Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling in development and human diseases.

Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) are a group of signaling molecules that belongs to the Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily of proteins. Initially discovered for their ability to induce bone formation, BMPs are now known to play crucial roles in all organ systems. BMPs are important in embryogenesis and development, and also in maintenance of adult tissue homeostasis.

Caval variations in neurologically diseased patients.

Background: The import of the cavum variation and its prevalence rate in healthy individuals is still not clear, likewise in neurologically diseased patients.

Purpose: To evaluate the frequency and pattern of caval variations in neurologically diseased patients.

Material And Methods: The presence or absence of the cavum septum pellucidum (CSP), cavum vergae (CV), or cavum velum interpositum (CVI) was reviewed from successive cranial computerized tomography (CT) images of patients who were aged 6 months and above.

Anterior chest wall elevation using a T-fastener suture technique during a Nuss procedure.

The most critical part of the Nuss procedure is the passage of the introducer across the anterior mediastinum without cardiac injury. For patients with severe pectus excavatum, passing the introducer can be difficult and hazardous. We describe a technique that resembles a use of T-fastenerlike suture material to elevate the anterior chest.

Neurotrauma burden in a tropical urban conurbation level I trauma centre.

Background: Neurotrauma is a preventable public health problem whose quantum is said to be increasing in Third-World countries. This evaluation was performed to collate data which is needed to guide in designing, implementing, and evaluating public health prevention programmes with respect to neurotrauma.

Methods: A single institution prospective study was carried out.

Effect of feeding cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) root meal on growth performance, hydrocyanide intake and haematological parameters of broiler chicks.

The effect of feeding cassava root meal on growth performance, hydrocyanide intake, haematological indices and serum thiocyanate concentration of broiler chicks was investigated using 300-day-old male broilers. There were five dietary treatments arranged in a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial arrangement of two processing methods of cassava root (peeled and unpeeled) included at two levels (100 and 200 g/kg) plus a control diet (maize-based diet, containing no cassava root). Each treatment was replicated six times with ten birds per replicate.

Pedestrian injuries in the most densely populated city in Nigeria-an epidemic calling for control.

Objectives: Since the first pedestrian road fatality of 1896, pedestrians still remain vulnerable, with fatalities in Africa being 55% of global statistics. Many previous reports from Nigeria have emphasized passengers and drivers over pedestrians; this study was done in the most densely populated Nigerian city with no previous publication exclusively dedicated to pedestrians-the megacity has been projected by the World Bank to be the third largest in the world by 2015 (after Tokyo and Mumbai), so the study results would aid injury control and reduce morbidity and mortality.

Methods: This is a one-year prospective study on pedestrians attending the surgical emergency room of the busiest referral hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, detailing age, sex, occupation, regions injured, injury mechanism, incident vehicles, highway collisions, and immediate outcomes.

Child pedestrian injury and fatality in a developing country.

Purpose: Child pedestrian injuries and fatalities in developing countries continue to increase. We examined child pedestrian injuries and fatalities in the most populated urban agglomeration in Africa in order to develop control measures.

Methods: Two-year prospective study of injured child pedestrians (≤15 years) at the Surgical Emergency Room (SER) to determine demography, vehicles involved, road location, injury mechanism, pre-hospital transport, injury-arrival time, regions injured, injury severity and fatalities was done.

Effect of intercropping Panicum maximum var. Ntchisi and Lablab purpureus on the growth, herbage yield and chemical composition of Panicum maximum var. Ntchisi at different harvesting times.

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of intercropping Panicum maximum var. Ntchisi and Lablab purpureus on the growth, herbage yield and chemical composition of P. maximum var.

Nutrients intake, performance and nitrogen balance of West African dwarf sheep fed graded levels of toasted Enterolobium cyclocarpum seeds as supplement to Panicum maximum.

A study was conducted to assess the nutritive value of Enterolobium cyclocarpum seeds as supplementary feed for ruminant animals during the dry season when grasses are either not available or of low quality. Matured fruits of E. cyclocarpum were collected, toasted, peeled and then used for the trial.

Effects of beak amputation and sex on the pecking rate damage and performance parameters of turkey.

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of sex and beak trimming on pecking and the performance of turkeys. Five hundred and forty unsexed, day old British United Turkey poults were was divided into 3 treatments based on beak trimming at 0, 1/4, 1/3 measured from the tip of the beak inwards with 3 replicates of 60 poults each experiment 1 while 480 turkeys (240 each of male and female) were transferred and allotted to 4 treatment groups of 120 birds each and 4 replicates of 30 turkeys each in experiment 2. Data on performance response and severity of pecking were taken and subjected to one-way analysis of variance in a completely randomised design (experiment 1) and 2x2 factorial layout (factors were sex and beak trimming).

Demographic predictors of false negative self-reported tobacco use status in an insurance applicant population.

Objectives: To identify and quantify demographic correlates of false-negative self-reporting of tobacco use in life insurance applicants.

Background: Several studies have assessed the sensitivity of self-reporting for tobacco use in various populations, but statistical examination of the causes of misreporting has been rarer. The very large (488,000 confirmed tobacco users) sample size, US-wide geographic scope, and unique incentive structure of the life insurance application process permit more robust and insurance industry-specific results in this study.

Effects of supplementing Leucaena leucocephala and conserved forages from natural pasture on the performance of grazing calves.

Twelve white Fulani × N'dama cross-bred calves weighing 83.79 ± 1.16 kg were used in an 84-day experiment to investigate the utilization of forage resources from natural grazing land.

Visual function in infants with congenital hydrocephalus with and without myelomeningocoele.

Objectives: Congenital hydrocephalus without or with associated myelomeningocoele has impaired visual function as a potential complication. The present study was embarked on to determine the frequency of optic nerve deficits and refractive errors in this group of children and document any relationship to neuroradiological measurements.

Materials And Methods: All infants with congenital hydrocephalus associated with myelomeningocoele (MHC) and congenital hydrocephalus without myelomeningocoele (HC) were prospectively studied.

Transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus and atrial septal defect without on-site surgical backup: a two-year experience in an African community.

Congenital heart disease contributes significantly to the health burden of children in Nigeria. Interventions for congenital heart disease have been available in the developed world since the first report on device closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in 1967 by Porstmann. However, this did not start in Nigeria until October 2010.

Minimizing unnecessary parenteral nutrition after appendectomy in children.

Background: Consensus guidelines have indicated that postoperative parenteral nutrition (PN) might provide benefit when patients are expected to be nil per os (NPO) ≥7 d and when PN is administered ≥5 d. We hypothesized that most children receiving PN after appendectomy do not satisfy these criteria.

Methods: The medical records of the patients who had undergone appendectomy for perforated appendicitis from 2006-2011 were analyzed, and the proportion meeting the criteria for beneficial PN was determined.

Posterior spinal decompression, stabilization and arthrodesis in Nigerian adults: Profile and outcome.

Background: The availability of intraoperative fluoroscopy and improved access to varieties of spinal titanium implants has revived posterior spinal stabilization techniques with their distinct advantages. Our aim is to describe the profile of various spine pathologies requiring subaxial posterior spinal decompression, stabilization (using titanium implants), and arthrodesis, and to determine the rate of postoperative complications and factors affecting outcome.

Materials And Methods: This is a prospective single institution study of consecutive adult patients seen during the study period.

Physical inactivity is associated with low self efficacy and social support among patients with hypertension in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND Physical inactivity is a major factor in the development of many chronic illnesses, including hypertension. Evidence highlighting links among physical activity participation and psychosocial constructs such as self efficacy, social support and perceived barriers among hypertensive patients in the Nigerian population is scarce. This study explored the associations between physical activity and each of self efficacy, social support and perceived barriers.

Minimally invasive repair of symmetric pectus carinatum: bilateral thoracoscopic chondrotomies and suprasternal compression bar placement.

Purpose: We previously reported a novel minimally invasive repair for unilateral pectus carinatum. We have now modified this approach for the repair of symmetric bilateral pectus carinatum.

Materials And Methods: Using thoracoscopy, parasternal chondrotomies were performed at multiple rib levels at points of maximal sternal protrusion.

A Holstein cow-calf model for the transfer of ciprofloxacin through milk after a long-term intravenous infusion.

This study is part of an ongoing effort to develop animal models that provide milk and sufficient infant (offspring) plasma samples to fully describe a drug's pharmacokinetics to quantitate the risk to the nursing infant. Ciprofloxacin was administered to six healthy Holstein cows as a constant rate intravenous infusion (flow rate was weight adjusted) to achieve a steady-state concentration of approximately 300 ng/mL for 7 days. Plasma and milk samples were collected from the cow at regular intervals over the course of the 7 days.

Comparative influence of self-efficacy, social support and perceived barriers on low physical activity development in patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension or stroke.

Background: Type 2 Diabetes, hypertension and stroke are strongly linked, and patients with any of these disorders are usually advised to be physically active based on existing evidence. However, different psychosocial constructs are found in separate settings to influence the physical activity levels of these different groups of patients. Hence, there is a need to establish the most important of the constructs to influence low physical activity in these groups of patients from Nigeria.

Clinical implication of pretreatment neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in soft tissue sarcoma.

Introduction: Elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio has been identified as a prognostic indicator in malignancies whereas; its association with extremity and trunk soft tissue sarcoma remain unclear. The aim of this study is to determine the utility of full blood neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in preoperative diagnosis and its predictive value for survival in patients managed for soft tissue sarcoma of the trunk and extremities.

Method: 223 patients who presented with a soft tissue tumor were retrospectively reviewed.

Comparative Study on the Effects of Chloroquine and Artesunate on Histopathological Damages Caused by Plasmodium berghei in Four Vital Organs of Infected Albino Mice.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the positive influence of chloroquine and artesunate on the pathological damages caused by Plasmodium berghei on vital organs of mice in an established infection. Healthy adult albino mice with average weight of 25 g were used for the study. Treated group was administered orally with 100 mg/kg of chloroquine and artesunate, respectively.

Routine repeat radiographic examination post fracture fixation: is it necessary?

In spite of the widespread availability of image intensifier for fracture fixation and storage of images on a radiological computer system, routine check radiography is still a common practice. This is even so in situations with no clear indications such as fall or increasing patients' discomfort.