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Introduction: Oral health is defined as a state of being free of mouth and facial pain, oral infections and sores, and other diseases that limit an individual's capacity for biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial well-being. This study assessed the knowledge, barriers, and facilitators of oral health knowledge among Pharmacists in Enugu, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 163 pharmacists in two tertiary hospitals in Enugu, South East, Nigeria. Data on sociodemographic profiles, knowledge of oral health care, barriers, and facilitators of oral health knowledge was collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: There were more female 96 (58.9%) than male pharmacists 67 (41.1%). Their mean age was 32.98 ± 8.33 years. The majority of respondents, 56 (34.4%) graduated between 2010 and 2019, and 44 (27%) had additional qualifications. Many of the pharmacists 88 (54%) believed that oral health is part of general health. Also, 107 (65.6%) of the respondents had a good knowledge of oral health while 56 (34.4%) had poor knowledge. There was a significant association between academic qualification (P = 0.04) and having good knowledge of oral health care among pharmacists with those with additional qualifications having better knowledge than the others. Poor creation of oral health awareness by dentists 106 (65.0%) was considered as the main barrier to having good oral health knowledge by the pharmacists. Conclusion: More than half of the pharmacists had good knowledge of oral health and academic qualification was associated with having a good knowledge of oral health care among pharmacists in the study population.

The aromaticity and CDFT properties of naphthalene and its aza-derivatives were theoretically investigated using density functional theory (DFT) electronic structure method. The reactivity and chemistry of Azanaphthalene (1-AN), 1, 2-diazanaphthalene (1, 2-DAN), 1, 3-diazanaphthalene (1, 3-DAN), 1, 4-diazanaphthalene (1,4-DAN), 1, 5-diazanaphthalene (1, 5-DAN), 1, 6-diazanaphthalene (1, 6-DAN), 1, 7-diazanaphthalene (1,7-DAN) and 1, 8-diazanaphthalene (1, 8-DAN) were thoroughly explored and predicted focusing more on the fuzzy atomic space analysis, quantum chemical descriptors (CDFT), natural bond orbital (NBO), and structural electronic properties. The CDFT is focused on predicting the condensed Fukui function and dual descriptors along with condensed local electrophilicity and nucleophilicity investigation. From the aromaticity computational study, 1,7-DAN gave PDI, FLU, FLU-π, PLR, HOMA, BIRD and LOLIPOP values of approximately one (1) was found to be the most aromatic in the group, and strongest π-stacking ability. The aromaticity follows the trend: 1, 7-DAN > 1, 8-DAN > 1, 5-DAN > 1, 6-DAN > 1, 4-DAN > 1, 2-DAN > 1-AN > naphthalene. The second order perturbation energy NBO analysis revealed that the 3 highest stabilization energies in the molecules are C6–Na to C3–C4 (π∗−π∗ 236.90 kcal/mol) of 1, 6-DAN, C3–C4 to C1–C2 (π∗−π∗236.37 kcal/mol) of 1-AN and C7–N10 to C2–C4 (π∗−π∗235 kcal/mol) of 1, 3-DAN.

Background: Various educational neurosurgery teaching methods are employed across few Nigerian universities, especially Enugu state., Aims: To determine the adequacy of current neurosurgery teaching methods, factors influencing eventual choice of neurosurgery amongst final year medical students in Enugu state, Nigeria and suggest improvement methods towards best global standards., Materials and Methods: This was an online cross-sectional study conducted among final year medical students currently on Neurosurgery rotation in Enugu state, Nigeria using a validated questionnaire. Data was analyzed (inferential and deferential) using SPSS; chi-squares values were calculated. Significance was set at p value <0.05 and measures were put in place to limit bias., Results: 106 students filled and submitted the form with a response rate of 72.60%. Most respondents revealed that their universities had mandatory neurosurgery rotations. Majority affirmed that a general poor learning environment (75%) was the major obstacle to standard teaching. About 49% had interest in specializing in surgery but only 18% have interest in neurosurgery as a future sub-specialty choice. Positively, majority (90.6%) alluded to having qualified teachers, with 43.4% of them advocating for improved training of the teachers. There was a significant correlation between choice of specialty and the students' monthly income (less than N10, 000 had a p: 0.003). Other factors that were positively correlated in eventual choice as their future desired subspecialty include poor exposure to clinical neurosurgery cases (p: 0.020) and little or no exposure of students to neurosurgery research opportunities (p: 0.024)., Conclusion/recommendations: The current neurosurgical teaching methods in Enugu state are not fully optimal yet. There is a need for some improvement in current learning environment and teaching methods to improve the students' understanding of neurosurgery and eventual increased interest in final choice of neurosurgery as their desired subspecialty., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Journal of West African College of Surgeons.)

Background: Little is known about the factors responsible for the academic performance of clinical dentistry/dental surgery students, particularly those in their finals in Nigerian universities., Objectives: The objectives of the study were to identify the subjective factors that may affect the performance of dental surgery finalists at the undergraduate level in Nigerian dental schools and to proffer realistic suggestions to improve dental surgery education., Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey of final-year dental surgery students in Nigeria was conducted using a well-structured validated online questionnaire distributed randomly through online platforms. Descriptive and inferential data analysis was done with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Chi-squares and Fischer's exact values were calculated. Significance was set at P < 0.05. Consent was obtained from all participants., Results: Sixty-nine final-year dental surgery students completed and submitted the questionnaire. The hours spent on clinical hands-on-dental practice, dental surgery lectures/clinics attendance, and impact of particular course lecturers were the top three most agreed factors influencing the performance of dental surgery students in their examinations. A significant relationship ( P = 0.027 [<0.05]; X 2 = 4.873) exists between gender and the perception in that the greater cumulative number of study hours was alluded to significantly influencing performance in examinations. More females unlike males indicated that the total number of hours studied does not affect performance. A statistically significant association ( P = 0.004 [<0.05]; X 2 = 13.274) was also found between age grades and the influence of repeating an examination on performance. A majority of the respondents across all age grades indicated that repeating students do not always perform better or even pass the examinations. A majority of the respondents across all age grades indicated that those that have completed a degree before medical school do not always perform better in examinations. This finding also had a statistically significant association ( P = 0.048 [<0.05]; X 2 = 7.886)., Conclusions: There is a need to coordinate efforts in the management of dental institutions to ensure that adequate attention is given to the dental surgery students at every stage of their training. Creation of dental surgery mentorship programmes may also help in the overall quality of the programme., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Journal of West African College of Surgeons.)