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Bullying is a public health menace of global significance. Personality traits have been shown to predict bullying roles. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of bullying and its relationship with the Big-Five personality traits among Nigerian in-school adolescents. Four hundred and thirty-two adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 15.32, SD = ± 1.58) were randomly selected from six secondary schools in Ilesa, Nigeria. Personality traits were assessed with the Big-Five Personality Inventory while bullying was assessed with the peer relationship questionnaire. The prevalence of bullying behaviour among the respondents was high at 85.4%. There was a statistically significant difference (p = .001) between perpetrators and non-perpetrators for the neuroticism trait. On regression analysis, agreeableness trait was predictive of bullying behaviour as perpetrator (B = -0.090, SE = .023, [beta] = -.0231, t = -3.943 95% C.I. [-0.135, -0.045] p < 0.001) and as a victim (B = -0.138, SE = 0.026, [beta] = -0.310, t = -5.384 95% C.I. [-.188, -0.088] p < 0.001). There is a high prevalence of bullying among Nigerian in-school adolescents. Agreeableness trait predicted bullying behaviour either as perpetrators or victims. Our findings highlight the need for interventions targeting personality traits to prevent and fight school bullying.

This study aimed to explore the effects of Mastery Learning Strategy (MLS) on senior school students' performance in Mathematics in Osogbo, Nigeria. The quasi-experimental study's goals were to investigate how MLS affected mathematics students' performance according to their gender and score levels. A purposive sampling technique was used to select two intact classes of 191 SS II students from two co-educational government senior secondary schools in Osogbo. The Geometric Constructions Test (GCT) which was made up of five theory questions adapted from WAEC mathematics past questions was used as the research instrument. GCT was revalidated by experts from the Department of Mathematics, University of Ilorin. The reliability index of 0.75 was obtained by test--retest method and Cronbach Alpha. Three research questions were raised from which three hypotheses were formulated. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that MLS significantly improved students' performance (t(189) = 10.22, p < 0.05) while there was a significant difference in the performance of male and female students in favour of males (F(1, 94) = 33.06, p < 0.05). The strategy apparently helped to bridge the gap among students' scoring levels (F(2, 94) = 6.72, p < 0.05). The study found that, in comparison to the conventional method, MLS greatly enhanced students performance in mathematics. Hence, it was recommended that mathematics teachers should endeavour to adopt MLS in teaching Mathematics, especially in the perceived difficult topics.

This study examined problems of improvisation of instructional materials in Social Studies by pre-service teachers in Ekiti State University. The population for the study comprised all Social Studies pre-service teachers in the Faculty of Education. The sample consisted of 90 Social Studies pre-service teachers selected from 200, 300 and 400 levels. Simple random sampling was used to select 90 out of 220 consisting of 34 males and 56 females. The instrument used for the study was a questionnaire titled Problem of Improvisation of Social Studies Instructional Materials Questionnaire (PISSIMQ) designed by the researchers. The validity of the instrument were ensured by Social Studies experts who determined the face value and appropriate of the instrument in measuring pre-service teachers' problems of improvisation of instructional materials in Social Studies. Test-re-test method of reliability was adopted for the instrument and the reliability coefficient of 0.70 was obtained. The data collected were analysed using t-test and ANOVA statistical tools. The study revealed that there is no significant difference in problem of improvisation of instructional materials between male and female pre-service teachers. It was also discovered that there is no significant difference in the problem of improvisation of instructional materials among the levels of pre-service teachers. It was therefore recommended that preservice teachers should be encouraged to be resourceful by improvising necessary instructional materials to enhance teaching and learning when the real objects are not available.

This study investigated the use of observations as techniques for assessing secondary school students in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The participants were 360 teachers selected from all the secondary schools in the 3 Senatorial Districts of Ekiti State, Nigeria using simple random sampling technique. The instrument employed for data collection was a 36-item self-constructed questionnaire. The data collected was analysed using mean scores, standard deviations and one way Analysis of Variance. The findings revealed that majority of the teachers do not usually employ observations as tools for assessing the students. There were significant differences in the use of anecdotal records, rating scales and systematic observations as assessment tools with rating scales the most frequently used while systematic observations the least. Also, there was no significant difference in the use of observations as tools for assessing cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains of learning. It was recommended that observational techniques be incorporated into the curriculum of the pre-service teachers' programmes, the serving teachers and assessors be exposed to workshops and seminars so as to equip them with skills in observation and they should be encouraged to always employ observations to assess the students.

This study investigated perspectives on literacy as a tool for sustainable relationship among people. The study was conducted due to the significant role of literacy as an instrument of empowerment to improve relationship with other people by sharing information, ideas and knowledge to meet variety of purposes. The study adopted descriptive research design of the survey type. A sample of 1675 respondents that comprised of 1032 literates and 643 illiterates was selected through purposive and simple random sampling techniques from two local government areas of Ekiti state, Nigeria. An instrument tagged "Perception of Literacy for Social Relationship Questionnaire (PLHLSRQ)" was used to collect data from the respondents. The instrument was validated by experts and tested for reliability at 0.71 coefficients through test-re-test method. Data collected were statistically analysed using mean, standard deviation and student t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the study showed a significant difference between literates and illiterates' perspectives on literacy as a tool for sustainable social relationship. The study also revealed significant gender difference in perspectives on literacy for sustainable social relationship. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that government should organise more awareness and sensitization programmes and seminars to purposefully attract illiterate commercial drivers and riders to literacy programmes.

This study sought for the effect of the use of behavioural objectives on Senior Secondary students' academic performance in Mathematics in Omu-Aran, Kwara South Senatorial District Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. The target population for the study comprised Senior Secondary Two (SS II) students in Omu-Aran town. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select 179 students for the study. A quasi-experimental, non-randomized, non-equivalent, pre-test, post-test control group involving a 2 x 3 factorial design was employed as research design. The dependent variable was the Mathematics Academic Performance Test (MAPT) administered. The independent variables were the instructional strategy and the scoring levels. The test scores were analyzed using mean scores, standard deviations, t-test and Analysis of Covariance on the two null hypotheses formulated. An alpha level of 0.05 was used to determine the significant level. Findings from the study showed that the experimental group significantly performed better in Mathematics Academic Performance Test than the control group. Based on this finding, it was recommended among others that teachers of Mathematics should always present the set behavioural objectives to the students prior to the lesson in order to enhance students' full participation in the lesson. Mathematics students should also be provided with academic counselling.

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It is evident that out of the 1.3 billion people worldwide that lack access to electric energy are rural dwellers. Furthermore, the majority of them are living in rural areas of developing countries which are often remote, dispersed populated, and categorized by pitiable infrastructure and services. Given this, the rising contemplation concerning the target of worldwide access to energy has stressed the role of rural electrification and off-grid hybrid power generation system. To this effect, the present work focuses on the overview of rural electrification programs in Nigeria and offers a general framework. The Mini-grid Value Chain for the effective implementation of mini-grid projects was developed. Furthermore, to overcome the issue of affordability of cost of energy in rural areas of the country and to promote sustainability of the off-grid electrification projects, an Improved Local Electrification Committee Model (ILEC) was developed. The main aim of this is to guarantee the reliability of the power supply network to the off-grid rural areas and also to overcome the major demerit of the overall high initial capital cost that is associated with the establishment of mini-grid projects for off-grid rural electrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the association between undernutrition and dietary diversity among school-age children in southwestern Nigeria. Methods: A total of 600 school children were randomly selected from six private and six public schools in the region. A standardized FAO-published 24-hour diet recall questionnaire for calculating a dietary diversity score was adapted, tested, and used for all students. Weight and height measures were taken and weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height Z scores were calculated to determine the prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting respectively. Results: The average age for students in the study was 8.3 years. Significant differences existed between students in private and public schools in BMI-for-age ("p" = 0.025), in dietary diversity scores ("p" = 0.034) and in undernutrition ("p" = 0.003). No private school children exhibited underweight or stunting, but 11.7% were overweight or obese. No public school students were overweight. Stunting ("p" = 0.024) and wasting ("p" = 0.018) correlated significantly with lower dietary diversity scores. The food groups at the lowest levels in the children's diet were organ meats, milk and milk products, eggs, and vitamin A rich fruits and vegetables. Applications to Child Nutrition Professionals: A dietary diversity score may be useful in identifying school children at risk of undernutrition and the food groups most often lacking in local diets. Methods of increasing dietary diversity in meals at school and at home are likely to benefit children at nutritional risk.

Background: Traumatic dental injury (TDI) has grown to be a significant public health issue due to its high prevalence as well as the significant negative effects it has on quality of life. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and causes of TDI in a Dental outpatient clinic for 4 years. Materials and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 52 TDI patients who were treated at a Tertiary Institution's Dental Outpatient clinic between June 1, 2017, and June 1, 2021. Data on age, gender, aetiology, types of teeth involved, types of dental trauma, the day the incidents occurred, and treatment options were retrieved. Traumatized teeth were classified using Andreasen's classification. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 20.0. Results: A total of 208 patients with maxillofacial injuries (163 males and 45 females) aged 1 to 81 years were examined. The prevalence of TDI was 25%. Male and female prevalence were 18.2% and 6.7%, respectively. There were 52 TDI patients with a mean age of 16.5 ± 12.02. The most common reason for TDI was motorcycleaccidentsat 30.77%. Avulsion (40.67%) and subluxation (50%) were the most frequently diagnosed injuries in the permanent dentition and primary dentition, respectively. There was no association between trauma source and dentition type (p=0.342), nor was there a difference between trauma source and gender(p=0.863). Conclusion: The study observed that a high percentage of 40.38% had an injury to three or more teeth resulting in attendant functional and aesthetic complications. Hence public health issue that warrants urgent government attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many learners with an additional language (AL) as their language of learning and teaching (LoLT) have not acquired the level of proficiency required for them to demonstrate their knowledge and achieve the desired outcome on assessment tasks given in that language. Using instruments designed for fully fluent learners and covertly including proficiency in the AL when assessing them academically or clinically, is inequitable and certainly yields invalid results. The notion of language of learning, teaching and assessment (LoLTA) should replace LoLT to represent the dilemma more accurately. This paper reports on empirical research in Nigeria using curriculum-based dynamic assessment (CDA) as an alternative method of assessment of AL learners in mainstream education. The study aimed to determine the influence of the CDA procedure on the performance and affect of AL learners. Eight learners in Grade 8 selected from two schools participated in a process of debriefing and mediation during three continuous assessment cycles and the end-of-term examination in Business Studies and Integrated Science. The assessments were mediational in nature as they contained linguistic adaptations of the questions and incorporated a glossary of assessment terms. The results suggest a generally positive influence of CDA, although to varying degrees, on participants' performance and affect. The school context also has a crucial influence on these two aspects.

Objective: Association between nutritional status of adolescents and food consumption pattern. Design: Data on number of meals and snacks consumed daily were collected using structured questionnaires. Nutritional status was assessed as weight-for-age body mass index score less than fifth percentile of the National Center for Health Statistics/World Health Organization International Growth Reference. Setting: Cross-sectional studies of adolescents using multistage random sampling procedure. Participants: 401 adolescents from 32 secondary schools in Osun State, Nigeria. Analysis: Frequency counts, percentages, and cross-tabulation analysis were used to analyze data, analysis of variance was used to test the differences, as well as chi-square analysis. Level of significance was taken at 0.05 and 0.01 levels. Results: 66.1% of adolescents ate 3 meals daily; this percentage was higher among rural (75.4%) than urban (61.4%) children (P less than 0.001). About 33.0% consumed snacks daily but to a varying degree, which was higher among urban than rural adolescents (P = 0.002). Prevalence of underweight was 20.1%, more common in rural (22.1%) than urban adolescents (18.7%). Underweight prevalence was highest among those who ate 3 meals and no snacks daily (28.6%) and least among those who ate 3 meals and snacks twice daily (15.9%). Conclusion: Snacks are important in food consumption among adolescents; when snacks are consumed in addition to 3 meals, they will improve the nutritional status of adolescents. (Contains 6 tables and 1 figure.)

This study uses fractal analysis to understand how oil spills are clustered at different scales in Ahoada communities of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The ArcGIS software was used in designing the hotspot map of the study area using Kernel density estimation. Results of spatial spill distribution from the Kernel density revealed that Bayelsa, Rivers, and Delta states are the hottest spots for oil spill occurrences and distribution and communities within the Rivers state including Ochebeke, Ukperede, Odieke and Akinima has been widely affected by the spills. The box counting method was employed for understanding clustering associated with oil spills in the area using ArcGIS interface. The method uses the conversion tool embedded in ArcGIS to convert oil spills points into raster. A basic analysis of this fractal plot suggest a dual fractal analysis for oil spill occurrences within the study location. This is evident by a low fractal dimension of 0.419 at distances of 1.1 km. At higher distances above 1.1 km, oil spill occurrences are characterised by a fractal dimension of 1.411. According to the fractal plot, regional and local fractal for oil spill occurrences is defined by a threshold distance of 1.2 km. At scales less than 1.2 km, oil spill occurrences exhibit a fractal dimension of 0.063 while at scales above this distance, the occurrences of oil spill are defined by a fractal of 1.249. A general analysis of fractal for both oil spill types suggests a small fractal dimension values and a more discrete scale compared to the regional scale. The relative low fractal dimension values at discrete scale suggest a high clustering of oil spill locations. This study gives a relative idea about the clustering tendency. This would enable proper remediation to be carried out in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African trypanosomosis is a disease of high economic importance in animals and humans caused by an apicomplexan haemoparasite of the genus Trypanosoma. Canine trypanosomosis is relatively common in Nigeria because of the high prevalence of the insect vector. The haematology, erythrocyte, and serum sialic acid levels of dogs experimentally infected with Federe strain of Trypanosoma brucei brucei was studied in a total of five (5) 4-month old dogs. Three of the dogs were randomly selected and inoculated subcutaneously with 1 × 106 of T. brucei, while the remaining two dogs served as the uninfected control. The parasitaemia, packed cell volume (PCV), total and differential white blood cell count, erythrocyte surface sialic acid (ESSA) and free serum sialic acid (FSSA) were determined twice a week. The lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR) and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were calculated. The infected dogs had a significantly lower PCV, total white blood cell count (TWBC), LMR and ESSA compared to the uninfected control group. There was a strong positive correlation between NLR and PCV decrease, moderate negative correlation between LMR and PCV decrease, strong negative correlation between LMR and ESSA changes, and a moderate positive correlation between ESSA changes and parasitaemia. The higher NLR in trypanosome infection associated with decreasing levels of PCV indicates a poor prognosis, and NLR may be a useful tool in estimating trypanosomosis effect on PCV in dogs. Similarly, the moderate negative and strong negative correlations between LMR with decreases in PCV and ESSA respectively indicates poor prognosis in the response to trypanosomosis in dogs. Thus, NLR, LMR and ESSA levels can be used as markers for predicting disease outcome in trypanosome infection in dogs. This is, however, not the case with parasitaemia as the clinico-pathologic effect of trypanosomosis cannot be estimated from the level of parasitaemia alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive biology is important in the life of organisms for through it, ripe and fecund females produces their young. Macrobrachium vollenhovenii is one of the species of Macrobrachium found in fresh and brackish waters of West Africa. It is one of the largest species of Macrobrachium known, which makes it a suitable choice for aquaculture in Nigeria. The sex ratio, fecundity, egg diameter and the gonado-somatic index of M. vollenhovenii from Badagry, Lagos and Epe Lagoons, Nigeria were investigated. The samples were collected monthly from the lagoons for 24 months between June (2013) and May (2015). The sex ratio showed that there was significant difference (P < 0.05) in the result recorded in the three lagoons with more males in Badagry and Epe while Lagos Lagoon had more of females. The fecundity estimates of M. vollenhovenii from the three lagoons ranged from 1,750 - 630,000 eggs with a mean of 39,553 eggs. The result also showed that there exist a weak correlation (r < 0.5) between fecundity and total length, fecundity and carapace length and/or body weight for M. vollenhovenii from Badagry and Lagos Lagoons while M. vollenhovenii from Epe Lagoon had a strong correlation (r > 0.5). The egg diameter from the three lagoons ranged from 465 - 780 µm while the Gonado-Somatic Index (GSI) from the three lagoons ranged from 0.78 - 14.29 %. In this study, it was observed that males of M. vollenhovenii occurred more in Badagry and Epe Lagoons, which might be due to the freshness of the environment while females were predominated in Lagos Lagoon, due to their search for a spawning ground especially when the salinity of the water is high. This study would, therefore, serve as a basis upon which further researches on the reproductive biology of M. vollenhovenii could be based. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive preferences of chemistry students (N=156) in School of Basic Studies (SBS) at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) were investigated. Results indicate that the four preferences (recall, principles, application, questioning) appear to be unrelated to sex and location of previous school for these Nigerian subjects. (JN)

Nigeria power generation hovers around 7000 MW as at January 2019; this is far less than the national required electricity per capita value. Jebba Hydroelectric Power Station (JHEPS) and Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Station (SHEPS) are two of the three major hydropower stations in the country in which their maximum average generation values are still less than the rated values of 578.4 MW and 600 MW, respectively. This paper presented some basic concepts of analysis of failure and repair. An algorithm was set up to extract the contiguous set of uptimes and downtimes to determine time-between-failures (TBF) and time-between-repairs (TBR) events; these events were analyzed for the stochastic study. It was observed that the longest uptime was 262 days and seen in turbo-alternator unit five, while the shortest was zero day and seen in the entire units except that of unit two. For JHEPS, the longest downtime was 133 days and seen in the turbo-alternator of unit one, and the least time-between-repairs is a day and common to all the units. The frequency distributions for both TBF and TBR showed that 79% of TBF events and 57% of TBR events are distributed in the first two classes. For SHEPS, unit 3 was found to have the longest TBF with a value of 46 days, while the least was found in unit 1 with a value of 17 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species identification by morphological approach requires a high degree of experience, which is difficult and not practical enough for those interested in surveying a broad diversity of organisms. However, molecular or genetic approaches to identify species have been proposed and widely used by most scientists. DNA barcoding was used to identify Macrobrachium species occurring in three coastal lagoons (Badagry, Lagos and Epe) in South-western Nigeria. Samples of prawns for the DNA studies were collected from May to July 2015. The DNA of the Macrobrachium species was extracted using the phenolchloroform protocol and Norgen tissue kit. Amplification and sequencing of the Macrobrachium species were carried out and further identification was done by comparing with sequenced data in the Genbank. New species of Macrobrachium were obtained in Badagry and Epe Lagoons having a close match with M. asperulum and M. nipponense at 85% and 84% respectively. M. asperulum and M. nipponense are reported in Badagry and Epe Lagoons for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 80% of the current Nigerian primary energy consumption is met by petroleum. This overdependence on fossil fuels derived from petroleum for local consumption requirements should be a serious source of concern for the country in two ways - depletion of the resources and negative impact on the environment. This paper presents a critical review of the available renewable energy resources in Nigeria, namely; biomass, hydropower, solar and wind energy. It examines the current energy situation in the country and equally discusses the various energy policy documents developed by the government. Using the scenario-based International Atomic Energy Agency models, the projected energy demand and supply structure of the country through 2030 are presented and analysed. Overall, this study shows that Nigeria will overcome her present energy crisis if she explores the abundant renewable energy resources in the country. The data presented in this paper is a crucial eye-opener for relevant government agencies towards developing these energy resources in tackling the present energy crisis in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hadejia-Jama'are-Komadugu-Yobe River basin (HJKYRB) is one of the major river basins the water resources of which are vital to sustenance of the livelihood of the growing population in Northern Nigeria. It is however among those of which the proper management of the scare resources among competing demands is of growing concern. The SWAT model which could potentially be useful as a decision support tool was therefore evaluated for applicability in the basin. Thirty years(1971 to 2000) of daily meteorological data of a station were used for the model sensitivity analysis. The model was calibrated and validated using in each case 12 years of observed stream flow data from a gauging station. The periods covered by the calibration and validation data were 1974 tol985 and 1989 to 2000 respectively. The sensitivity analysis identified 17 model parameters as important with Moisture Condition II Curve Number (CN2) as the most sensitive. The coefficient of determination (R²) and Nasch- Sutcliffe Efficiency(NSE) obtained during calibration were0.57 and 0.51 respectively. For the validation R²was 0.71 while NSE was 0.65. The values of R² and NSE obtained were within the acceptable range in literature. It was concluded therefore that the SWAT model could be useful as a decision support tool for water resources management policies in the basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Earlier studies suggest that knowledge about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) among healthcare workers in Nigeria is low. This present study assessed the knowledge of Nigerian final year medical students about symptoms of ASD and some other aspects of ASD. This is a cross sectional descriptive study that drew a total of seven hundred and fifty-seven (757) final year medical students from ten (10) randomly selected fully accredited medical schools out of a total of twenty-seven (27) fully accredited medical schools in Nigeria. Sociodemographic and Knowledge about Childhood Autism among Health Workers (KCAHW) questionnaires were used to assess knowledge of final year medical students about ASD and obtain demographic information. Results: Only few, 218 (28.8 %) of the 757 final year medical students had seen and participated in evaluation and management of at least a child with ASD during their clinical postings in pediatrics and psychiatry. Knowledge and recognition of symptoms of ASD is observed to be better among this group of final year medical students as shown by higher mean scores in the four domains of KCAHW questionnaire. Knowledge about ASD varies across gender and regions. Misconceptions about ASD were also observed among the final year medical students. Conclusions: More focus needs to be given to ASD in the curriculum of Nigerian undergraduate medical students, especially during their psychiatry and pediatric clinical postings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rampant caries in adults has not been a focus of many researches unlike the childhood form of the disease. The disease is an interesting finding in an adult patient. When the condition occurs in children, it has been described as nursing bottle caries, baby bottle tooth decay, and the most recently adopted term, "early childhood caries". Aim: The aim was to determine the prevalence of rampant caries among adult patients. Materials and Methods: Cases of rampant caries were identified from the records of all the patients treated during a 5-year period. Variables considered included the socio-demographic data, frequency of consumption of cariogenic diet, social habits, decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT), socioeconomic status (SES), and oral hygiene (OH), etc. Data were analyzed using student's t-test and one-way ANOVA for continuous variables, while Fishers exact test was adopted for categorical variables. Level of significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Result: Less than 1% (21 out of 3458) of patients treated during the period had adult rampant caries, but only 17 patients with complete data were analyzed. The age range of the patients was 22-61 years with a median of 36 years. The number of teeth with open carious cavities ranged from 8 to 18, with a mean of 11.6 ± 3.3 teeth. A statistically significant difference was found in the number of open carious cavities and gender (P = 0.03), and between the SES and OH (P = 0.001). Patients in low SES had the poorest OH, The number of open carious lesion was higher in those that consumed refined sugar regularly. Conclusion: Occurrence of rampant caries was low and related to low socioeconomic status and regular consumption of cariogenic diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two genetically engineered cowpea lines(TCL-709 and TCL-711) were evaluated under field conditions along with the original parental genotype (IT86D-1010) at confined field trial site Samaru Nigeria for expression of morpholgical traits. The present study was designed and conducted in order to understand whether genetic transformation of cowpea with Cry1Ab gene had led to unwanted changes on the morphological features of transgenic cowpea lines, by making comparative assessment between the transgenic lines and untransformed original parental genotype. The result showed that comparison made between transgenic cowpea line TCL-709 and original parental type showed non-significant differences in all the parameters compared. Similarly, comparison made between cowpea transgenic line TCL-711 and IT86D-1010 had significant differences for days to first flowering, days to first pod maturity and plant height while vegetative traits such as number of primary branches, yield attributes like total number of pods per plant at maturity were not significantly different from the original parent. The most important character in a crop-improvement programme is yield, the result indicated that the genotypes (TCL-709, TCL-711 and IT86D-1010) had non-significant differences among themselves regarding total number of pods per plant. It is therefore concluded that the introduction of Cry1Ab gene has not led to harmful changes on the gross morphological characteristics of cowpea plants, besides conferring insect resistance to Maruca pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the cost-effectiveness of a non-pneumatic anti-shock garment (NASG) for obstetric hemorrhage in tertiary hospitals in Egypt and Nigeria. Methods: We combined published data from pre-intervention/NASG-intervention clinical trials with costs from study sites. For each country, we used observed proportions of initial shock level (mild: mean arterial pressure [MAP] >60 mmHg; severe: MAP ≤60 mmHg) to define a standard population of 1,000 women presenting in shock. We examined three intervention scenarios: no women in shock receive the NASG, only women in severe shock receive the NASG, and all women in shock receive the NASG. Clinical data included frequencies of adverse health outcomes (mortality, severe morbidity, severe anemia), and interventions to manage bleeding (uterotonics, blood transfusions, hysterectomies). Costs (in 2010 international dollars) included the NASG, training, and clinical interventions. We compared costs and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) across the intervention scenarios. Results: For 1000 women presenting in shock, providing the NASG to those in severe shock results in decreased mortality and morbidity, which averts 357 DALYs in Egypt and 2,063 DALYs in Nigeria. Differences in use of interventions result in net savings of $9,489 in Egypt (primarily due to reduced transfusions) and net costs of $6,460 in Nigeria, with a cost per DALY averted of $3.13. Results of providing the NASG for women in mild shock has smaller and uncertain effects due to few clinical events in this data set. Conclusion: Using the NASG for women in severe shock resulted in markedly improved health outcomes (2–2.9 DALYs averted per woman, primarily due to reduced mortality), with net savings or extremely low cost per DALY averted. This suggests that in resource-limited settings, the NASG is a very cost-effective intervention for women in severe hypovolemic shock. The effects of the NASG for mild shock are less certain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jacket platform is essential for continuous crude oil production in Nigerian offshore oil and gas fields. However, the structures are constantly exposed not only to hostile environment and operational conditions but as well as seawater that consists of salty and oxygenated water with high pH level that accelerates corrosion process. This phenomenon leads structural members to reduction in thickness with time. The application of the available computer software used for offshore structural assessment, simply give data about the structural member strength with no information regarding structural system reliability. In this paper, a time-variant formulation technique for the accurate estimation of corroded jacket structural system reliability is derived and presented by utilizing series and parallel reliability theories. The results of the study established that the reliability of a jacket structures is the product of bracings and legs reliabilities and this value decreases with platform age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obstetric hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal mortality globally. The Non-pneumatic Anti- Shock Garment (NASG) is a low-technology, first-aid compression device which, when added to standard hypovolemic shock protocols, may improve outcomes for women with hypovolemic shock secondary to obstetric hemorrhage in tertiary facilities in low-resource settings. Methods: This study employed a pre-intervention/intervention design in four facilities in Nigeria and two in Egypt. Primary outcomes were measured mean and median blood loss, severe end-organ failure morbidity (renal failure, pulmonary failure, cardiac failure, or CNS dysfunctions), mortality, and emergency hysterectomy for 1442 women with ≥750 mL blood loss and at least one sign of hemodynamic instability. Comparisons of outcomes by study phase were assessed with rank sum tests, relative risks (RR), number needed to treat for benefit (NNTb), and multiple logistic regression. Results: Women in the NASG phase (n = 835) were in worse condition on study entry, 38.5% with mean arterial pressure <60 mmHg vs. 29.9% in the pre-intervention phase (p = 0.001). Despite this, negative outcomes were significantly reduced in the NASG phase: mean measured blood loss decreased from 444 mL to 240 mL (p < 0.001), maternal mortality decreased from 6.3% to 3.5% (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.35-0.89), severe morbidities from 3.7% to 0.7% (RR 0.20, 95% CI 0.08-0.50), and emergency hysterectomy from 8.9% to 4.0% (RR 0.44, 0.23-0.86). In multiple logistic regression, there was a 55% reduced odds of mortality during the NASG phase (aOR 0.45, 0.27-0.77). The NNTb to prevent either mortality or severe morbidity was 18 (12-36). Conclusion: Adding the NASG to standard shock and hemorrhage management may significantly improve maternal outcomes from hypovolemic shock secondary to obstetric hemorrhage at tertiary care facilities in lowresource settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between February 2002 and May 2004, chicken anemia virus (CAV) was detected by PCR in organ samples from 14 flocks of poultry farms in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States in Southwestern Nigeria. The farms reported low (<5%) to high mortalities (up to 100%) with various lesions at necropsy. The complete VP1 gene of 30 of these positive strains was sequenced. Strains that diverged by up to 4.4% on a nucleotide level differed only by up to 2.5% at the amino acid level (7 aa) as a result of clustered silent mutations. No amino acid substitutions specific for Nigerian strains were observed. Some birds had a CAV mixed infection. Genetic clustering of the VP1 gene did not correlate with differences in flock mortality but the co-infection of CAV with IBDV may be particularly lethal. This first molecular epidemiological study of CAV in Africa shows that the Nigerian strains cluster with viruses from very diverse geographic origins and were almost as diverse (4.4%) as all other strains combined (5.8%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observations on the water-contact patterns of 2136 residents of Adim community in Nigeria were conducted at four streams between February 1993 and January 1994. Urine samples collected from those observed were used to estimate the prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma haematobium infection. A questionnaire was also completed for each of the subjects, to test their perception of urinary schistosomiasis and its transmission. Infection was detected in 1076 (50.4%) of the subjects, with peak prevalence among those aged 10-14 years. Intensity of infection was more closely correlated with the number of water contacts (r =0.97) than with the total duration of the exposure (r = 0.77), emphasising the importance of specific/multiple activities, and of the surface area of the body submerged, in transmission. One stream (Culvet) was identified as the main transmission point, with bathing/swimming and fishing as the main activities predisposing people to infection. The awareness of urinary schistosomiasis and its symptom (blood in urine) were high but specific knowledge about the parasite, its vector and the interaction between the parasite and vector in the parasite's life-cycle were extremely low. Activities that require behaviour and attitude modification have been identified and encouraged as components in the control of schistosomeattributable morbidity (in the absence of pipe-borne water). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the avian influenza virus H5N1 swept from Asia across Russia to Europe, Nigeria was the first country in Africa to report the emergence of this highly pathogenic virus. Here we analyse H5N1 sequences in poultry from two different farms in Lagos state and find that three H5N1 lineages were independently introduced through routes that coincide with the flight paths of migratory birds, although independent trade imports cannot be excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of enterobiasis and its relationship with anal itching and enuresis were investigated among 799, randomly selected children aged 5–14 years, who lived, either in an area of high population density or one with a much lower population density, in Calabar, Nigeria. The eggs of Enterobius vermicularis were found in anal swabs (collected with transparent adhesive tape) from 60 (7.5%) of the subjects tested, with the prevalence of infection appearing markedly higher in the 403 children from the area with a high population density than in the 396 from the less densely populated area (11.7% v. 3.3%; P<0.05). Questionnaire-based interviews were used to determine which of the children suffered from anal itching, enuresis or both. Compared with the egg-negative subjects, the 60 children who were egg-positive for Enterobius were found to be much more likely to be suffering from anal itching (78.3% v. 28.3%; P<0.05) or enuresis (53.3% v. 36.4%; P<0.05). Enterobiasis is therefore not a problem that is restricted to the temperate regions of the world, and may be a cause of enuresis or at least a contributory factor in the development of this complaint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Under-five children mortality rate (U5MR) remains a crucial indicator of a nation's child healthcare and socioeconomic development. This study aims to identify and quantify significant maternal, child, family, and environmental risk factors contributing to under-five mortalities in the Northeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria., Methods: Retrospective analysis of secondary data from the 2018 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) in six northeastern Nigerian states. Maternal factors (age, education, health-seeking behavior), child variables (weight, sex, vaccination status), family factors, and environmental factors (water source, residence, wealth index) were analyzed to determine their association with the under-five mortality rate (U5MR). Logistic regression models and population-attributable risk estimates were used to identify key contributors to U5MR in the region., Results: A total of 26,293 mothers were surveyed, of which the majority (93.6%) were married, employed (70.7%), and had no insurance (99%). Most of the mothers were above 35 years of age, uneducated and with first birth between ages 15-19. Adjusted odds ratios show unmarried mothers 1.67 (P=0.015), small birth size 1.37 (P=0.022), never breastfeeding 1.83 (P=0.000), short birth intervals 1.50 (0.005), higher parity 1.5 (P=0.005), lack of any family planning method 1.43(P=0.040), twin siblings 3.95 (P=0.000) and place of residence 1.21 (P=0.000) were associated with higher U5MR odds ratios. Maternal age 21-25 years showed a protective effect AOR 0.59 (95% CI: 0.36-0.98, P=0.040) and age > 31 years AOR 0.44 (95% CI: 0.24-0.81, P=0.009)., Conclusion: This study provides crucial insights into the multifaceted determinants of under-5 mortality in Northeast Nigeria. The findings underscore the importance of tailored interventions addressing maternal, child, and family factors to improve child health outcomes in the region., Competing Interests: The Authors declare that no competing interest exists, (Copyright © 2024 by West African Journal of Medicine.)

Background: Periodontitis has been shown to have links with general health and increase the risk of complications of some systemic diseases now showing a rising prevalence with age. The rising proportion of the elderly globally, and a high prevalence of periodontal disease among older adults may significantly impact the need for oral health care services in the near future. This national survey was carried out to highlight the trend of periodontal diseases among adult and elderly Nigerians and make evidence-based recommendations for good management outcomes., Materials and Methods: A national cross-sectional survey of periodontal diseases (using the CPITN Index) among adult (35-44-year-old) and elderly (65-74-year-old) Nigerians selected by multistage sampling method., Results: Periodontal disease is prevalent among adults (96.5%) and elderly (97.6%) Nigerians, with the zonal prevalence approximating the national prevalence. Gingivitis is the prevalent periodontal disease type in these age groups, with a national prevalence of 86.8%, 67.6% respectively, and more in the South than the North for both adults (90.7%, 83%) and elderly (75.7%, 59.7%), respectively (p<0.005). Destructive Periodontitis prevalence in adult and elderly Nigerians is 9.5%, 29.9%, respectively (p<0.05), with the North being more affected than South for both adults (13.4%, 5.6%) and elderly (37%, 22.7%), respectively (p<0.05). There is also a significant rise in the occurrence of destructive periodontitis with age, nationally and in all the zones (p<0.05)., Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of periodontal diseases in adult and elderly Nigerians. The outcome of the management of periodontal diseases in adults and the elderly is inter-dependent on best practices in both oral and general health care service provision., Competing Interests: The Authors declare that no competing interest exists, (Copyright © 2024 by West African Journal of Medicine.)

Background: Colonoscopy is an important procedure in the management of colorectal diseases. During a colonoscopy, one can visualize the mucosa of the large bowel and perform therapeutic procedures., Aim: The aim of this study is to review the indications and findings of colonoscopy in our center. Data on age, gender, indications, and findings at endoscopy were extracted from the endoscopy unit register., Patients and Methods: The study is a retrospective descriptive one and included all patients who underwent colonoscopy between June 2017 to December 2019 at the endoscopy unit of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria. Data on age, gender, indications, and findings at endoscopy were extracted from the endoscopy unit register. The data obtained were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) statistical software version 20., Results: One hundred and twenty-five patients had a colonoscopy during the period under review with a male to female ratio of 1.9:1. The age range of the patients was 3 to 85 years and the mean age was 46.7 ± 16.7 The most common indications for colonoscopy in our center were lower gastrointestinal bleeding (40 (32%)), followed by suspected colonic tumors (37 (29.6%)), and hemorrhoids (18 (14.4%)). The commonest findings were hemorrhoids (50 (40%)), colonic tumors (25 (20%)), and colitis (21 (16.8%))., Conclusion: A colonoscopy is an effective tool in the management of colorectal diseases. Lower gastrointestinal bleeding was the commonest indication for colonoscopy in our center and hemorrhoids and colorectal tumors were the commonest findings., Competing Interests: None

Background: Congenital hypothyroidism is one of the most common preventable causes of mental retardation and clinical manifestations are often subtle or absent at birth and hence the need for screening. Implementation of newborn screening requires local normative values., Objectives: To determine the normative values of cord Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) among term babies in Bauchi, Northeast Nigeria and compare it with that from other centers in Nigeria., Methodology: Cord blood samples from 200 term babies were analyzed for TSH by Fluorescence Immunoassay technique in this descriptive cross-sectional study. A cut-off of >20 µIU/ml was used for recall. The mean and range were determined and compared with those of previous local studies using t-test. Impact of some maternal and infant factors on TSH was also assessed., Results: The overall mean (SD) cord TSH was 3.74 (±1.99) µIU/ ml and the range was 0.73 to 15.22 µIU/ml (2.5th to 97.5th centile) and none had TSH > 20 µIU/ml and hence our recall rate was 0%. The mean cord TSH was comparable to that reported by a lone local multicenter study (p = 0.120) but significantly different from that of 3 other local studies (p < 0.001). There was also no significant difference between the means of different gender, birth weight groups, mode of delivery, socio-economic classes, maternal age and parity., Conclusion: The Cord blood TSH level of most term newborn in Bauchi, similar to other Nigerian studies, is < 10 µIU/ml with a few but significant percentage recording cord TSH level > 10 µIU/ml. Gender, birth weight, mode of delivery, socio-economic class, maternal age and parity were not significantly related to cord TSH level. The mean blood TSH values from different studies across the country tend to vary based on the assay technique. We recommend a nationwide multicenter study with a much larger sample size, lower cutoff value for recall and a unified sample processing laboratory if national normative values are to be developed., Competing Interests: The Authors declare that no competing interest exists., (Copyright © 2022 by West African Journal of Medicine.)

Background: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a common medical emergency that can result in significant morbidity and mortality., Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the demographic profile and etiology of UGIB in patients seen at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, North-Western Nigeria., Subjects and Methods: This descriptive retrospective study was carried out at the Gastroenterology Unit of ABUTH Zaria. Data of patients referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with UGIB from June 2017 to December 2019 were extracted from the endoscopy register and analyzed., Results: One hundred and forty-four patients had upper gastrointestinal (UGI) endoscopy done for UGIB during the period under review. Of these, 105 (72.9%) were males while 39 (27.1%) were females with male-to-female ratio of 2.7:1. The mean age of the patients was 43.5 ± 17.3 and their age ranges from 11 to 89 years. The modal age group was 40-49 years. The most common cause of UGIB was esophageal varices (67 [46.5%]) followed by erosive mucosal diseases: gastritis/duodenitis 43 (29.9%), esophagitis 12 (8.3%). Less common causes were peptic ulcer disease (PUD) in five (3.5%) patients, gastric tumor in two (1.4%), hiatus hernia in one (0.7%), and portal hypertensive gastropathy in one (0.7%). Thirteen patients (9.0%) had normal findings., Conclusion: Esophageal varices are the most common cause of UGIB among our patients and middle-aged male patients were the most commonly affected group., Competing Interests: None

Introduction: The incidence of Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) is rising world-wide, with 1.24 million people killed on the world's roads in 2010 due to non-compliance with safety measures. The objectives of the study was to determine the practice of safety measures and prevalence of road crashes among inter-city commercial vehicle drivers in Kwara State, Nigeria., Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study done by interviewer-administered questionnaire and blood alcohol concentration of respondents was determined using Breathalyzers. A total of 410 respondents were involved by multi-stage sampling technique; data analysis was done using EPI INFO version 3.5.1 software package. Level of significance was < 0.05 at 95% confidence level., Results: More than eighty per cent of the respondents practiced safety measures and checked their vehicles before embarking on a journey. More respondents who practiced safety measures carried out driving test before issuance of license compared with those who did not (p = 0.001). Some respondents tested positive for alcohol with mean blood alcohol concentration of 23.28 ± 23.32 µg/dl. About a third of the respondents had road traffic crashes in the past., Conclusions: The drivers demonstrated good safety measures and practices before embarking on a journey. Safety practices were influenced by driving test before issuance of license. Sensitization and orientation of drivers on relevance of driving test before issuance of driving license should be promoted by all stakeholders in road safety. The enforcement of laws by government is critical to addressing challenges of road safety and security by ensuring appropriate driving test before licensing., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement None declared.

We report here the clinical case of a Nigerian adult patient who received medical care during October 2010, at the Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Buruli ulcer in Pobè (Benin). He presented a massive facial tumor associated with several subcutaneous (cervical, thoracic and upper limbs) nodules, evolving since several years. Tissue samples collected at Pobè medical center were addressed to the mycology and histology laboratories of Angers University Hospital (France), according to the medical exchange agreement between the two institutions about the diagnosis and treatment of Buruli ulcer disease. Histological examination showed a Splendore-Hoeppli phenomenon, consisting of a granulomatous reaction made of eosinophilic polynuclear cells surrounding rare, large and irregular, non-septate hyphae. A filamentous fungus was isolated by cultivation of the clinical samples, which was identified as Conidiobolus coronatus. The patient was treated orally with daily doses of ketoconazole (400 mg per day). After 4 months of treatment, a marked regression of the facial lesion was obtained. A first constructive facial surgery was achieved, but the patient did not attend the second step. This case report allows us to remind the mycological diagnosis of this exotic mycosis, but also to emphasize the main difficulties encountered in medical management in the developing countries., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Back Ground: Stroke produces a wide range of mental and emotional disorders. Neuropsychiatric complications associated with stroke may have negative effects on the social functioning, overall quality of life and the recovery of motor functioning of stroke survivors., Objective: To determine the prevalence and nature of psychiatric morbidity among stroke patients attending neurology outpatient clinic of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Ilorin-Nigeria., Methods: All patients with stroke aged 18 years and above at an outpatient neurology clinic in Ilorin, Nigeria were assessed for mental and emotional disorders using the Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) over one year (March 2009 to February 2010)., Results: Overall prevalence of psychiatric morbidity was 36.0% (30/83) among 83 patients who constituted the study population. Specific diagnoses recorded were depression (19.2%), generalised anxiety disorder (9.6%), harmful alcohol use (2.4%); dementia, somatoform disorder, phobia and delusional disorder each had a prevalence of 1.2%. Clinical and sociodemographic variables were not significantly associated with psychiatric morbidity., Conclusion: Psychiatric disorders are often associated with stroke. Identifying and treating stroke patients with these psychiatric co-morbidities could thus help to improve the overall quality of life of these patients.

The legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata, is an endemic insect pest that causes significant yield loss to the cowpea crop in West Africa. The application of population genetic tools is important in the management of insect pests but such data on M. vitrata is lacking. We applied a set of six microsatellite markers to assess the population structure of M. vitrata collected at five sites from Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria. Observed polymorphisms ranged from one (marker 3393) to eight (marker 32008) alleles per locus. Observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.0 to 0.8 and 0.0 to 0.6, respectively. Three of the loci in samples from Nigeria and Burkina Faso deviated significantly from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE), whereas no loci deviated significantly in samples from Niger. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that 67.3% level of the genetic variation was within individuals compared to 17.3% among populations. A global estimate of F ST=0.1 (ENA corrected F ST=0.1) was significant (P⩽0.05) and corroborated by pairwise F ST values that were significant among all possible comparisons. A significant correlation was predicted between genetic divergence and geographic distance between subpopulations (R2=0.6, P=0.04), and cluster analysis by the program STRUCTURE predicted that co-ancestry of genotypes were indicative of three distinct populations. The spatial genetic variance among M. vitrata in West Africa may be due to limited gene flow, south-north seasonal movement pattern or other reproductive barriers. This information is important for the cultural, chemical and biological control strategies for managing M. vitrata.

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and nature of psychiatric morbidity among patients attending a neurology outpatient clinic., Design: A two-stage screening procedure with General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) was used to assess psychological disorders over a one year period. Psychiatric diagnosis was based on ICD-10 criteria., Setting: University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Ilorin-Nigeria, Subjects: Two hundred and thirty-five (235) patients aged 18 years and above attending the neurology outpatient clinic., Results: Overall prevalence of psychiatric morbidity was 26.0% (61/235). The most frequent diagnoses were depression (14.9%), generalised anxiety disorder (5.5%), dementia (2.6%) and substance use disorder (1.3%). Significantly more patients with stroke had psychiatric morbidity., Conclusion: The study supports previous reports that psychiatric disorders are quite common among patients with neurological disorders. Efforts should, therefore, be directed at identifying and treating neurological patients with psychiatric morbidity since this will ensure improved outcome. In this regard, mental health professionals would need to provide liaison services for the neurologists and train them in the use of simple screening instruments for detecting associated psychiatric disorders with appropriate referral where necessary.

Objective: The objective of the study was to identify children with Sickle cell disease (SCD) who are experiencing psychosocial problems concurrently with their mothers; and comparing the dyads to determine correlation, pattern of correlation and to identify correlating or modifying factors., Method: The psychosocial impact of Sickle cell disease in affected children and their mothers was assessed using semi-structured questionnaire and standardized instruments (The Child Behaviour Questionnaire (CBQ) - Parents' version or Scale A2) for the children and Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ) for their mothers) Children with bronchial asthma and some with acute medical illnesses (AMI) and their mothers who were also assessed with the same instruments served as the control population., Results: There was significant correlation between children who were probable cases with psychological problems based on Child Behaviour Questionnaire (CBQ score of ≥7) and corresponding mothers who were probable cases with psychosocial problems based on Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ score of ≥5).Although there were some group-specific factors that influenced this pattern (child and mother having psychosocial problems concurrently) in one or 2 groups of these diseases, none cut across the 3 groups., Conclusion: In psychosocial management of physical illnesses, assessment and care should include a focus on families rather than on the affected individual only. In addition, identifying emotional and social dysfunction in a family member should lead to a search in other members; in this way primary prevention or control can effectively be carried out. Finally, identifying more modifiable factors that positively influence this pattern in which child and mother experience psychosocial dysfunction concurrently should be the urgent task of future and larger studies in this environment.

Dental health workers like other workers have occupation related health problems and hazards which include neck and low back pain. Previous studies have shown that the prevalence and location of pain may be influenced by posture and work habits and as well as demographic factors. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of neck and back problems among dentists and dental auxiliaries in private and government dental hospitals in south western Nigeria. Structured self administered questionnaire was sent to dentist and dental auxiliaries by randomly selecting 3 out of the 6 state capital from the southwestern Nigeria. Participants included those in private clinics, teaching hospitals and general hospitals. The questionnaire was composed of respondents biodata, questions about specific information on neck and back pain and routine practice posture while working at chairside. The total number of properly filled questionnaire was 210 with a male to female ratio of 1.04:1. Respondents included 147 dentists, 37 dental surgeon assistants (DSA), 14 dental therapists and 12 dental technologists. Prevalence of back and neck pain among the respondents was 88.1% and 81.9% respectively. Among the male respondents, the prevalence of back pain was 86.9% and 89.3% in female while for neck pain, the prevalence was 83.2% in male and 80.6% in female. Within the different professional groups, the prevalence of back pain was highest among the DSA (89.2%), closely followed by the dentists (88.4%), then therapists (85.7%) and least among the technologists (83.3%). For neck pain, the prevalence was highest among therapists followed by technologists, dentists and least among the DSA. More females missed work due to back and neck pain than males. There is therefore the need to address ergonomic issues and change the way dentistry is practiced.

Background: HIV positive children may be prone to developing Dental Caries due to prolonged and frequent use of sucrose containing medications and poor feeding practices., Objective: To determine the caries status of primary and permanent dentition in HIV positive Nigerian children using dmft/DMFT indices., Methods: One hundred and twelve HIV positive children aged 4 months to 13 years attending two dedicated HIV outpatient clinics were examined for dental caries of primary and permanent dentition using the WHO criteria. Carious lesions were recorded using the dmft and DMFT indices in the primary and permanent dentition respectively., Results: Forty four [39.3%] of the 112 children examined had dental caries mainly in the primary dentition in 96.7% of the cases. Mean dmft was 1.15 +/- 1.88, mean DMFT was 0.17 +/- 0.57. Dental caries was not significantly associated with the immune status of HIV positive children; chi2 = 2.58, P = 0.275., Conclusions: Dental caries experience in the primary dentition of these HIV positive children was greater than in the Nigerian paediatric population. Dental caries prevalence in these HIV positive children although lower than that seen in developed countries was however higher than in other reports of healthy Nigerian children. There was no significant association between dental caries and immune status of HIV positive children.

Background: The ability of the host immune system to efficiently clear Plasmodium falciparum parasites during a malaria infection depends on the type of immune response mounted by the host., Study Design: In a cross-sectional study, we investigated the cellular-and antibody responses in individuals with P. falciparum infection, in an attempt to identify immunological signs indicative of the development of natural immunity against malaria in Ibadan, Nigeria. Levels of IL-10, IL-12(p70), IFN-gamma, and IgM, IgG and IgG1-4 subclasses in the serum of 36 symptomatic children with microscopically confirmed malaria parasitaemia and 54 asymptomatic controls were analysed by ELISA., Results: IFN-gamma and IL-10 were significantly higher in the symptomatic children (p=0.009, p=0.025 respectively) than in the asymptomatic controls but no differences were seen for IL-12(p70). Estimated higher ratios of IFN-gamma/IL-10 and IFN-gamma/IL-12 were also observed in the symptomatic children while the asymptomatic controls had higher IL-12/IL-10 ratio. The mean concentration levels of anti-P. falciparum IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 antibodies were statistically significantly higher in the individuals >5 years of age than <5 years while anti-P. falciparum IgG3 antibodies were notably low in <5 years category. Children <5 years had higher IgM antibodies than IgG and the expression of IgG subclasses increased with age., Conclusion: Taken together, malaria infection is on a delicate balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. The higher levels of IFN-gamma seen in the symptomatic children (<6 months) may be instrumental in immune-protection against malaria by limiting parasite replication. The observed variations in immunoglobulin subclass levels were age-dependent and exposure-related.

In order to detect and characterize avian metapneumovirus, organs or swabs were collected from 697 chicken and 110 turkeys from commercial farms in Southwestern Nigeria and from 107 chickens from live bird markets in Southeastern China. In Nigeria, 15% and 6% of the chicken and turkey samples, respectively, and 39% of the chicken samples from China, were positive for aMPV genome by PCR. The sequence of a 400 nt fragment of the attachment protein gene (G gene) revealed the presence of aMPV subtype A in both Nigeria and Southeastern China. Essentially identical subtype A viruses were found in both countries and were also previously reported from Brazil and the United Kingdom, suggesting a link between these countries or a common source of this subtype. In Nigeria, subtype B was also found, which may be a reflection of chicken importations from most major poultry-producing countries in Europe and Asia. In order to justify countermeasures, further studies are warranted to better understand the metapneumoviruses and their impact on poultry production.

The larval habitats of mosquitoes were investigated in Abeokuta, Nigeria in order to determine the breeding sites of the existing mosquito fauna and its possible public health implications on the residents of the City. The habitats were sampled between August 2005 and July 2006 using plastic dippers and a pipette. The habitats were grouped as ground pools/ponds, gutters/open drains, tyres, domestic containers and treeholes/ leaf axils. Ten species of mosquitoes were encountered in the five habitats namely Mansonia africana, M. uniformis, Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus, Ae. vittatus, Cx tigripes, Anopheles gambiae s.l., An. funestus and Eretmapodite clnysogaster. Ae. aegypti bred in all the habitats sampled while Cx quinquefasciatus bred in four habitats except tree holes/leaf axils. An. gambiae s.l and Ae. albopictus occurred in three habitats while other species bred only in one or two habitats. Ground pools and domestic containers recorded the highest number of species followed by gutters/open drains. Tree holes/leaf axils was the least preferred habitat with the lowest number of species occurrence. However, statistical analysis revealed non-significant difference in species occurrence in the five habitats. The availability of the habitats to support the breeding of Aedes, Culex and Anopheles, which are known vectors of urban yellow fever, lymphatic filariasis and malaria suggest that the residents ofAbeokuta City are at risk of mosquito-borne diseases. It is important that residents of the City are enlighten on the environmental factors that contribute to mosquito breeding and that the Government should institute proper sanitation measures to reduce mosquito breeding sites.

Some of the important mosquito species are generally sympatric in terms of their geographical distributions, and are difficult to identify based solely on examination of adult females using the available morphological keys. In this study, adult mosquitoes were collected indoors in Abeokuta in south-western Nigeria between August 2005 and July 2006 using Center for Disease Control light traps. The objective was to investigate possible morphological differences in populations of Culex quinquefasciatus and Mansonia africana. Six morphological characters namely, wing length, antennal length, proboscis length, foreleg length, mid leg length and hind leg length were measured in the two species. A total of 868 Cx quinquefasciatus and 962 M. africana were collected during the study period. The mean length was observed to be higher in most characters during the wet season than the dry season but the variation was not statistically significant (P > 0.005). In M. africana, the antennal length, proboscis length, foreleg length and midleg length showed one peak each. The wing length exhibited three peaks while hind leg length showed two peaks. For Cx quinquefasciatus, the antennal length, proboscis length, foreleg length, mid leg length and hind leg length indicated one peak. The wing length however showed three peaks. Each of the peaks observed in wing length and hind leg length of M. africana and wing length of Cx quinquefasciatus was assumed to be a specific population. The coefficient of differences (CDs) for each population indicated the presence of three populations in M. africana (CD > 1.28). However, the hind leg length showed that the two populations were the same (CD < 1.28). Three populations were also obtained from CD for wing leg length of Cx quinquefasciatus (CD > 1.28). Other characters indicated the presence of only one population. The results therefore underscore the need to investigate the status of the two species in relation to species complex.

Background: Attention paid to psychological disorders of mothers or families of children suffering from sickle cell disease (SCD) in Nigeria has been inadequate., Objective: To assess the psychosocial impact of SCD on mothers of affected children and two control samples., Design: A cross-sectional controlled study., Setting: University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria., Subjects: One hundred mothers of SCD affected children (SCD children) were the study sample while the controls were made of 75 mothers of children with bronchial asthma (asthmatics) and 75 mothers of children with some acute medical illness (AMI)., Results: The mothers of children with SCD (SCD mothers) were significantly likely to report burden in the areas of finance, time consumption and hindrance from enjoyment of live and were also more likely to over-protect their children. A total of 28% of SCD mothers were identified as probable cases with psychological problems on SRQ compared to 20% and 25% of mothers of asthmatics and AMI children respectively, this differences were, however, not statistically significant., Conclusion: As a result of the prevalent psychosocial impact of this disease on mothers it is strongly suggested that special consideration in terms of routine psychosocial assessment and treatment be incorporated into the various levels of health care system. There is also the need to encourage the establishment of more social organisations like SCD clubs where affected families can interact and counsel one another.

In Africa, highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus was first detected in northern Nigeria and later also in other regions of the country. Since then, seven other African countries have reported H5N1 infections. This study reports a comparison of full-length genomic sequences of H5N1 isolates from seven chicken farms in Nigeria and chicken and hooded vultures in Burkina Faso with earlier H5N1 outbreaks worldwide. In addition, the antigenicity of Nigerian H5N1 isolates was compared with earlier strains. All African strains clustered within three sublineages denominated A (south-west Nigeria, Niger), B (south-west Nigeria, Egypt, Djibouti) and C (northern Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Côte d'Ivoire), with distinct nucleotide and amino acid signatures and distinct geographical distributions within Africa. Probable non-African ancestors within the west Asian/Russian/European lineage distinct from the south-east Asian lineages were identified for each sublineage. All reported human cases in Africa were caused by sublineage B. Substitution rates were calculated on the basis of sequences from 11 strains from a single farm in south-west Nigeria. As H5N1 emerged essentially at the same time in the north and south-west of Nigeria, the substitution rates confirmed that the virus probably did not spread from the north to the south, given the observed sequence diversity, but that it entered the country via three independent introductions. The strains from Burkina Faso seemed to originate from northern Nigeria. At least two of the sublineages also circulated in Europe in 2006 as seen in Germany, further suggesting that the sublineages had already emerged outside of Africa and seemed to have followed the east African/west Asian and Black Sea/Mediterranean flyways of migratory birds.