Assessing zinc status in humans

Purpose of Review To examine the most recent literature that provides new data regarding the potential and emerging biomarkers for zinc status in individuals. Recent findings Suboptimal dietary zinc intake is estimated to affect 17% of the world’s population, however the assessment of zinc status is notoriously difficult. A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating biochemical biomarkers of zinc status was conducted by the European Micronutrient Recommendations Aligned (EURRECA) network. This review summarised the data published from inception to 2007. More recently (2016), an international expert panel, convened by the Biomarker of Nutrition for Development (BOND) initiative, published an extensive review the literature addressing biomarkers of zinc status in populations and individuals and categorised the biomarkers as useful (dietary intake, serum [Zn], stunting), potentially useful (hair [Zn], urine [Zn], neurobehavioural function), and emerging (nail [Zn], oxidative stress and DNA integrity, zinc kinetics, zinc dependent proteins, taste acuity). Summary The most recent data on the potentially useful biomarkers support the further investigation of hair [Zn] and indices of neurological function, particularly those assessing memory and attention. Of the emerging biomarkers, the measurement of DNA integrity and the expression of zinc transport proteins look promising

Special considerations for vitamin D in the South Asian population in the UK

The human requirement for vitamin D is achieved primarily through the synthesis of this pre-hormone in the skin during exposure to UVB radiation, with only a minor contribution from the diet year-round. Achieving optimal vitamin D status is therefore largely dependent upon adequate exposure of the skin to sunlight, however the length of exposure required varies with latitude and season, and is also dependent upon skin pigmentation with darker skin requiring greater exposure than fair skin due to the protective effects of melanin against ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. In northern European latitudes, where UVB radiation between the months of October and March is of insufficient intensity for the synthesis of vitamin D via this route, vitamin D deficiency is a public health concern, particularly for South Asian diaspora and other dark skinned ethnic minority communities. The consequences of vitamin D deficiency include poor bone health, including rickets and osteomalacia. In addition there is increasing awareness of an important role for vitamin D in the development and progression of chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes which is prevalent in South Asian populations. The aim of this review is to examine some of the most recent reports of vitamin D status in South Asian diaspora communities, and to explore its impact on bone health. In addition, we will examine the putative association between type 2 diabetes and vitamin D deficiency in South Asian populations and the current guidelines for treatment of vitamin D deficiency of South Asians in primary care settings

Report of the International Society for Zinc Biology 5th Meeting, in Collaboration with Zinc-Net (COST Action TD1304)-UCLan Campus, Pyla, Cyprus

From 18 to 22 June 2017, the fifth biennial meeting of the International Society for Zinc Biology was held in conjunction with the final dissemination meeting of the Network for the Biology of Zinc (Zinc-Net) at the University of Central Lancashire, Cyprus campus. The meeting attracted over 160 participants, had 17 scientific symposia, 4 plenary speakers and 2 poster discussion sessions. In this report, we give an overview of the key themes of the meeting and some of the highlights from the scientific programme

The Long Term Impact of Micronutrient Supplementation during Infancy on Cognition and Executive Function Performance in Pre-School Children

Brain growth and development are critically dependent on several micronutrients. During early development cellular activity may be sensitive to micronutrient deficiencies, however the evidence from human studies is equivocal. The objective of this study was to examine the long-term cognitive and social-emotional effects of multiple micronutrient supplementation compared with iron supplementation alone, administered during infancy. This study was a follow-up to an initial randomized, double-blind controlled trial (RCT) in 2010 in which 902 infants, aged 6-17 months, from Lima, Peru, were given daily supplements of either iron (Fe) or multiple micronutrients (MMN) including zinc (451 in each group). The supplementation period for both groups was six months. In 2012, a subsample of 184 children from the original cohort (now aged 36-48 months) was randomly selected to participate in a follow-up trial and was assessed for intelligence, working memory, inhibition, and executive function. The tests showed no significant differences between the supplementation groups though there were some gender differences, with girls displaying higher scores than boys across both groups on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) Verbal IQ sentences subtest, the Day-Night cognitive test and on the Brief Infant-Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (BITSEA) social competency, and boys scoring higher than girls in problem behaviour. The results indicate that MMN supplementation had no long term additional effects on cognitive function compared with iron supplementation alone. The timing of supplement administration for maximum impact on a child's cognitive development requires further investigation

The Global Challenge of Hidden Hunger: Perspectives from the Field

The aim of this review paper is to explore the strategies employed to tackle micronutrient deficiencies with illustrations from field-based experience. Hidden hunger is the presence of multiple micronutrient deficiencies (particularly iron, zinc, iodine and vitamin A), which can occur without a deficit in energy intake as a result of consuming an energy dense, but nutrient poor diet. It is estimated that affects more than two billion people worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where there is a reliance on low cost food staples and where the diversity of the diet is limited. Finding a way to improve the nutritional quality of diets for the poorest people is central to meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly SDG2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. As we pass the midpoint of the United Nations’ Decade for Action on Nutrition, it is timely to reflect on progress towards achieving SDG2 and the strategies to reduce hidden hunger. Many low- and middle-income countries are falling behind national nutrition targets, and this been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other recent shocks to the global food system which have disproportionately impacted the world’s most vulnerable communities. Addressing inequalities within the food system must be central to developing a sustainable, cost effective strategy for improving food quality that delivers benefit to the seldom heard and marginalised communities

Fortification or Biofortification: Complimentary strategies or duplication of effort?

Micronutrient deficiencies continue to be a global concern, with the most common deficiencies being vitamin A, iron, zinc and B vitamins (folate and B12). Addressing this requires strategies that are scalable and equitable such that they reach all members of a population irrespective of socioeconomic status and geography. Fortification and biofortification offer potential large-scale solutions, however each have strengths and limitations depending on the context, particularly the cultural and political factors that may create barriers or opportunities for effectiveness. Planning how to target scarce resources for maximum impact requires an in-depth knowledge and understanding of local food systems and market dynamics, alongside strong government policy and legislative support. A food fortification programme was launched in Pakistan in 2016, supported by UK Aid and designed to address the high prevalence of vitamin A, iron and zinc deficiency, particularly in women and children. In the same year the first zinc biofortified variety of wheat, Zincol-2016, was released in Pakistan, supported and developed through the HarvestPlus programme in collaboration with the Pakistan National Agriculture Research Centre. This review explores the challenges faced by fortification and biofortification, initiated independently, (but around the same time) in Pakistan

Trauma characteristics and posttraumatic growth: The mediating role of avoidance coping, intrusive thoughts and social support

Objective: Previous research suggests trauma characteristics can impact on posttraumatic growth (PTG). The current study considers whether previously identified predictors of PTG may produce different outcomes dependent on the characteristics of the trauma experienced. Method: Active coping, avoidant coping, emotional coping, intrusive thoughts, social support and spirituality were examined as potential mediators of relationships between trauma characteristics (interpersonal trauma, number of trauma types and childhood trauma) and PTG. The responses of 268 adults exposed to multiple and wide-ranging stressors were used to generate three multiple mediation models. Results: Intrusive thoughts and social support exerted small but significant indirect effects in all three multiple mediation models. Avoidant coping mediated associations between the number of trauma types and PTG, and the relationship between childhood trauma to PTG. Conclusion: Relationships between trauma characteristics and PTG appear to be explained through the presence of avoidant coping strategies, intrusive thoughts and the individual’s social environment, which could be the focus of intervention efforts to promote positive change

Assessing victim risk in cases of violent crime

Purpose: There is a body of evidence that suggests a range of psychosocial characteristics demarcate certain adults to be at an elevated risk for victimisation. To this end, the aim of the current study was to examine consistency between one police force, and a corresponding victim support service based in England, in their assessment of level of risk faced by victims of violent crime. Methodology: This study explored matched data on 869 adult victims of violent crime gathered from these two key services in Preston, namely Lancashire Constabulary and Victim Support, from which a sub-group of comparable ‘domestic violence’ cases (n=211) were selected for further examination. Findings: Data analyses revealed methodological inconsistencies in the assessment of victimisation resulting in discrepancies for recorded levels of risk in domestic violence cases across these two agencies. Practical implications: These findings provide a compelling argument for developing a more uniformed approach to victim assessment and indicate a significant training need. Value: This paper highlights areas of good practice and forwards several recommendations for improved practice that emphasises the integration of empirical research conducted by psychologists to boost the validity and reliability of risk assessment approaches and tools used

Death, commemoration and patronage in fourteenth-century Oxfordshire: the chantry chapels at Cogges, Witney and Ducklington

This inquiry concerns a cluster of sculpturally-embellished chantry chapels in Oxfordshire at the neighbouring parish churches of Cogges, Witney and Ducklington. Each is distinguished by a fine funerary monument and other, high-quality carvings—sacred and profane—in the Decorated style. The fabric is much battered and the monuments no longer identify those they commemorate but they testify nonetheless to imaginative, even unique image programmes, expressing patronal concerns in highly individual ways. Furthermore, the ‘tomb-scape’ in each case includes proximity to a medieval charnel crypt, where the bones of the parish dead were cared for until Judgement Day, an overlooked feature of commemoration at parish church level. The phenomenon of the chantry (at its height between 1250 and 1350) coincides with the ornate Decorated period in English ecclesiastical architecture. Both have been explored in terms of aesthetic, social and religious expression. However, gentry foundations in rural parish churches remain under-researched. The study operates in this gap, taking up the challenge of studying incomplete, undocumented material and demonstrating the value of researching parish-level art. The methodology is holistic and multi-disciplinary, applying art-historical approaches that foreground the surviving fabric, combined with archival research and reference to recent trends in archaeology and social history. The study sites are shown to demonstrate different models of patronage: male, female, individual, familial and corporate. They reveal the influence of devotional books and demonstrate a sophisticated relationship with liturgy as well as a concern for social display. Innovative Decorated techniques (such as combining figure sculpture with window tracery) usually associated with great churches are employed to good effect, employing light, location and sightlines to amplify meaning, serving the interests of both patron and parish in tailor-made ways. The findings contribute to our understanding of Decorated-era chantry provision in Oxfordshire in particular, and to the field of commemoration studies more generally