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Target fiber and phytate in corn and wheat to improve pig performance – National Hog Farmer

Posted: May 22, 2020 at 5:59 am

Corn and wheat grains, and their co-products, are the most widely used sources of energy in swine diets. However, these feedstuffs contain phytate and fiber that reduce nutrient utilization. Undesirable effects of phytate and fiber can be alleviated through dietary supplementation of phytase and fiber-degrading enzymes. The most abundant types of fiber in wheat and corn are arabinoxylans that are composed of xylans (a sugar that creates the backbone of arabinoxylans) and arabinose units (the sugars that link to and create branches off the xylan backbone).

The enzymes that breakdown xylans are known as xylanases, whereas those which break down the arabinose branches are known as arabinofuranosidases (debranching enzymes). While xylanase and arabinofuranosidase act on different substrates, their combined supplementation efficiently degrades arabinoxylans, making each enzyme group more effective and valuable in simple and complex diets.

In swine production, supplementing corn- or wheat-based diets with xylanase has reported positive effects. However, there is a lack of information on the combined effects of xylanase and arabinofuranosidase on the nutrient utilization in pigs fed corn-wheat-based diets.

A study at South Dakota State University evaluated the effects of supplementing a multi-enzyme product (xylanase, glucanase, arabinofuranosidase and phytase; supplied by Adisseo France SAS) on the growth performance, bone strength and nutrient digestibility of growing pigs fed corn-wheat-wheat bran-based diets that were low in nutrient density. Criteria measured included average daily gain, average daily feed intake, gain-to-feed ratio, bone strength (femur ash) and nutrient digestibility (apparent total tract digestibility of energy and phosphorus).

A total of 276 pigs with initial body weight of 34 kilograms were housed in 45 pens of six or seven pigs, blocked by gender and weight, and fed five diets (nine pens per diet). Diets consisted of a positive control and two negative controls (NC1 and NC2) that were supplemented without or with the MEP. The MEP supplied at least 1,800, 1,244, 6,600 and 1,000 units of xylanase, -glucanase, arabinofuranosidase and phytase per kilogram of diet, respectively. The PC diet was adequate in all nutrients, and had greater digestible P content than NC1 or NC2 diet by 0.134 percentage points (Table 1).

Table 1: Ingredient and calculated chemical composition of the basal diets

Additionally, the PC diet had a higher net energy and standardized ileal digestible amino acid content than the NC1 diet (74 kilocalories per kilogram; 3% SIDAA) and NC2 diet (124 kcal/kg; 5% SIDAA). The diets were fed in four phases based on bodyweight; Phase 1: 34-50 kg, Phase 2: 50-75 kg, Phase 3: 75-100 kg, and Phase 4: 100-120 kg. Nutrient digestibility and bone mineralization were determined at the end of Phase 1.

For the overall study period (34-120 kg bodyweight), pigs fed the PC and NC1 diets did not differ in ADG and ADFI (Table 2); however, pigs fed the PC diet had greater ADG and G:F than those fed the NC2 diet. Pigs fed the PC diet had greater bone ash content and ATTD of P than those fed the NC1 diet. The ATTD of energy for the PC diet was greater than that for the NC1 or NC2 diet.

Table 2: Effect of dietary treatment on growth performance and nutrient digestibility

Supplementing the MEP did not affect ADG for pigs fed the NC1 diet, but it increased the ADG for pigs fed the NC2 diet by 5.09%. Supplementing the NC1 and the NC2 diet with the MEP increased G:F, bone ash content and ATTD of energy and P. The ADG, bone ash content and ATTD of energy and P for the MEP-supplemented diets were similar to the PC diet. Thus, net energy, SIDAA and P can be lowered by about 5% in MEP-supplemented diets without negative effects on growth performance and bone strength of pigs.

Sources: Kevin Jerez-Bogota, Maamer Jlali, Pierre Cozannet, Aurlie Preynat and Tofuko Woyengo, who are solely responsible for the information provided, and wholly own the information. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

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Target fiber and phytate in corn and wheat to improve pig performance - National Hog Farmer

High blood pressure – the 25p fruit that could prevent deadly symptoms of hypertension – Express

Posted: May 22, 2020 at 5:59 am

High blood pressure is a common condition that affects more than a quarter of all adults in the UK. But, you could lower your risk of developing hypertension by eating an apple everyday, it's been claimed.

High blood pressure - which is also known as hypertension - puts extra stress on blood vessels and vital organs.

The condition could lead to some deadly complications, including strokes and heart attacks.

It could be caused by eating an unhealthy diet, or by not doing enough exercise.

You could lower your chances of high blood pressure by regularly eating apples, it's been revealed.

READ MORE: High blood pressure - condition raises the risk of this disorder

"Certain foods are particularly good to eat if you have hypertension and can significantly lower your risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke, Dr Brewer told Express Health.

"When it comes to blood pressure, studies involving over 187,000 health professionals showed that those who ate four or more apples a week had significantly lower blood pressures than those who ate less than one a month, on average.

"Its important to eat the peel, as this contains antioxidants with blood-pressure lowering actions that are similar to those of ACE inhibitor drugs.

"You can grate the flesh and mix with lemon juice [to prevent browning] and add to salads, coleslaw and Bircher muesli. Dried apple rings and apple crisps also make tasty snacks."

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High blood pressure - the 25p fruit that could prevent deadly symptoms of hypertension - Express

Flat belly 45 with the training and diet of Kate Beckinsale – Play Crazy Game

Posted: May 22, 2020 at 5:59 am

His last appearance in the gala of awards of a well-known mens magazine represents the test of that Kate Beckinsale have given with the elixir of eternal youth. To its 45 years, the actress retains the same figure -if not even more toned with which it became world famous thanks to his role in the movie Pearl Harbour. This statuesque body allowed him to defend a dress from Julien Macdonald in which the multiple air -leg, neck, back it became an option only suitable for those who feel very sure of themselves and Beckinsale is. Not in vain, in their day-to-day training and healthy eating are always present as she recounts the portal Inquisitr and is that, for to maintain a flat belly year after year the british dont believe in miracles and work hard to achieve it.

I do circuit training interspersed with sessions of brutal cardio, routines, as crazy as over a treadmill without a motor. That part is a torture I love yoga and its what I used to do normally. However, the hard training has been a big difference in my life, admits Kate. The moral that is drawn from the new approach fitness of the star is to get a few measurements sculptural that challenge -and overcome the passage of time, the sweat t-shirt is not only recommended, but obligatory: I wake up, I take the breakfast and after workout.

In fact, your account of Instagram acts as a witness of the spartan training sessions to which it is subjected the interpreter, and also what it is that you enjoy yoga in your day-to-day, a discipline known for its ability to control the levels of stress that combines physical exercise with meditation: Sports is basically a natural antidepressant, ensures. Dr. Reed, a pediatrician and contributor to HELLO!, corroborated when explains to overcome episodes of stress to make physical exercise an intense, sometimes grueling, practice a sport and compete are appropriate activities.

To finish, the food plays an essential role if you want to achieve effective results. The interpreter knows that and, although in his day declared himself a vegetarian, has evolved to include chicken and fish in your diet, relying on vegetables and salads to accompany your dishes, and avoid alcohol at all costs even when she attends social events. A style of life with physical care as one of the fundamental pillars and head of the actress is kept equal to that of twenty years ago.

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Flat belly 45 with the training and diet of Kate Beckinsale - Play Crazy Game

Marius Pharmaceuticals Announces Issuance of Two Key Patents Protecting its Proprietary Oral Testosterone Therapy – GlobeNewswire

Posted: May 22, 2020 at 5:58 am

RALEIGH, N.C., May 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marius Pharmaceuticals announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued two key patents related to its lead asset, Kyzatrex*. Kyzatrex is an oral Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) that uses an innovative formulation to improve effectiveness and safety.

These allowed claims will provide strong IP protection to December 2030, over 8 years of potential commercial runway. They supplement Marius Pharmaceuticals already robust global patent portfolio for Kyzatrex, which includes granted patents in the European Union, Canada, China, Taiwan, Japan, New Zealand and other key markets, and pending applications in India, and US. Marius Pharmaceuticals patent portfolio includes filings that extend protection to 2033, with the potential to extend protection out to 2040.

The allowed claims protect Kyzatrex, an innovative formulation designed to increase bioavailability and provide a favorable pharmacokinetic (PK) profile compared to other therapeutic alternatives. Om Dhingra, Chief Executive Officer of Marius commented This innovation is truly exceptional as we have created a formulation with a unique PK profile which we believe drives important clinical significance.

Marius Pharmaceuticals Chief Financial Officer Shalin Shah said We are very pleased to strengthen the intellectual property portfolio for Kyzatrex and excited that it has tremendous potential to be differentiated and unique option in the TRT space. We are also drawing a line in the sand between a new treatment paradigm and old testosterone therapies.

Marius Pharmaceuticals has recently completed its pivotal Phase 3 study for Kyzatrex and intends to submit its New Drug Application (NDA) to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

About Kyzatrex

Kyzatrex is an experimental therapy for the treatment of primary and secondary hypogonadism (congenital or acquired). Testosterone is a crucial hormone that plays key roles in human growth and development and a wide range of other functions including metabolic and cardiovascular. Sources estimate that 15 million men in the United States suffer from hypogonadism, but only approximately 10% are currently treated. The co-morbidities of men suffering from hypogonadism are also a significant burden on patients and the healthcare system, these include Type 2 Diabetes and other serious chronic conditions.

Current marketed treatments are dominated by painful injections and messy topical applications with transference risk. Kyzatrex is an orally administered therapy, which avoids those drawbacks. Market research points to 93% of patients indicating they would ask their physician about Kyzatrex and more than half would consider a switch from their current regimen.

About Marius Pharmaceuticals

Marius pharmaceuticals is a cutting-edge biopharma company focusing on treating widespread conditions that have been triggered primarily through Androgen deficiency. Our pipeline consists of assets focused on inflammation while our commercial arm is at the forefront of data science technologies core to our commercialization of our lead asset Kyzatrex.

*Kyzatrex is a tentative Tradename currently under review with the FDA

For more information, contact:Shalin Shahshalin@mariuspharma.comwww.mariuspharma.com

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Marius Pharmaceuticals Announces Issuance of Two Key Patents Protecting its Proprietary Oral Testosterone Therapy - GlobeNewswire

Welcome to the table – The Tech

Posted: May 22, 2020 at 5:58 am

By Nathan LiangMay. 21, 2020

Equali-tea Time is a platform for educational discourse surrounding various topics about the LGBTQ+ community. If you would like to contribute a guest post, have a question youd like answered, or want to send feedback or comments on subjects that have been discussed in the column, please email equalitea@tech.mit.edu.

Disclaimer: This first column discusses gender expression from a binary perspective. My story should not be used as a comparison point for all trans experiences. In the future, Equali-tea Time will more directly tackle the idea of gender as a spectrum, along with a slew of other ideas relevant to the LGBTQ+ community!

Transgender is a term that describes people whose gender identity does not agree with the sex they were assigned at birth. A persons sex is usually defined by biological markers, such as genitalia or chromosome designations, whereas gender identity is a socially understood concept of how people present themselves along the gender spectrum.

One of the clearest memories I have from when I was younger (maybe five or six years old) is asking my mother this: Is it possible that I am a boys spirit trapped inside a girls body?

Her response to this was dismissive: Youre just making yourself think that.

I remember feeling crushed. I was confused and at a loss. Was I really making myself think that? Wasnt I taught to follow the beliefs I held in my heart? And why was it that everytime I saw a shooting star in the night sky, Id close my eyes, hold my hands together, and wish with all my heart to wake up the next day in a boys body?

Gender dysphoria is often succinctly described by the saying I was born in the wrong body. This thought often persists in the minds of transgender people. Being identified as the wrong gender brings anxiety. Seeing ourselves in a body that doesnt match our gender identity may bring us extreme discomfort.

I struggled with these feelings into middle school, dreading my first period, hating how my body changed as I went through puberty. I developed crushes on female friends, but I didnt like the label lesbian. I didnt know why, but I just didnt vibe with the term. I couldnt see myself completely identifying with it.

It wouldnt be until the summer before my freshman year of high school that YouTube showed me the answer I had been looking for all these years. Trans men were using the platform to document their transitions and talk about what being transgender meant. It was the first time I really connected with a queer narrative. I finally felt like I had found the words to describe who I really was.

Generally speaking, there are two types of transition that a trans person can go through in their life: social and physical.

The social transition is, well, how one socially becomes their preferred gender. This usually means coming out to close friends and family, adopting the desired pronouns, changing ones name, changing ones wardrobe, and the list goes on and on.

When I think back on my coming out experience, Im always glad to know it ended well. My high school friends and my little sister were really accepting and loving. My mom was confused and hilariously suggested, Are you sure you dont want to be nonbinary instead? because she was afraid of the discrimination I may face by going through with such an extreme transition from one end of the spectrum to the other. Regardless, she trusted me and supported my decision.

However, the wait leading up to the coming out always makes me think. I was always too scared to come out in high school because I didnt want to be bullied. I waited until after my high school graduation to tell my family because I really believed there was a solid chance I would be disowned and kicked out of the house, despite knowing, deep down inside, that they loved me unconditionally. I was prepared to pack up my things and spend my summer couch surfing at friends places until I could escape to a new life at MIT.

Knowing I really genuinely thought that it always makes me a lil sad. Its what compels me now to be a visible example of the trans experience. I want people who are scared to come out to know that unconditional love exists in the world. I was lucky enough to have found it in my family, but its also important to note that everyones journey with this will be different. The key is finding a solid support system to help navigate the turbulence of coming out and transitioning. Chosen families also exist for a reason, and Im always grateful for the one I found at MIT because they understand me on that queer level that my blood-related family just cant.

Along this same vein, I also urge people who arent trans to work toward a more respectful and accepting world. I dont want trans youth to have to go through what I went through. To have to sit and wait for years, stewing in fear and anxiety and preemptive mourning of relationships that could be lost, just to wait to come out at a moment when theyre primed to escape if they have to. I dont want that to be a reality that persists into the future, and changing that takes work from people inside and outside of the community.

Pronouns and names are important to trans people because it is a method of affirming their identity. Especially when trans people are trying to figure out their gender identity or are just beginning to socially transition, having other people affirm them with their preferred pronouns or help them try out new names helps to validate their thoughts and feelings as they explore themselves.

When I came to MIT, I was that really obnoxious trans frosh that would go, Hi, my name is Nathan and I use he/him pronouns. It was my first time actually being out in the world as male, but since I was pre-physical transition, I was always conscious of the fact that my feminine voice, my round face, and my curvy body would give away the fact that I wasnt born male. To combat this, I reminded everyone I met that my pronouns were he/him. Looking back, I feel a bit embarrassed at how adamant I was about it, but its how I felt secure in a place as new and chaotic as MIT.

The physical transition can look very different depending on the person. The most common first step for a physical transition is starting HRT (hormone replacement therapy), which usually means taking regular doses of testosterone for trans men and regular doses of estrogen for trans women. Trans men and trans women will often also pursue cosmetic surgery to transform their bodies in ways that alleviate their gender dysphoria. Some trans people decide that physically transitioning just isnt for them, which is cool too.

I started testosterone hormone injections February of last year, right smack at the beginning of my sophomore spring. I was elated to finally start the next step in my transition and the days couldnt pass by quickly enough for me to see the changes I wanted to happen. See, my voice gave me the most dysphoria because I knew it was the one thing that really gave me away as AFAB (assigned female at birth), so when it finally started to drop with the passage of time, the relief was indescribable. Funnily enough, a lot of friends initially asked if I had caught a cold, but I assured them that No, I was just going through second puberty. This would become an ongoing joke well into my junior fall.

More recently, Ive made plans to undergo top surgery to deal with the thing that started causing me the most dysphoria after my voice dropped: my chest. Im not gonna lie, Im dreading the inevitable post-op period of recovery, but the important thing is I will no longer feel trapped in my own body. I will have removed a weight off my chest (literally and metaphorically), and those scars will mark the end of my transition. Its bittersweet to know Ill finally close off this chapter of my life, but I got through it and I made it out the other side a much happier, more complete person than I started.

To all my friends and family whove supported me as I transitioned, thank you. I love you all.

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Welcome to the table - The Tech

The Real-Life Diet of TimTheTatman, Who’s Intermittent Fasting and Trying to Stay Healthy – GQ

Posted: May 22, 2020 at 5:57 am

In 2015, it all came together. Tim Betar, aka TimTheTatman, was able quit his day job and transition to playing video games for a living.

To be fair, he wasnt just playing the gameshe was streaming them, usually for tens of thousands of fans, providing a running commentary of his exploits. His streams began in earnest in 2012, but those first years werent as lucrative, and they required some expert-level time management. (He estimates he was working 70-plus hour weeks between his normal job and his streaming.) After making the switch to gaming full-time, TimTheTatman amassed more and more and more followers across platforms; his meteoric rise timed out perfectly with the meteoric rise of Twitch, the go-to streaming service for gamers and, really, anyone doing anything. He now has millions of followers across platforms.

Theres no guide on how to stream video games for a living, nor is it easy to work from home every day, as many are learning during the COVID-19 crisis. Over the last handful of years, Tim has experienced his own ups and downs as hes establishedand then attempted to maintaina healthy lifestyle while also staring at a screen all day. Mostly, he makes sure to always leave the house in the morning for a Starbucks coffee run.

GQ called up TimTheTatman, whos currently streaming lots of Call of Duty: Warzone, to talk about working from home without losing your mind (relatable!), and how he feels healthier than ever after an on-again, off-again weight-loss journey.

GQ: How did you figure out a healthy structure as you progressed to streaming for hours and hours every day?

TimTheTatman: When I was working a full-time job and doing this on the side, I was basically working like 70 hours a week. I was younger and didnt have a ton of obligations, so it was doable. Once I started streaming full-time, I had to change that. Ive always been a big advocate of streamers taking a couple days off. I always make sure I can take like, two days a week to relax and reset. Not many streamers do that, surprisingly. A lot of them are younger, and play and play and playI get it to an extent, because I used to do that too.

Do you have any sort of working-at-home rituals based around your streaming schedule? I think lots of people are trying to figure out their working-at-home rituals right now.

I have a daily regimen, especially for when I wake up. Before the pandemic happened, I would go to Starbucks and grab my coffee, almost like my own little work commute, even though Im just going to get coffee and then going back home [laughs]. It is pretty easy to sit in your bed all day, but Im a new father, so thats basically impossible for me, since my son wakes me up every day. Ill get up and have my routine with him now.

So you have to force yourself into a routine a bit?

Yeah, totally. When I first started doing this, it was really easy to be like, Im just going to sleep in. Whos gonna tell me otherwise? I was and am my own boss. I really had to force myself into forming habits around my day, which made things a lot better.

Do you have anything that you do to separate your job from your daily life when youre working from home? Theres got to be some sort of mental switch that you flip when you go from streaming for lots of people to relaxing, right?

Before I had this job, I would go to work and come home to play games to relax. So sometimes Ill play games on streams for the majority of the day, and then to wind down, Ill sit back and play some more games at night [laughs]. My audience really loves first-person shooters and battle royales, games that are more fast-paced. They dont like World of Warcraft or similar games as much since theyre more low-key. Sometimes at night, Ill finish streaming for eight hours, and be like, Alright, see ya guys later! Ill put my son to bed, and then play some World of Warcraft. Its kind of hard to explain to my wife and difficult to justify in general.

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The Real-Life Diet of TimTheTatman, Who's Intermittent Fasting and Trying to Stay Healthy - GQ

Mike Tyson, Vegan for 10 Years, Says "I’m In the Best Shape Ever" – The Beet

Posted: May 22, 2020 at 5:57 am

Boxinglegend Mike Tyson says hes in the best shape ever and credits his plant-based diet and rigorous exercise routine for making it happen. Over the last decade, Tyson has been plant-based andexplains how his vegan diet has completely changed his life for the better.

After retiring in 2005, Tyson was eating meat and drinking alcohol on a regular basis, he tells an interviewer. He was diagnosedas clinically obese in 2009 and toldTotally Vegan Buzz, I was so congested from all the drugs and bad cocaine, I could hardly breathe."Tyson also revealed in the interview, I had high blood pressure, was almost dying, and had arthritis."

In 2010, Tysontransformed his diet and ditched the meat in favor of a plant-based lifestyle, which he has continued ever since. Her also is completely clean and sober now, something he is proud to tell fans. The former heavyweight champ says everything he is doing to change his life and turn his health around is for his kids and his wife.

The 53-year old warrior explains,"Turning vegan helped me eliminate all those problems in my life, and adds, "I'm in the best shape ever." This kind of statement from such an iconic sports figurethat he is in better shape now than when he was competing and fighting and collecting belts and endorsementsissure to get attention the world over andspur more plant-curious athletes to try it out.

Last week, Tysonposted an Instagram videoboxing with hisnew coach,MMA trainer Rafael Cordeiro, and showed off hismuscular bodywith fast-speedform that is helping him stay in shape during the lockdown.

Corderio also agrees that Tyson is in his best shape and complimentshis punches: "He has the same power as a guy who is 21, 22-years old."

The trainer said he wasn'tsure what to "expect from a guy who hasnt hit mitts for I think almost ten years," Corderio told TalkSport. During the boxing session, Tyson clips together powerful punches so we can see his greatest moments. His trainer notes, "I held his right hook and thought he is going to kill somebody. Watch the video to see for yourself, we wouldn't want to get behind any of those, even in full body armor gear.

During an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2013, Tysoncredits his plant-based diet for saving his life. He shared, "Well, my life is different today because I have stability in my life. Im not on drugs. Im not out on the streets or in clubs and everything in my life that I do now is structured around the development of my life and my family. I lost weight. I dropped over 100lbs and I just felt like changing my life, doing something different and I became a vegan."

Becoming a vegan gave me another opportunity to live a healthy life. High blood pressure, almost dying, arthritis, and once I became a vegan all that stuff diminished.

Before getting too ahead of ourselves and predicting Tyson'sreturn to thering, hehopped on T.I's Instagramlive and hinted the idea.Ive been working out, Ive been trying to get in the ring, I think Im going to box some exhibitions and get in shape.

Tyson also said, I want to go to the gym and get in shape to be able to box three or four-round exhibitions for some charities and stuff." It's clear that othersshould be nervous about the idea of Tyson's return, like professional boxer Ryan Garciawho commented on one of Tyson's posts, saying, "I got scared when you said Im back ."

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Mike Tyson, Vegan for 10 Years, Says "I'm In the Best Shape Ever" - The Beet

Following In The Footsteps of Elephants | Research Blog – Duke Today

Posted: May 22, 2020 at 5:57 am

Imagine for a moment that youre 6,000 pounds, living in one of the wildest places on Earth, with no schedule, nowhere to be. How do you decide where to spend your time? Where to go next? Do you move where food is most plentiful? Is water your main priority?

These are some of the questions addressed by Duke Ph.D. candidate Amelia Meier and former postdoctoral researcher Dr. Chris Beirne in Dr. John Poulsens lab. Their recent study published in Trends in Ecology and Evolution focused on the African forest elephantthe slightly smaller yet still undeniably huge cousin of the savanna elephant.

The team wanted to know what influences certain aspects of elephant behavior. Specifically, how much climate and resource availability drives elephant movement and influences their diet. To do this, the team looked at fruit abundance (a high-energy staple of elephants diets), water availability from rainfall, and elephant identity and how those factors affect how an individual moves and eats.

One might think that such a massive animal is easy to spot in the forest. However, the dense vegetation of Central African rainforests can be an impenetrable wall, allowing the massive animals to move unseen through the forest, leaving broken branches and steaming dung piles in their wake.

To better track them, the researchers fitted individual elephants with GPS collars that turn an iPhone into an elephant-tracking tool. This also allowed trackers to follow the elephants at a distance and avoid conflict with the sometimes temperamental animals.

Meier, Beirne, and colleagues also wanted to know more about the diets of the tracked elephants to see if what they ate changed with how much fruit is available. This less-than-glamorous job was done by dissecting fresh dung piles, estimating the proportions of leafy and woody material, and counting the number of seeds in each one.

Tropical rainforests are lush, yet have patchy resources, making it important for many frugivores to have flexible diets. Some trees only produce fruit in the wet season. Others fruit every other year. To gauge fruit availability, the research team conducted fruit-walks at the beginning and end of each day of following an elephant, in which trackers counted all of the ripe fruit on the ground.

A key finding of the study was that the most important factor driving movement was an elephants individuality; some respond to food or water availability differently and some simply move around more than others.

Interestingly, elephants appear to be affected by resources differently depending on the timescale the authors looked at. Water was important on both a day-to-day and month-to-month basis. Yet on a daily basis, fruit and water were more equally matched, with water still maintaining a slight lead.

Fruit availability was also critical in determining how much elephants moved and what they ate. When there was more fruit available, the elephants ate more fruit, as evidenced by the proportion of seeds in dissected dung piles.

Aside from being an awe-inspiring species, forest elephants are important to the health of their native ecosystems. They are unwitting gardeners, planting seeds of the fruits they consume in piles of dung and giving those seeds a better chance of survival. Thats part of why understanding what motivates forest elephant movement is more than the satisfaction of an elephant enthusiasts curiosity; it is critical to managing and conserving a species that is vulnerable to multiple threats from humans.

Meiers dissertation research focuses on elephant social behavior and the effects of human disturbance on elephant social groups, allowing her to pursue her long-term interest in animal behavior with a practical conservation application.

I was living in Congo and I knew I wanted to keep working in the region. There, you have elephantsthis amazing, highly intelligent, social species that is surrounded by conflict.

Poachers seek elephants for their ivory tusks, which are valuable on the black market. The pachyderms are also prone to conflict with humans when they start foraging in village plantations, destroying crops and damaging livelihoods.

The teams findings open the way for new questions about why different elephants exhibit different patterns of movement. What underlying factors affect behavior, and why? Does it have to do with age? Sex? Their social environment?

These questions remain unanswered for now, but the work of Meier and colleagues represents a critical step in understanding elephant behavior to improve forest elephant management and conservation strategies.

Guest Post by Anna Nordseth, a Ph.D. Candidate in the Nicholas School of the Environment

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Following In The Footsteps of Elephants | Research Blog - Duke Today

5 fibre-rich foods that should be a part of everyone’s diet for healthy digestion – Times Now

Posted: May 22, 2020 at 5:57 am

5 fibre-rich foods that should be a part of everyone's diet for healthy digestion  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: The human body is really a marvel that has made provisions and systems to work everything out. One such system, the digestive system, is responsible for the breakdown of the food we eat into smaller and smaller components until they can be absorbed by the body and the nutrients and energy can be used for the functioning of other systems. The digestive system includes the gastrointestinal tract, and other organs like the tongue, glands, pancreas, liver, etc which are responsible for the secretion of enzymes for the breakdown of food.

How healthy are body is overall, plays an important role in how healthy our digestion is. However, the food we eat can also affect how efficiently it gets digested. For instance, dietary fibre, a type of carbohydrate, cannot be digested by the body's enzymes but plays a very important role in digestion -as a catalyst. It is recommended to include fibre-rich foods in your diet to facilitate digestion. Fibre is also known to fill you up really well, which helps in curbing appetite and avoiding overeating.

Most edible parts of plant food like cereals, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, lentils, etc are rich in fibre and should be a part of everyone's balanced diet.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a professional healthcare provider if you have any specific questions about any medical matter.

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5 fibre-rich foods that should be a part of everyone's diet for healthy digestion - Times Now

What does the farm-to-fork strategy mean for the future of food in Europe? – FoodNavigator.com

Posted: May 22, 2020 at 5:57 am

According to the Commission this is thefirst time in the history of EU food policy that we propose a comprehensive agenda for all stages of food production.

It lists 27 measures (many still subject to further studies, consultations, and other impact assessments) which it says will pave the way for greener food production, healthier and more sustainable diets, and less food waste.

These include:

The strategy sets concrete targets to reach by 2030, including a 50% cut in the use and risk of pesticides, a 20% cut in the use of fertilizers, a 50% reduction in sales of antimicrobials used for farmed animals and aquaculture, and a target to increase the size of EU's agricultural land dedicated to organic farming to at least 25%.

In terms of food waste, the Commission is considering options tosimplify date marking on foodstuffs and to promote better understanding and use of date marking among manufactures and consumers. Therevised Waste Framework Directiveadopted on 30 May 2018, for example, calls on the EU countries to reduce food waste at each stage of the food supply chain, monitor food waste levels and report back regarding progress made. It also requires EU countries to preparefood waste prevention programmes(as a part of general waste prevention programmes) and encourage food donation.

Concrete plans in line with the EU's biodiversity and climate neutrality ambitions include targets for planting at least 3 billion additional trees in the EU by 2030.

The Commission said that in order to provide space for wild animals, plants, pollinators and natural pest regulators, there is an urgent need to bring back at least 10% of agricultural area under high-diversity landscape features.

FoodDrinkEurope, which represents the European food and drink industry, said it supported the Commissions ambition for our food systems to become the gold standard for sustainability.

Director General Mella Frewen said: While the food supply chain has shown resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by providing consumers with continued access to safe, nutritious and affordable food and drink products, this resilience must be further enhanced to prepare for other significant challenges on our doorstep, notably climate change.

On diversity, FDEs Environment Director Laura Degallaix said: We are committed, more than ever, to working closely with our supply chain partners to enhance biodiversity and contribute to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. We are also fully committed to eliminating deforestation and to ensuring that food raw materials are sustainably sourced within and beyond European borders. Crucially, we call on EU lawmakers to develop a policy environment that can support both biodiversity and jobs leaving no one behind.

Farmers, however, warned it was unrealistic to want organic food produced at conventional prices.

Tim Cullinan, President of the Irish Farmers Association, said: It is not credible for the EU to drive up production costs for European farmers while at the same time looking for low food prices. They want food produced to organic standards, but available at conventional prices.

It is likely that farmers will end up paying through higher costs and low prices while retailers will continue to make billions.

He added: The EU wants ever-increasing standards imposed on European farmers, but will do trade deals to import food from other countries which have much lower standards and do not meet EU rules

These EU strategies could be counterproductive as they we will drive European farmers out of business, leaving the EU dependent on these imports and threatening food security, he said.

Cullinan also took aim at the Commissions focus on plant-based based diets which he claimed risked ignoring farmers efforts in supporting biodiversity.

The review of how the EU can use its promotion programme to support the most sustainable, carbon-efficient methods of livestock production is something that should favour our grass-based system if its assessed fairly, he said.

One positive is an acknowledgment that farmers deserve credit for carbon they are already storing and sequestering on their farms. Farmers do this through their grassland, crops and hedges which also contribute hugely to biodiversity.

Dutch-based plant-based consumer product company Upfield, meanwhile, which makes the likes of Flora, Rama, Blue Band, ProActiv, Becel, I Cant Believe Its Not Butter and Country Crock, complained that Commissions move to encourage a shift towards healthier, more sustainable diets was still undermined by regulatory barriers.

The Farm to Fork Strategys commendable focus on supporting heathy, sustainable consumer choice highlights that we must end the senseless ban on terms like soya milk, plant butter or veggie burgers for foods that are better for the planet and for human health, said Dr Jeanette Fielding, Chief Corporate Affairs and Communications Officer.

One surprise in the announcement was the Commissions failure to commit to Nutri-Score.

We are proposing a mandatory front of pack nutrition label, said European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety StellaKyriakides. She added:We will not be recommending any specific type of front-of-pack scheme going forward we will be launching an impact assessment on the different types of front-of-pack labelling.

FDEs Deputy Director General Dirk Jacobs urged the Commission to formulate a single labelling system across member states.

Today's report demonstrates that a variety of approaches to FOP nutrition labelling continue to exist across the EU, he said.Acknowledging the possible co-existence of schemes on the EU market for the time being, we strongly appeal to the Commission and Member States to avoid further proliferation of national schemes while working towards a single, harmonised, voluntary FOP nutrition labelling system in the EU."

Large food brands including Danone and Nestl alongside supermarket retailers have previously rallied behind the mandatory adoption of Nutri-Score across the bloc.

However, not everyone agrees that Nutri-Score is the best approach to FOP labelling. Prof Frederic Leroy, Professor of Food Science and biotechnology at Vrije Universiteit, Brussels, and a long opponent of Nutri-Score on the grounds that it discriminates against ostensibly healthy foods with a high saturated fat content, such as canned fish and olive oil, welcome the fact that Nutri-Score will not be imposed as a mandatory top-down fop label throughout the EU.

Instead of an 'impact assessment', he called for a robust evaluation of how such labels reflect true nutritional value.

Reducing complex nutritional information to an almost puerile coloured-letter scheme, based on a couple of cherry-picked criteria, is not only based on shaky scientific premises, he told FoodNavigator, it can also cause confusion and harm.

Among the many absurd outcomes of Nutri-Score, he said, include depicting such foods as canned sardines and traditional cheeses as mostly unhealthy, whereas some of the ultra-processed foods come out as winners, as long as they are made with sugar and fat replacers or have added fibre, etc. Nutriscore can thus serve as tool for healthwashing by multinational companies, but I don't see how this would ever benefit the public. Or lead to healthier diets for that matter.

Italys food industry association Federalimentare has been another long critic of Nutri-Score, which it believes victimises its famous food delicacies such as Parma ham and Parmiagiano cheese. Its president, Ivano Vacondio, called the move not to yet roll out Nutri-Score: "Double success for Italy and for Federalimentare which has fought in several locations, Germany included, to promote a balanced lifestyle and a labeling system based on a balanced diet without demonizing any product.

But the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), the Brussels-based consumers' group, made up of 45 European consumer organisations from 32 countries, and backer of Nutri-Score, criticised the move.

We are glad the EU Commission has made it clear that it plans to propose a mandatory front-of-pack nutritional label. But why wait until the end of 2022 to kick off talks for an EU-wide label? Numerous studies have proven Nutri-Score is the label consumers understand best and six EU countries have already endorsed it, said Monique Goyens, BEUCs Director General.

She said that relying on individual consumer choice alone will not be enough to change food habits if the healthy and sustainable option is insufficiently available or the most expensive one.

It is encouraging that the Strategy pinpoints measures to improve product recipes and foster more responsible marketing and advertising, but we need them to be binding. Codes of conduct, pledges and other self-regulation tools have proven toothless in making the healthy and sustainable choice the easy one for consumers.

Consumers should no longer be misled by claims which disguise sugar-laden snacks or yoghurts as healthy options. It was high time the Commission finally committed to preventing claims such as boosts your immune system and high in fibre from appearing on unhealthy foods.1 It is all the more relevant today when overweight or obese people run higher risks to develop diseases such as diabetes and cancer, but also complications from diseases such as COVID-19.

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What does the farm-to-fork strategy mean for the future of food in Europe? - FoodNavigator.com


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