Dietary Elements Research Articles

Dietary total antioxidant capacity and risk of ulcerative colitis: A case‐control study

Data on the association between the antioxidant capacity of a diet and the risk of ulcerative colitis (UC) are scarce. This study aimed to assess whether a relationship exists between dietary total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the odds of UC in Iranian adults. In this case-control study, patients with UC and age-matched healthy controls were recruited from a hospital clinic. All participants completed a validated 168-item food frequency questionnaire, the results of which were subsequently used to generate dietary TAC. Ferric reducing-antioxidant power values were used to calculate dietary TAC. Altogether 62 patients with UC and 124 healthy controls were enrolled. UC patients had a higher calorific intake (P < 0.01), and consumed more monounsaturated fatty acids (P < 0.01), vitamin B9 (P < 0.01) and calcium (P = 0.02) compared with healthy controls, while the control group had a higher vitamin C intake than the participants with UC (P < 0.01). In a fully adjusted model, participants who were in the highest quartile of dietary TAC had a lower risk of UC (odds ratio 0.11, 95% confidence interval 0.01-0.73). A higher dietary TAC score was associated with lower odds of UC in this case-control study. Further elucidation of the role of key dietary elements is now warranted.

Translation of a Mediterranean-Style Diet into the Australian Dietary Guidelines: A Nutritional, Ecological and Environmental Perspective.

A Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has been widely investigated and promoted as one of the ‘healthiest’ dietary patterns with respect to reductions in chronic disease risk and longevity. Moreover, it also emphasizes a plant-based dietary pattern consistent with an environmentally sustainable healthy reference diet conveyed by the EAT-Lancet Commission report. Nevertheless, the MedDiet does not exclude, but rather moderates consumption of animal-based foods, and therefore has emerged as a dietary pattern that could address both health and environmental concerns. However, whether non-Mediterranean countries such as Australia can adhere to such dietary principles is less clear. In this narrative review, we present evidence from eight randomized control trials conducted in Australia which demonstrates impressive and sustained adherence to a MedDiet intervention. However, we also report heterogeneity in the dietary protocols and prescriptive interpretation of a MedDiet across all studies presented in this review, making interpretations of the efficacy and adherence challenging. Based on the observable health benefits, translating key dietary elements of a Mediterranean-style diet within the Australian population remains attractive. However, adapting or modernizing traditional dietary patterns to satisfy the population’s nutritional requirements and/or acceptability warrants further exploration.

Serum cholesterol elasticities in relation to macro- and micronutrient balances.

The application of the isometric log-ratio (ilr) transformation to dietary data leads to the definition of nutrient balances that represent new variables which can be included in regression models as covariates. However, their effects on the response variable are not easy to quantify. We then propose borrowing the concept of elasticity from econometrics as an appealing means of improving the interpretability of the ilr-related coefficients. Using data from an Italian population-based study, a multiple linear regression model of the serum total-/HDL-cholesterol ratio on nutrient balances was fitted and the estimated coefficients were used to derive elasticities. The elasticities measure the relative changes in the cholesterol ratio in response to the relative changes in specific nutrient ratios, while keeping unchanged the proportional relationships between the other dietary elements. In a comprehensive overview of the diet, this alternative approach to dietary data analysis allows isocaloric analysis and may provide interesting new insights.

Novel Personalized Dietary Treatment for Autism Based on the Gut-Immune-Endocrine-Brain Axis.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition manifesting with impaired social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests. In this perspective article, a more comprehensive approach than the gut-brain axis, hereby termed the “gut-immune-endocrine-brain” axis, is taken, based on which a personalized treatment plan for ASD is presented. ASD has no known etiology or cure, making desperate parents willing to try any treatment that worked for an individual with ASD, without much regard for its effectiveness, safety or side effects. This has been the case for restrictive dietary interventions as gluten-free/casein-free and ketogenic diets and recently, probiotics have emerged as the new such fad. One of the concerns about these dietary and probiotic treatments is their non-specificity: they may not be effective for all individuals with ASD, not all probiotic strains may have the beneficial qualities advertised indiscriminately for probiotics, and strains conferring benefits in one condition may not be probiotic in another. Not all children with ASD show immune reactivity to dietary proteins in wheat and milk, and wheat and milk may not be the only dietary elements to which reactivity is exhibited, where dietary aquaporins that resemble human aquaporins may elicit antibody reactivity in genetically susceptible individuals, which may include individuals with ASD. These observations are utilized to formulate a three-step plan to create effective, targeted, personalized treatments with as few side effects as possible, enabled by a systems approach connecting the various findings for dietary, immune, and neuroautoimmune reactivity in individuals with ASD.

Biological removal of hexavalent chromium: evaluation of the metabolic activity of native and Cr(VI)-acclimated activated sludge using a respirometric method

ABSTRACT Hexavalent chromium becomes in one of the tops internationally concern environmental issues due to its wide usage in several industrial activities. There are two stable oxidation states of chromium in the environment which differ significantly on its toxicity; Cr(III) has lower solubility, mobility and lesser biological toxicity in comparison with Cr(VI). While Cr(VI) is a well-known carcinogen, Cr(III) is an essential dietary element. For this reason, most technologies focus attention on the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III). On this context, the ability of microorganisms to reduce Cr(VI) to Cr(III) has gained attention. The objectives of the present work were to analyze the effect of Cr(VI) on the activated sludge community in a continuous reactor, and to evaluate the differences on the metabolic activity of native (NAS) and Cr(VI)-acclimated activated sludge (CrAAS) using a respirometric method. Results showed that the activated sludge community had the capability to acclimate to the presence of Cr(VI). On the other hand, the increase of the initial Cr(VI) concentration from 0 to 100 mgCr/L leads to a decrease in the specific exogenous respiration rate (qEx ) values, but this reduction was more noticeably in the case of NAS in comparison with CrAAS. The respirometric curves were well described by the proposed mathematical model. It was concluded that the CrAAS tolerated a Cr(VI) concentration about one order of magnitude higher than NAS, which was positively reflected in the respiration rate first-order decay constant (kd ), the specific maximum exogenous respiration rate (qExm ), and the observed oxidation coefficient (YO/S ) values.

Comparison of chemical composition of eggs from laying hens housed in different production facilities: a market study

Eggs as a part of human diet dates to the prehistoric period. After the domestication of Gallus species, Gallus gallus domesticus and their eggs spread across the globe. Eggs proved to be one of the best and affordable sources of nutritionally important components in human diet, such as proteins, vitamins, lipids and some dietary significant elements. Progress in egg production methods, in European union, is recently mostly focused on the improvements in the field of welfare of laying hens, which is part of the plan set by European union council directive 1999/74/EC. Nowadays there are 4 main egg production systems divided by the way of keeping laying hens - Enriched cage, Free range, Barn and Organic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of different hens housing systems on elemental (Ca, K, Mg, Na, P, Ca, K, Zn), total protein and lipid composition of whole eggs, yolk and albumen. Elemental analysis was performed by ICP-OES, total lipid content by Kjehldahl method and total lipids by Soxhlet extraction. Differences in whole egg were found in 8 from 9 tested parameters - K, Mg, Ba, Fe, P, Zn, total lipids and proteins. Assessment of the differences were done by ANOVA and Tukey`s test. Production systems were also successfully differentiated by principal component analysis. It was found that eggs from alternative production systems did not exhibit higher nutritional value than eggs from conventional cage facilities. In the case of total protein, conventional eggs contained highest average amount. It was also evident, that impact on chemical composition is difficult to assign to production system in general, which was confirmed by alternative studies from this field, which in many cases considerably differs.&#x0D;

Effects of the different levels of dietary trace elements from organic or inorganic sources on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and faecal mineral excretion of broilers

ABSTRACTThis experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different sources and levels of trace elements on growth performance, carcass composition and mineral excretion levels of broilers. In a completely randomised experimental design, 900 one-day-old male Ross-308 broilers were assigned to 5 treatments, with 6 replicates of 30 birds each. The control group (CITE) was fed with a basal diet containing regular inclusion levels of inorganic trace elements. Treatment groups were supplied with reduced levels (30% and 50% of the regular level) of inorganic (ITE) or organic trace elements (OTE), respectively. Groups 50% ITE, 30% OTE and 50% OTE diets had equivalent average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), feed to gain ratio (F/G ratio) and mortality rate compared with group CITE in any phase. However, compared with group CITE chicks in group 30% ITE have lower ADG and ADFI and higher F/G ratio. The carcass yields were not affected by dietary treatments. Compared with group CITE, in groups 30% ITE, 50% ITE, 30% OTE and 50% OTE the shear force values of the breast muscle were only 71.8%, 83.4%, 63.5% and 59.4% (p < 0.05), respectively. Birds received diets containing reduced levels of trace elements had diminished excretions of Mn and Zn throughout the entire period (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the reduced supplementation of trace elements had no or slightly negative impact on growth performance, carcass yield and meat quality, but decreased faecal mineral excretion. Moreover, the trace element supply as OTE played a limited role on performance and excretion and was only partly beneficial for animal performance in case the trace element supply was reduced to 30%.

Greater adherence to a Mediterranean Diet is associated with better gait speed in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are vulnerable to the physical frailty phenotype. Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is emerging as a potential dietary strategy to attenuate physical disability with age. This cross-sectional analysis aimed to explore the association between adherence to a MedDiet and characteristics of the physical frailty phenotype in older adults with T2DM. Adherence to a MedDiet was assessed using two dietary adherence tools: [1] alternate Mediterranean Food Score (MED); [2] Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). The short physical performance battery (SPPB) and gait speed was used to evaluate lower extremity physical function. Frailty was defined as having three of the following: exhaustion, low muscle strength, low physical activity, slow gait speed, and weight loss. Multiple regression analysis was used to summarise associations between dietary adherence, SPPB score, gait speed and muscle strength adjusted for age, physical activity and time since T2DM diagnosis. A total of n=87 participants (71.2±8.2 years) were included. A total of n=6 (∼7%) and n=32 (∼37%) participants were identified as frail and pre-frail respectively. After adjustment for age, physical activity and time since T2DM diagnosis, greater adherence to a MedDiet, using both adherence tools, was significantly associated with better gait speed (MED: β=0.365; P=0.002; MEDAS: β=0.313; P=0.007). When assessing the individual dietary elements included in the MED score, fish and seafood consumption was the single significant contributor to better gait speed (β=0.229; P=0.05). Nil associations were observed when assessing adherence against muscle strength. Greater adherence to a MedDiet was associated with better lower extremity physical performance in older adults with T2DM. Future studies should investigate the efficacy of a MedDiet intervention for attenuation of physical frailty characteristics in older adults with T2DM.

Modulatory Effect of Selected Dietary Phytochemicals on Delayed Rectifier K+ Current in Human Prostate Cancer Cells.

Phytochemicals are ubiquitous in naturally occurring dietary elements that exhibits diverse pharmacological properties over various pathological disorders, including cancer. Voltage gated K+ (KV) channel in the plasma membrane contributes to wide range of cellular processes including cancer progression. Therefore, modulation of KV channel is being considered as a novel potential target for cancer therapy. The whole cell patch clamp technique was used to record the modulatory effect of chrysin, naringenin, caffeic acid, gallic acid, and zingerone on delayed rectifier potassium current (IK) in human prostate cancer cells LNCaP and PC-3. Among the tested compounds, zingerone blocked IK in a concentration-dependent manner in LNCaP cells and estimated the IC50 value of 141μM and Emax was 81.3%. Further analysis of KV channel activation kinetics showed that zingerone induces a positive shift in the activation curve in LNCaP cells, whereas the inhibitory effect of gallic acid on IK was significantly less potent than the inhibition caused by zingerone. However, chrysin, naringenin, and caffeic acid did not modulate the KV channel conductance in LNCaP or PC-3 cells. Our findings confirmed that not all the tested phytochemicals to be effective modulators of IK and suggested that IK inhibitory effect of zingerone and gallic acid may be responsible for their anticancer effects in prostate cancer cells.

Parameters Affecting Antiradical and Elemental Composition and Microstructural Elucidation in the Extraction of Dried Piper nigrum Seedlings

Background: Black- and white pepper extracts are natural products, which had been extensively used in food industries as a seasoning agent, and in herbal medicine for the treatment of many free radical-related diseases. Owing to the medicinal and nutritive benefits of this functional spice, the need then arises to find a way of extracting its fixed oil at optimum condition. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of extraction parameters on the extraction yield, antioxidant activities, microstructure, functional group characteristics, and elemental composition of fixed oils extracted from the two cultivars. Methods: Extraction of fixed oil was carried out using a heat reflux extraction technique. The dietary elemental composition was conducted using Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The effect of localized heating on the extracts was evaluated to determine the structural changes in the pepper sample using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Results: The optimal fixed oil yields under the optimum condition were 10.38 mg/g for the black pepper and 15.27 for the white pepper. The antiradical powers (ARP) of 0.007985 and 0.009046 mL/µg were obtained for black- and white pepper fixed oil, respectively. This suggests that the fixed oil from white pepper exhibited higher antiradical characteristics than black pepper fixed oil. The results of BET-parameters revealed the percentage of deformations related to the black- and white pepper under the localized heating was 21.47% and 29.14%, respectively. Conclusions: The results revealed a greater deformation on the microstructure of white pepper than black pepper. Moreover, rich dietary elements present in the extracts succinctly unveiled the potential of fixed oil extracts in curative applications and preventive traditional medicine.

Chemotherapeutic Potential of Novel Selenium (Se) Analog of Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) Inhibitor, Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid (SAHA) in Experimental Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC), one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths worldwide is an outcome of both genetic and epigenetic changes in colonic epithelia leading to the formation of adenocarcinomas. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) through their key roles in regulation of cellular processes, are associated with the development and progression of cancer. Thus, in this regard, HDAC inhibitors have become promising therapeutic targets. These inhibitors induce cell cycle arrest, differentiation, autophagy and apoptotic cell death by inhibiting multiple signaling pathways. Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), a second generation HDAC inhibitor has been approved by US‐FDA for the treatment of cutaneous T‐Cell lymphoma, however its anti‐cancerous effects against colorectal cancer is still unknown. Also, essential dietary element Selenium (Se) has been found to have an important role in CRC prevention via modulating redox sensitive molecular pathways. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the anti‐tumorigenic role of SAHA and its Se analog namely, SelSA‐1 (25 mg/kg) in DMH induced experimental colon cancer model in Balb/c mice. The toxicity studies and pharmacokinetic characterization of SelSA‐1 exhibited better tolerance, absorption and elimination rate than SAHA. Further, histological and morphological analyses showed that SelSA‐1 has better/comparable chemotherapeutic potential compared to SAHA at lower doses than SAHA. Further, the positive redox modulatory effects of SelSA‐1 and SAHA in CRC associated oxidative stress were also noteworthy, projecting the plausible use of similar analogs as compounds of choice for cancer treatments based on their safety profiles, efficacy and specificity in terms of chemotherapeutic potential.Support or Funding InformationDepartment of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India, New Delhi; University Grant Commission (UGC), Govt. of India, New DelhiThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Manganese: Its Role in Disease and Health.

Manganese is an essential dietary element that functions primarily as a coenzyme in several biological processes. These processes include, but are not limited to, macronutrient metabolism, bone formation, free radical defense systems, and in the brain, ammonia clearance and neurotransmitter synthesis. It is a critical component in dozens of proteins and enzymes, and is found in all tissues. Concentrated levels of Mn are found in tissues rich in mitochondria and melanin, with both, liver, and pancreas having the highest concentrations under normal conditions. However, overexposure to environmental Mn via industrial occupation or contaminated drinking water can lead to toxic brain Mn accumulation that has been associated with neurological impairment. The objective of this chapter is to address the biological importance of Mn (essentiality), routes of exposure, factors dictating Mn status, a brief discussion of Mn neurotoxicity, and proposed methods for neurotoxicity remediation.

Nutrients in Alzheimer's Disease: The Interaction of Diet, Drugs and Disease.

In recent decades, clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease (AD) have failed at an unprecedented rate. The etiology of AD has since come under renewed scrutiny, both to elucidate the underlying pathologies and to identify novel therapeutic strategies. Here, diet has emerged as a potential causative/protective agent. A variety of nutrients, including lipids, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and sugars as well as broader dietary patterns and microbiotal interactions have demonstrated associations with AD. Although clinical trials have yet to definitively implicate any singular dietary element as therapeutic or causative, it is apparent that dietary preferences, likely in complex synergies, may influence the risk, onset and course of AD. This review catalogs the impact of major dietary elements on AD. It further examines an unexplored reciprocal association where AD may modulate diet, as well as how potential therapeutics may complicate these interactions. In doing so, we observe diet may have profound effects on the outcome of a clinical trial, either as a confounder of a drug/disease interaction or as a generally disruptive covariate. We therefore conclude that future clinical trials in AD should endeavor to control for diet, either in study design or subsequent analyses.

Knowledge Management in Healthcare Sustainability: A Smart Healthy Diet Assistant in Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture

In the past 40 years, with the changes to dietary structure and the dramatic increase in the consumption of meat products in developing countries, especially in China, encouraging populations to maintain their previous healthy eating patterns will have health, environmental, and economic co-benefits. Healthy diet education plays an important role in the promotion of people’s healthy behavior. However, in the modern age, the data regarding healthy diets available on the internet is increasing rapidly and is distributed on multiple sources. It is time-consuming for users to learn about healthy diets on the internet: they need to search data on multiple platforms, choose and integrate information, and then understand what they have learned. To help people retrieve and learn healthy diet knowledge more efficiently and comprehensively, this paper designs a knowledge graph to integrate healthy diet information on the internet and provides a semantic retrieval system. In the knowledge graph, five main concepts are defined, including food material, dish, nutritional element, symptom, and crowd, as well as the relationships among them. In addition, Chinese dietary culture elements and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory are also contained in the knowledge graph. The preliminary results show that by using the system, users learn healthy diet knowledge more quickly and comprehensively and they are more inclined to have balanced diets. This work could be regarded as a retrieval and education tool, which can assist healthcare and national sustainable development.

Reliability and validity of a Mediterranean diet and culinary index (MediCul) tool in an older population with mild cognitive impairment.

Dementia is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality without pharmacologic prevention or cure. Mounting evidence suggests that adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern may slow cognitive decline, and is important to characterise in at-risk cohorts. Thus, we determined the reliability and validity of the Mediterranean Diet and Culinary Index (MediCul), a new tool, among community-dwelling individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A total of sixty-eight participants (66 % female) aged 75·9 (sd 6·6) years, from the Study of Mental and Resistance Training study MCI cohort, completed the fifty-item MediCul at two time points, followed by a 3-d food record (FR). MediCul test-retest reliability was assessed using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), Bland-Altman plots and κ agreement within seventeen dietary element categories. Validity was assessed against the FR using the Bland-Altman method and nutrient trends across MediCul score tertiles. The mean MediCul score was 54·6/100·0, with few participants reaching thresholds for key Mediterranean foods. MediCul had very good test-retest reliability (ICC=0·93, 95 % CI 0·884, 0·954, P<0·0001) with fair-to-almost-perfect agreement for classifying elements within the same category. Validity was moderate with no systematic bias between methods of measurement, according to the regression coefficient (y=-2·30+0·17x) (95 % CI -0·027, 0·358; P=0·091). MediCul over-estimated the mean FR score by 6 %, with limits of agreement being under- and over-estimated by 11 and 23 %, respectively. Nutrient trends were significantly associated with increased MediCul scoring, consistent with a Mediterranean pattern. MediCul provides reliable and moderately valid information about Mediterranean diet adherence among older individuals with MCI, with potential application in future studies assessing relationships between diet and cognitive function.

Dietary Inclusion of Black Seed Flour Inhibits Reproductive Alterations via Signal Transduction by Depleting Ectoenzyme, Adenosine Deaminase and Acetylcholine Sterase Activities in Rats Intoxicated with Mixed Environmental Metals

Free-radical scavenging mechanism may limit the clinical application of male reproductive therapies if additional biochemical targets are not provided. Hence, this study investigates the effects of dietary supplementation from black seed flour (D-BSF) on ectonucleotidases (NTPDase and 5’-nucleotidase), adenosine deaminase (ADA) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities including malonaldehyde (MDA) content in testicular cells of rats exposed to Elewi odo municipal auto-battery recycling leachate (EOMABRL). The animals were divided into six groups (n = 8): normal control rats; normal rats treated with 10% and 20% D-BSF; rat exposed to intraperitoneal 1 ml of mixed metals (EOMABRL); exposed rats to 1 ml of EOMABRL treated with 10% and 20%, D-BSF, respectively; for 14 days. The proximate composition of D-BSF indicated moisture content (8.78%), protein (23.96%), fat (38.84%), ash (3.84%) and carbohydrate (24.49%). Additionally, analysis of dietary elements from D-BSF revealed phosphorus (690 mg/100 g), calcium (530 mg/100 g), magnesium (60 mg/100 g), potassium (330 mg/100 g), sodium (13.44 mg/100 g), manganese (2.66 mg/100 g), iron (4.55 mg/100 g) and zinc (5.10 mg/100 g). Furthermore, in vivo study revealed that 1 ml of EOMABRL upsurge the testicular MDA content following the exposure. Moreover, the hydrolysis of ATP, ADP and AMP nucleotides as well as ADA and AChE activities were amplified in leachate-exposed rats’ testes relative to the control. Conversely, the treatment with D-BSF inhibited the upsurge. We concluded that some possible mechanisms by which D-BSF elicit spermatogenesis could be through inhibition of testicular lipid peroxidation, nucleotides hydrolysis and modulation of purinergic metabolizing enzymes.

Dietary zinc, calcium and nickel are associated with lower childhood blood lead levels

The potential mitigation of elevated blood lead (PbB) levels with nutrient intake remains debatable. A comprehensive review by Kordas (2017) concluded that careful examination of the links between nutrition (nutritional status, nutrients, diet) and lead (Pb) exposure revealed limited and tenuous evidence. We have measured 20 elements including calcium (Ca), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), and Pb from 6-day duplicate diets of 108 young children over a 5-year period and expressed these as intakes per body weight. Bivariate analyses showed a weak positive association between the Pb content in the diets of the participants and the level of Pb in their blood, as might be expected. Weak, but negative, associations occurred between the other elements in the diet and PbB. The associations for Ca, Mg, Ni and Zn were statistically significant for both subject-based (between subjects) and within-subject effects: that is, as the levels of elements in diet increased, the PbB level decreased. The largest percentage of variance of PbB in the context of the bivariate model accounted for was 4.23% for Zn, followed by Ca (3.91%) and Fe (2.20%). Supplementary analyses indicated that the between- and within-subject effects did not vary with the age at which participants entered the study, or with the levels of elements at their first measurement. A multivariable analysis using Weighted Quantile Sum Regressions showed that a weighted composite comprised of all the dietary elements had a significant association with PbB when adjusted for Pb in the diet and other covariates and also when adjusted for Pb in house dust; the latter was found to have the strongest association with PbB in earlier analyses. The highest weights were for Ca (0.29), Ni (0.27) and Zn (0.22); these results are generally consistent with those from the mixed model analyses.

VEGF gene polymorphism interactions with dietary trace elements intake in determining the risk of metabolic syndrome.

There is a complex association among genetic, metabolic, and environmental factors in determining the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the association between the dietary intake of iron, copper, zinc, manganese, selenium, and iodine (assessed by 24 recall) with vascular endothelial growth factor variants (rs6921438, rs4416670, rs6993770, and rs10738760), on the risk of MetS. Two-hundred and forty-eight individuals with MetS and 100 individuals without MetS were recruited. The dietary intake and the daily average of energy and nutrient intake were obtained by a questionnaire and quantified using Diet Plan 6 software. DNA was extracted from EDTA anticoagulated whole blood. The SNPs were assessed using using a Sequenom iPLEX Gold assay. Data analysis was undertaken using the Student t test, χ2 test and logistic regression using SPSS 11.5 software. There was a significant association between low dietary iron intake and rs6993770 (β = .10, P < .05), and a low dietary zinc and a high manganese intake with rs6921438 in relation to the presence of MetS (β = -.17, P < .05, β = -.30, P < .05, respectively). Our data showed the association of rs6993770 with iron intake and rs6921438 with zinc and manganese intake, indicating further investigation in a larger population to evaluate their values.

Patterns of PCB exposure among Akwesasne adolescents: The role of dietary and inhalation pathways

AimThe objective of this study is to determine if consumption of fish and other dietary elements are related to the serum PCB levels of a group of adolescents. A dietary pattern approach is used to provide a more complete dietary exposure profile rather than a single food/group approach. Additionally, dietary patterns are examined in relation to traditional PCB groupings as well as derived PCB congener profiles. Participants/setting and methodsThe sample is comprised of 246 Mohawk adolescents between the ages of 10–16.9 years of age residing at the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation. Food frequency data was collected and serum PCB levels were (101 congeners) quantitated during a cross-sectional study investigating adolescent exposure to environmental pollutants. ResultsPrincipal component analysis identified four dietary patterns: “well-rounded” “snacks and sweets” “fruits and vegetables” “fish and dairy” and four PCB congener profiles: “1248-like”, Persistent/“1260-like”, “mono-ortho”, and “1254-like”. In a multiple regression models, the “fish and dairy” dietary or traditional PCB determinants (age, sex, prior breastfeeding, BMI, pattern) were each predictors of one or more of three of the identified PCB congener profiles. However, the “1248-like” pattern was not related to either dietary pattern or any of the typical PCB determinants, suggesting an alternative source/exposure pathway for this congener profile. ConclusionEven relatively low levels of fish consumption within the composite dietary matrix of adolescents at Akwesasne remains a pathway of exposure to postnatally acquired PCBs. In addition, there is evidence of an unidentified, perhaps airborne, exposure pathway that warrants further attention as this congener profile accounted for 50% of the total variance within the adolescents' serum PCB levels.

Heme iron polypeptide in treatment of anemia inpregnancy

Introduction: Treatment of iron deficiency anemia with non-heme iron salts still remains a challenge. The negative influence of various dietary elements and medications slows the absorption of iron from iron salts which makes it less bio-available, the side effects associated with iron salts, results in poor compliance. But Heme Iron Polypeptide claims to overcome the short comings of the non – heme oral iron. Materials and Methods: This prospective clinical study was done on patients of SSG Hospital, Baroda; 100 mild to moderate anemia pregnant patients between 16 to 28 weeks were included. The primary outcome of interest was mean maternal hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels at the end of treatment. Secondary outcomes were treatment related side effects and compliance. Results: There was significant rise in hemoglobin [mean difference (MD), 1.05841; p< 0.001] and serum ferritin [mean difference (MD) 7.3715, p, 0.001]. No side effects and good compliance with Heme Iron Polypeptide. Conclusion: Heme Iron Polypeptide is promising supplementary treatment for iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy as there was significant rise in hemoglobin and other iron indices which are comparable to oral iron salts. Heme Iron Polypeptide is a better source of iron for iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy, as it has less side effects especially gastrointestinal side effects, because of which it has better compliance.