bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato-Based Infant Food is a Better Source of Dietary Vitamin A than a Maize—Legume Blend as Complementary Food
Authors: Amagloh Francis Kweku , Coad Jane
Published: November 2015

Background

White maize, which is widely used for complementary feeding and is seldom fortified at the household level, may be associated with the high prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among infants in low-income countries.

Objective

The nutrient composition of complementary foods based on orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) and cream-fleshed sweet potato (CFSP), maize—soybean— groundnut (Weanimix), and a proprietary wheat-based infant cereal (Nestlé Cerelac) were assessed using the Codex Standard (CODEX STAN 074-1981, Rev. 1–2006) specification as a reference. Additionally, the costs of OFSP complementary food, CFSP complementary food, and Weanimix production at the household level were estimated. Phytate and polyphenols, which limit the bioavailability of micronutrients, were assessed.

Methods

Energy, macronutrients, and micronutrients listed as essential composition in the Codex Standard were determined and expressed as energy or nutrient density.

Results

All the formulations met the stipulated energy and nutrient densities as specified in the Codex Standard. The β-carotene content of OFSP complementary food exceeded the vitamin A specification (60 to 180 μg retinol activity equivalents/100 kcal). All the formulations except Weanimix contained measurable amounts of ascorbic acid (≥ 32.0 mg/100 g). The level of phytate in Weanimix was highest, about twice that of OFSP complementary food. The sweet potato-based foods contained about twice as much total polyphenols as the cereal-based products. The estimated production cost of OFSP complementary food was slightly higher (1.5 times) than that of Weanimix.

Conclusions

OFSP complementary food is a good source of β-carotene and would therefore contribute to the vitamin A requirements of infants. Both OFSP complementary food and Weanimix may inhibit iron absorption because of their high levels of polyphenols and phytate, respectively, compared with those of Nestlé Cerelac.
Nutrient and Nontraditional Food Intakes by Zambian Children in a Controlled Feeding Trial
Authors: Schmaelzle Samantha , Kaliwile Chisela , Arscott Sara A. , Gannon Bryan , Masi Cassim , Tanumihardjo Sherry A.
Published: November 2015

Background

Many programs aim to alleviate vitamin A deficiency. Biofortification is an approach to improve provitamin A carotenoid concentrations of staple crops in some developing countries. In rural Zambia, maize accounts for the majority of energy intake. Provitamin A–biofortified (orange) maize has been released in Zambia.

Objective

This study quantified food intake of Zambian children from records collected in a feeding trial in 2012 in order to compare adoption of orange maize and a new vegetable (green beans) with white maize and traditional foods.

Methods

One hundred thirty-six children with a mean age of 71.5 ± 6.9 months were fed three meals a day for 6 days a week for 15 weeks at four feeding centers. Breakfast consisted of maize porridge, and lunch and dinner were stiff porridge (nshima) with various side dishes (relishes). There were three treatment groups, which received orange maize and placebo oil, white maize and placebo oil, or white maize and a daily vitamin A supplement. Food was weighed before and after consumption. Nutritionists were trained to interview the children's caregivers about the previous day's intake using dietary recalls. Nine dietary recalls for each child were recorded and analyzed.

Results

Total food intake did not differ among the groups ( p = .31) and energy intakes on Sundays (≤ 880 kcal) were below recommendations. Nshima intake was lower in the orange-maize group ( p = .008), largely due to a genotype effect. Intakes of relish, green bean, and porridge did not differ among the groups ( p > .19). Dietary recalls revealed that children living in sites closer to the main road consumed more on Sundays than children living about 8 km from the main road, but less in the evenings when children were off site.

Conclusions

The intakes of energy of these Zambian children were low. Implementation and adoption of new and biofortified foods is possible with promotion.
Impact of Community-Based Mitanin Programme on Undernutrition in Rural Chhattisgarh State, India
Authors: Vir Sheila C. , Kalita Anuska , Mondal Shinjini , Malik Richa
Published: November 2015

Background

Community health workers known as mitanins undertook family-level counseling and mobilized the community to improve coverage of maternal and child health services in the state of Chhattisgarh, India. The Nutrition Security Innovation (NSI) project was launched in selected blocks with additional inputs for promoting appropriate complementary feeding practices and disseminating information on Public Distribution System (PDS) entitlement. Within 3 years of project implementation, all NSI inputs in the project group (PG) were scaled up in the entire state.

Objective

To study the impact of interventions on nutritional status in PG and non-NSI comparison group (CG) blocks.

Methods

Quasi-experimental mixed methods were used. The sample consisted of 3,626 households with children under 3 years of age and 268 mitanins.

Results

A ratio of 1 mitanin per 250 to 500 population was effective. The coverage of exclusive breastfeeding, timely introduction of complementary feeding, DPT immunization, and antenatal care services was more than 70%. The PDS reached almost 90% of beneficiaries. In both the PG and the CG, one-third of children were undernourished, with one-quarter of children under-nourished by 6 months of age. The prevalence of low birthweight was over 40%, and half of all women were undernourished. The estimated annual average reduction rate (AARR) for the entire state was estimated to be 4.22% for underweight and 5.64% for stunting.

Conclusions

The strategy of Mitanin Programme in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh was unique with the implementation of direct nutrition actions being spearheaded by the health sector and community health volunteers in coordination with the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and the Public Distribution System (PDS). The highest priority was given to interventions in the first 92 weeks of life. This implied ensuring frequent counseling and delivery of services through the entire pregnancy period and continued follow up till the children were at least one year of age. An accelerated decrease in the annual rate of reduction of underweight and stunting was observed. The emerging findings point to the significant contributions that can be made by the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in India by involvement of community health volunteers known as Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) towards reducing the persistent problem of undernutrition in the country.
How Nutrition-Friendly are Agriculture and Health Policies in Bangladesh?
Authors: Naher Firdousi , Barkat-e-Khuda  , Ahmed Shaikh Shamsuddin , Hossain Mahabub
Published: November 2015

Background

The improvements in nutrition status in Bangladesh, particularly child nutrition outcomes, have been relatively slow, despite remarkable improvements in the country's food situation as well as in the health sector. At present more than 40% of children under 5 years of age are stunted.

Objective

To examine the specific food, agriculture, and health policies that have existed and currently exist in Bangladesh from the perspective of nutrition and identify gaps in the policy framework for which improvements in nutrition have been slow.

Methods

Policy documents, public financial and budget documents, and related papers were reviewed. Several interviews with former civil servants and bureaucrats were conducted.

Results

The approach to achieving food security has been a partial one, with policy provisions focusing excessively on increasing the availability of food, primarily rice. The “accessibility” pillar of food security has received little attention, while the neglect of the “utilization” pillar is conspicuous by the dearth of appropriate policies and laws for ensuring food safety. The efforts in the health sector have largely concentrated on expanding the coverage of primary healthcare, with little consideration of equity and quality.

Conclusions

There exists a wide window of unexplored opportunity to align the remarkable increases in food production and advances in the health sector with nutrition considerations toward an improved nutrition status in Bangladesh.
Investing in Innovation: Trade-Offs in the Costs and Cost-Efficiency of School Feeding Using Community-Based Kitchens in Bangladesh
Authors: Gelli Aulo , Suwa Yuko
Published: November 2015

Background

School feeding programs have been a key response to the recent food and economic crises and function to some degree in nearly every country in the world. However, school feeding programs are complex and exhibit different, context-specific models or configurations.

Objective

To examine the trade-offs, including the costs and cost-efficiency, of an innovative cluster kitchen implementation model in Bangladesh using a standardized framework.

Methods

A supply chain framework based on international standards was used to provide benchmarks for meaningful comparisons across models. Implementation processes specific to the program in Bangladesh were mapped against this reference to provide a basis for standardized performance measures. Qualitative and quantitative data on key metrics were collected retrospectively using semistructured questionnaires following an ingredients approach, including both financial and economic costs. Costs were standardized to a 200-feeding-day year and 700 kcal daily.

Results

The cluster kitchen model had similarities with the semidecentralized model and outsourced models in the literature, the main differences involving implementation scale, scale of purchasing volumes, and frequency of purchasing. Two important features stand out in terms of implementation: the nutritional quality of meals and the level of community involvement. The standardized full cost per child per year was US$110. Despite the nutritious content of the meals, the overall cost-efficiency in cost per nutrient output was lower than the benchmark for centralized programs, due mainly to support and start-up costs.

Conclusions

Cluster kitchens provide an example of an innovative implementation model, combining an emphasis on quality meal delivery with strong community engagement. However, the standardized costs per child were above the average benchmarks for both low- and middle-income countries. In contrast to the existing benchmark data from mature, centralized models, the main cost drivers of the program were associated with support and start-up activities. Further research is required to better understand changes in cost drivers as programs mature.
Scaling up a Community-Based Program for Maternal and Child Nutrition in Thailand
Authors: Winichagoon Pattanee
Published: November 2015

The first national nutrition survey of Thailand in 1960 revealed that malnutrition among children and women in this rice-exporting country was highly prevalent. Malnutrition received national-level attention in the 1970s, when a national multisectoral nutrition plan was included in the Fourth National Economic and Social Development Plan (NESDP) (1977–81), followed by effective implementation through Thailand's primary healthcare system and poverty alleviation plan in the 1982–87 NESDP. Nutrition was embedded into primary healthcare, and a community-based nutrition program was successfully implemented through community participation via manpower mobilization and capacity-building, financing, and organization. Growth-monitoring, promotion of infant and young child feeding, and joint financing (government and community) of a nutrition fund were implemented. The poverty alleviation plan made it possible to streamline resource allocations at the national level down to priority poverty areas, which also facilitated microlevel planning. Effective, integrated actions were undertaken using the basic minimum needs approach, wherein community people identified problems and participated in actions with inputs from government personnel. This effective process took about 5 years to put in place. In response, child undernutrition declined significantly. Severe malnutrition was practically eradicated, and it remains resilient despite social and economic challenges, such as the Asian economic crisis in 1977. Currently, stunting and subclinical micronutrient deficiencies remain, while overweight and obesity among children are rising rapidly. A different paradigm and strategy will be essential to address the nation's current nutrition challenges.
Quality Control Issues Related to Assessment of Body Composition
Authors: Wootton Stephen , Durkin Kesta , Jackson Alan
Published: November 2015

There are no internationally agreed quality standards for the measurement of stature, weight, and body composition. This lack of agreement constrains the quality of work in nutrition and must be addressed in order to build systemic capacity within the Scaling Up Nutrition agenda. There is a need to reach agreement and define standards of performance and the required training to be able to demonstrate the competency of those responsible for making the measurements. This, together with the adoption of standardized protocols, traceable reference materials, quality assurance frameworks, and publication guidance, would mark an important first step in improving the conduct and interpretation of measurements of growth and body composition.
Identifying Common Metrics for Evaluating School-Based Healthy Lifestyles Programs in Seven Countries: Introduction to Workshop Proceedings
Authors: Pérez-Escamilla Rafael , Alberg-Seberich Michael
Published: November 2015

Background

The worldwide childhood obesity pandemic highlights the need to instill healthy lifestyle habits in children and youths, in particular fostering and facilitating healthy eating behaviors and a high degree of physical activity. To achieve this it's important to strengthen local program evaluation capacity.

Objective

To summarize the proceedings of the seven-country School-Based Healthy Lifestyles Program Evaluation Workshop held in Granada, Spain, on 13–14 September 2013 under the auspices of the Mondelēz International Foundation.

Methods

Synthesis of workshop proceedings including illustrative participants' quotes.

Results

All seven countries' programs were successful at developing and presenting their Program Impact Pathway (PIP) analysis at the workshop. All countries found their PIP analyses useful and improved them based on feedback received at the workshop.

Conclusions

As illustrated by the participants' quotes the PIP analyses proved to be very useful in leading to in-depth critical thinking and discussion about ways to improve the programs' processes, oversight, and outcomes.
Strong and Healthy in Primary School Klasse2000 Program, Germany: A Program Impact Pathways (PIP) Analysis
Authors: Dokter Andrea , Horst Brigitte
Published: November 2015

Background

Developing a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) diagram helps identify and clarify the key objectives, processes, activities, and evaluation indicators of school-based nutrition programs. The Mondelēz International Foundation has recently supported the development of PIP analyses for programs in seven countries around the world. The results were shared with other project organizers at a Healthy Lifestyles Program Evaluation Workshop held in Granada, Spain, 13–14 September 2013, under the auspices of the Mondelēz International Foundation.

Objective

The objectives were to develop the PIP assessment of the Strong and Healthy in Primary School Klasse2000 Program in order to refine the primary, secondary, and tertiary objectives of the program; identify Critical Quality Control Points (CCPs); and identify core indicators of the program's impact on healthy lifestyles.

Methods

The PIP report was developed based on detailed instructions provided prior to the workshop, taking into account the Klasse2000 Program evaluation reports.

Results

The following CCPs were identified: monitoring the qualifications and motivation of teaching staff (external health promoters and schoolteachers); assessing involvement of the students' environmental influences, including families, schools, and sponsors; and assessing the children's healthy lifestyle knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors before and after program exposure. The healthy lifestyle indicators identified were children's knowledge of healthy diets and health-enhancing physical activities; the availability of healthy breakfast and snacks; the frequency of consumption of fruits, vegetables, sweetened and unsweetened drinks, fast food, and sweets, as well as attitudes toward physical activity; and the frequency and extent of physical activity in school and during free time. Body mass index (BMI) was identified as the final outcome indicator.

Conclusions

Developing a PIP report helped to focus the objectives of the program. Identifying CCPs helped draw attention to the processes linking critical program activities. As a result, plans for the upcoming school year include conducting a PIP-informed survey of participating parents and children to gauge their satisfaction with the program.
Moderate Acute Malnutrition: Uncovering the Known and Unknown for more Effective Prevention and Treatment
Authors: Wegner Christopher William , Loechl Cornelia , Mokhtar Najat
Published: November 2015

With a fast-approaching post-Millennium Development Goal era, there is an urgent need to boost global investment in efforts to reduce child malnutrition. Critical to the management of moderate malnutrition, and therefore to the new Sustainable Development Goals, is addressing severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). Despite the considerable difference in the approximate number of children affected by MAM (33 million) compared with SAM (19 million), there is currently no standardized approach to the management of MAM. In partnership with Valid International, the World Food Programme, and the Micronutrient Initiative, the International Atomic Energy Agency hosted the International Symposium on Understanding Moderate Malnutrition in Children for Effective Interventions in Vienna, Austria, 26–29 May 2014. This symposium focused on the management (prevention and treatment) of MAM in children. The symposium convened over 350 participants from 63 countries, the majority of whom represented governments responding to moderate malnutrition in their populations, nearly 70 national and international organizations from the United Nations and nongovernmental sectors, and universities from around the world, as well as donor governments and private-sector entities. The symposium was structured around nine sessions over a 3-day period, progressing from a global analysis of the scale of the problem to recent research findings relevant to designing effective interventions. This Supplement contains a series of papers that summarize the symposium sessions and other fundamental aspects important to improving the management of moderate malnutrition in children.
Setting the Scene: An Overview of Issues Related to Policies and Programs for Moderate and Severe Acute Malnutrition
Authors: Kennedy Eileen , Branca Francesco , Webb Patrick , Bhutta Zulfigar , Brown Rebecca
Published: November 2015

Background

Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) continue to exist at unacceptably high levels. There is a renewed momentum to dramatically improve nutritional status and decrease rates of malnutrition of all kinds. Although much focus is on the first 1,000 days, the period from conception to age 2 years, in relation to growth retardation (or stunting), it is just as important to pay adequate attention to wasting as a major contributor to both morbidity and mortality.

Objective

This paper reviews what is known about effective approaches for treatment and prevention of MAM and SAM, highlights nutrition blind spots in our strategies, and identifies programmatic and research gaps that, if addressed, will enhance our understanding of the menu of cost-effective approaches to alleviate acute forms of malnutrition.

Methods

The paper synthesizes presentations from the opening session of a May 2014 International Atomic Energy Agency symposium on Moderate Acute Malnutrition held in Vienna, Austria.

Results

Although understanding of efficacious approaches to the treatment and prevention of MAM and SAM has recently improved, the evidence base for informed policies and programs remains limited.

Conclusions

If priority evidence gaps can be urgently addressed, our understanding of the menu of cost-effective interventions to alleviate acute forms of malnutrition will be considerably enhanced and the potential for impact at global scale significantly increased.
Prevention of Acute Malnutrition: Distribution of Special Nutritious Foods and Cash, and Addressing Underlying Causes—What to Recommend When, Where, for Whom, and How
Authors: de Pee Saskia , Grais Rebecca , Fenn Bridget , Brown Rebecca , Briend André , Frize Jacqueline , Shoham Jeremy , Kiess Lynnda
Published: November 2015

Acute malnutrition is associated with increased morbidity and mortality risk. When episodes are prolonged or frequent, acute malnutrition is also associated with poor growth and development, which contributes to stunting. Nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive strategies to prevent undernutrition during the first 1,000 days from conception to 24 months of age can reduce the risks of wasting, stunting, and micronutrient deficiencies. Under circumstances that exacerbate the underlying causes of undernutrition and increase the incidence of wasting, such as food insecurity related to lean seasons or emergencies, or increased incidence of illness, such as diarrhea or measles, additional efforts are required to prevent and treat wasting. Special nutritious foods directly meet the increased nutrient requirements of children at risk for wasting; assistance to vulnerable households, in the form of cash or food, enables households to better meet the food, health, and other needs of household members and may increase resilience; water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and health interventions help prevent and address illness and hence reduce wasting risk. The contributions of specific interventions to reducing the incidence of wasting are difficult to assess under emergency conditions, due to ethical constraints and to the fact that multiple strategies are implemented at the same time. However, pragmatic studies under real-life circumstances, using different designs, e.g., including a group receiving “best possible” treatment, can provide evidence about what works, to what extent, at what cost, and under which circumstances. Programs should address the most important causes in given contexts, be feasible to implement at scale, and assess implementation, coverage, and outcomes.
Key Economic Issues
Authors: Popkin Barry M.
Published: November 2015

Economic issues of fortification that are addressed by economists include the role industry and government should play, the question of compulsory or voluntary fortification, the nature of the economic costs and benefits of food fortification, and the level of public investment justified for implementation and quality assurance. Emphasis is placed on knowledge about the costs and benefits of fortification. Essentially, the literature shows that micronutrient fortification is one of the most cost-effective health interventions and represents a very efficient use of public resources.
Indigenous Knowledge of Wild Food Hunting and Gathering in North-East Thailand
Authors: Somnasang Prapimporn , Moreno Geraldine , Chusil Kusuma
Published: November 2015

Rural people in north-east Thailand depend on locally gathered or hunted wild food, such as fish, crabs, snails, shrimps, birds, red ants' eggs, frogs, toads, rabbits, rats, insects, and many kinds of plants. Twenty rural villages in north-east Thailand were surveyed, and one village was studied in depth. The objective was to identify knowledge about hunting and gathering of wild food and gender-based differentiation associated with this knowledge. The study showed that the knowledge related to hunting and gathering wild food was different for women and men. Men had more knowledge of fishing and hunting; women had more knowledge of gathering plants and insects and of scooping for shrimp. These findings should be used in developing appropriate programmes to help the local people.
Sustaining Behavioural Change to Enhance Micronutrient Status through Community- and Women-Based Interventions in North-East Thailand: Vitamin A
Authors: Smitasiri Suttilak , Sa-ngobwarchar Kunanya , Kongpunya Prapa , Subsuwan Charana , Banjong Orapin , Chitchumroonechokchai Chuleeporn , Rusami-Sopaporn Wanpen , Veeravong Suriya , Dhanamitta Sakorn
Published: November 2015

This project was designed as a follow-up of the Social Marketing of Vitamin A–Rich Food (SM/VAF) Project in north-east Thailand. It began in 1996 to determine whether the positive changes indicated at the end of the prior project were sustained in the intervention district and to develop a process to foster the changes achieved from the earlier effort. After one year of implementation, the results showed cumulative improvement in knowledge, attitudes, and practice with respect to intake of vitamin A and fat. A sustained improvement in the consumption of vitamin A–rich foods and fat towards fulfilment of the recommended dietary allowance was clearly demonstrated among pre-school children. During the current project, serum retinol levels among schoolgirls (10–13 years of age) improved from 22.75 ± 6.96 to 33.69 ± 8.25 μg/dl in the intervention group (p < .001), while no significant change was observed in the control group. the difference between intervention and control areas in the change in serum retinol before and after project implementation was highly significant (10.94 ± 9.09 and 3.24 ± 9.14, p < .0001).
Assessment of the Prevalence and Potential Determinants of Nutritional Anaemia in Upper Egypt
Authors: El-Sayed Nawal , Gad Ashry , Nofal Laila , Zeid Hamdy Abou , El-Morshedy Hala , El-Waseef Safaa
Published: November 2015

Iron deficiency is the most common type of malnutrition worldwide. This community-based study was conducted to assess the prevalence of anaemia in Minia, Assiut, and Sohag Governorates of Upper Egypt and to analyse the nature of the problem to help prioritize the control intervention strategy. the study was conducted on children aged 6 to 71 months. the two-stage cluster sampling method was used, and 2,700 pre-schoolers (900 in each Governorate) were enrolled. Data were collected on sociodemographic characteristics, morbidity profile, dietary characteristics (breastfeeding and qualitative and quantitative food-consumption patterns), haemoglobin concentration by the cyanmethaemoglobin method, and urine and stool analysis (for every fifth child). the analysis, presentation, and interpretation of data followed the guidelines and indicators recommended by the World Health Organization/UNICEF. Anaemia was very highly prevalent among all pre-schoolers (69%). Minia Governorate showed the highest trend in prevalence of anaemia, followed by Sohag and then Assiut. the prevalence of anaemia was slightly higher in most rural sites and was higher among girls (70%) than boys (68%). the highest prevalence was seen in the second year of life. Severe anaemia was observed among 5.5% of pre-school children. Breastfeeding pattern, economic status, parasitic load, and the anaemia state of mothers were all significantly associated with the risk of anaemia. A set of strategic recommendations and implications for action was proposed.
Gifted Adolescent Suicide: The Empirical Base
Authors: Dixon David N. , Scheckel Jill R.
Published: November 2015

Whether gifted adolescents represent a population at risk for suicide and whether they are a population at increased risk are the questions addressed in this paper. To answer these questions, the paper first examines the literature on adolescent suicide and then examines the more limited literature on gifted adolescent suicide.
My Boyfriend, My Girlfriend, or Me: The Dilemma of Talented Teenaged Girls
Authors: Reis Sally M. , Callahan Carolyn M.
Published: November 2015

In this article, we summarize current research about talented adolescents and teenage females in the following areas, which are frequently discussed as issues that affect female talent development: grades in school, females' beliefs about ability, the effects of stereotyping, test score differences, career choice, and parental influences. We reaffirm some prior conclusions; present new, contradictory research evidence; discuss older findings in light of the passage of time; and raise questions about the importance, significance, and generalizability of prior conclusions.
Gifted Girls and Science: Revisiting the Issues
Authors: Adams Cheryll M.
Published: November 2015

Possible reasons for the underparticipation of gifted girls in science fields are discussed in terms of (a) disparity in cognitive abilities, (b) personality characteristics, (c) attitudes toward science, (d) differences between in-school and out-of-school learning experiences, (e) gender differences in mathematics preparation, and (f) socialization factors. Suggestions for encouraging gifted girls to keep their options open by continuing to pursue advanced coursework in the sciences are given for teachers and counselors who work with them.
Coping and Self-Concept
Authors: Tomchin Ellen Menaker , Callahan Carolyn M. , Sowa Claudia J. , May Kathleen M.
Published: November 2015

This study examines the relationship between self-concept and coping strategies of 457 academically gifted adolescents, aged 10 to 16 years. Frequently used strategies indicated that adolescents assumed responsibility for dealing with stressors and took action-focused approaches rather than ignoring problems. As predicted by the model of social and emotional adjustment (Sowa & May, 1996), six scales of the Adolescent Coping Scale (Frydenberg & Lewis, 1990)—focus on the positive, work hard and achieve, focus on solving the problem, seek social support, keep to self, and seek to belong—predicted a significant proportion of the variance in general (27%) and nonacademic (25%) self-concept scales of the Self-Description Questionnaire II (Marsh, 1992).
Bright, Tough, and Resilient—And Not in a Gifted Program
Authors: Peterson Jean Sunde
Published: November 2015

Research, identification, and programs in gifted education have typically not accommodated the “tough bright,” described in this article as abused, neglected, and undernurtured—a subgroup in the “diversity” gifted education has been admonished to identify and serve. Qualitative analysis of language generated in structured interviews with a group of high-ability at-risk middle-school children (N = 11), who had not been identified for special programming, yielded information related to personal difficulties, perceived support, familiarity with danger and violence, home environment, school experiences, perceptions of the future, and resilience. Suggestions for identification and programming are based on findings in the study.
Is the Future Problem Solving Program Accomplishing its Goals?
Authors: Frasier Mary M. , Lee Jongyeun , Winstead Susan
Published: November 2015

This evaluation study investigates whether the Future Problem Solving Program (FPSP) accomplishes its goals of helping students enhance their creative thinking abilities, awareness of and interest in the future, as well as communication, problem solving, teamwork, and research skills. Two hundred five students and 32 teacher-coaches completed the survey instruments: What I Learned instrument for students and What My Students Have Learned instrument for coaches. Findings indicate that (a) students and teacher-coaches feel that the FPSP is accomplishing its goals, (b) teacher-coaches' perceptions were significantly more positive than students' perceptions regarding the accomplishment, and (c) Junior (grades 4–6) division students were significantly more positive than Middle (grades 7–9) or Senior (grades 10–12) division students. Discussion of the findings are provided and further studies are suggested.
Giftedness and Psychological Type
Authors: Hawkins John
Published: November 2015

This article examines the psychological types as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) of students admitted to a public, residential, magnet high school for academically talented and gifted juniors and seniors. These students are compared to two groups of gifted adolescents and two groups of traditional high school students. The magnet school students are significantly like the gifted students and significantly unlike the traditional students. Gifted students seem to have a particular MBTI type distribution. Discussion focused on the implications of this finding to the education of the magnet school students and other gifted students.
Residential Math and Science High Schools: A Closer Look
Authors: Stephens Kristen R.
Published: November 2015

The development of state-supported residential math and science high schools has been a growing trend since the establishment of the first such school in North Carolina in 1978. These special schools continue to educate our nation's most exceptional and talented students, with emphasis in the areas of math and science. Traditional high schools are often not able to accommodate these students with the variety of enrichment and accelerated experiences they need in order to advance to their full potential. This article provides an informative profile of the students, faculty, and curricula of each of the 11 state-supported, residential math and science high schools. The variety of programming models and extracurricular opportunities offered among the schools is also discussed.
Immersive, Interactive, Web-Enabled Computer Simulation as a Trigger for Learning: The Next Generation of Problem-Based Learning in Educational Leadership
Authors: Mann Dale , Reardon R. M. , Becker J. D. , Shakeshaft C. , Bacon Nicholas
Published: November 2015

This paper describes the use of advanced computer technology in an innovative educational leadership program. This program integrates full-motion video scenarios that simulate the leadership challenges typically faced by principals over the course of a full school year. These scenarios require decisions that are then coupled to consequences and scored in the background to create a profile of learner strengths and needs. Because the content has been filmed in an operating school and because of the unique choice-consequence sequences, the immersive and interactive simulation triggers more potent learning than is possible with either previous paper-and-pencil or discussion-based techniques. The scenarios are embedded in a Web-enabled framework that facilitates the provision of individualized feedback tailored to the specific choices made by the learner, and supports the collection of multiple metrics that relate to the performance of the learner and the learning framework itself. Project Authentic Learning for Leaders (ALL) demonstrates the future of teaching and learning in either hybrid (face-to-face instruction plus digital teaching and learning) or in individual anywhere, anytime learning.
The Role of Cultural Contexts in Research Design Decisions
Authors: Hayes Aneta L.
Published: November 2015

Self-reporting surveys in social science are commonly criticized for generating results that are often found not to reflect the actual behavior of participants. This article discusses the limitations of such surveys specifically in exploring the Arabian Gulf context and explains how the Islamic Work Ethic can create biases in survey research. The reflections in this article are based on the author’s experiences in conducting social research in Bahrain using self-reporting questionnaires and focus groups. The discussion presented in this article highlights the salience of socio-cultural factors in designs of research studies and suggests that the cultural context in which a study is conducted may significantly affect the adequacy of specific research methods. This article also implies that, due to societal values, using self-reporting surveys to identify patterns in institutional practice may result in overrated self-evaluations rather than a description of “what is.”
The genetic fingerprint of susceptibility for transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy
Authors: Jodele Sonata , Zhang Kejian , Zou Fanggeng , Laskin Benjamin , Dandoy Christopher E. , Myers Kasiani C. , Lane Adam , Meller Jaroslav , Medvedovic Mario , Chen Jenny , Davies Stella M.
Published: November 2015

Key Points

HSCT recipients with multiple complement gene variants (≥3) are at high risk for severe TA-TMA. Increased numbers of complement gene variants predisposing to TMA might contribute to racial disparities in transplant-related mortality.
The Role of Nav1.9 Channel in the Development of Neuropathic Orofacial Pain Associated with Trigeminal Neuralgia
Authors: Lulz Ana Paula , Kopach Olga , Santana-Varela Sonia , Wood John N.
Published: November 2015

Background

Trigeminal neuralgia is accompanied by severe mechanical, thermal and chemical hypersensitivity of the orofacial area innervated by neurons of trigeminal ganglion (TG). We examined the role of the voltage-gated sodium channel subtype Nav1.9 in the development of trigeminal neuralgia.

Results

We found that Nav1.9 is required for the development of both thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity induced by constriction of the infraorbital nerve (CION). The CION model does not induce change on Nav1.9 mRNA expression in the ipsilateral TG neurons when evaluated 9 days after surgery.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that Nav1.9 channels play a critical role in the development of orofacial neuropathic pain. New routes for the treatment of orofacial neuropathic pain focussing on regulation of the voltage-gated Nav1.9 sodium channel activity should be investigated.
Comparison of biological characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells derived from maternal-origin placenta and Wharton’s jelly
Authors: Chen Gecai , Yue Aihuan , Ruan Zhongbao , Yin Yigang , Wang Ruzhu , Ren Yin , Zhu Li
Published: November 2015

Introduction

Although mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from different sources share many similar characteristics, they also exhibit individual properties. In this study, we compared MSCs derived from Wharton’s jelly in the umbilical cord with those derived from the decidual basalis in the maternal part of the placenta to better understand the similarities and differences between these two cell types.

Method

The morphology, immunophenotype (as assessed using flow cytometry), and multi-lineage differentiation potential were analyzed. Karyotype analysis was carried out to determine the origin of the MSCs. Growth kinetics were evaluated using analysis of the population doubling time and cell cycle. Immunosuppressive function was analyzed using mixed lymphocyte culture.

Results

MSCs from Wharton’s jelly and the decidua basalis exhibited similar morphology, immunophenotype, and differentiation potential to osteogenesis and adipogenesis. The percentage of MSCs in the G0/G1 phase was higher in the case of Wharton’s jelly than in the case of the decidua basalis (P < 0.05). Decidual MSCs displayed more remarkable immunosuppressive effects on phytohemagglutinin-stimulated T-cell proliferation (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

MSCs from both sources had similar basic biological properties, but decidual MSCs had slower proliferation and stronger immunosuppressive function.
Common fixed point theorems of integral type contraction on metric spaces and its applications to system of functional equations
Authors: Sarwar Muhammad , Zada Mian Bahadur , Erhan İnci M
Published: November 2015

In this article, using the common $(CLR)$
(
C
L
R
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property, common fixed point results for two pairs of weakly compatible mappings satisfying contractive condition of integral type on metric spaces are established. Furthermore, the existence and uniqueness of common solution for system of functional equations arising in dynamic programming are discussed as an application of a common fixed point theorem presented in this paper.
Mild Thyroid Hormone Insufficiency During Development Compromises Activity-Dependent Neuroplasticity in the Hippocampus of Adult Male Rats
Authors: Gilbert M. E. , Sanchez-Huerta K. , Wood C.
Published: November 2015

Severe thyroid hormone (TH) deficiency during critical phases of brain development results in irreversible neurological and cognitive impairments. The mechanisms accounting for this are likely multifactorial, and are not fully understood. Here we pursue the possibility that one important element is that TH affects basal and activity-dependent neurotrophin expression in brain regions important for neural processing. Graded exposure to propylthiouracil (PTU) during development produced dose-dependent reductions in mRNA expression of nerve growth factor (Ngf) in whole hippocampus of neonates. These changes in basal expression persisted to adulthood despite the return to euthyroid conditions in blood. In contrast to small PTU-induced reductions in basal expression of several genes, developmental PTU treatment dramatically reduced the activity-dependent expression of neurotrophins and related genes (Bdnft, Bdnfiv, Arc, and Klf9) in adulthood and was accompanied by deficits in hippocampal-based learning. These data demonstrate that mild TH insufficiency during development not only reduces expression of important neurotrophins that persists into adulthood but also severely restricts the activity-dependent induction of these genes. Considering the importance of these neurotrophins for sculpting the structural and functional synaptic architecture in the developing and the mature brain, it is likely that TH-mediated deficits in these plasticity mechanisms contribute to the cognitive deficiencies that accompany developmental TH compromise.
Research Resource: The Dexamethasone Transcriptome in Hypothalamic Embryonic Neural Stem Cells
Authors: Frahm Krystle A. , Peffer Melanie E. , Zhang Janie Y. , Luthra Soumya , Chakka Anish B. , Couger Matthew B. , Chandran Uma R. , Monaghan A. Paula , DeFranco Donald B.
Published: November 2015

Exposure to excess glucocorticoids during fetal development has long-lasting physiological and behavioral consequences, although the mechanisms are poorly understood. The impact of prenatal glucocorticoids exposure on stress responses in juvenile and adult offspring implicates the developing hypothalamus as a target of adverse prenatal glucocorticoid action. Therefore, primary cultures of hypothalamic neural-progenitor/stem cells (NPSCs) derived from mouse embryos (embryonic day 14.5) were used to identify the glucocorticoid transcriptome in both males and females. NPSCs were treated with vehicle or the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (dex; 100nM) for 4 hours and total RNA analyzed using RNA-Sequencing. Bioinformatic analysis demonstrated that primary hypothalamic NPSC cultures expressed relatively high levels of a number of genes regulating stem cell proliferation and hypothalamic progenitor function. Interesting, although these cells express glucocorticoid receptors (GRs), only low levels of sex-steroid receptors are expressed, which suggested that sex-specific differentially regulated genes identified are mediated by genetic and not hormonal influences. We also identified known or novel GR-target coding and noncoding genes that are either regulated equivalently in male and female NPSCs or differential responsiveness in one sex. Using gene ontology analysis, the top functional network identified was cell proliferation and using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation observed a reduction in proliferation of hypothalamic NPSCs after dexamethasone treatment. Our studies provide the first characterization and description of glucocorticoid-regulated pathways in male and female embryonically derived hypothalamic NPSCs and identified GR-target genes during hypothalamic development. These findings may provide insight into potential mechanisms responsible for the long-term consequences of fetal glucocorticoid exposure in adulthood.
Different ossification patterns of intermuscular bones in fish with different swimming modes
Authors: Yao Wenjie , Lv Yaoping , Gong Xiaoling , Wu Jiaming , Bao Baolong
Published: November 2015

Intermuscular bones are found in the myosepta in teleosts. However, there is very little information on the development and ossification of these intermuscular bones. In this study, we performed an in-depth investigation of the ossification process during development in zebrafish (Danio rerio) and Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica). In Japanese eel, a typical anguilliform swimmer, the intermuscular bones ossified predominantly from the anterior to the posterior. By contrast, in the zebrafish, a sub-carangiform or carangiform swimmer, the intermuscular bones ossified predominantly from the posterior to the anterior regions of the fish. Furthermore, tail amputation affected the ossification of the intermuscular bones. The length of the intermuscular bones in the posterior area became significantly shorter in tail-amputated zebrafish and Japanese eels, and both had less active and lower swimming speeds; this indicates that swimming might induce the ossification of the intermuscular bones. Moreover, when a greater length of tail was amputated in the zebrafish, the intermuscular bones became even shorter. Tail amputation affected the length and ossification of intermuscular bones in the anterior part of the fish, close to the head, differently between the two fish: they became significantly shorter in the zebrafish, but did not in the Japanese eel. This might be because tail amputation did not significantly affect the undulations in the anterior of the Japanese eel, especially near the head. This study shows that the ossification of intermuscular bones might be induced through mechanical force loadings that are produced by swimming.
Hypothalamic radial glia function as self-renewing neural progenitors in the absence of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling
Authors: Duncan Robert N. , Xie Yuanyuan , McPherson Adam D. , Taibi Andrew V. , Bonkowsky Joshua L. , Douglass Adam D. , Dorsky Richard I.
Published: November 2015

The vertebrate hypothalamus contains persistent radial glia that have been proposed to function as neural progenitors. In zebrafish, a high level of postembryonic hypothalamic neurogenesis has been observed, but the role of radial glia in generating these new neurons is unclear. We have used inducible Cre-mediated lineage labeling to show that a population of hypothalamic radial glia undergoes self-renewal and generates multiple neuronal subtypes at larval stages. While Wnt/ß-catenin signaling has been demonstrated to promote the expansion of other stem and progenitor cell populations, we find that pathway activity inhibits this process in hypothalamic radial glia, and is not required for their self-renewal. In contrast, Wnt/ß-catenin signaling is required for the differentiation of a specific subset of radial glial neuronal progeny residing along the ventricular surface. We also show that partial genetic ablation of hypothalamic radial glia or their progeny causes a net increase in their proliferation, which is also independent of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. Hypothalamic radial glia in the zebrafish larva thus exhibit several key characteristics of a neural stem cell population, and our data support the idea that Wnt pathway function may not be homogeneous in all stem or progenitor cells.