Growth, size at maturity, gonadosomatic index (GSI), egg size, and absolute fecundity of Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) were significantly affected by oxygen levels (1.5 ± 1.0, 2.8 ± 1.4, and 6.0 ± 1.8 mg·L–1) in a controlled experiment designed to test the hypothesis (D. Pauly. 1984. J. Cons. Int. Explor. Mer, 41: 280–284) that O2 is the controlling factor for the transition from juvenile to adult in fish, in general, in the context of phenotypic life history plasticity and “stunting” in tilapias. Size at maturity and the estimated asymptotic size decreased with decreasing O2 concentration, as predicted by Pauly’s hypothesis. All fish matured at the same age (18 weeks old), which is in contrast to conventional definitions of stunting. This finding challenges the suggested plasticity in age at first maturity for tilapia. The results also challenge the hypothesis that stunting is a unique recruitment mechanism, as the smaller fish in the group with low oxygen concentration produced smaller and fewer eggs than the larger fish in the group with high oxygen concentration.

The use of long-term skeletal traction has a devastating impact on the patients and families, and causes major frustrations to health workers involved with fracture management in a low-resource setting. Implications for Rehabilitation As stated by various health care providers, there is a need to improve trauma care, strengthen rehabilitation services and educate more rehabilitation staff so they can take up the different roles and functions required in treatment and rehabilitation after injuries and other debilitating conditions. In the current situation, sufficient pain relief for patients is required. This should go hand in hand with the empowerment of patients so as to fulfill their rights to quality health services. For health care providers, multidisciplinary teamwork, enhanced specialized education and skills, improved access to adequate equipment and developing standardized procedures appear essential in order to improve fracture management. With injuries representing a growing portion of the global burden of disease, and in the changing demographic panorama with aging populations in Africa and the world at large, injury prevention, trauma care- and rehabilitation need a stronger focus in public health globally.

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