Main-streaming participatory and cross-disciplinary approaches in animal science research in developing countries

Conventional research approaches have lost considerable momentum after their astonishing achieve-ments during the green revolution. The negative side of focusing rigorously on production improve-ment was eminent around 1980 and led to considerations of environmental, gender and equity aspects - making agricultural development much more complex than previously. In the search for new ways of addressing the persisting problems of food insecurity and malnutrition, new ways should be explored. Based on the experiences from three international, African research projects, the article argues the case of participatory action research and cross-disciplinarity as some of the key elements in future animal science research in developing countries. The benefits are outlined as well as the challenges for the researchers and the donor agencies

Potential toxicity of some traditional leafy vegetables consumed in Nyang’oma division, western Kenya

Traditional leafy vegetables are those plants whose leaves or aerial parts have been integrated in a community’s culture for use as food over a long span of time. These vegetables are highly recommended due to their relatively high nutritional value  compared to the introduced varieties, and are also important in food security. Qualitative phytochemical screening, using  standard laboratory procedure, was carried out for alkaloids, saponins, cardenolides, flavonoids and polyphenols on traditional  leafy vegetables consumed amongst the Luo, an agro-pastoral community living along the shores of lake Victoria, Western  Kenya. The vegetables were: Amaranthus hybridus L. (subsp.hybridus), Asystasia mysorensis T. Anderson, Coccinia grandis (L) Voigt, Crotalaria ochroleuca (Kotschy) Polhill, Cucurbita maxima Duchesne ex Lam, Portulaca quadrifida L., Sesamum calycimum Welw. var. angustifolium (Oliv.) Ihlenf. and Siedenst., Senna occidentalis L. and Sida acuta Burm. F. All the vegetables were found to contain polyphenols and flavanoids while other classes of phytochemicals varied from species to species Brine shrimp lethality tests  revealed that S. calycimum var. angustifolium (LC50 84.8 μg/ml), S. occidentalis (LC5099.5 μg/ml), S. acuta (LC50 99.4 μg/ml), C. grandis (LC50  100.6 μg/ml) and A. mysorensis (LC50 207.7 μg/ml) exhibited marked levels of toxicity. C. ochroleuca (Sunnhemp) contained all the five classes of  phytochemicals, but proved less toxic (LC50 4511.3 μg/ml). This vegetable is highly utilized in Nyang’oma, and seventy per cent of the respondents consume this species. A. hybridus (African spinach, or Amaranth) was found to be the least toxic (LC50 6233.6 μg/ml) and this vegetable is recommended for consumption. From the results, five vegetables contain possible agents that can cause acute or chronic toxicities when consumed in large quantities or over a long period of  time. Hence some vegetables should be consumed with great care. Though further studies are required to determine which of the phytochemicals are lethal to mammals.Key words: Traditional vegetables, phytochemicals, toxicity, Luo, Nyang’om

Available data sources for monitoring non-communicable diseases and their risk factors in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Health information systems for monitoring chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in South Africa (SA) are relatively less advanced than those for infectious diseases (particularly tuberculosis and HIV) and for maternal and child health. NCDs are now the largest cause of premature mortality owing to exposure to risk factors arising from obesity that include physical inactivity and accessible, cheap but unhealthy diets. The National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases 2013 - 17 developed by the SA National Department of Health outlines targets and monitoring priorities. OBJECTIVES: To assess data sources relevant for monitoring NCDs and their risk factors by identifying the strengths and weaknesses, including usability and availability, of surveys and routine systems focusing at national and certain sub-national levels. METHODS: Publicly available survey and routine data sources were assessed for variables collected, their characteristics, frequency of data collection, geographical coverage and data availability. RESULTS: Survey data sources were found to be quite different in the way data variables are collected, their geographical coverage and also availability, while the main weakness of routine data sources was poor quality of data. CONCLUSIONS: To provide a sound basis for monitoring progress of NCDs and related risk factors, we recommend harmonising and strengthening available SA data sources in terms of data quality, definitions, categories used, timeliness, disease coverage and biomarker measurement

Water mass transformation in the Greenland Sea during the 1990s

Time series of hydrographic and transient tracer measurements were used to study the variability of Greenland Sea water mass transformation between 1991 and 2000. Increases in tracer inventories indicate active renewal of Greenland Sea Intermediate Water (GSIW) at a rate of 0.1 to 0.2 Sv (1 Sv = 1 × 106 m3 s−1) (10-year average). A temperature maximum (Tmax) was established at the base of the upper layer (500 m) as a consequence of anomalously strong freshwater input into the near-surface layer at the beginning of the 1990s. Tmax rapidly descended to 1500 m by 1995 followed by a much slower rate of descent. GSIW became warmer and less saline compared to the 1980s. During the deepening phase of Tmax, atmospheric data revealed above-average wind stress curl and oceanic heat loss. In addition, high Arctic Ocean sea-ice export and lack of local sea-ice formation have been documented for that period. A combination of all these factors may have evoked the renewal of GSIW with anomalously freshwater from the upper layers. The Tmax layer established a stability maximum that inhibits vertical exchange between intermediate and deeper waters. Temperature and salinity of deep waters continued to increase at rates of 0.01°C yr−1 and 0.001 yr−1, respectively. However, since 1993, decrease in and homogenization of deep water transient tracer concentrations indicate that renewal occurred predominantly by addition of Arctic Ocean waters. In 2000 the water column (500 m to 3400 m) required an additional 60 W m−2 (110 W m−2) over the annual mean heat loss to restore its heat content to 1989 (1971) values

Intestinal parasitic infections in schoolchildren in different settings of Côte d'Ivoire : effect of diagnostic approach and implications for control

BACKGROUND: Social-ecological systems govern parasitic infections in humans. Within the frame of assessing the accuracy of a rapid diagnostic test for Schistosoma mansoni in Cote d'Ivoire, three different endemicity settings had to be identified and schoolchildren's intestinal parasitic infection profiles were characterized. METHODS: In September 2010, a rapid screening was conducted in 11 schools in the Azaguie district, south Cote d'Ivoire. In each school, 25 children were examined for S. mansoni and S. haematobium. Based on predefined schistosome endemicity levels, three settings were selected, where schoolchildren aged 8-12 years were asked to provide three stool and three urine samples for an in-depth appraisal of parasitic infections. Triplicate Kato-Katz thick smears were prepared from each stool sample for S. mansoni and soil-transmitted helminth diagnosis, whereas urine samples were subjected to a filtration method for S. haematobium diagnosis. Additionally, a formol-ether concentration method was employed on one stool sample for the diagnosis of helminths and intestinal protozoa. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to analyse associations between schoolchildren's parasitic infections, age, sex and study setting. RESULTS: The prevalences of S. mansoni and S. haematobium infections in the initial screening ranged from nil to 88% and from nil to 56%, respectively. The rapid screening in the three selected areas revealed prevalences of S. mansoni of 16%, 33% and 78%. Based on a more rigorous diagnostic approach, the respective prevalences increased to 92%, 53% and 33%. S. haematobium prevalences were 0.8%, 4% and 65%. Prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma spp., soil-transmitted helminths and intestinal protozoan infections showed setting-specific patterns. Infections with two or more species concurrently were most common in the rural setting (84%), followed by the peri-urban (28.3%) and urban setting (18.2%). CONCLUSIONS: More sensitive diagnostic tools or rigorous sampling approaches are needed to select endemicity settings with high fidelity. The observed small-scale heterogeneity of helminths and intestinal protozoan infections has important implications for contro