Red Blood Cell Folate Insufficiency among nonpregnant Women of Childbearing age in Guatemala 2009 to 2010: Prevalence and predicted Neural Tube Defects risk.

Background: The World Health Organization recently released recommendations stating that red blood cell (RBC) folate concentrations should be above 400 ng/L (906 nmol/L) for optimal prevention of folate-sensitive neural tube defects (NTDs). The objective of this study was to determine the distribution of folate insufficiency (FI) (<906 nmol/L) and potential risk of NTDs based on RBC folate concentrations among nonpregnant women of child-bearing age in Guatemala.

Methods: A national and regional multistage cluster probability survey was completed during 2009 to 2010 among Guatemalan women of child-bearing age 15 to 49 years of age.

Folate and Vitamin B12 Deficiency Among Non-pregnant Women of Childbearing-Age in Guatemala 2009-2010: Prevalence and Identification of Vulnerable Populations.

Introduction: Information on folate and vitamin B12 deficiency rates in Guatemala is essential to evaluate the current fortification program. The objectives of this study were to describe the prevalence of folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies among women of childbearing age (WCBA) in Guatemala and to identify vulnerable populations at greater risk for nutrient deficiency.

Methods: A multistage cluster probability study was designed with national and regional representation of nonpregnant WCBA (15-49 years of age).

Physiological constraint to food ingestion in a new world nectarivorous bat.

We investigated the intake response of the nectarivorous Pallas's long-tongued bat Glossophaga soricina to different nectar concentrations to test the hypothesis that bats show compensatory feeding. Bats were offered sucrose solutions between 146 and 1,168 mmol L(-1). Contrary to our expectations, long-tongued bats did not show compensatory feeding, suggesting that volumetric food intake is physiologically constrained.