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Not AvailableThe seemingly simple act of removing the grains from maize cobs by hand is not easy as it sounds. Maize shelling is a tedious task which poses many physical hazards to the worker involved in the task. This risk increases many-a-folds in the regions where maize is grown as a cash crop as the intensity of task and workload increases during the particular season. Shelling maize manually is a task which seems very simple and convenient and it is assumed that it is an activity that is usually done in spare time. But the experiences of the worker involved in this activity reports the hazards and stress which this act poses to them. The present study is an attempt to record the potential biomechanical stress and occupational hazards perceived by the farmwomen of Jaunsar region of Uttarakhand and the role of power operated maize sheller intervened in mitigating these threats. The perceptions of women using the maize sheller were recorded before and after the intervention and the difference were found statistically significant. The findings exhibited an encouraging impact of the technology on women’s efforts, time and discomfort.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableManual chaff cutting is an activity which is carried out mainly by women. It is a tedious and time consuming activity. The force exerted while cutting the chaff with a sharp tool without any safety measure and the static position adopted may pose work related musculoskeletal disorders among farmwomen performing the activity. The present study was intended to evaluate the occupational stress posed by chaff cutting activity to farmwomen in terms of postural risk factors involved. Subjects were observed in their normal work conditions. Their postures, number of repetitive movements of the dominant hand were observed and recorded. Rapid upper lumbar analysis technique was used to analyse postural stress. Subjective responses on exertion were also recorded. This study found that there are ergonomic risk factors in manual chaff cutting, which may lead to the development of work related musculoskeletal disorders and in turn may affect productivity and quality of work. Women most often maintain static positions for certain limbs or are involved in repetitive activities while performing the activity. Need for technological and ergonomic interventions are emphasized.Not Availabl

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Effect of feeding low phytate maize on performance, bone-breaking strength, and intestinal phosphorus transporters in slow-growing chickens during starter phase

SUMMARY: A major portion of the total P present in maize grain is in the form of phytic acid, which affects P bioavailability. The study was undertaken to determine the effect of feeding low phytate maize (LPM) with varying levels of nonphytate phosphorous (NPP) on performance, bone-breaking strength, and intestinal gene expression of phosphorous transporters in Gramapriya birds during the starter phase (up to 42 d). A total of 432 one-day-old Gramapriya chicks were randomly distributed into 6 dietary treatments having 12 replicates with 6 chicks in each replicate. The experimental diets were formulated to contain each of 3 levels of NPP (0.25, 0.33, and 0.45%) using normal maize (NM) or LPM. Higher body weight gain (BWG) and better feed conversion ratio (FCR) among the groups fed diets with LPM compared to those groups fed diets with NM. The variations in the different parameters recorded were analyzed using the general linear model multivariate procedure. The P content of the tibia was higher among the groups fed LPM-based diets compared to those groups fed NM. Na-dependent phosphate co-transporter (NaPi-IIb) expression was higher among the groups fed NM. Further, the mRNA expression of NaPi-IIb was linearly increased among the groups fed lower levels of NPP. At the ileum, the inorganic phosphate transporter-1 expression was linearly increased with decreased levels of NPP supplementation. This study demonstrated the feeding diets with LPM revealed improved BWG, FCR, and higher bone mineralization in Gramapriya birds during the starter phase. Further, it is observed that feeding diets with varying levels of NPP and NM or LPM influenced the expression profile of genes involved in the active transport of P in the small intestine of chickens