Exploring Restorative Factors for Trafficked and Sexually Exploited Women

Abstract Many women who survived sex trafficking continue to suffer from severe and persistent psychological distress even after the traditional treatment and rehabilitation program. The lingering psychological symptoms that these survivors suffer make reintegration into their families and communities difficult. This phenomenological study identified the restorative factors that helped some women who were earlier engaged in sex trafficking to recover, readjust, and reintegrate into their families and communities. Six female survivors of human trafficking and six program directors/counselors at different rehabilitation centers were individually interviewed in in-depth with semi-structured questionnaires and audio recorded. I kept diary of my readings and observation of the participants during the interviews to maintain the rigor and established trustworthiness of the study. With NVivo 11 plus Software, the information were coded to identify the different patterns. The Manen\u27s hermeneutic descriptive phenomenological interpretative approach was employed to sort out the emerging themes. The findings were grouped under the perspectives of survivors and program directors/counselors. Both survivors and program directors/counselors agreed that factors such as supports from family/friends, medical treatments, counseling, and individual characteristics promoted recovery. The theories of social support, self-efficacy, and resilience guided the understanding of the recovery process of the survivors. For positive social change, this study provides information that families, communities, and society can become more aware of the ways to improve survivors\u27 support systems and build a sustainable community that cares and supports survivors for a successful integration into families and communities

Evaluation of Records Management Practices at the Ministry of Health, Abia State, Nigeria

Records in any organization is very vital and an important asset. This article evaluates records management practices at the Abia State Ministry of Health. This study reports on part of a doctoral research project by Chilaka (2018) that sought to look at the influence of records management practices and organizational culture on good governance in Abia State Civil Service, Nigeria. The aim of the study was to evaluate records management practices at the Ministry of Health and suggest ways in which these practices can be improved upon. The objectives of this study were: to establish the existing records management practices at the Ministry of Health; to examine whether records management practices conform to national legislations, policies and guidelines; to examine whether records management practices at the Ministry of Health conform to international best practices; to establish challenges facing the Ministry of Health in the management of their records and suggest how records management practices can be improved upon by use of best practices.. This study used the survey method approach. Data was collected through questionnaire. The population for this study was 526 civil servants in the senior category (levels 7 – 16); however only 105 (20%) was used as the sample size for the study. 85 (81%) out of 105 were able to participate in the study. Data collected through a questionnaire was analysed to obtain some descriptive statistics. The study findings established that records management at the Ministry of Health were not well entrenched. This was evidenced by lack of framework for effective and efficient records management, lack of institutional policies, guidelines and regulations for records management, and lack of adequate basic records management skills among staff. In order to enhance records management, the study recommended that a regulatory framework for records management should be developed and implemented, the Ministry of Health should formulate institutional policies, guidelines and regulations for records management. It is also recommended that management together with the Records Manager should identify training needs for staff of the Ministry especially those in Administrative and finance departments and have their trainings tailored those areas

USF binding sequences from the HS4 insulator element impose early replication timing on a vertebrate replicator

The nuclear genomes of vertebrates show a highly organized program of DNA replication where GC-rich isochores are replicated early in S-phase, while AT-rich isochores are late replicating. GC-rich regions are gene dense and are enriched for active transcription, suggesting a connection between gene regulation and replication timing. Insulator elements can organize independent domains of gene transcription and are suitable candidates for being key regulators of replication timing. We have tested the impact of inserting a strong replication origin flanked by the β-globin HS4 insulator on the replication timing of naturally late replicating regions in two different avian cell types, DT40 (lymphoid) and 6C2 (erythroid). We find that the HS4 insulator has the capacity to impose a shift to earlier replication. This shift requires the presence of HS4 on both sides of the replication origin and results in an advance of replication timing of the target locus from the second half of S-phase to the first half when a transcribed gene is positioned nearby. Moreover, we find that the USF transcription factor binding site is the key cis-element inside the HS4 insulator that controls replication timing. Taken together, our data identify a combination of cis-elements that might constitute the basic unit of multi-replicon megabase-sized early domains of DNA replication

Effect of Fertilizer Level and Intercropping with Bambara Nut (\u3cem\u3eVigna subterranea\u3c/em\u3e) on the Growth and Herbage Yield of Maize

The low fertility status of most tropical soils has hindered maize production as maize has a strong exhausting effect on the soil. It has been generally observed that maize fails to produce good grain in plots without adequate nutrients (Adediran and Banjoko 2003). Legumes generally are able to fix nitrogen to the soil which the companion crop could benefit from, but usually the nitrogen fixed occurs in insufficient quantities for marginally nitrogen sensitive crops such as maize and hence the required use of fertilizers. Inorganic fertilizers exert strong influences on plant growth, development and yield (Stefano et al. 2004). The use of legumes in mixed cropping systems is one of the traditional soil-fertility maintenance strategies. Legume-cereal intercropping often increases the quantity and quality of residues, which could improve livestock production considerably in addition to benefits in soil fertility but may decrease the yield of the companion cereal crop (Nandi and Haque 1986). Although the beneficial effects of intercropping legumes have been demonstrated by intercropping cereals with a few legumes such as cowpea, lablab, soybean etc, the same cannot be said for all legumes. This study aims at investigating the effect of fertilizer levels and intercropping with bambara nut (Vigna subterranean L.Verdc) on the growth and yield of maize for use as forage

Anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities of the ethanol root bark extract of Salacia lehmbachii in rats and mice

Background: The decoction of the roots of Salacia lehmbachi is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of different diseases such as malaria pains diabetes and microbial infections.Methods: Phytochemical screening and oral acute toxicity tests were carried out on the ethanol root extract of the plant. Anti-nocicetive activity using acetic acid induced writhing and tail immersion method in mice, anti-inflammatory activity using carrageenan induced paw oedema in rats and xylene induced ear oedema test in mice and antipyretic activity using Brewer’s yeast and D-amphetamine induced pyrexia in rats were determined at 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg doses of the root extract.Results: The ethanol root extract contain alkaloids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids and cardiac glycosides. The oral acute toxicity tests was found to be greater than 5000 mg/kg. The root extract and the standard drug (Aspirin) significantly (p<0.05 and p<0.01) decreased the number of writhes caused by acetic acid. The extract and morphine significantly (p<0.05 and p<0.01) prolonged reaction time in tail immersion model. The extract produced significant (p<0.05 and p<0.01) dose dependent inhibition of oedema which was comparable to aspirin in carrageenan induced paw oedema model. The root extract also demonstrated significant (p<0.05 and p<0.01) effect in xylene induced mouse ear oedema test compared to dexamethasone. The extract significantly decreased high temperature in both Brewer’s yeast and d-amphetamine induced pyrexia.Conclusions: Findings show that S. lehmbachii may provide a good source of plant compounds with analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities

Proteome-wide systems analysis of a cellulosic biofuel-producing microbe

We apply mass spectrometry-based ReDi proteomics to quantify the Clostridium phytofermentans proteome during fermentation of cellulosic substrates. ReDi proteomics gives accurate, low-cost quantification of an extra and intracellular microbial proteome. When combined with physiological measurements, these methods form a general systems biology strategy to evaluate the efficiency of cellulosic bioconversion and to identify enzyme targets to engineer for improving this process.C. phytofermentans expressed more than 100 carbohydrate-active enzymes, of which distinct subsets were upregulated on cellulose and hemicellulose. Numerous extracellular enzymes cleave insoluble plant polysaccharides into oligosaccharides, which are transported into the cell to be further degraded by intracellular carbohydratases. Sugars are catabolized by EMP glycolysis incorporating alternative glycolytic enzymes to maximize the ATP yield of anaerobic metabolism.During cellulosic fermentation, cells adhered to the substrate and altered metabolic processes such as upregulation of tryptophan and nicotinamide synthesis proteins and repression of proteins for fatty acid metabolism and cell motility. These diverse metabolic changes highlight how a systems approach can identify novel ways to optimize cellulosic fermentation

Impact of macroeconomic variables on stock return volatility : evidence from Sub-Sahara Africa

The main purpose of this paper was to investigate the impact of macroeconomic variables on stock market return volatility in Sub-Sahara markets. The study concentrated on three stock markets including Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa using GARCH-X (1,1) model on monthly data from January 2000 to December 2017. Preliminary analyses from descriptive statistics show that show mean monthly returns are positive for all the stock markets. Skewness coefficients show that the stock returns and interest rates distribution of all Sub-Sahara Africa stock markets are negatively skewed but inflation rate is positively skewed for Nigeria and South Africa, and flat for Ghana. Excess kurtoses are positive for all the stock markets and macroeconomic indicators, and JarqueBera statistics indicate the stock markets’ series and macroeconomic indicators are not normally distributed. The Unit roots tests results indicate that all the stock markets and macroeconomic indicators are first difference stationary. The results of the GARCH-X (1,1) model show that macroeconomic variables do not significantly impact stock market returns volatility in Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa at the 5% significance Level. We therefore recommend that stock market regulators, market participants and investors should concentrate more efforts on other macroeconomic variables aside interest rate and inflation rate, in estimating stock market return volatility in Sub-Sahara Africapeer-reviewe

The IĸB protein BCL3 controls osteogenesis and bone health.

OBJECTIVE: IĸB protein B-cell lymphoma 3-encoded protein (BCL3) is a regulator of the NF-κB family of transcription factors. NF-κB signalling fundamentally influences the fate of bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts, but the role of BCL3 in bone biology has not been investigated. The objective of this study was to evaluate BCL3 in skeletal development, maintenance and osteoarthritic pathology. METHODS: To assess the contribution of BCL3 to skeletal homeostasis, neonatal mice (n = 6-14) lacking BCL3 (Bcl3-/- ) and WT controls were characterised for bone phenotype and density. To reveal the contribution to bone phenotype by the osteoblast compartment in Bcl3-/- mice, transcriptomic analysis of early osteogenic differentiation and cellular function (n = 3-7) were assessed. Osteoclast differentiation and function in Bcl3-/- mice (n = 3-5) was assessed. Adult 20-week Bcl3-/- and WT mice bone phenotype, strength and turnover were assessed. A destabilisation of the medial meniscus (DMM) model of osteoarthritic ostephytogenesis was utilised to understand adult bone formation in Bcl3-/- mice (n = 11-13). RESULTS: Evaluation of Bcl3-/- mice revealed congenitally increased bone density, long bone dwarfism, increased bone biomechanical strength and altered bone turnover. Molecular and cellular characterisation of mesenchymal precursors showed that Bcl3-/- cells display an accelerated osteogenic transcriptional profile that leads to enhanced differentiation into osteoblasts with increased functional activity; which could be reversed with a mimetic peptide. In a model of osteoarthritis-induced osteophytogenesis, Bcl3-/- mice exhibit decreased pathological osteophyte formation (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Cumulatively, these findings demonstrate that BCL3 controls developmental mineralisation to enable appropriate bone formation, whilst in a pathological setting it contributes to skeletal pathology

Anticonvulsant Effect of Ethyl Acetate and n-hexane Fractions of Celosia leptostachya Leaf Extracts in Mice

Background: Celosia leptostachya is classified under the Amaranthaceae family. C. leptostachya possesses numerous medicinal uses. Traditional medicine practitioners exploit C. leptostachya mainly on curing illnesses such as boils, fever, snake bites, scorpion stings, eye infections, wounds and pain and most notably, epilepsy. Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the anticonvulsant properties of the ethyl acetate (EAF) and n-hexane fractions (NHF) of C. leptostachya leaf extract in mice and determine the most active extract between EAF and NHF. Methods: The acute toxicity was carried out to determine lethal dose (LD50) using Lorke’s method. Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), brucine and maximal electroshock (MES) were used to induce seizures in mice. We used Swinyard’s method of using an animal model of epilepsy. Thirty mice of both genders weighing 20-25 g were divided into five groups. Groups 1 and 5 are negative and positive controls, respectively. Groups 2, 3 and 4 were pre-treated with C. leptostachya extracts (100, 150 and 200 mg). Then, 30 minutes later, PTZ (90 mg/kg body weight) was administered. This method was repeated with brucine (110 mg/kg body weight). Regarding MES, after 30 minutes of administration of C. leptostachya leaf extract, an alternating current of 50 Hz and 35 mA was delivered to the animals in each group through ear-electrodes for 0.2 s. Results: Regarding MES, EAF (150 and 200 mg/kg) protected the animals against seizure, while NHF (150 and 200 mg/kg) could not prevent seizures. However, EAF and NHF (150 and 200 mg/kg) significantly decreased mean recovery time (P<0.05). In brucine-induced seizures, EAF (150 and 200 mg/kg) protected the mice against death and significantly (P<0.05) decreased mean recovery time. For PTZ-induced seizures, 200 mg/kg of EAF offered 100% protection against the mortality of mice and significantly reduced mean onset and recovering time (P<0.05).  Conclusion: Based on the results, C. leptostachya has anticonvulsant properties and EAF extract has the highest potency

The use of Goal Attainment Scaling in a community health promotion initiative with seniors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Evaluating collaborative community health promotion initiatives presents unique challenges, including engaging community members and other stakeholders in the evaluation process, and measuring the attainment of goals at the collective community level. Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) is a versatile, under-utilized evaluation tool adaptable to a wide range of situations. GAS actively involves all partners in the evaluation process and has many benefits when used in community health settings.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of GAS as a potential means of measuring progress and outcomes in community health promotion and community development projects. GAS methodology was used in a local community of seniors (n = 2500; mean age = 76 ± 8.06 SD; 77% female, 23% male) to a) collaboratively set health promotion and community partnership goals and b) objectively measure the degree of achievement, over- or under-achievement of the established health promotion goals. Goal attainment was measured in a variety of areas including operationalizing a health promotion centre in a local mall, developing a sustainable mechanism for recruiting and training volunteers to operate the health promotion centre, and developing and implementing community health education programs. Goal attainment was evaluated at 3 monthly intervals for one year, then re-evaluated again at year 2.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>GAS was found to be a feasible and responsive method of measuring community health promotion and community development progress. All project goals were achieved at one year or sooner. The overall GAS score for the total health promotion project increased from 16.02 at baseline (sum of scale scores = -30, average scale score = -2) to 54.53 at one year (sum of scale scores = +4, average scale score = +0.27) showing project goals were achieved above the expected level. With GAS methodology an amalgamated score of 50 represents the achievement of goals at the expected level.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>GAS provides a "participatory", flexible evaluation approach that involves community members, research partners and other stakeholders in the evaluation process. GAS was found to be "user-friendly" and readily understandable by seniors and other community partners not familiar with program evaluation.</p