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Objectives: Children with Tourette syndrome (TS) have been shown to exhibit high levels of food selectivity; however, its association with nutritional status has yet to be explored. The current study explored macro and micronutrient intake and food selectivity among children with and without TS, using 24-hour dietary recall and the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire.Method: Parents of 43 children diagnosed with TS and 38 age-matched children without a clinical diagnosis completed an online 24-hour food diary.Results: Fifty-eight per cent of children with TS were identified as falling outside of the healthy BMI range (underweight = 24.2%; overweight = 27.3%; obese = 6.1%). Children with TS also consumed fewer portions of fruit and vegetables along with meeting the daily reference nutrient intake guidelines significantly less often for vitamins B3, B6 and C, selenium and phosphorus compared to children without TS.Conclusions: Understanding the nutritional risk of children with TS relative to other children is important to clinicians and health care professionals who oversee nutritional inspection in primary care, and caregivers who are worried about the impact of limited or restricted diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consequences of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children are connected to possible detrimental impacts on growth, development, psychosocial function, and general well-being. Therefore, the primary management plan in pediatric IBD is to achieve the long-term control of intestinal inflammation while also monitoring potential disease complications and therapeutic adverse effects, where nutritional management is of utmost importance. This review explores the role of dietary supplements as concentrated sources of nutrients with nutritional and/or physiological effects on children with IBD. While dietary supplements are commonly used in pediatric IBD management, their efficacy and, for some of them, safety remain subjects of debate. We provide an overview of the types of dietary supplements available and their potential benefits and risks in pediatric IBD patients. Additionally, we discuss the evidence supporting the use of specific supplements, their mechanisms of action, and considerations for clinical practice. Understanding the role of dietary supplements in pediatric IBD management is crucial for optimizing patient care and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and purpose Vegan and vegetarian diets are popular due to health, ethical, and ecological benefits, but they risk nutrient deficiencies. This article reviews research on supplementation to meet the nutritional needs of adults on these diets. It provides recommendations for different life stages, including pregnancy, aging, and physical activity, and highlights the risks of excessive or inadequate supplementation, stressing the need for personalized dietary approaches.. Material and method A systematic review of the past decade's literature focused on peer-reviewed articles from databases like PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. It included studies on adults adhering to vegan or vegetarian diets, evaluating supplementation's effects on nutrition and health. The review encompassed observational studies, interventions, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews, using keywords such as "vegan diet," "vegetarian diet," "supplementation," "nutrient deficiencies," and "adult health." State of knowledge Research shows that well-planned vegan or vegetarian diets can be healthy for adults, but often need supplementation to prevent nutrient deficiencies. Clinical studies confirm the efficacy of supplements. Specific groups, like pregnant and lactating women and those with regular physical activity, may need extra vitamins and minerals. Excessive supplementation poses health risks, so a personalized approach considering individual needs, health status, age, and lifestyle is crucial. Conclusions A well-balanced vegan or vegetarian diet, supported by appropriate supplementation, can be beneficial for the health of adults. A personalized approach to supplementation is essential, taking into account specific nutritional needs, pregnancy, health status, age, and lifestyle. Regular monitoring of nutritional status and adjusting supplementation to the body's current needs is crucial for maintaining optimal health.

[Objectives]The study aimed to observe the apparent differences of visual symptoms of 9 kinds of nutrient deficiencies in‘Shine Muscat'and study the growth indexes such as plant height and the physiological indexes such as chlorophyll content, so as to provide reference for early nutrition diagnosis and fertilization guidance in the field. [Methods]The cutting seedlings of 1-year-old‘Shine Muscat'as materials were cultured in perlite pot in greenhouse with modified Hoagland nutrient solution(CK)and nutrient deficiency solution(-N, -P, -K, -Ca, -Mg, -Fe, -B, -Zn, -Cu). The apparent visual symptoms of plants growth and physiological index under different treatment conditions were analyzed. [Results]When P, Mg and Zn were absent, ‘Shine Muscat'developed symptoms earlier. In the absence of B, Cu and Mg, the growth of plant height was obviously slow, the symptoms were severe and the mortality was high. Compared with stress control, the number of leaves of ‘Shine Muscat'significantly decreased when Ca and B were deficient. Deficiency stress significantly reduced the chlorophyll content of ‘Shine Muscat'leaves, but had little effect on leaf water content. The resistance of grapes to nutrient deficiency was positively correlated with MDA content and SOD activity, indicating that the higher the content and activity, the stronger the resistance. [Conclusions]‘Shine Muscat'grape was sensitive to the deficiency of B and Mg elements but had a stronger tolerance to Zn element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases, celiac disease (CD) affects 1% of people globally and is frequently linked to the HLA-DQ2/DQ8 polymorphism and gut microbiota dysbiosis. The possibility of different symptom severities between pediatric and adult populations, as well as the heterogeneity amongst them, might make diagnosis difficult. However, there are currently accessible diagnostic techniques, such as duodenal mucosal biopsies, serological screening for IgA and IgG as transglutaminase 2 specific antibodies, HLA haplotypes DQ8 and DQ2 and endoscopic assessment that is assessed on both healthy and vulnerable individuals. The only effective treatment for CD at the moment is rigorous, lifetime adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD), which is sometimes a difficult challenge. The symptoms of accidental gluten intake cannot be controlled or mucosal damage prevented by a GFD alone. Additionally, many people may experience long-term consequences. There is hence an unmet demand for further therapies that can contain a reasonable combination of dietary- and non-dietary-based therapies for the management of CD. In this review, while exploring various aspects of etiology, pathophysiology, and nutritional issues related to CD, the latest findings of preclinical and clinical studies related to dietary- and non-dietary-based therapies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People are increasingly encouraged to reduce animal food consumption and shift towards plant-based diets; however, the implications for children's health are unclear. In this narrative review of research in high-income settings, we summarize evidence on the increasing consumption of plant-based diets in children and update an earlier systematic review regarding their associations with children's health outcomes. The evidence indicates that vegan, but not vegetarian, diets can restrict growth relative to omnivorous children and increase the risk of being stunted and underweight, although the percentage affected is relatively small. Bone mineral content is reduced in vegetarian and, in particular, vegan children, compared to omnivores. Both vegetarian and vegan children who do not use vitamin B12 supplements manifest with B12 deficiency; however, supplementation rectifies this problem. Both vegetarians and vegans have lower concentrations of 25(OH)D if unsupplemented, and lower body iron stores, but usually have normal iron metabolism markers. Both groups are at risk of iodine deficiency, and this might affect thyroid health. Children consuming a vegan diet have a more favorable lipid profile than omnivorous children; however, the results for a vegetarian diet are inconsistent and vary by outcome. Based on the same scientific evidence, national and international dietary recommendations are heterogeneous, with some countries supporting plant-based diets among infants, children, and adolescents, and others discouraging them. We offer a research roadmap, highlighting what is needed to provide adequate evidence to harmonize dietary recommendations for plant-based diets in children. A number of measures should urgently be introduced at international and national levels to improve the safety of their use in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humic substances are components of soil organic matter that influence soil structure and fertility. Humic and fulvic acids can be extracted from soil and other organic sources, and are used as biostimulants to promote plant growth and increase nutrient availability and uptake. The goal of this study was to determine whether selected humic and fulvic acid-based commercial products would promote growth and flowering of petunia (Petunia ×hybrida) 'Picobella Blue' grown in soilless media with low or optimal fertilizer rates. Plants were grown in 11.4-cm pots filled with peat-based media [80:20 peat:perlite (v/v); pH 5.4]. Three biostimulant products were evaluated at different rates and application frequencies: Huma Pro, a liquid humic acid biostimulant; Fulvi Pro, a liquid fulvic acid biostimulant; andMicromate, a powder containing both humic and fulvic acids. In Expt. 1, Huma Pro and Fulvi Pro were drenched weekly onto the growing media at a rate of 5, 10, or 20 mL·L-1; Micromate was drenched weekly at a rate of 5, 10, 20, or 40 g·L-1. Plants were fertilized with either 50 mg·L-1 nitrogen (N) (low fertility) or 100 mg·L-1 N (optimal fertility) from Jack's Professional 20N-1.3P-15.7K Petunia FeED each irrigation. Control plants received fertilizer but no biostimulant treatments. In Expt. 2, biostimulant treatments were drenched once at transplant, biweekly, or weekly at a rate of 1.25, 2.5, 5, or 10 mL·L-1 for Huma Pro and Fulvi Pro; and at 5, 10, 20, or 40 g·L-1 for Micromate. All plants received constant liquid feed at the lower fertilizer rate of 50 mg·L-1 N. In Expt. 1, plants fertilized with 100mg·L-1 N and treated with 20 g·L-1 Micromate had the best performance. The average shoot dry weight was 32% greater than that of the control plants. Micromate (20 g·L-1)-treated plants had an average of five more flowers per plant, and they flowered 4 days earlier than untreated control plants. In Expt. 2, plants treated with 40 g·L-1 of Micromate weekly had the greatest shoot dry weight compared with the other treatments. Weekly Micromate treatments (40 g·L-1) resulted in plants with an average of 13 more flowers per plant, which flowered 7 days earlier than control plants. Plants treated with Fulvi Pro and Huma Pro at 20 mL·L-1 had a significantly greater concentration of potassium in shoot tissue, whereas Micromate treatments at 20 and 40 g·L-1 resulted in a greater concentration of phosphorous in the shoots. The humic and fulvic acids in Micromate improved petunia crop quality by promoting vegetative growth, increasing flower numbers, and reducing the time to flower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the beginning of the 21st century, interest in vegan diets has been rapidly increasing in most countries. Misconceptions about vegan diets are widespread among the general population and health professionals. Vegan diets can be health-promoting and may offer certain important advantages compared to typical Western (and other mainstream) eating patterns. However, adequate dietary sources/supplements of nutrients of focus specific to vegan diets should be identified and communicated. Without supplements/fortified foods, severe vitamin B12 deficiency may occur. Other potential nutrients of focus are calcium, vitamin D, iodine, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin A, and protein. Ensuring adequate nutrient status is particularly important during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, and childhood. Health professionals are often expected to be able to provide advice on the topic of vegan nutrition, but a precise and practical vegan nutrition guide for health professionals is lacking. Consequently, it is important and urgent to provide such a set of dietary recommendations. It is the aim of this article to provide vegan nutrition guidelines, based on current evidence, which can easily be communicated to vegan patients/clients, with the goal of ensuring adequate nutrient status in vegans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Kenya 26% of children under age 5 experience stunted growth, 4% are wasted and 11% are underweight. In pregnant women, the prevalence of iron deficiency is 36% and iron‐deficiency anaemia prevalence is 26%. Previous studies have identified affordability as a key barrier to the intake of nutrients, particularly from animal‐source foods (ASFs). Thus, this study analyzes to what extent the affordability of ASF in Kenya can be improved. It focuses on four ASFs: eggs, milk, chicken and beef. Using a computable general equilibrium model, three policy simulations were undertaken to establish the impact of potential changes on nutritious ASF availability and affordability: a 20% increase in total factor productivity (TFP) for the four products; a 20% TFP increase plus a 25% reduction in trade and transportation margins; and a 20% TFP increase for ASF and maize (a key input in animal feed). Simulations suggest increasing the productivity of the four ASF products would increase their availability and lower consumer prices (up to 17% lower). Household consumption of the four commodities would increase, resulting in improved household dietary diversity. Rural households would gain more compared with urban households. Poor households (the lowest 40%) would register larger welfare (Equivalent Variation) gains than other households in both urban and rural areas. The richest 20% of the population would neither lose nor gain following the policy changes. Reducing transportation costs and trade margins and increasing maize productivity could further reduce the price of ASFs through lower production costs and increased consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low immune response is fatal for humans because increased infection risk is related to both morbidity and mortality. The neutropenic diet is applied if a person's neutrophil count is <2000 cells/μL. When compared with standard nutrition treatment, the neutropenic diet is found to be related to deficiencies in dietary fiber, vitamins C, A, and D, magnesium, and calcium. This is also related to malnutrition in patients diagnosed with cancer. Although raw vegetables are good sources of these nutrients, they can also be sources of pathogen microorganisms. Thus, the consumption of well-cooked vegetables is an essential principle in the neutropenic diet. Although many cooking methods are available, pressure cooking is the most commonly used in neutropenic diet kitchens to reduce pathogen transmission risk. According to many studies, the cooking process is associated with significant nutrient loss. In particular, boiling is found to be related to losses in vitamins C, A, and K, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, calcium, zinc, manganese, magnesium, copper, and iron in different types of vegetables. Even though some studies have shown that standard nutrition treatment with the adoption of food safety guidelines does not increase infection risk and the neutropenic diet is related to malnutrition, no guidelines have thus far suggested the application of standard nutrition treatment in neutropenic patients. Consequently, additional studies are required to compare the beneficial and harmful effects of the neutropenic diet to a standard nutrition treatment and support the application of standard nutrition treatment with the adoption of food safety guidelines at least in mildly neutropenic patients. The neutropenic diet is characterized by packaged, 1-use, and well-cooked food consumption to reduce foodborne infection risk. Although the neutropenic diet is seen as the only choice for patients with moderate and severe neutropenia, this diet model can potentially increase malnutrition risk in patients. In particular, the well-cooked vegetable consumption principle of this diet model is related to dietary fiber, vitamin, and mineral loss and thus their deficiencies. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperspectral imaging is an emerging non-invasive technology with potential for early nutrient stress detection in plants prior to visible symptoms. This study evaluated hyperspectral imaging for early identification of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) deficiencies across three greenhouse-grown industrial hemp plant cultivars (Cannabis sativa L.). Visible and near-infrared spectral data (380–1022 nm) were acquired from hemp samples subjected to controlled NPK stresses at multiple developmental timepoints using a benchtop hyperspectral camera. Robust principal component analysis was developed for effective screening of spectral outliers. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and support vector machines (SVM) were developed and optimized to classify nutrient deficiencies using key wavelengths selected by variable importance in projection (VIP) and interval partial least squares (iPLS). The 16-wavelength iPLS-C-SVM model achieved the highest precision of 0.75 to 1 on the test dataset. Key wavelengths for effective nutrient deficiency detection spanned the visible range, underscoring the hyperspectral imaging sensitivity to early changes in leaf pigment levels prior to any visible symptom development. The emergence of wavelengths related to chlorophyll, carotenoid, and anthocyanin absorption as optimal for classification, highlights the technology's capacity to detect subtle impending biochemical perturbations linked to emerging deficiencies. Identifying stress at this pre-visual stage could provide hemp producers with timely corrective action to mitigate losses in crop quality and yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the global commitment to zero hunger and in the backdrop of Asian enigma, this paper looks into nutritional deprivation among Kandhas, a tribal community from Odisha, India. Based on fieldwork during a harvest period, the pervasive household-specific and nutrient-specific deprivation is intriguing. An inverse relationship between the number of nutrient deficiencies and the number of food groups consumed is observed. Food intake among pregnant and lactating mothers at homes is lower than that at Maa Gruha, a care facility. The fieldwork coincides with the initial days of a millets intervention and could serve as a baseline for future comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document explains the importance of accurately identifying symptoms of various disorders in citrus trees, which can affect their health, vigor, and productivity. It emphasizes the challenges in distinguishing nutritional deficiencies or toxicities from other issues, such as herbicide or fungicide damage and physiological stress. Nutritional disorders, particularly those involving micronutrients like zinc, manganese, and iron, can manifest differently on different parts of the tree and may not always match descriptions in publications. The text advises seeking expert advice when symptoms are unclear to avoid costly and potentially harmful remedial actions. First published Oct. 2000.

The purpose of this publication is to inform cotton producers, Extension agents, crop advisors, and consultants about the role, deficiency, and management of potassium in cotton production. Written by Kulpreet Singh, Hardeep Singh, Peter Omara, Nkem J. Nwosu, Jennifer Bearden, Ravinder Singh, and Lakesh K. Sharma, and published by the UF/IFAS Agronomy Department, January 2024.

Humic substances are components of soil organic matter that influence soil structure and fertility. Humic and fulvic acids can be extracted from soil and other organic sources, and are used as biostimulants to promote plant growth and increase nutrient availability and uptake. The goal of this study was to determine whether selected humic and fulvic acid–based commercial products would promote growth and flowering of petunia (Petunia ×hybrida) ‘Picobella Blue’ grown in soilless media with low or optimal fertilizer rates. Plants were grown in 11.4-cm pots filled with peat-based media [80:20 peat:perlite (v/v); pH 5.4]. Three biostimulant products were evaluated at different rates and application frequencies: Huma Pro, a liquid humic acid biostimulant; Fulvi Pro, a liquid fulvic acid biostimulant; and Micromate, a powder containing both humic and fulvic acids. In Expt. 1, Huma Pro and Fulvi Pro were drenched weekly onto the growing media at a rate of 5, 10, or 20 mL⋅L–1; Micromate was drenched weekly at a rate of 5, 10, 20, or 40 g⋅L–1. Plants were fertilized with either 50 mg⋅L–1 nitrogen (N) (low fertility) or 100 mg⋅L–1 N (optimal fertility) from Jack’s Professional 20N–1.3P–15.7K Petunia FeED each irrigation. Control plants received fertilizer but no biostimulant treatments. In Expt. 2, biostimulant treatments were drenched once at transplant, biweekly, or weekly at a rate of 1.25, 2.5, 5, or 10 mL⋅L–1 for Huma Pro and Fulvi Pro; and at 5, 10, 20, or 40 g⋅L–1 for Micromate. All plants received constant liquid feed at the lower fertilizer rate of 50 mg⋅L–1 N. In Expt. 1, plants fertilized with 100 mg⋅L–1 N and treated with 20 g⋅L–1 Micromate had the best performance. The average shoot dry weight was 32% greater than that of the control plants. Micromate (20 g⋅L–1)-treated plants had an average of five more flowers per plant, and they flowered 4 days earlier than untreated control plants. In Expt. 2, plants treated with 40 g⋅L–1 of Micromate weekly had the greatest shoot dry weight compared with the other treatments. Weekly Micromate treatments (40 g⋅L–1) resulted in plants with an average of 13 more flowers per plant, which flowered 7 days earlier than control plants. Plants treated with Fulvi Pro and Huma Pro at 20 mL⋅L–1 had a significantly greater concentration of potassium in shoot tissue, whereas Micromate treatments at 20 and 40 g⋅L–1 resulted in a greater concentration of phosphorous in the shoots. The humic and fulvic acids in Micromate improved petunia crop quality by promoting vegetative growth, increasing flower numbers, and reducing the time to flower.

Abstract In Kenya 26% of children under age 5 experience stunted growth, 4% are wasted and 11% are underweight. In pregnant women, the prevalence of iron deficiency is 36% and iron‐deficiency anaemia prevalence is 26%. Previous studies have identified affordability as a key barrier to the intake of nutrients, particularly from animal‐source foods (ASFs). Thus, this study analyzes to what extent the affordability of ASF in Kenya can be improved. It focuses on four ASFs: eggs, milk, chicken and beef. Using a computable general equilibrium model, three policy simulations were undertaken to establish the impact of potential changes on nutritious ASF availability and affordability: a 20% increase in total factor productivity (TFP) for the four products; a 20% TFP increase plus a 25% reduction in trade and transportation margins; and a 20% TFP increase for ASF and maize (a key input in animal feed). Simulations suggest increasing the productivity of the four ASF products would increase their availability and lower consumer prices (up to 17% lower). Household consumption of the four commodities would increase, resulting in improved household dietary diversity. Rural households would gain more compared with urban households. Poor households (the lowest 40%) would register larger welfare (Equivalent Variation) gains than other households in both urban and rural areas. The richest 20% of the population would neither lose nor gain following the policy changes. Reducing transportation costs and trade margins and increasing maize productivity could further reduce the price of ASFs through lower production costs and increased consumption.

Background: Bariatric procedures increase patient risk of long-term metabolic complications primarily due to nutrient deficiencies. The mainstay of prevention includes routine vitamin and mineral supplementation; however, patient-reported barriers to daily compliance are poorly understood. Methods: Post-bariatric surgery patients electively participated in an 11-point outpatient survey at a single academic institution. Surgical procedures included either laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or gastric bypass (GB). At the time of survey, patients ranged from 1-month to 15 years from surgery. Survey items consisted of dichotomous (yes/no), multiple choice, and open-ended free response questions. Descriptive statistics were evaluated. Results: Two hundred and fourteen responses were collected, 116 (54%) underwent SG and 98 (46%) underwent GB. Of these, 49% of samples were during short-term postoperative follow-up visits (0–3 months), 34% intermediate follow-up (4–12 months), and 17% long-term follow-up (> 1 year). A total of 98% of patients reported that insurance did not cover their supplement cost. Most patients reported current vitamin use (95%), with 87% reporting daily compliance. Daily compliance was observed in 94%, 79%, and 73% of SG patients at short-, intermediate-, and long-term follow-up visits, respectively. While GB patients reported daily compliance in 84%, 100%, and 92% of short, intermediate, and long-term responses. Of those who were unable to take vitamins daily, non-compliance was attributed most to forgetting (54%), and less often to side effects (11%), or taste (11%). Patient-reported strategies for remembering to take vitamins included tying into daily routine (55%), use of a pill box (7%), and alarm reminders (7%). Conclusions: Daily compliance with post-bariatric surgery vitamin supplementation does not appear to vary based on postoperative time-period or surgical procedure. While a minority of patients struggle with daily compliance, factors associated with non-compliance include patient forgetting, side effects, and taste. Widespread utilization of patient-reported daily reminder strategies may lead to improved overall compliance and reduce incidence of nutritional deficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the integration of artificial intelligence with sensors and devices utilized by Internet of Things technology, the interest in automation systems has increased. One of the common features of both agriculture and artificial intelligence is recommendation systems that increase yield by identifying nutrient deficiencies in plants, consuming resources correctly, reducing damage to the environment and preventing economic losses. The biggest shortcomings in these studies are the scarcity of data and the lack of diversity. This experiment aimed to identify nutrient deficiencies in basil plants cultivated in a hydroponic system. Basil plants were grown by applying a complete nutrient solution as control and non-added nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K). Then, photos were taken to determine N, P and K deficiencies in basil and control plants. After a new dataset was created for the basil plant, pretrained convolutional neural network (CNN) models were used for the classification problem. DenseNet201, ResNet101V2, MobileNet and VGG16 pretrained models were used to classify N, P and K deficiencies; then, accuracy values were examined. Additionally, heat maps of images that were obtained using the Grad-CAM were analyzed in the study. The highest accuracy was achieved with the VGG16 model, and it was observed in the heat map that VGG16 focuses on the symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Randomized clinical trials (RCT) and observational studies have highlighted the importance of flavonoid consumption for human health. Several studies have associated a high intake of dietary flavonoids with (a) enhanced metabolic and cardiovascular health, (b) enhanced cognitive and vascular endothelial functions, (c) an improved glycemic response in type 2 diabetes mellitus, and (d) a reduced risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Since flavonoids belong to a broad and diverse family of polyphenolic plant molecules—with more than 6000 compounds interspersed in the human diet—researchers are still uncertain whether the intake of single, individual polyphenols or a large combination of them (i.e., synergistic action) can produce the greatest health benefits for humans. Furthermore, studies have reported a poor bioavailability of flavonoid compounds in humans, which presents a major challenge for determining their optimal dosage, recommended intake, and, consequently, their therapeutic value. Especially because of their scarce bioavailability from foods—along with the overall declining food quality and nutrient density in foods—the role of flavonoid supplementation may become increasingly important for human health. Although research shows that dietary supplements can be a highly useful tool to complement diets that lack sufficient amounts of important nutrients, some caution is warranted regarding possible interactions with prescription and non-prescription drugs, especially when taken concurrently. Herein, we discuss the current scientific basis for using flavonoid supplementation to improve health as well as the limitations related to high intakes of dietary flavonoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate diagnosis of pear tree nutrient deficiency symptoms is vital for the timely adoption of fertilization and treatment. This study proposes a novel method on the fused feature multi-head attention recording network with image depth and shallow feature fusion for diagnosing nutrient deficiency symptoms in pear leaves. First, the shallow features of nutrient-deficient pear leaf images are extracted using manual feature extraction methods, and the depth features are extracted by the deep network model. Second, the shallow features are fused with the depth features using serial fusion. In addition, the fused features are trained using three classification algorithms, F-Net, FC-Net, and FA-Net, proposed in this paper. Finally, we compare the performance of single feature-based and fusion feature-based identification algorithms in the nutrient-deficient pear leaf diagnostic task. The best classification performance is achieved by fusing the depth features output from the ConvNeXt-Base deep network model with shallow features using the proposed FA-Net network, which improved the average accuracy by 15.34 and 10.19 percentage points, respectively, compared with the original ConvNeXt-Base model and the shallow feature-based recognition model. The result can accurately recognize pear leaf deficiency images by providing a theoretical foundation for identifying plant nutrient-deficient leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperspectral imaging is an emerging non-invasive technology with potential for early nutrient stress detection in plants prior to visible symptoms. This study evaluated hyperspectral imaging for early identification of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) deficiencies across three greenhouse-grown industrial hemp plant cultivars (Cannabis sativa L.). Visible and near-infrared spectral data (380–1022 nm) were acquired from hemp samples subjected to controlled NPK stresses at multiple developmental timepoints using a benchtop hyperspectral camera. Robust principal component analysis was developed for effective screening of spectral outliers. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and support vector machines (SVM) were developed and optimized to classify nutrient deficiencies using key wavelengths selected by variable importance in projection (VIP) and interval partial least squares (iPLS). The 16-wavelength iPLS-C-SVM model achieved the highest precision of 0.75 to 1 on the test dataset. Key wavelengths for effective nutrient deficiency detection spanned the visible range, underscoring the hyperspectral imaging sensitivity to early changes in leaf pigment levels prior to any visible symptom development. The emergence of wavelengths related to chlorophyll, carotenoid, and anthocyanin absorption as optimal for classification, highlights the technology’s capacity to detect subtle impending biochemical perturbations linked to emerging deficiencies. Identifying stress at this pre-visual stage could provide hemp producers with timely corrective action to mitigate losses in crop quality and yields.

The woody plant, Colophospermum mopane, occurs as either a shrub or tree in shrublands and woodlands, respectively, in the central Kruger National Park, South Africa. As a first step in identifying which soil properties potentially influence the structure of C. mopane in these landscapes, we investigated the soil chemistry of the pedoderm in shrublands and woodlands. A total of 39 composite pedoderm samples (0–2 cm) were analysed. Relative to the woodlands, the pedoderm of the shrublands had significantly lower mean concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Mn, Cu, Na, B and C. Of the nutrients analysed, only B had a mean concentration likely to be constraining the growth of plants (0.16 ± 0.01 vs 0.69 ± 0.05 mg B kg−1 in shrublands and woodlands, respectively). We suggest that the C. mopane shrubs do not establish as trees in the shrublands because deficiency of B limits their growth and increases the competitive strength of the grass sward relative to eudicot plants in the landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land development is rapidly occurring on sand-dominant soils that cover substantial areas of the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB). Sands are at risk of degradation on sloping uplands where agriculture is expanding and on lowland landscapes where intensification of cropping is occurring. Sandstone and granitic geology explain the prevalence of sand-dominant textures of profiles in the LMB. However, the sand terrains in uplands of Cambodia and Southern Laos mostly have not been mapped in detail and the diversity of their edaphic properties is poorly understood. On high-permeability sands, lowland rainfed rice crops are drought-prone, while nutrient losses from leaching are also a risk. Furthermore, waterlogging, inundation and subsoil hardpans are significant hazards that influence the choice of crops and forages for lowland soils. Soil acidity, low nutrient status, hard-setting and shallow rooting depth are significant constraints for crops and forages on sands in the lowlands. Land use change in the lowlands to alternative field crops and forages on sands is contingent on their profitability relative to rice, the amounts and reliability of early wet season rainfall, and the amounts of stored water available after harvesting rice. Low soil fertility and soil acidity are limitations to the productivity of farming systems on the sand profiles in uplands, while erosion, low soil organic matter levels and water balance are concerns for their sustainable use. Site-/soil-specific fertilizer and lime management, land suitability assessment and the use of conservation agriculture principles (minimum tillage and crop residue retention) can overcome some of these constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Healthy plant-based diets, such as the lacto-ovo-vegetarian and the vegan diet, offer numerous benefits to human health. Poorly designed plant-based diets, however, bear the risk for vitamin- and micronutrient deficiencies. Vitamin B12 (B12, cobalamin) is a nutrient of particular concern in both diets, and should be readily supplemented on a continuous basis to ensure adequate B12 levels and to prevent deficiencies., Case Report: This case reports describes the history of a healthy man in his mid-30s who adopted a vegan diet approximately 10 y ago. Well informed about the risks of vitamin B12 deficiency on a plant-based diet, he regularly supplemented methylcobalamin for years (single oral dose: 500 µg, 3-4 times a week) in order to maintain an adequate vitamin B12 status. In late 2023, however, he decided to cease B12 supplementation for undisclosed reasons. Subsequent to this decision, we closely monitored his B12 status and longitudinally measured serum B12, homocysteine, and holotranscobalamin (holo-TC). Total serum folate was also determined as it is a modifier of homocysteine concentration. A gradual decrease in holo-TC and vitamin B12 levels was observed after 4 weeks and supplements had to be re-introduced after 16 weeks. Homocysteine increased concomitantly up to 18.2 μmol/L after 20 weeks., Conclusions: While a short-term B12 supplement intake cessation might be well tolerated by vegans with an adequate B12 status, an interruption of more than 8 weeks could signify B12 loss approaching suboptimal status. This case report reiterates the need for continuous B12 supplementation in persons following an unfortified plant-based diet., 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 © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This guide is provided to assist vegetable growers, UF/IFAS Extension personnel, and consultants in conducting a meaningful plant tissue testing program. Guidelines are provided for collecting samples, proper handling of the sample, and choosing an analytical lab. Information is also presented on basic plant nutrition so that the reader understands the nutrient requirements of each vegetable crop and the process of identifying nutrient deficiencies. The final section of the guide presents the deficiency, sufficiency, and toxicity ranges for plant nutrient concentrations. This is the interpretation portion. Values presented in the tables have been drawn from research from many areas of the country with emphasis on research conducted in Florida. Missing values in the tables indicate areas of research need. The final section of the guide also presents recommendations for nutrient deficiency correction. Originally published January 1991 and revised February 2004 and October 2012. This version November 2022 includes updates to crop data for carrots.

Due to the integration of artificial intelligence with sensors and devices utilized by Internet of Things technology, the interest in automation systems has increased. One of the common features of both agriculture and artificial intelligence is recommendation systems that increase yield by identifying nutrient deficiencies in plants, consuming resources correctly, reducing damage to the environment and preventing economic losses. The biggest shortcomings in these studies are the scarcity of data and the lack of diversity. This experiment aimed to identify nutrient deficiencies in basil plants cultivated in a hydroponic system. Basil plants were grown by applying a complete nutrient solution as control and non-added nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K). Then, photos were taken to determine N, P and K deficiencies in basil and control plants. After a new dataset was created for the basil plant, pretrained convolutional neural network (CNN) models were used for the classification problem. DenseNet201, ResNet101V2, MobileNet and VGG16 pretrained models were used to classify N, P and K deficiencies; then, accuracy values were examined. Additionally, heat maps of images that were obtained using the Grad-CAM were analyzed in the study. The highest accuracy was achieved with the VGG16 model, and it was observed in the heat map that VGG16 focuses on the symptoms.

Blenderized formulations (BFs) are prepared by homogenization of food that is normally used in oral nutrition. BFs are mainly used in home enteral nutrition (HEN), although their use has also been reported by hospitals when commercial enteral formulas are not available. HEN is applied when the patient has been discharged from the hospital. This nutritional therapy promotes the patient's reintegration into the family nucleus and promotes humanized care, and decreases treatment costs. However, the patient should continue to receive health and nutritional care, ranging from periodic nutritional re-evaluation to adaptation of the dietary plan. HEN provides the patient a greater contact with the family, whereas BFs promote the adaptation of the diet with food, respecting the food diversity and culture, lower cost, and easier access to food. Disadvantages of BFs include more time spent by the professional to calculate the dietary plan, greater difficulty in adjusting daily needs, and less microbiological and chemical stability. In this review, the nutritional, food security, and safety aspects of BF used in HEN are discussed. Technological quality aspects that are essential knowledge in the preparation of the patient's dietary plan also are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition, nutrient intakes, and deficiencies of Thai children with cerebral palsy (CP), at QSNICH. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in Thai children diagnosed CP at Neuro-clinic, QSNICH. Collecting demographic, previous 3-day food record, feeding, anthropometric data, physical examinations, and laboratory investigations. Nutritional status was assessed using WHO growth references (2007). Nutrient intakes were analyzed by program IMMUCAL. Results: Twenty-three children diagnosed CP were included. Sixty-one percent were boys and 39% were girls. The mean age was 63±31 months. Sixty-one percent had feeding problems. Twenty cases (87%) were oral feeding. Energy distribution of carbohydrate, fat, and protein was 46, 38, and 16, respectively. Daily intakes of nutrients were inadequate, such as calcium at 78%, iron at 35%, vitamin C at 26%, vitamin A and B1 at 22%, energy at 13%, and protein vitamin B2 and B3 at 9%. Malnutrition revealed that 52% were underweight and 35% were stunting. Glossitis, dental caries, and gingivitis were found in 65%, 56%, and 26%, respectively. Laboratory investigations revealed anemia in 13%, iron deficiency in 9%, and vitamin C deficiency in 22%. Malnutrition was not statistically significantly related to energy intake, feeding problems, and route. Energy intake above 100% DRI was related to normal length (p=0.019). Conclusion: Children with CP commonly had malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies due to inadequate intakes. Proper nutritional support with balanced diet will prevent malnutrition and promote health of these children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many consequences of climate change undermine the stability of global food systems, decreasing food security and diet quality, and exposing vulnerable populations to multiple forms of malnutrition. The emergence of pandemics such as Covid-19 exacerbate the situation and make interactions even more complex. Climate change impacts food systems at different levels, including changes in soil fertility and crop yield, composition, and bioavailability of nutrients in foods, pest resistance, and risk of malnutrition. Sustainable and resilient food systems, coupled with climate-smart agriculture, are needed to ensure sustainable diets that are adequately diverse, nutritious, and better aligned with contextual ecosystem functions and environmental conservation. Robust tools and indicators are urgently needed to measure the reciprocal food systems-climate change interaction, that is further complicated by pandemics, and how it impacts human health.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclasses have been suggested to confer naturally acquired immunity to Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Cytophilic IgG1 and IgG3 with their potential for opsonization, phagocytosis, and antibody-dependent cellular inhibition in association with monocytes have been suggested to have a critical role in malaria. The potential for production of antibodies is influenced by micronutrient status. This study aimed at exploring the effect of micronutrients, particularly zinc status, on the profiles of IgG subclasses in 304 Tanzanian children aged ≤ 5 years. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed using whole asexual blood stage malaria antigens to determine plasma malaria-specific antibody titers. This baseline cross-sectional study was done from 2005 – 2010 prior to the larger randomized control trial of the Micronutrient and Child Health (MACH) Study. Plasma concentrations of zinc and magnesium were measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and results correlated with plasma IgG subclass levels. The findings reveal zinc deficiency to possibly influence the production of IgM, total IgG, and several IgG subclasses in a malaria status-dependent manner. Among IgG subclasses, IgG3 and partly IgG2 displayed a remarkable association with zinc deficiency, particularly IgG3 which was predominant in children with malaria. Nevertheless, zinc, magnesium, and malaria status did not influence the association between IgG3 and IgG4. The study leads to the conclusion that, under conditions of micronutrient deficiency and malaria status, an imbalance in IgG subclass production may occur leading to predominantly higher levels of IgG3 and IgG2 that may not confer sufficient protection from infection. The profile of both cytophilic and non-cytophilic IgG subclasses has been shown to be variably influenced by zinc status; the effects vary with age at least in under-fives. These results provide insight for inclusion of micronutrients, particularly precise amounts of zinc, in future malaria interventional programs in endemic areas.

Randomized clinical trials (RCT) and observational studies have highlighted the importance of flavonoid consumption for human health. Several studies have associated a high intake of dietary flavonoids with (a) enhanced metabolic and cardiovascular health, (b) enhanced cognitive and vascular endothelial functions, (c) an improved glycemic response in type 2 diabetes mellitus, and (d) a reduced risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Since flavonoids belong to a broad and diverse family of polyphenolic plant molecules—with more than 6000 compounds interspersed in the human diet—researchers are still uncertain whether the intake of single, individual polyphenols or a large combination of them (i.e., synergistic action) can produce the greatest health benefits for humans. Furthermore, studies have reported a poor bioavailability of flavonoid compounds in humans, which presents a major challenge for determining their optimal dosage, recommended intake, and, consequently, their therapeutic value. Especially because of their scarce bioavailability from foods—along with the overall declining food quality and nutrient density in foods—the role of flavonoid supplementation may become increasingly important for human health. Although research shows that dietary supplements can be a highly useful tool to complement diets that lack sufficient amounts of important nutrients, some caution is warranted regarding possible interactions with prescription and non-prescription drugs, especially when taken concurrently. Herein, we discuss the current scientific basis for using flavonoid supplementation to improve health as well as the limitations related to high intakes of dietary flavonoids.

Accurate diagnosis of pear tree nutrient deficiency symptoms is vital for the timely adoption of fertilization and treatment. This study proposes a novel method on the fused feature multi-head attention recording network with image depth and shallow feature fusion for diagnosing nutrient deficiency symptoms in pear leaves. First, the shallow features of nutrient-deficient pear leaf images are extracted using manual feature extraction methods, and the depth features are extracted by the deep network model. Second, the shallow features are fused with the depth features using serial fusion. In addition, the fused features are trained using three classification algorithms, F-Net, FC-Net, and FA-Net, proposed in this paper. Finally, we compare the performance of single feature-based and fusion feature-based identification algorithms in the nutrient-deficient pear leaf diagnostic task. The best classification performance is achieved by fusing the depth features output from the ConvNeXt-Base deep network model with shallow features using the proposed FA-Net network, which improved the average accuracy by 15.34 and 10.19 percentage points, respectively, compared with the original ConvNeXt-Base model and the shallow feature-based recognition model. The result can accurately recognize pear leaf deficiency images by providing a theoretical foundation for identifying plant nutrient-deficient leaves.

The research aims to detect the combined deficiency of two nutrients. Those are nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and phosphorus and potassium (K). Here, it is referred to as nutrient deficiencies of N and P and P and K. The researchers use the characteristics of Red, Green, Blue (RGB) color and Sobel edge detection for leaf shape detection and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) for the identification process to make the application of nutrient differentiation identification in cucumber. The data of plant images consist of 450 training data and 150 testing data. The results of identifying nutrient deficiencies in plants using backpropagation neural networks are carried out in three tests. First, using RGB color extraction and Sobel edge detection, the researchers show 65.36% accuracy. Second, using RGB color extraction, it has 70.25% accuracy. Last, with Sobel edge detection, it has 59.52% accuracy.

Psammophilic halophytes are subjected in their natural habitats to the interactive effects of salinity and nutrient deficiencies. The aim of the present investigation was to check whether an optimal salt treatment enhances growth and antioxidant responses of the psammophilic obligate halophyte Sesuvium portulacastrum L. Seedlings were grown for 6 weeks on a nutrient medium (C), diluted 50 times (D), or diluted 50 times and added with 200 mM NaCl (DS). Nutrient deficiencies drastically reduced biomass production in both shoots and roots but did not induce a marked oxidative stress as shown by the 'non-toxic' levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA). In roots, a marked decrease in catalase (CAT) activity seems to keep a certain level of H2O2 for stress signalling purposes. The detrimental effect on growth was slightly alleviated by the optimal salt concentration in DS treatment. H2O2 and MDA concentrations were higher in DS treatment than in D treatment, but they remained at 'nontoxic' levels. The responses of antioxidant enzymes showed the same trend in D and DS treatments but with different magnitudes. Taken together, these results showed that the beneficial effect of salinity on the responses of this psammophilic obligate halophyte to other stresses (i) is limited by the severity of those stresses and (ii) is not mainly based on antioxidant responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic health conditions and polypharmacy are common among the older population and associated with increased risks of adverse events, medicine-interactions, geriatric syndromes, falls and mortality. Poor nutrition is also common in older people. Causal associations between medication use and older people's nutrient status is seldom discussed. Objectives: The objectives of this review were to summarise the literature reporting associations between medicines commonly prescribed to older adults and nutrient deficiencies, and to discuss the clinical implications and management. Methods: Medicine information resources (n = 5) were searched for information about nutrient deficiencies associated with common medicines used by older people and listed within the top 50 medicines prescribed by volume on the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. This was followed by a search for clinical studies published on PubMed from inception to April 2020. Data was extracted, tabulated and summarised with clinical information relevant to pharmacists and clinicians involved in the care of older people taking medicines. Results: A total of 23 clinical studies were identified reporting medicine-induced nutrient deficiencies in older adults. Vitamin B12, sodium, magnesium were identified as the 3 main nutrients susceptible to deficiency by medicines used to treat cardiovascular disease, neurological conditions, gastrointestinal conditions, and diabetes. The coenzyme CoQ10 was depleted by statins.Conclusion: Certain medicines commonly prescribed to older adults are associated with nutrient deficiencies that may be clinically significant. Given the high prevalence of comorbidities and polypharmacy it is possible that some of these individual drug-induced nutrient deficiencies are compounded, warranting both clinical and research attention.

Background: Without the needed medical support, bariatric surgery can be associated with post-operative malnutrition and associated nutrient deficiencies. We aimed to evaluate the cost difference of perioperative infusion requirements and TPN between GBP and BPD-DS. Methods: All patients undergoing GBP or BPD-DS procedures between August 2015 and June 2018 were included. Information was collected to standardize the nutritional information into two categories: (1) oral supplementation and standard intravenous infusions, as predicted costs forming part of preoperative quote and (2) infusions prescribed for malnutrition, based on blood biochemistry, caterized as unexpected costs. Results: A total of 573 patients over 3 years (GBP 60%, BPD-DS 40%) were included in the analysis. The average predicted costs from oral supplementation for both surgery groups and prophylactic infusions for BPD-DS were GBP (46.90USD) vs. BPD-DS (154.13 USD) (p-value = NS). Unexpected costs for infusions to correct nutritional deficiencies were GBP (199.14 USD) vs. BPD-DS (127.29 USD) (p-value = NS). TPN incidence rate was GBP (2.1%) and BPD-DS (12.7%) (p-value < 0.001) and admission rate per patient was GBP (0.9) and BPD-DS (0.63) (p-value < 0.05). Costs for acquiring TPN were GBP (153.58 USD) vs. BPD-DS (268.76 USD). Total unexpected costs were GBP (352.72 USD) vs. BPD-DS (396.05 USD) (p-value = NS). Conclusion: Nutrient deficiencies are known to occur within both GBP and BPD-DS surgeries, even up to 3 years. The admission rate/patient, requiring TPN, was higher in the GBP group, indicating that BPD-DS surgery can be efficient and cost-effective with holistic and multitherapeutic post-surgery care. BPD-DS procedures should be reserved for centers with a comprehensive and experienced multidisciplinary team enforcing stringent follow-up regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]