Social contact structures and time use patterns in the Manicaland Province of Zimbabwe.

BACKGROUND: Patterns of person-to-person contacts relevant for infectious diseases transmission are still poorly quantified in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where socio-demographic structures and behavioral attitudes are expected to be different from those of more developed countries. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a diary-based survey on daily contacts and time-use of individuals of different ages in one rural and one peri-urban site of Manicaland, Zimbabwe. A total of 2,490 diaries were collected and used to derive age-structured contact matrices, to analyze time spent by individuals in different settings, and to identify the key determinants of individuals' mixing patterns. Overall 10.8 contacts per person/day were reported, with a significant difference between the peri-urban and the rural site (11.6 versus 10.2). A strong age-assortativeness characterized contacts of school-aged children, whereas the high proportion of extended families and the young population age-structure led to a significant intergenerational mixing at older ages. Individuals spent on average 67% of daytime at home, 2% at work, and 9% at school. Active participation in school and work resulted the key drivers of the number of contacts and, similarly, household size, class size, and time spent at work influenced the number of home, school, and work contacts, respectively. We found that the heterogeneous nature of home contacts is critical for an epidemic transmission chain. In particular, our results suggest that, during the initial phase of an epidemic, about 50% of infections are expected to occur among individuals younger than 12 years and less than 20% among individuals older than 35 years. CONCLUSIONS: With the current work, we have gathered data and information on the ways through which individuals in SSA interact, and on the factors that mostly facilitate this interaction. Monitoring these processes is critical to realistically predict the effects of interventions on infectious diseases dynamics

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT ILLUMINATION SOURCES ON COLOUR AND OXIDATIVE STABILITY OF SEASONED COPPA DI PARMA PGI

The influence of different lighting durations, lamps and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the colour and oxidative stability of lipids was studied in Coppa di Parma PGI. The samples were stored (4 degrees C) in darkness or lighted by UV-free lamps. In trials 1 and 2, the samples were lighted 24 and 12 h/day, respectively, and were packaged in air. In trial 3, samples were packaged in MA (70% N-2/30% CO2) and lighted 12 h/day. In air, illumination reduced oxidative stability, redness, colour saturation and increased the Hue angle. In MAP, the lighting conditions did not affect colour and oxidative stability. During storage the lipid oxidation increased. Overall, light negatively affected the studied parameters

Determining insurable units for index-based livestock insurance in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia

Department for International Development, United KingdomDepartment of Foreign Affairs and Trade, AustraliaWorld BankUnited States Agency for International Developmen

Strategies to mitigate acrylamide development in bakery products: Effect of asparagine content in flour and tartaric acid addition in biscuit formulation

This paper explores strategies to mitigate acrylamide formation in bakery goods, with a focus on using tartaric acid as an acid neutralizer in biscuit recipes. Initial analyses involved screening the asparagine content in various flours, aiming to encompass a wide range of samples, including those that presented substantial challenges. Subsequently, experimental biscuits were produced with various treatments (tartaric acid addition, steam release during baking, and both steam/acid). Results showed a correlation between asparagine content in flours and acrylamide formation. Tartaric acid was remarkably effective, achieving a 57%-87% reduction in acrylamide production. Colorimetric measurements assessment demonstrated that tartaric acid treatment reduced browning, while the aw (<0.15) was not affected even using steam during cooking. Sensory analysis indicated slight sour taste in acid-treated biscuits, but overall acceptability remained high. Texture analysis revealed improved friability, crucial for preventing oral mucosal lesion, especially in children's products. PCA highlighted the impact of treatments on variables like acrylamide content, color, water activity, and sensory attributes. The study suggests that using tartaric acid as a neutralizing agent is a solid strategy to mitigate acrylamide without compromising sensory qualities in biscuits. Further research will include exploring other acids, optimal dosage, and variations in flour composition