Prevalence and factors influencing cigarette smoking among young adults in a tertiary institution in Borno State, Nigeria

Objectives: Tobacco use, a preventable cause of morbidity and mortality, kills over 3.5 million people worldwide each year. Adverse effects of tobacco smoking on general health and longevity are well documented. WHO states that out of the 1.22 billion smokers, 1 billion live in developing and transitional economies. Epidemiological studies among different University students showed marked variation in the prevalence of smoking. The current study was aimed at finding the prevalence of smoking and factors influencing it among young adults in a tertiary institution in Borno State, northeast Nigeria and to find whether there is a change in the trend from previous studies. Factors influencing the onset of smoking habits among adolescents were investigated with peer-group/friends as the single most important contributory factor.Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey of 400 undergraduate students of the University, carried out over six weeks using a structured, researcher-administered questionnaire.Result: Forty-eight percent of the respondents fall within the age group of 20-24 years and majority of them (76%) were male. The prevalence of those of them currently smoking was 11.5%. The major reason for initiating the smoking habit amongst the undergraduates was peer group influence observed in over 60% of respondents.Conclusion: The prevalence of current smokers among university students in Maiduguri is relatively low. Peer influence still plays an integral role in sustaining the habit and it can be targeted to further decrease the trend.Keywords: Cigarette, smoking, prevalence, tertiary, adult

Roles and Responsibilities in Newborn Care in four African Sites.

To explore roles and responsibilities in newborn care in the intra- and postpartum period in Nigeria, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Qualitative data were collected using in-depth interviews with mothers, grandmothers, fathers, health workers and birth attendants and were analysed through content and framework analyses. We found that birth attendants were the main decision-makers and care takers in the intrapartum period. Birth attendants varied across sites and included female relatives (Ethiopia and Nigeria), traditional birth attendants (Tanzania and Nigeria), spiritual birth attendants (Nigeria) and health workers (Tanzania and Nigeria). In the early newborn period, when the mother is deemed to be resting, female family members assumed this role. The mothers themselves only took full responsibility for newborn care after a few days or weeks. The early newborn period was protracted for first-time mothers, who were perceived as needing training on caring for the baby. Clear gender roles were described, with newborn care being considered a woman's domain. Fathers had little physical contact with the newborn, but played an important role in financing newborn care, and were considered the ultimate decision-maker in the family. Interventions should move beyond a focus on the mother-child dyad, to include other carers who perform and decide on newborn care practices. Given this power dynamic, interventions that involve men have the potential to result in behaviour change

Thyroid Hemiagenesis: Narrative Review and Clinical Implications

Thyroid Hemiagenesis (THA) is an uncommon, congenital anomaly defined by the absence of one thyroid lobe with or without the isthmus. Reports suggest it may be found more often in regions endemic for hypothyroidism. Genetic abnormalities are thought to have a role based on findings in monozygotic twins. Most cases are sporadic, however familiar clusters have also been documented. It is found more frequently in females. A majority of patients report no symptoms and THA is found incidentally during investigations or intraoperatively. THA is usually associated with normal thyroid function, but it can present with thyroid hypofunction. Since a majority of patients are asymptomatic, there are no specific recommendations for management. Ultrasound imaging and thyroid scintigraphy using technetium or iodine are useful in diagnosis. Its clinical importance occurs when the remnant thyroid lobe requires excision leading to the lifelong requirement for thyroxine supplementation. Published English literature (Medline, PubMed, and Embase databases) was searched. Medical subject headings (MeSH) terms used were “thyroid hemiagenesis,” “one thyroid lobe,” and “thyroid aplasia”. Case reports, case series, and original articles were selected to provide a framework for this review. Articles reviewed were published in the past 20 years. The association of THA with thyroid cancer was explored. In this group, the F:M ratio was 3.25:1. Left THA constituted 53% of cases, right THA in 29.4%, and isthmus absence in 17.6% of cases. Also, the authors investigated the link between THA and hyperparathyroidism, both left and right THA are seen in an equal number of cases in the hyperparathyroidism subgroup. In patients with THA and Grave’s disease, left THA was seen in a majority of cases (86.7%), while an equal number of left and right THA was observed in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. In addition, congenital abnormalities associated with THA were observed, the left THA was seen in 60% and right THA in 40% of cases of this subgroup. The summative review provided a detailed insight into the epidemiology, aetiopathogenesis, genetics, symptomatology, diagnosis, and treatment for THA by combining findings and results from almost a hundred research papers from around the world. THA remains a poorly understood, often incidentally detected, abnormality in euthyroid patients undergoing investigations and treatment for other thyroid disorders

Pharyngeal carriage of Neisseria species in the African meningitis belt.

OBJECTIVES: Neisseria meningitidis, together with the non-pathogenic Neisseria species (NPNs), are members of the complex microbiota of the human pharynx. This paper investigates the influence of NPNs on the epidemiology of meningococcal infection. METHODS: Neisseria isolates were collected during 18 surveys conducted in six countries in the African meningitis belt between 2010 and 2012 and characterized at the rplF locus to determine species and at the variable region of the fetA antigen gene. Prevalence and risk factors for carriage were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 4694 isolates of Neisseria were obtained from 46,034 pharyngeal swabs, a carriage prevalence of 10.2% (95% CI, 9.8-10.5). Five Neisseria species were identified, the most prevalent NPN being Neisseria lactamica. Six hundred and thirty-six combinations of rplF/fetA_VR alleles were identified, each defined as a Neisseria strain type. There was an inverse relationship between carriage of N. meningitidis and of NPNs by age group, gender and season, whereas carriage of both N. meningitidis and NPNs was negatively associated with a recent history of meningococcal vaccination. CONCLUSION: Variations in the prevalence of NPNs by time, place and genetic type may contribute to the particular epidemiology of meningococcal disease in the African meningitis belt

Pharyngeal carriage of Neisseria species in the African meningitis belt.

OBJECTIVES: Neisseria meningitidis, together with the non-pathogenic Neisseria species (NPNs), are members of the complex microbiota of the human pharynx. This paper investigates the influence of NPNs on the epidemiology of meningococcal infection. METHODS: Neisseria isolates were collected during 18 surveys conducted in six countries in the African meningitis belt between 2010 and 2012 and characterized at the rplF locus to determine species and at the variable region of the fetA antigen gene. Prevalence and risk factors for carriage were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 4694 isolates of Neisseria were obtained from 46,034 pharyngeal swabs, a carriage prevalence of 10.2% (95% CI, 9.8-10.5). Five Neisseria species were identified, the most prevalent NPN being Neisseria lactamica. Six hundred and thirty-six combinations of rplF/fetA_VR alleles were identified, each defined as a Neisseria strain type. There was an inverse relationship between carriage of N. meningitidis and of NPNs by age group, gender and season, whereas carriage of both N. meningitidis and NPNs was negatively associated with a recent history of meningococcal vaccination. CONCLUSION: Variations in the prevalence of NPNs by time, place and genetic type may contribute to the particular epidemiology of meningococcal disease in the African meningitis belt.MenAfriCar was funded by the Wellcome Trust (086546/Z/08/Z) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (51251). Kanny Diallo holds a Wellcome Trust Training Fellowship in Public Health and Tropical Medicine.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Elsevier via https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2016.03.01

Correction: A Seroepidemiological Study of Serogroup A Meningococcal Infection in the African Meningitis Belt.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147928.]

A connectome and analysis of the adult Drosophila central brain.

The neural circuits responsible for animal behavior remain largely unknown. We summarize new methods and present the circuitry of a large fraction of the brain of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Improved methods include new procedures to prepare, image, align, segment, find synapses in, and proofread such large data sets. We define cell types, refine computational compartments, and provide an exhaustive atlas of cell examples and types, many of them novel. We provide detailed circuits consisting of neurons and their chemical synapses for most of the central brain. We make the data public and simplify access, reducing the effort needed to answer circuit questions, and provide procedures linking the neurons defined by our analysis with genetic reagents. Biologically, we examine distributions of connection strengths, neural motifs on different scales, electrical consequences of compartmentalization, and evidence that maximizing packing density is an important criterion in the evolution of the fly's brain

Parental reasons and perception of traditional uvulectomy in children

Background: The practice of traditional uvulectomy in children is common in Africa. This is usually propagated by traditional health providers, the disease causal attributions by the uvula are the main influencing factors for subjecting children to the procedure. Objectives: To ascerlain the parent′s reasons and perception of traditional uvulectomy in children, their educational and socioeconomic status. Methods: A one year prospective survey on all parents of children aged 15yrs and below presenting to our facilities and who were found to have an amputated uvula. A structured interviewer- questionnaire was administered to 385 parents; the interviewer-questionnaire contained the child′s demographic data, age of the child at uvulectomy, the parent′s educational level and occupation and also the parent′s perception on the diseases caused by the uvula. The data collated was analyzed using. the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) software, version 16.0. Results: A total of 385 children with amputated uvula were studied, males constituted, 52.7%, and females, 47.3%. The commonest disease perception attributed to the uvula was frequent throat infections, 102(260.5%)0 . other perceptions include failure-to-thrive, 43(111 .2%), and some multiple disease occurrence which includes diarrhea and vomiting. The educational levels of the parents were mostly, non-formal, 194 (50.4%), with a significant disease attribution correlation, p=<0.005. Most of the parents were of the socio2-economic ciess3-v, 162(42.1 %), with a significant disease attribution correlation, p=<0.005. Conclusion: The main parental reason for traditional uvulectomy in children was found to be frequent throat infections and some multiple disease occurrences, parental poverly and lack of formal education were some of the major influencing factors, hence we recommend that, formal education, especially health education and creation of employments by the government will help in alleviating such practices4

The ultrasonic appearances of clinically suspected uterine fibroids in a Nigerian population

Background: Uterine fibroids are the commonest solid benign tumor in women of reproductive age. Pelvic ultrasonography is a very popular imaging modality used in its diagnosis. Objectives: This study was carried out to determine the various appearances of fibroids on ultrasonography, and to compare these findings with those obtained in the Western world. Methods: 120 consecutive patients in whom an ultrasound diagnosis of fibroids was made were analyzed. All patients were scanned via the transabdominal route. Their locations, sizes, and echotexture were noted. Results: Diffuse lesions were seen in 17. 5% patients, while 82. 5 % had focal masses. 33. 3 % and 30% patients had hypoechoic and echogenic masses respectively. There was also a high percentage of degenerative changes viz: fibrosis, necrosis (20. 8 %) and calcifications (9. 2%). Conclusion: The sonographic pattern of fibroids did not differ greatly from that previously reported although a higher percentage was echogenic, suggesting more fibrous tissue conten