High-energy Diet Research Articles

Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus Extracts Improved Lipid Metabolism and Inflammation in High-Energy Diet-Induced Hyperlipidemia Rats.

Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus both contain unique polyphenols called phlorotannins. Phlorotannins reportedly possess various pharmacological activities. A previous study reported that the activity of phlorotannin is strongly correlated with the normalization of metabolic function, and phlorotannins are extremely promising nutrients for use in the treatment of metabolic syndrome. To date, no study has explored the antihyperlipidemic effects of phlorotannins from A. nodosum and F. vesiculosus in animal models. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the effects of phlorotannins using a rat model of high-energy diet (HED)-induced hyperlipidemia. The results showed that the rats that were fed an HED and treated with phlorotannin-rich extract from A. nodosum and F. vesiculosus had significantly lower serum fasting blood sugar (FBS), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol (TC), triacylglyceride (TG) and free fatty acids (FFAs) levels and hepatic TG level and had higher serum insulin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and lipase activity in their fat tissues than in the case with the rats that were fed the HED alone. A histopathological analysis revealed that phlorotannin-rich extract could significantly reduce the size of adipocytes around the epididymis. In addition, the rats treated with phlorotannin-rich extract had significantly lowered interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities than did those in the HED group. These results suggested that the phlorotannin-rich extract stimulated lipid metabolism and may have promoted lipase activity in rats with HED-induced hyperlipidemia. Our results indicated that A. nodosum and F. vesiculosus, marine algae typically used as health foods, have strong antihyperlipidemic effects and may, therefore, be useful for preventing atherosclerosis. These algae may be incorporated into antihyperlipidemia pharmaceuticals and functional foods.

Effect of β-Mannanase Addition during Whole Pigs Fattening on Production Yields and Intestinal Health

The presence of β-mannans in feed can produce a futile and chronic immune stimulation in fattening pigs. In this trial, a 1-4-endo-D-β-mannanase was added to the feed (HC) during growth and fattening (0.03% of Hemicell HT) and physical performance and pathological data were recorded, and intestinal integrity and immune activation were studied by molecular biomarkers, compared to a control group (CON). The treatment diet was reduced in energy content by 40 Kcal/kg NE. From each group, 113 and 112 animals housed in 8 pens were individually identified and weighed three times: at 7th, 63rd and 116th days in feed. The FCR was calculated for groups of two pens and ADG individually. There was no difference in ADG (CON = 0.836, HC = 0.818) nor in FCR between groups (p = 0.486). During growth, there was a higher frequency of normal feces in HC and there were also no differences in the frequency of gastric lesions. A significant increase in Claudin, Occludin, IFN-γ and IL8 was observed in the CON in feces and a significant decrease in IL-6 in HC. In tissues, there were differences for IL-12p40, TNF-alpha in jejunum (increased CON) and TGF-β in ileum and jejunum, (decreased HC). The economic performance was EUR 4.7 better in the treated group. In conclusion, the addition of 1-4-endo-D-β--mannanase to the feed with a 1.6% reduction in net energy compared to the control, allowed the animals to perform as well as the animals on the higher energy diet, with lower prevalence of diarrhea.

Apparent metabolizable energy requirement of feed-restricted White Pekin duck breeder pullets

A dose–response experiment with 5 dietary apparent metabolizable energy (AME) levels (10.00, 10.62, 11.24, 11.87, and 12.49 MJ AME/kg) was conducted to estimate the AME requirement of White Pekin duck breeder pullets from 8 to 24 weeks of age. A total of 240 8-week-old female White Pekin duck breeder pullets were assigned to 5 experimental treatments, and each treatment was replicated 6 times with 8 birds per replicate. The ducks were reared in raised wire-floor pens from 8 to 24 weeks of age. All duck pullets were restricted-fed by limiting feed intake, and the feed intake increased gradually as age increased. At 24 weeks of age, the body weight, weight gain and feed/gain of each treatment were measured, and the relative weight of abdominal fat, skin and fat, and ovary of pullets and the contents of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and estradiol in plasma were also determined. As the dietary energy level increased from 10.00 to 12.49MJ AME/kg, the 24-week-old body weight and weight gain increased linearly or quadratically (P < 0.05) and the feed/gain decreased linearly or quadratically (P < 0.05). The absolute or relative weight of abdominal fat and skin and fat of the duck pullets also showed a linear increasing response to increasing dietary energy (P < 0.05). The duck pullets fed with high dietary energy levels had a higher absolute or relative weight of ovary than the birds fed with low dietary energy (P < 0.05) and this was accompanied by linearly or quadratically increasing plasma follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol as dietary energy increased (P < 0.05). According to broken-line regression, the AME requirements for feed/gain and relative weight of skin and fat were 12.40, and 11.92 MJ/kg, respectively, and low AME requirements should be considered to control body weight and fat before laying age.

Multi-omics reveals diet-induced metabolic disorders and liver inflammation via microbiota-gut-liver axis

The gut microbiota medicated gut-liver axis is vital for liver function and health. We aimed to explore the underlying molecular mechanism of diet-induced metabolic liver disorders via microbiota-gut-liver axis using multi-omics. Metataxonomics, metaproteomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics were conducted on liver tissue and biofluids (gastrointestinal contents and blood) to elucidate the microbial mechanism related to metabolic disorders and liver injury. The hepatic inflammation occurred based on histomorphology after feeding a long-term grain-based high-energy diet, and the serum biochemical parameters and proinflammatory cytokines were significantly activated. Metaproteomics analysis indicated that the high-energy diet reduced anti-infection, immunity, anti-oxidant functions, and increased cell death and damage of rumen microbiome. Ruminal Ruminococcus_2, Solobacterium, and Syntrophococcu and jejunal Pirellula were potential microbial markers of liver disorders. The high-energy diet promoted hepatic inflammatory response and cytokine/chemokine-mediated signaling pathways located in the core of the functional genomic network. The high-energy diet increased indoxyl sulfate and p-cresol sulfate and decreased triterpenoids in the liver that were the potential biomarkers associated with metabolic liver disorders. Integrated multi-omics analyses showed interactions among the rumen and jejunum microbiota, circulating metabolites, and liver gene expression, suggesting a systemic immune response and liver disorder that signals through the microbiota-gut-liver axis.

Evaluation of Polyherbal Formulation at Different Dose Levels on Egg Production and Egg Quality Parameters in White Leghorn layers fed with High Energy Diets

Choline is an essential nutrient in the poultry diet. It plays a vital role in the metabolism and mobilization of accumulated abdominal fat. In layer birds, it helps in improving the rate of egg production, egg quality and prevents fatty liver syndrome. However, synthetic choline has lots of demerits that need to be addressed. To mitigate the drawbacks of choline, the present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of Kolin PlusTM, a polyherbal formulation (POH) manufactured by M/s Natural Remedies Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru, India, on the performance of the White Leghorn (WL) layer poultry birds. In the current trial, WL layer hens at the age of 41 to 55 weeks were distributed into 7 (G1 to G7) study groups having 6 replicates (20 birds/replicate) per group. All groups (G2 to G7) except the normal control group (G1) were supplied with high energy diet (HED).

Global Warming and Dairy Cattle: How to Control and Reduce Methane Emission.

Simple SummaryConcerns about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from livestock and dairy farms, as well as their connection to global warming and climate change, have grown among the general public worldwide in recent years. To evaluate these emissions, there is a need to use reliable methods. Enteric methane (CH4) and other greenhouse gas emissions from ruminants can be mitigated in numerous ways. The objectives of this review were to examine currently available knowledge about methane evaluation and mitigation strategies, and food supplements. We wanted to present a critical view and raise visions of what is known and unknown about GHG reduction and control.Agriculture produces greenhouse gases. Methane is a result of manure degradation and microbial fermentation in the rumen. Reduced CH4 emissions will slow climate change and reduce greenhouse gas concentrations. This review compiled studies to evaluate the best ways to decrease methane emissions. Longer rumination times reduce methane emissions and milk methane. Other studies have not found this. Increasing propionate and reducing acetate and butyrate in the rumen can reduce hydrogen equivalents that would otherwise be transferred to methanogenesis. Diet can reduce methane emissions. Grain lowers rumen pH, increases propionate production, and decreases CH4 yield. Methane generation per unit of energy-corrected milk yield reduces with a higher-energy diet. Bioactive bromoform discovered in the red seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis reduces livestock intestinal methane output by inhibiting its production. Essential oils, tannins, saponins, and flavonoids are anti-methanogenic. While it is true that plant extracts can assist in reducing methane emissions, it is crucial to remember to source and produce plants in a sustainable manner. Minimal lipid supplementation can reduce methane output by 20%, increasing energy density and animal productivity. Selecting low- CH4 cows may lower GHG emissions. These findings can lead to additional research to completely understand the impacts of methanogenesis suppression on rumen fermentation and post-absorptive metabolism, which could improve animal productivity and efficiency.

The Neural Code for Taste in the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract of Rats with Obesity Following Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery.

Previous work has shown that taste responses in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS; the first central relay for gustation) are blunted in rats with diet-induced obesity (DIO). Here, we studied whether these effects could be reversed by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, an effective treatment for obesity. Rats were fed a high energy diet (60% kcal fat; HED) both before and after undergoing RYGB. Electrophysiological responses from NTS cells in unrestrained rats were recorded as they licked tastants from a lick spout. Sweet, salty, and umami tastes, as well as their naturalistic counterparts, were presented. Results were compared with those of lean rats from a previous study. As with DIO rats, NTS cells in RYGB rats were more narrowly tuned, showed weaker responses, and less lick coherence than those in lean rats. Both DIO and RYGB rats licked at a slower rate than lean rats and paused more often during a lick bout. However, unlike DIO rats, the proportion of taste cells in RYGB rats was similar to that in lean rats. Our data show that, despite being maintained on a HED after surgery, RYGB can induce a partial recovery of the deficits seen in the NTS of DIO rats.

Regulatory effects of differential dietary energy levels on spermatogenesis and sperm motility of yellow-feathered breeder cocks.

The semen quality of breeder cocks profoundly impacted the numbers of matched layer hens and the economic benefits of the poultry industry. Adequacy and balance of poultry nutrition, especially the energy provision, critically modulated the reproductive potential of breeder cocks, however, the underlying mechanism was still unclear. For the purpose of this study, a total of 90 yellow-feathered 13-week-old roosters with the same age in days and similar body weight (1,437 ± 44.3 g) were selected and randomly divided into the low energy diet (LE), the moderate energy diet (ME), and the high energy diet (HE) treatments. The phenotypic parameters related to reproduction include semen quality, fertility, and hatchability, and the testis morphological parameters, including seminiferous epithelium length (SEL), seminiferous tubule perimeter (STP), seminiferous tubule area (STA), and Johnsen score, were measured to investigate the regulatory effects of different energy diets on reproductive performances. Furthermore, spermatogenesis and sperm motility-related genes, which included the sry-related high mobility group box (SOX) gene family and sperm-associated antigen (SPAG) gene family, and mitochondria apoptosis-related genes, such as Cyt-C, Bcl-2, and Bax, were measured to determine the underlying mechanism of energy on the reproductive performances. The The results showed that the gonadosomatic index and sperm motility in the ME treatment significantly increased compared with the LE treatment. Chickens in the ME treatment showed a preferable performance of testis development, especially a significant increment of SEL and Johnsen Score, compared with the LE and HE treatments. Finally, spermatogenesis-related genes, which included SPAG6, SPAG16, SOX5, SOX6, and SOX13, and apoptosis-related genes of mitochondria, such as the Cyt-C and Bcl-2, were significantly upregulated in the ME treatment. This study concluded that proper energy provision stimulated regular energy metabolism for spermatogenesis and sperm capacitation, which finally increased semen quality and reproductive performances of breeder cocks.

Roles of long noncoding RNAs and small extracellular vesicle-long noncoding RNAs in type 2 diabetes.

The prevalence of a high-energy diet and a sedentary lifestyle has increased the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D is a chronic disease characterized by high blood glucose levels and insulin resistance in peripheral tissues. The pathological mechanism of this disease is not fully clear. Accumulated evidence has shown that noncoding RNAs have an essential regulatory role in the progression of diabetes and its complications. The roles of small noncoding RNAs, such as miRNAs, in T2D, have been extensively investigated, while the function of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in T2D has been unstudied. It has been reported that lncRNAs in T2D play roles in the regulation of pancreatic function, peripheral glucose homeostasis and vascular inflammation. In addition, lncRNAs carried by small extracellular vesicles (sEV) were shown to mediate communication between organs and participate in diabetes progression. Some sEV lncRNAs derived from stem cells are being developed as potential therapeutic agents for diabetic complications. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge relating to lncRNA biogenesis, the mechanisms of lncRNA sorting into sEV and the regulatory roles of lncRNAs and sEV lncRNAs in diabetes. Knowledge of lncRNAs and sEV lncRNAs in diabetes will aid in the development of new therapeutic drugs for T2D in the future.

Influence of the energy concentration and the standardized ileal digestible lysine content of the diet on performance and egg quality of brown-egg laying hens from 18 to 41 weeks of age

The influence of the energy and the standardized ileal digestible lysine (DLys) content of the diet on egg production and egg quality, was studied in brown-egg laying hens from 18 to 41 wk of age. The experimental design was completely randomized with 10 treatments organized as a 2 × 5 factorial with 2 energy concentrations (2,750 and 2,800 kcal AMEn/kg) and 5 levels of DLys (values varied from 0.66 to 0.78% and 0.67 to 0.79%, for the low and high energy diets, respectively). Each treatment was replicated 10 times (10 hens per replicate). The data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS with energy concentration and DLys content of the diets as main effects. In addition, the effects of the DLys on the variables studied were partitioned into its lineal and quadratic components. From 18 to 21 wk of age (pre-peak phase), diet composition had limited effects on egg production. From 22 to 41 wk of age (peak phase), however, an increase of 50 kcal AMEn/kg diet increased egg weight (P < 0.05) and tended to improve energy intake (P = 0.083) and feed conversion ratio (P = 0.074). An increase in DLys improved linearly (P < 0.001) egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion, and energy conversion ratio, and tended to increase BW gain (P = 0.074). Diet composition did not any affect egg quality trait except shell strength that increased linearly (P < 0.05) with increases in the DLys. Cumulatively (18–41 wk of age), egg weight increased (P < 0.05) as the energy and the DLys content of the diet increased. In summary, an increase in energy and DLys content of the diet had limited effects on egg production during the prepeak phase but improved egg production, feed conversion ratio, and BW gain during the peak phase. The data indicate that hens require at least 839 mg DLys/d to maximize egg production in the peak production phase.

326 Nutritional Grouping and Machine-Learning Techniques: Towards a Feed Efficiency Improvement in Beef Cattle Production

Abstract Nutritional grouping (NG) strategies have been proposed mainly in dairy cattle to improve economic efficiency (30-60$/cow per year) of dairy farmers. In dairy cattle, NG is made according to net energy (NE) requirements estimated from some animal variables (i.e., milk yield and dairy merit). However, NG has not been evaluated for beef cattle, likely because data are not readily available and existing protocols have been fixed for decades by the beef industry, such as allotting by body weight (BW): growing diet for 180 to 400-kg animals, and finishing diet for 400 to 550-kg animals. Therefore, we investigated an unsupervised machine learning (ML) technique in R to sort animals at the arrival according to their DM intake (DMI), NE and metabolizable protein (MP) requirements, estimated through INRA from BW and average daily gain. We utilized data from 77 growing Friesian steers allotted conventionally by BW (139±21.6 kg) in 4 pens, weighed every 3 weeks (n=9 weighings) during 190 days, and fed a high-energy diet (1.59 Mcal NE/kg DM and 89 g MP/kg DM). Results identified that estimated performances were significantly (P&amp;lt; 0.002) different between 3 groups made from ML and between 4 pens made from BW; however, ML groups presented a minor within-group variability of NE and MP requirements (-25%CV) than pens. We also regressed energy and protein intake minus their respective requirements by the duration of the experiment observing a better fitting (R2= 0.93 vs 0.80) when allotting animals by groups than by pens, which implicates better feed efficiency if diets were formulated according to requirements established by ML groups. We demonstrated that ML techniques could help the decision-making of beef farmers to better sort animals according to their requirements and not only by BW. The next step is to formulate rations according to animal requirements to improve efficiency.

Growth Performance, Digestive Efficiency, and Meat Quality of Two Commercial Crossbred Rabbits Fed Diets Differing in Energy and Protein Levels.

Simple SummaryThe nutritional composition of the diets for growing rabbits should be well-balanced, both to meet the requirements of the high-producing hybrids currently used and to avoid nutrient losses. The improvement of the feed conversion ratio represents a key point in increasing rabbit farmers’ profitability because of the high feeding costs. This study evaluated the growth performance, digestive efficiency and meat quality of growing rabbits belonging to the most diffused commercial crossbred rabbit breeds, Grimaud and Hyla, feeding them diets with different energy and protein levels. The two genotypes showed similar growth performance, but Grimaud rabbits achieved higher slaughter yield than Hyla rabbits. The administration of high-energy diets improved feed conversion and increased nutrient digestibility. Conversely, low dietary protein contents reduced nitrogen excretion without negative effects on growth, feed efficiency and carcass traits of fast-growing rabbits.The present study evaluated the effect of digestible energy (DE) and crude protein (CP) levels on growth, digestive efficiency, slaughter yield and meat quality in growing rabbits of two genotypes (Grimaud, G vs. Hyla, H). A total of 384 crossbred rabbits (192 G and 192 H), half males and half females, were divided into eight experimental groups according to a bi-factorial arrangement (2 genotypes × 4 diets; 48 animals/group) and reared in individual cages. From 33 to 64 days of age, rabbits were fed four diets obtained by combining two DE levels (high, HE—10.9 MJ/kg vs. low, LE—9.2 MJ/kg, on average) and two CP levels (high, HP—159 g/kg vs. low, LP—144 g/kg, on average). Then, all rabbits received the same fattening diet (10.7 MJ DE/kg; 156 g CP/kg) until slaughtering (77 days of age). Growth performance did not differ between genotypes for the entire trial (on average final live weight 3010 g; daily weight gain 50.5 g/d), but H rabbits showed a faster growth during the post-weaning period (p ≤ 0.01) compared to G rabbits, while exhibiting lower slaughter yield and lower carcass fatness (p ≤ 0.01). As DE level increased, feed intake decreased and feed conversion improved (p < 0.001), while caecal volatile fatty acid concentration increased and caecal pH and N-ammonia decreased (p ≤ 0.01). The reduction in the CP level did not affect performance and carcass traits. No significant interaction was detected between genotype and diet. In conclusion, G rabbits may have an advantage over H rabbits because of the higher slaughter yield. As for the nutritional characteristics of diets for high-producing crossbred rabbits, high energy levels are confirmed to enhance feed efficiency, whereas dietary CP can be reduced to 144 g/kg without negative effects on performance and carcass traits.

Ractopamine and age alter oxygen use and nitrogen metabolism in tissues of beef steers.

The objective was to quantify the effects of age and ractopamine (RAC) on whole body oxygen consumption and Leu flux, and oxygen flux and metabolism of nitrogenous compounds by the portal-drained viscera (PDV), liver, and hindquarters (HQ) of steers. Multicatheterized steers were fed a high energy diet every 2 h in 12 equal portions. Five younger steers (body weight, [BW] = 223 ± 10.1 kg) were 6 mo old and five older steers (BW = 464 ± 16.3 kg) were 14 mo old. Treatments were control (Cont) or 80 mg RAC per kg diet in a crossover design. Nitrogen (N) balance was measured on day 9 to 13. Whole body oxygen consumption and net flux were measured on day 11 and day 13, and net flux of N variables, Phe and Leu kinetics were measured on day 13. Whole body oxygen consumption increased (P < 0.05) in response to RAC in older but not younger steers. Retained N was greater (P = 0.009) for younger than older steers and increased (P = 0.010) with RAC in both ages of steers. Nitrogen retained as a percentage of N apparently absorbed increased (P < 0.05) in the older steers but not the younger steers in response to RAC. Oxygen uptake was greater (P < 0.05) in PDV, liver, and total splanchnic tissues in the younger steers and there was no response to RAC. In contrast, oxygen uptake in HQ increased (P < 0.05) with RAC in the older but not the younger steers. Concentration and net PDV release of α-amino N (AAN) were not affected by age or RAC. Uptake of AAN by liver decreased with RAC (P = 0.001). Splanchnic release of AAN was greater in younger steers (P = 0.020) and increased (P = 0.024) in response to RAC. For HQ tissues, uptake (P = 0.005) and extraction (P = 0.005) of AAN were lesser in older than younger steers and both increased (P = 0.001) in response to RAC. Based on Phe kinetics in HQ, RAC increased (P < 0.05) protein synthesis in older steers but not in younger steers. In contrast, protein breakdown decreased (P < 0.05) in response to RAC in younger steers. In response to RAC, protein degradation was less (P < 0.05) in younger than older steers. Based on Leu kinetics, whole body protein synthesis was greater in the younger steers (P = 0.022) but not altered in response to RAC. Ractopamine enhanced lean tissue growth by increasing supply of AAN to peripheral tissues and altering protein metabolism in HQ. These metabolic responses are consistent with established responses to RAC in production situations.

Maternal programming by high-energy diets primes ghrelin sensitivity in the offspring of rats exposed to chronic immobilization stress

Maternal overnutrition during pregnancy leads to metabolic and immune alterations, including obesity, hyperphagia, and central and peripheral inflammation in offspring. Exposure to high-energy diets during pregnancy primes ghrelin sensitivity to overfeeding in the offspring at early stages of life. Overfeeding has also been partially related to the early stages of chronic stress. We hypothesized that maternal programming sensitizes ghrelin-induced overfeeding following a chronic stress schedule in the offspring. We used a nutritional programming model exposing female Wistar rats to a cafeteria (CAF) or control diet from prepregnancy to weaning. Male offspring were injected with ghrelin and then subjected to a chronic immobilization stress (CIS) schedule, after which food intake was determined. Hypothalamic and plasma accumulation of cytokines and cortisol were evaluated using BioPlex analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. We found that rats exposed to the CAF diet exhibited overfeeding after fasting and peripheral ghrelin administration, which was exacerbated in rats exposed to chronic stress. Offspring exposed to the CAF diet accumulated pro-inflammatory interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-γ, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 cytokines in plasma, and IL-6 cytokine in the hypothalamus. Ghrelin-sensitive overfeeding in rats exposed to CAF diet + CIS display increased cortisol levels and decreased IL-6 accumulation in plasma. Together, our results suggest that maternal nutritional programming primes susceptibility to ghrelin response for overfeeding after a CIS schedule that mirrors plasma cortisol accumulation in male offspring.

Osteotropic Effect of Parenteral Obesity in Programmed Male Rats Fed a Calorically Differentiated Diet during Growth and Development.

Simple SummaryParental obesity affects skeletal metabolism in offspring. This relationship is called “nutritional programming”. During the weaning period, they are more highly mineralized and mechanically resistant. It was interesting for us whether changing or continuing the feeding of male offspring with a standard or high-energy diet may have different metabolic effects on bone tissue. Our previous studies on females have shown that the beneficial direction of change is the replacement of the standard diet with a high-energy diet; the reduction of the caloric content of food (change from a high-energy to a properly balanced diet) leads to disorders of skeletal growth and development. In males, any change in diet inhibited skeletal development, and the bones were weaker. The most effective was the continuation of high-energy nutrition, which, in males at 49 and 90 days of age, was manifested by stronger bones. This proves that males and females react differently to a change in the caloric content of the diet during the period of growth and development.The experiment was undertaken to assess whether the continuation or change of the parents’ diet affects the previously programmed bone metabolism of the male offspring during its growth and development. A total of 16 male and 32 female Wistar rats were divided into groups and fed a standard (diet S) or high-energy (diet F). After the induction of obesity, the rats from groups S and F, as the parent generation, were used to obtain male offspring, which were kept with their mothers until the weaning day (21 days of age). In our earlier study, we documented the programming effects of the diet used in parents on the skeletal system of offspring measured on the weaning day. Weaned male offspring constitute one control group—parents and offspring fed the S diet. There were three experimental groups, where: parents received diet S and offspring were fed with the F diet; parents were treated with the diet F, while offspring received the S diet; and parents and offspring were fed with the diet F. The analyses were performed at 49 and 90 days of life. After sacrifice, cleaned-off soft tissue femora were assessed using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and a three-point bending test. We observed that changing and continuation of nutrition, applied previously in parents, significantly influenced the metabolism of the bone tissue in male offspring, and the osteotropic effects differed, depending on the character of the nutrition modification and age. Additionally, an important conclusion of our study, regarding the previous, is that nutrition modification, affecting the metabolism of bone tissue, also depends on the sex.

Effects of metabolic energy intervention on lipid content and liver transcriptome in finisher yellow-feathered chickens

High-energy diets improve growth rates and shorten the growth period while resulting in excessive fat deposition in the liver of birds. The effect of different energy diets on lipid content and liver transcriptome in finisher Huxu chickens was examined here. A total of 200 90-d-old Huxu chickens with an average BW of 1.08 kg were randomly divided into two dietary treatments. The birds were fed diets either containing 12.06 MJ ME/kg (low metabolic energy, LME) or 13.31 MJ ME/kg (high metabolic energy, HME) for 45 days. Chickens fed the HME diet had significantly higher total triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations in both plasma and liver than did those fed the LME diet. Transcriptomic profiling showed 480 known differentially expressed genes (DEG), with 180 down-regulated and 300 up-regulated chickens from the HME diet compared with the LME diet. Notably, these genes were mostly enriched in lipid metabolism including the PPAR signalling pathway, fatty acid elongation, and glycerophospholipid metabolism. The relative mRNA expression level of 14 lipid metabolism-related genes, included 13 up-regulated (MBOAT2, PLA2G2E, AGPAT2, AGPAT3, PCYT2, PEMT, ELOVL2, HADHA, ACOT1L, FABP3, FABP1, PLIN1, RXRG) and one down-regulated (LCAT) gene. In conclusion, the present findings indicate that a high-energy diet likely regulates gene expression of the 14 lipid metabolism-related genes through the PPAR signalling pathway, fatty acid elongation, and glycerophospholipid metabolism resulting in excessive fat accumulation in the liver of Huxu chickens. These results provide a better understanding of the biological mechanisms by which the increased dietary energy induces fat accumulation in the liver. Highlights A high-energy diet without change in protein level induced excessive fat accumulation in the Huxu chickens. Chickens fed the high-energy diet had induced higher total triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations in both plasma and liver. This study showed a comprehensive profile of hepatic gene expression in chickens with fatty liver induced by high energy.

Dehydroepiandrosterone activates the GPER-mediated AMPK signaling pathway to alleviate the oxidative stress and inflammatory response in laying hens fed with high-energy and low-protein diets

Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) seriously threatens the layer industry due to it can cause a sudden decline in egg production and acute death, and dietary supplement with bioactive substance is considered an effective way to prevent the FLHS occurrence. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a popular dietary supplement and it possesses anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory functions; however, the effect and underlying mechanism about DHEA in protecting against the occurrence and development of FLHS remain elucidated. The current results showed that DHEA relieved HELP-induced decrease of egg productivity and liver injury in laying hens. Meanwhile, DHEA markedly enhanced the antioxidant capacity and then alleviated oxidative stress via activation of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF-2) signal in laying hens fed with HELP diets. In addition, DHEA significantly alleviated HELP-stimulated systemic inflammatory response by suppressing the overproduction of hepatic pro-inflammatory factors in laying hens, and further found this beneficial effect was achieved by blocking the activation of NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, we found that DHEA promoted the AMP-activated protein kinase α (AMPKα) activation and increased the G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) expression level in laying hens fed with HELP diets. In summary, our data demonstrated that DHEA attenuates oxidative stress and inflammation through the activation of GPER-AMPK signal axis in laying hens fed with HELP diets. These results might facilitate an understanding of the benefits and mechanism of DHEA on the development of FLHS, and provide sufficient data to support it as a dietary supplement to control the FLHS-related metabolic diseases in chickens.

The Association between Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and High-Energy Diets and Academic Performance in Junior School Students.

This study aimed to understand the consumption frequency of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and high-energy diets in junior school students in China and to explore the relationship between SSBs and high-energy diets and academic performance. Information about 9251 junior school students was retrieved from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) database. The Mann–Whitney U test and the Kruskal–Wallis test were used to compare differences in academic performance based on the variables of interest. Generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze the association between the consumption frequency of SSBs and high-energy diet and student academic performance, fixed and random effects were included to control for confounding factors. The proportions of the “often” consumption group of SSBs and high-energy diets were 21.5% and 14.6%, respectively. For SSBs, the total score of the “often” consume group was 4.902 (95%CI: −7.660~−2.144, p < 0.001) points lower than that of the “seldom” consume group. Scores of Chinese math, and English were 0.864 (95%CI: −1.551~−0.177, p = 0.014), 2.164 (95%CI: −3.498~−0.831, p = 0.001), and 1.836 (95%CI: −2.961~−0.710, p = 0.001) points lower, respectively. For high-energy diets, the scores of total, Chinese and English in the “sometimes” consume group were 2.519 (95%CI: 0.452~4.585, p = 0.017), 1.025 (95%CI: 0.510~1.540, p < 0.001) and 1.010 (95%CI: 0.167~1.853, p = 0.019) points higher than that of the “seldom” consume group, respectively. Our findings suggested that consumption of SSBs was often negatively associated with academic performance in junior school students, while medium consumption of high-energy diets had a positive correlation. The positive association between high-energy diets and academic performance may be related to the food items included in the high-energy diets consumed by Chinese students. Schools and families should pay more effort to reduce the consumption of SSBs, and for high-energy diets, the focus should be on food selection and avoiding excessive intake. Longitudinal studies are needed to further test these findings among adolescents.

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT ENERGY LEVELS ON GROWTH, CARCASS TRAITS , BODY COMPOSITION AND DIGESTIBILITY OF NUTRIENT IN AWASSI LAMBS

This experiment was designed to investigate the effect of different level of energy on growth, carcass traits, body composition, digestibility and some blood parameters. Twenty one Awassi lambs (4 month old and 23 kg body weight) were used and after 10 days of adaptation, the lambs were divided equally and randomly and penned individually into three treatment groups, and fed ad lib on low (10.8 T1) medium (11.6 T2) and high (12.3 T3 MJ/kg DM). After 72 days of fattening, 5 lambs from each treatment were chosen and slaughtered. Results revealed that lambs of T3 had numerically higher daily gain (189.72 g), lower dry matter intake (849.46 g), higher feed efficiency (4.7), higher dressing percentage (48.43) and a significant increase (P≤0.05) was noticed in dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, nitrogen free extract and total digestible nutrient as compared with lambs received low or medium level of energy. It could be concluded that the high dietary energy produce the best performance, nutrient digestion and carcass trait of lambs.

Analysis of serum fatty acid, amino acid, and organic acid profiles in gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes mellitus via targeted metabolomics.

This study aimed to characterize metabolite differences and correlations between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HP) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) using univariate, multivariate analyses, RF, and pathway analyses in a cross-sectional study. Dietary surveys were collected and targeted metabolomics was applied to measure levels of serum fatty acids, amino acids, and organic acids in 90 pregnant women at 24–28 weeks gestation at the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University. Principal components analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminatory analysis (PLS-DA) models were established to distinguish HP, GDM, and healthy, pregnant control individuals. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses and Random Forest (RF) were used to identify and map co-metabolites to corresponding pathways in the disease states. Finally, risk factors for the disease were assessed by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. Dietary survey results showed that HP and GDM patients consumed a high-energy diet and the latter also consumed a high-carbohydrate and high-fat diet. Univariate analysis of clinical indices revealed HP and GDM patients had glycolipid disorders, with the former possessing more severe organ dysfunction. Subsequently, co-areas with significant differences identified by basic discriminant analyses and RF revealed lower levels of pyroglutamic acid and higher levels of 2-hydroxybutyric acid and glutamic acid in the GDM group. The number of metabolites increased in the HP group as compared to the healthy pregnant control group, including pyroglutamic acid, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid, oleic acid (C18:1), and palmitic acid (C16:0). ROC curves indicated that area under curve (AUC) for pyroglutamic acid in the GDM group was 0.962 (95% CI, 0.920–1.000), and the AUC of joint indicators, including pyroglutamic acid and GABA, in the HP group was 0.972 (95% CI, 0.938–1.000). Collectively, these results show that both GDM and HP patients at mid-gestation possessed dysregulated glucose and lipid metabolism, which may trigger oxidative stress via glutathione metabolism and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids.