http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/49447 Fri, 24 May 2013 01:58:24 GMT 2013-05-24T01:58:24Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/49448 Title: Climate change, livelihoods, and food security in post-Soviet Uzbekistan Authors: Tursunova, Zulfiya Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/49448 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/48667 Title: Prediction of child health by household density and asset-based indices in impoverished indigenous villages in rural Panamá Authors: Halpenny, Carli M.; Koski, Kristine G.; Valdés, Victoria E.; Scott, Marilyn E. Abstract: Chronic infection over a 16-month period and stunting of preschool children were compared between more spatially dense versus dispersed households in rural Panama´ . Chronic protozoan infection was associated with higher household density, lower household wealth index, poor household water quality, yard defecation, and the practice of not washing hands with soap before eating. Models for chronic diarrhea confirmed the importance of household wealth, water quality, sanitation, and hygiene practices. Furthermore, chronic protozoan infection was an important predictor for low height-for-age, along with low household wealth index scores, but not household density. Thus, despite better access to health related infrastructure in the more densely populated households, chronic protozoan infection was more common, and was associated with higher rates of child stunting, compared with more dispersed households. Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/48667 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/48616 Title: Red Queen and the seed bank : pathogen resistance of ex situ and in situ conserved barley Authors: Jensen, Helen R.; Dreiseitl, Antonín; Sadiki, Mohammed; Schoen, Daniel J. Abstract: Plant geneticists have proposed that the dynamic conservation of crop plants in farm environments (in situ conservation) is complementary to static conservation in seed banks (ex situ conservation) because it may help to ensure adaptation to changing conditions. Here, we test whether collections of a traditional variety of Moroccan barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp. vulgare) conserved ex situ showed differences in qualitative and quantitative resistance to the endemic fungal pathogen, Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei, compared to collections that were continuously cultivated in situ. In detached-leaf assays for qualitative resistance, there were some significant differences between in situ and ex situ conserved collections from the same localities. Some ex situ conserved collections showed lower resistance levels, while others showed higher resistance levels than their in situ conserved counterparts. In field trials for quantitative resistance, similar results were observed, with the highest resistance observed in situ. Overall, this study identifies some cases where the Red Queen appears to drive the evolution of increased resistance in situ. However, in situ conservation does not always result in improved adaptation to pathogen virulence, suggesting a more complex evolutionary scenario, consistent with several published examples of plant–pathogen co-evolution in wild systems. Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/48616 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/48528 Title: Orphan status and time to first sex among adolescents in Northern Malawi Authors: Mkandawire, Paul; Tenkorang, Eric; Luginaah, Isaac N. Abstract: This study examines the effects of orphanhood status on the timing of first sexual intercourse among youth in Malawi. Log-normal models were applied to survey data collected between May and August 2009 from 1,214 adolescents aged 12–18 in Mzuzu, Northern Malawi. Results of this study show that orphanhood is a significant predictor of age at first sex. Male double orphans experienced first sexual intercourse earlier than their male non-orphan peers. Similarly, female maternal and paternal orphans had their sexual debut faster than their non-orphan counterparts. The introduction of social support variables accounted for the orphanhood disadvantage. These findings suggest that in order to delay sexual initiation and reduce HIV risk among orphans in Malawi, policy efforts should focus on enhancing factual knowledge about HIV/AIDS, household food security, social support, and other measures that will strengthen existing social support networks and connectedness of surviving family members. Description: Includes abstract in Spanish Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/48528 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/48105 Title: Biography on Fiji’s founding father released Authors: Carruthers, Dale Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/48105 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z