In vitro anticancer screening of 24 locally used Nigerian medicinal plants

Background Plants that are used as traditional medicine represent a relevant pool for selecting plant candidates that may have anticancer properties. In this study, the ethnomedicinal approach was used to select several medicinal plants native to Nigeria, on the basis of their local or traditional uses. The collected plants were then evaluated for cytoxicity. Methods The antitumor activity of methanolic extracts obtained from 24 of the selected plants, were evaluated in vitro on five human cancer cell lines. Results Results obtained from the plants screened indicate that 18 plant extracts of folk medicine exhibited promising cytotoxic activity against human carcinoma cell lines. Erythrophleum suaveolens (Guill. & Perr.) Brenan was found to demonstrate potent anti-cancer activity in this study exhibiting IC50 = 0.2-1.3 μg/ml. Conclusions Based on the significantly potent activity of some plants extracts reported here, further studies aimed at mechanism elucidation and bio-guided isolation of active anticancer compounds is currently underway

The reported preparedness and disposition by students in a Nigerian university towards the use of information technology for medical education

Background: The computer and information technology (IT) revolution have transformed modern health care systems in the areas of communication, storage, retrieval of medical information and teaching, but little is known about IT skill and use in most developing nations.Objectives: The aim of this study has been to evaluate the reported preparedness and disposition by medical students in a Nigerian university toward the use of IT for medical education.Methods: A self-administered structured questionnaire containing 24 items was used to obtain information from medical students in the University of Ilorin, Nigeria on their level of computer usage, knowledge of computer software and hardware, availability and access to computer, possession of personal computer and e-mail address, preferred method of medical education and the use of computer as a supplement to medical education.Results: Out of 479 medical students, 179 (37.4%) had basic computer skills, 209 (43.6%) had intermediate skills and 58(12.1%) had advanced computer skills. Three hundred and thirty (68.9%) have access to computer and 451(94.2%) have e-mail addresses. For medical teaching, majority (83.09%), preferred live lecture, 56.78% lecture videos, 35.1%lecture handout on web site and 410 (85.6%) wants computer as a supplement to live lectures. Less than half (39.5%) wants laptop acquisition to be mandatory. Students with advanced computer skills were well prepared and disposed to IT than those with basic computer skill.Conclusion: The findings revealed that the medical students with advanced computer skills were well prepared and disposed to IT based medical education. Therefore, high level of computer skill is required for them to be prepared and favorably disposed to IT based medical education

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS patients in Ilorin, Nigeria

AbstractBackgroundHuman immune-deficiency virus/acquired immune-deficiency syndrome predisposes to opportunistic parasitic infestations of the gastrointestinal tract. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in newly diagnosed treatment naïve HIV/AIDS patients.MethodsThis hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out from December 2010 to June 2011. Questionnaires were administered to 238 HIV/AIDS subjects, and 238 age and sex-matched controls. CD4+ T cell count was carried out on HIV-positive subjects. Stool samples were examined using direct microscopic and modified Ziehl-Neelsen methods. Positivity of intestinal parasites was taken as the presence of worms, oocyst, cyst, ova or larvae in the stool samples.ResultsNinety males and 148 females were studied for the HIV-positive and HIV-negative controls respectively. Intestinal parasitic infestation in HIV-positive subjects was 68.5%, and was significantly higher than in the HIV-negative controls 49.2% (P<0.05). In HIV-positive subjects, Cryptosporidium spp. was the commonest (55.0%) parasite isolated. Others were Cyclospora cayetanensis (41.2%), Isospora belli (3.0%), Entamoeba histolytica (8.4%), Giardia lamblia (3.7%), Ascaris lumbricoides (2.5%), Strongyloides stercoralis (1.7%), Trichuris trichiura (0.8%) and Schistosoma mansoni (0.4%). HIV-positive patients with CD4+ T cell count of less than 200 cells/ul were more at risk of opportunistic parasites compared to the HIV-negative controls.ConclusionThe prevalence of intestinal parasites in newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS individuals was high, and its association with CD4+ T cell count was demonstrated. Routine screening for parasitic infestations at diagnosis is indicated to reduce the burden of the disease

Comparative in-vitro activity of Imipenem and Doripenem against ESBL producing Klebsiella isolates from a tertiary hospital in Ilorin, Nigeria

Background: Doripenem is a recent carbapenem not commercially available in Nigeria with broad spectrum antibacterial activity against various clinical infections. Carbapenems have been shown to be the last line of agents against ESBL producing organisms.Objective: To determine the in-vitro activity of Imipenem and Doripenem against ESBL producing Klebsiella spp.Design: A cross-sectional laboratory based study.Setting: The University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, a major tertiary hospital in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara state in Nigeria.Subjects: All strains of Klebsiella spp isolated from all clinical specimens collected at the hospital laboratory non– repetitively.Result: Doripenem had a superior in-vitro activity compared to imipenem with MIC 50/90 value of 0.0125/0.023 while imipenem was found to be 0.19/0.38 which was statistically different.Conclusion: The result obtained in this study is similar to those from other studies and therefore re-affirms the superior activity of doripenem compared to imipenem and should therefore be introduced as a better alternative to imipenem against ESBL producing organisms

Prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of ESBL producing Klebsiellae isolated from clinical specimens in a Nigerian tertiary hospital

Background: Infection by Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases (ESBLs) producing bacteria is a threat to man as a consequence of treatment challenges. This study evaluated the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of ESBL producing Klebsiellae (EPK) in clinical specimens at the University of Ilorin Teaching hospital, Ilorin (UITH), Nigeria.Methods: ESBL production was assayed using Double Discs Synergy Test (DDST). Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed by Modified Kirby- Baeur method with the organism tested against ceftazidime (30μg), cefotaxime (30μg), amoxicillin-clavulinic acid (20/10μg), cefepime (30μg), ciprofloxacin (5μg), gentamicin (10μg), trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (23.75/1.25μg), imipenem (10μg) and doripenem (10μg) (Oxoid, UK).Results: Fifty (26.7%) of the 187 Klebsiellae studied were EPK comprising of 37(26.8%) Klebsiella pneumoniae and 13(26.5%) Klebsiella oxytoca. EPK were mostly from wound specimens (24.0%) although Klebsiellae were mostly occurring in sputum (26.2%). The EPK were resistant to ceftazidime (100%), cefotaxime (94.0%), trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (92.0%), gentamicin (70.0%) and ciprofloxacin (70.0%) but 100% susceptible to both doripenem and imipenem.Conclusion: The prevalence of EPK in this study is high and they are multi-drug resistant. Carbapenems are the best antibiotic treatment option for infections arising from these organisms although a coordinated rational usage is desired along with functional antibiotic prescription policy to avoid treatment failures. Continuous surveillance for ESBL producing Klebsiellae and resistance monitoring are necessary routine to strengthen infection control policies.Keywords; ESBL, cephalosporins, Klebsiella, antibiotics susceptibility, drug resistance

Review of Organizational Strategy and Structure (1962-2015)

Improving on performance is of greater interest to all organization leaders in today's business environment. Researches relating to large, small and medium sized firms constantly stress a positive link between business strategies, management activities and organizational performance. Because it is often detailed that best business strategies produce outstanding organizational performance. This study used secondary method of data collection to review various empirical literatures on business strategies and their effects on organizational performance. The study was able to ascertain from various literature reviewed that business strategies such as (customer orientation, employee autonomy, communication, training and development job satisfaction, corporate social responsibility, motivational factors) have major role to play in organizational performance. Recognizing the causes of organizational performance is important especially in the perspective of the current global crises because it helps an organization to identify those factors that should be given priority attention in order to improve the organizational performance. Hence, this study recommends that business organizations should adopt appropriate strategies that would enhance adequate organizational performanc

Smoking Impact on the Microbial Load of Clarias gariepinus

Effects of different smoking methods on microbial load on freshly collected freshwater mud fish, Clarias gariepinus samples from Oyo State Fisheries Department, Ibadan in South-Western Nigeria was carried out. Seventy-two C. gariepinus (505 &plusmn; 0.45g and 25.5 &plusmn; 1.30cm) were collected and sorted into 4 groups. 10 fish samples from groups 1, 2 and 3 were subjected to cold smoking, hot smoking and oven drying methods respectively using group 4 as standard. Samples were tested for microbial loads in triplicate at the end of 24, 48 and 72 hrs. Some of the microbes identified were; Streptococcus faecium, Proteus vulgaricus, Pseudomonas aureginiosa, Bacillus cereus; Micrococcus acidiophilus, Aerobacter aerogenes, E. Coli, Streptococcus pyrogenes, Streptococcus lactis, Bacillus subtilis, Pedio cerevisiae, Sacchomyces Sp, Fusarium oxysporum, F. compacticum, Penicillium oxalicum, P. chrysogenum, Aspergillus tamari, A. niger, Cladosporum sphacrosporum, Aspergillus terreus and Rhizopus nigericans. Others are Pseadomonas, Alteromonas, Moraxella, Acinetobacter, Flavobacterium, Cytophaga, Vibrio, Aeromonoas, Staphylococcus aureus, Samonella faecuim, P. fragii. Microbial load for cold smoked products were 72%, 66% and 38%; hot smoked products had 61%, 32% and 08%; while oven-dried had 12%, 0% and 0% at 24, 48 and 12 hrs respectively. Positive correlation r = 0.94, 0.92 and 0.51 were observed between the microbial load processing methods &ndash; oven dried, hot-smoked and cold-smoked respectively. Cold smoked had 41.63% C.P and oven-dried had 25.73% C.P. Consumers had highest preference (40%) for hot smoked, 35% for oven dried and 25% for cold smoked products.Key Words: Processing, storage, smoking, bacteria, Clarias gariepinus

Impact of Human Urine Contamination on Soil Biota

The role of human urine as an organic pollutant to soil biota was examined in this study. Using standard methods, the impact of human urine on the physicochemical parameters, fauna and microbial load in the soil microcosm was considered. Ten replicates of Urine contaminated soil (UrCS) and Uncontaminated Agricultural soil (UnCS) samples respectively were collected from points pedestrian urine deposition within Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye and University of Agriculture, Alabata both in Ogun State. pH was determined using the pH meter. Moisture content (MC) was determined by drying and difference in weight method. Organic Carbon (OC) was determined using the Walkey-Black method and Organic Matter (OM) was estimated by the formula %OC = %OC x 1.729. Phosphate and nitrate concentrations were determined by spectrophotometric method while sulphate concentration was determined by the turbidimetry method. Ammonium concentration was determined by distillation method using 40% boric acid with methyl red indicator. The fauna record was conducted by heat extraction into alcohol or normal saline while microbial load was estimated by the pour plate and serial dilution techniques. UrCS recorded a significantly higher MC, OC, OM, phosphate, nitrate, sulphate, ammonium concentrations and lower pH (p<0.05) than UnCS. A complete absence of microfauna (protozoa), mesofauna (mites, lion ants, insects, insect eggs) and macrofauna (beetle, beetle caterpillars, millipedes, pill millipedes, earthworms, earthworm castings) was recorded in UrCS while UnCS samples recorded their presence. UrCS recorded a significantly lower (p<0.05) microbial loads than UnCS. The most adverse impact of human urine on soil biota is the lowered pH and increased acidity which unleash a vicious cycle on soil biota persisting as long as urine deposition continues unhindered on the same spot

Bacteriological agents of chronic discharging ears and their antibiotic sensitivity pattern in Ido – Ekiti, Nigeria

Aims and Objectives: To identify bacterial agents of chronic discharging ear and determine their antibiotic sensitivities pattern in Ido – Ekiti, Nigeria. Patients and Methods: Swab specimens of each chronically (>8 weeks) discharging ears of patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) presenting to the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) clinic of the Federal Medical Centre, Ido Ekiti were bacteriologically cultured aerobically and the antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the recovered organisms determined by the modified Kirby-Bauer disc-diffusion method over a three year period starting from January 2005. Results: Seventy eight patients with CSOM whose age ranged between 3 months and 85 years were seen during the study period with 73.1% of them having unilateral disease and majority were children <15 years (71.8%). Out of 99 ear swabs that were examined, 87.9% were culture positive with 90.8% yielding a single isolate. Coliforms (34.7%) were the most frequent isolated group of organisms. Other isolates included Staphylococcus aureus (26.3%), Proteus spp (24.2%), Pseudomonas spp (9.5%) and Klebsiella spp (5.3%). Sparfloxacin and ciprofloxacin showed highest activity on all the isolates unlike cefuroxime and ceftiaxone to which all isolates were resistant. Conclusion: Chronic discharging ear is caused by bacteria agents most sensitiv