Low Level Of Nutrition Research Articles

Feeding of the crab Eriphia gonagra (Fabricius, 1781) (Decapoda: Brachyura: Eriphiidae) as a tool to assess the impacts of oil spills

ABSTRACT This study aimed to observe changes in the diet of crab Eriphia gonagra due to the oil spill that occurred in 2019 on two beaches on the Pernambuco coast (Gaibu and Carneiros Beach) Northeastern, Brazil. Changes in the species feeding were investigated considering the periods before, during, and after of the spill and correlated with the analysis of sediment contamination Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Trace Metals (TM). 160 specimens were analysed. 24 food items were found, with a prevalence of Mollusca (fragment) and Macroalgae in the diet. There was no detection of oil fragments in the stomachs of animals, however, different patterns were observed in the feeding of the species studied in the BEF, DUR, and AFT periods of the spill. A generalist habit, it was possible to observe changes in captured items, thus we observed a diet with low nutritional levels caused mainly in impacted environments. Two factors may be prevalent in explaining the impacts caused by the feeding of E. gonagra in Carneiros Beach. The first was the decrease in prey that died after the arrival of the oil, the second was the lasting effects of contaminants on the predation capacity of the species.

A Healthy Conversation Skills intervention to support changes to physical activity and dietary behaviours in community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Physical activity (PA) and nutrition are important determinants of health in late adulthood. However, low levels of PA and poor nutrition are common in older adults and have become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesised that Healthy Conversation Skills could be used to support health behaviour changes beneficial for health in older adults and thus conducted a study nested within the UK Hertfordshire Cohort Study. Between November 2019 and March 2020, 176 participants were visited at home. A trained researcher administered a questionnaire and undertook anthropometric and physical performance tests. A total of 89 participants were randomised to the control group and received a healthy living leaflet; 87 participants in the intervention group were interviewed using Healthy Conversation Skills at the initial visit with follow-up telephone calls at 1, 3, 6 and 9 months. Follow-up at 1 year by postal questionnaire assessed change in PA and diet. In total, 155 participants (79 control and 76 intervention) completed the baseline and 1-year follow-up. At baseline, median (lower quartile, upper quartile) age (years) was 83.1 (81.5, 85.5) and median PA time (min/day) from walking, cycling and sports was 30.0 (15.0, 60.0). In total, 95% of participants completed the intervention; the total response rate for postal questionnaires was 94%. There were no statistically significant differences in outcomes between the trial arms. In women, there was a tendency for greater increases in diet quality in the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.075), while among men, there was a tendency for reduced decline in self-reported physical function in the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.081). We have shown that it is viable to utilise Healthy Conversation Skills via telephone to promote healthier lifestyles in older adults. Larger appropriately powered studies to determine the efficacy of such an intervention are now warranted.

Do proportions of rooting ramets in the clone affect the overall growth of the stoloniferous clonal plant Zoysia japonica?

AbstractIt is naturally common that different proportions of ramets in a clone lose rooting conditions due to habitat stress or obstacles, which potentially affects the overall growth of the clonal plant to different extents. However, so far, little attention has been paid to such phenomena and much less to the underlying ecological mechanisms. Taking Zoysia japonica as material, through an experiment with two nutrition levels in the habitats and five rooting ramet proportions in the clones, the impacts of proportions of rooting ramets in the clone on the overall growth were tested and the ecological mechanisms were analyzed. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the total clonal biomasses among the clones with five rooting ramet proportions under high and low nutrition levels, except for that with 0% rooting ramet proportion. Under both high and low nutrition levels, the lower rooting ramet proportions (0% and 25%) in the clones significantly decreased the number of the so‐called A‐ and B‐ramets, root biomass, stolon length per unit biomass, and root–shoot ratio, but significantly increased the stolon biomass of the clones. Stolon elongation was promoted under high nutrient level, and biomass allocations to stolons and roots increased under low nutrition levels. A‐ramet biomasses accounted for about 50% and 30% of the total biomasses of the whole clone under high and low nutrition levels, respectively. These results might be reasonably explained in terms of clonal integration, compensatory growth, division of labor, and bet‐hedging strategy.

Effects of Two Different Straw Pellets on Yak Growth Performance and Ruminal Microbiota during Cold Season.

The Tianzhu white yaks (Bos grunniens) live on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. During winter, a lack of resources and low nutritional levels seriously affect their growth performance. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of supplementation straw pellets on the growth performance and ruminal microbiota of yaks. Overall, at 6 (6M, n = 24), 18 (18M, n = 26), 30 (30M, n = 20), 42 (42M, n = 24), and 54 (54M, n = 22) month old Tianzhu white yaks were selected (total n = 116) and divided into the mixed straw + grazing (MSG), corn straw + grazing (CSG), and the grazing control (G) groups according to age and gender. Their growth performance was measured as per different dietary treatments. The rumen microbial community structure and levels of VFAs were analyzed from the 6M, 30M, and 54M male yaks from each group. The supplementary diets led to an increase in the ADG, which was the highest in the MSG group. The MSG group exhibited the highest level of acetate and total VFAs (TVFAs) among the three groups (p < 0.05). In addition, the 16S rRNA sequencing results proved that the microbial composition was dominated by the members of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Christensenellaceae R-7 group was significantly abundant in the CSG and MSG groups compared to the G group (p < 0.05). Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) revealed that the bacterial community structure of rumen in the MSG and CSG groups was considerably different from that in the G group; 6M samples exhibited different rumen microbial diversity compared with the other samples. Correlation analysis revealed that Christensenellaceae_R-7_group was positively correlated with the levels of acetate, TVFAs, and ADG. These results demonstrated that mixed straw pellets improved the growth performance of yaks, increased the abundance of Christensenellaceae R-7_group involved in cellulose degradation in the rumen, and produced large amounts of VFAs, which were absorbed by yaks, thus increasing their ADG. This study provides new insights into the effects of straw pellet supplementation on the changes in the rumen microbiota and growth performance of yaks.

Incident of Sore Throat History among Patients with Rheumatic Fever

Introduction: The incidence of rheumatic fever is decreasing day by day in Bangladesh. Recent advances in the diagnosis and management of Rheumatic fever are demanding a review of the cause of Rheumatic fever. The illness may present itself in several ways, such as carditis, arthritis, chorea, subcutaneous nodules, and the recognizable erythema marginatum rash [2]. Aim of the Study: The aim of the study was to observe the rate of sore throat in patients with rheumatic fever. Methods: This retrospective study was carried out at the National Centre for control of Rheumatic fever and heart disease, Sher-c-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. The study period was 11 months, starting from January 2019 to November 2019. The study was performed on recorded data of 300 patients with Rheumatic fever. Result: The present study showed that 30 (10%) patients out of 300 came with an acute sore throat, 216 (72%) patients with a history of sore throat, and 54 (18%) patients with no history of sore throat either acute or past. Rheumatic fever is undoubtedly a morbid one but can be prevented at its beginning by primary prophylactic measures. Conclusion: Rheumatic fever is a disease, which usually follows streptococcal infection of the throat. The study's underlying presumptions appear to overstate rather than understate the dangers of non-antibiotic sore throat treatment. Low socio-economic status, poverty, illiteracy; overcrowding, low levels of nutrition and non-immunization status were the predisposing factors in the causation of rheumatic fever.

THE EFFECT OF FEEDING LEVEL ON THE GENETIC RESISTANCE OF LOCAL BREEDS INFECTED WITH HAEMONCHUS CONTORTUS

Sixty sheep of three local breeds (Awassi, Hamdani, Karadi) of age, 6-8 months were divided to two groups, the first fed on low level of nutrition. Each group then divided into Two subgroups, the first was infected with 500 larvae / Kg Haemonchus contortus &amp; the second was used as a control. Egg G. fecal sample, staple length, P. c. v. Hb; weight gain were recorded weekly for 13 week post infection. Results revealed that all sheep traits of low level nutrition were significantly (P&lt;0.01) more affected than high level nutrition group. Awassi breed was more reistant to infection with H. contortus than Hamdani &amp; Karadi breeds.

Analysis and Comparison of Early Childhood Nutritional Outcomes Among Offspring of Chinese Women Under the Chinese 2021 and US 2009 Gestational Weight Gain Guidelines

In 2009, the US National Academy of Medicine (NAM) released revised gestational weight gain (GWG) guidelines, which were established primarily for White North American women and may be unsuitable for Asian women. In 2021, the Chinese Nutrition Society (CNS) released its GWG guidelines, but their applicability requires re-examination. To compare the differences between the CNS and NAM recommendations for GWG in association with health outcomes in the offspring of Chinese women. In this bidirectional cohort study, children in China were recruited at age 3 years from 2017 to 2018, with 2 follow-up visits over the next 2 years (between September 2017 and September 2020). Information during pregnancy was retrieved from medical records. Data analysis was performed from October 2021 to January 2022. GWG was classified as insufficient, appropriate, or excessive according to the CNS and NAM guidelines separately. Children's height, weight, fat mass, fat-free mass, and percentage of body fat were measured at each visit. Body mass index, fat mass index, fat-free mass index, weighted κ score, risk ratio values, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated. A total of 3822 children (1996 boys and 1826 girls; mean [SD] age, 3.79 [0.30] years) were enrolled; after exclusions, 3170 term singleton children were recruited and were followed at 4 and 5 years of age. According to the CNS guidelines, the prevalence rates were 14.1% for insufficient GWG, 48.1% for appropriate GWG, and 37.9% for excessive GWG, whereas the rates according to NAM guidelines were 39.7% for insufficient GWG, 37.2% for appropriate GWG, and 23.1% for excessive GWG. The weighted κ value for the classification agreement between the 2 guidelines was 0.530 (95% CI, 0.510-0.550). For the appropriate GWG group, the rates for low nutritional levels did not differ between the 2 guidelines, but the rates for high nutritional levels were significantly lower under CNS guidelines than under NAM guidelines. When the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV with respect to the mothers who maintained appropriate GWG were used to estimate the nonhigh nutritional status of their offspring, generally higher values based on the CNS guidelines were found compared with those based on the NAM recommendations. These findings suggest that the GWG recommendations promulgated by the NAM are higher than the CNS guidelines, with the latter more suitable for Chinese women.

Halobacterium salinarum NRC-1 Sustains Voltage Production in a Dual-Chambered Closed Microbial Fuel Cell.

Sustained bioenergy production from organisms that thrive in high salinity, low oxygen, and low nutrition levels is useful in monitoring hypersaline polluted environments. Microbial fuel cell (MFC) studies utilizing single species halophiles under salt concentrations higher than 1 M and as a closed microbial system are limited. The current study aimed to establish baseline voltage, current, and power density from a dual-chambered MFC utilizing the halophile Halobacterium salinarum NRC-1. MFC performance was determined with two different electrode sizes (5 cm2 and 10 cm2), under oscillating and nonoscillating conditions, as well as in a stacked series. A closed dual-chamber MFC system of 100 mL capacity was devised with Halobacterium media (4.3 M salt concentration) as both anolyte and catholyte, with H. salinarum NRC-1 being the anodic organism. The MFC measured electrical output over 7, 14, 28, and 42 days. MFC output increased with 5 cm2 sized electrodes under nonoscillating (p < 0.0001) relative to oscillating conditions. However, under oscillating conditions, doubling the electrode size increased MFC output significantly (p = 0.01). The stacked series MFC, with an electrode size of 10 cm2, produced the highest power density (1.2672 mW/m2) over 14 days under oscillation. Our results highlight the potentiality of H. salinarum as a viable anodic organism to produce sustained voltage in a closed-MFC system.

Cognition, behavior and demand of iodine nutrition in residents of North China Region from 2019 to 2020

To evaluate residents in North China cognition level of iodine nutrition and their intention to evaluate individual iodine status. From February 2019 to June 2020, randomly selected six provinces and cities in north China and more than three cities or areas, then randomly selected local investigators and distributed questionnaires to urban and rural residents. The questionnaire was divided into three parts: basic information, iodine nutrition knowledge, iodine status evaluation demand and approaches. Finally, there are 740 questionnaires were included. The scores of iodine knowledge of the subjects were generally low, about 71.22% of the subjects with less than 6 points(full score of 12 points). Residents who did not know how to choose the type of salt accounted for 25.14%. Provinces and cities with low utilization rate of iodized salt(Tianjin, Shandong) had higher requirements for salt use guidance and iodine status evaluation. The awareness rate of the subjects to the harm of iodine deficiency was low(34.46%), especially the hazard to pregnant women and infants(7.57%, 4.59%). Subjects had a high demand for using wechat mini-program or kit to evaluate individual iodine nutrition(87.45%, 89.39%). At present, residents in North China have a low cognitive level of iodine nutrition, which lead to them the doubts when choosing salt types. The selection of iodized salt can be effectively guided by propagating iodine nutrition knowledge and promoting accurate iodine nutrition evaluation.

Photometric method of response to changes in potato varieties to nitrogen stress

Relevance. The use of non-invasive photometric methods for assessing the stress states of plants makes it possible to assess the physiological state and resistance of plants.Material and methods. In small-field and vegetation experiments, we studied the photometric indicators of the physiological response of potato varieties (reflection coefficients in different ranges) to nitrogen stress created by five doses of fertilizers using contact (N-tester) and remote (N-sensor) methods.Results. Potato varieties released for the conditions of the North-Western region of the Russian Federation were studied for their ability to withstand stress provided by low and high levels of nitrogen nutrition of plants and different weights of planting tubers. The resistance of plants of different genotypes to external and internal stressors was studied by the reflection coefficients measured in 4 channels, which characterized the differences in the physiological state of plants. Ensuring the potential genotypic resistance of the organism in the form of a decrease in FIS F1,3 corresponds to the inclusion of various mechanisms of plant adaptation to external or internal influences, depending on the genotype. In the vegetative experiment, of the studied photo-optical reflection coefficients, the most informative were the FIS F1,3 indicators, which showed that the overall viability of such varieties as Peterburgsky, Charodey and Kholmogorsky turned out to be increased. The reaction type of the Kholmogorsky variety is the most promising for growing plants under stress conditions.

Influence of feeding level on the formation of milk productivity of dry cows

The materials of the publication demonstrate the results of scientific research conducted on Simmental cattle in the farm “Pchany-Denkovych” Stryy district of the Lviv region. The research is based on optimizing the normalized feeding of cows during the start-up period. The diets of experimental animals include low, medium, and high levels of energy nutrition according to detailed standards. The study was conducted on three groups of Simmental cows with eight heads each. The analysis of the obtained results showed that the different levels of energy nutrition of experimental animals did not significantly affect the hematological parameters; their level was within physiological norms for healthy animals. Estimating the intensity of metabolic processes in the body of dry cows was carried out based on the contents of the scar. There was a probable increase in the number of amylo- and cellulolytic bacteria, the number of which prevailed (the second and third groups) in comparison with the control by 1.42–2.32 and 2.32–2.53 million/ml. A similar pattern was observed for the number of proteolytic bacteria. The increase in these populations of microorganisms contributed to their enzymatic activity, which led to a probable increase in the number of LVH, which are precursors of milk fat. According to the indicators of live weight gain during the dry season, animals of the second and third groups had an advantage. Physicochemical parameters of milk were also better in these groups of cows; the higher the level of nutrition, the higher the fat, protein content in milk. A similar analogy is observed for the dynamics of the live weight of calves, which is directly proportional to the level of feeding cows during the dry season. For four months, the calves of the experimental groups had higher growth energy (6.7–10.5 % compared to the control). The control over the level of milk productivity of cows after calving was carried out according to control milk yields, which showed that the hopes for lactation in the experimental groups were 7.2–8.0 % higher than in the control group. This is because the animals of the experimental groups, due to the higher level of feeding according to detailed standards in the dry season, deposited more nutrients in the body and thus provided a higher level of milk productivity. Therefore, the conducted research gives grounds to recommend the farm to use high and medium levels of energy nutrition for cows during the dry season.

Prevalence and factors associated with Anaemia in Married Women of Reproductive age group: Evidence from North East India.

The prevalence of anaemia and its continuous growth, especially among women, is a global health concern. The present study aims to examine the prevalence of anaemia and its determinants in the North Eastern region of India. The study used secondary data from the National Family Health Survey 2015-2016 on women of reproductive age group in India. The data were adjusted for sampling weight, stratification and cluster sampling design for analysis. Binary logistic regression and multivariable regression analysis were performed to determine factors associated with anaemia. Of the 65941 participants, 25993 (40%) had anaemia. High prevalence of mild or moderate anaemia was found among women with following socio-demographic characteristics: residing in the rural area (41.20%), having no education (43.07%), belonging to the low-income family (43.39%), having a well as source of drinking water (46.29%), using the traditional method of contraception (44.55%), underweight (42.18%) and those who had first delivery before 20 years of age (40.66%). Logistic regression (adjusted odds ratio) showed that women in the following categories were more likely to develop anaemia: in the age-group of 35-49 years, with no education, with poor wealth, having low nutrition levels; using traditional contraception and women who ate pulses or fish once a week. Alarming rates of anaemia (two in every five), found in the study, need effective strategies for fortification of iron supplement among women. Generation of mass awareness in this regard by utilizing the ongoing adolescent, maternal, child health and nutrition programmes will help in reducing the incidence of anaemia among women.

The Effect of Nutrition Education with Monopoly and Leaflet on The Nutritional Knowledge Levels and Consumption Pattern Among 5th Grade Elementary School Students in Surabaya

In this era, many school-age children have unbalanced and unhealthy eating behaviors. Low nutritional knowledge levels cause the issues. This paper analyzes the differences in nutritional knowledge levels and consumption patterns before and after nutrition education with monopoly media and leaflets among 5th-grade elementary school students in Surabaya. The research method used a quasi-experimental design. The population was 170 5th grade elementary school students at SDN I and SDN II Surabaya. In addition, this study utilized probability sampling with a sample of 90 students. Next, data analysis used the Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests with a significant level of α 0.05. There were differences in nutritional knowledge levels before and after nutrition education with monopoly media in both schools (p=0.000). Meanwhile, there were no differences in nutritional knowledge levels before and after nutrition education with leaflet media (SDN I Surabaya p=0.073 and SDN II Surabaya p=0.052). In addition, both schools had differences in consumption patterns before and after nutrition education with monopoly media (p=0.000). However, there were no differences in consumption patterns before and after nutrition education with leaflet media (at SDN I Surabaya p=0.301 and SDN II Surabaya p=0.307). Nutrition education with monopoly media is more effective in improving nutritional knowledge levels and consumption patterns than leaflet media in 5th-grade students. Further research could compare monopoly with other EGT (educational game tools, such as snakes and ladders nutrition or nutrition puzzle.

Pattern Of Infections In Custodial Deaths – A Forensic Autopsy Study

Background: In a country like India, the prisoner cells are not well structured. For instance prisons are known to be a high risk environment for infections like tuberculosis (TB), HIV, HCV, HBV etc. due to overcrowding, low levels of nutrition, poor infection control and lack of accessible healthcare services. This study is an effort to know about the pattern of infections in custodial death cases detected during post mortem examination. Aims and Objectives: To determine the common infections and to know the mortality caused by infections among prisoners in custody, people in police custody and mentally ill patients in mental health institute in Punjab.Methods:This cross sectional study of 100 cases of custodial deaths from 1st Jan 2019 to 4thMay 2021, was carried out in the Forensic Medicine department in collaboration with department of Microbiology, Govt. Medical College, Amritsar.Results:Klebsiella Pneumoniae (37.5%) is more common in age group of 10-30 years while Staphylococcus Aureus (35.9%) infection was more common in the age group of 31 to 50 years. Incidence of positive growth of infections was slightly more in female inmates (76.9%) as compared to the males (75.9%). Inmates from urban area background showed more growth of Staphylococcus Aureus (35.7%) than from rural area background(25%).Conclusions:Timely medical diagnosis and treatment of each prisoner with availability of good doctors are the important issues relating to the healthcare of the individuals in custody.

ИНСОНДА ЯШИРИНЧА ОЧЛИКНИ ҚИСҚАРТИРИШ – СОҒЛОМ УМРНИ УЗАЙТИРИШ ВА АҚЛ-ЗАКОВАТНИ РИВОЖЛАНТИРИШНИНГ АСОСИЙ ОМИЛИ

The consequences of hidden famine we usually thought - military, humanistic, natural disasters or extreme weather conditions. In this regard, according to FAO experts, today every third of the world's population will suffer from one or more types of malnutrition or it is called «hidden starvation», and so they get sick because of it. This is a deficiency of vitamin elements, more precisely invisible minerals, this is hidden starvation, because there are all kinds of products on the table, but they do not matter biologically. That is, they are mainly, for example, bread products, but you need to consume vitamins and minerals like fruits, vegetables, animals and from a variety of plant sources of the product. In addition, nuts, legumes, that is, to eat foods rich in trace elements. We know that in the Union in six countries of the former region there was a problem of a very low level of nutrition. In general, our country also faces a problem with various types of nutrition, but these issues can be solved

The effect of tillage in combination with the use of fertilizers and protective equipment on the yield and economic efficiency of crop cultivation in the North-Eastern region of the central chernozem zone

The studies were carried out on typical chernozem. The purpose of the research was to develop resource-saving technological methods of crop cultivation, ensuring an increase in yield and economic efficiency of production. The work was carried out in a long-term stationary field experiment against the background of two types of crop rotations: in 2007-2010 – grain-fallow-hoe (black fallow – winter wheat – sugar beet – barley) and in 2013-2020 – grain-fallow (black fallow – winter wheat – soy – barley). Four systems of basic tillage were compared in the grain-fallow-hoe crop rotation: traditional dump multi-depth, surface, non-dump multi-depth, combined (25% dump + 75% non-dump). There are five tillage systems in the grain-fallow crop rotation, with the inclusion of a combined system in the experiment scheme (25% dump + 75% surface). Fertilizers and plant protection products were used against the background of treatments for crop rotation cultures. The best conditions for the formation of crop yields, arable land productivity in crop rotations and the best economic indicators are formed with combined (25% dump and 75% non-dump) and (25% dump + 75% surface) tillage systems in combination with a low level of mineral nutrition and plant protection products. An increase in the level of mineral nutrition in crop rotations without the use of plant protection products leads to a significant decrease in the economic efficiency of production.

Association between the Sociodemographic Characteristics of Parents with Health-Related and Lifestyle Markers of Children in Three Different Spanish-Speaking Countries: An Inter-Continental Study at OECD Country Level.

The purpose of this cross-cultural study was to determine the association between the sociodemographic background of a child’s parents (i.e., their socioeconomic level, marital status, and educational level) with the child’s lifestyle (i.e., Mediterranean diet (MD), physical activity (PA) and screen time (ST)), and health markers. Material: This cross-sectional study included 1273 children, from Chile (n = 496), Colombia (n = 340), and Spain (n = 437). The sociodemographic information together with the lifestyle and health markers of the children were measured. There was an inverse association between a low or medium-low socioeconomic level for the parents of Chilean children and handgrip strength (β −0.61, p < 0.001); meanwhile, for Spanish children, an inverse association between a low or medium-low socioeconomic level and PA after school (β −0.58, p = 0.016), lifestyle (β −0.74, p = 0.015), and with MD adherence (β −0.86, p = 0.004) was found. The risk (i.e., by odd ratios (OR)) of being divorced/separated parents marital status showed an inverse association with abdominal obesity (OR 0.21, p = 0.045) in Spanish children; however, the parent’s marital status and a low educational level were risk factors for the suffering of a low nutritional level in Colombian children (OR 2.02, p = 0.048; OR 2.49, p < 0.001, respectively). On the other hand, a low educational level for parents reported for Chilean children had a positive association with ST of ≥4 h per day (OR 1.82, p = 0.020). In conclusion, in Spanish-speaking children, the lifestyle and health markers of the children are affected by the sociodemographic background of their parents; however, these effects could be moderated by the socio-cultural and economic status of their countries as members of the OCDE; therefore, it is essential to develop policies that decrease these gaps, so that children who are under-resourced can reach their full potential.

Dietary pattern changes over Africa and its implication for land requirements for food

With socioeconomic development, the shift from staple food-based to diversified and nutrition-dense diet types will put pressure on land resources in Africa. In order to elaborate the impact of dietary pattern on arable land resources, we classify all African countries into five clusters according to their dietary characteristics and the change patterns of diet, and assess how much land needed for each cluster to feed its people from 1961 to 2011. We then quantify the contributions of dietary pattern, along with population growth and agricultural technology, to the land requirements for food (LRF) for each cluster. Most clusters’ dietary patterns in Africa were dominated by staple food and at low nutritional levels, lagging far behind those of developed regions, with great potential for change. Throughout the whole time period, population growth, rather than diet, was the major driver of the LRF. But after 1991, the contribution of dietary pattern gradually increased and exceeded the contribution of agricultural productivity for all five dietary clusters. Our results show that more research should focus on how to sustainably increase animal-derived food productivity. Meanwhile, a call for more researches needs to focus on the diet and its impact on food and nutrition security, especially in less-developed areas. As the African cities have been rapidly sprawling, it is important to focus on the interaction between food security and urbanization in Africa.

Development of weaning food with prebiotic effects based on roasted or extruded quinoa and millet flour.

Weaning is the gradual process of introducing solids or semisolid foods into an infant's diet, in order to ensure their healthy growth. This study developed two kinds of formula weaning food based on roasted or extruded quinoa and millet flour, and evaluated their quality. A fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS)/galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) mix was added to provide the prebiotic potential. The protein contents of the roasted quinoa-millet complementary food (RQMCF) and extruded quinoa-millet complementary food (EQMCF) were 16.7% and 17.74% higher, respectively, than that of commercial millet complementary food (CMCF). Both RQMCF and EQMCF provided sufficient levels of energy and minerals. Extrusion provided the foods with a lower viscosity, and higher solubility and water absorption ability than roasting. In vitro digestion results showed that EQMCF exhibited the highest starch and protein digestibility (89.76% and 88.72%, respectively) followed by RQMCF (87.75% and 86.63%) and CMCF (83.35% and 81.54%). The digestas of RQMCF and EQMCF after in vitro digestion exhibited prebiotic effects by promoting the growth of the probiotics (Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus delbrueckii). These results will contribute to developing complementary weaning foods for infants. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study has shown that extrusion is an efficient and stable processing method for producing infant complementary foods with low density, balanced nutrition, and high levels of starch and protein digestibility. Extruded quinoa-millet prebiotic complementary food can also promote the proliferation of probiotics. This will provide a new direction for developing novel infant formula weaning foods.

Effects of low and high levels of maternal nutrition consumed for the entirety of gestation on the development of muscle, adipose tissue, bone, and the organs of Wagyu cattle fetuses.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of high and low levels of energy intake during the entire gestation period on the skeletal muscle development, organ development, and adipose tissue accumulation in fetuses of Wagyu (Japanese Black) cows, a breed with highly marbled beef. Cows were allocated to a high‐nutrition (n = 6) group (fed 120% of the nutritional requirement) or low‐nutrition (n = 6) group (fed 60% of the nutritional requirement). The cows were artificially inseminated with semen from the same sire, and the fetuses were removed by cesarean section at 260 ± 8.3 days of fetal age and slaughtered. The whole‐body, total muscle, adipose, and bone masses of the fetal half‐carcasses were significantly higher in the high‐nutrition group than the low‐nutrition group (p = 0.0018, 0.009, 0.0004, and 0.0362, respectively). Fifteen of 20 individual muscles, five of six fat depots, nine of 17 organs, and seven of 12 bones that were investigated had significantly higher masses in the high‐nutrition group than the low‐nutrition group. The crude components and amino acid composition of the longissimus muscle significantly differed between the low‐ and high‐nutrition groups. These data indicate that maternal nutrition during gestation has a marked effect on the muscle, bone, and adipose tissue development of Wagyu cattle fetuses.