The Analysis of the Nutritional Status and Dietary Habits among Children Aged 6–10 Years Old Attending Primary Schools in Poland

A high prevalence of obesity among children is influenced by serious implications. Obesity mainly results from behavioral factors, such as improper dietary habits. This study aims to evaluate the nutritional status and dietary habits of children aged 6–10 (n = 908) attending primary schools in Poland, Europe. The research tool was a questionnaire that was completed by one of the children’s parents. A statistical analysis was made using statistical software. The value of p = 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. A total of 74.7% of children surveyed have a normal body mass. As many as 91.7% and 76.6% of children, respectively, eat a first and second breakfast daily. Nearly half of parents (48.9%) state that their child consumes milk or other dairy products daily. A total of 74.3% of children drink water daily. A total of 27.6% eats fish less frequently than once a week. A total of 7.6% of children eat fish several times a week. As many as 20.6% of the respondents state that their child eats brown bread several times a week, whereas 19.9% state that their child never eats brown bread. A total of 55.1% of children eat fruits and/or vegetables daily. A total of 14.1% of children surveyed consume sweets daily. The study revealed a positive correlation between BMI and the frequency of mineral water consumption (p = 0.013) in 9 y.o. girls. It was also revealed that the number of consumed fruit/vegetables increases with the BMI value among 10 y.o. boys (p = 0.044). Conclusions: The dietary habits of the investigated children are still improper. There is a great need for education on this issue, but family involvement is also required.

Larvicidal Activity of Leaf Extract From Mauritiella armata (Aceraceae) on Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus (Culicidae)

The mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) are important vectors of several arboviruses, and are relevant public health problems. Conventional control, using chemical larvicides have selected resistant Culicidae populations and caused negative effects on the environment and human health. However, the use of plant extracts has represented a sustainable alternative for insect control. Popularly known as Xiriri, Mauritiella armata (Mart.) Burret (Aceraceae) is an abundant palm tree in Vereda ecosystems and has economic and social importance. In this study, the aim was to evaluate the larvicidal activity of the aqueous extract (AE) leaves of this plant on Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae. The mortalities of larvae were analyzed after treatment with four concentrations of the extract, comparing with a negative control using mineral water. The AE promoted 100% efficacy against Ae. aegypti larvae at 7.9 mg/mL. The lethal concentration to promote 90% mortality of Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae was estimated at 30.57 mg/mL. After chromatographic analyses, flavonoids, catechin and carbohydrates were detected. AE from M. armata leaves presented high larvicidal activity against Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus, and represents a promising alternative to be used in vector control.

Participatory Landscape Design and Water Management—A Sustainable Strategy for Renovation of Vernacular Baths and Landscape Protection in Szeklerland, Romania

Szeklerland is a historical-ethnic region located on the eastern border of the Carpathian Basin, in the central region of Romania. In Szeklerland, thanks to its varied topography and a network of small settlements, landscape management is still carried out using traditional methods. Szeklerland is a macro-region rich in natural resources. Among its natural treasures, the mineral water springs with healing properties are of particular importance: around 40 percent of Romania’s mineral water resources are found here. This richness in hydrogeological features is due to the fact that the post-volcanic activities in the young tertiary mountain ranges in the region still produce large quantities of carbon dioxide, which dissolves beneficial minerals from the earth. When dissolved in water, these minerals produce mineral waters that can be used to cure various types of diseases. For centuries, the medicinal properties of the mineral waters of Szeklerland have been regularly used by the local population. In addition to their consumption, small and larger vernacular baths were built in the settlements with medicinal springs, and their regular use led to the development of a traditional, local cold-water bathing culture in the region. However, the vernacular baths were destroyed in the world wars, and their traditional use was abolished by the apparatus of the 20th century communist regime, which had no respect to natural and cultural heritage. After the political change in 1989, the attention of the society turned back to tradition and values. Alongside (or as part of) nature and landscape conservation initiatives, the reinterpretation and restoration of the intangible and practical values of vernacular baths in Szeklerland also began. Over the past decades, the renovation of vernacular baths, which started as a professional–civic initiative, has grown into an independent heritage conservation programme: dozens of vernacular baths have been renovated in Szeklerland over the past twenty years with public participation initiated and led by professionals. In the course of the renovations, baths used by local communities have been rebuilt using nature- and environment-friendly techniques, materials and in a way that they are also related to the physical environment and the mythology of the region. The project has won prestigious awards both in Romania and internationally, and has become a successful and exemplary movement in landscape heritage conservation.

Development of a Distributed Mathematical Model and Control System for Reducing Pollution Risk in Mineral Water Aquifer Systems

The article is devoted to the problem of the growing need of the mineral water fields’ exploitation process automation. The implementation of control systems and mathematical modeling methods can significantly reduce the fields’ structural integrity violation and pollution of aquifers risks. This research is especially relevant for the fields with difficult conditions of mineral waters occurrence, since the insufficient accuracy of determining the fields’ operating mode parameters can lead to a severe incident. The article describes a distributed mathematical model developed from the geo-filtration equation. Based on this model, a new method for assessing the mutual influence of the fields, the production of which is carried out from one aquifer, is presented. For a more detailed study of the operating mode parameters influence on the object a physical model of the reservoir was developed. The using of Arduino sensors and the developed software allows us to construct a 3D graph of the input action and its response at the different points of the object as temperature distribution. The simulation results make it possible to use the proposed model for the automatic control system synthesis.

Pencegahan Konstipasi pada Anak Melalui Penyuluhan Implementasi Evidence Based Practice tentang Makanan Berserat dan Air Putih

ABSTRAKKonstipasi merupakan kondisi di mana feses mengeras sehingga susah dikeluarkan melalui anus,dan menimbulkan rasa terganggu atau tidaknya pada rektum. Konstipasi dapat terjadi akibat kurangnya makan berserat, kurang minum putih dan pengaruh obat yang dikonsumsi. Salah satu hal yang bisa dilakukan untuk meningkatkan kesadaran masyarakat adalah dengan memberikan penyuluhan tentang Pencegahan konstipasi pada anak melalui penyuluhan impementasi evidence based practice tentang makanan berserat dan air putih. Tujuan Pengabdian adalah untuk Meningkatkan pemahaman anak mengenai pencegahan konstipasi melalui penyuluhan implementasi evidence based practice tentang makanan berserat dan air putih di Panti Asuhan Darussalam Palembang. Metode yang digunakan dalam kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat adalah berbentuk pendidikan kesehatan dengan metode ceramah dan demontrasi. Kesimpulan adanya peningkatan pengetahuan anak (100%) di Panti Asuhan Darussalam Palembang tentang makanan berserat dan konsumsi air putih untuk mencegah kejadian konstipasi. Kata Kunci: Konstipasi, Makanan berserat, dan Air Putih ABSTRACT Constipation is a condition in which the stool hardens so that it is difficult to expel it through the anus, and causes discomfort or discomfort in the rectum. Constipation can occur due to lack of fiber eating, drinking less mineral water, and the influence of drugs consumed. One of the things that can be done to increase public awareness is to provide counseling on the prevention of constipation in children through counseling on the implementation of evidence-based practice about fibrous food and water. The purpose of this service was to increase children's understanding of preventing constipation through counseling on the implementation of evidence-based practice about fibrous food and mineral water at the Darussalam Orphanage in Palembang. The method used in community service activities through health education with lecture and demonstration methods. The conclusion is that there was an increase of knowledge of children (100%)at the Darussalam Orphanage in Palembang about fibrous food and water consumption to prevent constipation. Keywords: Constipation, Fibrous Food, And Mineral Water.

Mineral water mining: quality for human consumption and health promotion

This study demonstrates the aspects of research and mining in groundwater mining. It was intended to demonstrate the guidelines of the Mining Code and Water Code as legal beacons under the management of the National Mining Agency – ANM, federal regulator of mineral water exploration; to analyze the importance of water quality control for human consumption, from the compliance with Anvisa Resolutions – RDC-274/275/2005, which standardize the vase and microbiological characteristics. The process to make groundwater available as a mineral good to be industrialized, goes through research stages, till the final test with laboratory analyses for water classification. In this context, its main question is: what is the importance of mineral water quality for human consumption in health promotion? And it aims to analyze the quality control of mineral water, its importance for human consumption and health promotion, as well as the benefits of it. For this, a bibliographic research was carried out, consultation with the relevant legislations, books and websites of public agencies. The results showed that mineral water mining is an activity present in the daily life of society and its regular consumption contributes to the quality and promotion of healthy living, through control of the exploitation of mineral water mines, under the management of the National Mining Agency – ANM. It was evidenced that mineral water brings important health benefits: in body thermoregulation, heat absorption, nutrient transport, oxygen, hormones, composition of blood plasma, digestive juice, saliva formation, tears and urine. Being composed of different levels of micronutrients, which help alleviating health problems, such as: weakening of bones and muscles, reduction of collagen, dryness of the skin, low revitalization of cells and mucosa, aggravated by low consumption of water with drug properties and product of secular use that affect health. It was concluded that the prevalence of each type of mineral water and its composition, from ferruginous, sulfurous, radioactive, magnesian and iodized, can help in therapeutic treatments.

Quality, Price, and Competition Strategy Effects on Performance of Soft Drink Enterprises in Rwanda

Amidst market performance challenges of declining customer numbers and sales for some soft drinks enterprises in Rwanda, that has caused a big concern for academics and professionals, the study set to empirically investigate the effect of quality, price and competition strategies on sales and customer retention performance for these enterprises. The study was quantitative and cross-sectional where researchers obtained data at a single point in time on more than one case. A sample size of 118 marketing managers was taken from these enterprises in the central districts of Kigali that produce carbonated drinks, mineral water and juice. Due to corona virus pandemic, virtual means of data collection were used through telephone-based questionnaire survey. Despite the positive and significant relationship between quality and price strategies with market performance, ( =0.500, t=1.09, p<0.01) for quality, ( =0.23, t=3.05, p<0.01) for price, results for competition strategies ( =0.23, t=3.05, p=0.281), show nonsignificant relationship with market performance in the studied context. This finding manifests a big gap in managing competition and therefore advise these enterprises to revisit their competition management decisions and make investment in those positioning alternatives that impact on consumer perceptions.