Exploring effects of light intensity on sustainability indicators in finishing pig production.

With an ongoing transition towards the use of Light Emitting Diodes, more knowledge is needed on which light settings optimise sustainability parameters in pig production. We studied the effects of four light intensities on social, environmental and economic sustainability indicators, including ammonia emissions, space use, pen fouling, weight gain, carcass quality, perception of the stockkeeper, costs of the light system, and use of drinking water, electricity and medicines. Light treatments included a low (45 lux), medium (198 lux) and high (968 lux) uniform intensity, and a spatial gradient treatment ranging from 71 lux in the front to 330 lux in the back of each pen. The latter treatment aimed to improve the space use of functional areas. A total of 448 growing-finishing pigs were studied on a commercial farm using two consecutive batches of four rooms containing eight pens with seven pigs. Light intensity influenced some aspects of space use and pen fouling. For example, the proportion of pigs lying in the resting area was higher in the high and medium light intensity treatment than in the low intensity and gradient treatment. Moreover, the high-intensity treatment resulted in more fouling with faeces in the feeding area compared with the low-intensity and the gradient treatment. Ammonia emissions were higher in the gradient than in the low intensity treatment (not measured in medium and high intensity treatment). Furthermore, light intensity did not affect weight gain, carcass quality, water use and medicine use. The stockkeeper was content to work in all light conditions, but slightly preferred the medium intensity due to optimal visibility. Concerning economic performance, the costs of the light system and electricity use increased in the following order: low intensity, gradient, medium intensity, and high intensity. In conclusion, contrary to expectation the spatial gradient did not notably improve space use or reduce pen fouling, but rather increased ammonia emissions in comparison with uniform light. This is likely because the gradient could not be applied in an optimal way in the existing housing conditions. Among the other sustainability indicators, mainly electricity use and costs of the light system differed per treatment. These aspects can be improved by further optimising the number of light sources needed per pen to achieve the targeted intensities.

Protocol for the LIFEH project: a prospective observational study to explore lifestyle among people living with HIV experiencing weight gain, looking beyond antiretroviral therapy.

INTRODUCTION: Weight gain, together with the onset of overweight and obesity, is a relevant emerging health issue among people living with HIV (PLWH). A large body of literature recognises this issue as a part of the secondary effects of some antiretroviral therapy (ART), but little is known about the role of lifestyle. In order to assess the role of modifiable aspects of lifestyle in addition to ART on the onset of overweight and obesity, we designed a prospective observational study among PLWH. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a prospective observational study among PLWH aged 18-65 years attending the Clinic of Infectious Diseases of Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy, and on ART for at least 24 months. According to the sample size computation, 175 PLWH will be enrolled. PLWH willing to participate in the study are invited to a scheduled clinical visit to collect anthropometric measures, dietary habits and physical activity levels. During the visit, standardised and validated questionnaires are administered regarding emotional distress, food insecurity, use of food supplements, sleep quality, smoking habit and alcohol consumption/risk of addiction. After the interviews, bioimpedance analysis is performed and blood pressure and heart rate are assessed. After 12 months from baseline, each participant will be asked to participate in a further visit, with the same assessments as at baseline. The primary objective of the study is to assess the role of the modifiable factors of lifestyle in the onset of overweight and/or obesity among on-treatment PLWH experiencing weight gain, focusing on diet and physical activity. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study research protocol and informed consent procedures were approved by Ethics Committee of Brescia Province (Italy) on 23 May 2023 (NP5892). Informed consent will be obtained from participants. Results will be submitted for publication in international peer-reviewed journals and summaries will be provided annually to the funders.

Differential growth enhancement followed by notable microbiota modulation in growing-finishing pigs by Bacillus subtilis strains ps4060, ps4100, and a 50:50 strain mixture.

A 50:50 blend of two Bacillus subtilis strains positively impacted the productivity of finishing pigs. Given this observed effect, we hypothesized that each strain has distinct effects on weight gain and their influence on gut microbiota. In a 16-week test, 160 pigs were divided into four groups: basal diet, B. subtilis ps4100, B. subtilis ps4060, and 50:50 mixture supplemented. Subsequently, we compared body weight and fecal microbiota. Among the supplements, ps4100, ps4060, and the 50:50 mix yielded respective average daily weight gains (ADG) of 3.6%, 4.6%, and 3.9% by the 6th week. The weight difference was maintained through the 16th week. At the 11th week, the difference in α-diversity among the fecal microbiota was marginal, and 17 of 229 genera showed differential abundance between the control and either of the treatment groups. A total of 12 of the 17 genera, including Lactobacillus, showed differential abundance between the ps4100 and ps4060-fed groups, and only Eubacterium consistently decreased in abundance in both the ps4100 and ps4060 groups. In comparison, microbial diversity was significantly different at the 16th week (p < 0.05), with 96 out of 229 genera exhibiting differential abundance. A total of 42 of the 96 genera exhibited similar patterns in both the ps4100 and ps4060 groups compared to the control group. Additionally, 236 of 687 microbial enzymes with differential abundance deduced from 16S rRNA reads showed similar differential abundance in both groups compared to the control group. We concluded that the overall microbial balance, rather than the dominance or significant decrease of a few specific genera, likely caused the enhanced ADG until the 11th week. Substantial changes in microbiota manifested at the 16th week did not cause dramatically increased ADG but were a consequence of weight gain and could positively affect animal physiology and health afterward.

Preferences for attributes of oral antipsychotic treatments: results from a discrete-choice experiment in respondents with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder.

BACKGROUND: Antipsychotic medications are effective treatments for schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar I disorder (BD-I), but when presented with different treatment options, there are tradeoffs that individuals make between clinical improvement and adverse effects. As new options become available, understanding the attributes of antipsychotic medications that are valued and the tradeoffs that individuals consider when choosing among them is important. METHODS: A discrete-choice experiment (DCE) was administered online to elicit preferences across 5 attributes of oral antipsychotics: treatment efficacy (i.e., improvement in symptom severity), weight gain over 6 months, sexual dysfunction, sedation, and akathisia. Eligible respondents were aged 18-64 years with a self-reported clinician diagnosis of SZ or BD-I. RESULTS: In total, 144 respondents with SZ and 152 with BD-I completed the DCE. Of those with SZ, 50% identified themselves as female and 69.4% as White, with a mean (SD) age of 41.0 (10.1) years. Of those with BD-I, most identified themselves as female (69.7%) and as White (77.6%), with a mean (SD) age of 40.0 (10.7) years. In both cohorts, respondents preferred oral antipsychotics with better efficacy, less weight gain, no sexual dysfunction or akathisia, and lower risk of sedation. Treatment efficacy was the most important attribute, with a conditional relative importance (CRI) of 31.4% for respondents with SZ and 31.0% for those with BD-I. Weight gain (CRI = 21.3% and 23.1%, respectively) and sexual dysfunction (CRI = 23.4% and 19.2%, respectively) were adverse effects in this study that respondents most wanted to avoid. Respondents with SZ were willing to accept 9.8 lb of weight gain or > 25% risk of sedation for symptom improvement; those with BD-I were willing to accept 8.5 lb of weight gain or a > 25% risk of sedation. CONCLUSIONS: In this DCE, treatment efficacy was the most important attribute of oral antipsychotic medications among respondents with SZ and BD-I. Weight gain and sexual dysfunction were the adverse effects respondents most wanted to avoid; however, both cohorts were willing to accept some weight gain or sedation to obtain better efficacy. These results highlight features that patients value in antipsychotic medications and how they balance benefits and risks when choosing among treatments.

Trajectories of daily antipsychotic use and weight gain in people hospitalized for the first episode of psychosis.

BACKGROUND: We need to better understand the risk factors and predictors of medication-related weight gain to improve metabolic health of individuals with schizophrenia. This study explores how trajectories of antipsychotic medication (AP) use impact body weight early in the course of schizophrenia. METHODS: We recruited 92 participants with first-episode psychosis (FEP, n = 92) during their first psychiatric hospitalization. We prospectively collected weight, body mass index (BMI), metabolic markers, and exact daily medication exposure during 6-week hospitalization. We quantified the trajectory of AP medication changes and AP polypharmacy using a novel approach based on meta-analytical ranking of medications and tested it as a predictor of weight gain together with traditional risk factors. RESULTS: Most people started treatment with risperidone (n = 57), followed by olanzapine (n = 29). Then, 48% of individuals remained on their first prescribed medication, while 33% of people remained on monotherapy. Almost half of the individuals (39/92) experienced escalation of medications, mostly switch to AP polypharmacy (90%). Only baseline BMI was a predictor of BMI change. Individuals in the top tercile of weight gain, compared to those in the bottom tercile, showed lower follow-up symptoms, a trend for longer prehospitalization antipsychotic treatment, and greater exposure to metabolically problematic medications. CONCLUSIONS: Early in the course of illness, during inpatient treatment, baseline BMI is the strongest and earliest predictor of weight gain on APs and is a better predictor than type of medication, polypharmacy, or medication switches. Baseline BMI predicted weight change over a period of weeks, when other traditional predictors demonstrated a much smaller effect.

Performance and health status in preweaning semi-indoor holstein calves wearing calf jackets during winter months.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether jacket wearing by semi-indoor Holstein calves affected performance, body measurements and health status in the preweaning period throughout the winter months. A total of one hundred calves were allocated into two treatment groups (control and jacket) in terms of their weights and sex. The calves throughout the study period were raised at individual calf hutches in a semi-open barn. All calves and the consumed concentrate intakes were weighed every 28 days to determine body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), total and daily feed consumption (TFC, DFC). Incidence rate (IR) ratios were calculated from the records of daily health assessments. Calves in treatment group were jacketed from first to 45 days of age. The weaning process started gradually at 56 days of age and the calves were weaned on day 63. No significant effects of wearing jackets in terms of body measurements and performance. The respiratory diseases IR was 1.15 times higher in calves without jackets, which means that calf health was positively affected by wearing jackets. The improved health status of the treatment group showed that wearing jackets may protect calves from adverse effects of cold stress. There is a need for more comprehensive studies about the effect of calf jackets in early periods of preweaning, especially in calves in outdoor hutches.

Harnessing the eccrine sweat glands for the management of interdialytic weight gain - a pilot study.

Hemodialysis patients are susceptible to excess volume accumulation, particularly over the 2-day interval (long interdialytic gap), resulting in higher interdialytic weight gain (IDWG). We thought to determine whether a novel device designed to enhance fluid and salt loss by activating the eccrine sweat glands can mitigate IDWG. Patients eligible for the study were undergoing regular hemodialysis for ≥3 months, without residual renal function, and with IDWG (as a percentage of IDWG/dry body weight) ≥2.5%. Treatments were administered at the patient's home. The primary performance endpoint was differences in weight gain over long interdialytic period with the device compared to the control period. Secondary exploratory endpoints included the need for ultrafiltration (UF) rate > 10 mL/kg/h in the post-interval dialysis. Five patients were enrolled into the pilot study (age range 26 to 69 years, 3 women). The hourly mean weight loss from sweat was 186 ± 45 g/h. The average procedure length was 4.5 h with an average fluid loss of 899 ± 283 grams per procedure. The average least-squares mean absolute difference of IDWG between the control and treatment periods was -2.0%; (95% confidence interval [CI], -2.9% to -1.2%, p < 0001). The reduction in IDWG was associated a reduction in UF rates, from 9.23 ± 3.7 mL/kg/h to 5.55 ± 2.45 mL/kg/h between the control and treatment periods (p < 0.001), resulting in a safe UF rate (<10 mL/kg/h) in all post-treatment sessions. We conclude that enhancing sweat rate can mitigate IDWG in hemodialysis patients.

Effects of Formula-100 therapeutic milk and Bregas Nutriroll ready-to-use therapeutic food on Indonesian children with severe acute malnutrition: A randomized controlled trial study.

Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is a global health concern that affects children and leads to delayed growth. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of F100 milk and Bregas Nutriroll, a local ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), on SAM children. An unmasked, non-blinded, two-group, and simple randomized controlled trial was conducted. Indonesian children aged 12-59 months with SAM were randomly assigned to receive either F100 milk or Bregas Nutriroll. After eight weeks, the increase in the mean weight gain in both groups was assessed. The Bregas Nutriroll group (n=19) had a mean weight gain of 1.07±0.09 kg, while the F100 group (n=17) had a mean weight gain of 1.05±0.11 kg. The Bregas Nutriroll group had a slightly higher gain of mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) than the F100 group (0.62±0.34 cm vs 0.50±0.37 cm). The gain of children's height of the Bregas Nutriroll group was 0.96±0.42 cm, while the F100 group was shorter at a mean of 0.81±0.44 cm. Statistically significant differences (p<0.001) in nutritional status were observed based on weight, MUAC, and height/length after F100 and Bregas Nutriroll interventions. The intervention with F100 increased hemoglobin (Hb) levels of 0.71±1.25 mg/dL, while the Bregas Nutriroll intervention led to an increase of 0.11±1.39 mg/dL. In conclusion, our study showed that community-based treatment with F100 milk or Bregas Nutriroll resulted in nutritional status in children with SAM. These findings suggested that both treatments could be effective in treating SAM in improving nutritional status and child health outcomes.

Comparative Analysis of Nutritional Advice and a Combined Approach for Addressing Impending Stunting in Infants: A Clinical Trial.

Weight faltering (WF) has been associated with stunting and with long-term adverse consequences for health and development. Nutritional care for managing WF may consist of giving nutritional advice (NA) and/or provision of oral nutrition supplements (ONSs). In this study, we aimed to evaluate practical management options in the community for infants with WF aged 6-12 months. This nonrandomized clinical trial was conducted in the community of Makassar, South Sulawesi, from March 2022 to March 2023. A total of 1013 infants were enrolled for screening. Anthropometric measures were performed in 913 infants, of which 170 showed WF below the 15th percentile of the WHO weight increment table without stunting. Infants with a weight increment below P5th were assigned to receive NA plus ONS, while infants between P5th and below P15th were assigned to receive only NA. At the second and third months, ONSs were administered to WF infants who were below P15th. One month after the intervention, 87/105 infants in the NA-plus-ONS group (82.8%) and 52/65 infants in the NA-only group (80%) were no longer WF. After 3 months, infants in the NA-plus-ONS group achieved greater weight gain than infants in the NA group (264.1 g vs. 137.4 g, p < 0.001) as well as greater length gain (2.35 cm vs. 2.14 cm, p < 0.001). WF management should be started at below P15th to achieve a better result. Infants with greater nutritional deficits should be assigned to receive the combination of NA plus ONSs to achieve a higher rate of resolution of growth.

Adjusted versus Targeted Fortification in Extremely Low Birth Weight Preterm Infants: Fortin Study-A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Fortified human milk is the first choice for preterm infants. Although individualized fortification is recommended, the optimal method for this population remains uncertain. We conducted a comparative study assessing the growth effects of adjusted (AF) and targeted fortification (TF) in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. This single-center, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted at a tertiary neonatal unit in Spain. Eligible participants were premature infants with a birthweight of <1000 g exclusively fed with human milk. A total of 38 patients were enrolled, 15 of them randomized to AF group and 23 to TF group. AF was based on blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration and TF on human milk analysis. The primary outcome was weight gain velocity (g/kg/day). No significant differences were found in weight gain velocity at 28 days, at 36 weeks of postmenstrual age, at discharge, nor during the intervention. Protein intake was significantly higher in the AF group (5.02 g/kg/day vs. 4.48 g/kg/day, p = 0.001). No differences were found in the lipid, carbohydrate, and energy intake; in the weight z score change between the different time points; nor in the length and head circumference growth. Both AF and TF are comparable methods of fortification and provide the appropriate growth rate in ELBW infants.

Effects of spray-dried plasma on performance, carcass parameters, tibia quality and Newcastle disease vaccine efficacy in broiler chicken fed corn-soy diets with two varying levels of digestible amino acids and AMEn density.

This study aimed to determine the effects of spray dried plasma (SDP) on growth performance, carcass traits, tibia quality, and hemagglutination inhibition titers in broilers fed two nutritional strategies with high or low nutrient density. In the study, 816 one-day-old Ross 308 male broiler chickens were divided into a 2 × 2 factorial arrangements consisting of four treatment groups with 12 replicates (17 birds/replicate) based on diets with high nutrient density (HND) or low nutrient density (LND) from d 0 to 42 and receiving either control or 1% SDP diets during d 0 to 10. The results showed that feed intake (FI) and body weight gain (BWG) were increased (P < 0.05) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly reduced (P = 0.003) for broilers fed HND diets from d 0 to 42. The inclusion of SDP increased the BWG (P < 0.001), FI (P < 0.001), and FCR (P < 0.05) during d 0 to 10 of broiler life but not effect of SDP was observed for the whole 0-42 d period. Carcass yield increased with HND (P < 0.001) and dietary SDP (P = 0.002). However, HND feeding significantly decreased liver (P < 0.001), bursa of Fabricius (P = 0.002), abdominal fat (P < 0.001), proventriculus (P < 0.001) and gizzard weight (P < 0.001), but increased heart weight (P = 0.013), although spleen weight remained unaffected (P > 0.05) on d 42. Tibial bone morphometric and mechanical properties improved (P < 0.05) with SDP supplementation, and bone ash, Ca, and P remained unaffected (P > 0.05) on d 14. With the exception at d 28 (P = 0.037), the antibody titer to ND virus was similar among all treatment groups (P > 0.05) at d 0, 14, and 42. In conclusion, HND diets improve performance of broilers during the whole period and SDP supplementation during starter phase improve performance at this period, but also increased carcass yield, and tibial quality. Therefore, inclusion of SDP in the starter diet could be a beneficial nutritional strategy to improve the health and production of broilers provided feeding strategies using various nutrient densities.

A Longitudinal analysis of weight changes before and after total hip arthroplasty: Weight trends, patterns, and predictors.

BACKGROUND: It is crucial to understand weight trends in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate preoperative and postoperative weight trends for patients undergoing primary THA and factors associated with clinically significant weight change. METHODS: A prospective cohort who underwent primary unilateral THA (n= 3,011) at a tertiary healthcare system (January 2016 to December 2019) were included in the study. The primary outcomes were clinically significant weight change (> 5% change in body mass index [BMI]) during the one-year preoperative and one-year postoperative periods. RESULTS: Preoperatively, 66.6% maintained a stable weight, 16.0% gained and 17.4% lost weight, respectively. Postoperatively, 64.0% maintained a stable weight, while 22.6% gained and 13.4% lost weight, respectively. Female sex, Black race, obesity, higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) scores, and older age were associated with preoperative weight loss. Female sex, obesity, higher CCI scores, and Medicare insurance were associated with postoperative weight loss. Preoperative weight loss was associated with postoperative weight gain (OR = 3.37 [CI: 2.67 to 4.25]; p< 0.001), and preoperative weight gain was associated with postoperative weight loss (OR = 1.74 [CI: 1.30 to 2.3]; p< 0.001). CONCLUSION: Most patients maintained a stable BMI one-year before and one-year after THA. Several factors are associated with weight loss before and after THA. Preoperative weight changes were associated with a reciprocal rebound in BMI post-operatively.

Effect of ecotype and Enteromorpha polysaccharide supplementation on the growth performance of indigenous chickens in Northwest Ethiopia.

The study was conducted to compare the growth performance of indigenous chickens and evaluate the effect of Enteromorpha prolifera (EP) supplementation on the growth of chickens. A total of 180 indigenous chicken ecotypes (Sinan, Dembecha, North Achefer, and Jawi) were used in the study. Chicken ecotype and sex had a highly significant (p < 0.001) effect on body weight and average daily gain (ADG). The highest final body weight (1811.5 ± 16.6 g) and ADG at twenty weeks of age (12.76 ± 0.12 g) were recorded for the Jawi ecotype, followed by the North Achefer. A significantly higher body weight and ADG in male chickens than female chickens were observed. The EP supplemented (EP +) chickens showed a significantly (P < 0.05) higher body weight and ADG than the non-supplemented (EP-) chickens. The interaction effect of ecotype and feed type was not statistically significant on body weight in the starter and grower phases, except at week 9. In the first four weeks, the highest (100%) and lowest (91.7%) survivability rates were recorded for the Sinan ecotype and the Jawi ecotype, respectively. In general, the Jawi and North Achefer ecotypes had better growth performance, and the Sinan ecotype relatively showed better survivability. EP supplementation could improve the growth performance of chickens.

Orexins mitigate obesity-associated dysfunctions in mice.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is a chronic disease that affects more than 400 million adults with severe comorbidities. The search for new treatments to reduce its negative consequences is necessary. Orexins are hypothalamic neuropeptides involved in various physiological processes related to obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate the consequences of chronic orexin-A treatment in mouse models. METHODS: Female wild-type C57BL/6 mice that were obesity-prone or obesity-resistant and mice that were deficient for orexin receptors were fed with a high-fat diet. Glucose tolerance, indirect calorimetry, expression of brain neuropeptides and receptors, microglial activation, and microbiota were determined to evaluate the role of orexins on metabolic flexibility. RESULTS: Orexin-A reduces weight gain in obesity-prone mice. This reduction is associated with a decrease in body fat, food intake, steatosis, and insulin resistance, as well as alterations of intestinal microbiota composition. A decreased expression of orexin receptors and neuropeptides involved in food intake was also observed in the hypothalamus. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support the notion that orexin receptor signaling is involved in different aspects of energy metabolism and can mitigate several dysfunctions associated with obesity, suggesting that orexin receptors can represent new targets for obesity treatment.

Estimates of genetic parameters for growth traits in dorper crossbred sheep population.

The study was carried out to estimate genetic and phenotypic parameters for growth traits in Dorper crossbred sheep. The data set consisted of 5717 growth records from 1347 individuals of Dorper 50% crossbred sheep descended from 43 sires and 344 dams born between the years 2012 and 2022 at Debre Birhan Agricultural Research Center sheep research station, Ethiopia. Studied traits were birth weight (WT0), weaning weight (WT3), six months weight (WT6), yearling weight (WT12), average daily gain from birth to weaning (ADG1), average daily gain from weaning to six months (ADG2), average daily gain from six months to yearling (ADG3). The (co)variance components were estimated by fitting six different univariate animal models using Average Information Restricted Maximum Likelihood (AI-REML) procedure. Contrary to the genetic trend, phenotypic performance for all studied traits showed a declining trend over the years. Direct heritability estimates of 0.10 ± 0.06, 0.29 ± 0.09, 0.37 ± 0.10, 0.10 ± 0.09, 0.43 ± 0.15, 0.04 ± 0.05, and 0.14 ± 0.09 were obtained for WT0, WT3, WT6, WT12, ADG1, ADG2 and ADG3, respectively. Genetic correlations among the studied traits ranged from -0.43 (between ADG2 and ADG3) to 0.99 (between WT3 and ADG1). Selection for weaning, six months and pre-weaning average daily gain would be expected to yield good response as these traits were found moderately heritable. Strong to moderate genetic correlation of WT3 with WT6, WT12, and ADG1 suggested that selection based on WT3 would result in improvement of other growth traits due to correlated response.

Rocket seed meal (Eruca sativa) can replace soybean meal in fattening lamb diets improving performance, protein metabolism, and economic balance.

The study determined the effects of replacing different levels of soybean meal (SBM) with rocket seed cake (RSC) in the diets of growing lambs on feed utilization and growth performance. Twenty-eight male lambs (180 ± 5 d old) were divided into four groups in a complete randomized design with repeated measures for 105 d. Soybean meal was replaced with RSC at 0% (RSC0), 25% (RSC25), 50% (RSC50), and 75% (RSC75). The RSC75 group had the lowest final weight, total weight gain, and daily weight gain. The RSC25 increased (P < 0.001) the intakes of DM, starch value (SV), total digestible nutrients (TDN), digestible energy (DE), and digestible crude protein (DCP) compared to the other diets, while the RSC75 decreased these values. Moreover, the RSC25 decreased (P < 0.05) feed conversion of DM compared to other diets. Treatments did not affect nutrient digestibility or diet's nutritive values expressed as true SV, TDN, DCP, and DE. The RSC linearly increased albumin and urea and lowered the high-density lipoprotein concentrations in lamb's blood. The inclusion of RSC in the diet increased economic efficiency, with the highest relative percentages of net revenue with the RSC25. Overall, RSC can replace SBM at 25% in the diet of growing lambs.

Effects of prenatal fish oil supplementation on the development and performance of female kids after weaning.

This study was performed to determine the influence of fish oil, an omega-3 fatty acids source, supplemented to diets of goats throughout all stages of gestation on the growth and milk production of weaned female kids. Eighty German Fawn (75%) x Hair (25%) crossbred goats were randomly assigned to treatment (fish oil, FiO group) and control (Rumen protected fat, RPF group) groups during the first half of pregnancy. Subsequently, the FiO group was further allocated into FiO-FiO and FiO-RPF subgroups and RPF group was further divided into RPF-FiO and RPF-RPF subgroups containing 20 goats in each during the second half of pregnancy. The growth and feed intake of 41 female kids (aged 75.1 ± 6.73 days, with a mean live weight of 11.6 ± 3.00 kg) were recorded for a 98 day post-weaning, In the continuation of the study, live weight changes, milk yield and composition of young female goats from mating to the second month of lactation and the growth of female kids until weaning were studied for a total of 210 days. Maternal nutrition slightly influenced the live weight gain of female kids over a 98-day investigation period (p = 0.070). When growth performance was considered, a higher feed conversion efficiency of female offspring was determined in RPF-FiO (5.52) treatment group compare to female kids in other treatment groups (p = 0.086). However, the maternal feeding system significantly affected live weight in the RPF-FiO treatment group during the mating period (P = 0.054). Concerning the feed intake, maternal nutrition significantly affected the feed intake of female kids (p < 0.01) with the highest feed consumption in the FiO-RPF group. The findings of this study have shown that fish oil enriched diet given to goats during gestation improved daily live weight changes and total live weight gain of female kids despite the initial disadvantage after weaning. At mating time, the live weight of young female goats in the RPF-FiO treatment group, which exhibited the highest feed conversion ratio during the 98-day study, was higher than the remaining treatment groups. Maternal nutrition had no effect on milk yield or milk components in young goats during lactation. Young female goats born to dams in the FiO-RPF group showed better performance than the other groups regarding live weight performance of their offspring on 56th day postpartum.

Endoscopic Management of Weight Regain After Bariatric Surgery.

Weight regain, also known as recurrent weight gain, is common following bariatric surgeries. While anti-obesity medications and surgical revisions offer effective treatment options, they are not without their challenges and limitations. Over the last few decades, there have been significant advancements in endoscopic interventions to address weight regain following bariatric surgery. These procedures have demonstrated feasibility, safety, efficacy, and durability, offering minimally invasive treatment options for this patient population.

Physical Activity and Excess Body Weight and Adiposity for Adults. American College of Sports Medicine Consensus Statement.

ABSTRACT: Excessive body weight and adiposity contribute to many adverse health concerns. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recognizes that the condition of excess body weight and adiposity is complex, with numerous factors warranting consideration. The ACSM published a position stand on this topic in 2001 with an update in 2009, and a consensus paper on the role of physical activity in the prevention of weight gain in 2019. This current consensus paper serves as an additional update to those prior ACSM position and consensus papers. The ACSM supports the inclusion of physical activity in medical treatments (pharmacotherapy, metabolic and bariatric surgery) of excess weight and adiposity, as deemed to be medically appropriate, and provides perspectives on physical activity within these therapies. For weight loss and prevention of weight gain, the effects may be most prevalent when physical activity is progressed in an appropriate manner to at least 150 min·wk-1 of moderate-intensity physical activity, and these benefits occur in a dose-response manner. High-intensity interval training does not appear to be superior to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for body weight regulation, and light-intensity physical activity may also be an alternative approach provided it is of sufficient energy expenditure. Evidence does not support that any one single mode of physical activity is superior to other modes for the prevention of weight gain or weight loss, and to elicit holistic health benefits beyond the effects on body weight and adiposity, multimodal physical activity should be recommended. The interaction between energy expenditure and energy intake is complex, and the effects of exercise on the control of appetite are variable between individuals. Physical activity interventions should be inclusive and tailored for sex, self-identified gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, and developmental level. Intervention approaches can also include different forms, channels, and methods to support physical activity.

e-Cigarettes, Smoking Cessation, and Weight Change: Retrospective Secondary Analysis of the Evaluating the Efficacy of e-Cigarette Use for Smoking Cessation Trial.

BACKGROUND: While smoking cessation has been linked to substantial weight gain, the potential influence of e-cigarettes on weight changes among individuals who use these devices to quit smoking is not fully understood. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to reanalyze data from the Evaluating the Efficacy of e-Cigarette Use for Smoking Cessation (E3) trial to assess the causal effects of e-cigarette use on change in body weight. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of the E3 trial in which participants were randomized into 3 groups: nicotine e-cigarettes plus counseling, nonnicotine e-cigarettes plus counseling, and counseling alone. With adjustment for baseline variables and the follow-up smoking abstinence status, weight changes were compared between the groups from baseline to 12 weeks' follow-up. Intention-to-treat and as-treated analyses were conducted using doubly robust estimation. Further causal analysis used 2 different propensity scoring methods to estimate causal regression curves for 4 smoking-related continuous variables. We evaluated 5 different subsets of data for each method. Selection bias was addressed, and missing data were imputed by the machine learning method extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). RESULTS: A total of 257 individuals with measured weight at week 12 (mean age: 52, SD 12 y; women: n=122, 47.5%) were included. Across the 3 treatment groups, of the 257 participants, 204 (79.4%) who continued to smoke had, on average, largely unchanged weight at 12 weeks, with comparable mean weight gain ranging from -0.24 kg to 0.33 kg, while 53 (20.6%) smoking-abstinent participants gained weight, with a mean weight gain ranging from 2.05 kg to 2.70 kg. After adjustment, our analyses showed that the 2 e-cigarette arms exhibited a mean gain of 0.56 kg versus the counseling alone arm. The causal regression curves analysis also showed no strong evidence supporting a causal relationship between weight gain and the 3 e-cigarette-related variables. e-Cigarettes have small and variable causal effects on weight gain associated with smoking cessation. CONCLUSIONS: In the E3 trial, e-cigarettes seemed to have minimal effects on mitigating the weight gain observed in individuals who smoke and subsequently quit at 3 months. However, given the modest sample size and the potential underuse of e-cigarettes among those randomized to the e-cigarette treatment arms, these results need to be replicated in large, adequately powered trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02417467; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02417467.