The relationship between zinc intake and growth in children aged 1-8 years: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: It is estimated that zinc deficiency affects 17% of the world's population, and because of periods of rapid growth children are at an increased risk of deficiency, which may lead to stunting. This paper presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of the randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that assess zinc intake and growth in children aged 1–8 years. This review is part of a larger systematic review by the European Micronutrient Recommendations Aligned Network of Excellence that aims to harmonise the approach to setting micronutrient requirements for optimal health in European populations (www.eurreca.org). SUBJECT/METHODS: Searches were performed of literature published up to and including December 2013 using MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Library databases. Included studies were RCTs in apparently healthy child populations aged from 1 to 8 years that supplied zinc supplements either as capsules or as part of a fortified meal. Pooled meta-analyses were performed when appropriate. RESULTS: Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. We found no significant effect of zinc supplementation of between 2 weeks and 12 months duration on weight gain, height for age, weight for age, length for age, weight for height (WHZ) or WHZ scores in children aged 1–8 years. CONCLUSIONS: Many of the children in the included studies were already stunted and may have been suffering from multiple micronutrient deficiencies, and therefore zinc supplementation alone may have only a limited effect on growth

Regulation of growth hormone secretion in ruminants

Regulation of growth hormone (GH) in ruminants was studied by infusing exogenous GH-releasing factor (GHRF), somatostatin (SRIH), and GH intravenously into animals and monitoring the levels of plasma hormones. Exogenous GHRF increased GH secretion in a dose-dependent manner in sheep and cattle. Intravenous infusion of SRIH in cattle suppressed the GH response to injections of GHRF. Intravenous injections of GHRF six times per day in older sheep caused a conservation of urinary nitrogen. In a similar study with young calves, changes in nitrogen metabolism were not significant;Plasma hormone concentrations and body composition were measured in intact and castrated, male and female cattle at 5, 8, 12, and 15 mo of age. As the animals aged, plasma somatomedin-C (Sm-C), testosterone (T), and insulin (I) increased while GH half-life, GH secretion rate (SR)/kg body weight (bwt), GH baseline concentrations, number and amplitude of GH secretion periods, and GH response to exogenous GHRF declined. The rate of fat, protein, water, and ash deposition was different between 8 to 12 mo nd 12 to 15 mo of age. Bulls differed from steers, heifers and ovariectomized heifers by higher baseline concentrations of GH; increased periods of secretion of GH with greater amplitude; increased GH SR; higher concentrations of T, total estrogens, and Sm-C; and higher protein, water and ash and lower fat in empty body gain. Females in comparison with males had higher concentrations of thyroid hormones, lower GH concentrations and GH SR/kg bwt, fewer GH secretory periods with less amplitude, and greater percent body fat. Castrates had less total estrogens, T, and Sm-C with greater levels of triiodothyronine and thyroxine. Overall GH concentrations, GH SR/kg bwt and GH:I ratio in the blood were negatively associated with percent empty body fat and positively associated with percent empty body protein

Aspekte der klinischen Psychologie

Vortragsmitschnitt, es werden die Aspekte der Psychologie in klinischer Hinsicht erörtert und behandelt

A genome scale metabolic network for rice and accompanying analysis of tryptophan, auxin and serotonin biosynthesis regulation under biotic stress

Background Functional annotations of large plant genome projects mostly provide information on gene function and gene families based on the presence of protein domains and gene homology, but not necessarily in association with gene expression or metabolic and regulatory networks. These additional annotations are necessary to understand the physiology, development and adaptation of a plant and its interaction with the environment. Results RiceCyc is a metabolic pathway networks database for rice. It is a snapshot of the substrates, metabolites, enzymes, reactions and pathways of primary and intermediary metabolism in rice. RiceCyc version 3.3 features 316 pathways and 6,643 peptide-coding genes mapped to 2,103 enzyme-catalyzed and 87 protein-mediated transport reactions. The initial functional annotations of rice genes with InterPro, Gene Ontology, MetaCyc, and Enzyme Commission (EC) numbers were enriched with annotations provided by KEGG and Gramene databases. The pathway inferences and the network diagrams were first predicted based on MetaCyc reference networks and plant pathways from the Plant Metabolic Network, using the Pathologic module of Pathway Tools. This was enriched by manually adding metabolic pathways and gene functions specifically reported for rice. The RiceCyc database is hierarchically browsable from pathway diagrams to the associated genes, metabolites and chemical structures. Through the integrated tool OMICs Viewer, users can upload transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic data to visualize expression patterns in a virtual cell. RiceCyc, along with additional species-specific pathway databases hosted in the Gramene project, facilitates comparative pathway analysis. Conclusions Here we describe the RiceCyc network development and discuss its contribution to rice genome annotations. As a case study to demonstrate the use of RiceCyc network as a discovery environment we carried out an integrated bioinformatic analysis of rice metabolic genes that are differentially regulated under diurnal photoperiod and biotic stress treatments. The analysis of publicly available rice transcriptome datasets led to the hypothesis that the complete tryptophan biosynthesis and its dependent metabolic pathways including serotonin biosynthesis are induced by taxonomically diverse pathogens while also being under diurnal regulation. The RiceCyc database is available online for free access at http://www.gramene.org/pathway

Husbandry-the sustainable means of controlling soil borne pathogens-a review

Soil borne pathogens are especially difficult targets for control by environmentally sustainable methods. The reasons for this include; wide host range providing substantial numbers of alternative hosts including weed species; inoculum distribution varies in depth and intensity across fields and down the soil profile; soil water movement provides means for the redistribution of sexual and asexual propagules; genetic resistance in host species may be limited and variable in effect and the intensity of cropping limits the opportunities for rotational growing. Manipulation of crop husbandry is steadily re-emerging as a key ingredient in disease control strategies. This requires careful strategic planning of crop cycles and the use of resources. Implementing these plans demands continuous monitoring and the introduction of further elements of control in order to maintain crop health. The successful use of husbandry control is critically reviewed with particular reference to Clubroot Disease of Brassica crops (caused Plasmodiophora brassicae Wor.). Understanding the impact of nutrient ions and pH on the germination, movement and host colonisation by primary zoospores related to the presence of benign microbes in the soil allows the formulation of coherent husbandry control. Boron, calcium and nitrate salts of nitrogen diminish the germination capacity of resting spores, motility of primary zoospores and their fitness for colonisation. Calcium encourages the expansion of populations of benign microbes. Hence crop fertiliser strategy, soil management and drainage policy can be combined into a sustainable control system for a previously intractable pathogen of horticultural crops

Glucose tolerance in fibromyalgia

Objectives: Fibromyalgia (FM) patients have an increased risk for glucose metabolism disturbances, and impaired glucose tolerance may be associated with symptom severity. Elevated levels of plasma lactate have been detected in FM patients. Both pyruvate and lactate are produced in glucose metabolism and reflect oxidative metabolism. The objective of our study was to analyse disturbances in glucose, pyruvate, or lactate metabolism in FM patients. Methods: We measured plasma levels of glucose, pyruvate, and lactate during an oral glucose tolerance test in 40 non-diabetic, female FM patients and 30 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Results: FM patients showed a higher glycaemic response to the glucose load at 1 hour (F [1,68] = 10.4, P = .006) and 2 hours (F [1,68] = 7.80, P = .02), and higher glucose area under the curve (13.8 [SD 2.92] vs 11.6 [SD 2.31], P < .01), than healthy controls. Group differences were explained by higher body mass index and percentage of smokers among the FM patients. Pyruvate and lactate levels were similar in both groups. Discussion: Impaired glucose regulation in FM patients is likely not due to FM itself, but to associated lifestyle factors. Our results highlight the importance of assessing the glucose regulation status and the lifestyle factors affecting glucose regulation in FM patients for prevention or early treatment of diabetes and associated complications.Peer reviewe

Effect of discontinuation of long-term growth hormone treatment on carbohydrate metabolism and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in girls with Turner syndrome

GH treatment increases insulin levels in girls with Turner syndrome (TS), who are already predisposed to develop diabetes mellitus and other risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated carbohydrate metabolism and several other risk factors that may predict development of cardiovascular disease in girls with TS after discontinuation of long-term GH treatment. Fifty-six girls, participating in a randomized dose-response study, were examined before, during, and 6 months after discontinuing long-term GH treatment with doses of 4 IU/m(2).d ( approximately 0.045 mg/kg.d), 6 IU/m(2).d, or 8 IU/m(2).d. After a minimum of 4 yr of GH treatment, low-dose micronized 17beta-estradiol was given orally. Mean (SD) age at 6 months after discontinuation of GH treatment was 15.8 (0.9) yr. Mean duration of GH treatment was 8.8 (1.7) yr. Six months after discontinuation of GH treatment, fasting glucose levels decreased and returned to pretreatment levels. The area under the curve for glucose decreased to levels even lower than pretreatment level (P < 0.001). Fasting insulin levels and the area under the curve for insulin decreased to levels just above pretreatment level (P < 0.001 for both), although being not significantly different from the control group. No dose-dependent differences among GH dosage groups were found. At 6 months after discontinuation, impaired glucose tolerance was present in 1 of 53 girls (2%), and none of the girls developed diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2. Compared with pretreatment, the body mass index SD-score had increased (P < 0.001), and the systolic and diastolic blood pressure SD-score had decreased significantly at 6 months after discontinuation of GH treatment (P < 0.001 for both) although remaining above zero (P < 0.001, P < 0.05, and P < 0.005, respectively). Compared with pretreatment, total cholesterol (TC) did not change after discontinuation of GH treatment, whereas the atherogenic index [AI = TC/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC/HDL-c)] and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) had decreased; and both HDL-c and triglyceride levels increased (P < 0.001 for AI, LDL-c, and HDL-c; P < 0.05 for triglyceride). Compared with the control group, AI, serum TC, and LDL-c levels were significantly lower (P < 0.001 for all), whereas HDL-c levels were significantly higher (P < 0.05). In conclusion, after discontinuation of long-term GH treatment in girls with TS, the GH-induced insulin resistance disappeared, blood pressure decreased but remained higher than in the normal population, and lipid levels and the AI changed to more cardio-protective values