Factors influencing smoking behaviours among male adolescents in Kuantan district

ABSTRACT The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence and factors that influenced smoking behaviours among male adolescents in Kuantan, Pahang. A cross-sectional study was conducted among the form four male students in Kuantan District. Three hundred and twenty three students were randomly selected from eight secondaryn schools. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all the respondents. Almost half of the sample was smokers (45.8%) and half of them were Malays (53.1%). Students whose parents had lower level of occupation were more likely to smoke (58.8%). Among smokers, 34.5% of them smoked since primary school and a majority (91.7%) smoked 10 or less cigarettes per day. Half of them (53.4%) reported that they bought loose cigarettes and most of them used their school pocket money to purchase the cigarettes (81.7%). From the multivariate analysis, it was found that Non-Science Stream classes (OR=3.92, 95% CI= 2.10, 7.32), peers' smoking(OR=6.07, 95% CI= 2.32, 15.92), and attitude towards smoking (OR= 21.93, 95% CI= 9.71,49.51) were significantly associated with smoking habit. The prevalence of smoking among male adolescents was considerably high'in this population. It is recommended that antismoking activities in school be carried out regularly and should involve an active participation from the adolescents themselves since peers have great influence on smoking habits

Scanning Microscope-Energy Dispersive X-Ray (Sem-Edx) Studies of Quercus infectoria Gall

Quercus infectoria gall extract are popular among Malaysian. Therefore there is vast availability of the galls supply in Malaysian local market. However, these galls found in Malaysian market were brought out from another country such as Iran and India. In this regard, maintaining the quality of the source is very important to ensure the expected health benefit. In this study we used scanning microscope-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) to analyse the microscopical image and basic elements present in crude and aqueous extract of Quercus infectoria gall in comparison with macroscopical view. Galls of Q. infectoria were divided into external surface and cross section inner parts were performed using hard cutter. Macroscopical view showed that the gall looked alike ball-shaped with numerous protruding blunt horn-like lumps on external rugae like surface (1.4-2.3 cm in diameter). The cross section revealed three major parts; outer, middle and inner layer containing whitish core separated by barrier. The parenchyma cells could be seen in most part of the layer and elongated to formations of tracheid cells. Elemental analysis showed that the galls contain various useful minerals of carbon, calcium, oxygen, magnesium, silicon, potassium, sodium and chlorine. The elements distributions were different in each part. Most of the elements found in the external surface. The cross section part showed the highest number of elements on the outermost layer and it was the only part where the sodium and chlorine were found. These present study serve as a valuable information about macroscopic and microscopic features of the galls besides trace elements composition that will be useful for the establishment of quality standards and future reference for galls authentication

Substance use and its predictors among undergraduate medical students of Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Substance use remains high among Ethiopian youth and young adolescents particularly in high schools and colleges. The use of alcohol, <it>khat </it>and tobacco by college and university students can be harmful; leading to decreased academic performance, increased risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. However, the magnitude of substance use and the factors associated with it has not been investigated among medical students in the country. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of substance use and identify factors that influenced the behavior among undergraduate medical students of Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study using a pre-tested structured self-administered quantitative questionnaire was conducted in June 2009 among 622 medical students (Year I to Internship program) at the School of Medicine. The data were entered into Epi Info version 6.04d and analyzed using SPSS version 15 software program. Descriptive statistics were used for data summarization and presentation. Differences in proportions were compared for significance using Chi Square test, with significance level set at p < 0.05. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the magnitude of associations between substance use and socio-demographic and behavioral correlates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the last 12 months, alcohol was consumed by 22% (25% males vs. 14% females, p = 0.002) and <it>khat </it>use was reported by 7% (9% males vs. 1.5% females, p < 0.001) of the students. About 9% of the respondents (10.6% males vs. 4.6% females, p = 0.014) reported ever use of cigarette smoking, and 1.8% were found to be current smokers. Using multiple logistic regression models, being male was strongly associated with alcohol use in the last 12 months (adjusted OR = 2.14, 95% CI = 1.22-3.76). Students whose friends currently consume alcohol were more likely to consume alcohol (adjusted OR = 2.47, 95% CI = 1.50-4.08) and whose friends' use tobacco more likely to smoke (adjusted OR = 3.89, 95% CI = 1.83-8.30). <it>Khat </it>use within the past 12 months was strongly and positively associated with alcohol consumption (adjusted OR = 15.11, 95% CI = 4.24-53.91). Similarly, ever use of cigarette was also significantly associated with alcohol consumption (adjusted OR = 8.65, 95% CI = 3.48-21.50).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Concordant use of alcohol, <it>khat </it>and tobacco is observed and exposure to friends' use of substances is often implicated. Alcohol consumption or <it>khat </it>use has been significantly associated with tobacco use. While the findings of this study suggest that substance use among the medical students was not alarming, but its trend increased among students from Year I to Internship program. The university must be vigilant in monitoring and educating the students about the consequences of substance use.</p

Immunomodulatory effects of recombinant BCG expressing MSP-1C of Plasmodium falciparum on LPS- or LPS+IFN-γ-stimulated J774A.1 cells

Macrophage phagocytosis is the first line of defense of the innate immune system against malaria parasite infection. This study evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of BCG and recombinant BCG (rBCG) strains expressing the C-terminus of the merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1C) of Plasmodium falciparum on mouse macrophage cell line J774A.1 in the presence or absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or LPS + IFN-γ. The rBCG strain significantly enhanced phagocytic activity, production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, nitric oxide (NO), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS Mean + SE M (x107 CFU)”) as compared with parental BCG strain, and these activities increased in the presence of LPS and LPS+IFN-γ. Furthermore, the rBCG strain also significantly reduced the macrophage viability as well as the rBCG growth suggesting the involvement of macrophage apoptosis. Taken together, these data indicate that the rBCG strain has an immunomodulatory effect on macrophages, thus strengthen the rational use of rBCG to control malaria infection

Protective T cell immunity against respiratory syncytial virus is efficiently induced by recombinant BCG

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the leading causes of childhood hospitalization and a major health burden worldwide. Unfortunately, because of an inefficient immunological memory, RSV infection provides limited immune protection against reinfection. Furthermore, RSV can induce an inadequate Th2-type immune response that causes severe respiratory tract inflammation and obstruction. It is thought that effective RSV clearance requires the induction of balanced Th1-type immunity, involving the activation of IFN-γ-secreting cytotoxic T cells. A recognized inducer of Th1 immunity is Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG), which has been used in newborns for decades in several countries as a tuberculosis vaccine. Here, we show that immunization with recombinant BCG strains expressing RSV antigens promotes protective Th1-type immunity against RSV in mice. Activation of RSV-specific T cells producing IFN-γ and IL-2 was efficiently obtained after immunization with recombinant BCG. This type of T cell immunity was protective against RSV challenge and caused a significant reduction of inflammatory cell infiltration in the airways. Furthermore, mice immunized with recombinant BCG showed no weight loss and reduced lung viral loads. These data strongly support recombinant BCG as an efficient vaccine against RSV because of its capacity to promote protective Th1 immunity

New Generation BCG Vaccines

Bacille de Calmette et Guérin (BCG) was attenuated from a virulent strain of Mycobacterium bovis a century ago and has since been administered as an anti-tuberculosis (TB) vaccine to more than four billion people, making it the most widely used vaccine of all time. Although BCG provides significant protection against disease and death due to childhood and disseminated forms of TB, the efficacy of BCG against adult, pulmonary disease is inconsistent. Thus, despite near universal vaccination with BCG in TB endemic areas, TB remains a heavy burden worldwide, especially in developing nations. In recent years, BCG has been utilized in two major vaccine development strategies. First, BCG has been used as a vector to express foreign antigens in studies aimed at developing new vaccines against a variety of viral, parasitic, and bacterial pathogens, and against cancer and allergic diseases. More recently, in a new vaccine paradigm, BCG has been used as a homologous vector to overexpress native mycobacterial antigens in studies aimed at developing improved vaccines against TB. As a vaccine vector, BCG has several major advantages including a very well-established safety profile, high immunogenicity (excellent CD4{thorn} and CD8{thorn} T-cell responses and strong TH1-Type immune responses), and low manufacturing cost. As a vector for recombinant TB vaccines, BCG has the additional advantages of providing a broad array of relevant mycobacterial antigens in addition to the recombinant antigens, moderate efficacy to begin with, high acceptability as a replacement vaccine for BCG in TB endemic countries, and the capacity to express M. tuberculosis proteins in native form and release them in a way that results in their being processed similarly to M. tuberculosis proteins. In addition to the overexpression of native proteins to improve their immunogenicity and protective efficacy against TB, recombinant BCG vaccines have been developed that express immunomodulatory cytokines or have beenengineered for enhanced antigen presentation. Several new recombinant BCG vaccines against TB have demonstrated improved protective efficacy against M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, and M. leprae in small animal models. Against non-TB targets, results have been variable, but several recombinant BCG vaccines have demonstrated excellent immunogenicity and protective efficacy; stable and highlevel expression of foreign antigens in recombinant BCG, in a way that will make them available for proper processing and presentation, have been recurrent challenges. © Springer Basel AG 2011