Meal Weight Research Articles

Does emotional eating status affect food addiction of paramedics? A cross-sectional study

PurposeParamedics are responsible for managing emergencies, caring for patients and performing life-saving procedures under heavy workloads, which can have a significant negative effect on their emotional eating and food addiction (FA) behaviors. Thus, this cross-sectional study aims to shed light on the relationship between emotional eating tendencies and FA in paramedics by considering their food preferences, sex, and body mass index (BMI) factors.Design/methodology/approachThe questionnaire consisted of Yale Food Addiction Scale and Emotional Eating Questionnaire (EEQ), as well as sex, age, weight, height and number of snacks and main meals collected face-to-face from the 196 paramedics.FindingsThe FA prevalence was 14.9%, and more than half of the paramedics were emotional eaters. The total score of the EEQ was significantly higher in the FA diagnosed group than in the group FA not diagnosed (p < 0.001). The food preferences of the paramedics were found to differ significantly depending on whether they were diagnosed with FA or emotional eating. Being a food addict or emotional eater significantly increases the odds of consuming chocolate-wafer, pie-cake, chips, pastries, pasta and fries (p < 0.05), and participants with FA diagnosis and emotional eaters were more likely to prefer these foods than those with nondiagnosis and nonemotional eaters (p < 0.05).Originality/valueFindings highlighted the connection between FA and the emotional eating behavior of paramedics, indicating that they attempt to compensate for their emotional ups and downs through eating. The job-related stress and emotional eating behaviors of paramedics may increase their BMI and susceptibility to FA.

Development of Automatic Object Lifter

Food service is the most significant part of running a successful restaurant. Precise and consistent food order distribution must be synchronized to achieve a remarkable operation. As the food business industry develops, the quality of the technology goes down. It now becomes the burden of the owners, especially on the workers. Developing an automated dumbwaiter with High Torque DC Motor and 1-kg load cell w/ HX711 Amplifier was conceptualized to solve this problem. The study aims to design, fabricate, and test the functionality of an Arduino-based automatic object lifter that will convey the corresponding meal to the following floor. The circuitry comprises an Arduino Uno, 1-kg Load Cell, HX711 Load Cell Amplifier, LCD Display 20x4 HD44780 Controller, Rotary Switch, Limit Switch, L298N Motor Driver, and a High Torque DC Motor. The system begins to operate after the load cell is calibrated. After this, the food was placed on a tray over the top of the dumbwaiter with a 1-kg load cell underneath. The meal weights will be set accordingly and saved as data when the microcontroller analyses the values given by the load cell and HX711 module. The dumbwaiter has only three meals available. Every meal comprises three different combinations of food items per tray, for a maximum of 1 kg. For the first meal: 1-pc Chicken w/ Rice &amp; Drinks, second meal: Spaghetti w/ Fries &amp; Drinks, and the third meal: Burger w/ Fries &amp; Drinks. Whenever there are discrepancies in the weights of the food items, it prevents the system's operation. The dumbwaiter carries the meals up to the next floor. As the dumbwaiter hits the plunger of the limit switch, it instantly stops. Generally, the prototype was functional, with an average transport time of 13.584 seconds and a limit switch-breaking system of 0.5 milliseconds.

Nutrient composition of plant-based fast-food meals and their omnivore counterparts: A cross-sectional analysis of e-menus

ObjectivesFast food chains have introduced many plant-based meals to their menus. We aimed to compare the nutrient composition and allergenic content of plant-based (vegan or vegetarian) meals in fast food chains with their animal-based equivalents. MethodsE-menus from 50 fast food chains across 5 countries (Australia, Canada, Poland, the UK, and the US) were analyzed. Data on meal type, weight, calories, macronutrients, sodium, fiber, and allergen presence were gathered. Plant-based meals were matched with meat counterparts, where the latter shared the same meal type, originated from the same country and chain, and showed a weight difference of less than 10%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. ResultsFrom n = 2455 records, n = 1868 unique meals were matched. Plant-based meals showed lower odds ratios (OR) for protein (OR, 0.10; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08–0.14) and sodium (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.55–0.90) and higher odds for carbohydrates (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.41–2.49), sugar (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.12–1.82), and fiber (OR, 4.87; 95% CI, 3.60–6.63) compared with omnivorous meals, adjusted for country, meal type, and meal weight. Notably, plant-based and omnivorous meals were not associated with total caloric content. Separate analyses of vegetarian and vegan meals yielded similar results. Omnivorous meals more frequently contained allergens such as dairy, eggs, fish, shellfish, and mustard, whereas plant-based meals more likely contained allergens such as sesame, seeds, and nuts. ConclusionsPlant-based fast food meals were more likely to contain more carbohydrates, sugar, and fiber and less protein and sodium than their animal-based counterparts. These findings emphasize the importance of informed food choices in the fast food context.

Video augmentation of the WHO cone assay to quantify mosquito behavioural responses to insecticide-treated nets

BackgroundInsecticide-treated nets (ITNs) using pyrethroids have been the main vector control tools deployed in malaria endemic countries and are responsible for the dramatic reduction in African malaria cases in the early 2000s. The World Health Organization (WHO) cone test was designed to assess the rapid toxicity effects of pyrethroid exposure on mosquito vectors but has yielded no insights beyond 60-min knockdown and 24-h mortality. As dual-active-ingredient (AI) ITNs become more widespread, bioassays that can provide realistic assessment of single- and dual-treated ITNs (i.e. nets with more than one active ingredient) are urgently needed.MethodsWe present an augmentation of the cone test that enables accurate quantification of vector behavioural responses (specifically movement, spatial and temporal occupancy) to ITNs using video recording and bespoke software that uses background segmentation methods to detect spatial changes in the movement of mosquitoes within the cone. Four strains of Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.l.) were exposed to four ITNs (PermaNet 2.0, PermaNet 3.0, Olyset Net, Interceptor G2) and untreated nets in these modified cone tests. Life history data (post-exposure blood-feeding, blood meal weight, longevity) for individual mosquitoes were recorded.ResultsAll mosquitoes responded to the presence of ITNs, spending from 1.48 to 3.67 times more time in the upper region of the cone, depending on the ITN type. Of all ITNs, PermaNet 2.0 provoked the smallest change in behavioural response. Activity in the cone influenced observed post-exposure longevity, and in resistant strains exposed to Interceptor G2, the higher the activity, the greater the risk of dying, as long as the proportion of activity at the net surface was less than 50%. All ITNs inhibited blood-feeding, and smaller blood meals were taken when mosquitoes fed.ConclusionsThe additional mosquito behaviour data obtained by using this modification to the WHO cone test provides unique insight into the innate responses of different mosquito strains on untreated nets and the entomological mode of action of ITNs, important evidence when evaluating ITN characteristics.Graphical

Children’s Energy Intake Generally Increases in Response to the Energy Density of Meals but Varies with the Amounts and Types of Foods Served

BackgroundFood energy density (ED; kcal/g) is positively related to energy intake in numerous studies. A recent secondary analysis proposed that when the ED of consumed food is above a breakpoint, adults sense calories and adjust meal size to minimize overconsumption. ObjectivesWe conducted a secondary analysis of measured intakes in preschool children to assess how meal energy intake was related to meal ED as well as to meal portions, eating occasions, and menus. MethodsWe analyzed weighed intakes from 6355 meals served to 94 children aged 3 to 5 y in 2 randomized crossover trials. We provided children with all their daily food and milk for multiple periods of 5 consecutive days in their usual childcare setting. We used linear mixed models with repeated measures to analyze the effects on energy intake of meal ED and meal weight, either as served or as consumed. ResultsEnergy intake at meals was related to the ED and portions of served food and also to the ED and weight of consumed food (all P < 0.0001). Energy intake was also significantly affected by the eating occasion and the foods served on the menus. Children selectively ate higher-ED items, which were served in smaller amounts than lower-ED options. Meal energy intake was curvilinear across consumed ED; it initially increased (slope: 113 ± 2 kcal/ED unit) but decreased at higher-ED meals (deceleration: −11 ± 1 kcal/ED unit2) without evidence of a clear breakpoint. This trajectory may be attributable to the relatively limited portions of higher-ED foods that were served. ConclusionsChildren’s energy intake generally increased with greater ED; at higher-ED meals, however, energy intake decreased in a curvilinear manner without a clear breakpoint. This reduction in intake at higher ED could be explained by meal-related factors such as the portions served rather than by sensitivity to meal energy content.This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03010501 and NCT03242863.

Validation of computational models to characterize cumulative intake curves from video-coded meals.

Observational coding of eating behaviors (e.g., bites, eating rate) captures behavioral characteristics but is limited in its ability to capture dynamic patterns (e.g., temporal changes) across a meal. While the Universal Eating Monitor captures dynamic patterns of eating through cumulative intake curves, it is not commonly used in children due to strict behavioral protocols. Therefore, the objective of this study was to test the ability of computational models to characterize cumulative intake curves from video-coded meals without the use of continuous meal weight measurement. Cumulative intake curves were estimated using Kisslieff's Quadratic model and Thomas's logistic ordinary differential equation (LODE) model. To test if cumulative intake curves could be characterized from video-coded meals, three different types of data were simulated: (1) Constant Bite: simplified cumulative intake data; (2) Variable Bite: continuously measured meal weight data; and (3) Bite Measurement Error: video-coded meals that require the use of average bite size rather than measured bite size. Performance did not differ by condition, which was assessed by examining model parameter recovery, goodness of fit, and prediction error. Therefore, the additional error incurred by using average bite size as one would with video-coded meals did not impact the ability to accurately estimate cumulative intake curves. While the Quadratic and LODE models were comparable in their ability to characterize cumulative intake curves, the LODE model parameters were more distinct than the Quadradic model. Greater distinctness suggests the LODE model may be more sensitive to individual differences in cumulative intake curves. Characterizing cumulative intake curves from video-coded meals expands our ability to capture dynamic patterns of eating behaviors in populations that are less amenable to strict protocols such as children and individuals with disordered eating. This will improve our ability to identify patterns of eating behavior associated with overconsumption and provide new opportunities for treatment.

Children with lower ratings of executive functions have a greater response to the portion size effect

Deficits in executive functions (EFs), a set of cognitive processes related to self-regulation, are associated with the development of obesity. Prior studies from our group showed that lower food-cue related activation in brain regions implicated in self-regulation was related to a larger portion size effect. We tested the hypothesis that lower EFs in children would be positively related to the portion size effect. Healthy weight children aged 7–8 y (n = 88), who varied by maternal obesity status, participated in a prospective study. At baseline, the parent primarily in charge of feeding completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF2) to assess child EFs, including Behavioral (BRI), Emotional (ERI), and Cognitive (CRI) indices. At 4 baseline sessions, children consumed meals in which the portion sizes of foods (pasta, chicken nuggets, broccoli, and grapes) varied by visit (total meal weight of 769, 1011, 1256, or 1492g). Intake increased with increasing portions in a linear trajectory (p < 0.001). EFs moderated the portion size effect such that lower BRI (p = 0.003) and ERI (p = 0.006) were associated with steeper increases in intake as portions increased. As amount of food increased, children in the lowest functioning tertiles for BRI and ERI increased intake by 35% and 36%, respectively, compared to children in the higher tertiles. Increases in intake among children with lower EFs were for higher- but not lower-energy-dense foods. Thus, in healthy weight children who varied by obesity risk, lower parentally reported EFs were associated with a larger portion size effect, and these results were independent of child and parent weight status. Therefore, EFs may be target behaviors that could be strengthened to help children moderate excess intake in response to large portions of energy-dense foods.

Effects of the Level and Composition of Concentrate Supplements before Breeding and in Early Gestation on Production of Different Hair Sheep Breeds.

Female hair sheep, 27 Dorper (DOR), 41 Katahdin (KAT), and 39 St. Croix (STC), were used to determine influences of the nutritional plane before breeding and in early gestation on feed intake, body weight, body condition score, body mass indexes, blood constituent concentrations, and reproductive performance. There were 35 multiparous and 72 primiparous sheep, with initial ages of 5.6 ± 0.25 years and 1.5 ± 0.01 years, respectively (average overall initial age of 2.8 ± 0.20 years). Wheat straw (4% crude protein; dry matter [DM] basis) was consumed ad libitum and supplemented with approximately 0.15% initial body weight (BW) of soybean meal (LS) or a 1:3 mixture of soybean meal and rolled corn at 1% BW (HS; DM). The supplementation period was 162 days, with the breeding of animals in two sets sequentially, with the pre-breeding period 84 and 97 days, and that after breeding began at 78 and 65 days, respectively. Wheat straw DM intake (1.75, 1.30, 1.57, 1.15, 1.80, and 1.38% BW; SEM = 0.112) was lower (p < 0.05), but average daily gain (-46, 42, -44, 70, -47, and 51 g for DOR-LS, DOR-HS, KAT-LS, KAT-HS, STC-LS, and STC-HS, respectively; SEM = 7.3) was greater (p < 0.05) for HS than LS treatment during the supplementation period. Additionally, changes in body condition score during the supplementation period (-0.61, 0.36, -0.53, 0.27, -0.39, and -0.18; SEM = 0.058), and changes in body mass index based on height at the withers and body length from the point of the shoulder to the pin bone (BW/[height × length], g/cm2) from 7 days before supplementation (day -7) to day 162 were -1.99, 0.07, -2.19, -0.55, -2.39, and 0.17 for DOR-LS, DOR-HS, KAT-LS, KAT-HS, STC-LS, and STC-HS, respectively; (SEM = 0.297) were affected by supplement treatment. All blood constituent concentrations and characteristics addressed varied with the day of sampling (-7, 14, 49, 73, and 162) as well as the interaction between the supplement treatment and the day (p < 0.05), with few effects of interactions involving breed. Birth rate (66.7, 93.5, 84.6, 95.5, 82.8, and 100.0; SEM = 9.83) and individual lamb birth weight (4.50, 4.61, 4.28, 3.98, 3.73, and 3.88 kg; SEM = 0.201) were not affected by supplement treatment (p = 0.063 and 0.787, respectively), although litter size (0.92, 1.21, 1.17, 1.86, 1.12, and 1.82; SEM = 0.221) and total litter birth weight (5.84, 5.74, 5.92, 7.52, 5.04, and 6.78 kg for DOR-LS, DOR-HS, KAT-LS, KAT-HS, STC-LS, and STC-HS, respectively; SEM = 0.529) were greater (p < 0.05) for HS than for LS. In conclusion, although there was some compensation in wheat straw intake for the different levels of supplementation, soybean meal given alone rather than with cereal grain adversely affected BW, BCS, BMI, and reproductive performance, the latter primarily through litter size but also via a trend for an effect on the birth rate. Hence, the supplementation of low-protein and high-fiber forage such as wheat straw should include a consideration of the inclusion of a feedstuff(s) high in energy in addition to nitrogen.

Nutritional profile and energy density evaluation of common traditional meals in Arabic Gulf region.

This study aims to describe the energy and nutritional profile of common traditional meals in Arabic Gulf countries and extrapolate the usefulness of evaluating their energy density (ED) level. An analysis of 155 traditional meals commonly consumed in Arabic Gulf region was performed. The meals were categorized into four ED levels based on energy content as kcal per gram of meal weight. The meals were further classified according to their usual consumption pattern for the analysis. The average percentage of macronutrient composition of the meals was 50% as carbohydrate (CHO), 18% as protein and 32% as fat. The majority of the meals were categorized as moderate energy density (MED) (55%) and about 38% of them were categorized as low energy density (LED), whereas less than 8% of the foods were categorized either as very low energy density (VLED) or high energy density (HED). ED value (kcal/g) for sweets (SW) was the highest (2.9 ± 1.3, Mean ± SD) compared to appetizers (APT) (1.9 ± 0.9), main dishes (MD) (1.7 ± 0.9), and side dishes (SD) (1.8 ± 0.9). A negative correlation (p=0.000) between moisture content and ED was found in all meal types. A significant positive correlation (p<0.05) was found between CHO content and ED of all meal types except MD. Protein and fat contents positively correlated with ED in all meal types. The study illustrates that the number of HED meals among the common traditional meals in Arabian Gulf region is very limited. The data also suggest that common traditional meals in Arabic Gulf region can be part of a balanced diet to control energy intake if sweets consumption has been avoided.

Nudging Finnish Adults into Replacing Red Meat with Plant-Based Protein via Presenting Foods as Dish of the Day and Altering the Dish Sequence

This study investigated whether Finnish working-aged omnivores (n = 163) could be nudged into replacing red meat with a fava-bean-based protein source via “Dish of the Day” (DoD) and main dish sequence alteration (SA) strategies in a controlled real-world Finnish self-service buffet restaurant with smart scales (Flavoria® Multidisciplinary Research Platform). A further aim was to study whether the effectiveness of the strategies differed by gender, age, and body mass index. The participants were assigned one of four experimental treatments: standard menu (T1), DoD (T2), standard menu + SA (T3), or DoD + SA (T4). The participants could choose any amount or combination of salad components and casseroles with minced meat or fava bean protein. Being subjected to a DoD menu and/or SA had no effect on main dish choice or the share of the meat-based dish in the meal weight. Men were more likely to choose a meat-based main dish and had a higher share of the meat dish in the meal weight compared to women, but no differences were observed between those aged 18–29, 30–44, or 45–65 years or those who were normal weight, overweight, or obese. Future studies should have a larger sample size and investigate food choice motives such as price or environmental awareness.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the Jordanian eating and nutritional habits

Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, variable measures have been implemented to control the invasion of SARS-CoV-19 worldwide. Some of these measures included lockdowns for several months in some countries. In Jordan, various protocols have been implemented to deal with the epidemic, such as border closures, closures and local protocols for open days until we reach the partial opening in mid-2021. These measures and protocols have affected all sectors in the country, including the education system and the economy. In addition, lifestyle is one of the measurement issues that have been affected by government regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the eating and nutrition habits of the Jordanian population. An online sectional survey was built using Google Forms from Google. Responses were collected from November 12, 2020, through November 24, 2020. Researchers submitted a total of 2,511 responses. The results showed that there was a significant decrease in sugar intake (P = <0.005) with no critical fat and oil intake (P = 0.12). There was a significant change in daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, garlic, onions, and ginger, and downloads of health-related applications and supplements (P < 0.005). In addition, there was an increase in appetite, weight and number of daily meals. These changes are attributed to the extra free time due to lockdown and studying or working from home has significant impacts. However, 31.4% of respondents reported that the limited economic availability of food products and the closure of restaurants and cafes lead to a healthier lifestyle. Only 26.2% have been influenced by family members, friends, doctors, or social media to change their eating habits during the pandemic.

Cardiovascular risk factor insights into the Tesco 1.0 Dataset

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Tesco published an open-source dataset containing area-aggregated product purchase information from 420m transactions across 16m individual Clubcard users in the Great London area, at a borough level. This dataset is presented as a ‘typical product’ purchase for each borough, divided into 220 individual datapoints. Purpose We wanted to explore dietary correlates with cardiovascular outcomes including age-standardised mortality rates for myocardial infarct, stroke, cardiac arrhythmia and COVID-19. Methods The Tesco 1.0 dataset was accessed on 1/11/21 and a sample of traditional dietary clinical risk and protective factor datapoints for each London borough were selected. Data for age-standardised mortality rates (ASMR) in each London borough were downloaded from the Office of National Statistics for 2019 for myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiac arrhythmia and 2020 COVID-19 deaths (March-July 2020). To explore for relevant associated factors, the average deprivation index (IMD) for each borough was accessed from Public Health England, and demographic data accessed from the Greater London Authority database. Statistics using Spearman’s Rho calculator were derived in Excel and calculated using a web-based statistics calculator. Results Myocardial infarction (MI) ASMR closely correlated with increased levels of salt (g), fat and oils (% of total product), and weight of purchase (g). Increased fibre (g) was correlated with lower MI mortality. An important associated risk factor was the deprivation index, a important co-variable to consider when assessing diet-health relationships. Stroke ASMR was more closely correlated with typical product constituents, significant risk factors were weight (g) of fat, carbohydrate, sugar and ready meals (%) and sweets (%), while % of fish and both % and total weight (g) of fruit and veg were protective factors. Importantly salt content was NOT a statistically significant factor. Cardiac arrhythmia ASMR did not correlate with any dietary constituents reviewed. COVID ASMR was closely correlated with myocardial infarction ASMR risk factors (salt, % of fat and oils and total weight of purchase) and total fibre (g) was again a protective factor. Interestingly, the % of ready meals was a protective factor for COVID ASMR, possibly associated with cultural and ethnicity-related behaviours, with higher BAME communities less likely to purchase ready meals. Conclusions This unique dataset offers a Big Data insight into the relationship between diet and health but is limited by a lack of individual granularity and heterogenous intra-borough populations. This research offers a starting point to further exploring in-depth food purchasing habits with healthcare outcomes, and further partnership in the future may unlock this.

한국에서 시판 중인 밀키트의 식품표시 특성과 영양표시를 통한 영양 함량 평가

Consumer demand for meal kits is high and rapidly increasing. The aim of this study was to investigate the status of food and nutrition labeling with focus on the energy, sugars, and sodium levels of meal kit products sold in Korea. This investigation was conducted by visiting the official websites of manufacturers, and the data obtained were compared and evaluated by meal kit and storage types. Prices, total servings, weights, recipes, and cooking times were labeled on more than 90% of all 497 products examined, but only 228 (45.9%) provided nutrition labeling. The percentage of nutrition labeling was the highest for rice dishes at 62.5%, followed by side dishes (48.3%), soups (45.6%), and noodles (37.0%). In addition, the nutrition labeling percentage was significantly higher for refrigerated products (48.9%) than frozen products (46.1%). Average meal kit price and number of servings were 14,670 won and 1.9, and average meal weight and cooking time were 571.3 g and 10.5 min, respectively. Average calorie contents were 129.3 kcal/100 g, and 392.9 kcal/serving. The energy and carbohydrate contents per serving of noodles were significantly higher than those of other products, and the sodium contents of side dishes were significantly lower than those of other meal kits. In particular, average meal kit sodium content was high at 162.6% of the reference value (1/3 of the adequate intake for Korean adults). Furthermore, average sodium content per serving was significantly higher for frozen than refrigerated products. These results show meal kit products with appropriate calorie, sugars, and sodium contents and labeled with nutritional contents should be provided for consumers.

Nutrient and Food Group Prediction as Orchestrated by an Automated Image Recognition System in a Smartphone App (CALO mama): Validation Study

BackgroundA smartphone image recognition app is expected to be a novel tool for measuring nutrients and food intake, but its performance has not been well evaluated.ObjectiveWe assessed the accuracy of the performance of an image recognition app called CALO mama in terms of the nutrient and food group contents automatically estimated by the app.MethodsWe prepared 120 meal samples for which the nutrients and food groups were calculated. Next, we predicted the nutrients and food groups included in the meals from their photographs by using (1) automated image recognition only and (2) manual modification after automatic identification.ResultsPredictions generated using only image recognition were similar to the actual data on the weight of meals and were accurate for 11 out of 30 nutrients and 4 out of 15 food groups. The app underestimated energy, 19 nutrients, and 9 food groups, while it overestimated dairy products and confectioneries. After manual modification, the predictions were similar for energy, accurately capturing the nutrients for 29 out of 30 of meals and the food groups for 10 out of 15 meals. The app underestimated pulses, fruits, and meats, while it overestimated weight, vitamin C, vegetables, and confectioneries.ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that manual modification after prediction using image recognition improves the performance of the app in assessing the nutrients and food groups of meals. Our findings suggest that image recognition has the potential to achieve a description of the dietary intakes of populations by using “precision nutrition” (a comprehensive and dynamic approach to developing tailored nutritional recommendations) for individuals.

PSXII-28 Effects of the nutritional plane before and after breeding on performance of different hair sheep breeds

Abstract Female hair sheep, 27 Dorper (DOR), 41 Katahdin (KAT), and 39 St. Croix (STC), were used to determine influences of nutritional planes before and after breeding on performance. There were 35 multiparous and 72 primiparous sheep, the latter 2.8±0.20 yr of age. Wheat straw [4% crude protein; dry matter (DM) basis] was consumed ad libitum and supplemented with approximately 0.25% initial body weight (BW) of soybean meal (SBM; Low) or a 1:3 mixture of SBM and rolled corn at 1% BW (High; DM). The supplementation period was 162 d, and with breeding of animals in 2 groups sequentially the pre-breeding period was 84 and 97 d and that after breeding began was 78 and 65 d. Wheat straw DM intake (1.75, 1.30, 1.57, 1.15, 1.80, and 1.38% BW; SEM=0.112), average daily gain (-46, 42, -44, 70, -47, and 51 g; SEM=7.3), and change in body condition score (-0.61, 0.36, -0.53, 0.27, -0.39, and -0.18 for DOR-Low, DOR-High, KAT-Low, KAT-High, STC-Low, and STC-High, respectively; SEM=0.058) were influenced (P &amp;lt; 0.05) by supplement treatment. Birth rate (66.7, 93.5, 84.6, 95.5, 82.8, and 100.0; SEM=9.83) and individual lamb birth weight (4.50, 4.61, 4.28, 3.98, 3.73, and 3.88 kg; SEM=0.201) were not affected by supplement treatment (P = 0.063 and 0.787, respectively), although litter size (0.92, 1.21, 1.17, 1.86, 1.12, and 1.82; SEM=0.221) and total litter birth weight (5.84, 5.74, 5.92, 7.52, 5.04, and 6.78 kg for DOR-Low, DOR-High, KAT-Low, KAT-High, STC-Low, and STC-High, respectively; SEM=0.529) were greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) for High than for Low. In conclusion, although there was some compensation in wheat straw intake for the different levels of supplementation, SBM given alone rather than with cereal grain adversely affected body weight and condition and reproductive performance, the latter primarily through litter size but also via a trend for an effect on birth rate.

Association of Placental Weight With Birth Weight, Gestational Age, and Risk Factors Related to Maternal Morbidity, Diet, Activity, and Rest

Background: Placental weight and its relationship to infant size at birth have been studied for more than a century.[1] A low placental weight is associated with the medical complications in the mother.[2] The risk of essential hypertension in adult life falls with increasing birth weight and rises with increasing placental weight and that the mothers at highest risk are those with a high placental weight relative to birth weight-that is, a high placental ratio.[3] Aims/Objective: To study association of placental weight with birth weight, gestational age and maternal morbidity, diet, activity and rest. Settings and Design / Methods and Material: A cohort of 1876 apparently healthy pregnant women registered and attending antenatal clinic of Krishna Hospital was studied to find out the correlation of the placental weight with the LBW and preterm births and their association with selected maternal risk factors. Statistical Analysis Used: Correlation (r), Chi-square test, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Boneferroni test, Unpaired 't' test, were used. Results: There was a statistically significant association of the mean placental weight with the mean birth weight and proportion of LBW of the baby as indicated by ANOVA test. (F= 29.627; p&lt;0.001) and (χ2 =102.6; p&lt;0.001) respectively. There was a statistically significant association of the mean placental weight with the mean gestational period of the baby and proportion of the preterm births as indicated by ANOVA test. (F= 7.694; p&lt;0.001) and (χ2=18.377;p&lt;0.001) respectively. Daily frequency of meals &lt; 4, antenatal morbidity of preeclampsia, PIH and APH were associated with lesser placental weight. Conclusion: There was a significant association of placental weight with birth weight, gestational age, maternal morbidity and frequency of maternal meals.

Investigation of granulation calcined under the eutectic temperature in the fluidized bed

A new two-process cement calcination method using fluidized bed reactors to substitute rotary kilns was employed for cement manufacturing. Granulation of cement raw meal in the first calcination process under the eutectic temperature determined the quality of clinkers produced in the second process and the feasibility of the method. Therefore, the granulation process and the factors affecting granulation were investigated by comparing the morphology of different granules. X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence tests verified CaO as a significant constitute for granulation. Morphological comparison between CaO and cement raw meal confirmed that sintering rather than solid-phase reactions was the main driving force of granulation. Thin layers of reaction zones contributed to the bonding of different clusters. Granulation was depicted as a two-step process involving agglomeration and sintering. Fluidized gas velocity, initial weight of cement raw meal and clinker amount all influenced granulation. An increase in the fluidized gas velocity suppressed granulation, while an increase in the initial weight of cement raw meal and clinker amount contributed to granulation. This study explains the granulation process of cement raw meal and the main driving force for granulation, and suggestions are also provided for granulation control.

Replacement Of Fish Meal With Maggots In Broiler Diets: Effects On Performance And Nutrient Retention

The effects of replacing 0, 33.3, 66.7 or 100% of dietary fish meal (9%) with housefly maggots (Musca domestica. Linn) was investigated using broilers from day old to 5 weeks of age. Increasing the dietary level of maggots reduced feed intake and weight gain while increasing the feed: gain ratio (P&gt;0.05), There was however no significant effect of dietary maggots on mortality rate (P&gt;0.05). Replacement of dietary fish meal with maggots caused significant reduction in nitrogen retention (P&lt;0.05) but an increase in fat retention (P&gt;0.05). There was no significant effect of replacing dietary fish meal with maggots on the metabolizable energy value of the diets (P&gt;0.05). It is concluded that maggots could replace only 33% of dietary fish meal (9%) without compromising performance and nutrient retention in broiler chicks. The cost of harvesting and processing maggots is about 15% of equivalent weight of fish meal, making even partial replacement of fishmeal with maggots economical.

Dimensions of Social Isolation and Weight Loss among Older Men and Women in S. Korea

Older men who live alone are typically believed to be highly susceptible to malnutrition. However, recent studies report their living alone status is associated with frailty negatively and with Type 2 diabetes positively. Meanwhile, older women who live alone are believed to be less susceptible to malnutrition, but qualitative research point out their high likelihood of malnutrition. There is little literature to explain these paradoxes. To evaluate this gap in understanding of how a metabolic process may be shaped by social context, this study examines whether different aspects of social isolation among older men and women (living alone, social contact, loneliness) are associated with adverse weight loss, as well as with indicators of meal frequency and body weight. For this, a data set comprised of 6,680 older adults from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging surveyed every two years from 2006 to 2018 was analyzed using panel regression models. Among older men, living alone was negatively associated with logged body weight even when considering loneliness but not associated with meal frequency and 5kg or more weight loss. Among older women, living alone was not associated with logged body weight but associated with fewer meals and 5kg or more weight loss. The association disappeared when considering loneliness. Unexpectedly, social contact was not significant to prevent adverse weight loss.

Risk Factors of Lung Cancer Patients: A Survival Analysis with R

Introduction: This paper studies risk factors which can have effects on the survival time of lung cancer patients during the treatment.&#x0D; Methods: The Cox proportional-hazards model has been applied for investigating the association between the survival time of patients and the predictors such as age, gender, the weight of patients, meal, the ECOG, and Karnofsky scores.&#x0D; Results: In the study, we find that the ECOG score, the Karnofsky score evaluated by doctors and the gender are the top three factors that significantly affect the hazard rate. Also, we utilize the estimated model to predict survival probability for the patients.&#x0D; Conclusion: In this article, we intentionally present a complete and detailed guide on how to perform a R-based package in survival analysis step by step as well as how to interpret all output results.&#x0D;