Prevalence of diabetes in a semi-urban community in northern Nigeria.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a growing public health problem both in developing and developed nations. The prevalence of diabetes globally is projected to rise from 2.8% in 2000 to 4.4% in 2030.This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of diabetes in Dakace village, near Zaria Method: This study was part of a larger study to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among adults in Dakace village, near Zaria. Out of a total of 492 eligible respondents for the study, a subsample of 199 persons was recruited using a systematic sampling technique had their fasting blood glucose levels determined. Body mass indices of the participants were also determined. Results: A total of 199 subjects (94 males and 105 females) participated in this segment of the study. Three subjects had fasting blood glucose (FBG) of more than 7.0mmol/L; one participant a previously known diabetic on medication had a good glycaemic control. The overall prevalence of diabetes was 2.0%.Five participants (2.5%) had impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Among the diabetics, one was overweight (BMI= 27.43Kg/m2) and one was obese (BMI=31.55Kg/m2), while among those with impaired fasting glucose two were overweight. Fortythree subjects (21.6%) were overweight and 15 (7.5%) were obese. Conclusion: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in this semi-urban community is keeping with what had been reported earlier from across the country.Nigerian Journal of Medicine Vol. 17 (4) 2008: pp. 414-41

Impact of foreign interventions on forest development projects in Jigawa state, Nigeria

Since the inception of independent, local interventions have been coming to play in forest development inNigeria. Therefore, there is need to access the impact of foreign interventions on forest development projects in Nigeria. Therefore, the study examined the impact of foreign interventions on the forest development project in Jigawa State with the view to ascertaining the need. Purposive sampling design employed in the study. A total of two hundred and forty (240) copies of questionnaire were administered and the data were subjected to the descriptive statistical analysis. The mean age of the respondents is 32.7 years. Majority (62.1%) were males, married (48.8%). Most respondents were either students (37.1%), farmers (28.3%) or business men (18.8%). Below average have secondary education (43.3%). On awareness only Tree planting (x =1.733), Individual Wood Lot ( x=1.558) and Home Garden practices ( x=1.471) were known. There is a low involvement in home garden ( x=0.992), individual wood lot ( x=1.063) while tree planting (x =1.696) showed high involvement. No positive perception on FDP in the minds of the respondents. FDP has favorable impact on agronomic practices and the environment except pollution (12.9%). Awareness campaign show be instituted to the respondents in the community on the significance of FDP. Proper efforts should be made to involve the respondents more on FDP since the involvement of the respondents in FDP is low. It is recommended that Jigawa State government need foreign invention on forest development project in order to assist the State in arresting the spread of drought and desertification, enhance the productivity of the agricultural land, stimulates and increase the production of fuel wood, poles and other minor forest products in the State through improved perception of the respondents on FDP and bettered to improve the utilization and involvement in FDP as well as addressing, explored and addressed other agronomic practices to help agriculture Keywords: Foreign Interventions, Forest Development, Impact, Jigawa State and Project

Nuclear Import of the Thyroid Hormone Receptor α1 is Mediated by Importin 7, Importin β1, and Adaptor Importin α1

The thyroid hormone receptor a1 (TRa1) is a nuclear receptor for thyroid hormone that shuttles rapidly between the nucleus and cytoplasm. Our prior studies showed that nuclear import of TRa1 is directed by two nuclear localization signals, one in the N-terminal A/B domain and the other in the hinge domain. Here, we showed using in vitro nuclear import assays that TRa1 nuclear localization is temperature and energy-dependent and can be reconstituted by the addition of cytosol. In HeLa cells expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged TRa1, knockdown of importin 7, importin B1 and importin a1 by RNA interference, or treatment with an importin B1-specific inhibitor, significantly reduced nuclear localization of TRa1, while knockdown of other importins had no effect. Coimmunoprecipitation assays confirmed that TRa1 interacts with importin 7, as well as importin B1 and the adapter importin B1, suggesting that TRa1 trafficking into the nucleus is mediated by two distinct pathways

MD2 activation by direct AGE interaction drives inflammatory diabetic cardiomyopathy

Hyperglycemia activates toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) to induce inflammation in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). However, the mechanisms of TLR4 activation remain unclear. Here we examine the role of myeloid differentiation 2 (MD2), a co-receptor of TLR4, in high glucose (HG)- and diabetes-induced inflammatory cardiomyopathy. We show increased MD2 in heart tissues of diabetic mice and serum of human diabetic subjects. MD2 deficiency in mice inhibits TLR4 pathway activation, which correlates with reduced myocardial remodeling and improved cardiac function. Mechanistically, we show that HG induces extracellular advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which bind directly to MD2, leading to formation of AGEs-MD2-TLR4 complex and initiation of pro-inflammatory pathways. We further detect elevated AGE-MD2 complexes in heart tissues and serum of diabetic mice and human subjects with DCM. In summary, we uncover a new mechanism of HG-induced inflammatory responses and myocardial injury, in which AGE products directly bind MD2 to drive inflammatory DCM

A packaged whispering gallery resonator device based on an optical nanoantenna coupler

In this work, we present the design and fabrication of a packaged whispering gallery mode (WGM) device based on an optical nanoantenna as the coupler and a glass microsphere as the resonator. The microspheres were fabricated from SiO$_2$ fiber or Er$^{3+}$-doped fiber, the latter creating a WGM laser with a threshold of 93 $\mu$W at 1531 nm. The coupler-resonator WGM device is packaged in a glass capillary. The performance of the packaged microlaser is characterized, with lasing emission both excited in and collected from the WGM cavity via the nanoantenna. The packaged system provides isolation from environmental contamination, a small size, and unidirectional coupling while maintaining a high quality (Q-) factor ($\sim$10$^8$). It opens up new possibilities for practical applications of WGM microdevices in a variety of fields such as low threshold lasers, filters, and sensors

High mortality among tuberculosis patients on treatment in Nigeria: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of death in much of sub-Saharan Africa despite available effective treatment. Prompt initiation of TB treatment and access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains vital to the success of TB control. We assessed time to mortality after treatment onset using data from a large treatment centre in Nigeria. METHODS: We analysed a retrospective cohort of TB patients that commenced treatment between January 2010 and December 2014 in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. We estimated mortality rates per person-months at risk (pm). Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine risk factors for mortality. RESULTS: Among 1,424 patients with a median age of 36.6 years, 237 patients (16.6%) died after commencing TB treatment giving a mortality rate of 3.68 per 100 pm of treatment in this cohort. Most deaths occurred soon after treatment onset with a mortality rate of 37.6 per 100 pm in the 1st week of treatment. Risk factors for death were being HIV-positive but not on anti-retroviral treatment (ART) (aHR 1.39(1 · 04-1 · 85)), residence outside the city (aHR 3 · 18(2.28-4.45)), previous TB treatment (aHR 3.48(2.54-4.77)), no microbiological confirmation (aHR 4.96(2.69-9.17)), having both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary TB (aHR 1.45(1.03-2.02), and referral from a non-programme linked clinic/centre (aHR 3.02(2.01-4.53)). CONCLUSIONS: We attribute early deaths in this relatively young cohort to delay in diagnosis and treatment of TB, inadequate treatment of drug-resistant TB, and poor ART access. Considerable expansion and improvement in quality of diagnosis and treatment services for TB and HIV are needed to achieve the sustainable development goal of reducing TB deaths by 95% by 2035

Analysis of the geographic distribution of HFRS in Liaoning Province between 2000 and 2005

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is endemic in Liaoning Province, China, and this province was the most serious area affected by HFRS during 2004 to 2005. In this study, we conducted a spatial analysis of HFRS cases with the objective to determine the distribution of HFRS cases and to identify key areas for future public health planning and resource allocation in Liaoning Province.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The annual average incidence at the county level was calculated using HFRS cases reported between 2000 and 2005 in Liaoning Province. GIS-based spatial analyses were conducted to detect spatial distribution and clustering of HFRS incidence at the county level, and the difference of relative humidity and forestation between the cluster areas and non-cluster areas was analyzed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Spatial distribution of HFRS cases in Liaoning Province from 2000 to 2005 was mapped at the county level to show crude incidence, excess hazard, and spatial smoothed incidence. Spatial cluster analysis suggested 16 and 41 counties were at increased risk for HFRS (p < 0.01) with the maximum spatial cluster sizes at ≤ 50% and ≤ 30% of the total population, respectively, and the analysis showed relative humidity and forestation in the cluster areas were significantly higher than in other areas.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Some clustering of HFRS cases in Liaoning Province may be etiologically linked. There was strong evidence some HFRS cases in Liaoning Province formed clusters, but the mechanism underlying it remains unknown. In this study we found the clustering was consistent with the relative humidity and amount of forestation, and showed data indicating there may be some significant relationships.</p

LHCb upgrade software and computing : technical design report

This document reports the Research and Development activities that are carried out in the software and computing domains in view of the upgrade of the LHCb experiment. The implementation of a full software trigger implies major changes in the core software framework, in the event data model, and in the reconstruction algorithms. The increase of the data volumes for both real and simulated datasets requires a corresponding scaling of the distributed computing infrastructure. An implementation plan in both domains is presented, together with a risk assessment analysis