Fat Content Research Articles

“Panampaniyaaram”: A Traditional Food Product Made with SmallMillet for Revitalization towards Sustainable Nutrition

performed by panelists using a 9-point hedonic scale were used to assess nineteen treatments on different mixtures by altering the flour types and their percentages in four levels, with palmyrah pulp and small-millet flours, including finger millet, little millet, and Foxtail millet. The sample prepared from 100% finger millet flour was chosen as the most preferred sample, based on the results obtained from the sensory evaluations. Physicochemical analysis of the selected treatment revealed that pH was 5.86±0.01 and the total ash content 1.38±0.18 g/100 g was significantly (p<0.05) higher, and crude fat content 9.04±0.02 g/100 g, total salt content 0.201±0.026 g/100 g, and total sugar content 16.38 g/100g, was significantly (p<0.05) less than that of the control sample which contained wheat flour. The selected treatment of the mineral content was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of the control treatment and contained Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, and Potassium were 150, 60, 32.7 and 76.8 mg/100 g, respectively. In summary, palmyrah fruit pulp and finger millet can be used to create healthy, nutritional and affordable natural snacks “panampaniyaaram”, which will satisfy consumer preferences. Further studies are required to understand the developed product's organoleptic properties, antioxidant, vitamins, and anti-microbial activities as well as ways to extend its shelf-life. Keywords: Panampaniyaaram, palmyrah pulp, small-millets, finger millet, value-addition

Artificial intelligence‐based modeling of novel non‐thermal milk pasteurization to achieve desirable color and predict quality parameters during storage

AbstractThis study proposed using color components as artificial intelligence (AI) input to predict milk moisture and fat contents. In this sense, an adaptive neuro‐fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) was applied to milk processed by moderate electrical field‐based non‐thermal (NP) and conventional pasteurization (CP). The differences between predicted and experimental data were not significant (p > 0.05) for lightness (L*), redness‐greenness (a*), yellowness‐blueness (b*), total color differences (∆E), hue angle (h), chroma (C), whiteness (WI), yellowness (YI), and browning index (BI). ANFIS well‐predicted milk fat and moisture content using quadratic and two‐factor interaction models with mean errors of .00858–.01260 and correlation coefficient of .8051–.8205. Stability tests showed L* and WI reduced while a*, b*, ΔE, h, C, YI, and BI increased during the storage. NP milk had 77.21% higher half‐life than CP, as predicted by ANFIS modeling. Findings indicated milk quality characteristics could be estimated based on physical parameters (e.g., color components), contributing to sustainable food production.Practical applicationsThe findings offer practical applications of artificial intelligence (AI) as an innovative monitoring and prediction technique to enhance food quality and sustainability. The proposed methodology makes the real‐time prediction of milk quality feasible by leveraging AI and physical parameters. An adaptive neuro‐fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) accurately predicts moisture and fat contents according to color values, facilitating quality assessment. Stability tests during cold storage provide insights into milk quality changes over time, aiding in determining key parameters in predictive modeling. The proposed approach was found to be applicable to both conventional and non‐thermal pasteurized milk. This study also provides a step‐by‐step protocol, facilitating the implementation of emerging technologies in the food industry.

Single droplet drying of dairy‐based systems at spray drying like temperature–time trajectories

Upon spray drying of dairy powders, the distribution of components within the droplets can become nonuniform. In this study, the influence of the composition on the drying behaviour, morphological development and surface composition were studied using single droplet drying. The addition of fat was found to result in an earlier locking point (1.1 instead of 1.8 s). The fat content did not influence the morphological development, but the protein and lactose ratios did influence whether the dried particle was smooth or wrinkled. Confocal Raman microscopy revealed that the initial fat, lactose and protein contents influenced the dry surface composition. For example, fat was found on the surface of emulsions that were either rich in fat or in whey protein.

Enhancing Intraoperative Tissue Identification: Investigating a Smart Electrosurgical Knife's Functionality During Electrosurgery.

Detecting the cancerous growth margin and achieving a negative margin is one of the challenges that surgeons face during cancer procedures. A smart electrosurgical knife with integrated optical fibers has been designed previously to enable real-time use of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for intraoperative margin assessment. In this paper, the thermal effect of the electrosurgical knife on tissue sensing is investigated. Porcine tissues and phantoms were used to investigate the performance of the smart electrosurgical knife after electrosurgery. The fat-to-water content ratio (F/W-ratio) served as the discriminative parameter for distinguishing tissues and tissue mimicking phantoms with varying fat content. The F/W-ratio of tissues and phantoms was measured with the smart electrosurgical knife before and after 14 minutes of electrosurgery. Additionally, a layered porcine tissue and phantom were sliced and measured from top to bottom with the smart electrosurgical knife. Mapping the thermal activity of the electrosurgical knife's electrode during animal tissue electrosurgery revealed temperatures exceeding 400 °C. Electrosurgery for 14 minutes had no impact on the device's accurate detection of the F/W-ratio. The smart electrosurgical knife enables real-time tissue detection and predicts the fat content of the next layer from 4 mm ahead. The design of the smart electrosurgical knife outlined in this paper demonstrates its potential utility for tissue detection during electrosurgery. In the future, the smart electrosurgical knife could be a valuable intraoperative margin assessment tool, aiding surgeons in detecting tumor borders and achieving negative margins.

Use of crude glycerin in dairy goat feeding and its effects on milk and cheese performance and quality

This study aimed to assess the impact of stepwise dietary inclusion of crude glycerin (CG) on the productive traits of dairy goats and the quality of their milk and cheese. Sixteen Saanen goats, averaging 55 ± 6 kg live weight and 45 days in milk, were allocated into four simultaneous Latin squares (4×4) and fed on diets containing 0 (control), 50, 100, and 150 g/kg of CG in the dry matter (DM). A linear decrease (P < 0.05) was observed in DM, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and non-fibrous carbohydrates intake with increasing CG levels in the diet, with a significant reduction (P < 0.05) noted at 100 and 150 g/kg of CG. Additionally, CP digestibility, nitrogen balance, and plasma urea nitrogen decreased (P < 0.05) with CG inclusion. Milk yield corrected for 3.5 % fat, total solids content, and total fatty acid (FA) amounts in goat milk decreased (P < 0.05) with 100 and 150 g/kg of CG. Furthermore, inclusion of 150 g/kg of CG decreased (P < 0.05) fat content in "coalho" cheese, although cheeses from goats fed up to 50 g/kg of CG showed superior (P < 0.05) appearance, global impression, and purchase intention. The CG inclusion increased (P < 0.05) short and odd-chain FA contents while decreasing (P < 0.05) long-chain and polyunsaturated FA levels in goat milk. Overall, we recommend incorporating up to 50 g/kg of CG in dairy goat diets as it does not affect milk and "coalho" cheese performance and quality.

Rumen metagenome reveals the mechanism of mitigation methane emissions by unsaturated fatty acid while maintaining the performance of dairy cows

Dietary fat content can reduce the methane production of dairy cows; however, the relevance fatty acid (FA) composition has towards this inhibitory effect is debatable. Furthermore, in-depth studies elucidating the effects of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) on rumen function and the mechanism of reducing CH4 production are lacking. This study exposed 10 Holstein cows with the same parity, similar milk yield to two total mixed rations: low unsaturated FA (LUFA) and high unsaturated FA (HUFA) with similar fat content. The LUFA group mainly added fat powder (C16:0 > 90%), and the HUFA group mainly replaced fat powder with extruded flaxseed. The experiment lasted 26 d, the last 5 of which, gas exchange in respiratory chambers was conducted to measure gas emissions. We found that an increase in the UFA in diet did not affect milk production (P < 0.05) and could align the profile of milk FAs more closely with modern human nutritional requirements. Furthermore, we found that increasing the UFA content in the diet lead to a decrease in the abundance of Methanobrevibacter in the rumen (|LDA| > 2 and P < 0.05), which resulted in a decrease in the relative abundance of multiple enzymes (EC:1.2.7.12, EC:2.3.1.101, EC:3.5.4.27, EC:1.5.98.1, EC:1.5.98.2, EC:6.2.1.1, EC:2.1.1.86 and EC:2.8.4.1) during methanogenesis (P < 0.05). Compared with the LUFA group, the pathway of CH4 metabolism was inhibited in the HUFA group (|LDA| > 2 and P < 0.05), which ultimately decreased CH4 production (P < 0.05). Our results illustrated the mechanism involving decreased CH4 production when fed a UFA diet in dairy cows. We believe that our study provides new evidence to explore CH4 emission reduction measures for dairy cows.

Use of crude glycerin in dairy goat feeding and its effects on milk and cheese performance and quality

This study aimed to assess the impact of stepwise dietary inclusion of crude glycerin (CG) on the productive traits of dairy goats and the quality of their milk and cheese. Sixteen Saanen goats, averaging 55 ± 6kg live weight and 45 days in milk, were allocated into four simultaneous Latin squares (4×4) and fed on diets containing 0 (control), 50, 100, and 150g/kg of CG in the dry matter (DM). A linear decrease (P < 0.05) was observed in DM, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and non-fibrous carbohydrates intake with increasing CG levels in the diet, with a significant reduction (P < 0.05) noted at 100 and 150g/kg of CG. Additionally, CP digestibility, nitrogen balance, and plasma urea nitrogen decreased (P < 0.05) with CG inclusion. Milk yield corrected for 3.5% fat, total solids content, and total fatty acid (FA) amounts in goat milk decreased (P < 0.05) with 100 and 150g/kg of CG. Furthermore, inclusion of 150g/kg of CG decreased (P < 0.05) fat content in "coalho" cheese, although cheeses from goats fed up to 50g/kg of CG showed superior (P < 0.05) appearance, global impression, and purchase intention. The CG inclusion increased (P < 0.05) short and odd-chain FA contents while decreasing (P < 0.05) long-chain and polyunsaturated FA levels in goat milk. Overall, we recommend incorporating up to 50g/kg of CG in dairy goat diets as it does not affect milk and "coalho" cheese performance and quality.

Short communication: Bifidobacterium abundance in the fecal microbiota is strongly associated with milk traits in dairy cattle

The performance of dairy cows is influenced by the microbial communities hosted within their digestive tract. While the rumen microbiota has long been associated with host phenotypes, the impact of the fecal microbiota remains elusive. In this study, we collected 697 fecal samples from commercial Holstein cows and analyzed them with 16S rRNA gene analyses. For each animal, routinely recorded data, i.e., milk yield, fat yield, protein yield, fat content, protein content, and an aggregate production trait (pINEL) based on the French economic dairy index, were available to assess the links between the fecal microbiota and host production. Our findings revealed a strong and significant association between the structure of the bacterial and prokaryote community (β-diversity) and dairy production. In addition, differential abundance analyses identified 48 genera whose abundances were significantly associated with pINEL, milk, fat and protein yield. Among these genera, the increased abundance of Bifidobacterium, and particularly an amplicon sequence variant (ASV) with a 16S rRNA V3-V4 gene region identical to B. globosum and B. pseudolongum, was found to be the most important for high-yielding animals. Bifidobacterium seemed to be a potential key member of the bovine fecal microbiota that should be further investigated. Conversely, the p-1088-a5 gut group genus was found more abundant in low-productive cows. In conclusion, this study demonstrates significant associations between the fecal microbiota and the performance of dairy cows at the whole lactation scale. A better understanding of the physiology of the gut microbiota could help to improve dairy cow production.

Effect of pellet-size on fish growth, feeding behaviour and natural food web in pond polyculture

In carp-tilapia pond polyculture, carps are stocked once and usually harvested each 12 to 24 months, while, tilapia is stocked and harvested each 4 to 6 months. Therefore, per carp cycle there are 3 to 6 tilapia cycles. With time, carps grow bigger while tilapia reach only 10 to 50% the mass of carps. Pellet size can offer a feeding management tool in the ponds with large carp and small tilapia. This experiment investigated whether pellet-size can steer the growth of large carps (~ 500 g) and small tilapias (~30 g) in polyculture ponds. Four pellet-size treatments were applied in this study, each with a different combination of small (2 mm) and large (6 mm) pellets (on weight basis): S100L0 (100% small, 0% large), S50L50 (50% small, 50% large), S25L75 (25% small, 75% large) and S0L100 (0% small, 100% large). Each treatment was applied to six replicate ponds. The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. The treatments did not alter carp production, but tilapia production was highest in S100L0 treatment ponds (P < 0.001). The fish always needed more time to consume large pellets than the small pellets. Small pellets were consumed much quicker when the portion fed was small, indicating strong competition. A similar trend was observed with large pellets but the difference in feed intake time across the treatments was smaller than with small pellets. This is because tilapia ate the majority of both small and large pellets while carps ate less pellets. Tilapia at treatment S0L100 had a lower protein and fat content and a higher ash content than at the other pellet-size treatments. Carp's body composition remain unaffected by pellet-size treatment except the ash content of rohu which was highest at S100L0 and lowest at S0L100. By volume, tilapia had a higher amount of food in the stomach in treatments S100 L0 and S50L50 than in the other treatments. In contrast, more food was found in the gut of rohu in treatments S0L100 and S25L75 than in the other treatments. Pellet-size treatments did not affect water quality and the pond food web (P > 0.05) except phytoplankton diversity which was positively influenced when feeding more large pellets. The plankton population increased with the progression of the experiment, suggesting the food web was not fully exploited. In conclusion, pellet-size proves to be a feeding management tool to steer the production of tilapia as well as of total fish biomass, but not of carp's biomass in carp-tilapia pond polyculture.

Imaging abnormalities of the pancreas in diabetes: implications for diagnosis and treatment.

Radiographic imaging of the pancreas has drawn recent interest as pancreas volume may serve as a biomarker in identifying the likelihood of diabetes development, subtyping diabetes, and identifying prognostic indicators of poor ultimate outcomes. In this review, the role of pancreas imaging is discussed in various forms of diabetes including type 1 diabetes (T1D), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and diabetes of the exocrine pancreas, particularly diabetes following acute or chronic pancreatitis. Recent literature of quantitative pancreatic imaging correlating with various forms of diabetes was reviewed. Imaging-derived pancreas volumes are lower in individuals with diabetes, in particular those with T1D. Additionally, morphologic changes, enhancement characteristics, fat content, and MRI signal changes have been observed in different diabetes subtypes. These characteristics, as well as potential confounding variables, are reviewed. Additionally, future areas of research in MRI, CT radiomics, and pancreatitis-related imaging predictors of diabetes are discussed. Increased understanding of pancreas imaging features which predict diabetes and gauge prognosis has the potential to identify at-risk individuals and will become increasingly important in diabetes care. This article reviews the current knowledge of common pancreas imaging features as well as future directions of ongoing research in diabetes imaging.

Recycling biotoxic green walnut husks through mushroom cultivation and impact of these wastes on yield and nutritional composition of Pleurotus spp.

The aim of the study was the bioconvesion of green walnut husk (GWH) to nutrimental foods through mushroom cultivation technology. Two isolates of Pleurotus ostreatus and three isolates of Pleurotus eryngii cultivated in four different growing media supplemented different ratios of GWH were investigated for cultivation cycle, yield, biological efficiency (BE), fruiting body properties and nutritional composition of Pleurotus spp. In the study, poplar sawdust (PS) was used as a base substrate, and GWH were added at the ratios of 9:1, 8:2 and 7:3 to prepare the growing media. The control medium was prepared using PS only. Although increasing the GWH content led to prolonged pinning and flushing times, the addition of GWH at 10‒20% ratios had a positive impact on mushroom performance. The yield and BE (%) of P. ostreatus and P. eryngii isolates ranged between 120.2–230.0 g/kg and 40.1–74.2% BE and 121.8–222.5 g/kg and 40.6–76.2% BE, respectively, depending on the growing medium used. Moreover, the fruitbodies of both strains of P. ostreatus demonstrated significant increases in protein and fat content when produced on substrates containing GWH, especially at a 20% ratio in the growing medium. These results indicate that GWH, an agricultural waste that poses a risk to the environmental health, could be successfully used in the cultivation of both oyster mushroom species.

Gene co-expression network analysis for porcine intramuscular fatty acid composition

In pigs, meat quality depends markedly on the fatty acid (FA) content and composition of the intramuscular fat, which is partly determined by the gene expression in this tissue. The aim of this work was to identify the link between muscle gene expression and its FA composition. In an (Iberian × Duroc) × Duroc backcrossed pig population, we identified modules of co-expressed genes, and correlation analyses were performed for each of them versus the phenotypes, finding four relevant modules. Two of the modules were positively correlated with saturated FAs (SFAs) and monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs), while negatively correlated with polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) and the omega-6/omega-3 ratio. The gene-enrichment analysis showed that these modules had over-representation of pathways related with the biosynthesis of unsaturated FAs, the PPAR signalling pathway and FA elongation. The two other relevant modules were positively correlated with PUFA and the n-6/n-3 ratio, but negatively correlated with SFA and MUFA. In this case, they had an over-representation of pathways related with fatty and amino acid degradation, and with oxidative phosphorylation. Using a graphical Gaussian model, we inferred a network of connections between the genes within each module. The first module had 52 genes with 87 connections, and the most connected genes were ADIPOQ, which is related with FA oxidation, and ELOVL6 and FABP4, both involved in FA metabolism. The second module showed 196 genes connected by 263 edges, being FN1 and MAP3K11 the most connected genes. On the other hand, the third module had 161 genes connected by 251 edges and ATG13 was the top neighbouring gene, while the fourth module had 224 genes and 655 connections, and its most connected genes were related with mitochondrial pathways. Overall, this work successfully identified relevant muscle gene networks and modules linked with FA composition, providing further insights on how the physiology of the pigs influences FA composition.

Impact of diet-induced maternal obesity on the reproductive capacity of F1 female offspring and the early development of the second generation

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of maternal obesity on the reproductive capacity of the female offspring (F1) and on the early development of the second generation (F2). To this end, rats were fed either standard (SD) or cafeteria (CD) diet. CD rats and their offspring were divided into two groups: rats with 18% and ≥25% overweight (CD18 and CD25, respectively) and offspring from CD18 and CD25 rats (OCD18 and OCD25, respectively). Both OCD groups achieved greater weight gain than controls, without changes in the serum levels of glucose, cholesterol or triglycerides. However, they showed increased gonadal cholesterol concentration and fat content compared to controls. Female OCD groups showed a slight prolongation of the estrous cycle and different pattern of changes in the weight gain during pregnancy. The OCD25 group displayed an increased fertility index and pre-implantation losses, and changes in some fetal measurements. Some OCD25 dams gave birth to a larger litter of pups and displayed a lower viability index and lactation rate than controls. OCD25 dams also showed an increase in estradiol and a decrease in testosterone and anti-Müllerian hormone. OCD25 rats showed increased mRNA levels of steroidogenenic enzymes. The offspring from OCD25 females (F2OCD25 offspring) showed early vaginal opening and higher ovulation rate in females, and lower ano-genital distances in males, compared to controls. In conclusion, these results reflect that maternal obesity impacts on the reproductive health of successive generations, probably as a result of epigenetic changes in different systems, including germ cells.

Unraveling anti-aging mystery of green tea in C. elegans: Chemical truth and multiple mechanisms

Tea drinking impacts aging and aging-related diseases. However, knowledge of anti-aging molecules other than the major catechins in complex tea extracts remains limited. Here we used Caenorhabditis elegans to analyze the longevity effects of tea extracts and constituents comprehensively. We found that the hot water extract of green tea prolonged lifespan and heathspan. Further, the MeOH fraction prolonged lifespan significantly longer than other fractions. Correlation analysis between mass spectroscopic data and anti-aging activity suggests that ester-type catechins (ETCs) are the major anti-aging components, including 4 common ETCs, 6 phenylpropanoid-substituted ester-type catechins (PSECs), 5 cinnamoylated catechins (CCs), 7 ester-type flavoalkaloids (ETFs), and 4 cinnamoylated flavoalkaloids (CFs). CFs (200 μM) are the strongest anti-aging ETCs (with the longest 73% lifespan extension). Green tea hot water extracts and ETCs improved healthspan by enhancing stress resistance and reducing ROS accumulation. The mechanistic study suggests that they work by multiple pathways. Moreover, ETCs modulated gut microbial homeostasis, increased the content of short-chain fatty acids, and reduced fat content. Altogether, our study provides new evidence for the anti-aging benefits of green tea and insights into a deep understanding of the chemical truth and multi-target mechanism.

Quantification of volumetric thigh and paravertebral muscle fat content: comparison of quantitative Dixon (Q-Dixon) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high-speed T2-corrected multiecho MR spectroscopy.

Muscle fat infiltration (MFI) is increasingly recognized as a critical factor influencing muscle function and metabolic health. Accurate quantification of MFI is essential for diagnosing and monitoring various muscular and metabolic disorders. Quantitative Dixon (Q-Dixon) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and high-speed T2-corrected multi-echo (HISTO) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) are both advanced imaging techniques that offer potential for detailed assessment of MFI. However, the validity and reliability of these methods in measuring volumetric changes in muscle composition, particularly in both thigh and paravertebral muscles, have not been thoroughly compared. This study aims to validate volumetric measurements using Q-Dixon MRI against HISTO MRS in thigh and paravertebral muscles, taking into account the heterogeneity of MFI. A retrospective study was conducted with 54 subjects [mean age, 60 years; 38 male (M)/16 female (F)] for thigh muscle and 56 subjects (mean age, 50 years; 22 M/34 F) for paravertebral muscle assessment using a 3-Tesla MRI. The proton density fat fraction (PDFF) was measured with Q-Dixon MRI and HISTO MRS within the upper-middle part of quadriceps femoris and paravertebral muscles at L4/5 level in volumes-of-interest (VOIs). The corresponding volumetric Q-Dixon freehand VOI PDFF was measured. Scatterplots, Bland-Altman plots, Spearman correlation coefficients, and Wilcoxon signed rank test with Bonferroni correction were employed. The Kruskal-Wallis H tests followed by Bonferroni-corrected post hoc tests were analyzed to compare parameter differences with visual MFI grades. Q-Dixon cubic VOI PDFF correlated positively with HISTO MRS PDFF in thigh (r=0.96, P<0.001) and paravertebral groups (r=0.98, P<0.001), with insignificant differences (P=0.29, 0.82, respectively). Both PDFF values from cubic VOIs in Q-Dixon and HISTO MRS differed from the freehand Q-Dixon PDFF (all P<0.001). Only for <5% HISTO MRS PDFF, there was a difference between HISTO MRS PDFF and Q-Dixon cubic VOI PDFF (P=0.002). Volumetric Q-Dixon cubic VOI PDFF exhibited good correlation and consistency with HISTO MRS PDFF for quantitative fat assessment in thigh and paravertebral muscles except for muscles with fat fraction <5%, and the Q-Dixon freehand VOI PDFF offers a more comprehensive assessment of the actual MFI compared to cubic VOI.

Correlation analysis of dynamic changes of abdominal fat during rapid weight loss after bariatric surgery: A prospective magnetic resonance imaging study

ObjectiveThe factors related to the changes in the liver and abdominal adipose tissue during the rapid weight loss after bariatric surgery remain uncertain. MethodsThis study included 44 participants who had undergone sleeve gastrectomy. The study aimed to analyze changes and correlations of body weight (BW), laboratory tests, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indicators of the liver and abdominal adipose tissue conducted before and after bariatric surgery at 1, 3, and 6 months. ResultsFollowing a rapid weight loss within 6 months of surgery, there was a concurrent decrease in blood glucose, blood lipids, and fat content of the liver and abdomen and the changes showed a correlation. The change of BW (ΔBW) was positively correlated with the change of hepatic proton density fat fraction (ΔPDFF) in one and three months after surgery and was positively correlated with the change of abdominal visceral fat area (ΔAVFA) in six months after surgery, (P<0.05). In one month after surgery, ΔPDFF was positively correlated with the change of aspartate aminotransferase (ΔAST), change of alanine aminotransferase (ΔALT), and change of triglyceride glucose (ΔTYG) index (P<0.05). ΔPDFF was positively correlated with the change of hepatic native T1 values (P<0.001) and was moderately negatively correlated with the change of hepatic apparent diffusion coefficient (ΔADC) values in three months after surgery (P<0.05). ConclusionΔBW can serve as an indirect indicator for evaluating changes in liver fat fraction at 1 and 3 months after bariatric surgery and indicative of changes in visceral fat 6 months after surgery. ΔPDFF was positively correlated with ΔAST, ΔALT and ΔTYG index in 1 months after surgery.

Efficacy of pharmacologic interventions on magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Several agents are under investigation for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We assessed the comparative efficacy of pharmacologic interventions for patients with NAFLD focusing on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers. We searched Medline, Embase, and CENTRAL. We included randomized controlled trials of more than 12weeks of intervention that recruited patients with biopsy-confirmed or MRI-confirmed NAFLD and assessed the efficacy of interventions on liver fat content (LFC) and fibrosis by means of MRI. We performed random-effects frequentist network meta-analyses and assessed confidence in our estimates using the CINeMA (Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis) approach. We included 47 trials (8583 patients). Versus placebo, thiazolidinediones were the most efficacious for the absolute change in LFC, followed by vitamin E, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) analogs, and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) with mean differences ranging from -7.46% (95% confidence interval [-11.0, -3.9]) to -4.36% (-7.2, -1.5). No differences between drug classes were evident. Patients receiving GLP-1 RAs or glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP-1 RAs were more likely to achieve ≥30% relative reduction in LFC. Among agents, efruxifermin produced the largest reduction in LFC compared to placebo [-13.5% (-18.5, -8.5)], followed by pioglitazone, while being superior to most interventions. The effect of interventions on magnetic resonance elastography assessed fibrosis was small and insignificant. The confidence in our estimates was low to very low. Several drug classes may reduce LFC in patients with NAFLD without a significant effect on fibrosis; nevertheless, trial duration was small, and confidence in the effect estimates was low.

Dietary vitamin E further enhances the effectiveness of Clostridium autoethanogenum protein as an alternative source of soybean meal in grass carp (Ctenopharygodon idellus) diets based on growth performance, flesh quality and antioxidant status

The effects of replacing soybean meal with Clostridium autoethanogenum protein and supplementing it with different gradients of vitamin E in grass carp diets on growth performance, flesh quality and antioxidant capacity were evaluated in a 69-day feeding trial. Five isonitrogen and isolipid diets were configured with the soybean meal-based diet (SM) served as the basal control diet, and the Clostridium autoethanogenum protein-based diet (CAP) as the treatment control diet. The CAP diet was supplemented with 80 mg/kg, 160 mg/kg and 240 mg/kg vitamin E (namely, 80VE, 160VE and 240VE), respectively. Final body weight (FBW) and specific growth rate (SGR) were significantly better in the CAP group than in the SM group (P < 0.05), and the 160 VE group was significantly better than the CAP group (P < 0.05). In terms of muscle quality, muscle fat content was significantly higher in the CAP group than in the SM group (P < 0.05), and muscle vitamin E content was significantly higher in each vitamin E-supplemented group than in the CAP group (P > 0.05). The total odor activity value in muscle in the CAP group was not significantly different from the SM group (P < 0.05), but the vitamin E-supplemented groups were significantly higher than the CAP group (P < 0.05). Muscle hardness and gumminess were significantly higher in the CAP group than the SM group and muscle shear force and gumminess were significantly higher in the 80VE group than the CAP group (P < 0.05). Muscle development-related genes in the CAP group were not significantly different from those in the SM group (P > 0.05), and Muscle Myf5 mRNA levels in the 160VE and 240VE groups were significantly higher than those in the CAP group, while the expression of MSTN genes was suppressed (P < 0.05). In terms of antioxidant properties, muscle MDA content was significantly higher in the CAP group than in the SM group (P < 0.05), and muscle MDA content was significantly lower in the 160VE and 240VE groups than in the CAP group (P < 0.05), at the same time, CAT and T-SOD activities were significantly higher (P < 0.05). In conclusion, complete replacement of soybean meal by the Clostridium autoethanogenum protein in grass carp diets promoted growth performance and muscle quality, but negatively affected antioxidant capacity, and supplementation of 160 mg/kg vitamin E in the CAP diet could further enhance growth performance and improve antioxidant capacity.

Marine macroalgae in rabbit feed – Effects on meat quality

The addition of macroalgae to livestock diets has demonstrated to enhance the quality of meat by improving the muscle stability, antioxidant capacity and fatty acid profile. However, information regarding rabbit meat is scarce. This study evaluated the effect of adding 1.025% of different macroalgae, dehydrated and as extracts (Saccharina latissima, Himanthalia elongata and Ulva spp.) to the diet of growing rabbits. Dietary supplementation with the Ulva spp. extract increased the fat content (0.96% vs 0.33% in control group) and the proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids (by 22%; P ≤ 0.022), but did not affect the moisture, protein or ash contents or the physicochemical properties of the rabbit longissiumus lumborum muscle. The antioxidant status of the meat was adequate and was not affected by the dietary supplements. The sensorial properties of the meat were also not affected, and dietary supplementation with both S. latissima and H. elongata actually enhanced the flavour and juiciness of the meat (P ≤ 0.01). Altogether, the study findings indicate that the addition of these sustainable ingredients to rabbit feed did not negatively affect meat quality, and some of them may potentially improve specific characteristics, which could make this meat more attractive to consumers.

Chemical analysis of the effect of the effect of the use of maggots as a source of protein on the quality of fish feed

Objective: The research aims to analyze the chemical content of making fish food by using maggot as a substitute for fish meal as a protein source to improve the quality of fish feed. Material and method: The research method used was an experimental method with 4 treatments and 3 replications. Treatment A is feed consisting of 45% fish meal, 35% maggot meal, 16% corn meal, and 4% tapioca flour; treatment B is feed consisting of 50% fish meal, 30% maggot meal, 16% corn flour, and 4% tapioca flour; treatment C is feed consisting of 55% fish meal, 25% maggot meal, 16% corn flour, and 4% tapioca flour; and control treatment (k) is feed consisting of 0% fish meal, 50% maggot flour, 16% corn flour, and 4% tapioca flour. Results: The results of the research show that the overall water content of the feed produced is low. Regarding protein content, the highest protein content was in the control treatment. The use of maggot flour in feed has the lowest ash content. Regarding fat content, the higher the dose of maggot flour, the lower the fat content of the fish feed. All treatments tested had a lower carbohydrate content than the control treatment. Conclusion: The use of maggot meal as a substitute for fish meal in this research for making fish feed can support chemical feed quality, which contains water, protein, fat, ash, and carbohydrates according to fish needs.