The Effects of Different Feeding Practices on the Nutritional Status of Infants below 12 Months Old in the Kumba 1 Sub-Division

Appropriate feeding practices are important during infancy for good health, growth and development of infants and children. WHO revised its earlier recommendation of Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) of infants from 4 to 6 months of age to EBF until about 6 months of age, with the addition of complementary foods thereafter. This recommendation confirms that breast milk alone is sufficient to meet infants’ nutritional requirements for the first 6 months of life. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of various feeding practices on the Nutritional status of infants 0 - 12-month-old in the Kumba 1 Sub-Division. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2019 to August 2020. A total of 341 nursing mothers and their infants 0 - 12 months of age were recruited. Socio-demographic factors and the different feeding habits of the children were assessed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Nutritional status was assessed using anthropometric measurements. The overall proportion of infants who exclusively breastfed for 6 months was 69.2% and those who were mix-fed were 30.8% in the study area. The overall prevalence of malnutrition in the population was 61.0%. Among the malnourished children, 53.1% were underweight, 19.6% were wasted and 10.0% were stunted. Though not significant, the prevalence of wasting (21.0%) and underweight (58.3%) was higher among Mix-Fed (MF) children when compared to their EBF counterparts. Feeding practices affected the nutritional status of the infants. Underweight and wasting were observed among infants on Complementary Feeding (CF), although some exclusively breast-fed infants were stunted. Hence, nursing mothers should try as much as possible to practice EBF as recommended by WHO and can practice CF when the child is above six months.

Inclusive Education in the Context of Ethnocultural Diversity: Understanding the Process of Exclusion to Act in the School - A Secondary Publication

This paper reveals that the implementation of inclusive education is an unfinished challenge,both within the system and for individual self-improvement.This process of changing practices,by continually questioning the school’s responsibility for the(re)production of inequalities,exclusion,and unequal social relations,is riddled with obstacles,unpredictable situations,and strong emotions.In particular,the researchers point out that many systemic mechanisms of school culture contribute to replicating and reifying hierarchical school experiences and exacerbating processes of institutional discrimination against immigrant backgrounds and/or racialized students.The empirical research presented also highlights the school staff’s deficit thinking toward immigrant students and their parents.The results show that staff tend to use linguistic and cultural gaps between students and the school system to explain academic failure.Be that as it may,the researchers as well as the school actors and students interviewed in this paper suggest multiple ways to improve inclusion in the school context,stressing the importance of giving voice to the various actors in order to move toward institutional transformation.

The Commitment to Promoting a Culture of Equity in Quebec Secondary Schools: Insights from School Stakeholders - A Secondary Publication

This paper presents the results of a research project on the intercultural climate in schools and the academic success of immigrant students in Quebec.The intercultural climate in eight secondary public schools is documented from the standpoint of various school and community stakeholders,students,and parents.More specifically,the paper focuses on the commitment to promoting cultural equity,which is identified through interviews with the targeted stakeholders on exclusionary practices and processes and the practices implemented to counter them.The results identify five areas of vulnerability among certain minoritized groups of students:the transition from welcoming to regular classes for those students learning French,evaluation and support for those experiencing learning or behavioral difficulties,the referral of these students to adult education programs or work-oriented training programs,their participation in extracurricular activities,and their access to special school projects.Nonetheless,some schools do report the introduction of many equity practices in response to the exclusionary ones.However,these initiatives are mostly occasional and voluntary and pertain to interactions between individuals.These findings call for a discussion on the importance of systemic and concerted initiatives towards achieving equity.

Metamorphoses of the University and the Pathways of Indigenous Students in Quebec:Issues of Accessibility to Studies and Academic Persistence from a Perspective of the Decolonization of Education-A Secondary Publication

In connection with the historical context of social segregation and the assimilative aim of formal education imposed on them,the Indigenous Peoples of Québec have long been excluded from higher education.Today,even if their graduation rates are increasing,a persistent gap with the non-Indigenous population is maintained.The data in this article are drawn from 23 interviews with students and university graduates of the First Nations of Québec,as part of a thesis in educational sciences.Our paper analyzes how these students manage to combine the contributions of Indigenous education with those of Western education by developing paths that are part of the decolonization movement of education.Their relationship to Indigenous identity and cultures clearly influences their educational background and is analyzed taking into account power relations with the dominant culture.Our paper emphasizes more particularly the relationship to studies,the adaptation to the student profession,and the balance between studies,work,and family among Indigenous students,in a context of transition from university to multiversity which contributed to the increase of Indigenous university attendance.

The Barrier of the Child and Parent Expected Models for Entering the School System-A Secondary Publication

The recognition of the positive value of student diversity and their right to full participation are key aspects of inclusion as a means of managing heterogeneity of the school population from an equality perspective.As the school cannot welcome the diversity of children without including their families,the same logic needs to apply to the relationship between the school and parents,particularly in the current environment where the school-family partnership appears as a privileged institutional leverage in the fight against inequalities at school.Based on an ethnographical study exploring how the relationship between the school and the families builds up in a Swiss school located in a context of strong cultural diversity,this paper interrogates how the school norm can be the main limitation to the inclusion of students and parents who are unfamiliar with the school.Derived from field observations and interviews,our results show how the teachers tend to approach their relationship with new students and their parents from the standpoint of narrowly defined expected models,leading them to engage in a vain attempt to conform the students and parents when they deviate from these models.The possibility of entering the school system for students and parents unfamiliar with school is hindered by the exclusive and excluding normativity on which the models of the child and the parent expected by the teachers are grounded.Based on these observations,we discuss how an inclusive approach seems to us to require in the first place a necessary process of decentering from the school and teachers,as a condition for recognition of the actual child and parent.

Characterization of blueberry exosome-like nanoparticles and miRNAs with potential cross-kingdom human gene targets

Edible plant derived exosome-like nanoparticles(ELNs)have been shown to have multiple nutraceutical functions.However,the diversity of plant materials makes the plant derived ELN study challenging.More efforts are still needed to explore the feasible isolation methods of edible plant derived ELNs and the possible roles of food-derived ELNs in improving human health.In this study,a size exclusion chromatography based method was compared with the traditional ultracentrifugation method to isolate blueberry derived ELNs(B-ELNs),and the miRNA profile of B-ELNs was analyzed by high-throughput sequencing.A total of 36 miRNAs were found to be enriched in B-ELNs compared with berry tissue,and their potential cross-kingdom human gene targets were further predicted.Results showed that size exclusion chromatography was effective for B-ELN isolation.The most abundant miRNAs in B-ELNs mainly belonged to the miR166 family and miR396 family.Target gene prediction indicated that B-ELNs could potentially regulate pathways related to the human digestive system,immune system and infectious diseases.

Effects of long-term grazing exclusion on vegetation structure,soil water holding capacity,carbon and nitrogen sequestration capacity in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau

Grazing exclusion is one of the primary management practices used to restore degraded grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau.However,to date,the effects of long-term grazing exclusion measures on the process of restoring degraded alpine meadows have not been evaluated.In this study,moderately degraded plots,in which the vegetation coverage was approximately 65%and the dominant plant species was Potentilla anserina L,with grazing exclusion for 2 to 23 years,were selected in alpine meadows of Haibei in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.Plant coverage,plant height,biomass,soil bulk density,saturated water content,soil organic carbon(SOC)and total nitrogen(TN)were evaluated.The results were as follows:(1)With aboveground biomass and total saturated water content at 0-40 cm depth,the average SOC and TN contents in moderately degraded alpine meadows increased as a power function,and the plant height increased as a log function.(2)The average soil bulk density at 0-40 cm depth first decreased and then increased with increasing grazing exclusion duration,and the minimum value of 0.90 g·cm^(-3) was reached at 15.23 years.The plant coverage,total belowground biomass at 0-40 cm depth,total aboveground and belowground biomass first increased and then decreased,their maximum values(80.49%,2452.92g·m^(-2),2891.06 g·m^(-2))were reached at 9.41,9.46 and 10.25 years,respectively.Long-term grazing exclusion is apparently harmful for the sustainable restoration of degraded alpine meadows.The optimal duration of grazing exclusion for the restoration of moderately degraded alpine meadows was 10 years.This research suggests that moderate disturbance should be allowed in moderately degraded alpine meadows after 10years of grazing exclusion.

Reasons and effects of the decline of willing related potential living kidney donors

BACKGROUND Although the availability of related living donors(LDs)provides a better chance for receiving kidney transplantation(KT),the evaluation protocols for LD selection remain a safeguard for the LD’s safety.These protocols are variable from one center to another,resulting in variable rates of decline of the potential LDs(PLDs).The decline of willing PLDs may occur at any stage of evaluation,starting from the initial contact and counseling to the day of operation.AIM To identify the causes of the decline of PLDs,the predictors of PLD candidacy,and the effect on achieving LDKT.METHODS A retrospective study was performed on the willing PLDs who attended our outpatient clinic for kidney donation to their related potential recipients between October 2015 and December 2022.The variables influencing their candidacy rate and the fate of their potential recipients were studied.Two groups of PLDs were compared:Candidate PLDs after a completed evaluation vs non-candidate PLDs with a complete or incomplete evaluation.A multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the factors contributing to the achievement of PLD candidacy.RESULTS Of 321 willing PLDs,257 PLDs(80.1%)accessed the evaluation to variable extents for 212 potential recipients,with a mean age(range)of 40.5±10.4(18-65)years,including 169 females(65.8%).The remaining 64 PLDs(19.9%)did not access the evaluation.Only 58 PLDs(18.1%)succeeded in donating,but 199 PDLs(62.0%)were declined;exclusion occurred in 144 PLDs(56.0%)for immunological causes(37.5%),medical causes(54.9%),combined causes(9.7%),and financial causes(2.1%).Regression and release occurred in 55 PLDs(17.1%).The potential recipients with candidate PLDs were not significantly different from those with non-candidate PLDs,except in age(P=0.041),rates of completed evaluation,and exclusion of PLDs(P<0.001).There were no factors that independently influenced the rate of PLD candidacy.Most patients who failed to have KT after the decline of their PLDs remained on hemodialysis for 6 mo to 6 years.CONCLUSION The rate of decline of willing related PLDs was high due to medical or immunological contraindications,release,or regression of PLDs.It reduced the chances of high percentages of potential recipients in LDKT.

Ableism and (Neo)Racism in School Placement Processes in Quebec: School Personnel Interpretations of Immigrant Student Difficulties - A Secondary Publication

The school placement processes of students from immigrant backgrounds considered to be in“difficulty”is an international concern at the intersection of works relating to special education and those concerning the school experiences of students from immigrant backgrounds or racialized groups.The research problem of this article concerns the identification of these students as disabled or as having adjustment or learning difficulties.From a perspective anchored in Disability Critical Race Studies,this ethnographic study documents different interpretations of perceived difficulties made by school actors with regard to seven primary school students from immigrant backgrounds.Five interpretation types are presented:(1)medicalization by dismissal of cultural markers,(2)medicalization by professional constraint,(3)medicalization by cultural deficit,(4)precautionary wait,and(5)cultural differentialism.Our results help to shed light on the special education overrepresentation phenomenon regarding these students and to understand how ableism and(neo)racism contribute to it.

Determinants of Breastfeeding Practices among Working Mothers in Solwezi District of Zambia

Background: As one of the strategies to reduce infant morbidity and mortality, the World Health Organization recommends early initiation of exclusive breastfeeding and timely introduction of complementary feeding with continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond. Although breastfeeding is a natural process, it is influenced by different socio-cultural factors, habits, standards, and behaviours. Rapid industrialization and changes in lifestyle have seen increasing numbers of women in the labour force, and associated poor Exclusive Breastfeeding practices among working mothers. The aim of this study was to identify the determinants of breastfeeding practices among working mothers in Solwezi District of Zambia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional comparative survey comparing determinants of breastfeeding practices among working mothers aged 15 - 49 years in urban and rural areas of Solwezi District. The study was carried out in the Under-five Clinics at Solwezi, Kimasala and Mushitala Urban Clinics, as well as St. Francis, Kapijimpanga and Kisalala Rural Health Centers. Eighty-seven participants were successfully recruited using convenience sampling. A researcher-assisted questionnaire was used to collect data. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 27.0. Descriptive statistical analysis was done using numerical measures such as measures of central tendency and dispersion. The Pearson Chi Square test, correlation and linear regression analysis were performed to test association between the variables at the 0.05 level of significance. Are you assessing exclusive breastfeeding alone or what? Results: The mean age of respondents was 27.44 years (SD = 6.042 years) and the majority of the respondents were married (71.3%, n = 62). Forty-three percent of the respondents were self-employed while the rest were in formal government or private sector employment. Overall, 97.7% of the respondents had heard of exclusive breastfeeding, with health facilities being the most frequent source of information (64.4%). Attitude towards exclusive breastfeeding was generally positive. Fifty-eight percent of respondents exclusively breastfed while the rest were on mixed feeding. Seventy-one percent of respondents reported that their workplaces did not have breastfeeding facilities at work. Only 11.5% of the respondents reported having cultural beliefs restricting breastfeeding. Statistically significant associations were obtained from cross-tabulation analysis between respondent’s occupation and baby feeding type (p 0.001);workload and feeding type (0.024);as well as knowledge of EBF and feeding type (p 0.001). Conclusion: Majority of the respondents demonstrated good knowledge and positive attitude towards exclusive breastfeeding. This study recommends sensitization campaigns in communities to raise awareness about the importance of breastfeeding, and foster behaviour change that promotes breastfeeding.

Quantum correlation enhanced bound of the information exclusion principle

We investigate the information exclusion principle for multiple measurements with assistance of multiple quantum memories that are well bounded by the upper and lower bounds.The lower bound depends on the observables'complementarity and the complementarity of uncertainty whilst the upper bound includes the complementarity of the observables,quantum discord,and quantum condition entropy.In quantum measurement processing,there exists a relationship between the complementarity of uncertainty and the complementarity of information.In addition,based on the information exclusion principle the complementarity of uncertainty and the shareability of quantum discord can exist as an essential factor to enhance the bounds of each other in the presence of quantum memory.

Relations Between School and Immigrant Families in Albertan Francophone School: Perspectives of Settlement Workers in Schools - A Secondary Publication

In recent years,Francophone schools in Alberta,a province in western Canada,have seen significant ethnocultural diversification of their school population,thus reflecting recent migratory changes in Canada.The population of a Francophone school board located in an agglomeration of Alberta reflects these new migratory trends.A partial ethnodemographic portrait carried out in 2003 in six of its schools indicates that 50%of the pupils come from an immigrant background and come from 23 different countries;mostly from sub-Saharan African countries.This demographic reality,confirmed more than a decade later,represents a major structural change for Francophone schools.In Alberta,as in other Canadian provinces,inclusion is at the heart of discourse and educational practices.With a transformative aim,it intends to promote ethnocultural diversity in the classroom and equal opportunities through school equity practices.This article focuses on the settlement workers in schools responsible for bridging family,community,and school cultures.The analysis of the interviews of the four workers sheds light on and questions both the institutional practices and the personal strategies put in place to face the challenges encountered in this tripartite collaboration.

Exclusive Fibula Osteosynthesis for Treating Open Fractures Gustillo I-III B of the Distal Half of the Leg Bones in a Resources-Limited Setting

Introduction: Management of open leg bones fractures is a challenging health issue for the surgeon, particularly true in resource-limited settings. In this study, we evaluate exclusive fibular osteosynthesis in the treatment of open fractures of the distal half of the leg bones as a therapeutic option in our context. Methods: This is a prospective, experimental, multicenter study of 30 open fractures of the distal half of the leg bones treated with exclusive fibula osteosynthesis, conducted in 3 hospitals in the DRC from January 1, 2013 to September 30, 2016. Results: The age range of 20 to 40 years grouped 22 (73.4%) patients, the sex ratio was 1:1 and the unemployed were the most involved with 16 (53.3%) cases. The Gustilo II, I, III B and III A types represented 40%, 33.3%, 20% and 6.7%, respectively. The fractures were located in the distal third in 12 (40%) cases, in the middle third in 11 (36.7%) cases, and in both malleoli in 7 cases (23.3%). Osteosynthesis of the fibula by screw plate was applied in 22 (73.3%) patients and pinning in 8 (26.7%). Satisfactory reduction of the tibial fracture site was achieved in 29 (96.7%) cases and 100% bone healing was achieved within an average of 10 weeks. Four (13.3%) loss of alignment, 1 (3.3%) infection, 1 (3.3%) skin necrosis and 2 (6.7%) ankle stiffness complicated our fractures. Conclusion: Exclusive osteosynthesis of the fibula as a common technique for fractures of the distal half of the leg bones allowed us to reduce, immobilize and consolidate the tibial fracture in the required time and to preserve the mobility of the ankle.

The Life of the Chinese Americans in the USA

本文从历史的角度分析了在美国的中国移民在不同历史时期的不同经历,着重阐述了其被主流文化排斥,遭受不公正待遇的历史原因。

Role of diet in the management of inflammatory bowel disease

Many studies have looked at connections between diet,etiology,signs and symptoms associated with inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).Although these connections are apparent to clinicians,they are difficult to prove qualitatively or quantitatively.Enteral feeding and polymeric diets are equally effective at bringing about remission in Crohn's disease(CD).Parenteral feeding is also effective,although none of these methods is as effective as corticosteroid therapy.However,enteral feeding is preferred in the pediatric population because linear growth is more adequately maintained via this route.Exclusion diets in patients brought into remission using an elemental diet have been shown to maintain remission for longer periods.Studies that aim to isolate culpable food groups have shown that individuals react differently on exposure to or exclusion of various foods.The commonly identifi ed food sensitivities are cereals,milk,eggs,vegetables and citrus fruits.Studies that have looked at gut mucosal antigen behavior have shown higher rectal blood flow,in response to specifi c food antigens,in those with CD over healthy subjects.Exclusion of sugar shows little evidence of amelioration in CD.Omega 3 fatty acids show promise in the treatment of IBD but await larger randomized controlled trials.Patients frequently notice that specifi c foods cause aggravation of their symptoms.Whilst it has been diffi cult to pinpoint specifi c foods,with advances in the laboratory tests and food supplements available,the aim is to prolong remission in these patients using dietary measures,and reduce the need for pharmacotherapy and surgical intervention.

Growth, photosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism in soybean varieties after exclusion of the UV-B and UV-A/B components of solar radiation

A field experiment was conducted to study the impact of the exclusion of the solar UV components on growth, photosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism in soybean(Glycine max)varieties PK-472, Pusa-24, JS 71-05, JS-335, NRC-7 and Kalitur. The plants were grown in specially designed UV exclusion chambers wrapped with filters to exclude UV-B or UV-A/B and transmitted all UV. Exclusion of UV significantly enhanced the growth of the aerial parts as well as the growth of the below ground parts in all of the six soybean varieties.Nitrate reductase activity(NRA) was significantly reduced, whereas leghemoglobin(Lb)content, total soluble protein, net photosynthesis(Pn) and α-tocopherol content were enhanced after UV exclusion. The exclusion of solar UV-A/B enhanced all parameters to a larger extent than the exclusion of solar UV-B in four of the six varieties of soybean except for NRC-7 and Kalitur. These two varieties responded more to UV-B exclusion compared to UV-A/B exclusion. A significant inverse correlation between the NRA and the number of nodules per plant was observed. The extent of response in all parameters was greater in PK-472 and JS71-05 than that in Kalitur and JS-335 after UV exclusion. The exclusion of UV augmented the growth of nodules, Lb content and α-tocopherol levels and conferred higher rates of Pnto support better growth of nodules. Control plants(+ UV-A/B) seemed to fulfill their N demand through the assimilation of NO-3resulting in lower symbiotic nitrogen fixation and higher NR activity.

From mandatory icebreaker guiding to a permission regime: changes to the new Russian legislation of the Northern Sea Route

This article focuses on two issues. The first concerns definitions of the Northern Sea Route （NSR） in old and new Russian legislation, and the second relates to Russian rules on icebreaker guiding. Based on a comprehensive comparative analysis of relevant Russian legal provisions enacted in 2013 and previous laws in this area, we offer the following conclusions. （1） Our legal analysis indicates that Russia＇s view of the NSR as a historical national transportation route has not changed. However, the new law redefines the scope and coverage of the NSR, which now comprises the internal waters, territorial sea, adjacent zone, and the exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation. In fact, the new law resolves previous ambiguity regarding extension of the NSR boundary to the high seas. （2） Based on an analysis of the new rules on icebreaker guiding, the article concludes that NSR is transitioning from a mandatory icebreaker guiding regime into a permit regime. This is particularly evident in its provision of a concrete, practical, and predictable clause on permissible or impermissible conditions relating to independent navigation. According to the new rules, it is possible for foreign ships to undertake independent navigation in the NSR. The Russian NSR policy, therefore, appears to have changed significantly, and has future potential for opening the NSR up to the international community.

EFFECT OF CRYOGENIC AND HEATING TREATMENT ON THE SOLUTION PROPERTIES OF NITROCELLULOSE

The effect of cryogenic and heating treatment on the solution properties of rigid polymer nitrocellulose(NC)indilute tetrahydrofuran solution were studied with a sealed viscometer and a size exclusion chromatograph(SEC),respectively.The experimental results show that the relative viscosity of NC solution decreases after repeated freezing-thawing treatment.The decreased viscosity value of NC could not be restored but decreased further after the solution beingre-heated.The experimental results of SEC are fully consistent with that of viscosity measurements.It is believed that theeffect of two treatments on NC solution both causes the apparent hydrodynamic volume to decrease.But they are assumed tobe ascribed to different mechanisms.

Long-term grazing exclusion influences arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and their association with vegetation in typical steppe of Inner Mongolia,China

It is not certain that long-term grazing exclusion influences arbuscular mycorrhizal （AM） fungi and their association with steppe vegetation. In this study, soil and plant samples were collected from two sites of grazing exclusion since 1983 （E83） and 1996 （E96）, and one site of free-grazing （FG） in the typical steppe of Xilinguole League, Inner Mongolia, China, and assayed for soil basic physicochemical properties, AM fungal parameters, aboveground biomass and shoot phosphorus （P） uptake as well. The results showed that long-term grazing exclusion of E83 and E96 led to less drastic seasonal changes and significant increases in spore density, hyphal length density and root colonization intensity of AM fungi and even soil alkaline phosphatase activity, by up to 300, 168, 110 and 102％, respectively, compared with those of FG site. In addition, the total aboveground biomass and shoot P uptake of E83 and E96 were 75-992％ and 58-645％, respectively, higher than those of FG. Generally, the root colonization intensity, spore density, and hyphal length density of AM fungi were all positively correlated with the aboveground biomass and even shoot P uptake of plant. These results may imply that grazing exclusion play a critical role in increasing the growth of AM fungi, and subsequently, may increase plant P uptake and aboveground biomass production. Moreover, the spore density could sensitively reflect the impacts of long-term grazing exclusion on AM fungi since survival strategy of spores in soil.

Symmetry phases of asymmetric simple exclusion processes on two lanes with an intersection

This paper studies two-lane asymmetric simple exclusion processes(ASEPs)with an intersection.In the upstream segments of the intersection,one particle can move to the next site with rate 1 if the site is empty,and the other particle can move forward with rate p in the sites of downstream segments.The parameter p can represent the rate of slowing of motion,and the parameter is introduced to investigate spontaneous symmetry breaking(SSB)phenomenon.Extensive Monte Carlo simulations are carried out.It is shown that three symmetric phases exist and the SSB does not exist in the system.Simple mean field approach in which correlation of sites is ignored is firstly adopted to analyze the system,and the system is divided into four independent segments.It is found that the analytical results deviate from the simulation ones,especially when p is small.In addition,the inexsitence of SSB can only be explained qualitatively.Motivated by this,we carry out the cluster mean field analysis in which correlation of five sites is considered.It is shown that densities of the two upstream segments are equal,which demonstrates that the SSB does not exist.It is also shown that,as expected,the cluster mean field analysis performs much better than the simple mean field analysis.