Football trafficking: a socio-legal study on the trade of African football minors

There is a child trafficking problem in football which exists beneath public awareness. The problem involves African minors being transported to foreign countries by unscrupulous intermediaries who either abandon them to fend for themselves or control their mobility for the explicit purpose of exploitation. Child trafficking in football occurs within a football environment that benefits from the increased commodification of children, but football does not provide the requisite protections to prevent the African minors from being trafficked and exploited within the sport. Though football trafficking is a subset of the wider child trafficking issue, particular consideration must be given to the specificity of sport and the unique incentives which football provides to both the perpetrators and potential victims of the crime. This research aims to understand the key factors which leads to football trafficking, to evaluate the efficacy of FIFA's anti-trafficking policy responses, and to propose recommendations which improve the performance of FIFA's regulations and offer better safeguards to the African minors. The study uses an interdisciplinary research method, by combining the legal doctrinal and socio-legal approaches to better analyse the core drivers of football trafficking, and to offer solutions which are tailored to the circumstances of the at-risk child players. Moreover, by examining the problem through the theoretical lens of regulatory theory, the analysis uncovers that there are several social, systemic, and structural factors in and around football's regulatory environment which have undermined the performance of FIFA's anti-trafficking policies. The study concludes that FIFA's regulatory shortfalls can be remedied by adopting procedures aligned with effective regulation, applying a child-centred approach to further anti-trafficking policies, and introducing practices which can tackle some of the fundamental vulnerabilities of the African minors. When combined, these measures could lead to a reduction in the prevalence of football trafficking

IMPROVEMENT OF OIL PRODUCTION: CASE STUDY OF THREE WELLS IN NIGER DELTA

Formation damage is a major problem experienced in the operation and development of petroleum reservoir. Its occurrence, occasioned with the release of particles, water, emulsions or scales, hitherto impairs the hydrocarbon delivery/transport system. Formation or skin damage impedes flow of fluids into the wellbore and cause low permeability, hence reducing the productivity of the wells. The production loss directly reflects the economic loss due to formation damage. In the extreme, damage may cause the Well to be uneconomic and be shut-in. The objectives of this project was to determine Stimulation Candidate for three (3) Wells in the Niger Delta Oilfield, using the R ratios, stimulate the candidate wells and make comparison between the wells with regard to the Pre-Stimulation and Post-Stimulation analysis. An analytical method was used to calculate Productivity Index, PI; Permeability, K; Skin, S; Production Rate, q, R-Ratio and Pressure Drawdown, ΔP using data from Pressure build up test in well testing analysis using Miller-Dyes-Hutchinson(MDH) method before and after acidizing treatment. From obtained results, the flowrate increased from 2000 STB/Day to 2230 STB/Day, productivity index also increased from 3.74 STB/Day/psi to 9.78 STB/Day/psi for well 1, while for well 2, flowrate increased from 1132 STB/Day to 1170 STB/Day, productivity index also increased from 0.82 STB/Day/psi to 8.34 STB/Day/psi and well 3 flowrate increased from 1500 STB/Day to 1800 STB/Day, productivity index also increased from 4.12 STB/Day/psi to 6.91 STB/Day/psi

IMPROVEMENT OF OIL PRODUCTION: CASE STUDY OF THREE WELLS IN NIGER DELTA

Formation damage is a major problem experienced in the operation and development of petroleum reservoir. Its occurrence, occasioned with the release of particles, water, emulsions or scales, hitherto impairs the hydrocarbon delivery/transport system. Formation or skin damage impedes flow of fluids into the wellbore and cause low permeability, hence reducing the productivity of the wells. The production loss directly reflects the economic loss due to formation dama ge. In the extreme, damage may cause the Well to be uneconomic and be shut - in. The objectives of this project was to determine Stimulation C andidate for three (3) Wells in the Niger Delta Oilfield, using the R ratios, stimulate the candidate wells and make comparison between the wells with regard to the Pre - Stimulation and Post - Stimulation analysis. An analytical method was used to calculate Productivity Index, PI; Permeability, K; Skin, S; Production Rate, q, R - Ratio and Pressure Drawdown, ∆P using data fr om Pressure build up test in well testing analysis using Miller - Dyes - Hutchinson(MDH) method before and after acidizing treatment. From obtained results, the flowrate increased from 2000 STB/Day to 2230 STB/Day, productivity index also increased from 3.74 S TB/Day/psi to 9.78 STB/Day/psi for well 1, while for well 2, flowrate increased from 1132 STB/Day to 1170 STB/Day, productivity index also increased from 0.82 STB/Day/psi to 8.34 STB/Day/psi and well 3 flowrate increased from 1500 STB/Day to 1800 STB/Day, productivity index also increased from 4.12 STB/Day/psi to 6.91 STB/Day/psi

Self-medication with antibiotics for the treatment of menstrual symptoms in southwest Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

Background: Self-medication with antibiotics is an important factor contributing to the development of bacterial antibiotic resistance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics for the treatment of menstrual symptoms among university women in Southwest Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to female undergraduate and graduate students (n = 706) at four universities in Southwest Nigeria in 2008. The universities were selected by convenience and the study samples within each university were randomly selected cluster samples. The survey was self-administered and included questions pertaining to menstrual symptoms, analgesic and antibiotic use patterns, and demographics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Results: The response rate was 95.4%. Eighty-six percent (95% CI: 83-88%) of participants experienced menstrual symptoms, and 39% (95% CI: 36-43%) reported using analgesics to treat them. Overall, 24% (95% CI: 21-27%) of participants reported self-medicated use of antibiotics to treat the following menstrual symptoms: cramps, bloating, heavy bleeding, headaches, pimples/acne, moodiness, tender breasts, backache, joint and muscle pain. Factors associated with this usage were: lower levels of education (Odds Ratio (OR): 2.8, 95% CI: 1.1-7.1, p-value: 0.03); nonscience major (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.03-2.50, p-value: 0.04); usage of analgesics (OR: 3.17, 95% CI: 2.07-4.86, p-value: <0.001); and mild to extreme heavy bleeding (OR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.01-2.67, p-value: 0.05) and pimples/acne (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 0.98-2.54, p-value: 0.06). Ampicillin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and metronidazole were used to treat the most symptoms. Doctors or nurses (6%, 95% CI: 4-7%), friends (6%, 95% CI: 4-7%) and family members (7%, 95% CI: 5-8%) were most likely to recommend the use of antibiotics for menstrual symptoms, while these drugs were most often obtained from local chemists or pharmacists (10.2%, 95% CI: 8-12%). Conclusions: This is the first formal study to report that approximately 1 out of 4 university women surveyed in Southwest Nigeria self-medicate with antibiotics to treat menstrual symptoms. This practice could provide monthly, low-dose exposures to antibiotics among users. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the impacts of selfmedication on student health

Africa?

vaccine preventable disease-what went wrong i

Impacts of sunlight exposure on physicochemical parameters, potential toxic metals, and microbial characteristics of sachet drinking water sold in Calabar metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract Poor handling of potable water is a well-known route of contamination. Despite this, Nigeria’s most consumed packaged potable water called “sachet” or “pure water” is still poorly handled with long hours of exposure to sunlight which may affect its quality. This study examined the potential deterioration of the sachet water quality (potential toxic metals and bacteriological), and the health implication posed by long-time exposure to sunlight. Collected water samples were subjected to physiochemical analysis, metal analysis, risk assessment, and microbiological examination. Three sachet water brands (n = 4 bags per brand) exposed to sunlight daily for 14, 28, and 42 days were analysed for potentially toxic metals, and health risk assessments (Average daily dose-ADD, hazard quotient-HQ, hazard index-HI, and carcinogenic risk-CR). The physicochemical, and microbiological (total heterotrophic bacteria count-THBC, and total coliform count-TCC) parameters were equally analysed using the Kirby Bauer and pour plate technique. In all brands, the levels of physicochemical parameters (except pH), and potential toxic metals were comparatively higher than the control in an exposure time-dependent fashion. Furthermore, all the exposed samples failed to meet the safety limits of the WHO, and national standards (NAFDAC and NDSWQ) for drinking water. Among the metals, zinc was the most ingested metal in all the brands. The ADD, HQ, and HI evaluations revealed that consuming the exposed water could lead to higher accumulation of Cr, Cd, Pb, As, and Ni in the body following exposure. The CR of Cr, As, and Ni after exposure to sunlight were > than the safe value (10–4), implying the likelihood of cancer after over 60 years. Microbial counts increased with the length of exposure, and all the isolates showed pathogenicity and multidrug resistance. The potential health risk inherent in sachet water after exposure to sunlight has significant health implications for consumers