Contribution of Youths towards Rural Development Through Community Development Activities in Tsafe LGA Zamfara State Nigeria

The study examined the contribution of youth towards rural development through community development activities in Tsafe local government, Zamfara state. Ninety (90) youths were randomly selected from the three (3) purposively selected villages in the study area. Results revealed that majority of the respondents were male (90%), within the active age of 21-30 (63.3%), married (82.2%), engaged in farming (71.1%) and obtained Qur'anic education (66.6%). Multiple number of various community development activities were found to be engaged in by the youth with majority involved in rehabilitation (24.6%) and minority in construction of culvert (15.6%). It was concluded that youths in the study area are engaged in worthwhile rural community development activities that aimed at improving their living standard. Thus, it was recommended that efforts of the youths be celebrated to avoid their mask by modern external interventions that mostly begin with what is needed by the rural people instead of their felt needs, and encourage further involvement in self-help initiatives through awareness campaigns. Keywords: Youths, Rural development, Community developmen

Determination of Selected Heavy Metals In Seasonal River In Maru Town, Zamfara State, Nigeria.

The presence of heavy metals in our environment has been of great concern because of their toxicity when their concentration is more than the permissible level. The main threats to human health from heavy metals are associated with exposure to Lead and Cadmium. These metals have been extensively studied and their effect on human health regularly monitored and reviewed by international bodies such as the WHO and USEPA. Total levels of Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Cr were determined in seasonal river in the eastern part of Maru using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (FAAS). The results of total metals concentration (ppm) in the river were 0.0211±0.0014, 0.177±0.0004, 0.0201±0.0031, 1.1367±0.0493 and 0.0058±0.0003 for Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Cr respectively. The study showed that the sample was contaminated with Zn when compared to others. The level of Cd and Pb were high when compared to their safety limit (0.01 and 0.10) by U.S.E.P.A. Keywords: Maru, Heavy Metals, Seasonal Rivers, Contamination

Heritability of fetal hemoglobin, white cell count, and other clinical traits from a sickle cell disease family cohort

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common monogenic disorder in the world. Notably, there is extensive clinical heterogeneity in SCD that cannot be fully accounted for by known factors, and in particular, the extent to which the phenotypic diversity of SCD can be explained by genetic variation has not been reliably quantified. Here, in a family-based cohort of 449 patients with SCD and 755 relatives, we first show that 5 known modifiers affect 11 adverse outcomes in SCD to varying degrees. We then utilize a restricted maximum likelihood procedure to estimate the heritability of 20 hematologic traits, including fetal hemoglobin (HbF) and white blood cell count (WBC), in the clinically relevant context of inheritance from healthy carriers to SCD patients. We report novel estimations of heritability for HbF at 31.6% (±5.4%) and WBC at 41.2% (±6.8%) in our cohort. Finally, we demonstrate shared genetic bases between HbF, WBC, and other hematologic traits, but surprisingly little overlap between HbF and WBC themselves. In total, our analyses show that HbF and WBC have significant heritable components among individuals with SCD and their relatives, demonstrating the value of using family-based studies to better understand modifiers of SCD

Servicio de sistemas personalizados de dosificación: coste del servicio frente al margen de los medicamentos

Introducción: La preparación de sistemas personalizados de dosificación (SPD) dentro del servicio de seguimiento farmacoterapéutico (SFT) ha demostrado ser un instrumento que mejora la adherencia terapéutica del paciente. Para la valoración de su remuneración se analiza el coste de este servicio y si el margen de los medicamentos dispensados e incluidos en el SPD cubre su prestación. Objetivos: Establecer un análisis de costes del servicio; averiguar si, en pacientes polimedicados tipo, el margen de los medicamentos incluidos en el SPD cubre los costes, y conocer el número de medicamentos que deberían incluirse cuyo margen cubra la prestación del servicio. Material y métodos: Para el análisis del coste del servicio, se ha considerado el coste de la preparación del SPD y de la intervención farmacéutica más el coste directo del material utilizado. En el análisis de pacientes reales, se ha calculado el margen de los medicamentos incluidos en el SPD y se ha comparado con el coste calculado de la prestación del servicio. Para el análisis del número de medicamentos, se ha tomado como referencia el precio medio de los medicamentos dispensados al CatSalut y el margen medio actual. Resultados: El coste del servicio por paciente y mes (4 semanas) se ha estimado en 19,85 euros. Se necesitarían un mínimo de 8 medicamentos para cubrir este coste. Conclusiones: A partir de los casos analizados, se concluye que es muy difícil cubrir el coste del servicio con el margen de los medicamentos dispensados e incluidos en el SPD. La remuneración debe considerar otros aspectos tras evaluar la eficiencia del servicio

Servicio de sistemas personalizados de dosificación: coste del servicio frente al margen de los medicamentos

Introducción: La preparación de sistemas personalizados de dosificación (SPD) dentro del servicio de seguimiento farmacoterapéutico (SFT) ha demostrado ser un instrumento que mejora la adherencia terapéutica del paciente. Para la valoración de su remuneración se analiza el coste de este servicio y si el margen de los medicamentos dispensados e incluidos en el SPD cubre su prestación. Objetivos: Establecer un análisis de costes del servicio; averiguar si, en pacientes polimedicados tipo, el margen de los medicamentos incluidos en el SPD cubre los costes, y conocer el número de medicamentos que deberían incluirse cuyo margen cubra la prestación del servicio. Material y métodos: Para el análisis del coste del servicio, se ha considerado el coste de la preparación del SPD y de la intervención farmacéutica más el coste directo del material utilizado. En el análisis de pacientes reales, se ha calculado el margen de los medicamentos incluidos en el SPD y se ha comparado con el coste calculado de la prestación del servicio. Para el análisis del número de medicamentos, se ha tomado como referencia el precio medio de los medicamentos dispensados al CatSalut y el margen medio actual. Resultados: El coste del servicio por paciente y mes (4 semanas) se ha estimado en 19,85 euros. Se necesitarían un mínimo de 8 medicamentos para cubrir este coste. Conclusiones: A partir de los casos analizados, se concluye que es muy difícil cubrir el coste del servicio con el margen de los medicamentos dispensados e incluidos en el SPD. La remuneración debe considerar otros aspectos tras evaluar la eficiencia del servicio

Haitian State Hospital Orthopedic Grand Rounds Series: A Virtual Curriculum to Address Global Surgery Needs

Background: Orthopedic Relief Services International (ORSI), in partnership with the Foundation for Orthopedic Trauma and the department of Orthopedic Surgery of La Paix University Hospital in Haiti, has developed a year-round Orthopedic Grand Round series. This series is moderated by Haitian faculty, features presentations by American orthopedic surgeons, and is broadcast to major state hospitals in Haiti for residents and attendings. Objective: To introduce clinical concepts and increase knowledge in an area that is medically underserved, especially in the field of orthopedics, through lectures that tailor to the educational needs of Haiti. Methods: Topics for lecture series are requested by Haitian attending orthopedic surgeons and residents in collaboration with American orthopedic surgeons to meet the educational needs of the residents in Haiti. These lectures reflect the case mix typically seen at state hospitals in Haiti and consider the infrastructural capacity of participating centers. Grand rounds are held an average of twice per month for an hour each, encompassing an educational lesson followed by an open forum for questions and case discussion. Feedback is taken from Haitian residents to ensure the sessions are beneficial to their learning. Findings and Conclusions: To date 95 sessions hosted by 32 lecturers have been completed over Zoom between the US and Haiti. The fourth year of the lecture series is currently ongoing with an expansion of topics. In an underserved medical area such as Haiti, programs that educate local surgeons are crucial to continuing the growth and development of the medical community. Programs like this have the potential to contribute to the educational infrastructure of countries in need, regardless of the specialty. The model of this program can be used to produce similar curricula in various specialties and areas around the world

The relational shift in urban ecology: from place and structures to multiple modes of coproduction for positive urban futures

This perspective emerged from ongoing dialogue among ecologists initiated by a virtual workshop in 2021. A transdisciplinary group of researchers and practitioners conclude that urban ecology as a science can better contribute to positive futures by focusing on relationships, rather than prioritizing urban structures. Insights from other relational disciplines, such as political ecology, governance, urban design, and conservation also contribute. Relationality is especially powerful given the need to rapidly adapt to the changing social and biophysical drivers of global urban systems. These unprecedented dynamics are better understood through a relational lens than traditional structural questions. We use three kinds of coproduction—of the social-ecological world, of science, and of actionable knowledge—to identify key processes of coproduction within urban places. Connectivity is crucial to relational urban ecology. Eight themes emerge from the joint explorations of the paper and point toward social action for improving life and environment in urban futures