Aloe and its Effects on Cancer: A Narrative Literature Review

Many years ago, Aloe Vera was cited to have a lot of therapeutic properties including; anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, skin protection, wound healing, and regulation of blood glucose and cholesterol. However, Aloe could present some side effects. This review focused on the latest discoveries regarding the therapeutic role of Aloe plant or its compounds on the acquired biological capabilities for tumour growth and progression namely; evading growth suppressor, avoiding immune destruction, enabling replicative immortality, tumour promoting inflammation, activating invasion and metastasis, inducing angiogenesis, genome instability and mutation, resisting cell death, deregulating cellular energetics and sustaining proliferating signalling. It clarified the anti-cancer activities it exerts on different types of cancer and also highlighted some pro-oncogenic pathways that can be disrupted by different compounds of Aloe

Privatisation de la sécurité et gouvernance démocratique au Cameroun

L’idée maîtresse que défend cet article est que le fait pour l’État camerounais d’ouvrir le champ sécuritaire aux acteurs privés est un indicateur d’une civilisation progressive des moeurs politiques. D’une part, l’article montre que le décloisonnement du secteur de la sécurité est un axe à partir duquel on peut analyser les processus aussi divers que ceux ayant trait à l’extension des sphères des libertés publiques, au pluralisme sécuritaire et à la décriminalisation de l’Autre différent de l’État. D’autre part, il met en exergue les relations complémentaires qui existent entre les agents privés de sécurité et les forces de police, lesquelles vont dans le sens de la gouvernance telle qu’appliquée dans les sociétés modernes.Mots clés : Externalisation, gouvernance démocratique, parlementarisation, privatisation,sécurité privée, sociétés modernes

Promoting inclusive approaches to address urbanisation challenges in Kigali

Kigali has embarked on a rapid urbanisation and modernisation process. A growing number of its inhabitants, mushrooming luxury residential and offi ce buildings, infrastructural development and a clean city are some indicators of that dynamic. However, providing adequate land and affordable housing for the majority of urban residents remains a challenge which continues to impact on both the population’s living conditions and sustainable urban planning. The article critically explores this issue with regard to current urban planning regulations. It reveals the urbanisation challenges facing Kigali and the current strategies for its modernisation, and proposes a viable framework for inclusive urban planning.Keywords: housing; inclusive urbanisation; land; urban plannin

Field research ethical challenges in a post–conflict Rwandan society: mistrust experienced in data collection in Kigali City

Field research in a post-conflict society brings about the concern of ‘mistrust’. Due to bad experiences endured, people in such a society are plagued with fear and suspicion to talk about some topics. This happens while the researcher is also required to adhere to research ethics and collect much-needed baseline data. From his experience while he was conducting his PhD research on the informal urbanization and modernization of the City of Kigali, the author explains how he managed to deal with the informants who feared to criticize urban development policies and implementation strategies. The study recommends researchers in a mistrust context, to use different types of data collection methods and to take enough time to gain trust and confidence of informants to discuss on presumed sensitive topics.Keywords: Fieldwork, research ethics, mistrust, good data, Kigali Cit

Les intellectuels burundais face au piège de l’ethnisme

Le rôle habituellement attribué à un intellectuel libre et responsable est d’être un producteur d’idées objectives, et d’accepter de discuter avec la même objectivité les travaux scienti3ques de ses pairs. Si cet idéal-type est di4cile à atteindre dans toutes les sociétés, il l’est davantage dans une société ethniquement polarisée comme le Burundi. Piégés par un ethnisme violent qui a été construit et divulgué par les politiques qui ont géré le pays avant, pendant et après la colonisation, les intellectuels qui se sont prononcés sur les violences répétitives au Burundi ont, à quelques exceptions près, oublié leur identité nationale et se sont plutôt présentés comme les défenseurs de leur ethnie. C’est, en partie, ce qui explique le traitement partisan qu’ils ont réservé aux événements cataclysmiques qui ont endeuillé ce pays depuis plus d’un demi-siècle

Lymphoedema After Breast Cancer Treatment is Associated With Higher Body Mass Index: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Excess body weight has been identified as an important risk factor for lymphoedema following breast cancer treatment, however it remains unclear how much risk increases as weight increases. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and risk of lymphoedema in breast cancer patients, and to estimate the level of risk by BMI category.   Methods: We conducted a systematic search of all articles published through May 2018 in PubMed and the Cochrane library. Studies that included data on BMI and lymphoedema in breast cancer patients were included in the meta-analysis. We compared risk of lymphoedema in BMI groups as: BMI<25 versus BMI≥25, BMI<25 versus BMI≥30, BMI≥25 to <30 versus BMI≥30, BMI<30 versus BMI≥30, BMI<25 versus BMI≥25 to BMI<30.   Results: After exclusion of ineligible studies, 57 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The mean difference in BMI between patients with lymphoedema compared to those without lymphoedema was 1.7 (95% CI, 1.3 - 2.2). Compared to patients with a BMI<25, risk of lymphoedema was higher in those with a BMI >25 to <30 (odds ratio [OR] 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2 to 1.5), a BMI≥25  (OR 1.7; 95% CI, 1.5 to 1.9), or a BMI≥30 (OR 1.9; 95% CI, 1.6 to 2.4). Compared to patients with a BMI of >25 to <30, risk of lymphoedema was higher in patients with a BMI>30 (OR 1.5; 95% CI,1.4 to 1.8).   Conclusion: Excess body weight is a risk factor for lymphoedema following treatment of breast cancer, with the magnitude of risk increasing across higher categories of BMI

Résilience Communautaire Des Riverains Autochtones Batwa Dans Le Contexte Du Conflit Au Parc National De Kahuzi Biega, Est De La Rd. Congo

Introduction : Les délocalisations des peuples autochtones de leurs terres ancestrales en faveur de la création des réserves naturelles ou aires protégées datent de quelques siècles et se sont effectuées dans plusieurs pays. Elles ont suscité des conflits entre les peuples autochtones et les gestionnaires des aires protégées et produit un état de choc chez les autochtones riverains Batwa dans le cas de la RDC. L’étude vise à identifier les initiatives de résiliences communautaires développées par les riverains autochtones Batwa dans le contexte de conflits, dans la partie haute altitude du Parc National de Kahuzi Biega à l’Est de la RDC. Méthodologie : Les données utilisées dans cette étude ont été collectée au moyen des discussions de groupes menées, accompagnées des interviews approfondies avec certaines personnes ressources et les leaders autochtones Batwa. Résultat : Les résultats montrent que vingt-trois (23) initiatives résilientes communautaires ont été identifiées dont cinq (5) initiatives endogènes et dix-huit (18) exogènes. Les initiatives endogènes de résilience ont eu plus d’impact significatif dans le mode de vie des riverains autochtones Batwa que les initiatives exogènes de résilience. Conclusion: Les initiatives de résiliences communautaires auxquelles s’adonnent lesriverains autochtones Batwa dans le milieu d’accueil, sont juste à classer dans leur capacité d’adaptation et non de transformation dans l’hinterland du Parc National de Kahuzi Biega car cela nécessite les mécanismes de gouvernance, les politiques / réglementations, l'infrastructure, les réseaux communautaires et les mécanismes formels de protection sociale qui font partie du système plus vaste dans lequel les communautés doivent s’intégrer.   Introduction: The relocation of indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands in favor of the creation of reserves or protected areas dates back a few centuries and hastaken place in several countries. This has led to conflict between indigenous peoples and protected area managers. These evictions have produced a state of shock among the indigenous Batwa riverside dwellers. The study aims to identify community resilience initiatives developed by indigenous Batwa riverine dwellers in the context of conflict in the high altitude part of Kahuzi Biega National Park in eastern DRC. Methodology: The data used in this study was collected through focus groups discussion, accompanied by in-depth interviews with resource persons and Batwa indigenous leaders. Result: The results show that twenty three (23) community resilience initiatives were identified, including five (5) endogenous community resilience initiatives and eighteen (18) exogenous community resilience initiatives. The endogenous resilience initiatives had a more significant impact on the lifestyle of Batwa indigenous residents than the exogenous resilience initiatives. Conclusion: The community resilience initiatives that Batwa Indigenous neighbors are engaged in the host environment are aptly categorized as adaptive rather than transformative in the Kahuzi Biega National Park hinterland as this requires governance mechanisms, policies/regulations, infrastructure, community networks and formal social protection mechanisms that are part of the wider system into which communities need to integrate

Cancer in Patients Referred Abroad For Health Care and Related Foreign Currency Expenses

Background: There is limited access to health services in Burundi, as most of the services such as cancer care are unavailable. Burundian citizen who can afford the costs involved in seeking treatment elsewhere are referred abroad. The purpose of this study was to assess the proportion of patients suffering from cancer among patients referred abroad for healthcare and to evaluate the costs incurred by those patients in relation to what the country would save by establishing cancer healthcare facilities.Methodology: The study was performed retrospectively from January 2016 to December 2018. With approval of Ministry of Public Health and AIDS control, the data was collected from medical reports at the general management of health facilities and AIDS control office. All patients with medical reports containing the reason for referral were included in the study. Medical reports assessing occupational disability were excluded. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).Results: Male, female and unclear was 45.3%, 39.9% and 14.8% respectively. Average age was 31,82. The main reason for referral was MRI (21.7%). Cancer patients represented 18% of all patients referred abroad for healthcare and the most common type of cancer found was breast (26.5%), genitourinary (15.7%) and digestive (14,2%). If all patients from 2016-2018 were referred to Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, India or Europe for 30 years, the country would spend in foreign currency US$3,858,229; US$638,342.80; US$21,288,592; US$10,410,192.90; US$54,718,329.70 respectively. Also, if all patients estimated by Globocan in 2018 were to be referred to these countries, the cost of foreign currencies would be US$52,455,122.60; US$38,264,740.88; US$129,272,590.40; US$81,330,325.94; US$276,601,008.02 respectively.Conclusion: There is a good number of cancer patients among patients referred abroad for health care. The estimated costs incurred by patients referred abroad for cancer care are far greater than funds needed to setup modern cancer care centres in Burundi

Reproductive governance in a fragile and population-dense context: family planning policies, discourses, and practices in Burundi

This article describes the reproductive governance deployed in Burundi, which promotes fertility control through uptake of modern contraceptives as a solution to the economic hardship and land pressure of individuals and communities. Using a qualitative approach, we explore how women and couples in rural Burundi set their preferences, choices and practices of family planning, and how they relate with the government discourse. We describe how reproductive practices are complex and modulated by social and material factors and power dynamics. We argue that the current hegemonic discourse-largely supported by external donors-adopts a depoliticised and technocratic approach to family planning that aligns with neoliberal development frameworks, leaving existing power dynamics and resources distribution issues unexamined and unaddressed. By situating reproductive navigation in context, we show how medicalisation of reproduction is not fully enacted, and partly resisted by women and other actors

Assessment of Lead and Cadmium Concentrations in Raw Cow Milk from Farms near Namanve Industrial Park in Kira Division, Wakiso District, Uganda

Lead and Cadmium concentrations were analysed in raw cow milk samples collected from smallholder zero grazing households near Namanve Industrial Park in Kira Division in Wakiso district near Kampala city, Uganda. The concentration of heavy metals in milk was tested with atomic absorption spectrophotometry using the Perkin Elmer AAA Model 2380 after acid digestion. The overall mean concentration of lead and cadmium was 0.01 and 0.0083 mg/kg respectively. Of the three wards, Bweyogerere had the highest lead concentration (0.014mg/kg) and cadmium (0.011mg/kg). Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test of the mean concentrations of lead between and within wards showed significant differences (F = 10.85, P < 0.05) and the findings were similar for cadmium (F=4.77, P < 0.05). Multiple comparison tests (Bonferroni) showed Bweyogerere raw milk had significantly higher lead concentration than milk from Kireka (P=0.008) and milk from Kirinya (P < 0.0001) and also significantly higher cadmium concentration than milk from Kirinya (P = 0.0009). Mean concentration of each metal residue was below the recommended minimum hazardous intake in diet as per Codex/Uganda National Bureau of Standards at 0.02 mg/kg for both lead and cadmium. Therefore, milk from cows reared around Namanve presents no public health-related lead and cadmium hazards