The Effects of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation on Explosive Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review

Dietary nitrate supplementation is evidenced to induce physiological effects on skeletal muscle function in fast-twitch muscle fibers and may enhance high-intensity exercise performance. An important component of sport-specific skills is the ability to perform explosive movements; however, it is unclear if nitrate supplementation can impact explosive efforts. We examined the existing evidence to determine whether nitrate supplementation improves explosive efforts lasting ≤ 6 s. PubMed, Scopus and Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) were searched for articles using the following search strategy: (nitrate OR nitrite OR beetroot) AND (supplement OR supplementation) AND (explosive OR power OR high intensity OR high-intensity OR sprint* OR “athletic performance”). Out of 810 studies, 18 were eligible according to inclusion criteria. Results showed that 4 of the 10 sprint-type studies observed improved sprint time, power output, and total work in cycling or running, whereas 4 of the 10 resistance-based exercise studies observed improvements to power and velocity of free-weight bench press as well as isokinetic knee extension and flexion at certain angular velocities. These results suggest that nitrate potentially improves explosive exercise performance, but further work is required to clarify the factors influencing the efficacy of nitrate in different exercise modalities.

Menstrual hygiene practice among adolescent girls in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Adolescent girls face several challenges relating to menstruation and its proper management. Lack of adequate sanitary products, inadequate water supply, and privacy for changing sanitary pads continue to leave adolescent girls with limited options for safe and proper menstrual hygiene in many low-income settings, including Ethiopia. These situations are also compounded by societal myths, stigmas surrounding menstruation, and discriminatory social norms. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled proportion of safe menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls in Ethiopia using the available studies. Methods We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, African Journal Online (AJOL), Hinari, Science Direct, ProQuest, Direct of Open Access Journals, POPLINE, and Cochrane Library database inception to May 31, 2021. Studies reporting the proportion of menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls in Ethiopia were considered. The Cochrane Q test statistics and I2 tests were used to assess the heterogeneity of the included studies. Since the included studies revealed considerable heterogeneity, a random effect meta-analysis model was used to estimate the pooled proportion of menstrual hygiene management (MHM). Results Of 1,045 identified articles, 22 studies were eligible for analysis (n = 12,330 participants). The pooled proportion (PP) of safe MHM in Ethiopia was 52.69% (95%CI: 44.16, 61.22). The use of commercial menstrual absorbents was common 64.63% (95%CI: 55.32, 73.93, I2 99.2%) followed by homemade cloth 53.03% (95%CI: 22.29, 83.77, I2 99.2%). Disposal of absorbent material into the latrine was the most common practice in Ethiopia 62.18% (95%CI: 52.87, 71.49, I2 98.7%). One in four girls reported missing one or more school days during menstruation (PP: 32.03%, 95%CI: 22.65%, 41.40%, I2 98.2%). Conclusion This study revealed that only half of the adolescent girls in Ethiopia had safe MHM practices. To ensure that girls in Ethiopia can manage menstruation hygienically and with dignity, strong gender-specific water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities along with strong awareness creation activities at every level are needed.

Investigating the work–life experiences of nursing faculty in Canadian academic settings and the factors that influence their retention: protocol for a mixed-method study

IntroductionWhile all research-oriented faculty face the pressures of academia, female faculty in fields including science, engineering, medicine and nursing, are especially susceptible to burnout. Nursing is unique in that it remains a predominantly female-dominated profession, which implies that there is a critical mass of females who are disproportionately affected and/or at higher risk of burnout. To date, little is known about the experiences of nursing faculty especially, new and early career researchers and the factors that influence their retention. This study aims to understand the work–life (the intersection of work with personal life) experiences of nursing faculty in Canadian academic settings and the factors that influence their retention.Methods and analysisA mixed-method design will be used in this study. For the quantitative study, a sample of approximately 1500 new and early career nursing faculty across Canadian academic institutions will be surveyed. Eligible participants will be invited to complete a web-based structured questionnaire in both French and English language. Data will be evaluated using generalised linear regression model and structural equation modelling. Given the complexities of work–life issues in Canada, qualitative focus group interviews with about 20–25 participants will also be conducted. Emerging themes will be integrated with the survey findings and used to enrich the interpretation of the quantitative data.Ethics and disseminationThis study has received ethical approval from the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board (#1477). Prior to obtaining informed consent, participants will be provided with information about study risks and benefits and strategies undertaken to ensure confidentiality and anonymity. The study findings will be disseminated to academics and non-academic stakeholders through national and international conference presentations and peer-reviewed open-access journals. A user-friendly report will be shared with professional nursing associations such as the Canadian Associations of Schools of Nursing, and through public electronic forums (e.g., Twitter). Evidence from this study will also be shared with stakeholders including senior academic leaders and health practitioners, government, and health service policy-makers, to raise the profile of discourses on the nursing workforce shortages; and women’s work–life balance, a public policy issue often overlooked at the national level. Such discussion is especially pertinent in light of the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on women, and female academics. The findings will be used to inform policy options for improving nursing faculty retention in Canada and globally.

Predatory Open Access Journals and Attainment of Educational Sustainable Development Goals in Africa

Putting into consideration the objective of the SDG 4, it would be important to note that the provision, access, and use of information resources such as open access (OA) journals is a sine qua non for quality education in Africa. Despite its importance to the education system, open access journals have been proliferated by predatory journals. Stakeholders in the OA movement and academia claim that predatory publishing is a big problem for scientific communication and could undermine development efforts. Hence, the increasing use of predatory open access journals could affect the attainment of SDGs in Africa; hence, there is the need to raise awareness to enhance the possibility of attaining the SDGs in Africa. This chapter will among others enumerate the possible havocs predatory open access journals can create and the setbacks on the attainment of SDGs in Africa. It will also spell out the necessary prospects of curtailing these havocs and setbacks towards providing quality-based information resources such as open access journals to the education societies in Africa.

BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF PUBLICATIONS OF SCIENTISTS IN OPEN ACCESS JOURNALS AS A TOOL TO INCREASE THE PUBLISHING ACTIVITY OF THE UNIVERSITY

Objective. The study is aimed at increasing the publishing activity and better presentation of scientific results of Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding by expanding scientific publications in open access logs. Chronological frameworks of the studied scientific articles – 2017–2021. Methods. In order to obtain relevant empirical data, the authors of the research analyzed publications of the Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding scientists in open access logs using products and services of scientometric database Scopus. The algorithm of "step-by-step" actions in the Scopus database was considered in relation to: the determination of the most relevant topics; formation of the circles for the most cited publications; determining the representation level of publications made by the University scientists in the Scopus database on the topic of the study. Results. During the study, the authors showed that complete and objective evaluation in the effectiveness of scientific activity of the institution is possible only with the analysis of open resources of scientific information; the percentage of publications in the open access of Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding authors-scientists is growing: in five years, the number of scientific articles of open access has increased twice; the most popular publication model is GoldAPC; there are the most cited publications in foreign editions that relate to the first and second quartile. Conclusions. The authors firstly conducted a bibliometric study of scientists’ publications in open access journals as a tool for raising the publishing activity of the university on the basis of products and services of the Scopus scientometric database. The research materials can be used to further increase of publishing activity both for individual scientists and institutions as a whole.

Estudios recientes en Zooarqueología Latinoamericana: selección de trabajos del IICNZA

En las últimas décadas, la zooarqueología argentina ha mostrado un acelerado crecimiento que se aprecia no sólo en el número de profesionales dedicados a esta disciplina, sino también en la diversidad de tópicos abordados. El II Congreso Nacional de Zooarqueología Argentina (IICNZA), celebrado en Olavarría (provincia de Buenos Aires) entre el 9 y el 13 de Mayo de 2011, organizado por la Facultad de Ciencias Sociales (UNCPBA), constituyó un evento apropiado para dar a conocer los nuevos resultados relacionados con distintos temas zooarqueológicos propios de las diferentes regiones de nuestro país y Latinoamérica. Además, este encuentro permitió discutir la implementación de viejas y nuevas metodologías y generar un espacio de interacción interdisciplinaria en torno a la investigación de los materiales faunísticos. En el IICNZA se desarrollaron seis simposios, una sesión general y una mesa de pósters. En esta última fueron presentados 25 trabajos, los cuales abarcaron una gran diversidad de temas en diferentes regiones de la Argentina y otros países de América Latina.El presente Dossier incluye los resultados de una selección de trabajos presentados en la Mesa de Pósters del IICNZA. Se trata de siete contribuciones, las cuales representan una variedad de estudios zooarqueológicos y tafonómicos de distintas áreas de nuestro país, así como de México y Perú. Dadas estas características, la Revista del Museo de Antropología de Córdoba (RMA) se presentó como un lugar ideal para la publicación de estos artículos, ya que la misma ha sido indizada en distintos sistemas de catalogación y forma parte del Latindex, del Directory of Open Access Journals y del Anthropological Index Online, con lo cual la difusión de los trabajos tiene mayor alcance y su acceso es libre, aspectos que consideramos de crucial importancia para el desarrollo actual de la disciplina. En este sentido, este volumen no hubiera sido posible sin el apoyo y la colaboración permanente del Dr. Andrés Izeta, director de dicha revista, quien generosamente aceptó nuestra solicitud para presentar los trabajos en la RMA.

Heavy Metal Contamination of Natural Foods Is a Serious Health Issue: A Review

Heavy metals play an important role in the homeostasis of living cells. However, these elements induce several adverse environmental effects and toxicities, and therefore seriously affect living cells and organisms. In recent years, some heavy metal pollutants have been reported to cause harmful effects on crop quality, and thus affect both food security and human health. For example, chromium, cadmium, copper, lead, and mercury were detected in natural foods. Evidence suggests that these elements are environmental contaminants in natural foods. Consequently, this review highlights the risks of heavy metal contamination of the soil and food crops, and their impact on human health. The data were retrieved from different databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, Google scholar, and the Directory of Open Access Journals. Results show that vegetable and fruit crops grown in polluted soil accumulate higher levels of heavy metals than crops grown in unpolluted soil. Moreover, heavy metals in water, air, and soil can reduce the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet requires a rational consumption of foods. Physical, chemical, and biological processes have been developed to reduce heavy metal concentration and bioavailability to reduce heavy metal aggregation in the ecosystem. However, mechanisms by which these heavy metals exhibit their action on human health are not well elucidated. In addition, the positive and negative effects of heavy metals are not very well established, suggesting the need for further investigation.

Publishing Without Exclusive Rights

Journal publishers don’t need exclusive rights. Or, they don’t need them for publishing. They don’t need them to make a work public or to add value in the form of peer review, copy editing, metadata, formatting, discoverability, or preservation. Nor do they need them to make enough money to pay their bills and grow. Publishers only need exclusive rights for monopoly control over the published work and any revenue it might yield. Publishers who say they need exclusive rights are saying they need this monopoly control. The best evidence that journal publishers don’t need exclusive rights is that so many peer-reviewed journals do without them, for example, open access journals using CC-BY.