Urbanization and Climate Change Impacts: A Comparative Analysis of Adaptability of US Coastal Cities

The quest to address human and societal developmental requirements has caused urban cities to grow and expand (Zhao, Gao, & Cuo, 2016). Urbanization is a term associated with the physical development of metropolitan cities. The word relates closely to the developmental approach utilized in the formation of urban societies (Fishman, 2017). According to researchers, urbanization contributes to the impacts of climate change and associated natural disasters. Climate change is closely related to societal and environmental carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emissions (Brody, Zahran, Maghelal, Grover, & Highfield, 2007). Development activities and growth of municipal settings have substantial impacts on the environment and society. Expanding suburban communities away from the core of urban settings signifies expansion and extension (Zhao et al., 2016; Zhou, Leng, Su, & Ren, 2019). Urban growth has a significant spatial impact because of the extensive land space usage around cores of metropolitan settings. Challenges associated with urban sprawl include climate change and lack of mass transportation, depicted by transit mobility and accessibility constraints (Bienkowshi, 2018; Bullard, Johnson, & Torres, 2000; Majumdar, Sen, & Park, 2013; Sen & Mayfield, 2004). The development of urban cities and associated growth have the consequential effect of carbon footprints on metropolitan cities (Brody et al., 2007). The term carbon footprint is synonymous with greenhouse gas emission and global warming. Carbon footprint also has linkage with climate change (Benevolenza & DeRigne, 2018; Brody et al., 2007; Cross, 2013). Natural disasters such as damaging flooding and catastrophic wildfires ravaging human societies worldwide are consequential impacts of climate change (Benevolenza & DeRigne, 2018; Cross, 2013). Climate change also has a strong linkage with greenhouse gas emissions. The destructive impact of flooding has led to the call to establish a flood mitigation plan from various quarters (Brody et al., 2007; Burby & Dalton, 1994). Climate change adaptation ideology emanated from the call from various quarters, including researchers, scholars, and practitioners, to ensure stabilization and sustainability of vulnerable cities (Cox et al., 2019). The development of an adaptation plan enables city planners to identify appropriate and applicable policies that will help inhabitants of societies to acclimatize with the probable effects of climate change (Cox et al., 2019; Gleeson, 2016). The adaptation plan developed by communities and cities will also enable the establishment of a suitable implementation methodology and an execution approach tailored to suit environmental and societal requirements and conditions (Cox et al., 2019). With a well-structured climate change adaptation plan, communities and cities will have access to tools that helps with risk assessment understanding (McDaniels, Chang, Hawkins, Chew, & Longstaff, 2015; Nance, 2009). Judicious and equitable implementation of articulated climate change adaption plan will equally enable citizens to acquire necessary skills required to manage risks associated with impacts of climate change (Bullard et al., 2000; Mahlkow & Donner, 2017). This research endeavor addresses gaps in scholarly literature regarding equity and social justice associated with climate adaptation plan quality. The study encompasses a comparative analysis of the adaptability of coastal cities in the United States to the impacts of climate change (Araos et al., 2016; Babbie, 2017; Bullard et al., 2000; Bullard & Wright, 2012). It focuses on examining the conceptualization and implementation of climate adaptation plans using nine plan quality principles (Araos et al., 2016). The study aims to contribute to scholarly research inquiries in climate adaptation plans by incorporating equity and social justice as an additional plan quality principle (Bullard et al., 2000; Bullard & Wright, 2012). I hypothesize that incorporating equity and social justice into climate adaptation plans will enhance plan quality and mitigate disproportionate social impacts on vulnerable populations (Araos et al., 2016; Babbie, 2017; Bullard et al., 2000; Bullard & Wright, 2012)

Entrepreneurship Education and Self-employment Intentions among Fresh Graduates in Nigeria

Over a decade, the Nigeria Federal government introduced entrepreneurship development programmes in the country’s tertiary institutions with the primary objective of gearing entrepreneurship development of Nigerian graduates. However, the unemployment level in Nigeria has persistently been on increase level. This paper therefore examined the key determinants of entrepreneurship intentions and the link between entrepreneurship attitude orientations and business ownership intentions among Nigeria’s fresh graduates. This study utilized a survey research design. Data used for this study were collected using questionnaire from 230 randomly selected National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) members serving in Ondo state. Appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were employed to analyse the data collected. This study showed that entrepreneurship education (β = 0.165; ρ = 0.038), ability to take risk (β = 0.291; ρ = 0.000), and the influence of family, friends, and mentor (β = 0.305; ρ = 0.00) were the major determinants of entrepreneurial intentions the selected participants. Moreso, this study revealed that entrepreneurship education has a positive and significant(r = 0.313; ρ = 0.000) influence on fresh graduates’ business start-up intention. This study concluded that establishment of more skills acquisition and innovation centers across Nigeria to equip the young graduates with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes required to be self-reliant will assist in making them job creators rather than job seekers, and in the long term effect, graduates unemployment and criminal activities among Nigerian youths will be reduced. Keywords: Entrepreneurship Education, Self-employment Intentions, Fresh Graduates, Nigeria

Glocalization Nature of Covid-19 Pandemic: The Nigerian Experience

COVID-19 has come as a global phenomenon with some globally agreed guidelines to curtail the pandemic, yet the approaches in each nation, localities, and communities differ, in order to embrace the peculiarities of local needs, which lead to the essentiality of the concept of glocalization. Although, the pandemic is global phenomenon, but the ideal approach and application is glocalized in nature. Nigeria nation adopts different measures to cushion the effect of the pandemic in accordance with WHO guidelines. The paper looks at the Nigerian experience and peculiarities as regards to the global standard. Primary and secondary source of data were utilized. The paper reveals some peculiarities in Nigerian localities in respect to face masking, lockdown order, hand washing, social distancing, palliative measures and other local innovations. The paper concluded that though, the vaccine for the pandemic has been detected globally but it has not been administered in Nigeria as of now, the citizens must continue to obey the WHO guidelines as they embrace the peculiarities of their local need

Left Supraclavicular Spindle Cell Lipoma

Background. Spindle cell lipoma (SCL) is a benign lipomatous tumour, typically occurring in the posterior neck, shoulder or upper back of elderly males. They compose of fat, CD34 positive spindle cells, and ropey collagen on a myxoid matrix. This case highlights a rare presentation of SCL and the need for pre-operative diagnosis. Case Report. A 63-year-old gentleman presented with a pre-existing left supraclavicular mass that had recently increased in size. FNA and CT Scans were performed and results discussed in the mutidisciplinary team meeting. Excisional biopsy was recommended. Radiology. CT neck showed a left supraclavicular mass of fatty density with fine internal septations. A low-grade liposarcoma could not be excluded. Histopathology. FNA was indeterminate. Histology of specimen showed bland spindle cells with no evidence of malignancy. Immuno-histochemistry showed SCL with CD34 positivity and negative staining on CDK4 and p16. Management. Excision biopsy of the mass was performed which was technically difficult as the mass invaginated around the brachial plexus. The patient recovered well post-operatively with no neurological deficits. Conclusion. Spindle cell lipoma is a rare benign tumour and a pre-operative diagnosis based on the clinical context, imaging and immuno-histochemistry is crucial to management

Influenza virus A (H1 and H3) and B co-circulation among patient presenting with acute respiratory tract infection in Ibadan, Nigeria

Background: Influenza is an acute respiratory disease that continues to cause global epidemics and pandemics in human with significant mortality and morbidity. Objectives: This study was designed to identify the circulating influenza virus in Ibadan, Nigeria during the 2006/2007 season. Methods: Throat swab samples were collected from patients presenting with acute respiratory tract infection at the Out-Patient Departments of major hospitals in Ibadan over a period of seven months from November 2006 to May 2007. Isolation of influenza virus was performed using Madin-Darby Canine Kidney cell line and 10 days old chicken embryonated egg. Isolates was identified by haemagglutination and haemagglutination-inhibition assays using selected CDC Influenza reference antisera (A, B, subtype H1 and H3). Results: Out of 128 patients tested, 21(16.4%) yielded positive for virus isolation. Identification of the isolates showed that 19(14.8%) were positive for influenza virus out of which 11(8.6%) and 8(6.2%) were influenza A and B viruses respectively. Influenza A virus 6(4.7%) were subtype H1; 4(3.1%) were co-subtype H1 and H3; and 1(0.8%) was not inhibited by subtype H1 and H3. Conclusion: The circulation of influenza virus A and B in this study is important to contributing knowledge and data to influenza epidemiology and surveillance in Nigeria

Transforming health professions\u27 education through in-country collaboration: Examining the consortia between African medical schools catalyzed by the medical education partnership initiative

Background African medical schools have historically turned to northern partners for technical assistance and resources to strengthen their education and research programmes. In 2010, this paradigm shifted when the United States Government brought forward unprecedented resources to support African medical schools. The grant, entitled the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) triggered a number of south-south collaborations between medical schools in Africa. This paper examines the goals of these partnerships and their impact on medical education and health workforce planning. Methods Semistructured interviews were conducted with the Principal Investigators of the first four MEPI programmes that formed an in-country consortium. These interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded to identify common themes. Results All of the consortia have prioritized efforts to increase the quality of medical education, support new schools in-country and strengthen relations with government. These in-country partnerships have enabled schools to pool and mobilize limited resources creatively and generate locally-relevant curricula based on best-practices. The established schools are helping new schools by training faculty and using grant funds to purchase learning materials for their students. The consortia have strengthened the dialogue between academia and policy-makers enabling evidence-based health workforce planning. All of the partnerships are expected to last well beyond the MEPI grant as a result of local ownership and institutionalization of collaborative activities. Conclusions The consortia described in this paper demonstrate a paradigm shift in the relationship between medical schools in four African countries. While schools in Africa have historically worked in silos, competing for limited resources, MEPI funding that was leveraged to form in-country partnerships has created a culture of collaboration, overriding the history of competition. The positive impact on the quality and efficiency of health workforce training suggests that future funding for global health education should prioritize such south-south collaborations

Transforming health professions\u27 education through in-country collaboration: examining the consortia among African medical schools catalyzed by the Medical Education Partnership Initiative.

BACKGROUND: African medical schools have historically turned to northern partners for technical assistance and resources to strengthen their education and research programmes. In 2010, this paradigm shifted when the United States Government brought forward unprecedented resources to support African medical schools. The grant, entitled the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) triggered a number of south-south collaborations between medical schools in Africa. This paper examines the goals of these partnerships and their impact on medical education and health workforce planning. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the Principal Investigators of the first four MEPI programmes that formed an in-country consortium. These interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded to identify common themes. RESULTS: All of the consortia have prioritized efforts to increase the quality of medical education, support new schools in-country and strengthen relations with government. These in-country partnerships have enabled schools to pool and mobilize limited resources creatively and generate locally-relevant curricula based on best-practices. The established schools are helping new schools by training faculty and using grant funds to purchase learning materials for their students. The consortia have strengthened the dialogue between academia and policy-makers enabling evidence-based health workforce planning. All of the partnerships are expected to last well beyond the MEPI grant as a result of local ownership and institutionalization of collaborative activities. CONCLUSIONS: The consortia described in this paper demonstrate a paradigm shift in the relationship between medical schools in four African countries. While schools in Africa have historically worked in silos, competing for limited resources, MEPI funding that was leveraged to form in-country partnerships has created a culture of collaboration, overriding the history of competition. The positive impact on the quality and efficiency of health workforce training suggests that future funding for global health education should prioritize such south-south collaborations

Transforming health professions\u27 education through in-country collaboration: examining the consortia among African medical schools catalyzed by the Medical Education Partnership Initiative.

BACKGROUND: African medical schools have historically turned to northern partners for technical assistance and resources to strengthen their education and research programmes. In 2010, this paradigm shifted when the United States Government brought forward unprecedented resources to support African medical schools. The grant, entitled the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) triggered a number of south-south collaborations between medical schools in Africa. This paper examines the goals of these partnerships and their impact on medical education and health workforce planning. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the Principal Investigators of the first four MEPI programmes that formed an in-country consortium. These interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded to identify common themes. RESULTS: All of the consortia have prioritized efforts to increase the quality of medical education, support new schools in-country and strengthen relations with government. These in-country partnerships have enabled schools to pool and mobilize limited resources creatively and generate locally-relevant curricula based on best-practices. The established schools are helping new schools by training faculty and using grant funds to purchase learning materials for their students. The consortia have strengthened the dialogue between academia and policy-makers enabling evidence-based health workforce planning. All of the partnerships are expected to last well beyond the MEPI grant as a result of local ownership and institutionalization of collaborative activities. CONCLUSIONS: The consortia described in this paper demonstrate a paradigm shift in the relationship between medical schools in four African countries. While schools in Africa have historically worked in silos, competing for limited resources, MEPI funding that was leveraged to form in-country partnerships has created a culture of collaboration, overriding the history of competition. The positive impact on the quality and efficiency of health workforce training suggests that future funding for global health education should prioritize such south-south collaborations

Demographic and epidemiological characteristics of HIV opportunistic infections among older adults in Nigeria

Background: In view of the maturing HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa, better understanding of its epidemiology among older adults is necessary in order to design appropriate care and treatment programmes for them.Objectives: To describe the demographic and epidemiological characteristics of HIV opportunistic infections among newly enrolled patients aged 50 years and above in Ibadan, South-West Nigeria.Methods: Analysis of data extracted from electronic records of 17, 312 subjects enrolled for HIV/AIDS care and treatment between January 2006 and December 2014 at the ART clinic, University College Hospital, Ibadan.Results: Age of the patients ranged from 18 to 90 years with a mean of 36.4 years (SD= 10.3) with older adults constituting 12.0% (2075). Among older adults, about half (52.9%) were females. Majority (59.1%) were currently married while 25.9% were widowed. Prevalence of opportunistic infections was 46.6%. The commonest opportunistic infections (OIs) were: oral candidiasis (27.6%), chronic diarrhoea (23.5% and peripheral neuropathy (14.8%). Significant factors associated with opportunistic infections in older adults were: CD4 count less than 350 (OR=3.12, CI: 2.29-4.25) and hepatitis C virus co-infection (OR=2.17, CI: 1.14-4.13).Conclusion: There is need for prompt response to the peculiar challenges associated with the emerging shift in the epidemiology of HIV and associated infections in sub-Saharan Africa.Keywords: HIV/AIDS, older adults, epidemiological characteristics, opportunistic infections, Nigeri