HIV/AIDS Related Stigma and Discrimination against PLWHA in Nigerian Population

Background

HIV/AIDS remain a major public health concern in Nigeria. People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) face not only personal medical problems but also social problems associated with the disease such as stigma and discriminatory attitudes. This study provides an insight into HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination against PLWHA in Nigeria.

Methods

The data for this study was extracted from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the National Population Commission. All men and women aged 15–49 years, permanent residents and visitors of the households were eligible for the interview. Several questionnaires were used in the survey, some covering questions on HIV/AIDS.

Results

A total of 56 307 men and women aged 15–49 years participated in this national survey. About half of the population in Nigeria have HIV stigma. Younger persons, men, those without formal education and those within poor wealth index are more likely to have stigma towards PLWHA. In addition, married people are more likely to have stigma on PLWHA and are more likely to blame PLWHA for bringing the disease to the community. Also about half of the population discriminates against PLWHA. However, those with higher levels of education and those from higher wealth index seem to be more compassionate towards PLWHA. About 70% in the population are willing to care for relative with AIDS, even more so among those with higher level of education.

Conclusion

There is a high level of HIV stigma and discrimination against PLWHA in the Nigerian population. Education seems to play a major role in the society with respect to HIV stigma and discrimination against PLWHA. Educating the population with factual information on HIV/AIDS is needed to reduce stigma and discrimination towards PLWHA in the community.     

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of new heterocyclic compounds containing thieno[3,2-c]coumarin and pyrazolo[4,3-c]coumarin frameworks

Reaction of 4-chlorocoumarin-3-carbonitrile with ethyl thioglycolate and ethyl glycinate hydrochloride leads to a series of title products. Hydrazinolysis of amino thienocoumarin carboxylate afforded the hydrazino derivative which underwent various reactions to build new heterocyclic rings containing thienocoumarin moiety. Chloro acetylation of aminoester compound afforded the chloro acetyl amino which underwent nucleophilic substitution reactions with various amines. The following treatment with formaldehyde under Mannich conditions afforded the corresponding imidazo derivatives. Reaction of chloroacetylamino with potassium thiocyanate yielded ethylpyrimidothieno coumarin sulfanylacetate which was used as a versatile precursor for synthesis of other heterocycles. On the other hand, reaction of chloro coumarin carbonitrile with hydrazine gave the aminopyrazolocoumaine which reacted with bifunctionally compounds to give the substituted pyrimido derivatives. Diazotization and coupling of aminopyrazole with ethylcyanoacetate yielded ethylaminotriazinopyrazolocoumarine carboxylate. Several of the compounds obtained demonstrated considerable antifungal and antibacterial activity in the in vitro test systems.     

Biological control of root-rot disease complex of chickpea by AM fungi

Abstract

Six species AM fungi, namely Glomus fasciculatum, G. constrictum, G. intraradices sp., Gigaspora margarita, Acaulospora sp. and Sclerocystis sp., were used for the biological control of root-rot disease complex of chickpea caused by Meloidogyne incognita and Macrophomina phaseolina. Application of these AM fungi increase plant growth, pod number, chlorophyll, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents in diseased plants and also reduced nematode multiplication and root-rot index. G. fasciculatum caused greater increase in plant growth, pod number, chlorophyll, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents of pathogen inoculated plants followed by G. intaradices, G. constrictum, Sclerocystis, G. margarita and Acaulospora sp. Percent root colonization caused by G. fasciculatum was high followed by G. intaradices, G. constrictum, Sclerocystis sp., G. margarita and Acaulospora sp. Glomus fasciculatum also caused higher reduction in root-rot index, galling and nematodes multiplication while Acaulospora sp. produced the least.     

Histopathology and immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of bioterrorism agents.

From October to November 2001, the inhalational and cutaneous anthrax cases that occurred in the U.S. underscored the importance of recognizing the clinical and pathological features of infectious agents that can be used in acts of terrorism. Early confirmation of bio-terrorist acts can only be performed by making organism-specific diagnosis of cases with clinical and pathologic syndromes that could be caused by possible bioterrorism weapons. Recognition and diagnosis of these cases is central to establish adequate responses. This review will examine the events that occurred during the anthrax bio-terrorist attack with specific emphasis on the role of pathology and immunohistochemistry and will describe the histopathologic features of category A bioterrorism agents (anthrax, plague, tularemia, botulism, smallpox, and viral hemorrhagic fevers).     

The sarcolemmal calcium pump, alpha-1 syntrophin, and neuronal nitric-oxide synthase are parts of a macromolecular protein complex

The main role of the plasma membrane Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent ATPase (PMCA) is in the removal of Ca2+ from the cytosol. Recently, we and others have suggested a new function for PMCA as a modulator of signal transduction pathways. This paper shows the physical interaction between PMCA (isoforms 1 and 4) and alpha-1 syntrophin and proposes a ternary complex of interaction between endogenous PMCA, alpha-1 syntrophin, and NOS-1 in cardiac cells. We have identified that the linker region between the pleckstrin homology 2 (PH2) and the syntrophin unique (SU) domains, corresponding to amino acids 399-447 of alpha-1 syntrophin, is crucial for interaction with PMCA1 and -4. The PH2 and the SU domains alone failed to interact with PMCA. The functionality of the interaction was demonstrated by investigating the inhibition of neuronal nitric-oxide synthase-1 (NOS-1); PMCA is a negative regulator of NOS-1-dependent NO production, and overexpression of alpha-1 syntrophin and PMCA4 resulted in strongly increased inhibition of NO production. Analysis of the expression levels of alpha-1 syntrophin protein in the heart, skeletal muscle, brain, uterus, kidney, or liver of PMCA4-/- mice, did not reveal any differences when compared with those found in the same tissues of wild-type mice. These results suggest that PMCA4 is tethered to the syntrophin complex as a regulator of NOS-1, but its absence does not cause collapse of the complex, contrary to what has been reported for other proteins within the complex, such as dystrophin. In conclusion, the present data demonstrate for the first time the localization of PMCA1b and -4b to the syntrophin.dystrophin complex in the heart and provide a specific molecular mechanism of interaction as well as functionality.     

SMOTIF: efficient structured pattern and profile motif search

Background  

A structured motif allows variable length gaps between several components, where each component is a simple motif, which allows either no gaps or only fixed length gaps. The motif can either be represented as a pattern or a profile (also called positional weight matrix). We propose an efficient algorithm, called SMOTIF, to solve the structured motif search problem, i.e., given one or more sequences and a structured motif, SMOTIF searches the sequences for all occurrences of the motif. Potential applications include searching for long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons and composite regulatory binding sites in DNA sequences.     

Effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria,nematode parasitic fungi and root-nodule bacterium on root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne javanica and growth of chickpea

Effects of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (Pseudomonas putida MTCC No. 3604 and Pseudomonas alcaligenes MTCC No. 493) and parasitic fungi (Pochonia chlamydosporia KIA and Paecilomyces lilacinus KIA) were studied, alone and together with Rhizobium sp. (charcoal commercial culture) on the growth of chickpea and multiplication of Meloidogyne javanica. Individually, P. putida 3604, P. alcaligenes 493 and Rhizobium caused a significant increase in the growth of chickpea in both nematode inoculated and uninoculated plants. Inoculation of Rhizobium with a parasitic fungus or with plant growth promoting rhizobaterium caused a greater increase in the growth of plants inoculated with nematodes than caused by either of them singly. Individually, P. lilacinus KIA caused a greater increase in the growth of nematode inoculated plants than caused by P. putida 3604 or P. alcaligenes 493. P. lilacinus KIA caused a greater reduction in galling and nematode multiplication followed by P. chlamydosporia KIA, P. putida 3604 and P. alcaligenes 493. Combined use of P. lilacinus KIA with Rhizobium was better in reducing galling and nematode multiplication than any other treatment. P. putida 3604 caused a greater colonization of root than P. alcaligenes 493 while P. lilacinus KIA was isolated from more nematodes than P. chlamydosporia KIA.