Between tradition and modernity: Girls' talk about sexual relationships and violence in Kenya, Ghana and Mozambique

This paper interrogates the influence of a tradition-modernity dichotomy on perspectives and practices on sexual violence and sexual relationships involving girls in three districts of Kenya, Ghana and Mozambique. Through deploying an analytical framework of positioning within multiple discursive sites, we argue that although the dichotomy misrepresents the complexity of contemporary communities, it is nonetheless deployed by girls, educational initiatives, and researchers in their reflections on girls’ sexual practices and sexual violence. The analysis examines variations between communities in patterns of and perspectives about sexual relationships, transactional sex and sexual violence. It illuminates ways in which features of ‘modernisation’ and ‘tradition’ both exacerbate and protect girls from violence. Across contexts, girls actively positioned themselves between tradition and modernity, while positioning others at the extreme poles. Education initiatives also invoked bipolar positions in their attempts to protect girls’ rights to education and freedom from violence. The paper concludes by considering the implications for educational intervention and the potential for the analytical framing to generate richer, more contextualised understandings about girls’ perspectives, experiences and ways of resisting sexual violence

Making meaning from data on school-related gender-based violence by examining discourse and practice: insights from a mixed methodology study in Ghana and Mozambique

Efforts to address school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) globally are hampered by conceptual and methodological difficulties in capturing meaningful data needed to inform policy and practice. Whilst the emphases of influential studies tend to be on measuring practice of violence, the authors investigate whether they can develop a more meaningful analysis that incorporates attention to both discourse and practice. They do this by examining data collected through a five-year mixed-methods study assessing change in SRGBV in Ghana and Mozambique. The analysis reveals how in the two quite different contexts there were different discursive emphases and in turn practices which were invisible in the SRGBV disclosure data. They identify how both quantitative and qualitative data contribute to understanding changing gender violence in ways that can be illuminating. It is by understanding the interplay between discourse and practice that can really help us understand ‘what works’ to address SRGBV

Burden and severity of children's hospitalizations by respiratory syncytial virus in Portugal, 2015-2018

Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) in young children and is of considerable burden on healthcare systems. Our study aimed to evaluate ALRI hospitalizations related to RSV in children in Portugal. Methods We reviewed hospitalizations potentially related to RSV in children aged <5 years from 2015 to 2018, using anonymized administrative data covering all public hospital discharges in mainland Portugal. Three case definitions were considered: (a) RSV-specific, (b) (a) plus unspecified acute bronchiolitis (RSV-specific & Bronchiolitis), and (c) (b) plus unspecified ALRI (RSV-specific & ALRI). Results A total of 9697 RSV-specific hospitalizations were identified from 2015 to 2018—increasing to 26 062 for RSV-specific & ALRI hospitalizations—of which 74.7% were during seasons 2015/2016–2017/2018 (November–March). Mean hospitalization rates per season were, for RSV-specific, RSV-specific & Bronchiolitis, and RSV-specific & ALRI, respectively, 5.6, 9.4, and 11.8 per 1000 children aged <5 years and 13.4, 22.5, and 25.9 in children aged <2 years. Most RSV-specific hospitalizations occurred in healthy children (94.9%) and in children aged <2 years (96.3%). Annual direct costs of €2.4 million were estimated for RSV-specific hospitalizations—rising to €5.1 million for RSV-specific & ALRI—mostly driven by healthy children (87.6%). Conclusion RSV is accountable for a substantial number of hospitalizations in children, especially during their first year of life. Hospitalizations are mainly driven by healthy children. The variability of the potential RSV burden across case definitions highlights the need for a universal RSV surveillance system to guide prevention strategies

Turbidez atmosférica: resultados preliminares para Tucuruí (PA) e questões ligadas a sua avaliação.

Este estudo apresenta resultados preliminares sobre turbidez atmosférica - grau de atenuação da radiação solar por material particulado em suspensão - em Tucuruí, Pará

Seed germination and triterpenoid content of Anemopaegma arvense (Vell.) Stellfeld varieties.

Anemopaegma arvense (Vell.) Stellfeld, Bignoniaceae, is a native species of the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado) and is commonly known as catuaba among the local farmers. Seeds of three varieties were collected in different localities and submitted to germination and storage studies in attempting to domesticate this species as a medicinal crop for small farmers located in Brazilian Cerrado. Germination tests revealed that catuaba seeds presented a dormancy period of 6 weeks, and 63% of the seedlings have emerged after 12 weeks of the planting time. Storing catuaba seeds at low temperatures (?20 and ?196C) has not affected emergence and survival. These findings suggested that A. arvense seeds have an orthodox behavior resisting well to dehydration and low temperature storage. Three catuaba varieties were characterized morphologically and chemically. The presence of triterpenes such as oleanolic acid and betulinic acid were identified and quantified in these varieties. Previous report has shown that these compounds have promising anticancer activities and herein the results point that the aerial parts yielded more triterpenes than the roots. The combination of higher capacity and preferential accumulation of triterpenes in the aerial parts of catuaba makes this plant a potential candidate for agricultural production or in situ sustainable harvests as a promising alternative to the destructive collection of the natural population

Effect of low dose, short-term creatine supplementation on muscle power output in elite youth soccer players

Background: To determine the effects of a low dose, short-term Creatine monohydrate (Cr) supplementation (0.03 g.kg.d-1 during 14 d) on muscle power output in elite youth soccer players. Methods: Using a two-group matched, double blind, placebo-controlled design, nineteen male soccer players (mean age = 17.0 ± 0.5 years) were randomly assigned to either Cr (N = 9) or placebo (N = 10) group. Before and after supplementation, participants performed a 30s Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT) to assess peak power output (PPO), mean power output (MPO), fatigue index (FI), and total work. Results: There were significant increases in both PPO and MPO after the Cr supplementation period (P ≤ 0.05) but not the placebo period. There were also significant increases in total work, but not FI, after the Cr supplementation and placebo periods (P ≤ 0.05). Notably, there were differences in total work between the Cr and placebo groups after (P ≤ 0.05) but not before the 14 d supplementation period. Conclusion: There is substantial evidence to indicate that a low-dose, short-term oral Cr supplementation beneficially affected muscle power output in elite youth soccer players

Percepção de moradores sobre a arborização de três bairros de Parintins/AM.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o grau de conscientização dos moradores a respeito da arborização urbana, buscando sensibilizar a participação dos moradores e obter informações sobre as necessidades, críticas e sugestões para colaboração de um futuro plano de arborização de Parintins