Thinking the Aid and Care Relationship from the Standpoint of Disability: Stakes and Ambiguities

Editorial of a special issue of Alter.International audienceThis article is the editorial of the first of two special issues of Alter Journal about care and disability. The two special issues of the journal Alter on the topic of “care and disability” aim to extend the debate and dialogue begun between these different schools of thought on the nature of the aid relationship, its effects on the description and definition of people (aid providers and aid receivers), and on the inherent ambiguities and tensions. They analyse the debates between disability studies and the ethics of care

The study and use of traditional knowledge in agroecological contexts

The importance of researching and maintaining traditional knowledge is a concern within contemporary academic debates and public policies. Scientist of different disciplines have recognized this importance, indicating this is a broader interdisciplinary issue. Specifically, within the field of agroecological science, the concept of traditional knowledge is basic to the analysis of agroecosystems. This essay aims to analyze, within scientific papers, the approaches to traditional knowledge through agroecological studies. First, insights from traditional knowledge studies in socio-ecological systems are presented as a wider view. Secondly, papers that illustrate agroecological approach to traditional knowledge and the usage of participative research methodologies are systematically reviewed to the forward development of five propositions: 1) traditional knowledge dynamics, 2) importance of traditional knowledge and professional’s ethics, 3) methodologies used for traditional knowledge gathering, 4) subjects of study in agroecological and traditional knowledge studies and 5) the integration of traditional knowledge with scientific knowledge.The importance of researching and maintaining traditional knowledge is a concern within contemporary academic debates and public policies. Scientist of different disciplines have recognized this importance, indicating this is a broader interdisciplinary issue. Specifically, within the field of agroecological science, the concept of traditional knowledge is basic to the analysis of agroecosystems. This essay aims to analyze, within scientific papers, the approaches to traditional knowledge through agroecological studies. First, insights from traditional knowledge studies in socio-ecological systems are presented as a wider view. Secondly, papers that illustrate agroecological approach to traditional knowledge and the usage of participative research methodologies are systematically reviewed to the forward development of five propositions: 1) traditional knowledge dynamics, 2) importance of traditional knowledge and professional’s ethics, 3) methodologies used for traditional knowledge gathering, 4) subjects of study in agroecological and traditional knowledge studies and 5) the integration of traditional knowledge with scientific knowledge

Estudio y uso del conocimiento tradicional en contextos agroecológicos

The importance of researching and maintaining traditional knowledge is a concern within contemporary academic debates and public policies. Scientist of different disciplines have recognized this importance, indicating this is a broader interdisciplinary issue. Specifically, within the field of agroecological science, the concept of traditional knowledge is basic to the analysis of agroecosystems. This essay aims to analyze, within scientific papers, the approaches to traditional knowledge through agroecological studies. First, insights from traditional knowledge studies in socio-ecological systems are presented as a wider view. Secondly, papers that illustrate agroecological approach to traditional knowledge and the usage of participative research methodologies are systematically reviewed to the forward development of five propositions: 1) traditional knowledge dynamics, 2) importance of traditional knowledge and professional’s ethics, 3) methodologies used for traditional knowledge gathering, 4) subjects of study in agroecological and traditional knowledge studies and 5) the integration of traditional knowledge with scientific knowledge.La importancia de investigar y preservar el conocimiento tradicional es una preocupación dentro de los debates académicos contemporáneos y para los hacedores de políticas públicas. Científicos de diferentes disciplinas han reconocido esta importancia, indicando que este es un tema interdisciplinario más amplio. Específicamente, dentro del campo de la ciencia agroecológica, el concepto de conocimiento tradicional es básico para el análisis de los agroecosistemas. Este ensayo pretende analizar, dentro de los artículos científicos, los enfoques del conocimiento tradicional a través de estudios agroecológicos. En primer lugar, las ideas de los estudios del conocimiento tradicional en sistemas socio ecológicos se presentan como una visión más amplia. En segundo lugar, los artículos que ilustran el enfoque agroecológico del conocimiento tradicional y el uso de metodologías de investigación participativa son revisados sistemáticamente para el desarrollo de cinco proposiciones: 1) dinámica del conocimiento tradicional, 2) importancia del conocimiento tradicional y ética profesional, 3) metodologías utilizadas para la recopilación de conocimiento, 4) temas abordados en estudios de conocimiento agroecológico y tradicional y 5) la integración del conocimiento tradicional con el conocimiento científico.Fil: Alzate, Carolina. Universidad de Brasilia.Fil: Mertens, Frédéric. Universidad de Brasilia.Fil: Fillion, Myriam. Université Téluq (Canadá)Fil: Rozin, Aviram. Sadhana Forest (India

Supporting Inuit Food Security: A Synthesis of Initiatives in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Northwest Territories

Food insecurity among Indigenous Peoples of northern Canada is a significant public health issue that is exacerbated by changing social and environmental conditions. While a patchwork of programs, strategies and polices exist, the extent to which they address all “pillars” of food security (food availability, access, quality, and utilization) remains under-assessed. We respond to this gap by providing a framework for synthesizing and assessing information about food security initiatives, using a case study of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR), the westernmost Inuit region of Canada. Our objectives are: (1) to identify existing initiatives in the ISR; (2) to assess the breadth and diversity of these initiatives in addressing the four key food security “pillars”; and (3) to present an analytical framework that will facilitate ongoing data updating and sharing in the ISR and elsewhere. Through a scoping review and direct consultation with 12 key informants, we identified 30 initiatives that support food security in the ISR. These are funded and implemented at a range of national, territorial, regional, and local levels, and include both governmental and non-governmental programs, strategic frameworks, and research and monitoring initiatives. Seven key themes emerged from the cross-scale analysis of these initiatives, including: orientation with respect to food security pillars, scope and scale, demographic targeting, funding, monitoring and evaluation, and implications for food security strategies. While our framework provides a useful tool for data synthesis and analysis, its outputs can help in identifying gaps and opportunities for both resource allocation and program and policy development for under-served communities. Significantly, this study highlights the importance of engaging local perspectives in the development of coordinated approaches to address Inuit food insecurity

Biomarkers of Methylmercury Exposure Immunotoxicity among Fish Consumers in Amazonian Brazil

Background: Mercury (Hg) is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant with neurodevelopmental and immune system effects. An informative biomarker of Hg-induced immunotoxicity could aid studies on the potential contribution to immune-related health effects

Development of a strategic plan for food security and safety in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Canada

Background. Current social and environmental changes in the Arctic challenge the health and well-being of its residents. Developing evidence-informed adaptive measures in response to these changes is a priority for communities, governments and researchers. Objectives. To develop strategic planning to promote food security and food safety in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR), Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada. Design. A qualitative study using group discussions during a workshop. Methods. A regional workshop gathered Inuit organizations and community representatives, university-based researchers from the Inuit Health Survey (IHS) and NWT governmental organizations. Discussions were structured around the findings from the IHS. For each key area, programs and activities were identified and prioritized by group discussion and voting. Results. The working group developed a vision for future research and intervention, which is to empower communities to promote health, well-being and environmental sustainability in the ISR. The group elaborated missions for the region that address the following issues: (a) capacity building within communities; (b) promotion of the use of traditional foods to address food security; (c) research to better understand the linkages between diseases and contaminants in traditional foods, market foods and lifestyle choices; (d) and promotion of affordable housing. Five programs to address each key area were developed as follows: harvest support and traditional food sharing; education and promotion; governance and policy; research; and housing. Concrete activities were identified to guide future research and intervention projects. Conclusions. The results of the planning workshop provide a blueprint for future research and intervention projects.ArcticNe

The role of strong-tie social networks in mediating food security of fish resources by a traditional riverine community in the Brazilian Amazon

Social networks are a significant way through which rural communities that manage resources under common property regimes obtain food resources. Previous research on food security and social network analysis has mostly focused on egocentric network data or proxy variables for social networks to explain how social relations contribute to the different dimensions of food security. Whole-network approaches have the potential to contribute to former studies by revealing how individual social ties aggregate into complex structures that create opportunities or constraints to the sharing and distribution of food resources. We used a whole-network approach to investigate the role of network structure in contributing to the four dimensions of food security: food availability, access, utilization, and stability. For a case study of a riparian community from the Brazilian Amazon that is dependent on fish as a key element of food security, we mapped the community strong-tie network among 97% of the village population over 14 years old (n = 336) by integrating reciprocated friendship and occupational ties, as well as close kinship relationships. We explored how different structural properties of the community network contribute to the understanding of (1) the availability of fish as a community resource, (2) community access to fish as a dietary resource, (3) the utilization of fish for consumption in a way that allows the villagers to maximize nutrition while at the same time minimizing toxic risks associated with mercury exposure, and (4) the stability of the fish resources in local ecosystems as a result of cooperative behaviors and community-based management. The contribution of whole-network approaches to the study of the links between community-based natural resource management and food security were discussed in the context of recent social-ecological changes in the Amazonian region

No evidence of selenosis from a selenium-rich diet in the Brazilian Amazon

Selenium (Se) is an essential element and a well-known anti-oxidant. In the Lower Tapajos River region of the Brazilian Amazon, biomarkers of Se range from normal to very high. The local traditional diet includes important Se sources such as Brazil nuts, chicken, game meat and certain fish species. Some studies have reported alterations in keratin structure, gastrointestinal problems and paresthesia in populations with high Se intake. The objective of the present study was to evaluate cutaneous and garlic odor of the breath signs and sentinel symptoms of Se toxicity (selenosis) in relation to Se status in communities along the Tapajos River. Participants (N = 448), aged 15-87 years, were recruited from 12 communities. Se concentrations were measured in blood (B-Se) and plasma (P-Se) by ICP-MS. A nurse performed an examination of the hair, nails, skin and breath for signs of Se toxicity. Interview-administered questionnaires were used to collect information on socio-demographics, medical history and possible symptoms of Se toxicity. In this population, the median levels of B-Se and P-Se were 228.4 mu g/L (range 103.3-1500.2 mu g/L) and 134.8 mu g/L (range 53.6-913.2 mu g/L) respectively. Although B-Se and P-Se surpassed concentrations considered toxic (B-Se: 1000 mu g/L (U.S. EPA, 2002)), no dermal or breath signs or symptoms of Se toxicity were associated with the biomarkers of Se status. In the present study population, where Se intake is mostly from traditional diet, there is no evidence of selenosis. These findings support the need to re-assess Se toxicity considering factors such as the chemical form of Se exposure, route of exposure (inhaled versus ingested), co-exposures to toxic elements such as mercury. Considering the current food transition towards a western diet in the Amazon, further studies should address the possible association between high Se status and cardiometabolic health in this study population. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Canadian Institutes of Health ResearchFundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao PauloCanadian Natural Sciences and Engineering CouncilInternational Development Research Centr

Selenium and Mercury in the Brazilian Amazon: Opposing Influences on Age-Related Cataracts

BACKGROUND: Age-related cataracts (ARCs) are an important cause of blindness in developing countries. Although antioxidants may be part of the body's defense to prevent ARC, environmental contaminants may contribute to cataractogenesis. In fish-eating populations of the lower Tapajos region, elevated exposure to mercury (Hg) has been reported, and blood levels of selenium (Se) range from normal to very high (> 1,000 mu g/L). OBJECTIVES: We examined ARCs in relation to these elements among adults (>= 40 years of age) from 12 riverside communities. METHODS: Participants (n = 211) provided blood samples and underwent an extensive ocular examination. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to assess Hg and Se in blood and plasma. RESULTS: One-third (n = 69; 32.7%) of the participants had ARC. Lower plasma Se (P-Se; < 25th percentile, 110 mu g/L) and higher blood Hg (B-Hg; >= 25th percentile, 25 mu g/L) were associated with a higher prevalence odds ratio (POR) of ARC [adjusted POR (95% confidence interval), 2.69 (1.11-6.56) and 4.45 (1.43-13.83), respectively]. Among participants with high P-Se, we observed a positive but nonsignificant association with high B-Hg exposure, whereas among those with low B-Hg, we observed no association for P-Se. However, compared with the optimum situation (high P-Se, low B-Hg), the POR for those with low P-Se and high B-Hg was 16.4 (3.0-87.9). This finding suggests a synergistic effect. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that persons in this population with elevated Hg, the cataractogenic effects of Hg may be offset by Se. Because of the relatively small sample size and possible confounding by other dietary nutrients, additional studies with sufficient power to assess multiple nutrient and toxic interactions are required to confirm these findings.Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Canadian Natural Sciences and Engineering Council (NSERC)International Development Research Centre (IDRC) - Canad