Abia

Abstract: OBJECTIVE : Hypertension is the most common non-communicable disease and risk factor for heart failure, stroke, chronic kidney disease and ischemic heart disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Few population-based studies have been conducted recently in Nigeria and , in Abia State, no previous study has been conducted on the prevalence and correlates of hypertension among the populace. The purpose of our study was, therefore, to determine the prevalence and determinants of high blood pressure in Abia State, southeastern Nigeria. We hypothesise that high blood pressure burden is high in Abia State. DESIGN: The study was a community based cross-sectional house-to-house survey aimed at ascertaining the burden/prevalence of hypertension in the state as well as identifying related risk factors associated with them. SETTING: The study was conducted in rural and urban communities in Abia State, Nigeria. PARTICIPANTS: Participants in the study were men and women aged > or =15 years and were recruited from the three senatorial zones in the state. MAIN OUTCOMES: A total of 2,999 respondents were selected for the survey and , 2,983 consented to be interviewed giving a response rate of 99.5%. The data for 2,928 participants were suitable for analysis. Of these, 1,399 (47.8%) were men. The mean age of the population was 41.7 +/- 18.5 years (range 18-96 years). About 54% of the population were < or =40 years. Ninety percent had at least primary education with about 47% having completed secondary education. Expectedly, 96% of the respondents were Ibos, the predominant tribe in the southeastern part of the country. Women had significantly higher BMI than the men. Similarly, waist circumference was also larger in women but waist-to-hip ratio was only significantly higher in women in the urban areas compared to those in rural areas. Thirty-one percent of all participants had systolic hypertension (33.5% in men and 30.5% in women). This sex difference was statistically different in the urban area. On the other hand, diastolic hypertension was 22.5% in all the population (23.4% in men and 25.4% in women). Age and indices of obesity were the strongest predictors of blood pressure. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of hypertension was high in our study both in rural and urban settings. The major determinants of blood pressure in our participants included age, sex, indices of obesity and pulse rate. ( Ethn Dis . 2013;23[2]:161–167)

Abstract: A spontaneous mutant of the lactococcal phage phi31 that is insensitive to the phage defense mechanism AbiA was characterized in an effort to identify the phage factor(s) involved in sensitivity of phi31 to AbiA. A point mutation was localized in the genome of the AbiA-insensitive phage (phi31A) by heteroduplex analysis of a 9-kb region. The mutation (G to T) was within a 738-bp open reading frame (ORF245) and resulted in an arginine-to-leucine change in the predicted amino acid sequence of the protein. The mutant phi31A-ORF245 reduced the sensitivity of phi31 to AbiA when present in trans, indicating that the mutation in ORF245 is responsible for the AbiA insensitivity of phi31A. Transcription of ORF245 occurs early in the phage infection cycles of phi31 and phi31A and is unaffected by AbiA. Expansion of the phi31 sequence revealed ORF169 (immediately upstream of ORF245) and ORF71 (which ends 84 bp upstream of ORF169). Two inverted repeats lie within the 84-bp region between ORF71 and ORF169. Sequence analysis of an independently isolated AbiA-insensitive phage, phi31B, identified a mutation (G to A) in one of the inverted repeats. A 118-bp fragment from phi31, encompassing the 84-bp region between ORF71 and ORF169, eliminates AbiA activity against phi31 when present in trans, establishing a relationship between AbiA and this fragment. The study of this region of phage phi31 has identified an open reading frame (ORF245) and a 118-bp DNA fragment that interact with AbiA and are likely to be involved in the sensitivity of this phage to AbiA.

Abstract: Abiinae is the second-largest subfamily in Cimbicidae, a small family of true sawflies (Tenthredinoidea). The subfamily is adequately defined, but the generic classification has been unstable. Currently, only two genera are regarded as valid: Abia Leach, 1817 and Allabia Semenov & Gussakovskij, 1937. We evaluate the generic classification of Abiinae in a phylogenetic context. A total of 32 species (out of 57 described for the subfamily), including the type species of Allabia , Allabia infernalis (Semenov, 1896), are scored for 150 adult morphological characters. Results show some resolution, but only few clades can be circumscribed by consistent character combinations. Most of the characters that have previously been used to define genera are not congruent; consequently, most suggested genus definitions appear to be random character state combinations and few natural groups can be identified. For these reasons, we treat Allabia syn. nov. as a junior synonym of Abia and make the following additional taxonomic changes: Abia infernalis Semenov, 1896 comb. rev. and Abia malaisei (Semenov & Gussakovskij, 1937) syn. nov. For the purpose of long-term stability of the classification of Abiinae, we recommend recognizing only one genus, Abia , within the subfamily.

Abstract: This study explores the experience of the sub-urban slum residents in Okpoko (Anambra State), Ngwa-road Aba (Abia State), Ajegunle (Lagos State) and Gwagwalada (Abuja), to underscore the elitist an...