Smallholders’ Oil Palm Agroforestry: Barriers and Factors Influencing Adoption

Oil palm has become an important export commodity for Indonesia and has been cultivated by both smallholders and large scale companies mainly as monoculture plantations. Research suggests that this massive monoculture practice has led to adverse impacts on natural and social systems. Smallholders encounter difficulties to cope with extreme climate events such as long dry seasons, fluctuating commodity price and long-term tenure insecurity. We argue that oil palm agroforestry (OPAF) could become a promising and realistic alternative to deal with these problems under social forestry (SF) program. To date, OPAF has been adopted by merely small number of smallholders in Indonesia in a limited scale. This article aims at analysing the barriers and factors which influence the decision of smallholders in adopting OPAF. We employ a hybrid method which combines qualitative and quantitative analysis. Binary logistic regression models were constructed to identify factors influencing OPAF adoption. Our findings suggest that education, having side job and relative location of smallholders’ have significantly influenced smallholders’ decision in adopting OPAF. Knowledge gaps especially on the yields and management of OPAF have likely led to low OPAF adoption.

Download Full-text

Association between multimorbidity patterns and disability among older people covered by long-term care insurance in Shanghai, China

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10463-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Zijing Wang ◽

Wenjia Peng ◽

Mengying Li ◽

Xinghui Li ◽

Tingting Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older People ◽

Functional Disability ◽

Long Term Care ◽

Strong Association ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Term Care ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Disease Pattern ◽

Long Term Care Insurance

Abstract Background Functional disability and multimorbidity are common among older people. However, little is known about the relationship between functional disability and different multimorbidity combinations. We aimed to identify multimorbidity patterns and explore the associations between these patterns and functional disability. Methods We investigated a multi-stage random sample of 1871 participants aged ≥60 years and covered by long-term care insurance in Shanghai, China. Multimorbidity was defined as the simultaneous presence of two or more chronic diseases in an individual. Participants completed scales to assess basic and instrumental activities of daily living (BADL and IADL, respectively). Multimorbidity patterns were identified via exploratory factor analysis. Binary logistic regression models were used to determine adjusted associations between functional disability and number and patterns of multimorbidity. Results Multimorbidity was present in 74.3% of participants. The prevalence of BADL disability was 50.7% and that of IADL disability was 90.7%. There was a strong association between multimorbidity and disability. We identified three multimorbidity patterns: musculoskeletal, cardio-metabolic, and mental-degenerative diseases. The cardio-metabolic disease pattern was associated with both BADL (OR 1.28, 95%CI 1.16–1.41) and IADL (OR 1.41, 95%CI 1.19–1.68) disability. The mental-degenerative disease pattern was associated with BADL disability (OR 1.55, 95%CI 1.40–1.72). Conclusions Multimorbidity and functional disability are highly prevalent among older people covered by long-term care insurance in Shanghai, and distinct multimorbidity patterns are differentially associated with functional disability. Appropriate long-term healthcare and prevention strategies for older people may help reduce multimorbidity, maintain functional ability, and improve health-related quality of life.

Download Full-text

Beyond Neo-liberalism: Research Policies and Society. The Case of Japan

The Copenhagen Journal of Asian Studies ◽

10.22439/cjas.v29i2.4027 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 58-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alain-Marc Rieu

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Social Systems ◽

Qualitative Change ◽

Economic Systems ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Science And Technology Policies ◽

Systemic Crisis ◽

Technology Policies ◽

Industrial Societies

The idea of decoupling is playing a major role in various interpretations of the present systemic crisis. This crisis is understood as an effect of neo-liberal policies, which have revolutionized economic systems since the 1980s. Decoupling indicates a qualitative change in the level of autonomy of the economic sphere in industrial societies. But a new level of differentiation also generates various types of recoupling, new forms of integration, cooperation and regulation recomposing social systems at another level. The goal of this article is first to situate the idea of decoupling within its conceptual complex. Secondly, the ecological constraint is considered the source of this intense differentiation within social systems, which has intensified since the 1970s. Finally, based on the case of Japan, this paper explains why large-scale science and technology policies developed since the 1990s have to be understood as part of a recoupling process, a project to reconstruct and reach a social and economic coherence in the long term. Similar policies are now implemented by all major industrial nations. Such policies have the potential to overcome neo-liberalism's negative effects.

Download Full-text

OIL PALM BUD ROT IN LATIN AMERICA

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479703001315 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 39 (3) ◽

pp. 225-240 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

H. DE FRANQUEVILLE

Keyword(s):

Latin America ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Native Species ◽

Large Scale ◽

Elaeis Guineensis ◽

Physiological Disorder ◽

Elaeis Oleifera ◽

Infectious Origin ◽

Holding Back

In South and Central America, tens of thousands of hectares of oil palms (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) are affected by bud-rot types of disease. Having destroyed entire estates in Panama, Colombia, Suriname, Brazil and Ecuador, they are holding back the development of oil palm cultivation in Latin America. The cause is unknown. Indeed, 30 years after these diseases first wreaked havoc on a large scale, it is still not known whether we are dealing with one or more diseases of infectious origin, or with a physiological disorder. Despite lengthy research launched in the early 1980s, no pathogens or insect vectors have been clearly identified. At present, genetics look likely to offer a solution in the medium- to long term, using traits of resistance transmitted by the native species on the American continent, Elaeis oleifera, to the interspecific hybrid E. oleifera×E. guineensis.

Download Full-text

DETERMINANTS OF UNPROTECTED CASUAL HETEROSEXUAL SEX IN GHANA

Journal of Biosocial Science ◽

10.1017/s002193201300045x ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 46 (3) ◽

pp. 332-350 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

AKWASI KUMI-KYEREME ◽

DEREK A. TUOYIRE ◽

EUGENE K. M. DARTEH

Keyword(s):

Regression Models ◽

Behavioural Change ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Western Region ◽

Men And Women ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

East Region ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

Upper East Region ◽

Heterosexual Sex

SummaryCasual heterosexual sex remains a significant contributor to HIV transmissions in Ghana. The study used data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) to assess the socio-demographic, economic and spatial factors influencing unprotected casual heterosexual sex among men and women. The results of the binary logistic regression models revealed that women aged 35–44 had significantly higher odds of engaging in unprotected casual heterosexual sex than those aged 15–24, unlike the men. There were significantly lower odds of unprotected casual heterosexual sex for women and men with exposure to print media compared with those without exposure. Compared with men residing in the Western Region, unprotected casual heterosexual sex was significantly less likely among those in the Upper East Region. There is the need for behavioural change campaigns in Ghana that take into consideration the multiplicity of factors that determine unprotected casual heterosexual sex.

Download Full-text

Genes highly overexpressed in salt-stressed Young oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plants

Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental ◽

10.1590/1807-1929/agriambi.v25n12p813-818 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (12) ◽

pp. 813-818

Author(s):

Thalita M. M. Ferreira ◽

André P. Leão ◽

Carlos A. F. de Sousa ◽

Manoel T. Souza Júnior

Keyword(s):

Salt Stress ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Large Scale ◽

Elaeis Guineensis ◽

Differential Expression Analysis ◽

Gene Promoter ◽

Rna Seq ◽

Over Expression ◽

Sequencing Platforms

ABSTRACT RNA-seq is a technique based on the large-scale sequencing of transcript-derived cDNAs using next-generation sequencing platforms mostly used today to characterize an organism’s transcriptome. The analysis of RNA-seq data allows for identifying genes differentially expressed in a given condition, such as salt stress. This study aimed to search and characterize genes from the African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) highly up-regulated during salt stress, with a long-term goal of gene promoter prospection and validation. The apical leaves from the control (electrical conductivity of ~2 dS m-1) and salt-stressed (~40 dS m-1) young oil palm plants, collected at 5 and 12 days after the beginning of the stress, were subjected to extraction of total RNA, with three plants (replicates) per treatment. The complete genome ofE. guineensis, available at the National Center for Biotechnology Information, was used as the reference genome - BioProject PRJNA192219. The differential expression analysis led to the selection for further characterization of seven genes, which had increased expressions of 37-84 times under salt stress. The strategy used in this study enabled the selection of seven salt-responsive genes highly up-regulated during salt stress, and some of them coded for proteins already reported as responsible for salinity tolerance in other plant species through over-expression or knockout.

Download Full-text

Power, Alliances, and Redistribution

10.3224/96665028 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Carl Friedrich Bossert

Keyword(s):

Latin America ◽

Social Security ◽

Low Income ◽

Social Systems ◽

Economic Factors ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

The Social ◽

The World

Latin America is considered the most unequal continent in the world. Paradoxically, the development of resource-intensive social systems has done little to change the social imbalance. The author traces this paradox using Argentina as an example, uncovering the underlying conflicts of power and interests, and identifying successful strategies for implementing inclusive policies. As the first study of its kind, it systematically examines the long-term development of social security for low-income earners in Argentina and analyzes the decisive political, social, and economic factors influencing it.

Download Full-text

Abstract 17373: The Association of Professional American-Style Football Career Length With Left Ventricular Geometry in Retired National Football League Players

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.142.suppl_3.17373 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽

Author(s):

Genevieve Smith ◽

Camilo Fernandez ◽

Gregory W Stewart

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Athletic Training ◽

National Football League ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Left Ventricular Geometry ◽

Professional Football ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Career Length

Introduction: There is widespread interest in the long-term cardiovascular (CV) implications of professional football. Studies have suggested that retired National Football League (NFL) players have a high prevalence of hypertension, which may increase risk for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). However, it is unknown if football-specific factors, such as professional football career length (NFLYrs), are associated with long-term CV outcomes, including changes in left ventricle (LV) geometry. Thus, we examined the association of NFLYrs with LV geometry patterns in a retired NFL player cohort. Methods: We analyzed data on 1349 retired NFL players (aged 53.1 ± 12.8 years, 55.1% African-American) that underwent comprehensive health screening with the NFL Player Care Foundation. Echocardiography was used to estimate LV mass, which was then indexed to height 2.7 . Relative wall thickness was computed to classify LV geometry patterns into normal, concentric remodeling (CR), eccentric hypertrophy (EH), and concentric hypertrophy (CH). Three binary logistic regression models (Model 1: CR; Model 2: EH; Model 3: CH), using normal geometry as reference, were fitted to assess the association of NFLYrs with each LV geometry pattern, adjusting for traditional cardiometabolic risk factors. Results: Increasing NFLYrs was independently associated with CR (odds ratio [OR]: 1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03 – 2.11, p = 0.0334), while no associations were observed with EH (OR: 0.49, 95% CI 0.22 – 1.09, p = 0.0801) or CH (OR: 1.04, 95% CI 0.61 – 1.77, p 0.8927). Mean arterial pressure was independently associated with increased odds of CR (OR: 1.03, 95% CI 1.01 – 1.05, p – 0.0017), EH (OR: 1.06, 95% CI 1.02 – 1.09, p = 0.0013), and CH (OR: 1.06, 95% CI 1.04 -1.09, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: NFL career length is not associated with increased odds for EH and CH later in life. In contrast, increased NFLYrs is associated with CR, likely an adaptive response to intense athletic training. Cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure in the retirement period appear to be more important for long-term LVH risk in NFL athletes, underscoring the need for preventive initiatives aimed at decreasing risk for future CV outcomes in athletes transitioning out of professional sports.

Download Full-text

Identification of major depressive disorder among the long-term unemployed

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.859 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. S576-S577

Author(s):

K. Nurmela ◽

A. Mattila ◽

V. Heikkinen ◽

J. Uitti ◽

A. Ylinen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Major Depressive Disorder ◽

Depressive Disorder ◽

Suicide Attempts ◽

Occupational Status ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Criminal Records ◽

Major Depressive ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Duration Of Unemployment

IntroductionDepression is a common disorder among the unemployed, but research on identification of their depression in health care (HC) is scarce.ObjectivesThe present study aimed to find out if the duration of unemployment correlates to the risk for unidentified major depressive disorder (MDD) in HC.MethodsSample of the study consisted of long-term unemployed who were in screening project diagnosed as having MDD (n = 243). The diagnosis was found in the records of HC in 101 (42%) and not found in 142 (58%) individuals. Binary logistic regression models were used to explore the effect of the duration of unemployment to the identification of MDD in HC.ResultsThe odds ratio (OR) for non-identified MDD in HC was 1.060 (95%CI 1.011–1.111, P = 0.016) per unemployment year and when unemployment had continued, for example, five years the OR for unidentified MDD was 1.336. The association remained significant throughout adjustments for the set of background factors (gender, age, occupational status, marital status, homelessness, self-reported criminal records, suicide attempts, number of HC-visits).ConclusionsThis study among depressed long-term unemployed indicates that the longer the unemployment period has lasted, the greater the risk for non-identification of MDD is. HC services should be developed with respect to sensitivity to detect signs of depression among long-term unemployed.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Download Full-text

Periodic variability in cetacean strandings: links to large-scale climate events

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2005.0313 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 147-150 ◽

Cited By ~ 57

Author(s):

K Evans ◽

R Thresher ◽

R.M Warneke ◽

C.J.A Bradshaw ◽

M Pook ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Pressure Gradients ◽

Predictive Tool ◽

Sea Level Pressure ◽

Testing Hypotheses ◽

Environmental Correlates ◽

Meridional Winds ◽

Quantitative Analyses ◽

Climate Events

Cetacean strandings elicit much community and scientific interest, but few quantitative analyses have successfully identified environmental correlates to these phenomena. Data spanning 1920–2002, involving a total of 639 stranding events and 39 taxa groups from southeast Australia, were found to demonstrate a clear 11–13- year periodicity in the number of events through time. These data positively correlated with the regional persistence of both zonal (westerly) and meridional (southerly) winds, reflecting general long-term and large-scale shifts in sea-level pressure gradients. Periods of persistent zonal and meridional winds result in colder and presumably nutrient-rich waters being driven closer to southern Australia, resulting in increased biological activity in the water column during the spring months. These observations suggest that large-scale climatic events provide a powerful distal influence on the propensity for whales to strand in this region. These patterns provide a powerful quantitative framework for testing hypotheses regarding environmental links to strandings and provide managers with a potential predictive tool to prepare for years of peak stranding activity.

Download Full-text

Long-term effects of caesarean delivery on health and behavioural outcomes of the mother and child in Bangladesh

10.1101/2020.03.12.20034975 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Md. Nuruzzaman Khan ◽

Md. Mostafizur Rahman ◽

Md Aminur Rahman ◽

Mahmudul Alam ◽

Md. Alam Khan

Keyword(s):

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Behaviour Problems ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Adverse Health Outcomes ◽

Mother And Child ◽

Exposure Variable ◽

Pain Problem ◽

Questionnaire Method

AbstractBackgroundIncreasing rate of unnecessary caesarean section (CS) is now reported worldwide that intensified the occurrence of adverse health outcomes for mother-child dyads. We investigated the association of CS with some basic health and behaviour outcomes of the mother-child dyads in Bangladesh.MethodsWe conducted a community based case-control study from May to August 2019. Total of 600 (300 had CS, and 300 had vaginal delivery (VD)) mother-child dyads were interviewed through a structured questionnaire. Method of delivery was the exposure variable classified as CS and VD. The outcome variables were a group of health and behaviour problems of the mothers and their children. A series of binary logistic regression models were carried out to examine the effects of the exposure variable on outcome variables. Mother’s socio-demographic and reproductive characteristics were adjusted in the models.ResultsThe mean maternal age (±SD) and weight were 25.1 (±5.2) years and 53.1 (±7.2) kilogram, respectively. Higher likelihood of headache, after delivery hip pain, problem of daily activities, and breastfeeding problem were reported among mother had CS in their last birth than VD. Children born through the CS were reported a higher likelihood of breathing problem and frequent illness and a lower likelihood of food demand and sleeping.ConclusionThe occurrence of CS increases the risk of health and behaviour problems among mothers and their children. This suggests the need for polices to avoid unnecessary CS and to increase awareness of adverse effects of CS. Frequent health checkup following CS is also important.

Download Full-text