Changes In Diet Composition Research Articles

The way insoluble fiber incorporated in the diet changes its physiological response

The physiological effect of insoluble fibers may change with diet composition. The present study aimed to determine the difference in the physiological responses of broiler chickens fed diet incorporated with rice hulls in different ways. Two hundred and forty broiler chicks at two-days old were randomly placed in 30 cages and fed: control diet (based on corn-soybean) (CO), rice hull supplementation diet (CO + 4% of rice hulls) (RS), and rice hull inclusion diet (inclusion of 4% rice hulls in diet) (RI). The significant effects were mostly found in the starter phase. The RI increased ADG (P<0.05) but reduced empty ceca weight (P<0.05) in comparison to CO and RS. The RS increased the jejunal crypt depth (P<0.05) and reduced the small intestinal content (P<0.05). Birds fed RS and RI had higher villus height (P<0.05) and thicker jejunal mucosa (P<0.05) than those fed the CO. In the finisher phase, birds fed the RS had the narrower width of the upper and lower jejunal villi than the others. Supplementation or inclusion of insoluble fiber in the diet will lead to different physiological responses due to changes in diet composition.

Effect of concentrate enriched with palmitic acid versus rapeseed oil on dairy performance, milk fatty acid composition, and mammary lipogenic gene expression in mid-lactation Holstein cows

This study was performed to characterize the effect of a concentrate supplemented with free palmitic acid (4% on a DM basis; PA) or rapeseed oil (4% on a DM basis; RO) compared with a no-added-lipid control concentrate (CT) on the performance of dairy cows fed a corn silage-based diet over a 9-wk period. After a 3-wk pre-experimental period, 54 Holstein cows were randomly allocated to 3 experimental treatments to receive forage ad libitum with a fixed amount of CT, RO, or PA (8 kg/d for 2-yr-old primiparous; 10 kg/d for older cows). During the experiment, dry matter intake, milk yield and composition, fatty acid (FA) yields and FA profile, and feed efficiency were determined. At wk 9 of the experimental period, the mRNA levels of 10 genes involved in lipid metabolism in mammary tissue biopsy samples were measured. Compared with CT, RO and PA increased forage intake. Compared with CT, RO increased concentrate intake, the value being intermediate for PA. Compared with CT, RO increased milk yield (+2.0 kg/d) and decreased milk fat and protein content (-3.8 and -1.2 g/kg, respectively), whereas PA increased milk fat content (+4.1 g/kg). Compared with CT and RO treatments, PA increased milk fat yield (+179 g/d) and 3.5% fat-corrected milk and energy-corrected milk output (+2.8 and +2.3 kg/d, respectively), and thus improved feed efficiency (+7.3%). Compared with CT treatment, RO increased milk contents of the sum of >C16 FA, monounsaturated FA, polyunsaturated FA, trans FA, and n-3 FA, whereas PA decreased these FA contents (except n-3 FA) and also decreased n-6 FA. The variations in milk fat yield and content and FA secretion at wk 9 were not associated with modifications in mammary expression of 10 genes involved in major lipid pathways, except for the transcription factor PPARG1, which tended to be higher in PA versus RO treatment. This study demonstrated that PA improved milk fat yield and feed efficiency compared with RO and suggests that factors other than gene expression, such as substrate availability for mammary metabolism or other levels of regulation (transcriptional, posttranscriptional, translational or posttranslational), could play a key role in milk fat and FA responses to changes in diet composition in cows.

Positive effect of spring advance on the diet quality of an alpine herbivore.

Changes in vegetation phenology related to global warming are having alarming effects on the life history traits of many herbivore species. Such changes are particularly critical in alpine ecosystems, where strong climate limitations on plant growth make seasonal synchronization imperative for the growth, reproduction and survival of herbivores. However, despite the pivotal role of resource-use strategies on the performances of such species, few studies have explicitly assessed the mechanistic impact of climate change on their diets. We aimed to fill this gap by studying the effect of spring onset on the dietary composition and quality of a medium-size alpine herbivore while considering density-dependent processes and age- and sex-specific differences in foraging behavior. Using an exceptional, long-term (24 years) direct individual-based dietary monitoring of a Pyrenean chamois population (Rupicapra pyrenaica pyrenaica), we showed that ongoing earlier onsets of spring are leading to an earlier access to high-quality forage and therefore a higher diet quality at a fixed date, without apparent changes in diet composition. We also showed that at high densities, intraspecific competition reduced diet quality by driving animals to feed more on woody plants and less on nutritious forbs and graminoids. By assessing the mechanistic effects of global warming on the dietary patterns of species at the center of trophic networks, this study is an essential step for predictive models aiming at understanding the ongoing ecosystem consequences of the global climatic crisis.

Shift happens: Evaluating the ability of autumn stocked walleye Sander vitreus to shift to natural prey

AbstractHatchery propagation techniques, such as pellet‐rearing, can result in altered feeding behaviour. Walleye Sander vitreus (Mitchill) is a commonly propagated sportfish, yet little is known regarding its ability to switch to live prey post‐stocking. The objectives were to evaluate temporal changes in diet composition and condition as well as evaluate the relationship between total length and presence of different prey consumed by stocked walleye fry and fingerlings. Fingerling walleye had higher average proportions of empty stomachs and benthic invertebrates but less fish that stocked walleye fry. The presence of zooplankton, benthic invertebrates or fish was not related to walleye length. Walleye condition was similar between cohorts and did not change over days post‐stocking. Percent similarity index values between cohorts were variable (0.0 to 67.9%). It was concluded that stocked walleye fingerlings consume lower quality prey items than stocked fry counterparts at least up to 49‐day post‐stocking, which may have implications for post‐stocking survival.

Feeding ecology of Engraulis japonicus based on stomach contents and stable isotope

Engraulis japonicus, an important fishery resource, is a key species in ecosystem trophodynamics studies. In this study, we examined stomach content of E. japonicusby stable isotope analyses, with samples collected from the East China Sea in 2008-2009 and 2020. The aim of this study was to demonstrate their diet composition, diel and ontogenetic changes in feeding habits and trophic level. Results of the stomach content analysis showed that E. japonicus mainly fed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish. The main prey species were Euphausia pacifica [index of relative importance (IRI)=87.6%; frequency(F)=57.6%], Paracalanus parvus (IRI=3.2%, F=15.3%), and Themisto gracilipes (IRI=2.1%, F=13.1%). Results of the stable isotope analysis showed that Copepoda were the main food source of E. japonicus, followed by Euphausiacea, and the contribution rate of Amphipoda was the least, which was less than 1%. There was significant diel change in diet composition. Feeding intensity was higher in the daytime than at night, with the highest in the dusk and the lowest at midnight. Ontogenetic change in feeding habit occurred when fork length reached 90 mm, over which the fish fed both zooplankton and small fishes. The δ13C of E. japonicus was between -21.66‰ and -18.14‰, with an average of (-19.92±0.86)‰. The δ15N of E. japonicus ranged from 4.07‰ to 10.78‰, with an average of (8.14±2.48)‰. Both δ13C and δ15N values were positively correlated with fork length. Trophic level of the fish was 3.4 with stomach content analysis and 2.7 with stable isotope analysis. The results would provide important reference for understanding nutritional status of pelagic small fish, and offer some basic data to establish ecopath model.

Trophic ecology of yellowtail rockfish (Sebastes flavidus) during a marine heat wave off central California, USA.

The yellowtail rockfish, Sebastes flavidus, is a widespread and abundant mesopredator in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem. We utilized stomach content and stable isotope analyses to investigate the trophic ecology of this species at three sites off central California just before (August–October 2013) and during (August and October 2014) a marine heat wave. Sebastes flavidus largely consumed pelagic prey (zooplankton and micronekton). Diets were dominated by tunicates (salps and pyrosomes), pelagic crustaceans (euphausiids, hyperid amphipods, larval decapods), and fishes, with the relative contribution of these prey taxa varying spatially (sample location, longitude, depth) and temporally (year, month), based on complementary multivariate analyses. Prey-specific indices demonstrated that individual S. flavidus diet composition typically was dominated by one of these prey groups, and that prey switching occurred based on the relative availability of prey and their energetic importance. Stable isotope analysis of δ15N indicated that the S. flavidus populations sampled in 2014 had been feeding at an elevated trophic position and more variable prey spectrum relative to 2013, probably as a consequence of greater piscivory and the incorporation of temporal changes in diet composition. Because its opportunistic feeding behavior reflects the dynamism and heterogeneity of the pelagic forage preyscape, S. flavidus may be an important ecosystem indicator species. For example, the novel incorporation of pyrosomes as a large portion of the diet of S. flavidus during 2013–2014 directly related to the massive increase in pyrosome abundance in the California Current during the 2014 marine heat wave.

Adherence and Dietary Composition during Intermittent vs. Continuous Calorie Restriction: Follow-Up Data from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Adults with Overweight or Obesity.

Although intermittent calorie restriction (ICR) has become popular as an alternative weight loss strategy to continuous calorie restriction (CCR), there is insufficient evidence on diet quality during ICR and on its feasibility over longer time periods. Thus, we compared dietary composition and adherence between ICR and CCR in a follow-up analysis of a randomized trial. A total of 98 participants with overweight or obesity [BMI (kg/m2) 25–39.9, 35–65 years, 49% females] were randomly assigned to ICR, operationalized as a “5:2 diet” (energy intake: ~100% on five non-restricted (NR) days, ~25% on two restricted (R) days), or CCR (daily energy intake: ~80%). The trial included a 12-week (wk) intervention phase, and follow-up assessments at wk24, wk50 and wk102. Apart from a higher proportion of energy intake from protein with ICR vs. CCR during the intervention (wk2: p < 0.001; wk12: p = 0.002), there were no significant differences with respect to changes in dietary composition over time between the groups, while overall adherence to the interventions appeared to be good. No significant difference between ICR and CCR regarding weight change at wk102 was observed (p = 0.63). However, self-reported adherence was worse for ICR than CCR, with 71.1% vs. 32.5% of the participants reporting not to or only rarely have followed the regimen to which they were assigned between wk50 and wk102. These results indicate that within a weight management setting, ICR and CCR were equivalent in achieving modest weight loss over two years while affecting dietary composition in a comparable manner.

Changes in the Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus diet in Eastern Poland across decades promote insects and reptilians, but not birds and rodents.

We investigated temporal changes in diet composition of the Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus breeding in natural habitat (calcareous peat bog) in SE Poland. We characterized diet composition in a three‐year period (2007–2009), based on pellet analyses. We investigated whether diet composition was affected by years or stage of breeding. We compared diet of the studied population between 2000s and 1990s and with other populations. We found that the food of the studied population was dominated by insects and mammals (by number) and mammals and birds (by biomass). Biomass and abundance of main prey items differed between studied years because of different air temperatures. We found some interannual differences in contribution of some prey items including higher number of thermophilic prey (insects and amphibians) in warmer years. Comparison of pellet composition in the 1990s and 2000s revealed significant increase in the abundance of thermophilic prey (insects and reptiles) and decrease of mammals including Microtus voles and birds. Those changes may be linked to habitat changes in areas neighboring peat bogs and climate change‐induced changes in prey communities. The studied population was able to respond to changes in foraging habitats and prey composition by opportunistic foraging on easily available prey. The diet of the studied population is the most similar to the geographically closest populations foraging in similar habitats and characterized by high contribution of insects.

32 Changes in Diet Composition in US Adults With CKD

32 Changes in Diet Composition in US Adults With CKD

Trophic match/mismatch and reproduction of the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca in a metal-polluted area.

In polluted areas, birds can suffer from changes in diet composition and inferior food quality. It is unknown if pollution can desynchronize the phenology of birds and their prey, resulting in a mismatch between food demand and availability. For 2 years, we studied seasonal changes in the biomass of leaf-eating invertebrates and the timing of reproduction and breeding success of an insectivorous bird, the pied flycatcher, in an area heavily polluted by the Middle Ural copper smelter and in an unpolluted control area. Seasonal variations in herbivore biomass were relatively synchronous in polluted and unpolluted areas, whereas birds started breeding later in the polluted area. In the year with an earlier spring, the herbivore peak was early and short, resulting in lower food availability for birds feeding nestlings. The greater the mismatch between food demand and availability the higher was the frequency of nests containing perished nestlings and the lower the body mass of fledglings. Our data did not support the hypothesis that the detrimental effect of the trophic mismatch on birds is greater in the polluted area than in the unpolluted one. Nevertheless, delayed breeding in the pied flycatcher in polluted areas suggests a higher probability of mistimed bird reproduction in the years with a short period of food abundance. Thus, the synchrony of phenology of birds and their prey is an important pollution-related factor that should be taken into account when analyzing the effects of pollution on birds.

Food Niche Overlap of Avian Predators (Falconiformes, Strigiformes) in a Field and Forest Mosaic in Central Poland.

Simple SummaryPredators may present various feeding strategies, i.e., being either food specialists or opportunists. At the same time, their diets change to reflect the prey availability and to avoid competition for food resources. We performed this research in a highly transformed field and forest mosaic and in an area with a high abundance of avian predators (owls and birds of prey, ~133 breeding pairs in total). We calculated the food niche overlap statistics to show the competition for food resources between coexisting species. We assessed the diet composition on the basis of pellet analyses and the identification of prey remains collected from under nests during the breeding season. The food niches overlapped moderately with only one exception, i.e., the highest niche overlap was recorded for the common buzzard and common kestrel, two species preying in open spaces on field rodents but switching to soricomorphs when the former were scarce. On the contrary, the most separate food niche was that of the white-tailed eagle, which was the only species regularly preying on fish. Our results showed that the food niches of species coexisting in the same area were considerably separate, which is due to the fact that they prey on various prey species or search for them in different habitats.Food niche overlap statistics are a common way to show competition for food resources in a group of animals. Niche breadths of various species are very variable and their diet composition changes reflecting prey availability. The aim of this study was to evidence the food niche overlap of the whole assemblage of avian predators (eight raptor and owl species, some of them reaching very high densities) in a field and forest mosaic of central Poland. The diet composition was assessed on the basis of pellet analyses and the identification of prey remains found under the nests in the breeding period. The extent of the niche overlap was calculated using a Pianka formula. The food niche overlap indices ranged from 0.02 to 0.93 (mostly below 0.5). The most separate food niche was that of the white-tailed eagle, who regularly preyed on fish. The highest niche overlap was recorded for the common buzzard and common kestrel, two species preying on field rodents, switching to soricomorphs when the former were scarce. Our results confirmed that the food niches of species coexisting in the same area were considerably separate, which is a result of preying on various prey species or searching for them in different habitats.

Desert pumpkinseed: diet composition and breadth in a Moroccan river

The widely invasive North American pumpkinseed sunfish, Lepomis gibbosus, is currently established in desert rivers in Morocco. The success of pumpkinseed in novel ecosystems has been associated with its generalist diet, but this trait remains unevaluated in arid regions. Desert rivers are harsh environments with limited water and prey availability which may adversely constrain the diet of fish. Here we studied the diet of pumpkinseed across 4 sites in the Draa River, embracing a 450 m elevational gradient covering from extremely dry lowlands to relatively humid highlands. We described pumpkinseed diet through the analysis of stomach contents of 82 individuals, collected in the fall of 2013. Pumpkinseed diet was dominated by Chironomidae in dry lowlands, while Ephemeroptera, Heteroptera, Trichoptera and Odonata were relevant prey in more humid highlands. Population diet breadth expanded with elevation, but individual specialization in diet was low among all sites. Our results highlight considerable changes in diet composition and breadth with aridity, suggesting that feeding plasticity and use of exclusive, locally abundant prey rather than generalized feeding may be associated with the success of pumpkinseed in most arid areas in desert rivers.

Lameness in fattening pigs \u2013 Mycoplasma hyosynoviae, osteochondropathy and reduced dietary phosphorus level as three influencing factors: a case report

BackgroundMultiple diagnostic procedures, their results and interpretation in a case with severe lameness in fattening pigs are described. It is shown that selected diagnostic steps lead to identification of various risk factors for disease development in the affected herd. One focus of this case report is the prioritization of diagnostic steps to verify the impact of the different conditions, which finally led to the clinical disorder. Assessing a sufficient dietary phosphorus (P) supply and its impact on disease development proved most difficult. The diagnostic approach based on estimated calculation of phosphorus intake is presented in detail.Case presentationOn a farrow-to-finishing farm, lameness occurred in pigs with 30–70 kg body weight. Necropsy of three diseased pigs revealed claw lesions and alterations at the knee and elbow joints. Histologic findings were characteristic of osteochondrosis. All pigs were positively tested for Mycoplasma hyosynoviae in affected joints. P values in blood did not indicate a P deficiency, while bone ashing in one of three animals resulted in a level indicating an insufficient mineral supply. Analysis of diet composition revealed a low phosphorus content in two diets, which might have led to a marginal P supply in individuals with high average daily gains with respect to development of bone mass and connective tissue prior to presentation of affected animals. Finally, the impact of dietary factors for disease development could not be evidenced in all submitted animals in this case.ConclusionsMycoplasma (M.) hyosynoviae was identified to be an important etiologic factor for disease. Other, non-infectious factors, such as osteochondrosis and claw lesions might have favored development of lameness. In addition, a relevant marginal P supply for pigs was found in a limited time period in a phase of intense growing, but the potential interaction with infection by M. hyosynoviae is unknown.The presented case of severe lameness in fattening pigs revealed that three different influences presumably act in pathogenesis. Focusing only on one factor and ignoring others might be misleading regarding subsequent decision-making for prevention and therapy. Finally, clinical symptoms disappeared after some changes in diet composition and anti-inflammatory treatment of individual animals.

How do forest management and wolf space-use affect diet composition of the wolf’s main prey, the red deer versus a non-prey species, the European bison?

We analyzed the effect of forest management and wolf (Canis lupus) space-use on diet composition of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and European bison (Bison bonasus) in Białowieża Primeval Forest (BPF), Poland. The red deer is the main prey species for the wolf, whereas the European bison is rarely preyed upon. As both species behave as intermediate feeders in BPF, we expected a large overlap in their diet composition. The red deer perceives the risk of wolf predation; thus, we hypothesized that its diet would change in relation to the intensity of wolf space-use, whereas bison’s would not. We compared diet composition between two contrasting management regimes: a national park managed as a protected area (no hunting, no forestry activities, restricted tourism), and an adjacent production forest managed for timber growth and extraction, where hunting on ungulates (but not wolves) does occur. We collected dung pellets of bison and red deer along transects in low and high wolf-use areas (with distance to settlements as proxy for wolf space-use) in both management types and analyzed diet composition using DNA-metabarcoding. In the national park both the bison and red deer had higher proportions of broadleaved tree species in their diet (bison 39%, red deer 42%) than in the managed forest (bison 26%, red deer 28%). The bison diet contained a higher proportion of shrubs, and specifically Rubus in the managed forest (shrubs 29%, Rubus 31%), compared to the national park (shrubs 21%, Rubus 8%). Only in the national park, red deer ate relatively more broadleaved tree species (51%) and fewer forbs (23%) in the high wolf-use area than in the low wolf-use area (33% broadleaved trees versus 37% forbs). Bison showed a qualitatively similar shift in diet composition as red deer, but the shift was not significant and also much smaller in extent. Our results indicate that forest management shapes the diet composition of both ungulate species. In addition, red deer showed larger shifts in diet composition than bison in high versus low wolf-use areas. This suggests that in addition to habitat differences, predation risk also plays a role in shaping the red deer diet. While earlier studies in BPF illustrated that wolves affect fine-scale deer foraging behavior, this study suggests this could potentially lead to changes in diet composition. We present alternative explanations for these diet shifts and urge others to look further into predation risk as a possible driver of dietary shifts in red deer.

588 THE INFLUENCE OF CHANGE OF DIET COMPOSITION ON ESOPHAGEAL MOTILITY PATTERNS IN PATIENTS WITH NON-EROSIVE GERD

Abstract The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of change in diet composition on high-resolution esophageal manometry (HRM) patterns. Methods The data of 43 NERD patients with low (&amp;lt;20 g/day) dietary fibre intake served as a source data. These patients were examined with the use of standard food frequency questionnaire and HRM. Thirty of them received psyllium 5.0 G TID 10 days additionally to their usual diet (NCT01882088). Control group was formed by the database search for patients who had repeated HRM examinations and dietary assessments at the same time point and if no significant change in diet composition was revealed. HRM assessment was in accordance to Chicago-3.0. Non-parametric statistics were used to assess the change in HRM metrics. Results Minimal LES resting pressure at rest and after 10 water swallows increased in study group: 5.41 ± 10.1 vs 11.3 ± 9.4 mmHg, P = 0.023 and 14.1 ± 8.0 vs 14.9 ± 6.4 mmHg, P = 0.008. No difference was found in those whose diet composition was stable. Ineffective esophageal motility initially was found in 46.7% patients of the study group and 53.8% in the control group (P = 0.7). IEM resolved in 71.4% of the study group, and in 14.3% of controls (P = 0.0135). IEM not changed in 28.6% of the study group and in 85.7% of controls, P = 0.014. New IEM revealed in 12.5% of the study group and 16.7% among the controls (P = 0.13). Conclusion Change of diet composition by additional quantity of dietary fibre (psyllium) to the standard rations may result in the improvement of esophageal motility.

Evaluation of a novel non-surgical post-pyloric feeding technique in dogs with severe acute kidney injury.

To evaluate the placement and the performance of a new post-pyloric feeding (PPF) system, and compare it to esophageal (E) feeding in dogs with severe acute kidney injury (AKI). Prospective study. University teaching hospital. Twenty client-owned dogs with severe AKI treated with hemodialysis. Dogs were randomly assigned to 2 feeding techniques, PPF or E feeding; for PPF, an 8-Fr jejunal (J) tube was introduced through a standard 18-Fr E-tube and advanced endoscopically through the pylorus. A commercial liquid diet was administered at a continuous rate for at least 5 days. After the removal of the internal J-tube, feeding was continued through the E-tube. Control dogs were fed blended food 5 times daily through an E-tube. Placement technique, nutritional efficiency, and metabolic response to nutritional support were compared between the groups. Feeding tubes were placed a medium of 1 day (interquartile range, 0.8 d) after presentation. Median procedure-time in the group PPF was 26.5min (11.5min), including 8.5min (2.7min) for the E-tube and 17.5min (5.0min) for the J-tube. J-tubes were used for 5 days (1.5 d) with oral displacement observed in 3/10 dogs. The goal to administer 130% resting energy requirement within 3 days was reached in 13/20 dogs (8/10 PPF, 5/10 E). Despite nutritional support, dogs lost 1.2% body weight per day (1.1%), with no difference between the groups. The metabolic improvement was comparable between the groups, despite marked differences in the diet composition. This new feeding technique can be recommended as an efficient method for early nutritional support in dogs with severe AKI. The protein-energy wasting observed despite active nutritional support suggests, however, the necessity for increased feeding targets or qualitative changes in diet composition for dogs with AKI.

Selection and Constraints in the Ecomorphological Adaptive Evolution of the Skull of Living Canidae (Carnivora, Mammalia).

The association between phenotype and ecology is essential for understanding the environmental drivers of morphological evolution. This is a particularly challenging task when dealing with complex traits, such as the skull, where multiple selective pressures are at play and evolution might be constrained by ontogenetic and genetic factors. I integrate morphometric tools, comparative methods, and quantitative genetics to investigate how ontogenetic constraints and selection might have interacted during the evolution of the skull in extant Canidae. The results confirm that the evolution of cranial morphology was largely adaptive and molded by changes in diet composition. While the investigation of the adaptive landscape reveals two main selective lines of least resistance (one associated with size and one associated with functional shape features), rates of evolution along size were higher than those found for shape dimensions, suggesting the influence of constraints on morphological evolution. Structural modeling analyses revealed that size, which is the line of most genetic/phenotypic variation, might have acted as a constraint, negatively impacting dietary evolution. Constraints might have been overcome in the case of selection for the consumption of large prey by associating strong selection along both size and shape directions. The results obtained here show that microevolutionary constraints may have played a role in shaping macroevolutionary patterns of morphological evolution.

The Effect of Diet Composition Change on High-Resolution Oesophageal Manometry Metrics in Non-Erosive Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Patients

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the influence of change of diet composition on esophageal manometry metrics. Methods The data of 43 NERD patients with low (&amp;lt;20 g/day) baseline dietary fiber intake served as a source data. These patients were examined with the use of standard food frequency questionnaire and high-resolution esophageal manometry. Thirty of them received psyllium 5.0 g TID 10 days in addition of their usual diet within registered clinical trial (NCT01882088). The other 13 were found in the database by diagnosis; their data were eligible in case of the presence of repeated high-resolution esophageal manometry examination and dietary assessments at the same time point and if no significant change in diet composition was revealed. The changes were assessed in accordance to Chicago classification 3.0. Non-parametric statistics (Wilcoxon matched pairs test, Mann-Whitney U-test) were used to assess the change in HRM metrics in these groups. Results In those who received psyllium, significant increase of minimal lower esophageal resting pressure at rest and after 10 water swallows was registered: 5.41 ± 10.1 vs 11.3 ± 9.4 mm Hg, P = 0.023 and 14.1 ± 8.0 vs 14.9 ± 6.4 mm Hg, P = 0.008, accordingly. No significant difference was found in the group with no change of diet composition by these parameters. At baseline, ineffective esophageal motility was found in 46.7% patients of the study group and 53.8% in the control group (P = 0.7). Esophageal motility became normal in 71.4% of those who had IEM initially in the study group after 10 days of treatment, and in 14.3% among the controls (P = 0.0135). This type of peristaltic abnormality was found not changed in 28.6% of the study group and in 85.7% among the control group, P = 0.014. New cases of ineffective esophageal motility revealed in 12.5% of the study group and 16.7% among the controls (P = 0.8) Conclusions Change of diet composition by additional quantity of psyllium may result in the improvement of esophageal motility. Funding Sources Federal Research Center of Nutrition and Biotechnology.

Dietary inclusion of plant ingredients induces epigenetic changes in the intestine of zebrafish

ABSTRACT Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, can be regulated by nutrition and dietary factors. There has been a large increase in the use of sustainable plant-based protein sources in fish feed due to limitations of fishmeal resources, which are needed to sustain a rapidly growing aquaculture industry. With this major transition from marine ingredients to plant-based diets, fish are abruptly introduced to changes in dietary composition and exposed to a variety of phytochemicals, some of which known to cause epigenetic changes in mammals. However, the effect of plant ingredients on the epigenome of fish is barely understood. In the present study, the nutriepigenomic effects of the addition of pea, soy, and wheat gluten protein concentrate to aquafeeds were investigated using zebrafish as a model. A genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation patterns was performed by reduced representation bisulphite sequencing to examine global epigenetic alterations in the mid intestine after a 42-day feeding trial. We found that inclusion of 30% of wheat gluten, pea and soy protein concentrate in the diet induced epigenetic changes in the mid intestine of zebrafish. A large number of genes and intergenic regions were differentially methylated with plant-based diets. The genes concerned were related to immunity, NF‐κB system, ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, MAPK pathway, and the antioxidant defence system. Epigenetic regulation of several biological processes, including neurogenesis, cell adhesion, response to stress and immunity was also observed. Ultimately, the observed epigenetic changes may enable zebrafish to rapidly regulate inflammation and maintain intestinal homoeostasis when fed plant protein–based diets.

Longitudinally monitored lifetime changes in blood heavy metal concentrations and their health effects in urban birds

Urban heavy metal pollution can impair the health of humans and other organisms inhabiting cities. While birds are suggested as one of the appropriate bioindicators for essential and non-essential trace element monitoring, the process of particular elements' accumulation in blood and its possible adverse health effects during ageing of individuals remain unexplored. We have investigated lifetime changes in blood lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and zinc (Zn) concentrations and searched for links to health-related traits in sub-urban free-living great tit (Parus major) population monitored over a long period of time. The blood As concentrations were under the limit of detection in most samples. The blood Pb levels showed a non-linear relationship to individuals age, where the highest Pb concentrations were measured in nestlings and in a very small group of highly senescent birds (over 7 years old), while no clear trend was observed for the majority of the adult age stages. No age-related patterns were found for blood Cd or Zn concentrations. The positive relationship between date of capture and blood Cd and Zn levels may reflect seasonal changes in diet composition. We did not reveal any anaemia-like conditions (decreased total erythrocyte count or increased immature erythrocyte count) in relation to blood heavy metal concentrations in the investigated birds. Total leukocyte counts, heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio and total heterophil and lymphocyte counts increased with increasing Pb, Cd and Zn concentrations in blood. This study demonstrates the suitability of avian blood for actual heavy metal spatial and temporal biomonitoring even in situations when the precise age of the individuals remains unknown.