South Sudan; Implementing SSR and DDR

This paper is a qualitative case study of the implementation of Security Sector Reforms and Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programs in the newly independent South Sudan. The objective of the analysis is to give an understanding of how the implementation of these programs would contribute to legitimate, effective and efficient juridical systems and security sectors in the war torn society of South Sudan. The essay will include a summary of the conflictual background that issued the need for independence for South from The Republic of Sudan. It will also provide an insight on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement as well as analyze the question examined; if the implementation of SSR and DDR is vital for peace building in South Sudan. The concluding statements link concepts and show the curial need for SSR and DDR programs for enabling development and sustainable peace in South Sudan

Methods for Integrating Spatial Analysis in Assessment of Community Sustainability

Faced with a large amount of data, obtaining useful information and providing effective support for urban planning is a new and increasingly difficult challenge. The effectiveness of planning decisions can be greatly enhanced by providing planning professionals, policy makers, and other stakeholders with methods and tools to evaluate the different impacts of proposed planning decisions on urban sustainability at the neighborhood, city and regional scales. These methods and tools should rely on quantifiable metrics and indicators that can be easily measured and tracked over time. Incorporating interactive forms of decision making in planning processes using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is an approach that provides an effective means to address this challenge, and GIS applications are increasingly being used to develop such metrics and systems. Existing capabilities of GIS systems can provide effective strategic decision support to planners and private and public organizations and assist them in enhancing their information infrastructure. This paper provides a review of two recently completed studies utilizing GIS applications and related tools in assessing different aspects of community sustainability in the City of San Antonio and the South Texas region. The two case studies, conducted by the authors, are used to illustrate the capabilities of spatial analysis using GIS applications at the neighborhood and regional scales respectively. The paper presents and analyzes the methodologies used in the two case studies as a means of illustrating different approaches in utilizing GIS capabilities in the assessment of urban and community sustainability. Policy implications forlocal governments and recommendations for future utilization of the models and metrics developed in both studies are also identified and discussed

Circulating interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 predict resistance to therapy of typhoidal salmonellosis

Background: Typhoid fever, a food-borne disease caused by salmonella species, is a worldwide prevalent disease. In endemic areas, children are at highest risk owing to weaning from passively acquired maternal antibody and lack of acquired immunity. Several studies have been done to clarify the pathogenesis and underlying immune aspects of typhoid fever. Objective: Study the changes of some proinflammatory cytokines in plasma of children with typhoid fever. Study design: Thirty consecutive children admitted to Zagazig Fever Hospital with proven diagnosis of typhoid fever were included in the study. They were 20 males and 10 females, of ages ranging from 3 to 13 years. In addition, 10 age and sex matched healthy children served as a control group. A verbal consent was obtained from parent(s) of each child before inclusion to the study. All children were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, and routine investigations (CBC, ESR, CRP, Widal test and stool culture), as well as determination of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNF-R1), before and 5 days after start of treatment (for patients). Results: Twenty patients (66.7%) were responsive to therapy and 10 patients (33.3%) were resistant. Toxic look, constipation, high fever, splenomegaly, increased CRP and ESR were significantly presented in patients who displayed resistance to drug therapy. Both IL-6 and TNF-R1 plasma levels were significantly higher in patients than in control children, and in resistant cases than in responsive cases (before and 5 days after treatment). ESR and S. typhi H agglutination titre correlated significantly with plasma levels of IL-6 and TNF-R1, whereas S. typhi O agglutination titre and total leucocytic count did not. Conclusion: patients with typhoid fever resistant to combined therapy with chloramphenicol and co-trimoxazole have higher plasma levels of IL-6 and TNF-R1. Toxic look, constipation and splenomegaly may be considered as indicators of drug resistance.Keywords: salmonellosis - resistance to therapy – cytokinesEgypt J Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2010; 8(2): 55-5

Gold and Antimony Mineralizations of Jbel Haouanite (High Atlas, Morocco) in Their Geodynamic Context

The gold and antimony mineralizations of Jbel Haouanite (Eastern High Atlas, Morocco) are hosted by quartz veins in tectonic structures carried by Ordovico-Silurian Paleozoic formations. At least three phases of folding tectonics affected the area, inducing three generations of folds accompanied by two flow schistosities and a fracture one. Magmatic intrusions of a rhyodacitic nature are post-Silurian and prior to mineralization. From a mineralogical point of view, paragenesis includes native gold, stibnite, valentinite, stibiconite, as well as antimony and lead sulfosalts. Petrographic studies and chemical analyzes show the lack of correlation between gold and the different elements. Thus, the gold would have deposited later to antimony and is associated with oxidation minerals, especially valentinite. The results of the analyzes on different diagrams makes it possible to conclude that the gold mineralizations are of the mesozonal to epizonal orogenic type and they would be late-Hercynian

COVARIANCE MATRIX ADAPTATION EVOLUTIONARY STRATEGY OPTIMIZATION OF PATCH ANTENNA FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION

Covariance matrix adaptation evolutionary strategy algorithm is applied to optimize a dielectric loaded microstrip patch antenna. The optimization process performance is enhanced by not considering the symmetrical factor of the antenna structure. The antenna is optimized to work for IEEE 802.11a WLAN 5-6 GHz band. Experimental measurements have also been performed to validate the performance of the proposed antenna

Very Compact Open-Slot Antenna for Wireless Communication Systems

A new very compact open slot antenna for wireless communication systems application has been designed and fabricated. With antenna overall dimension of 9.2 × 9.8 mm2, the proposed design can be used in many modern communication devices with size constraints. Experimental measurements have also been performed to validate the performance of the proposed antenna. The measured results show that the antenna provides a wide bandwidth of 48% (5–8.17 GHz) with an average size reduction of about 88% with respect to a conventional microstrip patch antenna

Alpha 1 Acid Glycoprotein as a Marker for Diagnosis of Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis in Full-term Neonates

Background: Neonatal sepsis is defined as a clinical syndrome of bacteremia with systemic signs and symptoms of infection in the first 4 weeks of life. Alpha-1 acid glycoprotein is one of the lipocalin family and members of acutephase protein; it appears to function in modulating the activity of the immune system during the acute phase reaction. Objective: This study aimed to assess α-1AGP as a marker in the diagnosis of EOS.Patients and Methods: This study was a prospective case-control study conducted on full-term neonates up to 7 days of life, admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Zagazig University Hospitals. The studied neonates were divided into 3 groups first confirmed cases (20) of early-onset sepsis, confirmed clinically and with a positive blood culture. Second suspected cases (20), with clinical features of sepsis and non-specific lab markers. Third group control (20), are apparently healthy term newborns, delivered in the Zagazig University Hospital. Alpha-1 acid glycoprotein was measured for all neonates. Results: There was a statistically significant difference among the studied groups as regard alpha one acid glycoprotein. It is a good diagnostic marker detection of cases. Conclusion: Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein appeared to be a useful marker for the early detection and diagnosis of earlyonset neonatal sepsis

Association of Blood Progesterone Concentration with Fertility and Infertility in Nubian Does in Sudan

The objective of this study is to establish correlations between progesterone concentrations at different stages of a controlled breeding programme and fertility rate in Nubian goats. Sixty Nubian does, were divided into 6 equal groups, according to age and body condition score. The first group A received no treatment and was naturally mated at natural heat, while the other groups B-F were treated with intra-vaginal progestagen sponges for 12 days. Group C was injected with eCG 48h before sponge removal. Group D was injected with eCG at sponge removal. Group E was injected with eCG and PGF 2a at the time of sponges removal and Group F was injected with PGF 2a 48 hours before sponges removal. All groups were inseminated with fresh-diluted semen 48h after sponge removal. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein on the first day of treatment for oestrus synchronization (ES), mid-period of hormonal treatment (day 6), day of insemination (day of oestrus onset), day 7, day 14 and day 21 post-insemination and at ten days intervals during the period of gestation. The blood samples were centrifuged, sera separated and kept at -20°C till assayed for progesterone hormone (P 4 ) concentration using Radioimmunoassay technique (RIA). The results for the non-Return (NRR) were 50%, 50%, 60%, 60%, 50% and 40% in groups A, B, C, D, E and F respectively, with no significant difference (P! 0.05) among the groups. Pregnancy rates ranged between 30% and 50% without a significant difference (P! 0.05). Kidding rate registered no significance difference among the groups. It reached (40%) in group D and (30%) in the rest of the groups. Group D showed the highest value (kid/doe) when fecundity rates were compared among the groups, whereas the rest of the groups recorded a range of 0.4-0.7, but with no significant difference (P! 0.05). Twining rate was 100% in groups D and E, 67% in groups B, C and E and 33.3% in group F. Litter size was 2.5 in group D and ranged between 2.3 to 1.3 in the other groups without a Please purchase PDFcamp Printer on http://www.verypdf.com/ to remove this watermark. significant difference (P! 0.05). Pregnancy period was significantly longer (P! 0.05) in group B, 152.2±1.9 days, where it was 142±2.1 days in group A. The progesterone concentrations on day one in both does that carried to full term and those returned to oestrus differed according to the phase of oestrus in each doe at the time of hormonal treatment. The total mean of the P 4 concentrations on this day was 14.04±9.63 nmol/l and 12.91±5.25 nMol/l in does that carried to full term and those returned to oestrus, respectively, with no significant difference. At the mid-period of treatment, the total mean of P 4 registered a higher concentrations that reached up to 26.92±12.90 nmol/l and 23.70±9.98 nMol/l in goats that carried to full term and those returned to oestrus, respectively, without a significant differences (P! 0.05). Progesterone concentration then significantly (P! 0.05) declined to its lowest concentrations on the day of insemination (oestrus), the total mean of P 4 concentration was 1.71±0.86 nMol/l and 3.86±6.01 nMol/1 in does that carried to full term and those returned to oestrus, respectively. Seven days after insemination, the total P 4 mean was found to increase significantly in goats that carried to full term to (33.81±9.97 nmol/ml) compared to those returned to oestrus (11.56±7.89 nmol/l). On day 14 post-insemination, the mean P 4 concentrations significantly (P! 0.05) increased with the progression of pregnancy in the goats that were carried to full term, the total mean registered was 35.77±15.91 nmol/l, where as in the goats that returned to oestrus it was 19.31±18.29 nMol/l. On day twenty one after insemination, the total mean P 4 concentration in the goats that were carried to full term was 33.36±16.65 nmol/l where as in the goats that returned to oestrus the total mean level P 4 decreased to 3.67±6.99 nmol/l with a significant difference (P! 0.05) between the two groups. During the first days of pregnancy the progesterone levels rised sharply compared to oestrous levels then, they were maintained at high levels with fluctuating peaks throughout pregnancy, until 2-3 days prior to parturition when they abruptly declined on the Please purchase PDFcamp Printer on http://www.verypdf.com/ to remove this watermark. day of parturition. The progesterone concentrations significantly (P! 0.05) varied among the does through the period of pregnancy but were not affected by the treatments. However, four does in groups A, C, D and E recorded sudden decline in P 4 levels between days 30-95 of pregnancy indicating embryonic mortality. It was noticed that group D which showed the highest percentages in kidding rate, fecundity, twinning rate and litter size, also registered the highest P 4 concentrations at mid-period of progesterone sponges treatment, day 7 and day 21 postinsemination. These results illustrated the importance of progesterone assay in detection of early pregnancy, early embryonic losses and in studying fertility indices in the Sudanese Nubian does

Oral malignant melanoma: a rare case with unusual clinical presentation

Primary Oral malignant melanoma is a rare tumor with an indigent prognosis. This is a case report of 47-year-old Sudanese female diagnosed as Oral malignant melanoma of the mandible with an unusual pattern of growth and clinical presentation. Furthermore, a possibility of intraosseous origin is suggested.Pan African Medical Journal 2015; 2

Cutaneous Toxicity of Gasoline as an Environmental Pollutant on Mice Skin: Histological and Ultrastrucural Studies

The present investigation was undertaken to determine whether gasoline with different octane number (90 and 80) exposure in healthy Swiss albino mice might affect the skin, in order to declare more recognition on the adverse changes that might occur as a result of exposure to this pollutant. Sixty Swiss albino mice were used and divided into 3 subgroups : control-subgroup, topically treated -subgroup with gasoline 90 and topically treated -subgroup with gasoline 80, both groups two and three treated with (0.5ml/kg B.W.) for 8 weeks.Determination of benzene concentration and some heavy metals in both types of gasoline (90 and 80), determination of some heavy metals bioaccumulation in skin after exposure to both types of gasoline (90 and 80),light and electron microscopical studies were performed.It was found that gasoline 80 contained more concentrations of benzene, lead , cadmium and nickel than gasoline 90. The accumulation of lead, cadmium and nickel in the skin have the following order lead > cadmium > nickel. The light microscopical examinations showed dermatitis such as epidermal hyperplasia, micro abscesses, hyperkeratosis and destruction of the dermis depending upon treatment duration from 4 to 8 weeks. After 8 weeks of topically treated mice with both gasoline type , the scanning electron microscope examination showed scales covering the mice skin and the transition electron microscope showed cytoplasmic vacuoles and mitochondrial degeneration in keratinocytes of all epidermal layers of the mice skin . Moreover, the spinosum keratinocytes of mice skin topically treated with gasoline 80 for 8 weeks had pyknotic nuclei,in addition to expansion of intercellular spaces in the stratum corneum