Application of Vermicompost Fertilizer in Aquaculture Nutrition: Review

Semi-intensive aquaculture using ponds is among the most common practices of fish production, whose output depends highly on the ponds’ natural primary productivity. With the increased sustainability and health concerns with artificial fish feeds and chemical fertilizers, organic manure has been credited as a cheap, safe and sustainable alternative source of aquaculture nutrition. Apart from supplying nutrients to the phytoplankton, organic manures supply food directly to zooplankton and fish, provide substrate for microbes and improve water and pond sediment quality. Vermicompost fertilizer (excrete of earthworms) has been recognized as a potential pond fertilizer because it has superior nutritional quality (of up to five times), contains microbes, and is in ready-for-uptake form. Besides, the vermicompost contains humic acid, which has antibiotic properties, and promotes fish gut health, stress management, and immune systems. Nonetheless, the application of vermicompost fertilizer in aquaculture is still not a common practice. Therefore, this study reviews the concept of vermiculture vis-à-vis pond fertilization and the various utilizations of the vermicompost in fish farming. This is to enable fish farmers to make an informed decision on identifying and selecting proper biofertilizer, which can increase yields and cut costs of production, thus maximizing profits and improving resource utilization.

Adiponectin Role in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Focus on Nutrition Review

Adiponectin is an adipokine produced by adipose tissue. It has numerous beneficial effects. In particular, it improves metabolic effects and glucose homeostasis, lipid profile, and is involved in the regulation of cytokine profile and immune cell production, having anti-inflammatory and immune-regulatory effects. Adiponectin’s role is already known in immune diseases and also in neurodegenerative diseases. Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, are a set of diseases of the central nervous system, characterized by a chronic and selective process of neuron cell death, which occurs mainly in relation to oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. Lifestyle is able to influence the development of these diseases. In particular, unhealthy nutrition on gut microbiota, influences its composition and predisposition to develop many diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, given the importance of the “gut-brain” axis. There is a strong interplay between Adiponectin, gut microbiota, and brain-gut axis. For these reasons, a healthy diet composed of healthy nutrients such as probiotics, prebiotics, polyphenols, can prevent many metabolic and inflammatory diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases and obesity. The special Adiponectin role should be taken into account also, in order to be able to use this component as a therapeutic molecule.

Meeting nutritional targets of critically ill patients by combined enteral and parenteral nutrition: review and rationale for the EFFORTcombo trial

While medical nutrition therapy is an essential part of the care for critically ill patients, uncertainty exists about the right form, dosage, timing and route in relation to the phases of critical illness. As enteral nutrition (EN) is often withheld or interrupted during the intensive care unit (ICU) stay, combined EN and parenteral nutrition (PN) may represent an effective and safe option to achieve energy and protein goals as recommended by international guidelines. We hypothesise that critically ill patients at high nutritional risk may benefit from such a combined approach during their stay on the ICU. Therefore, we aim to test if an early combination of EN and high-protein PN (EN+PN) is effective in reaching energy and protein goals in patients at high nutritional risk, while avoiding overfeeding. This approach will be tested in the here-presented EFFORTcombo trial. Nutritionally high-risk ICU patients will be randomised to either high (≥2·2 g/kg per d) or low protein (≤1·2 g/kg per d). In the high protein group, the patients will receive EN+PN; in the low protein group, patients will be given EN alone. EN will be started in accordance with international guidelines in both groups. Efforts will be made to reach nutrition goals within 48–96 h. The efficacy of the proposed nutritional strategy will be tested as an innovative approach by functional outcomes at ICU and hospital discharge, as well as at a 6-month follow-up.

Rosehip (Rosa canina) as a Beneficial Dietary Feed in Poultry Nutrition: Review

Today the aromatic and medicinal plants have gained more recognition as dietary supplements because they are characterized as natural, safe, eco-friendly, and possess many health-promoting properties, making their ongoing usage part of an emerging field at the cutting edge of science. Rosehip (Rosa canina), a medicinal plant, is widely known as a valuable source of various nutrients and biologically active substances, mostly polyphenols and vitamin C. The chemical composition differs depending on the climate, growing region, cultivation practice, maturity, soil type, harvesting and storage conditions. Over the years, significant variations in vitamins (106-967 mg/100 g), minerals (Fe 59.40-72.90 ppm; Zn 3.69-4.51 ppm; Ca 133.30-146.70 ppm), essential fatty acids (33.8% - 49.7% α-linolenic), phenols (9982 GAE - mg/100 g), antioxidants (lutein, zeaxanthin) among other bioactive components and nutrients have been reported by various researchers. Both in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that rosehip used at an appropriate dose in broilers and laying hens dietary feed, could have some beneficial effects.

Common Controversies in Critical Care Nutrition: Review of Latest Evidences

Context Critical care nutrition favorably influences patient prognosis and remains an essential component of overall patient care. Various guidelines and literature discuss the modalities, benefits, and other finer details of nutrition in intensive care units. Critical care nutrition is still an emerging modality and hence, ambiguity/subjectivity exists in various aspects. Clear recommendations are not there, especially when it comes to diverse topics such as nutrition screening/assessment, underfeeding patients, types of nutrition formulae, monitoring nutrition adequacy, and tolerance and likewise. This article is an attempt to address couple of these concerns and review the latest evidences/guidelines in context of nutrition screening/assessment and monitoring tolerance by measuring gastric residual volumes (GRVs). Evidence Acquisition Various literature including existing guidelines, original articles, and review articles published till September 2019 and discussing the specifics of nutrition screening/assessment and monitoring tolerance by measuring gastric residuals were searched on popular scientific databases such as PubMed, Scholar Google, and Embase and reviewed for contextual relevance. Results Majority of the recommendations/evidences in this regard are either inconsistent or incomplete. Most of the tools that are recommended for nutrition screening/assessment of critical care patients are not validated for this population. Majority of literature is unanimous on not recommending biochemical parameters to be used for this purpose. Recommendations for the acceptable values of GRVs are consistent but subjectivity exits on the frequency of measurement, timing of measurement in relation to meals, and other variables. Conclusion Till the time, nutrition screening/assessment tools for critical care patients are validated in large multicentric settings, it would be prudent to adhere to the recommendations of existing guidelines. Similarly, GRV practices and cutoff values can be followed from relevant guidelines.

Comprehensive Nutrition Review of Grain-Based Muesli Bars in Australia: An Audit of Supermarket Products

Muesli bars are consumed by 16% of children, and 7.5% of adults, and are classified as discretionary in Australian Dietary Guidelines, containing “higher fat and added sugars” compared with core food choices. This study aimed to provide a nutritional overview of grain-based muesli bars, comparing data from 2019 with 2015. An audit of muesli bars, grain-based bars, and oat slices was undertaken in January 2019 (excluding fruit, nut, nutritional supplement, and breakfast bars) from the four major supermarkets in metropolitan Sydney. Mean and standard deviation was calculated for all nutrients on-pack, including whole grain per serve and per 100g. Health Star Rating (HSR) was calculated if not included on-pack. Of all bars (n = 165), 63% were ≤ 600 kJ (268–1958 kJ), 12% were low in saturated fat, 56% were a source of dietary fibre, and none were low in sugar. Two-thirds (66%) were whole grain (≥8 g/serve), with an average of 10 g/serve, 16% of the 48 g Daily Target Intake. HSR featured on 63% of bars (average 3.2), with an overall HSR of 2.7. Compared to 2015, mean sugars declined (26.6 g to 23.7 g/100 g; p < 0.001), and 31% more bars were whole grain (109 up from 60 bars). Although categorised as discretionary, there were significant nutrient differences across grain-based muesli bars. Clearer classification within policy initiatives, including HSR, may assist consumers in choosing products high in whole grain and fibre at the supermarket shelf.