Psoriatic arthritis mutilans in a black Nigerian patient: a case report

Psoriatic Arthritis Mutilans (PAM) is a rare destructive form of arthritis, especially in blacks and its diagnosis and treatment still remains a challenge. Case Report: A 55-year-old house wife with 30-years history of psoriatic skin lesions, developed swellings and pain of the small joints of the hands and feet, wrists, elbows, shoulders and knees associated with low back pain and alternating buttock pain shortly after onset of the rashes. She had dystrophic, pitting, yellowish nail changes with sub-ungual hyperkeratosis. The joint swellings rapidly progress into shortening of the digits of her hands and feet, with resorption of the interphalangeal joints and subluxation of the metarcarpophalangeal joints (MCPJs). Her Body Mass Index at presentation was 19.8kg/m, she had subluxation of the MCPJs with shortening and telescoping of the 3 , 4 and 5 digits of both hands and bilateral knee swelling with ankylosis. Her rheumatoid factor was negative, CRP was 36mg/dl, white cell count of 3.0×10 cells/L with predominant lymphocytosis (63%). Her serum urea, creatinine and uric acid were normal. Radiographs of the hands and feet showed 'pencil in cup' appearance with marked periosteal reaction and osteolysis, complete joint erosion and subluxation. A diagnosis of PAM was made using CASPAR) criteria. She was placed on methotrexate 10mg weekly and topical steroids with short course of naproxen and was advised for total knee replacement and biologic agents for her treatment. Conclusion: ClAS sification for Psoriatic AR thritis Conclusion: PAM still remains a challenge in terms of early detection of the characteristic phenotype and treatment

Assessment of Groundwater Quality in the Western Part of Bayero University New Campus and it’s Environs

This research aimed at assessing the quality of groundwater for safe drinking in the western part of BUK’s new campus and its environs, Kano state. In achieving the aim, a total of ten (10); five (5) boreholes and five (5) hand-dugged wells were selected at random across the area, taking into consideration the fact that thousands of staff and students depend on these sources. Water from each of the selected wells was sampled in a sterilized 500 mL plastic container and taken to the laboratory for analysis. Fourteen relevant parameters on the test of water quality were taken into consideration. Analysis of physical parameters was made in-situ using a PC400 portable pH/COND/EC/Temp meter. The result reveals that electrical conductivity is the only parameter with a mean concentration of 437.9 mg/L higher than the maximum permissible limit of 400 mg/L sets by the World Health Organization, 2011. The mean values of other physical parameters are within the standards. Chemical parameters analysis reveals that chloride (335.5 mg/L), calcium (781.3 mg/L), sodium (62.5 mg/L) and magnesium (115.9 mg/L) are the parameters with concentrations higher than the maximum permissible levels of 250 mg/L, 100 mg/l, 50 mg/L, and 50mg/L respectively, all in Tudun Malumai area. Therefore, with the exception of this area, all other sources investigated are safe for drinking by meeting the standard requirements. The high concentration of chloride in the Tudun Malumai area is attributed to the use of inorganic fertilizers and animal feeding. Distillation, one of the oldest, and yet still very effective methods of purifying water sources is highly recommended

EPR STUDIES OF THE HAMILTONIAN PARAMETERS OF THE SIMULTANEOUS AXIAL AND ORTHORHOMBIC JAHN-TELLER SPECTRA OF Cu2+ IN Cd2(NH4)2(SO4)3 SINGLE CRYSTALS AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES

This paper presents the study of the effective Hamiltonian parameters (g1, g2, A1, A2) and the observed g and A tensors of the derivative axial and orthorhombic Jahn- Teller EPR spectra of Cu2+ in Cd2(NH4)2(SO4)3 single crystals at different temperatures. The variations of these parameters with temperature in the three mutually perpendicular planes of the crystal confirm axial symmetry for T>Tc and orthorhombic symmetry for T<Tc in this system. The simultaneous axial and anisotropic symmetries of the spectra owe their origin to the behaviour of Cu2+ ions in the three JT potential wells because they can undergo reorientation from one well to another or quantum tunnelling among them which depends on temperature, burial height or thickness and energy of the ions. The results show that the components of the activation energy and Fermi-contact parameter increase with temperature while the decrease of the anisotropy parameter (u) is more than it compensates for the slight increase in the effective Hamiltonian parameters g1 and g2 with temperature

The Impact of Net-Migration on Total Fertility Rate in Sub-Sahara African Countries: Empirical Evidence from Nigeria

The aim of the study is to empirically analyse the impact of netmigration on total fertility rate in Sub-Sahara African countries using data from Nigeria. The rational for the study is under-scored by the need for Sub- Sahara African Countries to have a balanced fertility rate that will enable them to achieve their desired economic growth and development, a situation which their current fertility rate cannot sustain; partly due to the migration activities of its working population. Secondary time series data on targeted variable covering the period from 2000 to 2016 were collected and analysed using econometric packages. Findings show that net-migration impact on total fertility rate positively in Nigeria. It is recommended that government should evolve and maintain a balance migration policy that will help to reduce the current high fertility rate through a cultural re-orientation of Nigeria communities which still places preference on large families

Matrix Method of Determining Optical Energy Bandgap of Natural Dye Extracts

In this paper, a total of fourteen dye extracts from different plants’ parts (flowers and fruits) were extracted. Absorbance of light by dye extracts with 5%, 10% and 20%concentrationsweremeasured using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer at different wavelengths. A system of linear equations in terms of wavelength and absorbance without film thickness was developed and solved using MATLAB software. Also, optical energy bandgap (Eg) obtained experimentally are at range of 1.77- 2.76 eV. From the solutions of the system of equations, the (Eg) of the natural dyes were obtained. The results show all the dye extracts have (Eg) in the range 1.34-2.09 eV which falls within the range of UV and IR portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Also, the results reveal that sunflower (Helianthus) dye has the smallest (Eg) of 1.34 eV and guava (Guajava) peel dye with the higher (Eg) of 2.09 eV. This means Helianthus dye absorbs more light over a wider part of the electromagnetic spectrum and the easier electron transfer from its valence band to the conduction band. The values obtained via matrix method are in agreement with the experimental values with slight deviation, hence this validates the matrix method of obtaining optical energy bandgaps

Assessment of request pattern and utility of rheumatoid factor in a tertiary hospital in North east Nigeria

The diagnostic utility of Rheumatoid Factor (RF) test is not well documented. The question therefore is: - 'when is it appropriate to make this request'? When patients' own immunological defense mechanisms go awry and start attacking one's tissues, (autoimmune), there usually arises a problem. This usually affects the heart, musculo skeletal system and other organs giving rise to signs and symptoms that are seen in other ailments. The joints are the most common site of affectation and an early diagnosis may go a long way in managing the disease. Usually an antibody (Rheumatoid factor) is found in such patients. It is formed against the Fc portion of IgG, forming an IgG-Fc immune complex that normally leads to the disease process. It is this complex (usually an IgM) in the patient's serum that is exposed to a commercial antigen in the laboratory and the titer determined against a standard. The normal level is usually &lt;14IU/ml. Levels higher are usually considered abnormally high, elevated or positive. A negative RF test however does not mean that the patient hasn't got the disease. Objective: To determine the frequency of positivity of rheumatoid factor and the context in which the requests are made by group of physicians and advise on when to make the request. Methods: A retrospective study of case notes of 354 patients requested to perform rheumatoid factor test at the immunology department over a period of 6 years were reviewed. The requesting departments, clinical and demographic characteristics of patients were reviewed and analyzed. Data analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: Of the 354 requests made,265 (74.9%) were due to musculo skeletal symptoms and but20 (5.6%) were positive for RF. Of the 20, 19 (95%) had polyarthritis while 1 (5%) was asymptomatic. The mean age was 37.06±13.91 and 205 (57.9%) were females. Most (137 or 38.7%) of requests for RF were from the general out-patient department and 108 (30.5%) from medical out-patient department. The sensitivity and specificity for RF test in detecting MSK disease were 7.17% (95%CI, 4.37-10.97) and 98.88% (95%CI 93.90%, 99.97%). The positive likely hood ratio was 6.38% (95% CI 0.87, 40.99). The positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were 95.0% (95%CI 77.02, 99.29%) and26.35% (95%CI 25.48, 35.30%). Test accuracy was 30.23% (95% CI25.48, 35.30%). Conclusion: We recommend that rheumatoid factor should be requested only in patients with fleeting arthritis,good clinical evaluation for signs and symptomsand looking for differentials

Anti-diabetic properties of Securinega virosa (Euphorbiaceae) leaf extract

This study was undertaken to evaluate the hypoglycemic effect of methanol extract of securinega virosa leaves on blood levels of streptozocin-induced diabetes rats. Three doses of the extract (100, 300 and 600 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally. After 2 h of extract administration there was no significant change in the blood glucose levels in all the three doses of the extract. Also after 4, 8 and 24 h of extract administration there was a significant (p < 0.05 - 0.001) decrease in the blood glucose levelsin all the three doses of the extract. The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of reducing sugars, cardiac glycosides, resin, tannins, saponins, glycosides, flavonoids, glycerin carbohydrate, anthraquine and steroids. The median lethal dose (LD50) in rats was calculated to be 1264.9 mg/kg body weight