States President Research Articles

An Analysis of the Mandate Regime and Colonialism in International Law

Colonialism is the policy or method whereby one state or race governs and dominates other states or races. In the process of developing international law, colonialism is involved with the domination of non-European states by European states in the first half of the twentieth century. Since colonialism was a policy of European nations, they had special rights by which they could participate in the process of making international law; today, their orders gradually developed into a universal regime of international law. The main issue is that the contemporary international law of this universal regime derives from European empires and reflects hierarchic and Eurocentric thinking. This raises the question of whether current international law has been formed only by those European nations that have policies of colonialism. The question could be answered by analyzing the mandate system under Article 22 of the Covenant of the League of Nations. At first, the regime was designed to address the matters of the colonies and their native peoples and was organized with the legitimacy of international law. However, the Mandatory Powers utilized the mandate system to secure their control over colonial areas rather than organize them, as United States President Wilson intended. First, this paper examines the matter of the conflict between the general principle of the mandate system and Article 22, paragraph 6 of the Covenant of the League of Nations which regulates the territories of “C” mandate. Second, the reality of mandate system was that the mandatory powers of the “C” mandate committed economic and cultural exploitation under the regime similar to colonial policies. This was demonstrated by exploration of the phosphate exploitation in the Mandate over Nauru Island, the Apartheid perpetrated by South Africa against South-West Africa and the mandate system of Japan. As a result, the powers of the day utilized the regime as a method of bolstering their colonial holdings, and these colonial features were particularly apparent in “C” mandates. Indeed, by analyzing how the regime was regulated by international law and examining the two general principles from the system, the international law of the day can be traced. Since the establishment of the mandate system was about one hundred years ago, it seems that it was not relevant to the modern international law. However, as modern international law has been developed from the early twentieth century, identifying the system under international law at the time can be helpful for understanding it.

Peer-Delivered Linkage Case Management and Same-Day ART Initiation for Men and Young Persons with HIV Infection - Eswatini, 2015-2017.

To achieve epidemic control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, sub-Saharan African countries are striving to diagnose 90% of HIV infections, initiate and retain 90% of HIV-diagnosed persons on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and achieve viral load suppression* for 90% of ART recipients (90-90-90) (1). In Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), the country with the world's highest estimated HIV prevalence (27.2%), achieving 90-90-90 depends upon improving access to early ART for men and young adults with HIV infection, two groups with low ART coverage (1-3). Although community-based strategies test many men and young adults with HIV infection in Eswatini, fewer than one third of all persons who test positive in community settings enroll in HIV care within 6 months of diagnosis after receiving standard referral services (4,5). To evaluate the effectiveness of peer-delivered linkage case management† in improving early ART initiation for persons with HIV infection diagnosed in community settings in Eswatini, CDC analyzed data on 651 participants in CommLink, a community-based, mobile HIV-testing, point-of-diagnosis HIV care, and peer-delivered linkage case management demonstration project, and found that after diagnosis, 635 (98%) enrolled in care within a median of 5 days (interquartile range [IQR] = 2-8 days), and 541 (83%) initiated ART within a median of 6 days (IQR = 2-14 days), including 402 (74%) on the day of their first clinic visit (same-day ART). After expanding ART eligibility to all persons with HIV infection on October 1, 2016, 96% of 225 CommLink clients initiated ART, including 87% at their first clinic visit. Compared with women and adult clients aged ≥30 years, similar high proportions of men and persons aged 15-29 years enrolled in HIV care and received same-day ART. To help achieve 90-90-90 by 2020, the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is supporting the national scale-up of CommLink in Eswatini and recommending peer-delivered linkage case management as a potential strategy for countries to achieve >90% early enrollment in care and ART initiation after diagnosis of HIV infection (6).

HIV care and treatment clinic performance following President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief-funded infrastructure improvement in Tanzania.

To assess how the infrastructure improvements supported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) contributed to facility-level quarterly and annual new patient enrolment in HIV care and treatment and antiretroviral therapy (ART) uptake and retention in care. Aggregate quarterly and annual facility-based HIV care and treatment data from the CDC-managed PEPFAR Reporting Online and Management Information System database collected between 2005 and 2012 were analysed for the 11 rural and 32 urban facilities that met the eligibility criteria. Infrastructure improvements, including both renovations and new construction, occurred on different dates for the facilities; therefore, data were adjusted such that pre- and post-infrastructure improvements were aligned and date-time was ignored. The analysis calculated the mean (95% confidence interval) number of patients per facility who were (1) newly enrolled in HIV care, (2) patients initiated on ART, (3) patients retained in care, defined as alive and on ART, and (4) reasons for attrition, defined as transferred out, lost to follow-up, deceased or stopped ART. The overall mean number of adult patients newly enrolled in HIV care clinics per quarter declined from 187.7 (151.4-223.9) to 135.2 (117.4-152.9) after infrastructure improvements but was not statistically significant (p = 0.20). However, the mean number of patients who were alive and remained on ART increased from 193.2 (145.3-241.1) to 273.2 (219.0-327.3) after improvements in both rural and urban facilities, although not significantly (p = 0.59). A similar picture was observed for overall paediatric enrolment and retention in care. Health facility-specific case studies show variations in new patient enrolment and retention in care between health facilities depending on the catchment area, population HIV prevalence and coverage of ART facilities. Regarding attrition, the mean number of adult patients lost to follow-up changed from 76.6 (20.8-132.3) to 139.4 (79.6-199.1) (p = 0.65) among rural facilities, while the mean number of children lost to follow-up increased significantly from 3.4 (0.5-6.3) to 8.7 (5.0-12.3) (p = 0.02) after improvements. Patient retention in care improved in HIV care and treatment facilities with infrastructure improvements. However, the overall number of patients newly enrolled and initiated on ART declined and attrition increased in facilities after improvements.

Issues in Australian Foreign Policy July to December 2017

The Turnbull government faced an international environment marked by disruption and volatility that was “unprecedented in both scale and pace”1 during the second half of 2017. The period was launched, quite literally, on 4 July by North Korea testing an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), the first of eight missile tests — two of which overflew Japanese territory — to occur between July and December 2017. Dramatic in their own right, the tests revealed a stark reality to the rest of the world: North Korea’s missile and nuclear technology was expanding rapidly. It was a reality to captivate global media and public attention. Yet, the absence of a swift, coordinated global response, exacerbated by United States (US) President Trump’s goading Twitter commentary, raised potentially devastating prospect of conflict on the Korean Peninsula for the first time in several decades. For Australia, “joined at the hip”2 to the US, the stakes could not have been higher.

Dining with the Madisons: Elite Consumption at Montpelier

Recent research at James Madison’s Montpelier permits exploration of shifts in cuisine practices relating to the emergence of American cultural sensibilities, as well as in response to the greater international visibility and increased social and economic status of the household following Madison’s term as United States president. Prior to the presidency, zooarchaeological remains indicate that the household consumed high-quality cuts of meat from domesticated livestock, but that wild game also contributed significantly to the diet. After the presidency, costly meat cuts continued to be served on a well-appointed Madison table, but the overall diversity of the meat-based portion of the diet was reduced. The household increasingly focused its dietary strategy on a few locally produced, high-quality meats, likely in order to efficiently feed the many guests that visited Montpelier. Although English and French elite influences on cuisine are visible in the written record and material culture from Montpelier, the zooarchaeological evidence reflects the emergence of a distinctly American cuisine.

RECEPTION TO ASSERTIVE SPEECH ACTS IN BARACK OBAMA’S SPEECH ON THE VISIT TO CUBA MARCH 22, 2016: PRAGMATICS STUDIES

This article studies about the reception of assertive illocutionary acts in Barack Obama’s speech in Cuba. The purposes of this study are to describe the assertive speech and the reception towards it. The data was taken from Barack Obama’s utterances of assertive speech acts. This study applies qualitative research and descriptive analysis method as a methodology. This study applies Searle and Vanderveken’s assertive speech act classification (1985) and Stuart Hall’s reception theory (1980). Based on this research, the writer found that there are seven kinds of assertive illocutionary acts found in the data: state, remind, suggest, report, inform, assure, and argue. Those illocutionary acts are responded with three reception position found in the data: dominant-hegemonic, oppositional, and negotiated position. The reception position that becomes the most frequent response to Barack Obama’s utterances is an oppositional position. While ‘argue’ are the most frequently used by Barack Obama in his utterances. By arguing his belief, Obama has purpose to assure the hearer. As the United States President, that is in the long conflict with Cuba, his speech must be expressed and delivered clearly in order to influence and to get attention from the hearer.

Trends in Antiretroviral Therapy Eligibility and Coverage Among Children Aged

Rapid disease progression and associated opportunistic infections contribute to high mortality rates among children aged <15 years with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (1). Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has decreased childhood HIV-associated morbidity and mortality rates over the past decade (2). As accumulating evidence revealed lower HIV-associated mortality with early ART initiation, the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines broadened ART eligibility for children with HIV infection (2). Age at ART initiation for children with HIV infection expanded sequentially in the 2010, 2013, and 2016 WHO guidelines to include children aged <2, <5, and <15 years, respectively, regardless of clinical or immunologic status (3-5). The United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has supported ART for children with HIV infection since 2003 and, informed by the WHO guidelines and a growing evidence base, PEPFAR-supported countries have adjusted their national pediatric guidelines. To understand the lag between guideline development and implementation, as well as the ART coverage gap, CDC assessed national pediatric HIV guidelines and analyzed Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; UNAIDS) data on children aged <15 years with HIV infection and the numbers of these children on ART. Timeliness of WHO pediatric ART guideline adoption varied by country; >50% of children with HIV infection are not receiving ART, underscoring the importance of strengthening case finding and linkage to HIV treatment in pediatric ART programs.

REAKSI PASAR MODAL INDONESIA TERHADAP PERISTIWA PENGUMUMAN HASIL PENGHITUNGAN SUARA PEMILIHAN UMUM DAN PELANTIKAN PRESIDEN AMERIKA SERIKAT

This study aims to explain the Indonesian capital market reaction to the announcement of the election vote results and the inauguration of the United States President. The population in this study are companies listed in the index LQ45 Indonesia Stock Exchange period August 2016. Sampling method in this study is nonprobability sampling and total sample are 45 companies. This study uses non-participant observation technique to collect data and event study method with paired t-test analysis techniques to test the significance level of abnormal return. This study finds that (1) there is difference in abnormal return before and after the announcement of the election vote results and (2) there is difference in abnormal return before and after the inauguration of the United States President. The findings indicate that there is market reaction around the announcement of the election vote results and the inauguration of the United States President.

Estimating the burden of cervical disease among HIV-infected women accessing screening services in South Africa: A model-based analysis

Background. Cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among women worldwide, with much of the global burden occurring in low- and middle-income countries. HIV-infected women are at increased risk of human papillomavirus infection, preinvasive cervical disease and invasive cervical cancer (ICC). Funded through the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and working in collaboration with the South African (SA) Department of Health, our team supports cervical screening integrated within public sector HIV clinics in SA. Objectives. To estimate the burden of cervical disease among HIV-infected women accessing screening services supported through our programme. Methods. We constructed conditional probability models to estimate the burden of grade 1 and grades 2/3 cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIN1 and CIN2/3) and ICC among two cohorts: one consisting of 3 190 HIV-infected women for whom only cytology results were available for analysis, and another consisting of 75 358 HIV-infected women for whom neither cytology nor histology results were available. Parameter estimates for the models were derived from routinely collected programmatic data and published clinical trials. Results. Between January 2009 and November 2015, 75 358 HIV-infected women underwent Pap smear screening in public sector clinics supported by our cervical cancer prevention programme. Based on modelling analysis, we estimate that 46 123 cases of CIN1 (range 45 500 - 49 608), 13 598 cases of CIN2/3 (range 12 749 - 14 828), and 104 cases of ICC (range 61 - 186) occurred in this population. Conclusions. Our findings highlight the magnitude of cervical disease among HIV-infected women in SA.

Estimating the burden of cervical disease among HIV-infected women accessing screening services in South Africa: A model-based analysis.

Cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among women worldwide, with much of the global burden occurring in low- and middle-income countries. HIV-infected women are at increased risk of human papillomavirus infection, preinvasive cervical disease and invasive cervical cancer (ICC). Funded through the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and working in collaboration with the South African (SA) Department of Health, our team supports cervical screening integrated within public sector HIV clinics in SA. To estimate the burden of cervical disease among HIV-infected women accessing screening services supported through our programme. We constructed conditional probability models to estimate the burden of grade 1 and grades 2/3 cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIN1 and CIN2/3) and ICC among two cohorts: one consisting of 3 190 HIV-infected women for whom only cytology results were available for analysis, and another consisting of 75 358 HIV-infected women for whom neither cytology nor histology results were available. Parameter estimates for the models were derived from routinely collected programmatic data and published clinical trials. Between January 2009 and November 2015, 75 358 HIV-infected women underwent Pap smear screening in public sector clinics supported by our cervical cancer prevention programme. Based on modelling analysis, we estimate that 46 123 cases of CIN1 (range 45500- 49 608), 13 598 cases of CIN2/3 (range 12 749 - 14 828), and 104 cases of ICC (range 61 - 186) occurred in this population. Our findings highlight the magnitude of cervical disease among HIV-infected women in SA.

Prevention and Treatment of Pediatric HIV Infection

The goal of this paper is to review the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) research that informed World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for PMTCT and describe the impact of worldwide scale-up of PMTCT programs and antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage. The impact of these interventions on new pediatric infections and infected children’s morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa are reviewed. The IMPAACT PROMISE study demonstrated that triple therapy consisting of tenofovir (TDF), lamivudine (3TC), and lopinavir/ritonavir (LPVr) or zidovudine (AZT), 3TC, and LPVr initiated in the first trimester reduced vertical transmission at 2 weeks of age to 0.6% and 0.5%, respectively, supporting the current WHO Option B+ recommendation for PMTCT. However, increased adverse pregnancy outcomes in the AZT- and TDF-based triple therapy arms were reported when compared with the AZT prophylaxis arm (low birth weight [20.4% and 16.9% vs. 8.9%; p = 0.004] and premature deliveries [19.7% and 18.5% vs. 13.5%; p = 0.09], respectively). Implementation of Option B+ for PMTCT has led to significant reductions in vertical transmission rates, including elimination of new pediatric infections in some countries. The WHO declared elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) in Cuba in 2015 and in Armenia, Belarus, and Thailand in 2016. Globally, new pediatric HIV infections have declined significantly since the introduction of effective antiretroviral regimens for PMTCT. Perinatal HIV prevention clinical trials conducted in sub-Saharan Africa informed WHO PMTCT guidelines which led to implementation of PMTCT programs worldwide, leading to a 47% reduction in new pediatric infections since 2009. Support from The United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and UN agencies has enabled scale-up of national PMTCT programs, and increased antiretroviral coverage (47% globally) for infected children has led to a decline in HIV/AIDS-related mortality in children. Implementation strategies that improve retention in care and adherence to ART in pregnant and breastfeeding HIV-infected women is critical to ensure that more countries achieve the elimination of MTCT (eMTCT) targets. Assessing the effectiveness of new antiretroviral drugs, including fixed-dose combinations and long-acting formulations, is key to improving ART adherence and reducing the emergence of viral resistance mutations. In addition, interventions to prevent HIV transmission in adolescents and young adults is critical for reducing new HIV infections worldwide. Innovative interventions to improve adherence to ART are required to further improve the survival of HIV-infected children and adolescents.

Donald Trump, US foreign policy and potential impacts on Iran's tourism industry: Post-nuclear deal

Since the implementation day of the Iran nuclear agreement, on 14 July 2015, and the subsequent softening of international sanctions against the country, Iran's tourism industry has experienced considerable advancements. This is evident through the notable increase in inbound arrivals to the country, particularly from the Western markets, and foreign investment in tourism-related infrastructure. The election of Donald Trump as the 45th United States president and his chaotic and controversial (or indeed lack of clear) foreign policy, however, has cast serious doubt on the future of the nuclear agreement. This paper aims to: (1) explore some of the positive impacts that the Iran nuclear deal has had on tourism development in Iran, over the past two years; and (2) provide an overview of possible future challenges, particularly in relation to Donald Trump's new aggressive foreign policy towards Iran.

Multi-country assessment of residual bio-efficacy of insecticides used for indoor residual spraying in malaria control on different surface types: results from program monitoring in 17 PMI/USAID-supported IRS countries

BackgroundIndoor residual spraying (IRS) is the application of insecticide to the interior walls of household structures that often serve as resting sites for mosquito vectors of malaria. Human exposure to malaria vectors is reduced when IRS involves proper application of pre-determined concentrations of the active ingredient specific to the insecticide formulation of choice. The impact of IRS can be affected by the dosage of insecticide, spray coverage, vector behavior, vector susceptibility to insecticides, and the residual efficacy of the insecticide applied. This report compiles data on the residual efficacy of insecticides used in IRS campaigns implemented by the United States President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI)/United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in 17 African countries and compares observed length of efficacy to ranges proposed in World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Additionally, this study provides initial analysis on variation of mosquito mortality depending on the surface material of sprayed structures, country spray program, year of implementation, source of tested mosquitoes, and type of insecticide.MethodsResidual efficacy of the insecticides used for PMI/USAID-supported IRS campaigns was measured in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The WHO cone bioassay tests were used to assess the mortality rate of mosquitoes exposed to insecticide-treated mud, wood, cement, and other commonly used housing materials. Baseline tests were performed within weeks of IRS application and follow-up tests were continued until the mortality of exposed mosquitoes dropped below 80% or the program monitoring period ended. Residual efficacy in months was then evaluated with respect to WHO guidelines that provide suggested ranges of residual efficacy for insecticide formulations recommended for use in IRS. Where the data allowed, direct comparisons of mosquito mortality rates were then made to determine any significant differences when comparing insecticide formulation, country, year, surface type, and the source of the mosquitoes used in testing.ResultsThe residual efficacy of alpha-cypermethrin ranged from 4 to 10 months (average = 6.4 months), with no reported incidents of underperformance when compared to the efficacy range provided in WHO guidelines. Deltamethrin residual efficacy results reported a range of 1 to 10 months (average = 4.9 months), with two instances of underperformance. The residual efficacy of bendiocarb ranged from 2 weeks to 7 months (average = 2.8 months) and failed to achieve proposed minimum efficacy on 14 occasions. Lastly, long-lasting pirimiphos-methyl efficacy ranged from 2 months to 9 months (average = 5.3 months), but reported 13 incidents of underperformance.ConclusionsMuch of the data used to determine application rate and expected efficacy of insecticides approved for use in IRS programs are collected in controlled laboratory or pilot field studies. However, the generalizability of the results obtained under controlled conditions are limited and unlikely to account for variation in locally sourced housing materials, climate, and the myriad other factors that may influence the bio-efficacy of insecticides. Here, data are presented that confirm the variation in residual efficacy observed when monitoring household surfaces sprayed during PMI/USAID-supported IRS campaigns. All insecticides except alpha-cypermethrin showed evidence of failing to meet the minimum range of residual efficacy proposed in WHO criteria at least once. However, this initial effort in characterizing program-wide insecticide bio-efficacy indicates that some insecticides, such as bendiocarb and pirimiphos-methyl, may be vulnerable to variations in the local environment. Additionally, the comparative analysis performed in this study provides evidence that mosquito mortality rates differ with respect to factors including: the types of insecticide sprayed, surface material, geographical location, year of spraying, and tested mosquitoes. It is, therefore, important to locally assess the residual efficacy of insecticides on various surfaces to inform IRS programming.

Heritage of Stanisław Ostrowski - the only one medical doctor who became state Polish President - Patriae Semper Fidelis.

AimOur purpose was to write a biography of Stanisław Ostrowski that would address in the first place the medical aspect of his professional life, with a comprehensive approach of others fields of his activity.MethodsWe essentially grounded the paper on primary resources that were papers authored by Ostrowski including his scientific publications, memories, speeches as well as contemporaneous official documents that referred to Ostrowski. Second resources were also used to double check some data from primary resources and to place the biography of Stanisław Ostrowski in a proper background with special care to social, professional and political context. In this study, second resources comprised papers, that were prepared after the death of Stanisław Ostrowski.ResultsStanisław Ostrowski, MD was a meticulous military medical doctor with an academic engagement at the King John Casimir University of Lvov. In addition, he was an excellent organizer, who soon got involved in politics to serve the local community with essential projects in public health particularly anti-tuberculosis campaigns in Lvov district. His quiet and proficient nature made him an ideal statesman with incredible skills to reconcile social, national and political enemies. Ostrowski was elected a member of parliament three times. He also held the position of President of the city of Lvov until World War Two. During the war, he was imprisoned and deported to Siberia, Soviet Union, in years 1939–1941. Subsequently he fought against Nazi Germans in the Polish II Corps. Ostrowski survived the war providing medical service in the various military units. Afterwards, he ran his medical practice in the UK. Stanisław Ostrowski was the only dermatologist who became a state president. He held an office of state president of the Polish Republic on exile in London.Discussion and conclusionHis life is not a simple story, but a great lesson that provides clear guidelines how to find a stable ground for lifetime being a medical doctor in the turbulent times of the 20th century even during wartime.

America’s Principled Realism and the Jerusalem Declaration: Implications on Israeli-Palestinian Two-State Solution

One of the vexed issues between Israel and Palestine in the Middle East region of escalating conflict and tension is claims and counter-claims on the status of Jerusalem between the defenders of Arab nationalism and Zionism. On 6 December 2018, United States President Donald Trump, leveraging on America’s “principled realism” in the new world order, made an epochal declaration on Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city. The declaration inflamed the war-cloud in the region; threw up protests and re-alignments between peoples, organisations and states based on perception of America’s national interest. The broad objective of the study is to examine the realities behind the declaration. The specific objective is to underscore the implication of the status of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Israeli-Palestinian two-State solution for global security. This study is anchored on realism

The Impact of Foreign Aid in Sustainable Development in Africa: A Case Study of Ethiopia

Foreign Development Aid Policy for the “underdeveloped areas” (Third World Countries) was announced by the former United States President Harry S. Truman on January 20, 1949. The overriding goal of this Foreign Development Aid Policy was supposed to “help people help themselves”, i.e. help to self-help. But the practice or the reality on the ground of this Foreign Development Aid Policy shows clearly the opposite of help to self-help. Since this proclamation of the Foreign Development Aid Policy, thousands of Foreign Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations are still engaged in “Development Aid Programs” in the Third World Countries for instance in the African countries like Ethiopia. Foreign Aid means, transfer of goods or services from one country to another country directly or indirectly for example bilateral from the United States of America to Ethiopia or through multi-lateral organizations such as the World Bank, the United Nations Organizations and many others. There are three different types of Foreign Aid. These are: 1) Military Aid, 2) Humanitarian Aid and 3) Official Development Assistance (ODA). ODA is the most common aid to Africa and it is more powerful economically than the other two. Therefore, the author of this research paper wants to investigate the impact of “Official Development Assistance” (ODA) in Sustainable Development in Africa: The Case of Ethiopia. However, there are three groups who argue pros and cons (“pro et contra”) on the impact of the Foreign Aid in Sustainable Development in the Third World Countries in general and in Africa in particular, in the case of Ethiopia. Therefore, this Research Paper is interested to find out scientific evidences behind the controversial debates and discussions on the impact of the Foreign Development Aid Policy for Africa, in the case of Ethiopia.

Immediate assessment of performance of medical laboratory scientists following a 10-day malaria microscopy training programme in Nigeria

BackgroundRapid and precise diagnosis of malaria is an essential element in effective case management and control of malaria. Malaria microscopy is used as the gold standard for malaria diagnosis, however results remain poor as positivity rate in Nigeria is consistently over 90%. The United States President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) through the Malaria Action Program for States (MAPS) supported selected states in Nigeria to build capacity for malaria microscopy. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of in-service training on malaria microscopy amongst medical laboratory scientists.MethodThe training was based on the World Health Organization (WHO) basic microscopy training manual. The 10-day training utilized a series of didactic lectures and examination of teaching slides using a CX 21 Olympus binocular microscope. All 108 medical laboratory scientists trained from 2012 to 2015 across five states in Nigeria supported by PMI were included in the study. Evaluation of the training using a pre-and post-test method was based on written test questions; reading photographic slide images of malaria parasites; and prepared slides.ResultThere was a significant improvement in the mean written pre-and post-tests scores from 37.9% (95% CI 36.2–39.6%) to 70.7% (95% CI 68.4–73.1%) (p < 0.001). The mean counting post-test score improved significantly from 4.2% (95% CI 2.6–5.7%) to 27.9% (95% CI 25.3–30.5%) (p < 0.001). Mean post-test score for computer-based picture speciation test (63.0%) and picture detection test (89.2%) were significantly higher than the mean post-test score for slide reading speciation test (38.3%) and slide reading detection test (70.7%), p < 0.001 in both cases.ConclusionParasite detection and speciation using enhanced visual imaging was significantly improved compared with using direct microscopy. Regular in-service training and provision of functional and high resolution microscopes are needed to ensure quality routine malaria microscopy.

Remember the Ladies: Gender Equity for Corporate Compliance Programs Using Nanotechnology

Rethinking An Old Problem: The Dilemma of Women’s Occupational Health First Lady Abigail Adams was the wife of the second United States (U.S.) President and the mother of another U.S. President; she successfully ran a farm while her husband was away writing the Declaration of Independence.

Whose Speech Is It Anyway? Ownership, Authorship, and the Redfern Address

Whose Speech Is It Anyway? Ownership, Authorship, and the Redfern Address

Lester B. Pearson’s Temple University Speech Revisited: The Origins and Evolution of the Proposal for a Bombing Pause

ABSTRACTLester B. Pearson’s speech at Temple University in April 1965 suggesting a pause in the bombing of North Vietnam enraged United States President Lyndon B. Johnson, who in private the next day at Camp David strongly rebuked the Canadian prime minister. While their stormy encounter has become the stuff of legend, just how the controversial proposal for a bombing pause appeared in Pearson’s speech in the first place has received far less attention. Making use of new archival material, including the private diary of Canadian Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs Marcel Cadieux, among other original sources, this article revisits previous accounts of the Temple speech, offering new details on the origins of the proposal for a bombing pause and examining the hitherto unknown but crucial drafting changes that were made prior to its becoming public. In doing so, this article sheds new light on one of the most significant events in the history of Canadian–American relations.