Rates of obesity (OB) are escalating among Canadian children and youth and the obesogenic environment is likely to cause further increases. An important aspect in providing clinical care to OB children is to have accurate assessment measures, particularly of their body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness. This project entails three interrelated projects aiming to develop novel cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition measurement techniques for an OB pediatric population. The purpose of the first project was to validate a new submaximal fitness protocol specifically geared towards OB children and youth. The second objective of this thesis involved assessing cardiorespiratory efficiency utilizing the Oxygen Uptake efficiency slope. The purpose of the third project was to determine the validity of a half-body scan methodology for measuring body composition in obese children and youth. The goal of developing these novel measurement techniques is improved design and evaluation of interventions aimed at managing pediatric obesity.

Introdução. A baixa capacidade aeróbia é um importante marcador de mau prognóstico e um forte preditor de risco de morte em pacientes encaminhados para o teste de esforço cardiopulmonar (TECP) por razões clínicas. O índice oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES), um novo índice de eficiência cardiorrespiratória, tem sido utilizado como marcador submáximo durante o TECP. Estudos recentes sugerem que a leptina pode desempenhar um papel importante na regulação da respiração e, consequentemente, o aumento dos níveis de leptina pode estar relacionado com a diminuição do OUES. No entanto, o impacto da síndrome metabólica (SMet) e da apneia obstrutiva do sono (AOS) no OUES é desconhecido. Objetivo. Investigar o comportamento do OUES em pacientes com SMet, associado ou não à AOS. Métodos. Foram estudados 73 pacientes com SMet (ATP-III), alocados em dois grupos de acordo com o índice de apneia/hipopneia (IAH) obtido na polissonografia noturna: SMet+AOS (IAH >= 15 eventos/hora, n=38, 49±1 anos, 33±0,6 kg/m2) e SMet-AOS (IAH < 15 eventos/hora, n=35, 46±1 anos, 31,8±0,6 kg/m2). Um grupo controle saudável (CS, n=20, 47±1 anos, 26,1±0,8 kg/m2), pareado por idade e gênero, foi também estudado. Os pacientes realizaram as seguintes avaliações: polissonografia; exames laboratoriais (glicemia, triglicérides, colesterol total e frações, leptina e proteína C-reativa); medidas antropométricas (altura, peso corporal, índice de massa corpórea, circunferência abdominal); composição corporal pela bioimpedância; medidas de pressão arterial; e TECP. Resultados. Ambos os grupos com SMet apresentaram prejuízo quando comparados ao grupo CS no peso, índice de massa corpórea e nos fatores de risco da SMet (circunferência abdominal, glicemia, triglicérides, HDL-c e pressão arterial sistólica e diastólica, P < 0,05). No TECP os grupos SMet+AOS e SMet-AOS apresentaram menores valores de consumo de oxigênio pico (VO2pico, 22,2±0,7; 21,7±0,9 e 28,0±1,1 ml/kg/min, respectivamente, Interação; P < 0,001) comparados com CS. Da mesma forma, os grupos SMet tiveram menores: VO2 no limiar anaeróbio (VO2LA), na relação VO2 e carga de trabalho (deltaVO2/deltaW) e no OUES (25,3±0,8; 25,0±0,9 e 31,1±1,2; Interação; P < 0.001) quando comparado com CS. Em análises posteriores, o OUES se correlacionou apenas com a massa gorda e com a leptina (R=-0,35; P=0,006). Conclusão. Independente da presença da AOS, pacientes com SMet apresentam diminuição da eficiência cardiorrespiratória. Os níveis elevados de leptina pode ser uma das explicações para essa diminuição nesses pacientes / Introduction. Low aerobic capacity is an important marker of poor prognosis and a strong predictor of risk of death in patients referred for cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) for clinical reasons. The oxygen uptake efficiency slopes (OUES), a new cardiorespiratory efficiency index, has been used as a submaximal marker during CPET. Recent studies suggest that leptin may play an important role in regulating respiration, and consequently, increased levels of leptin may be related to decreased OUES. However, the impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in the OUES is unknown. Objective. To investigate the OUES in MetS patients with or without OSA. Methods. We studied 73 patients with MetS (ATP-III), allocated into two groups according to apnea/hypopnea index (AHI), assessed by nocturnal polysomnography: MetS+OSA (AHI >= 15 events/hour, n=38, 49±1 years, 33±0.6 kg/m2) and MetS-OSA (AHI < 15 events/hour, n=35, 46±1 years, 32±0.6 kg/m2). A healthy control group (CG, n=20, 47±1 years, 26.1±0.8 kg/m2), matched for age and gender, was also studied. The patients performed the following evaluations: polysomnography; Laboratory tests (glycemia, triglycerides, total cholesterol and fractions, leptin and C-reactive protein); Anthropometric measurements (height, body weight, body mass index, waist circumference); Body composition by bioimpedance; Blood pressure measurements; and CPET. Results. Both MetS groups had impairment in weight, body mass index, and MetS risk factors (waist circumference, glycemia, triglycerides, HDL-c and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, P < 0.05) compared with CG. MetS+OSA and MetS-OSA groups presented lower values of peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak, 22.2±0.7, 21.7±0.9 and 28.0±1.1 ml/kg/min, respectively; Interaction; P < 0.001) compared to CG. In the same way, MetS groups had lowest: VO2 at anaerobic threshold (VO2LA), ratio of VO2 and workload (deltaVO2/deltaW) and OUES (25.3±0.8, 25.0±0.9 and 31.1±1.2, Interaction; P < 0.001) compared with CG. In further analyzes, OUES correlated only with fat mass and leptin (R =-0.35, P =0.006). Conclusion. Regardless of the presence of OSA, MetS patients present decreased cardiorespiratory efficiency. Elevated levels of leptin may be one of the explanations for this decrease in these patients

Rates of obesity (OB) are escalating among Canadian children and youth and the obesogenic environment is likely to cause further increases. An important aspect in providing clinical care to OB children is to have accurate assessment measures, particularly of their body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness. This project entails three interrelated projects aiming to develop novel cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition measurement techniques for an OB pediatric population. The purpose of the first project was to validate a new submaximal fitness protocol specifically geared towards OB children and youth. The second objective of this thesis involved assessing cardiorespiratory efficiency utilizing the Oxygen Uptake efficiency slope. The purpose of the third project was to determine the validity of a half-body scan methodology for measuring body composition in obese children and youth. The goal of developing these novel measurement techniques is improved design and evaluation of interventions aimed at managing pediatric obesity.

Nitrogen (N) is a central nutrient in cropping systems. However, a considerable N fraction is lost through runoffs and leaching with detrimental consequences for environment and controversial effects on human health. Increasing the plant N uptake by optimizing the degree of root branching for exploring a larger soil volume in search of the mobile nitrate resource may contribute to limit soil leaching and subsequently to rely more efficiently on the soil mineralization and fertilizer inputs. Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is a major oil crop that highly depends on N fertilization. This doctoral thesis aims at exploring the diversity of root morphology in recently selected cultivars and in a large set of rapeseed inbred lines, and at understanding the genetic control on root morphology and how it is impacted by N nutrition.Firstly, a panel of twenty-eight European recently selected cultivars of winter oilseed rape were tested in laboratory and field conditions. Upon hydroponic culture, these hybrids showed a great diversity for biomass production and root morphological traits. Differences in root and shoot dry biomasses and lateral root length were mainly explained by the genotype, while differences in primary root length by the nutrition. The cultivars were tested in a pluriannual field trial. The observed variation for yield and seed quality traits attributed to the genotype was more important than the year or the genotype x year interaction effects. The total root length measured in laboratory could predict the proportion of nitrogen taken-up from the field and reallocated to the seeds. The genetic interrelationship between cultivars, established with polymorphic markers, indicated a very narrow genetic base. Positive correlations were found between the genetic distance measures, root morphological trait distances during nitrogen depletion conditions, and agronomic performance. Secondly, three cultivars previously selected from a root morphology screen at a young developmental stage were field tested with two nitrogen applications. The purpose was to examine the relationship between root morphology and Nitrogen Uptake Efficiency (NUpE) and to test the predictiveness of canopy optical indices for seed quality and yield. A tube-rhizotron system was used to incorporate below-ground root growth information. One-meter length clear tubes were installed in soil at an angle of 45°. The root development was followed with a camera at key growth stages in autumn (leaf development) and spring (stem elongation and flowering). Autumn was a critical time window to observe the root development and exploration in deeper horizons (36-48 cm) was faster without any fertilization treatment. Analysis of the rhizotron images was challenging and it was not possible to clearly discriminate between cultivars. Canopy reflectance and leaf optical indices were measured with proximal sensors. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was a positive indicator of biomass and seed yield while the Nitrogen Balance Index (NBI) was a positive indicator of above-ground biomass N concentration at flowering and seed N concentration at harvest.Thirdly, the natural variability offered by a diversity set of 392 inbred lines was screened to apprehend the genetic control of root morphology in rapeseed and how it is impacted by nitrogen nutrition. Seedlings grew hydroponically with low (0.2 mM) or elevated (5 mM) nitrate supplies. Low nitrate supply triggered the primary root and lateral root growth, while elevated supply promoted shoot biomass production. A considerable variation degree in the root morphological traits was observed across the diversity set, and there was no trade-off between abundant lateral root branching and shoot biomass production. Root traits were mainly dependent on the genotype and highly heritable. A genome wide association study identified some genomic regions associated with biomass production and root morphological traits. A total of fifty-nine QTLs were identified and thirty of them were integrated into seven clusters on chromosomes A01 and C07. Some candidate genes were identified with Arabidopsis orthologs related to root growth and development, nitrogen nutrition or hormone regulation.This study provides promising routes for redesigning the root system architecture by uncovering nitrogen-interactive genomic regions shaping root morphology. A perspective is to develop genetic markers associated with root morphological traits that could be used for assisted breeding. / Doctorat en Sciences agronomiques et ingénierie biologique / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Environmental contamination issues related to phosphorus (P) in surface waters substantiates the need to identify minimally-sufficient P fertilization amounts for production of containerized nursery crops and better understand the effect of routine amendments (i.e., dolomite [DL] and micronutrient fertilizer [MF]) added to pine bark substrates on chemical fate of P fertilizer. Four studies were conducted to accomplish two overarching objectives: 1) determine the minimum P fertilization amount and corresponding pore-water P concentration needed to achieve maximal growth of common containerized nursery crops and 2) determine the effect of DL and MF amendments in pine bark on P retention during irrigation and P fractions in substrate pore-water. In a fertigation, greenhouse study, calculated lowest P-fertilizer concentration that sustained maximal growth in Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ (panicle hydrangea) and Rhododendron ‘Karen’ (azalea) was 4.7 and 2.9 mg·L⁻¹ , respectively, and shoot growth Ilex crenata ‘Helleri’ (holly) was the same when fertilized with 0.5 to 6.0 mg·L⁻¹ P. Porewater P concentrations corresponding with treatments that sustained maximal growth of panicle hydrangea, azalea and holly were as low as 0.6, 2.2 and 0.08 mg·L⁻¹ P, respectively. In a separate study, utilizing low-P controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs), shoot growth of Hydrangea macrophylla ‘P11HM-11’ (bigleaf hydrangea) produced in two ecoregions was maximal when fertilized with as little as 0.3 g CRF-P per 3.8-L container, a 50% P reduction from the industrystandard CRF. Holly required 0.2 or 0.4 g CRF-P depending on ecoregion. Mean pore-water P concentrations that corresponded with highest SDW were 0.8 and 1.2 mg·L⁻¹ for hydrangea and holly, respectively. When irrigating fallow pine bark columns containing CRF for 48 d, amending pine bark with DL and MF reduced orthophosphate-P (OP-P) leachate concentrations by ≈ 70%, most of which was retained within the substrate. In a greenhouse study, containerized Lagerstroemia ‘Natchez’ (crape myrtle) were grown for 91 d in pine bark containing CRF. In pine bark amended with DL and MF, pore-water OP-P and total P concentrations, measured approximately weekly, were reduced by, on average, 64% and 58%, respectively. Total dry weight values of plants grown with DL plus MF or MF-only were 40% higher than those grown with no amendments; however, tissue P amounts and relative P uptake efficiency were the same among plants in these three treatments. Therefore, sorption of OP-P by DL and MF reduced water-extractable OP-P but did not limit P uptake by plants. / Ph. D. / Phosphorus (P) pollution of surface waters is a global issue that has led to widespread fish kills, drinking water contamination and disruption of aquatic ecosystems. Nutrient runoff from agricultural sites is among the leading contributors to P loads in impaired waters. Optimizing P fertilization for containerized nursery crop production is particularly challenging since the primary soilless substrates used to grow containerized crops retain P poorly. Consequently, much of the applied P leaches from containers during irrigation. Reducing amounts of applied P fertilizer and amending substrates (e.g., pine bark) with P-sorbing materials are two methods previously shown to reduce P leaching and increase the proportion of applied P that is absorbed by containerized plants. Four studies were conducted to accomplish two overarching objectives: 1) determine the minimum P fertilization amount necessary for maximal growth of common containerized nursery crops and 2) determine the effect of dolomite (DL) and micronutrient fertilizer (MF) amendments in pine bark on P retention during irrigation. Our findings indicated that P fertilization requirements of woody ornamental crops is species-dependent. When using liquid fertilizer, Japanese holly and evergreen azalea achieved maximal growth when P fertilizer concentrations were reduced by 90% and 40%, respectively, compared to current recommendations. In contrast, the current minimum fertilizer recommendation of 5 ppm P was optimal for panicle hydrangea. In a subsequent study in which containerized woody ornamentals were grown using low-P controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs), bigleaf hydrangea reached maximal growth when given CRFs containing 50% less P than amounts in conventional CRFs. Considering hydrangea and azalea are among the top woody ornamental shrubs produced in the US, using fertilizers with minimally sufficient P amounts for these species could greatly reduce P runoff from nursery sites. Results of two studies conducted to achieve the second aforementioned objective indicated that amending CRF-fertilized pine bark with DL and MF can reduce water-extractable total P concentrations by > 50%. Despite lower levels of plant-available P in the substrate, P uptake by crape myrtle was unaffected by the amendments. The DL was primarily responsible for P retention in pine bark; however, the addition of MF was needed for maximal growth and P uptake of crape myrtle. According to this research, amending pine bark with DL and MF could be considered a best management practice for reducing P leaching from containerized crops.