Nutrition
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Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host, with respect to metabolism, immune function, and nutrition. Any perturbation of these beneficial microbes leads to gut dysbiosis, which triggers the development of various disorders in the gastrointestinal system. Probiotics play a key role in resolving the dysbiosis posed by external factors such as antibiotics, other substances, or interventions. ⋯ However, various studies have reported the tendency of microbes to acquire specific drug resistance, in recent years, through various mechanisms. The reports on transferable resistance among probiotics are of major concern, of which minimal information is available to date. The aim of this review was to describe the pros and cons of drug resistance among these beneficial microorganisms with emphasis on the recommended selection criteria for specific probiotics, devoid of transferable drug resistance genes, suitable for human consumption.
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Review Comparative Study
Patient access to oral nutritional supplements: Which policies count?
Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) represent a cost-effective method for treating malnutrition. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of public policies on patient access to ONS, using the Italian regionalized health care system as a case study, subsequently compared with the centralized British National Health Service. ⋯ As no clear relation between regional policies and variation in patient access to ONS emerges in Italy, national policies should be encouraged to enhance awareness of malnutrition among health care professionals and encourage the diffusion of multidisciplinary nutrition teams in health care organizations.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Parenteral amino acid supplementation with high-dose insulin prevents hypoaminoacidemia during cardiac surgery.
Surgery triggers a stress response that produces insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. During cardiac surgery, the administration of high-dose insulin along with dextrose titration maintains normoglycemia, but dramatically decreases plasma amino acids (AAs) compared with preoperative fasting levels. Hypoaminoacidemia limits protein synthesis and prevents anabolic responses after surgery. We investigated whether parenteral infusion of AAs during and immediately after cardiac surgery would prevent hypoaminoacidemia in patients who receive high-dose insulin therapy. ⋯ AA supplementation at 35% REE, but not 20% REE, can effectively prevent hypoaminoacidemia caused by high-dose insulin therapy during cardiac surgery.
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Persistent low-grade inflammation is related to the development of many chronic diseases. The dietary inflammatory index (DII®) is designed to assess the potential effects of diet on an individual's inflammation status. The aim of this study was to evaluate the construct validity of the DII using inflammation biomarkers in Japanese adults. ⋯ Null findings in women may reflect the generally lower levels of chronic systemic inflammation among Japanese versus their Western counterparts. These findings indicate that DII may be applied to measure the potential effects of diet on chronic diseases through inflammatory pathways in Japanese men.