NESREA and NCC Regulations on Telecommunication Masts: Implementing the Precautionary Principle

There have been conflicting findings in studies conducted to determine whether or not electromagnetic radiations (EMR) emitted by telecommunication masts are injurious to human health and the environment. The recent imbroglio between the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) brought this matter to the fore in Nigeria. The conflict relates to the set back distance telecommunication operators are required to adopt as they site their masts near buildings. While NESREA’s Regulation provides for a farther distance because of its belief that electromagnetic radiations do have adverse impact on human health; NCC on the other hand insists that EMR does not pose any danger to human health. Having examined literature, report of studies and various opinions, it is evident that the scientific community is yet to agree on the effects of EMR on human health and the environment. This paper argues that this lack of scientific certainty should not be a reason to delay legislative action that will safeguard people’s health and their environment.The paper evokes the importance of the precautionary principle of international law to the effect that lack of full scientific evidence should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent irreversible illnesses and environmental degradation that may result from EMR emitted by telecommunication masts. This paper discusses the need for regulatory agencies and the legislature to adopt the precautionary principle as they review and harmonise the two overlapping Regulations.Keywords: Telecommunication Towers, NESREA, NCC, RF, EMR, Precautionary principl

Biochemical Parameters and Air Pollution Tolerance Index of Trees along New Ife Road and Within Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Poor air quality is one of the renowned issues instigating health complications in urban areas today due to man’s exposure to various gases. The paper assessed the ambient air along New Ife Road (NIR) and Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria Headquarters (FRIN), Ibadan, Oyo State using Biochemical changes and computed the air pollution tolerance indices from fresh leaf samples of ten (10) similar plant species selected randomly in triplicates in both study locations. Monoon longifolium, Chrysophyllum albidum, Terminalia catappa, Dacryodes edulis and Terminalia ivorensis had tolerant APTI values; Mangifera indica, Psidium guajava, Terminalia ivorensis, Terminalia catappa and Cocos nucifera were intermediate APTI while Mangifera indica, Moringa oleifera and Azadirachta indica were found to be sensitive to air pollution. The APTI values at both locations are not significantly different; therefore NIR and FRIN are rated as areas of high anthropogenic activities. Terminalia ivorensis, (31.58 in NIR) Terminalia catappa (30.56 in FRIN) Dacryodes edulis, (31.15 in NIR and 34.76 in FRIN) (Chrysophyllum albidum (34.78 in NIR and 39.78 in FRIN) and Monoon longifolium (49.83 in NIR and 57.50 in FRIN) were classified as sink of air pollution based on their APTI values which ranged from 30>100 obtained in both locations of study. It is however suggested that these plants identified as sink of air pollutants, should be used for landscaping and planted 50m from the roadside for bio-filtration of the atmosphere

Evaluation of appendicitis risk prediction models in adults with suspected appendicitis

Background Appendicitis is the most common general surgical emergency worldwide, but its diagnosis remains challenging. The aim of this study was to determine whether existing risk prediction models can reliably identify patients presenting to hospital in the UK with acute right iliac fossa (RIF) pain who are at low risk of appendicitis. Methods A systematic search was completed to identify all existing appendicitis risk prediction models. Models were validated using UK data from an international prospective cohort study that captured consecutive patients aged 16–45 years presenting to hospital with acute RIF in March to June 2017. The main outcome was best achievable model specificity (proportion of patients who did not have appendicitis correctly classified as low risk) whilst maintaining a failure rate below 5 per cent (proportion of patients identified as low risk who actually had appendicitis). Results Some 5345 patients across 154 UK hospitals were identified, of which two‐thirds (3613 of 5345, 67·6 per cent) were women. Women were more than twice as likely to undergo surgery with removal of a histologically normal appendix (272 of 964, 28·2 per cent) than men (120 of 993, 12·1 per cent) (relative risk 2·33, 95 per cent c.i. 1·92 to 2·84; P < 0·001). Of 15 validated risk prediction models, the Adult Appendicitis Score performed best (cut‐off score 8 or less, specificity 63·1 per cent, failure rate 3·7 per cent). The Appendicitis Inflammatory Response Score performed best for men (cut‐off score 2 or less, specificity 24·7 per cent, failure rate 2·4 per cent). Conclusion Women in the UK had a disproportionate risk of admission without surgical intervention and had high rates of normal appendicectomy. Risk prediction models to support shared decision‐making by identifying adults in the UK at low risk of appendicitis were identified

Appendicitis risk prediction models in children presenting with right iliac fossa pain (RIFT study): a prospective, multicentre validation study.

Background Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in children. Differentiation of acute appendicitis from conditions that do not require operative management can be challenging in children. This study aimed to identify the optimum risk prediction model to stratify acute appendicitis risk in children. Methods We did a rapid review to identify acute appendicitis risk prediction models. A prospective, multicentre cohort study was then done to evaluate performance of these models. Children (aged 5\u201315 years) presenting with acute right iliac fossa pain in the UK and Ireland were included. For each model, score cutoff thresholds were systematically varied to identify the best achievable specificity while maintaining a failure rate (ie, proportion of patients identified as low risk who had acute appendicitis) less than 5%. The normal appendicectomy rate was the proportion of resected appendixes found to be normal on histopathological examination. Findings 15 risk prediction models were identified that could be assessed. The cohort study enrolled 1827 children from 139 centres, of whom 630 (34\ub75%) underwent appendicectomy. The normal appendicectomy rate was 15\ub79% (100 of 630 patients). The Shera score was the best performing model, with an area under the curve of 0\ub784 (95% CI 0\ub782\u20130\ub786). Applying score cutoffs of 3 points or lower for children aged 5\u201310 years and girls aged 11\u201315 years, and 2 points or lower for boys aged 11\u201315 years, the failure rate was 3\ub73% (95% CI 2\ub70\u20135\ub72; 18 of 539 patients), specificity was 44\ub73% (95% CI 41\ub74\u201347\ub72; 521 of 1176), and positive predictive value was 41\ub74% (38\ub75\u201344\ub74; 463 of 1118). Positive predictive value for the Shera score with a cutoff of 6 points or lower (72\ub76%, 67\ub74\u201377\ub74) was similar to that of ultrasound scan (75\ub70%, 65\ub73\u201383\ub71). Interpretation The Shera score has the potential to identify a large group of children at low risk of acute appendicitis who could be considered for early discharge. Risk scoring does not identify children who should proceed directly to surgery. Medium-risk and high-risk children should undergo routine preoperative ultrasound imaging by operators trained to assess for acute appendicitis, and MRI or low-dose CT if uncertainty remains. Funding None