Malnutrition and liver disease in a developing country

Malnutrition is a highly prevalent and under recognized condition in developing countries of South Asia.The presence of malnutrition causes a severe impact on patients with liver cirrhosis.The etiology of cirrhosis differs in the South Asian region compared to the West,with hepatitis B and C still being the leading causes and the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease increasing over time.Comorbid malnutrition worsens outcomes for cirrhosis patients.Urgent attention to address malnutrition is needed to improve patient outcomes.The etiology and pathophysiology of malnutrition in liver diseases is multifactorial,as reduction in liver function affects both macronutrients and micronutrients.A need for nutritional status assessment for liver disease patients exists in all parts of the world.There are many widely studied tools in use to perform a thorough nutritional assessment,of which some tools are low cost and do not require extensive training.These tools can be studied and evaluated for use in the resource limited setting of a country like Pakistan.Treatment guidelines for proper nutrition maintenance in chronic liver disease exist for all parts of the world,but the knowledge and practice of nutritional counseling in Pakistan is poor,both amongst patients and physicians.Emphasis on assessment for nutritional status at the initial visit with recording of vital signs is needed.Simultaneously,treating physicians need to be made aware of the misconceptions surrounding nutritional restrictions in cirrhosis so that patient education is done correctly based on proper scientific evidence.

Effects of Branched-chain Amino Acids on Nutritional Metabolism and Pharmacoeconomics in Patients with Severe Abdominal Trauma

Objective:To observe the influences of branched-chain amino acids(BCAAs)on nutrition metabolism and prognosis of patients with severe abdominal trauma;at the same time,to analyze and evaluate the pharmacoeconomics of it.Methods:A total of 75 severe abdominal trauma patients were recruited from June 2016 to December 2017 and randomly divided into control group and observation group.After surgery and basic treatment,parenteral nutrition support therapy with iso-nitrogen and iso-calorie of both groups was administered.Meanwhile,an equivalent of 8.5%(18AA-Ⅱ)and 10%(20AA)compound AA injection was administrated to the control and observation groups,respectively.The nitrogen balance,serum protein level and plasma amino spectrum of the patients were observed before and after treatment.Besides,the hospital stay,survival rate,complications,adverse reactions and hospitalization costs were also compared.Results:After a 7-day course treatment,the nitrogen balance level of the two groups was significantly improved,but no significant difference was found between them.In addition,the serum protein level and plasma amino spectrum of the two groups was generally improved when compared to before treatment.Compared with the control group,the level of albumin and transferrin in the observation group was improved significantly after treatment,while no difference in plasma amino spectrum was found between the two groups.Moreover,the cost analysis showed remarkably reduced hospitalization costs in the observation group.Conclusion:To a certain degree,BCAAs could improve the nutritional metabolism and prognosis of patients with severe abdominal trauma,and have good cost-effectiveness.

Nutritional and Metabolic Profile in Diabetic Patients and Relationship with Metabolic Syndrome

Background & Objectives: Diabetes and metabolic syndrome spread alarmingly throughout the whole world including Algeria, so our study makes the links closer between these two entities and that through studying nutritional, metabolic and physical profiles. Study Design: 204 patients were recruited and interviewed (anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, age, sex, personal and family history, the practice of physical activity and evaluation of food consumption). Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the western Algerian region (Sidi Bel Abbes). Patients with MetS are defined according to the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III). Results: The results show that the frequency of the metabolic syndrome is 86.27% with predominance of women (92.15% women vs 80.39% men). The age group most affected by the MetS among women and men is [54 - 79] years. We also note that 51.28% of men present three criteria of MetS, while 65.21% of women have four and five criteria. The results show that the criteria most dominant in men are hypertension and type 2 diabetes, whereas in women, the high waist is the most abundant criterion. Moreover, the whole is underlined by a low physical activity with only 21.56% who practice it regularly (15.95% women vs 28.04% men). The estimate of food intake shows a qualitative imbalance: protein intake is 19.65% in women vs. 19.43% in men represented mainly by vegetable protein (83.72% for women vs. 72.85% for men);lipids intake is characterized by a lower consumption than the recommendation of the Mediterranean diet concerning the mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (39.44% among women vs 40.24% at the men), as in poly unsaturated fatty-acids including (PUFA) (23.30% among women vs 23.64% at the men) whereas an increase in the consumption of the saturated fatty-acids (SFA) is observed in the whole population including (37.24% among women vs 36.10% at the men);lower concentration in calcium, magnesium and en fibers;important concentration of sodium and an insufficient contribution of water. Conclusion: We should be aware of the importance of the modulation of these risk factors through harmonization of “lifestyle” to prevent the occurrence of metabolic syndrome.

Studies of Sulphur- and Iron-induced Copper Deficiency in Tibetan Sheep

The clinical signs of Tibetan sheep with sulphur- and iron-induced copper deficiency in Maqu County of Gansu Province were defined as thin, decreased appetite, neonatal ataxia, pica, emaciation, and loss of hair color and anemia. The mineral composition of soil and forage, and samples of liver, blood and hair from Tibetan sheep in affected ranches in this region were compared with those from unaffected areas. The mean concentration of iron in soil and forage in affected pasture was 19 675 ±791 and 1 763 ±197 μg/g, respectively, compared with 8 761 ±871 and 357 ±39 μg/g in unaffected pasture. The mean concentration of sulphur in soil and forage in affected pasture was 1.98% ±0.79% and 0.88% ±0.16%, respectively, compared with 1.16%±0.26% and 0.47%±0.16%in unaffected pasture. The mean copper concentrations in soil and forage from the affected pastures were 15.9±1.8 and 6.7±1.6 μg/g, respectively, compared with 16.7±1.9 and 8.9±2.7 μg/g in unaffected pasture.The mean concentration of Cu in blood, liver, and hair from the affected Tibetan sheep were 0.32±0.12, 51.2±3.1 and 2.16±0.65μg/g, respectively, compared with 0.76±0.21, 191±11 and 3.27±0.96 μg/g for healthy animals. Oral administration of CuClO(OH)3prevented and cured anemia. We conclude that wool eating of Tibetan sheep in this region is probably caused by secondary Cu deficiency, mainly due to the high iron and sulphur contents in soils and forage.

Increased maternal consumption of methionine as its hydroxyl analog promoted neonatal intestinal growth without compromising maternal energy homeostasis

Background： To determine responses of neonatal intestine to maternal increased consumption of DL-methionine（DLM） or DL-2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid（HMTBA）, eighteen primiparous sows（Landrace × Yorkshire） were allocated based on body weight and backfat thickness to the control, DLM and HMTBA groups（n = 6）, with the nutritional treatments introduced from postpartum d0 to d14.Results： The DLM-fed sows showed negative energy balance manifested by lost bodyweight, lower plasma glucose, subdued tricarboxylic acid cycle, and increased plasma lipid metabolites levels. Both villus height and ratio of villus height to crypt depth averaged across the small intestine of piglets were higher in the DLM and HMTBA groups than in the control group. Piglet jejunal oxidized glutathione concentration and ratio of oxidized to reduced glutathione were lower in the HMTBA group than in the DLM and control groups. However, piglet jejunal aminopeptidase A, carnitine transporter 2 and IGF-II precursor m RNA abundances were higher in the DLM group than in the HMTBA and control groups.Conclusion： Increasing maternal consumption of methionine as DLM and HMTBA promoted neonatal intestinal growth by increasing morphological development or up-regulating expression of genes responsible for nutrient metabolism. And increasing maternal consumption of HMTBA promoted neonatal intestinal antioxidant capacity without compromising maternal energy homeostasis during early lactation.

Effects of biochanin A on lactational performance,nitrogen metabolism,and blood metabolites in dairy cows

Optimizing nitrogen utilization efficiency and mitigating nitrogen losses in cows plays a pivotal role in fostering economic sustainability within contemporary agricultural systems.Biochanin A(BCA),a natural component in red clover,has the potential to improve nitrogen metabolism in dairy cows.The primary objective of this study was to probe the impact of biochanin A supplementation on lactational performance,nitrogen metabolism,and blood metabolites in dairy cows.A complete randomized block design experiment was conducted over 28 d,involving 36 multiparous Holstein cows(comparable milk yield=37.1±2.90 kg,BW=642±70.0 kg,days in milk=92±8.0 d,and parity=2.4±0.50),which were allocated to three treatment groups:the Control group(with 0 g/d BCA),the Low group(with 10 g/d per cow BCA),and the High group(with 40 g/d per cow BCA).Biochanin A supplementation improved the lactational performance of cows by increasing milk yield by 6.3%(P=0.007)and feed efficiency by 12.7%(P=0.009).Total intestinal apparent digestibility was unaffected by BCA supplementation(P>0.05),but microbial nitrogen was increased by 30.0%(P=0.002)for promoting nitrogen utilization efficiency by 20.7%(P=0.004).Milk competent yields(protein,lactose,and non-fat milk solid)were increased with increasing BCA supplementation(P 0.05).BCA did not affect body health of dairy cows.Additionally,none of the plasma endocrine hormones were affected(P>0.05).A total of 95 significantly different metabolites were screened from the plasma metabolites of cows in the BCA-added and non-added groups.After performing an enrichment analysis of the metabolic pathways associated with the different metabolites,six specific pathways were identified:bile acid biosynthesis,aspartate metabolism,pyrimidine metabolism,arginine and proline metabolism,the urea cycle,and ammonia recycling.The inclusion of BCA is suggested to enhance milk yield and modulate nitrogen metabolism by influencing relevant metabolites within the metabolic pathways.

Metabolic and immunological effects of gut microbiota in leaf beetles at the local and systemic levels

Insects’intestinal microbes have profound effects on the host’s physiological traits,which can impact their physiology at both the local(gut)and systemic(body)levels.Nevertheless,the molecular mechanisms underlying hostmicrobiota interactions,especially in non-model insects,remain elusive.Recently,tissue-specific transcriptomic analysis has been highlighted as a robust tool in studying host–microbe interactions.Plagiodera versicolora is a worldwide leaf-eating pest that primarily feeds on willows and poplar.The interplay between gut microflora and this host beetle has yet to be studied.Herein,we investigate the effects of the gut microbiota on the body mass of P.versicolora larvae,compare the nutrition status of larvae in absence and presence of gut microbiota,and profile gut bacterial loads throughout its developmental larval stages.We then perform comparative transcriptomic analysis of gut and body tissues in axenic and non-axenic larvae.Finally,we confirm the expression patterns of representative genes in nutritional metabolism and immunity.Results show that weight growth is retarded in conventional larvae,with a concomitant increase of total bacterial load by the 5^(th)development day,and germ-free larvae have a higher glucose content than conventional-reared larvae.Both nutritional and immunological analyses indicate that gut bacteria are a burden in the beetle’s larval development.These findings elucidate the impacts of gut microbiota on P.versicolora,and provide insight into tissue-specific responses to gut microflora in this pest at the genetic level,boosting our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying host–microbe interactions in leaf beetles and beyond.