Effectively Alleviating Poverty Requires Economic Development: The Role Non-Profits Serve in this Endeavor

The aim of this paper is to analyze the role that nonprofit organizations can play in utilizing economic development to alleviate poverty. The thesis components will be analyzed by answering six research questions (RQ): (1) What is economic development in developing countries? (2) What is the connection between economic development and poverty alleviation? (3) What are some examples of economic development lessening poverty? (4) What are the essential features of a nonprofit organization? (5) What can nonprofit organizations do to create economic development? and finally, (6) What are archetypical examples of nonprofits creating economic development and reducing poverty? To understand economic development, this paper will show that many tools are necessary, including: trade, entrepreneurship, education, and political stability – to name a few. Secondly, it will be explained how these tools can be used not only for growth but even to better the living conditions of every participant in an economy. A few examples of each will be provided. Next, the essential features of a nonprofit organization will be provided. With this comprehensive understanding, the primary objective can be more fully appreciated. The thesis looks at how two of the major tools of economic development – trade and entrepreneurship – can be applied by nonprofit organizations (NPOs) to provide opportunities for the low-income individuals to better their own circumstances. Finally, specific NPOs will be provided that are carrying this vision out in their operations. Throughout this thesis, it will be seen how nonprofits can utilize economic development to alleviate poverty

Digestibility and metabolism of flour from two yam species (D. dumetorum and D. rotundata) in school age children

The digestibility and metabolism in school age children of diets from two yam species (#D. dumetorum and #D. rotundata) are compared. Ten boys age 65 to 84 months, with heights and weights close to NCHS reference values, were fed meals deriving half of their protein and almost all of their starch from either of the two yam species. After 6 days of adaptation, food intake, stool and urine were collected for 4 days and analysed. Feeding diet based on #D. dumetorum resulted in higher apparent protein digestibility, net protein retention and net protein utilisation of 63.5, 46.2 and 29.8, respectively, compared to 56.1, 36.1 and 20.6 for #D. rotundata-based diet. (Résumé d'auteur

Nutritional quality of yam (Dioscorea dumetorum and D rotundata) flours for growing rats

The digestibility and metabolism of diets based on flours prepared from raw, boiled or steamed tubers of the sweet yam (#Dioscorea dumetorum) were evaluated in growing albino rats by the balance method in comparison with diets containing similar flours from the popular white yam (#D. rotundata). The results show that whatever their method of preparation, flours from #D. dumetorum promote higher growth rate and have higher nutritional value in the growing rat than corresponding #D. rotundata flours. This can be attributed to the good digestibility of #D. dumetorum starch which facilitates digestibility and absorption of nitrogen and other nutrients. Moisture-heat treatment of tubers before processing into flour improves the nutritional value, especially for #D. rotundata. (Résumé d'auteur

Using Expressive Arts Therapies to Aid the End-of-Life Transition for Older Adults: A Literature Review

This literature review presents the use of expressive arts therapies as they may be applied to end-of-life care for older adults. Death is inevitable and if given the chance to prepare, the expressive arts modalities provide a foundation to process the emotions associated with the ending of a life on earth. Expressive arts provide the opportunity to communicate in non-traditional ways which have the ability to locate subconscious themes. End-of-life care previously revolved around pain management. In more recent years it has evolved to caring for the whole person emotionally, socially, psychologically, and physically. Sources were found utilizing resources provided by Lesley University library services and included peer-reviewed articles and books. Findings included the benefits of music therapy and art therapy for older adults in end-of-life care. When applying expressive arts modalities to end-of-life care, patients are likely to benefit from increasing feelings of autonomy, clarity in their lives, and feeling a sense of community with other people in end-of-life care

Benzodiazepine Use and Dependence in Relation to Chronic Pain Intensity and Pain Catastrophizing

Benzodiazepines (BZDs), a class of sedative-hypnotic drugs, are at the center of an emerging prescription drug crisis. From approximately 1995-2015, overdose deaths involving BZDs quadrupled and average dose equivalents more than tripled. Specific concern has centered on elevated rates of BZD use among individuals with chronic pain, given that BZDs are generally not indicated for pain management. Consistent with negative reinforcement and motivational models of substance use, desire for pain alleviation may be a salient motivator of BZD use, particularly as individuals commonly report using BZDs for negative affect alleviation. The present study tested cross-sectional associations between pain intensity and clinically relevant BZD use patterns among individuals with chronic pain. We also examined the role of pain catastrophizing, a malleable transdiagnostic factor reflecting negative cognitive-affective pain responses. Participants were 306 adults (Mage = 38.7, 38.9% female) with chronic musculoskeletal pain and a current BZD prescription who completed an online survey study via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Hierarchical linear regression results indicated that pain intensity was positively associated with past-month BZD use frequency and BZD dependence severity. Logistic regression results indicated that greater pain intensity was associated with a 1.2 times greater likelihood of endorsing BZD misuse behaviors. Pain catastrophizing was positively associated with BZD dependence severity and likelihood of BZD misuse, after accounting for pain intensity. Initial findings implicate pain/pain-related cognitive-affective processes in higher-risk BZD use, and suggest pain relief is a common, yet underrecognized, self-reported motivation for taking BZDs. Future research should examine mechanisms underlying pain-BZD covariation and co-use behaviors