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Rural Villages (rural + village)
Selected AbstractsHomeostatic regulation of T effector to Treg ratios in an area of seasonal malaria transmissionEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Olivia C. Finney Abstract An important aspect of clinical immunity to malaria is the ability to down-regulate inflammatory responses, once parasitaemia is under control, in order to avoid immune-mediated pathology. The role of classical (CD4+CD25+CD127lo/,FOXP3+) Treg in this process, however, remains controversial. Thus, we have characterized the frequency, phenotype and function of Treg populations, over time, in healthy individuals in The Gambia. We observed that both the percentage and the absolute number of CD4+FOXP3+CD127lo/, T cells were higher among individuals living in a rural village with highly seasonal malaria transmission than among individuals living in an urban area where malaria rarely occurs. These CD4+FOXP3+CD127lo/, T cells exhibited an effector memory and apoptosis-prone phenotype and suppressed cytokine production in response to malaria antigen. Cells from individuals exposed to malaria expressed significantly higher levels of mRNA for forkhead box P3 and T-box 21 (T-BET) at the end of the malaria transmission season than at the end of the non-transmission season. Importantly, the ratio of T-BET to forkhead box P3 was remarkably consistent between populations and over time, indicating that in healthy individuals, a transient increase in Th1 responses during the malaria transmission season is balanced by a commensurate Treg response, ensuring that immune homeostasis is maintained. [source] Social differentiation revisited: A study of rural changes and peasant strategies in VietnamASIA PACIFIC VIEWPOINT, Issue 1 2010Tran Thi Thu Trang Abstract This article analyses the processes of transformation and differentiation since the 1950s in a Vietnamese rural village, hereafter called Chieng Hoa.1 It examines how radical changes in political discourse and economic policies at the national level have affected the welfare and social relations of villagers and how the latter have in turn coped, resisted, as well as shaped such structural changes. Using concrete life stories of local people, the article identifies the winners and losers in this transformation process, the trajectories households or individuals have taken to arrive at their current positions, and the strategies that they are adopting for the future. It demonstrates that differentiation in Chieng Hoa implies changes in social relations, including but not limited to relations of production, and that even within this single locality, differentiation can take various forms and processes over time, whether specific to or cutting across changes in macro-policies. The article also reveals that in the often perceived equal collectivisation, inequalities still existed and became causes of differentiation in the subsequent decollectivisation period. However, while conditions for a permanent differentiation were present, such process has failed to materialise in the current integration period. Differentiation has become more unpredictable as past winners can lose out due to unstable market conditions. [source] Comprehensive geriatric assessment for community-dwelling elderly in Asia compared with those in Japan: VI.GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2005Maubin in Myanmar Background: The objective of the present study is to compare the findings of comprehensive geriatric assessments of community-dwelling elderly in Maubin township, Myanmar with those in Japan. Methods: A cross-sectional, study was undertaken of community-dwelling people aged 60 years and over who were living in downtown Maubin and two rural villages near Maubin city, and 411 people aged 65 years and over who were living in Sonobe, Kyoto, Japan. They were examined using a common comprehensive geriatric assessment tool, which included interviews regarding activities of daily living (ADL), medical and social history, quality of life (QOL) and the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. Anthropometric, neurobehavioral and blood chemical examinations were also conducted. Using anova and Post Hoc Scheffe's F -test, findings from the three groups were compared. Results: Scores of basic ADL, instrumental self-maintenance, intellectual activities, social roles, QOL, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence, body mass index, total cholesterol levels, blood hemoglobin levels and HDL levels were lower in Myanmar's elderly subjects than in Japanese ones. There was no significant difference in prevalence of depression. Mean blood pressure measurements and rates of subjects with systolic pressure > 140 mmHg or diastolic pressure > 90 mmHg and prevalence of stroke were higher in downtown Maubin than in Japan. The atherogenic index was higher in Myanmar's elderly than in Japanese. Conclusion: In Myanmar subjects had lower ADL and QOL scores than Japanese elderly. Of particular note is the higher prevalence of anemia and subjects with history of stroke in Myanmar than in Japan. Further study is needed to detect the cause of high prevalence of stroke in Myanmar. [source] Intrafamilial transmission of hepatitis C in Egypt,HEPATOLOGY, Issue 3 2005Mostafa K. Mohamed The incidence of hepatitis C (HCV) infection and associated risk factors were prospectively assessed in a cohort of 6,734 Egyptians from 2 rural villages who were negative for antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV). Initial and follow-up sera were tested for anti-HCV by enzyme immunoassay (EIA), and possible incident cases were confirmed by using the microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA) and tested for HCV RNA. All follow-up serum samples converting from negative to positive without detectable HCV-RNA were further tested by recombinant immunoblot assay. Over an average of 1.6 years, asymptomatic anti-HCV seroconversion occurred in 33 people (3.1/1,000 person-years [PY]), including 28 (6.8/1,000 PY) in the Nile Delta village (AES), where prevalence was 24% and 5 (0.8/1,000 PY) in the Upper Egypt village (baseline prevalence of 9%). The strongest predictor of incident HCV was having an anti-HCV,positive family member. Among those that did, incidence was 5.8/1,000 PY, compared (P < .001) with 1.0/1,000 PY; 27 of 33 incident cases had an anti-HCV,positive family member. Parenteral exposures increased the risk of HCV but were not statistically significant; 67% of seroconverters were younger than 20 years of age, and the highest incidence rate (14.1/1,000 PY) was in children younger than 10 who were living in AES households with an anti-HCV,positive parent. In conclusion, young children would especially benefit from measures reducing exposures or preventing infection with HCV. (HEPATOLOGY 2005.) [source] Pattern and sustainability of the bushmeat trade in the Haut Niger National Park, Republic of GuineaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2009David Brugiere Abstract To document the bushmeat trade in the buffer zone of the Haut Niger National Park (HNNP), Republic of Guinea, we monitored the number of carcasses offered for sale in 16 villages over a one year period in 2001. Overall, we counted a total of 9134 carcasses from 27 species. This represents a biomass harvest of about 170,000 kg, a figure that could reach 335,100 kg when game consumed by hunters (i.e. not sold) and markets not sampled are taken into account. Ungulates (eleven species) and rodents (four species) accounted for 53.5% and 24.8% of the carcasses counted respectively (80.8% and 11.4% of the total biomass, respectively). The number of carcasses counted in villages bordering a heavily trafficked road was significantly higher than in more rural villages, thus highlighting the stimulating effect of roads on the bushmeat trade. Compared with existing data collected in 1995, the proportion of ungulates counted in the Mansira Moribaya village in 2001 increased significantly while that of rodents decreased significantly. The harvest of duiker species at Mansira Moribaya was in excess of the maximum sustainable harvest. These results of this study were used to establish a sustainable wildlife management scheme in the HNNP. Résumé Pour documenter le commerce de viande de brousse dans la zone tampon du Parc National du Haut Niger, en République de Guinée, nous avons contrôlé le nombre de carcasses proposées à la vente pendant une année (2001) dans 16 villages. En tout, nous avons compté 9 134 carcasses appartenant à 27 espèces. Cela représente un prélèvement de biomasse d'environ 170.000 kg, un chiffre qui pourrait même atteindre 335.100 kg si l'on tient compte de la viande consommée par les chasseurs (c.-à-d. pas vendue) et des marchés qui n'ont pas été repris dans notre échantillon. Les ongulés (11 espèces) et les rongeurs (quatre espèces) représentaient 53,5% et 24,8% des carcasses comptées et comptaient respectivement pour 80,8% et 11,4% de la biomasse totale. Le nombre de carcasses comptées dans les villages longeant une route très fréquentée était significativement plus élevé que dans des villages plus ruraux, ce qui met en évidence l'effet dynamisant des routes sur le commerce de viande de brousse. Comparée aux données existantes récoltées en 1995, la proportion d'ongulés comptés dans le village de Mansira Moribaya en 2001 a augmenté significativement alors que celui des rongeurs a diminué significativement. Le prélèvement des espèces de céphalophes à Mansira Moribaya dépassait le prélèvement maximum soutenable. Les résultats de cette étude ont servi àétablir un programme de gestion durable de la faune sauvage dans le Parc National du Haut Niger. [source] A cervical cancer prevention programme in rural Mexico: addressing women and their contextJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 5 2005Martha Givaudan Abstract This article reports on the development and administration of a programme in seven rural villages in the Mexican state of Oaxaca to address high rates of cervical cancer. The rationale and strategy are described on which the programme is based. The development and administration of the programme (to 1513 women) is presented, aimed at enabling women to take better care of themselves. Various additional activities that were added in the course of the programme in order to facilitate contextual factors are also described, including community campaigning, programmes with men and the training of health personnel. Effectiveness was evaluated in terms of both process and impact indices, showing high rates of attendance at programme sessions by enrolled women, an increase in knowledge and a substantial increase in the number of preventive diagnostic tests. The final section reflects on both the achievements, and the scope and the limitations of the programme. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Green Revolution, development of labor markets, and poverty reduction in the rural Philippines, 1985,2004AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 2006Jonna P. Estudillo Poverty; Landlessness; Green Revolution; Investments in schooling Abstract Using a long-term household panel data set collected in three rural villages in the Philippines in 1985 and 2004, this article explores how the Green Revolution and development of the labor markets have affected household income and poverty situation. The initial rise in income associated with the Green Revolution and a stronger credit access has enabled the households to allocate funds for investing in children's schooling. With the increased integration of the rural with the urban labor market, these children are able to explore labor opportunities in the nonfarm sector that resulted in a decline in poverty by about one-half. The landless households, who are less educated, benefited, too, from the expansion of the nonfarm labor market, because of the rise in rural wages associated with the rise in demand for the unskilled labor, which is by far their most important asset. [source] Seasonal Homes and the Local Property Tax: Evidence from New York StateAMERICAN JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND SOCIOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Lester Hadsell This study examines the growth of seasonal (i.e., second or vacation) homes and their impact on local property tax rates using evidence from towns and villages in New York State between 1990 and 2000. We find that a greater concentration of seasonal homes in a municipality is associated with a lower effective property tax rate in towns, and a higher rate in small and rural villages. An alternative measure of tax burden, property taxes as a percentage of median household income, is not related to the presence of seasonal homes in towns but is positively related in small and rural villages. Our findings for towns contradict the findings of an earlier study by Fritz (1982) that found that an increase in town property allocated to vacation homes was significantly associated with an increasing property tax rate, although our findings for villages supports his findings. [source] Body size and shape and glycemic control among Maya women in rural YucatánAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2003Penelope A. Mclorg Studies on relationships between aspects of physique and glucose physiology generally focus on clinical glucose tolerance or on fasting glucose or insulin assays showing glycemic status at the time of testing. Little work has examined the associations between body variables and glycemic control, or average past glucose levels in regular living conditions. The aim of this research was to investigate connections between body size and shape and glycemic control. The sample consists of 60 nondiabetic Maya women, ages 40,85 years, residing in 16 rural villages around Mérida, Yucatán. Body morphology was assessed through anthropometric and derived measures of size and shape, including indicators of fat distribution and general adiposity. Glycemic control was measured through microvenous samples analyzed for glycated blood proteins HbA1c and fructosamine to demonstrate average circulating glucose under customary living conditions during the previous several months and weeks. Four-variable regression models explain 17% of the variance in HbA1c and 25% of the variance in fructosamine. Arm circumference has the largest positive effect on HbA1c, while weight has the greatest positive impact on fructosamine. The predictor with the largest negative effect on both glycated blood proteins is calf circumference. In general, variables reflecting overall adiposity and central adiposity demonstrate positive associations with HbA1c and fructosamine, whereas lean body measures exhibit negative associations. Findings support the value of glycated blood proteins and of less common anthropometric measures, such as calf circumference, in population research on morphological relations with glycemia. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 15:746,757, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Gender and agrobiodiversity: a case study from BangladeshTHE GEOGRAPHICAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2005EMILY OAKLEY Local geography and gender are two major factors determining which crop varieties are cultivated in a case study of two rural villages in Bangladesh. This paper explores the interrelationships between gender, agrobiodiversity, and the use of, and preferences for, improved and local crop varieties. These are examined in relation to rice, minor field crops, and home garden fruits and vegetables. Reasons for both the displacement and the persistence of local varieties (LVs) are analysed in comparison to improved variety (IV) diffusion. The research evaluates agrobiodiversity through the number, types, and varieties of crops grown in fields and home gardens. The desired agroecological, economic, and cultural characteristics of crops grown document how respondents rank their variety preferences. Variety preferences and the perceived importance of LV preservation are compared with what is actually grown. The study indicates that there was little variation between villages in their approach towards the use of IV and LV rice; IVs were cultivated for their high yields and LV rice for taste and culinary uses. However, there were significant differences in relative agricultural dependence between the two villages which led to unique variety preferences. In both villages, women's preferences for IVs or LVs play a major role in crop choices, particularly as they manifest themselves in gendered domains of authority. [source] Patterns of bushmeat hunting and perceptions of disease risk among central African communitiesANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 4 2006M. LeBreton Abstract There is a great need to determine the factors that influence the hunting, butchering and eating of bushmeat to better manage the important social, public health and conservation consequences of these activities. In particular, the hunting and butchering of wild animals can lead to the transmission of diseases that have potentially serious consequences for exposed people and their communities. Comprehension of these risks may lead to decreased levels of these activities. To investigate these issues, 3971 questionnaires were completed to examine the determinants of the hunting, butchering and eating of wild animals and perceptions of disease risk in 17 rural central African villages. A high proportion of individuals reported perceiving a risk of disease infection with bushmeat contact. Individuals who perceived risk were significantly less likely to butcher wild animals than those who perceived no risk. However, perception of risk was not associated with hunting and eating bushmeat (activities that, compared with butchering, involve less contact with raw blood and body fluids). This suggests that some individuals may act on perceived risk to avoid higher risk activity. These findings reinforce the notion that conservation programs in rural villages in central Africa should include health-risk education. This has the potential to reduce the levels of use of wild animals, particularly of certain endangered species (e.g. many non-human primates) that pose a particular risk to human health. However, as the use of wild game is likely to continue, people should be encouraged to undertake hunting and butchering more safely for their own and their community's health. [source] Charity and self-help: Migrants' social networks and health care in the homeland (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)ANTHROPOLOGY TODAY, Issue 4 2010Abdoulaye Kane This article examines the delivery of healthcare by Haalpulaar immigrants' village association in France to their rural villages in Senegal. In the context of the neo-liberal reforms in Senegal, the Haalpulaar immigrants have been very active in funding community project in the health sector for their communities of origin left to fend for themselves by the State. Haalpulaar migrants associations like TAD (Thilogne Association Developpement) and Fuuta Santé are improving access to healthcare in the Senegal River valley through the remittances of biomedicine, medical equipment as well as the organization of annual health caravans with the participation of French health professionals and local partners. [source] Research Note: Industry outsourcing and regional development in Northeast ThailandASIA PACIFIC VIEWPOINT, Issue 1 2010Thongphon Promsaka Na Sakolnakorn Abstract Industry outsourcing has become a significant feature of industrialisation in Southeast Asia. This study presents the findings of a study of smaller industrial enterprises in Northeast Thailand that outsource some of their operations to workers in rural villages. It was found that social relationships rather than formal contracts are critical in the management and spread of such outsourcing and that industries use outsourcing primarily as a flexible strategy to lower costs of production. [source] Association between stature, ocular biometry and refraction in an adult population in rural Myanmar: the Meiktila eye studyCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL OPHTHALMOLOGY, Issue 9 2007Hui Min Wu MD PhD Abstract Purpose:, To study the association between adult stature and ocular biometric parameters and refraction. Methods:, In a population-based cross-sectional ophthalmic survey of 2418 adults (,40 years old) living in the rural villages in central Myanmar, height and weight were measured using a standardized protocol, and body mass index was calculated. Non-cycloplegic refraction and corneal curvature were determined by an autorefractor. Ultrasound pachymetry was performed and ocular biometry, including axial length, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness and vitreous chamber length were measured using A-mode ocular ultrasonography. Results:, Height and weight were significantly correlated with age, gender and all the ocular biometric parameters, except lens thickness. After adjusting for age and gender, taller and heavier persons had eyes with longer axial length, deeper anterior and vitreous chambers, and flatter and thicker corneas than shorter persons. Height was not significantly correlated with refraction, and heavier persons tended to be less myopic (P < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression models revealed consistent results with the findings for association between height, weight and ocular biometry and refractive error. Conclusions:, Adult stature is independently associated with vitreous chamber length and corneal radius in this Burmese population. Heavier persons were slightly hyperopic. 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