Delayed self-recognition in children with autism spectrum disorder.

This study aimed to investigate temporally extended self-awareness (awareness of one’s place in and continued existence through time) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), using the delayed self-recognition (DSR) paradigm (Povinelli et al., Child Development 67:1540–1554, 1996). Relative to age and verbal ability matched comparison children, children with ASD showed unattenuated performance on the DSR task, despite showing significant impairments in theory-of-mind task performance, and a reduced propensity to use personal pronouns to refer to themselves. The results may indicate intact temporally extended self-awareness in ASD. However, it may be that the DSR task is not an unambiguous measure of temporally extended self-awareness and it can be passed through strategies which do not require the possession of a temporally extended self-concept

Harnessing the potential of African youth for transforming health research in Africa

Africa faces a significant burden of infectious diseases, including Malaria and HIV/AIDS, along with an increasing prevalence of non-infectious diseases such as diabetes and cancer. This dual health challenge is amplified by socioeconomic difficulties, restricted access to healthcare, and lifestyle changes, thus present unique scientific needs. Effectively addressing these issues requires a skilled scientific workforce adept in comprehensive healthcare strategies. This analysis explores the critical landscape of health research in Africa, emphasizing the unique opportunity presented by the continent’s youthful population, projected to reach almost 1 billion by 2050. The youth’s innovative potential and fresh perspectives offer a chance to overcome development barriers in health research. Nevertheless, challenges such as under-resourced education, limited research training, inadequate mentorship, and funding difficulties persist. This paper urgently calls upon African leaders, international partners, and stakeholders to prioritize health research, mobilize funding, forge strategic partnerships, and empower the youth as essential steps to capitalize on the continent’s dynamic youth for breakthrough health outcomes. Such investments are vital not just for health but for the overall economic, social, and strategic growth of the continent. Through shared responsibility and a united effort, the potential of African youth can be harnessed, leading to transformative research, improved health outcomes, and a prosperous future. This perspective represents the collective voice of passionate young researchers and advocates across Africa, calling for a new era of health research on the continent

Emergence and spread of two SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest in Nigeria.

Identifying the dissemination patterns and impacts of a virus of economic or health importance during a pandemic is crucial, as it informs the public on policies for containment in order to reduce the spread of the virus. In this study, we integrated genomic and travel data to investigate the emergence and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.318 and B.1.525 (Eta) variants of interest in Nigeria and the wider Africa region. By integrating travel data and phylogeographic reconstructions, we find that these two variants that arose during the second wave in Nigeria emerged from within Africa, with the B.1.525 from Nigeria, and then spread to other parts of the world. Data from this study show how regional connectivity of Nigeria drove the spread of these variants of interest to surrounding countries and those connected by air-traffic. Our findings demonstrate the power of genomic analysis when combined with mobility and epidemiological data to identify the drivers of transmission, as bidirectional transmission within and between African nations are grossly underestimated as seen in our import risk index estimates

Prevalence and Pattern of Soft-Tissue Rheumatism in a Semi-Urban Nigerian Population

International audienc

Femoral nerve stretch test predicts radiological features of lumbar spondylosis in Nigerians with low back pain

Background: Lumbar spondylosis is one of the most common cause of low back pain. The diagnosis of lumbar spondylosis often depends on  radiodiagnostic evaluations which are not readily available in primary healthcare centers. This study examined the ability of clinical test to diagnose  radiographic lumbar spondylosis compared to x-rays in subjects with low back pain. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data from the 2016 Jos COPCORD study. The data on subjects with low back pain who had complete  clinical and radiological examinations were analyzed to determine clinical factors that were independently associated with radographic lumbar  spondylosis. A P value of <0.05 was considered significant for all statistical test. Results: The data of 187 subjects with a mean age of 46±15 years were analyzed. There were 38.5% males and 61.5% 2 2 females. Age (X2 =75.91, P  <0.001), marital status (X2 29.85,  <0.001), education (X2 11.34, P = 0.01), occupation (X2=18.44,  P <0.001) BMI (X2 =10.79, P = 0.02) hypertension (X2  =9.20, P  = 0.002), SLR (X2 =9.37, P=0.002) and FNST (X2 =50.49, P<0.001) were statistically correlated with radiographic lumbar spondylosis. On  logistic regression, age > 45years, marital status, education, occupation, hypertension, SLR and FNST remained significantly associated with  radiographic lumbar spondylosis. A positive SLR had a sensitivity of 26.32%, specificity of 91.78% and an ROC Area of 0.59, while a positive FNST had  a sensitivity of 85.96%, specificity of 64.38% and ROC Area of 0.75 in predicting radiographic lumbar spondylosis. Conclusion: A positive FNST was more discriminatory in predicting the occurrence of radiographic lumbar spondylosis compared to SLR. Therefore,  it can be used acceptably in the diagnosis of Lumbar spondylosis in centers where there are no X-ray facilities

Pattern of utilization of antiepileptic drugs in the first 12 months of epilepsy treatment in children

Background: Drug utilization studies are important methods of assessing how drugs are used in the society. Without the knowledge of how drugs are being prescribed and used, it is difficult to initiate discussion on rationale drug use and to suggest measures to change prescribing habits for better management of patients. This study therefore aimed to evaluate the pattern of utilization of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in the first 12 months of epilepsy treatment in children in Jos, Nigeria.Methods: A case record form was used to document all relevant information of children with epilepsy that were commenced on AED from January 2011 to December 2015. Information collected in the first 12 months of commencement of AED was used to evaluate the pattern of utilization of AEDs among the study subjects. Information obtained was analyzed with statistical package for social sciences software version 20.Results: Three hundred and eighty one subjects with a median age of 5.4 years were studied. The most frequently prescribed drug at commencement of epilepsy treatment was Carbamazepine (CBZ) (75.9%) followed by Sodium Valproate (VPA) (17.1%) while the most frequent AED combination was CBZ+VPA. Despite the fact that all the patients were commenced on monotherapy, the rate of polytherapy at 12 months was 35.2%. Deviation from standard treatment guidelines was observed in 127 (33.3%) of the subjects with the most common deviation being the use of CBZ for generalized tonic-clonic seizures.Conclusion: Significant deviations were observed in the utilization of AEDs in children with epilepsy. Using standard guidelines in the treatment of childhood epilepsy will reduce the rate of uncontrolled seizures and improve their long term outcome. Keywords: Epilepsy, Children, Antiepileptic drugs, Pattern, Utilizatio