Incidence of synchronous appendiceal neoplasm in patients with colorectal cancer and its clinical significance

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aims of this study were to evaluate the incidence of synchronous appendiceal neoplasm in patients with colorectal cancer, and to determine its clinical significance.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Pathological reports and medical records were reviewed of patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma who underwent oncological resection of the tumor together with appendectomy at the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand between September 2000 and April 2008.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>This study included 293 patients with an average age of 62 years (range 19–95) and 51 percent were male. Of the patients studied, 228 (78 percent) had right hemicolectomy, whereas the others (22 percent) had surgery for left-sided colon cancer or rectal cancer. One patient (0.3 percent) had epithelial appendiceal neoplasm (mucinous cystadenoma) and 3 patients (1.0 percent) had metastatic colorectal cancer in the mesoappendix. However, the presence of synchronous appendiceal tumors and/or metastasis did not alter postoperative management, as these patients had received adjuvant therapy and were scheduled for surveillance program because of nodal involvement.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The incidence of synchronous primary appendiceal neoplasm and secondary (metastatic) appendiceal neoplasm in colorectal cancer patients was 0.3 and 1.0 percent, respectively. However, these findings did not change the postoperative clinical management.</p

Knowledge of AIDS and HIV risk-related sexual behavior among Nigerian naval personnel

BACKGROUND: The epidemic of HIV continues to grow in Nigeria. Personnel in the military are at increased risk of HIV infection. Although HIV-risk related sexual behavior of Nigerian police officers has been studied, little is known about the sexual behavior of their counterparts in the Navy. This study describes knowledge of AIDS, and HIV-risk sexual behavior of naval personnel in Lagos Nigeria. METHODS: Four hundred and eighty personnel of the Nigerian Navy completed a 70-item questionnaire in 2002. Group discussion and in-depth interviews of four key informants were also conducted to gain insights into the context of risky sexual behaviors and suggestions for feasible HIV primary prevention interventions. RESULTS: The mean age of the respondents was 34 years. Although the overall mean AIDS knowledge score was 7.1 of 10 points, 52.1% of respondents believed that a cure for AIDS was available in Nigeria and that one can get HIV by sharing personal items with an infected person (25.3%). The majority (88.1%) had had lifetime multiple partners ranging from 1–40 with a mean of 5.1; 32.5% of male respondents had had sexual contact with a female sex worker, 19.9% did so during the six months preceding the survey. Forty-one percent of those with sexual contact with a female sex worker did not use a condom during the most recent sexual encounter with these women. Naval personnel who have been transferred abroad reported significantly more risky sexual behaviors than others. Group discussants and key informants believed that sex with multiple partners is a tradition that has persisted in the navy even in the era of AIDS because of the belief that AIDS affects only foreigners, that use of traditional medicine provides protection against HIV infection, and influence of alcohol. CONCLUSION: Many naval personnel report participating in high-risk sexual behavior which may increase their risk of acquiring and spreading HIV. Naval personnel live and interact freely with civilian population and are potential bridging group for disseminating HIV into the larger population. Interventions including sustained educational program, promotion of condoms, changes in transfer policies are recommended to address this problem

Use of Different Agro-wastes in the Cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) Kummer

Agro-wastes are abundant in both rural and urban areas and when carelessly disposed off to the environment by dumping or burning, they lead to environmental pollution, and consequently to health hazards. Growing of edible mushroom on these wastes can contribute to decrease in environment pollution. This work investigated the growth and yield of Pleurotus ostreatus on different agro-wastes: plantain midrib (PM), corn straw (CS), sugarcane bagasse (SB) and their combinations (PM+CS, PM+SB, CS+SB, CS+PM+SB) with a view to finding the best substrate for the growth of P. ostreatus. The experiment was carried out using completely randomized design with seven treatments and three replications. Results revealed that mycelia growth period and days to pinhead formation were faster in corn straw (7 and 11 days, respectively from the day of inoculation), this was followed by CS+SB (8 and 12 days, respectively) while CS+PM+SB recorded the longest days (13 and 17, respectively). Stipe length ranged from 2.6 cm in PM to 3.3 cm in CS+PM while the pileus diameter was between 3.3 cm in CS and PM and 4.3 cm in PM+SB. Number of fruiting bodies, fresh and dry weights of the mushroom were significantly higher in CS than in the other substrates. The least number of fruiting bodies, fresh and dry weights were recorded in CS+PM+SB

Knowledge of public health challenge of open defecation in rural areas of South-East Nigeria: Implications for social workers

Background: Practice of open defection has growing health concerns especially on rural dwellers and is among leading causes of diarrhea, typhoid fever, cholera, stunting and responsible for the death of children under 5 years in Nigeria. This study seeks to examine knowledge of public health challenges of open defecation among rural residents in south-east Nigeria and implications for social work.Data source and methods: Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were used for data collected from 52 respondents in Nsukka and Udenu LGAs of Enugu State. Thematic analysis was adopted and phrases with contextual connotations were pulled as illustrative quotes.Results: Lack of toilet facilities makes community members engage in the practice despite knowledge of its public health implications.Conclusions: The study recommends strengthening of government’s efforts to eradicate the practice; incorporating social workers as facilitators in public health regulations and advocacy in sensitising households to provide their own toilets

Depressive and anxiety symptoms and associated factors among postnatal women in Enugu-North Senatorial District, South-East Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Postnatal depression (PND) and anxiety (PNA) among women are prevalent and impairing health problems, with adverse outcomes for mothers and their infants. This study assessed the prevalence of depression, anxiety and associated factors in a sample of postnatal women. Method A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 270 postpartum women attending public health facilities in the study area. Postnatal depression was measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and anxiety was measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-A). Data on maternal demographics, health characteristics, pregnancy-related characteristics, labor and birth characteristics, were collected via structured questionnaire. Binary Logistic and multinomial logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify the factors associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms in women. Results The EPDS identified 92 women (34.6%) as possibly depressed (using a cut-off ≥13) while the HADS-A identified 89 women (33.3%) with anxiety symptoms (using a cut-off + 8). A total of 69 women were identified with symptoms of anxiety and depression (anxious-depression). The multinomial regression analysis (MLA) showed that the history of depression (AOR = 0.12, 95% (CI 0.02, 0.76), and being a mother aged 15–29 years (AOR = 10.31, 95% (CI 1.13, 94.11) had a significant effect on the development of anxiety symptoms in women. Although not significant, mother’s income level (AOR = 1.53, 95% (CI 0.72, 3.25), and being a younger mother (AOR = 1.06, 95% (CI 0.21, 5.26) were more likely to predict depressive symptoms in postnatal women. Attendance at postnatal care services in the PHCs (AOR = 0.14, 95% CI (0.04, 0.48) was significantly associated with anxious-depressed in the studied postnatal women. Conclusion The findings of this study showed a direct association between depressive symptoms, anxiety and younger maternal age, rural residence, and low income. The higher prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in this study is a call for postnatal care that is culturally sensitive, patient-centered, accessible and affordable by women, most importantly poor and rural women