Life expectancy for Indigenous people is improving, but closing the gap remains unacceptably slow

[Extract] The article by Zhao and colleagues on life expectancy changes in the Northern Territory during 1999–2018 in this issue of the Journal has major implications for Indigenous health policy makers and service providers across Australia. In their retrospective trend analysis, the authors found that life expectancy at birth increased more rapidly for Indigenous than non-Indigenous people (from 56.6 to 65.6 years for Indigenous men, and from 64.8 to 69.7 years for Indigenous women), and that the difference in life expectancy between the two groups declined (by 26% for men, 21% for women), but the gap nevertheless remained considerable (15.4 years for both sexes)

Characterisation and evaluation of selected carbonate rock and gypsum resources for use in crop production in Zambia

No Abstract Available Journal of Science and Technology Special Edition 2004: 86-9

PRISM methodological research : a methodological study focused on IDE-Zambia's smallholder market creation project

The Smallholder Market Creation (SMC) project was conducted under Zambia’s Rural Economic Growth Program. Over a four-province area, it targeted smallholders, equipment manufacturers, input producers and suppliers, transporters, buyers of agricultural products, processors, micro-credit facilities, other SMEs and agribusinesses. The project increased smallholder income by $300 per year. The SMC project utilized the Poverty Reduction through Irrigation and Smallholder Markets (PRISM) approach to achieve objectives and to evaluate the outcomes of the project. Farmers reiterated that working in groups made better use of resources, and helped smallholders achieve greater bargaining power. Training in leadership increased the capacity of groups to tackle developmental challenges

The identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in official statistics and other data: Critical issues of international significance

The realisation for Indigenous people in Australia to be counted in official statistics occurred in 1967. The identification of Indigenous people in Australia in national data requires historical and contemporary issues to be considered. This includes how Indigenous people have been defined and by whom, as well as how identification is operationalised in official data collections. Furthermore, the completeness and accuracy of Indigenous people identified in the data and the impact this has on the measurement of health and wellbeing must also be taken into account. Official national reporting of Indigenous people is calculated using data from censuses, vital statistics, and existing administrative data collections and/or surveys. In alignment with human rights standards, individuals in Australia can opt to self-identify as € Indigenous\u27 in the data. However, challenges persist in deriving quality Indigenous data. This can result in biases in the estimates used to describe Indigenous people and the progress of Indigenous people. Measurement issues arising from incomplete and inaccurate data pertaining to Indigenous people require serious consideration particularly if this data is being used for addressing disparities within Australian society. This article discusses priority issues in identifying Indigenous people in the national data in Australia\u27s colonial context

Use of innovation platforms in addressing soil fertility challenges: experiences from rural Zambia

Low soil fertility has been recognized as one of the challenges contributing to low crop productivity in Zambia. In order to address this challenge, the government, the private sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have promoted the use of Soil Fertility Management (SFM) technologies such as agroforestry, animal manure, compost, intercropping of legumes, and minimum tillage. In recent years, Innovation Platforms (IPs) have been used as a means to promote farmer participation in appropriate technology identification and development. This is done to enhance technology adoption and rural development in general. In Zambia, there has been little or no documented experiences or lessons learnt in the use of IPs to address any agricultural problem. Therefore, this paper, attempts to fill this information gap by providing information on the experiences in the use of IPs to address low soil fertility challenges in Zambia’s Kasama and Chipata districts. An IP was established in each district with members drawn from different organizations. The objective of the IP was to provide a platform for discussing and disseminating information in order to enhance the awareness of low soil fertility issues and available appropriate SFM technologies. The experience with the use of IPs showed that IPs are a platform were farmers participated freely in identifying and prioritizing soil fertility challenges. Farmers also participated in proposing solutions and developing an action plan to address the challenges. The other experiences with IPs showed that they are effective information and technical knowledge sharing platforms which enhanced awareness of soil fertility challenges and the available SFM technologies. The IPs also contributed to improving working relations among public, private sector and NGOs. Also IPs were equally key in mobilizing locally available resources (skills, competences and finances) to train farmers in some of the SFM technologies; to raise and distribute agro forestry seedlings and planting materials to farmers; and to help access the local media.. Therefore, the use of IPs should be encouraged as an approach for extension service delivery in rural areas. In order to successfully implement IPs it’s recommended that a careful selection of stakeholders to participate in IPs is done. Working with local traditional leaders in IPs is also effective indissemination of information to address low soil fertility challenges

Use of innovation platforms in addressing soil fertility challenges: experiences from rural Zambia

Low soil fertility has been recognized as one of the challenges contributing to low crop productivity in Zambia. In order to address this challenge, the government, the private sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have promoted the use of Soil Fertility Management (SFM) technologies such as agroforestry, animal manure, compost, intercropping of legumes, and minimum tillage. In recent years, Innovation Platforms (IPs) have been used as a means to promote farmer participation in appropriate technology identification and development. This is done to enhance technology adoption and rural development in general. In Zambia, there has been little or no documented experiences or lessons learnt in the use of IPs to address any agricultural problem. Therefore, this paper, attempts to fill this information gap by providing information on the experiences in the use of IPs to address low soil fertility challenges in Zambia’s Kasama and Chipata districts. An IP was established in each district with members drawn from different organizations. The objective of the IP was to provide a platform for discussing and disseminating information in order to enhance the awareness of low soil fertility issues and available appropriate SFM technologies. The experience with the use of IPs showed that IPs are a platform were farmers participated freely in identifying and prioritizing soil fertility challenges. Farmers also participated in proposing solutions and developing an action plan to address the challenges. The other experiences with IPs showed that they are effective information and technical knowledge sharing platforms which enhanced awareness of soil fertility challenges and the available SFM technologies. The IPs also contributed to improving working relations among public, private sector and NGOs. Also IPs were equally key in mobilizing locally available resources (skills, competences and finances) to train farmers in some of the SFM technologies; to raise and distribute agro forestry seedlings and planting materials to farmers; and to help access the local media.. Therefore, the use of IPs should be encouraged as an approach for extension service delivery in rural areas. In order to successfully implement IPs it’s recommended that a careful selection of stakeholders to participate in IPs is done. Working with local traditional leaders in IPs is also effective indissemination of information to address low soil fertility challenges

Structural analysis of inhibitors of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis biotin-protein ligase BirA.

Biotin is an essential cofactor that is necessary for the synthesis of essential membrane phospholipids, cell-wall mycolic acids, and important virulence factors in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). The first committed step of fatty acid biosynthesis is catalyzed by Acetyl-Coenzyme A Carboxylase, a multimeric complex that requires the covalent ligation of biotin to the Biotin Carboxyl Carrier Protein (BCCP) domain in order to become functionally active. In Mtb, this step is catalyzed by the biotin protein ligase BirA. Biotinylation proceeds through a two-step reaction wherein biotin is first activated to 5'-biotinyl-AMP before transfer to the e-amino group of a target lysine residue of the BCCP domain. BirA is the only biotin protein ligase detected in the Mtb genome and has been shown to be essential for fatty acid biosynthesis in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Inhibitors of BirA are under investigation as potential novel antibacterial agents for the treatment of tuberculosis and other pathogenic microorganism