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Accurately predicting phosphorous (P) and calcium (Ca) dietary requirements is critical for optimizing dairy cattle performance, and minimizing mineral excretions and ecosystems eutrophication. This study provides a new factorial system to determine net and dietary P and Ca requirements for maintenance and lactation, derived from a meta-regression of mineral trials involving lactating dairy cows. A comprehensive global database was constructed from 57 peer-reviewed articles of mineral balance trials, with a wide range of dietary and animal performance data. We estimated the net requirements for maintenance from the intercept of a nonlinear equation between mineral intake and the sum of total fecal and urinary excretions, which is an estimate of endogenous mineral loss. Mineral secreted in milk was used to obtain net requirements for lactation. The mineral metabolizable coefficient was quantified through observed (treatment means) mineral intake and total fecal and urinary excretions, discounting the estimated endogenous excretions from our proposed models. The nonlinear models of total fecal and urinary mineral excretion were evaluated (observed versus predicted values) using a 5-fold cross validation approach. The models to estimate the sum of endogenous fecal and urinary excretions of P (0.135±0.043 g P/kg BW0.75) and Ca (0.360±0.144 g Ca/kg BW0.75) exhibited suitable precision and accuracy; r = 0.89 and 0.79, concordance correlation coefficient = 0.85 and 0.77, and root mean square prediction error = 24.1 and 20.5% observed means, respectively. Dietary variables (forage level, fiber, starch, crude protein, and ether extract) did not affect the metabolizable coefficient (MC) of P and Ca; therefore, an overall dietary MC of P (0.69±0.01) and Ca (0.65±0.02) were proposed. Our new system estimates lower net and dietary P requirements for lactating dairy cows compared to the NASEM-2021 and NRC-2001 models, but slightly higher Ca requirements than NASEM-2021.This proposed system holds potential to reduce the use of phosphorus in diets for dairy cows, and thus to enhance economic efficiency and environmental sustainability of the dairy industry., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Oliveira, Soares. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

This study investigated the effects of ovariectomy and caffeine intake on bone health in rats on calcium-deficient diet. Forty adults female Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups in a 2x2 factorial design: Ovary (OVX/SHAM) and Caffeine (placebo/caffeine). The animals were housed in individual cages for 8 weeks, receiving 18-20g of AIN-93M diet per day, containing 50% of the daily recommended intake of calcium. The rats underwent ovariectomy (OVX) or laparotomy (SHAM) surgery. Caffeine groups received 6mg of caffeine/kg/day. After euthanasia, the tibia and femur were dissected to determine the calcium content and bone fracture strength, respectively. Blood sample was collected to determine serum Ostase. 24-hour urine was analyzed for excreted calcium and NTx. Reduced bone fracture strength and calcium content were observed in OVX and Caffeine groups. When observed separately, OVX group showed increased urinary NTx and lower bone weight, blood ostase, and urinary calcium. Caffeine groups showed elevated urinary calcium. There was a positive correlation between bone fracture strength and calcium content. NTx correlated negatively with bone calcium, fracture strength and thickness. In conclusion, both OVX and caffeine intake debilitate bone health in rats on calcium-deficient diet.

Soybean milk is a rich plant-based source of protein, and phenolic compounds. This study compared the nutritional value of soybean milk, flour, soy protein isolate (SPI) and evaluated the impact of prepared vitamin E/calcium salt/soy protein isolate nanoparticles (ECSPI-NPs) on fortification of developed soybean milk formulations. Results indicated that soybean flour protein content was 40.50 g/100 g, that fulfills 81% of the daily requirement (DV%), the unsaturated fatty acids (USFs), oleic and linoleic content was 21.98 and 56.7%, respectively, of total fatty acids content. In soybean milk, essential amino acids, threonine, leucine, lysine achieved 92.70, 90.81, 77.42% of amino acid scores (AAS) requirement values respectively. Ferulic acid was the main phenolic compound in soybean flour, milk and SPI (508.74, 13.28, 491.78 µg/g). Due to the moisture content of soybean milk (88.50%) against (7.10%) in soybean flour, the latest showed higher nutrients concentrations. The prepared calcium (20 mM/10 g SPI) and vitamin E (100 mg/g SPI) nanoparticles (ECSPI-NPs) exhibited that they were effectively synthesized under transmission electron microscope (TEM), stability in the zeta sizer analysis and safety up to IC 50 value (202 ug/mL) on vero cell line. ECSPI-NPs fortification (NECM) enhanced significantly phenolic content (149.49 mg/mL), taste (6.10), texture (6.70) and consumer overall acceptance (6.54). Obtained results encourage the application of the prepared ECSPI-NPs for further functional foods applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Taha et al.)

Background: Porcine nasal cartilage type II collagen-derived peptides (PNCPs) may be complexed with calcium to provide a highly bioavailable, low-cost, and effective calcium food supplement. However, the calcium-binding characteristics of PNCPs have not yet been investigated. In the present study, calcium-binding peptides were derived from porcine nasal cartilage type II collagen and the resulting PNCPs-Ca complex was characterized., Results: The study reveals that the calcium-binding capacity of PNCPs is closely related to enzymatic hydrolysis conditions. The highest calcium-binding capacity of PNCPs was observed at a hydrolysis time of 4 h, temperature of 40 °C, enzyme dosage of 1%, and solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:10. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed that the PNCPs had a pronounced capacity for calcium binding, with the PNCPs-Ca complex exhibiting a clustered structure consisting of aggregated spherical particles. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering, amino acid composition, and molecular weight distribution analyses all indicated that the PNCPs and calcium complexed via the carboxyl oxygen and amino nitrogen atoms, leading to the formation of a β-sheet structure during the chelation process. In addition, the stability of the PNCPs-Ca complex was maintained over a range of pH values consistent with those found in the human gastrointestinal tract, facilitating calcium absorption., Conclusion: These research findings suggest the feasibility of converting by-products from livestock processing into calcium-binding peptides, providing a scientific basis for the development of novel calcium supplements and the potential reduction of resource waste. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.)

At the onset of lactation, calcium (Ca) homeostasis is challenged. For the transitioning dairy cow, inadequate responses to this challenge may result in subclinical hypocalcemia at some point in the postpartum period. It has been proposed that dynamics of blood Ca and the timing of subclinical hypocalcemia allow cows to be classified into 4 Ca dynamic groups by assessing serum total Ca concentrations (tCa) at 1 and 4 days in milk (DIM). These differing dynamics are associated with different risks of adverse health events and suboptimal production. Our prospective cohort study aimed to characterize the temporal patterns of milk constituents in cows with differing Ca dynamics to investigate the potential of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) analysis of milk as a diagnostic tool for identifying cows with unfavorable Ca dynamics. We sampled the blood of 343 multiparous Holsteins on a single dairy in Cayuga County, New York, at 1 and 4 DIM and classified these cows into Ca dynamic groups using threshold concentrations of tCa (1 DIM: tCa <1.98 mmol/L; 4 DIM: tCa <2.22 mmol/L) derived from receiver operating characteristic curve analysis based on epidemiologically relevant health and production outcomes. We also collected proportional milk samples from each of these cows from 3 to 10 DIM for FTIR analysis of milk constituents. Through this analysis we estimated the milk constituent levels of anhydrous lactose (g/100 g of milk and g/milking), true protein (g/100 g of milk and g/milking), fat (g/100 g of milk and g/milking), milk urea nitrogen (mg/100 g of milk), fatty acid (FA) groups including de novo, mixed origin, and preformed FA measured in grams/100 g of milk, by relative percentage, and grams/milking, as well as energy-related metabolites including ketone bodies and milk-predicted blood nonesterified FA. Individual milk constituents were compared among groups at each time point and over the entire sample period using linear regression models. Overall, we found differences among the constituent profiles of Ca dynamic groups at approximately every time point and over the entire sample period. The 2 at-risk groups of cows did not differ from each other at more than one time point for any constituent, however prominent differences existed between the milk of normocalcemic cows and the milk of the other Ca dynamic groups with respect to FA. Over the entire sample period, lactose and protein yield (g/milking) were lower in the milk of at-risk cows than in the milk of the other Ca dynamic groups. In addition, milk yield per milking followed patterns consistent with previous Ca dynamic group research. Though our use of a single farm does limit the general applicability of these findings, our conclusions provide evidence that FTIR may be a useful method for discriminating between cows with different Ca dynamics at time points that may be relevant in the optimization of management or development of clinical intervention strategies., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. and Fass Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Background: Sporadic multiple parathyroid gland disease is ¼ cases of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). However, a single tactic for diagnosing and operating volume in patients with this variant of PHPT has not yet been developed. One of the possible directions in the search for pathogenetically substantiated methods of diagnosis and treatment is the study of the molecular genetic features of the disease and associated clinical and laboratory factors., Aim: To study the features of the expression of calcium sensitive (CaSR) and vitamin D (VDR) receptors on the surface of parathyroid cells in primary hyperparathyroidism with solitary and multiple lesions of the parathyroid glands, as well as its changes under the influence of a decrease in the filtration function of the kidneys., Materials and Methods: In a single center observational prospective study with retrospective data collection, there were patients who during 2019-2021. operated on for PHPT, secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) and all cases of tertiary hyperparathyroidism (THPT) operated during 2014-2021. The expression of CaSR, VDR and its relationship with the main laboratory parameters, the clinical variant of hyperparathyroidism, and the morphological substrate were studied., Results: The study included 69 patients: 19 with multiple and 25 with solitary PTG near PHPT, 15 with SHPT, 10 with THPT. A statistically significant decrease in the frequency of detection of normal expression of CaSR and VDR receptors occurs in any morphological variant of hyperparathyroidism and is observed in 93-60% of drugs. A decrease in the normal expression of CaSR in hyperplasia is detected statistically significantly less frequently than in adenoma (p≤0.01). The median expression intensity in adenoma was 2.5 (2:3), in hyperplasia 3.5 (3-4) (p≤0.01). The difference in the molecular mechanisms of the development of hyperparathyroidism with a predominance of a morphological substrate in the form of adenoma (PHPT with solitary adenoma) or hyperplasia (SHPT and PHPT with multiple PTG lesions) is realized in the frequency of maintaining normal CaSR expression in the PTG tissue. These mechanisms are implemented at the local level, their variability does not change under the influence of RRT. A common molecular genetic mechanism for the development of hyperparathyroidism with a predominance of a morphological substrate in the form of adenoma or hyperplasia has been found to reduce the frequency of maintaining normal VDR expression in PTG (up to 7-13%), p&lt;0.01. This mechanism is implemented at the local level, its variability changes under the influence of RRT, reaching statistically significant differences in patients with THPT., Conclusion: The study demonstrates the features of changes in the expression of CaSR and VDR in PHPT with multiple lesions of the parathyroid glands. The relationship between the expression of these receptors and the clinical variant of hyperparathyroidism, the morphological substrate, the main laboratory parameters, and renal function was shown.

Celery is an important nutritionally rich crop in the family Apiaceae. It is cultivated worldwide for food as well as for use in pharmaceutics. It is an excellent source of minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals. Identification of superior genotypes with improved nutritional content is the requirement to develop cultivars for commercial cultivation. For mineral analysis of celery, an experiment was carried out taking 20 diverse genotypes. These genotypes were analysed for macro- and micronutrients which include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and sodium (Na). The study revealed high content of K (20.3-26.1 mg/g dry weight (DW)) and Zn (0.09-0.14 mg/g DW) in leaves while the stalks were rich in Ca (41.5-51.3 mg/g DW) and Na (5.2-8.0 mg/g DW). High contents of P (5.2-6.8 mg/g DW), Fe (0.41-0.56 mg/g DW), Cu (0.015-0.026 mg/g DW), and Mn (0.020-0.029 mg/g DW) were observed in seeds. Based on the mineral content, three genotypes, viz., PAU2, PAU4, and PAU7, were found to be superior in terms of mineral composition in leaves, stalks, and seeds. Cluster analysis divided the genotypes into two major groups. These genotypes can be used in crosses as they showed great potential for use in biofortification. This study opens newer avenues for future research, encouraging researchers to enhance the product quality and production efficiency of the leaves, stalks, and seeds valuable for human consumption., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary replacement of magnesium oxide (MgO) with calcium-magnesium hydroxide [CaMg(OH) 2 ] and its interaction with ruminal buffer (sodium sesquicarbonate) supplementation on production, Ca and Mg balance, and overall physiological response of mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows. Sixty cows averaging 40.5 ± 7.0 kg of milk/d were used. Treatments were assigned following a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement: (1) MgO, (2) MgO + buffer, (3) CaMg(OH) 2 , or (4) CaMg(OH) 2 + buffer. Diets were formulated to have 16.5% of crude protein, 1.82 Mcal/kg of net energy for lactation, 0.67% Ca, 0.39% P, and 0.25% Mg, all on a dry matter (DM) basis. Treatments were individually top dressed. Milk production, composition, and DM intake were evaluated. A subsample of 20 cows were randomly selected for the evaluation of Ca and Mg balance, blood gases, and electrolytes. Ruminal fluid was also collected for evaluation of pH and Ca and Mg solubility. Effects of Mg source, buffer, and the interaction Mg source × buffer were analyzed through orthogonal contrasts. An interaction of Mg source × buffer was found for DM intake and feed efficiency, in which cows fed CaMg(OH) 2 had a similar feed efficiency regardless of ruminal buffer inclusion; however, when cows were fed MgO, the inclusion of buffer reduced feed efficiency. No effects on body weight and milk yield were observed. Buffer addition tended to increase the concentrations of fat, protein, and solids-not-fat, without affecting the yields of these milk components. Magnesium source and buffer did not affect ruminal fluid, blood, urine, or fecal pH; however, buffer supplementation increased urinary pH. Treatment with CaMg(OH) 2 increased blood concentration of HCO 3 - , total CO 2 , and base excess compared with cows fed MgO. No differences were observed in the ruminal solubility of Ca and Mg or on milk or urinary Ca and Mg excretion. Greater plasma Mg concentration was observed for animals fed MgO compared with cows fed CaMg(OH) 2 ; however, both sources were above the threshold recommended in the literature for dairy cows. Also, a reduction in fecal Mg excretion was observed in animals fed CaMg(OH) 2 . In summary, we provide evidence that CaMg(OH) 2 could replace MgO without affecting performance, overall physiological response, or Ca and Mg balance of mid-lactating dairy Holstein cows., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. and Fass Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Ingestion of eggshell in its natural form or as ground and powdered product has become a popular means of dietary calcium supplementation in adults. These substances appear as conspicuous radiopaque material within the gastrointestinal tract on radiographs or computed tomography of the abdomen. The ingested eggshell fragments are usually visible as curvilinear structures on profile view, whereas the ground or powdered eggshells appear as granular densities. This article illustrates the spectrum of findings that are observed following eggshell ingestion by patients undergoing radiological evaluation for various unrelated medical conditions. Potential complications of eggshell consumption are discussed, and two cases of intra-rectal egg insertion for palliative relief of pelvic pain are presented., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Antler bone calcium (AB-Ca) and bioactive peptides (ABPs) were extracted from antler bones ( Cervus elaphus ) to maximize their value. In this study, 0.14 g calcium was obtained from 1 g antler bone. The peptide-calcium chelate rate was 53.68 ± 1.80%, and the Gly, Pro, and Glu in ABPs were identified to donate most to the increased calcium affinity through the mass spectrometry. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that calcium predominantly interacted with amino nitrogen atoms and carboxyl oxygen atoms, thereby generating a peptide-calcium chelate. The peptide-calcium chelates were characterized using scanning electron microscopy. A Caco-2 cell monolayer model showed that ABPs significantly increased calcium transport. Furthermore, the D-gal-induced aging mouse model indicated that the ABPs + AB-Ca group showed higher Ca and PINP levels, lower P, ALP, and CTX-1content in serum, and considerably higher tibia index and tibia calcium content. Results showed that ABPs + AB-Ca increased bone formation and inhibited bone resorption, thereby providing calcium supplements for ameliorating senile osteoporosis (SOP).

A novel and effective method named time-resolved spectral-image laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (TRSI-LIBS) was proposed to achieve precise qualitative and quantitative analysis of milk powder quality. To verify the feasibility of TRSI-LIBS, qualitative and quantitative analysis of milk powder quality was carried out. For qualitative analysis of foreign protein adulteration, the accuracy of models based on TRSI-LIBS was higher than those based on LIBS, with an accuracy improvement of about 5% to 10%. For the quantitative analysis of foreign protein adulteration and element content, the quantitative analysis models based on TSRI-LIBS also had better effect. For instance, limit of detection (LOD),determination coefficient of prediction (R 2 p), root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP) and average relative error of prediction (AREP) of quantitative model of calcium (Ca) content based on TRSI-LIBS improved from 1.47 mg/g, 0.95, 0.35 mg/g and 23.29% to 0.81 mg/g, 0.98, 0.20 mg/g and 12.60%., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The market of innovative foods is developing very dynamically and consumers are paying increasingly more attention to the health properties of the food offered. In addition, many studies on food consumption indicate a deficiency of minerals in the diet and experts suggest that the consumption of fortified functional foods in a selected group of consumers may contribute to the improvement of their health and quality of life., Results: The aim of the work was to present the possibility of using bio-waste eggshell as a source of calcium in designing confectionery products. A snack with high calcium (0.567 g Ca kg -1 of product) and fiber (11.44 g kg -1 of product) content and potentially high calcium bioavailability was prepared. The results of the sensory expert-based assessment indicate a high (6-7 conventional units) overall sensory quality (OSQ) of the four flavor versions of the product during up to 3 months storage. In order to accurately illustrate the effect of storage time on the quality of the samples, texture analysis was carried out and the presented results indicate low correlations (r = -0.5554; r = -0.1494) between instrumentally measured hardness and sensory attribute of crispness, as well as hardness and OSQ, respectively., Conclusion: It is possible to reuse bio-waste eggshells as a calcium-fortifying substance for food design. The addition of powdered eggshells to food is an interesting direction, both for nutritional reasons (high concentration of calcium and optimal bioavailability) and also for environmental protection (reduction of post-production waste). © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Calcium plays an important role in various physiological activities of the human body, and long-term insufficient or excessive intake of calcium will have a negative impact on the body's health. Existing data show that insufficient dietary calcium intake is closely related to bone health, but the non-bone effects are not clear. Increasing dietary calcium and supplementing calcium (with or without vitamin D) have a certain beneficial effect on the bone mineral density and its peak of adolescents and can delay the bone loss of the elderly, but it can't improve the height and bone mineral density of adults and fracture in the elderly. This article introduces the physiological functions of calcium, dietary sources, human intake, and methods for formulating recommended amounts, and summarizes the relationship between calcium and health effects. It also recommends that when formulating the reference intake of dietary calcium for Chinese residents, more consideration should be given to the data and information of the Chinese population, combined with the characteristics of Chinese residents' genetics, absorption and metabolism.

Food waste, such as eggshell, can be an environmental problem if it is not properly managed. One of the ways to solve this is by using the eggshell as the cheap calcium source in food products. Polish gingerbread fortified with chicken eggshell powder (ESP) calcium was developed to solve the eggshell waste problem and to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. This study focused on the effect of ESP addition on basic composition, sensory evaluation, and antioxidative activity of gingerbread. Two samples of gingerbread without and with 3% (w/w of wheat flour) ESP, with controlled green tea powder (4% w/w of white chocolate) were analyzed. Results of the research showed that the addition of 3% ESP significantly increased the ash and calcium content (p < 0.05) without changing the appearance, aroma, texture, taste profiles, and the hedonic score of gingerbread. The gingerbread samples were then stored for 2 months and were analyzed every month. The hedonic evaluation of the aroma of both gingerbread samples decreased significantly (p < 0.05) during storage. During 2 months of storage, the antioxidative activity of gingerbread fortified with 3% ESP was not significantly different compared to the control (p > 0.05), particularly in ABTS and ORACFL assay. The ABTS, DPPH, and ORACFL assays showed decreasing antioxidative activity during storage, which was also in accordance with decreasing total phenolic content of both gingerbread samples. In PCL assay, the lipid-soluble antioxidant activity in gingerbread with 3% ESP was significantly higher during 2 months of storage, compared to the control (p < 0.05). The developed product might be a potential alternative to improve the calcium (26% daily value (DV) recommendation per 100 g) and antioxidant intake in order to prevent calcium deficiency. Gingerbread enriched with an organic source of calcium may become an innovative product to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis in the elderly population, having potential health and economic significance, given the incidence of osteoporosis and the costs of treating this disease.

A growing number of people are seeking a non-dairy plant-based beverage both for their personal health, and for the health of the planet. The aim of this study was to conduct a cross-sectional survey of single-serve plant-based beverages to assess their nutritional content and health profile. A total of 51 non-dairy plant-based beverages were analyzed from the nutrition label listed on the commercial package. The various beverages contained extracts of soy ( n = 14), almonds ( n = 13), oats ( n = 12), peas ( n = 7), banana ( n = 2), coconut ( n = 2), and rice ( n = 1). Almost one-half (45%) of the single-serve beverages had 5 g or more of protein/serving. A total of 75% and 65% of the single-serve beverages had calcium and vitamin B12 levels, respectively, fortified to at least 20% of the Daily Value (DV), while only 28% had vitamin D fortification at the 20% DV level. Two-thirds of the single-serve beverages had high sugar levels, while 39% were low in sodium, 63% were low in fat, and 96% were low in saturated fat. The single-serve plant-based beverages had more protein, calcium, vitamin B12, and sugar but less fat than the non-dairy, multi-serve plant-based beverages/ serving. A limited number of single-serve beverages met the requirements of school meal programs.

This article reviews physicochemical aspects of calcium absorption from foods. Notable differences are observed between different food products in relation to calcium absorption, which range from <10% to >50% of calcium in the foods. These differences can be related to the interactions of calcium with other food components in the food matrix, which are affected by various factors, including fermentation, and how these are affected by the conditions encountered in the gastrointestinal tract. Calcium absorption in the intestine requires calcium to be in an ionized form. The low pH in the stomach is critical for solubilization and ionization of calcium salts present in foods, although calcium oxalate complexes remain insoluble and thus poorly absorbable. In addition, the rate of gastric transit can strongly affect fractional absorption of calcium and a phased release of calcium into the intestine, resulting in higher absorption levels. Dairy products are the main natural sources of dietary calcium in many diets worldwide, which is attributable to their ability to provide high levels of absorbable calcium in a single serving. For calcium from other food products, lower levels of absorbable calcium can limit contributions to bodily calcium requirements.

Obesity is declared as a chronic multifaceted health problem, and young adults may be particularly vulnerable to weight gain. This study aims to identify the role of dietary calcium intake and the muscle strength index in handling excess of fat mass in young adults and to examine if the relationship between dietary calcium intake and fat mass percentage is mediated by muscle strength. A cross-sectional study including 355 Spanish college students (aged 21.05 ± 3.11) was performed during the 2017-2018 academic year. Pearson correlation coefficients were estimated to determine the relationship between dietary calcium intake, fat mass percentage, body mass index, muscle strength components, and total energy intake. ANCOVA models were used to analyze the differences in the muscle strength index by total dietary calcium intake categories, as well as the differences in % fat mass by total dietary calcium intake and muscle strength index categories, controlling for different sets of confounders. A mediator analysis was conducted to test if the relationship between dietary calcium intake and fat mass percentage was explained by muscle strength. Data on the fat mass percentage, dietary calcium intake, and muscle strength index as the sum of the standardized z-score of the standing long jump and z-score of handgrip/weight were collected. The muscle strength index was significantly better in young adults with higher dietary calcium intake. Moreover, the fat mass percentage was significantly lower in those with a higher dietary calcium intake and a better muscle strength index. Finally, the relationship between dietary calcium intake and fat mass percentage was fully mediated by muscle strength (z = -1.90; p < 0.05), explaining 33.33% of this relationship. This study suggests that both a major dietary calcium intake and muscle strength are associated with fat mass percentage. Moreover, muscle strength mediates the link between dietary calcium intake and fat mass percentage. Therefore, both high dietary calcium intake and exercise activities aimed at improving muscle strength levels may help to prevent the cardiometabolic risk associated with an excess of fat mass in young people.

Appropriate dietary adjustment in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is important, and nutritional guidelines recommend different dietary management depending on the CKD stage. However, there is no study, to our knowledge, of the characteristics of dietary intake according to CKD stages. We tried to assess the comparison of nutritional intake according to CKD stages. A cross-sectional study was conducted to reveal the characteristics of dietary intake among patients with CKD based on the Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey between 2011 and 2014. Of 16,878 participants, we classified non-CKD (n = 14,952) and CKD (n = 1,926), which was stratified into five groups (I, II, IIIa, IIIb, and IV-V). We investigated the characteristics of dietary intake, such as energy, water, protein, fat, carbohydrate, sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus, according to stage of CKD. We also explored nutritional intake according to CKD stage among patients with early CKD (stage I and II) and advanced CKD (stage IIIa, IIIb, and IV-V). Intake of majority of nutrients and energy tended to be decreased as CKD progressed. In early CKD stage, intake of energy, water, protein, fat, carbohydrate, potassium, calcium and phosphorus seemed to be statistically significant decreased as CKD progressed. In advanced CKD stage, intake of potassium and calcium seemed to be decreased as CKD progressed, but the intake of energy was about to be lower limit. Appropriate dietary education and CKD recognition are needed to improve nutritional intake depending on the CKD stage., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Objectives: Kidney stone disease (KSD) has a strong association with diet metabolic syndrome. This review aims at exploring the lithogenic risk posed by the current most popular diets. Our approach was to search for the effect of each diet type on the major urinary risk factors, to try to draw conclusions regarding the association of a specific diet type and KSD., Methods: This systematic review searched for the available literature exploring the association between the existing popular fad diets and KSD. Articles in English, French and Spanish were included, without restriction of the search period with the final search done in August 2021., Results: Total number of studies and studies for each diet type was as follows: 22 articles for the low carbohydrate diet, 20 articles for high protein diets, 26 articles for vegetarian and vegan diets. There exists a substantial variability in different low carbohydrate and high protein diets, and considerable overlap between modern popular fad diets. High carbohydrate intake might increase urine uric acid, calcium and oxalate levels. High protein diets increase urine calcium and uric acid and lower urine pH and citrate. Consumption of fruits and vegetables increases the urinary volume and urinary citrate. In vegan diets, sufficient daily calcium intake is important to avoid possible secondary hyperoxaluria., Conclusions: Few studies evaluated the direct relationship between modern fad diets and KSD. In general, the reduction of carbohydrate in the diet, and counterbalancing protein rich diets with sufficient intake of fruits and vegetables, seem to play a protective role against KSD formation. Maintaining sufficient calcium intake in vegan and vegetarian diets is important. Additional research is needed to directly evaluate the link between KSD and each diet type.

Suboptimal nutrient quality/quantity during complementary feeding (CF) can impact negatively on infants' healthy growth, even with adequate energy intake. CF must supplement at best human milk (HM) or formulas, which show nutritional differences. Considering this, a differentiated CF is probably advisable to correctly satisfy the different nutritional needs. To assess whether current needs at 6-24 months of age can still be met by one single CF scheme or different schemes are needed for breastfed vs. formula/cow's milk (CM) fed infants, protein, iron and calcium intakes were assessed from daily menus using the same type and amount of solid food, leaving same amounts of HM and follow-up formula at 9 and again 18 months of age, when unmodified CM was added. Depending on the child's age, calcium- and iron-fortified cereals or common retail foods were used. The single feeding scheme keeps protein intake low but higher than recommended, in HM-fed children while in formula/CM-fed ones, it achieves much higher protein intakes. Iron Population Recommended Intake (PRI) and calcium Adequate Intakes (AI) are met at the two ages only when a formula is used; otherwise, calcium-fortified cereals are needed. ESPGHAN statements on the futility of proposing different CF schemes according to the milk type fed do not allow to fully meet the nutritional recommendations issued by major Agencies/Organizations/Societies for all children of these age groups.

Background: Bone mineral acquisition during adolescence is crucial for maximizing peak bone mass. Fat mass (FM) and bone mass are closely related. This study investigated the association of FM distribution with bone mass in Chinese male adolescents., Method: A total of 693 male adolescents aged 10-18 years were recruited from a secondary school in Jiangmen, China. Their bone mass and body composition were measured by quantitative ultrasound and bioelectrical impedance analysis, respectively. The associations of the measures of fat distribution with bone parameters, i.e., broadband ultrasound attenuation, speed of sound (SOS), and stiffness index (SI), were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Age, height, body mass index, stage of puberty, physical activity, sedentary behavior, dietary energy intake, and dietary calcium and vitamin D intake were adjusted in the model. Further subgroup analyses of prepubertal and pubertal participants were conducted., Results: The measures of fat distribution showed negative associations with SOS and SI in total subjects ( p < 0.010). In prepubertal boys, the measures of fat distribution were only associated with SOS (β = -0.377 to -0.393, p < 0.050). In pubertal boys, the measures of fat distribution had associations with all bone parameters (β = -0.205 to -0.584, p < 0.050). The strongest association was between trunk FM and SOS (β = -0.584, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: This study supported that the measures of fat distribution were negatively associated with bone parameters in Chinese male adolescents. Trunk FM had the strongest association with bone parameter. These associations appear to be stronger in pubertal boys than in prepubertal boys.

Studies on vitamin D status and its determinants in growing children in countries with ample sunshine such as Malaysia have been limited. The aim of our study was to determine factors associated with serum 25(OH)D concentrations such as lifestyle, dietary intake, anthropometry, and body composition in 243 pre-adolescent Malaysian children from low-income families living in Kuala Lumpur. This cross-sectional study measured bone density and body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), while serum 25(OH)D was measured using LC-MS/MS. Time spent outdoors, body surface area exposed to sunlight, dietary intake, and physical activity level were assessed using questionnaires. Multiple linear regression and stepwise analysis were performed to identify significant predictors for serum 25(OH)D. About 69.4% had 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L, and 18.9% were vitamin-D-deficient with 25(OH)D < 30 nmol/L. Girls had a nine-fold higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency than boys. Body surface area exposed to sunlight, Sun Index, and fat mass were significant predictors of 25(OH)D concentrations in this population. Modifiable lifestyle factors such as sun exposure and reducing obesity are important public health guidance to ensure optimal vitamin D status in these children.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between diet and anthropometric measures in postmenopausal women. Data collected from 937 women enrolled in the Minnesota Green Tea Trial (NTC00917735) were used for this analysis. Dietary intake and health-related data were collected via questionnaires. Body weight, height, and waist circumference (WC) were measured by the study staff. The mean age of participants was 59.8 years and mean WC was 83 cm. Approximately 30% of the participants had WC greater than 88 cm. Healthy Eating Index-2015 score was 72.6 and the Dietary Inflammatory Index score was 0. Intakes of whole grains, dairy, protein, sodium, and saturated fat did not meet the dietary guidelines. Only 12.5% consumed the recommended daily amount of calcium (mean intake = 765 mg/day). When calcium supplements were considered, only 35.2% of the participants had adequate intakes, even though 68.9% reported taking a calcium supplement. We found that age and number of medications taken were significantly associated with waist circumference ( p = 0.005). Women who reported taking two or more medications had greater WC (85 cm) compared to women who reported not taking any medications (82.2 cm), p = 0.002. Our findings suggest that achieving adequate calcium and vitamin D intake may be challenging to postmenopausal women.

Background and Aims: Each year, millions of people suffer from fragility fractures. Hip fractures are the most devastating type of such fractures. We aimed to investigate whether the association of dietary calcium intake with hip fracture risk can be modified by a healthy diet, herein defined as the modified Mediterranean diet score (mMED), in Swedish adults., Methods: The study included 82,092 men and women at baseline. Diet and covariate data were collected twice, 12 years apart, using questionnaires. Information on incident hip fractures was collected from a national registry. Dietary calcium intake and mMED were each categorized into low, medium and high categories, and in nine combined strata of the two exposures. Multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HR) of hip fracture with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, with time-updated information on exposures and covariates. Non-linear trends were assessed using restricted cubic splines., Results: During 20 years of follow-up including 1,367,260 person-years at risk, 5938 individuals experienced a hip fracture. Dietary calcium intake and hip fracture were non-linearly associated, whereas adherence to mMED decreased hip fracture rates in a dose-response pattern. The lowest hip fracture rates were observed among women and men who reported a calcium intake of 800 mg or more, combined with a high adherence to mMED. In each stratum of calcium intake, the HRs of hip fracture were increasingly higher with lower adherence to mMED, compared with the reference level (high calcium and high mMED). Individuals with low calcium intake (<800 mg/day) or high calcium intake (>1200 mg/day) combined with low adherence to mMED had a HR of 1.54 (95% CI 1.28-1.85) and 1.50 (95% CI 1.26-1.77), respectively. No major differences in the hip fracture risk patterns were discerned between women and men., Conclusion: A moderate to high dietary calcium intake in the context of an overall healthy diet were associated with lower hip fracture rates., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Osmotic dehydration is used as a pre-treatment before drying. This process can also be used as a method of modulation of the sensory values of plant components and fortifying them with selected components. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of osmotic dehydration as a method of pumpkin flesh 'Melon Yellow' (Cucurbita maxima) fortification with calcium. The studies showed for the first time that by selecting the appropriate process conditions it is possible to significantly increase the level of calcium in plant matrice. The highest calcium content was found in the pumpkin pulp dehydrated in 50% xylitol and inulin solutions with a calcium carbonate (5%), where the process was conducted for 120 min at 30 °C (1,380.4 and 1,328.4 mg Ca/100 g). Therefore, study has shown an innovative application of the osmotic dehydration process for the design of food with health-promoting properties, including for those at risk of osteoporosis., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The association between metabolic syndrome and eating patterns remains unclear. We hypothesized that Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) scores were related to metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk in adults in a gender-dependent manner. We aimed to examine the hypothesis using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey-VI (2013-2017) data with a complex sample survey design. Adjusted means and 95% confidence intervals of KHEI scores and nutrient intake estimated by the 24-h recall were calculated according to MetS status after adjusting for age, residence area, region, education, obesity, income, drinking status, smoking status, marriage, and exercise. Adjusted odds ratios for MetS were measured according to KHEI quartiles using logistic regression analysis while controlling for covariates. MetS incidence was significantly higher in females than in males. Those who were older, less educated, earning less income, more obese, living in rural areas, drinking severely, non-exercising, and married had higher MetS incidence than those with the opposite state. Total KHEI scores of all components KHEI scores were lower for those with MetS (MetS group) than those without MetS (Non-MetS group) in both genders. For KHEI components, having breakfast and milk and fat intake had lower scores for the MetS group than for the Non-MetS group in women, whereas fruits and milk and milk product intake had lower scores for the MetS group in men. Nutrient intake influenced the MetS risk in females more than in males. Fat, calcium, and vitamin C intakes from 24-h recall were lower in the MetS group than in the Non-MetS group in women. KHEI scores had an inverse association with MetS risk by 0.98-fold in both genders after adjusting for covariates. In conclusion, a healthy diet that includes adequate calcium and vitamin C is associated with a lower the risk of MetS in both men and women.

Concerns about environmental impact and sustainability, animal welfare, and personal health issues have fueled consumer demand for dairy alternatives. The aim of this study was to conduct a cross-sectional survey of plant-based non-dairy beverages from three different continents (USA, Australia, and Western Europe) to assess their nutritional content and health profile. A total of 148 non-dairy beverages were analyzed from the nutrition label and ingredients listed on the commercial package or from the information located on the website of the manufacturer or retailer. The different types of beverages were extracts of nuts or seeds ( n = 49), grains ( n = 38), legumes ( n = 36), coconut ( n = 10), and mixed blends ( n = 15). On average, the plant-based beverages generally scored well in terms of not containing high levels of sodium, saturated fat, or calories. Over half of the beverages were fortified with calcium to levels equal to or greater than that of dairy milk. The protein content varied from 0 to 10 g/serving. Levels of vitamin D and B12 fortification were quite low. Consumers should be informed of the nutritional profile and potential health benefits of plant-based dairy alternatives as the nutritional content can vary greatly between the different types of beverages.

Osteoporosis represent a widespread public health problem. The management and prevention of osteoporosis and related low energy fractures start with a correct lifestyle and proper nutrition. Several different nutrients are essential for bone and mineral metabolism, especially calcium. Nevertheless, a well-balanced nutrition, such as Mediterranean diet (MD), proved to be beneficial for several chronic diseases and also fragility fractures resulted lower in the Mediterranean area. A prospective observational study in a population of two hundred peri- and post-menopausal women (aged 30-80 years) was developed at Careggi hospital, Florence. Both MD adherence and dietary calcium intake were evaluated in occasion of a "first visit" and a "follow-up" visit, through validated questionnaires. From a descriptive point of view, although not statistically significant, in both visits a slight increase in calcium intake was observed for high adherence to MD diet. Moreover, a short nutritional interview (20 min) was applied in our population and demonstrated to be sufficient to significantly improve MD adherence level (mean score at T 0 = 6.98 ± 1.74 and T 1 = 7.53 ± 1.68), opening promising paths in osteoporosis prevention.

In casein micelle (CM), Ca is either precipitated in the colloidal calcium phosphate (CCP) stabilized by clusters of phosphoserine (SEP) residues, or is directly bound to SEP (or glutamic and aspartic acids) of caseins without inorganic phosphate. However, it is currently not possible to titrate separately the different micellar Ca forms, making it difficult to assess their respective importance for CM properties and behavior. Both Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ have the same binding constants with SEP. Moreover, MgHPO 4 is more soluble than CaHPO 4 , and its natural concentration in milk is lower. Thus, upon addition of MgCl 2 , Mg is mainly exchanged with CM in the bound form, whereas upon addition of CaCl 2 , Ca is mainly exchanged in the precipitated form. Our objective was to assess the role of the 2 forms of micellar cations (bound and precipitated) during the enzymatic coagulation of cow milk. Magnesium chloride, CaCl 2 , or KCl (10 mM) were added to milk and pH was adjusted to 6.6 after overnight equilibration. The KCl-supplemented milk was a positive control to assess the effect of the increased ionic strength after MgCl 2 and CaCl 2 addition. Mineral partition between soluble and colloidal phases after salt addition was assessed both experimentally and by using computer simulation. Enzymatic coagulation was proceeded at 30°C. Hydrolysis of κ-casein was followed by the quantitative determination of caseinomacropeptide released by RP-HPLC, aggregation of para-κ-casein micelles was measured through the evolution of backscattering properties of milk and the gel time and gel firming kinetics were determined using a Chymograph (Chr. Hansen, Horsholm, Denmark). The KCl addition did not affect mineral partition. As expected, CaCl 2 addition mainly increased the CCP content, whereas the addition of MgCl 2 mainly increased the bound divalent cations content. The kinetics of κ-casein hydrolysis was slowed down after CaCl 2 and MgCl 2 addition, and was negatively correlated with the concentration of divalent cations in the soluble phase of milk. Aggregation and gel firming curves plotted versus the progress of κ-casein hydrolysis were similar for both CaCl 2 - and MgCl 2 -supplemented milk. In view of the dual-binding model for CM assembly, this means that both Ca forms reduce electronegative repulsions between para-micelles by specific charge shielding. Inclusion of 2 Ca forms in structural models for CM allows a more detailed comprehension of how mineral equilibria affect CM properties., (Copyright © 2020 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Natural pastures are the primary sources of feed for ruminant in southwest Nigeria, but they are of poor quality. Oversowing of legumes could augment the nutrients supplied by the poor forages but this is rarely explored. Here, we oversowed two legumes (Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Cook and Stylosanthes hamata cv. Verano) into natural pasture using different tillage methods (zero-tillage and minimal tillage) and sowing methods (broadcast or drill), and examined their macro and trace minerals. We found that the two legumes produced similar (p > 0.05) calcium, phosphorus, and potassium in all treatments, while magnesium and sodium contents significantly differ (p < 0.05). The two legumes were generally rich in macrominerals far beyond the requirements of ruminants and low in trace mineral concentrations irrespective of the treatments imposed. Thus, we recommend oversowing of these two legumes into natural pasture for an adequate supply of major minerals and enhanced livestock productivity in the region of study and beyond. Other sources of trace minerals should be assessed if the natural pasture could not supply them.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy combined with chemometrics were investigated to quantify calcium (Ca) content in infant formula powder (INF). INF samples (n = 51) with calcium content levels (ca. 6.5-30 mg Ca/100 kJ) were prepared in accordance with the guidelines of Commission Directive 2006/125/EC. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was used as the reference method for Ca content determination. To predict Ca content in INF samples, partial least squares regression (PLSR) models that developed based on LIBS, Raman and FT-IR spectral data, respectively. The model developed using LIBS data achieved the best performance for the quantification of Ca content in INF (R 2 (cross-validation (CV))-0.99, RMSECV-0.29 mg/g; R 2 (prediction (P))-1, RMSEP-0.63 mg/g). PLSR models that developed based on data fusion of Raman and FT-IR spectral features obtained the second best performance (R 2 CV-0.97, RMSECV-0.38 mg/g; R 2 P-0.97, RMSEP-0.36 mg/g). This study demonstrated the potential of LIBS, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy to accurately quantify Ca content in INF., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: In the present study, we aimed to (i) examine perceptions of achieving calcium and vitamin D recommended dietary allowance (RDA) and (ii) determine how participants talked about food in relation to RDA recommendations., Methods: Participants aged ≥50 years who were prescribed osteoporosis medication and received two modes of bone health education were eligible. Relying on a qualitative description design, we interviewed participants 1 month after they had attended an education session and received a self-management booklet. Calcium and vitamin D intakes were estimated by in-depth questions about diet and supplements and compared with perceptions of achieved RDA levels. Interview transcripts were analysed based on an analytic hierarchical process., Results: Forty-five participants (29 reporting previous fragility fractures) were included. Calcium and vitamin D RDA appeared to be potentially achieved by 64% and 93% of participants, respectively, primarily because of reliance on supplements. Few participants talked about vitamin D in relation to food intake and 49% of participants were unclear about the calcium content of food. Most considered that a healthy diet was equivalent to a calcium-rich diet. We noted no differences in our findings in the subset of individuals with fragility fractures., Conclusions: Despite reporting a prescription for osteoporosis medication and receiving bone health education, a substantial number of individuals appeared to have sub-optimal calcium levels. This may be attributed to the challenge of achieving RDA with diet alone and the misconception of a healthy diet as a calcium-rich diet., (© 2020 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.)

Dietary intake of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium has a strong impact on personal health. In order to understand possible correlations with regional occurrence of diseases and to develop new dietary strategies, it is necessary to evaluate food choices in defined geographic areas. The aim of this study was to analyze daily consumption and major food sources of electrolytes with an emphasis on dietary patterns. In this representative, cross-sectional study, daily foods of 463 adults were assessed with two nonconsecutive 24-h recalls. Our results show high sodium and low potassium consumption in all age groups in both men and women. Furthermore, more than half of investigated persons had low calcium, and 40% indicated low dietary magnesium intake. Only 1% of our study population reached the recommended values for all electrolytes, while 13% consumed adequate levels of three electrolytes. Moreover, 14% did not reach reference levels for any of the four minerals. A further comparison of dietary patterns and food preferences showed significant differences in major food groups including nonalcoholic drinks, fruits, vegetables, legumes, milk products, vegetable oil, bread and sweets. Our results are important for further evaluations of nutrition intake and the development of new dietary strategies., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae have been marketed as an excellent choice for providing calcium to reptiles without the need of dusting or gut loading. However, previous studies have indicated that they have limited calcium digestibility and are deficient in fat soluble vitamins (A, D3, and E). In this feeding and digestibility trial, 24 adult male leopard geckos were fed one of three diets for 4 months: 1) whole, vitamin A gut loaded larvae; 2) needle pierced, vitamin A gut loaded larvae; or 3) whole, non-gut loaded larvae. Fecal output from the geckos was collected daily and apparent digestibility was calculated for dry matter, protein, fat, and minerals. There were no differences in digestibility coefficients among groups. Most nutrients were well digested by the leopard geckos when compared to previous studies, with the exception of calcium (digestibility co-efficient 43%), as the calcium-rich exoskeleton usually remained intact after passage through the GI tract. Biochemistry profiles revealed possible deficits occurring over time for calcium, sodium, and total protein. In regards to vitamin A digestibility, plasma and liver vitamin A concentrations were significantly higher in the supplemented groups (plasma- gut loaded groups: 33.38 ± 7.11 ng/ml, control group: 25.8 ± 6.72 ng/ml, t = 1.906, p = 0.04; liver- gut loaded groups: 28.67 ± 18.90 μg/g, control group: 14.13 ± 7.41 μg/g, t = 1.951, p = 0.03). While leopard geckos are able to digest most of the nutrients provided by BSF larvae, including those that have been gut loaded, more research needs to be performed to assess whether or not they provide adequate calcium in their non-supplemented form., Competing Interests: I have read the journal's policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: KB is employed as a part-time dietary consultant at Fluker Farms, Inc. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Identifying nutritional strategies to maintain a healthy body weight and reduce the comorbidities associated with obesity is extremely important. We aimed to investigate whether calcium and vitamin D intakes are associated with body composition measurements in a population of children and adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 1,060 children and adolescents (65.8% females; 34.2% males) aged 9 to 19 years. Fat mass, percentage of fat mass, and fat-free mass were measured using a body composition analyzer (TANITA BC-418MA ® ). The mean dietary calcium and vitamin intakes were 829.66 ± 328.34 mg/day and 200.78 ± 400.91 IU/day. Linear regression analysis revealed a lack of significant association between daily calcium and vitamin D intakes and body composition measurements, after adjusting the model for age, sex, maturation status, and energy intake. Dietary calcium and vitamin D intakes do not appear to be associated with higher adiposity measurements in children and adolescents.

Nephrolithiasis is a common medical condition influenced by multiple environmental factors, including diet. Since nutritional habits play a relevant role in the genesis and recurrence of kidney stones disease, dietary manipulation has become a fundamental tool for the medical management of nephrolithiasis. Dietary advice aims to reduce the majority of lithogenic risk factors, reducing the supersaturation of urine, mainly for calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, and uric acid. For this purpose, current guidelines recommend increasing fluid intake, maintaining a balanced calcium intake, reducing dietary intake of sodium and animal proteins, and increasing intake of fruits and fibers. In this review, we analyzed the effects of each dietary factor on nephrolithiasis incidence and recurrence rate. Available scientific evidence agrees on the harmful effects of high meat/animal protein intake and low calcium diets, whereas high content of fruits and vegetables associated with a balanced intake of low-fat dairy products carries the lowest risk for incident kidney stones. Furthermore, a balanced vegetarian diet with dairy products seems to be the most protective diet for kidney stone patients. Since no study prospectively examined the effects of vegan diets on nephrolithiasis risk factors, more scientific work should be made to define the best diet for different kidney stone phenotypes., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Excessive Ca intakes have been proposed to associate with vascular calcification and a higher risk of prostate cancer. We investigated the associations of supplemental and dietary Ca intake with mortality using data from 497 828 UK Biobank participants. The average follow-up was 4·2 years and 14 255 participants died, 8297 from cancer, 2959 from CVD and 572 from respiratory disease. The use of Ca supplements and milk consumption were associated with differences in mortality in younger (≤65 years) but not in older participants (>65 years, Pinteraction ≤ 0·04 for all comparisons). Among participants <65 years, there was an inverse association between Ca supplementation (OR 0·91, 95 % CI 0·83, 0·99) and milk consumption (OR 0·93, 95 % CI 0·86, 1·00) with respect to all-cause mortality. In the same age group, milk drinkers had lower odds of cancer mortality (OR 0·89, 95 % CI 0·80, 0·98) but Ca supplement use was associated with increased odds of respiratory mortality (OR 1·69, 95 % CI 1·16, 2·74). All associations in participants aged ≥65 years were null after full adjustment. In sensitivity analyses stratified by hormone replacement therapy, Ca supplement use was associated with decreased odds of cancer mortality in users but increased risk in other women (OR 0·81, 95 % CI 0·69, 0·94 v. OR 1·17, 95 % CI 1·01, 1·35, respectively). To conclude, we saw little evidence for harm with dietary or supplemental Ca. Further studies are required to confirm the proposed interaction with hormone replacement therapy and to exclude reverse causation as a determinant in the association between Ca supplements and increased risk of respiratory diseases.

A simple electrochemical sensor was developed to determine the concentration of Ca 2+ in meat. Graphene was treated with oxygen plasma for 10 s and 30 s comparing with the pristine graphene. Through analyzing morphology and chemical composition, the graphene with the lowest defect density was chosen to mix with bovine serum albumin molecule-functionalized gold nanoparticles. It was interesting that only a few gold nanoparticles were trapped in the graphene with 10 s plasma treatment. Then, under the optimal condition measured, the limit of detection was detected as 3.9 × 10 -8  M with a linear relationship from 5 × 10 -8 to 3 × 10 -4  M. Finally, the proposed electrochemical method was applied to detect Ca 2+ in the pork sample with stability and reproducibility verified by parallel detections. Thus, the proposed method demonstrates its potential for effectively detecting Ca 2+ in meat and prominently reduces time consumption on operations and pretreatments., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Limestone particle size (PS) affects its solubility and thus can influence broiler performance by altering the rate of calcium (Ca) release into the gastrointestinal tract. The objective of this research was to determine, using 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, the influence of PS (fine and coarse) and supplemented phytase (0 and 1,000 FYT/kg) in diets formulated with 2 Ca and P i levels (positive control [PC]; negative control [NC]) on live performance, bone ash, and apparent ileal nutrients digestibility (AID). Starter PC: 0.9 Ca and 0.45 Pi; NC: 0.72 Ca and 0.03 Pi. Grower PC: 0.76 Ca and 0.38 Pi; NC: 0.58 Ca and 0.23 Pi. The 8 diets were assigned randomly to a total of 1,512 birds, with 21 birds per pen and 9 pens per treatment. The main effects of PS and Ca and P i levels had no influence on feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), or feed conversion ratio. Adding phytase improved BWG by 8 g and 50 g and FI by 25 g and 56 g at 0-14 D (P ≤ 0.05) and 0-35 D (P ≤ 0.05), respectively. Interaction between Ca and P i levels and phytase improved BWG and FI for 0-14 D (P ≤ 0.05) and BWG during 15-28 D (P ≤ 0.05) for PC without phytase and for PC and NC with phytase when compared with NC without phytase. Birds fed PC without phytase, or either PC or NC with phytase were about 96 g heavier than NC without phytase. Birds fed either PC or NC diet with coarse limestone or PC with fine limestone gained approximately 14 g more (P ≤ 0.05) than birds fed NC with fine limestone for BWG at 0-14 D (P ≤ 0.05). Phytase increased tibia bone ash (14 D) by 1% (P ≤ 0.05). AID of Ca and P i at 14 D was improved (P ≤ 0.05) by 66% when phytase was added to coarse limestone. Results indicate that phytase improved broiler performance without being affected by PS. Furthermore, phytase had greater influence on coarse limestone than on fine limestone for bone ash and AID. Ca and P i levels were the most influential factors in determining bone ash although phytase inclusion could lead to an improvement during early days., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This is a first large epidemiological study of calcium intake in Ukrainian population. The data from 1518 outpatient subjects aged 20-89 years old showed that the mean level of calcium intake composed 615.6 mg/day (735.4 mg/day in males and 565.6 mg/day in females, p < 0.0001) without any significant differences according to age., Introduction: Insufficiency in calcium (Ca) intake is a worldwide problem; however, corresponding data regarding Ukrainian population is limited. This research was aimed to investigate the level of Ca consumption in daily rations of Ukrainian adults depending on age and sex., Methods: The data from 1518 outpatient subjects from urban and rural areas of Ukraine were analyzed; the Ca intake was evaluated by the method of 24-h dietary recalls during three non-consecutive days by a trained dietitian with further computer calculation., Results: The mean level of Ca intake in Ukrainian population composed 615.6 mg/day (735.4 mg/day in males and 565.6 mg/day in females) with significantly higher level of consumption in men than in women in whole group and in the subjects aged 50 years and more. In total, 67% of men and 78% of women consumed less than 800 mg/day Ca and only 28% of males and 10% of females consumed more than 1000 mg/day Ca., Conclusions: This is a first large epidemiological study of Ca intake in Ukrainian population which confirmed its low level. This insufficiency in Ca intake can have a negative influence on exaggerated bone loss, osteoporosis development, and fracture risk that require forehanded correction.

Aim: The potential renal acid load (PRAL) has been described in relation to different health outcomes. Outcomes over time and conclusions made are often based on baseline dietary intake values. However, to study reliable long-term associations, parameters calculated based on dietary intake data, such as PRAL, must be stable over time. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the stability of PRAL and its components over a 10-year time period., Methods: PRAL values of three-day dietary intake data from 197 women and 373 men on two assessment moments (2002-2004 and 2012-2014) were calculated. Pearson correlation and intra-class correlation coefficients were used for assessing the stability of PRAL and its components. Level of agreement between the two assessment moments was estimated after splitting up subjects in quintiles of PRAL, calculating kappa values and changes of quintiles over time., Results: No significant differences in mean PRAL over time were found. Stability of PRAL and its components was low. Poor agreement between the first and second assessment was shown by low kappa values and change of most of the subjects to an adjacent and non-adjacent quintile after 10 years., Conclusions: Based on nutrition assessments carried out using three-day dietary records, stability of PRAL over a 10-year time period could not be confirmed, even though no significant difference between mean PRAL and its components over time was found. Therefore, interpretation of longitudinal outcomes based on PRAL and its component calculated at baseline should be interpreted with caution., (© 2018 Dietitians Association of Australia.)

Background: The present study examined the potential for 'Smart Food' with respect to contributing to the Sustainable Development Goal 2 of ending malnutrition by 2030, using a small-scale capacity building case study in Oe Be Village, Myingyan district, Mandalay region, Myanmar. Within the study site, refined white rice is the major staple, followed by vegetables and animal source food in inadequate quantities. The protein intake in this particular dry zone community meets only 50% of the daily requirement and even less for those children aged less than 23 months. Therefore, to determine the acceptance and opportunity for legumes and millets which are produced locally, nutritious formulations were introduced for various age groups. In addition, a sensory evaluation of the recipes was conducted to test the acceptance of the nutritious products., Results: Two weeks of the inclusion of millets and pigeonpea in the diets of children aged 6-23 months had a positive impact on wasting, stunting and underweight (P = 0.002, 0.014 and 0.023, respectively). Moreover, the acceptability of these new food products by the children was found to be high. These results indicate an unexplored opportunity for specific millets rich in iron, zinc and calcium, as well as for pigeonpea rich in protein, if prepared in a culturally acceptable way., Conclusion: The impact and acceptability of this small scale and short-term intervention indicate the potential for Smart Food products in filling the nutrition gap arising from the traditional food consumption habits in the dry zones of Myanmar. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Objectives: We explored the associations between depressive symptoms and supplemental calcium and vitamin D intake in older adults., Design: This was a prospective cohort study., Participants: 8,527 older adults aged ≥60 years from Zhejiang Major Public Health Surveillance Program (ZPHS) without depressive symptoms at baseline survey., Measurements: Participants were divided into non-supplementation, calcium (Ca), vitamin D, and calcium plus vitamin D (CaD) groups based on their supplemental intake during the past year. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association between depressive symptoms and supplemental intake., Results: When compared to the non-supplementation group, the Ca group exhibited a significant odds ratio (OR) of 0.731 (95% CI: 0.552-0.967, P=0.028). After adjusting for age, sex, and Ca food sources, the OR was even smaller for the CaD group (OR: 0.326; 95% CI: 0.119-0.889, P=0.029). Additionally, our results indicated that taking Ca supplements ≥4 days/week yielded a significant OR of 0.690 (95% CI: 0.492-0.968) after full adjustment. Taking CaD supplements ≥4 days/week yielded a significant OR of 0.282 (95% CI: 0.089-0.898) after adjusting for age, sex, and Ca food sources., Conclusions: Supplemental intake of Ca or CaD ≥4 days/week can decrease the risk of depressive symptoms in older adults, although CaD supplements may be more effective., Competing Interests: None declared.

Eczema and food allergy may impact diet. Using data from a cohort of Manitoba children born in 1995, we examined calcium intake, defined as the frequency and quality of calcium products consumed (with the exception of cheese), amongst Manitoba adolescents (12-14 years) with eczema or food allergy in childhood (7-8 years) or adolescence. At both ages, children were assessed by a physician for eczema and food allergy. Adolescents completed food frequency questionnaires. Calcium intake was defined as 1+ vs. <1 weekly. Linear and logistic regression was used as appropriate, with adjustments for confounders. Overall, 468 adolescents were included, of whom 62 (13.3%) had eczema only in childhood, 25 (5.3%) had food allergy only, and 26 (5.6%) had eczema and food allergy. Compared to children without eczema, those with eczema only had poorer calcium intake in adolescence (β -0.44; 95%CI -0.96; 0.00). Girls, but not boys, with eczema in childhood had poorer calcium intake in adolescence than girls without eczema (β -0.84; 95%CI -1.60; -0.08). These patterns persisted even if children experienced transient vs. persistent eczema to adolescence. Similar but non-significant trends were found for food allergy. Childhood eczema is associated with significantly lower calcium intake and consumption in adolescence. These differences persist to adolescence, even if a child "outgrows" their allergic condition., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Background & Aims: Calcium and dairy products have multiple health benefits. The objective of this work was to evaluate the association between calcium/dairy intake, blood pressure, the BDNF-AS rs925946 polymorphism and nutritional status in a group of schoolchildren., Methods: As part of the GENYAL study to childhood obesity prevention, 221 children belonging to different areas of the Community of Madrid were enrolled. Anthropometric and dietary data were collected, and children were genotyped according to the rs925946 polymorphism. Adjusted logistic and linear models were used to describe the data., Results: A significantly lower consumption of calcium in overweight versus normal weight children was observed (811.0 ± 174.1; 859.0 ± 195.9; 954.0 ± 223.1 mg; for obesity, overweight and normal weight, respectively, p = 0.010). Moreover, an inverse association between blood pressures and calcium intake was detected (β = -0.006 (-0.011, -3e -4 )), p = 0.040. The number of dairy servings/day showed a protective effect against overweight (OR = 0.48 (0.29, 0.75), p = 0.001). Finally, common homozygous children (GG) showed an inverse association between the calcium intake and the BMI (β = -0.003 (-0.006, -0.001), p = 0.004), which was not observed in children carrying the T allele (β = -1.3e -4 (-0.0022, 0.0024), p = 0.93)., Conclusion: Calcium and dairy were strongly associated with the nutritional status and blood pressure. The identification of differential effects of calcium/dairy consumption on the nutritional status according to genetics may contribute to the personalization of future nutritional advice., Trial Registration: This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.govNCT03419520., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.)

Background: Our previous study found that consumption of very low mineral drinking water may retard height development in schoolchildren; however, its association with bone modeling remained unknown., Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of very low mineral water on biomarkers of bone modeling in children., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 2 groups of 10-13-y-old children who had consumed drinking water with normal mineral contents (conductivity 345 μs/cm, the NW group including 119 boys and 110 girls) or very low mineral contents (conductivity 40.0 μs/cm, the VLW group including 223 boys and 208 girls) in school for 4 y. Differences in daily total mineral intakes, developmental parameters, serum biomarkers of osteoblast activity, and bone formation and resorption between the 2 groups were analyzed with independent t test and chi-square test. Associations of developmental parameters and serum biomarkers with Ca intake from drinking water were analyzed with multiple linear regression and binary logistic regression., Results: Compared with the NW group, the VLW group had lower daily Ca intake, height increase, bone mineral content (BMC), osteoblast activity [serum bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP)] (means ± SDs: 433 ± 131 mg, 16.6 ± 8.27 cm, 1.92 ± 0.431 kg, and 9.28 ± 1.42 μg/L compared with 497 ± 155 mg, 22.3 ± 8.45 cm, 2.14 ± 0.354 kg, and 11.0 ± 0.823 μg/L, respectively, P < 0.001), and higher bone resorption [serum crosslinked C-telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX), mean ± SD: 142 ± 46.9 nmol/L compared with 130 ± 40.6 nmol/L, P = 0.001). Ca intake from drinking water was positively associated with height increase, BMC, and BALP (β: 0.0667, 95% CI: 0.0540, 0.0793; β: 3.22, 95% CI: 2.37, 4.08; and β: 23.9, 95% CI: 20.6, 27.2), respectively, P < 0.001), and was negatively associated with CTX (β: -0.206, 95% CI:-0.321, -0.0904, P < 0.001)., Conclusions: These changes suggested that consumption of very low mineral water may be associated with osteoblast inhibition, bone resorption activation, bone mineral reduction, and height development retardation. The health risk of consuming very low mineral water should be considered in children., (Copyright © American Society for Nutrition 2019.)

Coccidiosis penalizes calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and fat-soluble vitamin status, as well as bone mineralization in broiler chickens. We hypothesized that dietary vitamin D (VitD) supplementation in the form of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (OHD), compared to cholecalciferol (D3), would improve bone mineralization in broilers receiving marginally deficient Ca/P diets, with more pronounced effects during malabsorptive coccidiosis. In a 2 VitD source × 2 Ca/P levels × 2 levels of infection factorial experiment (n = 6 pens per treatment, 6 birds/pen), Ross 308 broilers were assigned to an Aviagen-specified diet supplemented with 4,000 IU/kg of either OHD or D3 between days 11 and 24 of age. The diet contained adequate (A; 8.7:4.4 g/kg) or marginally deficient (M; 6.1:3.1 g/kg) total Ca and available (av)P levels. At day 12 of age, birds were inoculated with water (C) or 7,000 Eimeria maxima oocysts (I). Pen performance was measured over 12 days post-infection (pi). One bird per pen was assessed for parameters of bone mineralization and intestinal histomorphometric features (day 6 and 12 pi), as well as E. maxima replication and gross lesions of the small intestine (day 6 pi). There was no interaction between infection status and Ca/avP level on bone mineralization. Bone breaking strength (BS), ash weight (AW), and ash percentage (AP) were highest in broilers fed the OHD-supplemented A diets irrespective of infection status. Eimeria maxima infection impaired (P < 0.05) ADG and FCR pi; Ca and P status at day 6 pi; OHD status, BS, AW, and AP at day 12 pi; and intestinal morphology at day 6 and 12 pi. A- compared to M-fed broilers had higher BS, AW, and AP at day 6 pi, and AW at day 12 pi. VitD source affected only OHD status, being higher (P < 0.001) for OHD- than D3-fed broilers at day 6 and 12 pi. In conclusion, offering OHD and adequate levels of Ca and P improved bone mineralization, with no effect on performance. Dietary D3 and OHD supplemented at 4,000 IU/kg had similar effects on coccidiosis-infected and uninfected broilers, which led to the rejection of our hypothesis., (© 2019 Poultry Science Association Inc.)

Background: In several bone disorders, adequate calcium intake is a coadjuvant intervention to regular treatment. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a collagen disorder with a range of symptoms, ranging from fractures to minimum trauma, and it is typically treated with bisphosphonates. In the present study, we evaluate the impact of a nutritional intervention (NI) on dietary calcium intake and bone mineral density (BMD) in paediatric patients with OI., Methods: A nonrandomised clinical trial was designed with a NI. Dietary calcium intake, anthropometry and clinical features were assessed at baseline, including anthropometry, basal metabolic rate (BMR), BMD. In addition, a food guidance form was developed and sent to patients by mail. After 12 months, clinical features of patients were reassessed and compared with the baseline data., Results: Fifty-two children and adolescents were enrolled. Significant increases in total calcium intake (mg day -1 ), percentage of adequate calcium intake (%) and number of cups of milk ingested were observed after NI. We detected a positive correlation between the variation of BMD and milk consumption in patients treated with bisphosphonate., Conclusions: We observed an increase in calcium intake in patients with OI. This finding demonstrates the importance of nutrition therapy as part of a multidisciplinary treatment approach for bone health., (© 2019 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.)

Optimizing the dietary calcium (Ca) level is essential to maximize the eggshell quality, egg production and bone formation in poultry. This study aimed to establish the Ca requirements of egg-type duck breeders from 23 to 57 weeks of age on egg production, eggshell, incubation, tibial, plasma and ovary-related indices, as well as the expression of matrix protein-related genes. Totally, 450 Longyan duck breeders aged 21 weeks of age were allotted randomly into five treatments, each with six replicates of 15 individually caged birds. The data collection started from 23 weeks of age and continued over the following 35 weeks. The five groups corresponded to five dietary treatments containing either 2.8%, 3.2%, 3.6%, 4.0% or 4.4% Ca. The tested dietary Ca levels increased (linear, P <0.01) egg production and egg mass, and linearly improved (P <0.01) the feed conversion ratio (FCR). Increasing the dietary Ca levels from 2.8% to 4.4% increased (P <0.01) the eggshell thickness and eggshell content. The tested Ca levels showed a quadratic effect on eggshell thickness and ovarian weight (P <0.01); the highest values were obtained with the Ca levels 4.0% and 3.6%, respectively. Dietary Ca levels affected the small yellow follicles (SYF) number and SYF weight/ovarian weight, and the linear response (P <0.01) was significant vis-à-vis SYF number. In addition, dietary Ca levels increased (P <0.05) the tibial dry weight, breaking strength, mineral density and ash content. Plasma and tibial phosphorus concentration exhibited a quadratic (P <0.01) response to dietary Ca levels. Plasma calcitonin concentration linearly (P <0.01) increased as dietary Ca levels increased. The relative expression of carbonic anhydrase 2 in the uterus rose (P <0.01) with the increment of dietary Ca levels, and the highest value was obtained with 3.2% Ca. In conclusion, Longyan duck breeders fed a diet with 4.0% Ca had superior eggshell and tibial quality, while those fed a diet with 3.6% Ca had the heaviest ovarian weights. The regression model indicated that the dietary Ca levels 3.86%, 3.48% and 4.00% are optimal levels to obtain maximum eggshell thickness, ovarian weight and tibial mineral density, respectively.

This research was conducted to determine the effects of phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) content in pasture with body weight and body condition scores in cattle depending entirely on natural grazing. The work was done in 2006 in Mogosane Village of North-West Province, South Africa, and it was conducted from March 2006 to March 2007, with the annual rainfall of 384.38 mm maximum. A total of 25 growing mixed breed cattle aged between 6 months and 2 years old were selected randomly from a herd feeding exclusively on communal grazing. Animals were depending on natural pasture, with no supplements given. Records of body mass (BM) and body condition score (BCS) were recorded from a diverse range of animals in order to include as many different body masses and body condition scores as possible. Mean BM and BCS values are reported but there were no significant (P > 0.05) differences between months. Possible reasons are given in the "Results and Discussion" section. The focus of the research reported here was on the changes in the P, Ca, and Mg concentrations of pasture. Pasture samples were collected once a month for analysis to determine the contents of P, Ca, and Mg. Mineral concentrations in the pasture increased significantly (P < 0.05) with rainfall in January 2007, February 2007, and March 2007, and in January 2007 and February 2007, the mean values of BCS (3.90) and BM (444.05 kg) increased. After the good rains in March 2006 and April 2006, there were significant (P < 0.05) decreases in grass P and Mg in the following dry months along with decreases in BCS and BM. There were subsequent significant (P < 0.05) increases in grass P and Mg following rains in August 2006 through January 2007. Grass Ca followed a much different pattern compared with that of P and Mg with significant (P < 0.05) increases after periods of little or no rainfall. Mineral concentrations (P, Ca, and Mg) of grass in this research were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by the rainfall making it imperative that mineral supplementation be given to animals in the dry periods.