bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
«Anthropoarquitectura», «cosmolugares» y humanización del cuidado. La construcción social del espacio clínico
Authors: Hernández Garre José Manuel , De Maya Sánchez Baldomero
Published: November 2021

El presente artículo se ubica en el marco de una perspectiva postprocesual de la antropología arquitectónica que indaga sobre las posibles similitudes entre los correlatos ideológicos y materiales. Partiendo de esta premisa, el objetivo del artículo ha sido investigar los principales paradigmas del cuidado y sus posibles analogías con las diferentes tipologías arquitectónicas de los espacios clínicos en términos de humanización asistencial. Para ello se ha seguido una metodología cualitativa utilizando como fuentes de recogida de datos el análisis documental y la observación participante, acumulando un total de ciento cuarenta y cuatro horas de observación en un hospital comarcal de la red pública. Los resultados muestran una configuración dicotómica en la que, desde ideologías atomistas y tecnocráticas, se materializan espacios fragmentados, consecuentes con dinámicas asistenciales mecanizadas y deshumanizadas, y desde ideologías psicosociales y holísticas espacios integrados, congruentes con itinerarios individualizados y humanizados. Se concluye que la arquitectura clínica se construye desde ideologías del cuidado determinadas que, cuando se reifican en espacios asistenciales concretos, conforman «cosmolugares» que fuerzan a entrar en sus propias dinámicas, retroalimentando, a su vez, las ideologías de origen.
El cuerpo en escena
Authors: Ortecho Mariana
Published: November 2021

El presente trabajo aborda la cuestión del cuerpo, en tanto vía privilegiada de entrada al análisis de una de las transformaciones culturales más importantes de nuestro tiempo; esto es, la emergencia de la forma de comunicación virtual como pauta de interacción social. Desde una revisión sucinta de los distintos modos en que la producción científica, particularmente social, ha ido sobre el cuerpo, se intenta una crítica no sólo a sus restricciones teóricas (mecanicista, individualista, materialista y antropocentroada) sino asimismo a la modalidad verbocentrada en la forma de producirlas. El enfoque metodológico cualitativo se asienta aquí en el análisis semiótico para caracterizar los rasgos y funcionamientos de los diferentes soportes de producción de sentido considerados. A partir de este recorrido, se delinea el propósito general del trabajo, orientado a revisar las limitaciones teóricas y, desde allí, epistemológicas y ontológicas que la investigación en torno al cuerpo presenta. Asimismo se sostiene aquí, a modo de hipótesis, que desde algunas de las vertientes teóricas emergentes de pensamiento en torno al cuerpo, es posible tender puentes con tradiciones culturales no occidentales, como la cosmovisión andina, capaces de aportar un modo diferencial de entender el cuerpo, y con ello un modo −alterno− de producir conocimiento.
Response of Primed Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Seeds towards Reproductive Stage Drought Stress
Authors: Salleh Mohd Syahmi , Nordin Mohd Shukor , Puteh Adam B. , Shahari Rozilawati , Zainuddin Zarina , Ab-Ghaffar Mohamad Bahagia , Abd Aziz Shamsudin Noraziyah
Published: November 2021

Seed priming could be promoted as a potential alternative in alleviating drought stress challenges in rice cultivation. The present study was conducted as an attempt to verify potential performance of seed priming in improving seedling growth and harvestable grain yield of rice under reproductive stage drought stress (RS). Seed treatments involved were non-primed seeds as control (T1), hydro-primed (T2) and osmo-primed at -1.0 mPa with polyethylene glycol (PEG6000) (T3). Reproductive stage drought stress (RS) was imposed at soil water potential lower than -60 kPa. The well-watered plants served as control of the experiment. In general, seedling growth of T3 was better than T2 and T1 for all growth parameters in both planting seasons. Yield components were significantly lower in RS as compared to well-watered treatment (WW). The agronomic performance of primed seeds in T2 and T3 were not significantly different with T1 under both RS and WW for both planting seasons. As a conclusion, seed priming treatments used in this study was ineffective in improving agronomic performance of rice under RS. Therefore, other alternatives such as development of drought tolerant rice should be highly emphasized in order to minimize the impact of drought on growth and yield of rice plant.
Distribution of Pesticides in Different Commonly Grown Vegetables of Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia
Authors: Munawar Nusrat , Yang Farina Yang Farina , Yaqoob Mohammad , Abdul Nabi Abdul Nabi , Syed Munawar Shah Syed Munawar Shah
Published: November 2021

Gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD) is used to extract and analyse pesticides in vegetable samples collected from Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia. The limit of detection (LOD) for all pesticides was in the range of 0.03 to 4.5 ng g-1. Recoveries in cabbage, lettuce, and celery ranged from 61.8%-121%, 60-128% and 60%-114%, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) ranged 0.2-15% in cabbage, 0.5-18% in lettuce and 3-19.8% in celery. Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) concentrations increased down the valley with dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) having the highest concentration at 233 µg kg-1. Organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) were found to be dispersed throughout the valley, with the highest concentration of parathion ethyl (133 µg kg-1) whereas the pyrethroid pesticides (PYRs) concentrations were comparatively less. The detection frequency in the wet season was highest (5 < - < 100 µg kg-1) for most pesticides. However, in the dry season the pesticides concentrations were higher, at < 5 µg kg-1. PCA analysis indicated that farmers were using a mixture of pesticides.
ANFIS Based Parameter Estimating of a Two-Phase Interleaved Dual Cascaded DC-DC Boost Converter for Fuel Cell Supplied Electric Vehicles
Authors: BALCI Selami , KAYABAŞI Ahmet , YILDIZ Berat
Published: November 2021

Fuel cells (FCs), one of the renewable energy sources, have started to be preferred as a power source in electric vehicles in recent years and research studies are continuing on designs in this direction. Although their efficiency is low <50%, they produce Direct Current (DC) electrical energy by electrochemical conversion without requiring battery systems, which can be used in electric vehicle drive systems. There are zero-emission effects such as water and temperature rise with waste and environmental aspects. One of the major disadvantages is the DC voltage amplitude they produce is inversely proportional to the temperature increase. In this context, parameter estimation is required to adapt the fluctuating FC voltage to a certain value adaptively with the DC-DC boost converter circuit. In this study, parametric simulation studies were carried out with Ansys-Electronics 2019-R3 software to determine the DC voltage level of a certain number of series and parallel connected FC cells depending on different temperature values. Duty ratio values of two-phase interleaved dual cascaded DC-DC boost converter circuit for desired output voltage were determined by using Adaptive Nero-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) modeling of 1300 data determined by simulation studies. Thus, the output voltage of the converter is adaptively fixed at a certain value.
Optimism and Fear of Infection as Predictors of Observing Stay-at-Home Recommendations During COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Sychev O.A. , Gordeeva T.O. , Vindeker O.S. , Dovger M.A. , Titova Grandchamp V.A.
Published: November 2021

According to COVID-19 research, the introduction of a self-isolation and quaran¬tine regime is an effective measure to contain the pandemic. The article examines the problem of psychological factors of observing stay-at-home recommendations, among which the main attention is paid to two types of optimism in a pandemic situation: constructive optimism and defensive optimism. It was assumed that they would have the opposite effect on adherence to the self-isolation regime, and the negative effect of defensive optimism would be mediated by a decrease in illness anxiety or fear of infection. To test this hypothesis, a longitudinal study (with an interval of six weeks) was carried out in a sample of 306 students (89% of women) using a life orientation test, the scales of constructive and defensive optimism by Gordeeva et al., and anxiety in a pandemic situation questionnaire by Tkhostov and Rasskazova. The results confirm our hypotheses: people who adhere to the stay-at-home recommendations are characterized by a higher level of construc¬tive optimism, i.e. they believe that their efforts will help prevent infection and spread of the virus. In contrast, people who demonstrate unrealistic or defensive optimism, that is, who believe that the issue of coronavirus is exaggerated, fear infection less and admit that they do not strictly adhere to the requirements of self-isolation. These results indicate that, in addition to dispositional optimism, situation specific constructive and defensive optimism are essential in explaining health behavior, with the latter type of optimism serving as a response to anxiety associated with fear of the disease and its consequences.
Cognitive-Behavioral Techniques and Family System Therapy
Authors: Dattilio F.M.
Published: November 2021

This article addresses the integration of cognitive-behavior therapy with families within the systemic movement. It reviews some of the updated empirical literature that supports its strategies as well as its attractiveness to systemic family therapists in Russia and across the globe.
Ruminative Thinking in Chronic Depression: Concept and Validity of Measures
Authors: Pugovkina O.D. , Syrokvashina A.D. , Istomin M.A. , Kholmogorova A.B.
Published: November 2021

Despite large amount of empirical evidence in support of rumination as a risk factor of depression onset and chronification, theoretical foundations of ruminative thinking are still being discussed. This includes the issue of so-called constructive, or reflec¬tive, ruminations. Objective: This study gives a theoretical review of different views on rumination, empirically tests the idea of constructive and non-constructive rumi¬native thinking, and tests the validity of the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS, Rus sian version) [38]. Study design: We conducted a factor analysis of adapted RRS, as well as an intercorrelational analysis of this scale, Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-r), and the COPE Inventory; hypotheses were tested in a general population group (n=476) and two clinical groups (patients with depressive disorders, n=53, and patients with different diagnoses with recent suicide attempts, n=41). Results: Our theoretical review examines ruminative thinking as a dysfunctional coping strategy (E. Watkins) from the perspective of the structural-dynamic model of thinking in the course of creative problem-solving (V. Zaretsky, A. Kholmogorova). Rumination is conceptualized as getting stuck «in a loop» at certain levels of organization of cognitive processes, which substitutes motivation focus on actual problem solving. The resulting four-factor structure of RRS has good psychometric properties and strong correla¬tions with different psychopathological symptoms and dysfunctional coping strategies (namely, psychological and behavioral avoidance and venting negative emotions); these correlations are found in all resulting factors but one, which implies that it may have a special status. Conclusion: The Russian version of RRS shows good preliminary psychometric characteristics and is viable for practical purposes. The idea of construc¬tive rumination discussed in literature has not been confirmed empirically. ¬
NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES: IMPACT OF PESTICIDES
Authors:   Bioinformatics Lab, Department of Zoology, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, (Deemed University) Dayalbagh, Agra-282005, India, Singh Neha , Gautam Priyanka ,   Bioinformatics Lab, Department of Zoology, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, (Deemed University) Dayalbagh, Agra-282005, India
Published: November 2021

Pesticides are widely used to fulfill the higher yield requirement for humans in agricultural practices and the repellents to kill the unwanted insects but excess uses of these pesticides combat various diseases and also responsible for environmental pollution. Total 234 pesticides are registered in India out of these, four pesticides are WHO class 1a pesticide, 15 are WHO class 1b pesticides, and 76 are WHO class 2nd mentioned pesticides together constituting 40% registered pesticides. Excess use of pesticides can cause fatigue, headache, respiratory problems, and neurodegenerative diseases in human being. Neurodegenerative disease is the result of a process called neuron degeneration in which the structure and functions of the neurons are progressively degenerate. Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis impose a burden on most of society. In the present study, we are emphasizing the mode of action of the various pesticides that influenced neurodegenerative diseases that is necessary to check the effect of neurotoxicants.
BIPLOT ANALYSIS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF SUPERIOR GENOTYPES IN A RECOMBINANT INBRED POPULATION OF WHEAT UNDER RAINFED CONDITIONS
Authors:   Department of Botany, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141004, India, Srivastava Ashutosh ,   Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141004, India, Srivastava Puja ,   Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141004, India, Sarlach R S ,   Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141004, India, Gururani Mayank Anand ,   Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, P.O. Box 15551, UAE
Published: November 2021

Physiological traits of wheat genotypes and their trait relation to drought conditions are important to identify the genotype in target environments. Thus, genotype selection should be based on multiple physiological traits in variable environments within the target region. This study was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University during rabi crop seasons 2012-13 and 2013-14 to study the recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of wheat genotypes derived from traditional landraces and modern cultivars (C518/2*PBW343) based on various morpho-physiological traits. A total of 175 RILs were selected for this study based on various tolerance indices. The genotype by trait (GT) biplot analysis was applied to data from seven high-yielding RILs grown under irrigated (E1) and rainfed environments (E2). The GGE biplot explained 100% of the total variation for chlorophyll content, grain filling period, peduncle length, water-soluble carbohydrates, grain number, grain yield, and 95.1% for canopy temperature, 94.9% for thousand-grain weight. GT-biplots indicated that the relationships among the studied traits were not consistent across environments, but they facilitated visual genotype comparisons and selection in each environment. RIL 84 and RIL108 were close to the average environment (ideal genotype) for all traits studied except chlorophyll content. A well-performing genotype with great environmental stability is called an "ideal genotype. Among all entries, these genotypes performed well. Therefore, among the traits studied, grain filling period, peduncle length, canopy temperature, water soluble carbohydrates, and 1000 grain weight contributed to grain yield under a stress environment. Furthermore, it may be used as a donor material in breeding programs and QTLs mapping.
EFFECTIVENESS OF SOLAR THERMOELECTRIC COOLER FOR FISH PRESERVATION: EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF Pangasius bocourti FISH FILLETS DURING STORAGE
Authors:   Department of Agricultural Engineering, Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati (A Central University), Sriniketan-731236, West Bengal, India, Biswas Olipriya ,   Department of Fishery Engineering, Faculty of Fishery Sciences, West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences, Kolkata-700094, India, Kandasamy Palani ,   Department of Agricultural Engineering, Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati (A Central University), Sriniketan-731236, West Bengal, India, Mandal Goutam ,   Department of Horticulture and Post Harvest Technology, Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati (A Central University), Sriniketan-731236, West Bengal, India, Panda Debasis ,   Department of Crop Physiology, Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati (A Central University), Sriniketan-731236, West Bengal, India
Published: November 2021

Preservation of fish products is a big issue where inconsistent electricity supply. In the current study, a solar thermoelectric cooler (STC) was fabricated by exploiting the solar energy and its cooling potential for fish preservation was evaluated. The STC consists of a photovoltaic (PV) panel, battery, PV charge controller, thermoelectric cooling system, and cooler box. The temperature of the STC decreased to 7.4ºC within 90 minutes and then reached 5±0.2ºC in 150 min. The cooling capacity and coefficient of performance of the STC were 23.8 W and 0.44, respectively, at an input electric current of 3.5 A. The Pangasius bocourti fish fillets were stored in the STC for 10 days and tested its quality at 2 days intervals. On day 10, thiobarbituric acid, peroxide, pH, water binding ability, total plate count values were 1.65mg MDA/kg, 5.04 mEqO2/kg, 7.16, 26.18%, and 4.26 log CFU/g, respectively. A significant reduction in hardness, springiness, and chewiness values was observed, whereas no cohesiveness changes. The color values L* and a* decreased significantly, whereas b* and ΔE increased. The sensory attributes were found in the range of 5.2-6.0 on the 10th day. As the quality parameters showing an acceptable level, STC could be an alternate green option for fish preservation.
COMBINED USE OF HYALURONIC ACID WITH NANO-BIOACTIVE GLASS ENHANCED BIOCEMENT BASED SILICATE STIMULATED BONE REGENERATIVE CAPACITY IN TIBIAL BONE DEFECTS OF RABBITS: IN-VIVO STUDY
Authors:   Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University, Cairo, 11553, Egypt, Al-Sayed Fatema Aziz , Hegazy Radwa Hamed ,   Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University, Cairo, 11553, Egypt, Salem Zeinab Amin ,   Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University, Cairo, 11553, Egypt,   Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Ahram – Canadian University, Giza, Egypt, El-Beheiry Hanan Hassan ,   Department of Biomaterials, National Research Centre, Giza, 11553, Egypt
Published: November 2021

An ideal biomaterial for bone regeneration is a longstanding quest nowadays. This study aimed to evaluate the osteogenic potentiality of nano-bioactive glass enhanced biocement based silicate with or without hyaluronic acid seeded in rabbits’ tibial bone defects. For this, 24 male rabbits with two 5 mm defects (1 defect per tibia) were divided into three equal groups. Among the predefined three groups, for the rabbits of group 1(control) bone defects were left untreated while for the members of group 2 defects received nano-bioactive glass enhanced biocement based silicate cement, and group 3 defects received nano-bioactive glass cement mixed with hyaluronic acid. Animals of each group were divided equally for euthanization after 3 and 6 weeks. Bone specimens were processed and examined histologically with histomorphometrically analysis of new bone area percentage. The bone defects in group 3 showed significantly improved osseous healing histologically as compared to the group 1&2. The morphometric analysis also revealed a significant increase in the new bone area percentage in group 3 as compared to the group 1 and 2 (P < 0.05). The results of the present study can be concluded that bone defects could be treated with nano-bioactive glass and hyaluronic acid cement. Although, nano-bioactive glass alone was capable of bone regeneration the combination of both had significant regenerative capacity.
ANTI-PROLIFERATIVE POTENTIAL OF Carica papaya LEAVES ON BREAST CANCER CELLS – MCF-7
Authors:   Department of Chemistry and Biosciences, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Srinivasa Ramanujan Centre, Kumbakonam 612001, Tamil Nadu, India, Mariyappan Sasikala , Ramalingam Sivakumar ,   Department of Chemistry and Biosciences, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Srinivasa Ramanujan Centre, Kumbakonam 612001, Tamil Nadu, India, Murugan Lavanya ,   Department of Chemistry and Biosciences, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Srinivasa Ramanujan Centre, Kumbakonam 612001, Tamil Nadu, India, Saravanan Renuka ,   Department of Chemistry and Biosciences, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Srinivasa Ramanujan Centre, Kumbakonam 612001, Tamil Nadu, India
Published: November 2021

The study's objective is to identify the phytoconstituents and determine the anti-cancer potential of Carica papaya leaves against the MCF 7 cell line. Chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts of C. papaya leaves were prepared by cold maceration method and qualitative phytochemical analysis was performed. The anti-proliferative effect of these extracts was determined by 3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and apoptotic assay by acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining method on MCF 7 cells. The effect of the extracts, with different concentrations, on DNA fragmentation, was also performed on MCF 7 cells. Qualitative analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, saponins, tannins, glycosides, phenols, anthraquinones, proteins, and carbohydrates. Chloroform, methanol, and ethyl acetate extracts of C. papaya leaves were observed with potential DPPH free radical scavenging activity with 72%, 75%, and 78% respectively. Of these extracts, the chloroform extract (72%) was found to possess a more free radical scavenging effect against DPPH and also showed a dose-dependent effect, the maximum at 100µg/ml, on DNA fragmentation in MCF 7 cells. Further, chloroform extract showed a maximum anti-proliferative effect on MCF-7 cells with IC50 at 22±1.5µg/ml, whereas methanol and ethyl acetate extract at 30±0.5 µg/ml and 28±0.5 µg/ml respectively. Increased apoptosis in MCF 7 cells was observed with an increased concentration of chloroform extract of C. papaya. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that leaf extract of C. papaya found to possess an anti-proliferative effect and antioxidant potential and it could be due to the presence of rich secondary metabolites of the plant.
Overview of methods for controlling the parameters of the tracking mode of a multifunctional radar station
Authors: Pustozerov P.V. , Priorov A.L.
Published: November 2021

Problem statement. With the development of devices for electronic control of the spatial position of the antenna radiation pattern, it became possible to control the time and duration of probing the radar station of various angular directions. There are many works based on the use of this principle to solve various radar tasks, in particular, to implement the target tracking mode. However, there is no general overview of the developed methods for controlling the parameters of the maintenance mode, the conditions and restrictions introduced in them, control and optimization criteria, as well as the scope of application. Goal. Analysis of the main methods of controlling the parameters of the tracking mode of a multifunctional radar station, including the control criteria used. Results. The analysis of the main methods of controlling the time of probing a target by a radar station, the duration of its probing pulses and signal is carried out. All methods are combined into several groups, the conditions and restrictions introduced during their development are defined. The quality criteria on the basis of which they are synthesized are analyzed. Practical approaches to calculating the parameters of the tracking mode of modern multifunctional radar stations are considered. The directions of further research of the subject area under consideration are formulated. Practical significance. The scientific and methodological apparatus used in calculating the parameters of the tracking mode of multifunctional radar stations is determined. Mathematical equations are given for calculating the duration of the probing signal and the time of probing the target. A set of parameters that must be taken into account when synthesizing control methods is determined. The applicability of the methods in various operating conditions of the radar station is evaluated.
TRABZON’DA ERMENİ NÜFUSUN HAREKETLİLİĞİ
Authors: İPEK Nedim
Published: November 2021

Bu çalışmanın amacı bugünkü Trabzon vilayeti sınırları dahilinde Osmanlı hakimiyeti döneminde yaşayan Ermenilerin nüfus hareketliliğini tespit edip değerlendirmektir. Makalede klasik dönemde Ermeni nüfusu, 19. Yüzyılda Katolik ve Protestan milletlerinin oluşumu ve bunun Trabzon’daki Ermenilere yansıması, yerleşmelerdeki nüfus dağılımı, 1860-1895 yılları arası Trabzon’u terk eden veya gurbete giden Ermeniler, 1895 isyanı, kalkışma sonrası Trabzon’daki Ermenilerin İstanbul ve Rusya hâkimiyetindeki topraklara göçü, 1915 yılında bölgede sevk ve iskân talimatının uygulanması kaynak ve referans eserlere istinaden tespit edilmektedir.
Unusual presentation of lung carcinoma as nasal tip metastasis: A review of literature
Authors: Poonia Usha , Singh Jagat , Kumari Manisha , Bansal Sukriti
Published: November 2021

Lung carcinoma is the most common type of carcinoma seen in males and 4 most common in females. Skin metastasis from lung carcinoma is frequent with an incidence of 1%-12%, with most common site being the anterior chest wall. Skin metastasis from lung carcinoma to the tip of nose is very rare with only 12 cases being reported in literature(Table 1). It can be confused with other benign and malignant conditions, such as infection, lymphoma, hemangioma, rhinophyma, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis and carcinomas, making its diagnosis difficult. Less than 20 cases of cutaneous nasal tip metastasis are reported in literature out of which 12 are from malignancies of lung. Sometimes it can appear earlier than the primary lesion and thus delays the diagnosis of primary lesion. = In this case report, we report a case of nasal tip cutaneous metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of lung.
Effectiveness	of	Dry	Needling	for	the Management of Plantar Fasciitis: A Review Study
Authors: Salehi Saman , Shadmehr Azadeh , Olyaei Gholamreza , Bashardoust Tajali Siamak , Mir Seyed Mohsen
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Plantar Fasciitis (PF) is an overuse syndrome as it develops over time. It is most frequently seen in both the non-athletic and athletic populations. PF is a multifactorial and self-limiting disorder that several factors are involved in its onset. Many well-established treatments are available for plantar heel pain. The purpose of this review is to determine the effectiveness of dry needling for the management of PF.
Materials and Methods: This article is a review study,  in which  we present  the  studies that compare dry needling with other treatments for the management of plantar  heel pain.  We included all of the studies on patients with plantar heel pain and plantar fasciitis that investigated the effects of dry needling. Finally, seven articles were included in this review. The  study  designs  were  randomized  controlled,  quasi-experimental,  and  case-control. The Physiotherapy Evidence-based Database (PED) scale was used to measure the methodological quality of the studies.
Results: The PEDro scoring of the articles ranged between 2.10-7.10. The results of this review show that dry needling may be useful in improving the pain of individuals with plantar heel pain and plantar fasciitis.
Conclusion: Further high-quality research studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of dry needling in the management of plantar heel pain. Because a variety of protocol treatments of dry needling were used in the studies, we cannot recommend dry needling schedule prescriptions for the management of individuals with plantar heel pain and plantar fasciitis.
The nutrition-microcredit synergy: A case for multiple interventions and strategies
Authors:   McGill University, Marquis Grace , Colecraft E. K ,   University of Ghana
Published: November 2021

Poor diet quality is the primary determinant of the high prevalence rates of malnutrition in Ghana. In this West African country, young children’s diets primarily consist of cereals and roots which have both low energy and nutrient density and poor bioavailability of micronutrients. A 2008 national survey reported that over one-third of children consumed no nutrient-rich Animal Source Foods (ASF) on the previous day. An intervention to enhance children’s diet and nutritional status was developed based on the assumption that improving knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of caregivers would lead to increased use of ASF for young children only if ASF availability (presence in the communities) and accessibility (families’ ability to obtain ASF through purchase, trade, hunting, or raising animals at home) were also improved. The Enhancing Child Nutrition through Animal Source Food Management (ENAM) project introduced an integrated approach of microcredit and weekly sessions of nutrition education and entrepreneurship training among rural women to increase the use of ASF in the diets of their 2- to 5-year-old children. Although the project may have not reached the poorest women in the community, the integrated activities benefited many households in diverse ways – directly through increased income and improved productivity that improved purchasing power and made foods available in the home, as well as indirectly through the empowerment of women participants. Women reported increased self-confidence, leadership skills, and social capital. Children’s diets benefited the most when caregivers were engaged in enterprises related to ASF because they facilitated sharing ASF with children and the high profits from these activities increased mothers’ ability to purchase other ASF from the market. Other family members also benefited from the project through women sharing loans for joint economic activities, improving the quality of the diet for the whole family, and sharing new knowledge. Integration of rural bank partners from an early stage of the project helped transfer activities to these permanent institutions to expand and sustain project activities. The ENAM project provided the evidence that an integrated package of microcredit and education can improve household food security and improve the diet and growth of young children living in rural communities.
Planning, design and implementation of the enhancing child nutrition through animal source food management (ENAM) project
Authors:   University of Ghana, Colecraft Esi. K , Lartey A , Maequis G. S ,   McGill University, Sakyi-Dawson O , Butler L. M ,   Iowa State University, Ahunu B , Reddy M. B ,   Iowa State University, Jensen HH , Huff-Lonergan E , Canacoo E
Published: November 2021

The Global-Livestock Collaborative Research Support Program’s (GL-CRSP) Child Nutrition Project, a controlled feeding trial in rural Kenya, demonstrated the importance of Animal Source Foods (ASF) for children’s micronutrient status and cognitive development. These findings prompted research efforts to understand the constraints to ASF in children’s diets in Africa so as to design targeted interventions to improve the ASF quality of children’s diets. The Enhancing Child Nutrition through Animal Source Management (ENAM) project (2004-2009) emanated from participatory formative research that identified six principal constraints to the inclusion of Animal Source Foods (ASF) in children’s diets in Ghana, including low income of caregivers, poor producer-consumer linkages, inadequate nutrition knowledge and skills of extension staff and caregivers, cultural beliefs, and inequitable household food distribution. To address these constraints, the ENAM project undertook a multidisciplinary community development, research and capacity building initiative with the goal of augmenting caregivers’ access to and use of ASF in children’s diets. Participatory processes were used to implement an integrated microcredit, entrepreneurship and nutrition education intervention with 181 caregivers of children 2- to5-years old in six rural communities across three agro-ecological zones (Guinea Savannah, Forest-Savannah Transitional and Coastal Savannah) of Ghana. Six matched communities from the same ecological zones served as comparison sites. Quantitative methods that included surveys, child anthropometry, and dietary assessment as well as qualitative case studies were used to assess the effect of the intervention on household, caregiver and child outcomes of interest. This paper presents the key features of the planning, design and implementation of the community intervention and the research processes undertaken to assess the project’s impacts. The ENAM project model presents a unique approach for addressing caregivers’ income and knowledge barriers to improve child nutrition in rural Ghana and may be a promising intervention model for scale-up in Ghana and other African countries.
Microfinance with education in rural Ghana: Men's perception of household level impact
Authors:   University of Ghana, Hagan LL , Aryeetey R , Colecraft EK , Marquis GS ,   McGill University, Nti AC , Danquah AO
Published: November 2021

Microcredit schemes have been shown to enhance women’s Income Generation Activities (IGA), household food security, and child nutrition. However, spouses or Male Household Heads (MHH) can influence how women’s loans are invested and how incomes ensuing from the investments are expended. This study describes how MHH perceived and experienced the participation of female caregivers from their household in the Enhancing Child Nutrition through Animal Source Food Management (ENAM) project. The ENAM project was designed as an integrated intervention providing microcredit, entrepreneurship and nutrition education to women in rural communities in Ghana. Eighty-five MHH of ENAM project caregivers in two regions of Ghana were interviewed about their awareness of the microcredit and education intervention, their involvement in the IGA that the caregivers’ loans were invested in, and their perceptions of the impact of the project on the caregivers’ IGA as well as household and child nutrition. The majority of MHH indicated that they had been consulted by the caregivers about the decision to participate in the ENAM project. The most common reasons given for consenting to the caregivers’ decision to participate in the program were expectations that the caregiver would receive business capital (30.6%), education on optimal child feeding (36.5%), and income to enable caregivers to contribute more to household expenses (31.8%). With respect to the project’s impact, MHH perceived that the caregivers’ project participation had a positive impact on their business practices, particularly with respect to improved customer relations. The MHH perceived that caregivers’ incomes increased because of their participation in ENAM as evidenced by regular income savings and increased contributions to household food and non-food expenditures. However, MHH reported decreases in their own contributions to almost all household expenditure categories in response to the perceived increase in caregivers’ incomes. The MHH also perceived improvements in home meal quality. In summary, MHH credited the ENAM project with improved caregiver’s incomes and increased share of household expenses. However, this outcome resulted in unanticipated declines in MHH contribution to household expenses. Further studies are needed to understand the impact of empowering women through social experiments on households.
Street foods contribute to nutrient intakes among children from rural communities in Winneba and Techiman municipalities, Ghana
Authors:   University of Ghana, Micah EB , Colecraft EK , Lartey A , Aryeetey R , Marquis GS ,   McGill University
Published: November 2021

The contribution of Street Foods (SF) to the energy and nutrient intakes of young children in rural African communities has been understudied. Under the Enhancing Child Nutrition through Animal Source Food Management (ENAM) project, a microcredit and nutrition education intervention with caregivers of children 2-to 5- years old in rural Ghana, the prevalence of SF consumption by young children and the contribution SF make to children’s energy, nutrient and Animal Source Food (ASF) intakes were assessed. A simple random sample of 172 caregiver-child pairs residing in the ENAM intervention communities in Winneba and Techiman municipalities participated in this study. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to interview caregivers about SF purchased for their 2- to 5-years old children in the previous week. During two non-consecutive 12-hour home observations, all foods consumed by a subsample of the children (n=45) were weighed. Energy and nutrient content of weighed foods were estimated using the Ghanaian food composition table. About 80% of caregivers purchased SF for their child at least once that previous week. Most (76%) SF purchased were grain-based and were purchased as complete meals. The children’s total ASF intake was 69.9 ± 11.0 g; quantity of ASF consumed was similar but their sources of ASF differed between the two municipalities. In Techiman, SF contributed 36% of the ASF consumed over the two observation days compared to 4.2% in Winneba (P=0.003). Overall, SF contributed 35% of energy, 43% of vitamin A, 20% of vitamin B12, 30% of zinc, 34% of iron, and 54% of calcium consumed by children. The contribution of SF to young children’s dietary intakes, especially their ASF intakes and hence micronutrient intakes, may improve overall dietary quality. This study provides evidence that, SF is an important part of children’s diets in rural Ghana and could be an important target for food-based interventions to enhance nutrition in young children.
Assessing nutrition intervention programmes that addressed malnutrition among young children in South Africa between 1994-2010
Authors:   University of Oslo, Iversen PO , Marais D ,   University of Aberdeen, du Plessis L ,   Stellenbosch University, Herselman M
Published: November 2021

Several nutrition intervention programmes have been implemented to alleviate malnutrition among young children in South Africa. However, both nationwide studies and smaller, region-based reports show that many of these programmes have failed to improve nutritional health among the target groups. This is an overview of the most important nutrition intervention programmes implemented in post -apartheid South Africa. It is based on data sampled between 1994 and 2010, and collected from HighWire Press and MEDLINE data bases, local journals, official reports as well as experience gathered over the past two decades. Abstracts and nutrition issues related to chronic and communicable and non-communicable diseases were not included. The main aim of the implemented supplementation programmes after the Second World War was to correct states of undernutrition. However, these efforts did not benefit the disadvantaged groups, particularly the coloureds and the blacks. Following the downfall of the apartheid regime, various nutrition intervention programmes have been implemented with varying degrees of success. These include health facility-based programmes, community-based programmes as well as nutrition promotion strategies. The more holistic approach of the Integrated Nutrition Programme since 1994 is commendable, but programmes have failed to restore adequate growth rates among the impoverished children. Most likely, the failures are not as a result of inappropriate policies and strategies or lack of knowledge about relevant solutions, but rather inadequate implementation and scale of the programmes. In order to ensure a satisfactory improvement in nutritional health in South Africa, the various programmes should undergo regular evaluations to identify pitfall s and shortcomings. The fight against undernutrition and hunger, which are rooted in poverty and social inequalities, remains a major challenge for the South African health authorities. Urgent scale-up of the current nutrition intervention programmes as well as evaluation of their implementation are needed, coupled with strategies for education, skills development, job creation and poverty alleviation.
Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in Ethiopia and Zambia and their association with child nutrition: Analysis of demographic and health survey data
Authors:   International Food Policy Research Institute, USA, Disha AD , Rawat R , Subandoro A , Menon P
Published: November 2021

Data from the 2005 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) and the 2007 Zambia Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS) were analyzed to examine the association between World Health Organization (WHO) recommended IYCF indicators and nutritional status among children 0- 23 months of age in Ethiopia and Zambia. A total of 1810 and 2512 children within this age group from Ethiopia and Zambia , respectively , were included in the analysis. Exclusive breast -feeding among children 0- 5.9 months of age is low in both Ethiopia (43 % ) and Zambia (51 % ). Timely introduction of complementary food is lower in Ethiopia (61 %) compared to Zambia (90 %). Only 7 percent of children between 6- 23 months of age consumed diets that met the minimum dietary diversity requirement of four or more food groups consumed per day compared to 37 % in Zambia. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses using appropriate measures to account for the complex survey design were applied to examine the associations between IYCF practices and child anthropometry. Linear regression results show that exclusive breast -feeding (EBF) is positively associated with weight -for -height z -score (WHZ) (effect size (ES) 0.65; p<0.001) and weight -for- age z -score (W AZ) (ES 0.28; p<0.01) in Zambia. In Ethiopia, EBF under 6 months of age is negatively associated with height -for- age z - score (HAZ) (ES 0.81; p<0.01). Timely introduction of complementary food between 6- 8 months of age was positively associated with HAZ (ES 1.19; p<0.01) in Zambia. Higher dietary diversity score was associated with higher HAZ (ES 0.23, p<0.001 in Ethiopia; ES 0.12, p<0.01 in Zambia) and WAZ (ES 0.17, p<0.001 in Ethiopia; ES 0.04, p<0.10 in Zambia) in both countries. The findings demonstrate the need to reinforce age - appropriate IYCF practices to address child undernutrition. Special attention is needed to improve the complementary feeding practices, particularly diet diversity for children 6 -23 months of age , while sustaining a focus on EBF among children under 6 months of age, in order to improve overall nutrition al status of young children in Ethiopia and Zambia.
Comparative study of the effects of steam and solar heat treated cowpea seed on the development and control of callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)
Authors:   University of Botswana, Allotey J , Sefa-Dedeh S ,   University of Ghana, Osei AK ,   University of Ghana, Collison EK ,   University of Botswana
Published: November 2021

Africa produces more cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) than any other continent but utilization in many countries is reduced due to seed destruction by the larvae of bruchids. The dried edible seeds of legumes are frequently attacked by beetles of the family Bruchidae. There are several genera of stored-product bruchids associated with a range of host plants. Callosobruchus species are the major bruchid pests of cowpea in Africa. Callosobruchus maculatus is the major pest of stored cowpea in Africa. Damage to cowpea seeds by C. maculatus during storage is widespread in Africa and constitutes a major constraint to food availability. Cowpeas damaged by C. maculatus have reduced weight, poor germinating ability and are unfit for human consumption, due to loss of vital nutrients such as vitamins and thiamine. It is during storage thatcowpeas suffer heavy quantitative and qualitative losses from the attack by C. maculatus. Even though there are various methods of control of C. maculatus, some of the effective methods such as chemical insecticides pose environmental, social, financial and safety considerations in the tropics. There is need for alternative and less hazardous methods of control. Solar heating of cowpeas to control C. maculatus is one of the safe methods. However, steaming is thought to cause some physical modifications such as starch gelatinization and protein denaturation leading to a case hardening “effect" on the surface cell layers of the cotyledons and could therefore be used as alternative method of control. In the present study, the effects of steam treated, solar heat treated and untreated cowpea seeds on the development and control of C. maculatus were studied under ambient laboratory conditions (temperature range 28.0 - 30oC and 62 - 74% RH). There was no significant difference (P> 0.05) in the number of eggs laid by C. maculatus under conditions 1 male: 1 female, 5 males: 5 females,12 males: 12 females on treated and untreated cowpea seeds. C. maculatus developed successfully in untreated and solar heat treated cowpea seeds, but could not develop in steam treated cowpea seeds. Thus, the novel method of steam treatment of cowpea seeds is a useful pest management strategy that can be used to prevent C. maculatus infestation of cowpea seeds meant for long-term storage and consumption since the cooking properties and processing qualities of the cowpea were not affected.
Comparative analysis of households' socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and food security status in urban and rural areas of Kwara and Kogi States of north-central Nigeria
Authors:   Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Obayelu AE
Published: November 2021

Food security is a critical issue in Nigeria today as the country struggles with high rates of food prices and poverty. This study analysed the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of Household Heads (HHH) and classified them according to food security status. Household level data from the cross-sectional survey was employed in November 2006 to February 2007through a well-structured questionnaire to 396 HHH with a multi-stage sampling procedure. Data were analysed through a descriptive statistics and Rasch model. Average age of the HHH was 42.45years with Standard Deviation (SD) of 9.57 years in Rural Areas (RA) against 43.29 years and SD of 9.83 years in Urban Areas (UA). The HHH level of education was much higher in UA compared to RA. The Household Size (HSZ) was 5.88 with SD of 2.29 in RA against 5.91 and SD of 2.17 in UA, and monthly income of N9, 244.86 with SD of N11, 071.77 in RA against N10, 194.15 and SD of N14, 936.30 in UA. The results from Rasch Model for classifying households according to food security status show that differences exist between households’ food security status in rural and urban areas of Kwara and Kogi States. While 15.6% HHH were food secure (FS) in RA of Kogi State, only 11.1% were FS in the RA of Kwara State. On the other hand, 20.7% HHH were FS in UA of Kogi State compared to 17.1% in UA of Kwara State. Disaggregating food security status of adults and children in households separately revealed that, 25.8% adults in RA of Kogi State were FS compared to 19.2% in Kwara, while 24.4% urban adults were FS in Kogi against 23.2% in Kwara. In addition, 40.6% children in RA of Kogi State were FS against 32.3% in Kwara, while only 29.9% Kogi urban children were FS against 46.3% in Kwara. In general, households were more FS in Kogi State compared to Kwara and more FS in UA compared to RA. The rural children in Kogi State were also more FS compared to the urban, while urban children in Kwara were more FS when compared to rural children. In order to improve households’ food security status in both rural and urban areas, there is the need to take into account some significant variables such as reduction in household size through birth control, and increase in household heads’ participation in agricultural activities especially those residing in urban areas through urban agriculture.