Golden Rice: To Combat Vitamin A Deficiency for Public Health

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) has been recognised as a significant public health problem continuously for more than 30 years, despite current interventions. The problem is particularly severe in populations where rice is the staple food and diversity of diet is limited, as white rice contains no micronutrients. Golden Rice is a public-sector product designed as an additional intervention for VAD. There will be no charge for the nutritional trait, which has been donated by its inventors for use in public-sector rice varieties to assist the resource poor, and no limitations on what small farmers can do with the crop—saving and replanting seed, selling seed and selling grain are all possible. Because Golden Rice had to be created by introducing two new genes—one from maize and the other from a very commonly ingested soil bacterium—it has taken a long time to get from the laboratory to the field. Now it has been formally registered as safe as food, feed, or in processed form by four industrialised counties, and applications are pending in developing countries. The data are summarised here, and criticisms addressed, for a public health professional audience: is it needed, will it work, is it safe and is it economic? Adoption of Golden Rice, the next step after in-country registration, requires strategic and tactical cooperation across professions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and government departments often not used to working together. Public health professionals need to play a prominent role

PULSED BAITING —A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR HIGH POTENCY, SLOW ACTING RODENTICIDES

The disadvantages of the acute, fast-acting, rodenticides are well understood by the specialist. However, despite poison-shyness and consequent short-lived, low efficacy rodent control, many users prefer acutes such as zinc phosphide to first-generation anticoagulants of the warfarin type. The techniques necessary for efficient use of the first-generation anticoagulants are often inappropriate, particularly in agriculture. High labour and bait inputs required are unacceptable and are, together with the need for area coordinated control programs, significantly responsible for lack of widespread use of anticoagulants, even in those countries with a long history both of disastrous rodent damage to crops and rodent damage research and training centers. There are other problems, too, including widespread antithesis to prophylactic rodent control, perhaps in part due to the inherent low efficacy of acutes and the impractical nature (often leading to low efficacy) of first-generation anticoagulant baiting procedures. The advent of a highly potent but slow-acting rodenticide molecule, brodifacoum, has allowed the development of the pulsed baiting technique. This practical technique is highly effective and offers very significant savings both in bait and labour compared to first-generation anticoagulants, with excellent levels of control. Single applications are more effective than single applications of acute toxicants. Now used in agricultural and urban control programs, the technique is proving to be very cost-effective and highly acceptable, both to educated campaign organizers and uneducated users. The theory, development and cost-effectiveness of the technique are considered together with the experience gained from its use over more than 4 million hectares of agricultural land. Use of the technique allows for the first time practical and efficient agricultural rodent control

"Vicarious traumatization in therapists working with trauma : do defences make a difference?"

Thesis (M.A.) - University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, 2017.Vicarious traumatization presents a significant concern for therapists around the globe. In South Africa, research around therapist wellbeing appears lacking. Despite various international studies on vicarious trauma, there remains a lack of conceptual clarity and comprehensive theory on vicarious trauma in therapists. Several studies have attempted to find factors associated with the development of vicarious trauma, with varying outcomes. Factors such as history of personal trauma, trauma caseload and supervision have been found to be associated with vicarious trauma. However, few studies have focused on the possibility that defence style could play a significant role. Recent research by Adams and Riggs (2008) found trauma symptoms in trainee therapists to be significantly associated with defence style. The current study explored the relationship between vicarious trauma and defence style (image-distorting, affect-regulating and adaptive defence styles). In addition, demographic factors were analyzed to discover whether they may be better determinants of vicarious trauma. The study used 127 participants (independent practitioners) from across South Africa. Participants were requested to complete three questionnaires: a demographic questionnaire, the DSQ 60 and the ProQol 5. Data were analyzed using a quantitative, positivist method. Correlations were used to identify significant relationships among the variables and a series of multiple regressions were conducted to explore predictive factors of the defence styles. Multiple regressions were also used to explore the predictive ability of the demographic variables and professional quality of life. The findings indicated a strong positive relationship between image distorting defence style and vicarious trauma. Of the demographic factors analyzed, therapeutic modality was found to be a significant predictor of vicarious trauma. A significant negative correlation was also found between help seeking for personal trauma and compassion satisfaction. This study provides evidence for the relationship between defence style and vicarious trauma. Further, it is indicative that most demographic factors had no effect on professional quality of life and ultimately, vicarious trauma. The current study suggests that further research needs to be done to further investigate the impact of defence style on vicarious traumatization. Implications, limitations and future directions of these findings are discussed further

Golden Rice, VAD, Covid and Public Health: Saving Lives and Money

On July 21, 2021, Golden Rice was registered in the Philippines allowing cultivation and consumption. Research, as an intervention to combat vitamin A deficiency (VAD), started in 1991, and proof of concept for what was to become Golden Rice, was achieved in 1999. In the 1990s, 23–34% deaths globally of children less than 5 years old were caused by VAD, and in developing countries, the percentage was even higher. By 2013, progress against the Millennium Development Goals had reduced <5-y child deaths globally from VAD to about 2% of all such deaths. The progress included significant vaccination programs against measles, and better access to clean water, as well as vitamin A supplementation, all delivered through community health programs. Economic development and education about diet reduced food insecurity. In contrast to continuing VAD deaths, the Covid-19 pandemic has attracted huge political attention, including in low- and middle-income countries. Community health programs have been adversely affected by the pandemic. There is a danger that as a result VAD rates, child and maternal mortality climbs again toward 1990’s levels. Adoption of Golden Rice provides a safe, culturally simple amelioration and is costless. Other countries should seize the opportunity. Bangladesh is first in line, possibly followed by Indonesia and India

Ethical and Sociocultural Considerations of Biofortified Crops: Ensuring Value and Sustainability for Public Health

This chapter highlights ethical considerations related to biofortified crops and provides insights on how planned and implemented biofortification interventions can take into account sociocultural aspects to improve public health. A literature review of ethical and sociocultural issues was performed, as well as an analysis of biofortification using a public health ethics framework. The research suggests that biofortification has clear public health goals and has promise toward meeting those goals. Where there is a need for more research is to better understand the impacts of biofortification programs on issues of self-determination, liberties, and food justice, the burdens and nonmaleficence to society can be minimized. This can be done through early involvement of the community in research and programmatic strategies. Distributive justice issues, such as ensuring fair access to seeds and foods for farmers and consumers, ought to be considered

BRODIFACOUM (TALON™ RODENTICIDE), A NOVEL CONCEPT

Brodifacoum, a new rodenticide, is described. This anticoagulant is shown to be of exceptional potency and capable of controlling resistant rodents as well as several non-commensal species. Results demonstrate that, in contrast to first generation anticoagulants, a bait concentration of only 50 ppm is adequate to give control and in only a single feeding for most species. In common with other anticoagulants, vitamin K1 is an effective antidote. In contrast with other acute rodenticides, symptoms are delayed and no bait shyness is observed. The results of laboratory and field trials from many parts of the world are summarized and comparisons of efficacy and specificity with other rodenticides are made. In all cases, brodifacoum is shown to be an exceptional rodenticide, the single feeding action of which offers novel rodent control applications

Golden Rice: instructions for use

Abstract Golden Rice is any variety of rice which makes beta-carotene, thus giving the rice a yellow (Golden) colour. It was created as an additional intervention for vitamin A deficiency. This dietary deficiency is the most significant cause of childhood blindness, and also the biggest killer of children under 5 year’s old, globally. White rice contains no beta-carotene, and no vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency is common in countries where rice is the staple diet. The Golden Rice technology, adding two genes to white rice in 2004, has been donated by its inventors for use in developing countries as an additional intervention against vitamin A deficiency. When Golden Rice is approved for use in a country, that country’s Government will have decided that it is safe for the environment to grow the crop, and safe for humans, and animals, to consume it. Regular consumption of Golden Rice by people is expected, with time, to deliver health benefits by reducing cases of partial or complete blindness, and reducing preventable deaths, especially of young children and mothers. Any amount of daily white rice consumption can be replaced by Golden Rice consumption without ill effect. This document suggests how people can organise themselves to contribute to Golden Rice’s adoption for growth and consumption by populations in their own country. Without adoption, Golden Rice cannot be an intervention for vitamin A deficiency, which is a major public health problem