1. Hormones, history, and the shoulders of giants

2014 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Martin Luck
Keyword(s):  
Human Population ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Human Growth ◽  
The Body ◽  
Republic Of Congo

‘Hormones, history, and the shoulders of giants’ begins with accounts of extreme human growth: William Rice, a 7 feet 4 inches tall ‘giant’ who died in 1773, and the Efe people of Northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo who are the shortest of any human population. These accounts illustrate how an understanding of hormones permeates our view of how the body works. Hormones are chemicals that coordinate bodily functions. They are secreted in one location and act in another. They move around in the blood and other fluids, and their effects can last for a few seconds or several weeks. Hormone science began with the discovery of secretin by Ernest Starling and William Bayliss in 1902 and has since advanced rapidly.

scholarly journals 842. Social Resistance Fuels Ebola Transmission in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S12-S12
Author(s):  
Qaasim Mian ◽  
Kasereka Masumbuko Claude ◽  
Jack Underschultz ◽  
Michael Hawkes
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
The Body ◽  
Response Effort ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Community Resistance ◽  
Social Resistance ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Media Reports

Abstract Background The second largest Ebola epidemic in history is currently raging in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Stubbornly persistent Ebola transmission has been associated with social resistance, ranging from passive noncompliance to overt acts of aggression toward Ebola response teams. Methods We explored community resistance using focus group discussions and assessed the prevalence of resistant views using standardized questionnaires. Results Despite being generally cooperative and appreciative of the foreign-led Ebola response, focus group participants provided eyewitness accounts of aggressive resistance to control efforts, consistent with recent media reports. Mistrust of Ebola response teams was fueled by perceived inadequacies of the response effort (“herd medicine”), suspicion of mercenary motives, and violation of cultural burial mores (“makeshift plastic morgue”). Survey questionnaires found that the majority of respondents had compliant attitudes with respect to Ebola control. Nonetheless, 78/630 (12%) respondents believed that Ebola was fabricated and did not exist in the area, 482/630 (72%) were dissatisfied with or mistrustful of the Ebola response, 60/630 (9%) sympathized with perpetrators of overt hostility, and 102/630 (15%) expressed noncompliant intentions in the case of Ebola illness or death in a family member, including hiding from the health authorities, touching the body, or refusing an official burial team. Denial of the biomedical discourse and dissatisfaction/mistrust of the Ebola response were statistically significantly associated with indicators of social resistance. Conclusion We concluded that social resistance to Ebola control efforts was prevalent among focus group and survey participants. Mistrust, with deep political and historical roots in this area besieged by chronic violence and neglected by the outside world, may fuel social resistance. Resistant attitudes may be refractory to short-lived community engagement efforts targeting the epidemic but not the broader humanitarian crisis in Eastern DRC. Disclosures All Authors: No reported Disclosures.

scholarly journals Job satisfaction and its relationship with organisational commitment: A Democratic Republic of Congo organisational perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy Mitonga-Monga ◽  
Aden-Paul Flotman ◽  
Frans Cilliers
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Performance Management ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
The Body ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Organisational Commitment ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
The Relationship

Orientation: The modern workplace, which is characterised by increasing turbulence and debilitating uncertainty, has led to renewed focus on whether employees experience satisfaction and how they commit themselves to the organisation.Research purpose: The aim of this study was to measure the nature of the relationship between employees’ levels of job satisfaction (JS) and organisational commitment (OC) in a public railway organisation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).Motivation for the study: Although previous researchers have found evidence of the relationship between JS and OC in Western countries, there seems to be a paucity of research on the relationship between JS and OC in a developing country context such as that of the DRC. The results could make a valuable contribution to the current literature debate on these two constructs (JS and OC) and possibly employees’ intention to stay in their present organisation.Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional survey design was used employing the Job Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Organisational Commitment Scale. The sample (n = 839) comprised permanently employed staff. Correlations and regression analyses were conducted. The results indicated that employees’ JS related positively to their level of OC and that JS predicted OC.Practical and managerial implications: The results should also have interesting implications for top management and human resource practitioners. They could use this information to study how organisational psychological attachment is fostered in order to potentially master other organisational dynamics. The information could also be used to create positive working conditions with a view to reinforcing OC. JS manifested as a critical driver of OC, which could result in superior business performance. Management could use the results to create a working environment that actively fosters satisfaction and boosts employees’ level of commitment.Contribution or value-add: The results should contribute to the body of knowledge on the relationship between JS and OC in the context of a developing economy and highlight the practical implications for line managers and behavioural and wellness practitioners.

The Role of Gender in Agent Banking: Evidence from the Democratic Republic of Congo

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Chamboko ◽  
Robert Cull ◽  
Xavier Gine ◽  
Soren Heitmann ◽  
Fabian Reitzug ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Republic Of Congo

Creative Reconstruction: A Systematic Approach to Reinventing Large Cities in Democratic Republic of Congo

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1485-1497
Author(s):  
Mia Nsokimieno Misilu Eric
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Capital City ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Large Cities ◽  
Current State ◽  
Legacy Cities

The current state of large cities in Democratic Republic of Congo highlights the necessity of reinventing cities. More than fifty years after the independence, these major cities, like Kinshasa the capital city, are in a state of are in a state of disrepair. They are damaged, dysfunctional, and more vulnerable. Today, these legacy cities do not meet the international requirements of livable cities. Democratic Republic of Congo faces the challenge of rebuilding its cities for sustainability. The movement for independence of African countries enabled the shift from colonial cities to legacy cities. It is important to understand the cultural and ideological foundations of colonial city. Commonly, colonial cities served as purpose-built settlements for the extraction and transport of mineral resources toward Europe. What's required is a creative reconstruction to achieve a desired successful urban change. Creative reconstruction tends to ensure urban transformation in relation with urbanization, by making continuous and healthy communities. Creative reconstruction seems appropriate way of building back cities in harmony with cultural values. The article provides a framework for urban regeneration. The study is based on principle of thinking globally and acting locally in building back better cities.

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