Integrated phosphorus nutrient sources improve wheat yield and phosphorus use efficiency under sub humid conditions.

Majority of Pakistani soils are deficient in phosphorus. Phosphorus is usually applied in form of synthetic fertilizer. However integrated use of P from synthetic and organic sources can be more profitable and beneficial on sustainable basis. Field trials were conducted at research farm University of Poonch, Rawalakot, AJK, Pakistan for two consecutive years to check the comparative effects of synthetic fertilizer and organic manures applied alone and in combinations on the phosphorus use efficiency (PUE), wheat yield and yield components. Shafaq-06 cultivar of wheat was used as test cultivar. Ten treatments were included: (I) Control (P0) without application of fertilizer; (II) SSP @ 60 kg/ha (P60SSP); (III) SSP @ 90 kg/ha (P90SSP); (IV) SSP @ 120 kg/ha (P120SSP); (V) PM @60 kg/ha (P60PM); (VI) PM @90 kg/ha (P90PM); (VII) PM @120 kg/ha (P120PM); (VIII) SSP @30 kg/ha + PM @30 kg/ha (P30SSP+30PM); (IX) SSP @45 kg/ha + PM @45 kg/ha (P45SSP+45PM); (X) SSP @60 kg/ha + PM @60 kg/ha (P60SSP+60PM) which were laid out under the Randomized Complete Block Design. Significantly higher values for yield of grain (2397 kg/ha) was recorded with PM + SSP @ 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 each. Likewise, FPUE, PIR of wheat and AFPUE was quite higher with combined use of PM and SSP i.e. P60SSP+60PM treatment. Additionally, increase in PUE, wheat yield and yield components associated with combined treated plot would help to minimize the use of high cost synthetic mineral fertilizers and represents an environmentally and agronomically sound management strategy.

Concentrations of fat-soluble nutrients and blood inflammatory compounds in mother-infant dyads at birth.

BACKGROUND: Perinatal inflammation adversely affects health. Therefore, aims of this IRB-approved study are: (1) compare inflammatory compounds within and between maternal and umbilical cord blood samples at the time of delivery, (2) assess relationships between inflammatory compounds in maternal and cord blood with birth characteristics/outcomes, and (3) assess relationships between blood and placental fat-soluble nutrients with blood levels of individual inflammatory compounds. METHODS: Mother-infant dyads were enrolled (n = 152) for collection of birth data and biological samples of maternal blood, umbilical cord blood, and placental tissue. Nutrient levels included: lutein + zeaxanthin; lycopene; α-, ß-carotene; ß-cryptoxanthin; retinol; α-, γ-, δ-tocopherol. Inflammatory compounds included: tumor necrosis factor-α, superoxide dismutase, interleukins (IL) 1ß, 2, 6, 8, 10. RESULTS: Median inflammatory compound levels were 1.2-2.3 times higher in cord vs. maternal blood, except IL2 (1.3 times lower). Multiple significant correlations existed between maternal vs. infant inflammatory compounds (range of r = 0.22-0.48). While relationships existed with blood nutrient levels, the most significant were identified in placenta where all nutrients (except δ-tocopherol) exhibited relationships with inflammatory compounds. Relationships between anti-inflammatory nutrients and proinflammatory compounds were primarily inverse. CONCLUSION: Inflammation is strongly correlated between mother-infant dyads. Fat-soluble nutrients have relationships with inflammatory compounds, suggesting nutrition is a modifiable factor. IMPACT: Mother and newborn inflammation status are strongly interrelated. Levels of fat-soluble nutrients in blood, but especially placenta, are associated with blood levels of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory compounds in both mother and newborn infant. As fat-soluble nutrient levels are associated with blood inflammatory compounds, nutrition is a modifiable factor to modulate inflammation and improve perinatal outcomes.

Metabolites, Nutrients, and Lifestyle Factors in Relation to Coffee Consumption: An Environment-Wide Association Study.

Coffee consumption has been inversely associated with various diseases; however, the underlying mechanisms are not entirely clear. We used data of 17,752 Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey participants to investigate the association of 245 metabolites, nutrients, and lifestyle factors with coffee consumption. We used data from the first phase (n = 8825) to identify factors with a false discovery rate of <5%. We then replicated our results using data from the second phase (n = 8927). Regular coffee consumption was positively associated with active and passive smoking, serum lead and urinary cadmium concentrations, dietary intake of potassium and magnesium, and aspirin intake. In contrast, regular coffee consumption was inversely associated with serum folate and red blood cell folate levels, serum vitamin E and C, and beta-cryptoxanthin concentrations, Healthy Eating Index score, and total serum bilirubin. Most of the aforementioned associations were also observed for caffeinated beverage intake. In our assessment of the association between coffee consumption and selected metabolites, nutrients, and lifestyle factors, we observed that regular coffee and caffeinated beverage consumption was strongly associated with smoking, serum lead levels, and poorer dietary habits.

Switching from branched-chain amino acid granules to branched-chain amino acid-enriched nutrient improves the branched-chain amino acid-to-tyrosine ratio in patients with cirrhosis with hypoalbuminemia: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to elucidate the effect of switching from branched-chain amino acid granules to branched-chain amino acid-enriched nutrient in patients with cirrhosis with hypoalbuminemia. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with cirrhosis with hypoalbuminemia despite treatment with branched-chain amino acid granules containing 12 g of branched-chain amino acid were enrolled in the prospective study. The branched-chain amino acid-enriched nutrient and control groups were composed of 16 and 10 patients, respectively. The patients in branched-chain amino acid-enriched nutrient group switched to branched-chain amino acid-enriched nutrient mixture containing 12.2 g of branched-chain amino acid and 410 kcal with a half of it consumed as a late evening snack, and the patients in the control group continued branched-chain amino acid granules. Laboratory data related to nutrition parameter were assessed at baseline, 3 months after baseline, and at 6 months after baseline. RESULTS: Two patients were withdrawn; hence, nine and 15 patients in the branched-chain amino acid granules and branched-chain amino acid-enriched nutrient groups, respectively, were subjected to full analysis. Serum albumin levels and total lymphocyte counts in both groups did not change in the study period. The branched-chain amino acid-to-tyrosine ratio in the branched-chain amino acid-enriched nutrient group significantly increased from baseline to 6 months after baseline (P = 0.030), whereas that in the control group did not increase. CONCLUSION: Switching from branched-chain amino acid granules to branched-chain amino acid-enriched nutrients improves branched-chain amino acid-to-tyrosine ratio in patients with cirrhosis with hypoalbuminemia.

Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Selenium and Vitamin E on Growth Performance, Nutrient Apparent Digestibility and Blood Parameters in Female Sika Deer (Cervus nippon).

To evaluate the effects of selenium (Se) and vitamin E (Vit E) on female sika deer. This study was conducted using a 3 × 2 + 1 factorial experiment. Depending on treatment design, the deer were fed with the basal diet supplemented with 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 mg of selenium as well as 100 and 200 IU of vitamin E per kg of dry matter (DM). Accordingly, six groups named G1 to G6 are involved in this study. In addition, group G0 was available in the study, in which the deer were fed with only basal diet. The results show that the final body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), and apparent digestibility of crude protein, ether extract, and neutral detergent fiber of the deer in G1 to G6 increased as the selenium level increased from 0.2 to 0.3 mg per kg of DM (P < 0.05). Higher IgG content of the deer was observed with the intake of selenium and vitamin E (P < 0.05). The total content of protein of the deer in G3 was higher than that in G0 (P < 0.05), and the activity of glutathione peroxidase increased following the increase in the supplementation levels of selenium and vitamin E (P < 0.05). Furthermore, selenium had significant effects on the concentration of T4 and T3 (P < 0.05). The optimum levels of selenium and vitamin E for 1-year-old female sika deer were 0.3 mg and 100 IU per kg of dietary DM, respectively.

EFFECT OF A NUTRIENT ENEMA ON SERUM NUTRIENT CONCENTRATIONS IN WHITE-SPOTTED BAMBOO SHARKS (CHILOSCYLLIUM PLAGIOSUM).

Ill and anorectic captive sharks present a unique challenge for husbandry and veterinary staff. Providing adequate fluid and nutritional support to sharks while minimizing handling remains difficult. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of a nutrient enema to alter blood analyte concentrations. Thirty-six healthy, fasted white-spotted bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) were enrolled in the study with 18 sharks receiving a nutrient enema and 18 sharks receiving a non-nutrient saline enema. The metabolic state of sharks was evaluated via measurement of blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen, and ß-hydroxybutyrate as well as other serum biochemistry parameters. Changes in sodium, chloride, calcium, ß-hydroxybutyrate, glucose, total protein, and triglyceride concentrations were seen across time in both groups. Blood glucose absolute concentrations and changes over time differed between the nutrient and nonnutrient groups. This pilot study indicates that it is possible to influence the glucose metabolism of healthy sharks via nutrient enema. Further study is needed to better understand potential therapeutics for ill and anorectic sharks.

Feed-efficient pigs exhibit molecular patterns allowing a timely circulation of hormones and nutrients.

Feed efficiency (FE) is a measure of the rate between feed intake and body weight gain and is subject to constant progress in pigs, based on extensive performance tests and analyses of physiological parameters. However, endocrine regulatory circuits that comprise the sensation and perception of intrinsic requirements and appropriate systemic responses have not yet been fully elucidated. It is hypothesized that the gut-brain axis, which is a network of hierarchical anterior regulatory tissues, contributes largely to variations in FE. Therefore, full-sib pigs with extreme residual feed intake values were assigned to experimental groups of high and low FE. Relevant hormones, minerals, and metabolites including fatty acid profiles were analyzed in serum to assess postprandial conditions. Transcriptome profiles were deduced from intestinal (duodenum, jejunum, ileum) and neuroendocrine tissues (hypothalamus). Serum analyses of feed-efficient animals showed an increased content of the incretin GIP, calcium, magnesium, ß-hydroxybutyric acid, and fat compared with low-FE pigs. Complementary expression profiles in intestinal tissues indicate a modulated permeability and host-microbe interaction in FE-divergent pigs. Transcriptomic analyses of the hypothalamus showed that differences between the FE groups in appetite and satiety regulation are less pronounced. However, hypothalamic abundance of transcripts like ADCY7, LHCGR, and SLC2A7 and molecular signatures in local and systemic tissue sites indicate that increased allocation and circulation of energy equivalents, minerals, and hormones are promoted in feed-efficient animals. Overall, patterns of gastrointestinal hormones and gene expression profiles identified host-microbiota interaction, intestinal permeability, feed intake regulation, and energy expenditure as potential mechanisms affecting FE in pigs.