Coordination between zinc and phosphate homeostasis involves the transcription factor PHR1, the phosphate exporter PHO1, and its homologue PHO1;H3 in Arabidopsis.

Interactions between zinc (Zn) and phosphate (Pi) nutrition in plants have long been recognized, but little information is available on their molecular bases and biological significance. This work aimed at examining the effects of Zn deficiency on Pi accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana and uncovering genes involved in the Zn-Pi synergy. Wild-type plants as well as mutants affected in Pi signalling and transport genes, namely the transcription factor PHR1, the E2-conjugase PHO2, and the Pi exporter PHO1, were examined. Zn deficiency caused an increase in shoot Pi content in the wild type as well as in the pho2 mutant, but not in the phr1 or pho1 mutants. This indicated that PHR1 and PHO1 participate in the coregulation of Zn and Pi homeostasis. Zn deprivation had a very limited effect on transcript levels of Pi-starvation-responsive genes such as AT4, IPS1, and microRNA399, or on of members of the high-affinity Pi transporter family PHT1. Interestingly, one of the PHO1 homologues, PHO1;H3, was upregulated in response to Zn deficiency. The expression pattern of PHO1 and PHO1;H3 were similar, both being expressed in cells of the root vascular cylinder and both localized to the Golgi when expressed transiently in tobacco cells. When grown in Zn-free medium, pho1;h3 mutant plants displayed higher Pi contents in the shoots than wild-type plants. This was, however, not observed in a pho1 pho1;h3 double mutant, suggesting that PHO1;H3 restricts root-to-shoot Pi transfer requiring PHO1 function for Pi homeostasis in response to Zn deficiency.

Potassium supply to cotton roots as affected by potassium fertilization and liming

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is known to have a high requirement for K and to be very sensitive to low soil pH. Most of K reaches plant roots by diffusion in the soil. As K interacts with Ca and Mg, liming can interfere in K movement in the soil, affecting eventually the plant nutrition. The objective of this work was to study the effect of dolomitic lime and 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 g kg-1 of K on the supply of K to cotton roots. Cotton plants were grown up to 40 days in 5 L pots containing a Dark Red Latosol (Typic Haplusthox) with 68% and 16% of sand and clay, respectively. There was an increase in dry matter yields and in K accumulation due to K fertilization. Root interception of soil K was also increased by K application, but was not affected by lime. Mass flow and diffusion increased linearly with K levels up to 60 mg kg-1, in pots with lime. In pots without lime the amount of K reaching the roots by diffusion increased up to 45 mg kg-1, but decreased at the highest K level. Accordingly, there was more K reaching the roots through mass flow at the highest K level. This happened because there were more fine roots in pots without lime, at the highest K level. As the roots grew closer, there was a stronger root competition leading to a decrease in the amount of K diffused to cotton roots.

Alpha1beta1 integrin is crucial for accumulation of epidermal T cells and the development of psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a common T cell-mediated autoimmune inflammatory disease. We show that blocking the interaction of alpha1beta1 integrin (VLA-1) with collagen prevented accumulation of epidermal T cells and immunopathology of psoriasis. Alpha1beta1 integrin, a major collagen-binding surface receptor, was exclusively expressed by epidermal but not dermal T cells. Alpha1beta1-positive T cells showed characteristic surface markers of effector memory cells and contained high levels of interferon-gamma but not interleukin-4. Blockade of alpha1beta1 inhibited migration of T cells into the epidermis in a clinically relevant xenotransplantation model. This was paralleled by a complete inhibition of psoriasis development, comparable to that caused by tumor necrosis factor-alpha blockers. These results define a crucial role for alpha1beta1 in controlling the accumulation of epidermal type 1 polarized effector memory T cells in a common human immunopathology and provide the basis for new strategies in psoriasis treatment focusing on T cell-extracellular matrix interactions.

Ethical issues in nutrition support of severely disabled elderly persons: a guide for health professionals.

Providing or withholding nutrition in severely disabled elderly persons is a challenging dilemma for families, health professionals, and institutions. Despite limited evidence that nutrition support improves functional status in vulnerable older persons, especially those suffering from dementia, the issue of nutrition support in this population is strongly debated. Nutrition might be considered a basic need that not only sustains life but provides comfort as well by patients and their families. Consequently, the decision to provide or withhold nutrition support during medical care is often complex and involves clinical, legal, and ethical considerations. This article proposes a guide for health professionals to appraise ethical issues related to nutrition support in severely disabled older persons. This guide is based on an 8-step process to identify the components of a situation, analyze conflicting values that result in the ethical dilemma, and eventually reach a consensus for the most relevant plan of care to implement in a specific clinical situation. A vignette is presented to illustrate the use of this guide when analyzing a clinical situation.

Résumé complet d'hygiène privée, ou Exposition des moyens propres à maintenir les fonctions de nutrition, de relation et de génération, dans le meilleur état de santé possible ,... par M. le Dr Meirieu ; revu par M. le Dr Léon Simon

Collection : Encyclopédie portative, 1re division, 16e livraison

The effect of n-3 enriched nutrition therapy on post-operative cognitive dysfunction after cardiac surgery

Background: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) occurs frequently after cardiac surgery. Some data suggest that inflammation plays a key role in the development of POCD. N-3 fatty acids have been shown to have a beneficial effect on inflammation. We hypothesised that perioperative n-3 enriched nutrition therapy would reduce the incidence of POCD in this group of patients. Methods: Randomized, double blind placebo controlled trial in patients aged 65 or older undergoing elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. 2x 250 mL placebo (Ensure Plus™, Abbott Nutrition) or n-3 enriched nutrition therapy (ProSure™ Abbott Nutrition) were administered for ten days starting 5 days prior to surgery. Cognition was assessed preoperatively and 7 days after surgery with the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease - Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (CERAD-NAB) [1]. Results: 16 patients were included. Mean age was 72 } 5.3 for placebo and 75 } 4.8 for ProSure™ respectively. CRP and IL-6 did not differ significantly between groups preoperatively and on postoperative days 1, 3, and 7. Preoperative CERAD total scores were 86 } 10 and 81 } 9 (p = n.s.) for Placebo and ProSure™, respectively. Postoperative scores were 88 } 12, and 77 } 19 (p = n.s.) The change in score was not different between the two groups (Placebo: +3 } 5; ProSure: -5 } 11). Conclusion: In this very small sample no effect of preoperatively started n-3 enriched nutritional supplements on inflammation or cognitive functions were detected. However, there is a large likelihood of a type II error and more patients need to be included to assess possible beneficial effects of this intervention in elderly patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. 1 Chandler MJ, et al. Neurology. 2005;65:102-6.

Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics: the emerging faces of nutrition.

The recognition that nutrients have the ability to interact and modulate molecular mechanisms underlying an organism's physiological functions has prompted a revolution in the field of nutrition. Performing population-scaled epidemiological studies in the absence of genetic knowledge may result in erroneous scientific conclusions and misinformed nutritional recommendations. To circumvent such issues and more comprehensively probe the relationship between genes and diet, the field of nutrition has begun to capitalize on both the technologies and supporting analytical software brought forth in the post-genomic era. The creation of nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics, two fields with distinct approaches to elucidate the interaction between diet and genes but with a common ultimate goal to optimize health through the personalization of diet, provide powerful approaches to unravel the complex relationship between nutritional molecules, genetic polymorphisms, and the biological system as a whole. Reluctance to embrace these new fields exists primarily due to the fear that producing overwhelming quantities of biological data within the confines of a single study will submerge the original query; however, the current review aims to position nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics as the emerging faces of nutrition that, when considered with more classical approaches, will provide the necessary stepping stones to achieve the ambitious goal of optimizing an individual's health via nutritional intervention.

Dietary protein modifies oxidized cholesterol-induced alterations of linoleic acid and cholesterol metabolism in rats

Effects of dietary protein on oxidized cholesterol-induced alterations in linoleic acid and cholesterol metabolism were studied in 4-wk-old male Sprague-Dawley rats, using casein and soybean protein as dietary protein sources. The rats were fed one of the two proteins in cholesterol-free, 0.3% cholesterol or 0.3% oxidized cholesterol mixture diets using a pair-feeding protocol for 3 wk. In the soybean protein-fed group, rats fed oxidized cholesterol did not have lower activity of liver microsomal delta6 desaturase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the metabolism of linoleic acid to arachidonic acid, compared with rats fed cholesterol-free diet, whereas in the casein-fed group the desaturase activity was significantly greater in rats fed oxidized cholesterol than in those fed cholesterol-free diet. This was in contrast to a significant reduction in liver microsomal delta6 desaturase activity by cholesterol, irrespective of protein source. In general, these changes were reflected in the desaturation indices of liver phospholipids. Furthermore, soybean protein significantly increased the fecal excretion of neutral and acidic steroids and tended to reduce (P = 0.082) the accumulation of oxidized cholesterols in the liver. Thus, soybean protein partly modified some of the undesirable effects of oxidized cholesterol through its hypocholesterolemic effect and possibly through the modulation of hepatic delta6 desaturase activity.

Mycorrhizal dependency of mangaba tree under increasing phosphorus levels

The objective of this study was to evaluate the mycorrhizal dependency of mangaba tree (Hancornia speciosa) plantlets, under increasing levels of phosphorus fertilization. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 4×5 factorial arrangement with three mycorrhizal fungi inocula - Gigaspora margarita, Glomus etunicatum, or a pool of native mycorrhizal fungi (Acaulospora longula, Glomus clarum, Gigaspora albida, Paraglomus sp.) -, and a nonmycorrhizal control, in combination with five levels of phosphorus applied to the substrate: 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg kg-1. After 180 days of growth, plantlets with inoculation of native mycorrhizal pool produced more shoot and root dry biomass and had higher shoot phosphorus content and accumulation. The noninoculated control showed the lowest values, independently of the phosphorus level. The highest relative mycorrhizal dependency occurred with the inoculation of native mycorrhizal fungi. Plants with mycorrhizal fungi did not respond to phosphorus addition above 50 mg kg-1. Mangaba tree is highly dependent on mycorrhiza, but the degree of dependency varies according to phosphorus levels and fungal inocula. In general, mangaba tree is more responsive to mycorrhizal fungi inoculation than to phosphorus addition.

Report on a special investigation of the Nutrition Department of the Northeast Hamilton Community School District for the period August 1, 2013 through June 4, 2014

Report on a special investigation of the Nutrition Department of the Northeast Hamilton Community School District for the period August 1, 2013 through June 4, 2014

Patterns of protein and carbohydrate accumulation during somatic embryogenesis of Acca sellowiana

The aim of this work was to quantify the protein, starch and total sugars levels during histodifferentiation and development of somatic embryos of Acca sellowiana Berg. For histological observations, the samples were dehydrated in a battery of ethanol, embedded in historesin and stained with toluidine blue (morphology), coomassie blue (protein bodies) and periodic acid-Schiff (starch). Proteins were extracted using a buffer solution, precipitated using ethanol and quantified using the Bradford reagent. Total sugars were extracted using a methanol-chloroform-water (12:5:3) solution and quantified by a reaction with anthrone at 0.2%. Starch was extracted using a 30% perchloric acid solution and quantified by a reaction with anthrone at 0.2%. During the somatic embryogenesis' in vitro morphogenesis and differentiation processes, the total protein levels decreased and the soluble sugars levels increased during the first 30 days in culture and remained stable until the 120th day. On the other hand, total protein levels increased according to the progression in the developmental stages of the somatic embryos. The levels of total sugars and starch increased in the heart and cotyledonary stages, and decreased in the torpedo and pre-cotyledonary stages. These compounds play a central role in the development of somatic embryos of Acca sellowiana.