Food Body Research Articles

Vitamin D concentration in the blood of women with twin pregnancies and in the umbilical cord blood of newborns in relation to environmental factors.

There is a huge gap in the knowledge of the body's nutrient resources in women with multiple gestations. Due to the increased demand hypothesis and taking into account common vitamin D deficits in women with singleton pregnancies, this issue should also be investigated in twin pregnancies. This study evaluated blood vitamin D concentration in women with twin pregnancies and in the umbilical cord blood of their newborns as well as analyzed environmental factors that may affect the level of this nutrient. The study included 56 women with twin pregnancies. Venous blood samples were collected from the women before delivery and umbilical cord blood at delivery to determine the total 25(OH)D concentration. The women were interviewed by a dietitian to collect data on their diet and lifestyle. The average maternal 25(OH)D concentrations were 38.4 ± 11.0 ng/mL vs. 23.7 ± 6.1 ng/mL determined in the umbilical cord blood of the newborns. The concentration of 25(OH)D in the umbilical cord blood was strongly correlated with the concentration in the mother (p < 0.001). Vitamin D deficiency was found in 7% of women and 21% of newborns. Factors increasing the risk of too low 25(OH)D concentration in the mothers were age below 27 years (p = 0.002) and short duration of pregnancy (p = 0.011). In newborns, the risk factors included low maternal concentrations (p < 0.001) and delivery before 36 weeks of gestation (p = 0.008). The mean cord blood 25(OH)D levels were almost identical in both twins and amounted to 24.0 ± 6.1 ng/mL in the first-born and 23.4 ± 6.1 ng/mL in the second-born infant. Vitamin D supplementation was declared by 98% of the women, with 85% taking ≤2,000 IU vitamin D daily. Only a small percentage of women with twin pregnancies presented with vitamin D deficiency, which was probably related to the widespread supplementation of this nutrient. It can therefore be assumed that a dose of 2,000 IU vitamin D currently recommended for pregnant women may also be appropriate for twin gestations, although further research is required to validate this finding.

Macronutrient regulation in nymphs of the two-spotted cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

Crickets have been extensively studied in recent insect nutritional research, but it remains largely unexplored how they balance the intake of multiple nutrients. Here, we used the nutritional geometry framework to examine the behavioural and physiological regulation of dietary protein and carbohydrate in nymphs of the two-spotted cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae). Growth, intake, utilization efficiencies, and body composition were measured from the eighth instar nymphs that received either food pairs or single foods with differing protein and carbohydrate content. When food choices were available, crickets preferentially selected a carbohydrate-biased protein:carbohydrate (P:C) ratio of 1:1.74. During this nutrient selection, carbohydrate intake was more tightly regulated than protein intake. When confined to nutritionally imbalanced foods, crickets adopted a nutrient balancing strategy that maximized the nutrient intake regardless of the nutrient imbalance, reflecting their omnivorous feeding habit. Intake was significantly reduced when crickets were confined to the most carbohydrate-biased food (P:C = 1:5). When nutrients were ingested in excess of the requirements, the post-ingestive utilization efficiencies of these nutrients were down-regulated, thereby buffering the impacts of nutrient imbalances on body nutrient composition. Crickets reared on the most carbohydrate-biased food (P:C = 1:5) suffered delayed development and reduced growth. Our data provide the most accurate description of nutrient regulation in G. bimaculatus and lay the foundation for further nutritional research in this omnivorous insect.

Pollution, spatial distribution, and health risks assessment of nutrient concentration in surface water resources of Maroon-Jarahi Basin in southwestern Iran.

Nowadays, the introduction of nutrients caused by human activities is considered an environmental issue and a significant problem in river basins and coastal ecosystems. In this study, the concentration of nutrients ( and ) in the surface water sources of the Maroon-Jarahi watershed in the southwest of Iran was determined, and the pollution status and health risk assessment were done. The average concentration of nitrate and phosphate in Ludab, Maroon, Zard, Allah, Jarahi rivers, and Shadegan wetland were obtained at 2.25-0.59, 4.59-1.84, 4.07-2.02, 5.40-2.81, 11.51-4.67, 21.63 and 6.20 (mg/l), respectively. A comparison of the results with the World Health Organization (WHO) limit showed that nitrate was lower than in all stations, but phosphate was higher than the limit in some stations of the Maroon, Allah, Jarahi rivers, and Shadegan wetland. Calculation of linear regression analysis showed significant positive relationships between nitrate and phosphate in all surface water sources (except Ludab) and based on the N/P ratio, nitrogen was estimated as the limiting factor in phytoplankton growth (N/P < 16). The evaluation of the status of the Nutrient pollution index (NPI) was observed as: Shadegan > Jarahi > Allah > Maroon > Zard > Ludab that the Jarahi River and Shadegan wetland were in the medium pollution class (1 < NPI ≤ 3) and other waterbodies were in the non-polluted to low pollution state (NPI < 1). Calculation of the chronic daily intake (CDI) showed that water body nutrients cause more non-carcinogenic health risks through the oral route than dermal exposure, and according to HI, children's health is more at risk than adults. Findings showed that surface water resources especially downstream of the Maroon-Jarahi watershed are at eutrophication risk, and to control the nearby human activities and as a result increase the nutrients in these water resources, measures should be taken.

64 Effect of feeding intact protein from soybean meal instead of crystalline amino acids on growth performance, protein synthesis, and immune response of growing pigs

Abstract The objective was to test the hypothesis that feeding intact protein from soybean meal (SBM) instead of crystalline amino acids (AA) does not affect growth performance, protein synthesis, intestinal morphology, or immune response of growing pigs. A control corn-SBM diet was used. Three additional diets were formulated by reducing the inclusion rate of SBM and adding 3, 4, or 5 crystalline AA (i.e., Lys, Met, Thr, Trp, Val) to the diets, which resulted in reducing the protein concentration from 20.0% to 13.4%. All diets were formulated to meet requirements for standardized ileal digestible indispensable AA. A total of 176 pigs [initial body weight (BW) = 32.2 kg; SD = 4.2] were used. On d 1, 16 randomly chosen pigs were euthanized and body nutrient composition was determined. The remaining 160 pigs were allotted to the 4 diets using a randomized complete block design with 4 pigs per pen and 10 replicate pens per diet. Starting BW was the blocking factor. Individual pig BW and feed consumption were recorded. On d 28, one pig per pen was slaughtered and blood, carcass, and viscera were collected and analyzed for N, fat, and energy to calculate deposition in the body. Ileal mucosa, ileum and colon tissue and digesta were analyzed for blood characteristics, cytokines, tissue morphology, ammonia, and gene expression. Contrasts coefficients were used to determine linear and quadratic effects of reducing dietary protein. Results indicated that average daily gain, average daily feed intake, gain to feed ratio, carcass characteristics, and protein, lipid, and energy depositions were not affected by reducing SBM and increasing crystalline AA in diets (Table 1). However, energy efficiency tended to decrease (quadratic, P = 0.083) by reducing dietary protein. Blood urea N was reduced (linear, P &amp;lt; 0.001) as dietary protein was reduced, but blood total protein was not affected by dietary treatment. Cytokines, ileal and jejunal morphologies, and gene abundance of AA transporters in the ileal mucosa were not affected by dietary protein. Ammonia concentrations in ileal digesta increased and then decreased (quadratic, P = 0.043) and colon digesta tended to increase and then decrease (quadratic, P = 0.074) as dietary protein was reduced. Bacteria protein in colon digesta was reduced (linear, P = 0.030) by reducing dietary protein. In conclusion, providing AA from intact protein from SBM or from crystalline AA did not affect growth performance, intestinal morphology, and immune response of pigs. However, SBM in diets can provide energy that may be utilized more efficiently than energy from diets with less SBM and crystalline AA. Further research is suggested to elucidate if SBM improves utilization of other nutrients in diets for pigs.

Antioxidant, phytochemical and fatty acid profile of extracts from bark of Pterocarpus erinaceus

Pterocarpus erinaceus is reported locally to replenish the body nutrient, support the production of red blood cells and possesses anti-inflammatory activity. Standard methods were used to investigate the chemical constituents of the field and market bark samples of P. erinaceus. Field sample of P. erinaceus had significantly higher protein, (14.15%; 13.90%), than the market sample. The bark extracts had iron (4.04mg/100g-5.19mg/100g) and other minerals. Phytochemicals in P. erinaceus bark extracts include; flavonoid, saponin, phytate and tannin. The highest antioxidant activity was obtained from field bark water extract (FBW) with an IC50­­ of 12.53µg/ml. Fatty acid profile of P. erinaceus bark revealed that it contains linoleic acid (72.35%), palmitic acid (18.73%), D-limonene (44.93%) and D-carvone (11.99%). This study gathered that bark extracts of P. erinaceus contain essential nutrients and fatty acid which may support growth in the body and may be employed in the production of functional food.

Comparative transcriptomic insights into the domestication of Pleurotus abieticola for coniferous cultivation.

Introduction: Pleurotus abieticola, a promising edible fungus in the Pleurotaceae family, especially its ability to utilize coniferous substrate, holds significant potential for commercial cultivation. However, few reports on the adaptation of P. abieticola to coniferous substrate from the perspective of omics. Methods: This study explores the biological characteristics, domestication process, and nutritional composition of P. abieticola, along with its adaptability to coniferous substrates using transcriptomics. We assessed biological characteristics, optimizing mycelial growth on agar medium with varied carbon and nitrogen sources, temperature, and pH. Additionally, the optimization process extended to fruiting bodies, where impact on the differentiation were evaluated under varying light conditions. Fruiting body nutrient composition was analyzed per the Chinese National Food Safety Standard. Transcriptome sequencing focused on P. abieticola mycelial colonized coniferous and broadleaved substrates. Results and Discussion: The optimal conditions for mycelial growth were identified: dextrin (carbon source), diammonium hydrogen phosphate (nitrogen source), 25°C (temperature), and pH 7.0. White light promoted fruiting body growth and differentiation. Larch substrate exhibited superior yield (190g) and biological efficiency (38.0%) compared to oak (131g, 26.2%) and spruce (166g, 33.2%). P. abieticola showcased high dietary fiber, protein, and total sugar content, low fat, and sufficient microelements. Transcriptome analysis revealed significant key genes involved in lignocellulose degradation, stress-resistant metabolism, and endocytosis metabolism, underscoring their pivotal for coniferous adaptation. This study offers valuable insights for the commercial development and strain breeding of P. abieticola, efficiently leveraging conifer resources. The findings underscore its potential as a valuable source for food, medicinal products, and biotechnological applications.

Competitive interactions with Aedes albopictus alter the nutrient content of Aedes aegypti.

Competition is often cited as a central force that affects the distribution and performance of organisms. Ecological stoichiometry is the balance of elements within animal bodies that can be affected by resource acquisition and processing, as well as by intra- or interspecific interactions. Though relatively underexplored for mosquitoes, stoichiometry may provide a wealth of information linking ecological interactions to body nutrient content, and potentially on to pathogen transmission. Detritus, which often varies in nutrient content, forms the base of the food web within the small aquatic habitats occupied by larval mosquitoes, and detrital nutrient content can alter mosquito growth, survival, and population growth. The invasive mosquitoes Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) and Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) interact as larvae in aquatic systems, often altering their adult populations. Herein, we investigated how different detritus combinations as well as how intra- and interspecific densities of Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti would affect coexistence; we also measured how nutrient composition (carbon and nitrogen) and stoichiometry (C:N) of adults would vary with those interactions. Ae. albopictus survival, population growth, and stoichiometry were not affected by intra- or interspecific competition; nutrient values did vary with detritus ratios. However, Ae. aegypti nutrient content and stoichiometry and survival were negatively affected within the lowest nutrient environments in the presence of Ae. albopictus, but in the highest nutrient environments, both species showed high survival rates and population growth. This is the first study to show that adult mosquito body nutrients can be altered by interspecific interactions, and as nutrient content in adults has been linked to pathogen transmission, it provides a novel role of competition in affecting disease dynamics.

Comparative estimation of the lysine requirements in two generations of improved strain of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) at the grow-out stage

A 3 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary lysine on growth performance, body indices, feed intake, feed efficiency, whole body nutrient composition and amino acid deposition in two successive generations (16th and 17th) of GIFT (Oreochromis niloticus). Three diets containing different levels of lysine at 1.16%, 1.56% and 2.41% were prepared for the feeding trial. Triplicate groups of fish with an initial body weight of 155 g were fed to apparent satiation for 10 weeks in a recirculating aquaculture system. Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of dry matter, crude protein, crude lipids, and total carbohydrates were measured in the experimental diets. At the end of the experiment, no interactions between dietary lysine levels in diet and fish generation were observed on all parameters except for the condition factor (CF) and ADC of crude protein. However, dietary lysine level significantly affected the final weight, weight gain, thermal unit growth coefficient (TGC), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and ADC of dry matter regardless of the fish generation. Final weight, weight gain and TGC of fish were the highest in fish fed 2.41% dietary lysine in diet or 6.52% lysine in the protein. PER was the lowest in fish fed 1.16% dietary lysine. The final weight and the body's accumulation of isoleucine, phenylalanine, and alanine were significantly affected by the fish generation, with the 17th generation having the best performance. Increase growth and higher lysine requirement observed in the improved generation (17th) compared to the (16th) generation at grow out phase indicating that genetic improvement may have changed the dietary lysine requirement.

Detailed whole-body nutrient analysis identifies differences in feeding ecology between related fish species: The case of Orestias native Andean killifish in Lake Titicaca.

Body nutrient profiles in ecological studies allow for relating the nutritional status of consumers and their effects on the movement and retention of elements in ecosystems, as well as reflecting feeding conditions and habitat quality. This study compared the detailed whole-body nutrient composition (macronutrients, minerals, fatty acids and amino acids) of two omnivorous natives Orestias killifish from Lake Titicaca (Orestias agassizii and Orestias luteus, Valenciennes), the largest lake in the Andes, as an indirect tool to understand differences in their feeding ecology. Although both species are usually described as omnivorous fish, both have amphipods (Hyalella spp) as their main food source. Our results showed that both killifish had a comparable macronutrient composition, and the mineral concentrations of Mg, P and Ca (reflecting bony structures) differed between them. Many of the saturated fatty acids were significantly lower in O. luteus, and O. agassizii had higher concentrations of cis-vaccenic acid (18:1n11 (cis)), supporting the idea of a higher algal contribution to the diet of this fish. The lower histidine and higher taurine concentrations in O. agassizii compared with O. luteus (independent of body size) may reflect its ubiquitous behaviour and plasticity. This study shows how whole-body nutrient analysis can identify differences in feeding ecology and feeding behaviour between related species.

Size and temperature drive nutrient retention potential across water bodies in China

Lentic water bodies, including lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands, retain excess nutrients in runoff from agricultural and urban activities, and protect downstream water bodies from eutrophication. To develop effective nutrient mitigation strategies, it is important to understand the controls on nutrient retention in lentic systems and what drives variability between different systems and geographical regions. Efforts to synthesize water body nutrient retention at the global scale are biased toward studies from North America and Europe. Numerous studies published in Chinese Language journals exist in the extensive China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), but are missing from global synthesis due to their absence in English language journal databases. We address this gap by synthesizing data from 417 waterbodies in China to assess hydrologic and biogeochemical drivers of nutrient retention. In this study, we found median retention of 46 and 51% for nitrogen and phosphorus, respectively, across all water bodies in our national synthesis, and on average, wetlands retain more nutrients than lakes or reservoirs. The analysis of this dataset highlights the influence of water body size on first-order nutrient removal rate constants, as well as how regional temperature variations affect nutrient retention in water bodies. The dataset was used to calibrate the HydroBio-k model, which explicitly considers the effect of residence times and temperature on nutrient retention. Application of the HydroBio-k model across China reveals patterns of nutrient removal potential, where regions with a higher density of small water bodies retain more nutrients than others, such that regions like the Yangtze River Basin with a greater proportion of smaller water bodies have greater retention rates. Our results emphasize the importance of lentic systems and their function in nutrient removal and water quality improvement, as well as the drivers and variability of these functions at the landscape scale.

Basic Larval Structural Composition of Thaumetopoea Pityocampa (Denis &amp; Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera:Notodontidae ) During Feeding Inhibition Due to Some Natural Chemicals

Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis &amp; Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera:Notodontidae ) is the most important defoliating insect for several pine species and cedars. In this study, body nutrient composition of T. pityocampa larvae were analyzed under feeding inhibition caused by natural chemical agents. In no-choice assays, larvae were fed ponderosa pine needles treated with oleic acid and chlorogenic acid solutions, respectively, at each of four concentrations, 0%, 25%, 50% and 75%. The neetles were as given to separate test groups. At the end of feeding experiments, antifeedant index (AFI) was calculated for each solutions with different concentrations. Then, rates of protein, lipid, glycogen and water of larvae were calculated for control and test groups. It was determined that there had been a strong relation between concentrations of solution and AFI values regarding oleic acid (r= 0.998, P &lt; 0.05). However, there was no significant relationship between concentrations of solution and AFI values regarding chlorogenic acid (r= 0.663, P &gt; 0.5). The most remarkable finding was a sharp decline in the level of larval glycogen during starvation period in accordance with rising concentrations of both oleic and chlorogenic acid in its food. The glycogen level of the larvae was also affected by both chemical applications

Chronic cold-stress induced histopathological changes, oxidative stress, and alterations in liver functions and nutrient composition of hybrid red tilapia and the potential protection of unsaturated fatty acids

The hybrid red tilapia (♂Oreochromis niloticus × ♀O. mossambicus) is a promising tilapia fish with high growth rate, market acceptability, and the ability to live in a wide range of salinities, but it is sensitive to low water temperature. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to improve hybrid red tilapia resistance to chronic cold stress by increasing unsaturated fatty acids and evaluating their effects on fish body weight, hepatosomatic index (HSI), body nutrient composition, liver function enzymes, histopathological alterations, and biomarkers of oxidative stress in the gills and liver. For 98 days, fish were fed four diets based on two dietary fat sources: corn oil (a traditional source) and Aquafat-O® (a commercial product rich in high polyunsaturated fatty acids), in different ratios of 3:0 (T0), 2:1 (T1), 1:2 (T2), and 0:3 (T3), respectively. Subsequently, all groups (T0+, T1, T2, and T3) were subjected to water cold stress at 13 °C for 15 days, with half of the control group serving as a negative control (T0-; at a rearing water temperature of 25-26 °C). Chronic old stress caused significant reductions in fish body weight, HSI, aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase activities, fat and energy contents, and oxidative stress biomarkers in the liver and gills. Red tilapia subjected to low temperatures showed severely altered histopathological conditions in the liver and gills. However, by gradually increasing the Aquafat-O® ratio in the diet, the negative effects of cold stress were mitigated. Thus, it could be concluded that the beneficial use of Aquafat-O® (as a promising fat source) at a percentage of up to 69.60 g kg-1 is necessary to cope with the cold-water stress for sensitive hybrid red tilapia.

Multi-scale effects of landscape on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in a subtropical agricultural watershed: A case of Qi river basin (QRB), China

Studying the temporal and spatial relationship between water body nutrients and landscape elements in the agricultural watershed will be helpful in revealing the process of non-point source pollution (NPSP). In order to quantitatively analyze the effects of landscape elements on nitrogen and phosphorus at multiple scales, the Qi River basin located at the tail of the Three Gorges Reservoir was selected as the study area, and various methods such as t-test, one-way analysis of variance, pearson correlation and redundancy analysis were used. The results showed that the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) parameters in the dry season were higher than those in the rainy season, and the spatial differences of N and P in the watershed were significant (with the 95 % level). This may be due to the difference in surface runoff, which led to higher nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in dry season than in rainy season. Built land percetage (BLP), the largest patch index and the paddy land percentage had the largest coefficients of variation (greater than 40 %). The 100 m buffer zone had the lowest correlation with the catchment, and the 300–1000 m buffer zone had the strongest correlation. The correlation coefficient in the rainy season was greater than that in the dry season. The interpretation rate of all selected indicators in the rainy season exceeded 51.87 % (significant with the 95 % confidence level), while the dry season on the same scale increased by 7.12 %-14.28 % (significant with the 95 % confidence level). Topography and land use/cover had obvious effects on N and P parameters in water bodies. N and P were typically positively correlated with paddy land percentage, dry land percentage and built land percentage, patch density and Shannon diversity index, but they had a negative correlation with the largest patch index. The optimal spatial scale of N and P management in the rainy season was within the buffer range of 100 m–500 m, while the optimal management scale in the dry season was the 500 m buffer and catchment. The amount of N and P entering the river could be reduced to varying degrees by setting up hedges and increasing the route into the river. The results of this study will be helpful for the prevention and control of NPSP in the subtropical basin.

An experimental, behavioral, and chemical analysis of food limitations in mutualistic Crematogaster ant symbionts inhabiting Macaranga host plants.

Obligate mutualistic plant-ants are often constrained by their plant partner's capacity to provide resources. However, despite this limitation, some ant partners actively reject potential prey items and instead drop them from the plant rather than consuming them, leaving the ants entirely reliant on host plant-provided food, including that provided indirectly by the symbiotic scale insects that ants tend inside the plants. This dependency potentially increases the efficiency of these ants in defending their host. We hypothesize that if this ant behavior was beneficial to the symbiosis, prey rejection by ants would be observed across multiple plant host species. We also hypothesize that plant-provided food items and symbiotic scale insects from other ant plants should be rejected. We address these hypotheses in the Crematogaster ant-Macaranga plant system, in which plants provide living space and food, while ants protect plants from herbivory. We observed food acceptance and rejection behavior across five ant species and three plant host species. Ants were offered three types of food: termites as a surrogate herbivore, symbiotic scale insects, and nutritious food bodies (FB) produced by different host plant species. The unique ant species living in M. winkleri was the most likely to reject food items not provided by the plant species, followed by ants in M. glandibracteolata, while ants in M. pearsonii accepted most items offered to them. Using stable isotopes, chemical cues, and proteomic analyses, we demonstrate that this behavior was not related to differences between plant species in nutritional quality or composition of FB. Isotopic signatures revealed that certain species are primary consumers but other ant species can be secondary consumers even where surrogate herbivores are rejected, although these values varied depending on the ant developmental stage and plant species. Macaranga pearsonii and M. glandibracteolata, the two most closely related plant species, had most similar surface chemical cues of FB. However, M. glandibracteolata had strongest differences in food body nutritional content, isotopic signatures, and protein composition from either of the other two plant species studied. Taken together we believe our results point toward potential host coercion of symbiont ants by plants in the genus Macaranga Thouars (Euphorbiaceae).

Short-term feeding of defatted bovine colostrum mitigates inflammation in the gut via changes in metabolites and microbiota in a chicken animal model

BackgroundNondrug supplement strategies to improve gut health have largely focused on the effects of individual compounds to improve one aspect of gut homeostasis. However, there is no comprehensive assessment of the reproducible effects of oral, short-term, low-level colostrum supplementation on gut inflammation status that are specific to the ileum. Herein, a chicken animal model highly responsive to even mild gut inflammatory stimuli was employed to compare the outcomes of feeding a standard diet (CON) to those of CON supplemented with a centrifuge-defatted bovine colostrum (BC) or a nonfat dried milk (NFDM) control on the efficiency of nutrient use, ileal morphology, gut nitro-oxidative inflammation status, metabolites, and the composition of the microbiota.ResultsA repeated design, iterative multiple regression model was developed to analyze how BC affected ileal digesta-associated anti-inflammatory metabolite abundance coincident with observed changes in the ileal microbiome, mitigation of epithelial inflammation, and ileal surface morphology. An improved whole body nutrient use efficiency in the BC group (v CON and NFDM) coincided with the observed increased ileum absorptive surface and reduced epithelial cell content of tyrosine-nitrated protein (NT, biomarker of nitro-oxidative inflammatory stress). Metabolome analysis revealed that anti-inflammatory metabolites were significantly greater in abundance in BC-fed animals. BC also had a beneficial BC impact on microbiota, particularly in promoting the presence of the bacterial types associated with eubiosis and the segmented filamentous bacteria, Candidatus Arthromitus.ConclusionThe data suggest that an anti-inflammatory environment in the ileum was more evident in BC than in the other feeding groups and associated with an increased content of statistically definable groups of anti-inflammatory metabolites that appear to functionally link the observed interactions between the host’s improved gut health with an observed increase in whole body nutrient use efficiency, beneficial changes in the microbiome and immunometabolism.

Perspectives of College Students about the Risk of Eating Disorders

Although eating disorders can occur in teenagers and young children, the risk of developing the disease increases during college years. About 95% of eating disorders occur between the age of 12 and 25 years. Examples of eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa occurs in people who eat a lot of food and purge or deny themselves food at all. The aim of purging after eating is to eliminate the fear of gaining weight or digesting unwanted foods. However, in the process of purging, an individual denies the essential body nutrients leading to massive loss of weight, fatigue, avoidance of social functions, and depression. Most cases of anorexia nervosa lead to death if a person does not receive adequate treatment. This study investigates the perspectives of college students about the risk of eating disorders.

Mechanisms mediating the impact of maternal obesity on offspring hypothalamic development and later function.

As obesity rates have risen around the world, so to have pregnancies complicated by maternal obesity. Obesity during pregnancy is not only associated with negative health outcomes for the mother and the baby during pregnancy and birth, there is also strong evidence that exposure to maternal obesity causes an increased risk to develop obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life. Animal models have demonstrated that increased weight gain in offspring exposed to maternal obesity is usually preceded by increased food intake, implicating altered neuronal control of food intake as a likely area of change. The hypothalamus is the primary site in the brain for maintaining energy homeostasis, which it coordinates by sensing whole body nutrient status and appropriately adjusting parameters including food intake. The development of the hypothalamus is plastic and regulated by metabolic hormones such as leptin, ghrelin and insulin, making it vulnerable to disruption in an obese in utero environment. This review will summarise how the hypothalamus develops, how maternal obesity impacts on structure and function of the hypothalamus in the offspring, and the factors that are altered in an obese in utero environment that may mediate the permanent changes to hypothalamic function in exposed individuals.

Transcriptome analysis reveals the effects of dietary lipid level on growth performance and immune response in golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus)

Present study was conducted to accurately evaluate the optimal dietary lipid level in golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) diets combining phenotypic responses and transcriptomics analysis. Fish with initial body weight 27.65 g ± 0.17 g were fed diets with six lipid levels (9.13%, 10.59%, 12.12%, 14.98%, 16.25%, 19.26%), respectively. Results showed that dietary lipid levels significantly altered the weight gain rate, specific growth rate protein efficiency ratio and reached the maximum when fish fed diet with 12.12% lipid. Proximate composition analysis indicated that body nutrients content were significantly improved by dietary lipid levels. Moreover, total glucose, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein were also elevated by dietary lipid level. Transcriptomic analysis suggested that muscle growth regulation, hormone response, nutrient metabolism and immune response were more sensitive to dietary lipid levels. Further analyzed mechanisms, data demonstrated that dietary lipid levels could through nutrient sensing signaling pathways to regulate lipid metabolism. Meanwhile, Diet 3 (lipid level: 12.12%) had lower level mRNA expression of the key regulators in immune responses and antioxidant defense. Either too lower or too higher lipid in diet could trigger oxidative stress and immune responses. In conclusion, according to broken-line regression on WGR and SGR, the optimal lipid level for golden pompano were 11.28% and 11.20%, respectively. Present study provided the optimal requirement of dietary lipid level based on a comprehensive method.

Effect of Supplementation of Rumen Bypass Fat on Live Body Weight, Milk Yield, Milk Composition and Body Condition Score of Graded Murrah Buffaloes

Background: During early lactation, the nutrient requirement of cows and buffaloes will be increased and at the same time, the feed intake is lowered due to stress of parturition. During this condition, depletion of body nutrient store occurs and the animal becomes weak day by day due to negative energy balance. Therefore to overcome the negative energy balance due to low feed intake, an alternate energy-dense ingredient is required. The bypass fat overcomes the negative energy balance and maintains animal body weight as well as milk production. Hence, undertook the present investigation. Methods: The present research was carried out in 10 graded Murrah buffaloes to study the effect of supplementation of rumen bypass fat on live body weight, milk yield, milk composition and body condition score during early lactation. The body weight, milk yield, milk composition and body condition score were recorded at weekly intervals before and after supplementation of rumen bypass fat. Result: Highly significant increase in live body weight, body condition score and milk production was observed, whereas a non-significant to a significant increase in milk fat and protein was recorded. The present study found a significant decrease in milk SNF and a highly significant decrease in milk density percentage. Non-significant effect on milk lactose was recorded. Therefore, it is concluded that supplementation of bypass fat could improve live body weight, body condition score and milk production in graded Murrah buffaloes.

Effect of periodic religious fasting on body composition and nutrient intake in menopausal women

Effect of periodic religious fasting on body composition and nutrient intake in menopausal women