Crop rotation increases root biomass and promotes the correlation of soil dissolved carbon with the microbial community in the rhizosphere.
As essential approaches for conservation agricultural practices, straw residue retention and crop rotation have been widely used in the Mollisols of Northeast China. Soil organic carbon, root development and microbial community are important indicators representing soil, crop and microbiota, respectively, and these factors work together to influence soil fertility and crop productivity. Studying their changes and interactions under different conservation practices is crucial to provide a theoretical basis for developing rational agricultural practices. The experiment in this study was conducted using the conventional practice (continuous maize without straw retention, C) and three conservation practices, namely, continuous maize with straw mulching (CS), maize-peanut rotation (R), and maize-peanut rotation with straw mulching (RS). Straw mulching (CS) significantly increased soil total organic carbon (TOC), active organic carbon (AOC), and microbial biomass carbon (MBC), but did not promote maize yield. Maize-peanut rotation (R and RS) significantly increased dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the rhizosphere by promoting root growth, and maize yield (increased by 10.2%). For the microbial community structure, PERMANOVA and PCoA indicated that the bacterial community differed significantly between rhizosphere soil and bulk soil, but the fungal community shifted more under different agricultural practices. The correlation analysis indicated that the rotation system promoted the association between the soil DOC and the microbial community (especially the bacterial community), and straw mulching enhanced the connection between the soil TOC and the fungal community. Some plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (including Bacillus, Streptomyces, Rhizobium, and Pseudomonas) were enriched in the rhizosphere soil and were increased in the rotation system (R and RS), which might be due to an increase in the soil rhizosphere DOC level. These beneficial microbes had significantly negative correlations with several fungal groups (such as Mycosphaerella, Penicillium, Paraphoma and Torula) that were classified as plant pathotrophs by FUNGuild. These results indicated that ensuring plant root development and improving root-bacteria interactions are of great importance to guarantee crop yield when implementing conservation tillage practices. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2022.1081647
Environmental, nutritional and social assessment of nuts.
Nuts are considered an important protein source in sustainable dietary patterns but are seldom studied in detail. Here a multi-criteria decision analysis was used to rank 10 nuts and seeds against 11 environmental, nutritional, and social criteria and provide greater insight into the sustainability impacts of this food group. Weights were defined based on correlation and variance between indicator values, and values were aggregated with a partially non-compensatory method. Several sensitivity analyses tested various sources of uncertainty through the use of country-level data, the use of a fully compensatory aggregation method, and changes to criteria weights. Walnuts and sunflower seeds performed consistently well across sustainability criteria and were ranked in the top two positions in the baseline assessment and most sensitivity analyses. In contrast, cashews performed relatively poorly across most criteria, and were ranked last. Dietary shifts in favor of more sustainable nuts can improve the overall environmental, nutritional and social impacts of nut production and consumption by an average of 23%. Although increasing consumption of walnuts and sunflower seeds may lead to improved sustainability outcomes for total global nut consumption, more research is needed to deepen the understanding of the complex socio-economic factors impacting nut and seed sustainability. The social risk assessment method used in this study can also inform future social impact measurement methods for other food groups. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-022-01146-7
Factors associated with home epinephrine-treated reactions during peanut and tree-nut oral immunotherapy.
Background: Home reactions requiring epinephrine administration, a marker of their severity, restrict the widespread use of oral immunotherapy (OIT), but their risk factors are largely not known. Objective: To identify risk factors for such reactions during OIT to most allergenic foods. Methods: All patients who began OIT for peanut, tree nuts, sesame, or egg allergy at the Shamir Medical Center between April 2010 and January 2020 were enrolled. The patients were instructed to use their epinephrine autoinjectors during reactions consisting of severe abdominal pain, significant shortness of breath, or lethargy, or whenever in uncertainty of reaction severity. Patients with and without home epinephrine-treated reactions (HETRs) were compared. Results: A total of 757 OIT treatments for peanut (n = 346), tree nuts (n = 221; walnut n = 147, cashew n = 57, hazelnut n = 16, almond n = 1), sesame (n = 115), and egg (n = 75) allergies were administered to 644 patients. Eighty-three (10.9%) patients experienced HETRs. The highest rate of HETRs was experienced during walnut (20.4%) or hazelnut (25%) OIT, followed by peanut (9.8%), sesame (6.1%), egg (6.7%), and cashew (5.3%) OIT. Risk factors for HETRs included a reaction treated in an emergency department (ER) (P = .005) before starting OIT and a reaction treated with epinephrine during in-clinic induction (P < .001). Significantly fewer patients with (73.6%) than without (88.3%) HETRs achieved full desensitization (P = .001), but only a few patients with HETRs (8.4%) failed treatment. Conclusion: Previous reaction severity is the main predictor for HETRs during OIT. These reactions are more frequent during walnut and hazelnut OIT than during OIT for other foods studied. Most patients experiencing HETRs achieved desensitization. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2022.12.001
Narcolepsy-Like Sleepiness: A Symptom of Immediate-Type Reactions in Food-Allergic Children.
Background: It has been reported that sometimes children fall asleep and can barely be woken up during allergic reactions on food ingestion. Nevertheless, to date, there is scarce data on narcolepsy-like sleepiness as a symptom of allergic reactions. Objective: To investigate the frequency of narcolepsy-like sleepiness during oral food challenges and characterize this symptom regarding comorbidities, eliciting allergens, and severity of reactions. Methods: Children with immediate-type allergic reactions during oral food challenges (89% were double-blind, placebo-controlled) have been analyzed in this study. Narcolepsy-like sleepiness was defined as a somnolent condition during which patients could barely be woken up again, occurring within 2 hours of food intake and which was not due to drug side effects. Logistic generalized estimating equations were used to explore the effect of age, severity of reactions, and eliciting allergens on the occurrence of narcolepsy-like sleepiness. Results: In 106 (12.5%) of all 848 food-allergic children, narcolepsy-like sleepiness was observed during oral food challenges. Children with eczema had a higher risk of developing narcolepsy-like sleepiness (P = .006). Narcolepsy-like sleepiness occurred most often due to an allergic reaction to hazelnut (P = .009) or other tree nuts (P = .003). Moderate to severe reactions occurred more often than mild reactions (P = .026; odds ratio, 1.521; 95% CI, 1.051-2.202) in children with narcolepsy-like sleepiness. Conclusions: We were able to show for the first time that narcolepsy-like sleepiness is a frequently occurring clinical manifestation of immediate-type allergic reactions on food ingestion in childhood. Further research is needed to unravel the underlying mechanisms to gain a deeper insight into this underestimated symptom. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2022.11.038
Food-specific immunoglobulin A does not correlate with natural tolerance to peanut or egg allergens.
ImmunoglobulinA (IgA) is the predominant antibody isotype in the gut, where it regulates commensal flora and neutralizes toxins and pathogens. The function of food-specific IgA in the gut is unknown but is presumed to protect from food allergy. Specifically, it has been hypothesized that food-specific IgA binds ingested allergens and promotes tolerance by immune exclusion; however, the evidence to support this hypothesis is indirect and mixed. Although it is known that healthy adults have peanut-specific IgA in the gut, it is unclear whether children also have gut peanut-specific IgA. We found in a cohort of non–food-allergic infants (n = 112) that there is detectable stool peanut-specific IgA that is similar to adult quantities of gut peanut-specific IgA. To investigate whether this peanut-specific IgA is associated with peanut tolerance, we examined a separate cohort of atopic children (n = 441) and found that gut peanut-specific IgA does not predict protection from development of future peanut allergy in infants nor does it correlate with concurrent oral tolerance of peanut in older children. We observed higher plasma peanut-specific IgA in those with peanut allergy. Similarly, egg white–specific IgA was detectable in infant stools and did not predict egg tolerance or outgrowth of egg allergy. Bead-based epitope assay analysis of gut peanut-specific IgA revealed similar epitope specificity between children with peanut allergy and those without; however, gut peanut-specific IgA and plasma peanut-specific IgE had different epitope specificities. These findings call into question the presumed protective role of food-specific IgA in food allergy. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abq0599
Food allergen introduction patterns in the first year of life: A US nationwide survey.
Background: Prevention guidelines have changed over the past decade and now recommend the earlier introduction of peanut and egg without delaying the introduction of other food allergens. This paper explored caregiver practices regarding the introduction of food allergens during infancy. Methods: A survey was administered (2021) to a US population-based sample of 3062 caregivers (children 7 months - 3.5 years). Demographics and feeding practices were collected. Weighted frequencies and proportions were calculated using the svyr package in R 4.1. Survey-weighted chi-square statistics and covariate-adjusted, survey-weighted logistic regression models were used for statistical inference. Results: Cow's milk, wheat, and soy were the top three allergens introduced. Peanut and egg were introduced by 17.2% and 15.5% of caregivers before 7 months and 58.8% and 66.4% before 1 year, respectively. The age of peanut and egg introduction differed significantly by race/ethnicity (p < .001) and caregiver age (p < .001). Peanut and egg introduction before 7 months was significantly associated with the increased introduction of other allergenic foods before 1 year (p = <.001; peanut and p = < .001; egg). Caregivers who introduced peanut and egg before 7 months infant age fed an additional mean of 5.4 and 4.5 food allergens, respectively, before 1 year. Few caregivers (0.9%) reported feeding an "early food allergen introduction product" ≥ 3 times, which was significantly associated with parental food allergy (OR = 2.2) and previously seen an allergist (OR = 6.7). Conclusion: More than half of the caregivers are not introducing peanut by age of one year and one-third are not introducing egg, though an observed shift toward earlier peanut and egg introduction was seen in the past 5 years. Peanut and egg introduction seem to co-occur and are associated with increased intake of other food allergens. https://doi.org/10.1111/pai.13896
Nut-enriched energy restricted diet has potential to decrease hunger in women at cardiometabolic risk: a randomized controlled trial (Brazilian Nuts Study).
Successful weight management represents a challenge to obesity control. Evidence suggests that nut consumption promotes a prolonged satiety response. Therefore, we hypothesize that nuts could be associated with greater weight loss in comparison to the control group, and we evaluate the acute and long-term effects of Brazilian nuts (BN: 15g of Brazil nuts + 30g of cashew nuts) included in an energy-restricted intervention on food intake, appetite, and peptide hormones. We conducted an 8-week, randomized, open-label, controlled, parallel-arm clinical trial with 28 women at cardiometabolic risk that received an energy-restricted diet containing BN or an energy-restricted nut-free diet (control). At baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention, subjective postprandial appetite ratings were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) before and after consumption (0, 10, 60, 120, 180, and 240 min) of a 437 kcal nut-enriched (BN group) or nut-free (control) breakfast meal. Subsequently, an ad libitum lunch was served, and they completed another VAS at 280 min. Plasma concentrations of ghrelin, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), and leptin were measured at fasting and postprandially at 60, 120, and 240 min. Lastly, subsequent reported 24h energy intake was assessed in a free-living setting. BN consumption did not have acute effects on food intake, appetite, or peptide hormones. However, after an 8-week intervention, postprandial ghrelin (ΔAUC) decreased in BN group in comparison to the control (mean difference, 1978 pg/mL∙min, 95% CI, 27-3929 pg/mL∙min; p = 0.047). Therefore, an energy-restricted diet containing demonstrated potential to decrease hunger in cardiometabolic risk women. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2022.11.003
Antioxidants in Shell and Nut Yield Components after Ca, Mg and K Preharvest Spraying on Hazelnut Plantations in Southern Chile.
To determine the effects of pre-harvest calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K) spraying on the antioxidant activity and capacity of hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) shells, as an approach to sustain the utilization of the main residue derived from this industry, four commercial hazelnut (Tonda di Giffoni) orchards located in Southern Chile (Cunco, Gorbea, Perquenco and Radal), during the 2018/19 season were sprayed three times with five combinations of Ca (300 and 600 mg L-1), Mg (300 and 600 mg L-1) and K (300 and 600 mg L-1). Yield components were determined in harvested whole nuts, whereas Ca, Mg and K concentrations, as well as total phenolic compounds, free radical scavenging antioxidant activity, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity, were determined in shells. All spray treatments with both Ca, Mg and K combinations showed a significant interaction between locality and treatment (L × T) on increased stabilized nut yield (kg ha-1) in comparison with the control treatments, whereas nut quality was differentially affected by treatment and orchard locality, thus confirming a significant L × T relationship regarding nut length and kernel yield. However, locality showed a major effect on kernels and shells. A significant relationship was determined between locality and the Ca, Mg and K spraying (L × T) concerning antioxidant compounds such as phenolics, whose amounts exceeded those of the control treatments by three times. Antioxidant capacity and activity in shells showed a significant L × T relationship, and nutshells collected from Cunco showed remarkably (3-4 times) higher levels of these factors than the other evaluated localities. Interactions between spray treatment and orchard location were responsible for the different values obtained in the experiments, confirming the influence of the environment on the efficacy of the treatments. Finally, these shells are worth further study as an interesting residue of the hazelnut industry due to their nutritional and antioxidant properties. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11243536
Date Palm as Source of Nutraceuticals for Health Promotion: A Review.
Purpose of review: Chronic diseases are problematic to health professional specially when using drugs throughout the course of life with un-tolerated side effects. Returning to nature through using nutraceuticals might have both protective and therapeutic effects. Date palm was claimed to be a good source of such nutraceuticals or functional food ingredients. The purpose of the present review was to spot light on the different phytochemicals, phytonutrients, and remedial effects of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) in a goal to be utilized in form of nutraceuticals. The possible mechanisms of action of the remedial effects were among the aim of the study. Recent findings: A protein hydrolyzate prepared from date seed could prevent DNA mutation and susceptibility to cancer. In addition to cancer prevention, date palm fruit improved the treatment outcome of cancer pediatric patients and possesses anti-angiogenic activity as one of the important anticancer mechanisms of action. On the other hand, date seed extracts was recently reported to protect from ulcerative colitis. It seems that all the aforementioned remedial effect might be ascribed to immunoregulatory effect of date palm. These findings proposed that date palm is beneficial for health. Date palm fruit is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, dietary fibers, energy, and easily digestible and absorbable sugars that instantaneously replenish and revitalize the body specially after fasting condition. Mineral contents in date fruits include potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium. Diverse health claims were reported to belong to various parts of the tree including the edible part of fruits, the seeds, the leaves, spathe (an envelope-like structure that encloses male and female date palm flowers), and pollen grains due to the presence of different bioactive constituents. The main phytochemicals and phytonutrients reported in date palms are phenolic compounds, carotenoids, sterols, anthocyanins, and others. In folk medicine, date palm fruits are used for enhancing immunity and treating gastrointestinal tract disorders, edema, bronchitis, wound, cancer, as well as infectious diseases. However, the exact health benefits and remedial effects of date palm were not fully and deeply investigated. The present review focused on the bioactive constituents and the reported health benefits of date palm and proposed mechanism of action. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-022-00437-w
Modulation of Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Response by Different Polyphenol Supplements in Five-a-Side Football Players.
Oxidative stress is associated with playing soccer. The objective of the present report was to study the influence of different polyphenolic antioxidant-rich beverages in five-a-side/futsal players. The study was performed with a no supplemented control group (CG) and two supplemented groups with an almond-based beverage (AB) and the same beverage fortified with Lippia citriodora extract (AB + LE). At day 22, participants played a friendly futsal game. Blood extractions were performed at the beginning of intervention (day 1), before and after match (day 22) to determine oxidative stress markers and antioxidant enzyme activities in plasma, neutrophils and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Malondialdehyde increased significantly in controls after the match in neutrophils, PBMCs and plasma compared to pre-match. Protein carbonyls also increased after the match in plasma in CG. In addition, malondialdehyde levels in neutrophils were significantly lower in the supplemented groups compared to controls. Post-match samples showed significant increases in neutrophil antioxidant activities in CG. Supplemented groups displayed variable results regarding neutrophil antioxidant activities, with superoxide dismutase activity significantly lower than in controls. Finally, post-match myeloperoxidase activity increased significantly in controls compared to pre-match and supplemented groups. In conclusion, polyphenolic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory supplements could be instrumental for optimal recovery after high intensity futsal games. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15010177