Study by Professor Kathryn Dewey and Graduate Student Camila Chaparro Shows Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping Boosts Iron in Infants

Just a two-minute delay in clamping a baby's umbilical cord can boost the child's iron reserves and prevent anemia for months, report nutritionists at the University of California, Davis.

Iron deficiency is a concern for both wealthy and poor nations. It is a problem particularly in developing countries, where half of all children become anemic during their first year, putting them at risk of serious developmental problems that may not be reversible, even with iron treatments.

Results of the study, conducted by UC Davis nutrition professor Kathryn Dewey and nutrition graduate student Camila Chaparro at a large obstetrical hospital in Mexico City, will be published June 17 in the British medical journal The Lancet.

"By simply delaying cord clamping for this brief time, we can provide the infant with the extra blood, and the iron it contains, from the placenta," said Dewey, an expert in maternal and infant nutrition. "This is an efficient, low-cost way to intervene at birth without harm to the infant or the mother."

She noted that although iron deficiency is a greater problem in developing countries, it is also a serious issue in industrialized nations like the United States, particularly for low-income and minority families and in lower birth-weight infants or babies born to iron-deficient mothers.

The umbilical-cord clamping procedure halts blood flow from the placenta to the infant in preparation for cutting the umbilical cord. During the past century, it became common practice to clamp the cord about 10 seconds after the baby's shoulders are delivered. However, there has been little scientific research to justify such rapid clamping.

The previous studies conducted on delaying clamping have indicated no risk and some significant benefits to later clamping.

In the UC Davis study, the researchers set out to specifically evaluate whether delayed clamping improves iron status of full-term, normal-birth-weight infants during their first six months. The researchers also examined whether delayed clamping has greater impact among children who are already at increased risk of developing iron deficiency due to low birth weight or an iron-deficient mother.

The 16-month-long study was conducted at Hospital de Gineco Obstetrica in Mexico City, in collaboration with Mexico's National Institute of Public Health. A total of 476 normal-weight, full-term infants and their mothers were involved in the study. Each mother-child pair was randomly assigned to have the umbilical cord clamped at either 10 seconds or two minutes after the baby's shoulders were delivered.

Data on the infants' diet, growth and illnesses were collected when the children were 2, 4 and 6 months old. Iron status of the babies also was measured at birth and at the end of the study.
Of the original group, 358 mother-child pairs completed the study.

The study revealed that a two-minute delay in cord clamping at birth significantly increased the child's iron status at 6 months of age, and it documented for the first time that the beneficial effects of delayed cord clamping last beyond the age of 3 months.

This also was the first study to show that the impact of delayed clamping is enhanced in infants that have low birth weights, are born to iron-deficient mothers, or do not receive baby formula or iron-fortified milk.
"The data show that the two-minute delay in cord clamping increased the child's iron reserve by 27-47 mg of iron, which is equivalent to one to two months of infant iron requirements," Dewey said. "This could help to prevent iron deficiency from developing before 6 months of age, when iron-fortified foods could be introduced."

Dewey and Chaparro are planning their next stage of research: developing practical guidelines for incorporating the delayed clamping of the umbilical cord into standard obstetric practice in various settings.

The UC Davis study was funded by the Thrasher Research Fund and a grant from the U.S. Fulbright program. (posted 6/16/2006)

Kenneth Brown Receives UC Davis Academic Senate Award for Distinguished Scholarly Public Service

The scholars chosen for this year's Academic Senate and Academic Federation awards at the University of California, Davis, reflect the breadth of faculty expertise and dedication to students and society. The Academic Senate announced 10 awards for the 2005-06 academic year, and planned to recognize the recipients this afternoon during the Senate's year-end meeting. One such award for Distinguished Scholarly Public Service, was given to UC Davis Nutrition Department Professor, Dr. Kenneth Brown.

Noted in the award announcement was that Dr. Brown, a professor of nutrition and the director of International and Community Nutrition, has made a difference in nutrition and medicine in developing countries. In particular, he has focused on zinc deficiency. As one of his former graduate students wrote, "What has left the most clear mark on me is his sincere devotion to the alleviation of human suffering associated with hunger and malnutrition, particularly when this affects the lives of infants and young children." (posted 6/16/2006)

New Children's Growth Standards Reflect Work of Kathryn Dewey

Research by a UC Davis nutritionist who specializes in the health of mothers and children is reflected in new international growth standards for children, which were announced April 27, 2006 by the World Health Organization.

Kathryn Dewey, a UC Davis nutrition professor, directed the only United States research site for the worldwide project, which revised growth charts for children under the age of 5. Her research team collected data on the growth of hundreds of children in the Davis area for use in developing the new growth standards.

The overall project, which involved more than 8,000 children, also looked at the growth patterns of children from Brazil, Ghana, India, Norway and Oman.

The new standards are intended to help parents, doctors, policymakers and child advocates better evaluate when nutrition and health-care needs of children are not being met. The standards should help identify children who are undernourished, overweight or experiencing growth-related problems. They reflect how children should be expected to grow and develop if their basic needs are met.

Earlier growth charts were based on data from a limited sample of children from the United States and had a number of technical and biological drawbacks, according to the World Health Organization. For example, the old standards were based on a combination of formula-fed and breast-fed children. Dewey and other nutritionists found that those growth standards did not accurately reflect the growth patterns of breast-fed children.

The new standards are based on the breast-fed child as the norm for growth and development. All children evaluated in the studies that produced the new standards were breast-fed and received complementary foods as appropriate. They also all received good health care, including vaccinations and immunizations, and had nonsmoking mothers.

Dewey has been researching maternal and infant nutrition for more than 20 years. Her work includes studies on infant growth and nutrition, the impact of nutrition and exercise on nursing moms, breast-feeding and post-childbirth weight loss in mothers, and growth problems of infants and children in developing countries.

Complete information on the new growth standards are available at the World Health Organization Web site at http://www.who.int/en/. (posted 6/16/2006)

International Cocoa Symposium Explores Latest Research Developments

In February researchers from the University of California, Davis, joined an international group of scientists from academia and industry in Washington, D.C. for a symposium examining the latest discoveries in research on cocoa and its potential impact on human health and on environmental and agricultural sustainability.

The symposium, "Theobroma Cacao: The Tree of Change," was held at the National Academies, featuring presentations on plant science, biomedical science, sustainable agriculture, nutrition, medicine and anthropology. It is a sequel to a 2004 cocoa research symposium, also held in Washington, D.C.
"This symposium highlight(ed) the surprisingly diverse and positive role that cocoa can potentially play in improving public health and reinvigorating endangered tropical ecosystems," said symposium co-chair Alan Bennett, associate vice chancellor for research and a plant science professor at UC Davis. "It also underscores the impact that collaborative efforts among public and private sector scientists can have in a relatively short time."

Presentations were made in the areas of plant science, biomedical science, sustainable agriculture, nutrition and anthropology. Also, in-depth roundtable discussion explored issues facing the cocoa-growing regions of West Africa, East Asia and the Americas.

In addition to Bennett, participants from UC Davis included:

Carl Keen, professor and chair of the UC Davis nutrition department, chairing a session on cocoa and cardiovascular health;

Hagen Schroeter, assistant professor of nutrition, speaking about "Cocoa Flavanols: Bioactive Nutrients Beyond Antioxidants";

Monique Borgerhoff Mulder, professor, and her colleagues Davis and Margaret Franzen, all of the anthropology department, speaking about "Ecological, Economic and Social Perspectives on Cocoa Production Worldwide";

Louis Grivetti, nutrition professor, speaking on "Cocoa and Chocolate During the American Revolution."

A complete schedule of the two-day symposium is available online at http://www.cocoasymposium.com/. (posted 6/16/2006)

Kathryn Dewey Awarded Kellogg Prize for International Nutrition

Kathryn Dewey, professor in the Department of Nutrition, and associate director of the Program in International and Community Nutrition, received the Kellogg Prize for International Nutrition at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutritional Sciences.

The Society for International Nutrition Research/Kellogg Prize for International Nutrition recognizes excellence in international nutrition research that benefits populations in less-industrialized countries.

Lindsay Allen, a colleague of Dewey and a professor in the Department of Nutrition, said of Dewey, “There are few scientists in the field of international nutrition who are more deserving of our respect, or who are more dedicated to conducting difficult research in the areas of breastfeeding, lactation, and infant growth and development. Moreover, there are few scientists whose research has had such an impact on international nutrition policy.” (posted 05/17/2005)

Carl Keen Receives College Award of Distinction

Dr. Carl Keen, professor and chair of the Department of Nutrition, was one of six honored with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Award of Distinction at this year’s annual College Celebration. He received the award as “Outstanding Faculty.”

The award is the highest recognition presented by the college to individuals whose contributions and achievements enrich the image and reputation of the college and enhance its ability to provide public service. As chair, Keen has guided the department through a period of phenomenal growth over the past 11 years and established several endowments. Keen is recognized internationally for connecting basic science with applied industry needs. Keen received his bachelor's and doctor's degrees from UC Davis. (posted 10/26/04)

Barbara Schneeman Named to FDA Post

UC Davis nutrition professor Barbara Schneeman has been appointed to lead the Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling and Dietary Supplements within the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Beginning May 3 in her new position, she will oversee the development of policy and regulations for dietary supplements, nutrition labeling and food standards, infant formula and medical foods.

Schneeman, who was dean of UC Davis' College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences from 1993 to 1999, has been a member of the UC Davis faculty in the Department of Nutrition since 1976. Beginning in 1999, she served an 18-month term as the assistant administrator for nutrition in the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For the last three years, she has served as the associate vice provost for university outreach in UC Davis' office of University Outreach and International Programs, in addition to her faculty appointment. She will retain that faculty appointment during her tenure at the FDA.

Schneeman received her bachelor's degree in food science and technology from UC Davis and her doctoral degree in nutrition from UC Berkeley. Her many professional activities and honors include membership on the 1990 and 1995 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Committee, election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and receiving the FDA Commissioner's Special Citation.

In July, the Institute of Food Technologists will present Schneeman with the Carl R. Fellers Award, recognizing her distinguished career, leadership, service and communication skills.

(posted 4/19/2004)

Kenneth Brown Addresses UN Committee on Nutrition

Kenneth Brown, professor, Department of Nutrition, and director, Program in International & Community Nutrition, recently co-presented a report outlining zinc deficiency in human diets worldwide to the United Nations Standing Committee on Nutrition at UN Headquarters in New York. The report by the International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group (IZiNCG) in collaboration with the United Nations University and the International Union of Nutrition Sciences, states that up to one-fifth of the world’s people lack sufficient zinc in their diet, while an estimated one-third live in countries considered at high risk of zinc deficiency. Brown co-chairs IZiNCG’s eight-member steering committee. Membership includes Bo Lonnerdal, professor, Department of Nutrition, and an international group of nutrition researchers. (posted 4/9/04)

Obesity Experts Form Team Co-Chaired by Judith Stern to Evaluate Scientific Research

In an effort to help medical professionals, policymakers, researchers, the news media and the general public evaluate the quality and usefulness of obesity research, a group of international obesity experts has formed a team that will review and evaluate published research papers in the field of obesity.

The new review body, known as the Collaborative Obesity Research Evaluation Team, or CORET, represents a collaborative effort between the University of California, Davis, and the Nutrition Institute NUTRIM at the Universiteit Maastricht in the Netherlands.

"There's a growing public realization that obesity is a killer disease," said Judith S. Stern, a UC Davis nutrition professor and obesity expert, who is co-chairing the project with George A. Bray of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University. Wim H.M. Saris will lead the effort at the University of Maastricht.

"Everyone -- moms making dinner, chefs choosing ingredients, reporters writing articles about obesity and policy makers writing laws -- wants to do the right thing, but there are many food myths, and it is almost impossible even for trained scientists to decipher just what the research is telling us," Stern said. "Our team is applying the rules of scientific method to evaluate individual published research papers."

The team's first goal is to establish criteria for evaluating scientific research papers. After that, the group will review research papers published in the scientific literature and post those reviews online. To visit the CORET Web site, go to http://coret.ucdavis.edu.

The review team's initial goal is to publish individual reviews on some 200 research papers over the next several months, releasing their findings as the papers are reviewed.

In addition to Stern, Bray and Saris, the initial team members are David Allison of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (USA); Myles Faith of the University of Pennsylvania (USA); Susan Jebb of the MRC Human Nutrition Research in Cambridge, (UK); Ross Pierce of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USA); and Stephan Rössner of the Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, (Sweden).

"We've been lucky enough to get some of the best and most independent minds to work on the project,” said co-chair George A. Bray. "All of us have committed to keeping the work unbiased and have agreed to abide by the rules we set out in our project's Terms of Reference, published on the CORET Web site. The scientists and the funders have pledged that no outside influence, review or other interference with the process shall be attempted or tolerated."

The CORET team expects to add two more expert panels, consisting of approximately 20 scientists, to the project.

Funding for this project has been provided through an unrestricted gift from a consortium of food-industry companies represented by an industry science panel and administered through the Grocery Manufacturers of America and the Confederation of European Union Food and Drink Industries (CIAA).
(posted 04/05/2004)

UCD Nutrition Professor Creates Maps that Pinpoint Ancient Food Snobs' Best Bets

A UC Davis food geographer and a computer technologist are creating maps to the best cheeses, wines, breads and assorted delicacies throughout the Mediterranean, but there's a catch.

These are maps based on the eight-volume "The Deipnosophists," written by Egyptian author Athenaeus 1,800 years ago. The book, according to ancient-food expert Louis Grivetti, is what might be considered the bonus edition of "Gourmet" magazine circa A.D. 200.

Grivetti discovered that the most sublime olive oil was produced in the southern Italian town of Thurii, the most superior milk goats were raised on the Greek island of Scyros and the cuisine on Chios, an Aegean island off the coast of Turkey, "was best known for its dainty dishes."

"Back then it was the guidebook to the known world, from Iberia to central Europe to India and North Africa," Grivetti says.

Grivetti is producing his own 21st-century book that draws from Athenaeus' recounting of a long, conversational feast. During each course, dinner guests were asked to pinpoint where the best of Mediterranean foods were being produced, using Roman and Greek citations.

"There were 1,500 ancient works cited by author and title, but fewer than 15 percent of those still exist," Grivetti says. "However, we've found that by looking at the existing sources, they were cited correctly, for the most part."

With the computer assistance of colleague Matthew Lange, Grivetti will document, among other foods, 500 to 600 ancient wines with appellations by district. He will also trace superior breads, cakes, fruits and vegetables to their classical bakeries and gardens.

The maps will show the tastiest water and most original breads in the shapes of animals came from the district of Attica, which included Athens, while Sicily boasted the choicest cheese and Cyprus the sweetest pomegranates.

Grivetti's book, due in 2005, will also allow for comparisons between ancient Mediterranean food patterns and today's Mediterranean diet, considered one of the healthiest in the world.

(posted 1/29/2004)

Professor Emeritus Fredric Hill Founded UC Davis' Nutrition Department

Memorial services are pending for Fredric W. Hill, 85, a professor at the University of California, Davis, for 30 years and the first chair of the campus's highly regarded nutrition department.

Professor Hill was a pioneer in the field of nutrition, one of the first to study the interaction of carbohydrates, fats and amino acids as energy sources in the body. He studied comparative nutrition, researching how different animal species utilize the major dietary components as energy sources. Hill's initial research focused on the nutritional requirements of poultry, including pioneering work on food composition as it relates to poultry production and growth. He also served as editor of the Journal of Nutrition, the official journal of the American Society for Nutritional Sciences.

"Professor Hill's vision for the nutrition department was based on building bridges between nutrition and medicine for the improvement of human health," said nutrition professor Andy Clifford, Hill's colleague and longtime friend.

Hill was dedicated to making food more nutritious and was keenly interested in using his research to alleviate world hunger, telling United Press International in 1981 "The simple answer is yes, the world has the capacity to feed itself, but it does not currently use that capacity very effectively ... We can certainly be helpful in creating the research approach and the informational base."

Hill toured Southeast Asia, India and Bangladesh, and served as a scientific adviser to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As associate dean for research and international programs at UC Davis in the late 1970s, Hill oversaw a $15 million program to improve farming techniques in more than 600 miles of the Nile River Delta in Egypt. Hill negotiated the agreement with the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Hill was also dedicated to teaching, starting one of the first general nutrition curricula in the country and founding the Nutrition 10 course at UC Davis, where he often had more than 700 students packed into his classes. Nutrition 10, an entry-level nutrition course at UC Davis, remains one of the most popular nutrition classes in the nation.

"He was a great teacher, mentor, colleague and friend who will be missed," said nutrition professor Robert Rucker. "Fred Hill was a capable administrator and excellent communicator. His strength was his ability to articulate the science of nutrition in the context of human medicine. His early efforts and leadership provided a base from which the UC Davis nutrition department evolved to become one of the best in the nation."

A native of Pennsylvania, Hill held a bachelor's degree in poultry science and master's degree in nutrition from Pennsylvania State University, and a doctoral degree in animal nutrition from Cornell University. In 1983, he was honored by Penn State as an alumni fellow.

Hill taught animal nutrition at Cornell for 11 years before arriving at UC Davis in 1959 as a professor and chair of poultry husbandry. In 1966, Hill became professor of nutrition and the first chairman of the department. He also served as associate dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. He retired from UC Davis in 1989.

Among his many academic honors, Hill was elected in 1984 as a fellow of the American Institute of Nutrition, now known as the American Society for Nutritional Sciences. He was a Guggenheim Fellow in 1966 and won the Poultry Science Research Prize in 1957. He was also an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a member of the American Institute of Biological Sciences and the American Chemical Society.

Professor Hill traveled extensively throughout his career and into retirement, according to his daughter, Linda Hill. She noted that he loved to travel and to keep in contact with colleagues and former students now living in various countries around the world.

He was also an avid golfer and a charter member of the El Macero Country Club near Davis.

Professor Hill was devoted to his family and took great pride in all of their accomplishments. He is survived by Charlotte, his wife of almost 60 years; his son, James Hill, and his wife, Gay Yee Hill, of La Canada-Flintridge; daughter, Linda Hill, of Pocatello, Idaho; and daughter-in-law, Stephanie Coulter, of Santa Cruz. He also leaves a granddaughter, Sienna Hill, and grandson, Nicholas Hill.

He was preceded in death by his son, Dana Hill, and by his brother, Edwin Hill.

The family prefers that any memorial donations be made in Professor Hill's name to the UC Davis Department of Nutrition for the support of graduate students. Checks may be made payable to the UC Regents and sent to the Nutrition Department Research Endowment, c/o the Department of Nutrition, University of California, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616.
(posted 12/3/2003)

Eatfit Program Fit for Award
Cooperative Extension’s Eatfit program, which works to change the nutrition and fitness behaviors of middle school students, is the 2003 university recipient of the Dannon Institute’s Award for Excellence in Community Nutrition. In a nationwide competition, one award is given to a program initiated at a university that "demonstrates innovation and effectiveness in changing nutrition behaviors." A $5,000 prize will be presented during a ceremony at the 2003 annual meeting of the American Dietetics Association. The UC Davis Center for Advanced Studies in Nutrition and Social Marketing, the School Partnership Program, the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program are all involved in the Eatfit program. For more information on the EatFit program, please contact Marilyn Townsend, Associate Specialist in Cooperative Extension, Department of Nutrition, (530) 754-9222, mstownsend@ucdavis.edu (posted 06/04/2003)

Judith Stern and Peter Havel on the Business of Obesity
The Sacramento Business Journal featured nutrition professor and founder of the American Obesity Association Judith Stern as the lead source for a story on the impact of the obesity epidemic on business. Said Stern, "Business should care because obesity is increasing. Medical costs are higher, time lost from work can be higher and recovery from operations takes longer.” This article was part of series on how companies are profiting from the overweight. The series also featured Peter Havel, Department of Nutrition.

Dr. Judith Stern Organizes Study of Magnesium Supplementation and Asthma
Dr. Judith Stern is looking for asthma sufferers to take part in a study to determine whether magnesium can help alleviate attacks. More than 84,000 people in the greater Sacramento area suffer from asthma. It's partly because of the poor air quality here. "It's the same fear as if you were drowning," said Gordon Callander, describing an asthma attack. "Where you're underwater. It's the same thing. You just can't get air."

Researchers believe magnesium may hold the key to controlling attacks. To explain why, researcher Dr. Judith Stern says you have to look way back. "People for hundreds of years have been going to the Dead Sea in the Holy Land, and they've been inhaling the salt air and their asthma gets better." The reason for that, she says, is that the salty air contains magnesium. "Ultimately, if it does work, this can be a very inexpensive way of decreasing symptoms," said Stern.

In order to get the study off the ground, researchers need hundreds of volunteers. Participants will receive either a real magnesium supplement or a placebo. Researchers are looking for adults between the ages of 21 and 50. Subjects should have mild to moderate asthma. Anyone interested in participating should call the General Medicine Research Group at (916) 734-5562. (posted 06/04/02)

UC Davis Nutrition Department Web Site Awarded a Four Star Rating from Tufts University Child & Family WebGuide
UC Davis web site has been awarded a four star rating by the Tufts University Child & Family WebGuide. By offering research-based discussions on breastfeeding, maternal nutrition, formula feeding and the transition to solid foods, the UC Davis Nutrition web site has been found to provide a valuable resource to parents and those working in the child development field. Only a small percentage of sites pass their rigorous screening process. Of these, less than 20 percent receive a four star award. The Department of Nutrition, UC Davis is now part of this elite group. The Tufts Child & Family WebGuide (www.cfw.tufts.edu) is the first online resource for parents, child-care professionals, and students that systematically evaluates the web sites it lists. The WebGuide recognizes the growing need to evaluate the enormous volume of information now available online. Online searches on popular parenting topics yield a range of information, much of which is inconsistent with the findings of child development experts. The WebGuide seeks to address these concerns. (posted 04/01/02)

USDA/ERS RIDGE Program Accepting Proposals for 2006-2007
The request-for-proposal for the 2006-2007 UCDavis/ERS RIDGE Program is now available online.The purpose of the RIDE program is to stimulate innovative research related to food assistance and nutrition. In particular, the program encourages identification of nutritional risk indicators (anthropometric, biochemical, clinical, and dietary) that can be used to measure the impact of food assistance programs. Proposals may also address determinants of diet and nutritional outcomes, particularly obesity, in the food assistance-eligible population. To examine the impact of food assistance, cross-sectional data often need to be complemented with case studies that explore help-seeking and food-related behaviors over time, particularly in diverse subgroups of the population. Since effects of food assistance on dietary intakes have been observed, research is needed on food patterns, as well as nutrient intakes. More research is also needed on food expenditure patterns and food security, incorporating the 18-item Food Security instrument used in the Current Population Survey. Priority will be given to grants that examine multiple indicators of nutrition impact, either by tapping into state or national data sources (i.e. CSFII, NHANES or CDC) or utilizing data from previous community-based surveys. This program is sponsored by the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Questions concerning this grants program should be directed to the UCD-ERS RIDGE Program at Phone: (530) 754-9063; Fax (530) 752-8966; E-mail: llkaiser@ucdavis.edu (posted 03/05/02)

Carl Keen Presents at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Annual Meeting
Professor Carl Keen, chair of the Department of Nutrition, presented a paper on the health benefits of chocolate at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's annual meeting on Feb. 15. Titled "Food as Medicine: The Potential Aspirin-like Heart Health Benefits of Flavonoids," Keen's paper described how flavonoids in cocoa and chocolate work much like low-dose aspirin in preventing heart attacks and strokes. (taken from CA&ES Currents) (posted 03/04/02)

UC Davis Nutrition Department Faculty Address COPIA Seminar
On Dec. 11, food scientists and nutritionists discussed health-boosting foods at COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts in Napa. Titled "Scientific Perspectives on Antioxidants for Sustaining Health," the all-day seminar was the first UC Davis event held at COPIA. Researchers talked about the different food products made from plants that may reduce disease risks by thwarting oxidation of potentially harmful compounds in the body. The program featured speakers from the food industry, Ohio State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. CA&ES speakers included professors Louis Grivetti, Department of Nutrition, Carl Keen, chair of the Department of Nutrition, Neal Van Alfen, dean of CA&ES, and Alyson Mitchell, Bruce German and Edwin Frankel from the Department of Food Science and Technology. Andrew Waterhouse and Susan Ebeler, Department of Viticulture and Enology, and Charles Stephensen, an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Nutrition, also spoke. UC Davis' California Institute of Food and Agricultural Research sponsored the event. (taken from CA&ES Currents)(posted 12/21/01)

Judith Stern Receives Charles A. Black Award
Professor Judith Stern, Department of Nutrition, was selected recipient of the 2001 Charles A. Black Award by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). The award recognizes her work in translating science to the media. She will be honored at a reception and banquet in Alexandria, Virginia, in March. Stern is also a professor in the UC Davis Department of Internal Medicine/Division of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, director of the UC Davis Food Intake Laboratory Group and co-director of a NIH-funded Alternative Medicine Center for Research in Asthma, Allergy and Immunology. An expert on diet and nutrition, she has published extensively on nutrition, the effect of exercise on appetite and metabolism and obesity. CAST assembles, interprets and communicates science-based information on food, fiber, agricultural, natural resource and related societal and environmental issues to legislators, regulators, policymakers, media, the private sector and the public. (taken from CA&ES Currents) (posted 12/19/00)

Nutrition Publications Online
Two research-based publications created by Nutrition Department faculty are now available online.  Nutrition Perspectives is a bimonthly publication prepared by Sheri Zidenberg-Cherr, PhD, Nutrition Specialist, and staff.  It is designed to provide research-based information on ongoing nutrition and food-related programs. Maternal and Infant Nutrition Briefs is a bimonthly research-based newsletter prepared by Lucia Kaiser, PhD, Nutrition Specialist, for professionals interested in maternal and infant nutrition. (posted 2/16/2000)

History of American Foods exhibit at Shields Library
Dr. Louis Grivetti has created an exhibit on the history of American foods, entitled American the Bountiful: Classic American Food from Antiquity to the Space Age.  The exhibit is currently showing at the University of California, Davis Shields Library and is available to view online. (posted 12/17/99)

Special Seminar Announcement
Farla Kaufman, Ph.D., an Associate Research Scientist at the Public Health Institute, Genetic Disease Branch of Berkeley California, will be giving a talk entitled "Folate in Women: measuring intake, assessing the relation to smoking, and determining the association with occurrence of spontaneous abortion."  The talk will be Tuesday, October 26, 1999, at 2:00 p.m. in 1006 Haring Hall. (posted 10/22/99)

New Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) web site online
The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) has a new web site. (posted 6/22/99)

UC Davis Nutrition student wins 1999 Charles Hess Community Service Award
Gwain Evans of Davis is the female recipient of the Charles Hess Community Service Award, presented by the college to recognize outstanding community and campus service. A mother of three and caregiver to her great aunt, she was a member of several college committees and served as a court-appointed special advocate with the Yolo County Juvenile Court. Evans graduates with a B.S. in nutrition. (posted 6/22/99)

Barbara Schneeman will Spend Next Year at USDA
Barbara Schneeman completes her term as dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences on June 30, 1999, and will spend the next year at U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Washington, D.C. Schneeman will serve as assistant administrator for Human Nutrition and be responsible for coordinating national human nutrition policy within USDA. She also will be responsible for activities in the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) related to inter- and intra-departmental nutrition committees, such as Dietary Guidelines for Americans. She will be located at USDA-ARS in the Jamie Whitten Building in Washington, D.C. Following her one-year leave from UC, Schneeman will return to her faculty position in the Departments of Nutrition and Food Science & Technology. (posted 6/22/99)

UC Davis Graduate Group in Nutrition student wins 1999 Max Kleiber Graduate Research Prize
Claudia Kirk was awarded the Max Kleiber Graduate Research Prize for her innovative research in nutrition. The Kleiber Award honors the late Max Kleiber, Professor of Animal Science, who had a long and distinguished career as a teacher and scientist at UC Davis.

Dr. Kirk's research focused on taurine deficiencies in cats. Inadequate taurine status results in clinical signs of taurine deficiency in the domestic cat that include central retinal degeneration and dilated cardiomyopathy.  "With the development and use of the cholecystectomized cat model, Dr. Kirk clearly nullified the hypothesis that the taurine depletion that occurs when cats are fed a canned processed diet is the result of an increased taurocholic acid turnover," said Dr. Quenton Rogers, her major professor. "She showed that an enhanced gallbladder emptying which occurs as a result of an increase in cholecystokinin secretion caused, in turn, by indigestible protein, although increasing bile acid turnover, does not result in the extent of taurine loss as that seen when cats are fed a canned processed diet." The title of Dr. Kirk's thesis is: "The Role of Cholecystokinin in Diet-Mediated Taurine Depletion of Cats." (posted 06/03/99)

Special Seminar
On June 14, 1999 David Harrison, Ph.D. Candidate in Nutrition, will give a talk entitled "Signal Transduction, Sperm Function and Nutrition Protein Kinase A and A Kinase Anchoring Proteins in the Acrosome Reaction." The seminar will be held on June 14, 1999 at 4:10 - 5:00 p.m. in the Weir Room (2154 Meyer Hall). (posted 06/03/99)

FSNEP Web Site Online
The Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program of California now has a web site with links to information about Adult and Youth Program Guidelines, Participating Counties, and Nutrition Education Materials. (posted 06/02/99)

Summer Nutrition/Dietetics Internship
Summer Nutrition/Dietetics Internship Sign-ups are Wednesday, June 2 in 229 South Hall, 8:30-10:30 a.m. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED! Descriptions of available internships are posted outside 204 South Hall. Please read descriptions BEFORE coming to sign-ups! (posted 04/28/99)

Travel Grant for Students with Summer Internships Abroad
The Internship and Career Center is co-coordinating a travel grant program (through funding provided by Summer Sessions) for students participating in international internships. The grant provides $1000 to assist students with the travel expenses for summer internships abroad. (U.S. sites are not eligible.) Students sponsored by UC or non-UC placement programs are eligible for grants, as are students pursuing self-developed internship. Applicants must apply by April 30 to be considered for summer 1999. Applicants must either have a confirmed internship in place or anticipate imminent confirmation at or around the April 30 deadline. They also must enroll in Summer Session for six units. The following must be included with your application 1. Resume in English (Note Applicants may want to begin drafting an additional version in the target language); 2. Current transcript (unofficial copy accepted); 3. Letter of recommendation (Letter from Internship Placement Application may be used.); 4. One-page Statement of Interest that includes objective and motivation in seeking an internship. (Include how academic courses and other experiences relate to internship and country of interest.) Information and application Liberal Arts Program Area, Jen Taylor, Room 217 South Hall, or Chris Marken, Room 228 South Hall (check drop in hours); or the reception desk, 2nd floor South (posted 04/23/99)

Meyer Hall Advising Center Open House, The Meyer Hall Advising Center is having our open house Friday, December 4th from 330 - 500 p.m. in 1202 Meyer.(posted 12/02/98)

United States Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman to Speak on Nutrition and World Hunger
Dan Glickman, United States Secretary of Agriculture, is scheduled to speak on "Nutrition and World Hunger" on October 16, 1998 at 11:30-12:30 in AGR/Room,  Buehler Alumni Center (south of Mrak Hall).  A reception will follow in the Weir Room (2154 Meyer Hall). (posted 10/06/98)

Updated Graduate Group in Nutrition Web Site Now Available
The Graduate Group in Nutrition web site containing admissions, degree requirement, funding, and faculty information is now available.(posted 10/06/98)

New Designated Emphasis in Biotechnology for Ph.D. Students
The Graduate Council has approved a new designated emphasis in Biotechnology for Ph.D. programs in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Genetics, Microbiology, Nutrition, Physiology, and Plant Biology. Students in the affiliated Ph.D. programs may now be admitted to the designated emphasis. (posted 12/11/97)

The Editorial Office of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has Arrived
The Editorial Office of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition is now housed in the Department of Nutrition at the University of California, Davis. (posted 10/01/97)

New Graduate Course: Nutrition 298 - Professionalism
Starting Fall Quarter 1997, Dr. Louis Grivetti of the UC Davis Nutrition Department will be teaching Nutrition 492, a new graduate course on Professionalism, in the Fall. The course will meet Wednesdays 2:10 - 4:00 p.m. in 202 Walker Hall. The CRN is 59756 (Nutrition 298, Section 6). Topics will include Life in the Academy, Being a Graduate Student, Classroom Instruction, Publishing, Ethical Conduct and Social Responsibility, Grants and Funding Support. (posted 09/01/97)

New Graduate Course: Nutrition 259 - Nutrition and Aging
Starting Fall Quarter 1997 Dr. Roger McDonald of the UC Davis Nutrition Department will be teaching Nutrition 259, a new graduate course on Nutrition and Aging. The first meeting for the course will be on Monday, September 29 at 10:00 a.m. in 3138 Meyer Hall. The CRN is 68446. (posted 09/01/97)

New Undergraduate Course: BIS 15 - Biology of Aging
Starting Fall Quarter 1997, Dr. Roger McDonald of the UC Davis Nutrition Department will be teaching a new undergraduate course on the Biology of Aging, which will have a web site with course materials. (posted 09/01/97)