Enduring association between irritable bowel syndrome and war trauma during the Nicaragua civil war period:A population-based study

BACKGROUND Psychosocial and physical trauma are known risk factors for irritable bowel syndrome(IBS),including in war veterans,whereas war exposure in civilians is unclear.Nicaragua experienced two wars,1970-1990:The Sandinistas Revolution(1970s)and The Contra War(1980s).Our aim was to investigate the role of exposure to war trauma in the subsequent development of IBS in the context of an established health surveillance system(11000 households).AIM To investigate in a civilian population the relationship between exposure to war trauma and events and the subsequent development of IBS in the context of an established public health and demographic surveillance system in western Nicaragua.METHODS We conducted a nested population-based,cross-sectional study focused on functional gastrointestinal disorders based on Rome II criteria.1617 adults were randomly selected.The Spanish Rome II Modular Questionnaire and Harvard Trauma Questionnaire were validated in Nicaragua.War exposure was assessed with 10 measures of direct and indirect war trauma and post-war effects.Multiple exposures were defined by≥3 measures.RESULTS The prevalence of IBS was 15.2%[Female(F)17.1%,Male(M)12.0%],war exposure 19.3%(F 9.3%,M 36.7%),and post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD)5.6%(F 6.4%,M 4.3%).Significant associations with IBS in the civilian population were observed(adjusted by gender,age,socioeconomic status,education):physical and psychological abuse[adjusted odds ratio(aOR):2.25;95%confidence interval:1.1-4.5],witnessed execution(aOR:2.4;1.1-5.2),family member death(aOR:2.2;1.2-4.2),and multiple exposures(aOR:2.7;1.4-5.1).PTSD was independently associated with IBS(aOR:2.6;1.2-5.7).CONCLUSION An enduring association was observed in the Nicaragua civilian population between specific civil war-related events and subsequent IBS.Civilian populations in regions with extended armed conflict may warrant provider education and targeted interventions for patients.

Surgical restoration of drop-hand syndrome with tendon transfer in patients injured in the Syrian civil war

Background:The radial nerve is one of the most common war-related injury sites due to penetrating cutting tool injuries or gunshot wounds,resulting in drop-hand syndrome.The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of tendon transfer in patients with drop-hand syndrome who had been injured in the Syrian Civil War.Methods:This level-II,prospective,comparative study included 13 civilians injured in the Syrian Civil War 2015 and 2017.The palmaris longus tendon was used for transfer to the extensor pollicis longus for thumb extension.The pronator teres was transferred to the extensor carpi radialis brevis for wrist extension.The flexor carpi radialis was transferred to the extensor digiti communis for 2 nd,3 rd,4 th,and 5 th finger extension.All outcomes of thumb abduction and extension,wrist extension,wrist flexion,and finger extension were assessed.Results:There was a high level of radial nerve injury in all patients included in the study.The time from injury to treatment ranged from 1.5 months to 9 months.The mechanism of injury most commonly observed was a gunshot wound,which was observed in 8 patients(61.5%),followed by a penetrating cutting tool injury(n=3;23.1%)and humerus fracture(n=2;15.4%).Conclusions:In radial nerve injuries,successful results can be achieved with tendon transfer.All patients regained thumb abduction of up to approximately 60°.All the patients were able to bend the wrist,grip,and extend the fingers while in wrist flexion,neutral wrist and wrist extension positions.Although the reason for the radial injury varied,the postoperative outcomes were good for all patients,and the rehabilitation period progressed successfully in patients who underwent tendon transfer repair within 90 days of injury.

The Nigerian Civil War(1967-1970):New Theories,Old Problem,Fresh Crisis

Theories of civil war onset are adjuncts to extant literature on the“correlates of war”.The theories are fresh efforts at explaining and examining the evolution of empirical research on the causes of internal conflict onset.These theories serve as frameworks to analyse the structural and psychological conditions responsible for the fragility of war within the state,particularly in respect of mobilization and strategic confrontation.This article reviews the theories in light of the Nigerian experience and contends that some of the underlying issues that precipitated the Nigerian Civil War(1967-1970)still exist and need to be de-established in order to attenuate their resurgent capability.The article makes a case for constructive and functional integration of the multiple nationalities that make up the Nigerian state as a way of preserving the corporate existence of the country.It also submits that perceived injustice is not just injurious to a system;it is capable of causing a dysfunction within the state because of its inflammatory war potential.

Looking at Current Taiwan Question from the Perspective of the US Civil War

Sino-US relationship is one of the most important bilateral relationships in theworld.Among the various factors that influence Sino-US relations,the Tai-wan issue is of particular importance.The Chinese government and its people willnever allow the current rampant ever-growing separatist activities in Taiwan totake its own course.As the US is bound to interfere with Taiwan Question when Chi-

Managing the Lower Mississippi River Landscape for Strategic Navigational and Flood Control

The Lower Mississippi River flows from the confluence of the Ohio River and Mississippi River at Cairo, Illinois into the Gulf of Mexico. Mississippi River and Ohio River pathway shifts have shaped and re-shaped the landscapes through which they flow and where their sediment-laden tributary waters co-mingle at the confluence on the voyage to the Gulf of Mexico. For much of their history, the lands adjacent to the Lower Mississippi River were bottomlands that flooded with the seasons unconstrained by human river training structures. Since 1717 European nations have fought over strategic navigational control of the Mississippi River. After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the United States took controlled the Lower Mississippi River. During the Civil War, from 1861-1865, the Union and Confederate forces battled for navigational control of the Lower Mississippi River. The primary objective of this paper was to highlight how the strategic navigational and flooding control of the Lower Mississippi River and geological and landscape resources were responsible for the successful economic development of this rich historical region of North America.

Does Exposure to Noise Lead to Decreased Regulatory Abilities, and Increased Aggression?

Recent advances in the study of affective-cognitive regulation of aggressive behavior suggest positive correlations between poor executive capacities (ECF) and negative reactivity. If the global assumption is correct what are the likely implications of predicted relation? The central issue in present research is to verify this assumption and examine how situational characteristics can alter executive performance in adults experiencing Civil War (Syrians students living in their country or in a host country) and adults experiencing peaceful life (French students) to explore some of the consequences of those modifications for aggressive and anxious tendencies. Precisely, we expect the positive correlations between poor executive performances and high dispositional as well situational aggressive and anxious tendencies, specifically for adults exposed to warfare. In order to assess executive capacities and dispositional as well as situational aggressive and anxious tendencies, during one pilot and two comparative studies [pilot study: N = 60 female French students;first comparative study: N = 60 French and N = 60 Syrian students of both sexes (50%);second comparative study: N = 60 Syrian students of both sexes (50%) living in France] right-handed French/Arabic-speakers participants complete twice, before and after completion executive tasks (standard neuropsychological tests) under different experimental conditions (Aversive/Neutral condition), a series of aggression and anxiety questionnaires. The results provide evidence of a dispositional relationship between poor executive functioning and negative reactivity, and extend it to situational level. For all participants, it shows that increases in impulsiveness (negative emotionality and aggressive choices) due to an aversive noise (80 db) are concomitant with an inability to focus individuals’ attention on ongoing tasks, specifically in those living directly or indirectly stressful life-event.

Tendency of Confucian Thought in Emily Dickinson’s Poems

Emily Dickinson’s poems embody both Confucianism and Daoism.Dickinson’s poems express attachment to earthly life and to family and friends;the poetess ponders over war from a unique viewpoint and she pays attention to the development of industry and technology in her poetry;many readers think Dickinson despises fame and fortune,however,some of her poems are full of dialectical thinking about fame and fortune.All these accord with Confucian thought which attaches importance to family and human relations and social affairs.Basing on some selected poetic texts,the tendency of Confucian thought in Emily Dickinson’s poems will be expounded in this paper.

Singing Punishment and Redemption in the Taiping Civil War： Yu Zhrs Plays

Among the dramatists who depicted the Taiping Civil War, attempting to find meaning in the carnage and chaos, Yu Zhi （1809-74） is unique. He wrote plays during and after the war, so he considers the chaos from two historical vantage points. As one of the earliest literati to write plays in the newly popular pihuang form, he addressed different actual and imagined audiences compared to his peers. Although virtually all extant plays take an absolute anti-Taiping stance, his plays differ from his contemporaries＇ in their focus on morality rather than sentiment, and on edification rather than commemoration. At the root of these differences is an understanding of the nature of evil, redemption, and belief.

From Tongbo Village to Widow Villagc The Legacy of the Chinese Civil War

Located on Dongshan Island, off the coast of Fujian province, is a typical rural village called Tongbo. On May 10, 1950, 147 men were abducted by the KMT army on its way to Taiwan. Since a majority of the men were already married, overnight, their wives became ＂widows,＂ and most would remain so for the rest of their lives. Consequently, Tongbo village became more widely known as Widow Village. The first objective of this paper is to document the tragic experiences of men and women in Tongbo village, focusing on these forced separations in 1950, the possibility of reunion after 1987, and the struggle to cope with the difficulties in between. The second objective of this paper is to argue that while heartbreaking, the experiences of this village are not extraordinary in the context of the Chinese Civil War. What made the men and women in Tongbo extraordinary is not their collective suffering, but how these villagers suffered less, not more, than in many other places, because of the actions of three key figures.

Tracing the Political Origins of The Hezbollah’s Resistance Discourse:From Revisionism to Status Quo

Discourses are politically-oriented realities that explain their selective and instrumental nature.That means discourses are mostly(re)produced by the political actors,and they conform to the changing agendas of these actors.The trajectory of the resistance discourse,which reflects Hezbollah’s ideological(religious)approach,seems to confirm this generalisation owing to its noticeable association with Hezbollah’s political motivations over time.This allegedly revisionist discourse has two intertwined dimensions:One dimension regards Hezbollah’s position towards internal affairs,while the other concerns its external orientation.Hezbollah often claimed to champion the revisionist camp in these two realms,albeit its pro-status quo policies unfolded during the Syrian civil war and the recent Lebanese protests.These two events further manifested the positioned nature of the resistance discourse.In this context,this article will attempt to illustrate the political nature of the resistance discourse by disputing its long-held revisionist claims.To empirically support our argument,the status-quo-based factors behind the regular practice of the resistance discourse during the Syrian civil war and the Lebanese protests will be deeply investigated.

Conflicts and Displacements in Syria: Exploring Life Trajectories of Separated Refugee Minors

This paper explores how unaccompanied refugee children from Syria made their way to destination countries and how they become unaccompanied and the consequences of being unaccompanied.This paper is based on interviews with Syrian child refugees in Turkey,Lebanon,Egypt and Jordan,and aid workers of international organizations who provide support with child refugees.The long-standing conflict has caused Syrian children to suffer immensely,both physically and psychologically.Data show that majority of the children became conflict orphan and left Syria.Some reported that they became separated or unaccompanied from their parents or relatives while crossing the border in the mass exodus.Some parents were arrested and killed in Syria by both the government and combatants.Some children were left alone by their relatives on the border in order to avoid violence in Syria,and some were smuggled into the destinations countries.