bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nifedipine and Nimodipine Competitively Inhibit Uridine Kinase and Orotidine-Phosphate Decarboxylase: Theoretical Relevance to Poor Outcome in Stroke
Authors: Najarian Thomas , Traut Thomas W.
Published: November 2015

Nifedipine and nimodipine, dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, are commonly used as antihypertensive and antianginal agents in patients at risk for stroke. At least one stroke trial suggests that patients receiving calcium channel blockers at the time of an acute stroke have worse outcomes than those receiving other or no antihypertensive medications. We hypothesize that the poor outcome may not be related to blood pressure changes but instead may be mediated by competitive inhibition of important enzymes of pyrimidine synthesis whose products are needed to repair nerve cell membranes after an acute stroke. Both drugs acted as competitive inhibitors of the only enzymes that are known to synthesize the nucleotide uridine-5′-phosphate: uridine kinase and orotidine-5′-phosphate decarboxylase. Nifedipine produced Ki values of 28 (μM for uridine kinase and 105 μM for orotidine-5′-phosphate decarboxylase. Nimodipine produced Ki values of 20 μM for uridine kinase and 18 μM for orotidine-5′-phosphate decarboxylase. For uridine kinase, these inhibitors bound more tightly than the physiologic substrates uridine or cytidine. For the decarboxylase, the inhibitors bound less tightly than the normal physiologic substrate orotidine-5′-phosphate. Additional experiments are needed to determine whether the concentrations of nifedipine or nimodipine, and of cytidine, uridine, and orotidine-5′-phosphate in human brain, are such that this inhibition would affect stroke outcome.
Real Time Human Brain Function: Observations and Inferences from Single Trial Analysis of Magnetoencephalographic Signals
Authors: Ioannides Andreas A.
Published: November 2015

This paper brings together results obtained by applying Magnetic Field Tomography (MFT) to the analysis of Magnetoencephalography (MEG) data over the last decade. It emphasizes the most recent developments where the availability of helmet-like MEG probes with well over 100 sensing coils provide a full coverage of the head. The paper shows that it is possible to extract tomographic information from single trial, millisecond by millisecond MEG signal, and demonstrates two ways that this capability can be exploited. First, the single trial reconstructions are used to obtain robust statistical measures of changes of activity over small latency windows. Second, the interaction between areas is studied by computing the mutual information between short, time-lagged sections of the single trial time-courses. The usefulness of the computationally demanding approach is demonstrated by analyzing experiments using two widely used protocols, one for face and affect recognition and the other for Contingent Magnetic Variation (CMV). The results show foci of significant changes of activity, which are consistent with what is reported in the literature and provide a deeper understanding of their significance. Some new, but not all that unexpected, findings also emerge from the analysis.
Decomposition of Event-Related Brain Potentials into Multiple Functional Components Using Wavelet Transform
Authors: Demiralp Tamer , Ademoglu Ahmet
Published: November 2015

Event related brain potential (ERP) waveforms consist of several components extending in time, frequency and topographical space. Therefore, an efficient processing of data which involves the time, frequency and space features of the signal, may facilitate understanding the plausible connections among the functions, the anatomical structures and neurophysiological mechanisms of the brain. Wavelet transform (WT) is a powerful signal processing tool for extracting the ERP components occurring at different time and frequency spots. A technical explanation of WT in ERP processing and its four distinct applications are presented here. The first two applications aim to identify and localize the functional oddball ERP components in terms of certain wavelet coefficients in delta, theta and alpha bands in a topographical recording. The third application performs a similar characterization that involves a three stimulus paradigm. The fourth application is a single sweep ERP processing to detect the P300 in single trials. The last case is an extension of ERP component identification by combining the WT with a source localization technique. The aim is to localize the time-frequency components in three dimensional brain structure instead of the scalp surface. The time-frequency analysis using WT helps isolate and describe sequential and/or overlapping functional processes during ERP generation, and provides a possibility for studying these cognitive processes and following their dynamics in single trials during an experimental session.
The Interaction of Somatosensory Evoked Potentials between Mixed-Sensory Nerves and Sensory-Sensory Nerves
Authors: Hasegawa Akira , Yamada Thoru , Saito Takanori , Fuchigami Tatsuo , Onishi Hiroaki , Fujii Masami
Published: November 2015

The interactions between two different nerves occur by occlusion or inhibition when two nerves share the synaptic connections. In our previous study, we have demonstrated that posterior tibial nerve and peroneal nerve sensory inputs interact with each other, i.e., preceding stimulus to one nerve suppresses the somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) of the other nerve when two stimuli are delivered in close sequence. The course of suppression follows two phases; the first one occurring at short interstimulus intervals (ISIs) of the two nerves less than 10 msec, and the second one being at around 30 msec ISI after partial recovery following the first suppression phase. In that study, we have postulated that the second phase suppression was equivalent for the movement induced “gating” mechanism.

In this study, the interactions of mixed nerve (posterior tibial) and sensory nerve (sural), and also sensory (sural) and sensory (saphenous) nerves were examined. We found that the mixed nerve (posterior tibial) exerted similar dual phases of suppression (as was seen in posterior tibial — peroneal nerve study) on to the sural nerve SEP, but the reverse was not true. Also the sensory and sensory nerve interactions were not mutually equal; the sural nerve stimulation caused two phases suppression but the reverse condition did not show significant suppression. The above findings suggest (1) interference input from the sensory nerve to the mixed nerve is much weaker than the reverse condition, and (2) sensory and sensory nerves interactions occur but two nerves' interference inputs are not necessarily equal and one could dominant the other.
Benign Neonatal Sleep Myoclonus: Case Report and Follow-up of Four Members of an Affected Family
Authors: Vaccario M. Luigia , Valenti Maria A. , Carullo Anna , Di Bartolomeo Rossella , Mazza Salvatore
Published: November 2015

Benign neonatal sleep myoclonus (BNSM), characterized by myoclonic jerks of the extremities only in non-REM sleep, occurs in the first months of life with spontaneous disappearance within 3–4 months. We examined five siblings with typical BNSM, at the 3–10 years follow-up neurological examination. Psychomotor development, cognitive functions and EEG were completely normal. These cases confirm that BNSM is a self limited and nonepileptic disorder.
Quantitative EEG and the Frye and Daubert Standards of Admissibility
Authors: Thatcher Robert W. , Biver Cart J. , North Duane M.
Published: November 2015

The 70-year-old Frye standards of “general acceptance” were replaced by the Supreme Court's 1993 Daubert criteria of the scientific method, which established the standards for admissibility of evidence in Federal Court. The four Daubert criteria were: 1- Hypothesis testing, 2- Estimates of error rates, 3- Peer reviewed publication and 4- General acceptance ( Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, 61 U.S.L.W 4805 (U.S. June 29, 1993)). The present paper starts with the Daubert four factors and then matches them, step by step, to the scientific peer reviewed literature of quantitative EEG (QEEG) in relation to different clinical evaluations. This process shows how the peer reviewed science of the Digital EEG and the Quantitative EEG (QEEG) meet all of the Daubert standards of scientific knowledge. Furthermore, the science and technical aspects of QEEG in measuring the effects of neurological and psychiatric dysfunction also match the recent Supreme Court standards of “technical” and “other specialized” knowledge ( General Electric Co v. Joiner, 1997; Kumho Tire Company, Ltd. v. Carmichael, 1999). Finally, it is shown that QEEG scientific knowledge and QEEG “technical” and “other specialized” knowledge meet the trilogy standards of the Supreme Court rulings in support of QEEG's admissibility as a clinically valid method in the evaluation of the nature and extent of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Quantitative Electroencephalography in OCD Patients Treated with Paroxetine
Authors: Hansen Elsebet S. , Prichep Leslie S. , Bolwig Tom G. , John E. Roy
Published: November 2015

The effectiveness of drugs that have a specific effect on the activity of the serotonergic neurotransmitter system has changed the outlook for patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). With a response rate of about 70% to such compounds and the great amount of brain imaging studies conducted over the past decades, an understanding of the biochemical nature and origins of OCD is beginning to unfold. Convergent data including ethological and experimental observations, clinico-pathological findings and different imaging methods have implicated the basal ganglia along with the cortical and related thalamic structures to be involved in the pathophysiology of OCD.

In a previous study using the quantitative electroencephalographic (QEEG) method known as neurometrics, in which QEEG data from OCD patients were compared statistically with those from an age-appropriate normative population, two subtypes within a clinically homogeneous patient group were classified. Patients with relative excess theta activity, especially in the frontal regions, were nonresponders to treatment with serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), while those with increased relative power in alpha activity were responders to pharmacological treatment. These findings suggested at least two subgroups in a patient population with similar symptoms but differential responses to treatment.

In the present study we used neurometric QEEG to subtype a group of 20 non-depressed OCD patients, fulfilling DSM-R-III criteria, treated with paroxetine, of whom 18 were responders to treatment. Of the treatment responders, 94.4% were predicted by subtype membership to be SSRI responsers. In these subjects there was a strong relative alpha baseline activity; after successful treatment through at least 3 months this activity decreased, looking more normal. The group average topographic maps showed none of the characteristics seen in the nonresponder cluster (no excess relative power in theta). As in the previous investigation, baseline QEEG profile membership points to a predictive value with regard to therapeutic response.
The Clinical Relevance of EEG Interpretation
Authors: Niedermeyer E.
Published: November 2015

There is need nowadays to re-emphasize the capabilities of electroencephalography: a method representing the extremely important function/dysfunction-orientation in neurological thinking and practice. Valuable and relevant messages to the clinician naturally require solid EEG training and the resulting expertise.

The idea that valuable EEG information is limited to the field of epileptology is erroneous. A plethora of clinically relevant messages can be derived from the EEG in nonepileptic conditions and, above all, in metabolic (and so called “mixed”) encephalopathies where neuroimaging has almost nothing to offer.

The discussion of EEG and epileptology only skirts pediatric conditions (and most of the epileptic syndromes). It is shown that EEG reading in epileptology is a lot more than simply “hunting spikes.” A strong plea is being made against the presently fashionable overuse of the term “non-convulsive status epilepticus.”

Continuing neglect of functional/dysfunctional orientation can seriously endanger the entire field of Neurology.
Patterns of Interictal Spike Propagation across the Central Sulcus in Benign Rolandic Epilepsy
Authors: Jung Ki-Young , Kim Jae-Moon , Kim Dong Wook
Published: November 2015

It has been reported that the rolandic area generating spikes is hyperexcitable, and that rolandic spikes propagate across the central area. However, the pattern of rolandic spike propagation and how the dipolar distribution of the spikes is related to the propagation pattern have not yet been studied.

Thirty-nine EEGs from 27 patients with benign rolandic epilepsy (BRE) were examined. Sequential topographic mapping in 4-ms steps was used to analyze the pattern of spike propagation. The locations of maximum negative foci, the presence and distribution of the dipolar field, and the propagation pattern were examined.

Dipoles were present in 23 (85.2%) out of 27 patients and in 43 (72.9%) out of 59 foci. Thirty-two foci (54.2%) in 20 patients demonstrated a propagation pattern. The typical pattern consisted of propagation from central to midtemporal locations across the central sulcus. Most spike foci exhibiting a propagation pattern had a dipolar distribution (87.5%; p=0.008).

These results suggest that rolandic spikes originate from sulcal or gyral cortices on either side of the central sulcus, and that spike propagation can ensue by intracortical spreading across the central sulcus.
The Relationship between Bilateral Spike and Wave Complexes and Focal Discharges in Patients with Partial Epilepsy
Authors: Hughes John R. , Fino John J.
Published: November 2015

The goal of this study was to investigate in patients with partial epilepsy the relationship between bilateral spike and wave (BSW) complexes of a generalized epilepsy and the focal spikes of partial epilepsy. For the study 300 patients were collected, all with focal epilepsy on their last hospital visit: 150 were well controlled (C) and 150 were uncontrolled (U), and the number of EEGs was 674 in the C and 804 in the U groups. BSW were seen at some time in 25% of all patients, more often in the U than C patients, especially the irregular 3/sec form. The bilateral complexes at times appeared at the onset of the epilepsy, usually at the same time with focal discharges, mainly from temporal or frontal areas. The U patients showed these complexes at a younger age than the C group and continued to be seen often into the 30s, occasionally into the 60s age group. The other presentation of the BSW was years after the onset of the focal discharges, usually temporal or frontal in location and more often seen in the U than C group. The U group showed spikes, many in number as active foci, more often than the C group. The discussion deals with the possibility that these bilateral spike and wave complexes may represent a reflection of a lowered threshold to a seizure.
Development, Production, and Quality Control of Nutritional Supplements for a National Supplementation Programme in Mexico
Authors: Rosado Jorge L. , Rivera Juan , Lopez Gladys , Solano Lourdes
Published: November 2015

The objective of this study was to develop supplements for nutritional support of children less than two years old and for pregnant and lactating women under a multidisciplinary Programme of Education, Health, and Nutrition (PROGRESA) that the Mexican Government is implementing for populations in extreme poverty. Nutrient composition, physicochemical properties, and feasibility of production and utilization were considered in designing the supplements. The nutrient composition took into account the dietary patterns and nutritional status of the target populations. The ingredients and processing methods were selected considering local availability and production at a relatively low cost while maintaining a supplement of a high quality that would be widely accepted by the target population. The final products were initially evaluated for acceptability by 40 children, 52 pregnant women, and 62 lactating women. Nine products were developed: six for children and three for women. The children's products were three powders that were used to prepare a beverage with chocolate, vanilla, and banana flavours and three powders that were used to prepare a more viscous solution in the form of pap with the same three flavours. After the acceptance test, the use of the pap supplements was recommended for children four months to two years of age. The supplements for women were also powders used to prepare a beverage with vanilla or banana flavour or with no flavour. The products were widely accepted in sensory evaluation tests. For the children's products, the average scores were 4.11 to 4.29 for the beverage and 3.98 to 4.15 for the viscous mixture (range, 1 to 5). The women's products received average scores of 4.75 to 5.70 from pregnant women and 4.80 to 5.40 from lactating women (range, 1 to 7). Evaluation in the community demonstrated that the supplements were widely acceptable and well consumed. Today more than three million rations of supplements are consumed every day, and an evaluation of their potential benefits is being carried out.
Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation of the Nutrition Component of the Mexican Social Programme (PROGRESA)
Authors: Rivera Juan A. , Rodríguez Guadalupe , Shamah Teresa , Rosado Jorge L. , Casanueva Esther , Maulén Irene , Toussaint Georgina , García-Aranda Alberto
Published: November 2015

Mexico has implemented a number of food and nutrition programmes and policies since 1950. However, these initiatives have been largely ineffective. A new social programme targeted to poor families has been implemented. It now covers almost 2 million families and is expected eventually to cover 4.2 million families. The programme facilitates access of beneficiaries to health and education services, and includes monetary transfers and a nutrition component targeted to the critical development period between gestation and the age of two years. Pregnant and lactating women and children under two years of age receive food supplements fortified with key micronutrients. After decades of food and nutrition interventions that were not carefully evaluated, the programme performance and its nutritional impact will be evaluated. A baseline survey was conducted in 1998 on a random sample of communities selected as beneficiaries of the programme and on a sample of similar communities that will participate in the programme after the end of the evaluation. Additional surveys will be conducted in 1999 and 2000. Each survey will include a cross-sectional evaluation of children and women and a cohort of children zero to 12 months of age at baseline who will be followed. Preliminary results from the baseline survey of beneficiaries are presented and discussed.
Incaparina and Other Incaparina-Based Foods: Experience of INCAP in Central America
Authors: Tartanac Florence
Published: November 2015

Incaparina is a high-quality protein vegetable food used in Guatemala. It was developed in the 1960s for children and other population groups with nutritional deficiencies. The original formula is still used as a commercial product, but both its ingredients and its micronutrient composition needed to be improved. Protein quality was improved, vitamin A content was reduced, and the contents of iron, B vitamins, zinc, and calcium were increased. The price of new Incaparina is still very competitive. In order to ensure the quality of this commercial product, a Seal of Nutritional Excellence was developed and is expected to be used by private firms.
Evaluation and Monitoring: Who Needs what Information and why do they Need It?
Authors: Habicht Jean-Pierre
Published: November 2015

Any evaluation should start with the question: “Who will use the information and for what purpose?” This question implies that one must consider not only the facts presented in the evaluation, but also whether the person who receives the information is motivated and has the authority and resources to implement changes that emerge from the evaluation. The similarities and differences among summative, formative, and process evaluations are discussed. Particular attention is given to stakeholder participation, choosing the appropriate level of statistical significance, and separating issues relevant to public-sector versus private-sector investment as they relate to evaluating the targeting and effect of processed complementary foods.
Methodological Considerations in Determining Vitamin A and Carotenoid Bioactivity in Humans
Authors: Parker Robert S.
Published: November 2015

At present there is little information regarding the quantitative vitamin A value of specific foods or meal patterns. Such information would aid in a more precise determination of the suitability of certain foods or diets to meet minimum and optimal nutritional needs for vitamin A. This knowledge deficit stems largely from the lack of well-developed models to assess the bioavailability of carotenoids, particularly provitamin A carotenoids, from foods. Literature values of carotenoid bioavailability (percent of ingested carotene absorbed) range from 1% to 99%, and variability is often high both within and between treatments. Current models generally fall into two categories: those employing outcomes that reflect efficacy, i.e., that rely on changes in one or more indicators of vitamin A status; and those which provide a more direct estimate of absorption and/or conversion efficiency of single doses of provitamin A carotenoids. the latter include oral–faecal balance models and post-prandial chylomicron retinyl ester response models. Absolute bioavailability, i.e., the mass of newly absorbed vitamin A derived from a given mass of provitamin A carotenoid consumed, is inherently more problematic to assess than relative bioavailability, in which two or more treatments are compared. One missing and key piece of information is the extent of post-absorptive conversion of provitamin A carotenoids to vitamin A in humans. Without such information, the contribution of absorbed β-carotene or plasma β-carotene to vitamin A status will remain clouded. Recent estimates of the vitamin A value of plant foods suggest that in some cases plant-based diets may be insufficient to improve vitamin A status, yet in some circumstances this prediction has proved inaccurate. This paper will contrast several of the more recent methods of assessing the bioavailability of food-borne provitamin A carotenoids to illustrate the potentially complementary nature of the two categories of bioavailability model.
Red Palm Oil in the Maternal Diet Improves the Vitamin A Status of Lactating Mothers and Their Infants
Authors: Canfield L. M. , Kaminsky R. G.
Published: November 2015

Improvement of the vitamin A status of lactating mothers and their nursing infants following maternal palm oil consumption was comparable to that following supplementation with purified β-carotene. Mothers who consumed β-carotene as red palm oil had 2.1- and 2.5-fold increases in their serum and milk β-carotene concentrations, respectively, and 2.8- and 3.2-fold increases in their serum and milk α-carotene concentrations, respectively. Infant serum retinol concentrations were significantly increased following maternal supplementation with red palm oil or β-carotene. Maternal intake of red palm oil or β-carotene supplements did not alter infant serum carotenoids, maternal serum retinol, or milk retinol. Because the local diet includes foods prepared with oil, the possibility that red palm oil could provide a significant source of provitamin A carotenoids for Honduran women and children should be further investigated.
Protection of Vitamin A Status in Chinese Children by a Dietary Intervention with Vegetables
Authors: Tang Guangwen , Qin Jian , Hu Shanming , Hao Lanying , Xu Qingmei , Gu Xiu-Fang , Fjeld Carla R. , Gao Xiang , Yin Shi-An , Russell Robert M.
Published: November 2015

A study of seasonal fluctuation of serum vitamin A concentrations in children in northern China showed that the prevalence of low serum levels of vitamin A was due to seasonal changes in the intakes of carotenoids. to determine whether plant carotenoids could sustain or improve children's vitamin A status during the fall and winter seasons, we performed an intervention with vegetables starting in the fall in Shandong, China. At a kindergarten, the serum vitamin A concentration was less than 1.05 μmol/L in 39% of the children. for five days per week for 10 weeks, 22 children were each provided with approximately 238 g/day of green and yellow vegetables and 34 g/day of light-coloured vegetables. Nineteen children maintained their customary dietary intake in the fall season, which included 56 g/day of green and yellow vegetables and 224 g/day of light-coloured vegetables. Vitamins A-d 8 and Ad 4 were given before and after the interventions, respectively, and their enrichments in the circulation were determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to investigate vitamin A body stores. the serum concentration of β-carotene improved in the group fed mainly green and yellow vegetables but decreased in the group fed mainly light-coloured vegetables. the serum concentration of retinol was sustained in the group fed mainly green and yellow vegetables but decreased in the group fed mainly light-coloured vegetables (p < .01). the isotope dilution tests confirmed that total body stores of vitamin A were sustained in the group fed mainly green and yellow vegetables but decreased by 27 μmol (7,700 μg), on average, per child in the group fed mainly light-coloured vegetables (p < .06). Dietary green and yellow vegetables can provide adequate vitamin A nutrition to kindergarten children and protect them from becoming vitamin A deficient during seasons when the provitamin A food source is limited.
Characteristics of Red Palm Oil, a Carotene- and Vitamin E–rich Refined Oil for Food Uses
Authors: Nagendran B. , Unnithan U. R. , Choo Y. M. , Sundram Kalyana
Published: November 2015

A novel process involving pretreatment of crude palm oil, followed by deacidification and deodorization using molecular distillation, can be used to produce a carotene-rich refined edible palm oil. the product is a refined red palm oil that meets standard refined edible oil specifications and retains up to 80% of the carotene and vitamin E originally present in the crude palm oil. the oil contains no less than 500 ppm carotene, 90% of which is present as α- and β-carotene. the vitamin E content is about 800 ppm, 70% of it in the form of tocotrienols (mainly as α-, β-, and γ-tocotrienols). Other valuable minor components present in this oil are ubiquinones and phytosterols. the process is also applicable for the commercial production of other natural vitamin-rich palm fractions, such as stearin, olein, and palm mid-fraction. Such products are currently available and can be used in various food applications, both as cooking media and as ingredients that enhance the appearance and nutritional value of foods.
Evaluating Food-Based Programmes for Their Reduction of Vitamin A Deficiency and Its Consequences
Authors: de Pee Saskia , Bloem Martin W. , Kiess Lynnda
Published: November 2015

Food-based approaches, using foods naturally rich in micronutrients, are one strategy for combating micronutrient deficiencies. They can have both a direct impact on nutritional status and health by changing the production, preparation, and consumption of foods, and an indirect impact by changing associated aspects such as income, expenditure, and empowerment of women. This combination of a direct and an indirect impact, each of which can also be confounded by other factors, complicates the evaluation of the impact of food-based approaches. in order to develop food-based approaches into a sound and well-recognized strategy for combating micronutrient deficiencies, with appropriate appreciation of their possible impact as well as of their limitations, food-based programmes have to be evaluated for their impact on nutritional status and health. This paper suggests ways to do this by using a conceptual framework for designing the programme and evaluating its impact, studying the relationship between the consumption of particular foods and nutritional status, and assessing the contribution of a food-based programme to reducing the risk of vitamin A deficiency relative to other programmes. One of the main conclusions is that intervention studies can be used to study particular relationships identified by the conceptual framework, such as the relationship between increased consumption of leafy vegetables and vitamin A status, but that specific evaluations are necessary to assess the impact of a particular food-based programme, because of the many confounding factors that are difficult to take into account in a smaller-scale intervention study.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Food Fortification Programme for the Elimination of Vitamin A Deficiency in the Philippines
Authors: Solon Florentino S. , Sanchez-Fermin Liza E. , Wambangco Lorena S.
Published: November 2015

The strengths and weaknesses of the food fortification programme for the elimination of vitamin A deficiency in the Philippines were identified based on availability of supporting data, fortification vehicles, fortification technology, government action, and support from various sectors. the programme has strengths in all aspects. Available data on the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and vitamin A intake, recommended dietary allowances, and guidelines on fortification of foods were used in the development of the programme. the vehicles are widely consumed and centrally processed. the fortificants used were suitable to the specific vehicles. the efficacy of vitamin A–fortified margarine and pandesal bread has been proven. the development of a strategic plan for food fortification, the formulation of fortification legislation, and the implementation of the Sangkap Pinoy Seal programme have been supported by government action at the executive and legislative levels. the food industry has provided support in the establishment of the fortification technology. Non-governmental and international agencies, academia, and the media continue to provide assistance in the implementation of the programme. One of the weaknesses of the programme is that there is no clear policy on food fortification. the programme remains a component of the Plan of Action for Nutrition and the National Micronutrient Operations Plan. The Sangkap Pinoy Seal programme, which encourages the fortification of any food product, has caused a proliferation of fortified non-staple foods in the market. Foreign exchange continues to affect the sustainability of the programme. the effectiveness of other fortified foods still needs to be determined. the programme, with all its strengths, shows great promise for sustainability. the weaknesses of the programme should, however, be addressed urgently by all concerned sectors to meet the programme's objectives.
A Life-cycle Approach to Multi-micronutrient Supplementation: Rationale and Programme Concept
Authors: Gross Rainer , De Romaña Guillermo Lopez , Tomaro John
Published: November 2015

In many parts of the world, people suffer from different micronutrient deficiencies due to the same aetiology of micronutrient deficiency and physiological interactions between the micronutrient metabolisms. To reduce and alleviate micronutrient deficiencies, supplementation programmes for different micronutrients are often implemented simultaneously. Since operational strategies and distribution systems can be similar for each micronutrient, efforts and resources are duplicated and cost-effectiveness is therefore reduced. Widespread micronutrient deficiencies in populations have a deep-rooted causality within the life cycle of people. They are strongly associated with poverty and are passed from one generation to the next. Recently, multi-micronutrient supplementation has been suggested to break this vicious circle of micronutrient deficiencies within the life cycle. However, several technical and scientific aspects have to be considered for the implementation of a multi-micronutrient supplementation programme.
Assessment of the Rate of Low Birthweight and its Related Factors in Ahvaz, Iran, in 1995 and 1996
Authors: Amani Reza
Published: November 2015

The prevalence of low birthweight (LBW) and its possible risk factors in Ahvaz, Iran, were determined in 10 health centres and 3 main hospitals in the city from 876 randomly selected mother-infant files. The variables included maternal pre-pregnancy and pre-labour weight, infant weight, maternal haemoglobin level, pregnancy history, and socio-economic status. The rate of LBW was 7.3%. LBW was significantly related to pre-pregnancy maternal weight, weight gain during pregnancy, maternal haemoglobin level, and mother's literacy (p < . 05). Mothers given iron supplements starting at four months of pregnancy had elevated haemoglobin levels (p < . 0001). Evidence is provided that educating young mothers can reduce the rate of LBW.
Inadequate Salt Iodization and Poor Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices regarding Iodine-deficiency Disorders in an Area of Endemic Goitre in South-eastern Nigeria
Authors: Umenwanne E. O. , Akinyele I. O.
Published: November 2015

Focus group discussions and interviewer-administered questionnaires assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of rural dwellers relating to iodine-deficiency disorders. The iodine content of salt was measured at the household and retail levels, and the iodine nutritional status of school-aged children (6–12 years) was assessed by measuring urinary iodine concentrations. The analyses showed a high level of ignorance about the causes and consequences of iodine deficiency, iodine as a nutrient, and iodized salt and its purpose. In a goitre endemic area of south-eastern Nigeria, only 47% of the household samples and 48% of the retail salt samples were iodized to a level above 30 ppm, whereas 34% of the household samples and 19% of the retail samples had no iodine. These findings could be attributable to the methods of salt handling and storage in the area. Among children, 90% had moderate to severe iodine deficiency, 10% were mildly iodine deficient, and none had normal iodine levels according to urinary iodine excretion. The findings suggest a high level of iodine deficiency and the urgent need for information, education, and communication in the study area.
Effects of Salt Fortified with Iron and Iodine on the Haemoglobin Levels and Productivity of Tea Pickers
Authors: Rajagopalan S. , Vinodkumar Malavika
Published: November 2015

To determine if double-fortified salt improved the haemoglobin levels and productivity of tea pickers, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 793 tea pickers. The subjects in the experimental households (n = 385) received salt fortified with iron and iodine, and the subjects in the control households (n = 408) received common unfortified salt. Fingerprick blood analysis for haemoglobin by the cyanmethaemoglobin method was performed three times during a period of one year. The productivity data were also analysed for 450 tea pickers. At the end of the year, their average haemoglobin level had increased from 8.9 to 10.2 g/dl and their corresponding picking average had increased from 24.8 kg to 26.2 kg, which could increase annual tea production by 330 tonnes.
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Micronutrients Project: Justification and Objectives
Authors: Bouis Howarth E. , Graham Robin D. , Welch Ross M.
Published: November 2015

The general objective of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Micronutrients Project is to assemble the package of tools that plant breeders will need to produce mineral- and vitamin-dense cultivars. The target crops are rice, wheat, maize, phaseolus beans, and cassava. The target micronutrients are iron, zinc, and vitamin A. The combining of benefits for human nutrition and agricultural productivity, resulting from breeding staple food crops that are more efficient in the uptake of trace minerals from the soil and that load more trace minerals into their seeds, results in extremely high ex ante estimates of benefit–cost ratios for investments in agricultural research in this area. This finding derives from the confluence of several complementary factors. The rates of micronutrient malnutrition are high, as are the consequent costs to human welfare and economic productivity. High trace mineral density in seeds produces more viable and vigorous seedlings, and efficiency in the uptake of trace minerals improves disease resistance. Trace-mineral-“deficient” soils in fact contain high amounts of trace minerals that are “unavailable” to staple crop varieties presently grown. Adoption of nutritionally improved varieties by farmers can rely on profit incentives; delivery to consumers can rely on existing demand behaviour. Relatively small investments in agricultural research at a central research location may be disseminated widely. Breeding advances are derived from initial, fixed costs, with low recurring costs. The encouraging research results obtained to date under the project would seem to justify a much expanded effort in the future.
Zinc and Iron Concentrations in Seeds of Wild, Primitive, and Modern Wheats
Authors: Cakmak I. , Ozkan H. , Braun H. J. , Welch R. M. , Romheld V.
Published: November 2015

In the case of cultivated modern wheats, the variation in zinc and iron concentrations in seeds is relatively small. Moreover, environmental and management factors exert a greater effect on variation of micronutrient concentrations of modern cultivated wheats than genetic factors. Wild wheats might serve as an important source of new genetic material for increasing micronutrient concentrations in seeds. To investigate this, we studied the variation in zinc and iron concentrations in seeds of wild and primitive diploid wheats and wild tetraploid wheats. The variation was particularly large in the case of zinc. The highest concentrations of zinc were found in the seeds of ssp. boeoticum (178 mg/kg) and ssp. dicoccoides (159 mg/kg). The results demonstrate that the genetic variation in the concentrations of zinc and iron in cultivated modern tetraploid and hexaploid wheats is extremely low when compared with the variation found in wild diploid and tetraploid wheats. This suggests that wild wheats, particularly chromosomes 6A and 6B in the wild tetraploid wheats, can be considered a major source of genetic diversity for increasing zinc and iron density in the seeds of modern wheats. In view of the fact that the concentrations of protein in seeds are strongly and positively correlated with the concentrations of iron and particularly of zinc, selection and/or breeding for high zinc and iron levels in seeds may result in simultaneously high levels of protein.
Carotenoids in Staple Foods: Their Potential to Improve Human Nutrition
Authors: Graham Robin D. , Rosser Julia M.
Published: November 2015

As part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Micronutrients Project, we have investigated the content of carotenoids in staple foods, particularly wheat. Wheat varies widely in carotenoid content, depending on the variety and type. Durum (pasta) wheat is generally higher in carotenoid content, because the market has continued to demand strong pigment in pasta and noodle products, whereas in bread wheat the market demands flour as white as possible. Consequently, twentieth-century wheat breeders have consciously selected wheat varieties low in carotenoid content, although older, high-carotenoid bread wheats are still available and the trait is not lost. The entire carotenoid biosynthetic pathway exists in wheat grains, so varieties high in β-carotene and/or other carotenoids can be reintroduced if and when education in nutrition creates the demand. Numerous high-yielding maize varieties high in β-carotene already exist and have been used to eliminate vitamin A deficiency in livestock. A β-carotene–rich rice has been genetically engineered recently. Although the carotenoid content of beans has not yet been explored, high–β-carotene lines of cassava exist, and the trait is easily handled in a breeding programme. Yellow types of most staples are known, for example, sorghum, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. The amounts present are such that we can assert that vitamin A deficiency could easily be eliminated globally by delivering the required amounts via food staples. Moreover, there are strong signs that other benefits in eye health, enhanced absorption of iron from non-haem sources, anticarcinogenic effects, enhanced aroma, and better storage life may also result.
Iron, Carotene, and Ascorbic Acid in Cassava Roots and Leaves
Authors: Chavez A. L. , Bedoya J. M. , Sánchez T. , Iglesias C. , Ceballos H. , Roca W.
Published: November 2015

The cassava core collection (601 genotypes) was evaluated for root and leaf contents of micronutrient minerals, ascorbic acid, and carotene. Wide genetic variability was observed for all measurements, indicating that there is good potential for exploiting and improving the nutritive value of cassava. There seems to be little correlation between the levels of any micronutrient in roots and leaves. There was no clear association between carotene and ascorbic acid concentrations. A genetic study of the progeny of a cross between yellow and white parents indicated control of the yellow trait by only two genes. The stability of vitamins after three commonly used processing procedures was evaluated in a sample of 26 genotypes. A higher proportion of the original vitamin content survived boiling, whereas solar drying resulted in the highest losses. Carotene was more stable than ascorbic acid. In a limited number of lines, there was some indication that higher vitamin content was associated with decreased post-harvest physiological deterioration. Since it is well established that β-carotene and ascorbic acid can enhance the absorption and internal transport of dietary iron and zinc from plant sources, yellow varieties of cassava have potential to address not only vitamin deficiencies per se, but also iron-deficiency anaemia and zinc deficiency. Further, the use of the leaves as a vegetable, as is done in several African countries, can complement the use of the root as a staple because of the high nutrient density of the leaves. The potential to improve the nutritive potential of cassava is exciting.
Integration of Aquaculture into Smallholder Farming Systems for Improved Food Security and Household Nutrition
Authors: Prein Mark , Ahmed Mahfuz
Published: November 2015

Aquaculture production techniques based on the culture of low-value herbivorous and/or omnivorous freshwater finfish in inland rural communities, within semi-intensive or extensive farming systems that use moderate to low levels of production inputs, have supplied large quantities of affordable fish for domestic markets and home consumption. Only recently have studies been initiated to assess the contribution of these integrated agriculture-aquaculture (IAA) systems to improved nutrition and food security, both within IAA farm households and in non-IAA households in the community. The effect can be direct, through within-household consumption and dietary improvement, but also indirect, through sale of fish produce and purchase of other food items (often at lower unit value than the sold fish). In the absence of in-depth studies, this contribution presents key elements from recent experiences in Africa and Asia that indicate where benefits from the integration of aquaculture into farming systems for human nutrition and food security can be achieved, and it recommends future avenues for research to provide much-needed information on the contribution of aquaculture to household nutrition and food security.
Mycotoxin Contamination of Foods in Africa: Antinutritional Factors
Authors: Cardwell K. F.
Published: November 2015

Mycotoxins are regulated in foods and feeds because of carcinogenic (aflatoxin), immunotoxic (deoxynivalenol), or environmental estrogenic (zearalenone) properties. In addition to having tumorigenic properties, many mycotoxins are antinutritional factors that cause unthrifty growth and immune suppression in young animals. In the developed world, human exposure, and particularly exposure of children, to dietary mycotoxins is virtually nonexistent because of regulatory standards. In developing countries, monitoring and enforcement of standards is rare, and mycotoxin-susceptible foods are often the primary staples in rather undiversified diets. In sub-Saharan Africa, people are exposed to unsafe levels of various mycotoxins, often in mixtures, and the consequences in terms of public health burden have been ignored. This paper presents information on the health effects that have been attributed to mycotoxin exposure from the medical research literature and data on existing mycotoxin levels in maize in West and Central Africa. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), in its Maize Integrated Pest Management Project, has recognized mycotoxins as one of the most important constraints to the goal of improving human health and well-being through agriculture. An overview of various research and development activities at the Institute is given.
The Philippine Micronutrient Supplementation Programme
Authors: Dela Cuadra Alex C.
Published: November 2015

The Philippine micronutrient supplementation programme covers the three major international micronutrient deficiency problems: vitamin A, iron, and iodine. Supplementation is administered through provision of capsules and liquid preparations. There are two major occasions during which universal supplementation is conducted: National Immunization Day and National Micronutrient Day. On National Immunization Day, initially vitamin A supplements were given together with several vaccines. Starting in 1996, immunization was restricted to polio vaccine. Various types of micronutrient interventions are included in National Micronutrient Day, such as distribution of vegetable seeds and cuttings to promote home food production, education on proper nutrition, testing of salt for iodine, distribution of iodized salt to poor families, and promotion of fortified foods. Various health-related activities are also included. The existence of a well-functioning health infrastructure facilitated the establishment of the distribution system. Supplementation centres manned by volunteers were set up in neighbourhoods throughout the country. International organizations and other national governmental agencies contributed resources, not only to purchase supplements, but also to provide promotional materials and expertise in social mobilization. There was full media participation in the implementation of the programme. Funding limitations have led programme planners to prioritize target groups for supplementation. The campaign approach has been very effective for increasing the coverage levels for vitamin A and iodine capsules to well above 80% on average. There is the need to develop an effective record system at the field level to reduce the possibility that children will get high-dose supplements too frequently, which could result in toxicity.