Influence of malaria on the serum levels of vitamin A, zinc and calcium of children in Douala-Cameroon

Malaria is an endemic parasitic disease that prevails particularly in warm tropical regions of the world. Micronutrient malnutrition such as vitamin A and iron deficiencies which is a public health problem inCameroon is usually highly prevalent in malaria endemic areas. Characterizing the relationship between micronutrient status (vitamin A, zinc and calcium) and malaria infection among children in Douala town (Cameroon), serum levels of zinc, calcium and vitamin A, were assayed in a total of 116 Cameroonian children (62 controls and 54 malaria patients infected by Plasmodium falciparum) less than six yearsold by colorimetric and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques respectively showed a significantly lower vitamin A and calcium concentrations (P < 0.01) among malaria patients (0.8 ± 0.4ìmol/l and 81.3 ± 23.7 mg/l) as compared to the controls (1.1 ± 0.6 ìmol/l and 96.3 ± 16.7 mg/ml). Vitamin A, calcium and zinc status were lower in 51.85%, 51.85% and 27.27% of malaria patients respectively. Significant correlations (

Sero-Epidemiology of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in Children in Ilorin, Kwara State

Rotavirus is responsible for the most severe dehydrating diarrhea among young children due to gastroenteritis. In this study, we aimed to ascertain the occurrence of childhood gastroenteritis caused by Rotavirus among infants and young children who are younger than 5 years of age in Ilorin, Kwara State and determined the risk factors posing the challenges to be susceptible to diarrhea associated with rotavirus in Ilorin, Kwara State. Diarrhea stool samples were collected from children who passed watery stools, who met predetermined inclusion criteria and who presented at the study hospitals Viz: General Hospital and Specialist Hospital Alagbado and Children Specialist Hospital, Igboro. All within Kwara State either on outpatient care basis or those admitted into the pediatric ward. Sample of stool habouring rotavirus antigens was detected by commercial Rotavirus IgM ELISA kit to target recent infections among the participants. Out of three hundred (300) stool samples that were collected from children suffering from acute diarrhea, a total number of eighty-six (86) were found to be Rotavirus positive (28.7 %) and two hundred and fourteen (214) were found to be negative (71.3%). The age group 3-5 years, showed the highest prevalence rate which is in line with some research findings that attribute this age range with certain feeding habits and cultural practices, predisposing them to gastroenteritis. It is therefore advised that parents and guardian alike should ensure that special care is given to children, with emphasis on their feeding habits and sanitation

JASON SCHNEIDER The Profession of IT The Core of the Third-Wave Professional

have been grappling with four dilemmas. They are: skills, breadth versus depth, design, and licensing. The IT skills dilemma. Employers say that IT graduates lack important skills needed in the workplace, notably knowledge of current IT and various “soft ” skills, including presentation, customer relations, leadership, and team work. At the same time, employers tell university departments they value the general, principles-based education universities offer; and they snap up every graduate. Should we change the curriculum or not? The breadth versus depth dilemma. The market seems to demand graduates with great depth in a technical specialty and at the same time a broad grasp of the IT field. Educators see no clear path to a response. There are so many specialties that any given academic department can cover only a few. There is already too much to cover in the 60 credit hours allocated for major courses within a BS degree. Moreover, depth and breadth appear to be individual choices—in what areas does a person seek depth? Across what spec-trum does a person seek breadth? The design dilemma. Our current software design processes consistently yield systems with a wide range of flaws, making them unreliable and difficult to use. Michael Dertouzos documents these flaws and argues that the complexities of IT cannot be successfully hidden from users without a fundamental change in the design process [3]. Dertouzos is the most recent of a long lineage who for over 20 years have exhorted us to move from technology-centered to humancentered design. Our inability to consistently develop software tha

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of mothers and caregivers on infant and young child feeding in peri-urban zones of Bobo-dioulasso in Burkina Faso

Knowledge, attitudes and practices(KAP) of mothers/caregivers on infant and young child feeding are key factors for optimal nutritional status, health and growth of the children. A community-based, cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted during January 2017 to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) of mothers/ caregivers who lived in peri-urban areas of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina-Faso.This study was carried out before a nutrition education-based intervention and included 245 mothers/ caregivers that were randomly selected in the peri-urban communities of Bobo-Dioulasso. A semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire developed based on Food and Agriculture Organization knowledge, attitudes and practices assessment method was used to collect KAP and socio-economic data. Analyses were performed using SPSS version 20. For this study, authorization was obtained from the regional directorate of health of the Hauts-Bassins region. Verbal consent was obtained after the participants had been informed about the study objectives. Among the 245 study participants, 55.1% were aged less than 30 years. More than 3 out of 4 mothers/caregivers (76.3%) were Muslim and 59.2% of them were illiterate. Almost all mothers/caregivers (98.8%) had adequate knowledge for breastfeeding and 87.9% of them knew about exclusive breast feeding up to 6 months. In addition, 91.8% of mothers/caregivers reported that they gave colostrum at birth. Furthermore, 67.5% of the mothers started breastfeeding within one hour after delivery. Based on mothers/caregivers’ report on complementary foods consumed by 6-59 months children in the previous 24h before the interview, cereals were the most reported consumed food group (89.8%) followed by meat and fish products (28.6%). This study found that mothers/caregivers had adequate knowledge about IYCF in general. However, mothers/caregivers’ practice of complementary feeding was inappropriate. Cereals were the food group consumed by most of children aged 6-59 months raising the needs for interventions, such as cooking demonstrations during postnatal visits in health facilities,to improve complementary feeding in this population.</jats:p