Anastasia Vlasova and Kuldeep Chattha are two of the OARDC researchers who will be working in the childhood malnutrition project. (Photo by Ken Chamberlain)

WOOSTER, Ohio -- An $8.3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will fund an international team of scientists focused on finding new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent a critical global health problem: malnutrition in infants and children.

Linda Saif, a Distinguished University Professor at Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), is involved in the research, which will be led by Jeffrey I. Gordon, M.D., at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The project seeks to discover novel dietary and microbial therapeutics that can be targeted to infants and children living in countries with rampant malnutrition.

Severe malnutrition has long been thought to stem simply from a lack of adequate food. But now scientists understand the condition is far more complex and may involve a breakdown in the way gut microbial communities process various components of the diet.

"A complex relationship exists between diet, gut microbial communities and the immune system in severely malnourished children," said Gordon, the Dr. Robert J. Glaser Distinguished University Professor and director of Washington University's Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology. "We now have a way to tease apart these influences. Recreating the human gut ecosystem in mice gives us a way to control these variables. The lead compounds derived from these well-controlled, pre-clinical studies can be considered for future clinical trials in malnourished infants and children."

Saif's role in the project includes the evaluation of new ways to improve the effectiveness of vaccines against rotavirus -- the leading cause of childhood diarrhea. For unexplained reasons, she said, current rotavirus vaccines fail in children in impoverished countries where malnutrition and diarrhea mortality are highest. Led by Saif, Ohio State researchers Anastasia Vlasova, Gireesh Rajashekara and Kuldeep Chattha will use a germ-free piglet model to complement the studies in mice.

"Studies at OSU using germ-free piglets will complement and extend results from initial comprehensive evaluations of the transplanted human gut microbe collections and the interventions tested in germ-free mice," said Saif, an internationally recognized virologist and immunologist who studies infectious diseases that can sicken both animals and humans.

Linda Saif has used germ-free pigs to study a variety of infectious diseases that affect both livestock and humans. (Photo by Ken Chamberlain)

The community of intestinal microbes and its vast collection of genes, known as the gut microbiome, are assembled right from birth and influenced by babies' early environments and the first foods they consume, such as breast milk. As part of the Breast Milk, Gut Microbiome and Immunity Project, project scientists will evaluate the relationship among first foods, the developing community of microbes in the intestine and the developing immune system.

The new research builds on ongoing clinical studies in Africa, South Asia and South America of malnourished and healthy infants and children and their mothers, which also are funded by the Gates Foundation.

As part of the new project, scientists will evaluate the function of gut microbial communities in malnourished and healthy infants and children living in multiple countries where malnutrition is prevalent. They also will characterize the nutritional content and immune activity present in breast milk samples obtained from the children's mothers during periods of exclusive and supplemental breastfeeding. In parallel, the scientists will use a preclinical discovery pipeline recently developed in Gordon's laboratory to identify next-generation probiotics and nutrient supplements or combinations of the two (synbiotics) that may promote healthy growth in infants and children.

The investigators also will transplant communities of intestinal microbes (obtained from stool samples) from both malnourished and healthy children into germ-free mice raised under sterile conditions. These mice will essentially harbor collections of human gut microbes that mimic those found in the children, and they will be fed the same diets as the children.

Then, using the mice, the scientists can carefully evaluate how various nutritional interventions influence the workings of the gut microbiomes obtained from these children. They will be able to determine which microbes respond, how they respond and how they affect the overall function of the gut microbiomes. The researchers also will evaluate certain aspects of childhood development.

Saif and colleagues at Ohio State will add to the project by using germ-free piglets to assess the impact of human fecal microbiota, native diet and selected prebiotic/probiotic interventions on immune function as it relates to rotavirus diarrhea severity and death. Just like with the mice used in the study, communities of intestinal microbes from humans will be transplanted into the piglets. Because of their susceptibility to human rotavirus diarrhea, Saif said, germ-free piglets are a unique model to evaluate diarrhea interventions and effectiveness of rotavirus vaccines.    

"Representative human gut microbiomes, in concert with the optimized nutritional or probiotic supplements that alleviate malnutrition and promote a healthy gut, will be examined in germ-free piglets for their effectiveness in resolution of malnutrition as well as rotavirus diarrhea and deaths," Saif explained. "Our future goal is to understand the influence of the gut microbiota and diet on responses to oral vaccines so as to implement similar novel interventions (prebiotics/probiotics/synbiotics) not only to ameliorate gastroenteritis, but also to enhance oral vaccine efficacy in children in impoverished countries." 

Other scientists involved in the project include Per Ashorn, University of Tampere School of Medicine in Finland; Kathryn Dewey, University of California, Davis; Michael Gottlieb, Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (NIH); Rob Knight, University of Colorado, Boulder; Kenneth Maleta, University of Malawi College of Medicine; David Mills, University of California, Davis; and Jeremy Nicholson, Imperial College, London.

OARDC is the research arm of Ohio State's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

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Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric, a colorful spice commonly used in Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A low dose of a curcumin extract from the spice turmeric can have a variety of positive health effects on healthy middle-aged individuals, according to an Ohio State University study presented at the 2012 Experimental Biology meeting April 23 in San Diego.

Commonly used in Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern cooking, turmeric -- a deep orange-yellow powder made from the roots of the Curcuma longa tropical plant -- has been proposed to have health benefits ranging from fighting cancer to slowing progression of Alzheimer's disease.  Because of these purported benefits, extracts of curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) have been developed for both clinical trials and for sale as dietary supplements.

"The problem with most of these extracts is that they need to be taken in high doses, some in excess of 1,000 mg, because the curcumin is poorly absorbed by the body," said Robert DiSilvestro, a professor in Ohio State's Department of Human Nutrition and with the university's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. "Such high doses defeat part of the purpose of taking a supplement."

Instead, DiSilvestro studied an extract containing 80 mg of curcumin mixed with small amounts of natural fat compounds intended to help boost absorbability of the spice extract. The supplement, known as Longvida®, is produced by Verdure Sciences of Noblesville, Ind. Unlike previous trials, which focused mainly on people with existing health problems, DiSilvestro recruited healthy individuals ages 40-60. Nineteen study participants were given a daily dose of the curcumin supplement for four weeks. Another 19 subjects received a placebo. Blood samples were taken before and after the study period.

Robert DiSilvestro, a professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, is the lead author of the curcumin study. (Photo by Ken Chamberlain)

"Our study suggested that this particular curcumin supplement was relatively well absorbed because a low dose produced many good effects on blood and saliva measures," DiSilvestro explained.

These effects included a reduction in triglyceride levels, which are linked to heart disease. Curcumin also increased plasma levels of nitric oxide, a molecule that can work against high blood pressure. Researchers also observed lower plasma concentrations of sICAM, a molecule linked to atherosclerosis, the process of artery hardening.

Some other positive effects of the curcumin related to antioxidant actions, which are thought to help fight cancer and other diseases. For example, DiSilvestro said, the plasma antioxidant enzyme catalase went up after curcumin supplementation.

Curcumin also produced a small decrease in plasma contents of beta amyloid protein, which is an indicator of brain aging, especially in relation to Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, alanine amino transferase readings, which are associated with liver disease, went down with the curcumin treatment.

"The study has two take-home messages. One, a wide variety of potentially health-promoting effects was seen in just four weeks from a low dose of this form of curcumin. Two, this curcumin product may be able to produce benefits in healthy people, not just in individuals who already have health problems," DiSilvestro said.

Verdure Sciences funded this study.

Associate professor Joshua Bomser and research associate Elizabeth Joseph, both in the Department of Human Nutrition, were also involved in the study.

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PIKETON, Ohio – Strawberry growers can learn about a new production method taught by an Ohio State University Extension specialist that can help them grow larger, sweeter strawberries that can be harvested in early May and well into fall. 

Thanks to a new production method called plasticulture, farmers can now grow strawberries that have better commercial attributes, including larger fruit size, higher sugar contents and better disease resistance, and that can be harvested as early as the first week of May and as late as October. That’s according to the results of an ongoing OSU Extension research trial conducted by Brad Bergefurd, an OSU Extension horticulture specialist in partnership with the Ohio Vegetable and Small Fruit Research and Development Program. 

Bergefurd will conduct a Strawberry Field Night on May 17 from 6-9 p.m. at the OSU South Centers, 1864 Shyville Road, in Piketon. The program will teach participants all they need to know about the method, in which strawberries are planted in early fall on a raised bed of soil covered with black plastic and results in farmers getting the berries to market at least a month earlier than the traditional matted row production that has been used by Ohio farmers, Bergefurd said. 

The new method, in which the strawberries are planted in September and grow over the winter using plastic to keep the soil warm and suppress weed growth, not only results in larger, sweeter berries but also allows farmers to capture a larger share of the local strawberry market because the berries can be harvested and sold over a period of four to five months, he said. 

That compares to the four- to five-week harvest period for Ohio strawberries using the traditional matted row production method, Bergefurd said. 

The event will cover the following: 

•          Variety selection.
•          Annual plasticulture strawberry production method.
•          Row cover management for winter and frost protection.
•         Summer-bearing variety production method, which can set fruit and be harvested from July through October. 

“Participants will learn production tips including education on planting dates, variety selection, fertility, winter protection, row cover management and overall management,” he said. “We’ll also discuss pest, weed and disease control options that would emphasize the use of Integrated Pest Management scouting techniques and chemical and non-chemical control options as well as production techniques to reduce pests.” 

The OSU Extension plasticulture trial includes about a half an acre of strawberry plants at the OSU South Centers and about 100 acres total on at least 25 farms statewide this season. The trial includes evaluating new strawberry varieties, with breeding coming from Florida, California, and North and South Carolina, Bergefurd said. 

The method includes using row covers during the winter to protect the plants, which aren’t as winter hardy, from frost and freeze. 

The trial, which is in its 11th season and has begun harvesting this week, is now producing the higher-quality, more commercially appealing berries, Bergefurd said. The trial will also, for the first time, produce summer-bearing fruit to allow the strawberry harvesting season to extend up until October, depending on the weather, he said. 

But there are drawbacks to the plasticulture method, he cautioned. 

While plasticulture cuts down on the amount of water, fertilizer and pesticides needed, the initial input costs for farmers using this method are significantly increased, requiring an investment of at least $10,000 to $15,000 per acre, with some of that cost associated with irrigation and more management needed to grow the fields, Bergefurd said. The fields harvest from early May to October. 

That compares to traditional matted row production, which averages about $4,000 per acre in production costs and harvests in June, he said. 

But plasticulture strawberries have the potential to yield 20,000 to 25,000 pounds of strawberries per acre, compared to 10,000 to 15,000 pounds of strawberries per acre using the matted row method. And when you consider that retail strawberries fetch $2.50 to $3.50 per pound, the profit potential is “pretty good,” Bergefurd said.

To register for the event, contact Julie Moose at 740-289-2071 ext. 223, or email her at moose.14@osu.edu by May 16. Registration is $5 per person. Participants should be prepared to walk in the fields, weather permitting. Special accommodations needs should be mentioned when registering.

For more information on the plasticulture strawberry growing method or to view past years’ field research results, visit http://southcenters.osu.edu/horticulture/.

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Tracy Turner
614-688-1067
turner.490@osu.edu

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Brad Bergefurd
740-289-37
bergefurd.1@osu.edu

WOOSTER, Ohio -- Wheat is already heading in some fields in northern and central Ohio and is flowering in some fields in the southern third of the state, some two weeks earlier than expected, according to an Ohio State University Extension wheat researcher. 

But this has growers wondering if it is a good thing or bad. 

While cool weather conditions over the last few weeks have worked to slow wheat down considerably, the development of the crop is still at least a week or two ahead of what is considered to be normal in Ohio at this time of year, said Pierce Paul, who is also a plant pathologist with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. 

This has left producers questioning whether such early development will have a negative effect on their crop, he said. But there is no easy answer to such a question; it all depends on the weather conditions over the next several weeks. 

“Our big issue is that we are ahead of schedule, causing some concern, understandably so, because most wheat growers haven’t seen wheat head out and flower in early May,” Paul said. “That’s left growers experiencing a fear of the unknown, more than anything else.” 

If cool weather occurs during most of the month of May, it could mean a nice, extended grain fill period, which is significant, considering that Ohio’s grain fill period is relatively short compared to other areas. 

“Which would mean decent yields if the weather stays cool,” he said. “Cool conditions will also reduce the development of foliar and head diseases such as Stagonospora and head scab, especially if it remains dry. 

“But wheat heading or flowering at the end of April or in early May is at greater risk for freezing injury.” 

In fact, two hours or more of exposure to 30 degrees could cause severe damage to wheat at the heading growth stage. Less injury could be expected if plants are exposed to less than two hours of freezing temperatures, Paul said. 

But on the flip side, if the weather gets warmer and wetter, it could also have a negative effect on the crop, he said. 

“Warm, humid conditions favor disease development, and if not managed with a well-timed fungicide application, further grain yield and quality losses will likely occur,” Paul said. “Wheat growers always have to be diligent with their fields because of how sensitive wheat is to the weather. 

“But with this spring having such atypical weather, they have to be even more so.” 

He advises growers to continually monitor their crops and to scout fields for foliar diseases and visit the head scab forecasting website (www.wheatscab.psu.edu) to determine the risk of head scab. 

“If you see foliar disease on the second leaf down and you have a susceptible variety, then you want to use a fungicide,” Paul said. 

“If you don’t protect your crop from disease with fungicides, this could mean lower yields and grain quality, and consequently, lost money. 

“But also if you apply fungicide when you don’t need it, you could also lose money. Growers are going to have to really watch the weather over the next few weeks.”

Writers

Tracy Turner
614-688-1067
turner.490@osu.edu

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Pierce Paul
330-263-3842
paul.661@osu.edu

I’ve been told that I’m “pre-diabetic.” Should I cut way back on fruit? I know it contains a lot of sugar.

First, for individual health-related advice, it’s always best to talk directly to your doctor or, in cases like this, a registered dietitian, who could work with you personally to examine your normal day-to-day eating patterns and help you make improvements.

But if you’re like most Americans, you likely aren’t eating enough fruit. And your question indicates that you have the common misconception that eating sweets causes diabetes. It doesn’t. It’s caused by the body’s inability to handle blood sugar, but that comes from many kinds of foods, not just those that taste sweet.

In fact, a recent study published in the journal Diabetes Care indicates that people who eat a lot of fruits and vegetables -- and, even more importantly, a lot of different kinds of fruits and vegetables -- may have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The study included more than 3,700 adults in the United Kingdom and lasted 11 years. The researchers found:

• Eating more fruits and vegetables (about six servings a day) was associated with a 21 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with eating just two servings a day.
• People who ate a wide variety of fruits and vegetables -- averaging 16 different types over the course of a week -- were about 40 percent less likely to develop diabetes than those who averaged just eight different types.

It’s important to note that the study doesn’t necessarily prove cause and effect. But it is one more good reason why you might want to incorporate a wider variety of fruits and vegetables into your diet. Here are some ideas to do so:

• Even if you don’t normally pack your lunch, pack a snack to have mid-morning or mid-afternoon. It can be one of the standards: an apple, orange, banana, grapes, baby carrots, celery strips or red pepper strips, or something totally new. Shop the produce section with a fresh eye to see what you might want to try.
• Buy large containers of vanilla or plain yogurt and, as you prepare individual servings, top with one-quarter to one-half cup of fresh or frozen berries.
• Add variety to salads by including spinach with the lettuce and topping with fresh blueberries or strawberries.

For more on the benefits of fruits and vegetables and ideas to include more in your diet, see the Fruits and Veggies Matter website, a partnership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Produce for Better Health Foundation, at http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov.

Chow Line is a service of Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. Send questions to Chow Line, c/o Martha Filipic, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH, 43210-1044, or filipic.3@osu.edu.

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Editor: This column was reviewed by Hugo Melgar-Quinonez, food security specialist with Ohio State University Extension and associate professor of human nutrition in the College of Education and Human Ecology.

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Martha Filipic
614-292-9833
filipic.3@osu.edu

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Hugo Melgar-Quinonez
OSU Extension, Human Nutrition

WOOSTER, Ohio – Crop growers should take extra precaution to scout their fields this spring for slugs as the near-record warm winter Ohio has experienced this year has caused these plant feeders to have attacked earlier than normal and reach a size that causes noticeable feeding injury much sooner than normal, an Ohio State University Extension entomologist said. 

In fact, growers statewide have reported finding slugs in their fields causing such significant feeding injury that it requires treatment with baits, said Ron Hammond, who also has an appointment with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. 

“These reports are two to four weeks early compared with most years and is a result of the warmer winter and March,” he said. “The warmer weather and soil temperatures have caused slugs to hatch earlier and are resulting in slugs beginning their heavier feeding earlier.” 

Winter 2012 was the warmest winter experienced nationwide since 2000 and the fourth-warmest winter on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This was caused because the jet stream, which divides the cold air to the north from the warm air to the south, settled at a much higher latitude this year, the federal agency said.  

This means that if planting times are normal, slugs will be a bigger and larger threat than normal, Hammond said. 

“For growers who have experienced slug issues in the past, it is critical that fields be scouted now,” he said. 

Hammond said that while the impact is significant for both corn and soybean growers, there are some differences in what farmers should be looking for and planning. 

“With corn’s growing point being below the soil for a few weeks, most of the feeding above ground will be to growing leaves that will be replaced, and not on the growing tip that would kill the plant,” he said. “Because of continued growth of corn that will probably occur, there is some leeway in terms of the time required to make the treatment if needed.” 

But, Hammond cautioned, growers should keep in mind that corn is still relatively much smaller than when feeding would normally occur and so presents a much more serious situation.  

For soybean growers, the growing point of soybeans is between the cotyledons as they emerge from the soil, he said. 

“Thus, the slug is easily able to reach and feed on both the cotyledons along with that growing point, making it much easier for slugs to kill the soybean plant as it emerges from the soil,” Hammond said. “This fact makes immediate treatment of soybeans perhaps more critical if no leaves have yet emerged and expanded.”   

Growers should look for telltale signs of leaf feeding if their plants have emerged and have leaves, he said.  

“But for soybeans not yet or just now emerging, or yet to be planted, care should be taken to determine if slugs are present and lying in wait,” Hammond said. “This latter situation could require a bait application just prior to emergence. 

“Use your own past experiences with soybean stand reductions caused by slugs to determine whether an early treatment should be made this year.” 

Growers can use one of two available baits that contain metaldehyde (Deadline MPs and others), and those with iron phosphate (Sluggo), he said. 

More information can be found on OSU Extension’s slug fact sheet at http://ohioline.osu.edu/ent-fact/pdf/0020.pdf.  

“If they’ve had problems before and those soybeans are starting to emerge and slugs are there, they need to treat immediately,” Hammond said.

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Tracy Turner
614-688-1067
turner.490@osu.edu

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Ron Hammond
330-263-3727
hammond.5@osu.edu