Forty weaned barrows (5.32 +/- 0.3 kg BW) at 17 +/- 2 d of age were used to investigate the effects of feeding glutamine and spray-dried plasma on the growth performance, small intestinal morphology, and immune responses of Escherichia coli K88-challenged pigs. Pigs were allotted to four treatments including: 1) nonchallenged control (NONC); 2) challenged control (CHAC); 3) 7% (as-fed basis) spray-dried plasma (SDP); and 4) 2% (as-fed basis) glutamine (GLN). On d 11 after weaning, all pigs were fitted with an indwelling jugular catheter. On d 12 after weaning, pigs in the CHAC, SDP, and GLN groups were orally challenged with skim milk E. coli K88 culture, whereas pigs in the NONC group were orally inoculated with sterilized skim milk. Rectal temperatures and fecal diarrheic scores were recorded and blood samples collected at 0 (baseline), 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h after the challenge for serum hormone and cytokine measurements. At 48 h postchallenge, all pigs were killed for evaluation of small intestinal morphology. There was no effect of feeding SDP or GLN on growth performance during the 11-d prechallenge period (P = 0.13). At 48 h after the challenge, CHAC pigs had decreased ADG (P = 0.08) and G:F (P = 0.07) compared with the NONC pigs; however, SDP and NONC pigs did not differ in G:F, and GLN and NONC pigs did not differ for ADG and G:F. At 6, 36, and 48 h after the challenge, CHAC, SDP, and GLN pigs had increased rectal temperature relative to the baseline (P = 0.09). At 12 and 36 h after the challenge, CHAC pigs had the highest incidence of diarrhea among treatments (P = 0.08). Serum IL-6 and ACTH were not affected by treatment or time after E. coli challenge (P = 0.11). In proximal, midjejunum, and ileum, CHAC pigs had greater villous atrophy and intestinal morphology disruption than NONC pigs (P < 0.01), whereas SDP and GLN pigs had mitigated villous atrophy and intestinal morphology impairment after E. coli challenge. Pigs in the SDP had the lowest GH at 12 h and the greatest GH at 36 h after the challenge among treatments (P = 0.08). Pigs in the NONC had the highest IGF-1 at 12 and 36 h postchallenge (P < 0.04). These results indicate that feeding glutamine has beneficial effects in alleviating growth depression of E. coli K88-challenged pigs, mainly via maintaining intestinal morphology and function, and/or possibly via modulating the somatotrophic axis.

Protein and Amino Acid NeedsFAO/WHO requirements for protein and amino acids (across all age groups) have varied considerably over the years (1-3). Considerable research on requirements shows that intakes at which balance is achieved are variable in and across individuals being affected by variability in metabolic demand, genotype, and factors that affect phenotype as well as states of active growth, pregnancy and lactation. Efficiency of utilization (or net protein utilization), dietary intakes of other nutrients, lifestyle and environmental influences (including infection) could also alter the minimum protein requirement (4). The composition and pattern of amino acids in a diet is also important to generate a suitable mix that will match metabolic demand for protein synthesis and other needs. Compared to previous estimates, current protein requirements are lower in both adults and children; however, amino acid requirements remain the same in children and are significantly higher in adults (4). Effectively higher quality protein (to achieve the amino acid pattern) is required in smaller quantities. The essential amino acid requirements for adults are twice the previous recommendations with lysine requirements having increased 2.5 times from 12 mg/ kg body weight to 30 mg/kg body weight in adults (4). In children, the essential amino acid requirements are only slightly lower (94% of previous estimate for lysine). Protein and amino acid requirements as defined by the current FAO/WHO 2007 report for all age groups are provided in Table 1. Interactions between energy deficit and protein needs also affect nitrogen equilibrium. These have been examined and reviewed extensively (5). Energy imbalance (both excess and deficit) affects body nitrogen balance. At a protein intake of 0.57 g/kg body weight, N equilibrium is achieved if energy intake is ~10-15% above that required (2, 3). Conversely people in energy deficit need additional protein and a modest energy deficit increases protein needs by about 10% (6). Such fluctuations in needs are not accounted for in the estimation of requirements. Several other possible functions have an impact on protein and amino acid needs. In environments where individuals have persistent immune activation and where possibly a decline in intestinal absorptive capacity is present, while there are no overt clinical symptoms, there is still an increased demand for protein (4, 7). Thus in vulnerable populations such as women and children commonly affected by acute and chronic infections, protein and amino acid Summary Over a third of all deaths of children under the age of five are linked to undernutrition. At a 90% coverage level, a core group of ten interventions inclusive of infant and young child nutrition could save one million lives of children under 5 y of age (15% of all deaths) (Lancet 2013). The infant and young child nutrition package alone could save over 220,000 lives in children under 5 y of age. High quality proteins (e.g. milk) in complementary, supplementary and rehabilitati...

Reaching vulnerable populations in low-resource settings with effective business solutions is critical, given the global nature of food and nutrition security. Over a third of deaths of children under 5 years of age are directly or indirectly caused by undernutrition. The Lancet series on malnutrition (2013) estimates that over 220,000 lives of children under 5 years of age can be saved through the implementation of an infant and young child feeding and care package. A unique project being undertaken in Ghana aims to bring in two elements of innovation in infant and young child feeding. The first involves a public-private partnership (PPP) to develop and test the efficacy and effectiveness of the delivery of a low-cost complementary food supplement in Ghana called KOKO Plus TM . The second involves the testing of the concepts of social entrepreneurship and social business models in the distribution and delivery of the product. This paper shares information on the ongoing activities in the testing of concepts of PPPs, social business, social marketing, and demand creation using different delivery platforms to achieve optimal nutrition in Ghanaian infants and young children in the first 2 years of life. It also focuses on outlining the concept of using PPP and base-of-the-pyramid approaches toward achieving nutrition objectives.

The effects of two kinds of Escherichia coli strains, wild-type E. coli W3110 or E. coli nir-Ptac, which has enhanced nitrite reduction activity, on in vitro CH4 production and nitrate and nitrite reduction in cultures of mixed ruminal microorganisms was investigated using continuous incubation systems. Escherichia coli nir-Ptac, a derivative of wild-type E. coli W3110, was constructed by replacing self promoter of nir BD operon encoding subunits of nitrite reductase in E. coli W3110 by tac promoter to make the expression of nir BD higher and constitutive. The nitrite reductase activity of E. coli nir-Ptac was approximately twice as high as E. coli W3110. The culture media consisted of 400 mL of strained ruminal fluid taken from two nonlactating Holstein cows receiving a basal diet of orchardgrass hay at maintenance level (55 g of DM/kg of BW0.75 daily), and 400 mL of autoclaved artificial saliva. Treatments were arranged in two separate 3 x 3 factorials consisting of nitrate (NaNO3; 0, 5, or 10 mM) without E. coli or inoculated with E. coli W3110 or E. coli nir-Ptac, or nitrite (NaNO2; 0, 1 or 2 mM) without E. coli or inoculated with E. coli W3110 or E. coli nir-Ptac. The control culture contained no chemical or microbial additives. Escherichia coli cells were inoculated into in vitro mixed ruminal cultures at approximately 2 x 10(8) to 10(9) cells/mL. Methane production by ruminal microorganisms was decreased markedly (P < 0.001) by the addition of nitrate and nitrite, and by the inoculation of cultures with E. coli W3110 or E. coli nir-Ptac (P < 0.01). With mixed nitrite-containing cultures, E. coli nir-Ptac inhibited (P < 0.001) in vitro nitrite accumulation and CH4 production more than E. coli W3110, which may be due to the tac promoter-enhanced nitrite reductase activity of E. coli nir-Ptac accelerating electrons to be consumed for nitrite reduction rather than CH4 biosynthesis. In conclusion, anaerobic cultures of E. coli W3110 or E. coli nir-Ptac may decrease CH4 production in the rumen. The inoculation of E. coli W3110 or, especially, E. coli nir-Ptac to mixed ruminal microorganisms may decrease nitrite toxicity when ruminants consume high-nitrate-containing forages and when nitrite is applied to abate ruminal CH4 production.

The effects of two kinds of Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain, wild-type E. coli W3110 and E. coli nir-Ptac, which has enhanced NO 2 reduction activity, on oral CH 4 emission and NO 3 toxicity in NO 3 -treated sheep were assessed in a respiratory hood system in a 4 £ 6 Youden square design. NO 3 (1·3 g NaNO 3 / kg 0·75 body weight) and/or E. coli strains were delivered into the rumen through a fistula as a single dose 30 min after the morning meal. Escherichia coli cells were inoculated for sheep to provide an initial E. coli cell density of optical density at 660 nm of 2, which corresponded to 2 £ 10 10 cells/ml. The six treatments consisted of saline, E. coli W3110, E. coli nir-Ptac, NO 3 , NO 3 plus E. coli W3110, and NO 3 plus E. coli nir-Ptac. CH 4 emission from sheep was reduced by the inoculation of E. coli W3110 or E. coli nir-Ptac by 6 % and 12 %, respectively. NO 3 markedly inhibited CH 4 emission from sheep. Compared with sheep given NO 3 alone, the inoculation of E. coli W3110 to NO 3 -infused sheep lessened ruminal and plasma toxic NO 2 accumulation and blood methaemoglobin production, while keeping ruminal methanogenesis low. Ruminal and plasma toxic NO 2 accumulation and blood methaemoglobin production in sheep were unaffected by the inoculation of E. coli nir-Ptac. These results suggest that ruminal methanogenesis may be reduced by the inoculation of E. coli W3110 or E. coli nir-Ptac. The inoculation of E. coli W3110 may abate NO 3 toxicity when NO 3 is used to inhibit CH 4 emission from ruminants.Escherichia coli W3110: Escherichia coli nir-Ptac: Methane emission: Nitrate