Support Services to Smallholder Farmers During the 2015-2018 Drought in the Overberg and West Coast Districts, South Africa

The recent 2015 to 2018 drought that hit South Africa negatively affected agricultural communities, the worst being smallholder farmers who generally lack livelihood resources. The study assessed the characteristics of smallholder farmers in two districts in the Western Cape. It explored the roles and effectiveness of public and private sector extension institutions in supporting smallholder farmers during drought periods. The livelihoods approach characterised 100 smallholder farmers from the Overberg and West Coast districts. Atlas.ti software was used to analyse qualitative data. Key variables that determined farmer differentiation included the level of education and livelihood trajectories. Access to markets and credit enabled improved livelihoods. The findings also revealed that the government continues to be reactive to drought disasters and only focuses on the immediate needs of relief for farmers, which in most circumstances was too late and insufficient. Implementing the Norms and Standards for Agricultural Extension Services and the Extension Recovery Plan enhanced the effectiveness of extension services. The private sector should be encouraged to comply equally with the legal framework for extension services. It is recommended that the South African government should empower and promote rigorous public-private partnerships that aim to improve service delivery

Does intraoperative fluoroscopic 3D imaging provide extra information for fracture surgery?

Fracture surgery of the extremities using 2D fluoroscopy frequently fails to detect the suboptimal positioning of implants and joint incongruities. The use of intraoperative 3D-rotational X-ray (3D-RX) imaging with a new X-ray device potentially reveals these failures. We compared 50 intraoperative (2D) results of surgery and certainty about the effectiveness of different aspects of fracture reduction as interpreted from conventional (2D) methods versus intraoperative 3D-RX in 42 distal extremity fractures by means of a surgery questionnaire. In addition, we investigated the need for revision surgery based on postoperative radiological findings in 81 patients. After fracture reduction, just before a 3D-RX scan, the surgeon preoperatively assessed the result of surgery. Three months after surgery, the 3D-RX scan was judged by three experienced surgeons independently. Intraoperative 3D-RX showed significantly more information as to screw positioning and rotation of the fracture reduction than the conventional method (p <0.005). None of the 81 patients in whom 3D-RX was performed needed surgical revision based on postoperative radiological examinations. Intraoperative 3D-RX with this new device scanning offers additional information about extremity fracture reduction as compared to conventional intraoperative 2D imaging, and may reduce the need for revision surgery. The value of 3D-RX on functional outcomes still needs to be assesse

In-vivo three-dimensional carpal bone kinematics during flexion-extension and radio-ulnar deviation of the wrist: Dynamic motion versus step-wise static wrist positions

An in-vivo approach to the measurement of three-dimensional motion patterns of carpal bones in the wrist may have future diagnostic applications, particularly for ligament injuries of the wrist. Static methods to measure carpal kinematics in-vivo only provide an approximation of the true kinematics of the carpal bones. This Study is aimed at finding the difference between dynamically and statically acquired carpal kinematics. For eight healthy subjects, static and a dynamic measurements of the carpal kinematics were performed for a flexion-extension and a radio-ulnar deviation movement. Dynamic scans were acquired by using a four-dimensional X-ray imaging system during an imposed cyclic motion. To assess static kinematics of the wrists, three-dimensional rotational X-ray scans were acquired during step-wise flexion-extension and radio-ulnar deviation. The helical axis rotations and the rotation components. i.e. flexion-extension, radio-ulnar deviation and pro-supination were the primary parameters. Linear mixed model statistical analysis was used to determine the significance of the difference between the dynamically and statically acquired rotations of the carpal bones. Small and in most cases negligible differences were observed between the dynamic motion and the step-wise static motion of the carpal bones. The conclusion is that in the case of individuals without any pathology of the wrist, carpal kinematics can be studied either dynamically or statically. Further research is required to investigate the dynamic in-vivo carpal kinematics in patients with dynamic wrist problems. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserve