REMOVAL OF ACID-SOLUBLE LIGNIN FROM BIOMASS EXTRACTS USING AMBERLITE XAD-4 RESIN

This paper describes a method for the removal of acid-soluble lignin from acid hydrolyzed hemicelluloses extracted from a mixture of northern hardwood chips, by using Amberlite XAD-4 resin, which was shown to remove 100% of furan derivatives and 90% of acid-soluble lignin. Subsequent fermentation of the resin treated hydrolyzates gave ethanol yields as high as 97% of theoretical and showed a marked increase in fermentation rate. Regeneration of resin performed with 75% acetone was 85% efficient with respect to acid soluble lignin

Assessment of the structural validity of the domestic violence healthcare providers’ survey questionnaire using a Nigerian sample

BACKGROUND: There has been increased advocacy to involve healthcare providers in the prevention of intimate partner violence (IPV) through screening for it in healthcare. Yet, only one in ten providers screen for IPV, suggesting barriers. Understanding the readiness of healthcare providers to screen for IPV is therefore paramount. The Domestic Violence Healthcare Provider Survey Scales (DVHPSS) is a previously validated, comprehensive scale to study readiness of healthcare providers to screen for IPV. However, an understanding of its usefulness in the Sub-Saharan African context remains elusive. The current study undertook to examine the structural validity of the DVHPSS in Nigeria. METHODS: Exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's Alpha were run to reveal the factorial structure and reliability of the instrument/subscales respectively. Established thresholds were used to determine significant factor loadings and alphas coefficient. RESULTS: A six factor model emerged, with 2 factors similar to the original scale, another two differing slightly and a further two factors resulting from a splitting up of the original combination of victim/provider safety to having distinct victim and provider safety subscales. CONCLUSIONS: With slight modifications, the DVHPSS can be use to study IPV screening among Nigerian healthcare professionals. Introducing screening protocols could promote better understanding of crucial questions that were lost in the analysis

Factors Associated with Disclosure of Intimate Partner Violence among Women in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Though the prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) remains high in less developed countries, data suggest that these figures may represent an underestimation considering that many women are unwilling to disclose abuse. This paper aims to determine women’s willingness to report abuse, factors determining willingness to disclose IPV, and to whom such disclosure is made.Methods:A total of 911 women visiting reproductive health facility responded to the questionnaire, and the collected data was analyzed using multivariate analysis. Results: About 54% (n=443) of the participating women reported that would not disclose IPV. Among those willing to disclose abuse, 68% (n=221) would opt to disclose to close relatives in contrast to 32% (n=103) who would disclose to some form of institutions (i.e. religious leaders, law enforcement officers). Ethnicity, woman’s own use of alcohol and autonomy in decision making such as having a say on household purchases, money use and visitation, independently predicted willingness to disclose IPV. Conclusions:The role of family is still important in the Nigeria context and the implications for research and intervention are discussed

Neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage, individual wealth status and patterns of delivery care utilization in Nigeria: a multilevel discrete choice analysis

Background: High maternal mortality continues to be a major public health problem in most part of the developing world, including Nigeria. Understanding the utilization pattern of maternal healthcare services has been accepted as an important factor for reducing maternal deaths. This study investigates the effect of neighborhood and individual socieconomic position on the utilization of different forms of place of delivery among women of reproductive age in Nigeria. Methods: A population-based multilevel discrete choice analysis was performed using the most recent populationbased 2008 Nigerian Demographic and Health Surveys data of women aged between 15 and 49 years. The analysis was restriced to 15,162 ever-married women from 888 communities across the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja. Results: The choice of place to deliver varies across the socioeconomic strata. The results of the multilevel discrete choice models indicate that with every other factor controlled for, the household wealth status, women's occupation, women's and partner's high level of education attainment, and possession of health insurance were associated with use of private and government health facilities for child birth relative to home delivery. The results also show that higher birth order and young material age were associated with use of home delivery. Living in a highly socioeconomic disadvantaged neighborhood is associated with home birth compared with the patronage of government health facilities. More specifically, the result revealed that choice of facility-based delivery is clustered around the neighborhoods. Conclusion: Home delivery, which cuts across all socioeconomic strata, is a common practice among women in Nigeria. Initatives that would encourage the appropriate use of healthcare facilities at little or no cost to the most disadvantaged should be accorded the utmost priority.

Violence Against Drivers and Conductors in the Road Passenger Transport Sector in Maputo, Mozambique

This cross-sectional study examined the extent, nature and risk factors of workplace violence in the road passenger transport sector in Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique. A random sample of 504 participants was selected from a population of 2 618 registered bus, minibus, and taxi drivers/conductors. The results indicated that workplace violence, psychological as well as physical, is highly prevalent among drivers/conductors, with 77% reporting ever being abused and 64% reporting being abused during the past 12 months. Particularly vulnerable groups comprised illiterate employees, bus drivers/conductors, employees with long experience, and those holding a supervisory position. In addition, a high workload was associated with an increased likelihood of exposure to workplace violence in the road passenger transport sector. This article discusses the implications of the findings for possible interventions and further research

Violence Against Drivers and Conductors in the Road Passenger Transport Sector in Maputo, Mozambique

This cross-sectional study examined the extent, nature and risk factors of workplace violence in the road passenger transport sector in Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique. A random sample of 504 participants was selected from a population of 2 618 registered bus, minibus, andtaxi drivers/conductors. The results indicated that workplace violence, psychological as well as physical, is highly prevalent among drivers/conductors, with 77% reporting ever being abusedand 64% reporting being abused during the past 12 months. Particularly vulnerable groups comprised illiterate employees, bus drivers/conductors, employees with long experience, and those holding a supervisory position. In addition, a high workload was associated with an increased likelihood of exposure to workplace violence in the road passenger transport sector. This article discusses the implications of the findings for possible interventions and further research

Women’s attitudes towards discontinuation of female genital mutilation in Egypt

BACKGROUND: To examine women’s attitude towards discontinuation of female genital mutilation (FGM) in association with their access to information, knowledge of health effects and cultural beliefs concerning FGM in Egypt. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 9159 women, using data from the household survey in Egypt by Demographic and Health survey 2003. A comprehensive questionnaire covering attitudes towards FGM, demographics, and access to information was used. Chi-square analysis and logistic regression were applied to investigate how demographics, level of education, access to information, knowledge of health consequences and cultural beliefs influence women’s attitudes towards FGM. RESULTS: Among the demographic variables, discontinuation of FGM was independently associated with urban residency and post-secondary education. Moreover, women who were informed by the media, and those who had attended community meetings, church, or mosque where FGM was discussed, as well as women who were aware of the negative health consequences of FGM, were more likely to support discontinuation of FGM. By contrast, women with positive cultural conceptions of FGM were less likely to favour its discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: Public education and information dissemination aiming to change current cultural notions favouring FGM practice – through community and religious leaders, and radio and television programs – may play an important role in modifying women’s attitudes towards FGM. These findings have some implications for intervention and policy

Piloting an Educational Response to Violence in Uganda: Prospects for a New Curriculum

This pilot study assessed Mato-Oput5 (hereafter the curriculum), a new peace education curriculum, for indications of beneficial efficacy, specifically the capacity to reduce negative attitudes towards conflict and violence, and injury and violence rates. A cluster randomisedcontrol design was used. Three of the six purposively selected schools were exposed to the curriculum. Mato-Oput5 is a value-based, formalised curriculum taught by specifically trainedteachers. Its learning areas include conflict, conscience, violence, non-violence, impulse control, anger management, kindness, forgiveness, empathy and reconciliation. The results showed the baseline and post-intervention bio-demographic characteristics of the treatment arms to be comparable, thus suggesting baseline group equivalence and randomisation success. The follow-up loss was 9%. The mean pre- and post-intervention intentional incidentrates of the intervention and control groups were 270/1000 and 370/1000, and 190/1000 and 350/1000, respectively: these differences were not significant. The intervention had no effect onpost-intervention intentional incident rates. There were indications of beneficial efficacy in the curriculum, especially its ability to cause attitude shifts in support of non-violence. Statisticallysignificant behavioural effects were not detected although a downward rate trend was seen in the intervention group

Piloting an Educational Response to Violence in Uganda: Prospects for a New Curriculum

This pilot study assessed Mato-Oput5 (hereafter the curriculum), a new peace education curriculum, for indications of beneficial efficacy, specifically the capacity to reduce negative attitudes towards conflict and violence, and injury and violence rates. A cluster randomised control design was used. Three of the six purposively selected schools were exposed to the curriculum. Mato-Oput5 is a value-based, formalised curriculum taught by specifically trained teachers. Its learning areas include conflict, conscience, violence, non-violence, impulse control, anger management, kindness, forgiveness, empathy and reconciliation. The results showed the baseline and post-intervention bio-demographic characteristics of the treatment arms to be comparable, thus suggesting baseline group equivalence and randomisation success. The follow-up loss was 9%. The mean pre- and post-intervention intentional incident rates of the intervention and control groups were 270/1000 and 370/1000, and 190/1000 and 350/1000, respectively: these differences were not significant. The intervention had no effect on post-intervention intentional incident rates. There were indications of beneficial efficacy in the curriculum, especially its ability to cause attitude shifts in support of non-violence. Statistically significant behavioural effects were not detected although a downward rate trend was seen in the intervention group