Employee Attitudes Towards the Privatization of Kuwait Government Departments and State Owned Enterprises

There is little empirical evidence about how employees feel about privatizing state owned enterprises (SOEs) and such evidence provides insight on the impact privatization might have on employees. This study therefore aims at exploring the attitudes amongst Kuwait employees regarding the impact privatization might have on the employment system and recommends measures to minimise the impact so that the programme may readily be acceptable to civil servants. A mixed methodology was used to survey 500 and interview 15 people and in particular, descriptive and discriminant analysis demonstrated an effective categorization of Kuwait employees into those that were in support and those that were against the privatization programme. The research findings showed that although privatization of state owned enterprises was perceived to bring about improved service delivery, respondents’ attitudes towards privatization was overwhelmingly negative. Respondents’ attitudes were largely influenced by their concerns on the perceived changes in the employment system, in particular job security, and the impact of privatization on the localisation of the industry, commonly referred to as Kuwaitization (i.e. replacing foreign workers with Kuwaiti employees). Finally, we offer practitioners and researchers an analytical framework for assessing employees’ attitudes towards privatization of state owned enterprises and the study suggests strategies that might be suitable for dealing with employees’ concerns

The influence of alcohol industry-sponsored “Gulder Ultimate Search” reality television series on the drinking behaviors of Nigerian youths

Background: Alcohol consumption among youths and its related problems are increasing in Nigeria. Whilst one of the reasons for this is due to the marketing activities of the transnational alcohol corporations, there are no written national alcohol control policies that regulate alcohol marketing in Nigeria. Methods: This article draws on in-depth interviews with 31 Nigerian university students (aged 19–23 years) to explore the extent to which the “Gulder Ultimate Search” (GUS) reality television show influences alcohol consumption amongst GUS contestants, television audiences and those who participate in GUS promotional activities. Results: The results show that GUS was very popular amongst students and their knowledge of the reality show was high, to the extent that they were able to identify the particular alcohol company that sponsors the reality television program, the number of contestants that compete for the prizes in each season, and what can be won by the contestants or television viewers. GUS influences the drinking behaviors of contestants because one of the criteria for participation is to present 10 or more recently used “cans” of “Gulder beer” during the screening exercise. GUS also appears to influence the drinking behaviors of television viewers and those who participate in promotions due to product placement, direct advertisements and promotional activities that accompany the “Fan-Based Edition” aspect of GUS. Conclusion: Overall, GUS is a disguised marketing strategy to promote brand awareness, and to increase sales and consumption. Alcohol control policies that regulate event sponsorship and promote public health should be implemented in Nigeria

Preparation and use of maize tassels’ activated carbon for the adsorption of phenolic compounds in environmental waste water samples

The determination and remediation of three phenolic compounds bisphenol A (BPA), ortho-nitrophenol (o-NTP), parachlorophenol (PCP) in wastewater is reported. The analysis of these molecules in wastewater was done using gas chromatography (GC) × GC time-of-flight mass spectrometry while activated carbon derived from maize tassel was used as an adsorbent. During the experimental procedures, the effect of various parameters such as initial concentration, pH of sample solution, eluent volume, and sample volume on the removal efficiency with respect to the three phenolic compounds was studied. The results showed that maize tassel produced activated carbon (MTAC) cartridge packed solid-phase extraction (SPE) system was able to remove the phenolic compounds effectively (90.84–98.49 %, 80.75–97.11 %, and 78.27–97.08 % for BPA, o-NTP, and PCP, respectively) . The MTAC cartridge packed SPE sorbent performance was compared to commercially produced C18 SPE cartridges and found to be comparable. All the parameters investigated were found to have a notable influence on the adsorption efficiency of the phenolic compounds from wastewaters at different magnitudes

Effects of antiplatelet therapy after stroke due to intracerebral haemorrhage (RESTART): a randomised, open-label trial

Background Antiplatelet therapy reduces the risk of major vascular events for people with occlusive vascular disease, although it might increase the risk of intracranial haemorrhage. Patients surviving the commonest subtype of intracranial haemorrhage, intracerebral haemorrhage, are at risk of both haemorrhagic and occlusive vascular events, but whether antiplatelet therapy can be used safely is unclear. We aimed to estimate the relative and absolute effects of antiplatelet therapy on recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage and whether this risk might exceed any reduction of occlusive vascular events. Methods The REstart or STop Antithrombotics Randomised Trial (RESTART) was a prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded endpoint, parallel-group trial at 122 hospitals in the UK. We recruited adults (≥18 years) who were taking antithrombotic (antiplatelet or anticoagulant) therapy for the prevention of occlusive vascular disease when they developed intracerebral haemorrhage, discontinued antithrombotic therapy, and survived for 24 h. Computerised randomisation incorporating minimisation allocated participants (1:1) to start or avoid antiplatelet therapy. We followed participants for the primary outcome (recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage) for up to 5 years. We analysed data from all randomised participants using Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusted for minimisation covariates. This trial is registered with ISRCTN (number ISRCTN71907627). Findings Between May 22, 2013, and May 31, 2018, 537 participants were recruited a median of 76 days (IQR 29–146) after intracerebral haemorrhage onset: 268 were assigned to start and 269 (one withdrew) to avoid antiplatelet therapy. Participants were followed for a median of 2·0 years (IQR [1·0– 3·0]; completeness 99·3%). 12 (4%) of 268 participants allocated to antiplatelet therapy had recurrence of intracerebral haemorrhage compared with 23 (9%) of 268 participants allocated to avoid antiplatelet therapy (adjusted hazard ratio 0·51 [95% CI 0·25–1·03]; p=0·060). 18 (7%) participants allocated to antiplatelet therapy experienced major haemorrhagic events compared with 25 (9%) participants allocated to avoid antiplatelet therapy (0·71 [0·39–1·30]; p=0·27), and 39 [15%] participants allocated to antiplatelet therapy had major occlusive vascular events compared with 38 [14%] allocated to avoid antiplatelet therapy (1·02 [0·65–1·60]; p=0·92). Interpretation These results exclude all but a very modest increase in the risk of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage with antiplatelet therapy for patients on antithrombotic therapy for the prevention of occlusive vascular disease when they developed intracerebral haemorrhage. The risk of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage is probably too small to exceed the established benefits of antiplatelet therapy for secondary prevention

Treatment of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in special populations : a summary of evidence

We aimed to assess and synthesize the information available in the literature regarding the treatment of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in special populations. We searched MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, LILACS, SciELO, Scopus, Cochrane Library and mRCT databases to identify clinical trials and observational studies that assessed the pharmacological treatment of the following groups of patients: pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, the elderly, individuals with chronic diseases and individuals with suppressed immune systems. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. The available evidence suggests that the treatments of choice for each population or disease entity are as follows: nursing mothers and children (meglumine antimoniate or pentamidine), patients with renal disease (amphotericin B or miltefosine), patients with heart disease (amphotericin B, miltefosine or pentamidine), immunosuppressed patients (liposomal amphotericin), the elderly (meglumine antimoniate), pregnant women (amphotericin B) and patients with liver disease (no evidence available). The quality of evidence is low or very low for all groups. Accurate controlled studies are required to fill in the gaps in evidence for treatment in special populations. Post-marketing surveillance programs could also collect relevant information to guide treatment decision-making

Current Tsetse and Trypanosomosis Situation on Jos Plateau, Nigeria. Epizootiological Factors that May Enhance Disease Transmission and Spread

Tsetse and trypanosomosis surveys were carried out in Jos-East, Riyom, Bassa and Bokkos local government areas (LGAs) of Jos Plateau, Nigeria. They followed reports of cases of trypanosomosis that led to the death of several livestock animals in the areas. Biconical and Nitse traps were pitched in suspected tsetse habitats. Also, cattle and sheep from selected native and Fulani herds within the areas surveyed were screened. Altogether 240 tsetse flies were caught, comprising 114 Glossina tachinoides and 126 G. palpalis palpalis, and revealing an overall apparent density of 4.63 flies/trap/day. Fly dissection showed an overall infection rate of 1.67% due to Trypanosoma brucei and T. vivax. Also, 87 G. tachinoides pupae were collected from Bassa and Jos-East LGAs. Other biting flies totaling 1536 were caught (Stomoxys, Tabanus and Haematopota). A total of 1053 cattle and 65 sheep were screened for trypanosome infection. The hematocrit centrifugation, animal inoculation, and morphological differential techniques were used to determine trypanosome species and prevalence rates. Results revealed a 7.79% prevalence rate in cattle due to T. brucei, T. congolense, T. vivax, and T. theileri, and a 3.08 prevalence rate in sheep due to T. vivax. The main factors that may predispose Jos Plateau to tsetse presence and trypanosomosis infection include dry and rainy seasons’ cattle migrations across the plateau to and from tsetse infested areas, abundance of other biting flies, changes in climatic conditions and increased human activities. These findings have debunked the protracted notion upholding Jos Plateau to be tsetse and trypanosomosis free; hence the safety of resident and migrant livestock, which unfortunately have increased in recent times, may no longer be guaranteed because of the trypanosomosis risk