International legal instruments relevant to fisheries and fishing communities : a handbook. Theme VI. Labour

This handbook provides detailed information for a wide range of legal instruments relevant to fisheries and fishworkers. It covers 114 legal instruments, categorized into the following seven themes: Theme I. Human Rights, Food Security, Women and Development. Theme II. Environment and Sustainable Development. Theme III. Oceans and Fisheries Management. Theme IV. Environmental Pollution Theme V. Fishing Vessels and Safety at Sea Theme VI. Labour Theme VII. Trade The handbook also includes the working of the instruments (decision-making bodies, monitoring and implementation agencies, periodicity of meetings, rules for participation in meetings of the decision-making bodies and implementation agencies for States and non-governmental organizations), regional instrument and agencies. Apart from being a ready reckoner to the instruments, it highlights the important sections of relevance to fisheries or small-scale fisheries and fishworkers. The companion CD-ROM provides the full texts of the instruments in a searchable database. The handbook will be useful for fishworker and non-governmental organizations, and also for researchers and others interested in fisheries issues.

International legal instruments relevant to fisheries and fishing communities : a handbook. Theme VII. Trade

This handbook provides detailed information for a wide range of legal instruments relevant to fisheries and fishworkers. It covers 114 legal instruments, categorized into the following seven themes: Theme I. Human Rights, Food Security, Women and Development. Theme II. Environment and Sustainable Development. Theme III. Oceans and Fisheries Management. Theme IV. Environmental Pollution Theme V. Fishing Vessels and Safety at Sea Theme VI. Labour Theme VII. Trade The handbook also includes the working of the instruments (decision-making bodies, monitoring and implementation agencies, periodicity of meetings, rules for participation in meetings of the decision-making bodies and implementation agencies for States and non-governmental organizations), regional instrument and agencies. Apart from being a ready reckoner to the instruments, it highlights the important sections of relevance to fisheries or small-scale fisheries and fishworkers. The companion CD-ROM provides the full texts of the instruments in a searchable database. The handbook will be useful for fishworker and non-governmental organizations, and also for researchers and others interested in fisheries issues.

Distribution of CCR2-64I and SDF1-3 ' A alleles and HIV status in 7 ethnic populations of Cameroon

Limited information is available on the prevalence among rural Africans of host genetic polymorphisms conferring resistance to HIV-1 infection or slowing HIV disease progression.We report the allelic frequencies of the AIDS-related polymorphisms CCR2-64I, SDF1-3#A, and CCR5-D32 in 321 volunteers from 7 ethnic groups in Cameroon. Allelic frequencies differed among the 7 ethnic groups, ranging from 10.8% to 31.3% for CCR2-64I and 0.0% to 7.1% for SDF1-3#A. No CCR5-D32 alleles were found. HIV seroprevalence was 6.9% in the total population and peaked at younger ages in girls and women than in boys and men. Among 15- to 54-year-olds, HIV seroprevalence varied from 2.0% to 11.1% among the village populations. Conditional logistic regression analysis using data from boys and men aged 15 to 54 years showed the number of CCR2-64I alleles to be a significant risk factor for HIV seropositivity (odds ratio per allele adjusted for age and matched on ethnic group = 6.3, 95% confidence interval: 1.3–30.3); this association was not found in women. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that CCR2-64I alleles may delay HIV disease progression without affecting susceptibility to infection among men. We did not observe this relation among women, and other factors, such as multiple pregnancies or maternal stressors (eg, breastfeeding), may have masked any protective effect of CCR2-64I alleles. Further study of this issue among women is warranted. SDF1-3#A did not differ between HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative individuals but wasassociated with increasing age among HIV-seronegative women, suggesting a protective effect against HIV-1 infection.

A study on rural women's empowerment through participation in aquaculture

The study was undertaken to understand the rural women's (i) extent of participation in some selected aquaculture practices and (ii) extent of empowerment through participation in aquaculture program. Data were collected from 200 selected rural women of two districts - Sherpur and Kishoreganj. Each of the families where the selected rural women who were involved in aquaculture under the supervision of two partner NGOs of DSAP, namely- Foundation for Human Development (FHD) and Center for Rural and Environmental Development (CRED). Both conventional and participatory methods of data collection were employed where structured questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) were used as the tools. The data collection procedure took five-months spanning from September 2004 to January 2005. Appropriate scales were developed and used in order to determine the focus variables of the study, while most analyses regarding women empowerment were done using 'before' and 'after' method. Empowerment of women was measured by five dimensions such as decision making ability, spending ability, social participation, cosmopoliteness, access to assets and resources. The ten selected aquaculture practices were: fish feeding, eradication of aquatic vegetation from fish pond, disease detection, application of fertilizer, liming, harvesting of fry and fish, fish stock management, pond excavation, use of insecticides, and sale of fry and fish. The study also aimed at determining some selected characteristics of rural women and determining relationship between their extent of empowerment and the selected characteristics. The characteristics of rural women included: age, personal education, average family education, family size, family farm size, area under aquaculture, extension media exposure, training exposure, knowledge in aquaculture, and family income. The findings revealed an overall low level of participation by rural women in aquaculture activities. However, significant level of improvement was identified regarding overall status of empowerment during the course of participation in aquaculture program under DSAP.

A feminist trade union agenda? The continued significance of class, gender and race.

During the 1990s attempts to identify a feminist trade union agenda have focused on both the content and process of such a potential agenda. In a period in which trade unions have changed significantly, the general national agenda appears to be changing, acknowledging issues of importance to women. UNISON, Britain's largest trade union, has enshrined proportionality and fair representation in its constitution, developing national initiatives aimed at improving opportunities in work and in the union for women, black workers, manual workers, disabled workers, etc. who traditionally have been less well represented. Many issues affecting women generally have moved to centre stage, yet issues affecting women ancillary workers seem as excluded as ever. Through a study of cleaners in the National Health Service this article argues that workplace interests reflect wider social divisions, but in a variety of patterns depending on the social organization of work. Despite thewidening trade union agenda, particular interests — more specifically the workplace interests of working-class women and black women — continue to be neglected.

The Newgate Novel and Sensation Fiction 1830-1868

Pykett, Lyn. 'The Newgate Novel and Sensation Fiction 1830-1868', In: The Cambridge Companion to Crime fiction (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003), pp.19-39 RAE2008

The cumulative effect of core lifestyle behaviours on the prevalence of hypertension and dyslipidemia

Background: Most cardiovascular disease (CVD) occurs in the presence of traditional risk factors, including hypertension and dyslipidemia, and these in turn are influenced by behavioural factors such as diet and lifestyle. Previous research has identified a group at low risk of CVD based on a cluster of inter-related factors: body mass index (BMI) < 25 Kg/m2, moderate exercise, alcohol intake, non-smoking and a favourable dietary pattern. The objective of this study was to determine whether these factors are associated with a reduced prevalence of hypertension and dyslipidemia in an Irish adult population. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey of 1018 men and women sampled from 17 general practices. Participants completed health, lifestyle and food frequency questionnaires and provided fasting blood samples for analysis of glucose and insulin. We defined a low risk group based on the following protective factors: BMI <25 kg/m2; waist-hip ratio (WHR) <0.85 for women and <0.90 for men; never smoking status; participants with medium to high levels of physical activity; light alcohol consumption (3.5–7 units of alcohol/week) and a "prudent" diet. Dietary patterns were assessed by cluster analysis. Results: We found strong significant inverse associations between the number of protective factors and systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and dyslipidemia. The prevalence odds ratio of hypertension in persons with 1, 2, 3, ≥ 4 protective factors relative to those with none, were 1.0, 0.76, 0.68 and 0.34 (trend p < 0.01). The prevalence odds ratio of dyslipidemia in persons with 1, 2, 3, ≥ 4 protective factors relative to those with none were 0.83, 0.98, 0.49 and 0.24 (trend p = 0.001). Conclusion: Our findings of a strong inverse association between low risk behaviours and two of the traditional risk factors for CVD highlight the importance of 'the causes of the causes' and the potential for behaviour modification in CVD prevention at a population level.

Vitamin D status and requirements during pregnancy and lactation

Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy, lactation, and early infancy has been widely reported. Current understanding of vitamin D metabolism during pregnancy and lactation is incomplete, and to date, experimental data to support vitamin D requirements for these life stages are scarce. There is a shortage of nationally representative data and appropriate reference ranges for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) during pregnancy, lactation and infancy, including in umbilical cord blood. This thesis described concentrations of total 25OHD and individual metabolites including 25OHD3, 25OHD2, and 3-epi-25OHD3 at 15 weeks’ gestation in a large seasonally balanced pregnancy cohort study (n 1768), carried out in Cork, Ireland (52oN). The prevalence of low 25OHD concentrations in pregnant women was higher than published reports in other Caucasian women, and was highest among non-users of vitamin D-containing supplements during winter. A longitudinal pregnancy study was included which suggested gestational stages had an impact on the total serum 25OHD concentration. This thesis incorporated a randomized controlled trial carried out among 100 women across 3 intervention groups using 20 μg/day of vitamin D3 with or without 500 mg calcium, or placebo, over 12-weeks of lactation to investigate the vitamin D requirement for lactating mothers and the vitamin D content of human milk. A daily intake of 25 μg/day was suggested to meet the requirement of lactating women to maintain a 25OHD levels above 50 nmol/L in 97.5% of the population at 52oN all year around. However, vitamin D content in human milk did not increase in response to supplementation. Serum 25OHD concentration has been used as a predictor of a number of health outcomes. This thesis reported large differences in serum 25OHD concentrations using different methods in 86 umbilical cord samples. The need for international standardization of serum 25OHD measurements was re-emphasized in this thesis.

National food consumption surveys: micronutrient intakes and the role of fortified foods in the diets of Irish pre-school children and adults

This research investigated the micronutrient intakes of Irish pre-school children (1-4 years) and adults (18-64 years) and the role that fortified foods (FFs) play in the diets of these population groups. Dietary intake data were collected as part of the National Pre-school Nutrition Survey (NPNS) (2010-2011) and the National Adult Nutrition Survey (NANS) (2008-2010) using 4-day food and beverage records. Nutrient intakes were estimated using WISP©, which encompasses McCance and Widdowson’s The Composition of Foods and the Irish Food Composition Database. A FF is one in which one or more micronutrients are added. Key dietary sources of micronutrients in NPNS and NANS were “milk”, “meat & meat products”, “breakfast cereals”, “fruit & fruit juices” and “breads”. In general, intakes of most micronutrients were adequate with the exception of iron (1 year old children and adult women) and vitamin D (in all population groups). Small proportions of the pre-school population had intakes which exceeded the upper level (UL) (zinc: 11%, folic acid: 5%, retinol: 4%, copper: 2%). Less than 2% of adults had intakes of iron, copper, zinc and vitamin B6 which exceeded the UL. FFs were consumed by 97% of pre-school children and 82% of adults, representing 17% and 9% of mean daily energy intake respectively. Relative to energy intake, FFs contributed substantially greater proportions to intakes of key micronutrients, such as iron and vitamin D. FFs were effective in reducing the prevalence of inadequate micronutrient intakes in these population groups, particularly for iron in women and 1 year old children. FFs made a significant contribution to folate intake in women of childbearing age (72µg). FFs contributed greater proportions of carbohydrate and lower proportions of fat to the diets of consumers. Voluntary addition of nutrients to foods did not contribute appreciably to intakes exceeding the UL in these population groups.

Between the worlds: otherworld women as intermediaries in early Irish literature

This thesis examines the ways in which Otherworldly women acted as intermediaries between the Otherworld and mortal world in early Irish literature. First it establishes the position of women in early Ireland so that appropriate comparisons can be made between mortal and Otherworld women throughout the thesis. Also, it defines what is meant by the ‘Otherworld’ and its relevence to the early Irish. It then goes on to discuss the differing goals of various intermediaries in early Irish texts, and in what manner they interact with mortals. It briefly looks at how Otherworld male intermediaries are treated differently in the literature, and why early authors might have used women in these roles as often as they did.

Cesarean section and rate of subsequent stillbirth, miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy: a Danish register-based cohort study

Background: With cesarean section rates increasing worldwide, clarity regarding negative effects is essential. This study aimed to investigate the rate of subsequent stillbirth, miscarriage, and ectopic pregnancy following primary cesarean section, controlling for confounding by indication. Methods and Findings: We performed a population-based cohort study using Danish national registry data linking various registers. The cohort included primiparous women with a live birth between January 1, 1982, and December 31, 2010 (n = 832,996), with follow-up until the next event (stillbirth, miscarriage, or ectopic pregnancy) or censoring by live birth, death, emigration, or study end. Cox regression models for all types of cesarean sections, sub-group analyses by type of cesarean, and competing risks analyses for the causes of stillbirth were performed. An increased rate of stillbirth (hazard ratio [HR] 1.14, 95% CI 1.01, 1.28) was found in women with primary cesarean section compared to spontaneous vaginal delivery, giving a theoretical absolute risk increase (ARI) of 0.03% for stillbirth, and a number needed to harm (NNH) of 3,333 women. Analyses by type of cesarean section showed similarly increased rates for emergency (HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.01, 1.31) and elective cesarean (HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.91, 1.35), although not statistically significant in the latter case. An increased rate of ectopic pregnancy was found among women with primary cesarean overall (HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.04, 1.15) and by type (emergency cesarean, HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.03, 1.15, and elective cesarean, HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03, 1.21), yielding an ARI of 0.1% and a NNH of 1,000 women for ectopic pregnancy. No increased rate of miscarriage was found among women with primary cesarean, with maternally requested cesarean section associated with a decreased rate of miscarriage (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.60, 0.85). Limitations include incomplete data on maternal body mass index, maternal smoking, fertility treatment, causes of stillbirth, and maternally requested cesarean section, as well as lack of data on antepartum/intrapartum stillbirth and gestational age for stillbirth and miscarriage. Conclusions: This study found that cesarean section is associated with a small increased rate of subsequent stillbirth and ectopic pregnancy. Underlying medical conditions, however, and confounding by indication for the primary cesarean delivery account for at least part of this increased rate. These findings will assist women and health-care providers to reach more informed decisions regarding mode of delivery.

The impact of first pregnancy and delivery on pelvic floor dysfunction

Background: The first childbirth has the greatest impact on a woman’s pelvic floor when major changes occur. The aim of this study was to comprehensively describe pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) in young nulliparous women, and its correlation with postnatal pathology. Methods: A prospective study was performed at Cork University Maternity Hospital, Ireland. Initially 1484 nulliparous women completed the validated Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire at 15 weeks’ gestation and repeatedly at one year postnatally (N=872). In the second phase, at least one year postnatally, 202 participants without subsequent pregnancies attended the clinical follow up which included: pelvic organ prolapse quantification, a 3D-Transperineal ultrasound scan and collagen level assessment. Results: A high pre-pregnancy prevalence of various types of PFD was detected, which in the majority of cases persisted postnatally and included multiple types of PFD. The first birth had a negative impact on severity of pre-pregnancy symptoms in <15% of cases. Apart from prolapse, vaginal delivery, including instrumental delivery did not increase the risk of PFD symptoms, where as Caesarean section was protective for all types of PFD. The first birth had a bigger impact on pre-existing symptoms of overactive bladder compared to stress urinary incontinence. Pelvic organ prolapse is extremely prevalent in young primiparous women, however usually it is low grade and asymptomatic. Congenital factors and high collagen type III levels play an important role in the aetiology of pelvic organs prolapse. Levator ani trauma is present in one in three women after the first pregnancy and delivery. Conclusion: The main damage to the pelvic floor most likely occurs due to an undiagnosed congenital intrinsic weakness of the pelvic floor structures. PFD is highly associated with first childbirth, however it seems that pregnancy and delivery are contributing factors only which unmask the congenital intrinsic weakness of the pelvic floor support.

Stable serum levels of anti-Müllerian hormone during the menstrual cycle: A prospective study in normo-ovulatory women

Background: Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), secreted by the granulosa cells of preantral and small antral follicles, has been described as a potential marker of the ovarian reserve. The aim of this prospective study is to investigate the variations of AMH during the menstrual cycle in a young selected population of normo-ovulatory women and to analyse the correlation with other cyclic hormones. Methods: Twenty healthy volunteers from 19 to 35 years old, with regular menstrual cycles (26-31 days), normal ovulation (day 10-16), normal hormonal profile and normal body mass index (18-26 kg/m2) were recruited. AMH, inhibin B, LH, FSH, estradiol and progesterone were measured on days 3, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21 and 25 of a spontaneous cycle. Results: AMH serum levels, either expressed by cycleday or aligned according to the ovulation day, did not show any significant variations during the menstrual cycle. Conclusions: No significant fluctuation of the AMH level during the menstrual cycle was observed. Therefore, this hormone is particularly interesting for clinical evaluation of the ovarian reserve as it may be used at any time during the cycle. © The Author 2007.

Gender differences in the risk of HIV infection among persons reporting abstinence, monogamy, and multiple sexual partners in northern Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Monogamy, together with abstinence, partner reduction, and condom use, is widely advocated as a key behavioral strategy to prevent HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa. We examined the association between the number of sexual partners and the risk of HIV seropositivity among men and women presenting for HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) in northern Tanzania. METHODOLOGY/ PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Clients presenting for HIV VCT at a community-based AIDS service organization in Moshi, Tanzania were surveyed between November 2003 and December 2007. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, reasons for testing, sexual behaviors, and symptoms were collected. Men and women were categorized by number of lifetime sexual partners, and rates of seropositivity were reported by category. Factors associated with HIV seropositivity among monogamous males and females were identified by a multivariate logistic regression model. Of 6,549 clients, 3,607 (55%) were female, and the median age was 30 years (IQR 24-40). 939 (25%) females and 293 (10%) males (p<0.0001) were HIV seropositive. Among 1,244 (34%) monogamous females and 423 (14%) monogamous males, the risk of HIV infection was 19% and 4%, respectively (p<0.0001). The risk increased monotonically with additional partners up to 45% (p<0.001) and 15% (p<0.001) for women and men, respectively with 5 or more partners. In multivariate analysis, HIV seropositivity among monogamous women was most strongly associated with age (p<0.0001), lower education (p<0.004), and reporting a partner with other partners (p = 0.015). Only age was a significant risk factor for monogamous men (p = 0.0004). INTERPRETATION: Among women presenting for VCT, the number of partners is strongly associated with rates of seropositivity; however, even women reporting lifetime monogamy have a high risk for HIV infection. Partner reduction should be coupled with efforts to place tools in the hands of sexually active women to reduce their risk of contracting HIV.

The impact of structured support groups for pregnant South African women recently diagnosed HIV positive.

The authors of this study evaluated a structured 10-session psychosocial support group intervention for newly HIV-diagnosed pregnant South African women. Participants were expected to display increases in HIV disclosure, self-esteem, active coping and positive social support, and decreases in depression, avoidant coping, and negative social support. Three hundred sixty-one pregnant HIV-infected women were recruited from four antenatal clinics in Tshwane townships from April 2005 to September 2006. Using a quasi-experimental design, assessments were conducted at baseline and two and eight months post-intervention. A series of random effects regression analyses were conducted, with the three assessment points treated as a random effect of time. At both follow-ups, the rate of disclosure in the intervention group was significantly higher than that of the comparison group (p<0.001). Compared to the comparison group at the first follow-up, the intervention group displayed higher levels of active coping (t=2.68, p<0.05) and lower levels of avoidant coping (t=-2.02, p<0.05), and those who attended at least half of the intervention sessions exhibited improved self-esteem (t=2.11, p<0.05). Group interventions tailored for newly HIV positive pregnant women, implemented in resource-limited settings, may accelerate the process of adjusting to one's HIV status, but may not have sustainable benefits over time.