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Elucidating the sourceâsink relationships of zinc biofortification in wheat grains: a review
Zinc (Zn) concentration in wheat grains is generally low, with an average value of around 28â30 mg/kg. Therefore, increasing wheat grain Zn concentration for better human health is the focus of HarvestPlus global initiatives. Sourceâsink interactions have been intensively studied for decades to enhance crop yield potential, but less on grain nutritional quality. This review applies concepts of source, sink, and their interactions to the study of wheat grain Zn nutrition and biofortification. Increasing Zn sources to wheat (via soil and foliar application) could directly enlarge available Zn in vegetative tissues and grain Zn sink. Rational nitrogen (N) supply increases grain Zn accumulation (NâZn synergism), but phosphorus (P) input generally decreases (PâZn antagonism), and the potassium (K) effect is unclear. Conventional and genetic breeding have potential to stimulate Zn flow from source to sink (uptake from soil, rootâtoâshoot translocation, and remobilization). However, a rational manipulation to establish a wellâcoordinated sourceâsink relationship is required to finally realize the grain Zn target (40â50 mg/kg) and increase onâfarm crop yield. Future studies should focus more on fertilization modes adopted by farmers (uses of compound, slow/controlled release, and organic and microbial fertilizers) and develop integrated agronomic and genetic strategies for Zn biofortification. A highly systematic and mechanistic model includes (a) migration paths of Zn (particularly from leaves to different grain parts) using isotopic labeling methods, (b) crossâtalks between Zn and carbon, N, P, K, or other divalent cations, (c) inherent physiological and biochemical processes of enzymes and signaling phytohormones, and (d) complex genetic systems governing Zn homeostasis and their relationships with other nutrients, signaling molecules, and increase or dilution/penalty of yield under different environmental conditions (soil, water, and future climatic changes) and managements (breeding and fertilization). These aspects require further elucidation to fully unravel the âblack boxâ of Zn flow from source to sink
Accessing parental perspectives to inform the development of parent training in autism in south-eastern Europe
Parent training has been shown to be an important means of supporting families living with autism â but such services are not universally accessible. A multinational project funded by the European Commission has been developed in order to establish such parent training in three south-eastern European countries. To ensure that the training was relevant and appropriate, a survey was carried out in autumn 2015 to ascertain the attitudes of parents of children with autism in Croatia, Cyprus and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia regarding this issue, and to identify the areas of training that they felt most important. Two hundred and fifty-three surveys were distributed, and 148 were returned, a response rate of 58%. Respondents in the three counties were overwhelmingly positive about parent training, with almost 90% stating that they would like to attend such training. Weekend training sessions were preferred by the majority of respondents. There was wide variation between the three countries with regard to what content was felt important to be included, with parents in the FYR of Macedonia seeking information in the greatest number of areas. Five topics were prioritised by parents across all three countries. These were: âą Strategies for enhancing my childâs communication âą Strategies on facilitating my childâs interaction with other children âą Sensory integration and development âą General information on behavioural management strategies âą Identifying and/or developing socialisation opportunitie
Iron, manganese, cadmium, chromium, zinc and arsenic groundwater contents of Agbor and Owa communities of Nigeria
A systematic review of interactive multimedia interventions to promote children's communication with health professionals: implications for communicating with overweight children
Background: Interactive multimedia is an emerging technology that is being used to facilitate interactions between patients and health professionals. The purpose of this review was to identify and evaluate the impact of multimedia interventions (MIs), delivered in the context of paediatric healthcare, in order to inform the development of a MI to promote the communication of dietetic messages with overweight preadolescent children. Of particular interest were the effects of these MIs on child engagement and participation in treatment, and the subsequent effect on health-related treatment outcomes.
Methods: An extensive search of 12 bibliographic databases was conducted in April 2012. Studies were included if: one or more child-participant was 7 to 11 years-of-age; a MI was used to improve health-related behaviour; child-participants were diagnosed with a health condition and were receiving treatment for that condition at the time of the study. Data describing study characteristics and intervention effects on communication, satisfaction, knowledge acquisition, changes in self-efficacy, healthcare utilisation, and health outcomes were extracted and summarised using qualitative and quantitative methods.
Results: A total of 14 controlled trials, published between 1997 and 2006 met the selection criteria. Several MIs had the capacity to facilitate engagement between the child and a clinician, but only one sought to utilise the MI to improve communication between the child and health professional. In spite of concerns over the quality of some studies and small study populations, MIs were found useful in educating children about their health, and they demonstrated potential to improve childrenâs health- related self-efficacy, which could make them more able partners in face-to-face communications with health professionals.
Conclusions: The findings of this review suggest that MIs have the capacity to support preadolescent child-clinician communication, but further research in this field is needed. Particular attention should be given to designing appropriate MIs that are clinically relevant
Towards integrated care in breastfeeding support: a cross-sectional survey of practitionersâ perspectives
Ugandan Adolescentsâ Descriptive Gender Stereotypes About Domestic and Recreational Activities, and Attitudes About Women
Intra- and inter-rater reliability of the Behaviour Mapping Schedule: A direct observational tool for classifying childrenâs play behaviour
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