bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanical, thermal, conductivity, and electrochemical behavior of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/polyaniline-grafted-nanodiamond nanocomposite
Authors: Kausar Ayesha
Published: November 2018

This study reports on novel poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PVDF/PEDT) blend and nanocomposite. Polyaniline functional nanodiamond (PANI-ND) was prepared through in situ route and reinforced in blend to form PVDF/PEDT/PANI-ND. Field-emission scanning electron microscopic analysis revealed consistently dispersed and interlinked bead-like morphology owing to physical interaction in matrix–nanodiamond. Transmission electron microscopy also revealed spherical nanoparticles dispersed in the matrix. Tensile strength and modulus for neat PVDF/PEDT blend were found to be 44.2 MPa and 20.2 GPa, respectively. PVDF/PEDT/PANI-ND 5 with 5 wt% PANI-ND showed high tensile strength and modulus of 61.5 MPa and 152.7 GPa. In this way, strength and modulus of PVDF/PEDT/PANI-ND 5 was 22% and 87% (respectively) higher than the pristine blend. Nanofiller reinforcement (5 wt%) also enhanced the 10% degradation temperature from 421°C (neat blend) to 555°C and maximum decomposition temperature from 466°C to 588°C. Moreover, PANI-ND addition from 0.1–5 wt% enhanced the electrical properties from 10−3–2.1 S cm−1 (at room temperature). At 100°C, electrical conductivity of all nanocomposite was increased and maximum value was attained for PVDF/PEDT/PANI-ND 5 (3.0 S cm−1). PVDF/PEDT/PANI-ND 5 electrode exposed rapid Li+-ion diffusion, electron transfer, and electrical conductivity profile. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy exhibited specific capacity and Coulombic efficiency of 900 mA h g−1 and 90% after 300 cycles.
Career Decision Ambiguity Tolerance of Asian Men in the United States
Authors: Park Soeun , Garrison Yunkyoung Loh , Liu William Ming
Published: November 2018

Asian men in the United States often face race-based occupational segregation and gender-role pressure. Career decision ambiguity tolerance (CDAT) can be a source of psychological adaptation in these individuals’ complex contexts. We conducted a cluster analysis to investigate the CDAT profiles among the sample of Asian men and their associations with adherence to Asian cultural values and masculine norms, racial occupational barriers, and subjective well-being. Results showed that the participants who were more tolerant of career decision ambiguity tended to engage more in career behaviors and show higher psychological well-being. Participants who were more anxious about career decision ambiguity showed higher adherence to Asian cultural values and some traditional masculine norms. The results may indicate higher career intervention needs of Asian men with stronger adherence to traditional cultural and gender norms at the face of unpredictable career decision-making.
Children’s participation in a school-preparation letter activity
Authors: Schanke Tuva
Published: November 2018

School-preparation activities are central for Norwegian children in their final year in pre-schools, but school-preparation activity is an understudied practice. This article gains insight in children’s participation in school-preparation activities using video data collected in a pre-school over a 7-month period. Various forms of preparation activities took place on a weekly basis, such as trips, projects and drawing. Children’s verbal and embodied actions in a letter-based activity was studied over time, and the children oriented to each other as competitors, supported each other and constructed playful action. The pre-school teachers facilitated and allowed for the children to form the activity.
Policy responses to the Eurozone crisis: A comparative analysis of southern European administrations
Authors: Lampropoulou Manto
Published: November 2018

The Eurozone crisis has worked as a forceful external factor for activating a series of fiscal and structural adjustments in the countries of the EU periphery. Public administration was a key reform area and has undergone notable transformations under the fiscal consolidation programmes. This paper aims at identifying the impact of the crisis on public administration with a focus on southern Europe. It reviews and compares the goals and the outcomes of the administrative reform programmes that were implemented in Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain during the crisis. This cluster forms a distinct administrative paradigm emanating from the Napoleonic state tradition. The relationship between administrative tradition and administrative change or persistence is explored in a historical institutionalist perspective. The findings identify similarities, divergences and variations across and within the Southern countries, also suggesting that while certain changes occurred, the Napoleonic features of the southern administrations remained largely untouched by the reform programmes.
Dielectric properties of poly(arylene ether nitrile ketone) copolymers
Authors: Mao Hua , You Yong , Tong Lifen , Tang Xiaohe , Wei Renbo , Liu Xiaobo
Published: November 2018

A series of poly(arylene ether nitrile ketone) (PENK) random copolymers are successfully synthesized by the nucleophilic aromatic substitution polymerization of 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile, 4,4′-difluorobenzophenone with various bisphenol monomers (4,4′-biphenol, bisphenol A, phenolphthalein, and hydroquinone). Compared with poly(arylene ether ketone), the PENK copolymers possess better solubility in polar solvents such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N, N-dimethylacetamide, N, N-dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfoxide, and so on. Because of the different molecular structures, the PENK copolymers exhibit thermal properties with their glass transition temperature ( T g) in the range of 171–237°C and 5% weight loss temperature ( T d) ranging from 409°C to 554°C. Moreover, all polymers with an intrinsic viscosity of approximately 1 dL/g show excellent film-forming properties and outstanding mechanical strength higher than 85 MPa. The temperature dependence of the dielectric constant and dielectric loss of all derived copolymers is stable before their T g. The breakdown strength of the hydroquinone-derived PENK copolymer is as high as 253 kV/mm, resulting in an energy storage density of 1.00 J/cm3. These solvent processable PENK copolymers are potential dielectric candidates for high temperature applications.
Preparation and characterization of poly(lactic acid) with adipate ester added as a plasticizer
Authors: Tsou Chi-Hui , Gao Chen , Guzman Manuel De , Wu Dung-Yi , Hung Wei-Song , Yuan Lin , Suen Maw-Cherng , Yeh Jen-taut
Published: November 2018

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was thermally blended with adipate ester (AE) to enhance the toughness of PLA. All specimens which were biodegradable materials were prepared using a plasticorder. Differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that the PLA structure was looser because of the presence of the AE additive. The elongation at break and biodegradable property increased substantially with increasing amounts of AE. The results reveal that excessive amounts of plasticizer would cause the exudation of AE from the PLA/AE composites, which was ascribed to the plasticizer migration phenomenon.
Dividend Policy Decisions in India: Standalone Versus Business Group-Affiliated Firms
Authors: Labhane Nishant B.
Published: November 2018

This study examines the determinants of two important dividend policy decisions specifically the dividend payment decision and the dividend payout level decision of 781 sample Indian firms enlisted on National Stock Exchange (NSE) over the period, 1995–2015, comparing the business group-affiliated firms with the standalone firms. In term of characteristics, the business group-affiliated firms are larger, more profitable and more levered than the standalone firms. The empirical results suggest that the dividend policy decisions of business group-affiliated firms differ significantly from that of the standalone firms. In the case of standalone firms, the firms with high investment opportunities, high financial leverage and high business risk are less likely to pay dividends, and their dividend payout levels are lower. On the other hand, the firms affiliated with business groups are more likely to pay dividends, and their dividend payout levels are higher even when they have high investment opportunities, high financial leverage and high business risk. Overall, the findings suggest that although the business groups are able to create internal capital markets (ICMs) and shield their member firms from market imperfections, they may suffer from other information asymmetry problems.
Challenging Assumptions: A Genetically Sensitive Assessment of the Criminogenic Effect of Contact With the Criminal Justice System
Authors: Nedelec Joseph L. , Silver Ian A.
Published: November 2018

A key assumption underlying various components of criminological thought is the criminogenic effect of involvement with the criminal justice system. Prior assessments of this effect, however, have been mixed and all are subject to potential genetic confounding. In the current study, we employ twin difference scores using both monozygotic and dizygotic twins to isolate the effect of involvement with the criminal justice system on future criminal behavior. The findings illustrate null associations between a variety of interactions of the criminal justice system and subsequent criminal offending. The study illustrates the continued ineffectiveness of the standard social science methodological approach to assessing criminology’s main assumptions.
Covariates of the Severity of Aggression in Sexual Crimes: Psychopathy and Borderline Characteristics
Authors: Cardona Nicole , Berman Ariel K. , Sims-Knight Judith E. , Knight Raymond A.
Published: November 2018

Whereas risk assessment literature on sexual offending has primarily focused on prediction of subsequent sexual crimes, and not the severity of those crimes, the first aim of the present study was to identify variables that predict the amount of damage to victims in sexual crimes compared with those that predict general aggressiveness. The second aim was to ascertain whether adding emotional instability measurements, as in borderline personality disorder (BPD), would add incremental variance to that captured by the facets of the Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL-R). Trained raters assessed on the PCL-R, BPD, and measures of severity of sexual and nonsexual violence 302 adults who had sexually offended. PCL-R’s Antisociality and two externalizing BPD factors (one from the standard and one from the alternative criteria) were significant predictors of violence both in sexual and nonsexual crimes. In contrast, deficits in the PCL-R’s Affective facet (2) predicted victim damage in sexual contexts only, whereas the Lifestyle Impulsivity facet (3) of the PCL-R predicted violence in nonsexual contexts only. These findings suggest that adding measures of emotional dysregulation to commonly used instruments like the PCL-R, which assesses callousness and antisociality, may be beneficial for predicting violence.
Effect of intraoperative positioning on postoperative neurological status in cats after perineal urethrostomy
Authors: Slunsky Pavel , Brunnberg Mathias , Loderstedt Shenja , Haake Alexander , Brunnberg Leo
Published: November 2018

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate and quantify the changes in neurological status in cats after perineal urethrostomy performed in dorsal and ventral recumbency.

Methods

This was a prospective, randomised study. Twenty male castrated cats with feline lower urinary tract disease presented for perineal urethrostomy were enrolled in this study. Surgery was performed in either dorsal recumbency (group A) or ventral recumbency (group B). Motor response of patellar tendon, gastrocnemius muscle, pelvic limb withdrawal and perineal reflexes, as well as the presence of spinal pain in the lumbosacral region, motor function of the tail and faecal continence, were examined before surgery, and 24 h and 14 days after surgery.

Results

The animals had a mean weight of 5.07 ± 1.08 kg, with a mean age of 6.12 ± 1.85 years. Weight and age were not significantly different between groups A and B (both P = 0.897). All tested parameters of the neurological examination performed prior to surgery were considered normal in both groups ( P = 1). The comparison between neurological examinations (perineal reflex and spinal pain) before and 24 h after surgery revealed a significantly decreased briskness of the perineal reflex and an increased occurrence of spinal pain 24 h after surgery ( P = 0.043 and P = 0.031, respectively). However, the changes of aforementioned parameters were statistically insignificant ( P = 0.249 and P = 0.141) between groups A and B. The other parameters (patellar tendon, pelvic limb withdrawal and gastrocnemius muscle reflexes, motor function of the tail and faecal continence) were statistically insignificant ( P = 1) before surgery and 24 h after surgery, as well as between groups A and B 24 h after surgery. Results of all tested parameters were statistically insignificant ( P = 1) before surgery and 14 days after surgery, as well as between groups A and B 14 days after surgery.

Conclusions and relevance

The briskness of the perineal reflex was significantly decreased and the occurrence of spinal pain significantly increased 24 h after surgery. A parallel with a low-grade positioning-dependent nerve injury as described in human medicine may be drawn. However, no positioning method was proven to be superior to the other.
Towards Targeted Brain Stimulation in Stroke: Connectivity as a Biomarker of Response
Authors: Hordacre Brenton , Moezzi Bahar , Ridding Michael C
Published: November 2018

Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability. New treatments capable of assisting recovery hold significant potential to improve quality of life for many stroke survivors. Transcranial direct current stimulation is one technique that has received much attention due to its potential to promote neuroplasticity and enhance recovery. However, current evidence suggests this is not a one-size-fits-all treatment with indication that responses are highly variable. Using electroencephalography, Hordacre et al recently demonstrated that connectivity between the ipsilesional motor cortex, ipsilesional parietal cortex, and contralesional frontotemporal cortex was a strong predictor of the neurophysiological response to anodal transcranial direct current stimulation applied to the ipsilesional motor cortex in people with chronic ischemic stroke. Based on this outcome, we discuss the potential for connectivity to be used as a biomarker to target transcranial direct current stimulation. This includes identification of a connectivity threshold which could be used to select stroke survivors who are likely to respond to this potentially beneficial neuromodulatory treatment. Furthermore, we discuss treatment approaches for those identified as unlikely to benefit from ipsilesional anodal transcranial direct current stimulation based on connectivity profile. This represents an important progression towards targeting transcranial direct current stimulation for best treatment outcome based on individual connectivity characteristics.
Credibility in context: Jury education and intimate partner rape
Authors: Ellison Louise
Published: November 2018

This article reflects critically on the scope of educational jury directions currently utilised in sexual offence cases in England and Wales and argues for their extension to circumstances specifically arising in cases of so-called ‘domestic’ or intimate partner rape. This position is defended as a necessary step to promote more accurate credibility assessment of claims of sexual violence and the prospects of just trial outcomes for survivors in this subcategory of rape cases.
Prenatal hypocalvaria after prolonged intrauterine exposure to angiotensin II receptor antagonists
Authors: Lallemant Marine , Prévost Sarah , Nobili François , Riethmuller Didier , Ramanah Rajeev , Seronde Marie-France , Mottet Nicolas
Published: November 2018

We report a case of prenatal exposure to angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARA II) from the beginning of pregnancy in a patient with a hypokinetic dilated cardiomyopathy. This case report emphasizes the fetal renal impact of prolonged intrauterine exposure to renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers, and highlights that this exposure can cause severe prenatal hypocalvaria. This delayed ossification can be reversible after birth, but the presence of anhydramnios indicates an early and irreversible block of RAS blockers in the fetus that is responsible for fetal kidney development abnormalities. This association carries a high risk of neonatal death. Prolonged exposure to ARA II or other RAS blockers remains prohibited throughout pregnancy.
Development and Characterization of an 18F-labeled Ghrelin Peptidomimetic for Imaging the Cardiac Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor
Authors: Abbas Ahmed , Yu Lihai , Lalonde Tyler , Wu Derek , Thiessen Jonathan D. , Luyt Leonard G. , Dhanvantari Savita
Published: November 2018

One-third of patients with heart disease develop heart failure, which is diagnosed through imaging and detection of circulating biomarkers. Imaging strategies reveal morphologic and functional changes but fall short of detecting molecular abnormalities that can lead to heart failure, and circulating biomarkers are not cardiac specific. Thus, there is critical need for biomarkers that are endogenous to myocardial tissues. The cardiac growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHSR1a), which binds the hormone ghrelin, is a potential biomarker for heart failure. We have synthesized and characterized a novel ghrelin peptidomimetic tracer, an 18F-labeled analogue of G-7039, for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of cardiac GHSR1a. In vitro analysis showed enhanced serum stability compared to natural ghrelin and significantly increased cellular uptake in GHSR1a-expressing OVCAR cells. Biodistribution studies in mice showed that tissue uptake of the tracer was independent of circulating ghrelin levels, and there was negligible cardiac uptake and high uptake in the liver, intestines, and kidneys. Specificity of tracer uptake was assessed using ghsr −/− mice; both static and dynamic PET imaging revealed no difference in cardiac uptake, and there was no significant correlation between cardiac standardized uptake values and GHSR1a expression. Our study lays the groundwork for further refinement of peptidomimetic PET tracers targeting cardiac GHSR1a.
From Child Maltreatment to Adolescent Substance Use: Different Pathways for Males and Females?
Authors: Benedini Kristen M. , Fagan Abigail A.
Published: November 2018

This study uses data from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) project to assess the relationships between childhood physical abuse/sexual abuse and adolescent substance use. Whether these relationships are mediated by externalizing problems, internalizing problems, parent–child attachment, or anger and gender differences in these direct and indirect relationships is also addressed. Results indicate that there is a direct relationship between physical abuse and substance use and that mediating pathways between maltreatment and substance use are different for males and females. These results suggest that gender-responsive services should be provided to prevent and address adolescent substance use.
Tentatives D'introduction Des Légumes Saumurés dans Deux Plats Sénégalais: Le “Tiébou Dienn” ou riz au poisson et le “Mafé Kandia” ou Mafé au Gombo
Authors: Adambounou T. L. , Castaigne F. , Dillon J. C.
Published: November 2018

The cost of brined vegetables was compared with that of fresh vegetables on the basis of data collected in large vegetable markets in Senegal. The cost of vegetables brined during the period of abundance was markedly lower than that of fresh vegetables during the period when vegetables were scarce. Introducing such a method in rural Senegal would permit control of price fluctuations, which are subject to the law of supply and demand and to speculation by intermediaries in the Senegalese system of vegetable marketing.

Different ways of using four brined tropical vegetables - tomatoes, eggplant, pepper, and okra - in two Senegalese dishes were studied. Mixing minced brined vegetables with untreated vegetables seems an excellent way to introduce way to introduce brined foods into dietary habits. Mafé kandia prepared from vegetables treated with 26.6 percent NaCI brine was significantly more acceptable than the same dish from vegetables treated with 20 per cent brine (P < 2.5); there was no significant difference in salty flavour between the two dishes Organoleptic tests on tiébou dienn, in which vegetables are used in large pieces that can be tasted separately, showed that the salty flavour of the tomatoes was more marked than that of the eggplant, pepper, and okra; the difference in salty flavour was significant (P = 0.5) between tomatoes and eggplant, tomatoes and okra, and pepperf and okra but not between tomatoes and pepper, pepper and eggplant, or eggplant and okra
The Role of Women in Income Production and Intra-household Allocation of Resources as a Determinant of Child Nutrition and Health
Authors: Bennett Lynn
Published: November 2018

This article presents a theoretical framework for answering the question, Does women's income-producing work result in an improvement or a deterioration in the health and nutritional status of their children? The author maintains that the literature has not provided clear evidence that the children of working mothers have lower nutritional status than those of mothers who do not work outside the home. She notes that previous studies have not controlled either for the family's income level or for other important variables, such as the presence of an employed male and land tenure status.

Bennett argues that one of the key steps in understanding women's role in the determination of child health and nutritional status “may be a careful investigation of the process of resource allocation within the household. “ She opposes the use of a single joint-utility function as an adequate representation of household decision-making dynamics. Her recommendations include conducting investigations from an interdisciplinary approach, including economics, health, nutrition, and anthropology, and she presents a framework for these investigations.
The Zero-sum Game: A Framework for Examining Women and Nutrition
Authors: McGuire Judith S. , Popkin Barry M.
Published: November 2018

This article emphasizes the time and energy constraints on women who are the targets of programmes and are expected to participate in them. It outlines a framework for examining women's roles in providing food and nutrition for their families and presents some of the problems faced by women in their social roles. The authors propose that there should be more symposia to explore the issues involved in making programmes more effective for women.
Coping Strategies of Destitute Women in Bangladesh
Authors: Katona-Apte Judit
Published: November 2018

This article provides a description of the survival strategies of very poor women in Bangladesh, including networking, buying and selling goods, preparing foods for sale, bartering, selling their own and their children's labour, fishing and gathering food and fuel, and money lending. Katona-Apte stresses that programmes can build on successful coping strategies and provides examples of how this might work, including extending women credit for income-generating schemes. Like Rogers and Youssef, she mentions the experience of the Grameen Bank in lending to poor women to demonstrate that they are good credit risks.

The article outlines the cultural and economic reasons why so many women are destitute in Bangladesh. It also describes the disproportionate and oppressive social burden they carry in their patriarchal society.
Infrastructure and Institution Building for Nutrition
Authors: Scrimshaw Nevin S.
Published: November 2018

The objective of infrastructure development in nutrition is to ensure that every country has institutions with the competence needed for research, training, policy guidance, and dissemination of knowledge on all aspects of human nutrition and human food supply. The rapid advances in scientific knowledge of nutritional issues has increased both the importance and the scope of responsibility of national nutrition centres. It has also increased the number of disciplines that must be represented if institutions are to tee fully capable of utilizing existing knowledge and meeting national needs. Not only must all aspects of nutrition and food science be represented but also infectious and chronic diseases, health education, data management, anthropology and sociology, economics and political science. Examples are given of the stepwise development of successful national nutrition institutions as well as problems faced in their development.
Alleviation of Nutritional Deficiency Diseases in Refugees
Authors: Berry-Koch Angela , Moench Regina , Hakewill Peter , Dualeh Mohammed
Published: November 2018

This paper describes deficiency diseases of concern among refugees since, without treatment, permanent disability or even death can result. The conditions under which refugee populations live, such as dependence on external food aid, limited purchasing power and access to local markets, limited land and wafer for agriculture or livestock maintenance, and overcrowding of refugee camps, can contribute to the development of nutritional deficiency disorders. Advantages and disadvantages of various options to prevent deficiency diseases are discussed.
The Probability Approach to Nutrient Requirements
Authors: Rand William M.
Published: November 2018

This article discusses the use of probability models and statistical techniques in the investigation and formulation of human nutrient requirements. The power of probability formulation and the expanding pace of data gathering make it essential for the nutrition community to develop a better understanding of these methods and to use them routinely.
An Analytical Approach for Exploring the Importance of Dietary Quality versus Quantity in the Growth of Mexican Children
Authors: Allen Lindsay H. , Black Anne K. , Backstrand Jeffrey R. , Pelto Gretel H. , Ely Richard D. , Molina Elsa , Chávez Adolfo
Published: November 2018

The average annual intake of specific nutrients, foods, food groups, and proxies for nutrient bioavailability of 87 Mexican preschoolers and 110 schoolchildren were compared with their anthropometry. Median intakes of energy, protein, thiamine, and iron were adequate; calcium and zinc were low; and other nutrients were very inadequate. Anaemia and low serum retinol were common. Intake of individual nutrients failed to predict size. Correlation matrices, median traces, and principal-components analysis illustrated a dietary continuum ranging from a high dependence on tortillas to more animal products and fruit. Children consuming a lower proportion of tortillas and legumes and more animal products were taller and heavier. Even though the high-tortilla dietary pattern provided more of most nutrients, these were less available. In conclusion, children's size was predicted by dietary quality - not quantity - measured either as a high intake of animal products or as a lower intake of factors inhibiting nutrient bioavailability.
Dietary Vitamin-a Deficiency: Effects on Growth, Infection, and Mortality
Authors: West Keith P.
Published: November 2018

Vitamin A (VA) has been experimentally linked in animals to growth in weight, host resistance to infection, and survival for nearly eight decades. These consistent findings appear to have their human correlate. VA-deficient children are more likely to have comorbidity and to be stunted in growth, and they have a higher risk of mortality. In several large field trials VA supplementation has reduced mortality by >= 30%. Presumably a similar or greater public health impact can be achieved by improving dietary VA intake. The relation between dietary imbalance and VA deficiency starts at a young age. Early cessation of breast-feeding, poor quality of the weaning diet, and infrequent consumption of VA-rich foods appear to underlie mild xerophthalmia. These dietary imbalances often coexist with food access. We must know how to alter detrimental food habits before dietary interventions can be formulated. Improving dietary quality to enhance VA nutriture will likely carry numerous other nutritional benefits to children.
Use of Combined Methodologies in Assessing Food Beliefs and Habits of Elderly Greeks in Greece
Authors: Kouris Antigone , Wahlqvist Mark L. , Trichopoulos Antonia , Polychronopoulos Evangelos
Published: November 2018

This study is part of a wider cross-cultural study of food habits and health in later life. Two general approaches have been incorporated into the survey instrument: (1) rapid assessment procedures (open-ended questions) to elicit information on food and health beliefs, and (2) a questionnaire approach (coded answers for scoring) to elicit information on health, lifestyle, and usual food intake. By combining the qualitative anthropological approach on food beliefs with the conventional survey method for gathering food-intake data, it was possible to examine underlying reasons for observed food habits and consumption of various foodstuffs in 104 Greeks 70 years old or over in a town near Athens in 1988. More than 75% of the subjects believed that meat should not be eaten more than once a week because it is bad for health, that fish should be eaten twice a week because it is good for the heart, and that legumes are essential for longevity and should be eaten at least twice a week. They believed that fruit should be eaten in moderation and is not essential to health - that oranges raise blood pressure and should be avoided by the elderly, but that grapes, when eaten exclusively in large quantities, can cure all illnesses. When these beliefs were compared to actual intake, consumption in most cases, except that of legumes, was compatible with the beliefs. If the C;reek elderly community were to be targeted for health promotion, their beliefs would need to be taken into consideration to facilitate programme implementation.
Dietary Intervention to Control Vitamin A Deficiency in Seven- to Twelve-Year-Old Children
Authors: Wadhwa A. , Singh A. , Mittal A. , Sharma S.
Published: November 2018

The efficacy of a dietary intervention programme to control vitamin A deficiency through inexpensive, locally available sources of β-carotene was evaluated in 121 children 7–12 years old. The subjects were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. A three-day food intake was first recorded for each subject using a 24-hour recall method and repeated at the end of the study on a randomly selected subsample. The intervention period lasted one month, during which carrots, papayas, coriander, and mint were offered daily as sources of β-carotene. There was no significant difference in the dietary intakes of the groups before the study. After the intervention period, the serum vitamin A values of the experimental subjects were significantly higher than those of the controls. These results indicate that consumption of small amounts of inexpensive, readily available vegetable sources of β-carotene could help prevent and control vitamin A deficiency. Nutrition education programmes are needed to encourage the use of these foods for home consumption as well as in feeding programmes for schoolchildren.
Interobserver Variation in the Assessment of Thyroid Enlargement: A Pitfall in Surveys of the Prevalence of Endemic Goitre
Authors: Tonglet René , Bourdoux Pierre , Dramaix Michèle , Hennart Philippe , Ermans André-Marie
Published: November 2018

An important concern in surveys of the prevalence of endemic goitre is the possibility of inaccuracy that can occur when estimating thyroid enlargement by clinical examination. We report here the results of a study from central Africa that demonstrated the importance of interobserver variation in the assessment of goitre size among experts and participants attending an international training course on iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). Agreement among raters estimated by calculation of the kappa statistic was poor on average when the five-stage goitre classification recommended by WHO was used. As expected, agreement on a single category was slightly better, especially when the category of interest was visible goitre. Our results suggest that palpation alone is not a reliable method for assessing the severity of IDD endemia. Other sources of inaccuracies are discussed and recommendations are made for better data collection on IDD in Africa and other regions.
Fortification of Salt with Iron and Iodine to Control Anaemia and Goitre: Development of a New Formula with Good Stability and Bioavailability of Iron and Iodine
Authors: Narasinga Rao Bagepalli S.
Published: November 2018

Anaemia and goitre are two major nutrition-related disorders. The distribution of iodized salt to control goitre is already widespread, and a method of fortifying salt with iron has been developed to control anaemia. Salt fortified with both iron and iodine would be useful in areas where anaemia and goitre coexist and for anaemia control in countries where the iodization of salt is mandated by law. Studies were carried out to develop appropriate technology to fortify salt with bath iron and iodine. Earlier trials indicated that iodine added to iron-fortified salt was highly unstable. Hence, a new formula was developed using sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) as a stabilizer. At a 1% level it stabilizes bath iron (1 mg/g) and iodine (40 μg/g) quite well. The bioavailability of iron from doubly fortified salt given with a rice-based meal was tested in adult men by the radioisotopic extrinsic tagging technique. The availability of iodine from the doubly fortified salt was compared with that from iodized salt by measuring urinary iodine in adult men after they ingested the salts with a rice meal. The bioavailability of both iron and iodine in the doubly fortified salt was quite satisfactory.
A Critical Review of the Cholesterolaemic Effects of Palm Oil
Authors: Kock Wai Tony Ng
Published: November 2018

This paper reviews recent reports of the cholesterolaemic effects of palm oil. The evidence indicates that the substitution of palm oil or its lipid fractions for the usual fats in the diet does not result in an elevation of total serum cholesterol in lean, normocholesterolaemic individuals with a cholesterol intake of less than 300 mg per day. When threshold dietary levels of linoleic acid (18:2) are met, they tend to counter the cholesterol-raising effects of the 12- and 16-carbon saturated fatty acids. In view of this, the use of a cholesterol saturated-fat index to measure the hypercholesterolaemic and atherogenic potential of foods can be misleading, particularly when applied to palm oil. Nutritionists and health professionals need to keep abreast of recent knowledge on the cholesterolaemic impact of dietary fats and fatty acids.
Palm Oil Use and Compatibility in India
Authors: Narasinga Rao Bagepalli S.
Published: November 2018

India is experiencing a shortage of edible oils that may increase in years to come. To meet this challenge, palm oil is being considered as a potential new source of oil owing to the high productivity of the oil palm. Besides importing palm oil for the present, indigenous production by cultivating the oil palm has been initiated as a long-term measure.

When a new edible oil is introduced, people have to be assured of its safety and nutritional quality. Besides ensuring that palm oil meets essential fatty acid (EFA) requirements, concern about its atherogenic potential due to its saturated fat content has to be allayed. The habitual low-fat Indian diet based on cereals and pulses contains invisible fats amounting to 25 g per day, but it provides two-thirds of EFA requirements. Increased consumption of fat in the form of palm oil should therefore not pose a problem to the requirements since the oil contains about 10% of n-6, 18:2 linoleic acid. Although categorized as a saturated fat, palm oil does not raise blood cholesterol, unlike other fats such as coconut oil. Unrefined crude palm oil, which is rich in β-carotene, is also of special interest as it can be used to prevent vitamin A deficiency, which is widespread In India.

Owing to its technical characteristics, palm oil can be used in domestic cooking as well as in the foodprocessing industry for the manufacture of vanaspati and margarine, and as a specialty fat in the bakery and confectionery industries.
Palm Oil Use in North Africa and West Asia
Authors: Hussein Mohamed Amr
Published: November 2018

Edible oils and fats are important sources of food energy in North Africa and West Asia. Because of the high cost of animal fats and increased awareness of potential harm from their excessive consumption, the rise of vegetable oils is increasing. Palm oil has recently been introduced in response to the shortfall in the local production of edible fats and oils, and it is predicted that it will gain increasing acceptance and use because of its versatility and safety.
Strategies for Developing Countries: Experiences in Latin America and the Caribbean
Authors: Amador Manuel
Published: November 2018

Developing countries face severe poverty, unemployment, low agriculture productivity, unequal distribution of income and consumption, poor sanitation, and illiteracy. These problems are difficult to solve because of lack of resources, industrial backwardness, and the limited extent to which modern science and technology are introduced. Thus it is necessary to reexamine the objectives of development and the values on which they are established. It will not be possible to achieve fair levels of well-being if progress is attempted simply by copying patterns in rich countries rather than through a rational application of those countries’ scientific knowledge and productive technologies. In several countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, the development of technical and human resources and institutions has helped solve several problems. Cuba has made progress in biotechnology and in health, food, agriculture, cattle, fishery, and education, applying its own resources and the creativeness of scientists, technicians, and workers in these fields. These efforts have succeeded notwithstanding the difficulty of gaining access to Western technology and the country's severe financial limitations. A political decision for elaborating a global strategy and setting resources, and testing the technology and evaluating its technical, economic, social, political, and cultural feasibility were necessary.
Household Food Security, Food Consumption Patterns, and the Quality of Children's Diet in a Rural Northern Ghana Community
Authors: Armar-Klemesu M. , Rikimaru T. , Kennedy D. O. , Harrison E. , Kido Y. , Takyi E. E. K.
Published: November 2018

Twenty households in a rural northern Ghana community were studied to ascertain evidence of seasonality and the relationship between household food-security status and the food and nutrient intakes of preschool children. All food consumed by household members was weighed for three consecutive days, and nutrient intakes were calculated from appropriate food composition tables. Diet quality was assessed by quantitative and descriptive analysis. Mean daily intakes of selected food items reflected an over-dependence on cereals and a minimal consumption of animal products. The consumption of vegetables, especially low during the pre-harvest season, increased during the post-harvest season. Nutrient intakes, which were generally lower than recommended dietary allowances, increased during the post-harvest season, although not significantly for calories, protein, and iron (p <.05), in contrast to vitamins A and C (p < .001). There was a significant association between household food-security status and the intakes of calories (p < .001) and protein (p < .01) but not of micronutrients. Diet quality was adversely influenced by a low intake of micronutrients derived primarily from plant sources as well as by poor dietary habits. Calorie and protein intakes appear to have been more influenced by household food availability and were subject to less seasonal fluctuation, while the reverse held true for the micronutrients. In addition, household food security did not necessarily ensure the quality of children's diets in an area where food consumption patterns are monotonous.
Appropriate Weaning Practices and Foods to Prevent Protein-Energy Malnutrition: An Asian Review
Authors: Tontisirin Kraisid , Yamborisut Uruwan
Published: November 2018

Despite considerable progress in recent decades, the world still falls short of the goal of adequate food and nutrition for all. No other people feel this more than children living in the developing countries of Asia. This paper reviews the problem of protein-energy malnutrition in selected countries in this region, its determinants including improper breast-feeding and weaning practices, and the need to develop guidelines and strategies for improved weaning practices and foods at three focal levels: family, community, and commercial.
Plasma Iron Tolerance of Ferrous Glycine Sulphate and Ferrous Sulphate in Women
Authors: Nair K. Madhavan , Raman L. , Ramalakshmi B. A. , Sreerarnulu D.
Published: November 2018

Plasma iron tolerance curves of ferrous glycine sulphate (FGS) tablets containing 60 and 120 mg of elemental iron were compared with similar doses of ferrous sulphate (FS) tablets using a double-blind crossover design in six women volunteers. The plasma iron tolerance curves obtained with both doses of FGS were similar to those of doses of FS. The relative bioavailability of FGS was close to 1, identical to that of FS. Thus tablets containing ferrous glycine sulphate as the source of elemental iron for the prophylaxis of iron deficiency do not offer any advantage over the less expensive and more available ferrous sulphate.
Intermittent Iron Supplementation in Chinese Preschool Children is Efficient and Safe
Authors: Liu Xu-Nian , Kang Jingnian , Zhao Li , Viteri Fernando E.
Published: November 2018

Iron deficiency in vulnerable groups is widespread in China, as in most developing countries, and iron supplementation has been accepted for many years as an effective targeted measure to control it. However, the current practice of daily dosing frequently causes unfavourable side effects that result in non-compliance. We randomly assigned 238 3–6-year-old children attending a kindergarten in Changji City, Xinjiang, China, of whom 37% were anaemic, to receive 6 mg of iron per kilogram of body weight as FeSO4 daily, twice a week, or weekly under direct supervision for three months. The weekly dose was as effective as the daily dose in controlling anaemia, had insignificant side effects (4% of the children experienced side effects in contrast to 36% of those receiving the daily dose), and, on the evidence of serum ferritin distribution patterns, avoided temporary iron overload. The twice-weekly dose had no advantages over the weekly dose. On the basis of these results, long-term targeted preventive supplementation with weekly doses of iron should be considered among groups where iron deficiency and anaemia are prevalent.
World Balance of Dietary Essential Amino Acids Relative to the 1989 Fao/Who Protein Scoring Pattern
Authors: Kazuo Hoshiai
Published: November 2018

The world imbalance of dietary essential amino acids was studied using the latest available protein-supply data (1987–89) and the revised 1989 FAO/WHO protein scoring pattern in comparison with the 1973 FAO/WHO pattern, the 1985 FAO/WHO/UNU pattern, and a pattern proposed by Young et al. in 1989. The results obtained using the 1989 FAO/WHO scoring pattern indicate that the first limiting amino acid for developed countries is usually tryptophan, and that for developing countries is mainly lysine. Similar findings resulted with the Young pattern, but results using the 1973 and 1985 patterns differed substantially. On the basis of the 1989 FAO/WHO pattern, lysine was found to be the first limiting amino acid in the dietary protein supplies of 121 of the 164 countries studied worldwide; it is estimated that the total lysine deficiency in these 121 countries, the amount that would be needed to bring it to the level of the second limiting amino acid, was 1.15 million metric tons per year for 1987–89. In addition, same global correlations of protein and amino acid supplies with gross domestic product were recalculated in US dollars at 1985 prices.
Amylase-Treated Rice Flour Oral Rehydration Solution with Enhanced Energy Density. I. in Vitro Studies of Viscosity, Osmolality, and Stability
Authors: Vettorazzi Carolina , Solomons Noel W. , Brown Kenneth H. , Shoemaker Charles
Published: November 2018

Recent studies on the dietary management of dehydrated children with oral rehydration solution (ORS) showed that maximizing nutrient intake during treatment can curtail the nutritional deterioration of an episode of acute diarrhoea. The viscosity of a 10% or 15% (w/v) rice flour solution can be reduced to that of a drinkable solution by appropriate incubation and partial hydrolysis of rice starch with a commercial -amylase. Cooking the solution for 5 minutes at 90°C inactivates the enzyme. When 0.32 ml of -amylase enzyme was added, the viscosity of a 10% rice-based oral rehydration solution (RB-ORS) measured at 0.3 revolution per minute declined from 50,539 to 636 centipoise (cp), and when 0.96 ml of enzyme was added to a 15% RB-ORS, the viscosity declined from 170,258 to 1,283 cp. The osmolality of enzyme-treated RB-ORS without electrolytes was 5 mOsm; that of the electrolyte mixture alone was 160 mOsm; that of 10% RB-ORS with electrolytes was 225 mOsm; and that of 15% RB-ORS with electrolytes was 295 mOsm. The 10% and 15% rice flour solutions incubated with -amylase can be converted to easy-to-drink solutions that could potentially be used as ORS with greater nutritional value than current glucose-based solutions. Clinical trials are necessary to test the safety and efficacy of these enzyme-treated RB-ORS.
A Programme to Develop Culturally and Medically Sound Home Fluid Management of Children with Acute Diarrhoea
Authors: Martínez Homero , Habicht Jean-Pierre
Published: November 2018

A strategy to develop a programme for the fluid management of acute diarrhoea in childhood, based on culturally and medically sound home-based practices, is presented. The strategy outlined comprised a sequence of studies. The first was an ethnographic description of home practices in the study area, oriented to identify mothers’ beliefs and practices regarding fluid management during acute diarrhoeal episodes, with the aim of selecting one beverage that could be used as a rehydration solution. Once the beverage was selected, the second study consisted of a clinical trial to test the efficacy of this beverage, compared with standard oral rehydration salts (ORS), in rehydrating children with acute diarrhoea. Having proved the clinical efficacy of the beverage, the third study consisted of a public health intervention, in which the use of the homemade beverage was promoted with the specific intention of rehydrating diarrhoea-affected children. Characteristics of the acceptability, preparation, and use of the promoted beverage at the community level were compared with those of ORS. A distinct feature of the strategy outlined was the attempt to follow a “from-the-village” approach to tailor the intervention, taking into account the mothers’ beliefs and practices as well as medical criteria.