Social Implications of Female Circumcision for Human Rights

Female Circumcision is carried out for reasons that include cultural and gender identity; social and cultural control of women\u27s sexuality and reproductive functions; beliefs about hygiene, aesthetics, health and religion. There is the fear that the girl might bring shame to the family by being sexually active and becoming pregnant before marriage. Female Circumcision is a manifestation of gender-based human rights violations, which aim to control women\u27s sexuality and autonomy. It is one of the many forms of social injustice, which women suffer worldwide. Female Circumcision is an act of barbarism, savagery, torture, and maiming, which deprives women of their femininity, especially wotj regard to sexual sensitivity and pleasure. It is a denial of the fundamental and inherent human rights of women to an intact body, physical and moral integrity, freedom from discrimination and the highest standard of health. Cultural claims should not be invoked to justify the violation of human rights

Exploring Computer Self-Efficacy and Implementation Context Influencing the Use of Koha ILS in The National Library of Nigeria (NLN)

The study explored the computer self-efficacy and implementation context on the use of KOHA ILS in the National Library of Nigeria and adopted the experimental descriptive survey design. The study was based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology by Venkatesh, Moris, Davis and Davis (2003). The population of the study comprised 170 librarians from the NLN. Random sampling technique was used to choose a sample size of 150 respondents, 120 copies of the questionnaire representing 80% returned, were used for the analysis and 30 copies of the questionnaire (20%) invalid. Data collected were analyzed using significant mean value analysis. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance, using the Pearson r Correlation statistic. The findings show that staff of NLN showed high level of computer-self efficacy for the use of Koha; some ICT facilities for Koha use such as computers, laptops, internet connectivity, etc., were either inadequate or non-existent in some branches; and staffs were not confident of performing trouble shooting operations when using Koha. The test of hypotheses revealed that facilitating conditions have no significant relationship with the use of KOHA ILS in the NLN; social influence significantly affect the use of KOHA ILS in the NLN; there is no significant relationship between computer self-efficacy of staff and use of KOHA ILS in the National Library of Nigeria; and behavioral intentions of staff on the deployment of KOHA ILS had significant influence on its use. Few recommendations were made based on the findings

Patient-Provider Ethnic Concordance and Patient Satisfaction: An Updated Review

Over the last decade, patient's health care experience has become a valuable metric. Studies suggest that relative to white patients, non-white patients tend to be less satisfied with their health care experience. Researchers have studied patient-provider ethnic concordance as a means to address these racial differences in patient satisfaction. A systematic review was performed to determine if patient-provider ethnic concordance is associated with greater patient satisfaction. The evidence is inconclusive because the literature has various methodological limitations. As a result, the body of evidence's strength is poor. Future studies will require validated patient satisfaction measurement tools and comprehensive statistical analyses to clarify the association between patient-provider ethnic concordance and patient satisfaction.Master of Public Healt

Oxidative Stress Markers in Parasitized and Non-Parasitized Amietophrynus regularis (Reuss, 1833) Exposed to Multi- Stress Conditions in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria

Background: Amphibians are subjected to a variety of natural and artificial stresses that can compromise physiological balance. This study explored the variations in oxidative stress markers in Cosmocercan parasitized and non-parasitized Amietophrynus regularis in diverse conditions. The toad specimens were collected from natural habitats and dumpsites of three (3) major areas of Lagos. 15 g wet weight of the liver, intestine, and parasites were separately prepared and analyzed for oxidative stress parameters including; SOD, CAT, GSH, and MDA activities according to well-established protocols. Result: Based on stations, there were significant differences in the SOD levels in the liver and intestine of infected and uninfected toads obtained at the dumpsite and the natural habitat at p < 0.001. Also, the concentration of SOD in the parasites (238.86 ± 7.72 min/mg prot.) recovered from the toads at the dumpsite was very much significantly higher than the concentration in those recovered from the toads in the natural habitat (p < 0.001). The study has shown that the level of SOD released by the antioxidant defense system in response to the oxidative stress in the organism makes it a reliable tool for ecotoxicological assessment. All the oxidative stress markers except for MDA showed significant differences at p < 0.05 between the host tissues and the parasites irrespective of sampling locations indicating both organisms were stressed either due to the host-parasite relationship or from other environmental contaminants. Conclusions: The toad’s antioxidant defense system was typically sensitive and adaptable to environmental conditions, suggesting that it could be used in future research on effective ecotoxicological evaluation tools

Chronic pain treatment strategies in Parkinson’s disease

Neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), have increased in prevalence and are expected to further increase in the coming decades. In this regard, PD affects around 3% of the population by age 65 and up to 5% of people over the age of 85. PD is a widely described, physically and mentally disabling neurodegenerative disorder. One symptom often poorly recognized and under-treated by health care providers despite being reported as the most common non-motor symptom is the finding of chronic pain. Compared to the general population of similar age, PD patients suffer from a significantly higher level and prevalence of pain. The most common form of pain reported by Parkinson’s patients is of musculoskeletal origin. One of the most used combination drugs for PD is Levodopa-Carbidopa, a dopamine precursor that is converted to dopamine by the action of a naturally occurring enzyme called DOPA decarboxylase. Pramipexole, a D2 dopamine agonist, and apomorphine, a dopamine agonist, and Rotigotine, a dopamine receptor agonist, have showed efficacy on PD-associated pain. Other treatments that have shown efficacy in treating pain of diverse etiologies are acetaminophen, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors. Opioids and opioid-like medications such as oxycodone, morphine, tramadol, and codeine are also commonly employed in treatment of chronic pain in PD. Other opioid related medications such as Tapentadol, a central-acting oral analgesic with combined opioid and noradrenergic properties, and Targinact, a combination of the opioid agonist oxycodone and the opioid antagonist naloxone have shown improvement in pain. Anticonvulsants such as gabapentin, pregabalin, lamotrigine, carbamazepine and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) can be trialed when attempting to manage chronic pain in PD. The selective serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) also possess pain relieving and antidepressant properties, but carry less of the risk of anticholinergic side effects seen in TCAs. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has been shown in multiple studies to be effective against various types of PD associated pain symptoms. Massage therapy (MT) is one of the most common forms of complementary and alternative medicine. Studies have shown that pressure applied during MT may stimulate vagal activity, promoting reduced anxiety and pain, as well as increasing levels of serotonin. In a survey study of PD patients, rehabilitative therapy and physical therapy were rated as the most effective for pain reduction, though with only temporary relief but these studies were uncontrolled. Yoga has been studied for patients with a wide array of neurological disorders. In summary, PD pathology is thought to have a modulating effect on pain sensation, which could amplify pain. This could help explain a portion of the higher incidence of chronic pain felt by PD patients. A treatment plan can be devised that may include dopaminergic agents, acetaminophen, NSAIDs, opioids, antidepressants, physical therapies, DBS and other options discussed in this review. A thorough assessment of patient history and physical examination should be made in patients with PD so chronic pain may be managed effectively

Chronic pain treatment strategies in Parkinson’s disease

Neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), have increased in prevalence and are expected to further increase in the coming decades. In this regard, PD affects around 3% of the population by age 65 and up to 5% of people over the age of 85. PD is a widely described, physically and mentally disabling neurodegenerative disorder. One symptom often poorly recognized and under-treated by health care providers despite being reported as the most common non-motor symptom is the finding of chronic pain. Compared to the general population of similar age, PD patients suffer from a significantly higher level and prevalence of pain. The most common form of pain reported by Parkinson’s patients is of musculoskeletal origin. One of the most used combination drugs for PD is Levodopa-Carbidopa, a dopamine precursor that is converted to dopamine by the action of a naturally occurring enzyme called DOPA decarboxylase. Pramipexole, a D2 dopamine agonist, and apomorphine, a dopamine agonist, and Rotigotine, a dopamine receptor agonist, have showed efficacy on PD-associated pain. Other treatments that have shown efficacy in treating pain of diverse etiologies are acetaminophen, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors. Opioids and opioid-like medications such as oxycodone, morphine, tramadol, and codeine are also commonly employed in treatment of chronic pain in PD. Other opioid related medications such as Tapentadol, a central-acting oral analgesic with combined opioid and noradrenergic properties, and Targinact, a combination of the opioid agonist oxycodone and the opioid antagonist naloxone have shown improvement in pain. Anticonvulsants such as gabapentin, pregabalin, lamotrigine, carbamazepine and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) can be trialed when attempting to manage chronic pain in PD. The selective serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) also possess pain relieving and antidepressant properties, but carry less of the risk of anticholinergic side effects seen in TCAs. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has been shown in multiple studies to be effective against various types of PD associated pain symptoms. Massage therapy (MT) is one of the most common forms of complementary and alternative medicine. Studies have shown that pressure applied during MT may stimulate vagal activity, promoting reduced anxiety and pain, as well as increasing levels of serotonin. In a survey study of PD patients, rehabilitative therapy and physical therapy were rated as the most effective for pain reduction, though with only temporary relief but these studies were uncontrolled. Yoga has been studied for patients with a wide array of neurological disorders. In summary, PD pathology is thought to have a modulating effect on pain sensation, which could amplify pain. This could help explain a portion of the higher incidence of chronic pain felt by PD patients. A treatment plan can be devised that may include dopaminergic agents, acetaminophen, NSAIDs, opioids, antidepressants, physical therapies, DBS and other options discussed in this review. A thorough assessment of patient history and physical examination should be made in patients with PD so chronic pain may be managed effectively

Bioaccumulation of organochlorine pesticides in the parasite Cosmocerca sp. (Nematoda: Cosmocercidae) and the amphibian host Amietophrynus regularis (Reuss, 1833) within Lagos metropolis, Nigeria

Background: Amphibian species are being threatened worldwide and chemical pollution is one of the leading causes of this decline. The use of agrochemicals such as organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) among the several health and ecological challenges it causes, the sharp amphibian population decline is most pressing. Toad specimens Amietophrynus regularis were sampled from three (3) selected areas; each comprising of natural habitat and dumpsites within Lagos metropolis. Methods: The congeners of organochlorine pesticides were tested in the liver, intestine, and parasite (Cosmocerca sp.) of the toads and soil samples from the respective locations using gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC–MS). Histopathological analyses were conducted on the intestines and liver of the toads using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain and then examined under the binocular dissecting microscope. Results: The concentration of aldrin in the intestine of A. regularis sampled at the dumpsites was higher than the concentrations in the intestines of A. regularis in the natural habitat. The concentrations of dieldrin in the uninfected A. regularis at both dumpsite and natural habitat were higher than the concentrations in the infected A. regularis at both environments. This indicated that the parasite Cosmocerca sp. may have played a depurative role in sequestering the concentration of dieldrin in the toads irrespective of the location. The parasites exhibited marked sequestration capacity characterized by the notably high total bioaccumulation rate both in the liver and the intestine at the dumpsite. The stunted villi being the common histological alteration in the infected and uninfected toads at the dumpsite but missing in the uninfected counterparts at the natural habitat may be attributed to the differences in the background concentration of the OCP congeners. Conclusions: The parasite- Cosmocerca sp. has been shown to be a potential tool in the biomonitoring of these OCP congeners which persists in the environment. Continuous research on these congeners is a searchlight to checkmate the environment to see how compliant industries and the consumers are in terms of regulation of these chemicals

A comparison of initial stiffness formulations for small-strain soil–pile dynamic Winkler modelling

Dynamic Soil-Structure Interaction (DSSI) is an area of much ongoing research and has wide and varied applications from seismic response analysis to offshore wind foundation response. DSSI covers a wide range of load regimes from small-strain vibrations to large strain cyclic loading. One of the most common ways to model DSSI uses the Winkler model, which considers the soil as a series of mutually independent springs. The difficulty with modelling DSSI arises with the inelastic and nonlinear load–displacement response of soil with increasing strain, therefore modelling of large-strain DSSI relies on the specification of many interrelated parameters. The relative magnitude of these parameters can have a significant effect on the modelled response. In this paper, the specification of an initial stiffness coefficient to model the elastic (small-strain) response of a soil–pile system is investigated. The coefficient of subgrade reaction method can be used to generate spring stiffness moduli for Winkler type models. A number of subgrade reaction theories have been proposed and their application to the problem of static loading has been widely studied. However, relatively little research concerning the application of these models for small-strain dynamic loading has been undertaken. This paper describes a sensitivity study in which a number of subgrade reaction models were used to estimate the frequency response at smallstrain levels for a range of pile geometries and ground conditions. A field investigation was undertaken on two piles with different slenderness ratios to estimate the frequency response and damping ratios. The experimental results were compared to predictions of damped natural frequency obtained from numerical models using the force input and measured damping ratio from each experiment. The ability of each subgrade reaction formulation to model the response at small-strain levels is evaluated