Breaking the Culture-specific Silence of Women Glass Bead Makers in Ghana: Towards Empowerment

Background@#The production of glass beads in Ghana is greatly impacted by the ingenuity of Ghanaian women. Preliminary investigations revealed the lack of interest on the part of women due to poor working conditions as a result of the influence of culture-specific silence. Therefore, the study investigated the poor working conditions faced by these industrious women with the ultimate goal of suggesting ways they can be empowered. @*Methods@#A phenomenological study was conducted in two indigenous glass bead communities in Ghana. Data were solicited via direct observations, personal interviews and focus group discussions. Twenty-six purposively sampled respondents were recruited for the study. Data from the study were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. @*Results@#The results confirmed that the elderly women glass bead makers are much influenced by the Ghanaian culture of silence. This prevents the women from speaking about the challenges they are facing in their work. Also, the women are silenced because of the fear of losing their jobs as well as the reluctance of their male managers to remedy the challenges they encounter in the course of work. This has resulted in poor remuneration, lack of insurance packages for workers, certification, and absence of personal protective tools for the women. @*Conclusion@#The study tasks the government of Ghana, the Legal Advocacy for Women in Africa (LAWA), the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission in Ghana, the Ghana Trade Union as well as the Local Government Workers' Union to empower the women to sustain the glass bead industry in Ghana.

Breaking the Culture-specific Silence of Women Glass Bead Makers in Ghana: Towards Empowerment

Background@#The production of glass beads in Ghana is greatly impacted by the ingenuity of Ghanaian women. Preliminary investigations revealed the lack of interest on the part of women due to poor working conditions as a result of the influence of culture-specific silence. Therefore, the study investigated the poor working conditions faced by these industrious women with the ultimate goal of suggesting ways they can be empowered. @*Methods@#A phenomenological study was conducted in two indigenous glass bead communities in Ghana. Data were solicited via direct observations, personal interviews and focus group discussions. Twenty-six purposively sampled respondents were recruited for the study. Data from the study were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. @*Results@#The results confirmed that the elderly women glass bead makers are much influenced by the Ghanaian culture of silence. This prevents the women from speaking about the challenges they are facing in their work. Also, the women are silenced because of the fear of losing their jobs as well as the reluctance of their male managers to remedy the challenges they encounter in the course of work. This has resulted in poor remuneration, lack of insurance packages for workers, certification, and absence of personal protective tools for the women. @*Conclusion@#The study tasks the government of Ghana, the Legal Advocacy for Women in Africa (LAWA), the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission in Ghana, the Ghana Trade Union as well as the Local Government Workers' Union to empower the women to sustain the glass bead industry in Ghana.

A Novel Contemporary Perspective Teaching Method for Interpretation of Various Acid base Disorders Citing with Examples

Introduction: The understanding of the basic concepts inArterial blood gas analysis and interpretation is an essentialskill required for all the medical students. Many creativemethods of teaching are available for the same yet sometimesit remains a challenging task. Usually, the three mainparameters like measured pH, pCO2 and HCO3 values areutilized for interpretation of various acid base disturbances.The aim of the current research study was to apply a novelrecently published arterial blood gas interpretation method forteaching purposes.Material and methods: In this newly developed method, thenet changes in pH is related to both the changes in respiratoryand non-respiratory (metabolic) component affecting the pH.A total of 90 arterial blood gas sample data’s were utilizedand classified into various groups. The changes in pH due torespiratory and non-respiratory component is calculated andcorrelated with the net changes in actual pH.Results: The magnitude and the changes in direction eitherpositive denoting the alkaline effect or negative denoting theacidic effect is very well observed in all the 90 cases and theresults are tabulated. The relationship between changes in pHdue to respiratory component with pCO2 and the changes inpH due to non-respiratory component with bicarbonate andstandard bicarbonate values were graphically analysed.Conclusion: The study concludes that it is much easier toobserve the changes in magnitude and direction in variousacid base disturbances which will help in better understandingof cases presenting with different pH, pCO2 and HCO3 values.

Risk Factors for Prevalence of EnterotoxigenicEscherichia coli (ETEC) in Diarrheic and Non-diarrheic Neonatal and Weaner Pigs, South Africa / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) causes neonatal and post-weaning diarrhea in pigs. In order to determine the risk factors, rectal/fecal swabs and visceral organs obtained from pig farms in two regions of South Africa were analyzed microbiologically against risk variables. Seventy-two percent of young pigs were found to be positive for ETEC toxin genes; estB (38.9%), estB/STAP (25%), and estB/LT (13.9%) were dominant. Risk factors for ETEC-diarrhea in pigs include: leaving sick piglets in a pen with healthy piglets [odds ratio (OR) = 33.52; P < 0.0001]; water spillage in pen (OR = 42.87; P < 0.0001); hypothermic piglets (OR = 7.29; P < 0.0001); runt piglets in pen with healthy littermates (OR = 3.65; P < 0.0001); and prolonged use of antibiotics (OR = 3.05; P = 0.05).

Colonic Metastasis from an Invasive Lobular Carcinoma of the Breast

Breast carcinoma to the colon and rectum is rare type of metastatic spread. We report a case of colonic metastasis from a lobular carcinoma of the breast twelve years after the initial diagnosis. Accurate diagnosis and early treatment of systemic therapy can be done if awareness is increased.

Effects of exercise training on stress-induced vascular reactivity alterations: role of nitric oxide and prostanoids

Background: Physical exercise may modify biologic stress responses. Objective: To investigate the impact of exercise training on vascular alterations induced by acute stress, focusing on nitric oxide and cyclooxygenase pathways. Method: Wistar rats were separated into: sedentary, trained (60-min swimming, 5 days/week during 8 weeks, carrying a 5% body-weight load), stressed (2 h-immobilization), and trained/stressed. Response curves for noradrenaline, in the absence and presence of L-NAME or indomethacin, were obtained in intact and denuded aortas (n=7-10). Results: None of the procedures altered the denuded aorta reactivity. Intact aortas from stressed, trained, and trained/stressed rats showed similar reduction in noradrenaline maximal responses (sedentary 3.54±0.15, stressed 2.80±0.10*, trained 2.82±0.11*, trained/stressed 2.97± 0.21*, *P<0.05 relate to sedentary). Endothelium removal and L-NAME abolished this hyporeactivity in all experimental groups, except in trained/stressed rats that showed a partial aorta reactivity recovery in L-NAME presence (L-NAME: sedentary 5.23±0,26#, stressed 5.55±0.38#, trained 5.28±0.30#, trained/stressed 4.42±0.41, #P<0.05 related to trained/stressed). Indomethacin determined a decrease in sensitivity (EC50) in intact aortas of trained rats without abolishing the aortal hyporeactivity in trained, stressed, and trained/stressed rats. Conclusions: Exercise-induced vascular adaptive response involved an increase in endothelial vasodilator prostaglandins and nitric oxide. Stress-induced vascular adaptive response involved an increase in endothelial nitric oxide. Beside the involvement of the endothelial nitric oxide pathway, the vascular response of trained/stressed rats involved an additional mechanism yet to be elucidated. These findings advance on the understanding of the vascular processes after exercise and stress alone and in combination. .

Neuroendoscopic surgery for unilateral hydrocephalus due to inflammatory obstruction of the Monro foramen / Cirurgia neuroendoscópica para tratamento da hidrocefalia unilateral secundária à obstrução inflamatória do forame de Monro

OBJECTIVE: Unilateral hydrocephalus (UH) is characterized by enlargement of just one lateral ventricle. In this paper, the authors will demonstrate their experiences in the neuroendoscopic management of this uncommon type of hydrocephalus. METHOD: The authors retrospectively reviewed a serie of almost 800 neuroendoscopic procedures performed from September 1995 to July 2010 and selected seven adult patients with UH. Clinical and radiological charts were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: Six patients had intraventricular neurocysticercosis and one patient had congenital stenosis of the foramen of Monro. Headaches were the most common symptom. A septostomy restored cerebrospinal fluid circulation. During follow-up period (65.5 months, range 3-109) no patient has presented clinical recurrence as well as no severe complications have been observed. CONCLUSION: UH is a rare condition. A successful treatment can be accomplished through a neuroendoscopic approach avoiding the use of ventricular shunts.

OBJETIVO: Hidrocefalia unilateral (HU) é caracterizada pelo alargamento de apenas um dos ventrículos laterais. Neste estudo, os autores demonstraram sua experiência no manejo deste tipo incomum de hidrocefalia. MÉTODO: Foram revisados, de uma série de quase 800 cirurgias neuroendoscópicas realizadas entre Setembro de 1995 e Julho de 2010, sete pacientes adultos com diagnóstico de HU. Dados clínicos e radiológicos foram analisados. RESULTADOS: Seis pacientes tinham neurocisticercose intraventricular e um apresentava uma estenose congênita do forame de Monro. Cefaléia foi o sintoma clínico mais comum. Uma septostomia restabeleceu o fluxo liquórico. Durante o seguimento (65,5 meses, de 3-109), nenhum paciente apresentou recorrência clínica assim como nenhuma complicação grave foi observada. CONCLUSÃO: HU é uma condição rara. O tratamento satisfatório pode ser alcançado por meio de uma abordagem neuroendoscópica evitando, desta maneira, o uso de sistemas de derivação ventricular.

Oral cancer, smoking and public health policies in Brazil: a brief review

This study, conducted through a literature review, aimed to elaborate on oral cancer, smoking and coping with these two diseases by public health policies in force in Brazil. According to the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA), oral cancer is among the most frequent diseases in the country, and if detected at early stages, has a high rate of survival when compared to other types of disease. INCA estimates show that there is a tendency for disease progression, nearly doubling the number of cases from 2005 to 2020, which constitutes a challenge not only to advances in science and technology but to the continuity of higher incidence in countries of lower socioeconomic level, reinforcing the need to work on social determinants. According to the literature reviewed, smoking, among the risk factors for oral cancer, is one of the most potent carcinogens known, with the aggravating factor that the patient voluntarily introduces the carcinogen into their body. The correlation between these two chronic diseases justifies the concern of public health and the dental profession both to deter the progression of these previously established diseases and to reduce the incidence of cases.

Polyphasic characterization of Gluconacetobacterdiazotrophicus isolates obtained from different sugarcane varieties / Caracterização polifásica de isolados de Gluconacetobacterdiazotrophicus obtidos de diferentes variedades de cana-de-açúcar

A polyphasic approach was applied to characterize 35 G. diazotrophicus isolates obtained from sugarcane varieties cultivated in Brazil. The isolates were analyzed by phenotypic (use of different carbon sources) and genotypic tests (ARDRA and RISARFLP techniques). Variability among the isolates was observed in relation to the carbon source use preference. Glucose and sucrose were used by all isolates in contrast to myo-inositol, galactose and ribose that were not metabolized. The results of the analysis showed the presence of two groups clustered at 68 percent of similarity. The genetic distance was higher when RISA-RFLP analysis was used. Analysis of 16S rDNA sequences from isolates showed that all of them belonged to the G. diazotrophicus species. Neither effect of the plant part nor sugarcane variety was observed during the cluster analysis. The observed metabolic and genetic variability will be helpful during the strain selection studies for sugarcane inoculation in association with sugarcane breeding programs.

Foi realizado a caracterização polifásica de 35 isolados obtidos de variedades de cana-de-açúcar cultivadas no Brasil, através de testes fenotípicos (uso de fontes diferentes de carbono) e genotípicos (técnicas de ARDRA e RISA-RFLP). Houve variação entre os isolados com relação à utilização de fontes de carbono. Glicose e sacarose foram usadas por todos isolados, diferentemente de mio-inositol, galactose e ribose que não foram metabolizados. Os resultados da análise polifásica dos dados confirmam a formação de dois grupos, que apresentaram 68 por cento de similaridade. Observou-se maior distância genética entre os isolados quando a técnica de RISA-RFLP foi aplicada. O sequênciamento da região 16S do rDNA mostrou que todos os isolados pertencem à espécie G. diazotrophicus. Não foi observado efeito da parte da planta ou variedade de cana-de-açúcar no agrupamento dos isolados. Em conjunto, esses resultados poderão auxiliar no estudo de seleção de estirpes para inoculação em cana-de-açúcar, orientando programas de melhoramento vegetal.

Fenestração endoscópica de cisto ventricular multiloculadoguiada por neuronavegação / Multiloculated intraventricular cyst endoscopic fenestration guided by neuronavigation: case report

Os autores apresentam um caso de paciente portador de cistointraventricular multiloculado submetido a procedimentoneuroendoscópico orientado por neuronavegação. A fenestraçãofoi bem-sucedida, com importante papel da neuronavegaçãona localização das cisternas basais dentro dosistema ventricular anômalo. O método se aplica principalmentea pacientes submetidos a múltiplas intervenções neurocirúrgicas,com importantes distorções anatômicas do sistemaventricular, auxiliando o planejamento pré-operatório epermitindo uma melhor eficácia da endoscopia, evitando novasabordagens. O procedimento foi documentado com imagens doplanejamento da neuronavegação e da endoscopia.

Epilepsia do lobo temporal e aura com alegria e prazer: relato de dois casos e revisao de literatura / Temporal lobe epilepsy and aura with hapiness and pleasure: report or 2 cases and review of the literature

Säo apresentados 2 casos de epilepsia do lobo temporal nos quais os pacientes apresentam sensaçöes de alegria e prazer durante a crise. Os autores analisam a evoluçäo do conceito de aura epiléptica e discutem a controvertida questäo da epilepsia em Dostoiévski, fazendo revisäo da literatura sobre a existência do prazer e do êxtase como manifestaçäo da doença