Morphometric Study of the Mastoid Process and its Role in Sex Differentiation:A Nigerian Computed Tomography Study

Background:The mastoid process can be utilized in forensic identification due to its resistance to alterations and population variations in its morphology.The study investigated the role of mastoid parameters in the determination of sex in a Nigerian population.Aims and Objectives:The aim of this study was to determine the gender differences in measurements of the mastoid process.Furthermore,the study aimed at assessing the percentage accuracy of using the mastoid variables in sex discrimination.Materials and Methods:This cross-sectional study used computed tomographic images of the brain,stored in the radiology unit of a referral hospital in Delta State,Nigeria.Permission was granted by the hospital’s Ethics Board.The measurements of the mastoid process were taken on images of 310 patients(170 males and 140 females)aged 20-80 years.Data were summarized using means and standard deviations.Gender,side,and age group comparisons were assessed using the independent t-test,paired t-test,and analysis of variance,respectively.The association between variables was probed using Pearson’s correlation test.The discriminant function analysis was used to determine the accuracy of correct sex allocation.The probability value was set at<0.05.Results:All the measurements were larger in males than in females(P<0.05).All except the conventional height,oblique sagittal diameter,and mediolateral inclination angle showed significant differences between age groups(P<0.05).The true height and oblique coronal diameter showed a significant positive correlation with age(0<r<0.05)(P<0.05).The lateral intermastoid distance was the best sex-discriminating variable(89.4%).Using all nine variables,the accuracy of sex prediction was 89.7%.Conclusion:The sexually dimorphic mastoid dimensions can collectively be used for sex determination with acceptable accuracies,in cases where only the fragmented parts of the temporal bone are available in Delta State,Nigeria.

Knowledge, Attitude and Oral Hygiene Practices among Medical Practitioners in Delta State, Nigeria

Background: The knowledge of good oral hygiene is of paramount importance for the technical knowhow to keep one’s mouth clean and free from periodontal diseases. Thus, one’s attitude towards oral hygiene directly affects the oral health status. Aims: The study aimed at evaluating the knowledge, attitude and oral hygiene practices among medical practitioners in Delta State, Nigeria. The research also aimed at determining the effect of sex on knowledge, attitude and oral hygiene practices. Methodology: This study was an observational cross sectional study. Purposive sampling technique was employed. A total of a hundred and twenty-three health care providers were assessed with a structured questionnaire. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics and Research Committee in the Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Biology, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 18.0 package. Descriptive statistics was analyzed using simple frequency percentages distribution and association between categorical variables and sex was done using a chi-square test. Significance was accepted at p Result: Findings from the study present 76.0% males and 24.0% females in the studied population. Five categories of health care providers were assessed, 63.0% of respondents were medical officers, 21.0% were consultants, and 10.0% were residents, while 6.0% were house officers. The results showed that 43.9% of the participants brushed their teeth once daily, 54.5% twice daily while 1.6% thrice daily. Respondents were asked the last time they visited a dentist. Out of the 123 participants, 37.4% never visited, 20.3% claimed six months ago, 13.0% visited a year ago, 10.6% two years ago and 19.40% visited more than two years ago. It also shows percentage distribution of variant types of last treatment, 19.5% had extraction, 10.6% had filling, and 33.3% had scaling and polishing while 36.6% had other types of dental treatment. The study revealed that the majority of the respondents (93.5%) had a positive attitude towards oral health. A total of 91.9% of the participants had knowledge of oral hygiene, while 8.1% had no idea of oral hygiene. More than half of the respondent (57.2%) agreed and strongly agreed that oral hygiene knowledge in medical schools was adequate while 35.0% disagreed and strongly disagreed. There was no significant association (p > 0.05) between frequency of daily teeth brushing, last dental visit, variant treatments and sex. Conclusion: Findings from this study showed that the majority of the participants had an adequate knowledge on proper oral hygiene care and they had a positive attitude towards oral health. Being health care providers, the adequate knowledge and positive attitude could have a positive impact on the patients.

A Retrospective Study to Evaluate the Morphometry of the Foramen Magnum and Its Role in Forensic Science in a Nigerian Population of Delta State

Background:Sexual dimorphism of the foramen magnum has increased its interest in forensic science.Gender determination is an important preliminary step in the identification of unknown skeletal remains.This study aimed at determining the dimensions of the foramen magnum in Delta State Nigeria and their role in gender discrimination.Materials and Methods:We retrospectively analyzed computed tomographic images of336 patients(199 males and 137 females)aged>18 years,archived in the Radiology Department of a Teaching Hospital in Nigeria.Ethical approval was granted by the hospitaFs ethical board.The length,width,and area of the foramen magnum were measured and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 23.We used an independent Mest and analysis of variance to evaluate the association of these dimensions with sex and age,respectively.The percentage accuracy of sex discrimination and the association between variables were assessed using discriminant functional analysis and Pearson's correlation test correspondingly.The results were considered significant at P<0.05.Results:The foramen magnum length,width,and area showed a statistically significant gender difference(P<0.05).The width was the best sex discriminating variable(64.3%)and the overall accuracy of correct sex allocation using all the variables was 75%.All the parameters measured showed a significant strong positive correlation with each other(0.5<r<1,P<0.05).Conclusion:The foramen magnum length width and area were sexually dimorphic.Their high overall accuracy(75%)in gender discrimination implies that they may collectively be utilized in the sex estimation of unknown skulls in Delta State Nigeria.

Analysis of Finger and Toe Prints and their Corresponding Correlations in the Anioma People of Nigeria

Background:A comparison of the finger and toe ridge patterns can reveal their genetic interdependence.This cross‑sectional study aimed at analyzing and correlating the corresponding finger and toe ridge counts.Materials and Methods:The hands and feet of 100 subjects(50 males and 50 females)from the Anioma tribe of Nigeria were scanned with Hewlett placard G4010 photo scanner following ethical approval.Evaluation of the finger and toe prints was carried out using AutoCAD version 2010.Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package of the Social Sciences version 23 and presented using descriptive statistics.Chi‑square test was used to test for association between nonparametric variables while Pearson’s correlation was used to assess for the relationship between corresponding finger and toe ridge counts.P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:The predominant finger and toe ridge patterns were loops(73%,79.7%)followed by arches(18.4%,15.1%)and finally whorls(8.6%,5.2%).There was a significant association between gender and the combined print patterns of all the five digits on a limb(P≤0.05).A significant positive correlation existed between the mean ridge counts of some of the corresponding fingers and toes in females.This correlation was weak in the corresponding 1st right and 1st and 3^(rd)left digits(0<r<0.5)(P≤0.05)and strong in the corresponding 3^(rd)to 5^(th)right digits and 2^(nd),4^(th),and 5^(th)left digits(0.5≤r<1)(P≤0.05).Conclusion:The study has clearly shown that sexual dimorphism is displayed only by a combination of the print patterns in all digits of a limb as against individual digits.Using correlation of digital mean ridge counts,the right 3^(rd)to 5^(th)and the left 2^(nd),4^(th),and 5^(th)digits from either the hand or the foot in females can be used to predict the corresponding digit among the Anioma people of Nigeria,hence their importance in forensic sciences.