Economic evaluation: costing participatory learning and action cycles with women’s groups to improve feeding, care and dental hygiene for South Asian infants in London

BackgroundThe Nurture Early for Optimal Nutrition (NEON) programme was designed to promote equitable early childhood development by educating mothers of South Asian origin in two boroughs (Newham and Tower Hamlets) in East London on optimal feeding, care, and dental hygiene practices. The study found that the adapted Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) approach was highly acceptable and well-received by participants, with improvements in maternal confidence, infant feeding practices, and community engagement. However, gaps in specific feeding skills and challenges such as low attendance and retention rates were noted, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study conducted a cost analysis of the NEON programme and evaluated its financial sustainability.MethodsWe conducted a financial and economic costing from the provider perspective, applying a stepdown procedure to identify costs associated with the development and implementation of the NEON programme. Estimates of total and average costs per mother are presented along with affordability assessments, expressed as a proportion of the borough’s annual child development expenditure. All costs were discounted and reported in 2022 pound sterling and in 2022 international dollars.ResultsThe total cost of NEON design and delivery was £68,165 ($INT 102,658), and the average cost per mother participating in the programme was £439($INT 661) in the face-to face arm and £407($INT 614) in the online arm. The largest contributor to the total cost was materials (50%), including NEON training manuals and intervention toolkits, vouchers for the community facilitators, and overheads, followed by staff costs (45%) and capital investments (5%). The total cost of intervention delivery in Newham accounted for around 0.047% of the borough’s annual child development expenditure, while the total intervention cost in Tower Hamlets was equivalent to 0.003% of its spending on children’s development.ConclusionThe delivery of NEON is largely within local authorities’ budget for childhood development. The unit cost is expected to decrease when sharing costs are spread across more participants and implementing systems are validated and well developed

Cyclization of 2′-hydroxychalcones to flavones using ammonium iodide as an iodine source: An eco-friendly approach

Ammonium iodide in open air decomposes to ammonia and iodine. The in situ generated iodine has been used for cyclization of 2′-hydroxychalcones to corresponding flavones under solvent free conditions with good to excellent yields. This method would serve as an attractive alternative to the existing methods for synthesis of flavones and use of toxic molecular iodine is avoided

Calcium hydroxide: An efficient and mild base for one-pot synthesis of curcumin and it’s analogues

Abstract Calcium hydroxide was found to be an efficient mild base for the one-pot synthesis of curcumin and its analogues obtained by condensation of one equivalent of acetyl acetone with two equivalents of corresponding aromatic aldehyde. The present protocol offers various advantages such as high yields, inexpensive easily available mild base, easy workup and eco-friendly method.</jats:p

Biodiesel production from Argemone mexicana seed oil using crystalline manganese carbonate

This communication explores the feasibility of biodiesel production from a weed plant Argemone mexicana seed oil and an efficient catalyst crystalline manganese carbonate. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study making use of pure, crystalline, ash colored manganese carbonate as a heterogeneous catalyst for the production of methyl esters as fuel from Argemone mexicana seed oil. The optimum process conditions for the conversion of Argemone mexicana oil to its methyl ester by transesterification required 1% manganese carbonate as catalyst with alcohol to oil ratio 5:1 at 60°C to yield biodiesel of 99.99% purity. The methyl esters obtained were examined by Gas chromatography analysis

The role of sensitivity to abscisic acid and gibberellin in pre-maturity alpha-amylase formation in wheat grains

To study the role of abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellin (GA) sensitivity in regulating pre-maturity α-amylase (PMA) in wheat grains, plants were grown in a glasshouse under cold-shock and ambient conditions. α-amylase activity in response to applied ABA and GA was measured in detached-grains with the embryo removed (in vitro) and in intact-grains attached to the plant (in situ). The in vitro experiment was conducted using Spark (low PMA-susceptible genotype) and Rialto (highly PMA-susceptible genotype), with the aim of defining the time point for GA-sensitivity. The results showed an increase in GA-sensitivity at about 640 degree days after anthesis (DAA) in Rialto. There was no evidence for a change in ABA-sensitivity in either variety. The in situ experiments were conducted using genotypes from a Spark × Rialto doubled haploid population segregating for the Rht-D1a (tall) or Rht-D1b allele and for the presence or absence of 1BS/1RS. For Rht-D1a (tall) or Rht-D1b genotypes with or without 1BS/1RS, the cold-shock significantly increased GA-sensitivity, whereas there was no significant change in ABA-sensitivity. These results show PMA is related to an increase in GA-sensitivity that occurs in the aleurone at around 640 degree DAA, and can be enhanced by environmental factors (e.g. cold-shoc

Pre-maturity alpha-amylase in wheat: the role of abscisic acid and gibberellins

The occurrence of pre-maturity α-amylase (PMA) is a major cause of poor bread-making quality (low Hagberg Falling Number) in wheat grain. In susceptible genotypes, it involves the excessive accumulation of high isoelectric point (pI) α-amylase in mature grain prior to germination and in the absence of pre-harvest sprouting. Several factors regulate PMA formation in developing grain, including genotype, agronomy, and environmental conditions. In particular, a cold period during mid-grain development has been found to be a major stimulus for PMA induction. Although the factors affecting the PMA occurrence are well known, little is known about the molecular mechanism governing its induction. The plant hormones abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellins (GAs) influence various aspects of grain development, and it has been suggested that PMA involves changes in the amount of these hormones or the sensitivity of the grain to these hormones. This review summarizes recent studies investigating the role of ABA and GAs in PMA induction and PMA occurrence

Quantifying the impact of exogenous abscisic acid and gibberellins on pre-maturity alpha-amylase formation in developing wheat grains

To study the role of abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellins (GA) in pre-maturity α-amylase (PMA) formation in developing wheat grain, two glasshouse experiments were conducted under controlled conditions in the highly PMA-susceptible genotype Rialto. The first, determined the relative efficacy of applying hormone solutions by injection into the peduncle compared to direct application to the intact grain. The second, examined the effects of each hormone, applied by either method, at mid-grain development on PMA in mature grains. In the first experiment, tritiated ABA ((3)H-ABA) and gibberellic acid ((3)H-GA3) were diluted with unlabelled ABA (100 µM) and GA3 (50 µM), respectively, and applied at mid-grain development using both methods. Spikes were harvested after 24, 48 and 72 h from application, and hormone taken up by grains was determined. After 72 h, the uptake per grain in terms of hormones applied was approximately 13% for ABA and 8% for GA3 when applied onto the grains, and approximately 17% for ABA and 5% for GA3 when applied by injection. In the second experiment, applied ABA reduced, whereas applied GA3 increased α-amylase activity. This confirmed that exogenously applied ABA and GA were absorbed in sufficient amounts to alter grain metabolism and impact on PMA

Use of the hormone-biosynthesis inhibitors fluridone and paclobutrazol to determine the effects of altered abscisic acid and gibberellin levels on pre-maturity alpha-amylase formation in wheat grains

During germination of cereal grain, α-amylase formation is known to be inhibited by abscisic acid (ABA) and stimulated by gibberellins (GA). The role of these hormones in pre-maturity α-amylase (PMA) formation in wheat grains is less well understood. Our previous work with ABA and GA exogenously applied to grains demonstrated a clear stimulatory effect of GA, with little effect of ABA. Here, in glasshouse experiments, fluridone (ABA biosynthesis inhibitor; FD [20 μM]) or paclobutrazol (GA biosynthesis inhibitor; PB [20 μM]) were applied to intact, developing grains of the PMA-susceptible variety Rialto at 480 days after anthesis (DAA) to assess if a reduction in endogenous ABA and/or GA alters PMA formation. The experiments were conducted under non-PMA-inducing (ambient) and PMA-inducing (cold-shock) conditions. In solvent-only treated grains, a cold-shock significantly reduced the ABA content but increased GA and α-amylase activity. FD increased GA levels and α-amylase activity under ambient conditions, but decreased GA levels and α-amylase activity under cold-shock conditions, with no effect on ABA levels under either condition. PB had no effect under ambient conditions, but reduced GA levels and α-amylase under cold-shock conditions. These results indicate an association between GA levels at mid-grain development and PMA formation in wheat