War-Affected Children and Youth in Northern Uganda: Toward a Brighter Future

Examines current efforts by international organizations and local communities to aid children and youth living in internally displaced camps. Identifies programs to improve health care, education, economic activities, and justice and amnesty mechanisms

Guantanamo and Its Aftermath: U.S. Detention and Interrogation Practices and Their Impact on Detainees

Based on interviews with former detainees held in Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, attorneys, officials, and military personnel, details interrogation practices, conditions of incarceration, and their long-term effects. Urges a nonpartisan investigation

Book review: Hiding in plain sight: the pursuit of war criminals from Nuremberg to the war on terror by Eric Stover, Victor Peskin and Alexa Koenig

Hiding in Plain Sight: The Pursuit of War Criminals from Nuremburg to the War on Terror gives a historical account of how states and international courts have attempted to find and capture those suspected of war crimes and ‘crimes against humanity’. Eric Stover, Victor Peskin and Alexa Koenig present meticulous and legal research that covers the flight of Nazi war criminals, the recent Balkan wars, the Rwandan genocide and the pursuit of suspected terrorists post-9/11. This book will ensure that readers learn exactly who still evades indictment for such crimes and the obstacles that face the international community in the struggle to uphold human rights, writes Esther Adaire

So We Will Never Forget: A Population-Based Survey on Attitudes About Social Reconstruction and the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia

Analyzes survey findings on Cambodians' views on the crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, and the outlook for justice and reparations. Makes recommendations to the courts, NGOs, and the government

When the War Ends: A Population-Based Survey on Attitudes About Peace, Justice and Social Reconstruction in Northern Uganda

Analyzes survey findings on northern Ugandans' displacement and resettlement as well as views on peace, justice, and social reconstruction during peace talks between the Ugandan government and the Lord Resistance Army. Includes recommendations

The Gathering Storm: Infectious Diseases and Human Rights in Burma

Documents how decades of repressive rule, civil war, and poor governance in Burma have contributed to the spread of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other infectious diseases

Persistence Wins: Long-Term Agricultural Conservation Outreach Pays Off

This article discusses the lesson learned from an Extension, state, and federal agency coordinated water quality project that was formally started in 1995. In the project, educational programing was provided, high risk areas were identified, and BMPs were implemented on these areas. The net result of BMP implementation was a 38% improvement in South Dakota Bad River water quality. This improvement was attributed to Extension and others providing leadership on: 1) the development of local learning communities and 2) identification and implementing BMP\u27s in high risk areas. This work demonstrates that Extension can make a difference

Returning home: forced conscription, reintegration, and mental health status of former abductees of the Lord's Resistance Army in northern Uganda

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Since the late 1980s, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a spiritualist rebel group in northern Uganda, has killed and mutilated thousands of civilians and abducted an estimated 52,000 to 75,000 people to serve as soldiers, porters, and sex slaves for its commanders. This study examines the types of violence to which former abductees have been exposed and the extent to which these acts have affected their psychological well-being.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a cross-sectional study of 2,875 individuals selected through a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling design conducted in 8 districts of northern Uganda. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed with symptoms for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression as the main outcome measures.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>One-third of the respondents (33%) self-reported having experienced abduction (49% among the Acholi, the largest tribal group in northern Uganda). Over half (56%) of all the respondents and over two-thirds of those who experienced abduction met the criteria for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Multivariate analysis shows that several factors increased the risk of former LRA abductees developing symptoms of PTSD. These factors included gender (females were more susceptible than males), being a member of the Acholi ethnic group, participating in or witnessing a cumulative number of traumatic events, and encountering difficulties re-integrating into communities after abduction. Factors associated with increased risk of meeting criteria for symptoms of depression included older age of males at the time of abduction, lower score on social relationship scale, high incidence of general traumatic event exposure, high incidence of forced acts of violence, and problems reintegrating into communities after abduction.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Abduction and forced conscription of civilians has affected the psychological well-being of a significant number of northern Ugandans. The sources of psychological trauma are multiple, ranging from witnessing to being forced to commit violent acts, and compounded by prolonged exposure to violence, often for months or years. Community-based mental health care services and reintegration programs are needed to facilitate the reintegration of former abductees back into their communities.</p

A classification method for neurogenic heterotopic ossification of the hip

Background: Existing classifications for heterotopic ossification (HO) do not include all HO types; nor do they consider the anatomy of the involved joint or the neurological injury. Therefore, we performed this study to propose and evaluate a classification according to the location of neurogenic HO and the neurological injury. Materials and methods: We studied the files of 24 patients/33 hips with brain or spinal cord injury and neurogenic HO of the hip treated with excision, indomethacin, and radiation therapy. We classified patients according to the Brooker classification scheme as well as ours. Four types of neurogenic HO were distinguished according to the anatomical location of HO: type 1, anterior; type 2, posterior; type 3, anteromedial; type 4, circumferential. Subtypes of each type were added based on the neurological injury: a, spinal cord; b, brain injury. Mean follow-up was 2.5 years (1-8 years). Results: The Brooker classification scheme was misleading - all hips were class III or IV, corresponding to ankylosis, even though only 14 hips had ankylosis. On the other hand, our classification was straightforward and easy to assign in all cases. It corresponded better to the location of the heterotopic bone, and allowed for preoperative planning of the appropriate surgical approach and evaluation of the prognosis; recurrence of neurogenic HO was significantly higher in patients with brain injury (subtype b), while blood loss was higher for patients with anteromedial (type 3) and circumferential (type 4) neurogenic HO. Conclusions: Our proposed classification may improve the management and evaluation of the prognosis for patients with neurogenic HO