Perceptions and Experiences of Nutrition Interventions in Individuals with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and their Caregivers.

Nutrition concerns are prevalent in individuals with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Despite the prevalence of nutrition concerns, few data are available on perceptions and experiences of nutrition interventions in individuals with ALS and their caregivers; this study aimed to collect this information. An online survey was developed and hosted on Survey Monkey®. Individuals with ALS and their caregivers from Saskatchewan, Canada, were invited to complete the survey through email to attendees of the ALS Clinic (Saskatoon, Canada), and via the ALS Society of Saskatchewan Facebook page in February-March, 2021. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Twelve eligible respondents completed the survey (n = 10 individuals with ALS; n = 2 caregivers). The present study found nutrition was important to respondents and there was interest in trying diets and supplements for ALS management; of note, many respondents were interested in exploring the ketogenic diet. Six (50%) respondents had weight loss concerns. All respondents would recommend consulting with a dietitian upon being diagnosed with ALS. Many respondents reported a predefined negative perception of tube feeding. The results of this study suggest that increasing the accessibility of dietitians could positively impact ALS-related care. The findings also provide guidance for dietitians to enhance nutrition care for individuals with ALS.

Reproductive fitness of honey bee queens exposed to thiamethoxam during development.

The productivity and survival of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies depend on queen bee health. Colony-level neonicotinoid exposure has negative effects on reproductive fitness of honey bee queens. However, it is unclear if the observed effects are a direct outcome of neonicotinoid toxicity or result from suboptimal care of developing queens by exposed workers. The aim of this study was to evaluate larval survival, reproductive fitness, and histopathology of honey bee queens exposed to incremental doses (0, 5, 50 ng) of the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam (THI) applied directly to individual late larvae (7 days post-oviposition) of queens. The 5 ng dose represents a calculated high environmental level of exposure for honey bee queen larvae. Morphometric evaluation revealed that the total area of mandibular gland epithelium in queens exposed to 5 and 50 ng THI was reduced by 14% (P = .12) and 25% (P = .001), respectively. Decreased mandibular gland size may alter pheromone production, which could in part explain previously observed negative effects of THI on the reproductive fitness of queens. We also found that late larval exposure to THI reduced larval and pupal survival and decreased sperm viability in mated queens. These changes may interfere with queen development and reproductive longevity.