Media saturation,communication exposure and HIV stigma in Nigeria

HIV-related stigma constitutes an impediment to public health as it hampers HIV/AIDS control efforts in many ways. To address the complex problems of increasing HIV infection rate, widespread misinformation about the infection and the rising level of HIV-related stigma, the various tiers of government in Nigeria are working with local and international non-governmental organizations to develop and implement strategic communication programs. This paper assesses the link between these communication efforts and HIV-related stigma using data from a nationally representative household survey. The results show that accepting attitudes towards people living with HIV are more prevalent among men than among women. Exposure to HIV-related communication on the media is associated with increased knowledge about HIV, which is in turn a strong predictor of accepting attitudes. Communication exposure also has a significant and positive association with accepting attitudes towards people living with HIV. In contrast, community media saturation is not strongly linked with accepting attitudes for either sex. The findings strongly suggest that media-based HIV programs constitute an effective strategy to combat HIV/AIDS-related stigma and should therefore be intensified in Nigeria.     

Bone defects following curettage do not necessarily need augmentation: A retrospective study of 146 patients

Background and purpose The natural pattern of bone healing in large bony defects following curettage alone as treatment of benign bone tumors around the knee is not well reported. We analyzed the outcome in 146 patients.Patients and methods 146 patients with over 18 months of follow-up who underwent curettage without bone substitute filling or bone grafting for a benign tumor in the distal femur or upper tibia were included. The mean diameter of the defects following curettage was 5.7 (1.3–11) cm and the estimated average volume was 63 (1–240) cm³. The plain radiographs before and following curettage were reviewed to establish the size of the initial defect and the rate of reconstitution and infilling of the bone. The time to full weight bearing and any complications were recorded.Results There was a variable rate of infilling; some defects completely reconstituted to a normal appearance while some never filled in. In 88% of the cases, no further intervention after curettage was required and the mean time to full weight bearing was 6 weeks. The risk of subsequent fracture or the late development of osteoarthritis was strongly related to the size of the cyst at diagnosis, with cysts of > 60 cm³ (about 5 cm in diameter) having a much higher incidence of complications.Interpretation This study demonstrates the natural healing ability of bone without any adjuvant filling. It could be used as a baseline for future studies using any sort of filling with autograft, allograft, or bone substitute.     

阿拉山口口岸灭鼠效果回顾性分析及鼠情反弹监控的探讨

目的总结、评价灭鼠效果、经验和教训,为持续巩固灭鼠成果及鼠情反弹监控提供科学依据。方法自2005年开始,在口岸城区、郊区及野外阳性点区连续5年的灭鼠、灭蚤,在城区用溴敌隆毒饵,在郊区和野外用人工捕获法、堵洞、投磷化铝和建立砖制溴敌隆毒饵站隔离防护带;将5年前、5年间和5年灭鼠后的鼠情监测结果对比分析。结果 2009年在口岸城区鼠形动物密度由5年前的9.0%降至0.2%,褐家鼠密度由20.0%降至0,染蚤率由93.3%降为0,印鼠客蚤指数由16.27降为0,原有的优势鼠种及媒介印鼠客蚤现已消退,鼠形动物密度是口岸开放20年以来的最低;在郊区灭鼠区鼠形动物密度由6.0%下降到3.0%,野外阳性点大沙鼠密度也由原来的9.0只/hm2下降到2.3只/hm2。结论当前口岸灭鼠措施、技术和药物有效,消除了口岸鼠疫疫情发生的潜在风险;为巩固成果、监控鼠情反弹隐患,探讨了创建口岸鼠防安全五道防线屏障建设。     

臀突客蚤重要生态学调查与流行病学意义的探讨

目的掌握大沙鼠鼠疫主要传播媒介臀突客蚤的生态学动态规律,为防治提供信息和依据。方法在口岸鼠疫监测区采集鼠、动物体蚤,洞干、洞口蚤,镜下观察孕蚤数量,将年度内逐月采集的鼠体、洞口洞干、孕蚤数的优势蚤种经鉴定、分类后绘制成臀突客蚤季节消长图。结果臀突客蚤不仅在野外、郊区,而且在口岸城区均有分布。是大沙鼠的主要寄生蚤,占采蚤总数的66.3%,也是该区多种啮齿类和野生动物的次要蚤种。臀突客蚤鼠体蚤密度高峰在4月,蚤指数为12.87,其他各月也有臀突客蚤分布。洞干、洞口游离蚤密度高峰在7月,蚤指数为1.70。臀突客蚤雌性在3-9月为繁殖产卵期,但高峰在4-6月,占全年孕蚤数的68.3%。结论臀突客蚤是中哈边境口岸周边四季均能生存的多宿主、广泛分布的蚤种。该蚤不仅能自然感染鼠疫菌,并可叮人吸血。在鼠体蚤、洞干、洞口游离蚤高峰期应高度警戒,以防止人间鼠疫的发生。     

Clinical causes and classification of perinatal mortality in Lagos

Perinatal deaths in singleton births at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital during a 5-year period were reviewed. Causes of deaths were classified into eight groups using a modified form of the Aberdeen classification. Perinatal mortality was high (42.5/1000 total births). The stillbirth rate was 32.5/1000 total births. The major causes of perinatal mortality were trauma (30.5%), low birth weight (23.9%), hemorrhage (13.7%), toxemia of pregnancy (10.3%) and mature, cause unknown (10%). Congenital malformation (4.3%) was not a major cause of perinatal deaths in this study.     

双能X线吸收法与生物电阻抗法测量儿童身体成分结果比较

目的比较儿童双能X线吸收法与生物电阻抗法身体成分结果,为儿童体成分研究提供方法学基础。方法选择7~15岁体重正常儿童180名,每性别、年龄组约10名,分别采用DEXA和BIA测定身体脂肪组织和非脂肪组织成分及骨矿含量,分析2种方法测量结果的相关性和一致性。结果7~15岁儿童肌肉组织、骨矿含量、脂肪组织和脂肪百分比BIA与DEXA测量结果的相关系数,除个别年龄段的个别指标外,均有统计学意义(P值均<0.05);各年龄组女生脂肪组织和脂肪百分比测量值相关系数均高于男生。BIA与DEXA脂肪百分比测量结果的平均差值随年龄增长而降低,但男生差值标准差随年龄增长而增加,女生相对稳定。Bland-Altman图分析男生BIA与DEXA脂肪百分比结果的一致性限男生为-7.6%~12.6%,女生为-3.2%~10.4%。男、女生BIA得出的非脂肪组织指数(FFMI)大于DEXA结果,差值在2.0以内,男生有随脂肪百分比含量升高而增加的趋势;女生20%~30%脂肪百分比组差值最小。结论儿童BIA与DEXA身体成分测量值相关性好。BIA与DEXA相比,可低估脂肪组织含量和脂肪百分比,高估肌肉组织含量和骨矿含量。     

Malignant triton tumour of the thigh--a retrospective analysis of nine cases.

Malignant triton tumour (MTT) is a very rare soft tissue tumour. AIM: To report nine patients diagnosed with malignant triton tumour of the thigh between January 1996 and January 2005 to determine the natural history and factors that may affect survival in this aggressive tumour. METHODS: Due to the association of Neurofibromatosis (NF Type I) with malignant triton tumour, two groups of patients were identified: those with NF type I (Group I cases); and those without (Group II). RESULTS: Group I patients accounted for four cases and arose predominantly in young males, all tumours being high grade, >10 cm in size and all four patients died within two years of diagnosis. By contrast, the five patients of Group II were older, had smaller size and lower grade tumours and three patients are long-term survivors. CONCLUSION: Although the number of cases is small, our data supports the views that the natural history of MTT is more aggressive in patients with NF type I. This poor outlook could be attributed to the high frequency of Grade III histology in this disease and the large tumour size.     

Serial serum ferritin and other hematological parameters in normal Nigerian primigravidae

Serial hematological indices using Coulter Counter and serum ferritin using radioimmunoassay techniques were determined in 20 healthy Nigerian primigravidae with hemoglobin genotype AA. PCV fell significantly (P less than 0.001) to a minimum value at 28 weeks that was 6% lower than the mean value at 8 weeks postpartum. PCV at 36 weeks was still significantly (P less than 0.001) lower than the post partum value. There was an insignificant but progressive increase in MCV values throughout pregnancy. Changes in MCH and MCHC were insignificant. Ferritin levels in both the non-pregnant and pregnant subjects were high and probably reflected the high iron content of Nigerian foods. Though the cord serum ferritin level was significantly higher (P less than 0.001) than maternal ferritin at delivery there was no significant correlation between the two.