Deficiency Of Essential Nutrients Research Articles

Ecological aspects of agricultural cultures for growing

The studies were conducted on the experimental field of the department of agriculture of the Institute of Agriculture of the North-East on black earth typical of large-dusted-medium-loam on forest species
 Arable soil layer (0–20 cm) has the following agrochemical parameters: Thurin humus 4.1–4.7 %, pH salt 6,0, water pH 7,9, content of easily hydrolyzed nitrogen according to Cornfield ‒ 11.2, mobile compounds P2O5 and K2O according to Chirikov respectively 11.8 and 10.0 mg per 100 g of soil. Granulometric composition of soil according to Kachinsky large-dust-medium-loam: in the layer of 0‒20 sm of physical clay (particles 0.05–0.01) 49.1–52.1 %, silt (particles less than 0,001 mm) 23.4–25.5 %. The main elements of cultivation technology are generally accepted in the area of the Northeastern Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Agrotechnical measures were strictly adhered to in a timely manner. The experiment was accompanied by a set of related observations and analytical studies.
 In the presented work describes the evaluation of ecological cultivation on the level of maturity of domestic corn hybrids from a condition of deficit-free balance of major nutrients. It is established that for such an assessment it is important first of all to determine the level of intensity of each hybrid according to the level of use of such a resource as mineral nutrition. In General, this indicator represents the ratio of the actual and normative level of yield. At the same time for the normative yield adopted calculated by one or another method of its value. Comparison of the actual norms of mineral fertilizers with the number of elements taken out with the harvest was carried out by a special technique, which at the same time allowed to determine the equivalent level of productivity, that is, its value, which corresponds to the deficit-free rate of fertilizers.
 It should be noted that the existing recommendations on the use of mineral fertilizers take into account the qualitative removal of the main elements of food from the crop, but this is not always consistent with the reaction of the crop to the established norms.
 In this case, the greater the value FAR the hybrid is characterized, the more efficiently the batteries are used, the more the deficit is formed.
 The results of studies have shown that the later the level of aging is a hybrid the greater the crop is formed, the greater the equivalent rate of mineral fertilizers should be. Depending on the level of ripeness, the actual deficiency of essential nutrients ranges from 52 to 89 kg/ha. Making practical decisions based on the results of research in each case is determined by the adopted or existing parity between the environmental and economic criteria for growing crops.

Mindful feeding: A pathway between parenting style and child eating behaviors

Certain child eating behaviors (e.g., food fussiness, emotional overeating, and disruptive mealtime behaviors) can create challenges for caregivers and result in short- and long-term health consequences (e.g., lower fruit and vegetable intake, a deficiency of essential nutrients, greater intake of energy-dense foods and sugary beverages, and/or higher BMI) for the children. The role of mindful feeding—cultivating a present-centered awareness in the feeding context to increase parents’ awareness of their own responsive (and non-responsive) feeding behaviors—has not been explored as it relates to parenting and children’s problematic eating behaviors. The objective of this study was to understand whether the relations between parenting style and child eating behaviors often documented in the literature are mediated by mindful feeding. Using self-reports from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) of 496 mothers and fathers of young children (age 2–7 years old), we explored whether mindful feeding mediates the relation between parenting style and child eating behaviors. As hypothesized, authoritative parenting was related to higher rates of mindful feeding (β=.16, 95% C.I. [.05, .18]), while authoritarian (β=−.34, 95% C.I. [-.32, -.17]) and permissive parenting (β= -.15, 95% C.I. [-.18, -.05]) were related to lower rates of mindful feeding. Mindful feeding mediated the relation between each parenting style and each child eating behavior (i.e., food fussiness, problematic mealtime behaviors, and emotional overeating). These findings suggest that that mindful feeding may be a promising new construct, and its relation to feeding interventions aimed at improving problematic child eating behaviors should be further evaluated.

An overview of the current progress, challenges, and prospects of human biomonitoring and exposome studies

ABSTRACTHuman Biomonitoring (HB), the process for determining whether and to what extent chemical substances penetrated our bodies, serves as a useful tool to quantify human exposure to pollutants. In cases of nutrition and physiologic status, HB plays a critical role in the identification of excess or deficiency of essential nutrients. In pollutant HB studies, levels of substances measured in body fluids (blood, urine, and breast milk) or tissues (hair, nails or teeth) aid in the identification of potential health risks or associated adverse effects. However, even as a widespread practice in several countries, most HB studies reflect exposure to a single compound or mixtures which are measured at a single time point in lifecycle. On the other hand, throughout an individual’s lifespan, the contact with different physical, chemical, and social stressors occurs at varying intensities, differing times and durations. Further, the interaction between stressors and body receptors leads to dynamic responses of the entire biological system including proteome, metabolome, transcriptome, and adductome. Bearing this in mind, a relatively new vision in exposure science, defined as the exposome, is postulated to expand the traditional practice of measuring a single exposure to one or few chemicals at one-time point to an approach that addresses measures of exposure to multiple stressors throughout the lifespan. With the exposome concept, the science of exposure advances to an Environment-Wide Association Perspective, which might exhibit a stronger relationship with good health or disease conditions for an individual (phenotype). Thus, this critical review focused on the current progress of HB and exposome investigations, anticipating some challenges, strategies, and future needs to be taken into account for designing future surveys.

Iron Deficiency, Cognitive Functions, and Neurobehavioral Disorders in Children.

More than 25% of the world's population is affected by anemia, of which more than 50% suffers from iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Children below 7years of age are the population group that is most vulnerable to iron deficiency. Iron is an essential element in brain metabolism. Iron deficiency can cause changes in neurotransmitter homeostasis, decrease myelin production, impair synaptogenesis, and decline the function of the basal ganglia. Therefore, IDA adversely affects cognitive functions and psychomotor development. Research has shown that iron deficiency is a frequent comorbidity in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder. Iron deficiency may also induce or exacerbate deficiency of other essential nutrients, which may have a negative impact on the developing brain and other organs in infants. Many nations of the world have programs to control IDA based on the use of iron supplementation, intake of fortified food and drinks, improved food safety, and monitoring of dietary diversity. Based on the current recommendations of the World Health Organization on cost-effectiveness (WHO-CHOICE), iron fortification and iron supplementation programs can be considered cost-effective or even highly cost-effective in most countries of the world to averting cognitive impairment.

The effects of meat consumption on global health.

Meat represents an important source of high-quality dietary protein for a large proportion of the global population. In addition, red meat, in particular, significantly contributes to the intake of a wide range of micronutrients, including iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin D and vitamin B12. While these nutrients can be supplied in sufficient amounts by consumption of a range of fruit and vegetables, in many developing countries, where the availability of such foods may be limited, access to meat often protects against malnutrition and improves child cognitive development. Excessive consumption of meat and meat products is often associated with overconsumption of energy and fat, resulting in excess weight, obesity and an increased risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. In addition, certain components of fresh and processed red meat may further increase the risk of these diseases and predispose the consumer to cancer, particularly colorectal cancer. In the face of population growth and global warming, there is increasing concern about the sustainability of farm animal production. Thus, while a modest intake of meat represents an important strategy to avoid essential nutrient deficiencies, limiting its intake can reduce the development of a range of chronic diseases and could have significant beneficial effects on global food security.

Association of zinc and copper with clinical parameters in the preterm newborn.

Given that preterm infants are born at a time of rapid fetal growth, they are at risk of deficiency of essential nutrients for brain development, including zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu). This study evaluate the relationship between serum Cu or Zn, gestational age (GA) and anthropometric parameters at birth in preterm infants. This was a retrospective study of infants <35weeks' GA from January 2010 to August 2012. We collected the data from medical records of 59 preterm infants at birth with regard to GA, anthropometric parameters, and serum Cu and Zn levels. Correlation of Cu, Zn, and GA with anthropometric parameters at birth was then done. Zn was inversely correlated with GA, bodyweight (BW), body length (BL), and head circumference (HC), and Cu was inversely correlated with the standard deviation (SD) score for BW, BL, and HC. On stepwise multiple regression analysis, GA was a significant independent predictor of Zn level, and HC SD score was a significant independent predictor of Cu level. Prematurity influences Zn, and intrauterine head growth restriction influences Cu at birth in preterm infants. Further research is needed to evaluate the relationship between intrauterine growth restriction and brain Cu metabolism.

Iron Bioavailability from Moringa oleifera Leaves Is Very Low

Iron deficiency is the most common essential nutrient deficiency in the world and is particularly prevalent in developing countries. Efforts to improve iron nutriture by providing iron supplements has not been successful. A different strategy with promise is to encourage consumption of iron‐rich indigenous plants. One such plant is Moringa oleifera (Moringa), a tree whose leaves are relatively rich in iron, and whose consumption has been promoted on this basis. However, the iron bioavailability from Moringa has not been reported. This study was conducted to evaluate the iron bioavailability of air dried Moringa leaves, either as is, or as incorporated into a typical meal consumed in rural Uganda. Four experimental diets were formulated to test the bioavailability of the iron using the hemoglobin regeneration efficiency (HRE) ratio assay. Male rats were depleted of iron by feeding an iron deficient diet (2.5 mg Fe/kg) for 4 wks, then assessed for whole blood hemoglobin concentration. Rats were then fed 1 of 4 diets containing 20 mg Fe/kg for either 9 (n=3) or 13 days (n=8). Iron was incorporated into the purified diets as ferrous sulfate or ferric orthophosphate as well‐absorbed and poorly absorbed iron sources, respectively. Dried Moringa leaf powder was incorporated into either a purified diet (38.7 g Moringa/kg diet, dry wt basis) or into a diet largely composed of a typical Ugandan meal containing rice and ground nuts (5.42 g Moringa/kg diet, dry wt basis). In the Ugandan meal‐based diet, 14% of the iron derived from the Moringa and the remainder from the rice and ground nuts. All diets were balanced for macronutrient composition. For reference, 8 animals were maintained on an iron‐containing diet throughout the study. Whole blood hemoglobin concentration was 4.3 g/dL following the 4 weeks of iron depletion. After 9 days of repletion the HRE ratio was 2.6 for ferrous sulfate, 1.0 for ferric orthophosphate, 0.05 for Moringa‐containing purified diet, and 0.59 for Moringa‐containing Ugandan meal‐based diet. After 4 more days of repletion, the HRE ratio was 2.7 for ferrous sulfate, 1.2 for ferric orthophosphate, 0.4 for Moringa‐containing purified diet, and 0.4 for Moringa‐containing Ugandan meal‐based diet. Thus, iron from Moringa, is poorly available. Further, Moringa, even when present at only approx. 0.5% of the diet, as in Ugandan meal‐based diet, appears to strongly inhibit absorption of iron present in other components of the diet, such as rice and ground nuts. The phytic acid content of the dried Moringa leaves was found to be 63.97 mg phytic acid/g dry wt., giving a phytate/Fe molar ratio in the Moringa leaves of approx. 10.5. It is suggested that the low bioavailability of iron from Moringa is due to its high phytic acid concentration. Regardless, our findings suggest that the use of Moringa, as dried leaves, to improve iron nutriture will not be successful and may even result in a worsening of iron status. However, processing of Moringa to reduce or remove its phytic acid could improve it iron bioavailability.Support or Funding InformationSupported by a grant from the International Pediatric Research Foundation

Synergistic effect of N and Zn application in biofortifying Zn of efficient and inefficient group of wheat cultivars

In developing countries, daily diet is largely contributed by cereals, which have low genetic abilities, to in mass higher concentrations of micronutrients including zinc (Zn) in their grains. Hence, wide spread deficiencies of zinc and other essential nutrients are prevailing in the human. Present study focuses the biofortification of Zn in wheat grains, taking advantage of synergistic effect of the micronutrient i.e., zinc and macronutrient i.e., nitrogen (N). Nitrogen and Zinc are the two major yield-limiting factors in wheat which interacts and affects the availability of each other. In order to evaluate the interactive effects of N and Zn on yield and quality of Wheat, a field study for consecutive two years was conducted at Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal under the regime of AICRP-MSPE. Six treatments were comprised of namely T1- Low Zn Soil (0 Kg Zn ha−1), T2- 20 kg Zn ha 1 soil application, T3- Three foliar sprays of ZnSO4 @ 0.5%, T4- 20 kg Zn ha−1 soil application + foliar Zn application, T5- 20 kg Zn ha−1 soil application + 25% additional nitrogen application and T6- Foliar Zn application + 25% additional nitrogen application. From the study it was observed that soil application of Zn along with three foliar sprays was equally good, when compared with 25% additional N application along with three foliar sprays of Zn, in terms of grain Zn content, in both efficient as well as inefficient group of cultivars. Whereas the grain yield was comparable in efficient cultivars for treatments T4 (Soil Zn combined along with three foliar sprays of Zn) and T6 (25% additional Nitrogen along with three foliar sprays of Zn) but was significantly higher in inefficient group of cultivars by treatment T4 as compared to T6. Maximum enhancement in protein contents was observed in treatment T4 which was significantly higher than the treatments T1, T2, T3 and T5 but was at par with the treatment T6. The phytate: Zn ratio was also lowest in the treatment T6 followed by treatment T4. So, the soil application of Zn along with three foliar sprays is the best treatment in terms of grain yield whereas additional application of 25% Nitrogen application along with three foliar sprays of Zn was equally good in terms of grain Zn and protein content of wheat, in both Zn-efficient as well as inefficient group of cultivars

Foliar Applications of Essential Nutrients on Growth and Yield of ‘Valencia’ Sweet Orange Infected with Huanglongbing

Huanglongbing (HLB) causes citrus root systems to decline, which in turn contributes to deficiencies of essential nutrients followed by decline of the canopy and yield. This study was conducted on a 6-year-old ‘Valencia’ [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.] on Swingle rootstock (Citrus paradisi Macf. × Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.) trees in a commercial grove near Immokalee, FL, to evaluate the effects of foliar applications of selected essential nutrients (N, K, Mn, Zn, B, and Mg) on growth and productivity of citrus trees infected with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), the pathogen putatively associated with HLB in Florida. Mn, Zn, B, and Mg were applied in all experiments to drip at 0×, 0.5×, 1.0×, and 2.0×/spray of what has been traditionally recommended in Florida to correct deficiencies. Treatments were applied foliarly 3×/year with the sprays occurring during each growth flush for 5 years (2010–14). Thus, the 0×, 0.5×, 1.0×, and 2.0×/spray treatments resulted in 0×, 1.5×, 3.0×, and 6.0×/year to correct deficiencies. MnS04 and ZnSO4 were applied with or without KNO3 and in separate experiments were compared with Mn3(PO3)2 and Zn3(PO3)2, respectively. Disease incidence, foliar nutrient content, canopy volume, and yield were measured. At the beginning of the experiment, foliar N, P, Ca, Mg, Cu, and B were in the sufficient range and K, Mn, Zn, and Fe were slightly low. Disease incidence was very high with 83% and 98% of trees testing positive for CLas in 2010 and 2014, respectively. Nutrients that are not mobile or have limited mobility in plants, namely Mn, Zn, and B, demonstrated an increase in foliar concentration immediately after spray and in the annual averages. Foliar K increased from the deficient to the sufficient level by KNO3 sprays, but the mobile nutrients N and Mg did not show an increase in foliar levels, indicating that intraplant transport occurs in the presence of HLB. Foliar KNO3 application had a stronger effect on growth than yield. Yield was most strongly affected by application of MnSO4 where yield of the 3×/year treatment was 45% higher than that of the unsprayed control, but yield declined by 25% for the 6×/year treatment. Yield within 95% of the maximum occurred with foliar Mn concentrations of 70–100 µg·g−1 dry weight when Mn was applied as MnSO4, which is at the high end of the traditionally recommended 25–100 µg·g−1 dry weight range. The phosphite form of Mn [Mn3(PO3)2] depressed yield by an average of 25% across all application concentrations. Zn, B, and Mg did not significantly impact yield. Canopy volume demonstrated concave relationships across application concentrations for MnSO4 and ZnSO4 without KNO3 and Mn3(PO3)2, Zn3(PO3)2, Boron, and MgSO4 with KNO3, with the minimum occurring near the 3×/year application concentration. These data indicate a complex interaction in the amount of nutrients applied and their corresponding effects on foliar concentration, growth, and yield for HLB-affected trees. The results of this study at least partially explain the current confusion among scientists and the commercial industry in how to manage nutrition of HLB-affected citrus trees. The traditionally recommended approaches to correcting nutrient deficiencies need to be reconsidered for citrus with HLB.

Blood thiamine, zinc, selenium, lead and oxidative stress in a population of male and female alcoholics: clinical evidence and gender differences.

Long term alcohol abuse is associated with deficiencies in essential nutrients and minerals that can cause a variety of medical consequences including accumulation of toxic metals. The aim of this research is to get evidence-based data to evaluate alcohol damage and to optimize treatment. Thiamine and thiamine diphosphate (T/TDP), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), lead (Pb) and oxidative stress in terms of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) were examined in blood samples from 58 alcohol dependent patients (17 females and 41 males). T/TDP concentration in alcoholics resulted significantly lower than controls (p < 0.005) for both sexes. Serum Zn and Se did not significantly differ from reference values. Levels of blood Pb in alcoholics resulted significantly higher (p < 0.0001) than Italian reference values and were higher in females than in males. ROMs concentration was significantly higher than healthy population only in female abusers (p = 0.005). Alcoholics show a significant increase in blood oxidative stress and Pb and decrease in thiamine. Impairment occurs mainly in female abusers confirming a gender specific vulnerability.

Dietary intake patterns and nutritional status of women of reproductive age in Nepal: findings from a health survey.

BackgroundImproper dietary intake pattern in women of reproductive age in Nepal has resulted in the deficiency of essential nutrients. Adequate nutritional status and proper dietary intake pattern of women improves maternal and child health. The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status and dietary intake pattern among the women and associated factors.MethodsData collection at households and health check-up camps were conducted in selected Village Development Committees of nine districts in three ecological regions (Mountain, Hill and Terai) of Nepal from September 2011 to August 2012. Women of reproductive age (15 to 49 years) were the study subjects. At the household interview, structured questionnaires were used to obtain information on socio-demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, dietary intake pattern, consumption of junk foods, animal rearing, agricultural products, possession of kitchen garden, pregnancy status and anemia. Dietary intake pattern was determined by information collected through the structured questionnaires comprising of food items-cereals, pulses/legumes, vegetables, meat, fruits and milk and milk products. Health check-up camps were conducted in the local health facilities where qualified doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians performed physical examination of the women, confirmed their pregnancy and conducted hematocrit tests. The data was entered and analyzed using SPSS.ResultsAltogether 21,111 women were interviewed. More than a quarter of the women in Terai were malnourished as indicated by low body mass index (BMI < 18.5 Kg/m2). Among the dietary intake pattern, the majority of women consumed cereals at least once a day in all three ecological regions. The majority of women in Mountain consumed pulses/legumes thrice a week. In Terai, the majority of women consumed vegetables thrice a week. In all three ecological regions, the majority of women consumed meat and meat products and fruits once a week. About thirty percent of women consumed milk and milk products once a day in all three ecological regions. The non-use of iodized salt by Terai women was the highest (5.3 %, n = 303). In all the ecological regions, cereals and vegetables were produced in the majority of the participants’ households in comparison of fruits, poultry and goat/sheep. The women of age 15 to 24 years were 2.7 times more likely to be malnourished than women of 35 to 49 years age (aOR = 2.7, CI = 2.5,3.0). The unemployed women had nearly two times more chances of being malnourished than women doing manual work (aOR = 1.9, 95 % CI = 1.5,2.2). In Terai, women were five times more likely to be malnourished (aOR = 0.2, CI = 0.1,0.2) and 20 times more likely to be anemic (aOR = 0.05, CI = 0.04,0.07) than women in Mountain. The pregnant women were five times more likely to be anemic than non-pregnant women (aOR = 0.2, CI = 0.2,0.3).ConclusionsThe nutritional status of women of reproductive age is still poor especially in Terai and the dietary intake pattern is not adequate. It suggests improving nutritional status and feeding habits especially intake of meat, fruits and vegetables focusing on reproductive aged women.

Biocrusts beneath replanted shrubs account for the enrichment of macro and micronutrients in semi-arid sandy land

After 30 years of rehabilitation, moss-dominated crusts (biocrusts) formed under the canopies of Caragana microphylla shrubs on shifting sand dunes in the Horqin Sandy Land, China. Their impact on the spatiotemporal distribution of macro/micronutrients beneath the shrubs was determined. Soils were collected from 0 to 1 and 1–5 cm layers at three locations: two beneath shrubs (with/without biocrusts), the third at between-shrub interspaces, at end August 2013 (end wet season) and early June 2014 (end dry season). The biocrusts beneath shrubs enhanced macro/micronutrient enrichment (except extractable Ca), particularly in the 0–1 cm layer. Such positive effects exhibited seasonal dependence, i.e., the availability of phosphorus and micronutrients (iron, manganese, copper, zinc) in the 0–1 cm layer under biocrusts was significantly higher than at the other two sampling sites at end of dry season; no similar trend was observed at end of wet season. Significant increases in phosphorus and micronutrient availability were observed at end of dry season compared to wet season in both sampling layers at all sites, except topsoil beneath C. microphylla without biocrusts. This means that the colonization of moss-dominated crusts beneath C. microphylla can accumulate essential macro/micronutrients and partly compensate for the deficiency of essential nutrients in Horqin Sandy Land.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Undernutrition among Adults with Major Depressive Disorder in Northwest Ethiopia.

Background. Undernutrition and major depressive disorder are frequently co-occurring. Patients with impaired mental health are strongly vulnerable to the risks of having involuntary weight loss or deficiency of essential nutrients. However, there is no study which assesses undernutrition among major depressive patients in Ethiopia. Method. A total of 422 clients were included in the study. Structured questionnaires and anthropometric measurements were used for collecting the data. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with undernutrition. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was computed to determine the level of significance. Results. The prevalence of undernutrition was 31.4% [95% CI: 27.2–36.0]. Being in a rural residence [AOR = 1.84, 95% CI (1.18–2.85)], taking multiple medication [AOR = 1.77, 95% CI (1.03–3.05)], taking prescribed diet [AOR = 1.90, 95% CI (1.06–3.41)], and current use of alcohol [AOR = 2.96, 95% CI (1.34–6.55)] were factors significantly associated with undernutrition among depressive patients. Conclusion. The prevalence of undernutrition among adults with major depressive disorder was found to be higher than the general population. Appropriate nutritional education and nutritional assessment are recommended during the course of major depressive disorder.

Anemias due to essential nutrient deficiencies.

• Iron deficiency results from decreased intake in the setting of increased loss due to menstruation, childbirth or gastrointestinal bleeding. • Diets low in animal source foods are deficient in both iron and vitamin B 12 . • Atrophic gastritis (pernicious anemia) and other malabsorption syndromes are the major cause of vitamin B 12 deficiency megaloblastic anemia. • Folate deficiency megaloblastic anemia is often the result of alcoholism, drug therapy or malabsorption syndromes. • Vitamin B 12 deficiency causes elevated methylmalonic acid levels, and both B 12 deficiency and folate deficiency cause elevated homocysteine levels.

Genetic associations with micronutrient levels identified in immune and gastrointestinal networks.

The discovery of vitamins and clarification of their role in preventing frank essential nutrient deficiencies occurred in the early 1900s. Much vitamin research has understandably focused on public health and the effects of single nutrients to alleviate acute conditions. The physiological processes for maintaining health, however, are complex systems that depend upon interactions between multiple nutrients, environmental factors, and genetic makeup. To analyze the relationship between these factors and nutritional health, data were obtained from an observational, community-based participatory research program of children and teens (age 6–14) enrolled in a summer day camp in the Delta region of Arkansas. Assessments of erythrocyte S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), plasma homocysteine (Hcy) and 6 organic micronutrients (retinol, 25-hydroxy vitamin D3, pyridoxal, thiamin, riboflavin, and vitamin E), and 1,129 plasma proteins were performed at 3 time points in each of 2 years. Genetic makeup was analyzed with 1 M SNP genotyping arrays, and nutrient status was assessed with 24-h dietary intake questionnaires. A pattern of metabolites (met_PC1) that included the ratio of erythrocyte SAM/SAH, Hcy, and 5 vitamins were identified by principal component analysis. Met_PC1 levels were significantly associated with (1) single-nucleotide polymorphisms, (2) levels of plasma proteins, and (3) multilocus genotypes coding for gastrointestinal and immune functions, as identified in a global network of metabolic/protein–protein interactions. Subsequent mining of data from curated pathway, network, and genome-wide association studies identified genetic and functional relationships that may be explained by gene–nutrient interactions. The systems nutrition strategy described here has thus associated a multivariate metabolite pattern in blood with genes involved in immune and gastrointestinal functions.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12263-014-0408-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

UNDERWEIGHT AND SLIMNESS AND THEIR RELATION TO DIETARY HABITS AND BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG SAUDI FEMALE STUDENTS IN TAIBAH UNIVERSITY

Background: Underweight is a term describing a human whose body weight is considered too low to be healthy. Underweight is associated with negative health consequences, such as nutritional deficiency, osteoporosis, and unfavorable pregnancy outcomes in women of childbearing age. Several studies were carried out in Saudi Arabia to study the prevalence of overweight or obesity among women, and ignored underweight. Objective: This study was designed to find out the prevalence of underweight and slimness among young Saudi female students and describes its relation with dietary habits, blood pressure and socio-demographic differentials. Methodology: This study was carried out on 220 female students aged 18 to 24 years were chosen from, Taibah University., Al Madinah Al Munawwarah, KSA, then classified according to BMI into fifth categories; Very severely underweight ( 25kg/m2). All normal, obese, and overweight girls were excluded from the study that carried out on underweight girls (150 females). Data socioeconomic status, health history, dietary habits, anthropometric measurements, and blood pressure measurement were collected. Results: the result showed that 3.2% of studied girls were suffering from very severely underweight, 5.9% were severely underweight, while the most of girls were underweight 59.1%, 19.5% had normal weight and 12.3% were overweight. Most of girls 97.3% of them were age between 18 – 24 years, also 42% of girls were in the second academic year and 85.3% of girls were single. While most of girls 79.3% were no suffering from diseases, while about 20.7% of girls were suffering from diseases including; anemia, tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus and osteoporosis. On the other hand 70% of subjects were desired systolic BP (90 – 119 mmHg) and also 72% of subjects were desired diastolic BP (60 – 79 mmHg). As for bad dietary habits were like eating one meal per day, not r eating breakfast, use traditional method (Mesabek) in cooking and low rates of milk consumption, meat and fruits and vegetables daily. In conclusion: High percentage of females suffering from underweight, most of them were from low socioeconomic class, and they have some bad food habits that may worsen their status and could be at risk for deficiencies of essential nutrients, also blood pressure measurements of girls were at normal ranges. This study recommended promotion of health eating, habits and physical activity. Key word: Underweight, slimness, blood pressure, dietary habits, body mass index, university, Saudi female students. Corresponding author:drafaf@hotmail.com

Relative Effectiveness of Water Hyacinth, Bacteria and Fungi in Purifying Sewage

The relative effectiveness of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) (phytoremedian), bacteria and fungi (bioremedians) used for the purification of domestic sewage was carried out using Completely Randomised Design (CRD) replicated three times. Physical, bacteriological and chemical properties of domestic sewage were investigated before and after purification. The results show that for suspended solids, cultured tanks treated with 2kg water hyacinth reduced the sewage concentration from 73mg/l to 37.5mg/l, dissolved solids was reduced from 312mg/l to 266mg/l, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) was reduced from 11.2mg/l to 4.37mg/l, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) was reduced from 7.6mg/l to 2.7mg/l. Dissolved Oxygen increased from 6.8mg/l to 7.17mg/l for 2kg hyacinth treatment due to photosynthesis but reduced to 3.7 for fungi. The cultured tanks treated with bacteria performed best in reducing turbidity and bacteriological properties of sewage. Turbidity was reduced from 5.8NTU to 1.2NTU for tanks cultured with bacteria. During the first three weeks, the hyacinth's growth was very rapid. It effectively depleted the nutrients present in the sewage, by the 4th week, gradual wilting of water hyacinth was noticed and by the end of the 5th week, serious wilting occurred due to deficiency in essential nutrients. The 2kg water hyacinth tanks wilted permanently due to total consumption of sewage. The results show that purification potential of water hyacinth is related to plants population with the 2kg hyacinth's tanks purifying better than the 1kg hyacinth density and also that bacteria purifies sewage better than fungi. Generally the 2kg water hyacinth was best in reducing the physio-chemical properties of the sewage better than the other treatments applied while the tanks treated with bacteria performed best in reducing bacteriological properties of sewage. Key words: Purification, sewage, phytoremediation, water hyacinth, bioremediation, bacteria and fungi.

Terrestrial Animal- and Plant-Based Ingredients as Alternative Protein and Lipid Sources in the Diets for Juvenile Groupers: Current Status and Future Perspectives

The Epinephelinae groupers are strict carnivorous species. They are widely cultured in the Asia Pacific region as a result of high demand and market price especially in the live reed food fish trade. Groupers are commonly raised in net cages and fed with the unsustainable low value fish. Although this feeding practice has been gradually improved by using formulated diets, the production cost of these diets is high due to the increasing prices of fish meal and fish oil. In order to find sustainable replacements for these expensive commodities, research has been conducted to evaluate alternative ingredients effects on fish growth performances and immune function. This review covers different types of alternative ingredients tested on several species of juvenile grouper. In general, animal protein sources were able to replace fish meal at higher inclusion levels than plant protein sources. Lowered digestibility, deficiency in essential nutrients, and reduced palatability are major challenges in using alternative ingredients in grouper feeds.

Laboratory Testing for and Diagnosis of Nutritional Deficiencies in Pregnancy Before and After Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery can reduce the risk of obesity-related complications of pregnancy, but may cause essential nutrient deficiencies. To assess adherence to laboratory testing guidelines, we examined frequency of testing for and diagnosis of deficiency during preconception and pregnancy using claims data in women with a delivery and bariatric surgery. Retrospective analysis of claims from seven Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans between 2002 and 2008. We included women with a delivery and bariatric surgery within the study period. We used common procedural terminology (CPT) and ICD-9 codes to define laboratory testing and deficiencies for iron, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and thiamine. Using Student's t-test and chi-square testing, we compared frequency of laboratory tests and diagnoses during 12 months preconception and 280 days of pregnancy between women with pregnancy before versus after surgery. We used multivariate logistic regression to evaluate for predictors of laboratory testing. We identified 456 women with pregnancy after bariatric surgery and 338 before surgery. The frequency of testing for any deficiency was low (9%-51%), but higher in those with pregnancy after surgery (p<0.003). The most common deficiency was vitamin B12 (12%-13%) with pregnancy after surgery (p<0.006). Anemia and number of health provider visits were independent predictors of laboratory testing. Women with pregnancy after bariatric surgery were tested for and diagnosed with micronutrient deficiencies more frequently than those with pregnancy before surgery. However, most laboratory testing occurred in less than half the women and was triggered by anemia. Increased testing may help identify nutrient deficiencies and prevent consequences for maternal and child health.

The potential for biomethane from grass and slurry to satisfy renewable energy targets

A biomethane potential (BMP) assessment of grass silage yielded 107 m(3)CH4 t(-1). Long term mono-digestion of grass silage can suffer due to a deficiency in essential nutrients; this may be overcome by co-digesting with slurry. Mono-digestion of slurry achieved a low yield of 16 m(3)CH4 t(-1). BMP assessments at a range of co-digestion ratios indicated methane yields were between 4% and 11% lower than the values calculated from mono-digestion. This paper suggests that co-digestion of the majority of slurry produced from dairy cows in Ireland with grass silage quantities equivalent to 1.1% of grassland on a 50:50 volatile solids basis would generate over 10% renewable energy supply in transport (RES-T). The industry proposed would equate to 170 digesters each treating 10,000 t a(-1) of grass silage and 40,000 t a(-1) of slurry from dairy cows.