Risk factors associated with mental illness in Oyo State, Nigeria: A Community based study

BACKGROUND: The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with mental illness in Oyo State at community level using the general health questionnaire as a screening tool. METHOD: This cross-sectional, community- based survey was carried out among adults in three randomly selected LGAs using multi-stage sampling technique. RESULTS: A total of 1105 respondents were assessed in all. The overall prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in Oyo state Nigeria was found to be 21.9%, (18.4% in the urban areas and 28.4% in the rural areas, p = 0.005). Young age ≤ 19 yrs (X(2 )= 20.41, p = 0.00013), Unemployment (X(2 )= 11.86 p = 0.0005), living condition below average (X(2 )= 12.21, p = 0.00047), physical health (X(2 )= 6.07, p = 0.014), and large family size (X(2 )= 14.09 p = 0.00017) were associated with increase risk for psychiatric morbidity. Following logistic regression analysis, Unemployment (C.I = 1.18–3.70, OR -2.1) and living conditions perceived to be above average (C.I = 1.99–5.50, OR-3.3) were significant predictors of mental illness while family size less than 6 (C.I = 0.86–0.97, OR-0.91) was protective. CONCLUSION: The teenagers and the rural populations are in greater need of mental health promotional services. Family planning should be made freely available in order to reduce the family size and hence incidence of mental illness in the African population

A Preliminary Analysis of the Immunoglobulin Genes in the African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)

The genomic organization of the IgH (Immunoglobulin heavy chain), Igκ (Immunoglobulin kappa chain), and Igλ (Immunoglobulin lambda chain) loci in the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) was annotated using available genome data. The elephant IgH locus on scaffold 57 spans over 2,974 kb, and consists of at least 112 VH gene segments, 87 DH gene segments (the largest number in mammals examined so far), six JH gene segments, a single μ, a δ remnant, and eight γ genes (α and ε genes are missing, most likely due to sequence gaps). The Igκ locus, found on three scaffolds (202, 50 and 86), contains a total of 153 Vκ gene segments, three Jκ segments, and a single Cκ gene. Two different transcriptional orientations were determined for these Vκ gene segments. In contrast, the Igλ locus on scaffold 68 includes 15 Vλ gene segments, all with the same transcriptional polarity as the downstream Jλ-Cλ cluster. These data suggest that the elephant immunoglobulin gene repertoire is highly diverse and complex. Our results provide insights into the immunoglobulin genes in a placental mammal that is evolutionarily distant from humans, mice, and domestic animals

Defective proliferation and osteogenic potential with altered immunoregulatory phenotype of native bone marrow-multipotential stromal cells in atrophic fracture non-union

Bone marrow-Multipotential stromal cells (BM-MSCs) are increasingly used to treat complicated fracture healing e.g., non-union. Though, the quality of these autologous cells is not well characterized. We aimed to evaluate bone healing-related capacities of non-union BM-MSCs. Iliac crest-BM was aspirated from long-bone fracture patients with normal healing (U) or non-united (NU). Uncultured (native) CD271highCD45low cells or passage-zero cultured BM-MSCs were analyzed for gene expression levels, and functional assays were conducted using culture-expanded BM-MSCs. Blood samples were analyzed for serum cytokine levels. Uncultured NU-CD271highCD45low cells significantly expressed fewer transcripts of growth factor receptors, EGFR, FGFR1, and FGRF2 than U cells. Significant fewer transcripts of alkaline phosphatase (ALPL), osteocalcin (BGLAP), osteonectin (SPARC) and osteopontin (SPP1) were detected in NU-CD271highCD45low cells. Additionally, immunoregulation-related markers were differentially expressed between NU- and U-CD271highCD45low cells. Interestingly, passage-zero NU BM-MSCs showed low expression of immunosuppressive mediators. However, culture-expanded NU and U BM-MSCs exhibited comparable proliferation, osteogenesis, and immunosuppression. Serum cytokine levels were found similar for NU and U groups. Collectively, native NU-BM-MSCs seemed to have low proliferative and osteogenic capacities; therefore, enhancing their quality should be considered for regenerative therapies. Further research on distorted immunoregulatory molecules expression in BM-MSCs could potentially benefit the prediction of complicated fracture healing

Neonatal Infection Prevention Practices among Primary Health Care Workers in a Semi Urban Town in Nigeria

Newborn are particularly susceptible to certain diseases, much more than older children and adults because their new immune system are not adequately developed to fight the bacteria, viruses and parasites that cause these infections. This study therefore examines the neonatal infection prevention practices among primary health care workers in a semi-urban town in Nigeria. This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted between April 22ndand 13th May, 2013. A total sampling of all the primary health care facilities [5 government owned PHC and 36 private PHC] was used to select the participants into the study. All health care workers involved in the care of the newborn and met at the time of the visit to the health facility were recruited into the study. A semi- structured questionnaire was used to collect relevant information and a total of 389 Health care workers were interviewed. The mean age of the respondents was 34.72± 6.45 years. Three quarters [75.6%] of the respondents work in Private PHC and 21.8% work in government owned Primary health centre. Only 69.7% of the respondents have correct knowledge of neonatal infection. About 14.4% of the respondents advocated that baby should not suck the colostrum. About 12.2% of the respondents encourage giving the newborn water instead of breast milk immediately after birth. Furthermore, 15.9% still practice the use of breast milk as eye drops for cure of eye infection in the newborn and 71.4% of respondents still clean baby's ear with cotton bud immediately after birth as infection prevention practices in the newborn. Majority of the respondents [91.3%] encourage exclusive breast feeding. The study shows that unhealthy newborn infection prevention practices is still being practiced at the primary health care centers in Nigeria. Therefore, adequate training on care of the newborn should be given to health care workers involved in the delivery and perinatal care of the newborn in order to reduce the adverse effect of these unhealthy birth practices. These in turn would reduce the high neonatal morbidity and mortality in developing countries

Inheritance of growth and lactation parameters in Yankasa sheep

Estimates of genetic and phenotypic parameters for lactation records of 143 ewes and growth performance of 134 Iambs were examined using the paternal half-sib mixed model analysis. Heritability (h2) estimates for the curve parameters were 1.4, 0.3, 0.2 and 0.5 for a (level of general production), b (pre-peak curvature), c (post-peak curva-ture) and total lactation (T). The estimates of phenotypic and genetic correlations between the various curve parameters were mostly positive and moderate in magnitude. For the growth parameters, h2 estimates of 0.3 and 0.7 were obtained for birth weight (BWT) and 90-day weaning weight (WWT) respectively. The genetic and phenotypic correlations between these traits were 0.7 and 0.3 respectively. In conclusion the moderate estimates of h2 obtained for curve parameters in this study indicate that Improvement of milk production performance of the Yankasa sheep through selection is possible. Similarly, the magnitude of the estimate of correlations between BWT and WWT probably indicates that selection based on BWT will improve WWT. Furthermore, preliminary culling based on BWT is also possible.Keywords: Inheritance, growth and lactation parameters, Yankasa sheep

Experimental reproduction of rotavirus and Salmonella pullorum gastroenteritis in broiler chicks

Numerous viruses, including astroviruses, reoviruses, rotaviruses, coronaviruses, and adenoviruses, have been implicated as causative agents of enteric disease. This is because they have been isolated from or identified in the intestines and intestinal contents of affected poultry flocks. Four experiments were conducted to reproduce enteritis in broiler birds using rotavirus and Salmonella pullorum. Fifty-two broiler birds were obtained and randomly divided into 4 groups. Group A chicks were inoculated with 1 X 106 pfu/ml of rotavirus, group B chicks were inoculated with 1 X 106 cfu/ml of Salmonella pullorum, group C chicks were inoculated with 1 X 106 pfu/ml of rotavirus and 1 X 106 cfu/ml of Salmonella pullorum, while group D birds were given 1ml of PBS alone. Birds in all groups were observed daily for clinical signs and the intestines were processed for histopathological evaluation. Diarrhea and depression were the major signs in chicks given any one of the inoculum. Histological changes were characterized by swollen villus tips and constricted villus bases, proliferation of enterocytes and necrotic villi. Significant growth retardation was observed in chicks given either rotavirus or Salmonella pullorum, but this effect was more pronounced in chicks given the combination of rotavirus and Salmonella pullorum. The present study reveals that oral inoculation of birds with rotavirus or rotavirus/Salmonella pullorum combination leads to diarrhoea and significant growth depression. It is thus important to continuously screen and prevent against organisms infecting the GIT for optimal performance of birds.Keywords: Broiler, Diarrhea, Growth depression, Rotavirus, Salmonella pulloru