Cholinesterase Activity as an Indicator of Health Risks among Kou Valley Farmers

Introduction: Pesticides are currently an essential component of agricultural production techniques for controlling pests and weeds. In Burkina Faso, non-compliance with good practice in the use of pesticides poses a real health problem for the population. This study examines the health risks associated with pesticide management in rice-growing areas. Material and Methods: A field survey was conducted in Bama, involving farmers, focusing on their socio-demographic characteristics, pesticide usage, and health effects. Cholinesterase levels were measured in subsample of farmers using a portable device. Data were analysed using Microsoft Excel, calculating means and percentages for various practices. Health consultations, protection methods, and pesticide management were studied. Erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase activity was compared before and after treatment. Data were categorised into classes based on inhibition levels, and correlation analyses determined relationships between variables such as age, years of experience, and cholinesterase activity. Results: The results indicate that rice cultivation is mainly carried out by a fairly young population, with nearly 63% being under the age of 50. Common poor practices in pesticide use include improper storage and reuse of leftover pesticides. Seven types of pesticides were identified, including organophosphates such as glyphosate, which was used in 26.7% of cases. This organophosphate has resulted in class B poisoning, causing a 30% - 50% reduction in erythrocyte cholinesterase activity. The health effects of pesticide use are felt by agricultural farmers through various symptoms of poisoning. Conclusion: To reduce the occurrence of pesticide poisoning, it is essential to launch information and awareness campaigns among the population and farmers to promote safe practices in pesticide use in Bama, Burkina Faso.

Characterization of Small-Scale Farmers and Assessment of Their Access to Crop Production Information in Selected Counties of Kenya

Small-scale farming accounts for 78% of total agricultural production in Kenya and contributes to 23.5% of the country’s GDP. Their crop production activities are mostly rainfed subsistence with any surplus being sold to bring in some income. Timely decisions on farm practices such as farm preparation and planting are critical determinants of the seasonal outcomes. In Kenya, most small-scale farmers have no reliable source of information that would help them make timely and accurate decisions. County governments have extension officers who are mandated with giving farmers advisory services to farmers but they are not able to reach most farmers due to facilitation constraints. The mode and format of sharing information is also critical since it’s important to ensure that it’s timely, well-understood and usable. This study sought to assess access to geospatial derived and other crop production information by farmers in four selected counties of Kenya. Specific objectives were to determine the profile of small-scale farmers in terms of age, education and farm size;to determine the type of information that is made available to them by County and Sub-County extension officers including the format and mode of provision;and to determine if the information provided was useful in terms of accuracy, timeliness and adequacy. The results indicated that over 80% of the farmers were over 35 years of age and over 56% were male. Majority had attained primary education (34%) or secondary education (29%) and most farmers in all the counties grew maize (71%). Notably, fellow farmers were a source of information (71%) with the frequency of sharing information being mostly seasonal (37%) and when information was available (43%). Over 66% of interviewed farmers indicating that they faced challenges while using provided information. The results from the study are insightful and helpful in determining effective ways of providing farmers with useful information to ensure maximum benefits.

Dual carbon goal and agriculture in China:Exploring key factors influencing farmers’behavior in adopting low carbon technologies

Identifying the factors influencing farmers’adoption of low-carbon technologies(FA)and understanding their impacts are essential for shaping effective agricultural policies amied at emission reduction and carbon sequestration in China.This study employs a meta-analysis of 122 empirical studies,delves into 23 driving factors affecting FA and addresses the inconsistencies present in the existing literature.We systematically examine the effect size,source of heterogeneity,and time-accumulation effect of the driving factors on FA.We find that significant heterogeneity in the factors influencing FA,except for farming experience,sources of heterogeneity from the survey zone,methodology model,technological attributes,report source,financial support,and the sampling year.Additionally,age,farming experience,and adoption cost negatively correlate with FA.In contrast,educational level,health status,technical training,economic and welfare cognition,land contract,soil quality,terrain,information accessibility,demonstration,government promotion,government regulation,government support,agricultural cooperatives member,peer effect,and agricultural income ratio demonstrate a positive correlation.Especially,demonstration and age show a particularly strong correlation.Finally,the effect of demonstration,age,economic and welfare cognition,farming experience,land contract,soil quality,information accessibility,government promotion,and support,as well as agricultural cooperative membership and peer effects on FA,are generally stable but exhibit varying degrees of attenuation over time.The effect of village cadre,family income,farm scale,gender,health status,technical training,and off-farm work on FA show notable temporal shifts and maintain a weak correlation with FA.This study contributes to shaping China’s current low-carbon agriculture policies across various regions.It encourages policymakers to comprehensively consider the stability of key factors,other potential factors,technological attributes,rural socio-economic context,and their interrelations.

Local Criteria Used by Farmers to Evaluate the Agronomic Performance and the Fertilizing Capacity of Cowpea Varieties: Diversity, Variability and Proximal Relation with Agronomic Measurements in Contrasted Sahelian Locations

When contributing to participatory research, farmers usually appreciate the performance of cowpea varieties using qualitative scores. The score they attribute to each variety are based on local knowledge. The specific criteria they individually use to attribute a score are not well described. The objectives of this work were to: 1) identify and describe exhaustively the local criteria used by farmers to measure the agronomic performance of cowpea;2) assess the variability and statistical structure of these farmer criteria across local contexts;3) and analyze the association between these farmer criteria and the classical agronomic measurement. To achieve these objectives, an augmented block design was implemented across fifteen locations in the regions of Maradi, Dosso and Tillabéri, representing a diversity of local contexts. From a set of 36 cowpea varieties, fifteen varieties were sown per location, including five varieties (controls) common to all locations. In each location, two replicates were sown in randomized Fisher’s blocks. After agronomic measurement and participatory evaluation (scoring of varieties by farmers), a group survey (focus group) was conducted in each location to identify the criteria considered by farmers to found their discretional scoring of varieties during the participatory evaluation. The analysis of the data identified, across locations, thirteen criteria defined by farmers to characterize the agronomic performance of cowpea. Some of these criteria were different according to location. Farmers ranked the three varieties with the best performance for each agronomical trait (Top 3 varieties). A comparison of the farmer ranking with the ranking based on agronomic measurements revealed similarity and complementary between both methods. This study highlighted the importance of considering both local and scientific knowledge in local varietal evaluations.

Navigating Market Choices: Understanding Carrot Market Outlet Selection among Smallholder Farmers in Kenya

This research delves into the hurdles and strategies aimed at augmenting the market involvement of smallholder carrot farmers in Nakuru County, Kenya. Employing a Multinomial Logit (MNL) model, it scrutinizes the factors influencing the selection of marketing outlets among carrot farmers. The findings unveil that a significant majority (81%) of surveyed farmers actively participate in diverse market outlets, encompassing the farm gate, cleaning point, local market, external market, and export market. Notably, pivotal buyers include aggregators, brokers, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers, with transactions predominantly occurring at the farm level. Additionally, the analysis discerns substantial influences of socio-economic characteristics, experiential factors, and geographical proximity on farmers’ choices of market outlets. Specifically, gender, age, land size, farming experience, and distance to markets emerge as critical determinants. Moreover, the study delves into the examination of market margins along the carrot value chain, shedding light on the potential profitability of carrot farming in the region. Remarkably, higher average gross margins are identified in export and external markets, signaling lucrative prospects for farmers targeting these segments. However, disparities in profit distribution between farmers and traders underscore the necessity for interventions to ensure equitable value distribution throughout the value chain. These findings underscore the imperative for tailored interventions to tackle challenges and foster inclusive agricultural development. Strategies such as farmer organizations, contracting, and vertical integration are advocated to enhance market access and profitability for smallholder carrot farmers. Thus, this study enriches our comprehension of the dynamics within carrot value chains and provides valuable insights for policymakers and development practitioners aiming to uplift rural livelihoods and bolster food security.

Climatic and non-climatic factors driving the livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers in Ahafo Ano North District,Ghana

Smallholder farmers in Ahafo Ano North District,Ghana,face multiple climatic and non-climatic issues.This study assessed the factors contributing to the livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers in this district by household surveys with 200 respondents and focus group discussions(FGDs)with 10 respondents.The Mann–Kendall trend test was used to assess mean annual rainfall and temperature trends from 2002 to 2022.The relative importance index(RII)value was used to rank the climatic and non-climatic factors perceived by respondents.The socioeconomic characteristics affecting smallholder farmers’perceptions of climatic and non-climatic factors were evaluated by the binary logistic regression model.Results showed that mean annual rainfall decreased(P>0.05)but mean annual temperature significantly increased(P<0.05)from 2002 to 2022 in the district.The key climatic factors perceived by smallholder farmers were extreme heat or increasing temperature(RII=0.498),erratic rainfall(RII=0.485),and increased windstorms(RII=0.475).The critical non-climatic factors were high cost of farm inputs(RII=0.485),high cost of healthcare(RII=0.435),and poor condition of roads to farms(RII=0.415).Smallholder farmers’perceptions of climatic and non-climatic factors were significantly affected by their socioeconomic characteristics(P<0.05).This study concluded that these factors negatively impact the livelihoods and well-being of smallholder farmers and socioeconomic characteristics influence their perceptions of these factors.Therefore,to enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers to climate change,it is necessary to adopt a comprehensive and context-specific approach that accounts for climatic and non-climatic factors.

Farmers’ Knowledge and Awareness towards the Use of Agrochemicals in Vegetable Cultivation, Fako Cameroon

Agrochemicals are contemporary, omnipresent tool used in vegetable cultivation. Farmers’ knowledge and awareness of the proper usage of agrochemicals are critical for mitigating the negative effects on human health. This cross-sectional study was aimed at assessing the usage knowledge, risk awareness of toxicological and chemical classes, proper handling and use practices for agrochemicals homologated for use in vegetable farming, and the occurrence of health-related symptoms as a result of exposure among these farmers. The study included 93 vegetable growers from agricultural hotspot towns in Fako, southwest Cameroon. The field study, ran from November 2021 to December 2023, using a questionnaire to collect information on farmers demographic, and their knowledge of pesticide classes, and the related risk of associated with the handling of agrochemicals. Results show that all vegetable farmers, particularly those engaged in agribusiness, employ pesticide inputs to maximize production. Six pesticides, two fertilizer types, and one unknown substance were identified. While 23 active compounds were found, the most utilized were abamectin, emamectin (10.46%), dimethoate (9.30%,) and ethoprophos (8.13%). Two active chemicals, dimethoate and methalaxyl, are illegal yet remain in circulation. Toxicological classes I and II, with the greatest harmful effect on human health, were the most commonly utilized (64.27%). Thirty-nine percent of farmers never use personal protection equipment when working with agrochemicals, demonstrating a significant gap in knowledge and awareness of agrochemicals and their various applications and handling procedures in the field. The government should implement an intensive specialized educational program for on-field farmers with incentives in order to promote sustainable agriculture methods that ensure environmental and human safety.

Researching the Impact of the Quality of Village Governance on Farmers’Well-Being:From the Perspectives of Income and Occupational Differentiation

The goal of village governance is to improve the well-being of farmers,so this study aims to measure the impact the quality of village governance on the well-being of farmers.It also examines the heterogeneity of this impact across different farmer groups from the perspectives of income levels and occupational differentiation.To this end,this study developed an indicator system based on survey data collected from 1,442 farmers in the Sichuan,Shaanxi,and Gansu provinces,as well as the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.Multiple linear regression models were then used to analyze this data,and the findings revealed that improvements in the quality of village governance significantly increased the well-being of farmers.Specifically,primary-level empowerment and capacity building were shown to contribute the most to the enhancement of the farmers’well-being,followed by social inclusion,and social cohesion was found to have only a minimal effect.In terms of income levels,improving the quality of village governance benefited middle-income farmers the most,followed by low-income farmers,and it had the least effect on high-income farmers.In terms of occupations,full-time farmers gained the most from improvements in the quality of village governance,followed by off-farm farmers,with part-time farmers benefiting the least.Based on these findings,this study suggests that policymakers should improve the quality of village governance to enhance the well-being of farmers,focusing on the impact that level of income and occupational differentiation have on village governance.

Cattle Production and Lumpy Skin Disease of Smallholder Farmers in Svay Rieng Province

The cattle production in Romeas Haek district,Svay Rieng province,was developed remarkably,since there were some households raising cattle in large number,more than 20 heads.The grazing method of cattle was tethering and free grassing in the commune grass,since the natural grass and rice straw were the main source of cattle feed,however some of them supplemented their cattle with crop-byproducts,planting grass or concentrated feed.For the majority,BCS(Body Condition Scoring)of the cattle in those areas was 3 accounting for 52%-73.33%,but it was found the thin cattle has low BCS of 2 accounting for 11.11%to 40.00%and also fat cattle has BCS of 4 up to 27.78%.However,the average BCS varied with village which ranged from 2.68 to 3.17,but is not different in term of commune and sex of cattle.Besides facing with shortage of feed,the experience with diseases was also another concern,since 85.71%to 95.83%of the households faced this problem last year.Among the clinical signs found,lumpy skin was 100%,i.e.no one escaped from this problem,thus making them aware of vaccinating their cattle against some diseases such as FMD(Foot and Mouth Disease),HS(Hemorrhagic Septicemia)and LSD(Lumpy Skin Disease),but mostly vaccination was used against FMD.Because the LSD has occurred in these areas since 2020,then the seroprevalence was found in high positive up to 72.62%by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay(ELISA)test.This positive rate was also varying by villages,ranging from 53.3%to 94.44%.But there was no association between positive cattle with commune,BCS,sex and age of cattle.In conclusion,the cattle production in Romeas Haek district,Svay Rieng province had developed markedly,however the shortage of feed and disease occurrence are the main challenges for farmer cattle producers,especially LSD outbreak last year.However,most of the farmers have been aware of the benefit of vaccination and had vaccinated their cattle against those main disease,such as FMD,HS and LSD.

Leveraging on Flock Dynamics and Farmers’ Production Constraints in Designing Flock Health Program for Accelerated Goat Production

Compliance with appropriate flock health program is vital for preventing introduction and minimizing impact of diseases in goat farms. Unfortunately, most goat farms in Uganda, especially in the Albertine Graben Zone lack flock health program. The associated frequent outbreaks slow down effort aimed at commercializing goat production. In this study, we documented flock dynamics, identified and prioritized pressing challenges experienced by goat farms during the year 2022 and generated appropriate flock health program and packaged it for dissemination to farmers. Materials and Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, semi-structured questionnaire, data were collected and analyzed with MS Excel 2013. The data included: location and socio-demographics of household, farming system, flock dynamics, housing, feeding system, health management, challenges encountered by goat farm and suggested solutions. Results: Beginning January 2022 to December 2022, the number of goats reared in all the 45 sample farms increased from 2128 to 2220 goats. Results showed that 884 kids were produced and 88 breeding goats were introduced into the farms. Three hundred ninety-nine goats died due to mainly diseases and 435 goats got withdrawn through nondeath. The average farm level and overall mortality rate were 21 goats per 1000 goatmonths and 15 goats per 1000 goatmonths respectively. The most pressing challenges encountered by sample farms were death of goats especially due to diseases, poor access to veterinary extension services, high cost of inputs and feed scarcity. Solutions suggested by sample farms were improved access to veterinary services, improved housing, enhanced vaccination of goats against diseases, and enhanced grazing land management and feed conservation, all of which were incorporated into the flock health program. Conclusion and Recommendations: An appropriate flock health program was generated based on flock dynamics and production constraints which reveal high mortality and limited access to veterinary services respectively. Actors are recommended to promote adoption and adherence to the flock health program so as to increase goat production and access to wider market.

全健康(One Health)视角下绿色健康社区景观设计体系构建

以全健康(OneHealth)视角为出发点,保障人、环境和动物的健康对于社区健康环境规划与设计具有重要意义。在现有健康社区景观设计体系中,人、环境、物种三者关系虽被提及,但未被系统探究,健康社区建设实践也需要系统性的景观设计体系支持。基于全健康理念中人、环境和物种的相互关系,结合生态系统服务功能、康复景观理论和园艺疗法,进一步探讨人、环境、物种健康之间的关联途径。通过对全健康理念视角下的3个层次进行演绎发展,归纳总结了人的健康、环境健康和物种健康的组成要素及内容,构建了以人的健康需求为导向的社区健康设计框架,提出了以人与人际、人与环境和人与物种为三大圈层的健康社区景观设计体系。全健康视角为社区健康环境设计提供了一个系统性、整合性且具有操作性的框架,未来应重视健康社区体系中各类疗愈空间的设计与使用,以增进社区居民共享的健康福祉。

Are vulnerable farmers more easily influenced?Heterogeneous effects of Internet use on the adoption of integrated pest management

The Internet is believed to bring more technological dividends to vulnerable farmers during the green agriculture transformation.However,this is different from the theory of skill-biased technological change,which emphasizes that individuals with higher levels of human capital and more technological endowments benefit more.This study investigates the effects of Internet use on farmers'adoption of integrated pest management(IPM),theoretically and empirically,based on a dataset containing 1015 farmers in China's Shandong Province.By exploring the perspective of rational inattention,the reasons for the heterogeneity of the effects across farmers with different endowments,i.e.,education and land size,are analyzed.The potential endogeneity issues are addressed using the endogenous switching probit model.The results reveal that:(1)although Internet use significantly positively affects farmers'adoption of IPM,vulnerable farmers do not benefit more from it.Considerable selection bias leads to an overestimation of technological dividends for vulnerable farmers;(2)different sources of technology information lead to the difference in the degree of farmers'rational inattention toward Internet information,which plays a crucial role in the heterogeneous effect of Internet use;and(3)excessive dependence on strong-tie social network information sources entraps vulnerable farmers in information cocoons,hindering their ability to reap the benefits of Internet use fully.Therefore,it is essential to promote services geared towards elderly-oriented Internet agricultural technology information and encourage farmers with strong Internet utilization skills to share technology information with other farmers actively.

Climate change risk,resilience,and adaptation among rural farmers in East Africa:A literature review

This study assesses the literature evidence on climate change risk,resilience,and adaptation measures used among rural farmers in East Africa.A systematic literature review was conducted comprising 30 papers from the Web of Science database published during 2000-2022.The results of the literature review showed that climate change risks have direct impacts on agricultural practices,limit rural farmers’resilience,and exacerbate their food insecurity.The most prominent risks are increasingly shorter wet seasons and heat stress,which lead to droughts and food production losses.Responding to climate risks,farmers in East Africa adopt various adaptation strategies such as mixed-and inter-cropping,conservation tillage,early planting,crop diversification,etc.Also,this review summarizes the determinants of climate change adaptation strategy selection by farmers in East Africa,including age,gender,household size,economic status and household assets,landownership and livestock,education and training,etc.Overall,the choice of adaptation strategies to climate change is strongly determined by the gender of household heads,the results of gender as a determinant of adaptation differ greatly between different case studies.Although female-headed households(FHHs)tend to perceive changes in temperature more readily than male-headed households(MHHs),the latter are generally more likely to adopt different adaptation strategies.Despite the resilience and adaptation measures used by rural farmers in East Africa now,improved weather forecasting and early warning systems are needed as a better direction towards the future.

Human health and occupational exposure to pesticides among smallholder farmers in cotton zones of Côte d'Ivoire

While precautionary efforts are being made to minimize human health problems associated with agricultural pesticides, the continued occurrence of occupational poisoning from these chemicals raises major concerns among stake- holders. Information gap on human health problems associated with pesticides poses major obstacles to making informed policy decisions, particularly in developing countries where most of the poisonings occurs. In this study, we identified acute human health symptoms associated with pesticide use in cotton zone of C?te d’Ivoire and, documented the response of rural households to the symptoms. The results show that cotton farmers in Cote d’Ivoire suffer from different occupational health hazards from exposure to agricultural pesticides. Key health symptoms reported by pesticide applicators are headache, rheum, cough, skin rash and sneezing. Pesticide applicators reported four times higher symptoms of ill health than other household members who do not normally handle pesticides. Although, households recognized pesticides as an important cause of ill health, some of the symptoms have been accepted as norm by individuals who apply pesticides. Official data on pesticide poisoning in the country is most likely to be seriously under-estimated as applicators visited formal health centers for medical assistance in only 2% of poisoning cases reported. There is a high likelihood that households in the study area under-estimated pesticide-related health costs in making farm production decision-making. Approaches to use economic instruments for reliable monitoring and reporting procedures to formulate appropriate policies and regulations to minimize exposure to pesticides are recommended. Health planners and policy makers should aim at reducing the risks posed by pesticide to farm households by, improving awareness of farmers;promote complementary approach (e.g. Integrated Pest Management) and, use of economic instruments and improved surveillance to bridge the gap in the documentation of pesticide poisoning cases among farmers.

Farmers’ Practices for the Orchard’s Maintenance and Post-Harvest Treatment of Cocoa in Infiltrated Classified and Unclassified Zone of Méagui (South-West, Côte d’Ivoire)

An important part of Ivorian cocoa production comes from infiltrated classified forests. The objective of this study is to investigate orchard maintenance and post-harvest cocoa treatment practices used by cocoa farmers in infiltrated classified and unclassified areas of Méagui. To do this, 110 producers in two localities of the said zone were individually interviewed from February to April 2022, using a declarative questionnaire. It was found that cocoa orchards in the zone are aging. Nearly 68.55% of producers were heirs and 58.33% of those interviewed were under 46 years of age, with an average age of 43 years. Nearly 84.55% of the producers surveyed mainly use chemical insecticides to control the pests of greatest concern in these localities. Regarding the frequency of insecticide treatments, 11.82% of producers make 1 to 2 applications a year, 29.09% make 3 to 5 applications a year, and 43.64% make at least 6 applications a year. The active substances of the most used products belong to 99% of the Neonicotinoid and Pyrethroid families. Regarding cocoa harvesting and post-harvest operations, 93.64% of the producers carry out a single harvest/month;all do the shelling with mini machetes. Beans are fermented mainly in black plastic tarpaulins or in bags, for a period of 3 to 5 days (65.45%). Drying is done almost entirely (91.82%) on the black plastic tarp. This study shows that cocoa farmers in the areas surveyed do not respect the recommendations issued on phytosanitary practices and post-harvest treatment of cocoa. This non-compliance with the standards of good practices prescribed is particularly more accentuated in the locality located in infiltrated classified zone. It would, therefore, be judicious to revise or redefine the phytosanitary recommendations and carry out sensitization and training-follow-up programs for producers in this important cocoa production area of C?te d’Ivoire.

Ethnobotanical Knowledge of Local Cassava Varieties and Characteristics Desired by Farmers in Sierra Leone

It has been observed that farmers adopt only a small number of the “improved” cultivars. A nationwide germplasm collection exercise in February 2018 provided the opportunity to collect indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) of the diversity of cassava varieties in terms of: their morphology, growth characteristics, uses (of tubers and leaves) and desirable characteristics. The objective is to see to what extent the objectives of the plant breeders are consistent with what farmers’ value. We performed 405 structured and semi-structured interviews with informants who were selected based on “purposive household sampling”. We found a considerable turn-over in cassava varieties, just over a third (45) have been in cultivation for at least 40 years, however, since the end of the civil war an additional 25 varieties are cultivated, while others varieties seem to have disappeared. One major issue with estimating turnover of varieties is whether the same variety might have several local names, and conversely the same name may be applied to different cultivars. Farmers overwhelmingly use ITK to select and preserve cassava germplasm for future use. Farmers have a clear preference for: sweet taste, high yield, early maturity and easy cooking and preferentially adopt cultivars that have those qualities. Cassava is primarily a human food eaten boiled or fried, some are processed into fufu and gari, and uses as livestock feed and medicine are reported but at low levels. The information produced during this study could help plant breeders choose selection criteria that will ensure their efforts are adopted and sustainable, the importance of preserving the genetic resources of local cultivars is also highlighted.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Poultry Farmers on Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Kitwe, Zambia: Implications on Antimicrobial Stewardship

Introduction: The inappropriate antimicrobial usage (AMU) in chicken production has led to an increase in the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In Zambia, there is little information documented regarding the knowledge, attitude, and practices of poultry farmers on AMU and AMR. Therefore, this study assessed the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding AMU and AMR among poultry farmers in Kitwe, Zambia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 106 poultry farmers from November to December 2021 using a structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Results: Overall, of the 106 participants, 90.6% knew what antimicrobials were, but only 29.2% were aware of AMR. The study showed that 46.2% of the participants had low knowledge, 71.7% had negative attitudes, and 61.3% had poor practices regarding AMR. The prevalence of antibiotic use in poultry production was 83%. The most used antimicrobials were tetracycline (84%) and gentamicin (35.2%). The commonly reported reason for the use of antimicrobials was for the treatment (93.2%) and prevention (89.8%) of diseases. Further, 76.9% of the administered antimicrobials were usually done without veterinarian consultation or prescription. Conclusion: The study shows that there was high AMU in poultry farms in Kitwe. However, there was low knowledge, negative attitude, and poor practices towards AMU and AMR. Therefore, there is a need for educational and sensitisation programmes regarding AMU and AMR among poultry farmers in Kitwe, Zambia. Alongside this, antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance systems should be strengthened in the livestock production sector. This will ensure food safety and public health.

A Blockchain and CP-ABE Based Access Control Scheme with Fine-Grained Revocation of Attributes in Cloud Health

The Access control scheme is an effective method to protect user data privacy.The access control scheme based on blockchain and ciphertext policy attribute encryption(CP–ABE)can solve the problems of single—point of failure and lack of trust in the centralized system.However,it also brings new problems to the health information in the cloud storage environment,such as attribute leakage,low consensus efficiency,complex permission updates,and so on.This paper proposes an access control scheme with fine-grained attribute revocation,keyword search,and traceability of the attribute private key distribution process.Blockchain technology tracks the authorization of attribute private keys.The credit scoring method improves the Raft protocol in consensus efficiency.Besides,the interplanetary file system(IPFS)addresses the capacity deficit of blockchain.Under the premise of hiding policy,the research proposes a fine-grained access control method based on users,user attributes,and file structure.It optimizes the data-sharing mode.At the same time,Proxy Re-Encryption(PRE)technology is used to update the access rights.The proposed scheme proved to be secure.Comparative analysis and experimental results show that the proposed scheme has higher efficiency and more functions.It can meet the needs of medical institutions.

Alexa,let's train now!——A systematic review and classification approach to digital and home-based physical training interventions aiming to support healthy cognitive aging

Background:There is mounting evidence that regular physical activity is an important prerequisite for healthy cognitive aging.Consequently,the finding that almost one-third of the adult population does not reach the recommended level of regular physical activity calls for further public health actions.In this context,digital and home-based physical training interventions might be a promising alternative to center-based intervention programs.Thus,this systematic review aimed to summarize the current state of the literature on the effects of digital and home-based physical training interventions on adult cognitive performance.Methods:In this pre-registered systematic review(PROSPERO;ID:CRD42022320031),5 electronic databases(PubMed,Web of Science,Psyclnfo,SPORTDiscus,and Cochrane Library)were searched by 2 independent researchers(FH and PT)to identify eligible studies investigating the effects of digital and home-based physical training interventions on cognitive performance in adults.The systematic literature search yielded 8258 records(extra17 records from other sources),of which 27 controlled trials were considered relevant.Two reviewers(FH and PT)independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias using a modified version of the Tool for the assEssment of Study qualiTy and reporting in EXercise(TESTEX scale).Results:Of the 27 reviewed studies,15 reported positive effects on cognitive and motor-cognitive outcomes(i.e.,performance improvements in measures of executive functions,working memory,and choice stepping reaction test),and a considerable heterogeneity concerning study-related,population-related,and intervention-related characteristics was noticed.A more detailed analysis suggests that,in particular,interventions using online classes and technology-based exercise devices(i.e.,step-based exergames)can improve cognitive performance in healthy older adults.Approximately one-half of the reviewed studies were rated as having a high risk of bias with respect to completion adherence(≤85%)and monitoring of the level of regular physical activity in the control group.Conclusion:The current state of evidence concerning the effectiveness of digital and home-based physical training interventions is mixed overall,though there is limited evidence that specific types of digital and home-based physical training interventions(e.g.,online classes and step-based exergames)can be an effective strategy for improving cognitive performance in older adults.However,due to the limited number of available studies,future high-quality studies are needed to buttress this assumption empirically and to allow for more solid and nuanced conclusions.

Shifting the Paradigm:A Fresh Look at Physical Activity Frequency and Its Impact on Mental Health,Life Satisfaction,and Self-Rated Health in Adolescents

As adolescent mental health problems are becoming a more serious issue globally,this paper explores the relationship of physical activity in adolescents and its frequency on mental health as well as examines the mediating effects of life satisfaction and self-rated health in order to provide a reference for the promotion of mental health in adolescents.A sample of 3578 Chinese high school students completed questionnaires assessing their mental health,physical activity frequency,life satisfaction,and self-rated health.The mean SCL-90 value for adolescents was found to be 1.629%,and 24.73%of adolescents had varying degrees of mental health issue.Increased physical activity frequency is positively associated with improved mental health(p<0.001).Additionally,life satisfaction and self-rated health were found to play significant mediating roles in the relationship between physical activity frequency and mental health.Specifically,low-frequency physical activity had the most pronounced mediating effect on mental health through life satisfaction,while high-frequency physical activity exerted the most significant mediating effect on mental health through self-rated health.These findings underscore the importance of promoting physical activity among adolescents and highlight the distinct pathways through which physical activity frequency can influence mental health outcomes.Further research is needed to explore these relationships in diverse populations and settings,as well as to develop targeted intervention.