Calidad de la interacción situacional y personal entre el cuidador y el niño utilizando la herramienta de evaluación GlnA-E

The GlnA-E Evaluation Tool ("Gestaltung von Interaktonsgelegenheiten im Alltag-Evaluation"; see Weltzien et al., 2017) represents the improved version of a video-based observational and reflective tool for research projects in everyday practice. This paper first presents an overview of the theoretical constructs and features (scale and item properties) of GlnA-E's three scales. It then offers situational and personal correlatives of interaction quality in everyday teaching. It turns out that the tool can be employed for a wide range of settings, group situations, and age ranges, and that the caregivers’ interaction-related skills vary widely. A slight positive impact on interaction quality was observed for interactions with younger children (up to four years of age) and so-called "onlookers".La herramienta de evaluación GInA-E ("Gestaltung von Interaktonsgelegenheiten im Alltag-Evaluation"; véase Weltzien et al., 2017) representa la versión mejorada de una herramienta de observación y reflexión usando vídeos para proyectos de investigación en la práctica cotidiana. Ese trabajo primero presenta una descripción de las construcciones teóricas y características (escala y propiedades de los items) de las tres escalas del GInA-E. Posteriormente ofrece correlatos personales y situacionales de la calidad de la interacción en la enseñanza diaria. Se comprobó que la herramienta puede ser usada en una amplia diversidad de ámbitos, situaciones en grupo y edades y, que las competencias de los cuidadores relacionadas con la interacción varían ampliamente. Se pudo observar un impacto ligeramente positivo en la calidad de la interacción con los niños más pequeños (hasta los cuatro años) y los llamados observadores (“onlookers”)

Gender Differentiation of Farmer Preferences for Varietal Traits in Crop Improvement: Evidence and Issues

Changes in agro-ecological as well as socio-economic conditions lead to transformations of food and farming systems worldwide. Using plant varieties with new or different sets of traits can be one option for farmers to adapt to these changes; however, coping strategies and related varietal traits may vary for different groups of farmers, depending for example on their access to resources and assets, and their production goals. Gender is one major social category for which differences in this regard can be expected.Changes in agro-ecological as well as socio-economic conditions lead to transformations of food and farming systems worldwide. Using plant varieties with new or different sets of traits can be one option for farmers to adapt to these changes; however, coping strategies and related varietal traits may vary for different groups of farmers, depending for example on their access to resources and assets, and their production goals. Gender is one major social category for which differences in this regard can be expected.

From Market Demand to Breeding Decisions: A Framework

Developing plant varieties or animal breeds that meet the needs of all stakeholders is a tremendously challenging task. Each set of breeding customers, such as growers, product chain actors, and end-use consumers, may have specific needs for attributes of breeds or varieties. Eliciting, defining, communicating and incorporating these traits into breeding programs requires the focused interaction of different disciplines and stakeholder groups throughout the process. In this paper we propose a framework to capture and respond to needs and demands to be addressed through breeding. The framework is split into four phases, three of which are developed in detail herein: developing product profiles from market demands; developing breeding priorities based on product profiles; and turning breeding priorities into breeding decisions. We have drawn on a number of real-life examples and experiences that address each of the phases described in this paper, as well as on a broad survey of public and private sector breeding programs. We summarize lessons learned and suggest effective approaches and tools for implementation. Three of these key learnings are summarized below. Any product attribute that is demanded or needed by the market, and which is not clearly identified and considered throughout the breeding process will remain wishful thinking and never be delivered on, unless by chance. The decisions made by breeding programs as to which attributes to target must include gender-related traits in order for plant and animal breeding to become gender-responsive. Similarly, any poorly-understood, unrealistic or unfeasible trait that is in demand or needed, must be addressed and discussed, and the inability to deliver on it communicated back to stakeholders. Such feedback mechanisms from breeding programs to markets - or their representatives - are essential to ensure an alignment between expectations and deliverables, and potentially identify alternatives when breeding cannot deliver. Any demands, including gender-specific ones, must be realistic, well documented and agreed upon in order for a breeding program to be successful. Finally, the objectives and priorities of a breeding program must be defined in a way that ensures delivery of significant (measurable, visible) value to its stakeholders. Gains achieved through breeding need to be large enough to drive adoption of new breeds or varieties. This is particularly important for traits that are difficult to quantify and for which small gains, though real, might have little perceived value. For breeding programs to contribute towards improved livelihoods and well-being for both men and women, they must deliver new breeds or varieties that are significantly improved for important gender-specific attributes

Overcoming phosphorus deficiency in West African pearl millet and sorghum production systems: promising options for crop improvement

West Africa (WA) is among the most food insecure regions. Rapid human population growth and stagnating crop yields greatly contribute to this fact. Poor soil fertility, especially low plant available phosphorus (P) is constraining food production in the region. P-fertilizer use in WA is among the lowest in the world due to inaccessibility and high prices, often unaffordable to resource-poor subsistence farmers. This article provides an overview of soil P-deficiency in WA and opportunities to overcome it by exploiting sorghum and pearl millet genetic diversity. The topic is examined from the perspectives of plant breeding, soil science, plant physiology, plant nutrition, and agronomy, thereby referring to recent results obtained in a joint interdisciplinary research project, and reported literature. Specific objectives are to summarize: (1) The global problem of P scarcity and how it will affect WA farmers; (2) Soil P dynamics in WA soils; (3) Plant responses to P deficiency; (4) Opportunities to breed for improved crop adaptation to P-limited conditions; (5) Challenges and trade-offs for improving sorghum and pearl millet adaptation to low-P conditions in WA; and (6) Systems approaches to address soil P-deficiency in WA. Sorghum and pearl millet in WA exhibit highly significant genetic variation for P-uptake efficiency, P-utilization efficiency, and grain yield under P-limited conditions indicating the possibility of breeding P-efficient varieties. Direct selection under P-limited conditions was more efficient than indirect selection under high-P conditions. Combining P-uptake and P-utilization efficiency is recommendable for WA to avoid further soil mining. Genomic regions responsible for P-uptake, P-utilization efficiency, and grain yield under low-P have been identified in WA sorghum and pearl millet, and marker-assisted selection could be possible once these genomic regions are validated. Developing P-efficient genotypes may not, however, be a sustainable solution in itself in the long-term without replenishing the P removed from the system in harvested produce. We therefore propose the use of integrated soil fertility management and systems-oriented management such as enhanced crop-tree-livestock integration in combination with P-use-efficiency-improved varieties. Recycling P from animal bones, human excreta and urine are also possible approaches toward a partially closed and efficient P cycle in WA

Gnrh receptor gnrhr2bbα is expressed exclusively in lhb-expressing cells in Atlantic salmon male parr

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gnrh) plays a major role in the regulation of physiological and behavioural processes related to reproduction. In the pituitary, it stimulates gonadotropin synthesis and release via activation of Gnrh receptors (Gnrhr), belonging to the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily. Evidence suggests that differential regulation of the two gonadotropins (Fsh and Lh) is achieved through activation of distinct intracellular pathways and, probably, through the action of distinct receptors. However, the roles of the different Gnrhr isoforms in teleosts are still not well understood. This study investigates the gene expression of Gnrhr in the pituitary gland of precociously maturing Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) male parr. A total of six Gnrhr paralogs were identified in the Atlantic salmon genome and named according to phylogenetic relationship; gnrhr1caα, gnrhr1caβ, gnrhr1cbα, gnrhr1cbβ, gnrhr2bbα, gnrhr2bbβ. All paralogs, except gnrhr1caα, were expressed in male parr pituitary during gonadal maturation as evidenced by qPCR analysis. Only one gene, gnrhr2bbα, was differentially expressed depending on maturational stage (yearly cycle), with high expression levels in maturing fish, increasing in parallel with gonadotropin subunit gene expression. Additionally, a correlation in daily expression levels was detected between gnrhr2bbα and lhb (daily cycle) in immature fish in mid-April. Double fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that gnrhr2bbα was expressed exclusively in lhb gonadotropes in the pituitary, with no expression detected in fshb cells. These results suggest the involvement of receptor paralog gnrhr2bbα in the regulation of lhb cells, and not fshb cells, in sexually maturing Atlantic salmon male parr.publishedVersio