Farmers knowledge, perceptions and management of Kersting’s groundnut (Macrotyloma geocarpum Harms) insect pests in Benin

Open Access JournalBackground Macrotyloma geocarpum Harms is a neglected and underutilized crop in Benin subject to several constraints including storage insect attacks, which contribute to the decrease in its production. An ethnobotanical survey using a semi-structured questionnaire was conducted in 15 villages in southern and central Benin to document farmers’ perceptions of M. geocarpum storage insect pests and their traditional management practices. Results The results showed that insect pest were the most important storage constraint of M. geocarpum. To overcome this constraint, the promotion of resistant landraces has been proposed by farmers. Six vernaculars names of storage insect pests of M. geocarpum were identified throughout the study area and all corresponding to Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) which proved to be the most abundant insect in the stocks. Palatability and fragility of seeds coat have been identified by farmers as the main factors favoring the infestation by this pest. Various storage containers of M. geocarpum have been inventoried. Our study revealed that education, storage containers, and Kersting’s groundnut landraces significantly influenced farmers’ perceptions of severity of insect pest damages. The use of chemicals and repellent plants were the main control methods used by farmers to protect stocks. Different levels of resistance of M. geocarpum landraces to storage insect pests were reported. Conclusions This study provides baseline information for development of integrated management approaches against storage insect pests of M. geocarpum. The perceived level of resistance to insect damage on Kersting’s groundnut landraces needs to be investigated

Storage insects on yam chips and their traditional management in Northern Benin

Twenty-five villages ofNorthern Beninwere surveyed to identify the constraints of yamchips production, assess the diversity of storage insects on yamchips, and document farmers’ perception of their impacts on the stocks and their traditional management practices. Damages due to storage insects (63.9% of responses) and insufficiency of insect-resistant varieties (16.7% of responses) were the major constraints of yam chips production. Twelve insect pest species were identified among which Dinoderus porcellus Lesne (Coleoptera, Bostrichidae) was by far the most important and the most distributed (97.44% of the samples). Three predators (Teretrius nigrescens Lewis, Xylocoris flavipes Reuter, and Alloeocranum biannulipesMontrouzier & Signoret) and one parasitoid (Dinarmus basalis Rondani) all Coleoptera, Bostrichidae were also identified. The most important traditional practices used to control or prevent insect attack in yam chips were documented and the producers’ preference criteria for yam cultivars used to produce chips were identified and prioritized. To further promote the production of yam chips, diversification of insect-resistant yam varieties, conception, and use of health-protective natural insecticides and popularization of modern storage structures were proposed

Stimulation of the Social Brain Improves Perspective Selection in Older Adults: A HD-tDCS Study

There is evidence for dissociable, causal roles for two key social brain regions in young adults. Specifically, the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) is associated with embodied perspective taking, whereas the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) is associated with the integration of social information. However, it is unknown whether these causal brain-behaviour associations are evident in older adults. Fifty-two healthy older adults were stratified to receive either rTPJ or dmPFC anodal high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation in a sham-controlled, double-blinded, repeated-measures design. Self-other processing was assessed across implicit and explicit level one (line-of-sight) and level two (embodied rotation) visual perspective taking (VPT) tasks, and self-other encoding effects on episodic memory. Both rTPJ and dmPFC stimulation reduced the influence of the alternate perspective during level one VPT, indexed by a reduced congruency effect (difference between congruent and incongruent perspectives). There were no stimulation effects on level two perspective taking nor self-other encoding effects on episodic memory. Stimulation to the rTPJ and dmPFC improved perspective selection during level one perspective taking. However, dissociable effects on self-other processing, previously observed in young adults, were not identified in older adults. The results provide causal evidence for age-related changes in social brain function that requires further scrutinization

Vulnerabilidad territorial: indicadores para su medición desde los servicios sociales

El informe da respuesta a una de las líneas de trabajo del Laboratorio de Servicios Sociales para 2019, consistente en producir conocimiento sobre los indicadores específicos que permiten considerar un territorio como "espacio vulnerable", en la línea establecida por el artículo 25 de la Ley 3/2019, de 18 de febrero, de la Generalitat, de Servicios Sociales Inclusivos de la Comunitat Valenciana, y también sobre las fuentes de datos disponibles sobre estos indicadores. Para ello, el trabajo se estructura en 4 partes y 6 anexos: (1) La primera parte consiste en una aproximación al concepto de vulnerabilidad aplicada al territorio y a otros conceptos cercanos, realizada mediante la revisión bibliográfica de la literatura científica al respecto. (2) La segunda parte contiene un análisis comparado del tratamiento que las Leyes autonómicas de Servicios Sociales en vigor dan a los territorios singulares. (3) La tercera parte consiste en, por un lado, la identificación de áreas, dimensiones e indicadores que permiten caracterizar a un territorio como "vulnerable", y, por otro lado, la identificación de las principales fuentes de datos disponibles, de alcance autonómico, para nutrir de datos los indicadores. (4) La cuarta parte presenta las conclusiones y propuestas que surgen del trabajo realizado. (5) Los anexos recogen el detalle de los resultados obtenidos en las diferentes fases del trabajo explicitados a lo largo del texto.Informe elaborado en el marco del Convenio para el fomento de la investigación sobre los indicadores sociales en Servicios Sociales de la Comunitat Valenciana (Ref. CONSELLERIAIGUALDAD1-19I), suscrito entre la Vicepresidència i Conselleria d’Igualtat i Polítiques Inclusives (Generalitat Valenciana) y la Universitat d’Alacant (Grup d’Investigació sobre Treball Social i Serveis Socials – GITSS)

Proceso de diseño en red de guías docentes basadas en la nueva configuración del crédito en el segundo curso de la Diplomatura en Trabajo Social de la Universidad de Alicante

En esta comunicación, los profesores y profesoras que elaboraron la Memoria Final del Trabajo de la Red dan cuenta sumariamente del trabajo realizado para el diseño de nuevas Guías Docentes por la Red de Investigación en Docencia Universitaria “Red de Estudio de la Docencia de Calidad en Trabajo Social. REDCATS-Segundo curso”, constituida en el marco del Programa de Redes de Investigación en Docencia Universitaria (I.C.E.) durante el curso 2003-2004 en la Universidad de Alicante. El énfasis de la comunicación está puesto en el proceso seguido por la red para la adaptación de las programaciones docentes y el diseño de las nuevas Guías docentes de las asignaturas implicadas, de acuerdo con los criterios de convergencia educativa europea y la concepción actual de los créditos ECTS. Este proceso no ha estado exento de incidencias, que recogemos como dificultadores y facilitadores principales que han sido encontrados en dicho proceso de diseño de las Guías Docentes. Por último, el trabajo concluye con una serie de propuestas de mejora para el futuro.In this paper, the authors, professors of Alicante’s University, give account of the work made within the framework of the Program of Research Networks on University Teaching (I.C.E.) during 2003-2004 academic year in order to design new Educational Guides (Syllabus). The authors are members of the Research Network on University Teaching "Red de Estudio de la Docencia de Calidad en Trabajo Social. REDCATS-Segundo curso". The emphasis of the paper is to put on the process followed by the network for the adaptation of the educational programmes and the design of the new educational guides, in agreement with the criteria of European Educative Convergence and the present conception of ECTS credits. This process does not have been free of incidences, that we gather like main obstacles and facilities that the authors have been found in this process. Finally, the work concludes with a series of proposals of improvement for the future

Proceso de diseño en red de guías docentes basadas en la nueva configuración del crédito en el segundo curso de la diplomatura en trabajo social de la Universidad de Alicante

Proceso de diseño en red de guías docentes basadas en la nueva configuración del crédito en el segundo curso de la diplomatura en trabajo social de la Universidad de Alicant

Impacts of water and soil conservation strategies on households’ food security in North West of Benin

This study aims at analyzing the impact of water and soil conservation strategies on households’ food security in the North-western part of Benin. It was conducted in the municipalities of Boukombé and Ouaké. Three villages were studied. From random way, 180 producers were investigated. The causes of soil degradation, water and soil conservation strategies, available food supply and food consumption frequency were collected. Degradation factors were analyzed using discourse analysis and prioritized using the Friedman test. Food supply and frequency of consumption were compared between beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of the projects using the Student t test. Land degradation is caused by socio-cultural factors (overexploitation of lands, trees’ cutting, late bush fires, grazing, agroforestry and monoculture) and natural factors (heavy rains and steep gradient of the soils). The first three factors are respectively the exploitation of land, trees’ cutting and late bush fires practice in both towns. Food reserves before the new crops were not affected by exogenous strategies released by the erosion control projects. But the frequency of food consumption is improved statistically among project beneficiaries than non-beneficiaries. This confirms the theory of Boserup

Experiencia de aplicación de guías docentes adaptadas a los criterios de convergencia educativa en educación superior para el segundo curso de la Diplomatura de Trabajo Social

La red “Red de Docencia de Calidad en Trabajo Social (REDCATS-Segundo curso)”, constituida en el curso 2003-2004 para diseñar las guías docentes de las asignaturas de segundo curso de la Diplomatura de Trabajo Social, tuvo continuidad durante el curso 2004-2005, con cambios en su composición, para aplicar los contenidos diseñados en las guías docentes de las asignaturas, y evaluar los resultados obtenidos. Para ello contó con el apoyo del Instituto de Ciencias de la Educación (Universidad de Alicante), a través de su Programa de Investigación Docente en Redes 2004-2005. En esta comunicación se da cuenta de los aspectos principales de la aplicación de las guías docentes durante el curso 2004-2005. Para ello, se hace un recorrido por: · El proceso de trabajo seguido por la red y por las asignaturas durante el curso 2004-2005. · Los resultados obtenidos, en términos de: rendimiento académico del alumnado; tiempo invertido y grado de dificultad encontrado; instrumentos de trabajo elaborados por la red (portafolio discente y docente). · Las conclusiones derivadas de la experiencia en las asignaturas, en las que se recogen tanto la visión de los estudiantes como la del profesorado. · Las propuestas de mejora de experiencias futuras.The research network named "Red de Estudio de la Docencia de Calidad en Trabajo Social (REDCATS-Segundo curso)", started its work in the 2003-2004 academic year with the aim of design the educational guides of the second year of the Bachelor in Social Work. The work has had continuity during 2004-2005 to apply the contents designed in the educational guides (syllabus) and to evaluate the results. In this task, the research network had the support of the Education’s Sciences Institute (University of Alicante), through its Research Networks Program in University Teaching 2004-2005. In this paper the network gives account of the main aspects of the application of the educational guides occurs during the 2004-2005 academic year. So, we explain: · The process of work followed by the network during that period. · The obtained results, in terms of: academic yield of the pupils; inverted time and degree of difficulty found; instruments of work elaborated by the network (student and teaching portfolio). · The conclusions of this experience, were we include both the vision of the students and the teaching staff perspective. · The proposals of improvement for future experiences