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Alternative Approach to Policing in Nigeria: Analyzing the Need to Redefine Community Policing in Tackling the Nation’s Security Challenges
Get PDFBy 2004, Nigeria joined the league of countries operating community policing to address its gamut of security problems including ethno-religious conflicts, banditry, economic terrorism, among others, which had already attracted public acrimony and condemnation against the civilian government. Indeed, the practice of community policing in Nigeria is fraught with many contradictions, which have hitherto deepened the nation’s frustration in forging appropriate path to safeguard the security of lives and property in the face of growing security threats. The study examines the general philosophy of community policing and how it is operated in Nigeria with the aim of identifying various areas of deficiency in the implementation of the concept. In fulfilling the objectives of this study, we explore conceptual definition of community policing, dissect community policing as alternative security option, examine community policing practice in Nigeria and recommend ways through which it can meet the nation’s security needs
Preconditioning with Azadirachta indica ameliorates cardiorenal dysfunction through reduction in oxidative stress and extracellular signal regulated protein kinase signalling
No full textBackground Azadirachta indica is widely distributed in Africa, Asia and other tropical parts of the world. A. indica (AI) is traditionally used for the treatment of several conditions including cancer, hypertension, heart diseases and skin disorders. Intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion is a common pathway for many diseases and may lead to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and death. Objective In this study, we investigated the ameliorative effects of AI on intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion injury-induced cardiorenal dysfunction. Materials and methods Sixty rats were divided into 6 groups; each containing 10. Corn oil was orally administered to group A (control) rats for 7 days without intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Group B underwent intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IIRI) without any pre-treatment. Groups C, D, E and F were pre-treated orally for 7 days with 100 mg/kg AI (100 and (200 mg/kg) vitamin C (100 and 200 mg/kg) respectively and thereafter underwent IIRI on the 8th day. Results The cardiac and renal hydrogen peroxide increased significantly whereas serum xanthine oxidase and myeloperoxidase levels were significantly elevated (p \u3c 0.05) in IIRI only when compared to the control. The cardiac and renal reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, protein thiol, non-protein thiol and serum nitric oxide (NO) decreased (p \u3c 0.05) significantly following IIRI. Immunohistochemical evaluation of cardiac and renal tissues showed reduced expressions of the extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK1/2) in rats with IIRI only. However, pre-treatment with A. indica and vitamin C significantly reduced markers of oxidative stress and inflammation together with improvement in antioxidant status. Also, reduced serum NO level was normalised in rats pre-treated with A. indica and vitamin C with concomitant higher expressions of cardiac and renal ERK1/2. Conclusions Together, A. indica and vitamin C prevented IRI-induced cardiorenal dysfunction via reduction in oxidative stress, improvement in antioxidant defence system and increase in the ERK1/2 expressions. Therefore, A. indica can be a useful chemopreventive agent in the prevention and treatment of conditions associated with intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion injury
Detection of azo dyes and aromatic amines in women undergarment
No full textWomen are exposed to several chemical additives including azo dyes that exist in textile materials that are a potential health hazard for consumers. Our objective was to analyze suspected carcinogenic azo dyes and their degradation aromatic amines in women\u27s panties underwear using a fast and simple method for quantification. Here, we evaluated 120 different samples of women underwear for their potential release of aromatic amines to the skin. Seventy four samples yielded low level mixtures of aromatic amines; however eighteen samples were found to produce greater than 200 mg/kg (ppm) of aromatic amines. Azo dyes in these 18 samples were extracted from the fabrics and analyzed by reverse phase thin layer chromatography in tandem with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Eleven azo dyes were identified based on their mass spectral data and the chemical structure of the aromatic amine produced from these samples. We demonstrate that planar chromatography and mass spectrometry can be really helpful in confirming the identity of the azo dyes, offering highly relevant molecular information of the responsible compounds in the fabrics. With the growing concern about the consumer goods, analysis of aromatic amines in garments has become a highly important issue
Effect of hydrogen sulfide donors on intraocular pressure in rabbits
No full textPurpose: In this study, we investigated the effect of a slow-releasing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donor, GYY 4137, on intraocular pressure (IOP) in normotensive rabbits. Furthermore, we compared the IOP-lowering action of GYY 4137 with those elicited by other H2S-producing compounds, l-cysteine and ACS67 (a hybrid compound of latanoprost with an H2S-releasing moiety). Methods: IOP was measured in New Zealand normotensive male albino rabbits using a pneumatonometer (model 30 classic; Reichert Ophthalmic Instruments, Depew, NY). At 0 h, 50 μL of test compounds were applied topically to 1 eye of each animal, while the contralateral eye received the same quantity of vehicle (saline). IOP was measured hourly until baseline IOP readings were attained and animal eyes monitored for potential side effects (i.e., tearing, hyperemia). Results: GYY 4137 (0.1%-2%) produced a dose-dependent decrease in IOP reaching a maximum of 27.8% ± 3.14% (n = 5) after 6 h. Interestingly, a significant contralateral effect was observed in vehicle-treated controls eyes at all doses tested. l-cysteine (5%) and ACS67 (0.005%) also elicited a significant (P \u3c 0.01) decrease in IOP that achieved a maximum of 28.84% ± 1.53% (n = 5) and 23.27% ± 0.51% (n = 5), respectively, after 3 h. All 3 H2S-producing compounds also caused a significant contralateral effect in vehicle-treated control eyes. Conclusion: We conclude that GYY 4137 and other H2S-producing donors can reduce IOP in normotensive rabbits. However, the profile of IOP-lowering action of GYY 4137 was different from the other H2S donors affirming its ability to act as a slow-releasing gas donor
The Influence of Rape Myth Acceptance and Situational Factors in Defining Sex and Labelling Rape among Female University Students in Nigeria
Get PDFExisting literature have posited that the problem of rape aggravates if it is unacknowledged as a result of the influence of rape myth acceptance. Being an understudied phenomenon, the present study sought to explore rape myths and examine situational factors that appear to differentiate women who experience various levels of victimization. Through mixed-method victimization surveys that covered four universities in Lagos and Ogun states, involving 206 respondents and 12 in-depth interviewees, the study found that emotions and societal perception of rape are strong factors in determining personal conception and description of rape-like experiences. The study concludes that young women should be enlightened about the health implication of nonconsensual sex, irrespective of their emotional attachment to the offender
Anti-Suicide Laws in Nine African Countries: Criminalization, Prosecution and Penalization
Get PDFAlthough several countries and jurisdictions across the globe have repealed their legal statutes criminalizing suicide attempts (or nonfatal suicidal behavior), suicide attempt remains a crime in several African countries. In these countries, a suicide attempt puts the suicide attempt survivor at risk for criminal apprehension, prosecution and penalization. The current article provides an overview of anti-suicide laws in nine selected African countries. In addition, it presents the results of a brief survey of the popular electronic and print media conducted to discover evidence of legal prosecution and penalization of suicide attempt survivors in the selected countries. The data show that criminal prosecution of suicide attempt survivors occurs in all but one of the societies where suicide attempt is criminalized. The article concludes with a brief overview of the arguments for penalization and depenalization of suicide attempts. Advocates of decriminalization argue that suicidal behavior is a symptom of a medical or psychological problem; therefore, suicidal persons need medical, psychological or psychiatric services, not judicial penalties. Opponents of decriminalization contend that suicide is inherently evil, immoral, or sinful; therefore, continued legal prohibition and judicial sanctions are defensible
Expression of HAS-MIRI200B-3P Reduces Protein Expression of CJUN and its Upstream Target Genes in PC-3 Cells
Get PDFmicroRNA\u27s (miRNAs) are naturally occurring non-coding RNAs of 15-25 nucleotides. They regulate gene expression at the post-transcription level, and are found in both unicellular and multicellular organisms. According to the updated release (v20, June 2013) of miRNAs at the miRNA database (miRDB), stated that 24,521 miRNA\u27s loci from 206 species resulted in 30,424 mature microRNAs. Approximately, there are 2,469 novel human miRNA\u27s candidates of which 1,098 are validated and published experiments. Based on the predicted information available at the miRDB, miRNAs target multiple genes that are yet to be confirmed. These studies focus on whether hsa-miR- 200b-3p targets mRNA of c-Jun as predicted in PC-3 cells in the miRDB; and whether hsa-miR-200b-3p reduces protein expression of c-Jun and its upstream transcriptionally regulatory genes in PC-3 cells. The results from the study confirms that hsa-miR-200b-3p targets c-Jun as predicted and inhibits translation of c-Jun to reduce its protein expression, which in tum downregulates the protein expressions of c-Jun upstream target genes in PC-3 cells
Expression of HAS-MIR-200B-3P Reduces Protein Expression of CJUN and its Upstream Target Genes in PC-3 Cells.
Get PDFmicroRNA\u27s (miRNAs) are naturally occurring non-coding RNAs of 15-25 nucleotides. They regulate gene expression at the post-transcription level, and are found in both unicellular and multicellular organisms. According to the updated release (v20, June 2013) of miRNAs at the miRNA database (miRDB), stated that 24,521 miRNA\u27s loci from 206 species resulted in 30,424 mature microRNAs. Approximately, there are 2,469 novel human miRNA\u27s candidates of which 1,098 are validated and published experiments. Based on the predicted information available at the miRDB, miRNAs target multiple genes that are yet to be confirmed. These studies focus on whether hsa-miR- 200b-3p targets mRNA of c-Jun as predicted in PC-3 cells in the miRDB; and whether hsa-miR-200b-3p reduces protein expression of c-Jun and its upstream transcriptionally regulatory genes in PC-3 cells. The results from the study confirms that hsa-miR-200b-3p targets c-Jun as predicted and inhibits translation of c-Jun to reduce its protein expression, which in tum downregulates the protein expressions of c-Jun upstream target genes in PC-3 cells.
Digital Humanities, Archives and the Global Classroom
No full textThere are several initiatives at Morehouse that take advantage of technology and the global classroom. In particular, the Pan-African Pedagogy Project, New African Diasporas Study Abroad Program, the Building Africana Leadership for the 21st Century, and the Global African Ethical Texts Archival (GAETA) Project have all sought to invigorate and expand the way that we teach. The New African Diasporas Project is a unique program in that it is a study abroad program of the Murid Islamic network, in which the students travel to Senegal, Italy, and China in one semester. The development of this Morehouse initiated program has necessitated a lot of coordination and development online. In addition, all of the efforts done through all of the projects will be archived. In a discussion of creating a global classroom, not only will the importance of collaboration be discussed, but we will also talk about the importance and methods of digital archiving.
About GAETA: We are currently in the process of developing the Global African Ethical Texts Archival (GAETA) Project, which creates an accessible, web-based, geographic database of texts, significant locations and events on African Diasporic history. What distinguishes the GAETA project is that it is the first effort to digitally map Africana ethics and culture from its ancient origins to the contemporary period. Accessing the rich holdings that we have in the Atlanta university Center’s (AUC) Woodruff Library, the Project seeks to map the relationship between identity and ethics in the African historic and transnational experience using digitized oral histories, texts, videos, maps, graphics, music, and other salient objects. In GAETA we are creating a learning tool and application that will facilitate student and professional scholarly research into the Africana Humanities.
The project is at once archival, exploratory, and experiential. Some of the key questions that the project seeks to interrogate are:
1) How is African/Black identity articulated in various geographic locations around the world?
2) How is culture used by African people to proclaim a social justice message within a larger cultural worldview?
3) What are the most significant operative values and ethics among African populations as they are captured in textual form?
4) What type of evidence will allow us to explore ethics and identity? What is an ‘ethical text’ and why is it significant within Africana Studies?
This archive is being built out in several modules all directly tied to courses within Africana Studies. The most developed of these digital mapping projects is that produced by students in the course, AAS 399, Special Topics: The Gullah Geechee Experience: Interdisciplinary Approaches, which can be accessed here: http://timemapper.okfnlabs.org/samoryba/gullahhistorytimemappertemplatexls
Editor\u27s Introduction: Urban Planning, Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Policy Implementation Strategies
Get PDFThe Journal of Public Management and Social Policy concludes its twenty-second volume with a collection of articles that examine issues pertaining to urban planning, performance measurement, evaluation and policy implementation strategies. It begins with a discussion on the emerging concept of neighborhoods of opportunity in urban planning and concludes with a continuing dialogue on the regulatory fog of opioid treatment programs in multi-layered and complex enforcement environments