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A one hour old baby boy presented to the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) of the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika, Zaria, on account of respiratory distress noticed from birth. He was a product of supervised pregnancy, delivered at 37 weeks gestation via emergency caeserien section performed due to severe pre eclampsia and fetal distress. APGAR scores were 2 and 7 at one and five minutes respectively. He weighed 1850 grams and was found to be dusky, inactive, hypothermic (T = 35.50C) and in severe respiratory distress (SPO2 ranged between 60 % and 72 %). He was tachypnoeic with respiratory rate persistently above 80 cycles/ min, and had reduced air entry in the mid and lower zones of the lungs bilaterally with wide spread coarse crepitations. A diagnosis of perinatal asphyxia was entertained with differential diagnoses of pulmonary hypoplasia, hyaline membrane disease and group B streptococcal (GBS) pneumonia. He had a full sepsis screen including chest radiograph and was commenced on supplemental oxygen via nasal cannula, antibiotics and other supportive measures. The patient however continued to have laboured breathingand subsequently had an apnoeic attack. He was resuscitated and commenced on bubble nasal CPAP.He did remarkably well and was weaned off CPAP after a total of 60 hours. A repeat chest radiograph showed remarkable aeration of the lungs as against an earlier one which showed a reticulogranular (ground glass) appearance.

A six hour old baby girl presented with shortness of breath and haematemesis five hours after accidental ingestion of sulfuric acid. We report the clinical presentation of corrosive ingestion in a neonate a rare and sparsely reported occurrence at such tender age.

Background: Phototherapy (PT) remains difficult to deliver in many resource- constrained countries, including Nigeria due to the unavailability of devices that can deliver intensive PT (irradiance ≥30 µW/cm2 / nm) needed to treat the more severe cases of hyperbilirubinaemia. The basic equipment is expensive and replacement parts are often not available. Objective: To compare the blue light irradiance of four locally designed and fabricated PT devices with a proprietary device. Materials and Methods: Four types of intensive PT devices were locally fabricated. Irradiance was measured using an Olympic Medical Bili-Meter. The mean irradiance of triplicate measurements at three positions in the light footprint of each device was determine that distances of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60cm from light source to meter sensor. Results: The irradiance of the fabricated devices (F1-4) and commercial device (C) measured at the most common clinically-used distance of 30 cm for intensive PT were 29.5 ±6.3, 30.3 ±5.3, 25.8 ±5.0,49.0 ±10.5 and 39.2 ± 13.6µW/cm2 /nm respectively with corresponding maximum central irradiance of 36.4, 32.1, 31.2,59.5 and 54.5 µW/cm2 /nm. At a distance of 25cm, all devices delivered irradiance ≥ 30µW/cm2 /nm. The cost of each local device was less than 12% of the commercial one. Conclusions: Locally fabricated devices cost much less and were suitable for delivery of intensive phototherapy (≥30 µW/cm2 /nm) at a distance of 25cm.

The current research examined the potential of P. stratiotes to accumulate inorganic and organic nutrients from contaminated watercourses in Egypt. It also aimed to determine whether the biomass of the plant can be safely used as animal feed. Plant and water samples were taken seasonally for a year at three different sites using three randomly assigned quadrats. There were significant seasonal differences in water pH, dissolved oxygen, transparency, and water temperature. The highest biomass (314.52 g DM/m2) was recorded during spring, while the lowest (35.38 g DM/m2) during winter. Winter contributed to the highest contents of N and P (4.09 and 0.62%), while summer had the highest Ca (2.46%), and spring had the highest of Mg and Na (1.23 and 2.65%). The highest Co, Fe, Ni, and Pb values (17.28, 2517.36, 18.99, and 48.57 mg/kg) were highest in summer. The highest levels of crude protein and carbohydrates (26.47 and 42.59%), and the greatest levels of digestible crude protein, digestible energy, metabolized energy, net energy, and gross energy (21.07%, 2.79 Mcal/kg, 2.29 Mcal/kg, 1.14 Mcal/kg and 405.97 Kcal/100 g) were recorded in winter. Summer is ideal for harvesting P. stratiotes for phytoremediation, while winter is suitable for animal feeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed at developing a process optimization of biolubricant production that will be environmentally eco-friendly. Greater concern has been focused on the use of solid-base catalysts, such as calcium oxide from limestone, for the transesterification of vegetable oils. Limestone was pretreated and calcined to 900 °C for 5 hours to obtain calcium oxide (CaO). The tropical almond seed oil was extracted from the tropical almond seeds using the soxhlet extraction method with a yield of 53.91%. The biolubricant was produced via double transesterification of tropical almond seed oil with methanol and trimethylolpropane (TMP) under reflux at different reaction conditions. Optimization of process parameters for the transesterification of tropical almond seed oil was determined using a response surface based on Box-Beinkhen design. The optimum yield of the biolubricant, 81.9%, was achieved at a temperature of 150°C, catalyst dose of 0.75 %wt and reaction time of 3 hours, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study prepared and characterized chitosan from Schistocerca gregaria (Desert Locust) by a chemical method. The Schistocerca gregaria (Desert Locust) chitin and chitosan have yield of 42% and 43% with acceptable physicochemical properties such as Moisture content: 6.0±0.014 and 5.0±0.007 %, Ash content: 2.20 and 2.0%, Protein content 12.0±0.028 and 9.01 ±0.021, Crude fibre8.95±0.041 and 8.95 ± 0.014%, Lipid content, 10.0 ±0.014 and10.0 ±0.014%, however, high carbohydrate, 60.5±0.01 and 65.0±0.01% are quantified in the obtained chitin and chitosan. properties of chitosan prepared were compared with that of the other sources chitosan extracted, the study revealed that (FTIR) analysis confirmed the structure of chitosan by the presence of their characteristic IR bands such as the N-H and O-H stretching bands around 3630 cm-1, oxygen stretching (C-O-C) glycosidic linkage bands around 1125 cm-1, (C-O) in primary OH group bands around 976 cm-1, and 1634 cm-1 corresponding to the free amino group (-NH2) at C2 of glucosamine with 69% degree of deacetylation. Also, the obtained XRD peaks were around 19.01, and 20.48° which indicated the amophores structure. This indicates the successive formation of chitosan biopolymer. Therefore, the Schistocerca gregaria chitosan can be said to be of better quality and hence can replace commercial chitin and chitosan in terms of utilization and applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physicochemical properties of the bacterial surface are involved in several interfacial phenomena such as microbial adhesion. Ecology Soil salinity is a crucial parameter for the distribution of Streptomyces. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of NaCl on the hydrophobicity and electron donor/acceptor characteristics of the cell surface of fourteen Streptomyces strains isolated from soils of the Beni Amir region (Morocco) with different salinities. The physicochemical properties of the surface were evaluated using the MATS (microbial adhesion to solvents) method at two concentrations of NaCl (0.1 M and 1.2 M). The results obtained show a significant change from hydrophilic to hydrophobic character. In particular, the Streptomyces lilaceus A53 strain showed the lowest variation (4.21%). On the other hand, the Streptomyces albogriseolus A65 strain presented the greatest variation (86.15%). These changes were observed when the salt concentration increased significantly from 0.1 M to 1.2 M NaCl.The electron donor/acceptor character systematically decreases and even becomes null for the majority of strains. Furthermore, a strong correlation between cell surface hydrophobicity and salinity of the original soil was observed with MATS at 1.2 M NaCl. This study highlights the crucial importance of the NaCl concentration in the modulation of the physicochemical properties of the surface of Streptomyces bacteria.

Abstract Background Health system responsiveness to public priorities and needs is a broad, multi-faceted and complex health system goal thought to be important in promoting inclusivity and reducing system inequity in participation. Power dynamics underlie the complexity of responsiveness but are rarely considered. This paper presents an analysis of various manifestations of power within the responsiveness practices of Health Facility Committees (HFCs) and Sub-county Health Management Teams (SCHMTs) operating at the subnational level in Kenya. Kenyan policy documents identify responsiveness as an important policy goal. Methods Our analysis draws on qualitative data (35 interviews with health managers and local politicians, four focus group discussions with HFC members, observations of SCHMT meetings, and document review) from a study conducted at the Kenyan Coast. We applied a combination of two power frameworks to interpret our findings: Gaventa’s power cube and Long’s actor interface analysis. Results We observed a weakly responsive health system in which system-wide and equity in responsiveness were frequently undermined by varied forms and practices of power. The public were commonly dominated in their interactions with other health system actors: invisible and hidden power interacted to limit their sharing of feedback; while the visible power of organisational hierarchy constrained HFCs’ and SCHMTs’ capacity both to support public feedback mechanisms and to respond to concerns raised. These power practices were underpinned by positional power relationships, personal characteristics, and world views. Nonetheless, HFCs, SCHMTs and the public creatively exercised some power to influence responsiveness, for example through collaborations with political actors. However, most resulting responses were unsustainable, and sometimes undermined equity as politicians sought unfair advantage for their constituents. Conclusion Our findings illuminate the structures and mechanisms that contribute to weak health system responsiveness even in contexts where it is prioritised in policy documents. Supporting inclusion and participation of the public in feedback mechanisms can strengthen receipt of public feedback; however, measures to enhance public agency to participate are also needed. In addition, an organisational environment and culture that empowers health managers to respond to public inputs is required.

Research into the formation of Pseudomonas savastanoi biofilms on olive trees is essential to prevent infections that induce tumor formation and damage tree health. To prevent the development of P. savastanoi biofilms, it is crucial to comprehend the factors influencing its adhesive behaviour. This research analysed the physicochemical properties of P. savastanoi in two types of media. P. savastanoi was cultivated in two media: nutrient agar (NA) and King B (KB), in solid and liquid forms. Wettability (θw), electron acceptor (γ+) / electron donor (γ-) properties, and surface free energy (ΔGiwi) are evaluated by contact angle measurements. The obtained results indicated that in solid media (NA and KB), P. savastanoi exhibited hydrophobic surface (θ_w^NA= 82.23°; θ_w^KB= 94.9°), with strong electron donor (γ_NA^-= 43.54 mJ.m-2; γ_KB^-= 58.34 mJ.m-2) and mild electron acceptor (γ_NA^+= 0.32 mJ.m-2; γ_KB^+= 0.52 mJ.m-2) properties, along with negative surface free energy (〖ΔG〗_iwi^NA = -76.13 mJ.m-2; 〖∆G〗_iwi^KB= -65.33 mJ.m-2). Conversely, in liquid media (NB and KB), the surface of P. savastanoi was generally hydrophilic (θ_w^NB= 55.43°; θ_w^KB= 64.43°), with strong electron donor (γ_NB^-= 29.23 mJ.m-2; γ_KB^-= 41.83 mJ.m-2) and a surface free energy that registers as positive. Modification of the growth medium composition conducted to minor variations in P. savastanoi hydrophobicity and surface free energy. By understanding the factors involved in this adhesive behaviour, we can develop ecological methods to protect crops and contribute to more efficient environmental management and conservation of natural resources.