Political Violence Amongst Youth Groups in Africa's Budding Democracies - An Explorative Studies of Concepts, Issues and Experiences

Democratic processes the world over have exhibited tremendous challenges of diverse dimensions especially in emerging African states that are struglling to enthrone this valuable approach to management and public governance

Investigating the Influence of Shareholder Rights Mechanisms on the Perceived Performance of Listed Firms in Nigeria

The current debate of the issues of shareholder rights to firm performance have grown a topic of research both in the developed and emerging economy.There is serious concern regarding the effectiveness of the board of directors’ transparency and accountability, company image and the rights of the shareholders in recent times.This paper attempts to investigate the influence of shareholders rights mechanisms to perceived performance of listed firms in Nigeria. The underpinning theory of the paper is rooted in agency theory and supported by stewardship theory to increase the understanding of the influence of the board of directors’ transparency and accountability, company image and the shareholder rights to the perceived firm performance.The questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection from the sampled respondents. Administered to the respondents.247 copies of the questionnaire were administered with 117 duly completed and returned.Empirical findings showed that board of directors’ transparency and accountability and shareholder right were positively associated with perceived firm performance.While company image did not show any significant link to perceived firm performance. The findings contribute theoretically to the knowledge of corporate governance. Based on the knowledge of this study, this is the first study that adopts the use of primary data to investigate the influence of shareholders’ rights mechanisms on the perceived performance of listed firms in Nigeria. The findings provide policymakers, stakeholders, and government with a better picture of the transparency and accountability and the right of the shareholder

Digital Children’s Right: Human Right Perspective

The utilisation of digital devices and technologies is an integral part of children’s daily lives. Besides the multiple opportunities associated to online environment, like education entertainment and communication, it has also been associated with various risks like grooming and cyber bullying. It is therefore important to assess the level of risk, mediation and digital literacy among children as they form the most vulnerable part of the society. We therefore in this chapter introduce a novel approach to analysing digital children’s right by viewing it from the human right perspectives, where we focus and extensively discuss on digital child rights as they relate to digital divide, technological access, gender issues, internet opportunities and risks, previous studies, policies and rights, frameworks as well as rights of children as a human right

Ultraestructura de la Glándula Tiroides en la Cabra Enana Africana Occidental (Capra hircus)

The present study examined ultrastructure of the thyroid gland of adult West African Dwarf (WAD) goat in order to further understand the ultrastructural morphology and some of the changes in the components of the thyroid gland in goat with age. Thyroids glands obtained from fifteen adult WAD goats of different ages and sexes slaughtered at the local abattoirs were used in this study. Electron microscopic techniques were used to study the fixed tissue with emphasis on the follicular and parafollicular cells. The results showed that the ultrastructure is generally similar to that of some domestic animals. Follicular cells were cuboidal in young adult goats thyroids but were flattened in older goat thyroids of 5–7 years. These cells remarkably showed highly dilated cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum which decreased in frequency the older goats. Microvilli were short and sparse on the follicular cells and the number decreased in the older goats. Different sizes of apical vesicles of varying electron density were encountered that included colloid droplets, secretory vesicles and lysosome-like bodies and the appearance of these vesicles changed with age. Parafollicular cells were encountered in the basal position between follicular cells in all thyroids examined. Numerous dense cytoplasmic granules were observed and they were not apparently different from that described in several mammals.El presente estudio examinó la ultraestructura de la glándula tiroides en cabra enana de África occidental adulta con el objetivo de tener un mejor conocimiento de la morfología y algunos de los cambios en los componentes de esta glándula en cabras de mayor edad. Se estudiaron glándulas tiroides obtenidas de quince cabras adultas de diferentes edades y sexos, sacrificadas en los mataderos locales. Se utilizaron técnicas de microscopía electrónica para estudiar el tejido con énfasis en las células foliculares y para foliculares. Los resultados mostraron que la ultraestructura generalmente era similar a la de algunos animales domésticos. Las células foliculares en la tiroides de cabras adultas jóvenes eran cúbicas, no obstante en cabras adultas de mayor edad (5 a 7 años) se observaron células aplanadas en las tiroides. Estas células mostraron cisternas de retículo endoplasmático rugoso muy dilatadas que disminuyeron en frecuencia en las cabras de más edad. Las microvellosidades eran cortas y escasas en las células foliculares, y el número disminuyó en las cabras de más edad. Se encontraron diferentes tamaños de vesículas apicales y se observaron gotitas coloidales, vesículas secretoras y organismos similares a los lisosomas; la aparición de estas vesículas fue cambiando en cabras de mayor edad. Se encontraron células parafoliculares en posición basal en todas las células foliculares examinadas. Se observaron numerosos gránulos citoplasmáticos densos sin aparente diferencia de aquellos descritos en otros mamíferos.http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?pid=0717-9502&script=sci_serialam201

Crohn's disease with Pyoderma gangrenosum in a patient in northern Nigeria: A case report

Background: Crohn's disease is a major form of inflammatory bowel disease that can present with extra-intestinal manifestations. We report a case of Crohn's disease with pyodermagangrenosum in a Nigerian patient. The report is to alert physicians in our setting on the occurrence of this rare presentation.Case presentation: The patient presented with chronic bloody and mucoiddiarrhoea with associated weight loss and fever of one-year duration. There was also history of mouth rashes, anal pain and itching. One month prior to presentation, he developed leg ulcer. Colonoscopy showed multiple ulcerations with normal intervening mucosa. Colonic mucosal histology showed focal area of ulceration with extensive inflammatory infiltrate in the lamina propia and submucosa. The patient's symptoms improved after the commencement of sulfasalazine.Conclusion: Crohn's disease should be suspected in a patient with chronic leg ulcer

Eumycotic mycetoma in a young girl from Sokoto, Nigeria: a rare and unusual presentation

Introduction: A typical presentation of Mycetoma is not uncommon although clinical manifestations might be misleading leading to delay in diagnosis, treatment and consequently leading to poor prognosis. Mycetoma can have a fungal or bacterial etiology and manifestation is usually that of a disfiguring subcutaneous infection that can affect any part of the exposed body. We are reporting a case of Mycetoma in an eleven years old girl that occurred in parts of the lower abdomen, perineum and gluteal region that was initially thought to be a soft tissue sarcoma or disseminated tuberculosis.Case Presentation: An eleven years old girl presented to Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto with lower abdominal mass and multiple nodular masses with discharging sinuses on the upper part of the right thigh, perineum and gluteal region of six months duration. Swellings started as multiple small boils that subsequently started discharging from various points. Patient usually fetches firewood in the forest for her parents as her routine house chores and she remembered an incident where she had pricks from thorns in the bush around her lower thigh and perineum. On examination she was chronically ill looking, in painful distress, with bilateral inguinal lymphadenopathy. She had nodular lesions of varying sizes ranging from 1x1cm to 4x4cm, tender, involving the upper part of the thigh bilaterally, but more on the right, lower abdomen, labia and gluteal region. Some of the lesions had hyper-pigmented sinuses discharging mucopurulent fluid, with areas of soft tissue swelling around the lower abdomen and upper right thigh extending to the leg. Patient was observed to walk with a limp gait.Management and Outcome: An initial diagnosis of soft tissue infection to rule out soft tissue sarcoma and disseminated tuberculosis (abdomen and lymph nodes) and deep tissue mycosis was made. However, with further investigations and reviews by the medical microbiologist and anatomic pathologist, along with bacteriologic, and mycologic studies of swab samples and aspirate and tissue biopsy for Histology revealed an eumycotic mycetoma. She received Ketoconazole and Trimetoprim-sulphametoxazole. She responded significantly as lesions reduced in sizes, abdominal swelling and leg swelling reduced with closure of discharging sinuses. Patient could walk with some resolution of the limp. Repeat abdominal ultrasound scan showed resolution of initial findings. She spent four weeks in the hospital and was discharged. On subsequent follow-up; she was walking without any limp and lesions were healed with some scar and few areas left to dry up. Further follow-up visits after one month and three month showed progressive healing and complete resolution of lesion respectively. However. Patient was however lost to further follow-up which would have enabled monitoring as to any reoccurrence or not.Conclusion: We presented a case of a young girl with an abnormal presentation of eumycotic mycetoma. Patient achieved near cure on medications without the need of surgery due to an excellent multidisciplinary approach between pediatricians, clinicians, clinical microbiologists and anatomic pathologists.Keywords: Mycetoma, Eumycetoma, Paediatric

Interventional programs for community reintegration after spinal cord injury: a scoping review

Advances in healthcare and technology have led to increased survival rates after spinal cord injury (SCI). To facilitate recovery, regain function, and promote quality of life after SCI, rehabilitation in the acute care setting is of paramount importance. After discharge from acute care, there is difficulty in accessing appropriate intervention to facilitate community rein-tegration. This review examined the content, strengths, limitations, and effectiveness of existing community reintegration intervention programs after SCI to promote the adoption of the existing programs or the development of new interventions for individuals with SCI in a low-resource setting. We conducted a review of the literature using Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework. Six electronic databases were searched from the database inception to September 2022, including Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Sabinet, and Global Health. A manual search of the selected references was also conducted. Seven articles met our inclusion criteria. Overall, 290 individuals participated in the included studies, 80% of the participants were males, and the majority of the participants had an injury at the thoracic level. The studies presented different interventional programs with varying contents addressing different aspects of community reintegration such as household duties, mobility, health maintenance, and recre-ation. All the identified programs have evidence of preliminary effectiveness in some domains of community reintegration (e.g., household duties, mobility, and health). However, most available programs are geared toward addressing a specific aspect of community reintegration and may not be suitable for individuals with complex needs. A robust program that encompasses all critical aspects of community reintegration (housing and household duties, mobility, recreation, health maintenance, pain management, sexuality, social support, and employment) may be required. Therefore, further development and validation of existing programs are warranted

The influence of various chemical oxygen demands on microbial fuel cells performance using leachate as a substrate

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs), hailed as a promising technology, hold the potential to combat various wastewater pollutants while simultaneously converting their chemical energy into electricity through biocatalysts. This study explores the applicability of a dual compartment MFC (DC-MFC) under varying conditions, targeting the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) from landfill leachate and electricity generation. In this setup, anaerobic sludge from a wastewater treatment plant serves as the inoculum in the anode compartment of the MFC, with a Nafion117 membrane acting as the separator between MFC units. The cathode compartments are filled with distilled water and continually aerated for 24 h to enhance air supply. The study assesses the MFC's performance across different COD concentrations, focusing on COD removal, power generation, and Coulombic efficiency. The findings reveal that COD removal efficiency is notably enhanced at higher concentrations of organic matter. Specifically, at a COD concentration of 3325.0 mg L , the MFC exhibited the highest COD removal efficiency (89%) and maximum power density (339.41 mWm ), accompanied by a Coulombic efficiency of 25.5%. However, as the initial substrate concentration increased to 3825 mg L , the efficiency decreased to 72%, with a Coulombic efficiency of 13.56% and a power density of 262.34 mWm . Optical density levels increased due to bacterial growth at ambient temperature and neutral pH, reflecting the dynamic microbial response within the system. [Abstract copyright: © 2024. Crown.

Subjective reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and sociodemographic predictors of vaccination in Nigeria: an online survey

The purpose of this study was to examine the subjective reasons for hesitancy to receive COVID-19 vaccination and the sociodemographic factors associated with vaccination uptake. An online social media survey was conducted among the general Nigerian population using a self-developed questionnaire. Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression with crude and adjusted odds ratios (AOR) at a 95% confidence interval (CI) and a p value of less than 0.05. A total of 576 participants with a mean age of 31.86 years participated in the study. 28% (n = 158) received one or more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Teachers were significantly less likely than health professionals to be vaccinated (AOR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.16–0.69). In addition, unemployed people (AOR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.15–0.89) were less likely to be vaccinated than government employees, and those of intermediate socioeconomic status (AOR = 0.47 95% CI 0.26–0.88) were less likely to be vaccinated than were those of high socioeconomic status. Five main themes emerged regarding participants’ subjective reasons for hesitating to receive the COVID-19 vaccine: fear related to vaccine content (e.g., efficacy), negative effects on the body (e.g., blood clots), distrust of the system/government (e.g., politics), psychological concerns (e.g., anxiety), and misconceptions. Sociodemographic variables and vaccine misconceptions were found to play an important role in COVID-19 vaccination coverage in Nigeria

Improving maternal and newborn health services in Northeast Nigeria through a government-led partnership of stakeholders: a quasi-experimental study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to quantify change in the coverage, quality and equity of essential maternal and newborn healthcare interventions in Gombe state, Northeast Nigeria, following a four year, government-led, maternal and newborn health intervention. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental plausibility study. Repeat cross-sectional household and linked health facility surveys were implemented in intervention and comparison areas. SETTING: Gombe state, Northeast Nigeria. PARTICIPANTS: Each household survey included a sample of 1000 women aged 13-49 years with a live birth in the previous 12 months. Health facility surveys comprised a readiness assessment and birth attendant interview. INTERVENTIONS: Between 2016-2019 a complex package of evidence-based interventions was implemented to increase access, use and quality of maternal and newborn healthcare, spanning the six WHO health system building blocks. OUTCOME MEASURES: Eighteen indicators of maternal and newborn healthcare. RESULTS: Between 2016 and 2019, the coverage of all indicators improved in intervention areas, with the exception of postnatal and postpartum contacts, which remained below 15%. Greater improvements were observed in intervention than comparison areas for eight indicators, including coverage of at least one antenatal visit (71% (95% CI 62 to 68) to 88% (95% CI 82 to 93)), at least four antenatal visits (46% (95% CI 39 to 53) to 69% (95% CI 60 to 75)), facility birth (48% (95% CI 37 to 59) to 64% (95% CI 54 to 73)), administration of uterotonics (44% (95% CI 34 to 54) to 59% (95% CI 50 to 67)), delayed newborn bathing (44% (95% CI 36 to 52) to 62% (95% CI 52 to 71)) and clean cord care (42% (95% CI 34 to 49) to 73% (95% CI 66 to 79)). Wide-spread inequities persisted however; only at least one antenatal visit saw pro-poor improvement. CONCLUSIONS: This intervention achieved improvements in life-saving behaviours for mothers and newborns, demonstrating that multipartner action, coordinated through government leadership, can shift the needle in the right direction, even in resource-constrained settings