Nutritional diversity of leafy amaranth species grown in Kenya

Objectives: Despite the availability of many species of amaranth in Kenya, there is inadequate information on their nutritional diversity and how they can be best used in mitigation of malnutrition. Hence, this study was aimed at investigating the nutritional diversity of five leafy amaranth species grown in Kenya. Methodology and results: Amaranth vegetables were harvested 5-6 weeks after planting. They were analyzed for their nutritional and phytochemical content using standard methods. Moisture content was lowest in A.cruentus (79.29±1.26%). A.cruentus had the highest protein (4.37 ±0.02%).The fat content of A.hybridus (2.53±0.06%) and A.hypochodriacus (2.63±0.11%) was significantly higher than the other species. The crude fibre content (3.01±0.29%) was similar in all the species. A.dubius had the highest calcium (336.47±0.9mg/100g) and iron (18.64±0.23mg/100g) while A.cruentus was highest in zinc content (1.67±0.03mg/100g).The total phenols content was highest in A.cruentus (3.59±0.01GAE/100mg).Catechins were highest in A.cruentus (7.15±0.63CE/100mg) while quercetin was highest in A.cruentus (14.28±0.86QE/100mg). Conclusion and application of results: More than 50% of the Kenyan population live below the poverty line and lack access to adequate food. The food available food is of poor nutritional value, this causes malnutrition and other nutritional disorders. There is therefore a need to identify nutrient-rich foods that can be produced inexpensively to meet the nutrient requirements of everyone and especially the vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, children and the elderly. Amaranth is drought tolerant, grows fast and is easily cultivated. This study indicates that the Amaranth species found in Kenya are a good source of key nutrients, which can be used in mitigation of malnutrition. A.dubius is a superior source of calcium and iron and can help curb the micronutrient deficiencies in Kenya, while A.cruentus is a superior source of protein and phytochemicals which are important in reducing the risk of chronic diseases which are so rampant in Kenya today.Keywords: A. dubius; A. hybridus and A. cruentus; A. albus and A. hypochondriacus; Nutrient

LEGAL PROTECTION FOR NURSES IN PROVIDING HEALTH SERVICES IN HOSPITALS

Legal protection of nurses in carrying out their profession to provide health services in hospitals, is a very basic thing to maximize the duties of nurses in serving clients / communities. The legal protection has been regulated in various laws and regulations, namely the Health Law, Hospital Law, Health Worker Law, Nursing Law and Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Regulation Number 4 Year 2018 concerning Patient Obligations and Hospital Obligations. However, this legislation only regulates the legal protection of nurses in civil cases, where the actions of nurses are considered detrimental to the client, in criminal cases there is no clear Government policy regarding legal protection for nurses, especially for nurses who have not been proven guilty but have been put in custody because it is suspected of making a mistake or negligence in nursing practice. Keywords: health services, hospitals, legal protection, nurses. DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/83-18 Publication date:March 31st 201

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF HOUSEHOLDS’ INCOME OF OIL PALM AND NON-OIL PALM PLANTATION WORKERS OF KURIPAN SUB-DISTRICT, BARITO KUALA REGENCY, INDONESIA

Oil palm is a commodity expected to contribute significantly to the economy through the plantation industry. This industry has substantial potential to support economic growth and national development, particularly in terms of job creation. Barito Kuala Regency, situated under the provincial government of South Kalimantan, boasts a total oil palm plantation area of 21,582 hectares in 2022, distributed across almost all sub-districts, including Kuripan Sub-District. The presence of the oil palm plantation industry represents a significant opportunity for the local community to become the workforce, leading to a notable impact on the increased income of the surrounding population, especially in terms of household income growth. As indicated by Bangun (2018), the income of the community in Kuripan Sub-District has experienced a higher increase compared to other sectors. Apart from oil palm plantations, land use in Kuripan Sub-District includes settlements, forests, rice fields, and shrubland. Consequently, some communities utilize it for livelihoods beyond the oil palm sector, such as logging for galam wood, rattan harvesting, purun collection, and farming. They consider these activities sufficient to meet their daily household needs. Both the oil palm plantation sector and non-oil palm plantation sector have become the backbone of household livelihoods in Kuripan Sub-District, contributing to household prosperity. This research has the objective to analyze the structure and income differences between households working in oil palm plantations and those in non-oil palm plantations in Kuripan Sub-District, Barito Kuala Regency. The research data consist of primary and secondary data. Sampling was done using a simple random method, resulting in a sample of 79 households. The household income of oil palm plantation and non-oil palm plantation workers was calculated based on their occupations, and an analysis of income differences between the two groups was conducted using the independent sample t-test method. The annual household income of non-oil palm plantation workers is Rp 42,822,913/year, with the husband's income being Rp 34,659,826/year and the wife's income being Rp 8,163,087/year. The structure of household income is organized based on the type of work, with income details from galam wood seekers (64.34%), sand laborers (12.13%), purun craftsmen (9.94%), rattan leaf harvesters (7.50%), farmers (4%), daily casual laborers in oil palm (1.06%), and educators (0.49%). The test results show a probability value (sig.) of 0.002, which is smaller than the significance level of 0.01. Therefore, the conclusion is that there is a difference between the household income of oil palm plantation workers and non-oil palm plantation workers, rejecting H0 and accepting H1

Atmosfera modificada na conservação pós-colheita de Uva 'Centennial Seedless' .

Técnicas como armazenamento refrigerado e uso de atmosfera modificada em uvas são eficientes contra a degrana e a incidência de podridões, problemas que afetam diretamente a qualidade e a conservação pós-colheita das frutas. A cultivar Centennial Seedless apresenta potencial de consumo como uva fina de mesa devido à ausência de sementes. Objetivou-se nesse trabalho verificar o efeito da aplicação de atmosfera modificada passiva, com a utilização de filmes para embalagem na conservação pós-colheita de uvas cv. Centennial Seedless. Os frutos foram colhidos no estádio de casca verde amarelado, transportados, selecionados e acondicionados em diferentes filmes para embalagem: polietileno de baixa densidade (PEBD - 10 e 20 ?m) e polipropileno (PP - 6 e 10 ?m). Frutos não embalados foram utilizados como controle. Os cachos foram armazenados em câmara fria a 1°C e 85-90% UR durante 80 dias, sendo analisados a cada 20 dias, mais três dias a 22°C simulando-se a comercialização. Foram analisados: índice de abscisão das bagas, índice de podridões, desidratação do engaço e índice de escurecimento do engaço. O delineamento experimental adotado foi o inteiramente ao acaso em fatorial 5 x 4 (5 tratamentos e 4 períodos de armazenamento). Foram utilizadas 4 repetições de 3 cachos por tratamento. Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância e as médias foram comparadas pelo teste da diferença mínima significativa (p<0,05). Valores baixos de abscisão de bagas (3%) foram encontrados nos frutos embalados com o filme PP durante o armazenamento. A amostra controle foi a que apresentou maiores índices de podridão em todos os períodos avaliados. A desidratação do engaço foi semelhante nos tratamentos com embalagem nos períodos de comercialização simulada. As embalagens foram eficientes contra o escurecimento do engaço. Os resultados mostraram que o filme polipropileno foi o que melhor conservou a qualidade das uvas cv. Centennial Seedless

Preliminary trajectories in dietary behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic: A public health call to action to face obesity

The world is currently struggling to face the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), and many countries have imposed lockdowns and recommended quarantine to limit both the spread of the virus and overwhelming demands for medical care. Direct implications include the disruption of work routines, boredom, depression, increased calorie consumption, and other similar harmful effects. The present narrative review article briefly analyzes the preliminary effects of the quarantine lifestyle from the standpoint of dietary habits. In six different databases, we searched for original articles up to 10 August 2020, assessing eating habits among populations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and recorded any change in the intake of major food categories, as well as changes in body weight. The research strategy yielded 364 articles, from which we selected 12 articles that fitted our goal. Our preliminary findings revealed a sharp rise of carbohydrates sources consumption, especially those with a high glycemic index (i.e., homemade pizza, bread, cake, and pastries), as well as more frequent snacks. A high consumption of fruits and vegetables, and protein sources, particularly pulses, was also recorded, although there was no clear peak of increase in the latter. Data concerning the consumption of junk foods lacked consistency, while there was a decreased alcohol intake and fresh fish/seafood consumption. As a possible connection, people gained body weight. Therefore, in the realistic perspective of a continuing global health emergency situation, timely preventive measures are needed to counteract obesity-related behaviors in the long-term, so as to prevent further health complications

Polyphenol enriched diet administration during pregnancy and lactation prevents dysbiosis in ulcerative colitis predisposed littermates

Neonatal colonization of the gastrointestinal tract depends on mother microbiome, thus mother microbiota dysbiosis is transmitted to the offspring during the delivery and shaped by breastmilk characteristics. Here we used a murine model of UC predisposition (Winnie-/-) to evaluate the effects of maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation. Using heterozygous breeders, we obtained both Winnie-/- and C57BL/6 littermates from the same mother and compared their microbiota at weaning and adult age, using a diet enriched with 1% tomato fruit of a line – named Bronze – highly enriched in bioactive polyphenols, or Control tomato. Females received enriched diets two weeks before the beginning of the breeding and never stopped for the following six months. No significant effect was observed in regard to the percentage of Winnie-/- offspring, as with both diets the percentage was about 25% as expected. Winnie littermates from breeders fed with the Bronze-enriched diet showed reduced dysbiosis at 4 weeks of age if compared with Winnie under the Control tomato diet. This effect was then reduced when mice reached adult age. Conversely, the microbiota of C57BL/6 does not change significantly, indicating that fortified mothers-diet significantly contribute to preventing dysbiosis in genetically predisposed offspring, but has mild effects on healthy littermates and adult mice. An overall tendency towards reduced inflammation was underlined by the colon weight and the percentage of Foxp3+ cells reduction in Winnie mice fed with Bronze diet. Control diet did not show similar tendency

Total elemental composition of soils in Sub-Saharan Africa and relationship with soil forming factors

AbstractA thorough understanding of the variation in total soil element concentrations is important especially in the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) soil contexts for agricultural and environmental management at large scale. Fingerprinting of soil elemental composition may form a useful basis for evaluating soils in a way that relates to soil-forming factors and inherent soil functional properties. The objectives of this paper are to quantify the proportion of variability in total elemental composition by total X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) method of 1074 soil samples from the Africa Soil Information Service (AfSIS) Project baseline and to determine the relationships with soil forming factors. The samples were from 34 sentinel sites measuring 10×10km, randomized within major climate zones in SSA. Within each sentinel site there were sixteen spatially stratified 1km2 clusters, within which there were ten 100m2 plots. The within and between site patterns of variation in total element composition of 17 elements; Al, P, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Sr, Y, Ta, and Pb, were explored. Total element concentration values were within the range reported globally for soil Cr, Mn, Zn, Ni, V, Sr, and Y and higher than reported range for Al, Cu, Ta, Pb, and Ga. There were significant variations (P<0.05) in total element composition within and between the sites for all the elements analyzed with the greatest proportion of total variance and number of significant variance components occurring at the site (55–88%) followed by the cluster nested within site (10–40%) levels. The explorations of the relationships between element composition data and site factors using Random Forest regression demonstrated that soil-forming factors have important influence on total elemental composition in the soil. The fact that the soil-forming factors are related to the concentration of naturally occurring elements in the soil gives rise to the notion that they might be predicted from the soils' element composition. Results implied that >70% of variation in soil element composition patterns can be predicted using information in existing databases or readily observable features. Successful use of TXRF technique would open up possibilities for using total soil elemental composition fingerprints as a useful basis for characterizing soils in a way that relates to soil-forming factors and inherent soil functional properties