The Effect of Concept Mapping and Problem-Solving Teaching Strategies on Achievement in Genetics among !igerian Secondary School Students

The study examined the effect of concept-mapping and problem-solving teaching strategies on achievement in genetics among Nigerian Secondary School Students. The method used for the study was a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test treatment design. One hundred and thirteen senior secondary three (S.S. III) students randomly selected from three mixed secondary schools located in Delta North Senatorial District of Delta State, Nigeria were used as subjects for the study. The experimental group was taught selected topics in Genetics using concept mapping and problem-solving strategies while the control group was taught using the traditional lecture method. The result of the study showed that the experimental group performed significantly better in Genetics than the control group and that gender does not affect students' achievement in genetics. African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences Vol. 4 2006: pp. 93-9

Lipid profile of drug naive HIV patients in a tertiary health facility in Lagos, Nigeria

Aim: To determine the effect of HIV syndrome on lipid profile in a cohort of Nigerians.Objective: To determine the concentrations of total cholesterol (Tchol), triglyceride (TGL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and low density lipoprotein (LDL) in HIV positive drug naive patients as against HIV negative people.Methods: This study examined the lipid profiles of 50 HIV positive individuals (test group), and 50 HIV negative individuals (control group) at the Human Virology Laboratory of Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Lagos, Nigeria. Informed consent was obtained and the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of NIMR approved the study. A questionnaire based assessment was provided for the individuals to complete, before 5 ml of blood was taken by venopuncture. Blood collected in plain tubes was centrifuged at 3500 rpm for 10 minutes and the serum obtained, used for the various lipid profile tests mentioned above.Statistical analysis on data from the questionnaire was done using Epi info 2000 (CDC).Results: The median lipid profile values for the control group were 168, 85, 99 and 58 mg/dl for Tchol, TGL, HDL and LDL respectively. Conversely, median lipid profile values for the HIV positive patients were 145, 98, 53, and 67 mg/dl for Tchol, TGL, HDL and LDL respectively. P values greater than 0.05 were taken to indicate an insignificant difference between the lipid profiles of the two groups.Conclusion: Based on results obtained, there were significant differences in the Tchol and HDL values between the two groups, indicating a possible effect of HIV on lipid profile for drug naive patients.Key words: lipid profile, HIV, TGL, HDL, LDL, Tchol

Toxoplasma Gondii Infection in HIV/AIDS: Prevalence and Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. It is common in severely immunecompromisedpersons.OBJECTIVE: To determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection and the risk factors associated with the infection and to investigate the association between T. gondii infection and CD4 cell count.METHODS: Sera collected from 242 HIV positive HAART- naive patients were tested for T. gondii specific immunoglobulin G antibodies. Information was obtained using a structured questionnaire. Baseline CD4 cell counts were obtained from patients case files. Data was managed using SPSS version 20 software and Microsoft Excel worksheet.RESULTS: One hundred and sixty eight (69.4%) subjects were females while 74(30.6%) were males. One hundred (41.3%) of study participants were Toxoplasma IgG antibody positive. Thirty two(32) HIV positive pregnant women were among this group studied with 12( 37.5%) being Toxo IgG antibody positive. Toxoplasma seropositivity was higher in females (42.8%) than in males (39.2%), P= 0.60. CD4 cell count level of < 200 was negatively associated with Toxoplasma seropositivity than CD4 count . 200 by logistic regression (OR= 0.6; 95% CI 0.3- 1.0). Living in proximity with cat was positively associated with T. gondii infection (P= 0.01).CONCLUSION: T. gondii infection is common in pregnant women indicating greater probability of congenital transmission of T. gondii. This could form a basis for recommending intensifying health education and prophylactic treatment for all HIV positive pregnant women. Measures should be taken to prevent stray cats from entering homes.Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii , IgG, Seroprevalence, HIV positive, CD4 cells

Positional cloning of rp2 QTL associates the P450 genes CYP6Z1, CYP6Z3 and CYP6M7 with pyrethroid resistance in the malaria vector Anopheles funestus

Pyrethroid resistance in Anopheles funestus is threatening malaria control in Africa. Elucidation of underlying resistance mechanisms is crucial to improve the success of future control programs. A positional cloning approach was used to identify genes conferring resistance in the uncharacterised rp2 quantitative trait locus (QTL) previously detected in this vector using F6 advanced intercross lines (AIL). A 113 kb BAC clone spanning rp2 was identified and sequenced revealing a cluster of 15 P450 genes and one salivary protein gene (SG7-2). Contrary to A. gambiae, AfCYP6M1 is triplicated in A. funestus, while AgCYP6Z2 orthologue is absent. Five hundred and sixty-five new single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)were identified for genetic mapping from rp2 P450s and other genes revealing high genetic polymorphisms with one SNP every 36 bp. A significant genotype/phenotype association was detected for rp2 P450s but not for a cluster of cuticular protein genes previously associated with resistance in A. gambiae. QTL mapping using F6 AIL confirms the rp2 QTL with an increase logarithm of odds score of 5. Multiplex gene expression profiling of 15 P450s and other genes around rp2 followed by individual validation using qRT–PCR indicated a significant overexpression in the resistant FUMOZ-R strain of the P450s AfCYP6Z1, AfCYP6Z3, AfCYP6M7 and the glutathione-s-transferase GSTe2 with respective fold change of 11.2,6.3, 5.5 and 2.8. Polymorphisms analysis of AfCYP6Z1 and AfCYP6Z3 identified amino acid changes potentially associated with resistance further indicating that these genes are controlling the pyrethroid resistance explained by the rp2 QTL. The characterisation of this rp2 QTL significantly improves our understanding of resistance mechanisms in A. funestus

Reassessment of Onchocerciasis prevalence in Etteh, Nigeria, after a decade of mass mectizan chemotherapeutic intervention: Preliminary report

Areassessment of the prevalence of onchocerciasiswas carried out in Etteh community in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu state, Nigeria. The community has been known to be highly endemic for onchocerciasis. The assessment of endemicity was based on Rapid Assessment Method (RAM), which involved the use of two onchocercal indices namely the presence of palpable nodules and depigmentation (Leopard skin). Out o the 716 individuals examined consisting of 327 males and 389 females, the overal prevalence of palpable onchocercal nodules was 51.4%. The females had insignificanty (P>0.05) higher rate of onchocercomata (51.9%) than males (44.0%). The anatomical distribution of nodules in descending order of occurrence was pelvic regon (26.3%), head and neck regon (20.6%), thorax and lumbar (15.7%), upper limbs (14.5%), lower limbs (12.4%) and others (abdomen and shoulders, 5.9%). It is obvious that in spite of the decade-longannual free distribution of Mectizan in the area, onchocerciasis prevalence is still high.Keywords: Onchocerciasis, Mectizan, Reassessment, Nodules, Chemotherap