Study of foldable elastic tubes for large space structure applications, phase 1

Structural members that might be suitable for strain energy deployable structures, are discussed with emphasis on a thin-walled cylindrical tube with a cross-section that is called 'bi-convex'. The design of bi-convex tube test specimens and their fabrication are described as well as the design and construction of a special purpose testing machine to determine the deployment characteristics. The results of the first series of tests were quite mixed, but clearly revealed that since most of the specimens failed to deploy completely, due to a buckling problem, this type of tube requires some modification in order to be viable

Gender and Access to Agricultural Resources by Smallholder Farmers in the Upper West Region of Ghana

Men and women continue to have differential access to agricultural resources despite the seemingly equal roles they play in agriculture in many developing countries. The study sought to determine the relationship between gender and access to agricultural resources in the Upper West Region of Ghana. Simple random sampling technique was employed to select 400 farmers disaggregated into men and women from four districts in the region. Statistically significant differences were observed between gender and access to land, labour, inputs and radio, extension agents and input suppliers (p<0.05) while there was no significant difference between gender and access to credit (p>0.05) even though women also have more access to credit than men. It has been recommended that more aspects of the culture of the people be improved to pave way for more access to agricultural land in particular. Levels of credit support are very low in the region and financial institutions need to reduce some of the bottlenecks to allow easy access to credit. Also extension agents should endeavour to educate smallholders on how to access information through electronic platforms and also make them seek more information from input suppliers as the current situation demands. Key words: Gender, Inputs, Credit, ICT

Heterogeneous responses of dorsal root ganglion neurons in neuropathies induced by peripheral nerve trauma and the antiretroviral drug stavudine

© 2014 The Authors. European Journal of Pain published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Pain Federation - EFIC®. Funding sources E.K.B. was funded by a BBSRC PhD studentship. A.N., A.S.C.R. and T.P. were funded by a Wellcome Trust Strategic Award (London Pain Consortium; ref. 083259). A.S.C.R. and W.H. were funded by the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking (Europain; grant agreement no. 115007). We thank Pfizer for providing stavudine. Conflicts of interest None declared. Funded by BBSRC PhD studentship Wellcome Trust Strategic Award. Grant Number: 083259 Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking. Grant Number: 115007Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Composite HPMC and sodium alginate based buccal formulations for nicotine replacement therapy

Smoking cessation is of current topical interest due to the significant negative health and economic impact in many countries. This study aimed to develop buccal films and wafers comprising HPMC and sodium alginate (SA) for potential use in nicotine replacement therapy via the buccal mucosa, as a cheap but effective alternative to currently used nicotine patch and chewing gum. The formulations were characterised using texture analyser (tensile and hardness, mucoadhesion), scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and swelling capacity. Drug loaded films and wafers were characterised for content uniformity (HPLC) whilst the drug loaded wafers only were further characterised for in vitro drug dissolution. SA modified and improved the functional properties of HPMC at optimum ratio of HPMC: SA of 1.25: 0.75. Generally, both films and wafers (blank and drug loaded) were amorphous in nature which impacted on swelling and mucoadhesive performance. HPMC-SA composite wafers showed a porous internal morphology with higher mucoadhesion, swelling index and drug loading capacity compared to the HPMC-SA composite films which were non-porous. The study demonstrates the potential use of composite HPMC-SA wafers in the buccal delivery nicotine

Inguinal Hernia Repair is Safe in Africa

Background: Inguinal hernias are a major problem in the developing world. Many patients do not have access to safe elective surgery. They therefore present with the complications of hernia. Those who do have access to elective surgery mostly have non-mesh repairs because of lack of knowledge of Lichtenstein repair, cost of mesh and fear of placing a foreign body in an African setting. This exposes the patient to a high recurrence rate due to the fact that mesh has not been used.Methods: .Operation hernia is a charitable organization that has been working in Africa since 2005. We have analyzed patients operated on between 2005 until December 2010 in Ghana, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast. Hernias have been operated on electively in a variety of setting, ranging from well-equipped hernia centre to more rural clinics with a makeshift operating room.Results: A total of 1748 patients with inguinal hernias have been repaired in Africa using mesh as part of the work done by Operation Hernia. In all, 52.3% were performed using local anaesthetic only. The complication rate was less than 1%. Recommendations: We recommend that it is safe to use mesh in Africa provided the level of sterility during the procedure is high and the surgeon has adequate experience of the procedure.Key words: Hernia. Inguinal, Repair, Safety, Afric

Gender and Water Management Practices in Ghana

This article discusses gender and water management practices in the Asante Akim South District in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, eight communities from four out of six towns operating under the Phase III of the Rural Water Supply Project (RWSP) were selected. The study reveals a difference in the level of participation of men and women in decision-making and planning in RWSP. Fear, criticisms from other women, domestic and economic activities were major challenges to women’s participation in RWSP. The study concludes that, though women showed high participation in the management of RWSP, their participation in decision-making and planning was low. The study demonstrates that since gender plays a vital role in water management, it is crucial that men and women be educated on the importance of women’s active role in decision-making and planning in RWSP, to enhance its effective management. Key words: gender, rural, water supply, water management, participation, communit

Nicotine stabilization in composite sodium alginate based wafers and films for nicotine replacement therapy

Composite wafers and films comprising HPMC and sodium alginate (SA) were formulated for nicotine (NIC) replacement therapy via the buccal route. Magnesium aluminium silicate (MAS) was added in different concentration ratios (0.25, 0.5, 0.75) to stabilize NIC and its effect on mechanical properties, internal and surface morphology, physical form, thermal properties, swelling, mucoadhesion, drug content and release behaviour of the formulations was investigated. MAS changed the physico-mechanical properties of the composite formulations causing a decrease in mechanical hardness, collapsed wafer pores, increased roughness of film surface, increase in crystallinity and decreased mucoadhesion of the wafers. However, MAS increased swelling in both films and wafers as well as interaction between NIC and SA, which increased drug-loading capacity. Further, MAS resulted in rapid and slow release of NIC from wafers and films respectively. The results suggest that the ideal formulation for the stabilization of NIC in the composite formulations was MAS 0.25

Menstrual health management in some selected basic schools in Ghana

This study explored the issue of menstrual health management by the girl-child in a first-cycle institution in North-East Ghana, and how this impacted on her school attendance and performance. It also discussed the common obstacles she encountered as she attended school during monthly menstrual cycle, and how she coped. The discussion is centred on the following main themes of the role of parents, teachers and peers; the financial burden; the adequacy of school facilities; and the impact on school attendance and performance. The study recommends that the school atmosphere must be made conducive for the girl-child to be able to achieve her full potential, so that she can safely and hygienically perform a natural function in the process of her growth

Efficacy of extractives from parts of Ghanaian pawpaw, avocado and neem on the durability of alstonia

Conventional preservatives are not only toxic to wood bio-deteriorators, but also to humans and animals. In an effort to find preservatives that are non-toxic to humans and animals, efficacy of water extracts of heartwood of Azadirachta indica (Neem) and leaves of Persea americana (avocado) and Carica papaya (pawpaw) at 0.24%, was tested on the durability of wood of Alstonia boonei by pressure impregnation and buried in a termite-prone field for 5 weeks following a modified EN 252 and Gay et al. (1957). Efficacy was tested on the basis of visual durability ratings, percentage hardness and mass losses of impregnated alstonia wood after burial. Though alstonia wood retained pawpaw extract least, pawpaw extract improved the durability of alstonia wood most. Pawpaw extract could be used to improve the durability of alstonia wood better at 0.72% (3x0.24%) and on triple treatment. 83% of Anloga furniture makers who saw the efficacy of pawpaw extract at 0.72% and on triple treatment, showed a high sense of interest in preservative botanical extracts.Key words: Eco-friendly, termite, efficacy, standardization, percentage hardness loss, percentage mass loss, visual durability rating