Development of thiazole orange-carrying peptide nucleic acid small molecule conjugate probes for the promoter region of Influenza A virus

Tohoku University博士（理学）thesi

Development of thiazole orange-carrying peptide nucleic acid small molecule conjugate probes for the promoter region of Influenza A virus

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UNESCO and its agencies' impact on cultural policy frameworks in Africa: a study of Mapungubwe World Heritage Site in South Africa

ABSTRACT UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention of 1972 has set the standard for the evaluation, preservation and conservation of World Heritage Sites (WHS) globally. The role and function of UNESCO in the cultural heritage sector in Africa, in particular cannot be denied. However, the World Heritage Convention (WHC) site management requirements for African States that are parties to the Convention, presents challenges in terms of implementation. This is due in most cases, to lack of infrastructure, deficient national policy structures, poor legislation, bad management and poor implementation. This is particularly the case in developing countries where governments are grappling with socio-economic and political challenges. Questions are raised about who has the right to define heritage, and what kinds of parameters are used to measure World Heritage of ‘‘universal’’ value. Is it appropriate for UNESCO to recommend a set of standards that have become a lens through which global cultural heritage policy is viewed and measured? What then are the implications for African sites for being listed as World Heritage, and what are their chances of competing in the global cultural arena based on the challenges mentioned above? This research report, through a study of the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, attempts to grapple with aspects of the questions raised above, and seeks to illustrate the challenges of managing a World Heritage Site. It highlights the gaps between WHC requirements, national cultural policy legislation, infrastructural and human resource incapacity, and implementation by the management at the Mapungubwe World Heritage Sit

Essential health care service disruption due to COVID-19: lessons for sustainability in Nigeria

The pandemic revealed a strained Nigerian health system, forced to transfer already limited resources to combatting COVID-19, whilst coping with disruptions to health supplies and increased demand for health services. These supply and demand side factors resulted in disruption across child and maternal health services delivery, as well as to the prevention, testing, and treatment of HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria, amongst other EHS. Innovative service and goods delivery strategies, such as mobile immunisation services and multi-month drug dispensing, were implemented to mitigate the impact of disruptions. Evidence suggests that embedding these practices into regular EHS delivery, alongside increased investment in health infrastructure and health workforces, could help build EHS resilience in future. The brief concludes that sustaining the continuity of EHS requires policies that ensure a whole-society and systems strengthening approach. This involves increased health care investment, community engagement, disease control regulations, and multisector approaches to improve resilience, EHS quality, and equity

Lifestyle and anthropometric indices of hypertensive patients in Bichi Local Government Area Kano State

Background: Nutrition is a very crucial component in the management of hypertension. The diet of hypertensive patients needs to be critically assessed as well as the lifestyle changes that would encourage maintenance of good blood pressure control. Objective: The study evaluated the lifestyle and anthropometric indices of hypertensive patients in Bichi Local Government Area, Kano State. Method: A cross sectional study design was used. A total of 300 subjects were selected by simple random sampling by ballot without replacement. Validated questionnaire was used to collect information from the respondents while weighing scale, height meter and tape were used for anthropometric measurement. The mean, frequency, percentage and standard deviation of the data was obtained. The data was presented in tables and figures. Result: The result of the study revealed that the average body mass index of the respondents was in the overweight range (28.37±4.35) about 43% were overweight while 37% were obese. It was also discovered that 18% of the subjects’ smoke, 20% consume alcohol daily and 65% of the subjects do not engage in any form of exercise. Conclusion: The high prevalence of overweight and hypertension among patients (80%) was due to their poor dietary pattern and lifestyle. Therefore, there is need for a lifestyle and dietary modification to help them lose weight, obtain adequate diet and as well maintain a good blood pressure to prevent complications associations associated

Impact of Plasmodium falciparum and hookworm infections on the frequency of anaemia in pregnant women of rural communities in Enugu, South East Nigeria

Introduction: Malaria and hookworm infections are common in sub-Saharan Africa and they increase the prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy with resultant poor pregnancy outcomes. This study was carried out to assess the impact of Plasmodium falciparum and hookworm infections on the frequency of anaemia among pregnant women in two rural communities in Enugu, South East Nigeria. Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out in a total of 226 women attending antenatal clinics at two rural Primary Health Centres (PHC) from April 2011 to July 2011(each PHC with 113 subjects). Socio-demographic data were collected through a structured questionnaire. Blood and stool samples were evaluated for haemoglobin estimation and malaria parasites, and stool samples examined for parasitic infection in all the women. Data was analyzed using STATA 10 software statistical analysis package. Student t-test was used for comparing mean values and chi square test for comparing categorical variables and level of significance set at p<0.05 and logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors associated with malaria in pregnancy. Results: The mean age of the women was 27years with range 18 - 38years and SD of 5years. Most of the women were housewives and over 50% in their second trimester. 53% of them had malaria parasites while 27% had hookworm infection. About 40% of the women were anaemic (haemoglobin < 0.001). Similar association was found between hookworm infection and anaemia (p (p <0.001). Though both malaria and hookworm infections greatly increase the odds for anaemia (AOR 18.06, CI 18.15 -39.99, P<0.001) and (AOR 5.28, CI 2.26 -12.38, P<0.001) respectively, the odds for having anaemia in pregnancy was higher for malaria than hookworm infections. Conclusion: Plasmodium falciparum and hookworm infections have significant impact on the high frequency of anaemia in pregnancy in our rural communities. There is need to strengthen the control program that has been in place with an integrated intervention to combat these parasitic infections in our rural communities, with mass distribution of antihelminthics as one of the included relevant methods, among others.Pan African Medical Journal 2013; 14:2

Meta-Governance and the Metaphysics of Political Leadership in 21st Century Africa: A Focus on Election Administration in Nigeria

This study essentially considered the relevance of governance networks in election administration in Nigerian. It was acknowledged in the study that governance involves a new process of governing; or a changed condition of ordered rule, or the new method by which society is governed. Governance networks were seen in the study as instruments of public policy-making, in which policy-processes take place. Meta-governance was accepted to be the governance of governance, a tool for steering processes in self-regulating governance networks; and also accepted to be about both facilitating and constraining policy processes. It was upheld in the study that the most critical element of network governance is coordination. But in meta-governance, the most critical requirement goes beyond coordination. In this dimension, in election administration in Nigeria for instance, the meta-governor must be a repository of national interest. And indeed, Nigeria’s election administration requires a mainstream interest of governance networks. The consummation of the interests of the governance networks would be the dilution of the influence of political leadership on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). A meta-governing electoral commission is not in any way an absurdity under Nigeria’s democratic evolution. However, this meta-governing electoral administrator will not be a creation of a partisan political leadership but a natural fruition of the actions of the governance networks. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n9p17

Opinion and use of contraceptives among medical students of the University of Nigeria, Enugu campus

Background: Non-use or poor usage of any form of contraception increases the chances of unwanted pregnancies, abortion and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS occurring with attendant problems. The knowledge of, and the appropriate use of contraceptives will reduce the prevalence of unwanted pregnancies and unsafe induced abortion as well as limit incidence of STIs and associated complications.Objectives: Determination of the opinion and use of contraceptives; to examine the socio-demographics, knowledge and attitude towards contraception and contraceptive use among medical undergraduates in the University of Nigeria, Enugu campus.Methodology: A cross-sectional study. Stratified probability sampling technique was employed using the different medical classes as strata. Individuals were subsequently chosen at random until a statistically determined sample size was achieved. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20) software was utilized for data analysis.Results: Our study found a statistically significant relationship between sex and contraceptive use. It was also statistically deduced that knowledge of possible contraceptives failure negatively impacts on opinion with regards to contraceptive use.Conclusion: Positive opinion towards contraceptives will go a long way to encourage proper and effective contraceptives use. This can be achieved by utilizing counseling by health workers.Keywords: Opinion, use, contraceptives, medical students

Comparative Genomics and Characterization of Hybrid Shigatoxigenic and Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC/ETEC) Strains

Background Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) cause serious foodborne infections in humans. These two pathogroups are defined based on the pathogroup-associated virulence genes: stx encoding Shiga toxin (Stx) for STEC and elt encoding heat-labile and/or est encoding heat-stable enterotoxin (ST) for ETEC. The study investigated the genomics of STEC/ETEC hybrid strains to determine their phylogenetic position among E. coli and to define the virulence genes they harbor. Methods The whole genomes of three STEC/ETEC strains possessing both stx and est genes were sequenced using PacBio RS sequencer. Two of the strains were isolated from the patients, one with hemolytic uremic syndrome, and one with diarrhea. The third strain was of bovine origin. Core genome analysis of the shared chromosomal genes and comparison with E. coli and Shigella spp. reference genomes was performed to determine the phylogenetic position of the STEC/ETEC strains. In addition, a set of virulence genes and ETEC colonization factors were extracted from the genomes. The production of Stx and ST were studied. Results The human STEC/ETEC strains clustered with strains representing ETEC, STEC, entero-aggregative E. coli, and commensal and laboratory-adapted E. coli. However, the bovine STEC/ETEC strain formed a remote cluster with two STECs of bovine origin. All three STEC/ETEC strains harbored several other virulence genes, apart from stx and est, and lacked ETEC colonization factors. Two STEC/ETEC strains produced both toxins and one strain Stx only. Conclusions This study shows that pathogroup-associated virulence genes of different E. coli can coexist in strains originating from different phylogenetic lineages. The possibility of virulence genes to be associated with several E. coli pathogroups should be taken into account in strain typing and in epidemiological surveillance. Development of novel hybrid E. coli strains may cause a new public health risk, which challenges the traditional diagnostics of E. coli infections.Peer reviewe