The Use of Geodetic Leveling For Crustal Motion and Deformation Studies: A 30-Year Case Study in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

This paper examines the stability of some benchmarks on the main campus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and reports the deformation studies of the area around the University dam. This dam serves as the main storage reservoir for the water supply to the University and surrounding communities. In order to study the deformation around the University dam and the stability of benchmarks, several surveys were carried out between 1976 and 2006. Within the period under review, it was revealed that the maximum downward displacement (settlement) of 96.44mm was recorded between 1976 and 2006 for a monitoring station (CP4) situated centrally along the embankment of the dam. The maximum upward displacement (uplift) of 8.03mm was recorded between 1976 and 2002 at a ground point (CP12) located in a roundabout in front of Faculty of Medicine of the University. The monitoring Station CP4 had the greatest average absolute displacement of 3.22mm per annum over the period of thirty years. Detailed results and analysis will be discussed in this paper.. The Information Manager Vol. 7 (2) 2007: pp. 28-3

Studies on the Effects of Ammonium Phosphates on the Flammability Properties of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Films

Poly(vinyl alcohol) was solvent-cast from aqueous solution of n-hexane into 125 μm films. Three ammonium phosphates, (NH4)3PO4, NH4H2PO4 and (NH4)2HPO4, were then added to produce eight sample films. Burning time, flame spread, limiting oxygen index, ignition time, and afterglow time of the samples were evaluated to determine the flame retardant efficiency of the three fillers. From the results, burning time, flame spread, after-glow time, and ignition response indices of the filled samples were found to be lower than the control sample. However, limiting oxygen index of the filled samples was found to be higher than that of the control sample. The efficiency of the fillers in fireproofing the poly(vinyl alcohol) film was found to follow the order (NH4)3PO4 > NH4H2PO4 > (NH4)2HPO4. Additive effect was observed when the fillers are added in pairs with the fireproofing efficiency following the order (NH4)3PO4 + NH4H2PO4 > (NH4)3PO4 + (NH4)2HPO4 > (NH4)2HPO4 + NH4H2PO4. Antagonism in fireproofing efficiency was observed when all the three fillers were present in the poly(vinyl alcohol) film. The fireproofing efficiency of the ammonium salts is attributed to the quantity and the ease with which ammonia (NH3) gas is released when the filled poly(vinyl alcohol) films were heated

Audit of laparoscopic cholecystectomy Omdurman teaching hospital

Objectives: To review and audit our experience in laparoscopic cholecystectomy [LC] at Omdurman Teaching Hospital, Sudan. Methods: A prospective study for patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the period, from January 2006 to October 2007. Demographic data, indications for surgery, rate of conversion to open cholecystectomy, morbidity, and mortality rates were noted. Results: A total of 114 patients underwent LC in 21 months, They were female 100 patients and 14 males, age range from 25 to70 years, mean age 44 years. Indications for surgery were biliary colic 65.8%, fatty dyspepsia 37.7%, and acute cholecystitis 3.5%. The range of operative time was 25-90 minutes. Conversion rate was (7.9%). The reasons for conversions were bleeding, extensive dense adhesions, severe inflammation. Conclusion: Our findings were consistent with the literature, demonstrating that LC is a safe minimal invasive technique Keywords: Laparoscopic, cholecystectomy, minimal invasive surgery, surgical audit, Sudan.Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences Vol. 3 (1) 2008: pp. 21-2

Effects of Chemical Surface Treatment on Mechanical Properties of Sisal Fiber Unsaturated Polyester Reinforced Composites

Sisal fiber was extracted from Sisal leaves by enzymatic retting method. A portion of the fiber was subjected to alkali, benzoyl chloride and silane treatments. Sisal fiber composites were fabricated using unsaturated polyester resin, by hand lay-up technique using both the treated and untreated fiber. Tensile and flexural tests were conducted and evaluated on the composites. The morphology of the materials was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The fibre chemical modification improves its adhesion to the matrix as well as the mechanical properties of the composites.Keywords: Scanning Electron Microscopy, Sisal fiber, Tensile test, Unsaturated polyester resi

Risk Factors, Threats And Prevention Of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) In African Countries

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a viral disease that affects the digestive, nervous and respiratory systems of all domestic and wild birds with high morbidity and mortality. It is highly contagious disease which can be fatal in humans. The avian influenza viruses (AIVs) are classified as types A, B and C with 15 subtypes of the type A. To date, all disease causing HPAI Viruses belong to H5 or H7 subtypes; and affect pigs and humans with the pigs serving as a mixing vehicle for re-assortment of the virus. The domestic ducks get infected without showing clinical signs and serve as a source of infection for domestic poultry. Outbreaks of HPAl in Europe, Asia and Turkey are reported to be associated, with the presence of wet lands and lakes where migratory birds rest. In some African countries like Nigeria, such wet lands exist with free flying wild birds and domestic ducks visiting and resting. The possible source of introduction into a country could be through importation or smuggling of infected poultry products across the borders and through migratory birds that fly through identified pathways. The status of HPAl in many African countries including Nigeria is still under investigation so that appropriate strategies / measures to prevent introduction of the disease into the country can be implemented and / or strengthened through restriction of importation of poultry and poultry products from high risk countries, effective disease surveillance, functional National Veterinary services, quarantine and community based participatory epidemiological system for HPAI surveillance and control. This article reviewed the global epidemiology and risk factors of HPAI infection in Nigeria and other African countries with emphasis on specific preventive measures that can reduce introduction of the virus into the country and the epidemiological surveillance for case detection / identification, screening and management. This review provides useful information and updates for health workers in tropical countries on the trends of AIVs and HPAI, diagnostic criteria using case definitions for both community and health facility levels and management protocols for confirmed cases as recommended by the World health Organization. African Journal of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology Vol. 10 (2) 2009: pp.99-11

General and regional anaesthesia for the thyroidectomy in rural/semi-urban Nigerian centres

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and benefits of regional anaesthesia (RA) for thyroidectomy in rural/semi-urban centres.Design: A prospective study.Settings: Missionary Hospital Saki,Nigeria and Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria.Subjects: One hundred and seventy five patients with goitre.Results: The average time for the anaesthetists to put patients to sleep was 4.06±1.02 minutes, while it took 17.8±2.9 minutes to give the regional block. Post operative laryngeal complications in RA group were very minimal, while in general anaesthesia (GA) group, there were significant complications in 32 (36%) patients laryngeal oedema 15 (17%), erosions in 10 (11%) and ulcer in seven (8%). Cost of surgery in GA was thrice as much as in RA group. Thirty one (35%) with GA had steam inhalation for sore throat. It was possible to converse (laryngeal nerve monitoring) with the patient during operation but not possible with GA group. There was early discharge of patients in RA group.Conclusion: Regional/local anaesthesia is feasible for some cases of thyroidectomy with a lot of advantages and specifically allows surgeons to converse with the patients during operation -direct laryngeal and other nerve monitoring. Despite advancement in cuff design a lot of lesions still occur from endotracheal intubations

Server-Centric PON Data Center Architecture

Over the last decade, the evolution of data center architecture designs has been mainly driven by the ever increasing bandwidth demands, high power consumption and cost. With all these in mind, a significant potential to improve bandwidth capacity and reduce power consumption and cost can be achieved by introducing PONs in the design of the networking fabric infrastructure in data centers. This work presents a novel server-centric PON design for future cloud data center architecture. We avoided the use of power hungry devices such as switches and tuneable lasers and encouraged the use of low power passive optical backplanes and PONs to facilitate intra and inter rack communication. We also tackle the problem of resource provisioning optimization and present our MILP model results for energy efficient routing and resource provisioning within the PON cell. We optimized the selection of hosting servers, routing paths and relay servers to achieve efficient resource utilization reaching 95% and optimum saving in energy consumption reaching 59%

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A 15-years Experience at a Single Centre, Wad Medani, Sudan

No Abstract

A comparative evaluation of pentazocine and dipyrone on diazepam-induced sleep in mice

This work reports on the evaluation of pentazocine and dipyrone analgesics on diazepam-induced sleep in mice. Diazepam (10 mg/kg) administered intraperitoneally (ip) was used to determine the onset and duration of sleep in mice and the mean of both set values were calculated and recorded. Pentazocine 20, 30 and 50 mg/kg administered (ip) was found to significantly decrease the onset of diazepam (10 mg/kg) induced sleep dose dependently (

Phytochemical and antimicrobial study on the leaf extracts of Erythrophleum africanum (Caesalpiniaceae)

The leaf of Erythrophleum africanum was exhaustively extracted with ethanol using cold maceration techniques. This was subsequently partitioned with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethylacetate and nbutanol. The agar diffusion method was used to determine the antimicrobial activity against the following micro-organisms eithicillin resistant Staphylococus, Staphylococcus aureaus, Streptococcus feacalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Proteus vulgaris, Candida albicans, Candida krusei and Candida tropicalis. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were determined. The in vitro antimicrobial screening revealed that the extracts exhibited diverse activities against different microbes with zones of inhibition ranging from 12 to 36 mm, MIC ranging from 3.25 to 60 mg/ml and MBC/MFC of 3.25 to 60 mg/ml for sensitive organisms at the tested concentrations. The activities observed could be attributed to the presence of terpenoids, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids and tannins. The results justify the ethnomedicinal use of this plant in the treatment of sores, boils, wounds, dysentery, diarrhea and sexually transmitted infections.Keywords: Erythrophleum africanum, phytochemistry, antimicrobial activityAfrican Journal of Biotechnology, Vol. 13(4), pp. 598-603, 22 January, 201