Changes in gut microbial metagenomic pathways associated with clinical outcomes after the elimination of malabsorbed sugars in an IBS cohort

ABSTRACT

Specific diets to manage sugar malabsorption are reported to reduce clinical symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, the effects of diets for malabsorbed sugars on gut microbiota signatures have not been studied, and associations with clinical outcomes in IBS have not been characterized. 22 IBS patients positively tested for either lactose-, fructose-, sorbitol- or combined malabsorptions were subjected to 2-weeks sugar elimination and subsequent 4-weeks re-introduction. 7 IBS patients tested negative for sugar malabsorption were used as controls. Nutrition and clinical symptoms were recorded throughout the study. Fecal samples were serially collected for 16S rRNA amplicon and shotgun-metagenome sequencing.

Dietary intervention supervised by nutrition counseling reduced IBS symptoms during the elimination and tolerance phases. Varying clinical response rates were observed between subjects, and used to dichotomize our cohort into visual analogue scale (VAS) responders and non-responders. Alpha -and beta-diversity analyzes revealed only minor differences regarding 16S rRNA-based fecal microbiota compositions between responder and non-responder patients during baseline or tolerance phase. In shotgun-metagenome analyzes, however, we analyzed microbial metabolic pathways and found significant differences in pathways encoding starch degradation and complex amino acid biosynthesis at baseline between IBS controls and malabsorbers, and notably, between diet responder and non-responders. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Ruminococcus spp. and Bifidobacterium longum largely informed these metabolic pathways.

Our study demonstrates that diet interventions for specific, malabsorbed carbohydrates reshaped the metagenomic composition of the gut microbiota, with a small community of bacterial taxa contributing to these changes rather than a single species.     

Piloting a food photo sorting activity in Samoa to assess maternal beliefs and their role in child diet

Eating habits begin forming early in life when parental beliefs and behaviours often play a major role in shaping dietary intake. We aimed to assess maternal beliefs about the cost, social status, and nutritional value of foods in Samoa—a setting with an alarming burden of childhood obesity—and to determine how those beliefs may be related to child dietary intake. Samoan mothers (n = 44) sorted photographs of 26 foods commonly consumed in children in Samoa by cost, social status, and nutritional value (healthfulness). Responses were then assessed for their association with child dietary intake (reported using a food frequency questionnaire) using Pearson correlations. Mothers indicated that traditional Samoan foods were healthier, of higher social status, and lower cost compared with non‐traditional/imported food items. Compared with nutritional experts and a market survey of food prices, mothers demonstrated strong nutritional (r = .87, 95% CI [0.68, 0.95], p < .001) and consumer (r = .84, 95% CI [0.68, 0.93], p < .001) knowledge. The perceived cost of food was more strongly associated (r = ?.37, 95% CI [?0.66, 0.02], p = .06) with child dietary intake than either healthfulness or social status, with decreasing consumption reported with increasing food cost. Our findings contradicted the notion that the high social status of imported foods may be contributing to increased intake and rising prevalence of childhood obesity in this developing country setting. Despite their nutritional knowledge, Samoan mothers may need additional support in applying their knowledge/beliefs to provide a healthy child diet, including support for access to reasonably priced healthy foods.     

扶正化痰固本方对早期非小细胞肺癌术后患者免疫功能的影响

目的:观察扶正化痰固本方运用于早期非小细胞肺癌术后的临床疗效及其对患者免疫功能的影响。方法:将70例早期非小细胞肺癌患者按照随机数字表法分为对照组和观察组,每组各35例。两组患者均接受肺癌切除术治疗,对照组术后3周开始接受MVP方案化疗,观察组在对照组的基础上加用扶正化痰固本方治疗。比较两组患者的临床疗效及治疗前后中医证候积分、卡氏评分(karnofsky performance status,KPS)及生活质量评分变化情况。检测两组患者治疗前后免疫功能指标、血清肿瘤标志物[癌胚抗原(carcinoembryonic antigen,CEA)、糖类抗原153(carbohydrate antigen 153,CA153)]水平。结果:观察组有效率为91.43%,对照组有效率为71.43%,两组患者有效率比较,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。两组患者治疗后中医证候积分低于本组治疗前,且观察组治疗后低于对照组治疗后,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。两组患者治疗后免疫功能指标检测结果低于本组治疗前,且观察组治疗后低于对照组治疗后,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。两组患者治疗后血清CEA、CA153水平低于治疗前,KPS评分、QLQ-C30评分均高于治疗前,且观察组治疗后血清CEA、CA153水平低于对照组,KPS评分、QLQ-C30评分均高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。观察组胃肠道反应及骨髓抑制发生率均低于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:扶正化痰固本方运用于早期肺癌术后,能够有效改善患者免疫功能,减轻毒副反应,提高患者生活质量。     

Intravenous ketogenic diet therapy for neonatal-onset pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency

BackgroundPyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC) deficiency is an inborn error of metabolism that causes lactic acidosis and neurodevelopmental changes. Five causative genes have been identified: PDHA1, PDHB, DLAT, DLD, and PDHX. Four neurological phenotypes have been reported: neonatal encephalopathy with lactic acidosis, non-progressive infantile encephalopathy, Leigh syndrome, and relapsing ataxia. Of these, neonatal encephalopathy has the worst mortality and morbidity and there is no effective treatment.Subjects and methodsWe studied two girls who were clinically diagnosed with PDHC deficiency as neonates; they were subsequently found to have PDHA1 mutations. The clinical diagnosis was based on white matter loss and a lateral ventricular septum on fetal MRI, spasticity of the lower extremities, and lactic acidosis worsening after birth. Intravenous ketogenic diets were started within 24 h after birth. The ketogenic ratio was increased until the blood lactate level was controlled, while monitoring for side effects.ResultsIn both cases, the lactic acidosis improved immediately with no apparent side effects. Both children had better developmental outcomes than previously reported cases; neither exhibited epilepsy.ConclusionsIntravenous ketogenic diet therapy is a treatment option for neonatal-onset PDHC deficiency. Further studies are needed to optimize this therapy.     

耳穴贴压联合中医饮食调护对糖尿病肾病患者的影响

目的:观察耳穴贴压联合中医饮食调护对糖尿病肾病患者的影响。方法:将糖尿病肾病患者60例按随机数字表法分成2组,对照组30例患者采用耳穴贴压治疗,观察组30例患者采用耳穴贴压联合中医饮食调护治疗。对比2组患者治疗前后肾功能指标、血清糖化血红蛋白、尿微量白蛋白、24h尿蛋白定量变化和肾小管损伤情况。结果:2组治疗后,血尿素氮(BUN)、内生肌酐清除率(CCr)、24 h尿白蛋白排泄率(UAE)和血肌酐(SCr)水平均明显优于治疗前,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);治疗后,观察组肾功能指标BUN、CCr、UAE低于对照组,SCr则有所提高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。2组患者治疗后,尿蛋白定量、尿微量白蛋白和血清糖化血红蛋白水平均明显优于治疗前,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);观察组治疗后尿蛋白、尿微量白蛋白、血清糖化血红蛋白指标低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。2组患者治疗后,β2-微球蛋白(β2-MG)和N-乙酰-β-D-氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG)水平均明显优于治疗前,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);观察组治疗后肾小管损伤指标β2-MG、NAG低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:耳穴贴压联合中医饮食调护在糖尿病肾病患者中疗效明确,可改善肾功能指标,减轻肾小管损伤,改善临床症状。     

Potential anti-inflammatory effect of dapagliflozin in HCHF diet- induced fatty liver degeneration through inhibition of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-18 in rat liver

Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) is accompanied by an increased expression of oxidative stress parameters, in addition to the inflammatory cytokines; tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin type 1beta (IL-1β), and interleukin type 18 (IL-18). The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of dapagliflizon (DAPA) on high carbohydrate-high fat (HCHF) diet-induced expression of inflammatory cytokines in rat liver. NAFLD was induced by feeding the rats HCHF diet (consist of animal fat tallow and standard show pellets) and the consumption of fructose in drinking water (10%) for 12 or 18 weeks. The oral administration of DAPA (1 mg/kg/day) from 13th week to 18th week significantly improved NAFLD as indicated by a significant reduction in liver aminotransferases in addition to a significant decrease of serum MDA, cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol with concomitant significant elevation of HDL-cholesterol. DAPA-treated animals showed a significant reduction of liver homogenate content of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-18. These results indicate that the administration of DAPA may be beneficial against HCHF diet-induced NAFLD. Histopathological examination of liver specimens supported the conclusion that DAPA improves steatohepatitis induced by HCHF diet.     

Does obesity put your brain at risk?

Background and aimsThe negative impact of obesity on the brain is an issue of increasing clinical interest. Hence, this review summarized evidence linking obesity with brain morphology (gray and white matter volume), brain function (functional activation and connectivity), and cognitive function.MethodsA criticals review of the relevant published English articles between 2008 and 2022, using PubMed, Google Scholar and Science Direct. Studies were included if (1) an experimental/intervention study was conducted (2) the experiment/intervention included both high fat diet or body weight, whether it could counteract the negative effect brain morphological or functional change. Critical analysis for a supporting study was also carried out.ResultsBrain dysfunction can be recognized as result from neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, change in gut-brain hormonal functionality decrease regional blood flow or diminished hippocampal size and change in gut-brain hormonal functionality; which collectively translate into a cycle of deranged metabolic control and cognitive deficits, often obesity referred as changes in brain biochemistry and brain function. Recently, a few changes in brain structure and functions could be traced back even to obese children or adult. Evidence here suggested that obesity elicits early neuroinflammation effects, which likely disrupt the normal metabolism in hypothalamus, and hippocampus result from brain insulin resistance. The mechanisms of these robust effects are discussed herein.ConclusionBrain disease is inseparable from obesity itself and requires a better recognition to allow future therapeutic targeting for treatment of obesity. Additional research is needed to identify the best treatment targets and to identify if these changes reversible.