What Happens at Underground Raves? Risk, research and Harm Reduction

Underground raves first appeared in the late 80's in the United Kingdom, since then they have spread up to be strongly established throughout many different countries and continents. Opposite to mainstream raves or other recreational contexts (with commercial purpose and publicly advertised), underground raves could be considered the most risky context for their participants´ health. 

On the one hand, substances and poly substance use in underground raves is higher than the one it can be found at mainstream raves or other recreational contexts. Poly substance use is usual in this kind of raves, with a high use of stimulant/hallucinogenic substances. On the other hand, the fact that this kind of parties are self-organized, far away or held in places difficult to get, and that they are not often prepared to attend health emergency situations, could lead to serious consequences to the health of ravers in the case of they should have severe health problems.

Manifesto on an Interdisciplinary Reflection about Autopsy and Human Remains

This paper reports the potential of matrix assisted laser desorption ionization quadrupole-time-of-flight (MALDI-Q-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) for the analysis of lipids of dairy interest, i.e., glycerophospholipids (Phosphatidylcholine, Phosphatidylethanolamine, Phosphatidylinositol), sphingolipids (Sphingomyelin) and glycerolipids (Triacylglycerols, Diacylglycerols), respectively. The matrix used was 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB), together with cationizing agents such as sodium and lithium salt that enhanced fragmentation of most lipid classes. 

The alkaline adducts obtained helped to define in a fast way the polar head groups of different glycerophospholipid classes and provided information about the constituent fatty acid residues. Moreover, information about the position (sn-1, and -2) of the fatty acid residue on the glycerol backbone was obtained. Besides, lithium ion adducts appeared to be the most informative for the structural characterization of glycerophospholipids, glycerolipids and sphingolipids. The present approach proved then to be a convenient, fast and informative way for lipid analysis.

Parochial Political Culture: The Bane of Nigeria Development

Nigeria is a rich country whose economy has been mismanaged over the years. The excellent investment opportunities have been affected by unstable political atmosphere and threats to security of life and property (Abimboye, 2010:18). Nigeria has been crawling development wise when it should be running fast after her independence. President Jonathan saw the failure of leadership as the greatest obstacle to the desired growth-political and economic. This statement falls in line with the views of those Western European leaders of the 1930’s who believed that the economic system would be favourable if only earnest and God fearing men are in command of its destinies.

Treatment of Urinary Incontinence in Women: A Challenge between Conservative and Surgical Therapy

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a socially embarrassing condition, causing withdrawal from social situations and reduced quality of life. This withdrawal from regular physical activities may be a threat to women’s general health predisposing to osteoporosis, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, depression and anxiety. 

UI is defined by the International Continence Society as a condition in which involuntary loss of urine is a social or hygienic problem and is objectively demonstrable. UI is more common in women than in men and affects women of all ages. Prevalence rate in women between 15 and 64 years of age vary from 10% to 30% which increases with age. The prevalence of UI is significantly higher for individuals living in nursing homes, compared to community settings, with rates ranging from 43% to 77%. The severity of incontinence also increases with age. While a specific etiologic cause of urinary incontinence is often identifiable in younger persons, a multifactorial syndrome is more likely in older persons.

Evaluation of Quality Protein Maize (Zea mays L) Hybrids at Jimma, Western-Ethiopia

Maize is an important food crop in Ethiopia. But its nutritional quality is poor as its seed protein is devoid of two essential amino acids (lysine and tryptophan). The objective of the present study was to evaluate the performance of Quality Protein Maize (QPM) hybrids developed by CIMMYT. Forty three QPM hybrids and 2 checks were tested using 5X9 alpha lattice design with two replications. 

Data were subjected to ANOVA using SAS version 9.2. The ANOVA revealed very highly significant differences among the genotypes (p<0.001), for 50% tasseling, ear height, plant count and grain yield. High phenotypic variances were observed for ear height, number of rows/ear, numberof grains/row and grain yield. The phenotypic coefficient of variation and genotypic coefficient of variation were high for ear height, plant count, number of rows/ear, number of grains/row and grain yield. The maximum (0.91) and minimum (0.23) broad sense heritability’s were recorded for number of rows/ear and days to 50% tasseling respectively.

Should Law Look East?

Time and space have long constrained legal debate. Careful legal scholarship takes time to craft; publication in book and journals are at the mercy of selection and review processes and production schedules; and delivery of scholarship requires a further wait for the publication to reach library book shelves in hard copy form or become digitally available in online databases. 

Despite the globalisation of law, libraries prioritise research relevant to the regions in which they are located, and online databases even comprehensive repositories such as West law, Lexis Nexis and Hein Online privilege research published in certain geographical jurisdictions, notably the United States, over others. Time fetters; space shackles; and legal debate, in the process, suffer.

The development of Intellectual Property Policies in Africa- some key considerations and a research agenda

This paper considers factors that are relevant to recent efforts to formulate Intellectual Property Policies in Africa following the adoption of the Development Agenda by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). It highlights the need to develop policies tailored for each country’s socio-economic status and the need to use evidence to ensure a rigorous policy approach. It also considers WIPO’s technical assistance may be more effectively used by African states in their policy processes and concludes with a research agenda intended to stimulate critical engagement with these key issues.

In the last decade African states have become more involved in the global Intellectual Property (IP) law system, with their most auspicious moment being the adoption of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)’s Development Agenda (DA) in 2007. Since the adoption of the WIPO DA several projects have been initiated in Africa with a view to enhancing development through appropriately calibrated IP systems. These systems are crafted through legislation thus making IP legislation and the policies that inform it the focal area for analysis of IP systems.