Protein-rich Meal Research Articles

Cost-effectiveness of protein-rich meals and snacks for increasing protein intake in older adults

ObjectivesTo investigate the cost-effectiveness of protein-rich meals and snacks for increasing protein intake in home-dwelling older adults. DesignCost effectiveness analysis from a randomized controlled trial, the Power Meals study. SettingParticipants were randomized into one of three groups for eight weeks: a protein-rich meal, snack and bread (Protein), a regular meal (Normal) and a control group without meal service (Control). ParticipantsHome-dwelling home care clients, caregivers and care recipients aged ≥ 65 years (n = 65). MeasurementsProtein intake was assessed by a three-day food diary at the end of the study. Cost for the daily diet was estimated by using Finnish grocery store databases and the prices of the food service. The cost-effectiveness was assessed by an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). ResultsCosts for the daily diet in the Protein (8.35 €/d) and the Normal (7.94 €/d) groups were significantly higher than in the control group (5.65 €/d) (p < 0.001). Incremental cost-effectiveness analysis showed that increasing protein intake was cost-effective in the Protein group as incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 8.11 in the Protein, 8.72 in the Normal and 6.45 in the Control group. ConclusionsIncluding protein rich meals and snacks in a diet increases protein intake in home-dwelling older adults cost-effectively.

Study of the Preparation and Properties of Chemically Modified Materials Based on Rapeseed Meal.

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in developing novel materials based on natural biopolymers as a renewable alternative to petroleum-based plastics. The availability of proteins derived from agricultural by-products, along with their favourable properties, has fostered a renewed interest in protein-based materials, promoting research in innovative technologies. In this study, we propose the use of rapeseed protein-rich meal as the main ingredient for the preparation of novel sustainable materials combining excellent environmental properties such as biodegradability and renewability. The application of sustainable products in the present high-tech society requires the modification of the basic native properties of these natural compounds. The original route proposed in this paper consists of preparation via the compression moulding of flexible biomaterials stabilized by crosslinkers/chain extenders. An investigation of the effects of different denaturing and disulfide bond reducing agents, crosslinkers, and preparation conditions on the material mechanical behaviour demonstrated that the novel materials have appreciable strength and stiffness. The results show the potential of utilizing full meal from vegetable by-products to prepare protein-based materials with guaranteed ecofriendly characteristics and mechanical properties adequate for specific structural applications.

Effects of soy protein-rich meals on muscle health of older adults in long-term care: A randomized clinical trial

ObjectiveThis study investigated the effects of a soy protein-rich meal intervention on the muscle health of older adults in long-term care facilities. MethodsA 12-week single-center randomized controlled trial with a control-group and open-label design was conducted. Eighty-four older adults from a long-term care facility participated in the study. The chefs at the facility cooked three meals using soy protein-rich recipes designed by dieticians. For 12 weeks, the intervention group participants consumed three meals with 30 g of soy protein (10 g/meal) per day, and the control group participants maintained their habitual diets. ResultsThe 84 participants (mean age, 84.9 ± 7.0 years; 61.9% female) were randomly assigned to an intervention group (43 participants) and a control group (41 participants). The intervention group exhibited significant increases in several lean mass indicators, namely soft lean mass (mean, 1.43 kg; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.20–1.65 kg), skeletal muscle mass (mean, 1.20 kg; 95% CI: 0.43–1.96 kg), appendicular skeletal muscle mass (mean, 0.79 kg; 95% CI: 0.07–1.52 kg), and skeletal muscle index (mean, 0.37 kg/m2; 95% CI: 0.05–0.68 kg/m2) (all P < 0.05). These changes were not observed in the control group (all P > 0.05). Notably, calf circumference decreased significantly in the control group (mean, −0.98 cm; 95% CI: −1.61 to −0.36 cm) but was maintained in the intervention group. The differences in the calf circumference and 6-m walk performance of the two groups were significant (P < 0.05). ConclusionsThe 12-week soy protein-rich meal intervention improved the muscle mass and 6-m walk performance of older adults in a long-term care facility.

Combination treatment of WHO standard drugs and Artemisia Afra for pulmonary tuberculosis - a Pilot study of 25 multi resistant patients

Introduction: Tuberculosis is one of the leading infectious causes of death worldwide. The WHO estimates that 1.7 billion people close to one quarter of the humanity are infected with Mycobacterium Tuberculosis the bacteria that causes TB. Last year, 10.6 million fell ill from TB and 1.6 million died.1 Moreover, multi resistance to the current anti-tuberculosis drugs is growing thus causing a serious challenge in controlling the spread of the disease worldwide. Fortunately, as we demonstrated on previous studies that Artemisia Afra infusions given with the WHO approved drugs can shorten treatment duration and resistance from 9 months to 52 days maximum2 and out of the 102 patients 95 were cured in 30 days and 7 in 52 days. Most recently we also demonstrated that 25 patients of regular tuberculosis completely recovered after 30 days or less by combining Artemisia Afra infusions whereby the other 25 patients who took the WHO treatment ALONE either abandoned their treatment and if they continued it, they were still sick on day 30.3 The objective of this pilot study is to demonstrate that 25 patients with multi resistant tuberculosis when given Artemisia Afra infusions combined with second line anti tb drugs were able to recover in 35 days maximum instead of 90 days or more. Methods: This case study involved 25 patients who were all multi resistant or recidivist to the tuberculosis and have failed the first line treatment. Moreover, they were confirmed by a GeneXpert test to be resistant to Rifampicin and or Isoniazid. All patients were hospitalized at Ijenda Hospital in Bujumbura rural Province, Burundi between February, and April 2024. They were given the second line treatment at the regular dose + Artemisia Afra infusion at 330 ml three times a day. The patients were also fed with a protein rich meal and nurses made sure that medications were taken regularly according to DOT [Directly Observed Technique]. Results: All the 25 patients recovered in 35 days maximum (see details in the Tables below). Conclusion: The combination therapy [Artemisia Afra infusions+ WHO protocol] has a lot of potential in curing tuberculosis but more studies on a larger cohort [300 patients] will be carried out and there will also be a third leg with multi resistant cases that failed first line treatment with many months of sickness.

Reconsidering the pre-eminence of dietary leucine and plasma leucinemia for predicting the stimulation of postprandial muscle protein synthesis rates

The regulation of postprandial muscle protein synthesis (MPS) with or without physical activity has been an intensely studied area within nutrition and physiology. The leucine content of dietary protein and the subsequent plasma leucinemia it elicits postingestion is often considered the primary drivers of the postprandial MPS response. This concept, generally known as the leucine “trigger” hypothesis, has also been adopted within more applied aspects of nutrition. Our view is that recent evidence is driving a more nuanced picture of the regulation of postprandial MPS by revealing a compelling dissociation between ingested leucine or plasma leucinemia and the magnitude of the postprandial MPS response. Much of this lack of coherence has arisen as experimental progress has demanded relevant studies move beyond reliance on isolated amino acids and proteins to use increasingly complex protein-rich meals, whole foods, and mixed meals. Our overreliance on the centrality of leucine in this field has been reflected in 2 recent systematic reviews. In this perspective, we propose a re-evaluation of the pre-eminent role of these leucine variables in the stimulation of postprandial MPS. We view the development of a more complex intellectual framework now a priority if we are to see continued progress concerning the mechanistic regulation of postprandial muscle protein turnover, but also consequential from an applied perspective when evaluating the value of novel dietary protein sources.

A protein-rich meal provides beneficial glycemic and hormonal responses as compared to meals enriched in carbohydrate, fat or fiber, in individuals with or without type-2 diabetes.

Diet stands as a pivotal modifiable risk factor influencing weight gain and the onset of type-2 diabetes (T2D). This study delves into the variation in glucose and regulatory pancreatic hormone levels subsequent to the consumption of meals with differing macronutrient compositions. The cohort comprised 20 individuals diagnosed with T2D and 21 without diabetes. Participants underwent a cross-over design, consuming four isocaloric meals (600 kcal) enriched in carbohydrate, fiber, fat and protein. Plasma glucose, insulin and glucagon levels were measured at -30, and -5 min, followed by subsequent measurements every 30 min for 240 min post meal intake. Quantification of alterations in the postprandial state was accomplished through the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) and the incremental peak height for the insulin:glucagon ratio (IGR) and plasma glucose levels. The meal demonstrating the lowest responses across these variables was deemed the optimal meal. Meals rich in protein and fat, and consequently low in carbohydrate, exhibited reduced incremental peak and iAUC for both glucose and the IGR in comparison to the other meals. While the protein-enriched meal neared optimal standards, it proved less efficient for individuals without T2D and possessing a low BMI, as well as in those with T2D and poor glycemic control. Our findings endorse the adoption of protein-enriched, low-carbohydrate meals to curtail the meal-induced anabolic hormonal response while averting excessive fluctuations in glucose levels.

Risk assessment of some toxic metals in canned fish products retailed in Mansoura, Egypt.

Canned fish products are widely consumed in Egypt, particularly for protein-rich meals that are quick to prepare and low in calories. Canned fish products are contaminated with toxic metals from the fish itself or from canning materials during processing. To determine the residual levels of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), aluminum (Al), and Tin (Sn) in some canned fish products obtained from retail shops in Mansoura, Egypt. Furthermore, noncarcinogenic health risks evaluation for the Egyptian population due to hazardous metal oral intake. One hundred canned fish products (20 each of herring, mackerel, salmon, sardine, and tuna) were collected from May to September 2023, and canned fish products were obtained from Mansoura city markets in Egypt. Samples were digested in a solution composed of 60% nitric acid and 40% perchloric acid, and then an atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used for the detection of selected toxic metals. It was found that the residual level of hazardous metals exceeded the acceptability level established in the European Union for Pb, Cd, and Hg by 20%, 10%, and 10%, 15%, 5%, and 20%, 35%, 30%, and 45%, 25%, 25%, and 40%, in examined herring, mackerel, sardine, and tuna, respectively. In contrast, all salmon samples were accepted for Pb and Hg, and only 5% were not accepted due to a higher Cd level than the maximum permissible limit. The average estimated daily intake of (EDI) is below the tolerable daily intakes (TDIs) for all metals. Comparatively, the EDI of Hg was 0.265 µg/kg body weight (B.W) exceeded TDIs 0.228 µg/kg B.W. The hazard index for canned tuna and sardines is more than one. Canned fish products are contaminated with a variety of toxic metals, especially sardine and tuna. Therefore, it is advised to decrease the consumption rate of such fish products.

Inheritance of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin content in relation to seed oil and protein content in oilseed rape

Oilseed rape is worldwide an important oil and protein crop. Its oil is valued because of its excellent quality. The oil extracted meal is marketed as a lower value by-product for feeding livestock. Recently, interest in vegetable proteins has increased to use the oilseed rape protein as an alternative vegetable source for human consumption. However, the use of the protein rich meal for food production is greatly limited by the presence of residual glucosinolate, phenolic acid esters and crude fibre contents which affect its techno-functional properties, taste and colour. Further reducing contents of glucosinolates, cellulose, hemicellulose and indigestible lignin, is expected to enhance protein content and quality. To this end, two half-sib DH populations were tested in replicated field experiments. Inheritance of individual seed fibre components in relation to each other and to oil, protein and glucosinolate content were investigated. The DH populations were genotyped with Brassica 15K SNP Illumina chip, QTL were mapped and candidate genes were identified using the high quality long read reference genome of Express 617. Novel QTL for fibre components were identified that co-located to each other, with QTL for oil, protein and glucosinolate content, and with opposite direction of additive effects. The parallel investigation of two half-sib DH populations gave insight into the direction of the additive effects which depended on the indvidual parents. The results provide additional understanding of genetic loci underlying the seed quality traits which may help achieving the breeding goals in oilseed rape.

Glucagon in health and diabetes

Abstract For decades all attention focused on the hormone insulin as a key player in diabetes and the role of glucagon was less studied or understood. We now know that both these pancreatic hormones play a critical role in maintaining glucose homeostasis in the body and the secretion of one controls the secretion of the other in an inverse relationship as described by the bihormonal theory of Unger. Glucagon, secreted by the α-cells of the islets of pancreas is a key hormone that has a “hyperglycemic” effect and is secreted in response to low plasma glucose concentration. Besides hypoglycemia, glucagon release is also stimulated by prolonged fasting or starvation, exercise as well as consumption of protein-rich meals. It is regulated by several key endocrine and paracrine mechanisms and the autonomic system in response to various stimuli including nutrient intake through various complex neurohormonal factors. It primarily increases endogenous hepatic glucose production, stimulates lipid and protein catabolism, and plays a key role in appetite regulation and increasing energy expenditure. Therefore, glucagon functions as a counter-regulatory hormone to insulin stimulating hepatic glycogenolysis, gluconeogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, and ketogenesis. With mounting evidence, there has been a paradigm shift in the management of diabetes following the advent of new agents that address different pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to worsening hyperglycemia. Targeting the alpha-cell defect and consequent glucagon hypersecretion has therefore emerged as an important therapeutic strategy in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) management as well as body weight management. The currently available medications, including glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, DPP-4 inhibitors, and amylin mimics (pramlintide), essentially focus on lowering glucagon levels and correcting this critical pathophysiological component in the multifactorial T2DM management strategies.

Crude fiber and protein rich cottonseed meal derived carbon quantum dots composite porous carbon for supercapacitor

Cottonseed meal (CM) contains abundant crude fiber and crude protein, which is a kind of high quality carbon precursor. Herein, CM is hydrothermal treated by H2SO4 solution to get the carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and hydrothermal pre-carbonization CM (HCM). The CQDs and HCM composite are carbonize-activated with K2CO3 and obtain the N, O, S self-doping porous carbon. CQDs with good crystallinity and abundant heteroatoms attach themselves to HCM, that increase the conductivity and heteroatoms contents of the obtained porous carbon. The prepared porous carbon possesses good conductivity, reasonable pore size distribution, large specific surface area and rich heteroatomic doping, which result in an ultrahigh specific capacitance of 477 F g−1 in 6 M KOH. Moreover, the assembled symmetric capacitor using a novel K2CO3-glycol-arginine deep eutectic solvent electrolyte displays a high voltage window of 2.0 V, superior energy density of 45.6 Wh kg−1 and a wide range of working temperatures.

An Egg Intervention Improves Dietary Intakes but Does Not Fill Intake Gaps for Multiple Micronutrients among Infants in Rural Bangladesh

BackgroundEggs are nutrient-rich. Strengthening evidence of the impact of egg consumption on dietary quality can inform complementary feeding guidance. ObjectivesWe aimed to assess the effect of an egg intervention on dietary intakes among infants aged 6–12 mo in rural Bangladesh. MethodsWe conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial allocating clusters (n = 566) to enteric pathogen control or placebo treatment, with daily provision of a protein-rich meal, isocaloric meal, egg, or control. Nutrition education was provided to all arms. Our focus here is on the egg and control arms. Infants were enrolled at 3 mo. From 6 mo, we visited households weekly to distribute eggs and measure compliance. A semistructured feeding questionnaire assessed 24-h intake at 6, 9, and 12 mo. Assessments were repeated in ∼10% of subjects 2–29 d later. Using NCI SAS macros, we estimated usual intake distributions for energy, protein, fat, and 18 micronutrients and the proportion meeting intake recommendations. We compared the outcomes between the arms using clustered bootstrapping. ResultsData were available from 757 infants (137 clusters) and 943 infants (141 clusters) in the egg and control arms, respectively. In the egg arm compared with the control arm, the mean usual intakes were higher for energy (610 compared with 602 kcal/d, 9 mo; 669 compared with 658 kcal/d, 12 mo), crude protein (2.2 compared with 1.7 g/(kg·d), 9 mo; 2.4 compared with 1.9 g/(kg·d), 12 mo), available protein (2.0 compared with 1.6 g/(kg·d), 9 mo; 2.1 compared with 1.8 g/(kg·d), 12 mo), and for 13 and 14 micronutrients at 9 and 12 mo, respectively. The proportion meeting intake recommendations for most micronutrients was higher in the egg arm but remained <50% for 15 and 13 micronutrients at 9 and 12 mo, respectively. ConclusionsDaily egg consumption improved dietary intakes among Bangladeshi infants, but was insufficient to meet multiple micronutrient intake recommendations, demonstrating the need to be coupled with other strategies.

The Effect of a Home-delivered Protein-rich Meal Service on Quality of Life in Oncological Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Background:Patients undergoing oncological treatment may experience a variety of symptoms that interfere with their ability to eat and enjoy meals. This compromises their nutritional status and impairs quality of life (QOL).Objective:Compare a home-delivered protein-rich service as a therapeutic measure to patients undergoing chemotherapy with usual care.Methods:Randomized clinical trial enrolling patients (n = 148) receiving chemotherapy. The intervention group received 6 protein-rich dishes per day for 3 weeks, the control group maintained their usual diet. QOL, energy and protein intake, nutritional and functional status, physical performance, symptom burden, and caregiver QOL were assessed.Results:No difference in QOL was found between the groups but QOL in the gastrointestinal and gynecological tumor groups increased by 8.4 points (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-15.8;P&lt; .05) after the intervention, while scores in other tumor groups did not change. Significant effects were observed in energy intake (21%; 95% CI 10.4-32.1) and Short Physical Performance Battery (0.28; 95% CI 0.2-0.8) in the intervention group.Conclusions:In patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, a home-delivered protein-rich meal service did not improve QOL for the total group but QOL significantly improved in the subpopulation with abdominal cancer.Implications for Practice:Future research should focus on vulnerable patients with a high risk for malnutrition and symptoms, such as gastrointestinal and gynecological malignancies, considering the beneficial results in this subgroup.Foundational:A home-delivered protein-rich meal service is feasible in patients with cancer while undergoing chemotherapy. QOL increased in gastrointestinal and gynecological cancer patients receiving this meal service.

Associations between the Timing and Nutritional Characteristics of Bedtime Meals and Sleep Quality for Nurses after a Rotating Night Shift: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations of the timing and nutritional characteristics of bedtime meals with sleep quality in nurses after rotating night shifts. In total, 128 nurses from a university hospital in South Korea participated in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected on the first night of two or three consecutive routine night shifts. Participants recorded all food eaten before going to bed after work. An accelerometer was used to objectively measure sleep quality, and subjective sleep quality was assessed by self-report using the Korean version of the Verran and Snyder-Halpern Sleep Scale. The associations of timing and nutritional characteristics of bedtime meals with sleep quality after night shifts were analyzed using multivariate linear regression. A short time interval between meals and sleep was associated with longer objectively measured total sleep time (β = -0.37, p = 0.002), and the proportion of protein in meals was associated with better objectively measured sleep efficiency (β = 0.31, p = 0.007). The shorter the time interval, the better the subjective sleep quality (β = -0.23, p = 0.048), and high-calorie meals were positively associated with subjective sleep quality (β = 0.23, p = 0.043). Based on our findings, we encourage nurses to have protein-rich meals after night shifts and reduce the delay between meals and sleep. Although high-calorie meals were shown to have a positive effect on subjective sleep quality, it is necessary to confirm this effect through additional research.

Protein digestion and absorption: the influence of food processing.

The rates of dietary protein digestion and absorption can be significantly increased or decreased by food processing treatments such as heating, gelling and enzymatic hydrolysis, with subsequent metabolic impacts, e.g. on muscle synthesis and glucose homeostasis.This review examines in vivo evidence that industrial and domestic food processing modify the kinetics of amino acid release and absorption following a protein-rich meal. It focuses on studies that used compositionally-matched test meals processed in different ways.Food processing at extremely high temperature at alkaline pH and/or in the presence of reducing sugars can modify amino acid sidechains, leading to loss of bioavailability. Some protein-rich food ingredients are deliberately aggregated, gelled or hydrolysed during manufacture. Hydrolysis accelerates protein digestion/absorption and increases splanchnic utilisation. Aggregation and gelation may slow or accelerate proteolysis in the gut, depending on the aggregate/gel microstructure.Milk, beef and eggs are heat processed prior to consumption to eliminate pathogens and improve palatability. The temperature and time of heating affect protein digestion and absorption rates, and effects are sometimes non-linear. In light of a dietary transition away from animal proteins, more research is needed on how food processing affects digestion and absorption of non-animal proteins.Food processing modifies the microstructure of protein-rich foods, and thereby alters protein digestion and absorption kinetics in the stomach and small intestine. Exploiting this principle to optimise metabolic outcomes requires more human clinical trials in which amino acid absorption rates are measured and food microstructure is explicitly considered, measured and manipulated.

The Effect of Dextrose or Protein Ingestion on Circulating Growth Differentiation Factor 15 and Appetite in Older Compared to Younger Women.

Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a stress signal that can be induced by protein restriction and is associated with reduced food intake. Anorexia of aging, insufficient protein intake as well as high GDF15 concentrations often occur in older age, but it is unknown whether GDF15 concentrations change acutely after meal ingestion and affect appetite in older individuals. After an overnight fast, appetite was assessed in older (n = 20; 73.7 ± 6.30 years) and younger (n = 20; 25.7 ± 4.39 years) women with visual analogue scales, and concentrations of circulating GDF15 and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) were quantified before and at 1, 2 and 4 h after ingestion of either dextrose (182 kcal) or a mixed protein-rich meal (450 kcal). In response to dextrose ingestion, appetite increased in both older and younger women, whereas GDF15 concentrations increased only in the older group. In older women, appetite response was negatively correlated with the GDF15 response (rho = −0.802, p = 0.005). Following high-protein ingestion, appetite increased in younger women, but remained low in the old, while GDF15 concentrations did not change significantly in either age group. GLP-1 concentrations did not differ between age groups or test meals. In summary, acute GDF15 response differed between older and younger women. Associations of postprandial appetite and GDF15 following dextrose ingestion in older women suggest a reduced appetite response when the GDF15 response is high, thus supporting the proposed anorectic effects of high GDF15 concentrations.

Differential effect of two dietary protein sources on time course response of muscle anabolic signaling pathways in normal and insulin dysregulated horses.

The objective of the study was to characterize the temporal changes of phosphorylation patterns of mTOR signaling proteins in response to two dietary protein sources in insulin dysregulated (ID, n = 8) and non-ID (n = 8) horses. Horses were individually housed and fed timothy grass hay and 2 daily concentrate meals so that protein was the first limiting nutrient and the total diet provided 120% of daily DE requirements for maintenance. On sample days, horses randomly received 0.25 g CP/kg BW of a pelleted alfalfa (AP) or commercial protein supplement (PS). Blood samples were collected before and 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 300, 360, 420, and 480 min post feeding and analyzed for plasma glucose, insulin and amino acid (AA) concentrations. Gluteus Medius muscle samples were obtained before and 90, 180, and 300 min after feeding and analyzed for relative abundance of phosphorylated mTOR pathway components using western immunoblot analysis. There was no effect of protein source on postprandial glucose and insulin responses (P ≥ 0.14) but consumption of PS elicited a 2 times larger AUC for essential AA (EAA), greater peak concentrations of EAA and a shorter time to reach peak EAA concentrations compared to AP. Abundance of phosphorylated mTOR (P = 0.08) and rpS6 (P = 0.10) tended to be ~1.5-fold greater after consumption of PS at 90 min compared to AP. Dephosphorylation patterns differed between protein sources and was slower for AP compared to PS. ID horses had a 2 times greater (P = 0.009) AUC and 3 times higher postprandial peak concentrations (P < 0.0001) for insulin compared to non-ID horses after consumption of both treatment pellets, but EAA responses were similar between groups (P = 0.53). Insulin status did not affect rpS6 or mTOR phosphorylation after consumption of either protein source (P ≥ 0.35), but phosphorylated rpS6 abundance was twice as high in ID compared to non-ID horses (P = 0.007). These results suggest that the consumption of higher quality protein sources may result in greater postprandial activation of the mTOR pathway compared to equal amounts of a forage-based protein source. Moreover, ID does not impair postprandial activation of mTOR and rpS6 proteins in horses following a protein-rich meal.

Immunomodulatory potential of black soldier fly larvae: applications beyond nutrition in animal feeding programs.

Insect-derived ingredients, including whole larvae, protein-rich meal, and oil, have been extensively studied in recent years and shown to be a sustainable source of quality nutrition for virtually all animal species and life stages. In addition to the ability to use these ingredients as a source of essential nutrition, more recent research has demonstrated the potential for the immunomodulatory activity of various components of insect-derived ingredients. For all insects studied, antimicrobial peptides make up a critical part of the insects’ innate immune system and these peptides have antimicrobial efficacy when purified from hemolymph and tested in vitro. From black soldier fly larvae, in particular, lauric acid is a predominant fatty acid deposited into the insect, and lauric acid also has potential antimicrobial activity in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the chitin and chitosan components of the insect exoskeleton may modulate microbial activity in a variety of ways. In companion animals, poultry, and livestock species, insect-derived ingredients have shown the potential to reduce the impact of actual or simulated disease challenge on several parameters of animal health and well-being. This review describes the current state of knowledge of the immunomodulatory potential of insect-derived ingredients.

Prevalence of mouthpart sensilla and protease producing symbiotic gut bacteria in the forensic fly Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794): Insight from foraging to digestion

The blow fly, Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794) is a globally prevalent forensically important species that helps to estimate accurate postmortem interval since the death. This fly occasionally causes cutaneous myiasis and transmits several pathogenic bacteria. To understand their ability of corpse detection and digestion of protein-rich meal, the present study describes the mouthpart sensilla and assessment of protease producing symbiotic gut bacteria. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the prevalence of trichoid sensilla (Tr), basiconic sensilla (Ba) and microtrichia (Mr) on labellar lobes, haustellum and maxillary palps of mouthparts. Bacterial particles of both rod (small and large) and spherical shaped were detected in the gut of C. megacephala using SEM. The bacterial density was higher on the foregut and midgut in comparison to the hindgut. From 72 bacterial isolates, 10 isolates from the foregut region showed considerable protease-producing efficacy ranging between 3.98 – 6.83 GHR and 9.73 – 34.68 U/ml protease. Among these, the most promising protease-producing bacterial isolate showed 16S rDNA sequence similarity (99.85%) with Chryseobacterium artocarpi DNA. This bacterium was the first report from flies. The findings of the study might help in better understanding of the role of sensilla in host perception and foregut symbiotic bacterial association in protein digestion in C. megacephala.

Advanced Glycation End Products and Inflammatory Cytokine Profiles in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients After the Ingestion of a Protein-Dense Meal

The goal of this investigation was to evaluate circulating and skeletal muscle inflammatory biomarkers between maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) and demographic-matched control subjects (CON) before and after ingestion of a protein-rich meal. CON (n=8; 50±2years; 31±1kg/m2) and MHD patients (n=8; 56±5years; 32±2kg/m2) underwent a basal blood draw and muscle biopsy and serial blood draws after the ingestion of a mixed meal on a nondialysis day. Plasma advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and markers of oxidation were assessed via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry before and after the meal (+240min). Circulating inflammatory cytokines and soluble receptors for AGE (sRAGE) isoforms (endogenous secretory RAGEs and cleaved RAGEs) were determined before and after the meal (+240min). Basal muscle was probed for inflammatory cytokines and protein expression of related signaling components (RAGE, Toll-like receptor 4, oligosaccharyltransferase subunit 48, TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-β, total IκBα, and pIκBα). Basal circulating AGEs were 7- to 343-fold higher (P<.001) in MHD than those in CON, but only MG-H1 increased in CON after the meal (P<.001). There was a group effect (MHD>CON) for total sRAGEs (P=.02) and endogenous secretory RAGEs (P<.001) and a trend for cleaved RAGEs (P=.09), with no meal effect. In addition, there was a group effect (MHD<CON; P<.05) for circulating fractalkine, interleukin (IL)10, IL17A, and IL1β and a trend (P<.10) for IL6 and macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha, whereas tumor necrosis factor alpha was higher in MHD (P<.001). In muscle, Toll-like receptor 4 (P=.03), TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-β (P=.002), and oligosaccharyltransferase subunit 48 (P=.02) expression was lower in MHD than that in CON, whereas IL6 was higher (P=.01) and IL8 (P=.08) tended to be higher in MHD. Overall, MHD exhibited an exaggerated, circulating, and skeletal muscle inflammatory biomarker environment, and the meal did not appreciably affect the inflammatory status.

Hepatic Manifestations of Urea Cycle Disorders.

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