“Urban Disaster Prevention Strategies Using MAcroseismic Fields and FAult Sources”

In the framework of EU research project “Urban Disaster Prevention Strategies Using MAcroseismic Fields and FAult Sources” (Grant Agreement n. 230301/2011/613486/SUB/A5) innovative approaches are proposed to improve critical points in the procedures for assessing probabilistic hazard and seismic risk; they are tested in particular locations – Mt. Etna, Vesuvius and Campi Flegrei areas (Italy), Azores Islands and areas hit by offshore activity (Portugal), Alicante-Murcia area (Spain) and South Iceland including Reykjavik surrounding urban area (Iceland). A unique probabilistic procedure has been used for seismic hazard evaluation processing both macroseismic fields and characteristics of fault sources. The direct application of probabilistic methodologies to observed and/or synthetic macroseismic fields allows us to carry out a more complete treatment of the uncertainties in the case of both point-wise and linear properties of a fault. An improvement of the urban scale vulnerability information on building and network systems (typologies, schools, strategic buildings, lifelines, and so on) has been introduced to use the new concept of global Disruption Index, with the objective to provide a systematic way to measure the earthquake impact in urbanized areas considered as a complex network. These measures have been then used to identify which nodes are likely to introduce major disruption in the whole urban system, and also which one of them suggests greater risk reduction if intervention takes place. Besides the disaster prevention strategies based on the level of risk, another effective component of disaster-risk reduction is given by long-term activities using educational information systems. To reduce the absence of risk perception in the community some actions have been performed, such as the development of educational materials and the design of a mobile earthquake interactive experience with interactive panels for children and adults, and a central platform for the simulation of an earthquake

Independent and combined effects of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene, and improved complementary feeding, on child stunting and anaemia in rural Zimbabwe: a cluster-randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Child stunting reduces survival and impairs neurodevelopment. We tested the independent and combined effects of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and improved infant and young child feeding (IYCF) on stunting and anaemia in in Zimbabwe. METHODS: We did a cluster-randomised, community-based, 2 × 2 factorial trial in two rural districts in Zimbabwe. Clusters were defined as the catchment area of between one and four village health workers employed by the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care. Women were eligible for inclusion if they permanently lived in clusters and were confirmed pregnant. Clusters were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) to standard of care (52 clusters), IYCF (20 g of a small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement per day from age 6 to 18 months plus complementary feeding counselling; 53 clusters), WASH (construction of a ventilated improved pit latrine, provision of two handwashing stations, liquid soap, chlorine, and play space plus hygiene counselling; 53 clusters), or IYCF plus WASH (53 clusters). A constrained randomisation technique was used to achieve balance across the groups for 14 variables related to geography, demography, water access, and community-level sanitation coverage. Masking of participants and fieldworkers was not possible. The primary outcomes were infant length-for-age Z score and haemoglobin concentrations at 18 months of age among children born to mothers who were HIV negative during pregnancy. These outcomes were analysed in the intention-to-treat population. We estimated the effects of the interventions by comparing the two IYCF groups with the two non-IYCF groups and the two WASH groups with the two non-WASH groups, except for outcomes that had an important statistical interaction between the interventions. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01824940. FINDINGS: Between Nov 22, 2012, and March 27, 2015, 5280 pregnant women were enrolled from 211 clusters. 3686 children born to HIV-negative mothers were assessed at age 18 months (884 in the standard of care group from 52 clusters, 893 in the IYCF group from 53 clusters, 918 in the WASH group from 53 clusters, and 991 in the IYCF plus WASH group from 51 clusters). In the IYCF intervention groups, the mean length-for-age Z score was 0·16 (95% CI 0·08-0·23) higher and the mean haemoglobin concentration was 2·03 g/L (1·28-2·79) higher than those in the non-IYCF intervention groups. The IYCF intervention reduced the number of stunted children from 620 (35%) of 1792 to 514 (27%) of 1879, and the number of children with anaemia from 245 (13·9%) of 1759 to 193 (10·5%) of 1845. The WASH intervention had no effect on either primary outcome. Neither intervention reduced the prevalence of diarrhoea at 12 or 18 months. No trial-related serious adverse events, and only three trial-related adverse events, were reported. INTERPRETATION: Household-level elementary WASH interventions implemented in rural areas in low-income countries are unlikely to reduce stunting or anaemia and might not reduce diarrhoea. Implementation of these WASH interventions in combination with IYCF interventions is unlikely to reduce stunting or anaemia more than implementation of IYCF alone. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UK Department for International Development, Wellcome Trust, Swiss Development Cooperation, UNICEF, and US National Institutes of Health.The SHINE trial is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1021542 and OPP113707); UK Department for International Development; Wellcome Trust, UK (093768/Z/10/Z, 108065/Z/15/Z and 203905/Z/16/Z); Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation; US National Institutes of Health (2R01HD060338-06); and UNICEF (PCA-2017-0002)

Hydrothermal Processing and In Vitro Simulated Human Digestion Affects the Bioaccessibility and Bioactivity of Phenolic Compounds in African Pumpkin (Momordica balsamina) Leaves

The African pumpkin (Momordica balsamina) contains bioactive phenolic compounds that may assist in reducing oxidative stress in the human body. The leaves are mainly consumed after boiling in water for a specific time; this hydrothermal process and conditions of the gastrointestinal tract may affect the presence and bioactivity of phenolics either positively or negatively. In this study, the effects of hydrothermal processing (boiling) and in vitro simulated human digestion on the phenolic composition, bioaccessibility and bioactivity in African pumpkin were investigated in comparison with those of spinach (Spinacia oleracea). A high-resolution ultra-performance liquid chromatography, coupled with diode array detection, quadrupole time-of-flight and mass spectrometer (UPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS) was used to profile phenolic metabolites. Metabolites such as 3-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-caffeoylquinic acid, 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid were highly concentrated in the boiled vegetable extracts compared to the raw undigested and all digested samples. The majority of African pumpkin and spinach extracts (non-digested and digested) protected Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), (mouse fibroblast) L929 and human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cells from 2,2′-Azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced oxidative damage. From these results, the consumption of boiled African pumpkin leaves, as well as spinach, could be encouraged, as bioactive metabolites present may reduce oxidative stress in the body

The Survival Interactional Strategies Toward Sustainable Livelihoods Amongst the Migrants in the Rural Areas of Limpopo Province

Survival interactional strategies are important for migrants towards sustainable livelihoods. The purpose of the study was to describe the survival interactional strategies toward sustainable livelihoods amongst the migrants in the selected areas of South Africa. This research was qualitative and used descriptive design to zoom into the survival interactional strategies toward sustainable livelihoods amongst the migrants. Researchers used purposive and convenient sampling techniques to sample the migrants' youth. Data was collected through telephonic individual interviews to comply with COVID-19 national regulations and analyzed thematically. The study considered research ethics and trustworthiness as a research quality criteria. Findings showed that there is a need for effective social networks, sense of togetherness, entrepreneurial network, emotional support and economic support which are not   easily realized by people from foreign countries as some of the South African policies are unfavorable to immigrants. Without those mentioned above, the immigrants face challenges when engaged with established relationship with people in the same business, support from spouses and fellow countrymen, functional reciprocal referral system, credit sales of goods, and teamwork as survival interactional strategies toward sustainable livelihoods amongst the immigrants. The survival interactional strategies are not easily realized by immigrants as some of the South African Policies and realities are unfavorable to the conditions of the people from the foreign countries. Social workers are thus, required to provide awareness on human diversity, and the impacts of xenophobic attacks to the South African community. Social work practitioners should also be mandated to develop and run an awareness programme on the survival interactional strategies toward sustainable livelihoods amongst the migrants.&nbsp