Effects of COVID-19 on the Gut and the Liver - A Case Series of 711 Patients in New York City

Background As the COVID-19 epidemic is wreaking havoc with a staggering number of infections and fatalities worldwide, digestive symptoms are increasingly coming to the limelight. However, the data on the extent of gut and liver involvement has been variable and somewhat conflicting.Methods We identified 711 adults who had tested positive for COVID-19 at Richmond University Medical Center in New York between March 13 and May 13, 2020. We analyzed their clinical and laboratory data from electronic medical records.Results The average age of the patients was 60.5 years; 55% were men. 27.1% reported a gastrointestinal (GI) symptom and 56.9% had at least one abnormal liver enzyme. The most common was diarrhea with a frequency of 17.3% followed by nausea 16.2% and vomiting/anorexia 13.7%. Abdominal pain 5.6%, dysgeusia 3.2%, and GI bleeding 2.2% was the least common. Symptoms were mostly mild and lasted 3-5 days. The liver function was deranged in more than half of the patients. AST alone was elevated in 16.6%, both AST/ALT 15.7%, alkaline phosphatase 23%, and bilirubin 10%. Potential confounders were rare but included preexisting liver disease and hepatotoxic medications. Prothrombin time (PT) was mildly elevated in 13.4%. The lipase was elevated in 2.4% without upper abdominal pain. In 75%-90% of cases, liver test abnormalities were mild (1.5-3 x normal). Overall, 86.6% of patients were admitted primarily with respiratory failure and 28.5% died of their illness.Conclusions 27% of COVID-19 patients experienced a digestive disturbance and >55% showed a predominantly mild degree of liver dysfunction and cholestasis.

Use of the choke-feeding system to enhance the health and performance of early weaned piglets fed low-cost diets

Milk based diets remain one of the most successful means of introducing early-weaned piglets to solid food. However, the increased costs of dried milk by-products has stimulated the trend towards later weaning and the use of cheaper diets based on vegetable proteins. Such diets are often associated with digestive disturbance and reduced performance which necessitate the use of anti-microbial growth promoters.In this study, we examined the scope for using the choice-feeding system to enhance the health and performance of early weaned piglets fed low-cost diets by offering them free-access to feed ingredients which may be selected when there is a need to correct digestive disturbance.

Technology for An Instant Almond Gruel

This paper describes methods for processing an instant baby food made from rice and almonds. Commercial production of ready-to-serve baby foods in Iran is limited, and imported baby foods are expensive. Since home preparation is time-consuming and often neglected, a ready-to-serve local product is desirable. The resultant product was acceptable and caused no digestive disturbance when fed to children for three months.

Drought feeding of cattle. II. Comparison of daily and weekly feeding of all-grain rations: with observations on vitamin A status

Hereford steers and heifers in poor store condition, and from 16 to 22 months old, were fed daily or weekly on whole wheat at the rate of 3.5 lb (estimated to supply 2.5 lb of starch equivalent) per day with the addition of 1 per cent. finely ground limestone. In one experiment of 16 weeks' duration, weights were maintained at about the same level (450 lb) in both groups. However, when the experiment terminated the cattle from the weekly fed group were livelier, had shed their winter coats to a greater extent, and showed more advanced eruption of the incisor teeth. In addition the values for haematocrit, haemoglobin, and red cell counts were significantly higher. In a second experiment over a period of 19 weeks, the average weights fell from 469 lb to 438 lb in the daily fed group and to 403 lb in the weekly fed group. The difference in liveweight was not significant. No improvement was observed in the activity or appearance of the cattle on weekly feeding on this occasion, although haematological examinations showed a trend in favour of this group. Additional experiments confirmed the practicability of weekly feeding for cattle and the relative ease with which the system could be introduced. However, weekly feeding incurred a greater risk of digestive disturbance and losses were heavier than with daily feeding. Cattle on carotene-deficient drought rations for 38 weeks showed no patent night blindness or other evidence of vitamin A deficiency, although individual serum vitamin A values fell as low as 2 µg per 100 ml.