Objective: To study the effect of a-linolenic acid on insulin resistance and its mechanism concerning the insulin signal transduction,providing a theoratic basis for applying plant oil rich in a-linolenic acid in preventing and treating diabetes. Methods :The effect of a-linolenic acid on protein kinase B(PKB) signal transduction and expression of glucose transport protein 4(GLUT4) in rat skeletal muscles was detected by primary cell culture and Western blot techniques. Results:At the concentration of 0. 125-1. 0?mol/L, a-linolenic acid promoted the PKB phosphorylation, but didnot influence the expression of PKB. The expression of GLUT4 protein was dose-dependent and time-dependent. Adding PI3K inhibitor LY294002(15 ?mol/L) in a-linolenic acid cultured skeletal muscle cells made no significant difference in the level of PKB phosphorylation and GLUT4 protein. Conclusion:a-linolenic acid can improve the level of GLUT4 protein by promoting skeletal muscle PI3K/ PKB signal transduction,and increase the sensitivity of skeletal muscle on insulin, which can alleviate or avoid insulin resistance and glycometabolic disturbance.

Objective: To investigate the effects of supplementing multivitamins on the growth and development of children. Methods: A total of 24 000 children (6 8 years old) from Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou were divided into 2 groups. One group was given multivitamin tablets and another was without any treatment for 12 weeks. Each tablet contains VA 5 000 IU, VD 400 IU,VE 30 IU,VB 1 1.5 mg,VB 2 1.7 mg,niacin 20 mg,VB 6 2 mg,VB 12 6 ?g,folic acid 0.4 mg and VC 60 mg. Height, body weight, skinfold thickness, mid arm muscle circumference and serum VA, 25 OHD 3, Hb, IgA,IgG and IgM were measured before and after supplementing multivitamins.VB 1, VB 2 and VC were evaluated by four hours loading test. Results: It was found that vitamin deficiencies, especially that of VA, VB 2 and VB 1, existed in the children. After supplement, the net increase of height and weight was significantly higher than that of control group. Levels of serum VA, 25 OHD 3 and Hb in supplemented group were significantly increased and the urinary excretion of VB 1, VB 2 and VC was also significantly increased in supplemented group. Conclusion: The results indicate that the multivitamins is conductive to improvement of vitamin status and nutritional anemia, and to growth and development. It is necessary for children with routine diet to supplement multivitamins. [

The effects of amino acid electuary (Ganan Elemental Granules) on experimental acute hepatic failure induced by D-galactosamine in rats were studied. The results showed that the electuary could significantly prevent the decrease in body weight and food intake, the prolongation in time of blood coagulation time and increase in the levels of serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase activity, elevate contents of total serum protein and serum albumin, normalize the serum ratio of BCAA to AAA and disordered amino acid pattern, increase survival of animals and improve encephalopathy in rats with acute hepatic failure. These results suggest that the amino acid electuary has a better protective effects on acute hepatic failure.

The changes of the dietary composition of Shanghai population from 1950 to 1985 were investigated and the relationship between the dietary composition and the mortality of diseases of the population was analysed with retrospective method. The results showed that the amount of consumption of grain was decreased but that of animal foods increased (except that around 1960) year after year during the past 35 years. The consumption of meat and eggs in 1985 was 2.8 and 4.9 times , higher than that in 1950 respectively. The intake of carbohydrates was decreased but- that of fat increased year by year. The ratio of polyunsaturated fat to saturated fats (P/S) was decreased and there was a trend of excess intake of fat. The mortalities from malignant tumours, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases were increased year by year, which correlated strongly with the consumption of dietary saturated fat. On the other hand the intake of protein, calcium and riboflavm was lower. Therefore, the dietary composition of Shanghai population was imperatively adjusted.

In order to search for a new nitrogen source of elemental diet,we have conducted a series of studies to evaluate the protein quality of enzymic hydrolysate of swine fibrin.The results show that the enzymic hydrolysate contains 8 kinds of essential amino acids, amounting to 40% of the total amino acid content of the specimen. The chemical score of first limiting amino acid methionine is 42, and essential amino acid index is 83, it is better than that of plant protein. The experimental research proved that it could improve growth in young rats with a protein, effeciency ratio 2.44,promote recovery of the body weight in adult rats and maintain nitrogen balance (157?63 .6mg/day) .It contains more tryptophan and less methionine, valine and phenylalanine than does casien.If amino acid imbalance could be corrected, then an additional source of nitrogen of high quality would be obtained

The soybean high branched-chain amino acid mixture was composed of soybean protein hydrolyzed by special method with a few types additional amino acids in small amount. The mixture contained 68.9% of essential ami-no acids and 42.9% of branched-chain amino acids.The animal experiment showed that the mixture could promote the growth of young rats and maintain the normal levels of Hb, serum total protein and albumin. Its protein efficiency ratio (PER), true protein digestibility (TD), biological value (BV) and net protein utilization (NPU) were 2.78, 94.0%, 85.0 and 80.0% respectively. These values were significantly higher than that of casein. The results indicated that the soybean high branched-chain amio acid mixture did not produce amino acid antagonism caused by the high amount of branched-chain amino acids and had higher nutritional quality.