Examining Agency in Agriculture: The Feminization Debate in Nepal

This paper examines the nature of the feminization of agriculture, and factors influencing the phenomenon in citrus producing pocket areas of Sindhuli district in Central Nepal. Presenting the intra-household division of work in agriculture among better-off family members in rural farms, emerging themes from narratives of women farmers’ lived-experience as farmers are discussed. Based on the narratives, this paper explores how household members’ everyday lifestyles regarding agriculture and non-agriculture shape their lives differently. Outlining the problematic of gendered agricultural engagement, three in-depth case analyses of farm families have been presented through data collected from narratives and participant observation as part of ethnographic study. These case studies highlight how women attribute economic and non-economic rationales for their life choices, using agency as an analytical lens. Finally, given the choice dilemma individuals face to reshape their lives, this paper shows how and why women farmers’ socially ascribed responsibility for livestock rearing spurs the feminization debate. It also demonstrates the need to further explore the extent of livestock feminization to the pattern of gendered mobility and non-mobility

Comparison of different cereal grains for hydroponic fodder production in locally constructed polyhouse at Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal

Hydroponic fodder production technology involves an intensive method of quality fodder production in less space and in a shorter duration. An experiment was conducted to compare the different cereal grains under hydroponic fodder production for the fodder yield, fodder quality, and per unit production cost in a locally constructed polyhouse. Maize (Zea mays L.), oat (Avena sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were evaluated as the treatments. The experiment was carried out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 12 replications at National Pasture and Fodder Research Program in July 2017 and July 2018. The observations were taken on plant morphological characters, fodder yield (including root mat), fodder nutrient composition and expenses in variable costs. The results of the study showed that the fodder yield varied significantly (P<0.05) for different cereal grains. The hydroponic fodder yields from each kg grain were recorded higher in fodder oat (7.96 kg) compared to wheat (6.76 kg) and maize (5.32 kg). Similarly, the crude protein (CP) content of the fodder was higher in wheat (16.16%) compared to oat (13.96%) and maize (12.51%). The cost of hydroponic maize, oat and wheat fodder production were obtained as recorded NPR 20.64, 24.67 and 18.76 per kg, respectively

Income Distribution in Jamaica

Since independence in 1962, Jamaica has witnessed changes in the physical and human capital stocks, taxation policies, production technology, household structure and even the general economic system. The percentage of illiterate population declined from 16 percent in 1960 to less than 5 percent by the late 70\u27s and per capita disposable income (nominal) has more than doubled (The Statistical Institute, 1982). Bauxite and sugar, both major sources of foreign exchange, are in economic difficulty caused by declining world prices of aluminum and sugar. These and many other factors, including changes in political institutions in Jamaica, may have resulted in a redistribution of income among households since 1960

Hypoglycemic effect of Aemotoxylon campechanum on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats

Aemotoxylon campechanumの血糖降下作用をSTZ誘発糖尿病ラットを用いて検討したところ,水エキスが空腹時血糖を有意かつ用量依存的に低下させた。そこで,水エキスをメタノール可溶性フラクション及び水溶性フラクションに分画したところ,メタノール可溶性フラクションがより強い作用を示し,100mg/kgの腹腔内投与で空腹時血糖値を37%低下させた。また,水エキス200mg/kg及びメタノール可溶部100mg/kgは空腹時血糖値を35.1%低下させた陽性コントロールとして用いたtolbutamide(100mg/kg)とbuformin(1mg/kg)の混合物よりも強いものであった。最後に,この活性フラクションの分離を行ない,グアイアン型セスキテルペン5種及びクマリン誘導体1種を単離・同定した。 Hypoglycemic activity of Aemotoxylon campechanum was examined in STZ-induced diabetic rats. The water extract of A. campechanum lowered fasting blood glucose level of STZ-induced diabetic rats significantly and dosedependently. The water extract further divided into MeOH and H_2O-soluble fractions. The MeOH-soluble fraction showed the strongest hypoglycemic effect, which lowered fasting blood glucose level by 37% at a dose of 100 mg/kg (i. p.). The water extract and the MeOH-soluble fraction were found to be more effective in lowering the blood glucose level of diabetic rats than the mixtures of tolbutamide (200 mg/kg) and buformin (1 mg/kg) used as positive control, which lowered blood glucose level by 35.1%. The active fraction led to isolation of five guainane-type sesquiterpenes and a coumarin derivative

Urban Land Governance: “Action Space”, Legitimacy of and Intervention Strategies for Urban Informal Settlements in Nepal

At the global level, the informal settlements are in a dichotomy of legal and illegal debates. This paper analyzes the issue of informal settlements from the legitimacy perspective. It reveals that, although the settlements are not in legal legitimacy, there is tendency of social legitimacy. The challenges of urban land governance are in how to minimize the gap between legal legitimacy and social legitimacy. Firstly, this paper explores on how the actions of government and non-government organizations contribute towards legitimacy. To achieve this aim, the analytical framework of “action space” is applied. Secondly, it focuses on identifying intervention strategies that narrow the gap between legal legitimacy and social legitimacy. We studied two cases of informal settlements: the rst is to explore the gap and the second is to explain the intervention strategies. The results show, that due to lack of “action space” of government actors towards legal legitimacy, the civil society actors created their own “action space” which ultimately triggered social legitimacy. In addition to civil society, the actions of local authorities are found to contribute towards social legitimacy as well. To narrow the gap, the identi ed intervention strategies are discussed within the scope of land policy, land tenure security and land development

Division of Natural Products Chemistry

この論文は国立情報学研究所の学術雑誌公開支援事業により電子化されまし

Synthesis and antihepatotoxic and antiproliferative activities of di- and tri-O-caffeoylquinic acid derivatives

Methyl di- and tri-O-caffeoylquinates were synthesized by esterification of methyl quinate with di-O-acetylcaffeoyl chloride, following deprotection of the acetyl groups. Moreover, 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid was synthesized by esterification of quinide with di-O-acetylcaffeoyl chloride, followed by a hydrolysis of product quinide. These synthetic compounds were tested for their hepatoprotective activity on _D-galactosamine (_D-GalN)/tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF- α)-induced cell death in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes, which possessed significant hepatoprotective activity concentration-dependently. The activity was enhanced by the presence of caffeoyl group. On the other hand, they showed only weak antiproliferative activities against murine colon 26-L5 carcinoma, human HT-1080 fibrosarcoma, murine B16-BL6 melanoma, and human lung carcinoma A-549 cells. メチルジおよびトリカフェオイルキネート化合物1-4は,メチルキネート6をジアセチルカフェオイルクロライド7でエステル化した後,アセチル基の脱保護によって合成した。さらに,4,5-ジカフェオイルキナ酸5は,キニド8を7とエステル化して生成したキニド8aの加水分解により合成した。これらの合成した化合物1-5を用いてマウス初代培養肝細胞の_D-GalN/TNF-α誘発肝細胞死における肝保護活性の試験を行ったところ,濃度依存的な肝保護活性が認められた。その活性はカフェオイル基の存在により増強された。一方,これらの化合物1-5はマウス26-L5大腸癌腫,ヒトHT-1080繊維芽肉腫,マウスB16-BL6黒色種,及びヒトA-549肺癌腫に対し弱い細胞増殖抑制活性を示した

Cerebral Palsy among Children Visiting the Outpatient Department of Pediatric Orthopaedics in a Tertiary Care Centre

Introduction: Cerebral palsy is a group of neurological disorders that appear in infancy or early childhood and occur as a result of anomalies in the developing brain that impair the brain's capacity to regulate movement, maintain posture, and maintain balance. Healthcare professionals can better predict the need for the medical, rehabilitative, and support services needed by people with cerebral palsy by using accurate prevalence statistics. The aim of the study was to find out the prevalence of cerebral palsy among children visiting the Outpatient Department of Pediatric Orthopaedics in a tertiary care centre. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among patients visiting the Outpatient Department of Pediatric Orthopaedics in a tertiary care centre. Data from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2019 was collected between 25 April 2023 to 5 May 2023 from medical records after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee. Convenience sampling method was used. The point estimate was calculated at a 95% Confidence Interval. Results: Among 6984 children, the prevalence of cerebral palsy was 545 (7.80%) (7.17-8.43, 95% Confidence Interval). The most common type of cerebral palsy was found to be spastic diplegia 219 (40.18%). Conclusions: The prevalence of cerebral palsy among children visiting the Outpatient Department of Pediatric Orthopaedic was found to be higher than in other studies done in similar settings

Antioxidative and antihepatotoxic principles of Tuocha

沱茶は中国雲南省のアッサム茶の葉を蒸して作られる緊圧茶で,抗老化,コレステロール低下,免疫増強,血圧降下等の作用があると言われている。我々は,DPPHラジカル捕捉活性を指標として成分検索を行ない,得られた成分についてDPPHラジカル捕捉活性と共にD-GalN/TNF-α誘発マウス肝細胞死阻害活性を測定した。その結果,沱茶がフェノール類,リグナン,フラボノイド,フラバン3オール類などの抗酸化成分を多く含む事を明らかにし,それら成分の構造と活性との関係について考察した。 Tuocha is one of the special varieties of fermented compressed tea leaves, praised for its important health benefits, such as anti-aging, lowering cholesterol, enhancing immune function, lowering of blood pressure, reducing heart attacks etc. In the present study, we carried out fractionation and isolation of the active constituents, guided by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. In addition, antioxidative and antihepatotoxic potency on D-galactosamine (D-GalN)/tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced cell death in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes was also examined. Our study revealed that, tuocha is rich in antioxidants such as phenolics, lignans, flavanoides and flavan-3-ols, and showed a good understanding between structure and activity relationship

Inhibitors of nitric oxide (NO) production in murine macrophage-like J774.1 cells from Brazilian propolis

ブラジル産プロポリスの水およびメタノールエキスがLPSで活性化したマウスマクロファージ様J774.1細胞の一酸化窒素(NO)産生を濃度依存的に抑制することを明らかにした。さらに,水エキスの成分検索を行ない17種のフェノール性化合物を単離したが,その中の15化合物はプロポリス水エキスからは初めて単離された化合物であった。また,methylρ-hydroxydihydrocinnamate(9)と1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)butane-1,3-dione(11)のプロポリスからの単離はこれか最初の例である。次いで各化合物のNO阻害活性を測定したところ,ラブダン型ジテルペン,フラボノイド,数種のフェノール性化合物が強いNO阻害活性を示した。特に,coniferyl aldehyde(23 ; IC_50, 18.0μM)とdimeric coniferyl acetate (33 ; IC_50, 27.1μM)は陽性コントロールのNG-monomethyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA ; IC_50, 44.5μM)よりも強い活性を示した。 Water and MeOH extracts of Brazilian propolis showed dose-dependent inhibition toward nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysacchalide (LPS)-activated murine macrophage-like J774.1 cells. From the water extract, 17 phenolic compounds were isolated and among them 15 are new for the water extract of propolis. Moreover, methyl ρ-hydroxydihydrocinnamate (9) and 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)butane-1,3-dione (11) were isolated, for the first time, from propolis. Labdane-type diterpenes, flavonoids and some phenolic compounds possessed potent NO inhibitory activity. Coniferyl aldehyde (23) and dimeric coniferyl acetate (33) showed the strongest NO inhibition with IC_50 values of 18.0 and 27.1 μM, respectively, which were stronger than the positive control, N^G-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA ; IC_50, 44.5 μM)