Musical preferences and learning outcome of medical students in cadaver dissection laboratory: A Nigerian survey.

Background music has been reported to enhance learning in the cadaver dissection laboratory. This study was designed to determine the impact of various forms of musical genre and some of their characteristics on students' learning outcome in the dissection laboratory. Some selected musical genre in vocal and non-vocal forms and at different tempi and volume were played as background music (BM) to 253 Medical and Dental students during various sessions of cadaver dissection. Psychological Stress assessment was done using Psychological stress measure-9. Participants love for music, preferred musical genre and other musical characteristics were assessed. The impact of the various musical genre and their characteristics on learning was done via written examination on the region dissected during each musical session. A positive relationship was noted between students' preference for musical genre during leisure with their preference for BM during private study time (P<0.01). Statistically significant differences (P<0.01) were established in the impacts of the selected musical genre on some selected learning factors. Country and Classical music gave the highest positive impact on the various learning factors in CDL followed by R&B. No significant difference was noted between the cognitive values of vocal and non-vocal music. Classical music most effectively reduced the stress induced by dissection in the CDL while Reggae and High life musical genre created a more stressful environment than regular background noise (P<0.01). Moderate volume level and Tempo were most preferred during both cadaver dissection activity and leisure hours. This study shows statistically significant differences in the cognitive values of some of the studied musical genre and their various characteristics. The inability to isolate the particular musical genre with these desired properties could account for the controversies in the reports of the role of music in academic environment.

Anatomical basis for surgical approaches to the hip.

The hip joint is one of the most surgically exposed joints in the body. The indications for surgical exposure are numerous ranging from simple procedures such as arthrotomy for joint drainage in infection to complex procedures like revised total hip replacement. Tissue dissections based on sound knowledge of anatomic orientations is essential for best surgical outcomes. In this review, the anatomical basis for the various approaches to the hip is presented. Systematic review of the literature was done by using PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, OVID, and Google databases. Out of the initial 150 articles selected from the the review and selection criteria, only 37 that suited the study were eventually used. Selected articles included case reports, clinical trials, review and research reports. Each of these approaches has various modifications that seek to correct certain difficulties or problems encountered with previous descriptions. An ideal approach for a procedure should be safe and provide satisfactory exposure of the joint. It should avoid bone and soft tissue damage as well as avoid unnecessary devascularization. Among the factors that determine the choice of surgical approach to the hip are the indication for the procedure; the influence of previous surgical incisions as well as the personal preferences and training of the operating surgeon.

Mechanisms of hip fracture in owerri, Nigeria, and its associated variables.

BACKGROUND: Hip fracture has been associated with various risk factors, including osteoporosis, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, visual impairment, aging, sex, rural/urban inhabitation, race and climatic variations. Mechanisms of hip fractures in many parts of the world have been documented, and include road traffic accident (RTA), gunshot injury, fall from heights and many others. There is paucity of such documentation in Owerri, Nigeria. AIM: This study was designed to investigate the mechanism of hip fractures in Owerri, Nigeria, and to determine its prevailing factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in hospitals located in Owerri, Nigeria. Cases of hip fracture were identified from the medical register while data were sourced from the medical record department for hip fractures that occurred between 1(st) January 2002 and 31(st) December 2008 for patients resident in Owerri and aged between 10 years and above. RESULTS: The study uncovered a total of 105 cases of hip fractures over the study period in 65% (n = 68) males and 35% (n = 37) females. Proportion of hip fractures as a result of fragility fracture mechanisms was significantly higher in females than in the males (P < 0.001), while the reverse was the case for RTA mechanisms. In the same vein, proportion of hip fractures as a result of moderate trauma mechanisms was significantly higher in the elderly than in the young patients (P < 0.001), while the reverse was the case for RTA mechanisms. CONCLUSION: Mechanism of hip fractures in Owerri, Nigeria, can be associated with gender and age. RTA had the largest single contributory mechanism of hip fractures in Owerri. Therefore, public health campaigns and promotions should be created to reduce the influence of RTA on hip fracture among this population. Among the elderly population, hip fracture was mostly sustained from fragility trauma mechanisms, suggesting that osteoporosis is a major contributory factor of hip fracture among this population.

The Effect of Marital Status and Self-Reported Physical Exercise on the Adiposity and Blood Pressure of the Igbos of Nigeria

The effect of marital status and self-reported exercise was investigated in a sample of Igbos in Nigeria. Physical activity level was grouped into: no exercise; irregular exercise and regular exercise. In all the groups; adiposity level and mean BP decreases as the frequencies of physical activity increases and these were significant for weight; BMI; diastolic BP; body circumferences; skinfold thickness except CSF among the married men; while for the never married men significant difference exist only for WC; FAC; SSF among the three groups. For the married women; the three groups of physical activity recorded significant difference in Weight; BMI; WC and HC while the never married women had significant difference only in CSF (F = 4.5; P = 0.01). The result of this study suggests that sex; marital status and exercise have effect on adiposity and blood pressure of the subjects. The married state was conducive for the development of excess adiposity and elevated BP while regular participation in exercise brings a reduction in fat stores and blood pressure. In conclusion; there is a greater tendency for married individuals to be overweight as compared to the never married subjects and regular physical exercise has strong influence in reducing the propensity to increase weight in both men and womenhttp://www.akspublication.com/Paper02_Jan2009_.pdf