Pregnancy thiamine and riboflavin intake and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Thiamine and riboflavin deficiencies exist to varying degrees worldwide, especially in developing countries. Evidence regarding the association between thiamine and riboflavin intake and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is scarce. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the association of thiamine and riboflavin intake during pregnancy, including dietary source and supplementation, with GDM risk in a prospective cohort study. METHODS: We included 3036 pregnant women (923 in the first trimester and 2113 in the second trimester) from the Tongji Birth Cohort. A validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and a lifestyle questionnaire were used to assess thiamine and riboflavin intake from dietary source and supplementation, respectively. GDM was diagnosed using the 75 g 2-h oral glucose tolerance test at 24-28 weeks of gestation. A modified Poisson regression or logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between thiamine and riboflavin intake and GDM risk. RESULTS: Dietary intake of thiamine and riboflavin was at low levels during pregnancy. In the fully adjusted model, compared with participants in quartile 1 (Q1), those who had more total thiamine and riboflavin intake had a lower risk of GDM during the first trimester [thiamine: Q2: RR: 0.58 (95% CI: 0.34, 0.98); Q3: RR: 0.45 (95% CI: 0.24, 0.84); Q4: RR: 0.35 (95% CI: 0.17, 0.72), P for trend = 0.002; riboflavin: Q2: RR: 0.63 (95% CI: 0.37, 1.09); Q3: RR: 0.45 (95% CI: 0.24, 0.87); Q4: RR: 0.39 (95% CI: 0.19, 0.79), P for trend = 0.006]. This association was also observed during the second trimester. Similar results were observed for the association between thiamine and riboflavin supplement use but not dietary intake and GDM risk. CONCLUSIONS: Higher intake of thiamine and riboflavin during pregnancy is associated with a lower incidence of GDM. This trial was registered at http://www.chictr.org.cn as ChiCTR1800016908.

Postpartum dietary intake, depression and the concentration of docosahexaenoic acid in mature breast milk in Wuhan, China.

Background: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6) is an important fatty acid in breast milk and is essential for infantile growth and cognitive development. However, the factors that affect the DHA concentration in breast milk have not been completely clarified. Objective: This study aimed to characterize the composition of breast milk fatty acids and to identify maternal factors associated with breast milk DHA concentration in postpartum women in Wuhan, China. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed milk fatty acids in 115 lactating women at 30-120 days postpartum using GC-MS. Maternal sociodemographic, health and other information were collected using a self-reported questionnaire. Maternal dietary intake information was collected through a 24-hour dietary recall method. Postpartum depression status was identified using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Results: The mean DHA proportion in breast milk was 0.49%. The multivariate regression model showed that the milk DHA proportion was positively associated with maternal aquatic product intake (ß = 0.183, 95%CI: 0.052, 0.314) and DHA supplement use (ß = 0.146, 95%CI: 0.108, 0.185), and negatively associated with postpartum depression status (ß = -0.122, 95%CI: -0.243, -0.002) after adjustment for several maternal and infant factors. Conclusion: Increasing maternal aquatic product intake and DHA supplement use and improving postpartum depression status may increase DHA concentration in breast milk in lactating women.

The protective effect of zinc, selenium, and chromium on myocardial fibrosis in the offspring of rats with gestational diabetes mellitus.

The offspring of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) mothers are considered to be at the risk of cardiovascular diseases due to intrauterine hyperglycemia exposure. Our previous study showed that zinc, selenium, and chromium dramatically alleviated glucose intolerance in GDM rats and their offspring (P < 0.05). However, the effects of these elements on the damage of the cardiac myocytes of GDM offspring and the underlying mechanisms have not been demonstrated. Here, we investigated the beneficial effects of zinc (10 mg per kg bw), selenium (20 µg per kg bw), and chromium (20 µg per kg bw) supplementation on myocardial fibrosis in the offspring of GDM rats induced by a high-fat and sucrose (HFS) diet. The results showed that maternal GDM induced glucose intolerance, oxidative stress, cardiac inflammation and myocardial fibrosis in offspring rats during different ages (3 days, 3 weeks, and adulthood), which were ameliorated by zinc, selenium and chromium supplementation (P < 0.05). The activity of cardiac damage markers such as creatine kinase-myocardial band isoenzyme (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) decreased by 40-60% in element-supplemented offspring compared to that in non-supplemented offspring of GDM dams (P < 0.05). Moreover, maternal GDM-induced expression of fibrosis-related proteins and the transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-ß1)/small mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 (Smad3) signaling pathway in the heart tissue of offspring was down-regulated by zinc, selenium, and chromium supplementation (P < 0.05). In conclusion, zinc, selenium, and chromium may play a protective role in maternal GDM-induced myocardial fibrosis in offspring from birth to adulthood by inactivating the TGF-ß1/Smad3 pathway.

Ameliorative Effect of Chitosan Oligosaccharides on Hepatic Encephalopathy by Reshaping Gut Microbiota and Gut-Liver Axis.

This study investigated the influence of chitosan oligosaccharides (COSs) on a thioacetamide-induced hepatic encephalopathy (HE) Wistar rat model. COS treatment statistically reduced the false neurotransmitters and blood ammonia in HE rats, along with the suppression of oxidative stress and inflammation. The disbalanced gut microbiota was detected in HE rats by 16S rDNA sequencing, but the abundance alterations of some intestinal bacteria at either the phylum or genus level were at least partly restored by COS treatment. According to metabolomics analysis of rat feces, six metabolism pathways with the greatest response to HE were screened, several of which were remarkably reversed by COS. The altered metabolites might serve as a bridge for the alleviated HE rats treated with COS and the enhanced intestinal bacterial structure. This study provides novel guidance to develop novel food or dietary supplements to improve HE diseases due to the potential beneficial effect of COS on gut-liver axis.

Transgenerational effects of zinc, selenium and chromium supplementation on glucose homeostasis in female offspring of gestational diabetes rats.

Clinical studies have demonstrated that maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases the offspring's risk of developing glucose intolerance. Our previous study reported that co-supplementation with zinc, selenium, and chromium improved insulin resistance in diet-induced GDM rats. Here, Transgenerational effects of supplementation with zinc (10 mg/kg.bw), selenium (20 µg/kg.bw), and chromium (20 µg/kg.bw) in F1 female offspring of both zinc, selenium and chromium (ZnSeCr)-treated, and untreated GDM rats daily by gavage from weaning to the postpartum were investigated in the present study. Glucose homeostasis in the F1 female offspring of GDM at different stages were evaluated. Maternal GDM did increase the birth mass of newborn F1 female offspring, as well as the serum glucose and insulin levels. Zinc, selenium and chromium supplementation attenuated the GDM-induced mass gain, increased serum glucose and insulin levels in the female neonates. The high fat and sucrose (HFS) diet-fed GDM-F1 offspring developed GDM, with glucose intolerance, hyperglycemia and insulin resistance during pregnancy. Moreover, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related protein levels were increased and the activation of insulin signaling pathways were reduced in the liver of HFS-fed GDM-F1 offspring. Whereas glucose homeostasis in parallel with insulin sensitivity was normalized in the female offspring of GDM by supplementation both F0 dams and F1 offspring with zinc, selenium and chromium, not in those either F0 or F1 elements supplemented offspring. Therefore, we speculate that zinc, selenium and chromium supplementation may have a potential beneficial transgenerational effect on the glucose homeostasis in the female offspring of GDM.

Soil microbial community and association network shift induced by several tall fescue cultivars during the phytoremediation of a petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil.

Biodegradation of soil contaminants may be promoted near plant roots due to the "rhizosphere effect" which may enhance microbial growth and activity. However, the effects of different plant cultivars within a single species on degradation remains unclear. Here, we evaluated the removal of soil total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) by ten different cultivars of tall fescue grass (Festuca arundinacea L.) and their associated rhizosphere microbiomes. TPH removal efficiency across the ten different cultivars was not significantly correlated with plant biomass. Rhizing Star and Greenbrooks cultivars showed the maximum (76.6%) and minimum (62.2%) TPH removal efficiencies, respectively, after 120 days. Significant differences were observed between these two cultivars in the composition of rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities, especially during the early stages (day 30) of remediation but the differences decreased later (day 90). Putative petroleum-degrading bacterial and fungal guilds were enriched in the presence of tall fescue. Moreover, the complexity of microbial networks declined in treatments with higher TPH removal efficiency. The relative abundances of saprotrophic fungi and putative genes alkB and C12O in bacetria involved in petroleum degradation increased, especially in the presence of Rhizing Star cultivar, and this was consistent with the TPH removal efficiency results. These results indicate the potential of tall fescue grass cultivars and their associated rhizosphere microbiomes to phytoremediate petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils.

Zinc, selenium and chromium co-supplementation improves insulin resistance by preventing hepatic endoplasmic reticulum stress in diet-induced gestational diabetes rats.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common pregnancy complications and results in adverse outcomes for pregnant women and their offspring. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is associated with insulin resistance and implicates in the development of GDM. Zinc, selenium and chromium have been shown to maintain glucose homeostasis via multiple mechanisms, but how these trace elements affect the insulin resistance and ER stress in GDM are largely unknown. To address this, a GDM rat model was induced by feeding female Sprague-Dawley rats a high-fat (45%) and sucrose diet, while zinc (10 mg/kg.bw), selenium (20 ug/kg.bw), chromium (20 ug/kg.bw) were daily supplemented alone or in combination from 6 weeks before mating to the end of lactation period. Maternal metabolic parameters, hepatic ER stress and insulin signaling were analyzed. The results showed that zinc, selenium and chromium co-supplementation dramatically alleviated high-fat and sucrose-induced glucose intolerance and oxidative stress during entire experiment period. Hepatic ER stress as well as the unfolded protein response was activated in GDM dams, characterized by the up-regulation of glucose-regulated protein 78, phosphorylated the protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase, and the inositol-requiring enzyme 1α. Zinc, selenium and chromium supplementation significantly prevented this activation, by which contributes to the promotion of the phosphorylated protein kinase B related insulin signaling and maintenance of glucose homeostasis. In conclusion, zinc, selenium and chromium supplementation may be a promising way to prevent the development of GDM by alleviating hepatic ER stress.

Enrichment of the soil microbial community in the bioremediation of a petroleum-contaminated soil amended with rice straw or sawdust.

Two common organic wastes from agriculture (rice straw) and forestry (sawdust) were applied to a petroleum-contaminated soil to estimate their effectiveness in the removal of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Rice straw was the more effective amendment than the other treatments in reducing TPH contents and addition of sawdust resulted in a significant decrease in PAH removal, particularly high-molecular-weight (5-6 ring) PAHs. Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) indicates that rice straw treatment separated only the bacterial community but sawdust greatly affected both the soil bacterial and fungal communities. Moreover, the abundance of some petroleum degraders such as the bacteria Sphingomonas, Idiomarina and Phenylobacterium and the fungi Humicola, Wallemia and Graphium was promoted by inputs of the two agricultural and forestry wastes. These results highlight the potential of waste applications in accelerating hydrocarbon biodegradation which may be attributed to the enrichment of keystone taxa that show strong positive associations with hydrocarbon degradation.