCAB cost $8,430 (Drugs$740, Intensive Care $625, Investigations$3,020, Perfusion $915, Theatre$1305, Honorarium $925, Hospital Stay$900). MVR with a bioprosthetic valve cost $11,200 (Drugs$1200, Intensive Care $500, Investigations$3040, Perfusion $1100, Theatre$3,535, Honorarium $925, Hospital Stay$900). Conclusion: The direct cost of OHS in Nigeria currently ranges between $6,230 and$11,200. These costs compare favorably with the cost of OHS abroad and can serve as a financial incentive to patients, sponsors and stakeholders to have OHS procedures done in Nigeria.Pan African Medical Journal 2013; 14:6

Policy Environment and Small and Medium Enterprises Investment in the Ghanaian Oil and Gas Industry

Policy environment particularly local content legislatures in most emerging economies where oil and gas are produced have become major development agenda of host countries and stakeholders alike. Apparently, efforts are made to enact local content legislature as a means of optimizing oil and gas benefits. Per contra, mixed results had been ascertained with regards to outcome of these policies. This study was conducted to determine how dimensions of policy environment impact on SMEs investment in the Ghanaian Oil and Gas Sector. This study relied on primary data and structured questionnaire to elicit data from 497 Ghanaian SMEs across different industries. Using explanatory research design and binominal regression model we found that Skills and expertise development policy, local workforce education policy, employment policy and macro-economic environment policy significantly increase the odd of SMEs investment in the Ghanaian oil and gas sector. However, technology transfer, research and development policies exert insignificant influence on SMEs investment decisions. This study has implications on oil and gas policy reforms, investment decisions and future research. Particularly we recommend replication of this study within other emerging economies. Keywords: Ghanaian SMEs, Logit Model, Oil and Gas, Local Content Policy, Willingness to Invest JEL Classifications: D02, O17, P3

The International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce (INPST) and the power of Twitter networking exemplified through #INPST hashtag analysis

Background: The development of digital technologies and the evolution of open innovation approaches have enabled the creation of diverse virtual organizations and enterprises coordinating their activities primarily online. The open innovation platform titled "International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce" (INPST) was established in 2018, to bring together in collaborative environment individuals and organizations interested in natural product scientific research, and to empower their interactions by using digital communication tools. Methods: In this work, we present a general overview of INPST activities and showcase the specific use of Twitter as a powerful networking tool that was used to host a one-week "2021 INPST Twitter Networking Event" (spanning from 31st May 2021 to 6th June 2021) based on the application of the Twitter hashtag #INPST. Results and Conclusion: The use of this hashtag during the networking event period was analyzed with Symplur Signals (https://www.symplur.com/), revealing a total of 6,036 tweets, shared by 686 users, which generated a total of 65,004,773 impressions (views of the respective tweets). This networking event's achieved high visibility and participation rate showcases a convincing example of how this social media platform can be used as a highly effective tool to host virtual Twitter-based international biomedical research events

General anaesthetic and airway management practice for obstetric surgery in England: a prospective, multi-centre observational study

There are no current descriptions of general anaesthesia characteristics for obstetric surgery, despite recent changes to patient baseline characteristics and airway management guidelines. This analysis of data from the direct reporting of awareness in maternity patients' (DREAMY) study of accidental awareness during obstetric anaesthesia aimed to describe practice for obstetric general anaesthesia in England and compare with earlier surveys and best-practice recommendations. Consenting patients who received general anaesthesia for obstetric surgery in 72 hospitals from May 2017 to August 2018 were included. Baseline characteristics, airway management, anaesthetic techniques and major complications were collected. Descriptive analysis, binary logistic regression modelling and comparisons with earlier data were conducted. Data were collected from 3117 procedures, including 2554 (81.9%) caesarean deliveries. Thiopental was the induction drug in 1649 (52.9%) patients, compared with propofol in 1419 (45.5%). Suxamethonium was the neuromuscular blocking drug for tracheal intubation in 2631 (86.1%), compared with rocuronium in 367 (11.8%). Difficult tracheal intubation was reported in 1 in 19 (95%CI 1 in 16-22) and failed intubation in 1 in 312 (95%CI 1 in 169-667). Obese patients were over-represented compared with national baselines and associated with difficult, but not failed intubation. There was more evidence of change in practice for induction drugs (increased use of propofol) than neuromuscular blocking drugs (suxamethonium remains the most popular). There was evidence of improvement in practice, with increased monitoring and reversal of neuromuscular blockade (although this remains suboptimal). Despite a high risk of difficult intubation in this population, videolaryngoscopy was rarely used (1.9%)

Evaluation, Identification and Characterization of Micro - Organisms in Raw and Processed Orange Fruits using different Techniques

In this study, different samples of Orange fruits/juice were analyzed using Pour Plate Method (PPM) and Spread Plate Method (SPM). Samples analyzed includes; Raw orange Fruit (RF) serving as control, Manually Extracted orange Juice (MEJ), Machine Extracted orange Juice (MAEJ), Pasteurized Machine Extracted orange Juice at 850C (PMAEJ, 850C) and Refrigerated Machine Extracted orange Juice at 40C (RMAEJ, 40C). The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the micro-organisms count in the raw and processed orange fruits using the PPM and the SPM .  The micro-organisms count considered include; Total Heterotrophic Plate Count (THPC), Total Coliform Count (TCC), Total Faecal Coliform Count (TFCC), and Fungal Count (FC). A total of 15 micro-organisms were identified which were Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus sp., Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermis, Listeria sp., Lactobacillus fermenti, Providencia sp., Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterobacter aerogenes, Sacchoronyees cereoisioe, Penicillium sp. Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer, and  Nucor racemosus

Exploring recent developments in novel technologies and AI integration for plant-based protein functionality: A review

The increasing demand for plant-based proteins faces challenges due to their inherent functional limitations. To meet eco-friendly standards, several “green'' and innovative processing technologies like high-pressure processing (HPP), pulse electric field (PEF), precision fermentation, 3D extrusion, and ultrasonic technology are gaining attention for protein functionality. Modifying protein structure through these technologies unlocks unique possibilities for functional food design. Understanding the mechanisms and advancements of these technologies is crucial for targeted functional improvements, opening new pathways for exploration. This review explores recent advances in HPP, PEF, precision fermentation, 3D extrusion, and ultrasonic technology for enhancing plant protein functionality, detailing their positive impacts. The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in discovering health-enhancing molecules in functional food ingredients is examined. Real-time monitoring and software development for precise protein control are key tools for leveraging these technologies effectively. Moreover, the need for further research in digitalization technologies to advance healthier and sustainable food choices was highlighted. Thus, the review offers invaluable insights for food researchers and scientists, providing a roadmap to advance the development of healthier, innovative, and sustainable food choices, aligning with evolving consumer preferences and eco-friendly standards