Associations between Cognition, Gender and Monocyte Activation among HIV Infected Individuals in Nigeria.

The potential role of gender in the occurrence of HIV-related neurocognitive impairment (NCI) and associations with markers of HIV-related immune activity has not been previously examined. In this study 149 antiretroviral-naïve seropositive subjects in Nigeria (SP, 92 women and 57 men) and 58 seronegative (SN, 38 women and 20 men) were administered neuropsychological testing that assessed 7 ability domains. From the neuropsychological test scores was calculated a global deficit score (GDS), a measure of overall NCI. Percentages of circulating monocytes and plasma HIV RNA, soluble CD163 and soluble CD14 levels were also assessed. HIV SP women were found to be younger, more educated and had higher CD4+ T cell counts and borderline higher viral load measures than SP men. On the neuropsychological testing, SP women were more impaired in speed of information processing and verbal fluency and had a higher mean GDS than SN women. Compared to SP men, SP women were also more impaired in speed of information processing and verbal fluency as well as on tests of learning and memory. Numbers of circulating monocytes and plasma sCD14 and sCD163 levels were significantly higher for all SP versus all SN individuals and were also higher for SP women and for SP men versus their SN counterparts. Among SP women, soluble CD14 levels were slightly higher than for SP men, and SP women had higher viral load measurements and were more likely to have detectable virus than SP men. Higher sCD14 levels among SP women correlated with more severe global impairment, and higher viral load measurements correlated with higher monocyte numbers and sCD14 and sCD14 levels, associations that were not observed for SP men. These studies suggest that the risk of developing NCI differ for HIV infected women and men in Nigeria and, for women, may be linked to effects from higher plasma levels of HIV driving activation of circulating monocytes

PERBANDINGAN MATRIKS PEMBOBOT ROOK DAN QUEEN CONTIGUITY DALAM ANALISIS SPATIAL AUTOREGRESSIVE MODEL (SAR) DAN SPATIAL ERROR MODEL (SEM)

The spatial weighting matrix is very important to overview of the relationship between one location to another in the spatial regression. In this study, the authors compare the weighting matrix of queen contiguity and rook contiguity in the SAR and SEM models in stunting cases in Bone Bolango Regency, Gorontalo Province. The variables used are the number of IDL, the percentage of LBW, the amount of proper sanitation, the percentage of exclusively breastfed babies, and the number of poor people. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence stunting in Bone Bolango Regency, compare the results of the analysis of the rook contiguity and queen contiguity matrices in the SAR and SEM models and determine the best model and weighting matrix in stunting modeling in Bone Bolango Regency. The results showed that the significant factor in the SAR model was the number of poor people, while the significant factors in the SEM model were the number of IDL, the number of proper sanitation, and the percentage of exclusively breastfed babies. In the SEM model, the p-value of queen contiguity is smaller than that of rook contiguity.The best model in this study is the SEM model

Analisis Mutu Organoleptik dan Kadar Air Ikan Roa (Hemiramphus sp.) Asap dengan Metode Pengasapan Berbeda

Fish is one source of high protein and included a commodity which is easily to decay. The way to inhibit the decay process of fish is fumigation. One of the smoked fishes that is often consumed by Gorontalo people is smoked Roa fish (Hemiramphus sp.). Smoked Roa fish is processed with traditional way through burning using woods as the fuel. Simply or conventionally fish processing like that has several flaws such as less protected of the sanitation aspects in the processing protocol. In order to improve the traditional processed product of Gorontalo, that is a smoked Roa fish, a new breakthrough in making smoked Roa fish was made by using the liquid smoke method. Liquid smoke contains compound of phenol and organic acids that are antibacterial and antioxidant compounds. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effect of using different fumigation methods on organoleptic quality (appearance, smell, taste, and texture) of smoked Roa fish. The fumigation methods used were fumigation with liquid smoke and fumigation with traditional method. This research used a completely randomized design with 2 treatments and 3 times of replications. The results showed that liquid smoked Roa fish were preferred by panelists, compared to traditional smoked Roa fish. Liquid smoked Roa fish had a bright appearance, the smoke color was spread evenly (uniform), the smell of soft smoke, delicious fish taste, and hard texture that were different from traditional smoked Roa fish which appearance tended to be dull, the color of the smoke was not evenly distributed, the smoke taste in the fish was also quite sharp. Liquid smoked Roa fish also had a lower water content than traditional smoked Roa fish. Statistical tests showed that the fumigation method had a significant effect on the smell and water content of smoked Roa fish. Keywords: hedonics, liquid smoke, organoleptic, Roa fish, traditional fumigatio

Male infertility: A retrospective review of laboratory charts at a tertiary teaching hospital in Nairobi City County

Background: Globally, approximately 50 million couples experience one form of infertility, and 10 million cases of subfertility have been reported in sub-Saharan Africa. Infertility is characterized by a lack of clinical conception among couples who live together for more than one year with regular coitus, without the use of contraception. Factors related to fertility vary by sex and geographical region. These factors include age, lifestyle, infectious diseases, and genetic disorders. In African culture, children are considered a simple inheritance and a measure of masculinity, so efforts are needed to address the growing problem of male infertility in this context. Objective: To determine the prevalence of male infertility among adult men seeking semen analysis services in a tertiary teaching hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that involved a retrospective review of archived electronic data in the hospital information system. These data were from male patients who visited the laboratory with a request for semen analysis between January 2016 and December 2020. A checklist was used to extract data related to sociodemographic factors and laboratory results (age, seminal volume, and diagnosis). Results: The average age of the male clients seen during the review period was 36±8 years, with the majority aged 31–40 years n= 996 (46.7%). The youngest was 21 years old, and the oldest was 70 years old. The total prevalence of seminal abnormalities was 1628 (77%) of the 2131 electronic data that was reviewed. Only 502 (23%) of the patients had a normal seminal diagnosis. Most clients exhibited at least one form of seminal abnormalities, such as asthenospermia 913 (43%), oligospermia 441 (21%), and azoospermia 272 (13%). There was a statistically significant association between age and seminal abnormality (X 2 = 31.393, P=.013). A significant association was also found between seminal volume and abnormalities (X 2 = 94.538, P=.000). Conclusion: Our findings showed that there were some seminal abnormalities among Kenyan men in Nairobi County. More effort is required to identify the cause of this increase in seminal abnormalities. Initiation of health interventions to reduce this burden of infertility may be necessary

Niveles de toxicidad de metales pesados y evaluación del riesgo ecológico de los contaminantes derivados del petróleo en los sedimentos del campo petrolífero y gasífero de Soku, en el sur de Nigeria

The Soku Gas Plant and associated oil facilities in South-south Nigeria has been a source of continuous discharge of oil spills and other industrial wastes to the ecosystems surrounding it. Standard methods were used to analyse the concentrations of heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr and Cd) and PAHs in the sediments. The result of this study revealed that the concentration of both PAHs and heavy metals were within the PEL and TEL guideline values. Five methods of pollution assessment of metals were conducted including the Geo-accumulation Index (I-geo), Contamination Factor (Cf), Pollution Load Index (PLI), Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI) and Metal Toxicity. The result of CF, CD, and PLI In this study, Cd had the highest and Cr had the lowest CF average values among the five metals studied. The contamination factor in the study area showed higher levels for cadmium and lower levels for chromium in all stations while the calculated PERI for all the sample stations in the study area indicated low potential ecological risk. The potential ecological risk index (PERI) can be ranked in the following order: Station 3 (Pangapingi)> Station 4 (Soku Jetty) > Station 2(Gas plant) > Station 1(Elem Sangama). Spatial distribution of single risk indices (Eir) showed moderate to low risk. The I-geo classes for the study area varied across metals and sites ranging from uncontaminated to moderately contaminated. Clean-up of oil pollution and payment of compensation as required by law and convention was recommended.La planta de gas Soku y las instalaciones petroleras asociadas en el sur de Nigeria han sido una fuente continua de vertidos de petróleo y otros residuos industriales a los ecosistemas circundantes. Se utilizaron métodos estándar para analizar las concentraciones de metales pesados (Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr y Cd) y HAP en los sedimentos. El resultado de este estudio reveló que la concentración tanto de HAP como de metales pesados se encontraba dentro de los valores de referencia de PEL y TEL. Se llevaron a cabo cinco métodos de evaluación de la contaminación por metales, entre ellos el índice de geoacumulación (I-geo), el factor de contaminación (Cf), el índice de carga contaminante (PLI), el índice de riesgo ecológico potencial (PERI) y la toxicidad de los metales. Los resultados del CF, el CD y el PLI en este estudio mostraron que el Cd tenía los valores medios más altos y el Cr los más bajos entre los cinco metales estudiados. El factor de contaminación en la zona de estudio mostró niveles más altos para el cadmio y más bajos para el cromo en todas las estaciones, mientras que el PERI calculado para todas las estaciones de muestreo de la zona de estudio indicó un riesgo ecológico potencial bajo. El índice de riesgo ecológico potencial (PERI) puede clasificarse en el siguiente orden: Estación 3 (Pangapingi) > Estación 4 (Soku Jetty) > Estación 2 (Planta de gas) > Estación 1 (Elem Sangama). La distribución espacial de los índices de riesgo únicos (Eir) mostró un riesgo de moderado a bajo. Las clases I-geo para el área de estudio variaron según los metales y los sitios, desde no contaminados hasta moderadamente contaminados. Se recomendó la limpieza de la contaminación por hidrocarburos y el pago de indemnizaciones según lo exigido por la ley y los convenios

Metode Spatial Autoregressive dalam Analisis Kerawanan Demam Berdarah Dengue di Kota Gorontalo

This study was aimed at discussing spatial regression to find out factors influencing the dengue fever vulnerability in Gorontalo city. The spatial regression method used in this study was the Spatial Autoregressive Model (SAR). The SAR model can provide additional information about the effect of the location of the village/village on the incidence of DBD in Gorontalo City. This study concluded that the number of population, number of poor population, educational facilities and the area elevation were factors influencing the dengue fever vulnerability in the city of Gorontalo

Determinant Factors of Antenatal Clinic on Female Sex Workers Attendance within Nairobi County, Kenya

Globally antenatal care (ANC) initiation is at 58.6% but varies in different continents. Sub-Sahara has the lowest level of ANC care where women attend at least four times during pregnancy. Recent survey in Nairobi County found out that majority of women attends only one antenatal visit during pregnancy. The aim of the study was to explore determinants of antenatal clinic attendance among female sex workers in Nairobi County. A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive study among FSWs (18-49years) was carried out. Simple random sampling and self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection. Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results show that 132 (32.8%) FSWs were aged 30 to 34 years, 242 (60.0%) were not married. 346 (85.9%) had unplanned pregnancy. Late ANC initiation was due to 42.4% (171) attitude of HCWs, 67.6% (215) distance to the healthcare facility and 86.1% (347) longer waiting time. On inferential analysis, there was an association between occupation of respondent vs number of ANC attendance which was significant   = 22.525, df 12, P = 0.032 at P < 0.05. Marital of respondent vs number of ANC attendance was significant  =29.058, df 15, P=0.016 at P<0.05. The income level of respondents vs number of antenatal care visits was significant  =17.557, df 6, P=0.007 at P<0.05. Thus, pregnant FSWs face discrimination during ANC visits. These research findings will form a basis for future studies as well as guide the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to develop policies that will guide ANC services among FSWs. Outreach programs on ANC among FSWs should be implemented and there should ANC services that only target FSWs

Factors Influencing the Delivery of Preconception Care Services among Nursing and Midwifery Students at Aga Khan University, Kenya

Preconception care (PCC) is crucial in addressing biomedical conditions, social factors, and risky behaviors that may jeopardize a healthy pregnancy. Despite its significance, nurses, and midwives face challenges in comprehending the importance and components of PCC, hindering their ability to provide comprehensive care. Inconsistencies in training curricula and a lack of in-service training leave students ill-equipped for PCC provision. This study, conducted through a cross-sectional quantitative descriptive approach at Aga Khan University, involved 104 nursing and midwifery students selected through random sampling. The overall knowledge of PCC was 63.35%, 28.8% correctly defined PCC and its components, and while 67.3% of respondents had received PCC training during their previous education 75% had not undergone in-service or refresher training. Moreover, 45% had not provided PCC in the past six months, and only 45.2% of facilities had PCC guidelines, indicating potential standardization gaps. While the study focused on nursing and midwifery students, acknowledging a limitation in representing all healthcare professionals involved in PCC, it emphasized the need to integrate PCC education into curricula. Recognizing PCC as a vital health component underscores its significance, shedding light on gaps in continuing education for healthcare providers. Collaboration among health professionals in delivering PCC services is suggested to enhance care quality. Furthermore, the study advocates for guidelines to standardize PCC services, promoting consistent and high-quality care. Overall, the insights garnered can inform strategies to improve the reproductive and maternal health of women and couples through enhanced PCC services. The health belief model was the theory underpinning the study