Dietary pattern associated with C-reactive protein and trajectories of blood pressure in Chinese adults: Evidence from the China Health and Nutrition Survey.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the relationship between a dietary pattern associated with C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and trajectories of blood pressure in Chinese adults. METHODS: This prospective cohort study consisted of 7020 adults using three waves of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (2009, 2011 and 2015). Group-based trajectory modelling was used to identify trajectories of blood pressure. The dietary pattern associated with C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured using the reduced rank regression method. Logistic regression models were fit to explore the associations of the scores on inflammation-related dietary patterns and trajectories of blood pressure. RESULTS: We identified a dietary pattern associated with CRP at baseline, which was high in red meat, snacks and nuts, but low in grains, poultry and fish. The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) pertaining to the highest dietary pattern score group for the high-normal systolic blood pressure (SBP) group and the high SBP group were 1.316 (1.155-1.498) and 1.295 (1.030-1.627), respectively. However, no significant association was observed between dietary patterns and trajectories of diastolic blood pressure (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Dietary pattern associated with CRP resulted in higher risk of high-normal and high levels of SBP.

Nutritional statuses before and after chemotherapy predict the prognosis of Chinese patients after gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nutritional parameters may predict the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. This study investigated whether changes in nutritional parameters before and after chemotherapy were associated with survival among patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively reviewed data from 77 Chinese patients who had undergone gastrectomy for stage III gastric cancer at a single center. Laboratory data from before and after chemotherapy were collected regarding peripheral albumin, prealbumin, total protein, hemoglobin, and total cholesterol concentrations. The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) values were calculated and compared before and after chemotherapy. The relationships between survival and the pre-chemotherapy and post-chemotherapy nutritional statuses were evaluated. RESULTS: Among the 77 patients, survival was associated with the staging, the pre-chemotherapy PNI values, and the postchemotherapy body mass index (BMI) values. Significantly better overall survival was associated with a high pre-chemotherapy PNI value (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.485, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.255-0.920) and a normal post-chemotherapy BMI value (HR: 0.475, 95% CI: 0.249-0.907). Even better survival was associated with the co-existence of a high pre-chemotherapy PNI value and a normal post-chemotherapy BMI value (vs. one or more abnormal parameter, HR: 0.337, 95% CI: 0.167-0.679). CONCLUSIONS: Chinese patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer had nutritional statuses that deteriorated after adjuvant chemotherapy. High prechemotherapy PNI values and normal post-chemotherapy BMI values were associated with better survival outcomes. Thus, low pre-chemotherapy PNI values and/or low post-chemotherapy BMI values may predict poor outcomes among these patients.

Probiotic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens C-1 Improves Growth Performance, Stimulates GH/IGF-1, and Regulates the Gut Microbiota of Growth-Retarded Beef Calves.

Growth retardation of calves is defined as a symptom of impaired growth and development, probably due to growth hormone disorder as well as natural and environmental factors in livestock. The growth-promoting effects of probiotics were determined in 50 growth-retarded growth calves. They were supplied with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens C-1 (Ba, 4 × 1010CFU/d, n = 16), B. subtilis (Bs, 4 × 1010CFU/d, n = 18), and negative control (NC, n = 16) for 30 days. Pre- and post-intervention, the growth performance (weight gain rate, feed intake and feed conversion rate) was analyzed, the serum GH, IGH-1 and immunoglobulin levels were assayed, and the fecal microbiota was detected. Calves in Ba and Bs groups demonstrated increased body weight gain, feed intake and GH/IGF-1 levels, as well as a more efficient feed conversion rate, compared with NC group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the abundances of bacteria contributing to the production of energy and SCFAs (short chain fatty acids), including Proteobacteria, Rhodospirillaceae, Campylobacterales, and Butyricimonas were increased compared with NC group (P < 0.05, FDR < 0.1); and the suspected pathogens, which included Anaeroplasma and Acholeplasma were decreased (P < 0.05, FDR < 0.1) in both the Bs and Ba groups. Akkermansia, which is involved in the intestinal mucosal immune response, was increased in Bs group after intervention (P < 0.05, FDR < 0.1), but exhibited no obvious difference in Ba group. The increased bacterial genera in Ba group were Sphaerochaeta and Treponema (P < 0.05, FDR < 0.1). These results indicate that the probiotics B. amyloliquefaciens and B. subtilis exhibited similar therapeutic potential in terms of growth performance by regulating hormones, and improving the intestinal and rumen development in growth-retarded animals.

Effect of high-fat diet and growth stage on the diversity and composition of intestinal microbiota in healthy bovine livestock.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the composition of bacteria in the bovine rectum and their functions during growth, in relation to different diets. Fecal samples were collected from 6-, 12-, 18- and 24-month cattle fed high-fat diet, and healthy female parents fed regular diet. Total DNA was amplified (V3-V4 of 16S rRNA) and submitted to barcode-DNA pyrosequencing. Intestinal microbiota profiles and functions were then analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 114 512 operational taxonomic units were detected from the 1 802 243 sequences obtained. In 6-month-old and female parent groups, the top three abundant phyla were Bacteroidetes (37.6%, 32.2%), Firmicutes (34.4%, 48.2%) and Proteobacteria (9.1%, 6.3%); in the 12-, 18- and 24-month groups, they were Proteobacteria (45.5%, 47.1%, 38.8%), Firmicutes (27.4%, 22.2%, 20.1%) and Bacteroidetes (14.9%, 19.4%, 17.7%), respectively. Paludibacter and Desulfopila in abundance showed negative (P < 0.001) and positive (P < 0.05) correlation, respectively, to cattle weight gain through metagenomic functional prediction of methane, cysteine and methionine metabolism. Meanwhile, cofactor/vitamin and amino acid metabolic processes were significantly higher in bacteria from the regular diet group than high-fat diet groups, with markedly lower cellular processes and signaling, and reduced glycan biosynthesis and metabolism (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The 6-month cattle and female parents shared similar intestinal bacteria; the community structure of fecal microbiota was significantly affected by high-fat diet in older cattle. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sigma Factor Regulated Cellular Response in a Non-solvent Producing Clostridium beijerinckii Degenerated Strain: A Comparative Transcriptome Analysis.

Clostridium beijerinckii DG-8052, derived from NCIMB 8052, cannot produce solvent or form spores, a phenomenon known as degeneration. To explore the mechanisms of degeneration at the gene level, transcriptomic profiles of the wild-type 8052 and DG-8052 strains were compared. Expression of 5168 genes comprising 98.6% of the genome was assessed. Interestingly, 548 and 702 genes were significantly up-regulated in the acidogenesis and solventogenesis phases of DG-8052, respectively, and mainly responsible for the phosphotransferase system, sugar metabolic pathways, and chemotaxis; meanwhile, 699 and 797 genes were significantly down-regulated, respectively, and mainly responsible for sporulation, oxidoreduction, and solventogenesis. The functions of some altered genes, including 286 and 333 at the acidogenesis and solventogenesis phases, respectively, remain unknown. Dysregulation of the fermentation machinery was accompanied by lower transcription levels of glycolysis rate-limiting enzymes (pfk and pyk), and higher transcription of cell chemotaxis genes (cheA, cheB, cheR, cheW, and cheY), controlled mainly by σ54 at acidogenesis. Meanwhile, abnormal spore formation was associated with repressed spo0A, sigE, sigF, sigG, and sigK which are positively regulated by σ70, and correspondingly inhibited expression of CoA-transferase at the solventogenesis phase. These findings indicated that morphological and physiological changes in the degenerated Clostridium strain may be related to altered expression of sigma factors, providing valuable targets for strain development of Clostridium species.

Transcriptional analysis of degenerate strain Clostridium beijerinckii DG-8052 reveals a pleiotropic response to CaCO3-associated recovery of solvent production.

Degenerate Clostridium beijerinckii strain (DG-8052) can be partially recovered by supplementing CaCO3 to fermentation media. Genome resequencing of DG-8052 showed no general regulator mutated. This study focused on transcriptional analysis of DG-8052 and its response to CaCO3 treatment via microarray. The expressions of 5168 genes capturing 98.6% of C. beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 genome were examed. The results revealed that with addition of CaCO3 565 and 916 genes were significantly up-regulated, and 704 and 1044 genes significantly down-regulated at acidogenic and solventogenic phase of DG-8052, respectively. These genes are primarily responsible for glycolysis to solvent/acid production (poR, pfo), solventogensis (buk, ctf, aldh, adh, bcd) and sporulation (spo0A, sigE, sigma-70, bofA), cell motility and division (ftsA, ftsK, ftsY, ftsH, ftsE, mreB, mreC, mreD, rodA), and molecular chaperones (grpE, dnaK, dnaJ, hsp20, hsp90), etc. The functions of some altered genes in DG-8052, totalling 5.7% at acidogenisis and 8.0% at sovlentogenisis, remain unknown. The response of the degenerate strain to CaCO3 was suggested significantly pleiotropic. This study reveals the multitude of regulatory function that CaCO3 has in clostridia and provides detailed insights into degeneration mechanisms at gene regulation level. It also enables us to develop effective strategies to prevent strain degeneration in future.

Proteomic analysis to elucidate degeneration of Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 and role of Ca(2+) in strain recovery from degeneration.

Degeneration of solventogenic Clostridium strains is one of the major barriers in bio-butanol production. A degenerated Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 strain (DG-8052) was obtained without any genetic manipulation. Supplementation of CaCO3 to fermentation medium could partially recover metabolism of DG-8052 by more than 50 % increase of cell growth and solvent production. This study investigated the protein expression profile of DG-8052 and its response to CaCO3 treatment. Compared with WT-8052, the lower expressed proteins were responsible for disruption of RNA secondary structures and DNA repair, sporulation, signal transduction, transcription regulation, and membrane transport in DG-8052. Interestingly, accompanied with the decreased glucose utilization and lower solvent production, there was a decreased level of sigma-54 modulation protein which may indicate that the level of sigma-54 activity may be associated with the observed strain degeneration. For the addition of CaCO3, proteomic and biochemical study results revealed that besides buffer capacity, Ca(2+) could stabilize heat shock proteins, increase DNA synthesis and replication, and enhance expression of solventogenic enzymes in DG-8052, which has a similar contribution in WT-8052.