Association between Visceral Fat and Body Mass Index in Patients with Cirrhosis
Pages 1-5
Kenichiro Yasutake, Motoyuki Kohjima, Yusuke Murata, Manabu Nakashima, Makoto Nakamuta and Munechika Enjoji
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-5951.2014.04.01.1
Published: 31 January 2014

Abstract: Obesity has recently become a critical problem in patients with cirrhosis in Japan; however, its true prevalence and prognosis remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated abdominal fat areas, including subcutaneous and visceral fat areas (VFA), in 49 cirrhotic patients and analyzed the association between VFA and body mass index (BMI). Fat areas were examined by computed tomography. Patients were classified as somatometric obesity and visceral obesity based on their BMI (cut-off value: 25 kg/m²) and VFA (cut-off value: 100 cm²), respectively. The mean BMI was 23.5±3.3 kg/m² (<25 kg/m², 35 cases; ≥25 kg/m², 14 cases) and mean VFA was 108.5±118.8 cm² (<100 cm², 25 cases; ≥100 cm², 24 cases). Thirteen out of 14 patients with BMI ≥25 kg/m² had a VFA ≥100 cm², and 11 of 35 patients with BMI <25 kg/m² had a VFA ≥100 cm². Thus, almost half of the cirrhotic patients in this study had visceral obesity, including a high proportion of patients with BMI <25 kg/m². These results suggest that visceral obesity, as well as BMI, should be considered in patients with cirrhosis, and individual nutritive management regimes should be designed according to the results.

Cancer and Diet
Pages 63-70
Kenneth Lundstrom
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-5951.2012.02.01.9
Published: 28 August 2012

Abstract: Intervention in food intake has been demonstrated to play an enormous role in both prevention and treatment of disease. Numerous studies indicate a clear link between cancer and diet. The substantial development of sequencing technologies has resulted in access to enormous amounts of genomics information, which resulted in the establishment of nutrigenomics as an emerging approach to link genomics research to studies on nutrition. Increased understanding has demonstrated how nutrition can influence human health both at genetic and epigenetic levels. Dramatic dietary modifications have proven essential in reducing risk and even prevention of cancer. Moreover, intense revision of diet in cancer patients has revealed significant changes in gene expression and also has provided therapeutic efficacy even after short-term application. Obviously, a multitude of diets have been evaluated, but probably the common factor for achieving both prophylactic and therapeutic responses is to consume predominantly diets rich in fruits, vegetables, fish and fibers and reduced quantities of especially red meat. Despite encouraging findings on how dietary modifications can prevent disease and restore health, there are a number of factors which complicate the outcome. There are variations in response to dietary changes depending on age and gender. Furthermore, ethnic, social and geographic circumstances play an important role.

Biological Effects of Manganese Oxide Nanoparticles after Peroral Intake
Pages 231-237
N.V. Zaitseva, M.A. Zemlyanova, V.N. Zvezdin and T.I. Akafieva
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-5951.2013.03.04.3
Published: 31 October 2013

Abstract: Nanodispersed manganese oxide is a unique substance with a high application potential in nanoelectronics and nanooptics. The scientific literature contains little information about the biological effects and toxic action of this substance after it enters a human body. The biological effects were studied in Wistar rats after intragastric administration of manganese oxide for 30 days. The effects included loss in the body mass, activation of oxidation processes (increased level of lipid hydroperoxides, MDA in the blood serum), decrease in the antioxidant activity (inhibited antioxidant activity in the blood serum), damaged hepatocyte membranes (higher serum AST and ALT levels), and protein synthesizing liver function abnormalities (low albumins, high gamma globulins in the blood serum).

Comparative Study of the Nutritional Value of Four Types of Egyptian Palm Pollens
Pages 50-56
Mokhtar Bishr and Samar Y. Desoukey
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-5951.2012.02.01.7
Published: 28 August 2012

Abstract: Pollen grains are good sources of vitamins, minerals and amino acids with a high nutritional value that can be used as human food supplement. Date palm pollens are used in the Middle East especially Egypt in herbal mixtures as a folk medicine remedy for curing male infertility and promoting fertility in women .The raw materials purchased from the market are found to be a mixture of several palm pollens.

The main objective of this study was to determine the nutritional value of four local Egyptian date pollen grains {Amhat(A), Hiani(H), Sewy(S)& Zaghlol(Z)} by microscopical and chemical means. These differences could determine the quality of separate pollen grains and show to what extent they affect the quality of the natural products manufactured from them?

Each of the pollen samples were treated identically: collected from locations of similar clay loamy soils, in March 2011 at an early time of the day, subjected to electron microscope examination and chemical analysis of trace elements, amino acids & vitamins. The results showed that there are clear differences in the quality of the four Egyptian palm pollens which could be distinguished microscopically and chemically by the percentage of the trace elements, amino acids & vitamins.