Spatio-temporal change of selected soil physico-chemical properties in grevillea-banana agroforestry systems.

In Africa, banana is mainly produced by smallscale farmers under complex production systems for both home consumption and income generation. Low soil fertility continually constraints its production and farmers are embarking on emerging technologies such as improved fallow, cover crops, integrated soil fertility management, agroforestry with fast growing tree species to address this challenge. This study aims at assessing the sustainability of grevillea-banana agroforestry systems by investigating the variability in their soil physico-chemical properties.

Assessment of soil fertility and potato crop nutrient status in central and eastern highlands of Kenya.

Inherent low soil fertility remains a hindrance to potato production in Kenya and continues to pose a threat to food security. A study was conducted in Nyandarua and Meru counties to assess the soil fertility status in smallholder potato farms. Soil and plant tissue samples were collected and analysed for selected nutrients (pH, OC, N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Zn, B and Cu) from 198 farms.

Clinical Performance Measures for Neurocritical Care: A Statement for Healthcare Professionals from the Neurocritical Care Society.

Background: Performance measures are tools to measure the quality of clinical care. To date, there is no organized set of performance measures for neurocritical care.

Methods: The Neurocritical Care Society convened a multidisciplinary writing committee to develop performance measures relevant to neurocritical care delivery in the inpatient setting.

Pasture enclosures increase soil carbon dioxide flux rate in Semiarid Rangeland, Kenya.

Background: Pasture enclosures play an important role in rehabilitating the degraded soils and vegetation, and may also influence the emission of key greenhouse gasses (GHGs) from the soil. However, no study in East Africa and in Kenya has conducted direct measurements of GHG fluxes following the restoration of degraded communal grazing lands through the establishment of pasture enclosures. A field experiment was conducted in northwestern Kenya to measure the emission of CO, CH and NO from soil under two pasture restoration systems; grazing dominated enclosure (GDE) and contractual grazing enclosure (CGE), and in the adjacent open grazing rangeland (OGR) as control.

Enhancing soil organic carbon, particulate organic carbon and microbial biomass in semi-arid rangeland using pasture enclosures.

Background: Rehabilitation of degraded rangelands through the establishment of enclosures (fencing grazing lands) is believed to improve soil quality and livelihoods, and enhance the sustainability of rangelands. Grazing dominated enclosure (GDE) and contractual grazing enclosure (CGE) are the common enclosure management systems in West Pokot County, Kenya. Under CGE, a farmer owning few animals leases the enclosure to households with relatively more livestock, while GDE is where the livestock utilizing the enclosure are purely owned by the farmer.

Learning and Developing Individual Exercise Skills (L.A.D.I.E.S.) for a Better Life: A Church-Based Physical Activity Intervention - Baseline Participant Characteristics.

Objective: Physical activity (PA) is beneficial for health, yet most African American women do not achieve recommended levels. Successful, sustainable strategies could help to address disparities in health outcomes associated with low levels of PA. The Learning and Developing Individual Exercise Skills (L.

One-year postpartum outcomes following a weight management intervention in pregnant women with obesity.

Objective: This analysis was focused on 1-year maternal and infant follow-up of a randomized trial that tested a weight management intervention conducted during pregnancy.

Methods: One hundred fourteen women with obesity (mean BMI 36.7 kg/m(2) ) were randomly assigned at a mean of 15 weeks gestation to a weight management intervention or usual care control condition.

Prepare, a randomized trial to promote and evaluate weight loss among overweight and obese women planning pregnancy: Study design and rationale.

Background: Women who are overweight or have obesity at pregnancy onset, and those who gain excessive weight during pregnancy, are at increased risk of pregnancy-related complications and large for gestational age infants.

Objective: This report describes methodology for the Prepare study, a randomized, controlled clinical trial testing a preconception and pregnancy weight management program for women who are overweight or have obesity (BMI≥27kg/m(2)).

Outcomes: This trial examines multiple pregnancy and neonatal outcomes, with the primary outcome being gestational weight gain (GWG).

Efficacy of a group-based dietary intervention for limiting gestational weight gain among obese women: a randomized trial.

Objective: Observational studies suggest that minimal gestational weight gain (GWG) may optimize pregnancy outcomes for obese women. This trial tested the efficacy of a group-based weight management intervention for limiting GWG among obese women.

Methods: One hundred and fourteen obese women (BMI [mean ± SD] 36.

Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs that can influence infant feeding practices in American Indian mothers.

The promotion of healthy infant feeding is increasingly recognized as an important obesity-prevention strategy. This is relevant for American Indian populations that exhibit high levels of obesity and low compliance with infant feeding guidelines. The literature examining the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs surrounding infant feeding within the American Indian population is sparse and focuses primarily on breastfeeding, with limited information on the introduction of solid foods and related practices that can be important in an obesity-prevention context.

Pacific Tracker 2 - expert system (PacTrac2-ES) behavioural assessment and intervention tool for the Pacific Kids DASH for Health (PacDASH) study.

The Pacific Tracker (PacTrac) is a computer program designed to analyse food intakes of individuals from the Pacific Region. PacTrac's original output included servings of daily intake of food groups according to the United States Food Guide Pyramid, nutrient intake recommendations, and a comparison to other national nutrition recommendations. PacTrac was made available for public use through the Hawaii Foods website (hawaiifoods.

Real or perceived: the environmental health risks of urban sack gardening in Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya.

Cities around the world are undergoing rapid urbanization, resulting in the growth of informal settlements or slums. These informal settlements lack basic services, including sanitation, and are associated with joblessness, low-income levels, and insecurity. Families living in such settlements may turn to a variety of strategies to improve their livelihoods and household food security, including urban agriculture.

A community-based intervention to prevent obesity beginning at birth among American Indian children: study design and rationale for the PTOTS study.

Eating and physical activity behaviors associated with adult obesity have early antecedents, yet few studies have focused on obesity prevention interventions targeting very young children. Efforts to prevent obesity beginning at birth seem particularly important in populations at risk for early-onset obesity. National estimates indicate that American Indian (AI) children have higher rates of overweight and obesity than children of other races/ethnicities.

Community-responsive interventions to reduce cardiovascular risk in American Indians.

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations bear a heavy burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and they have the highest rates of risk factors for CVD, such as cigarette smoking, obesity, and diabetes, of any U.S. population group.

Learning and Developing Individual Exercise Skills (L.A.D.I.E.S.) for a better life: a physical activity intervention for black women.

Physical activity (PA) is low among African American women despite awareness of its positive impact on health. Learning and Developing Individual Exercise Skills for a Better Life (L.A.

Participatory probabilistic assessment of the risk to human health associated with cryptosporidiosis from urban dairying in Dagoretti, Nairobi, Kenya.

We carried out a participatory risk assessment to estimate the risk (negative consequences and their likelihood) from zoonotic Cryptosporidium originating in dairy farms in urban Dagoretti, Nairobi to dairy farm households and their neighbours. We selected 20 households at high risk for Cryptosporidium from a larger sample of 300 dairy households in Dagoretti based on risk factors present. We then conducted a participatory mapping of the flow of the hazard from its origin (cattle) to human potential victims.

A trans-disciplinary study on the health risks of cryptosporidiosis from dairy systems in Dagoretti, Nairobi, Kenya: study background and farming system characteristics.

This paper characterises the dairy farming system in Dagoretti, Nairobi. Characterisation was part of a broader ecohealth project to estimate the prevalence and risk of cryptosporidiosis and develop risk mitigation strategies. In the project a trans-disciplinary team addressed epidemiological, socioeconomic, environmental and policy aspects of cryptosporidiosis, an emerging zoonosis.

Healthy Moms, a randomized trial to promote and evaluate weight maintenance among obese pregnant women: study design and rationale.

Background: Obesity and excessive weight gain during pregnancy are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Observational studies suggest that minimal or no gestational weight gain (GWG) may minimize the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes for obese women.

Objective: This report describes the design of Healthy Moms, a randomized trial testing a weekly, group-based, weight management intervention designed to help limit GWG to 3% of weight (measured at the time of randomization) among obese pregnant women (BMI≥30 kg/m(2)).

Relationship between sleep quality and quantity and weight loss in women participating in a weight-loss intervention trial.

Evidence suggests that individuals who report fewer total hours of sleep are more likely to be overweight or obese. Few studies have prospectively evaluated weight-loss success in relation to reported sleep quality and quantity. This analysis sought to determine the association between sleep characteristics and weight loss in overweight or obese women enrolled in a randomized clinical trial of a weight-loss program.

Weight loss is associated with increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in overweight or obese women.

Low circulating concentrations of vitamin D metabolites have been associated with increased risk for several diseases and clinical conditions. Large observational studies and surveys have shown that obesity is independently associated with lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration. Few studies have examined the effect of weight loss on serum 25(OH)D concentration.

Dental caries in American Indian toddlers after a community-based beverage intervention.

Objective/setting: The Toddler Overweight and Tooth Decay Prevention Study (TOTS) was an overweight and early childhood caries (ECC) project in the Pacific Northwest. It targeted American Indian (AI) toddlers from birth, to effect changes in breastfeeding and sweetened beverage consumption.

Design/intervention/participants: The intervention cohort was children born in three communities during 12 months; expectant mothers were identified through prenatal visits, and recruited by tribal coordinators.

Bacterial contamination of kale (Brassica oleracea Acephala) along the supply chain in Nairobi and its environment.

Objective: To assess the microbiological safety of kale (Brassica oleracea Acephala) produced from farms and those sold at the markets with special focus on coliforms, E.coli and Salmonella.

Design: A cross sectional study.

Effect of a free prepared meal and incentivized weight loss program on weight loss and weight loss maintenance in obese and overweight women: a randomized controlled trial.

Context: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States remains high. Commercial weight loss programs may contribute to efforts to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity, although few studies have examined their efficacy in controlled trials.

Objective: To test whether a free prepared meal and incentivized structured weight loss program promotes greater weight loss and weight loss maintenance at 2 years compared with usual care.

Poor physical health predicts time to additional breast cancer events and mortality in breast cancer survivors.

Background: Health-related quality of life has been hypothesized to predict time to additional breast cancer events and all-cause mortality in breast cancer survivors.

Methods: Women with early-stage breast cancer (n=2967) completed the SF-36 (mental and physical health-related quality of life) and standardized psychosocial questionnaires to assess social support, optimism, hostility, and depression prior to randomization into a dietary trial. Cox regression was performed to assess whether these measures of quality of life and psychosocial functioning predicted time to additional breast cancer events and all-cause mortality; hazard ratios were the measure of association.

The TOTS community intervention to prevent overweight in American Indian toddlers beginning at birth: a feasibility and efficacy study.

Excess weight gain in American Indian/Alaskan native (AI/AN) children is a public health concern. This study tested (1) the feasibility of delivering community-wide interventions, alone or in combination with family-based interventions, to promote breastfeeding and reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages; and (2) whether these interventions decrease Body Mass Index (BMI)-Z scores in children 18-24 months of age. Three AI/AN tribes were randomly assigned to two active interventions; a community-wide intervention alone (tribe A; n = 63 families) or community-wide intervention containing a family component (tribes B and C; n = 142 families).