Supplemental selenium improves wheat grain yield and quality through alterations in biochemical processes under normal and water deficit conditions.

The paper mainly reported the effects of exogenous selenium (Se) supply (Se seed priming, Se fertigation and Se foliar spray) on physiological and antioxidant system of wheat aiming to clarify its effect on yield and nutritional quality of wheat under both normal and water deficit conditions. Water stress markedly decreased the grain Se, iron (Fe), phosphorous (P), zinc (Zn) and magnesium (Mg) contents. Supplemental Se (Na2SeO4) improved the yield and quality of water stressed plants due to enhancement in the production of osmoprotectants and increased activity of antioxidant enzymes. The foliar spray of Se was more effective than Se fertigation and Se seed treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first elaborate study that involved various Se application methods to evaluate the efficiency of Se supply to plants that would be crucial to develop better understanding of Se translocation and accumulation within crop plants under drought stress.

An improved record system for tracing outcome of [transferred-out] DOTS patients

This study in Pakistan aimed to develop an improved record-keeping mechanism for the DOTS programme to establish the final treatment status of patients recorded as [transferred -out]. In an intervention study in 40 DOTS diagnostics centres in Punjab province, a modification was made to the existing TB03 register. DOTS facilitators were trained to keep proper records of patients who transferred-out and transferred-in. Among 4442 registered cases, 104 patients [2.3%] transferred out of reporting centres. Correct matching of [-out and -in] patients was achieved for 74 [71.2%] patients; the remaining 30 [28.8%] were untraced. By tracing transferred-out cases, the adjusted outcome success rate increased in the intervention period from 89.6% to 90.9%