Folic Acid and Protein Content in Maternal Diet and Postnatal High-Fat Feeding Affect the Tissue Levels of Iron, Zinc, and Copper in the Rat

Although maternal, fetal, and placental mechanisms compensate for disturbances in the fetal environment, any nutritional inadequacies present during pregnancy may affect fetal metabolism, and their consequences may appear in later life. The aim of the present study is to investigate the influence of maternal diet during gestation on Fe, Zn, and Cu levels in the livers and kidneys of adult rats. The study was carried out on the offspring (n = 48) of mothers fed either a protein-balanced or a protein-restricted diet (18% vs. 9% casein) during pregnancy, with or without folic acid supplementation (0.005- vs. 0.002-g folic acid/kg diet). At 10 weeks of age, the offspring of each maternal group were randomly assigned to groups fed either the AIN-93G diet or a high-fat diet for 6 weeks, until the end of the experiment. The levels of Fe, Zn, and Cu in the livers and kidneys were determined by the F-AAS method. It was found that postnatal exposure to the high-fat diet was associated with increased hepatic Fe levels (p < 0.001), and with decreased liver Zn and Cu contents (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively), as well as with decreased renal Cu contents (p < 0.001). Moreover, the offspring’s tissue mineral levels were also affected by protein and folic acid content in the maternal diet. Both prenatal protein restriction and folic acid supplementation increased the liver Zn content (p < 0.05) and the kidney Zn content (p < 0.001; p < 0.05, respectively), while folic acid supplementation resulted in a reduction in renal Cu level (p < 0.05). Summarizing, the results of this study show that maternal dietary folic acid and protein intake during pregnancy, as well as the type of postweaning diet, affect Fe, Zn, and Cu levels in the offspring of the rat. However, the mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon are unclear, and warrant further investigation

Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Hidden Hunger in Domestic Violence Victims

Food insecurity in the Appalachia region is a well-documented social issue. However, little research has been done on fresh food deprivation suffered by women and children in domestic violence shelters in Appalachian Georgia. Using participant observation methodology, the author will discuss her research done in two counties as part of her work with the non-profit domestic violence organization, No One Alone (NOA). Although both counties are ranked as transitional by the Appalachian Regional Commission and thrive on tourist based economies, they also contain severe pockets of poverty. NOA’s clients often live “off the grid” and are, therefore, unknown and unreachable to traditional social services. Most of them are malnourished, yet fresh produce is overlooked by community food banks. Undergraduate researchers in the 2014 Appalachian Teaching Project became interested in this “hidden hunger” as they realized it did not conform with the picturesque images of quaint tourist towns. In fact, food insecurity is rarely discussed. How can students respond appropriately to this dilemma? This paper will summarize their findings and recommendations

Visualization of Web-Based Searches With Knowledge Construction Tools

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Does Visualization Improve Our Ability To Find And Learn From Internet Based Information?

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