MA McAnuff, FO Omoruyi, EY St A Morrison, HN Asemota
The consumption of sapogenin extract from bitter yam by diabetic rats results in changes in the metabolism of glucose with subsequent reduction in plasma glucose
concentration.
LL Dilworth, FO Omoruyi, OR Simon, EY St A Morrison, HN Asemota
The changes in some of the hepatic metabolic enzymes in rats fed phytic acid extract from sweet potato are geared towards compensating for the decreased glycolytic responses.
In this study, the aim was to determine the in vitro activity of sodium benzoate against methicillinresistant staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-sensitive staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates. The minimum inhibitory concentration at which all of the methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-sensitive staphylococcus aureus strains were inhibited was 32 μg/ml and higher concentrations.
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is compared to the Open and Minilap approaches in a cost minimization analysis for public hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago. There is a reduced recovery period for patients and this translates into savings to other sectors of the economy.
The step-down accounting methodology is employed to estimate and compare cost components of selected services at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in St Vincent and the Grenadines. The levels of subsidization for inpatient services remain relatively high. Ancillary services had lower levels of subsidization and laboratory services are not subsidized.
A retrospective analysis of fetal ultrasound prediction of date of birth shows that ultrasound is significantly better than date of birth based on menstrual history in a primarily Afro-Caribbean population.
The use of the oral contraceptive pill (OCP) to batch 74 women’s cycles in an intermittent in vitro fertilization (IVF) programme was compared with 121 cycles without the OCP. The method was effective, simple and cheap and is therefore recommended for other small IVF
centres which perform intermittent, batched treatment.
A hypertension-screening programme in Independence, Belize, successfully directed 85.7% of hypertensive patients to appropriate medical care. Women, elderly patients and patients with a previous history of hypertension were more likely than their counterparts to
seek follow-up medical care.
S Mallick, F Braud, M Fofana, M Humbert, M Clervil, P Blanchet
Transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsies are routinely performed by most urologists. In this trial, the efficacy of the administration of lidocaine gel intrarectally and the lidocaine periprostatic infiltration are compared for this procedure. Rectal administration of lidocaine gel is safe, simple and effective.
FW Hickling, KAD Morgan, W Abel, CE Denbow, Z Ali, GD Nicholson, C Sinquee
This study assesses the performance of medical students in the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) of the final MBBS examination across the four campuses of The University of the West Indies, (2001 and 2002). The OSCE scores in the medicine and therapeutics examination are generally uniform across all campuses of the University.
RB Pierre, AWierenga, M Barton, K Thame, JM Branday, CDC Christie
Student self-assessment is a useful method of promoting learning through recognition of strengths and weaknesses, understanding the relevance of core learning objective and encouraging responsible learning behaviour. The study examines the accuracy of medical students self-assessment of their performance in a paediatric clerkship objective structured clinical examination. Students overestimated their performance at some stations and underestimated at others.