Nutrition supplementation plus standard of care versus standard of care alone or standard of care plus unconditional cash transfer in the prevention of chronic malnutrition in Southern Angola: study protocol for the MuCCUA study, a cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Chronic malnutrition is a condition associated with negative impacts on physical and cognitive development. It is multi-causal and can start very early in life, already in utero, thus it is especially challenging to find appropriate interventions to tackle it. The government of Angola is implementing a standard of care program with potential to prevent it, and the provision of cash transfers and the supplementation with small quantity lipid-based nutrients (SQ-LNS) are also promising interventions. We aimed to evaluate the impact of the standard of care program alone and of the standard of care plus a cash transfer intervention in the lineal growth of children less than 2 years old and compare it to the effectiveness of a nutrition supplementation plus standard of care program in Southern Angola. METHODS/DESIGN: The three-arm parallel cluster randomised controlled trial is set in four communes of Huila and Cunene provinces. Clusters are villages or neighbourhoods with a population around 1075 people. A total of twelve clusters were selected per arm and forty pregnant women are expected to be recruited in each cluster. Pregnant women receive the standard of care alone, or the standard of care plus unconditional cash transfer or plus nutritional supplementation during the first 1000 days, from pregnancy to the child reaching 24 months. The primary outcome is the prevalence of stunting measured as height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) < -2 in children below 2 years. Impact will be assessed at 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months of children's age. Secondary outcomes include mortality, morbidity, caring, hygiene and nutrition behaviours and practices, and women and children's dietary diversity. Quantitative data are also collected on women's empowerment, household food security, expenditure and relevant clinical and social events at baseline, endline and intermediate time points. DISCUSSION: The results will provide valuable information on the impact of the standard of care intervention alone as well as combined with an unconditional cash transfer intervention compared to a nutrition supplementation plus standard of care intervention, carried out during the first 1000 days, in the children´s growth up to 2 years and related outcomes in Southern Angola. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials NCT05571280. Registered 7 October 2022.

Accelerating the healing of hard-to-heal wounds with food supplements: nutritional analysis in the Côte d'Ivoire.

OBJECTIVE: Hard-to-heal wounds are an important, yet often neglected, public health issue in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Malnutrition has been identified as a risk factor for prolonged healing times. However, nutritional supplements are not routinely provided for patients with hard-to-heal wounds, and so this study aimed to investigate their benefits. METHOD: This 9-month study was conducted in the Taabo Health and Demographic Surveillance System in the south-central part of Côte d'Ivoire. Patients with wounds (≥30mm2) were recruited. Treatment was standardised for inpatients (72%) and outpatients (28%). There were three intervention groups: supplemented with soy; orange flesh sweet potato (OFSP); or both. Another group was included without supplement, serving as control. General linear models were employed to assess the effects of log initial wound size, type of wound, food treatment group, haemoglobin, sex, age, place of treatment and body mass index on the rate of wound closure. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 56 patients, 41 of whom were placed in intervention groups, and the remainder as controls. Within the cohort, 37 (66%) patients suffered from Buruli ulcer, 15 (27%) from traumatic wounds and four (7%) from erysipelas. We found a significant effect (p=0.004) of diet supplemented with OFSP on the wound healing rate. CONCLUSION: OFSP is a nutritional rehabilitation supplement, characterised by a high content of beta-carotene and carbohydrates. It is associated with shortened wound healing times, reduced discomfort and reduced cost of wound care. Further research should investigate the effect of a diet rich in beta-carotene, in combination with standard medical care, on hard-to-heal wound healing in LMICs.

Effects of Daily Zinc Alone or in Combination with Other Nutrient Supplements on the Risk of Malaria Parasitaemia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.

Zinc supplementation has been explored as a potential intervention to reduce the risk of malaria parasitaemia in randomised controlled trials (RCTs). However, inconsistent evidence has been obtained regarding the efficacy of zinc supplementation in the context of malaria prevention. This systematic review was implemented to survey the existing literature to determine the effects of the daily oral administration of zinc, either alone or in combination with other nutrient supplements, on the risk of malaria parasitaemia. The systematic review was prospectively registered in the PROSPERO database CRD42023424345 and followed PRISMA protocols. A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases, including Embase, MEDLINE, Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar, from their inception until 6 May 2023. The risk of bias in RCTs was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool 2 (RoB 2). The effect sizes, represented as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were standardised by transforming them into log RRs and then pooling them using a fixed-effects or random-effects model depending on the heterogeneity across studies. Comparisons were made between individuals who received zinc alone or zinc in combination with other micronutrient supplements and those who did not receive zinc. A total of 1339 articles were identified through the database searches, and after the screening and selection process, 10 studies were included in the final synthesis. The meta-analysis revealed that zinc supplementation alone did not significantly affect the risk of malaria parasitaemia compared with placebo (p = 0.30, log RR = 0.05, 95% CI: -0.05-0.15, I2 = 0.00%, with 566 malaria cases in the zinc intake group and 521 malaria cases in the placebo group). However, the analysis demonstrated a borderline significant effect of zinc supplementation in combination with other micronutrients on the risk of malaria parasitaemia compared with placebo (p = 0.05, log RR = 1.31, 95% CI: 0.03-2.59, I2 = 99.22%, with 8904 malaria cases in the zinc intake group and 522 malaria cases in the placebo group). The findings of this systematic review indicate that zinc supplementation, either alone or combined with the supplementation of other micronutrients such as vitamin A, iron, or multiple nutrients, does not significantly alter the risk of malaria parasitaemia. Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to explore the potential effects of multi-nutrient supplementation and to identify more specific micronutrients and additional factors associated with the risk of malaria, rather than just zinc alone, among individuals in different malaria-endemic areas.

Exercise Programs Combined with Diet Supplementation Improve Body Composition and Physical Function in Older Adults with Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review.

Sarcopenia is a progressive and frequent syndrome among older adults highly related to physical inactivity and malnutrition. Nowadays, it is considered a pathology that triggers multiple health complications associated with the loss of muscle mass, strength, autonomy, and quality of life. The objective of the present systematic review was to evaluate the effect of exercise programs combined with dietary supplementation on body composition as the primary outcome. This systematic review was carried out in accordance with the elements considered for planning a systematic review by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), and the search was performed in the Scopus, EBSCO, and PubMed databases for the last 10 years. A total of 16 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review. Regular resistance exercise together with daily essential amino acids or whey protein and vitamin D supplementation improve the maintenance or gains in appendiceal/skeletal muscle mass and total lean mass in sarcopenic older adults. The data suggest a synergistic effect not only on the primary outcome, but also on other variables such as strength, speed, stability, and other indicators of quality of life. This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO, ID: CRD42022344284.

Activation of a passive, mesoporous silica nanoparticle layer through attachment of bacterially-derived carbon-quantum-dots for protection and functional enhancement of probiotics.

Probiotic bacteria employed for food supplementation or probiotic-assisted antibiotic treatment suffer from passage through the acidic gastro-intestinal tract and unintended killing by antibiotics. Carbon-quantum-dots (CQDs) derived from bacteria can inherit different chemical groups and associated functionalities from their source bacteria. In order to yield simultaneous, passive protection and enhanced, active functionality, we attached CQDs pyrolytically carbonized at 220 â€‹°C from Lactobacillus acidophilus or Escherichia coli to a probiotic strain (Bifidobacterium infantis) using boron hydroxyl-modified, mesoporous silica nanoparticles as an intermediate encapsulating layer. Fourier-transform-infrared-spectroscopy, X-ray-photoelectron-spectroscopy and scanning-electron-microscopy were employed to demonstrate successful encapsulation of B. infantis by silica nanoparticles and subsequent attachment of bacterially-derived CQDs. Thus encapsulated B. infantis possessed a negative surface charge and survived exposure to simulated gastric fluid and antibiotics better than unencapsulated B. infantis. During B. infantis assisted antibiotic treatment of intestinal epithelial layers colonized by E. coli, encapsulated B. infantis adhered and survived in higher numbers on epithelial layers than B. infantis without encapsulation or encapsulated with only silica nanoparticles. Moreover, higher E. coli killing due to increased reactive-oxygen-species generation was observed. In conclusion, the active, protective encapsulation described enhanced the probiotic functionality of B. infantis, which might be considered as a first step towards a fully engineered, probiotic nanoparticle.

A Patent Data Analysis in Nanotechnology Applied to Essential Oils.

BACKGROUND: Essential oils (EOs) are natural substances that serve as sources of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. OBJECTIVE: This objective is to understand intellectual property related to patent documents on EOs and nanotechnology. METHODS: The nanotechnology growth curve applied to EOs demonstrated that the period from 2015 to 2017 was the most prominent, with a peak in 2016. China is the dominant country, mainly through research developed in the academic area. RESULTS: The food industry area had the highest number of patents filed, highlighting the preservation line. Ginger essential oil, chitosan and Tween 80 were preferentially used as a core, wall material, and emulsifier, respectively. In the market, the use of EOs is more associated with the pharmaceutical/ cosmetics industry. In addition, the food industry market bets more on products based on hemp oil nanocapsules. CONCLUSION: EO nanotechnology is promising for the development of sustainable food systems. However, this nanotechnology in Brazil has not yet advanced enough in the food industry, although there are government incentives that may change this paradigm in the future. The profile of the patent documents and the products in the market differ between the application and the types of oils. In addition, there is a gap between the volume of patent documents investigated and the transfer of technology to the commercial sector, but this constitution could be better explored, given the properties of EOs.

Bovine Colostrum Applications in Sick and Healthy People: A Systematic Review.

Colostrum is the first secretion of mammalian glands during the early period after birth giving. Its components are biologically active and have beneficial effects on new-born growth and well-being. Bovine colostrum has the highest concentration of these substances and its supplementation or application may provide health benefits. This systematic review was conducted to update current knowledge on bovine colostrum effects including all administration routes on healthy and sick subjects. Full texts or abstracts of twenty-eight papers as reports of systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, observational studies and case series were included after searches in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and Cinahl databases. The full texts of selected studies were assessed for quality using validated tools and their results were summarized in different categories. Studies were highly heterogeneous as regards to population, intervention, outcome and risk of bias. Bovine colostrum topical application was shown effective on vaginal dryness related symptoms limitation. Its use as food supplement showed interesting effects preventing upper respiratory illness in sportsmen, modulating immune system response and reducing intestinal permeability in healthy and sick subjects. Conflicting results were provided in pediatric population and little evidence is available on its use with older adults. Further studies are mandatory to better understand all factors influencing its activity.

A complementary food supplement from local food ingredients to enhance iron intake among children aged 6-59 months in Benin.

Nutritious complementary feeding is often not affordable in Benin, and iron deficiency exists. This research aimed at formulating an affordable and sensory acceptable complementary food supplement using local food ingredients to increase iron intake among children aged 6-59 months in Benin. The complementary food supplement was formulated to ensure that 10 g would cover 25% of the estimated average requirements for iron for children aged 6 to 12 months. Adansonia digitata fruit pulp, Moringa oleifera leaf powder, and Cochlospermum tinctorium root powder were used to compose the complementary food supplement, which was mixed with maize and sorghum ogi porridges before being presented to the mothers and children for the acceptability test. The mineral contents of Adansonia digitata fruit pulp in mg/100 g dw were 9.9 ± 0.1 for iron and 0.9 ± 0.1 for zinc. The iron and zinc contents of Moringa oleifera leaf powder and Cochlospermum tinctorium root powder in mg/100 g dw were 34.1 ± 2.2 and 26.8 ± 2.7 and 9 ± 0.0 and 0.9 ± 0.0, respectively. The complementary food supplement contained, in mg/100 g dw, 17.4 ± 1.1 of iron and 1.2 ± 0.1 of zinc. The maize and sorghum ogi porridges enriched with the complementary food supplement at substitution rates of 15% and 16% (in dry weight), respectively, were acceptable to 85% of children for sorghum ogi porridge and 87% for maize ogi porridge. The present study demonstrated the potential of local food ingredients in the formulation of an iron-rich and acceptable complementary food supplement for children aged 6-59 months in Benin.

Changes in Nutritional Status and Morbidities Among Children Having Severe Acute Malnutrition Attending a Nutrition Follow-Up Unit in Bangladesh Who Did Not Receive Any Food Supplementation.

BACKGROUND: The problem of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) among < 5 years old (U-5) children in Bangladesh is awful with higher risk of death or morbidities. However, there is no nationwide program where these children are managed with take-home therapeutic/supplementary food as recommended by World Health Organization. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify the changes in nutritional status and morbidities over 3 months of U-5 children having severe wasting (ie, SAM) whose parents refused to admit their children in the residential nutrition rehabilitation unit of the Dhaka Hospital of icddr, b (an international health research Institute based in Dhaka, Bangladesh), and instead attended the nutrition follow-up unit (NFU), and thus did not receive any food supplementation during nutritional rehabilitation. METHODS: At the NFU, these SAM children on every visit (fortnightly to monthly) received health and nutrition education, multivitamins, zinc and iron supplements, and treatment of illnesses if any. RESULTS: During the study period, a total 180 U-5 SAM children came regularly for NFU visit for at least 3 months, and they comprised our study sample. Their age at first NFU visit (baseline) was 13.4 ± 7.8 months and 46% were female. Over these 3 month follow-up period, the rate of weight gain was 2.2 ± 1.9 g/kg/d, change in mid upper arm circumference was from 105 to 115 mm, and change in weight-for-length or weight-for-height z-score was from -2.70 ± 0.94 to -1.95 ± 1.00. During the prior 14 days to the 4 NFU follow-up visit, 13.6% to 22.8% had common cold and/or cough, and 12.2% to 15.1% had pneumonia. CONCLUSION: Because the rate of weight gain was far below the expected ∼5 g/kg/d, the NFU visits without food supplementation are insufficient in terms of catchup growth. Thus, additional efforts are required to improve the management of these SAM children for their catchup growth.

The impact of L-branched-chain amino acids and L-leucine on malnutrition, sarcopenia, and other outcomes in patients with chronic liver disease.

INTRODUCTION: Metabolic and hormonal disorders resulting from chronic liver diseases culminate in increased proteolysis and decreased protein synthesis, which contributes to the development and progression of malnutrition and, consequently, sarcopenia. Nutritional management of sarcopenia in liver cirrhosis is a continuously evolving field and data on essential amino acid supplementation in chronic liver diseases is scarce. AREAS COVERED: This review encompasses the current literature on oral amino acids supplementation in patients with chronic liver disease or patients with liver cirrhosis to try to elucidate the possible effects of L-branched-chain amino acids and isolated L-leucine as a therapeutic approach to malnutrition and sarcopenia. EXPERT COMMENTARY: To ensure an optimal nutritional status and to reduce sarcopenia, it is necessary to assess nutritional status in all patients with liver cirrhosis and to apply nutritional interventions accordingly. The supply of calories, proteins, and essential amino acids is necessary for the maintenance of muscle mass and function. Although supplementation of L-branched-chain amino acids plays an important role in liver disease, L-leucine has been described as the main amino acid involved in protein turnover, reducing proteolysis, and stimulating protein synthesis.

Lymphocyte proliferative responses in dairy cows supplemented with an immunomodulatory feed additive and administered polyvalent vaccination / [Proliferação de linfócitos em vacas leiteiras suplementadas com um aditivo alimentar imunomodulador e vacinadas com vacina polivalente]

O presente estudo avaliou o efeito da suplementação com OmniGen-AF® na proliferação de linfócitos e títulos de anticorpos após vacinação em bovinos leiteiros. Amostras de sangue periférico foram coletadas de 32 vacas leiteiras para quantificação dos títulos de anticorpos anti-Leptospira, e amostras de sangue periférico de 16 vacas leiteiras foram também coletadas para avaliação da proliferação de linfócitos. Observou-se que a suplementação com OmniGen-AF® aumentou a proliferação basal de linfócitos (sem estímulos) 21 dias após a vacinação (P=0,03), apesar de reduzir a proliferação de linfócitos B quando estimulada com Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo inativada pelo calor (P=0,03). Ademais, nenhum efeito da suplementação sobre a proliferação de linfócitos no momento imediatamente anterior à vacinação e nos títulos de anticorpos anti-Leptospira foi encontrado. Além disso, a proliferação de linfócitos estimulada com lipopolissacarídeos foi maior em vacas multíparas que em primíparas 21 dias após a vacinação (P=0,03). Desse modo, o presente estudo demonstra que a suplementação com OmniGen-AF® não afetou de forma robusta a proliferação de linfócitos e os títulos de anticorpos anti-Leptospira após vacinação em vacas leiteiras sadias.(AU)

Iron nanoparticle bio-interactions evaluated in Xenopus laevis embryos, a model for studying the safety of ingested nanoparticles.

Iron nanoparticles (NPs) have been proposed as a tool in very different fields such as environmental remediation and biomedical applications, including food fortification against iron deficiency, even if there is still concern about their safety. Here, we propose Xenopus laevis embryos as a suitable model to investigate the toxicity and the bio-interactions at the intestinal barrier of Fe3O4 and zerovalent iron (ZVI) NPs compared to Fe(II) and (III) salts in the 5 to 100 mg Fe/L concentration range using the Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay in Xenopus (FETAX). Our results demonstrated that, at concentrations at which iron salts induce adverse effects, both iron NPs do not cause acute toxicity or teratogenicity even if they accumulate massively in the embryo gut. Prussian blue staining, confocal and electron microscopy allowed mapping of iron NPs in enterocytes, along the paracellular spaces and at the level of the basement membrane of a well-preserved intestinal epithelium. Furthermore, the high bioaccumulation factor and the increase in embryo length after exposure to iron NPs suggest greater iron intake, an essential element for organisms. Together, these results improve the knowledge on the safety of orally ingested iron NPs and their interaction with the intestinal barrier, useful for defining the potential risks associated with their use in food/feed fortification.

A multicentre randomized controlled trial of food supplement intervention for wasting children in Indonesia-study protocol.

BACKGROUND: After the first six months of exclusive breastfeeding, children are introduced to liquids and semi-solid food, known as the complementary feeding phase. This phase is critical because it is often accompanied by improper feeding in children, which may lead to wasting and other nutrition problems. Fortified biscuits have been provided for wasting children as a nationwide programme. However, the ability of children to accept food supplementation remains questionable. This paper describes the protocol of a study investigating the efficacy of food supplementation (PMT biscuit) and nutrition education to improve the nutritional status of wasting children in Indonesia. METHOD: The efficacy of a government food supplementation programme will be examined using a randomized control trial design. Parents with wasting children aged 6-17 months will be recruited to participate in the study. After obtaining informed consent and pre-intervention measures, participants will be assigned into three arms of intervention with PMT biscuits and/or nutrition education only. The two primary outcomes for this study are the nutritional status of wasting children and PMT biscuit compliance. Characteristics of all subjects in each arm will be analysed and compared with each other to assess their comparability at the beginning. The data will be collected at pre-intervention, at 3 months of intervention, post-intervention, and at the 6- to 9-month follow up. DISCUSSION: This paper aims to describe the study protocol of a randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of different PMT biscuit portion and nutrition education in two arms and nutrition education only in another arm. This study is important because it will provide evidence for the Indonesian government regarding the efficacy of food supplementation and/or food-based recommendations to improve the nutritional status of wasting children aged 6-23 months in Indonesia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study has been registered at clinicaltrials.gov, maintained by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), on April 26, 2018, and was last updated on April 30, 2018 (registration number: NCT03509155 ).

Effects of Food Supplementation During Pregnancy on Maternal Weight Gain, Hemoglobin Levels and Pregnancy Outcomes in Iran.

Objectives In this study, the effects of food supplementation during pregnancy on maternal weight gain, hemoglobin (Hb) levels, and pregnancy outcomes were evaluated. Methods In this randomized controlled trial, we recruited 1360 pregnant women with a gestational age of 10 weeks who had BMI < 18.5 and hemoglobin < 10.5/dL from rural areas of the east Azerbaijan province in Iran. Rural areas were randomly assigned into two groups: food-supplemented and control areas. In food-supplemented areas the food supplement was provided (1500 kcal/d) from 10 weeks of pregnancy through to the end. Information on demographic data were collected and anthropometric and Hb measurements were taken using standard instruments. Results The average weight gain was 9.1 ± 1.8 kg and 7.9 ± 1.6 kg in supplemented and control groups respectively, which was significantly different (p = 0.001). Also, a significant time × treatment interaction in maternal average weight gain (p = 0.001) was observed. The mean Hb decreased from 12 mg/dl and 12.1 mg/dl in week 10 to 11.9 mg/dl and 11.7 mg/dl in week 20 in the supplemented and control groups respectively, which was significant only for the control group. Between-group comparisons revealed significant differences in the rates of low birth weight (LBW) infants (p = 0.001) and preterm births (p = 0.013). Conclusion for practice Food supplementation significantly reduced the prevalence of poor maternal weight gain, infants with low birth weight, and preterm births compared to no intervention.

Malnutrition: Modulator of Immune Responses in Tuberculosis.

Nutrition plays a major role in the management of both acute and chronic diseases, in terms of body's response to the pathogenic organism. An array of nutrients like macro- and micro-nutrients, vitamins, etc., are associated with boosting the host's immune responses against intracellular pathogens including mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). These nutrients have an immunomodulatory effects in controlling the infection and inflammation process and nutritional deficiency of any form, i.e., malnutrition may lead to nutritionally acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, which greatly increases an individual's susceptibility to progression of infection to disease. This narrative review looks at the various mechanisms by which nutrition or its deficiency leads to impaired cell mediated and humoral immune responses, which in turn affects the ability of an individual to fight M.tb infection or disease. There is very little evidence in the literature that any specific food on its own or a specific quantity can alter the course of TB disease or be effective in the treatment of malnutrition. Further clinical trials or studies will be needed to recommend and to better understand the link between malnutrition, tuberculosis, and impaired immunity.

A Prenatal Multiple Micronutrient Supplement Produces Higher Maternal Vitamin B-12 Concentrations and Similar Folate, Ferritin, and Zinc Concentrations as the Standard 60-mg Iron Plus 400-µg Folic Acid Supplement in Rural Bangladeshi Women.

BACKGROUND: The effects of prenatal food and micronutrient supplementation on maternal micronutrient status are not well known. OBJECTIVE: We compared the efficacy and effectiveness of 3 different micronutrient supplements on maternal micronutrient status when combined with food supplementation. METHODS: In the MINIMat (Maternal and Infant Nutrition Intervention, Matlab) trial in Bangladesh, 4436 pregnant women were randomly assigned to daily intake of 3 types of micronutrient capsules: 30 mg Fe and 400 µg folic acid (Fe30F), 60 mg Fe and 400 µg folic acid (Fe60F), or multiple micronutrient supplements (MMNs) combined with early (week 9 of pregnancy) or usual (week 20 of pregnancy) food supplementation in a 2 by 3 factorial design. Plasma concentrations of vitamin B-12, folate, ferritin, and zinc were analyzed before the start of micronutrient supplementation (week 14) and at week 30 of pregnancy in 641 randomly selected women. An electronic monitoring device was used to measure the number of capsules taken. The effectiveness of food and micronutrient regimens as well as efficacy per capsule in maternal micronutrient status were analyzed by ANOVA and general linear models. RESULTS: At week 30 of pregnancy, women in the MMN group had higher geometric mean concentrations of vitamin B-12 than women in the Fe60F group (119 compared with 101 pmol/L, respectively); no other differences in effectiveness of micronutrient and food regimens were observed. A dose-response relation between the number of capsules taken and concentrations of folate and ferritin was observed for all micronutrient supplements. Fe30F had lower efficacy per capsule in increasing ferritin concentrations within the first tertile of capsule intake than did Fe60F and MMNs. Because ferritin reached a plateau for all types of micronutrient supplements, there was no difference between the regimens in their effectiveness. CONCLUSION: Compared with Fe60F, MMNs produced higher maternal vitamin B-12 and similar ferritin and folate concentrations in Bangladeshi women. The MINIMat trial was registered at isrctn.org as ISRCTN16581394.

Life-history and phenotypic traits of insectivorous songbirds breeding on reclaimed mine land reveal ecological constraints.

Studies assessing impacts of industrial activities on wildlife typically examine population- or community-level responses. However, changes in measures such as species abundance or diversity are driven by cumulative responses of individuals to disturbance, and may take time to detect. Quantifying individual responses could allow us to foresee and mitigate future population declines resulting from industrial activities, while providing ecologically informative indices to assess quality of reclaimed land. We examined life-history and phenotypic traits of mountain bluebirds (Sialia currucoides) and tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) breeding on reclaimed copper mine lands in Canada over two years in comparison to a nearby undisturbed reference area. Bluebirds feed on terrestrial invertebrates, whereas swallows feed on adult forms of insects with aquatic larvae, allowing us to assess quality of both reclaimed terrestrial and aquatic systems as habitat for insectivorous birds. Supplemental feeding of bluebirds also was used to experimentally assess nutritional limitation of birds feeding on terrestrial invertebrates. Bluebirds on reclaimed land initiated clutches later, and in one year had lower fledging success compared to birds on the reference area. Tree swallows also bred later in the season on reclaimed land, but were otherwise comparable to or exceeded performance of birds on the reference area. Annual differences in responses of nestling bluebirds on the mine to supplemental feeding revealed an apparent switch in life-history strategy of parents between years, from brood reduction to brood survival, suggesting greater annual fluctuations in ecological conditions within terrestrial systems on reclaimed land. Sex differences in response of nestling bluebirds to food supplementation additionally suggested high within-brood competition for food on reclaimed land. We suggest that measures of avian life-history and phenotypic traits, particularly when assessed over multiple years using experimental approaches such as food supplementation, are informative and sensitive indices of the health of reclaimed terrestrial and aquatic systems.

Supplemental food for Amblyseius swirskii in the control of thrips: feeding friend or foe?

BACKGROUND: In integrated pest management systems in greenhouse crops, the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii is becoming increasingly important as a biological control agent of various pests, especially thrips and whiteflies. An emerging strategy to promote the predator's establishment and retention in the crop consists in providing food supplements. However, when faced with omnivorous pests, such as the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, food supplements need to be applied with extreme care, in order not to boost population growth of the pest. This laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the impact of commercial products of Typha angustifolia pollen and decapsulated brine shrimp cysts (Artemia sp.) on populations of both pest and predator and on predator-prey interactions. RESULTS: Pollen was highly supportive for both F. occidentalis and A. swirskii, whereas Artemia cysts supported thrips populations to a lesser extent than those of the predator. Furthermore, a less pronounced reduction in thrips consumption by A. swirskii was observed in the presence of Artemia cysts as compared with T. angustifolia pollen. CONCLUSION: Artemia might be a valuable alternative to pollen for supporting populations of A. swirskii in order to improve thrips management, as they are less beneficial for the pest but do support population growth of A. swirskii.

A conduta dietoterápica no tratamento da doença do refluxo gastroesofágico: relato de caso / Dietary conduct in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease: case report

A doença do refluxo gastroesofágico é causada pela redução da pressão do esfíncter esofágico inferior e pode ser agravado por fracionamento inadequado da dieta e pela produção de espécies reativas ao oxigênio. Os tratamentos medicamentosos e cirúrgicos se destacam, contudo, existem opções de terapêutica não farmacológica, como as vitaminas e minerais com funções antioxidantes, atuam como adjuvantes neste tipo de tratamento. Portanto, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar as funções das vitaminas e minerais suplementados junto à dieta fracionada, prescritas a uma paciente de cirurgia de hérnia de hiato, e a diminuição do quadro de esofagite. A paciente chegou com quadro de esofagite de refluxo, disfagia, dores na região gástrica e distensão abdominal. Como conduta foi adotada a suplementação com piridoxina 30mg, zinco quelato 20 mg e ácido pantotênico 20 mg e vitamina C revestida 200 mg, assim como aumento do fracionamento da dieta, refletindo na redução do volume das refeições para amenizar desconfortos gástricos. O fracionamento adequado da dieta, a redução do volume das refeições e a suplementação atuam de maneira eficaz na melhoria do quadro da DRGE. Cabe destacar que é papel do nutricionista garantir a adesão do paciente ao tratamento para não haver recidivas de sintomas.

The gastroesophageal reflux disease is caused by the reduction of the pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter and could be aggravated by inadequate division of the diet and by the production of species that are reactive to oxygen. Medical and surgical treatments are emphasized, but there are also non-pharmacological therapeutic options, such as vitamins and minerals with antioxidant function, acting as adjuvants in this kind of treatment. Therefore, this paper has the purpose of assessing the functions of supplemented vitamin and minerals with a fractionated diet, prescribed to a surgical patient with hiatal hernia, and the reduction of esophagitis. The patient arrived complaining of esophagitis reflux, dysphagia, pain in the gastric region and abdominal distension. Supplementation with 30mg pyridoxine, 20mg zinc chelate and 20mg pantothenic acid was prescribed as treatment, as well as 200mg coated vitamin C tablet, as well as increasing the diet division to reflect the reduction of meal volumes to sooth gastric discomforts. The appropriate fragmentation of the diet, the reduction of meal volumes and the supplementation were effective to improve the GERD condition. It is important to mention that the role of the nutritionist is to ensure the patient adheres to the treatment in order to prevent symptom relapse.

Food provisioning alters infection dynamics in populations of a wild rodent.

While pathogens are often assumed to limit the growth of wildlife populations, experimental evidence for their effects is rare. A lack of food resources has been suggested to enhance the negative effects of pathogen infection on host populations, but this theory has received little investigation. We conducted a replicated two-factor enclosure experiment, with introduction of the bacterium Bordetella bronchiseptica and food supplementation, to evaluate the individual and interactive effects of pathogen infection and food availability on vole populations during a boreal winter. We show that prior to bacteria introduction, vole populations were limited by food availability. Bordetella bronchiseptica introduction then reduced population growth and abundance, but contrary to predictions, primarily in food supplemented populations. Infection prevalence and pathological changes in vole lungs were most common in food supplemented populations, and are likely to have resulted from increased congregation and bacteria transmission around feeding stations. Bordetella bronchiseptica-infected lungs often showed protozoan co-infection (consistent with Hepatozoon erhardovae), together with more severe inflammatory changes. Using a multidisciplinary approach, this study demonstrates a complex picture of interactions and underlying mechanisms, leading to population-level effects. Our results highlight the potential for food provisioning to markedly influence disease processes in wildlife mammal populations.