The identification and analysis of nutritional problems in rural areas: an approach for voluntary agencies

This paper proposes an approach to the analysis of rural development problems for voluntary development agencies based on four questions: 1. Is there really a problem? 2. What are the causes of the problem? 3. Why has the problem not been solved? 4. What can we do to assist in producing a solution? The paper is primarily concerned with the first two questions. Part I looks at the case for using nutritional status as an indicator of problems, and suggests that at present in East Africa the removal of malnutrition should be the paramount objective of voluntary agencies. The problem of obtaining and interpreting nutritional measurements are then discussed. Part II is concerned with finding the causes of malnutrition. After some general considerations, a procedure is outlined by which the relevance of different agricultural, economic and social factors to the malnutrition problem can be determined

The role and relevance of non-government aid:a case study of Kenya

How effective are non-government organisations (NG0s) in their response to Third World poverty? That is the question which this thesis examines. The thesis begins with an overview of the problems facing Third World communities, and notes the way in which people in Britain have responded through NG0s. A second part of the thesis sets out the issues on which the analysis of NGOs has been made. These are: - the ways in which NGOs analyse the process of development; - the use of 'improving nutrition' and 'promoting self-reliance' as special objectives by NG0s; and - the nature of rural change, and the implications for NGOs as agents of rural development. Kenya is taken as a case study. Firstly the political and economic structure of the country is studied, and the natures of development, nutritional problems and self-reliance in the Kenyan context are noted. The study then focusses attention onto Kitui District, an area of Kenya which at the time of the study was suffering from drought. However, it is argued that the problems of Kitui District and the constraints to change there are as much a consequence of Kenya's structural underdevelopment as of reduced rainfall. Against this background the programmes of some British NGOs in the country are examined, and it is concluded that much of their work has little relevance to the principal problems which have been identified. A final part of the thesis takes a wider look at the policies and practices of NG0s. Issues such as the choice of countries in which NGOs work, how they are represented overseas, and their educational role in Britain are considered. It is concluded that while all NGOs have a concern for the conditions in which the poorest communities of the Third World live, many NGOs take a quite narrow view of development problems, giving only little recognition to the international and intranational political and economic systems which contribute to Third World poverty

Fish and Fishing Communities: Understanding Ancient and Modern Fisheries through Archaeological Fish Remains

The papers in this special issue of the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology (IJO) were presented at the 19th biennial meeting of the Fish Remains Working Group (FRWG) of the International Council of Archaeozoology (ICAZ), which was held in Alghero and Stintino, Sardinia, Italy, from October 1–7, 2017. Entitled Fish and Fishing Communities: Understanding Ancient and Modern Fisheries through Archaeological Fish Remains, this conference brought together a diverse group of 120 scholars from 29 countries with specializations in archaeology, zoology, history, and anthropology. These fish specialists ranged from undergraduate students to emeritus professors

Flexibility and diversity in subsistence during the late Mesolithic: faunal evidence from Asnæs Havnemark

In 2007, excavations at the late Mesolithic (Ertebølle) coastal site of Asnæs Havnemark recovered a wealth of flint, bone, and ceramic artefacts. A comprehensive analysis of the faunal remains resulted in over 50,000 identified specimens. Roe deer and gadids predominate, but there are a wide variety of other species represented. Stable isotope analyses of dog bones point to the importance of marine resources. Oxygen isotope analyses of otoliths indicate that fishing was conducted in multiple seasons of the year. Comparison with other late Mesolithic sites demonstrates that while generally the same species of animals were exploited everywhere, there are major differences in the relative abundances of species. The broad subsistence base available and flexibility in how it was exploited weaken arguments for a subsistence crisis brought on by environmental stresses as the causal mechanism for the adoption of domesticated plants and animals at the onset of theNeolithic

Therapeutic potential of Leea indica (Vitaceae)

Background Leea indica (Burm. f.) Merr. (fam. Vitaceae), commonly known as ‘bandicoot berry’, is a Thai medicinal plant, and distributed widely in the far-east and south-east Asian countries, and in some parts of northern Australia. In Thailand, this plant has traditionally been used for the treatment of diarrhoea, pain, gastric ulcer, viral infections and some forms of cancers. Aims To review published findings on medicinal properties of L. indica and to critically appraise its therapeutic potential. Methods A comprehensive literature search was performed utilizing several databases, notably, Web of Science, PubMed and Google Scholar, and other relevant published materials. The keywords used in the search, individually as well as in combinations, were Leea indica, Vitaceae and traditional medicine. Results In vitro assays and in vivo animal studies displayed efficacy of the extracts and fractions of L. indica as an analgesic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant and antiproliferative agent and indicated their therapeutic potential. Phytochemical studies revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenolics and terpenoids as major bioactive components in L. indica. Conclusion Preliminary bioactivity studies on L. indica provided some scientific basis for its traditional therapeutic applications. The presence of certain bioactive compounds in this plant could further support its therapeutic potential and traditional medicinal uses

Recent developments in targeting access to high cost medicines in Australia

BACKGROUND: In Australia, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) has developed a set of arrangements to control access to high-cost medicines to ensure their use is cost-effective. These medicines include the tumour necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors (TNFIs) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of this first phase of a qualitative study was to explore basic views on the restricted access to TNFIs in order to confirm where further investigation should take place in the next phase. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2004 with a member of the four relevant stakeholder groups. Participants were asked their opinions about features of the establishment, process and effects of the system of restricted access to TNFIs. Views on the collaboration between stakeholder groups in the decision-making process were also collected. RESULTS: The principle of 'controlled access' to TNFIs was supported in general. There were concerns regarding some of the specific eligibility criteria. Wider and more transparent stakeholder consultation was judged desirable. Some flexibility around prescribing of TNFIs by physicians, and regular review of the arrangements were proposed. These themes will inform the next phase of the study. CONCLUSION: This first phase highlighted a range of issues associated with the PBS arrangements restricting access to TNFIs. Timely review and report of issues and concerns associated with such policy developments that arose in practice are essential. There is a need for a more comprehensive exploration across a wide range of stakeholders with different perspectives that will in turn be helpful in guiding policy and practice around national arrangements to manage access to high-cost medicines

Pietrele in the Lower Danube region: integrating archaeological, faunal and environmental investigations

The c. 9m high tell-settlement of Pietrele-Magura Gorgana, situated close to the Danube river, is one of the westernmost sites of the Kod∫adermen-Gumelnita-Karanovo VI cultural complex that spread over the whole Westpontic region during the 5th millennium BC. Until recently tells were equated with the site when, in fact, they represent only the outstanding part of a far more complex settlement system as we now know from Pietrele thanks to geomagnetic prospections and subsequent excavations. People living on the tell, together with the inhabitants from the flat area around it, formed a vast community that must have had a strong impact on its habitat and, vice-versa, was strongly affected by the immediate surroundings. During the settlement period a lake covered huge parts of the floodplain. It provided not only a considerable part of the diet, but ensured, through the direct access to the main river, continuous and extensive over-regional exchange.Okoli 9 metrov visoka naselbina tipa tell Pietrele-Magura Gorgana se nahaja blizu reke Donave in je ena najbolj zahodnih naselbin kulturnega kompleksa Kodžadermen-Gumelnita-Karanovo VI, ki se je širil čez celotno zahodno pontsko regijo v času 5. tisočletja BC. V preteklosti so tell enačili z naseljem, danes pa zahvaljujoč geomagnetskim preiskavam in kasnejšim izkopavanjem na najdišču Pietrele vemo, da sama naselbina tell predstavlja le najbolj izjemen del veliko bolj kompleksnega naselja. Tisti ljudje, ki so živeli na tellu, in tisti, ki so živeli v ravnici okrog tella, so bili skupaj del velike skupnosti, ki je morala imeti močan vpliv na okolje, in na katero je tudi neposredna okolica morala imeti pomemben učinek. V času obstoja te naselbine se je v tej ravnici nahajalo veliko jezero. Le-to je predstavljajo pomemben vir za prehrano takratnih ljudi, prek neposrednega dostopa do glavne reke pa je omogočalo tudi stalno in obsežno menjavo na nadregionalni ravni

The cultural roles of perforated fish vertebrae in prehistoric and historic Europe

This paper provides a new synthesis of perforated fish vertebrae in prehistoric and historic Europe, with a particular focus on Poland, within the broader context of Central and Eastern Europe. The earliest examples of such artefacts in Europe date from the Upper Palaeolithic, but compared to other ‘beads’ manufactured from animal bone, perforated fish vertebrae are rare. This paper examines the diachronic trends in the range of species that have been chosen for such objects, as well as their depositional contexts. Despite the wide range of freshwater and marine species exploited by people, only the vertebrae of a few species—especially pike and catfish—were selected for use as beads. There is a general shift from their deposition in funerary contexts in prehistoric European societies to their association as low-status objects associated with Christian private devotion in the post-conversion period. However, this may not reflect continuity in the use of fish vertebrae, with a shift in their symbolism after the conversion to Christianity, given the substantial chronological gaps in the archaeological record. This synthesis nonetheless provides a solid foundation for contextualising future archaeological finds of such artefacts

Absorption Spectral Slopes and Slope Ratios as Indicators of Molecular Weight, Source, and Photobleaching of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter

A new approach for parameterizing dissolved organic matter ( DOM) ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra is presented. Two distinct spectral slope regions ( 275-295 nm and 350-400 nm) within log-transformed absorption spectra were used to compare DOM from contrasting water types, ranging from wetlands (Great Dismal Swamp and Suwannee River) to photobleached oceanic water ( Atlantic Ocean). On the basis of DOM size-fractionation studies ( ultrafiltration and gel filtration chromatography), the slope of the 275-295- nm region and the ratio of these slopes (SR; 275-295- nm slope : 350-400- nm slope) were related to DOM molecular weight ( MW) and to photochemically induced shifts in MW. Dark aerobic microbial alteration of chromophoric DOM ( CDOM) resulted in spectral slope changes opposite of those caused by photochemistry. Along an axial transect in the Delaware Estuary, large variations in SR were measured, probably due to mixing, photodegradation, and microbial alteration of CDOM as terrestrially derived DOM transited through the estuary. Further, SR varied by over a factor of 13 between DOM-rich wetland waters and Sargasso Sea surface waters. Currently, there is no consensus on a wavelength range for log-transformed absorption spectra. We propose that the 275-295- nm slope be routinely reported in future DOM studies, as it can be measured with high precision, it facilitates comparison among dissimilar water types including CDOM-rich wetland and CDOM-poor marine waters, and it appears to be a good proxy for DOM MW. © 2008, by the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, Inc

Leveraging the Health and Retirement Study To Advance Palliative Care Research

Background: The critical need to expand and develop the palliative care evidence base was recently highlighted by the Journal of Palliative Medicine's series of articles describing the Research Priorities in Geriatric Palliative Care. The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) is uniquely positioned to address many priority areas of palliative care research. This nationally representative, ongoing, longitudinal study collects detailed survey data every 2 years, including demographics, health and functional characteristics, information on family and caregivers, and personal finances, and also conducts a proxy interview after each subject's death. The HRS can also be linked with Medicare claims data and many other data sources, e.g., U.S. Census, Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care. Setting: While the HRS offers innumerable research opportunities, these data are complex and limitations do exist. Therefore, we assembled an interdisciplinary group of investigators using the HRS for palliative care research to identify the key palliative care research gaps that may be amenable to study within the HRS and the strengths and weaknesses of the HRS for each of these topic areas. Conclusion: In this article we present the work of this group as a potential roadmap for investigators contemplating the use of HRS data for palliative care research.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/140117/1/jpm.2013.0648.pd