Role of appetitive phenotype trajectory groups on child body weight during a family-based treatment for children with overweight or obesity.

ObjectiveEmerging evidence suggests that individual appetitive traits may usefully explain patterns of weight loss in behavioral weight loss treatments for children. The objective of this study was to identify trajectories of child appetitive traits and the impact on child weight changes over time.MethodsSecondary data analyses of a randomized noninferiority trial conducted between 2011 and 2015 evaluated children's appetitive traits and weight loss. Children with overweight and obesity (mean age = 10.4; mean BMI z = 2.0; 67% girls; 32% Hispanic) and their parent (mean age = 42.9; mean BMI = 31.9; 87% women; 31% Hispanic) participated in weight loss programs and completed assessments at baseline, 3, 6,12, and 24 months. Repeated assessments of child appetitive traits, including satiety responsiveness, food responsiveness and emotional eating, were used to identify parsimonious grouping of change trajectories. Linear mixed-effects models were used to identify the impact of group trajectory on child BMIz change over time.ResultsOne hundred fifty children and their parent enrolled in the study. The three-group trajectory model was the most parsimonious and included a high satiety responsive group (HighSR; 47.4%), a high food responsive group (HighFR; 34.6%), and a high emotional eating group (HighEE; 18.0%). Children in all trajectories lost weight at approximately the same rate during treatment, however, only the HighSR group maintained their weight loss during follow-ups, while the HighFR and HighEE groups regained weight (adjusted p-value < 0.05).ConclusionsDistinct trajectories of child appetitive traits were associated with differential weight loss maintenance. Identified high-risk subgroups may suggest opportunities for targeted intervention and maintenance programs

Evaluation of the risks of contaminating low erucic acid rapeseed with high erucic rapeseed and identification of mitigation strategies

High erucic acid rapeseed (HEAR) oil is under increasing demand for various industrial applications. However, many growers are concerned that if they grow the crop, they will not be able to revert to other rapeseed varieties in the future due to the risk of erucic acid (EA) contamination of the harvested seed and inability to maintain acceptable erucic acid thresholds. This review considered published literature and, using the same criteria as that used to contain transgenic crops, aimed to identify the key risks of erucic acid contamination, broadly prioritise them and identify pragmatic mitigation options. Oilseed rape has a number of traits that increase the risk of low erucic acid rapeseed (LEAR) crops being contaminated with EA from HEAR varieties. The quantity of seed produced and the potential for seed dormancy coupled with partial autogamy (self-fertilisation) facilitate the establishment and persistence of volunteer and feral populations. The large quantities of pollen produced when the crop is in flower mean there is also a high potential for cross-pollination. Self-sown volunteer plants represent the highest potential contamination risk, followed by the presence of arable weeds (e.g., wild mustard) whose seeds are also high in EA. Other risks arise from the cross-pollination of compatible wild relatives and the mixing of seed prior to sowing. It is important that both HEAR and LEAR varieties are appropriately managed since risks and their potential for mitigation arise throughout the entire LEAR crop production process. The length of rotation, type of tillage, cultivar choice, buffer zones, effective weed management and basic machinery hygiene are all factors that can reduce the risk of erucic acid contamination of LEAR crops and maintain the required thresholds.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Plant Variety Protection

The harmonization of seed policies and regulation in the ASARECA member countries is the first step toward creating a seed market that is large enough to attract investment by local and international investors who will provide the quantity, quality and variety of improved seed to meet the region’s growing demands. Since September 1999, ASARECA with backing from USAID has supported a pilot project through ECAPAPA in the East African Community (EAC) countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda on five specific areas, namely - phytosanitary regulations - seed certification - plant variety protection - laws and regulations governing the seed trade - variety evaluation, release and registration. Each of these areas is the subject of a policy briefThe harmonization of seed policies and regulation in the ASARECA member countries is the first step toward creating a seed market that is large enough to attract investment by local and international investors..

Seed Phytosanitary Regulations

The harmonization of seed policies and regulations in the ASARECA member countries is the first step toward creating a seed market that is large enough to attract investment by local and international investors who will provide the quantity, quality and variety of improved seed to meet the region’s growing demands. Since September 1999, ASARECA with support from USAID has supported a pilot project through ECAPAPA in the East African Community (EAC) countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda on five specific areas, namely - phytosanitary regulations - seed certification - plant variety protection - laws and regulations governing the seed trade - variety evaluation, release and registration. Each of these areas is the subject of a policy briefThe harmonization of seed policies and regulations in the ASARECA member countries is the first step toward creating a seed market that is large enough to attract investment by local and international investors..

Who’s Forest? Implications of Different Management Regimes for Sustainable Utilisation and Minimisation of Conflicts

Productive and sustainable agriculture can only result from the sustainable utilization and management of the natural resources that carry it. This, however, is usually obstructed by conflicts among intervening decision makers and their different interests regarding the many potential forms and ends to use such resources. The risk and danger of these conflicts are increased in situations of high population or market pressures, non-responsive policies and the resulting unaccountable decision-making, which are not uncommon regionally. Conflicts related to natural resources then, and their causes constitute central issues in the drive of ASARECA and ECAPAPA because they effectively diminish the present and potential contributions over time of those resources to the goals of economic growth, food security and export competitiveness. Thus, the search for solutions, or ways to manage these conflicts, constitutes a proper investment to improve the present and future accessibility, productivity and sustainability of the natural resource base for regional development. It was against this background that ECAPAPA, in collaboration with partner networks, programmes and projects under ASARECA and also with International Agricultural Research Centres, embarked on a competitive research grant of the project on, “Natural Resource Management and Use: Conflict Minimising Strategies”. This Policy Brief presents some of the lessons learned from research work related to the search for appropriate mechanisms to manage forest resources, and conflicts arising from contested rights to forest resources in eastern and central Africa (ECA) . The paper reviews some of the legal and policy reforms in the forestry sector; highlights some of the conflicts occurring under conventional government ownership of forests and those occurring under the emerging initiatives in Joint Forest Management and Participatory Forest Management. It concludes with a checklist of issues to be considered in facilitating sustainable forest utilisation and conflict minimisation strategies.This Policy Brief presents some of the lessons learned from research work related to the search for appropriate mechanisms to manage forest resources, and conflicts arising from contested rights to forest resources in eastern and central Africa (ECA)

Social Capital and Conflict Management – Lessons Learned and Options for Minimizing Resource Use Conflicts

Productive and sustainable agriculture can only result from the sustainable utilization and management of the natural resources that carry it. This, however, is usually obstructed by conflicts among intervening decision makers and their different interests regarding the many potential forms and ends to use such resources. The risk and danger of these conflicts are increased in situations of high population or market pressures, non-responsive policies and the resulting unaccountable decision-making, which are not uncommon regionally. Conflicts related to natural resources then, and their causes constitute central issues in the drive of ASARECA and ECAPAPA because they effectively diminish the present and potential contributions over time of those resources to the goals of economic growth, food security and export competitiveness. Thus, the search for solutions, or ways to manage these conflicts, constitutes a proper investment to improve the present and future accessibility, productivity and sustainability of the natural resource base for regional development. It was against this background that ECAPAPA, in collaboration with partner networks, programmes and projects under ASARECA and also with International Agricultural Research Centres, embarked on a competitive research grant of the project on, “Natural Resource Management and Use: Conflict Minimising Strategies”. This Policy Brief presents some of the lessons learned from research work related to social capital, governance and conflict management in eastern and central Africa (ECA) . Social capital is related to social norms, networks and trust that promote cooperation within and between communities. The paper examines the linkage between social capital and good governance; provides examples of positive and negative effects of social capital and suggests strategies for integrating social capital considerations in conflict management.The paper examines the linkage between social capital and good governance; provides examples of positive and negative effects of social capital and suggests strategies for integrating social capital considerations in conflict management

Report of the CGIAR Task Force on Central/Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union

Final report of a task force established at ICW95 to assess what, if any, research collaboration the CGIAR should undertake with the 28 countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. It was presented at CGIAR International Centers Week in October - November 1996 by Task Force chair Rudy Rabbinge. A preliminary version of the report was discussed at MTM96. The Task Force recommended extending the CGIAR's geographic mandate to the area, which it divided into two regions with differing needs: Central and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia and the Caucasus. Countries in latter group qualified on per capital income levels alone for CGIAR attention. Programs undertaken should fall within a comprehensive strategy to be developed, correspond with CGIAR priorities and comparative advantage, and be financed with resources additional to those currently available to the CGIAR. Specific activities that could be implemented while planning was continuing were identified at ICARDA, CIMMYT, IPGRI, and ISNAR.Annexes include a paper on agricultural knowledge systems in transitional economies, tables of human, physical, and economic indicators for the countries, a list of CGIAR missions to the area, highlights of a workshop on research and seed production needs in dryland agriculture in the West and Central Asian republics, and a list of proposed CGIAR project activity