The alcoholic fermentative efficiency of indigenous yeast strains of different origin on orange juice

The alcoholic fermentative ability of yeast strains; Saccharomyces cerevisiae (isolated from yam), S. cerevisiae (from sugarcane molasses), S. carlsbergensis (from sugarcane molasses) and S. cerevisiae var. ellipsoideus (from orange juice) were examined on orange juice (Citrus sinensis). The quality of the wine produced on the basis of the acidity, ash content, vitamin C and the alcohol content were assayed. The fermentation efficiency varied between 48.05% with S. cerevisiae var. ellipsoideus and 99.46% with S. carlsbergensis. The highest ethanol concentration, yield and productivity were 6.80 ± 0.07% (w/v), 0.46 gg-1 and 0.57g l-1h-1, respectively. The rate of sugar utilization was least, (2.76 g/day) with S. carlsbergensis and highest (3.07 g/day) with S. cerevisiae from yam. The total alcohol produced was least (3.19 ± 0.21%, w/v) with S. cerevisiae var. ellipsoideus and highest (6.80 ± 0.07%, w/v) with S. carlsbergensis. The optimum pH ranged between 3.81 for S. cerevisiae var. ellipsoideus and 3.71 for S. cerevisiae (from yam). The Vitamin C level was highest (9.02 mg/100 g) with S. cerevisiae var. ellipsoideus and lowest (6.65 mg/100 g) with S. carlsbergensis

Production of cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes by a phytopathogenic Myrothecium roridum and some avirulent fungal isolates from water hyacinth

The cellulolytic and xylanolytic activity of a pathogenic Myrothecium roridum Tode (IMI 394934) and non-pathogenic Fusarium solani and Curvularia pallescence Boedjin isolates from water hyacinth were investigated. The mycelial plugs of each isolate was grown in submerged cultures of Czapeck Dox broth containing the appropriate carbon source (carboxymethylcellulose, sawdust and homogenized dry water hyacinth leaf) at 25°C for 16 days. The enzyme activity assay was carried out on the culture filtrates obtained. This was measured as micromole sugar released per min. The result obtained showed that the enzyme activity (U/ml) for b-1,4-exoglucanase, b-1,4-endoglucanase and xylanase was maximum 3.70 ± 0.43, 0.95 ± 0.03 and 2.32 ± 0.10, respectively, in C. pallescens Boedjin grown on carboxymethylcellulose and minimum 0.12 ± 0.02, 0.13 ± 0.03 and 0.34 ± 0.01 respectively, in M. roridum grown on homogenized dry water hyacinth leaf. The b-glucosidase activity (U/ml) was highest, 1.74 ± 0.06 in M. roridum grown on sawdust and least, 0.08 ± 0.00 in C. pa llescens Boedjin grown on homogenized water hyacinth leaf broth. The maximum (324.00 ± 19.51 mg/ml) and minimum (130.00 ±5.83 mg/ml) total extracellular protein was produced in M. roridum grown on homogenized dry water hyacinth leaf and carboxymethylcellulose, respectively. This study showed that the phytopathogenic strain of M. roridum is capable of producing cellulases and xylanase enzyme in submerged cultures but to a lesser degree compared to F. solani and C. pallescence Boedjin

Pattern of Antepartum Haemorrhage at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria

Errata: Note that the original file was found to have errors. The erroneous file was removed and only the corrected file is now available for download (errata)The incidence of Antepartum Haemorrhage (APH) was 3.5%. Placenta praevia with an incidence of 2.0% constituted 58.4% of the cause of APH, followed by placental abruption with an incidence of 1.3% constituted 35.6% of the cause of APH. The most common presentation of APH was mild vaginal bleeding (22.3%), followed by combination of abdominal pains and vaginal bleeding (20.8%). APH accounted for 11.1% of maternal deaths and 19.2% of perinatal deaths in the study period. Early pregnancy bleeding (bleeding in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy) and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia were most commonly associated with placenta praevia and placental abruption respectively. It is to be noted that APH remains a dangerous complication of pregnancy with high maternal and perinatal morbidities and mortalities.Keywords: Antepartum haemorrhage, placenta praevia, placental abruption: pattern and managemen

Mortality and Co-Morbidities Among Hospitalised Hypertensives in Nigeria

Background: There is paucity of data on the burden of morbidities, clinical characteristics and mortality related to systemic hypertension in Nigeria. The present study therefore aimed to systematically assess the co-morbidities and in-hospital outcomes among hypertensives admitted to 3 Teaching Hospitals in Nigeria. Methods Medical records of all subjects admitted to the medical wards of the study centres with an established diagnosis of hypertension in 2013 were reviewed. Admission, discharge and mortality registers of the medical wards were used to identify the cases, those discharged and those who died. The records of the patients were then reviewed and included if the inclusion criteria were satisfied. Results 288 hypertensive patients were consecutively admitted in the medical wards of the 3 centres in 2013, of whom 146 (59.8%) were males. 88.4% of males and 87.8% of females had 1 or more co-morbidities at admission, and the commonest among all patients was heart failure (HF) followed by stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), in 76 (31.2%) and 69 (28.3%) patients respectively. The most frequent co-morbidity among males was HF in 34.3% of them, while stroke/TIA was more common among female patients, in 34.7% of them. Non-cardiovascular co-morbidities were uncommon, and the most frequent was community acquired pneumonia in 7.4% of all patients. 7.8% of all patients (13 males and 6 females; p=0.427) died in-hospital. The deceased had higher systolic blood pressure than the survivors, and majority of them (52.6%) were not on any antihypertensive medications at admission, which was the only predictor of mortality in the present study, increasing its odds by 7.5 fold (odds ratio=7.5; 95%confidence interval=2.8-20.0; p<0.001). Conclusions Co-morbidities were found in more than four-fifths of male and female patients, and the most frequent among males was HF while stroke and TIA were most common among female patients. Non-cardiovascular co-morbidities were uncommon. The prevalence of in-hospital mortality was relatively low, and not being on antihypertensive treatment at admission increased its odds by 7.5 fold

A Review of Fetomaternal Outcome of Preterm Prelabour Rupture of Membranes in a Tertiary Hospital in Lagos, South-west, Nigeria

Preterm prelabour rupture of membranes(PPROM) is an important obstetric complication. It accounts for a third of all preterm deliveries with associated increased risks of fetomaternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. To review the fetomatermal outcome of PPROM in a tertiary hospital in Lagos, South-west, Nigeria. This is a descriptive retrospective designin which cases of PPROM were identified from the Labour ward records and their case notes retrieved. Relevant information were extracted from those case notes and the neonatal unit records. Data was analyzed using Epi-info statistical software package. The rate of PPROM in this study was 2.2%. The mean age of the women was 31.3 ± 2.4years with the unbooked women constituting 50.2% of the cases and women with parity of 2 or less accounting/or 83.3% of them. The mean gestational age at delivery was 32. 7 ±2.4weeks. Caesarean section was the mode of delivery in 49.3% of cases, 8.1 % of the women had clinical evidence of choriamnionitis, 4.9% had puerperal sepsis while 1 maternal death was recorded. Ninety four percent (94%) of the births were livebirths while 6% were stillbirths. Low birth weight was noted in 79.1% and birth asphyxia was observed in 7.4%. Neonatal Unit admission was necessary in 72.5% of the livebirths. Perinatal mortality in this study was 17%. PPROM is an important cause of adverse fetomaternal outcome with increased perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. Adequate antenatal care should be advocated so that appropriate risk assessment can be done and intervention provided where applicable. Neonatal units should also be equiped to be able to render necessary care for these preterm neonates thereby reducing the morbidity and mortality asscociated with PPROM.Keywords: PPROM, preterm deliveries, fetomaternal outcom