Search

In the face of a changing climate and growing population, sustainable use of freshwater resources is paramount. Animal agriculture is often viewed as an antagonistic force working against freshwater resource preservation. However, assumptions of water use in beef cattle have cause to be reevaluated. The current published standards for beef cattle water in- take were developed from data collected in 1956. Rapid genetic advancement in performance and increasing pressure on animal agriculture to reduce water usage demand that the water intake profiles of cattle be recharacterized. Recently, advancements in water monitoring technologies have granted researchers access to highly informative water intake data. In 2019, we installed RFID-enabled front-end weighing positions equipped with custom metered waterers at our West Virginia University (WVU) Reymann Memorial Research, Outreach, and Education Center (REOC) in Wardensville, WV. In 2022, we installed the same system at the WVU Animal Sciences REOC in Morgantown, WV. These systems allowed us to collect daily body weight (BW) and water intake data on individual animals. From 2019-07-08 to 2024-02-16, 2,020 animals have been evaluated for individual daily BW, feed intake, and water intake at our research locations. Data were collected on animals consigned to the Wardensville Young Sire Performance test by regional beef cattle producers or sourced for research. In total, 1,055 d of data were collected, with data collected during every month, resulting in 149,292 unique daily water intake measurements. Eleven breeds (Angus, Limousin, Angus cross bred, Charolais, Sim Angus, Hereford, Simmental, Charolais cross bred, Black Hereford, Akaushi, and Red Angus) were evaluated. The maximum, minimum, and mean age for all animals was 753, 162, and 343 d, respectively. In total, water in-take data from 1,255 bulls, 434 steers, and 331 heifers were collected (Table). Our large, highly granular data- base of individual animal daily water intake has allowed us to generate profiles of water intake for large segments of beef cattle. These findings will aid in the re-standardization of expected water intakes and the improvement of beef cattle sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma carotenoid concentrations are associated with antioxidant defense which might be disturbed in people with excessive body weight (EBW). This study aimed at evaluating the effect of a 6-week weight reduction program on plasma concentration of β-carotene, lycopene, and lutein/zeaxanthin in adults with EBW. A total of 130 adults were recruited for the study; 75 completed the program. Data on food consumption were collected with a 3-day recording method and a semi-quantitative FFQ. Body height, body weight (BW), waist circumference (WC), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were measured. Lipid profile, β-carotene, lycopene, and lutein/zeaxanthin were analyzed in blood. The AntioxObesity program resulted in a significant reduction in BW, WC, FM, SAT, and VAT. The mean plasma concentrations of β-carotene, lycopene, and lutein/zeaxanthin increased significantly after intervention. A reduction in FM above 4 kg significantly increased the concentration of β-carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin, and total carotenoids. An increase in carotenoid levels correlated with FM reduction, as fruit and vegetable intake remained unchanged. However, this effect may vary due to gender, HDL-cholesterol, body fat content, and obesity status in the weight loss process.

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of pigeon pea leaves and concentrate mixture supplementation on biological performance, carcass yield, market weight and carcass characteristics of male Central Highland Goats (CHG) at Sirinka Agricultural Research Center, Northeastern Ethiopia. A total of 24 yearling intact male goats with an initial body weight of 21.4±1.12 (Mean±SD) were used for this experiment. For the study, randomized complete block design (RCBD) was employed. Experimental goats were divided in to 4 treatment groups and blocked in to 6 groups based on their initial live weight. Six goats were randomly allocated to each treatment group. The treatments were: T1= grass hay ad libtum+100% Noug seed cake, T2= grass hay ad libtum+65% Noug seed cake+35% pigeon pea hay, T3= grass hay ad libtum+35% Noug seed cake+65% pigeon pea hay and T4=grass hay ad libtum+100% pigeon pea leaf hay on DM base. The finding indicated that total DM intake of T3 goats was 902.3 g/day, which was higher (p0.05) difference among treatments. The average dressing percentage (DP) as basis of empty body weight recorded was within the range of (54.25-54.94). Similarly, DP as the bases of slaughter weight was in the range of 45.25-47.6. Hence, it is recommended that Central Highland Goat attained a market weight range of 25-30 kg within 84 day of feeding using pigeon pea leaves as protein supplement. Based on accessibility and other biological importance of pigeon pea and better daily feed intake Central Highland Goat supplement with 65% of pigeon pea and 35% of Noug seed cake as protein supplements mix with 50% Wheat bran of daily supplementation requirement should be recommended

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) wet pool size (GITwps) refers to the total amount of wet contents in GIT, which in small ruminants can reach up to 19% of their body weight (BW). This study aimed to develop models to comprehensively predict GITwps in small ruminants using a meta-regression approach. A dataset was created based on 21 studies, comprising 750 individual records of sheep and goats. Various predictor variables, including BW, sex, breed, species, intake level, physiological states, stages and types of pregnancy, dry matter intake, and neutral detergent fiber intake (NDFI), were initially analyzed through simple linear regression. Subsequently, the variables were fitted using natural logarithm transformations, considering the random effect of the study and residual error, employing a supervised forward selection procedure. Overall, no significant relationship between GITwps and BW (p = 0.326) was observed for animals fed a milk-based diet. However, a strong negative linear relationship (p < 0.001) was found for animals on a solid diet, with the level of restriction influencing GITwps only at the intercept. Furthermore, the prediction of GITwps was independent of sex and influenced by species in cases where individuals were fed ad libitum. Pregnant females showed a noticeable reduction in GITwps, which was more pronounced in cases of multiple pregnancies, regardless of species (p < 0.01). The composition of the diet was found to be the primary factor affecting the modulation of GITwps, with NDFI able to override the species effect (p < 0.0001). Overall, this study sheds light on the factors influencing GITwps in small ruminants, providing valuable insights into their digestive processes and nutritional requirements.

Introduction: India has diverse dietary culture where salt and spices are used extensively, but up-to-date figures on population salt consumption are very limited. Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess the perception and practices of females doing household cooking regarding extra salt consumption and to have a rural–urban comparison on a specified population. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 480 homemakers residing in a rural and urban (Madhupur, Sepahijala district and Dukli, West Tripura district, respectively) area of Tripura for a period of 6 months. A predesigned, pretested, semi-structured interview schedule divided into two parts was used to collect the required information, and scores were given for each response regarding perception and practice of the participants. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 38.48 ± 14.063 years and 37.30 ± 12.087 years, respectively, for rural and urban areas, and both the populations were comparable in their baseline characteristics. Majority of the participants believed recommended daily salt consumption per person daily was >5–10 g (62.9% of rural and 59.6% of the urban participants) which was too high, and significant difference (P value 0.002) was found in practice regarding extra salt consumption among rural and urban participants. Conclusion: This study revealed good perception and significantly better practice regarding extra salt consumption among the urban population. Social caste in the rural population and socioeconomic status in both the study groups were the factors responsible for extra salt consumption in this study.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a milk byproduct–based starter pellet, high in lactose, on feed intakes, growth, and rumen development when calves were fed either a high or low level of milk. This was done by using a 2 × 2 factorial design, with 120 Holstein heifer calves randomly assigned to 1 of 2 milk treatments and 1 of 2 feed treatments upon enrollment at birth. Calves were either assigned to a low (LM) or high (HM) level of milk replacer by an automated milk-feeding system for individually-housed calves. The LM treatment calves were offered 6 L/d (150 g/L; 1.2 L, 5×/d), whereas HM treatment calves were offered 15 L/d (150 g/L; 3 L, 5×/d) of milk replacer. Calves were also assigned to a milk byproduct- (whey) based starter feed treatment (WF), or a grain-based starter ration (95% concentrate starter pellet, 5% chopped wheat straw) feed treatment (GF). All calves were offered their treatment feed starting on d 5, with water offered ad libitum from d 0. The WF treatment calves were offered 150 g/d of the milk byproduct–based pellet until they consumed the entirety for 2 out of 3 consecutive days. At this point, WF treatment calves received 150 g of the milk byproduct–based pellet top dressed onto the grain-based ration to allow for ad libitum feed consumption until weaned, when they only received the grain-based ration postweaning (d 64–77). Calves on the GF feed treatment received only the grain-based ration. All calves were gradually weaned from d 43 to 63. By design, calves on the HM treatment consumed greater levels of milk than LM treatment calves for the majority of the days in the preweaning phase (8.9 ± 0.11 vs. 5.5 ± 0.11 L/d; SE). Calves on the GF and WF treatments consumed similar amounts of milk in the preweaning phase (7.2 ± 0.11 vs. 7.2 ± 0.11 L/d); however, there was a milk and feed treatment interaction detected for milk consumption in the weaning phase, with HM-GF calves drinking more milk than the other treatments and HM-WF calves drinking more milk than both LM-GF and LM-WF calves. The WF treatment calves had greater solid feed intake during the preweaning phase than GF treatment calves, with no feed intake differences in the weaning or postweaning phases. The WF calves drank more water in the preweaning phase than GF calves. Average daily gain was similar throughout the study between the GF and WF treatment calves. Rumen physiological measures were all similar by the end of the trial (d 77) regardless of feed or milk treatment, suggesting similar rumen development postweaning. Overall, regardless of the level of milk fed, offering the milk byproduct–based starter pellet may increase preweaning feed intake, along with water consumption. However, both feed and milk treatments had similar performance and rumen development measures by the end of the trial.

Thirty-two weaned male Barbari kids (av. age, 144.65 days; weight, 9.43±0.24 kg), reared under intensive system of feeding, were divided equally into four groups (T1, T2, T3 and T4) to investigate the effect of supplementation of different levels of concentrate mixture on voluntary intake, growth performance, carcass traits and quality. All kids were fed with Bengal gram straw ad lib. + green fodder ad lib. as basal ration and supplemented with barley grain @ 0.7% of body weight in T1 and concentrate mixture @ 0.7, 1.4, and 2.1% of body weight in T2, T3, and T4, respectively. Dry Matter Intake (DMI, g)/kg W0.75 increased significantly in T1 and T4 than T2 and T3. Average daily weight gain (ADG) (g/d/kid) was enhanced significantly with each gradual increase in concentrate level. Slaughter weight and empty body weight were greatest in T4 compared with other treatments. Significantly greater dressing percentage and yield of separated lean meat was observed in kids under T3 and T4 than other two groups. But, meat:bone ratio and separated carcass fat yield was significantly higher only in kids under T4. Meat protein content (%) increased in T2, T3, and T4 as compared to control T1. Meat fat content increased linearly due to a gradual increase in the level of concentrate mixture supplementation to the finisher kids. Whereas, meat moisture and ash per cent remained unaltered due to different levels of concentrate supplementation to kids. Therefore, it may be concluded that supplementation of concentrate mixture @ 2.1% of the body weight in the roughage-based diet increased DMI in finisher Barbari kids with greater energy and protein values, which attributed to enhanced ADG in such kids by 408.3% over the control (supplemented with barley grain only), and also improved feed conversion ratio, carcass yield, carcass traits, and meat quality.

Within the language teaching-learning area, many factors can be identified as impacting the proficiency of the language students achieve. As teachers, we have gone from searching the latest technologies to creating innovative materials that motivate students, passing through the use of resources that integrate skills and curricular designs that help students develop their autonomy. It is in this environment that we consider it relevant to review basic concepts that help us understand how the information we receive needs to be converted into knowledge in order to produce the language being studied. The concepts of input, output, adn intake are reviewed and the relevance of such concepts in Second Language Learning is pointed out in this essay.

Introduction. The Changes in the elderly’s daily routine including dietary intake and nutritional pattern may cause them to be more susceptible to malnutrition. The changes also increase the risk of sarcopenia that may lead to poor health outcomes such as fall injury, fracture, hospitalization, disability, or even death. Sarcopenia is more likely to occur in a nursing home compared to community settings. This study aimed to determine the difference in nutrition intake adequacy between institutionalized elderly subjects with and without sarcopenia in Bandung, West Java. Methods. A cross-sectional study was held in Ciparay and Budi Istri Nursing Home, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. Sarcopenia was determined based on the Asian Working Group of Sarcopenia (AWGS) criteria. Nutritional intake was assessed with two non-consecutive 24-hour food recalls and nutritional adequacy was defined based on the American Geriatric Society (AGS) recommendation, which included a total energy intake of ≥ 25kcal/kg BW/day and protein intake of ≥1g/kg BW/day. Results. The present study included 65 older adults, who were categorized into 2 groups, i.e. sarcopenic (31 subjects) and non-sarcopenic groups (34 subjects). Despite the food served having already met daily dietary reference intakes, the sarcopenic elderly subjects showed inadequate nutritional intake (p=0.001) compared to non-sarcopenic elderly subjects. Conclusion.There are differences in nutrition intake adequacy between sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic institutionalized elderly subjects in Bandung. Elderly subjects with sarcopenia had more inadequate nutrition intake than non-sarcopenic elderly subjects.

In our initial analysis of the Australian Vegan Study we estimated the mean daily intake of vitamin B12 of each participant and compared this to the Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI). However, the proportion of vitamin B12 that can be absorbed from large doses typically contained in oral supplements is considerably lower than the amount absorbed from food. In this analysis we took into account the estimated absorption from supplements in order to compare adequacy of vitamin B12 intake to the RDI. A cross-sectional online survey was used to obtain information from women (N = 1530) of reproductive age on a vegan diet in Australia. Vitamin B12 intake from food was estimated using a validated food frequency questionnaire and detailed questioning was used to estimate supplemental intake. We used published data on dose-dependent absorption rates to estimate amount of the vitamin absorbed to enable comparison to the RDI. Supplementation practices varied widely. Based on estimated amount absorbed, 39% of participants had an estimated total intake of vitamin B12 below RDI equivalency, compared to 26% based on mean daily intake. The potential absorption of vitamin B12 needs to be considered when estimating adequacy of intake and recommending supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Adequate iodine intake is essential throughout life. Key dietary sources are iodized salt and animal products, but dietary patterns in Europe are changing, for example toward lower salt intake and a more plant-based diet. Objective To review iodine intake (not status) in European populations (adults, children, and pregnant women) to identify at-risk groups and dietary sources. Data sources PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases, as well as European national nutrition surveys were searched for data on had iodine intake (from dietary assessment) and sources of iodine, collected after 2006. Data selection In total, 57 studies were included, comprising 22 national surveys and 35 sub-national studies. Iodine intake data were available from national surveys of children aged <10 years (n = 11), 11–17 years (n = 12), and adults (n = 15), but data from pregnancy were only available from sub-national studies. Results Iodine intake data are lacking—only 17 of 45 (38%) European countries had iodine-intake data from national surveys. Iodine intake reported from national surveys was below recommendations for: (1) children aged <10 years in 2 surveys (18%), (2) boys and girls aged 11–17 years in 6 (50%) and 8 (68%) surveys, respectively, and (3) adult men and women in 7 (47%) and 12 (80%) surveys, respectively. In pregnant women, intake was below recommendations except where women were taking iodine-containing supplements. Just 32% of national surveys (n = 7) included iodized salt when estimating iodine intake. Milk, dairy products, fish, and eggs were important contributors to intake in many countries, suggesting limited sources in plant-based diets. Conclusion Results are limited by the challenges of dietary assessment for measuring iodine intake. Future national surveys should include iodine intake. Policy makers should consider dietary sources alongside any iodized salt policies when considering methods for improving population iodine intake. Systematic Review Registration PROSPERO 2017 CRD42017075422. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with cancer have been reported to show elevated plasma concentrations of vitamin B12, thus causing uncertainties regarding safety of vitamin B12. We conducted a systematic literature search and a scoping review of human studies published in PubMed between January 2005 and March 2022, to investigate the association between vitamin B12 (concentrations of B12 biomarkers, intake, and genetic determinants) and cancer. Except for liver cancer, the association between plasma vitamin B12 concentrations and cancer was not consistent across the studies. Vitamin B12 intake from food, or food and supplements, showed even less consistent associations with cancer. There was no evidence for temporality, coherence, or a biologically meaningful dose-response relationship between plasma vitamin B12 concentrations and cancer. Genetically determined high plasma vitamin B12 was likely to be associated with cancer. Available randomized controlled trials have used a high dose of multivitamin supplements and cancer was the unplanned outcome, thus the causality of B12 in cancer cannot be judged based on these trials. Additionally, low plasma vitamin B12 concentrations were common in patients with cancer. Therefore, there is not sufficient evidence to assume that high plasma vitamin B12, high B12 intake, or treatment with pharmacological doses of vitamin B12, is causally related to cancer. Low vitamin B12 status in patients with cancer needs to be diagnosed and treated in order to prevent the hematological and neurological sequela of the deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the salivary calcium level and its correlation with salivary pH, salivary volume, and calcium intake in hypertensive female patients with different blood sugar levels. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 49 female subjects with hypertension. Subjects were divided into three groups based on the HbA1c test: normal, prediabetes, and diabetes. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected using the spitting method. Salivary calcium levels were evaluated using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Salivary pH was obtained using a universal indicator pH paper test. Calcium intake was assessed by a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare salivary parameters and total calcium intake within study groups. Spearman rank correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to evaluate the correlation between salivary calcium levels and all variables in the study. Results: No significant difference in salivary calcium, volume, pH, and total calcium intake was observed within the study groups. However, a significant correlation was found between salivary calcium levels and salivary pH in hypertensive females with normal blood glucose levels. Moreover, salivary calcium levels have a significant correlation with systolic blood pressure in prediabetes and diabetes groups. Conclusions: This study found a decrease in all salivary parameters (calcium, pH, and volume) as well as a low calcium intake in hypertensive females, despite no significant difference found in groups with different blood glucose levels. Blood glucose levels appeared to be a confounder in the relationship between salivary calcium with salivary pH and systolic blood pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provision of an efficient water supply system (WSS) is one of the top priorities of all municipals to ascertain adequate water supply to the city. Intake is the lifeline of the water supply system and largely effects the overall plant efficiency. The required power supply is generally fed from the main grid, and a diesel generator is commonly used as a power backup source. This results in high pumping cost as well as high operational cost. Moreover, due to operation of motor pumps and other auxiliary loads, frequent maintenance is required. Therefore, to avoid various challenges and to efficiently operate the intake system, microgrid concept has been introduced in this paper. Various distributed generations (DGs) such as solar photovoltaic (PV), interior permanent magnet machine (IPM) wind turbine generator and Battery energy storage system (BESS) are incorporated in the microgrid system. Additionally, a new approach based on adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is proposed, where P-f and Q-V droop is considered while training the ANFIS data; after successful training, the microgrid voltage and frequency are controlled as per system requirement. Simulation of the microgrid system shows good results and comparison with the generalized droop control (GDC) method is done using MATLAB/Simulink software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: A relatively high number of users is dissatisfied with their orthopaedic device. The term 'user practice' was introduced to emphasise the idea that users of orthopaedic devices perform activities within an environment, which are characteristic for that environment. OBJECTIVE: To investigate to what extend orthopaedic shoe engineers map the specific environments in which users live and the activities they perform within these environments during the first intake for custom made orthopaedic footwear. METHODS: Orthopaedic shoe engineers were recruited from orthopaedic service providers across The Netherlands. The intake with a new client for orthopaedic footwear was recorded and analysed using four user environments: daily life at home, transport, work, and leisure. RESULTS: Our study showed that orthopaedic shoe engineers cover at best less than 50% of activities within the four user environments. Consequently, there is no guarantee that the resulting design of the orthopaedic footwear fits all of the activities and environments of the users. CONCLUSIONS: The principles of user practices, consisting of specific environments and activities of the user, are not yet adequately used in the field of orthopaedic shoe engineering. By not using them, too little understanding of the life of the user can result in dissatisfaction and non-usage of the orthopaedic device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effect on dairy cows of the partial replacement of whole plant corn silage (WPCS) with corn ear fibrous coproduct (CEFC) in diets with concentrate coproducts from citrus and corn on dry matter intake (DMI), lactation performance, digestibility, and chewing behavior. Holstein dairy cows (n = 20) in 5, 4 × 4 Latin squares (21-d periods) were fed a combination of strategies for feeding fibrous coproducts in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of the following treatments: (1) forage feeds: the partial replacement of WPCS (CS) with CEFC (CO), and (2) concentrate feeds: the partial replacement of wet corn gluten feed (GF) with a blend of pelleted citrus and corn distillers dried grains (CD) to have isonitrogenous diets. The concentrations of physically effective neutral detergent fiber (NDF; pe NDF >8) were (% of dry matter): 21.8% for CS, 19.2% for CO, 20.7% for GF, and 20.2% for CD. Cows fed diet CS-CD had the highest yield of energy-corrected milk (30.0 kg/d) relative to the other diets (28.4 kg/d). Milk fat concentration was reduced on CO relative to CS. Cows fed the CO diets had higher DMI (21.2 vs. 20.2 kg/d) and digestible organic matter intake and tended to have a lower ratio of energy-corrected milk to DMI than cows fed CS. Diets CO reduced the daily intake of pe NDF >8 and the intake as percent of body weight of pe NDF >8 , forage NDF, and total NDF relative to CS. Cows fed CO had greater meal frequency and lower daily meal time, meal duration, meal size, and duration of the largest meal than cows fed CS. The CO diet reduced rumination and total chewing in minutes per day and minutes per kilogram of DMI. When expressed per unit of pe NDF >8 intake, rumination and total chewing were not affected by forage source. The total-tract starch digestibility coefficient was lower for cows fed CO than CS, but the intake of digestible starch was higher on CO than CS. Cows fed GF had reduced milk yield (29.6 vs. 30.8 kg/d), tended to have reduced DMI (20.4 vs. 21.0 kg/d), and had reduced digestible organic matter intake than cows fed CD. Feed efficiency was not affected by source of concentrate. The type of concentrate did not affect the intake of forage NDF and pe NDF >8 , but cows fed GF had higher intake of total NDF as percent of body weight than cows fed CD. The GF increased meal frequency and reduced meal size and largest meal duration and size. Cows fed GF had higher rumination and total chewing than cows fed CD (min/d, min/kg of DMI, and min/kg pe NDF >8). Starch digestibility was higher and the intake of digestible starch tended to be higher on cows fed GF than CD. Plasma urea-N was higher, milk urea-N tended to be higher, and N utilization efficiency tended to be lower on cows fed GF than CD. Ruminal microbial yield was not affected by any treatment. All strategies evaluated were nutritionally viable and CEFC was a feasible partial replacement for WPCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Caatinga is the property of Revista Caatinga and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Challenging space missions include those at very low altitudes, where the atmosphere is the source of aerodynamic drag on the spacecraft, that finally defines the mission's lifetime, unless a way to compensate for it is provided. This environment is named Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) and it is defined for h < 450 km . In addition to the spacecraft's aerodynamic design, to extend the lifetime of such missions, an efficient propulsion system is required. One solution is Atmosphere-Breathing Electric Propulsion (ABEP), in which the propulsion system collects the atmospheric particles to be used as propellant for an electric thruster. The system could remove the requirement of carrying propellant on-board, and could also be applied to any planetary body with atmosphere, enabling new missions at low altitude ranges for longer missions' duration. One of the objectives of the H2020 DISCOVERER project, is the development of an intake and an electrode-less plasma thruster for an ABEP system. This article describes the characteristics of intake design and the respective final designs based on simulations, providing collection efficiencies up to 94 % . Furthermore, the radio frequency (RF) Helicon-based plasma thruster (IPT) is hereby presented as well, while its performances are being evaluated, the IPT has been operated with single atmospheric species as propellant, and has highlighted very low input power requirement for operation at comparable mass flow rates P ∼ 60 w . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to determine the effect of the dietary treatments and age on the fattening process in cattle. Thirty-six Ongole crossbred cattles were allotted into two different dietary treatments and three different age groups, with six replications for 24 weeks period, 4 weeks of preliminary followed by 20 weeks of data collection at the Beef Cattle Research Station (BCRS). The experimental design was completely randomized with a 2 x 3 factorial. The cattle were placed in individual pens and had ad-libitum access to water and feed, the feeds were elephant grass and concentrate (25:75). The parameters observed were liveweight, DM intake, feed conversion ratio, feed efficiency, IOFC, and BCR. Liveweight was measured every fortnight and feed intakes were measured daily. The results showed that a 10% substitution of DGGS with cassava did not affect all parameters observed. Age did not affect the total gain. Total DM intake increased with age, although percentage of DM intake on liveweight and efficiency decreased with the increasing age. All parameters observed for 18 months old group were better than those in 30- and 42-months old groups. It was concluded that the fattening process at 18 months old PO cattle was the most profitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency is common among women during pregnancy. This study aims to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and their shared modifiable environmental factors among pregnant women in Indonesia and Malaysia. METHODS: Blood samples of 844 third-trimester pregnant women (Indonesians: 311; Malaysians: 533) were collected to determine their serum 25(OH) D levels. Information on sun exposure and sun protection behaviours were obtained through face-to-face interviews. Dietary vitamin D intake was assessed by using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (<30 nmol/L) among Indonesian and Malaysian pregnant women were 42.4% and 72.0%, respectively. Percentage of exposed body surface area was inversely associated with vitamin D deficiency among Indonesian pregnant women (OR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.09-0.48). Among Malaysian pregnant women, higher intakes of dietary vitamin D were associated with lower risk of vitamin D deficiency (OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.29-0.81). Analysis of the combined cohorts revealed a lower risk of vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women who had a daily intake of at least 15 mcg vitamin D (OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.38-0.88) and exposure of more than 27% body surface area to the sunlight (OR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.16-0.60). CONCLUSION: Despite abundant sunshine, vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among pregnant women in tropical countries. The present study suggests that nutrition education on vitamin D intake and sun exposure during pregnancy is necessary for primary prevention of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women living in the tropical countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tendency to approach food faster than to avoid it (i.e., approach bias) is thought to facilitate food intake, particularly foods that conflict with one's dietary goals. However, this relationship has been difficult to demonstrate, which ties into an ongoing debate about whether such cognitive-behavioral biases represent stable traits or fluctuating states. We thus investigated the temporal fluctuations of food approach bias (1), its within-participant association with food craving (2) and intake (3), and the role of top-down control in this bias-intake association (4). The 76 participants completed an impulsivity questionnaire and performed a smartphone-based approach-avoidance task on nine days. Every day, they also reported their daily craving, intake, and dietary intentions for 12 personalized foods they wanted to eat less or more often over the study period. Approach bias varied considerably within individuals (1), and correlated in unexpected ways with food craving (2) and intake (3); this association of approach bias with intake was moderated by inter-individual differences (rather than day-to-day fluctuations) in dietary intentions and impulsivity (4). Results emphasize the need to re-conceptualize approach bias as comprising both state and trait components, and indicate that the more trait-like aspects of top-down control gate the relationship of approach bias with intake. The large day-to-day variation in approach bias may explain why single-session bias measures often do not predict distal outcomes like body weight. Furthermore, our results suggest that interventions targeting approach bias may be most effective for certain timepoints (high-risk situations) and individuals (those with weak dietary intentions)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

ABSTRACT This research article aims to evaluate the effect of total replacement of corn by soybean meal and urea on intake and apparent digestibility of dry matter and its components, production and composition of milk and feeding behavior of lactating cows grazing, with intermittent stocking Mombaça grass (Megathyrsus maximus cv. Mombaça). Twelve milking cows were distributed in a triple 4 x 4 latin square. Experimental treatments consisted of four soybean meal replacement levels by corn more urea (0; 33; 66; 100%). The grass has an average content of crude protein and neutral detergent fiber of 19% and 59%, respectively. The replacement of soybean meal by corn and urea did not affect the intake and digestibility of nutrients. A linear reduction of milk production was observed, but there was no change in milk production corrected to 4.0% of fat. The milk components (g/kg) of fat, protein, lactose, and total solids were not altered, as well as feeding behavior. Under the conditions of this study, the replacement of the diets is suitable for crossbred dairy cows in lactation third medium, producing in average of 12.5 kg/day-1 when kept in quality pastures.

A study was undertaken to assess the impact of the timing of grazing on rumen and plasma metabolites and some metabolic hormones in lactating dairy sheep allocated to an Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam) pasture in spring for 4 h/d. Twenty-four mid lactation Sarda ewes stratified for milk yield, body weight, and body condition score, were divided into four homogeneous groups randomly allocated to the treatments (2 replicate groups per treatment). Treatments were morning (AM, from 08:00 to 12:00) and afternoon pasture allocation (PM, from 15:30 to 19:30). Samples of rumen liquor (day 39) and blood plasma (days 17 and 34 of the experimental period) were collected before and after the grazing sessions. Moreover, on days 11 and 35, grazing time was assessed by direct observation and herbage intake measured by the double weighing procedure. Grazing time was longer in PM than AM ewes (P < 0.001) but herbage intake was undifferentiated between groups. The intake of water-soluble carbohydrates at pasture was higher in PM than AM ewes (P < 0.05). The post-grazing propionic and butyric acid concentration, as measured on day 39, were higher in PM than AM ewes (P < 0.05). The basal level of glucose on day 34 and insulin (on both sampling days) were higher in PM than AM (P < 0.05). The opposite trend was detected for non-esterified fatty acids (P < 0.05, day 34) and urea (both days). Pasture allocation in the afternoon rather than in the morning decreased plasma concentration of ghrelin (P < 0.001) and cortisol (P < 0.001), with a smoothed trend on day 34 in the latter variable. To conclude, postponing the pasture allocation to afternoon increased the intake of WSC, favoring a glucogenic pattern of rumen fermentation and a rise of glucose and insulin levels in blood, although these effects were not consistent across the whole experimental period. Moreover, the afternoon grazing decreased the level of cortisol and ghrelin, suggesting a higher satiation-relaxing effect.

Holstein × Gyr and Holstein are the primary dairy breeds used in tropical systems, but when rearing under pasture, feed intake, behavior, and performance might differ between them. This study aimed to evaluate the voluntary intake, nutrient digestibility, performance, and ingestive behavior of Holstein and Holstein × Gyr (½ Holstein × ½ Gyr) heifers managed in a rotational system of Guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Mombaça). The experiment was conducted during the summer season throughout four periods of 21 d. Two 8-heifers (four Holstein and four Holstein × Gyr) groups, averaging 258.6 ± 24.79 kg and 157.1 ± 24.99 kg BW, were used. Each group grazed a separate set of 16 paddocks, and all heifers received a concentrate supplement daily. Heifers were weighed at the beginning and end of the experiment. Fecal, forage and concentrate samples were evaluated for their DM, CP, crude fat, ash, NDF, and indigestible NDF. Feeding behavior was evaluated through 24 h of live observation for 48 h of each experimental period. Grazing, ruminating, resting, and intake of concentrate times were recorded, and rumination criteria, bout criteria, mealtime, meal frequency, and meal duration were calculated. There was no difference in total dry matter intake (DMI), but forage DMI of Holstein × Gyr was 11.70 % greater than the Holstein heifers. The Holstein × Gyr heifers had greater NDF intake and feed efficiency tended to show greater CP and NDF digestibilities, consequently, they had greater average daily gain (ADG). Holstein grazed less than Holstein × Gyr heifers in the afternoon. Ruminating time was 18.43 % lower for Holstein than Holstein × Gyr heifers, and rumination criteria (i.e. longest non-feeding interval within a rumination event) were greater for Holstein heifers. Holstein heifers presented more prolonged rumination bouts and resting time than Holstein × Gyr heifers. Holstein × Gyr can ingest and ruminate greater amounts of fibrous material, and Holstein heifers needed to spend more time ruminating the cud. Overall, even though the behavior was not markedly different between breeds, rearing young Holstein heifers in tropical pasture conditions is less suitable than Holstein-Gyr because of their lower ADG. Therefore, this management condition seems appropriate for Holstein × Gyr but inappropriate for Holstein dairy heifers.

BackgroundThe Mediterranean diet (MD) has been proposed as a healthy diet with a potential to lower the incidence of several types of cancer, but there is no data regarding thyroid cancer (TC). We investigated the association between MD adherence, and its components, and the differentiated TC risk within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort.MethodsOver 450,000 men and women from nine European countries were followed up for a mean of 14.1 years, during which 712 differentiated TC cases were identified. Adherence to MD was estimated using the relative MD (rMED) score, an 18-point scale including alcohol, and the adapted rMED (arMED) score, a 16-point scale excluding alcohol. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox regression models adjusted for potential confounding factors.ResultsAdherence to the arMED score was not associated with the risk of differentiated TC (HRhigh vs. low adherence = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.70–1.25; p-trend 0.27), while a suggestive, but non-statistically significant inverse relationship was observed with rMED (HRhigh vs. low adherence = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.68–1.14; p-trend 0.17). Low meat (HRlow vs. high meat intake = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.67–0.99; p-trend = 0.04) and moderate alcohol (HRmoderate vs. non−moderate intake = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.75–1.03) intake were related with lower differentiated TC risk.ConclusionsOur study shows that a high adherence to MD is not strongly related to differentiated TC risk, although further research is required to confirm the impact of MD and, especially, meat intake in TC risk.

Background: Sedentary behavior may affect the types of food consumed in children and adolescents’ daily diets. Previous published studies are limited to local surveys. This study aimed to explore the relationship between sedentary behavior and food intake among children and adolescents. Methods: A stratified sampling technique was employed in the present cross-sectional study. Demographic characteristics, sedentary behavior, transportation modes, and food intake were investigated. Results: We found that children and adolescents who watched movies or TV programs online or on their smartphones on weekends and who chatted online on weekends, including on QQ (an instant messaging software service) and WeChat (an instant messaging software service), increased their intake of instant noodles and fried pasta (Spearman’s rho = 0.468, 0.575, 0.465, and 0.323; p < 0.05). Children and adolescents who chatted online on weekends, including on QQ and WeChat, increased their intake of tofu skin (Spearman’s rho = 0.461; p < 0.05), and those who browsed online on weekdays increased their intake of whole-fat liquid milk (Spearman’s rho = 0.455; p < 0.05). Children and adolescents who browsed and chatted online on weekends, including on QQ and WeChat, and who played computer or smartphone games, increased their intake of fried potato chips (French fries or other fried snacks) (Spearman’s rho = 0.568, 0.270, and 0.412; p < 0.05). With respect to modes of transportation used to travel to and from school, children and adolescents who took buses and subways increased their intake of rice, instant noodles, sweet potatoes, soybean milk, tofu skin, processed meat products (sausage, ham sausage, or lunch meat), fish, shrimp, vegetables, nuts, and sweet cookies (buns, cakes, Dim sum, and moon cakes) (Spearman’s rho = 0.394, 0.536, 0.630, 0.408, 0.485, 0.441,0.410, 0.424, 0.444, 0.541, and 0.366; p < 0.05). Conclusions: Sedentary behavior affects the types of food consumed in children and adolescents’ daily diets. Children and adolescents who browsed online on weekdays increased their intake of whole-fat liquid milk, but also increased their intake of foods with high fat, high salt, and low nutrient density. Children and adolescents taking buses and subways increased their intake of low-nutrition quality products. Public awareness efforts should focus on reducing the consumption of low-nutrition quality products and nutritional education.

Conventional sources of feed supplements are costly and mostly unavailable for smallholder farmers. Due to its better nutritional characteristics feeding Sudan grass hay for sheep can contribute in reducing the amount of protein source supplements and can help in improving animal performance. An experiment was conducted using twenty four male local yearling lambs with an initial body weight of 21.77±1.87kg (mean±SD) to investigate feed intake, digestibility, body weight change and economic benefits using local sheep fed a basal diet of Sudan grass hay supplemented with Faba bean hull, Wheat bran and their mixtures. The experiment lasted 90 days of growth and 7 days of digestibility period. The experiment was undertaken using a randomized complete block design having six blocks with four treatments (T1=Sudan grass hay ad libitum+300 g Wheat bran (WB); T2=Sudan grass hay ad libitum+200 g WB+100 g FBH; T3=Sudan grass hay ad libitum+100 g WB+200 g FBH and T4=Sudan grass hay ad libitum+300 g Faba bean hull (FBH)). Three hundred grams of treatment diets were offered daily on dry matter basis. Feed intake and body weight were measured on a daily and ten days interval basis, respectively. All the collected data on dry matter (DM) and nutrient intake, DM and nutrient digestibility, body weight changes and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) were subjected to ANOVA using General Linear Model (GLM) procedure of SAS (2003). Sudan grass hay offered had 11.75% CP, 52.12% NDF and 36.58% ADF on DM basis. Supplement feed at 300g WB (T1), 200g WB+100g FBH (T2), 100g WB+200g FBH (T3) and 300g FBH (T4) had 19.19, 17.73, 16.28 and 14.82% CP, 44.20, 51.03, 57.87 and 64.70% NDF and 12.84, 27.59, 42.35 and 57.10% ADF on DM basis, respectively. Supplementation with high protein content feeds (T1, T2 and T3) improved dry matter, organic matter and crude protein intake and apparent digestibility. Dry matter intake (925.74-947.38g day-1) and crude protein intake (123.46-131.09g day-1) were higher for T1, T2 and T3. The dry matter digestibility (75.26-79.58%) and CP digestibility coefficient (78.46-84.22%) were also higher for T1, T2 and T3. Final body weight (29.88-31.75kg) and average daily gain (98.89-107.22g) were higher for T2 and T3 but with same effect to T1. The partial budge analysis result indicated that sheep fed Sudan grass hay supplemented with 200g WB+100g FBH (T2) had the highest net return (931.62 ETB) and highest MRR (3.32) compared to the other supplemented treatments. Thus, it is recommended that supplementation of Sudan grass hay with 200g WB+100g FBH g head-1 day-1 (T2) is biologically efficient and potentially profitable in the feeding of growing local ram lambs.

In a previous study, large variability in iodine content was found among samples of store brand retail milk at a single time point in a sampling taken from 24 nationwide U.S. locations for the USDA FoodData Central database, but the sampling plan was not designed to detect differences among locations. This follow-up study was carried out to evaluate iodine levels in retail milk across the U.S. over time. Milk samples (2% fat) were collected bimonthly in fourteen locations for one year and analyzed in duplicate. Control materials were used to support accuracy of results and ensure precision across analytical batches. The overall mean and standard error (SE) for iodine concentration were 82.5 (7.0) µg/240 mL serving, which was comparable to the previous national mean [85.0 (5.5) µg/240 mL]. A similar wide range among individual samples was detected (27.9–282 µg/240 mL). For some locations, the mean iodine concentration differed significantly from others, and differed from the national average by amounts ranging from −47 µg to +37 µg per serving. The between-sample range within location was large for some (up to 229 µg/serving) and minimal for others (as little as 13.2 µg/serving). These findings suggest iodine intake from some retail milk supplies could be over- or underestimated relative to the national average, even if the national average is suitable for population-wide intake estimates.

This study aimed to create an equation to predict dry matter intake (DMI) and milk production and N-ureic in the milk of dairy cows managed in tropical conditions in Brazil. We used 113 observations from three experiments using lactating Jersey, Girolando, and Holstein cows. The goodness of fit of the developed equations was evaluated using the coefficients of determination (r2) and root mean square error (RMSE). There was a positive correlation between body weight and milk yield (MY) of r = 0.73. The equation considered DMI to be the most important variable to estimate the MY (r2 = 0.65). Four equations were adjusted to estimate the DMI, where, by a stepwise procedure, the first variable included in the equation was the neutral detergent fibre intake, which explained 92% of the DMI of the cows. However, when the variables BW, MY, and milk fat were included in the equation, there was a reduction of 0.06 in RMSE and an increase in precision (r2 = 0.94). The nutrient intake, milk production, and characteristics prediction equations present satisfactory precision and accuracy for dairy cows managed in tropical conditions in Brazil.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of incorporating linseed oil and fish oil in the diet on intake, ruminal fermentation, milk yield, and milk fatty acid profiles in dairy goats. Four crossbred Saanen lactating goats in mid-lactation and milking 1.30 ± 0.28 g/day were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The basal diet contained concentrate and Para grass (C:F 40:60). Treatments included a basal diet without oil supplementation (Ctrl) or with 2.5% linseed oil (LO2.5), 2.5% linseed oil and fish oil (3:2, w/w, LFO2.5), and 4.16% linseed oil and fish oil (3:2, w/w, LFO4.16). Diets had no effect on intake, milk yield, milk composition, or ruminal fermentation (p > 0.05). Compared with Ctrl, lower (p < 0.05) proportions of C10:0–C14:0 in milk fat were observed with LFO4.16. Compared with the Ctrl and linseed oil added alone, feeding LFO4.16 led to a greater (p < 0.01) concentration of C18:1 t11. Compared with both the Ctrl and LO2.5 diets, milk c9,t11 CLA was 4.53 and 2.94 times greater with the LFO4.16 diet. Compared with Ctrl and LO2.5 diets (0.06% and 0.08%), goats fed LFO2.5, and LFO4.16 had greater (p < 0.001) concentrations of C22:6n-3 (0.63% and 0.87%). Overall, the combined data suggested that including 4.16% linseed oil and fish oil in the diet of dairy goats was effective in improving the concentrations of health-promoting fatty acids in milk without affecting milk production.

The relationship between salivary proteome and dietary habits was studied in previous works, where a relationship between salivary proteins like cystatins and polyphenol/tannin levels in diet was observed. However, it remains to be elucidated if this association results from an effect of polyphenol-rich food ingestion on saliva composition. The aim of this work was to test the effects of apple intake on the saliva proteome, both in the short and medium term (after 4 days of continuous intake). By incubating saliva samples with apple phenolic-rich extract, protein bands containing α-amylase, S-type cystatins, and proline-rich proteins (PRPs) appeared in the fraction that precipitated, showing the potential of these (poly)phenols to precipitate salivary proteins. Among these, it was salivary cystatins that presented changes in their levels both in the saliva samples collected immediately after apple intake and in the ones collected after 4 days of intake of an extra amount of apple. These results support the thought that intake is reflected in the salivary proteome. The effect of a polyphenol-rich food, like the apple, on salivary cystatin levels is in line with results observed in animal models and, due to the involvement of these proteins in oral food perception, it would be interesting to explore in future studies the effect of these changes on sensory perception and acceptance of polyphenol-rich food.

Hominy feed (HF) has been evaluated in feedlot and dairy rations but has not been evaluated as a supplemental energy source for lactating beef cows. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of level of HF supplementation on intake, digestibility, ruminal fermentation characteristics, and in situ dry matter (DM) disappearance of bermudagrass hay. Five ruminally cannulated lactating beef cows (body weight (BW) = 596 kg, SE = 13.9) were used in an experiment with a 5 × 5 Latin square design. Treatments were a bermudagrass hay-basal diet with low HF (LH; 0.25% BW), medium HF (MH; 0.50% BW), low ground corn (LC; 0.25% BW), medium ground corn (MC; 0.50% BW) and no supplement (CON). Cows were housed individually, and supplements were offered at 0800 daily. Hay was offered to maintain 10% refusal. Periods were 16–d, with 10 d for adaptation. Ruminal fluid was sampled on d 14 of each period for measurement of pH, volatile fatty acids, and rumen ammonia-N. An in situ degradation experiment for bermudagrass hay was completed for each diet. Hay dry-matter intake (DMI % BW) was not affected (p = 0.14) by supplement, but total DMI (DMI % BW) was greater (p ≤ 0.05) in MH and MC compared to LH and CON. Digestible DMI % BW was greater (p = 0.05) in MH compared to LC, MC was intermediate, and LH and CON were lesser (p ≤ 0.01) than all other diets. Dry-matter fill, passage rate, and retention time did not differ by diet (p ≥ 0.31). A diet × time interaction was observed for ammonia-N (p = 0.0002), and propionate (p = 0.02) time effects were observed for other parameters, but no diet effects. Bermudagrass hay’s potentially degradable fraction was greater (p ≤ 0.05) in LH than MH and CON, but effective DM degradability was not different (p = 0.39) among diets. Overall, no diets reduced hay intake or disappearance compared to CON; therefore, no negative associative effects were observed from any of the supplements at the levels offered in this study.

Legumes are nutrient-dense crops with health-promoting benefits. However, several barriers are associated with their consumption. Emerging issues including food neophobic tendencies or taboos, unclear dietary guidelines on legume consumption, health concerns, and socio-economic reasons, as well as long cooking procedures, adversely affect legume consumption frequency. Pre-treatment methods, including soaking, sprouting, and pulse electric field technology, are effective in reducing the alpha-oligosaccharides and other anti-nutritional factors, eventually lowering cooking time for legumes. Extrusion technology used for innovative development of legume-enriched products, including snacks, breakfast cereals and puffs, baking and pasta, represents a strategic way to promote legume consumption. Culinary skills such as legume salads, legume sprouts, stews, soups, hummus, and the development of homemade cake recipes using legume flour could represent effective ways to promote legume consumption. This review aims to highlight the nutritional and health effects associated with legume consumption, and strategies to improve their digestibility and nutritional profile. Additionally, proper educational and culinary approaches aimed to improve legumes intake are discussed.

Background: In Chile, the consumption of legumes at least two times per week is promoted. However, there is a low consumption of legumes. Therefore, our objective is to describe legume consumption in two different seasonal periods. Methods: Serial cross-sectional study: surveys were distributed during summer and winter using different digital platforms. Frequency of consumption, purchase access, and preparation type were investigated. Results: In total, 3280 adults were surveyed in summer and 3339 in winter. The mean age was 33 years. Totals of 97.7% and 97.5% of the population reported consuming legumes in both periods; consumption increased to 3 times per week during winter. In both periods, the main reason for their preference is that they are delicious and nutritious, followed by their use as a meat substitute; the main barriers to their consumption in both periods are that they are expensive (29% in summer and 27.8% in winter) and difficult to prepare. Conclusion: A good consumption of legumes was observed, but with a higher frequency of consumption during winter, with an intake of ≥1 per day; additionally, differences were found in purchases according to season, although no differences were found in the method of preparation.

Home cooking is a complex idea that involves multiple skills and behaviors and can be interpreted differently. Using six databases (two of which were Japanese), this scoping review examined the definitions and methods used in studies investigating the relationship between home cooking and dietary variables. Of the 40 studies (2 in Japanese) included in this review, 8 provided definitions but did not specify the extent or level that convenience foods can be allowed in food preparation. The methods were classified into two categories, namely, perception-dependent (n = 29) if using a self-reported instrument, or perception-independent (n = 11) if based on investigators' classification. Subsequently, indicators of home cooking were classified based on survey attributes (e.g., frequency, location). All but five studies used single indicators, primarily the preparation frequency (n = 18). Quality of analysis was also evaluated. Studies that used multiple indicators or perception-independent methods showed high or moderate overall quality. In contrast, studies that used single indicators based on perception-dependent methods tended to have a low overall quality. The consistency of the relationship between home cooking and dietary variables depended on study quality. In conclusion, the definitions of home cooking were inconsistent across studies, and lacked consensus for examining the association between dietary outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inadequate micronutrients in the diet and vitamin A deficiency are worldwide public health problems. In developing regions, many preschool children are undernourished, become blind every year and died before the age of 23 months. This study was aimed to explore the spatial distribution of vitamin A rich foods intake among children aged 6–23 months and identify associated factors in Ethiopia. Methods: Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Survey 2019 dataset with a total 1407 children aged 6–23 months was used. Data management and processing were done using STATA version 15 software and Microsoft Office Excel. ArcMap version 10.7 software was used for mapping and spatial visualization of the distribution. Spatial scan statistics was performed using SaTScan version 9.5 software for Bernoulli-based model. Multilevel mixed effect logistic regression model was employed to identify associated factors. Results: Overall, 38.99% (95% CI: 36.46–41.62) of children aged 6– 23 months took vitamin A rich foods. Poor intake of vitamin A rich foods was significantly clustered Dire Dawa city, Somali and Harari regions of Ethiopia. Children aged 6–23 months lived in the primary cluster were 70% (RR = 1.70, P-value < 0.001) more likely to intake vitamin A rich foods than children lived outside the window. In the multilevel mixed effect logistic regression analysis, Primary educational status (AOR:1.42, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.93) and higher educational status (AOR:3.0, 95% CI: 1.59, 5.65) of mother, Dire Dawa (AOR:0.49, 95% CI: 0.22, 1.12) city, Afar (AOR: 0.16, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.36), Amhara (AOR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.19, 0.71) and Somali (AOR: 0.02, 95% CI: 0.003, 0.08) regions of Ethiopia, children aged 13–23 months (AOR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.28, 2.36), Mothers' exposure to media (AOR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.92) were statistically significant factors for vitamin A rich foods intake among children aged 6–23 months. Conclusions: Only 4 out of ten children took vitamin A rich foods which is too low compared to the national target and significantly clustered in Ethiopia. Mother's educational status, Region, Child age and Mother's media exposure are significant factors vitamin A rich foods intake. Stakeholders should strengthen mothers' education status, creating awareness for mothers on child feeding and using locally available natural resource to produce vitamin A rich foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent development of advanced electronic sensors to monitor and record animal grazing activity provides a real opportunity to facilitate understanding of their behavioral responses. This study aimed to characterize the grazing activity and protein–energy requirements of grazing dairy goats in a Mediterranean woodland in northern Morocco by combining two sensors, the Global Positioning System (GPS) and three axis accelerometers. An experiment was conducted in a representative woodland with eight dairy goats. Measurements were undertaken during the three main grazing seasons (spring, summer, and autumn) for two consecutive and contrasting years. Grazing activity parameters were assessed using GPS collars and leg position sensors. The results showed that grazing time was higher in spring (57% and 59%) than in summer (39% and 36%) and autumn (41% and 45%), respectively, for the dry and wet years (p < 0.001). During the two studied years, the daily horizontal distance traveled by the goats increased from spring (about 4.5 km) to summer (about 6.5 km) and autumn (about 7.4 km), while greater daily vertical distances were recorded over similar distances during summer–autumn. Several protein–energy intakes that were insufficient to cover the requirements of the grazing goats were recorded, especially in summer. The combination of GPS collars and accelerometers contributed to a better understanding of the grazing activities of dairy goats in the studied Mediterranean woodland. These findings provide useful data on the protein–energy balances of dairy goats and offer additional information that could be useful for herders and managers to enhance goat-feeding strategies and guarantee high-performance in the semi-extensive traditional goat farming system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engine properties such as engine speed and fuel injection quantity may affect the swirl flow of diesel engines. In this paper, experiments are conducted at two engine rpm and various operation conditions. For instance, motoring with no fuel injected, pre-ignition firing conditions, in addition to different fuel quantities. In this experimental analysis, PIV technique is performed to observe the flow patterns of the charging gas. The obtained results indicate that the swirls behavior is similar under all operation conditions during the intake and compression strokes regardless of the engine speed. In comparison to pre-ignition firing process, generation of more swirl centers has been observed for both engine speeds i.e., 1000 rpm and 1500 rpm under motoring conditions. Additionally, at CA of 610 deg., the swirls centers were maintained for all configurations except for motoring conditions and lowest fuel quantity of 2 mg. Moreover, during expansion strokes for both engine speeds the least magnitude of velocity-vectors was observed under motoring condition. Nevertheless, the higher mean velocity-vectors among that of expansion stroke was observed under pre-ignition firing configuration. The obtained results suggest that, the movement of the induced swirl centers across the piston cavity during expansion to exhaust strokes and increasing the engine speed corresponded to an increase in the mean-velocity, swirl ratios, and TKE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feeding behavior of grazing steers supplemented in the dry season of the year. Thirty-two castrated crossbred (½ Holstein-Zebu) steers with an average initial weight of 378 ± 7.54 kg, aged 14 months, were distributed into four treatment groups in a completely randomized design with eight replicates. The animals were managed in an area covered with a pasture of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, in a rotational grazing system. The supplement was formulated so that the animals in the different treatment groups would ingest the same amount of crude protein (CP) daily. Thus, the treatments consisted of increasing levels of supplementation, based on the animals’ body weight (BW), as the protein content of the supplement was reduced. The following treatments (dry matter basis) were tested: T2, supplement at 0.2% BW, with 50% CP; T4, supplement at 0.4% BW, with 25% CP; T6, supplement at 0.6% BW, with 16.67% CP; and T8, supplement at 0.8% BW, with 12.5% CP. Forage dry matter intake decreased linearly (P < 0.05), characterizing a substitution effect. The increasing supplementation levels influenced the animals’ feeding behavior, especially grazing time, total feeding time, number of grazing bouts, and number of bites per day, which showed a positive quadratic response (P < 0.05), and rumination time, number of rumination bouts, number of cuds ruminated per day, and number of chews per ruminated cud, which exhibited a negative quadratic behavior (P < 0.05). Dry matter and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) feed efficiencies and dry matter and NDF rumination efficiencies responded quadratically (P < 0.05). In conclusion, concentrate supplementation at up to 0.8% BW improves the feeding behavior of grazing steers in terms of the intake of concentrate supplement and forage as well as the feed and rumination efficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of two methods of provision of açai seed (AS) as a fiber source (coarsely broken or whole) for feedlot beef cattle on the intake, digestibility, and ruminal parameters. Four bulls (male, non-castrated, and rumen fistulated), with an average body weight of 340 ± 31 kg, distributed in two simultaneous 2 × 2 Latin squares, were used. The treatments were two methods of processing of the açai seed, as follows: whole açai seed (WAS), and coarsely broken açai seed (CBAS). The dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intake were higher (P < 0.10) with the use of CBAS. The digestibility of DM and nutrients was not affected (P > 0.10) by AS processing. Acetate and total volatile fatty acids concentrations, and acetate:propionate ratio were higher with the CBAS diet, whereas the pH was higher with the WAS diet. The concentrations of propionate, butyrate, and ruminal ammonia nitrogen (NH3) did not change with AS processing. Thus, coarsely broken açai seed increases the intake of DM and nutrients without altering the digestibility. Furthermore, it increases the concentrations of total fatty acids and acetate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages across the world with increasing demand in non-traditional markets due to its unique sensory and physiological characteristics. However, coffee has been found to have accumulated acrylamides which are carcinogenic and may end up intoxicating consumers. The degree of roasting determines the quality characteristics and the acrylamide levels in the final processed products. The occurrence of acrylamides is as a result of cooking at high temperatures due to Maillard reactions in food stuff as a result of reactions between asparagine and reducing sugars. Acrylamide commonly occurs in foods exposed to high temperatures such as baked products including bread, coffee and fried potato products. In comparison to potato products such as crisps and French fries, only limited studies on their occurrence and their mitigation strategies have been conducted on coffee whose estimated daily intake levels have been estimated to be 14 to 70 μg/day. The toxicants have been shown to be potential carcinogens whose increased exposure through coffee consumption remains a key factor of safety concerns. Besides, several studies have also indicated that there are several other potential adverse health effects to consumers including nervous system failure and infertility at levels exceeding 0.43-1 mg/kg bw/day. Although acrylamide levels and occurrence have been determined in other foods in Kenya, there has been limited research on the quality and acrylamide levels in coffee. This review therefore aimed at determining the levels of acrylamides in the marketed coffee and determination of the levels of intake as a result of coffee consumption. Furthermore, there are no known strategies for reducing their levels as compared to other foodstuff therefore exposing consumers to potential food safety threats. There is need therefore for documentation of potential intoxication from the toxicants are therefore and there is need to assess the levels and potential intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]