Adapting the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda to the city level : initial reflections from a comparative research project

The Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda recognise the role of cities in achieving sustainable development. However, these agendas were agreed and signed by national governments and thus implementing them at the local level requires a process of adaptation or localisation. In this paper, we analyse five aspects that practitioners and researchers need to consider when localising them: (1) delimitation of the urban boundary; (2) integrated governance; (3) actors; (4) synergies and trade-offs and (5) indicators. These considerations are interrelated, and while not exhaustive, provide an important initial step for reflection on the challenges and opportunities of working with these global agendas at the local level. The paper draws on the inception phase of an international comparative transdisciplinary research project in seven cities on four continents: Buenos Aires (Argentina), Cape Town (South Africa), Gothenburg (Sweden), Kisumu (Kenya), Malmö (Sweden), Sheffield (UK) and Shimla (India)

Prevalence, types and demographic features of child labour among school children in Nigeria

BACKGROUND: To determine the prevalence, types and demographic features of child labour among school children in Nigeria. METHODS: A cross-sectional interview study of 1675 randomly selected public primary and secondary school pupils aged 5 to less than 18 years was conducted in the Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria from October 1998 to September 1999. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of child labour was 64.5%: 68.6% among primary and 50.3% among secondary school pupils. Major economic activities included street trading (43.6%), selling in kiosks and shops (25.4%) and farming (23.6%). No child was involved in bonded labour or prostitution. Girls were more often involved in labour activities than boys (66.8% versus 62.1%, p = 0.048): this difference was most obvious with street trading (p = 0.0004). Most of the children (82.2%) involved in labour activities did so on the instruction of one or both parents in order to contribute to family income. Children of parents with low socio-economic status or of poorly educated parents were significantly involved in labour activities (p = 0.01 and p = 0.001 respectively). Child labour was also significantly associated with increasing number of children in the family size (p = 0.002). A higher prevalence rate of child labour was observed among children living with parents and relations than among those living with unrelated guardians. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that smaller family size, parental education and family economic enhancement would reduce the pressure on parents to engage their children in labour activities

Sexual behavior and experience of sexual coercion among secondary school students in three states in North Eastern Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Interest in the reproductive health of adolescents continues to grow throughout the world. Few studies had explored the reproductive health knowledge, sexual behavior and experience of sexual coercion among secondary school students in North Eastern states of Nigeria. The objectives of this descriptive survey were to collect data to plan appropriate interventions that meet the reproductive health knowledge, service and skills needs of students in Bauchi, Borno and Gombe states. METHODS: Face-to-face interviews were conducted for 624 consenting students who were randomly selected from eighteen secondary schools using an 83-item structured questionnaire. Data were collected on demographic profile, reproductive health knowledge, sexual behavior and experience of sexual coercion. RESULTS: The mean age of the respondents was 16.5 years. There were slightly more males (52%) than females (48%). Students' knowledge about reproductive health was generally low even though girls had better knowledge than boys. Thirteen percent of the entire students had had sexual experience; significantly more males (19%) than females (6%) had done so (p < 0.001). Among boys the age at sexual debut ranged from 10–26 with a mean of 15.7 and median of 16. By contrast, the age at first sex among girls ranged from 10 to 18 years with a mean and median of 16.1 and 17 years respectively. Only 24% of those who were sexually active used a condom during their last sexual encounter. Overall 11% of the students reported that they had been tricked into having sex, 9% had experienced unwanted touch of breast and backside, and 5% reported rape. CONCLUSION: Students low reproductive health knowledge and involvement in risky sexual activities predispose them to undesirable reproductive health outcomes

Nuclear poly(A)-binding protein aggregates misplace a pre-mRNA outside of SC35 speckle causing its abnormal splicing

A short abnormal polyalanine expansion in the polyadenylate-binding protein nuclear-1 (PABPN1) protein causes oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD). Mutated PABPN1 proteins accumulate as insoluble intranuclear aggregates in muscles of OPMD patients. While the roles of PABPN1 in nuclear polyadenylation and regulation of alternative poly(A) site choice have been established, the molecular mechanisms which trigger pathological defects in OPMD and the role of aggregates remain to be determined. Using exon array, for the first time we have identified several splicing defects in OPMD. In particular, we have demonstrated a defect in the splicing regulation of the muscle-specific Troponin T₃ (TNNT₃) mutually exclusive exons 16 and 17 in OPMD samples compared to controls. This splicing defect is directly linked to the SC₃₅ (SRSF2) splicing factor and to the presence of nuclear aggregates. As reported here, PABPN1 aggregates are able to trap TNNT₃ pre-mRNA, driving it outside nuclear speckles, leading to an altered SC₃₅ -mediated splicing. This results in a decreased calcium sensitivity of muscle fibers, which could in turn plays a role in muscle pathology. We thus report a novel mechanism of alternative splicing deregulation that may play a role in various other diseases with nuclear inclusions or foci containing an RNA binding protein

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P &lt; 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Pattern of Congenital Musculoskeletal Deformities at the State Hospital, Abeokuta, South-West Nigeria

Background: Congenital anomalies are recognisable causes of disability in developed and developing countries. 2-4% of newborns worldwide have congenital anomalies affecting various systems including the musculoskeletal system. The incidence of congenital musculoskeletal anomalies in Nigerian children is put at 0.16 -5.55%. The various types of congenital musculoskeletal anomalies encountered in orthopaedic practice in Nigeria are probably not too different from those seen in other parts of the world, but there are few literatures detailing them.Aim: To document the pattern of congenital musculoskeletal deformities seen in a ten - year period (from Jan 1998 to Dec 2007) at the State Hospital, Abeokuta, South-West, Nigeria.Method: A retrospective study of all cases of congenital musculoskeletal deformities seen at our Club Foot Clinic and orthopaedic clinic during the study period.Results: 189 patients were seen at the centre with various congenital musculoskeletal deformities. 60.3% (n= 114) of the cases were CTEV, 7.9% (n=15) were calcaneovalgus. Congenital genu recurvatum and CDH accounted for 3.2% and 0.5% respectively. Males accounted for 59.3% (n=112), while the females were 77 or 43.6%, giving a M: F ratio of 1.5:1. The age at presentation varies from 1day to 9 years with mean of 3 years.Key Words: congenital musculoskeletal deformities; birthdefect; patter

Effects of Product Differentiation Strategies on Firm Product Performance: A Case of Kenya Seed Company (KSC), Kitale

Firms within the same industry have been selling products that are good substitutes for each other, yet it is commonly the case that no firm within the industry sells a product that is identical to that sold by a competing firm. Product differentiation occurs within the products sold by a single seller and between the products sold by different sellers. The overall objective of this study sought to analyze product differentiation and its effects on a firm’s performance using the Kenya Seed Company as the case study. The specific objective of the study was to determine the effects of product differentiation in the firm’s strategic approach to management. Simple random sampling was used in selecting customers and KSC staff while purposive sampling was used in selecting agents. A total of 140 questionnaires were distributed with 125 being answered correctly and fully. Data was analyzed using SPSS, Excel and correlations obtained among independent variables. The customer’s trend has grown tremendously over the last 15 years which is reflected by the growth in agent’s base too. ASK shows provide the most important marketing strategy for KSC. The research recommends that KSC to increase market penetration by increasing agents and enhancing field days in the remote ASAL and highland areas which still plant indigenous maize seeds

The Challenges and Prospects of Women Fisher Folk in Makoko, Lagos State, Nigeria

Research on small-scale fisheries has largely focused on men’s fishing practices and perceptions and considerably discounted the important contributions by women to household food security and economies (Harper et al. 2013). Studies in most West African countries confirm that post- harvest activities is gendered in nature and revolves around traditional patterns of obtaining food and long standing gender norms (Lutz and Van Tilburg 2007). Given the centrality of small-scale fisheries as a source of household income in fishing villages such as Makoko, overcoming challenges associated with fisheries related livelihoods is essential to sustainable development

Obunga Clean Up

Combating poverty and building democracy through the co-production of participatory waste management services: The case of Kisumu, KenyaA research project by:The inhabitants of Obunga, Nyalenda and ManyattaThe many waste actors in KisumuCity of KisumuCounty Government of KisumuKisumu Waste Management Services KWAMSJaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology JOOUSTMaseno UniversityUniversity of VictoriaUniversity of GothenburgChalmers University of TechnologyFunded by:The Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy ICL