Starvation-resistant cavefish reveal conserved mechanisms of starvation-induced hepatic lipotoxicity.

Starvation causes the accumulation of lipid droplets in the liver, a somewhat counterintuitive phenomenon that is nevertheless conserved from flies to humans. Much like fatty liver resulting from overfeeding, hepatic lipid accumulation (steatosis) during undernourishment can lead to lipotoxicity and atrophy of the liver. Here, we found that although surface populations of Astyanax mexicanus undergo this evolutionarily conserved response to starvation, the starvation-resistant cavefish larvae of the same species do not display an accumulation of lipid droplets upon starvation. Moreover, cavefish are resistant to liver atrophy during starvation, providing a unique system to explore strategies for liver protection. Using comparative transcriptomics between zebrafish, surface fish, and cavefish, we identified the fatty acid transporter slc27a2a/fatp2 to be correlated with the development of fatty liver. Pharmacological inhibition of slc27a2a in zebrafish rescues steatosis and atrophy of the liver upon starvation. Furthermore, down-regulation of FATP2 in Drosophila larvae inhibits the development of starvation-induced steatosis, suggesting the evolutionarily conserved importance of the gene in regulating fatty liver upon nutrition deprivation. Overall, our study identifies a conserved, druggable target to protect the liver from atrophy during starvation.

Exposure to Chinese famine in early life and height across 2 generations: a longitudinal study based on the China Health and Nutrition Survey.

BACKGROUND: Poor nutrition early in life is associated with short stature, which is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in later life. Less evidence is available about the impact of early-life nutrition on height growth in the subsequent generation. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the associations of famine exposure in utero and early childhood with height across 2 generations. METHODS: We used longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. We included 5401 participants (F1) born in 1955-1966 (calendar year around the Chinese famine in 1959-1961) and their 3930 biological offspring (F2). We classified F1 participants into subgroups by famine exposure status (unexposed/exposed) and timing (fetal-/childhood-exposed) according to their birth year and grouped F2 by their parents' exposure. Linear regression models were applied to examine the associations of famine exposure with adult height of F1 and F2. Linear mixed effect models with fractional polynomial functions were performed to estimate the difference in height between exposure groups of F2 during childhood. RESULTS: Participants (F1) exposed to famine in utero or in childhood were shorter than those unexposed by 0.41 cm (95% CI: 0.03, 0.80) and 1.12 cm (95% CI: 0.75, 1.48), respectively. Offspring (F2) of exposed fathers were also shorter than those of unexposed parents by 1.07 cm (95% CI: 0.28, 1.86) during childhood (<18 y) and by 1.25 cm (95% CI: 0.07, 2.43) in adulthood (≥18 y), and those with exposed parents had a reduced height during childhood by 1.29 cm (95% CI: 0.68, 1.89) (all P values < 0.05). The associations were more pronounced among child offspring of highly-educated F1, particularly for paternal exposure and among female offspring (all P for interaction < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the intergenerational associations of famine exposure in early life with height in Chinese populations, indicating the public health significance of improving the nutritional status of mothers and children in the long run.

Coma irreversível em paciente portadora de esquizofrenia paranóide: encefalopatia de Wernicke após síndrome de realimentação: um relato de caso / Irreversible coma in a patient with paranoid schizophrenia: Wernicke encephalopathy after refeeding syndrome: a case report

Encefalopatia de Wernicke (EW) e síndrome de realimentação (SR) são duas condições frequentemente coexistentes, subdiagnosticadas e que podem implicar prognóstico reservado após sua instalação. Sua identificação precoce representa um desafio para os intensivistas, haja vista a falta de sensibilidade e especificidade das manifestações clínicas. Apresenta-se um relato de caso de uma paciente portadora de esquizofrenia paranoide, sem histórico de abuso de álcool, que desenvolveu quadro de coma irreversível após greve de fome, sendo feito diagnóstico tardio de EW associada a SR. Descreve-se a evolução clínica e neuropsiquiátrica com o intuito de enfatizar a necessidade crucial de alta suspeição diagnóstica, com reposição vitamínica imediata, vigilância de distúrbios eletrolíticos e progressão parcimoniosa do aporte nutricional. (AU)

Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) and refeeding syndrome (RFS) are two often coexisting, underdiagnosed conditions that may involve a poor prognosis after their onset. Early identification represents a challenge for intensivists, given the lack of sensitivity and specificity of clinical manifestations. We report a case of a patient with paranoid schizophrenia, without a history of alcohol abuse, who developed irreversible coma after a hunger strike, with a late diagnosis of WE associated with RFS. The clinical and neuropsychiatric outcomes are described herein in order to emphasize the crucial need for a high diagnostic suspicion, with immediate vitamin replacement, monitoring of electrolyte disorders, and gradual progression of nutritional support. (AU)

Severe protein-calorie malnutrition in two brothers due to abuse by starvation / Desnutrição proteico-calórica grave em dois irmãos devido ao abuso por privação alimentar

Abstract Objective: To describe the case of two siblings with severe protein-calorie malnutrition due to abuse by starvation. Cases description: The two patients were simultaneously referred to the Hospital Municipal, where they were admitted to the Pediatric Gastroenterology clinic of a university hospital for diagnostic investigation of the cause of severe malnutrition and screening tests for Celiac Disease, Cystic Fibrosis and Environmental enteropathy among others. The exams were all normal, and after detailed research on the interactions of this family, we reached the conclusion that the malnutrition was due to abuse by starvation. The children spent approximately two months in the hospital, receiving a high-protein and high-calorie diet, with significant nutritional recovery. Comments: Abuse by starvation, although rare, should always be considered of as one of the causes of child malnutrition and pediatrician should be aware of the child's development, as well as the family interactions, to prevent more severe nutritional and emotional consequences in the future.

Resumo Objetivo: Descrever os casos de dois irmãos acometidos de desnutrição proteico-calórica grave causada por abuso por privação alimentar. Descrição dos caso: Os dois pacientes vieram simultaneamente encaminhados de hospital municipal, onde estavam internados, ao Ambulatório de Gastrenterologia Pediátrica de um hospital universitário para investigação diagnóstica da causa de desnutrição grave. Foram feitos exames para pesquisa de doença celíaca, fibrose cística e enteropatia ambiental, entre outras. Os exames mostraram-se todos normais e, após investigação detalhada sobre o relacionamento dessa família, chegou-se à conclusão de que a desnutrição tinha como causa o abuso por privação alimentar. As crianças passaram cerca de 2 meses internadas, receberam uma dieta hiperproteica e hipercalórica, com recuperação nutricional significativa. Comentários: O abuso por privação alimentar, embora raro, deve sempre ser pensado como uma das causas de desnutrição infantil, deve o pediatra estar atento ao desenvolvimento da criança, bem como ao seu relacionamento familiar, para evitar consequências nutricionais e emocionais mais graves no futuro.

Cetoacidosis no diabética en una mujer embarazada, debido a inanición aguda con gripe A (H1N1) concomitante e insuficiencia respiratoria / Nondiabetic ketoacidosis in a pregnant woman due to acute starvation with concomitant influenza A (H1N1) and respiratory failure

Raramente se reporta la acidosis metabólica resistente de riesgo debido a cetoacidosis no diabética por inanición a corto plazo. La cetoacidosis grave debida a inanición es una situación infrecuente y lo es más aún durante el embarazo con situación clínica estresante concomitante. Este informe de un caso presenta a una mujer no diabética ingresada en cuidados intensivos debido a insuficiencia respiratoria tipo 1 durante el tercer trimestre de embarazo, con acidosis metabólica grave resistente a tratamiento médico. Diagnosticamos a la paciente de cetoacidosis por inanición, basándonos en su historia y la ausencia de otras causas de acidosis metabólica con anión gap elevado, tras la realización de un análisis riguroso de su trastorno ácido-base

Threatening refractory metabolic acidosis due to short-term starvation nondiabetic ketoacidosis is rarely reported. Severe ketoacidosis due to starvation itself is a rare occurrence, and more so in pregnancy with a concomitant stressful clinical situation. This case report presents a nondiabetic woman admitted in intensive care for respiratory failure type 1 during the third trimester of pregnancy with a severe metabolic acidosis refractory to medical treatment. We diagnosed the patient with acute starvation ketoacidosis based on her history and the absence of other causes of high anion gap metabolic acidosis after doing a rigorous analysis of her acid-base disorder

Gasto basal energético en cirugía / Basal metabolic energy expenditure during surgery

La estimación de las demandas metabólicas está sujeta a una gran variabilidad derivada de la talla,el peso,la edad,la actividad física,la ADE y el aumento de demandas metabólicas del proceso patológico.La calorimetría indirecta,efectuada con los modernos monitores metabólicos(en este estudio se utilizó el MGMTWO, Medicor Inc.) dan una buena estimación del GBE.En el presenteestudio se muestra la utilidad del GBE medido y expresado en índice de superficie.En el enfermo quirúrgico se utilizó el indice catabólico de Bristrian para estimar la magnitud del estrés. Se efectuaron 171 observaciones en 85 sujetos,que muestran datos significativos en los siguientes aspectos:confiabilidad del GBE medido y expresado por índice de superficie; relación de la edad con el GBE; influencia del postoperatorio y la sepsis sobre el GBE y el IC; relación del aporte calórico nitrogenado sobre el balance nitrogenado en función del IC; utilización proteica y grado de estrés, y acción dinámica específica del aporte calórico administrado.

The protective effects of feeding on the hepatic ultrastructure of rats treated with hypoglycin

Hypoglycin is a toxic amino acid found in the fruit of the unripe ackee (Blighia sapida), and associated with Jamaican "vomiting sickness". It produces profound hypoglycaemia when administered to starved rats, and this is accompanied by gross mitochondrial swelling in liver cells. This ultrastructural change is reduced or absent in animals that have been allowed to feed ad libitum, provided that normal blood glucose levels are maintained. Mitochondrial swelling is not a feature of acute hypoglycaemia induced by insulin, under the conditions of this experiment.(AU)