Trade Liberalisation, Market Deregulation and Agricultural Performance in Central America

One frequently encounters the argument that trade liberalisation and deregulation of domestic markets in developing countries result in increased incentives for agriculture. This proposition is considered for the Central American countries, all of which passed through fundamental policy change either in the 1980s or 1990s. After characterising the policy regimes in each country over various periods, the analysis moves to an inspection of agricultural trade performance. The evidence indicates that liberalisation of foreign trade and deregulation of domestic markets has not been associated with improved agricultural performance. It is suggested that the failure of agriculture to respond positively to policy changes can be in part explained by an unfavourable trend in world prices of the region's major tradable commodities.

Social dynamics shaping the diffusion of sustainable aquaculture innovations in the Solomon Islands

Sustainably feeding the world's growing population represents one of our most significant challenges. Aquaculture is well positioned to make contributions towards this challenge. Yet, the translation of aquaculture production innovations into benefits for rural communities is constrained by a limited understanding of the social dynamics that influence the adoption of new agricultural practices. In this paper, we investigate the factors that shape the spread of small-scale tilapia aquaculture through rural Solomon Islands. Based on diffusion of innovation theory, we focus on three potentially influential factors: (i) socio-economic characteristics of adopters; (ii) the role of opinion leaders; and (iii) characteristics of the innovation. We find that farmers who were wealthier, older, and had more diverse livelihoods were most likely to be adopters. Opinion leaders facilitated the adoption of tilapia aquaculture, but lacked the capacity to provide fundamental knowledge necessary to realize its potential benefits to food security. The paper argues for more explicit attention to the poorest households and makes the case for a deeper engagement with the broader social and institutional contexts that shape the adoption process. Aquaculture interventions that account for these social dynamics are critical for translating production innovations into sustainable benefits to rural communities

Induction of labor and nulliparity: A nationwide clinical practice pilot evaluation.

IntroductionInduction of labor has become an increasingly common obstetric procedure, but in nulliparous women or women with a previous cesarean section, it can pose a clinical challenge. Despite an overall expansion of medical indications for labor induction, there is little international consensus regarding the criteria for induction, or for the recommended methods among nulliparous women. In this light, we assessed variations in the practice of induction of labor among 21 birth units in a nationwide cohort of women with no prior vaginal birth.Material and methodsWe carried out a prospective observational pilot study of women with induced labor and no prior vaginal birth, across 21 Norwegian birth units. We registered induction indications, methods and outcomes from 1 September to 31 December 2018 using a web-based case record form. Women were grouped into "Nulliparous term cephalic", "Previous cesarean section" and "Other Robson" (Robson groups 6, 7, 8 or 10).ResultsMore than 98% of eligible women (n=1818) were included and a wide variety of methods was used for induction of labor. In nulliparous term cephalic pregnancies, cesarean section rates ranged from 11.1% to 40.6% between birth units, whereas in the previous cesarean section group, rates ranged from 22.7% to 67.5%. The indications "large fetus" and "other fetal" indications were associated with the highest cesarean rates. Failed inductions and failure to progress in labor contributed most to the cesarean rates. Uterine rupture occurred in two women (0.11%), both in the previous cesarean section group. In neonates, 1.6% had Apgar ConclusionsCesarean rates and applied methods for induction of labor varied widely in this nationwide cohort of women without a prior vaginal birth. Neonatal outcomes were similar to those of normal birth populations. Results could indicate the need to move towards more standardized induction protocols associated with optimal outcomes for mother and baby

Maternal and newborn health priority setting partnership in rural Uganda in association with the James Lind Alliance: a study protocol.

BackgroundMaternal and newborn deaths and ill health are relatively common in low income countries, but can adequately be addressed through locally, collaboratively designed, and responsive research. This has the potential to enable the affected women, their families and health workers themselves to explore 'why maternal and newborn adverse outcomes continue to occur. The objectives of the study include; To work with seldom heard groups of mothers, their families, and health workers to identify unanswered research questions for maternal and newborn health in villages and health facilities in rural UgandaTo establish locally responsive research questions for maternal and newborn health that could be prioritised together with the public in UgandaTo support the case for locally responsive research in maternal and newborn health by the ministry of health, academic researchers and funding bodies in Uganda.MethodsThe present study will follow the James Lind Alliance (JLA) Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) methodology. The project was initiated by an academic research group and will be managed by a research team at the Sanyu Africa Research Institute on a day to day basis. A steering group with a separate lay mothers' group and partners' group (individuals or organisations with interest in maternal and newborn health) will be recruited. The PSP will be initiated by launch meetings, then a face-to-face initial survey for the collection of raw unanswered questions; followed by data collation. A face-to-face interim prioritisation survey will then be performed to choose questions before the three separate final prioritisation workshops.The PSP will involve many participants from an illiterate, non-internet population in rural eastern Uganda, but all with an interest in strategies to avert maternal and newborn deaths or morbidities in rural eastern Uganda. This includes local rural women, their families, health and social workers, and relevant local groups or organisations.We will generate a top 10 list of maternal and newborn health research priorities from a group with no prior experience in setting a research agenda in rural eastern Uganda.DiscussionThe current protocol elaborates the JLA methods for application with a new topic and in a new setting translating the JLA principles not just into the local language, but into a rural, vulnerable, illiterate, and non-internet population in Uganda. The face-to-face human interaction is powerful in eliciting what exactly matters to individuals in this particular context as opposed to online surveys.This will be the first time that mothers and lay public with current or previous experience of maternal or neonatal adverse outcomes will have the opportunity to identify and prioritise research questions that matter to them in Uganda. We will be able to compare how the public would prioritise maternal health research questions over newborn health in this setting

Inequity in access to personalized medicine in France: Evidences from analysis of geo variations in the access to molecular profiling among advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients: Results from the IFCT Biomarkers France Study

In this article, we studied geographic variation in the use of personalized genetic testing for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and we evaluated the relationship between genetic testing rates and local socioeconomic and ecological variables. We used data on all advanced NSCLC patients who had a genetic test between April 2012 and April 2013 in France in the frame of the IFCT Biomarqueurs-France study (n = 15814). We computed four established measures of geographic variation of the sex-adjusted rates of genetic testing utilization at the “départment” (the French territory is divided into 94 administrative units called ‘départements’) level. We also performed a spatial regression model to determine the relationship between département-level sex-adjusted rates of genetic testing utilization and economic and ecological variables. Our results are the following: (i) Overall, 46.87% lung cancer admission patients obtained genetic testing for NSCLC; département-level utilization rates varied over 3.2-fold. Measures of geographic variation indicated a relatively high degree of geographic variation. (ii) there was a statistically significant relationship between genetic testing rates and per capita supply of general practitioners, radiotherapists and surgeons (negative correlation for the latter); lower genetic testing rates were also associated with higher local poverty rates. French policymakers should pursue effort toward deprived areas to obtain equal access to personalized medicine for advanced NSCLC patients

Comparison of three microsatellite analysis methods for detecting genetic diversity in Phytophthora sojae (Stramenopila: Oomycete)

Analysis of an organism’s genetic diversity requires a method that gives reliable, reproducible results. Microsatellites are robust markers, however, detection of allele sizes can be difficult with some systems as well as consistency among laboratories. In this study, our two laboratories used 219 isolates of Phytophthora sojae to compare three microsatellite methods. Two capillary electrophoresis methods, the Applied Biosystems 3730 Genetic Analyzer and the CEQ 8000 Genetic Analysis system, detected an average of 2.4-fold more alleles compared to gel electrophoresis with a mean of 8.8 and 3.6 alleles per locus using capillary and gel methods, respectively. The two capillary methods were comparable, although allele sizes differed consistently by an average of 3.2 bp across isolates. Differences between capillary methods could be overcome if reference standard DNA genotypes are shared between collaborating laboratories

Feminist Reflections on the Scope of Labour Law: Domestic Work, Social Reproduction and Jurisdiction

Drawing on feminist labour law and political economy literature, I argue that it is crucial to interrogate the personal and territorial scope of labour. After discussing the “commodification” of care, global care chains, and body work, I claim that the territorial scope of labour law must be expanded beyond that nation state to include transnational processes. I use the idea of social reproduction both to illustrate and to examine some of the recurring regulatory dilemmas that plague labour markets. I argue that unpaid care and domestic work performed in the household, typically by women, troubles the personal scope of labour law. I use the example of this specific type of personal service relation to illustrate my claim that the jurisdiction of labour law is historical and contingent, rather than conceptual and universal. I conclude by identifying some of the implications of redrawing the territorial and personal scope of labour law in light of feminist understandings of social reproduction

The Vehicle, Spring 1983

Vol. 24, No. 2 Table of Contents A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H....Beth Kennypage 1 Contemporary IssuesBrook Wilsonpage 1 BlackJohn Stockmanpage 2 BeatGraham Lewispage 2 Catholic DazeSuzanne Hornpage 4 AfricaGraham Lewispage 5 The Friendly SkiesRajendra Sinhanpage 5 BreadKen Kempckepage 7 PhotographLinda Fraembspage 8 SnapshotMaggie Kennedypage 9 PoemAnne Smithpage 9 Activities on IceKerri Mahatpage 11 Beecham\u27s Orchard And VineyardBecky Lawsonpage 11 PoemKarri Mahatpage 12 Sneak PreviewsMaggie Kennedypage 12 ZooKen Kempckepage 12 PhotographNick Haskettpage 13 The Slave HouseCraig Barnespage 13 The Nomad Preacher\u27s SermonStacey Flanniganpage 16 Owl Creek RevisitedScott Graypage 16 Thought On CopperGraham Lewispage 20 OutfielderKen Kempckepage 20 HoneymoonJohn Stockmanpage 21 Candy Wrapper Dream GirlStacey Flanniganpage 21 PhotographLinda Fraembspage 22 October DreamMarlene Weekspage 23 IndistinctionStacey Flanniganpage 24 Taking InventorySara Farrispage 24 Flying In From K-Mart, NebraskaMichelle Mitchellpage 25 PhotographNick Haskettpage 26 Bone ChinaMichelle Mitchellpage 27 She Was A DollNick Haskettpage 30 The Seventh DayGeoffrey Andrespage 31 Blade Of Grass (On A Golf Course)Ken Kempckepage 31 PoemKen Kempckepage 32 Cigarette SmokeJean M. Davispage 33 Future LoveR. Lawsonpage 34 PhotographNick Haskettpage 35 Dancing In The StreetBetsy Acklinpage 35 PhotographLinda Fraembspage 38 CleoMarlene Weekspage 39 Teddy BearKen Kempckepage 39 PreludeBecky Lawsonpage 40https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1043/thumbnail.jp