Precision Nutrition Research Articles

The development and innovation of clinical nutrition

The strategy of nutrition therapy in the treatment of diseases is constantly optimized with the development and innovation of the concept and technology in the field of clinical nutrition, especially the rise of multi-disciplines such as imaging omics and artificial intelligence and the latest discoveries of clinical trials. Precise nutrition assessment, diversified products, multimodal nutrition therapy throughout the process and intelligent compliance management have efficiently improved the effect of nutrition therapy. The implementation of personalized and precise nutrition therapy still needs further investigation.

Biomolecular investigations into BBI reveal an enzymatic mechanism for PUFA isomerisation in bifidobacterium CFA bioconversion strains

Multiple species of Bifidobacterium exhibit the ability to bioconvert conjugated fatty acids (CFAs), which is considered an important pathway for these strains to promote host health. However, there has been limited progress in understanding the enzymatic mechanism of CFA bioconversion by bifidobacteria, despite the increasing number of studies identifying CFA-producing strains. The protein responsible for polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) isomerization in B. breve CCFM683 has recently been discovered and named BBI, providing a starting point for exploring Bifidobacterium isomerases (BIs). This study presents the sequence classification of membrane-bound isomerases from four common Bifidobacterium species that produce CFA. Heterologous expression, purification, and enzymatic studies of the typical sequences revealed that all possess a single c9, t11 isomer as the product and share common features in terms of enzymatic properties and catalytic kinetics. Using molecular docking and alanine scanning, Lys84, Tyr198, Asn202, and Leu245 located in the binding pocket were identified as critical to the catalytic activity, a finding further confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis-based screening assays. Overall, these findings provide insightful knowledge concerning the molecular mechanisms of BIs. This will open up additional opportunities for the use of bifidobacteria and CFAs in probiotic foods and precision nutrition.

Gut microbes differ in postmenopausal women responding to prunes to maintain hip bone mineral density.

Foods high in phenolics such as prunes have been shown to exert protective effects on bone mineral density (BMD), but only certain individuals experience these benefits. This post-hoc analysis of a 12-month randomized controlled trial aimed to identify the relationship among the gut microbiome, immune responses, and bone protective effects of prunes on postmenopausal women. Subjects who consumed 50-100 g prunes daily were divided into responders (n = 20) and non-responders (n = 32) based on percent change in total hip bone mineral density (BMD, ≥1% or ≤-1% change, respectively). DXA scans were used to determine body composition and BMD. Immune markers were measured using immunoassays and flow cytometry. Targeted phenolic metabolites were analyzed using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The fecal microbiota was characterized through 16S rRNA gene PCR amplicon sequencing. After 12 months of prune consumption, anti-inflammatory markers showed responders had significantly lower levels of IL-1β and TNF-α. QIIME2 sequence analysis showed that microbiomes of responders and non-responders differed in alpha (Shannon and Faith PD, Kruskal-Wallis p < 0.05) and beta diversity (unweighted Unifrac, PERMANOVA p < 0.04) metrics both before and after prune treatment. Furthermore, responders had a higher abundance of bacterial families Oscillospiraceae and Lachnospiraceae (ANCOM-BC p < 0.05). These findings provide evidence that postmenopausal women with initial low BMD can benefit from prunes if they host certain gut microbes. These insights can guide precision nutrition strategies to improve BMD tailored to diet and microbiome composition.

The Power of Vitamin D: Is the Future in Precision Nutrition through Personalized Supplementation Plans?

In the last few decades, vitamin D has undeniably been one of the most studied nutrients. Despite our ability to produce vitamin D through sunlight exposure, its presence in several natural food sources and fortified foods, and its widespread availability as a dietary supplement, vitamin D deficiency is a serious public health problem, affecting nearly 50% of the global population. Low serum levels of vitamin D are being associated with increased susceptibility to numerous health conditions, including respiratory infections, mental health, autoimmune diseases, and different cancer types. Although the association between vitamin D status and health is well-established, the exact beneficial effects of vitamin D are still inconclusive and indefinite, especially when considering the prevention and treatment of different health conditions and the determination of an appropriate dosage to exert those beneficial effects in various population groups. Therefore, further research is needed. With constant improvements in our understanding of individual variations in vitamin D metabolism and requirements, in the future, precision nutrition and personalized supplementation plans could prove beneficial.

Nano Fertilizers: New Vistas towards Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change Mitigation: A Review

To ensure the food and nutritional security of the burgeoning global population, food production needs to be doubled in developing countries by 2050. Currently, 30-40% of agriculture production predominantly relies on chemical fertilizers. Precise crop nutrition, low nutrient efficiency, maintaining soil fertility, less damage to soil flora and minimal environmental footprint are the major challenges in modern agriculture. Recent developments in the application of nanotechnology to produce agriculture inputs emerged as a sustainable solution for addressing the challenges in modern intensive agriculture by replacing synthetic bulk fertilizers with their nanoparticle size ( less than 100 nm), superior properties and smart delivery system. Nano fertilizers had the potential to fulfill the requirements of plant nutrition along with imparting sustainability in crop production without compromising the yield of the crops. Some of the current research studies have been reviewed in this paper with citation and these results showed that nano fertilizers have a substantial effect on plant growth, development and physiological parameters including chlorophyll content and photosynthetic activity, it depends on their composition, method and time of application. Their enhanced nutrient use efficiency, correlated with mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Hence evolving as a cutting-edge approach for sustainable agriculture in climate change is enlightened in this review.

Artificial intelligence in clinical nutrition and dietetics: A brief overview of current evidence.

The rapid surge in artificial intelligence (AI) has dominated technological innovation in today's society. As experts begin to understand the potential, a spectrum of opportunities could yield a remarkable revolution. The upsurge in healthcare could transform clinical interventions and outcomes, but it risks dehumanization and increased unethical practices. The field of clinical nutrition and dietetics is no exception. This article finds a multitude of developments underway, which include the use of AI for malnutrition screening; predicting clinical outcomes, such as disease onset, and clinical risks, such as drug interactions; aiding interventions, such as estimating nutrient intake; applying precision nutrition, such as measuring postprandial glycemic response; and supporting workflow through chatbots trained on natural language models. Although the opportunity and scalability of AI is incalculably attractive, especially in the face of poor healthcare resources, the threat cannot be ignored. The risk of malpractice and lack of accountability are some of the main concerns. As such, the healthcare professional's responsibility remains paramount. The data used to train AI models could be biased, which could risk the quality of care to vulnerable or minority patient groups. Standardized AI-development protocols, benchmarked to care recommendations, with rigorous large-scale validation are required to maximize application among different settings. AI could overturn the healthcare landscape, and this article skims the surface of its potential in clinical nutrition and dietetics.

Nutritional and Lifestyle Features in a Mediterranean Cohort: An Epidemiological Instrument for Categorizing Metabotypes Based on a Computational Algorithm.

Background and Objectives: Modern classification and categorization of individuals' health requires personalized variables such as nutrition, physical activity, lifestyle, and medical data through advanced analysis and clustering methods involving machine learning tools. The objective of this project was to categorize Mediterranean dwellers' health factors and design metabotypes to provide personalized well-being in order to develop professional implementation tools in addition to characterizing nutritional and lifestyle features in such populations. Materials and Methods: A two-phase observational study was conducted by the Pharmacists Council to identify Spanish nutritional and lifestyle characteristics. Adults over 18 years of age completed questionnaires on general lifestyle habits, dietary patterns (FFQ, MEDAS-17 p), physical activity (IPAQ), quality of life (SF-12), and validated well-being indices (LS7, MEDLIFE, HHS, MHL). Subsequently, exploratory factor, clustering, and random forest analysis methods were conducted to objectively define the metabotypes considering population determinants. Results: A total of 46.4% of the sample (n = 5496) had moderate-to-high adherence to the Mediterranean diet (>8 points), while 71% of the participants declared that they had moderate physical activity. Almost half of the volunteers had a good self-perception of health (49.9%). Regarding lifestyle index, population LS7 showed a fair cardiovascular health status (7.9 ± 1.7), as well as moderate quality of life by MEDLIFE (9.3 ± 2.6) and MHL scores (2.4 ± 0.8). In addition, five metabotype models were developed based on 26 variables: Westernized Millennial (28.6%), healthy (25.1%), active Mediterranean (16.5%), dysmetabolic/pre-morbid (11.5%), and metabolically vulnerable/pro-morbid (18.3%). Conclusions: The support of tools related to precision nutrition and lifestyle integrates well-being characteristics and contributes to reducing the impact of unhealthy lifestyle habits with practical implications for primary care. Combining lifestyle, metabolic, and quality of life traits will facilitate personalized precision interventions and the implementation of targeted public health policies.

Effects of sex on fat deposition through gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in weaned pigs

Nitrogen pollution resulting from excessive feed consumption poses a significant challenge for modern swine production. Precision nutrition technology seems to be an effective way to solve this problem; therefore, understanding the law of pig body composition deposition is a prerequisite. This study investigated the sex effects on growth performance, body composition, nutrient deposition, gut microbiota, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in weaned piglets. Eighty weaned pigs were randomly allocated to 2 treatments according to the sex of pigs. An individual pig was considered as a treatment replicate. Six body weights (BW 5, 7, 11, 15, 20, and 25 kg) were chosen as experimental points; for each point 10 piglets close to the average BW (5 males and 5 females) were slaughtered, and there was one growth phase between each 2 BW points. Results indicated that the males had higher average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) compared to the females (P < 0.05) at growth phases 15 to 20 kg BW and 20 to 25 kg BW. Meanwhile, males at 20 kg BW had higher body fat content than females (P < 0.10). Males showed a higher body fat (P < 0.05) deposition rate at phase 15 to 20 kg BW (P < 0.05) than females. For pigs at 20 kg BW, the relative abundance of RuminococcaceaeUCG-005, Clostridium, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, and Peptostreptococcaceae was significantly increased in males (P < 0.05) but that of Bifidobacterium was decreased (P < 0.05). At 25 kg BW, the relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group, Fibrobacter, RuminococcaceaeUCG-009, Ralstonia, Klebsiel, and Christensenellaceae_R-7_group in males was higher when compared with females (P < 0.05). In terms of SCFA, females exhibited higher concentrations of propionate compared to males (P < 0.05). The results of the current study indicated that sex influenced fat deposition through changes in the composition of gut microbiota and the content of SCFA, which has significant implications for the realization of precision nutrition in modern swine production.

Alcohol Drinking Impacts on Adiposity and Steatotic Liver Disease: Concurrent Effects on Metabolic Pathways and Cardiovascular Risks.

This integrative search aimed to provide a scoping overview of the relationships between the benefits and harms of alcohol drinking with cardiovascular events as associated to body fat mass and fatty liver diseases, as well as offering critical insights for precision nutrition research and personalized medicine implementation concerning cardiovascular risk management associated to ethanol consumption. Frequent alcohol intake could contribute to a sustained rise in adiposity over time. Body fat distribution patterns (abdominal/gluteus-femoral) and intrahepatic accumulation of lipids have been linked to adverse cardiovascular clinical outcomes depending on ethanol intake. Therefore, there is a need to understand the complex interplay between alcohol consumption, adipose store distribution, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and cardiovascular events in adult individuals. The current narrative review deals with underconsidered and apparently conflicting benefits concerning the amount of alcohol intake, ranging from abstention to moderation, and highlights the requirements for additional robust methodological studies and trials to interpret undertrained and existing controversies. The conclusion of this review emphasizes the need of newer multifaceted clinical approaches for precision medicine implementation, considering epidemiological strategies and pathophysiological mechanistic. Newer investigations and trials should be derived and performed particularly focusing both on alcohol's objective consequences as putatively mediated by fat deposition, including associated roles in fatty liver disease as well as to differentiate the impact of different levels of alcohol consumption (absence or moderation) concerning cardiovascular risks and accompanying clinical manifestations. Indeed, the threshold for the safe consumption of alcoholic drinks remains to be fully elucidated.

Abstract 4454: Manipulation of the amino acid metabolism promotes therapeutic efficacy through targeting lysosome in glioblastoma

Abstract Nutrients are converted by the body to smaller molecules, which are utilized for both anabolic and catabolic reactions. Cooperative regulation of these metabolic processes is critical for maintaining tissue homeostasis. Based on these findings, our group has been focusing on how the regulation of nutrient-driven metabolism controls the malignancy of cancer cells. Metabolic regulation has been considered crucial for cellular adaptation to environmental changes and promoting survival and proliferation. Recent studies showed the successful applications of targeting specific nutrients for cancer therapy. In this study, we developed a new lysosome-targeting therapeutic strategy, centered around the manipulation of the amino acid metabolism for GBM. Using patient-derived GBM cells, we found that lysosomal proteolytic activity is a unique metabolic biomarker representing malignant phenotypes of GBM and that it is closely correlated with the efficacy of current conventional therapy for GBM patients. Furthermore, the MiT/TFE family members, TFEB and TFE3, which are the master regulators of lysosomal biogenesis, controlled malignant progression and therapeutic efficacy in vitro and vivo. Combinatory analyses with clinical patient samples and xenograft models demonstrated that the MiT/TFE family plays a crucial role as a regulator of malignant properties in GBM. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) glioma dataset, which includes data from patients with Grade 2, 3, and 4 (GBM) gliomas, showed that higher expression of the MiT/TFE family was significantly associated with shorter survival. Interestingly, we discovered that an essential amino acid controls lysosomal biogenesis and membrane integrity by regulation of nitric oxide signaling pathway. Finally, we screened the potential anti-cancer drugs, including temozolomide, exhibiting the synergy effect in amino acid-restriction conditions by conducting a drug screening using a clinically available anti-cancer drug library. Our study demonstrated that lysosomal function, supported by amino acid metabolism, plays a critical role in the regulation of GBM malignant status and proposed precision nutrition as a promising therapeutic approach. Citation Format: Yongwei Jing, Masahiko Kobayashi, Atsushi Hirao. Manipulation of the amino acid metabolism promotes therapeutic efficacy through targeting lysosome in glioblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 4454.

Dietary fiber is a critical determinant of pathologic ILC2 responses and intestinal inflammation.

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) can promote host defense, chronic inflammation, or tissue protection and are regulated by cytokines and neuropeptides. However, their regulation by diet and microbiota-derived signals remains unclear. We show that an inulin fiber diet promotes Tph1-expressing inflammatory ILC2s (ILC2INFLAM) in the colon, which produce IL-5 but not tissue-protective amphiregulin (AREG), resulting in the accumulation of eosinophils. This exacerbates inflammation in a murine model of intestinal damage and inflammation in an ILC2- and eosinophil-dependent manner. Mechanistically, the inulin fiber diet elevated microbiota-derived bile acids, including cholic acid (CA) that induced expression of ILC2-activating IL-33. In IBD patients, bile acids, their receptor farnesoid X receptor (FXR), IL-33, and eosinophils were all upregulated compared with controls, implicating this diet-microbiota-ILC2 axis in human IBD pathogenesis. Together, these data reveal that dietary fiber-induced changes in microbial metabolites operate as a rheostat that governs protective versus pathologic ILC2 responses with relevance to precision nutrition for inflammatory diseases.

Abstract P278: 1-year Outcomes of A1c Reduction, Weight Loss, and Lowered QRISK3 Scores in Type 2 Diabetes Remission: Insights From an RCCT Leveraging Whole-Body Digital Twin Technology

Background and Aims: The effects of digital twin (DT) technology for remission of T2D on cardiovascular risk reduction is unknown. We evaluated the effectiveness of the DT to improve A1c and body weight and QRISK3 (QResearch Cardiovascular Disease Risk Algorithm 3), which is a prediction algorithm to estimate the 10-year risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), in patients enrolled to achieve remission of T2DM. DT platform uses AI and Internet of Things, to integrate multi-dimensional data to give precision nutrition and health recommendations via the mobile app and by coaches. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the data from prospective cohort of 204 participants who had been on DT for 1 year. Remission was defined as A1C levels less than 6.5% without medication for over 3 months. Outcomes included the change in HbA1c, body weight and change in QRISK3 scores. The DT uses a machine learning algorithm to integrate clinical and sensor data to predict personal glucose response. Patients were connected to continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) throughout the study and self-recorded dietary intake using the mobile app. Results: The study participants had a mean diabetes duration of 3.7±2.6 years and a mean age of 44±8.2 years. Based on the ADA criteria, at 1 year, 73% (n=149/204) continued to be under remission. The mean QRISK3 at baseline was 12.6 (±10.7, 95% CI 11.2 to 14) which significantly reduced to 9.5 (±7.9, 95% CI 8.5 to 10.6) at 360 days, p=0.0009. A1c (%) at baseline was 8.9 (±1.8, 95% CI 8.6 to 9.1, minimum 5.5, maximum 16.2) which reduced to 6 (±0.6, 95% CI 5.9 to 6, minimum 4.7, maximum 9.2), p&lt;0.0001. Body weight (kg) at baseline was 78.3 (±14.2, 95% CI 76.4 to 80.2) which reduced to 70.7 (±12.8, 95% CI 69 to 72.4), &lt;0.0001. There was a significant correlation between the reduction in body weight and QRISK3 (Pearson r 0.24 95% CI 0.1 to 0.3, p=0.0004). However, the correlation between the reduction in A1c and QRISK3 (Pearson r 0.04, 95% CI -0.09 to 0.18, p=0.53 ns) was comparable. At baseline, there were 53% of participants who had low risk score (&lt;10), 28% as intermediate risk (10-20), 19% as high risk (&gt;20%) that at 1 year shifted to 67% as low risk, 23% as intermediate risk and 10% as high-risk scores. Conclusion: Incorporating the Digital Twin (DT) technology, which blends AI and IoT for tailored health guidance, our RCCT indicated significant 1-year advancements in A1c, weight, and QRISK3 scores among T2DM patients aiming for remission. The transformative potential of DT is evident, particularly in shifting a majority of participants towards lower cardiovascular risk categories.

Abstract P498: Different Metabolomic Associations With Mediterranean Style Diet (MSD) Scores Between Individuals With Normoglycemia vs. Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Transomic Precision Medicine Initiative (MESA-TOPMed) Data

Diet-metabolite associations for foods high in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) differ between those with normo- vs. with dys- glycemia. As metabolites represent the physiological effects of food after it has been digested, processed, and absorbed, this suggests that dysglycemia alters how foods are metabolized and thus their potential health impacts. Our goal was to examine whether metabolites associated with adherence to a MSD, a diet high in MUFA, differed by glycemia status (normoglycemia vs. IFG [125&lt;FG≥110 mg/dL]). We leveraged the longitudinal data on diet and plasma metabolites (N=2,816) in MESA-TOPMed, collected at two exams ~10y apart (baseline (BL): 2000-2002, and follow-up (FU): 2010-2011), on ~3,700 multi-ethnic US adults, ages 44-84y at baseline. Between exams, the proportion of the population with IFG increased from 25% to 40% (P&lt;1.0*10 -16 ), providing a natural experiment to examine how MSD-metabolite associations change alongside population-level glycemia changes. We interpreted linear models which specified metabolites values as the outcome, and MSD score as the predictor, and adjusted for demographic (age, gender, race/ethnicity, income level, highest education level) and health behavior (physical activity, energy intake, smoking status, body mass index [BMI]) information, with longitudinal models also including time as a fixed effect (days since BL). Longitudinal random-intercept multi-level models identified 789 compounds associated with MSD at metabolome wide levels of significance (P&lt;1.8*10 -5 ). Significant diet-by-time interactions (P&lt;.05) indicated that the 241 metabolites showed associated with MSD that were time-specific, changing as population dysglycemia increased (alongside changes in other characteristics), and we observed different effect sizes for MSD-metabolite associations in those with IFG vs those with normoglycemia (t = 3.4, df = 145, P = 9.0*10 -4 ). 548 metabolites showed associations with an MSD that were time-invariant, and when analyses were stratified by glycemia status, more of these more ‘universally associated’ metabolites were significantly associated with an MSD in those with IFG and normoglycemia, vs. in just one dysglycemia group (45% vs. 15%; X 2 =117, df=2, P&lt;2.0*10 -16 ). Our longitudinal analyses demonstrated that population-level metabolite associations with an MSD change as the population dysglycemia changes. Of course, other characteristics changed as well, and only some of these (e.g., BMI and age) were controlled for in our analyses. However, our cross-sectional analyses provided additional evidence that MSD-metabolite associations differ between those with normoglycemia vs. IFG. We are now seeking replication in other TOPMed cohorts, to support that notion that tailoring dietary advice to T2D prevention vs. management would be an important direction for future precision nutrition efforts.

Abstract P468: Correlation Among A1c Improvement, Weight Reduction, and Decreased ASCVD Risk in Participants Enrolled for Type 2 Diabetes Remission: Outcomes at 1 Year From an RCCT Using Whole-Body Digital Twin Technology

Background and Aims: The effects of digital twin (DT) technology for remission of T2D on cardiovascular risk reduction is unknown. We evaluated the effectiveness of the DT to improve A1c and body weight and ASCVD risk, in patients enrolled to achieve remission of T2DM. DT platform uses AI and Internet of Things, to integrate multi-dimensional data to give precision nutrition and health recommendations via the mobile app and by coaches. Materials and Methods: Data from 208 participants who had been on DT for 1 year were analyzed. Remission was defined as A1C levels less than 6.5% without medication for over 3 months. Outcomes included the change in HbA1c, body weight and change in ASCVD risk scores. The DT uses a machine learning algorithm to integrate clinical and sensor data to predict personal glucose response. Patients were connected to continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) throughout the study and self-recorded dietary intake using the mobile app. Results: The study participants had a mean diabetes duration of 3.7±2.7 years and a mean age of 44±8.5 years. Based on the ADA criteria, at 1 year, 72.6% (n=151/208) continued to be under remission. The mean 10-year ASCVD risk (%) at baseline was 7.9 (±7.8, 95% CI 6.8 to 8.9) which reduced to 3.6 (±4, 95% CI 3.1 to 4.2) at 360 days, p&lt;0.0001. A1c (%) at baseline was 8.9 (±1.8, 95% CI 8.7 to 9.2, minimum 5.5, maximum 16.2) which reduced to 6 (±0.6, 95% CI 5.9 to 6.1, minimum 4.7, maximum 9.2), p&lt;0.0001. Body weight (kg) at baseline was 78 (±14.3, 95% CI 76.1 to 79.9) which reduced to 70.4 (±12.9, 95% CI 68.7 to 72.1), p&lt;0.0001. There was a significant correlation between the reduction in A1c and ASCVD (Pearson r 0.41, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.5, p&lt;0.0001). Similarly, there was a significant correlation between the reduction in body weight and ASCVD (Pearson r 0.25, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.3, &lt;0.0001). At baseline, there were 49% of participants who had low risk score (&lt;5%), 16% as borderline risk (5-7.5%), 27% as intermediate risk (7.5-19.9), 8% as high risk (&gt;20%) that at 1 year shifted to 77% as low risk, 11% as borderline, 11% as intermediate risk and 1% as high-risk scores. Conclusion: The implementation of digital twin (DT) technology, utilizing AI and Internet of Things, demonstrated significant potential in T2DM management in participants enrolled to achieve remission. In our study with 208 participants, DT effectively reduced A1c levels, body weight, and ASCVD risk scores over 360 days. The correlations between reductions in A1c, body weight, and ASCVD underscore the potential of DT as a transformative tool in diabetes and cardiovascular risk management.

Polyphenols: immunonutrients tipping the balance of immunometabolism in chronic diseases.

Mounting evidence progressively appreciates the vital interplay between immunity and metabolism in a wide array of immunometabolic chronic disorders, both autoimmune and non-autoimmune mediated. The immune system regulates the functioning of cellular metabolism within organs like the brain, pancreas and/or adipose tissue by sensing and adapting to fluctuations in the microenvironment's nutrients, thereby reshaping metabolic pathways that greatly impact a pro- or anti-inflammatory immunophenotype. While it is agreed that the immune system relies on an adequate nutritional status to function properly, we are only just starting to understand how the supply of single or combined nutrients, all of them termed immunonutrients, can steer immune cells towards a less inflamed, tolerogenic immunophenotype. Polyphenols, a class of secondary metabolites abundant in Mediterranean foods, are pharmacologically active natural products with outstanding immunomodulatory actions. Upon binding to a range of receptors highly expressed in immune cells (e.g. AhR, RAR, RLR), they act in immunometabolic pathways through a mitochondria-centered multi-modal approach. First, polyphenols activate nutrient sensing via stress-response pathways, essential for immune responses. Second, they regulate mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) balance in immune cells and are well-tolerated caloric restriction mimetics. Third, polyphenols interfere with the assembly of NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) in endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria contact sites, inhibiting its activation while improving mitochondrial biogenesis and autophagosome-lysosome fusion. Finally, polyphenols impact chromatin remodeling and coordinates both epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming. This work moves beyond the well-documented antioxidant properties of polyphenols, offering new insights into the multifaceted nature of these compounds. It proposes a mechanistical appraisal on the regulatory pathways through which polyphenols modulate the immune response, thereby alleviating chronic low-grade inflammation. Furthermore, it draws parallels between pharmacological interventions and polyphenol-based immunonutrition in their modes of immunomodulation across a wide spectrum of socioeconomically impactful immunometabolic diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes (type 1 and 2) or even Alzheimer's disease. Lastly, it discusses the existing challenges that thwart the translation of polyphenols-based immunonutritional interventions into long-term clinical studies. Overcoming these limitations will undoubtedly pave the way for improving precision nutrition protocols and provide personalized guidance on tailored polyphenol-based immunonutrition plans.

Modulating cecal microbiome and in silico amino acid metabolism of sanguinarine-based isoquinoline alkaloids supplements in natural heat stress broiler

Broilers reared under tropical conditions are exposed to Heat Stress (HS) yielding adverseness in production. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of plant-derived sanguinarine-based Isoquinoline alkaloids (IQ) on integrating performance of growth with the cecal microbiome and functional metabolism profiles of amino acid metabolism for either precision nutrition or productivity promotion using nutrition strategies with intestinal microecological balance in broilers of 14-and 35-day of age under HS conditions. IQ significantly improved performance, body weight, average daily weight gain, feed intake, and mortality. IQ significantly modulated the cecum microbiome (14- and 35-dayo of age) by enriching microbiome diversity with increase in Bacteriodetes and Cyanobacteria, but decrease in Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. It was found on 14-day of age that abundances of Turicibactor sanguinis, Lactobacillus salivarious, Lactobacillus sacidophilus, and Akkermansia municiphila in the cecum of boiler fed with IQ60 were higher than in that of the control group. While abundances of Enteroccucus cecorum, Enteroccuus villorum, Escherichia fergusonii, and Helicobacter pullorum were lower in broiler fed with IQs demonstrating the potential to suppress Antimicrobial-Resistant (AMR) reservoirs in the cecum. IQs significantly increased amino acid metabolism namely, l-arginine degradation VII and l-tryptophan degradation I, l-tryptophan degradation VI on day 14, and l-alanine degradation VII, l-tryptophan biosynthesis, l-methionine biosynthesis I, l-methionine salvage cycle, and l-threonine degradation II on day 35 (Kruskal-Wallis p-value < 0.05) in which positively correlated with BW and FI but negative correlation with FCR (Pearson correlation, P < 0.05). It is the first finding that IQs potentially modulated the crosstalk between host and microbiota via the microbiome-gut-brain axis for gut homeostasis by improving Turicibacter sanguini, that promoted serotonin biosynthesis from colonic Enterochromaffin Cells (EC) in modulating Gastro-Intestinal tract (GI) motility. It can be concluded that IQ exhibited the potential to modulate cecal microbiota to improve functional amino acid pathways supporting growth performance in stress broilers. The phenotypic activity related to genotype prediction under in silico model of functional microbiome systems with multi-Omics methods relating with microbiome community is worthwhile to be further investigated leading to discovering potential phytogenic compounds for precision feed additives in stress broilers.

Development of an Automated Feeding System for Hydroponic Plant Nutrition Using Arduino Uno

Hydroponic farming has been a promising alternative to traditional farming, but providing plants with proper and consistent nutrition remains challenging. The issue in the research is the inaccuracy of the nutrients provided to the plants, resulting in growth that does not meet the expectations. This study aims to develop an automated nutrition system for hydroponic farming using Arduino Uno and total dissolved solids (TDS) sensors. In conducting this research, the study began with a preliminary exploration, followed by the design and integration process. Subsequently, testing and experiments were conducted on a small scale. Preliminary studies were conducted to understand existing hydroponic practices and challenges in manually supplying nutrients. The design of an automation system with Arduino Uno and a TDS sensor is made to control nutrition automatically. Automation systems are tested and calibrated to ensure accuracy and proper response. Implementation on a small scale was done with a test group and a control group in hydroponics. Growth and yield data were collected and analyzed. The results showed that the automated system provided precise and consistent nutrition, increasing plant growth and yields compared to manual methods. This research makes a scientific contribution to developing sustainable and efficient agriculture. In conclusion, nutrition automation using Arduino Uno and TDS sensors is an effective solution to increase the efficiency and productivity of hydroponic farming.&#x0D; Keywords: hydroponics, automation, plant nutrition, Arduino Uno TDS sensor

Analyzing postprandial metabolomics data using multiway models: a simulation study

BackgroundAnalysis of time-resolved postprandial metabolomics data can improve the understanding of metabolic mechanisms, potentially revealing biomarkers for early diagnosis of metabolic diseases and advancing precision nutrition and medicine. Postprandial metabolomics measurements at several time points from multiple subjects can be arranged as a subjects by metabolites by time points array. Traditional analysis methods are limited in terms of revealing subject groups, related metabolites, and temporal patterns simultaneously from such three-way data.ResultsWe introduce an unsupervised multiway analysis approach based on the CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP) model for improved analysis of postprandial metabolomics data guided by a simulation study. Because of the lack of ground truth in real data, we generate simulated data using a comprehensive human metabolic model. This allows us to assess the performance of CP models in terms of revealing subject groups and underlying metabolic processes. We study three analysis approaches: analysis of fasting-state data using principal component analysis, T0-corrected data (i.e., data corrected by subtracting fasting-state data) using a CP model and full-dynamic (i.e., full postprandial) data using CP. Through extensive simulations, we demonstrate that CP models capture meaningful and stable patterns from simulated meal challenge data, revealing underlying mechanisms and differences between diseased versus healthy groups.ConclusionsOur experiments show that it is crucial to analyze both fasting-state and T0-corrected data for understanding metabolic differences among subject groups. Depending on the nature of the subject group structure, the best group separation may be achieved by CP models of T0-corrected or full-dynamic data. This study introduces an improved analysis approach for postprandial metabolomics data while also shedding light on the debate about correcting baseline values in longitudinal data analysis.

Construction of nanoparticles from blueberry anthocyanins-lecithin/gum Arabic improves lipid droplet accumulation and gut microbiota disturbance in HFD-induced obese mice

The digestive instability of anthocyanins (ACNs) limits their application in food nutrition, especially precision nutrition. Blueberry ACNs-loaded nanoparticles (Lipo/GA-ACNs NPs) were prepared using gum arabic (GA) as the delivery carrier and liposomal vesicles (Lipo) prepared from soy lecithin as the targeting scaffold. The average particle size of the NPs was 99.4 nm, and the polydispersion index (PDI) was 0.46. The results showed that the presence of the Lipo-GA matrix enhanced the NPs' in vitro stability and antioxidant activity. In addition, the in vitro biocompatibility, uptake ability, lipid-lowering activity, and free-radical scavenging ability were improved to a certain extent. In a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse model, oral administration of ACNs-LNP (LNP, liver-targeted nanoparticle) showed better effects on body weight, liver injury, and lipid droplet accumulation in the liver than ACNs. In addition, ACNs-LNP also played a role in regulating HFD-induced gut microbiota imbalance. These results provide a promising ACNs delivery strategy with the potential to be developed into a functional food that targets the liver to prevent fatty liver.

Requirements for essential micronutrients during caloric restriction and fasting.

Caloric restriction (CR) or energy restriction, when carefully designed, monitored, and implemented in self-motivated and compliant individuals, proves to be a viable non-pharmacologic strategy for human weight control and obesity management. Beyond its role in weight management, CR has the potential to impede responses involved not only in the pathogenesis of various diseases but also in the aging process in adults, thereby being proposed to promote a healthier and longer life. The core objective of implementing caloric restriction is to establish a balance between energy intake and expenditure, typically involving a reduction in intake and an increase in expenditure-a negative balance at least initially. It may transition toward and maintain a more desired equilibrium over time. However, it is essential to note that CR may lead to a proportional reduction in micronutrient intake unless corresponding supplementation is provided. Historical human case reports on CR have consistently maintained adequate intakes (AI) or recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for essential micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals. Similarly, longevity studies involving non-human primates have upheld micronutrient consumption levels comparable to control groups or baseline measures. Recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have also endorsed daily supplementation of multivitamins and minerals to meet micronutrient needs. However, aside from these human case reports, limited human trials, and primate experiments, there remains a notable gap in human research specifically addressing precise micronutrient requirements during CR. While adhering to AI or RDA for minerals and vitamins appears sensible in the current practice, it's important to recognize that these guidelines are formulated for generally healthy populations under standard circumstances. The adequacy of these guidelines in the setting of prolonged and profound negative energy balance remains unclear. From perspectives of evidence-based medicine and precision nutrition, this field necessitates comprehensive exploration to uncover the intricacies of absorption, utilization, and metabolism and the requirement of each hydrophilic and lipophilic vitamin and mineral during these special periods. Such investigations are crucial to determine whether existing daily dietary recommendations for micronutrients are quantitatively inadequate, excessive, or appropriate when energy balance remains negative over extended durations.