Problematising Local Indigenous Community Research

This book deliberates on developments related to Knowledge Pathing: Multi-, Inter- and Trans-Disciplining in Social Sciences. The book explores the value of this vexed concept in advancing the course for multi-, inter- and trans-disciplinary perspectives, methodologies, theories and epistemologies of knowledge pathing. The discourse on knowledge pathing remains critical in advancing debates and dialogues in the humanities and social sciences spaces of research and studies. This book makes a significant contribution to the scholarly understanding of indigenous knowledge research by focusing on problematising local indigenous community research from Afro-sensed perspectives. The field of indigenous knowledge research and higher education in Africa is complex. Yet, across the continent, higher education has been the sector to least embrace Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) or regard indigenous science as a legitimate source of inspiration for the development of youth and local communities. Higher education institutions and local indigenous communities should thus generate knowledge and power through research. On the other hand, higher education researchers should use their research processes and skills for cross-beneficiation when engaging local indigenous communities. This book embodies the current discourse on decolonisation and the use of indigenous knowledge in research and is intended for research specialists in the field of indigenous knowledge systems

Problematising Local Indigenous Community Research

This book deliberates on developments related to Knowledge Pathing: Multi-, Inter- and Trans-Disciplining in Social Sciences. The book explores the value of this vexed concept in advancing the course for multi-, inter- and trans-disciplinary perspectives, methodologies, theories and epistemologies of knowledge pathing. The discourse on knowledge pathing remains critical in advancing debates and dialogues in the humanities and social sciences spaces of research and studies. This book makes a significant contribution to the scholarly understanding of indigenous knowledge research by focusing on problematising local indigenous community research from Afro-sensed perspectives. The field of indigenous knowledge research and higher education in Africa is complex. Yet, across the continent, higher education has been the sector to least embrace Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) or regard indigenous science as a legitimate source of inspiration for the development of youth and local communities. Higher education institutions and local indigenous communities should thus generate knowledge and power through research. On the other hand, higher education researchers should use their research processes and skills for cross-beneficiation when engaging local indigenous communities. This book embodies the current discourse on decolonisation and the use of indigenous knowledge in research and is intended for research specialists in the field of indigenous knowledge systems

Evaluation of a Peer Network-Based Sexual Risk Reduction Intervention for Men in Beer Halls in Zimbabwe: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial

While much emphasis has been placed on involving men in AIDS prevention in sub-Saharan Africa, there remain few rigorously evaluated interventions in this area. A particularly appealing point of intervention is the sexual risk behavior associated with men’s alcohol consumption. This article reports the outcomes of The Sahwira HIV Prevention Program, a male-focused, peer-based intervention promoting the idea that men can assist their friends in avoiding high-risk sexual encounters associated with alcohol drinking. The intervention was evaluated in a randomized, controlled trial (RCT) implemented in 24 beer halls in Harare, Zimbabwe. A cadre of 413 male beer hall patrons (~20% of the patronage) was trained to assist their male peers within their friendship networks. Activities included one-on-one interactions, small group discussions, and educational events centering on the theme of men helping their male friends avoid risk. Venues were randomized into 12 control versus 12 intervention beer halls with little cross-contamination between study arms. The penetration and impact of the intervention were assessed by pre- and post-intervention cross-sectional surveys of the beer hall patronage. The intervention was implemented with a high degree of fidelity to the protocol, with exposure to the intervention activities significantly higher among intervention patrons compared to control. While we found generally declining levels of risk behavior in both study arms from baseline to post-intervention, we found no evidence of an impact of the intervention on our primary outcome measure: episodes of unprotected sex with non-wife partners in the preceding 6 months (median 5.4 episodes for men at intervention beer halls vs. 5.1 among controls, P = 0.98). There was also no evidence that the intervention reduced other risks for HIV. It remains an imperative to find ways to productively engage men in AIDS prevention, especially in those venues where male bonding, alcohol consumption, and sexual risk behavior are intertwined

Honey, a Gift from Nature to Health and Beauty: A Review

Benefits of honey are contributed by the composition of its elements such as glucose, fructose, glucose oxidase, vitamins and phenolic compounds. For health, honey can be used to treat wounds due to the antibacterial activity conferred by the hydrogen peroxide produced by glucose oxidase in honey. Anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, deodorizing and tissue regeneration activities in honey also help in the wound healing process. It can also be an alternative sweetener for diabetic patients to ensure compliance to a healthy diet. Moreover, honey exerts several effects such as lowering low density lipids and increasing high density lipids, thus reducing risk of atherosclerosis. In terms of beauty, honey can be used on skin and hair. It moisturizes skin through its natural humectant properties contributed by high contents of fructose and glucose. Honey treats acne on the skin due to its antibacterial activity, anti-inflammatory action and tissue repair. The hair can benefit from honey in such a way that the hair has abundance, and becomes easier to comb. However, there have not been as many studies regarding the use of honey in skin in comparison to its use for health. Therefore, future studies on honey could research its use, action and benefits in both cosmetics and dermatology

Water absorption in relation to fermentation in the colon of the ostrich (Struthio camelus)

The colon is a major site for fermentation and water absorption in the ostrich. Water absorption along the colon was evaluated and its relationship to osmolality, Na+ concentration, short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentration and carbohydrate content of digesta analysed. Mean water content decreased from 5.30±0.99 to 2.51±0.13 ml/g dry mass in the first 5 m of the colon. Correspondingly, mean carbohydrate content fell from 529.85±46.61 to 434.99±29.89 mg/g dry mass. A significant correlation was shown between the decreases in mean carbohydrate and water content along the colon (r²=0.997, P<0.05). Changes in mean osmolality (±10 mOsm/kg) and SCFA concentration (±7 mmol/l) were minimal in comparison to the change in Na+ concentration (-54 mmol/l). These findings reflect a close coupling between SCFA production and absorption on the one hand and water absorption on the other.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat v.9 was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format

Variability of Spontaneous Ca2+ Release Between Different Rat Ventricular Myocytes Is Correlated with Na+-Ca2+ Exchange and [Na+]i

Abstract We have studied the factors responsible for the variation of the frequency of “waves” caused by spontaneous Ca 2+ release in rat ventricular myocytes. The experiments were performed in isolated myocytes using the fluorescent indicators Indo-1 (to measure [Ca 2+ ] i ) and SBFI (to measure [Na + ] i ). After electrical stimulation (either with action potentials or voltage-clamp pulses), some cells showed spontaneous Ca 2+ release. The frequency of this release, where present, was variable. The Ca 2+ content of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was measured by applying caffeine (10 mmol/L). The resulting increase of [Ca 2+ ] i activated the electrogenic Na + -Ca 2+ exchange, and the integral of this current was used to estimate the Ca 2+ content of the SR. The SR Ca 2+ content was significantly higher in cells that oscillated at high rates (&gt;10·min −1 ) than in those that were quiescent. The rate of removal of Ca 2+ from the cytoplasm by non-SR mechanisms was measured by adding caffeine (10 mmol/L) and measuring the rate constant of decay of the resulting increase of [Ca 2+ ] i . Cells that had a high rate constant of decay of [Ca 2+ ] i had a low frequency of oscillations. Measurements of [Na + ] i showed a positive correlation between the frequency of spontaneous SR Ca 2+ release and [Na + ] i . After cessation of stimulation, there was a gradual decrease of [Na + ] i , which was correlated with a parallel decrease of the frequency of oscillation rate. We conclude that the variability of frequency of spontaneous SR Ca 2+ release is due to variations of the rate of Ca 2+ removal from the cell, which are probably due to Na + -Ca 2+ exchange. The variability of Na + -Ca 2+ exchange rate, in turn, is likely to result from variations of [Na + ] i . </jats:p