Guidelines to engage with marginalized ethnic minorities in agricultural research for development in the Greater Mekong

This document is an output of Humidtropics, a CGIAR Research Program on Integrated Systems for the Humid Tropics. This document is designed to help researchers who want to engage with ethnic groups to ensure agricultural research for development (R4D) stops contributing to their further marginalization. It can be used by those wanting to design new projects that engage with ethnic minorities from the start or those already implementing projects and wanting to improve their current practice. Based on an analysis of internal and external factors that lead to marginalization of ethnic minority groups through agricultural R4D, the Guidelines are organized around three sets of challenges: (a) the agricultural R4D system as a whole; (b) for research teams; and (c) for agricultural R4D projects. The document identifies for each challenge strategies that can help prevent further marginalization according to different stages in the project cycle. The overall approach that these Guidelines recommend is transdisciplinary action research. The strategies are thus those that can help agricultural R4D researchers to carry out transdisciplinary action research that engages more effectively with marginalized ethnic minority groups in order to achieve more inclusive and equitable rural development from agriculture

Awareness and perceptions of electroconvulsive therapy among psychiatric patients: a cross-sectional survey from teaching hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is shown to be effective in many psychiatric illnesses, but its distorted projection by the Pakistani media and its unregulated use by many physicians across the country have adversely affected its acceptability. Given this situation we aimed to assess the awareness and perceptions regarding ECT as a treatment modality among the psychiatric patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a questionnaire based cross-sectional study carried out at 2 tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We interviewed 190 patients of which 140 were aware of ECT. The study showed that the level of education had a significant impact on the awareness of ECT (p = 0.009). The most common source of awareness was electronic and print media (38%), followed by relatives (24%) and doctors (23%). Physical injuries (42%) and neurological (12%) and cognitive disturbances (11%) were the commonly feared side effects. The most popular belief about ECT was that it was a treatment of last resort (56%). Thirty-nine percent thought that ECT could lead to severe mental and physical illness and 37% considered it inhumane. Patients' willingness to receive ECT was dependant on whether or not they were convinced of its safety (p = 0.001) and efficacy (p = 0.0001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We identified a serious lack of dissemination of information regarding ECT by the psychiatrists and the mental health care providers. This may be the result of an inadequate postgraduate training in Pakistan or just a lack of concern about the mentally ill patients. The media seemed to be the major source of information for our patients. We also saw the prevalence of a variety of myths regarding ECT in our society, which we feel may be responsible for the patients' adverse attitudes. Given the widespread applicability of ECT there is a dire need to dispel these misconceptions and improve its acceptability.</p

Les Hmong de la péninsule indochinoise : migrations et histoire

Du Sud de la Chine vers le Nord du Vietnam, le Laos et même jusqu'au milieu du bassin du Chao Phraya en Thaïlande, des groupes de migrants hmong de taille variable ont été décrits par différents observateurs à la fin du XIXe et au début du XXe siècle. Quand et dans quelles circonstances une partie des Miao/Hmong originaires de la province du Guizhou a-t-elle migré vers le Sud du massif montagneux sud-est asiatique ? Qui etaient-ils exactement, Comment leur histoire s'inscrit-elle dans celle des colonies secouées à plusieurs reprises par des guerres et des révoltes ? Les données historiques et les observations ethnographiques permettront d'apporter quelques éléments de réponses. (Résumé d'auteur

Facts about dietary fibre in cassava: Implication for diabetes’ medical nutrition therapy

The utilization of plant food for therapeutic purposes can be seen as the biggest regard for natural flora, which provides bio-active materials that have medicinal values. Dietary fibres are acknowledged to be of significance. What has yet to be articulated is the composition of fibre in plant foods. More specifically in this commentary, the fibre in edible processed cassava product and the potential to make fibre supplement from the otherwise waste products have yet to be appreciated. Indeed, cassava has yet to be included in several studies on antidiabetic plants. It is known that cassava may be high in substances that are regarded harmful to humans, but about 80% of it is removed during processing of the tuber. What this commentary brings to the fore is that soluble fibres in cassava include uronic acid, pectin and β-glucans. These have nutraceutical values including hypocholesterolemic and hypoglycemic effects needed in diabetes management. These can be extracted to produce supplement of naturally-occurring dietary fibre that lowers plasma LDL, VLDL-cholesterol and triglycerides and blood glucose. This potentially improves the agricultural economics and medical nutritional values of cassava