Associations between pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, and prenatal diet quality in a national sample

This secondary analysis explored the association between gestational weight gain, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and prenatal diet quality in a United States national sample. The sample comprised 1322 pregnant women in the longitudinal Infant Feeding Practices Study II with Diet History Questionnaire data. Diet quality in the third trimester was assessed using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index for Pregnancy. Self-reported pre-pregnancy BMI (categorized as underweigh

Evaluation of the curvature ductility ratio of a circular cross-section of concrete reinforced with GFRP bars

The present study deals with the use of fiberglass reinforced polymer bars (GFRP) as a replacement for the common steel of a reinforced concrete circular pile, in order to avoid the corrosion of durability of reinforcing bars and thus improve them. The comparative analysis was carried out between a pile reinforced with GFRP and another with steel, where the ductility was evaluated by obtaining moment-curvature diagram. As a result, said idealized moment-curvature diagrams and ductility indices are presented, concluding the ductility of the section reinforced with GFRP in 20% more than that of steel

The primitive model of ionic fluids near its critical point in the Poisson–Boltzmann and modified Poisson–Boltzmann theories

The Poisson–Boltzmann (PB) and modified Poisson–Boltzmann (MPB) theories are used to investigate the primitive model of ionic fluids in the low density–large coupling regime where the liquid–vapor transition is situated. The PB and MPB spinodal curves for the restricted primitive model are calculated from the virial route and compared with those from the mean spherical approximation (energy route) and the hybrid hypernetted‐chain/mean spherical approximation (virial route). The effect of unequal ion sizes on the critical point and spinodal curves is also considered.National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) EE.UU. CHE-8907130Fondo Institucional para la Investigación (FIPI) de la Universidad de Puerto RicoComunidad Europea (beca Marie Curie)Dirección General de Investigación Científica y Técnica (DGICYT). España PBgl / 060

Biological activity of poriferans extracts from the Colombian Caribbean on Meloidogyne incognita and Spodoptera frugiperda IPLB-SF-21 cell line.

Sinconbiol

Implementation of Federal Waivers for Feeding Children in Early Care and Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective: To capture Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) state directors’ experiences implementing federal waivers for feeding children in early care and education (ECE) settings during coronavirus disease 2019. Design: Qualitative semistructured interviews. Setting: Virtual interviews with state CACFP directors. Participants: Child and Adult Care Food Program directors from 21 states from December 2020 to May 2021. Phenomenon of Interest: Implementation of state-level waivers. Analysis: Qualitative thematic analysis. Results: State directors reported that the coronavirus disease 2019 waivers allowed ECE programs to continue feeding children despite being closed or having limited enrollment. The meal pattern, noncongregate feeding, parent/guardian meal pick-up, and monitoring waivers were most frequently used by states. Challenges included maintaining integrity to CACFP meal pattern requirements, addressing the limited capacity of ECE to produce and distribute noncongregate meals, and adapting technology for virtual reviews. Suggested improvements included streamlined communication from the US Department of Agriculture, standing waivers for emergencies, ongoing flexibilities for feeding children, and strategies to increase CACFP enrollment and reduce financial viability requirements for ECE. Conclusions and Implications: Results indicate the need for the US Department of Agriculture to consider issuing and extending waivers, increasing ECE participation in CACFP, and ensuring timely communication and guidance on waiver trackin

Extrahepatic tissue concentrations of vitamin K are lower in rats fed a high vitamin E diet

BACKGROUND: An adverse hematological interaction between vitamins E and K has been reported, primarily in patients on anticoagulants. However, little is known regarding circulating levels or tissue concentrations of vitamin K in response to vitamin E supplementation. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of different levels of dietary α-tocopherol on phylloquinone and menaquinone-4 concentrations, while maintaining a constant intake of phylloquinone, in rat tissues. METHODS: Male 4-wk old Fischer 344 rats (n = 33) were fed one of 3 diets for 12 wk: control (n = 13) with 30 mg all-rac-α-tocopherol acetate/kg diet; vitamin E-supplemented (n = 10) with 100 mg all-rac-α-tocopherol acetate/kg diet; and vitamin E-restricted (n = 10) with <10 mg total tocopherols/kg diet. All 3 diets contained 470 ± 80 μg phylloquinone/kg diet. RESULTS: Phylloquinone concentrations were lower (P ≤ 0.05) in the vitamin E-supplemented compared to the vitamin E-restricted group (mean ± SD spleen: 531 ± 58 vs.735 ± 77; kidney: 20 ± 17 vs. 94 ± 31, brain: 53 ± 19 vs.136 ± 97 pmol/g protein respectively); no statistically significant differences between groups were found in plasma, liver or testis. Similar results were noted with menaquinone-4 concentrations in response to vitamin E supplementation. CONCLUSION: There appears to be a tissue-specific interaction between vitamins E and K when vitamin E is supplemented in rat diets. Future research is required to elucidate the mechanism for this nutrient-nutrient interaction

Palaeoenvironment of Eocene prodelta in Spitsbergen recorded by the trace fossil Phycosiphon incertum

Ichnological, sedimentological and geochemical analyses were conducted on the Eocene Frysjaodden Formation in order to interpret palaeoenvironment prodelta sediments in the Central Basin of Spitsbergen. Phycosiphon incertum is the exclusive ichnotaxon showing differences in size, distribution, abundance and density, and relation to laminated/bioturbated intervals. Large P. incertum mainly occur dispersed, isolated and randomly distributed throughout the weakly laminated/non-laminated intervals. Small P. incertum occur occasionally in patches of several burrows within laminated intervals or as densely packed burrows in thin horizons in laminated intervals or constituting fully bioturbated intervals that are several centimetres thick. Ichnological changes are mainly controlled by oxygenation, although the availability of benthic food cannot be discarded. Changes in oxygenation and rate of sedimentation can be correlated with the registered variations in the Bouma sequence of the distal turbiditic beds within prodeltal shelf sediments.Funding for this research was provided by Project CGL2012-33281 (Secretaría de Estado de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación, Spain), Project RYC-2009-04316 (Ramón y Cajal Programme) and Projects RNM-3715 and RNM-7408 and Research Group RNM-178 (Junta de Andalucía). The authors benefited from a bilateral agreement between the universities of Granada and Oslo, supported by the University of Granada

Physical Activity Levels among Preschool-Aged Children in Family Child Care Homes: A Comparison between Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Children Using Accelerometry

Obesity prevalence among Hispanic children is twice that of non-Hispanic white children; Hispanic children may also engage in less physical activity (PA) compared to non-Hispanic white children. A large number of U.S. preschool-aged children are cared for in Family Child Care Homes (FCCH), yet few studies have examined PA levels and ethnicity differences in PA levels among these children. We examine baseline data from a cluster-randomized trial (Healthy Start/Comienzos Sanos) to improve food and PA environments in FCCHs. Children aged 2-to-5-years (n = 342) wore triaxial accelerometers for two days in FCCHs. Variables examined include percentage of time (%) spent in sedentary, and light, moderate, and vigorous PA. The full dataset (n = 342) indicated sedentary behavior 62% ± 11% of the time and only 10% ± 5% of the time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA. Among children in the upper-median half of wear-time (n = 176), Hispanic children had significantly greater % sedentary time vs. Non-Hispanic children (66.2% ± 8.3% vs. 62.6% ± 6.9%, p = 0.007), and lower % light PA (25.4% ± 6.3% vs. 27.7% ± 4.9%, p = 0.008) and moderate PA (5.5% ± 2.1% vs. 6.4% ± 2.2%, p = 0.018). Our results highlight that PA levels were lower among our sample compared to previous studies, and that Hispanic children were more sedentary and less active compared to non-Hispanic white children