Manganese hyperaccumulation capacity of Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hil. and occurrence of interveinal chlorosis induced by transient toxicity.

Manganese (Mn) toxicity is common in plants grown on very acid soils. However, some plants species that grow in this condition can take up high amounts of Mn and are referred to as hyperaccumulating species. In this study, we evaluated the capacity of Ilex paraguariensis to accumulate Mn and the effect of excessive concentrations on plant growth and nutrition. For this, a container experiment was conducted using soils from different parent materials (basalt and sandstone), with and without liming, and at six doses of applied Mn (0, 30, 90, 270, 540 and 1,080 mg kg-1). Clonal plants grown for 203 days were harvested to evaluate yield, and leaf tissue samples were evaluated for Mn and other elements. Without liming and with high Mn doses, leaf Mn concentrations reached 13,452 and 12,127 mg kg-1 in sandstone and basalt soils, respectively; concentrations in excess of 10,000 mg kg-1 are characteristic of hyperaccumulating plants. Liming reduced these values to 7203 and 8030 mg kg-1. More plant growth accompanied increased Mn leaf concentrations, with a growth reduction noted at the highest dose in unlimed soils. Elemental distribution showed Mn presence in the mesophyll, primarily in vascular bundles, without high Mn precipitates. Interveinal chlorosis of young leaves associated with high Mn concentration and lower Fe concentrations was observed, especially in sandstone soil without liming. However, the occurrence of this symptom was not associated with decreased plant growth.

Overnutrition: Current scenario & combat strategies.

Large population-based surveys by the Government of India and several other regional studies have reconfirmed the coexisting burden of over- and undernutrition. While time trends from the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds of the National Family Health Survey show declining trends in the prevalence of the underweight, it also highlights increasing rates in the overweight/obesity. Dose-response relationships with different micro- and macronutrient consumption with overweight/obesity prevalence have been established. In this context, it was attempted to identify the specific diet pattern and socio-behavioural determinants of overnutrition along with its combat strategies. This review highlights that while the proportion of chronic energy deficiency is decreasing in India, the intake of micronutrients and food groups continues to be below the recommended dietary allowance set by the Indian Council of Medical Research. Distal factors that determine the nutritional imbalance among Indians are presented under (i) household contextual factors, (ii) peer and socio-cultural influencers, and (iii) business and neighbourhood environment. Accumulation of such factors increases the density of obesogenic environment around individuals. Further, the review offers action points at individual, society and policy levels, presented in a 'logframe matrix' for bringing convergence actions across sectors in consultation with programme managers from different ministries/departments.

Eating habits of preschool children and the risk of obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in adults.

Background & Objective : Nutrient excess and nutrient deficiency in the diets of preschool children can lead to permanent modification of metabolic pathways and increased risk of diet-dependent diseases in adults. Children are most susceptible to the adverse consequences of bad eating habits.The objective of this study was to evaluate the eating habits and the diets of preschool children as risk factors for excessive weight, obesity, insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. Methods : The study was conducted on 350 randomly selected preschool children attending kindergartens in south-eastern Poland. Three-day dietary recalls were processed and evaluated in the Dieta 5 application. Results : The analyzed diets were characterized by low diversity and a high share of processed foods, such as pate, sausages, ketchup, mayonnaise, fried meat, French fries and fast-food. The dietary content of vegetables, raw fruit, dairy products and whole grain products was alarmingly low. Conclusions : Diets characterized by excessive energy value and nutritional deficiency can lead to health problems. In most cases, excessive weight gain in children can be blamed on parents and caretakers who are not aware of the health consequences of high-calorie foods rich in fats and sugar.

Celiac disease and depressive disorders as nutritional implications related to common factors - A comprehensive review.

Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated disease affecting the small intestine. The only treatment strategy for CD is the gluten-free diet (GFD). One of the more common mental disorders in CD patients is major depressive disorder (MDD). The influence of GFD on the occurrence of MDD symptoms in patients with CD will be evaluated. This diet often reduces nutritional deficiencies in these patients and also helps to reduce depressive symptoms. Both disease entities are often dominated by the same deficiencies of nutrients such as iron, zinc, selenium, iodine, or B and D vitamins. Deficiencies of particular components in CD can favor MDD and vice versa. Gluten can adversely affect the mental state of patients without CD. Also, intestinal microbiota may play an important role in the described process. This work aims to comprehensively assess the common factors involved in the pathomechanisms of MDD and CD, with particular emphasis on nutrient imbalances. Given the complexity of both disease entities, and the many common links, more research related to improving mental health in these patients and the implementation of a GFD would need to be conducted, but it appears to be a viable pathway to improving the quality of life and health of people struggling with CD and MDD. Therefore, probiotics, micronutrients, macronutrients, and vitamin supplements are recommended to reduce the risk of MDD, given that they may alleviate the symptoms of both these disease entities. In turn, in patients with MDD, it is worth considering testing for CD.

Serratia spp. as plant growth-promoting bacteria alleviating salinity, drought, and nutrient imbalance stresses.

In agricultural environments, plants are often exposed to abiotic stresses including temperature extremes, salt stress, drought, and heavy metal soil contamination, which leads to significant economic losses worldwide. Especially salt stress and drought pose serious challenges since they induce ionic toxicity, osmotic stress, and oxidative stress in plants. A potential solution can be the application of bacteria of the Serratia spp. known to promote plant growth under normal conditions Thus the mini-review aims to summarize the current knowledge on plant growth promotion by Serratia spp. (under the conditions of salinity stress, drought, and nutrient deficit) and highlight areas for development in the field. So far, it has been proven that Serratia spp. strains exhibit a variety of traits contributing to enhanced plant growth and stress tolerance, such as phytohormone production, ACC deaminase activity, nitrogen fixation, P and Zn solubilization, antioxidant properties improvement, and modulation of gene expression. Nevertheless, further research on Serratia spp. is needed, especially on two subjects: elucidating its mechanisms of action on plants at the molecular level and the effects of Serratia spp. on the indigenous soil and plant microbiota and, particularly, the rhizosphere. In both cases, it is advisable to use omics techniques to gain in-depth insights into the issues. Additionally, some strains of Serratia spp. may be phytopathogens, therefore studies to rule out this possibility are recommended prior to field trials. It is believed that by improving said knowledge the potential of Serratia spp. to stimulate plant growth will increase and strains from the genus will serve as an eco-friendly biofertilizer in sustainable agriculture more often.

Nutritional Imbalances in Adult Celiac Patients Following a Gluten-Free Diet.

Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic autoimmune disorder of the small intestine, whose only effective treatment is a gluten-free diet (GFD). It is characterized by the atrophy of the intestinal villi that leads to altered nutrient absorption. This study describes the nutritional imbalances which may be found in adults with CD following a GFD. During the first year of treatment, deficiencies will overcome as the intestinal mucosa recovers. Thus, biochemical data will show this progression, together with the decrease in symptoms. In contrast, in the long term, when a strict GFD is followed and mucosal recovery is achieved, analyzing nutrient intake makes more sense. Macronutrient consumption is characterized by its low complex carbohydrate and fiber intakes, and high fat (especially SFA) and sugar intakes. This profile has been related to the consumption of GFP and their nutritional composition, in addition to unbalanced dietary habits. The most notable deficiencies in micronutrients are usually those of iron, calcium and magnesium and vitamin D, E and some of group B. It is necessary to follow up patients with CD and to promote nutritional education among them, since it could help not only to achieve a gluten free but also a balanced diet.

Multifactorial Causes of Chronic Mortality in Juvenile Sturgeon (Huso huso).

This investigation focused on an episode of chronic mortality observed in juvenile Huso huso sturgeons. The examined subjects underwent pathological, microbiological, molecular, and chemical investigations. Grossly severe body shape deformities, epaxial muscle softening, and multifocal ulcerative dermatitis were the main observed findings. The more constant histopathologic findings were moderate to severe rarefaction and disorganization of the lymphohematopoietic lymphoid tissues, myofiber degeneration, atrophy and interstitial edema of skeletal epaxial muscles, and degeneration and atrophy of the gangliar neurons close to the myofibers. Chemical investigations showed a lower selenium concentration in affected animals, suggesting nutritional myopathy. Other manifestations were nephrocalcinosis and splenic vessel wall hyalinosis. Septicemia due to bacteria such as Aeromonas veronii, Shewanella putrefaciens, Citrobacter freundii, Chryseobacterium sp., and pigmented hyphae were found. No major sturgeon viral pathogens were detected by classical methods. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis confirmed the absence of viral pathogens, with the exception of herpesvirus, at the order level; also, the presence of Aeromonas veronii and Shewanella putrefaciens was confirmed at the family level by the metagenomic classification of NGS data. In the absence of a primary yet undetected biological cause, it is supposed that environmental stressors, including nutritional imbalances, may have led to immune system impairment, facilitating the entry of opportunistic bacteria and mycotic hyphae.

Protein Nutrition in Autism.

Autism is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is said to be a "developmental disorder" because symptoms generally appear in the first 2 years of life. The primary cause of autism is still not clear and therapy is currently restricted to controlling behavioral abnormalities. However, emerging studies have shown a link between mitochondrial dysfunction and autism. Dietary supplements that promote mitochondrial biogenesis and inhibit the production of oxidative stress have been used to treat autism patients. Dietary adjustments in treating autism is a novel approach to suppress autistic symptoms. Supplementation with antioxidants has been found to not only inhibit cognitive decline but also improve behavioral symptoms in autism. Dietary supplements fortified with vitamins should only be given under the supervision of a physician. A wide range of nutraceuticals are under clinical trials to understand whether they physiologically target mitochondrial pathways and improve the quality of life in autism.

Time Course of Metabolic Capacities in Paralarvae of the Common Octopus, Octopus vulgaris, in the First Stages of Life. Searching Biomarkers of Nutritional Imbalance.

The culture of the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) is promising since the species has a relatively short lifecycle, rapid growth, and high food conversion ratios. However, recent attempts at successful paralarvae culture have failed due to slow growth and high mortality rates. Establishing an optimal nutritional regime for the paralarvae seems to be the impeding step in successful culture methods. Gaining a thorough knowledge of food regulation and assimilation is essential for paralarvae survival and longevity under culture conditions. The aim of this study, then, was to elucidate the characteristic metabolic organization of octopus paralarvae throughout an ontogenic period of 12 days post-hatching, as well as assess the effect of diet enrichment with live prey containing abundant marine phospholipids. Our results showed that throughout the ontogenic period studied, an increase in anaerobic metabolism took place largely due to an increased dependence of paralarvae on exogenous food. Our studies showed that this activity was supported by octopine dehydrogenase activity, with a less significant contribution of lactate dehydrogenase activity. Regarding aerobic metabolism, the use of amino acids was maintained for the duration of the experiment. Our studies also showed a significant increase in the rate of oxidation of fatty acids from 6 days after-hatching. A low, although sustained, capacity for de novo synthesis of glucose from amino acids and glycerol was also observed. Regardless of the composition of the food, glycerol kinase activity significantly increased a few days prior to a massive mortality event. This could be related to a metabolic imbalance in the redox state responsible for the high mortality. Thus, glycerol kinase might be used as an effective nutritional and welfare biomarker. The studies in this report also revealed the important finding that feeding larvae with phospholipid-enriched Artemia improved animal viability and welfare, significantly increasing the rate of survival and growth of paralarvae.

Cochlear Homocysteine Metabolism at the Crossroad of Nutrition and Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

Hearing loss (HL) is one of the most common causes of disability, affecting 360 million people according to the World Health Organization (WHO). HL is most frequently of sensorineural origin, being caused by the irreversible loss of hair cells and/or spiral ganglion neurons. The etiology of sensorineural HL (SNHL) is multifactorial, with genetic and environmental factors such as noise, ototoxic substances and aging playing a role. The nutritional status is central in aging disability, but the interplay between nutrition and SNHL has only recently gained attention. Dietary supplementation could therefore constitute the first step for the prevention and potential repair of hearing damage before it reaches irreversibility. In this context, different epidemiological studies have shown correlations among the nutritional condition, increased total plasma homocysteine (tHcy) and SNHL. Several human genetic rare diseases are also associated with homocysteine (Hcy) metabolism and SNHL confirming this potential link. Accordingly, rodent experimental models have provided the molecular basis to understand the observed effects. Thus, increased tHcy levels and vitamin deficiencies, such as folic acid (FA), have been linked with SNHL, whereas long-term dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids improved Hcy metabolism, cell survival and hearing acuity. Furthermore, pharmacological supplementations with the anti-oxidant fumaric acid that targets Hcy metabolism also improved SNHL. Overall these results strongly suggest that cochlear Hcy metabolism is a key player in the onset and progression of SNHL, opening the way for the design of prospective nutritional therapies.

ESTADO NUTRICIONAL DE ALUMNOS UNIVERSITARIOS DE LA PROVINCIA DE MISIONES / NUTRITIONAL STATE OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS FROM PROVINCE OF MISIONES

las actuales presiones sociales condicionan conductas que conducen a desequilibrios nutricionales.

Avaliação da rotulagem de biscoitos recheados comercializados em Salvador, BA: enfoque na qualidade nutricional / Evaluation of the labeling of filled biscuits marketed in Salvador, BA: focus on nutritional quality

A obesidade infantil vem crescendo em todo mundo devido às mudanças na alimentação. Os alimentos industrializados, especialmente os biscoitos recheados, representam um risco para o desenvolvimento de doenças, pois podem apresentar uma composição nutricional desequilibrada. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a composição nutricional de biscoitos recheados comercializados em hipermercados da cidade de Salvador, Bahia. As amostras foram representadas por dez marcas de biscoitos, de sabor chocolate e morango, ambos para cada marca, totalizando 20 amostras. A rotulagem nutricional foi avaliada conforme declaração de valor calórico, carboidratos, gorduras totais, saturadas e trans e teor de sódio para cada porção de 30g. O valor comercial e a lista de ingredientes declarados também foram avaliados. Os valores de gorduras totais, saturadas e sódio apresentaram maiores variações entre as marcas. O valor comercial dos produtos não apresentou relação com uma melhor qualidade nutricional. Todos os produtos apresentaram gordura vegetal hidrogenada e corantes na composição. Os biscoitos recheados analisados não apresentam equilíbrio nutricional devido à alta densidade calórica e altos teores de gorduras saturadas, sódio e carboidratos (açúcares) descritos. É importante a implementação de estratégias de educação nutricional para auxiliar e instruir a população para fazer melhores escolhas alimentares.(AU)