Strengthening the Pipeline— Talent Management for Libraries: A Human Resources Perspective

In order to both increase the pipeline of new librarians and develop “bench strength” (which is a human resources term used to refer to the capabilities and readiness of potential successors to move into key professional and leadership positions), librarians of color can work to form and develop strong, sustaining professional networks (in and outside the employing library) in order to help navigate the hiring process and to develop a support network that can be utilized throughout a professional career

Commentary: Using law more effectively towards abandonment of FGM/C in Kenya

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is considered a harmful cultural practice and a form of violence against women. Kenya has an FGM/C prevalence rate of 21 percent, but levels vary by ethnic group. Kenya has adopted a robust legal framework for the prohibition of FGM/C, including passage of the Prohibition of FGM Act in 2011, a detailed law that criminalizes carrying out FGM/C and associated offenses. Kenya relies on the human rights–based approach and criminalization in its legal framework for the prohibition of this practice. Despite extensive legal provisions, Kenya has prosecuted fewer than 100 cases, raising concerns with the law’s enforcement. This commentary reflects consultations with key actors regarding results of the Evidence to End FGM/C Research Program’s study assessing the role of law in reducing the practice in Kenya. Expert opinions on the implementation of Kenya’s anti-FGM/C law and potential areas for strengthening this approach have been collated to outline recommendations on how the legal framework for the prohibition of FGM/C in Kenya can be strengthened to better contribute toward abandonment of the practice

Hydrogen-like Atoms from Ultrarelativistic Nuclear Collisions

The number of hydrogen-like atoms produced when heavy nuclei collide is estimated for central collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider using the sudden approximation of Baym et al. As first suggested by Schwartz, a simultaneous measurement of the hydrogen and hadron spectra will allow an inference of the electron or muon spectra at low momentum where a direct experimental measurement is not feasible.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Listening to students

Written assessment feedback has not been widely researched despite higher education students continually expressing the need for meaningful and constructive feedback. This qualitative study employing focus groups captures and interprets the student perspective of written assessment feedback. Participants were Registered Nurses and non-traditional entrants to higher education. The findings generated a framework of themes and categories representing the feedback process experienced by the students. The themes were `learning from', `the process of receiving' and `making sense of' feedback. When this framework incorporates strategies such as `feed-forward', self-managed learning and personalized guidance it then represents a heuristic model of effective written assessment feedback. The model, created as a result of the research, should enhance the student experience and aid understanding of the complex processes associated with providing written assessment feedback

HIV and AIDs Stigma and its Influence on Coping Mechanisms: A Case of People Living with HIV and AIDS within a Rural Set up in Maragua District, Kenya

This paper explores how HIV and AIDs stigma is experienced in rural communities and the mechanisms exercised to cope with it. The research explores the experiences of HIV positive persons within the communities they live in, focusing on the influence of socio economic factors on HIV stigma, ways of coping with the stigma and influence of stigma on coping mechanisms embraced by HIV positive persons. The research interviewed 60 persons living with HIV and AIDS enrolled in support groups in Maragua district in Central Kenya. Ten key informants including nurses, clinicians, professional social workers, and counselors were purposively selected from within the health care facilities HIV and AIDS in the area. Raw data was collected through face to face interviews with the 60 respondents using questionnaires that contained open and close ended questions while an interview guide was used on the key informants. The data was analyzed by the use of statistical package for social scientists (SPSS). The study found that HIV and Aids stigma impact negatively on the health seeking behavior among the HIV positive, and also on their social, political and economic advancement. The study also found that in spite of stigma being complex it is also dynamic in the sense that as people learn more about HIV and AIDS their attitudes change. The paper recommends concerted efforts from key players including people living with HIV and AIDS, the government, local leaders, community and health care providers to ensure raising HIV and AIDS awareness levels and prevention care. Keywords: HIV and AIDS Stigma, Coping Mechanisms, HIV and AIDS Management, Rural Areas, Murang’a -Keny

Effect of cowpea flour processing on the chemical properties and acceptability of a novel cowpea blended maize porridge

Childhood growth stunting is a pervasive problem in Malawi and is in large part due to low quality complementary foods and chronic gut inflammation. Introducing legumes such as cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) into the complementary diet has the potential to improve childhood growth by improving diet quality through improvements in macro- and micronutrients and also by reducing gut inflammation. However, cowpea is relatively underutilized in complementary feeding in Malawi due to its strong taste, long processing time, and high energy requirements for processing. Effective utilization of cowpea in complementary feeding requires processing which may affect chemical composition as well as sensory quality. The present study evaluated the effect of processing on the retention of zinc, crude fibre, and flavonoid in roasted, boiled, and dehulled cowpea flours, and assessed the acceptability of maize porridge (70%) enriched with one of the three cowpea flours (30%). Roasting, dehulling, and boiling did not have any effect on zinc content. Crude fibre content increased after processing by all methods. Processing had no effect on measurable flavonoids. Roasted, boiled, and dehulled cowpea blended maize porridges were acceptable to children with mean quantities of leftover food of less than 3g from the given 100g. Caregivers also rated the blended flours to be highly acceptable to them as well, with maize porridge blended with dehulled cowpea flour the most acceptable to both children and caregivers. These results demonstrate that cowpea flour, processed by any of these three different methods, could serve as a useful addition to maize porridge for complementary feeding of children in sub-Saharan Africa