1. This experiment was carried out to determine the effects of dietary iodine supplementation on the performance and egg traits of laying hens. A total of 600 SHSY type brown layers aged 21 weeks of age were chosen at random from a large flock. They were randomly distributed into 30 pens at 20 hens per pen. Each treatment comprised 6 replicates of 20 layers in groups of 5 birds. The diets were supplemented with 0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 mg/kg iodine as calcium iodate. The experimental period lasted 30 weeks. 2. There were no significant differences among the groups in body weight, food consumption, egg production, food consumption per kg eggs, eggshell index, eggshell breaking strength, shell thickness or egg yolk index. 3. Supplementation of the diet with 12 mg/kg iodine increased food consumption per dozen eggs compared to the groups fed on diets supplemented with 0 and 6 mg/kg iodine. 4. Egg weight was less in groups fed on diets supplemented with 12 and 24 mg/kg iodine than in the group receiving no iodine supplementation. 5. Iodine supplementation to provide 12 and 24 mg/kg reduced egg albumen index and egg Haugh units. 6. There were no significant differences among the groups in egg cholesterol and egg yolk cholesterol contents. 7. The iodine concentrations in egg yolk, egg albumen and whole egg increased with increased iodine supplementation. 8. As a result, the 3 and 6 mg/kg iodine supplementation of diet could be used to enrich the eggs with iodine without any adverse effect on performance and egg traits.

Background Maternal smoking is suspected to have negative impacts on breastfeeding, such as decreasing the quantity of breast milk, and reducing vitamin and fat concentrations in the milk in the late lactation period. Cigarette and water pipe tobacco products are widely used in Jordan. We aimed to estimate the association between use of different tobacco products and the rates of current breastfeeding. Methods Data from Jordan’s Population and Family Health Surveys 2012 and 2017–18 were examined. Last-born, living children, aged < 25 months, from singleton births, ever breastfed, and living with their mother were included. The key outcome variables were the current breastfeeding (during last 24 h) and tobacco usage status [water pipe tobacco (hookah or narghile) and/or cigarette tobacco]. Complex sample multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association of the current breastfeeding with maternal smoking status. Results Overall, 6726 infants were included in the study. The current breastfeeding rate in infants aged 0–6 months was 87%, compared with 43.9% in infants aged 12–17 months and 19.4% in infants aged 18–24 months. Overall, 4.4% had mothers who smoked cigarettes, 5.4% smoked water pipe, and 1.6% both cigarettes and water pipe. The proportion of breastfed infants in non-smoking mothers was 57.7% and, those in smoke water pipe, cigarette and both tobacco products were 55.4, 44.9, and 51.0% respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that women cigarette smokers had a lower odds ratio (OR) for current breastfeeding (OR 0.60, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.39, 0.92). Multivariate analysis revealed that maternal cigarette smoking was associated with a lower odds ratio for current breastfeeding compared with mothers who smoked neither water pipe nor cigarettes (AOR 0.51, 95% Cl 0.30, 0.87). Conclusions These results indicate that maternal smoking is associated with termination of breastfeeding, suggesting that structured training should be organized for healthcare professionals, expectant mothers and the general public about the association between maternal smoking and cessation of lactation.

Objective: Maternal anthropometry offers a rapid, inexpensive, and noninvasive method for assessing nutritional status during pregnancy. We aimed to assess the changes in maternal anthropometric measurements in the first month after delivery and to investigate the factors associated with longitudinal changes in maternal postpartum nutritional status.Design: This prospective longitudinal study included 147 mothers who were on the 5th postpartum day applied to outpatient clinics, from January 2018 through January 2020. Each mother completed a structured questionnaire and baseline anthropometric measurements were performed at the postpartum 5th day and re-evaluated at the end of the first month after delivery.Participants: Mother-infant pairs (n = 147). Results: At the end of the first postpartum month, maternal body weight (relative change −5.1%, 95% CI: −5.6%;−4.6%), muscle mass ratio (−1.6%, 95% CI: −2.4%;−0.9%) and body fluid ratio (−2.4%, 95% CI: −3.1%;−1.7%) decreased, whereas fat mass ratio increased (10.3%, 95% CI: 9.0%;11.6%).There was a significant association between infants' feeding type and maternal BMI, weight, muscle mass ratio, body fluid ratio, triceps, and biceps skinfold thickness in mothers (p < .05). We also found a significant relationship between maternal smoke exposure and BMI, maternal weight, fat-mass ratio (p < .05). Conclusions: There are some important alterations in maternal anthropometric parameters during the postpartum period. This study will help further our understanding of the factors influencing changes in maternal body composition after delivery.

Himalayan children than in those living in the UAE (70.2 6 15.2 mm Hg vs 62.2 6 8.8 mm Hg, respectively; P , .001). A higher proportion of Himalayan children had prehypertension (24.7%) and hypertension (15.1%), respectively, compared with their counterparts in the UAE (9.7% with prehypertension and 3.9% with hypertension). CONCLUSIONS:A difference of 3000 m in altitude was associated with higher SBP and DBP in these children aged 6 to 18 years. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Breastfeeding offers the best nutritional support for newborn infants. The value of breast milk in reducing the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) among premature infants admitted to the NICU has been reported. Ireland has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the developed world, however, and pursuing quality improvement projects (QIPs) aimed at improving use of breast milk among premature infants could be challenging. Our goals were to: (1) improve breast milk exposure of extremely low birth weight infants in the NICU from 80% to 100% over a 2-year period and among very low birth weight infants from 60% to 80% during the same period; (2) reduce the incidence of NEC in our NICU to a level below that reported by other network centers in Ireland benchmarked in the Vermont Oxford Network; and (3) improve the breastfeeding culture of our unit by ensuring the sustainability of a QIP. METHODS:A QIP was commenced in January 2011 with a clear goal statement and time lines, as well as agreed and quantified written goals. Primary and secondary drivers were established and Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles initiated for demonstrating "small improvements" and acquiring "buyin" from the medical and nursing staff as well as the parents of premature infants. The World Health Organization's definition for the mother's own milk and donor breast milk and modified Bell stage IIA or above for NEC were the denominators. The project was conducted in the tertiary NICU attached to University Maternity Hospital, Limerick, Ireland, which has an in-birth rate of 5000 per year. Approval of the hospital audit committee was obtained. During the project, senior medical and nursing teams of the unit as well as major clinical guidelines remained unchanged. Results of the study were analyzed by using SPSS version 18.RESULTS: In a country with a low national breastfeeding rate, we found that 100% breast milk exposure to extremely low birth weight infants and 80% uptake by very low birth weight infants could be established through a QIP. For the first time in the history of our unit, in 2013, we had no NEC; the information is now uploaded to the Vermont Oxford Network. Our post-QIP staff surveys show evidence of sustainability of the project.CONCLUSIONS: Through the adaptation of quality initiatives, breastfeeding rates among premature infants could be optimized, even in countries with traditionally low breastfeeding rates. Such low-cost interventions could significantly improve morbidity among premature infants, perhaps more than generally appreciated, as evidenced by our N...

Acetaminophen (AAP) is a commonly used analgesic and antipyretic drug; however, when used in high doses, it causes fulminant hepatic necrosis in both humans and experimental animals. In this study, we investigated whether selenium (Se) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), alone or in combination, are protective against AAP toxicity in mice. At the beginning of the experiment, blood samples were taken from 10 of 350 mice. Then, the remaining mice were randomly allocated into four groups, each consisting of 35 animals. The 1st group received a single administration of AAP by gavage at a dose of 600 mg/kg-bw, p.o. The 2nd group (AAP-Se) was treated with sodium selenite (0.5 mg Se/kg-bw, p.o.) one hour after ingestion of AAP. The 3rd group (AAP-NAC) ingested AAP, 1.5 h later followed by NAC (500 mg/kg-bw, p.o.). The 4th group (AAP-Se-NAC) was given sodium selenite and NAC, 1 and 1.5 h after administration of AAP, respectively. From each group, blood samples of seven mice for each time point were taken at 4, 8, 24, and 48 h after AAP toxicity. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were measured. Compared with AAP group, the levels of ALT were lower after AAP ingestion in AAP-NAC, AAP-Se, and AAP-Se-NAC groups at the 8th hour. ALT, AST, and LDH levels in AAP-Se-NAC group were 50% of the levels of other groups starting form the 4th hour of toxicity. It is concluded that protection against AAP hepatotoxicity using a combination of Se and NAC is better than that found with either agent alone.