Nutrition
-
The administration of glutamine (Gln), which is depleted in critical illness, is associated with an improvement of gut metabolism, structure, and function. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of intravenous Gln and its galenic formulation, l-alanyl-l-glutamine dipeptide (AlaGln), on the intestinal microcirculation during experimental endotoxemia using intravital fluorescence microscopy. Gln or AlaGln administration was performed as pretreatment or post-treatment, respectively. To identify further the underlying mechanisms, amino acid levels were studied. ⋯ The Gln and AlaGln administrations improved the intestinal microcirculation by increasing the functional capillary density of the intestinal wall and decreasing the submucosal leukocyte activation.
-
Comparative Study
25-Hydroxyvitamin D deficiency is associated with fatal stroke among whites but not blacks: The NHANES-III linked mortality files.
Deficient 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and mortality. 25(OH)D deficiency and stroke are more prevalent in blacks. We examined whether low 25(OH)D contributes to the excess risk of fatal stroke in blacks compared with whites. ⋯ Vitamin D deficiency was associated with an increased risk of stroke death in whites but not in blacks. Although blacks had a higher rate of fatal stroke compared with whites, the low 25(OH)D levels in blacks were unrelated to stroke incidence. Therefore 25(OH)D levels did not explain this excess risk.
-
Vitamin D deficiency is common in tuberculosis (TB) and this may modulate immune responses. This study investigated vitamin D status in patients with TB and examined the sources of vitamin D in Tbilisi, Georgia. ⋯ An insufficient vitamin D dietary intake and a limited production of vitamin D from sunlight for most of the year may explain the high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in patients with TB in Tbilisi.
-
We previously reported an association between prenatal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and lower birth weight, birth length, and head circumference. The main goal of the present analysis was to assess the possible impact of coexposure to PAH-containing barbecued meat consumed during pregnancy on birth outcomes. ⋯ In conclusion, the study results provided epidemiologic evidence that prenatal PAH exposure from diet including grilled meat might be hazardous for fetal development.
-
Review
Further developments in the neurobiology of food and addiction: update on the state of the science.
Over the past three decades, obesity has become a major public health crisis in the United States. The prevalence of obesity in the United States and in other parts of the world has led to a new word, "globesity," being used to describe the problem. ⋯ Although this theory is not new, empirically-based translational research has only recently provided strong support for this hypothesis. In the present article, we review the present state of the science in this area and describe some newer clinical and preclinical works that shed light on innovative and interesting overlaps between excessivly palatable food intake and drug use.