An evaluation of the effect of altering nutrition and nutritional strategies in early lactation on reproductive performance and estrous behavior of high-yielding Holstein-Friesian dairy cows

Reproductive performance in the high-yielding dairy cow has severely decreased in the last 40 yr. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of 4 nutritional strategies in improving the reproductive performance of high-yielding dairy cows. It was hypothesized that offering cows a high-starch ration in early lactation would enhance the onset of luteal activity, and that decreasing the severity of negative energy balance in the early postcalving period would improve reproductive parameters. Nutritional regimens aimed at improving fertility were applied to 96 Holstein-Friesian dairy animals. Upon calving, animals were allocated in a balanced manner to one of 4 dietary treatments. Primiparous animals were balanced according to live weight, body condition score and calving date. Multiparous animals were balanced according to parity, previous lactation milk yield, liveweight, body condition score and calving date. Treatment 1 was based on an industry best practice diet (control) to contain 170 g of crude protein/kg of dry matter. Treatment 2 was an individual cow feeding strategy, whereby the energy balance (EB) of individual animals was managed so as to achieve a predetermined target daily EB profile (+/- 10 MJ/d). Treatment 3 was a high-starch/high-fat combination treatment, whereby an insulinogenic (high-starch) diet was offered in early lactation to encourage cyclicity and followed by a lipogenic (low-starch, high-fat) diet to promote embryo development. Treatment 4 was a low-protein diet, containing 140 g of crude protein/kg of dry matter, supplemented with protected methionine at an inclusion level of 40 g per animal per day. The nutritional strategies implemented in this study had no statistically significant effects on cow fertility measures, which included the onset of luteal activity, conception rate, in-calf rate, and the incidence of atypical cycles. The individual cow feeding strategy improved EB in early lactation but had no benefit on conception rate to first insemination. However, conception rate to second insemination, 100-d pregnancy rate (from the commencement of breeding), and overall pregnancy rate tended to be higher in this group. The high-starch/high-fat treatment tended to decrease the proportion of delayed ovulations and increase the proportion of animals cycling by d 50 postcalving. Animals that failed to conceive to first insemination had a significantly longer luteal phase in the first cycle postpartum and a longer inter-ovulatory interval in the second cycle postpartum. With regards to estrous behavior, results indicate that as the size of the sexually active group increased, the intensity of estrus and the expression of mounting or attempting to mount another cow also increased. Furthermore, cows that became pregnant displayed more intense estrous behavior than cows that failed to become pregnant.

Maternal nutrition and the risk of preeclampsia

La prééclampsie est responsable du quart des mortalités maternelles et est la deuxième cause de décès maternels associés à la grossesse au Canada et dans le monde. L’identification d’une stratégie efficace pour la prévention de la prééclampsie est une priorité et un défi primordial dans les milieux de recherche en obstétrique. Le rôle des éléments nutritifs dans le développement de la prééclampsie a récemment reçu davantage d’attention. Plusieurs études cliniques et épidémiologiques ont été menées pour déterminer les facteurs de risque alimentaires potentiels et examiner les effets d’une supplémentation nutritive dans le développement de troubles hypertensifs de la grossesse. Pour déterminer les effets de suppléments antioxydants pris pendant la grossesse sur le risque d’hypertension gestationnelle (HG) et de prééclampsie, un essai multicentrique contrôlé à double insu a été mené au Canada et au Mexique (An International Trial of Antioxidants in the Prevention of Preeclampsia – INTAPP). Les femmes, stratifiées par risque, étaient assignées au traitement expérimental quotidien (1 gramme de vitamine C et 400 UI de vitamine E) ou au placebo. En raison des effets secondaires potentiels, le recrutement pour l’essai a été arrêté avant que l’échantillon complet ait été constitué. Au total, 2640 femmes éligibles ont accepté d’être recrutées, dont 2363 (89.5%) furent incluses dans les analyses finales. Nous n’avons retrouvé aucune évidence qu’une supplémentation prénatale de vitamines C et E réduisait le risque d’HG et de ses effets secondaires (RR 0,99; IC 95% 0,78-1,26), HG (RR 1,04; IC 95% 0,89-1,22) et prééclampsie (RR 1,04; IC 95% 0,75-1,44). Toutefois, une analyse secondaire a révélé que les vitamines C et E augmentaient le risque de « perte fœtale ou de décès périnatal » (une mesure non spécifiée au préalable) ainsi qu’une rupture prématurée des membranes avant terme. Nous avons mené une étude de cohorte prospective chez les femmes enceintes recrutées dans l’INTAPP afin d’évaluer les relations entre le régime alimentaire maternel en début et fin de grossesse et le risque de prééclampsie et d’HG. Un questionnaire de fréquence alimentaire validé était administré deux fois pendant la grossesse (12-18 semaines, 32-34 semaines). Les analyses furent faites séparément pour les 1537 Canadiennes et les 799 Mexicaines en raison de l’hétérogénéité des régimes alimentaires des deux pays. Parmi les canadiennes, après ajustement pour l’indice de masse corporelle (IMC) précédant la grossesse, le groupe de traitement, le niveau de risque (élevé versus faible) et les autres facteurs de base, nous avons constaté une association significative entre un faible apport alimentaire (quartile inférieur) de potassium (OR 1,79; IC 95% 1,03-3,11) et de zinc (OR 1,90; IC 95% 1,07-3,39) et un risque augmenté de prééclampsie. Toujours chez les Canadiennes, le quartile inférieur de consommation d’acides gras polyinsaturés était associé à un risque augmenté d’HG (OR 1,49; IC 95% 1,09-2,02). Aucun des nutriments analysés n’affectait les risques d’HG ou de prééclampsie chez les Mexicaines. Nous avons entrepris une étude cas-témoins à l’intérieur de la cohorte de l’INTAPP pour établir le lien entre la concentration sérique de vitamines antioxydantes et le risque de prééclampsie. Un total de 115 cas de prééclampsie et 229 témoins ont été inclus. Les concentrations de vitamine E ont été mesurées de façon longitudinale à 12-18 semaines (avant la prise de suppléments), à 24-26 semaines et à 32-34 semaines de grossesse en utilisant la chromatographie liquide de haute performance. Lorsqu’examinée en tant que variable continue et après ajustement multivarié, une concentration de base élevée de gamma-tocophérol était associée à un risque augmenté de prééclampsie (quartile supérieur vs quartile inférieur à 24-26 semaines : OR 2,99, IC 95% 1,13-7,89; à 32-34 semaines : OR 4,37, IC 95% 1,35-14,15). Nous n’avons pas trouvé de lien entre les concentrations de alpha-tocophérol et le risque de prééclampsie. En résumé, nous n’avons pas trouvé d’effets de la supplémentation en vitamines C et E sur le risque de prééclampsie dans l’INTAPP. Nous avons toutefois trouvé, dans la cohorte canadienne, qu’une faible prise de potassium et de zinc, tel qu’estimée par les questionnaires de fréquence alimentaire, était associée à un risque augmenté de prééclampsie. Aussi, une plus grande concentration sérique de gamma-tocophérol pendant la grossesse était associée à un risque augmenté de prééclampsie.

Animal nutrition and lipids in animal products and their contribution to human intake and health

Few EU countries meet targets for saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake. Dairy products usually represent the single largest source of SFA, yet evidence indicates that milk has cardioprotective properties. Options for replacing some of the SFA in milk fat with cis-monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) through alteration of the cow’s diet are examined. Also, few people achieve minimum recommended intakes (~450–500 mg/d) of the long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Enrichment of EPA+DHA in poultry meat via bird nutrition is described and how this would impact on habitual intake is discussed.

Validation of the NANA (Novel Assessment of Nutrition and Ageing) touch screen system for use at home by older adults

Prospective measurement of nutrition, cognition, and physical activity in later life would facilitate early detection of detrimental change and early intervention but is hard to achieve in community settings. Technology can simplify the task and facilitate daily data collection. The Novel Assessment of Nutrition and Ageing (NANA) toolkit was developed to provide a holistic picture of an individual's function including diet, cognition and activity levels. This study aimed to validate the NANA toolkit for data collection in the community. Forty participants aged 65 years and over trialled the NANA toolkit in their homes for three 7-day periods at four-week intervals. Data collected using the NANA toolkit were compared with standard measures of diet (four-day food diary), cognitive ability (processing speed) and physical activity (self-report). Bland–Altman analysis of dietary intake (energy, carbohydrates, protein fat) found a good relationship with the food diary and cognitive processing speed and physical activity (hours) were significantly correlated with their standard counterparts. The NANA toolkit enables daily reporting of data that would otherwise be collected sporadically while reducing demands on participants; older adults can complete the daily reporting at home without a researcher being present; and it enables prospective investigation of several domains at once

Effect of culture system and diet in early larval stages over skeletal deformities development in gilthead sea bream

[ES] Main deformities such as lordosis, opercular deformities and upper/lower jaws shortening are considered as quality descriptors in commercial marine fish fry production and seem to be related with larval culture conditions in early larval stages. The aim of this work was to obtain information about the contribution of the diet and rearing system to the apparition of these abnormalities in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) larvae in semi-industrial scale facilities. For that purpose, two different larval rearing systems semi-intensive and intensive were compared; besides, two different rotifer enrichments, DHA Protein Selco, (Inve Aquaculture, Dendermonde, Belgium) (R1) and Red Pepper Paste, (Bernaqua bvba, Turnhout, Belgium) were tested in the intensive system. Biochemical composition of larvae, preys and commercial products was analysed. At 50 days post hatching six hundred fish per treatment were individually studied under stereoscope and deformity frequency recorded. Besides at 95 days post hatching fry were soft X ray monitored. Both rotifer enrichment and rearing system affected survival, growth and deformity frequency. Rearing system did not affect total larvae fatty acid content except at 20 dah, where DHA were significantly higher and EPA significantly lower in Semi-intensive system. A significantly lower percentage of deformity rates together with better survival and growth were obtained in the semi-intensive system. In dietary treatment, rotifer enrichment significantly affected larval survival. R1 rotifers enrichment significantly (P<0.05) improved survival when compared to fed R2 larvae. The content of DPA was significantly (P<0.05) higher in R2 fed larvae reflecting the R2 rotifers content of this fatty acid. The level of this FA tended to decrease in concordance with the rotifers replacement by artemia in the diet. The effects n-3-HUFA and DPA (22:5n-6) over larval survival and skeletal deformities development is discussed.

Data management and data analysis in the large European projects GEHA (GEnetics of Healthy Aging) and NU-AGE (NUtrition and AGEing): a bioinformatic approach

The aging process is characterized by the progressive fitness decline experienced at all the levels of physiological organization, from single molecules up to the whole organism. Studies confirmed inflammaging, a chronic low-level inflammation, as a deeply intertwined partner of the aging process, which may provide the “common soil” upon which age-related diseases develop and flourish. Thus, albeit inflammation per se represents a physiological process, it can rapidly become detrimental if it goes out of control causing an excess of local and systemic inflammatory response, a striking risk factor for the elderly population. Developing interventions to counteract the establishment of this state is thus a top priority. Diet, among other factors, represents a good candidate to regulate inflammation. Building on top of this consideration, the EU project NU-AGE is now trying to assess if a Mediterranean diet, fortified for the elderly population needs, may help in modulating inflammaging. To do so, NU-AGE enrolled a total of 1250 subjects, half of which followed a 1-year long diet, and characterized them by mean of the most advanced –omics and non –omics analyses. The aim of this thesis was the development of a solid data management pipeline able to efficiently cope with the results of these assays, which are now flowing inside a centralized database, ready to be used to test the most disparate scientific hypotheses. At the same time, the work hereby described encompasses the data analysis of the GEHA project, which was focused on identifying the genetic determinants of longevity, with a particular focus on developing and applying a method for detecting epistatic interactions in human mtDNA. Eventually, in an effort to propel the adoption of NGS technologies in everyday pipeline, we developed a NGS variant calling pipeline devoted to solve all the sequencing-related issues of the mtDNA.

Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health, Revised and Expanded Edition

A review of Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition, and Health, Revised and Expanded Edition.

Effect of temperature and diet on wound healing in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.).

Compromised skin integrity of farmed Atlantic salmon, commonly occurring under low temperature and stressful conditions, has major impacts on animal welfare and economic productivity. Even fish with minimal scale loss and minor wounds can suffer from secondary infections, causing downgrading and mortalities. Wound healing is a complex process, where water temperature and nutrition play key roles. In this study, Atlantic salmon (260 g) were held at different water temperatures (4 or 12 °C) and fed three different diets for 10 weeks, before artificial wounds were inflicted and the wound healing process monitored for 2 weeks. The fish were fed either a control diet, a diet supplemented with zinc (Zn) or a diet containing a combination of functional ingredients in addition to Zn. The effect of diet was assessed through subjective and quantitative skin histology and the transcription of skin-associated chemokines. Histology confirmed that wound healing was faster at 12 °C. The epidermis was more organised, and image analyses of digitised skin slides showed that fish fed diets with added Zn had a significantly larger area of the epidermis covered by mucous cells in the deeper layers after 2 weeks, representing more advanced healing progression. Constitutive levels of the newly described chemokines, herein named CK 11A, B and C, confirmed their preferential expression in skin compared to other tissues. Contrasting modulation profiles at 4 and 12 °C were seen for all three chemokines during the wound healing time course, while the Zn-supplemented diets significantly increased the expression of CK 11A and B during the first 24 h of the healing phase.

Maternal nutrition and oral health factors in early childhood caries

Background. Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is the most common chronic infectious disease of childhood worldwide. Seven of ten American children have one or more decayed or filled primary teeth by age five. ECC prevalence is especially high in lower socio-economic ethnic populations. Commonly recognized as a diet-induced disease, focal etiological factors include cariogenic bacteria, fermentable carbohydrates, and a susceptible newly erupted tooth. Sequencing of breast and/or bottle feeding and introduction of beikost come at a time when children's defense mechanisms and, perhaps maternal direction of children's dietary patterns, are not yet fully developed or mature. To date, most research has examined biological factors, while maternal factors, especially psychosocial ones, have received scant attention. Objective. To examine the association of psychosocial factors in terms of maternal nutrition and oral health knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs, as well as social support and self-efficacy (KABS2) in a population of socio-economically disadvantaged infants and young children. A secondary aim was to describe ECC prevalence in this population. Methods. This study examined cross-sectionally the relationship between selected maternal psychosocial variables and ECC in a convenience sample of Mexican-American women and very young children participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in San Antonio, Texas. Mothers were surveyed by use of a criteria- and content-valid, reliable questionnaire, and dental examinations were conducted on 191 children, aged 5 to 47 months old. Results. Thirty-nine percent of the children had ECC. As assessed on a 30-question scale, women in whose children were diagnosed with ECC were found to demonstrate lower Knowledge ( p=0.03), Attitudes (p=0.02), Beliefs (p=0.04), and Social Support (p<0.01) scores, compared to women whose children were found to be caries-free. No differences in Self-Efficacy scores were found between the groups. Conclusions. These data indicate that current etiological model depicting relevant factors associated with ECC in Mexican-American infants and children of low socio-economic status should be broadened to include consideration of maternal psychosocial factors such as nutrition and oral health knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and social support, and that these factors should be considered when planning educational approaches to reduce the occurrence of ECC. ^

The success of worksite nutrition and physical activity interventions with environmental modifications A systematic review

Background: As obesity increases among U.S. workers, employers are implementing programs to increase physical activity and improve diets. Although programs to address individual determinants of obesity have been evaluated, less is known about the effects of workplace programs that change environmental factors, because most reviews have not isolated environmental programs; the one that did was published in 2005. ^ Objective: To update the 2005 review to determine the effectiveness of workplace environmental interventions. ^ Methods: The Medline database was searched for published English language reports (2003-2011) of randomized controlled (RCTs) or quasi-experimental trials (NRCTs) that evaluated strategies to modify physical activity opportunities or food services, targeting employees at least 18 years, not including retirees and that provided data for at least one physical activity, dietary, or health risk indicator. Three coders independently extracted study characteristics and scored the quality of study methods. Program effectiveness was determined using the 2005 review's best evidence approach. ^ Results: Seven studies represented in nine reports met eligibility criteria; three focused on diet and the remainder targeted diet and physical activity interventions. All but one study received a high quality score for internal validity. The evidence for the effectiveness of workplace environmental interventions was at best, inconclusive for diet and physical activity and limited for health risk indicators. The outcome constructs were inconsistent across the studies. ^ Conclusions: Limitations in the methods of the 2005 review made it challenging to draw conclusions about findings for this review that include: variation in outcome measures, reliance on distal measures without proximal behavior change measures, no distinction between changes at the workplace versus outside the workplace, and inappropriate analyses of cluster designs that biased findings toward statistical significance. The best evidence approach relied on vote-counting, using statistical significance alone rather than effect size and confidence intervals. Future research should address these limitations and use more rigorous methods; systematic reviews should use methods of meta-analysis to summarize study findings. These recommendations will help employers to better understand how environmental modifications in the workplace can support their efforts to combat the effects of obesity among employees.^

Nutrition and physical activity programs for obesity treatment (PRONAF study). methodological approach of the project

Este trabajo aborda la metodología seguida para llevar a cabo el proyecto de investigación PRONAF (Clinical Trials Gov.: number NCT01116856.) Background: At present, scientific consensus exists on the multifactorial etiopatogenia of obesity. Both professionals and researchers agree that treatment must also have a multifactorial approach, including diet, physical activity, pharmacology and/or surgical treatment. These two last ones should be reserved for those cases of morbid obesities or in case of failure of the previous ones. The aim of the PRONAF study is to determine what type of exercise combined with caloric restriction is the most appropriate to be included in overweigth and obesity intervention programs, and the aim of this paper is to describe the design and the evaluation methods used to carry out the PRONAF study. Methods/design: One-hundred nineteen overweight (46 males) and 120 obese (61 males) subjects aged 18–50 years were randomly assigned to a strength training group, an endurance training group, a combined strength + endurance training group or a diet and physical activity recommendations group. The intervention period was 22 weeks (in all cases 3 times/wk of training for 22 weeks and 2 weeks for pre and post evaluation). All subjects followed a hypocaloric diet (25-30% less energy intake than the daily energy expenditure estimated by accelerometry). 29–34% of the total energy intake came from fat, 14–20% from protein, and 50–55% from carbohydrates. The mayor outcome variables assesed were, biochemical and inflamatory markers, body composition, energy balance, physical fitness, nutritional habits, genetic profile and quality of life. 180 (75.3%) subjects finished the study, with a dropout rate of 24.7%. Dropout reasons included: personal reasons 17 (28.8%), low adherence to exercise 3 (5.1%), low adherence to diet 6 (10.2%), job change 6 (10.2%), and lost interest 27 (45.8%). Discussion: Feasibility of the study has been proven, with a low dropout rate which corresponds to the estimated sample size. Transfer of knowledge is foreseen as a spin-off, in order that overweight and obese subjects can benefit from the results. The aim is to transfer it to sports centres. Effectiveness on individual health-related parameter in order to determine the most effective training programme will be analysed in forthcoming publications.

Food, nutrition and public health in contemporary Spain, 1900-1936

Within the context of the health reforms introduced in Spain in the early 20th century and the influence of international health organisations on their development, this article analyses the growing interest that surrounded nourishment and food-related problems at that time in relation to healthcare, the diagnosis provided by hygienists of such problems, and the public health measures applied to resolve them. The issue of hygienic diet and the collective aspect of nutritional problems became priorities in the field of healthcare. Two of the most prominent initiatives involved setting up a Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene and Bromatological Technique during the early years of the Second Republic, as part of the National School of Health, as well as a Food Hygiene Service. Spanish hygienists underlined the importance of education and the dissemination of information about food hygiene, health and nutrition, in order to overcome the qualitative and quantitative deficiencies observed in the average diet of the Spanish population.