Trends in newborn mortality over a ten year period at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria

Annual mortality amongst 3845 infants cared for on the Special Care Baby Unit of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, over a 10 year period ranged from 16.8% to 36.2%; there was a significant association between mortality and the male sex (p #lt0.05). An inverse relationship was observed between mortality and birth weight p #lt0.05. Low birth weight (LBW) followed by respiratory distress were clearly the two important causes; these were closely followed by septicaemia and birth asphyxia. Amongst the LBW infants, mortality was highest when the former was associated with septicaemia and/or respiratory distress.

For appropriate reduction in mortality, it is concluded that ways of reducing low birth weight, septicaemia and birth asphyxia must be intensified. Additionally there is a need for early referral to tertiary centres which may be better equipped for complicated deliveries.     

Potentials of leaves of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspilia africana</Emphasis> (Compositae) in wound care: an experimental evaluation

Background  

The potentials of the leaves of the haemorrhage plant, Aspilia africana C. D Adams (Compositae) in wound care was evaluated using experimental models. A. africana, which is widespread in Africa, is used in traditional medicine to stop bleeding from wounds, clean the surfaces of sores, in the treatment of rheumatic pains, bee and scorpion stings and for removal of opacities and foreign bodies from the eyes. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the potentials for use of leaves of this plant in wound care.     

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is associated with CTLA4 polymorphisms in multiple ethnic groups

Linkage disequilibrium (association) analysis was used to evaluate a candidate region near the CTLA4/CD28 genes using a multi-ethnic collection of families with one or more children affected by IDDM. In the data set unique to this study (Spanish, French, Mexican-American, Chinese and Korean), the transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT) revealed a highly significant deviation for transmission of alleles at the (AT)n microsatellite marker in the 3' untranslated region (P = 0.002) and the A/G polymorphism in the first exon (P = 0.00002) of the CTLA4 gene. The overall evidence for transmission deviation of the CTLA4 A/G alleles is also highly significant (P = 0.00005) in the combined data set (669 multiplex and 357 simplex families) from this study and a previous report on families from USA, Italy, UK, Spain and Sardinia. Significant heterogeneity was observed in these data sets. The British, Sardinian and Chinese data sets did not show any deviation for the A/G polymorphism, while the Caucasian-American data set showed a weak transmission deviation. Strong deviation for transmission was seen in the three Mediterranean-European populations (Italian, Spanish and French) (P = 10(-5)), the Mexican-American population (P = 0.002) and the Korean population (P = 0.03). These results suggest that a true IDDM susceptibility locus (designated IDDM12) is located near CTLA4.      

Diabetes foot ulceration in a Nigerian hospital: in‐hospital mortality in relation to the presenting demographic,clinical and laboratory features

This prospective study assessed in‐hospital mortality from diabetic foot ulcer in relation to the demographic, clinical and laboratory features at presentation. Forty‐two patients admitted with diabetic foot ulcer were followed up from admission till discharge from hospital. Those who survived or died were compared for any differences in demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters at presentation. The mean age and duration of diabetes for the 42 patients were 56.1 ± 1.9 years and 8.3 ± 1.1 years, respectively. The in‐hospital mortality rate amongst the 42 subjects was 40.5%. Ulcer grade 4, leucocytosis and anaemia were more prevalent in those who demised in comparison with survivors.     

Comparative biochemistry of human skin: glycosaminoglycans from different body sites in normal subjects and in patients with localized scleroderma

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this investigation is to compare the relative proportions of disaccharides of chondroitinase-digestible glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) among the different body sites in control human skin and in the skin lesions of patients with localized scleroderma. METHODS: The disaccharide relative proportions were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: DeltaDi-4S, the main disaccharide unit of dermatan sulphate (DS), was the major skin GAG disaccharide (approximately 70% of the total) in control skin among all different body sites studied here. In scleroderma there was an increase in the relative proportion of both deltaDi-HA, the main disaccharide unit of hyaluronic acid (HA), and deltaDi-diS(B) (alpha-deltaUA(2SO4)-1-->3-GalNAc(4SO4)), derived from DS, and a decrease in deltaDi-4S, as compared with the uninvolved skin or the site-matched control skin. CONCLUSION: DS is the major GAG species in normal skin from different body sites. In addition, our results suggest a decrease and also a structural change in DS and an increase in the proportion of HA in scleroderma skin.     

信息时代医院图书馆发展模式探讨

随着信息技术的飞速发展,图书情报事业也得到了突破性进展。作为医学信息资源宝库的医院图书馆,如何打破以自身文献收藏、信息检索为主的格局,将馆藏资源最大限度地开发出来并应用于临床、教学、科研中,具有重要的现实意义。本文主要就我院如何适应信息时代的发展,充分利用计算机、网络通讯、多媒体等现代信息技术建立方便高效的数字化图书馆进行了初步探讨。