Stray dog trade fuelled by dog meat consumption as a risk factor for rabies infection in Calabar, southern Nigeria

Background: Rabies is a preventable zoonosis with the highest case fatality of any disease in the world. In the developing world, it is transmitted mainly by dog bites. In parts of southern Nigeria, dog meat is a delicacy.Objective: To highlight trade in stray dogs as a major risk factor for rabies in animals and humans in south-south Nigeria.Method: Patients admitted into the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) with a diagnosis of rabies between July and October 2012 were analysed for risk factors, post exposure prophylaxis (PEP), health seeking behaviour and outcome. Focused group interview were also conducted among traders/ handlers of stray dogs.Results: Ten cases of rabies in subjects aged 3 to 52 years were recorded in these five months period. Eight of the cases were male and apparently got infected directly or indirectly through the trade in stray dogs for human consumption. None had proper PEP and all patients died.Conclusion: Stray dog trade, fuelled by eating of dog meat, is a risk factor for human and animal rabies in Calabar, southern Nigeria. Culling of stray dogs, control of stray dogs’ trade and public enlightenment on PEP is recommended.African Health Sciences 2013; 13(4): 1170 - 117

Not a Rolling Stone: On Dragging a Stone Weight-Anchor on the Seabed

The force required to drag a stone anchor over several types of surfaces was measured, recorded, and analyzed. It was found that the force involved in the movement of the anchor over the various surfaces cannot be described just by the sliding solids theory, but it involves several additional physical processes, such as increasing the sand shear strength by the pressure the anchor applies on the sand under it; the sinking of the anchor into the saturated sand; shearing the sand in front of the moving anchor and accelerating it to the velocity of the anchor; accumulating sand in front of the anchor, thus adding to the pulled mass; and moving some of the accumulated sand sideways. In many instances, the beginning of the anchor movement involves the liquefaction of the sand under it, thus enabling the relatively easier sliding of the anchor. In addition, movement over rocky surfaces, encountering the irregularities that abound on such surfaces, also differs from classic sliding friction theory. In several situations, the use of an effective coefficient of friction, combining all the processes, can serve to obtain approximate values of the required forces

Effectiveness of informational decision aids and a live donor financial assistance program on pursuit of live kidney transplants in African American hemodialysis patients

Abstract Background African Americans have persistently poor access to living donor kidney transplants (LDKT). We conducted a small randomized trial to provide preliminary evidence of the effect of informational decision support and donor financial assistance interventions on African American hemodialysis patients’ pursuit of LDKT. Methods Study participants were randomly assigned to receive (1) Usual Care; (2) the Providing Resources to Enhance African American Patients’ Readiness to Make Decisions about Kidney Disease (PREPARED); or (3) PREPARED plus a living kidney donor financial assistance program. Our primary outcome was patients’ actions to pursue LDKT (discussions with family, friends, or doctor; initiation or completion of the recipient LDKT medical evaluation; or identification of a donor). We also measured participants’ attitudes, concerns, and perceptions of interventions’ usefulness. Results Of 329 screened, 92 patients were eligible and randomized to Usual Care (n = 31), PREPARED (n = 30), or PREPARED plus financial assistance (n = 31). Most participants reported interventions helped their decision making about renal replacement treatments (62%). However there were no statistically significant improvements in LDKT actions among groups over 6 months. Further, no participants utilized the living donor financial assistance benefit. Conclusions Findings suggest these interventions may need to be paired with personal support or navigation services to overcome key communication, logistical, and financial barriers to LDKT. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov [ NCT01439516 ] [August 31, 2011].https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/143512/1/12882_2018_Article_901.pd